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Midori Hirano and Brueder Selke"s debut album Split Scale unites two artists who share both inimitable skill and depth of expression. Pillars of Berlin"s new music community and globally lauded composers, they each share a background in classical tradition while practicing on the cutting edge of modern music. Split Scale is an elegant emotive ambient album built primarily from pianos and cello and electronics. After tracks on Longform Editions and the creation and curation of the Q3Ambientfest, this power pairing should be an immediate hit with fans of quality ambient or minimal modern music. As Brueder Selke, the polymath duo brothers Daniel and Sebastian Selke"s interdisciplinary partnerships are vast and include classical institutions like the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie and Filmorchester Babelsberg. The brothers have additionally been working as musical directors of the Schaffrath Chamber Orchestra and curating their own festival Q3Ambientfest which has featured the likes of fellow artists such as Laura Cannell, Mabe Fratti/Resina, Jules Reidy, Grand River, Yair Elazar Glotman, and now-collaborator Midori Hirano. Midori Hirano"s mastery of sound sculpting has put her in high demand as a composer for film and television, including recent soundtracks for All or Nothing, Tokito, and a documentary on the Premier League, alongside astounding collaborations with artists including Hprizm of Anti Pop Consortium and Ilpo Väisänen of Pan Sonic. In addition to her own composing, Hirano has remixed the likes of Robot Koch and Rival Consoles. Split Scale, the group"s first album together, follows a series of live collaborations. The artists chose a simple concept, following a western scale from beginning to end, and from this created a suite of sublime, synesthetic soundscapes and cinematic movements. The vivid tapestry of sound and color is luminous and emotive.

Midori Hirano and Brueder Selke"s debut album Split Scale unites two artists who share both inimitable skill and depth of expression. Pillars of Berlin"s new music community and globally lauded composers, they each share a background in classical tradition while practicing on the cutting edge of modern music. Split Scale is an elegant emotive ambient album built primarily from pianos and cello and electronics. After tracks on Longform Editions and the creation and curation of the Q3Ambientfest, this power pairing should be an immediate hit with fans of quality ambient or minimal modern music. As Brueder Selke, the polymath duo brothers Daniel and Sebastian Selke"s interdisciplinary partnerships are vast and include classical institutions like the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie and Filmorchester Babelsberg. The brothers have additionally been working as musical directors of the Schaffrath Chamber Orchestra and curating their own festival Q3Ambientfest which has featured the likes of fellow artists such as Laura Cannell, Mabe Fratti/Resina, Jules Reidy, Grand River, Yair Elazar Glotman, and now-collaborator Midori Hirano. Midori Hirano"s mastery of sound sculpting has put her in high demand as a composer for film and television, including recent soundtracks for All or Nothing, Tokito, and a documentary on the Premier League, alongside astounding collaborations with artists including Hprizm of Anti Pop Consortium and Ilpo Väisänen of Pan Sonic. In addition to her own composing, Hirano has remixed the likes of Robot Koch and Rival Consoles. Split Scale, the group"s first album together, follows a series of live collaborations. The artists chose a simple concept, following a western scale from beginning to end, and from this created a suite of sublime, synesthetic soundscapes and cinematic movements. The vivid tapestry of sound and color is luminous and emotive.

Molen brings the darker side of the moon down to both sides of this Electro infused record.

A minimalistic subterranean experience, a journey from the grave through the Styx all the way to Hades itself. Welcome to Uruguay’s Underworld.

An ingenious musician with a harmonious sense of melody, French pianist and composer Maxence Cyrin releases Passenger, his 9th album, composed and performed entirely on the piano. With influences ranging from Ryuichi Sakamoto and Brian Eno to Philip Glass and composers such as Erik Satie and Frédéric Chopin, this album weaves together ambient, minimalism and neo- classical music. This time around, the artist has sought to convey his emotions and ideas in a more intuitive and spontaneous way, even keeping improvisations such as "Under A Glass Bell" and "Dive" recorded during a residency in Brittany. Maxence Cyrin is one of France's most internationally acclaimed pianists.

In Signal, Brendon Moeller takes his expertise in techno, ambient and dub techno into deeper ambient and drone territory, crafting a richly atmospheric journey through sound for Constellation Tatsu’s thoughtful cassette label.

This album gently balances textures, merging natural and synthetic elements for a unique sonic experience. Highlights include the track 'Light', which opens with a minimal drone and subtle, pulsing sub-bass notes, setting a calm yet immersive tone. In 'Wires', Moeller skillfully intertwines organic and electronic soundscapes, bringing together the natural and technological in seamless harmony. 'Nowhere' shifts to a more aquatic feel, conjuring the sensation of being submerged in an otherworldly lagoon. The serene, electronic layering in 'Bask' adds beauty and peace through calm sequencing and warm tones. Closing with 'Beam', Moeller expertly blends real-world sounds and hints of a surreal, alien atmosphere, rounding out an album that’s both tranquil and otherworldly. Signal encapsulates Moeller's thoughtful production approach, giving listeners a deep dive into ambient landscapes that feel as expansive as they are introspective and adventurous.

Federsen inaugurates his new imprint Alt Dub this May with a split EP comprised of original cuts from himself and Hidden Sequence and a remix of each by the opposing artist.

Over the past decade and a half San Francisco based artist Federsen has been making his mark on the dub infused techno and house sound, delivering his vintage tape delay and analogue gear driven sound via the likes of Silent Season, Greyscale, Lempuyang and Ohm Series among others. Here though, Federsen opens a new chapter with the launch of his own imprint, Alt Dub, which kicks off here with music from himself and Federsen / Hidden Sequence - Positive Charge EP

Köln, Germany duo Hidden Sequence, whose music has found a home on the likes of Mosaic, Lempuyang and more.

Hidden Sequence’s ‘Switch’ leads the release and sees the duo smoothly blending an amalgamation of airy chord sequences, swelling pads, spiralling dub echoes and bumpy bass grooves with a shuffled, stripped back rhythm. Federsen’s ‘Polarity’ follows and dives into darker realms via expansive dub chords, intricately intertwined percussive reverberations, cascading bass flutters and crisp, minimalistic drums.

Opening the flip-side, Federsen interprets Hidden Sequence’s ‘Switch’, shifting the original’s ethereal aesthetic into a haze of billowing atmospherics, delayed percussion and vacillating low-end pulsations. The Hidden Sequence remix of ‘Polarity’ then rounds things out, upping the energy levels with a more upfront, robust rhythmic drive being intertwined with fragments of the original’s haunting textures and subtly unfurling feel.

A long-lost vinyl album is back in stock: for the last 20 years, Kosmischer Pitch by Jan Jelinek, originally released in 2005 on ~scape, existed only as a digital download. Right on time for the 20th anniversary the remastered album is available again on vinyl. The digital version includes two previously unreleased pieces from that period.

