quête:further out

The Ottawa composer/performer and head of Black Bough Records plays every instrument on his CST debut: an accessibly avant-garde work of dark/ambient modern chamber music. Mark Molnar has been a linchpin of the Ottawa experimental music scene for over two decades, spanning contemporary classical, electroacoustic, industrial/noise, and improv. As a string player in a wide range of projects, an organizer and curator of innumerable shows, and via his own avantgarde label Black Bough Records, Molnar's unflagging contributions to independent music culture in Canada's capital city have been significant. EXO is his Constellation debut: a remarkable and bracing suite of post-classical composition on which Molnar plays every instrument. Meticulously self-recorded, primarily with strings, harp, and piano, EXO balances thematic melodicism, polytonality, and dissonance across three elegiac pieces of exquisitely expressive dynamism. This is exacting modern chamber music that blends formal and harmonic complexity with a solemn emotive sensibility accessible to a broad audience. Listeners that yearn for some edge and disquietude in a landscape of often all-too-approachable post-classical music should find EXO eminently worth their time and attention. While Molnar is a highly trained string player, and studied music under Aubrey Wolfe, microtonality with James Tenney, and composition with R. Murray Schafer, his trajectory has been entirely and intentionally outside the academy, signalling a socio-artistic commitment to DIY culture, forged from an early passion for the sonic worlds of post-hardcore, post-punk, no-wave, free improv, power electronics, and other independent/underground musics. His classically-informed works have been described as "tense currents of musical modernism invigorated with punk's raw vitality." EXO carries an undercurrent influenced by dark industrial and ambient metal in particular, with microphones purposely placed to pick up the low-end frequencies of the piano body, and of a bass drum positioned as a resonant skin in the acoustic space; an electroacoustic strategy organically meshed to the crisply defined and pristinely recorded pointillisms and polychords of strings, harp, and piano, which feed into this noisefloor of crepuscular sub-bass disquietude and decay. It's a production aesthetic that lends EXO a distinct undertow of tension and feeling, a sort of roiling maximalism where the chamber instrumentation traces arcs and waves of form and flow as if drawn from a dark, impervious ocean below. It also reinforces the profound hermeticism of Molnar's process, as a forbiddingly solitary creative act of immersion and navigation. The album artwork, featuring semiabstract stills of the sea by British photographer Ed Allen, further reifies this metaphor. The album's opening piece 'Sub Luna' (and its shortest at 8 minutes) showcases Molnar's adeptness at naturalistic and flowing complexity: tight cascades of climbing and descending chordal clusters hold their polytonal densities for various durations, yielding to more clarified harmonic suspensions and motifs, as melodic themes led primarily by violins in the higher registers provide a fractured lyricism. Molnar says: "the opening and closing figures of this piece act as opposing shorelines; the shorelines provide a reliable expression of range and key signature, and the tides come in and swallow them up, the motion of a body that addresses the relationship between states of lucidity and melodic figures." On 'Terre Sacer' everything happens in soupier waters, as a slow and doleful theme, anchored by grinding bass notes, circles in a gyre of dark resonances, until glistening strings gradually ascend to enrobe a plaintive and gently harrowing single-voiced ostinato over the composition's final third. Molnar's drone, ambient, minimalist, and goth-industrial influences are on display here. Side Two of EXO features the 18-minute multi-movement 'pallida Mors' (pale death): a waterfall of heterophony introduces dense chordal movements where strings are recorded and mixed to evoke pipe organ, in the album's most overtly dissonant and (anti)liturgical sequence. This gives way to ever more open and fragile spaces, before a resurgence of dark clusters and noise treatments introduces a final repeating piano coda, shrouded in devastated bass resonance, settling into what Molnar calls "a meditative hollow." Constellation is honoured to release this work by Mark Molnar, a longtime fellow-traveler whose selfless and boundlessly generous activities as an independent arts enabler sometimes obscure his own accomplished and uncompromising artistry. We trust EXO can help shed some much deserved light on this fine composer. Thanks for listening.

"Throughout all my time as a musician and producer, ever since Jack the Tab, I've been focused on developing a single idea: Blending psychedelic sounds and effects with rhythm." Richard Norris, Strange Things Are Happening White Rabbit 2024

Over the past few years Eskimo Recordings have invited some of the best crate diggers around to curate compilations that don't just reveal the hidden contents of their record bags but something about themselves too. Now, following in the footsteps of the likes of Bill Brewster and Psychemagik, producer, musician, DJ, writer and more, Richard Norris, takes us on a globetrotting psychedelic journey with the epic 42 track collection, Mr Norris Changes Brains.

For over forty years Richard has played a part in many of the UK's most important music subcultures. Whether sharing stages with the likes of Tracey Thorn as a pubescent punk in St. Albans, or running freakbeat nights in Liverpool and working at the pioneering psychedelic label Bam Caruso, co-producing the UK's first acid house inspired LP with Throbbing Gristle's Genesis P. Orridge or riding the wave of creativity that the second summer of love unleashed all the way to the Top of the Pop studios as The Grid, Richard's career has continually seen him work to expand both his own and the public's musical horizons.

With Mr Norris Changes Brains it's the most recent part of his mercurial career that he's focused on. Drawing inspiration from his post 2006 adventures as one half of Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve, alongside Trash's Erol Alkan, this compilation shows how a more connected world has blown the dust off a paradoxically sometimes straightjacketed scene. The result is a dizzyingly wide-ranging collection that explores the further out there reaches of worldwide psychedelia and dancefloor mayhem.

"A lot of these tracks are fairly recent discoveries, things that I've discovered from around the time I started working with Erol and going right up to today," Richard explains. "Whether that's from going out to play and finding new records in places like Istanbul or just connecting with people online from all around the world. Psych can sometimes be a sort of narrow-minded field, with everything having to sit in its specific niche, but more and more people are open to new sounds and that's allowed for a much broader selection."

Despite their disparate origins what does unite these tracks is that they aren't just there to zone out to on a bean bag as projections of swirling coloured oils and psychedelic patterns wash over you. Mr Norris may change brains but his DJ sets also move feet, and whether it's their killer guitar riffs, oscillating synths floor shaking drums or soulful Hammond organs these are all cuts that from festival tents to underground clubs have proven time and time again to get people dancing.

"With a lot of these tracks there's a kind of fun element in them," says Richard. "It's still psychedelia, but they've also got these solid, funky grooves. They sound phenomenal on the dancefloor and as much as these records might excite old psych heads, this compilation is also for a new generation out there who might have never heard anything like this before and, just like when I was 18 and heard The 13th Floor Elevators for the first time, think 'Oh, my God, what on earth is this and more importantly what else is out there?'"

Following the cinematic jazz-funk of Ufo Bar (2021), Banda Maje are back, ready to take you on another sonic journey across Salifornia—and beyond.

Their new 7" single, available starting May 30 via Four Flies, offers an exciting glimpse into the expanded horizons of Banda Maje, serving as a prelude to their sophomore album, Costa Sud.

These past four years, Peppe Maiellano—the band's composer and mastermind—has further refined his unique Mediterranean sound. A deep connection to Italian and Neapolitan roots remains, as evidenced in the heartfelt cover of Peppino di Capri's 1981 track, "Mo…" on Side A. Maiellano keeps things simple, staying faithful to the original, yet manages to freshen the track for today's listeners, making the lyrics resonate with his compelling vocal rendition.

But Maiellano has also embraced new influences, particularly Brazilian music, as showcased in the infectious "(Roda De) Samba Maje" on Side B. This roda-de-samba version of the upcoming album track "Samba Maje," a collaboration with the Amor Pela Roda group featuring Antonio Montuori on percussion and Pasquale Del Solio on cavaquinho, gives us a taste of Maiellano's vision for Costa Sud—a 'music of the South' that transcends geographical and time boundaries, bridging Italy, Brazil, Africa, and contemporary vibes.


Out on 30th May 2025 on 7" and digital.

Born from a desire to explore her background in film composing to create a music film, Hannah Holland’s upcoming album 'Last Exit On Bethnal’ is set for release via PRAH Recordings on 18th July. Together with director Lydia Garnett, the multi-faceted London producer shaped ideas born out of images the pair weren’t finding in film, inspired by queer icon filmmakers like Kenneth Anger and Derek Jarman. “We wanted to craft something unapologetically for dykes: a poetic, surreal exploration of dyke power and sexuality set in a fantasy underworld,” explains Holland. Once the film was shot, she channelled its stunning imagery and the energy of the cast into making the record. Seductive and bass-driven, its nine tracks merge sleazy guitars with 707 machine drums, beautiful evolving arps, and surreal moments of Lynchian dreaminess and Aphex Twin-inspired atmospherics. "It was a really amazing collaborative experience and coming together of a community to make something totally unique….and hot!” she continues. The first single ‘Biker’ features a filthy synth hook atop Hannah’s signature bass-guitar, perfectly capturing the raw and sexy energy of the album and its visual centrepiece. You can listen to it here. The film will be screened at a one-off club night at London’s ICA on 11th April in association with Culture Divided, Somesuch and Bala Project.

