quête:pure r

Crystal clear version - Limited !
Pure oldschool Tribe... from Sparks and MadMatik. Excellent progressive mental bangers !

DOUBLE-DISC EDITION OF DARKTHRONE'S 1993 PURE NORWEGIAN BLACK
METAL MASTERPIECE, INCLUDING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY MASTER, PLUS
ADDITIONAL DISC WITH COMMENTARY FROM FENRIZ
Darkthrone began life in the late 80's as a thrash/ death metal act & progressed
through technical death/doom metal experimentation to become legends of the black
metal world & one of the original leading bands of the Norwegian scene, as well as
inspiring a whole generation of metal bands, as they continue as strong as ever to this
day.
'Under A Funeral Moon', Darkthrone's third album, was originally released by Peaceville
in 1993. The album is a bleak reflection of contemporary times, featuring harsh guitar
riffage & hateful vocals in what was the band's first 100% pure black metal opus; a
work completely stripped of the death metal traces of former releases & in its place, a
stark & primitive execution. This was aided by an intentionally lo- fi sound that is
powerfully cold & entirely unconcerned with any modern- day aesthetics. 'Under A
Funeral Moon' is the album that many Darkthrone fans hail as the ultimate manifesto
for Black Metal.
This edition of 'Under A Funeral Moon' is presented on double- disc CD format &
includes an audio master created for the album's 30th anniversary in line with the
original 1993 version, plus the 2013 commentary disc from Fenriz with his
recollections on the tracks & the time period.

15th Anniversary Edition. Lime Green Vinyl. When Dinosaur Jr. reunited, more than 20 years after their formation and legendary dissolution, the worry was that these guys were just flogging the back catalog, taking the old show on the road as a marketing gimmick. But the 2007 release of Beyond gave a hearty Marshall-driven "F**K YOU!" answer to those inquiring ears. Restoring the sound established by the unassailable hat-trick gambit of their first three albums -- Dinosaur, You're Living All Over Me, and Bug -- Beyond continued the band's march into rock greatness by making old ears smile and new ears bleed afresh. And then came Farm, the 9th full length record by the original line-up: J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph. If Beyond was Dinosaur Jr.'s return to form, Farm is proof that Dinosaur Jr. could (and still do, to this day!) deliver timeless, exhilarating rock music. Farm encompasses Dinosaur Jr.'s signature palette: soaring and distorted guitar, unshakable hooks, honey-rich melodies. At times wholly 70's guitar-epic, at times perfect for sitting by a babbling brook with Joni and Neil, these songs get into your head and stay there, bouncing happily around. The ear-catching "Plans" is nearly seven minutes of classic whipped-topping rock dessert, while "I Don't Wanna Go There" is a meat-and-potatoes main dish, mixing unapologetic lead guitar with straight-ahead delivery a la James Gang or Humble Pie. This expanded deluxe edition of Farm features four songs never pressed to vinyl and never given worldwide release:"Houses", "Whenever You're Ready" (The Zombies Cover), "Creepies" (Instrumental), and "Show". "Whenever You're Ready", a cover of classic pop-rockers The Zombies, is impossibly good for a hidden gem; Murph stomps in with a sledgehammer to the kit, J and Lou layer low-end and fuzz like two halves of one brain, and right when things feel biggest, airy and colossal, there's J with a lightning bolt of a guitar solo. Pure electricity and melody like only he can make. Recorded in J Mascis' Bisquiteen studio in Amherst, Massachusetts, Farm was produced by Mascis himself, and delivers the singular, unique energy of one of America's greatest living rock bands.

Pelican has always been a band that's not just from Chicago, but distinctly of Chicago. Formed in 2000 by guitarists Trevor Shelley de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec alongside brothers Bryan and Larry Herweg on bass and drums respectively, Pelican's foundation was built upon the rule-free, genre-agnostic scene synonymous with the Fireside Bowl. "The `90s in Chicago was a free-for-all. Everyone was just coming from a place of pure creativity," says Shelley de Brauw. With Schroeder-Lebec returning to the band following Dallas Thomas' exit in 2022, this reunified version of Pelican allowed the band to tap back into those influences and build something distinctly new with Flickering Resonance. While longtime Pelican fans will find an updated version of the band's ethos_one that's been constantly evolving since their very first EP_their new partnership with Run For Cover Records emphasizes something that's always been implicit to the Pelican formula. These songs take as much inspiration from titanic `90s post-hardcore, space-rock, and emo as they do traditional metal, showing that though Godflesh and Goatsnake records occupied the shelves of Pelican's songwriters, so too did Quicksand, Christie Front Drive, and Hum. "A lot of people didn't hear it," says Schroeder-Lebec. "I was like, well, I guess the metal world is where we fit. But now, I'm willing to acknowledge all the suits we're wearing." On Flickering Resonance, Pelican allowed themselves to look at their music less as a means of hard-earned catharsis and more as an appreciation for the glimmers of joy that occur even in the bleakest landscapes.

LINKIN PARK—Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, Joe Hahn, alongside new members Emily Armstrong of critically acclaimed band Dead Sara as co-vocalist and Colin Brittain songwriter/producer for G Flip, Illenium, One OK Rock as drummer—share their first brand new music in seven years.

The iconic band shared a new single “The Emptiness Machine,” which is also the herald for the arrival of LINKIN PARK’s first album since 2017, FROM ZERO, on November 15.

About the new era, Shinoda stated, “Before LINKIN PARK, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future—embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what LINKIN PARK has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead.”

Right out of the gate, “The Emptiness Machine” channels the DNA of LINKIN PARK, harnessing the band’s explosive energy and retaining the hallmarks of their instantly identifiable and inimitable sound. A chameleonic and catchy anthem, Shinoda’s hypnotic melodies hand off to Armstrong’s blistering chorus, over distorted riffs and head-nodding drums.

Ultimately, with FROM ZERO, the band is looking to harness the purest energy of their past, present, and future. The new era has officially begun.

Revered as one of London’s ‘leading disco labels’, The Disco Express slows no signs of slowing down. Steaming in HOT with with seven Summer sizzlers, the much loved label serves up certified dance floor heat ahead of the sunny season.

Oozing in top tier quality, the Summer Heatwave vinyl compilation encompasses the best new music forthcoming on The Disco Express. Including superb remixes by the scintillating Bosq and Dr Packer, Summer Heatwave features 100% original music by label regulars Magnolia, Maryag, Rayowa, Third Attempt and label boss Bustin’ Loose.

Pulsating with pure infectious Summer grooves, this compilation is truly essential for Disco, Nu-Disco and House music lovers worldwide

There are bands that you feel you have known forever -- recent ones, new
ones even -- because you are already so familiar with what you know they are
going to offer, familiar with the anticipation and the need, with the pleasure
you expect them to, quite rightfully, provide the masses (by which I mean
people who have once considered calling their first-born Kang)
VERDICT is such a band. It has members of MEANWHILE, NO SECURITY,
WARCOLLAPSE, 3- WAY CUM, TOTALITAR, and too many other bands, and even
though I have never actually met any of them, I still have had more interactions with
them through (over)playing and rocking to their records than I have had with some
members of my family, which, to be honest, is definitely for the best. VERDICT is a
rather new (but experienced in the things of the D) kang hardcore band, and they know
exactly what they are doing and how to do it. Had they produced something different,
that would have completely taken me aback -- something horrendous like ska- punk
would have made so little sense that I would have had to quit punk altogether. Alright,
what about The Rat Race, then. This is the follow-up to last year's Time to Resign, and
this one has even more punch, fury, and pummeling power than its predecessor.
Unoriginal, in a good way, and thoroughly checking all the correct boxes: the
drumming is pure and relentless, the riffs' efficiency is religiously executed in a
"Scandicore 101" way, the vocals are angry, direct, and raspy. Think a joyous orgy
between NO SECURITY, UNCURBED, and TOTALITAR.
This is the kind of record that makes the world a better place to rock. Thank you
Phobia Records. Kang up your life.

