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Just when you thought you'd heard the final word on Norwegian black metal's golden age, Sevan Mater erupts from the underground with a breathtaking reissue of TSJUDER 's Norwegian Apocalypse - now unleashed in a deluxe triple gatefold 2LP edition, pressed on stunning 500 Gold and 500 Red vinyl. Originally released as a live DVD in 2006, Norwegian Apocalypse captures TSJUDER at their most primal and ferocious. Recorded in Oslo and Sandnes in 2005, this live document is a raw testament to the unrelenting, chainsawing riffage and relentless blastbeats that made TSJUDER legends. From the first crackle of the needle, the remastering breathes new fire into tracks like "Sodomizing the Lamb" and "Helvete."

The guitars slice sharper, the drums hit harder, and Nag's vocals tear through the speakers like a storm of razors. The live energy is palpable, preserved in glorious analog fidelity that towers over previous editions. But let's talk presentation - because Sevan Mater has outdone themselves. The triple gatefold cover is a work of dark art: blood- red visuals drenched in shadow, with exclusive liner notes and rare live photos from the original shows. This is not a reprint for casual listeners. It's a statement piece, a collector's treasure, and a monument to the uncompromising spirit of true black metal. Whether you're a longtime disciple of TSJUDER or just stepping into the abyss, this reissue of Norwegian Apocalypse is absolutely essential. It's not just an album. It's a summoning.

Just when you thought you'd heard the final word on Norwegian black metal's golden age, Sevan Mater erupts from the underground with a breathtaking reissue of TSJUDER 's Norwegian Apocalypse - now unleashed in a deluxe triple gatefold 2LP edition, pressed on stunning 500 Gold and 500 Red vinyl. Originally released as a live DVD in 2006, Norwegian Apocalypse captures TSJUDER at their most primal and ferocious. Recorded in Oslo and Sandnes in 2005, this live document is a raw testament to the unrelenting, chainsawing riffage and relentless blastbeats that made TSJUDER legends. From the first crackle of the needle, the remastering breathes new fire into tracks like "Sodomizing the Lamb" and "Helvete."

The guitars slice sharper, the drums hit harder, and Nag's vocals tear through the speakers like a storm of razors. The live energy is palpable, preserved in glorious analog fidelity that towers over previous editions. But let's talk presentation - because Sevan Mater has outdone themselves. The triple gatefold cover is a work of dark art: blood- red visuals drenched in shadow, with exclusive liner notes and rare live photos from the original shows. This is not a reprint for casual listeners. It's a statement piece, a collector's treasure, and a monument to the uncompromising spirit of true black metal. Whether you're a longtime disciple of TSJUDER or just stepping into the abyss, this reissue of Norwegian Apocalypse is absolutely essential. It's not just an album. It's a summoning.

In 1979, Johnny Thunders, renowned Heartbreakers and New York Dolls guitarist, teamed up with Wayne Kramer, the legendary guitarist of Detroit"s seminal MC5, to form "GANG WAR" - an alliance that lasted the best part of a year. Johnny had just released his So Alone album, and Wayne was not long out of jail after serving two of four years for a coke bust. Although Gang War released no records and were without a label - at the time they were an underground act - in retrospect the collaboration is looked on as a "rock fantasy" supergroup. These live Toronto, Boston & New York recordings bear testimony to this unique partnership between two celebrated rock guitar icons.

Straight out of the local mud of the city of Antwerp comes dancing this next Souvenirs from Imaginary Cities slab of free-flowing bits of electronic wonder : Schönen Abend by Simon B. Just in time to ease you out of this endless winter and right into springtime. Like the previous hit by Purple Uncle, this flower takes some time to bloom and fill up your head and body with it's ear wormy fragrance.

It's hazy and cinematic, makes you think of Italian electronic pioneers and their library magic, Patrick Cowley's School Daze and Haruomi Hosono in some kind of gothic manner. It's quite stripped and lush at the same time, rhythms like minimal mechanics make you fly above the river and land just outside reality. It's a nice place where soft jazz tingles right around the dark corner, and that particular mix of exotica and melancholia — the trademark of this port city's best electronic auteurs is definitely in the air. The river still shines, but she’s deeply poisoned. The old town has lost every bit of fresh air but keeps on digging for old gold. This bitter pill is served with delicacy and lightness, the wound is dressed up seductively — feet in the mud, head in the air. Stuff is sensuous, with quiet places reminding of the good side of those times when the big wheel stopped turning ever so madly. A strange quietness whistles through the leaves. Some things take time to unfold. In or out of C.

Four years in the making, this is the solo debut LP of Simon B, a longtime contributor to Antwerp's improvised music scene (Groovecats Deluxe, Wij Blij Trio ). Primarily a double bass player, he also has a deep-felt passion for offbeat electronica and the rainbowy side of American minimalism, which takes front here. The smoky voice on the last track belongs to Nina-Joy Thielemans, Nina-Joy is part of Particals, a trio working with live electronics and field recordings, releasing an lp on Ultra Eczema later this year. Furthermore, you can hear the tenor and soprano saxophone of Adia Van Heerentals on 4 tracks, deepening out Simon's naturally flowing compositions and playing around with his melodies. You may know her from Bodem and her strong presence in the Belgian jazz scene lately.

Simon's electroacoustic experiments — using a clarinet and some outboard effects — were important tools in finding the very specific colour of this record. There's this airy character, like wind blowing through old layers of bricks and over the river, anchored with a deep sense of bass, gathering ages of dust and memories in these eight elegantly wobbling tracks, forming a perfect whole that’s really coming together in one deep listening from A to Z.

The centrepiece is perhaps Come to Me, instrumental and reprise with vocals, but no fillers on this one. Every part of the mystery is needed to come to its end and back again. It's a record that works in the morning, to open up a day and in the quiet corners of the night, with it's sleazy quirkiness, smiling towards you from the right corner of the eye. A perfect compagnon for your long-form wandering habits, light reflections on a wet surface obsessions, coffee slurping in the morning and the forgotten art of beachcombing. Quite essential these days, witnessing a world going apeshit.

GOSPEL GREATEST HITS - Die Seele der Musik Mit Gospel Greatest Hits präsentiert Wagram eine außergewöhnliche Sammlung der kraftvollsten Stimmen und bewegendsten Songs der Gospelgeschichte - als Doppel-CD und Doppel-Vinyl. Diese Zusammenstellung vereint emotionale Tiefe, spirituelle Kraft und musikalische Exzellenz in einem einzigartigen Hörerlebnis. Zu hören sind Legenden wie Mahalia Jackson, The Edwin Hawkins Singers, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong und das Golden Gate Quartet - Künstler:innen, die Gospel nicht nur geprägt, sondern weit über die Kirchenmauern hinausgetragen haben. Gospel war schon immer mehr als nur Musik: In den USA war er Stimme der Hoffnung, Ausdruck von Widerstand und Quelle spiritueller Kraft - und ist bis heute ein Fundament für Soul, R&B und Pop. Diese Sammlung bringt die Ursprünge zurück ins Rampenlicht - mit Songs, die unter die Haut gehen.