Hannah Holland has played a pivotal role in London’s alternative and queer London club scene since the mid-noughties. Rooted deeply in London’s fertile musical community, musical exploration and the transcendent potential of dancefloor have always been her biggest inspiration. Her recent delve into experimental theatre, film and TV scores has proved a future further artistic voyage to explore her creative vision. Holland first arrived on dancefloors sharing electro-tinged techno, with equal inspiration taken from the sounds of DnB and jungle heard at legendary parties such as Metalheadz, which she had frequented in her early teens. Having already been “borrowing” (and perhaps never since returning) Kraftwerk, Grace Jones and Talking Heads records from her parents, the influence of this metropolitan musical soup ensured that Holland emerged on the decks with a unique musical character and diverse taste, hallmarks of her sound that she has not lost since. This has been reinforced with trusted residencies at iconic parties such as Trailer Trash, Adonis, Glastonbury’s NYC Downlow, or undertaking far-reaching marathon sets at Berlin’s Panorama Bar. In 2006 Hannah started Batty Bass with vocalist Mama. Immediately a roadblock party and then a record label with releases from Josh Caffe and The Carry Nation sitting in its discography, Batty Bass explores the disparate strains of electro, acid, techno and house. Hannah also released her own music on the label including the ever-anthemic Paris’ Acid Ball.

A steady stream of releases have followed on Shall Not Fade, Super Rhythm Trax, Crosstown Rebels, Classic, Nervous, as well as remixes for Blessed Madonna ft. Kylie Minogue, Planningtorock, The Knife and Goldfrapp among others. Hannah also finds the time to play bass in several bands including Black Gold Buffalo whose debut album she also co-wrote. Her much-anticipated debut album, Tectonic, came out on PRAH Recordings in 2021, with a second on the way. Hannah’s latest venture into the world of film scores have included queer icon Bruce LaBruce’s ‘The Visitor,’ Channel 4 series Adult Material and award-winning indie feature Electrician.

Hannah Holland continues to push the boundaries of electronic and live music, telling stories and carving her own path in the deeper frequencies.

A deeply intimate and cinematic body of work, My Goddess unfolds as a self-contained emotional universe; an album about grief, depression, healing, and the enduring human urge to find beauty in a world that often feels unrelenting.
Composed against the backdrop of Lebanon’s ongoing political and economic collapse, My Goddess captures what it means to process personal heartbreak and collective trauma simultaneously. Across nine emotionally charged tracks, Etyen draws from profound loss, existential reflection, and the tragic death of his beloved cat Lucy to craft a record that is as fragile as it is resilient; both a personal reckoning and a universal portrait of survival through art. “This album is a conversation with myself. It’s about loss and grief, about finding beauty and trying to hold on to it,” says Etyen. “It’s about confronting the painful parts of life while still believing there’s something gentle and divine to hold onto.”
Blending cinematic textures, Etyen's unique and inspired electronics, and minimally sculpted yet immersive melodies, My Goddess pushes further into the raw introspection first glimpsed on Etyen’s 2022 debut album Untitled. But this time, the sonic architecture is more distilled, the emotional stakes more immediate. The result is a record that gently lingers in the spaces between memory, absence, and hope.
The album’s first single, the title track “My Goddess,” drops May 5 with a self-directed music video, one of three cinematic visuals accompanying the album. The trilogy further expands the emotional world of the record and affirms Etyen’s role not only as a musical artist, but as a multidimensional storyteller.
With over a decade of work that spans Netflix scores (Jinn), international festivals (Sonar Barcelona, Mutek), and critical acclaim and editorial support from Bandcamp Daily, BBC Radio and much more, Etyen has carved out a singular voice in electronic music—bridging personal, cultural and political resonance through sound. As the founder of Thawra Records, he also continues to champion independent artists from the region, building a vital platform for forward-thinking music in and beyond the Arab world.

Singer James Ambrose Johnson, born on February 1, 1948, in Buffalo, New York, fled to Toronto, Canada, to avoid the draft. There, he started The Mynah Birds, a rhythm & blues band and changed his name to Rick James. In 1966, Neil Young joined the band, but their journey ended when James was exposed as a draft dodger and jailed. After serving his time, Rick James joined several bands, including The Great White Cane, and developed his unique funk style. In 1978, Motown signed him to their Gordy Records, releasing his debut solo album Come And Get It! featuring the hits “You and I” and “Mary Jane.” The album climbed to number 13 on the U.S. charts. Rick released multiple successful albums, such as Bustin’ Out Of L Seven and Fire It Up, with hits like “High On Your Love Suite' and “Bustin’ Out (On Funk).” His 1981 album Street Songs marked his internationally breakthrough, blending funk, rock, and new wave. It produced hits like “Ghetto Life,” the massive “Give It To Me Baby,” and “Super Freak,” earning gold records and Grammy nominations.

His follow-up albums included Throwin’ Down, featuring “Dance Wit’ Me” and "Standing On The Top" with The Temptations, and Cold Blooded, with “Ebony Eyes”a collaboration with Smokey Robinson. Furthermore Rick wrote and produced “Party All The Time” for Eddie Murphy, reaching number 2 on the Billboard charts. Also included on this Collected album are the hits “Glow”, “Loosey’s Rap” featuring the queen of hip hop Roxanne Shanté and his collaboration with Busta Rhymes of “In The Ghetto”

Rick James Collected includes most of his hits and early songs and the 2LP, is available on black vinyl and includes liner notes.

During the course of his career, the legendary creator of Afrobeat Fela Kuti used his music to lament social injustices and political corruption in his native Nigeria. His music, a compelling blend of American funk and West African highlife, often locked into spellbinding grooves that seemed to go on forever. Yet that was the point: to fall deep into the rhythm and dance away the hardship. While this impacted Nigeria and the entire world, it also affected Fela’s son Femi and his son Made, both of whom carry his legacy as torchbearers for change. On February 5th 2021, Partisan Records, home to Fela’s catalog, will release two albums from Femi and Made — both very much in the tradition of Fela’s music, but with different scopes. Femi’s album, Stop The Hate, radiates the unique Afrobeat sound that he has forged throughout his long career, affirming the sharply political conviction that his father would’ve claimed in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Made’s album, For(e)ward, is a modern and progressive freedom manifesto, pushing boundaries of the subgenre even further. Made also performs every instrument on the album. Together they will be packaged into a double album called Legacy + that, when taken as a whole, bolsters the rich musical heritage of the Kuti name. Yet this isn’t just about honoring Fela, it’s also personal for Femi and Made, a father and son with deep creative synergy. Most importantly, the project finds these men coming together in the name of family. “This is probably the most important part of my life right now,” Femi says. “I’m happy because he’s not copying me. He has found his voice. What other joy could a father want than to experience this in his lifetime?”

Spectral Bounce’s fifth instalment comes courtesy of L.A.’s rave archivist and dancefloor operative Dreams, A.K.A. Jesse Pimenta. Throughout his decade-long career the California native has inspected, dissected and concocted all manner of dance musics, leaving his mark with drops on Apron Records, Pinkman, BANK NYC and his own imprint Dance Data. On SPEC05 — Dangerous When Wet — he hijacks the synapses with 4 accomplished productions, plotting a high BPM course through manifold styles using the raw aesthetic that characterises his output.

“Losing Control” is a frenetic dancefloor invitation, immediately locking into a pacing groove. Beneath wild hand drums, Dreams plays with an insistent 303 bassline alternating between rasping buzz and oily squelch, while stern vocals are layered on top of breaks that have been processed to a viscerally satisfying end.

Taking things from delirious dance circle to underwater biosphere, the EP’s eponymous track explores a submerged 1980s Miami. Weighty & enveloping, “Dangerous When Wet” is pure aquatic pop-n-lock — hydraulic electro for a drowned world. Ocean floor caustics are transmuted into auditory form: arpeggios bubble up; drones shimmer mystically; hi-hats hiss like air from an open valve. Amongst the sonar bleeps, a barrage of pummeling low-end is sure to give subwoofers a workout.

“XTC Messenger” delivers an infectious paranoid dispatch, astutely balancing the sensual with the deranged. A slow-mo dial tone unfolds languidly, running counter to nervously twitching high frequencies. Its punchy percussion is tuned for maximum dopamine release; the track’s abrupt vocal chops and mechanical kick-snare pulsation evoke the leather jackets and jagged edges of 1980s industrial discotheque.

“Pressure Points” closes the EP on a heady and mesmerising polymetric trip. The parting track is a lithe yet spacious number, propelled by a rattling break. Here Dreams follows from track 2, creating an immersive environment in which sounds tightly twist and twirl. Shifting oscillators call out like tiny creatures as the bass throbs and wriggles further into your brain, long after the needle hits the runout groove.

EARTHGANG are a unique rap duo that have been making an impact on the Hip-Hop soundscape since their formation in 2008. Comprised of members Olu and WowGr8, the pair met as freshmen at Mays High School in Southwest Atlanta and were deeply influenced by their surroundings. Their music as EARTHGANG is a fusion of various genres, including R&B, Jazz, Gospel, and Funk, which they use to create innovative albums, experimental EPs, and masterful mixtapes. With a name rooted in the idea of bringing people together, EARTHGANG have gained a massive following, with more than 3 Million monthly listeners on Spotify and over 155 Million views on YouTube. After signing with J. Cole's Dreamville Records in 2017, EARTHGANG's popularity grew even further, with their 2019 album Mirrorland debuting at #40 on the US Billboard 200 Chart and #22 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. EARTHGANG's commitment to community activism, supporting emerging artists, and dedication to pushing boundaries in their music have earned them critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase. Their sound continues to evolve, with each project showcasing their eclectic rhythm that cannot be placed in a box or attached to any one genre. With the latest examples of this being their new EP ROBOPHOBIA, as well as their recent Snakehips collab project SNAKEGANG, EARTHGANG are continuing to push the sonic boundaries of Hip-Hop while simultaneously delivering outside-of-the-box concepts infused with an experimental sound.