One more year and a new edition of our ANAØH INVITES vinyl series.

As is tradition, in this third volume, Dig-It and Fixon, hosts of the label, invite two artists to join them and release four original tracks on a special edition 12′ vinyl.

For this new edition, we have two artists whom we truly love and respect.

On one hand, until a few months ago, the mysterious BLK_BETTY an artist with few appearances but undoubtedly a powerful and forward-thinking producer, a true representative of that jacking and energetic sound.

On the other hand, we are honored to welcome the legendary The Advent, a living icon of pure Techno, who has delivered a track that gives us goosebumps and brings back the essence of his early 2000s sound, the most aggressive and powerful The Advent.

We are honored to celebrate 9 years of work with this 12′ vinyl edition alongside artists we deeply admire, and we hope you love it as much as we do.

From México with Love. Fixon & Dig-It

—————————————————————————————————–

Un año más y una nueva edición de nuestra serie en vinilo ANAØH INVITES.

Como es tradición, en este tercer volumen, Dig-It y Fixon, anfitriones del sello, invitan a dos artistas a unirse a ellos para presentar cuatro tracks originales en un vinilo especial de 12″.

Para esta edición contamos con dos artistas a quienes realmente queremos y respetamos. Por un lado, hasta hace unos meses, el misterioso BLK_BETTY, un artista de pocas apariciones pero sin duda un productor potente y visionario, un verdadero representante de ese sonido jacking lleno de energía.

Por el otro, nos honra dar la bienvenida a la leyenda The Advent, un ícono vivo del Techno en su forma más pura, quien nos entrega un track que pone la piel de gallina y revive la esencia de su sonido de inicios de los 2000s: el Advent más agresivo y poderoso.

Nos llena de orgullo celebrar 9 años de trabajo con esta edición en vinilo, acompañados de artistas a quienes admiramos profundamente. Esperamos que lo disfruten tanto como nosotros.

From México with Love. Fixon & Dig-It

Burnski's Constant Sound is very nearly at 50 releases and not one of them has ever dipped below essential levels of quality. Kepler has been a regular contributor to this fine catalogue and returns with more of his shuffling, playful and charming garage cuts. 'Recall' manages to be both deep and driving, with cute chord stabs and a smart vocal sample that adds the r&b gloss. 'Flavour' has those old school stabs and filthy basslines and 'Loft Groove' is a bouncy, low-slung number with organic percussion. Closing out another high-grade offering is 'Don't Stop' which brings some dubby chords to a slick, punchy house rhythm. Pure class.

Classic and legendary are words used on a regular basis, but you genuinely do not get more classic or legendary than Hurt You So by Jonny L. Wildly inventive when first released, and sounding as fresh today as it did back then, these 4 original mixes are pure fire, inescapable anthems from the then and the now, and this reissue, remastered from DAT and rereleased, cannot be missed…

Club / DJ Support
Ed Solo, Ray Keith, Jay Cunning, Dj Rap, Dope Ammo, Annie Mac, Billy Bunter, the Fat Controller, Glowkid, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Clayfighter, Jimni Cricket, Bustin, Sc@r, Doughboy, Saiyan, Dave Skywalker, Ponder and many others

Many of the greatest artists of all time found inspiration in their dreams... and pdqb is known to be an absolute pro when it comes to creatively exploiting the REM cycles.

Recently, for example, he dreamed of Gunnar, who had witnessed the rise and fall of electronic dance music, which had once held simple-minded creatures in its thrall. The beats had a peculiar effect on them, drawing them into euphoric trances. But Gunnar, allergic to its hypnotic frequencies, stood apart, unaffected. However, eventually, in a hidden enclave in the highlands of Reykjavík, he met Dr. Amara El-Amin, a neuroscientist fascinated by his unique immunity. Together, they discovered that Gunnar's resistance was a gift, offering insights into human consciousness and the power of music. With this knowledge, Gunnar inspired a global movement celebrating frequencies that resonate...differently. Though EDM had become a relic, Gunnar Oliasson remained a legend - a bad taste survivor who embraced a symphony of pure electrical potential, a language of circuits and oscillations beyond sound.

He woke with a jolt, the phantom music still echoing in his mind. He scribbled furiously, equations and diagrams mixing with strange, abstract notations. The dream, he knew, was a glimpse into a world where his inventions would dance, not just function.

For Synaptic Cliffs, it is an extraordinary honor to be able to offer you, dear listeners, the soundtrack of pdqb's world-changing dream: Four beautiful genre-defining Electrocognition tracks, embracing the depths of the human wetware. And three jaw-dropping sonic remodels from a human-like being called The Exaltics.

Izil Recordings, founded by Moroccan electronic music pioneer Amine K, is a platform dedicated to showcasing the depth and diversity of Morocco's underground scene. Named after the Berber word for "pure," the label stays true to its name embodying unfiltered artistic expression, blending rich cultural heritage with contemporary electronic innovation. Izil's debut release sets the tone for this vision, featuring a collaboration between Amine K and WAHM, alongside remixes from Rodriguez Jr. and Denis Horvat.
"Kill the Anger" introduces the label with a deep, pulsating energy, merging hypnotic rhythms with raw intensity to create a bold statement for Izil's sonic identity. Rodriguez Jr. elevates the track with a melodic, atmospheric touch, adding layers of emotive synths that transform it into an expansive and immersive experience. On the B-side, "Sundance" unfolds as a warm, flowing journey of organic textures and deep, rhythmic movement, capturing the essence of Moroccan influences within a contemporary electronic framework. Denis Horvat then reshapes it into a darker, driving rework, injecting moody synths and crisp percussion to craft a club-ready, high-energy take.
This release marks Izil Recordings' first venture, laying the groundwork for more forward-thinking, African centric music to come.



A1. WAHM X Amine K - Kill the Anger
"Kill the Anger" marks the launch of Izil Recordings, Amine K's new platform for Moroccan electronic music. A collaboration with WAHM, the track delivers deep, pulsating energy with an emotive intensity, setting the foundation for the label's sonic identity. It merges North African influences with forward-thinking underground sounds, offering a raw yet refined record.



A2. WAHM X Amine K - Kill the Anger Rodriguez Jr. Remix
Rodriguez Jr. takes on the "Kill the Anger" remix with his signature melodic approach, enriching the original with layered synths and atmospheric textures. His remix takes a more expansive, emotionally charged direction, transforming the track into a fluid, immersive soundscape. This fresh interpretation highlights Izil Recordings' commitment to artistic evolution and depth in electronic music.



