Buscar:slow l

For the label's latest, Oath is proud to present 'Honey Tangerine', the newest mini-album from producer extortionaire Olsvangèr, who serves up his signature blend of hyper-kinetic, ever-shifting dance music.

Olsvangèr's sound and musical journey are forever rooted in the liminal spaces that make up the broad-reaching and ever-shifting electronic music landscape, with his records consistently channeling that in-betweenness that imprints lasting impressions. A classically trained musician with a profound passion for house and techno, Olsvangèr's sonic palette is one of both broad and delicate brush strokes, applying an array of compelling motifs within amorphous arrangements that blend and blur perspectives. His records seek out the faraway fringes as much as focusing on the intensity found in the detail, creating cavernous soundscapes that are impeccably tuned and effortlessly free-flowing. Seemingly genreless, his records are anchored in all that is known and loved, yet due to the music's perspective situated at the intersectionality of electronica, a beautiful anticipation resides within every stanza of his tracks at what may come next. His musical language has found him releasing on the likes of Kalahari Oyster Cult, Hooj Choons and Craigie Knowes, and follows through within his imprint Tofistock, which has been pushing some of the most forward-thinking dance music of recent times.

'Honey Tangerine' touches upon the classic motifs of Olsvangèr's sound, and as always, the room for growth within the record's parameters remains truly endless. Over six tracks, Olsvangèr lays bare the directions of travel, with paths unravelling that feel well trodden yet with some that branch out towards new horizons. 'Source of Thought' opens up proceedings with a captivating ambience, where twinkling hues and lively tones paint the parameters of sound. The chuggy breaks that land deep within the mix drop in and out of view, allowing a deft balance between pure ambiance and rhythm to exchange dialogue between one another. 'In a Nutshell' shifts gears in atmosphere and energy, with all eyes placed upon the club. The shifting rhythm section lifts the acidic melodic features up above, with driving bass notes and a euphoric vocal like lead linking the depths to the heavens. 'Tulpa Nine' swings into heads-down territory, where the drums swing slow and the throbbing bass hits heavy. The auto-tune vocal line up above creates an atmosphere of hazy, smoke-filled rooms, where the party yearns for downtime in anticipation of the next shift in energy.

'Sunrise on the Lips' gives over further chill out room vibrations, where the lights remain low, and smiles reside all around. The enriching drums provide the basis for sitars and glossy keys to glide across the top ends, with the mind invited to dip deep within this enthralling ensemble. 'Zoom It Out' provides the release into the room, with the ante upped. A breaky house leaning number, this cut grooves through its chiming melodic section and groove-laden bass line, with the polyrhythmic drumming pattern doing much to keep the energy residing very high indeed. The record is wrapped up with 'Some Air', which gives over one final jaunt through the airy, slowed-down slipstreams. A wondrous beat is complemented by melodic elements that chime, absorb and quiver, glowing through the night with such charm and feel. An engrossing composition that demonstrates what Olsvangèr is all about - a crafter of sound, where adventure is sought and found, never wavering but curating new connections, feelings, and tones, with an eye on what might come next.

Whether softly undulating or boundlessly expressive, Olsvangèr's music remains a beautiful enigma that serves up both the glorious knowns and the captivating unknowns - 'Honey Tangerine' is yet another chapter in his glorious discography.

Max Cooper delivers the latest instalment in the acclaimed fabric presents series, marking a landmark release as the first tracks to be presented in Spatial Audio. Fusing his signature blend of emotive electronica, immersive sound design and club-focused energy, the project captures Max’s ability to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and deeply human storytelling. Featuring exclusive material alongside carefully curated selections, the mix places him alongside previous fabric presents contributors including Daniel Avery, Overmono, Helena Hauff and Mount Kimbie, while pushing the series into new sonic territory.

Leading the accompanying EP is Flecks, a collaboration with LSB that pairs fast drum & bass breaks with Max Cooper’s unmistakable immersive production. Referencing the iconic Hurt You So break, the track fuses old-school jungle influences with a modern, spatial mix, hypnotic synth lines and subtle vocal fragments draw the listener deeper into its expansive soundscape. Also featured is Bredren’s Hash (Max Cooper Remix), a tension-filled drum & bass track built around distorting basslines and constantly evolving movement.

The EP's focus track, AO, sees Max Cooper reunite with Rival Consoles for a more introspective moment. Swapping high-tempo breaks for a slower electronica and house framework, the track unfolds through beautifully detailed percussion, organic rhythmic textures and sweeping synth melodies, culminating in a soaring central passage that showcases the pair's shared gift for emotionally resonant electronic composition.

Released via fabric Records, fabric presents: Max Cooper represents another evolution of the long-running series, a release that is equally at home on immersive listening systems and the dancefloor.

2026 Repress

'Quiet Pieces' initiates Abul Mogard’s personal imprint Soft Echoes with a definitive self-portrait of calm, contemplative, and discreet inner landscapes made audible. It is the first solo album on vinyl in four years. RIYL Alessandro Cortini, William Basinski, The Caretaker.

While sifting through archived material left idle from earlier projects, a chance encounter with a late uncle’s trove of beloved 78rpm classical and opera records prompted the reworking and completion of what would eventually become the album. Spinning dusty records at 33 and 45rpm, Abul Mogard recombined their enduring spectres with unfinished sketches from his archive. The resulting soundscape blurs distinctions between his memories and those of another, exquisitely short-circuiting the senses with its waking, dream-like lucidity.

This was a process I hadn’t explored in my earlier works. I began sampling brief moments from these records, altering them with studio effects and playing them at slower speeds. In many cases, I wasn’t entirely sure how the original music sounded. These fragments, once further processed, became a source of inspiration for my new compositions. Over time, I realised that the old pieces from the archive and the new material derived from the samples naturally complemented each other.”

The resulting pieces hover over a threshold, a liminal space that harmonises the old and older material. Voluminous waves of quiet and loud undulate between consonance and dissonance, conjuring imagery of a decaying grandeur that humanity’s decadence has surrendered to the elements. Abul Mogard’s seemingly abandoned yet vast landscapes are nevertheless intimate with timbral frissons of red-lined distortion. Elusive, yet as tangible as sea spray or smog, they affect the olfactory senses with a rarified, synesthetic quality that modestly engages one’s emotional register – a hypnotic, distinguishing feature long hailed as one of the hallmarks of his work. A fidelity to memory and dream recall is sensitively probed in the journey from the stately symphonic stasis of 'Following a dream' to the almost industrial, untethered brutality evoked by a looming silhouette that’s never fully visible in 'Constantly slipping away', culminating in the foreboding coda of 'Like a bird'. Those pieces appear to shield the album’s sentimental core, where the tempestuous play of light and shadow of 'In a studded procession' escalates to breathtaking, panoramic climax, while 'Through whispers' evokes an out-of-body-like experience encountered with visceral poignancy.

Looking back, Mogard notes an unexpected influence: “I realise being inspired by Phill Niblock, whose work I had barely known at the time but explored after his passing in 2024. His album 'Boston Tenor Index' changed the way I approached dissonance. It encouraged me to push my sound further, to the edge of a space where I began to feel uncomfortable.”

