quête:son of sun

Jlin’s detailed and meticulous exploration of rhythm’s inner and outer reaches has made her one of the most distinctive and recognisable voices within both the electronic and classical music worlds. Her compositions are consistently appealing and have an accessibility to them, yet often defy expectations. She exists within her own locus solus - no matter the collaborator, no matter where sounds ultimately lead her. Whatever the situation – from composing the Pulitzer Prize shortlisted ‘Perspective’ for Third Coast Percussion, to ‘Godmother’ her AI-powered collaboration with Holly Herndon, Jlin always expresses her outlook to the fullest. Her new album ‘Akoma’ sets a new benchmark in her personal road map, not only since the album features guest appearances from Björk, Philip Glass and Kronos Quartet but for her continued sonic persistence and resistance. Jlin does what Jlin does and it’s beloved across genres, across scenes and across generations. ‘Akoma’ is a new entry point into her sound and a new approach for both those who have been following diligently and those who are just now entering her world.So how did she get here? Here’s a rundown for those looking for the facts. She was both a math nerd and a steel factory worker. She got inspired by Footwork and started making tracks with mentorship assistance from RP Boo and DJ Rashad, but her music was far from typical for footwork from the get-go. In 2011, she released her first track ‘Erotic Heat’ on the Planet Mu anthology ‘Bangs & Works Vol.2.’ Fashion designer Rick Owens heard it and invited her to soundtrack his Paris Fashion Week show. Already before an EP or an album Jlin was in new cutting-edge territory. And it hasn’t stopped since. Everyday Jlin wakes up early and clocks into her home studio working hard on new music. Her discipline and craft-like approach means that those who would try to copy her sound simply can’t get to the level she is at. Since ‘Erotic Heat’ she has released two bold albums, 2015’s ‘Dark Energy’ and 2017’s ‘Black Origami.’ She has also released her soundtrack to Company Wayne McGregor’s dance piece ‘Autobiography’ (2018) and most recently (2023) the mini-album ‘Perspective.’ She’s remixed µ-Ziq, Factory Floor, Ben Frost, Max Richter, Björk, Martin Gore and others. She’s collaborated with Holly Herndon and the late SOPHIE. She’s worked with visual artists Kevin Beasley and Nick Cave. She composed a string quartet for Kronos Quartet and performed with them live in a tribute to Philip Glass. She also recently completed a tribute to Sun Ra with Kronos. ‘Perspective’, her very well received percussion work for Third Coast Percussion has further opened doors for her in classical music. She’s even thinking of one day writing an opera. She had a residency at MassMoca Museum earlier this year (2023). She’s performed live at Pitchfork Festival, Unsound Festival and too many others to mention. She’s also worked with Indian dancers, Company Wayne McGregor and renowned choreographer/MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham. There’s more but you get the picture - she’s working in contexts and in ways that few of her peers are able to. ‘Akoma’ is the next step - all these paths have led to this. We encourage you to tune in.

repress!

ARCHIELONG LP album consists of 8 intensely rolled tracks dating between 2012-2020. The release unfolds on 4 discs of 180gr, with gatefold covers, coated in Sani Stranskiʼs artwork.

Throughout ARCHIELONG LP, we are absorbed by what typically characterizes his narrative: a peculiar style of story in constant development. Structure and flow are a hallmark feature of his selections, adding one more trippy, eerie minimal style on top of the other, creating a rich and quirky haunted sphere

E – MELODROM – percolates with Latin percussion and shuffling snares, which commingle with an array of voices and whispers that come from every corner of the song. From toolish to melodic, itʼs the diversity that creates the magic.

F – SING AND RUN – is one of those tracks that gives you nostalgia and reminds us of early mornings at the end of the party when the sun would be coming in through the windows and the dancefloor was in total harmony. Could easily cast a spell with the right audience.

G –RUMBLING DREAM – is a ritualistic-sounding slice, crossing towards the kind of slow-burning, atmospheric cuts that doubtless inspire his intricate studio productions. The vocals are unusually illustrative and make a lasting impression.

H – KLAUS DID IT – is an intriguing interplay between dark functionality and high velocity grooves — the type of deep, trippy, IDM-tipped tunes. Its warped tones are forming dank, lurching rhythms that trap you like a spiderweb, venturing into a bizarre, rewarding territory. The conclusion? You can spend a decade honing a very particular personal vision and not run short of inspiration. Mihigh is a world-builder: everything he does is about further extending and reinforcing that world.

ARCHIELONG LP is capturing the beauty at the intersection of
experiment and perpetual learning

4 years in the making, this surprise collaboration between Drop and Ashong fuses soul and psychedelia with downtempo beats.

Ashong’s continuing mission to subvert expectations manifests greatly here, but the album is full of melodic hooks, layered to infinity alongside his acoustic guitar. Meanwhile Jonny Drop quietly flips samples unrecognisable from his extensive vinyl collections and once again makes a leap forward in his production identity.

Stand out single Puzzle Dust is a perfect slice of UK soul and jazz that sets everyone up for a unique sonic experience.

Samosa Records roars into 2024 with a sublime four-tracker, the curiously titled ‘(Re)-Funk+Head EP'.

All four tracks have been carefully sized, selected and re-edited by De Gama himself. For those not in the know, Re-Funking is serious business and you can tell De Gama’s laboratory was in full flow in bringing these tracks even closer to the dance floor!

