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,Bestiaria" ist das neue Album des mexikanischen Trios Karen y los Remedios um Sängerin und Songwriterin Ana Karen G. Barajas. Inspiriert von persönlichen Erfahrungen wie Mutterschaft, Krankheit und Neuanfängen erschafft das Album ein klangliches Universum aus mythischen Frauenfiguren, Göttinnen und Legenden, die für Selbstbestimmung, Stärke und Weiblichkeit stehen. Musikalisch verbindet die Band ihre charakteristische Mischung aus Cumbia rebajada, Trip-Hop und verträumtem Pop mit Einflüssen traditioneller lateinamerikanischer Musik. Die zwölf Songs wirken wie eine Tarot-Legung aus Symbolen, Geschichten und magischen Bildern, die zwischen Sehnsucht, Liebe, Fürsorge und Transformation schweben. Mit seiner atmosphärischen Klangwelt und Ana Karens ätherischem Gesang führt ,Bestiaria" den Weg des gefeierten Vorgängers ,Silencio" konsequent weiter.

,DOGGOD" ist das 2025 erschienene dritte Album des kalifornischen Trios L.A. Witch und erweitert den bisherigen Garage-Rock- und Psychedelic-Sound der Band um deutliche Post-Punk- und Goth-Rock-Einflüsse. Inspiriert von Bands wie Joy Division, The Cure und Krautrock verbindet das Album treibende Basslinien, atmosphärische Gitarren und dunkle Melodien mit der charakteristisch mystischen Ausstrahlung der Band. Inhaltlich beschäftigt sich ,DOGGOD" mit Liebe, Hingabe, Unterwerfung und Spiritualität. Der Titel spielt mit den Begriffen ,Dog" und ,God" und setzt sich mit bedingungsloser Loyalität, Selbstaufgabe und gesellschaftlichen Rollenbildern auseinander. Zwischen romantischer Sehnsucht, düsterer Vorahnung und hypnotischen Rhythmen präsentieren L.A. Witch ihr bislang vielschichtigstes und ambitioniertestes Album.

Rock is rich krovvy that froths in the veins of Chicago's Axis: Sova, the trio of Brett Sova, Jeremy Freeze, and Josh Johannpeter. Progressive earworm hooks, phased/fuzzed guitars, and live/electronic drums for metronomic flexibly give Flowerage a visceral pull and elegant bloom. An energetic mix of art rock and post-punk with uniquely tight vocal harmonies/arrangements to focus an eye in the world's chaos.

Rock is rich krovvy that froths in the veins of Chicago"s Axis: Sova, the trio of Brett Sova, Jeremy Freeze, and Josh Johannpeter. Progressive earworm hooks, phased/fuzzed guitars, and live/electronic drums for metronomic flexibly give Flowerage a visceral pull and elegant bloom. An energetic mix of art rock and post-punk with uniquely tight vocal harmonies/arrangements to focus an eye in the world"s chaos.

Mike Reed"s Separatist Party sophomore effort and Thrill Jockey debut "Sing The Color Blue" is a recording assembled over numerous sessions, and a testament to persistence and transformation. The album reunites Mike Reed with Rob Frye, Cooper Crain, Dan Quinlivan (all of the trio Bitchin Bajas), Marvin Tate, and Ben LaMar Gay in a set that moves between composition, reconstruction, improvisation, and song form.

Mike Reed's Separatist Party sophomore effort and Thrill Jockey debut "Sing The Color Blue" is a recording assembled over numerous sessions, and a testament to persistence and transformation. The album reunites Mike Reed with Rob Frye, Cooper Crain, Dan Quinlivan (all of the trio Bitchin Bajas), Marvin Tate, and Ben LaMar Gay in a set that moves between composition, reconstruction, improvisation, and song form.

In the seclusion of a house in the Bavarian Forest, something unfolded that felt less like a conventional album production and more like an internal process of condensation. This house wasn’t a studio - it was a retreat. Its 1960s-inspired interiors, creaking wooden stairs, and crackling fireplace shaped the sound of Carl Gari as much as the instruments themselves. Though the house no longer exists, its atmosphere remains present in the recordings.


The music of Carl Gari - Jonas Yamer, Till Funke, and Jonas Friedlich - resists easy categorization, a trait that continues on this monumental new album. From the friction between electronic music and guitar textures, the trio forges a distinctive, idiosyncratic sound. Distorted electric guitars and pulsating basslines intertwine with analog drum machines, tape delays, and intricate effect chains, creating music that is raw, organic, and psychedelic. A new element on the album is the trio’s first use of vocals: Jonas Yamer, usually on bass, raises his voice in a punk-tinged, invented language that hints rather than narrates, unsettling more than it explains.


The guest artists do not merely decorate the sound - they alter its very structure at critical points. Polygonia contributes layered vocals that mesh seamlessly with the album’s technoid architecture. Will Brooks of Dälek delivers a dark rap feature on ‘Poison Shyness (Anti-Social)’, his words carving the sonic space with precision. Coby Sey adds introspective vocals that hover between experimentation and restraint on ‘Inner Link’. New York rap pioneer Sensational introduces a deliberately rough, individual counterpoint on ‘Disco Lights’, while the German percussionist Simon Popp drives the album forward with an uncompromising drum performance that insists rather than accompanies on ‘Zeitesser’.