For SEVEN's first anniversary, we've brought together a roster of talented artists, each with a distinct style, to reimagine CRYME's hit "London Boy" originally released on The Backroom EP in 2024. This 5-track remix EP features a remastered version of the original alongside fresh interpretations by none other than Ghettotech heavyweight MCR-T, Prog House queen Roza Terenzi, modular wizard JakoJako, and Amsterdam's legendary Stef de Haan as a digital bonus. The vinyl will be limited to 500 copies.
With full marketing and PR support around the anniversary SEVEN7000LTD is set to be SEVEN's biggest release of the year.
A1 - CRYME - London Boy (MCR-T Remix)
CRYME's 808-driven electro, ghetto house hybrid "London Boy" gets the MCR-T treatment, spiced up with a dose of Garage. The Berlin-based artist reshaped the bassline into a gritty reese bass and put in the iconic UK hardcore vocal "your name is not down, you not coming in," perfectly amplifying the track's original UK flair.
A2 - CRYME - London Boy (Roza Terenzi Remix)
Roza Terenzi joins the "London Boy" Remix EP with a sleek, modern tech house cut. Flipping the distinct 808 cowbells into heavily processed percussive elements that bounce through the mix while carrying a melodic line. Her remix is packed with her quirky yet precise sound design and kinetic frequencies. The original vocal phrases are creatively chopped up into fragments and reassembled so they become part of the rhythmic backbone.

B1 - CRYME - London Boy (JakoJako Remix)
JakoJako shows off her genre diversity with a steezy Tech House flip of "London Boy." The talented Berlin-based live act lays down a solid drum foundation and a bouncing bassline - no frills, just a steady groove built for the dancefloor. The composition stays laidback, leaving space for a raw synth melody and her reworked, chopped-up vocal layers that add just the right touch of playful silliness to the track.

B2 - CRYME - London Boy (Original Mix)
On the B-side you will find CRYME's remastered original "London Boy", first released in 2024 and featuring ANTICALM, a British rapper, vocalist, and songwriter whose "You Don't Want This" vocal sample takes center stage. Merging 808-driven Electro and Grime with a touch of Ghetto House, the track reimagines a genre-bending battery of block-party energy in the club setting. With its driving rhythm and unmistakable vocal hook, it remains a powerful tool for DJs and a highlight on any dancefloor.

Known to fans simply as The Blue Album, Adolescents' self-titled debut album captured the raw pulse of Southern California's teenage rebellion at a time when hardcore was beginning to take shape yet still holding onto the infectious urgency of punk's first wave. Few records from the American punk underground have echoed as far and wide-or as enduringly-as the Adolescents' self-titled debut, first released by Frontier Records in 1981. Formed in Fullerton, California, Adolescents brought together members of earlier OC punk outfits like Social Distortion and Agent Orange, fusing their varied influences into something uniquely their own. With songs like 'Amoeba,' 'Kids of the Black Hole,' and 'No Way,' the album offered more than just speed and volume-it spoke directly to suburban alienation, youthful frustration, and the search for identity in a world that felt increasingly hostile and conformist. This new edition offers longtime listeners and new fans alike a chance to revisit-or discover-an album that helped define the West Coast punk sound. From its striking blue cover to its mix of melody, defiance, and urgency, "Adolescents" remains a vital listen, as relevant today as it was over four decades ago. It's an album that didn't just reflect its moment-it shaped what punk could be: loud, smart, emotional, and unflinchingly real. Reissued with care and respect for its original spirit, The Blue Album stands not only as a milestone in punk history, but as a testament to the enduring power of youth in revolt. This reissue includes a repro of the original insert and poster.

DJ Support: Luke Una, Darryn Jones, Red Greg Gilles Peterson, Patrick Forge

The Mighty Zaf of LoveVinyl fame and Edinburgh-based, Bristol-born Linkwood team up for the sixth outing in their jointly owned 80s label series, delivering two magnetic edits on 12". The A features a conspicuously reconstructed sample of Watson Beasley's 'Dimensions' set to rightly fastened beats, fostering gratitude and grace in the face of life's woes. 'Love & Care' furthers the verve, with incandescent, basso strings in a low tessitura, lifted from B-H-Y's 'Handle Me With Love & Care'.

RAW, RUTHLESS AND CEREMONIALLY DARK!

Only two years after its inception in 2023, the ominous entity hailing from Germany has come up with their first full-length. Consisting of 6 songs with the first one being an instrumental intro, "Fiery Paths" is a very convincing effort on all levels. Notwithstanding the fact INFERNAL PRESENCE has only been active for 2 years, their hybrid of Black and Death Metal sounds as if it had been composed by a seasoned band. Unlike many outfits whose songs consist of a salad of riffs randomly thrown together, INFERNAL PRESENCE are apt at cleverly composing their material by frequently alternating between different tempi and moods. Fast tremolo picked riffs akin to DISSECTION or MAYHEM are alternated with palm muted Thrash riffs or atmospheric slow-paced arpeggios reminding of WATAIN or ONDSKAPT.

In so doing the two-piece creates dynamic songs that succeed in truly capturing the listener's attention. Just listen to standout tracks like "Eternal Exodus" or the exceptional "Tomb Procession" with its slithering groove and you will see our point proven. Although, only sharing certain musical elements with said bands, the suffocating atmosphere of "Fiery Paths" reminds of NEGATIVE PLANE's first album or early SECRETS OF THE MOON. Fortunately, the production fits the material just splendidly, too. While being gritty and raw, thus emphasising the album’s ferociousness, it's still polished enough so that no detail gets buried in the mix.

INFERNAL PRESENCE unleashed a record suffused with unrelenting darkness! If you consider yourself a fan of some of the bands mentioned above, do yourself a favour and listen to this beast of an album!

It's taken over two decades, but at last, the wait is over: Sevan Mater has unleashed the first- ever vinyl pressing of Live Damage , the iconic live performance by DARK TRANQUILLITY, captured during their "Damage Done" era. Pressed on Gold and Black swirl vinyl, limited to just 500 copies, and housed in a stunning gatefold cover, this reissue is nothing short of melodic death metal heaven. Originally released in 2003 as a DVD, Live Damage immortalized one of DT 's most intense and electric live shows - recorded in Krakow, Poland. Now, for the first time ever, that raw energy, that iconic Swedish aggression, and that perfectly balanced blend of melody and brutality has been etched into vinyl grooves for audiophiles and collectors alike. From the soaring leads of The Treason Wall to the punishing drive of Final Resistance, every track explodes with clarity and presence on wax.

