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Probably in another life David Edren (DSR Lines) was a visionary biologist or chemist. In this new sound adventure, he becomes the narrator of anatomical and cellular symphonies, catharsis of invisible biochemical processes, painting the micro-dimensional flows of the subtle body or imaginary geographies of hidden micro-bodies. Here, his organic electronic music is enriched with new lymphs that also vaguely recall the influences of non-European music, especially Chinese and Japanese music (stick and chimes percussions) in an intimate and twilight dimension, poised between exotic ambient and cinematic suggestions. A miniaturistic description of liquid currents, labyrinthine veins, weaving streams, molecules and particles in multi-orbital dances, muscular chords, drowning bubbles, light waves; all in a confident compositional overview that is absolutely unique and fascinating.

Probably in another life David Edren (DSR Lines) was a visionary biologist or chemist. In this new sound adventure, he becomes the narrator of anatomical and cellular symphonies, catharsis of invisible biochemical processes, painting the micro-dimensional flows of the subtle body or imaginary geographies of hidden micro-bodies. Here, his organic electronic music is enriched with new lymphs that also vaguely recall the influences of non-European music, especially Chinese and Japanese music (stick and chimes percussions) in an intimate and twilight dimension, poised between exotic ambient and cinematic suggestions. A miniaturistic description of liquid currents, labyrinthine veins, weaving streams, molecules and particles in multi-orbital dances, muscular chords, drowning bubbles, light waves; all in a confident compositional overview that is absolutely unique and fascinating.

Crab Cake Records bring you Space Mutant Cutz!

CYAN & BLACK COSMOS 12 inch vinyl

Classic scratch sentences with drum loops, pads, basslines & locked grooves produced by Substrate. Perfect for practicing your cuts and juggling!

Limited edition (250 copies/colour)
Cut @ 33rpm
Side A contains 12 skip proof scratch sentences at 83bpm
Side B contains the following content* at 133bpm

Clear Vinyl. Like the soundtrack to a heartbreaking film that never existed, the songs on Casually Smashed To Pieces are simultaneously beautiful and completely unpredictable. "Knock At My Door" features gorgeous, interwoven melodic playing, layered arrangements and a twangy undercurrent; "Confusing Possibilities" is full of the band's characteristic dueling guitar lines, shifting dynamics, and sub-bass tones that help transport the band's music into uncharted territory; while "Stolen Moments" showcases singing horns and crescendos so gradual you'll wonder how you got from point A to point B. Let's be honest though, instead of mapping out each track for you, you're probably best off listening to it yourself... Like all great music, there's an undeniable amount of mystery in what the Six Parts Seven accomplish that can't be conveyed via adjective or analogy.

SOILWORK is a band that has been through a lot. We don’t have to try and tidy things up by using clichés like personal and/or musical differences. It has been hell. We have lost loved ones and significant others have fallen ill. We are not young anymore, and our reality these days is the hellhounds on our tails, the ghosts in our subconscious and the coldness of existence that starts eating at your soul the very day that you leave the womb. We can no longer escape the fact that we’re vulnerable to the shortcomings of life itself. Verkligheten is the Swedish word for reality, the entity that we’re all trying to escape from. Verkligheten is our attempt to try and go somewhere else, to express all those things that are born in between hypnagogic states and frenzies of hyperrealism. Verkligheten is the otherworldliness of Swedish suburban anxiety, accompanied by blastbeats and slide guitars.

Anything goes, everything is OK,’ is New Cool Collective’s free and easy creed. These eight jazz players are continually reinventing themselves, finding new inspiration and inspiring others. Brilliant as ever under a new spotlight, New Cool Collective excels on their 25th album Everything is OK, released by Dox Records this autumn on 25 October 2024.

Earlier this year, the band celebrated its thirtieth anniversary with a pocket-sized ode to their prolific past: 30 Years Live. Having played and partied, the group turned their attention to the future: what next for an ensemble that thrives on musical experiment and collaboration? Where to now? Which way to go to rekindle that creative spark and foster that flame?

New Cool Collective has met the challenge head-on, determined to surprise their audience, and themselves too. They spent a little time reflecting, considering suggestions, weighing up options – eight creative artists exploring, coalescing. Soon their ideas gelled into something special. They laid down a series of tracks that both build on the band’s thirty-year history and feed on a newfound freedom to simply be New Cool Collective. Everything is OK embodies that sense of a group which knows how to surpass expectations, to make music from the heart, to go back to their roots, back to the essence of those early years.

Anything goes, everything is okay on a record that features extensive brass arrangements and orchestral elements. There’s something magnificent about those seductively intimate tracks, something way beyond the traditional orchestral big band sound. New Cool love to experiment with alternative production techniques, developing the final mix themselves to create a unique, unmistakably recognizable sound – however surprising or unusual the music, you know you’re listening to New Cool Collective – like you’re there and the band is playing just for you.

Everything is OK is brimming with ideas, surprise and humour. The music is contemplative, yet it also leads straight to the dance floor: it gets you moving – body and soul. This is music for the intellect, to take you out of your comfort zone and to show you subtly, ironically: is everything really ok?

Composer and performer Stina Stjern have for over 25 years been a steady presence in the Norwegian music scene – starting out as a vocalist in the rock band Supervixen while studying jazz in Trondheim, Stjern’s road has been anything but predictable, and has over the years shown a will to experiment and explore new areas in her music making. Her new album ”Vivid Peace Restored” is perhaps her most radical musical statement yet, as the entire album is made using cassette tape. The sound sources vary from found sounds, various instruments and Stjern’s own voice, but there is no hierarchy, the different elements are given equal importance, and through considerate looping, layering, cut-ups, re-arranging the bits and pieces it forms a rich tapestry of sound. This blurring is intentional, Stjern wants us to get lost in her sound world, a place where nothing is forced or overstated. Tape hiss, subtle melody lines, distant location recordings, gentle waves of noise, and voices melt together creating lush soundscapes

NYC duo Straw Man Army return with their third LP, “Earthworks”, to complete a trilogy of records begun with 2020’s “Age of Exile,” and 2022’s “SOS”. Whereas “Age of Exile” dealt with the haunted landscapes of colonial history in the Americas, and “SOS” gave voice to a crisis of the present moment, like a prayer in bewildering times, 2024’s “Earthworks” signals the band’s attempt to close this trilogy by turning their gaze towards the future, where paradox, complexity and contradiction spiral in ascendance to an agonizing pitch. While continuing to develop their own style of anarcho-punk, “Earthworks” finds the band pulling once again from jazz and ambient influences, expanded Krautrock rhythms, and post-rock experiments, with a stronger emphasis on melodic vocals and varied song structures than on previous offerings. Taking cues from the wistful anti-war harmonies of The Byrds and the angry melodies of Zounds, tracks like “Turn the Wheel” and “Second Nature” mark new territory for a group whose messages and methods of experimentation have merged to form a singular sound equally at home on All the Madmen Records or in the spiritual legacy of ESP Disk. “Earthworks” is an album that holds and subverts many contradictions—juggling the weight of melancholy, grief, guilt, impunity, and the yearning for clarity against the backdrop of boiling wrath; the wrath of nature, the occupied, the dispossessed, and of the mind against itself. To quote the track “Spiral” — “Is this all that’s left for us these days? / Apathy and rage?”— Straw Man Army offers this record as a companion to our frustration, our sickness, our despair, and a lifeline for our fugitive attention in the struggle for peace.