COMPUMA's new new album “horizons”now available on vinyl via his own label Something About!

The album “horizons” is a further development of COMPUMA's “horizons EP”, which was released in July 2023 as a digital-only EP on his Bandcamp. The songs are inspired by the scenery and environment of Lake Ezu, Kumamoto, where the artist's roots lie, and by his walks in various places around Japan.

Horizons 1”, in which the undulations of electronic sounds seem to represent a leisurely walk across a clear expanse of sky and lake scenery, and the vocoder voice somewhat reminds us of people's activities, and the piece changes to a more minimalistic play of rhythms and electronic sounds, as if focusing on introspection in the midst of walking. The album also includes “horizons 2,” which changes with exquisite salinity, “horizons 3,” which pays homage to early electronic music, and “horizons 4,” a more stoic minimal electro-dubwise piece that seems to be immersed in the act of walking, The last track on the album, “horizons 5,” is a non-beat ambient track with a hint of the waterfront, as if the artist is gazing at the vast sky, as if the steps of the first half of the album are expanding into a faint memory, and is accompanied by a field recording. The album includes “horizons 5”, a non-beating ambient taste that is covered by field recordings and depicts the atmosphere of a wandering waterfront, and five versions of “horizons” that remind us of the days of “walking”, sometimes immersed in the scenery and walking, sometimes lost in thought, with “horizons interlude” in between, which reminds us of the surface of a bobbing lake, and is a self-titled version of “View 2” from the previous album, “A View”. The album contains seven songs in total, including a self-remix of “View 2” and an electro version of “view 2 electro”, reminiscent of the shimmering surface of a lake.

Personally speaking, this work reminds me somewhat of Kraftwerk's “Autobahn,” which depicted the countryside of West Germany with minimal electronic sounds, and this work also seems to depict a scene of a “walk” with electronic sounds. However, what is different from “Autobahn” is that there is an element in the middle part of the album that seems to go into introspection in the midst of walking, and it is a work that shows various views (including feelings) throughout the album. From a macro perspective, this album is a new response to the recent environmental music revival and generalization of ambient music, which he has introduced as a DJ and record buyer for a long time.
The album was co-produced by hacchi, who also works with Deavid Soul, Urban Volcano Sound, and as a recording/mastering engineer, and mastered by Nakamura Soichiro of Peace Music, a studio that has produced many masterpieces, including Shintaro Sakamoto's solo work. The package artwork is by designer Seiichiro Suzuki. The package artwork is by designer Sei Suzuki. （The package artwork was designed by designer Sei Suzuki.)

＊＊＊＊＊＊

Compuma is a Tokyo-based log-serving DJ whose extensive knowledge of obscure and left-field music across so many genres and different regions of the world established himself as one of the most respected record buyers in Japan,
a country well known as record collectors’ paradise. While he built his career in record business over decades, he has also been sharing his expertise in music as a DJ just as long. Not only the breath and the depth of where his selection derives are hard to compete, the way he blends them all together is also a state of art. Often intricately layered and collaged, Compuma is capable of sculpting something entirely new with bits and pieces of existing tracks in various forms such as ambient soundscapes to dubbed out club sets. In 2017, his unique ability caught the attention of Berlin Atonal directors and he was invited to play at the festival in Berlin.

He extends his skills into remixing which can be heard on the released from EM Records - “Compuma meets Haku” (2015) and “Bangkok Nights” (2017.) In June 2022, he released his first solo album, A View.
He is also an active member of a DJ trio called Akuma No Numa (which translates to “devil’s swamp”) in which he explores darker and more psychedelic periphery of dance music.

The first in a proposed series of transmissions, Surface Detail's mystifying debut introduces an incorporeal body that exists only through sound and sensation, prompting listeners to discern a spiritual realm beyond the physical. Its surging electro-acoustic compositions push past the material world to plunge into deeper sonic dimensions, slowly revealing a philosophy borne of near-death and out-of-body experiences that challenges perception itself.

Overhauling vintage experimental techniques with their bespoke modern methodologies and processes, Surface Detail rearrange the musical timeline, merging vastly different concepts to hint at questions rather than provide solid answers. Their uniquely immersive soundscapes use texture, rhythm and tonality to help brush away the superficial and contemplate the unknown, approaching its delicate, controversial subject matter with sensitivity and sensuality. Not just an auditory experience, 'Surface Detail' tests the potential of sound itself, eliciting visceral physical reactions with its uncanny subtleties.

Those principles are divulged immediately on opening track 'Marée Noire', as breathy saxophone notes loops and swirl over cosmic oscillations and microtonally tuned drones. It's music that cracks open a passage that snakes through various genres, suggesting silhouettes rather than affirming banal musical preconceptions. Skeletal rhythms appear in the ether for only a moment, disappearing into the sonic landscape, and Surface Detail's bespoke instrumentation materializes just to bring out the cellular intricacy of the music, concentrating the gaze on microscopic textures and irregularities that discompose the senses. As the album drifts forward, it bends material reality even further: on 'Southern Breach', warm, lower-register organ tones intermingle with sinewy guitar twangs, evaporating into warped, hypnotic oscillations and eerie echoes; and by 'Superbook of the Dead', the conspicuous details have almost disappeared completely, replaced by subterranean clangs, industrial ambience and other-worldly electrical interference.

It's in this way that Surface Detail softly assert their convictions, insinuating a narrative that subliminally ushers listeners down an hypnagogic River Styx by removing all traces of the familiar. On closing track 'Broken Silicates', distant lullabies, dissociated stutters and ghostly woodwind sounds blot fractal patterns on the wide open space, reincarnating the album in a liminal zone that's not constrained by somatic logic. Whisper quiet and utterly beguiling, it transcends material existence, dissolving barriers between surface and depth.

Kryptograf has carved out a distinct niche by fusing the raw, heavy sounds of late 60s / early 70s rock with the intensity and aggression that doom metal and stoner rock are known for. Formed in Bergen, a city known for its robust and unique musical scene, Kryptograf debuted with a sound that resonated deeply in the underground scene. Their homage to classic rock giants and a contemporary edge has made them stand-out interpreters of that era's atmospheric riffs and gritty tones. Their upcoming third album marks an evolution in their sound, with a deepened focus on melody and dynamic songwriting without sacrificing their core intensity. The A-side carries a distinct "Scandi-rock" flavor, while the B-side's darker, doom-laden tracks suggest they're leaning even further into heavier, moodier depths. Kryptograf's unmistakable, collective vocal delivery and riff style ensure this album will retain their signature sound while showcasing a mature, nuanced approach to the genre. "Kryptonomicon" is a rich, complex listen that's still undeniably Kryptograf.

'Quiet Pieces' initiates Abul Mogard’s personal imprint Soft Echoes with a definitive self-portrait of calm, contemplative, and discreet inner landscapes made audible. It is the first solo album on vinyl in four years. RIYL Alessandro Cortini, William Basinski, The Caretaker.

While sifting through archived material left idle from earlier projects, a chance encounter with a late uncle’s trove of beloved 78rpm classical and opera records prompted the reworking and completion of what would eventually become the album. Spinning dusty records at 33 and 45rpm, Abul Mogard recombined their enduring spectres with unfinished sketches from his archive. The resulting soundscape blurs distinctions between his memories and those of another, exquisitely short-circuiting the senses with its waking, dream-like lucidity.

This was a process I hadn’t explored in my earlier works. I began sampling brief moments from these records, altering them with studio effects and playing them at slower speeds. In many cases, I wasn’t entirely sure how the original music sounded. These fragments, once further processed, became a source of inspiration for my new compositions. Over time, I realised that the old pieces from the archive and the new material derived from the samples naturally complemented each other.”

The resulting pieces hover over a threshold, a liminal space that harmonises the old and older material. Voluminous waves of quiet and loud undulate between consonance and dissonance, conjuring imagery of a decaying grandeur that humanity’s decadence has surrendered to the elements. Abul Mogard’s seemingly abandoned yet vast landscapes are nevertheless intimate with timbral frissons of red-lined distortion. Elusive, yet as tangible as sea spray or smog, they affect the olfactory senses with a rarified, synesthetic quality that modestly engages one’s emotional register – a hypnotic, distinguishing feature long hailed as one of the hallmarks of his work. A fidelity to memory and dream recall is sensitively probed in the journey from the stately symphonic stasis of 'Following a dream' to the almost industrial, untethered brutality evoked by a looming silhouette that’s never fully visible in 'Constantly slipping away', culminating in the foreboding coda of 'Like a bird'. Those pieces appear to shield the album’s sentimental core, where the tempestuous play of light and shadow of 'In a studded procession' escalates to breathtaking, panoramic climax, while 'Through whispers' evokes an out-of-body-like experience encountered with visceral poignancy.

