Search:peo

Satya welcomes one of Romania’s most respected underground talents, Mihai Pol, for a standout vinyl-only release titled "Ebb And Flow". With a sound that embodies precision, groove, and an ever-evolving sense of storytelling, Mihai has carved a unique place within the minimal tech-house landscape since his breakout moment in 2016 with Goneta on Capodopere.

His music, known for its subtle emotional depth and dancefloor functionality, continues to evolve—each release revealing a new side of his sonic palette. From the acid-laced drive of Synkop to the dreamy momentum of Tango, no two records sound alike. A regular on Telum and a fixture at iconic venues like Hoppetosse, La Java, The Block, and Sunwaves Festival, Mihai’s artistry spans both the booth and the studio.

On Ebb And Flow, Mihai delivers a refined suite of tracks created over a focused one-to-two month period, all sharing a clean, underground, club-oriented spirit. "There was no cultural reference for them," he shares. "Just me putting together sounds and playing them live." Built using an analog-heavy arsenal—MPC1000, Rytm, Digitone, Virus, Modular, Prophet6, Octatrack—and a few choice samples, the EP captures Mihai’s organic approach to groove and texture.

"I like to make people dance and feel good, but I also try to tell a story," he says. Ebb And Flow is exactly that: a dancefloor journey that hits the body and speaks to the soul.

Bereit für den Sound des Universums? Mit der „ZYX Italo Disco Spacesynth Box“ bekommst du eine einmalige Zeitreise zurück in die goldene Ära der 1980er Jahre, als Synthesizer den Kosmos eroberten. Diese exklusive Sammlerbox enthält drei LPs, vollgepackt mit ikonischen Tracks der größten Spacesynth-Legenden – Laserdance, Koto, Hypnosis, Cyber People und vielen mehr.

Ob pulsierende Basslines, galaktische Melodien oder futuristische Klanglandschaften – dieses Box-Set feiert den unverkennbaren Sound, der einst Tanzflächen, Videospiele und Science-Fiction-Träume gleichermaßen beherrschte.

Percussive P (who has previously released on the label with FR037 & our remix on THCFR001) is a top quality producer who I wish had more music/releases out there. I used to play a tune of his called "Gunsmith" a lot in sets, as well as a lot of his collabs with Kid Lib which I was a big fan of. I'd previously collaborated with him on a tune for Dublinquents a few years ago and I was quite keen on doing a new collaboration with him for Meeting Of The Minds, so he sent me some tracks he had started, I picked my favourite to work on and that led to "Impatience".

Fluid Haunts is a solid producer who I was familiar with, but it wasn't until his music was drilled into my head by Dwarde who was playing a few select tunes from him in every single b2b set we had together, that I started to really appreciate his skills. Dwarde would play "Not Your Ordinary Love Song" without fail, in any given moment and time, and it would always get a great reaction from the crowd, so I had to get in touch to see if he'd be up for working with me & thankfully he was! We ended up making "Pineapple Soup" together & I can't remember why it's called that, I think he named the tune ????

Hobzee is one half of Silent Dust (him & Zyon Base) & I used to chat regularly with him and trade music with him on AOL Instant Messenger (showing my age here!) a long while back. He got back in touch with me about wanting to work on music together and he had an early version of "Sunspots" done. It was very promising sounding so I was quite keen to get involved with him on it and I'm grateful that I was able to get him on Future Retro London after many many years of IM chats!

Usually, I limit my collaborations on Meeting Of The Minds to producers that are fairly established and already somewhat known to other people, but for those who don't know who Eff is, she is a potentially familiar face to anyone who has attended a Future Retro London event, as she has been on the door for every single one. One day after a Distant Planet event in Bristol, she mentioned to me that she had an idea for a track inspired by a PFM tune and she already had the title in mind for it, which is "Wavebreak". I was curious about how this would sound in reality, so we met up to work on the tune & she said it was pretty much like how she had envisioned it & I liked how it sounded, so I thought it would be worth putting out on a future Meeting Of The Minds release, which ended up being this one.

Big up to all the artists involved on this edition of Meeting Of The Minds, it's quite a long and arduous task putting together each one, which is why there was such a gap between Vol. 9 & 10 and Vol. 11 & 12. I plan on getting the series back into something more regularly occurring, so hopefully I can actually stick to that plan!

On the cover of 8 Tips for Full Catastrophe Living, the new album by Asher White, The Statue of Liberty is in pieces but not destroyed - in progress, being built, not yet complete. Her torch is on the ground, her head somewhere out of frame. Before she was a symbol, she was metal, and living, sweating people riveted her together. The spirit of de/construction characterizes 8 Tips, White's 16th LP overall and first since signing to Joyful Noise. Like White's previous albums, 8 Tips for Full Catastrophe Living darts boldly among varied musical styles. Doom metal splits open into bossa nova; psychedelic rock and power pop flip into industrial techno. Each song emerges from its composite parts in the studio: White doesn't draft or demo before recording, but builds out her pieces sculpturally, sound by sound. "It's forever collage, forever assemblage," she says of her music. "To me, it has more to do with J Dilla, L.A. beat, and musique concrète than pop songwriting." The record's quick turns and vivid contrasts reflect White's cultural voraciousness. A writer, painter, and sculptor as well as a musician, she gathers materials constantly, always digging for new ideas in every possible form. The films of Claire Denis, the novels of Clarice Lispector, and the memoirs of Eve Babitz all funnel into White's reflection of 21st century disaster capitalism. 8 Tips is also White's first album to have been mixed outside her Providence studio; after recording it herself, she brought tracks to Seth Manchester (Lightning Bolt, Battles, The Body) who gave the album its brawny, unruly charge. "I was interested in making something that serves dually as a self-help book and a chronicle of self-destruction," says White. Overlaying autobiography onto character vignettes, 8 Tips for Full Catastrophe Living wrenches open the idea of apocalypse - an abrupt disaster rained down on uncomplicated innocents - and peers inside at its bursting, devastated particulars. Apocalypse is slow and uneven. Nations falter as do individual people, clinging fast to their old, dilapidated self-preservation strategies. What saved you in the past might destroy you in the future. Flip it around, shake yourself loose, ruin the person you've known yourself to be, and you might get the chance to become something else. "There have been so many end times, many other apocalypses." White says. "People were writing self-help tips, and people were partying." We have survived catastrophe before. Out of the ruins, people made work - art, books, culture. "I was interested in making something that sounds like a self-help book, but it's actually about self-destruction," says White. "In full catastrophe living, you just have to do a bunch of whippets. This album is mostly about doing whippets. I'm not even kidding."