Second EP from Bristol indie pop six-piece, Hamburger. ‘Beat Back The Ghouls’ sees the band take their sound in a more lush, subtle and layered direction, developing skilfully on the raw songwriting ability offered in their debut. On this record Hamburger create a more complex and sophisticated sound, flitting masterfully between driven guitar hooks, emotive lilting melodies, singalong angst-fuelled hits, and warm dreamy fuzz. ‘Beat Back The Ghouls’ is a record packed with songwriting craft. Each track is a finely-tuned pop song, with catchiness, beautiful melodic turns and delicate harmonic progressions at its heart. The soft, layered vocals add a wonderful contrast to the distorted, driven guitars, as they explore themes such as longing, want and alienation. If you’ve heard Hamburger before, ‘Beat Back the Ghouls’ will mark a new, more refined experience, a band finding itself fully-grown. If you haven’t heard them before, this record is an opportunity not to be missed. Limited to 300 copies on black vinyl.

Workout features a mix of original compositions and jazz standards, highlighting Mobley's ability to blend sophisticated harmonies with rhythmic complexity and received critical acclaim upon release and is regarded as one of Mobley's finest works

The album has been praised for its engaging arrangements and the strong interplay between the musicians, the tracks often feature rhythmic grooves and vibrant solos, which became characteristic of the hard bop movement. Released in 1962, it is considered a classic in the jazz genre, particularly within the hard bop substyle and it's often recommended for both jazz enthusiasts and newcomers to the genre and showcases Hank Mobley's lyrical approach to the saxophone and is frequently included in lists of essential jazz albums. The album continues to influence contemporary jazz musicians celebrated for its artistry and innovation, making it a significant contribution to the jazz landscape of the 1960s. So Workout stands as a significant milestone in jazz history, exemplifying the creativity and musicianship of its time: with its engaging compositions and stellar performances, the album remains a beloved classic, inviting listeners to explore the depth and beauty of hard bop jazz, a treasure that continues to resonate within the jazz community.

The Tokyo Blues is an album that reflects Horace Silver's deep musicality, cultural curiosity, and love for the blues

Its combination of relaxed grooves, melodic beauty, and hints of Eastern influence make it a unique and memorable work within Silver's extensive catalog. It's a perfect example of how jazz can both explore new territories and remain grounded in its own traditions, showcasing Silver's versatility as both a pianist and a composer. Released in 1962 it is considered a gem within Horace Silver's prolific career and offers an intriguing combination of Horace Silver's unique jazz language with the subtle influence of his experiences in Japan, producing a warm, thoughtful, and musically rich album. Horace Silver's The Tokyo Blues is the result of his quintet's tour of Japan in 1961, which left a strong impression on him. While on tour, Silver was struck by the culture, atmosphere, and aesthetics of Japan, which he sought to translate into the musical language he was deeply rooted in hard bop. The album, however, doesn't feature overt Japanese musical scales or instrumentation, but rather evokes a mood and a sense of place. Silver's approach was more about integrating his impressions of Japan, its serenity, beauty, and mood of reflection, into the compositions. He did this within the framework of the jazz tradition, creating music that remains unmistakably his own. His quintet was already known for its catchy themes, complex rhythms, and inventive solos, and The Tokyo Blues adds a layer of atmospheric and emotional depth to that established style. In the early 1960s, Horace Silver was at the height of his creative powers. His work was instrumental in shaping the hard bop movement, a style that emphasized blues, gospel, and soul influences over the more intricate, intellectual sounds of bebop. The Tokyo Blues stands as an example of Silver's ability to evolve his sound while staying true to the groove-based essence of hard bop.

CARNIVORE is an American crossover / thrash metal band from Brooklyn, New York founded by singer and bassist Peter Steele, and was formed out of the breakup of the Brooklyn metal group FALLOUT in 1982. The first CARNIVORE album was heavily influenced by the contemporary New York metal scene. It also drew inspiration from BLACK SABBATH and early JUDAS PRIEST, whereas the second album had significant crossover influences. The "post-apocalyptic" theme that dominated the first album and was carried onto parts of the second album was apparently inspired by a dream Pete Steele had and which became the basis for the lyrics of "Predator", the first song from the original album. The lyrical theme was then expanded on to describe human society ( or the lack of one ) between imaginary World Wars III, IV and possibly V (as referenced in the song "World Wars III & IV"). Other lyrical themes included nihilism, anti-religious sentiment, cynicism, and explicit but tongue-in-cheek depictions of gore and despair. Song titles such as "Jesus Hitler", "Race War", "Thermonuclear Warrior" and "God is Dead" reflect these themes. In August 2017, it was announced that CARNIVORE would officially be reformed as CARNIVORE A.D., featuring original drummer Louie Beato and guitarist Marc Piovanetti along with secondary drummer Joe Branciforte sharing drum duties and also introducing new member Baron Misuraca as the bassist/vocalist. The band then made their live festival debut at the 2018 edition of Hellfest. CARNIVORE's "Retaliation" is a legendary and authentic metal/hc crossover album and an admittedly very heavy devastating wall of music with very much tongue in cheek lyrics. It became an absolute classic in the metal genre. It has remained unreleased for too many years and has now become very much in demand, now available again in Deluxe exclusive Limited edition 2LP vinyl and Digipack with no less than 3 bonus tracks ! ESSENTIAL CLASSIC !

Producer, designer, publisher, filmmaker, all-round scene phenom - Lasse Marhaug returns with his first album since relocating from Oslo to the Arctic Circle, surveying his 35-year career for a set of grizzled, doom-pocked rhythms and foghorn drones pulled from the aether. Expansive and hard to categorise, it's a precision-tooled set of ice-cold tonal productions that heavily lean into Mika Vainio’s rhythm experiments, with extra levels of growling bass and curious noises to send us deep into the uncanny.

Lasse Marhaug has put his mark on literally hundreds of albums - working with artists like Jenny Hval, Merzbow, Jim O'Rourke, Kevin Drumm, Hilary Woods - so many others - yet he still regards himself as a primarily visual artist who got diverted into an occasionally different path. If his last album 'Context' was a kiss goodbye to decades of life in Oslo, 'Provoke' turns a new page, but one that draws heavily from memories of the distant past, reflecting on the way the topographies of Norway's frozen north helped shape his creative worldview. Weaving electronics into environmental recordings captured in the bleak Arctic winter, the album was mixed during the Polar night season, when, for two straight months, the sun never rose past the horizon. Somehow, even at its bleakest, Marhaug avoids the usual aesthetic signifiers for this kinda thing, finding elements of queered beauty in all the severity, juxtaposing elements that shine a bright light on all the odd spaces in-between.

