Suche:the ballads

Despite immense challenges, SOYUZ have delivered a career-defining album in KROK.
“Krok” means “step” in Belarusian - and for Alex Chumak and his band this word comes with a lot of meaning. It’s the title and theme that ran throughout СОЮЗ (SOYUZ)'s fourth album, reflecting the journeys the band has navigated in recent years, having moved to Warsaw due to political unrest in their homeland of Belarus and the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Embracing the uncertainty became both the inspiration and main lyrical theme for Alex Chumak, SOYUZ’ composer and arranger, who also decided to go a step further and change the language in which he writes songs from Russian, which is used as lingua franca in many post-Soviet countries, to his native Belarusian. The result is nine songs about dreams and outer space, ordinary miracles, things very close and very distant at the same time.

In early 2022, Chumak and original members, Mikita Arlou and Anton Nemahai, joined tens of thousands of Belarusians seeking safety abroad. Resettling in Warsaw, the band released Force of the Wind in October 2022, garnering widespread acclaim, a string of major European gigs, and led to Polish musicians Albert Karch and Igor Wiśniewski joining the band.

Deeper and more melancholic than previous works, KROK is quintessentially SOYUZ, laced with hope, dreams and a celebration of life. Given the difficulties with finding rehearsal and recording spaces in Warsaw and the departure of the drummer Anton Nemahai from the band, Chumak explored alternative options. He reached out to friend and fellow musical collaborator, Sessa, about the possibility of recording the new album in his recently finished studio in São Paulo, with Sessa and Biel Basile coming onboard as recording engineers.

At the tail end of 2024, Chumak and SOYUZ’ new drummer, Albert Karch, made the trip to São Paulo to record the first sessions for KROK. Laid down directly to tape, these sessions featured prominent Brazilian musicians Sessa, Biel Basile, and Marcelo Cabral, with a guest vocal feature by Tim Bernardes recorded at a later date. The final touches were then added back in Europe. Lush string and woodwind arrangements written by Chumak and Karch were recorded at the Polish Radio studio in Warsaw, and Rhodes parts were added by Chumak at Sven Wunder’s studio in Stockholm.

Though primarily recorded in Brazil, KROK is not a Brazilian or MPB album. It blends the band’s Eastern European roots with jazz, folk and global influences. The genre of the music is hardly identifiable: there are folk ballads and jazz-driven pop compositions covered in lush and often dissonant string and woodwind arrangements where each note is placed with care and meaning behind it.

The title track was the first song Chumak wrote in Belarusian as an adult, making for a fitting opener and one of the band’s finest tracks. Darker than most of SOYUZ’ songs, the tensions lift and lighten as the track progresses. The cinematic library jazz of 'Voo Livre', with ghostly vocals sung by Ciça Góes and Ina, feels like a modern twist on the Italian library composer Alessandro Alessandroni through its sublime choir and woodwind orchestration. Elsewhere, the heartfelt 'Lingua Do Mundo', composed, written, and sung by Chumak and the incredible Tim Bernardes, features one of the standout string arrangements from Chumak and Karch. 'Cichi Karahod' is an instant SOYUZ classic, almost Pat Metheny-esque as it opens, with the acoustic guitar and bass riff transitioning into jazzy AOR / pop-folk territory. The record closes with 'Smak žyćcia', a gentle, dreamy spoken-word poetry piece in Japanese by singer-songwriter Manami Kakudo.

Men in Love is a collaborative concept album by Irvine Welsh and The Sci-Fi Soul Orchestra, exploring the complexities of love, relationships, and the human condition. The album blends classic Motown and disco influences with contemporary electronic dance production, creating a unique and powerful sound that is both nostalgic and fresh.

From soaring anthems to intimate ballads, Men in Love takes the listener on a journey through the highs and lows of romance, celebrating the power of connection, vulnerability, and the enduring search for love in a chaotic world.

The album will be released concurrently with Welsh's new novel, also titled Men in Love. The book is a sequel to Welsh's seminal work, Trainspotting, and continues the story of Renton, Sick Boy, Spud, Begbie, and other beloved characters. The album serves as a sonic companion to the novel, with its themes, lyrics, and musical atmosphere reflecting the experience and inner turmoil of its characters. The album also introduces The Sci-Fi Soul Orchestra, a unique musical entity with their own unique music releases in the pipeline

Harap-Alb is the first full-length album by Articulat, following a trilogy of EPs (two released on vinyl) and previous appearances on Rotterdam’s Afrobotic Musicology label. This new project deepens Articulat’s commitment to narrative-rich electronic music — blending structure, rhythm, and texture to evoke both dancefloor tension and cinematic storytelling.

“This album began as a personal exploration—an attempt to deconstruct a story that has been familiar to me since childhood and reimagine it through sound. I first encountered Harap Alb as a crackling, timeworn radio play on vinyl, and its atmosphere has lingered with me ever since. This is my way of keeping that story alive—not by preserving it in amber but by passing it forward in a different form, hoping it resonates in a new way.”

Perhaps, years from now, someone will discover this record the same way I found the original. And in doing so, they too will add their own craft and love to the tale.

Based on the 1964 radio play adaptation by Vasile Mănuceanu
Original story: Povestea lui Harap Alb, written by Ion Creangă in 1877

Majestic Fantasies, debut album from the duo Space Ghost & Teddy Bryant, is the second release on Space Ghost’s new record label, Peace World Records. Produced by Space Ghost, with Teddy Bryant’s powerful vocals at the forefront, this new album sees the two artists effortlessly blend their shared influences from the late '80s and early '90s.