The vinyl mastering brings new warmth and immediacy to the performance, giving fans the closest thing to being there, without the sweat and flying beer. And the packaging? Absolutely elite. Sevan Mater delivers a luxurious gatefold, featuring rare tour photos, liner notes, and an aesthetic drenched in cold, melancholic elegance. If you're a fan of At The Gates, In Flames, or if Damage Done was the soundtrack to your early 2000s fury, this release is a must-own. More than just a live album - it's a time capsule of melodic death metal at its peak.

Space is a place in Kongsberg/Norway. Meadows & io fire up their spacerock jet engines for a double album release. An enchanting escapade into the ether and fabric of dreams. Claus A. Breda Gulbrandsen with Vegard Eggum, Svein Olav Eriksen and Julian Bugge Moe deliver soothing and gritty guitars intertwined, Lucious synts, and a cinematic and pleasantly drifting trip into a celestial plane. "Above and Below" just keeps on giving with those delicious keyboard leads and atmospheres... This is superb stuff that shouldn"t be overlooked by any prog and psychedelic space-prog nerd." - The Progspace.

DA-Dee-MiX, the hip-hop band that's a fixture on the MC battle scene, offers a bold cover of "Today," the source material for a shining classic in the history
of sampling! The B-side features "INCENSE," a collaboration with rapper Jun Ku, which has garnered much buzz, released for the first time on 7-inch,
making this an incredibly powerful double-sided album!

DA-Dee-MiX, the instrumental hip-hop band that continues to support the MC battle and live music scenes, releases their long-awaited new 7-inch, their first
in seven years. This two-track 7-inch single blends hip-hop's roots with a hands-on spirit.
Side A features guest appearances from 45trio SWING-O, who delivers a bold cover of Tom Scott's "Today" the source material for a shining classic in the
history of hip-hop. DA-Dee-MiX's signature groove, which intertwines jazz, soul, and hip-hop, reconstructs the track, offering more than just a cover; it
offers a new interpretation for today's listeners. SWING-O's electric piano and the ensemble of live performances beautifully elevate the warmth and power
of the original.
Side-B features the long-awaited vinyl release of "INCENSE," a collaboration with Yokohama-based rapper Kujun!
Released in 2020, this track captivated many listeners with its melodic flow and unique musical sense, leading to endless calls for it to be released on vinyl.
DA-Dee-MiX's soft yet powerful track is complemented by Kujun's fragrant words, creating a track that truly lives up to the title: a track that permeates the ears!
This double-sided album is a must-listen for DA-Dee-MiX's "performative hip hop"!

Juga-Naut, cultural Renaissance man, master of crafts, has done it again. Out of the deepest recesses of Nottingham’s underground caves, in brain-melting stereo and mesmerising technicolor, comes… Bem II.

Following on from 2020’s Bem, while defying the outdated belief that a sequel never outshines its predecessor, this is a lyrically ascendant, sonically euphoric, genre-defying, fever-inducing, hellcat of an album. Built upon the backbone of Juga-Naut’s inimitable production, wry, streetwise and knowing poetics, with hooks so catchy they cause problems when swallowed, Bem II gives listeners more funk, more soul, more grooves, more breaks, and more grit than ever before. The album’s co-stars include incredible artists and collaborators from both sides of the Atlantic, such as Crimeapple, Vandal Savage & Yumah.

Inspired by legendary cinema, each track is filmic in and of itself, a collection of twelve potent and timeless songs that together mean more than a million vapid viral videos. If played in the presence of the planet’s most infamous haters in a darkened theatre on a moonless night, Bem II has the power to unite even the most acrimonious of enemies.

This album is best listened to just before your decide to ask Jugz in 2024 after a decade plus of releases if he is 'still doing his little music thing?'.

"Hare Brained Schemes" is the long-awaired follow-up to Daniel Son and Finn's critically acclaimed 2020 collaboration, "Dirty Dishes". The Canadian duo returns with a vengeance, delivering an album that’s as gritty, unpredictable and vicious as its title suggests. In "Hare Brained Schemes", Daniel Son's sharp, incisive lyrics cut through Finn's raw, hard-hitting production, creating a sonic landscape that's both chaotic and captivating.

The title, captures the wild, unpredictable nature of this offering, bold ideas and daring experimentation, where every track is a testament to the duo's commitment to pushing the boundaries of their craft.

Guest appearances by heavy hitters such as Pro Dillinger, Mooch, Lord Juco, and Family Gang Black add further depth and intensity to the project, each bringing their own unique flavor to the mix. The album cover, designed by Alejandro Torrecilla, perfectly encapsulates the anarchic energy and raw aesthetic that defines "Hare Brained Schemes".

Prepare for a journey through dark, uncompromising soundscapes and razor-sharp lyricism that leaves no stone unturned. Daniel Son and Finn have crafted an album that’s not just heard, but felt—a relentless exploration of the underbelly of hip-hop.

Step into the world of Parisian flair and lyrical finesse with Clovis Ochin's latest masterpiece: "Sans Souffrance (R)ajoutée", once again entirely produced by Camoflauge Monk.

Picture this: a seamless fusion of hip-hop vibes and the exquisite taste of fine natural wines, served with a side of haute couture swagger. Clovis Ochin, the enigmatic rapper and vintner extraordinaire, invites you on a sensory journey unlike any other.

Following the success of their 2022 debut album "Sans Souffrance Ajoutée," Clovis Ochin returns with a sophomore sensation that transcends boundaries. Produced by the renowned Camoflauge Monk, the sonic architect behind Griselda Records' iconic sound, this album is a testament to musical innovation and artistic evolution.

Known for his captivating presence on "F*ck That's Delicious" alongside Action Bronson, Clovis embodies the essence of a modern-day bon vivant. His passion for hip-hop, natural wines, food, and fashion pulsates through every track, creating a symphony of flavors and rhythms that captivate the senses.

But that's not all. "Sans Souffrance (R)ajoutée" boasts electrifying guest appearances from the likes of Billie Essco and SonnyJim, adding layers of depth and dimension to an already stellar lineup.

So, whether you're a connoisseur of hip-hop or a devotee of fine wine, prepare to be swept away by the intoxicating blend of sound and style that is Clovis Ochin's latest offering. "Sans Souffrance (R)ajoutée" is more than just an album—it's a cultural phenomenon, a celebration of life's pleasures, and a testament to the enduring power of artistic expression. Don't miss your chance to experience the magic firsthand. Cheers to Clovis Ochin, where hip-hop meets the love of natural wine in perfect harmony.