A consideration of noise music's place in 2024, and whether it can still be a tool for subversion when its aesthetics have been so commodified, ‘Provoke’ also refernces an experimental '70s Japanese art magazine that attempted to define a new language for photography. Operating somewhere between these two guiding poles, Lasse feels his way through a subtly altered mode of expression, a new approach to familiar concepts. Album opener ‘Plates’, for example, gives it the full Ø treatment, like some exceptional ‘Oleva’-outtake, but , eventually, shards of interference start to exhale like horses blowing, creating uncanny sensations that hit through ambiguous feeling rather than sheer noise terror. Ritualistic, corporeal - hard to know what you’re listening to and why it makes you feel that certain way - so much more than just machine cycles optimised for their ultimately hollow brutalist aesthetic.

Marhaug paints vivid pictures from a carefully chosen palette, drawing us into a soundworld that's rich with contradictions and contrasts. Even the relatively deafening 'New Topographics' offsets its wall of distortion with a muffled, perforating kick drum, cutting into the noise like a knife through butter. And all of this preparation makes the album's lengthy centrepiece 'Monochrome Head' even more impactful; hinging on a Pan Sonic-like alloy of bass and drums, the track snowballs through tempered feedback and improv scrapes and whistles that pick up into an orchestral din. Marhaug accents the bluster with rhythmic hums that gather in momentum until they're almost oppressively heavy, as if everything's about to collapse.

A masterclass in quietly subversive world-building, 'Provoke' invites us to peer at an expansive sonic landscape and marvel at its intricacies, but this time around there's a Lovecraftian behemoth lurking somewhere beneath its icy surface.

Introducing Wishy, a brand new band from celebrated Indiana songwriters Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites. Wishy came to life as a musical partnership between the two Indianapolis musicians when Pitchkites moved back home from Philadelphia in 2021. The two bonded over their love for 90s alternative bands like The Sundays and My Bloody Valentine and soon began crafting their own brand of swirling pop-rock with an introspective, grungy flair. By day Krauter works as a music teacher, giving drum and guitar lessons to students, while Pitchkites is a seamstress by trade and often makes embroidered merch for the band. While Krauter spent the better part of the last decade cementing his place as a torchbearer of Midwestern dream pop with 2018's Toss Up and 2020's Full Hand, Pitchkites delved into her own indie electro-pop project Push Pop, writing songs like "Spinning" that would later be reworked for Wishy. To round out the live band, Pitchkites and Krauter enlisted guitarist Dimitri Morris, bassist Mitch Collins, and drummer Conner Host. Across two trips to Los Angeles in late 2022 and early 2023, Krauter and Pitchkites linked up with friend and producer Ben Lumsdaine, who had some spare time between Durand Jones tours to record the pair's newly written songs. The result of their fruitful time in sunny California is the aptly named Paradise, a breezy and melodic EP that puts on full display the songwriter's musical fluency. Tastefully blending shoegaze, dreampop, and alt-rock into a heavenly haze, Wishy delivers a strong 5-song introduction that's dense with melodic earworms and stirring sentiment. Wishy's debut single for new label home Winspear, the driving and distorted "Donut," showcases Pitchkites' hypnotic vocal and Krauter's melancholic wash of guitars. Written after a period when Pitchkites was driving on a spare, "Donut" laments the cynical capitalism of Midwest living and the reliance on a car to get around. Of the song Pitchkites says "When you've got the possibility of the open road plus the limitations of your shitty car-and you're stuck driving on a donut spare tire- it's a Catch 22." Throughout Paradise, the band laments on American loneliness and idealism as it relates to our everyday lives. Across the EP's five tracks, Pitchkites and Krauter trade bittersweet reflections on love and self actualization over vast, scrappy guitar chords. The whole thing feels equally indebted to early aughts alt-rock and '90s jangle pop. Wishy's music is cathartic, yet underlined by a subtle brooding energy-sitting nicely alongside the work of their contemporaries like Momma or Tanukichan, both of whom Wishy will have shared the stage with. Wishy will be touring this Fall supporting Tanukichan, and the band will make their first festival appearance at LEVITATION in Austin, TX. After that, they have their eyes set on finishing their debut album, slated for release via Winspear in 2024

Celebrating dance music's roots in Africa, global music superstars SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR and renowned Australian DJ GROOVE TERMINATOR team up with Grammy- winning producer LATROIT to present 'History of House', an expertly crafted re-imagination of the iconic dance music classics that defined the genre at its inception and continue to influence it today.

Featuring vocal performances in Zulu and English, collaborations with Southern Africa's top emerging music producers, and live musical performances throughout, History of House is a cultural and musical celebration, authentically and effortlessly blending global beats, Afro house, Amapiano, and house music into a sublime listening experience that elevates any environment. This is a special project, and we are proud to share it with you. FEATURING: World Hold On, Good Life, You Got The Love, Everybody's Free, and More

Erupt returns with another explosive release in the "Unrest Hazard" series, bringing together a diverse lineup of artists to showcase the best of hardcore, jungle, and drum n bass. Wild Swan, formerly Ugly Duckling, teams up with Mr Dan Master for the frenzied track "*int," while Kool FM regulars Subbreak, D-Region, and Code deliver a pounding remix of "Industry Plant." DJ Terrace and Jon Tetly contribute hardcore jungle tracks "Doing Battle" and "I Get Stu Pid," adding to the record's intensity.

Schoco also makes a return with "Love Is The Answer," a track previously championed by Dead Man's Chest on SWU.FM, now finally getting its vinyl debut. For collectors, the vinyl release includes the exclusive track "Doing Battle." Survive the eruption and make your way to Amsterdam to secure a copy of this must-have release.

"‘One of the most exciting composers alive.’ – Daily Telegraph

Nonesuch will release the original score for Ken Burns’s new two-part documentary, LEONARDO da VINCI, with new compositions by Caroline Shaw; the documentary airs on November 18 and 19 on PBS. The album features performances by the composer’s longtime collaborators Attacca Quartet, Sō Percussion, and Roomful of Teeth as well as John Patitucci. Shaw wrote and recorded new music for LEONARDO da VINCI, marking the first time a Ken Burns film has featured an entirely original score.

In celebration of LEONARDO da VINCI, New York City’s historic venue The Town Hall presents an evening of performances from Shaw’s score by Attacca Quartet, Sō Percussion, and Roomful of Teeth on October 29. The filmmakers will also preview excerpts from the four-hour film..

LEONARDO da VINCI is directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon. The film, which explores the life and work of the fifteenth century polymath Leonardo da Vinci, is Burns’s first non-American subject. It also marks a significant change in the team’s filmmaking style, which includes using split screens with images, video, and sound from different periods to further contextualize Leonardo’s art and scientific explorations. LEONARDO da VINCI looks at how the artist influenced and inspired future generations, and it finds in his soaring imagination and profound intellect the foundation for a conversation we are still having today: what is our relationship with nature and what does it mean to be human?