"Songs For Other People's Weddings" ist ein Begleitalbum zum gleichnamigen Buch von Jens Lekman und dem preisgekrönten Bestsellerautor David Levithan, das am 5. August 2025 über ABRAMS erscheint. Das Projekt wurde von der überraschenden Nebenkarriere des beliebten schwedischen Künstlers als Hochzeitssänger inspiriert, die zufällig zustande kam, nachdem Fans seinen Song "If You Ever Need A Stranger (To Sing At Your Wedding)" aus dem Jahr 2004 wörtlich nahmen und ihn einluden, auf ihren Hochzeiten aufzutreten. "Songs For Other People's Weddings" ist ein fiktives Werk über J, einen unglücklich verliebten Musiker, der nebenbei als Hochzeitssänger arbeitet. J trifft sich mit Paaren vor ihrem großen Tag, um mehr über die intimen, seltsamen Dinge zu erfahren, die sie zusammengebracht haben, um einen originellen Song zu schreiben, den er ihnen auf ihrer Hochzeit vorträgt. Aber trotz Js Vorliebe, die perfekten Worte für andere zu finden, scheint er nicht in der Lage zu sein, dasselbe für seine eigene Liebe zu seiner Freundin V. zu tun. Lekman bemerkt: "Die Idee, ein erzählerisches Konzeptalbum (eine Rockoper?) zu machen, fühlte sich verboten an. Was für mich normalerweise ein Zeichen dafür ist, dass ich auf dem richtigen Weg bin. Als ich mich mit dem Genre der narrativen Konzeptalben beschäftigte, wurde mir klar, dass eines meiner Lieblingsalben, Frank Sinatras "Watertown", genau das war - eine Platte, die eine chronologische Geschichte über die Länge einer LP erzählte. Da ich nie ein Fan von Musicals oder Rockopern war, diente mir dieses Album als Inspiration. Ich schrieb das Album, während das Buch noch in Arbeit war, und an einigen Stellen begann ich mir vorzustellen, was zwischen den Kapiteln des Buches geschah. Das Buch und das Album waren schließlich miteinander verflochten, gingen aber auch ihre eigenen Wege. Das Buch gab die Struktur der Geschichte vor, aber das Album schlich sich manchmal hinter die Kulissen. Geschichten aus den Liedern fanden ihren Weg in das Buch und umgekehrt." "Songs For Other People's Weddings" folgt der Beziehung von J und V und verändert sich musikalisch, während das Paar durch die Höhen und Tiefen der Liebe navigiert - wobei jede neue Hochzeit ihren eigenen klanglichen Hintergrund bietet. Das Album ist eine orchestrale, romantische Sammlung, die sich zwischen pastoralen Streichern, verträumtem Pop, sanftem Jazz-Saxophon und traurigen House-Beats bewegt. "Die Figur des J kann seine eigenen Emotionen nicht aus seinen Liedern heraushalten, und Jens unterstreicht dies auf eine Weise, die den Hörer immer wieder überrascht", sagt Levithan. "Oft wird er von Matilda Sargren begleitet, die Vs Gefühlen und Gedanken eine Stimme gibt. Ursprünglich sollte sie nur auf den Demos singen, aber als sie anfing, V zu singen, war es keine Frage, dass sie auf dem endgültigen Album zu hören sein würde. Wenn Jens und ich unsere Arbeit getan haben, erzählen der Roman und das Album beide Seiten von Js und Vs Geschichte - und die Spannung entsteht dadurch, wie diese Seiten zusammenpassen." Lekman fügt hinzu: "Auch wenn es in dieser Geschichte um eine Beziehung geht und darum, wie sie sich in den Beziehungen und Hochzeiten anderer widerspiegelt, denke ich, dass es vor allem eine Liebesgeschichte über Musik und ihren Wert in einer Zeit ist, in der sie von Tech-Unternehmen abgewertet und in Inhalte verwandelt wird. Ihre Fähigkeit, zu beruhigen und zu verbinden und ihre Rolle in den Übergangsmomenten unseres Lebens, wie zum Beispiel bei Hochzeiten. Es ist ein Liebeslied an Liebeslieder."

180g, turquoise vinyl. Perhaps the hardest thing about Soul music is convincing. If the place and the experiences don't somehow shine through and meet us, we risk missing out on what's on offer completely. "But first_ are you experienced?" as Jimi Hendrix asked. That's precisely why Soul music is difficult in Sweden. There are few who can portray their experiences in music in a way as convincing as in the Black US Soul tradition. This however seems almost provocatively easy for Bror Gunnar Jansson to do. On the album People, it's as if he pours both lyrics and melodies that have grown slowly in life and that come naturally if you grow up on the right soil. And on almost every song, it only takes a few bars for Bror Gunnar Jansson & The Escapism to show who their musical relatives are. Although Gunnar seems to move freely in musical landscapes ruled by the greats of seventies soul from Al Green, Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin, as well as in some of the fringes of blues and jazz territory, both he and drummer and producer Christopher Cantillo explain that the album has took a long time brewing. And that what may appear obvious and simple has sprung out of a friendship that spans more than half of their lives.

Hinter dem gefeierten Indie-Folk-Künstler FRUIT BATS verbirgt sich der GRAMMY-nominierte Singer/Songwriter Eric D. Johnson aus Nashville, Tennessee. Mit "Baby Man" hat Johnson ein Album geschaffen, das sich von allen anderen FRUIT BATS-Alben abhebt. "Baby Man" setzt sich aus zehn fesselnden Solodarbietungen mit minimalistischer Instrumentierung (Gitarre, Klavier und gelegentlich Synthesizer) und maximaler Ausführung zusammen und Johnsons Raumnutzung auf dem gesamten Album ist oft ebenso bezaubernd wie die Musik und seine stets bemerkenswerte Stimme. Für die Produktion von "Baby Man" hatte sich Johnson wieder mit Thom Monahan zusammengetan. Das Ergebnis dieser Zusammenarbeit ist das intimste Werk, das FRUIT BATS bisher aufgenommen hat. "Baby Man" überrascht mit einigen der rauesten Stücke, die bisher unter dem Pseudonym FRUIT BATS entstanden sind. Monahan hat die Vocals im Mix nach vorne geschoben, was sowohl die Souveränität als auch die Verletzlichkeit jeder Darbietung hervorhebt. Zwischen der Substanz und dem Klang ist das Hören von "Baby Man" eine kraftvolle und gefühlvolle Erfahrung. Das spürt man gleich beim Album-Opener "Let You People Down" und auch beim nachdenklichen Titeltrack. Johnson ehrt den kürzlichen Verlust eines besonderen Freundes in dem wunderschönen "Creature From The Wild", einer zu Herzen gehenden Hommage, mit der sich leidenschaftliche Hundeliebhaber sofort identifizieren werden. Das philosophische "Building A Cathedral" stellt die Frage, was einem im Leben wirklich wichtig ist und was nicht, während der letzte Song "Year Of The Crow" mit einer stimmungsvollen, bluesigen Klaviereinleitung daherkommt und das Album schmerzhaft und gefühlvoll abschließt. Der Song ist ein passendes Finale eines bemerkenswerten Albums eines geliebten und verehrten Künstlers, der weiterhin Musik konzipiert, Emotionen vermittelt und Verbindungen auf sinnvolle Weise herstellt. "Baby Man" ist der Nachfolger des von der Kritik hochgelobten Albums "A River Running to Your Heart" aus dem Jahr 2023. Johnson ist auch Mitglied des GRAMMY-nominierten Indie-Trios Bonny Light Horseman.

