Cerca:lies

By 2004, dub had a history stretching back more than thirty years. This remarkable longevity can easily be explained by the evolving nature of this musical genre, which is constantly changing both artistically and technically, from Kingston to London, New York, and more recently Berlin, Paris, Lyon and Saint-Étienne. For example, it is worth noting that for some years now, in France and elsewhere, a good number of artists have been thinking in terms of dub from the outset, breaking free from the original Jamaican model, which involved drawing inspiration almost systematically from an existing vocal track. Thirty years on, with the release of their second album, Brain Damage aim to reconnect with this tradition. Recent collaborations with the two vocalists, Learoy Green and Black Sifichi, have indeed provided the ideal source material for the creation of five tracks, each rendered in their respective dub versions, thus forming an album with a symmetrical, even geometric character - from its very structure right down to its title: 'Ashes to ashes / Dub to dub'. At the heart of the project lies the astute choice of two guests, each operating in diametrically opposed spheres yet brought together for the occasion, thereby emphasising a certain 'unity of the circle': 'the unity of the circle'. Born of a genuine artistic vision, this geometric, symmetrical aesthetic-omnipresent in every detail of the album, both auditory and visual-complements Brain Damage's 'square' and robotic side, with its three-dimensional evocations. Always working in close collaboration with the very latest digital technologies. This brings to mind 'the balance of the cube'. Finally, the title itself, 'Ashes to ashes / Dub to dub', should be understood as a reference to the transience of all things in this world, against a backdrop of widespread, globalised, international, national and local crises_

In collaborating with iconic vocalists Matthew K. Heafy (Trivium), Josh Middleton (Sylosis) and Anthony Lucero (Cult Leader), Burner take a striking step forward to claim new territory while consolidating their extreme and unique sound into the heaviest and bleakest incarnation of their craft yet. Vocalist Harry Nott elaborates on the themes behind the new album: "If It All Returns To Nothing looked outwards to the world's chaos throughout history, No One Is Coming To Save Us instead looks inwards at its proposed cause; humanity's violent, animalistic nature, begging us for change. This is an album about human behaviour: that people create endless cycles of violence by repeating the mistakes of the past, forging a brutal history that we fail to learn from. But, at the same time, the album is about questioning whether we can ever get past those sins and repetitions. This is a record that is mournful as much as it is angry and engaged. It longs to bitterly recall the moments of greatness and sacrifice in our shared history that created the better world we currently destroy. It longs to look back at these moments for inspiration and optimism, at a time where it feels like hope is running thin. The album is also a struggle for hope, not just that humanity can overcome hatred and violence, but that we can look back on our greatest moments and take courage to build a better world. No One Is Coming To Save Us reflects this duality in its title: that no one will come to save us from the violence and tragedy we create as part of our humanity. But it also proposes that it's up to us to change - to overcome a violent human nature and usher in a better tomorrow."

"Echtes Nu-Metal-Erbe auf Vinyl: eigenständige 1LP auf klassischem 140g Black Vinyl – das wegweisende 2010er Album, mit dem Korn zu ihren rohen Wurzeln zurückkehrten.


Legendäre Kollaboration mit Ross Robinson: Produziert vom Ur-Mastermind des Nu-Metal (u.a. Korn-Debüt, Life Is Peachy), eingefangen in schmutziger, ungeschönter Vintage-Produktionsweise ohne Pro-Tools-Politur.


Sammlerfreundliche Ausstattung: Hochwertiges Single-Pocket-Jacket mit 4/4-farbig bedruckter Innenhülle, Inlay-Design und exklusivem Marketing-Sticker direkt auf der Folie."

Tucked in the heart of Koreatown, Los Angeles, lies The Libra Hotel—the titular architecture of Nick Malkin's new album and site of his musical and psychogeographic exploration. Unlike most musical "site-specific" studies, Malkin remains wholly ambivalent to the documentarian approach, instead sharpening an auteur-like focus on the site as a conceptual and highly expressive backdrop. The Libra is musically explored as a space that houses a noir fragmentation of identity—the exhausted trope of a complicated protagonist walking through rain-soaked street corners and fumy neon lights—where an inner monologue is rendered in both miniature and at a cosmic scale. Casting aside stifling tropes around field recording, ambient, and improvised music, Malkin's work finds its own unique fidelity and emotional core through the assembly and reassembly of memory. Nearly every sound on the album—from frayed saxophones, lambent pianos, and dissected jazz drum kits—are multiplied, shattered, and reconstituted into shapes that adorn The Libra in a motion-blurred fog. The narrative of the Hotel suddenly appears as if out of the mist, with intersecting characters interacting within its walls by happenstance. Adminst the languid set pieces, wraith-like sonic grains gravitate around wide subbass beams that give structural form to The Libra, a narrative tension like when a scene is shot from hundreds of different perspectives: an image both luminous and veiled.

Much like Frank Sinatra's own spatial residency immortalized on "Live at The Sands," "At The Libra Hotel" showcases an exuberant view of entertainment, hospitality, and a form of masculinity, one that can quickly detourn into darkness. Knowing this, Malkin extracts a melancholic core out of The Libra locale. The flickering shadows of American decadence are shown in their ephemeral honesty, lines that trace how even in everyday life virtue is tested, sanity is tested, even reality is tested within the confines of desire, within the night. The album is draped in fleeting textures, carefully arranged with a trance-like microtonality, the faint inflections and articulations of a jazz band cascading into dissipated stillness. Voicemails about changed locations and covert eavesdropping on guests' whispered conversations provide an atmosphere of missed connection and voyeurism—a purloined letter of desire receding into a vanishing point. Like the music itself, The Hotel, a chapel perilous at the intersection of desolation row, the center of it all, yet simultaneously at the edge of town, becomes a structure between libidinous virtuality and actuality—our inevitable half-light.

Ultimately, the pensive atmosphere of "At The Libra Hotel," powerfully asserts a plea for the kinds of intimacy only possible in transient spaces. Here, memory cascades into a force that feels like something supernatural, perhaps even religious, yet always subject to the infidelity of our imagination. Here, the album opens into its primary psychodrama, the transient nature of subjectivity itself and how this becomes fractured in the tumult between our commitments and desires. Within this nocturnal space, to quote Louise Bourgeois, "you pile up associations the way you pile up bricks. Memory itself is a form of architecture."

The Homesick sind ein abenteuerlustiges niederländisches Trio, das Stile wie Post-Punk, Krautrock, New Wave und experimentellen Pop mit furchtloser Neugier und Hingabe meisterhaft miteinander verschmilzt. Frei von Dogmen und doch rastlos romantisch, haben sich THE HOMESICK über mehrere Alben hinweg immer wieder neu erfunden - vom mitreißenden Debütalbum *Youth Hunt* bis hin zum barock angehauchten Durchbruchsalbum *The Big Exercise*, das bei Sub Pop erschien. Auf ihrem dritten, unabhängig veröffentlichten selbstbetitelten Album - entstanden in der Zeit nach der Pandemie - verschmolz das Trio sein breites Referenzspektrum zu einem schlankeren, pulsierenden Sound. Nun, auf ihrem vierten Album (und dem ersten bei Siluh Records), haben The Homesick in zehn Tracks ihre ganz eigene, höchst einfallsreiche und durchweg unterhaltsame Version von Clubmusik geschmiedet. Dabei schaffen sie einen mitreißenden Fluss zwischen den Stücken und pendeln mühelos zwischen der eingängigen, von City-Pop inspirierten Lead-Single ,Esperanto", dem von 808-Beats getragenen Herzschmerz-Song ,Policelessness" und der märchenhaften Disco-Nummer ,The Bees". Um diese funktionale und zugleich fantastische Tanz-Odyssee zu realisieren, holten sich The Homesick ein viertes Paar Ohren zur Unterstützung ins Boot. Der in Amsterdam ansässige Produzent und Künstler Rimer London - eine Schlüsselfigur sowohl im Mainstream als auch im Underground - verlieh dem Material seine eigene, markante und pop-orientierte Note, nachdem das Trio seine Tüfteleien im Studio abgeschlossen hatte. Dieser frische kreative Schub half der Band, sich an pop-geschukten Vorbildern zu orientieren, etwa beim sinnlichen ,Love off the Leash" oder dem wehmütigen West-Coast-Pop von ,Hey". Indem sie stärker auf clubbige, von den 80ern inspirierte Sounds setzten als auf den disharmonischen Post-Punk früherer Tage, ließ sich das Trio oft von einer Lawine aus Ideen mitreißen - so etwa beim treibenden Electro-Pop von ,Sway the Needy". Letztlich ging es darum, jedem Track einen ganz eigenen klanglichen Charakter zu verleihen: ,Humdrum" wagt die Nähe zu den Talking-Heads-Klassikern, während der hektische Dub von ,Street Cyst" in unwiderstehliche Hyperpop-Anleihen mündet. Ihren Ruf als eigenwillige Scenesters untermauern The Homesick zudem mit dem mitreißenden Synth-Pop-Marsch ,Horse Alone". Und eines ist sicher - es gibt noch weitaus mehr eklektische Grandezza auf "What's Up With All These Shangri-Las" zu entdecken. Lass The Homesick der Soundtrack zu deinen offenen Fragen sein - es lohnt sich wirklich.