First up on the A-Side are Samosa favourites Dirtyelements & Drunkdrivers with the hypnotic, smokey dim lit club thumper ‘Keep It Coming’. Coming in at a deceptive 115bpm, the bass massages your brain whilst the keys, vocal sample and beats tickle your toes. A deliciously salty and sweet re-edit.

Sneaking up on you is A2 and a track from label boss De Gama himself – the flutey, tootie late night funk bomb that is ‘Some More’. Be warned - this dirty birdie stirs up primordial feelings that are probably illegal in some countries. It’s not an overstatement to say that ‘Some More’ is the definition of pure, adult-orientated funking. Saddle up, put out the camp fire and ride it into town.

A quick flip to the B-side and you’ll find Paul Older’s Sax Francisco (B1) parading down the street in all its splendid glory. Mr Older sure knows how to cook - and served on his sombrero-shaped sun terrace is this fantastic tropical sorbet of a tune. The production is assured and so warm that you lose yourself for the entire 6 mins and 26 seconds in its spell. Expect this to be packed in your summer 2024 suitcase with your Factor 50.

Closing the EP off is the super-talented MB Edit and his deadly groover ‘Got The Feeling’. The serious business of Re-Funking is on full display here – stompy, squeaky clean four-to-the-floor drumbeats, twisted riffs and subtle piano prepare you for the soaring horns, heavenly strings and disco-fied vocal breakdown that used to make lofts bounce and dark clubs heave. A dreamy, relentless journey into the disco ball for those lucky enough to jump in.

(Re)-Funk+Head is another exceptional EP from the Samosa stables and pushes the ever-expanding sonic boundaries with seriously solid production, stone cold grooves and a roster of amazing talent on one EP. A must, must, must have for the record box!!

Ste Hendry Black Light Disco

DJ Support: Danny Krivit, Craig Charles (BBC Radio 6 Music), Hallex M, Jazzanova, Delite Radio, Mi Soul, Pointblank, Totally Wired Radio, XFM, Radio Solar, Tony Minvielle, Simon Phillips, Chris Phillips (Jazz FM), KCRW DJs, Ian Friday, Aroop Roy, Samantha Badd (Café Del Mar), Mr. V, Simon Harrison (Basic Soul), Greame Park, Mike Fossati, Timo Mass, Deli G, Servino (Horse Meat Disco), Hyenah.

‘Badly Written Songs’ is, of course, a tongue-in-cheek title. It comprises a carefully structured and well-produced array of songwriting, topped and tailed with live instrumentation, commanding vocal performances and high-end production: the result of years of sound engineering and music production experience. Since the last album, Ross Hillard has continually honed his skills whilst earnestly crafting this sophomore long player. As well as developing a range of audio plugins, Ross also manages recording sessions at his own Paddocks Recording Studios: huge live spaces boast cutting-edge technology, integrated with distinguished analogue kit. The studio is complemented by a collection of prized microphones, together with a fully-restored vintage Raindirk mixing desk.

The opening track and first single from this album is the positively-anthemic gem entitled ‘Good Morning Sunshine’. It tells a forward-looking story promoting the merits of getting back into the driving seat of life. It’s propelled further by superb jazz-inspired drums and live horns that build up to an exhilarating crescendo. Featuring the vocal talents of Sophia Marshall, the story she paints is supported by a wonderful, darkly humorous cartoon video. An animated cadaver hilariously acts out her notions of positive living.
Other tracks also destined for a single release include: ‘Loving You’. It’s a song written around love lost. A bouncing house composition lays the foundations for Sophia Marshall's beautiful vocal that narrates the many facets to be found in loving another person. ‘Better’ again echoes jazz-inspired drums behind Sophia's vocals, drawing attention to how so many people are lost on their devices, missing out on the awesome world around them. A catchy chorus chants the notion behind this song, i.e., that you ‘could be better!’ This single is also supported by another fantastic video featuring the same comical, deceased character introduced through the ‘Good Morning Sunshine’ video.

The Hammond organ was first manufactured in 1935. In 1954, the now famous Hammond B3 model was introduced with additional harmonic percussion feature. When the company went out of business in 1985, around two million of various models of the Hammond organ have been produced.

The Hammond B3 was originally marketed to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ. It quickly became popular with professional jazz musicians in organ trios. Jimmy Smith's use of the Hammond B3 inspired a generation of organ players, and its use became more widespread in the 1960s and 1970s in rhythm and blues, rock, reggae, and progressive rock.

This collection is centered on the exciting and dynamic sounds of the Hammond B3 organ!

Reunion's major musical genre, Maloya, becomes "gazé" (crazy) through the sounds composed by Grèn Sémé for this new EP.
A gassed maloya that combines direct inspiration from the purest line of this traditional réunionese music with the highly contemporary evolution that is the Grèn Sémé group's signature.
Composed during the studio sessions for their latest album, "Zamroza", the first three tracks on this new EP reveal the sunny side of the Creole band.
You can taste their love of lyrics and their thirst for discovery. And the right mix of compositions. Inspired by the tradition of the greatest song/percussion pieces in the island's history, Grèn Sémé offers three anthems that lend themselves perfectly to the remix exercise.

Deluxe bonus: the 3 Remixes of Voilaaa + La Dame + Guiss Guiss Bou bess
Voilaaa and the fabulous Bruno Patchworks take on "Siko" to create a Cape Verdean ballroom hit.
funana with its heady melodies, it's ultra danceable!
La Dame, producer and DJ from Belgium, remixes the eponymous track into an effective batida for the dancefloor, DJs and dancers alike.