The album artwork, created by longtime collaborator Marja de Sanctis, features a photograph taken at the Temple of Jupiter Anxur, an archaeological site overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Captured with an iPhone, the image traces the residual presence of construction techniques and architectural forms of the Romans, where material history is transcribed through contemporary tools. The convergence of ancient and modern technology aims to reverberate the site’s lasting spiritual presence – an echo persisting in what is now perceived as a quiet, emptied space. The spiral gestures towards infinity and light. Past and present dissolve into one another, reflecting 'Quiet Pieces' meditation on sound, memory, and time.

RIYL Alessandro Cortini, William Basinski, The Caretaker

The final installment of the GIANT SKY trilogy, Giant Sky III, will be released on October 2nd, 2026, preceded by the single "Fleeting Glimpse", which offers the first taste of the new album. A companion postlude album, The Further We Go The Deeper It Gets, will follow on October 16th, 2026. Together, the two records complete an ambitious body of work that has seen Viken explore a broader and more introspective musical landscape than ever before. "Fleeting Glimpse" provides an evocative introduction to the final chapter of the GIANT SKY trilogy. While Viken"s band Soup has become renowned for its emotionally charged, crescendo-driven soundscapes, GIANT SKY allows him to embrace an even wider palette of influences. Drawing from alternative art rock, post-rock, electronica, ambient music, indie, folk, and progressive rock, the project balances immersive atmospheres with memorable melodies. In an era increasingly dominated by algorithms, artificial intelligence and digital perfection, Viken has consciously taken the opposite path. GIANT SKY is built around the human element of music-making, embracing imperfections and authenticity as artistic strengths. "This album has been with me for a long time. Some of the ideas on Giant Sky III go back many years, and in a way it feels like a cross section of the last 25 years of my life as a composer. We live in a time where music is increasingly shaped by algorithms, AI and endless digital possibilities. I suppose this record is my way of walking upstream a little bit - taking the slower route, trusting the human imperfections, and letting the music find its own shape. It wasn"t a quick album to make, but I"m proud of what it became: ambitious where it needed to be, modest where it should be, and above all, honest." - Erlend Viken

Phill Niblock completed BLK+LND in late November 2023. It is one of Phill Niblock's final compositions and was commissioned by bassist Robert Black (who passed away in the summer of 2023). The piece is based on recordings of acoustic bass and bass clarinet performed by Neil Leonard and Robert Black under Niblock's direction in 2021.

Phill Niblock (1933-2024) as an artist whose fifty-year career spanned minimalist and experimental music, film and photography. He has been a maverick presence on the fringes of the avant-garde. In the history books he is the forgotten Minimalist. Since 1985, he served as director of Experimental Intermedia, a foundation for avant-garde music based in New York with a branch in Ghent, and curator of the foundation's record label XI. Known for his thick, loud drones of music, his signature sound is filled with microtones of instrumental timbres that generate many other tones in the performance space. He said: 'What I am doing with my music is to produce something without rhythm or melody, by using many microtones that cause movements very, very slowly.' In 2013, his diverse artistic career was the subject of a retrospective realized in partnership between Circuit (Centre d'art contemporain Lausanne) and Musée de l'Elysée (Paris). The following year he was honored with the prestigious Foundation for Contemporary Arts John Cage Award. Since 1968 he also put on over 1000 concerts in his loft space in New York.

"On January 6, 2024, two days before his passing, Phill called me to discuss the premiere and tour of BLK+LND. To distract him from his rapid decline, I engaged in his touring plan, only for him to reveal that all the details were still in his head and none of the events had been confirmed. He was entrusting the project to me. Phill would have been thrilled and honored by this concert at the Donaueschinger Musiktage. The thought of one more performance with Robert Black, whom he greatly admired, presenting his new work for low-pitched instruments that he was particularly fond of, andreconnecting with old and new friends in Donaueschingen would have meant the world to him." - Neil Leonard, Berklee College of Music, Boston

The final installment of the GIANT SKY trilogy, Giant Sky III, will be released on October 2nd, 2026, preceded by the single "Fleeting Glimpse", which offers the first taste of the new album. A companion postlude album, The Further We Go The Deeper It Gets, will follow on October 16th, 2026. Together, the two records complete an ambitious body of work that has seen Viken explore a broader and more introspective musical landscape than ever before. "Fleeting Glimpse" provides an evocative introduction to the final chapter of the GIANT SKY trilogy. While Viken"s band Soup has become renowned for its emotionally charged, crescendo-driven soundscapes, GIANT SKY allows him to embrace an even wider palette of influences. Drawing from alternative art rock, post-rock, electronica, ambient music, indie, folk, and progressive rock, the project balances immersive atmospheres with memorable melodies. In an era increasingly dominated by algorithms, artificial intelligence and digital perfection, Viken has consciously taken the opposite path. GIANT SKY is built around the human element of music-making, embracing imperfections and authenticity as artistic strengths. "This album has been with me for a long time. Some of the ideas on Giant Sky III go back many years, and in a way it feels like a cross section of the last 25 years of my life as a composer. We live in a time where music is increasingly shaped by algorithms, AI and endless digital possibilities. I suppose this record is my way of walking upstream a little bit - taking the slower route, trusting the human imperfections, and letting the music find its own shape. It wasn"t a quick album to make, but I"m proud of what it became: ambitious where it needed to be, modest where it should be, and above all, honest." - Erlend Viken

Jensen Interceptor debuts on Mesh with Primal Transmissions, an EP of five new genre mutations out Friday 25th September.

Moving through a spectrum of tempos - from smoked out slow burn to tightly wound club pressure - Jensen has a tweak for every BPM. Returning to a more raw, instinctive sound, but never losing sight of his flair for dense rhythmic compositions, the EP explores a moment of reconnection, and a shedding of inherited expectations.

‘False Oracles’ opens with a euphoric downtempo drift, setting the tone with microscopic rhythmic detailing and chugging percussion. ‘Fail to Call’ leads with a grimey bassline and frantic hammerdrill drums that gradually desync into chopped up fragments. ‘What Would Susan Do’ is a double dose of chaos, landing somewhere between dancehall, psytrance, and DnB, but firmly rooted on a planet of its own. ‘Tone Impress’ leans heavier into the industrial, chopping vocals over rolling hits at 160BPM. Rounding things off, ‘Emerald Web’ breaks the rhythms down to their rawest forms for one final workout.

Through a process of rupture and renewal, Primal Transmissions arrives as a sharp dispatch of club mechanics from one of the scene’s most inventive operators.

Klasse Wrecks speedy sub-label Cabbage Trax returns with its second installment featuring Electro and Breaks flavours from Luca Lozano and DMX Krew. If its slow we don't wanna know!

Following the successful return of Cyberfunk Records, Frequency Damage EP showcases four brand-new productions from DJ Quest, blending over 25 years of breakbeat experience with modern production techniques.
From old-school funk influences and rolling basslines to heavy club grooves and precision-engineered drums, the EP demonstrates the versatility that has made DJ Quest one of the pioneers of the Bassline Breaks movement.
Each track brings its own identity while remaining unmistakably Cyberfunk—music written for DJs, built for powerful sound systems and inspired by the underground dancefloors that shaped the label's legacy.