Over three years in the making, in Majestic Fantasies Space Ghost & Teddy Bryant look to the past for inspiration as they explore genres, techniques, and moods. Across the record, Bryant’s vocals shine as he demonstrates a strong ability to create memorable nostalgic hooks and catchy backing harmonies. Similarly, Ghost displays his knack for dissecting vintage production tropes and breathing life into them in a modern context.

Filled with underground, soulful gems, Majestic Fantasies draws deeply from the duo's passion for R&B, UK Street Soul, New Jack Swing, House, and G-Funk. Their 10-track LP freely blend these genres, paying homage to song writers like Teddy Riley, Jam & Lewis, Carl McIntosh, an DeVante Swing. On the album you’ll find tracks like “Some Things Last Forever” which explore New Jack Swing drum patterns and vocal hooks. Additionally the record holds dancefloor-ready House tracks including “Majestic Fantasies”’ and “Unconditional” which sit side by side with heartfelt ballads such as “Cheer Me Up, ” and “Ultimate Love, ”

Although the two have never met in person, Space Ghost and Teddy Bryant still find a way to connect through their music. Throughout the album, they demonstrate a mutual understanding of the sound they like to produce together: tasteful and playful love songs that feel positive and optimistic, bringing classic songwriting styles from the past into the modern music landscape.

Majestic Fantasies lands on Peace World Records June 13th, 2025.

Solo project of ARIA-nominated Hudson Whitlock of Surprise Chef, who have 45 million+ Spotify streams, and The Cactus Channel who have 40 million+ Spotify streams. Album features members of Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo.

Melbourne, Australia's indie-soul wunderkind Brenda, solo project of Surprise Chef's Hudson Whitlock, make their College Of Knowledge debut with two heartbreaking, moody ballads 'Where Did I Go Wrong?' and 'Family'.

2025 Repress

Searchlight Moonbeam is the new narrative compilation from Time Is Away (Jack Rollo and Elaine Tierney) whose eponymous monthly NTS Radio shows, tinctured fusions of fugitive sounds and reverie-inducing archival speech, have won them an ardent following. It follows from the London-based duo’s Ballads, a remarkable driftwerk released on A Colourful Storm in 2022.


Searchlight Moonbeam is an autumnal dreamscape, intimate and vespertine, pensive and irresolute. An imagined community where differences drop off and resonances emerge – between Maher Shalal Hash Baz affiliates Kasumi Trio, Taiwanese score composer Chen Ming Chang whose ‘Rainwater’ (written for Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s 1986 film Dust In The Wind) is exquisitely heartbroken, and the plangent improvisations of self-taught French pianist Delphine Dora.


Revelations are frequent: the bedsit isolationism of Bo Harwood and John Cassavetes’ ‘No One Around to Hear It’ (from The Killing of a Chinese Bookie); the narked minimalism of Klang (an early 2000s band formed by ex-Elastica guitarist and featuring prize-winning experimental novelist Isabel Waidner on bass); the etude-grooves and echoic wobble of below-the-radar French avant-gardists Omertà ; the beautiful, plaintively dubby ‘Is It You?’ by Slapp Happy; a psych-tinged reimagining of PiL’s ‘Poptones’ by Simon Fisher Turner (one half of Deux Filles, and here, recording for él as The King of Luxembourg) that's as perverse as the cover of Throbbing Gristle’s 20 Jazz Funk Greats.


Searchlight Moonbeam is the musical analog of an Italo Calvino novel or a medieval fable. Associative, intuitive, borderless. Emotional and mysterious. Endowed with the tactility of Braille. A private language that is both unknowable and understood. It is a record of the seasons, for the seasons.

2023 marks the tenth anniversary of Time Is Away’s first broadcast. Featuring an evocative essay by writer Jeremy Atherton Lin and disarming cover art by Penny Davenport, Searchlight Moonbeam showcases Rollo and Tierney’s still-unrivalled talent for gloaming melodies, disques du crépuscule, ensorcelled storytelling.

We are excited to announce the first reissue of Tony Scott's iconic “Manteca” album originally released in 1973. This 180-gram vinyl audiophile edition captures the essence of a true master of contaminated jazz, allowing listeners to experience Tony Scott's vibrant artistry like never before.
Originally described in the album’s liner notes by Sam Charters, "Manteca" embodies the spirit of the jazz musician’s journey—a testament to durability, warmth, and exuberance. Charters notes, “You have to be durable these days to be a jazz man... a musician like Tony Scott has the kind of personality that it takes to be a jazz man today” — a sentiment that perfectly encapsulates the artist's incredible career.

From the bustling club scene of New York in the 1950s to captivating audiences in Japan, Scott's journey brought him to Sweden in the summer of 1973, where he collaborated with exceptional local musicians. The result was a collection of vibrant, uptempo jazz tracks combined with reflective ballads, showcasing the remarkable versatility and inventiveness of Scott's clarinet, baritone, and even his distinctive scat vocals.

The album opens with the titular track "Manteca," setting an exhilarating tone that endures until the final, almost sinister note of "One For Topsy." Complemented by an all-star lineup, including bassist Sture Nordin, drummer Ed Thigpen and legendary percussionist Sabu Martinez, this session embodies the international spirit of jazz—a genre that transcends boundaries and unites souls.

This audiophile edition has been meticulously remastered to provide an unparalleled listening experience, preserving the authenticity of the original while ensuring superior sound quality. With only a limited amount produced, this vinyl reissue is a must-have for collectors and jazz aficionados alike.
Join us in celebrating the reemergence of Tony Scott's "Manteca," a true landmark in jazz history, and immerse yourself in the dynamic sounds that have inspired generations.