Wah Wah 45s present two very special cover versions from our beloved Afro-electronic duo, Raz & Afla, available on 12" vinyl for the very first time! Having recently released their sophomore LP, Echoes Of Resistance, to great acclaim and support ranging from Nick Grimshaw on BBC 6 Music to Tash LC on BBC Radio 1, and the follow up remix project Remixes Of Resistance, the pair offer up their unique takes on two very different slices of club culture on twelve inches of wax.

First up, the pair tackle Aphex Twin's sleazy and sinister turn-of-the-century dance floor bomb Windowlicker and take it somewhere completely unexpected, as Raz explains:

"We wanted to go to a different place from our influences for this one. When we told people we will cover this tune everyone said 'but how?!' In Raz & Afla style. We had an idea of what elements to recreate from the original and how we can reference it within our spectrum of sounds. It was so much fun to do and really kicks off at our live shows."

It's a heavily percussive reinterpretation, replete with spooky wordless vocals, funky guitars and spine tingling synths that builds into something of a future Afro-house anthem, whilst respecting the genius of the original recording.

On the flip, Going Back To My Roots has become a mainstay in Raz & Afla's live sets, and means a lot to them personally, as Raz once again explains:

"We love this song. The lyrics resonate with us, talking about the meaning of connection to a land and its people. The history of this song is also fascinating, from Hugh Masekela and Orlando Julius through Odyssey and Richie Havens. We wanted to give it our own flavour. You can't choose your heritage and where you are born. It is always a part of you and we like to celebrate that."

Written and first recorded by Lamont Dozier in 1977, Going Back To My Roots was famously covered by Richie Havens in 1980 before becoming a huge crossover hit when interpreted by disco outfit Odyssey in 1981. Raz & Afla very much give their version their own unique dance floor feeling. It's one which has received much support on BBC 6 Music.

Issued in May 2000, Toploader’s debut album was a major success, reaching number four on the UK chart and going multi platinum within a matter of months. It was mostly written by lead singer and keyboard player Joseph Washbourn, with the exception of ‘Just Hold On’ and the huge worldwide hit ‘Dancing In the Moonlight’, which had been a success across the pond for King Harvest in 1972. A retro-sounding record upon release, with an impressive vitality and soulfulness, it remains a highly enjoyable experience; an album that evokes some of the best sounds of the 1970s and blends them all together with great skill.

*Long overdue reissue of the first album by The Hanging Stars to coincide with their tour support slot with Edwyn Collins – initial 300 copies come with 12 x 12 print*

“In late-Sixties California, the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers combined traditional country music with hippy rock to great success. The influence lingered and whatever cultural relevance it has this is a delightful, transporting listen” – The Times 4/5

London-based psych-folk outfit The Hanging Stars re-release their much-loved debut album Over the Silvery Lake on Crimson Crow. Blending folk pastoralism with swampy 60s Americana, they sound like the missing link between the California desert sun and the grey skies of London Town. The album was recorded between LA, Nashville and Walthamstow, with each of these vastly different places leaving an indelible mark on the songs.

Now signed to the Loose Records label and fronted by London-based songwriter, singer and guitarist Richard Olson (The See See, Eighteenth Day of May), The Hanging Stars are essentially a loose collective of people who weave together a blissed-out psychedelic tapestry. The rest of the core band is made up of Sam Ferman on bass and Paulie Cobra on drums, Horse on pedal steel and Patrick Ralla on banjo, guitar. They jam rather than write and hang out rather than rehearse, harnessing a kind of tipsy euphoria resplendent with luscious arrangements and glorious vocal harmonies.

During 2015, prior to this album’s original release the band released two critically acclaimed singles via The Great Pop Supplement (both of which also appear on the album). “Golden Vanity” was premiered by The Line of Best Fit who said; “you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd just unearthed a rare deep cut from the late 60s/early 70s boom of psychedelia infused Americana” and “The House on The Hill” was described by The Guardian as; "a hazy, desert-dream of a song, nicely sharpened with steely-eyed guitars, Mersey-laced harmonies and just a whiff of the Gun Club”.

There are a number of allusions to nature and the weather on the album, borne in part out of the contrasting surroundings in which it was produced. The band’s fascination with Americana led them to record some of the material Stateside, laying down some of the parts at Battle Tapes Studios in Nashville (Lambchop, Paperhead), as well as at Vision Quest Studios in Los Angeles with Rob Campanella. His work with The Quarter After, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Beachwood Sparks The Tyde, and GospelbeacH was a perfect match to capture their sound and they even had San Franciscan legend Chrystof Certik step in on lead guitar for a couple of tracks.

Following the LA recordings, a trip to the Californian desert provided the core notion of what they wanted to produce - a shard of light that they clung on to whilst recording the rest of the album in the significantly more rain-soaked atmosphere of Walthamstow, London, under the watchful eye of Brian O'Shaughnessy at Bark Studios (The Clientele, Comet Gain). As the band explained at the time: “Ultimately we hope you can hear both the sand and the rain in this record.”

The Hanging Stars place themselves firmly as part of a long folk tradition encompassing European and North American influences – as a continuation rather than a pastiche of these styles. This is the sound of a band really coming in to their own, fully formed and in no doubt of their vision. With Over the Silvery Lake they succeeded in producing a record, which has the country, blues and folk traditions at its heart.

It had long been in the air, many had feared it, and now it's come true:
DJ Koze and Dirk von Lowtzow have recorded a single together.
The two have known and admired each other for so long that, in certain circles, people are already speaking of love. Fittingly, their song is called: “Nur um Liebe” ("Only About Love").

But, as Oscar Wilde once said, only the unfaithful know the tragedies of love—so this track is far from peace, joy, and sunshine.
Set to an ecstatically pulsing beat, we witness the story of a couple drawn together and pushed apart, full of passion and tenderness.
A miniature musical life drama!
A wild ride through the undergrowth!
A dark summer hit!
Dive into this darkly colorful world—let Kosi and Dirky seduce you.
And remember: "In the end, it was always only about love."