What the press said about Kosmischer Pitch back in 2005:

“For Kosmischer Pitch, Jelinek draws from the obsessed-over rock produced by his German countrymen in the 1970s. (…) Trance-inducing repetition is constantly modulated by variations that hover on the threshold of audibility. (…) one of the more remarkable bodies of work in electronic music.” - Pitchfork

„Like the cosmic compositions it delicately references, Kosmischer Pitch is proof that the higher and lower pleasures can triumphantly combine.” - The Wire Magazine

“ The old Jelinek approach can also be heard on the new album - not least the “Pitch” in the title, which, as Martin Büsser explains in the info sheet, refers specifically to Wild Pitch House, generally to manipulation/exploitation of the sense of time - but there are striking differences: clear vintage synth, guitar and drum sounds, very subtle club references.” - Groove

“t's impossible to know how many layers of sound Jelinek has stacked up on any of these eight tracks, but each one seems to take on a shadowy, ghost-like life of its own as it morphs across time and space. Minimalist, yes, in a way, but thick as a wool rug.” - AllAboutJazz

Recorded 1979 at Pathway studios, an eight-track studio in Islington, North London, this is an album of inventive, timeless electro-pop. Mastered from the original analogue tapes, the album still sounds incredible thanks to Foxx’s minimalist approach, which was partly inspired by his experience of watching Lee “Scratch" Perry produce records at Island Records’ studios in the 1970s. Engineer Gareth Jones - who later worked on some of Depeche Mode’s finest recordings - also proved to be a fantastic collaborator and innovator on this record.

John Foxx:
"I was in retreat from bands, touring, etc, mightily convinced that electronics were the future, and reading too much J.G. Ballard. I lived alone in Finsbury Park, spent my spare time walking the disused train lines, cycled to the studio every day and wobbled back at dawn, imagining I was the Marcel Duchamp of electropop. Metamatic was the result. It was the first British electronic pop album. It was minimal, primitive technopunk. Carcrash music tailored by Burtons.”

Faszinierend, energiegeladen und hypnotisch! Prepared - ein freigeistiges Trio, das in kammermusikalischer Besetzung unkonventionell und instinktiv Tanzimpulse weckt und den Hörer in einen tranceartigen Klangraum entführt!

Ein Pianist, der auf dem Flügel unablässig hämmert, klopft und zupft. Ein Klarinettist, der in den Tiefen seiner Bassklarinette mehr Bass als Klarinette spielt. Und ein Drummer, der wie eine gute Schallplatte immer weiterläuft und die Grooves fortwährend im Kreise dreht.
Drei Münchner Jazzmusiker, vereint in Ihren Gegensätzen. Wo der eine mit Quadro Nuevo argentinischen Tango, der andere mit Dreiviertelblut "folklorefreie Volksmusik" oder der dritte mit Moop Mama deutschen Hip-Hop spielt, lassen sie in ihrem neuen Projekt Prepared gemeinsam zyklische Motive und raffiniert geschichtete Muster in minimalistischen, aber höchst virtuosen Kompositionen zu einem faszinierenden Gesamtkunstwerk verschmelzen. Als hätte man Jonny Greenwood, Dawn of Midi, Nik Bärtsch und Steve Reich in einen Topf geworfen.

Line-Up:

Chris Gall • prepared piano
Flo Riedl • bass clarinet
Christoph Holzhauser • drums

The Recording: Für eine "state-of-the-art" immersive Musikproduktion wurde die Musik "live" in einem Raum ohne jegliche Overdubs aufgenommen. Dieses Album wurde mit erstklassigen 3D-Aufnahme- und Mikrofonierungstechniken für Dolby Atmos aufgenommen und von renommierten Toningenieuren gemischt und gemastert.
Recorded by Kseniya Kawko at Kyberg Studio, Munich, mixed by Kseniya Kawko at MSM Studio, Munich and mastered by Christoph Stickel at csmastering, Vienna

Format: Schwarzes Vinyl inklusive Downloadkarte

2025 Repress

With Moving Pressure 02, Rene Wise allows us to dip into a psychedelic undercurrent, yet maintaining a very grounded mentality. Its an effortlessly rolling type of minimalism, but lets be clear; its a type of minimalistic spirit backed up by a rich, kaleidoscopic sound design. MP02 is an immersive batch of mystical dance floor journeys which, in four steps, navigates the realms of gaseous sound design to more subaquatic dynamics, working with a palette of serpentine rhythms that pull us into his distinctive, subtly hypnotic world.

A1 Silo Cybin opens the release with the artists unmistakable kick drum pattern, the heartbeat of his sound. Theres a trippy, swampy energy here, enhanced by robotic vocals and broken claps that weave polyrhythms into the track. The minimalist core pulses with playful energy, while detailed textural elements softly emerge like a waves bubbling foam. Up next we have Complicated, which offers a more minimalist composition, yet injected with rich rhythmic structures. Small circular modulations swirl in the background, filling the air with a delicate yet persistent energy, while his signature vocal snippets further enhance the groove. On the B side, Rough Escorts taps into a brighter psychedelic dimension, conjuring the ethos and trademark of Moving Pressure as a whole. Listen closely a fine connection to Wises previous work on MP01 shines through, maintaining the sonic coherence of the project while pushing further into a lush space. B2 Bleep Police, dives into dystopian bleep territory. Here, the artist strips techno down to its essence, intertwining bleeps with percussion into a hyper rhythmic whole.

A living organism composed of intricately layered sonic structures. A variegated interplay of texture and rhythm. Multi dimensional sound. Welcome to Moving Pressure 02.

Brigid Mae Power’s latest release, Songs for You, is a heartfelt collection of cover songs dedicated to her father. This album features her unique interpretations of tracks written by legendary artists like Roy Orbison, Tom Verlaine, Neil Young, and Cass McCombs, among others.

With a minimalist yet emotionally resonant sound, Songs for You offers a fresh take on these timeless songs while remaining deeply personal. Brigid Mae Power’s ethereal vocals and atmospheric arrangements bring a sense of nostalgia, reflection, and heartfelt tribute, making this album a powerful bridge between memory and music.

While many of the songs are performed solo, Brigid is joined by Ryan Jewell on drums and Shahzad Ismaily on bass, with Brigid herself playing vocals, guitar, electric guitar, organ, and accordion. Tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, and 8 were recorded at Analogue Catalogue by Julie McLarnon, while tracks 2, 5, 6, and 9 were recorded at home. The album was expertly mixed by Sean McErlaine and mastered by Brian Pyle.

4 Bangers, from 150 to 185 BPM.
With a Bass Acid style, with the 3 other tunes are more sobre, minimal and hardfloor in the spirit !

