Suche:tim man

Balmat 17 marks both a return and a new frontier. It is the second album on the label from Patricia Wolf, whose 2022 album See-Through is one of the most beloved in Balmat’s catalog; it also marks the first time that Wolf has turned her hand to a film soundtrack. The results are every bit as magical as fans of the Portland, Oregon, composer’s music might expect.

Hrafnamynd—Icelandic for “raven film”—is a new feature-length documentary by experimental filmmaker Edward Pack Davee. Shot on a mix of film and digital formats, and incorporating his father’s Ektachrome slides from the 1970s, the autobiographical film works on multiple levels at once: a reminiscence of his childhood in Iceland, an exploration of landscape and folklore, and a documentary study of the island nation’s ravens—including a talking raven named Krummi.

Wolf is the perfect artist to score such an unusual film. Mixing ambient music and field recording—including extensive experience documenting bird song—Wolf brings an unusually empathic perspective to her music. In the context of Hrafnamynd, her airy melodies, pensive atmospheres, and vivid textures intuitively complement the film’s grainy film stock and blown-out colors. Friends for years, the two artists further bonded when Wolf asked Pack to film music videos for her songs “Woodland Encounter” (from See-Through) and “The Culmination Of” (from I'll Look For You In Others). Pack used Wolf’s previously recorded music as placeholders as he began assembling a rough cut of the film, which made her a natural choice to help him complete his idiosyncratic vision with an all-new, bespoke score.

But Wolf’s soundtrack also indisputably stands alone as a full-length album. Largely created using the UDO Super 6 synthesizer, it features a carefully distilled palette of warm, string-like pads and darkly glistening mallets, rounded out with the very occasional introduction of nylon string guitar. Musically and stylistically, the album’s 11 tracks represent both a continuation of the ruminative sound of See-Through and also an extension into new expressive modes. Few musicians, ambient or otherwise, are as skilled at balancing melody with atmosphere, or at finding ways to eke fresh at finding ways to eke fresh, surprising sounds out of an intentionally reduced toolkit. Meditative, immersive, and emotionally generous Wolf’s Hrafnamynd soundtrack evokes a range of ambient classics from decades past while confidently marking out its own verdant patch of ground.


Artist’s Statement:
Edward and I have been friends for years, but we really started to get to know one another better after I hired him to make music videos for my songs “Woodland Encounter” and “The Culmination Of.” For those projects we got to spend a lot of time hiking in various locations around the Pacific Northwest with his camera, very nice lenses, and tripod. Keeping quiet, hidden, and vigilant we searched for wildlife, good light on the trees, meadows, lakes, rivers, and skies. Edward was already an appreciator of my music and I was already in awe of his filmmaking talents so it felt like a great fit. Although we work in different areas of art our styles compliment one another. We both tend toward slow and careful pacing, with a focus on emotion and introspective reflections on life and the landscapes around us. For this reason, Iknew that I could trust Edward to create videos for my music. We saw so many beautiful and unexpected things on our filming days, but I was moved to tears once I saw how magnificent and poetic it all was. His video work from the cinematography, to the editing, and color correction helped bring my inner vision to life.

A few months after that, Edward surprised me with an invitation to work on the soundtrack for his new film, Hrafnamynd. I enthusiastically said yes. I had always wanted to work on a film, and I knew that his filmmaking style would be inspiring to write music for. I had recently acquired an UDO Super 6 synthesizer but hadn't used it much. I decided that this would be the synth that I'd use for the film. It has the ability to sound very modern, but can also sound so warm and fuzzy, like a synth from the 1970s. It turned out to be the perfect instrument for this project as the film itself straddles time from the ’70s to today.

When Edward sent me the rough cut of the film, he used placeholder music to help give me an idea of the emotion and energy that he was hoping to achieve for each scene. For many of the scenes, Edward used music from my albums as temporary tracks. This told me that he trusted my work and style and therefore I should just trust my intuition with how to proceed. I wanted to make sure that everything that I made was a direct reflection of what was happening on screen, a mirror of its emotion and energy so people could really lock into the film psychologically. This process took my composing to unexpected places—like being led by a strange cat or a raven that seemed to have something to show me. I found that the approach made the music so much more dynamic than my usual style. I really enjoyed being influenced by the action and dialog on the screen. Thankfully, Edward was very happy with the work. I made sure to handle this project with the utmost care because this is about his life and his family, and an exploration of the experiences that made him an artist and filmmaker. While watching the film many times over, I found myself thinking about my own family and my early memories with them and how the place where I grew up has influenced who I have become. I found that his film invites the viewer to reflect on their own lives in a similar way. I hope that this music and film can guide others to contemplate on the history of their beingness and the people and places that shaped them.

Another aspect to this project is the splendor and wonder of Iceland itself. I had the opportunity to visit Iceland for the first time in 2023. I got to play a show there for the Extreme Chill Festival and met many friendly and brilliant Icelanders. I also got to collect field recordings that I used in the film. It's a fascinating place and culture that easily captures the hearts and imaginations of anyone who visits. Whether you spend your time in the city immersed in its impressive arts scene, or venture out into the wilderness to behold its wondrous landscape, it will leave a lasting impression. The soundtrack is also a love letter to Iceland itself.

The Time Capsule label unites record collectors and DJs of Brilliant Corners and Beauty & The Beat communities in London. For each release, Kay Suzuki works alongside one co-curator to reinstate and repackage the music they hold dear into perfectly restored historic artifacts.

For the first release, Brilliant Corners regular and Meda Fury signing Ryota OPP curates the reissue of Il Guardiano Del Faro’s 1978 album Oasis.

Born 1940 in Milan, Federico Monti Arduini was a child prodigy who studied piano and was already performing at concerts from the age of eight. He composed pop songs for other artists which sold millions of copies, but his own solo success came after he encountered synthesizers in the early 70s.

Viewed as a precursor of New Age sound art, Arduini was one of the first producers in Italy to use the Moog synthesizer and a meeting with Bob Moog in New York only added to this obsession. He was also an early adopter of the tradition among electronic producers to use a moniker to disguise his identity. Il Guardiano Del Faro (translated as “the guardian of lighthouse”) is a nod to the small Italian fishing town Porto Santo Stefano, where Arduini created his studio in the mid-70s.

He produced a number of albums from this seaside idyl of electronic instruments and tape recorders, but Oasis stands out from the pack. Released in 1978, it became a cult classic for its experimental sounds and emotional expressions. Spiritual synth sounds cover the album in a dreamy haze, oscillating between ambient and psychedelic. Sparing deployment of the Roland rhythm box gives dance floor favourites ‘Disco Divina’ and ‘Oasis’ touches of space disco and even teases proto-house elements like the great Sun Palace.

