quête:rhythm bo

Two jewels in the crown of the soulful electronic music scene in NYC unite for a spellbinding EP on Rhythm Section International. ”Full Circle” is a brand new body of work from Musclecars & Toribio.

To call this 12” simply epic would almost be doing it a disservice. The breadth of musicality and execution of ideas contained across 3 compositions is nothing short of miraculous. I use the word composition intentionally: these are not merely tracks - these are 3 movements making up a concerto - with a dub thrown in for good measure!

The record kicks off with a soulful house behemoth, “ That’s My Story” featuring NJ legend Roland Clark on vocals giving sweet sweet testimony. In many ways, this track feels like a coming together of the trios influences. The lyrics contextualise it, giving it this intimate, confessional feel. The latin drums shuffling amidst the 909 kick drive it forward and the organ swimming freely amongst it all takes us to church. It’s a timeless track - paying homage to the various New York traditions laid down by Louis Vega, Timmy Regisford, Joaquin Claussell , Ron Trent et al - all heroes and collaborators of the composers who - with this effort - have surely now earned their place in the pantheon of American Soul Music.
‘
Be Honest’ maintains the confessional tone with the lyrics but takes things right back down in terms of tempo. Is it a love song, an ultimatum or a cry for help? Whichever way you interpret it, this track is Toribio’s time to shine as a lead vocalist and he hits all the notes, leaving not a dry eye in the house. This is a delicate tour de force, delivered with such raw emotion and vulnerability it allows the instrumentation takes a back seat - just a gentle groove, swelling strings and some unresolved chords are all that’s required to transform us to the main character of this story. We’re left hanging, and it’s oh so relatable.

Agua De Florida serves as an uplifting, fast paced finale to the concerto and this one’s all about the trumpet - masterfully performed by Melbourne born, London based virtuoso Audrey Powne. If Herb Alpert was making house music - I imagine this is what it would sound like. Throbbing bass and noodling synths join the melee and crank the joy up to 11. If the EP is a story arc over 3 tracks, then we’re definitely not left hanging with this one. All is resolved, things are moving onwards and upwards and the circle is complete.

A mutant beat manifesto from Miami luminaries Jonathan Trujillo (Jonny from Space) and Pablo Arrangoiz (El Gusano, DJ Fitness, Baüzer Vep), Crespi Drum Syndicate’s Colada Talk follows the duo’s debut on Sonido Isla with a freshly freaked collection of percussive oddities. Rooted in foundational clave rhythms and avant-garde experimentation, Crespi Drum Syndicate emerges from the amphibious underbelly of Miami’s Latin-infused club scene with their singular electro-acoustic vision.

Extensive live recording sessions, free improvisation, and a ritualistic studio practice

— countless hours spent twisting and rearranging sounds from found objects and Buchla modular systems — coalesce into new rhythmic forms. Atonal saxophone, bass clarinet, and slide whistle further expand upon Trujillo and Arrangoiz’s ever-evolving sonic palette, while NYC’s AceMo lends a hand on the heavily syncopated “Siu,” and closer “Boubow” might be the duo’s most hook-driven production to date with its mangled pop vocal and lewd drum-line bounce.

Landing somewhere between Steve Reich’s polyrhythmic “Six Marimbas,” Moebius & Plank’s industrial Krautrock sessions, and Ricardo Villalobos’ hypnotic techno minimalism, Colada Talk delivers on a world of subtropical rhythmic futurism and experimental body music that’s as heady as it is culo-shaking.

In the rapidly shifting tectonic plates of the global Afrobeats scene, few arrivals have been as seismic as that of Ahmed Ololade—better known to the world as Asake. With his breakout project Mr. Money With The Vibe, the artist didn’t merely debut; he effectively recalibrated the tempo of the Nigerian pop soundscape. The EP functions as a masterclass in synthesis, pulling from the ornate, percussive history of Fuji music and grafting it onto the driving, bass-heavy architectures of contemporary Amapiano. It is a calculated, deeply rhythmic hybridization that manages to feel both nostalgic and jarringly modern.

From a critical vantage point, Mr. Money With The Vibe is defined by its brevity and density. Asake treats each track as a focused vignette, utilizing a vocal delivery that oscillates between a melodic, almost liturgical chant and the staccato urgency of a Lagos street orator. The production—characterized by sharp, frenetic percussion and deceptively simple melodic loops—creates a high-intensity atmosphere that mirrors the relentless pace of urban life. He avoids the pitfall of bloated experimentation; instead, he doubles down on a "street-pop" ethos, prioritizing accessibility without sacrificing the complex rhythmic interplay that gives the genre its distinctive texture.

Ultimately, Mr. Money With The Vibe stands as a pivotal document of the current era, capturing the transition of Afrobeats from a regional powerhouse to a dominant global force. By blending the aspirational "hustle culture" narrative with an increasingly sophisticated sonic palette, Asake established a blueprint that has since influenced a new wave of artists. The project is a testament to the idea that authenticity, when paired with relentless precision, remains the most effective currency in contemporary music.

GiGi FM is going back to her first love, Jungle. It’s one of the defining genres that shaped her journey into music. The DJ, music producer, dancer and poet is releasing her first jungle EP, Shelter Our Time on her label Sea-rène.



Following her 2025 techno EP Virgo Space Acid, GiGi FM turns inward on these 5 deeply personal, pop-infused liquid drum & bass tracks. It also marks the first time GiGi prominently centers her own lyrics and singing at the emotional core that thread the rhythm and movement of the music.



Written during a period of enforced stillness, the record became a form of transportation to imaginary realms; warm sunsets, liquid horizons and underwater dreamscapes that became portals to spaces where GiGi’s mind could still move freely.



Beyond its warmth, Shelter Our Time became a space of processing. The music acted as a catalyst – transforming experience into rhythm, memory into melody. For GiGi, music has always been a form of therapy, a way to metabolize life in real time. As she puts it, “It’s about learning to hold joy and pain in the same body and choosing to keep dancing anyway.”

In the early 1990s, as techno began to emerge from the shadows of New Beat and EBM, a number of tracks crossed over into wider club circulation, helping define the sound of a new era. Among them was “Fingerfoc” by Friends Of Carlotta, the project of German producer Volker Then.

Originally released in 1990 on ZYX Records, “Fingerfoc / Alles Klar” quickly achieved cult status. Both tracks are driven by punchy drum machine patterns, sharp synth stabs and looping vocal fragments, combining the rhythmic directness of New Beat with the emerging minimalism of techno. “Fingerfoc” stands out for its hypnotic repetition and stripped-down structure, while “Alles Klar” takes a slightly more playful, rhythmic approach. Together, they capture the raw, functional club aesthetic of the early 1990s.

Limited to 300 copies on black vinyl and 200 copies on crystal silver vinyl, this new edition of “Fingerfoc / Alles Klar” pairs the original mixes with two previously unreleased remixes and two previously unheard recordings, offering a broader glimpse into the project's output during this formative period.

In the early 1990s, as techno began to emerge from the shadows of New Beat and EBM, a number of tracks crossed over into wider club circulation, helping define the sound of a new era. Among them was “Fingerfoc” by Friends Of Carlotta, the project of German producer Volker Then.

Originally released in 1990 on ZYX Records, “Fingerfoc / Alles Klar” quickly achieved cult status. Both tracks are driven by punchy drum machine patterns, sharp synth stabs and looping vocal fragments, combining the rhythmic directness of New Beat with the emerging minimalism of techno. “Fingerfoc” stands out for its hypnotic repetition and stripped-down structure, while “Alles Klar” takes a slightly more playful, rhythmic approach. Together, they capture the raw, functional club aesthetic of the early 1990s.

Limited to 300 copies on black vinyl and 200 copies on crystal silver vinyl, this new edition of “Fingerfoc / Alles Klar” pairs the original mixes with two previously unreleased remixes and two previously unheard recordings, offering a broader glimpse into the project's output during this formative period.