Black Truffle is thrilled to begin 2025 with a rare solo release from Konrad Sprenger, alias of elusive Berlin composer-producer-instrument builder Jörg Hiller. A prolific collaborator, Sprenger has worked extensively with icons of American minimalism such as Ellen Fullman (with whom her recorded the gloriously eccentric song album Ort) and Arnold Dreyblatt (as a core member of the Orchestra of Excited Strings since 2009), as well as releasing their music on his impeccably curated label, Choose. As an instrument builder and installation artist, he has overseen the creation of a computer-controlled multi-channel electric guitar and, with Phillip Sollmann, a modular pipe organ system designed to be reconfigured from space to space.

In much of Hiller’s work, a scientific approach to acoustic phenomena co-exists with a pop sensibility and a sly sense of humour. Nowhere is this unique combination more in evidence than in his slim body of solo work, beginning with the startling diversity of instrumentation and compositional approaches heard on the short pieces of Miniaturen (2006) and Versprochen (2009), followed by the more single-minded exploration of the computer-controlled electric guitar on Stack Music (2017). Set brings together these various strands of Sprenger’s work into a wildly infectious, playful epic, performed by the composer and the mysterious Ensemble Risonanze Moderne. On the LP’s second side, we are also treated to a guest appearance from longtime collaborator Oren Ambarchi, on whose recent solo releases Simian Angel and Shebang Sprenger has made key production contributions. Ambarchi’s signature stuttering, swirling harmonics weave through a sparkling assemblage of electric guitars, acoustic instruments, percussion and electronics—though, given the deft use that much of Sprenger’s recent production work makes of midi-controlled sampled instrumentation, it’s anyone’s guess where the acoustic ends and the digital begins here.

As soon as the needle drops on the first side, we are inside a musical world that Set will inhabit for its 33 minutes: sparkling guitar harmonics and palm-muted notes, tuned percussion, crisp electronic drum hits, flashes of horns, and untraceable bursts of synthetic sound are arranged into a skittering polyrhythmic framework calling up the detail-rich percussive constructions of contemporary techno filtered through the pointillism of the post-serialist European avant-garde. Behind this shifting mist of particulate sound, winds and strings sound out held chords, reminiscent of Arthur Russell’s Tower of Meaning in their epic yet seemingly aimless drift. The relationship between elements is mysterious, appearing both carefully considered and almost random. Though never straying too far from where it begins, as the piece moves along, it spotlights increasingly bizarre instrument choices (shakuhachi and steel drums, anyone?) as well as momentary liftoffs into motorik propulsion. Set is a fascinating, mercurial thing: at once propulsive and fragmented, essentially static in form yet ever-changing in detail, unabashedly egghead in its construction yet sure to get the feet tapping.

The Trails label appeared as a natural continuation of the crew’s parties. By joining minds with select producers they aim to showcase pieces that capture their collective vision of electronic music.

On TRAILS001, they bring us their close friend and graphic designer Bogdan Năstase going by the alias DJ Bogdan. As a reflection of the label’s philosophy and taste, the EP presents themes of melancholy, introspection, mystery and hope, all wrapped in a sound aesthetic reminiscent of 2000’s electro-techno with a touch of synth-pop. Shade Detector kicks off the A side with enough energy to entice crowds during those peak hours of the night. Next up comes the title track, Freakshow Parallax, a melancholic piece for the afterhours. Moving on to the B side we find Videofreex. This one’s a creative and flexible tune suitable at any point of the party. We wrap up with Fântâna Carteziană, a wonderfully twisted minimal techno track that pays homage to a lost period of Bucharest’s history.

Sub Pop and Pissed Jeans mark 15 years of King of Jeans, Pissed Jeans' thunderous third album, with a fresh clear-vinyl pressing, limited to 1,000 copies. If 2005's Shallow was Pissed Jeans coping with moving out of their parents' homes, and 2007's Hope for Men their initial reaction to the mechanical lifestyle of a wage-earner, King of Jeans is their formal and uneasy acceptance of adulthood, by way of one hell of a rock record. Working with renowned producer Alex Newport (who holds a Fudge Tunnel pedigree and has worked with such luminaries as At the Drive-In, The Locust and Sepultura), Pissed Jeans have pushed further into the raw, minimal core of heavy rock music with King of Jeans. Masters of the mundane, beasts of the banal, high priests of the humdrum: these four, white, male high school graduates hardly look further than their own appendages for artistic inspiration, content to execute their own brand of brash and heavy punk music in the Joe Carducci-approved standard rock formation of guitar, bass, drums and vocals. From simple minds and simple fabrics comes this King of Jeans. And there can be only one.

WRWTFWW Records is delighted to announce the first official worldwide reissue of Satsuki Shibano’s Wave Notation 3: Erik Satie 1984, the final album from the sound-defining Wave Notation environmental music series curated by Satoshi Ashikawa. Originally released in 1984 on the Sound Process label, Wave Notation 3 followed Ashikawa’s own Still Way (1982) and Hiroshi Yoshimura's Music For Nine Postcards (1982).

The highly sought-after album, sourced from the original master tape, is available as a double LP (housed in a luxurious heavyweight sleeve) for the first time ever. Digipack CD and digital formats are also available. This exclusive reissue, including English and Japanese liner notes by the artist, was supervised by Japanese ambient legend Yoshio Ojima.

Wave Notation 3 is a splendid tribute to seminal French composer and pianist Erik Satie, himself one of the main influences behind kankyo ongaku / environmental music (alongside Brian Eno, John Cage to name a few). The alphabetically-sequenced album features 26 pieces showcasing Shibano's unique piano interpretation of Satie’s works.

The artist explains: « For this album, I sequenced the compositions in alphabetical order of each title, irrespective of the period of each composition or style. By doing this, I attempted to effectively create ‘Music as an environment’ and at the same time, allow the listener to genuinely experience Satie’s music. »

Satsuko Shibano’s minimalistic approach to ambient classical is simply perfect and offers a beautiful and tranquil listening experience, furniture music with extra comfort and soothing simplicity, relaxing to the mind and to the soul. This Wave Notation deserves a spot among the pillars of Japanese environmental music, next to Midori Takada’s Through The Looking Glass, Hiroshi Yoshimura’s Green, and Satoshi Ashikawa’s Still Way.

