quête:k note

The Temptations Get High on Psychedelic Soul: Cloud Nine Soars with Ambitious Arrangements and Production, Features Standout Vocal Performances and Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers

The Temptations’ Cloud Nine announced that Motown — and “The Sound of Young America” — would never be the same. Influenced by the emergence of cutting-edge rock and pop currents, as well as increasing sociopolitical turmoil, the album broke down barriers between rock, psychedelia, and soul while heralding the arrival of visionary arrangements and production techniques. Bookended by traditional R&B numbers, the 1969 record sent the Temptations in bold new directions and signaled the advent of psychedelic soul.

Sourced from the original master tapes, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45PM 2LP set presents Cloud Nine in audiophile sound for the first time on a domestic pressing. This collectible reissue bestows Norman Whitfield’s extraordinary production with the grand-scale dynamics, natural tonality, expansive openness, and low-end weight it deserves. The timbre of each of the five members’ voices is readily identifiable — even within the group harmonies — bestowing a realism never experienced outside the recording studio.

Making its debut on 45RPM, the album further benefits from the wide groove space by playing with greater separation and more realistic presence than prior editions. Everything from the brassiness of the horns to the dry snap of the snare comes across with reference-grade clarity and positioning. And since Motown’s renowned Funk Brothers backing band plays on many of the cuts, you’ll want to savor every note. The imaging, soundstaging, and organic bloom-and-decay of the notes make that possible.

Amid Cloud Nine, the instrumentation and architecture stand out as much as any element. Never before had a Motown album contained such ambitious patterns and complex passages. Seemingly conscientious of the departure from their past methods, the Temptations and Whitfield bunched together the tracks that mark a deep dive into psychedelic territory and counterbalance them with seven sterling soul cuts that dovetail with Motown tradition drenched with heartfelt vocals, swelling strings, and finger-snapping beats.

On the original 33RPM release, traditional Motown soul — laden with heartfelt vocals, swelling strings, and finger-snapping beats — occupies Side Two. These songs reveal an ensemble still very much on top of delivering pristine pop-soul material graced with romantic sweetness, persuasive insistent, and soaring highs. Re-energized after the departure of lead singer David Ruffin, who was fired for a variety of reasons in June 1968, the Temptations seamlessly meld with his replacement, Dennis Edwards, on one melodic gem after another.

The collective tackles five songs co-written by the legendary Motown team of Barrett Strong and Whitfield. Not the least of which are the smooth, shuffling “Why Did She Have to Leave Me (Why Did She Have to Go)” and deceptively simple, horn-spiked “Gonna Keep on Tryin’ till I Win Your Love.” On these tracks, as well as on a lush rendition of the ballad “Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing” and pleading, tender send-up of the Gerry Goffin-Carole King classic “Hey Girl,” Edwards and Paul Williams take turns on the lead with the estimable Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams providing backing support.

All five vocalists trade-off leads on the simmering title track, a groundbreaking composition shot through with wah-wah-pedal effects, liquid funk, deep bass lines, Cuban percussion, saturated reverb, and gang choruses. Whitfield mines each member’s natural vocal range with spectacular results, keeps time with cymbals, and channels both the heated temperatures and escapist desires of a society embroiled in war, conflict, and experimental drugs.

Amazingly, the Temptations top themselves on the similarly revealing “Run Away Child, Running Wild.” Nearly 10 minutes in length, the song explodes R&B parameters and harbors a cinematic scope. Urgent pianos, distorted guitars, stripped-down percussion, steamy Hammond organs, minimal bass motifs, five distinct voices narrating the tale of a boy who fled home and now finds himself amid the scary, unforgiving external world: They combine to give the urgent tune a walls-closing-in atmosphere where fear and desperation reign. Bolstered by an extended instrumental section that precedes a climactic return of the singers’ voices, “Run Away Child, Running Wild” equaled the success of the record’s title track, with both reaching No. 6 on the pop charts.

How enduring is the signature song from Harry Chapin’s Verities & Balderdash? So timeless that it became the subject of a 2025 documentary in which artists from multiple generations weigh in on its impact on their lives and craft. “Cat’s in the Cradle” doubtlessly remains the main event on the singer-songwriter’s 1974 album. The legendary opening track also serves as a guidepost for the bold personal and social material that follows — as well as the gorgeous folk-rock arrangements that underpin the New York native’s most commercially successful work.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, housed in a Stoughton jacket complete with a four-page insert, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM LP of Verities & Balderdash presents Chapin’s fourth full-length in audiophile quality for the first time on vinyl. Captured during a golden era for sonics and production, the Top 5 effort features remarkable tonal balance, instrumental separation, and organic naturalism. Those valued aspects come into supreme focus on this reissue, which plays with dead-quiet surfaces and a low noise floor.

The newfound clarity, openness, and imaging underscore the lasting appeal of Chapin’s tender deliveries, soulful timbre, and careful phrasing. Every word comes across with incredible realism, while his underrated guitar playing occupies its own distinctive space. Also notable: The extension of the tasteful string accents; airiness of the backing vocals; depth and shape of the spare bass lines; and width and depth of the soundstaging. When on “Six String Orchestra” Chapin calls out names of instruments, they appear like magic, the band performing feet from you. Chapin has never sounded so lifelike on record.

Certified double platinum, Verities & Balderdash resonated with the times and public. “Cat’s in the Cradle” reached No. 1 on the chart on its way to being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The romantic ballad “I Wanna Learn a Love Song” flirted with the Top 40 and wrapped listeners in the equivalent of a cozy blanket. The record’s other single, the mini-epic “What Made America Famous?,” helped establish Chapin as one of the country’s most incisive and insightful commentators.

Verities & Balderdash teems with situational devices and topical matters. Chapin observes everything from the polarization of the nation to changes in moral standards and cultural priorities. He investigates pressing themes without ever turning preachy or elevating himself above the matters at hand. On “Halfway to Heaven,” whose coda races to the finish and ranks as the most urgent moment on the record, Chapin inhabits the mind of his frustrated protagonist akin to an eagle-eyed novelist.

Conveying emotions that range from melancholic to carefree, Chapin is as much of a singer as a storyteller. He assumes the voice of multiple characters within a single narrative. During the quirky “30,000 Pounds of Bananas,” a tale based on a delivery-truck accident in 1965, Chapin alters his delivery, pronunciation, and diction to become an old man reflecting on the mishap and mess. The tempo, too, adjusts to match the speed of the vehicle Chapin describes.

Adorned with timely laugh tracks to reinforce the bittersweet humor, the stripped-down “Six String Orchestra” takes everything up another notch, with Chapin intentionally missing guitar notes or playing a broken passage to illustrate the failures of the hopeful protagonist who doesn’t have what’s required to make it as an artist.

Chapin, of course, did not have any such problem. The lynchpin of a career cut short by a tragic traffic incident, Verities & Balderdash is Exhibit A of the savvy craft, feeling, and perspective he lent to American music.

Carly Simon’s No. 1 smash “You’re So Vain” lingers as one of the most clever and famous songs ever recorded. The subject of mass speculation ever since its release, soon after which it occupied the top spot on multiple Billboard charts for weeks, the anthem kept a captive public guessing at the identity of its smug subject for decades. The question surrounding the protagonist’s identity remained perhaps the only mystery on the otherwise sexually open and autobiographically daring No Secrets, Simon’s commercial breakthrough and ‘70s singer-songwriter staple.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45RPM 2LP set affords the platinum-certified 1972 effort the finest sonic treatment it’s received on vinyl. Helmed by Richard Perry and recorded at London’s Trident Studios — where Beatles, David Bowie, and Elton John captured landmark LPs — No Secrets touts exceptional production qualities highlighted by this restorative reissue.

Audiophiles and record collectors, take note: This is the first time No Secrets has been available on 45RPM. The wider grooves and dead-quiet surfaces pay instant dividends. Simple, elegant, and disarming, songs seemingly float amid wide, deep soundstages. Simon’s voice takes on a confident, assertive tenor that emerges with accurate imaging, balanced tonality, and palpable presence. String arrangements and backing vocals come through with similar realism.

