Buscar:the touch

Reissue of in-demand Italo title, with accompanying edits by Hysteric. "For the much-requested 12'' reissue of Roaring Mosquitoes, Best Record followed the hint by a die-hard German researcher and esteemed DJ of 'hidden musical treasures' Frinda Di Lanco. Further enriching this reissue - masterfully remastered by Dom Scuteri - with two of his splendid edits is the Australian DJ-producer George Hysteric, one of the world's leading authorities and a leading figure in Italo Disco. The juxtaposition of the two songs performed with grit and physicality by Agostina Casalino and her cousin Antonietta Casalino (aka Roaring Mosquitoes) highlights two aesthetically and rhythmically similar approaches, albeit with different roots and inspirations. "You Aren't With Me" has the merit of not wanting to reinvent the genre, but exploits the familiarity of pop-dance forms, obtaining an immediate catchiness. The piece stands out for its linearity while reworking melodic mechanisms typical of the 80s new wave: short instrumental intro, well-defined verse-chorus, obsessive repetition of melodic hooks that make it an immediate and "dragging" song on the dance floor. The arrangement focuses on a solid electronic drum groove, sinuous basslines, clean guitar riffs, "cutting" keyboards and the use of the chorus typical of the Italo Disco of those years. Some passages recall the melodic line and rhythmic progression of "Tonight... Crazy Night", an intriguing song that the Canadian artist Dorine Hollier created in 1984 at the Titania Studios in Rome with Pierluigi Giombini. Even with "Ah Ah Ah Ah" which features a vibrant and cheerful sound there's a playful use of citation for some idea that Diego Pepe took from a Micky & Joyce track. It evokes the "space disco" spirit of Jean-Pierre Massiera and the influence of the French scene of 1979: polyphonic synthetic strings, echo effects on electronic hi-hats and a vaguely futuristic atmosphere, but with an even more captivating sound revitalized with more scratchy modern touches and compressed basslines. A mix of vintage and contemporary that enhance its charm."

Renowned UK producer and Freerange co-founder Jimpster steps back into the spotlight with a brand-new 5 track EP that dives deep into the raw, emotional core of underground house music. Blending masterful production prowess with soulful storytelling, this latest release features standout collaborations with two celebrated spoken word artists namely NYC’s OVEOUS and Atlanta via Detroit’s rising star Ash Lauryn. The North Atlantic EP captures the essence of late-night dance floors and a fusion of sounds, all wrapped in Jimpster’s signature warm, analog textures and rolling groove science.

FLO opens the EP with a vibrant pulse - an up-beat groove that wraps around you like incense smoke and island vibes in a Brooklyn basement. Anchored by filtering stabs and a rubbery bassline, the track unfolds with the commanding presence of OVEOUS, whose spoken-word cuts through the haze with razor-sharp clarity. His voice rides the beat like a sermon for the dance floor; straight talk that’s spiritual, and defiantly alive, this is deep house as ceremony for the streets. The accompanying Dub strips back the vocal and introduces additional harmonic elements in the form of piano, strings, and synth washes bringing a warm and musical touch.

On Feel Me, Jimpster crafts a rolling groove built on punchy drums, shuffling percussion, and a soulful vibe which feels both classic and futuristic. Ash Lauryn’s voice glides across the track with cool authority, bringing a seductive vibe to the party. Her voice is perfectly balanced with Jimpster’s atmospheric pads and dubby flourishes creating a contemporary and irresistibly danceable house anthem for the heads.

Two additional mixes of Feel Me bolster an already sturdy package bringing a more straight up, bumpy version on the House Mix as well as a darker, heads down - eyes closed take on the Freakin’ Club Mix.

This EP is more than just a meeting of minds — it’s a dialogue between continents, generations, and frequencies. With FLO and Feel Me, Jimpster continues to affirm his place as a producer deeply rooted in tradition yet always striving to push his sound forward.

Na Nich returns to Delsin following up his 2023 'Black Soil' EP. On 'White Soil' the Ukrainian producer continues his queeste pushing the boundaries of deep immersive techno. Compared to the previous chapter, 'White Soil' contains a significant lighter touch. Playing with subtle melodies and musing atmospheres to set an uplifting tone. It's still powerful and propulsive while this sparkle of brightness provides a strikingly fresh angle.

Way back when, Upgrade & Afterlife was the umpteenth release from the individual and collective forces of David Grubbs (known then for Bastro, The Red Krayola, Codeine, Squirrel Bait) and Jim O"Rourke (known for O"Rourke), whose further history has since numbered at least another umpteen or so essential listens. What is it though, wrapped up in delectable sonic amber here, that defines this Upgrade? To be sure, we hear these young men dashing through the joys of youth-their actual young youth-as well as a version captured in memory and relived with a performative touch. Time remembered as tones, with gravity gained via perceptions. The stuff of memory and sentiment as selective and potentially deceptive in their nature. Who needed "em? As part of its time-traveling function, Upgrade & Afterlife is a return to roots, but not always necessarily Gastr"s. They were more than happy to stand on branches up above other folks in order to see any next thing worth leaping for. In addition to the elder-statesman Conrad, Gastr del Sol drew upon a memorable spectrum of players for the sounds of Upgrade & Afterlife, including Anthony Burr, Steve Braack, Gene Coleman, Mats Gustafsson, Terri Kapsalis, John McEntire, Günter Müller, Jerry Ruthrauff, Ralf Wehowsky and Sue Wolf. When issued, this combination of players, parts and play - packaged in an impressively broad tip-on Stoughton gatefold sleeve emblazoned with Roman Signer"s instantly iconic "Wasserstiefel" image - became the fastest-moving Gastr del Sol record to date. A delightful result, to our way of thinking, of the band"s ability to push at the far boundaries of their music while consolidating upon pleasure points within sounds and songs. Gastr used these polarities to compulsively draw the listener intimately close with sudden injections of g-force and an uncanny interpolation of space.

Monde UFO follow the celebrated ‘7171’ album with a trip to the mysterious ‘Flamingo Tower’. In the shadows of the Los Angeles bustling music scene, the enigmatic collective led by visionary Ray Monde create a trance-like fusion of psychedelia and avant jazz, mantra-like evocations, brash moody ambience and passages reminiscent of long-lost library music.

Magnifying Monde UFO’s idea of musical chaos, their early sonic escapades into off-kilter exotica is now elevated with sweeping atmospheric waves of sound inspired by an eclectic brew of Arto Lindsey, Khan Jamal’s ‘Drum Dance To The Motherland’, Keith Hudson, Milford Graves, Marion Brown, Don Cherry and Lennie Tristano.

Cast deep into number theory with occasional quasi-religious touchstones, ‘Flamingo Tower’ bustles with background sounds overlaid with intimate melodies conjuring plenty of suitably strange illusions; a synthetic orchestra plays baroque pop, a guitar is set to auto destruct and Ray Monde’s hushed vocals carry a bracing narrative. It’s an evocative album, one for the heavy music nerds, sprinkled with ear candy and proliferated by mysterious numbers which litter the song titles.

“Monde UFO wander through a humid mist of exotic samba shuffles, shamanic whispers, and reverberating laser beam synthesizers.” New Commute

Known for her delicate, subtly psychedelic approach to production - all subtlety is thrown out of the window on the opener, “Parents and God”. We are immediately confronted with a slamming Chicago house style beat in style of Mr Fingers at his most utilitarian. It slams, jerking in and out of tempo like Ron Hardy in beast mode.