In the early 1990s, at the intersection of New Beat, early techno and EBM, a wave of raw, experimental club music emerged from Germany—dark, mechanical and often strangely playful. Among its most distinctive voices was Scrot, the project of producer Lars Janzik (Base Scan, Decade V, Technoline).

Originally released on ZYX Records, Scrot’s three seminal singles—“Teufelsrhythmus”, “Der Rhythmusmensch” and “Der Amokläufer”—captured a unique moment in early European techno. Built on hypnotic drum machine patterns, lo-fi sequencing and spoken-word German samples, these tracks combined industrial textures and unconventional vocal treatments with early techno production techniques and a peculiar sense of humor.

Limited to 300 copies on black vinyl and 200 copies on orange vinyl, and accompanied by an exclusive postcard, “Teufel & Mensch” brings together some of the project’s most iconic tracks and remixes, alongside the previously unreleased Knauer Remix of “Teufelsrhythmus”.

More than a retrospective, “Teufel & Mensch” stands as a document of a transitional era—when techno was still forming its identity, and artists like Scrot were pushing its boundaries into strange and uncompromising territory.

In the early 1990s, at the intersection of New Beat, early techno and EBM, a wave of raw, experimental club music emerged from Germany—dark, mechanical and often strangely playful. Among its most distinctive voices was Scrot, the project of producer Lars Janzik (Base Scan, Decade V, Technoline).

Originally released on ZYX Records, Scrot’s three seminal singles—“Teufelsrhythmus”, “Der Rhythmusmensch” and “Der Amokläufer”—captured a unique moment in early European techno. Built on hypnotic drum machine patterns, lo-fi sequencing and spoken-word German samples, these tracks combined industrial textures and unconventional vocal treatments with early techno production techniques and a peculiar sense of humor.

Limited to 300 copies on black vinyl and 200 copies on orange vinyl, and accompanied by an exclusive postcard, “Teufel & Mensch” brings together some of the project’s most iconic tracks and remixes, alongside the previously unreleased Knauer Remix of “Teufelsrhythmus”.

More than a retrospective, “Teufel & Mensch” stands as a document of a transitional era—when techno was still forming its identity, and artists like Scrot were pushing its boundaries into strange and uncompromising territory.

Bonafique return to Crosstown Rebels with ‘Terapia’, featuring Yuvèe and a standout remix from Josh Baker.

Out on 5th June 2026, the duo delivers a hypnotic release remixed by one of the most in-demand names in modern house music. Following their debut appearance on the label’s ‘SPIRITS VII’ compilation in 2025, Bonafique return to Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels imprint with a fully realised statement in the form of their ‘Terapia’ EP. With an instinct-driven studio process and emotionally charged sound, the duo continues to refine a style rooted in hypnotic groove, stripped-back club energy, and warped, psychedelic textures - perfectly exemplified across both solo and collaborative offerings here.

Lead cut ‘Profill’, crafted alongside previous collaborator and close friend Yuvèe, travels through tightly coiled rhythmic tension and driving low-end pressure, balancing intensity with restraint in a way that feels raw yet deliberate. Yuvèe’s background informs the track’s direction, bringing a sense of musical discipline that bridges composition and club functionality, adding an understated yet vital layer to Bonafi que’s vision.

On remix duties, You&Me boss Josh Baker makes a notable Crosstown Rebels debut, stepping in as one of the most in-demand figures in contemporary house music. His reinterpretation reshapes the original into a sharp peak-time weapon, injecting spiralling melodies and controlled pressure while retaining its hypnotic core. Closing the release, title track ‘Terapia’ offers Bonafique’s solo excursion of the EP and strips things back into deeper territory, unfolding through atmospheric layers and evolving rhythmic detail to off er a more introspective counterpart to the energy of ‘Profill’.

Mit Africanism Vol. 5 kehrt das legendäre Afro-House-Kollektiv rund um Bob Sinclar zurück und präsentiert ein kraftvolles, globales Club-Statement voller Rhythmus, Identität und musikalischer Verbindung. Das Album vereint herausragende Produzenten und Artists wie DJ Gregory, Moonlight Benjamin, Boddhi Satva, Arkadyan, Jesús Fernández, Bonga u. v. a. in zwölf Tracks, die moderne House-Produktionen mit afrikanischer Energie, traditionellen Instrumenten und organischen Grooves verschmelzen lassen. Von der voodoo-getränkten Intensität von "Zanmi Kanmarad" über die angolanische Tiefenwärme von "Mulemba Xangola" bis hin zum treibenden Club-Momentum von "Block Party (Baron Remix)" oder "Salsa House" liefert Africanism Vol. 5 ein Panorama aktueller Afro-House-Kultur. Die musikalische Bandbreite reicht von haitianischer Soul-Elektronik über pan-afrikanische Percussion bis zu modernen House-Arrangements mit französischer Produktionshandschrift. Ein hochkarätiges Producer-Album, das die DNA des Africanism-Sounds konsequent fortschreibt: international, zeitgemäß, tanzbar und voller musikalischer Identität.

Diese Doppel-Vinyl-Compilation lädt ein in die warme, entspannte Welt des Lo-Fi-Sounds - eine Musik, die entschleunigt, Atmosphäre schafft und Nähe erzeugt. Versammelt sind prägende Künstler des Genres, die Lo-Fi, Downtempo, Jazz-Einflüsse und elektronische Gelassenheit miteinander verbinden. Mit Beiträgen von FKJ, Darius, Kid Loco, St Germain, The Mighty Bop, DJ Cam, DJ Spinna und weiteren wichtigen Namen entsteht ein vielschichtiges Panorama zwischen organischen Grooves, sanften Beats und subtilen Melodien. Die Auswahl richtet sich gleichermaßen an langjährige Liebhaber wie an neue Hörer, die Lo-Fi als eigenständige, zeitlose Form elektronischer Musik entdecken möchten. Ein stimmiger, sorgfältig kuratierter Sampler für entspannte Hörsituationen, stilbewusste Sets und alle, die elektronische Musik lieber fühlen als konsumieren. ENGThis double-vinyl compilation invites listeners into the warm, comforting world of lo-fi music - a sound defined by relaxed rhythms, organic textures and understated emotion. Featuring leading artists of the genre, the collection blends downtempo beats, jazz influences and laid-back electronic production. With tracks by FKJ, Darius, Kid Loco, St Germain, The Mighty Bop, DJ Cam, DJ Spinna and others, the album offers a broad yet coherent overview of lo-fi aesthetics. It appeals both to seasoned listeners and newcomers seeking a timeless, atmosphere-driven listening experience. A carefully curated selection designed for calm moments, focused listening and stylish musical environments

Although humankind has made it to the far side of the Moon and back, there is still more to discover. Strap in… Rex The Dog is taking us further out into the lesser-known realms of space disco.

‘Far Out!’ is a reinterpretation of an early breakbeat rave tune from 1991 by Son’z Of A Loop Da Loop Era. It’s a tribute to a simpler time when all you needed was a cascading piano riff played through a powerful sound system, with your best friend by your side.

In Rex’s version, the breakbeats and piano have been replaced with a punchy 4/4 beat and an arpeggiated synth workout that cuts through the air like a laser. Houston, we have a hit.

‘I Need Your Body’ showcases Rex The Dog’s more introspective side, with yearning vocals spread across a heavily bouncing rhythm track full of mind-boggling dub effects.

This new EP cements Rex The Dog’s status as a unique voice in today’s techno world, as well as an incredibly reliable purveyor of highly emotional dancefloor smash hits.
Obwohl die Menschheit es bereits bis zur Rückseite des Mondes und wieder zurück geschafft hat, gibt es noch immer Neues zu entdecken. Schnallt euch an … Rex The Dog entführt uns noch weiter in die weniger bekannten Gefilde des Space Disco.

