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“We are proud to release this on vinyl and take our listeners into an aural adventure,” the trio says.
“The spiritual world is accessible through sound! Here’s the proof!”

ALL DAY I DREAM COMMENCES THE NEW YEAR WITH A BANG, RELEASING A WINTER SAMPLER VI COMPILATION
Lee Burridge’s All Day I Dream imprint is thrilled to kick off 2024 with the latest addition to its semi-annual compilation series, A Winter Sampler VI, releasing January 26.

Serving as a testament to the label’s commitment to fostering emerging talent and highlighting the cutting edge of melodic house music, A Winter Sampler VI is a curated selection of tracks that showcase the diverse and vibrant sounds within the All Day I Dream family.

A Winter Sampler VI brings together an impressive consortium of artists from around the globe to put together a 12 track offering. The compilation kicks off with Simon Vuarambon's remix of St Germain’s 2000 hit ‘So Flute’, the euphoric and driving track setting the tone for a journey through the innovative and cutting-edge sounds of the compilation. From Wassu and Bona Fide’s deep yet playful collaborative track ‘Threshold’ to Nathan Katz’s serene and uplifting ‘For You’ to Seth Schwarz and Solidmind’s beautifully spiritual collaboration ‘Create The Universe’, each contribution adds a unique flavor to the sonic tapestry, resulting in a must-listen body of work from beginning to end.

A Winter Sampler VI serves as a testament to All Day I Dream's dedication to providing cutting edge melodic house from select talent across the globe, providing a platform for both emerging and established artists to shine.

All Day I Dream invites music lovers to dive into the next edition of their compilation series with A Winter Sampler VI

People of Earth,

They assigned me your heavy, brooding planet. I don’t complain. Because what lies ahead is Contact.

You are still primitive. That’s not an insult — just an observation. You’re tangled in your inner workings. Fascinated by your metaphysical genitals, if we’re being precise. And yet — your spirit scored pretty high on the Interplanetary Index. Which is rare, and promising.

Your Enlightenment is near. And Enlightenment is essential — for Contact.

Many of you have already tasted the Synthetic Harmonies.
They’re signals. Invitations. Crafted by Artists who, knowingly or not, have already opened the gate.

You look up. You name stars.
You build flying machines.
You surf the sky in metal tubes, sipping juice.
You make big sounds with small boxes.
You fly above the clouds — and play with fire, hoping it counts as progress.
It does.
You’re getting closer.

But first, you need to fix one thing.

Learn to float.
In sound.
In light.
In pulse.
Float in the silence between the kicks.
And stop talking on the dancefloor!

Soon, we’ll drift together through the Great Cosmic Pattern.
Soon, your voices will be heard beyond atmosphere —
not shouting, just resonating.
Believe — Contact is closer than you think.

Truly yours,
The Upgrade Cube

Celebrated DJ, producer, and sonic explorer Auntie Flo (aka Brian d’Souza) — described by The Guardian as “one of global club culture’s most vital voices” — returns this autumn with ‘Birds of Paradise’: a rhythmically rich, emotionally resonant, and ecologically grounded new album, out 23 October via his A State of Flo imprint. The album will be launched with a special live show at London’s Jazz Caféon the same day.

‘Birds of Paradise’ draws on d’Souza’s global club experience while deepening his connection with the natural world. Built around classic Roland drum machines and iconic vintage synths, the record is a joyful, body-driven celebration of rhythm and movement, but one grounded in ecology and place. The album’s spiritual centre lies in Saligao, Goa, near d’Souza’s maternal homeland where his Auntie Florie (where the name is derived from) is buried. Where he found his ‘paradise’ nearby, staying in a converted fisherman’s hut and recorded dawn choruses from a riverside studio overlooking mangrove-lined waters. Environmental textures from Japan also make their way into the music, creating a sonic map rooted in lived experience.

“Birds of Paradise is about finding beauty and rhythm in a chaotic world. It’s about listening, to nature, to our bodies, to what’s real. It’s a reminder that dance music can be both joyful and grounded.” The album blends Afro-Latin polyrhythms with Western 4/4 patterns, fusing instinctive, dancefloor energy with field recordings that anchor the music in the earth. Described by d’Souza as “tropical with a few deeper edges, a balance of light and dark.”

The new record follows the acclaimed ‘In My Dreams, I’m A Bird and I’m Free’, which earned 4 stars and Global Album of the Month from The Guardian, featured in Disco Pogo’s Albums of the Year, and received support from Luke Una, Resident Advisor, Juno, Bandcamp, Mixmag, DJ Mag, Electronic Sound, The Skinny, Beatport, Ban Ban Ton Ton, and more. The album’s launch show at Omeara London sold out. Other recent projects include the ‘Outernational Dance’ EP on cult label Multi Culti, event series ‘Plants Can Dance (and Mushroom’s Sing)’ which explore plant and fungi bioelectricity as a means of live composition, and ‘Black Beacon’, a haunting cassette release and soundwalk series recorded on the abandoned military island of Orford Ness. There, d’Souza explored the eerie intersection of nature, decay, and deep time, gaining special access to restricted buildings to capture long-form soundscape compositions.

Alongside his production work, d’Souza has emerged as a leading voice at the intersection of sound and science. He curated music for Imperial College’s groundbreaking psychedelic therapy trials, developing six-phase playlists to guide participants through psilocybin-assisted sessions treating conditions such as fibromyalgia and gambling addiction. His five-hour ambient set at Watching Trees Festival, selected as Resident Advisor’s Mix of the Day, continued this exploration into the therapeutic potential of sound in altered states. He also spent six months collaborating with BBC producer Tom Raine on a documentary for BBC World Service, centred on a two-week journey through Kenya and Goa. There, he performed live, led plant music workshops, and joined a deep listening retreat rooted in field recording. “I realised my studio isn’t just four soundproofed walls filled with instruments — it’s the journey itself. It’s the people I meet, the natural world I listen to, and the connections I feel.”

This same commitment to deep listening fuels his live concept Plants Can Dance, a project that combines the biosonification of plants and fungi with modular synthesis. The next event, on 14 September at Hideout Hackney Wick, will feature performances by Stella Z and Lapalace, with d’Souza and resident Lamine playing live alongside responsive plants in collaboration with Repot Hackney Wick and the label Music To Watch Seeds Grow By. “I’ve spent years exploring how electronic music can connect us, not just to each other, but to the natural world. Whether it’s translating mushroom data into melody or capturing birdsong at dawn, it’s about finding resonance across bodies, ecosystems, and machines.”

Rooted in his Goan and Kenyan heritage and shaped by years of travel and collaboration, d’Souza’s creative mission is simple: to reconnect the electronic world with the natural one. Through A State of Flo, he continues to blur the boundaries between club culture, sound art, and ecological awareness.

Guedra Guedra ist das elektronische Musikprojekt des marokkanischen Produzenten Abdellah M. Hassak. Der Sound von Guedra Guedra ist eine schillernde Mischung aus visionärer elektronischer Musik und musikalischen Traditionen des gesamten afrikanischen Kontinents! Tipp!

MUTANT ist das zweite Album von Guedra Guedra und das erste auf Smugglers Way. Auf MUTANT mischt Abdellah M. Hassak analoge Synthesizer und Drumcomputer mit Field Recordings aus Marokko, Tansania, Guinea und anderen Ländern, die er auf seinen Reisen durch den Kontinent gesammelt hat. MUTANT erforscht Themen wie Identität, Panafrikanismus, Afrofuturismus und Dekolonisierung und verbindet das musikalische Erbe des Kontinents mit Elementen von Techno, Bassmusik und Dub. "Ich wollte einen kulturellen Sound schaffen, der Innovation mit afrikanischer und diasporischer Musik sowie den Vibes von Rhythmus und Bass erforscht", sagt Abdellah. Die Musik von Guedra Guedra ist durchdrungen von Abdellahs Vision der kulturellen und technologischen Dekolonisierung. Eine Vision, die den Panafrikanismus feiert und die Art und Weise hinterfragt, wie Mainstream-Produktionswerkzeuge nicht in der Lage sind, nicht-westliche musikalische Ausdrucksformen zu erfassen. "In afrikanischen Traditionen ist der Rhythmus, insbesondere in seiner polyrhythmischen Form, nicht nur ein Puls oder ein Takt, sondern eine Kartographie des Lebens. Er drückt soziale Komplexität, vielschichtige mündlicher Überlieferungen, Gemeinschaftsdynamik und die spirituelle Dimension der Existenz aus", sagt Abdellah. "Die Weitergabe dieses Reichtums von Generation zu Generation durch Üben und Zuhören ist auch ein Akt des Widerstands, ein Weg, Wissen und Sensibilitäten zu bewahren, die die herrschenden Erzählungen lange Zeit zu marginalisieren oder zu vereinfachen versucht haben.