First official vinyl reissue

180g virgin vinyl pressing from Pallas / Germany

350g. cover

Original artwork and liner notes

Recorded in Stockholm in 1973

Besides achieving a very personal and characteristic sound, John Coltrane opened the way to free jazz.

10 years later, his voice can be heard across the globe. Since emerging as a teenage outsider- artist, he has released 4 albums and 4 mixtapes, constantly building momentum with no sign of slowing down.

Creatively restless, Yung Leans influence spills out from him uncontrollably. He presents captivating abstractions of Scandinavian trance, 2010's trap and haunting piano ballads under a single moniker, collaborating with artists as diverse as FKA Twigs, Skrillex and Dean Blunt.

Frost God is Yung Lean's second mixtape. Produced by Gud, Whitearmor, Acea, Woesum and Shlohmo the mixtape features guest appearances from Adamn Killa, Luckaleann of Goth Money, Bladee and A$AP Ferg of A$AP Mob.

25 killer library music cuts by the German film music maestro on audiophile pressing in deluxe 2x10" set. Uberrare and never released before material from 1968-1976, sourced from Peter Thomas' personal reel-to-reel tape archive. Limited edition of 500 pieces.

From brassy big band funk, space jazz, krauty synth experiments to proto-hiphop, cosmic schlagers, heavy easy listening, soulful soundtrack moods and absurdly dreamy LSD ballads, this compilation encompasses the composer's most obscure and yet most transcendent work.

Peter Thomas is widely acknowledged as Germany's most inventive film music composer of the 1960s and 1970, best known for his iconic soundtrack work. He scored over 600 films and episodes, from the crime blockbusters of Jerry Cotton and Edgar Wallace to indie arthouse films like Playgirl, Bruce Lee's The Big Boss and the extraterrestrial Space Patrol and Chariot of the Gods.

His recordings for music libraries often provided an even more leftfield approach. Their visionary 'dope beats' appeal provoked a keen interest from vinyl aficionados, beatmakers and rare groove DJs alike. Unavailable for the public, the original "for professional usage only" albums are now sought-after collector's items that fetch astronomic prices on the 2ndhand market.

This double 10" album is the definite selection of Thomas' best library cues from the Golden Ring Records, KPM and DeWolfe catalogues, many of them available publicly for the first time - plus four recently unearthed "lost" tracks from Warner Chappell's CPM Archive series that have never been released on vinyl before. All music was carefully transferred from Peter Thomas' private master tapes and cut in full dynamics, housed in a beautiful fold-out cover with liner notes and private pictures. The compilation was realised in cooperation with Peter Thomas' son Philip who takes care of the Peter Thomas Sound Orchester catalogue after his father's death in 2020.

Formed in Edinburgh in 1992, The Kaisers set out to bring the excitement and joi de vivre of the early ‘60s beat era back to the Scottish music scene. Armed with junk shop guitars and tiny amplifiers, they quickly gained a reputation as one of the country’s most exciting live bands, belting out forgotten rock ‘n’ roll gems and their own period-perfect compositions with unsurpassed rawness. As their fame spread, they were soon firing their beat salvos at audiences from America to Japan. The broadcasting authorities took notice and radio sessions for John Peel, Mark Radcliffe and many others followed, both at home and abroad. The Kaisers released seven albums plus many singles and EPs – all on vinyl and always in mono. One EP was recorded during a particularly wild night at New York’s famous CBGB. Although their records featured plenty of the good-humoured sonic violence that their fans craved, heartfelt yet visceral ballads were never off the musical menu. After a 13 year hibernation, The Kaisers returned to the stage via the festivals circuit and continue to appear at festivals across Europe. The resurgence of interest in the band has led to the writing and recording of a brand-new album ‘More From The Kaisers’, due for release on the 28th of June, 2024.

Death Is Not The End together all three LP volumes of the critically acclaimed If I Had a Pair of Wings LP compilation series for a bundled edition.

"...all of the music on this compilation is the result of the forward-thinking artists and producers that realised the worth of local Jamaican artistry during a time when the island's leading political figures had not yet managed to throw off the colonial yolk. These are sounds with a certain innocence and the optimistic promise of better to come, with the influence of American pop ballads and doo-wop looming large, yet already pointing to the innovations of the future. Listen keenly and take in the sounds of the Jamaican music industry at its very beginnings, its singers and players drawing from the popular styles of the island's larger neighbour and already changing those styles into something their own." - David Katz

Lauren Laverne's comp of the week on BBC Radio 6 Music w/c 11th Jan.

As a complete artist, Luna Maria Cedron gently and melancholy brings together the influences and facets of her existence. Behind her alias, Fiesta En El Vacio, the artist summons a number of Latin musicalities that make her career: Castilian flamenco, popular ballads from Venezuela meet the new generations of urban music: reggaeton rythms and sharp electronics. The uncompromising texts leave no alternative: this record claims the emancipation of women, the fight against this order of things that no longer suits anyone. Fiesta En El Vacio is a cry from the heart for and an encouragement to hope.

You never have to guess what Tink’s thinking. The Chicago-born songstress and rapper says it all in her music. She spits, speaks, and sings straight from the heart without filter or apology. At the same time, she breaks boundaries, dropping off bars with uncontainable charisma and belting out hooks with show-stopping range. She can be romantic in one crescendo before getting raw in a bout of wild wordplay. This versatility consistently affirms her as a force in her own lane. Following her 2011 debut mixtape, “Winter’s Diary,” she dropped projects at a prolific pace, including “Alter Ego,” ‘Blunts & Ballads,” and “Boss Up.” 2014 saw “Winter’s Diary 2: Forever Yours” arrive to widespread critical acclaim, landing on year-end R&B album lists from Billboard and Rolling Stone. It also yielded “Treat Me Like Somebody,” which gathered 64 million Spotify streams and counting. A year later, XXL touted her among its coveted “Freshman Class.” Following a stint in the major label system, she embraced independence again with “Winter’s Diary 4” 2016, “Voicemails” 2019, “Hopeless Romantic” 2020, “A Gift And A Curse” 2020, and “Pillow Talk” (2023).