B1. Amine K X WAHM - Sundance (Izil Recordings)
"Sundance" serves as the B-side, offering a deep, flowing rhythm infused with organic textures. The track's warm, evolving groove reflects Izil Recordings' vision-blending Moroccan heritage with contemporary electronic exploration. With its dynamic movement and rich tonal layers, "Sundance" delivers a hypnotic and transportive listening experience.



B2. Amine K X WAHM - Sundance Denis Horvat Remix
Denis Horvat reworks "Sundance" into a darker, more driving rendition, intensifying its momentum with crisp percussion and moody synth layers. His remix injects a brooding, high-energy edge, reshaping the track into a club-driven powerhouse. This take further showcases Izil Recordings' fusion of global electronic innovation with deep-rooted cultural influences.
Originals Written and produced by Amine K & WAHM
Vocals by Hicham Belahmer
Guitar by Walid De La Morsaliere
Additional Production and Mixing by Julian Ganzer at Studio Kreuzberg Berlin
Remixes written and produced by Rodriguez Junior & Denis Horvat
PIcture by Sandra Levigne
Artwork by Mose

Berlin-based French-Irish multimedia artist Zoe Mc Pherson levels up on their third full-length "Pitch Blender", mangling years of experience DJing and performing live into a tight set of cybernetic soundsystem experiments that flicker between the rave and the art space.

Cast your mind back to February 2020 for a moment, when Mc Pherson released their last album "States of Fugue". The world seemed less tangled somehow, and yet Mc Pherson's precision-engineered fusion of exploratory sound design and visceral club pressure seemed to hint at a cataclysmic event none of us were really expecting. Only a few weeks after its release the world changed forever, and the majority of us were grounded - forced to consider our lives and the movement (or lack thereof) surrounding us. The philosophy of this extended time period is welded into the bones of "Pitch Blender", Mc Pherson's supple third album. They have learned plenty in the last two years, and infuse all of that anxiety and spiky emotionality into a spread of tracks that sound as powerful in headphones as they do over a well-tweaked soundsystem, soldering vocals, environmental recordings and instrumental flourishes to unpredictably pneumatic, cybernetic beats.

Anyone that's caught one of Mc Pherson's energetic live performances over the last few months will have an idea of what "Pitch Blender" is made of. They're an artist who's somehow able to match the raw energy of post-punk and no-wave music with the brain-altering potential of the best experimental club tracks, vocalizing an incongruous post-lockdown reality over beats that sound as if they're in a permanent state of flux. 'On Fire' splutters to life in a frenetic patter of drums that blur into oddly soothing hoover sounds, snaking lysergically towards a drop that's teased constantly, and never comes. We're forced to wait until 'The Spark' for that, fighting through choppy, pitch-mangled guitar and rolling beats until a gruesome kick drum forces its way through the psilocybin mists and heaving Bristol-inspired bass clonks. Backed up with just the inverted traces of recognizable breaks, this vigorous pulse lies at the heart of "Pitch Blender", the driving force that powers Mc Pherson's sound even when it's only hinted at.

'Blender' is the moment where Mc Pherson show their full hand, using crackling sound effects, ghost vocals and uneven rhythms to build a textural landscape that's so evocative you can almost taste it. Squealing modular synth effects sound like gameshow buzzers being triggered in another dimension and propel the track forward - it's club music, just about, but Mc Pherson's motivation is world-building, and their world is colorful, abstract, and dizzyingly surreal. "Obsolete user," their voice echoes over driving airlock kicks. But they take a swift left turn with 'Lamella', reducing the kinetic club rhythms to a longing simmer and letting loose with powerful vocals, intoning with robotic, gender-fluxed intensity. On 'Wait', New York City's clacking crosswalk signal - already an effective club track on its own - is transformed into a reminder to slow down, juxtaposed with booming sub-heavy kicks, acidic synths and effervescent percussion that rattles in time with the vibrations. It's foley rave, built for pure psychedelic intensity to blur the line between real life and sonic fiction.

One of the album's most galvanic tracks, 'Power Dynamics' curves a double-time rhythm around breathless HQ sound design squiggles until it hits a polyrhythmic crescendo, striking a queasy balance between rave hedonism and ritualistic hand drum energy. It all builds towards eerie closing track 'Outside' that acts as an important wind down, spotlighting Mc Pherson's ability to operate outside of the rhythmic spectrum, using cinematic scrapes and flickering neon synths to create music that's tense but never terrifying. The track feels like the end credits of a particularly bewildering movie - something between the cyberpunk dystopia of "Ghost in the Shell" and the vivid, sky-scraping beauty of "Koyaanisqatsi". Mc Pherson has managed something special with "Pitch Blender": mashing together genres with rare focus, and sharpening their engineering skills to a fine point, they've concocted an antidote to contemporary malaise - a wakeup call that's begging us to loosen our limbs and move.

Get ready for a sonic onslaught as A Place to Bury Strangers and The Serfs collide on a blistering new split 7” from Dedstrange, out May 9. APTBS delivers "Let It All Go", a searing blast of fuzzed-out guitars, pounding rhythms, and raw catharsis. On the flip side, The Serfs reimagine their darkwave pulse with "Time Leaks Away (Dub)", a hypnotic, reverb-drenched descent into dub-infused post-punk. Pressed on classic black vinyl—this is pure underground dungeon metal.

Get ready for a sonic onslaught as A Place to Bury Strangers and The Serfs collide on a blistering new split 7” from Dedstrange, out May 9. APTBS delivers "Let It All Go", a searing blast of fuzzed-out guitars, pounding rhythms, and raw catharsis. On the flip side, The Serfs reimagine their darkwave pulse with "Time Leaks Away (Dub)", a hypnotic, reverb-drenched descent into dub-infused post-punk. Pressed on classic black vinyl—this is pure underground dungeon metal.

A forgotten tale, long buried beneath the snows of time, is about to be retold. “Midvintersagor” (‘Midwinter Sagas’) is the first music ever composed by Örnatorpet, a landmark in both personal and artistic discovery. Originally self-released in a small cassette run, this unaltered reissue allows listeners to experience the album exactly as it was conceived – pure, unrefined, and brimming with the wonder of creation.

At its core, “Midvintersagor” is a soundtrack to an unwritten legend. Each track weaves a narrative steeped in medieval fantasy, channelling the essence of forgotten folklore and the grandeur of winter’s stillness. Inspired by the interludes and atmospheric passages of 90s black metal, Örnatorpet sought to craft an instrumental world as evocative as the landscapes of his native Sweden.

Since its inception in 2018, Örnatorpet has become one of the foremost torchbearers of dungeon synth. With no formal musical training, he followed only instinct and inspiration, carving out a path that has since led him to the forefront of the genre. “Midvintersagor” is where that journey began – an unpolished gem gleaming with the spirit of discovery, now unearthed for a new audience to behold.