Looking back, Mogard notes an unexpected influence: “I realise being inspired by Phill Niblock, whose work I had barely known at the time but explored after his passing in 2024. His album 'Boston Tenor Index' changed the way I approached dissonance. It encouraged me to push my sound further, to the edge of a space where I began to feel uncomfortable.”

The album artwork, created by longtime collaborator Marja de Sanctis, features a photograph taken at the Temple of Jupiter Anxur, an archaeological site overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Captured with an iPhone, the image traces the residual presence of construction techniques and architectural forms of the Romans, where material history is transcribed through contemporary tools. The convergence of ancient and modern technology aims to reverberate the site’s lasting spiritual presence – an echo persisting in what is now perceived as a quiet, emptied space. The spiral gestures towards infinity and light. Past and present dissolve into one another, reflecting 'Quiet Pieces' meditation on sound, memory, and time.

RIYL Alessandro Cortini, William Basinski, The Caretaker

Two Times Juno awards listed and 2 times Polaris price listed, Canadian Soul Star Tanika Charles unleash the new album "Reason To Stay that drops on May 16 via independent soul label Record Kicks. Reasons To Stay is Tanika Charles' fourth full-length album, and her most introspective to date. Where her songs have typically touched on romantic love and heartache, the core love and loss of this record is family focused. It has taken years for Tanika to be able to publicly reflect on the childhood trauma and family breakup that occurred during her teens. The majority of the album was composed by Tanika with the tight knit team of Scott McCannell (Lydia Persaud, Henry Nozuka), Kyla Charter (Aysanabee) and Chino de Villa (Jessie Reyez). Kelly Finnigan of the Monophonics joined in to mix the bulk of the project and apply some trademark analogue grit to Tanika's sheen. Guests include Quebec-based Soulful singer/songwriter Clerel on the last track "Win", as well as Toronto soul artists Aphrose and Claire Davis providing additional vocals. "I love this album. I love singing these songs. I love that it's made me step outside of my comfort zone. It's forced me to face the root causes of my own insecurities that I carry to this day. Why am I striving so hard to seek validation, and why take it so personally when it doesn't come? That distortion has prevented me from celebrating my own successes at times. This album is me trying to change that." "I love the conversations that have begun with these songs. It's about childhood trauma, but it's not a victim story. I'm doing well, despite the baggage I carry. I want others to be able to carry theirs too." In the last few years, Canadian Soul/R&B powerhouse Tanika Charles has transformed from an emerging solo artist to a commanding performer and bandleader, cementing her status as a staple in the Canadian soul scene. Her previous studio albums - "Soul Run" (2017), "The Gumption" (2019), and "Papillon De Nuit" (2022) - have propelled her to international acclaim, earning her two JUNO nominations, two Polaris Prize listings, and a growing global fanbase. Extensive touring across North America and Europe has further solidified her reputation, with standout performances at festivals such as Trans Musicales in France, Fusion Festival in Germany, Mostly Funk & Soul Festival and Jazz Festival in the UK, Holy Groove Festival in Switzerland, and Canarias Jazz Festival in Spain. She has also shared the stage Estelle, Mayer Hawthorne, Haitus Kayote, Lauryn Hill, Bedouin Soundclash and Macy Gray. Tanika's meteoric rise and undeniable artistry have been widely championed by outlets such as KCRW, KEXP, BBC6 Music, Exclaim!, CBC Music, Uncut Mag, PopMatters, Albumism .. further solidifying her position as a global soul sensation.

A double LP package from Bardo Pond, combining two of their super rare jam volumes on vinyl for the first time. A further edition in this celebrated series, ‘Volume 4’ and ‘Volume 5’ feature more freeform improvisational pieces from the hypnotic Philadelphia outfit.

Capturing the raw essence of the band, whose fearless exploration blurs the lines between structure, chaos, melody and noise. Bardo Pond's music traverses space rock, acid rock, post-rock, shoegaze, noise, Krautrock and psychedelia.

‘Volume 4’ hails from self-released sessions recorded in January 2002, its five tracks include the supremely tripped out heaviness of ‘K2’ and the balance-shifting ‘New Drunks (Revisited)’ with Isobel Sollenberger’s exquisite and, frankly, quite disturbing vocal. They’re shorter interrogations of sound by Bardo terms, almost succinct in their mesmerising riffage and off-kilter arrangements.

By contrast, ‘Volume 5’ consists of two lengthy mantras recorded between 2000 and 2004 and released as the tape spool spiralled out. ‘FUFO’ sounds like Cluster unravelling with Merzbow mixing, a post-industrial slew of hypnotic proportions, while ‘Monarch’ begins as a Current 93-like neo-folk mood piece before evolving into a wailing slice of drone-drenched Americana by way of a Velvets’ jam.

“We were pushing improvisations as far as we could. It was glorious having the studio. The more that our heads were spinning after a session, the better we knew that session would sound when we listened back. We were getting together two nights a week, usually three or four hours working on material and songs and the other half the time letting loose. Volumes 4 and 5 gather together some of these improvisations, and one early song that we felt like doing.” Adds Michael Gibbons of Bardo Pond.

The Tower is the third studio album by Norwegian hard rock band Vulture Industries. Originally released by Season of Mist on February 24, 2017, the vinyl edition has been sold out for years and sought after by many fans. Known for their mix of progressive metal, dark rock, and theatrical elements, the album continues the band's exploration of complex and atmospheric soundscapes. It combines intricate, sometimes dissonant riffs with elements of black metal, post-punk, and art rock, often switching between atmospheric, melodic sections and more aggressive, intense passages. Lyrically, the album delves into themes of personal conflict, societal decay, and existential despair. The title track, "The Tower," captures the essence of the album with its metaphorical exploration of isolation and oppression. The lyrics are abstract and poetic, inviting listeners to reflect on the human condition and the psychological weight of modern life. The album's concept is built around these dark, thought-provoking themes, creating an immersive experience. Critically, The Tower was praised for its ambitious and multi-faceted approach, with many highlighting its blend of progressive structures and emotional depth. It marked a progression for Vulture Industries in terms of musical maturity, as they refined their sound and further distanced themselves from traditional metal tropes. The album resonated with fans of avant-garde metal, drawing attention for its blend of challenging music and poetic, introspective lyricism.

“In my category, I’m the one and only,” proclaimed Oakland legend Too $hort on his 1990 single “Short But Funky.” Few disagreed then, and even fewer would do so decades later. First appearing in the mid-1980s, slinging homemade tapes out of his car trunk, the man born Todd Shaw has always stayed true to himself. Although he is known more for the dirty side of his rap game, on “Short But Funky,” he also reminds listeners of an important fact: “There’s a serious side to everything I say.” Short Dog’s In The House, was $hort’s sixth studio album, and his second for the Jive label. By the time it hit, he was a West Coast legend, but his rep was growing Eastwards, as the rest of the country started opening its ears to new sounds. Peaking at #20 on the national Billboard 200 chart, the album was exactly what his dedicated fans expected funky, 70s drenched beats made for cars on the boulevard, and no nonsense lyrics that made more sense and dropped more knowledge than he was ever given credit for. For examples of his conscious side, look no further than the P-Funk fueled “It’s Your Life” or the album’s lead single, “The Ghetto.” The album’s second single “Short But Funky” landed somewhere in the middle of $hort and Todd Shaw, talking about where he was at as the new decade broke, and making it clear that he wasn’t going anywhere. His mortality was mainly on his mind after rumors had surfaced the year before that he had died in a crack house. He speaks directly to this crazy episode on “Dead Or Alive.” And although it’s mostly a solo affair, he brings in some heavy artillery and a lot of not for the kids profanity on “Ain’t Nothin’ But A Word To Me,” featuring none other than Ice Cube In between, $hort distributed plenty of tales and charisma for fans to eat up, continuing to build his legendary status as one of the rap trailblazers of the era. Get On Down has repressed this 1990 Bay Area classic album on Blue and Ruby Color-In-Color vinyl

The Madrid duo of Pablo Mirón and Juan Vacas return for their second album 'En Perpetua' as they dive further into their decayed collage and psycho-acoustic-geography. While they remain in similar sonic territory to 'En Perpetua’s' predecessor, 'Of No Fixed Abode', the pair lean into newfound confidence in their process, and the endless possibilities from a new Madrid studio. They employ a selection of instruments including violin, harmonica, voices, guitars, a looper, an FM radio and field recordings from a variety of sources, from the Spanish countryside to exhibition sounds. The result is eight compositions of re-pitched meditations, exploring broken music and rhythmic patterns via their uniquely open-ended, zoned-out tonal journeys.

Heavily supported by Flight for years, we’re extremely excited to at last welcome the inimitable Quartz to p:m, who serves up a sublime 4-tracker for our 10th single. Deeper and more emotionally reflective than previous Quartz releases, this is transcendental music that takes you to outer space and beyond…

Tracklist:
A1. W.Y.N: cosmic pads, jungle-y breaks, and a colossal bassline evoke images of Jupiter and molten lava, while a seductive vocal riff you’ll hum for days weaves in and out. A dance floor favourite.

A2. Taking Me Down: tight rolling beats, sparkly vox, filtered fx, and bass snarls sound like a tug of war between Venus and Mars. Straight up D&B produced alongside Quartz’s childhood friend, Pennygiles.