Enhanced by an all-star cast — Simon’s then-husband James Taylor, Paul and Linda McCartney, Mick Jagger, Lowell George, Klaus Voorman, Bobby Keys, Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins, and Bonnie Bramlett are among the renowned musicians who lend a hand — No Secrets advances Simon’s themes of personal introspectiveness, no-holds-barred reflectiveness, and feminist-inspired boldness. She makes every moment of No Secrets worth savoring. Simon invests her all in the songs, handling beautiful ballads, sassy folk-rock numbers, and bluesy fare with calm, composure, and candor.

While acknowledging her own regrets (“You’re So Vain”) and loss (“The Carter Family”), Simon champions the highs (“The Right Thing to Do”) and pains (“His Friends Are More Than Fond of Robin”) of love in a sincere manner indicative of her maturity as both an artist and singer. The New York native distinguishes “When You Close Your Eyes” with deep-rooted spirituality, recalls childhood joys via charming sentimentality on “It Was So Easy,” and and takes ownership of her persona on a cover of Taylor’s “Night Owl.”

“We have no secrets
/We tell each other everything,” Simon sings at the record’s midpoint, encapsulating both the themes and bravura of an effort that was nominated for four Grammy Awards and saw her write or co-write every song but one. Combined with Perry’s savvy instrumental arrangements, her self-assured performances and forthright lyrics grant No Secrets an edginess and relevance immune to the ravages of time.

Carly Simon’s quietly intense sophomore album comes across like an assertive notice nailed to a telephone pole for all to see. Bold, personal, and autobiographical, Anticipation announces the arrival of an artist who won’t back down. While Simon stands her ground on her eponymous debut, she elevates her passion and persona to heightened levels throughout this gold-certified record, dealing in private matters related to love, relationships, and desire. At times, Simon is nothing short of primal. She reflects on the difficulties of retaining your own identity while also giving yourself to a partner. Simon’s connection to her folk roots would never be stronger.

Sourced from the original master tapes, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45RPM 2LP set of Anticipation lays bare the rich tapestries afforded by the spare blend of soft guitars, mellow orchestration, and dreamy melodies. Audiophiles and record collectors, take note: This is the first time Anticipation has been available on 45RPM. The wider grooves and dead-quiet surfaces prove extremely rewarding.

The rhythmic framework anchored by session pro Andy Newmark’s drumming sounds dynamic and balanced, with songs benefiting from a focused midrange and taut low-end. Simon’s attachment to and investment in each lyric is made evident by way of the intimate, hushed atmospherics and expansive responsiveness. And just as Simon’s vocals feel more transparent and direct, so, too, do the supporting choral arrangements.

Released before the singer-songwriter movement reached full bloom, Anticipation remains remarkable for the high-quality songwriting and Simon’s gutsy stance. The album cover — depicting the vocalist holding the gates at Queen Mary’s Garden in Regent’s Park and seemingly defying anyone to take her on — serves as a metaphor for the content within.

Known for having relationships with high-profile partners, Simon was heavily involved with Cat Stevens leading up to the recording of Anticipation. She draws from her experiences to craft tunes that resonate because of their honesty, realism, and strength. Few of those moments are better known than the Top 20 title track, which Simon composed in just 15 minutes as she waited for Stevens to pick her up for a date. Imbued with the nervousness, tension, and excitement that accompany the moments when a romance could go either way, the Grammy-nominated song presages the feminist-minded vulnerability and burning longing that informs a majority of the record.

On the soulful “Legend in Your Own Time,” also inspired by Stevens, Simon harnesses yearning as a conduit to feel-good paradise. Deemed by Rolling Stone an “absolute clincher, an awesome description of the psychic ravages of gone-nuts, know-nothing love,” her cover of Kris Kristofferson’s “I’ve Got to Have You” moans with no-holds-barred desire and breathtaking sensuality.

For all the wanting Simon pursues on Anticipation, her way of staying in control — vocally and personally — make the record a courageous statement of contemporary femininity. For further evidence, look to the bossa nova of “Summer’s Coming Around Again,” somber “Share the End,” soothing “Three Days,” and sincere “Julie Through the Glass,” a tribute to her young niece.

Simon would achieve international fame with her next album, No Secrets. Yet as this definitive reissue shows, Anticipation suggests the rest of the world was just a little late catching up to her.

MUSIQUE POUR LA DANSE presents The Unreleased Themes From Hellraiser expanded ritual by Coil

Back in 1987, Clive Barker's supernatural body-horror classic Hellraiser hitted cinemas worldwide and introduced audiences to the demonic Cenobites. Barker was a devoted COIL fan (Peter Christopherson and John Balance), and he famously said they were the only band he'd ever heard on record whose music he'd had to take off because, in his words, "theymade his bowels churn.". He initially invited them to compose the film's music, and the group began recording cues. But the producers at New World Pictures ultimately rejected the material in favor of a more traditional approach, bringing in Christopher Young, whose final score remains excellent, if less experimental. What remains from Coil is an unfinished soundtrack with surviving fragments and rough ideas, abruptly left behind mid-process, a glimpse into an alternate Hellraiser movie, one we can only fantasize into existence.

Nearly 40 years later, key long-term collaborators and Coil's "secret third member" Danny Hyde located the original Hellraiser studio session tapes, and the bonus material recovered from them is presented here as an "expanded ritual" edition, reassembled into a standalone, possibly defnitive and strangely beautiful nightmare suite. Play it in the dark and experience the consequences of raising hell...

Notes by Danny Hyde
Original artwork by Trevor Brown
For fans of pain & pleasure, Throbbing Gristle, lost horror soundtracks & haunted electronics.

2026 Repress

Bogdan Ra is based in the musical hotbed of Lisbon and his excellent What Is A DJ? EP takes its inspiration from the late 80s acid house and Italo, displaying a real mix of vintage charm and contemporary relevance that will strike all the right notes on the dancefloor. From the snappy title cut to the electro rhythms of 'Arroios' via the funky disco rhythms of 'Tonic Glue' and feel good factor of closer 'That's All', this is quality production that will more than stand the test of time

Designed for her 5 Hour extended sets and refined on dancefloors worldwide, "Can't Stop Loving You" - out today on slash - captures KI/KI's signature nostalgia-meets-future sound. Self-written and produced, it's an emotive trance burner built for peak time joy, unity and release, a sound that has defined her rise across global rave culture.

"Can't Stop Loving You" has become the closing moment in KI/KI's 2025 sets. From her Radio One Essential Mix, her two 5 Hours at the Woolstore, Melbourne - the only artist to ever do two back-to-back - to her AMF headline set to 40,000 fans at the Johan Cruijff ArenA! "Can't Stop Loving You" has been the emotional closer all year long.

On the track KI/KI says:
I wrote this track during the biggest heartbreak of my life. Back then I was working on music for my liveshow, and needed a track to close the show with. Can't stop loving you was the result.
Every note, every sound, every vocal helped me through how I was feeling and listening back now reminds me that eventually things will be okay again. The song evolves from an emotional track to an optimistic 172bpm banger and this perfectly describes my process - and maybe the story of almost every heartbreak?
This record is living proof to me that music can be healing. I hope it does the same for you

In just a few years, KI/KI has become one of the most exciting and influential voices in electronic music. She's sold out 20,000-capacity shows and graced the cover of DJ Mag. In 2026, she'll headline London, Dublin, Belfast, Paris, LA and NYC - all selling out in minutes.

With new music coming and her fanbase surging, "Can't Stop Loving You" now closes both her sets and her year - the emotional full stop on 2025 before an even bigger 2026.

MUSIQUE POUR LA DANSE presents The Unreleased Themes From Hellraiser expanded ritual by Coil

Back in 1987, Clive Barker's supernatural body-horror classic Hellraiser hitted cinemas worldwide and introduced audiences to the demonic Cenobites. Barker was a devoted COIL fan (Peter Christopherson and John Balance), and he famously said they were the only band he'd ever heard on record whose music he'd had to take off because, in his words, "theymade his bowels churn.". He initially invited them to compose the film's music, and the group began recording cues. But the producers at New World Pictures ultimately rejected the material in favor of a more traditional approach, bringing in Christopher Young, whose final score remains excellent, if less experimental. What remains from Coil is an unfinished soundtrack with surviving fragments and rough ideas, abruptly left behind mid-process, a glimpse into an alternate Hellraiser movie, one we can only fantasize into existence.

