quête:la 4a

500, 12" 180g, black vinyl, hand stamped, individually numbered records, single press only.

Cute Heels is the project of Victor Lenis, a contemporary electronic artist living in Berlin, Germany. He grew up in Bogotá, Columbia during the 1990s, surrounded by the radial punk scene. Over the years, Victor's passion and fascination for synthesizers and drum machines to produce and compose resulted in his debut album 'Spiritual" for Dark Entries in 2014 as well as the Third Skin' EP in 2016. Inspired by equal parts Liaisons Dangereuses, Drexciya and Black Devil Disco Club, Cute Heels connects the dots between Detroit techno, early Chicago house and Belgium electronic body music.State of Mind' is a 4-track EP featuring the vocal talents of Berlin artist Aga Wilk, of electro-punk projects Walkman Music and 77TM, on the the title track. On the A-side are two fresh compositions recorded in New York and Bogota between 2016 and 2017. Victor says, 'State of Mind refers to the subconscious as dominated by real facts, natural, unnatural ,metaphysical or virtual and dynamism of the body as physical shield.' The track is a slow building foray into techno, elegantly suited for intangible moments. 'Golden Tears' kicks off with Cute Heels' signature metallic EBM funk played with punchy, percussive analog synths. On the flip we present two banging club remixes. The first is from LA-4A, techno DJ and producer Kevin McHugh aka Ambivalent, who adds a strong kick drum and lacerating hi-hats that build up to a mind melting breakdown with a full on acid squelch attack. The second remix comes from Noncompliant, Midwest US-based producer Lisa Smith aka DJ Shiva, who creates a raw, thumping exercise though off-kilter mechanics and punishing percussion. All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record comes in a custom-made die-cut jacket designed by Eloise Leigh featuring suggestive rope bondage graphic printed spot black matte on black hi-gloss finish. Each copy includes a postcard.

Camea returns with the third release on her Neverwhere imprint, titled 'Vanish', this Spring. In her new single, she digs deep on her drum machine into Studio 1-esque territory, using alluring classic minimal techno grooves as a back drop for her seductively soulful, selfconflicted vocals. Camea not only captures a timeless micro-house vibe in this piece, but she continues to push her sound forward as well as her love for avant-guard techno. Up next is Delft imprint boss, LA-4A, best known for his analogue vintage Roland drum machine productions. He has laid down an irresistible 303 break-beat club mix of Camea's track in the A2 spot. His dance cut of her vocals over bass driven percussion is a perfect counter piece to the original, and compliments the sound from his recent acid techno album 'Phonoautograph'. On the flip side, Berlin techno legend and Ostgut Ton/Berghain resident Tobias. gives his graceful interpretation. He has reworked the original into a tasteful, dark, spacious 8-minute minimal techno piece, with percolating panning and filters on the vocals. As usual with Tobias., he clearly conveys his undeniable expertise and instinct for exquisite dance music. With this release, Camea is also marking the 2nd anniversary of her cult Neverwhere Radio show this Spring, having produced twenty-four, two-hour episodes with exclusive DJ mixes and guests. The show currently has residencies on Digitally Imported, Tsugi Radio and Ibiza Sonica, and Camea has quickly established herself as a driving force in the left-field techno community, and a passionate advocate of underground radio.

Eine der geheimnisvollsten Bands der klassischen 4AD-Ära: Swallow. Gegründet von Louise Trehy und Mike Mason, die sich Anfang der 90er im kreativen Schmelztiegel Camberwell in London begegneten. Was folgte, hatte fast etwas Mythisches: Kaum geschrieben, wurden ihre ersten Songs auf einem einfachen Tascam-4-Track aufgenommen. Ein Demo - roh, direkt, voller Atmosphäre - landete bei Ivo Watts-Russell. Ohne die Band je gesehen zu haben, unterschrieb er sie sofort bei 4AD. Für die Aufnahmen ihres Debüts borgten sie sich Instrumente, zogen von Edinburghs Palladium Studios bis zu den legendären Blackwing Studios in London und arbeiteten mit Produzent John Fryer, frisch von den Arbeiten an Pretty Hate Machine. Mit Hilfe von Eventide Harmonizern - bekannt aus dem Klangkosmos der Cocteau Twins - entstand ein schillernder, fast schwereloser Sound. Doch als Blow 1992 erschien, fühlte es sich für die Band nicht richtig an. Zu glatt, zu weit entfernt von ihrer ursprünglichen Vision. Anstatt neu aufzunehmen, entschieden sie sich für einen radikaleren Schritt: Sie zerlegten die Songs und bauten sie neu zusammen. Das Ergebnis war Blowback - düsterer, fragmentierter, näher an ihrem inneren Klangbild. Diese Version erschien nur in kleiner Auflage und verschwand schnell wieder - ein verborgenes Juwel, das nur eingefleischte 4AD-Fans kannten. Jetzt, Jahrzehnte später, wird dieses Kapitel endlich neu erzählt: Mit Blown, einer liebevoll kuratierten Veröffentlichung, die beide Versionen vereint und den ursprünglichen Aufnahmen neues Leben einhaucht.

FEAR - das gemeinsame Album von Jared Mattson von The Mattson 2 und Ruban Nielson von Unknown Mortal Orchestra - wurde im Juni 2024 aufgenommen. Alle Aufnahmen und der Mix fanden in Palm Springs statt. Gemastert von Matt Colton in den Metropolis Studios in London. --- "Ich wachte gegen Mittag auf, desorientiert, noch halb im Traum. Musik lief - unbekannt, voll ausgereift, die Art von Klang, von der man annimmt, dass sie zum Leben eines anderen gehört. Einen Moment lang dachte ich, ich würde noch schlafen und Musik hören, von der ich mir wünschte, ich hätte sie gemacht. Dann dämmerte es mir: Ruban Nielson war bereits wach, im Studio, und hörte sich an, was wir geschaffen hatten. Wir wussten es beide. Diese Musik hatte etwas Unvermeidliches an sich - als wäre sie weniger geschaffen als vielmehr entdeckt worden. Wir hörten sie uns immer wieder an, lachten und schüttelten den Kopf. Ein Track rief ein gemeinsames Bild hervor: einen immergrünen Wald an einem See bei Sonnenuntergang. Ruban blickte plötzlich auf, die Augen weit aufgerissen, als hätte man ihm gerade eine Botschaft überreicht. ,Ich habe den Titel", sagte er. American Eagle. Der Name wirkte genauso wie die Musik - klar, offensichtlich, unbestreitbar. Der amerikanische Traum: Hot Dogs, Cola, Fahrten bei Sonnenuntergang. Wir brachen beide in Gelächter aus, Tränen in den Augen, weil wir minutenlang so heftig lachten. Wir schwammen in seinem Pool. Das Gespräch hörte nie auf. Der Fluss blieb konstant, nährend, mühelos. Dann sagte Ruban es noch einmal - den Satz, der bereits zu einem Grundsatz geworden war: ,Lass uns mehr davon machen, das genau so klingt." Also taten wir das. Zwei Tage später war ,FEAR" fertig." - Jared Mattson