The cover photographs, taken by Jonas Yamer, project images of corridors onto paintings located in the now demolished house where the album was recorded. Visually, this reflects a key motif of the album: spaces exist only as overlays and echoes - not mystical ghosts, but traces of a place that has physically vanished.

Recorded between 2016-2024 in Neunburg vorm Wald and Munich. With kind support by Kulturreferat der Landeshauptstadt München.
Mixed by Johannes Wagner aka J.Manuel at Apollo Studio, Berlin (A1, D1 w/ Fadi Mohem). Mastered & cut by Stefan Betke at Scape Mastering.
Photography by Jonas Yamer. Packaging design by Sepehr Mokhtarzadeh.

Finnish-American guitarist Raoul Björkenheim and Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love join forces on their new album PING, released by We Jazz Records on 30th October on LP, CD and digital formats. Recorded in Helsinki, the album finds the seasoned duo firing on all cylinders and delivering a remarkable set of contemporary free music.

PING brings together nine excursions beyond “guitar + drums” and way beyond “free jazz”. That being said, those are still good touching points for the music that is wild, imaginative, raw, yet also at times delicate and introspective. Friends and collaborators for decades in groups such as the lauded Scorch Trio, Raoul and Paal have the history and the trust to create memorable and original improvised music that stuns and moves the curious listener.

Raoul Björkenheim (b. 1956) is a Finnish-American guitarist and composer who has been creating original music for the past four decades living in New York City and Helsinki, where he is presently based. Describing his on-going work as investigative guitarism, he is best known for an expressionistic and lyrical guitar style. Björkenheim’s eclectic discography numbers 50+ albums, ranging from ambient soundscapes to visceral free jazz, from duo to big band. His large-scale works for symphony orchestra have yet to be recorded, and he has also composed scores for over ten films and dance productions. Björkenheim has collaborated musically with Bill Laswell, Toshinori Kondo, William Parker, Mats Gustafsson, Hamid Drake, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Gerald Cleaver, Henry Kaiser, Lukas Ligeti, Morgan Ågren, Paul Schütze, Edward Vesala and Juhani Aaltonen, for the labels ECM, Rune Grammofon, Cuneiform, Tum Records and Long Song records. Björkenheim has been awarded various prizes including the Emma prize for best jazz recording of the year, and been nominated three times for the Nordic Music Award.

Paal Nilssen-Love (b. 1974) is a Norwegian drummer, composer, bandleader, and producer known for his central role in Scandinavian free jazz and improvised music. Since the mid- 1990s, he has appeared on more than 280 albums, including 70 released through his label, PNL Records. He has performed with influential groups including Atomic, The Thing, Peter Brötzmann’s Chicago Tentet, Scorch Trio, and Frode Gjerstad Trio, and collaborates regularly with artists such as, Ken Vandermark, Akira Sakata, Otomo Yoshihide, David Murray, Arto Lindsay and more. Paal Nilssen-Love’s fascination with traditional and experimental music has taken him around the world. Since his first visit to Ethiopia in 2009, he has built strong connections with musicians and artists in Addis Ababa, leading to collaborations, performances, teaching, and artist exchanges with Norway. Since his first trip to Brazil in 2013, he has returned regularly, developing collaborations with artists and musicians across the country. His musical explorations have also brought him to Tsugaru and Aomori in northern Japan, where he has developed an interest in the region’s traditional music. Nilssen-Love is also an active organizer and educator. He started both Oslo’s all-Ears festival, the Blow Out festival and FRAM Kunstfest, and has led workshops internationally and in Norway.

Valentina Magaletti (Moin), Al Wootton and Susumu Mukai (Vanishing Twin) create expansive rhythmic music that moves freely through dub, trance, free improvisation and cinematic psychedelia. For Basilikum, the trio recorded a series of improvisations in the Swiss Alps and London. Built on the foundation of vintage drum manchines and instinctive interplay they created compositions where no stylistic borders apply.

Dub techniques meet ritual percussion, hypnotic pulse and vast Popol Vuh-esque landscapes. Drawing equally from popular music, experimental traditions and spontaneous interaction, the trio treats playing, recording, editing and transformation as part of the same creative act. Sounds emerge, dissolve and reappear in new forms, creating a music that is both deeply physical and endlessly open.

With no fixed boundaries and no allegiance to genre, their work embraces movement, texture and collective energy. The result is immersive, transportive music that shifts between meditation and propulsion, intimacy and scale, always evolving in the moment

Fred Peterkin releases a lot of music but rarely hands his work over to other artists to remix. This EP, which sees a trio of artists deliver their interpretation of the Berlin-based New Yorker's strings-and-piano-drenched 2023 deep house number 'Someone', is therefore an interesting development. He kicks things off with his own smooth, bass-heavy 2026 'Interpretation', an even deeper and more sensual take that blends dancefloor weight with light-touch jazziness, before Juliet Mendoza takes over with a more locked-in interpretation smothered in warming Rhodes motifs and snippets of soulful, eyes-closed vocal. Dave Aju's take is more weighty, psychedelic and propulsive, while Korea Town's 'Acid' interpretation is darker, faster, tougher and altogether more thickset - the kind of revision tailor-made for peak-time moments in dark basement clubs.