Guiss Guiss Bou Bess take remixing a step further, adding Senegalese sabars and the vocals of group leader Mara Seck to Carlo de Sacco's Alkol.

What I Breathe is the debut album from Mall Grab AKA Jordon Alexander. The Australia-born London-based powerhouse reaches within to create the most comprehensive demonstration of his style to date – loudly defining the raw energy that has become synonymous with the moniker.

“This album is deeply personal and an exploration of all influences, sounds and sides of the Mall Grab project. It follows my journey of the last 6 years from a university dropout in Newcastle (Australia), making music as a source of happiness and expression.”
While glances of what Jordon gravitates towards in dance music can be heard in the record label imprints he steers—Looking For Trouble and Steel City Dance Discs—it's with What I Breathe that he elaborates on and articulates his diverse ear for music. Through collaborations with Brendan Yates of Turnstile, Novelist, D Double E and Nia Archives, the Mall Grab repertoire of emotive electronics is used to traverse his love of hard-to-define energies that exist between genres like Hardcore, Hip-Hop and Soul.
“I have been lucky enough to work with some of my favourite artists which have really been the glue that keeps the project coherent. There are a lot of familiar sounds on this album that my listeners and followers have become accustomed to and joined me in the deep dive. Elements of emotional but hard and pumping club music are intertwined with House, Jungle, Rave and Grime. My adopted home city of London has been a huge inspiration to how my music has evolved and progressed, and on What I Breathe I wanted to create a body of work which not only had something for everyone who has been with me the past 6 years, but also those who aren’t yet aware of what I’m about or the music I make.”
Jordon’s long-standing penchant for all things DIY blossoms in tracks like Lost In Harajuku and Without The Sun which feature his own original lyrics and vocals. As the album twists and weaves from one song to the next, gleaming melodies flare up into club-ready anthems such as Metaphysical and Breathing. The kinetic flow of the music as a whole can be attributed to the many years of cutting his teeth as a DJ, a skill that can be testified by anyone who has witnessed a Mall Grab set.

“As I was a DJ for many years before I delved into producing electronic music, I had a wide appreciation and love for all types of music, predominantly gravitating towards ‘band' music when creating my own projects, before evolving into a fully-fledged electronic producer – however always retaining the influence and love for all things live and genre-fluid.”

Even with a stack of very well-received projects already under his belt, What I Breathe can be seen as the first deep breath in and a fierce declaration of what’s to come for Mall Grab.

“I’m grateful for everything and everyone in my life, those I love and those who support my music, through all the ups and downs. I live and breathe this shit. I cannot do anything else. I will continue until there is nothing left for me to say.”

Mad-heads, rave veterans and lovers of having their brains rewired by previously unexplored sonic realms unite, because here comes the first of four, yes four, new albums from the fantastic freak of nature that is Special Request. His 'What Time Is Love? Sessions' arrives in several different formats this month and across six sizzling tracks that re-wire the KLF's hit of that name, he taps into everything from "ephemeral ambiance to barnstorming hardcore, pummelling house to pointillist trance" and does so with a mix of the surreal and the psychotic, the psychedelic and the downright ridiculous. It's mental, and we love it.

Vinyl Only. Limited.

MixCult Records unveils a new sub division of forthcoming releases under the name of TAMIZDAT, which in Russian TAM means “there” (as a reference of an aboard, western location), and IZDAT means “to publish”. It was the name for banned books and magazines published "there", that is, abroad.



Tamizdat Records proudly presents an EP that celebrates the substance of dub techno. With "Sunlight," Genning invites you to experience the depth and warmth of his sound, weaving a tapestry of sonic landscapes that resonate with the soul. This vinyl-only release is a testament to the label's commitment to quality and the enduring artistry of Genning, promising an immersive and unforgettable musical experience for audiophiles and enthusiasts alike.


This meticulously curated EP consists of four tracks, each contributing to a sonic journey that transcends traditional genre boundaries. Genning's ability to craft expansive soundscapes is evident, as "Sunlight" explores a wide emotional palette through a diverse range of sounds.


Immerse yourself in the hypnotic rhythms and atmospheric textures that define Genning's signature style. From the pulsating basslines to the ethereal melodies, each track on "Sunlight" captures a distinct mood, inviting listeners into a realm where the boundaries between genres blur.

Pomegranate Skies is a new album from Sepehr exploring sonic themes of heaven and hell, dualities, split identities, and chaos. The music in this album is a reflection of the ever-constant existential chaos in his mind, reflecting a musical journey through all the different influences and inspirations of genres and electronic music eras throughout his life but also a nod to the amorphous weight of divine weirdness that inspires his music. Music that is reflecting a split identity, music in between cultures. Music that is both good and evil, both sensical and non sensical, both angelic and hellish, secular and divine. Music to give you visions of geographic wonders that don’t really exist. The absurdism of everything from Earth but also of Heaven. Music that doesn’t follow tropes but also sounds familiar. It makes you want to laugh and cry; the in betweenness of everything. Music that makes you want to reach up and taste the pomegranates growing in the skies.

Taupe's debut release on Sungate is a clear declaration of intent. 5 cuts of atemporal electroid sonics that travel from Neptunian landscapes to the depths of the deep-blue-sea. We are pulled suddenly into a hyperspace informed equally by the Detroit masters and Rotterdam electro authorities. Truly a journey.

This Is With Artmann an Artist Straight From Netherlands, That House Puff Records Released His 25nd Ep. He Produced 4 Tracks With His Proper Style.

Always the Same recipe, Organic Drums, Deep Chords and Thundering Basslines Suited for Summer Sunsets and Dark Dance Floors Alike....