Erstauflage als "Sparkle Starlight Vinyl" 2LP mit Etching auf der vierten Seite. Im technischen Sinne war jedes bisherige Album des französischen Trios SLIFT eine Fantasie - ein Mix aus Genres und Formen, der es der Band ermöglichte, zu improvisieren und so lange zu jammen, bis sie sich scheinbar gemeinsam ins All zu winden schienen. Ihr gefeiertes drittes Album, "Ilion" aus dem Jahr 2024, war eine Science-Fiction-Geschichte, aufgebaut aus 10- bis 13-minütigen explorativen Eskapaden, die oft mit Doom Metal oder Stoner Rock begannen, bevor sie sich frei in glorreiche instrumentale Vergessenheit drehten. Doch mit einer gewissen absichtlichen Ironie heißt SLIFTs viertes Album tatsächlich "Fantasia". Es ist ihr bisher schlankstes und direktestes Album. Es ist auch ihr bisher fesselndstes Album, eine pointierte Saga über die Überwindung internationaler Umbrüche, vorgetragen von einer Band, die mit voller Kraft vorangeht und dabei keine einzige Sekunde verschwendet. Obwohl nur Jean und Bassist Rémi Fossat verwandt sind, ist SLIFT im Grunde eine Band von Brüdern. Mit Schlagzeuger Canek Flores sind sie schon seit der Highschool befreundet, und 2026 markiert ein Jahrzehnt zusammen in diesem Trio. Sie proben mit religiöser Regelmäßigkeit in einem Keller auf dem Land in der Nähe von Toulouse, in dem Jam-Raum, in dem sie schon lange ihrer Vorliebe für langatmige Wunder frönen. Für die Albumaufnahmen zu "Fantasia" überquerten sie die französische Nordgrenze nach Belgien, um in dem riesigen Live-Raum der Daft Studios ein kompaktes Set aus schlanken, agilen und druckvollen Songs aufzunehmen. Die vielfältigen Einflüsse der Band sind offensichtlich: Das Album erinnert an Clutch in voller Wildheit, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, den sowjetischen Schriftsteller Michail Bulgakow, Pink Floyd und Black Sabbath aus der "Master of Reality"-Ära. Und das klangliche Gewebe wird durch das gekonnte Mixing von Kurt Ballou (Converge, Cave In, High on Fire) unterstützt. Den Songs fehlt es nicht an der Komplexität oder Intensität, die SLIFT zu einem aufstrebenden Star der Heavy-Musik gemacht haben; sie haben einfach neue Wege gefunden, die Komplexität ihrer Vergangenheit in jedes Stück einzuflechten, wie ein Wandteppich, der jedes Mal, wenn man hinschaut, eine neue Ebene offenbart. Damit vermitteln sie eine bestätigende und dringliche Botschaft: Gemeinsam können wir die Zeiten, in denen wir leben, noch immer verändern. Heutzutage ist es furchtbar leicht, sich machtlos zu fühlen. SLIFT setzt sich auf "Fantasia" direkt mit dem modernen Ansturm von Grausamkeit und Absurdität auseinander, sei es die Gleichgültigkeit gegenüber unserem Heimatplaneten oder zueinander. Aber in diesen acht Songs geht es darum, auf eine verborgene Kraft zu vertrauen, um zurückzuschlagen, um an eine Welt zu glauben, in der etwas, das wir noch nicht in Worte fassen oder definieren können, nicht nur einen Weg bietet, den Status quo zu durchbrechen, sondern ihn vielleicht sogar vollständig zu zerstören. SLIFT sind laut, heavy und aggressiv in diesen Hymnen. Sie bereiten sich auf einen Kampf vor, von dem sie glauben, dass wir ihn noch gewinnen können.

BEAR's sound is a calculated collision of technical precision and unfiltered aggression _ a modern strain of European metal that balances math-inflected complexity with visceral, live-wire intensity. At the core of their identity a combination of brains and brute force. With Anhedonia, Belgian heavyweights BEAR deliver five songs of pure adrenaline and unfiltered heaviness that capture a band confronting the strange emotional vacuum that can follow trauma. Anhedonia is both a battle cry and a confession; a visceral document of resilience carved from years marked by illness, loss, uncertainty, and hard-won perseverance. Musically, Anhedonia represents a sharpened evolution of BEAR's already formidable sound. Known for their intricate rhythms, punishing riffs, and explosive intensity, the band made a conscious decision this time to strip away excess and focus on the core of each song. There is no wasted movement on this EP. Every riff lands with purpose. Every rhythmic shift feels earned. The band trimmed the fat without sacrificing identity, creating space for dynamics and melody to cut deeper than ever before. "The songs are somewhat stripped back, allowing more space for Maarten's vocals to really shine this time around. I feel like we really hit a great balance of maintaining our signature complex sound while also allowing for more experimentation and melody." (James Falck) Anhedonia acknowledges numbness without glorifying it. It confronts pain without being consumed by it. And in doing so, it transforms heaviness into something connective. BEAR have always been a band driven by conviction, and here they stand at their most authentic, vulnerable and ferocious. Together, BEAR create music that feels alive _ tense, volatile, and emotionally charged _ where technicality enhances impact, and heaviness carries genuine vulnerability beneath its surface. FOR FANS OF The Dillinger Escape Plan * Every Time I Die * Botch * Converge * Norma Jean * Coalesce * Herod

BEAR's sound is a calculated collision of technical precision and unfiltered aggression _ a modern strain of European metal that balances math-inflected complexity with visceral, live-wire intensity. At the core of their identity a combination of brains and brute force. With Anhedonia, Belgian heavyweights BEAR deliver five songs of pure adrenaline and unfiltered heaviness that capture a band confronting the strange emotional vacuum that can follow trauma. Anhedonia is both a battle cry and a confession; a visceral document of resilience carved from years marked by illness, loss, uncertainty, and hard-won perseverance. Musically, Anhedonia represents a sharpened evolution of BEAR's already formidable sound. Known for their intricate rhythms, punishing riffs, and explosive intensity, the band made a conscious decision this time to strip away excess and focus on the core of each song. There is no wasted movement on this EP. Every riff lands with purpose. Every rhythmic shift feels earned. The band trimmed the fat without sacrificing identity, creating space for dynamics and melody to cut deeper than ever before. "The songs are somewhat stripped back, allowing more space for Maarten's vocals to really shine this time around. I feel like we really hit a great balance of maintaining our signature complex sound while also allowing for more experimentation and melody." (James Falck) Anhedonia acknowledges numbness without glorifying it. It confronts pain without being consumed by it. And in doing so, it transforms heaviness into something connective. BEAR have always been a band driven by conviction, and here they stand at their most authentic, vulnerable and ferocious. Together, BEAR create music that feels alive _ tense, volatile, and emotionally charged _ where technicality enhances impact, and heaviness carries genuine vulnerability beneath its surface. FOR FANS OF The Dillinger Escape Plan * Every Time I Die * Botch * Converge * Norma Jean * Coalesce * Herod

Taking place in the Paras district, Cangallo province, in the Ayacucho region of the Central-South Sierra of Peru - this is a recording of a ritual held on February 5th 2020 for the one year anniversary of the death of Mrs. Sofía Miranda de Bellido, recorded by her grandson Hánkel Bellido.

At noon the coffin of "Mamay Sofía" was presented, so that her relatives could say goodbye for the last time. Following tributes from family members, these songs dedicated to her life and her passing were sung.