Can you believe it? Devendra Banhart's Cripple Crow - originally released by XL in 2005 - is turning 20 years old. This was the 5th album from the Venezuelan American artist who is considered the pioneer of the "Freak Folk" and "New Weird America" movements. To celebrate - Devendra has compiled a reissue of the out of print release that features a 3rd Bonus LP (on Clear Green Smoke Vinyl) featuring 9 bonus tracks, including 1 B-Side, 5 previously unreleased demos, 2 previously unreleased live tracks, and 1 unearthed smash hit from the recording sessions. This release is the first on his newly created Heavy Flowers label. The album received a "Best New Music" 8.4 review from Pitchfork upon its release. The release date will fall 1 day prior to the actual 20th Anniversary, which will be the first time Devendra is early for anything. Now THAT is something to celebrate! Limited to 2000 units on 3xLP with Bonus LP on Clear Green Smoke Vinyl. 36 tracks of music and 1 track of .... well... you decide! "Cripple Crow is undoubtedly impressive, vastly singular but entirely accessible, and an inspired listening experience where Banhart again proves himself as one of the more talented and charismatic forces in modern music." - Pitchfork

Transparent green vinyl. After an uncomfortably long five-year hiatus-likely spent arguing about time signatures, chord progressions, and who forgot to bring snacks to rehearsals-Glutton is finally back. The beloved (by at least a few people) trio is ready to unleash their questionable wisdom upon an unsuspecting world with their upcoming album: "Skiva heter Vishnu!" On their latest outing, Glutton boldly ditches vocals (likely realizing that nobody was really listening to their lyrics anyway) and commits fully to an instrumental format. This time around, it's only guitar, bass, and drums-because who needs keyboards or vocalists when you have enough distortion pedals and élan? Guitarist Eirik Orevik Aadland (Spurv), bassist Ola Mile Bruland (Actionfredag, Jordsjo), and drummer Jonas Eide Hollund (Mt. Mélodie) clearly didn't bother to consider commercial viability while crafting this sonic oddity, delivering tracks like "Hallux Valgus," "Orkensur," and "Rematusenogennatt" with absurd seriousness and delightfully misplaced confidence. Expect a reckless fusion of punk attitude, jazz complexity, and prog rock pretentiousness, presented with complete sincerity and zero self-awareness (well, almost zero). Each track is carefully constructed to give the illusion of a band deeply serious about their art, while simultaneously admitting that they may have no idea what they're doing. Whether you're a sophisticated music connoisseur with an ear for complexity, or just someone who enjoys pretending to appreciate weird music, Glutton's latest record promises to be precisely the type of organized hotchpotch you didn't realize your life was lacking. "Skiva heter Vishnu!" - because of course it does.

Pop-punk veterans Teenage Bottlerocket are primed to release their new LP Ready to Roll, the band's first full length for Pirates Press Records. "This time around, there was no big concept, no pressure. We just wrote songs that felt good to play," explains bassist Miguel Chen. "That freedom brought something fresh. It reminded us why we started doing this in the first place. The vibe is all about reconnecting with the joy of making music together. "The band returned to The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO, with Andrew Berlin behind the board & Jason Livermore overseeing the final master. "The Blasting Room is like home for us," says Miguel. "Working with Andrew and Jason is always a smooth ride-they know how to pull the best out of us." Fans got their first taste of what's to come via the lead single "She's the Shit." Ray Carlisle wrote the song for his wife Rachel, who he says "loves to give me a hard time-she rolls her eyes when I rock out in front of the mirror, makes fun of the music I love, and calls me an old man when I bring up movies she's never seen. And I totally love her for it." As for the song, Ray says, "It kicks the door open. It sets the tone for the whole record-fast, catchy, and not taking itself too seriously. Just the way we like it." This back to basics approach carries through the album, making it equally satisfying for longtime fans & newcomers alike. "Whether it's your first TBR album or your tenth," says Miguel. "There's something here for you." It's packed with everything you'd expect from TBR with a few surprises the band think you'll love - including a couple of songs where Miguel steps up to the mic for his first-ever lead vocals! "We're lucky to still be here, making music with our best friends, and connecting with people who get it," sums up Miguel. "Ready to Roll is exactly what it sounds like-we're stoked, and, in a way, we're just getting started."

Pop-punk veterans Teenage Bottlerocket are primed to release their new LP Ready to Roll, the band's first full length for Pirates Press Records. "This time around, there was no big concept, no pressure. We just wrote songs that felt good to play," explains bassist Miguel Chen. "That freedom brought something fresh. It reminded us why we started doing this in the first place. The vibe is all about reconnecting with the joy of making music together. "The band returned to The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO, with Andrew Berlin behind the board & Jason Livermore overseeing the final master. "The Blasting Room is like home for us," says Miguel. "Working with Andrew and Jason is always a smooth ride-they know how to pull the best out of us." Fans got their first taste of what's to come via the lead single "She's the Shit." Ray Carlisle wrote the song for his wife Rachel, who he says "loves to give me a hard time-she rolls her eyes when I rock out in front of the mirror, makes fun of the music I love, and calls me an old man when I bring up movies she's never seen. And I totally love her for it." As for the song, Ray says, "It kicks the door open. It sets the tone for the whole record-fast, catchy, and not taking itself too seriously. Just the way we like it." This back to basics approach carries through the album, making it equally satisfying for longtime fans & newcomers alike. "Whether it's your first TBR album or your tenth," says Miguel. "There's something here for you." It's packed with everything you'd expect from TBR with a few surprises the band think you'll love - including a couple of songs where Miguel steps up to the mic for his first-ever lead vocals! "We're lucky to still be here, making music with our best friends, and connecting with people who get it," sums up Miguel. "Ready to Roll is exactly what it sounds like-we're stoked, and, in a way, we're just getting started."

Echo Beach proudly presents: Don Letts - The Rebel Dread - legendary film and video director, disc jockey and musician. Don Letts, in his capacity as a selector (it"s not for nothing that he hosts his own show on BBC6 radio), enthusiastically accepted the invitation to create a compilation from Echo Beach"s extensive catalog to mark its 30th anniversary. A splendid and crisp selection.

Back in the early 1990s as Acid Jazz began a period of extraordinary commercial success where acts like the Brand New Heavies and Jamiroquai sold millions of records, and US groups such as A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots and Digable Planets were actively influenced by what was being played in London, the whole scene was being fuelled by a small number of clubs, led by Gilles Peterson’s Sunday afternoons at Dingwalls but taking in nights in Leeds, Bari, Munich, Tokyo, Stockholm and New York. In those clubs funky jazz, latin boogaloo and 70s soul soundracks competed for time on the dance floor with import records from New York, and the latest sounds coming out of bedrooms and makeshift basement studios that created contemporary sounds out of the past.