„Far Out!“ ist eine Neuinterpretation eines frühen Breakbeat Rave Tracks aus dem Jahr 1991 von Son’z Of A Loop Da Loop Era. Es ist eine Hommage an eine einfachere Zeit, in der man nur ein kaskadenartiges Piano-Riff brauchte, abgespielt über ein kraftvolles Soundsystem, mit dem besten Freund an der Seite.

In Rex’ Version wurden die Breakbeats und das Piano durch einen druckvollen 4/4-Beat und ein arpeggiertes Synth-Riff ersetzt, das wie ein Laser durch die Luft schneidet. Houston, wir haben einen Hit.

„I Need Your Body“ zeigt die eher introspektive Seite von Rex The Dog, mit sehnsüchtigem Gesang, der sich über einen heftig bouncenden Rhythmus-Track voller verblüffender Dub-Effekte erstreckt.

Diese neue EP festigt Rex The Dogs Status als einzigartige Stimme in der heutigen Techno-Welt sowie als unglaublich zuverlässiger Lieferant hoch emotionaler Dancefloor Smash Hits.

Back on Planet Sneaker with his infectious, raw-as-sushi take on UK funky, French MPC maverick Kaval presents another four-strong salvo of wavey 4/4 workouts heavy on the drums and loaded with ear-snagging hooks. The past year saw the Toulouse scene stalwart launch his own KVLDUBS 12” series and appear on Parisian label Nowadays.

Kaval certainly sounds in fine fettle as he bowls back our way, kicking off proceedings with the air horn x bass squelch firestarter ‘Lavawheel’. It’s loaded with such hefty squarewave low end it feels like it could fall out the bottom of the speaker at any minute, all the while stamped down by a bouncy UKF thump. ‘Basement Woi’ twists up a knottier rhythm, but the cheeky vocal samples keep flying out of the mix to keep the vibe infectious.

On the B side, ‘Sonic Boom’ has a slightly more techno-spirited demeanour to the production, albeit never at the expense of the hefty subs. That leaves it to ‘Tek Talk’ to mop up with a twitchy construction dancing on the edge of electro in the tweaked-out, early 00s spirit of the word. With bags of personality and equal amounts swagger and fun, on SNKR066 Kaval maintains his position as a free thinker for the possibilities springing from the UK funky formula.

A1. – Itch & Scratch 5.32

Smoove puts the spotlight firmly on the larger-than-life vocals of Rufus Thomas, peeling things back to reveal hard-hitting breakbeat drums from the very first bar, anchored by a relentless, pounding bassline. Punchy brass stabs and rolling keys collide with dirty funk guitar riffs, all stretched out into an extended rework built for maximum floor impact.

A.2 Bouncy Lady 5.06

A classic jazz-funk break from 1975 gets a fresh twist as Smoove reworks the structure into a groovy, extended build-up. Vocal chants and handclaps take the lead, while the original sax solo is stripped away and replaced by a raw bass-and-guitar workout. The focus shifts squarely to the rhythm section, letting the drums ride all the way to the finish—ending with the studio engineer’s off-mic murmur on the tape: “beautiful.”

B1. – For The Love Of You 6.57


The Isley Brothers classic gets a loving reworking, with the groove locked in tight and the keyboards pushed front and centre letting the drums and bass drive home the groove. Those iconic falsetto vocals are spine-tingling, from start to finish.

B.2– I’m Trying 4.48

Lush, soulful strings and a deep-groove piano line glide over this drum-driven reinterpretation, opening up the raw, emotive vocal breakdowns of Carla Thomas and Pervis Staples. Originally scored by Isaac Hayes, this rework digs deep into the multitracks, uncovering previously unheard moments and giving them room to breathe.

Back on the Discos Panorama series we head once again to Colombia, this time pairing two Afro-cumbia dancefloor weapons from Afrosound and Wganda Kenya — two giants of the late-’70s and early-’80s tropical scene.

Around this time Colombian studios, particularly those connected to Discos Fuentes, were beginning to push things forward. Traditional cumbia rhythms were still at the core, but now they were being driven by electric organs, synths, drum machines and fuzzed-out guitars. The result was something raw, hypnotic and incredibly rhythmic — records that feel almost proto-electronic, long before anyone would’ve used that word.

The two cuts on PAN014, originally released in 1978 and 1981, capture that moment perfectly. Rolling percussion, locked-in basslines and swirling keyboards create grooves that just keep building. They’re party records, no doubt about it, but there’s something else going on too — repetitive, driving, almost techno in spirit, the kind of tracks that can run for minutes and never lose the floor.

The A Side is the anthem, the B Side feels like it was lost on an LP…

Part of PANORAMA’s Discos Panorama series, this one continues the label’s focus on bringing essential Colombian dance music back to DJs and collectors. Carefully remastered and pressed on 7inch, these are the kinds of records that instantly change the temperature in a room.

Eine junge, innovative Sängerin und Songschreiberin sorgt ab sofort auf dem Verve Label für einen mitreißenden Mix aus Soul, brasilianischer Jazz-Fusion, Funk, Mexican Bolero und House-Einflüssen. Die in Chicago
lebende Sparklmami eröffnet ihr Debütalbum mit den Worten “You’re listening to Sparklmami radio“, und
zieht sofort hinein in eine Welt jenseits klarer Genregrenzen. Nach den digitalen Singles “running“ und
„fajas“ (2024) wird hier erstmals die ganze Tiefe ihrer künstlerischen Vision hörbar.
Sparklmami versteht ihre Musik als Gesamtkunstwerk, erschafft ein eigenes Universum geprägt von markantem Styling. Die visuellen Elemente spiegeln sich auch musikalisch wider: “in this body“ lebt von einer
brodelnden Rhythmusgruppe, vielschichtigen Keyboard-Arrangements, warmen Bläsern und einer Stimme,
die mühelos zwischen Gesang und Spoken Word wechselt.
Sparklmamis Texte folgen diesem Prinzip: Themen wie Identität, Herkunft und Selbstfindung werden nicht
erklärt, sondern erfahrbar gemacht. Gerade darin liegt die besondere Kraft dieses Albums – verletzlich,
eigenständig und mit einer künstlerischen Handschrift, die Aufmerksamkeit verdient.

Repress of 2018’s classic compilation from Brownswood.

A primer on London’s bright-burning young jazz scene, this new compilation brings together a collection of some of its sharpest talents. A set of nine newly-recorded tracks, We Out Here captures a moment where genre markers matter less than raw, focused energy. Looking at the album’s running order, it could easily serve as a name-checking exercise for some of London’s most-tipped and hardworking bands of the past couple of years. Recorded across three long, fruitful days in a North West London studio, the crossover between each of the groups speaks to the close-knit circles which make up the scene.

Surveying the way that London’s jazz-influenced music had spread outside of its usual spaces in recent years, this album bottles up some of the vital ideas emanating from that burgeoning movement. Giving a platform to a scene where mutual cooperation and a DIY spirit are second-nature, it’s a window into the wide-eyed future of London’s musical underground.

Ubiquitous, much-lauded saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings is the project’s musical director. His own recent projects span from South Africa-connected, spiritually-minded jazz players Shabaka and the Ancestors to Sons of Kemet, who match diasporically-connected compositions with viscerally-direct live shows. His entry on the album, ‘Black Skin, Black Masks’, is typically difficult-to-define: with an off-kilter, shifting rhythmic backbone, repeated phrases – mirrored between clarinet and bass clarinet – shape the track with an alluring hue. His input ties together a deft, genre-agnostic sensibility that’s shared through all the players on the record.

Theon Cross – who’s also part of Sons of Kemet with Hutchings – starts his track, ‘Brockley’, with the solo, distinctive low rumble of his tuba. Winding and mesmeric, it sees tuba and sax lines winding together in rhythmic and melodic parallels. Ezra Collective – whose drummer and bandleader Femi Koleoso has toured with Pharaohe Monch – run a tight, Afrobeat-tipped rhythm on ‘Pure Shade’, with the final third changing gear into a melodic, momentous closing stretch.