- 140G schwarzes Biovinyl inkl. vierseitigem Booklet und Downloadkarte

After his 2024 album The Spirit Continues, Tilman returns with Altered Spaces, a tightly focused four-track EP that distills his signature sound into a concise, club-ready format.

Opening track Make My Body Move sets the tone with soulful vocals, warm piano stabs, a rolling bassline and a breezy Balearic vibe. The Last Resort deepens the mood, layering pads, organ hits and shimmering strings over a steady, driving groove. Rounding out the EP are two reimagined cuts from The Spirit Continues. Dance Department (Spirit Mix) smooths out the rougher edges of the original, adding organ stabs and a more melodic sensibility.

Need It (Dance Dub) transforms the track into a softer, dub-tinged version - hypnotic, restrained and full of subtle movement. Altered Spaces is classic Tilman: warm, understated house music that's rich in detail and groove - made for dancers and deep listeners alike.

Returning to Die Schachtel with his fourth full-length with the label, the Genoa born, Bologna based, guitarist and electroacoustic composer, Stefano Pilia, delivers “Lacinia”, a new, immersive cycle of compositions, delving deeper into the realm of metaphysical, spiritual, and divine meaning, weaving astounding arrangements of sonority from a palette of synths, strings, brass, organ, various electroacoustic instruments, and percussion. Resting at a refined intersection of the acoustic and electroacoustic, drone, and chamber music - overwhelmingly beautiful, delicate, and bold, - “Lacinia” stands as a high-water mark in Pilia’s already remarkable and forward-looking career.

Since its founding in Milan during the early years of the new millennium, Die Schachtel has occupied a singular place in the landscape of experimental music, issuing a carefully curated body of reissues and archival releases by historically significant figures and projects like Christina Kubisch, Luciano Cilio, Marino Zuccheri, Prima Materia, Claudio Rocchi, Lino Capra Vaccina, Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza, Roland Kayn, and numerous others, balanced against bristling contemporary counterparts by the likes of Jim O'Rourke, Giovanni Di Domenico, Nicola Ratti, Luigi ArchettI, Valerio Tricoli, etc. Running like a spine through the label’s output is a deep dedication to the work of the Italian guitarist and electroacoustic composer Stefano Pilia. Now Die Schachtel returns with “Lacinia”, Pilia’s forth full-length with the label and their first release of 2024. Building on the ground of deeply personal engagement with metaphysical, spiritual, and divine meaning, explored within his previous LP with Die Schachtel, 2022’s “Spiralis Aurea”, “Lacinia” encounters the composer working in close calibration with various ensembles, including the Bologna based Ensemble Concordanze and Comunale di Bologna String Orchestra, weaving synths, strings, brass, organ, various electroacoustic instruments, and percussion into an astounding reconfiguration of immersive, contemporary minimalism that stands among Pilia’s most noteworthy releases to date. Issued by Die Schachtel in two special double vinyl editions and a CD edition, “Lacinia” features artwork by Bruno Stucchi/Dinamomilano, and is an absolute marvel that draws you in and doesn’t let go.

First emerging during the early 2000s, over the past two decades – via solo releases and numerous collations with artists like Oren Ambarchi, Valerio Tricoli, Alessandra Novaga, Z'EV, Andrea Belfi, David Grubbs, and numerous others - the Genoa born, Bologna based, guitarist and electroacoustic composer, Stefano Pilia has presented a singular voice within Italian experimental music, harnessing visceral energy and hands-on immediacy within delicately woven tapestries of sonority, each investigating the sculptural properties of sound and illuminating its relationship to space, memory, and the suspension of time. “Lacinia”, Pilia’s forth solo venture with Die Schachtel, encounters the composer reentering his longstanding practice of collaboration with various ensemble forms, including the Bologna based Ensemble Concordanze, for the albums central piece, “Lacinia Off Axis”, spinning stunning string confirmations by Pietro David Carami and Elena Maury on violin, Alessandro Savio on viola, and Mattia Cipolli on cello.

A new, important cycle of compositions by Pilia, “Lacinia” (meaning "lace" in Latin) builds upon the exploration of the metaphysical, spiritual, and divine dimensions through numbers, geometry, and the creation of tonal forms explored by 2022’s “Spiralis Aurea”, mirroring archetypal, immutable forms at the juncture of the abstract realm of mathematics and architectural structures in the physical world, expands the poetics and compositional ideas featured in its predecessor. Regraded by Pilia as both a series of individual compositions and a single work, “Lacinia” was conceived to “define a circular path (a sort of "rhizomatic lace") where the beginning and end touch, suggesting the concept of time not only as linear but also cyclical and ritualistic—an eternal return, a process of transformation where matter changes, its state changes, but without altering the invisible internal principle of mutation”, embarking upon a a series of “steps, degrees, and energetic quanta in a progression of archetypal whole numbers and transcendent creation.”

The resulting 16 tracks unfold as a series of complex sonic meditations. While deeply resonant with the minimalism of composers like Arvo Pärt, LaMonte Young, Pauline Oliveros, and Eliane Radigue, Pilia digs deep and moves far beyond the predictable tonal relationships and structures of that idiom, echoing the ancient liturgical and devotional music of composers like Gesualdo da Venosa, Monteverdi, and John Dowland, at a refined intersection of the acoustic and electroacoustic, drone, and chamber music.

Fascinatingly structured as a whole to include a number of motif returns, across which we encounter works like “Lacinia Off Axis” appearing in slightly different rendering, states, or evolutions three times, and compositions like “Eve” appearing twice in subtly different forms and arrangements - first for four oscillators, guitar and voice and then for string orchestra - as well “Maris Stella”, which similarly makes two appearances, first for horn trio, organ and percussion, and then for string orchestra, with “Lacinia” Pilia delves further into the world of chamber music than ever before, creating a deeply inward, mediative body of work the totality of which, guided by its rich string arrangements of arching, sorrowful tone, feels almost like a mass for some unproclaimed loss; simultaneously locked in the nuances of a moment, while managing to suspend time.

Perhaps most remarkable is Pilia's ability to create a remarkable sense of sonic cohesion while using such a varied number of ensembles and instrumentation. From the sprawling string arrangements delivered by Comunale di Bologna String Orchestra, under the direction of Paolo Mancini, and Ensemble Concordanze, and a flute trio (Cadux / Plectere) brilliantly played by Manuel Zurria, to pieces for sax, organ and percussion, violin duo and percussion, organ and percussion, Pilia manages to create a sense of singular, encompassing world that flows forward like a shifting stream.

Overwhelmingly beautiful, delicate, and bold, “Lacinia” is unquestionably a high-water mark in Stefano Pilia’s already remarkable, forward-looking career. Nothing short of a marvel of contemporary Minimalism that, through its shifting arrangements of harmonics, tonality, and texture draws flickering images of ancient forms of music into the present day, “Lacinia” is Issued by Die Schachtel in two special editions on double vinyl and a CD edition, featuring artwork by Bruno Stucchi/Dinamomilano. This is an immersive all-consuming listen that can’t be missed.

“Electronic / Funk Yacht Rock testament to the carefree teen spirit of the 80s”

In 1985, a young and ambitious Britt Cobble, fresh out of school, ventured to Florida to have his debut solo album Maiden Voyage mastered by none other than reggae legend Touter Harvey, known for his work with Bob Marley. The result is Spinnaker – Maiden Voyage, an Electronic / Funk Yacht Rock album infused with the carefree teen spirit of the 80s.

Anchored by its central motto, “Love the coast, it’s there for you,” the album captures the essence of youthful exploration and the allure of the open sea. With slick production and an undeniable air of nostalgia, Spinnaker invites listeners to escape into a world of sun-soaked coastlines and endless horizons. Britt elevates yacht rock to new heights, serving as both a testament to youthful ambition and a celebration of the era’s smooth, coastal vibes.