Step into the world of Parisian flair and lyrical finesse with Clovis Ochin's latest masterpiece: "Sans Souffrance (R)ajoutée", once again entirely produced by Camoflauge Monk.

Picture this: a seamless fusion of hip-hop vibes and the exquisite taste of fine natural wines, served with a side of haute couture swagger. Clovis Ochin, the enigmatic rapper and vintner extraordinaire, invites you on a sensory journey unlike any other.

Following the success of their 2022 debut album "Sans Souffrance Ajoutée," Clovis Ochin returns with a sophomore sensation that transcends boundaries. Produced by the renowned Camoflauge Monk, the sonic architect behind Griselda Records' iconic sound, this album is a testament to musical innovation and artistic evolution.

Known for his captivating presence on "F*ck That's Delicious" alongside Action Bronson, Clovis embodies the essence of a modern-day bon vivant. His passion for hip-hop, natural wines, food, and fashion pulsates through every track, creating a symphony of flavors and rhythms that captivate the senses.

But that's not all. "Sans Souffrance (R)ajoutée" boasts electrifying guest appearances from the likes of Billie Essco and SonnyJim, adding layers of depth and dimension to an already stellar lineup.

So, whether you're a connoisseur of hip-hop or a devotee of fine wine, prepare to be swept away by the intoxicating blend of sound and style that is Clovis Ochin's latest offering. "Sans Souffrance (R)ajoutée" is more than just an album—it's a cultural phenomenon, a celebration of life's pleasures, and a testament to the enduring power of artistic expression. Don't miss your chance to experience the magic firsthand. Cheers to Clovis Ochin, where hip-hop meets the love of natural wine in perfect harmony.

Step into the world of Parisian flair and lyrical finesse with Clovis Ochin's latest masterpiece: "Sans Souffrance (R)ajoutée", once again entirely produced by Camoflauge Monk.

Picture this: a seamless fusion of hip-hop vibes and the exquisite taste of fine natural wines, served with a side of haute couture swagger. Clovis Ochin, the enigmatic rapper and vintner extraordinaire, invites you on a sensory journey unlike any other.

Following the success of their 2022 debut album "Sans Souffrance Ajoutée," Clovis Ochin returns with a sophomore sensation that transcends boundaries. Produced by the renowned Camoflauge Monk, the sonic architect behind Griselda Records' iconic sound, this album is a testament to musical innovation and artistic evolution.

Known for his captivating presence on "F*ck That's Delicious" alongside Action Bronson, Clovis embodies the essence of a modern-day bon vivant. His passion for hip-hop, natural wines, food, and fashion pulsates through every track, creating a symphony of flavors and rhythms that captivate the senses.

But that's not all. "Sans Souffrance (R)ajoutée" boasts electrifying guest appearances from the likes of Billie Essco and SonnyJim, adding layers of depth and dimension to an already stellar lineup.

So, whether you're a connoisseur of hip-hop or a devotee of fine wine, prepare to be swept away by the intoxicating blend of sound and style that is Clovis Ochin's latest offering. "Sans Souffrance (R)ajoutée" is more than just an album—it's a cultural phenomenon, a celebration of life's pleasures, and a testament to the enduring power of artistic expression. Don't miss your chance to experience the magic firsthand. Cheers to Clovis Ochin, where hip-hop meets the love of natural wine in perfect harmony.

2LP 140g col vinyl


»High Times – Singles 1992–2006« erschien 2006, erreichte Platz 1 der Charts und wurde mit Dreifach-Platin ausgezeichnet. Die Tour Edition 2025 erscheint als stahlfarbenes Doppel-Vinyl mit Kunstdruck, Booklet und einem von fünf zufällig beigelegten Sammler-Laminaten mit dem Buffalo-Man-Icon.

Das Album umfasst 20 Songs, darunter den Nummer-1-Hit »Deeper Underground«, sieben weitere Top-10-Titel wie »Virtual Insanity«, »Cosmic Girl« und »Canned Heat« sowie weitere bekannte Singles wie »Seven Days in Sunny June« und »Space Cowboy« viele davon feste Bestandteile der aktuellen Live-Shows.

With ten original compositions (and one well-chosen cover) to record and a schedule window of just one day in New York City to record them, there was no margin for error. For the frontline Kerry picked a pair of legends - Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar and Jaleel Shaw on alto and soprano sax. In the rhythm section she selected NYC's busiest bassist Alex Claffy and, keeping it close to home, her partner George Colligan on drums. And in the face of delayed flights and traffic hold- ups, the album Alternate Route was created, hitting the highest standards of performance with the depth and warmth of Kerry's challenging but engaging compositions. It's a set of tough and tender tunes that combine sophisticated harmony with intricate but accessible melodies to inspire some fierce blowing from everyone, all delivered with a concise, timely precision.

The empathy and good feeling flowing between the players are audible from the first notes: "Kurt, Jaleel and Alex all have Philly roots so there's a really strong relationship there. Alex is incredibly gifted, and Jaleel is such a beautiful player with such a huge, recognizable sound. And it was such a thrill to have Kurt on the album - he's one of my favorite composers and I've been a fan for such a long time." Each player has a powerful personality and Kerry allows them free rein, yet such is the strength of her compositions, and her calmly stated but immensely powerful presence on piano, that no one player dominates the music: everyone finds their own alternate route to excellence.

First Word Records are proud to bring you 'Penny Ballads', a 5-track EP from Royce Wood Junior.

Royce Wood Junior is a Grammy & Mercury Award-nominated musician, songwriter and record producer from London, currently based in Brighton. As a multi-instrumentalist, he's collaborated with a litany of brilliant artists over the years, such as Jamie Woon, Nao, Disclosure, Jessie Ware, Olivia Dean, Joy Crookes, Jamie Lidell and Jordan Rakei, additionally to touring with the likes of the legendary Thomas Dolby. He's released two acclaimed solo albums to date ('The Ashen Tang' in 2015, and 'No Two Blue Ticks' in 2021).

'Penny Ballads' demonstrates RWJ's varied talents, with a collection of alternative soul compositions, each one as unique as the next. It includes the first two singles, the Poplife-Prince era flavoured 'Go Get Your Money', and the double-time future funk adrenaline shot, 'Clean Up', along with three previously-unreleased tracks. 'Beretta' is low-slung soul funk, beginning with quirky squelchy synths, before the soulful lead vocal of feature artist Lucey Way breezes in to melt everyone's hearts. 'Things' sweeps in next, an infectiously soulful midtempo heavy soul bop, with an instant earwork of a hook, like a modern-day Steely Dan / Doobie Brothers, complete with a head-nodding string section to end the track. The collection concludes on a more melancholy downtempo tip with 'Rolling'; an almost-folktronic anthem, with a key refrain that wouldn't be out of place on a 70's Stevie piece.

