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Hidden away amidst the bustle of Rio de Janeiro’s Catete neighbourhood is a small alleyway behind a cast iron gate. At its end is Bairro Saavedra, the courtyard surrounded by Neo-colonial houses where Brazilian guitar virtuoso Fabiano do Nascimento spent much of his childhood. Built in 1928, this secluded neighbourhood with its wooden shutters, tiled floors and tranquil benches, provides the inspiration for the title of Do Nascimento’s new album VILA, a collaborative project with a sixteen piece orchestra led by trombonist and arranger Vittor Santos.

Recorded between Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles, VILA is grand, tender, warm, playful and nostalgic. On this stunningly ambitious work, the delicate compositions led by Nascimento's guitar, which sits central in the mix, are surrounded by Santos’ breathtaking orchestral arrangements which swirl in all directions: complimenting, questioning, responding; in constant conversation.

Like the eclecticism of the architecture Do Nascimento grew up surrounded by, his music straddles many worlds at once. He is known as a Brazilian acoustic guitar master and as such has collaborated with Arthur Verocai, Airto Moreira and Itibere Zwarg. But equally at home in Los Angeles's jazz and experimental music scenes, Do Nascimento is also known for his work with artists like Sam Gendel and Carlos Nino.

Vittor Santos is an arranger and Trombonist who has worked extensively with many of the greats of Brazilian music, including João Donato, Marcos Valle, Toninho Horta, and Elza Soares.

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Credits:

Fabiano do Nascimento – 6, 7 and soprano guitars.
All orchestral arrangements and production by Vitor Santos.
Recorded at Electro-Sound studio, Los Angeles and Estúdio Fibra, Rio de Janeiro
Engineered by Jason Hiller and Garbiel Lucchini
Mastered by Mike Bozzi

Oboe – Francisco Gonçalves
Contrabaixo – Rodrigo Villa
Drums – Márcio Bahia
Violino - Ricardo Amado
Violino – Thiago Teixeira
Violin – Daniel Albuquerque
Violin – Márcio Sanches
Viola – Ivan Zandonade
Viola – Dhyan Toffolo
Cello - Hugo Pilger
Cello – Janaína Salles
Double Bass – Rômulo Gomes
Clarinet – José Batista
French Horn – Philip Doyle
Trombones - Vittor Santos
Violin – Daniel Guedes

Don’t believe your ears - Pepper’s Ghost is the latest offering from NYC project Nuke Watch.

Whatever you think it is - it is not. By the same token it really can be whatever you want - electronica, jazz, improv, noise, new age, ambient - it’s none and all of these. Like the primitive visual illusion it’s named for - Pepper’s Ghost is a projection of a thing, it’s not the thing.

The Nuke Watch method - like that of Aaron Anderson and Chris Hontos’ other primary project Beat Detectives - leans almost entirely on live improvisation, with some advanced studio alchemy in post. Where the Beat Detectives palette draws from club music tropes, Nuke Watch blends recognizable tones (hand drums, woodwinds, keys, fretless bass) with sounds of providence unknown, the line between organic and synthesized instrumentation unintelligibly smudged. What is real and what is projection? It’s hard to say. What do our ears tell us? This is where we arrive at Pepper’s Ghost.

Warped as the sounds may be, the playing belies a crew of deeply expressive, learned improvisers who have their craft honed. Their friendship and psychic connection enhances the ritualistic rhythms, mutant modular synthesis, nimble keyboard runs, absurdist sampling and unidentified skronk. They’re wonderfully complemented across several tracks on this set by Cole Pulice’s levitational, sublime saxophone.

As unhinged as this might all appear, once the mind and music meet on the same wavelength this is profoundly moving, energizing and uplifting Alive Music that recalibrates the sense of what music can be.

Nuke Watch is Aaron Anderson and Chris Hontos, with an array of friendly guests. They’ve released records as Nuke Watch on The Trilogy Tapes, Commend and Moon Glyph. As Beat Detectives they’ve released records on Not Not Fun, 100% Silk and their own studio imprint NYPD Records.

Pepper's Ghost was written and produced by Aaron Anderson and Chris Hontos. Additional instrumentation on these recordings by Cole Police, Leonard King, Eric Timothy Carlson, Chris Farstad and William Statler. It was mixed by Chris Hontos and mastered by Jack Callahan. Painting on the cover is “The Unity Of Being” (2020), by Ry Fyan. Design and layout by Aaron Anderson.

RIYL - Musical illusions, puzzles and magic tricks, downtempo, music of the spheres, good journey, Eddie Harris, Ketron, "world building", orange sunshine, suspension of disbelief.

Saxophonist and producer Ben Vince announces the release of his sixth album, Street Druid, the first in almost six years via AD 93.

Street Druid merges acoustic, manipulated and electronic sound and it has saxophone, synth, voice, guitars and drum machine, and features drum kit from Moses Boyd. It features artwork by Byzantia Harlow. It is at once tender, psychedelic and fierce. It is not interested in genre or category. It lasts just under 45 minutes.

A prelude for the future, hands join to cast a peace spell. Consciousness is vast water seeking divine essence and meaning where colours merge and refract. The street druid walks through the night, a benevolence in the darkness, guiding you home. Immersed in noise, life can feel empty, like hollow vessels, a sentient interlude. At times we are found in Gaia’s rhythm, kinetic and rebuilt, transcending through the impact of sound on the body. Every moment is a new change, a new challenge, a new life, we must ride the wave if we are not to be caught adrift or drown. Trying to keep hope intact, we must not retreat into fear, recognise we all live here in Longville and stop the fire before it engulfs us all.

Making a welcome return nine years on from his last outing on Dekmantel, Makam offers up a generous helping of wayward grooves that take his curious spirit even further into unmarked territory. With a strong dub sensibility grounding his rich tapestry of percussion and instrumentation, Guy Blanken follows his own path to arrive at an album that embodies house music as a launchpad for experimentation.

Blanken says himself he was determined to approach his first Makam productions in years from a place of total freedom — "It's not a single direction, but rather a landscape of sounds, moments, and textures. TARP feels like a new beginning, a free project that just had to happen naturally." The steady pulse of the club remains a guiding principle boldly manifested on heads down roller 'Static Shade', but even in the lilting organic loops and tumbling percussion of 'Forgive' there is a funkiness that's beholden to continuous movement.