Out of nowhere a soulful church organ arrives - at first for a brief respite - but then for an extended solo, which gives way to an 80s electro style breakdown before reverting back to form. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does - to a dizzying extent - and heirin lies Mayurashka’s magic: a blatant disregard for norms and a deft touch that makes the unorthodox so compelling.

“Notango" takes another big left turn - sitting somewhere between tribal seance and rain dance, it’s mostly organic drums and otherworldly sound effects that combine to drag us deeper into the wormhole before “ Vat Murmur” takes us back into the light with its uptempo disco energy and giving way to heavy chugging bass. This one is equally for fans of idjut boys and Larry Levan.

The EP rounds off with the title track “ LSI dreaming” - to try and describe it is almost impossible, but let’s say it starts of with a mid 2000s Perlon-era tech house energy before things quickly escalate beyond all recognition and then just hover with lysergic intensity. If I ever closed panorama bar, this is the track I’d end with.

Yes Amigos!

The Debut Album "Latin Freaks" by Funkool Orchestra is finally out!

Get ready for another dose of Neapolitan Funky Disco Boogie madness with a Latin touch and a glorious featuring by the one and only Latin soul King : JOE BATAAN.

The Long Playing is a mixture of Rare Grooves, Napoli Sound, Disco Boogie, Latin Soul and Boogaloo, ideal for a trip to Nueva York and back to Naples just to say hello to your Puertorican uncle Manolito "Gennaro" Marròn.
A gozar!

Allen Toussaint’s debut as a solo artist, “The Wild Sound Of New Orleans” was released in 1958 under the name of Tousan. In the 60s, he established himself as a songwriter, producer and arranger for a number of labels and generated hits like ‘Working In The Coal Mine’ for Lee Dorsey that got to #8 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966. Other classic tracks that Toussaint either wrote, produced or arranged included ‘Fortune Teller’, Lipstick Traces’ and ‘Ooh Poo Pah Do’

It was only in 1970 that he found time to record another solo album, aptly entitled “Toussaint”. As well as serving up his own version Of ‘Working In The Coal Mine’, Toussaint recorded other originals like ‘From A Whisper To A Scream’ and ‘Everything I Do Is Gonna Be Funky’. There were also four instrumental tracks – ‘Pickles’, ‘Louie’, ‘Either’ and a sublime version of ‘Cast Your Fate To The Wind’ listed as ‘Allen Toussaint at the piano’.
The original version of Toussaint was released in 1970 on Scepter records and is now hailed as a soulful classic. Ace were delighted to first reissue it in 1985 as “From A Whisper To A Scream” with the addition of a bonus track and with a slightly different running order.
On “Toussaint” we present the original album as Allen Toussaint intended it to be heard. Remastered to perfection this is an essential purchase

For 15 years, female-fronted quintet LEONOV have been honing their captivating brand of celestial doom metal. Named after Aleksej Leonov, the first human to take a walk in space, the Norwegians combine the melancholic slow burn of King Woman with the ethereal heaviness of Subrosa and an incredible voice that undeniably reminds of Julie Christmas. Shape of Ash showcases the refined sound of a band that has been around for quite a while_ a band whose career has been a similar slow burn as their music, yet a band that has managed to stay together and create music throughout all these years, despite the odds of families and the real world. Like staring into a purgatory bonfire, listening to `Shape of Ash' is a powerfully entrancing experience. Dealing with themes of helplessness, uncertainty, conflict and resolution, these four songs touch upon the many adversities of life. On Shape of Ash, LEONOV create moments of primordial heaviness on which Tåran's unique voice floats atop, blends in effortlessly in some moments and takes reserved distance in others. With the 4 songs that make up this stunning EP, the band sets the bar incredibly high for their upcoming full length album. We can't wait for it! FOR FANS OF GGGOLDDD, King Woman, Marriages, Subrosa, Cult of Luna, Julie Christmas, Chelsea Wolfe, True Widow, Spurv

Kota The Friend and Statik Selektah reunite for their third collaborative album, "Once In A Blue Moon", a stunning fol-low-up to their acclaimed projects "To Kill A Sunrise" and "To See A Sunset". This album sees the duo refining their sig-nature blend of introspective lyricism and golden-era-inspired production, creating a sonic landscape that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly modern.

Highlights include the electric energy of "BLAH," featuring rap superstar Logic, who delivers sharp, unforgettable vers-es alongside Kota. Violinist Phearnone adds a hauntingly beautiful touch to "What You Need," merging classical strings with Statik's soulful beats for a standout moment of artistic fusion.

"Once In A Blue Moon" is a musical reflection on the rarity and beauty of those transformative experiences that stay with you forever, a vivid journey, showing Kota The Friend and Statik Selektah at the peak of their creative synergy.

When Alanis Morissette took direct aim at an ex who wronged her on the eviscerating “You Oughta Know” in 1995, everything about the Top 10 song communicated it wasn’t the usual narrative about love gone south. Or the typical wounded singer wallowing in self pity. Morissette, and both the lead single from and her entire American major-label debut — the profoundly personal Jagged Little Pill — represented a sea change. They kickstarted a movement, one whose impact continues to echo throughout the mainstream nearly three decades later.

Ranked the 69th Greatest Album of All Time by Rolling Stone, included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of 200 Definitive Albums, and featured in several books about essential albums, Jagged Little Pill remains more than a blockbuster that has sold more than 17 million copies in the U.S. and 33 million units worldwide. It’s a statement, an attitude, a soundtrack for anyone seeking inspiration, an outlet, or permission to be themselves.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing on MoFi SuperVinyl, and strictly limited to 4,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP box set of Jagged Little Pill presents the landmark effort in audiophile-grade sound for the first time. A key part of the record’s appeal and accessibility — Glen Ballard’s smooth production, touches that help Morissette’s exposed-nerve fare seem more accessible and melodic — comes through on this special 30th anniversary edition with an openness, presence, and dynamic explosiveness that make the vocalist’s songs that much more real and visceral.

The singer’s distinctive mezzo-soprano deliveries — the octave-rippling highs, dark-hued lows, dramatic crescendos, belted choruses, wispy reflections, occasional yodels — resonate with full-range ardor and depth. As crucial as anything on the record, Morissette’s confessional words take center stage like never before. Ditto the instrumentation and atmospherics that form the magnetic backgrounds of the songs. Key in on the contributions from Red Hot Chili Peppers Dave Navarro and Flea on “You Oughta Know” to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' co-founder Benmont Tench’s organ playing on six tracks.

The deluxe packaging of Mobile Fidelity’s Jagged Little Pill UD1S set underscores the work’s distinguished status. Housed in a slipcase, the LPs come in special foil-stamped jackets with faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recording. Benefitting from an ultra-low noise floor, superior groove definition, and dead-quiet surfaces, this UD1S reissue is for listeners who prize sound quality and desire to engage themselves in everything involved with the album, including the now-iconic cover art that juxtaposes two portraits of the then-21-year-old singer-songwriter and features typewriter font.