Nearly 40 years later, key long-term collaborators and Coil's "secret third member" Danny Hyde located the original Hellraiser studio session tapes, and the bonus material recovered from them is presented here as an "expanded ritual" edition, reassembled into a standalone, possibly defnitive and strangely beautiful nightmare suite. Play it in the dark and experience the consequences of raising hell...

Notes by Danny Hyde
Original artwork by Trevor Brown
For fans of pain & pleasure, Throbbing Gristle, lost horror soundtracks & haunted electronics.

White Mechatronica returns.
Introducing Cold Voltage - a new series wired for tension, circuitry, and raw machine emotion. This first volume sets the tone: cold, direct, and built for dark rooms.

On the A-side, Elena Siziva opens with "The Balls", an experimental descent of bouncing basslines and cavernous synth textures. Filmmaker follows, delivering his unmistakable dark wave electro signature - sharp, shadowed, and hypnotic. Violet Position & Echo Protocol close the side with "Into the Silent Blue", an electro vocal cut designed to ignite the floor.

Flip to the B-side: Jennifer Touch strikes with "Don't", a rolling, snare-driven machine track that hits without warning. Mr. Funghi pushes further into EBM/Techno territory with "Off for the Weekend", a relentless piece built to tear down walls. Closing the release, The Spy delivers "Track Reaper", a dramatic Italo wave finale that lingers long after the last note fades.

House and techno's most innovative improviser, KiNK, lands on Mutual Rytm X.

Offering four more thrilling dancefloor weapons, the iconic talent lands on SHDW's new Mutual Rytm X Series to deliver the label's second release.

Legendary Bulgarian artist KiNK is widely regarded as one of the most respected live acts on the global scene. He is a noted tech wizard who creates loops on the fly, crafts killer drums and never fails to hypnotise dancefloors. He has released on almost every influential label of the last 15 years and taken his unrivalled live show to all corners of the world, often drawing on those sets to bring aspects and inimitable qualities from his performances into his tracks. This innovative approach has helped to solidify his reputation as a groundbreaking figure, inspiring a new generation of musicians and producers, and he once again showcases precisely why he's in a league of his own here with a first appearance on SHDW's newly minted Mutual Rytm X.

'Unicord' opens up this new EP in thrilling fashion with sleek, Detroit-style synth loops flashing up top as the heavy, pounding while warm drums drive things down low. 'Quantum Shake' brings 90s energy with new school sound deists - the dubby drums are fast and urgent, the synth craft is deft, and the percussion adds texture to a straight-up but sophisticated techno anthem. 'Pitch Down' then brings fantastically unhinged synth leads that spray and zip about the mix to boggle the brain. Rattling percussive loops and chunky drums keep things moving as those synths get even more wild. To close, the digital bonus 'Highpass Lowpass' is a masterfully muscular cut with rugged bass and taught synths interlinking to mind-melting effect.

There was nothing in contemporary music like Chris Isaak’s Heart Shaped World when it hit shelves in June 1989. More than three decades later, the singer-songwriter’s third album still sounds unique — and claims a backstory nearly as fascinating as the retro-leaning material and standout performances that propelled it to sales of more than 2.5 million copies. Home to the Top 10 smash “Wicked Game,” the set remains a masterful mood piece that invites you to pour a late-night drink, sit in a dimmed room, and relish Isaak’s elegant albeit raw ruminations on love, relationships, and questionable decisions.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and featuring the bonus track “Diddley Daddy,” Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP box set of Heart Shaped World unearths the staggering inner details, saturated tones, and brilliant atmospherics of the crisp production. It brings you up close and personal with Isaak’s spectacular singing — impeccably controlled, tense, brooding, steamy, smoldering, haunted — situated amidst stripped-down backdrops that allow every note to fully bloom and decay.

While Isaak’s ever-steady baritone remains the anchor, the contributions of his trusty backing band, the aptly named Silvertone, come across with just as much cool, command, and realism. The indispensable playing of guitarist James Calvin Wilsey particularly emerges with superb clarity and dimensionality. The character of his 1965 Fender Stratocaster, shivering twang of his spring-coiled fills, and his signature use of reverb, delay, and vibrato seamlessly match Isaak's patient deliveries and the band’s unhurried rhythms. Experienced on UD1S with ultra-black backgrounds and a nearly invisible noise floor, Heart Shaped World is in every regard a demonstration disc.

The premium packaging of this UD1S pressing befits its elevated status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics. Aurally and visually, this reissue is for discerning listeners who desire to immerse themselves in everything involved with the album, not the least of which is the cover art depicting a lost-in-thought Isaak staring ahead and sitting in what appears to be an efficiency apartment. The image epitomizes the record’s lonesome temperaments and pensive themes.

Of course, if not for director David Lynch hand-picking two cuts from Heart Shaped World for his 1990 film Wild at Heart, the record would’ve probably suffered the same fate as Isaak’s prior efforts and gone unnoticed by the mainstream. Despite receiving raves from outlets such as NME, Chicago Tribune, and Rolling Stone upon its original release, the album stalled in the lower quadrants of the Billboard charts and, after a few weeks, dropped off.

Cue the ear of Lee Chesnut. Then the music director for a large Atlanta radio station, Chesnut heard the instrumental version of “Wicked Game” on Lynch’s soundtrack and started airing the album rendition at all hours of the day. Aided by a sensual video featuring Isaak and supermodel Helena Christensen, the song found its way into the public consciousness by early ‘91 and helped make Isaak a most unlikely mainstream star in an era where his techniques had little to nothing in common with popular tastes.

Despite its vintage vibes and shared DNA with legends such as Roy Orbison, Chet Baker, and Glen Campbell, Heart Shaped World transcends nostalgia, rockabilly, and throwback tropes. For all the melodrama and sadness at hand, Isaak’s gorgeously transparent singing dives deep underneath emotional surfaces. He mines subtleties that indicate his feelings go beyond heartbreak and anguish, and occasionally suggest frustration, menace, and anger. You can hear it in his quivering falsetto, and the slow and methodical ways he allows delicate whispers to break into shadowy phrasing that crosses over to the darker sides of romance and desire.

That approach bolsters the title track, which suggests calm yet moves on ominous currents — its simmering pace and snare-drum snappiness foreshadowing Isaak raising the volume and urgency during the coda. The southwestern-tinged “Wrong to Love You” plays with similar concepts of hesitation, unease, and discord, Isaak careful never to fully erupt and give anything away. His poised deliveries offer a master class in the art of insinuation and hurt on “Nothing’s Changed,” sent up with a wordless backing chorus and crackling guitar lines straight out of a Memphis blues joint.

Heart Shaped World further boosts its merit via its abundant stylistic variations, from the upbeat country-and-western trot of “I’m Not Waiting” and Spanish acoustic shimmer of the jazz-based ballad “Blue Spanish Sky” to the swinging horn-accompanied grooves of “Don’t Make Me Love You” and desert smokiness of the understated “Kings of the Highway.” On the latter, Isaak comes across as resigned and absolute. His singing and pain worm their way into your soul, and echo akin to the way the music prepares to strike when you least expect.

“Trouble going 'round,” Isaak croons right as the album begins. “Trouble going down.” Damn straight.

Unearthed from the Crammed Discs vaults after nearly four decades (Originally recorded in 1987), a hidden gem finally sees the light. Maurice Poto Doudongo’s The Lost Album arrives on vinyl for the first time—limited to 500 copies, with printed inner sleeve featuring release notes and photographs.

Back in the hazy margins of late-’80s Brussels, where boundary-blurring sounds were seeping through the cracks of pop music, a young autodidact named Maurice Poto Doudongo was crafting music that didn’t quite belong to any scene. Born in Kinshasa and growing up in Belgium, Maurice was a sonic nomad—raised on Franco, Miriam Makeba, and Tabu Ley Rochereau, transfixed by James Brown and Prince, and shaped by the fertile collision between African music and experimental electronics occurring all around him.