At times the direct thump of 4/4 disco juts out as a call to dance, not least on 'Flying Birds' and 'La Tuna', but elsewhere the rhythms are more slippery. 'Dub In Loen' plots a delicate path through dub techno and 'Lummel Spirit' casts off into pattering Balearic bliss. The pervasive dub mood of the record comes to the fore on expertly crafted stepper 'Diagonal Rain' and crooked album opener 'Clear Skies'. 'Jackie B' lands as a love letter to quintessential deep house, and yet still there's a left-of-centre charm that gives the track a personality that is pure Makam.

Exuding warmth and imagination at every turn, TARP is the perfect example of how to make a groove-oriented album a rich home listening experience. There are ample moments primed for the spectacle of the dancefloor, but the mellow hue and broad sweep of approaches make Makam's welcome return utterly compelling from end to end.

With Severance, IGLO returns to Figure with a focused yet exploratory EP that reflects his open-ended approach to contemporary techno. The release moves fluidly between restraint and expression, combining functional structures with subtle, unconventional elements that give the tracks a distinct sense of character. Rather than settling into a fixed formula, Severance highlights IGLO's curiosity and willingness to push his sound forward while remaining grounded in precision and control.

Connection opens the release with a restrained, heads-down groove. A firm low-end foundation and sparse percussion lock into a steady momentum, while understated melodic elements add depth without breaking the track's linear drive.
On Kauriraris, the energy tightens. Nervous synth motifs and crisp rhythmic details create a sense of urgency, pushing the track forward through constant micro-variation. It's a lean and effective tool built for sustained pressure.
Flipping the record, Blink Twice moves into darker, denser territory. Murky textures and a weighty groove unfold gradually, building tension through repetition and space. The track thrives on its slow burn, making it well-suited for late-night transitions.
Alive introduces a more open and flowing feel. Warmer tonal elements and a subtle swing soften the edges, while the groove remains firmly anchored and forward-moving.
Digital-only track Forlornly closes the EP with a spacious and introspective mood. Reduced rhythms and airy melodic layers create a calm, drifting atmosphere that rounds off the release with control and restraint.
With Severance, IGLO delivers a tightly structured EP that emphasizes clarity, tension and functionality - a confident addition to the Figure catalogue.

French artist Trypheme debuts on Impatience with “Odd Balade”, a darkly-hued collection of songs drawn from human delicacy and dreamworld mythology.

“Odd Balade” is Trypheme’s most ambitious and boldest record to date - both lyrically and musically. The album’s thirteen tracks resist rigid genre boundaries and flutter from medieval folk realms, sprawling synths, gothic 80s wave, leftfield pop, haunted vocals, mutant electronica to reverbed guitars - all reflected through her own shadowy prism. Especially album closer “A Walk In The Vercors” evokes a soothing serenity that echoes the sonic balm of Julee Cruise.

Trypheme’s musical repertoire trends heavily electronic and somewhat abstracted, but on “Odd Balade”, the artist slips into the role of the modern troubadour with a shift to a more poetically and personal songwriting that is infused with symbolism and dreamlike fantasies. The connective tissue of the album is the audacity to love and the vulnerability that ensues. As intimate and introspective as the lyrics are, the themes remain universal and human to the core: the fear of losing a loved one, the melancholia of leaving places and t“the fear of losing a loved one, the melancholia of leaving places and the cycles of life. The record was largely composed in Chars, stirred by the French village’s eerie atmosphere and frequent trips to the seaside in Brittany, where Trypheme resides. Drawing inspiration from the rugged terrain of the seaside landscapes, the writings of Allen Ginsberg and Mark Fisher and the hyperrealist art of Scott Prior, Trypheme uses her songs to depict life with broad strokes of rhythm.

On “Odd Balade” Trypheme consolidates herself as a gifted, nimble songwriter, masterly producer and subtly powerful vocalist. The record combines her skill for crafting lush, alien sound worlds and efficient, alluring arrangements with stealthily devastating songs. Belin’s voice becomes a key ingredient, appearing on eleven of Odd Balade’s thirteen tracks, by turns heavily manipulated, sampled and replayed as a form of percussion, or basically bare.

“Odd Balade” is the manifestation of Trypheme’s roving artistic practice, a ceremonial-grade sacrament cast in a rich nocturnal glow. Pairing the mundane with the mythic, the album stays true to its core: odd and strangely familiar.

RIYL - Riding off into the sunset to an unknown destination, hauntology, present, tales told by the fireside, hot summer rain, adventures, to feel a warm presence when you are walking in the forest or in the mountain, coastal landscapes, sailor’s stories, slow motion, vitesse, heavy blossoms, colors, the warmth of the sun, the tenderness of the moon, getting lost in unfamiliar streets, city’s lights, motorway rest area by night, magic numbers, rendez-vous, picnic, serendipity, poetry, the smell of old records and old books.

Tiphaine Belin has been releasing music as Trypheme since 2016. Odd Balade was written and produced by Belin, and mixed by Belin and Abel Roux. It was mastered by Amir Shoat. Cover art photography is by Ariane Kiks, with art direction by Ariane Kiks in collaboration with Mathilde Chaize.

Caleto Records presents the next V.A "Caleto Sampler " Amazing tracks by Benny S (Ultra Knites) Deryk Rossen (Inermu) K POD (Bondage Music) and Keresztes (original track with bomb remix by Nu Zau) Early support by Arapu , Priku , Sepp , Nu Zau , Lcaise , Nicola Brusegan and many more Vinyl only ! Limited copies!

An Egyptian guy named Raxon rolls through, Flexing his muscles like he’s got something to prove. Get those legs moving, stop the distraction, Shake to the beat — here’s the sound of Raxon.


Ein Ägypter namens Raxon tut hier schwer die Muskeln flexen. Beweg deine Haxen zu den Sounds von Raxon

Stefan Missios, one of Gothenburg’s most distinctive and soulful voices, returns with his fourth solo album “Fæst i verkligheten” – a raw blend of Swedish folk, soul, groove, and gospel. With unfiltered emotion and poetic urgency, Missios explores themes of faith, longing, and resilience. The result is a deeply human record – timeless, rhythmically alive, and impossible to ignore..