“No single person can speak to our collective effort to understand the world and ourselves,” said Ken Burns. “But Leonardo had a unique genius for inquiry, aided by his extraordinary skills as an artist and scientist, that helps us better understand the natural world that we are part of and to appreciate more fully what it means to be alive and human.”

“To help give depth and dimension to Leonardo’s inner life, and to carry our viewers on his personal journey, we enlisted the composer Caroline Shaw,” McMahon says in the album’s liner note. “Caroline’s existing body of music—joyful, daring, at times transcendent, and wholly unique—seemed to speak directly to Leonardo, a seeking soul who, 500 years after his death, can come across as strikingly modern. A fully original score, we believed, would add crucial connective tissue to areas where the record of Leonardo’s life is thin and it’s possible to briefly lose his trail. The music Caroline created is dynamic, enthralling and filled with wonder.

“This soundtrack is a testament to the inspired efforts of Jennifer Dunnington, who marshaled it into being, the brilliant musicians and vocalists who, with the help of Alex Venguer, Neal Shaw, Colton Dodd and Tim Marchiafava, made it soar, and most of all Caroline Shaw, who might be Leonardo’s soulmate from across time,” he continues. “With her help, the Leonardo who emerges is no wizard shrouded in mystery, but a prideful, obsessive, at times lonely or flustered, occasionally ecstatic, and, in the end, content man who is in ways both modern and thoroughly of his time.”

“As we set out to explore Leonardo’s life, we realized that while he was very much a man of his time, he was also interested in something more universal,” said Sarah Burns. “Leonardo was uniquely focused on finding connections throughout nature, something that strikes us as very modern today, but which of course has a long history.”

Caroline Shaw is a musician who moves among roles, genres, and mediums, trying to imagine a world of sound that has never been heard before but has always existed. She is the recipient of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in Music, several Grammy awards, an honorary doctorate from Yale, and a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. She has worked with a range of artists including Rosalía, Renée Fleming, and Yo-Yo Ma, and she has contributed music to films and TV series including Fleishman Is in Trouble, Bombshell, Yellowjackets, Maid, Dark, and Beyoncé’s Homecoming. In addition to three albums with Sō Percussion, Narrow Sea, Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part, and Rectangles and Circumstance, Nonesuch has released her two Grammy-winning albums Orange and Evergreen, both of which feature Attacca Quartet. “Two-Step” and “Ghost,” Shaw’s songs with Ringdown, her duo with Danni Lee Parpan, are available now on Nonesuch. Caroline Shaw is Wigmore Hall’s 2024-25 Composer in Residence."

After Denzel’s debut EP ‘Techniques 4 Life’ last year, the quest for finding those approaches continues. The Helsinki night owl draws from a range of influences here on his sophmore EP ‘Glorified Intake’, taking things into a murkier territory than his previous, made during a transitional period of his life between two cities, H & B.

The first track HKI 13 is an ode to roots. The track is held together by a swerving astral arpeggio combined with chants from a village dance off and stabs that liken to that one Balearic house anthem… The Sun is well on its way below.

Nightrun reduces things to a darker core, howling into the night, embodying a state rather than telling a story. Time goes by, how is it already tomorrow? An after hours tune with a bassline for a hook. Doesn’t get much sleazier than that. Getting down, getting low.
On the flipside, we’ve made it to the beginning of the end, phased out the doubts and gathered up the strength to go on — things are looking brighter. A voice inside your head — trust only yourself.

Finally on the last stretch, light has subsided and darkness has landed once again. We’ve thrown out any notion of what, where and who. Those things don’t matter anymore: we’ve perfected “the state”. It’s go time.

Brilliant Hard En Geslepen is a one-off project by hip-hop group Osdorp Posse and metal band Nembrionic.

The groups sometimes played together during live performances in the past, but this usually degenerated into complete chaos. After recording two songs as an experiment, the idea arose to record a complete album. The result is a unique combination of metal and Dutch hiphop. Brilliant Hard En Geslepen is now available on vinyl for the first time!

Brilliant Hard En Geslepen is a one-off project by hip-hop group Osdorp Posse and metal band Nembrionic.

The groups sometimes played together during live performances in the past, but this usually degenerated into complete chaos. After recording two songs as an experiment, the idea arose to record a complete album. The result is a unique combination of metal and Dutch hiphop. Brilliant Hard En Geslepen is now available on vinyl for the first time!

Gavin Vanaelst runs the space Aboli Bibelot in Antwerp where exhibitions and musical performances can happen side to side with dealings in centuries-old furniture and unique pieces of folk art or volkskunst. Gavin makes music under the aliases DJ Charme, Kassett and So Sorry. This is the first album under his birth name. Takeaway Loops cycles back to the days when Gavin was working as a courier for .

is a food delivery company. Their couriers - ehm, brand ambassadors, as the company prefers to call them - dressed in bright orange, they race their bikes around the city. They deliver meals and groceries for all sorts. Thanks to them, the privileged can stay tucked in their private spaces. Interaction between the two groups - the privileged and the brand ambassadors - is mostly kept to the bare minimum. And sparse communications are often driven by annoyances - “my Coke is warm because you kept it too close to the French Fries.” And on the streets the general public dis-approaches the brand ambassadors with pity. We tell our peers: “That’s not a good job,” and “stay away from the Sharing Economy.” Because, you know, in our capitalistic dollhouse we all stand our grounds and play our parts wholeheartedly.

During his shifts for , Gavin recorded location sounds on his phone at fast food restaurants while waiting on the orders he had to pick up and deliver. Later in his home studio Gavin added piano and electronics to this source material. The result: a gloomy soundtrack for a shadow world. Seven songs in evening blue with a bright orange glare.

A few years ago, our favorite Belgian publishing house Het Balanseer released Seizoenarbeid by Heike Geissler (available in English trough Semiotext(e)). Geissler writes about her job at Amazon in Leipzig. Because her writing and freelance work did not pay the bills any longer, she was forced towards this underprivileged shadow-world of unwanted jobs. Seizoenarbeid shed a light on freedom in an unfree world. A monument of ‘we are all in this, but not together’. Takeaway Loops gives us a similar peak in a world that is at the same time so visible, but then also very veiled for many. A world that we prefer to use, yet that most of us prefer not to see - a world that we don’t like to enter.

Last year at Harbourland subway station in Kobe i was mesmerized by its sound design, created by Hiroshi Yoshimura. For each part of the subway station he composed a short phrase. While walking trough the station, a full composition grows in your head. The looping melodies guide you trough a microworld. Trough a blue world of commuters, of the homeless, of the lonely, of the fast paced, of the tourist. Gavin creates a similar effect with Takeaway Loops. The tonality somehow corresponds to Yoshimura’s work. Yet instead of being guided trough a building, we are now taken to the after dark. You feel the concrete evening heat of the city. You hear the rain. Stiff fingers during cold winters’ nights. You are alone on the bike, cruising. Your maps app telling you where to go. You just left the fake leather bench of the well-lit pastiche interior of a fast food restaurant.

Next order, number ECN44! Please wait outside, sir?

