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Brainwaltzera returns to FILM with a brace of archive recordings in the artist's characteristically idiosyncratic style.

The collection opens with FMsquared royal wavetable mellodies A, a mesmerizing beatless composition split across two contrasting movements. Synth-focused, the first explores a more introspective tone whilst the second is decidedly more elevated and playful. Follow up good endgar showcases the artist's enviable talent for crafting rolling, wide-open IDM, marrying crisp drum machine hits with washed out pads and a resonant bassline. WSsquared royal wavetable mellodies B follows the same pattern as mellodies A, split once again into two movements. This time each movement is markedly more distinct: the first, an atmospheric, half-time dirge and the second a more uplifting and esoteric workout, with crystalline FX breaking up the composition. On LANsqape4 short_oneTake Brainwaltzera lets the drums roll out, underpinning more lush synth work with a hint of a break closing in as the piece subsides near its close. Copperfeel, the penultimate offering, is the most reduced work in the collection with a single main melody doing the bulk of the legwork, and buoyed by vocal-sounding synths. FMsquared epiloggy beauvine bonus perc version closes the collection, a pleasing bookend that sees the riff from the opening track's latter movement return - now underpinned with rolling drums.

a A1. FMsquared royal wavetable mellodies A

c A3. WSsquared [royal wavetable mellodies B]

[e] B2. FMsquared [epiloggy] [beauvine bonus perc version]
[short_oneTake]

Repress!

Silver Sleeve 2012 Version

This special edition 2LP package comes housed in an a silver jacket featuring DOOM’s infamous metal mask icon embossed on it.

Each record is pressed on black vinyl. An absolute must have for the DOOM completist. The long awaited reissue of DOOM's first solo gem, Operation: Doomsday. Remastered from the original Fondle 'Em 1999 issue. Side A is listed as "Side Zero". Side B is "Side One". And so forth. Underneath his mysterious metal mask, MF DOOM hides the cachet underground legends are made of. After KMD (his first group)’s 1994 sophomore album Bl_ck B_st_rds was shelved by Elektra in 1994 and his blood brother Subroc (one half of the sibling rap duo) passed away, surviving frontman Zev Love X mutated into the MC Avenger known as MF DOOM and the Rap world is better for it. This 19-cut deep album is ridiculously dope, in a bizarro Ol’ Dirty Bastard kind of way. Doom sounds either high or drunk on most of the tracks, his self-produced beats are gritty, and his rhyme styles are almost indecipherable. On arguably the best track, “Rhymes Like Dimes,” Doom weaves some pointed lyrics through his abstract wordplay, spitting ‘only in America could you find a way to earn a healthy buck / And still keep your attitude on self-destruct.’ Who You Think I Am? features DOOM‘s crew M.onster I.sland C.zars, while on “?” he trades hot verses with former Columbia artist Kurious Jorge. Doom’s avant-garde ghetto-rhyme philosophies take even more intentionally weird twists on “Tick, Tick...” where he and guest MC MF Grimm’s flows warble over a rhythm track whose tempo speeds up and slows down continually. The comic-book themed skits, will help take you deep into the mind of an MC who is as otherworldly as they come. And in today’s bland commercial Rap universe, Operation Doomsday’s left-of-center beats and rhymes are the perfect remedy.

Understated, yet dramatic, Nana Adjoa combines storytelling, poetry and instrumental musicality for Bloomer Records’ fourth release. Songs are flecked with alternative sound designs but always ride atop rich acoustic foundations. The A-side presents orchestral and jazz fusion interpretations whereas the B-side recordings have a more grounded edge, completed with Nana's 5-piece tour band. As a multi-instrumentalist and powerful vocalist, she gives substance to the term modern-day musician.a few driving and noticeably danceable numbers, offering glimpse of familiarity amidst emotive and inquisitive soundscapes.

Healing potential for the dance floor. Love, Honesty and reality. A modern day classic on Modern Balance. A new sub imprint of Chez Damier's Balance Recording. Remixes by Karizma and 25 Places.

Néo-Romance ist das klangmalerisches Debüt-Album der kanadischen Pianistin und Komponistin Alexandra Stréliski bei XXIM Records (Sony Music). Inspiriert von den Geschichten ihrer Vorfahren in Europa und einer neuen Liebe in Rotterdam, findet die Musikerin mit polnisch-jüdischen Wurzeln darin einen neuen, romantischen Zugang zum Leben und ihrer Musik. In ihrer Heimat Kanada ist Alexandra Stréliski seit ihrem Album Inscape (2018) mit dem sie offen ihren Burn-Out thematisierte, mit über 140.000 verkauften Alben und 300 Millionen Audiostreams weltweit ein gefeierter Medienstar und erhielt 2020 den renommierten JUNO Award.Néo-Romance ist inspiriert von großen persönlichen Veränderungen im Leben von Alexandra Stréliski. Es ist die Geschichte ihrer Öffnung für die Liebe und neue Erfahrungen nach dem Rückzug durch ihren Burn-Out, verstärkt durch die Pandemie. So ist Alexandra Stréliski während der weltweiten Gesundheitskrise nach Rotterdam gezogen, um dort mit ihrer Lebenspartnerin zusammen zu leben. Ihr Weg nach Europa führte sie damit zu den Wurzeln ihrer Familie. Sie besuchte die Wohnhäuser in Amsterdam, in denen ihre Vorfahren einst lebten, und entdeckte in einer Bibliothek in Paris Kompositionen von einem ihrer Vorfahren, der Lehrer und Komponist in der Zeit der Romantik war.Die Vorstellung einer kollektiven Identität und gemeinsamen Geschichte fand in Alexandra Stréliski einen tiefen Widerhall, der durch die erzwungenen Trennungen und das Gefühl der Isolation infolge der pandemischen Abriegelungen noch verstärkt wurde. Entsprechend entstammen ihre Kompositionen für Néo-Romance "einem sehr tiefen, sehr persönlichen Raum". Diese Erfahrung versucht Alexandra Stréliski auf ihrem Album mit anderen Menschen zu teilen. Sie erklärt: "Bei Néo-Romance geht es um Geschichten gegen Einsamkeit und Isolation. Wir sollten uns daran erinnern, wie universell unser emotionales Spektrum als Menschen ist, im Gegensatz zu einer Polarisierung. Wir alle machen die gleichen Traumata durch - Leben, Tod, Trennungen - wir können also hoffnungsvoll bleiben und von unserer eigenen, wunderbaren Existenz träumen. Wir können uns verlieren und in unseren Gefühlen leben - es ist alles in uns, und darin sehe ich Hoffnung. Die Prämisse und das Setting für das Album ist: Wie kann man in dieser desillusionierten, beängstigenden Zeit, in der wir leben, einen positiven, inneren Zugang im Sinne der Romantik zur Welt finden", erklärt Alexandra Stréliski.Auch musikalisch lässt sich Alexandra Stréliski von der Romantik inspirieren und versucht ihr kompositorisches Spektrum zu erweitern. Insbesondere von Frédéric Chopin lässt sie sich beflügeln, mit dessen Musik sie aufgewachsen ist. Das Label der "Neo-Klassik" möchte sie hinter sich lassen. Für die 14 Stücke des Albums arbeitet sie strikt melodieorientiert und gibt den Themen Zeit sich zu entwickeln. Die Kompositionen sind jeweils als eine in sich geschlossene Idee und entsprechend farben- und kontrastreich zeigt sich das Album: So stehen etwa den sanften und ruhigen "Rêveries" und "Border" die bewegten Stücke "The Hills" und "The Breach" gegenüber, die von schnell auf- und absteigende Klavierarpeggien geprägt sind. Für Néo-Romance arbeitete Alexandra Stréliski auch erstmals mit einem Streichtrio zusammen, das sie in Paris aufgenommen hat. Vereinzelt setzt sie auch eine Kirchenorgel als subtile Begleitung für ihre Klavierlinien ein.