Roberto y su Nuevo Montuno recorded their first album, “El Nuevo Montuno Llegó” (1970), when Roberto Berríos was just 22 years old. This was also the debut release on Haddock’s own Uniart label. Berríos remembers that they did the recording in two sessions, splitting it up into four tracks per visit. The engineer was the famed Pedro “Pedrito” Henríquez, who recorded El Gran Combo, Roberto Roena and many others. The band had a mix of tasty, powerful originals, from Tony Cintrón’s title track that announced the band had arrived, ‘El Nuevo Montuno Llegó,’ to Quique Dávila’s mournful ‘Triste Arrabal.’ Then there was the hit Santería themed tune, ‘Llamé a Changó,’ which was a song that Quique Dávila brought to the band, but had been originally composed by Carlos Pinto, though Quique was given the credit. Dávila also composed ‘Me Queda Un Guaguancó,’ which is Roberto’s favorite song on the record (as well as a fan favorite), with Papo sounding like his friend Héctor Lavoe, and Quique Dávila’s proud manifesto declaring that Puerto Rico now had its own son montuno, ‘Oye Tu Son, Borinquen,’ featuring the pianist’s tasty but brief solo. The cover versions came from the group’s earliest period when most of their repertoire consisted of renditions of beloved but lesser known tunes, and include Louie Ramírez’s ‘Balancéate’ (a favorite of Roberto’s from Ray Barretto’s songbook), Bobby Valentín’s ‘Monina y Ramón’ (recorded during his stint with Willie Rosario), and a bolero indelibly sung by Cheo Feliciano when he was with the Joe Cuba Sextet, ‘Dichoso,’ written by Joe Cuba’s talented pianist, Nick Jiménez. Some of the arranging was done by Cintrón and some by Dávila, though Quique had some help from his old friend from El Combo Moderno, Freddie Miranda, who at that time was with Roberto Roena’s Apollo Sound. Roberto says that the arrangements of the cover tunes were made specifically to be different and more contemporary sounding than the originals. “El Nuevo Montuno Llegó” has become a legendary salsa dura classic from Puerto Rico and we are thrilled to present this first legitimately licensed and remastered vinyl reissue. It includes detailed liner notes that reveal the untold story of the band and their debut album, and rare photos.

On and on, the beat goes on. Sound System culture plays a huge part in the history of House music, shaping Mysticisms, its founders and the music it brings into the spotlight. Continuing the dive into that history, in all its forms and permutations, Tranquil Elephantizer’s 1995 classic Zombie Dawn is reissued here in its original form.

A name that has been getting noticed on recent releases for the likes of legendary San Francisco collective Wicked Records and Manchester’s cult Red Laser label, the project has, in fact, been around for several decades.

Morphing out of the late 80s Acid House revolution, members Alexis Worrall, brothers Caspar and Darius Kedros and focal point, David Jenkins aka DJ Shakra came together in the South London melting pot of free parties and DIY anything is possible ethos.

Born of a collaboration between the short-lived Camberwell Butterflies project – featuring Alexis Worrall and DJ Shakra amongst others – and the Kedros’ bothers downtempo/trip hop forbears Slowly. With a shared label, on the ground-breaking Chill Out Records, and Thursday late-night encounters at London’s legendary Megatripolis club, they decided to pool studio resources and Tranquil Elephantizer was born.

Mixing lo-fi 808 heavy analog jams of the Butterflies, with the studio sophistication from the Slowly crew, sparked something new and Zombie Dawn was the first result. Local producer Crispin J Glover dropped by the studio, riding high with his Caucasian Boy project’s hypnotic Northern Lights (featuring DJ Shakra on Roland 303) – recently out on Strictly Rhythm – he offered to remix both Zombie Dawn and the Slowly album cut No Slo Dub for release on his own Matrix label and an underground hit on the London and West Coast 90s party scene was born.

Coming in the original “Saxmental Mix”, alongside Glover’s storming “Nu Dawn Club Mix” Zombie Dawn was a correlation of the past, present and future in one record. The history of British House can be heard in the bumpin’ nature of the beats, the sharp hats encompassed around dub overtones that give it added warmth. The slightly quirky, left field touches of the tracks, set against the then weekly overload of sharp US imports, brought the mix of influences from the Tonka and Sugarlump Sound Systems they had partied and been involved with, on to vinyl, adding touches of jazz keys and disco’s heritage for good measure.

A bedfellow for the emerging UK House sound coming on the likes of Luxury Service (Rob Mello / Zaki Dee), Other (A Man Called Adam / DJ D) and Nuphonic (Faze Action / Idjut Boys), that shaped and defined London clubs and far beyond. Some 30 years later, with a new album on the way, here is debut Tranquil Elephantizer’s release, remastered especially for this reissue, ready to bring that optimistic thinking back.

Tranquil the Mystery.

The second release from Irish label IL Corpo Records comes from Dublin native Dave Hughes. The Fastplay E.P. sees the accomplished audio engineer and Dj return to production duties with 4 carefully crafted excursions into mid tempo deep house with elements of dub and techno. Having had multiple releases on John Tejada’s legendary Palette label and iRecords amongst others, the production values are top notch and well executed making this an interesting listen indeed.

Fastplay chugs along building gradually before sultry vocals from Svelte weave their way into the mix and beckon the listener to the dance floor for the night ahead.

Feel Better is a downtempo dubby experiment inflected with a dose of rave nostalgia.

Walk Alone sees more atmospheric chord work and well chosen percussion that cements the sentimental feel of the E.P.

Tabouli rounds out the release with broken beats wrapped up in mid eastern rhythms. Moody chords and a G Funk lead line keep the groove evolving to the end.

Dharmacide is a Spanish band known for their eclectic fusion of genres, blending elements of shoegaze and dreampop music. Their sound is marked by intricate guitar riffs, powerful drumming, and deep, emotive vocals that create a unique atmosphere under the influence of today's bands like Diiv, Warpaint or Beach House but also by classic artists like Cocteau Twins, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds or Tom Waits. The band, with members of Alcalá Norte and Depresión Sonora, has made a huge impact on various stages, performing at renowned venues and festivals, including iconic spots in their home country as well as internationally, earning praise for their high-energy performances and thoughtful compositions. Their latest singles have been produced, mixed and mastered by Mark Gardener from Ride. 'The Cigs, The Light, The Coffee and Crying' is the first single taken from their awaited soon-coming second album in which we find a powerful reverb-laden riff with a solo vocal melody in the middle of the chaos until breaking into a powerful chorus.