Galaxy 2 Galaxy) on strings, and the return of STRIPPERTM (Sleeve) on the B side for some twisted bass work. Holding light and shade, and pushing out plenty of low end, this record has two cuts for different times of night…
The A side, "In Light," starts with a pulsing kick, bright chords, and shakers, with a string line that slowly builds towards a soaring conjunction with the massive bassline that drops underneath. Filled with bittersweet emotion, this collaboration represents a beacon of light, like the golden hour after sunrise.
On the B side, "In Darkness," gnarly bass textures come to the fore as a harbinger of the dark, turbulent night, dropping into a massive twisted groove. Shakers, tribal percussion, and pulsing sub-bass keep things in a tight rhythm, while Esteban’s strings arrive to guide us through the darkness to dawn.

Deas joins the CROWD family with 'Silent Tension', a refined EP that channels the Polish producer's signature blend of hypnotic groove and hardware driven production. Known for his precise studio craftsmanship and deeply intuitive approach to groovy techno, Deas has steadily built a reputation as one of the standout figures of the contemporary Polish scene. Through years of releases and international touring, he has developed a sound that feels both timeless and unmistakably personal, as proven on the label's 12th record. Opening track 'I Won't Cry' immediately sets the tone with classy vocal sampling from Loleatta Holloway, warm chord progressions and rolling swung percussion anchored by Deas' characteristically rich bass. Following up, 'Waterfall' introduces bleepy modular sequences and chopped vocal fragments, with a sweeping drone synth cutting through the mix above the track's rolling bass. On the flip side, 'Silent Tension' continues deeper into minimal territory, combining crisp clap fills, subtle vocal chops and delayed chord repetitions into a slow burning groove. The vinyl's closing cut 'Where Do They Go' brings dense low end weight and fast dubby chord stabs, accompanied by sharply placed vocal cuts, creating a track that balances restraint and impact. The digital addition 'Here Again' is a classic Deas production, characterised by repetitive synth stabs that gradually transform the cut into a hypnotic hook, while stripped back percussion and a powerful kick give the track a commanding presence. Throughout CROWD012, Deas remains firmly focused on groove and subtlety, while retaining a strong impact. The tracks unfold patiently, with a focus on tension, repetition and gradual escalation, maintaining the hypnotic functionality that has become both Deas' trademark and a defining characteristic of the sound of the label founded by FJAAK and Ellie Acula. The 'Silent Tension' EP stands as a sophisticated and deeply effective club record that further cements Deas as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary techno.

Boulderhead arrives on Haŵs with ‘Sunshine’ — four cuts that blur the line between club functionality and sonic experimentation. Twisting delays, playful FX work and endlessly shifting textures give the record a voice that's unmistakably his, pushing familiar forms into stranger territory without ever losing sight of the dancefloor.

The title track ‘Sunshine’ opens proceedings with a heads-down trip anchored by a cheeky, tongue-in-cheek vocal hook, swung grooves, and hypnotic momentum. Jorg Kuning steps up on remix duties, gently reshaping the original at every turn. His hardware-led approach keeps the groove in constant motion, each subtle shift revealing another layer without ever breaking the spell. Flip the record and ‘Moonshine’ strips things back into classic Boulderhead territory, while ‘Practice’ closes the EP on a deeper note, pairing lush synth work with beautifully detailed percussion for one final slow burn.

Never too serious, always full of character. The kind of record that keeps giving something new back with every listen.

Pax Nicholas is one of the last living veterans of Fela Kuti’s Africa 70. Born in Accra, Ghana, he joined Africa 70 as conga player and backing vocalist in 1971, appearing on landmark recordings including Lady Shakara.
In 1978, he left Africa 70 at the Berlin Jazz Festival alongside drummer Tony Allen, and settled in Germany, where he built a remarkable second chapter — leading the twelve-piece Afrobeat ensemble Ridimtaksi, collaborating with Finnish jazz maverick Jimi Tenor, and reuniting with the African diaspora in Berlin for Ebo Taylor’s celebrated 2012 album Appia Kwa Bridge released on Strut Records.
In 2009, Daptone Records reissued his 1973 cult classic Na Teef Know De Road of Teef, earning him long-overdue global recognition.
Now signed to Paris-based Afrobeat imprint Comet Records, Pax Nicholas returns with his new single “Mind Your Business” — a heavyweight dancefloor Afrobeat cut built on thundering brass, interlocking percussion and a razor-sharp guitar riff. The release features an exclusive remix by Gabriel Belabbas, producer, DJ and co-founder of Parisian label Positive Future, who recasts Mind Your Business in deep, minimal territory — a sparse, tension-laced groove that channels the hypnotic darkness of Moodyman and Ricardo Villalobos. Stripping the arrangement back to its percussive skeleton, he lets the Afrobeat elements — brass, rhythm, heat — surface and recede like smoke, leaving just enough space for the tension to build and the dancefloor to fall. Slow-burning and devastating on a proper soundsystem.

Rio de Janeiro producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Fabio Santanna returns with Copa Astral, an eight-track journey through modern Brazilian boogie, disco and Balearic grooves. Released by Rio’s Onda Boa, a label founded by Joutro Mundo, the album captures the warmth of the city's sunlit days and the cinematic glow of its nights, blending lush synths, live horns, percussion and rich vocal arrangements into an unmistakably Brazilian sound.

Opening with the slow-burning title track, introduced by the unmistakable cry of a cuíca, Copa Astral sets the mood before unfolding into the rolling grooves of "Ponto de Areia" and the Afro-Brazilian pulse of "Odoya Beat". Elsewhere, "Nesse Tempo" drifts into dreamy nostalgia, while side B moves effortlessly through the carefree boogie of "Jabuticaba", inspired by Brazil's beloved fruit; the warm, enveloping feeling of longing in "Senti Saudade"; the seaside romance of "À Beira Mar"; before closing with "Cantagalo", a heartfelt tribute to the neighbourhoods, memories and spirit that continue to shape Santanna's music.

Inspired as much by Rio's beaches as its neon-lit avenues, Santanna draws from Brazilian boogie, 1980s cinema, vintage record sleeves and classics such as Junior Mendes' Copacabana Sadia, filtering those influences through the city's unique rhythm. Produced at his Copacabana studio with live brass, percussion and vocal harmonies, Copa Astral is both timeless and contemporary - an album equally at home on the dancefloor, by the ocean or during a late-night drive along the coast.

A key architect of European minimal house returns here and it seems that the years have only deepened the German's craft. Following the acclaimed Belongs on the legendary Playhouse label, Losoul's latest for Logistic Records is organic and rich with musical narrative that reveals itself slowly. 'Cult Rodeo' is a deep cut and dubby swinger that teases with crowd noise and 'Shake' then gets more glitchy as sounds pan across the setter field and a jerking rhythm slowly manifests. 'No Jacks Given' swings low and heavy as a freaky vocal injects arresting immediacy and 'Some Pals Were Sleepers' slips into a more foggy and atmospheric minimal dub world. 'The Peek A Boo Scratch' is an abstraction of the afterparty kind and improves with time.