The townspeople were notified of the events by the sound of bells that produce a peculiar and powerful sound, and that can be heard in the other nearby towns of Paras. It is said that these bells were greased with human fat, and brought from the Cerro de Pasco region during colonial times. The bells must be played all morning until the change of mourning takes place.

At midnight the songs of the Almakunapaq (also known as San Gregorios) mass began. These are unique to the Andean peoples - a fusion of Andean and Christian syncretic traditions - and are said to help the dead to enter the eternal Kingdom.

It was 4am when the change of mourning took place, and in accordance with traditions, the friends & family announce the presence of harp and violin players, to liven up the proceedings with songs of joy and merriment until the next day.

"Mamay Sofia, manan wañukunkichu, kawsakuchkankim sunquykupi; sichus qunqarusqaykiku, chaymi ichaqa wañukunki!"

"I have not died, I will die on the day that you forget me!"

Rose Connolly has a beautiful voice with a wide melodic range, which she bends, twists, strains and warps through both her physical exertions and a sample-based granular synthesiser. The results recall both the Gaelic tradition of séan-nos singing, and the work of experimental artists such as Meredith Monk, Yoko Ono and Hatis Noit, while the beats meld folk with gothic, 4AD-era soundscapes unmatched since the glory days of This Mortal Coil.” – The Guardian (10 Best Folk Albums of 2024) “RÓIS is a composer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and electronic artist from Fermanagh, whose songs breathe new life into a forgotten Ireland. Self-released, written and produced by RÓIS with additional production from John Spud Murphy (OXN/Lankum), 'MO LÉAN' is a concept album, taking the listener through the grieving process from start to finish, from the chaos that loss brings, to the intense emotional outpourings and finally, a cathartic release.

‘MO LÉAN' features several new original recordings and reworks of songs and hymns based around the concept of death, life, mourning and catharsis. RÓIS re-imagines the tradition of 'keening' in Ireland that goes back to pre-christian times, a practice in which women would 'keen' a lamenting wail at the side of a coffin during a wake. After discovering the last two recordings of keening songs, RÓIS was inspired by their ethereal melodies to give them a modern reworking yet honouring the original women by sampling them in her adaption. 'Keeners', through their voices, movements and laments, conveyed the communal expression of grief and allowed those suffering a way to release their sorrow and loss. RÓIS aspires to do the same with 'MO LÉAN', by expressing the power of the voice to transcend death and help us relinquish our fear of it

Das Debüt des transzendentalen Gitarrenmeisters aus dem Jahr 1971, remastered für all eure Sabbat-Bedürfnisse. 37 Minuten ambienter Gitarrenzauberei und der perfekte Soundtrack für das Erwachen des dritten Auges, Lichtalchemie oder Menschenopfer. Mit diesem Werk könnte man eine Sekte gründen. Der kalifornische Versandhandelsmystiker Master Wilburn Burchette wurde erstmals durch seine Anzeigen bekannt, die auf den hinteren Seiten des ,Fate Magazine", von ,Beyond Reality" und ,Gnostica News" versteckt waren. Im Angebot: Burchettes siebenteiliger, im Blockdruckverfahren hergestellter ,Psychic Meditation Course", der den Menschen beibringen sollte, wie man Musik hört. Passend zu seinen Lektionen verkaufte Burchette eine Reihe von Instrumentalplatten mit Gitarren- und Elektronikmusik, die mit kunstvollen, handgezeichneten Cover-Motiven versehen waren und Höranweisungen vom Meister selbst enthielten. Bereits seit seinem zwölften Lebensjahr war Burchette von der Parapsychologie fasziniert und verbrachte ebenso viel Zeit mit dem Lesen von Büchern über die Grundlagen der tibetischen Mystik wie mit dem Üben auf der Gitarre, deren Schwingungen er nutzte, um Klangbilder und -muster zu erschaffen. Nachdem er eine Zeit lang klassische Gitarre unterrichtet hatte, veröffentlichte Meister Wilburn Burchette in den sieben Jahren von 1971 bis 1977 sieben Alben, bevor er abrupt alles, was mit seinen musikalischen Erkundungen zu tun hatte, verbrannte und wegwarf.

Berlin-based duo Disguised land on Mutual Rytm with a splash of signature driving techno on ‘Nightrun’. German-born, Berlin-based pairing Alvaro and Domenik are Disguised, a duo that feels closely connected to their favourite club RSO and its Robus Floor, where most of their musical inspirations happen. They head up their own label, Inherit Records, and also host parties at Berlin's new C115 venue on the Berlin highway. Already this year, they have dropped an impressive collaborative EP with their studio partner and close friend Fabio, aka FANK, who features on this EP with his own vocals. Their sound is always defined by driving drums and hypnotic melodies that build up to intense dancefloor peaks, and here they showcase this to its fullest on their Mutual Rytm label debut via five vinyl-only cuts and three digital bonuses built and crafted to make a lasting impact. The powerful 'Where Thoughts End (ft. FANK)' rises up through the ground like an oncoming train, as drums rumble, synths peel off the groove, and moody voices have you looking over your shoulder. 'Nightrun' is glitchier and more textured, with a fractured energy that keeps you on your toes. 'Crusher Wheels' is a deep, back-lit, and trance-inducing sound made for 4am, while 'Ashes and Algorithms' layers up eerie melodic details with bulky drums for a spare but atmospheric trip. 'All You Find (ft. FANK)' is dubby, greyscale techno with a muscular rhythm and unsettling synths, taut and tensile, balancing right on a knife-edge. Three digital bonuses explore different moods - the subtle melodic touches of 'Silent Pulse', the cosmic energy of 'Sceptre Rd', and the rising optimism of 'Twinfall’.

Fresh from a run of must-check EPs on Syncrophone Recordings, Black Jazz Consortium man Fred Peterkin inaugurates a new label, Base. The New York-based producer appears to be the man at the helm, since his next scheduled release also appears on the freshly minited imprint. He begins with 'There & Back (Long Player)', a languid, mid-tempo chunk of string-laden deep house classiness, before opting for a breezier, dreamier and sunnier sound on the impeccable 'Something For The Road'. Peterkin's ability to fuse looseness, heaviness and subtly soul-flecked instrumentation comes to the fore on EP highlight 'Rhythm & Movement', while 'BTA10711 (4am Mix)' tiptoes the fine line between dubby deep house and spacey, far-sighted futurism.

,Shade Zero" ist das Debütalbum der Flötistin und Komponistin Taiga Ultan, das sich mit dem Verhältnis zwischen Freiheit und Regeln beim Musizieren auseinandersetzt. Anstatt Strukturen abzulehnen, schuf Ultan strenge, selbst auferlegte Systeme und missbrauchte und zerlegte diese dann bewusst. Das Werk basiert auf der Idee, dass Regeln niemals vollständig verschwinden; selbst in freien Spielformen entstehen sie oft stillschweigend und werden durch Gewohnheit gefestigt. Indem er Regeln explizit machte und gegen sie arbeitete, versuchte Ultan, über vertraute Klangwelten und überlieferte Annahmen über Freiheit hinauszugehen. Das Album entfaltet sich in drei miteinander verbundenen Sätzen, beginnend mit virtuosem, tonalem Flötenspiel, das in der klassischen Disziplin verwurzelt ist, sich zu erweiterten Flötentechniken ausdehnt und mit Poesie und persönlicher Reflexion endet. Aufgenommen, abgemischt und produziert von Randall Dunn, präsentiert ,Shade Zero" ein voll ausgearbeitetes künstlerisches Statement einer aufstrebenden Künstlerin mit umfassender klassischer Ausbildung, die heute im ländlichen Maine lebt und arbeitet und damit eine entscheidende Wende hin zu einer selbstdefinierten, prozessorientierten musikalischen Praxis markiert.

