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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.

Dutch club jazz band New Cool Collective returns with a tasty 7" featuring two cinema classics. On the A-side, they serve up their own fresh and super funky cover of 'Enter the Dragon,' the iconic theme associated with Bruce Lee and his martial arts masterpiece of the same name. The B-side features their take on 'Misirlou' which is a legendary surf rock track by Dick Dale & The Del-Tones that was made world famous when it was used as the theme from Quentin Taranto's chef d'ouevre, Pulp Fiction. This double-sider is standout for its nostalgic movie associations but also on a purely musical level it oozes class.

Frappé's classic jazzy and funky house EP is FINALLY available on vinyl. 5 tracks from Art Of Tones, Georges, Robby&Stupid Flash, Basile de Suresnes and Ten Fingerz tilting towards the historical influences at the very roots of House music: jazz, piano and funk.

Sublime private-press piano improvisations channeled from another world by Willem Nyland. Remastered from the original tapes and reissued for the first time, with in-depth liner notes by Matt Marble of the American Museum of Paramusicology. A Columbia-educated chemist by profession and a self-taught pianist by affinity, Willem Nyland (1890-1975) is known as a spiritual teacher in the tradition of Greek-Armenian mystic George Gurdjieff. In the mid/late 1960s, a split with Gurdjieff led Nyland to start his own group in upstate New York. There, after a Friday night lecture on 'The Work' and a shot of brandy, Nyland would launch into remarkable piano improvisations on a specially tuned baby grand, sometimes playing for over an hour. Each improvisation was meticulously recorded and cataloged, a major part of Nyland's teachings. 16 of these recordings were released as standalone LPs on Nyland's own Gauge Hill Press, with artwork by Hungarian American decorative artist Ilonka Karasz, Nyland's wife of over 50 years. These records, with their cascading, deeply emotional playing and beautiful cover art, have become highly coveted by collectors and "paramusicologists." Each contains depths of spiritual information and lyrical, almost visual instrumental storytelling. Nyland deftly and subtly shifts moods and tones throughout these truly inspired extended improvisations.

A1 - Sequence Array
Exquisitely filtered breaks open Sequence Array as Aural Imbalance opens the EP with a glorious intro capped off with a tight 808 bassline solo before the dependable, rapturous crunch of amens thrash their way into the mix. Programmed with dextrous skill allowing the crisp subtleties of the breaks to breathe among the layers upon layers of floral ambience, this one is an amen journey to remember.

A2 - In Formation
A more understated affair takes the stage as In Formation is introduced by airy pads and light DJ-friendly filtered breaks in the backdrop before a punchy yet delicate break pattern - high on the juddering snares and low on the kicks - ushers us along through plinky melodies and mood-elevating synthwork, completing a journey of reflective solitude from the master of ambient atmospherics.

AA1 - Voices From Neptune
Light keys and excitable, shimmering waves of ambience kick off the elegantly composed Voices from Neptune, setting a sumptuous tone before the uniquely constructed breakbeats commence. Kicks and energetic hi hats & snares are soon joined with a light Hot Pants break, crisp and complimentary in the mix as low pass melodies bask in the soothing swathes of exquisite synthwork.

AA2 - Decoded Message
Closing out the EP, Aural Imbalance sets free his Decoded Message, opening with a quietly suspense-fuelled intro flecked with light hi hats before a yearning, mournful melody intersects with a tapestry of ambient pads and effects. Swirling with an array of subtle jangling melodies to form a kaleidoscope of spine-tingling mood music, the compositions capped-off with old-school breakbeats riddled with analogue charm and earthy bass.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

State Change is the riveting new album from composer and performer Molly Joyce, out July 11, 2025 via FatCat Records’ 130701 imprint. Blending influences ranging from the 20th century modernist lineage to the spectral drones of Andy Stott, Missy Mazzoli, and Nico Muhly, State Change draws unflinchingly from the medical record of a childhood trauma for seven electro-acoustic tone poems — stark and oppressive in its medical aesthetic, yet ultimately cathartic and healing. Joyce crafted the album with Grammy-winning producer William Brittelle largely at Figure 8 Studios with engineer Michael Hammond.

When Joyce was seven years old, she was involved in a car accident that nearly amputated her left hand and required many intensive surgeries; to this day, her hand is still impaired. Joyce pushed through this life change, and over the past eight years, her reputation has swelled as one of her generation’s most daring, conceptually driven composers.

Joyce’s 2020 debut for New Amsterdam Records, Breaking and Entering, ruminated on this seismic shift in pieces for toy organ, voice, and electronic sampling of both sources. The New York Times noted her music’s “serene power”; The Washington Post described her as “one of the most versatile, prolific and intriguing composers working under the vast new-music dome.” Pitchfork lauded her 2022 album Perspective — a sonic portrait of disability built from interview recordings, also released on New Amsterdam — as “a powerful work of love and empathy that underscores the poison of ableism in American culture.”

Ria Moran steps into a bold new chapter with Cubico, her debut solo album set for release in July 2025 via DeepMatter Records. A deeply personal and sonically rich project, Cubico sees Ria stepping forward as a producer and instrumentalist, blending R&B, neo-soul, and jazz with introspective songwriting that explores love, self-discovery, and emotional growth. The 12-track album moves fluidly between smooth R&B grooves and darker alternative tones, embodying the full spectrum of her artistry—sweet, emotional, moody, quirky, and fun. Ria made her long-awaited return in November 2024 with Take It or Leave It, a collaboration with Nubiyan Twist that showcased her evolving artistry and set the stage for Cubico and finding support from BBC Radio 6, Radio 1, Rinse Fm, Jazz FM, Worldwide FM, and more. Prior to this, her 2019 EP Moving into the Light gained widespread recognition from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 6, and Worldwide FM, placing her among the UK’s most exciting contemporary soul voices. Her music sits at the juncture of forward-thinking UK soul music and nu-jazz, placing her alongside contemporaries including Ego Ella May, Yazmin Lacey and Cleo Sol, whilst also nodding to pioneers like Sade and Erykah Badu. Beyond her solo work, Ria has built an impressive career as a collaborator. Her contributions to Nubiyan Twist’s Freedom Fables earned a MOBO Award nomination, and she later appeared on Blue Note Records’ Blue Note Re:Imagined series, performing a BBC Radio 2 live session at the legendary Maida Vale Studios. She also worked with bassist Daniel Casimir on his acclaimed Boxed In album, joining a roster of UK jazz heavyweights including Nubya Garcia and Moses Boyd. Since 2019, she has been a touring vocalist with Gotts Street Park, sharing stages with Celeste, ENNY, and Pip Millett. With Cubico, Ria Moran is fully stepping into her own as an artist, delivering a debut album that is as raw as it is soulful, as vulnerable as it is empowering—a must-hear for fans of innovative and heartfelt music..

Tracks include unearthed fragments of BLADDER FLASK, circa ’80s by Richard Rupenus, a founding member of THE NEW BLOCKADERS.

STEVEN STAPLETON, ANDREW LILES, RICHARD RUPENUS.





New studio album “Backside” on vinyl by Nurse With Wound, includes unearthed fragments of Bladder Flask by Richard Rupenus, circa ’80s, also released on Cd in 2024 (there is also a DIY “lathe cut”).
Cover art by Babs Santini.


The paths of Nurse With Wound and Bladder Flask first crossed in 1980 and the following year Bladder Flask’s debut album One Day I Was So Sad That The Corners Of My Mouth Met & Everybody Thought I Was Whistling (Orgel Fesper Music) was distributed by United Dairies.


Following the aborted project for a second Bladder Flask album, scheduled for 1981, some forty years later, Richard Rupenus approached Steven Stapleton to use fragments of old recordings he’d unearthed from “Bladder Flask”, an invitation that Stapleton accepted, and rather than simply remixing or reworking existing Bladder Flask tracks, Steven Stapleton and Andrew Liles have succeeded in reinforcing Nurse With Wound and Bladder Flask’s sense of the absurd in this new opus “Backside”.



