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Kaninchenbau label head The Funk District has joined forces with Argentinian keys specialist Sokur for a new four-tracker that collides bluesy samples with sleek electronic grooves. 'Till My Feet Got Numb' kicks off with waves of synth energy run through with sampled vocals that hark back to Robert Johnson. 'Never Satisfied' is another mix of funky drums, jazzy pianos and crackly blues vocals that is unusual but effective. 'Took My Babe Away' repeats this combination, this time with hints of St Germain in the melancholic spoken words and ever more thumping and acid-laced beats. 'Sunshine From The Sky' completes the quartet with more hurried grooves laced with wonky synth work. It's peak time stuff with plenty of deeper meaning.

Pacific Northwester Drew Sullivan is the man behind the Slow Dancing Society and on his latest album, he interrogates nostalgia with clearer eyes while sculpting analogue glow, treated guitar and patient ambience into scenes that breathe. Tracks drift like headlights through snow - hums, howls, bass rumbles, rain-veiled keys all feature, each motion subtle, deliberate and devastating. The record's power lies in restraint: chord changes feel meteorological, melodies arrive as messages, then vanish. It's ambient music with a spine, grief without spectacle. By the time 'Blue Suburban Skies' lifts into Twin Peaks-levels of ache, Sullivan has rebuilt a world you want to hide away in forever.

The frankly ridiculous Burnski is back as Instinct with more face-melting garage and bassline slammers that update the classic sound with just the right amount of evolution. All of these on his latest for his self-title label are 10/10 weapons: 'Halt' is hurried, swinging and syncopated to perfection. 'Choose One' is less streamlined; instead, there are warped and squelchy lines, bursts of static and a more futuristic twist getting you going. 'Crazy' brings brilliantly chosen and well-deployed samples to the fore over a beat that harks back to percussive UK funky at its finest. The flip side offers a trio of slick bouncers, body-popping movers and brightly lit vibes. Superb.

Rhythm Cult returns with another hypnotic cut from JESUSLOVESACID, joined by Red Pig Flower and the one and only Mathew Jonson. Deep, trippy and full of tension, Verbal moves somewhere between micro house and emotional club energy.
Jonson takes it further on the flip, twisting the groove into his unmistakable world of pulse and melody.
A proper underground record. Nothing more, nothing less.

Few producers have had the same seismic impact on techno and rave music as Joey Beltram. Hailing from Queens, New York, Beltram was a key architect of the early '90s rave explosion and responsible for some of the most influential electronic records of the era - and it was Belgium’s R&S Records that gave many of these tracks their first home.

Originally compiled and released by R&S in 1996, Classics brings together the core of Beltram’s groundbreaking early output - namely the Beltram Vol. 1 (1990) and Beltram Vol. 2 (1991) EPs, alongside the legendary Second Phase productions ‘Mentasm’ and ‘Mind To Mind’ (1991), plus a selection of aliases and collaborative work from the same period, including tracks under Mental Mayhem, Open Mind, and Disorder.

Now remastered and reissued as a 2LP set for 2025, Classics is available on vinyl for the first time since 2006, offering a long overdue opportunity to own these timeless cuts in their purest form. Across the 13 tracks, you'll hear the sheer force and innovation that made Beltram a household name in underground techno.

Integral to this collection are ‘Jazz 303’ and ‘Psycho Bass,’ co-produced with Norwegian techno innovator Per Martinsen (aka The Alien), which stand out for their experimental, forward-facing sound - highlighting a futuristic edge even within Beltram’s already pioneering catalogue. Elsewhere, his Second Phase project with Mundo Muzique delivers the seminal ‘Mentasm’ and ‘Mind To Mind,’ two foundational tracks that introduced the infamous “hoover” sound to dancefloors worldwide. Rounding out the set are deeper cuts under his aliases Mental Mayhem, Disorder, and Open Mind, capturing the breadth of Beltram’s restless creativity and technical command during his peak R&S years.
Classics’ by Joey Beltram is available on R&S Records from 25th July 2025.

Childhood Intelligence’s 18th release by ADSR aka. Todd Nickolas & Dominic Paterson from Toronto, Canada. The 2x12” album presents mostly tracks written and produced by Todd, with A1/D1 being in collaboration with Paterson. "Give a teenager in a rural Canadian setting an analog synthesizer, a drum machine and a four-track cassette recorder and feed him a steady diet of 80s EBM, Post-Punk, Synthpop, Electro, Dub, Acid, Hip Hop and House, and you’ll get the kind of genre melding electronic-based music that Todd Nickolas has been known for since his early days of writing and producing." The end result is a versatile one, with “Passive Articulation” presenting abstract Techno - House - Electro visions, and fusing all the elements of vintage Intelligent Dance Music that we cherish so much: warm basslines, beautiful chord progressions, diverse and surprising arrangements infused with haunting melodies, hypnotic cyber sounds, detached vocal cuts and dubbed percussion.…Overall fresh & timeless classiness for the present, past & future.

Recorded various locations New Hamburg, Kitchener-Waterloo, Ottawa, Toronto, San Francisco and Los Angeles. ADSR greatly thanks those who were there from the start, those who joined along the journey and those here now.

Childhood Intelligence Nineteen by Dan Piu “The Mystic Mind” 2x12 LP

As the vortex of time evolves, Swiss Underground Legacy “Dan Piu” returns to his home planet “Childhood intelligence”. A rare specimen and artifact known for his timeless & intelligent soul-infused music, arises with his 3rd solo album on Childhood. “The Mystic Mind” 2x12 Lp as the trilogy, the sequel of “Tru Time And Ages” and “Inside Universe”.

This Full-Length player is a voyage through yet another unexplored realm of Dan's creativity, where listeners are invited to explore a vast network of emotions. As the album organically unfolds, tales of spooky synth worlds emerge, where hypnotic atmospheres collide with analog technoid elements, guided by classic JUNO chord progressions. Witness the alchemy of vintage ARP, Jupiter, Mono/Poly, and 80s Yamaha sounds as they morph into an elusive journey of electronic mysticism crafted by the otherworldly mind, the “Mystic Mind” of Dan Piu.

Back when the first white labels started floating through the hands of German, British, American and Canadian DJs in late ’84, nobody was ready for what was coming. The official drop hit in early ’85 and the scene was never the same again. This was the moment Mike Mareen broke through the static. Yeah, he’d been working with Chris Evans-Ironside since the ’70s but nothing hinted that together they’d channel something this futuristic. “Dancing In The Dark” sounded like it had slipped through a wormhole: melancholic, hypnotic vocals wrapped in vocoder haze, riding an arrangement so razor-sharp it made most releases of the era feel prehistoric. It didn’t need the pop charts… It owned the clubs. And the clubs listened.