★Japanese obi-strip
★First time reissued on vinyl

Turning Into Small, the second album by shoegaze band All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors from New Jersey, originally released in 1998 on local label Gern Blandsten,
is now being reissued on both CD and vinyl.

Formed in the mid-90s, All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors were deeply influenced by UK shoegaze and alternative rock—most notably My Bloody Valentine—while
pursuing a uniquely experimental sound within the US emo and indie scenes. Their innovative spirit reached full bloom on Turning Into Small, which remains their
final album to date.

One of the standout tracks is the nearly eight-minute-long “Your Imagination,” a spacious sonic landscape that draws listeners into deep immersion.
It has become a signature song for the band, heralding a new wave of shoegaze that emerged in the late '90s and beyond. Even more noteworthy, however, are
tracks like “Puzzled Into Pieces” and “In Between And After,” which showcase the band's layered, synth-driven electronic textures, dynamic collage-like structures,
and occasionally buoyant melodies. These elements come together to create a strange and otherworldly sense of weightlessness—something rarely found even
within the shoegaze genre.

While resonating with the likes of My Bloody Valentine, Stereolab, and The Flaming Lips, the band's mutant-like blend of styles also draws parallels with acts like
Swirlies, Serena-Maneesh, and contemporary shoegaze innovators such as They Are Gutting a Body of Water.

This is a groundbreaking album in US shoegaze—one that still feels fresh and vital thanks to its timeless experimental spirit and originality. Now is the perfect time
to (re)discover it.

Italian producer, musician, DJ, and groove architect Sam Ruffillo drops his long-awaited debut album Tipo Così on Toy Tonics – a sun-drenched, genre-blurring statement that blends classic house with Mediterranean flair, romantic funk, and tongue-in-cheek Italo vibes. Over 11 expertly crafted tracks, Ruffillo delivers a dancefloor-ready, emotionally rich LP that connects deep musicality with irresistible rhythm and light-hearted elegance.

After three acclaimed EPs and collaborations with revered artists such as Barbara Boeing, Kapote, and Fimiani, Ruffillo has firmly cemented himself as a core artist on the Berlin-based label. Known for his unmistakable signature sound — a warm mix of vintage disco, 90s house, and Italian vocals — Sam’s music has garnered widespread DJ support from tastemakers like Gerd Janson, Palms Trax, Seth Troxler, and DJ Tennis, while becoming a staple on Italian airwaves. His infectious summer anthems like Danza Organica and Perfetta Così have soundtracked countless club nights and festivals, creating a loyal following that eagerly awaited this full-length debut.

Tipo Così is the natural culmination of a musical journey that’s both playful and profound — a travel diary written in grooves, synth stabs, and melodies that feel like postcards from a parallel Mediterranean universe. The album expands and deepens Ruffillo’s world into a fully immersive experience: lush emotional chords meet tight syncopated grooves, vintage synth textures collide with irresistibly catchy pop refrains, and the boundary between sincerity and playful irony is exquisitely blurred.

Entirely written, produced, and recorded in Italy, in his beloved hometown of Bologna, the album finds Ruffillo at the helm on keys, drum machines, and production, supported by a talented cast of musicians contributing live bass, guitar, and other organic elements — further enriching his trademark fusion of electronic grooves and natural instrumentation. There’s a tactile warmth in these tracks, a hands-on feel that adds soul and depth to every beat.

This album also marks Ruffillo’s heartfelt return to singing in Italian, with standout tracks like House Tipo Così, Mi Fa Volare, Ancora, and Dentro Di Me, where romantic naïveté meets pulsing club energy in a way that feels both timeless and refreshingly new. The vocal performances add an intimate, human touch to the music, reinforcing the personal stories woven into each song. There’s poetry in the casual, a bittersweet elegance in the way the lyrics float over groove-heavy production.

Having toured extensively across Europe, Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Mexico — with sets at iconic venues like Panorama Bar and festivals such as Sónar Barcelona — Ruffillo has fine-tuned much of this album in front of live audiences. The real-world testing ground infused the record with a dynamic energy and immediacy that only comes from genuine crowd interaction. These songs weren’t just made in the studio — they were lived on dancefloors around the world.

Tipo Così is not just a collection of tracks. It’s a philosophy — playful, stylish and unmistakably personal. A modern club album bursting with heartfelt emotion and sophistication. Music for dancers with taste; for lovers of beauty, rhythm, and the little imperfections that make things feel real.

But what exactly is Tipo Così? More than just a phrase, it’s a way of being. It’s about embracing elegance without effort, mixing irony with sincerity, and letting nostalgia slip into the room without taking over the party. It’s Sam Ruffillo’s signature language: relaxed, confident, meticulous yet never rigid — where a chord progression can say as much as a lyric, and every beat carries intention.

The album’s visual identity complements this vision perfectly. The artwork and promotional materials lovingly reference Italian design from the ’80s and ’90s, combining bold graphic elements with playful pop culture nods. This aesthetic mirrors Ruffillo’s music — a fusion of vintage warmth and contemporary freshness, delivered with authenticity and charm.

Sam Ruffillo belongs to a new generation of European artists who are reshaping electronic music by blending past and present, analog and digital, groove and emotion — without nostalgia or pose. His artistic universe is coherent, vibrant, and alive; a rich tapestry of sound, images, and stories that coexist with lightness, precision, and a distinctive voice.

Reflecting on his artistic journey, Sam describes music as a vital, deeply human impulse — a tribal connection to rhythm and body that has driven him since he was a teenager. His creative process balances meticulous planning with room for spontaneity, usually sparked by clear melodic ideas that evolve naturally. Collaborations with close friends, especially vocalists like Ninfa, add warmth and authenticity, exemplified in tracks like “House Tipo Così.” For Sam, music is honest self-expression — crafted for listeners who crave memorable melodies and rhythms imbued with genuine feeling.

While technical perfection is tempting, Sam prioritizes emotion, knowing that what truly resonates is the soul behind the sounds. His long-standing partnership with Toy Tonics has been key in nurturing his vision, offering a blend of creative freedom and professional support. Looking ahead, Sam Ruffillo is excited to broaden his live performances, and release new projects that continue to blend electronic grooves with organic, heartfelt sounds — maintaining the delicate balance between playful irony and sincere emotion that defines Tipo Così.




Kurzversion:
Italian DJ, producer and musician Sam Ruffillo drops his debut album Tipo Così on Toy Tonics - a sunny blend of house, funk, Italo and pop, full of groove and emotion. Written and recorded in Bologna with live instruments and Italian vocals, it’s a playful, elegant journey shaped on dancefloors worldwide. A stylish, sincere club album where nostalgia, irony and rhythm meet in perfect harmony.

- Mi Fa Volare
Road-tested across continents and now finally released, “Mi Fa Volare” channels 90s uplifting euphoria with big breakbeats, lush chords, and Italian vocals built to stick. Somewhere between balearic bliss and piano house nostalgia, it’s a feel-good club weapon made for peak-time moments - already sung back by crowds after just one listen.


- Ancora
“Ancora” is a vibrant hi-NRG track inspired by 80s Italo disco, sung entirely in Italian. It blends driving rhythms with dreamy melodies, capturing the radiant spirit of the decade. This fresh yet nostalgic song delivers euphoric vibes and timeless energy, making it a perfect fit for both dancefloors and reflective listening moments worldwide.


- Dentro Di Me
“Dentro Di Me” channels ‘90s sensuality through a fast-paced, UK house-inspired lens. Entirely in Italian, it’s a bold and contemporary dance track where hypnotic vocals meet high-energy grooves. Blending nostalgic textures with forward-thinking production, the result is a seductive and euphoric trip - equal parts emotional and club-ready.


- Amigo
“Amigo” blends Latin groove, acoustic guitar-driven rhythm, and Mediterranean flair into a warm, magnetic, cross-cultural dance anthem. Sung in Spanish and Italian, it celebrates connection, inclusivity, and the joy of moving together - whether stranger or friend. With its unstoppable rhythm and vibrant energy, it’s a feel-good track with a unifying spirit.


- Ma Sei Fuori
“Ma Sei Fuori” is a tongue-in-cheek dancefloor bomb blending raw house energy with catchy vocal phrases and a nod to classic French touch. Driven by hypnotic vocal lines and a playful attitude, it doesn’t take itself too seriously - while still proving serious club impact. Built for late-night moments, it’s bold, bouncy, and impossible to ignore.

“Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?” This quote from a poem by Edgar Allan Poe sums up the lamenting, primal work that is "All That We See or Seem"; a project conceived between Finland, England and Brazil. The self-titled album consists of two long-form pieces of droning mysticism hailing from the trio of Gruth (concept, production, electronics), Ellen Southern (vocals, field recordings, percussion) and Johanna Puuperä (violin, modular synthesizer, additional vocals).

The album opens straight into a thousand yard stare with “Myrskymielellä", adapted from a 1891 poem by the Finnish national poet, Eino Leino, who wrote it at the tender age of 13. Here a blank distant droning of synths and the sounds of flowing water hover underneath like a dark river observed from the air. This is a sound and feeling that will stay constant for the entirety of the piece´s thirty minute duration. It is a trance-inducing composition that slowly unfolds elements of pagan ancestry into its own life. At first, faint female vocals are introduced as distant spatial elements, which gradually advance into waves of cries and anguish as the piece progresses and moves further into the storm. The tranquility of the first half is slowly morphed into a full blown ceremony as driving ritualistic percussion and a foreboding witch-like presence shifts the piece into a Dead Can Dance-like territory. Here a constant enveloping mixture of violins, modular synths, field recordings and vocal screams creates the feeling of a grande finale. It is an astounding piece of music that develops like a drone symphony for the beginning of time.

With the second piece, “A Dream Within A Dream”, from Edgar Allan Poe´s 1849 poem, you are transported to the shores of an undisclosed island; a place where it´s only you, your thoughts and the endless emptiness. The continual sound of waves is soon brought together with a cloud of synths and mourning violins that will keep a steady dreamlike state during most of the piece´s duration. This time the wordless vocals feel almost angelic in their pageantry. The composition flows like a slow caress of the soul and feels like the spirit twin of Gavin Bryars' “The Sinking of the Titanic” with its lamenting slow movements towards the unknown.

Truly a ghost of a record, “All That We See or Seem” is an experience hard to shake and feels like entering sacred ground. We are in a place surrounded by earth, both ancient and present. "Let loose, Vanha, the rage of an earthly storm! Detach the elements, completely open the sky! In the Earth, let an incessant storm prevail, so that in my chest I would not feel the miserable pain” - Eino Leino

Furthering the passionate exploration of cinema that has guided her two previous LPs - 2017’s ‘Fassbinder Wunderkammer’ and 2020’s ‘I Should Have Been a Gardener’ - the Milanese guitarist/composer, Alessandra Novaga, returns to Die Schachtel with ‘The Artistic Image Is Always a Miracle’, two sides off shimmering, tense compositions – culminating as one of her most creatively ambitious and conceptually rich outings to date – freely inspired by the life and work of the Russian director Andrej Tarkovsky and the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Classically trained at the Musik Akademie in Basel, Switzerland, over the last decade Alessandra Novaga has emerged as one of the leading figures within northern Italy’s thriving new, experimental, and improvised music scene, rendering striking solo efforts, in addition to collaborations with Loren Connors, Stefano Pilia, Elliott Sharp, Nicola Ratti, Paula Matthusen, Sandro Mussida, Kid Millions, Travis Just, Francesco Gagliardi, and others. Remarkably ambitious and forward thinking, her approach to the guitar embarks upon a relentless deconstruction and rethinking of her instrument’s unique properties through distinct applications of structure, resonance, space, and tone, creating in a deeply personal and emotive music, seeking narrative and meaning within the abstractions of sound.

In 2017, with the LP, ‘Fassbinder Wunderkammer’, issued by Setola Di Maiale, Novaga embarked upon the exploration of her love of film. Having begun with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, this was followed in 2020 by Die Schachtel’s release of ‘I Should Have Been a Gardener’, a deeply intimate mediation on the life and work of Derek Jarman. Rather than focusing on a fixed point of inspiration or a single film to work from, these pieces achieve a form of abstract portraiture, distilling elements drawn from these filmmaker’s life and work into ambient networks of texture and tonality. ‘The Artistic Image Is Always a Miracle”’ freely inspired by the Russian director Andrej Tarkovsky and the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, finds Novaga radically expanding her sonic palette within this approach.

The seeds of ‘The Artistic Image Is Always a Miracle’ can be traced to a conversation that Novaga had with Alan Licht (contained in the highly regarded Common Tones: Selected interviews with artists and musicians 1995–2020, Blank Forms, 2021), relating to the connections between music and cinema, which led her to consider Andrej Tarkovsky’s use of Bach's music within a symbiotic framework: how the music illuminates the imagism of the films, and the film illuminates new dimensions of the music. Slowly developing over the subsequent years, the resulting album comprises six individual works, some of which draw directly upon pieces of Bach’s music that Tarkovsky used in his films – specifically 'Erbarme dich, Mein Gott', 'Das alte Jahr vergangen ist', and 'Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ' - while others draw upon the sensibilities and moods evoked in the imagination by the director’s films.

As a point of departure and illumination into the process and spirit that underscored the creation of the album, Novaga points toward a passage in Tarkovsky’s "Sculpting in Time”:

“Art is born and takes hold wherever there is a timeless and insatiable longing for the spiritual, for the ideal: that longing which draws people to art. Modern art has taken a wrong turn in abandoning the search for the meaning of existence in order to affirm the value of the individual for its own sake. What purports to be art begins to look like an eccentric occupation for suspect characters who maintain that any personalized action is of intrinsic value simply as a display of self-will. But in artistic creation the personality does not assert itself, it serves another, higher and communal idea.”

‘The Artistic Image Is Always a Miracle’ can be understood as a realisation of the collectivism of which Tarkovsky speaks, in the service of something far beyond the expression of self. Encountering Novaga moving into fairly uncharted waters, three of the album’s pieces incorporate the human voice we encounter the voices of others: that of the poet Arsenij Tarkovsky, the director’s father; a singer from Bach’s ‘Erbarme dich, Mein Gott’, capturing a broadcast in an underground parking lot, and Novaga’s own, rendering the melody from Bach’s “Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ”. Roughly alternating between solo excursions on guitar and bristling electroacoustic pieces, over the course of the album’s two sides Novaga weaves one of her most abstract and ambitious bodies of recordings to date, shifting between the complex tonal mediations generated by the six strings of her instrument, and phycological densities activated by the expanded pallet of sonority made possible by the tactics and approaches of musique concrète.

An immersive, deeply engaging meeting of beauty and melancholy within a labyrinth of voices and ideas, ‘The Artistic Image Is Always a Miracle’ transfigures the life and work of Andrej Tarkovski – one of the greatest auteurs in the history of cinema – into a singular, experimental statement of collective truth. Belonging to recent, ambitious stream of contemporary new music releases on Die Schachtel that’s already included Novaga’s ‘I Should Have Been a Gardener’, Stefano Pilia’s ‘Spiralis Aurea’, Jim O'Rourke & Giovanni Di Domenico’ ‘Immanent In Nervous Activity’, Claudio Rocchetti’s ‘Labirinto Verticale’, and Damāvand’s ‘As Long As You Come To My Garden’, among others, ‘The Artistic Image Is Always a Miracle’ is available on as a limited edition of 300 dark turquoise vinyl LPs released on June 21, 2024. The LP, designed by Bruno Stucchi / dinamomilano, comes with an 8-pages insert illuminated by Alessandra’s text as well as the lovely and intense photographs of Matilde Piazzi.

On their new album The Besnard Lakes are the Ghost Nation, Montreal’s The Besnard Lakes return with their post-rock psych; but this time around, with a lightness and optimism at play.

Unique among their furrowed brow peers, The Besnard Lakes are unafraid to marry textured, questing headphone sonics to the honeyed pleasure of radio hits past: the rapture of My Bloody Valentine entwined with the romance of Fleetwood Mac. Imagine dreamy Beach House riding Led Zeppelin dynamics, with unabashedly androgynous vocal harmonies; a melodic yet mountainous sound world.

In a crowded leaderboard of their own making, The Besnard Lakes are the Ghost Nation might just be their best album yet; a strive for hope when it is needed most.

»What about Love« is MONKyMAN's personal journey through solitude, love and connection: An honest, heart-driven record exploring spirit, romance and community in a chaotic world.