“As the closest release style-wise to classic old NWW in decades, the album’s opening track ‘Backside’ could almost be a relic of the early 1980s, full of squeaky and crunchy noises, big plate reverbs, lots of plunderphonics meets musique concrete type cut-up work, bizarre vocals and all sorts of unfathomable sonic elements. It’s quite an intense listen, but totally enjoyable. ‘Chernobyl Picnic’ feels more like ‘Cooloorta’-era NWW, as it involves more use of extended tones, with lots of liberally chopped-up and totally messed about sounds, much of it fried and modulated in the most fascinating ways, a kind of harsher and more multi-faceted ‘Soliloquy For Lilith.’ An excellent release, especially for jaded old NWW fans who want more in the style of ‘the good old days’ (Alan Freeman)”.

Promising label newcomer IGLO returns to Figure with his second EP this year, building on a distinct sonic identity shaped by a background in classical music and live performance. Across five tracks, he further refines his mix of atmospheric depth, precise rhythms, and melodic nuance.
This time, his own voice takes on a more central role, adding a personal and expressive layer to the productions. On opener Computed Love, restrained, longing vocals blend into squelchy synths and minimal grooves - hauntingly beautiful, yet gritty with rumbling machine funk. Determined follows with a more menacing tone, its sharp percussion cutting through a bleak, shadowy atmosphere - perfect for building tension on the floor.
On the flip, IGLO switches up the mood: Enter the State runs on hypnotic loops and chopped-up piano riffs, peppered with cheeky, spoken-word style vocals that nod to ghetto house traditions. It breaks into an irresistible, swinging groove that hits with full force.
Offering a smooth counterpoint, Enlighten drifts into dubby terrain. Soft, ricocheting vocal snippets and warm chords conjure a hopeful, human glow - a bouncy balm for the soul, without losing its forward momentum.
Digital bonus track Find Yourself closes the EP on a spacious, almost sci-fi note - twinkling synths and airy melodies float above crisp textures, like a breath of fresh air at the end of a long night.With X49, IGLO deepens his connection with Figure and sharpens his unique voice - equally grounded in introspection and dancefloor impact, continuing to shape a sound that's thoughtful, bold, and marks him as one to watch.

This album released in 1957 showcases Chet Baker's trumpet skills alongside Bobby Jaspar on tenorsaxophone. The recordings for the album took place between October 25, 1955, and February 10, 1956, at Studio Pathe-Magellan in Paris and features a mix of cool jazz and bop styles with tracks like "How About You," "Once in a While," and "Alone Together." The ensemble of musicians on this album includes notable names such as Jean-Louis Viale on drums, and Benoit Quersin on bass; the album highlighting Baker's distinctive trumpet tone and his collaboration with talented European musicians: "I Get Chet" is a significant work in his discography and reflect his mastery in the cool jazz and bop genres. The tracks are characterized by its relaxed tempos and lighter tone, and bop, known for its complex rhythms and harmonies, it is praised for its lyrical and cool jazz elements. For this and other reasons and considered a gem from Chet Baker's Paris sessions, showcasing his talent during a pivotal time in his career.

Proudly presenting Maravilhosamente Bem the powerful, female-centred third album by Brazilian singer, songwriter, actress, and creative director, Julia Mestre.
Alongside being a member of the Latin Grammy-winning Brazilian supergroup, Bala Desejo, Julia has been steadily building a solo career where her unique vision and alluring soft, sultry voice take centre stage. Drawing inspiration from ‘80s ballads, MPB, pop and disco productions, each song on this third album finds Julia creatively exploring different characters and tones.

A love-song-driven LP at its core, Maravilhosamente Bem holds a playful mirror up to blissful days gone by, artfully reimagined with Julia’s own modern twist. An album filled with love and nostalgia, it pays homage to her love of classic female disco divas such as Donna Summer, Sade, Alcione, Lady Zu, and the Brazilian rock queens Rita Lee and Marina Lima. Of that latter pairing, the late iconic Brazilian vocalist and musician Rita Lee (Os Mutantes) is referenced in the music video for the first single, ‘Sou Fera’, blessing Julia with a magical guitar. Marina Lima then provides guest vocals on the album’s closing track, ‘Marinou, Limou’, with her name transformed into a mantra by Julia.

Channelling a lo-fi ‘80s ballad aesthetic, Julia navigates a multitude of themes across the nine sublime tracks. From the sexy, whispered performances on vintage horror movie-inspired tunes ‘Vampira’ and ‘Pra Lua’ to the delicate, fragile love lullabies of ‘Sentimento Blues’ and ‘Cariñito’, and the seductive disco diva embodiment on dance tracks ‘Veneno de Serente’ and title track ‘Maravilhosamente Bem’. Another hidden highlight is the palette-cleansing mini-suite, ‘Interlúdio dos Amantes’. A luscious strings instrumental piece that lends to the beautiful Sade-esque ‘Seu Romance’.

Produced by Julia and longtime collaborators Gabriel Quirino, Gabriel Quinto, and João Moreira, Maravilhosamente Bem sees Julia embarking on a new era of her musical career. This sensational third album is a captivating showcase of the creative vision and versatility of one of Brazil’s finest stars.

Released on Mr. Bongo (ROW) and Altafonte (Brazil).

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.

Nach ersten EPs & Mixtapes sowie der Produktion von Dijons Debütalbum "Absolutely" erscheint Mike Gordons Erstwerk "Two Star & The Dream Police" als bahnbrechende Fusion aus Pop, Rock und Soul. Der 26-jährige Musiker aus New Jersey definiert bekannte Genres anhand unkonventioneller Töne, Tempi und Texturen neu. Seine verzerrten Gitarrenriffs und gefühlvollen Vocals erinnern an Prince, durchdringen düster-experimentelle Mixe und schaffen eine fesselnde Klanglandschaft, die traditionelle Grenzen überwindet. Trotz experimenteller Tendenzen beweist Mk.gee, dass er Melodien beherrscht und aus scheinbar chaotischen Kompositionen komplexe und einnehmende Popsongs kreieren kann. Seine Debüt-LP ist sowohl innovativ als auch zugänglich und bietet eine frische Sicht auf zeitgenössische Musik, behält aber gleichzeitig eine zeitlose Qualität.

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.

Barcelona’s Egyptian Greyhound and Berlin-based Ziel join forces in search of a modern sound rooted in the spirit of classic dancefloor cuts. Riding the revival wave, their EP blends Progressive, Trance, and Balearic elements with Classic House undertones.

A1 – Ziel’s "Divinity" is a sensual vocal track, channeling the eroticism and transcendentalism of past eras. Straddling the line between after-hours soft-trance and progressive house with Hi-NRG ambition, it delivers a compelling emotional punch.

A2 – "A Life in Paradise" follows in tone but leans further into Classic House. Less Hi-NRG, more warmth — it’s a strong warm-up tool, ideal for building energy early on.

B1 – "Nature Dancer" by Egyptian Greyhound brings a powerful kick and drum groove for peak time, combining Balearic colors and trancey aesthetics to ignite the dancefloor.

B2 – "Ace of Swords" sees both producers come together for a trippy, acid-tinged closer that fuses deep Trance and Balearic moods into a dreamy final statement.

Returning to the Bordello, and the seven-inch, is Real Velour. This secretive figure reappears with two tracks of indie dance that bend and re-shape elements of italo disco, minimal pop and synth wave to create an utterly unique experience. Sleazy basslines and tropical percussion give way to heavily vocodered words in “Lover”, machine amor breaking to spoken human voice as melodies twirl. The romance described is one of passion, of friendship and of fidelity; but, with a hint of control. Clever and addictive, the composition cherry-picks bittersweet sounds to depict this relationship. The flip, “Look What You’ve Done”, maintains the candystore keys of the A-Side; the tone shifting as lyrics adopt a brazen and fortified vigour. It appears maybe that the promises of “Lover” have been shattered. While the love story turns to hurt feelings and regret, Real Velour keep the energy high to revel in the final break-up.