Wilurarrakutu is the brilliant debut from Papunya-based artist Keanu Nelson, an intimate exercise in musical storytelling and reflection. The album's eight tracks, sung in both Papunya Luritja and English, are verses of prose and poetry pulled directly from Nelson's notebooks and set to minimalist, DIY electronic arrangements.The evocative musical backdrops_featuring Casio keyboards, drum machines, and subtle synth flourishes_were created in collaborative sessions between Nelson and Sydney producer Yuta Matsumura. The two met by chance on Matsumura's visit to Papunya last year. Their impromptu jam sessions form the foundation for Wilurarrakutu's low-key sonic palette, influenced in parts by Papunya's strong local gospel music scene as well as the reggae beats often passed around the remote community via USB sticks and mobile phone transfers.Over these soundscapes, Nelson sings of family, friends, heritage, and culture, with a tone that balances joy and melancholy. They're themes and emotions that also echo through his work as a painter at the Papunya Tjupi Arts Centre. In this way, Wilurarrakutu becomes an extension of his art practice - a graceful audio portrait of a place that evokes the resonance of home.

Classy and soulful collaboration with one original and three remixes For the Original Mix, label owner Sub Semantics teams up with Hanover-based Producer ANDERE. It features a highly stuctured groove, elegantly layered with energetic pads and a catchy lead melody. On A2, Map.ache from legendary Giegling label and co-founder of KANN records, delivers a minimalist, super-dreamy remix. On the ­ipside, the Argentinian producer Volpe delivers reduced dubby techno with an oldskool vibe, preserving many elements of the original. MELATRONIX, also known as Elad Magdasi and Mathias Weber, contribute to the EP on B2. The highly experienced artist duo and Front Left Records label heads close the EP with a particularly powerful remix, straightforward and with remarkable precision.

"Sirene" is the second album of the duo composed by Stefano Ghittoni (TheDining Rooms, Le Petit) and Bruno Dorella (Ovo, Ronin, Sigillum S), following their 2019 release "Estatico."This composition explores a captivating territory where the artists has been working for many years, combining experimental techniques with inviting elements from different genres of popular and underground music.

The album starts with ethereal and ambient electroacoustic sounds, gradually incorporating subtle rhythms, arpeggiations, and slightly broken beats. It creates a moody and introspective sonic landscape that maintains a sense of abstraction. This is enhanced by the textural complexity derived from various sources such as samples, tape manipulations, field recordings, and unconventional sounds woven together with traditional instruments.
The album encompasses a range of electronic practices, psychedelic minimalism, and dense ambience, with a touch of shoegaze, resulting in a truly beautiful experience.

Following their groundbreaking collaboration with Art Ensemble of Chicago, Comme à la Radio, Areski and Brigitte Fontaine began recording almost exclusively together as a duo.

Deeply rooted in North African and European folk traditions, the album features evocative vignettes with breezy vocals and minimal accompaniment of classical guitar, strings and woodwinds.

As always, there is a mercurial quality to their lyrics. The title track (translated as "I Do Not Know This Man") suggests at once Apostle Peter's denial and a poetic acknowledgement. On "C'est Normal" Fontaine playfully questions the status quo while Areski offers satirical answers. What makes Je Ne Connais Pas Cet Homme one of their best-loved albums, though, is its remarkable sense of intimacy – as if Areski and Fontaine beckon listeners into their strange and beautiful world.

This first-time domestic release continues Superior Viaduct's reissue campaign of Fontaine's classic '70s catalog.

"We are delighted to be able to bring you these gorgeous field recordings from the Sumedang Province of West Java which, over their 50 minutes, present two distinct sides of Sundanese musical and devotional culture.

Although West Java is a Muslim country, these recordings highlight currents of pre-Islamic animist beliefs and practices that continue to flourish in the small towns and villages of the highlands of West Java. The recordings showcase two forms of trance music that are essential to the spiritual life of the Sundanese people in the highland regions.

Tarawangsa trance music is a traditional ceremonial genre known for its deep spiritual and hypnotic qualities. This music is made using only two instruments, the tarawangsa, a two-stringed fiddle, accompanied by the jentreng, a seven-stringed zither, creating a unique blend of resonant, droning sounds. Historically, tarawangsa music has been performed as part of sacred rituals and agricultural celebrations to honor local deities and ancestors, particularly associated with the Sunda culture. The minimalist, repetitive melodies gradually build, guiding participants and listeners into a meditative, trance-like state, during which dancers can be possessed by the spirits of ancestors or deities from the spirit realm, the music serving as a link between the two worlds.

In stark contrast to the calm, medititive sound of tarawangsa, we also present here two long pieces from Panca Buana Reak Group. Sundanese Reak trance music is like the punk rock of Sunda folk music, combining powerful and driving rhythms played on a number of hand drums and percussion instruments with the buzzing sound of the tarompet, a double reed wind instrument often amplified through whatever mobile speaker system might be at hand. Sometimes the group will play gamelan gongs, as heard on the first piece on the album, although this remains a music that is popular mainly with the working class youth of the rural villages, many of whom will also be fans of Indonesia's burgeoning metal and punk scenes. Reak performances are often wild, anarchic events that feature masked dancers, costumes, public trancing and spirit possession.

These recordings were made by Xenia At during her travels through West Java earlier this year. The tarawangsa recordings were made in a home in the village of Rancakalong on the evening of 17th January 2024, while Panca Buana Reak Group were recorded during rehersals in the village of Cinunuk on 19th and 20th January 2024."

Limited edition of 100 copies.

The musicians:
Overture (played by Panca Buana Reak Group, musicians: Rian Hidayat, Daffa, Rendi, Haswa, Doni, Aconk, Bayu, Zidan, Iwan Uwak, ⁠Mahadewa Sehu, ⁠Bebet, Adi, Bebet).
Reundeu - Master Yayat (kacapi), Tedi Kurniadi (tarawangsa).
Degung - Master Yayat (kacapi), Teguh Permana (tarawangsa).
Pamapag__Gelar Mataram__Panimang__Limbangan - Akbar Nendi (kacapi) & Tedi Kurniadi (tarawangsa).
Reak Lugay Pusaka Pajajaran (played by Panca Buana Reak Group, musicians: Aconk (tong), Rendi (brung), Hendrik (tarompet), Ade (kecrek), Riki (bedug), Doni (talingtit), Adi (badublag).

Xenia would like to extend gratitude to:
Master Yayat, Tedi Kurniadi, Akbar Nendi, and Teguh Permana for their incredible talent that turned this recording into a magical experience.
Ibrahim Adi Surya for technical support.
The Juarta Putra and Panca Buana Reak groups for explaining the cultural significance of local traditions.
Anggun Tresnasari for sharing her deep knowledge of regional music traditions.
Igor Moskalenko, Kate Snap, Stasya Frolova, Roman Gold, Misha Maltsev, Ilona Popychko, Galih Muhammad, Wildan Wiliansyah, Rizalu Ramadhan, Rahi Rahmat, Fahmi Solihin and Muhammad Ismael whose unwavering belief made this project possible.

Hive Mind would like to thank Luigi Monteanni (Artetetra) and Palmer Keen (Aural Archipelago) for their invaluable work and research in this region.