The Homesick sind ein abenteuerlustiges niederländisches Trio, das Stile wie Post-Punk, Krautrock, New Wave und experimentellen Pop mit furchtloser Neugier und Hingabe meisterhaft miteinander verschmilzt. Frei von Dogmen und doch rastlos romantisch, haben sich THE HOMESICK über mehrere Alben hinweg immer wieder neu erfunden - vom mitreißenden Debütalbum *Youth Hunt* bis hin zum barock angehauchten Durchbruchsalbum *The Big Exercise*, das bei Sub Pop erschien. Auf ihrem dritten, unabhängig veröffentlichten selbstbetitelten Album - entstanden in der Zeit nach der Pandemie - verschmolz das Trio sein breites Referenzspektrum zu einem schlankeren, pulsierenden Sound. Nun, auf ihrem vierten Album (und dem ersten bei Siluh Records), haben The Homesick in zehn Tracks ihre ganz eigene, höchst einfallsreiche und durchweg unterhaltsame Version von Clubmusik geschmiedet. Dabei schaffen sie einen mitreißenden Fluss zwischen den Stücken und pendeln mühelos zwischen der eingängigen, von City-Pop inspirierten Lead-Single ,Esperanto", dem von 808-Beats getragenen Herzschmerz-Song ,Policelessness" und der märchenhaften Disco-Nummer ,The Bees". Um diese funktionale und zugleich fantastische Tanz-Odyssee zu realisieren, holten sich The Homesick ein viertes Paar Ohren zur Unterstützung ins Boot. Der in Amsterdam ansässige Produzent und Künstler Rimer London - eine Schlüsselfigur sowohl im Mainstream als auch im Underground - verlieh dem Material seine eigene, markante und pop-orientierte Note, nachdem das Trio seine Tüfteleien im Studio abgeschlossen hatte. Dieser frische kreative Schub half der Band, sich an pop-geschukten Vorbildern zu orientieren, etwa beim sinnlichen ,Love off the Leash" oder dem wehmütigen West-Coast-Pop von ,Hey". Indem sie stärker auf clubbige, von den 80ern inspirierte Sounds setzten als auf den disharmonischen Post-Punk früherer Tage, ließ sich das Trio oft von einer Lawine aus Ideen mitreißen - so etwa beim treibenden Electro-Pop von ,Sway the Needy". Letztlich ging es darum, jedem Track einen ganz eigenen klanglichen Charakter zu verleihen: ,Humdrum" wagt die Nähe zu den Talking-Heads-Klassikern, während der hektische Dub von ,Street Cyst" in unwiderstehliche Hyperpop-Anleihen mündet. Ihren Ruf als eigenwillige Scenesters untermauern The Homesick zudem mit dem mitreißenden Synth-Pop-Marsch ,Horse Alone". Und eines ist sicher - es gibt noch weitaus mehr eklektische Grandezza auf "What's Up With All These Shangri-Las" zu entdecken. Lass The Homesick der Soundtrack zu deinen offenen Fragen sein - es lohnt sich wirklich.

Nach den vielgelobten Moonlight Concessions mit ihrer Band Throwing Muses kehrt Kristin Hersh im Jahr 2026 mit einem düstereren, zugleich jedoch zart ausgearbeiteten Soloalbum zurück. Sugar On Blackstone erkundet die Themen Leben und Tod, Reichtum und Armut sowie jene kleinen, aber prägenden Momente der Kindheit, die bis ins Erwachsenenalter nachhallen. Als zutiefst persönliches und emotional weitreichendes Werk reflektiert das Album über die beständigen Bande zwischen Musikern, Familie und Freunden - und darüber, wie bestimmte Klänge, Orte und Erinnerungen einen Menschen plötzlich wieder lebhaft ins Bewusstsein rufen können. Aufgenommen Anfang dieses Jahres in den Stable Sound Studios in den Niederlanden, wird Hersh auf dem Album von ihren langjährigen musikalischen Weggefährten Rob Ahlers (50FOOTWAVE) am Schlagzeug und dem Cellisten Pete Harvey (Throwing Muses) begleitet. Das Ergebnis ist eine karge, und doch warme Liedersammlung, die ein Gleichgewicht zwischen Zerbrechlichkeit und Kraft, zwischen Intimität und Spannung hält. Entstanden im Nachgang einer persönlichen Tragödie und vor dem Hintergrund ständiger Reisen, von Waldbränden und rastloser Bewegung quer durch Amerika, durchzieht das gesamte Album eine Atmosphäre der Unruhe. Doch inmitten dieser Dunkelheit findet Hersh Momente der Zärtlichkeit und Verbundenheit. Als ergreifendes und vielschichtiges Werk, das gerade in seiner Verletzlichkeit Stärke ausstrahlt, erweist sich Sugar On Blackstone als ein weiteres unverzichtbares Kapitel im gefeierten und sich stetig weiterentwickelnden Gesamtwerk von Kristin Hersh. Für Fans von PJ Harvey, Emma Ruth Rundle, Beth Gibbons, Low, Yo La Tengo, Throwing Muses, Alternative (Rock), Dark Folk, Post-Americana, Independent, Grunge Singer/Songwriter

2026 Repress

Inhale. Exhale. Remember to breathe. In that rhythm lies the pulse of being - the ancient echo of stars from which we are made. Breathing is the bridge between the inner cosmos and the outer void. When you breathe, you testify to existence itself: "I am." The Moonrover - a child of reason - abandoned on the cold, dead Moon. It does not feel time, know fear, or comprehend solitude. But a human, in its place, would understand: Silence is not emptiness. It is a mirror. And in that mirror arises the question: "If I am alone, and silence is infinite - who hears my breath?" The answer lies in the breath. Each inhale is resistance against entropy. Each exhale is an act of remembrance. To breathe is to remember that you are not just part of the Universe - you are its awakened part. And just as the Moonrover crawls across grey lunar plains, driven by an unknown purpose, so do you move through life, led by an inner light, until you realize: breath is not just life. It is a prayer sent into silence. And if you can hear it - you are alive.

Wer wissen möchte, weshalb Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-1973) bis heute als die “Godmother of Rock and
Roll” und “Original Soul Sister” gefeiert wird, muss nur ihr bahnbrechendes Album “Gospel Train” aus dem
Jahr 1956 hören. Wie keine andere verstand sie es, die Intensität des Gospel mit bluesigen Phrasierungen
und rhythmischem Drive zu verbinden. Dadurch schuf sie die musikalischen Grundlagen, die den frühen
Rock ’n’ Roll und die spätere Popmusik prägen sollten. Bei den Aufnahmen für “Gospel Train” ließ sich
die E-Gitarristin mit der kraftvollen Stimme von einer Band mit Jazzmusikern wie dem Bassisten George
Duvivier und dem Schlagzeuger Panama Francis sowie dem Gospel-Vokalquartett The Harmonizing Four
begleiten. Das Repertoire, eine Mischung aus selbst komponierten Spirituals und Gospel-Standards, wird
von Sister Rosetta Tharpe mit der für sie typischen Leidenschaft und rhythmischen Vitalität vorgetragen.

At the heart of ‘Diese Fragile Praesenz’ lies a melancholic yet propulsive drone, constructed from a field recording and drenched in white noise. Around this softly glowing orb Kelovolt constructs a vast, shifting, sombre soundscape. Lush, magisterial pads, starry-eyed synth work, cold washes of tape hiss and static melt in and out of the mise-en-scène. Crumbling walls of bass and distortion collapse in slow motion even as rich, brasslike harmonies elevate the listening mind. Long keening synth notes emerge from the fog, intertwining with falling tubular figures, a journey through a wormhole of sound both monumental and fragile.
The accompanying reinterpretations approach this deeply rich source material with discerning reverence. Voltmar's version deepens the grain of the original, with sharper percussion and washes of static that blow through the mix like little gales of dust. Anthony Linell's PM and AM remixes delve into a darker emotional core, placing at the centre a low, shadowy synth pulse around which mists of tape hiss and distortion swirl. Black Merlin steers the track down the path of eerie psychedelia, echoing clicks and dubwise space around a groove often found in the deeper chasms of contemporary techno.
Elsewhere, Die Wilde Jagd stretches the original into a mesmeric landscape of drones, occasional distant percussion and heavy fog, punctuated by fleeting moments of melodic clarity and beautifully resonant bell tones. CV313's pair of reworks complete the collection by exploring two complementary dimensions of the original through his signature dub approach. The Gravitational Pull mix feels the most true to the title track, amplifying its starry-eyed, celestial qualities, with a softer, hazier version built around a deep bass groove, while the Dimensional Dub descends into vast caverns of echo, resonance and alien texture - strong dub-techno sensibilities loom large in this mix.
Endlessly contemplative, endlessly exploratory, minimood027 is a trip to its own sonic galaxy that spirals inexorably outward, carrying the mind to ever wider astral planes. But at the core is that ever-pulsing drone, the black abyss that draws consciousness powerlessly back into the great nothingness.

That suspended moment when the body lies motionless, a prisoner of sleep, caught in an enigma that resists all solutions.

Sleep Paralysis dives into dark, immersive sounds, recounting an intimate and complex journey where darkness itself becomes a voice, a mirror of the soul.

The acclaimed compilation series returns with volume 4! Fourteen tracks showcasing the most exciting emerging voices in Belgian jazz, ready to claim a permanent spot on your turntable.

The latest instalment in the celebrated compilation series once again shines a spotlight on the most adventurous and forward-thinking artists emerging from Belgium's jazz scene. Curated by Belgian tastemaker, DJ and broadcaster Lefto Early Bird, the collection continues a tradition of uncovering hidden gems and introducing them to a wider audience of dedicated diggers.