“The passionate, sweet and dramatic sound of Il Guardiano Del Faro made me fantasise about so many romantic aspects of Italian culture. Oasis is sonically more interesting than his other albums and these exotic, eccentric rhythms sound quite familiar to the modern music fans.” – Ryota OPP

Bebedera takes the style of Tarraxo to a heightened awareness of its sexual nature. Tight, wicked layers of percussion, a suggestive ID ("Drinking is his life"), a slow pace that's not only perceptively slow, it sounds charged with intent, even malice, dissolution. Letting go of morality may be the big attraction in the music, permission to get down, this time in a heavy, conspicuous manner instead of a spiritual, breezy floatation. One has to recognize the impulse in ourselves. Once at peace with this rough nature, there are sublime grooves to follow, mind-boggling arrangements, a freedom from judgement in connecting with what may seem to be at first a very masculine take on dancefloor sensuality but which is in fact only human. Just with less filters.

In other ways, an aural combination of metal and flesh produces this notion of a cyborg, a very expressive physical body making its weight known to everybody around, a sort of walking fortress as in the "Moderan" group of sci-fi short stories. A glorious rattle of lata percussion, scraps from the junkyard. A sense of unease, even slight danger starts a flow of adrenalin. According to DJ Marfox, it's not the only thing flowing, there's also a strong desire for intercourse when a Bebedera tarraxo is playing. His very distinctive style has been a cult favourite for years. Accordingly, it took years to make contact, to reach an agreement, and the result is a set of classics that stretch as far back as 2014. Still the same punch, still the feeling no one has really stepped into this territory with such force.

Flipping the construct on its head, there's two Bebedera house tracks, we'd say almost an oddity, an abrupt change from the previous density of atmosphere, though they retain all the percussive bounce. Sensual, sure, a different tempo also letting through a romantic disposition other than the sheer physical attraction. One of the titles sums up the aesthetical power at play: "I Will Beat The Top High". As in reaching further out, further up. Wanting to. Time freezes - 2014 and 2016 (production years of these two tracks), fold up and melt into the Present. Where it matters.

Demdike Stare & Cherrystones unveil a long-in-the-making darkside fantasy weaving atmospheric and loose-limbed cuts recorded at labs in London and Manchester, brilliantly shaking a bush of ghostly trig points ranging from the Mars rehearsal tapes to Minimal Man, Randy Greif’s cut-ups, Conrad Schnitzler’s industrial prototypes and ‘70s ECM sides – with vocal contributions from Ssabae’s mesmerising Laura Lippie.

In dazed pursuit of styles heard on Cherrystones’ DDS tape ‘Peregrinations in SHQ (Super High Quality)’, the renowned London digger properly hexes sonic leylines with his label bosses on 10 wickedly grubby and hazed sound experiments. They tumble down the rabbit hole like some sixth sense-guided call-and-response, resulting in an exquisite unfolding of psychoacoustic spaces familiar to their mutually spirited sounds.

Honestly it's some of the dirtiest and most esoteric gear we've heard from Demdike; you can sense a lifetime of incessant digging drip through every loop and crack; grotty no-wave, industrial noise, DIY psych, proto-techno and gnarled concrète, further bolstered by Cherrystones’ perpendicular, equally insatiable and fathoms-deep areas of interest. With a focus on scrappy, feral cuts and hastily recorded edits, the trio roughly re-draw wordless chants and hyper-compressed knocks over a vortex of found sounds that curdle in rhythmic heat. Never staying sill for long, the trio get drowned by watery ambience, then shredded loops, Technoid shrapnel and electric bass prangs dancing into the aether.

The crankiest spirit perfuses the whole thing, evoking states of unravel and psychic distress as they pit a near-peerless collective knowledge into the void. Laura Lippie acts as human ligature to sanity, a fleeting constant found smudged into the hip hop chops of ‘Familiar Unfamiliarity’, spectral incantations of ‘Prophet in View’, or a channelling of Ozzy in ‘Thee Oath’, among more deranged tongues on ‘Observing the Crux’.

It’s the missing link between ECM, Earth and Dilloway we didn’t know we needed - up there with some of the most satisfyingly deep and frazzled gear this century.

Back from the Rendez-vous at Rimini... All the Alden Tyrell classics finally available on vinyl again. Remastered by the man himself to make his tracks, that inspired a generation, ready for the next decade.

Formed in 2012 by long-time musical companions Oyvind Holm and Hogne Galaen,
the band quickly grew into the six- piece musical force they are today. Their unique
sound fuses cosmic Americana and rich vocal harmonies with catchy melodies, highspirited improvisation, and contagious musical energy that will leave you craving
more.
The six members come from diverse musical backgrounds but are united by their
shared love of psychedelia and cosmic Americana. They draw particular inspiration
from the California sound of the late '60s, with bands like The Byrds, Crosby, Stills,
Nash & Young, and the Grateful Dead as key infuences.
Between 2012 and 2019, the band recorded and released fve critically acclaimed
albums, two of which were recorded in the California desert at the legendary Rancho
De La Luna, nestled among the Joshua trees. Like many other artists, the pandemic
shook their foundations, forcing the band into an involuntary hiatus. In the aftermath
of lockdowns and other imposed restrictions, the backlash from other projects kept
them from picking up where they had left off.
However, the fall of 2024 brought new opportunities. An unexpected email from Mike
Scott of The Waterboys reignited their spirit and motivation. While on tour in Norway,
Scott discovered one of their albums and was so taken by their sound that he invited
them to contribute vocal harmonies to 'The Tourist,' a track off The Waterboys' new
album Life, Death & Dennis Hopper.
Soon after, an even greater opportunity arose--an invitation to join The Waterboys on
tour in the UK and Scandinavia. To accompany the upcoming tour, we've put together
a beginner's guide to Sugarfoot.
The compilation album Cosmic Norse Americana features nine highlights from
Sugarfoot's career so far, along with a newly recorded cover of Emitt Rhodes' 1967
track "Time Will Show The Wiser."
Sugarfoot:
Hogne Galaen - guitars, vocals
Even Granas - drums
Thomas Henriksen - keyboards
Oyvind Holm - guitars, vocals
Bent Saether - bass
Roar Oien - pedal steel
THOUGHTS AND WORDS
The Sugarfoot story begins back in 2011. But before there was Sugarfoot, there were
the Dipsomaniacs, Kulta Beats, Motorpsycho, Too Far Gone, and Deleted Waveform
Gatherings--bands that, in one way or another, featured future members of what would
eventually become Sugarfoot. Six musicians from diverse musical backgrounds,
united by a shared love of psychedelia and cosmic Americana. Drawing deep
inspiration from the California sound of the late '60s, their musical compass points
toward The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and the Grateful Dead.
I say eventually, because Sugarfoot didn't start as a band--it began as a duo. Hogne
Galaen and Oyvind Holm had previously played together in Deleted Waveform
Gatherings. But when their drummer moved out of town, the group was put on ice. Not
ones to sit still, the two of them launched a side project to keep the creative wheels
turning.
Throughout the winter of 2011, they holed up in their rehearsal space, writing and
recording rough sketches of what would soon grow into a full album. And that's when
things got interesting. They drew up a wish list--a dream lineup of musicians they'd
love to bring into the fold.
Among the names on that list were Even Granas, Thomas Henriksen, Bent Saether,
and Roar Oien, all soon to be permanent Sugarfooters. Each was invited to contribute
to the project, adding their parts to the pre-recorded tracks--without knowing what the
others were doing. Like assembling a giant musical puzzle, Galaen and Holm later
pieced the album together from these blindfolded contributions. The result was This
Love That We Outwore, released in the fall of 2012.
From there, things escalated quickly. By the following year, Sugarfoot had become a
proper band. Big Sky Country-- written and recorded collectively-- landed in 2014,
solidifying the group's evolving sound, including favourites such as Dolphins Hotel and
Ego In A Bag. When it came time to record a third album, the band felt the itch for
something new. They wanted a change of scenery--somewhere that could spark fresh
inspiration and leave its own sonic fngerprint on the production. So they asked
themselves: where could they go that carried the spirit, the legacy, the stardust of their
musical heroes?
That search led them to the California desert, to the legendary Rancho De La Luna,
nestled among the Joshua trees. Their next two albums, Different Stars (2016) and
The Santa Ana (2017), were both recorded at the Rancho. In fact, The Santa Ana was
both recorded and mixed during a two- week stay in 2015, making it a true time
capsule in the band's discography.