London. Berlin. Madrid. Rome. Paris. Lisbon. Amsterdam. Athens. Toronto. NYC. Tokyo. Mexico City.

One drop of that electro bassline and DJs were hooked. Crowds were hooked. The whole underground was hooked. Soon Europe’s radio charts caved under its pressure, and the track crossed borders on mixtapes, becoming a cult anthem behind the Iron Curtain. It was everywhere, even where it technically wasn’t allowed to be.

Fast-forward four decades and the spell hasn’t faded. “Dancing In The Dark” still shows up in indie dance, italo wave, house and deep house sets. Producers keep re-editing it like it’s sacred material. It’s one of those tracks that DJs treasure, a timeless weapon, one of the top three defining singles of Mareen’s entire career.

And now for the 40th anniversary of its official release, Vintage Pleasure Boutique and Night’n Day Records drop the vinyl every collector and selector has been waiting for: a special reissue loaded with four brand-new remixes spanning the full spectrum of today’s underground indie/disco/italo/house energy.

Tallac – the American Berlin dweller – dives deep into the hypnotic soul of the original, pulling out its buried deep-house DNA and carving out a spacious, emotional roller.

Luksek, Italian producer & DJ, goes raw and dirty: loop-driven, gritty, underground, hypnotic, the kind of edit that eats dancefloors alive.

Flemming Dalum, the Danish Italo grandmaster, finally gets to remix the track he’d always dreamed of touching and of course it’s pure Flemingish electro-italo magic.

And the Polish sparkle: A.P. Mono delivers a shimmering mix of italo disco, glitterbox groove, disco glamour and synthwave glow, all while keeping the spirit of Mareen’s original heartbeat intact.

The wax also features two historical heavy-hitters: the 1985 Jens Lissat’s team remix and Luis Rodriguez’s original arrangement, essential cuts in the Mareen universe.

This release isn’t nostalgia. It’s a resurrection. A celebration. A reminder. “Dancing In The Dark” didn’t survive 40 years by accident, it survived because it still moves bodies, breaks hearts and lights up floors in ways modern tracks can only wish for.

If you’re an indie, italo, wave, house or disco DJ… This record isn’t just worth owning… It’s mandatory.

Alpenglühen starts 2026 with two close friends working together in the 11th one
Atàvic is the collaborative project between Estrato Aurora and Absis, merging two distinct yet complementary approaches to electronic music. The project is rooted in texture, atmosphere, and subtle narrative, allowing sound to evolve organically and without excess.
They together bring a refined sense of space and detail, working with ambient layers, restrained rhythms, and melodic fragments that unfold slowly. Here is a 4 track release with a more tactile and material approach, focusing on timbre, resonance, and sonic density, blurring the line between abstraction and structure.
The alignment between Atàvic and the label lies in a shared appreciation for subtlety, patience, and sonic storytelling, where each release is conceived as a complete and meaningful statement.
With this reference, Atàvic contributes a work that resonates with alpenglühen’s aesthetic ethos while reinforcing the collaborative project’s own identity: music that invites close listening and reveals its nuances slowly.
If you’re looking for a peak-time, dancefloor-driven banger to keep you moving until sunrise, this is not that record.
But if you’re after a mind-blowing experience that challenges and expands your listening (and dancings), this one’s for you. Don’t overthink it.

On »Empty Room,« David Granström works with slow transformations, cyclical and isometric patterns as well as just intonation as a way to create harmonic stability, allowing his long-form pieces to develop their own unique temporal and spatial qualities. A prolific figure in Stockholm’s experimental drone scene and a collaborator of Hallow Ground label mates Maria W Horn and Mats Erlandsson, the Swedish composer navigates through moments of quietude and crushing volume on these five tracks. Sonically and atmospherically, the pieces on »Empty Room« simultaneously call to mind Fennesz’s most meditative work or the physical experience of seeing Sunn O))) live, blending guitar recordings and synthesised sounds with forceful effects similar to those of Mario Díaz de Leon’s Oneirogen project while still being as moving and delicate as Alessandro Cortini’s solo work. The album is marked by melodies and harmonies that are the product of a peculiar working process that turned the composer into an intent listener collaborating with, rather than simply using technology.

Having been invited by the self-organising artist group The Non Existent Center for a residency to Ställbergs Gruva, a defunct iron ore mine in Sweden’s Bergslagen region, Granström took his guitar as a starting point for his compositional work that heavily relies on real-time sound synthesis. »I seldomly use the instrument as a sound source in the final compositions and rather transcribe and orchestrate the harmonic structures using sound synthesis,« he explains. »On this album however, I chose to include the actual recordings of the guitar in order to extend the spectra between non-referential synthetic sounds and embodied referential sounds.« Working with precise tunings in order to blend the timbre of the synthesis with the harmonic structures of the composition, he created composite sound objects in which the harmonic elements blend into each other.

Through the re-amplification of synthetic musical materials from the inside of the abandoned mine, his original compositions were enriched with site-specific sound qualities before he further refined them in a singular working process. Granström works with algorithmic and generative processes, using the SuperCollider programming environment and thus blurring the lines between generative and creative forms of composition. »One of the things that I like about this way of working is that it creates a distance between myself as a composer and myself as a listener of the music that is produced entirely by the system,« he says. Granström’s technologically aided eschewing of the conventions of composing doesn’t make the end result any less personal, however. By listening again and again to the newly generated output, Granström simply took on a different role in the process of finalising the music, with the technology and the sounds becoming his co-authors.

By creating systems that generate music, he gains a new perspective on (musical) time, says Granström. »There doesn't have to be a fixed length to the music at all,« he explains. »And by writing music with this in mind, my focus tends to shift towards writing cyclical structures that gradually change and transform over time.« Simple parts, in other words, that emerge as the five complex wholes that form »Empty Room,« a record that itself seems to take on different forms with every new listen.

Recollection V-VI marks the third in a planned series of 7” releases, each built from Glonti’s expanding archive of Soviet-era recordings. The artwork by Dmytro Nikolaienko (Day Night) once again reflects the utilitarian aesthetic of Soviet-era record design.

In 2018, Glonti started collecting LPs of Soviet-era Georgian composers at Tbilisi’s “Dry Bridge” flea market.The records mostly consisted of classical and chamber music released on Melodiya, the singular, state owned record label of the USSR. It was through this process that the idea of Recollection was born, as Glonti aimed to create an album that would utilize samples from his growing collection.