Zeitgleich mit dem 40-jährigen Jubiläum der Band wurde Complete B Sides: 1988-97 von Pixies neu remastert und wird 25 Jahre nach seiner ursprünglichen CD-Veröffentlichung erneut herausgebracht. Das Album erscheint als Doppel-LP auf schwarzem Vinyl, als Doppel-LP auf klarem Vinyl sowie als Doppel-CD. Außerdem wird diese Veröffentlichung damit zum ersten Mal überhaupt auf Vinyl gepresst. Complete B Sides versammelt alle B-Seiten aus der klassischen 4AD-Ära der Band und enthält einige der besten "anderen" Songs der Pixies, darunter "Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)", "Into The White" und "The Thing". Ursprünglich 2001 auf CD veröffentlicht, als sich die Band bereits seit fast einem Jahrzehnt in einer Pause befand, enthielt Complete B Sides: 1988-97 alle 19 Nicht-Single-Tracks aus der unglaublichen Reihe von Singles, die die Band zwischen 1988 und 1991 veröffentlichte. Zum Abschluss wurde die instrumentale Version von "Letter to Memphis" hinzugefügt, die zuvor nur auf der US-Version der Veröffentlichung der Alec Eiffel-Maxi-Single erschienen war. Da auf vier Vinylseiten Platz für mehr Musik vorhanden ist, enthält diese aktualisierte Version zusätzlich sechs Live-Tracks, die aus späteren Pixies-Veröffentlichungen stammen, darunter aus der 1997 erschienenen Neuauflage von Debaser. Für diese aktualisierte Edition wurden alle Titel von ihren ursprünglichen analogen Bändern von Kevin Vanbergen neu remastert. Das Ergebnis klingt erstaunlich frisch und vervollständigt zugleich seine umfangreiche Arbeit am gesamten Katalog der Band. Diese neue Vinyl-Edition fungiert außerdem als Begleitstück zur kürzlich erschienenen Compilation Live at the BBC. Designer Chris Bigg (v23) hat dafür ein eindrucksvolles neues Artwork geschaffen und dabei Fotos aus dem Archiv von Simon Larbalestier verwendet, die ursprünglich für die Pixies vorgesehen waren, später jedoch verworfen wurden. Beide arbeiteten seit vielen Jahren mit der Band zusammen und gestalteten beide Veröffentlichungen parallel, um an den verstorbenen visuellen Direktor der Band, Vaughan Oliver, zu erinnern und ihn zu ehren.

Zeitgleich mit dem 40-jährigen Jubiläum der Band wurde Complete B Sides: 1988-97 von Pixies neu remastert und wird 25 Jahre nach seiner ursprünglichen CD-Veröffentlichung erneut herausgebracht. Das Album erscheint als Doppel-LP auf schwarzem Vinyl, als Doppel-LP auf klarem Vinyl sowie als Doppel-CD. Außerdem wird diese Veröffentlichung damit zum ersten Mal überhaupt auf Vinyl gepresst. Complete B Sides versammelt alle B-Seiten aus der klassischen 4AD-Ära der Band und enthält einige der besten "anderen" Songs der Pixies, darunter "Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)", "Into The White" und "The Thing". Ursprünglich 2001 auf CD veröffentlicht, als sich die Band bereits seit fast einem Jahrzehnt in einer Pause befand, enthielt Complete B Sides: 1988-97 alle 19 Nicht-Single-Tracks aus der unglaublichen Reihe von Singles, die die Band zwischen 1988 und 1991 veröffentlichte. Zum Abschluss wurde die instrumentale Version von "Letter to Memphis" hinzugefügt, die zuvor nur auf der US-Version der Veröffentlichung der Alec Eiffel-Maxi-Single erschienen war. Da auf vier Vinylseiten Platz für mehr Musik vorhanden ist, enthält diese aktualisierte Version zusätzlich sechs Live-Tracks, die aus späteren Pixies-Veröffentlichungen stammen, darunter aus der 1997 erschienenen Neuauflage von Debaser. Für diese aktualisierte Edition wurden alle Titel von ihren ursprünglichen analogen Bändern von Kevin Vanbergen neu remastert. Das Ergebnis klingt erstaunlich frisch und vervollständigt zugleich seine umfangreiche Arbeit am gesamten Katalog der Band. Diese neue Vinyl-Edition fungiert außerdem als Begleitstück zur kürzlich erschienenen Compilation Live at the BBC. Designer Chris Bigg (v23) hat dafür ein eindrucksvolles neues Artwork geschaffen und dabei Fotos aus dem Archiv von Simon Larbalestier verwendet, die ursprünglich für die Pixies vorgesehen waren, später jedoch verworfen wurden. Beide arbeiteten seit vielen Jahren mit der Band zusammen und gestalteten beide Veröffentlichungen parallel, um an den verstorbenen visuellen Direktor der Band, Vaughan Oliver, zu erinnern und ihn zu ehren.

4am Kru make a return to vinyl with the Love On The Line EP, an exploration of the familiar, bittersweet story of a romantic relationship between two people, from start to finish.

Across seven tracks led by collaborator Layla Sibelle, we feel every facet of this universal human experience. Exploring the more vulnerable shades of 4am Kru’s proven dancefloor technique, each track on the Love On The Line EP shakes sound systems, while staying true to the record’s emotional core.

From the tingle of excitement depicted on 'Rush', to the disappointment of being let down on ‘Boy’, the relationship ending on ‘Hush Now’, alongside everything in between, Love On The Line EP keeps bodies moving, while pushing the sound and songwriting of 4am Kru in unexpected new directions.

WRWTFWW Records releases THE GENTLE PEOPLE - The Peel Sessions, available on vinyl for the first time ever, in conjunction with the worldwide expanded reissue of the group's Soundtracks for Living. Lounge/Chill Out music reborn !

This is an exclusive 4-song EP recorded in 1997 on BBC's Peel Sessions, as The Gentle People were doing the rounds for the release of their legendary debut album. These live versions have never seen the light of day before - a must have for all the gentle fans !
When The Gentle People first glided into the mid-90s on clouds of strings, sugar and sine waves, they sounded like visitors from another, more glamorous planet. Signed to Richard D. James and Grant Wilson-Claridge's cult label Rephlex, this multinational "E-Z-Core" lounge unit took the aesthetics of 50s/60s easy listening and exotica and gently smuggled them into 1990s club culture.

Imagine KLF's Chill Out or Space growing up on French 60/70s pop, bossa nova, soundtracks, vocal harmony groups, library music and easy listening then slipping out for a late-night date with dub, ambient techno and bubble-bath pop. That's The Gentle People : music that can score cocktail hour, 4am taxi rides, and daydreams in headphones with the same effortless grace.

The Gentle People weren't just a curiosity on a weird label; they became unlikely icons of a whole loungecore moment, gracing TV, compilations and magazine spreads, and proving that tenderness could be as futuristic as any drum machine.