That script — which suggests a raw, blood-on-the-floor document created without modern aids like spell check or language correction — hints at the heightened level of unvarnished intimacy, honesty, and catharsis Morissette offers throughout Jagged Little Pill. Named after a phrase uttered on the astute “You Learn,” the album explores the frank emotions, inherent contradictions, and wishful desires people feel everyday but are often too afraid to express. Morissette displays no such fear or shyness.

Akin to a woman reading from a diary, Morissette leaves nothing to the imagination as she skewers hypocrisy during the poignant “Forgiven,” seeks recompense on the vengeful “You Oughta Know,” and spills her guts on the soul-purging “All I Really Want.” For all the anger and bile ascribed to the singer and record, Jagged Little Pill is incredibly healthy and upbeat. Morissette uses the catchy pop-rock frameworks and moody ambience to suss out situations, to learn, to give hope. There’s the clever yearning of “Hand in My Pocket”; wry contrarianism of “Ironic”; kind-heartedness of “Hand over Feet”; the live-and-let-live spirit of “You Learn” – all positive and amiable.

Throughout Jagged Little Pill, the ever-approachable Morissette connects with listeners who recognize themselves in her — and has an intelligent conversation with anyone who wants to participate. It seemed almost everyone did. In addition to the mammoth sales that make the effort the 17th-best-selling album in American history, Jagged Little Pill collected four Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, and eight Juno Awards. In 2018, the record became the basis for a musical that netted 15 Tony nominations on Broadway.

Ironic? Anything but. Jagged Little Pill transcends generations, gender, and trends. As Morissette sings on the opening “All I Really Want,”, the album represents “deliverance” — “a place to find common ground.”

Emerging from the fertile chaos of Düsseldorf’s Salon des Amateurs scene, Sequence of Events, the collaborative project of Deniz Saridas and Joshua Gottmanns, presents The Art of Memory, an album that feels both intimate and ungraspable, like recalling a dream that fades upon waking.

Rooted in the post-industrial landscapes of West Germany, The Art of Memory channels the bleak resilience of these environments into its sound. It’s a collage of kraut-infused electronics, shoegaze textures, and industrial pulses, filtered through a lens of introspective psychedelia. “We don’t consciously break down or combine genres,” they explain. “Everything is interwoven, like chemistry. Some reactions happen immediately, others take years under pressure.”

From the opening track TAR, with its stoic vocals and drum-heavy propulsion, to the robotic Meagre Gardens, where autotuned chants coil around unconventional drum programming, the album moves like a fever dream through fragmented memories. Soul Divider unfolds like a cinematic journey through yearning and desire, its repetitive pulses echoing the ache of unfulfilled longing, while Nature Hates Life distills pop music through the eyes of a killjoy: “Kurt Cobain on an AKAI MPC2000,” as the band describes it. Even moments of tenderness, like the drifting Becomings, shimmer with absolute sensuality: a seductive exploration of presence defined by absence. We lift each other up and hold each other down.

The creative process behind The Art of Memory is as fluid as the music itself. Saridas and Gottmanns, both self-taught musicians with backgrounds in fine art, worked intuitively, drawing from a shared pool of samples, text fragments, and images. Operating somewhere in the space between fin de siècle aesthetics and occultism, it’s a dream wedding with a continuous stream of meaningless (moving) images generated by human and non-human entities.

Ultimately, The Art of Memory is not an escape but an immersion. A meditation on the sensory overload of the present and the ghosts it leaves in its wake. In a world where music is often reduced to background noise for consumption, Sequence of Events offers something more elusive: a record that lingers, unsettles, and demands to be remembered.

First Word Records are proud to present the debut single from Above The Clouds (aka kidkanevil & Magic Manfred) with their instrumental take on an MF DOOM classic, 'Arrow Root'

One of the original First Word roster, UK Producer/DJ and all-round laptop music geek kidkanevil has developed a distinctive and progressive sound over the years, gleefully exploring the beats and bleeps of the electronic music universe to international recognition. Leeds born, sound system bred and raised on a (un)healthy diet of video games and anime, his solo work inhabits the curious space between bass frequencies and otaku culture. But as a devoted teenage backpack rap nerd, somewhere in the back of kid's mind was a lingering desire to reconnect with his first love, hip hop.

Not long after moving to Berlin he joined a studio space in graffiti plastered Kreuzberg, where he met multi instrumentalist wizard Magic Manfred; a disciple of all things boogie, disco, funk and soul. Born and raised in Berlin, and currently a touring musician for many an act, Manfred's musical map joins the dots from piano lessons at four, to starting a band with his teenage friends, leading him to his true calling - the bass - via the club vibrations of his hometown, which introduced him to the world of DJing and production, and a stint studying in the explosive London jazz scene to finalise his Jedi training.

Bonding over their mutual love of '90s hip hop, a friendship and musical kinship developed, coupled with a desire to honour past eras but push things forward, Above The Clouds was born; named after their joint favourite DJ Premier beat, with a touch of irony regarding their basement based studio of a windowless variety.

kidkanevil explains "We did a number of covers to sort of get warmed up and in the pocket, of which 'Arrow Root' was one. I actually interviewed DOOM once, mask and all, and I always regretted I forgot to ask him about the original sample. It's been one of my favourite DOOM beats forever and it came up in conversation one day, then manifested pretty quickly into a session. It came together with relative ease and quickness, which is usually a good sign. Manfred worked out the chords and I remade the drums in about the same time frame. Mario is an exceptional saxophone player based in Berlin, so a few text messages later she came by the studio and nailed the entire thing on her first take. And that was that, our humble tribute to the supervillain!"

This one is backed up on the flip side with 'Tram Delay Beat'; a low slung neck-snapper teasing more of what's to come.

This is the first single from the duo, with a long player now in the works…

Above the crowds, above the clouds, where the sounds are original, infinite skills create miracles…

Having crested the west coast modular-ambient wave in just a few releases - including 2018's Sharing Waves on the influential LA experimental imprint Leaving Records - Sean Hellfritsch has swapped the mossy analog synth improvisations of his prior output for refined melodic arrangements dressed in sprightly dawn-of-digital textures. Big Earth Energy plumbs the depths of Hellfritsch's multimedia mind and naturalist heart, spinning an impressionistic narrative world off of cultural touchstones like the PC game MYST, and the work of Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi. Inspired by the aforementioned, and guided by Hellfritsch's experience as an animator and filmmaker, Big Earth Energy is the soundtrack to a hypothetical video game with a pointedly ecological premise, and a twist of psychedelic charm. In Hellfritsch's imagined virtual journey, the player assumes the perspective of a treefrog sixty-five-million years ago, hopping epochs with each new level, forming a comprehensive picture of the massive changes the planet has gone through over the eons. The ultimate goal of the game is not to amass resources, defeat enemies, or gain power, but to fully witness the unfolding of one of the biggest systems of energy imaginable - or as the album's creator puts it - "to explore the incomprehensibly vast energetic expression and mystery that is Earth." Big Earth Energy is steeped in exploratory RPG intrigue, possibility, and contemplation, lovingly overlaid with Miyazaki-an sentiments and aesthetics. The through-composed, organic, meandering synthesis heard on previous Cool Maritime albums has been fully replaced by meticulous polygonal arrangements that recall the computerized sheen of late 80s work by composers like Hiroshi Yoshimura, and Yoichiro Yoshikawa - using true-to-period gear no less. Even given its referentiality, Big Earth Energy comes off as forward-facing where so much reminiscent music remains fixed to a bygone moment in pop culture. Hellfritsch has created a musical world where the endless verdancy of the biosphere finds its parallel in the golden age of early 1990s video games, and late 80s Japanese environmental music, all while pointing to a hopeful planetary and artistic future that vindicates the motives of all of these muses.