B1. Trauma Response: diving further into Techno- and Autonomic-inspired territory, this title track is best described by Paul Woolford aka Special Request “Man this tune is f***ing nuts. Reminds me of Black Dog and half of Detroit but through our UK lens, but totally NOW.”

B2. What Is Real Love: an orchestral intro replete with timpani and violins gives way to the big question - what is real love? - almighty bass weight, and a healing, warm golden sun feel. Simply majestic.

'Modulations' is Oscar Mulero third EP on Semantica Records. This new installment brings an updated techno perspective by the acclaimed Spanish artist into an extended six track format.

Italy’s techno powerhouse Alignment blows off roofs with his new 4-track EP, ‘Mystical Energy’, out 2nd May (vinyl) on Charlotte de Witte’s KNTXT label. This is his 7th EP on the imprint, making him one of the main artists on the label since its launch in 2019.

‘Alignment is back on KNTXT, and I couldn't be more excited! This EP has his signature sound all over it: relentless and hypnotic while pushing the boundaries of techno. This new release is pure energy. I can't wait for everyone to dance to it on the floor!’ – Charlotte de Witte

As well as becoming a mainstay of KNTXT, Alignment’s signature invincible blend of hard techno and 90s-inspired trance has also won huge support from the techno community.

‘Mystical Energy’ EP: ‘unfolds through powerful, energetic basslines, relentless pulses that shape a hypnotic sonic journey. Mystical influences intertwine with exotic and ethereal melodies, transporting the listener to a dimension suspended between reality and the unknown. Each track is a portal that dissolves the boundaries of the familiar, pushing the mind beyond in an electronic ritual of pure transcendence’ - Alignment

All four tracks are high energy, an irresistible force of hard dance and techno beats adorned with uplifting euphoric elements to complete their onslaught on the mind and the dancefloor. Title track ‘Mystical Energy’ adds a darkly grating whispered lyric at high speed, pushing the impetus yet further, and triumphant melodic synth patterns. ‘Brazilian Pulse’ mixes ominous industrial psy sounds with the urgent and hypnotizing chanting of Brazilian vocals, while ‘Speak From Your Heart’ offers high pizzicato riffs and a 90s flavour synth crescendo with a trance vibe. ‘The Deepest Truth’ contrasts dystopian hoover sounds and robotic phrases with a sustained breakdown of soulful, vibrato melodic synth.

Grammy-nominated Canadian ensemble BADBADNOTGOOD present the latest edition of Mr Bongo’s iconic Brazil 45 boxset series.
Hailing from Toronto, the band, which now consists of Alexander Sowinski, Chester Hansen and Leland Whitty, made its name by crossing genres and developing a distinctive amalgamation of jazz, hip hop and psychedelic grooves. Their rise to the forefront of their scene has led to collaborations with icons such as Tyler, The Creator, Kendrick Lamar, MF Doom, Samuel T. Herring (Future Islands) and Ghostface Killah. With a penchant for an earworm hook, their sound takes cues from across the globe, both past and present, not least from the wealth of music that has emanated out of Brazil over the last 70 years.

Beatmakers, musicians and record collectors at their core, the influence of Brazilian music on BADBADNOTGOOD’s productions is clear to see, with previous collaborators including Arthur Verocai and Tim Bernardes. It seemed only right then, to hand them the reins for the next edition of our signature boxset series. As ever, the brief was simple, compile a selection of your favourite Brazilian cuts from the country’s rich musical makeup. A captivating collection of sought-after tracks crossing genres, decades and tempos, offering a glimpse into BADBADNOTGOOD’s eclectic tastes, whilst exploring ever further the richness of Brazil’s musical history.

Welcome to Forms World.

Our fi rst outing takes shape as a 4-tracker from ADMNTi, delving deeper into the sounds that have shaped the Londoners aural palette.

'Second Hand Sushi' kicks things off to a rowdy start - a real slab of energy that consists of paces drum patterns, twisting synths, and gritty, rattling basslines.
This one's a no-frills dancefl oor destroyer. The steppy drums of 'Lost Fruits' pull us further in, paired with shifting subs and laced with soundbites that echo the era of tape packs and pirate radio.

As we fl ip to the B-side, ‘Diptych’ delivers a still pacey yet more soothing vibe, blending lush orchestral strings with warped vocal chops, all while keeping the head-bopping grooves intact. Rounding things off , a dub-tinged stepper which comes in the form of 'Shrublands'. Eerie chords evolve throughout the track, accompanied by melancholic flutes that bode well with the heavily delayed sax and wobbing basslines. Dialogue from London graff royalty weave in and out, as well as a certain Brooklyn king.

Ekman returns to Shipwrec! "Five years is a long time. For many, 2020 seems like a lifetime ago. It was in this fabled year that Ekman last appeared on Shipwrec, Kronkel marking a shift from the blackened acid blooms to more considered, yet unsettling, sounds. It is from this audio fount the dutchman returns with Elixer. Throbs of bass and rasping snares shear a path for smoother tones in Alruin Met Cranberry. Injecting the ever-present sense of unease, a menacing melody stalks the constricting recesses as paranoia takes hold. These inner alcoves are further explored in the disturbing Doornappel Met Peer. Spectral synth-lines don a thin shimmering veil, warbling notes tremble while beats offer little relief in this unstable outing. Aquatic undercurrents introduce the flip, a sharp drum slicing through the burbling bass of Codeine En Rozemarijn. From this murky soup, a string ascends as Ekman toys with contrasting tones to produce a piece of acid dipped elegance. Shattered drums pierce the ambient fog of the finale. Alsem Met Anijs blends intricate percussion with soulful strings to produce a hauntingly beautiful dreamscape to finish Ekman's heady brew."

"Movements of Air" is the highly anticipated fifth album from Daniel Herskedal's acclaimed trio, featuring Eyolf Dale on piano and Helge Andreas Norbakken on drums and percussion. Marking his tenth remarkable release with Edition Records, this album seamlessly bridges his foundational trio debut, "Slow Eastbound Train," with previous masterpieces like "The Roc" and "Voyage."

Over the past decade, Daniel Herskedal has consistently pushed the boundaries of the tuba, crafting music that is both profoundly introspective and expansively cinematic. At its core, "Movements of Air" delves into themes of hope, the pursuit of a better future, and the very essence of musical creation. With masterful performances from all members and intricate compositions, Herskedal navigates the delicate balance between good and evil, war and peace. Tracks such as "The Olive Branch" and "Peace River Crossing" showcase his ability to create emotionally resonant soundscapes, while pieces like "Elements of Harmony" and "Harmonic Allusions" highlight his innovative approach to harmony and texture.

This album stands as a testament to Herskedal's extraordinary talent, transcending the traditional limits of his instrument to deliver music that is both emotionally compelling and artistically groundbreaking.

Daniel Herskedal's exceptional achievements further underscore his artistic prowess and versatility. His notable arrangement of"San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" for the 2019 film "The Last Black Man in San Francisco," produced by Brad Pitt, was later featured in Coca Cola's global 'Open Like Never Before' advertising campaign. His extensive collaborations include performances with prestigious ensembles such as the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Norwegian Navy Band, and the Russian Patriarchate Choir of Moscow. His collaborative project with Marja Mortensson won the Norwegian Grammy in 2019, and in 2021,he secured The Ambies Award for Best Original Score and Music Supervision for the podcast "9/12." Additionally, his work with artists like Keaton Henson and Emilie Nicolas on their album "Out of the Fog" further highlights his versatility and collaborative spirit.

Taba voices a subtle yet surprising shift for the Japanese musician and producer Satomimagae. Observing and absorbing the fleeting scenes and sounds of life flowing outside of her home studio, Taba unfolds as a series of vignettes that document the personal and the universal. Satomi sings beyond herself in an orbit of souls and systems known and unknown, seen and unseen, in the present and in the strange flux of memory, leaving linear songwriting to rest for circuitous stories expanded and expansive in tone and texture. Following the logic of taba, a Japanese term for a bunch, bundle or grouping together of different things, the album is assembled as a loose collection of short stories. Shapeshifting into something like a poet-narrator, Satomi casts her writer's eye to the often perplexing shapes that form from quotidian events and exchanges defining our increasingly alienated age. Where Satomi's last full-length, 2021's Hanazono, bloomed from the lush soil of a private inner sphere, the bird's eye of Taba searches to place the artist_somewhere, somehow_within a wider, wilder world. Collaborations with other artists and musicians close to Satomi's universe further elevate the album's sweeping sonics. Synthesizer lines from Norio, who also helps define the album's visual identity through photo and video, enliven the tender ballad "Kodama." The bell-like Rhodes piano ringing in and around Satomi's guitar on "Dottsu" is played by Akhira Sano, who created the cover art for her 2021 Colloid EP. Yuya Shito's clarinet was the missing puzzle piece that completed "Spells," and it was also Yuya who mixed Taba with an ear for its organic textures and elegantly frayed edges, giving utterance to a distinctly different energy than Satomi's earlier expressions. The tonal and rhythmic play that lay the foundation of these songs also animates a colorful palette of melodic gestures, noisy resonances and pointed moments captured by Satomi's close-at-hand recorder. While Taba is still carried by the innate intimacy that has defined Satomi's music to date, these songs channel her newly spacious and inquisitive songwriting approach, unlocking unusual layers in the process. Some are subsumed in the speculative poetics of sound design, while others peer through the window of bedroom pop. Gathering imagistic reflections, tracing vast ideations and quietly lingering in humble moments, Taba connects vivid lines between the individual and the collective, the constructed and the cosmic, the articulated and the felt. Satomi's sonic tales gain an eloquent coherence by the simple fact of existing in conversation, humming a harmony of parts that buzzes with the tangled circuitry of a life in motion. Taba is the fifth album from Japanese musician, songwriter and dream traveler Satomimagae, following her 2021 album Hanazono and the 2023 reissue of her debut album Awa, both for RVNG Intl. On Taba, Satomimagae leaves linear songwriting to rest for circuitous stories expanded and expansive in tone and texture, unfolding as a series of vignettes that document both the personal and the universal. Some of the songs on Taba feature intimate moments captured on Satomi's hand recorder, poetic moments of sound design animated by tonal and rhythmic bedroom pop foundations. As with Hanazono, Taba's album artwork features a wooden block print by Satomi's sister, the artist Natsumi Magae.