Over the years, the Jazz Cats series has become a trusted barometer of Belgium's ever-evolving jazz landscape. Long before many artists gained international recognition, they first appeared on these compilations, making the series both a discovery platform and a snapshot of one of Europe's most exciting musical ecosystems.

Jazz Cats Volume 4 captures a scene bursting with creativity, diversity and ambition. Across fourteen carefully selected tracks, the compilation explores the many directions contemporary Belgian jazz is taking today. Jazz, hip-hop, electronic music, afrobeat, spiritual jazz and experimental sounds coexist effortlessly throughout the collection.

The opening stretch of the compilation, led by Brussels-based Irreversible Entanglements band member Aquiles Navarro, Ola Tunji and HelenaCasella, offers an early glimpse into a scene that rarely stands still. Their music moves freely between traditions and contemporary influences, reflecting less concern with preserving genres than expanding them. Artists such as Lupo Spaccaro and Kunde, joined here by the raw soul voice of Fred Gata, draw inspiration from hip-hop and contemporary beat culture, yet neither approaches these influences in a conventional way. Instead, they reveal how naturally these sounds have become part of the vocabulary of a new generation of jazz musicians.

Experimentation emerges as another defining thread. KVR and BREAD FOR PIGEONS embrace unpredictability through unexpected textures, shifting atmospheres and confident compositional choices, creating music that constantly challenges expectations. Elsewhere, artists like Gaiko and VLIEGWERK favor immersive soundscapes that reward repeated listening. Whether there's a connection between musical adventurousness and a preference for capital letters remains a question for future research.

At the heart of the compilation lies a strong sense of movement and groove. Ragini Trio and Foutloos approach that rhythm from different angles, yet both build their music around powerful, pulsating foundations. Their tracks need close attention, revealing layers of detail and low-end richness that practically demand to be experienced on a proper sound system.

By the time it reaches its closing chapter, Lucid Lucia, SLAGADER and Kuna Maze bring the focus back to forward motion. Jazz and funk-infused grooves provide a fitting finale, reminding us that however far these artists push the jazz genre, they never lose sight of its ability to connect, uplift and move people.

The result is a body of work that feels remarkably cohesive despite its diversity: a portrait of a scene that continues to evolve through curiosity, collaborationand constant reinvention.

Since 2005, Mariska Baars aka soccer Committee, has quietly carved out a singular space where folk, ambient and experimental music dissolve into one another. Working with little more than her voice, an acoustic guitar and delicate loops, Baars creates songs of a remarkable intimacy. There's nowhere to hide in these arrangements, and that's precisely where their magic lies.

For Accidental Meetings, Baars revisits a selection of songs from across her catalogue, gently reshaping and reimagining some of her finest work. The result is a deeply personal, evocative listen that feels both familiar and newly discovered.

While the sterile “professionalism” of some heavy bands can be like a clinical drone strike, Texas-based Judiciary feels personal. Like close combat with a knife. And it’s all in their chemistry. Judiciary is an amalgamation of four guys raised in the intersection of metal and hardcore—all devoted to pushing their craft further. Across two esteemed LPs, the band has proven their worth as a crucial entity in the crowded heavy music scene by evolving their sound further and further with each release. And now with the band’s latest Stalagmite Angels, due on September 4th via the venerable Closed Casket Activities, Judiciary can further showcase their status as a crucial, one-of-a-kind part of the evolution of hardcore in 2026. Life changes can bring about chaos and seismic shifts, but if Stalagmite Angels is any indication, then it’s all for the better. In the wake of the release of Judiciary’s second LP Flesh + Blood, the band called upon Juan Vazquez to pick up guitar duties, thereby changing the internal framework of the band for good, and unknowingly for the better. It’s this pivot in personnel that resulted in the band’s latest EP. “The goal with this EP was a hard reset, but we also wanted to chill the f— out a bit, have fun, and do something that felt true to the four of us,” recalls drummer Austin Looney. “We wanted time to reconfigure things and let the music come naturally–temper this new mindset that we've adopted post-Flesh + Blood.” Judiciary’s greatest strength lies in their musical singularity. Though Stalagmite Angels represents the collision of influences from across well-worn territories like metallic hardcore, death metal, black metal, d-beat and more, it’s the Lubbock-born band’s approach that makes it distinctly their own. Stalagmite Angels is a wholly new document that resembles a horde of bands ranging from Hatebreed to Carcass to Slayer to Iron Age, yet never aping any single band nor even revealing any single influence. It’s all familiar but none of it is specific. “90s hardcore and hardcore in general is always gonna be our natural inclination, but it manifests with different elements not only from song to song but within each song,” says vocalist Jake Collinson emphatically, who learned guitar specifically to help with writing new material. “Whether that’s Dying Breed or Cannibal Corpse or Crowbar or Machine Head or any number of other influences that any one of us may have, it all manifests in our work, and through our individual and collective lenses. With this EP, we transformed those ideas into the Judiciary approach.” Stalagmite Angels is an EP about anger at the world, belief in yourself, and how harnessing both in the pursuit of growth is necessary to achieve. But furthermore, it’s a concept record that envisions a subterranean world in both a literal and metaphorical sense—where hidden beauty lurks in the shadows (and in the eye of the beholder) and where triumph manifests in the ability to rise from the depths and into the world above.

Purple Vinyl, inkl. Poster. The Black Wizards, das in Porto beheimatete Trio bestehend aus Joana Brito (Gitarre/Gesang), José Gomes (Bass/Gesang) und Helena Peixoto (Schlagzeug), kündigt sein neues Album ,Force Majeure & The Acts of God" an, das am 4. September über Hassle Records erscheinen wird. Force Majeure & The Acts of God ist von einem dunklen Humor geprägt. Der Titel bezieht sich auf den juristischen Begriff für unkontrollierbare oder nicht beeinflussbare Umstände und spiegelt damit das Chaos wider, das die Entstehung des Albums begleitet hat. Gleichzeitig deutet er auf den verschmitzten, widerständigen Geist der Band hin.Das Album entstand in einer Zeit, in der politische Landschaften weltweit zunehmend ins Chaos abzugleiten schienen. Es kanalisiert Frustration und Dringlichkeit, ohne dabei in Hoffnungslosigkeit zu verfallen. Für die Texte ließ sich Frontfrau Joana Brito von Büchern über Politik, Geschlechterrollen und toxische Männlichkeit inspirieren. Diese Themen finden sich in Songs wieder, die sich kritisch mit leerer Führung und gesellschaftlicher Spaltung auseinandersetzen. Besonders ,Killing The Buzz" durchschneidet das politische Spektakel mit scharfem Humor und energiegeladenem Punk-Spirit. Musikalisch markiert Force Majeure & The Acts of God einen deutlichen Wendepunkt für die Band. Anstatt den ausufernden Klangnebeln ihres früheren Heavy-Psych-Sounds zu folgen, setzen The Black Wizards nun auf einen kompakteren, raueren und direkteren Ansatz. Das Album vereint die Attitüde des Garage Rock, die nervöse Spannung des Proto-Punk und einen unaufhaltsamen rhythmischen Antrieb. Getragen wird dies von Britos kantigem und durchsetzungsstarkem Gesang, den rauen Gesangsantworten von José Gomes sowie dem kraftvollen Schlagzeugspiel von Helena Peixoto. Aufgenommen wurde das Album während einer intensiven fünftägigen Session mit Cooper Crain in Porto. Das Ergebnis lebt von Dringlichkeit, ungeschliffenen Kanten und einer explosiven Live-Energie.

The breakthrough hit that cemented THE SOUNDLOVERS
as one of the leading international dance acts of the ’90s.
A timeless anthem about overcoming loneliness,
embracing emotional growth, and finding the strength to
move forward. Beneath its uplifting dance groove lies a
message of hope, resilience, and self-discovery.

Follow up of FREED FROM DESIRE, LET A BOY CRY is a
powerful statement about emotional freedom, staying
true to yourself and breaking free from the society’s
expectations. Beneath its iconic ‘90s dance sound lies a
much deeper message: a celebration of vulnerability,
individuality, and the courage to be yourself.

Fresh off of their 2020 offering Adult Themes, El Michels Affair is back with a new full-length release. Titled Yeti Season, this newest album has everything we've come to expect from EMA's patented cinematic style of instrumental soul music. Where Adult Themes inspired a soundtrack to an imaginary film, Yeti Season brings us to a different place in time_with new inspirations. Taken with Turkish-styled funk and an almost Mumbai-esque take on soul, El Michels Affair offers us a different kind of drama and imagination with Yeti Season. If you've been following along, this shouldn't be viewed as too far a departure for El Michels Affair. The first single off of Yeti Season showed their hand back in 2018. A double-sided banger, that release brought the musical textures to the fore that dominate this record. The first song, titled "Unathi," is fully realized with the beautifully haunting-yet-hopeful vocals of Piya Malik, formally of 79.5_another Big Crown artist. Singing in Hindi, Piya's ethereal voice is telling us to work and strive together toward progress. Even if you don't understand her language, you can still hear the urgency of purpose, creating a lasting vibe that sits on top of it all. Leon Michels explains that Piya had a vital influence on this record: "When Piya started singing in Hindi, she had a different voice, a different tone. I knew we had to do something together." And so Piya appears on three other songs on Yeti Season: "Zaharila," "Murkit Gem," and "Dhuaan." Each providing particular signatures to the album. "Zaharila" is a building and changing love song punctuated by blaring trumpets, driving drums, and Piya's pleading lyrics. While the more upbeat "Murkit Gem" opens with a fuzzed out, Wu-Tang-esque baseline that buoys Piya's stylings. The psychedelic guitar and Piya's changing tones and textures singing about an all-consuming love are what pushed "Dhuaan" on to the second single from Yeti Season. There is also a vocal appearance from Shannon Wise of The Shacks, yet another Big Crown artist. Her song called "Sha Na Na," lies more in the familiar EMA vein: melodic, hypnotic, soulfully visual. But between Shannon's airy singing, the jumpy baseline, moody vibes, the active drum lines, it sounds like a pensive walk home after a strangely dramatic night. So what is Yeti Season? It could be more of a feeling than an actual place or time of year. It's a heavy album_as evidenced by the signature musicianship and dramatic vocal expressions. But it's also a hopeful record, with phrasings, textures, and chord changes that hint at something better_or fuller_coming our way. You hear it in songs like "Ala Vida," with its stabby, pulsing chords laying a bedrock for EMA's bright, atmospheric horn lines. Or even in "Fazed Out," which leaves you with a feeling of determination, a striving for resolution even though the driving, march-like song structure should accompany some conquering army. This persistence has to come from the fact that Leon Michels and company finished this record during the lockdown. It was a tough and troublesome time. But look at what has come of it: Yeti Season_a record of high and heavy drama, but also one of hope and promise. It may take a year like 2020 behind us to find hope in a winter big footed creature like a Yeti, but that's where we are.