This four track EP features the LA band’s single’s Blame and the EP’s title track Bloodline,

Quickly finding fans in the likes of Elton John, Celeste, Paul Weller, Benji B, and Gilles Peterson, the band should soon find plenty more on a record that could soundtrack a David Lynch epic such is its drama and suspenseful, late-night orchestral ruminations. Capped by Lusk’s voice, a weapon that swoops through the octaves breathlessly, Gabriels have that rare ability to make you re-evaluate music, and what it can do, in a heartbeat.

Whilst Lusk provides the wow factor with that ridiculous larynx, Gabriels are very much a close-knit trio. Producer, keyboardist (and full-time video director) Ryan Hope hails from Sunderland but calls LA home. Fellow producer-composer and violinist Ari Balouzian, a man with endless musical projects on the go at any one time, gives Gabriels’ songs a real ‘feel’ to them.

Sultry, soulful mood music certainly isn’t the band’s modus operandi, with debut track If Love & Hate In A Different Time having originally identified Gabriels as a loose-limbed, soul-stirring funk and gospel-flecked odyssey. But this experimental EP should paint an altogether more rounded idea of where Gabriels are at… !

Fate is a funny old thing. One day in 2011, DJ/producer Tom Trago found himself sharing a train journey with Steven Van Lummel, a DIY musician, artist and co-founder of PIP, an underground nightclub and cultural hub in The Hague. Over the course of a rambling, open-ended conversation, the idea of making music together came up; a few weeks later, Trago travelled to van Lummel’s place – a former industrial unit that was now home to a rotating cast of artists and musicians – and didn’t leave for a month.

Cossetted away from the outside world in van Lummel’s loft, with multi-instrumentalists Janneke Nijhuijs and Wieger Hoogendorp joining them to create a musical four-piece, MEGA WEGA was born. Over the course of four weeks, the quartet embarked on an almost continuous creative session punctuated only by impromptu parties and mixing sessions. Life-long bonds were made and over 70 tracks recorded before the mundanity of day-to-day life came calling.

For one reason or another, the project never saw the light of day, with tracks sat gathering dust on hard drives for the best part of a decade. During the madness and loneliness of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trago rediscovered the tracks. Delighted by what he heard, a collective decision was made to add finishing touches and release the resultant album on van Lummel’s PIP Records imprint. Further instruments and vocals were added over two days at Hoogendorp’s studio, before mutual friend Tom Ruig got on board to mix the album.

So, what can you expect from Haunted, Mega Wega’s debut album? First and foremost, it’s the sound of pure creative expression – the distillation of a freewheeling, no-holds-barred, spontaneous musical journey variously inspired by the do-it-yourself ethos of musical counterculture, shared inspirations and influences, epic jam sessions, distant stars (Wega, sometimes known as Fidis or ‘the harp star’, is one of the brightest in the night sky), imaginary journeys across dusty deserts, and the comradeship of four new friends.

Enchanting and alluring, it’s an album that gleefully denies lazy categorization and ploughs its own eclectic, atmospheric musical furrow in vivid sonic detail. It’s a collective exploration of heady musical eclecticism unified by saucer-eyed vocals, low-slung bass, loose-limbed beats, sweaty percussion workouts and hazy electric piano motifs.

Haunted begins with the woozy and hallucinatory slow-burn soundscape of ‘Get Things Done’ – an effects laden shuffle akin to lying flat on your back tripping under an intense desert sun – and ends with the creepy, mind-mangling post-punk funk of ‘Brain Carpaccio’; in between, you’ll find spaced-out, low-tempo lo-fi soul (‘Move Around’, ‘Haunted’), tactile synth-powered boogie revivalism (‘Make Me Work’), deep and off-kilter opioid jazz (‘Copenhagen’), intoxicating psychedelia (‘Last Night on Earth’), piano-laden dream-pop epics (‘Shake Or Fall’), and Latin-infused, percussion-powered hedonism (‘Chopping Heads’).

Born out of spontaneous collaboration and immersive, almost endless recording sessions, Haunted is an album shot through with imagination and boundless energy, captured for posterity by four friends and collaborators at the top of their game.

3LP in gatefold sleeve + download code including the full mix.Created over the span of two years, Balance 032 marks a creative high point in the career of Madrid-based artist Henry Saiz, and this marks his third appearance for the hallowed compilation series.

Debut album of heavy Colombian salsa by the obscure and short-lived El Clan Antillano. Founded in 1975 by singer Jacky Carazo and radio personality / composer Mike Char and backed by a studio orchestra comprised mostly of Fruko Y Sus Tesos band members. The record has been remastered from the original tapes, with an additional three bonus cuts taken from two rare 45 singles, including the sought after track ‘Alma’. First time reissue. 180g Vinyl.

El Clan Antillano was an obscure, short-lived salsa group started in 1975 by singer Jacky “El Caballo” Carazo, originally from Cartagena, and radio host / song composer Mike Char, from Barranquilla. The band was active only until 1977, with a mere two albums to its name. Carazo and Char, “los amigos costeños” (friends from the Caribbean coastal area) created El Clan Antillano as a fresh start after the previous group Carazo had been the lead singer for, El
Afrocombo, had become inactive.