RWJ (aka Jim Wood) says of this project… "Back in the 17 and 1800's Troubadours and minstrels would go from Tavern to Tavern selling Penny Ballads, single sheets of music and lyrics written quickly and frivolously to make a quick buck.. It strikes me that we're in a similar phase in the way we value music in 2025. An old Penny Ballad was cheap and dog-eared, ink-smudged, sung aloud by firelight, Now songs live in the digital ether, dissolved in the air, a ghostly breath paid in micro cents. The new era of Penny Balladry is here, and weird.

This EP is a snapshot of my writing over a two year period. Focussed on minimal recording styles, one mic on the drums, generally first or second takes on parts and vocals, I wanted the music to feel like small moments with lyrics that talk about the weird nuances of being alive as a latter stage human on the cusp of the Ai revolution. Culturally so evolved, but physiologically still just a bunch of mammals walking about with primitive fears and needs. Just trying to reconcile it all moment to moment…"

Previous support for Royce's music has included Radio 1's Future Sounds, BBC 6 Music's New Music Fix, Annie Mac, Clara Amfo, Jo Whiley (BBC Radio 2), Mary Anne Hobbs, Jamz Supernova, Tom Robinson, Huw Stephens (BBC 6 Music), Zane Lowe and MistaJam. There have been sessions previously for the likes of Red Bull and press from Huck, Line of Best Fit, Clash, Aesthetica & DIY magazine.

Entirely self-written and self-produced, this EP gives a solid taste of RWJ's talents. A deeply funky diverse set of music from an immensely talented individual.

'Penny Ballads' is due to be released on vinyl & digital, 24th October 2025.

The vinyl version also includes an exclusive additional mix of the first single 'Go Get Your Money'.

Zwei Meister-Improvisatoren, die ihre wortlosen Gemälde aus dem Nichts komponieren, erforschen weiter den tiefen Raum der Zukunft/Vergangenheit. Ihre kollaborativen Kräfte sind noch lange nicht auf dem Höhepunkt, und diese Reise führt sie weiter ins Unerforschte. Diese Stücke entfalten sich als offenkundige Geistesblüten. Sie schaffen einen Baldachin aus Klangformen, in dem sie die seltene Sprache der Welterschaffung sprechen. Dies ist nicht einfach nur Musik, es ist eine Reise ohne Karten, Inside. Diese neue LP führt Nelson & Kramer tief unter die Meere der Erde und zieht den Hörer an ihrer Seite hinab, während sie die unbekannten Strömungen erforschen, die die menschliche Vorstellungskraft beflügeln, flüssig, immer in Bewegung und immer im Wandel. Es ist ein Ausflug in die tiefsten Tiefen der Ambient-Musik und ein Neuanfang an dem Ort, an dem das Leben selbst begann. Der Grund des Ozeans hat einen neuen Klang, und er ist atemberaubend schön. ENG Further explorations into the deep space of the future/past by two master-improvisors who compose their wordless paintings out of thin air. Their collaborative powers are nowhere near their peak and this voyage takes them further into the Uncharted. These pieces unfold as revelatory mind blooms. Creating a canopy of sound forms inside which they speak the rarified language of world creating. This isn't just music, it's a journey without maps, Inside. This new LP takes Nelson & Kramer deep under the earth's seas, pulling the listener down beside them as they explore the uncharted currents that fuel the human imagination, fl uid, always moving, and always changing. It is an excursion into the lowest depths of Ambient Music, and a new beginning from the very place where life itself began. The floor of the ocean has a new sound, and it is breathtakingly beautiful.

Serenity Now returns with the next dose of bangers from DOC ’N ’ P1LL in the form of RX
PRESCRIPTIONS Volume 2.
Following last year ’s widely appreciated debut, the Stockholm-based duo is back with four
brand new club-oriented tracks, once again rooted in their self-made genre Synth-Tech – a
fusion of
synth-driven techhouse, melodic tech and deep house, built around a sound that ’s cerebral
and deep. With their unique sound, DOC ’N ’ P1LL mix snappy drums and percussive
elements with hard-hitting melodies, creating tracks that hit with precision and energy.
Volume 2 explores a wider range of moods while keeping things direct and floor-focused.
From the bouncy opener to the more hypnotic and stripped-down moments, each track
reflects the duo ’s long-standing experience both behind the decks and in the studio.
If Volume 1 laid the foundation for Synth-Tech, this second installment takes it further –
deeper, weirder, and even more confident. Four new flavours. Same prescription. No filler –
just four cuts made for peak-time impact.

GATEFOLD DOUBLE VINYL WITH SPOT UV FRONT COVER

Following the skewed-unself-help-brilliance of ‘Sus Dog’ (which marked his first full foray into songs, abetted by Thom Yorke), and its companion piece ‘Cave Dog’, Chris Clark returns to the dancefloor’s simple, but no less affecting pleasures, with ‘Steep Stims’.
“I found it hard to pull away from listening to this record, hard to stop making it, I had to remove myself from the Stims and stop enjoying it at some point. The album feels like nature to me. I love it when electronic music feels more naturalistic than acoustic music, more potent, that’s the devil’s trick, the promise of electronic music.” comments Chris.
“I used an old synth - the Virus on all of the tracks. I used it at Mess in Melbourne - run by my friend Robin Fox - I loved it so much I had to buy one when I got back to the UK, it took a while to find. They’re a bit clunky to program but make some of my most favourite sounds.”
‘Steep Stims’ marks a back-to-basics approach, invoking the early years of gung-ho creativity enforced by limitations in technology at the time. “Most of the tracks on this album capture the spirit of making music on old samplers, which don’t have much memory time”, explains Clark. “It reminds me of making ‘Clarence Park’, my first album, where I would have to finish tunes in the session, as they would be saved on floppy disks and I couldn’t easily go between tracks. This new record is just a few synths and a few choice sounds; the writing is the important thing.”
Made quickly, ‘Steep Stims’ reflects the immediate rave energy of his live show, but that’s not to say it’s basic floor fodder, as it’s rife with personality, synth magic, and knack for melody. Although swift and impressionistically captured rather than laboured over, it’s still formidably deft, with plenty of oddball weirdness lurking beneath the dancefloor.
Soft, orange, scorched, brutal, the opening track ‘Gift and Wound’ captures the classic dance music dread / awe / euphoria combo perfectly, before ‘Infinite Roller’ merges sparkly-minimalism with snarling bass and soft sines, which turn more dense and metallic as it progresses.
The melancholic smoke belch of ‘No Pills U’ gives strong classic vibrations, which is belied by its creation, made in just 20 minutes. “I love working quickly sometimes”, comments Clark. “Inspiration hits, rough and ready. It’s off the cuff but also screams ‘don’t gild the lily with nonsense, keep it simple keep it clean’”. Segueing into its elder brother, the piece becomes bigger and beatier on ‘Janus Modal’, where it permutates for over 7 minutes of fluttering, beatific club majesty.
At ‘18EDO Bailiff’ you inexplicably find yourself at a clearing, things have suddenly got much quieter. You enter a decrepit and eerie old house, and as you move through its unsettling interior, you arrive at ‘Globecore Flats’. A real piano tuned to 18 notes per octave gives the pair of tracks a haunted, olde worlde feel, which promptly gets eaten by a huge tech step tearout monster, birthing a strange but exotic beast.
The white hot ‘Blowtorch Thimble’ is all hooktasm-rave-hyper-amen-energy, whilst acidic flute leaps around like Ian Anderson on pingers throughout the catchily simple jump-up lurch of ‘Civilians’.
“‘In Patient’s Day Out’ is like some sort of Morricone-does-kraut-rock-with-drum-machines, but that’s probably just in my head” says Clark. “I made several versions of this then went with the early mix but cranked through some choice outboard because it just had something.”
Drumless, yet still full of exhilarating-big-trance-drama, ‘Who Booed The Goose’ flashes by in stroboscopic fast forward, then ‘5 Millionth Cave Painting’ gives a palate cleanser, letting “the virus with its delicious broken, luxurious reverb have a moment”, before ‘Negation Loop’ swoops down in all its glory, with Clark’s tweaked vocals leading deconstructed trance breakdowns, tape edits and brutal noisebursts.
An antidote to the bombast of its predecessor is ‘Micro Lyf’, which closes the set on a poignant note, of sorts. Muted staccato gives way to field recordings “that gradually put it in this outside space; alien in a meadow somewhere nameless. It feels like a sinkhole. The record kinda swallows itself up and then is gone”, ends Chris.