BUCHLA MEETS ORCHESTRA IN QUADRAPHONIC SPACE ON CIANI/ORKEST

Suzanne Ciani, Metropole Orkest and Simon Dobson release historic immersive performance in multiple immersive formats including quad vinyl.

Silverlake, CA \\ June 4, 2026 – Electronic music pioneer and five-time Grammy nominee Suzanne Ciani joins the internationally acclaimed Metropole Orkest, conducted by Simon Dobson, for the release of CIANI/ORKEST, a landmark live album composed entirely of new work, created specifically for this unprecedented collaboration.

Recorded at Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) before a rapt audience, CIANI/ORKEST is not a retrospective. It is a bold, immersive meeting of the Buchla electronic instrument and 50-piece orchestral sound. The result is a sweeping sonic landscape, at once intimate and monumental.

Under the direction of the Metropole Orkest, renowned for its genre-defying collaborations with artists from jazz to contemporary classical - strings shimmer, brass swells and woodwinds echo the organic, fluid qualities that have always defined Ciani’s sound. “This project feels like a homecoming,” says Ciani. “The Buchla was always orchestral to me, an instrument capable of infinite color. Hearing those colors unfold through the Metropole Orkest has been profoundly moving.”

At the heart of CIANI/ORKEST lies Ciani’s lifelong commitment to quadraphonic sound. From her early Buchla performances in the late 1960s to her 2018 release LIVE Quadraphonic, Ciani has treated space as a primary compositional parameter. Working alongside immersive producer KamranV, Ciani continues to explore immersive sound as both artistic and human gesture. Kamran’s decades of work in spatial formats, converge here in service of a singular goal: to let sound behave as it does in the physical world. “For both of us, quad is musical,” Kamran notes. “The way Suzanne works, quadraphonic is nested in — not the technology per se — but the intent you bring to the work.”

The recording stands as a meditation on legacy, evolution, and the enduring dialogue between technology and human expression. The live album captures the electricity of performance, the immediacy of touch plates under Ciani’s hands, the collective of musicians responding in real time, and the audience’s shared immersion in quadraphonic-inspired space.

CIANI/ORKEST is released by Atmospheric/AKP Recordings/CyKiK in multiple double-disc quadraphonic 12” Record packages designed by grammy-nominated designer Rebeka Arce. Each pressing is made regionally to minimize carbon emissions and also contributes to nature via Brian Eno's EarthPercent, the music industry's climate and nature foundation.

The release is encoded using the dublab Quadraphonic Universally Accessible Resource Kit (QUARK). QUARK enables binaural listening via standard 2-channel playback or 4-speaker playback via Involve Audio hardware decoders, vintage Regular Matrix quadraphonic receivers, Dolby Pro-Logic II/Dolby Surround Upmixer (DSU) receivers, or any multi-channel audio interface equipped computer. This album is immersive via all formats: digital download, streaming (Qobuz, Spotify, SoundCloud, Bandcamp), radio broadcast, vinyl and high-resolution Dolby Atmos (Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon HD, IIA), Sony 360RA (Nugs, Amazon HD) and Eclipsa Audio (YouTube).

About Suzanne Ciani
Suzanne Ciani is a composer, pianist, sound designer, and electronic music pioneer whose work spans experimental, new age, classical, and cinematic sound. A five-time Grammy nominee and recipient of the Moog Innovation Award, she continues to perform internationally, captivating audiences with immersive modular synthesis performances.

About Metropole Orkest
Based in the Netherlands, the Metropole Orkest is one of the world’s leading genre-crossing orchestras, known for collaborations with artists including Brian Eno, Herbie Hancock, Snarky Puppy, Jacob Collier, and within contemporary classical and electronic spheres.

In Walter Benjamin’s seminal essay “Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”, he posits that the aura of art objects is destroyed by the ability to photographically reproduce them. When you had to make a pilgrimage to a work it remained elusive, charged, ever distant; but when you can easily see a reproduction, such aura dissipates. What Benjamin did not anticipate is that in the age of AI and the frictionless fount of digital content, we have imbued mechanical and analog means of media production with aura. Film cameras from the last 100 years are in high demand (the point and shoot Olympus Mju I featured in Wim Wenders film Perfect Days still sells for $200), vinyl sales continue to grow year by year, 35mm and 70mm film screenings have become aura-drenched events people travel across country for, and as to the world of vintage and analog synthesizers, when a friend asked for the price on the Yamaha CS-80 synth used on Toto’s “Africa”, the answer was a cool $60,000.

Despite the ability to simulate almost any synthesizer on a computer, the original physical units retain their mystique. Perhaps this lies in the physical process, many of these synths are temperamental and difficult to fully utilize, and the effort and ingenuity can be felt in ways that will always be absent from easy digital simulacra. Perhaps there is an aura in their imperfection, as Brian Eno wrote: “Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided.” Some may call this nostalgia, but such sonic imperfections are the sounds of humans interacting with the physical world, and it is understandable to feel a pang of emotion and attachment in a time of exponential alienation.

Marche 22 was recorded over a week at the Museo Del Synth Marchigiano in Macerata, Italy. The museum is filled with rare and obscure synths (especially CRB, GEM & Elka) as well as salvaged materials from a nearby shuttered Farfisa organ factory, including MARS, an unfinished realtime audio processing application developed by IRIS - similar to the now well known MAX/MSP. Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein play a suite of pieces that encompasses the last sixty years of synthesizer music—there are nods to Cluster, Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre, and Morton Subotnick. Dixon and Stein are like jazz masters playing the American songbook with their own riffs and quotations. What shines through in these varied works that are sometimes rhythmic, sometimes melancholic, and sometimes both, is a soul, a spirit, an emotion vibrating through the tones like the charge of coming rain or the thrum of a distant train on the tracks. - Neil Fauerso

Im Vorfeld des Pelagic Fest 2026 feiert das Label den Meilenstein uder 300. Veröffentlichung mit ,The Dungeon Tapes" - einer Zusammenstellung neuen und ubveröffentlichem Materials verschiedener Pelagic-Künstler, darunter The Ocean, Psychonaut, Lost In Kyiv, Pothamus, Gösta Berling's Saga, Telepathy, Spook The Horses, Arms and Sleepers, Johan G Winther, Thot, Barrens und The Answer Lies In The Black Void. Der Eröffnungstrack von Pelagic United and Friends verkörpert den Geist der Zusammenarbeit: Das Projekt vereint Mitglieder von Spotlights, Rosetta, Failure, Shy Low und Hiroe, die gemeinsam eine Version von My Bloody Valentines ,Soon" aufgenommen haben. Dieser Klassiker erfährt hier eine bemerkenswert direkte, düstere und emotional rohe Interpretation, bei der die Shoegaze-Ästhetik in weite Klangräume und ätherische Klänge in brutale Wucht verwandelt werden. Und danach gibt's noch 12 weitere, düstere Post Metal, Postrock, Post-Hardcore-Goodies! CD oder Doppel-Vinyl (schwarz oder farbig) mit Etching auf Seite D. Gatefold Sleeve mit Glanzlack-Coverart.

Im Vorfeld des Pelagic Fest 2026 feiert das Label den Meilenstein uder 300. Veröffentlichung mit ,The Dungeon Tapes" - einer Zusammenstellung neuen und ubveröffentlichem Materials verschiedener Pelagic-Künstler, darunter The Ocean, Psychonaut, Lost In Kyiv, Pothamus, Gösta Berling's Saga, Telepathy, Spook The Horses, Arms and Sleepers, Johan G Winther, Thot, Barrens und The Answer Lies In The Black Void. Der Eröffnungstrack von Pelagic United and Friends verkörpert den Geist der Zusammenarbeit: Das Projekt vereint Mitglieder von Spotlights, Rosetta, Failure, Shy Low und Hiroe, die gemeinsam eine Version von My Bloody Valentines ,Soon" aufgenommen haben. Dieser Klassiker erfährt hier eine bemerkenswert direkte, düstere und emotional rohe Interpretation, bei der die Shoegaze-Ästhetik in weite Klangräume und ätherische Klänge in brutale Wucht verwandelt werden. Und danach gibt's noch 12 weitere, düstere Post Metal, Postrock, Post-Hardcore-Goodies! CD oder Doppel-Vinyl (schwarz oder farbig) mit Etching auf Seite D. Gatefold Sleeve mit Glanzlack-Coverart.