Frizzy P & Mr Cole are a trip-hop duo blending old-school hip-hop, jazz, and analog sounds. Their intimate, melancholic music has earned them growing recognition on the independent scene. Frizzy P, a singer with a captivating voice, and Mr Cole, a beatmaker passionate about vintage sounds, have been collaborating since 2015. Their debut EP, Ladi Dadi (2017), became an underground success, racking up millions of streams and airplay on BBC Music 6 and FIP. In 2023, they followed up with Ladi Dadi II, further refining their musical identity. In 2024, they released The Backroom Tape, a mixtape featuring unreleased tracks, ahead of their final chapter, Ladi Dadi III, set for April 2025. This last installment will feature six new tracks, rich in melancholy and raw emotions. Their live performances have taken them across France and beyond. In 2025, they plan to expand their stage presence with additional musicians. Their unique approach to modern yet timeless trip-hop continues to solidify their place in the music scene.

New York house music hero Joe Claussell reinvigorates the Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra’s legacy of timeless, no-holds-barred disco anthems, with an exclusive Record Store Day 12” release, reimagining the title track from the disco supergroups’ Black Sun album.

With his unique ability to harness the deep, spiritual power of dance music, Claussell transforms Black Sun into an emotionally charged, ecstatic odyssey, with the soaring vocals of Heidi Vogel guaranteed to further elevate dance floors into a state of pure, unbridled frenzy.

Since the orchestra’s acclaimed debut in 2014, The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra—which hosts esteemed members including original members of Azymuth Jose Roberto Bertrami and Alex Malheiros—has enlisted an illustrious roster of remixers over the years, including John Morales, Theo Parrish, Al Kent and DJ Spinna. Claussell’s remixes continue this tradition, with a one-off, limited edition 12” release for Record Store Day 2025.

Maazn Records unveils its inaugural release "Lost in Transit” by Guzman & Terraflow. Inspired by the breadth of London's current sounds, this record gives a taste of their vision for the future.

The A-side features label co-founder Terraflow infusing his signature style of old-school drums and intricate synth work. "Atomic" lays down a catchy bass riff that summons an ethereal feeling of the past, whilst "Totaled Larynx" takes a hypnotic turn, embellished with haunted melodies suited to the early hours of a certain pit in Norfolk.

Guzman takes the wheel on the B-side, starting with the punchy, sleazed-out rhythms of “Neo (Trance Mix)”, steering the EP further into the depths of the peak-time dance floor. Finally, “Time Deprivation” details clever vocal sampling atop of an arsenal of dangerous waveforms - a fitting verdict that is guaranteed to send the audience into a bass-laden frenzy.

These are no warmup tracks, play out at your own risk

“Trustworthy”. is the meaning of “danama”, this Bambara word from Mali. Believing in oneself, in others, in the word given, in desirable futures. Advocating optimism, momentum towards the future, collective strength and the wise magic of cultural blending… especially during these troubled times of endless wars, of nationalist withdrawals or the abundance of naturals disasters, all encouraged by a carnivorous capitalism?

So confidence, we need tons of it. Maintained by the flame, the phlegm and the stratagem of these afro-groove scientists, without ignoring their sorrows nor the scandals of History. This is the athletic art of Arat Kilo, who remain without question the best ethio-jazz orchestra in France, on the trail of this fifth album recorded in the Spring of 2024. Confidence was also needed to change the way things worked. For all the previous albums, the band came together in the studio to play each track together, all in the same room, in the romantic idea of a warm, lively, organic gesture, in the manner of the great Ethiopian masters of the 60s and 70s.

For Danama, the music was initially collected in tandem: guitar/bass, drums/percussion, saxophone/trumpet, and the two voices. A few new instruments were added along the way : dark synthesizers, a bass clarinet, a tiny guitalélé (similar to the ukulele) and a Malian n'goni (sometimes described as ‘the griot's lute’). Then, and above all, there was the question of experimenting with real sound production, using sound design, multi-track exploration and effects applied to the textures collected over eight days at the Gong studios in Montreuil and OneTwoPassIt in Bagnolet just outside Paris.

In this way the band, all growing up influenced by the hip French Radio Nova's ‘Grand Mix’, were completely free to express their natural taste for fusion between genres. Borrowing from the frantic rhythms of Newark's jersey club, English 2-step or New Orleans brass bands, grafted onto Arat Kilo's musical base: tezeta, the famous minor pentatonic scale typical of Ethiopian jazz, melancholic to perfection. The result is layers of sound, collages of emotions, like the album cover, created by artist Clément Laurentin from multicoloured fragments of posters torn up in the street.

So Arat Kilo are back: The same band, the same collective strength, the same fight for values, their new album “Danama” carries the demand for a better world even further, with words of hope from singer Mamani Keita and the social critique of American MC and poet Mike Ladd ! The result is this luminous voyage down the Danama canal. In all, eleven songs and an instrumental, mixed by Mathieu ‘Gib’ Gibert - one of French band La Fine Équipe's beatmakers - set to drive the crowds wild and remind us how to stick together again.

As they celebrate the 10 year anniversary of debut album 'MISERY', DISENTOMB have smashed through Australian tours with Sanguissugabog in March, Europe in August with STILLBIRTH as well as annihilating the European Festival circuit, before finally unleashing new EP 'NOTHING ABOVE', in OCTOBER 2024 with a run of headline shows across Australia, as well as a headlining appearance at Souther Death Festival. The release of NOTHING ABOVE coincides with Disentomb marking 10 years since the release of their 2014 sophomore album Misery which has become a classic in the genre of Brutal Death Metal. Fresh from laying waste to some of the biggest summer festivals in Europe, Disentomb will be bringing out slam pioneers Internal Bleeding for three exclusive shows in October in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, which will see the band performing Misery in full for the first time. Grab tickets to DISENTOMB, INTERNAL BLEEDING (US), HONEST CROOKS and DELIQUESCE The NOTHING ABOVE EP marks the first Disentomb release following their third album The Decaying Light and delving further into the sound of dissonant and bleakened Brutal Death with the writing from the band's bassist Adrian Cappelletti. NOTHING ABOVE is four tracks of the band experimenting with their sound while maintaining the guttural brutality that originally made Disentomb's mark when they exploded onto the worldwide scene in 2008. Vocalist Jord said the EP was an opportunity for fans to hear a more experimental side of Disentomb. "While we're hard at work writing Album IV, we wanted to put out some songs in between albums that show a more evolved sound that we have developed over the years. With the writing done by our bassist Adrian, you can hear the mix of brutality while also some more experimental elements."

To speak to Luca Daniel Schwarz aka LDS about his music is to be enthusiastically guided into a complex world of his own creation: clean and powerful techno which pulses with life from the textured patterns and drum sequences that have fills and accents that would make anyone who’s picked up a set of drumsticks envious. Yet this ecosystem of noise is deceptive; Schwarz’s process for making music is very different to how a live drummer would create the same subtlety of performance. Forever researching new technology, Luca got deeply interested in different programming languages, and created a series of probability-based music tools for manoeuvring sounds and sequencing.
Manipulating those probabilities takes a skilful alchemy, needing understanding of both musical structure and how the tools he devised work. To return to the drummer analogy, if the drummer is focussed and intentional in the moment of playing, then the method used in LDS tracks is almost diametrically opposed, with all of the intention coming in the assembly of the instruments, potential paths, and gateways; once play is pressed the music flows, following all the rules that were set in advance, not unlike a domino run or Rube Goldberg machine. And like a domino run, the results are fascinating and, ultimately, fun: staccato vocals pop in and out in ‘zipp prompt’; laser-like synths pulse; background noises sweep across the aural plane of the dub techno of ‘diff, blockmix’ and ‘pow’ adding texture that brings vitality all-too-easily missed out when complex mathematical
processes become entwined with music creation. The high sensitivity to texture and rhythmic detail in Stadion Progg is multiplied further on Jean Redondo's remix - whose track, Hypersonic, was the backbone of 2023’s ‘yet’ compilation on Tresor.
The balance between technology and a sense of fun might also come from the maker; it’s not easy to overstate Schwarz’s passion for what is now his favourite way to make music, “it never gets boring. There’s always a moment of anticipation to see what actually emerges.” And the true “power of 2” comes into play when the resulting music can be fed back through the system again and again, potentiating the music in exponential ways.