Acid Jazz’s Eddie Piller and Dean Rudland have put together this compilation of the sort of sounds that we were playing at the time. They are releases on Acid Jazz and other label’s that surrounded the scene and they were mainly made by people we knew from either around the club scene, behind the counters of our favourite record shops, or from trips to New York or Europe. They range from The Ballistic Brother anthem ‘Blacker’ to the jazz house of A-Zel - a Roger Sanchez mix that still sounds fresh today. We have the Humble Soul’s instrumental version of ‘Beads Things And Flowers’ which at the time was only available as a DJ special on Acetate. There is the presence of A Man Called Adam before they went to Ibiza, and the early Mo’ Wax (before they went Trip Hop) single by Marden Hill ‘Come On’.

These records could fill a dance floor in seconds and we feel that they are today largely forgotten, as they were non-album, underground club records. It’s time to celebrate them!

In Guadeloupe, many people think that jazz and ka music are like a ring and a finger. To some extent, the same could be said about so called Latin music and the music played in the French West Indies.

Both aesthetics were born in the Caribbean and bear so many connections that they can easily be considered cousins. In constant dialogue, there are lots of examples of their fruitful alliance and have been for a while. The English country dance that used to be practiced in European lounges came to be called kadrille in Martinique and contradanza in Cuba. They both featured additional percussion instruments inherited from the transatlantic deportation. Drawing from shared feelings about the same traumatized identity – later to be creolized – it would be hard not to assume that they were meant to inspire each other. The golden age of the orchestras that graced the Pigalle nights during the interwar period further proves the point. As soon as the 1930s, Havana-born Don Barreto naturally mixed danzón and biguine music in a combo based at Melody's Bar. In the following decade, Félix Valvert, a conductor who was born and raised in Basse-Terre in Guadelupe, also worked wonders in Montparnasse with La Coupole, which was an orchestra made up of eclectic musicians. Afro- Caribbean performers of various origins were often hired on rhythm and brass sections in jazz bands, which used to enliven the typical French balls of the capital. In the 1930s and onwards, Rico’s Creole Band was one of them.



Martinican violinist-clarinettist Ernest Léardée, who would become the king of biguine music as well as the main figure of French Uncle Ben's TV commercials (a dark stigma of post-colonial stereotypes), had musicians from the whole Caribbean sphere play at his Bal Blomet – and they all enchanted "ces Zazous-là" (according the words of Léardée's biguine-calypso piece). In les Antilles (French for French West Indies), music history started to speed up in the 1950s, when trade expanded and radio stations grew bigger. The Guadelupean and Martiniquais youth tuned in their old galena radio sets to South American and Caribbean music. As for the women traders, les pacotilleuses, they bought and sold goods across different islands (the "passing of items through various hands" was thought to be most pleasurable) and brought back countless sounds in their luggage. Such was the case of Madame Balthazar, who once returned from Puerto Rico with the first 45rpm and 33rpm to ever enter Martinique.

Out of this adventure was created the famous Martinican label La Maison des Merengues, a music business she opened and undertook with her husband and which proved to be a major landmark. At the end of the 1950s, in Puerto Rico, Marius Cultier competed in the Piano International Contest playing a version of Monk's Round 'Midnight. He won the first prize and this distinction foreshadowed everything that was to come. Cultier, the heretic Monk of jazz, was quickly praised for writing superb melodies, always tinged with a twist that conferred a unique sound to his music. It didn't take long for the gifted self-taught musician to get to play with Los Cubanos, making a name for himself thanks to his impressive maestria on merengues.

The rest is history. Besides, in the late 1950s, Frantz Charles-Denis, born into the upper middle class in Saint-Pierre and better known by his first name Francisco, went back home after working at La Cabane Cubaine – a club located rue Fontaine where he had caught the Latin fever. Francisco's music was therefore heavily marked by his Cuban cousins' influence, which gave the combos he led a specific style and also led to renewal. Things were swinging hard in La Savane, located in the main square in Fort-de-France. He set up the Shango club close by and tested out the biguine lélé there, a new music formula spiced up with Latin rhythms. Soon afterwards, fate had him fly to Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

As for percussionist Henri Guédon (percussions were only a part of his many talents), he was born in Fort-de-France in May 22nd 1944, the day marking the celebration of the abolition of slavery. As an old man, he could remember that in " his father's Teppaz, a lot of hectic 6/8 music was constantly playing...". In the opening lines of his Lettre à Dizzy, a small illustrated collection of writings published by Del Arco, he highlighted the huge impact that cubop had on him as a teenage boy, around 1960. He eventually turned out to be the lider maximo in La Contesta, a big band steeped in Latin jazz. He was also the one who originated the word zouk to describe music which brought the sound of the New York barrio to Paris. It was the culmination of a journey that started in Sainte-Marie: "a mythical place for bélé, the equivalent of Cuban guaguancó". In the early 1960s, the tertiary economy developed to the detriment of agriculture. Yet rural life was where roots music emerged in Martinique and in Guadeloupe.

