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Sound Metaphors Records continues to explore the Italian early 90's techno scene with another re-issue of D.A.T.A.'s precious catalogue. Already 3 decades ago, 4 Italians got together in northern Italy to elaborate this sound, and it's only fair to say it's still timelessly effective, possibly a mixture of pure naivety and/or premeditated distilled club essence, bold and minimal in its use of rhythmic patterns generated by drum machines and samplers of the time. To imagine this music was being made in a time where only petrol company CEO's had cell phones, emails weren't even a thing, let alone social media, a time capsule into a special epoch where "progressive" or "trance" weren't quite established keywords yet. Re-issued with a new remastered face and 2 new remixes from studio guru Anatolian Weapons beautifully adding to this powerful exploration of club oriented electronics.

repressed !

Brothers Hom Yu and Jiun Chi returned to Taipei in 2017 after finishing their studies. Since then they began to explore their mutual obsession for Taiwanese occult-inspired art and vintage superstitious imagery, channelling it through music. Mong Tong means many things in Chinese, but the translation they choose to fit their music is “the east-side of dreams”.

Growing up in Taiwan in the 90’s, the brothers listen to 電子琴音樂 which they describe as “relaxing Chinese synth pop” along with video game soundtracks, psychedelic music, doom metal and sound collage/library music. On “Mystery秘神” these inspirations combine with the dark humour of Taiwanese folklore and a love of conspiracy theories to form what they describe as “a psychedelic journey to the east.”

Album Description
Recorded in their home studio in Taipei, “Mystery 秘神” is a psychedelic journey into Taiwanese folklore combined with the 80’s media obsession with the supernatural. It’s a record that manages to combine nostalgia and tradition with humour and an underlying intrinsic earthiness to create something unlike anything else out there.

Orphax & PONI (person of no importance) is a collaboration between the two Dutch brothers, Sietse (Orphax) and Tjeerd (PONI) van Erve. Since their early years they share a broad interest in music, fed mostly from their fathers’ record collection, ranging from early blues to Pink Floyd or Beethoven. But also listening to Belgian radio channel Studio Brussels (which during the late 80s and early 90s was a common listening close to the borders between The Netherlands and Belgium), and the late night Dutch radio inspired them in exploring the rough edges of underground music.

An exploration that gave them a common interest in indie and noise rock, but soon enough both followed their own path in music. Tjeerd moving more into underground guitar music, whilst Sietse developed a wider interest in (experimental) electronic and contemporary music. Both as listeners, but also exploring their own interests as musicians.

Now many years later these musical paths cross again in this album Inheritance (with a slight imagination, a translation of their last name van Erve). An album where Tjeerd brings in his dark and noisy lo-fi guitar songs and Sietse brings in his drones and electro-acoustic composition styles.

The album opens with its longest track, “As Received”. This combination results in a slow developing drone, with the intensity and tension of a well build-up post-rock track, that slowly unfolds Tjeerd his guitar layers and vocals. The title of the song refers to one of the PONI projects, where Tjeerd would send rough recordings to befriended musicians who than would rework those recordings without any restrictions which then would be released side by side with the original rough recordings. A project which actually sparked the idea of this collaboration (and that can still be listened to on PONI’s bandcamp-page).

On the flip side of the record, three shorter works give more room for regular song structures. In “Sunburns” this results in slowcore with subdued vocals, melancholic guitars and nasty synth and organ drones. When Tjeerd wrote the basis for the song, he actually had been listening to a lot of Codeine and Bedhead. One does not need much fantasy to recognize the influences of these bands.

“The Tears Are Necessary” is build up around various broken up piano tracks accompanied by moody drones to develop a fragile song.

The album closes with “Lockdown”, opening with silence as a moment of contemplation after the previous work but then quickly develops in a playful song where improvised play on piano, guitar and modular synthesizer create a lo-fi gem that clearly shows that both brothers still haven’t lost their love for Sentridoh or Guided By Voices.
All together resulting in an album that is an ode to the love of music, experiment, and creativity and a celebration of brotherhood.

90 Day Men spent a decade boldly in conflict with the world, catering to no one and careening toward its own abyss. Forged by Midwestern teens amid a late-90s spike in angular indie rock, the band wrote itself into the lexicon of Chicago music history. Eschewing trend and time, 90 Day Men was as ornate as it was alienating, transcending genre and embracing the strange. This 5LP set, remastered by Heba Kadry, collects the band's three studio albums and a previously unreleased 2001 Peel Session, plus EPs, singles, and outtakes, all detailed within a 68-page oral history curated by Joan of Arc's Tim Kinsella.

90 Day Men spent a decade boldly in conflict with the world, catering to no one and careening toward its own abyss. Forged by Midwestern teens amid a late-90s spike in angular indie rock, the band wrote itself into the lexicon of Chicago music history. Eschewing trend and time, 90 Day Men was as ornate as it was alienating, transcending genre and embracing the strange. This 5LP set, remastered by Heba Kadry, collects the band's three studio albums and a previously unreleased 2001 Peel Session, plus EPs, singles, and outtakes, all detailed within a 68-page oral history curated by Joan of Arc's Tim Kinsella.

Das Kasseler Duo Some More Crime formierte sich 1990 mit der Idee, die gesprochene, aus Pre-Internet-Medien gesampelte Stimme als ausschließliches Text-Instrument einzusetzen. Während des Kunststudiums hatte sich der Trommler Bernd Friedmann (Burnt Friedmann / Nonplace Urban Field) mit dem Gitarristen Frank Hernandez zusammengetan, um die Abgründe des Zusammenhangs von Gewalt in den Medien, bzw. mind control, zu studieren und zu verstehen, und diese im Studio als Quasi-Collagen mit Grooves zur Entfaltung zu bringen. Some More Crime kann heute gewissermaßen als Nachzügler von Laibach, oder als konzeptueller Vorläufer von Rammstein betrachtet werden. Mit Ihrer dritten, 23 Titel umfassenden CD schafften es die Konstrukteure an Samplern und Atari-Sequenzer, Frank Hernandez und Burnt Friedman 1993 schliesslich in den Fokus internationaler Aufmerksamkeit zu kommen. Ihre überwiegend aus dem Amerikanischen gewonnenen, de-kontextualisierten Text-Cluster aus Interviews mit Gewaltverbrechern und damit verbundenen Medienkommentaren versuchte zu zeigen, dass die steifer werdende Deutungshoheit der Medien-Narrative zumindest eines vermochte, nämlich anstatt sinnstiftend zu wirken, die Massen in Angst und Verwirrung zu versetzen. Mit Friedmann's Umzug nach Köln wurde Some More Crime bereits 1994/95, also nach 3 Studio Alben beendet. Im Alleingang erzeugte Friedmann eine vierte, allerdings wenig beachtete CD, die angefangene Skizzen 1996 noch zur Vollendung und Veröffentlichung brachte. ZZO recordings Gründer Thomas Luckmann, Nürnberg, nahm sich des Duos 1990 an und unterstützte die künstlerische Arbeit trotz starken Seitenwinds des aufstrebenden, unwiderstehlichen Technosounds, der Anfang der 90ziger durch Deutschland's Musikszene zu wehen begann.

DINGGGDONGGGDINGGGzzzzzzz!!!!!!! In the newest record by the iconoclastic Brooklyn-born composer Charlemagne Palestine (b. 1947), find two mesmerizing works for carillon, the keyboard-controlled bell tower derived in the 16th century. On side A, a new piece recorded at the artist's studio in Belgium_a high-ceiling, stuffed-animal-packed paradise he calls Charleworld_among friends and "divinities," his name for the thousands of plush toys he's amassed since the '60s. On the flip side, Blank Forms Editions' very first and long out-of-print release appears on vinyl for the first time: a cathartic street recording of the minimalist composer's 2018 musical eulogy for his late friend Tony Conrad, performed on the bells of St. Thomas Episcopal Church where the two first met. Two mesmerizing "klanggdedangggebannggg" sessions in the Quasimodo of 53rd Street's unmistakable improvisatory style. Perhaps more than any of his contemporaries in the bustling, cross-disciplinary downtown New York arts scene of the '60s and '70s, Charlemagne Palestine has embodied the notion of the artist as playful polymath, testing and transcending nearly every creative form imaginable in his more than six-decade career. Originally trained in Jewish sacred singing to be a cantor, he began his artistic life as a musician, studying piano and accordion, accompanying figures like Tiny Tim and Allen Ginsburg on percussion, using early synthesizers as an assistant to Alwin Nikolais, and eventually landing a long-running gig as the carillonneur at Midtown's St. Thomas Episocal. This libertine spirit of experimentation soon led to adventures in other aesthetic arenas: making kinetic light sculptures with Len Lye, devising choreographed performances with Simone Forti, and producing over a dozen visceral videotapes with the Castelli Gallery. In the '70s, he was particularly prominent on the burgeoning loft movement, becoming well-known for his sparse, intense, and exacting long-form piano concerts, that seemed to bend the very nature of time and space. Beginning in the '80s, he spent decades in self-imposed exile from the new music scene, absconding to a palace in Europe and privately honing his hermetic sonic and visual practice, until his resurgence among record fanatics in the mid-'90s.