Andy Bell, Erasure-Frontmann und Electro-Pop-Legende, veröffentlicht mit "Extended Blue" sein Solo-Debütalbum "Electric Blue" (2005) als limitierte Deluxe-Edition auf dreifarbig-blauem Vinyl neu. "Electric Blue" - samt den Duetten mit Claudia Brücken (xPropaganda) und Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters) - wurde gemeinsam mit Manhattan Clique geschrieben und produziert, einem Duo, das zwei Jahrzehnte lang die Welt der Pop-Dance-Club-Remixe dominierte und mit Weltstars (Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, OneRepublic, Moby) und wegweisenden Electronic-Acts (The Human League, Soft Cell, OMD, The B-52s und natürlich Erasure) zusammenarbeitete.

Die Deluxe-3LP enthält zudem sämtliche Bonustracks & B-Seiten der "Electric Blue"-Sessions erstmals auf Vinyl. Das Deluxe-Booklet kommt mit ausführlichen Liner Notes des Classic Pop-Autors John Earls samt Interviews mit Andy Bell und den Manhatten Clique-Produzenten Philip Larsen & Chris Smith, sowie unveröffentlichten Fotos aus der 2005er Session mit dem renommierten britischen Fotografen Tim Flach. Bei Erasure- und Electro-Pop-Fans zählt "Electric Blue" weithin als 'verlorenes Juwel', da kurz nach Veröffentlichung das damalige Label Sanctuary Records zusammenbrach und dieses herausragende Album sein Potential nicht vollständig ausschöpfen konnte.

Eine streng limitierte Erstauflage der 3LP enthält zusätzlich die CD "Extended Blue" mit dem identischen Tracklisting des Vinylformats.beitete.

Die Big Boys begannen ihre Karriere in der Punk-Szene von Austin Ende der 1970er Jahre. An der Spitze der Band stand der gelegentlich als Frau verkleidete Randy ,Biscuit" Turner, begleitet von Tim Kerr an der Gitarre, Chris Gates am Bass und einer Reihe von Schlagzeugern - der bekannteste unter ihnen ist Rey Washam (Scratch Acid). Im Gegensatz zum Rest der damaligen frühen Hardcore-Szene scheuten sie sich nicht, von superschnellen Tempi abzuweichen und stattdessen auf netten White-Boy-Skate-Funk zu setzen. Abgesehen von den Funk-Einflüssen spielte die Band zeitweise eine frühe Form des Post-Punk, nicht unähnlich ihren Zeitgenossen The Minutemen. Dank ihrer Teilnahme an einigen der ersten ,Skate-Compilations" des Thrasher-Magazins waren die Big Boys bei der neuen Skate-Punk-Szene der 80er Jahre enorm beliebt. Sie waren auch dafür bekannt, das Publikum zum Mitmachen zu animieren und so die Barrieren zwischen Künstlern und Zuschauern abzubauen. Sie coverten sogar Kool & the Gang und ließen sich nie beirren, wenn sie sich auf musikalisches Neuland wagten. Also, Leute, gründet jetzt eure eigene Band!

Keith Freund’s music occupies a space where careful musicianship and homebrewed experimentation meet and shake hands. On “Window Left Open,” spacious melodies drift through dense fields of electronic activity: saxophone lines rise above buzzing circuitry, percussion flickers at the edges of the frame, and clustered glitch textures dart through the music like insects in tall summer grass. Every sound feels vividly animated, a charged part of the same mercurial ecosystem.

Freund’s talent lies in balancing warmth and unpredictability with remarkable ease. Patient motifs recall the exploratory spirit of early folktronica, while bit-reduced textures, degraded loops, and idiosyncratic synthesis techniques continually reshape the terrain beneath them. Rather than treating acoustic and electronic elements as opposing forces, Freund allows them to intermingle until distinctions dissolve, creating compositions that reward close listening while retaining immediate warmth. This record finds Freund working with a fully formed vocabulary that is truly his own, transforming glitch, melody, improvisation, and atmosphere into songs that are both fundamentally curious and disarmingly engaging.

Über die neun Songs des Albums hinweg erschafft Elanor Moss mit feinsinnigem Psych Folk ein eindringliches Wechselspiel aus Freude und Schmerz. Ihre düster-verträumten Momentaufnahmen bieten dabei weniger Katharsis als vielmehr ein Verständnis für die Komplexität des Wegs dorthin - Heilung nicht als Zustand, sondern als Prozess. Der Weg hin zu ihrem Debütalbum "The Knife, The Needle" war für Elanor Mos selbst eine komplexe Reise. Zeitweise fühlte sie sich von ihrer eigenen Musik entfremdet und suchte nach einem neuen Sound, anstatt den Raum zu besetzen, den sie sich bereits geschaffen hatte. "Nichts fühlte sich richtig an", erinnert sie sich, "also nahm ich den Druck heraus und versuchte, meine Beziehung zum Songwriting und zur Musik neu zu kalibrieren." Die drei Jahre, in denen die Songs für "The Knife, The Needle" entstanden, führten sie letztendlich zurück zu ihren Wurzeln und ihrer Liebe zu, wie sie es ausdrückt, "der Musik, die mich wirklich etwas fühlen ließ; der Musik, die ich schreiben wollte." "Das waren Folk- und zeitgenössische Folk-Songwriter", fährt sie fort. "Ich habe viel Zeit damit verbracht, Gitarre zu spielen", fährt sie fort. "Ich habe mir ein Vierspur Tape Gerät geliehen und darauf Demos aufgenommen. Ich habe mich intensiv mit Kurzgeschichten beschäftigt. Die schlichte, direkte Wahrhaftigkeit von Autor*innen wie Raymond Carver hat mich sehr angesprochen und inspiriert, während ich darauf wartete, dass meine Lust am Schreiben zurückkehrt. Ich habe außerdem wieder eine Therapie begonnen, in der ich anfing zu verstehen, woher ich komme, wie sich meine Familiengeschichte in meinem Handeln widerspiegelt und wie ich liebe und Liebe annehme. Aus der Langsamkeit und Stille dieser Rhythmen sind diese Songs entstanden." ,Sarah Waiting in the Car" gibt den Ton an, mit Moss' zartem, nachdenklichem Gitarrenspiel und den Pinselstrichen von Matthew Herds Ensemble - Marcus Hamblett (Horn), Jool Owen (Horn), Andrew Stuart-Buttle (Violine), Reid Jenkins (Violine), Linus Fenton (Kontrabass) und Herd (Saxophon) - die ihre Texte mit herzzerreißender Ernsthaftigkeit untermalen, während sich die Erzählung, die aus Moss herausfließt, von einem Treffen in der Bar zu den Nachwirkungen einer missbräuchlichen Beziehung wandelt, wobei Sanftheit in Gewalt umschlägt. In ,Fixer" ringt Moss mit der Tatsache, dass Liebe jemanden ebenso verletzen kann, wie sie ihn heilen kann. Ihr Album ,The Knife, The Needle" beschäftigt sich damit, wie Beziehungen durch die Liebe verändert, verkompliziert und erschüttert werden. Es ist ein erschütterndes Werk, zugleich geduldig und verletzlich, opulent umgesetzt und tief empfunden. Beide Objekte, die im Albumtitel genannt werden, können Blut vergießen, doch durch ihre Stimme und Gitarre erhellt, ist das, was aus den Wunden fließt, die sie hier teilt, nichts Geringeres als Poesie.

Matrix Music Arhiv (MMA) are proud to announce a re-issue of the highly sought-after album 'Resistance' by the seminal Yugoslavian electronic rock band Borghesia, originally released in 1989 on Play It Again Sam/PIAS (Europe), Wax Trax (USA) and Jugoton (former Yugoslavia). Available on 2Lp, 2CD & 1MC (MC original album only). The re-issue features a carefully remastered edition along with the exclusive bonus live album "Dal Vivo A El Paso", recorded in December 1988 during their performance in Torino, Italy, on one of their European tours. This recording features very different, raw and at times 'dubbed up' versions of their early tracks such as 'Naked, Uniformed, Dead', Am I? and Him (On). The historical perfectly captures the atmosphere and energy of their live appearances at the time. Borghesia (Italian for 'bourgeoisie'), who were formed in Ljubljana (Slovenia) in 1982, had always considered its art to be far broader than just sonic. Borghesia's transgressive, transdisciplinary alloy of film expression, distinctively physical performative practices, usage of new technology and conveniently abrasive EBM (electronic body music) musical production hasn't only been ground-breaking in terms of the holistic, visual/sonic presence of an art collective, but had a rather decisive influence on the general aesthetics of the immensely important Yugoslav subcultural landscape of the 1980s. Borghesia was one of the first bands from the East of the Iron Curtain who used the VHS video medium to distribute their art and was also one of few projects from socialist Yugoslavia to successfully penetrate the curtain itself, reaching international audiences. A series of their releases in the fruitful period between the years 1987 and 1991, including the Resistance album itself, was released by the legendary Belgian label Play It Again Sam (PIAS). The band dissolved in the mid-1990s and then continued their work in 2014. In line with Borghesia's unique social engagement, progressiveness and political criticism, Resistance is one of their most powerful statements. It's the ultimate fight the power manifesto, which makes punk and hip-hop albums of the time sound like children's songs. This is not music for nodding your head to; it's tactical broadcast for the nocturnal resistance to this very day. Borghesia didn't address control only - they sampled the political top, the secret police and explicitly connected authority with dominance. The production of the album isn't clean or polished. On the contrary - Resistance sounds like it was created in a bunker, using stolen military equipment and synthesisers. Borghesia's genius lies in their understanding that the relentless, mechanical EBM beat was the sound of the State - and by hijacking it, turning the system's own rhythm against itself they created the most powerful form of sonic insurgency. And since history repeats itself while the little man learns slowly, the re-release of 'Resistance' comes at the right time. The dark clouds of violence are already looming over Europe, they've never really left the Middle East, and the levers of power and capital ever so louder, not even covertly at all incite: war, war, war! In these times the only appropriate answer is: revolt, rebel, Resistance!