With a clutch of EPs under his belt spanning a wealth of pallets, Henzo narrows the focus on his debut studio album “The Poems We Write For Ourselves” - a culmination of persistent iterations over several years, distilling his sonic milieu into something that feels decidedly his own. The album proper is coupled with a debut live performance which reinterprets the tracks and splices them with omitted material from the time of writing - recorded in full in the intimate confines of Manchester’s growingly infamous Stage and Radio basement. Honing his craft in the shadows of Lancashire, Poems is an expansive reflection of the producer’s time spent away committing to the scope of an LP.

A thread of stratified sound design weaves throughout the record, but with a discerning dancefloor proclivity mostly prevalent. Cold opener “Noggin” riffs on noughties Raster-Noton a la Byetone rebuilt with fractal tear out DnB, with closer “Indulgence” following suit on a puckered plod of Dub Techno ambience. More club-focussed moments come in the form of “Rustica Slump” and “Blue Will...”, the former’s sickly sweet vocals resolved by the latter’s stoic UKG/Techno rudeness. “A Bouquet of Clumsy Words” channels mechanical shuffle with a stripped back 2/4 pulse whilst maintaining a firmly FWD>>energy alongside “Plant Your Roots In Me” on a similar vector - swapping out a straight kick pattern for a bludgeoning 808 assault on an early Hessle-indebted tip.

“Take Stock, Touch Grass” harks to golden era ClekClekBoom and Night Slugs with a bare bones kick and vocal motif, updating the formula with a tweaking lead line that places it firmly in the contemporary space. “Swell:Shrink” sings from the same sheet with a shrieking, space age wobble doing the heavy lifting, knocking the pace back to a shoulder-lean swagger on a slow fast conundrum Henzo has shown his flair for on previous releases.

The outliers to Henzo’s more known approach, “Worm Grunting” with Belfast’s Emby, an amalgamation of halfest time DnB and illest mannered Road Rap, plus “The Rest Is The Mess You Leave”, a starkly anti-retro Ghettotek endeavour, give grounds to the LP. Clearly rooted in the comfortable universe of the dancefloor, these tracks expand the producer’s realm into loftier heights as he graduates into long play land.

"The restorations of The Lost Recordings are worthy of those devoted to master paintings." — Le Journal du Dimanche

"We discovered these previously unpublished tapes in the archives of the RBB — the Berlin radio. This discovery is absolutely major because these two incredible musicians had recorded too little together and because this recording offers us the possibility to listen to them in works that were unpublished so far in their discography — notably an extraordinary sonata by Prokofiev! And what can we say about this Bach sonata, with an Andante that brought tears to the eyes of everyone present in the studio at the time." — Frédéric D'ORIA-NICOLAS, Musical treasure seeker

János Starker, cellist, and György Sebok, pianist, were both born in Hungary early in the 20th century. They were welcomed into the formidable Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, and emigrated to the USA, where they both held the title of Distinguished Professor at the Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington. Both heavy smokers and sometimes reputed — unjustly — to be harsh, austere and insensitive to trends, they were drawn to music in all its varieties and fascinated by its many colours. They had one aim only, one noble objective: to showcase the works all composers, as evidenced by this recording made in the legendary Studio 3 of Berlin Radio on 24 October 1963.

Starker and Sebok were fully imbued with the aesthetics that Prokofiev proclaimed: "I cultivate melody and strive to introduce feeling and emotion into my works. No matter that some call me a cubist, adding that I systematically avoid any emotional or romantic elements in my quest to reach only objectivity."

Next, and at the opposite end of the spectrum, is the Spanish passion of the two pieces by Granados and De Falla, pieces that nevertheless also convey melancholy. Starker and Sebok launch into the works with enthusiasm and intensity.

The last piece, Bach's Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027 for Viola da Gamba and Keyboard, is one of three he composed, probably in Köthen. Because they may have originally been written for other instruments, they can easily be transcribed for the cello and piano. They reveal the rich influences that pervaded the German region during the first half of the 18th century. The two musicians give us a sublime interpretation of the beauty of the counterpoint in this Sonata.

These recordings attest to the importance that the two superb musicians attached to working in the service of the composers. We wonder if, in that enchanted studio in Berlin in 1963, they knew how much further they went to bewitch us and touch us so profoundly.

Random Coloured Vinyl
Nu-Tone presents Combo Tezeta's debut 7" vinyl record! The A-side, "La Danza Del Camaleón" is an instrumental cumbia-salsera that takes you on a tropical trip with a touch of psychedelia. On the flip side, a dark mid-tempo bolero called, "La Reina Nocturna". Remastered from the original verion, released by Discos Más in 2020. Based out of the Bay Area, Combo Tezeta plays a highly danceable blend of instrumental Cumbias, Chichas, and Musica Tropical inspired by the late 60's and early 70's era of psychedelic Peru. Layering the reverb-fueled sounds of surf rock onto the foundations of Cumbia, the band's focus is to highlight the rich melodies and hypnotic rhythms birthed from the Afro-Latin diaspora. Along with its appreciation of world music and its diverse cultures, Combo Tezeta's mission is to deliver the sounds and musical echoes of the past to the present through a combination of traditional and original music. Combo Tezeta was featured in Noise Pop 2023 and has played Pacific Northwest tours with Satan’s Pilgrim and Thomas Lauderdale of Pink Martini 2023. The band has played famed Bay Area Venues the Chapel, Eli’s Mile High Club and the Ivy Room.  In Summer of 2024 they toured the Pacific Northwest and Southern California, including an appearance at The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. The band was chosen by NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts to be one of 20 finalists (out of 7000), and featured them in the Northern California showcase of finalists at Lagunitas Brewery in 2024. “Oakland seven-piece Combo Tezeta kicked off the baile with a garage-band take on ’60s and ’70s classics and originals, with distorted guitars and jangly synths layering psychedelic ooze onto timbales and güiras. The musician’s solos revealed hard-won skills, but the band members looked remarkably chill as they played together fluidly.” – KQED

The Spanish Queen (of the Piano)

She had small, square hands. She was 1.52 m tall. As a child, she banged her head on the floor to be allowed to play the piano. She was Catalan. She was a pianist—one of the greatest. Her mission? To spread the Spanish repertoire. Her name was Alicia de Larrocha.

When she passed away in 2009 at age 89, Nelson Freire wrote, "I truly loved her; she was a modest woman, and her playing shone like the sun." Acclaimed worldwide, she stood alongside Victoria de Los Angeles as one of Spain’s finest artists.

Larrocha’s journey began at three, seated at a piano. At four, she studied under Frank Marshall, a student of Granados. By six, she was performing publicly; by eleven, she played Mozart’s Coronation Concerto with Madrid’s Symphony Orchestra, astonishing audiences. Despite her small hands, she developed an airy, precise touch, even daring to record Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto. But beyond technical mastery, her playing held a profound sense of life and imagination.

Though trained in Bach, Mozart, and Chopin, Larrocha fought to bring Spanish composers to global audiences. Albéniz and Granados owe much of their fame to her. Her international breakthrough came in the 1950s when an American impresario heard her Spanish recordings and invited her to the U.S., where she triumphed.