(Early support by Ben Klock, DVS1 & Rene Wise) DHÆÜR makes his debut on Dustin Zahn's Enemy Records with 4 stripped down Techno tools ranging from "relentless and heavy" to "grooving and introspective." Each track offers a different approach to minimalistic Techno, all rich in moody atmospherics.

In classic A1 fashion, "Bayes Theorem" is the heaviest track on the record. Throbbing sub bass meshes together with pedaling hi hats while vocal chops and modulating synth work cover the top end. It's sinister and pounding, yet retains a sense of groove without becoming too aggressive. "Perception" closes the A side with a deeper and more introspective approach. The bass fills in only where necessary,leaving the pads and bleepy synths to do all the heavy lifting.

"Scanning" kicks off the B-side, defined by a rolling bass line and moody chord stabs. It gives the dance floor exactly what it needs and nothing more. The record comes to a close with "5th Avenue." It's deep, steady, rolling, and dripping in polymeter synth pulses. Brief glimpses of vocal phrases offset the darkness, giving it a bit of funk and playfulness...making it essential for deeper late night sets.

A Consummate Fusion of Wit, Humor, Satire, Honesty, and Chaos: Warren Zevon’s Excitable Boy Captures Dark Elements of American Culture with Uncanny Insight

• Sourced from the Original Analog Tapes for Definitive Sound: Mobile Fidelity’s Numbered-Edition 180g 45RPM 2LP Set and Hybrid SACD Play with Explosive Dynamics and Airy Openness

• Jackson Browne-Produced Album Includes “Werewolves of London,” “Lawyers, Guns, and Money,” and “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner”

Excitable Boy established Warren Zevon as rock’s gonzo figurehead — or, as Jackson Browne aptly called him, “the first and foremost proponent of song noir.” A supreme collision of over-caffeinated energy, acerbic wit, dark humor, irreverent reporting, bittersweet romance, swept-under-the-rug truth, and illicit desire sent up with booze, pills, and therapist confessions, the breakthrough album zeroes in on frightening aspects of American culture with an incisiveness that’s even sharper today than upon the effort’s release in 1978. Its hard-boiled narratives owe to a tradition established by Raymond Chandler, continued by Hunter S. Thompson, and carried into the 21st century by Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan. And the music has never sounded so excitable. Sourced from the original analog master tapes, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition 180g 45RPM 2LP set and hybrid SACD elevate the best-selling album of Zevon’s career to audiophile status.

Co-produced by Browne and Waddy Wachtel — and featuring contributions by members of Fleetwood Mac plus Linda Rondstadt, J.D. Souther, and Browne — the platinum-certified record now plays with a verve and explosivity that match its subject matter. Listeners will experience wide separation between the instruments; full-range dynamics; sterling transparency that draws a through- line to the original sessions at the Sound Factory; and a presence that enhances the body and tenor of Zevon’s vocals. Like the hairy creatures in “Werewolves of London” and the ghosts wandering the corridors of Excitable Boy, Zevon’s legacy still runs amok via the grooves of his finest studio work. Draw blood, indeed.

Cedofeita Records returns with CDFT004, a limited run of 150 numbered 12”s cut for DJs who like their records to do the work: five tracks across house, electro and breaks, sequenced with a clean sense of tension and release. Based in Porto, the label stays close to a simple rule — not where artists are from, but where the work happens. These tracks were written and shaped while the artists were living in the North of Portugal, tied into the local circuit and its night-time pace.

Miguel Rendeiro opens with “Love Me Too” — direct, fast and warm at the bottom end. Mike Morales follows with “Outta Shine”, modern and controlled, built on crisp rhythm and a steady forward push. On the flip, Bruno, Erp & Rompante hit heavier with “Parking Place” — bold stabs, sampling grit, room-holding weight. Sector Relay shifts the colour with “Social Distortion”, stripped electro pressure for late hours. Tasc’oTau feat. João Pedro Dias closes with “Magnificent City” — liquid break swing and soft detail, a final chapter that resets the room without losing the thread.

A limited vinyl reissue of the third album of Dictaphone from 2012, with a new artwork.

Already formed in the late nineties in Berlin, Dictaphone was born by Brussels-bred multi-instrumentalist Oliver Doerell. In 2000 Oliver Doerell found a partner in Berlin's Roger Döring, who shares Doerell's love for the Brussels-based music of the eighties. In the following years the duo and several guest musicians (e.g. Stephan Wöhrmann (SWOD) , Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact) & more) released the critically highly acclaimed "m.= addiction" (2002), the "Nacht" EP (2004) and "Vertigo II" (2006) via the City Centres Offices label of Thaddeus Herrmann and Shlom Sviri (Boomkat, Modern Love). In 2009 the violin player Alex Stolze joined the band. During their two decades of existence Dictaphone played shows in more than 20 countries with festival appearances at Mutek, Transmediale, Unsound, Benicassim & more. Their latest release "Poems from a rooftop" from 2012 came as a very limited edition through the Berlin-based boutique label Sonic Pieces. In 2017 the band released the long awaited third album "APR 70" on denovali. The label now also offers a reissue of the trio's past repertoire.

Dictaphone never make music for the sake of it, they always want to create something which was missing before. And they did.

Taroug is the solo project by drummer and electronic music producer Tarek Zarroug with roots in the suburbs of the Tunisian desert and having grown up in Germany. Following the release of his 2020 EP, "Perpetual," as well as a number of notable remixes for artists such as Archive, Taroug has continued to refine his musical aesthetic.

Taroug's debut album Darts & Kites, set to be released on Denovali Records, draws inspiration from the Penrose tiling and explores themes of change and transformation. Fascinated from the pattern's unending possibilities, Taroug incorporated its infinite permutations not only into the album's nine tracks, but also in the cover art design. Darts & Kites showcases a blending of genres and styles, resulting in a sonic landscape, that is both hunting and beautiful. Experimental and abstract soundscapes are enriched by oriental influences, collected field recordings, pulsating dark beats and hypnotic vocals.