The third EP by the adventurous and unstoppable Stefan Schwander that you might already know from one of his other disguises such as Harmonious Thelonious, A Rocket In Dub or Antonelli Electr. - just to name a few. All tracks were virtuously and solely jammed out on Elektron's Monomachine once again.

Deep basslines, ravy bleeps, piano chords and synth melodies are awaiting us and let us reminisce of Jamaica, UK and Chicago while stepping and dancing into tomorrow.

The EP starts off gently with 'Title Track'. The first bleeps, chords, an incisive bassline and we're already grooving. Strings are building the framework while some house piano and a ravy melody let us hum along.

'Sublime' speeds things up with its shuffling, minimalistic beat but the dub bassline holds it down and functions as a resting pole to the vibrancies around. A pristine synthline comes in and supports the meandering chords. Dance off.

On the flipside 'Definition Of ...' sums it up what While My Sequencer Gently Bleeps is all about: a deep bass as bedrock, lively percussion, a little melody, tiptoeing chords. Everything sensitively used, telling a story. Listen on repeat.

Hailing from Italy, after their selftitled debut mini album 2022 we're happy to announce the first full length namend 'Sublimis Ignotum Omni'. The new songs are a bit faster without losing that morbid feeling known from the debut. This piece of an morbid female fronted Death Metal album is highly recommended for fans of MALIGNANT ALTAR, UNDERGANG or CORPSESSED.

On November 8th, 2Tone Records/Chrysalis Catalogue will release a 40th Anniversary Half-Speed Mastered Edition of The Special AKA 'In The Studio' album. This release has been liaised and approved by the band's founder and main songwriter Jerry Dammers. Formed in Coventry in the mid-1970s, The Specialswas the idea of musician Jerry Dammers, who brought together an eclectic array of individuals to fulfill his vision of a multi-racial band, fusing the energy of punk with the legendary but, at the time, often overlooked, sound of Jamaican ska. The band rose to prominence along with the 2Tone movement, which included two No. 1 singles, Too Much too Young and 1981's Ghost Town, which theme still resonates today before Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Neville Staple left to form the Fun Boy Three and Roddy Byers left to tour with his band the Tearjerkers. The remaining members, Dammers, Bradbury and Panter, recruited guitarist John Shipley from The Swinging Cats, ex-Bodysnatcher Rhoda Dakar and lead vocalist Stan Campbell,reverting the original band name of The Special AKA and set to work on a new album. Released in 1984, 'In the Studio' was a brave mix of bold and challenging music, with a strong political, social and moral conscience. The album made it into the Top 40, and while it might not have been a huge commercial success, it was, and still is, an astonishingly unique work: a haunting, claustrophobic mix of lounge, soul, reggae, jazz and Arabic rhythms, with uncompromising subject matter. It featured two classic singles: the joyous, yet serious rallying anthem for the then imprisoned South African ANC leader, 'Free Nelson Mandela', and 'What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend'. As time has gone by, the status of 'In The Studio'has grown, and today it is rightly viewed as a genuine lost classic. Like the previous two Specials 40th Anniversary vinyl editions, this has been newly remastered and cut at half-speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, London. Format: Wide spine sleeve, 2LP 180gm Black Vinyl cut at 45rpm with insert inside and OBI.

“Music is my forever cove,” writes Portland, Oregon’s Luke Wyland of the ideas that give shape to Kuma Cove, his latest album under his own name. Though named after a real place on the Oregon coast, Kuma Cove casts its gaze far beyond the sightseer’s line of vision. Recorded live in the studio and blurring obvious lines between computer-based composition and electro-acoustic instrumentation, it is an album about flow, borders, transitory states, and shelter. Composed of discontinuous ripples and repetitions (“I’m forever searching for a better descriptor than looping, which feels too simple and flattened by overuse,” Wyland says), shaped into richly emotive arcs, and informed by his experience as a person who stutters, it is also an album about identity, self-expression, and the energies that sluice through and across what we perceive as linear time—like floodwaters seeking an exit, like streams running into the sea.

Artist’s Statement:
I made this record while spending significant time in the woods by the Sandy River in Corbett, Oregon,
where I've had my studio for the last five years. It is a diary of spontaneous live recordings edited to highlight the moments of clarity that emerge from long-form improvisations. These compositions express a slowing internal rhythm. An unwinding. A somatic recalibration as I enter middle age. A newly empowered vulnerability.

Here are the internalized cadences of my stutter, flowing freely from my fingers. The musicality of my disfluency is revealed in its frictions, elongations, and foreshortenings. Disruptions in linear time, where the bubbling cadences of my stutter find unexpected pathways, reveal the elasticity of the present moment. This is my idiosyncratic language, shaped and inspired by my disability. Subliminally mirroring internal processes, neural firings, cognitive entanglements...

The title, Kuma Cove, refers to a beloved cove on the coast of Oregon my wife and I return to yearly. There has always been something so magnetic about coves. The way they cradle one from the overwhelming enormity of the ocean beyond, muting a primordial fear. I experience these improvisations as ecosystems I'm able to inhabit for stretches of time, embodying the particular rhythms and sensorial textures within each. Music is my forever cove. Everything you hear is created live in Ableton on a setup I've been honing for 15 years. I celebrate MIDI and computer music as an extension of self and strive to make it as expressive as any analog instrument. I was a visual artist for the first half of my life and quickly adapted those skills to composing and producing on a computer. The transition felt natural within the landscape of DAW's interfaces, especially as a synesthete. Ableton and its community of Max creators continue to surprise me with its expansiveness.

I'm forever searching for a better descriptor than looping, which feels too simple and flattened by overuse. I envision sonic loops as tangled masses of time, three-dimensional knots spinning on tilted axes, or overlapping wreaths refracting out a myriad of colors. My practice is continually refocusing my ear to what is revealed in the repetitions, searching for the fingerprint of each. I find it incredible how technology lets us manipulate time like this. Nothing on this record is quantized or locked to a universal bpm. Experiencing numerous tempos at once feels important. Recordings as mirrors. Freedom from expected (conversational) flow as we hold time for each other.
-Luke Wyland, August 2024

Artist Bio:
Luke Wyland is an interdisciplinary artist, composer, and performer based in Portland, OR (USA). Wyland has been releasing critically acclaimed records for the past 20 years in the groups AU and Methods Body, as LWW, and under his own name, working with such labels as New Amsterdam, Beacon Sound, Balmat, The Leaf Label, and Aagoo Records. As a person who stutters, Wyland’s approach to music is informed by his idiosyncratic relationship with language. Wyland believes deeply in the cathartic power of live performance as a means for collective healing. Through an interdisciplinary art practice that focuses on improvisation, somatic embodiment, bespoke tuning systems, the cadences of disfluent speech, and time manipulation technologies, he’s collaborated with choreographers, high-school choirs, filmmakers, sound designers, and renowned musicians such as John Niekrasz, Holland Andrews, Colin Stetson, and Abraham Gomez-Delgado. He’s also the co-creator of the “It’s A Fucking Miracle” dance class with Tahni Holt.
Wyland has toured nationally and internationally and performed at the Whitney Museum, Ecstatic Music Festival, Issue Project Room, PICA’s Time-Based Arts Festival, End of the Road Festival, and Les Nuits Botanique, among others.