Char primary passion was music, especially songwriting. One of his skills in this area was adapting foreign songs, often in a different language, rhythm, arrangement or genre, and refashioning the tune in an uptempo Caribbean dance mode as a salsa or cumbia. This formula, as well as his own original compositions, soon brought him success not only with costeño friends like Carazo and Vicentini, but also with Medellín’s Fruko, allowing him to make a name for himself with record labels in that city. It was at this juncture, in 1975, that El Clan Antillano was born. This is their first album and was recorded with local studio musicians. It’s been said that most on the first album were from Fruko Y Sus Tesos (the voice of Joe Arroyo can be heard on coro) as well as others involved with various groups like La Protesta (de Colombia) and Juan Piña’s La Revelación.

The album kicks off with ‘Donde ‘sta? Donde ‘sta?’, a medley of costeño lyrical phrases quoting various popular porros. Gradually changing the vibe, this is followed by Enrique Aguilar’s ‘El baile del
ratón’, a humorous cumbia that changes into a salsa halfway through. As if El Clan Antillano were not entirely confident about featuring purely salsa from the start, the same cumbia/salsa hybrid formula is used in the third piece, a faithfully rendered version of Eddie Palmieri’s ‘Mi cumbia’.

‘Estás equivocada’ rocks hard like the best Venezuelan salsa of the time. ‘Esta mañana’ is a cover version of an obscure bolero from Curaçao’s Erwin Castaneer with Super Combo Castaneer. ‘En la oscuridad’ is an interesting mashup of Puerto Rican bomba and New York style pachanga. ‘El despertar’ is a sunny sounding pop song reinvented as a Nelson y sus Estrellas style salsa/cumbia hybrid with a fantastic ‘montuno’ section.

Up next is a hard salsa jam in the ‘pregón’ (street vendor’s cry) genre, written by Fruko Y Sus Tesos percussionist Álvaro Velásquez (composer of ‘El preso’). The original album track list closes out with a fantastic rendition of Puerto Rican singer/composer Bobby Capó’s classic ‘El negro bembón’ that the world first leaned to love through Cortijo y Su Combo. Three bonus tracks have been added to the album as it was originally very short. Interestingly, there were four songs from two 45 singles cut by the band that were never included on either long play. While the ephemeral El Clan Antillano may not be as well known as the groups it’s related to, namely El Afrocombo and Fruko Y Sus Tesos, it certainly deserves credit as a worthy participant in the historical evolution of salsa colombiana.

Hailing from Richmond, VA, Heartracer makes anthemic synthpop, combining modern production techniques with classic pop songwriting. Inspired by ’80s icons such as Duran Duran, a-ha, Peter Gabriel, The Outfield, and Springsteen, Heartracer’s sound is a nostalgic mix of dreamy synths, melodic guitars, and swooning vocals.

On their new album The Feel, the band channels all of that inspiration and filters it through a fresh lens; the result is a retro-inspired modern pop masterpiece. Midnight Mannequin Records is proud to present Heartracer’s The Feel on deluxe white vinyl, complete with OBI strip.

Seoul duo Salamanda arrive on Wisdom Teeth with their latest and most focused LP yet: 'In Parallel' - a vividly textural and immersive record that brings a new level of clarity to their typically psychedelic, expansive approach. Since arriving in 2019, the pair - comprised of friends Uman Therma (aka Sala) and Yetsuby (aka Manda) - have been fast at work mapping out their elaborate, dream-state sonic world - prolifically honing their sound across four albums and over a dozen singles to date. Across their already-extensive discography the pair have established a few key calling cards. Mallet instruments and tuned drums play out playful music-box melodies. Thick washes of gaseous ambience invoke otherworldly or ancient soundscapes. And buried fragments of found sound and manipulated vocal give their otherwise synthetic compositions a warm sense of first-person narrative. Ambient and Reich-school minimalism are the music’s most obvious sonic touchstones - yet the pulse of contemporary club and pop music have never been totally out of earshot. All of these themes come in to play here - but 'In Parallel' signals a step well beyond Salamanda’s work to date. Since 2022’s 'ashbalkum' (released on Wisdom Teeth alumni Tristan Arp’s label, Human Pitch), the duo have toured extensively: at classical institutions like London’s Kings Place as well as DIY club dens like Manchester’s White Hotel, all via a series of globally renowned festivals like Mutek, Nachti and Dekmantel. Their creative set-up has grown steadily alongside to incorporate a whole suite of new machines, processes and perspectives, taking their music in bold new directions in the process. The clearest development here is in the duo’s use of vocals - a shift that has been slowly taking place over their last few records, but that comes to a head on In Parallel. The album’s lead single 'Homemade Jam' is the closest the duo have come to writing an all-out pop track: its buoyant beat and autotuned vocals sounding like something SOPHIE and Charli XCX could have written after a particularly potent batch of mushroom tea. It’s a razor-sharp slice of alt-pop that offers a mouthwatering first look at what happens when Salamanda’s sprawling, unbridled creative energy is distilled right down into something concentrated and polished. At other points their sonic explorations lead them to embrace a more upfront approach to rhythm, skirting closer than ever before to the dancefloor in the process. The meandering drums and vocal chops on 'Paper Labyrinth' are underpinned by a firm 4x4 pulse, while the dembow groove of 'Tonal, Fluid' would feel right at home in a Nick León or DJ Plead set. 'In Parallel' is a record about connection, and the warmth and nostalgic simplicity of friendship is felt vividly throughout. Its title refers to the harmony the duo have found between them as friends and collaborators - and sonic parallels are traced throughout the record as testament to this. Motifs come and go before reappearing at later points: take, for example, the melody underpinning ‘Sun Tickles’, which returns in a different key and tempo on album closer ‘Mysterious Wedding’. Parallel lines are traced between each artist and through their music, linking back to their past and pointing ahead to the future. Only Salamanda know where these will take us next.