Though Scratch may have at times seemed crazy, it is worth noting that creative
genius appears so because geniuses see things others do not see and inhabit
realities unseen. As the music on this album reveals, Lee Perry's Black Ark creations
re-arrange the familiar into something new and magical.
Lee spent his early days working with legendary producers Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid,
Joe Gibbs, Clancy Eccles and Prince Buster, and by 1968 he was an independent
producer, naming his studio musicians The Upsetters and scoring instrumental hits
with innovative rhythms that helped forge the new reggae style. In 1970-1971 he
produced what many consider the greatest works by the Wailers; in 1968 one of his
Upsetters productions hit #5 on the UK pop chart and more hits followed. That gave
him the funds to build his own studio and in 1973 the legendary Black Ark was born.
Among the many landmark classics cut at Black Ark are such incisive political
commentaries as Max Romeo's "War Ina Babylon," and Junior Murvin's "Police and
Thieves" (covered by the Clash). The Congos' "Heart of the Congos" album is a roots
classic and there are many wonderful obscure singles such as Carlton and the Shoes'
"Better Days." Many dub creations made innovative use of Scratch's sonic wizardry via
echo, phasing, reverb, fanging, wah-wah and various sound effects.
It all came to an end in 1978 as Lee, besieged by extortionists, freeloaders, religious
fanatics and assorted pilgrims, let the studio lapse. And then he set it on fre, some
say due to frustration, others say from mental collapse. He left Jamaica, collaborated
with musicians around the world, toured as a sort of mystic trickster/ shaman and
prospered. But his work at Black Ark will always stand as his ultimate creative
achievement.

Rachika Nayar und Nina Keith veröffentlichen am 18. Juli unter ihrem neuen Projekt Disiniblud ein selbstbetiteltes Album!

Rachika Nayar und Nina Keith, aka Disiniblud, treffen sich in Brooklyn, in einem Park, der so klein ist, dass man nicht aneinander vorbeigehen kann, ohne sich zu bemerken. Sie reden. Erst über Musik, dann über alles. Über das, was war, über das, was nicht mehr sein wird. Post-Lockdown-Liebe auf Distanz, als würde man sich an jemandem festhalten, den es nie ganz gab. Buddhismus, Hinduismus, ein Soundtrack, den sie beide als Teenager geliebt haben. Ein Gespräch ohne Worte. Eine Verbindung, die sich anfühlt wie eine längst vergessene Kindheitserinnerung. "Disiniblud", das selbstbetitetelte Album, das am 18.07.2025 via Smugglers Way erscheint, ist das Echo davon. Rachika Nayar und Nina Keith verfolgen unterschiedliche musikalische Ansätze, die sie im gemeinsamen Projekt Disiniblud zusammenführen. Rachika veränderte mit ihrer 2022er LP "Heaven Come Crashing" ihr Repertoire: Statt Ambient-Gitarren setzt sie nun auf maximalistische Synthesizer, tiefe Sub-Bässe und Amen Breaks. Diese Fusion aus Post-Rock und Elektronika wurde von Pitchfork als Best New Music ausgezeichnet und fand Anerkennung in Medien wie The New York Times, Stereogum, Fader und GQ - zudem eröffnete sie Tourneen mit M83. Nina Keith ist bekannt für ihren autodidaktischen Kompositionsstil. Ihr Debüt "MARANASATI 19111" präsentierte sie mit Instrumenten wie Cello, Klavier, Klarinette und Flöte, um persönliche Erfahrungen und Erlebnisse im Zusammenhang mit Gemeinschaftstraumata und paranormalen Ereignissen musikalisch zu verarbeiten. Mit neuen Veröffentlichungen wie "Come Back Different" featuring Julie Byrne erweitert sie ihr Spektrum durch den Einsatz modularer Synthesizer und komplexer Vokalarrangements.





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A band formed out of necessity for incessant speed and the desire to keep pure unadulterated riffage alive into death metal, Recorruptor has succeeded in providing the Midwest U.S. with captivating live concerts played to the soundtrack of honest, yet unapologetic extremity. Since the first lineup formed in 2016, Recorruptor has put out two full length records in "Bloodmoon" (2017) and "The Funeral Corridor" (2020). These two records have given Recorruptor the opportunity to travel across the region and support many of the world's favorite extreme artists - notably Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Suffocation, Morbid Angel, Cattle Decapitation, and much more. This record sees the band trimming the fat, focusing solely on a concise and calculated assault of sonic riffng. Recorruptor displays a multitude of extreme sounds that sounds as much of an homage to their many influences as they can fit, while sprinkling in just enough unique flair to make their own brand stand out.

A band formed out of necessity for incessant speed and the desire to keep pure unadulterated riffage alive into death metal, Recorruptor has succeeded in providing the Midwest U.S. with captivating live concerts played to the soundtrack of honest, yet unapologetic extremity. Since the first lineup formed in 2016, Recorruptor has put out two full length records in "Bloodmoon" (2017) and "The Funeral Corridor" (2020). These two records have given Recorruptor the opportunity to travel across the region and support many of the world's favorite extreme artists - notably Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Suffocation, Morbid Angel, Cattle Decapitation, and much more. This record sees the band trimming the fat, focusing solely on a concise and calculated assault of sonic riffng. Recorruptor displays a multitude of extreme sounds that sounds as much of an homage to their many influences as they can fit, while sprinkling in just enough unique flair to make their own brand stand out.

GOSPEL CHRISTMAS Mahalia Jackson is considered the greatest gospel singer of all time. Her goal was to proclaim God‘s word through song. She ushered in the Golden Age of Gospel between 1945 and 1965. Jackson was the first gospel artist to tour Europe. She appeared regularly on tele- vision and radio programs and sang for many presidents and heads of state, including the national anthem at John F. Kennedy‘s inauguration in 1961. At a time when segregation was pervasive in American society, she had great success. She sold an estimated 22 million records, but still had trouble hailing a cab or sim- ply being able to buy something in stores. Her gospel interpretation of Silent Night is still one of the most soulful and impressive versions of the famous Christmas song. The album of the same name is still a classic today and remains unsurpassed.