Thirty Three & ffist das siebte Solo-Studioalbum von George Harrison, aufgenommen in seinem Haus in Friar Park in Oxfordshire und veröffentlicht n och i m s elben J ahr i m N ovember 1 976. E s w ar Harrisons erste Veröffentlichung b ei s einem P lattenlabel D ark H orse. B illboard s chrieb d amals: „Es ist e in heiteres, optimistisches Album mit Liebesliedern und heiteren Witzen, das vielleicht Georges fröhlichstes und kommerziellstes Gesamtpaket darstellt – mit den wenigsten hochtrabenden Posen – während seiner gesamten Solokarriere.“

As spring teases the summer ahead and overall lightness returns, T3R016 delivers highly intense peak-time euphoria by Dutch-born and Berlin-based hardware phenomenon Nadia Struiwigh. Her masterful storytelling shines through two tracks consisting of hard-hitting, yet dynamic drum arrangements and melodious breaks.
The remixes by Andy Martin and UFO95 build on this drive whilst offering striking contrasts. Witness Andy convince listeners once again with expressive melodies and trippy sound design, while UFO95 flawlessly adds contemporary, raw and beepy energy to the release.

Four tracks that are truly primed for moments of pure motion will entirely make the winter disappear.

Italy’s techno powerhouse Alignment blows off roofs with his new 4-track EP, ‘Mystical Energy’, out 2nd May (vinyl) on Charlotte de Witte’s KNTXT label. This is his 7th EP on the imprint, making him one of the main artists on the label since its launch in 2019.

‘Alignment is back on KNTXT, and I couldn't be more excited! This EP has his signature sound all over it: relentless and hypnotic while pushing the boundaries of techno. This new release is pure energy. I can't wait for everyone to dance to it on the floor!’ – Charlotte de Witte

As well as becoming a mainstay of KNTXT, Alignment’s signature invincible blend of hard techno and 90s-inspired trance has also won huge support from the techno community.

‘Mystical Energy’ EP: ‘unfolds through powerful, energetic basslines, relentless pulses that shape a hypnotic sonic journey. Mystical influences intertwine with exotic and ethereal melodies, transporting the listener to a dimension suspended between reality and the unknown. Each track is a portal that dissolves the boundaries of the familiar, pushing the mind beyond in an electronic ritual of pure transcendence’ - Alignment

All four tracks are high energy, an irresistible force of hard dance and techno beats adorned with uplifting euphoric elements to complete their onslaught on the mind and the dancefloor. Title track ‘Mystical Energy’ adds a darkly grating whispered lyric at high speed, pushing the impetus yet further, and triumphant melodic synth patterns. ‘Brazilian Pulse’ mixes ominous industrial psy sounds with the urgent and hypnotizing chanting of Brazilian vocals, while ‘Speak From Your Heart’ offers high pizzicato riffs and a 90s flavour synth crescendo with a trance vibe. ‘The Deepest Truth’ contrasts dystopian hoover sounds and robotic phrases with a sustained breakdown of soulful, vibrato melodic synth.

A true showman, nightlife troublemaker, and lover of retro sounds, Master Phil, the Donny Benet of France, unveils his debut EP "Vagabond du Cœur" on Cracki Records. Blending nostalgia with dancefloor euphoria, he takes us on a vibrant journey through French Boogie, Euro Pop, and 90s Trance.

The standout track "Vagabond du Cœur" makes hearts and bodies groove with soaring synths and a deep, infectious bassline. Alongside it, "Ibiza" ignites the summer spirit with pure energy, channeling the sounds of Haddaway and Corona—where the nights never end and the beats never stop.

A debut EP that perfectly balances melancholy and carefree hedonism, ready to be played on the road to summer or as a festival-closing anthem.

VALIS continues his climb with a new Ep with 3 cuts per side of pure techno tools for plastic lovers. The EP includes work from Eduardo De La Calle plus some work belonging to his new project RSCA alongside Aureal, which previously released work on Jamaika Suk's Gradient label and soon on the Berlin label Mole Audio.

For their much anticipated second release 'Music From Memory' take you into the world of Italian musician Gigi Masin....TIP!
Part of only a small and very much underground music
scene in his hometown of Venice, Gigi Masin self released two modestly pressed LP's 'Wind' (1986) and 'Wind Collector' (1991) and appeared along side Charles Hayward for the Sub Rosa compilation LP "Les Nouvelles Musiques De Chambre Volume 2" (1988).

Having met with little commercial success in Italy at the time, Gigi Masin's solo albums remained for the most part totally unknown. His music has though in recent
years, and seemingly by pure word of mouth, developed almost something of a cult following.

Gigi Masin's uniquely intricate and at times deeply emotive compositions take the listener into a realm of contemplation, a spellbound mind state where time and space appear to dissolve. His sparse and hypnotic often loop-based compositions seem to draw parallels with Detroit Techno's earliest beginnings, all at once conjuring those same feelings of both melancholic longing and ecstatic joy.

Sextile, das in Los Angeles beheimatete Duo, das für seinen unbeugsamen, elektronischen Punk-Sound gefeiert wird, hat Details zu ihrem kommenden, starken Album „Yes, please.“ bekannt gegeben, das am 2. Mai 2025 auf Sacred Bones erscheint, sowie Pläne für eine umfangreiche Europatournee in diesem Sommer geteilt. Sextile, die sich derzeit mit ihren Labelkollegen Molchat Doma auf einer großen US-Tournee befinden, kündigen ihr neues Album mit der Single „Freak Eyes“ an, die ihren dunklen, pulsierenden Sound in neue Höhen treibt. Der Song beginnt mit einem fiesen Bass-Growl, das abrupt in einen Techno-Beat übergeht, der mit klirrender Kuhglocke und scharfer Hi-Hat gespickt ist. „I feel the pressure / Man the pressure I feel when we're together“, singt Sänger Brady Keehn kühl, aber bestimmt, in den ersten Zeilen. Inspiriert von der Art und Weise, wie Druck sowohl Herausforderungen als auch Verbesserungen hervorrufen kann, beschwört „Freak Eyes“ elektrisierende Bilder von schäbigen Hinterzimmern auf dem Sunset Strip und von in Leder gekleideten Tanzflächen in Lagerhäusern herauf.