Her performances honored Spain’s musical heritage. From Soler’s sonatas to Granados' Goyescas, she infused each note with nuance. She brought Goya’s paintings to life in El Pelele and mastered the dark contrasts of Surinach’s Canción y Danza. Albéniz’s Iberia demanded both power and delicacy—qualities she commanded effortlessly.

Her final tribute was to her friend Francis Poulenc, performing his Toccata—a soaring farewell.

As one admirer put it in 1982, "She walked toward a piano too big for her, sat, placed her hands on the keys… and became the queen."

Alicia De Larrocha, Piano

Founded in 2020 by Austrian producer Lee Stevens, Rising Seed has evolved into a joint venture with Ken Hayakawa and a collective of guest musicians. Blending Acid Jazz, Trip Hop, and Disco, the project bridges the warmth of live instrumentation with the depth of electronic production.
With a strong focus on recording and re sampling real instruments, Rising Seed crafts a rich, organic sound—where vintage samplers, drum machines, and analog textures meet hypnotic grooves and cinematic atmospheres. Inspired by artists like Moby, Kruder & Dorfmeister, and Massive Attack, their debut album True Lies unfolds like a layered collage, blurring the lines between past and future, truth and illusion.
The opening track, “Follow Me,” perfectly embodies this fusion: sampled instruments and vocal snippets blend seamlessly with live recordings of flute and saxophone, all set against a funky drum break. “Gone West” does the unthinkable—marrying a house groove with esoteric vocals, live sitar by Amrith Jan, and—why not?—a touch of harmonica. “Like A Lion” is a dub-infused downbeat track packed with crusty blues samples.
On “Freedom,” we hear a more minimalist side of Rising Seed, with a tight brush-drum arrangement and densely layered sitar melodies. Another high point is “Soldier of Peace,” featuring even more funky sitar and a subtle acid line, reminiscent of the early days of big beat. It’s followed by “True Lies,” which elegantly distills the downbeat sound of the late '90s while staying true to the Rising Seed formula.
“Psych Jazz” is, as the title suggests, both psychedelic and jazzy, albeit with a somber, low-slung trip-hop feel, while “Don’t Worry” is equally trippy yet more upbeat, carried by a moaning vocal sample that urges us not to worry. Finally, “Stay with Me” closes the album with a jazz-infused vibe that is both moody and uplifting, its shuffling drum groove and elegant piano melodies providing a fitting conclusion.

If there is one quality that best sums up the personality and music of Michel Petrucciani, it is generosity.
It was on stage, in the moment, in close proximity to the audience, in the warm intimacy of a club setting, that he most truthfully expressed his passion for sharing.
Many musicians, he confessed, play too selfishly. They play only for themselves and a few happy few. I play to please and to communicate. I’d like to think I’m a very happy person.

That’s why it’s essential for me to transmit and give others the generosity that is vital in art, music, and life.”
This is proven by these magnificent moments captured live in 1997 in Tokyo.
Accompanied by Anthony Jackson and Steve Gadd - two close friends with whom he shared an almost telepathic musical relationship - Michel Petrucciani delivers an intense hour of pianoforte, performing both standards and original compositions to unleash his boundless generosity and sensual lyrical expression live on stage.

Once again, one is struck by the solar clarity of his phrasing, the vigour and percussive precision of his touch (this master of tempo played ‘deep in the note’), and the breadth of his long lines where each note remains distinct and articulate. Michel infused everything he played with great emphasis and nuance - but above all, with sincerity. His heart sang immediately through the piano. This record is the most brilliant demonstration of that.
· Until now, this album had never been released on vinyl. Now available as a 180g double vinyl edition, mastered specifically for vinyl, housed in a 350g leather-textured sleeve with Struktura finish, offering an elegant texture and refined feel.

Detroit’s own Brian Kage returns with Timeless Times Remixed, a interstellar re-imagination of his album "Timeless Times" featuring an all-star lineup of remixers. Timeless Times Remixed brings together some of the finest minds in house and techno, delivering deep, timeless grooves with Detroit soul.

Brian Kage, a staple of Detroit’s electronic music scene, brings together a heavyweight lineup of producers to rework key tracks from his latest album. The legendary Delano Smith infuses Detroit Techno City with his signature deep and hypnotic touch, while Scotland's Milton Jackson reworks Just The Groove with a dose of his classic rolling house energy. The collaborative Reference (Luke Hess & Brian Kage) Remix of Nordhouse leans into peak time dub-techno atmospheres, while Detroit's newest and finest young talent from the Submerge crew Max Watts takes Galaxian into raw, driving 808 Electro terrain.
This essential four-tracker bridges deep house, techno, electro, and dub, while staying true to the classic and timeless sounds of Detroit’s roots.

Released in 1959, The Amazing Nina Simone marked her debut with Colpix Records, blending jazz, gospel, and folk with a striking orchestral touch. Unlike her piano-driven debut, this album leans on lush string arrangements led by renowned conductor Bob Mersey. A bold departure that highlighted her vocal depth, it showcased Simone’s ability to transcend genres with effortless grace.

Skinned' ( released digitally in 2020) - the debut album from Danish composer, producer and singer ML Buch.
Comes with lyrics printed the inner sleeve.

After releasing her debut EP Fleshy in 2017 - Skinned that takes her expansive guitar work and catchy melodies to another territory.

With her unique experimental pop and vocals that seem to slide into your ears as fluorescent liquid, ML Buch portrays the reality of intimacy in a digital era. Working primarily with synthetic midi sounds, the general love of songwriting and guitar music is ever present.

As if in search for something real, ML Buch takes the listener on the other side of the skin. Led by tender love songs like I’m A Girl You Can Hold IRL and Can’t Get Over You With You we journey through her throat and into her intestines, discovering a fascinating realm of shiny mucus and bile in flesh and yellowish colors. Panoramic images were captured by a small pill camera travelling through the body of ML Buch and act as extensions of the architecture of the music. This literal way of internalizing modern technology is symbolic of Skinned where eclectic instrumental compositions share the space with strong hooks and ML Buch’s spherical voice.

credits

All songs composed, arranged and produced by ML Buch
All lyrics by ML Buch
‘Touching Screens’, ‘O’ and ‘I Feel Like Giving You Things’ co-written by Oliver Nehammer
Bass on Can You Hear My Heart Leave, Touching Screens and Mw by Johan Polder
Drums on Touching Screens and Mw by Kristof Gasior

Viola on Stone Bridge by Astrid Sonne

Midi drums and keys on Touching Screens by Oliver Nehammer
Mix by ML Buch, Oliver Nehammer & Jacob Brøndlund
Mastered by ET Mastering
Cover photo by David Stjernholm
Artwork by Aske Zidore and ML Buch

Any15 - Anyines 2020

Jolene Cuts brings you straight into the heart of 90s French Touch with a modern edge. This exclusive vinyl-only release features 5 meticulously crafted filtered house edits, paying homage to the roots of house music while igniting today's dancefloors. Created by Danny and Mike, true masters of their craft, these tracks combine funky grooves, disco-infused samples, warm filters, and irresistible retro vibes reimagined for the present day. Each edit offers a unique sonic journey, blending nostalgia with a fresh energy, perfect for DJs and collectors who value the timeless magic of vinyl. With this release, Jolene Cuts celebrates the legacy of French Touch while delivering peak-time quality and undeniable groove for any set, from fiery club nights to intimate after-hours. A must-have for true house music enthusiasts. Vinyl-only, strictly limited edition. Once it's gone, it's gone.

