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Two of the most sensitive and sweet big room bangers to ever fill a floor, here’s Stay Here and Writer, the results of a recent machine jam between heavyweights of emotional dance music, Fort Romeau and Gold Panda.

Stay Here strikes first with slowly simmering synthesizers intertwining with slinky guitars and delicate vocal samples, while b-side Writer shows up to the party loaded with restrained euphoria, steady beats paving the path for the fragile acoustic elements of its glorious, beatless ending.

All of this spiked with just the right amount of acid to keep things constantly entrancing!

The record comes wrapped up in designer Eliot Axelsson's blurry shapes and vivid colours, arriving on vinyl and in digital form through Studio Barnhus on November 8.

Sasha continues his current hot streak with a new single on Last Night On Earth alongside Jody Barr, with a killer Einmuisk Remix on the flip.

Pioneering electronic force Sasha has found plenty of success in recent creative partnerships. The Last Night On Earth founder has worked with the likes of Super Flu and Sentre and dropped a steady stream of fresh solo sounds such as 'Florian Drift' and 'How to Wear Raybans Well'. All this means he continues to lead the melodic house and techno scene from the front with expertly crafted sounds. Here, he works with Jody Barr who has long been close to this label having also established himself with music on Krankbrother, Configurations Of Self and Nofitstate. He heads up Portable Minds and is renowned for his rugged, hardware-centric sound.

'Phaxon' is a beautifully elegant affair with shimmering chords rising and falling over a serene electronic groove. It's packed with smart sound design and subtle touches that make it glow from start to finish as the emotions build and sweep you up into a delightful dance floor reverie.

Hamburg's Einmusik has a cultured techno sound that has lit up his own self-titled label as well as the likes of Diynamic and Sincopat. His version is more rugged with a darker feel thanks to the rasping bassline that rumbles below. There is still plenty of great chord work but the whole track is a little more direct for poignant club deployment.

Now on our sixth release & going strong, Brooklyn Sway returns with a heady combination of local producers, further-afield figures and scene-setting interludes to get that real Bucktown mood, accompanied by bold new artwork from NYC "Grafstract" muralist Fumero.

After words of wisdom from originator David Morales, St. Xose, patron saint of afterhours, re-rubs his own entry from BKS-01 into an electro flip with a forceful but smooth strut, Nathan Nothing's ephemeral vocals vanishing in spaces between steady bass pulses and broken beats. Those looking for late-night addresses check Noha's 'Madison Street 932', where the PanickPanick! label head proves his local cred with a funky, vocal sample-driven house jam equally at home on its eponymous street corner or somewhere later, darker, and preferably inside.

Label regulars DeWinter & Emma return with 'Unity', the spoken word Spanish vocals interweaving with choppy snare patterns and a room-filling reverberating bass roar that hits paydirt when English vox and a kick hit late in its second half. C&K are local legends Connie & Karina, and while that may not be some punters' first guess for their moniker's meaning, the track is an exercise in restraint and class, jaunty house swathed in dub echoes and hand drums that positively sways when the trombone lead swings in to carry the tune.

Just under a year after their acclaimed self-titled debut, dreampop duo deary release a brand new six-track EP – Aurelia – via Sonic Cathedral on November 1. It includes the singles ‘The Moth’, ‘Selene’ and ‘The Drift’ and features Slowdive drummer Simon Scott playing on three songs. It will be available on three different vinyl variants, a CD with three bonus tracks and digitally. It’s a stunning record, which displays a new-found maturity in terms of production as well as musically and lyrically. The band – singer Rebecca ‘Dottie’ Cockram and guitarist/producer Ben Easton – have had to grow up in public since the release of their debut single at the start of 2023, supporting legends such as Slowdive and Cranes and TikTok sensations like Wisp along the way. An aurelian is a rare old term for a lepidopterist – someone who studies and collects moths – derived from the Latin aurelia, meaning chrysalis. The perfect title for an EP which is based around the theme of metamorphosis and change. “It leans on the natural world, the human body, the earth and sky as well as human emotion,” says Ben of how the EP represents physical and metaphysical growth. “Change can be daunting but equally exciting, which is something we’ve come to learn.” “While writing the EP, I found a letter I had written to myself when I was 22,” adds Dottie. “I was fresh out of university and had moved back in with my parents as Covid was in full force. I was uninspired and lost and reaching out to my future self for some hope. It was a physical representation of what can happen in a few years; how much can change and how you never know what’s coming next. “I found it interesting that – at the age of 26 – here I was looking back to my younger self for hope or just some comfort in the fact that things will and do move on. It was important to me to bring both of these versions of myself into the new songs.” “Personally, I had noticed a change in myself; a new level of social anxiety, a strange disassociation to things that once brought me joy as well as negative repetitions in my daily life,” reveals Ben. “I began the year sober which allowed me to finish the writing process as a letter of care to my own mental health. There are motifs throughout the EP – for example the riffs in ‘The Moth’ and ‘The Drift’ being reminiscent of each other – which are like musical reflections of these repeated cycles.” It’s musically where the change deary have undergone is most obvious. ‘The Moth’ mixes howling guitars atop a strident breakbeat making it more Curve than Cocteaus; ‘Selene’ is a slow-building wall of noise; ‘The Drift’ combines a perfect pop melody with an incredible sense of urgency. These three singles are balanced by the brief but beautiful ‘Where You Are’ which leads into the Portishead-style trip-hop of ‘Dream Of Me’. The title track has been a staple of their live sets for about a year as ‘Can’t Sleep Tonight’, but its mix of The Cure circa Disintegration and Mezzanine Massive Attack has grown and evolved so much that they renamed it ‘Aurelia’ as the embodiment of the change they have been through. “We’ve allowed deary to naturally grow over the past year, we didn’t want to force it to take a certain shape or sound,” explains Dottie of the duo’s slow and steady approach. “A lot of the last EP was written by sending ideas back and forth over WhatsApp, but this time we were able to sit in the same room and I think that really shows. We know each other a lot better now as we have experienced this journey together and that benefits the writing process as we are more open with each other and can be vulnerable.” “Aurelia definitely feels a lot more collaborative, more personal and more fully realised than the first EP,” concludes Ben. “It feels like a real document of what has been a very important time in both of our lives. Ironically, the band has changed and matured even more since the recording, so we’re both excited to document the next stage

The Tunnel EP features 3 cuts of late night club techno. The A side is dancefloor tested at Pittsburgh’s Hot Mass, with a driving bassline, a twisted lead that morphs throughout, and a melodic breakdown that brings some release before the track descends deeper. The “Dark” version drapes the bassline in distortion and locks in a percussive groove with sharp chord hits and claps to work the floor. The “Light” mix ends things with a steady chord groove and lush strings for a bit of brightness.

THE DYNAMICS • DRAG’N'FLY
by VINCENT HELLO.

Jamaica, 1960s. Ska artists, rock steady and reggae take back some soul songs of the United States, thus giving their versions that will in turn become future classics. The hits of the moment are also seasoned with Jamaican sauce, no matter where it comes from Original, pop, country, jazz... The rhythms of the island permanently transform the tracks of origin. In 2024, with their third album called Dragn'fly and decorated with a beautiful dragonfly (a "dragonfly" so in the language of King Tubby) the Dynamics honour Jamaican tradition and dynamite 10 versions of hits from yesterday and today. The Dragonfly spread his wings reggae, soul, funk to land in all headsets at the heart of good stereos and on spicy dancefloors. Because this dragonfly is a true superfly that speaks to the heart... and legs.

After two albums whose success led them to walk the globe of Glastonbury in Tokyo, honoured by the large elders (the first part of Lee Perry here, a regular dj support of Don Letts over there) the Dynamics are alive so their 'soul reggae vocal sound system” in front of audiences specializing in Jamaican or to those who are who were lucky enough to meet them by chance in Chemical Brothers... or Lady Gaga.