On 'Models', Lee Gamble liberates sonic spectres to inform a suite of illusory anthems, subliming vulnerable, half-remembered fragments of dream pop, Soundcloud rap and trance in the process. Sung by cybernetic voices in an almost wordless language, his widescreen memories reverberate across the last few decades of pop history, smudging Elizabeth Frazer's surreal poetry into disembodied diva cries and Lil Uzi Vert's abstract, AutoTuned mumbles. Extracting haunted fragments of synthetic corrupted chatter and indecipherable non-words to sculpt dreamy pop simulacrums, Gamble takes the concept of the pop producer to its logical extreme; examining how intonation and language is engineered to monopolise our attention, his magical inversion of pop playing like a bewitching symphony of earworms.

Celebrating twenty-five years of Aficionado as a place to play away from suffocating mainstream club culture, DJs Jason Boardman and Moonboots have compiled a contemplative set of 16 tracks that holds a deep meaning to both themselves and attendees of their now legendary parties. The compilation includes two new tracks exclusive to the release: J Walk’s ‘Cool Bright Northern Morning’ and Begin’s remix of Canyons ‘Akasha’.
Reflecting on how it all started 25 years ago, Moon considers their no-plan-plan to be a makeshift plateau which evolved organically: “All we did was try to play good records one after the other without any consideration for fashion. And people wanted that”. Alternative approaches were not unknown at the time, but Aficionado, as Jason and Moon’s Sunday sessions became known, pressed the reset button with unique resolve.
Jason elaborates: “It was 1998 when we started. It was our own 'fuck you’ to the Super Club regime - almost everywhere then. The ‘anything goes’ Balearic ethos was in abeyance. It wasn’t cool at the time, but we both just wanted to keep that original spirit alive. ‘Keep it open’ had always been my approach to DJing - even from playing at Youth Clubs as a teenager. No rules or generic constrictions. Play anything that you like from any era, any style from any time. We always encouraged our guests to dig deep and play outside of their comfort zones, their usual styles”.
The lovingly crafted musical mystery tour of this compilation, considering its pleasantly hypnagogic intent, may not reflect the madness of these now distant memories. This is an older and considerably more responsible collection and this is what we need right now - a temporary respite from a world almost capsized. A mood, a meditation created by masters of their craft. Odd socks from disparate global locations making new sense side by side. An assemblage, if you like. A thread through many different kinds of thinking. A new picture pieced together from the lost pieces of many jigsaws.

SPEICHER is going back to its classic double header split EP format. HUNTER/GAME are no strangers to KOMPAKT, having released a number of singles and the “Adaptation” album back in 2016. “Reload” was written in cooperation with Buenos Aires based U S H N U and it’s a total corker of a proto trance inspired track – the kind of trance that would have graced Dorian Gray’s Sunday morning dancefloor.

We’re extremely happy to finally welcome the ever excellent BAWRUT to our family. Hailing from Madrid, he has been one of the most creative forces in recent years, carving his own niche of percussion-heavy, psychedelic techno. “CLAP” is an unpredictable monster, taking so many twists and turns, causing such confusion that your synapses will give up making sense out of the chaos and book a flight to the Bahamas.
SPEICHER kehrt mal wieder zum klassischen Doppel-A-Seiten-Split-EP-Format zurück. HUNTER/GAME sind bei KOMPAKT keine Unbekannten, denn sie haben seit 2016 eine Reihe von Singles und das Album “Adaptation” veröffentlicht. “RELOAD” entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit U S H N U aus Buenos Aires und ist ein großartiger Proto Trance Smasher – jene Art von Trance, die Sonntag morgens den Dancefloor im Frankfurter Dorian Gray geziert hätte.

Wir schätzen uns sehr glücklich, endlich den unglaublichen BAWRUT in unserer Familie begrüßen zu dürfen. Der Madrilene ist eine der kreativsten Kräfte der letzten Jahre und hat sich unlängst seine eigene Nische des percussionslastigen, psychedelischen Techno geschaffen. “CLAP” ist ein unberechenbares Monster, das so viele Wendungen nimmt und so viel Verwirrung stiftet, dass deine Synapsen irgendwann aufgeben dem Chaos irgendeinen Sinn zuzuordnen und einen Flug auf die Bahamas buchen.

Ever amazed by the external world and its natural surroundings, Belgian producer Dijf Sanders has a habit of turning himself towards the unknown for inspiration. After praised albums based on field trips to Indonesia (Java, 2017) and Nepal (Puja, 2020) he found himself challenged by the traditional chants from Georgia. Diving deep into its sounds, people and heritage with open eyes and ears, he traveled to the Eurasian land in the South Caucasus in 2022. The field recordings and impressions of this journey make the blueprint for new, meticulously crafted compositions that ripened in his studio and transcend its original source material in time and space.

SUPRA offers nine diverse explorations ranging from spaced-out folk, ethereal trance, ambient with a melodic sense of drama and lush electronica channeling 90's IDM energy fields. Bound by dynamic depth in sound design, this is electronic music with a heavy heart - for all tracks share a primal sense of nostalgia in which traditional music from the Georgian motherland baths. From a pastoral love song about a buffalo (Mingrelian Song) or a ceremonial wedding hymn (What You Give Away Is Yours, What You Don't Is Lost) to a lullaby (Bird's Milk)... Georgia is a land of contemplative singing and its music scene today is still dominated by modal vocalists and harmonic choirs with pride.