'Double Seven, released by Trojan in late 1973, was the last album Lee 'Scratch' Perry would release on the label for some considerable time, and it was essentially the final album project he put together before establishing his own Black Ark studio. Opening track 'Kentucky Skank' sets the tone with a slow creeper whose frying sounds underscore its role as a praise song to the Colonel's KFC recipes; the cosmic Moog blips come courtesy of Ken Elliott at Camden's Chalk Farm studio, also prominently featured on U-Roy's double-tracked, stereo-panned gambling ode 'Double Six.' David Isaacs' 'Just Enough' was cut a few years prior, which makes it slightly out of phase with the rest of the set, though the enigmatic 'In The Iaah' sounds mightily fresh, with its uncredited chorus said to come courtesy of the Wailers. Perry's own 'Jungle Lion' has hilarious roars from the maestro at the start, strangely grafted atop a reggae re-make of Al Green's 'Love and Happiness.'

'Overall, Double Seven melds the soul, funk, reggae and dub elements that were constant in Perry's work during this phase. His enhanced audio spectrum and endless reference points would keep his music continually apart from that made by his peers.'
—David Katz (excerpt from the liner notes)

Deluxe LP edition, remastered using transfers from the original
tapes lifted from the Phillips vault by mastering legend Kevin Gray.
 Pressed at Pallas on 180g heavyweight vinyl and housed in a thick
reverse-board sleeve with additional insert featuring photographs
and words by bassist on the session Bill Crow.
 This session, recorded at New York’s Nola Penthouse Studios in
1963, is a little-known masterwork from the incredible Gerry
Mulligan catalogue.
 Baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan was a true icon of jazz, being
one of the prominent figures in the West Coast scene through the
1950s until his death in 1996. Voted Number One musician in his
instrument by Downbeat Magazine for 42 years in a row, Mulligan
was one of the key players of his time and a figurehead who
helped shape the sound of jazz to come.
 From periods in the ‘Birth Of The Cool’-era Miles Davis line up, as
well as forming a piano-less quartet with Chet Baker, Gerry was
always on the frontline of what was hip and happening in
America’s one true art form.
 With its striking Oliver Hardimon designed cover, ‘Night Lights’ is
the very definition of refined cool jazz. Shimmering with a latenight beauty that perfectly evokes a sophisticated New York City in
the early 1960s, Gerry and his Sextet fuse slow burning jazz noir
alongside emerging contemporary Brazilian rhythms, with the
interplay between Mulligan and guitarist Jim Hall a particular
standout throughout.
 Title track ‘Night Lights’ is a wonderfully smooth, low light tune,
while the Latin-tinged ‘Morning Of The Carnival’ really finds the
band in their finest and most swinging form. A cover of jazz
standard ‘In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning’, followed by
Chopin’s ‘Prelude In E Minor’ continues the delightful groove
before we finish out with Mulligan originals ‘Festival Minor’ and
‘Tell Me When’.
 For this version of the release, New Land have also included the
1965 version of ‘Night Lights’, which gives an interesting
comparison, performed by his later day Quintet featuring the
Wrecking Crew’s legendary Hal Blaine on drums, amongst others.

Dire Straits' arresting self-titled debut arrived in the midst of punk's reign but couldn't have been further removed from the era's slash-and-burn style. Recorded in West London in February 1978, the band's tasteful, jazz-inflected set embraces folk, blues, and pub rock while also tracing a direct line back to the beat-oriented sound of early rock n' roll. Country and roots accents further distinguish the British quartet's stripped-down music from any 1970s peers, as does the transparent production, which has remained revered among audiophiles the world over – and which has never been better than on this meticulous pressing.

Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI, Mobile Fidelity's 180g 45RPM 2LP version of Dire Straits features natural tonalities, superb balances, you-are-there imaging, deep-black backgrounds, and pristine clarity. Even if you've heard this album hundreds of times before, you've never experienced it with such lifelike sonics and premium richness. This numbered-edition collector's set immerses you within the smoky, laidback atmospherics of every song. This is how all vinyl should sound.

Crucial to every arrangement, Mark Knopfler's winding guitar lines emerge with supreme transparency and multi-hued textural detail. His intricate playing comes across as if it's being transmitted via his 60s-era Fender Vibrolux amplifier placed right before you. The cleanliness, dimensions, and live feel are that good. His bandmates, too, benefit from the extra groove space afforded by this 45RPM edition. Rhythms skate and swirl; percussive effects resonate with crispness and attack; the leading edges of notes naturally decay.

Dire Straits' strong, well-edited batch of original material further enhances the overall enjoyment and makes the record one whose pleasures go far beyond the organic sonics. Just as Knopfler's narratives pour forth with poetic and surrealist texts, the musical settings – an intoxicating combination of easygoing shuffles, back-hall boogies, and pop-honed ballads – mirror the old-fashioned soulfulness inherent in the classic recordings of the late 50s and early 60s. The lyrics are equally captivating.

Drawing from his time as a youth in Newcastle, Leeds, and London, Knopfler invests tunes with an autobiographical slant and emotional connectivity that become obvious the moment he opens his mouth to sing. "Down to the Waterline," "Wild West End," and "Lions" all feature colloquial touches that add to their reach. By extension, "In the Gallery" functions as a tribute to Leeds sculptor Harry Phillips (father of future Knoplfer collaborator, Steve Phillips) while the record's breakout smash, "Sultans of Swing," pays homage to struggling bar bands.


Through it all, Dire Straits performs with a subtle cool and clever poise that no band ever matched. Just how good is the chemistry? Bob Dylan heard the quartet and invited Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers to play on Slow Train Coming. But even Dylan himself didn't hear Dire Straits sound this magnetic back in its original heyday. Now, everyone can.

The song showcases Prince's signature blend of funk, rock, and pop, featuring catchy melodies and his iconic guitar work.

Devotional music most often gets distilled into earthy chants and ancient folklore, it doesn't always ascend to the sky like Julinko’s ‘Naebula’ an album that from the first organ note clearly trades in terrestrial dreams for ethereal visions. A feverish quality permeates the whole record, as if a ritualistic performance was being captured from start to finish, a collection of hallucinatory doom, synthetic neo-folk hymns and ghostly art-rock.

Julinko, stage name for Giulia Parin Zecchin, has long been one of the best kept secrets of the experimental community in North-East Italy, with three records that helped define her unique blend of heavy psychedelia, slowcore and dark ambient. On ‘Naebula’ what really stands out is how powerful and soaring her voice is, a weapon of undeniable force that can transform into a vessel of raw fervour or glide effortlessly as a delicate lament. Her unconventional approach shines through on tracks like ‘Jeanne De Rien’, where a marching pulse acts as a pillar for an extended mantra, almost verging into powwow territory. ‘Peace Of The Unsaid’ uses its arrhythmical structure to create space, a crepuscular night ode that reaches the heights of Sinead O’Connor’s most intimate force-fulness while retaining a sweet composure. Whether it’s glacial murderous shrieks or gospel-esque vitality, songs like ‘Cloudmachine’ or ‘Kiss The Lion’s Tongue’ seem to draw as much from a tradition of European minimalism, the use of drones and repetition, to the tradition of folksongs as hymns, where modal harmonies make way for an apparent stasis. Another key element in Julinko’s songwriting is the seamless blend of her minimalistic approach with these dense textures borrowed from a distant outsider metal heritage, Lynchean noir on steroids or wordless exorcisms with deep undercurrents.