EXTREME return in 2023 with their brand new studio album “SIX”. The multi-million selling hard rockers present 12 tracks ranging from funk-tinged bangers to soaring ballads as only EXTREME can deliver. Spearheaded by the songwriting team of vocalist Gary Cherone and guitarist Nuno Bettencourt (who blessed the world with chart toppers like “More Than Words” and “Hole Hearted”), “SIX“ is an essential addition to EXTREME’s discography. The album opener and first single “RISE” will immediately fire up legions of anxious fans with its signature riff. Elsewhere, “OTHER SIDE OF THE RAINBOW” showcases EXTREME’s gift for passionate acoustic magic. EXTREME are back with “SIX“ – everything the fans have been waiting for. Formats; CD, 2LP Black, 2LP Ltd Transparent, 2LP Ltd Red & Black Marble.

Jazz music has more than its fair share of overshadowed figures that whilst contributing much to the music have little presence in its collective conscious. One such musician is the talented multi-reedist, Sahib Shihab. Born Edmond Gregory, as he was known before he adopted the Muslim faith in 1946, Sahib Shihab's music background shows a deep and significant evolution, influenced by Thelonious Monk, Dizzie Gillespie (his experience in Dizzie's band marked Sahib's switch to Baritone, the instrument he became most readily associated with), and above all by Charlie Parker's Bop. Had it not been for the post-war migration of many top American jazz musicians to Europe, it is quite likely that the legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band might never come into existence. Sahib, one of this musicians disillusioned with the politics and racism of the United States, accepted to join the band of Quincy Jones for an European tour in 1959. When the tour ended, Shihab he remained in Europe where he joined, in 1961, the Clarke-Boland Big Band. The collection 'Companionship', whose line up consists of seven elements which derives from this original band, spotlights the consummate musicianship and individuality of Sahib Shihab and is testimony to his special musical gifts - not only as a top-rank flautist and baritone saxophone but also as a composer. Furthermore, it provides a welcome reminder of the high quality of the Clarke-Boland Big Band's rhythm section, the lively style of vibraphonist Fats Sadi and the power and personality of two of the C-BBB's horn-playing stalwarts, Benny Bailey and Ake Persson. Here's a real rarity, surely a desert island disc. This double album has it all from frantic banging percussive workouts to modal numbers to beautiful ballads. It's a staggeringly good piece of music and worth every penny of the price tag it commands. Let's have a look to the most significant pieces. Francy Boland's "Om Mani Padme Hum", taken from a Tibetan prayer, shows Shihab in exuberant mood, playing against a vigorous percussion background and making dramatic use of his special technique of combining voice and flute. Boland contributes an incisive, effervescent solo. "Bohemia After Dark", a classic original by bassist Oscar Pettiford which he first recorded back in August 1955, finds Shihab in exultant form on baritone. "Companionship" has a Bossa Nova beat and features Bailey on flugelhorn and Shihab on flute, playing with a limpid, floating sound. Bailey's minor-key original, "Stoned Ghosts" was, he says, inspired by listening to some music written by Bela Bartok before he emigrated to the United States. The piece has an infectious back-beat pulse and showcases the superb walking technique of Jimmy Woode. In "Con Alma" Shihab's mellow flute set against a churning 12/8 beat in this stylish Boland arrangement. Woode's performance of the superb Mei Torme ballad, "Born To Be Blue", reveals his great affection for the song. "lt is the perfect combination," he says, "a beautiful melody married to a great lyric. I really love that tune." It is a song of rueful resignation, putting a brave face on the blues. "Balafon" is an up-tempo Francy Boland original written for the French mime artist, Marcel Marceau. The rhythm section really cooks on this track with Kenny Clarke's cymbal work outstanding. Boland's solo here is notable for its neat, left hand punctuations. "Calypso Blues" has been written by Nat King Cole and Don George. lt tells the wry and wistful tale of a Trinidadian in New York desperately homesick for the land where everything 5 so much cheaper (in New York "a dollar buy, a cup of coffee and a ham on rye") and the girls more natural than the artificial, painted beauties of New York. Woode's composition, "Sconsolato" is a haunting theme in A minor and it brings to a close a truly fascinating album. This is dynamic music played with vigour, verve and vitality - and it is an enormous pleasure to rediscover it. A shadowy fugitive from his home in the land of jazz, Sahib Shihab remains a true unsung figure, worthy of more attention. With his equally expert technique on Baritone, Flute, Alto and Soprano saxophones and his capacity to adapt easily to a variety of musical settings. His warm, individual, singsong sound in improvisation and his unusual and interesting compositions mark him out as a hidden treasure in the dusty corners of jazz archive.

It was a quiet period but Macadam Mambo is back to present a new LP by the greek musician Yannis Veslemes.

The confirmed artist -who has previously appeared on labels such as Byrd Out, Invisble Inc., Won Ton, Optimo Music or Into The Light, under different projects : Felizol, Steamcut,Sportex or his own name, and composed for movies OST -started to integrate Macadam Mambo on the latest compilation Danzas Electricas vol. 3, and very naturaly proposed his new album. It needs to be said what an honnor to receive such quality music. In term of composition, production and universeit’s a land of influences and uniqueness, in which you will recognise a bit of Yello, Coil, Nick Cave or Igor Wakhevitch vibes embrassing folkloric greek melodies or cosmic pop ballads. It’s brillantly dark, obscure and lightful. A tempest of sensuality and roughness. To say it short it’s EPIC! and will definitely give the recognition that Veslemes deserves as a major composer in Modern Electronic Music.