Endlich ein neues Studioalbum zum 10-jährigen Jubiläum der norwegischen Hardrock-Helden. Seitdem die Band mit der Aufnahme von Twin Guitars für 'Spidergawd IV' begonnen hat, ist das Ziel primär die Suche nach immer besseren Songs. Spidergawd sind zuversichtlicher denn je, endlich das richtige Rezept gefunden zu haben. Eine Formation aus fünf gleichberechtigten Mitgliedern, alle Vollzeitmusiker, und welche die vor allem in diversen Genres unterwegs sind. Aber auch die Essenz dessen, was die Band sein sollte, ist jetzt auf den letzten vier Alben (einschließlich Nr. 'VII') zu finden. Auch wenn die neuen Songs vielleicht eingängiger/poppiger sind als je zuvor, orientiert sich der Sound des neuen Albums wieder an 'Spidergawd IV' und 'V'. Album Nr. 'VI' war eine inspirierende und interessante Reise darüber, wie direkt und aufgeräumt ihr Sound sein kann. Musikalisch zuletzt von Bands wie Thin Lizzy und 80er-Jahre-Hardrock geprägt, klingt neue Album deutlich sumpfiger, chaotischer und größer. Alles, was den Zuhörer näher an das heranführt, was bei einem Live-Auftritt von Spidergawd auf der Bühne passiert. Tracks wie 'Sands Of Time', 'The Tower', 'Your Heritage' oder 'Dinosaurier' beweisen, dass die Band on fire ist wie nie zuvor - und vielen Pseudo-Rockern mal wieder zeigt, wo der Barthel den Most holt! Die beiden limitierten Erstversionen kommen inkl. CD, 7inch Single (inkl. Etching auf einer Seite) sowie Poster!

URGE sind ein Teil independent alternative Musikgeschichte und prägten den Begriff "Hardcorehausen". Anfang der 90er Jahre gründeten sich in Hannover zeitgleich mehrere Bands. Das Musikmagazin "Spex" gab ihnen und damit der Stadt den Namen "Hardcorehausen". Bereits 1990, hatten URGE ihren ersten Longplayer "Listen Carefully To The Powerful Urge Outburst*, und kurz danach des erste Studio-Album "Why Hide The Lie", 1991 veröffentlicht. Im gleichen Jahr haben sie die Washingtoner Legende FUGAZI auf der Europa-Tournee begleitet. Die Lust am Weitermachen ist Anfang 2022 neu entflammt, nun soll der Funke überspringen und einen Schwelbrand langsam und beständig entfachen! URGE haben mit ihren neuen Songs "Interfere the Game", der Anfang 2023 veröffentlicht wurde, und "Brainwashed", bereits das Glutnest für die weiteren neuen Songs entzündet. Wer Genre Schubladen braucht: Post-Hardcore, Alternative, Crossover?

deu Chris Eckman und Carla Torgerson trafen sich 1983, als beide in einer Fischfabrik in Alaska arbeiteten. Beide waren Studenten am Whitman College in Walla Walla im US-Bundesstaat Washington. Chris und seine jüngeren Brüder Grant und Curt hatten bereits in verschiedenen Punk- und Pop-Bands gespielt, Carla war als Straßenmusikerin mit Folk-Songs aufgetreten. 1984 zogen beide nach Seattle, Washington und gründeten die Band The Walkabouts. In den 90er Jahren waren The Walkabouts mehr als nur eine Folkrock-Kultband. Ihre wunderbaren Alben "Devil"s Road" (1996), "Nighttown" (1997) und "Trail Of Stars" (1999) kamen sogar in die deutschen Charts. Anders sah es mit dem US-Duo Chris & Carla aus - obwohl die Musik keinen Deut schwächer war. Dahinter steckten Chris Eckman und Carla Torgerson, die als Walkabouts-Sänger und -Songwriter zeitweise privat ein Paar waren und als Duo auftraten, wenn die Hauptband ihnen Zeit dafür ließ. Das Box-Set enthält 3 Doppel-LPs plus drei CDs, sorgfältig remasterte Vinyl-Versionen der drei Studioalben. "Life Full of Holes" (1995) und "Fly High Brave Dreamers" (2007) und "Swinger 500" (1998) jetzt als Doppel-Vinyl-Set. Alle drei LPs kommen in einer Gatefold-Hülle und das ganze Set wird abgerundet durch eine 16-seitige (LP-große) Broschüre mit vielen unveröffentlichten Bildern und ausführlichen Liner-Notes sowie unveröffentlichten und exklusiven Bonustracks.

Celebrating 30 years of success, Candlebox has revealed their final studio album, titled 'The Long Goodbye,' will be released on Friday, August 25th via Round Hill Records. Emerging from Seattle’s burgeoning mid-90s grunge scene, Candlebox quickly found mainstream success with their deep, lyrically-driven melodies and big radio hooks, as evidenced by their massive hits “Far Behind,” “You” and “Cover Me” that propelled their self-titled debut album to sell more than 4 million copies worldwide. Their follow-up album, 'Lucy,' earned a platinum certification and solidified Candlebox as a tour de force in the thriving alt-rock scene. While the commercial success of the first album played a pivotal role in the band’s trajectory to the top, it was their raw and unapologetically honest live performances that ultimately solidified their place among Seattle’s elite. In 1998, Candlebox released 'Happy Pills,' which would be their last album before going on hiatus from 2000 to 2006. In 2008, the band reformed and released their fourth album, 'Into The Sun,' and hit the road for the first time in 10 years, touring extensively and releasing 'Alive In Seattle,' a live album that included tracks from every era of their career. 2016 marked the triumphant return of Candlebox with the release of 'Disappearing In Airports,' a more classic rock-tinged album hailed by many critics and fans as their best work in years. Singles “Vexatious” and “Supernova” drove the album to debut at #9 on the Billboard Charts and spurred multiple U.S. and international tours including major festival appearances at Carolina Rebellion, Welcome To Rockville, and Lollapalooza Chile. While these iconic rockers have been blazing full-steam since, releasing their latest album, Wolves, in 2021, Candlebox is now wrapping up their long and illustrious 30-year career with The Long Goodbye.

For Fans Of... El Michels Affair, Adrian Younge, Roy Ayers, Karriem Riggins, The Roots, Khruangbin. Producer "Grimez" has been making music for 20 years deep Grimez has ghost produced tracks for 50 cent, Hi-Tek, Kool Keith, Stick man (DEAD PREZ), Killah Priest, Sadat X, MOOD & Talib Kweli, and Mighty Diamonds to name a few. Gritty & raw analog instrumentals. Jason Grimes is all about making timeless music. The Cincinnati-based DJ and producer has a long history of record collecting, sampling, and creating new sounds with analog gear. Grimes works with some of Cincinnati’s finest studio musicians to create raw, soulful, instrumental hip-hop under the moniker Doctor Bionic. As a teenager in the 90s, Grimes fell in love with hip-hop at an early age. He became comfortable scratching on a pair of 1200s and sampling records with an NPC in high school. After years of collecting records and working on his sound behind the scenes, he had compiled a huge discography of original songs – but he wasn’t sure how to share them. “I got pretty burnt out and I had to take a hiatus for a few years,” he explained. “There wasn’t much going on in the Cincinnati music scene, and it always felt like an uphill battle.” Then, on a casual bike ride with his wife through Loveland in 2015, Grimes came across a new record shop. “I heard some music playing and I saw a sign that read ‘funk/soul’ – I had to go in and see what these guys were all about.” He spoke with Terry Cole, co-owner of Colemine & Plaid Room Records. “It was a breath of fresh air to meet Terry. The interaction inspired me to start making records again.” A short time later, Grimes started his independent label Chiefdom Records. His studio persona Doctor Bionic was one of the first to see a release on the new imprint. “Doctor Bionic is a studio band of session musicians,” he shared. “The personnel changes on every record. It depends on the sound I’m going for.” For every record, the goal is to make timeless music. Grimes is responsible for writing, recording, producing, mixing, and releasing the records. Spiritual Conquest features several heavy hitters from the Cincinnati music scene. Brad Myers and Brandon Scott played guitar on a few tracks each. Marvin Hawkins laid down some live drums. The album offers a dynamic mix of instrumental hip-hop sounds. From punchy, head-bobbing beats to ethereal, floating piano lines, the mix offers a little something for everyone

First time on vinyl!
Newly remastered. LP housed in a gatefold jacket.
Featuring Herbie Hancock, Martha Reeves, Alphonse Mouzon, Chuck Rainey, Patryce “Choc’let” Banks, Carlos Morales, and members of The Pointer Sisters.