Matrix Music Arhiv (MMA) are proud to announce a re-issue of the highly sought-after album 'Resistance' by the seminal Yugoslavian electronic rock band Borghesia, originally released in 1989 on Play It Again Sam/PIAS (Europe), Wax Trax (USA) and Jugoton (former Yugoslavia). Available on 2Lp, 2CD & 1MC (MC original album only). The re-issue features a carefully remastered edition along with the exclusive bonus live album "Dal Vivo A El Paso", recorded in December 1988 during their performance in Torino, Italy, on one of their European tours. This recording features very different, raw and at times 'dubbed up' versions of their early tracks such as 'Naked, Uniformed, Dead', Am I? and Him (On). The historical perfectly captures the atmosphere and energy of their live appearances at the time. Borghesia (Italian for 'bourgeoisie'), who were formed in Ljubljana (Slovenia) in 1982, had always considered its art to be far broader than just sonic. Borghesia's transgressive, transdisciplinary alloy of film expression, distinctively physical performative practices, usage of new technology and conveniently abrasive EBM (electronic body music) musical production hasn't only been ground-breaking in terms of the holistic, visual/sonic presence of an art collective, but had a rather decisive influence on the general aesthetics of the immensely important Yugoslav subcultural landscape of the 1980s. Borghesia was one of the first bands from the East of the Iron Curtain who used the VHS video medium to distribute their art and was also one of few projects from socialist Yugoslavia to successfully penetrate the curtain itself, reaching international audiences. A series of their releases in the fruitful period between the years 1987 and 1991, including the Resistance album itself, was released by the legendary Belgian label Play It Again Sam (PIAS). The band dissolved in the mid-1990s and then continued their work in 2014. In line with Borghesia's unique social engagement, progressiveness and political criticism, Resistance is one of their most powerful statements. It's the ultimate fight the power manifesto, which makes punk and hip-hop albums of the time sound like children's songs. This is not music for nodding your head to; it's tactical broadcast for the nocturnal resistance to this very day. Borghesia didn't address control only - they sampled the political top, the secret police and explicitly connected authority with dominance. The production of the album isn't clean or polished. On the contrary - Resistance sounds like it was created in a bunker, using stolen military equipment and synthesisers. Borghesia's genius lies in their understanding that the relentless, mechanical EBM beat was the sound of the State - and by hijacking it, turning the system's own rhythm against itself they created the most powerful form of sonic insurgency. And since history repeats itself while the little man learns slowly, the re-release of 'Resistance' comes at the right time. The dark clouds of violence are already looming over Europe, they've never really left the Middle East, and the levers of power and capital ever so louder, not even covertly at all incite: war, war, war! In these times the only appropriate answer is: revolt, rebel, Resistance!

Matrix Music Arhiv (MMA) are proud to announce a re-issue of the highly sought-after album 'Resistance' by the seminal Yugoslavian electronic rock band Borghesia, originally released in 1989 on Play It Again Sam/PIAS (Europe), Wax Trax (USA) and Jugoton (former Yugoslavia). Available on 2Lp, 2CD & 1MC (MC original album only). The re-issue features a carefully remastered edition along with the exclusive bonus live album "Dal Vivo A El Paso", recorded in December 1988 during their performance in Torino, Italy, on one of their European tours. This recording features very different, raw and at times 'dubbed up' versions of their early tracks such as 'Naked, Uniformed, Dead', Am I? and Him (On). The historical perfectly captures the atmosphere and energy of their live appearances at the time. Borghesia (Italian for 'bourgeoisie'), who were formed in Ljubljana (Slovenia) in 1982, had always considered its art to be far broader than just sonic. Borghesia's transgressive, transdisciplinary alloy of film expression, distinctively physical performative practices, usage of new technology and conveniently abrasive EBM (electronic body music) musical production hasn't only been ground-breaking in terms of the holistic, visual/sonic presence of an art collective, but had a rather decisive influence on the general aesthetics of the immensely important Yugoslav subcultural landscape of the 1980s. Borghesia was one of the first bands from the East of the Iron Curtain who used the VHS video medium to distribute their art and was also one of few projects from socialist Yugoslavia to successfully penetrate the curtain itself, reaching international audiences. A series of their releases in the fruitful period between the years 1987 and 1991, including the Resistance album itself, was released by the legendary Belgian label Play It Again Sam (PIAS). The band dissolved in the mid-1990s and then continued their work in 2014. In line with Borghesia's unique social engagement, progressiveness and political criticism, Resistance is one of their most powerful statements. It's the ultimate fight the power manifesto, which makes punk and hip-hop albums of the time sound like children's songs. This is not music for nodding your head to; it's tactical broadcast for the nocturnal resistance to this very day. Borghesia didn't address control only - they sampled the political top, the secret police and explicitly connected authority with dominance. The production of the album isn't clean or polished. On the contrary - Resistance sounds like it was created in a bunker, using stolen military equipment and synthesisers. Borghesia's genius lies in their understanding that the relentless, mechanical EBM beat was the sound of the State - and by hijacking it, turning the system's own rhythm against itself they created the most powerful form of sonic insurgency. And since history repeats itself while the little man learns slowly, the re-release of 'Resistance' comes at the right time. The dark clouds of violence are already looming over Europe, they've never really left the Middle East, and the levers of power and capital ever so louder, not even covertly at all incite: war, war, war! In these times the only appropriate answer is: revolt, rebel, Resistance!

Phase I marks the recorded debut of Supereon , a Norwegian trio formed in August 2024 and rooted in the ever- evolving Scandinavian jazz scene. Consisting of Alexander Hoholm on double bass, Martin Gjerde on piano, and Raymond Lavik on drums, the ensemble brings together three distinct musical voices in a collective pursuit of sound, texture, and rhythmic interplay. Recorded in June 2025 at Studio Martin in Roros, the album was produced by Hoholm in close collaboration with David Aleksander Sjolie .

The result is a recording that captures both clarity and immediacy, allowing the trio's intricate interplay to unfold with a natural sense of space and depth. At the core of Phase I lies a process rather than a set of compositions. The music is entirely improvised, shaped in real time from short rhythmic ideas that serve as points of departure. From these concise impulses, the trio develops expansive sonic landscapes where repetition, variation, and subtle transformation create a sense of forward motion. Drawing on influences ranging from the minimalism of Steve Reich to the textural sensitivity of Nils Frahm and Olafur Arnalds, Supereon crafts a sound that is at once rhythmic, meditative, and hypnotic. As its title suggests, the album stands as the first chapter in an ongoing journey - one that will continue to unfold in future phases.

Hatchback is the alias of Samuel Milton Grawe. Sam creates music that sings of the Cosmos, full of deep resonant tones, glistening arpeggios, lush pads and harmonic motifs. ‘Phaser For The Ocean, Chorus For The Moon’ is his magnum opus, a sprawling masterwork that encompasses ambient, new age and environmental music to wondrous effect. Soaked in Californian consciousness, the album is a balm like no other for these troubled times.

When I first was getting into the creative side of music making in my teens, I was heavily influenced by concept albums like ‘Quadrophenia’ and ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’, as well as epic pieces that took up an entire side of a record: Pink Floyd’s ‘Echoes’, Yes’ ‘Close To The Edge’, Klaus Schulze’s ‘Nowhere Now Here’, Miles Davis' ‘Shhh/Peaceful’ and ‘He Loved Him Madly’. In the extreme, these ideas coalesced in double albums where each side of each record is occupied by a single title - Yes’ ‘Tales From Topographic Oceans’, and Tangerine Dream’s ‘Zeit’ being primary examples. When I returned to making music after moving back to Northern California in 2020, the first piece I recorded landed around the 20-minute mark, and the idea of creating three other long pieces to realize a full album felt like a natural - if indulgent - goal. From there, each new piece followed sequentially. Four songs. My fourth album. - Sam Grawe

‘Phaser For The Ocean Chorus For The Moon’ is a pure expression, informed by a lifetime of deep listening unbound by algorithms or AI.
These are songs for the sunrise and the sunset - and every colour in between.

a 01. And The Walls Became The World All Around [18:53]
[b] 02. Phaser For The Ocean, Chorus For The Moon [21:48]
[c] 03. Other Desert Cities [20:19]
[d] 04. Friendship Fountain [18.33]