For the fourth release on her celebrated record label Uppers and Downers, Dr.Rubinstein returns to the producer's seat with Take This Pill, a new 3-track EP that showcases the dynamic, ever-widening range of her signature acid sound. Lacing lively dancefloor cuts with a dose of personal storytelling and a playful yet honest take on mental health, Take This Pill delivers on Rubi's distinct ability to honor classic rave sensibilities while also always imparting her own unique twist.

The title track journeys from dark, acid-laced electro breaks into a shimmering wash of euphoric synths, energized along the way by drumrolls, hoovers, and a vocal refrain repeatedly voicing the Doctor's prescription: "Take this pill!" More than just a nod to classic XTC bangers, "Take This Pill" explores the emotional spectrum of neurodivergence and the pharmaceutical pathways many embark upon on a quest to "fit in," mirroring the lived experience of internal struggle giving way to external composure.

Things shift up a few gears on track two, the aptly-titled "No Brainer," a relentlessly energetic, no-nonsense stomper designed with the soul purpose of making you move. The track features sidewinding Goa-tinged acid lines swirling through a hard trance kick scape adorned by with soaring strings and shimmering cymbal rolls.

The EP concludes with a gorgeous, melodic rave-infused cut that shows a more tender, reflective side of Rubinstein's repertoire. Referencing one of Rubi's favorite tunes, The KLF's iconic "3 AM Eternal," diaphenous ambient vocals soar over a melancholic acid ballad that, never to be taken too seriously, is punctuated by humorous woops and cheeky rave whistles.
With Take This Pill, Dr. Rubinstein invites listeners into her world-one where vulnerability, humor, and acid rave euphoria collide. A perfect addition to her label's growing catalog, Take This Pill upholds the mission of Uppers and Downers: to collect and circulate timeless, tried-and-true tunes that celebrate the uplifting, affirmative power of rave music.

Margarita Witch Cult captured lightning in a bottle with their 2023 debut- a blink-and-you'll-miss-it behemoth that saw the band thrash and burn through Europe and the UK, picking up legions of fans and touring with the likes of Cancer Bats, Monster Magnet and Nebula. Now, the Birmingham trio are set to pick their teeth with the bones of their own past- as their second LP 'Strung Out In Hell' takes everything that was so compelling about their debut and turns the knob up to 11; rips off the knob; throws the knob into the fires of hell and cackles maniacally in the wake of its demoniacal glory. From top-to-tail, 'Strung Out In Hell' is a cloven hoof to the chest; a dizzying descent through infernus. It will caress you only to chew you up and spit you out. It is the soundtrack to the afterparty of all life on earth. Succumb to its sordid siren song. Bolder, stranger, and downright more mean, there's no better time to jump on the Margarita Witch Cult train- and it's going straight down, fast.

Gold Nugget Vinyl, limited to 400 copies. Margarita Witch Cult captured lightning in a bottle with their 2023 debut- a blink-and-you'll-miss-it behemoth that saw the band thrash and burn through Europe and the UK, picking up legions of fans and touring with the likes of Cancer Bats, Monster Magnet and Nebula. Now, the Birmingham trio are set to pick their teeth with the bones of their own past- as their second LP 'Strung Out In Hell' takes everything that was so compelling about their debut and turns the knob up to 11; rips off the knob; throws the knob into the fires of hell and cackles maniacally in the wake of its demoniacal glory. From top-to-tail, 'Strung Out In Hell' is a cloven hoof to the chest; a dizzying descent through infernus. It will caress you only to chew you up and spit you out. It is the soundtrack to the afterparty of all life on earth. Succumb to its sordid siren song. Bolder, stranger, and downright more mean, there's no better time to jump on the Margarita Witch Cult train- and it's going straight down, fast.

Dirty Dynamite is the seventeenth studio album from Swiss melodic hard rock/heavy metal band Krokus.

Well received by critics, partly due to the surprising element of their Beatles cover of “Help”.
The band origins from the seventies, and have since sold over 15 million records, toured the world and received gold and platinum discs in the US and Canada. The legendary English journalist Malcolm Dome quite rightly said:

“If you look at the long-term output of this band, Krokus is clearly one of the best hard rock bands of the last 40 years”.

Dirty Dynamite is available as a limited edition of 666 numbered copies on silver coloured vinyl and includes an insert with lyrics

To mark 10 years since SOPHIE’s game-changing singles collection PRODUCT, Numbers are celebrating with a special edition featuring 11 songs across Deluxe Vinyl and Compact Disc.

This anniversary release includes bonus tracks, track-by-track slide posters, and a SOPHIE PRODUCT Card. Physical editions are now available for pre-order and released on 11th July 2025.

SOPHIE classics ‘BIPP’, ‘LEMONADE’ and ‘VYZEE’ are joined by two immaculate PRODUCT-era songs ‘OOH’ and ‘GET HIGHER’ recorded and produced at the time, each with colourful single artwork completing the set.

‘OOH’ is one of SOPHIE's earliest productions that has been through several revisions since 2011. It was one of three original tracks that Numbers had signed when SOPHIE uploaded the song alongside 'BIPP' and 'ELLE' to her Soundcloud, and while it had been through several iterations and speed changes, this finalised version was completed by SOPHIE in 2019.

SOPHIE once described ‘OOH’ as “hi tech club dance pop”. Musically speaking, the earworm hook is carved out by her signature portamento-infused synths and candy-coated lyrics, a firm cult classic approved by AG Cook and Charli XCX. Initially titled 'MAKE RESPECT', the track was first performed live by SOPHIE in 2011 to a handful of lucky people at a beach afterparty surrounding Sonar Festival, Barcelona and later that year at Manhattan's New Museum. The vocal was recorded as the first track in the same one-day recording session as SOPHIE's debut single 'NOTHING MORE TO SAY', released on the Huntley & Palmers label, where Sophie's songwriting was performed by the London vocalist Jaide Green.

The genesis of the ‘OOH’ and ‘NOTHING MORE TO SAY’ recording session is lore-worthy in its own right: after watching Jaide Green perform live with Olly Murs during the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009, SOPHIE reached out and invited Jaide to record in her home bedroom studio.

‘GET HIGHER’ was born during joyous sessions in 2013, when SOPHIE’s beat was introduced to the vocalists Cassie Davis and Sean Mullins. The track feels like a visionary precursor to ‘Vroom Vroom’, and doesn't sound out of place next to the sub-clang intensity of SOPHIE’s ‘HARD’ and ‘MSMSMSM’. Striking a playful balance between blissed-out hyperpop and club-ready Atlanta trap, it showcases SOPHIE’s signature, laser sharp sound design. Originally released as a bonus track on the Japanese CD edition of PRODUCT, ‘GET HIGHER’ has remained a hidden gem.

A groundbreaking producer, songwriter and performer, SOPHIE's visionary approach reshaped the landscape of pop and electronic music. Emerging in the early 2010s, SOPHIE introduced a hyper-detailed, futuristic sound defined by metallic textures, elastic basslines, and an uncanny blend of synthetic and emotional tones. Collaborating with artists including Charli XCX, Madonna, Vince Staples and Arca, SOPHIE helped pioneer a new pop movement while challenging conventions around identity, genre and production. SOPHIE's work continues to resonate deeply, leaving a lasting impact on a generation of artists and listeners alike. Discography: PRODUCT (2015), OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES (2018), SOPHIE (released posthumously, 2024).