In the 1970s, Betty Davis defied genre and gender by pushing her voice to extremes and embracing the erotic. She articulated a kind of pre-punk, funk-blues fusion that had yet to be normalized in mainstream music – a style that few musicians have come close to replicating. As one of the first Black women to write, arrange, and produce her own albums, Betty was a visionary who disregarded industry boundaries and constraints. Raw, unapologetic and in full control, Betty paved the way for generations of future artists who said “funk you” to the music industry and social norms.

In 1979, when Davis entered an L.A. studio to record her fifth and final album, she was reeling from a series of setbacks. Three years earlier, after recording her fourth album, Is It Love Or Desire, Davis was dropped from her label and the LP was subsequently shelved. In 1978, her beloved band Funk House went their separate ways. Looking for a fresh start, Davis relocated to Hollywood to focus on songwriting. Before long, British manager Simon Lait (Toni Basil), offered to fund her next project.

With renewed vigor, Davis reunited with former Funk House guitarist Carlos Morales and brought together industry veterans like fusion drummer Alphonse Mouzon and session bassist Chuck Rainey. Old friends Anita and Bonnie Pointer (The Pointer Sisters) and Patryce “Choc’let” Banks joined Davis on vocals, as did Motown legend Martha Reeves. The resulting album, Crashin’ From Passion, was her most musically diverse, blending elements of reggae and calypso (“I’ve Danced Before”), jazz (“Hangin’ Out in Hollywood,” “Tell Me a Few Things”), dark synth-pop (“She’s a Woman”), and even disco (“All I Do Is Think of You”). Equally exploratory are Davis’ vocals, as she trades in her signature sass and snarls for more nuanced stylings.

Among the album’s few funk tracks is “Quintessence of Hip,” in which Davis hails musicians like Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Stevie Wonder, and John Coltrane, while deftly integrating elements of their work. The song also offers a moment of stark vulnerability, as she sings, “Isn’t rich? Isn’t it queer? Losing my timing so late in my career.” It would prove to be a prophetic line in the months to follow.

The mixing process was mired by artistic differences and then cut short, amid the death of Davis’ beloved father. Bereft and exasperated, Davis returned home for the funeral, setting into motion her retirement from the music industry. Crashin’ From Passion, meanwhile, would be shelved for 15 years and licensed for a CD-only release, without Davis’ consent, in the ‘90s. This 2023 edition of the album, made with Davis’ full approval and cooperation, marks its first official release and first time ever on vinyl. The package was designed by GRAMMY®-winning artist, Masaki Koike, while the album cover features an incredible shot of Betty captured in London in the mid-1970s by renowned photographer Kate Simon.

Crashin’ From Passion was remastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters and pressed on vinyl at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI). The accompanying booklet includes a treasure trove of rare photos from the era, plus lyrics, and new liner notes by writer, ethnomusicologist, and Betty’s close friend, Danielle Maggio, who integrates interviews that she conducted with Davis, marking her last ever interviews.

Emerging from the cold echoes of Reykjavík's underground music scene, ex.girls, previously known as Russian Girls, chart an inspiring journey from inception to international recognition. Founded in 2017 as a personal venture by Guðlaugur Einarsson, the act soon evolved into a vibrant, collaborative platform for kindred spirits bonded by an unyielding passion for music.

The project consists of three: frontman Tatjana Dís on vocals, alongside Guðlaugur Einarsson and Gylfi Sigurðsson. Their kinship took root at their erstwhile studio on Skúlagata in Reykjavík, where this creative sanctum became a melting pot of musical exploration, learning, and leisurely hangouts. Guðlaugur and Tantjana also ride the waves as members of the rock band Skrattar, whose album 'Hellraiser IV' saw Bjarki's experimental bbbbbb recors imprint venture outside strictly electronic music for the first time in 2021.

Despite their penchant for maintaining an enigmatic aura, ex.girls won the ‘Best Icelandic Electronic Music Song’ in 2022 with their anthem, 'Halda Áfram', released during the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic on bbbbbb recors, which translates to “keep on going”, became a beacon of hope during tough times in the Icelandic music scene. Their distinctive sound palette paints with broad strokes of lush arrangements cemented with a lo-fi disposition. It's a soundscape where the rumble of a crunchy bass meets a quirky sprinkle of Nordic humour, a signature style they fondly dub as 'SauerLounge'.

While the group has traditionally embraced a leisurely cadence in unveiling new music, anticipation bubbles as they gear up to their debut album, ‘Verk’. A twelve-track exploration of experimental, conceptual and unorthodox textures and sonics, with sounds and influences spanning rock and nu-wave through to electro, drone and ambient. The result? An absorbing and hypnotic trip, with twists and turns across every track, presenting a debut album that keeps you guessing minute by minute.

To be released in both vinyl and digital formats, the album will also welcome engaging remixes from artists native to Iceland and the broader global stage. In a world of ever-evolving music, ex.girls stand out as a testament to authentic collaboration, raw talent, and the art of electronic storytelling.

ex.girls ‘Verk’ LP drops via bbbbbb recors on 24th November 2023, with remixes to follow in the months ahead.

We are honoured to present AFTERMATH's "Straight From Hell" 12" EP reissue A limited edition in replica format that will feature several bonus songs and many other extras. AFTERMATH is an essential name in the history of Arizona Metal. Born in the city of Tucson (home to bands such as SHEOL HADES and INTREPID) and masters of a very particular style of thrash, full of powerful and intricate compositions, they easily please fans of the more technical side of metal. In 1985 they independently released the now sought after record "Straight From Hell". There began a journey that lasted until the early 90s, with many studio recordings including the albums "Don't Cheer Me Up" and "Building Up To Meltdown", reissued by our label last year in CD format. In this reissue you can find, in addition to the four songs from the original EP, two songs from the never- released EP "Killing Time" (1987), the song "Malicious Intentions" taken from the second volume of the Iron Tyrants compilation (1986) and an exclusive song from the 1987 demo tape. All songs fully remastered for best sonic experience

CUT THE ENGINES is the third album by All Structures Align, following the critically acclaimed Details And Drawings and Distance And Departure (both released on Wrong Speed Records in 2022). All Structures Align began as a studio project reuniting brothers Tim and Adam Ineson of 90s underground rock heroes Nub. Their debut album Details And Drawings took everyone by surprise.

Rather than sounding like a tentative bedroom project, it arrived fully formed and with its own identity. It was an album of unhurried patience, of mounting tension (and eventual release) and it possessed a depth that rewarded repeated listens as irresistible hooks revealed themselves almost casually to the listener.

It also felt slightly out of time: no rush to the chorus, no gimmicks, no desire to pack out every second of space with sound. Lots of people agreed and the limited vinyl pressing sold out almost instantly. The follow-up came within the same year with the brothers recruiting drummer extraordinaire Neil Turpin (Objections, Bilge Pump, Polaris) to bring swing and pulse to their songs.

Distance And Departure was the result and widened their audience and acclaim further. So much so that the brothers decided to venture out and play live. To do so they brought in Oli Heffernan (Ivan The Tolerable, King Champion Sounds) on bass and Andrew Pollard (Polaris) on guitar and additional vocals.

If you’ve been lucky enough to see All Structures Align live over the last year, you’ll know this expanded band bring the songs to life beyond simple recitation. Those dynamic shifts in the music are now larger than life and fully multi-dimensional. Cut The Engines is the first All Structures Align release to capture the five-piece live band in the studio. Eight songs as spacious and measured as their previous work but with an increased directness and drama that seems to come from the interplay between people in a room.

Whilst never getting down to Ramones levels of brevity, the songs are compact and sharper than before, as though the addition of extra personnel has allowed their musical language to become more concise and effective. The songs still feel like rich novels condensed into short stories, but the band format has brought a confidence and ease to the telling that increases their impact. The resulting record is their most accessible yet, a slow-core indie-rock masterpiece that will intrigue and delight existing fans and newcomers alike for decades to come.

Milanese techno shaman MAIKE DEPAS travels from the dark to the dreamy side of the dance floor on his EP "Euphoria" (out 24 November on The Innovation Studio)

"Techno emissary Maike Depas storms back onto the scene with 'State of Techno', a bold fusion of past and present influences set to reshape dance floors in 2023." (Magnetic Mag)

"State of Techno is the Milanese producer's visionary work fusing 80's and 90's sounds through a modern lens creating an exhilarating release weaving through 30 years of underground club music." (The Brvtalist)

On the back of the breaky Grand Prix 2049 anthem "Midnight Ride", Milanese techno shaman MAIKE DEPAS (Michelangelo De Pasquale) travels from the dark ("We Move", "Inner Voices" and "Techno Appeal") to the dreamy side ("Midnight Ride" and "Green Hornet") of the dance floor on his EP "Euphoria", coming out on 24 November via The Innovation Studio. One foot in stoic Schranz techno of Chris Liebling"s CLR, the other one in eschatological goa trance of Dragonfly Records, never going under 134 BPM, Depas strikes the perfect balance between dystopia and utopia. "This is my idea of what the ravers want to listen inside the club's Depas reckons.