Roy Porter Sound Machine's 1975 follow-up to their 1971 debut, Inner Feelings, drifted deeper into Blaxploitation-era grooves by layering flanged guitars, jazzy horns, undulating basslines and electric piano licks with plenty of the flair that defined their standout debut album, Jessica. Standout track 'Panama' gets its first 7" outing here via a Muro re-edit alongside the original vocal version. The instrumental has busy keys and punchy drums, while the vocal adds bustling character and playful conversation, bringing a lively narrative to the tight funk framework. A seamless bridge between jazz sophistication and cinematic soul that shows off Porter's adventurous spirit and groove mastery.

Der Erfinder der "Infinite Guitar", der kanadische Musiker Michael Brook, schuf mit seinem 1992 bei 4AD erschienenen Album Cobalt Blue eine zeitlose und leise überwältigende Sammlung instrumentaler Stücke und schimmernder Klanglandschaften. Mit Beiträgen des Ambient-Pioniers Brian Eno, des Komponisten und Multiinstrumentalisten Roger Eno sowie des Grammy-prämierten Produzenten Daniel Lanois. Live at the Aquarium, später im selben Jahr aufgenommen, dokumentiert einen seltenen Soloauftritt Brooks in London und hebt das hypnotische Sustain und die atmosphärische Tiefe hervor, die sein Werk prägen. Über seine Alben hinaus komponierte Brook Filmmusiken für gefeierte Filme wie Into the Wild, Brooklyn und An Inconvenient Truth. Neu remastert von Rashad Becker und präsentiert als kristallklares 2LP-Set mit Artwork von Alison Fielding auf Basis der originalen v23-Designs, markiert diese Veröffentlichung die erste Vinyl-Wiederauflage von Cobalt Blue sowie das Vinyl-Debüt von Live at the Aquarium - eine längst überfällige Würdigung eines unterschätzten Juwels im 4AD-Katalog.

Sleater-Kinney feiern das 30-jährige Jubiläum ihres zweiten Albums ,Call the Doctor" mit einer neuen Vinyl-Ausgabe auf "Northern Light"-farbenem Vinyl. Sleater-Kinney ist eine gefeierte amerikanische Rockband, die 1994 in Olympia, Washington, gegründet wurde. Die Kernbesetzung der Band besteht aus Corin Tucker (Gesang und Gitarre), Carrie Brownstein (Gitarre und Gesang) und Janet Weiss (Schlagzeug). Sleater-Kinney waren bekannt für ihre feministische, linksgerichtete Politik und waren ein fester Bestandteil der Riot-Grrrl- und Indie-Rock-Szene im pazifischen Nordwesten. Call the Doctor ist Sleater-Kinneys zweites Studioalbum. Es wurde von John Goodmanson produziert und ursprünglich am 25. März 1996 bei Chainsaw Records veröffentlicht. Das Album wird oft als Sleater-Kinneys erstes richtiges Album angesehen, da Tucker und die Co-Sängerin und Gitarristin Carrie Brownstein zum Zeitpunkt der Aufnahmen ihre früheren Bands, Heavens to Betsy und Excuse 17, verlassen hatten. Die Besetzung bestand aus Corin Tucker (Gesang, Gitarre), Carrie Brownstein (Gitarre, Gesang) und Lora Macfarlane (Schlagzeug, Gesang). Call the Doctor landete 1996 auf Platz drei der ,Pazz & Jop"-Kritikerumfrage von The Village Voice. 2010 wurde das Album von der Redaktion des Rolling Stone auf Platz 49 der Liste der 100 besten Alben der Neunziger gewählt. ,Sleater-Kinney ist Amerikas beste Rockband" - Greil Marcus, Time (2001). ,Tauscht Sexarbeiterinnen-Rollenspiele, Puppenteile, Gender-Bending und andere gängige Female-Rock-Klischees gegen Geschichten vom alltäglichen Kampf ... Sleater-Kinney beweist, dass Punk immer noch neue Wege bietet, Nein zu sagen" - Johnny Ray Huston, SPIN

2026 Repress

A further exercise in musical curation, Child Of Nature is our latest sonic confluence of self-released tracks from the loners, hippies and outsiders of the 70s and early 80s. A collection of privately pressed music, able to breathe and be created free from the constraints of heavy handed commercialism, yielding a pure vision of artistic expression. Child Of Nature features ten songs of brooding soft rock and psychedelic folk steeped in melancholia. Some ache for better times or past lovers, while others seek spiritual fulfilment or social progress.
A compilation to evoke the raw and unobstructed, to summon the occult, to fundamentally conjure a vivid portrait of our untamed natural environment. Recorded on the north coast of California, Luellen Reese’s ethereal “Silvery Waterfalls” drifts and swirls with electric guitar as her unearthly vocals transcend across a seven minute opus, fit for the golden age of labels like 4AD or Dedicated. “The flowers are dancing just for you …”, Reggie Russell croons over glistening Key Of Creek’s title track “Child Of Nature”, evoking a utopian world of natural harmony free from the present day realities of industrial decay.
Tap into your inner primal being, to embrace wholeheartedly, with frivolity and without reserve, your own child of nature.

Cindytalk has remained a majestic proposition over the decades, one marked by a continued process of disintegration and regeneration. Change has been a constant for Cindytalk, as has been the presence of the Scottish musician Cinder, who has fronted the project since the early '80s. The first Cindytalk albums embraced a dark theatricality of post-punk dissonance and abject rock deconstruction that coupled industrial dirges with Cinder's beatific vocals, these same vocals that were once plied to the earliest This Mortal Coil and Cocteau Twins recordings,forever binding Cinder to the 4AD lore. But even on those albums, Camouflage Heart and In This World, Cinder was pushing the band to embrace the studio as a tool for further abstraction of sodden drones, cobwebbed dark elegance, and decayed textures.

By the early aughts, Cinder had reimagined Cindytalk through the granular processes of digitalia with a handful of equally celebrated works of glitch-born expressionism for Editions Mego. Cinder explains that "those elements were growing roots under our sound and had started to organically change the shape of what we were doing. The fucked-up rock music was in retreat and the electro-acoustic abstractions were becoming apparent. Fast forward to the early part of the 21st Century and my first laptop. It seemed natural where I needed to begin that part of my new sonic journey. To further explore those and new territories. Sunset and Forever is intrinsically connected to what came before."

Sunset and Forever is a labyrinthine opus, one that returns to the themes of the sacred and profane that have rippled through all of Cindytalk's recordings, albeit in various guises. The opening track "Embers of Last Leaves" is a haunted piece of undulated, cyclical tones that entwine into a sorrowful chorale with Cinder's own voice. Thumps of electronic drum kicks and bass drops dot the apocalyptic menace of "Tower of the Sun" but serve not as a rhythmic grid, but as painterly noises that further disrupt and disturb the machined dissonance. A cinematic radioluminescence blooms from the tempered electronics within "For Those Eyes, Shadows Of Flowers." The finale "I See Her in Everywhere" bookends the opening number with a seemingly human chorus build from electronic tones cast in cathedral reverence. Sounds throughout may appear adjacent to those of Fennesz, Holly Herndon, or even Lovesliescrushing from time to time, but Sunset and Forever remains purely Cindytalk.

Cover designed by Chris Bigg, known for his iconic design work for 4AD. Mastered by James Plotkin.

Big Thief will release their sixth studio album, Double Infinity, on 5 September 2025.