After persistently fine crafting their sound in the studio for two years, the dynamic duo Blame The Mono return to Molekul with a powerful second opus.
Pulse Persisters is an explosive 4-track EP showcasing their vision of fun, creative and genre-bending techno.

Podgorica sets the tone of the EP with its swelling lowend, 2000s evocative acid bassline and intense breakbeat build-up.

Flip The Phase sends you on a face melting journey strewn with stuttering dub chords, playful vocal chops and a jungle section that completely flips the script.

Digital Diva loops a catchy 80s pop diva vocal and combines it with a frantic dub-tinged groove for effective dancefloor results.

Molly Pop sees the duo collaborate with German producer Lifka on an unrelenting psy-influenced peaktime weapon that closes the EP on a strong note.

LA-based producer Real Bad Man and Detroit artist ZelooperZ release their joint album Dear Psilocybin via the pro-ducer’s own Real Bad Man Records. The album marks the duo’s first collaboration, culminating in a full-length project that also features guest appearances from Boldy James, MAVI and a verse from The Alchemist. On Dear Psilocybin, ZelooperZ invokes unconventional production out of Real Bad Man to match his own unpredictable and outlandish delivery, working outside of traditional song structures and existing in a lane of his own. The Detroit multihyphenate, who is an integral part of Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigadecollective and also an accomplished visual artist, painted the album’s corresponding cover artwork as well.

“I definitely haven’t made anything like this before, it’s a very subtle version of my music as far as tone, ” ZelooperZ explained in a conversation with Real Bad Man for his RBM Radio show. He elaborates on the off-kilter approach to the way he recorded to say, “the album feels like a movie soundtrack for a film about a man losing his mind and getting spurts of memories along the way. ”

Speaking about how the project differs from the rest of his collaborative catalog, RBM says, “It’s trippy and it’s a little different – but the main goal was for it to be authentic to Z and his process. ” That dedication to authenticity rings true across his catalog, drawing back to the foundations of his beginnings as a producer, learning the fundamentals of sampling, experimenting with chords and learning to piece songs together by ear. RBM builds a cohesive production arc around each artist he works with, catered to their strengths as artists, working with a variety of lyrical stylists includ-ing Memphis rapper Lukah, Pink Siifu, Blu, Kool Keith, Elcamino & more.

Real Bad Man is the production moniker of visual artist and designer Adam Jay Weissman. A designer and visual artist first, he made his foray into music through his On High Alert series of imaginative, multi-generational compilations, which have featured the likes of Roc Marciano, ROME STREETZ, Pink Siifu, Maxo and more. In the years since, he’s partnered with some of hip-hop’s most talented and adventurous artists on full-length projects, refining and shaping the trajectory of some of rap’s most exciting independent artists.

These new collaborations follow the mesmerising 'Dissolve In the Rain' in 2022 where Calibre leaned into the blues of Chelou.

Belfast-born Dominick Martin has spent the last 30 years creating. With over 100 Singles and 25 albums, encompassing a myriad of tempos and genres. Painter, Multi-instrumentalist, singer, writer, producer and DJ.

Chelou is the moniker of London-based artist Adam Gray, a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer known for his psychedelic blend of folk, blues, and indie electronics. Raised in Camden and influenced by a musically rich environment, Chelou developed a reverb-soaked, dreamlike sound that combines minimal vocals, distorted guitar, ambient textures, and offbeat lyricism. His name, "Chelou," is French slang for "bizarre" or "strange," reflecting his enigmatic and unconventional identity.

He emerged in 2014 with the DIY EP The Quiet, gaining early support from BBC Radio 6 Music DJs like Lauren Laverne and Tom Ravenscroft. Tracks like "Halfway to Nowhere," "Out of Sight," and "Garden" drew attention for their raw, intimate tone and distinctive visual accompaniments. His debut album Out of Sight (2018) expanded his sound and artistic reach, featuring a popular animated video created by Robin Eisenberg.

LDF (Lello Di Franco) makes a powerful return to Skylax, this time teaming up with Detroit's own Javonntte. Following his stellar release with Gari Romalis, LDF delivers a release that is pure gold for fans of the original Detroit sound. If you appreciate the styles of Moodymann, Theo Parrish, or Omar S, this record is bound to resonate deeply. The EP opens with "Disco One (All Night Long)," a groove-heavy track that embodies the essence of classic Detroit house. It pulses with soulful basslines and infectious rhythms, setting a hypnotic tone that's perfect for late-night sessions. "Saved" ventures into Chicago acid territory, a tribute to the raw, driving energy of classic acid house. With its punchy 303 basslines and tight, snappy percussion, it channels the best of Chicago's underground with a fresh, modern edge. "After Midnight" offers a smooth, after-hours vibe, balancing deep, jazzy chords with a pulsating rhythm that keeps the energy simmering. It's a track that brings warmth and intimacy, ideal for closing sets or introspective moments. "Martha" is a lush, emotionally rich track that embodies LDF's Italian roots while staying grounded in Detroit's heritage. With warm melodies and a rolling bassline, it delivers a balance between soulful warmth and a classic dancefloor feel. "Love Anthem" is a heartfelt groove, merging lush pads and laid-back percussion with a sense of nostalgic euphoria. It's a track that brings people together, a true love letter to house music. "People From Mars" pays homage to Omar S, with its stripped-down, gritty approach. The track has a rough, analog feel, capturing the raw energy and spirit of Detroit's underground. Finally, "The Dirty Digital Show" closes the EP on an intense note, with a driving rhythm and futuristic soundscapes. As an Italian DJ and producer from Naples, LDF brings his decades of experience—starting from his early inspirations in house and techno in 1993—into this record. Also, as co-owner of Frole Records and co-founder of Basic Frame Distribution, his knowledge of the scene is profound, and it's reflected in each meticulously crafted track. This release is a testament to the timelessness and diversity of house music.

Artwork done by legendary french cult designer H5 (Daft Punk, Air, Etienne de Crecy …)

Underground Pacific is back with a new double vinyl compilation titled ‘The Only Good Wave is a Dead One’ that confirms, once again, its uncompromising taste for bold electronic music, psychedelic textures, and raw, electrified rock ‘n roll. This release brings together a varied group of artists, each of them adding something special to the journey.

The trip begins with “Excursions” by Gregory Moore, a piece that floats into a humid sonic world, between the nostalgic tones of vintage video game soundtracks, the Fourth World atmospheres of Jon Hassell, and the shimmering calm of ’90s Japanese ambient à la Takashi Kokubo.

Next comes Talee, the Rotterdam-based regular of the label, with “Makes Me Wonder”. Here, grunge-soaked vocals meet a tight dark disco groove, pierced by crystalline guitar chords that shimmer at the track’s heart. A song with its soul in the past and its feet in the club.

Label founder Cantor teams up once again with German duo New Hook on “Achtung! Achtung!”, an homage to the eponymous track by Italian producer Black Saagan. Fueled by vintage drum machines, punk-infused vocals, and melodies echoing the krautrock minimalism of Cluster, the track channels pure Cold War disco energy.

On “Scavengers”, Berlin based World Wild Web and Rasp Thorne deliver a pure mix of electro-rock noir – Suicide by way of David Lynch. Picture a never seen before episode of the series where Martin Rev and Alan Vega are playing live at the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks, while Laura Palmer slowly moves her head to the music, with a devilish smile on her face.

All the way from Grenoble to Berlin, H.L.M. deliver a dirty bass-driven anthem called ‘Fronde’. French spoken vocals spitfire over layers of distorted drones and hypnotic rhythms. The result is rough, hypnotic, and brings to mind the grooves of Death in Vegas.