With the help and recording equipment of the Folklore State Centre (Tbilisi) and in collaboration with Europalia Georgia festival, Dijf Sanders found contemporary choirs willing to lend their voices for this project. Next to these voice samples, the Georgian countryside and nature delivered source material for more samples and textures as well. The name of the record refers to the traditional Georgian feast where a large table filled with food, drinks and singing.

"Welcome To My World" is a collection of some of Daniel's most-beloved songs and is now available on vinyl for the very first time. These are the songs that built the legend...a must-have for the legion of devoted Daniel Johnston Fans as well as the perfect introduction for new listeners.

Welcome To My World serves as an introduction to Daniel Johnston, housing a number of his most acclaimed works. Johnston's music captivated fellow artists and fans with its childlike elements and lo-fi elements. The singer-songwriter and artist earned a cult following in the early '80s, sharing homemade cassette tapes of his music, and his prominence was established after Kurt Cobain was publicly seen wearing a shirt with Johnston's illustration.

The 1973 album “El Violento” was the fifth full-length salsa LP led by Julio Ernesto Estrada Rincón, aka Fruko, and the second credited to Fruko Y Sus Tesos. Though it did not contain hits like ‘A la memoria del muerto’ or ‘El Preso’, it’s a collector’s item today in places like the US, Europe and Japan, perhaps precisely because it is obscure yet full to the brim with unrelentingly hard and heavy salsa bangers that never let up from start to finish (hence the title, which translates as “The Violent One”). A mix of originals and interesting covers, the LP is “all killer and no filler”, purposely designed to set the dance floor ablaze. It features Fruko’s two main vocalists that took over from the first pair of Humberto “Huango” Muriel and “Píper Pimienta” Díaz, namely the beloved duo of Álvaro “Joe” Arroyo and Wilson “Saoko” Manyoma. Los Tesos were a talented “wild bunch” who listened to their fearless leader, with Fruko holding down the bottom end on electric bass, Hernán Gutiérrez in the piano chair, the Villegas brothers on hand percussion (Jesús tickling the bongos and Fernando slapping the congas), augmented by Rafael Benítez on timbales and an ace horn section of Freddy Ferrer and Gonzálo Gómez (trombones) and Jorge Gaviria and Salvador Pasos (trumpets). The super aggressive sound comes directly from the South Bronx playbook of Willie Colón. The snarling trombones and soaring trumpet are somewhat sweetened by a nice little Puerto Rican cuatro guitar solo. Sonically lightening the mood somewhat, ‘Nadando’ (‘Swimming’) is a bouncy tune in the ‘Mercy’ genre (basically a hybrid of pop, funky soul, cumbia and salsa, in the style of Nelson y Sus Estrellas), gleefully sung by Joe Arroyo. The beats are complex and ever changing, with a little bit of mozambique, conga, bomba, jala jala and of course salsa thrown in for good measure. The side closes out with a brilliant, uptempo salsa reworking of the venerable ranchera chestnut, ‘Tú, sólo tú’. Side two explodes with the frenetic descarga jam session ‘Salsa na’ ma’—which is exactly that: nothing more than the hottest “sauce” to make the dancers go crazy. Fruko’s tune is dedicated to the Latin community in New York that listens to salsa from everywhere and dances to it so fervently on the weekend. The relentless percussion propels the listener along at breakneck speed as if hurtling down the Bronx Expressway, demonstrating that Fruko y Sus Tesos have mastered the ‘violent’ form of urban salsa that was having its transnational moment in the early 1970s. While “El Violento” may not be as well known as some Fruko records, it certainly deserves a new look and should be assessed on its own merits as a very powerful, confident entry in the historical evolution of Colombian salsa dura.Sleeve

Dive into the electrifying soundscapes of Wooka's latest EP, "Somethin You Dress Up," as each track becomes a meticulously crafted journey through the realms of electronic house. With his typical beats and rhythms, Wooka takes us on a kaleidoscopic ride through four distinct compositions that embody the very essence of his artistry. From the sun-soaked vibes of "I Hope You Breathe" to the pulsating precision of "People Fucked Up," the EP dances through a spectrum of emotions. "London Somethin" pays homage to '90s UK bass with intricate percussive artistry, while "No dress code", made with Acheel, delves deep into sub-bass syncopation. Hailing from France, Wooka seamlessly blends house, break, and electro, channeling the energy of hip-hop and UK garage. His live performances showcase the dedication to his craft, crafting sonic symphonies that transport audiences to the heart of his musical universe.

Having explored rather obscure and downtempo territory with Mr. G's album Pearls Don't Lay On the Shore earlier this year, CHILDHOOD returns with another discernig 12" dedicated to the dancefloor. Welcome to PLACE OF CONNECT PT.01!

Ed Davenport, who has mainly focussed on his INLAND moniker in recent years, brings back another distinctive side of his personality delivering three unique, raw and pumping house cutz under his real name.

The A-side starts off with Suntazia, an acid break beat anthem that sheds light and euphoria onto any dance floor, and is followed by the true jacking groove that is Inertia.

The B-side is made up of Electricity, a wonderful testimonial to those magic moments on the dance floor, when everybody in the room just moves and moves... beyond the need of unnecessary gimmicks and sonic spectacles.

As we get ready to say goodbye to the Telomere Plastic series, we are excited to present Telomere 020.1, aka the first part out of 5.
Each release will have four different artists, making it a compilation of twenty different artists who will deliver unique, juicy and eclectic frequencies that will keep your telomeres bopping for the rest of time!