In Gianfranco Rosi’s portrait of Naples, Sotto le Nuvole, the ground shakes periodically. Between Mount Vesuvius and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the fumaroles of the Phlegraean Fields hiss volcanic gas and steam. Below the sleeping volcano, modern day Naples emerges in black and white and fills with voices, with lives. From the traces of history and the concerns of the present, Rosi documents a city immersed in its continuous past, with Daniel Blumberg’s minimal soundscape hovering in a sonic space between liquid and air.
Tasked with creating a soundscape that would suspend space within Rosi’s film, Blumberg called upon the extended technique of saxophonists Seymour Wright and John Butcher to create a gossamer fabric of traces and sounds abstracted from their instruments. Having transitioned from theoretical physics to the saxophone, John Butcher has always deeply considered space in the context of his playing. His concerns are with flow, density and how the saxophone is situated in the living world. Zeroing in on the core sonic properties of the mechanical and acoustic components of the saxophone, Seymour Wright has integrated its every breath, reed vibration, keypad clatter and hissed microtone of his alto into his own, unique improvisational language. In his work with these two seminal players, Blumberg makes his most concentrated soundtrack to date - reinforcing the film's sense of overlapping time and space, and pushing at the limits of experimentation.

Initially recorded in Daniel’s flat in London, Butcher and Wright centre themselves around long, consistent tones, so soft that it seems breath is being gently pulled from the saxophone's bell by an invisible hand. Blumberg himself adds haunting bass harmonica, and recordings of Wright’s launeddas - a traditional and ancient triple pipe polyphonic reed instrument from Sardinia, Italy. Blumberg then travelled to the volcanic region of Baia, next to Pompeii. Once a flourishing classical Roman city loved by Nero, Baia slowly sank under hydrothermal pressure, leaving the city in a kind of geological purgatory. Using specialised geophones and hydrophones, Blumberg took those initial recordings and amplified them underwater, sending them calling out across the ruins of Baia’s mosaics, Nymphaeum statues and villas.

“It was important to me that the music was whispered in the same landscape that Gianfranco has worked for the past three years, so that you can hear the volcanic air gulping, the lapping of the waves, the steam and bubbles popping against John and Seymour’s saxophone breaths – an echo from a suspended time.”
What emerges is deeply melancholic, tender, subtle and right at the edges of audio technology. Submerged in an aquarian mausoleum, the mysterious vibrations of the saxophone and its bell become an echo of an echo, wading from the future into the past. ‘Sotto le Nuvole’ is less a soundtrack than a process of aeration - a sonic puncture in the material of the film which allows its central message to breathe, and a remarkable experiment at the limits of the saxophone’s possibility.

CHIWAX presents St. David & Wildbox - Dance revival EP
This record was made strictly for the dance floor!
Highly recommended!

Ralf Hildenbeutel is an award-winning producer and film composer. His style is shaped by his eclectic background as of his classical education in piano and composition and his obsession for electronic music since the late '80s.

In the 1990s he collaborated with Sven Väth on Väth's major albums, released a countless number of club classics and founded his electronic live-project Earth Nation. He has been touring across Europe and playing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, London's Brixton Academy, Tribal Gathering Universe and others.

In that time he also produced various remixes for artists such as Anne Clark, Robert Palmer, Enigma and Yello and was awarded with the "Viva Comet" as Best Producer from Germany's music TV channel VIVA. His film music for the movie "Hommage á Noir" received the golden medal at the New York Festivals in 1996.

At the end of the '90s and first years of the 2000s it was the time for new directions and Hildenbeutel started focusing on artist-related productions and songwriting. He founded the production company Schallbau with Stevie B-Zet and A.C. Boutsen. They produced and co-wrote for artists such as Laith Al-Deen, Andreas Bourani, Yvonne Catterfeld, and Simon Collins (son of Phil Collins). That time they archived several top-ten entries and gold or platinum records.

In 2010 Hildenbeutel moved away from pop productions and focused on film music. He worked on feature movies such as "Vincent will meer" ("Deutscher Filmpreis", 2012 – German Film Academy Award) and international productions such as the Italian mini-series "Maltese".

His film music for the short movie "Momentum" (by Boris Seewald) received various awards such as "Cinedans" and a nomination for best music at the Newport International Filmfestival in the UK in 2014. In 2017 he won the "Goldene Reiter" at the esteemed Filmfest Dresden for his score for the movie "Eine Villa mit Pinien".

Hildenbeutel currently works on several international and German productions. He also collaborated with Chris Liebing on Liebing's latest solo album "Burn Slow", which has been released worldwide on Mute Records.

Often credited as the father of multi-media theatre, Alwin Nikolais (1910-1993) took complete creative control over his productions - including cutting-edge approaches to lighting and costume that transformed human bodies into shifting sculptural shapes, while also composing wildly innovative electro-acoustic and synth-based audio as accompaniment.

After initially experimenting with musique concrète and tape manipulation (as demonstrated on the 1959 LP Choreosonic Music of the New Dance Theatre of Alwin Nikolais) Nikolais became the first owner of Robert Moog's synthesizer at the Audio Engineering Society convention in New York in late 1964. Relying heavily on the Moog and later the Synclavier synth/sampler, these 21 tracks document Nikolais' highly-prescient compositions across the mid 1960s through to the late 1980s - existing not only as extensions of his other-worldly choreographic productions, but standalone pieces of foundational mid-century American electronic and experimental music.

"Born in Southington, Connecticut in 1910, Nikolais’s early years and early career were in acting, music and puppetry. It was not until the late 1930s that he began his work as dancer/choreographer in Hartford, Connecticut, where he was commissioned by the Avery Memorial Theatre, a part of the Wadsworth Atheneum, to create an evening-length work to the music of Ernst Krenek. Previously his work and study as a pianist-organist found him accompanying silent films. This sort of accompaniment required from the musician not only a playing skill but also a versatility in improvisation, matching movement to sound, and evoking mood to situation.

Nik was drawn initially to dance by his involvement with the percussion scores used by the illustrious early twentieth century German dancer Mary Wigman. In trying to learn more about percussion, he was lured into dance class and thus his career began. His development of music and dance occurred simultaneously. His introduction to the twelve-tone technique opened his mind to the expanding areas of atonal music, and his dealing with music as sound per se. In 1948, after being appointed director of the Henry Street Playhouse in New York, Nikolais formed the Playhouse Dance Company, later known as the Nikolais Dance Theater, and began his aesthetic orientation toward dance as a study of motion. By the 1950s, he had ceased creating literal dances and began his explorations and eventual milieu as an abstractionist.

Sound became an important part of his abstract theatre. For his first dances, which involved his new thinking of dance as both a visual and kinetic art, he used live percussion scores in which he directed his dancers to play instruments of all nature. There was a combination of children’s toy instruments as well as harsh and resonant automobile brake drums, and other pitched auto parts which he also used to accompany classes. Once he installed his own tape recording machines, he quickly used the limited range these instruments provided in a new way, slowing and increasing speed and reversing sound. He also made the sounds adhere to the choreographic structure (not the other way around), thereby giving the dance its independence from the musical phrasing. But the real need remained: the search for new sound. Nik made a sound library, recording noises and percussion and vocal sounds, which the French aptly called musique concrète. Needless to say, he became a master at splicing bits and pieces.

From 1956 to 1962 Nikolais composed eleven major scores for his theatre pieces using such techniques. In 1963, James Seawright, who at the time was assisting Nik in his productions and also working at the Columbia-Princeton Center for Electronic Music, recorded a sound bank for the production Imago (1963). With this material, Nikolais created his first synthesizer score. Imago won the Paris Grand Prix in 1968 and launched the Nikolais Dance Theatre towards its national and primarily international acclaim.