If people were unaware of the significance of Joan Baez to western culture, her portrayal in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (played by Monica Barbaro) underlines how central she was to the popularization of folk music in the early 1960s. And it is her decade- previous relationship with Dylan that hovers joyously over Diamonds & Rust. The title track is about a thinly disguised ex-lover who calls up out of the blue; it remains one of her most loved songs in a 65- year- career.

There's a playful cover of "Simple Twist Of Fate" from Dylan's then just released Blood On The Tracks, complete with impersonation in a later verse; and "Winds Of The Old Days", written in response to Dylan touring again after a lengthy hiatus. Diamonds & Rust is a perfect, sunshine- drenched album of west- coast folk- tinged rock, full of star session players. It could almost have been a signal to all the recent comers on her patch many of them friends and colleagues, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Maria Muldaur that Baez was here first and was sweetly reasserting her authority. Just listen to her mastery on "Children & All That Jazz", her cover of Stevie Wonder's "Never Thought You'd Leave In Summer" and the poignant closing medley of "I Dream Of Jeannie/Danny Boy".

“In a concert, I show something with a beginning, a middle and an end. But, there is no end. Of course, there is no end. Because I am the music, and I am still here.” - Sophie Agnel

‘Learning’ - Sophie Agnel’s first solo LP, feels like the dark, physical inversion of her excellent ‘Song’ which came out on Relative Pitch earlier this year. Sinking her unique sound into vinyl for the first time, the LP arrives as Agnel recovers from a brain tumour - a shocking discovery that will require Agnel to start again with the piano. It’s a terrifying prospect, but Agnel has been here before, having reorientated herself almost entirely away from her early classical training over the last 4 decades of her work.

‘When I was young I had very good ears, oriole absolute. Then later I began to make strange sounds with my piano, to do different kinds of music. I was more interested in the sounds than the melody, for example. I remember once I sat down in a shop to try to read the scores of Schubert and there was a light emitting a very strong bzzzzzzz. And I couldn't listen to my oriole internal - I couldn't read the score. I was entirely subjugated by the sound of the light. And I understood that something had changed. Ten years before I could read and not hear the light. Now I understood that my ears were completely different. I was more open to the sounds of life.”

Born in Paris in the 60’s and playing her parents piano as soon as she could stand up, Agnel quickly grew tired of the classical world. What frustrated her was the strange disconnect between the frame of the piano and its keyboard - a weird boundary that seemed to form some hushed code of etiquette. “The first thing I put inside the piano was a plastic goblet. I’d seen a few pianists do it: Fred Van Hove, for example, put rubber balls inside his. But what didn’t appeal to me was that there seemed to be no link between the pianos outside and inside.”If you see Agnel play now, the body of her piano is littered with fish tins, ping pong balls, wooden blocks - not that you’d recognize their sounds. Having absorbed the language of the European avant-garde, Agnel is known for pulling the piano’s interior outside of itself by tipping her handbag into it. But these ‘strange sounds’ don’t just come from Cage - they also share the poetic force of Cecil Taylor and ‘Learning’ demonstrates that Agnel’s work on the piano's keyboard is just as important as what she’s littered on its strings. The record lets loose her ability to unleash a formidable sound mass and then rope it back to one single, clarifying note. With one hand, Agnel plays 88 tuned drums and on the other an enormous guitar - with the LP rotating through oncoming trains, and blues harmonica and feedback. It’s single minded stuff, borne out of a dedication to a wholly personal language of gesture, accumulation and deft reduction. “Maybe when I’m 80 I will not need anything,” Agnel says in a recent film made at her home. “I will do the same but with one note, and one finger. Maybe it's enough.”

‘Learning’ arrives in a reverse board sleeve designed by Jereon Wille. Recorded live at Cafe OTO by Billy Steiger on 6th June 2023 and 4th June 2024. Mixed by James Dunn and Benjamin Pagier. Side B edited by Benjamin Pagier. Mastered and cut by Loop-O. Front photograph by Aimé Agnel. Typography and layout by Jeroen Wille.