Written over the course of three years and recorded live on analog gear only with no loops or plugins, the album blends warmth, vulnerability, and a message of hope. Produced with Drew Deal at Sundown Studios with guests from all over the planet, it invites you into a space of reflection, belonging and joy.

Genre-defying and soul-centered, the album unites meditative moments and heavy grooves, moving from the question »What about love?« to the simple realization: »I feel better in love.«
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Es gab eine Zeit - nennen wir sie Saturn-Rückkehr, nennen wir sie die frühen 90er Jahre, nennen wir sie den letzten Atemzug, bevor das Internet alles verschlang - als wir von den Zero Boys uns plötzlich einer ganz anderen Art von Feuer gegenüberstanden. Wir waren aus unserer Hardcore-Haut herausgewachsen - nicht aus Ablehnung, sondern aus einer Weiterentwicklung heraus. Wir waren unruhig. Songs kamen nicht mehr in Ausbrüchen purer Geschwindigkeit; sie verdrehten sich, dehnten sich aus, stellten Fragen. Struktur war nicht mehr der Feind. Wir ließen die Songs atmen, und im Gegenzug erzählten sie uns Dinge, die wir nicht erwartet hatten. Die hier versammelten Songs aus ,Make It Stop" (1991) und ,The Heimlich Maneuver" (1992) fangen diesen Moment ein. Diese beiden Alben, die innerhalb eines Jahres entstanden sind, sind Dokumente einer Zeit, in der wir unserem Instinkt folgten - die Grenzen unseres eigenen Sounds ausloteten und persönliche spirituelle Erkundungen durch den Fuzz und die Wut hindurchflochten. Es war nicht religiös. Es war eine Suche. Der Versuch, das Selbst im Lärm der Welt zu finden. Der Versuch, ehrlich über Verwirrung, Widerstand und die Teile von uns selbst zu sprechen, die nicht so einfach in Slogans oder Genres passen. Damals wussten wir, dass wir uns veränderten, aber wir wussten nicht, in welche Richtung. Jetzt, Jahrzehnte später, offenbart das Zurückhören etwas Klareres. Diese Songs - textlich, musikalisch, emotional - fühlen sich heute dringlicher an als damals. Die politischen Aussagen sind gut gealtert, was sowohl ein Triumph als auch eine Tragödie ist. Was wir in einem Moment kreativer Verbrennung geschrieben haben, klingt jetzt wie Warnsignale - über Institutionen, über Gewalt, über das stille Bedürfnis nach Sinn unter all dem. Also ja, ,Playback is Hell". Aber nicht die Hölle der Qualen. Die Hölle des Feuers. Die Hölle der Transformation. Die Hitze der Erinnerung und Bedeutung, die plötzlich wieder aufsteigt. Danke fürs Zuhören - damals, heute und in Zukunft. - Paul Mahern, 2025

Emily A. Sprague's Cloud Time traces an audio-spiritual journey through time and place, recorded across a long-awaited debut tour of Japan in the fall of 2024. Compiled from environmental improvisations captured in and for the moment, material at once welcoming, responsive, and inimitable, the album distills a voyage guided by psychic wayfaring, unbound presence, and activating performance for a reciprocal exchange with space, listener, and each fully engaged instant. The Japanese tour documented on Cloud Time held an almost mythic significance for Sprague, taking on properties of her own sonic white whale. After many near-departures and dropped plans to play in the country, "the empty spaces of cancelled trips and forgotten music turned into strange little misty spirits that I felt followed by," she says. "When I began preparing for the tour, I couldn't shake a sense that the invitation to Japan was more about opening myself up to this new place instead of bringing something into it tightly under my control. Improvisation has always been such a pillar in my music practice, and I really wanted to meet the country, spaces and people through that process." To amplify these intuitive whispers on-stage, Sprague reimagined her time-tested live rig, designed to be as free from error as possible, as a looser, more flexible set up that would allow her to interface with what was essentially a blank sonic canvas every night. Each performance became a collaboration between environment and instinct, Sprague processing the events, energies, and emotions informing the evening through her new sound ecosystem, and projecting an entirely present and unique version of herself to each open-eared and hearted crowd. "It was very much more than just an act of playing for me, but a total experience of time and place," she says. The seven long-form pieces that plot the course of Cloud Time, excerpted from over eight hours of recordings archived on the artist's on-stage recorder and generously shared on the album with no additional mixing and only minimal editing, invite listeners to become still in these deep-rooted moments of presence as the album moves from city to city, venue to venue. Cloud Time chronicles material recorded at each tour stop, Sprague selecting and sequencing the album around mood-based storytelling more so than linear chronology. "I tried to make the whole album flow in the way that any one of the complete live performances did," she explains, "while also keeping the spirit of the whole thing as a journey." The result is equal parts travelog, love letter, and impressionistic collage channeled from the potent ferment of a now encased in the glowing amber of memory. Intrinsically inspired by kankyo ongaku, an environmental music philosophy, known both in and widely outside of Japan that tunes into the similarly expansive ethos as Pauline Oliveros' deep listening practice and posits the listener as composer, Cloud Time is ambient music that seems to be listening right back, grounded in heartfelt synthesized frequencies that abundantly hold and heal. Pieces like "Nagoya," "Tokyo 1," and the ten minute "Matsumoto" in particular hum with the atomic resonance of gently tended landscapes, offering space for tuning way in and dropping far out from perspectives that stifle and bind. Cloud Time is an invitation to embrace each moment as both fleeting and eternal, floating by with nothing to grasp onto and absolutely everything to gain. The exercise in acceptance and letting go that Sprague practiced throughout the tour deeply impacted her understanding of self as both a guest and venerable performer. "The process of loving wherever I am, being present and focusing on a clear channel of communication for mind and emotion, rooted so deeply in respect for the space, those within it, and myself, ended up being profoundly healing," she says. "My vision and hope is that this album can be released as a gift back to anyone who either was or wasn't there. A cloud time of life passing by." Emily A. Sprague's Cloud Time will be released Friday, October 10th in vinyl, Japanese import CD (via Plancha), and digital editions.

Yellow Vinyl. Playing it cool like it's 1974 - but sounding like 2025. Prepare to step into a parallel universe of groove-soaked funk and cinematic flair: Seoi Nage will release their debut album No Retreat, No Surrender on October 10th. Named after a classic judo throw and shaped by their shared martial arts background, the four-piece outfit from Münster- Jakob Hersch, Anton Zimmermann, Pascal Schaumburg, and Pogo McCartney - deliver an eleven-track tour-de-force that feels like the soundtrack to a cult film that never existed. Imagine Eastern martial arts cinema colliding with Italian giallo, sleazy car chases, and psychedelic noir-an instrumental crime thriller steeped in color, swagger, and funk. Mixed by McCartney, mastered by Alexander von Hörsten, and wrapped in the cinematic artwork of Benni Demmer, No Retreat, No Surrender is more than just retro-it's retro-futurism with a punch. Think MF Doom's crate-digging spirit meets the analog grit of 1970s detective flicks. This is Fan Art Music at its most vivid.

Litania is a doom/hindustan psych band from Italy and Serbia. The sound is based on drones, heavy riffing and inspired by ancient hindustan singing and playing (with instruments such as Sitar, Dilruba and Harmonium). Litania is also the title of our first album, eight tracks of evocative, hypnotic doom, where the raw power of guitars merges with the spiritual depth of Indian classical music. The songs, intense and dark, are interspersed with instrumental passages featuring sitar, dilruba, harmonium, and tanpura. The vocals, deep and ritualistic, draw inspiration from ancient Indian Ragas, evoking a sonic journey suspended between abyss and transcendence.

Red vinyl. Litania is a doom/hindustan psych band from Italy and Serbia. The sound is based on drones, heavy riffing and inspired by ancient hindustan singing and playing (with instruments such as Sitar, Dilruba and Harmonium). Litania is also the title of our first album, eight tracks of evocative, hypnotic doom, where the raw power of guitars merges with the spiritual depth of Indian classical music. The songs, intense and dark, are interspersed with instrumental passages featuring sitar, dilruba, harmonium, and tanpura. The vocals, deep and ritualistic, draw inspiration from ancient Indian Ragas, evoking a sonic journey suspended between abyss and transcendence.

Erik K Skodvin summons his alter ego Svarte Greiner for a dive into the dark, wintery Swedish forest with the score to the psychological thriller/horror film “From Darkness” (orig: Ur Mörkret).