The Dynamics have forgotten the weight of ancestors to make their own recipe. They proclaim it, they are Sound System! The voices of Mounam, Steve Levi and Mr Day are in the front row, so making lovers, preachers, crooners and crooners to Turns of Duty, while Fab Master Flab all in one of the roots and futuristic echos. But if the mind is a sound system, the dynamics sounds also as a group through instruments live performances that plunge the tracks into a fervor unique. And then there are the hits, so, from all times and of all styles.
The low rider becomes toaster and leaves the road a American carried by these vocal harmonies Sky to take the exit Kingston. On the roadside, the joker delivers his lovers soft rock after a small detour to Muscle Shoal, The time to borrow a guitar from Duane Allman. In the south again, Mounam “Mrs Dynamics” meets the spirit of «Mr Dynamite» and tells him his radical, soul version. “ man’s world...” inna digital style! The spiritual anthem “you got to have freedom” by Master Pharoah Sanders becomes a universal skank, pop and dub who sends resounding high its universal message Dance! The dynamics are mutating the classic of ESG into a small, minimal pop bomb that is not without resemblance to the Neptunes of Mr Pharell Williams. On the edge of the track, Peter Gabriel sees his “Sledgehammer” groover as he does could imagine it and dissolve into sublime soul scrolls. Later, “After laughter...” soul classic celebrated and sampled Born into a rock steady air promised also to eternity. JJ Cale’s "cocaine," leaves its on the dancefloor for a reggae disco version, necessarily! And then, we must conclude. So it’s time to send an original title. It will be "Rubba Sub", to the aromas of sleng teng, which proves that far from the hits, the Dynamics deploys same layouts to deliver fresh and authentic sounds. And when the dub echoes evaporated, that the riddims have been silent, only remains an album majestic, in turn a future classic, full of unique Dynamics sound that mixes with instinct the echoes of yesterday to its own voices today.

Something About Livingis an album of live recordings by experimental jazz composer/multi-instrumentalist Robert Stillman. The music was captured over the course of Stillman's time as the solo support act for The Smile (Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Tom Skinner). The album weaves excerpts from various theater and arena shows along the tour's North American routing into a seamless whole, creating a 40-minute program that represents an expanded version of Stillman's ever-transforming live set.

Something About Livingis the product of a steady, on-stage evolution that happened over the course of the nearly 60 shows opening for the Smile across the EU, UK, US, Canada and Mexico. However, the creative origins of the set began in relative isolation during the pandemic, through Stillman's work on projects like his multi-media installationUnseen Forcesand his monthly broadcast for Margate Radio, both of which drew upon solo improvisation using saxophone, cassettes, Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, and effects.

"At the time The Smile asked whether I'd like to open for them on their first tour, I felt like I'd already been preparing without really knowing it," says Stillman. "I'd been doing this music constantly, but always for a hypothetical audience" During the pandemic, Stillman's solo set-up served as the research lab where he worked on all the concepts he was interested in: solo improvisation, creating and manipulating cassettes, FM synthesis, analogue delays chains, no-input mixing, and non-metric rhythmic pulses. So when he was offered the first Smile tour, the idea was to bring "the lab" onto the stage.

What Stillman could not have prepared for was the experience of playing in venues with capacities of up to ten thousand listeners. "The first tour was in summer 2022, so not that long after the worst of the pandemic, when I had pretty much made peace with the idea that I might never be able to perform for an audience again. Then all of a sudden I found myself in front of huge numbers of people, and felt the massive responsibility of being with an audience, of this thing I'd done alone for so longactually being witnessed, and it was completely overwhelming!" On the flip-side, Stillman also recalls, was a new appreciation of how powerful the live performance was as a social phenomenon. "It's a cliche, but also true: the moment of making and hearing music in a shared time and space has a very specific meaning and power; there was a sense that everyone in the venue was necessary to make it real, regardless of what they were doing, or how they felt about it. There was an inevitability about it that I'd never fully appreciated."

Over the course of the tours that followed, Stillman transformed this appreciation of the shared moment into an ethic of spontaneity that guided the development of his live set. "An important reference for this set has always been an Animal Collective show I saw when I first moved to New York, probably in 2001 or so, that has always set the high-water mark for what I wanted to do live- they were improvising a lot, and out of what would seem to be absolute chaos they'd find their way to something structured, and then back out again into the unknown. It was so thrilling to witness".

ThoughSomething About Livingcompiles recordings from different dates along the tour, Stillman has edited and mixed them into a work that seeks to reflect the ebb and flow between 'chaos and control' that characterizes his live set. Among the compositions featured are some from previous album releases ("Time of Waves", "What I Owe", "What Does it Mean to Be American") as well as some new compositions ("The Dream of Waking", "Renaissance 2.0," and the title track, "Something About Living").

The album/track title "Something About Living" is a reference to a line from Stillman's favorite film,My Dinner With André: "André Gregory is explaining the value of life experiences that, as he says, are'to do with living'.That really struck me, the way he articulated it. I strongly believe live music situations can ask these kinds of questions, for performers and audiences. I hope that's reflected in this music."

[a] 01: Time of Waves (Live in Miami FL) [Live]
[b] 02: What Does It Mean to Be American (Live in Forest Hills NY) [Live]
[c] 03: The Dream of Waking (Live in St Augustine FL) [Live]
[d] 04: Something About Living (Live in Richmond VA) [Live]
[e] 05: What I Owe (Live in Chesterfield MO) [Live]
[f] 06: Renaissance 2.0 (Live in Chesterfield MO) [Live]

"Cerulean Blue vinyl limited to 700 units! On her second full-length record as Waxahatchee, former P.S. Eliot singer Katie Crutchfield’s compelling hyper-personal poetry is continuously crushing. Cerulean Salt follows American Weekend -- a collection of minimal acoustic-guitar pop written and recorded in a week at her family’s Birmingham home. On this new record, Crutchfield’s songs continue to be marked by her sharp, hooky songwriting; her striking voice and lyrics that simultaneously seem hyper-personal yet relentlessly relatable, teetering between endearingly nostalgic and depressingly dark. But whereas before the thematic focus of her songcraft was on break ups and passive-aggressive crushing, this record reflects on her family and Alabama upbringing. Whereas American Weekend was mostly just Crutchfield and her guitar, Cerulean Salt is occasionally amped up, with a full band and higher-fi production.

At times, Cerulean Salt creeps closer to the sound of PS Eliot: moody, 90s-inspired rock backed by Keith Spencer and Swearin’ guitarist Kyle Gilbride on drums and bass. The full band means fleshed-out fuzzy lead guitars on “Coast to Coast”, its poppy hook almost masking its dark lyrics. Big distorted guitars and deep steady drums mark songs like “Misery over Dispute” and “Waiting”.

There’s plenty of American Weekend‘s introspection and minimalism to be found, though. “Blue Pt. II” is stripped down, Crutchfield and her sister Alison singing in harmony with deadpan vox. She’s still an open booking, musing on self-doubt versus self-reliance, transience versus permanence. “Peace and Quiet” ebbs and flows from moody, minimal verses to a sing-song chorus. “Swan Dive” tackles nostalgia, transience, indifference, regret — over the a minimal strum of an electric-guitar, the picking at a chirpy riff and the double-time tapping of a muted drum. The album closes with a haunting acoustic-guitar reflection on “You’re Damaged,” possibly the best Waxahatchee song to date."