The strength of Fan Club Orchestra's (FCO) trajectory lies in their nebulous, collaborative, and experimental nature, always with Laurent Baudoux at the centre. With its roots in the DIY impulses of the Brussels art and music scene of the late nineties, Baudoux rallied together a revolving cast of players with an unconventional ensemble of instruments to explore melancholic psychedelia that touched on drone and minimalism as readily as it carved minor pop hits from cracked electronics. Performances were often highly improvisational, aided by the barely controlled chaos that guest collaborators—such as American artist Mike Kelley—would inject into an appearance.

FCO self-released two albums in the early 2000s before finding a home with Sonig, where they released several more records up until their last with the label in 2013. This was a fitting frame as Sonig, like FCO, channelled the fervour and formalism of the experimental music history of the Rhineland, which includes Kraftwerk, krautrock, and key early electronic music studios.

Following an eleven year hiatus, Laurent Baudoux reassembled the group in 2024 and presented a new album with the esteemed Glaswegian label 12th Isle late in that same year. Building on the strength of the new iteration, and with the aim of reappraising some of the rich yet oblique history of the group through this new lens, FCO have remastered and reissued their 2013 album, 'An Insane Portrait'.

The recordings were originally commissioned in 2009 for Fabrizio Terranova's film 'Josée Andrei, An Insane Portrait' about the truly remarkable figure Josée Andrei. Shot in San Francisco, the film is an intimate portrait of Andre. Blind from birth, she is a witch, painter, photographer, tarot reader, and psychology and modern literature graduate.

'An Insane Portrait' captures a stripped-back FCO, with Baudoux working solely with original FCO member Ann Appermans. The configuration of Baudoux's electronics and Appermans' bass guitar yield a tender and preciously melodic suite of instrumentals.

Originally released on vinyl by Sonig in 2013, the remaster will again be presented by the label in a limited cassette edition and in digital formats, each featuring a bonus track that was not included in its original release.

The strength of Fan Club Orchestra's (FCO) trajectory lies in their nebulous, collaborative, and experimental nature, always with Laurent Baudoux at the centre. With its roots in the DIY impulses of the Brussels art and music scene of the late nineties, Baudoux rallied together a revolving cast of players with an unconventional ensemble of instruments to explore melancholic psychedelia that touched on drone and minimalism as readily as it carved minor pop hits from cracked electronics. Performances were often highly improvisational, aided by the barely controlled chaos that guest collaborators—such as American artist Mike Kelley—would inject into an appearance.

FCO self-released two albums in the early 2000s before finding a home with Sonig, where they released several more records up until their last with the label in 2013. This was a fitting frame as Sonig, like FCO, channelled the fervour and formalism of the experimental music history of the Rhineland, which includes Kraftwerk, krautrock, and key early electronic music studios.

Following an eleven year hiatus, Laurent Baudoux reassembled the group in 2024 and presented a new album with the esteemed Glaswegian label 12th Isle late in that same year. Building on the strength of the new iteration, and with the aim of reappraising some of the rich yet oblique history of the group through this new lens, FCO have remastered and reissued their 2013 album, 'An Insane Portrait'.

The recordings were originally commissioned in 2009 for Fabrizio Terranova's film 'Josée Andrei, An Insane Portrait' about the truly remarkable figure Josée Andrei. Shot in San Francisco, the film is an intimate portrait of Andre. Blind from birth, she is a witch, painter, photographer, tarot reader, and psychology and modern literature graduate.

'An Insane Portrait' captures a stripped-back FCO, with Baudoux working solely with original FCO member Ann Appermans. The configuration of Baudoux's electronics and Appermans' bass guitar yield a tender and preciously melodic suite of instrumentals.

Originally released on vinyl by Sonig in 2013, the remaster will again be presented by the label in a limited cassette edition and in digital formats, each featuring a bonus track that was not included in its original release.

Over the past near-decade, Lancashire's medieval metal phenomenon WYTCH HAZEL have been honing an uncommonly wholesome, rustic and devotional brand of timewarped hard rock that's all their own, with 2016's Prelude and 2018's II: Sojourn summoning to mind fevered images of Robin Hood and his Merry Men grooving to Jethro Tull and Thin Lizzy. Yet within moments of pressing play on their third LP, III: Pentecost, the musty mystical minstrelsy takes a back seat in favour of a rich, sumptuous, anthemic late-night drivetime vibe, passionately embracing the most high-end smash-hit classic rock and metal circa its late 1970s heyday. "I thought I put a lot into the second album, but this album has been an absolute obsession," stresses the band leader, Colin Hendra. "Every aspect had to be as good as possible. We've gone back and forth, Ed was tinkering with it for months on end. There's quadruple tracking going on with the rhythm parts, then we've doubled, tripled and quadrupled all our lead parts to get that richness and fullness of sound, all meticulously planned with pages and pages of organisational notes. It wasn't just `get in the studio and see how it goes!'" he laughs. "One day I did 14 hours of vocal recording. All vocals are double-tracked, I can't express how much hard work that is. The last album feels like a breeze compared to what we've done with this - and I don't plan on ramping it down!" Musically there are gorgeous self-professed touches of Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, AC/DC and early Scorpions_"With the soloing I was trying to go for Michael Schenker" beams Colin_while the scampering headbanger I Will Not initially took a nod from Angel Witch, who Hendra was helping out on second guitar back in 2015 when the track was composed, before studio treatment made it sound "a lot more Wytch Hazelly". But perhaps the most lateral comparison is to a band from the opposite spiritual realm, with Archangel an explicit homage to Swedish faux-Satanic devil cult Ghost. "I find them fascinating, Ghost; musically great, the songwriting is spot-on," enthuses the frontman. "We share an intrinsic connection, with Bad Omen honcho Will Palmer being the person who discovered us both. "Music is created for all, it's a common grace for everyone," he affirms, "which is why the music that shows the glory of God the most, in my opinion, is not music created by Christians. It's Black Sabbath!"

Embark on a sonic journey through Rod Stewart's unparalleled career with this comprehensive compilation. Ultimate Hits gathers his most beloved songs, from the heartfelt storytelling early classics like "Handbags and Gladrags" and "Maggie May" to the irresistible hooks of chart-topping anthems such as "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and "Forever Young". More than just a collection of hits, this meticulously curated set spans decades, revealing the evolution of a true musical icon's enduring talent and versatility. This is the ultimate Rod Stewart experience for both longtime fans and new listeners, a testament to his lasting impact on music.

Rod Stewart’s Ultimate Hits will be a new career-spanning greatest hits collection. The release will be the first to include songs ranging from his 1971 hit, “Maggie May” to selections from 2024’s UK #1,“Swing Fever,” with key touchstone hits along the way - celebrating 6 #1 UK singles and a top 5 hit worldwide in consecutive decades. Rod will participate in several major milestone events this year, including his performance in the Teatime Legend Slot at Glastonbury Festival on Sunday, June 29th.