Sometimes it only takes a short getaway to the beach at the beginning of a new romance to open your heart to the wonders of the universe. On this record CV Vision taps into the ebb and flow of the sea, the cycle of coastal processes, and repositions the library sounds he’s mastered so well somewhere on the other side of the bay.

White noise washes like gentle waves up against analog synths and acoustic guitars, while the full spectrum of holiday possibilities are reflected: Surf’s Up (Let’s Trip) captures that roadtrip excitement, albeit with some psychedelic twist. But it’s not all sunshine - CV Vision makes sure to show the grey clouds too, with the sweet melancholy of Rainy Days.

Somewhere between dune rides and underwater dives, camp fires and sunsets, CV Vision captures a weekend at the beach in song. After a short moment of reflection (and some hallucinatory assistance), he wrote the lyrics and pieced the record together in the following weeks, to create what you see and hear now.

Instrumental interludes brush up against ballads and field recordings, to paint a wonderfully rich audio postcard from deep within CV Vision’s heart.

The " This Is ..." greatest hits collection brings together some of his most beloved recordings, capturing the raw emotion, timeless storytelling, and unmistakable voice that made him a legend. Featuring classics like " Jambalaya (On The Bayou), " " Hey Good Lookin'," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "Cold Cold Heart," the album showcases the incredible run of hits that shaped generations of country, folk, and rock artists. From heartfelt ballads to upbeat honky- tonk anthems, this compilation is a perfect introduction to one of country music's true pioneers.

Get On Your Knees' (1968) was the global hit recorded by the Spanish band Canarios, a true anthem that took the British soul scene by storm and still today gets regular plays at '60s clubs. 'To Be A Man,' on the b-side, is a rare gem by Camilo Sesto, packed with fuzz bass guitar and sophisticated arrangements, making it perfect for the dance floor. Canarios, the band led by Teddy Bautista, was one of the first Spanish groups to incorporate the sounds of emerging musical trends-primarily from the English-speaking world-into its repertoire. It was also one of the first Spanish bands to tour the States (they even recorded an album there under the name The Canaries). In 1968, 'Get On Your Knees' was released, a stunning soul track recorded by Swiss producer Alain Milhaud that quickly climbed the charts in numerous countries. Its appeal remains undiminished, and it still gets regular spins in the 60s scene today. 'To Be A Man' is something of a rarity in the discography of Spanish singer Camilo Sesto, whose songs typically lean toward straightforward melodic pop and ballads. Surrounded by an international team of collaborators under the direction of former Brincos member Juan Pardo as producer, he recorded this psychedelic-tinged pop song. Its sophisticated arrangements and sinuous fuzz-laden bass line create an effective and irresistible dancefloor-filler that was released as a 7" single in several countries but, curiously, not in Spain. First-ever single reissue of both songs.

Broshuda returns on the newly born label Ballads Infinite with another array of absurdist vignettes, lowercase hi-tech ambience and textural degradations of radio transmissions from the bicameral mind. Weaving multiple sonic timelines into silky yet slippery articulations, he sculpts each sound with deliberate care making it breathe, slither and shimmer. Spells conjures a subterranean force through its vanishing presence, with the restraint in the sonic palette feeling utterly refreshing, as watering, drop by drop, a ghostly flower in the dromoscopic netscape of overreaching stimuli.

Deliriously patching fragments of unnoticed memories, gliding freely— slightly inebriated—through the ocean of sound: what does it take to capture the transitory entities inhabiting the latent space of this hyperconnected manifold? An assemblage of mechanical debris reduced to their bare-bone essentials; the Tao of discharge brings life to corrupted data, unpacked through textural ruminations.

Broshuda doesn’t just cast the spell, he patiently coils it around you, dissolving each and every thought in the hiss, manipulating subtle energies by making them move beyond and outward. What’s the sound of matter silently falling apart? The serpent sheds its subtle yet solid armor, revealing the space between each spire blooming with gentle eruptions of broken melodies. Where do we land now? What are we turning into? An ontological enigma still awaits to be solved.

Mastered by: Inner Lakes @ Tapewave Studio

Swiss hard rock veterans Shakra return with renewed fire and unstoppable energy on *Just Live Loud*, their explosive new studio album and the band’s very first release through Frontiers Music Srl. Fueled by massive riffs, soaring melodies, and the unmistakable chemistry that has defined Shakra for decades, the album captures the spirit of classic European hard rock while pushing the band into a heavier, more modern sonic territory. Produced with a raw yet polished approach, *Just Live Loud* delivers a powerful mix of thunderous anthems, emotionally charged ballads, and adrenaline-fueled rockers designed for both festival stages and late-night highway drives. From razor-sharp guitar work and pounding rhythms to towering vocal hooks, every track reflects the band’s commitment to authenticity, passion, and pure rock’n’roll attitude. Lyrically, the album celebrates resilience, freedom, brotherhood, and the determination to live life at full volume — themes that resonate deeply with the band’s own journey through the international hard rock scene. *Just Live Loud* also marks an exciting new chapter for Shakra, combining the experience and songwriting strength of their legacy years with a fresh creative momentum that feels more vital than ever. With this landmark release, Shakra reaffirm their status as one of Switzerland’s premier hard rock exports and prove that true melodic heavy rock is alive, loud, and ready to conquer a new generation of fans.