Naive Melodies is a bold and visionary tribute to the music of Talking Heads, reinterpreted through the lens of Black musical innovation. Curated by Drew McFadden — the creative mind behind BBE’s acclaimed Modern Love (David Bowie tribute album) — this new collection dives deep into the Afro-diasporic rhythms and experimental soul roots that helped shape Talking Heads’ unmistakable New Wave sound. Inspired by artists like Fela Kuti, Parliament, and Al Green — whose influences loomed large in the band’s rhythmic DNA — Naive Melodies shines a light on the Black music traditions that underpinned their artistry. Far from a conventional tribute, Naive Melodies reframes the band’s catalog through the voices and visions of a new generation of genre-defying artists. These interpretations illuminate the foundational grooves and sonic textures that fueled Talking Heads’ rhythm-forward aesthetic, bringing them full circle with authenticity. “With Naive Melodies, I wanted to spotlight the deep and often overlooked influence of Black music on the sound of Talking Heads, drawing from the rhythmic foundations of Afro-diasporic traditions, soul, gospel, Latin, and spiritual jazz. This project is a chance to reimagine Talking Heads’ legacy through the lens of the very innovations that helped shape it, bringing those influences to the forefront through the voices of today’s most forward-thinking artists.” — Drew McFadden The album features a globally minded lineup, including Liv.e, Bilal, Rogê, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Aja Monet, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Theo Croker, Kenny Dope, Rosie Lowe, Pachyman, W.I.T.C.H., and more — spanning Afrobeat, jazz, soul, funk, gospel, dub, electronica, orchestral, and Latin styles. It reflects not only the boundary-pushing ethos of Talking Heads, but also the influence of Black music as a cultural force that helped shape it. This is not just a tribute album — it’s a recontextualization. A cultural conversation. A rhythmic reawakening.

Fides Records pushes further into its 10-year anniversary journey with X3, the third chapter of the series. Staying true to the label’s decade-long commitment to forward-minded underground techno, this new instalment sharpens the focus with five cuts that move between peak-time impact, melancholic tension, and dubwise pressure—each one a different angle on the Fides aesthetic.

Side A opens with Dustin Zahn’s “Madness”, a no-nonsense peak-time weapon built on stomping momentum, immersive pressure, and relentless drive—proof of why the US veteran remains a constant reference point. Marco Bruno follows with “Aura”, where melancholic leads and detuned synths shape an introspective yet heavy-hitting groove, capturing the Italian producer’s emotional weight and versatility. Closing the side, JANEIN (co-founder of Seelen Records) delivers “Polaris”, a spatial, bleepy roller that leans into darkness while keeping the propulsion locked forward.

Flipping to Side B, Yant’s “Fractured” shifts the palette: playful yet precise, kinetic in motion, with textures that keep mutating as the rhythm snaps into place. DHÆÜR “Sealand” captures the mood of a young Italian artist carving a new lane in minimal, elegant, unapologetic techno—energized and raw, yet defined by clean design, confident restraint, and a sharp personal signature. The record concludes with Hadone’s “No Longer Observed”, a dub-tinged stomper rich in detail and low-end depth; club-weight with an emotional undercurrent, balancing elegance and power in a way that feels unmistakably Fides.

Groggy, engrossing new work from Ulla under their newly minted U.e. tag, riffing to the sublime on a set of (mostly) acoustic reveries that tap into the kind of smokey vapours favoured by the likes of Vincent Gallo, Voice Actor, Jonnine.

A new year, label, album and handle for Ulla, a multifaceted artist who has draped our pages with wonder, under numerous aliases and collabs, for almost a decade. On ‘Hometown Girl’ they distill transience and flux into a quiet set of chamber works subtly resembling the room recorded nuance of their ‘Jazz Plates’ side with Perila - here taken a step further into more elusive, low-lit dimensions.

In a mode that’s wistful and melancholic, listening to the album’s dozen discrete pieces feels like leafing thru a journal of hand-written notes, reflecting on the feelings that come with separation from loved ones and displacement from familiarity. Ulla performed and recorded all of the instruments themselves, lending a tangible tactility to layered arrangements of woodwind, keys, strings, drums and voice, lightly speckled with electronics and perfused with open window field recordings.

They locate a crackling frisson of personality in the voice notes and day-dreaminess of their mottled inscapes, gauzily demarcating lines between past and present selves. In that aesthetic and approach we can also hear similarities to Jonnine’s blue-skied ‘Southside Girl’ or crys cole’s poetic sensuality, often leaning into the domestic surreal.

A frayed, opening salutation ‘Good Morning’ signals a delirious half hour in Ulla’s company, variously swaying to the downstroked jazz swing of a ‘Lavender (NF)’ spritzed with clarinet, whilst ‘Froggy Explorer’ stirs the air like Jan Jelinek on a barely-there tip. The Basinski-esque fritz of degraded loops really snags the imagination along with a twinkling nightlight ‘Ball’, as the album opens out into its most fully resolved songs with a closing couplet of disarming wonders ‘Drawing of Me’, and a blurry ‘Mute’ that feels like Ulla 〜almost〜 reveals too much before retreating back into the shadows.

"Eau" is the lovely new album from aus, the solo project of Tokyo-born composer and producer Yasuhiko Fukuzono, who has gained attention, in Japan and overseas, for his thoughtfully paced and sensitively skillful music as well as his intriguing sound design for exhibitions and experimental cinema. Having worked primarily with keyboards and electronic sound up to this point, "Eau" is a slight yet fascinating shift for aus; the album, while still primarily an electronic work, revolves around the sonic world of a stringed acoustic sound source, the koto, that most characteristically Japanese of musical instruments. The very accomplished Eden Okuno provides the delicate-yet-rich koto sounds on offer here; Fukuzono, in the liner notes, acknowledges the importance of Okuno's artistry to the project.

The compositions on the album are designed to balance the sound of the koto, with its subtly variable attack and flickering resonance, with the timbre of other instruments. The delicate decay and metrical flexibility of the koto is enveloped by sustained synthesizer sounds and contrapuntally constructed piano melodies, creating a flowing ambience with absorbing undercurrents, a languid and liquid quality that reveals the suitability of the title.

Avid fans of contemporary Japanese music might hear the influence of pioneering works such as the the 1979 Hiroshi Yoshimura composition "Clouds for Alma", realized by koto player Tadao Sawai, and the 1993 album "Koto Vortex I: Works by Hiroshi Yoshimura" which featured performances of Yoshimura's works by the Japanese koto quartet Koto Vortex. These works attempted to remove the koto from its traditional context and place it within the context of ambient and techno. "Eau" is available on CD/LP/cassette/digital, with E/J liner notes by aus. "Eau" is the first collaborative release by EM Records and FLAU, the label run by Yasuhiko Fukuzono (aus).