coloured vinylHyperionORBIT is back with his 3rd EP, opening the series of UTM's colored vinyls.

"Digital reality is malleable and information equals power. Our computer systems have become playgrounds for our imagined avatars. These synthetic spaces and their inhabitants have been the main inspiration for 2400Hz."

Magna Pia, a.k.a seasoned producer, DJ, and composer Hüseyin Evirgen, announces his second full-length album, ‘QUT’, arriving on Inland’s Counterchange label in March on double vinyl.

After 2 steamrolling EPs of club tracks on the label - now entering its tenth year of action - Magna Pia presents his most complete and advanced body of work to date, weaving a dense narrative of drone, figurative synthesis, bass-heavy electronica, and abstract techno.

Over eight tracks each referencing his rich cultural and musical background, we are treated to a unique overview of a producer at the crest of his art. The word ‘Qut’ is an ancient positive affirmation, in one short word encompassing all that is scared, pure and good. The Old Turkic term meaning not only ‘good fortune’ and ‘joy’, but in shamanic circles, the ‘wonder of the heavens’, permeates the roots of Evirgen’s multi-heritage history.

That Evirgen expresses his interpretation of this central theme through the marriage of bewitching melodies with atonal, experimental and rumbling electronics is a conscious comment on the distortions and mutations of our Modern Era. We now exist in the digital age of the Technosphere for better or worse, and must seek beauty where-ever possible.

The opening ‘Prologue’ invites the listener into a futuristic yet organic sound world, where lush stereo processing goes hand in hand with rumbling bass and subtly detuned drone languages. From the echoes of traditional Uyghur folk music, translated via synthesizers into a glistening slow-diving opus (‘Qizil’), to churning dub-techno adorned with a symphony of evolving sine-waves (‘Venus M’), Evirgen then deploys ‘X’ - a haunting experimental piece composed predominantly with his voice and electronic processing.

The interweaving synth lines of ‘Gudanna’ pierce the fog with a radiant and transcendent club-techno bounce before the ode to the ancient Bronze Age goddess ‘Astarte’ unfolds its snare-driven broken-beat formations. The title track ‘Qut’ embodies by far the heaviest club track of the album, in a deadly, stripped-back moment of future-techno hypnotism. Dancing flames of purple-tongued synthesis are held (just) in line by a wonderfully tough throb of drums.

With his ‘Epilogue’, Magna Pia allows the spectral ideas and concepts laid out across the LP to connect and travel full circle, confirming our suspicions that this could be one of the most coherent and exciting works to emerge in the brave new field of introspective, and sensitive techno-electronic language.

French electronic producer Blutch is back with another supremely trippy EP “Condate” on home label Astropolis Records, featuring a remix from Azo.

This Brittany native has a broad, borderless sound that mixes up electronica, breakbeat, house and IDM with stirring emotional undercurrents that range from nostalgia to melancholy. Last year he served up his superb ‘Terre Promise’ album on the label, and once again, it combined a raft of different sounds on one majestic record. He again shows off his ability to layer captivating melodies over compelling rhythms on this fresh new EP which extends his LP released last year with a more dancefloor suite. "Condate" is the original name of the city of Rennes in Brittany, France, where he lives. A city he loves passionately. The tracks featured in this EP are mainly taken from his live act "Terre Promise". The cover artwork also comes from the audiovisual live act: a motion design work made by Romain Navier, mixing landscapes from Brittany and hallucinated 3D creations, dressing Blutch's stage with a fabulous work around the album's theme. These tracks represent the more festive part of the live show, just as Blutch's love for Rennes is also linked to its festive character.

First single ‘Condate’ is a physical cut driven by a slick breakbeat. Melodic rain falls down the face of the track as booming bass roots you to the dance floor, and once again, the whole track is doused in heavenly synth work and subtle waves of euphoria.

‘Condate’ is a perfectly impactful EP, both physically and emotionally. The EP drops on the 24th March (vinyl/digital).

Melanie Martinez is set to release her new album ‘Portals on March 31st, with the first track off the album, ‘DEATH’ set to release alongside the official music video on March 17th.

Melanie Martinez's creative drive and talents have always distinguished her from other musicians. Her compelling music and visual art have created a rabid global fanbase with over 8.4 million followers on Instagram, 11.4 million subscribers on YouTube, 6.3 billion global streams, and 2.4 billion official YouTube views. After releasing her platinum-certified 2015 debut album, Cry Baby—which reached No. 1 on Billboard's alternative albums chart and has amassed over 3.5 billion streams worldwide —she conceived and directed a video for each song on the album. These mini-movies traced the traumas and insecurities experienced by the album's character, Cry Baby. As of 2020, every song on Cry Baby is RIAA certified Gold or higher, including the 2X Platinum “Dollhouse” and the Platinum “Pity Party,” “Carousel,” “Mad Hatter,” and “Soap.”