The fifth chapter of The Third Room's curator-led series is shaped by Alarico, one of the defining voices of a new generation pushing techno into faster, sharper and more rhythm-driven territory. Through his productions, DJ sets and close ties to a network of like-minded artists, he has helped shape a contemporary sound defined by tension, detail and forward momentum. For his curation, the focus lies on connection. Bringing together artists operating within a shared sonic language, the release reflects a generation where precision, movement and emotional depth exist in constant dialogue. The record opens with Connection, a first official collaboration between Yanamaste and Alarico. The track captures the intersection of both artists' approaches: Yanamaste's intricate and distinctive synth work meets Alarico's driving, forward momentum. Fast, pulsing and tightly controlled, it unfolds through cycles of tension and release, stripped back to its essential elements. On Crimson Leaf Minstre, Toru Ikemoto builds a detailed and contrasting sound palette. Bright, delicate elements interact with darker stabs that disrupt and reshape the rolling bassline, creating a sense of movement that feels continuous rather than moment-based. The track leans into depth and variation, balancing clarity with a more mysterious tone. Blue Lights by Lea Occhi & Amotik shifts into a more groove-led space. What begins with a functional framework gradually opens up - subtle chords and restrained vocal elements add texture and attitude without overtaking the structure, resulting in a track that feels both light and deep. Closing the record, IB1809 sees Alarico return with a defining statement. Reduced but highly present, the track builds around a strong rhythmic core, where chords, melody and vocal fragments interlock with precision. There is a sense of contrast at play - melancholic yet driven, vulnerable yet forceful - culminating in a moment that feels both functional and expansive. Across all four tracks, the release remains tightly focused - fast, dynamic and cohesive, with a strong emphasis on movement and detail. As the fifth entry in the series, it captures a distinctly modern strain of techno, where emotional nuance and rhythmic intensity are no longer in opposition, but fully aligned. A1 Written and Produced by Irakli Danelia & Alarico Zucchi | A2 Written and Produced by Toru Ikemoto | B1 Written and Produced by Lea Occhi & Anil Chawla | B2 Written and Produced by Alarico Zucchi Mastered by Ahmet Sisman (The Third Room Studios) Artwork by Charlotte Ernst Design by Daniel Bornmann (STUEDIO.XYZ) Distribution by Clone Pressing by Matter Of Fact

The second chapter of The Third Room's curator-led series is shaped by D.Dan, one of the defining voices of a new generation pushing techno into sharper, more forward-leaning territory. Through his productions, DJ sets and close ties to an emerging network of artists, he has helped shape a sound defined by precision, intensity and subtle experimentation. For his curation, the focus lies on collaboration and alignment. Rather than presenting a wide spectrum, the release draws a tight circle around a shared sound: one defined by contrast and a strong sense of aesthetic cohesion. D.Dan's Bound sets the tone: reduced, warm and controlled, balancing sharp accents with a steady, grounding low-end. On Dynamic, Rene Wise delivers a record's standout moment: a fluid, rolling tool shaped by subtle disruptions and evolving tension. Slither by Connor Wall expands into a more trippy, forward-facing space, while Gensou by Sunju Hargun & DJ MARIA. closes on a fresh, detailed take on acid - understated but effective. Across all four tracks, the release feels tightly unified - less like a compilation, more like a single body of work shaped from a shared sonic language. Contrast plays a central role: between tension and warmth, control and surprise, functionality and detail. Cohesive and focused, the record feels carved from a single aesthetic, where contrast and small, unexpected shifts drive its momentum. Copyright 2026 The Third Room A1 Written and Produced by Theodore Su-Ahn Shin | A2 Written and Produced by Andrew Shobeiri | B1 Written and Produced by Connor Wall | B2 Written and Produced by Sunju Hargun & DJ MARIA. Mastered by Ahmet Sisman (The Third Room Studios) Artwork by Charlotte Ernst Design by Daniel Bornmann (STUEDIO.XYZ) Distribution by Clone Pressing by Matter Of Fact

The fourth chapter of The Third Room's curator-led series is shaped by Freddy K, one of techno's most enduring and uncompromising voices. Through decades behind the decks, an unwavering commitment to vinyl culture and his work with Key Vinyl, he has helped shape a generation of artists rooted in functionality, precision and a direct connection to the dancefloor. For his curation, the focus lies on alignment. The selection brings together artists who reflect that same discipline: a reduced but expressive approach, stripped to essentials yet rich in detail. With contributions from Toobris and Sons of Hidden, both previously featured on Key Vinyl, the release also reflects the long-standing artistic relationships behind his vision. Bat by Toobris opens the record with a powerful, straightforward statement. Driven by a steady pulse and minimal elements, the track feels alive through its control - direct, efficient and highly expressive without excess. Before Mirrors by Sons of Hidden continues this direction while expanding into a more spheric space. Tension is held consistently, with subtle accents carefully placed to shift the energy and draw the listener deeper into the track. On the B-side, Clouds Cream by Quelza stands out as a more intricate and exploratory piece. Deep and immersive, it unfolds through detailed sound design and evolving structures. Rather than relying on repetition alone, the track develops its own internal logic - balancing complexity with clarity, and allowing each element the space to contribute to a larger whole. Closing the record, Swing of Time by Jin Synth shifts into a rougher, more moody territory. Subtle pitch modulation and shifting textures create a sense of instability, giving the track a distinctive edge while maintaining its functionality. Across all four tracks, the release remains focused and cohesive - built on reduction, tension and control, but carried by small, defining moments that shape its movement. A1 Written and Produced by Lennard Miessner | A2 Written and Produced by Sons Of Hidden | B1 Written and Produced by Leo Na?t A?ssa | B2 Written and Produced by Jin Synth Mastered by Ahmet Sisman (The Third Room Studios) Artwork by Charlotte Ernst Design by Daniel Bornmann (STUEDIO.XYZ) Distribution by Clone Pressing by Matter Of Fact

Roy Montgomery, a key figure in the experimental underground rock scene, lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, just a short drive from the sea. Avant-garde vocalist and songwriter Martha Skye Murphy is based in London. Though geographically worlds apart, the pair inhabit an intimate and almost tactile shared sonic world. Their collaboration feels transformative, like the gradual shifting spell from night to day.

What draws them together is the emotional force of each other’s music. Montgomery’s cyclical, decaying compositions are shaped through intricate guitar and piano work, blending post-rock, folk, and drone. Murphy, meanwhile, possesses a rare gift for transformation, from the intimate cracked whispers of 'At Dawn' to the hypnotic drift of 'The Play of Dark and Light'. On the latter, she evokes old maritime folk tales of fishermen lured into the darkness by the sea’s siren call. The song both seduces and warns, finding something magical and frightening in the temptation of drowning. Though her vocals often resemble fragments of words, consonants, or vowels, they frequently function as pure sound, drawing on glossolalia and prioritising feeling over any ‘learnt’ language.

Emotion and intuition are the driving forces behind Nebular, an album that oscillates between the intimate with the unknown. This spirit is reflected in its artwork. Murphy shared a painting by Irish artist Simon English depicting a solitary house bathed in dusky blue light, and the pair quickly settled on it as the cover image. Both were captivated by its atmosphere. Montgomery related it to the isolated, seemingly uninhabited houses he encounters while travelling through rural New Zealand—places that inspire a desire to knock on the door and discover what lies beyond. “Terra incognita springs to mind. A search into the unknown,” Murphy agrees.

The nocturnal and remote nature of the artwork mirrors the process of making Nebular. With Montgomery in New Zealand and Murphy in London, the album was created entirely through remote correspondence, with stems exchanged via email. Their messages were often written and read at different times of day, and, because of the time difference and the demands of daily life, replies usually were sent late at night and the music too often composed at nocturnal hours. Their exchanges took on the quality of pen pals sending letters across great distances. This suspended sense of time is echoed in Nebular’s sound, with its feeling of temporal drift and timelessness.

On Nebular, Montgomery and Murphy have harnessed raw emotion and launched it into a time capsule bound for the stars. It allows you to drift, to be present, and to feel; creating something timeless.

TRACKLISTING

Pure Devotion, benannt nach der gleichnamigen Live-Reihe von 2024, markiert einen weiteren Entwicklungsschritt für Overmono. Hinter dem Projekt stehen die Brüder Tom und Ed Russell, die bereits seit Jahren in der britischen Elektronikszene aktiv sind - sowohl gemeinsam als auch über ihre Solo-Projekte Tessela und Truss. Diese Erfahrungen aus dem UK-Underground bilden die Grundlage ihres Sounds bis heute. Das Album vereint bewusst Unschärfen, technische Imperfektion und zufällige Momente mit einer klaren künstlerischen Haltung. Über elf Tracks hinweg erweitern Overmono ihren Produktionsansatz und greifen dabei auf ungewöhnliche Mittel zurück: analoge Synthesizer aus den 70er- und 80er-Jahren, alte Lautsprechersysteme oder experimentelle Klangbearbeitung. Das Ergebnis wirkt kontrolliert, organisch und immer treibend. Auch die Vocals tragen zur Atmosphäre bei - unter anderem von John Joseph Holt, Kindora und Ruthven. Insgesamt legt Pure Devotion den Fokus stärker auf Emotionalität und Klangtiefe als auf reine Funktionalität im Clubkontext. Das Projekt entwickelte sich aus einer Neujustierung ihrer Live-Show und gewann parallel zu ihren Touraktivitäten an Form. Nach dem Erfolg ihres Debütalbums Good Lies (2023), welches ihnen größere Aufmerksamkeit und internationale Auftritte einbrachte, spielten Overmono zahlreiche Festivals und eigene Shows, darunter Glastonbury und Alexandra Palace in London. Während dieser Phase entstand neue Musik, die später in Rückzugsorten wie Spanien und Island weiter ausgearbeitet wurde. Die Single "Lockup" steht exemplarisch für die Herangehensweise des Duos: direkte, rhythmisch präsente Strukturen treffen auf zurückhaltendere, emotionale Elemente. Pure Devotion wirkt damit weniger wie ein Bruch als vielmehr wie eine konsequente Weiterentwicklung - geprägt von Erfahrung, Neugier und dem Anspruch, den eigenen Ansatz weiter auszuloten. Overmono sind eine neue Größe in der internationalen Club-Kultur.