Manche Bands finden ihren Groove und bleiben dabei, andere erfinden sich ständig neu. Sextile gehört zu den letzteren, die den Nervenkitzel einer sich ständig verändernden Landkarte genießen. Das Duo Melissa Scaduto und Brady Keehn aus Los Angeles macht Musik mit Lebenslust und lässt sich dabei von No Wave bis Hardstyle inspirieren. Ihr neuestes Album „yes, please.“ stößt in kühnes Neuland vor, indem es anarchisches Elektro-Feuer mit rohen persönlichen Erinnerungen verbindet - und mit genug aufgemotzten Bässen, um ein oder zwei Boxen zum Platzen zu bringen. „yes, please.“ ist ein Album der Kontraste: eine verletzliche Platte, die ihre Seele ebenso entblößt wie sie im Exzess schwelgt und zeigt, wie weit man seinen Sound treiben kann, wenn man seine Hemmungen abschüttelt. Zusammen verraten die beiden ein Selbstvertrauen, das niemals schwankt, und machen einen kühnen Spritzer auf dem schnellen Intro mit einer Rave-Sirene, die aus einer New Yorker Hausparty der `00er oder einem verschwitzten Brooklyn-Lagerhaus stammt. Auch der Geist des Electroclash pirscht sich an das Gebäude heran, zeigt seine Identität bei den mit Kuhglocken gespickten Donnerschlägen von „Freak Eyes“ und „Rearrange“ und sorgt mit „Women Respond to Bass“ für eine schmutzige Dancefloor-Bombe. „Push Ups“ - mit dem Gesang von Jehnny Beth - ist pure Muskelmusik, gestärkt durch einen wummernden Bass und ergänzt durch Synthies, die so hart hämmern wie Hagelkörner auf einem Glasdach. Aber hinter den Slogans, der Frechheit und der monstermäßigen Tanzenergie verbirgt sich eine Intimität, die man nur finden kann, wenn man sich über schmerzhafte, lebensverändernde Ereignisse öffnet. „Hospital“ und ‚Soggy Newports‘ reflektieren Scadutos erschütternde Erfahrungen in einer staatlichen Einrichtung in New York nach einem beinahe tödlichen Unfall. „Resist“ befasst sich mit Abtreibungsrechten, während ‚Penny Rose‘ das amerikanische Bildungswesen, künstliche Intelligenz und zukünftige Generationen thematisiert. Scadutos elastischer Gesang glänzt überall, von den messerscharfen Synthesizern von „S is For“ bis zu den Trance-Pop-Höhen von „Kids“ mit Izzy Glaudini von Automatic. „yes, please.“ ist eine actiongeladene Dance-Platte, vollgestopft mit wilden, berauschenden Gassenhauern, aber im gleichen Atemzug auch ein Zeugnis dafür, zu leben und niemals zurückzuschauen. Indem sie sich für eine neue, „befreiende“ Art des Musikmachens öffnen, haben Sextile ihr bisher kreativstes Werk geschaffen. Bisher, denn man spürt einfach, dass sie noch so viel mehr zu geben haben.

Sextile, das in Los Angeles beheimatete Duo, das für seinen unbeugsamen, elektronischen Punk-Sound gefeiert wird, hat Details zu ihrem kommenden, starken Album „Yes, please.“ bekannt gegeben, das am 2. Mai 2025 auf Sacred Bones erscheint, sowie Pläne für eine umfangreiche Europatournee in diesem Sommer geteilt. Sextile, die sich derzeit mit ihren Labelkollegen Molchat Doma auf einer großen US-Tournee befinden, kündigen ihr neues Album mit der Single „Freak Eyes“ an, die ihren dunklen, pulsierenden Sound in neue Höhen treibt. Der Song beginnt mit einem fiesen Bass-Growl, das abrupt in einen Techno-Beat übergeht, der mit klirrender Kuhglocke und scharfer Hi-Hat gespickt ist. „I feel the pressure / Man the pressure I feel when we're together“, singt Sänger Brady Keehn kühl, aber bestimmt, in den ersten Zeilen. Inspiriert von der Art und Weise, wie Druck sowohl Herausforderungen als auch Verbesserungen hervorrufen kann, beschwört „Freak Eyes“ elektrisierende Bilder von schäbigen Hinterzimmern auf dem Sunset Strip und von in Leder gekleideten Tanzflächen in Lagerhäusern herauf.

Manche Bands finden ihren Groove und bleiben dabei, andere erfinden sich ständig neu. Sextile gehört zu den letzteren, die den Nervenkitzel einer sich ständig verändernden Landkarte genießen. Das Duo Melissa Scaduto und Brady Keehn aus Los Angeles macht Musik mit Lebenslust und lässt sich dabei von No Wave bis Hardstyle inspirieren. Ihr neuestes Album „yes, please.“ stößt in kühnes Neuland vor, indem es anarchisches Elektro-Feuer mit rohen persönlichen Erinnerungen verbindet - und mit genug aufgemotzten Bässen, um ein oder zwei Boxen zum Platzen zu bringen. „yes, please.“ ist ein Album der Kontraste: eine verletzliche Platte, die ihre Seele ebenso entblößt wie sie im Exzess schwelgt und zeigt, wie weit man seinen Sound treiben kann, wenn man seine Hemmungen abschüttelt. Zusammen verraten die beiden ein Selbstvertrauen, das niemals schwankt, und machen einen kühnen Spritzer auf dem schnellen Intro mit einer Rave-Sirene, die aus einer New Yorker Hausparty der `00er oder einem verschwitzten Brooklyn-Lagerhaus stammt. Auch der Geist des Electroclash pirscht sich an das Gebäude heran, zeigt seine Identität bei den mit Kuhglocken gespickten Donnerschlägen von „Freak Eyes“ und „Rearrange“ und sorgt mit „Women Respond to Bass“ für eine schmutzige Dancefloor-Bombe. „Push Ups“ - mit dem Gesang von Jehnny Beth - ist pure Muskelmusik, gestärkt durch einen wummernden Bass und ergänzt durch Synthies, die so hart hämmern wie Hagelkörner auf einem Glasdach. Aber hinter den Slogans, der Frechheit und der monstermäßigen Tanzenergie verbirgt sich eine Intimität, die man nur finden kann, wenn man sich über schmerzhafte, lebensverändernde Ereignisse öffnet. „Hospital“ und ‚Soggy Newports‘ reflektieren Scadutos erschütternde Erfahrungen in einer staatlichen Einrichtung in New York nach einem beinahe tödlichen Unfall. „Resist“ befasst sich mit Abtreibungsrechten, während ‚Penny Rose‘ das amerikanische Bildungswesen, künstliche Intelligenz und zukünftige Generationen thematisiert. Scadutos elastischer Gesang glänzt überall, von den messerscharfen Synthesizern von „S is For“ bis zu den Trance-Pop-Höhen von „Kids“ mit Izzy Glaudini von Automatic. „yes, please.“ ist eine actiongeladene Dance-Platte, vollgestopft mit wilden, berauschenden Gassenhauern, aber im gleichen Atemzug auch ein Zeugnis dafür, zu leben und niemals zurückzuschauen. Indem sie sich für eine neue, „befreiende“ Art des Musikmachens öffnen, haben Sextile ihr bisher kreativstes Werk geschaffen. Bisher, denn man spürt einfach, dass sie noch so viel mehr zu geben haben.

NEIL ARDLEY’S HARMONY OF THE SPHERES RETURNS TO VINYL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 40 YEARS
Analogue October Records proudly presents the long-awaited LICENSED reissue of Harmony of the Spheres, Neil Ardley’s cosmic jazz masterpiece, originally released in 1979 by Decca. This marks the first vinyl reissue of the album since its original release, offering fans a rare opportunity to experience this extraordinary record in its purest form.

A Visionary Fusion of Jazz and Science
Recorded at the legendary Morgan Studios and produced by the esteemed Martin Levan, Harmony of the Spheres is another bold evolution in Ardley’s ever-expanding musical journey. A unique blend of jazz, electronic synthesis, and progressive rock, the album explores the ancient Greek concept that planets create celestial harmonies as they move through space. Using precise astronomical calculations, Ardley transposed planetary orbits into a nine-note chord—one that extends beyond the range of traditional acoustic instruments, making synthesizers the only means of fully realizing this cosmic sound.
The album features an all-star lineup, including the visionary John Martyn on guitar, saxophonist Barbara Thompson, Tony Coe, Ian Carr, and keyboardist Geoff Castle, alongside the formidable rhythm section of Billy Kristian (bass), Richard Burgess (drums), and Trevor Tomkins (percussion).