"Euphoria has two sonorities: the dark vibe, and the dreamy one. This is my idea of what the ravers want to listen inside the club's Maike Depas

With the complex arrangements of the past Depas-releases left out and the trusted workhorse a custom-made pitch black Roland TR-909 from 1983 responsible for doing the heavy lifting in the drum sections, "Euphoria" is a beat-heavy affair that draws its relentless drive and rhythmic richness from merging polyrhythmic patterns merged with streamlined melodies and nifty vocal samples such as the double entendre "quiero jugar una horas mas" (Engl. "I want to play one hour more") on the no-holds-barred hard trance number "Techno Appeal", and the riveting juxtaposition of mesmerizing female vocals and handclaps of roaring crowds in hypnotic "Inner Voices".

"These demoniac figures resemble human transformation and the idea of achieving euphoria through esotericism's Maike Depas

However, when it comes to Depas, there is always more to his music than merely being dead set on setting the dance floors on fire. The antler-wearing figures and witches" circles depicted in the artwork hint at Depas" invitation for the clubbers to let his music move them far beyond the physical world. "These demoniac figures resemble human transformation and the idea of achieving euphoria through esotericism's

Much has been written about Young Marble Giants' small, perfect catalogue, which contained roughly two-dozen songs, nearly each one a perfect gem. Less is known about his long wilderness years after the break-up of his first professional band. His next project, The Gist, chopped YMG's minimalism into a new sound. This Is Love, Public Girls and Fool For A Valentine showed his songs to be razor-sharp, but the album's fragmented pieces were a step too far for some, though even the strangest, Carnival Headache, when cast in sunlight by Alison Statton's combo Weekend, was as fine a song as any he'd written - and Love At First Sight became a million-seller when covered by Etienne Daho. Then Stuart disappeared. A rmid-90s resurgence led to fine albums done on low budgets, before more silence followed. The Gist's 2018's release Holding Pattern - unexpected and then quickly followed by YMG singer Alison Statton's first new album with her accompanist Spike in two decades, adding fuel to public interest. The Devil Laughs, recorded a few years back, is a compelling addition to the canon of the 21st century songwriting. Stuart's generally unadorned musical presentation does not hinder his appreciation for the skills of Louis Philippe, whose iconic arrangements across an array of Él label albums inspire the fierce devotion of aficionados around the world. Nor does the unvarnished solidity of Stuart's arrangements deter Louis from hearing possibilities for their presentation in styles which take inspiration from the perfection of 1960's studio technology that led to the rise of Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach, along with less-recognised names such as Bones Howe and Roy Halee. Tidy Away is Young Marble Giants redux, though the backing vocals hint at maturity which band didn't live to see. Fighting To Lose, written with producer Ken Brake, would pass as a worthy b-side to Bridge Over Troubled Water, and although the songs are otherwise Stuart's, Louis fans will delight at several, like Love Hangover and Sky Over Water, which display his style and production genius as succinctly as anything on his own albums. The Devil Laughs is as out of its time as Colossal Youth was - its subtle but immediate beauty, devoid of "rock", is a recording best understood in the light of those obscure groundbreakers who inspired it - the faux barbershop vocals of Smile-era Beach Boys, the studio lustre of Tom Wilson's work with Simon & Garfunkel, a dash of The Swingle Sisters and French chanson - along with enough hints of Young Marble Giant's modernist folk abstraction to satisfy longtime fans. The Devil Laughs is a small masterpiece of pure expression.

Agitation Free zählte in den frühen 70er Jahren zu den führenden Vertretern der deutschen experimentellen Rockmusik. Die Berliner Band entwickelte ab Ende 1967 lange, für diese Zeit ungewöhnlich freie instrumentale Improvisationen. Kult-Status erlangte sie bereits 1972 mit einer eigenständigen Mischung aus improvisiertem Rock gepaart mit Elektro-, Ethno-, Jazz- und Trance-Elementen. Umfangreiche Live-Aktivitäten verschafften der Band in ganz Europa einen stetig ansteigenden Bekanntheitsgrad. So trat die Gruppe im Sommer 1972 im kulturellen Programm der Olympischen Spiele in München auf, tourte Anfang 1973 zwei Monate durch Frankreich, trat im Mai beim "German Rock Super Concert" in Frankfurt auf, produzierte das zweite Album "2nd" und ging anschließend auf Tournee durch Frankreich und deutsche Großstädte. 1974 machten sich bei der Band Ermüdungserscheinungen breit, die Ende des Jahres nach einem Abschiedskonzert zur vorläufigen Auflösung führten. Obwohl eine Reihe von Alben (mit Aufnahmen von 1972 bis 1974) nach der Auflösung der Gruppe erschienen und das Studio-Album "River of Return" 1999 herauskam, dauerte es fast 35 Jahre, bis sich die ursprüngliche Band wieder für Konzerte zusammenfand. Im Februar 2007 gab Agitation Free in der Originalbesetzung von 1974 eine Serie von Konzerten in Tokio"s "Shibuya O"West". Im Rückblick zeigte sich, dass der Experimentier-Zirkel Agitation Free eine der wichtigen Bands der "Berliner Schule" und darüber hinaus Karriere-Sprungbrett für einige Deutsche Musiker war. So verhalf Christopher Franke der Band Tangerine Dream zu weltweiter Anerkennung. Michael Hoenig arbeitete mit Klaus Schulze und Tangerine Dream, ehe er nach einem Soloalbum in Hollywood als Filmkomponist bekannt wurde (unter anderem die Filmmusik für den Blockbuster "9 1/2 Wochen" mit Kim Basinger und Mickey Rourke). Axel Genrich wechselte zu Guru Guru, Burghard Rausch wurde Gründungs-Mitglied bei Bel Ami. Gustl Lütjens, tourte mit Shirley Bassey und Nena und fand später mit seiner New-Age-Band Living Mirrors vor allem in den USA ein großes Publikum. Lutz "Lüül" Ulbrich schloss sich Ashra an, arbeitete mit Ex-Velvet Underground-Sängerin Nico, produzierte neben Theatermusik Soloplatten und feiert seit Ende der 90er Jahre mit den 17 Hippies Erfolge. In der Besetzung Michael Hoenig (keyb, syn, el. perc), Burghard Rausch (dr, el. per), Lutz Graf-Ulbrich ((git, acc. git, bj), Gustl Lütjens (git acc. git, vocals) und Daniel Cordes (b, syn) wurde das vorliegende Studioalbum "Momentum" eingespielt.

Agitation Free zählte in den frühen 70er Jahren zu den führenden Vertretern der deutschen experimentellen Rockmusik. Die Berliner Band entwickelte ab Ende 1967 lange, für diese Zeit ungewöhnlich freie instrumentale Improvisationen. Kult-Status erlangte sie bereits 1972 mit einer eigenständigen Mischung aus improvisiertem Rock gepaart mit Elektro-, Ethno-, Jazz- und Trance-Elementen. Umfangreiche Live-Aktivitäten verschafften der Band in ganz Europa einen stetig ansteigenden Bekanntheitsgrad. So trat die Gruppe im Sommer 1972 im kulturellen Programm der Olympischen Spiele in München auf, tourte Anfang 1973 zwei Monate durch Frankreich, trat im Mai beim "German Rock Super Concert" in Frankfurt auf, produzierte das zweite Album "2nd" und ging anschließend auf Tournee durch Frankreich und deutsche Großstädte. 1974 machten sich bei der Band Ermüdungserscheinungen breit, die Ende des Jahres nach einem Abschiedskonzert zur vorläufigen Auflösung führten. Obwohl eine Reihe von Alben (mit Aufnahmen von 1972 bis 1974) nach der Auflösung der Gruppe erschienen und das Studio-Album "River of Return" 1999 herauskam, dauerte es fast 35 Jahre, bis sich die ursprüngliche Band wieder für Konzerte zusammenfand. Im Februar 2007 gab Agitation Free in der Originalbesetzung von 1974 eine Serie von Konzerten in Tokio"s "Shibuya O"West". Im Rückblick zeigte sich, dass der Experimentier-Zirkel Agitation Free eine der wichtigen Bands der "Berliner Schule" und darüber hinaus Karriere-Sprungbrett für einige Deutsche Musiker war. So verhalf Christopher Franke der Band Tangerine Dream zu weltweiter Anerkennung. Michael Hoenig arbeitete mit Klaus Schulze und Tangerine Dream, ehe er nach einem Soloalbum in Hollywood als Filmkomponist bekannt wurde (unter anderem die Filmmusik für den Blockbuster "9 1/2 Wochen" mit Kim Basinger und Mickey Rourke). Axel Genrich wechselte zu Guru Guru, Burghard Rausch wurde Gründungs-Mitglied bei Bel Ami. Gustl Lütjens, tourte mit Shirley Bassey und Nena und fand später mit seiner New-Age-Band Living Mirrors vor allem in den USA ein großes Publikum. Lutz "Lüül" Ulbrich schloss sich Ashra an, arbeitete mit Ex-Velvet Underground-Sängerin Nico, produzierte neben Theatermusik Soloplatten und feiert seit Ende der 90er Jahre mit den 17 Hippies Erfolge. In der Besetzung Michael Hoenig (keyb, syn, el. perc), Burghard Rausch (dr, el. per), Lutz Graf-Ulbrich ((git, acc. git, bj), Gustl Lütjens (git acc. git, vocals) und Daniel Cordes (b, syn) wurde das vorliegende Studioalbum "Momentum" eingespielt.