Melanie’s sophomore album and film, K-12, is another ambitious triumph with debuts at #3 on the Billboard 200 Chart, #1 on the Billboard Alternative Album Chart, #1 on the Billboard Soundtrack Chart, and a nomination for “Top Soundtrack” at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards. K-12's music is a vibrant and singular melting pot of low-key hip-hop, soulful pop and indie-leaning electro. K-12's universe is an expansion of the one introduced in Cry Baby. Using lyrics rich with metaphor, songs address the struggle to find a place to belong—including within friendships, the physical world and romantically—even when fitting into society feels like an uphill battle. Since releasing her K-12 album last September, Melanie has released 13 new music videos from the project which have now garnered over 100 million views collectively.

Nach der Veröffentlichung der 2CD-Version des Albums Moonage Daydream im letzten Jahr, wird der Soundtrack nun am 31. März als 3LP Vinyl veröffentlicht.

"Moonage Daydream" beleuchtet das Leben und Genie von David Bowie, einem der produktivsten und einflussreichsten Künstler der jüngeren Musikgeschichte.
Auf Spielfilmlänge nimmt uns Brett Morgen mit in die Welt Bowies, erforscht anhand von großartigem, vielfältigem und nie zuvor gesehenem Filmmaterial, Live-Auftritten und Musik (Morgen sichtete vier Jahre die Archive des David Bowie Estates) seine kreative, musikalische und spirituelle Reise.
Durch den Film führt uns dabei die Erzählerstimme von David Bowie selbst.
Das Begleitalbum zu "Moonage Dream" enthält Songs aus Bowies gesamter Karriere, darunter bisher ungehörtes Material, speziell für den Film und dieses Album angefertigte Mixe und Gesprächspassagen Bowies.

Zu den Highlights des Tracklistings zählen ein bisher unveröffentlichtes Live-Medley von "The Jean Genie / Love Me Do / The Jean Genie", aufgenommen beim berühmt-berüchtigten letzten Ziggy-Stardust-Konzert im Londoner Hammersmith Odeon 1973 und mit Jeff Beck an der Gitarre. Weitere Raritäten sind eine frühe Version
des Hunky-Dory-Favoriten "Quicksand" und eine bisher unveröffentlichte Live-Version von "Rock 'n' Roll With Me", mitgeschnitten bei der legendären "Soul Tour" 1974.

On the heels of his already critically acclaimed (yes, already!) retrospective, World Spirituality Classics 3: The Muslim Highlife of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah, Alhaji Waziri Oshomah — the Oyoyo King, the Godfather of Afemai Music, the Etsako Super Star, Mr. Please Please Please, Mr. Dynamite — returns with Vol. 2.
Along with the other four volumes of the series, Vol. 2 is now available—for the very first time!—as part of a complete set (in a box): Vol 1 - 5 (1978 - 1985) (November 4, 2022).
Waziri hails from a small part of Edo State in southern Nigeria called Afemailand, known for being a harmonious region where Muslims and Christians live—and dance—together. And there, as a devout Muslim and an exemplar of religious piety in his community, Waziri’s music fuses Etsako/Afemai folk styles with pan-Nigerian highlife and pop to create a sublime vehicle for his Islamic philosophy that gets everyone—Muslims, Christians, whoever—on the dancefloor.
Vol. 2 focuses on Waziri’s illustrious mid-career output—the music he created during the years leading up to and after he performed his first hajj. Every song here (one of which you might recognize from The Muslim Highlife) strikes his signature balance of traditional music, highlife, and funk, as he entreats you to stay on the straight and narrow, though there’s nothing straight about his beat.
On and off the record…
This is the second of the five-part Volume Series, which was recently compiled for the first time in the limited-edition box set, Vol. 1 - 5 (1978 - 1984) (November 4, 2022).
This release follows World Spirituality Classics 3: The Muslim Highlife of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah (September 23, 2022).
The Muslim Highlife of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah, received an 8/10 from Uncut, ★★★★ from MOJO, and has been called “therapy, worship, ecstasy” by Pitchfork (7.2).
Release supported by archival and new video content.
Alhaji Waziri Oshomah will play select shows—along with his wife and musical collaborator Madam Hassanah Waziri—in the U.S. and Europe throughout 2023. l He can perform sets as long as 3-4 hours! (Depending on the financial strength of the village).
Sings in English and local languages and is regarded as #1 Singer in all of Edo State.

Under the moniker She Drew The Gun, songwriter Louisa Roach began by playing solo gigs around Liverpool, she quickly caught the attention of The Coral’s James Skelly who she began working with at Skeleton Key Records, recruiting band members along the way. At first glance Roach’s fuzzy psych-pop may suggest that the Wirral born songwriter is another ‘Cosmic Scouser’ but then you’re drawn into the spirit of rebellion, songs that rally against injustice and food banks and celebrate outsiderdom. Roach was late to music, releasing her first LP ‘Memories of the future’ after a decade of motherhood and studying at college.

The second LP ‘ Revolution of Mind’, released October 2018, again produced by James Skelly, continued the fine work laid out on her 2016 debut. Announced in the top 10 albums of 2018 by BBCRadio6 Music, the record was one of the runaway indie successes of the year. In 2019 the band completed a sold out UK tour and played a string of UK festivals including main stage performances at Glastonbury and Blue Dot among others. In 2020 the band played virtual gigs to help raise money for Greenpeace and the Music Venue Trust among others and look forward to a proper return to live music.

Cruachan, irische Folk Metal-Pioniere mit einer 30-jährigen Erfolgskarriere, die sie auf die größten Metal-Festivals der Welt führte, veröffentlichen ihr neues Album auf Schwedens Despotz Records und heimsen direkt erste Lobeshymnen ein.

- 'From the uplifting excitement and energy of track one, The Living, this album grabs your heart and mind then drags them on a fantastic journey through haunting and foreboding stories put to sublimely beautiful folk and aggressive metal, constantly interweaving until we reach... The Dead.' - Jon Campling / Actor (Harry Potter, Final Fantasy)

- 'Now they return to find themselves as part of a folk metal scene that has rocketed in popularity to finally achieve the success that their influence on the genre merits.' - Terrorizer (UK)

Cruachan, irische Folk Metal-Pioniere mit einer 30-jährigen Erfolgskarriere, die sie auf die größten Metal-Festivals der Welt führte, veröffentlichen ihr neues Album auf Schwedens Despotz Records und heimsen direkt erste Lobeshymnen ein.