The album also features the contributions of other notable artists, including Beate Wolff's cello performance on Jewels I. Benedikt Koch's saxophone adds a sense of controlled chaos with delayed and swelling notes to the track Deguech, while Timo Schieber's piano provides a crucial element of the album's title track, Darts & Kites. Niklas Genschel lends his vocals to Queen of Carthage, which also features the saz playing of Abdallah Abozekry.

Created in collaboration with architect and designer Marie Brosius, the album artwork captures different ornaments reflecting the album's content. Darts & Kites is a mosaic of sound, blending together elements of unfamiliar and familiar.

Written during a period of geographic and artistic transition, Country Music traces Severin Black’s movement from London to Berlin, unfolding through cycles of isolation and adaptation. Composed on the city’s periphery, the album’s material was continually dismantled and reassembled, reflecting a process of both artistic and personal reconstruction. The album marks a shift in production methodology, moving away from the immediacy of summed live takes toward a more deliberate, stratified multitrack approach. Sparse yet hypnotic, the record distills layers of sound formed by constant relocation, recurrent solitude, and a recalibration of instinct. In many ways, it echoes the experience of exile, not in a political sense but in the quieter, more insidious form of displacement that alters one’s perception of time and self. The music drifts between structure and dissolution, a reflection of existing at the threshold of different spaces—both physically and sonically.

The shedding of the previously used Nape moniker signaled a decisive sonic transformation, informed by extended time spent in the Pyrenees and a renewed engagement with folkloric material. Severin began playing the clarinet while making this record, and though its presence is minimal, it reveals itself as an interest in acoustic simulation, particularly the digital approximations of classical instruments that emerged within 1990s synthesizer technology. This interrogation of authenticity and mediation parallels the album’s thematic engagement with memory, where recollection functions not as a retrieval of fixed experience but as an iterative process of distortion and reconstruction. The relocation to Berlin reignited an affinity for grime music, evident in the syncopated brass of Pilgrim Wine and the fractured vocal layers of March, while memories of childhood in rural Wales permeate the record’s atmospheric spaces. The album includes contributions from longtime collaborator Vanessa Bedoret and Berlin-based artist Pavel Milyakov (Buttechno).

Country Music situates itself within an unresolved dialogue—between past and speculative futures, between folk lineage and digital fragmentation, between place and its embodied and sonic traces. What emerges is not a fixed statement but a process, an ongoing negotiation between what is left behind and what is brought forward. Words by Chantal Michelle

Mastered by Owen Pratt / Design by Severin Black / Center label image by Nicky Kidd / Back cover text by Alya Kanıbelli

Frequency Response EP marks the second entry on Equal Audio, a Various Artists release embodying the label’s philosophy in its purest form. Varied in mood, unified in simplicity, the record brings together artists with different interpretations while sharing a common focus on reduced arrangements and consistent energy. Pure tools, clear intention, no unnecessary

Especial is delighted to reprise the label’s relationship with Osaka’s acid master, Akio Nagase. Following his debut, Global Acid EP and follow up African Acid EP covered a range of influences, all with the heavy dose of Roland TR-303, here he completes a trilogy of EPs, culminating in a homage to his love of dub reggae.

Having made reggae influenced dance music under the Makedub alias for decades, here he takes it a step further, utilising a knack for catchy hooks and acid lines, while fusing reggae and live desk-dub mixing.

I Love Smoke, a chant, the stand-out, those classic vocals flowing in and out with a 3AM (Eternal) bump. Riotously expounding the virtues of smoking ’Mari Jane’, the hypnotic stoner vibes are wrapped around Nagase’s meditative and dancefloor heartbeat.

Night Time High Acid swings, the low-end rumble and kick build before the TR-303 and harmonica lead interweave, samples and sirens encase in an ethnic, tribal slo-mo dub flow.

Things shift with the 4/4 bump of Creation Dub. A call to rise wrapped in the warmth of Dub House beats. Melody and dub flow, no need for 303. Vox are space echo’d to the limit. Keys stab, horns call, slip side away.

To finish, Harmonica Dub is just that. Heavy mouth organ solo, the blues calling atop a dub-techno stepper beat. Rimshot, stabs, echo. All encompass that psychedelic flavour of Akio. Dub, Love and Respect. Thank you Mr Kikumoto for the acid, thank you Mr Nagase for beats

We are proud to present this brand new 12inch release produced by veteran legend Mike Brooks.

He links up with regular collaborator Shalom out in Jamaica on two different riddims recorded in the UK by Mafia And Fluxy alongside Tony Ruffcutt. A side is a new song called Don't Worry, Mike also has a piece on it titled Hold Fast followed by a killer dub with mixdown from Dougie Conscious.

On the B side we put out again the incredible song Value Yourself from Shalom, which we sold in huge quantities on 7inch over the last few years. This is a slightly different mix from the same session. We of course release Mike's cut called River Nile and a new dub also from the same session by Dougie Conscious.




d b1. Shalom - Value Yourself [Alt mix]

End of Us, ist das 13 Tracks umfassende Debütalbum von TX2, mit Features von DeathbyRomy, Ekoh, Magnolia Park, Ice Nine Kills und Black Veil Brides. Die Wahrheit ist simpel: TX2 polarisiert. Es gibt Kräfte in dieser Welt, die versuchen, das zu zerstören, wofür gekämpft und was hart erkämpft wurde, und zu einer Zeit zurückzukehren, in der die Menschen ihr wahres Ich versteckten. Es gibt Künstler wie TX2 - den Anti-Ronald Radke -, die dir zeigen wollen, dass du in diesem Kampf gegen den Hass nicht allein bist. TX2 hat Politiker namentlich genannt, schwenkt auf der Bühne eine Trans-Flagge, thematisiert in seinen Songs Waffengewalt, Essstörungen, Trauer und Depressionen und verspottet die Gatekeeper, die offensichtlich noch nie einen Punk-Song gehört haben. Der Sänger ist bereit, mit seiner Musik ein wenig Chaos zu verursachen, wenn es nötig ist, um die Aufmerksamkeit auf wichtige gesellschaftliche Themen zu lenken. So hat TX2 unter seinen Fans eine Bewegung ins Leben gerufen, die als ,X Movement" bekannt ist und deren Ziel es ist, das Bewusstsein für psychische Gesundheit zu schärfen und einen sicheren Raum für diejenigen zu schaffen, die jemanden zum Reden brauchen. In den letzten 24 Monaten tourte TX2 um die Welt, trat mit Ice Nine Kills, Hail the Sun, Dark Divine, tiLLie, In This Moment, Magnolia Park, Warped Tour & Summer of Loud Tour auf, wurde auf SiriusXM Octane gespielt, erreichte über 1 Million monatliche Hörer, gab über 50.000 Autogramme und erhielt 42 Millionen Likes auf Tik Tok. End of US ist ein lauter, unverblümter Aufruf zum Handeln. Beherzigen Sie den Aufruf oder treten Sie beiseite.