Betty Harris (born 1939, in Orlando, Florida) is an American Soul Singer with a reputation that far exceeds her commercial success of the 1960s. Her recordings for the Sansu record label are highly sought after by fans of both Northern and Deep Soul.
In 1964, Betty Harris switched record labels from Jubilee to Sansu, a New Orleans label, where she was introduced to and produced by the legendary New Orleans producer Allen Toussaint. Her recordings with Sansu produced 20 singles. Of those, only "Nearer to You" charted (Billboard Hot 100 # 85), an atmospheric, dramatic soul ballad, now considered one of the milestones of deep soul. However, practically all of her recordings for Sansu featuring Allen Toussaint's raw yet sophisticated Southern Soul arrangements are considered prime specimens of the classic soul era. Notable recordings include "I'm Evil Tonight"; “Show It”; "I Don't Want To Hear It" and "Twelve Red Roses", favored among Northern Soul fans, plus "Can't Last Much Longer" and "What'd I Do Wrong".
In 1969 her Sansu recordings were compiled into a U.K. album—Soul Perfection—now highly prized around the world and reissued here in its original form for the first time.

Side Effect is an alias of the main man Dave Charlesworth aka The Sorcerer AKA The Energizer. Two amazing mixes from 1993, originally released on his Time Travel Records label. Pure energy and vibes!

As time is passing...
A letter from the past

For two decades, Trad Vibe Records has been exploring and celebrating the many facets of hip-hop, funk and soul music, always driven by a passion for authentic, organic sounds. Founded in 2005, this independent French label has made its mark on the underground scene with cult releases, transatlantic collaborations and a loyalty to vinyl culture. In 20 years, Trad Vibe has brought together beatmakers, MCs and DJs around a musical vision that is both timeless and audacious. To celebrate this anniversary, the label unveils a limited vinyl edition of 300 copies, a veritable digest of its musical universe.

Side A kicks off with "Boom Bap Introduction", a track mixing jazz and boom bap in a characteristic old-school instrumentation by DJ Vince.
This is followed by the West Coast energy of DJ King Flow & Lex Lakaiser on "Money".
The soulful groove of Moar, Raashan Ahmad and Kohndo explodes on "Stand Up (Soul
Train Mix)".
Juliano concludes the side with his blues-inspired "Nothing or All".
The B-side kicks off with the classic “Rock It Feel The Groove”, a funky bomb orchestrated and scratched by Dee Nasty, a historic figure in French hip-hop.
Moar and Raashan Ahmad return with "Sky High", a track reminiscent of the golden age of 80's Disco Rap.
Followed by LS Brigandes with the sensual "You Make Me Feel", bathed in New York, Hip-Hop, Soul and Jazzy influences.
To round off the album in style, DJ Clyde concludes with a positive message on Boom Bap sounds and Lofi with “More Love”.
This anniversary compilation is available on vinyl only, in an ultra-limited edition of 300 copies. A must-have collector's item for fans of polished beats and authentic vibes.

S4R48 is dedicated to John Richbourg’s iconic labels, SOUND STAGE 7 and SEVENTY SEVEN, featuring the main man Joe Simon and the much-missed Ann Sexton on two album tracks available for the first time on 7”. Completing the EP are two originally unreleased tracks: Roscoe Shelton’s well-known Northern Soul classic "You’re the Dream", and another Southern Soul gem by Geater Davis.

MR. CHRISTMAS In the beginning there was White Christmas and the Christmas albums of Bing Crosby. Everything else came after and can hardly compete with that success. Bing Crosby‘s sig- nature song White Christmas is still the best-selling single of all time, with 50 million units sold. The song, composed by Irving Berlin, first appeared in Crosby‘s film Holiday Inn. The composition won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 15th Academy Awards. The song was so successful that it topped the charts again year after year, 16 times in the USA alone. The same goes for Crosby‘s Christmas albums. The records, which have been repeated over the past 70 years, have accompanied many generations and have become an integral part of Christmas. Christmas without Bing Crosby, without White Christmas would be something like doing without a Christmas tree, mulled wine or presents. So let‘s rather not try it!

HO, HO, HOWDY! Cowboys also celebrate Christmas! The biggest country stars present the most beautiful Christmas songs in country style, of course. A treat for all country fans, as well as for lovers of cozy Christmas atmosphere in the style of American Nashville romance. With punch and turkey, banjo and harmonica, fiddle and mandolin, Santa Claus can set off in a good mood. If you‘ve always wan- ted to spend the most wonderful time of the year with Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Chet Atkins and many other country greats, The Country Christmas Album will fulfill your Christmas wish

2025 Repress!

South London favourites Chaos in the CBD come back to Rhythm Section International one year after their breakthrough EP 'Midnight in Peckham'. The original EP captured a moment in time in a way few songs can manage. It was hailed as a masterpiece, capturing the attention of all who listened, as evidenced by the unquenchable demand for the 12'.
This follow up EP is an equally sublime collection of tracks that revel in the late night soulful feel that Chaos in The CBD have been honing over the past two years. The music's strength lies in it's subtlety - the tracks demand your attention in an effortless fashion and hold it, right 'till the last beat. Another unbelievably powerful record from RS INTL, who are proving to be unstoppable of late. BUY ON SIGHT!

Token presents the 6th chapter of the Fuga series. Challenging new faces to complete the label's sound, Fuga VI is another focused compilation that balances spatial detail and rhythmic bite.

Skipping any introduction to dive straight into the essence of the compilation, Skjöld portrays 'Forbidden City' as a tense aquatic exploration. With pressure in the low end, he keeps the record alive by conjuring obscure pads to give dimension and intrigue to an already nervous track. This persistence is quickly met with weight; Tapefeed's 'Residual Memory' follows up to tap into the label's more aggressive side. Riddled with mechanical sound design bordering on the industrial, the Tapefeed duo creates dancefloor dominating energy that sets them apart with an all-out approach. The density of this second track feeds smoothly into Stephen Disario's 'Out Of Tune' - a drum-forward record with dispersed texture. The LA based producer puts his hi hats brutally forward to cut through the space, finding a remarkable balance between its two sides and exploiting its confrontation. Returning to the label's recognizable resonance, Merino steps in with 'Memoria' - a manic 5 minute synth loop with minimal percussion. Dealing in restraint and dissonance, Merino naturally finds a home in Fuga VI with this track before heading back into the peak time paranoia of JSPRV35 in 'Question'. Pushing up the intensity and flicking through vintage percussion lines, 'Question' is an extraverted homage to the origins of techno that embodies flair. The track drives through the middle of Fuga with ease, bouncing rhythm off a sharp bassline with thundering claps and snares. 'Catch 22' by Terminus restores balance with minimalism but pace. A hypnotic break in the second half is sure to mesmerize dancers and home listeners alike. Stuttering hats shake throughout 'Catch 22' to push the track along, keeping the harmony low and maintaining focus on the movement. With a similar tempo, Sanna Mun follows up with 'Binary Systems'. A speedrun through an acid-like bassline, the track's rhythm is obsessive and persistent as we reach the conclusion of the compilation. Fuga VI comes full circle with a ghostly track by Mode_1 called 'Lifespan', stretching time and tunneling through with booming toms and shuffled hats. Keeping the pressure high and maintaining that never ending energy is the only way to wrap up such a high energy release and Mode_1 does just that.