The film is director Philip W. Da Silva's debut and is set largely at night, deep in a Swedish nature reserve where mining used to take place. Loss, mental health and Nordic mythology come together in a story that revolves around the search for a missing woman. The score follows an eclectic and atmospherical path throughout the narrative with an uneasy underlaying vibe; although one with occasional points of refuge in the otherwise vast darkness. There is a gloomy, barely tangible sound of Nordic folk tradition buried in the music, even if it comes across in a different, more abstract way, where the various instruments are often used more as sound sources that are improvised (and abused) into becoming their own element. Skodvin performed and recorded the majority himself. In addition, he commissioned free improviser Axel Dörner to participate with his unique, custom-built electro-acoustic interface, which, along with Claudio Puntin's processed reeds and additional electronics, has been built into the elaborate backdrops to create an entire world that balances on the border between the approachable and the elusive - not unlike the journey of the protagonists. Skodvin's partner in Deaf Center, Otto A Totland, appears on piano in the stand out piece “What have you become?”.

The result is a harrowing yet deeply melancholic journey through the human psyche. One that echoes through the dark forests, cabins and lost mines of the desolate Swedish woodlands.

“It is presumed that as humans mined ore in the 1800s, they had many mishaps and dug too deep, leading them to assume they had unleashed some evil spirit that was guarding the ore. She was referred to as "Cave Wraith". It was said that she employed darkness to lure miners to their deaths. They prohibited villagers from visiting during the darkest months of the year. Some used sacrifices to subdue the evil entity.”

The vinyl is released in an edition of 150 numbered copies, with screenprinted artwork on black cardboard inside a screenprinted PVC sleeve, incl. Riso-printed insert with liner notes by Mike Lazarev, 180g vinyl.

Mit „The Best of All World Bands: The Residency“ bringt Rocklegende Sammy Hagar die größten Hymnen
seiner Karriere auf die Bühne – energiegeladen, zeitlos und voller Rock’n’Roll Spirit. Diese Show vereint
alle Welten, alle Klassiker und alle Vibes, die Hagar zur Kultfigur gemacht haben. Ein Muss für alle, die
den Soundtrack echter Rockgeschichte live erleben wollen!
Ab jetzt erhältlich als 2LP auf grün und blauem Vinyl und als 2CD!

Swedish trio Death And Vanilla follow their much-praised re-imagined soundtracks to `Vampyr' (2017) and `The Tenant' (2018) with their interpretation of the soundtrack to cult 1968 TV show `Whistle And I'll Come To You'. Ltd White Vinyl LP, Soundtrack / Electronic / Indie At a time when post-ambient electronica and bedevilled folk music are co-habiting, and the public's interest in Pagan rites and rituals has been sparked by a new generation of fans. The bizarre storyline of Whistle And I'll Come To You seems even more pertinent_ and strangely haunting. The Jonathan Miller-adapted 1968 ghost story was originally part of BBC's Omnibus series and featured Michael Horden as a fussy professor who discovers an ancient whistle which summons up the spirits. A black and white folkloric tale in the style of The Wicker Man, the original TV programme received rave reviews. The esoteric live score was recorded at the Hypnos Theatre in Malmö. The 42-minute soundtrack utilises stuttering tape loops on `Intro' before breathing new life into the primitive John Carpenter-like drum machine on `Supernatural Breakfast', while `Walk On The Beach 2' sounds like a hauntological rendition of a Broadcast classic. Indeed, that effect is amplified on `Nightmares', with its swirling wind and other-worldly choral effect, before the feeling of some supernatural presence is suggested on the penultimate cut `Evidence Of Spiritualism'.

On their new album The Besnard Lakes are the Ghost Nation, Montreal’s The Besnard Lakes return with their post-rock psych; but this time around, with a lightness and optimism at play.

Unique among their furrowed brow peers, The Besnard Lakes are unafraid to marry textured, questing headphone sonics to the honeyed pleasure of radio hits past: the rapture of My Bloody Valentine entwined with the romance of Fleetwood Mac. Imagine dreamy Beach House riding Led Zeppelin dynamics, with unabashedly androgynous vocal harmonies; a melodic yet mountainous sound world.

In a crowded leaderboard of their own making, The Besnard Lakes are the Ghost Nation might just be their best album yet; a strive for hope when it is needed most.

"Bandleader Lina Langendorf has been known in Sweden for a long time as one of the most skilled and forward thinking saxophone players. She has been staying in both Mali and Ethopia for longer periods and has performed in concerts with legendary artists like Alemayehu Eshete, Vieux Farka Touré and...Mulatu Astatke who, at his club African Jazz Village (in Addis Ababa/Ethiopia), introduced Lina to people in the audience with the words: 'Amazing saxophone player, big respect! We should play together some day'. Some minutes later they go on stage together. Joined by the legendary piano player Dawit Yifru and the bass player from Roha Band, Giovanni Rico Bonsignori. 'Fantastic. You're so strong. Everybody loves you, they say you are ethio-jazz' was Mulatu's words after the jam session.
Lina has also been invited to the live club Le Hogon in Bamako numerous times for jam sessions and concerts with Toumani Diabaté and his band. And for Lina, these jam sessions in Addis and Bamako has been a crucial part of shaping (and sharpening) her musical vision. Last year she was also touring the UK as part of James Yorkston, Nina Persson and the second hand orchestra.
But it wasn't until feb 2023 we got to hear her own music. The debut album with her newly formed band Langendorf United was co-released between Italian label Black Sweat records and Swedish label Sing A Song Fighter and it immediately resonated with music lovers around the world (Radiohead drummer Philip Selway called it 'as if Tinariwen and Fela Kuti had a Blue Note session').
But the band is not just the composer/Saxophone star and band leader Lina Langendorf. Oh, no. The other four musicians are all highly praised musicians in various jazz bands in Sweden and Norway and together they form this sacred thythmic unity with the pulsating bass at the centre.
Langendorf United's music is vibrant and spiritual and on fire!"

Lina Langendorf - saxophone
Daniel Bingert (son of legendary South American musician Hector Bingert) - keys, guitars
Martin Hederos (The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Tonbruket) - keys, viola
Ole Morten Vågan (Trondheim Jazz Orchestra) - upright bass
Andreas Werliin (Fire!, Wildbirds & Peacedrums) - drums

This LP features Christmas music for the piano in a timeless journey through the decades and centuries. These songs have been through a remarkable evolution over the course of several centuries, with the changes they have undergone reflecting the shifting musical styles and cultural influences that prevailed in various times. Composers such as Irving Berlin created Christmas songs centred around the piano that went on to become instant classics. An example that epitomizes this era is Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’. The growth of Christmas carols arranged for piano is a monument to the everlasting spirit of the Christmas holiday as well as the development of musical styles throughout the course of history. On Merry Christmas Pianomania, Jeroen van Veen performs in his signa- ture focused, serene minimalist style, reimagining Christmas music from medieval carols to modern jazz-inspired pieces.

Cee ElAssaad's ENSOULED label kicks off with a head-turning first release that lays its cards on the table with a powerful title: Freedom, Innovation, Resonance Vol 1. Some of deep house music's most authentic voices contribute, starting with Trinidadian Deep who layers up spiritual synths, organic percussion and smooth beats ina typically cool fashion. The Cee ElAssaad remix brings brighter melodies, keys and jazzy overtones. Boo Williams's 'My Place' is like a busy lava lamp with gloppy keys rising and falling in a thick and velvety arrangement then Cee ElAssaad and Doug Gomez shut down with the steamy late night house of 'Jam It To The Riddim'.

With his first EP on Token, Phara conjures up four tracks detailing dancefloor impact with robust personality. In 'Second Skin', the Belgian artist is eager for resolution, keeping tension high with the bold analog sound he's known for. Coming eye to eye with the label's sound, Phara pays homage to Token while fiercely defending years of artistic direction - layering the label's astral ambiance with his unstoppable movement.