The Amazing Nina Simone reveals Nina Simone at the dawn of her recorded legacy—already assured, deeply expressive, and impossible to categorize. Moving effortlessly between jazz, blues, folk, and classical influences, Simone delivers performances of striking intimacy and emotional precision, pairing a distinctive, searching voice with elegant, commanding piano work. This special repressing on 180g orange vinyl brings renewed warmth and presence to these recordings, enhancing their dynamic range and tactile immediacy. A timeless listening experience, The Amazing Nina Simone remains a powerful introduction to one of the most singular voices in modern music

In 1949 Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan and Gil Evans - they'd never met before - gravitated together with the natural
affinity of kindred souls. Combined, they gave each other a spiritual boost that resulted in many all-night sessions of
earnest discussion, writing and playing-productive work on new musical ideas, new voicings, new concepts of jazz.
Their first appearance startled a delighted jazz public, and marked the birth of the cool. Today, these famous Miles
Davis instrumentals are as exciting as ever, and here are in all their glory.

Performed by The Group Shower live at IDA in Tallinn on August 2nd, 2025. Written by Max Graef and Robert Nikolajev. Mastered by The Bastard.

And another new volume of the Meeting Of The Minds series is here, with 4 new collaborations I've done with other producers in the jungle scene!

"Casual Loop" is a collaboration that me & Submerse started working on in 2023 but it was another one of the tracks that I had lost due to my computer being stolen in early 2024, & I hadn't fully backed up everything I had done for a few months, including this track. This meant I had to re-do a lot of the work I had done with what Submerse had started but I was lucky enough to get it near identical to how it was sounding and ready for release. Submerse has been on Future Retro London a few times, with his EP release (FR033) & a track featured on the atmospheric VA EP (FR049) that came out late last year, I'm a huge fan of his musicality & his melodies, which made this track really fun to work on, even with all the obstacles faced!

My first interaction with Quaad goes way back to 2013, when he asked me for a guest mix for a radio show called The After Party that was on C89.5FM in Seattle (which is still up on my SoundCloud for anyone curious) and then before he started his current label (Heavy Sounds), he had started a label with Wetman called Vivid Recordings, which he was sending me the releases on (but I think in standard fashion, I kept forgetting to check them!). But it wasn't until 2022 when me & Dwarde played in Seattle with him and I saw his live Amiga set where he was playing a lot of his own music, & from then on, I was better aware of what he was doing & I got to hang out with him & know him a bit better, which is when I then fully started following what he was doing. Then eventually, we ended up doing a track together (he also uses FL Studio, just like me) and "Judge Dredd" is the end result of that.

Samurai Breaks is also someone that I've known of for a long time but didn't really properly connect with until recent years where I saw what he was doing with his label Super Sonic Booty Bangers, which also does events in Sheffield which I played for in 2024. It was quite an interesting collab because I don't think many people would have necessarily expected our styles to really gel well together but I think we managed to hit a nice midpoint between his craziness & mine haha

Fixate is most likely another person that people would not have anticipated as someone that I would collaborate with, mainly because the style of tune people know him for is more tied with the footwork/halftime sound that became popular in the 2010s, as well as his output as 1/2 of dubstep duo Leftlow, but he has made some jungle in the past & I'm always down for the challenge of stepping outside of my comfort zone to work with people who are not mainly based in the newskool jungle scene but have an appreciation for it. I found out about him through the releases he had on Exit Records from 2015 onwards, plus he was also a part of Richie Brains (the project in 2016 involving many artists forming a loose collective) so I was aware of what he was doing but I properly got to know him from when I went bowling with him, Dwarde & LMajor back in 2022 and then he sent me something to work on early last year (another FL Studio producer btw!), which I took my sweet time in starting it but eventually got done & here we are! And for those wondering, the track title (May Contain Traces) alludes to me & Fixate's shared allergy towards nuts (although his is a lot more severe than mine), which was the only thing I could think of to name the track after when it came down to it!

How do we listen when we know the human is absent? Neue Deutsche Kunst present a collection of music created for their own films, from Bubblegum Pop (literally - the first track is about Kaugummi), Dada Chanson, sugary Psychedelia, Cartoon Prog, Fake Jazz - documenting a period of Unheimlichkeit in the technological development of humankind. The music was neither composed nor recorded, no soundwaves were moved, no microphones abused. Absurd lyrics speak of non-reality, LSD, violence and revolution in a flowery almost-German non-poetry. Three songs are sung in a non-existing speculative language. It literally is Keine Nichtmusik - or is it?