2023 repress, red with white splatter LP plus white red splatter 7" single. Innitially the first release in Fu Manchu's 30th Anniversary vinyl reissue series, In Search Of...Deluxe Edition, celebrates the band's 3rd album and major label debut, which was originally released on 27 February, 1996. Recorded at Grandmaster Studios in Hollywood, California by the band and Brian Jenkins (KYUSS, SCREAMING TREES), "In Search Of_" is considered a classic of the '90s and a pillar for the "stoner rock" movement. Highlights include the lead single "Asphalt Risin'", "Redline" and fan favorite "Cyclone Launch." This limited edition run is pressed on clear vinyl with blue and yellow splatter and the gatefold package design includes never before seen photos of the band. Also included is a bonus red/black splatter 7" of "Chevy Van" (a Sammy Johns cover that was previously only available on the Japanese pressing of the original album) b/w a 1995 Demo version of "Redline." Both the LP and 7" feature newly remastered audio for maximum fidelity.

Bathed in a green haze, the crowd oozed to the mutant rock and roll roaring from the basement's dusty depths — everything and everyone was sweaty and sticky. But as Speedy Ortiz crammed into the back corner, their grins just inches away from ours, D.C.’s Dougout became a moshed-and-sloshed sauna of 20-somethings delirious on rock euphoria.

After spending much of the new millennium bored out of my skull by network soap indie, Speedy Ortiz — not to mention its pals in Pile, Ovlov, Grass is Green and the rest of New England’s burgeoning basement scene — was rock's wild howl. The songs were unpredictable, yet weirdly memorable, swaggering with a winky and wry sense of self. Riffs would twist with a topsy tenderness, then slam a ruptured discord. Sadie Dupuis' sphinxian-yet-sensitive lyrics were not only matched but accentuated by her coil-sprung vibrato. How could Speedy Ortiz not immediately become my new favorite band?

What began as a short-lived solo project recorded in Dupuis' off-hours as a rock camp counselor became a four-piece band in Northampton, Mass., by the end of 2011: Dupuis on guitar and vocals with drummer Mike Falcone, bassist Darl Ferm and guitarist Matt Robidoux. They made cool mixtapes, cracked inside jokes and gushed about teenagers that opened for them on tour. They freaked out (via LiveJournal) when they met the bassist from Polvo or Helium's Mary Timony, but also rolled their eyes at '90s indie-rock comparisons. The band's first single — the gender-bending got-laid grunge yowler "Taylor Swift'' — elicited that rare response of the simultaneous giggle and headbang. The Sports EP amped up the taut yet rubbery riffery.

Released July 9, 2013, Major Arcana is filled with wedding chapel exorcisms, oiled-down attractants and criminally twisted puny little villains — this is Dupuis' haunted lexicon as she scales the toxic Aggro Crag of a breakup. And while Dupuis wrote these songs, the band's convulsing arrangements and diverse influences sprawled the squigglier edges of feedbacked fuzz to mete out matters of the heart. Falcone — who, it's worth noting, has a knack for vocal harmony — swung as much as he smashed the drums. In easily tipoverable songs, Ferm's burly bass and percussive overdubs gave the unruly glee its momentum. Robidoux ripped skronky guitar solos and countered Dupuis' riffs with decorative splatter. Over a four-day marathon session at Sonelab in Easthampton, recording engineer Justin Pizzoferrato sparked the studio imagination of Speedy Ortiz — not only leaning into gritty tones but layer-caking dense dynamics that made these songs pop and pulverize.

For all her sweet-toothed seething, Dupuis was not easy on herself. Everyone's allowed the idiot growing pains of your 20s and the misery that follows, but I can only imagine the emotional exhaustion that playing these songs on the road, night after night, must have wrought. "But you left something on my lips: a mark so sick," she repeats over the doomy destruction that ends the album. Thinking back to the many Speedy Ortiz shows I caught in those early years, including an unofficial after-after party for my own wedding, "MKVI" often served as the noisy down-and-out closer — heads would bang in solidarity as the crowd became co-authors in the chaos, the biting phrase now a hex, Speedy Ortiz forever our coven. —Lars Gotrich

To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Major Arcana, Speedy Ortiz release a remastered edition on Carpark Records.

Len Faki recently put out his mammoth LP Fusion, but his new moniker Hardspace finds him harking back to his signature style of specifically editing tracks for his personal club usage.
Working on the album may have helped open him up creatively, but this new project has him investing countless hours and a lot of passion into building the most efficient club tracks imaginable.

Long-time fans of Faki know that he's always edited all of his sets' tracks to uniquely suit his personal mixing style, making his sets sound as tight and cohesive in a way that stands out from the rest. Decades of experience as a producer and DJ for the dancefloor have gone into these edits, re-arranging and re-mixing sometimes forgotten tracks for a new audience. Incorporating his singular understanding of frequencies and floor dynamics, Hardspace is meant to express this side of his musical personality, while Len Faki will continue to explore a more varied approach to producing.

Swapping a lot of weekends away busily touring for much more studio time, the result marks both a technical and also personal achievement for Faki. Improved production skills, tears and emotions all have been poured into Hardspace, which will see a slew of releases in the forthcoming months.

The first volume includes a total of six reworks, both previously unreleased tools of colleague Viers or Helena Hauff's modern acid chug, as well as some 90's classics from Perry & Rhodan, Resist 101 and Ectomorph. All of these tunes have been meticulously pieced together to keep the originals' flavor and ideas, but infuse them with the undeniable power and presence that all Faki produtions have come to hold.

Repress!

Following his versatile Alone With Everybody EP, FD returns to The North Quarter with a stunning 16 track debut album: Better Days.

Largely written in a three month window, FDs (real name Freddie Dixon) new long player on The NQ undoubtedly brings the best of the Zurich-based/London-born producer. Better Days is an album that delivers a rare synergy of drive, harmony between subtle & raw and just sheer fun. A versatile yet coherent project drawn from a large pool of sketches, finalised in intricate detail with focused studio dedication.

Drawing influences from Dub, Jazz, Hip Hop, Soul and the Mid 90's Drum & Bass “GoldenAge”, Better Days bridges the gap between genres, as FD enlists carefully considered vocal collaborations. Manchester donny Fox shines on the dubbed out Better Man and Washington DC soul diva Cecily shows shades of Minnie Riperton on Sycamore. Meanwhile Ribs is lifted to one of the album's stand out tracks with Maverick Soul on the keys and the enigmatic Issac Rosie on the boards.

For some the better days in life are in their childhood memories: nostalgia-infused wonderings of the mind to a care-free time without today's online distractions. Although FD’s debut album 'Better Days' is inspired and informed by a period earlier in life, his best days musically are definitely in the present. To put it into the man's own words:

"I’ve been wanting to do an album for quite a while now, but the circumstance never felt right. Once I started working with The North Quarter that all changed – it feels like being part of a team all pushing in the same direction, all supporting one another, all wanting to do the best for each other. Once we’d done the first EP together, for me, it was only a question of when."

Five groups, one mythical studio - documenting the emergence of a generation!

The initial postulate was simple: five groups, one emblematic studio and 24 hours for each to imagine and record two unreleased tracks with one objective - the will to document a French jazz scene in the midst of renewal.

In these last few years, several innovative currents have shaken up the world of jazz and attracted new fans. They have bubbled up from Los Angeles, impregnated with hip-hop culture (Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin, Thundercat), or from London, tinged with African rhythms (Nubya Garcia, Kokoroko, Ezra Collective). Meanwhile, in France, a new scene is emerging, carrying with it more of a dancefloor-oriented sound influenced by electronic music - an obvious kinship with the French Touch explosion of the late 90s.

Historically, every movement has been assimilated to a certain neighbourhood, to specific clubs where late at night, young guns stayed up to imagine the jazz of tomorrow - the Cotton Club for the jazz of the 20s, Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem for Be-Bop, the Black Hawk in San Francisco for West Coast jazz, Birdland in New York for Hard-Bop or a lot more recently, the Total Refreshment Centre which has been the playing field for the new London scene.