- 'From the uplifting excitement and energy of track one, The Living, this album grabs your heart and mind then drags them on a fantastic journey through haunting and foreboding stories put to sublimely beautiful folk and aggressive metal, constantly interweaving until we reach... The Dead.' - Jon Campling / Actor (Harry Potter, Final Fantasy)

- 'Now they return to find themselves as part of a folk metal scene that has rocketed in popularity to finally achieve the success that their influence on the genre merits.' - Terrorizer (UK)

Red Vinyl

ASSASSINS did what many bands do: they grabbed a moment out of the air and slammed it onto tape machines and hard drives with relentlessness, cunning, and an attitude.
It was in Chicago, mid 2000’s, and though there was energy in the music scene, it wasn’t coalescing into anything you could use as a heading in the musical encyclopedia. Drag City, Thrill Jockey, Bloodshot, Tortoise, Andrew Bird, 90 Day Men – amazing labels and bands, but discrete and siloed and separated by boundaries that weren’t very real.
In the midst of that complicated morass, ASSASSINS generated a collection of songs that became the album YOU WILL CHANGED US. And it did.
There was confidence built into the fabric of the project: 5 members, 2 singers, massive synced video walls and samples streaming from laptops swirling in three dimensions around the stage. They could go from subtle atmospheric moments to a gargantuan wall of sound instantly. It was hard to do- months in cold practice rooms troubleshooting sections of songs or reworking synthesizer patches put the band through a self-imposed boot camp. And it brought them together as a sort of hive-mind focused on one thing: that these songs could connect. They could cut through the noise and share a state of mind with other human beings.
And it worked. Those early shows were mind bending. It was fun, loud, drunken, and rewarding- that time together, before the record deal, before the tragic let down of being traded and gobbled up by the major label system. The years after that got more difficult, more complicated, more human.
Leading us here: the musical journey of the Assassins has ended. With the up-coming release of their second and final album THE YEAR THAT NEVER CAME, we finally get to hear, and feel, the final statements of their inspiring chemistry.
In July of 2021, founding member, songwriter and singer Joe Cassidy unexpectedly passed away. THE YEAR THAT NEVER CAME is the culmination and end point of a collaboration that started in the early 2000’s with a chance meeting and excited conversation with Aaron Miller at a gig in Chicago. Quickly joined by David Golitko on keyboards, Merritt Lear on vocals and guitar, and Alex Kemp on bass.
It was Miller who saw Joe Cassidy’s song writing in a new context. Cassidy had been known for his beautiful, post- pop inflected BUTTERFLY CHILD, a thoughtful, regal project where Joe’s emotions could soar. Miller saw a different context for that voice- not dreamy, but immediate, not just hopeful, but demanding. He took Joe’s open hand and suggested that it could be a fist, raised in the air, with a crowd of other people doing the same.
At the time of his death legendary composer and songwriter Jimmy Webb (who wrote such hits as ‘Wichita Lineman and MacArthur Park) said Joe ‘was a creative and generous producer but, more importantly, he was a creative and generous friend.’
With the release of THE YEAR THAT NEVER CAME, this band, this relentless creative force, has to finally relent. No one in the band could see a future ASSASSINS that doesn’t include Cassidy. So in one last act of will, for the love of their friend, they did the rigorous work of finishing the songs that they had started together for the second album.
Assassin’s obsession with the notion of time, from YOU WILL CHANGED US to THE YEAR THAT NEVER CAME, flows from the most natural question we all have to ask ourselves: what do I do now? Because: how we react today to life’s unpredictability - that is the tomorrow we build for ourselves.

On the heels of his already critically acclaimed (yes, already!) retrospective, World Spirituality Classics 3: The Muslim Highlife of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah, Alhaji Waziri Oshomah — the Oyoyo King, the Godfather of Afemai Music, the Etsako Super Star, Mr. Please Please Please, Mr. Dynamite — returns with Vol. 3.

Along with the other four volumes of the series, Vol. 3 is now available—for the very first time!—as part of a complete set (in a box): Vol 1 - 5 (1978 - 1985) (November 4, 2022).

Waziri hails from a small part of Edo State in southern Nigeria called Afemailand, known for being a harmonious region where Muslims and Christians live—and dance—together. And there, as a devout Muslim and an exemplar of religious piety in his community, Waziri’s music fuses Etsako/ Afemai folk styles with pan-Nigerian highlife and pop to create a sublime vehicle for his Islamic philosophy that gets everyone—Muslims, Christians, whoever—on the dancefloor.

Every song on Vol. 3 (one of which you might recognize from The Muslim Highlife) strikes his signature balance of traditional music, highlife, and funk, as he entreats you to stay on the straight and narrow, though there’s nothing straight about his beat.

First things first - you don't need me to tell you about the significance of Australia in the history of punk. I mean, what am I, Jon Savage? Google it yourself, FFS. Instead, let's just agree that the speedy, feral racket thrown together by the likes of The Saints, Radio Birdman and The Scientists in the mid-late '70s is AT LEAST as deliriously entertaining as anything concocted by their UK/US counterparts, sowing the seeds for seemingly endless garage-inflected noisemakers in the land down under. No one likes using words like 'tradition' or 'heritage' here - the punk rock clusterbomb is far too messy for any of that business - but also emerging from Australian rock's primordial soup is the addictive sneer of Stiff Richards. Like their predecessors, the band are a gleefully wracked mess of full throttle energy and barrelling power chords, with songs like 'Kids Out On The Grass' and 'Point of You' proving at least the equal of '(I'm) Stranded' or 'Aloha Steve And Danno'. Nine tracks in less than 30 minutes, all winners and all determined to leave you flipping over couches and smashing your TV set. And let's face it, you may as well; there's nothing good on. It all builds towards frantic closer 'Fill In The Blanks', which rattles around your speakers like the UK Subs trying to play Ed Kuepper riffs at the centre of an earthquake, before grinding to a halt as a voice says, "That's the one." Does it sound self-satisfied? Hey, it's got good reason to - this is the best no-frills garage rock party since Gino & The Goons' 'Do The Get Around', and the only appropriate response is to declare yourself betrothed to Stiff Richards because you can't imagine your life without 'em. Don't believe me? Sort out your ears and get 'State Of Mind' in 'em. Rock'n'roll as it's supposed to be played. Will Fitzpatrick.