Leaving school at 16 to concentrate on music full-time, he began recording on borrowed 4-tracks, using cardboard boxes for percussion, and absorbing whatever sounds the airwaves served him: “Music has no frontier,” he says. “You take what you like. Prince, Fela, Papa Wemba—there is no contradiction. It’s all part of the sound.”

The result? A record that’s equal parts analog drum machine funk, homegrown Afro-pop futurism, and new wave R&B-informed synth poetry. Marc Hollander, founder of Crammed Discs, met Maurice through his friend and associate, musician/producer Vincent Kenis and quickly recognized the spark. The two began working in earnest, preparing tracks intended for a full-length release that, for reasons lost to time and memory, never materialized—until now.

Marc remembers: “The album was never completely finished. “Bolingo” was the only track that came out on a Crammed compilation at that time… and the rest sat on the shelf for decades until we started opening the Crammed vaults.”

Maurice recalls the session as being, “like an unstoppable current”. Listening now, the Lost Album feels both of its time and well beyond it. While tracks like “Momo” sound not a million miles away from the slinky and sophisticated Balearic pop ambience of Wally Badarou’s Echoes album, "Passport Train" shakes itself loose of any genre boundaries, veering into free-form Afro-electronica and tough electronic rhythm. Others pulse with a sweet and soulful groove that suggests dance floors dreamed of but never reached.

In decades hence, Maurice never left music, and the music never left him. Now working mainly as an arranger, he describes his job as being like that of a musical psychologist: “Someone comes to me with their sound, and before anything I have to understand their mind and heart,” he explains. That same intuitive fluency can be heard across this entire album—music that listens before it speaks, that absorbs before it asserts.

This reissue is more than a remastering. It’s a second breath. Sourced from cassette roughs and 24-track demos, carefully restored with Maurice’s blessing, and released as a complete album on vinyl for the very first time, The Lost Album isn’t lost anymore.

It just took nearly 40 years to find its way to you. - Editions de Lux

I See You, a self note, a reminder of the power and freedom that comes from opening ourselves to more.
Kat Rose beautifully penning about past pain and confusion and the vulnerability of new connection.
Originally a solo project, Kat connected with Mikekon and worked on connecting emotive lyrics with a hypnotic groove.
Together they shaped a layered soundscape that feels both intimate and immersive – making you think, feel and move simultaneously.
Additional remixes by Osunlade, Coflo and Ritmiq round out this must have release.

An’archives is proud to present Hanabi, a compilation of material from legendary Japanese folk singer, actor and writer, Kazuki Tomokawa. Hanabi draws from Tomokawa’s three most recent albums, Vengeance Bourbon (2014), Gleaming Crayon (2016) and Going To Buy Squid (2024), all released in Japan only on the Modest Launch imprint. Pulling together highlights from these three extraordinary albums, Hanabi collects ten songs of shattering intensity, with Tomokawa performing at an ecstatic peak, a mere six decades into his musical career.

Tomokawa’s life story is one of change, risk and dedication. He appeared on the Japanese folk music circuit in the early 1970s, performing at such significant events as the legendary 1971 Folk Music Jamboree. Over the second half of the decade, he released five stunning albums that cemented his reputation as an expansive, lyrical singer-songwriter and performer whose music jack-knifed between pensive melancholy and righteous fury. His recorded output slowed in the 1980s as he became immersed in theatre, acting and painting, but his connection with the sainted Japanese label P.S.F. led to a prodigious burst of albums across the 1990s and 2000s.

Some of those albums had Tomokawa playing alongside free jazz musicians, such as his long-standing collaborator Toshiaki Ishizuka (Brain Police, Vajra, Cinorama), and late double-bass improviser Motoharu Yoshizawa. Some of that spirit can be found amidst the songs on Hanabi, leavened by a more romantic sensibility on a song like “Night Play”, where Tomokawa’s impassioned vocals and guitar swim and bob amongst a drifting string arrangement. The ferocity of “To The Dead Man” is reinforced by a guest appearance, on saxophone, by upcoming free jazz player Harutaka Mochizuki; the two spar with each other while Hiromichi Sakamoto’s cello and electronics swarm under the surface.

For those who’ve missed the three albums that Tomokawa has released across the past fifteen years – understandably so, given the relative impossibility of finding them outside of Japan – Hanabi is a welcome re-introduction to one of Japan’s most significant, poetic and quixotic folk singers and songwriters. As Michel Henritzi notes in his typically perceptive liner notes, capturing the oneiric and unique spirit of Tomokawa’s song, he is nothing less than “a poet who cries out, opening the darkness and shadows with his song, throwing handfuls of ashes from lives that have fled into the wind, to us, his fellow human beings.”

TALCO melden sich mit ihrem bisher wohl ambitioniertesten Werk zurück. "Freek" erscheint am zweiten Freitag des Jahres 2027! Eine kühne und unverblümte Reise durch mentale Käfige, ruhelose Gedanken und schwebende Träume. Das Album präsentiert TALCOs unverkennbare Punk-Ska-Energie mit einer schärferen, introspektiveren Note. Geschrieben von Tomaso De Mattia (Dema), Sänger und Frontmann von TALCO, setzt sich das Album mit den unsichtbaren Strukturen auseinander, die uns in einer von Image und Performance besessenen Welt prägen. Im Zentrum steht die Frage: "Lohnt es sich, den Traum vom offenen Meer aufzugeben, nur um ein von anderen entworfenes Rennen zu gewinnen?" Es ist ein Konzeptalbum, das mit surrealem Storytelling eine statische, dekadente Gesellschaft reflektiert, die unfähig scheint, kulturelle oder politische Risiken einzugehen. Die italienischen Alternative-Ska-Punk-Rocker aus Marghera/Venedig haben sich mit ihrer Kombination aus schnellem Punkrock, Ska-Einflüssen, Blasinstrumenten und italienischer Volksmusik sowie ihren sozialkritischen, oft politischen Texten in ganz Europa einen Namen gemacht. Freek markiert eine Rückkehr zu den Wurzeln des Albums "Gran Galà", angetrieben von der kalifornischen Punk-Energie von "Videogame". Und dies ist erst der Anfang einer Reise, die weit über die Musik hinausgeht. Viele Überraschungen erwarten uns. Ein volles Dutzend Tracks im beliebten Punkchanka-Stil zum Genießen (plus vier weitere (die B-Seiten)), darunter das bereits digital veröffentlichte "Dalla Mia Parte Ella Strada" und die kommende Single "Disco Inferno". Das "Freek"-Konzept wird von einer Geschichte begleitet, die in den offiziellen Videos, den zusätzlich digital veröffentlichten B-Seiten (auch als Bonustracks auf CD erhältlich) und einem Graphic Novel/Comic aufgegriffen und erweitert wird. Das Comicbook ist Bestandteil der limitierten Freek Deluxe Pizzaboxen der beiden Formate. Als LP schwarz, LP farbig, CD mit Bonustracks und limitierte Deluxe Pizzaboxen mit Extras erhältlich.