,Tidals" ist das Debütalbum der US-Band Spotlights und wird zum 10-jährigen Jubiläum am 30. Oktober 2026 erstmals breit als remasterte Vinyl- und Digitalversion neu veröffentlicht. Das Album legte den Grundstein für die Karriere der Band und erregte sogar die Aufmerksamkeit der Deftones, die Spotlights früh auf Tour mitnahmen. Das Trio um Mario Quintero, Sarah Quintero und Chris Enriquez verbindet auf ,Tidals" atmosphärischen Shoegaze, Doom, Sludge und melodischen Alternative Rock zu einem Sound, der ebenso heavy wie wie eindringlich ist. Die Jubiläumsausgabe erscheint als limitierte ,Deep Space Splatter"-Vinylauflage und erinnert an den Beginn einer Band, die heute zu den wichtigsten Vertretern moderner, melodischer Heavy-Musik zählt.

Cécille Summer 2026 Compilation
Summer and Cécille have always gone hand in hand.

For 2026, we’re back with another carefully selected collection of records that perfectly capture where house music feels today. Eleven tracks from artists we’ve admired for years, longtime friends of the label, exciting
newcomers, and fresh faces joining the Cécille family for the very first time.

Piem opens the journey with his long-awaited Cécille debut. A respected name in the scene for many years, his unmistakable groove has been on our radar for a long time, and we’re proud to finally welcome him to the label with Give Me The Rhythm.

Leon returns to where it all began. Since his very first Cécille release back in 2009, he’s been an important part of the label’s story. Let Bass Kick is classic Leon—timeless, understated and effortlessly effective.

UK duo Late Replies continue their incredible rise with Moment 4 U. Their fresh take on house music has been impossible to ignore, and we’re thrilled to have them on this year’s compilation.

Dutch mainstay Jesse Maas delivers Voices In My Head, another classy slice of groove from one of the most consistent names in the Netherlands’ house scene.

Buenos Aires’ Manu Desrets impressed us so much that one track simply wasn’t enough. His two contributions, Get GG and Voy No Kako, showcase two different shades of his sound and perfectly reflect why he’s become
one of the most exciting producers coming out of Argentina.

Andrew Azara has become a true part of the Cécille family over the years. This time he teams up with Traumer, who makes his label debut with a beautifully understated deep house record. Need You is one of those tracks
that quietly sticks with you.

We’re also excited to welcome Jay de Lys to the family. Together with Simon Kidzoo and Monölitio, the trio delivers Into The Light—a warm, feel-good house record that instantly became one of our favourites. Three
artists from Argentina, the Netherlands and Barcelona coming together exactly the way house music should.

After turning heads on last year’s Costa compilation, Brazil’s Classmatic returns alongside fellow Florianópolis producer Marian. Brazilian Madness is exactly what you’d expect: infectious groove, irresistible swing and that
unmistakable Brazilian sense of rhythm.

One of the hottest young names coming out of the Netherlands right now, Stefan Meser delivers Don’t Hesitate—one of those records that gets stuck in your head after the very first listen.

Closing the compilation is someone who’s been part of the Cécille story since the very beginning. Christian Burkhardt has been a longtime friend of the label and one of Frankfurt’s finest. Specialo lived in our vault for almost two years while we waited for the right moment to release it. This felt like the perfect place for it, and the perfect way to close another Cécille summer.

Eleven tunes. Eleven different stories. One soundtrack for Summer 2026. Welcome to the next chapter of Cécille.