The ever prolific Teffa is back on LoDubs, albeit for his first Vinyl EP.

As just alluded to, this is the second meeting of the Far West Ruler and the Low End Master from Leeds, although one might be forgiven for blinking and missing the highly sought after (sold out in 5 minutes) Poly DubPlate cut released in early 2023, which was a matter of course in a year where pressing turn times quadrupled. As glad as we are that those days are in the past it also still left the inkling that a full release was necessary once the time and tunes presented themselves.

..And as such, here we have a total of 6 now-ting Grime hybrids (4 on the vinyl, and 2 vinyl-only bonus tracks in the DL and details on how to get those as a poly Dub, only for owners of the vinyl EP), Containing the elastic basslines of a true UKG and Dubstep Stalwart, whilst stretching those elements over syncopated, at time staccato-esque riddims, all beneath a novel modernization of the stilted, subharmonic and eski-esque synth bass pads that are quintessentially Grime. There truly is more to these with each listen, all the while grabbing you at first go.

State of the art: From the one and only Teffa.

»Nuts of Ay«, the thirteenth album by the Berlin-based electronic pop duo Tarwater (Ronald Lippok and Bernd Jestram), is their first in a decade, since 2014’s »Adrift«. Beautifully poised and smartly dressed, it's an album that draws Tarwater’s various pasts into a high-definition present, while bringing the duo, yet again, into productive dialogue with all kinds of fellow travellers.

Tarwater’s music has always been marked by a hypnotic pop-ness, but that’s particularly evident on »Nuts of Ay«, where a song like »Hideous Kiss« weaves together jangling guitar, pastoral flute, and flittering electronics into a gem-like construction. While the lyrics of »Hideous Kiss« are written by the duo, »Nuts of Ay« also continues a longstanding Tarwater tradition of recasting the words of others in their own mould. This time, their remit is broad: poetry from Derek Jarman (»All Nuns«) and Millner Place (»Trapdoor Spider«); lyrics from Jean Kenbrovin (»I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles«), the late Shane MacGowan (»USA«) and, again, John Lennon (»Everybody Had a Hard Year«).

This cast of found and borrowed lyricists also finds collaborative echo in the guest musicians dotted throughout »Nuts of Ay«. Schneider TM turns up on the lovely, Felt-like »Spirit of Flux«, where guitars channel the tangled reveries of Vini Reilly and Maurice Deebank into lush pop. Carsten Nicolai joins, as Alva Noto, dappling »On Waves and Years« with intimate glitching textures; he also provides the album cover art. Elsewhere, Masha Qrella appears on »Down Comes the Goose«, and actor Lars Rudolph pitches in for »USA«.

It may have been ten years since the album's predecessor, but Lippok and Jestram have kept active with other projects. They’ve collaborated with Masha Qrella, Immersion, and Iggy Pop; worked on radio plays with Kai Grehn, some based on the writing of Nick Cave (»The Sick Bag Song«, featuring Tilda Swinton, Paula Beer and Alexander Fehling) and William S. Burroughs (»The Cat Inside«); and made music for several radio-tatorts (radio plays based on »Tatort«, a long-running German police TV series) by playwright Tom Peuckert.

Both voracious and committed in their creative energies, Jestram and Lippok report back from these experiments with »Nuts of Ay«, one of their most compelling, deeply lustrous, dreamlike albums yet. They say there was no concept for the album, which is surprising, perhaps, given its holistic mood, explaining it »grew together like a coral reef in the studio over a period of several years«. There’s something to be said for letting an album gather and mutate naturally, without an overarching framework in place, and »Nuts of Ay« certainly feels like an unforced collection of material that nonetheless inhabits a similar space, one where guitars twist like driftwood next to amorphous, aqueous electronics, Lippok’s droll yet completely convincing vocal delivery riding songs that pulse and plume with curious, unpredictable rhythms.

But you can also hear elements – submerged but still present – of other music that’s inspired the duo: they’ve drawn some connections for us with psychedelic folk, Bowie in Berlin, Burial, and the film music of Popol Vuh and Krzysztof Komeda. This music shares a strong sense of place – whether in the world, or the mind – and the twelve songs on »Nuts of Ay« have such similar presence; a shared mood, a shared world, a shared sense of the possibilities of what electronic pop music could, and should, be. A bold and brave pop experiment.

Artwork by Carsten Nicolai
Mastering by Bo Kondren, Calyx Berlin

»Trapdoor Spider«, »On Waves and Years« & »Breaking Day«: lyrics by Milner Place
»All Nuns«: lyrics by Derek Jarman
»USA«: lyrics by Shane MacGowan
»Down Comes the Goose«: lyrics from a traditional song
»Forever Blowing Bubbles«: lyrics by Jaan Kenbrovin
»Everybody Had a Hard Year«: lyrics by John Lennon

Continuing the theme of bringing through up and coming talent, Western Lore snaps up rising Manchester star, WDDS for his very first vinyl release.

After continuous support for his expertly crafted beats (previously digitally self released and via Repertoire Music) on Dead Man’s Chest’s SWU & Kool FM radio shows, Lore LTD sees the release of a trio of WDDS’ most heavyweight tunes on wax. Spaceship Riddim Jungle Tool is an utter dance floor destroyer. With an instantly recognisable and energy lifting hook and an all out assault of bassline heaven and amenisim to match, this rhythm is guaranteed to make a rave lift off.

Track A2 steps into Footwork territory, with a dance floor weapon of an entirely different ilk, pairing looped up vocal cuts with swung out and percussive drum machine rhythms, while the B side drifts back into rugged amen territory, this time drenched in deep sub and organic ambience

Genau zwei Jahre nach 'Ha Ha Heartbreak' kehrt Warhaus, das Soloprojekt von Maarten Devoldere, mit dem vierten Studioalbum zurück: 'Karaoke Moon'. Wer sich noch an den herzzerreißenden Vorgänger erinnert, wird vom Opener von 'Karaoke Moon', der ersten Single 'Where The Names Are Real', überrascht sein. Devoldere hatte nach zwei Jahren disziplinierter, mönchsgleicher Arbeit mehr als 50 Songs geschrieben. Doch was sagte Produzent Jasper Maekelberg, als er diese Demos einreichte? „Das kannst du besser.“ Die beiden musikalischen Seelenverwandten verbrachten darauf neun intensive Monate in einem Dachgeschossstudio in Brügge. Das Ergebnis ist das bisher aufregendste Warhaus Album.

In 'Karaoke Moon' spielt Warhaus mit unseren modernen Ansichten über Männlichkeit. Mit subtilem Humor umgeht er Unbehagen und macht sich mit zweischneidigem Witz über sich selbst und seinesgleichen lustig. Oft scheint es, als würde Devoldere mit seinen eigenen Gedanken schattenboxen und mit den heimlichen Gedanken seines Unterbewusstseins jonglieren. Die Kontraste in 'Karaoke Moon' lassen dieses Album mit jedem Anhören wachsen und verführen dazu, Schicht für Schicht, Zeile für Zeile tiefer in Warhaus einzigartiges Universum einzutauchen.