TALCO melden sich mit ihrem bisher wohl ambitioniertesten Werk zurück. "Freek" erscheint am zweiten Freitag des Jahres 2027! Eine kühne und unverblümte Reise durch mentale Käfige, ruhelose Gedanken und schwebende Träume. Das Album präsentiert TALCOs unverkennbare Punk-Ska-Energie mit einer schärferen, introspektiveren Note. Geschrieben von Tomaso De Mattia (Dema), Sänger und Frontmann von TALCO, setzt sich das Album mit den unsichtbaren Strukturen auseinander, die uns in einer von Image und Performance besessenen Welt prägen. Im Zentrum steht die Frage: "Lohnt es sich, den Traum vom offenen Meer aufzugeben, nur um ein von anderen entworfenes Rennen zu gewinnen?" Es ist ein Konzeptalbum, das mit surrealem Storytelling eine statische, dekadente Gesellschaft reflektiert, die unfähig scheint, kulturelle oder politische Risiken einzugehen. Die italienischen Alternative-Ska-Punk-Rocker aus Marghera/Venedig haben sich mit ihrer Kombination aus schnellem Punkrock, Ska-Einflüssen, Blasinstrumenten und italienischer Volksmusik sowie ihren sozialkritischen, oft politischen Texten in ganz Europa einen Namen gemacht. Freek markiert eine Rückkehr zu den Wurzeln des Albums "Gran Galà", angetrieben von der kalifornischen Punk-Energie von "Videogame". Und dies ist erst der Anfang einer Reise, die weit über die Musik hinausgeht. Viele Überraschungen erwarten uns. Ein volles Dutzend Tracks im beliebten Punkchanka-Stil zum Genießen (plus vier weitere (die B-Seiten)), darunter das bereits digital veröffentlichte "Dalla Mia Parte Ella Strada" und die kommende Single "Disco Inferno". Das "Freek"-Konzept wird von einer Geschichte begleitet, die in den offiziellen Videos, den zusätzlich digital veröffentlichten B-Seiten (auch als Bonustracks auf CD erhältlich) und einem Graphic Novel/Comic aufgegriffen und erweitert wird. Das Comicbook ist Bestandteil der limitierten Freek Deluxe Pizzaboxen der beiden Formate. Als LP schwarz, LP farbig, CD mit Bonustracks und limitierte Deluxe Pizzaboxen mit Extras erhältlich.

TALCO melden sich mit ihrem bisher wohl ambitioniertesten Werk zurück. "Freek" erscheint am zweiten Freitag des Jahres 2027! Eine kühne und unverblümte Reise durch mentale Käfige, ruhelose Gedanken und schwebende Träume. Das Album präsentiert TALCOs unverkennbare Punk-Ska-Energie mit einer schärferen, introspektiveren Note. Geschrieben von Tomaso De Mattia (Dema), Sänger und Frontmann von TALCO, setzt sich das Album mit den unsichtbaren Strukturen auseinander, die uns in einer von Image und Performance besessenen Welt prägen. Im Zentrum steht die Frage: "Lohnt es sich, den Traum vom offenen Meer aufzugeben, nur um ein von anderen entworfenes Rennen zu gewinnen?" Es ist ein Konzeptalbum, das mit surrealem Storytelling eine statische, dekadente Gesellschaft reflektiert, die unfähig scheint, kulturelle oder politische Risiken einzugehen. Die italienischen Alternative-Ska-Punk-Rocker aus Marghera/Venedig haben sich mit ihrer Kombination aus schnellem Punkrock, Ska-Einflüssen, Blasinstrumenten und italienischer Volksmusik sowie ihren sozialkritischen, oft politischen Texten in ganz Europa einen Namen gemacht. Freek markiert eine Rückkehr zu den Wurzeln des Albums "Gran Galà", angetrieben von der kalifornischen Punk-Energie von "Videogame". Und dies ist erst der Anfang einer Reise, die weit über die Musik hinausgeht. Viele Überraschungen erwarten uns. Ein volles Dutzend Tracks im beliebten Punkchanka-Stil zum Genießen (plus vier weitere (die B-Seiten)), darunter das bereits digital veröffentlichte "Dalla Mia Parte Ella Strada" und die kommende Single "Disco Inferno". Das "Freek"-Konzept wird von einer Geschichte begleitet, die in den offiziellen Videos, den zusätzlich digital veröffentlichten B-Seiten (auch als Bonustracks auf CD erhältlich) und einem Graphic Novel/Comic aufgegriffen und erweitert wird. Das Comicbook ist Bestandteil der limitierten Freek Deluxe Pizzaboxen der beiden Formate. Als LP schwarz, LP farbig, CD mit Bonustracks und limitierte Deluxe Pizzaboxen mit Extras erhältlich.

The occasion of possibility runs through Ben Bertrand's new album Relic Radiation. It is all backdrops and layers. Hints of the emotive and the distant. Confronting the classical with what is new, looking for an expressive space. Melancholy, not melancholy. Contemplation on a midnight blizzard. Dust motes in a sunbeam. Sand dunes and microwaves.

Ever since 2018 and the release of his first solo album, Ben Bertrand has been working up his own interpretation of the bass clarinet as an instrument of the avant-garde. Touching upon ambient and cosmic as well as earthy sceneries, his is a gentle musical paradox come to life. Let go of explicit pleasantries, Relic Radiation is the polymathic interpretation of a frozen intercom, of a subdued intent of contact. The music is competent and familiar, distant without being distant. There is no predefined form or context here. It is a different kind of colour.

As musical moments and modi become enormous, things break down into exploration. On the crystal shores of perception, Relic Radiation leaves a lot of space for interpretation. It is never loud, although it works loud. An at times almost sequenced feel to treated and overdubbed bass clarinet and clarinet notes adds to a feeling of paradox. Every voice, every gesture indicates a way in. The electron is now an immeasurable wave."

Barcelona-based DJ and producer Groenogen unveils a bold new EP that seamlessly blends house, electro, and deep house, delivering a collection as groovy as it is powerful. Opening with a razor-sharp DJ tool driven by punchy percussion and an electronic bassline, the release quickly expands into a colorful second track, nodding to the golden era of electro house, complete with a playful jazzy, cartoon-inspired break that flips the rhythm before surging back with full force. The third track turns up the intensity with a roaring bassline and a commanding female vocal designed to shake the dancefloor, while the EP closes on a deeper, more introspective note with Tom Cler’s remix, reimagining the energy of the original into a melancholic yet entrancing journey. Balancing groove, eccentricity, and raw dancefloor power, this release captures Groenogen’s forward-thinking yet nostalgic vision.

One of the most popular French TV extracts of all time is the black and white image of a young and extremely nervous-looking Françoise Hardy being given a firm dressing-down by Mireille Hartush (the famous music teacher who ran La Petite Conservatoire de la Chanson in the 1960s). Presented here is her debut studio album Françoise Hardy (issued as The Yeh-Yeh Girl from Paris! in the USA). It was released in France in December 1962 by Disques Vogue with the catalogue number LD 600-30. Originally issued with no title, except for her name on the cover, the album has therefore colloquially become known by the title of its most successful song, Tous les garçons et les filles, and later reissues added this title. This sensational album compiles the twelve original French versions from her first three EPs released by Vogue during 1962. Hardy would also record versions of songs from the album in Italian (1962, four tracks released on singles have been added here as a bonus), English (1964) and German (1965). The iconic LP combines rockabilly, folk, jazz and blues, and has been noted for its simplicity, featuring a minimalist jazz percussion, bass, and both acoustic and electric guitar. 180 GRAM - GATEFOLD COVER - LIMITED EDITION

La Rama’s club ready sub-label RamaJam is back after a long stretch with 6x new traxx for the dance. Introducing for the first time on record, two Montréal duos that have been rocking the city for the last few years.

The Wet Steppahz are Boogaloo Jones & Pitza Dave, young producers extraordinaire, engineers at local studio Breakglass, live PA performers and organizers of the 140/160 party series. You can also find Boogaloo every weekend laying it down with the Fella’s Q-Tips & Curls crews. Young guns on the come up, be sure to follow their label STEPPATRAXX for some hot fire.

DAPASHU? is the meeting of veteran producer Shash’U & long time local DJ, promoter and studio fiend Dapapa. A quick lookup on Shash’U will have you inundated with originals and versions for you to drop at any jam. A mainstay at dance competitions, a regular feature of institution Loop Sessions, and always ready to share a tip from his production tool kit. Dapapa gets busy on the regular at venues around the city & heads both the Ol’Jack Nu Jack organization and DASA (a Montréal production suite bridging local and international likeminded artists). A fellow who takes no tune for granted.

Musically we make it easy, 3 cuts per side, representing each crew’s essence. No need to describe each tune, listen in and take notes on the mood + we laced you with those BPMs on the label so you can throw them in to the mix at any moment, no stress!

Mastered and cut in the city by our man Cristobal Urbina. Pressed in Canada & distributed from our brick and mortar shop located at 77 rue Bernard O, Montréal QC, H2T 2J9.