Während das musikalische Fundament die Einflüsse aus Nordamerikanischem Pop-Punk aufnimmt und zu einem eigenen Sound weiterentwickelt, stechen insbesondere die klare Haltung und tiefe persönliche Momente in den Texten heraus. Entstanden ist ein Punk/Rock Album, das nicht nach 20ern und Jugendbewegung klingt, sondern nach neuen Perspektiven, nach späten 30ern - menschlich und politisch. Seit Erscheinen des BLAUFUCHS Debüt-Albums vor rund 4 Jahren hat sich in der Welt viel verändert und wenig verbessert. Diese traurige Abwärtsspirale findet sich – mal drastisch und direkt, mal dezent akzentuiert – in allen Texten von „Bis jetzt ging alles gut“ wieder, das trotz Anflügen von Resignation auch stets einen Funken Hoffnung auf Besserung vermittelt. Blaufuchs betrachten nicht nur den gesellschaftlichen Wandel – sie sind selbst auch einer ständigen Veränderung ausgesetzt. Ihr zweites Album ist ein Stück weit auch ein Neubeginn mit einigen Neubesetzungen im Verlauf der letzten Monate. Hale Winter übernahm den Bass von Marisa, Jan Schlagowski das Schlagzeug von Alex Veth und mit Jan Jurat stieß ein weiterer Gitarrist zur Band. Den Blaufuchs Sound verändern die neuen Einflüsse nicht gravierend, die Drums werden ein Stück härter, die Gitarren etwas filigraner, aber die Handschrift von Hauptsongwriter John Hofmeister verbindet nach wie vor den amerikanischen Gesamtsound mit den deutschen Texten von Johannes König. Dennoch verzögerte sich die Entstehung des Albums durch die Umbesetzungen um mehrere Monate, was laut Johannes König auch nötig war: „Mir und John war extrem wichtig, dass auf dem Album auch Einflüsse unserer „Neuen“ zu hören sind, die uns live teilweise schon seit Jahren unterstützen.“ Aufgenommen wurde „Bis jetzt ging alles gut“ in den Limetree Studios in Ilsede und produziert von Sören Kucz und Gitarrist John Hofmeister. Mit „Fertig“ setzt die Platte einen extrem persönlichen Schlusspunkt und König wird hier deutlich direkter: „Den Druck, der mit der Verantwortung in der eigenen Familie, im Job und auch in der Band zusammenkommt, trifft im Alltag oft auf ein Männlichkeitsbild, in dem wider besseres Wissen versucht wird, Dinge alleine zu regeln.“

FRQNCY LDN, the new project from Alex Lavery and James Ford (producer du jour and one half of Simian Mobile Disco), are releasing their debut album ‘The White Edition’ on 5 September via PRAH Recordings. Alongside the news of their debut album, the duo are sharing the first taste in ‘Matthias’ Wajd’, which they describe as “a rousing, instrumental piece from the middle of the set where the whole ensemble became balanced providing moments where Raven played violin with haunting yet uplifting melodies within the cavernous reverb of the church. Interestingly, at this moment, most of the audience who had been laying down rose to watch the performance like a gig, like an awakening.”

Initially conceived as a live project with earlier performances at churches in London and at Glastonbury, FRQNCY LDN’s music is a mix of strings, gongs, oscillators, FX, and spoken word, and the result is a musical experience unlike any other. Now that immersive magic has been captured on their debut release through Prah Recordings.

The music that FRQNCY LDN are releasing as their debut album is from an extraordinary live take from a performance at St Matthias Church in Stoke Newington last year, and thanks in no small part to the serendipitous bunch of musicians they assembled: composer and violinist Raven Bush, clarinettist Arun Ghosh, cellist Satin Beige Chousmer, and harpist Chloe Chousmer-Kerr. Alongside Lavery and Ford and assisted by engineer Animesh Ravel, they were able to capture the music to a world class level.

FRQNCY LDN has its roots in a supermoon that occurred three summers ago, after the hottest day of the year. Two of Lavery’s friends gave a sound bath that evening. “I’m not overly into astronomy or anything but the experience was nuts,” he says. “I had to find out what had just happened. What felt like forty minutes was actually two and a half hours. We were all out. It was so profound that I was hooked.”

He immediately signed up for a sound therapy course where he learned about what he calls a “brain hack” to meditation. “The thing about sound therapy is there’s a lot that’s meditation-based, and I find meditation really difficult. I’ve got a very busy brain. What was alluring about this process of sound immersion, a sound bath, whatever you want to call it, is it’s basically a hack to making your brain get into a meditative state.”

FRQNCY LDN’s early shows crystallised their ideas into a project, and Lavery brought poet Nikita Gill on board as a vocalist. “One of the first poems she gave to me, ‘Unwitches’ was in response to me explaining that I’d love this project to be perceived as something anyone could access. It’s not just for the sound meditation or the yoga, or the mushroom crowd. No one should be turned off by connotations from where the music comes from, I love music but I’d never be into that because it’s too woo-woo. Nikita said she’d had this poem for a long time but she’d never found the right home for it.”

And in an increasingly busy and fraught world, the need to tune out for an hour or so, and maybe tune in to something more profound, is only going to get bigger.

2026 Repress

DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With his fourth album Rhythm-Al-Ism he created his masterpiece, a perfect hip-hop album. As Quik explains, “the name Rhythm-Al-Ism alone tells you what I was doing. I was mixing up rhythms. I was meshing R&B with hip-hop and jazz. And a little bit of comedy”. It’s absolutely sensational and as with a lot of mid-90s albums those original vinyl copies are now rare so here’s the Be With re-issue.

A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. He’s released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. An old-school funk producer at heart, he’s also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik’s tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton’s more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues.

Released in 1998 on Profile, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the closest Quik ever got to making a commercial splash. “You’z A Ganxta” and “Hand in Hand” made radio waves across the country and the less radio-friendly tracks like “Medley For A ‘V’” were bumping out of car stereos. Combining his soulful, jazzy P-Funk/G-Funk beats with his effortlessly smooth flow, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the quintessential West Coast Party. Squelchy synths, bouncy bass, monstrously knocking drums and freaky keys - this is peaking acidic party-rap, straight out the gate. Music for gliding, for skating, for time with your people and your poison. Sunshine. No cares. BBQs. Heavy smoke in the air. Dripping with wit and good humour. A real swing to the vibe.

The album opens with Quik setting out his mission statement with “Rhythm-Al-Ism (Intro)”, telling us what this is all about before the self-explanatory “We Still Party” rocks the spot. It’s definitely all about the party here, complete with Quik’s signature head-nod/body-moving beat. Next up, the undeniable laidback funk and dripping swing of groove-laden “So Many Wayz”. This positively slaps.