Pure Devotion, benannt nach der gleichnamigen Live-Reihe von 2024, markiert einen weiteren Entwicklungsschritt für Overmono. Hinter dem Projekt stehen die Brüder Tom und Ed Russell, die bereits seit Jahren in der britischen Elektronikszene aktiv sind - sowohl gemeinsam als auch über ihre Solo-Projekte Tessela und Truss. Diese Erfahrungen aus dem UK-Underground bilden die Grundlage ihres Sounds bis heute. Das Album vereint bewusst Unschärfen, technische Imperfektion und zufällige Momente mit einer klaren künstlerischen Haltung. Über elf Tracks hinweg erweitern Overmono ihren Produktionsansatz und greifen dabei auf ungewöhnliche Mittel zurück: analoge Synthesizer aus den 70er- und 80er-Jahren, alte Lautsprechersysteme oder experimentelle Klangbearbeitung. Das Ergebnis wirkt kontrolliert, organisch und immer treibend. Auch die Vocals tragen zur Atmosphäre bei - unter anderem von John Joseph Holt, Kindora und Ruthven. Insgesamt legt Pure Devotion den Fokus stärker auf Emotionalität und Klangtiefe als auf reine Funktionalität im Clubkontext. Das Projekt entwickelte sich aus einer Neujustierung ihrer Live-Show und gewann parallel zu ihren Touraktivitäten an Form. Nach dem Erfolg ihres Debütalbums Good Lies (2023), welches ihnen größere Aufmerksamkeit und internationale Auftritte einbrachte, spielten Overmono zahlreiche Festivals und eigene Shows, darunter Glastonbury und Alexandra Palace in London. Während dieser Phase entstand neue Musik, die später in Rückzugsorten wie Spanien und Island weiter ausgearbeitet wurde. Die Single "Lockup" steht exemplarisch für die Herangehensweise des Duos: direkte, rhythmisch präsente Strukturen treffen auf zurückhaltendere, emotionale Elemente. Pure Devotion wirkt damit weniger wie ein Bruch als vielmehr wie eine konsequente Weiterentwicklung - geprägt von Erfahrung, Neugier und dem Anspruch, den eigenen Ansatz weiter auszuloten. Overmono sind eine neue Größe in der internationalen Club-Kultur.

Phosphor returns with its fifth release and a new chapter for the label’s founders, Blue Vision. As their second EP on the imprint, Machines Will Transform Us (PHP005) confirms the project’s direction: a precise balance between club-driven tech house and more immersive, hypnotic electro textures.

Across the EP, Blue Vision asks a simple question: after spending our days connected to algorithms and modern machines, can repetitive rhythms and mechanical grooves on the dancefloor turn us into machines once again, or instead help us reconnect with ourselves?

Machines Will Transform Us (A1) opens the EP with a driving Italo bassline and tight, tech-driven drums. Melodic 80s synths contrast with sharper electro elements, gradually building tension before a final drop designed for peak-time impact. The track sets the tone for the release: machines transform us as much as we transform them.

Then comes Just a Game (A2), blending spacious 90s progressive and synthwave influences over a rock-solid club bassline and crisp drums. Playing with atmosphere and emotion, the track explores the feeling that we are never too far from a simulation, that maybe everything is just a game. Perfectly suited for introspective yet intense moments, it acts as an ideal bridge between harder tracks in a set.

On the flip side, I Love Acid (B1) is direct, hypnotic, and designed to lock the dancefloor into a steady flow. Stripped back to punchy drums and a raw acid line, it takes a minimal approach that works equally well in early hours or late-night sets. Behind the title lies the idea of acid as both machine energy and mental escape, where repetitive sequences blur the boundary between human emotion and mechanical movement.

As a final touch, Scan Your Brain (B2) shifts into deeper, more immersive territory. Analog pad textures create a drifting atmosphere over a hypnotic bassline and electro drums. With this closing track, Blue Vision answers their initial question by imagining the dancefloor as a space to disconnect from rigid thinking. The vocal serves as a reminder that the brain is constantly overloaded, and that dancing becomes a way to let go, reset, and reconnect.

In den letzten paar Jahren haben wir alle den Sinn für die Zeit verloren, aber es muss so um 2023 herum gewesen sein, dass Robert Rotifer, Journalist, Singer-Songwriter und zeitweiser Gitarrist/Bassist bei allen möglichen Bands, von Louis Philippe & The Night Mail über Swansea Sound, Penrose Web, Papernut Cambridge, André Heller, Keiron Phelan bis hin zu Fay Hallam's Band, seinen Freund Kenji, Ex-Sänger der deutschen Sunshine-Pop-Sensation Friedrich Sunglight, fragte, warum er eigentlich in keinen Bands mehr singt. Das war der Auslöser einer Zusammenarbeit, aus der zuerst langsam, dann immer schneller, eine üppige LP gewachsen ist, auf der neben Robert & Kenji noch der elegante post-Glam Veteran John Howard, das große junge Wiener Talent Leo Schlager alias The Zew, die lebende She-Punk-Legende Helen McCookerybook und der beliebteste singende Drummer der britischen Indie-Szene Ian Button zu hören sind. Die ursprüngliche Idee war, dass Robert Songs für Kenjis glockenklare, wendige Stimme schreiben sollte, was stilistisch automatisch eine melodiöse Baroque Pop-Richtung suggerierte. Als nächstes entwickelte sich ein textliches Thema, vom Opener "Considering", einem Lied an einen Freund, der seinen Weg verloren hat, über Songs der Ermutigung ("Things to do in Winter", "Stay With Us", "The More That I Think About What We Should Do") zu Songs über den feindseligen Zustand der Welt ("The Words", "Listen to the News", "Sense of Time"). Was für Rotifer als eine Reihe von Heim-Demos an Gitarre und Tasten in ungewohnten Tonarten (für Kenjis Stimme) begann, wuchs bald zu größeren Arrangements heran, angereichert durch Ian Buttons Drums, seine Stimme, weitere Instrumente und sein Ohr für einen guten Mix. Kenji und Rotifer hörten noch mehr am Horizont und beschlossen, dass dieses Material noch mehr verschiedene stimmliche Schattierungen gebrauchen konnte. Während Robert seine über den Kontinent verstreuten Freund:innen John (Südspanien), Helen (London) und Leo (Wien) für Vocal-Takes gewinnen konnte, die Ian in den Mix einfließen ließ, schrieb Roberts Tochter Emma gerade eine Seminararbeit an der Uni darüber, wie in der Independent-Musik-Szene Arbeit organisiert ist. Sie kam zu dem Ergebnis, dass das Musiker:innen-Netzwerk, in dem ihr Vater sich herumtreibt, einer Theorie der gegenseitigen Unterstützung gleicht, die man "Radical Friendship" nennt. Also widmete Rotifer dieser Idee noch einen Song, den er diesmal selber sang (nebst dem Schluss-Song "Is This Real Enough?"). Am Ende ergab es sich, dass alle Beteiligten auf jeweils einem Track die Haupt- oder Nebenstimme und auf allen anderen Songs unterstützende Harmonien singen. Auf diese Weise wurde das Album per se zu einer Verkörperung von Radical Friendship, nicht in der Theorie, sondern in der Praxis. Radical Friendship Theory is keine Band. Es ist ein liebevoll arrangierter Reigen von Songs in vielen verschiedenen Stilen, von Baroque Pop zu Psychedelia, Power Pop, Country Rock bis zu Bücherwurm-Indie, interpretiert von einem Kreis von Freund:innen, der sich immer erweitern und wandeln kann. Rotifer, der während der Fertigstellung des Albums von Canterbury nach Berlin gezogen ist, wird diese Songs in verschiedenen Städten mit verschiedenen Musiker:innen spielen, von Wien über London bis Glasgow, Hamburg, wahrscheinlich Berlin und Paris, wo immer seine radical friends zuhause sind. Indessen bringt das britische Label Spinout Nuggets die Studio-Version des Stoff in seiner Original-Besetzung heraus - eine Zelebrierung menschlicher, kreativer Freundschaft als lebensrettende Alternative zu einer Welt der digitalen Pseudokommunikation und künstlich geschürter Konflikte.

Iconic return with “II”, a second album that doesn’t just continue the band’s journey — it defines it. Where their debut introduced the chemistry between five world-class musicians, II sharpens that vision into a clearer, heavier, and more confident sonic identity, delivering a sound that is more powerful, more direct, and unmistakably rock. At the heart of the album lies the electrifying guitar partnership of Joel Hoekstra and Michael Sweet, delivering a masterclass in soaring melodies, blazing solos, and muscular riffs that perfectly balance technical brilliance with pure hard-rock attitude. Beneath them, the rhythm section of Tommy Aldridge and Marco Mendoza drives the record with thunderous authority, creating a groove that is both massive and relentless. The album kicks off with “Cry No More”, a high-octane opener that immediately sets the tone — an energetic slice of hard rock packed with driving riffs, explosive drums, and a chorus built to stick. On the other side of the emotional spectrum, “Tears Keep On Falling” showcases the band’s dynamic range, unfolding as an electrifying power ballad where melody, atmosphere, and intensity come together in dramatic fashion. Towering above it all is Nathan James, whose performance on II is nothing short of extraordinary — powerful, soulful, and commanding, elevating every track with unmistakable presence. With bigger riffs, deeper grooves, and a stronger sense of identity, II captures Iconic at full force: a band no longer introducing itself but fully owning its sound.