Genau zwei Jahre nach 'Ha Ha Heartbreak' kehrt Warhaus, das Soloprojekt von Maarten Devoldere, mit dem vierten Studioalbum zurück: 'Karaoke Moon'. Wer sich noch an den herzzerreißenden Vorgänger erinnert, wird vom Opener von 'Karaoke Moon', der ersten Single 'Where The Names Are Real', überrascht sein. Devoldere hatte nach zwei Jahren disziplinierter, mönchsgleicher Arbeit mehr als 50 Songs geschrieben. Doch was sagte Produzent Jasper Maekelberg, als er diese Demos einreichte? „Das kannst du besser.“ Die beiden musikalischen Seelenverwandten verbrachten darauf neun intensive Monate in einem Dachgeschossstudio in Brügge. Das Ergebnis ist das bisher aufregendste Warhaus Album.

In 'Karaoke Moon' spielt Warhaus mit unseren modernen Ansichten über Männlichkeit. Mit subtilem Humor umgeht er Unbehagen und macht sich mit zweischneidigem Witz über sich selbst und seinesgleichen lustig. Oft scheint es, als würde Devoldere mit seinen eigenen Gedanken schattenboxen und mit den heimlichen Gedanken seines Unterbewusstseins jonglieren. Die Kontraste in 'Karaoke Moon' lassen dieses Album mit jedem Anhören wachsen und verführen dazu, Schicht für Schicht, Zeile für Zeile tiefer in Warhaus einzigartiges Universum einzutauchen.

"Entitled Silêncio, the new album is due in September and will arrive as a natural continuation of the first, featuring songs that had been left out as well as those that were part of Nigro's shows with the band. ""The songs have come to life. Today I feel more confident about doing my own thing, more assured. I want to propose this listening to silence, to the hidden subtleties that are revealed in existence"", he concludes.

Recording the first album was a personal adventure with an uncertain destination. Apocalip Se embodies this feeling of conducting an internal investigation, a rediscovery from the inside out. On the new album, the image on the cover is about being open, with your hands absorbing the outside, feeling the power of nature reflected in its greatness,"" Nigro reflects.

""I always woke up at 4 a.m. to the sound of a variety of birdsongs, and I kept thinking 'what are these birds saying? Do they even think about us?'"". The artist then composed the instrumental part with his guitar and sent it to the poet Eveline Sin suggesting this theme, and she responded years later, at the time of the recording of Apocalip Se. The song was formed in several movements, also bringing together pianist and partner Dustan Gallas, with a new arrangement featuring more than 20 musicians, taking the new version to another level of interpretation. As for the construction of the melodies, Nigro reflects: ""I think the voice is an instrument, a fascinating harmonic instrument"". In addition to producing for numerous well-known artists, such as Russo Passapusso, Francisco el Hombre, Curumin, and Anelis Assumpção, onalbums that have marked the history of independent Brazilian music, Zé Nigro has used his role as a singer as a long experiment in self-knowledge."

With "Ululo", pianist and composer Koki Nakano immerses us in the depths of his emotions, carried by the striking voices of Jordy, WAYNE SNOW and Yael Naim. For his fourth album, Japanese pianist and composer Koki Nakano moves beyond the conceptual to reveal an intimate and visceral musical expression, a reflection of his deep emotions. Each piece conveys the desire and passion of a cry. The title "Ululo" (which translates to "Howl" or "Cry" in Latin) echoes a childhood memory of being in his father"s arms, yearning to touch the moon. This unfulfilled desire, reminiscent of a famous haiku by famous poet Issa Kobayashi, symbolizes his early realization of his limitations in the face of the vastness of the world and the seemingly unattainable. Koki reinvents himself with a unique fusion of piano and modern vocal collaborations. He is joined by UK rap sensation Jordy and the captivating voices of WAYNE SNOW and Yael Naim. He offers an avant-garde music style distinguished by its emotional simplicity and sonic depth. Beyond virtuosity, Koki explores his classical sensibilities by blending subtle ambient textures with his poignant and sophisticated melodies. While "Ululo" is a cry of frustration with melancholic tones, it is also romantic, filled with beauty, humor, and light.

The dark lord of the dance returns to Sneaker with the 'No Favours' EP, another ominous set of non-conformist shellers rough-cut from obsidian and set in steel.

We first broadcast our love of Christoph de Babalon's distinctively destructive, hard-boiled hardcore via the Evident Ware compilation back in 2020, but a longer release has been an ambition of ours ever since. From his early years on Digital Hardcore through his prolific return in the 2010s across a broad tapestry of underground operators, de Babalon has left a fascinating trail of albums, EPs and scattershot tracks behind him that feed into the cult fervour around his music.

As this EP demonstrates in reliably gritty fashion, the magic in the German producer's music lies in his ability to take the tropes of jungle and hardcore and subvert them through signal chains which owe more to noise and industrial than dance music. The structure of his tracks is equally maverick, pushing and pulling according to its own whims rather than following the dancer-centric energetic flow of a standard club record. Somewhere in this alchemy between classic ingredients and confrontational experimentation, he evokes the original chaotic spirit of hardcore when it seemed anything was possible within the music.

'For Nothing' is the perfect example — a tunnelling odyssey of ferrous atmospheres, roundhouse drums and bass bloated into the red on a force-fed diet of saturation. 'Total Deceit' turns up the pressure on the break chopping science de Babalon is capable of, teasing gamelan flurries and elegiac swirls that hit at the emotional depth he can wrench amidst such bludgeoning material. 'Jaded Memory' funnels Mentasm bass into a strange new form amidst staggering, tightly clipped drumfunk, leaving enough space for haunting ballroom reveries stretching out across the mid-section. That leaves it to 'Dearth Mill' to mop up with gloriously creepy detuned piano notes slopping over each other in between the most ferocious blasts of drums on the whole record.

You didn't expect something straight-forward, did you?

A1 Northern Lights
Darkly, tense tones take center stage as Northern Lights kicks the LP off, introduced with an eerie synth before classic, striking old school breaks that aficionados will recall from the likes of John Bs Secrets drop, chopped expertly by our Spatial duo to create a quietly vengeful beat pattern with heavy kicks and a unique stuttering detail. Circling menacingly around the mix we are treated to swathes of choral detail, subtle vocal samples and shimmering ambience..

A2 Sunset on Mars
Showcasing the strengths of both producers through a delightfully rich atmosphere, Sunset on Mars opens with soothing echoed effects that ooze a welcoming sense of wonder. Delicate in composition yet still packing a punch, the breaks sit over a sumptuous deep sub bassline which carries our journey through simple key melodies, vivid mood-changing synths superbly to create a pure, wholesome atmospheric bliss.