Berlin-based techno duo FJAAK unleashes a series of powerful remixes of their FJAAK THE SYSTEM album from genre icons Kittin & The Hacker, DJ Bone and Mr. G, each adding a unique twist to their signature sound. Kittin and The Hacker dive into 'Mechanic Love' with razor-sharp synths and pulsing beats, transforming it into a hypnotic electroclash-techno hybrid set to ignite dancefloors with dark, futuristic energy. DJ Bone brings his Detroit-rooted minimalism to 'Scratchy', fusing relentless drums with meditative strings to create a stark yet entrancing remix that is both cerebral and body-moving. Rounding off the project, Mr. G delivers two contrasting takes on 'Unity': 'G's Dub', a dub-laden, introspective mix perfect for deep, late-night sets and the 'Time Jack' remix, a peak-time powerhouse with irresistible swing. Together, these remixes redefine FJAAK's originals with innovative flair, bridging intensity and depth across the techno spectrum.

Dark Entries celebrates its 15th anniversary with legendary synth-punk deviants Crash Course in Science. Dale Feliciello, Mallory Yago, and Michael Zodorozny formed CCIS in 1979 after meeting at art school in Philadelphia. As a gesture born of equal parts punk irreverence and brute necessity, the band incorporated toy instruments and kitchen appliances into their aggressive, angular sound. Their anthems “Cardboard Lamb” and “Flying Turns” from 1981’s Signals From Pier Thirteen EP have been staples in adventurous DJ sets for over 40 years - yet some of their finest work is to be found on Near Marineland, a full-length LP recorded in 1981 but remained unreleased in its time. Near Marineland shows the band moving into more diverse and polished territory (although it’s still as abrasive as sandpaper). Tracks like “No More Hollow Doors” and “Jump Over Barrels” highlight CCIS’s singular knack for embedding infectiously monotone hooks in their stiff-yet-funky grooves. Elsewhere we see CCIS going fully unhinged, like on the searing “Someone Reads” or the demented “Pompeii Spared”, where a spray of honks is barely glued together by a frantic synthetic pulse. While this masterwork of malfunctioning analog electronics has surfaced on a few occasions - this first time stand alone remaster includes four never-before-released bonus tracks and includes a lyric sheet. Near Marineland is crucial listening for all devotees of synth-punk and minimal electronics.

This VA release offers four tracks, each crafted for a distinct dance floor moment. In side A, Dani Casarano, well known for delivering high quality music Opens with deep, hypnotic grooves, setting an atmospheric tone before shifting to a punchy, bass-driven energy in both cuts In side B, the new alter ego behind Felian & our favourite Bruno Schmidt starts the side with a robotic endless loop, filled with an incidental break and reminiscent synths. This euphoric third track leads into the final minimalistic cut build By the amazing duo composed by Omar Akrhif & Lucretio, perfect for after-hours. A versatile collection for any stage of the night.

A bloody Industrial Hardcore revival !!!!

Writing music, for singer-songwriter and producer Fine, “feels like being entrusted with a secret.” On Rocky Top Ballads, the Copenhagen-based musician’s debut album, these secrets take the form of minimalist compositions that search for glimpses of beauty in the everyday. Recorded, produced, and mixed by Fine, the album is a mystical soundtrack to a captivating songwriter’s explorations of process and intuition.

“The whole album is about the moments when you see a crack in something,” Fine explains, “where you briefly see another side of yourself or of someone you've known forever.”

Fine grew up in Denmark’s rural Northern Jutland; there, her father’s guitar and banjo playing formed the sonic backdrop of her childhood. In the years since, her musical curiosity has led her to work across a range of styles and sounds. In her early twenties, she became part of Danish electronic trio Chinah, which released three albums. You might also have caught her sampled vocals on the joyfully rollicking Two Shell song “Home,” from 2021. Then, last year, she — along with Erika de Casier and Smerz — co-wrote three songs for the massive, critically lauded K-pop group New Jeans. Fine is also a part of Clarissa Connelly Canons group back home in Denmark, and writes music under the moniker Coined with composer and songwriter Astrid Sonne.

But Rocky Top Ballads is a turn back towards a more personal, stream-of-consciousness songwriting style. Fine wrote and recorded these songs sporadically over the course of the last few years. In light of Chinah’s collaborative, piecemeal production style, Fine craved a more organic, intuitive process for these songs. Her work on the record combines sample-based production with the sounds of instruments she and her collaborators could hold in their hands, ones that inspired free-flowing improvisation: electric and acoustic guitar, even the Ensoniq keyboard that was in her childhood home. The resulting songs are equally inspired by the country and folk of her childhood, the hazy beauty of Mazzy Star, the avant-garde pop of Dean Blunt, and the songwriting of ’90s singer-songwriters like Suzanne Vega.

Fine describes her songwriting process as a “magical thinking method”: being in contact with the present moment and pretending as if she already knows the song she’s about to write. Many of the songs on Rocky Top Ballads use the original takes of Fine’s vocals, an attempt to capture a song’s initial essence and avoid disturbing the song’s generative idea as much as possible. You can hear that well-preserved spark on songs like “Losing Tennessee,” a minimalist and wistful reflection on the inherent loss and change of growing older. She wrote other tracks, like the piano-led “Whys” and the woozy “Coasting,” through a process of cutting and layering her improvisations, carefully merging multiple musical snippets into newly seamless compositions. And the stunning closing track “A Star” is the product of a slow process of evolution: beginning as an understated expression of sincerity before dissolving into a rich, distorted guitar-driven exploration.

As a songwriter and producer, Fine’s work often peers into the universes of experience that can be hidden inside a fragmentary moment. Sometimes she explores this literally — as in “Days Incomplete,” which she built off a short sample from “A Star.” This impulse — to zoom in, to recontextualize, to excavate — threads throughout her lyrics, too. What happens, her songs ask, when we pay close attention to those everyday images and physical realities we might otherwise ignore: the sky, the rain, the sun, the sea? On the spacious and swoony “Big Muzzy,” with its gentle sway and Cocteau Twins-inflected vocals, Fine sings about watching the “summer turn blue”; the grooving, propulsive “Remember The Heart” is a love letter to the sea where she grew up. In her airy voice, Fine traces meandering melodies that continually unspool with fresh insights.

A particular mantra guided Fine’s songwriting throughout the creation of Rocky Top Ballads: “Everything has potential.” In these songs, small moments are worthy of deep contemplation, and gentleness can evoke worlds of emotion. The resulting songs offer a gift of momentary pleasure, flowing and unhurried as a gentle breeze.

Marissa Lorusso

Scala Muziek presents its second vinyl EP, Next Horizon, building on the success of the debut release. After a remarkable year of music and events, this EP embodies the spirit of exploration that defines Scala. Produced by label head Pascal Benjamin, the four tracks blend hypnotic grooves with forward-thinking soundscapes—each crafted to leave a lasting impression.