One of the leading Japanese alternative rock band, GEZAN’s leader, MahitoThePeople’s director debut film, i ai was released in March 2024, and it is an atypical coming-of-age film decorated with tinge of red.

　The film takes place in Akashi and Kobe, Hyogo prefecture. This film’s main characters are Ko (Kentaro Tomita), a rookie member of a band and a brother-like figure of his, Hee (Mirai Moriyama) who Ko idolizes and the story of this movie is based on their struggles with life and death. The story is also based on Mahito's real-life experiences and while reality and fiction are duplicated, the boundary between them slowly melts away. The film co-stars Honami Satoh, Kazuki Horike, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Eita Nagayama, Kyoko Koizumi, K-BOMB, Ichi Omiya and many other unique personalities. It should also be noted that the transparent images filmed by photographer, Masafumi Sanai gives the film, a special emotional quality.

　The film is not bound by any film theory but it poses a theme common to GEZAN's recent works and Mahito's writing activities: How can we live in a crumbling society while interacting with others? We can never live alone but living with others is also never easy. How can we overcome this time of extreme division of the world?

What left quite a strong impression in this film that not only Mahito personally directed but also wrote the script and composed the soundtrack as well was the main theme song, entitled “i ai”. This new piece of GEZAN is an extension of the work that this band has continued doing over the last few years. This 12" single, contains the song, “i ai” and it will be the first time released on vinyl.

Led by soft guitar arpeggios, the song gradually builds to a fever pitch, condensing the mood of the film which encompasses both tranquillity and intensity. The chorus of ineffable, multiple voices united together sounds like a lament that has spilled out of society or a cry of joy. GEZAN's collaboration with the 15-member chorus group, Million Wish Collective has been in development of late and the cultivated sensibilities through their activities are put to use in this song.

The song can also be considered a slow, relaxed dance track that lasts 9 minutes and 8 seconds. It has something in common with organic dance tracks from South America and other regions, and it is significant that GLOCAL RECORDS which represents glocal music from around the world in Japan are releasing it as a DJ-friendly 12-inch single.

The B-side features a remix by COMPUMA who is also closely associated with GEZAN. The song starts with an African styled percussion, with a thumb piano in the middle of the song and then returns to that memorable chorus. This song feels like a 18 minutes and 18 seconds long short movie like suite, with some dizzying changes from the beginning to the end. It is remix filled with enormous drama!

The cutting and mastering of this 12” was done by TOREI who is also active as a DJ and the artwork was created by jvnpey, a visual artist and graphic designer based in Tokyo. Their loving work also makes this 12" very special.

When I asked AI to find a synonym for the word, “division,” it displayed in succession, a series of words: “integration,” “consolidation,” “unification,” “unity”, and “reconciliation". All of these phrases are somewhat whitewashed and embarrassing but the mirage-like chorus echoing in the song, “i ai” seems to be trying to find a new word, that is a synonym for the word, "division. In this film, “i ai”, the message, “Let's live together after the end roll” was thrown out but included in this 12-inch, the message, “Let's live together after the music stops”, emerges.

Mit Calling melden sich The Busters eindrucksvoll zurück - neun Musiker, ein Album, das kollektive Kreativität hörbar macht. Entstanden in zwei Studios - den atmosphärischen Waldstudios bei Berlin und "Der Raum" in Waltrop - verbindet Calling emotionale Tiefe mit musikalischer Klarheit und der typischen Leichtigkeit der Band. Die Songs entstehen basisdemokratisch, ohne Hierarchie - aus Vertrauen, Präzision und Spielfreude. Das Ergebnis: ein Album voller Dynamik, Wärme und Atmosphäre. Man hört den Raum, die Luft, das Miteinander. Statt digitaler Perfektion steht das Gefühl im Vordergrund. Highlights wie der Titeltrack "Calling", das melancholisch-leichte "Champagne", das bissige "Freak Show" oder das hoffnungsvolle "Geschichte schreiben" zeigen die Band in ihrer ganzen Bandbreite - nachdenklich, ironisch, berührend. Live entfaltet sich die volle Kraft: The Busters gehören seit über 35 Jahren zu den besten Live-Bands Deutschlands. Calling fängt diese Energie ein - als klingendes Abbild einer Band, die weiß, wer sie ist, und trotzdem immer wieder neu aufbricht. With Calling, The Busters make a powerful return - nine musicians, one shared language, and an album that showcases the vibrancy of collective creativity. Recorded between two studios - the atmospheric Waldstudios near Berlin and "Der Raum" in Waltrop - Calling blends emotional depth with musical clarity and the band"s signature ease. No mastermind, no hierarchy - just a democratic process built on trust, precision, and joy. The result is an album rich in dynamics, warmth, and atmosphere. You hear the room, the air, the connection. Feeling takes precedence over digital perfection. Tracks like the floating opener "Calling," the subtly melancholic "Champagne," the biting "Freak Show," and the uplifting "Geschichte schreiben" reveal the band"s full emotional range - thoughtful, ironic, and deeply human. On stage, The Busters truly shine: with over 35 years of live experience, they are one of Germany"s most seasoned and beloved live acts. Calling captures that energy - a sonic reflection of a band that knows who they are, yet continues to explore new paths.

January 21, 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of Hideaki Tokunaga's major label debut.
A long-awaited new album will be released on this memorable day! Titled "COVERS," it marks the launch of a new series of cover albums that truly showcase Tokunaga's talent.
This is his first studio recording since moving to Nippon Columbia, and his first cover album in 11 years since his smash-hit series "VOCALIST 6." With "VOCALIST," Tokunaga
built his own brand on the concept of faithfully covering classic songs by female artists. "COVERS" features a wide selection of works by both male and female artists,
reinterpreting classics that he "want to sing now" with his own powerful arrangements and vocals. It's been exactly 40 years since the release of his debut song, "Rainy Blue."
Look forward to the new sound that has been created as a result of this journey.