Mit ihrem neuen Album Nine setzt das aus Chicago stammende Post-Metal-Trio Russian Circles seine bedächtige Weiterentwicklung und disziplinierte Verfeinerung fort. Dabei besinnen sie sich auf ihre Stärken und erweitern zugleich die Grenzen ihres Klangspektrums. Dies ist eine Band ohne Radio-Hits. Es gibt keinen Konsens unter Fans darüber, welches ihr bestes Album ist. Was bleibt, ist der Ruf nach Beständigkeit und Qualität - ein Ruf, der sie zu einer der weltweit bedeutendsten Bands im Bereich des instrumentalen Heavy Rock gemacht hat. Auch wenn sie betonen, dass ihre Musik aus einer Vielzahl unterschiedlichster Einflüsse schöpft, lässt sich sagen, dass sich die experimentierfreudige Vielfalt von Russian Circles zu einem unverwechselbaren, einzigartigen Sound entwickelt hat. Obwohl die Mitglieder von Russian Circles mittlerweile über das ganz USA verstreut leben - Gitarrist Mike Sullivan in Los Angeles, Schlagzeuger Dave Turncrantz in Chicago und Bassist/Keyboarder Brian Cook auf Vashon Island bei Seattle -, haben sie für Nine ihre jeweiligen Standorte musikalisch miteinander verwoben. Die sieben gewaltigen, fast seismischen Titel wirken wie Soundtracks zu den Herausforderungen und Tragödien des modernen Lebens. "Unsere Musik ist ein gemeinsamer Prozess der Versöhnung, der Orientierung und der Reflexion über das Älterwerden - sowohl als Individuen als auch als kreative Einheit. Das Leben hat reale räumliche Distanzen zwischen uns geschaffen, doch die Band bildet weiterhin unseren gemeinsamen Mittelpunkt. Diese kreative Zusammenarbeit ermöglicht es uns, den Lauf der Zeit zu erfassen und zugleich voller Zuversicht in die Zukunft zu blicken", erklärt die Band. Während frühere Alben beim Erkunden verschiedener musikalischer Gefilde fast spielerisch wirkten, ist Nine das Zeugnis einer Band, die ihr Terrain genau kennt und ihre Position in dieser vielfältigen Klanglandschaft festigt.

Jungle cemented their status as a major global force with their 2023 album ‘Volcano’ - a record that earned them their first BRIT Award and featured their worldwide smash hit single ‘Back On 74’. The trio - J Lloyd, Tom McFarland and Lydia Kitto - return with their eagerly anticipated new album ‘Sunshine’ set for release on August 14th. The album is launched alongside the new single ‘Carry On’, which was premiered as BBC Radio 1’s Hottest Record. Along with the single release and album announcement, Jungle have also confirmed details of their forthcoming global headline tour this autumn, which includes arena shows spanning three continents. 'Sunshine' will be available digitally and across a range of physical formats: standard black vinyl, 'desert peach' vinyl, translucent brown marble vinyl — all as single gatefold LPs — plus a digipak CD.

2026 Repress

ANNE and Sera J close their Symbiosis series on Mutual Rytm with third and most refined EP yet.

This final chapter reflects everything the collaboration has stood for across a trio of inventive techno releases on SHDW's imprint. Creative and life partners ANNE and Sera J have been two voices growing in parallel, evolving separately but moving with the same pulse. ANNE is well established thanks to standout EPs on the likes of Soma and Hardgroove, while Sera J has released on the likes of Life in Patterns and Renegade Methodz, and both have featured on Mutual Rytm's 'Federation Of Rytm' series before now. 'Symbiosis III' is the moment where everything comes full circle: the culmination of a journey built on respect, creativity, and the freedom to explore their own paths while lifting each other forward.

Sera J kicks off with 'Ransomware', a commanding and driving techno cut lit up with flashy synths but always moving with urgency. 'Phosphate' keeps the energy levels high with stripped-back drums and bass designed to perfection, while 'Anthrax' has an anxious edge. The synths are wispy but evocative as bass kills and swiping filters bring the drama.

ANNE then ups the ante with the acid-tinged 'Dementia', which is loopy and unrelenting before 'A Taste of a Real Woman' gets more seductive with a sultry spoken word and sustained chords that bring the paranoia. 'Heart Rate' is propulsive with Detroit-style synth soul and an aching vocal, before Sera J returns with 'On the Run' - a percussive, trippy and eerie roller. His final Cut 'Similar Minds' has a searching synth surveying a desolate landscape, before ANNE then closes the EP with the punchy drum patterns and icy hi hats of 'Primal Howl Of Ego' and a blend of deep drums and evocative synth work on the 'Analog Heartbeat' - which proves potent techno can be beautiful.

Bristol trio Jabu return with their first release for two years. Following on from their widely acclaimed third LP ‘A Soft and Gatherable Star’, this stand-alone double A-side Disco Mix 12” features four exclusive new tracks, while signposting fresh material currently being written, recorded and mixed for their forthcoming LP, due 2027.


If 2023 LP ‘Boiling Wells’ documented Jabu learning to be a live band, leaning into writing collectively in-the-moment, ‘A Soft and Gatherable Star’ took that record’s ad-hoc/mixtape blueprint, and fleshed out their transformation from an outfit rooted in hiphop and dubstep, to a guitar-based band with a unique take on dream-pop. It saw them described by The Face as “an experiential trio blending the raw edge of industrial dub with dreamy layers of ambient pop and shoegaze", and by The Wire as “like Mazzy Star remixed by The Mad Professor“.


Jabu have continued to grow in the space between releases, touring regularly for the first time, playing festivals such as Rewire and Le Guess Who?, and supporting the likes of Maria Somerville and AR Kane. Their extended live line-up now regularly incorporates those that contributed to ‘A Soft and Gatherable Star’, with new material often further developed as it gets passed back and forth between collaborators. Cellist Josh Horsley (Powders / Nightingale Floor) and multi-instrumentalist Will Yates (aka Memotone) both feature here, under the guiding hand of Birthmark’s mixing.