New Hook return, this time solo, with ‘Unity’: a blend of groovy downtempo percussions, melancholic guitar riffs, and their signature brand of spoken word, a style that’s quickly become their sonic fingerprint.

Then it’s the turn of mexican-wave exponents Montessori featuring Vongold on “Ad Libitum”: a techy sunrise piece with soft pads, subtle build-ups, and an ecstatic sense of endlessness. After-party music for vast, open spaces.
Next up are SX2 from Ireland with their ‘Buttons’, offering a rolling tech-house banger laced with desert guitars. Psychedelic FX’s and whispered vocals drenched in delay slow the pace in a breakdown full of tension, preparing the floor to an euphoric release.

A dream from the pandemic era reappears: Cantor’s “Hannett’s Dream”, originally released in 2020 by Modular’s Project’s imprint ‘Nothing Is Real’ together with their own reworked version present also in two very limited vinyl-collector editions released by Underground Pacific. The introspection and hypnotic structure of the original cut here is replaced by a more stripped down arrangement, with a four-to-the-floor groove that is perfectly crafted for peak-time ignition.

Closing out the release is “Carissima” by the man behind iconic label Wonder Stories, Aimes – a Moroder-esque bassline and sensual vocals play on top of a warm groove that suddenly fractures into jazz-tinged, breakbeat mood, in the style of early Warp Records, just in time to get back into its disco-ish swing.

Contrary to what the title of this release might suggest, the wave isn’t dead at all. It’s well alive in the underground, reanimated by labels like Underground Pacific who are always ready to welcome artists who aren’t afraid to crash genres together and, above all, who are driven by the desire to make free-form, inspired pieces of music.

Originally published by Tomlab in 2001, “Seleya” is the second full- length issued by Kristian Peters’ Novisad project. Twenty-four years after its initial release, the album’s thirteen loop-based arrangements continue to resonate with striking clarity. Keplar presents Seleya with a previously unreleased bonus track from 2004 and a fresh vinyl cut by LUPO.

These evocative miniatures feel haunted with the passage of time, bearing traces of the exploratory studio workflows, tactile imperfections, and emerging technologies that would have given birth to them: plain DAW manipulations, aliasing digitalia, the tones and timbres of the “misused” equipment ambient musicians utilized before Ableton, Eurorack, and the rise of the boutique electronics that have streamlined electronic music production.

In our present epoch, these compositions feel almost eerily nostalgic, documenting the sort of trembling, wide-eyed spirit and enviable naivety that characterizes cultural production as it ventures into new waters, unfettered by the sediments of established methodology and trend. This tendency to avoid aesthetic orthodoxy results in music that refuses to settle into predictability. Subtle frequencies drift and collide, counterpoint loops run in quiet opposition, and elegant dissonance gives rise to unexpected harmony. The album’s emotional power lies in these tensions, in the way it balances melancholy with beauty and familiarity with complexity.

Hot summer rain hits the cracked pavement in uneven rhythms. A neon sign flickers above a café that never seems to close, its warm white light reflected in the wet ground like a fever dream. The air smells of summer and the world hums with an easy tone, as if the city itself is holding its breath. A light flooded film noir-ish scene, that needs a soundtrack like "POOL JAMS", the new album of INIT, the Berlin based duo, that already caused quite a stir with their albums for Hivern Discs and Optimo Music. This time, they bring their latest creations out on R.i.O. - a label, with whom they are deeply associated. Their fourth longplayer is a playful one. One that brings trip hopping feelings. That has r'n'b grace, without catering regular trademarks of the genre. Dub, trance, drone, is all there too. Yet, nothing is present in pure definition. Rather suggested, interwoven, or newly twisted in a songwriting style, that haunts and seduces. On top the voice of Nadia D'Alò dances, steps and hums tempting to the grooves she created with her partner in crime Benedikt Frey. Together they fashioned a record, that, as INIT puts it, is "some kind of old photo from an old dry empty pool that got faded by sunlight ". A dreamy, sunny piece of song art, made for endless smoky LA freeway drives, and other adventures that seek for infinite riddance. You can dream it. You can trance it. You can't escape it, as soon as it rotates in your dream device for sound and vision.

First Word Records are incredibly proud to bring you ‘I Swear To You’; the stunning sophomore album from Georgie Sweet.

Georgie is a singer / songwriter currently based in Brighton, with a uniquely smooth, soulful vocal tone.

Whilst working on her debut record (‘Misunderstood’), Georgie began a songwriting partnership with multi-instrumentalist Marc Rapson, who is on the boards throughout this project. The duo discovered a natural musical connection instantly, and began working on an abundance of beautiful new material shortly after the release of the first album; writing and creating at Rapson’s home in Hertfordshire at various sessions from 2021 onwards, culminating in this new 12-track album, ‘I Swear To You’.

Despite being one of the UK’s best kept secrets, Georgie’s already been pricking the ears of some highly-respected selectors. The first single from this record (‘Smaller / All That We Were’) received love from tastemakers such as BBC 6 Music's Gilles Peterson (“this one melts”), Jazz FM's Tony Minvielle ("supremely talented”) and Clash Magazine (“exudes soulful grace”), whilst previous material found itself in the crates of legendary luminaries like DJ Jazzy Jeff & DJ Spinna amongst others.

At the end of 2024, Georgie signed to Worldwide Award-winning independent London-based label, First Word Records; although she previously featured before on the label, via the title track of the highly-acclaimed 2021 sophomore album by Children of Zeus, 'Balance', along with Akemi Fox. Prior to this her debut album 'Misunderstood' dropped back in 2020 on Futuristica Music; an independent imprint run by Deborah Jordan & Simon S, on which Georgie also collaborated with acclaimed producers like K15 and Mecca:83.

An all-round creative soul, away from creating music, Georgie also works as an illustrator and animator. However, her lifelong love of music is unquestionable. She’s been a vocalist from a young age, initially working with her musical parents (a producer and professional singer respectively).

With a hugely diverse set of inspirations ranging from Stevie Wonder to Michael McDonald, Hiatus Kaiyote to Chappell Roan, Mac Miller to Sampha, and George Duke to EW&F, Georgie's respect, love and admiration for a wide range of music is clear; from jazz to soul to pop to hip hop.

Santana Bridges the Divide Between Live and Studio Material on Moonflower: 1977 Double Album Features Extraordinary Performances, Soulful Vibes, and Dynamic Mix of Latin, Rock, Funk, and Blues
Sourced from the Original Master Tapes and Strictly Limited to 3,000 Numbered Copies: Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM 2LP Set Plays with Audiophile-Quality Detail, Balance, and Imaging
1/4” / 15 IPS original analogue non-Dolby master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe



Though it may seem strange now, Moonflower stood for nearly 15 years as Santana’s first and only live record released in the United States. This despite the fact that roughly half of the double album consists of new studio songs, including a zesty cover of the Zombies classic “She’s Not There” that reached the Top 30 of the singles charts.

However unconventional, the “split” strategy went over like gangbusters. Moonflower reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 and achieved double-platinum status — feats the group would not again replicate for 22 years. These, and the beautiful quality of the program itself, are among the reasons why the 1977 effort remains viewed by critics and fans alike as must-have Santana.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, housed in a Stoughton jacket, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM 2LP set of Moonflower presents the record in audiophile sound for the first time on a domestic reissue. Part of the MoFi’s Santana catalog restoration series, this collectible version features quiet surfaces and black backgrounds that expose the critical details, liquid tones, and dynamic interplay central to Santana’s music.

The enhanced sonics extend not only to Carlos Santana’s six-string wizardry, but to the rhythmic, melodic, and vocal elements that course throughout both the studio and live cuts on Moonflower. The grip and depth of the bass lines; the wash of the organ; the scope and carry of the vocals; the extension and weight of the low-end frequencies; the rich textures of the guitars, percussive devices, and keyboards: all appear amid wide, balanced soundstages and image with right-sized dimensionality.