A1: Personallity opens the EP with minimalist, richly textured rhythms. Its bouncy, infectious groove and subtle shifts in bass and melody create a dynamic flow, making it perfect for both dancefloor energy and introspective moments. Pascal’s attention to detail shines through, balancing personal and expansive sounds. A2: Progress delves deeper into rolling rhythms and uplifting sonic layers, with ethereal synths floating above a driving beat. The track unfolds gradually, building momentum with a continuous, evolving motion. B1: On the flip: Shifting Grounds brings a sense of exploration, with gurgling synths and subtle modulations creating a cerebral yet physical experience. It's an atmospheric, groove-laden track perfect for late-night sessions. B2: Far From Clear closes the EP with a moody, introspective energy. Eerie vocal snippets and sharp minimalism weave together to create a haunting, mysterious atmosphere, rounding off the release with a deep dive into uncharted sonic territory. With Next Horizon, Scala Muziek offers a refined selection that showcases Pascal’s artistic growth and the label’s commitment to immersive, forward-thinking music.

Following his recent EP, The Circle of Life, on Pushmaster Discs, Milan's rising techno star Maike Depas returns with a brand-new release on his renowned The Innovation Studio Records. Titled “Sexy Devil Horse”, it is a powerful 10-track collection, featuring many iconic international artists from the Hard Techno space such as Etruria Beat’s headmaster Luca Agnelli, Dutch-based sensation OGUZ and the “Demon of hard techno” also known as Michael Katana, as well as Southern Italian talents CHRS and Gianni Di Bernardo.
This release marks a pivotal moment in Maike Depas’ journey to become one of the highest rated talents in the Hard Techno scene. It will also be followed by a key paradigm shift his label’s business model in 2025. For this occasion, Maike has lined up an amazing group of artists to celebrate those who have shared his musical vision along the way.

The title is meant to be provocative and captivating, just like its content: catchy and fresh enough to attract ravers and clubbers from around the world. Its artwork was created by the master Luden Works. It features a plastic female figure with an undefined appearance, yet with sensual curves and a powerful surge of energy, like a wave enclosed in a sphere, representing Maike’s and The Innovation Studio Records’ logos.
From the galloping rhythm of “Sexy Devil Horse” and “Hear The Sound” to the groovy and elegant “Ce Soir” there is an immediate feel about the artist’s singular touch and eclecticism. Same goes for the tangible contrasts which make a key element of this release, where the minimalistic mood of “StarKiller” and its maximalist counterpart “Dark Serenade” carry the listener through a full-spectrum emotional rollercoaster.
Hard Techno and Psy Trance vibes go hand in hand with ‘90s Trance and Rave echoes, creating a blend of recognisable and innovative samples that can resonate with many different types of audience and like-minded artists. This aspect is fundamental in the direction Maike and his team have decided to take.

It all comes from afar: starting with a classical musical background – playing the piano at Conservatory level for many years, including Berlin’s own Funkhaus. This theoretical and practical knowledge, mixed with a long-time passion for electronic music, made it easier for Maike to shape and cultivate his authentic sound since a very young age.

As part of its evolution, The Innovation Studio Records will officially open its doors to new talent and renowned artists starting in 2025. The team’s vision is to create an international reference point for quality and innovation, shaping a brand-new artistic movement based on combining the modern vision of our generation with our cultural heritage from the past, thanks to the team that we put together, both in terms of approach and technique.
It'll be a structure built from the ground up, combining the best of analogue technology in a modern workflow with the highest level of music hardware, audio monitoring and studio design. In their view, there are two types of productions: those that stay ‘inside the box’ and those that get into your heart.

The desire to unite instead of dividing, to join forces instead of competing, is the key to Maike’s success and a real drive to turn the studio lights on every single day. Despite playing a lot with dystopic, cyberpunk-like atmospheres throughout his artistic journey, music doesn’t feel like a means to escape reality for Maike. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

The definition Maike uses the most to describe what The Innovation Studio Records wants to become is “a mysterious display cabinet”: a place where an artists will never know what emotion will arise or what direction will be taken next. Although hard work, professionalism and common inspiration will ultimately still be its main fuel, a true sense of community and empathy will be crucial to shape the future Maike and his team have in mind for it.
In a very romantic way, the idea is to re-create the same atmosphere from the Italian Renaissance masters’ workshops. Places where different artists - with opposite backgrounds and styles - could all mingle and inspire each other, in order to foster the creation of something unique. A collective effort for a greater good.

About MAIKE DEPAS
Young hard techno DJ-producer Maike Depas (born Michelangelo De Pasquale) has seen the future of music and it’s called metaverse: “In the future it will blow up,” he predicts. “And it’s going to revolutionize the way we experience music.” Bowled over by Skrillex and Martin Garrix by the age of eight, and DJing at smaller Milan clubs by the time he was eleven, Depas went on to study composition and piano at the prestigious

Milan Conservatory before learning ‘life- changing” lessons from the best in the business at Catalyst’s 4-week Advanced Sound Design course in Berlin’s Funkhaus . His production gets inspired by huge 90s trance synths as much as pounding hard techno from artists such as Kobosil, In Verruf and Amelie Lens.
2024 marked the launch of MAIKE DEPAS 2.0, a tectonic audio-visual shift that entails a wide array of content from DJ sets livestreamed from Berlin’s Teufelsberg and other dystopic locations around Europe to cyberpunk-inspired outfits designed by Demobaza, a cyberpunk-inspired casual couture brand best known for their sustainable Dune X Demobaza collection. Over the course of a developing metamorphosis from a flesh-and-bone individual to a mysterious CGI character, Depas is another step closer to revolutionize the dance music scene through the metaverse.

Les Disques Bongo Joe is reissuing Au Revoir, the debut album by Société Étrange, originally released in 2015 on the Lyon-based label S.K. Records, and now considered a cult classic. This Lyon trio, composed of Antoine Bellini (electronics), Romain Hervault (bass), and later joined by Jonathan Grandcollot (percussion), explores a minimalist instrumental soundscape, where repetition and tension play a central role.

Au Revoir was created with a raw and intuitive approach, mostly composed during the group’s earliest days. At the time, Antoine and Romain were working as a duo, experimenting with drum machines and electronic sounds inspired by the post-punk of the 80s, the robotic grooves of Neu! and Cluster, and the DIY spirit of early hip-hop. The result is a music that is both hypnotic and introspective, where the presence and absence of sonic elements balance with minimal precision. Between electronic layers and winding bass lines, the tracks move forward like on a foggy road, uncertain but captivating.