The sea has long been central to Japanese culture, symbolizing both sustenance and spiritual depth. Charles A.D.'s Deep Diver draws inspiration from this, channeling the ancient traditions of diving and fishing into his music. Historically, the sea has influenced everything from Shinto rituals to the livelihoods of coastal communities. In Deep Diver, this reverence flows through aquatic soundscapes, where rhythmic waves of 90s house and Detroit techno meet Japanese minimal production techniques, New Age and Pacific Jazz. Like the tides, the album ebbs and flows, creating a serene yet dynamic homage to the timeless connection between Japan and the sea.
The opening track 'Deep Diver' plunges into the depths, its abstract sound design capturing the sensation of deep-sea propulsion. Rhythmic bubbles pulse gently alongside slow-moving chords, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. The textures are lush yet restrained, setting a tranquil stage that pulls the listener into a submerged world. 'Underwater Ruins' builds on this aquatic theme, introducing rhythmic layers and bass-heavy notes reminiscent of mid-90s Japanese ambient techno. The smooth, melodic flow nods to pioneers like Mr.YT and Susumu Yokota, while subtly incorporating the Detroit techno influence through soulful, deep basslines.
The track feels like a fusion of ambient and techno, balancing serene tones with a rolling groove, emblematic of Japanese techno soul. As the album progresses into 'Bubble Ring', it becomes clear that Charles A.D. is a master of minimalism. The production is timeless, leaning
on analog techniques where echo-drenched chords and carefully layered soundscapes take on an addictive, hypnotic quality. The simplicity of the composition is deceptive, as each element carries weight, drawing the listener deeper into the rhythm and space between the notes.
'Merperson' is where organic rhythms truly come into play. Charles A.D. gently evolves the patterns, allowing each percussive hit to flow naturally into the next. Soothing melodies emerge from within the track’s structure, eventually reaching an emotional peak without ever feeling forced. The organic nature of the arrangement creates an effortless progression that feels deeply connected to the natural movement of water.Starting the second half with 'Deep Exploration', the theme of underwater excursions becomes even more pronounced. Light, steady drumming anchors the track, allowing the melodic layers
to develop gradually. It unfolds with a calm, measured pace, before ending softly, almost as if the sounds are drifting off into the oceanic depths. 'Diffuse Reflection' stands out as the most dub house-influenced on the album, with rolling rhythms and hypnotic elements reminiscent of Maurizio's deep, pulsing sound. Yet here, the production feels submerged, with aquatic effects swirling around the rhythmic core, blending dub house with a fluid, oceanic touch. 'Traitors' delves even deeper into dub-inspired territory. Deep, resonant bass hits combine with wooden drums, while static-like sounds evoke the image of a radio tuning through static to find clarity.
Chords shimmer briefly before fading back into the liquid depths, evoking the ebb and flow of the tide. The final track on Deep Diver 'Levitation', is a fitting conclusion, as the rhythms merge and overlap like waves gently lapping the shore. The minimalistic arrangement allows each element to blend effortlessly into the next, creating a sense of unity and closure. The sounds move with the gentle grace of water, ending the album in a way that feels both complete and
open-ended, like the infinite motion of the sea.

"Ukraine's most beloved and enduring band Okean Elzy will release their first-ever English-language studio album, Lighthouse, on October 11 via Elektra. The group herald the record’s announcement with the title track and new single ‘Lighthouse’ featuring John Rzeznik of Goo Goo Dolls. Produced by John Feldmann (Blink 182, Avril Lavigne, 5 Seconds of Summer), and co-written by Slava, Feldmann and Eva Arnby Busacker (5 Seconds of Summer, Landon Barker), the track also features Travis Barker on drums. A portion of the proceeds from the song will be donated to United24, an initiative launched by the president of Ukraine in support of the country during the ongoing war. The song is accompanied by a cinematic music video – available to stream on the band’s You Tube Channel
Okean Elzy’s lead vocalist Sviastoslav ‘Slava’ Vakarchuk says, ""The creative process was a unique experience for me. Working alongside Feldy and Evey was both fun and inspirational. The song came together in a matter of minutes. Having Travis on drums took the vibe up to a whole other level, and is yet another example of how special the human camaraderie and support is on this track.""
""Lighthouse is a very powerful metaphor for me,"" Slava continues. ""As a Ukrainian I couldn't think of a better metaphor to express our hope for the future, which is part of why the song and album bear that name.""
Okean Elzy radiate luminous energy through ‘Lighthouse’. Anchored to a steady beat, warm guitars ebb and flow beneath a heartfelt promise, “Take my hand, I’ll get you through the storm.” The momentum builds as the song climaxes on an uplifting chorus, “Tonight, I’ll be your lighthouse, shining on.” Meanwhile, Vakarchuk and Rzeznik lock into a bold and bright back-and-forth. The music video seamlessly translates this energy to the screen, capturing the chemistry between the frontmen.
With their upcoming album, Okean Elzy aims to transcend borders and share the rich tapestry of Ukrainian culture with audiences around the world. The album will include collaborations from Travis Barker (Blink-182), Paul O'Duffy and Diane Warren.
In support of Lighthouse, a portion of their North American tour’s proceeds will be donated to Open Eyes Fund, specifically supporting their Drive For Life initiative, whose goal is to deliver 30 ambulances, along with essential medical equipment to the frontlines where urgent medical assistance is required. These efforts will be in addition to the 242 ambulances already delivered to Ukraine and 36,000 lives saved previously by Open Eyes. Following their North American tour, Okean Elzy are set to headline the O2 Academy Brixton in London on December 4. Check out the full confirmed itinerary below. General on-sale begins today at 10am local time.
Consistently selling-out stadium shows, winning multiple YUNA Awards (the nation’s equivalent to the Grammys or the BRITs), and topping airplay charts, Okean Elzy are undoubtedly Ukraine’s biggest band."

Hank Dogs – Andy Allan, his partner Piano and Lily, Andy’s daughter from a previous relationship - started out at folk clubs in London in the early 1990s before going worldwide in 1998 when legendary producer and late 60s Folk Rock guru, Joe Boyd declared them the first British act he'd loved in 30 years. Their debut album ‘Bareback’ saw them touring the US with Joan Baez and winning fans with their quiet, haunting sound featuring ethereal vocal harmonies, strong traces of blues and Celtic music and Allan’s fluid acoustic finger-picking recalling UK folk guitarists such as John Renbourn. Another part of their appeal, particularly in the States, was their ‘Carter Family’ image but then, when Andy and Piano split-up in real life, so did the band. A follow up album ‘Half Smile’ appeared in 2002 but this turned out to be their swansong. However, the story was not quite over yet.. a third unreleased album ‘Fiveways’ had been recorded before they went their separate ways and now it’s finally seeing the light of day on South London label Scratchy Records, plus the band are re-uniting for some long overdue gigs to celebrate the release. ‘Fiveways’ contains much of the Hank Dogs’ trademark English folk/US country-straddling sound. Piano’s voice bounces between early Suzanne Vega, Tracey Thorn and Mary Margaret O’Hara with occasional hints of Dolores Cranberry and Bridget St. John, while underneath the acoustic guitars run freeform tangled and Lily’s backing vocals add sky. Stand out track ‘Logic’ with its pensive lyrics and haunting guitar line recalls the way Suzanne Vega (her again) could sometimes make songs stand still in their tracks but it’s the dreamy ‘Nut’ that really captures the mood “You had me when I was sweet as a nut.. Not sweet enough” sings Piano. This is the sound of two ex-lovers still able to work together but unable to hide the odd dig here and there.. like a follow up album a couple of years later on from ‘Blood On The Tracks’. Andy sings a few songs too including the raggedy, swashbuckling ‘Gazetteer’ revolving around a ‘Pre-CBS Maple neck Sunburst bought off The Pretty Things’ and hinting at a whole lifetime of music biz escapades from watching his dad Elkan Allan produce 60s TV show ‘Ready Steady Go’ to a stint on bass in The Professionals along with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. Next year the story carries on with his long-running South East London ‘Easycome’ club night featuring in US TV queen Lena Dunham’s new Netflix series ‘Too Much’. Towards the end of the album an angelic setting of Dylan Thomas’s ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’ in the song ‘Nod’ recalls Christmas TOTP number ones from days gone by and captures Hank Dogs ability to transport the listener. This album is definitely one for the dreamers. FFO Pentangle, The Innocence Mission and William Blake

Bloodshot celebrates the 10th anniversary of No-Hit Wonder with this Barrel Select edition!

Barrel Select exists to highlight the best of Bloodshot’s cask-strength catalog and there’s no doubt that the No-Hit Wonder sits proudly on the top shelf.

“Your favorite songwriter’s favorite songwriter” according to Vice Magazine, Cory Branan, with songs covered by Frank Turner and Dashboard Confessional and a circle of friends and collaborators that includes Jason Isbell and the Hold Steady’s Craig Finn (who also grace this album’s credits as guest vocalists).

When it came out in 2014, all the people whose taste are worth a damn were raving about it, with Rolling Stone putting it on their list of that year’s best country albums.