Significantly rooted in the styles and approaches that inform the group’s first three records, Moonflower captures the final appearances of iconic percussionist Jose “Chepito” Areas and go-to keyboardist Tom Coster on a Santana album. As he did during the preceding five-year stretch, Coster inhabits a large role here, sharing songwriting credits on a majority of the new cuts and helping steer the arrangements toward spiritually minded albeit concise directions that encompass vibrant Latin, rock, and blues themes that began to escape the ensemble shortly after his departure.

Close your eyes and feel the warmth of the sun on the R&B-kissed “I’ll Be Waiting,” anchored by Carlos Santana’s gliding fretwork and Greg Walker’s creamy vocals. Enter the cosmic universe of “Zulu,” on which Coster’s nimble phrasing opens the gate to polyrhythmic beats, knotty grooves, and interlocking funk. Grab the album cover and drift off to paradise amid the equally evocative “Flor d’Luna (Moonflower),” a romantic slow dance that Carlos Santana ensures tiptoes en route to its blissful destination. Channeling a different spirit animal, the guitarist later lets loose on the hard-hitting “El Morocco,” on which he seemingly engages in a shootout with himself and wades into the rippling psychedelia that elevated the band’s early material.

Speaking of the past, Moonflower triumphs on that level as well. In more ways than one, the live selections — and the caliber of the performances — chosen for inclusion represent an abbreviated greatest-hits survey of the band up to that point. And, at the very least, a convincing argument about why Santana had progressed into one of the most formidable bands you could hope to see on a stage in the mid ‘70s.

Simultaneously representative and illustrative of the group’s breadth, tracks stem from the collective’s eponymous debut, Abraxas, and Santana III as well as the then-more recent Amigos and Festival. Whether you fall for the sidewinding spell of a spicy rendition of “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen,” lose your head to the positively epic momentum of “Soul Sacrifice/Head, Hands & Feet,” or keep dropping the needle on the savory grace of the brilliant reading of “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile),” this pressing of Moonflower puts you — and Santana’s first-chapter legacy — in good hands.

In December 2024, The Lost Recordings released the first volume of this legendary concert, recorded on October 11, 1960, at the Olympia by Miles Davis and his quartet, joined by saxophonist Sonny Stitt. Alongside pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb, they formed an ensemble of exceptional musicality.

Now comes the second part of this remarkable concert.

In 1960, Miles returned to Paris for the fourth time in 12 years. Just months earlier, he had performed there with John Coltrane in a turbulent concert, marking the end of their collaboration. In October, at the Olympia, he rediscovered a stage he loved in a city he had fallen for back in 1949. "I loved being in Paris, I loved the way I was treated there," he would later say.

Since 1949, his music had evolved. From his immersion in Parkerian bebop to his collaboration with Gil Evans, he refined his style, developing a more spacious jazz inspired by Ahmad Jamal and enriched by his classical training. The soundtrack of Elevator to the Gallows in 1957 was a turning point, foreshadowing the pinnacle of Kind of Blue in 1959.

From the opening notes of Stardust, a previously unreleased piece, Miles sets the tone—seduction and lyricism. With a track attributed to Sonny Stitt, the swing settles in. The atmosphere intensifies with ‘Round Midnight, followed by Walking, where Stitt and Davis engage in a masterful exchange. If I Were a Bell and Fran Dance offer a more introspective moment before Two Bass Hit reignites the energy. The concert reaches its peak with So What and All of You, as Miles captivates the audience until the final notes of The Theme.

Our quest to recover the full concert began in 2022 when a friend sent us a photo of magnetic tapes in Brittany. A label reading "Miles Davis – Olympia 1960" caught our attention. After two years of research spanning France, the United States, and Stockholm, we are proud to present, for the first time, the complete version of this legendary concert.

Originally released in 2012, the debut release from Fatdog quickly became a cult classic amongst fans of low-slung deep house. Outside of the studio his Werk parties were hosting the likes Marcellus Pittman, Theo Parrish, Move D, MCDE, Levon Vincent, Moodymann & Patrice Scott in the North East of England. This EP was a testament to the wild basement energy that culminated from those nights, marrying UK and Detroit influences with consummate ease.‘Remember Me’ sets the tone with Chris Raine’s soulful croon laid over warm organ chords and a restrained electro synth hook, creating a swinging, late-night vibe. ‘U&Me’ drifts into dubbed-out, codeine-laced slo-house territory, deep and narcotic.On the B-side, ‘Cookie’ channels Theo Parrish with its syrupy, hypnotic strut, while ‘Contact’ closes out with an electroid edge—perfect for the 3AM dancefloor stalkers.Some 13 years later, WOLF have reached back into the archives and with permission from the man himself, have reissued this timeless EP for a new generation of record buyers.

Steve Queralt, bass player of pioneering shoegazers RIDE, and the writer and film-maker MIchael Smith have joined forces for a stunning four-track EP, released on Bytes in October. Over Steve’s exceptional electronic soundscapes, Michael provides spoken-word vocals in his lulling Hartlepool tones, distilling excerpts from his new book to fit with the music.

The duo were introduced by Joe Clay from Bytes during lockdown, when Steve revealed that he was looking for vocalists to work with on some music he was putting together. Joe had met Michael when he collaborated with the late, great Andrew Weatherall, who composed a soundtrack to accompany Michael reading melancholic musings from his 2013 novel, Unreal City. Joe felt that Michael could be the perfect foil for Steve and after an experiment on Vespertina, a track that had previously featured sample dialogue from Penélope Cruz, they realised they had something special and decided to work on a full release together - four tracks in the classic RIDE EP format.

“Michael’s voice has so much depth and character and I love his eye-rolling, withering view of the world,” Steve reveals. “The subject matter seemed to glue itself effortlessly to the music as if we’d been together writing in a studio working towards some grand concept.”

Compiled by Philip King
“And then came the rise of synth pop : blokes with dodgy haircuts hunched over keyboard-operated
machines stuffed with wires and do-it-yourself tone oscillators making sounds like a brood of geese
passing gas in a wind tunnel. Whoopee! This is the way the ‘70s ended : not with a blood-curdling bang
bang but with a cheap, synthesized, emasculating whimper.”
NICK KENT, NME.

All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978-1985 is a new compilation that charts the
underbelly of the epoch-defining sound of the synthesiser in 80s popular music. Compiled by Philip
King (previously seen compiling All The Young Droogs, Glitterbest and Boobs - The Junkshop
Glam Discotheque), the music here connects the dots between DIY synth enthusiasts grappling with
new, cheap synthesisers at the tail-end of punk and wannabe, jobbing songwriters enthral to the new
music pioneered by Gary Numan, Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller’s Mute Records. Featuring rare
tracks of auto-didactic progressive pop music, proto-techno punk, shoot-for-the-stars-land-in-the-gutter
chart flops and heralded, underground synth classics, School Daze paints a picture of beautiful failure.
Complete with extensive sleeve notes written by King and never before seen imagery, all 24 tracks
were remastered by RPM in-house engineer Simon Murphy, many from vinyl copies due to lost master
tapes. The story told on All The Young Droids is one of the dawning opportunity presented by both the
emergence to the market of cheaper analog synthesisers and the distribution networks plus indie labels
that exploded with the advent of punk music in 1976. While the music that sprouted out all over the
globe in the wake of these factors was decried as fake, plastic, a refutation of punk’s guitar-led
revolution, it’s telling that much of the music on All The Young Droids.. was created in bedrooms,
ramshackle studios and home-made set ups with often borrowed equipment. In the era of record labels
jumping to capitalise on the success of The Sex Pistols, The Clash (both on major labels, of course)
these artists struggled to stand out from a new gold-rush with next to no budget or PR team. With radio
and labels desperate for the new Yazoo, what resulted was a testament to necessity being the mother
of invention.