In Paris too, this new sound is associated with actual venues, places which have allowed these groups to form, create a repertoire and forge an aesthetic - Le Baiser Salé for Monsieur Mâlâ, La Gare/Le Gore for Photon, La Pêche in Montreuil for Ishkero, La Petite Halle for Underground Canopy and also le Duc des Lombards and le 38 Riv’ for Alex Monfort; it’s in a live context that this music will always continue to evolve.

Keeping this “live” spirit, with all its spontaneity, was actually the guiding line for the elaboration of this Studio Pigalle compilation. Each take was recorded in the most organic way possible, bringing all the musicians together in the same room to limit post-production alterations before the final cut was assembled, in just one day, by studio in-house sound engineer, Felix Rémy.

A feeling of urgency permeates a record guided by an artistic production taking care to crystalise the essence of this artistically free-range generation whose childhoods were rocked just as much by Bill Evans and Roy Hargrove as by J Dilla and Jeff Mills. One of the two tracks recorded is geared towards the dancefloor, and the other, more cosmic/ambient gives freer rein to individual interpretation.

There were therefore many possible ways of interpreting these guidelines for the five formations which number among the most distinctive on the current French musical landscape, and the occasion, for some, to rummage through their archives! With Transe (Mbappé) and Da Verdere (Vella), Monsieur

Mâlâ present us with two unreleased tracks issued from the very first rehearsals of the quintet reworked especially for this compilation. “Seen the aesthetic range of this group, it all worked out very naturally in the studio”, recounts keyboardist Nicholas Vella “Recording like they did in the sixties with all the channels live and working with small imperfections was a very interesting task, even when it came to the mix, we had to make do with the takes we had... “

“Our group is very recent, and with this session, in just two tracks, we had the opportunity to present the entirety of our musical universe,” says Photons pianist Gauthier Toux. “All too often, we assimilate this fusion between jazz and dance music to computers and post-production modifications. For “Dessine”, we kept the first take, and we must have recorded just three or four for the other track with more of a techno bent. In one day, we understood that we could play our entire repertoire live, from A to Z”.

“When the Komos label offered me this project, it immediately spoke to me”, remembers Alex Monfort “Straight away, I thought of “Since I Met You”, a track with a nine/four time signature which really is reminiscent of a new- soul groove, but with this extra cosmic vibe! I wrote the words to the chorus and Nina Tonji placed her voice on the track, adding her own verses. For “Tonight”, the up-tempo track, I wanted to head off in more of a hybrid direction inspired by Kaytranada or the Black Radio series by Robert Glasper. A cross-over between jazz and hip-hop which really does represent my world, and I also tried to place vocals centre stage (Emcee Agora)”.

“We truly resonated with the way Antoine Rajon imagined this compilation and the recording session”, confide Warren Dongué and Jérémy Tallon from Underground Canopy. “When arriving in this studio we felt as if we had gone backtothe70s! Inkeepingwiththespiritofthisera,heknewhowtoletus keep our spontaneity, without recording in too many takes, and that’s how we like to work”.

“We managed to adhere to the themes of the compilation without changing our instrumentation, we wanted to remain faithful to the sound of Ishkero on these new compositions and take them somewhere else” – says drummer TaoEhrlich -“Withoutaddinganyelectronics.Thesessionwassupervisedin a truly subtle and benevolent manner. From a human perspective, it was also a wonderful experience”.

Whether turned towards hip-hop, ethnic or electronic music, the artists featured on this Studio Pigalle compilation represent the eclecticism of a new generation in the process of writing the first chapters of its history. Open to experimentation, these artists continue to hold high an immutable love for improvisation and creation in the moment... another definition of the word Jazz!

Chicago's Magic Touch label gets the Numero treatment. Legendary rare groove selector & DJ Red Greg's edit of Disco Holy-Grail "Why Do I Love You" is now available on 7" for the first time and housed in official Magic Touch Double Disco Smash 7" Company Sleeve. This tune has been making waves in the DJ community for years only after Red Greg introduced his crucial edit eliminating the studio fluff and dialing in the raw disco meat. Certified Floor Filler with a groove guaranteed to answer all questions on love.

Up wurde 1998 veröffentlicht und ist das elfte Studioalbum von R.E.M.

Das Album, das die Singles ”Daysleeper”, ”Lotus”, ”Suspicion” und ”At My Most Beautiful” enthält, ist von elektronischer Musik inspiriert und nutzt eine breite Palette von Instrumenten, um eine verträumte Poplandschaft zu schaffen, die nachdenklich und stimmungsvoll ist.

Diese erweiterte Deluxe-Edition zum 25-jährigen Jubiläum bietet außerdem ein komplettes, bisher unveröffentlichtes Live-Set vom Auftritt der Band in der 90er Jahre HitTV-Serie Party of Five. Es war das erste Album der Band ohne Schlagzeuger Bill Berry. Das Album war von elektronischer Musik beeinflusst, und Stipe erklärte, dass mehrere Songs das ”religiös-spirituelle versus wissenschaftlich-technisch-moderne Zeitalter” thematisieren.

Es erreichte Platz 3 der Billboard 200 und Platz 1 der deutschen Charts.

Svart Records are proud to present the vinyl debut of the album '8 Convulsions' (1994) by Crisis (NYC, USA) "I am really glad that Svart are re-releasing 8 Convulsions, so more people can rediscover this wonderful and intriguing heavy music." Michel 'Away' Langevin, Voivod Remastered and repackaged with the vinyl format in mind, the package comes with a large booklet full of lyrics and exclusive photos. This is the first time an album from the NYC cult band's oeuvre is pressed on vinyl. There will also be a CD edition of the remaster. Hailing from the mean streets of NYC in the year 1993, Crisis was a band that defied classification from the very start. During a time when heavy music was dominated by a mostly male presence, founders Afzaal Deen and original drummer Fred Waring envisioned a female-fronted band to run against the grain and destroy expectations. Seeking out a singer with a singular sound and presence, and found their match in groundbreaking vocalist and avant-visual artist Karyn Crisis. Soon after, a newspaper ad for a bass player was answered by Gia Chuan Wang and the original unit was formed. During their first rehearsal, Karyn became so enmeshed and driven by the music that she inadvertently destroyed a microphone stand and threw herself to the floor in an outpouring of unmitigated expression. This was barely a hint at the intensity she would soon bring to the stage and studio. Karyn’s guttural growls and angelic melodic notes meshed perfectly with the mixture of grinding guitar, pounding rhythm and deep bass tones. The underground music scene would now begin to experience the dynamic intensity of this burgeoning powerhouse band in full force. Crisis signed to Too Damn Hype records and released their debut album '8 Convulsions', now being reissued to mark its 30th anniversary. In a time where inclusivity is more crucial than ever, Crisis remains a band as diverse and distinct as the city from which they originally hailed. “The United Nations of Rock” as they’ve been called, continue to break boundaries and crush antiquated archetypes with their unprecedented sound and vision. "One of the most captivating bands I’ve ever experienced in New York City in the early 90s. They had a very unique sound where you couldn’t categorize them though they had elements of metal, punk with a very dark experimental approach, which gave them their unique sound. Just raw and relentless energy." Roy Mayorga, Ministry/Soulfly/Nausea etc 8 Convulsions is available on Svart exclusive blue/red marble vinyl, limited transparent yellow vinyl, classic black vinyl, and CD. Release date October 20th.

Svart Records are proud to present the vinyl debut of the album '8 Convulsions' (1994) by Crisis (NYC, USA) "I am really glad that Svart are re-releasing 8 Convulsions, so more people can rediscover this wonderful and intriguing heavy music." Michel 'Away' Langevin, Voivod Remastered and repackaged with the vinyl format in mind, the package comes with a large booklet full of lyrics and exclusive photos. This is the first time an album from the NYC cult band's oeuvre is pressed on vinyl. There will also be a CD edition of the remaster. Hailing from the mean streets of NYC in the year 1993, Crisis was a band that defied classification from the very start. During a time when heavy music was dominated by a mostly male presence, founders Afzaal Deen and original drummer Fred Waring envisioned a female-fronted band to run against the grain and destroy expectations. Seeking out a singer with a singular sound and presence, and found their match in groundbreaking vocalist and avant-visual artist Karyn Crisis. Soon after, a newspaper ad for a bass player was answered by Gia Chuan Wang and the original unit was formed. During their first rehearsal, Karyn became so enmeshed and driven by the music that she inadvertently destroyed a microphone stand and threw herself to the floor in an outpouring of unmitigated expression. This was barely a hint at the intensity she would soon bring to the stage and studio. Karyn’s guttural growls and angelic melodic notes meshed perfectly with the mixture of grinding guitar, pounding rhythm and deep bass tones. The underground music scene would now begin to experience the dynamic intensity of this burgeoning powerhouse band in full force. Crisis signed to Too Damn Hype records and released their debut album '8 Convulsions', now being reissued to mark its 30th anniversary. In a time where inclusivity is more crucial than ever, Crisis remains a band as diverse and distinct as the city from which they originally hailed. “The United Nations of Rock” as they’ve been called, continue to break boundaries and crush antiquated archetypes with their unprecedented sound and vision. "One of the most captivating bands I’ve ever experienced in New York City in the early 90s. They had a very unique sound where you couldn’t categorize them though they had elements of metal, punk with a very dark experimental approach, which gave them their unique sound. Just raw and relentless energy." Roy Mayorga, Ministry/Soulfly/Nausea etc 8 Convulsions is available on Svart exclusive blue/red marble vinyl, limited transparent yellow vinyl, classic black vinyl, and CD. Release date October 20th.