Double Infinity is the follow-up to 2022’s Grammy-nominated album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, recorded last winter at the Power Station, New York City. For three solid weeks, the trio would ride bicycles on frozen streets between Brooklyn and Manhattan, meeting in Power’s Station’s warm wood-panelled room. Together with a community of musicians (Alena Spanger, Caleb Michel, Hannah Cohen, Jon Nellen, Joshua Crumbly, June McDoom, Laraaji, Mikel Patrick Avery, Mikey Buishas) they would play for nine hours a day, tracking together – simultaneously – improvising arrangements and making collective discoveries. Double Infinity was produced, engineered and mixed by longtime Big Thief collaborator Dom Monks.

“How can beauty that is living be anything but true?” Adrianne asks as she drives nose against the future with childhood mementos on ‘Incomprehensible’. She understands, “everything I see from now on will be something new.” The silver hairs on her shoulders are new as well. Yet fear of aging is cracked by proof. If a life is shaped by living, “Let gravity be my sculptor, let the wind do my hair.” Being born, then staying a while, remains the greatest mystery. Adrianne claims her place and time. “Incomprehensible, let me be.”







g 7. Grandmother ft. Laraaji







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[g] 7. Grandmother [ft. Laraaji]







[g] B2. Grandmother [ft. Laraaji]







[g] B2. Grandmother [ft. Laraaji]

Edition of 200 hand-numbered records, each housed in a custom Rosy womb French paper jacket with letterpress + a unique hand-cut found photo memory fragment on each cover with newsprint insert. Every copy has a different cover.

An archival release by short-lived post-punk, Brooklyn duo Möthersky. Xander Hing, with South African origins, vocals and guitar on Side A, bass + vocals on Side B. Richard Vergez, visual artist and Noir Age label owner, fuzz bass + drums on Side A and guitar + synths + drums on Side B. Played the Nothing Changes party in 2013. Shared bills with acts such as Cindytalk, Black Rain, Eric Random, Das Ding, and Drew McDowall.

Reviewed in The Wire magazine:

First single by this Brooklyn based duo named after the classic track on Can's Soundtracks LP. Their basic approach remains bottom-heavy in the vein of early Factory and 4AD units, but the guitar angles up top have gotten more slithery. Far less doom-ridden than their earlier work, this still stirs up dark waters aplenty. And it has a lovely package of which I think Peter Saville would approve."

-Byron Coley, The Wire

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.

To mark a decade as one of Ibiza's most iconic musical sanctuaries, Hostal La Torre announces 'La Torre Ibiza Volumen Cinco', a new compilation curated by long-standing residents Pete Gooding and Mark Barrott. Released June 27 on CD and double vinyl, the 15-track collection captures the spirit of the venue that has come to define the golden-hour soundtrack ofthe island's west coast.

Since opening in 2015, La Torre has established itself as a bastion of Balearic culture-set high on the cliffs overlooking the sea, where music flows with the sun rather than the clock. The fifth volume in the celebrated La Torre series is a journey through Brazilian soul, ambient electronica, classic deep house, orchestral minimalism, and dusk-lit Detroit techno-an emotional arc designed to mirror the progression of an evening at the venue.

From timeless icons like Nina Simone, Mazzy Star, Talk Talk (with their Spirit of Eden closer "Wealth"), and Boards of Canada, to boundary-pushers like Auntie Flo, Eden Burns, and µ-Ziq (aka Mike Paradinas), Volumen Cinco weaves together deep-rooted classics and leftfield discoveries. Mark Barrott contributes a brand-new exclusive, 'When Devils Become Gods', while the compilation closes on a rare gem from Yellow Magic Orchestra's Yukihiro Takahashi. Also includedis Software's 'Present Voice', a quietly powerful tribute to the late José Padilla, the spiritual architect of Ibiza's sunset sound.

Volumen Cinco is more than just a listening experience-it's a tribute to La Torre's ethos: open-hearted, genre-fluid, rooted in place and time. Each track is carefully sequenced to evoke a feeling, a shift in light, or a shared memory beneath the fading sun.

Over the years, La Torre has welcomed some of the most influential names in Balearic and electronic music, from José Padilla, Alfredo, and Jon Sa Trinxa to DJ Harvey, David Holmes, Lovefingers, Heidi Lawden, Wolf Müller, Don Carlos, and Phil Mison. With each summer season and each release, the venue continues to build a musical legacy that has earned critical acclaim from Resident Advisor, Phonica Records, Juno, and Piccadilly Records, regularly featuring in their year-end lists.

As Test Pressing once wrote, "La Torre is not a party, it's a place of pilgrimage. It feels almost sacred." That spirit resonates deeply in this anniversary compilation-a celebration of music, community, and connection that spans a decade.

La Torre Ibiza Volumen Cinco is dedicated to the artists, friends, collaborators, and guests who've shaped its story so far-and to everyone who continues to gather, listen, and lose track of time as the sun slips beneath the horizon.

Repress!

Emotional Rescue and Utopia Originals join forces to release the pop, new wave, funk of Obscure Desire, a one-off project and EP from effervescent 80s Auckland, New Zealand that saw three friends come together to make a perfect piece of club pop history.

Revolving around the musical talent of Andrew Waldergrave, a trained pianist, music degree drop-out, who moved to the island’s cultural centre of Auckland and emersed himself in the arts and nightlife scene the city had to offer.

Working at Obscure Desire, a Fashion Boutique meets Salon, he became friends with Grant Mitchell and Giselle Trezevant, together forming not a band, but as they saw it, a project to make a record for their scene and beyond.

Coming from outside of the established band route of endless rehearsals, local gigs, growing a fan base and home recordings, they fell did not have the support network of indigenous New Zealand labels. As so often the case in unearthing these lost reissue gems, the artists took matters into their own hands, seeking to write, record and release themselves.

After meeting Trevor Reekie, head of the local Pagan Records label, he took on production duties. Collating the necessary musicians, the project grew from the one song to become a full EP, recording between a home 16 track studio and a full 24 track desk at Harlequin Studios.

Centred around the title song, it is a perfect pop moment. Waldergrave’s piano leads into an infectious groove of slap bass, gated drums, Reekie’s acoustic guitar and cut vocals, before Trezevant’s vocals propel the song to an 80s swing out vibrations. Coming in Extended, Harlequin and Instrumental (digital only) mixes, this was an overload of White Funk.

Here reduced to the best two versions, more room is given to let the other recordings breathe, first the gloriously anthemic instrumental Bullet. Intricate programming and production, lead into the pop sensibility of I Wonder, some kind of wonderful antipodean reimagining of Chris & Cosey finest pop moments, an optimistic paene that permeates the whole EP. Closing 4A, espouses the Jazz Funk, with Trezevant’s simple French lyrics telling of dreams of a lover’s image.

Released in 1986 with no local support from radio and TV, it became something of a “hit” record in New Zealand’s more discerning clubs, however the members soon moved to London and the project remained a one-off moment. Over time the EP has gained cult status to become globally desired that sees copies of the original 12” selling for $000s. Now at last available for a global reach, while remaining a personal, uplifting moment of time.