Carrying on their longstanding dedication to the seminal output of Merzbow, Urashima returns with what is unquestionably their most ambitious release to date: “Collection 001-010”, a deluxe, 10 LP vinyl box set limited to 299 copies, gathering together the entirety of the project’s first ten releases, originally released in 1981. Encountering the band in its early incarnation of the duo of Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani, raw, exposed and bristling with energy, foreshadowing numerous trajectories they would follow over the coming years, these astounding full lengths - the majority of which have never been released on vinyl - come housed in a beautifully produced, deluxe wooden box, with each LP in its own individual sleeve reproducing the original artwork, and a LP-sized 32-page book containing reproductions of artworls and collages by Masami Akita, an interview conducted by Jim O'Rourke, and liner notes penned by Lasse Marhaug, Thurston Moore, and Akita himself, amounting to what is unquestionably one of the most historically significant releases we’re likely to encounter in 2025.

Deluxe Edition of 299 copies, remastered from the original analog tapes by Masami Akita, each LP comes in its individual sleeve reproducing the original artwork, also includes a LP-sized 32-page book. ** Since its founding during the late 2000s, the Italian imprint, Urashima, has become a definitive voice in the landscape of noise. Bringing forth beautiful limited edition releases, they’ve sculpted a singular vision of one of the most vibrant and revolutionary bodies of experimental sound to have graced the globe. Among the many projects that they have supported over the decades, there has been an undeniable dedication to the output of the seminal Japanese noise outfit, Merzbow, making a significant amount of the project’s out of print back catalog available across a range of formats. Now they return with what is arguably their most stunning and ambitious release dedicated to the project to date: “Collection 001-010”, gathering the entirety of Merzbow’s first ten releases, largely privately released by the band on cassette across 1981, in a deluxe, 10 LP vinyl box set. Representing what is effectively ground zero in Japanese noise and collectively amounting to some of the most sought after releases ever produced within that movement, Urashima’s truly beautiful collection comes fully remastered by Masami Akita himself from the original tapes, presenting all but a small number in their first ever vinyl pressings, with each LP housed in its own individual sleeve reproducing the original artwork, alongside a LP-sized 32-page book containing reproductions of artworks and collages by Masami Akita, an interview conducted by Jim O'Rourke, and liner notes penned by Lasse Marhaug, Thurston Moore and Akita himself. Towering with energy and groundbreaking creative vision, within the realms of noise and experimental music, releases don’t get more monumental or historically important than this!

Merzbow came roaring onto the Tokyo scene in 1979, and remains, to this day, one of the most prolific and aggressively forward-thinking projects in experimental music. Eventually becoming the solo vehicle for the efforts of Masami Akita, in its earliest incarnation the project was the duo of Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani, taking their name from German artist Kurt Schwitters' pre-war architectural assemblage, The Cathedral of Erotic Misery or Merzbau, and quickly set out to challenge entrenched notions of what music could be. Embracing technology and the machine, even in its earliest iterations, Merzbow pushed toward new territories of the extreme, arriving at a space of pure, unadulterated sonic onslaught that has continued, for over 40 years, to set the pace for the entire genre of noise, and has remained one of the movement’s most important, definitive voices, continuously laying the groundwork for countless artists who have followed in its wake.

When dealing with historical gestures, there’s an invertible aura surrounding original line-ups and early statements, and rightfully so. It is often within a band’s debut that we catch the purest glimpse of the raw energy and creative ferment that made them what they are. This is certainly the case when regarding the coveted early releases of Merzbow, capturing the emergence of the project in its form as the duo of Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani as they helped set the blue print from the then emerging movement of Japanese noise. Over the course of its nearly five decades of activity, Merzbow has always been noted for how prolific and ambitious the project is. This was no less the case in the very beginning. While they were active for roughly two years prior, in 1981 alone they issued ten self-released cassettes numerically titled “Collection 001-010”, albums which have both individually and collectively become holy grails in the realms of noise, with only two - “Collection 007” and “Collection 009” - ever receiving vinyl reissues prior to now.

As Lasse Marhaug deftly articulates in the newly commissioned liner notes for “Collection 001-010”, despite having been recorded in different location across a span of time, the sum total of Merzbow’s first ten releases might be best regarded as a single release to be listened to in the same, durational sitting, with the material standing well apart from what most came to expect from Merzbow, while foreshadowing numerous trajectories the project would take over the coming years. Not only do these recordings feature a vast array of instrumentation - tapes, acoustic and electric guitar, violin, drums, voice, recorder, organ, found sounds, clarinet, homemade and prepared instruments, a vast arsenal of effects and electronics, and piano, to only begin to scratch the surface - the majority of which would disappear from the project’s active sources of sound generation over the subsequent years, but there is a slow pacing and raw sense of openness and exposure that reveals strong connections to the avant-garde improvisations of groups like AMM, Musica Elettronica Viva, and Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza, the psychedelia of groups like Taj Mahal Travellers and Flower Traveling band (both of whom Akita mentions having seen in youth within his interview with Jim O’Rourke), and rock in general - albeit in fully abstracted forms - unspooling as brittle, pointillistic, textural, raw and abrasive forms, that occasionally flirts with unexpected tonal sensibilities. As Marhaug describes it in his excellent liner notes: «Sonically, “Collection” sounds more sparse and stripped. It’s dry sounding, up-front, no reverb, and there’s less heavy low-end grime and thin on the signature frequency sweeps. Viewed in a 1981 context, musically, it’s more akin to what the LAFMS (Los Angeles Free Music Society) pool of artists were doing at that time than what was happening in industrial music... There’s a strong playfulness throughout, like the sound objects are being explored for the first time, without neither restraint nor hurry. Events are allowed to be fully examined before the music moves on, or simply cuts off. To a large degree, the music on “Collection” feels acoustic in nature, although a Electro-Harmonix ring-modulator features prominently throughout.»

Easily described as a rarely encountered revelation into the original and earlier documented studio sound of Merzbow, “Collection 001-010” collectively amounts to an engrossing sonic journey in its own right, while also allowing for important, often overlooked connections drawn from numerous other creative wellsprings, notably free jazz, underground rock, the output of European and Japanese avant-garde music, as well as Dada, Fluxus, and Mail Art, much of which, beyond the illumination made possible by the sounds, Jim O’Rourke’s fantastic interview with Akita, published in the booklet, further explores, offering great insights into the origins of Merzbow and the thinking behind the project, as well as aspects of the earliest days of Japanese noise.

Rhiannon Giddens reunites with her former Carolina Chocolate Drops bandmate Justin Robinson on What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow, an album of North Carolina fiddle and banjo music. Produced by Giddens and Joseph "joebass" DeJarnette, the album features Giddens on banjo and Robinson on fiddle, with the duo playing eighteen of their favourite North Carolina tunes: a mix of instrumentals and tunes with words.

Many were learned from their late mentor, the legendary North Carolina Piedmont musician Joe Thompson; one is from another musical hero, the late Etta Baker, from whom they also learned by listening to recordings of her playing. Giddens and Robinson recorded the album outdoors and on location at Thompson’s and Baker’s North Carolina homes, as well as the former plantation Mill Prong House. They were accompanied by the sounds of nature, including two different broods of cicadas, which had not emerged simultaneously since 1803, creating a true once-in-a-lifetime soundscape. The duo, along with four other string musicians including the multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell, will embark on the Rhiannon Giddens & The Old-Time Revue North America tour in April.

“With the assaults on reality going on in the world today, we wanted to offer another kind of record, like walking back onto a gravel or dirt road while a stampede goes the other way,” Giddens says. “With the cicada choir, this record could’ve only happened at a certain time in the last 120 years. We doubled down on place, time, realness, and old-fashioned front porch music. It’s a reminder that another way exists, with music made for your community’s enjoyment and for dancing–not solely for commercial purposes.

“What is the role of music in our society?” she wonders. “How do we de-couple it from unfettered capitalism, where music is a product and musicians are incidental? How do we use the tools and system that we have been bequeathed in a way that reminds us of other ways of being?” Robinson adds, "Recording this album felt like being back in the saddle. Just this time Joe is not here, and his fiddle is under my chin. The album is about home, the cicadas, the storms, the music, and the people who make it feel like home."

Thompson was one of the last musicians of his era and his community to carry on the southern Black string band tradition. He played a crucial role in the lives of Giddens and Robinson, who, along with their Carolina Chocolate Drops bandmate Dom Flemons, spent their formative years learning from Thompson in traditional apprentice/mentor relationships. His influence has guided all of their artistic journeys as well as their mission to keep the legacy of the Black string band tradition alive.

In further tribute to Giddens’ North Carolina roots, What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow will arrive just a week before Biscuits & Banjos, the inaugural edition of her first festival, which highlights the deep roots and enduring legacy of Black music, art, and culture while fostering community and storytelling. The sold-out festival will feature a much-anticipated Carolina Chocolate Drops reunion, their first performance together in more than a decade.

Emily Jeanne presents quỳnh, her new label founded on psychedelic club music expressions. Call Of The Sea is the debut, 4 tracks unfurling experimental dancefloor movements of half step hypnosis and deep percussive explorations.