This first VA, features producers, ESB, Synaptic Voyager, Vinaya and Vonsuck.

A1, Fancy Organ from Vinaya, is a sexy deep and house cut that is guaranteed to bring smiles all around the dance floor. Arpeggios and groovy bass lines galore. Prepare your piano hands because you will find yourself playing that sweet air organ on this one!

A2, Self Destruct Sequence from Synaptic Voyager (aka Telomere 014’s Illuminators), is a very emotional cut. Originally released digitally on Frame Of Mind, we were overjoyed to be given the green light to put this beauty on wax. Deep pads, tommy drums, hints of IDM and techno, and soul striking arpeggios pave the way for a special sonic journey. Close your eyes and melt away with this one!

B1, Keio Acid from ESB. We are always delighted to share more ESB with you. Elan’s love for analog and tape give off a raw and authentic energy that is hard to come by. This deep, jazzy and loopy cut will keep you on your toes from start to finish. We can only dream of being on the dance floor as this one plays out!

B2, Unemati from Vonsuck, is a deep and dubby cut that beautifully blends the three genres dub techno, house and techno. Dark rooms and dark skies are recommend for this one here, even though we could see these frequencies accompanied by a pink and red sunrise bringing waves of energy and nostalgia to your soul. Its a real treat to have Vonsuck aka Galaktlan on the Telomere series!

Very limited black copies as always with a few colored copies available via the Wex bandcamp, be quick!

This is the second time out for the Wormholes on AllChival following on from their You Never See the Stars When it Rains anthology release. This one is a previously unreleased album recorded in a concise burst of seven nights in Dublin’s Sun Studios in the spring of 1996. It was originally envisaged as being The Wormholes’ second album, the follow up to their 1994 debut Chicks Dig Scars. Unfortunately the end result of the sessions - Parijuana - would not only be ignored by their label of the time (Roadrunner Records) - but would also just as quickly be dismissed by the band themselves.

Eamonn Crudden, the manager of the band, had manged to extract some money from Roadrunner to record demos of new tracks as soon as the release cycle for their debut was over. The budget was so tight that it covered studio time but was not even enough to buy the master tapes. With things going south with the label – a classic 90’s tale of the A&R man who championed their cause heading off elsewhere the minute they signed - the intention was to go in and aim to record an album rather than demos - with the intention of releasing it on another independent label to keep the momentum around the band going.

However by this stage the Wormholes were totally wrapped up in listening to Can, Faust and generally exploring music based on casual recording, improvisations and extemporization. For them the album was too ‘rock’ and – having been dropped by Roadrunner - they no longer felt under any obligation to release it. To them it was time for a fresh start. Their next recordings would not be ‘for’ anyone but themselves. Today bassist Anto Carroll admits that “at times we were our own worst enemies” and with the benefit of hindsight both he and guitarist Graham Blackmore wish they had gone ahead and released this album at the time. However, back then, they thought they could do better and they did go on to make inventive and unique sounding versions of some of these songs with Stan Erraught producing just a short time later. These recordings were eventually released by Dead Elvis in 1999 - along with a couple of ‘adjusted’ tracks from the Sun Studios sessions - on Parijuana: 4 Years in Captivity.

It’s highly unlikely that listeners today will share the band’s view that the abum was too ‘clean’. This version of Parijuana is dirty, raw, messy with plenty of experimentation and extemporisation. The songwriting is as strong as that on their Chicks Dig Scars debut. The music is played with a new confidence and swagger, very much the sound of a band rooted in a wave of US ‘lo-fi’ finding their own sound. It’s the missing link between their conventional Pavement/Sebadoh influenced debut to the more drawn out, free roaming and extemporised second album proper Scorpio The Album.

Black Rainbows is a musical project inspired by the objects and artworks collected by Theaster Gates at the Stoney Island Arts Bank in Chicago. Situated at the Great Grand Crossing neighborhoods of Chicago's South Side, Stoney Island Arts Bank is a cathedral to Black Art, a curated collection of Black archives comprising books, sculpture, records, furniture and problematic objects from America's past. As well as being a site for archive, the Arts bank is also a place for convening. Bailey Rae attended The Black Artists Retreat there in 2017 and performed in the space. Wide ranging in it's themes, Black Rainbows' subjects are drawn from encounters with objects in the Arts Bank. Taking us from the rock hewn churces of Ethiopia, to the journeys of Black Pioneers Westward, from Miss New York Transit Queen 1957, to how the sunset appears from Harriet Jacobs' loophole. Black Rainbows explores Black femininity, Spell Work, Inner Space/Outer Space, time collapse and ancestors, the erasure Black childhood and music as a vessel for transcendence. The project will be released in various iterations - live performances, books, visuals, lectures, exhibitions, and more. Sonically, the album is a multi-genre mix of the progressive R&B, neo soul sound that will be familiar to fans but it also contains rock, jazz and electronic elements. The album was produced by S.J. Brown and Corinne Bailey Rae.

Echonomist’s synthesizer-driven productions have often circled the fringes of electronic pop. The Greek producer born Petros Manganaris pushes this further on his latest full-length offering Secret Places. Featuring guest musicians Alexandros Miaris, Avangart Tabldot, and Nadia Ali, Secret Places displays Echonomist’s unfiltered and open-eared approach to building songs. The LP moves through gauzy ambient, high-spirited techno, and iridescent indie-electronica to conceive a prismatic world of divergent textures, crystal-clear in melody.