Titled after the rural, estuarine landscape bordering their Bristol hometown, ‘Severn Flood Plain’ sees the band pivot towards a more jagged and up-tempo, post-punk sound. It runs on a nagging drum machine pulse that feels closer to Joy Division than Sly Stone; while the echo-laced vocals and tremolo guitar phrasing hark back to the ‘50s slapback sound of Lee Hazlewood or Duane Eddy. Written and sung by Jasmine Butt, the lyrics describe a visit to a friend near the mouth of the Severn, and hint towards a darkness that can also be felt across that tidal landscape.


Dropping the pace to a languorous, sensual sprawl, ‘Where You Run To’ is plaintive and yearning, an opiated, ethereal flipside to ‘Severn Flood Plain’s more urgent, anxiety-laced opener. Alex Rendall’s vocals glide over a stripped, metronomic backdrop, eventually entwining with Memotone’s ghostly, processed clarinet.


If the band’s musical reference points appear to have shifted, their process remains indebted to dub and still very much rooted in the multicultural cross-pollination peculiar to their home city of Bristol. Both tracks are extended, with dub versions courtesy of Birthmark. The band sat in on those sessions, completing the circle that began with J’s on-stage mixing of their live sets. The strands provided by Will and Josh provide introspective counterpoint to the sound system leanings.


Jabu’s influences are threaded together as naturally here as on their long-running NTS radio show, ‘Music For Lovers’, which now occasionally guests on the Early Bird show slot. They are due to play World of Echo’s ‘Expected Music 2.0’ at London’s Walthamstow Trades Hall on 21st November with Loopsel, Insides, Giulio Erasmus, Thomas Bush, and Raime amongst others.

Armada Music and PDD proudly continue the brand-new A State Of Trance Classic Series, celebrating some of the most legendary and influential records in trance history. Following the success of Volume 1, Volume 2 once again dives into the archives to bring three essential trance classics back to life on fresh vinyl.

Kicking things off on Volume 2 is “Chicane feat. Moya Brennan - Saltwater”, a true trance classic that showcases the sound and energy that helped define the genre during its golden era. Originally released in 1999 on Xtravaganza Recordings, the track quickly became a favourite among DJs and trance fans, and now returns to wax as part of this essential new series.

On the flip is “Veracocha - Carte Blanche (Extended Mix)”, another highly regarded classic from the A State Of Trance catalogue. Originally released in 1999, the track has stood the test of time and remains a firm favourite with trance DJs and collectors, making its return to vinyl a welcome addition to the series.

Last but not least is “Insigma - Open Our Eyes (Original Mix)”, completing another carefully selected trio of timeless trance records. Originally released in 2000 on A Trance Communication Release, this classic perfectly captures the euphoric, driving sound that made the era so influential and continues to resonate with trance fans today.

Volume 2 continues the series in style, bringing together three essential trance classics on one piece of wax and making this a must-have for both long-time A State Of Trance fans and a new generation discovering these timeless anthems.

,The Long Ear" ist das Debütalbum von Noh Age _ Charmaine Lee (Parabolmikrofon, Feedback, Gesang), John McCowen (Kontrabassklarinette, Bb- Klarinette, Blockflöte) und Li-Chin Li (Sheng) bei Kou Records - live aufgenommen über drei Tage bei Brooklyn Recording im März 2026 live aufgenommen und von Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Oneohtrix Point Never) produziert. Das Parabolmikrofon hat seine eigene Geschichte: ein Überwachungsinstrument aus dem Kalten Krieg , das dafür konzipiert war, aus der Ferne zu lauschen, um das zu orten und zu verstärken, was sonst unhörbar bleiben würde. Hier ist es nach innen gerichtet - nicht auf einen Feind, sondern auf den Klang selbst, der durch vier Vintage-Röhrenverstärker geleitet wird. Die Parabolantenne spürt Resonanzen auf, die durch den Raum übertragen werden, und stellt sich auf Frequenzen ein, die von Kontrabassklarinette, Sheng und Gesang erzeugt werden, bis sich eine Rückkopplung entlädt - ein vierter Interpreter mit eigener, unvorhersehbarer Wirkmacht. Das Ergebnis ist spektrale Musik in ihrer viszeralsten Form - verwurzelt in der Tradition von Gérard Grisey, Kaija Saariaho und Iancu Dumitrescu, doch herkommend von der Überwachungsstelle, dem Abhörposten, der Abhörleitung. In sechs Stücken, die auf kompositorischen Rahmenwerken aus zellulären Automaten und grafischen Partituren basieren, bewegt sich das Trio zwischen extremen Registerbereichen - CBC-Grundtöne gegen dichte Sheng-Cluster-Klänge , die kristallklaren Obertöne von Blockflöte und Mini-Sheng - während das Feedback durch all das wandert, sich verdichtet, auslöscht, wiederkehrt. Cover- und Rückseitengestaltung von Shintaro Kago - einem in Tokio ansässigen Manga-Künstler und Pionier der ,Ero-Guro"-Tradition, der international für seine Arbeit an Flying Lotus' ,You're Dead!" (Warp, 2014) bekannt ist. Aufgenommen, gemischt und produziert von Randall Dunn. Zusätzliche Synthesizer und Sounddesign von Randall Dunn. Gemastert von Ben Greenberg. Dolby-Atmos-Mischungen von Ben Greenberg. Schablonenschnitt von Paul Gold bei Salt Mastering.