The story begins with Kevin Morby absentmindedly flipping through a box of old family photos in the basement of his childhood home in Kansas City. Just hours before, at a family dinner, his father had collapsed in front of him and had to be rushed to the hospital. That night Morby still felt the shock and fear lodged in his bones. So he gazed at the images until one of the pictures jumped out at him: his father as a young man, proud and strong and filled with confidence, posing on a lawn with his shirt off. This was in January of 2020. As the months went on and the world dramatically changed around him, Morby felt an eerie similarity between his feelings of that night and the atmosphere of those spring days. Fear, anxiety, hope and resilience all churning together. The themes began twisting in his mind. History, trauma and the grand fight against time. Having the courage to dream, even while knowing the tragedy that often awaits those who dare to dream. While his father regained his strength, Morby meditated on these ideas. And then, he headed to Memphis. He moved into the Peabody Hotel and spent his days paying tribute and genuflecting to the dreamers he admired. In the evening, he would return to his room and document his ideas on a makeshift recording set-up, with just his guitar and a microphone. The songs, elegiac in nature, befitting all he had seen, poured out of him.Produced by Sam Cohen (who also worked on Morby’s Singing Saw and Oh My God), This Is A Photograph features musical contributions from longtime staples of Morby’s live band, as well as old friends and new collaborators alike. If Oh My God saw Morby getting celestial and in constant motion and Sundowner was a study in localized intent, This Is A Photograph finds Morby making an Americana paean, a visceral life and death, blood on the canvas outpouring. As Morby reminds us early on, time is undefeated. So what do we do while we’re still here? This is a photograph of that sense of yearning

"PROG-ROCK LEGENDS SPOCK’S BEARD ARRIVE ON MADFISH WITH NEW ALBUM THE ARCHAEOPTIMIST. GATEFOLD 2LP VERSION, PRESSED ON RED VINYL. “mad time signatures, impossible harmonies, intense arrangements…sensational”
THE PROG REPORT “a true heir of the legacy of bands as Yes, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd & old Genesis…a truly fascinating voyage.” METAL TEMPLE If Spock’s Beard have taught us anything over their 30+ years in the business, it’s that they have no interest in becoming their own tribute act. The Archaeoptimist - their latest offering & first release on Madfish - is not a retreat into old habits, but a recalibration. Just when you think they’re settling in, they kick the walls out instead. At the centre of this particular storm is Ryo Okumoto, whose fingerprints are all over the album - not just as a performer, but as a driving creative force. Teaming up with co-writer Michael Whiteman (I Am the Manic Whale) & longstanding bandmembers Alan Morse & Ted Leonard, Ryo has helped shape an album that is undeniably Spock’s Beard with a characteristic wry smile to boot. The album was produced by Okumoto & recorded at each band member’s respective home studios. Esteemed producer Rich Mouser (Dream Theater/Weezer) takes up the mixing & mastering duties. Over more than 30 years, Spock’s Beard have established themselves as one of modern progressive music’s most exciting & consistent acts, with live shows as renowned as their studio work & tours that draw sold-out audiences across the globe. Their albums regularly chart worldwide, with 2018’s Noise Floor reaching #3 on the UK Official Rock & Metal Chart & #6 on the Official Progressive Albums Chart.

Originally released in Feb 2011, next year it will be 15 years young and like every teenager it wants to make a racket. So, in February 2026 the band will be doing just that, with some very special shows celebrating their debut album. Tour Dates for 2026 : Exeter Cavern 12/02/26, Cardiff Fuel 13/02/26, London Lexington 14/02/26, Edinburgh Bannermans 20/02/26, Nottingham Rescue Rooms 21/02/26
"The gauntlet for best album of 2011 is being thrown down early!" Metal Hammer. // “Black Spiders are pure genius, AND, they go onstage on time!” Duff McKagan (yeah, him off Guns n Roses)..// “Their apocalyptic three-man axe assault is awe-inspiring“ Rock Sound..// “Another monolithic slab of thunderous rock. This Sheffield-based quintet have managed to harness the powers of Angus Young and priapic death punks Turbonegro and distil it into a brew fit for Odin himself” KKKK Kerrang. SONS OF THE NORTH was the much anticipated debut album by the United Kingdoms very own rock juggernaut BLACK SPIDERS. Quite literally ten tracks of galloping rock and thunderous roll, heads down, no nonsense, ear splintering, gut wrenching organic, melodic goodness. Classic Rock and Metal Hammer Magazines hailed them as ‘Ones to Watch’, Kerrang, Rock Sound, Big Cheese Magazines, Subba Cultcha and Thrash Hits all reviewed.

Anthology 4 - Triple LP. The new volume from The Beatles Anthology Collection.

Anthology 4, is newly curated by Giles Martin, including 13 previously unreleased demos, plus fascinating session and other rare recordings dating from 1963 to 1969. It also includes the band’s final single, ‘Now And Then’, released in 2023, and new mixes of The Beatles’ Anthology-associated hit singles: the GRAMMY-winning ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’, given new life by their original producer, Jeff Lynne, using de-mixed John Lennon vocals. Furthermore, Anthology 4 presents 26 tracks that have never previously been released on vinyl.

The track notes are written by Kevin Howlett with an introduction compiled from 1996 interviews recorded with The Beatles’ close friend and adviser Derek Taylor.

Pressed on 180g black vinyl, the triple LP is housed within poly-lined inner bags and a triple gatefold sleeve.

Australian artist Factory Preset dropped a killer album, Swingchronize Me, back in 2022 and it was an ode to the DIY acid wave scene of 90s Sydney DIY made using a 'swingchronizer,' aka a homemade box that "bypassed the temporal rigidity of other units allowing the freedom to create consistent swing effects." Now, four of the cuts get reworked into deep, groove-driven and masterfully well swung sounds that are fluid, loopy and could unfold endlessly without ever growing stale. Some are slow and predatory, others are more light and colourful, all of them perfect for dropping into long-form sets where both body and mind get locked in.

France's most unique fire-driven hard psych duo return with their sophomore masterpiece. Written between 2022 and 2024, "DEUX" marks a bold evolution in Moundrag's sound - nine meticulously crafted tracks that balance raw power with intricate storytelling, creating their most ambitious work yet. What makes Moundrag special: Two brothers. No guitars. Just vintage organ, thunderous drums, and hypnotic call-and-response vocals that forge epic soundscapes. Drawing from Deep Purple, King Crimson, and Emerson Lake & Palmer while channeling modern acts like Motorpsycho, they've created something fiercely contemporary. From the hard-hitting assault of "Stormdrummer" to the psychedelic crescendos of "Take Me To The Stars," DEUX is both a nostalgic nod to 70s prog and a modern manifesto. The album blends dystopian fantasy, sci-fi, and Celtic myth into a cry against old patterns - an invitation to reshape a freer world. Featuring stunning cover art by contemporary Polish artist Justyna Kozikzak - a surrealist interpretation of Dante's journey through hell. Co-released with our friends Spinda Records

2025 Repress

DJ Koze exists both above and beyond club culture as we know it - his albums and remixes flying free from genre and trend - and symbiotically woven into its heart. Yes, he always abstracts and weirds out the principles of house, techno, hip hop, pop, psychedelia, exotica and so forth, but he does that because he understands them. And when it comes to club-demolishing tracks, he understands those principles as well as just about anybody on earth. Thus he could create an enduring club tune like 2015's 'XTC' that is strange, contemplative, even disturbing, bore little relation to anything around at the time, yet still got bodies moving and sweating better than way more obvious techno bangers. And thus the Knock Knock album, which melts a million genres and none into one another, can comfortably include 'Seeing Aliens". 'Seeing Aliens' unquestionably is a banger, its bass riff snaking around your body like a python, its high-drama strings, pianos and outbursts of noise designed for maximum crowd pressure release. But, again, it sounds like nothing else, and its dynamics and twists unfold over eight and a half minutes in ways that will mess with your head every time no matter how many times you hear it. The exclusive b-side track, 'Nein König Nein' ("No King No"!), meanwhile, is slightly gentler on the face of it: it's less about sonic pressure, more about hip-shaking syncopation. But it too tells strange fairytales in its peculiar and brain-tweaking accumulation of detail, and though you'll hear archetypal sounds from the heart of house and disco in it, every last one of them becomes new and otherworldly.