A True AAA Reissue – Cut Direct from the Original Master Tapes
Following the reissue success of Journey to the Urge Within (1986) by Courtney Pine (AOR-001-ST), Analogue October Records’ founder Craig Crane embarked on a mission to restore Harmony of the Spheres to its full sonic glory. Working with Gearbox and using Decca’s original 15ips 2-track stereo master tapes, this reissue is a true AAA release—an all-analogue production with no digital step. The album was meticulously cut directly from the tapes and pressed to the highest standards at Optimal in Germany.
Inside the deluxe package, fans will discover an 8-page booklet featuring an in-depth essay by Jazzwise magazine editor Mike Flynn, along with never-before-seen photos from the original recording sessions.

Continuing the Legacy
This reissue is just the beginning—Analogue October Records is committed to further explorations of Neil Ardley’s work, alongside other deep cuts from the UK’s vibrant 1970s jazz fusion and jazz-rock scene.
Whether you’re rediscovering Harmony of the Spheres or experiencing it for the first time, this release is a testament to the artistry and innovation of Neil Ardley.

FIRE UP: Fifteen successful releases later, Anetha continues to fan the flames with MTY-FEU, an incandescent new compilation. Titled «Ils s’embrasèrent, réduits ensemble», the release stands for fusion and oneness.



Bursting from the depths of the earth, magma is devouring: melting hot techno, deep techno, fast techno, firestorms of trance, eruptions of hard groove, break, mental, smoldering experimental… MTY-FEU is a lava flow of boiling, vital energy, unstoppable and full of blistering textures.



During the Nuit Blanche (A1), we surrender. We, the offer. Our fire is combusting. Our feet, stomping.
Berserk, in a fury, there’s No End (C1) to this party. In a trance, Eternal Echoes (E2) beguiles us all, until we become one into the Molten Core (H2) of Inferno. Ils s’embrasèrent, réduits ensemble.

The incredibly talented visual artist FEMUR crafted the artwork by creating an AI-generated meta-crackle of fire. Diplomatie Studio handled the design while mastering was entrusted to Sixbitdeep, except for Anetha’s edit, where mix and mastering credits go to Le Dom. We’ve opted for bio-vinyls for this release, knowing that one day these records will return to ashes, only to rise again, like the phoenix.

Team TD take a break from re-scoring Colin McCrae Rally to pay our own oddball homage to some of our DJ deities in the form of Talking Drums Volume 8.
Keeping things diverse-yet-disco, this little mover grooves through Muzic Box pump, Lofty symphonics and a Ku-curveball with a smile on its face and a pep in its step.

The A-side erupts in a flash of sexy Euro-NRG, twisted and lifted to give any sweatbox a massive Hardy-on. Sequencers throb, swell and burst, horns wail and not one, but two, killer basslines blast the floor with erogenous urgency. Chuck in a coquettish vocal, delay madness and a fist pumping breakdown and you've got pure peak-time play folks.

The B1 belongs to the sumptuous strings, loose funk and live disco strut of 'Too Hot'. Low slung, low tempo but plenty punchy, this classy cut builds and builds through Merc-y repetition before blooming a fully fledged groover. Taut funk breaks sit beneath a floor-filling vocal and twinkling Rhodes, the wah guitar works overtime, and it all adds up to take the dance floor temperature sky high. Enjoy on a hi-fi sound system with plenty of spiked punch.

The curtain call comes via the alfresco flamenco-frenzy of Ronseal-approved 'Maximum Balearic Dancer', which does exactly what it says on the tin. The TD troupe takes a tiny snippet of Swiss fusion and fleshes it out into the fully fledged floor-filler it always deserved to be. Blessed with a buoyant bassline and balmy mood, this beauty sways along through some weird but wonderful synth riffs, holding you close for that soul-soaring piano solo.
Sometimes you gotta wake up on a beach naked.

Limited Press - Numbered Insert - Drum Fun Guaranteed. .

"What's Up Rockers". Like the Big Bopper singing on "Pleasant Dreams". Twompsax's Big Beat keeper has a Little Heart. But that Heart keeps pumping. Pure love for real rock n roll. Made to incinerate cop cars and smoke cigs in the alameda tube. Tenderly and with "attitude". Torch songs and torching the rules. Johnny Thunders said "The only technical things I know are treble, volume and reverb, that's all." Johnny Maraca couldn't agree more. 12 Songs 33 RPM.

Be As One Debut Xqte on the label with five cuts of pure percussive energy and 90's influence techno.

Heidi Montag first came to prominence as a reality television personality on MTV’s “The Hills,” but the multifaceted entertainer has always credited music as her first love. Her debut album, Superficial, on which Montag worked with notable talents including L.P., Cathy Dennis, Stacy Barthe, Steve Morales, and Dave Pensado, has become a cult classic. A remix of “More Is More,” produced by Dave Audé, peaked at number 27 on Billboard’s dance charts. Montag’s one and only public performance of “Body Language” — at the 2009 Miss Universe pageant — was watched by a billion people worldwide. Hailed as “ahead of its time,” Superficial’s initial release faltered due to both promotional issues and Montag’s status as a reality star. The album has since gained praise for its pure pop sounds, which were influenced by Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, as well as for its message of empowerment. In 2018, Life&Style pronounced the album “criminally underrated.” In 2023, the Superficial track “I’ll Do It” became one of the top trending sounds on TikTok, garnering more than a billion streams and poising Montag for a musical comeback. Her most recent re-releases of the tracks “Bad Boy” and “Touch Me” have been celebrated by fans, who all have one question: “What’s next?” First time on CD and Vinyl and now in-stores!

LIMITED POSTER EDITION (stickers included)

The Acid Machines series is back with its third electrifying release! Dedicated to the darker side of acid techno, this VA compilation is primed to ignite dancefloors and leave a lasting impression on any rave.

Leading the charge, G303 returns with a gripping opener. Starting with an entrancing breakbeat, the track seamlessly transitions into a thunderous four-on-the-floor rhythm, underpinned by resonant basslines that drive its powerful energy forward.

Acidupdub follows with "Steampunk," a masterclass in atmospheric tension and energy. The track evolves from a deep, pulsating low-end into a relentless techno anthem, featuring hypnotic 303 sequences and immersive basslines that demand attention.

New to the Acid Machines family, Citric Acid makes a stunning debut as a resident artist with "Damage" This one-take analog acid experience is a whirlwind of raw, unfiltered energy and pure acid techno brilliance, showcasing Citric Acid's exceptional production skills.

Acid Machines Vol. 3 is a must-have for fans of dark acid techno. Out now on Zodiak Commune Records. Unleash the acid and let the machines take control!

Hailed by Pitchfork for his “ambient, intimate…songs that blossom gently with intricate musical details and enigmatic lyrics,” Conner Youngblood gained early acclaim with a series of self-released singles and EPs before breaking out internationally with his 2018 full-length debut, Cheyenne, which fused electronic and analog elements into a lush mix of bedroom pop and chamber folk. Youngblood toured the record heavily until 2020, when the pandemic forced him off the road and, hungry for fresh inspiration, he began enrolling in Russian, Danish, Spanish, and Japanese language lessons. He didn’t realize it at the time, but those classes weren’t just expanding his vocabulary, they were laying the groundwork for his most ambitious, experimental album yet: Cascades, Cascading, Cascadingly.
 