983 Cleveland Ohio funk bomb from Dennis “Cash” Roberson’s trio CASH. Co-Written with Mike Calhoun (C-Brand, Dazz Band) and Kevin Kendrick (Cameo, Flash) two midwest talents unmatched. PPU-121 also includes “I Know You Care” the unreleased follow-up single (re-discovered by boogie-times records, france)

after gaining worldwide recognition for his jazz trio, Moses Yoofee returns on casa voyager with a sophisticated broken beat EP drawing influence from jazz, soul and r&b.

This record was born as a tribute to two great classics of Latin music: “El Reloj” and “Lluvia con nieve”, two songs that have travelled through decades while keeping their popular and emotional power intact.

On the A side, “El Reloj”, composed by Roberto Cantoral, popularised by Trío Los Tres Caballeros and later covered by artists such as Los Panchos and Luis Miguel, is transformed into an elegant rocksteady version, preserving its romantic and melancholic character.

On the B side, “Lluvia con nieve”, a song associated with Mon Rivera, takes the form of an instrumental ska piece, full of bright and danceable energy, led by the horns, the rhythm and the melodic arrangements.

This release is part of Latin Goes Ska, a collaboration between Gatzara Records, Sotasons and STQBlack, together with The Jeggaes, Memi Sillah and Lenin “Güiroloco”. A meeting point between Latin music, rocksteady and ska, conceived as both a tribute and a celebration.

Following the passing of our dear friend DJ Romain earlier this year, we've spent a long time reflecting on when to share some of the new music he entrusted to Hard Times Records. The incredible response to 2024’s 'The Lost D.A.T.S.' EPs reignited Romain's creative spark at a time when, unbeknownst to many, he was quietly battling serious ill health. After relocating from his beloved New Jersey to Cleveland, the studio once again became his sanctuary, inspiring a remarkable new chapter of music. The 'New Jersey' and ‘Cleveland’ EPs were the first recordings from that period.

Funky Streets completes the first trio of new EPs, but it is also just a glimpse of the wealth of music Romain crafted before his passing. His final studio sessions became an escape from his daily battles, inspiring a remarkable outpouring of new material that he was determined to finish, knowing his beats would continue to warm dancefloors and further cement the legacy of one of house music's true masters.

Opening with the horn-driven swagger of the title track, the EP moves seamlessly into the soulful groove of 'I Like To Boogie' before culminating in the deep, organ-led dancefloor energy of 'This Is Where I Wanna Be’. Romain signs off with 'The Chocolates’ - an uplifting, guitar-laced boogie jam filled with warmth, joy and unmistakable soul.

Beautifully crafted from beginning to end, Funky Streets stands as a lasting testament to DJ Romain's extraordinary talent, timeless musicality, and enduring contribution to House music. His legacy lives on in every groove.

ORUMA is a trio formed by Ola Rzepka (drums, zither, percussion), Artur Rumiński (electric guitar) and Mat Barski (electric guitar). At its foundation is the musical dialogue previously developed by Rumiński and Barski as a guitar duo and documented on the albums “On the Margin” and “At the Junction”. Their encounter with Ola Rzepka during Kraków’s Kakofonie series opened this music to a new sense of dynamics, pulse and
collective form.
ORUMA’s music exists at the intersection of free improvisation, noise, experimental postrock and post-kraut repetition. It avoids the conventional division between soloist and accompaniment. Instead, two electric guitars and drums gradually abandon their individual roles to form a single, constantly shifting sound organism — moving from silence, open space and isolated gestures towards dense masses of sound.
The trio’s debut album consists of five pieces: “Satellites”, “Stranger”, “This Mountain Is Alive”, “A Rough Plan For Nostalgia” and “Hyperborea”. Together, they form a coherent journey: from distant signals and the first moment of contact, through friction and increasing physical intensity, to an expansive fourteen-minute finale.


Ola Rzepka
Drummer, pianist, composer and performer. She graduated from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, where she studied at the Faculty of Composition, Interpretation, Education and Jazz. She was also a scholarship student at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, studying piano and percussion. She teaches piano improvisation at the Wojciech Kilar State Music School Complex in Katowice and runs her own music lessons and workshops. As a composer, she collaborates with acclaimed theatre directors in Poland, Germany and Switzerland. Her musical collaborators have included Raphael Rogiński and Antoni “Ziut” Gralak. She has performed her original music at numerous avant-garde, popular, jazz, improvised and contemporary music festivals across Poland and Europe. In Jazz Forum magazine’s 2024 Jazz Top critics’ poll, she was named among Poland’s leading drummers.