Transverse is the second studio album release from Colorado based metal band Messiahvore. It draws its sound from the vibes of 90's iconic bands like Helmet and Prong whilst peppering in the essence of stoner metal, death metal and a little bit of doom. The album has gained positive reviews from those amongst the metal scene, both critics and fans alike, being described as the sophomore record that "shatters expectations"

Multidisciplinary artist GAIKA returns with a new track titled “LADY” featuring bbymutha from his forthcoming album, Drift out on September 8th.

Thrashing drums and droned out guitars take immediate effect on “LADY” but it’s the two mavericks' electrifying chemistry that is the driving force of this track. Enlisting KIDÄ (Yves Tumor) on production with additional contributions from Azekel (Gorillaz) and Max Winter, alternative rock and audacious rap come crashing together as GAIKA and bbymutha flex their lyrical prowess, unapologetically expressing their devotion to their lovers on this twisted, feverish affair.

Newly signed to Big Dada Recordings, home to Roots Manuva, Yaya Bey, Kae Tempest, Brian Nasty and more, GAIKA jumps back into music with new invigoration after delving into work as a composer to unveil Drift - his most expansive work to date. The visionary invites listeners on a high-speed journey where love, pain, brutality and beauty collide to produce a vivid and provocative cinematic masterpiece. The sonic universe of Drift is the most stylistically accurate representation of GAIKA’s personal tastes to date, stitching musical influences past and present such as Prince, Wu Tang Clan, Massive Attack, John Coltrane, Pink Siifu and A$AP Rocky to land on a gritty, distorted sound pulsating with an unwavering, formidable energy that’s disruptive yet timeless.

Drift is 14 tracks of nostalgic escapism, a shape-shifting body of work with hip hop and club music cultures at its core, as those simply run through the veins of GAIKA. Analogue and retro in feeling, Drift’s psychedelic feel is formed by incorporating 90s grunge, dark wave, post-punk and alt-rock into its tapestry. It’s a representation of his heritage and environment, featuring calypso steel pans to gospel vocals, reverberating dub to frenetic rap and elements of sound design taken from recordings of the real world. GAIKA’s music transcends borders and his nomadic nature means he simultaneously belongs and doesn’t, his music cannot be confined to just one genre and this unique new record further cements him as one of the most progressive artists of our time, telling the tale of modern day renaissance man driving away from the economic hierarchy he doesn't believe in.

GAIKA endeavoured to create a waking dream by constant participation in communal art making, removing the separation between art and life, his imagination and community and breaking the boundary between real life and any spectacular representation of it. He set up a number of situational arts facilities in the heart of London including shows at ICA, 180 the Strand, Now Gallery and as the world reopened, created pop up galleries, studios, exhibitions and raves with the intention to enhance the experience of real life by dreaming. To achieve this coherently and authentically the process became akin to a form of psychological examination of memories made before music “mattered” to GAIKA - before becoming commodified, individualised and his name capitalised.

Drift became the term used to describe the creative happenings in these spaces and the name for the collective of people who made this record. GAIKA is the central writer and composer working closely with KIDÄ on production and a group of classically trained musicians with contributions from Azekel, Charlie Stacey, Brbko and The Narrator over an extended period of time where they recorded music late into the night, night after night.

The legendary Belgian label Antler comes back to life! Pioneering in the 80's and 90's and an absolute spearhead in the world of post punk, cold and new wave, EBM, electro... a series of albums and compilations from the extensive Antler archives are now being released again. The first is a remastered version of this double album by the Limburg Cold Wavers Siglo XX, from 1984. One album with studio tracks and a full live album, mainly recorded in the Netherlands in 1983/84.

Una epopeya electro-techno-cyberpunk es la nueva aventura que nos propone la referencia 18 de HC Records, donde alta tecnologia, radiaciones gamma e incursiones en la matriz se entremezclan con los futuristas ritmos rotos del artista andaluz C-System bajo su
encarnación Spectrums Data Forces.

Hackeamos los códigos de acceso del sistema del ritmo que nos permiten escuchar los primeros sonidos del track que da nombre al Ep, X-Tremely Deeply, una secuencia tan épica, como obsesiva e hipnótica, aderezada y reforzada por un inteligente uso de arpegios
ácidos y etéreos pads. A modo de reflejo en el hielo, el segundo corte de la cara A excita nuestra glándula pineal guiándonos en el lisérgico remix firmado por el artista inglés Featherstone. Herrumbre, óxido, procesos mecanizados y propulsiones de pura energía se
alternan en formato rítmico en Sector 90, primer track de la cara B, que combina en industrial armonía electro y techno fusionando primitivos y contundentes ritmos rotos con oscuras y abisales secuencias melódicas cargadas del primigenio espíritu trance.


El track B2 titulado Viny, nombre del gato del productor, sigue la senda de melodías densas y reconfortantes, como el ronroneo de un felino, sin perder un ápice de dinámica y emoción. El último tramo del surco de vinilo corresponde al remix elaborado por el músico Ampler
Clap a Viny, que redirige la composición hacia parajes sonoros misteriosos y casi terroríficos dignos de un Slasher de los 80´s o un futurista Giallo.

Como es habitual los bonus track en formato digital cierran la experiencia sonora en esta decimoctava referencia, por un lado 36th que aborda una oscura espiral electro saturada por siniestras secuencias sobre un huracán de metálicos y demoledores ritmos rotos. Y por otro Raw Rat, composición que parte de un minimalista ritmo inicial que crece y evoluciona en cada uno de sus ciclos como en el nacimiento y expansión de un cuásar. De nuevo dentro del apartado gráfico encontramos un encomiable cuidado y mimo por el
detalle, dirigido por Daniel Requeni y a su vez los videos elaborados por Frank-F dotan de una quinta dimensión al concepto artístico global. El master como es habitual corresponde a Steve Voidloss en Black Monolith Studios en Londres (UK).

Gegründet im Jahr 1994, The Living End sind eine dreiköpfige Band aus Melbourne, Australien. Ihre bahnbrechende Single "Prisoner of Society" wurde 1997 veröffentlicht und wurde zum Soundtrack einer ganzen Generation in Australien und auf der ganzen Welt. Die Band hat bis heute acht Studioalben veröffentlicht, und mit dieser Veröffentlichung ihr allererstes Jubiläumsalbum.

"The Living End" wurde ursprünglich im Oktober 1998 veröffentlicht, debütierte auf Platz 1 in Australien und hielt sich 27 Wochen in den AUS Top 10 und 83 Wochen in den AUS Top 100. Seitdem hat sich das Album weltweit über 500.000 Mal verkauft. Aus dem Album wurden sechs Singles veröffentlicht. Dem gleichnamigen Originalalbum liegt eine Live-Aufnahme des australischen Musiksenders triple j bei. Aufgenommen vor einem Live-Publikum kurz nach der Veröffentlichung des Durchbruchsalbums, zeigt sie eine Band an der Schwelle zur Größe, deren Energie und ungekünstelte Emotionen von der ersten Note an zu spüren sind. Die Aufnahme war seit ihrer einmaligen Ausstrahlung im Radio in den späten 90er Jahren nicht mehr zu hören. Sie galt als verschollen, bis sie 2022 auf einer Fanseite entdeckt wurde. Sie wurde 2023 neu gemastert und verkörpert perfekt den Geist einer der größten australischen Live-Bands.

Gegründet im Jahr 1994, The Living End sind eine dreiköpfige Band aus Melbourne, Australien. Ihre bahnbrechende Single "Prisoner of Society" wurde 1997 veröffentlicht und wurde zum Soundtrack einer ganzen Generation in Australien und auf der ganzen Welt. Die Band hat bis heute acht Studioalben veröffentlicht, und mit dieser Veröffentlichung ihr allererstes Jubiläumsalbum.

"The Living End" wurde ursprünglich im Oktober 1998 veröffentlicht, debütierte auf Platz 1 in Australien und hielt sich 27 Wochen in den AUS Top 10 und 83 Wochen in den AUS Top 100. Seitdem hat sich das Album weltweit über 500.000 Mal verkauft. Aus dem Album wurden sechs Singles veröffentlicht. Dem gleichnamigen Originalalbum liegt eine Live-Aufnahme des australischen Musiksenders triple j bei. Aufgenommen vor einem Live-Publikum kurz nach der Veröffentlichung des Durchbruchsalbums, zeigt sie eine Band an der Schwelle zur Größe, deren Energie und ungekünstelte Emotionen von der ersten Note an zu spüren sind. Die Aufnahme war seit ihrer einmaligen Ausstrahlung im Radio in den späten 90er Jahren nicht mehr zu hören. Sie galt als verschollen, bis sie 2022 auf einer Fanseite entdeckt wurde. Sie wurde 2023 neu gemastert und verkörpert perfekt den Geist einer der größten australischen Live-Bands.