Alex Warren returns with his highly anticipated sophomore album, WILDCHILD, following the success of his critically acclaimed debut You’ll Be Alright, Kid, which featured the chart-topping, record-breaking hit “Ordinary” and established Warren as one of music’s biggest global breakout stars. Inspired by the nickname his late father gave him growing up, WILDCHILD is Warren’s most vulnerable but also most joyous work to date — a raw, cinematic collection exploring grief, growth, love, and self-discovery. Blending heart-stopping ballads with infectious pop anthems, the album captures Warren at his most honest yet, pairing deeply personal storytelling with soaring vocals and expansive production. Featuring recordings of his father’s voice woven throughout the project, WILDCHILD offers an intimate portrait of an artist moving from heartbreak toward healing.

Alex Warren returns with his highly anticipated sophomore album, WILDCHILD, following the success of his critically acclaimed debut You’ll Be Alright, Kid, which featured the chart-topping, record-breaking hit “Ordinary” and established Warren as one of music’s biggest global breakout stars. Inspired by the nickname his late father gave him growing up, WILDCHILD is Warren’s most vulnerable but also most joyous work to date — a raw, cinematic collection exploring grief, growth, love, and self-discovery. Blending heart-stopping ballads with infectious pop anthems, the album captures Warren at his most honest yet, pairing deeply personal storytelling with soaring vocals and expansive production. Featuring recordings of his father’s voice woven throughout the project, WILDCHILD offers an intimate portrait of an artist moving from heartbreak toward healing.

Recorded when the band members were barely out of their teens, this 1966 masterpiece captures Los Mockers at their rawest and most inspired. Fueled by obsession, talent, and urgency, the group forged a uniquely South American take on British rhythm & blues - wild, melodic, and timeless more than half a century later. Released at the end of 1966, Los Mockers' debut album stands as one of the defining rock & roll records to emerge from South America in the 1960s. While often compared to The Rolling Stones because of Polo Pereira's unmistakable vocal swagger, the band built a sound of its own: rooted in the bluesier side of the British Invasion, yet rougher, fiercer, and unmistakably rioplatense. Recorded in Buenos Aires under modest technical conditions, the album transformed limitations into creativity. The result is a collection bursting with urgency and inspiration - from swaggering rhythm & blues and explosive rock & roll to infectious pop melodies and unforgettable ballads. More than fifty years after its original release, the album remains as youthful, vibrant, and essential as ever.

Within the broad church of metal and its many offshoots – rock, doom, stoner and all the rest – it remains a minor thrill to stumble across a group who seem to exist at a slight tangent to everything else. Crumbling Ghost is one such anomaly. Crumbling Ghost are not newcomers. They've been operating for some time, releasing records sporadically, Four' is in fact their fourth release. Along the way they've accumulated a fervent coterie of followers, not to mention the occasional nod of approval from tastemakers such as Stuart Maconie, Stewart Lee and Tom Ravenscroft. And though they've appeared at Roadburn, shared stages with Hawkwind and even Damo Suzuki, they remain (possibly by design) curiously under the radar.
The group's core idea is deceptively simple: traditional folk material refracted through the haze and heft of heavy, fuzzy stoner rock with a chunk of psyche and a smattering of doom. But crucially, this is done without the costumery and theatrical tics that often accompany such collisions. No mock pagan pageantry, no graveyard cosplay, no cartoon Satanism.
What Crumbling Ghost latch onto is not folk as a museum piece, but as a lived experience, the dramas rooted in the culture, stories, and daily lives of ordinary people, the folklore, the tales of love and death, murder and adultery, freedom and oppression. Singer Katie Harnett says. "Doting mothers, possessive, violent partners, vulnerable women, seasonal workers and Royal scandals this album is our representation of the trials and tribulations of human existence and universal experiences that still feel relevant today.

Guitarist John adds. "Themes of murder, betrayal, loss, jealousy, and love are found across the record. In particular, the songs of Martin Carthy have been a particular source of inspiration".
The result is a set of murder ballads, supernatural reckonings and cautionary tales, all wrapped in slabs of heavy, thumping fuzz and atmospheric sonics. Harnett's voice sits at the centre: unmistakably folk rooted, but shorn of prettification, melodic yet capable of real bite.

The album opener 'Bows Of London' is a murder ballad of sisterly hatred and grim sibling rivalry, centred on a haunted fiddle fashioned from a dead sister's bones. The loping relentless, hypnotic backing chillingly and perfectly accompanies the narrative. Of course, the story doesn't end well. 'Bill Norrie' follows, a hooky melody propelled by an insistent bassline and a haunting psych tinged haze punctured with sheets of noise.. The story of young Bill Norrie who sends a token to a married woman, whose jealous husband beheads him, without knowing he was his wife's son from an earlier affair. An instrumental palate cleanser arrives in the shape of 'Valtz Efter Tor Lohne' a Norwegian traditional the band jokingly describe as a "banger".
Then we have 'Lovely Joan' which offers a rare note of sly triumph: a quick witted woman outmanoeuvres a predatory nobleman, escaping with his ring and his horse. Muscular riffs give this tale of empowerment a welcome sense of teeth. 'Gower Wassail' is a traditional Welsh folk tune that captures the raucous spirit of communal ritual, noise making and drink fuelled hope for a good harvest. Captured perfectly here by CG complete with wah wah guitar and a drunken groove catching the song's celebratory chaos. Then we have a little gem in 'Last Of All Sleep' , an original band composition and a genuine highlight: a heavy lidded, shoegaze tinged folk reverie, equal parts distortion and delicacy. It's a drop-dead gorgeous shoegaze-tastic psychedelic grunge mini epic. The album closer 'The Unquiet Grave' is a very apt place to finish. It's about a young man whose constant grief at the death of his true love disturbs her eternal sleep so she cannot rest. Even though the playout on this track, complete with a demonic repeated riff and feedback feels suitably bleak, even this song allows a glimmer of release ... we think.
And there we have it, 7 songs, 7 worlds, all honed to perfection by producer Wayne Adams (Green Lung/Big Lad) that will reward every repeated listen.