During the same period, Seawright came to Nik and told him of a young man who had invented and constructed a simplified synthesizer and insisted that Nik visit the electronic fair currently being held in New York. Nik did so and met Robert Moog. He was completely taken by the new machine and after making some suggestions to Moog, (which Moog made), Nik bought the inventor’s first machine with the aid of a Guggenheim Fellowship. Moog himself was astonished by what his machine could produce for Nik. This machine was later acquired by the Museum of Musical Instruments at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor as the first Moog synthesizer. The Synclavier was Nik’s next source of sound and since the mid-1970s remained the major instrument in the Nikolais soundroom.

Alwin Nikolais has been honored and awarded throughout the world. He has received the French Legion of Honor, the Kennedy Center Honors, National Medal of the Arts, two Guggenheim Fellowships, as well as Mellon, Ford, and Rockefeller grants. He has been a recipient of NEA grants since 1966, been awarded five honorary doctorates, all for his remarkable achievements in Dance Theater. His genius has influenced several generations of artists."
—Murray Louis

The latest release from the Gladio Operations label showcases a new collaboration between two heavyweights of the European electro scene. This seventeenth release brings us a collaboration between Jauzas The Shining, a regular on the label, and the eagerly awaited debut of Swedish producer Obergman.

This EP, entitled “Continuum Analysis”, opens with “Analysis Of My Ego” and “Untitled”, two powerful tracks by Jauzas The Shining, featuring the classic, forceful and dark basslines, beautifully accompanied by deep vocals, very much to the French producer’s taste. The final track is by the Swedish artist, who treats us to “Kap Flora”, a journey to be savoured amidst consistent basslines and arpeggios, which draws us into a soundscape that flirts with trance sounds.

Side B opens with two tracks by Obergman: the first, “Continuum Bender”, with its intriguing and mysterious passages, gives way to “Closed Surface”, a track that slows the tempo down compared to the previous ones, and in which we hear a gentle line of more synthetic and relaxed sounds. The EP closes with the track “Con Gusto” by the French artist, a rhythmic journey with a fast-paced development, enhanced by cinematic vocals.

Richard Sen debuts on Phantasy with ‘Space 1999 / Bergen Light Rail’, the first transmission from the illustrious DJ and producer since his vinyl-only solo LP, 2024’s ‘India Man’.

Deeply invested in electronic music for over thirty years, first at the intersection of London’s acid house and graffiti art scenes, evolving in cult duos Padded Cell and Bronx Dogs, and now generously sharing his formidable knowledge of club culture on London’s Do!! You!!! Radio, Sen is known to take listeners anywhere. On this occasion, he locks into two distinct influences from his winding creative journey, with ecstatic results.

The title of ‘Space 1999’ mirrors Sen’s own hand-painted accompanying artwork, yet its sonic influence sits much closer to our own orbit; A tribute to a slice of London nightlife history, Space at Bar Rhumba was a midweek party led by residents Luke Solomon and Kenny Hawes, whose selections helped sculpt the deep house scene at the turn of the millennium. ‘Space 1999’ transports contemporary dancers back there in no less than ten minutes, led by a deep bassline and swinging drums, while an intergalactic melody slowly takes hold, resulting in pure satisfaction.

‘Bergen Light Rail’ embraces a different kind of kosmische, looking to the northern light of space disco and following the tram route of its namesake to the Norwegian city’s beloved Club Ostre, riding a rhythm of pogoing toms and crashing drums. Conjuring a dreamy tête-à-tête between ever-expanding, heavenly synths and tightly-wound arpeggiators, Sen’s transmission to the stars is a deeply human call to dance.

Needlewreckordz drops a heavyweight 7" for hip-hop and funk lovers with a great collision of source materials, making for sharp edits with undeniable groove. Opener 'Doin It (In The Park)' features a classic refrain from a Detroit jazz great, but layered over a funky groove that never quits. On the flip, 'Madness' slows the tempo with a more deep cut and rolling groove that brings slick r&b vocals that tug at the heart while bumping kicks and hip-hop fragments further flesh out the fun. Plenty of familiar touches dropped into irresistible grooves make this a gem for party-starting sessions.

Not many weeks go by without Patrick Sullivan aka P-Sol aka the New York City-based edit king dropping another tidy 7". He collides more classics from the r&b and hip-hop golden eras here, starting with 'Heard It All Before', which keeps the original, soulful and empowering vocal and reworks it into a slow, dubby, gentle broken bump. On the flip, 'Undone Wreck' is a classic early rap joint here reworked as a funky, jazzy fusion sound with smooth rolling bass and lush brass. The bars are storytelling and the effect is utterly seductive.

MCRV019 – VA – Phase Drift. Passage is a graceful and emotionally nuanced four-track journey through modern deep tech house. Blending reimagined echoes of early 2000s deep sounds with forward-thinking production, the release moves between moods and textures with surgical control and quiet sophistication. It’s an EP that balances warmth and restraint, melancholy and motion — built for selectors who appreciate finely tuned emotional arcs.

A1. Stephano Franca – Arriving opens with a fluid, introspective piece. Gentle and melancholic, it glides with cinematic poise, drawing listeners into a state of suspended reflection.
A2. Dot – Distance Call introduces a percussive, tribal undercurrent — earthy and grounded, yet full of bounce. It energizes the space while maintaining depth and groove.

Flipping over, B1. Reenday – Last Call (Nicolas Barnes Remix) brings a refined sense of cold elegance. Dubby and atmospheric, it’s a minimalist piece that evokes distance and stillness — a cool breath in the night.
Closing the release, B2. Jeronimo Watson – On The Prowl is a deep tech gem — emotive, seductive, and sharply detailed. With a slow-burning energy, it brings the record to a confident and composed close.

From Brazilian talent Stephano Franca to Dot and Nicolas Barnes, two of the label’s most precise and consistent producers, and rising standout Reenday, a finalist of the ANTS: NEXT GEN Artist Program 2025, this release represents the current essence of MixCult. It is sealed by the distinct touch of Jeronimo Watson, whose Los Angeles–rooted sound closes the circle with style.

Phase Drift. Passage is not just a collection of tracks — it’s a refined toolkit for navigating emotional shifts and dancefloor narratives, framed by elegance and intention.

Limited Edition.

One of the biggest underground rave anthems of the early 90's produced by Gordon Matthewman (Dj Edge) and Doug Osbourne (Sourmash).

The track perfectly bridged the gap between early 90s UK rave, European hard trance, and sinister warehouse techno. It is instantly recognizable by its slow-building, intense tension, heavy pounding kick, and the stark, ominous, distorted synth stabs that cut through the eerie acid lines.

With its massive dancefloor appeal, it was quickly snapped up for major compilations, notably appearing on the highly influential Reactivate 8 compilation put out by React Records. Original vinyl pressings on the iconic XVX label remain highly sought after by old-school electronic music collectors worldwide. This is your chance to own this Rave Classic on an official Repress from the XVX Label.