Artur Rumiński
Guitarist and member of bands including Furia, Thaw and ARRM. He also composes and improvises under his own name and performs in the experimental duo Marmur, which he co-founded with Macio Moretti. He has released several solo albums on labels including Antenna Non Grata, Gusstaff Records, Zoharum and Szara Reneta.

Mat Barski
Guitarist associated with the Kraków and Tricity music scenes. His projects include the duo Ekotonika, the Rumiński / Barski duo. He has released albums through Gusstaff Records and Antenna Non Grata. Alongside music, he works in motion design and visual postproduction. He is a member of the Kraków-based Skład Solny Association, where he coorganises concerts and exhibitions.

Das bahnbrechende Debütalbum ,Blue Horse" der Be Good Tanyas erscheint anlässlich des 25-jährigen Jubiläums als Vinyl-Ausgabe bei Birthday Cake Records. Das Album wurde im Jahr 2000 in Vancouver mit nahezu keinem Budget aufgenommen, und das Trio aus Frazey Ford, Trish Klein und Samantha Parton verwandelte Old-Time-, Folk- und Country-Blues-Klänge in etwas Unheimliches, Intimes und ganz Eigenes - und gelangte dank der Ausstrahlung im CBC von einer Independent-Veröffentlichung zu einem internationalen Publikum. ,Blue Horse" machte die Band in Großbritannien zu einem Phänomen: 83 Wochen in den offiziellen britischen Country-Künstler-Albumcharts (mit Platz 3 als Höchstplatzierung), ein Platz in den Top 50 der Alben des Jahres des Q Magazine, ein Auftritt auf der Acoustic Stage in Glastonbury und ein Auftritt bei ,Later_ with Jools Holland". Die Zeitung ,The Independent" lobte es als ,eines der bezauberndsten Debüts", während ,The Littlest Birds" zu einem Markenzeichen einer ganzen Generation wurde und später in der Showtime-Serie ,Weeds" zu hören war. Die Musik der Band hat seitdem ihren Weg in epochale Fernsehserien wie ,Breaking Bad", ,The L Word" und ,Hell on Wheels" gefunden. Ein Vierteljahrhundert später ist dies ein lebendiges Werk, kein Nostalgieobjekt: Die Band zieht monatlich rund 510.000 Spotify-Hörer mit über 139 Millionen Streams des Gesamtkatalogs an, und Frazey Fords gefeierte Solokarriere führt immer wieder neue Hörer dorthin zurück, wo alles begann. Gepresst von neu aufbereiteten Vinyl-Masterbändern aus dem Jahr 2026 bringt diese Single-LP-Ausgabe ,Blue Horse" zum ersten Mal seit 15 Jahren wieder auf Vinyl heraus.

Sean Thompson hat mehr als ein Jahrzehnt damit verbracht, sich zu einem der vielseitigsten Gitarristen in Nashville zu entwickeln. Derzeit ist er als Gitarrist für Margo Price auf Tour, und sein flinkes, lyrisches Spiel hat Bands unter der Leitung von Erin Rae sowie einer ganzen Reihe von Größen der ,Music City" geprägt. Außerdem ist er neben Rich Ruth und Spencer Cullum ein Drittel des kosmischen Trios Shrunken Elvis, dessen gefeiertes, selbstbetiteltes Debütalbum 2025 bei Western Vinyl erschien. Mit ,Inner Principles", seinem ersten rein instrumentalen Album, bündelt Thompson all diese Instinkte zu etwas, das sich wie ein echtes neues Kapitel anfühlt. Es ist ein Jazz-Fusion-Album im reichhaltigsten Sinne des Wortes: virtuos, aber schnörkellos, experimentierfreudig und stilistisch von einem Titel zum nächsten unruhig. Die acht Stücke bewegen sich mühelos zwischen ECM-artiger Weite im Geiste von John Abercrombie, rauchigem Akustik-Picking, lockeren Late-Night-Boogies und eleganten Post-Rock-Abenteuern, mit Synthesizern, die hin und wieder in Richtung Jan-Hammer-Territorium blitzen. Man könnte meinen, ein Großteil dieser Musik stamme aus dem Jahr 1978 oder 1983, und genau diese Zeitlosigkeit ist der springende Punkt. Thompson spielt ein rasantes Spiel namens ,Finde den Einfluss" und zieht dann weiter, ohne sich jemals lange genug an einem Ort niederzulassen, um wie eine Hommage zu klingen. Im Kern ist das Album ein Trio aus Thompson, Eric Slick am Schlagzeug und Alec Newman am Bass, ergänzt durch eine Handvoll bewährter Mitstreiter: Jake Davis, der produzierte, als Tontechniker fungierte, abmischte und Synthesizer beisteuerte; sein ,Shrunken Elvis"-Bandkollege Rich Ruth an der Gitarre; sowie Jo Schornikow am Keyboard. Dieses Zusammenspiel des Ensembles ist das Herzstück der Platte, und trotz aller technischen Meisterschaft ruht sich ,Inner Principles" nie auf seinem Können aus. Jeder Track strahlt echtes Gefühl aus, vom weitläufigen, treibenden ,Underwater Way" bis zum zarten ,Waltz For Mama". Thompson hat ,Inner Principles" digital in Eigenregie veröffentlicht und das Material live beim BigEars-Festival vorgestellt. Western Vinyl presst es nun zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl und verschafft damit einem der stillen, aber unverzichtbaren Musiker Nashvilles sein bisher umfassendstes Statement.