Death Cab For Cutie haben es geschafft mit ihrer dritten Platte einen Klassiker des "Quiet Rock" zu veröffentlichen. "Transatlanticism" ist all das, was wir zur Zeit an Rockmusik lieben. Seitdem das Klavier bei Rockmusik wieder mitmachen darf. Große Melodiebögen, die erst nach dem dritten Mal ihre Schönheit offenbaren, leuchtende Ernsthaftigkeit. Eine herrliche Platte. "Transatlanticism" beginnt mit dem Satz : "So this is the new year!" Jedes Mal wenn man diese Platte auflegt ist Neujahr, 4 Minuten nach 00:00 Uhr. Die Band hat die Option, uns durch das ganze Jahr zu begleiten. Mit ihrer Schönheit, Melodie, Vielschichtigkeit... Death Cab for Cutie haben sich 1997 in Bellingham/Washington gegründet. Der Sänger Benjamin Gibbard, dessen Stimme vielen durch sein Wirken bei der Sub Pop-Band Postal Service bekannt sein dürfte, wird von seiner Band - Christopher Walla (Gitarre), Nicholas Harmer ( Bass) und Michael Schorr (Schlagzeug) - durch dieses Album getragen. Wenn Sie schon mal ein wenig verliebt waren, dann hören Sie auf das Titelstück. Das epische 7:55 min lange "Transatlanticism". Und er singt:" I need you so much closer! So come on!"

Porto-based trio 10 000 Russos will release their new ‘Live In Berlin’ double LP on March 24th 2023 via Rubber Duck, a new live album imprint by Fuzz Club Records. The record captures the band storming through their subterranean motorik psych-drone live at Berlin’s Astra Kulturhaus on October 16th 2021. Recorded whilst out on a European tour, ‘Live In Berlin’ finds 10 000 Russos performing their 2021 ‘Superinertia’ LP in full the album’s five songs expanded and taken to even more transfixing and hedonistic heights in a live setting. These shows were 10 000 Russos’ first with the new, more-electronic line-up and sound, with newly-recruited synth player Nils Meisel making his debut on the ‘Superinertia’ LP and completing the line-up alongside founding members João Pimenta (drums/vocals) and Pedro Pestana (guitar). Across the hour-long set, Pimenta’s deadpan sprechgesang vocal and machine-like percussion, Pestana cascading psych guitar-loops and Meisel’s repetitive synth basslines all combine on a performance that will pull you into a trance at times and get you on your feet at others.

Introducing a brand new artist on Skep Wax Records, MARLODY releases debut album I’m Not Sure At All. Limited edition white vinyl LP plus digital DL and signed postcard. Marlody’s first album I’m Not Sure At All takes anxiety, weakness, fear - and turns them into strength: powerful melodies, the sweetest harmonies you ever heard, and lyrics that insist on the possibility of hope, without losing sight of the possibility of despair.

Dominated by her extraordinary keyboard playing, Marlody’s songs are illuminated - and sometimes made sinister by occasional bursts of programmed percussion, submarine bass and distant, chiming digital bells. These are deep, darkly beautiful pop songs. When she was a girl, Marlody was one of the higher-achieving classical pianists of her generation, winning competitions and destined for greatness.

She hated it, and threw it all away. In the intervening years, putting more and more distance between herself and her classical origins, she listened to Yo La Tengo and Shellac and a hundred other things that took music to new, untutored extremes. I’m Not Sure At All is the outcome. Marlody’s painful personal journey is not glossed over in the lyrics: Words is about the debilitating effect of psychiatric medication; Malevolence is about the horrible urge to commit inexcusable violence;

Friends in Low Places is a remarkable hymn of solidarity with all those people who’ve contemplated taking their own lives. But the songs are strangely uplifting: they offer up their truths so calmly and are so generously wrapped in harmonies that they feel like gifts. There are great stories here too: Summer takes a child’s point of view, describing the beginnings of new life after the loss of a parent.

Wrong relates the history of an adulterous affair, with a piercing sympathy for the emotional state of the adulterer. There are musical echoes: the infectiousness and daring of some of the vocal melodies might remind you of Kate Bush, the intimacy might remind you of Cate Le Bon, the stabs of anger and pain might remind you of Liz Phair. The keyboard is sometimes as smooth as Fleetwood Mac; other times it’s as raucous and distorted as Quasi. The harmonies are from another place again – you could imagine hearing them in an Unthanks recording. I’m Not Sure At All will be released by Skep Wax on limited edition white vinyl and all digital services.

Free The Robots intentionally marries various electronica genres into a joyous, machine-like syrup that swims between the currents of deep introspection and the depths of the dance floor. 'Kaduwa' is his most recent manifestation, born out of his travels around the world. Especially inspired by his time between Los Angeles, Barcelona, and the island Siargao in the Philippines, Free The Robots translates his experiences into electronic, jazz-centric and sample based beats with sublime tinges of psych, rock, house, and hip-hop. For the most part, these compositions are blunted, funky, and psychedelic. There are tracks for club nights, tunes for early morning comedowns, and songs that are suitable for both. Once more adding new ripples to his sound, Free The Robots continues to explore new frontiers while keeping the torch burning for the L.A. beat freaks

‘Sinking Ships’ is the much anticipated seventh studio album from the acclaimed Alberta Cross. A gorgeous 10-track collection of modern indie-rock including an irresistible cover of Sharon Van Etten’s ‘Every Time The Sun Comes Up’.

The album is at times expansive & subtly anthemic, beautifully mellow, folk-tinged and awash with a layered, maximalist sound that variously recalls The War On Drugs, Bon Iver & Phosphorescent. At all times, lead singer Petter Ericson Stakee’s un-mistakable high-vocals, which have at times been compared to Jim James & Neil Young, soar through the music – particularly on album stand-outs ‘Mercy’ & ‘Glow in The Dark’.

The album was written mostly at the legendary The Wool Hall in Frome Somerset with Petter’s long term producer and collaborator, Luke Potashnick - who recently bought and renovated The Wool Hall (legendary in part due to Van Morrisson and Tears for Fears recording albums there).