New full-length LP from Toronto producer, DJ and recording artist Tony Price on his Maximum Exposure label. Tony Price is a multi-time Juno and Polaris Prize nominated producer, having worked on a wide variety of records on labels like 4AD, DFA, Slumberland and more. Host of “The Maximum Exposure Power Hour” on NTS Radio

“Requiem For The Ontario Science Centre” is Tony’s ninth full-length LP since 2017, following a series of acclaimed records on labels like L.I.E.S. Records and Telephone Explosion which received coverage and reviews from established outlets like Pitchfork and Resident Advisor. “Requiem For The Ontario Science Centre” pays homage to the beloved 1960’s Canadian landmark and renowned brutalist architectural marvel, which was abruptly closed in the summer of 2024.

The album features longtime collaborator and Caribou touring band member Colin Fisher on Saxophone. The music is Rich with kaleidoscopic saxophone loops, surrealist sound collages, and retro-futuristic synthesizer mirages and will surely resonate with fans of Boards of Canada, Terry Riley and Don Cherry’s “Brown Rice”

The National veröffentlichen mit "Rome" am 13. Dezember ein komplettes Live-Album mit 21 Tracks auf Doppel-Vinyl, als Doppel-CD und natürlich digital.

Das Konzert wurde am 3. Juni 2024 in Italien live (ohne Overdubs) aufgenommen wurde. Das Doppelalbum, welches von Peter Katis, einem langjährigen Begleiter der Band, abgemischt wurde, spannt einen Bogen über die mehr als 20 Jahre der Karriere von The National und zeigt, wie jeder Song auf der Bühne sein ganz eigenes und neues Leben entfaltet hat. Man muss diese Band live gesehen haben, die mittlerweile Stadien und große Arenen füllt. Warum das so ist, hört man auf "Rome". Aufgenommen in dem architektonisch beeindruckenden und nach dem berühmten italienischen Filmkomponisten benannten Veranstaltungsort "Parco Della Musica Ennio Morricone", zeigt die 21-Track-LP schillernde Versionen großer Songs wie "Bloodbuzz Ohio", "Don"t Swallow the Cap", "I Need My Girl", "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness", "England" und "Fake Empire" - so wie Live-Interpretationen neuerer Tracks wie "Eucalyptus", "New Order T-Shirt", "Tropic Morning News" und "Smoke Detector". Die Band ändert ihre Setlist von Abend zu Abend, spielt Klassiker aus zwei Jahrzehnten und kombiniert diese mit Tracks aus den letzten Alben - kein Konzert ist wie das andere und beschert den Zuschauern jedes Mal im wahrsten Sinne ein einzigartiges Erlebnis. "Rome" ist geprägt von Raritäten wie dem Show-Opener "Runaway", "Lemonworld", "The Geese of Beverly Road", "Lit Up" und einer Tour-de-Force-Paarung von "Humiliation" vom von der Kritik gefeierten Album "Trouble Will Find Me" mit "Murder Me Rachael" von dem früheren Album "Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers". Als Zugabe gibt es in Rom die Wahlkampfhymne "Mr. November", "Terrible Love" von High Violet und das abschließende Fan-Singalong "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks". In ihrer Live-Kritik bezeichnete der Guardian The National als "eine die Ära definierende Band auf dem Höhepunkt ihrer Kräfte... als dieses atemberaubende zweieinhalbstündige Epos zu einer gemeinschaftlichen Katharsis wird". Auch der Rolling Stone UK schrieb: "Es ist klar, dass die Band...ihren Platz an der Spitze seit einem Jahrzehnt verdient hat.... Eine Show, die einfach euphorisch ist und die Band auf einem neuen Höhepunkt sieht." Das Doppel-Livealbum "Rome" ist das Zeugnis dafür.

Fresh off a rework of Papa Levi with single Ribena, London’s jungle pioneers 4am Kru drop their highly anticipated debut album Incognito Rhythm featuring all the tracks that have cemented their reputation as the go-to act for raw, live jungle music.

Having already taken the 2024 festival circuit by storm with appearances at Outlook Origins, Boomtown, Boardmasters, Reading+ Leeds, The Blind Tiger, Parklife Waterworks, Boundary and a milestone Saturday night closing set at Glastonbury’s Temple Stage, 4am Kru continue to draw audiences into the madness of their raucous blend of 1993-1994 influenced jungle. First bursting onto the scene post-lockdown, the falling monitors and flying bodies of their shows were particularly thrilling for ravers who had turned 18 in isolation.

Originally developing their live sound in indie bands while sharing a studio in Tottenham, the duo quickly realized that the traditional DJ set couldn’t contain the energy of their act. They have since surrendered to the chaos of their incredibly physical performances, nursing chipped bones and back injuries, deep finger taping, chalking up and wearing shoes designed for skipping rope whilst rewiring what it meant to move their bodies. Their innovation extends to the equipment, with the duo reinventing a way to deliver their signature throbbing basslines with a Roland SPD SX drum pad as thick as a car tire. Their upcoming UK tour this October promises to further showcase their immersive, disruptive sound.

4am Kru’s latest single Ribena breathed new life into Papa Levi’s iconic British reggae classic Militancy following the release of hard-hitting Wutt this past July, setting the stage for their most ambitious project yet. Their debut album draws from a wide range of influences in addition to 4am Kru’s signature blend of 90s jungle flavours, from obscure slow jam R&B like Angela Bofill, Janet Jackson and Prince, early hardcore bands like Hüsker Dü, off kilter Scottish folk, and even classical music. The project is a snapshot of the incognito, nocturnal world that the duo have dwelled in for the past two years, a time capsule of well-worn songs played between midnight and 4am. An extraordinary debut, 4am Kru’s Incognito Rhythm is an immersive, razor sharp, face melting journey through their show-stopping live sound.

Drumcode is excited to welcome back Rebuke for his first release of 2022 with the sci-fi inspired three-tracker ‘Dystopia’.

The Irishman has been a standout contributor on the label since his debut in 2019 with ‘Rattle’, a classic of the form. Follow up releases ‘Obscurity’ and ‘Wasp’ subsequently stamped him as an infallible go-to producer for Adam Beyer thanks to his ability to create powerful techno music with a memorable sound signature.

A dynamic cut made for 4am raving, ‘Dystopia’ chops and changes between an unsettling melody line and a barrage of buzzing synths as it builds towards a propulsive finish. No surprise it was a thrilling highlight when Beyer played it at Gashouder during Awakenings’ Easter programming.

‘Utopia’ is the lightness to ‘Dystopia’s’ dark. A superbly inventive and colourful track, it soars skywards with reams of euphoric techno energy and multi-layered sounds and stands as one of Rebuke’s most interesting tracks to date. Those in attendance at Circoloco @ DC10 when the Drumcode boss played in May got an advanced preview.
‘Presidio’, so named after the park in San Diego that inspired the track, is imbued with a distinct melodic character reflective of the West Coast music scene. The track is driven by a soaring chord progression and gritty rock-orientated sonics and makes for an exhilarating closing track.

Spanning over 14 tracks, the new Grimes album features collaborations with Janelle Monae and newcomer, Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes. It was recorded primarily in her home studio in Los Angeles, CA, where she relocated to in 2014. Like all of her previous albums, 'Art Angels' was written and recorded entirely as a solo endeavor. The new album features more live instrumentation than ever before on a Grimes record. She plays piano, guitar and violin, continuing her evolution as a musician and a producer for her most ambitious album to date.
LP - with 14 Exclusive Art Prints designed by Grimes and Download.
CD - With two bonus tracks to the LP.