Joe Armon-Jones, whose ludicrous chops on the piano have seen him touring with the likes of Ata Kak, showcases earworm-like, insistent motifs on ‘Go See’, balanced with a playful, improvisatory approach with room for ad-libbing and solos a-plenty. Taking a softer tact than many of the other entries, Kokoroko – whose guitarist Oscar Jerome has been making waves with his solo material – spin a lyrical, steady-paced meditation on ‘Abusey Junction’, matching chanted vocals with gently-played guitar.

Nodding to spiritual jazz influences, Maisha’s ‘Inside The Acorn’ is a wandering, explorative rumination, balancing delicate washes of piano and percussion with sharp interplay between flute and bass clarinet. In contrast, Nubya Garcia’s ‘Once’ is taut and carefully-poised, her tenor sax guiding a carefully-built energy to an explosive conclusion. And finally, Triforce’s ‘Walls’ is a performance in two parts: starting with Mansur Brown’s languorous, lyrical guitar, the second half switches up to a low-slung, g-funk-tipped groove.

Split System, the Aussie group featuring Jackson Reid Briggs (Jackson Reid Briggs & The Heaters) on vocals and Arron Mawson (Stiff Richards) on guitar, took the punk world by storm with its debut EP this past spring. That was hardly surprising given the talent involved. But whatever my expectations were for Split System, the Melbourne-based outfit far exceeded them. Not just another "super group" (also on board are guitarist Ryan Webb Speed Week, bassist Deon Slaviero, and drummer Mitch McGregor [No Zu]), Split System is straight-up one of the most powerful and exciting punk rock and roll bands of recent memory. The band's EP was a smasher, and now debut album Vol. 1 emphatically follows suit. My god, this record is a monster! Essentially Split System's sound is classic Aussie punk. That may sound like nothing new, but this band executes the style with a force and fury rarely heard these days. It doesn't hurt that Jackson Reid Briggs is one of the best rock and roll screamers going. He's got a fire inside of him. Meanwhile, Mawson and Webb form one hell of a guitar tandem. And that rhythm section is insane. These are all brilliant players who come together to make an extraordinary band. Vol. 1 comes storming out of the gates with "The End" and never lets up. Of course we knew some of the previously-released tracks ("Hit Me," "Demolition," "Climbing") were going to rip. But the newer material is just as good and will just about melt your face off. Songs like "Ringing In My Head" and "Grip" are pure energy and ferocity, while closing track "Feelings" has a mellowed-out Saints feel. This band knows how to rock and roll, and there are literally no songs on this album that don't entirely kick ass. Sometimes we think of these all-star groups as "side projects," but such categorization would sell Split System woefully short. If we're talking about the top three or four punk bands in Australia right now, this has to be one of them! Josh Rutledge/ Faster and Louder

An absolute, hard-charging funk hammer from the Dap-Kings - an incredible instrumental co-written and co-produced by Dapper Bosco Mann and Kenny Dope! If "Nervous Like Me" has a title that reflects some kind of apprehension, the track is anything but! It's simply pummeling - with a rhythm that kicks out from some stealth bongo and rolling trap that build into some playful guitar and bass response until the horns crash and boom! The beats on the flip isolate the funky drums, providing a sizzling beat track.

Craig Clouse has devoted the past several decades to exploring a wide range of avant-garde avenues for his brainchild Shit & Shine. The monolithic riffs of raw and powerful psych'n'roll hysteria, the freeform dance miasma, sub-heavy electronica and the blissful stupidity crafted for ecstatic ascension: all perfectly-placed in the idiosyncratic world of Shit & Shine. There's also fertile soil for twisted noises in their lowest form, often obscured by groovier comrades in S&S releases yet vitally important for the substance of Clouse's compositional carcass and OOH-sounds has given him the required space to stretch out his longtime interest in developing loose structures and crackling landscapes to transcend his rhythmic comfort zone.

Making an enthusiastic transgression into noisy tones, "Joy Of Joys" has a friendly way of presenting difficult material. The rough and ready cheapo electronics sparkle in full electrifying mode, welding an ascetic gamut of aural hypnotics with a wormhole of uncompromising loop brut. Clanks, bangs, twangs and creeping, ragged globs of sound bloom on the bones of repetition to focus on the swinging stream of dirty anarchy. Stepping out of any context and genre disciplines, S&S finds new sonic trajectories in "Joy Of Joys" which perfectly sit in-between a wobbly cabal of international sub-underground acts: the idiot-avant strategies of LAFMS, early Mego bad digitalia, no-brow enthusiasm of Wolf Eyes family, micro-DIY ethos of Chocolate Monk and the sheer hellish nonsense of US noise circa '00s.

Clouse was already established as a landscape painter with a series of faux naïf paintings charmingly accompanying his releases. With his heart full of passion for abstract minimalism, he continued these narrative forms but was always in search of the confidence to paint non-figurative art. The first step into the chaotic abyss is coming from his sonic side by abandoning the beat and riff layers of his previous works to complete nakedness and reductionist courage. At once Clouse makes an evolutionary lurch into extremes as well as taking us back to basic forms in "Joy Of Joys". He creates an entire new parallel world to Shit & Shine with his maverick imagination presenting us with one of the most mutant releases to bear his name. Arthur Kuzmin

For its 9th release after its relaunch, Apnea Records proudly presents another ERP record, this time in the form of a 2x12" Album "Faded Caprice" is a mesmerizing journey into the heart of summer's fading glow. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, each track is a sonic tableau, capturing the essence of hot afternoons and wistful sunsets. E.R.P.'s signature blend of deep, cosmic funky electro gems resonates with emotional depth, inviting listeners to lose themselves in its hypnotic embrace. From the pulsating rhythms of "Miami Nice" to the introspective melodies of "Cape Earl "Faded Caprice" is a testament to E.R.P.'s artistry and vision. A testament to Gerard Hanson's music landscape, offering audiences a glimpse into the boundless possibilities of sound and emotion.

nobile, one half of the former Milanese duo Voronoi, presents a new series of recordings of ephemeral ambient soundscapes, organic throbs and broken rhythmic textures that sublimate the more instinctual and playful side of his poetics.


The project is haunted by cavernous sounds and an obsession with the 'netherworld' of the videogame Minecraft, and by Le Matin des Magiciens - the classic and revolutionary book that popularised occultism, alchemy and paranormal phenomena in the 1960s. "...FANTASTICO INTERIORE is" - as the artist puts it - "a fantastic journey inside the body, perhaps also a journey into the unconscious to understand my gastritis?"

The seven tracks traverse underworlds, infused with fantastic realism, where odd sounds materialise like poltergeists of digital folklore. Creepy voices emerge from the hell-like nether, intertwined with clusters of gelatinous percussive sounds that trudge to the surface. Earthy streams of crackling white noise carry volatile sonic particles that bounce off walls with short delays and reverberations, giving an almost visible form to the space.