Steve Gunn and David Moore's Let the Moon be a Planet is a volume of improvisatory exchanges between classical guitar and piano, and a meeting place where two artists become acquainted through instrumental dialogue without a single expectation distracting them from the joy and open field possibility of collaboration. A project enveloped by an aura of reciprocity, Let the Moon Be a Planet unfolded from an invitation to connect between two New York-based musicians who admired each other's work but had never intersected: guitarist and songwriter Steve Gunn, whose solo, duo, and ensemble recordings represent milestones of contemporary guitar-guided material, and pianist and composer David Moore, acclaimed for his minimalist ensemble music as the leader of Bing & Ruth. The exchange began remotely as Gunn and Moore responded to one another's solo improvisations, embarking on a synergistic progression of deep listening and connection through musical conversation. "We were both fans of each other's music and this was a chance to try a different process which was much more open," says Moore. "It felt like something I needed personally as an artist, to not be so controlling over the final output, and to truly collaborate with somebody else." Similarly for Gunn, who was exploring new pastures and passages in classical guitar when the dialogue began, the project was an invitation for pure conversation and exchange, creating space for him to revisit foundational forms with his playing: "I was trying to break out of what I was doing, to have something that just pulled away all the elements of usual structured things." Let the Moon Be a Planet intertwines the trajectories of two musicians acclaimed for pushing the boundaries of their instruments, unified by a shift away from what they recall as more "detail-oriented" approaches to composition. Fueled by the magnetism of their call and response exercise, Gunn and Moore set out on a nomadic songwriting venture without an intended destination. "We didn't know it was going to be an album," Gunn explains. "There was never pressure on us to complete or make something. It was interesting to start realizing that this could be an album and to take a step back_ to arrive at a project after the fact." Calibrating their focus to connect with a spectrum of inner and external emotional realities, the duo found their way into a world where the most subtle of gestures can eternally flow. Let the Moon be a Planet is an ode to experimentation over outcome; it holds a candle light to the corners of introspection and captures the patterns that flicker within. Cast across the compositions of the album is a gritty, filmic grain _ a quality that emerged partially from recording "without the greatest microphones" or their usual studio environments. For both artists, this lo-fi sensitivity felt integral to the record and its production, and they worked closely with engineer Nick Principe to preserve its otherworldly haze in the final mixes. Across the record's eight compositions, the rippling impulses of Gunn and Moore's inner worlds converge in the spirit of two strangers wandering the same path, engaged in a daydream state of natural back and forth. Melodic tableaux arise, drift and disperse across serene open spaces, painted in earthy hues of nylon string and balmy, undulating keys _ side by side, the duo converse in tessellating motifs and gestures of lucid introspection, cultivated by a shared desire for intuitive play. "This project was such a simple idea," says Gunn. "It got down to the very core of where I am or where I was, and where I'm trying to be as a musician. Making this record became a very beneficial ritual for me, almost a meditative process." As Moore recalls, "Our only motivation for making these tracks was that it felt good to make them and there was nothing else behind it_ I don't know that I've ever made a record that came about so naturally." While Let the Moon Be a Planet was envisioned through a deeply collaborative process, it uncovered a path for Gunn and Moore to respectively return home as musicians. Imbued with the forces of interconnection and balance, the record is an exploration of creative synergy while following the currents of inner experience _ of looking outwards to arrive at one's natural self. Steve Gunn and David Moore's Let the Moon Be a Planet will be released March 31, 2023 in LP, CD, and digital editions. The album represents the first volume of Reflections, a new series of contemporary collaborations orchestrated by RVNG Intl. A portion of the proceeds from this release will benefit St. John's Bread and Life, whose mission is to respect the dignity and rights of all persons by ensuring access to healthy, nutritious food and comprehensive human services resulting in self-sufficiency and stability.

Before MF DOOM donned his mask and became one of the most prolific MC-producers of modern Hip-Hop, he was a member of KMD, an early ‘90s rap group whose work still goes criminally under-appreciated to this day.

Following their 1991 debut album, Mr. Hood, the former trio shed one member leaving only two remaining – Subroc and his brother, Zev Love X (better known today as MF DOOM). Originally scheduled for release in 1994, their sophomore album Black Bastards showed clear progression from their debut. It was a truly amazing record, both sonically and lyrically, full of youthful creativity and tinged with the stresses of growing up as Black men in urban America. Songs like the lead single “What A N*gga Know”, the slippery, bass-driven “Get U Now”, and the album’s title track explore Black consciousness viewed through young-but-experienced eyes. Musically alternating between bouncy and raw – many times both, concurrently – the tracks gave the MC’s the springboard they needed to express themselves clearly.

Sadly, Subroc would face a sudden and untimely death in 1993, just as the duo were finishing the album. Grief-stricken, his brother Zev Love X – now the sole remaining member of the group – was determined to carry the legacy of KMD onward, but Elektra Records unceremoniously shelved the project in the eleventh hour, due to controversy surrounding the album’s provocative cover art. Following the fallout with Elektra, Zev tried for years to release the album on other labels, but he was continually met with dead ends. Struggling through the pain of losing his brother, coupled with the inability to release their final project together, a discouraged Zev Love X quietly withdrew from the scene and began quietly plotting his revenge on an industry that had broken him spiritually. Thus, in order to understand the true origin story of the super-villain, MF DOOM, one must recognize and appreciate the evolution of his former group, KMD, and the backstory of their pivotal album, Black Bastards.

Animalia's exploration of the lesser known artists of Melbourne continues with the launch of new sublabel, Cirrus, focusing on non-club, downtempo, ambient and otherworldly sounds from local Australian artists. The first release comprises of dreamy, non-linear modular improvised soundscapes from Melbourne/Naarm local The Soulscaper, a sideproject of Eugene Pascal, member of Animalia's electronic trio Menage. The Inside Voices LP offers a sentimental, familiar musical journey, evocative of the distinctive charms of life in Australia's south-eastern hub. All produced in the northern suburbs of Melbourne/ Naarm, the tracks provide an open window into the studios of the city's deeper side. The LP is a poignant follow on from the musical outputs of Animalia, staying true to the label's deep, cinematic and melodic style.

Travel, the 19th studio album by Australian improvisational trio The Necks, documents their recent practice of starting each day in the studio with a 20-minute trio improvisation.

The recordings offer some of their most ecstatic and captivating music cut to tape. As bassist Lloyd Swanton puts it: "It's a really nice communal activity to bring us together in focus each day, and some lovely music has resulted from it." Although a straight "live" improvisation has never been recorded in the studio by the band, these tracks (save for some light overdubs/post-production) feel closest to what they've been doing live for more than 30 years now.