Amsterdam's Stefan Vincent makes his Aquaregia debut with Until Meaning Emerges. With a discography spanning techno, acid and IDM, Vincent's versatility is on full display here. The four-track transmission uses the 303 as its central signal, soldering together halftime polyrhythms, breaks and techno. The EP opens with "Soothing the Beast", an alluring polyrhythmic acid stepper with squelching 303 and crisp halftime breaks, where interference resolves into coherence. "Full Scope" then slows the pulse down with a chilled-out, growling acid line that moves with a gravitational weight. On the flipside, "Degauss" reboots the system with a high-octane acid techno tool; a recursive groove spiraling deeper into the network. "Paranoid Origin" closes the release with a euphoric final ascent, layering breaks, melodic arpeggios and shimmering fragments that dissolve into open air.

Tiger Stripes unveils part one of ‘A Tiger Never Loses Its Stripes’ on Rekids. The series will culminate in the Swedish artist’s sophomore album later this year.

Sweden’s Tiger Stripes, aka Mikael Nordgren, drops the first part of the ‘A Tiger Never Loses Its Stripes’ EP series on Rekids. The EP previews his upcoming sophomore album, his first in two decades, due out later this year, and follows three recent releases and a remix for Dino Lenny on Matt Edwards’ Rekids label.

Tiger Stripes kicks off the ‘A Tiger Never Loses Its Stripes’ EP with ‘Slow’, a snappy groove driven by weighty bass and vocals that are as playful as they are drenched in soul. ‘Twelve’ picks up the pace with irresistible low-end and funky, jazz-inflected key riffs, before ‘Stay Hypnotic’ takes things somewhere more dream-like, pairing shimmering synth sequences with glitched-out percussion and fragmented vocal snippets on the flip. ‘Shape The Future’ closes the first instalment with a squelchy bassline, slightly off-key strings and gorgeous dubbed-out chord progressions, bringing a classy, club-ready finish to this preview of Tiger Stripes’ next album.

Founder of the Strange Idols label, Tiger Stripes has spent over two decades forging his own path with standout releases on Hot Creations, Kaoz Theory, Kwench Records, and more. After stepping back to focus on his indie-rock project Little Lies, he made a full return in 2024 and quickly recaptured the form that’s made him an international favourite, returning three times to Rekids since.

"Cinematic Visionaries Calibro 35 and Noir Master James Ellroy Pay Homage to L.A. with a Pure Crime-Funk Original Soundtrack. Out October 9" There are collaborations that feel inevitable like they were waiting to happen in some shadowed corner of culture. The union between Italian cinematic funk visionaries Calibro 35 and internationally acclaimed master of noir fiction and New York Times bestselling author James Ellroy is undoubtedly one of them. When Calibro 35 were invited to compose the original soundtrack for Francesco Zippel's documentary Ellroy vs L.A., they didn't simply write music for film. They stepped directly into Ellroy's universe the most dangerous corners of American crime fiction and discovered, to no one's surprise, that its darkness felt strangely familiar. The result is Ellroy vs L.A., the band's new album out October 9 on Record Kicks. Twelve brand new tracks of cinematic crime funk, psychedelia, and hypnotic groove that don't accompany Ellroy's world so much as inhabit it. The soundtrack's move through Ellroy's fictional and real-world mythologies with deliberate precision. Stylistically, the album finds Calibro 35 in their most natural yet most cinematic state: crime funk, psychedelia, and hypnotic groove pushed into darker, more narrative-driven territory by the weight of Ellroy's world. From the gloomy, suspense-laden groove of the opener Black Dahlia to the evocative closing piece Moonlight Sonative, the album unfolds as a complete cinematic arc, showcasing Calibro 35 at their very best. L.A. Confidential delivers a super-suspenseful, thrilling tension that feels like a chase through neon-lit streets, while Riots erupts into explosive cinematic funk, capturing chaos and urban unrest in full force. LSD on Sunset Boulevard drifts into a hazy, instrumental soul journey psychedelic, warm, and disorienting, like a late-night hallucination of the city itself. The Big Nowhere (Part I & II) expands the narrative into a slow-burning, atmospheric descent, unfolding like a two-act crime saga. Welcome to the Land of Vacation and Probation hits with kick-ass, uptempo crime-funk madness, urgent and relentless in its propulsion, while White Jazz is a mood of suspended, noir-infused jazz tension cool, shadowy, and unresolved. Together, the tracks map Los Angeles as a fractured yet hypnotic landscape suspended between glamour and violence, beauty and decay, myth and reality Born in Milan in 2007 with the mission of excavating the golden age of Italian film music Morricone, Piccioni, Trovajoli, Calibro 35 have spent nearly two decades transforming that initial obsession into a singular artistic language. Their work bridges vintage Italian soundtracks with contemporary jazz and cinematic funk, earning them a global following rare for an Italian instrumental act. Their music has been sampled by Dr. Dre (Compton, "One Shot One Kill" feat. Snoop Dogg), Jay-Z ("Picasso Baby"), and Damon Albarn's The Child of Lov. Rolling Stone described them as "the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing that has happened to Italy in the past few years," while Far Out Magazine called them "one of the most skilful and innovative instrumental outfits on the planet right now." The band (Enrico Gabrielli, Massimo Martellotta, Fabio Rondanini, and Tommaso Colliva) continue to evolve without losing their core identity. In 2025 they released the critically acclaimed Exploration, further expanding their sonic universe, and were invited to perform at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games at the Arena di Verona, confirming their growing international stature. With Ellroy vs L.A., Calibro 35 don't just compose a soundtrack they translate a mythology into rhythm, tension, and groove. Between fiction and reality, they find a city that never truly sleeps, only pulses in darkness. Press play, and Los Angeles begins to unfold in sound.

With Lost Lost Lost, Pratt & Moody gather the defining moments of their journey and package it with fresh soul gold into one cohesive, slow- burning statement. What began as a series of cult 7” vinyl releases – often mistaken online for forgotten soul classics from another era – now finds its natural home in album form. Written and recorded with Timmion’s trusted house band Cold Diamond & Mink, the record captures the duo’s unmistakable chemistry: emotionally rich songwriting wrapped in warm, analog textures that blur past and present.
From the velvet sway of “Addictive Touch” to the cinematic tension of “You Bring Me Joy” and the beat ballad ache of “Hard Way To Live,” the album moves effortlessly between bedroom-soul intimacy and widescreen drama. “Hang Tight” opens with a blissful piano figure that nods to gospel-tinged 1970s soul before unfolding into a full-bodied groove, while “Hooked On Your Love” glows with golden-age group soul harmony sweetness. Across both sides, Pratt’s finely tuned vocals and Moody’s expressive guitar work anchor songs that feel timeless rather than nostalgic.

At its core, Lost Lost Lost is an album steeped in atmosphere – lush downtempo moments sit alongside sweet harmony-driven soul, cinematic builds dissolve into dark restrained grooves. Analog string synthesizers, vibraphone accents, tremolo guitar, and deep-pocket rhythms create emotional tension without excess. Pratt & Moody’s strength lies in their melodic instinct: songs that feel big without being pompous or losing their human quality. The result is a record that feels cohesive, immersive, and that real thing – reaffirming the duo as key architects of the contemporary lowrider soul revival.