PS Props: These tunes were selected from recordings of the Steppahz and DAPASHU? playing live for a Seer Records party at Osmo x Marusan in April 2024… Big shout out to Emiliano & Maximum Enemi <3

For its sixth release, Rio de Janeiro’s Onda Boa label sees founder Joutro Mundo, step up once again - this time reviving and re-vibing Netinho’s independent 1980s bop, “Du Du Du Domingo”.

Netinho first made his mark in the 1960s as the drummer for Brazilian beat icons Os Incríveis, then again in the 1970s with the heavier, lysergic sounds of Casa das Máquinas. By the 1980s, he had turned toward a new vision, inspired by the spiritual group Amor e Caridade. Released on his own imprint, Manancial do Amor, 1982’s Apartamento 97 – Projeto Amor & Caridade Vol. 2 brought together heavyweights Zé Rodrix, Faísca, and Manito to expand on this funky, pop-rock chapter first introduced with 1980’s Amor & Caridade Vol. 1.

According to Netinho, a year passed in search of inspiration for the follow-up LP before he began receiving notes and poems through his medium, dictated to her by his “protector.” Following that divine intervention, the album’s songs were completed in just two days—including the standout track, “Du Du Du Domingo,” an ode to the beauty of a Sunday afternoon after the toils of the workweek.

Side A presents the original track, lovingly remastered, in all its stripped-down, idiosyncratic glory. A bubbling synth bass paired with a nimble electric bass line set the stage for the plunky synth melody that defines this anomalous yet infectious gem—before giving way to a samba break and a wafting crowd noise that instantly transports you to a sunny Sunday by the sea.

On the B-side, Joutro Mundo injects a new vitality into the track with crisp hi-hats, a thumping kick, and other subtle studio magic. The samba break is brought forward, while the electric bass line—previously bubbling beneath the surface—rises to center stage around the three-minute mark. True to form, Joutro Mundo avoids the obvious, drawing on his deep crates and production sorcery to conjure up yet another gem for the balearic heads and other lovers of left-field dancefloor deviance.

A cafe in Paris, a cocktail lounge in Palm Springs, a beachside bar in Rio De Janeiro, a lokanta in Istanbul. Jill Barber’s French repertoire is played around the world and has earned her a following that transcends language barriers. Her music has become the soundtrack to an experience. It is a surprising achievement for an anglophone artist who only began her affair with the French language in her late twenties, following a moment during the Montreal Jazz Festival, where she sang a few notes of French to an enraptured crowd. Inspired by their reaction, Jill enrolled herself in an immersive French school in the South of France, eventually emerging with her own recordings of the songs and poets that inspired her most: Piaf, Gainsbourg, Aznavour. The album "Chansons" was released in 2013 and has since become Jill's most globally successful record to date, having been streamed over 120 million times - with more than 35 million listens in the past year alone. A full decade later, Jill has reunited with Grammy Award-nominated producer Drew Jurecka and the musicians that accompanied her on "Chansons" to produce "ENCORE!", its long-awaited sequel. "ENCORE!" is a delightfully arranged and lushly orchestrated album, featuring all new interpretations of classic songs by Edith Piaf, Charles Trenet, Blossom Dearie, Django Reinhardt, Robert Charlebois, Josephine Baker, and Barbara. “For me, singing in French is an embodied, sensual experience… it’s a new language in which to explore and express myself artistically- and be vulnerable.” The French have a saying for a particularly pleasurable sensation that is so unique, it’s difficult to put into words- when Jill Barber sings in French, there is a pleasing quality, a “Je ne sais quoi” that is hard to describe, but easy to enjoy. And now she’s done it again - ENCORE!

Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness is a 2024 biographical drama based on the life of renowned Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.
Directed by Johnny Depp, the film stars Riccardo Scamarcio in the title role, with supporting performances by Stephen Graham,
Al Pacino, and Antonia Desplat. The film’s original soundtrack plays a pivotal role, blending evocative original compositions by The Tiger Lillies
with classic tracks from artists such as Charles Trenet, Augie March, Tom Waits, and The Velvet Underground & Nico.
The soundtrack is available as a deluxe 2LP vinyl set in a gatefold sleeve with imagery from the film
And as a 2CD Box Set with lift-off lid, featuring a 24-page booklet including exclusive notes from Johnny Depp and behind-the-scenes images

In 1982, the elite, core musicians (MFSB / The Salsoul Orchestra) behind the soulful Sound of Philadelphia - Earl Young (drums), Ron Baker (bass), Norman Harris (guitar), Lenny Pakula (organ), Larry Washington (percussion), Vince Montana, Jr. (vibes) - and powerhouse vocalists Joe Freeman, David Simmons, Ron Tyson and Bobby Love convened at Philadelphia’s historic Virtue Studios to record some of the genre’s most iconic hits. This small, but amazing set of lush recordings, which were mixed at Alpha Studios - ensuring that every note and nuance was captured with the highest fidelity, recently caught the attention of the famed producer and remixer Eric Kupper. Kupper got his start working as a keyboardist and guitarist for such producer/remixers as David Morales, Arthur Baker, Frankie Knuckles, Peterauhofer, and Richie Jones, just to name a few. Since 1986, he has played on, remixed, and/or produced over 1400 records for artists spanning all contemporary musical genres. Presented here is Kupper stellar remix of “Back Stabbers” which features Freeman’s impassioned lead vocals. This release is not just a tribute to the past, but a vibrant continuation of the legacy

Valerie is not just a name. She is a bridge connecting two boundless realms: music and the cosmos. She is like a vibration of an otherworldly frequency, transmitting to humanity the elusive revelations of the Universe. Through Valerie, music ceases to be mere sound - it becomes the breath of galaxies, the pulse of distant stars, the whisper of infinity. In her presence, time loses its linearity, and space fills with mystery. Valerie is the moment when notes flare like supernovae, and melodies unfold like spirals of the Milky Way. She is living proof that music is the language of the Universe, and the human soul will always strive to be part of it.

Since the 1940s, Library Music has lurked in the shadows, peripherally touching our lives through TV and film. Among the stalwarts of the industry was UK's Studio G, with cues heard on Doctor Who, and sampled by the likes of The Chemical Brothers, and Tyler, the Creator. Jazz Dispensary's Dream a Dream with Studio G: Cratedigger's Archive (1970–2009) culls some of their most sought-after cuts, with liner note commentary from Saint Etienne’s Bob Stanley, and illustrations by Ivan Minsloff.

Followed by the first release last year Chinese label Motivation, curated by B.ai, comes back with its second V.A. featuring Ilkay Yeler, J6, SMEV and NAE. The vinyl attributes in progressive house, electro house and electro.

Opening track “Destiny” ‘s morphing main motif gets kept in check by a steady pulse of snappy bass. Enigmatical vocal samples add to the ambiguous atmosphere, so the sets of twinkling mallets J6 sleekly includes, bring a touch of subtle lightness.

A-2 Ilkay Yeler’s sound is fueled by endless nights of groove, and on “Frontliner” this translates to a hypnotic trip into the deep end. Underneath its dreamlike current of silky chords a steady bass riff propels everything forward, allowing a restless arp to zone in and out.

Flipping to the side B, Sev’s Miami-inspired 808 patterns have “Clearing The Fog” come out of the gates swinging. Bright flutes and big basslines provide this slab of machine funk with a tapestry of melody, and fluorescent synth solos top it off.

Nay ends affairs on a melancholic note with “Silent River”. The leads sound like they ran through an eighties wave pedal chain, and as pondering chords and choirs work their way in, a Juno 6 bass adds extra depth. Still firmly directed at the club, the track escapes easy classification - and suitably closes a diverse yet coherent EP.