At the time, the synthesiser was the music of the future, a shiny new machine that could paint like an
orchestra with a single finger and a 4-track. In the hands of Manchester avant-pranksters Gerry & The
Holograms it’s a pulsing, sardonic weapon.. the only instrument on the Messthetics classic lampooning
of New Wave fashion. In Hamburg, a 16 year old Andreas Dorau used it to write and record (with his
female classmates on vocals) a global smash in Fred Vom Jupiter (later licensed to Mute Records).
The hard-to-find English version (Fred From Jupiter, natch) is included here. Many artists with alreadystoried careers caught the bug and recorded synthesiser-fuelled peons to space, computers, the future
and, of course, love-interests. Harry Kakoulli, late of Squeeze, recorded a solo album in 1979 that
included the incredible power-synth-pop smash-that-never-smashed I’m On A Rocket. Similarly, Ian
North of Neo and American Power Pop stalwarts Milk ’n’ Cookies bought a Korg MS20 and used a
tape machine to record We’re Not Lonely, an absolute lost-classic of minimal synth pop. We’re Not
Lonely also features on the Junkshop Synth Pop sampler 7” twinned with John Howard unreleased
track You Will See, released April 12th 2025.

There are plenty of compilation debuts in evidence. Sole Sister were a mysterious trio who were
featured on the Scaling Triangles compilation of female-fronted, queer-adjacent post-punk /
underground music that also featured The Petticoats. Selwin Image were from San Francisco and
featured members of the recently defunct power pop/punk group The Pushups. Their stupidly catchy
The Unknown fizzes with New Wave energy - think XTC to Sparks but remains unreleased until now.
Dream Unit’s A Drop In The Ocean is an early synth wave cut, positively teaming with Joy Division
instrumentation, previously only released on a long-forgotten and super rare, self-released EP.
Incandescent Luminaire’s Famous Names belies an archetypal struggle of a small-town trying to
make it in a cruel industry but is a thrilling New Romantic-Synth Wave cross over with a OMD
gloominess that’s a joy to hear. Feminist Minimal Wave track I Am A Time Bomb by performance artist
Peta Lilly and Michael Chance is a revelation destined for new found cult status. It was released on 7”
and lost until now.

The flipside to the subterranean, never-made-it synth pop mentioned above are the ambitious, even
fruity attempts at success that have a perennial elegance to their confidence. New Jersey-ite Billy
London (real name Ed Barth) tried to cash in on the synth boom with Woman, released by a major
label, a lurching new wave track built on the Louie Louie rhythm and a wonderfully camp Lou Reedstyle sleazy vocal before exploding in the synthesised chorus. The song bombed but with a chorus like
this, you have to wonder why? Ex-Glitter Band member John Springate’s My Life is truly epic, with
doomed chord progressions and massive sounding drums turning into at least 3 different songs in the
course of the track. Before you wonder what’s going on the song resolves with a glorious return to the
main refrain.

The dry-ice-dressed dance floor is well catered for too. Design’s Premonition and Vision’s Lucifer’s
Friend are stone-cold minimal synth bangers, well loved but given a new lease of life here. The
Warlord’s The Ultimate Warlord was released in 1978, a homespun proto Hi NRG banger that was
later re-recorded by The Immortals in Canada who had a club hit with it. One-man- band Disco
Volante’s No Motion was re-issued by Synth wave label Medical in 2012 but makes its first vinyl
compilation appearance here. Close your eyes and you can imagine what Lawrence of Felt would have
sounded like with some cheap Korgs a little earlier in his career. Gibraltar-based trio The Microbes
imagined a computer programming people to dance - how prescient - and ended up with a propulsive,
robo-funk track with splendid rubbery bass playing over a tectonic drum machine. Previously picked up
by Belgian label Stroom TV, Dee Jay Bert & Eagle’s heavily Euro-accented I Am Your Master
demands the listener to “come to paradise!” In a frankly terrifying manner.
All The Young Droids is the first compilation to peel away from the narrative that dour, Minimal Synth
and Cold Wave were the only musical children of the first rush of synth pop. Philip King and School
Daze Records describe a much more complicated world: along with the austere, Brutalist children of
Daniel Miller (who produced Alan Burnham’s Bowie-Low-influenced Science Fiction here) was a
plethora of desperate cash-ins, accidental mainstream hits, ambitious pop dramas and major label
punts that went nowhere. Crucially, the compilation blurs the line between junk and treasure. What if the
two things are interchangeable. What if it’s all science fiction?

Limited Vinyl Box Set including 6x olive 12” vinyl & download code

Cocoon Recordings presents: Cocoon Compilation V

Back for the summer season, Cocoon Recordings proudly unveils the next chapter in its iconic compilation series. With its 22nd edition, Cocoon Compilation V once again bridges past and future, showcasing the essence of electronic music’s constant evolution. True to the spirit of the label, this handpicked collection delivers a diverse, emotional, and forward-thinking selection that drifts through shimmering currents, pulsating machinery, and moments of pure release.

Delenz & Zeitstill set the tone with “Place To Be”, a smooth and warm opener that invites the listener into a meditative microcosm. What starts as dreamy minimalism steadily unfolds into deep, shimmering depth. A sublime invitation to get lost in sound. Superpitcher takes us further into the mist with “Dream B”, an ethereal and cinematic dreamscape that floats between melancholy and magic. Its stretched textures and hypnotic pacing form a gentle passage into inner space.

The energy intensifies with Patrice Bäumel’s “Nat”, a sophisticated tension-builder with a subtle pulse and haunting atmospheres. Sound waves that breathe, evolve, and subtly command movement. Sawlin switches gears with “Der Jasager”, a deep technoid beast that hits with low-end pressure, modulated percussions, and gritty textures and spooky features. Raw, physical, and unrelenting.

A bright contrast comes from DC Salas and his track “Escapism.” Psychedelic, synth-heavy, and effortlessly groovy, it channels the playful side of electronic storytelling. It channels a trancy 90s flair with its vibrant energy, brilliant use of choir bits, and irresistible vibe that transports you back to a golden era. With Tal Fussman’s “Eyes”, we’re taken into euphoric territory. This stomper is a conversation between piano and strings, rising above crisp grooves, weaving emotion and momentum with finesse.

On the second half of the journey, legendary Ken Ishii teams up with Yuada to deliver “Split Second,” a bold, wild and crazy techno excursion full of mechanical grace and Japanese precision. An ode to organized chaos. Marcel Fengler’s “Aura” follows, powerful and deep, pushing air like an engine through tunnels of tension and light. The blend of rhythm and sentiments is a masterclass in functional elegance and states of mind.

Impérieux brings us “Kala,” a track both twisted and beautiful. Its detuned hypnotic melodies and skewed harmonics are unsettling in the best way while the unconventional rhythms cloak the entire track in a mysterious aura. It creaks and twists toward transcendence, underscored by primordial flute sounds. A fractured lullaby for the club. Joe Metzenmacher injects wildness and attitude into the mix with “Da Freak.” Fuzzy, distorted synths collide with a funky bassline, sharp guitar stabs, and mad bleep effects, bringing the raw groove and dancefloor chaos of a bygone funk era into a futuristic setting.

Joseph Capriati debuts on Cocoon with “Cosmopop” and surprises with an unexpected stylistic shift. Capriati explores a more melodic, emotionally driven sound. Subtle harmonies meet a warm, rolling groove. It’s a bold and personal statement, showing a new side of an artist who continues to evolve beyond expectations. To close, Matthias Schildger offers “Distorter,” a raw and emotional cut that leaves room to breathe while keeping the mind spinning. It begins with beautiful pads, before distorted kicks drop in, yet the track retains a certain tenderness, like the feeling of sitting at a tranquil, untouched nature spot, surrounded by the beauty of the world. A grand finale to a compilation that refuses to settle.