Loosely nicknamed “queen of the night” in Vietnamese, quỳnh thrives as a nocturnal flower. It serves as a light-hearted metaphor for Emily Jeanne and her authentic approach to late-night electronic music. Previous releases for PM+ explored devious peak time sounds, but her new label quỳnh launches with a fresh look. Its inaugural release Call Of The Sea showcases an adventurous new side to Emily, away from convention into something more ambitious and excitingly new.

Opener Wet Skin rumbles deep and quick with hypnotic fervour, plummeting kicks into its stark rotating abyss. Rolling taut, Count Me Out steps further with minimal guise as it moves sprightly on its reduced DnB dynamics. Đồ Sơn At Night unfurls differently, a change of pace where percussion and gurgling synths drift loosely down the track’s hallucinatory stream. Gone Water flexes stranger, its martillo polyrhythm transfixed heavily on the psychedelic chamber it inhabits. A fascinating first entry into the quỳnh canon from an artist in her finest form.

No less deep, in fact debatably deeper still, Ghost Dubs aka Michael Fiedler returns after the runaway success of his highly acclaimed 'Damaged' 2LP (1500 units sold and 'Dub/Reggae album of the year' for 2024 in The Wire Magazine), with 'Extended Damaged Versions'. Six dubbed out reworks of tracks from last year's album, deconstructed by the man himself, again for The Bug's PRESSURE label. Kicking off with the irresistible seismic grind of 'Dub Regulator', a dancefloor driven beast that miraculously eclipses the original mix, the opening cut increases in weight and intensity seductively, upping the fx drenched madness with its incessant droid hypnotics. The album's mutant dub techno relentlessly probes, stretches and disfigures all of the previous originals, version by version, on this fascinating follow up release to 'Damaged'.

As Fiedler surgically splices and dices his own original source material into successively more warped variants, gleefully atomizing the originals into molten space echo fragments. 'Thin Dub' is a masterclass in simultaneous saturation and evaporation, wilfully liquified in the heart of the echo chamber. Anyone already smitten by 'Damaged' (ie Pole, JK Flesh, Echospace, Valentina Magaletti etc have all graciously, recently acknowledged its greatness), will definitely find further reverb drenched nourishment on 'Chemical Version', which releases a whirlpool of heavily sedated delay trails, and ends up sounding like a wall of sound mirage, vaguely resembling prime Porter Ricks at their sub aquatic peak. Finally, the ambient pulsations of 'Lobotomy Version' sets the album adrift in deepest space, as this superbly crafted collection reflects Michael Fiedler doing what he does best, getting lost in his own mixing desk sorcery, whilst reflecting the captivating morphology of his live shows, where he magically revamps his heavyweight tracks into pure voodoo, casting spells effortlessly....Not an attempt to just milk 'Damaged', 'EDV' is itself a standalone triumph, an invaluable transformation of the original album's material into an epic, fresh, dub odyssey.

Swedish artist Martinou crafts deeply immersive electronic music, seamlessly balancing weight and delicacy. His productions oscillate between hypnotic intensity and introspective warmth, always evoking a visceral response on the dancefloor.
After releasing on acclaimed labels like Nous’klaer, Turbo Recordings, and Mule Musiq, the Malmö-based producer now makes his long-awaited debut on Stockholm’s Studio Barnhus. His Linked EP showcases six meticulously layered compositions, where intricate rhythms intertwine with luminous melodies – ethereal synths drifting in and out of the grooves, shaping an atmosphere that’s both expansive and deeply personal.
With Linked, Martinou further refines his signature approach, crafting music that feels at once free-flowing and deliberate. It’s a record that invites deep listening yet remains primed for the floor – a testament to the Malmö maestro's knack for blurring the lines between club functionality and sonic storytelling.

2LP in printed inner sleeves + 12 page booklet with detailed info, secrets and unpublished pictures written by Walter Verdin himself. This collection dives deep into Verdin's prolific and experimental music from 1980 to the beginning of this millennium, capturing an era of a DIY punk spirit, improvisation, creative freedom and swimming against the tide.



We are thrilled to announce the upcoming release of 'Pingpong', a 2LP compilation showcasing previously unreleased works by Walter Verdin, the founding member behind Pas De Deux, the Belgian band which delivered 80's cult classics 'Rendez-Vous' & 'Cardiocleptomanie'. This collection dives deep into Verdin's prolific and experimental music from 1980 to the beginning of this millennium, capturing an era of a DIY punk spirit, improvisation, creative freedom and swimming against the tide.

This album is not just a compilation-it's a sonic journey into Verdin's unique approach to music-making, which he nurtured in the AV studio at KU Leuven's Audiovisual Department (AVD). Having begun his civil service there in 1980, Verdin was exposed to a rich array of audio and video tools that would shape his work for years to come. From the outset, Verdin's process was defined by an openness to experimentation, where he would explore sound and music organically rather than following pre-existing concepts.

The songs on Pingpong reflect his fascination with creating spontaneous, layered compositions. These recordings were made using limited tools, such as his duophonic Yamaha CS-40M synthesizer, borrowed drum machines, and tape loops, and were further enriched by techniques such as reverb and vintage sound manipulation. The results are raw, tactile, and full of personality-often more vibrant and personal than the polished, commercial recordings that would follow in professional studios.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Verdin developed his craft, regularly drawing from his diverse interests in film history, soundtracks, video art, and avant-garde music. His innovative use of tape recorders, improvisational techniques, and later, MIDI and digital tools, makes for a fascinating and varied listening experience. This compilation includes everything from proto-techno and abstract new wave to avant-pop songs, sample-driven experiments, and the oddball TV-inspired tunes that have long been a staple of his work.

This selection is a true reflection of Verdin's "keen amateur" approach: a method focused on discovery, happy accidents, and unexpected results. These compositions aren't about achieving technical perfection, but about capturing moments of sonic exploration and transformation. The 21 recordings have been meticulously curated, with some tracks freshly arranged while others remain true to their original, unedited forms.

'Pingpong' finally brings these forgotten gems into the light. The album includes not only unreleased music but also fragments from Verdin's video art and multimedia projects, offering a rare glimpse into his creative evolution over two decades. Stretching up the boundaries between medium and message, aligning his own musical univers.

Take a deep breath and dive into the works of an artist whose explorations pushed his boundaries of sound and technology.

A Belgian sonic cut up, ping ponging in between many worlds.

Next up in the Mr Bongo Cuban Classics series is an outing by the mighty Juan Pablo Torres from 1978. Released on Cuba’s state-owned Areito imprint, Algo Nuevo showcases trombonist, bandleader, arranger and producer Juan Pablo Torres' unique scope of sound. A melting pot of an album that weaves together jazz-funk and traditional Afro-Cuban genres with tripped-out synth touches and dancefloor grooves.

The opener 'Pan Caliente' is a fiery celebration, combining a driving groove with Latin percussion, feverish horns and infectious “la-la-la” vocals. The wild, squelching cosmic synthlines give an otherworldly touch to proceedings that sit nicely on a modern dancefloor. 'Guajira 2001' is perhaps Juan's future-focussed take on the vibrant style of Cuban dance-led music called guajira. Blistering bongos, congas and claves moving together with trumpets, trombones and twanging acoustic guitars that you can’t help but bounce to.

Other highlights include, 'Cacao', a Cuban cosmic funk strutter that places the claves upfront, with a scatting vocal line and percussive climax reminiscent of George Kranz electronic disco anthem 'Din Daa Daa' from 1983. Elsewhere, 'Elvira' further showcases the psychedelic essence of many of the album’s tracks. A deep Latin workout where tasty percussive breaks and scorching keys blend with trippy vocals and rumbling synths.

A varied album encompassing a variety of Afro-Cuban genres and rhythms entwined with flashes of mind-bending cosmic influence. Algo Nuevo is a further jewel in Cuba’s musical crown of riches, with plenty of dancefloor treats and downtempo numbers held within

Enigmatic producer ANiML returns to the freeform Los Angeles-based label StrataSonic to release a six-track mini album, Star Walk. The new body of work, which comes alongside a new music video for “Bruv” (directed by Spanish visual artist YZA Voku), is out now.

Picking up where ANiML left off with “Breather” and “Bruv,” Star Walk elaborates further on that woozy-yet-sophisticated psychedelia, materializing as cinematic trip-hop, cavernous dub, and other unique genre concoctions across its six tracks. “Cherry,” with its free-spirited, delay-soaked guitar riffs, depicts a colorful, post-rock-inspired soundscape. “BabyD,” in step with “Bruv,” features a mischievous marimba melody among ghostly vocal samples, a punchy drumkit, and a slackened bassline.

These scenes are brought to life thanks to YZA Voku, a groundbreaking visual artist who is at the forefront of AI-assisted filmmaking in the animation space (see his work for The Weeknd, Swedish House Mafia, Hï Ibiza, and XG). The new music video for “Bruv,” out today, unfolds in stark black, white, and red, evoking a noir-inspired aesthetic steeped in mystery and intrigue. Shadowy figures move rhythmically through dimly lit alleys and smoke-filled ballrooms, blending calculated steps with hypnotic dance sequences.

The production blended real-life recordings with digital effects like blur, negatives, masks, analog textures, and AI-driven transformations using Runway’s video-to-video tools. AI-generated sequences created with Midjourney and Runway were merged to contrast real footage with synthetic imagery. This type of work is a rejection that AI is simply used as a shortcut in art and comes at a time when musicians are beginning to embrace such tools for the visual components of their products.