But it is not always serious. As soon as you come across the curiously long titles of the tracks (which are rough translations of the Minecraft manual into Italian) a subtle irony emerges. The imagery appears to be harmless and eventually, as in a video game, you can switch to safe-mode and refill your health-bar along the way... 
No panic attacks in the soft-occultism of FANTASTICO INTERIORE ;)

"SABLE, fABLE" ist das fünfte Album des Projekts von Justin Vernon und enthält eine Liebesgeschichte, die mit üppiger, strahlender Popmusik unterlegt ist. Während das Album mit der verletzlichen Entlastung der im vorangegangenen Herbst erschienenen "SABLE," EP beginnt, geht das Triptychon nahtlos in eine neue, neunsongige Saga über, in der aus einer Person zwei werden, Dunkelheit sich in lachsfarbene Schönheit verwandelt und Traurigkeit in unbändige Freude umschlägt. Während SABLE eine karge und einsame Abrechnung mit einem Schmerz ist, der lange die Vergangenheit bestimmte, blickt fABLE in eine lebendige Zukunft voller Licht, Sinn und Möglichkeiten. "SABLE, fABLE" wurde von Justin Vernon und Jim-E Stack produziert und hauptsächlich in Vernons April Base in Wisconsin aufgenommen, nachdem das Studio während einer Renovierung jahrelang still lag. Das Konzept für das Album entstand am 22.2.22, als Stack mit Danielle Haim dort eintraf. Mehrere Tage lang eingeschneit, vereinten sich Vernons und Haims Stimmen auf "If Only I Could Wait", einem Duett mit entscheidender Perspektive, in dem es darum geht, dass man nicht die Kraft hat, die beste Version von sich selbst außerhalb des Glühens einer neuen Liebe zu sein. Wenn SABLE der Prolog war, ein Prolog in der Dunkelheit, eine kontrollierte Verbrennung, die den Weg für neue Möglichkeiten ebnet, dann ist fABLE das Buch, das folgt. Wo SABLE, ein Werk der Einsamkeit war, ist fABLE eine ausgestreckte Hand. Strahlende, verschnörkelte Popmusik umspielt Vernons Stimme, während er sich auf eine neue und schöne Ära konzentriert. Bei jedem Lied sind seine Augen auf eine bestimmte Person gerichtet. Es ist Liebe, was bedeutet, dass in fABLE eine intensive Klarheit, Konzentration und Ehrlichkeit herrscht. Es ist das Porträt eines Mannes, der von dieser ersten Begegnung überflutet und überwältigt ist ("Everything Is Peaceful Love"). Es ist ein Tableau, das von Sex und unbändigem Verlangen geprägt ist ("Walk Home"). Ein Mann, voller Licht und Tatendrang, der eine ganze Zukunft vor sich sieht. Verliebtheit hat etwas unbestreitbar Heilendes an sich, und die intensive Klarheit, Konzentration, Ehrlichkeit und Feierlichkeit, die sie in diese Songs bringt. Doch der Schatten von SABLE liegt noch immer in der Luft, und alte Gefühle können zurückkehren, selbst wenn man sich die Mühe gemacht hat, neu anzufangen. Wie in einer Fabel vermittelt jeder Track eine Lektion, und in fABLE geht es um den selbstlosen Rhythmus, der erforderlich ist, wenn man mit einer anderen Person verstrickt ist. Der vorletzte Song - und im weiteren Sinne das ganze Album - ist ein Versprechen. Er ist bereit, diesen Rhythmus zu finden.

New single by Romperayo on 7-inch vinyl spinning at 45 rpm, released by the Austrian label discos
elgozo.
This record is a tribute to the sound of Cumbia Sabanera de Acordeón from Colombia, in dialogue with
Mexico’s Cumbia Sonidera. It also pays homage to the melodic line of the first generation of
Colombian accordion masters of Cumbia Sabanera such as Joaquín Betín, Emiro Caicedo, and
Policarpo Calle.

The two tracks are built on a solid rhythmic foundation of bass and percussion, accompanying a
melodic interplay between accordion and analog synthesizer.Mixed and produced by Pedro Ojeda Acosta at Romperayo Studios, both songs were recorded live, in
quartet format, at Mambo Negro Studios in Bogotá, Colombia, by Daniel Michel, featuring Iván
Medellín on accordion, Nicolás Eckardt on electric bass, Juan Manuel Toro on analog synth, and Pedro
Ojeda on percussion.
This single offers a first taste of Romperayo’s upcoming LP, set for release in early 2026 — once again
on discos elgozo.

2026 Repress

Deetron is a venerated veteran who has been crafting sublime house and techno for three decades on a range of influential labels. 2025 brought another busy year for him, with another standout EP on Ilian Tape followed by his latest album which landed via Running Back in October. Back in 2024, he dropped his 'Translate Rhythms' EP on Mutual Rytm's X series and now takes charge of the second release on SHDW's new sub-label Mutual Rytm Raw - following the first 12" 'You And Me', which was a true summer anthem courtesy of KiNK & Raredub.

In its original form, the bright, expressive 'Flow' is a fulsome techno cut that pairs a driving rhythm with sophisticated synths. It sparkles with cosmic energy, while a textured, screwy lead winds through the mix and euphoric female vocals burst out to big emotional reactions. The 'Chord Dub' is a tight, bouncy rework with vamping chords lighting up the drums with real warmth and soul, while the 'Breakbeat Mix' fizzes with rich, old school energy. The dusty breakbeats demand physical reactions, while the pads bring a grand sense of scale and the vocals tug at the heart. All three are classy, effective and offer yet more timeless sounds.

Nach ihrem Debütalbum ,I" im Jahr 2023, das ihnen nationale Radiopräsenz, Auftritte bei großen Festivals und Europatourneen einbrachte, erweitert das Montrealer Art-Pop-Trio Bye Parula mit seinem zweiten Album ,Something Out of Nothing" seinen ästhetischen Horizont und widmet sich einem eher introspektiven Songwriting. Wie sein Vorgänger wurde ,Something Out of Nothing" von Robbie Kuster von Patrick Watson produziert und von Warren Spicer von Plants and Animals gemischt, aber das neue Album präsentiert auch ein Team von Mitwirkenden - darunter die Inuk-Sängerin und Songwriterin Elisapie, Adèle Trottier-Rivard von Bibi Club, Morgan Moore und Karkwa-Keyboarder François Lafontaine -, das von der wachsenden Bedeutung von Bye Parula in der kanadischen Indie-Szene zeugt. Das Ergebnis ist eine vielseitige Mischung, die sich aus dem orchestralen Funk von Serge Gainsbourg, den melancholischen Melodien von Elliott Smith, den weltlichen Rhythmen von Talking Heads und dem bodenständigen R&B von Dijon speist, allesamt durchdrungen von einer cineastischen Sensibilität der 70er Jahre, die die Grenze zwischen sonnendurchfluteter, weichgezeichneter Fantasie und urbaner Raffinesse verwischt. Doch die vergnügungssüchtigen Klänge von ,Something Out of Nothing" können die unter der Oberfläche lauernde Not nicht verdecken - dies ist ein Album, das Ihre Schultern musikalisch massiert, während es Ihnen textlich in die Magengrube schlägt.

Acclaimed producer, DJ, and dancefloor healer Octo Octa (Maya Bouldry-Morrison) announces her fourth full-length album, Sigils For Survival. Following 2013's Between Two Selves, 2017's Where Are We Going?, and 2019's Resonant Body, the new record marks a decade since Maya publicly came out as transgender in November 2015. ''As an autobiographical artist, I set out to write an album that would be a milestone for this past decade of joy and sorrow,'' Maya explains. ''Sigils For Survival is my attempt to encapsulate the intentions and techniques that I used to move through life into a spell.'' For each of the record's eight tracks, Maya drew a sigil. Each is a personal symbol intended to ''bind magic to the song and seal its intention.'' These drawings appear throughout the physical edition's design. Maya's sister, New York artist Hope Morrison, incorporated each sigil into her original paintings, which comprise the album's vivid artwork. Hope Morrison, whose imagery translates the sigils' energy into vivid form; the layout was designed by Jo?o Ervedosa. Created entirely on hardware instruments and later mixed in Logic, Sigils For Survival captures the tactile immediacy of live performance. Maya preserved the feel of MIDI-clock drift and off-grid recording, letting her machines interact in the rhythmic pocket, rather than confirming them to a click. Alongside her signature deep, ecstatic electronics, the album features hand-played dulcimer, hand-pan, and recorder. Her voice also returns, carrying spells of love, protection, and transformation. Across Sigils For Survival, Octo Octa channels the ecstatic house lineage into an intimate ritual space. The music speaks of immediacy, play, and communion -- of magic as method, love as survival, and sound as spellcraft. Sigils For Survival is both a document of ten years lived fully and an invocation for the next chapter -- a glowing testament to music's power to protect, transform, and set the spirit free.