With Lost Lost Lost, Pratt & Moody gather the defining moments of their journey and package it with fresh soul gold into one cohesive, slow- burning statement. What began as a series of cult 7” vinyl releases – often mistaken online for forgotten soul classics from another era – now finds its natural home in album form. Written and recorded with Timmion’s trusted house band Cold Diamond & Mink, the record captures the duo’s unmistakable chemistry: emotionally rich songwriting wrapped in warm, analog textures that blur past and present.
From the velvet sway of “Addictive Touch” to the cinematic tension of “You Bring Me Joy” and the beat ballad ache of “Hard Way To Live,” the album moves effortlessly between bedroom-soul intimacy and widescreen drama. “Hang Tight” opens with a blissful piano figure that nods to gospel-tinged 1970s soul before unfolding into a full-bodied groove, while “Hooked On Your Love” glows with golden-age group soul harmony sweetness. Across both sides, Pratt’s finely tuned vocals and Moody’s expressive guitar work anchor songs that feel timeless rather than nostalgic.

At its core, Lost Lost Lost is an album steeped in atmosphere – lush downtempo moments sit alongside sweet harmony-driven soul, cinematic builds dissolve into dark restrained grooves. Analog string synthesizers, vibraphone accents, tremolo guitar, and deep-pocket rhythms create emotional tension without excess. Pratt & Moody’s strength lies in their melodic instinct: songs that feel big without being pompous or losing their human quality. The result is a record that feels cohesive, immersive, and that real thing – reaffirming the duo as key architects of the contemporary lowrider soul revival.

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Koen Holtkamp has spent more than two decades shaping a body of work at the intersection of ambient, experimental, and electroacoustic music. Known for his role in the influential duo Mountains, as well as a solo catalog defined by texture and spatial awareness, Holtkamp has long explored how sound interacts with environment and perception. With Nightlife, he enters a new phase of that inquiry, one shaped as much by physical relocation as artistic evolution.

After leaving Brooklyn for the relatively rural setting of New York’s Hudson Valley, Holtkamp found himself immersed in nature and embracing a slower way of life, a shift that directly informed the album’s creation. Rather than rushing into a new project, he allowed the space itself to guide him, focusing on experimentation and play instead of a fixed outcome. Over time, a new instrument emerged from his modular system, built around physical modeling techniques that emulate plucked string sounds. Drawing on a deep affinity for acoustic traditions, from guitar soli to the kora and other chordophones, he began translating those influences into an electronic language, creating music that feels tangible, effusive, and even intimate, despite its synthetic nature. As the pieces took shape, Holtkamp expanded the project into a kind of imagined ensemble. Composed with specific collaborators in mind, the album features extensive contributions from drummer Greg Fox and saxophonist and flutist Matt Bauder, whose performances subtly reshape the material and draw it toward more fluid, song-like forms, alongside a guest appearance from Ben Vida on synth bass. Yet even as Nightlife occasionally resembles a band in motion, its construction resists traditional cohesion. Acoustic and electronic sources coexist to create a hyper-dimensional sense of space, with each element deliberately placed in its own distinct environment, yielding a complex yet inviting setting that feels both otherworldly and completely natural.

Much of the album was created during late-night sessions, which became a kind of personal ritual and ultimately inspired its title. Nightlife unfolds as a series of finely detailed environments, where stillness, texture, and subtle interplay take precedence over momentum. Each piece invites close listening while remaining open and unforced, reflecting both a change in pace and a deepening of focus. The result extends Holtkamp’s ongoing interest in how sound can shape, and be shaped by, the spaces we inhabit.

Terrestrial Funk welcomes Parisian producer Raymond D. Barre with a fun exploration into FM Synthesis. Bouncing in that sweet sweet midtempo zone all six tracks squelch to your heart’s delight. Simply put, “light-hearted and good vibes electro acid tracks”, as Monsieur D. Barre described them when he demoed the tracks to Terrestrial Funk two years ago. But they’re much more. Perfect programming brings that slow swing, wonky warped vocals on songs like ‘Broken Nose’, and the bells that chime in the releases final song ‘Mes Bêtes’ leave you in a paradox of fulfillment and desire. That’s the best part, you can flip the record back and listen to the release right over. DJs and home listeners alike are in for a treat with this one. Heck, get yourself two copies and mix every track back to back in the club. We guarantee it’ll go off.

Moulded By Industry is William D Drake's six album, his first for ten years and a return to the richly layered sonic texture and epic production of his majestic Briny Hooves. He is joined by long time collaborators James Larcombe, Dean Gaisburgh-Watkyn and Steve Jackson, with the addition of a new crew member, singer Treana Morris. Moving on from his nine years of pianistic and compositional duties in Cardiacs, Drake's solo work has been known for its synthesis of Mellotron-driven grandeur with a surreal playfulness.

But the deep heart of Drake's work is in its powerful evocation of the landscape of the countryside and its connection with love, longing and loss. To this end, his own enigmatic lyrics have rubbed shoulders with poetry drawn from across the centuries. From obscure sources such as Samuel Spree to the poetry of Thomas Hardy and Rupert Brooke, his settings make old words shimmer with human emotion. The texture of his music also reflects an inspirational lack of concern for distances of time. The earthy breath of his harmonium is interwoven with tones teased from archaic instruments by James Larcombe – hurdy-gurdy, dulcitone and melodeon.

But Drake's sound-world is no museum. Here, ancient words and the timbres of ancient instruments become one with the rush of a moment's emotion. Moulded By Industry brings this approach a new sonic depth, intoxicatingly shaded by Treana's lush vocal harmonies and underpinned by Steve's rhythm. Dean's evocative guitar textures give an oceanic sense, tinged with Americana, recalling his work with Drake in their alt country band Nervous. These many layers of sound are drawn together into vivid soundscapes by the painterly mixing of producer Ott. Renowned for his work in electronica and dub, Ott's two decades of experience working with artists such as Sinéad O'Connor, the Orb and Brian Eno bring an organic touch here, more akin to the elemental forces of land and sky than grid electricity. More than any of Drake's previous albums, Moulded By Industry reignites the emotional urgency of old texts. The gorgeous single The Flickering Shade, haunted by glimmers of lost possibilities, is set from words by Thomas Ashe. Turtledove's heady evocation of the blissful madness of love sets the words of an anonymous 17th century ballad. above all, the album is a testament to Drake's love of John Clare, 'The Northamptonshire Peasant Poet'. Clare wrote as the centuries old process of enclosure, in which wild and common land was appropriated commercially, was accelerating.

His works, rather than representing simple sentimentality, are passionate love poems to the landscape and cries from a soul reeling from the creeping unfamiliarity devouring it. This sense of the tension between passion and ill-ease has its most potent expression in Green Shadows. The brooding, slow-tempo energy of Steve's drums drive a horizon-wide lament, alternately lulled by Treana's vocal textures and made restless by James' plaintive hurdy-gurdy and the emotive pull of Dean's slide guitar. The present moment is also a time of enclosure, both metaphorically, as our lives, memories and emotions are drawn into the commercial space of social media, and literally as land and water are swallowed by vast data centre developments. Moulded By Industry celebrates a regained sense of being in the moment in the landscape, in life and in love. The album closes with the utterly delightful single Love In The Universe. The kind of song that could make a cynic use the word 'joyous' without irony, this Harry Nilsson-esque romp reassures us, with a wink, that 'in an infinite universe everything has its place ... even the human race'.