Milton Wright's perfect deep Soul classic "Keep It Up" has always been a top shelf record, everything about it is almost flawless! Whether it's Milton's silky vocal delivery, the incessant guitar driven back beat or the total space Funk vibe of his omnipresent ARP-2600 synthesizer this record has it all. Originally released on TK Disco's more Soul and Funk orientated Alston label which was home to many legendary artists and records, this 1975 sunshine classic never fails to make people move. A classic rare groove indeed. "The Silence That You Keep" takes up side-B, a jazzy, flute driven love song that again features Milton's perfect voice and some fantastic arrangement. A real gem of a record, with the original 45 changing hands for over £100 a time in used condition.

This is the first time "Keep It Up" has been re-issued in it's original 45 rpm format with the original Alston label artwork. It's been re-mastered, re-pressed and made available again with the permission of TK Disco / Alston Records, Miami Florida, USA.

Black Vinyl LP. The world has changed, we shouldn't try and pretend otherwise. While we were shut away in isolation our routines shifted, social patterns evolved, and our hopes and dreams were twisted into cobwebs we're still trying to wipe from our fingers. Ziúr tentatively approached this on her last album Antifate, an ambitious and complex hybrid pop fever dream that looked back to a Medieval escapist fantasy as the scent of revolution seemed to hum in the air. But when restrictions were eased, she found herself staring down a discombobulated society that had trapped itself in a spiral of microwaved nostalgia and detached, narcotic repetition. Eyeroll then is Ziúr's musical panacea, a tincture to wake us from our creative slumber and prompt external connection and reflection. It's a polyphonous hex that demands human interaction, and Ziúr's hand-picked alliance of collaborators - Elvin Brandhi, Abdullah Miniawy, Iceboy Violet, Juliana Huxtable, Ledef, and James Ginzburg - each provide distinct voices that together herald a bewildering sonic epoch. Ziúr's palette had to evolve to match the scope of the project, but it was pure necessity that informed the album's defining tone. Recording mostly at night, Ziúr was conscious of the noise she was making so developed a unique way to record organic percussion. Using a set of rototoms - low profile tunable drums - she scratched, scraped and gently tapped the skins to build up the undulating and unstable rhythmic backdrop for each track. It's the first sound we hear on the opener 'Eyeroll', rattling like lost marbles against Elvin Brandhi's primal croaks and screams. And when Brandhi's twisted articulations form words, Ziúr matches the energy with chaotic thuds and serrated blasts of saturated electronics. "I roll the shittiest cigarette," she squeals like she's about to start a mosh pit at Paris's GRM Studios. Without pause, Abdullah Miniawy takes over on 'Malikan', building on the promise of material with Simo Cell, Carl Gari and HVAD with corrosive trumpet blasts and charged, politically incendiary Arabic vocals. Inspired by pre-Islamic poetry and the Qu'ranic chanters he heard growing up in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, he spins labyrinthine stories that cross between the worlds, breaking down physical and spiritual borders simultaneously. Miniawy's scope is expanded even further on his second collaboration, 'If The City Burns I Will Not Run'. "If it rains and the city drowns," he utters over gaseous electronics, "I will not run away, but I will be anxious for the heart of one close to me." After a supple vocal turn from Manchester's Iceboy Violet on 'Move On' and a surreal interlude from poet- DJ-artist-theorist Juliana Huxtable on '99 Favor Taste', Brandhi returns with two more hyperactive collaborations: ,'Nontrivial Differential' and 'Cut Cut Quote'. On the former she slices into Ziúr's skeletal jazz eruptions, screaming and crooning interchangeably, fluxing between the rap battle and the cabaret. The latter is completely different meanwhile, with Brandhi settling into her role as front-woman and groaning dizzying improvised passages that sound like grunge crossed with psychedelic no-wave. Brandhi's spiky musical history has prepared her well for this collaboration; she's a prolific producer and has been using her voice spontaneously since debuting with father-daughter improv duo Yeah You in the mid 2020s. She's found an ideal foil in Ziúr, a producer who matches her restless energy and willingness to bend formality, and leaves an indelible mark on Eyeroll. But the album's most tender moments are from Ziúr herself, who winds the album down on 'Hasty Revisionism', growling over collapsible beats and cascading strings, and comes to an unexpected conclusion with country coda 'Lacrymaturity'. Its feverish amalgamation of country music and euphoric, experimental electronics might seem incongruous at first, but in context with the rest of the album is the only possible conclusion. With Eyeroll Ziúr is making a firm statement about togetherness, humanity, and the renewal of hope when all seems lost. By bringing together such a wide but philosophically harmonic team of collaborators, she's conducted a body of work that speaks to the creative fringe in no uncertain terms. Now's the time to throw away what you think you know, and build bridges you didn't think you need. Now's the time for action. She may have spent her entire career avoiding the solipsistic trappings of "queer art", but by assembling a communal statement that questions so many normative assumptions about music, politics, and beyond, Ziúr has chanced upon her queerest album yet. Cringe? Eyeroll.

There’s something oddly comforting in the idea of a dead star still sending signals — distant, mechanical, yet somehow filled with meaning. Inertia and the whole record, tap into that contradiction: the sensation of being impossibly far from home, yet still drawn toward something vast, unseen, and filled with memory.

Written & produced by Dangkhoa Chau
Mastered by Stefan Betke at Scapemastering
Vinyl pressed at AFG Record Manufacturing
Distributed by Readymade Distribution
Curation & artwork by Severja

Cosmin TRG is a Romanian producer who crafted some of the underground's most innovative sounds a decade or so ago, before going off to work in other creative worlds. Here, for the first time, he links with countryman DYL for a special EP that is decidedly futuristic. 'Manevre' is Romanian for 'manoeuvres' and comes in three different parts. Each one is fluid minimal sound with deft rhythms, fizzing pads, eerie melodies, sub-aquatic motifs and always absorbing atmospheres. Tammo Hesselink also adds a remix that has more prominent drums, lurching loops and menacing dystopian energy.

Label heads Make A Dance return with the 13th installment on their acclaimed imprint, M.A.D. RECORDS

Leading the charge is the long-requested ID, 'Young Man' — a rolling, deep, and driving house cut, layered with a hauntingly soulful blues vocal – a track that confidently carves its own lane in a crowded field.

On the B-side, 'Club Dub 909' offers a more direct and energetic take, punctuated by bursts of their signature dub siren — a nod to the duo’s unmistakable style.

Rounding out the EP is 'Down', a sleazy, heads-down affair that’s been igniting dance floors every time it’s dropped in their sets.