Nervous Records, the iconic label synonymous with the rise of house from the streets of New York City, will mark 30 years in the music industry by releasing the celebratory compilation LP ‘Nervous Records: 30 Years’ on October 1st (Part 1) and October 15th (Part 2).

Featuring original mixes of the label’s biggest tracks, plus remixes by some of its most celebrated acts, ‘Nervous Records: 30 Years’ is both a celebration of the past and of the future. Featuring a who’s who of electronic dance music, the long player sees names including Louie Vega, David Morales Darius Syrossian, Tensnake, Monki, Franky Rizardo, Danny Howard and more take on iconic Nervous cuts: ‘You Make Me Feel Mighty Real’, ‘Treat Me Right’, ‘Future Groove’, ‘Feel Like Singing’, ‘Get Up Everybody’, ‘Break You’, ‘Hot’, ‘End This Hate’, ‘Unspeakable Joy’, ‘Can Ya Tell Me’, ‘Jerk It’, ‘The Anthem’, ‘It Makes A Difference’, ‘Learn 2 Luv’ and ‘Don’t You Ever Give Up’.

The album marks one of the most enduring, extraordinary legacies to grace America’s illustrious music history, not just in electronica but far beyond. Founded in 1991 by Michael and his father Sam Weiss, and recognizable immediately by its distinctive character logo, the label grew rapidly, in no small part due to Michael Weiss’ practically unmatched passion for discovering new music.

“Louie Vega and Kenny Dope woke me at 4am on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning from their studio telling me they had something really different that I needed to hear,” Michael recollects. “I asked if they could play it over the phone. They said if I wanted to hear it I had to come to the studio. So of course I got myself up, got dressed and went there. That “really different track” ended up being ‘The Nervous Track’, a tune that became our signature release and was also highly instrumental in the emergency of London’s ‘Broken Beat’ movement.”

The label’s willingness to take chances on fresh sounds and innovative concepts rising up from the melting pot sidewalks of NYC ensured a body of work that has become a living musical history of the city. House cuts ‘Unspeakable Joy’ and ‘Nitelife’ (Kim English), ‘Get Up (Everybody)’ (Byron Stingily) and ‘Feel Like Singing’ (Sandy B) bump up against hip-hop anthems like ‘Who Got Da Props’ (Black Moon) and “Bucktown” (Smif-n-Wessun) and reggae cut ‘Take It Easy’ (Mad Lion); soulful flows from Mood II Swing (Kim English ‘Learn 2 Luv’, Loni Clark “Rushing”), Armand Van Helden (‘The Anthem’) and Nuyorican Soul (‘Mind Fluid’) sit alongside seminal techno singles like Winx’ ‘Don’t Laugh’. The young artists and producers who joined the Nervous Records’ family have gone on to become some of the most hallowed and celebrated dance acts of all time: Louie Vega, Kenny Dope, David Morales, Tony Humphries, Roger Sanchez, Armand Van Helden, Kerri Chandler, Kim English, Byron Stingily, Josh Wink, to name just a handful.

“We did a release with Josh Wink under his Winx alias entitled ‘Nervous Build-Up’,” Michael said. “It did well and it was obvious how talented Josh was. Subsequent to that release I was pretty persistent in asking him to continue to play me his new demos. During one phone conversation he said, “Mike I’m gonna play you something over the phone but don’t laugh when you hear it.” That demo ended up being ‘Don’t Laugh’, which became one of our biggest international hits and still to this day is one of America’s earliest and most impactful techno hits.”

As much a celebration of the label’s future as it is of their past, Nervous Records: 30 Years is but a marker in the imprints’ history, a clear sign of where they’ve been and also where they’re going. With 30 years behind them, the label’s determination to unearth new raw diamonds in the rough is as unwavering as ever.

“I’ve always been one to look at what others are doing (the industry at large) and think, “ok, are they doing this specific thing for a reason, or doing it because everyone else is doing the same thing” and make my decision based on that,” says Nervous Records’ General Manager Andrew Salsano. “In an age where data metrics and analytics reign supreme, I remain steadfast that they should be complementary to your decision and not the sole indicator to make one. So many songs today are written with 15 second hooks in mind for social media, and while there’s nothing wrong with that business model you will always be chasing the wave instead of carving out your own path and identity.

“My primary focus for the sound of the label has and will continue to revolve around signing good songs and music that has the ability to react at the street level first. The best results come from artists that are firstly given a bit of local love that grows into a global impact. Fresh ideas that express child-like curiosity and artists showing vulnerability in their music are also something I look for, artists and producers that are not making music with certain markets in mind, but rather their own style and signature that is unique but able to straddle the fine line of underground and overground.”

Still as raw, as underground and as finely tuned to the dance floor as they ever have been, perhaps the secret to the success - and the longevity - of Nervous Records has something to do with that hard, dogged, no-holds-barred NYC edge that runs through the veins of the label. With the next generation of producers rising from the clubs of New York, one thing is certain; Nervous Records will be there to find them, nurture them and bring them to the world at large, over the next decade and beyond.

Kaiso Power is a collection of rare jazz, calypso and percussive gems from Trinidad and Tobago from the revolutionary generation of the 1970s, bringing radical new political vision and reclaiming ancient spiritual consciousness through music. At the dawn of the 70s a shift was taking place all around the world. The streets of Port of Spain thronged with Black Power marches, trade union demonstrations and Carnival protest bands - one epicentre in a growing global exchange of ideologies and strategies among Pan Africanist circles in Jamaica, Guyana, London, New York, Montreal, Lagos, Accra and beyond. And when the meetings were over, the revolution moved to the cramped secret dance halls, the Carnival fetes, the steelband yards. The music always had a sharp edge. Searing commentary has always been part of the various types of music in Trinidad, and in the absence of lyrics, the defiant use of the drum maintains the resistance, as well as the re-framing of the playing of European instruments to the needs of the message. Lancelot Layne, Delano Abdul Malik De Coteau, Andre Tanker, Clive Zanda, Mansa Musa were more than artists, they were teachers, community workers and advocates for justice. These recordings are as raw as an all-night Carnival jam, the horns loud, the percussion ringing out, the bass dripping with joy and rebellion. Under the modern influences is a solid rhythm, an unbroken connection to Africa, the songs and keys and cadences brought across the middle passage. These songs are a peep into the untapped treasures of a revolutionary generation, looking at the world with fresh eyes and believing that music was a central part of the mission to build consciousness and regain confidence.

Following the tradition of Derek Bailey, Henry Kaiser and Sonny Sharrock albums on Celluloid Records, the label is releasing this abstract and mysterious instrumental album, made under a cryptic name:AA in Reverse, by nqthqn. Recorded shortly afterlast year"s Ghostbox Cowboy, released on Tailnia Records out of China, this new effort digs deeper into what critics describe as buzzards circling the half-dead body of Harry Dean Stanton in Paris, Texas. The project curiously explores what it might be like to create no-wave abstract guitar music by a campfire, as inaugurated by Arto Lindsay, Loren Connors or John Fahey. AA in Reverse was recorded and engineered by David Akerman (Robin Hitchcock, Dead Farmers) at Golden Retriever Studios (Parcels, Cate Le Bon, Courtney Barnett) in Marrickville. nqthqn will be touring Japan this April.