Folk and metal/heavy rock do have a connection of course, just look at Green Lung and their 'folk horror' infused musical universe, but Crumbling Ghost are a very different beast.
'Four' amply and beautifully demonstrates that when it comes to 'folk horror' there's nothing quite as horrible as folk ... Here, the horror such as it is, and it must be said, the moments of light, comes not from theatrics, but from the songs themselves – which, after all, is where it's always lived.
Crumbling Ghost are John Mosley – Guitar / Donny Hopkins – Guitar / Ruth O’Loughlin – Bass / Katie Harnett – Vocals / Matthew Atkins- Drums.

The world is ending, and rent is due. The empire is crumbling, and you’re late refilling your meds. War is ceaseless, pandemics go unchecked, billionaires poison the well water and cops abduct neighbors while wildfires burn… but here at the hot dog stand, relief and joy are yours for five buck ninety-nine.

This is PEASANTS REVOLT, the latest album from trans folksinger Creekbed Carter Hogan. Playing the part of court jester in the halls of a dying empire, Hogan croons, hollers, and grins in the face of despair as we feast together on one last humble supper before everything falls apart.

A rollicking medieval-Americana manuscript, Hogan’s new work anchors itself in transitions. PEASANTS REVOLT was written living and moving between the North and the South; sung by a body both pre- and post-trans affirming healthcare; and recorded during a time of genocide, federal occupation, and workers’ uprisings. Decorating its margins are influences spanning time and medium. Here, 14th century king-killer ballads sit next to Appalachian strike songs. Labor and union songs find kinship with Ethiopian jazz records. Hogan’s work echoes with historical struggle, too, from the Haitian Revolution to the struggle for trans rights to the surreal futurism of Rio Grande Valley writer Fernando A. Flores. This album takes the entwinement of the personal and the political seriously, a path often walked by everyone from Hazel Dickens and John Prine to ANOHNI. The 10 tracks of PEASANTS REVOLT are themselves endlessly transitioning, hinging on mid-song shifts and building into wildfires that crackle and sputter with the courage of momentum and catchy hooks. By centering this work so deeply in the tumult of change, Hogan illuminates all of capitalism’s attempts to isolate us — and the power that we regain when we refuse to face our lives and our selves alone.

Nat King Cole remains one of the most iconic and cherished voices in popular music, celebrated for his warmth, sophistication, and effortlessly smooth delivery that helped define a generation. Compiled here is a stellar array of his most memorable recordings, spanning romantic ballads such as "Unforgettable," "Mona Lisa," and "When I Fall in Love," as well as lively favourites like "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66," "Straighten Up and Fly Right," and "Ramblin' Rose.

'As I Slip Into the Sky reflects a particularly small sliver of time compared to Where the Smoke Goes, with recordings taking place in early 2025, while Johnny was bed-bound in an assisted living facility with multiple sclerosis. Alabama born, Portland based artist Joel Nelson helms the nearly entirely electronic backdrop, posing a new canvas for Johnny, with Buchla Music Easel bubbling up between Johnny’s lines. This album captures Johnny in a remarkably tender and emotive form. Love and all its permutations. The tangled, but caring nature of familial love, (“But you and me, we can talk on the phone every day. I would never leave you behind”), to the anguish and euphoria of romantic connection. Johnny has a remarkable ability to pose questions, ("What is real love like?), and provide answers that reflect the truest of realities, absent cliche ("I don't know. His curly hair, short on his head, his smile, his smile, his smile...that is what real love is like").
'Joel Nelson's nimble work across a small array of analog synthesizers creates a flowing backdrop to Johnny's stream of consciousness. At times, Broadcast's fuzzed out ballads come to mind, while at others, early Oneohtrix Point Never's gauzy, distant drones anchor beneath Johnny's slippery syntax.
'Johnny recorded his poems while confined to a hospital bed, through an iPhone laid gently on his chest. Assisted by the caring presence of friends John Albea and Lauren Jones, we can hear through these recordings Johnny immersed in his world of words, taking in the world of sounds Joel had provided for him. We hear his breath, at times we hear the harsh sibilance captured by the iPhone microphone, but more than anything, we hear the tenderness and poetic resolve of his caring soul. He was incredibly grateful for the past years of connecting with the small cohort of Birmingham-affiliated musicians and artists who upheld him as the unofficial poet laureate of "The Magic City", Birmingham, AL. Perhaps most appropriately, Johnny closes the album out in a state of gratitude:'

"My funeral was perfect
I was buried wearing a very charming jacket
A very charming jacket I just happened to have on when i died
He was always the lucky one, Mary-Ellen said
I've been looking for a nice casual jacket like that I could wear to casual little outdoor parties and to my funeral all my life
But Johnny just had one
Probably someone left it in his car
He was so lucky
It doesn't even make sense
But its true
He really was that lucky"

Through an intimate, conversational approach, free from any trace of mannerism, pianist Enrico Pieranunzi and guitarist Bebo Ferra probe the innermost mystery of a genius whose expressive language combined charm and intellect are in equal measure. Drawing on languorous ballads at unhurried tempos, the program alternates reinterpretations of emblematic Evans themes - 'Song for Helen', 'Very Early', 'Once Upon a 'Summertime' - with a series of inspired original pieces. Occasionally joined by the deep, reassuring double bass of Diego Imbert ('Song for Helen', 'Calling Enrico'), they move from post- romantic atmospheres to more introverted lyrical passages, steering clear of both sentimental excess and detached formalism.