The hardcore house heads at Dungeon Meat have assembled another funky slab of waxy deliciousness to tuck into and this time it's a various artists affair. Mance serves up the starter, 'In A World Of,' which is rock solid cut with a physical low end but infused with real soul warmth. Timmy P's 'Utter Filth' is another muscular house workout with an elastic bassline and trippy lead. Pimp C's 'Where My Bitches' is a sleazy and ghetto-tinged pumper and Jesse Merlin brings some warped low ends and twitchy synth menace to the prowling rhythms of closer 'Do The Umm'. Essential tackle.

Underoath sind seit fast zwei Jahrzehnten eine wegweisende Stimme im progressiven Heavy Rock. Nur sehr
wenige können mit ihnen mithalten, wenn es darum geht, immer wieder an die Grenzen zu gehen oder sich
kreativ weiterzuentwickeln. „Voyeurist“ ist eine Rückkehr zu Underoaths Heavy-Metalcore-Wurzeln, die sie
in den 2000er Jahren zu einer der größten Bands in der Metal-Welt machten. „Voyeurist“ ist ihr neuntes
Album und das erste, das die Band komplett selbst produziert hat. Es wurde im Studio von Gitarrist Tim
in Tampa, FL aufgenommen und enthält 10 Tracks, die schwer, aber dennoch experimentell und manchmal
wunderschön sind. Während das letzte Album „Erase Me“ aus dem Jahr 2018 eine Abkehr von ihrem
Sound war und eher ein geradliniges Rock-Album, kehrt dieses zu den beliebten Metalcore-Wurzeln der
Band zurück, von denen die Fans so begeistert sein.

Pioneering British electronic musician Mark Van Hoen is set to release his latest solo album, The Eternal Present, on 23 May 2025 via Dell'Orso, a remarkable collection of tracks spanning nearly three decades of recordings from 1998 to 2024.
The Eternal Present embodies its philosophical title, inspired by Joseph Campbell's concept that "Eternity isn't some later time... Eternity is that dimension of here and now that all thinking in temporal terms cuts off." The album explores music as the ultimate expression of existing in the present moment, transcending time and creating a sonic experience that is simultaneously "spectral, ghostly, melodic, harmonic, and decayed."
An influential contemporary of Aphex Twin, Autechre, LFO and Boards of Canada, Van Hoen is best known for his solo work as Locust in the mid-'90s, which helped push post-rave electronic music into newly challenging realms. His extensive discography spans releases on influential labels including R&S, Touch, and Editions Mego. Van Hoen has worked on numerous collaborations throughout his career, including with Nick Holton and Neil Halstead of Slowdive under the moniker Black Hearted Brother—their album Stars Are Our Home was released in 2013.
The Eternal Present continues the lineage of Van Hoen's most significant works, with artwork by Ian Anderson (Designers Republic) reflecting the album's "eternal present" concept with a mysterious visual approach, allowing listeners to form their own imaginary landscapes. The mastering by Stefan Betke (Pole) enhances this document of the evolution of the artist over the years as he continues to hone his signature sound. Using a host of instruments including analogue synthesisers and employing various recording approaches, Van Hoen's equipment changed dramatically over the years—from early DSP processing used on his first solo record on Apollo ‘Playing With Time’ to various synthesisers, modular systems, tape machines, and digital workstations—contributing to the album's rich sonic diversity.
Throughout The Eternal Present, ideas are woven together through spoken word quotations and abstract vocals featuring notable collaborations from Rachel Goswell on the Slowdive cover "Shine" (from 1998), Megan Mitchell (Cruel Diagonals) on "Somewhere", and session vocalists Clare Dove and Dorothy Takev on "No-One Leave" and "It's Not You (In A Way)" respectively. The use of cleverly assembled vocal samples from an "undisclosed but very famous female vocalist" on "Multiplex" (2016) and the indistinct vocalisations on the Cabaret Voltaire-influenced "Only Me" (2017), constantly challenges and disorientates the listener through fluctuating, ever-changing musical elements.
The album was recorded across multiple locations including Somerset, London, Los Angeles, and New York—even beginning compositions during flights and in airport lounges—reflecting Van Hoen's changing personal circumstances, environments, and situations throughout the years.
Of Indian-Jamaican descent, Van Hoen was born and raised in England, absorbing diverse musical influences from his neighbors—African-Jamaican on one side and Punjabi Indian on the other. "Each family played their own music frequently, and I absorbed it." His musical foundations include Brian Eno, Kraftwerk, OMD, Tangerine Dream, Japan, Cabaret Voltaire, and Cocteau Twins, later finding inspiration in My Bloody Valentine, LFO, and '90s producers Robert Leiner and CJ Bolland.
These eclectic influences are evident on The Eternal Present, which contains snapshots of different periods in his life, with changing circumstances across decades creating a variety of textures and sounds. As Mark explains: "It holds the same sonic signature as many of my solo releases and early Locust albums. It's a natural development that has taken place in the last few decades. It's even related to the earliest music I made as a teenager, although perhaps more sophisticated."
“What a remarkably affecting, majestically broad and captivating work it is..what strikes you most is the album’s myriad diversity. Outstanding” (Electronic Sound)

“Whether channelling mid- 70’s Eno, early Aphex Twin or Neu! his vivid sounds shimmer with emotional weight” (Mojo 4*)

"Musically, Van Hoen belongs to a distinguished family tree. Originally influenced by the likes of Brian Eno and Tangerine Dream, and later presaging both Autechre's glitch and Boards of Canada's pastoral IDM." (Pitchfork)

Motel d'amour - A Lost Electro-Funk Gem from the NDW Era Resurfaces

When we first collaborated with Collage member Markus Kammann on the EP project "Mit den Puppen tanzen" at the end of last year, we never imagined what would follow: Kammann approached us with a completely unreleased full-length album by his former band. Upon receiving the first three preview tracks, we were floored. One of them was "Nachtcafé" - a track that kicks off with a funky bassline layered over the punchy rhythm of a Roland TR-808. Add shimmering synths and Katrin A. Kunze's sharp, distinctive vocals, and we instantly knew we were hearing something special.

For a label dedicated to rediscovering lost treasures, this was exactly what we'd been searching for. The next two tracks - "Rendezvous" and "Casanova" - were just as compelling. When Kammann sent us the full album, we realized we were holding an electro-funk grail from the late golden days of the German Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW). We were listening to "Motel d'amour".

"Motel d'amour" is a concept album, offering a sharp, vibrant perspective from a confident, intelligent, and radiant young woman eager to experience nightlife, love, and music. Kunze's lyrics paint vivid scenes of flirtation ("Nachtcafé", "Rendezvous"), encounters with men ("Casanova"), the pulse of nightlife ("Die Nacht ist noch jung"), love ("Rotes Licht für rote Liebe"), one-night stands ("Motel d'amour"), and more. Rarely has a German album from that era captured emotional nuance and social dynamics so insightfully. Without veering into the overly personal, Kunze's direct, daring lyrical style was groundbreaking at the time - and remains refreshingly bold today.