Then we get to the three huge singles. The R&B-tinged radio-friendly minor-hit “Hand In Hand” closes the first side only for the flip to get straight into the rolling and scratching of bleepy computer-funk banger “Down, Down, Down” (featuring a particularly nice use of Howard Johnson’s epochal “So Fine”). The effortlessly smooth, flute and guitar-laced “You’z A Ganxta” completes the trio. Next up the fast-paced, vocoder-enhanced, woulda-beena-global-hit “I Useta Know Her”. This coulda (shoulda) been a single too. Head-nod funk workout “No Doubt”, with its ace sample of Prince's “Sexy Dancer”, closes out the second side.

“Speed” races out the gate on the second disc, sampling Edwin Birdsong’s “Rapper Dapper Snapper” in a harder, better, faster, stronger way than those daft Parisian punks. Amphetamine-swift raps over soaring, string-drenched b-boy beats. A total anthem. Up next, the staggering, near 8-minute laconic, lounge-y sax-rap of “Whateva U Do” cools things down and smooths things out with its flute wrapping around a sample of Smokey Robinson’s “So In Love” and some oh-so-classy lounge-piano tinkling. And speaking of smooth, things don’t get much smoother than the blissfully melodic glider-anthem “Thinkin’ ’Bout U” riding that ace flip of SWV’s “Use Your Heart”. Exceptional.

The exquisite funky-flute-slapper “Medley for a ‘V’ (The P***Y Medley)” opens the fourth and final side, with star turns from Snoop Dogg and a typically suave Nate Dogg. It’s followed by the supremely skanked-out “Bombudd II”, a beautifully sweet reggae-fuelled ode to the herb. “Get 2Getha Again” is slick funk. Stunning.

This 2022 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Unusual for the time, Rhythm-Al-Ism was originally pressed as a double and we’ve reproduced the original LA vibe picture sleeve and insert to match.

As that original front cover says, this is “over 70 minutes of commercial free music” and it’s absolutely perfect from start to finish. There are no stand-out tracks here. It’s all gold.
: Rhythm-al-ism (2LP)

Mit seinem Album "Confidence" schaffte der gebürtige Osnabrücker Tilmann Otto alias Gentleman seinen großen Durchbruch. Seitdem ist sein ebenso kompetenter wie authentischer Reggae aus dem Genre nicht mehr wegzudenken. Liebevoll sind alle Songs bis ins kleinste Detail arrangiert. An blubbernden Bassläufen, perfekt sitzenden Bläsersätzen, entrückten Harmoniegesängen und feinen Gitarrenparts wurde nicht gespart. Superstars wie Barrington Levy und Anthony B sind ebenso dabei wie Coco Tea, Ras Shiloh und Tony Rebel. Mit den Hits "Superior" und "Intoxication" katapultierte sich das Album 2004 auf Platz 1 der Sales -Charts. Ein Nummer-eins Album für die Ewigkeit, das sogar in Jamaica gefeiert wird.

Ivy Chalice release their highly anticipated follow up to last years ‘Nachtmahr’, with Noctifer, on Library of the Occult Records. Drawing inspiration from classic cinema and the evocative sounds of the 1960s and 70s, Noctifer blends acoustic textures and ethereal vocals with a shadowy electronic edge, crafting a musical experience that is as haunting as it is hypnotic.

Noctifer ("bringer of night") is an album of shadowed landscapes and eerie tales. Ivy Chalice conjures a soundscape where dark folklore, dreamlike acoustics, and modern electronic elements meet. The album's narrative threads echo the haunting charm of films like The Blood on Satan’s Claw and The Wicker Man, as well as the spectral allure of British folk revival acts.

Maria Perez Query of Hellebore writes:

"The dense, dreamy atmosphere conjured by Ivy Chalice reaches its zenith in “Der Wald, Die Spiegelwelt,” which has echoes of the classic folk horror series Moondial (1988). Ethereal and eerie, Noctifer feels like wandering into the woods to find a ruined chapel, like opening a gate that leads to a secret realm."

Featuring tracks that balance fragility and foreboding, Noctifer is both an homage to and a reinvention of folk horror soundscapes. The combination of acoustic instrumentation and shadowy electronic textures offers a contemporary twist on timeless themes of nature, ritual, and the unknown.

180g Der rote Büffel ist in Gefahr! Um das wertvolle Kunstwerk zu retten, wenden sich die drei ??? An ihren größten Widersacher - Victor Hugenay. Die Zeit drängt, denn Justus, Peter und Bob sind nicht die Einzigen, die das Gemälde suchen. Ohne die Hilfe des Meisterdiebs, ist das Versteck des Bildes nicht aufzuspüren. Können die Detektive ihm vertrauen? Zwar sitzt er hinter Gittern, doch Hugenay ist zu allem fähig. Ist er wirklich so hilfsbereit, wie er sich gibt oder tappen die drei ??? in eine Falle?

Moving things a bit deeper AoW welcome Black Eyes for their fourth vinyl release. Alongside his own Lost Control 2097 label, Black Eyes has released records on esteemed labels such as Upstairs Asylum and Housewax contributing significantly to the underground house music scene in Berlin.
Mystic Aquazone EP features subtle smoky house grooves spread across 3 original tracks. Nico Lahs crafts a forward thinking remix to send things into the next dimension. Deeply authentic tunes for the dance floor and for the mind.

Zum runden Geburtstag präsentiert Howard Carpendale mit „Zeitlos“ das Sound-Update seiner Karriere:
Die größten Hits aus 60 Jahren wurden neu arrangiert und aufgenommen. Der Entertainer, der seit sechs
Jahrzehnten auf den Bühnen steht und am 09. Januar 2026 seinen 80. Geburtstag feiert, erklärt dazu: „Zeit
verändert alles – auch Musik. Und manchmal merkt man, dass alte Songs ein neues Leben verdienen. Ich
hab meine größten Titel neu aufgenommen – so, wie sie 2025 klingen sollen. Nicht nostalgisch. Nicht retro.
Zeitlos.“ Das Jubiläumsalbum „Zeitlos“, das pünktlich zum Geburtstag erscheint, bietet packende Neuaufnahmen seiner allergrößten Hits in einem neuen zeitlosen Mix. Erweitert um einige neue Kompositionen,
etwa die jüngste Single „Ein neuer Morgen“, vereint „Zeitlos“ nur die größten Erfolge des Sängers. Dieses
besondere Geschenk an sich selbst und seine Fans ist ab dem 09. Januar 2026 in etlichen Konfigurationen
erhältlich.