Alan Vegas selbstbetiteltes Debüt-Soloalbum kam 1980 raus, zur gleichen Zeit, als Suicide ihr zweites Album "Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev" veröffentlichten. Während Suicides Plattenlabel ZE Records das Duo in Richtung eines synthetischen Disco-Sounds drängen wollte, der von Moroders Produktion von Donna Summers "I Feel Love" inspiriert war, zog es Vega in eine andere Richtung. Er wollte tiefer in die Wurzeln seiner eigenen musikalischen Identität eintauchen, die von Blues, Rockabilly, frühem Rock ,n' Roll und seiner anhaltenden Liebe zu Elvis Presley geprägt war. Vega nutzte die Zeit zwischen den Aufnahmen mit Suicide, um seine selbst geschriebenen Songs auszuarbeiten, begann mit der Produktion seines ersten Albums und trat live auf, um diesen Sound weiterzuentwickeln. Wie auch in seiner bildenden Kunst schichtete Vega Klänge auf minimalistische, dynamische und bewusste Weise. Das Ergebnis war ein einzigartiges Album, das aus rohen Materialien entstand und tief in Vegas künstlerischer Vision verwurzelt war. Tracks wie die klassische Hymne "Jukebox Babe" mit ihrem schwungvollen Rhythmus und ihrer minimalistischen Selbstsicherheit fingen diesen Ansatz perfekt ein und wurden in Frankreich zu einem Hit. "Kung Foo Cowboy" hat einen südstaatlichen Touch und lehnt sich stark an den Blues an, während der goldene Pop-Glanz von "Ice Drummer" mit melodischem, aber klagendem Gesang, marschierenden Trommeln und einem geschmackvollen Mundharmonika-Solo überzeugt. "Bye Bye Bayou" ist ein eindringlicher Mutant-Rockabilly-Song, der den Rock der 50er Jahre mit Vegas exzentrischem Performance-Stil verbindet und später in der Coverversion von LCD Soundsystem aus dem Jahr 2009 neu interpretiert wurde, wodurch Vegas Solowerk einer neuen Generation vorgestellt wurde. In ähnlicher Weise würdigte die Coverversion von "Ice Drummer" durch The Flaming Lips Vegas Außenseitergeist. Jetzt von Josh Bonati anhand der Originalbänder neu gemastert und erstmals auf Streaming-Diensten verfügbar, wurde Alan Vega von Sacred Bones Records originalgetreu neu aufgelegt, wobei die rohe Intensität von Vegas Originalaufnahmen erhalten blieb und sie gleichzeitig für Hörer auf der ganzen Welt neu zugänglich gemacht wurden. "Alan Vega" ist mehr als ein Solo-Debüt, es ist eine Erklärung der künstlerischen Unabhängigkeit und Freiheit eines der einflussreichsten und kompromisslosesten Künstler New Yorks. Ohne die intensive Elektronik von Suicide, aber mit Vegas Außenseiter-Energie und Schärfe, übersetzt das Album den frühen Rock 'n' Roll durch einen Art-Punk-Filter, der sich als eigenständiges Kult-Meisterwerk bewährt hat.

First Word Records are proud to bring you 'Penny Ballads', a 5-track EP from Royce Wood Junior. Royce Wood Junior is a Grammy & Mercury Award-nominated musician, songwriter and record producer from London, currently based in Brighton. As a multi-instrumentalist, he's collaborated with a litany of brilliant artists over the years, such as Jamie Woon, Nao, Disclosure, Jessie Ware, Olivia Dean, Joy Crookes, Jamie Lidell and Jordan Rakei, additionally to touring with the likes of the legendary Thomas Dolby. He's released two acclaimed solo albums to date ('The Ashen Tang' in 2015, and 'No Two Blue Ticks' in 2021). 'Penny Ballads' demonstrates RWJ's varied talents, with a collection of alternative soul compositions, each one as unique as the next. It includes the first two singles, the Poplife-Prince era flavoured 'Go Get Your Money', and the double-time future funk adrenaline shot, 'Clean Up', along with three previously-unreleased tracks. 'Beretta' is low-slung soul funk, beginning with quirky squelchy synths, before the soulful lead vocal of feature artist Lucey Way breezes in to melt everyone's hearts. 'Things' sweeps in next, an infectiously soulful midtempo heavy soul bop, with an instant earwork of a hook, like a modern-day Steely Dan / Doobie Brothers, complete with a head-nodding string section to end the track. The collection concludes on a more melancholy downtempo tip with 'Rolling'; an almost-folktronic anthem, with a key refrain that wouldn't be out of place on a 70's Stevie piece. RWJ (aka Jim Wood) says of this project… "Back in the 17 and 1800's Troubadours and minstrels would go from Tavern to Tavern selling Penny Ballads, single sheets of music and lyrics written quickly and frivolously to make a quick buck.. It strikes me that we're in a similar phase in the way we value music in 2025. An old Penny Ballad was cheap and dog-eared, ink-smudged, sung aloud by firelight, Now songs live in the digital ether, dissolved in the air, a ghostly breath paid in micro cents. The new era of Penny Balladry is here, and weird. This EP is a snapshot of my writing over a two year period. Focussed on minimal recording styles, one mic on the drums, generally first or second takes on parts and vocals, I wanted the music to feel like small moments with lyrics that talk about the weird nuances of being alive as a latter stage human on the cusp of the Ai revolution. Culturally so evolved, but physiologically still just a bunch of mammals walking about with primitive fears and needs. Just trying to reconcile it all moment to moment…" Previous support for Royce's music has included Radio 1's Future Sounds, BBC 6 Music's New Music Fix, Annie Mac, Clara Amfo, Jo Whiley (BBC Radio 2), Mary Anne Hobbs, Jamz Supernova, Tom Robinson, Huw Stephens (BBC 6 Music), Zane Lowe and MistaJam. There have been sessions previously for the likes of Red Bull and press from Huck, Line of Best Fit, Clash, Aesthetica & DIY magazine. Entirely self-written and self-produced, this EP gives a solid taste of RWJ's talents. A deeply funky diverse set of music from an immensely talented individual. 'Penny Ballads' is due to be released on vinyl & digital, 24th October 2025. The vinyl version also includes an exclusive additional mix of the first single 'Go Get Your Money'. TRACKLIST: 01: Clean Up (EP Mix) 02: Go Get Your Money 03: Beretta (feat. Lucey Way) 04: Things 05: Rolling 06: Go Get Your Money (B-Sharp Mix) Deconstructed Mixes

Already fifteen years that Cléa Vincent has been stepping on stage with that childlike fervor, that passion for pop and its elasticity, from her early days in Parisian bars to last year’s show at the Bataclan for the release of her third album Advitam Æternamour. You could say she needs no introduction, her name being inseparable from some of the most exciting work to emerge in contemporary French independent music. From the very beginning, she asserted her taste for spontaneous, candid, sunlit music, turning her songs not only into spaces of introspection but also into small capsules for dialogue. She collaborates constantly, with Kim Giani, Jeanne Balibar, Alison Wheeler, Jacques, NUSKY & VAATI, João Selva, Les Clopes…driven by a desire for sharing, for visions that meet and collide across genres. Alongside her work as a composer, she dedicates herself to giving a voice to the artists around her, notably through her show Sooo Pop, broadcast on YouTube in 2018 and 2019, where she welcomed guests as varied as Christophe, Moodoïd, Mathilde Fernandez, Katerine, and The Pirouettes. Like others of her generation, she claims the influence of francophone pop from the 1980s, but rather than being a successor to Jacno, Cléa draws from everything that shapes her era, fully plugged into the present, its faces, its energies, its collisions. She travels too, a way of reshuffling the cards of her inspiration, and her discovery of South America, of bossa nova and samba during her tour dates, became the catalyst for her series of EPs Tropi-Cléa.