B1 Totality
Dominant hats and cymbals surf the peaks of the mix early in Totality, detailed old school breakbeats quickly seizing our attention constructed with an effortless attention to detail. A stark, thick atmosphere is carved from a broad backdrop of sound blending vocals and synths, enveloping the listener with a dense, bleak soundscape that develops continually as the breaks roll on with memorable intent.

B2 Reincarnation
A deeply evocative, interstellar intro opens Reincarnation, generating images of lonely spacewalks with trademark Spatial aplomb. The vibe continues through a barrage of heavy analogue amens which crush the mix, edited with a chunky, commanding panache. The listener can picture pillars of isolation and thundering defiance dancing in duality as the elements weave their way fluidly throughout.

C1 Seraphim
Into an intense, epically atmospheric piece next as Seraphim channels the spirit of yesterday for a journey into the souls core via scene-trademark Hot Pants breaks, a moody 808 bassline and swirling atmospheric pads, melodies & synths. Layered with detailed FX demanding repeated listens to soak it all in, Seraphim is a special track which will take over your setlist and the journey home.

C2 Prism of Light
Sit back and relax to another slice of classic atmospheric bliss with Prism of Light, opening with a DJ-friendly hi hat intro before melodic synths generate an instantly unforgettable late-90s vibe. Hot Pants breaks drive us forward with a wondrously simple yet effective mix of 2 step and double kick edits, as blissful ambient washes and vocal hits are drizzled over the mix. Delightful.

D1 Harmonic Function A uniquely constructed beat pattern guaranteed to move you opens Harmonic Function, building up from rushing cymbals and hats intertwined with a fantastic crunchy, metallic half-time snare. Throw in a slew of mournful melodies and blanketed pad work around the mix and youre left with a superbly laid back yet danceable piece from ASC & Aural Imbalance, continually innovating in their music as ever on Spatial.

D2 Fade to Grey
Old school rhythms are on the agenda as our duo close out the album with a tense, meandering exploration through space, circling the planets through mellowed out beats before a layer of dense, analogue breaks are added to the mix as the atmosphere escalates. Exquisitely programmed vocals provide texture and feeling, while an understated bassline rumbling on below, completing a timeless collage of sound.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Recorded by McIlroy’s long-time friend and musical associate, Big A, the songs are laden with cracked harmonies and homemade instruments, including found materials used as percussion. The pair drew on the talents of fellow travellers for backing vocals and rhythm tracks which has resulted in the live outfit expanding to a three piece, with Ben Price (bass) and Charlie Garson (drums) on board.
Commenting on the writing process McIlroy explains:
“It was written during a period of madness and adverse offending behaviours. The songs dash from one theme to another and reflect the mistaken beliefs we cling to when our perceived realities are threatened. It’s also got jokes.”
Opposing a streaming culture that values top tracks and playlists, the record is intended to be heard in one sitting, with Side A showcasing more extroverted songs, in all their loudmouth braggadocio, and Side B being more introspective and honest.

Jan Anderzén - living in Tampere, Finland - is a collage artist making music, quilts, drawings, mosaics, videos and other things. From him, among a few others, sprang the The River of Finland. A stream that shook the European underground for infinity, back from the years 2005 and up. Jan is/was involved in acts like Kemialliset Ystävät, Avarus, Tomutonttu and The Anaksimandros. When in the past some of that River of Finland tasted like a fermented ocean of mycelia - today it tastes different, like sparkling water.

Halki pilvien - transl. Trough the clouds - brings exactly what one expects from the clouds. It is a collection of soft and gentle movements, as playful as a ‘Jan Anderzén type of music’ is always. A collection of patterns that solidify for just a brief moment in time, before sublimating in the back of the mind. This album is in constant motion.

Push play. A warped piano and cartoonish SFX’s might foretell a hyperreal approach to music. Yet while the champion of hyperrealism, Noah Creshevsky, describes his music as being written in a language we already understand (realism) yet in an exaggerated manner (hyper) - I have to add that things on this album do not sound exaggerated at all. Moreover, i have the feeling that somehow on this work, Jan is trying to underwhelm us. In the best possible way. Because clouds float trough and dissolve. Thus instead of hyperrealism, is Jan maybe speaking to us in a certain Serenerealism? Or Mildrealism?

What Jan’s music does have in common with Creshevsky’s is the no rush part. Listening to Halki pilvien makes time non-directional. The music seems to be designed to be played over and over again. This music has no direct impact like one can experience at a punk show, or at a classical music concert. This music is not that one gigantic raincloud covering the world dark. Quite the opposite, it is a pattern of clouds and clearings, floating over the lands. Trough this music a shadow play appears. This music is durable.

And it is when the sounds are at its faintest, that Jan touches the core: in the smallest detail, we find the fullest musical information.

Mord sublabel: Kazerne

Born in Recife, Brazil, and currently residing in Lisbon, Sam Nóbrega is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer.Influenced by the Brazilian melodies his parents sang and listened to at home and on the radio, and driven by his love for Brazilian folk songs, street culture, and genres and movements like samba funk, forró, Ijexá, Manguebeat, and Bossa Nova, Sam embarked on a journey of musical self-discovery. In 2017, he took the stage with his first shows presenting his original music, performing at the Misturada festival in Florianópolis, southern Brazil, and at renowned venues in his hometown. However, it was in 2019 that Sam Nóbrega unveiled his debut single, "A Vida Vai e Volta," showcasing his instrumental prowess in a live video on top of a building. Subsequent releases like "Ruas Desertas," an independent release during the pandemic, demonstrated Sam's versatility.

His debut album "Ponta de Dois Lados," produced by Sam and Pedro Diniz, is slated for release by the British label Freestyle Records late November 2024. It is a rich sonic tapestry of Brazilian culture, blending traditional and popular elements with an indie and contemporary touch, creating an intriguing fusion of old and new sounds. Influences from João Donato, Marcos Valle, Milton Nascimento, Jorge Ben, Gilberto Gil, Novos Baianos, to the Manguebeat, Tropicalismo, and Vanguarda Paulista movements.

Das 12-Track-Set ist die jüngste Erweiterung eines Katalogs, der 1972 mit Whatever’s For Us begann.
Diese LP begründete die herausragende Karriere, die zu MBE- und CBE-Auszeichnungen, Ivor Novello und
BASCA Gold Badge Awards für Songwriting, BRIT- und Grammy-Nominierungen, zahllosen Ehrentiteln
und vielem mehr geführt hat. Wie üblich in ihrer jüngeren Geschichte ist das neue Album ein Triumph der
Selbstständigkeit, das Joan komplett selbst geschrieben, produziert, programmiert und aufgenommen hat.
How Did This Happen... wird von Armatradings Legionen von Anhängern und neuen Fans gleichermaßen
schnell als Meisterklasse im Songwriting und bei den Aufnahmen anerkannt werden. Auf einem Bett
aus Melodien und Arrangements, die abwechselnd unmittelbar und subtil sind, webt sie einen lyrischen
Wandteppich, der sowohl individuelle als auch universelle Themen mit ihrer charakteristischen Gewandtheit
und ihrem leichten Charme berührt, ganz zu schweigen von zwei aufsehenerregenden Instrumentalstücken.