With ten more years of aging, it’s only gotten better. It hasn’t mellowed, but it makes more sense now that the country mainstream has started to catch up to the level of outlaw cowpunk soul Cory was packing.

Our Branan-approved, Barrel Select edition stamps the sound onto Bloodshot Red vinyl and includes a full-size reproduction of the album’s 2014 promo poster with full lyrics and a new note from Cory on its backside.

Drink it in. It packs a punch.

Featuring appearances from Jason Isbell, Caitlin Rose, Craig Finn, and Tim Easton

10th Anniversary Barrel Select edition on Bloodshot Red vinyl

Includes a reproduction of the original promo poster, full lyrics

“Cory Branan is your favorite songwriter’s favorite songwriter” —Chicago Tribune

“He radiates talent” —Vice

“If you’re gazing slunk shouldered at your Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson records as so loved that you’re tired of listening to them, The No-Hit Wonder may just be the project to point your nose toward next. . . This is old school country rock at its finest” —Saving Country Music-

A steady and sure buzz has been building around Steve Young’s ‘Scarper’ project over the past few years, particularly since his acclaimed 2017 debut album ‘Warmer Squares’ and subsequent dancefloor favourite ‘E-Funk', which won over fans from Skream to Carl Craig with its genre-crossing appeal.

Marking a noticeable shift in direction and a new sense of focus, Scarper returns with four tracks of varying styles and influences. Drawing from dub, techno, breakbeat and rave, he mainly shoots for the floor (with a clear emphasis on bass weight), although as always, there is ample headphone fodder.

Opening with ambient intro 'Wavecrush,' Scarper moves through dub- infused downtempo with the Weatherall-esque chugger 'Metadub,' swiftly picks up the energy with the chunky beats and deep bass of

‘Metadome,’ and concludes with high-octane face melter 'Slab,' which throws tech-breaks, dark garage and jungle/hardcore vibes into the pot.

More quality from Scarper.

In Cornish slang it is said that things get done ‘dreckly’; that is, not now, not necessarily tomorrow, but, at some indefinite point...in the future...soon...

Fitting then that when Bristol’s Langkamer decamped to their de facto home-from-home in the picturesque south-west seaside town of Falmouth to record their third album in as many years (with an EP thrown in there too) - there was no particular need to rush things: “The process was much slower and more considered for Langzamer.”, drummer/vocalist Josh Jarman explains: “The first two albums felt pretty urgent, and each was finished in about 6 months, but this one feels a lot more deliberate. It’s taken us two years to get this done.”

Equally fitting too that Langzamer kicks off proceedings with ‘Heart of Tin’: the first bars are languidly lugubrious, so deliciously plucked-out and scuzzed-up that they linger in the air like passing smoke, magically, slowing time down to their own assured and steady will. And in so much time, that also feels like no time at all, comes an opening line of such stark, disarming confessionalism as might be found in the David Berman/Silver Jews songbook: “Do you want the good news or the bad news first? // They’re both bad news, but the bad is worse” It’s Langkamer in a nutshell: embattled, heart-on-sleeve Slacker Rock slaked with twinges of fret-sliding Americana, yet deeply embedded in the folk mythologies, colloquialisms and experiences of the band’s West Country roots.

Throughout Langzamer, confronting the listener again and again is this conflict between the band’s breezy, melodic charm, and the threat of something more sinister lurking in the undergrowth. While those more familiar with Langkamer’s oeuvre to date will have already come to know and love their often self-deprecating yet witty lyricism, the songs on Langzamer take this trademark ebullient gloominess to more challenging plains: “Principally this is an album about grief, and everything that entails...” explains Jarman. “in a sense death brought these songs to life.”

This thread is felt no more so than on ‘Salvation XL’. Inspired by a “particularly bad batch of food poisoning I had in Morocco”, Jarman explains, and beginning with the memorable opening line, “Jesus came to me a Burger King in Marrakech”, the band wind their way through the ‘big topics’: death and God.

“This trip was shortly after a few of my friends had passed away, and I think a lot of my thoughts and actions at that time were being influenced by my grief without me realising it.”, he explains, “Whenever I dwell on grief, and how death has given my life a new context, I come back to that. The ongoing battle between agnosticism and atheism. I wasn’t raised in a very strict religious home, but I come from a long line of methodists, and it’s interesting to think about the way theism and religion have shaped my life without me knowing it. I think that’s being channelled on this album a lot. The uncertainty that comes with disbelief.”

Our collective mortal frailties are also felt on lead single ‘Richard E Grant’. With a trademark bittersweetness, a track that begins as an appreciation of the actor’s humorous social media presence unfolds as a study on “finding healthy coping strategies to deal with loss.”. Elsewhere, ‘At The Lake’ - to the tune of mournful, folk-like balladry - explores binge-drinking culture and the troubled association between unhealthy behaviour and creativity. The listener is left in no mind as to the meaning behind the references to James Joyce and Janis Jopin as “souvenirs stolen from the dark”.

With themes as weighty as these strewn across the album’s 10 tracks, It seemed like a particularly astute move then for the band to personally approach Ben Woods, founder of the Golden Dregs, to assist on production duties. Not only would the delicate intimacies of Woods’ main project - see 2023’s On Grace & Dignity for reference - add an appropriate moodiness, but Woods was also born and raised in Cornwall, where the album was recorded; amidst “eating pasties” and breaks by the sea, Woods and the band transformed the vaults underneath iconic Falmouth venue The Cornish Bank into a makeshift studio for a weeks’ worth of recording. Occasionally friends would drop by to lighten the load; Zander Sharp tracking violin on ’Double Island’ and ‘Flight’; Josh Law and Ben Sadler of Breakfast Records labelmates Getdown Services, both of whom contribute to the soul-stirring ‘mountain’ chorus on ‘Aberfan’.

When compared to the brightness of 2023’s The Noon and Midnight Manual, Woods’ influence on the record seems indisputable. On the aforementioned ‘At The Lake’, for instance, which features backing vocals from Woods. Or, most acutely, on the piano strains of harrowing closer ‘Bluff’, a track with such chilling, spectral severity as to effect the band’s most heartbreaking effort to date. While it’s particularly sombre note on which end proceedings, it's also an appropriate one: Langzamer bravely stands tall as their most restrained, matured, and sincere collection to date. And almost by virtue of its impeccable honesty, those moments of sunshine-joy that creep through the cracks feel that much more golden.

Bologna born Italo Disco legend Celso Valli’s ‘Tantra’ project had one aim; to push the boundaries of disco! Released in 1979 in the vein of Cerrone and Giorgio Moroder, ‘Hills of Katmandu’ is a unique, progressive slice of classic Italo Disco. The pulsating ‘Moroder-on-steroids bassline’, menacing female vocal and warbling synths take you on a trippy disco journey. The track became a huge dancefloor anthem at legendary clubs such as The Loft and The Saint in New York and Baia Degli Angeli in Rimini.

Originally available on vinyl in 1982 on San Francisco’s “Hot Classics” DJ Service”, Patrick Cowley’s “Original Underground Mix” is a work of pure genius that unleashes his skills on the synths and somehow manages to surpass the original.

High Fashion Music have enrolled Ben Liebrand to restore all the original remix-tapes, managing to re-edit and adjust each and every nuance to perfection, taking away any and all flaws which appeared in the original and it’s acetates, so that it is now steady preserving the original Hi NRG sound. This is the first time this restored and upgraded version has been released.

On the flip-side, there is the original 16’20 minutes version of the Jurgen Koppers mix, an extended re-edit of the original Celso Valli version, which appeared first on Disconet in 1979, and in the following year on the US (Importe/12) release of the “Tantra – the Double Album” longplayer.