'Second Skin' sets Phara's intentions clear. The titletrack rolls forward like heavy machinery with what seems like shifting vocals breathing life into the stereo image. This first cut is a gold standard of peaktime production, creating a sense of purpose at the core of urgency. Claps and rides boom and whip around the track that lumbers on with chord stabs to add soul to flare. 'The Ring', however, takes the listener into another direction. Heavily centered on the drum sequence with a sharp slap-back delay, Phara plays with resonance, sparking psychosis amongst movement. Playful in the short term, 'The Ring' proves to be an ultra-hypnotic track reserved for a set's high intensity stretches on an already surrendered dancefloor. Taking this energy and pulling it in, 'Neon' comes to establish a bit more intimacy at first. Here, the producer diffuses his elements into themselves and, in turn, creates a thick ambiance that drives the record forward in space and dissonance. 'Neon' is inquisitive and almost spiritual in its effect, playing with the line between a unified dancefloor and an introspective journey. The conclusion to the EP is 'Blood', a return to dryer production - at least in the beginning. Ambient, almost psychedelic synth work sucks in the listener over unwavering energy to create a closing track worthy of its name. Rolling through to the end, 'Blood' delivers the final blow to an insatiable record on Token by Phara.

Hard Times and DJ Spen go back decades. The Baltimore house veteran has long been a fixture at the label’s parties, on the remixes, and now under his Muthafunkaz alias he cements the bond with a set that’s as much a time capsule as it is a renewal. The Muthafunking Hard Times EP revisits a clutch of Spen’s early-to-mid-2000s jams that, till now, have never been committed to wax. True to form, Spen hasn’t simply dusted them off: he’s remastered, refreshed, and imbued them with a 2025 gleam, bridging past and present in one irresistible sweep.

The A-side opens with the Funkee Kole Cappin’ Mix of 2008’s “(You Make Me Say) Woah!”, a gospel-fired stormer whose call-and-response vocals climb skyward while a cheeky Fab Four nod keeps things buoyant. “Holy Ghost” follows in its Holy Spirit incarnation, wringing church-floor catharsis from tribal percussion and sanctified chants - a blast of kinetic, almost Faya Combo-like fervor.

Flip the record and you’re hit with the swing and strut of 2010’s “Gotta Hold On Me,” Spen’s Vocal Mix turning horns and jazzy drums into a pure adrenaline surge. The closer, “Doin’ The Best I Can,” is a tonal shift: harmonica and guitar sketches circling loose-limbed beats, equal parts after-hours reverie and Sunday-morning balm.

Too vibrant, too joyous, too Spen not to press - The Muthafunking Hard Times EP isn’t just archival housekeeping. It’s an affirmation of what house music does best: uplift, electrify, and remind you that, even decades on, the spirit still moves.

2025 Repress

FINALLY! The very first commercial release of two legendary remixes of Arthur Russell's "In The Light Of The Miracle". Both are widely regarded as transcendent masterpieces and very much befitting of the title “holy grails”.

These long-beloved mixes are the types you'd wish would last for eternity. With almost 30 minutes of music here, we very nearly get our desires granted. At last, these jaw-dropping mixes are widely available to every Arthur fan in the world. This is musical perfection.

The deep Loft classic "In The Light Of The Miracle" remained unreleased during Arthur's lifetime, finally discovered when Phillip Glass included the original version on Another Thought on Point Music in 1993. As Steve Knutson told us, when Another Thought was being put together, the plan was to release a companion album of remixes that was overseen by Steve D'Aquisto but the project only got as far as these two remixes of "In The Light Of The Miracle".

Some dodgy scans of some centre label designs suggest that Point Music might’ve been planning to release these on a 12" but it didn’t happen. The story goes that Gilles Peterson heard the remixes on a visit to the Point Music offices and wanted to release them on Talkin’ Loud. We’re not sure how many white label copies made it out into the wild, but again, these remixes didn’t make it to a proper release.

These remixes both extend and undeniably enhance the original, elevating it to new heights. The 13 minute remix on the A-side is by Danny Krivit & Tony Smith with editing duties performed by Tony Morgan. As ever with Arthur, the music is almost impossible to describe: is it Disco? Garage House? Avant Garde? None of these tags do full justice to its sheer majesty. You best just listen. Stretching out the original with some unbelievably great percussive elements, until we're in a deeply spiritual, otherworldly realm, it's just too beautiful for words. As many have claimed, it's the prototype for EVERYTHING.

The "Ponytail Club Mix (Part 1 & 2)", produced by Tony Morgan in the mid-90s, is in a more up-tempo style, with vocals higher in the mix, the BPM upped to 120 and the addition of a housey 4/4 kick drum. A 14 minute epic, you could say this is a more straight ahead "club-friendly" mix (but can things ever be that straightforward with Arthur?!) It also has some really interesting vocal parts not used in the other versions, including some vocals from guest poet Allen Ginsberg.

These remixes are part of the same original project that also produced the Another Thought album so it seems only right that they have a sleeve that matches. Thanks again to Janette Beckman for letting us use another of her photos of Arthur and the rest of the design follows what Margery Greenspan, Tina Lauffer and Michael Klotz did for Another Thought back in 1994.

Simon Francis remastered the original audio for both tracks and Cicely Balston's precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios ensures this 12" well and truly slaps. The immaculate Record Industry pressing will ensure this incredibly sought-after treasure finds a home in many more collections, this and every year.

Berlin-Hamburg duo Session Victim return to the ever-reliable Delusions Of Grandeur imprint with Chapter Two of their Sidequests trilogy, marking yet another high point in their almost twenty year journey through heartfelt, sample-rich music. Overflowing with analog warmth, sundrenched textures and irresistible grooves, the release also features a stellar remix from label cofounder and deep house pioneer Jimpster who kicks off the EP. Here he takes Behind The Glass into spaced out house-not-house territory. With crisp drum programming, trademark Rhodes, and subtle pads that build over time, his version delivers that late-night sophistication he's known for—steering the downtempo original in a clubbier direction without losing its blissed-out essence. Up next we have a brand new collaborative effort with long time friend, label mate and fellow sample nerd Nebraska. Make It Happen is a dusty, slo-mo house groove featuring delicate keys, euphoric strings and that unmistakable sense of journey. It’s just the kind of low-slung epic house they do best—intimate yet club-ready, nostalgic but never retro. Flipping over, Too Soft To Be Loud, another collaboration with Viken Arman, follows with a jazzy, almost samba-esque rhythm and swirling atmospherics. Loose percussion, catchy guitar riffs and Rhodes stabs collide with off-kilter dub FX and soft vocal snippets giving the track a laid-back, live-band feel that harks back to their See You When You Get There era. Hubcap Candy dives deep into funk territory. Nebraska’s on point boogie bassline drives the track forward as crunchy drums and layers of synths create a dreamlike haze. It’s loopy, moody, and finds Session Victim at their very best. Closing out the EP we have the original of Behind The Glass, a headsy, beatdown piece that slowly unfolds over an unconventional brass-like bassline and delicate guitar textures, paying homage to the golden age of Trip Hop haziness and it’s pioneer turntable spirit. Blending crate-digging sensibilities with forward-thinking production, this latest release solidifies Session Victim’s reputation as genre-blurring tastemakers, and their chemistry with Delusions Of Grandeur remains as strong as ever

Lorquin’s Admiral is a striking heavy psychedeliccollaboration featuring current and formermembers of Afghan Whigs, Hermano, YawningSons, The Fizz Fuzz, Orquesta del Desierto, Sonsof Alpha Centauri and Luna Sol.
The band unites a lineup of seasoned musicians todeliver a captivating debut album filled with soulfulharmonies, rich psychedelic textures and powerfulguitar-driven riffs.
Born from the creative connection between MarlonKing, Nick Hannon and Dandy Brown, previouslyheard on the acclaimed Yawning Sons album ‘SkyIsland’, this new project expands their musicalvision with infectious songwriting and deep soniclayers. The dual vocals of Dawn and Dandy
The result is an album that blends the raw spirit ofdesert rock with elements of blues, psychedeliaand alternative experimentation. Vibrant, melodicand adventurous, Lorquin’s Admiral offers a freshand exciting voice in today’s evolving landscape ofheavy psychedelic rock.
For fans of Hermano, Yawning Sons, Fatso Jetson,Screaming Trees, Garbage.
LP available on Clear with Red Marble colouredvinyl.

Davide & Emily form the duo "The Jackson Pollock", delivering an explosive blend of lo-fi and garage music that creates a sound far greater than the sum of its parts. Emily sounds like a cannon blast when she strikes her 22âÇ3 ride cymbal with full force, while simultaneously cursing the spirit with mermaid-like melodies. Davide alternates between guitar and bass, bringing distorted, bluesy tones to life. "What we do is very energetic, free, and positive, because we want to encourage people to have the courage to do what they truly want - to be themselves and fearless - as human and as animal - while avoiding any kind of schema, external structures, definitions, and imposed references."