For this reissue, Société Étrange offers two new recordings. One of them is a revisited version of Voiturin à Phynance, renamed Voiturin à Fifinance for the occasion, with Jonathan Grandcollot now fully integrated into the group. His percussive style, both organic and melodic, has profoundly transformed the group’s sonic dynamics, adding richness and texture to this new version. The previously unreleased track Blanchard completes the edition, offering another facet of their universe, more spontaneous and free.

This reissue is more than just a re-release of an out-of-print album. It is a testament to the evolution of Société Étrange, a group that blurs genre boundaries, seamlessly blending post-punk, krautrock, dub, and electronic minimalism. With Au Revoir, the trio crafts a singular instrumental sound, where each note seems to carry a unique weight and intention, borrowing equally from abstraction and narrative.

A few years ago, Angel Olsen quietly formed somethingscosmic, a new imprint and a home for Olsen to have “the flexibility to release when and how I want to with the help from my longtime partners at Jagjaguwar.” Somethingscosmic’s second release, ‘Cosmic Waves Volume 1’ is a compilation reimagined as a dialogue; side A features artists chosen by Olsen, with each artist choosing their own song for the collection. Side B is a collection of songs from the same artists, but chosen by Olsen and recorded by her. Each song, unsurprisingly, illuminates a new artist Olsen finds spectacular. Hearing Olsen refract the artists’ songs back to them reveals the depth of Olsen’s imagination, while spotlighting multiple exciting artists at work.

“As someone that emerged into the music scene through a small tape label,” says Olsen, “I’ve wanted to continue the spirit of discovery and of my debut release, ‘Strange Cacti’, while supporting and collaborating with artists and friends whose music I have been moved by. I feel there is something unique and special about covering another artist's song,” she continues. “We all make it our own, or we try to, but I personally always learn something new about the process when I’m engaging someone else’s words and melodies in such a close way. Time and again I find that putting myself into various different styles of songs can lead to new ways of thinking and creating.”

The artists on “Cosmic Waves Volume 1” draw from a sprawling, myriad sounds, eras and inspirations. Poppy Jean Crawford’s magnetic growl and guitar-god heaviness; Coffin Prick’s reckless, psychedelic fuzz; Sarah Grace White’s hypnotic voice and melody; Maxim Ludwig’s expert minimalism; and Camp Saint Helene’s beautiful, big sky folk. “Thank you for listening and supporting this experiment,” Olsen says. “If you like what you hear, please support these artists by buying some of their music, merch, a ticket to their show, or telling your friends about them. It goes a long way. Love, Angel”

The newest single from Whodamanny’s Biloba sublabel of Periodica Records is “Volveràn,” a dark and delirious saxophonic strut given four different variations. In the Club version, gang vocals chant to the sky, pads hover like neon mist, and technoid synths twinkle through moonlit boulevards as basslines clad in black leather stomp over a futuristic disco dance. The Radio mix distills these characteristics into sorcerous display of pop songcraft, whereas the Dub goes elsewhere, omitting the sax completely in favor of delayed drum dynamics, cosmic chords climaxes, sunbaked guitar jangles, and vocals shrouded in a hallucinatory haze. And in a bold display of disco house minimalism, the Sax Only cut strips down to saxophone, bass, and drums, with accents of guitar and synth providing subtle pops of color.

Remastered Re-issue!

Marvin Dash, Germany's best kept House Music secret. Real House Music headz have been following his versatile productions between Detroit House and Minimal Techno since the mid 90's. Back then many didn't know Marvin is really Ronald Reuter, hailing from the middle of Germany, Thuringia.

About 30 years ago Ronald and his buddy Jens Kuhn aka Lowtec teamed up for music production on their own terms in the vibrant House, Techno scene of East Germany. This scene was pure DIY: Parties somewhere out in the country, heartfelt, down-to-earth people and raw underground tunes from analogue machines. Their productions were way ahead of their times, but found a cult following by and by...

There's many great Marvin Dash records, but his main piece of work remains „Model Turned programmer“ on C-Rock's Stir15. Deep as hell, iconic soundscapes, 100% pure!

Scions are a new innovative experimental ensemble. The group features members from the award-winning minimalist chamber-jazz quartet New Hermitage, the Polaris-nominated drone-hymn duo Joyful Joyful, and the acclaimed producer and composer Michael Cloud Duguay. Their collaboration began at the Sappyfest music festival in Sackville, New Brunswick, in August 2022. During this event, New Hermitage and Joyful Joyful connected for the first time and teamed up with Duguay for a spontaneous improvisational performance based on his song writing. The enthusiastic response, capped by a standing ovation, solidified the ensemble's decision to pursue the project further, with Duguay deftly shifting from front-person to producer and musical director. After being awarded a Canada Council project grant in early 2023 the group took residence in Hotel Wolfe Island on Wolfe Island. Over a week the seven core members lived and worked together, culling material from sunrise improv sessions and collaboratively shaping it into a unique body of work that would later become To Cry Out In The Wilderness. In June 2023, the ensemble, now joined by double bassist Gabriella Ciurcovich, recorded their debut album in Halifax’s north end. Led by Duguay’s distinctive approach to site-specific production, the recording took place in the sanctuary of St. George’s Round Church, with engineering by Jake Nicoll, known for his sustainable recording methods using a solar-powered, mobile control room. The resulting album, To Cry Out In The Wilderness, finds the ensemble expertly exploring and powerfully combining their skills in jazz, devotional, classical, drone, folk, ambient, metal, improvisational, minimalist and avant-garde music. The project culminated in a week of production, with contributions from numerous artists from Halifax’s creative music community. Scions then presented their work live, performing on the opening night of Halifax’s Everyseeker festival of experimental music, where they shared the spotlight with the renowned Sun Ra Arkestra. Speaking on the narrative of To Cry Out In The Wilderness vocalist and lyricist Cormac Culkeen said: "When we came together to make this body of work, we started from a narrative seed; a post-apocalyptic humanity relearning and recreating itself, after a total ecological collapse." Speaking on "Fight Song" they add, "“Fight Song” became the song we thought the last of us might need. It is sung for an imagined last stand. It is a rallying cry to wholeheartedly fight a losing battle. So it is for us now, in this time of great dismay and unease. The axe must be disobeyed.

WRWTFWW Records is honored to announce the first ever vinyl release for esteemed Japanese producer, composer, and environmental music luminary Yoshio Ojima’s rare forgotten album Club, previously only released as a limited edition of 50 cassettes back in 1983. The electronica/proto-techno/experimental gem is available as an LP reissue supervised by the artist, sourced from the original masters and housed in a heavy 350gsm sleeve. Only 500 copies were made.