Written and recorded at home in Nashville, the collection is a dreamy series of meditations steeped in desire and yearning, loneliness and loss, exhilaration and escape. The lyrics blur the lines between fact and fiction, toying with magical realism and outright abstraction in various languages, and the arrangements are surreal and cinematic to match, hinting at everything from Cocteau Twins to Atoms For Peace. In addition to producing and engineering, Youngblood played every instrument on the album himself, and the result is a pure, unfiltered journey deep into the subconscious of a relentlessly curious artist, one with a boundless imagination and an insatiable appetite for sonic exploration. 

Incl. huge Barac remix. Welcome to an odyssey that only those with a unique understanding can embark on. We have gathered these artists to transport you to a world of fantasy, where anything is possible. Join us on this journey of sensations.

Argentine artist Nektar Agu unlocks this enigmatic path, where you may come face to face with your deepest fears. Are you ready? By grasping the essence of Leviosa, you will come to appreciate the magnificent masterpiece created by Barac. It is an honor for us to present this historic sound on our label—we still can’t quite believe it ourselves. The Romanian artist continues this journey with his signature sound, leaving us speechless as we follow him into the unknown. Closing the experience, Forty Eyes—a collaboration between our label owner, Lucas Moss, and Nektar Agu—immerses us in a pure atmosphere of grace, offering a breath of clarity after this bewildering passage through auditory flavors.

New York house music hero Joe Claussell reinvigorates the Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra’s legacy of timeless, no-holds-barred disco anthems, with an exclusive Record Store Day 12” release, reimagining the title track from the disco supergroups’ Black Sun album.

With his unique ability to harness the deep, spiritual power of dance music, Claussell transforms Black Sun into an emotionally charged, ecstatic odyssey, with the soaring vocals of Heidi Vogel guaranteed to further elevate dance floors into a state of pure, unbridled frenzy.

Since the orchestra’s acclaimed debut in 2014, The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra—which hosts esteemed members including original members of Azymuth Jose Roberto Bertrami and Alex Malheiros—has enlisted an illustrious roster of remixers over the years, including John Morales, Theo Parrish, Al Kent and DJ Spinna. Claussell’s remixes continue this tradition, with a one-off, limited edition 12” release for Record Store Day 2025.

The Ibex Band, with Giovanni Rico and Selam Woldemariam at the creative helm, provided the musical backbone for legends like Aster Aweke, Girma Beyene, Tilahun Gessesse, Mulatu Astatke, and Mahmoud Ahmed, including the iconic album Ere Mela Mela, shaping modern Ethiopian music as we know it today. This 1976 album (Ge’ez Year 1968) played a pivotal role in that legacy and has now resurfaced to set the record straight.

There’s a tendency to talk about the seventies as a golden age of Ethiopian music. There are good reasons for that, and just as good reasons against it. However, the notion of a golden past privileges the role of Western explorers and suggests that the pinnacle of Ethiopia’s musical culture is something only a foreigner can appreciate and unearth. It downplays the complexities of Ethiopia’s culture and history, creating an artificial divide between then and now. And it underestimates the constantly evolving sound that has followed.

The legendary musical outfit The Ibex Band, later metamorphosed into The Roha Band, has played a central role in defining the sound of many of the greatest stars on the music scene of Ethiopia from the mid-seventies onwards–but their golden output has never really waned. The story of the origins of the band that provided the musical backbone for greats such as Aster Aweke, Girma Beyene, Tilahun Gessesse, backing the solo career of group member Mahmoud Ahmed as well as backing Mulatu Astatke and many others has yet to be properly told.

Two misconceptions plague the image of Ethiopian music, one is that the music is pure because it is, by some notion, unexploited, the other is that it is all traditional. To begin with, a combination of political changes between the late sixties and the mid-nineties created an environment where only the most dedicated and skilled musicians struggled on and pursued a musical career against fierce odds. The whole Ibex Band, with Giovanni Rico and Selam “Selamino” Seyoum Woldermarian at the creative helm, are arguably the origo of the vibrant scene in the mid-seventies, and the said pair are foremost responsible for not only navigating the band through troubled times, but also modernizing the 6/8 chickchicka rhythm to a contemporary form. Giovanni laid the rhythmic foundation with heavy looped basslines that reinvented traditional melodies as dance music, and with Selamino’s innovative guitar work they influenced scores of musicians from Abegaz Kibrework Shiota to Henock Temesgen. Even Giovanni’s Fender bass and Selamino’s Gibson guitar inspired younger musicians in their choice of instruments. Not only in choice of instruments but also in sound–even as the digital revolution hit Ethiopian music, a lot of popular music still took its cue from the masters from Ibex and Roha.

Ibex emerged out of the ashes of the sixties group the Soul Echos band, adding Giovanni and Selamino to their ranks and taking their cues from a slew of influences, such as Motown and The Beatles, fused with traditional music. A tighter-knit unit than most bands at the time – Ibex has remained six to seven members throughout their whole career, compared to many bands that were as large as fifteen or sixteen men strong when Ibex set out. Their playing has been viciously focused, economical yet heavy. Just a year before the recording sessions of the album in your hands, Giovanni and Selamino made a contribution to the popular musical lexicon of Ethiopia that was simply defining the popular sound: their arrangement and recording of bandmate Mahmoud Ahmed’s solo effort and real commercial breakthrough tune and eponymous album, Ere Mela Mela, from 1975.

Selamino has never limited himself to being an adroit lead guitarist, but has always been a scholar of history, and as such he has probably contributed as much to modern Ethiopian music with his guitar playing and compositions as with a deepened understanding of modern or contemporary – Zemenawi – Ethiopian music. Selamino’s contributions serve as a metaphor for those of the whole band, at one and the same time creating and defining a new, danceable and updated sound anchored in Giovanni’s bass, whilst also elevating the broader scene through their support for others on the scene and on top of that, increasing the understanding of the music.

There is an understandable desire to romanticize the musical heyday Ibex and Roha were at the forefront of, because so much of the output is sorrowfully hard to come by. Ibex creativity was nothing short of ridiculously fierce compared to many of their Western contemporaries. Based on their sheer recorded output alone they could have usurped the title “hardest working in show business” from James Brown, recording more than 250 albums or 2500 songs in the seventies and eighties. Some only surface as cassettes today, others were never given full LP release, and some are simply impossible to find today. In the light of that, it’s nothing short of a miracle that the recording Stereo Instrumental Music from 1976 (Ge’ez Year 1968) has resurfaced. Unearthed in perfect condition on a chrome cassette, this is musical history comes alive–to set the future straight. Stereo Instrumental Music was recorded in collaboration with Karl-Gustav Lundgren, a Swedish national working for the Radio Voice of the Gospel. It took two sessions at the Ras Hotel ballroom in Addis Ababa. The Ibex Band was the first band in Ethiopia to employ a four-track recorder for their recording (the first available in the country, lent by Karl-Gustav). Later the same week, Giovanni and Selamino realized that, lengthwise, the recorded material fell short of what they wished for, so they recorded four more tracks in one more session on a single-track recorder. The Ras Hotel and Ghion Hotel, where the Ibex Band held musical residencies were to Ethiopia in general and Addis Ababa in particular what Motown was to the USA and Detroit a few years earlier – a hotbed of musical creativity and showmanship.