Originally released in 2005, Supernature was Goldfrapp’s era-defining masterpiece, a multi-layered sonic-pop thriller that shattered the electronic rulebook, replacing it with a radical, high-gloss vision of pop music at its most seductive and strange.

Supernature catapulted Goldfrapp into the pop stratosphere, spawning now-classic singles like “Ooh La La”, “Number 1”, and “Ride A White Horse”. The album topped charts worldwide, earned multi-platinum sales, garnered multiple BRIT and GRAMMY nominations.

Now reissued for its 20th anniversary, the deluxe edition offers fans the classic original album alongside B-sides, classic & brand new remixes, unreleased live radio session recordings and an Audio Blu-ray 5.1 surround mix. The release is presented across 3 CDs (2CD + Audio Blu-Ray) in deluxe packaging, alongside a stunning peacock-coloured double vinyl edition (the second disc being a remix 12” single EP), with everything cut at half speed for enhanced sound quality.

The new edition includes two brand new Goldfrapp remixes by Alison Goldfrapp & Will Gregory, with exclusive reinterpretations from Richard X, Sun’s Signature (Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins) & Damon Reece (Massive Attack, Spiritualized).

With the release of this deluxe edition, Goldfrapp don’t just revisit Supernature, they reaffirm its enduring influence in 2025’s musical landscape and beyond.

Moving freely through time and space via experimental DIY recordings since 2009, Joasihno return with their fourth album "Spots".

“Find your spot in the shade,” a truly laid-back and incredibly soft-spoken MC once advised, yet in a world that seems to get shadier every day, it’s probably time to finally get out and face the sun. Southern German experimental pop duo Joasihno – initial solo founder Cico Beck (The Notwist, Aloa Input, Spirit Fest) and drummer/composer Nico Sierig (Instrument, Fehler Kuti) – seem to know exactly when it’s time to shine. Idiosyncratic genre tweakers since day one, they have been operating at their own pace, mostly staying in their own shady corner. Yet, almost a decade after their most recent “Meshes” (an album that came with a whole legion of tiny music robots), it’s high time for them to take over more corners, to reclaim even more spots between lo-fi and sci-fi, retro electronica and contemporary classic. Drawing upon influences as varied as Reich, Riley, and Ryuichi, múm, Meek, and Moondog, while also nodding to other experimental twosomes (e.g. The Books), the duo’s fourth full-length “Spots” is set to arrive via Alien Transistor in late 2025.

Leaving soulless automation and all things artificial to others, Joasihno launch the latest record on “2 Squares” that feel like a peaceful, almost bucolic version of retro space age: lights blink ever so softly as easy-going bass tones point at today’s introspective flight arc. Electronic shapes align and things lift off – with a majestic 8-bit sunrise soon appearing right in front of us. Whereas playful title song “Spots” is a miniature Rube Goldberg kind of device, with quirky plucked strings and glitches setting off more and more contraption layers, “Crackleboom” is uncharted energy, an open landscape, an expanding bonfire that leads to a long-forgotten piano, all dust-covered in some kind of saloon. Space might be only noise to others, here, it’s foreboding screeches (“Dizzle Whistle”) that make room for A-side center piece “Forest Lights”: a steady beat that lures us to a clearance in the woods. Things break and shatter in the distance, but this spot right here is for hypnosis, dancing, sylvan spirits. And yeah, it’s surprisingly hot down here in the undergrowth…

Opening side B with a fun banger that takes the unhinged dancing to the playground – “Characa Orb.” feels like French kids on swings going crazy, a tipsy, tongue-in-cheek electro blow-out between Oizo and Orbis Tertius –, things get even more cinematic throughout the second half. Even the cheapest, lo-fiest gear is sufficient to make “The Slow Hour” glow like true, timeless pop royalty. In fact, the very same pop spirits roam and celebrate freely in the chirpy coves of mesmerizing “Detune Lagoon” – more hand-crafted sci-fi/lo-fi loops you’ll only find after facing the ghosts of Lynch or Sakamoto on those night-time trails under the “Deep Moon”. It’s all DIY spots, spots that leave room to dream or dangle, drape yourself over or dive into. Returning to the leafy bower on a melancholy post rock tip, we eventually learn that “Death Is Real” – and so we’re left with a laterna magica that turns and turns and turns. It’s a beautiful spot where light and shadows keep on dancing, just like they’ve always done, ever since the dawn of this madcap universe.

Skepticism's celebrated debut album's 30th anniversary edition with bonus material out in November Stormcrowfleet, Skepticism's monumental 1995 debut, remains a landmark of funeral doom — an album that defined both a sound and a legacy. This 30th anniversary edition of the classic was newly mixed from the original tape reels by Anssi Kippo in 2018 at Astia Studio under supervision of the band and is now freshly cut for vinyl. "Stormcrowfleet was originally released on CD. Instead of taking the easiest route we wanted to make the vinyl version the best it can be. We bought the multi-track tapes at the end of the recording sessions back in the day and have stored them for possible later use. This use became the Stromcrowfleet reissue - not just a vinyl edition but a complete remix of the album from the original recordings." "In the remix sessions nothing was added or changed in the original recordings. The mix was done at Astia-studio with high quality analog equipment. In fact most of the equipment used did exist in 1995. What did not exist back in then was more than two decades of audio engineering tradition dedicated to processing extreme metal. In this process that tradition manifested in the form of Anssi Kippo - multiple award winning producer who handled the mixing in co-operation with the band members. In short the target was not to do a different mix but one with the original vision for the album with better equipment and engineering." comments the band. The 30th anniversary edition of Stormcrowfleet features two bonus tracks from the 1994 demo cassette AEOTHE KAEAR cut directly from the original studio master tape, released on vinyl now for the first time ever. Also including a special anniversary edition booklet illustrating the making of the album. A milestone of doom metal history, expanded and reintroduced for a new generation.