The complete album + 4 bonus tracks - limited edition pressing on 180g red coloured vinyl, contains new specially prepared liner notes by Penguin Guide to Jazz's writer Brian Morton and by Paris' prestigious Jazz Magazine Besides achieving a very personal and characteristic sound, John Coltrane opened the way to free jazz, allowing himself to play long and complex improvisations that increasingly strayed from the tunes in which they were based. By the time he recorded Ballads, He had already delved into freer and longer solos and compositions, and as a result he had his devoted followers as well as his detractors.

First Word Records are proud to bring you the debut EP from papaya noon - ‘through the moods’.

papaya noon are a Cardiff-based duo comprised of vocalist Annie Mirza and multi-instrumentalist Greg Marriott.

Formed five years ago, they make jazz-infused R&B music that incorporates their mutual love of classic soul, hip hop & electronica.

The duo have already amassed an impressive fan-base online, garnering over 80,000 followers across their socials, and receiving praise from such luminaries in the US as Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, 9th Wonder, Bootie Brown & the late great Fatman Scoop.

This is a result of their unique style, captivating grooves & deeply catchy hooks, encompassing a distinctive blend of soul music, from retrospective 90s vibes to alternative futuristic flavours, creating a sonic palette that’s wonderfully contemporary, yet very much their own.

All their music is written, performed & produced single-handedly by the duo themselves, who’ve managed to create a magically powerful potion from their plant-filled Cardiff studio space, and generated huge anticipation for their future output in-turn.

The future is NOW, as papaya noon are finally ready to unleash their music into the world.

‘through the moods’ is a 6-track EP of delicious alternative r&b vibes, already set to become future soul classics.

Sonically rooted in warm, textured instrumentation & layered harmonies, the duo have triumphantly built a huge soundscape that feels simultaneously nostalgic & futuristic. Smoky late-night ballads nestle alongside infectious uptempo jams, leaning into their jazzy boom-bap & neo-soul influences, whilst showcasing their phenomenal spread of talents as performers and songwriters both.

The duo explained that the EP navigates “neurodivergence, trauma & loss, with tenderness & honesty. Rather than presenting trauma as a spectacle, we’ve attempted to approach it with the softness and complexity that it merits”.


From the first single release ‘blush’, to the downtempo sweetness of ‘blindside’ or ‘morning light’, to the pacier ‘on your side’ & EP closer ‘crybaby’, each track on this project exemplifies their unbridled ability to produce deeply infectious earworms, whilst thematically encompassing unflinching lyricism that’s deeply personal.

Already hailed by some as “the Welsh Moonchild”, papaya noon were named as one of Clash Magazine’s “must-see” acts at FOCUS Wales in 2025, bringing their music to life on stage with their 5-piece live band, additionally performing at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, The Great Escape, Inglefest, Nowadaze, Swn Festival & Good Vibrations Society, as well as NXNe and BreakOut West in Canada, and supporting the likes of Hot 8 Brass Band & Reel People.

With everything already pointing to the duo swiftly becoming one of the hottest new soul acts in Britain, this is only the beginning of the journey for papaya noon…

‘through the moods’ will be released on vinyl & all digital platforms on Fri 10th July.

Random ReVINYL Edition. Black Mountain, the front-line soldiers for the Black Mountain Army, an arts collective from Vancouver, British Columbia, write, perform and record music that speaks (and sings) to this realization: that solutions are rarely simple, that the world is as complex as it is ambiguous, and that music sprinkled with an inoculating dose of madness may well be the Pied Piper that takes us all back into the primordial mountain, where our hearts can be made steady and our minds can be set free. Their debut self-titled record, like a space probe built of erector set parts and transmitting secret and arcane messages to earth by string, charts territories unknown yet remains grounded by the roots of classic rock and roll. It is easy to discern these roots: Black Sabbath, Animals-era Pink Floyd, Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin and Can. Principal songwriter Stephen McBean's vocals are a smoother, bluesier amalgam of the voices of Neil Young, Mick Jagger and perhaps a James Brown loaded on cough syrup. And when Amber Webber's voice joins Stephen's, the combination brings to mind the potency and chemistry of Richard and Linda Thompson singing together on Shoot Out The Lights, or of Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley howling together on Bat Out Of Hell. Musical comparisons aside, the Black Mountain full-length is one part protest song, one part pop-cultural commentary, and one part sick-groove-rock casserole peppered with mesmerizing ballads and intoxicating ditties. "Modern Music" is the lead-off hitter and counts its way to the imposing and riff-rife "Don't Run Our Hearts Around". Immediately thereafter, the sludge-rock masterpiece "Druganaut" establishes the fecund heart and tone of the record. Black Mountain have also just recently released a 12-inch single (on Jagjaguwar), including an extended mix of "Druganaut" on the A-side. And the band's currently sexploitative counterpart The Pink Mountaintops, a band that also pipes into the prolific well-spring of Stephen McBean's mind, released their self-titled debut record (on Jagjaguwar as well) this past summer. A video by Heather Trawick of the song "Druganaut" is included on the CD version of the Black Mountain self-titled record.

Paul Anka (born 1941) was one of pop music’s brightest early stars, celebrated for his smooth voice, heartfelt songwriting, and teen idol charisma. With hits like “Diana,” “Lonely Boy,” and “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” he defined the sound of late-1950s and early-1960s pop. Blending romantic ballads with upbeat rock ’n’ roll, he captured the spirit of a generation and became an international sensation. His timeless melodies and enduring appeal helped shape the golden age of pop and continue to resonate with listeners around the world.