Boudica is proud to present their first record of 2024, featuring an artist who holds a special place within the platform - none other than DJ and producer Wallis.
DJ, live-act and former mastering engineer, Wallis speaks for a generation searching for novelty and emotion in the electronic music realm.
Sharp engineering skills coupled with a unique approach to sound design allowed her to develop a trademark sound. Using an array of synthesisers, effects units, and experimental studio techniques, Wallis produces melancholic electronic music rapidly shifting between different patterns and atmospheres.
She tours as a DJ and Live Act around the world, having played large festivals such as DGTL or renowned clubs like Berghain, and will happily play at a large stage one day but at a small intimate sweaty basement the next.
In 2024, she started producing music for fashion shows and debuted that project by creating the music for the entire Natasha Zinko runway show at London Fashion Week February 2024.
The EP's opening track, "Hell is a Girl from Before (Rainy Summer Mix)," introduces a stirring blend of emotions. Starting with an emotional melody, accompanied by synths and a plucked instrument, it swiftly transitions into energetic segments driven by the drums. Vocals emerge, their words almost imperceptible, adding an intimate layer to the experience. The track maintains a steady pace, evoking the ambience of a rainy summer day. This creates a melancholic yet hopeful mood, transporting listeners through a journey of introspection.
As "Protect Me From My Friends" unfolds, it feels like being whisked away to a new dimension, greeted by otherworldly, robotic sounds. The introspective journey of the previous track mutates into raw emotions, driven forward by a relentless bassline. Clear vocals take the forefront, guiding the listener through the sonic landscape, only to be interrupted by the commanding presence of the bassline, which assumes the main character role.

In "Sleeping Pills Are Gone," an atmospheric and gloomy introduction is abruptly interrupted by an acid and hefty bassline that dynamically evolves throughout the track, plunging the listener into an eyes-open dream born of a sleepless night. The vocals echo the track's title, creating a haunting repetition. Wallis strategically grants brief breaks, constructing a powerful crescendo that heightens the experience. These are momentary escapes before immersing the listener once more into the hypnotic trance induced by the solid four-to-the-floor march.
Closing the EP with a striking finale, "Teenage Apocalypse" introduces a clunky melody that encapsulates the signature sound of the record. Characteristic vocals weave throughout, guiding the listener towards the track's crescendo. Driven by a flawless fusion of drums, the song transitions seamlessly into a powerful breakbeat moment, accompanied by yet another impeccable bassline. True to its title, it evokes the intensity of a day of judgment, leaving a lasting impact as the EP draws to a close.
This EP is a testament to Wallis's growth as a producer and her fantastic storytelling ability through sound.
In the artist's words: "Sometimes life takes a weird turn. Angry, confused and dealing with moral: this EP targets the pain and absurdity of attachment and strongly themes Gregg Araki's teenage apocalypse trilogy. The artwork poem plastered on the wall was written by wallis."

Zenwerk is an eclectic tech trancethusiast from Belarus, though based in Warsaw, Poland, where he has already established himself as a leading artist and party promoter.

Ne Quid Nimis:
Ne Quid Nimis is Latin for "nothing in excess" – the track is a perfectly balanced subaquatic blend of peaceful yet progressive trance and muffled bloopy sonics. Inspired by the mountains hikes, this tribal trip into the rainforest creates a drifting atmosphere of a celestial and dynamic ride meant to pass a healing power of nature alongside joyful turbulence and inspiration. Ethereal vibrations & deep sound textures create a dreamy universe of wonder and bright hopes for the future.

A2 ‘Dew Kissed Silk’ is a 4x4 walk in trance delirium across predator footprints which becomes satisfactory – silk is being kissed by dew, though not soaked with. This contemporary vanguard trance/breakbeat hybrid creates a perfect mental equilibrium.

Rising Bristol star JOELY brings 2 hot B side tracks which show how hot a talent he is at such a young age. Hive Mind creates a playful grit which will get a dance floor moving in the early hours of a set, providing a steady rhythm which never wavers. Jungle Walk takes us down a darker, ethereal path which will make any soundsystem wobble with the thick wonky textures that JOELY expertly weaves in. Mind this gap.

Contexture is another classic example of a true friends & family gathering. The Nijmegen based imprint, running for over 12 years was born out of a tight group of friends with the same passion. 12 years later, their strongest releases are still based on this exact same principle, collect and release music from the inner circle. Julien Fuentes, Dorcas label head, starts things easy with his Klaridub ambient mix. It's quickly followed by familiar ESHU faces Jocelyn and Yasin Engwer, classic dub techno beats from the ESHU vaults. There's also room for new faces, the recently launched collaborative project between Vand and Shoal as Voal dropping their 'Eight Ball' as their ESHU label debut. Flawless minimalistic grooves that make a perfect fit for their long awaited contribution. Label head Ivano Tetelepta teams up with Pirat Records own Christine Benz. After sharing the DJ booth together multiple times they also joined forces in the studio recently and crafted this squeeky techno drifter. There's also an additional 10", exclusive to the ESHU Bandcamp, includes two beats from Klaridub, bringing some excellent smoke ready, head steady dub-techno cuts.

Blu’s music has been championed by outlets like XXL, Pitchfork, Okayplayer, HipHopDX, and more. In recent years, he has been interviewed by Billboard, Complex, LA Weekly, Noisey, Red Bull Music Academy, and more. Blu has collaborated with prominent artists like The Roots, Logic, Miguel, MF DOOM, Madlib, Anderson .Paak, Lupe Fiasco, Freddie Gibbs, Aloe Blacc, Roc Marciano, Slum Village, 9th Wonder, and more. Classic 2014 album on gatefold 2LP vinyl, now available after years out of print. Good To Be Home features guest appearances by Evidence, Fashawn, Alchemist, Casey Veggies, MED, Planet Asia, Oh No, Pac Div, Strong Arm Steady, Thurz, Visionaries, Chace Infinite, Cashus King, and more. L.A. rapper Blu burst onto the scene in the late 00s with the widely acclaimed Exile collaboration Below The Heavens, igniting a West Coast hip-hop renaissance in the process. With his cool Cali demeanor and undeniable lyrical talent, Blu drew praise from fans and tastemakers alike, launching a remarkable career that continues thriving to this day. His first ever double album, the 2014 masterpiece Good To Be Home is an essential part of this story. An unapologetic celebration of Los Angeles music and culture, the album takes listeners on a vivid journey through Blu’s storied stomping grounds. With sweeping strings and hypnotic bass lines supplied by producer Bombay, Good To Be Home features a host of West Coast hip-hop luminaries, including Evidence, Fashawn, Alchemist, Casey Veggies, MED, Planet Asia, Oh No, Pac Div, Strong Arm Steady, Thurz, Visionaries, and more. A cohesive collection with 20 tracks and no filler, this classic release is now available again on vinyl after years out of print.

In 1977 this classic punk album had a sound flaw and wasn"t heard properly until it was recompiled in 1994 - after both former New York Dolls Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan had died. Now songs like Born to Lose and Chinese Rocks are acclaimed as punk anthems. The album was remastered and repackaged in 2017 to celebrate its 40th anniversary, but has only ever been in black vinyl since then. "That "L.A.M.F.", the only studio album by Johnny Thunders" swaggering, smacked-up post New York Dolls outfit, The Heartbreakers, is one of New York punk"s defining artefacts (despite being recorded in Britain), is beyond dispute. 12 songs that put the guitarist"s abiding passions - Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, Phil Spector and Shadow Morton girl groups, glam, garage, trash and junk - in perfect, speedy collision." - Damien Love, Uncut mag, 9/10.

Gil Tamazyan is the founder and president of Capsule Labs, a boutique pressing plant, record label and analogue mastering studio in Los Angeles. He has been making cultured sounds for twenty years and does everything from deep house to Italo disco while drawing on a wide range of influences from the words of jazz, funk and more.
-On “Morning Cleanser,” Gil Tamazyan beautifully crafts a deep house record with notes of jazz sprinkled throughout.
-Pressed on 180g black vinyl for the best listening experience.
Gil Tamazyan unveils "Morning Cleanser," a musical gem that masterfully blends house and jazz, showcasing his signature authenticity and groove. The EP begins with "Bumper Car Theater," where Gil's craftsmanship paints a spacious sonic landscape. A steady bassline anchors the track, while ethereal chords drift, inviting introspection and calm. As dawn breaks, the title track "Morning Cleanser" emerges with vibrant chords and infectious beats. The groovy bassline sets the rhythm, and spirited vocals infuse the track with energy, awakening the senses and stirring the soul.
Continuing the journey, "My Body" offers a sultry exploration of sound and sensation. Smooth keys intertwine with dreamy vocals, creating a warm and intimate ambiance. The rhythmic groove carries listeners away, transporting them to a realm of pure musical delight. Closing the EP, "News Cast" weaves a tapestry of rhythm and melody. Powerful kicks and a punchy bassline drive the track, while a sultry saxophone ties back to the opening track, adding a sense of allure. With "Morning Cleanser," Gil Tamazyan delivers a mature and grounded musical experience, inviting listeners to tune in and vibe out.