GAVIAL sind zurück. Deutlicher. Verletzlicher. Größer als je zuvor. Fast drei Jahre sind vergangen, seit Gavial mit "VOR" ein kraftvolles Statement abgegeben haben. Drei Jahre voller politischer Brüche, gesellschaftlicher Abgründe und persönlicher Erschütterungen. Drei Jahre, die Spuren hinterlassen haben - hörbar, fühlbar, unausweichlich. Jetzt kehrt das Quartett aus Dresden/Leipzig/Berlin mit einem neuen Album zurück. Hier prallen Soul und Gospel auf Country, Psychedelic-Blues auf pure, unverstellte Emotion. Gavial erschaffen Klangwelten, in denen Gitarren, Bass und Stimme zu etwas Größerem verschmelzen. Melancholie, die nachhallt. Hypnose durch Klang. Energie, die nicht mehr loslässt. Mit Vehemenz präsentieren sich Gavial so roh und kompromisslos wie noch nie. Ihre Songs sind Spiegel - von allem, was brennt: Eine Welt, die sich selbst zerfrisst. Gesellschaften, die verlernt haben zuzuhören. Technologien, die uns überholen. Militarismus, der zurückkehrt. Menschenrechte, die zu Worthülsen verkommen. Institutionen, die versagen. Und Egoismus, der gedeiht. "Thanks, I Hate It" ist keine Kapitulation. Es ist ein Soundtrack zu einer Zeit, die uns täglich prüft. Gavial sind hier, um uns zu erinnern: Wir sind noch da. Wir fühlen noch. Wir hören noch zu. Und manchmal lautet die einzig ehrliche Antwort auf diese Welt: Thanks, I Hate It.

Jorge Ben’s 1969 self-titled LP is a bright, energetic landmark of Brazilian music. Mixing samba, soul, and pop with effortless charm, the album captures Ben at a moment of bold creativity.
His warm guitar lines, catchy melodies, and rhythmic drive shape songs that feel both relaxed and full of life. This masterpiece helped define a modern, upbeat sound that influenced generations of artists. More than fifty years later, this LP still stands out for its simplicity, groove, and unmistakable style—an essential snapshot of an artist who transformed Brazilian popular music.

Mit ihrem zweiten Album "Endless" tauchen Ov Sulfur noch tiefer in die düsteren Klanglandschaften ein, die das Quintett aus Las Vegas schon auf ihrem 2023 erschienenen Debüt "The Burden Ov Faith" auszeichneten. Angetrieben von der Stimme von Frontmann Ricky Hoover verschieben Ov Sulfur die Grenzen ihrer Deathcore-Ursprünge, indem sie gleichzeitig Black Metal ('Vast Eternal') und ein überraschendes Maß an Melodie ('Wither') erforschen, ohne dabei ihren Genre-dezimierenden Ansatz zu verwässern. Nachdem sie sich bereits als beeindruckender Live-Act erwiesen haben und mit Bands wie Lorna Shore, Signs of the Swarm und Nekrogoblikon auf Tour waren, ist mit "Endless" klar: Ov Sulfur sind hier, um zu bleiben.

Multi-platinum, BRIT Award-winning, and GRAMMY®-nominated global pop visionary MIKA ushers in a bold new era with his seventh studio album, Hyperlove. Produced by MIKA alongside Nick Littlemore (Empire of the Sun) , with additional production by Peter Mayes (PNAU), Hyperlove is a vibrant and emotionally charged collection that embodies MIKA’s signature fusion of theatricality, honesty, and irresistible melody. The album captures the sound of an artist forever redefining and transcending pop on his own radiant terms. Written almost entirely by MIKA, Hyperlove also features select co-writing collaborations with Nick Littlemore, Renaud Rebillaud (GIMS), Matthieu Jomphe (Billboard) (Madonna, Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande), and Amy Wadge (Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud”). Adding a distinctive cinematic flair, Hyperlove includes narration by the legendary American filmmaker John Waters, bringing his unmistakable wit and presence to the album’s world. With Hyperlove, MIKA continues his lifelong mission to craft pop music that is as bold and heartfelt as it is timeless, a celebration of emotion, identity, and imagination in their most vivid forms.

L. Eugene Methe is an Omaha based singer-songwriter and musician with a discography spanning over twenty years. His last two lyrical based albums were released on Grapefruit Records. As a studio musician he has contributed violin and piano on a diverse group of albums by Simon Joyner, Refrigerator, Mountain Goats, the Renderers, Naturaliste, Expensive People and many more.

Dennis Callaci from the band Refrigerator has released collaborative records with John Davis, Heimito Kunst, Simon Joyner and others as well as a myriad of solo LPs over the last 35 years. He runs the Shrimper record label. His fourth book is out in 2025 on Bamboo Dart Press.

The Last Chance Lottery is a collaborative record featuring the music of Methe and the vocals/lyrics of Callaci. Cinematic and outre in tone, the record does not forsake melody or tunesmithery, but strips much of it bare to paint it with surprising found sounds, abstraction and a balance between what these two fellas do best. The album was mastered by Al Jones as Marginal Frequency to further tightrope those two worlds. Features cover art and liner notes by Callaci.

Zombie Club presents a re-edition (new sleeve art) of "Mambo Calypso" another volume of sonic Caribbean Cruise. Following the approach of the first volume and understanding the Caribbean as a region is not limited to a strictly geographical demarcation but rather a demographic and cultural space where countries, islands and coastal areas may fall into a common Mare Nostrum even arrives in New Orleans. The influence of African drum and the "Cuban clave" makes different music beyond its specific components be they Latinos, Anglos or Frenchie's - look at themselves and recognize a certain family. This is not a coincidence, since the slave trade brought African music from the port of Havana to Cartagena de Indias, Nassau, Port-au-Prince, Salvador de Bahía and the southern United States. The same Blackness, the same rhythm, the same festive mood, spirit of resistance and struggle. And so, Arsenio Rodriguez can be heard without jumps next to a Calypso of Blind Blake, or a tasty Pacho Galán's coastal Cumbia crossover with Dave Bartholomew's Mambo or a Latin Swing of Lalo Guerrero, where the Dominican Merengue sounds Joseíto Mateo in line with that of its Haitian neighbor Nemour Jean Baptiste. A very spicy musical "melting pot," a gumbo of percussion and languages, to enjoy and dance. Re-board the Zombie Club Cruise, mixing different genres of Caribbean music with a high dance and rhythmic component. This selection designed for collectors, Dj's & calypsofied zombie dancers.