The most astonishing thing about Ethiopian music of the last half century is how tradition and modernity are intertwined. Because of this feature, it’s kind of hard to tell when there ever was or when we are in a “golden age”. So much of music from the past has been criminally neglected, but because of the hardships in the past, it would be an oversimplification to say that said past was a golden age. Probably, the golden age is what we are approaching, because for the first time both the past and future are accessible, and the monumental contributions from before can lay a firm foundation for a thriving music scene today. The Ibex Band stands firmly in the past, present and the future. That, if anything, is golden.

The detailed history of Stereo Instrumental Music is in many ways unique. To begin with, it couldn’t have been recorded earlier (there were no four-track recorders available) and it really couldn’t have been recorded afterwards either, at least not in the years directly following, because of the toll the musical scene took from the unfavorable political climate that followed when the nascent Derg regime and rival groups tried to assert themselves, the musical equipment lent from The Voice of Gospel Radio simply disappeared from Ethiopia when the radio station folded in 1977. Karl-Gustav Lundgren,
the Swedish foreign national who assisted during the recording, worked with the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus at the time, recalls how they only had about fifteen minutes to get the microphones in place for the recording as to not alert neither the management at Ras Hotel nor the authorities and most importantly, to complete the recording before the curfew came into effect at midnight. In leaping to the opportunity to use previously unavailable equipment to push their sound forward and improvising to meet the logistical challenges, the Ibex Band displayed the very avant-gardism and adaptability that explains their longevity as a band through the years. The recording of Stereo Instrumental Music is from a given time in history, but it sounds as beyond time.
Much of the energy that burst out of the scene that Stereo Instrumental Music came out of dissipated or got sidetracked during the societal changes Ethiopia went through in the 1970s and 80s. Whilst leaders might have professed to be revolutionary, the work ethic of the Ibex Band can truly be described as that. They never called it quits, but adapted, toured extensively abroad in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, and found ways to work even in the face of the curfew that curtailed a lot of musical life. They even played major arenas in the nineteen eighties, despite said curfew and restrictions. The whole extent of their legacy has never been told, but their music speaks louder than words, so therefore… tune in to the Ibex Band’s Stereo Instrumental Music.

If there's a group in this age that faithfully carries the torch of real group soul harmony, it must be these three cats from the US west coast by the name of Thee Baby Cuffs. Currently composed of Joe Narvaez and Reality Jonez, the trio prances on the stage with their new song "There Ain't Enough Roses". Produced together with the Timmion house band Cold Diamond & Mink, these gentlemen lay down pure soulful romantics enough to fill a jacuzzi. Even though they seem to be walking out from the candy and flower shop empty handed to meet their lover, they are equipped with lyrics and falsetto flows that can melt any heart. Continuing with their tried and tested downtempo ballad style, Thee Baby Cuffs deliver a soul boulder just as potent as their previous Timmion releases "My My Baby" and "You're My Reason", not to forget the brilliant work that they have put out on the Raza Del Soul label from California. So hop on in the passenger's seat and let Thee Baby Cuffs serenade you all the way to the sunset. In case you're more for the instrumentals, flip the single over to reveal the flute-led version that'll send you to that sweet Steve Parks lowrider territory in no time.

If there's a group in this age that faithfully carries the torch of real group soul harmony, it must be these three cats from the US west coast by the name of Thee Baby Cuffs. Currently composed of Joe Narvaez and Reality Jonez, the trio prances on the stage with their new song "There Ain't Enough Roses". Produced together with the Timmion house band Cold Diamond & Mink, these gentlemen lay down pure soulful romantics enough to fill a jacuzzi. Even though they seem to be walking out from the candy and flower shop empty handed to meet their lover, they are equipped with lyrics and falsetto flows that can melt any heart. Continuing with their tried and tested downtempo ballad style, Thee Baby Cuffs deliver a soul boulder just as potent as their previous Timmion releases "My My Baby" and "You're My Reason", not to forget the brilliant work that they have put out on the Raza Del Soul label from California. So hop on in the passenger's seat and let Thee Baby Cuffs serenade you all the way to the sunset. In case you're more for the instrumentals, flip the single over to reveal the flute-led version that'll send you to that sweet Steve Parks lowrider territory in no time.

Die vielleicht größte Herausforderung für jeden Musiker ist es, zu lernen, als Künstler zu wachsen und sein Repertoire zu erweitern und gleichzeitig eine kohärente, übergreifende Vision für die eigene Arbeit beizubehalten. Seit ihren Anfängen und über die Spanne von drei Alben hinweg haben Blackwater Holylight stets eine Aura, als ob die Mitglieder der Band sowohl den Raum als auch das Vehikel gefunden hätten, ihre emotionale Abwehr zu senken, indem sie ihre Position mit purer klanglicher Kraft verstärken. Diese anhaltend eindringliche und bezaubernde Qualität hat sich in einer Vielzahl von Ansätzen manifestiert. Gleichermaßen versiert in Doom-Riffs, narkotischen Neo-Folk-Melodien, lysergischen psychedelischen Streifzügen und zerklüftetem Art-Rock-Abrieb, decken Blackwater Holylight mit ihrem Arsenal an Gitarre, Bass, Schlagzeug, Synthesizer und Stimme ein breites Spektrum an Klangfarben ab. Auf ihrer neuesten EP If You Only Knew gehen Blackwater Holylight den eingeschlagenen Weg konsequent weiter. Letztlich ist "If You Only Knew" ein mutiger Schritt, der die Ungewissheit im Privatleben der Bandmitglieder widerspiegelt. der Bandmitglieder widerspiegelt.

Here comes a very special production from East Germany of the early 70s!
One of the TOP Soul-Jazz & Beat combos in the country led by bassist and singer HORST KRÜGER,
recorded two previously unreleased, outrageously good titles here in the newly formed septet format.
"Ich will die Zeit nicht bereuen" is probably by far one of the most crispy produced German-language soul beat numbers that existed in the GDR at that time! From the pen of Ralf Petersen, the then head of Berliner Rundfunk personally, no pure high-class hit was recorded here, but hard-hitting, rocking beat.
It was not without reason that the choice of the head of broadcasting fell on the recently formed Horst Krüger Septet, which also gave the contemporary jazzy sound a perfect touch through an intensified brass section from 1970 on.
The title "Sonderbar" is exactly what its title promises, peculiar and extraordinary. A feat that was created as such in 1972. This somewhat sweeter SoulJazz vocal piece had a concrete idea, which composers Dieter Kopf, Horst Krüger and Franz Bartzsch as a musical arranger as well as Jens Gerlach in the musical free spirit of the hippiesque era. A through the stylistic device of Repetito in the text
dominant repetition, which is complicated in the context of the ever-evolving theme about feelings and love Groove of bass, guitar, drums and organ theme is reflected, redefined and constantly found again, simply masterfully. An interlude with a flute solo and a groovy dreamy Hammond organ solo at the end of the title, envelops the verses very contemporary.
Horst Krüger on bass guitar and his wife Gerti Möller with her outstandingly distinctive and powerful voice on the microphone.
A must for every fan of early beat, rock and soul!