One of the biggest dark wave / electronic / goth sensations ABU NEIN returns with a brand new album called "Dark Faith". This is their third album and the band has over the years built a strong a steady following of fans around the globe. A Progress Productions priority release.

This summer is all about the Toxic Funk jams over at Breaknbeat Paradise Recordings and for the 15th installment of the Toxic Funk series we have welcomed back the Suckaside team to produce 2 timeless funky joints.

Suckaside aka DJ B-Side and Sucka Timmy is always on point when putting their tasty funky mashups together and this time around they're keeping it fresh with some soulful funky twists on some catchy RnB jams.

This is the second time Suckaside is dropping a toxic funk 7"inch after their highly successful Vol. 7 from 2021.

Starting things off with the catchy Sometimes Bootyful that featuring some smooth RnB vocals on a funky organ riff with a steady rocking breakbeat.

On the b-side the smoothness continues on the highly addictive Sugar Face, that's take a big slow-rockin' groove and mashes it with some catchy RnB vocals that will leave you asking for more every time it's played.

Another timeless 45 that will be going quick so get it while you can and look out for more Toxic Funk coming very soon…

Dam Swindle return to Heist in excellent form with a 4-track EP in their signature style.

The iconic Amsterdam duo returned to the studio after their much-lauded ‘Minor Fools’ EP, where the lead track ‘That’s Right’ became one of the most heartwarming tracks 2023. Their recent contribution to the Phonica 20-year compilation -‘Allright (just a tribute)’- is turning into one of the biggest hits of this year with big plays on pretty much every festival around, whether it’s Glastonbury or Dekmantel. The guys are known for their ability to bend different styles into something very much their own and their newest addition to the Heist catalog is no different. The ‘Touch Me Again’ EP sees them go from sample-heavy house to classic 90’s piano-driven tracks with a touch of acid and it’s one you don’t want to miss.

The record starts with ‘Touch Me Again’, a house jam with chopped vocals, energetic synth stabs and a big breakdown. Add to that a touch of acid and you’ve got a follow-up to their Phonica hit of 2023.

‘Hang On’ takes you back into classic Swindle territory, with their signature sampling style and knack for finding those lush vocals. The synth chops and bassline give the track its upbeat energy and the distant filtered pads move in an ever so subtle way, that there’s always something new happening while keeping the attention on that catchy main hook.

On the flip, we see the guys take things a bit deeper with emotive vocals and introverted keys layered over a steady groove on their track ‘The Joy of Melancholy’. Fast-forward to the drop and all that energy comes free with a huge piano break, which propels the track into a blissful ‘hands-in-the-air’ dancefloor moment.

The EP closes with ‘Forever and Ever’, a gospel-inspired Deep house tune full of organ hits and off-kilter sample chops. This 4-track EP gives you jam upon jam upon jam and sees Dam Swindle solidify their position as the go-to artist in the house scene and keeps them at the forefront of electronic music.

Grab this record while you can and share the love,

Heist Recordings.

We interrupt our regular Drum Chums programming to bring you a little V/A tackle via the 'Percussion Pals' project.
These razor sharp cuts come from friends near and far, old and new, each one primed to upgrade your record collection.

Debuts abound on the A-side, first via international man of mystery DJ Poufsouffle and his Balea-rock disco stomper "Totally Manic". Brimming with Flash & The Pan style pub-rock wonk this one boasts a growling vocal, sparkling keys and an uplifting chorus which doesn't quite break the spell of extreme silliness.
On the A2, Bristol's Spice Route rescue a nebulous reggae gem from Library obscurity, swinging the scalpel and working the desk to turn out an unstoppable groover.
Built around an irresistible rhythm section, "Gruler Dub" keeps on getting higher as the space-based vocals and trilling synths turn your brain inside out.

The B1 brings the return of Drum Chum extraordinaire Neil Diablo, who follows the Balearic brilliance of his last label outing with a cosmic caper into pure oddball pop. "Starry Night" slinks along in a chromed out catsuit, purring weirdo vocals over robo-chug and mechanical drums before indulging in a catchy chorus packed with addled innuendo. Not only is this as arch as Gina X doing a forward fold, but it also boasts some serious bass weight in the later stages - you have been warned.
We're delighted to finally feature a little magic from Australian Italo wizard Hysteric, who brings the curtain down in utterly emotional fashion via AOR disco dream "Pinball". A steady beat, infectious bassline and glistening chords play host to a swooning vocal, which reminds us to go with the flow and follow fun at all times.

100% Drum Fun Guaranteed.

Immerse yourself in a unique narrative experience, embarking on a vibrant journey that will awaken your senses and evoke warm memories.

Play as Mimi, exploring the precious recollections of your childhood and the times shared with your late grandmother. As past meets present, confront your adult choices with fond childhood memories to uncover lost family secrets.

For the OST, SUPERNAIVE brothers oscillates between melancholy and wonder. They build a strong narrative throughout the songs, taking the listener by the hand to discover their unique poetic universe.

The UK’s first and only emo band Los Campesinos! return with their highly-anticipated seventh album, All Hell. It is perhaps their most ambitious and assured album yet, whilst simultaneously recalling everything we’ve come to love about LC! over their faultless discography. Recorded between October 2023 and February 2024, it is the first album to be wholly self-produced by band member Tom Bromley (having co-produced previous albums Sick Scenes and NO BLUES). The album is also self-released on the band’s own Heart Swells record label.

In the band’s words All Hell is an album about…

Drinking for fun and drinking for misery // adult acne // adult friendship // football // death and dying // love and sex // late-stage capitalism // Orpheus // day dreaming // night terrors // the heart as an organ and as a burden // suburban boredom // Tears of the Kingdom // the punks on the playlist // increments of time // climate apocalypse // the moon the moon the moon ///

Los Campesinos! have become one of the most important and influential cult acts in the UK since they formed in the mid-2000s. Starting out in the Cardiff indie scene and soundtracking Budweiser adverts, the seven-piece’s musical evolution since then has been slow, steady and remarkable. From the frenzied chaos of debut album Hold On Now, Youngster… (2008) through 2010 breakthrough Romance is Boring and the self-mythologising of latter day highlights NO BLUES (2013) and Sick Scenes (2017), their discography is an interconnected web of niche references, big swings and unflinching honesty.

Making self-professed sleeper hits for weeping dipshits, they’re as influenced by The Beautiful South as they are US emo, with emotional intensity and connection always at the core. Their lyrics are a treasure trove of football references, tales of romantic woe and painfully frank exorcisms, which have been tattooed across hundreds of fans’ bodies and served as comfort and insight during that break-up you had (there’s a reason the band’s tagline is “your ex-girlfriend’s favourite band”).

Now with the release of All Hell, Los Camp! approach their third decade as a band more brilliant, more potent and more vital than ever.

Das von Josh Kaufman (The Hold Steady, Bonny Light Horsemen) produzierte 'In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain' verleiht dem elegant komponierten Folk/Indie-Rock von Blind Pilot eine neue, kraftvolle Energie. Das vierte Album der Band - das erste seit 'And Then Like Lions' (2016) - ist ein großer Schritt nach vorn und entfaltet sich mit einer exquisiten Leichtigkeit, die die Chemie, die sie als Special Guest von The Shins, Andrew Bird und Gregory Alan Isakov und auf Festivals wie Lollapalooza und Bonnaroo gezeigt haben, voll ausspielt.

Completing Kranky's chronologically reverse reissue program of the earlier loscil albums on vinyl, the 2001 debut album is issued on the format for the first time with the addition of three bonus tracks from the same sessions that produced the original release.