On June 5th, Tectonic Recordings will release Beatrice M.’s debut LP, Sinking, on a vinyl triple pack and digital download. The vinyl edition will be split across 3 separate 12” vinyl releases, packed in matching printed disco bags. This is part 1 of 3.
Beatrice M. pushes the needle forward for a sound and scene that nestles among a niche that blends UK dubstep, techno, and the golden era of tech house. The Paris-born artist is in their mid-20s and has been building up a grassroots following and plenty of momentum over the last few years, through their Bait label and its output of sonically resonant artists, alongside numerous remixes and collaborative and solo releases for labels such as Tectonic, Tempa, and Rinse. There are plenty of accolades coming in for Beatrice's work too, with notable DJ mixes for respected heavyweights such as Mixmag as well as featuring in Resident Advisor’s best mixes of 2025.
Beatrice is known for making deep explorations into the history of the scenes that have interested them, tracking and highlighting connections between dubstep, tech house, jungle and beyond across various self-produced, one-off radio shows, often taking a journalistic approach to subjects of true passion. They travel across Europe on a packed-out DJing schedule, avoiding air travel, and doing it mainly by train. Many of the LP's tracks started life as sketches put together on these long journeys, as the sights of different countries rolled past the window.
Having taken inspiration from Tectonic artists such as 2562, the label – a home to music that was originally placed in the dubstep-techno crossover spectrum—feels like the perfect place to host Beatrice M.'s debut album Sinking, beginning a new chapter for this kind of sound.
Opening track ‘Ever’ plunges us into deep waters with a sense of dubwise command. The momentum picks up on ‘Ocean’, where the vocal snippet "everyday life" circles around reverbed stabs and intricate hi-hat moves. ‘Motion’ sets the pace with its jumpy but rolling rhythm, leading straight into the eyes-down, party-time energy of ‘Disco Corner’.

Kercha’s debut album ‘Open The Door’ arrives this April via DNO Records. The Black Sea artist’s mystical, disorienting style has set the tone for the label since he dropped the inaugural release six years ago. Now, across 16 tracks — including collabs with Mystic State, Congi, NST, Khromi and Finnoh — his smoky sampledelic dubstep is tighter, heavier, and more curious than ever, with a new sense of danger and bubbling rage that feels fit for our chaotic times.

Themes of movement and change course through the LP. On the opening gambit ‘A Path Into The Unknown’, twinkling arpeggios emerge from the gloom like stars lighting the way. Tracks like the eponymous ‘Open The Door’ and ‘Mind Extraction’ deliver that classic Kercha sound, where left-field samples dart in at right angles. ‘Dangerous Road’ weaves between the call and response action of grotty stabs and devilish subs. ‘Take A Break’, featuring Mystic State, goes on the attack with searing acid. ‘Can’t Wait For Today’, though lethargic in its pace, sees San Francisco-based rapper Finnoh deliver stream-of-consciousness bars that skewer our present and nudge us to revolution.

Work took place over the course of several years, during which Kercha relocated with his family from Russia to Georgia, where he now resides in the capital, Tbilisi. “Sometimes I wrote music while travelling on a bus, sometimes late at night while my family was asleep, sometimes just sitting on the grass in a park, and of course in my home studio as well,” he says. “By the time the album was finished, it included music from different periods, and it may vary in sound and concept.”

Any major upheaval in life will result in moments of hardship, but also hope. Both can be found throughout ‘Open The Door’. There’s times when the darkness threatens to envelope everything: during the cold, crackling ‘Disclosed’ and the eerie, dystopian ‘Infection Of Lies’; on ‘Trigger Activation’, with its grunting lows and broken glass hook, and ‘Ballistics’, where a wall of sub-bass is pierced by shrapnel stabs.

The balancing light comes on ‘4 AM’, featuring Nottingham duo Congi, when clashing swords and cinematic strings, meet a soft Rhodes piano — the juxtaposition between heavy low-end and floaty keys and vox reflecting those moments of transcendence often found in the early hours. From the injection of garage energy on ‘Bubs’, with Edinburgh’s Khromi. And on with ‘My Feeling’, featuring South Russian vocalist NST, which closes the album on a deep but expansive note, bookending the experience with more starlight synth tones.

“It’s a reflection of my life journey and the changes connected with emigration and overcoming various difficulties,” explains Kercha. “This period means a lot to me, which is why the album includes tracks from the time of preparing to leave up to adapting to a new country.”

Still, he wants listeners to be able to derive their own understanding. “I think the essence lies in the ability to contemplate, not in any predetermined meaning,” he says. “I can only say one thing: thank you for appreciating what I do and for your support. I hope it inspires you to make the same firm decisions to change for the better as it did for me.”

Out via 4 x 12” vinyl, ‘Open The Door’ is a captivating artistic statement, showcasing the journey of an artist with a truly original signature sound — a rarity that should be treasured and celebrated.

Rhythms of postmodern realism at the very bottom of the DNO.

‘An Undying Love For A Burning World follows Converge’s Love Is Not Enough this year as a pivotal metal album about acknowledging the darkness for what it is and trying to accept it.’ - the QUIETUS

‘Neurosis Know You’re Hurting. Their Stunning New Album Is a Life Preserver.
An Undying Love for a Burning World, the band’s first album with new member Aaron Turner, is a reminder of how even the darkest music can be a guiding light’ - 9/10 ROLLING STONE

Evolution can be ugly and beautiful, painful and euphoric. An Undying Love For A Burning World is the first new release from Neurosis in a decade, and a potent statement of intent and rebirth - one that marks the first new steps of resolve and resilience.

An Undying Love For A Burning World is an epic album of colossal hypnotism - beautiful, fearsome and utterly compelling in a way that only Neurosis can be. Aaron Turner (Sumac, Isis) joins the band on vocals and guitar, a name whose legacy is intertwined with the band’s own and a true kindred spirit.

“From the moment I first heard Neurosis over 30 years ago, I felt this was the music my heart and mind had been seeking but not yet heard. Now after many years travelling along various musical paths of my own, the singular sound and spirit embodied by Neurosis continues to speak to the depths of my being. It is an honor and a true pleasure to have been welcomed so warmly into a band that not only shaped my perspective on the limitless possibilities of music - but has lived and exemplified the necessity of upholding creative integrity and camaraderie above all else.” - AARON TURNER

Neurosis have never been afraid of change, and here they embrace endless regeneration, surrendering to the emotional exorcism through heaviness and distortion that their music incites. Just as the universe tends towards balance, Neurosis’cacophony of noise, rhythm and dissonance always resolves towards moments of beauty. The addition of Turner's powerful vocals and wildly creative and unhinged approach to guitar proves to be a vital force as Neurosis find themselves again at the mercy of evolution and expression.

On every song in the band’s history, Neurosis shifts restlessly between tension and relief, invoking a feeling both feral and transcendent in listeners. The band describe their songwriting process as an inescapable impulse to create with each other - a need rather than a choice. Indeed, the band insist that their return is “not a reunion - we never broke up.”

The album was recorded by Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City, Sumac, and Great Falls) at Studio Litho in Seattle during three weekends this winter, and mixed in three days just six weeks before release at Evan's Antisleep Audio in Oakland.

Neurosis will play their first show in seven years on the traditional lands of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana as part of Fire in the Mountains festival by special invitation of Firekeeper Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to reducing youth suicide in Indian Country.

FITM, is a unique festival known for bringing epic music to epic landscapes with the intent of reconnecting and immersing oneself with the natural world, and strengthening our ancestral roots as human beings - an aim which aligns directly with Neurosis’ deep-rooted power.

Stay tuned for further news over the coming months.

PREVIOUS PRESS:

‘In less skilful hands, this relentless sonic oppression would be gruelling, but by expressing human frailty with such visceral abandon, Neurosis have once again turned darkness into euphoria.’ - 4/5 THE GUARDIAN

‘The Oakland band has evolved from gritty metallic punk to harrowing post-hardcore prog to the majestic doom of their current phase’ - 7.9 PITCHFORK

‘It’s not often an album of such stature exceeds one’s anticipations, but Honor is too astounding to not be revered.’ - The QUIETUS

“Fires Within Fires is the summation of thirty years of experimentation in tonality and texture. Yes, NEUROSIS are firmly positioned within the extreme metal underground yet their music, with its ability to generate images of beauty akin to those many of us have experienced in our own lives – not to mention the loss that accompanies them – challenges this categorization. ‘’ - WIRE MAGAZINE - FULL PAGE REVIEW.