Record companies played a major part in the process of Latin versions sweeping across the islands – before reaching everywhere else. Producer Célini, boss of the great Aux Ondes label, and Marcel Mavounzy, both the head of Émeraude records - a firm which was founded in 1953 - as well as the brother of famous saxophonist Robert Mavounzy, were big names to bear in mind. Although there were many of them - all of whom are featured on this record - Henri Debs was definitely the major figure in the recording adventure. He proved to be so influential that he even got compared to Berry Gordy. In the mid 1950s, when he acquired his first Teppaz, he worked on his first compositions: a bolero and a chachacha. Then, he became the one man who made people discover Caribbean music, from calypso to merengue. He was among the first ones to rush out to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to buy records and distribute them through a store run by one of his brothers in Fort-de-France. He had members of the Fania All Star come and perform there, which he was madly proud about. He was also the first one to pay attention to Haitian music, such as compas direct and various other rhythms which would soon flood the market. As a result, many of the combos hitting his legendary studio would end up boosted by widespread "Afro-Latin" rhythms. However, he never denied his identity: gwo ka drums were given a major role, although they were instruments which had long been banned from the "official" music spheres. The present selection bears witness to such a creative swarming. Here are fourteen tracks of untimely yet unprecedented cross-fertilization: all types of music rooted in the Creole archipelago have found their way, whatsoever, to the tracklisting. Whether originating from the city or being more rural, they all go back to what Edouard Glissant, in an interview about the place of West Indian music in the Afro-American scope, called "the trace of singing, the one which got erased by slavery." "It is so in jazz, but also in reggae, calypso, biguine, salsa... This trace also manifests through the drums, whether Guadelupean, Dominican, Jamaican or Cuban... None of them being quite the same. They all point to the idea of a trace, seeking it out and connecting to each other through it. This is the hallmark of the African diaspora: its ability to create something new, in relation to itself, out of a trace. It may be the memory of a rhythm, the crafting of a drum, a means of expression which doesn't resort to an old language but to the modalities of it." The opening track features one of the emblematic orchestras of this aesthetic identity, criscrossing many music types from the archipelago. The 1974 Ray Barretto guajira – Ray Barretto was a major New York drummer influenced by Charlie Parker and Chano Pozzo – is magnificently performed by Malavoi, a legendary Fayolais group (i.e from Fort-de-France). Additionally, the compilation ends on a piece by Los Martiniqueños de Francisco. It symbolically closes the circle as it is a genuine potomitan of Martinique culture which also functions as a tireless campaigner for Afro-Caribbean music. Practicing the danmyé rounds (a kind of capoeiria) to the rhythm of the bèlè drum, it delivers a terrific Caterete, a kind of champeta of Afro- Colombian obedience which was originally composed by Colombian Fabián Ramón Veloz Fernández for the group Wgenda Kenya. The icing on the cake is Brazilian Marku Ribas, who found refuge in Martinique in the early 1970s, bringing his singing to the last trance-inducing track. These two "versions" convey the whole tone of a selection composed of rarities and classics of the tropicalized genre, swarming with tonic accents and convoluted rhythms. It is the sort of cocktail that the West Indians never failed to spice up with their own ingredients. For instance, the Los Caraïbes cover of Dónde, a famous Cuban theme composed by producer Ernesto Duarte Brito, has a typical violin and features renowned Martinique singer Joby Valente and his piquant voice.



The track used to be – or so we think – their only existing 45rpm. The meaningful Amor en chachachá by L'Ensemble Tropicana, a band which included Haitian musicians among whom was composer and leader Michel Desgrotte, also recalls how Latin music was pervasive in the tropics in the mid-1960s. They were the ones keeping people dancing at Le Cocoteraie in Guadelupe and La Bananeraie in Martinique. Around the same time, another "foreign" band, Congolese Freddy Mars N'Kounkou's Ryco Jazz, achieved some success on both islands by covering Latin jazz classics – such as their adaptation of Wachi Wara, a "soul sauce" by Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo whose interweaving of strings and percussions can have anyone hit the dancefloor. How can you resist Dap Pinian indeed, a powerful guaguancó by Eugene Balthazar, performed by the Tropicana Orchestra and published by the Martinique-founded La Maison des Merengues? It also acts as a symbol of the maelstrom at work. Going by the name Paco et L'orchestre Cachunga, Roger Jaffory used to play guaguancó too: his Fania-inspired Oye mi consejo is one example of his style. Baila!!!!! Dancing was also one of the Kings' focus points. Oriza is a Puerto Rican bomba and a "classic" originally composed by Nuevayorquino trumpeter Ernie Agosto, which reserves major space for brasses, giving it a special sheen.

Emerging from the New York barrios crucible was also La Perfecta, a Martinique group originating from Trinidad, whose name directly references the totemic Eddie Palmieri figure as well as his own band, also called La Perfecta. Here they borrow Toumbadora from Colombian producer and composer Efraín Lancheros and interpret it by emphasizing percussions, which set fire to the track even more than the wind instruments. The same goes for Martinique's Super Jaguars, who use Tatalibaba – a composition by Cuban guitarist Florencio "Picolo" Santana which was made famous by Celia Cruz & La Sonora Matencera – as a pretext for sending their cadences into a frenzy. In a more typically salsa vein, the Super Combo, a famous Guadelupean orchestra from Pointe-Noire that was formed around the Desplan family and had Roger Plonquitte and Elie Bianay on board, adapt Serana, a theme by Roberto Angleró Pepín, a Puerto Rican composer, singer and musician also known for his song Soy Boricua. Here again, their vision comes close to surpassing the original. In the 1970s, L'Ensemble Abricot provided a handful of tracks of different syles, hence reaching the pinnacle of the art of achieving variety and giving pleasure. They played boleros, biguines, compas direct, guaguancó and even a good old boogaloo - the type they wanted to keep close to their hearts for ever, "pour toujours", as they sang along together in one of their songs. Léon Bertide's Martinican ensemble excelled at the boogaloo which had been composed by Puerto Rican saxophonist Hector Santos for the legendary El Gran Combo.



Three years later, in 1972, Henri Guédon, with the help of Paul Rosine on the vibraphone, tackled the Bilongo made famous by Eddie Palmieri. Such a classic!!!!! And so were the Aiglons, the band from Guadelupe: choosing to execute Pensando en tí, a composition by Dominican Aniceto Batista, on a cooler tempo than the original, they noticeably used a wonderfully (un)tuned keyboard in place of the accordion. On the high-value collectible single – the first one released by Les Aiglons under the Duli Disc label – there is a sticker classifying the track under the generic name "Afro". Now that is what we call a symbol. Jacques Denis

Plastik People Collections dropped this one back in 2019, and it became an instant classic that soon sold out. It has since rocketed in price on the second-hand markets, so thankfully, the label is reissuing it this summer. Cultured Pearls's 'Mother Earth' is effortlessly cool garage-house with bumpy drums and expressive piano jams perfect for outdoor dancing. Night Society's 'You Turn Me On' has an authentic US edge and hot and humid groove with passionate vocal cries, then JJ Can's 'I Don't Know Why' is a dubby and low-slung deep garage sound with chopped vocals and a timeless appeal. Three vital cuts that will be huge all over again this year.

Welcome to a kaleidoscopic picnic where you can feast on a music scene that was rich, sparkling, multi-colored, ground-breaking and it'll blow your mind. A prodigious soundscape that blends the Caribbean and the Amazon sophistication and flavors; raw yet delicate textures. "Joropop. Psych Pop & Folk in Venezuela, 1968-1976" features infectious Latin rock rhythms and timeless folk melodies across 15 ultra-rare tracks-most of which have never been reissued until now. Let's set off together to discover the magic of Caracas in the late '60s! DESCRIPTION Welcome to a kaleidoscopic picnic where you can feast on a music scene that was rich, sparkling, multi-colored, ground-breaking and it'll blow your mind. A prodigious soundscape that blends the Caribbean and the Amazon sophistication and flavors; raw yet delicate textures. "Joropop. Psych Pop & Folk in Venezuela, 1968-1976" features infectious Latin rock rhythms and timeless folk melodies across 15 ultra-rare tracks-most of which have never been reissued until now. The golden age of Caracas pop started in 1965. It replaced the wave of cloyingly romantic song writing as fresh talents leant into richer and more complex styles: folk-rock, psychedelia, soul, hard blues, symphonic pop, Latin rock etc. Singer-songwriters, experimental electric guitars and jam sessions all appeared on the scene, creating music that became increasingly refined and free. The industry took a while to catch on to this new trend and leave behind the teen idols and dream lifestyles. By the late 60s, there was a long list of new bands in the capital city. Young people finally found their voice. Let's set off together to discover the magic of Caracas in the late '60s!