Among the true Keiji Haino devotees, Nijiumu’s Era of Sad Wings (released on P.S.F. in 1993) has always held a special place in the pantheon. Operating for only a few years in the early 90s and apparently only performing a handful of shows, Nijiumu operated at the opposite end of the dynamic spectrum to Haino’s famed power trio Fushitsusha, dwelling in a hushed, meditative realm of mysterious droning sonorities and free-floating melodies that occasionally erupts into violence. Black Truffle is pleased to announce a new double-LP edition of a lesser-known 1994 Nijiumu recording, When I sing, I slip into the microphone. Into that void, I bring comrade “prayers”, then, turning to face the outside, together we explode. Here, Nijiumu is the trio of Haino, Tetuzi Akiyama and the obscure Takashi Matsuoka, the three performing on a wide variety of string, wind and percussion instruments, as well as electric guitar and bass, and Haino’s unmistakeable voice.

Like on the early solo Haino album that shares the group’s name (released on P.S.F. in 1993), the instrumentation swims in reverb (the use of which Akiyama recalls as ‘a kind of point of the band’), often obscuring the instrumental sources. On the short opening piece, a distant reed instrument arcs long buzzing melodies over a bed of cymbals and gongs, like a psychedelic take on Tibetan music. The epic second part, occupying almost 50 minutes, begins as a splayed, near-formless cloud of electric guitar and bass, shadowed by bowed and plucked strings, the three elements working through twisting atonal shapes. At various points in the recording, we hear what seems to be the sounds of musicians moving between instruments, their shuffling and bumps fitting seamlessly into this radically open music. Eventually, what sounds like electric guitar moves closer to the foreground, fixing on a repeated melodic cell around which hover mysterious clouds of long tones and a sporadic shaker. At the half-hour mark, the music begins to build to a violently emotive climax, Haino’s impassioned vocal cries punctuating a lumbering, bass-heavy murk, contrasted at points by what sounds like a tin whistle. Suddenly, the volume drops to a near-whisper, opening the way for the stunning final moments, which touch on the slow-motion balladry of Haino’s classic Affection, here given an eccentric twist by an occasional woodblock hit. The third piece opens with a hazy trio of rumbling bass, bowed strings and abstracted slide guitar, the latter calling to mind some of Akiyama’s later solo work. Eventually joined by Haino’s voice, its fragile, haunted tone might remind the listener of the man in black’s documented love of the madrigals of the murderous Count Gesualdo, before the recording abruptly breaks off mid-note. In this new edition, the Nijiumu trio recording is supplemented by a piece recorded solo by Haino in 1973, a bracing electronic blowout stretching almost half an hour. Using a homemade electronics setup to unleash a barrage of crunching distortion and shuddering harmonic fuzz, it takes its place in the canon of extreme live electronics next to Robert Ashley’s Wolfman and Walter Marchetti’s Osmanthus fragrans, looking forward to extreme noise years before Merzbow. Taken as a whole, these four sides of music are a stunning document of some of the lesser-known waystations of Haino’s singular creative path.

"It has a death curse! Waxwork Records is thrilled to release FRIDAY THE 13TH Original Motion Picture Score by Harry Manfredini!

We went back to Crystal Lake to bring you a deluxe repress complete with a fresh vinyl cutting master of the classic 1980 score, pressed to “Silver with Black, Red and Metallic Gold splatter colored vinyl, with liner notes from director Sean Cunningham and composer Harry Manfredini, inserts, and art by Jay Shaw and Jacqui Oakley!"

WVLT is the newest sonic addition from WNDFRM (Portland-based, Tim Westcott), an album of eight distinct explorations exploring the many facets of experimental IDM.

Tim Westcott’s practice is rooted in an acute, nearly forensic attention to sound. Subtle tones, sculpted drones, and lean percussive gestures, always pursued with a patient ear and obsession with sound design. 

With previous releases on Prologue, Home Normal, and Dragon’s Eye Recordings, and several live performances at Mutek, a new album from Tim is a rare yet welcome occurrence. The conceptual approach for WVLT began in 2021, mixing synths with drum machines and granular processing. Lightly arced structures slip between gates of rhythm, shifting pulses, translucent washes, and disquieting residue. There’s a precision to the hesitation and an insistence in the space between notes, a deft balance of raw improvisation and sculpted quietude.

An exercise in immediacy and response, each track builds and unspools, like form in fleeting motion, driven by the moment’s tonal contrasts, micro‑rhythmic interplay, and slight gestures that alter entire planes of listening. It’s minimal without sparsity, intense without density.

Focus, integrity and substance, all allied to a relentless work ethic and that essential (if indefinable) sprinkling of magic dust, have kept Nick Warren at the top of the electronic music tree for not far short of forty years.

In that timespan, Nick has been tour DJ for Massive Attack, held a residency at Cream, been a Glastonbury regular, and become the UK’s most successful export to Argentina (in no small part due to his touring brand The Soundgarden). As half of Way Out West, he has helped write (and re-write) the rule book for club-based electronic acts, achieving true longevity without compromise. He has curated over a dozen essential compilations – a mainstay of the Global Underground series whose heavyweight influence is still felt to this day, an in-demand decknician for pivotal brands such as Renaissance and Balance, and the very first DJ entrusted with creating a blueprint for the now iconic Back to Mine series.

It's quite the CV, a career many can only dream of. But Nick has long had one further itch in need of scratching. Inspired at a young age by his dad’s Jean-Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream albums, coming of age with experimental labels like 4AD and Factory, roots deep in the dub-wise scene of his native Bristol, a long time collector of exotica and obscure film soundtracks…all that knowledge and passion has long been crying out to be channelled into a Warren solo album.

All of which brings us to the career-defining Turbulence. The world is certainly a turbulent place as Nick gets set to unleash his masterwork, but the musical turbulence at work here arguably takes its lead from other interpretations of the word – turbulence as a feeling of heightened intensity, turbulence marked by a sense of unpredictability.

Turbulence is a window into Nick’s musical soul, and the myriad styles and influences that reside there, drip-fed into a melodic melting pot to create a unique sonic stew. Tempos and styles switch and interlock effortlessly, the mood ebbs and flows like the best DJ sets, and the running order, from the ethereal opener Loveland all the way through to the achingly beautiful closing cut Sadly (in tandem with Tripswitch, one of several noteworthy collaborations) showcases an artist at the top of his game, and with a deep understanding of the concept of the long player.

We all need some turbulence.

When it first appeared in 1986, the 'Desert Equations: Azax Attra' album
was greeted with enthusiasm, awe and disbelief: nobody had done
anything quite like that before, and this dizzying, inspired blend of
Persian tradition, New York avantgarde and electronic music remains
incomparable, powerful and mesmerising to this day
A haunting and futuristic album, it combines the sublime voice of Iranian vocalist
Sussan Deyhim and the electronic wizardry of US composer Richard Horowitz.
'Desert Equations' wonderfully blends the duo's multiple sources, including their
experiences at the epicentre of New York's early 1980s avantgarde music and
theatre scene, Sussan Deyhim's knowledge of traditional Persian music and its
reverberation in modern Iranian arts, and Richard Horowitz's background in jazz,
electronics and Moroccan folk music. This 2021 remastered reissue includes
three previously- unreleased bonus tracks, one included on the LP and two only
available on the CD and digitally, and a rich booklet with photographs and notes
recounting the duo's fascinating life stories.
Sussan Deyhim went on to work with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Jah Wobble,
Bobby McFerrin, Adrian Sherwood, Ornette Coleman, and renowned visual artist
Shirin Neshat. Richard Horowitz has collaborated with David Byrne, was the
original artistic director of the Gnaoua Festival in Essaouira, and has written and
recorded film soundtracks for the likes of Oliver Stone. In April 2021, Deyhim and
Horowitz were invited to perform at the first Nobel Prize Summit.

Paradise Lost’s sixth studio album (1997), which charted well across Europe, marked something of a change of direction for the West Yorkshire group: a transition from gothic metal to a more electronic approach, epitomised by the lead single ‘Say Just Words’, which remains a fan favourite and one of their biggest streaming tracks. This re-tooled aesthetic proved slightly controversial at the time but by the time of its acclaimed 20th anniversary reissue (mirrored here), for which it was remastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano, the general consensus was that the riffs, lyrics, and compositions on One Second are all vintage Paradise Lost. As noted by Decibel magazine, “There is a natural flow on display throughout the 12 songs that is akin to watching a favourite actor take on a somewhat different role than he or she is known for— and killing the performance.”