"Their intensity remains undimmed on Fires Within Fires...The already converted will take heart from the evidence that age is unable to wither the fury of this heaviest of bands." - KERRANG! 4K REVIEW

"Every monstrous sludge riff gnashes menacingly for the right amount of time and every delicate moment of folk-inspired drift is emotionally exacting. Neurosis continue to create art without equal, and Fires Within Fires is another worthy addition to an awe-inspiring canon containing a number of truly pioneering and timeless albums." - METAL HAMMER - 8/10 LEAD REVIEW

Ltd Edition 10"

Budapest based concept label Blue Sun welcomes formerly independent local afrobeat-jazz ensemble to its catalogue with a nuanced 4 tracker EP. The release not only marks the beginning of the collaboration, but a definite new musical direction in the band’s life.

Written in a one week jam session retreat in the Hungarian countryside, and recorded at one of the highest peaks of Hungary after a year of global touring, The Garden becomes an amalgamation of the band's personal and artistic experiences. The material conveys a more jazzier approach, with complex harmonies, and an almost cinematic, dreamlike atmosphere, somewhat distancing from (but not completely forgetting) the previously emphasized, dance-oriented Afro- and Latino roots. Song for Ramon serves as the EP’s emotional climax inspired by the passing of a close friend and local underground chef pioneer.

Formed in 2019 in Budapest, Hakumba is a staple of the Hungarian festival circuit, with a growing international presence (SXSW London, SHIP, PIN Music Showcase). They’ve recently finished a tour in Australia this January.

The groove-driven ensemble blends afrobeat, jazz, and various strands of world music into a sound that is both rhythmically powerful and harmonically adventurous. With an eleven-piece lineup featuring an expansive horn section, multiple vocalists, percussion, and keys, the band moves effortlessly between dancefloor energy and more intricate, jazz-influenced musical ideas.

Like the band’s previous album, the EP was again recorded, mixed, and mastered by András Weil, the producer behind The Qualitons, the only hungarian band ever performed Live at KEXP. This continuity preserves Hakumba’s recognizable sonic identity while giving space for new colors and more complex musical ideas to emerge.

Written & performed by:

Soma Számel – drums
Endre Szép – bass
Imre Hegedűs – guitar
Zalán Bendegúz Huff – guitar, vocals
Csongor Mari – keys
Noel Nagy – percussion, vocals
Dorka Foster – flute, vocals
Kristóf Szabó – alto sax
Alpár Sikó – tenor sax
Gáspár Simon – trumpet
András Téglásy – baritone sax

Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Andras Weil
Artwork by Eszter Lukács
Graphic design by Péter Tóth
Manufactured by AD Records
Distributed by Rush Hour

Recorded at Galyatető, Hungary

Released under the Blue Sun

Al Wahem (“The Illusion”) is the new full-length release by PRAED, the Swiss–Lebanese duo of Raed Yassin and Paed Conca. Recorded between Beirut and Berlin, the album returns to the group’s central aesthetic: a rhythm-driven weave of Egyptian shaabi, electronics, improvisation and the gritty pulse of street-level sound. Nearly twenty years into the project, PRAED have distilled their approach into four pieces that subtly shift the listener’s bearings, reordering grooves and fragments until familiar elements take on new identities.
The twenty-minute title track sets the tone. A tightly interlocking two-drum foundation from Pascal Semerdjian and Ayman Zebdawi shapes a structure that expands steadily: synth figures branch outward, clarinet and bass lines act as internal guideposts, and brief vocal calls from Yassin and guest singer Mayssa Jallad sit inside the texture rather than leading it. PRAED’s shaabi keyboard language is present, but the duo stretch it outward, building tension and movement through patient accumulation.

“Al Hathayan,” at 4:46, tightens the focus. Conca’s clarinet moves between melodic arcs and clipped rhythmic gestures, threading through electronic loops that surface and disappear. Zebdawi’s percussion adds a raw, tactile quality, placing acoustic patterns and electronics in direct conversation. The piece acts as a bridge between the album’s two long-form compositions.
Side B begins with “Al Maraya,” a thirteen-minute piece that relies on electronic, bass and clarinet interplay. The atmosphere nods to the breadth of PRAED Orchestra!, but remains anchored in the duo’s rhythmic foundations. Rather than building mass, the layering creates a sense of depth, as if new spaces were opening inside the groove.
The album closes with “Assarab,” featuring keyboardist Amr Said. Semerdjian and Zebdawi again form a dual percussive axis, while synths hover between melody and pulse, and themes recur in widening circles rather than building vertically. The porous boundary between electronic and acoustic sources — processed clarinet mistaken for a sequencer, rhythmic figures springing from live drums — is where the album’s theme of “illusion” shows itself most clearly.

Al Wahem follows a long arc: early releases on Annihaya, a key appearance on Ruptured Sessions Vol. 5 – Live at Radio Lebanon (2013), later albums on Akuphone, and the large-scale PRAED Orchestra! documented on Morphine Records. This new Ruptured/Annihaya co-release brings the duo back to a concentrated format, reorganizing their familiar materials with renewed clarity and intent.

Alt Dub boss Federsen once again joins forces with cv313 and Echospace Detroit to deliver a second instalment in their ‘Altering Dimension’ series, once again merging hazy textural sonics with delicate dub leaning aesthetics.

Detroit’s dub techno lineage continues to evolve as cv313, Stephen Hitchell of Echospace, teams up with Federsen for Altering Dimensions Part Two, another collaborative EP set to land on Federsen’s Alt Dub imprint.

A defining figure in the genre, cv313 has long shaped its language through seminal works like Seconds to Forever and the Dimensional Space LP, fusing enveloping atmospheres with tactile rhythmic structures. Alongside him here,

Federsen whose music can also be found on Echospace Detroit as well as Grayscale, Synchrophone, Lempuyang and Avant Roots, has carved out a distinct voice rooted in precision and analogue-rich depth. Altering Dimensions Part Two again captures the intersection of these two perspectives, linking Detroit’s enduring sonic heritage with a refined, forward-facing approach to dub techno.

‘First Dimension’ opens the release, laying down heavy doses of sub bass, bubbling percussion and ever evolving, murky dub echoes amidst a crisp, stripped-down rhythm section.

‘Second Dimension’ follows and leans into vacillating atmospherics, a swaying bottom end groove and hypnotic, subtle evolution that’s synonymous with the cv313 sound.

‘Third Dimension’ kicks off the b-side next, further embracing this introspective and immersive style as textural elements shift and mutate atop intricately modulating percussive hits, bubbling synth tones and weighty low-end percussion.

‘Fourth Dimension’ then concludes the release, reducing things down to bare bones of hypntic dub, embracing a beatless construction the composition relies on spatial depth, nuanced delays and an underlying tension that decays

Every so often in music, we come across voices that achieve a certain timelessness, so naturally do they encapsulate both past and present. Laure Briard is one of these voices, retro in form but contemporary at heart, spanning a career rich in aesthetic twists and turns, never without her signature magic, a special kind of eternal filter. Her first album, Révélation (2015), reveals her yé-yé influences, a testament to her love for ‘60s French pop music. Her second studio album, Sur la piste de danse (2016), follows in this vein and finds Laure accompanied as always by her long-time bandmates who share an affinity for warm, catchy arrangements that never lose their appeal. Her tour of Brazil marks a turning point in her career, introducing her to the local indie scene and thus launching her collaboration with the band Boogarins, as well as inspiring the release of multiple EPs composed and performed in Portuguese. Today, her music is embellished by touches of bossa nova and a folk sensibility, boasting increasingly intricate arrangements, as exemplified by her 2019 release, Un peu plus d'amour s'il vous plaît. Several years later, the Californian desert captures the musician’s imagination with Ne pas trop rester bleue, a poignant musical journey inspired by the rich history of Western legends and the role they play in shaping our collective consciousness.