In 2017 Stephen O'Malley's Ideologic Organ label released the band's lauded Unfold, which first offered up this uncharacteristic studio work: four sub-20-minute pieces - instead of the typical 60+ minute arc for which the band is known - along with an obfuscated track list which leaves play order to the listener's hand. The album quickly sold out, and persists as a treasure in collections or as a high-priced 'Want' on Discogs. Travel marks a return to this double-LP format, offered in a beautiful gatefold package that features photography by Traianos Pakioufakis and impeccable mastering by Doug Henderson.

Club culture in France would have been different if not for Micky Milan (real name Milan Zdravkovic). He is one of the true trailblazers of what is known today as French Boogie.
It all started when he was the in-house DJ of the highly popular club L'échappatoire in the Parisian suburb of Clichy sous Bois. In those days, he was well connected with Champs Disques, back then, the hippest record shop located on the Champs Élysées and had privileged access to the best imported U.S. 12" thus making his club the undisputed stronghold of disco funk.
A significant fact is that he is one of the very few French artists signed on the legendary U.S. Salsoul record label with the song "Quand tu danses". Teaming up with funkateer and close friend François Feldman, the track was recorded with Feldman on keyboards along with the Gibson Brothers on percussions, drums and keyboards, a French group, originally hailing from Martinique and Kamil Rustam who later went on to work to the who&who of soul and funk music adding his powerful licks of funky guitar. The influence of Lamont Dozier of "Going back to my roots", fame is that of a tutelary god all over these tracks. The goal behind this EP is to highlight Micky Milan’s multifaceted musical talents, from disco funk to jazz and synth pop. The record contains two tracks never previously released on vinyl, the groovesque “Paris amour” built on guitar riffs carrying the sexy voice of Alexandra and the instrumental version of "Quand tu danses"; epitomizing the essence of funk and the power of a sound on par with the American productions of the time. Hail to the pioneer.

Shabaka Hutchings debut release under his own name, Afrikan Culture, was released on Impulse! Records in May 2022. Known for his globally-acclaimed, groundbreaking groups (Sons of Kemet, The Comet Is Coming, Shabaka and The Ancestors), this release finds Shabaka at a quieter, more meditative space than the pulsing, driving material found in his other groups. The 7-track release is primarily made up of Shabaka on various wind instruments with other complimentary instrumentation sprinkled throughout

yellow marbled vinyl

Kicking off the release in style, ASC serves up a thunderous atmospheric amen break assault with The Arcane. A calming intro with clean breaks and swirling fx, welcome eerie keys before heavy kicks thrust the track into life with crisp weighty amens snatching your attention. The undertone bass complements the break work perfectly, and the atmosphere gradually ratchets up over a subtle backdrop of effects and pads. A true aural statement.

Dreamy synth-work, lush pads and an understated bassline punctuate State Of Mind, before the apache takes centre stage amidst mournful melodies and echoed snares, setting an unforgettably melancholic tone. A subtle but bliss love letter to yesteryear.

An impeccable, ever-building composition up next, as stabbing breaks and synths, introduce Force Majeure. A moody bassline sets the tone before 'whooshing' soundscapes flood the senses. Myriads of elements are frequently added into the mix, as the atmosphere envelopes relentlessly throughout, resulting in a production masterclass.

Closing the EP is the cleverly titled Threeform. A chilled-out treat dialling back the intensity with a luscious calming vibe over freestyle 3/4 time signature jazz breaks. Infused with relaxing brass samples and a laidback approach, ASC provides yet another example of his production skills.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

2023 Repress

Noisia's uncompromising approach to dance music has never been more keenly felt. While they're turning out remixes for commercial acts such as Katy Perry and Deadmau5 that sound just as filthy as any usual Noisia production, the Dutch trio are also sticking to their D&B roots with releases on their own Vision imprint.For Vision's latest release label bosses Noisia team up with long-term collaborators, Phace, to whip up 'Program'. As you'd expect from one of their collabs, this one is hard and heavy complete with an intense breakdown reminiscent of Wolfgang Gartner's 'Undertaker'. Winding bass notes finish the job and rib-crushing subs will have the dancefloor churning every time this drops.Flip over and 'Regurgitate' brings you in slowly, stuffing you gently with an epic atmosphere and sultry guitar licks. Looped vocals bring you up to the drop before a trademark Noisia bassline pukes all over your best dancing shoes. If this one doesn't get people 'going sick' we don't know what will!

blue marbled vinyl

A thundering take on the classic Hot Pants break leads to eerie synth work, developing a powerful haunting atmosphere. An intense driving bassline intertwines with the beats & hats, challenging the balance between the headphones and the dancefloor.

A deceptively simple break expertly programmed with ASC's trademark punch is layered with dreamy 808 bass and long, swirling pads & synths, creating a luscious smooth vibe to the aptly titled Cosmic Energy.

Expertly programmed yet understated break work punctuates Stargate with an unforgettable kick-cymbal-kick-cymbal sequence, laden with room-filling sub-bass, a collage of effects and "that" whale sample used so effectively it feels fresh again in 2022.

Prophecy effortlessly combines a plethora of samples and effects you'll recognise from classic atmospheric drum & bass spanning the 90's and beyond to create a true "old school brand new" vibe set to a variety pack of jungly breaks and occasional vocal hits, with a lush tonal transition towards the latter stages.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

2023 repress !

Deluka comes back with a solo EP. This time with four tracks characterised with his signature sound. Ranging vibes between tribal and hypnotism vibes.

Ever since the first white labels appeared at the end of Summer 2013, Emotional Especial has been putting out music that is slightly left of (club music) centre. Influenced as much by and including dub, electro, disco, proto-house, house and techno, guided more by a feeling than a sound.

This thinking has been that exemplified by every 10th release being a label sampler - a showcase of unreleased tracks or remixes of what has come before, plus the odd one off cut by an artist to watch. Some 4 years since the last Sampler, the label's 40th release presents new label heads Giraffi Dog, returning after their recent "live" Multiverse EPs, here teaming up with GF Rich for a breaks anthem. Sub bass rising, the persistent build leads to piano before drop and Acid mayhem ensues, highlight why G Dog are such a producer to watch.

Label mainstay Alphonse returns, with White Pepper from the "Stolen Sunrise EP", here remixed by House stalwart Toby Tobias. Having released for a who's who of labels including REKIDS, ESP Institute, Delusions Of Grandeur and Futureboogie, the illusion these past years of who is Alphonse can finally revealed as Toby himself. The remix of his alter ego takes the 'Balearics' of the original and adds breaks and 303, all retaining a laid back feeling for summers return.