After two decades, the indietronic veteran returns with a powerful sonic reflection on today’s sociopolitical climate and a poignant reminder of music’s enduring ability to heal, unite, and inspire. Blending experimental electronics with krautrock sensibilities, the album thrives on spontaneity, collaboration, and the beauty of ‘happy accidents’.

While many of Nitrada’s sonic trademarks remain — intricate, rickety beats; enigmatic field recordings; and gut-punching string melodies — EVERYTHING THAT IS NOT COUNTED WILL BE LOST marks a shift in approach. Experimenting with different constellations of musical machines, Christophe Stoll, the mind behind Nitrada, recorded hours of improvisations (some shared on his Instagram). These sketches became the raw material for more elaborate, carefully structured arrangements.

True to his collaborative spirit, Stoll brought in like-minded artists to shape the final album: Jan Sturm (aka STURM) lends his touch to the shimmering FRAGMENTS OF LIGHT. The euphoric dystopian WE DANCE IN THE CHAOS features Landobe (Marco Heinle) and Patrick Siegfried Zimmer on vocals. Luca di Mira (of Giardini di Mirò fame) contributes synths, cello, and delicate textures to some tracks, while Johannes Schardt’s guitar work brings a visceral, post-rock edge to NO HYMN FOR NOBODY and IL ROMANTICISMO DELL’APOCALISSE, nodding to Stoll’s roots in punk and indie.

“The goal is to take listeners on a journey through different timbres and sonic landscapes — a collage of diverse ideas and inspirations,” says Stoll about his album which effortlessly juxtaposes experimental ambient soundscapes, heavy jagged guitars, and minimal techno pulses, making them feel as though they’ve always belonged together. Because, in the end, they do – all part of the shared vocabulary of our universal language: MUSIC.

Smut - die Band aus Chicago, bestehend aus Sängerin/Texterin Tay Roebuck, Gitarrist Andie Min, Bassist John Steiner, Gitarrist Sam Ruschman und Schlagzeuger Aidan O'Connor - hat neue Energie getankt und sich auf das grenzenlose Potenzial besonnen, das entsteht, wenn man mit Menschen, die man liebt, Musik macht. In neuer Besetzung - "Tomorrow Comes Crashing" ist das erste Album von Smut mit O'Connor und Steiner - konzentrierten sich Smut darauf, die großen Gefühle einzufangen, die entstehen, wenn man sich zum ersten Mal in Musik verliebt. Das Ergebnis sind zehn intensive und bombastische Songs. Roebuck, Ruschman und Min gründeten die Band ein Jahrzehnt zuvor in Cincinnati, Ohio. Nach Jahren in der DIY-Szene von Cincinnati nahmen sie ihr Debütalbum "How the Light Felt" auf, das eine Offenbarung war. Pitchfork beschrieb es als "eine rigorose, Jahrzehnte umspannende Studie" und eine "gut geölte Drehung des Gitarrenpops der späten 80er". Under the Radar nannte es "Pop-Perfektion", die "subtile Haken mit wehmütigen Texten verbindet". "Tomorrow Comes Crashing" zeigt die Band mit neuem Elan. Der Song "Syd Sweeney", inspiriert von der Schauspielerin, ist das Herzstück der Platte. Es handelt davon, wie seltsam es sein kann, eine Frau zu sein und von Leuten missverstanden zu werden, die einen nicht einmal kennen. Der Song wird von tuckernden Gitarren und großen, rollenden Trommeln angetrieben. Mit anderen Worten: Stadionrock über Wahrnehmung. Paramore trifft "Dookie". "She connects to the youth and the girls in the water/All she amounts to is someone's daughter", singt Roebuck in einem besonders poetischen Moment. Der Song endet in einem Thrash-Metal-inspirierten Breakdown. Es ist ekstatisch. Um die Platte zu machen, nahmen Smut "so live wie möglich" zusammen mit Aron Kobayashi-Ritch (Momma) in einem Studio in Red Hook, Brooklyn, in zehn Tagen auf. Kurz bevor sie nach New York aufbrachen, heirateten Roebuck und Min, wobei der Rest der Band an ihrer Seite war. Die Aufnahmen waren ein wahrer Kraftakt: Sie fuhren mit ihrer gesamten Ausrüstung von Chicago nach Brooklyn, schliefen nach 12-stündigen Studiotagen auf den Sofas und Böden von Freunden, und am Ende war Roebucks Stimme völlig durch. Smut war schon immer ein DIY-Projekt. Weil sie es lieben und genau so tun müssen. "Tomorrow Comes Crashing" ist der Höhepunkt dieses DIY-Gedankens: eine Platte zu machen, die die Intensität, die Launenhaftigkeit und die Emotionen ihrer bisherigen Reise vollständig einfängt.

Smut - die Band aus Chicago, bestehend aus Sängerin/Texterin Tay Roebuck, Gitarrist Andie Min, Bassist John Steiner, Gitarrist Sam Ruschman und Schlagzeuger Aidan O'Connor - hat neue Energie getankt und sich auf das grenzenlose Potenzial besonnen, das entsteht, wenn man mit Menschen, die man liebt, Musik macht. In neuer Besetzung - "Tomorrow Comes Crashing" ist das erste Album von Smut mit O'Connor und Steiner - konzentrierten sich Smut darauf, die großen Gefühle einzufangen, die entstehen, wenn man sich zum ersten Mal in Musik verliebt. Das Ergebnis sind zehn intensive und bombastische Songs. Roebuck, Ruschman und Min gründeten die Band ein Jahrzehnt zuvor in Cincinnati, Ohio. Nach Jahren in der DIY-Szene von Cincinnati nahmen sie ihr Debütalbum "How the Light Felt" auf, das eine Offenbarung war. Pitchfork beschrieb es als "eine rigorose, Jahrzehnte umspannende Studie" und eine "gut geölte Drehung des Gitarrenpops der späten 80er". Under the Radar nannte es "Pop-Perfektion", die "subtile Haken mit wehmütigen Texten verbindet". "Tomorrow Comes Crashing" zeigt die Band mit neuem Elan. Der Song "Syd Sweeney", inspiriert von der Schauspielerin, ist das Herzstück der Platte. Es handelt davon, wie seltsam es sein kann, eine Frau zu sein und von Leuten missverstanden zu werden, die einen nicht einmal kennen. Der Song wird von tuckernden Gitarren und großen, rollenden Trommeln angetrieben. Mit anderen Worten: Stadionrock über Wahrnehmung. Paramore trifft "Dookie". "She connects to the youth and the girls in the water/All she amounts to is someone's daughter", singt Roebuck in einem besonders poetischen Moment. Der Song endet in einem Thrash-Metal-inspirierten Breakdown. Es ist ekstatisch. Um die Platte zu machen, nahmen Smut "so live wie möglich" zusammen mit Aron Kobayashi-Ritch (Momma) in einem Studio in Red Hook, Brooklyn, in zehn Tagen auf. Kurz bevor sie nach New York aufbrachen, heirateten Roebuck und Min, wobei der Rest der Band an ihrer Seite war. Die Aufnahmen waren ein wahrer Kraftakt: Sie fuhren mit ihrer gesamten Ausrüstung von Chicago nach Brooklyn, schliefen nach 12-stündigen Studiotagen auf den Sofas und Böden von Freunden, und am Ende war Roebucks Stimme völlig durch. Smut war schon immer ein DIY-Projekt. Weil sie es lieben und genau so tun müssen. "Tomorrow Comes Crashing" ist der Höhepunkt dieses DIY-Gedankens: eine Platte zu machen, die die Intensität, die Launenhaftigkeit und die Emotionen ihrer bisherigen Reise vollständig einfängt.