Black Truffle is pleased to announce Melopea, presenting two new pieces highlighting the incredible voice of Amelia Cuni (1958-2024), the great Italian singer, based in Berlin in later life, whose mastery of the classical Indian dhrupad developed in parallel with a commitment to contemporary experimental approaches. After two stunning archival releases documenting traditional dhrupad performances in India in the 1990s (BT079 and BT092), the two side-long pieces here embody the freedom with which Cuni explored new contexts and settings for her singing.

Both make use of a long recording of Cuni singing the pentatonic Raag Bhoop (or Bhopali) made in 2012 by her partner Werner Durand in Berlin. ‘Melopea’ began from Cuni and Durand’s superimposition of this recording with violinist Silvia Tarozzi and cellist Deborah Walker’s performance of Éliane Radigue’s ‘Occam River II’. Inspired by the beauty of this chance encounter (and other experiments with non-synchronous collaboration during the pandemic years), Tarozzi and Walker recorded independently, without hearing Cuni’s voice but ‘having her present in memory’. Tarozzi and Walker’s bowed strings places Cuni’s magisterial performance in a new context, emphasising, as Radigue commented upon hearing the initial layering of her piece with Cuni’s voice, a shared ‘searching toward the partials, overtones, these natural constituents of acoustical sounds in their richness’. Beginning with whispered bowed harmonics, the violin and cello swap the stability of dhrupad’s traditional tanpura drone for a slowly evolving, uneasy web of harmonic interactions recalling some of Harley Gaber’s work, sometimes sitting on dissonances for long periods or allowing changing interference patterns to come to the fore. Primarily focusing on her lower register, Cuni’s performance demonstrates her mastery of microtonal pitch subtleties, elegant sweeping glissandi and meditatively unhurried pacing.

The continuation of the same recording by Cuni forms the foundation of ‘Bhoop-Murchana’, with Anthea Caddy on cello and Werner Durand on soprano saxophone. In contrast to the randomised layering of the first piece, here Durand and Caddy have carefully selected pitches based on the raag Cuni sings, using the ‘Murchana’ form, which uses the constituent notes of the raag as tonics of new raags, retaining the same interval structure. Both players who have developed tones of striking depth and harmonic purity on their instruments, Caddy and Durand’s patient long tones are simultaneously rigorously grounded in the physical properties of sound and possessed of an immaterial, floating quality. Combined with Cuni’s voice and, near the piece’s end, her contributions on hammered and plucked tanpura, the effect borders on miraculous. To surrender to this music is like slipping into an onsen pool, feeling the instantaneous release of every tension. Accompanied by liner notes from Durand, Tarozzi and Walker, Melopea is both a moving tribute to the profound art of Amelia Cuni and, for the uninitiated, a perfect introduction to it.

Ltd. Boxset White Vinyl


Zum 20-jährigen Jubiläum ihres ikonischen Debütalbums Silent Alarm veröffentlichen Bloc Party drei limitierte Jubiläumsformate: eine 2LP auf weißem Vinyl mit dem original Album, eine 2CD Edition mit dem original Album und Bonus Discs, welche Demos, B-Sides und eine BBC Peel Session beinhalten. Außerdem ist ein 12-seitiges Booklet inkl. Lines Notes und einem Vorwort von Produzent Paul Epworth. Die Deluxe-Box umfasst alle oben erwähnte als 4LP Set. 2LP für das original Album und 2LP für die Bonustracks und Raritäten sowie Demos und Sessions. Wobei es hier ein 24-seitiges Booklet mit noch nie veröffentlichten Fotos der Band und exklusive Liner-Notes gibt. Ein Muss für Fans und Sammler gleichermaßen.
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u b2 She’s Hearing Voices Original Version

An elusive cult gem resurfaces through Glossy Mistakes. Originally released in 1986, L'Empire Des Sons is an otherworldly blend of synth pop, folk experimentation, and cinematic percussive layers-dreamlike, poetic, and wildly ahead of its time. L'Empire Des Sons was a fleeting yet powerful transmission from the fringes of the French underground-an album that blurred genre lines and evaded easy classification. Fusing experimental folk, lo-fi synth pop, and avant-garde textures, the record exists in its own sonic universe: poetic, layered, and fiercely independent. Formed in Saint-Étienne by percussionist and composer Dominique Lentin (Dagon, Fille Qui Mousse) and first-time vocalist Bipé Redon, L'Empire Des Sons emerged from the vibrant DIY spirit of the early 1980s. Their paths crossed during the interdisciplinary project L'Opéra Quotidien, and what followed was an intuitive, deeply collaborative process. "I would bring in lyrics and my voice," Bipé recalled, "and Dominique would shape the music around the atmosphere or rhythm suggested by the words." The result is a collection of songs that feel both meticulously constructed and completely free. Ethnic percussion, marimbas, xylophones, and synthesizers dance around Bipé's surreal, fragmented lyrics-little sonic postcards from imagined worlds. There's a theatricality here, but it never feels forced; rather, it's playful, intimate, and raw. Despite their inventiveness, L'Empire Des Sons remained a well-kept secret-circulating only in select avant-garde circles and eventually becoming an extremely sought-after collector's item. Now, thanks to Glossy Mistakes, this lost artifact returns to the world with new life: remastered from the original tapes, pressed on vinyl for the first time with extended liner notes. L'Empire Des Sons was never meant to be boxed in. Like the quote from Brian Eno that opens their liner notes-"For the world to be interesting, you have to be manipulating it all the time"-their music resists stasis. It evolves, shifts, surprises. And now, it finally gets the audience it always deserved.

Own a piece of OceanLab history. Celebrating the legacy of one of dance music’s most timeless acts, Above & Beyond and Justine Suissa present ‘OceanLab: The Anthology’, a limited edition vinyl box set available for pre-order now exclusively on Anjunabeats. Fifteen years after the release of their critically acclaimed 2008 LP, ‘Sirens of the Sea,’ the Anthology box set spans the full spectrum of the OceanLab sound, from early 2000s vocal trance classics to brand new remixes and never-before-heard acoustic reworks. Housed in a premium-quality fabric-wrapped double slipcase with foil detailing, the box features four 12” single discs on crystal clear vinyl, a 10” ‘Another Chance’ single disc, and a special Anthology-edition repress of the original ‘Sirens of the Sea’ album. There is also an accompanying poster print, slipmat, and 28-page perfect-bound book containing notes from the band, never-before-seen photos, and exclusive sheet music arrangements with piano, guitar, and voice parts.

WE THE NORTH is Swedish musician Johan Hansson who has been active in the dark electronic music since the early 2000’s with his project Cyanide, then Unitary, and also exploring dark metal with his project Mondocane. Johan defines his music created in WE THE NORTH as Nordic Noir “with an intentional and deliberate blending of the old with the new a melancholic hopefulness is created from the dark seasons of life in Scandinavia.”

“Love + Death” is WE THE NORTH’s fourth album and the first on NADANNA after contributing a remix of Tobias Bernstrup’s track “Private Eye” in 2021. The songs on “Love + Death” are birds of a feather, brimming over with melancholy and melody, yet driven by a hammering sixteenth note synth bass and sounds from the Roland TR-707 drum machine, and melancholic lyrics in English or Swedish.

Bad Brains is the self-titled debut studio album recorded by American hardcore punk/reggae band Bad Brains. Recorded in 1981 and released on (then) cassette-only label ROIR on February 5, 1982, many fans refer to it as "The Yellow Tape" because of it's yellow packaging. Though Bad Brains had recorded the 16 song Black Dots album in 1979 and the 5-song Omega Sessions EP in 1980, the ROIR cassette was the band's first release of anything longer than a single. The release includes the original liner notes by Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo. This reissue marks the second release in the remaster campaign on the band's own Bad Brains Records imprint with Org Music. In coordination with the band, Org Music has overseen the restoration and remastering of the iconic Bad Brains' recordings. The audio was mastered by Dave Gardner at Infrasonic Mastering.