Suede have announced details of their 10th studio album ‘Antidepressants’. Due for release on 5th September via BMG, the album is a milestone achievement that sees the band at the top of their game. It follows the success of their critically-acclaimed ninth top 10 album ‘Autofiction’ released in September 2022, which charted at No.2 on the UK Albums Chart and was their highest-charting release in over 20 years.

Suede will celebrate the release of ‘Antidepressants’ with a takeover of London’s Southbank Centre, through a series of exciting live performances kicking off in September, Suede’s four-night residency will commence with two consecutive nights at the Royal Festival Hall on September 13th and 14th, followed on September 17th by an intimate stripped-back performance at the Purcell Room, culminating in a collaboration with the Paraorchestra on September 19th at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Suede have announced details of their 10th studio album ‘Antidepressants’. Due for release on 5th September via BMG, the album is a milestone achievement that sees the band at the top of their game. It follows the success of their critically-acclaimed ninth top 10 album ‘Autofiction’ released in September 2022, which charted at No.2 on the UK Albums Chart and was their highest-charting release in over 20 years.

Suede will celebrate the release of ‘Antidepressants’ with a takeover of London’s Southbank Centre, through a series of exciting live performances kicking off in September, Suede’s four-night residency will commence with two consecutive nights at the Royal Festival Hall on September 13th and 14th, followed on September 17th by an intimate stripped-back performance at the Purcell Room, culminating in a collaboration with the Paraorchestra on September 19th at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Nach dem frühen Tod von Adam Schlesinger durch COVID-19 im Jahr 2020 dachte das IVY-Trio nie, dass es ein weiteres Album geben würde. Aber die Band hatte einen großen Fundus an unfertigen Songs und Demos in einem Lagerraum in Rhode Island aufbewahrt, der bis zu den Anfängen der Band zurückreicht. Als Andy Chase und Dominique Durand im Jahr 2023 die letzten Vinyl-Veröffentlichungen ihres Katalogs vorbereiteten, reisten sie nach Rhode Island und hörten sich die Bänder an, die sie dort vor all den Jahren zurückgelassen hatten; Bänder, die mit Notizen wie ,Adam's Wacky Idea 1997" beschriftet waren, ,Stupid Cat 2005" oder ,Das hier könnte gut für Shallow Hal sein`. Zusammen mit ihrem langjährigen Freund Bruce Driscoll (Freedom Fry) beschlossen die beiden, ins Studio zurückzukehren und an diesen Aufnahmen zu feilen. Obwohl sie sich nie wohl fühlen würden ein Album unter dem Namen IVY ohne Adam zu veröffentlichen, wurde ihnen klar, dass sie das nicht mussten. Adam hatte seine Parts bereits geschrieben und aufgenommen - er ist auf jedem Song zu hören. Das Trio holte sich auch Freunde ins Studio, die über die Jahre an Ivys Platten mitgewirkt hatten, um diese Songs zum Leben zu erwecken. "Traces of You" enthält alles, was wir an Ivy lieben und immer geliebt haben. Könnte da noch mehr kommen? (Ja, das könnte es.)

12-song PINOT NOIR RED VINYL LP, limited to 500 Copies! Not many people realise that The Damned have produced a fine array of songs with melodic, harmonic and rhythmic sophistication; with a depth of imagination and atmosphere. They spearheaded British punk, and yet diverse musical influences went into the crucible: UK and US psychedelia, Canterbury prog rock, and even classical and filmic musical influences abound. Now, with the return of drummer Rat Scabies the line-up is the same as that which produced many of these songs - with Monty on keys. Monty Oxymoron has played keyboards with The Damned since 1996, has written songs for the band, and played with Captain Sensible and Dr Space Toad before that. He is a retired psychiatric nurse and trained in art psychotherapy. Monty is keen on "free improvisation" and plays in and around Brighton where he lives. Monty has an almost impossibly eclectic collation of his music on Bandcamp, his YouTube channel, and shares ideas on various subjects on his Substack page (under his "real" name: Laurence Burrow.)

Within the nine carefully composed tracks of Young Bones, Mel D’s characteristic voice stands out in all its facets, varying from fragile to powerful, haunting to playful, but most of all soulful. With a voice that’s both extraordinarily clear and melancholic, Mel D is something surprisingly rare: a singer whose artistic expression goes beyond the mere use of her voice. On Young Bones, Mel D uses contemporary figures, rephrasing them into timeless formulas. Her unique musical language embodies references to genres like Indie or Alternative. In other moments, her sound leans baroque, then jazzy, soulful, and contemplative. Each song represents an ode to being connected: to the world, other people, and most of all to the beauty of music. Mel D draws her inspiration from struggles felt in the current world climate: “I have felt overwhelmed by the world we live in and its countless challenges,” said Mel D. “As if we’re all a bit directionless in our own lives.” Nevertheless, Mel D uses her musicality as a tool for resistance - using it to transform sadness and anger into creativity, and to give world-weariness a voice that seduces, comforts, and inspires. On Young Bones, Mel D sings us to a place where we might find hope - with songs rooted in concern, solidarity, humanness, and empowerment, inviting the listener to lean into those feelings. Bring the Witches Back, a hymn to witchcraft, is a quiet song that summons the return of witches with feminist urgency, for more love and magic to open ourselves towards each other and the world. Soft, a soulful song with a tender melody, gently lulls the listener into an in-between dimension, full of opportunities. Meanwhile, in the coming-of-age ballad, Slowly Growing, she raises questions about belonging and identity, pointing directly at our emotional core. Where Do You Look When It Hurts? speaks to the sensation of exhaustion and emptiness, offering musical warmth and a sense of community in moments of lethargy. Finally, listening to the album, one always feels in good company. Playfully working in folk and electro-pop elements, Mel D takes us on a ride toward love and a sense of belonging, particularly on the track We win. Young Bones was recorded in Zurich and Paris with two outstanding producers of our times: Renaud Letang, who has previously collaborated with Feist, Chilly Gonzales or Lianne La Havas, and Dino Brandão. The latter recognized Mel D’s artistic uniqueness during their first meeting, inviting her to a recording session in his studio and bringing her into the band of Swiss superstar, Faber. Mel D’s solo project was more a product of coincidence than planning, as she says, even though an undisputed talent and passion for music had always been apparent throughout her youth. During her studies in fine arts in Zurich, she founded the electronica-duo mischgewebe, and composed soundtracks for theater and movie productions, as well as for exhibitions. Long before forming her current artistic identity, she went by the nickname Mel D, in a humorous reference to the Spice Girls. Although her personality and musical language suggest thoughtfulness and a melancholy touch, Mel D acknowledges that an honest laugh is never out of place, making her sympathetic and approachable.