From sunrise moments to peak-time madness, Cocoon Compilation V captures the full spectrum of what dance music can be. Transcendent, visceral and endlessly evolving. This isn’t just a collection of tracks. It’s a curated experience for the body, the mind and the soul.

This Project is really a two in one offering. Combining the three tracks from Ringer’s 2021 release, the “Meta Music EP” and his darker more aggressive moniker, Black Sued’s offering the “Rogue EP”. The EP is sort of a yin and yang. Monotone is a deep chordal track with uplifting vocals and a pulsing almost distorted bassline. This track is complimented with minimal drums and a simple yet beautiful synth riffs that bring it all together. New Plan is a fast paced cut that insights the listener to move. The drums and chords wrestle in a rhythmic dance while Ringer’s voice projects the essence of this side of the 12”. Positivity and persistence, the energy is alive in this track. YIA, an acronym that stands for Yes I Am, is meditative and filled with affirmations for the listener. Deep solemn chords, and the sounds of a thunder storm take the listener into a inner place of self reflection. The affirmations are for the listener to embody, a solid thought provoking end to this side of the 12”.

Rogue, the title track of this side of the record, is an intelligent, dark and jazz filled groove, that takes the listener on a journey. The groove is easy to catch, and wraps the listener into an almost mysterious landscape of rhythm and melody. Keeping the tone of this side of the 12” is Maze. The chords and rhythm walk in tandem to a beat that almost favors a marching band. A higher energy feel arrives as the 16th high hats meet a long defining chord that take this track to the next level. Deep Dirt reminds me of a drum machine tweaking or malfunctioning. The ominous chords paired with the distorted synth and bass lines that carry the listener through the filth that is this track.

“Ti Ho Sposato Per Allegria” (1967) is a comedy directed by Luciano Salce, taken from the theatrical play of the same name (1965) by Natalia Ginzburg. The main characters are Pietro and Giuliana, respectively interpreted by Giorgio Albertazzi and Monica Vitti. A lawyer from a good family, serious, accustomed to a calm and regular life who got married to a indolent and dazed girl with a difficult past a month after meeting her at a party. Despite Giuliana's inability to transform herself into a good housewife, his relationship with Pietro continues to flourish, because he seems to find enjoyment in each of his wife's many mistakes. The reason for their union lies not in love but, perhaps, in a genuine sympathy, as strong as it is mutual. The story has become a minor classic with each new representation. On both stage and screen the themes of everyday life, and the more complex and existential ones, are addressed. The subtle irony of the work relies on recounting problematic events in a carefree tone: realities such as abortion, death, separation and the couple's incommunicability are underplayed with naturalness. The funny events of the film are commented on by Piero Piccioni's music, published for the first time on vinyl by Musica Per Immagini, with an harmonious tracklist. For this first orchestra rehearsal with the director, which will be followed by other important soundtracks, the composer makes an effective and elegant synthesis: on the one hand he reworks moods and aesthetic intuitions of some previous and happy experiences, while on the other he identifies and anticipates the first bars of that unmistakable sound between bossa nova, funk and lounge nuances that will characterize almost all the production of the Seventies. In fact, the Turin-native artist simplifies in a positive sense the articulated harmonic structures that have always distinguished his authorial figure – where the so called jazz features are to be considered more than central in the musical texture, as prominent elements of the harmonic syntax – and he tries a melodic reduction that will make the compositions more catchy or memorized, but not easier for this. Lightness of spirit and rarefied elegance are the keys of this new Dionysian world.

Civilistjävel! x Mayssa Jallad’s ‘Marjaa: The Battle of the Hotels (Versions)’ is a radical response to Mayssa Jallad’s 2023 original LP, a lyrical account of epochal events in Beirut at the dawn of Lebanon's civil war. ‘…(Versions)’ sees Civilistjävel! (aka Swedish producer Tomas Bodén) apply a stripped, dub methodology to Mayssa's rich stems, refracting the Arabic source through the hazy prism of Northern European electronica. Retaining ‘Marjaa…’s deep spatial framing and vaporous, shifting nature, traces are lifted and set down in a new landscape: a ghost of a ghost. Informed by Tomas' singular strand of ambient, minimalist, dub techno, ‘… (Versions)’ recalls the reductive, shimmering pulse of pioneering Berlin-based practitioners Basic Channel/Chain Reaction, but with the parameters stretched into the ether. Where versions typically focus on a rhythm, here the anchor is the tone and texture of Mayssa’s voice, around which a new world has been constructed. Disembodied and liminal, it conjures an eerie panorama that feels like a postscript to the original, further emphasizing the geopolitical events that have had such devastating effect in Mayssa’s homeland of Lebanon since that record’s release. ‘Marjaa…’ (tr. ‘reference’) combined Mayssa Jallad’s two main vocations: music and urban research/architectural history. The album was co-written with Fadi Tabbal and based on Mayssa's Historic Preservation master's thesis (‘Beirut’s Civil War Hotel District: Preserving the World’s First High-Rise Urban Battlefield’). The thesis examined a 5-month conflict that took place within Beirut's skyscraper-laden luxury hotel district of Minet El Husn near the start of the Lebanese Civil War. Addressing a post-war generation who have never been taught this difficult history, ‘Marjaa…’ was an attempt to process trauma, and “a call to protest for the renewal, rather than the recycling of the political class that once destroyed the country and holds us, to this day, hostage of its violence.” Often perceived as a mysterious, shadowy presence, Civilistjävel! has come increasingly to the fore in recent years through a consistently dazzling stream of records, released both anonymously and via Fergus Jones’ FELT imprint, often appearing with scant information and tracks for the most part untitled. Having featured tracks from ‘Marjaa…’ on mixes, and included the album in his picks of 2023, in early 2024 Tomas asked Mayssa to provide vocals for a track on his album ‘Brödföda’. Mayssa remembers, “Tomas asked me to choose one of the tracks he was working on. I was in Boston at the time, so I took a walk and chose a track. I wrote the lyrics at the public park, wondering if I was the only one around that was losing sleep over the genocide in Palestine and the war in South Lebanon. I went back to the apartment and recorded the vocals on my phone, while listening to the track on headphones. Tomas reworked it with the voice and sent it back. I liked it immediately.” Despite the geographical distance from Beirut to Uppsala, Sweden, where Tomas resides, Mayssa’s contribution sounds very much at home in Civilistjävel!’s atmospheric, contemplative sound-world. Tomas’ request was reciprocated by Mayssa soon after, resulting in the spectral, glassy ambience of ‘Etel, Kharita (Version)’. This was followed by an invitation to work on more tracks, which Tomas immediately embraced, intensively jamming out versions live to two-track tape in downtime between travelling. If not entirely dissimilar to his regular working practice, the immediacy of it was unusual. Much was improvised live with just a keyboard (not tethered to a grid), and a restricted set-up that largely forbade later edits - only the rhythm tracks are programmed. A sharp conceptual thinker and composer, Tomas takes creative liberties with Mayssa’s songs in a way that is deeply felt and sympathetically aligned, whilst unashamedly outside of the original context of the record. The voice is leaned into as an instrument, without the clear, specific details of language, and this axis provides an uncertain, amorphous footing - structure is often suggested or hinted at, before disappearing or collapsing into fog, and folding back into the message within the song. A somewhat unprecedented source for an album of versions, even those familiar with ‘Marjaa: The Battle of the Hotels’ may at points struggle to hear the songs these versions are rebuilt from, despite the vocal narratives remaining virtually intact. The light has shifted; eroded buildings are foregrounded; fragments of memories appear in chiaroscuro. Signs and signifiers have been replaced. Shorn of the original's warm guitar, ‘Baynana (Version)’ feels like an ominous visitation, the sun no longer visible. ‘Holiday Inn (March 21 to 29) (Version)’ is a molten, clattering invocation. The beat-less tracks nod towards the cold, otherworldly sound-scaping of late '90s isolationism. More propulsive and embodied, ‘Holiday Inn (January to March) (Version)’ and ‘Kharita (Dub)’ are strobing, iridescent techno - lithe, shifting and mutating with almost implausible finesse. A stunning addition to Civilistjävel!’s growing catalogue, ‘…(Versions)’ is a luminous counterpoint to ‘Marjaa…’, and a welcome reminder of how incredible that record remains.