Straight out of the South London cesspit comes Slick N Bobby. Chest-cesspit comes Slick N Bobby. Chest-rattling live dub nuisance meets rattling live dub nuisance meets soundsystem-adjacent sonics forsoundsystem-adjacent sonics for your brain and bosom.your brain and bosom.

Debut, double-sided single “BellyDebut, double-sided single “Belly Dub/OSOTB” features two jabs ofDub/OSOTB” features two jabs of low-end badness available onlow-end badness available on limited, heavyweight 7” vinyl andlimited, heavyweight 7” vinyl and best experienced on speakers thatbest experienced on speakers that can carry the rumble. A Boy In Dacan carry the rumble. A Boy In Da Corner-esque sino-grime creeper onCorner-esque sino-grime creeper on the A and dubby, flowing deepnessthe A and dubby, flowing deepness on the flip.

Percussionist Tim Barnes has played with Jim O"Rourke, Wilco, Sonic Youth, Stereolab, Silver Jews, Tony Conrad, John Zorn, Faust, Tower Recordings, Alan Licht and many others in improvised & experimental music. Diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer"s in 2021, Tim"s new collabs with Ken (Bundy) Brown (Tortoise, Pullman) feature Joshua Abrams, David Grubbs, Oren Ambarchi, David Daniell, Darin Gray, Glenn Kotche, Tara Jane O"Neil, Jim O"Rourke, Ken Vandermark and Tim"s stalwart rhythmic zeal.

After decades of DJ-ing and recording for acts in the Dutch underground hip-hop scene (like Osdorp Posse, Def P & Beatbusters, Onderhonden) and being a mainstay of events like Rauwe School and In Full Effect, DJ Daan releases his first solo record. Six atmospheric instrumental tracks sprinkled with some mild turntable action, meant to sit back and chill out to.

Francis Bebey was a visionary who explored the intersection of African traditions and global music long before it became a global trend. Born in Cameroon, Bebey's sound was an eclectic blend of his rich cultural heritage and his deep exploration of modern music, spanning genres from traditional folk and jazz to funk and electronic experimentation. As an artist, Bebey was ahead of his time, using his unique voice and instruments to forge new paths for African music to be heard worldwide. His legacy is not just in the music he created but in the way he opened doors for the global recognition of African artists, influencing generations of musicians, producers, and fans alike.

This release marks an exciting moment, as we introduce remixes of bebeys iconic productions by contemporary electronic producers, giving new life through creative re imaginings.

Tracks:

Le Grand Soleil De Dieu (Psychemagik Remix): The UK-based musical duo are known for their eclectic blend of electronic music, psychedelic rock and mystical global sounds. Formed by Danny McLewin and Tommy McLewin, the duo has carved out a unique niche within the global music scene though their intricate arrangements. Their Remixes and Collaborations have been with artists like Fleetwood Mac, Tame Impala, and Hercules & Love Affair. Their psychedelic dub remix has otherworldly qualities, with dreamy atmospheres and bouncing baselines throughout this brilliant opening track.

Guinee (Turbotito Edit): The Berlin-based DJ and producer known for his infectious blend of house, disco, and funk. With a knack for smooth, groovy beats and a deep love for melody, Turbotito's music brings a fresh, energetic vibe to the dance floor. On this track, he effortlessly re-imagines and elevates the world of Guinee to match his signature sound. A combination of a great pulsing base line, ethereal vocals and bird sound effects incorporated into the percussion makes this track an absolute stand out.

Agatha (Voilaaa Remix): Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart from Lyon is the brains behind the Voilaaa project. Fusing soulful grooves, funk, and disco with an unmistakable French touch, Voilaaa creates infectious, feel-good rhythms that blend classic and contemporary influences. In this track we find the first big hook of the album vocally, coupled with Bebey's lively humour in spoken French on top of joyous instrumentation. The smooth vocals, catchy melodies, and vibrant arrangements, bring a fresh energy to the original hit track - a brilliant homage.

Forest Nativity (Red Axes Edit): Red Axes are a dynamic electronic music duo from Tel Aviv, blending disco, house, and psychedelic influences into infectious, genre-defying tracks. Known for their unique sound, warm analog textures, and hypnotic rhythms, Niv Arzi and Dori Simao craft music that moves both the body and the mind. Forest Nativity arrives as a full circle closer, incorporating some of the most authentic African instruments such as a Balafon, an instrument similar to a xylophone and a Djembe, a hand drum central to many West African traditions. The 7 minute track is guaranteed to take you on a fascinating journey through Bebey's culture and livelihood.

ASR030 marks a proud moment for Arsenik Records, celebrating the 30th release together with ANNÉ. Built for the floor and rich in character, the EP flows through four distinct cuts, shifting naturally in textures and moods.

Opening with Frescoes, the EP sets a confident tone. Inspired by the ancient art of mural painting, the track weaves crisp percussion and rolling basslines into a flowing, groove- driven atmosphere — vivid and full of motion.

Lythra follows with a more introspective touch. Blending precise sound design and warm textures, it builds a subtle but powerful emotional pull beneath its steady pulse, loosely echoing ancient forms and symbolism.

On the B-side, Nyctis lifts the energy skyward. Carried by luminous synths and rolling momentum, it captures the fleeting euphoria of summer nights, offering a bright and open feeling without losing its grounding.

Closing the EP, Polynoe shifts into a breaky, more playful direction. Nodding to mythological imagery, it layers fractured rhythms and melodic rawness, bringing a fresh and unexpected twist to the final moments of the record.

Gina X makes her way to Dark Entries for Greatest Fits, a compilation of gems and jams from the eccentric New Wave icon. Gina X Performance was formed in Cologne in 1978 when art history student and chanteuse Gina Kikoine teamed up with synth wizard Zeus B. Held. Inspired by Patti Smith and Lou Reed, Kikoine aimed to create "the absolute union of music, poetry and travesty," a lofty goal that she most certainly would achieve. 1979 saw the release of the classic first LP, Nice Mover, which put Held’s lush electronic production in dialogue with Gina X’s deadpan delivery. Songs explore androgyny, decadence, and avant-garde art in a fashion that is stylish, sexy, and more than a touch transgressive. Nice Mover quickly became a cult favorite thanks to tracks like the euphoric “Nice Mover” and the dancefloor bomb “No G.D.M.”, dedicated to queer icon Quentin Crisp. Three more LPs followed in the coming years: X-Traordinaire in 1980; Voyeur in 1981; and Yinglish in 1984. The duo continued their genre deviance throughout, exploring uptempo space disco on “Strip Tease,” punk-laced New Wave on “Babylon Generation,” and icy electro-pop on “French Lift.” Greatest Fits is the first-ever double LP compilation of Gina X material.

The 17 tracks on Greatest Fits were selected by Kikoine and Held, reflecting the duo’s most cherished moments from their wide-ranging catalog. The record comes housed in a gatefold sleeve designed by Eloise Shir-Juen Leigh featuring press clippings and photographs, and includes an insert with lyrics and memories about each song from Kikoine and Held.