Sometimes, space is the perfect catalyst for intense creativity. Following the release of their fourth LP, 2019's Your Church On My Bonfire, PAWS - the Scottish DIY indie rock songwriting partnership of Phillip Jon Taylor and Joshua Swinney, toured briefly, and as the world began to shut down, they slipped out of sight. Phillip retreated north to the Highlands where he focused on his painting, solo work and the rewarding demands of fatherhood. Josh headed south to London, pursuing his other passion as a chef at the highly acclaimed Plimsoll. It would have been easy for both to settle into their new lives, but PAWS never died…and neither did the tie connecting the two friends. Having missed playing together for too long, a plan was set and in October 2022 Josh travelled to Phillip's home studio in his crofters cottage where work began on the band's fifth self-titled LP. Relying on a set of phone demos and chemistry honed after years on the road the songs came together surprisingly fast. Having recorded previously with both Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus and Frightened Rabbit’s Andy Monaghan, the band once again seized control of production duties as they had on their sophomore release Youth Culture Forever. Utilizing all they had learned and adding their own DIY ethos into the mix, the music was done in a week. Josh headed home and Phillip set to work on lyrics. The resulting record finds the band as grounded and assured as they ever have been. Marrying the deafening assault of youthful abandon with the whispered reasoning that comes with getting older; swaying from anger and exasperation to wide eyed optimism. PAWS is a succinct, razor wire encased documentary chronicling the pains of modern living. Delving into the dark underbelly of 90s alternative rock, painting with evocative instrumentals and reveling in celebratory indie punk, the band also embrace sordid pop and ambient electronics. And while it pays homage to where they have come from, it also signals a clean slate for the pair. Two friends united over distance. After some time apart, all they needed was a spark.

Through 35 hedonistic highlights stretched across three volumes, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac delivers the first ever deep dive into The Netherlands’ colourful house sound of the 90s and the under-celebrated producers and record labels whose music soundtracked a countrywide cultural movement.

Plenty of books and documentaries have celebrated the riotous raves, legendary clubs, high profile DJs and promoters who shaped The Netherlands’ hedonistic house scene throughout the 90s. Music For The Radical Xenomaniac dares to challenge these narratives by shining a light, for the first time, on those who created the scene’s kaleidoscopic, game-changing and globally influential soundtrack.

Leading the charge were a disparate group of key creators who not only forged links with their counterparts in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom, but also became celebrated figures on the worldwide electronic underground (Eric Nouhan, Aad De Mooy, Orlando Voorn, Stefan Robbers and Steve Rachmad). Alongside key underground imprints (Stealth Records, Basic Energy, ESP, Prime and Outland Records included) and lesser-known producers, these pioneers gave flavour to a radical musical movement via open-mindedness, unheard-of creativity and a genuinely futuristic ethos. All of these artists and labels are represented throughout the series.

So, what defined this hedonistic house sound from The Netherlands? Stylistically, it was varied – as the series so emphatically proves – but was defined by a set of distinctive sonic characteristics: emotive musical motifs, high-frequency synth sounds, mellow basslines, pulsating rhythms and more than a touch of hallucinatory intent.

Volume 3 is packed with in-demand tracks and hard-to-find gems, including a previously CD-only cut from Dutch techno originator Orlando Voorn (1999’s ‘Still’), a genuine rave classic from The Hague by hardcore DJ Charly Lownoise as Fluxland, and a killer cut from prolific producer – and genuinely influential pioneer – Aad De Mooy AKA D-Shake. He’s represented on this volume by Paradise 3001 cut ‘Surfin The Cuban Waves’, which first appeared on ESP Records in 1993.

Other highlights include Direct Movement’s ‘Natural Chemistry’, a sought-after slow house cut produced by Dennis Buné, who had an enormous impact on the Dutch house scene as Jaimy, and ‘Delphi (Rewaxed)’ by NYX, a highly regarded and hard to find single from former new wave and synth-pop producer Bart Barten, and occasional studio partner Hanz Meyer.

Packed full of forward-thinking 90s gems remastered for today’s dance floors by Alden Tyrell, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac Volume 3 is a life-affirming celebration of a distinctly Dutch musical movement, whose rich textures and melodies are still inspiring new generations of DJs and dancers today.

After 14 years and nearly 150 CD releases, Cherry Red's psychedelic imprint Grapefruit finally produces its first-ever vinyl issue.

A 90-minute, 30-track anthology, ‘When The Alarm Clock Rings’ is an all-encompassing overview of the late 60s British psychedelic scene.

The set features major underground names (Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Blossom Toes, Dantalian's Chariot, John's Children), cult 45s (The Voice, Paper Blitz Tissue, The Syn), future legends (Alex Harvey, Genesis, Greg Lake's early venture The Shame) and pop groups who occasionally turned dayglo (The Merseys, Plastic Penny, Picadilly Line).

Limited to 1000 copies and containing Grapefruit's trademark combination of photos and annotation on stylish 12” x 12” inserts, ‘When The Alarm Clock Rings’ is an essential purchase for vinyl aficionados and a tantalising taster of further plastic platters!

Early 90s' UK club oriented project comprised by "two young lads that made a record", as innocently described by Mark Lloyd, one half of Deep Pearl together with Mark Robertson. Originally released on mysterious private press label called "Big Apple" based in Croydon (South London).

A dancefloor oriented production that seems to transition from earlier acid sounds into more hypnotic early progressive directions, propelled by an established Mediterranean appreciation of its epoch combined with a somewhat naive rawness and energy in the studio, keeping it simple and effective at upper 130's BPM. Clearly the work of someone with veteran status in rave mileage. A-side features dreamy female vocals (courtesy of two other young lads from Germany, at the time, also known as "Air Liquide"), easy to imagine being played over a dusky horizon in Ibiza or an airfield in Suffolk. B-side mix is another peak dancefloor torpedo armed with heavy breakbeat shrapnel, hard to miss - if you know you know - newly re-issued with new artwork channeling Sean Connery memorabilia in acid mode "Hunt for Tie-dye October".

Im zehnten Jahr des Bestehens von Diabolic Night veröffentlicht Heavy Steeler ein zweites Album, das sein Soloprojekt nicht nur endgültig definiert, sondern auch die Grenzen dessen verschiebt, was die Szene als reine Lehre des Blackened Speed Metal bestimmt hat.

Der zurückgezogen lebende Nordrhein-Westfale verfeinerte sein Handwerk im Laufe eines Demo, einer Single und einer Mini-LP, ehe er Ende 2019 sein Debütalbum "Beyond the Realm" veröffentlichte, das von der Kritik hochgelobt wurde, und legte damit die Grundstein für die Dinge fest, die da noch kommen sollten.

"Ein Wunsch, den ich schon in jungen Jahren hegte, war, eine zusammenhängende Geschichte zu schreiben, die in einer fiktiven Welt spielt, in der der Zuhörer von der ersten bis zur letzten Sekunde gefesselt ist", erklärt Heavy Steeler und betont, dass die gegenwärtige Realität vor der rein eskapistischen Erfahrung in den Hintergrund rückt. Daher ist "Beneath the Crimson Prophecy" noch themenbezogener als sein lose konzeptioneller Vorgänger.

Atmosphärisch weist das neue Material eine etwas düsterere Rüstung auf, ohne die Vorzüge zu vernachlässigen, für die der Multi.Instrumentalist, Komponist und Sänger bekannt geworden ist: NWoBHM-beeinflusste Leadgitarren wie im Ohrwurm "Pandemonium" oder in "Starlit Skies" mit seinen süchtig machenden, mitsingbaren Melodien, frostige Tremolos direkt aus dem Skandinavien der frühen 90er sowie unverkennbares halsbrecherisches Schlagzeugspiel wie aus dem Ruhrgebiet Mitte der 80er Jahre und gebellte Vocals.

Dennoch hat das Ganze einen epischen Touch, der die Erzählstruktur hervorhebt und von Heavy Steelers kompromissloser Vision zeugt. Die Songs wurden erneut mit dem bewährten Drummer Christhunter in drei verschiedenen Studios aufgenommen und mit einem weiteren eindrucksvollen Cover von Adam Burke (Angel Witch, Portrait) geschmückt. Sie schreien danach, auf der Bühne performt zu werden, was natürlich mit einer kompletten Live-Besetzung geschehen wird. Tatsächlich ist es jetzt an der Zeit, einen Blick auf das zu werfen, was "Beneath the Crimson Prophecy" liegt…