In Voyage Mental, Laure Briard draws upon an inner energy unearthed during a new stage in her life, where the thrill of spontaneous adventure is not accessible in quite the same way. The result is a collection of sophisticated, introspective songs, narrating a young mother’s quest for balance in the face of routine. The album, nostalgic but always tethered to the present moment, is also the fruit of her collaboration with Gaëtan Nonchalant, a talented musician known for coaxing poetry out of the mundane. The two of them co-wrote and recorded five tracks at Studio Nocturne, accompanied by her long-time sidekick Pieuvre, aka Vincent Guyot, Léo Blomov, Pierre-Louis Vizioz, and Hedi Bensalem. The gentle pop opener “Rocking Chair” sways steadily to the rhythm of dynamic drums, followed by “Train,” a ballad that extends an invitation to set sail and daydream alone. The folk escapade continues with “Golden Sun,” a duet featuring the 1960s cult American musician F.J. McMahon, who Laure contacted via the internet on a whim. “Golden Sun” is an unlikely encounter between two generations and two cultures, giving new life to an old forgotten demo on the other side of the Atlantic. And while Laure sings of wide open spaces, cowboys, and sunsets sinking into the sea, we feel the city surrounding her in “Miroir,” a song composed by Hedi Bensalem that laments the suffocation of living in a crowded metropolis where the sky is a distant gray smudge. This pressing need for air, this search for rest and total disconnection, is one of the album's central themes. It may also explain the ever-present sense of nostalgia that pervades the songs, a welcome respite in our current era of doomscrolling and darkness. Along the way, Laure soothes us with melancholy guitar, delivers poetry set to scattered piano notes, and takes us by the hand during lively, uptempo passages. We climb onto her wings, never straying too far from the ground, soaring joyfully above her moods.

Second album of french incendiary fake big band Parasite Jazz. A krautrock, jazz-non-jazz, experimental album recorded along four seasons by three musicians (Alex Larsen, Tamara Goukassova & Théo Delaunay) from the french fringes ; members of Succhiamo, Diagonale des Yeux, Simple Music Experience, Violent Quand on Aime ... featuring Radio Hito, Kyle Knapp (Deliluh) & Hochiwah.



—

After its first release in 2023, the tiny big band Parasite Jazz brings its public iterations to fruition with “♫”, a testament to an alternate reality, matured voyaging across France over the span of four seasons.



It sees the music flee through exuberant forests and steep troglodytes ; a parallel genre movie with a soundtrack of diluvian rhythms, mocking chants, jazz noir and voodoo accidents. In this shifting, autonomous world, the elastic orchestra—whose members Radio Hito, Valentin Noiret, Kyle Knapp, and Hochiwah keep on appearing and disappearing—plays for nocturnal secrets and feverish cavalcades.

A new voice enters the orbit. MBM carves three slow-burning studies in tension and release – merging patterns with fragile harmonics, melancholia, and restraint. Everything feels carefully placed yet emotionally exposed. Moments of pressure give way to space, steel meets softness, rhythm turns inward. No peaks. No breaks. Just pulse, texture, and tone – in constant negotiation. Music for the body, drawn from the depths. Soultones hits hard. Feel it.

Cinna Peyghamy unveils new album fusing Persian tombak and modular synthesis Five years in the making, "Music For Tombak & Synth" bridges heritage, technology, and personal identity. The project, initiated in 2019 during Peyghamy's master's thesis research on contact microphones, was conceived as a means to reconnect with his Persian roots while exploringexperimental sound design. In the album, Peyghamy seamlessly blends the traditional Persian tombak with modular synthesis and digital signal processing, creating a distinctive musical landscape that bridges live improvisation and studio production. The album’s genesis traces back to Peyghamy’s exploration of improvised electronic music and his desire to craft a performance-ready setup. Over
several years, the project evolved from capturing the energy of his live shows into a fully composed studio work.

"Music For Tombak & Synth" stands as the first record where Peyghamy unites his dual identities as a live performer and producer, resulting in a body of work that reflects his deep connection to family, memory, and cultural heritage. The album features personal elements such as his father’s voice reciting the poetry of Ahmad Shamlo on the track Dar Shab ,?? ??collaborations with long-time friend Quelque Bourdon on clarinet, and the evocative sounds of the Persian setar, all anchored by the physicality and rhythms of the tombak. A sentiment further reflected in the album cover; a photograph taken by his father, Khosrow ‘Payram’ Peyghamy, picturing both his parents and grandparents.

With this release, Peyghamy moves beyond conventional boundaries of "traditional versus contemporary" or "acoustic versus electronic," instead offering a nuanced exploration of identity through sound. Each track serves as a keepsake, referencing cherished memories, emotions, and musical influences that define his experience as a French-born artist of Iranian descent, unable to visit his home country. "Music For Tombak & Synth" invites listeners to engage with a deeply personal narrative, rooted in both cultural history and sonic innovation.

Ezra Collective’s Chapter 7, now celebrating its tenth anniversary, captured the restless energy of a young band finding its voice - spiritually curious, rhythmically fearless, committed to community as compass. Built on grooves made for sweat-slicked basements and late-night communion, its seven movements reveal a blueprint forming: jazz as a living expression of where you come from and who you stand with.

The forthcoming Chapter 7 (10th Anniversary Edition) reissue revisits that formative statement from a band that would soon become trailblazers as both the first British jazz act to win the Mercury Prize, and then a BRIT Award. Remastered for vinyl and expanded with new incarnations - live cuts from NPR's Tiny Desk and the band’s landmark Royal Albert Hall performance - the reissue presents Chapter 7 not simply as an early document, but a living manifesto: rhythm as ritual, youth culture as sanctuary, and jazz as an open invitation.

Pressed on black vinyl, housed in a single sleeve jacket with printed inner sleeve, featuring credits and a message from the band.






k B3. Chapter 7 Live at NPR's Tiny Desk
[m] B4. I Have a God (Feat. Zara McFarlane) [Live at the Royal Albert Hall]






[k] B3. Chapter 7 [Live at NPR's Tiny Desk]
[m] B4. I Have a God (Feat. Zara McFarlane) [Live at the Royal Albert Hall]






[k] B3. Chapter 7 [Live at NPR's Tiny Desk]
[m] B4. I Have a God (Feat. Zara McFarlane) [Live at the Royal Albert Hall]

MUSAR is proud to introduce Koloah, the newest voice in the family. Making his label debut with You Can Get Me EP, the Kyiv-born, Berlin-based artist arrives fully formed: three original tracks that move between restless grooves and expansive, immersive sound design, accompanied by a brain-melting remix from rising French star Binary Digit.

The EP opens with "You Can Get Me" - a UK-leaning groove anchored by a snaking acid line and fragmented vocal cuts that surface and dissolve, insistent and hypnotic, one of those tracks that lands fast and stays with you. "Get Me Close" follows, shifting the A-side into electro territory: harder edges, colder mechanics, but the atmosphere holds. Koloah keeps the tension tight and the space wide.
The B-side reaches further. The braindance producer Binary Digit takes "You Can Get Me" apart and rebuilds it in his own image - known for his deeply idiosyncratic approach to rhythm and texture, he turns the original into a real summer anthem, faster and focused, the same raw material carrying a completely different emotional weight
The EP closes with "Liminal Forest", a full IDM statement: intricate rhythmic programming, layered synthesis, and a sense of place that feels earned rather than constructed. Koloah signs off somewhere between the forest and the machine.
Recorded in Koloah's Berlin studio, the tracks were built in different periods - which is exactly why they breathe the way they do. Not a forced coherence, but a natural one.
"Atmosphere is the core of all my music and what I pay the most attention to."
- Koloah
This is the beginning of something. Welcome, Koloah.