On the flip, the label welcomes rising star, Remotif. With a series of EPs showcasing a growing talent, his recent Coymix release sealed the deal. Here, his comedically titled Beam Me Up Softwoiii belies a party anthem, where breaks and arps rise in unison before an Aphex sunrise burst, drops and heads down in pure dance.

Akio Nagase returns to close with another of his Japanese folk meets lilting 303 Acid House. An Okinawa traditional folk song, conveying a life lesson, here to Hosenka flower is laid across slo-mo acid bubbles to quirkily and perfectly complete another 10th release of the Especial path.

The second Abstract Cuts release is an EP split four ways, but with new, unconventional approaches to the dancefloor at the heart of each submission and all using vintage drum machines and samplers. The Robot Dance Connection's 'Powers Of Ten' (R2d2 live edit) kicks off side one, shiny high frequency polish played off against a gorgeously stubborn techno beat, before the slinkier and smoother 'Gold Saucer' by Brunzi offers an equally danceable but less angular counterpoint. Flip it over and Tomska's 'Lethal Overdose' (Touch dub 2022) offers rushing sonics, off kilter snare damage and four to the floor thump, before Emille's 'Jeu Froid' completes the set in grimy basement style.

The fifth release on Canopy continues to up the ante and expand on the tropical Techni-colour palette already set out by the label.

Alafia was a studio project from the mid 80s in Paris. Masterminded and written by musical maverick Phil Han Mandounou and bringing together musicians from Benin, Cameroon and the French Antilles. The project is a superbly orchestrated and expertly delivered exploration of funk and afro off-beats with 80s synth leanings. Precise musicianship and forward leaning afro synth funk wizardry. Dextrous, extrovert, playful and masterful.

A1. Alafia – Assanssan (Original Mix) (33rpm)
Uplifting vocals are set against shimmering guitars and punctuated by triumphant horns. Growling and bouncing synth bass is underpinned by tight digital drums. Assanssan defies categorisation while encapsulating many vibrant genres and motifs. “A proper mind melting hybrid tropical beast of a tune”!
“Assanssan” refers to a type of quilted fabric popular in West Africa and is a metaphor for togetherness and blending cultures harmoniously. “
Assanssan hé hé hé, come and sing along, Assanssan hé hé hé, come and dance along.”

A2. Alafia – Assiove (Original Mix) (33rpm)
A powerful afro funk groove built around punchy off-beat digital drums and tightly syncopated guitar and bass-lines, augmented by searing synth arrangements and positive vocal passages. Assiove is a highly successful fusion of western and African influences.

B1. Alafia – Assanssan (Bosq Remix) (45rpm)
Bosq, the man with Midas touch, takes Assanssan and pours gasoline on the already raging flames, setting the whole funky situation alight! Swapping out the bass groove for an insistent and pulsing funk, he switches the track into overdrive while the original passages shine sublimely under his benediction.

“Muzik Fantastique! is another example of their hidden talents” – NME. 1993’s Muzik Fantastique! will receive its first ever vinyl issue in March. The album finds Chris & Cosey in one of their most dynamic and melodic periods with an album that slides towards subtler grooves and textures.

After the ambitious A Distant (Dark) Source (2018) and the subsequent artistic triumph of its live recording in 2021, French avant-garde metal outfit HYPNO5E return with their sixth studio album. Once more, these four visionary musicians and cinematographers take us back to the lost shores of the palaeolithic Lake Tauca, where we dive deeper into its dark source to fnd vibrant visions of a memory both distant and hazy as well as warm and evocative. Sheol shows HYPNO5E at the top of their game, revealing the epitome of their idiosyncratic sound while also exploring new and exciting aspects of their artistic identity. Since 2006 HYPNO5E have been taking grand strides in honing their brand of cinematographic metal, with each of their albums developing elements that would become essential building blocks to their sound. Their 2007 debut album Des Deux l'Une Est l'Autre harnessed a raw, chaotic energy, while the following Acid Mist Tomorrow (2012) saw them apply a hazy filter to their ferocious sound. On Shores of the Abstract Line (2015) HYPNO5E already transformed into the true modern metal grandmasters they are today, while the special soundtrack album Alba - Les Ombres Errantes explored a more subdued acoustic side of the band. Sheol sees the band sounding warmer and brighter than anywhere else in their storied discography, and the arrival of new drummer Pierre Rettien and bass player Charles Villanueva adds a fresh touch the classic HYPNO5E sound. The sweeping finales of «Lands of Haze» and «The Dreamer and His Dream» as well as the pastoral qualities of the quiet finger-picked parts on «Bone Dust» and «Lava From The Sky» hearken back to the old prog rock records of the seventies, albeit with an updated sonic palette and modern production parameters. Besides, these eight tracks also see the band carefully exploring new patterns, shapes, and forms within their own musical universe: from the alternating use of ritardando and accelerando on the aforementioned rim-clicks to the increased employment of string sections and vocal harmonies. With the addition of a whole new palette of warmer and brighter tones, HYPNO5E superbly bridge the sounds of the modern progressive metal and retro prog-movements creating an evocative sonic experience. FOR FANS OF Gojira, Opeth, Periphery, Uneven Structure, Steven Wilson Limited (100 copies ww) Single Colour (Gold Vinyl) Edition!

Artwork insert, in PVC outer sleeve.

Awanto3 (also known for his work with Aardvarck and Kid Sublime on Rednose Distrikt) returns to Rush Hour with "Party" Volume 1. Moody and rolling MPC work outs with live accompaniment from a solid cast (Jos De Haas (New Cool Collective) on percussion and Stefan Schmid (Zuco 103) on keys). Broken Beat heads look out .... this really smacks. TIP!

Backstory: Party was born in a small village located in Wallonia during a period of house-sitting for a family on holiday. Initially my mother was asked to take care of the chickens, goat, dog and donkey but eventually I decided to take care of them to relieve my mother. This week turned out to be a small nightmare, because I think the house was being possessed by a spirit that I had to deal with night and day. The vibe of the house was so grimy, due to the fact that there were calendars with all kinds of weapons and dark oak furniture, interspersed with a huge flatscreen and blinds at the ready to be rolled out when the sun started to go down (by request of the paranoid owner). This setting affected my sketches; a dark side that was looking for contra light weight. After I took care of the animals, I had an energy to escape to my MPC to make the basis for a possible new album. When I got back in Amsterdam, I started to work out some of the sketches I’ve made in the ghost house together with Stefan and Jos in Studio K at Sloterdijk.