A precious and sought-after item among collectors and enthusiasts of early Japanese electronic music, Club is a stunning and timeless collection of avant-garde electronica, proto-techno, mecha-ambient, and ear-pleasing experimentations from Yoshio Ojima, the ambient/environmental master behind the pivotal Music for Spiral albums released in 1988 (aka Une Collection Des Chaînons I and II reissued on WRWTFWW), and producer of Hiroshi Yoshimura’s Pier & Loft, Motohiko Hamase’s #Notes of Forestry, and Satsuki Shibano's iconic Rendez-Vous.

Filled with quirky minimalist acid-synth-and-drum-machine-handiwork, bouncy collages of beautifully childlike techno and pre-IDM, and the irresistible DIY charm of humble beginnings, the 8-track album is a fun, adventurous and risqué-but-catchy-in-the-most-peculiar-way piece of Japanese electronic music history neatly capturing the incredible creative energy boiling through the country’s scene in the 1980s.


Experience the roots of Japanese electronica!

Teatro Del Metapresente is the debut album by La Nuit Je Mens, a duo hailing from the Parisian suburbs and southern Italy. Now based in Rome, the two artists have crafted a striking sound that merges their DIY ethos with raw, unfiltered energy.

Driven by synthetic, minimalist rhythms created on a fleet of analog machines, the seven tracks pay homage to the sound of the '80s – yet entirely forward-looking and embracing the dancefloor modernity.

Blending genres such as EBM, synth-pop and minimal-cold-wave, paired with French vocals, the album delves into themes of underground activities, the slow decay of the club scene and the depths of emotional yearning.

Released on the Berlin-Basel-based label Reach Another System, Teatro Del Metapresente follows the previously released 7” and reinforces the duo's own sound and unique identity.

2LP, 180g clear vinyl. Stephan Thelen's music has grown beyond the Swiss Minimalist movement, as seen in his work over the past decade. His Fractal Sextet project exemplifies this evolution, deepening his original concepts while embracing new influences. Their second album, Sky Full of Hope, builds on the promise of their debut, showcasing a confident and cohesive group dynamic. The album features intricate polyrhythms and complex time signatures, but despite its mathematical foundations, the music remains accessible and engaging. Thelen credits the group's ability to blend technical precision with musicality, creating a sound that feels both refined and compelling.

2LP, 180g, magenta marble vinyl, limited to 200 copies. Stephan Thelen's music has grown beyond the Swiss Minimalist movement, as seen in his work over the past decade. His Fractal Sextet project exemplifies this evolution, deepening his original concepts while embracing new influences. Their second album, Sky Full of Hope, builds on the promise of their debut, showcasing a confident and cohesive group dynamic. The album features intricate polyrhythms and complex time signatures, but despite its mathematical foundations, the music remains accessible and engaging. Thelen credits the group's ability to blend technical precision with musicality, creating a sound that feels both refined and compelling.

Limited edition pressing - 50 copies come with one page insert. Download code included.

The album Sonic Mystics for Poems (of Life and Death of a Phoenix) by Andrea Burelli is a work that masterfully blends traditional musical languages with the formal and conceptual sensibilities of contemporary music. It offers a profound reflection on the life-death-life cycle, centered on poetic texts that oscillate between human-sensitive experience and the mythical journey of a phoenix, a metaphor of this circular and infinite reality.

The work, which includes a collaboration with musicians from the renowned Solistenensemble Kaleidoskop, stands out for its clear influence from classical Western music and modal traditions, as well as experimental electronics. Composed for voices, strings, synthesizers, and drum machines, this music features a minimalist tapestry of polyphonies, enhanced by sophisticated electronic elements and a diverse array of rhythmic articulations.

Field Notes describes Andrea Burelli as a versatile artist capable of embodying a multitude of roles, from poet to composer, musician, and singer, emphasizing how her work reflects this versatility by ¨combining elements of art song, contemporary music, pop, and electronic sounds.¨ According to Groove Magazine, this LP evokes neoclassical chamber music and an imagined Italian folklore, aligning with contemporary explorations of modern vocal abstractions, similar to the work of artists like Marina Herlop, stating that: “This is how the new and the good emerge.”

Furthermore, the music has received positive feedback from internationally acclaimed artists such as Rashad Becker, who, in addition to being the mastering engineer of the project, describes it as "pure and honest"; James Young of Darkstar calls it "bold and innovative"; while Eartheater (PAN), Rabih Beaini, and Gigi Masin have praised it as "beautiful."

In addition to the unique musical proposals and the large body of work that they have developed separately, Amelia Cuni and Werner Durand have been performing together as a duo as well as in collaborations (Tonaliens, Born of Six) for more than 20 years. Fusing her Indian Raga singing in the Dhrupad style with his minimalist and experimental approach, they have expanded the reach of their soundworlds as well as proposed new paths for contemporary music.In this occasion, Uli Hohmann joins them in a range of hand drums from the Middle East and North Africa, plus a dulcimer-sounding hammered guitar. Durand's various self-made wind instruments, soprano sax, and blown kalimba shine along with Cuni's astounding vocals, which are sometimes sung through a mirliton (a medieval type of kazoo). Clearing is the trio's first published recording.

Seconds of Thirst, recorded in one session at Uli´s studio in Bavaria in early 2014, is truly a conjuring where distinctive balances come to gather. A deep drone unfolds patiently in a hypnotic manner, comprised by Werner's characteristic PVC clarinets, a hammered guitar played by Hohmann, and subtle electronic tones. Above all, Amelia's singing voice, filtered through the mirliton, drifts buzzing along the gradually shifting harmonic waves, meandering through serpentine melodic lines and microtonality.

In the middle pieces, vocals turn into an ethereal multi-layered chorus, an exotic and astonishing instrument pulsing delicate and vaporously, like a gliding silk sail without a mast to bind it. Misty ambiances linger on as the soft atmosphere disperses the weight of undelivered syllables. Just intonation aligns the pan-ney's winds with vocal navigation. Foe to scattering, hurry, and affectation, Clearing's pace has lifted a fog translucent enough to reveal treetops calmly appearing, efficiently condensing damp into definite drops that fall drumming, forecasting what's yonder.

With a condensing sound going from Buddhist morning chants down to Indian festive traditional music, the title track, which closes the album, is the most vibrant of all, permeating a bit of commotion through buzzing drones and galloping percussion. Without disorder, yet without measure. Clearing is therefore this shuttle into the distance, this space that weaves, unites, and tenses the different cords that we are made up of.

When the clouds advance silently, gray, until they become dark in a few minutes, it means that the monsoon is coming. It reaches us without apparent noise, but then resounds in its images, leaving behind lightness, freshness, clarity, and a tremendous luminosity that comes from so far away: from the Himalayas, from so ancient, from Sanskrit, from a sound where the darkness and the divine, where the concrete and the landscape, where the rock and the humidity leave a mark that brings together and ties a sky loaded with new clouds.