NEW MISERABLE EXPERIENCE are a Philadelphia-rooted collective that reshapes heavy-music rigour into expansive, melody-forward songs through alternative synth-rock. What started as a file-trading collaboration between vocalist/bassist David Grossman (ex- ROSETTA) and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Mahesh Kost expanded into a full band that now includes ROSETTA drummer Bruce "B.J." McMurtrie Jr., technical-metal bassist Brett Bamberger (REVOCATION), and guitarist Brody Uttley (RIVERS OF NIHIL). The group forgoes technical exhibitionism in favour of mood and melody, composing introspective songs designed to reward close listening. Across the twelve tightly arranged tracks of 3rd album "Gild The Lily", the band pares its palette to essential elements: clear melodies, precise dynamics, and richly textured production. The album trades overt bombast for craft, building emotional weight through small gestures and patient arrangements rather than moments of spectacle. "We started saying `infinite sadness' as a bit of a catch phrase with the last album. I think that sums up the vibe of the album and project overall. We are very much in the `sadboi' world with Jeff Buckley, Puma Blue, Radiohead, Deftones, The Black Queen", says Grossman. Sonically, `Gild the Lily' combines alternative synth rock with chorus-tinted guitars, and a rhythm section that alternates between taut propulsion and roomy, reverb-soaked space. The arrangements both electronic and instrumental negotiates smooth and slick danceability alongside sinister edges. The band's aesthetic is one of deliberate economy: textures are chosen to serve mood and narrative rather than technical exhibitionism, and arrangements reveal their depth across repeated listens. Slick, sorrowful and cinematic in atmosphere, `Gild the Lily' is an eclectic collection that can not only groove in vibe and inspire movement, but also pierce to the nerve in ethereal lamentation. RIYL Crosses * Black Queen * Ulver * Vowws * Rosetta * Revocation * Rivers of Nihil

The Just Joans' new album Romantic Visions of Scotland finds the Glasgow band in characteristically melancholic form, pairing shambling indie pop with sharp observations on romantic pratfalls and everyday dis-appointments, all delivered with sardonic Scottish wit, fronted by siblings David and Katie Pope, whose wry lyrics and heartfelt vocals remain at the heart of the band’s distinctive sound.
Originally inspired by a grandiose exhibition title spotted on Glasgow buses in 2019 for a show at the Nation-al Museum of Scotland called Wild and Majestic: Romantic Visions of Scotland, the new album arrives six years later as a collection of semi-autobiographical snapshots from the Central Belt of Scotland. Whilst some of the details have been exaggerated for comic (or tragic) effect, the songs are based on personal experience of mundane failings, bitter regrets and missed opportunities that make up an unremarkable life.
Recurring themes of nostalgia for a bygone era and the fear of being left behind by lovers, friends and peers run throughout the album. Musically and lyrically, the band channels Village Green-era Kinks, with nods to The Television Personalities, The Smiths and Dolly Mixture.
In the past they have always recorded by themselves in a variety of bedrooms, living rooms – and the occasional toilet. For the first time they have abandoned their DIY recording practices to create what songwriter David Pope calls, “a corporate behemoth in an actual studio.” The album was recorded at Chem19 in Blan-tyre with Paul Savage, who is best known as a founding member of local legends The Delgados. He has also produced and recorded the likes of Teenage Fanclub, Arab Strap and Camera Obscura, and has captured a slightly more muscular version of the band while retaining their ramshackle charm.
The album artwork by vocalist and painter Katie Pope depicts Motherwell Train Station – an ordinary, boring place that speaks to the subject matter of the songs, but with a hint of potential escape. As David Pope ex-plains, “For me, the painting reminds me of the ending of Billy Liar in which Billy tries and fails to leave his hometown for the bright lights of London. Half the band also live in Motherwell, so it seemed appropriate.”
Funded by Creative Scotland, the recording allowed the band to bring in bass and cello arrangements, adding depth and a sheen of musical proficiency to their signature sound.
About The Just Joans - The Just Joans were formed in Glasgow in 2005 by songwriter David Pope. Early demos were collected together and released as a loose concept album, Last Tango in Motherwell, in 2006. Chris Elkin joined on guitar and was followed shortly after by David’s younger sister, Katie, on vocals and Fraser Ford on bass. Over the years they have released EPs and albums on WeePOP! and Fika Records and have gained a cult following as Scottish pop miserabilists.
The current line-up consists of Katie Pope (vocals), David Pope (vocals, guitar), Chris Elkin (lead guitar), Fraser Ford (bass), Arion Xenos (keyboards) and Jason Sweeney (drums).
Press Quotes:
“They fit snugly into the scratchy, low budget Scottish indie tradition of The Delgados and Arab Strap… There’s mischief in this miserabilism.” - Mojo 4*s
“Glasgow’s The Just Joans have documented the romantic pratfalls of a generation of indie kids with sardonic wit and a shambling musical style where Stephin Merrit lies down with The Vaselines.” - Uncut
“Funny and sad, it’s the kind of song that made Red House Painters, The Magnetic Fields and The Wedding Present’s early albums so easy to embrace; an unpretentious sharing of relatable gloom.” - Record Collector

Das legendäre Debütalbum der norwegischen Funkateers Xploding Plastix, "Amateur Girlfriends Go Proskirt Agents" (2001), erscheint als Deluxe-Doppelvinyl mit 6 zusätzlichen Bonustracks. Mit ihrer Mischung aus obskuren Jazz-Samples, coolen Beats, melodischem Feeling, einer unkonventionellen Herangehensweise und einer gehörigen Portion Humor schufen Xploding Plastix ihren ganz eigenen Stil. Eine Art älterer Amon Tobin trifft auf Scott Walker in einem verraucht-schmuddeligen Jazzclub. Dazu noch ein Faible für Film Noir, Balearic Beats, Lo-Fi, absolut abgefahrene Sounds – einfach genial! Der NME schrieb damals: "Währenddessen bieten die Norweger Xploding Plastix – zwei Verrückte mit vielen kleinen Boxen und einem schrecklichen Namen – auf dem Jam Festival eine ganz andere Art von Umbruch. Ihr Sound ist ein lauter, desorientierender Future-Jazz-Krach, eine Mischung aus DJ Foods verrückten Drums, Aphex Twins Taktarten und den stimmungsvollsten, cineastischen Passagen von The Herbaliser. Fantastisch!"

Composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist Yoshiharu Takeda's long-awaited first album, released in 2018, is now available as a reissue LP with obi strip.
He plays various instruments himself, including piano, clarinet, pedal steel guitar, and percussion.
Fantastical, crystalline melodies constructed through masterful use of multi-tracking and programmed elements.
This richly textured work possesses an organic quality, unfolding dynamically through colorful arrangements while maintaining a mysteriously serene atmosphere.
Highly recommended not only for jazz and world music fans, but also for enthusiasts of ambient and new age music.

Reggae cover of Bobby Caldwell and Boz Scaggs' AOR classic on 7"!

Bobby Caldwell is famous for his AOR classic "What You Won't Do For Love" (Silhouette of the Wind) released in 1978, and Rejie covered "Special To Me," another classic song from the same album, with a reggae arrangement. The original song was a single cut only in Japan at the time, and a Japanese Eurobeat cover by Wink in 1989 was also a hit. The B-side features the beautiful melody of the original song with a hint of reggae flavor.

Reggae cover of Donald Fagen and Richard Marx's classic is now available on 7"!

"I.G.Y." is Joey Johnson's soulful rendition of Donald Fagen's swingy 1982 AOR classic 'The Nightfly,' which opened the album and became a milestone in AOR history. Right Here Waiting" is a reggae arrangement of Richard Marx's 1989 ballad that retains the weepy melody. The original song topped the charts in the U.S. and Europe when it was released, and Monica had a revival hit in 1999. It is considered the most played love song on Spotify in the UK.

"An Eternity Still" delves into the theme of closure, capturing the emotional journey of closing one chapter and beginning another. It evokes a stirring blend of nostalgia and the need to move forward, balancing bright memories with the desire for growth and new challenges.

For this project, Vanity Productions' Christian Stadsgaard teamed up with close collaborators Emma Acs and Malthe Fischer, who joined in the compositional process. While the album maintains Stadsgaard's signature melancholia, it also introduces a fresh sonic palette, incorporating vocals and guitar alongside the project's hallmark broken electronics and dark, evocative melodies.

The Album also features remixes by acclaimed artists Farzané and Ireen Amnes, further enriching the album's collaborative spirit and adding new dimensions to its haunting soundscapes.

To mark what would have been Mikis Theodorakis' 100th birthday in 2025, Intuition released a very special album: 'Lost Songs' - fourteen previously unpublished compositions by the world-renowned Greek composer, presented here for the first time in a remarkable solo piano version by German pianist Henning Schmiedt. A remarkable moment took place in 2009 at Mikis Theodorakis' studio in Athens: Henning Schmiedt personally played his piano arrangements of the 'Lost Songs' to Theodorakis himself. Some of the melodies sparked the composer's memory, while others did not - but he listened attentively, offered comments and gave guidance that directly influenced the final versions of the pieces.

As such, 'Lost Songs' can be considered a posthumous release with the composer's blessing. These pieces offer a glimpse into Theodorakis' expressive power and artistic maturity from a very young age - most of the 'Lost Songs' were written in the early 1940s and provide a compelling window into the formative years of one of the most important composers of the 20th century.

'Lost Songs' is available on 180g vinyl and digipak CD editions.

“There's a clarity here that feels hard-won. Honing ideas first explored with his Organic Music series, Tiago Sousa unlocks the final puzzle pieces on Sustained Tones Vol 1. This music is enchanted, the way each layer moves in conjunction with the others: complex structures that feel less constructed than discovered, like stumbling upon ancient mechanisms still whirring beneath the earth. "Readily Reliance" opens as an effervescent sea, waves gilded in neon creating an enveloping sense of eternal motion. Bright organ timbres throw silhouettes and cast Sousa as the deft puppeteer keeping everything moving with an effortless precision. These evolving shapes suspend listeners somewhere between the physical and the cosmic, held in place by nothing but intention and sound.

Drones build rippling foundations in other places, using slower tempos to construct immersive, off-kilter sound worlds where minimalism becomes emotive, almost poignant. The fluctuating tones have a gossamer sheen, creating this interesting sonic dichotomy: a solid surface with fragile rotations beneath. It's music that commands attention; it is so much more than simply aural furniture. Sousa writes these beautiful sequences that are all interconnected, intricate sonic architecture that pulls us further into some kind of unknowable ether.

On the piano pieces, "Smooth Flow Into It" and "Swirling Mist and Thin Dust," Sousa shines sunlight through all the cracks. Washes of melody are effervescent, clouds clearing to reveal the day has not gone. Not yet. Positioned in the middle of Sustained Tones Vol 1, these pieces ground the album in something transcendent yet still earthen: moments of breath inside all that cosmic drift. Darkness finds its way through on "Restlessness," where Sousa smears sinuous electronics into a ghostly sonic mesh that seeps through the skin. It feels like a slow inhale, time suspended long enough to take note of where we are and how we feel before moving forward. Expressive, almost sparkling synth arrangements return to send us back into reality on closer "Becoming a Landscape." Its title hints at larger concepts at play throughout this album, where lines between our physical beings and the wider environment are blurred. The tones that echo throughout these six pieces mirror the echoes inside our bodies, from heartbeats and voices to something quieter, something much smaller and more elemental. By immersing us inside these mesmerising, beautiful soundscapes, Sousa immerses us within ourselves.’’

Brad Rose, 2025

With her new album, Spira (Sprout), Olof Arnalds has found her joy in writing songs rekindled. In many ways it harkens back to her debut: it is exclusively in Icelandic, the arrangements are markedly stripped back compared to her last two records, and it is mostly recorded in single takes in the control room of Sundlaugin, much like Vio og vio. Although a classically trained singer and violinist, Olof has been an active practitioner of popular music for thirty years, the watershed moment was the 2007 release of her debut solo album Vio og vio (Now and Again, wider international release in 2009), produced by Sigur Ros' Kjartan Sveinsson in the band's converted swimming-pool studio Sundlaugin. It seemed to appear fully formed out of the ether, and became a local classic almost overnight, winning accolades such as 'Best Alternative Album' at the Iceland Music Awards, named 'Record of the Year' by Iceland's principal daily newspaper and recognised as one of the decade's 100 best albums by eMusic. Spira is produced by Skuli Sverrisson, who also contributes bass and guitar. His mind-melting resume includes musical direction for Laurie Anderson, recordings with Blonde Redhead and work with artists such as David Sylvian, Jon Hassell, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Bill Frisell and Arto Lindsay. Davio por Jonsson contributes piano and guitar to the record-much as he did during Olof's busiest touring schedule nearly fifteen years ago when the two of them toured the world for months on end. There is hardly a jazz musician in Iceland he hasn't played with but lately he is perhaps best known for his close collaboration with Ragnar Kjartansson, one of this century's most celebrated visual artists.