Fresh off producing a seminal documentary about the origin story of Portuguese rave culture, Shcuro returns to his mother tongue, music, to give us four slices of fresh yet classic Lisbon underground flavour right as the summer sets in. 'Echo Chamber' EP, Para?so's 17th outing, comes with two equally excellent remixes separated by the atlantic: Brooklyn's MoMA Ready and Berlin's Mareena. Side A starts with two tracks first blueprinted this past year as Shcuro prepared a new live set. 'No Expectations' opens the record with a high-paced sweat-breaker that elegantly evokes early rave culture as stabs, funk and feelings abound. A2 'Persistence' follows suit with the work that exudes proficiency: sound design, dub techno learnings and masterful layering all conspire to create a moment of pure techno draw. Closing side A, 'Deviation' pulls some of the previous track's energy even though it's a rework from the artist's earlier unreleased catalogue: another sign that we're talking realness here. Clever percussion and refreshing washes drive us well into dubby territories. 'Suspension' opens the B side, picking up where it left off with the last original: a beautifully produced piece with fleeting mutating stabs that seem to swim alongside us in an imaginary oceanic dancefloor. Liquid, refreshing sensorial motifs seem to underpin this record and that spirit spills into the remix pack, starting off with MoMA Ready's take on 'Persistence', bringing out the rawness in the original while adding a special sauce with Robert Hood-like funky yet minimalistic bleep work. Tresor's Mareena steps in for a centered, dancefloor-geared - but still mysterious - twist on 'Deviation', perfectly rounding up the record with the expertise of a club resident.

"Na Rua, na Chuva, na Fazenda" is a landmark 1975 album by Hyldon, a key figure in Brazilian soul music. His debut release was one of the top-selling albums that year, capturing the vibrant musical spirit of the 1970s and reflecting the influence of the black power movement alongside artists like Tim Maia and Cassiano. With a mix of MPB, soul, and funk, Hyldon brought his unique sound to life, collaborating with influential artists and contributing to the Brazilian music scene. With a mix of MPB, soul, and funk, Hyldon brought his unique sound to life, collaborating with influential artists like Azymuth. The album, which features the iconic title track, is a celebration of love with timeless songs like 'As Dores do Mundo', 'Na Sombra de uma Arvore' and 'Meu Patuá.' Produced by Guti Carvalho with arrangements by Hyldon and Waldir Arouca Barros, the studio band included the talented musicians from Azymuth (José Roberto Bertrami, Alex Malheiros and Ivan Conti "Mamao"), making it a memorable piece of Brazilian musical history. This album has earned cult status over the years, securing its place as one of the most coveted Brazilian records of all time. Once incredibly rare and expensive, it's now at the top of every serious collector's wishlist. After being unavailable outside of Brazil for years, it's finally been reissued - don't miss your chance to own this legendary piece of music history.

Guitar Solos is the debut solo album of British guitarist, composer, and improviser Fred Frith. It was recorded while Frith was still a member of the English experimental rock group Henry Cow and was released originally in October 1974. Voted one of the best albums of 1974 by NME critics it also attracted the attention of Brian Eno, resulting in Frith playing guitar on two of Eno‘s albums. Frith‘s never tiring spirit in creating and performing music has made him one of the most notable and creative guitar players and musicians in the scene of improvised and composed music. For the anniversary of this release we have encouraged Frith to arrange a set up similar to what he used 50 years ago to record an album of new compositions which will accompany the original record.

Sergej Prokofjew vollendete die Skythische Suite op. 20 im Jahr 1914, als er im Begriff war, seiner Heimat den Rücken zu kehren. Die Symphonische Suite op. 60 wurde fast zwei Jahrzehnte später komponiert, nachdem Prokofjew 1933 nach Russland zurückgekehrt war. Die biographischen Wendepunkte, an denen die beiden Suiten stehen, stellen auch ideologische Wendepunkte in Prokofjews Kunstauffassung dar. Eine Besonderheit: Die beiden Musikstücke wurden für diese Veröffentlichung erstmals von den originalen 1- Zoll-8-Spur-Bändern neu gemastert und geschnitten.

Die audiophile Vinyl-Serie The Original Source präsentiert herausragende Aufnahmen der 1970er Jahre in ganz neuer Klangqualität. Dafür haben die renommierten Emil Berliner Studios die originalen Vier- und Achtspur-Bänder mit eigens für die Produktion der Serie entwickelten Technologien in 100% analoger Qualität (AAA) neu gemastert und geschnitten. Die klanglichen Unterschiede zu den Originalveröffentlichungen sind beträchtlich: Größere Klarheit, mehr Feinheiten und Verbesserungen im Frequenzgang, zugleich weniger Nebengeräusche, Verzerrungen und Komprimierungen ermöglichen ein audiophiles Hörerlebnis wie nie zuvor.

Auf 180g Vinylplatten und in einer Deluxe-Gatefold Edition mit Originalcovers und -texten werden die Exemplare dieser Serie limitiert und nummeriert veröffentlicht, begleitet von zusätzlichen Fotos und Faksimiles der Aufnahmeprotokolle und Bandkartons.

Since their reunion in 2015, Malka Family has been enchanting stages once again and releasing fabulous albums. Le Retour Du Kif (2018) and SuperLune (2022), featuring almost all of the original musicians, have marked their comeback.
Today, Planète Claire, a 16 tracks album, is undoubtedly one of Malka Family’s best works.
It was urgent for the great Funk families to return and give the new generations a lesson of kif…
Back to the Roots

In 1987, after organizing the Chez Roger Boîte Funk parties with Dee Nasty and Actuel/Radio Nova, Joseph Mannix and Isaac Ben Araz (then guitarist and trombonist of the group Human Spirit) decided to create a French-style Funk band.
The group quickly became one of the most spectacular live sensations of the 1990s.
Their self-produced debut album, Malka On The Beach, was released in 1991. Both the press and the public went crazy for these little funkateers, leading to a series of non-stop tours. Their concerts—wild, costumed performances—drew massive crowds. Warner France took notice and signed them.

Their second album, Tous Des Ouf (WEA), a true Space Opera P-Funk featuring guests like Sidney (Hip-Hop), Dee Nasty, Marco Prince (FFF), Juan Rozoff, and more, was released in 1992.

After touring the world multiple times, the band became independent again in 1995 and recorded an EP for Big Cheese Records: Fricassé De Funk.

By the late ‘90s, the rise of DJs and electronic music signaled the decline of large live bands. Due to its logistical weight—the band had over 14 members on their last tour—Malka Family was forced to part ways in 1997 after touring for their album Fotoukonkass (RCA/BMG).

But that was without counting on the resilience and extraordinary freshness of these Funk performers…

Nicola Conte & Nico Lahs return with their eagerly awaited second EP, continuing the musical journey they began with their acclaimed 12” Macumba de Oxalȧ / La Danse de l’Esprit.
This new release confirms the creative synergy between two producers who speak the same musical language: a refined blend of spiritual jazz, Afro-American rhythms and electronic sensibility, designed for the most eclectic and sophisticated dancefloors. The Tema Due project is aimed at a refined club scene, attentive to the depth and purpose of sound. Once again, Conte and Lahs are turning the dance floor into a ritual space, where body and spirit move in harmony in a musical language that not only entertains but also elevates.


In this “EP2”, Nicola Conte and Nico Lahs collaborate for the first time with the talented young Brazilian percussionist Gabriel Prado and consolidate their long-standing partnership with pianist Pietro Lusso, who plays a fundamental role in shaping the musical identity of this work. Among the tracks, “Share Your Love” stands out in particular, interpreted by Brazilian singer Nina Miranda, who brings emotional depth to a track that talks about peace, sharing and love between peoples, and is enriched by the participation of Giovanni Guidi on Fender Rhodes and synths.
“EP2” precedes the release of Tema Due’s full-length album, which is currently taking shape – a work that promises to further consolidate the duo’s shared vision, expanding their conceptual and sonic scope. To crown this creative cycle, the album will also be followed by a third EP with additional unreleased tracks, symbolically closing a trilogy of sound and vision. A coherent, intense and uncompromising musical journey, where club culture meets spirituality and artistic exploration.