We're still a little way from summer but Franck Roger already has an eye on house music for the warmer months. His 'I Can't Wait' comes with a vocal from South African Ree Morris whose smoky tones bring classic deep house vibes to a nice smooth instrumental. Franck's Atlantic dubthrumental version is even more deep and cuddly then flipside joint "Goldstone 92' is a portal back to the 90s with bumping drums and humid chords that bring good vibes only.

The debut release on Caricia Records sees longtime collaborators VIL and CRAVO refine the language they've developed through years of joint work, both individually and as members of the Hayes collective. Between them, their output on labels like Monnom Black, Klockworks, Self Reflektion and the aforementioned Hayes Collective has consistently balanced precision with character, and this first chapter under their new imprint is no exception.

Opening with So Right, the record sets a distinct tone, with rolling percussion and a hypnotic vocal line threading through the mix with restraint and control. 420% FODA leans into classic swing and texture, tightly looped and built for movement without ever overreaching. On the B-side, CRAVO offers Future Detroit, a stripped-back piece with room to breathe, subtle in its shifts but firm in its intent. VIL rounds off the EP with Hard to Find, a playful closer that keeps things buoyant and dynamic, pushing forward without losing its shape.

Caricia 001 is about clarity of purpose. No filler, no theatrics, just four tracks that speak for themselves.

Hollie Cook, one of reggae’s most exciting voices, makes a return to the label that released her cherished debut album in 2011. Landing back on Mr Bongo, 'Night Night' is a stand-alone aperitif and taster of what to expect from the next era in Hollie's musical journey

Revisiting her roots, this latest single embraces the trademark reggae / tropical pop sound Hollie found fame with on her first two albums. With a career that has gone from strength to strength since those formative days, the buoyance, charisma, and confidence gained in those subsequent years are on show for all to see.

Recorded at Crosstown Studios in London with the General Roots band and produced, mixed and dubbed by Ben McKone, ‘Night Night’ documents the longing of a lonely lover. Grounded in a sound system rattling bass line, strutting guitars and shimmering keys provide a sunshine-infused contrast. Hollie’s smooth sultry tones radiate throughout, backed by the legendary Horseman on toasting duties - a collaboration that hasn’t been heard since Hollie’s first album. Trading verses, the warmth of Hollie's velvety vocals balances Horseman's raw explosive energy in an absorbing harmony.

In true reggae style, the 7" single is backed with a classic dub mix, adding spacey reverb and delays, whilst giving Hollie and Horseman a more spacious streamlined flow in the mix.

Jess Kerber aus Nashville nahm im Alter von 12 Jahren erstmals eine Gitarre in die Hand, um mit ihren frühreifen Stimmungen und Zupfstilen zu experimentieren - beeinflusst von Gleichgesinnten wie Joni Mitchell und Susan Tedeschi. Dies führte zur Entwicklung einer einzigartigen Klangpalette und zu einem authentischen, persönlichen Zugang zum Songwriting. Inspiriert wurde sie gleichermaßen von ihrer Erziehung in Louisiana und dem Studium am Bostoner Berklee College of Music. Ihr Debütalbum "From Way Down Here" zeigt die Dynamik und Tiefe ihrer großartigen Stimme und ihrer nachdenklichen, humanistischen Texte, sowie die raffinierte Komplexität ihres Gitarrenspiels. Während der Entwicklung vieler dieser Kompositionen, bei frühen Live Auftritten in und um Boston und Cambridge, lernte Kerber den Songwriter Will Orchard kennen, der schnell zu einem Partner und Kollaborateur in der Entstehungsphase ihrer Aufnahmen wurde. Orchards Fähigkeiten als Produzent und Multiinstrumentalist heben Kerbers Arrangements auf eine neue Ebene, mit einer entwaffnenden Reinheit und Emotion in einer Dynamik, die derjenigen von Gillian Welch und David Rawlings angelehnt ist. Mit den Traditionen der Americana erschaffen Kerber und Orchard zusammen mit Mischtechniker Charlie Dahlke von The Brazen Youth ihr eigenes Subgenre, das gleichzeitig intim und und universell, tröstlich und rau ist. Über das gesamte Album hinweg erhält Kerbers reicher, samtener Tenor eine tiefe Zärtlichkeit und Wärme, während unterschiedliche Elemente wie Pedal Steel, Wurlitzer, Schlagzeug und Ambient-Gitarre für den schimmernden Background sorgen. Der Einfluss ihrer Erziehung - und und das, was sie liebevoll als ,Abgehobenheit vom Rest der Welt Gefühl" des tiefen Südens nennt - zeigt sich in den ehrlichen, geradlinigen und zeitlosen Qualität ihrer Kompositionen. "From Way Down Here" ist das seltene Debüt, das alle Merkmale einer erfahrenen Songwriterin aufweist. Sie konstruiert eine fesselnde Welt von rauer Schönheit und Wahrheit, deren Bann lange nach dem Verklingen der letzten Töne anhält.

Limited edition white vinyl (800 copies) The self-styled ritualistic electro-mechanical ensemble OSMIUM is a veritable supergroup. Made up of Oscar-winning composer and instrumentalist Hildur Gudnadóttir, veteran engineer and producer James Ginzburg, Senyawa's idiosyncratic vocalist Rully Shabara and Grammy-winning sound designer / producer Sam Slater, while each member brings along a laundry list of accolades, the project is far greater than the sum of its parts. Alloying burnished electroacoustic soundscapes with dense, metallic drones, barbed rhythms and buckled, bio-mechanical vocalizations, OSMIUM's eagerly awaited debut album doesn't try to cast a rigid future. Rather, it tempers a viscous flow of unorthodox speculations that smolders through the distant past, blazing a trail all the way to the frontier of fate. Absorbed by questions about the relationship between humans and technology, tradition and progression, the individual and the group, OSMIUM channel their experience and expertise into a set of forward-thinking sonic interrogations that skewer established cultural preconceptions. And although genre is acknowledged - the album draws from folk, doom metal, 20th century minimalism, industrial music and extreme noise - there's never a sense that it's riveted firmly in place. Widely known for her soundtrack work (including `Joker' and `Chernobyl') Gudnadóttir plays the halldorophone, a unique cello-like electroacoustic instrument designed by Halldór Ulfarsson that allows the performer to harness unstable feedback loops. Taking his cues from this process, Slater (who has worked alongside Jóhann Jóhannsson, Ben Frost and others) generates rhythms using a self-oscillating drum he designed with KOMA Elektronik and Subtext boss and Emptyset member Ginzburg responds in kind, producing booming tambura-like sonorities from a device he developed himself based on the monocord, an ancient single- stringed resonator. OSMIUM synchronize the three unique instruments using a custom system of robotics to generate basic rhythms that underpin their improvisations and experiments, and Shabara's alien tones supply the band with their conceptual fulcrum. The vocalist is one of South Asia's most recognizable underground artists, and the sounds he's able to create using exhaustively rehearsed extended techniques are so distinctive that he's been studied by scientists back home in Indonesia. Never weighed down by needless sound design or modish ornamentation, it's music that feels authentically experimental; OSMIUM have figured out an awkward symmetry between their discrete approaches, concentrating their gaze on the outcome rather than the process. The result is a work of science fiction that's driven by interaction, conversation and sensation.