‘’Triple Point was my first full length album under the loscil name, and it was my first with kranky - a relationship now 25 years old. This reissue is as much about celebrating that relationship as it is about the music. I am extremely grateful for this journey. Arguably, none of it would have happened without this release.’’

“Pay no mind to the label and pay no mind to the producer's locale (Vancouver isn't Cologne or Detroit); Triple Point is one of the finest—and most varied—ambient techno releases of 2001.”— AllMusic

"Finding itself nestled halfway between the endlessly spacious mechanoid constructions of Berlin's Basic Channel and the drifting expanses of Labradford, Scott Morgan's work as Loscil never ceases to impress with its deft use of technology and percussion.”—Boomkat

Citrus Swirl Vinyl. honeybee table at the butterfly feast is the first album from the elusive Baltimore's band Teen Suicide in years. For over a decade, guitarist, vocalist and project runner Sam Ray has been sometimes quietly and sometimes very noisily setting standards in the indie scene by changing genres, live lineups and even band names, but the one constant has been an undeniable gift for songwriting. honeybee table sits at an interesting point in the teen suicide timeline, following years of relative quiet following the releases a whole fucking lifetime of this (2018) and fucking bliss (2019), both released under the short-lived alias American Pleasure Club. Lockdown times saw a viral moment for the song "haunt me (x3)", a cult-classic catalog track featured on the 2015 Run For Cover reissue of the band's two beloved EPs dc snuff film and waste yrself. Now the band returns with what could be their next classic record, 16 songs that oscillate between noisy garage-rock, intimate acoustic songs and even blistering powerviolence in the vein of 2016's ambitious double album it's the big joyous celebration, let's stir the honeypot. The album is as varied and captivating as the cover art of the record - a painting by Ray's mother - and is held together by his unique artistic vision, captured not only in the genius of his songwriting but the power of lyrics that turn his lived experience of the past few years into harrowing poetry.

Dutch septet Personal Trainer churn out songs that sound like all your favorite indie rock luminaries jam-packed into big-beaming pop psalms. Off the back of their self-released debut LP Big Love Blanket (2022), the band return this year with Still Willing, released this August via Bella Union.

The band's formative years were marked by a revolving door of plucky scenesters, with Willem Smit – the band’s conductor and cheerleader – as its affable pivot figure. But now with shows at festivals such as SXSW (US), Best Kept Secret (NL), End of the Road Festival (UK), Great Escape (UK) and Wilderness (UK) under their belt, the band nascent state-of-flux has cemented into a steady seven-piece renowned for their rousing and unpredictable live shows.

Ten bad boy digi riddims from the myspace era by Copenhagen’s Maffi crew, dubbed out into 3D space by disrupt in 2024. Raw, minimalist CyberDancehall at its best, nostalgic and oddly futuristic at the same time, this album is quickly becoming RoboCop’s favorite playlist when going to work.
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Maffi Promotions a.k.a. Maffi Boys come straight outta 1773 Kbh V, Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally founded in 1990 by the two homeboys, lazy body Moog and Junior the Rat, Maffi Promotions have been a steady producer of simple digital riddims for years. Hanging out in the streets of Hummel City Junior & Moog used to entertain their friends with the primitve riddims of the Maffi sound. Not knowing that they would do the exact same thing fifteen years later, they continued to believe that one day they would move up the ladder, break out of the underground and reach for the stars.

Now, after finally adopting a little sense of realism, the two homeboys have realised that stardom is nothing compared to spamming people on myspace. So the two stoners decided to get a couple of friends together and turn up the bass online. Together with their sound crew FIREHOUSE, Maffi deal nuff weed and gyals!

Maffi Boys are very dedicated to the art of playing Sensible World of Soccer, rolling weed joints with Manitou tobacco and keeping it real in a Vesterbro-style. So watch out! And don’t test! We’ll be putting up new riddims on a weekly basis. We have nuff things brewing – including a delicious chicken!
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Growing up in the streets of Hummel City, Vesterbro, MOOG learned the pleasures of sleeping late, playing Sensible World Of Soccer and picking up hot gyals at an early age. He has spent most of his life trying to master these crucial skills. Taking a break from the dog race, Moog is currently focused on reaching a higher understanding of reggae-science and weedology.

JUNIOR experienced the necessity of rolling well-made spliffs at an early age. Incorporating the aestethic heritage of Scandinavian design, he has spent most of his life perfectionizing this old and traditional art form. Junior is currently taking his ph.d. in digital reggae by buying crates of 80’s 7″ and selecting for his sound system Firehouse.

Sumer Is Icumen In is Quentin Thirionet's (Dhavali Giri, Pairi Daeza) debut album. Still, his musical escapades are vast and varied, based almost entirely on improvisation and live recordings, of which he occasionally distributes tapes without further information. Elusive to categorization and identification, unwilling to fix his musical activity under a stable pseudonym, his projects have ranged from gypsy jazz guitar swings, French traditional songs from Auvergne, and various experimental collaborations. Increasingly closer to electronic instrumentation, he crafted what Belgian label KRAAK presents here as Maibaum, his first ever solo output. As the title goes, this may be a maypole on which his multicolored sonic visions spring about.

Former rope access worker and currently a farmer of organic greens, Thirionet lives up to these lines of work as a musician. He assembles precisely what seems like a subtle balance between high manmade structures and soft fertilized soils; a high voltage pylon placed in a biotic landscape. It's all an even blend, spontaneous and steady, but this contraption comes from profound considerations. "I chose these tracks among many others," says Quentin, "because I heard the melodies all the time in my mind, and because I cried while playing them without really understanding why."
Armed with nothing more than a blackbox, a sequencer, a freeze pedal, and a tape player, Thirionet orchestrates a vivid rite of polished futures. At times reminiscent of Hans-Joachim Roedelius' enveloping arrangements, Maibaum's ambiances rely on mild repetitive patterns subsequently textured by prickling sprouts, mechanic dislocations and revamps that stoke and brighten the stirring motions. Jim O'Rourke's I'm Happy and I'm Singing comes to mind in terms of its detailed and prismatic nature, but Sumer Is Incumen In has its particular narrative. It's a tale of regeneration, of spring's delicate procedures and allure, a celebration of gracious and fortunate junctions between nature and machinery.

The album unfolds like a massive engine being made flesh to drift along the ether of a sultry land. The terrain turns pleasant and fertile in the title track; the colors and melodies of May start to unravel. Chromatic columns rise and define the scenery's depth of field breeding a synesthetic stream between crystal lights and warbling organisms. Grande Albero Buono Magico Uoma's brisk kaleidoscopic arpeggios sound like scanning a tree's litmus foliage. Then Ciguri takes us back to the foggy swamp of the beginning but is suddenly lit by an insect’s labyrinthine roundabout. The Jeweled Grid is a poem Quanta Qualia's lustrous metallic voice recites as a report of the album's phenomena. "Shiny revelations jump out. Pearls of thought flicker about." Images from within that distill to swirl around among us. The thicket dissolves as the album concludes calmly in Le Concept De Chien N'aboie Pas. Swaying under sieved solar light, leaves and branches tingle until the winds grow weak. All the warm creatures gathered along the way, and all those who danced around the maypole's splendid equilibrium now withdraw, folding up small to foster rebirth once again.

José Badía Berner

Recorded straight on the heels of Bad Company's 1974 debut — just a matter of three months later; not quite long enough to know how big a success the first LP would be — Straight Shooter is seemingly cut from the same cloth as its predecessor. It is, after all, a tight collection of eight strong, steady, heavy rockers that never, ever proceed in a hurry, but from the moment "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" kicks off the proceedings, it's clear that Bad Company have decided to expand their palette this second time around, writes AllMusic.

The album, released in April 1975, reached No. 3 on both the U.K. Albums Chart and the U.S. Billboard 200. It was certified gold (500,000 units sold) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a month after its release.

The jacket for the album was designed by Hipgnosis, who also designed their debut album.

"Good Lovin' Gone Bad," was released in March 1975 and reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was released in April. The album's final single "Feel like Makin' Love" was released in August and reached No. 10 on the Hot 100.

"Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Shooting Star," became classic rock staples due to this expanded aural vocabulary, and even straight-ahead rockers like "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" and "Deal with the Preacher" benefit from this additional muscle, while they feel comfortable enough to settle into a soulful groove on "Anna" and "Call on Me."

Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket by Stoughton Printing, this is the definitive pressing of Straight Shooter and one fans of Bad Company will be proud to own.

Filipovich is one of a kind. The Belarus-born, Paris-based artist works in a multitude of media - found footage films, painting, silkscreening and performance to name a few. It's her musical output that has caught the attention of late, though, with Filipovich dropping a run of releases in recent years which began with 2021's Magnificat on Time Released Sound. Filipovich takes as much of a novel approach to her music-making as she does with her other artistic endeavours - Magnificat was centred around treated samples of Sergei Rachmaninov's All-Night Vigil, and she's also combined classical composition with contemporary electronic techniques on her subsequent drops.

For Idealized, Filipovich's debut on Sheffield's Central Processing Unit, she maintains the gothic air which characterised her previous releases and applies it to a record of widescreen contemporary techno joints. These tracks represent something of a gear shift for CPU, a label which has long made its name by delivering top-quality electro and machine-funk jams, but such is the quality of Idealized that these superbly-executed techno productions are sure to win over label fans both old and new.

Idealized is very much schooled in the German tradition of minimal/dub techno. Tracks like 'Physical', 'Wave' and 'Dance Minor' all anchor themselves on single, steady drum pulses and delay-drenched single-chord loops. Filipovich generally lets the central idea of these tracks play out across several minutes while introducing increasingly disorientating elements into the rest of the mix - wiccan atmospherics, clashing chords, spiralling delays and so forth. It's an approach at once respectful of Filipovich's predecessors - Basic Channel, Deepchord, Ellen Allien and so on - but also full of idiosyncrasies and individuality.

Many of the club cuts here hardwire us into the moody, murky environs of the darkest Berlin Basements. 'Ultra Red' rides forward on a crisp drum machine snap, a menacing burble of bassline and an eerie single-note synth whistle in the upper end of the mix; 'Dance Minor' shows off a bit of KiNK in the brain-bending modular loop that waxes and wanes at its centre; the second-half run from 'Wave' to closer 'Small Cave' travels ever-further out into deep space - the kick drums remain insistent, yet the textural elements are delivered with an edge and flair that evidences Filipovich's ability to think outside the box.

Filipovich's unusual methods, and the influence of sound art and electroacoustic composition on her music, are drawn out further when Idealized steps away from the dancefloor. 'Hydra' comes off like a more gothic version of Pole - its central pulse draws from dub techno but never quite settles into a danceable groove, and this beat is combined with the kind of unnerving keyboard work that would make John Carpenter proud. Although closer 'Small Cave' eventually locks into another dark-room techno roller, the opening section of the track delivers a weightless soundscape of bright, tinny chords and a scene-setting field recording.

Idealized, the first drop on Central Processing Unit from Paris-based Belarusian Lina Filpovich, broadens the label's horizons with a selection of finely crafted minimal/dub techno joints.

RIYL: Andy Stott, Deepchord, Ellen Allien, Moritz von Oswald

For over a decade, COHN has been crafting his unique blend of house music. The DJ and producer, from London, combines crisp beats and rich synth lines to ignite speakers and dancefloors with his disco and Italo-infused creations. Now, he arrives at Bordello with a new EP, “Kafka in the Sheets”, featuring four tracks.

The EP kicks off with “Margiela in the Streets”. Driven by a steady snare and a pulsating arpeggiator, a soaring melody of analogue arcs sails skyward.“Balearic Sun” awakens the listener with birdsong and bongos. A relaxing, revitalising and re-energising experience, guiding hearts and minds through an audio oasis of light wind instruments and soothing samples.

The energy ramps up with the powerful “Uptown and Queens”. A HI-NRG-inspired rhythm is set to a steady march, delivering a workout of wry smiles and bold builds. The EP concludes with “Let’s Groove On,” a track that welcomes the dawn. Classic hi-hats and toms are garnished with a low whistle while juddering vocals push the track forward, making it the perfect last dance before sunrise.

The early Reggae sound that came out of Jamaica between the years 1968 and 1971 became the soundtrack to the skinhead movement in the UK. Not only was the music embraced but also the dress style of the Jamaican Rude Boys.

The skinhead style started around 1968 and by the following year 1969, had become the style and fashion of the British teenagers. The uniform of the skinheads consisted of boots, braces, button down shirts and jeans and the upbeat reggae sounds seemed to match the style perfectly. The tempo of the music in Jamaica had previously slowed down from the more up tempo beat of Ska to the calmer pace of beat called Rock Steady. Some say this was to match the extreme heat wave that was hitting the island between 1966 and 1968. But that period had now passed and the evolution of the Reggae beat had again found a new pulse to hang its songs by. A more up tempo beat that all Jamaicans, British youths and various pockets of people around the world could groove to.

We have selected a cross section of tunes from those heady times, so sit back and enjoy some of the tunes the youths were listening to when the Skinhead Shuffle was all the rage. Hope you enjoy the set….

The opening track to the Alan Parsons Project’s Eye in the Sky remains the most recognized instrumental in sports—fanfare inseparably tied with introducing NBA legend Michael Jordan and his six-time world-champion Chicago Bulls mates before games, and still used by many teams as an energy-raising prelude. Indeed, the subdued grandiosity, cosmic bluster, and lights-out wonder of “Sirius” sets the table for the band’s smash 1982 album, whose hallmark smoothness, lushness, and balance extend to the music’s exquisite song writing, dreamy emotions, and underlying orchestral scope. Credit for the record’s craft, cohesiveness, and accessibility also falls to Alan Parsons and creative partner Eric Woolfson’s knack for recruiting session pros that translate their visions with unquestioned feeling—particularly, vocalists who include former Zombie leader Colin Blunstone and soul singer Lenny Zakatek.

Mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity’s RTI pressed 180g 45RPM 2LP version of Eye in the Sky features succulent warmth, magnificent balance, low-end heft, and see-through transparency that take you into the studio with Parsons at Abbey Road Studios. Each note seems perfectly placed, every sequence painstakingly considered. Boasting front-to- back depth, concert-hall-level separation, realistic presence, and bang-on accuracy. This release will test the capabilities of the world’s finest stereo systems. There’s more information, more texture, more nuance— more of everything to be experienced. British progressive rock would never again sound so sophisticated, suave, or steady.

2024 Repress

Physically and mentally draining in the best way possible, Wet Will Always Dry is maybe the most complete statement from Blawan to date, and as such should be ignored at your peril. This becomes evident from the album-opening 'Klade,' a dizzying, tumbling flight of pure energy over overlapping fields of electrified menace. This sets the stage for 'Careless,' which retains the hazardous, crackling atmosphere but dials back the intensity just enough to make room for a new feature, Blawan's eerie and disembodied vocals.

'Tasser' ratchets up the tempo and the frenetic energy yet more, slinging chunks of audio shrapnel and grinding factory noise over the kick-heavy beat, only letting up the tension every now and then for a convulsive breakdown. By the arrival of 'Vented,' a more steady, cycling groove has set in along with the accompaniment of suspenseful melodic swells, but the element of surprise is far from gone: there still seem to be spectral entities lurking around every corner, and there's no shortage of intriguing tumbril weirdness blowing around the imaginary streets that this track conjures up.

The slamming 'North' keeps alive the record's persistent, darkly humorous feeling that things are about to go off the rails at any moment, using wildly contorted sequences and granular debris to shift between total abandon and regimented strictness. A moment of relative calmness, along with the return of the atmospheric vocals, comes about with 'Stell,' a faintly dubby track that leaves an impression like watching streams of traffic progress underneath rolling, deep grey clouds.

'Kalosi' brings back the percussive motif of 'Tasser' and 'North,' this time partnering it with loops that bring to mind radioactive bass strings. 'Nims' then shuts things down with infectious harp-like sequences, fuzz-shrouded percussion and an 'everything but the kitchen sink' mentality towards filtering and processes which will get the attention of all but the most jaded soundhead.