Connection is the new ten song LP from Los Angeles powerhouse Orgone featuring collaborations with Cyril Neville, Kelly Finnigan, Pimps of Joytime, and more. The album is the inaugural release on 3 Palm Records, distributed by Colemine Records and Secretly Distribution. A spiritual follow up to fan favorite Bacano, Connection is gritty, lean, and tight soul and funk at its best. It explores the invisible threads that bind us all, spiritually, emotionally, and artistically. Much like the collage that adorns the cover, this hard hitting collection of songs illuminates the essence of Orgone: a musical pastiche of different vocalists, heavy riffs, vintage production, and a core rhythm section that never disappoints. The synergy created in these songs demonstrates that the whole is truly greater than the sum of all the individual parts and players.

The latest by Andrew Clinco's acid punk alias VR SEX takes its title from an architectural phrase but more importantly refers to the warped, wicked underworld the songs both chronicle and condemn. Donning the moniker Noel Skum - an acerbic anagram of Elon Musk - Clinco vents his scorn for and fascination with the seedy, surreal margins of low-life Los Angeles, doomed to dead ends of vanity, lust, and technology. Although initially launched as an outlet for "heavier sounds" beyond Clinco's duties in new wave fantasists Drab Majesty, the project has ripened into a compelling exercise in world building, weaving themes of gritty city neofuturist sleaze within a framework of driving, distorted guitars and cathode-blasted synths. Echoes of Chrome, Wire, Minimal Man, and Sisters Of Mercy ripple through the collection but ultimately Rough Dimension charts its own twisted vision of "our unforgiving reality." Written and demoed across two weeks alone in a Marseille flat using his prized 1980's Gibson "Invader" and a laptop, Clinco then took the tracks to Strange Weather studios in Brooklyn to record with Ben Greenberg (Uniform, The Men) who helmed 2019's debut, Human Traffic Jam. The results are notably ripping, refined, and riveting. Riffs in alternate tunings chug and churn over mid-tempo drums punctuated by spikes of sci-fi electronics while the vocals swagger and spit venom ("where we walk is also where we shit / but if we bark at our reflections are we hypocrites? / impulses bleed right into our seed / where hate culminates the apple rotted on the tree"). It's a bristling mix of the melodic and the macabre, absurdist observations of fast living and desperate measures, the clock of youth ticking towards midnight as dreams unravel in Babylon. VR SEX's specialty is making these cautionary tales of psychic decay and tainted love a thrill rather than a drag. There's a sunglasses at night glamor to Clinco's choruses and solos, a wit to his black leather judgements ("what is the answer / to cancerous people / walking in my line of sight?"). The music's milieu tends towards parasites and predators but its mood skews refreshingly accelerated and amused, cruising the strip with a cigarette, watching goths and limousines crawl in gridlock beneath digital billboards. The Rough Dimension may be a cesspool, but it's home.

Kasse Mady Diabate, a key figure in Malian music, left his mark on history with his gentle yet powerful voice, earning him the nickname "the golden voice of Mali". A respected Mandingo artist, he was known for his ability to touch souls with melodies and texts steeped in depth and tradition. As a griot, he carried the musical heritage of his people with dignity and talent. The album title song, Toumaro (A bientôt), written by his daughter Hawa Kasse Mady Diabate, is part of this heritage, celebrating love and gratitude. After Kasse Mady"s sudden death in 2018, Hawa continued the album her father had started, offering a poignant tribute to his legacy and a beautiful way to connect with him spiritually through music. Hawa herself is an iconic figure on the Malian music scene, particularly as a member of Trio Da Kali, the griot "super-group" whose album Ladilikan with the Kronos Quartet was a true masterpiece. Toumaro is a testament to the richness of the griot tradition, carried on by artists such as Hawa as well as Lassana Diabate and Madou Kouyate. Their collaboration on Toumaro with renowned musicians underlines the importance of passing on cultural and musical values, while renewing the genre through contemporary arrangements.

Bendik Giske’s Beatrice Dillon-produced 2023 album gets an addendum with reworks from Carmen Villain, aya, Hanne Lippard, Hieroglyphic Being, Wacław Zimpel and Dillon herself.

Giske’s clearly got his ear to the ground; his last remix record was an invitation for Laurel Halo to put her stamp on »Cruising«, while 2018’s »Adjust EP« roped in Deathprod, Total Freedom, Lotic, and Rezzett. Now comes this new LP of remixes and it’s one of the best we’ve heard in aeons. Carmen Villain boots things off with a remix of »Slipping«, following her excellent (and way, way too underrated) »Nutrition EP« with a giddy, subtle roller that sounds as if it’s been constructed using only Giske’s raw stems. His breaths and leathery key presses – already amped up by Dillon’s detailed recording – are magicked into a dubby concrète groove that’s enhanced with the sparest melodic elements: echoing rainforest-at-night horn blasts, and lopped off decay trails that help fuel the momentum.

aya’s revision of the same track takes a different approach, forming forceful overlapping polyrhythms from Giske’s clanks, using the gamelan-like arpeggios for melodic weight and repetition. The result is a constantly shifting, hypnotic trancer that’s achingly organic – more Raja Kirik than Paul Van Dyke. Polish clarinetist and producer Wacław Zimpel, meanwhile, supplements his trippy recent collaboration with James Holden on a similarly levitational wrinkle of »Slipping« that twists Giske’s quivering sequences with microtonal synth prangs, and gusty echoes. But it’s Jamal Moss who plays fastest and loosest with Giske’s source material, calling back to April’s psy-house stunner »Dance Music 4 Bad People« with a powdery, sexualised banger that buries the breathy »Start« stems underneath neon synths, and brittle drum loops.

»I’m a digital nomad,« Lippard deadpans over Giske’s »Not Yet«. »I’m addicted you know that.« It’s a typically dry treatment from the conceptual artist that unexpectedly amps up the hypnotic qualities of Giske’s original, adding her circuitous charm to his concertina-ing sax sequences. And to tie things up perfectly, Beatrice Dillon returns with her diaphanous remix of »Rise and Fall«, built to emphasise the radically different approaches of each artist.