While German listeners will fully appreciate the lyrical depth, the music speaks volumes on its own. Kunze's words are masterfully complemented by the production of Markus Kammann and Jürgen Grah. As heard on the in-demand "Mit den Puppen tanzen", their creativity seemed boundless. Each track is tightly composed, catchy, and full of character. While many German bands at the time leaned into rock, Kammann drew from the deep grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson, The Commodores, and the electro-futurism of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" and "Looking for the Perfect Beat". The result: tracks with unmistakable electro-funk flair, powered by the classic 808 drum sound.

Though primarily rooted in funk and electro, the album retains flashes of NDW aesthetics - "Wir haben getanzt heut' Nacht" being a prime example. The instrumentation is a dream list for vintage gear lovers: Yamaha keyboards, Roland Juno-60, vocoder, Micromoog, Hohner D6 Clavinet, Fender bass, and a Telecaster guitar all feature prominently.
Recorded in 1985 at the high-profile Delta Studio by Richard Rossbach, the album attracted interest from Polydor. However, the label proposed using the compositions for a solo project with singer Inga Humpe (of Neonbabies), who was already signed to their roster. This would have required replacing Kunze as the vocalist, an idea the group firmly rejected. As a result, "Motel d'amour" was shelved, and Kammann, Grah, and Kunze moved on to form Cold End.
The album cover features a rare archival photo of Katrin A. Kunze - rediscovered by Kammann and now finally seeing the light of day, 40 years later.

We believe Motel d'amour deserves recognition alongside cult German classics like P!OFF?, 1. Futurologischer Congress' "Wer spricht?", Ami Marie's "Verrückt nach Glück", the funkier cuts of Cosa Rosa, or Piet Klocke's groove classic "Heute ist nicht sonst". It's a record that fits into adventurous DJ sets but also rewards a full, start-to-finish listen.

A note on audio quality: Sadly, the original master tapes were lost. The tracks were restored from a vintage TDK cassette. Thanks to modern digital tools, we were able to remaster them to a high standard - but in some songs light distortions remain. We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy this lost and undiscovered gem.

Motel d'amour - A Lost Electro-Funk Gem from the NDW Era Resurfaces

When we first collaborated with Collage member Markus Kammann on the EP project "Mit den Puppen tanzen" at the end of last year, we never imagined what would follow: Kammann approached us with a completely unreleased full-length album by his former band. Upon receiving the first three preview tracks, we were floored. One of them was "Nachtcafé" - a track that kicks off with a funky bassline layered over the punchy rhythm of a Roland TR-808. Add shimmering synths and Katrin A. Kunze's sharp, distinctive vocals, and we instantly knew we were hearing something special.

For a label dedicated to rediscovering lost treasures, this was exactly what we'd been searching for. The next two tracks - "Rendezvous" and "Casanova" - were just as compelling. When Kammann sent us the full album, we realized we were holding an electro-funk grail from the late golden days of the German Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW). We were listening to "Motel d'amour".

"Motel d'amour" is a concept album, offering a sharp, vibrant perspective from a confident, intelligent, and radiant young woman eager to experience nightlife, love, and music. Kunze's lyrics paint vivid scenes of flirtation ("Nachtcafé", "Rendezvous"), encounters with men ("Casanova"), the pulse of nightlife ("Die Nacht ist noch jung"), love ("Rotes Licht für rote Liebe"), one-night stands ("Motel d'amour"), and more. Rarely has a German album from that era captured emotional nuance and social dynamics so insightfully. Without veering into the overly personal, Kunze's direct, daring lyrical style was groundbreaking at the time - and remains refreshingly bold today.

While German listeners will fully appreciate the lyrical depth, the music speaks volumes on its own. Kunze's words are masterfully complemented by the production of Markus Kammann and Jürgen Grah. As heard on the in-demand "Mit den Puppen tanzen", their creativity seemed boundless. Each track is tightly composed, catchy, and full of character. While many German bands at the time leaned into rock, Kammann drew from the deep grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson, The Commodores, and the electro-futurism of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" and "Looking for the Perfect Beat". The result: tracks with unmistakable electro-funk flair, powered by the classic 808 drum sound.

Though primarily rooted in funk and electro, the album retains flashes of NDW aesthetics - "Wir haben getanzt heut' Nacht" being a prime example. The instrumentation is a dream list for vintage gear lovers: Yamaha keyboards, Roland Juno-60, vocoder, Micromoog, Hohner D6 Clavinet, Fender bass, and a Telecaster guitar all feature prominently.
Recorded in 1985 at the high-profile Delta Studio by Richard Rossbach, the album attracted interest from Polydor. However, the label proposed using the compositions for a solo project with singer Inga Humpe (of Neonbabies), who was already signed to their roster. This would have required replacing Kunze as the vocalist, an idea the group firmly rejected. As a result, "Motel d'amour" was shelved, and Kammann, Grah, and Kunze moved on to form Cold End.
The album cover features a rare archival photo of Katrin A. Kunze - rediscovered by Kammann and now finally seeing the light of day, 40 years later.

We believe Motel d'amour deserves recognition alongside cult German classics like P!OFF?, 1. Futurologischer Congress' "Wer spricht?", Ami Marie's "Verrückt nach Glück", the funkier cuts of Cosa Rosa, or Piet Klocke's groove classic "Heute ist nicht sonst". It's a record that fits into adventurous DJ sets but also rewards a full, start-to-finish listen.

A note on audio quality: Sadly, the original master tapes were lost. The tracks were restored from a vintage TDK cassette. Thanks to modern digital tools, we were able to remaster them to a high standard - but in some songs light distortions remain. We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy this lost and undiscovered gem.

2025 Repress

Forest Drive West returns to Livity Sound with the 'Dualism' EP, a tour de force of stripped dub aesthetics and swirling psychedelic rhythms.

One of the finest breakthrough UK producers of recent years, in a short space of time Forest Drive West has created an enviable catalogue across labels such as Livity Sound, Rupture, Echocord, Whities and Mantis. This new EP marks some of his best work to date.

The final track on the EP, 'Scorpion', features Melbourne based percussionist Lucky Pereira whose frenetic but tightly locked drums add a fizzing energy to Forest Drive West's deep atmospheric rhythm track.

Livity Sound is a label set up by Peverelist in 2011 as a vehicle for a raw and exploratory strain of UK techno, rooted in the heritage of UK dance music and sound system culture. It has since become one of the UK's foremost protagonists for cutting edge underground electronic music.

Roundabout is a four-piece collective from Austria that blends influences such as NuJazz, R'n'B and Neo Soul into a sound driven by groove, complexity and emotions.

All songs written, composed and performed by Roundabout: Moritz Lindner, Alexander Danninger, Manú Kreutzer and Henrik Stöllinger.

All tracks produced by Roundabout. Mixed by Paulo Germano. Mastered by Sam Irl. Recorded at Lindner Studios.

Artwork by Leonel Perez Mayoral. Vinyl design by Neue Sachlichkeit.

Featuring:
Timon Grohs - Guitar (1,2,3,4)
Jamie Leeming - Guitar (5)
Matthias Zeindlhofer - Trombone (1,5)