,Splendor & Misery (Anniversary X)" ist die Jubiläumsausgabe zum zehnjährigen Bestehen des für den Hugo Award nominierten Science-Fiction-Opus des experimentellen Rap-Trios Clipping. Diese Deluxe-Ausgabe enthält ein überarbeitetes Cover, das Originalalbum sowie acht bisher unveröffentlichte Songs und alternative Takes. ,Splendor & Misery" ist ein afrofuturistisches, dystopisches Konzeptalbum, das die Geschichte des einzigen Überlebenden eines Sklavenaufstands auf einem interstellaren Frachtschiff sowie des Bordcomputers erzählt, der sich in ihn verliebt. In der Annahme, allein und im Weltraum verloren zu sein, entdeckt die Figur Musik im bebenden Rumpf des Schiffes und in den zwitschernden Instrumententafeln. Die Musik von Clipping zeichnet eine imaginäre Klanglandkarte der Decks, Gänge und Quartiere des Schiffes, während Daveed Diggs' Texte auf den Rhythmen reiten, die von dessen Triebwerken und Maschinen erzeugt werden. ,Splendor & Misery" ist eine der beliebtesten Veröffentlichungen von Clipping. Es schaffte es in zahlreiche Jahresrückblicke und wurde von der ,New York Times", Bandcamp Daily, CLASH, The Line Of Best Fit, The Needle Drop, Uproxx, The Observer und Stereogum gelobt. Im Jahr 2019 stufte Pitchfork ,Splendor & Misery" als eines der 33 besten Industrial-Alben aller Zeiten ein. Clipping feierte das Album im August 2026 mit dem ,Splendor & Misery Fest" im Knockdown Center in New York City, mit den Vorgruppen SPELLLING, Shabazz Palaces, ELUCID, Fatboi Sharif, evicshen und Maria Chavez.

Early support from Rocky (X-Press 2), Lovefingers (ESP Institute) Ross Allen (NTS), Sean Johnston (ALFOS), Logan Fisher (Tryouts), Chris Sweet (Northern Soul Rave Patrol), Darren Stewart (La America), David Elders (MFSB Edinburgh), Craig Christon, Linda Boyle (1BTN), and Dave Jarvis (Faith).

Skyrager, aka Danny McLewin (Psychemagik/Ghost Vision) delivers a long awaited, genre-busting trio of edits on the legendary Moton label to light up all rooms and dancefloors this season...

Take That, eine der erfolgreichsten Bands Großbritanniens, veröffentlicht ihr neuntes Studioalbum „This Life“. Nach 45 Millionen verkauften Alben, 12 UK #1 Singles und insgesamt 2,5 Milliarden Streams über alle Streaming Dienste kehren die britischen Pop-Royals mit diesem Album zurück. „Windows“, die brandneue Single von Take That, kennzeichnet die erste Eigenkomposition der Band seit über fünf Jahren.

Take That sind bekannt für ihre großen Produktionen und unglaublichen Liveshows. Im Jahr 2019 feierte die Band ihr 30-jähriges Bestehen mit der ausverkauften Odyssey-Tour. Die musikalische Ausgestaltung des Albums ”This Life” ist geprägt von wunderschönen Melodien, eingängigen Refrains und eleganten Harmonien, die die Stimmen des Trios wunderbar miteinander verbinden. „Windows“ und das kommende Album „This Life“ setzen somit das Erbe einer der talentiertesten Bands der britischen Chartgeschichte fort

Classy Frenchman Franck Roger is one of the most consistent performers in the deep house game and he is back with another MVP performance on Seasons Limited this Autumn. This all-new trio of tunes opens with a delightfully airy, light-footed blend of Afro drum patterns and buffed metal melodies that have a lovely late-night glow to them. It's a persuasive rhythm that will infect your hips in no time, while 'Circulation' is more humid and bouncy, with nods to the deep and smoky foundations of house but still one foot in the here and now. 'Feel Free' closes with an elastic groove and the sort of introspective melodies that mean more than most throwaway synth lines in the modern scene. Tasteful and timeless as always from Roger.

Between 2024 and 2025, Tour-Maubourg launched his Ensemble live formation alongside saxophonist Ismael Ndir and drummer Fréjus Méa. Fresh from Panorama Studio in Brussels, they unveiled two EPs featuring live reworks and exclusive tracks, a project that has already gathered millions of streams and led the trio to perform in some of Europe's most exciting venues.

Between 2024 and 2025, Tour-Maubourg launched his Ensemble live formation alongside saxophonist Ismael Ndir and drummer Fréjus Méa. Fresh from Panorama Studio in Brussels, they unveiled two EPs featuring live reworks and exclusive tracks, a project that has already gathered millions of streams and led the trio to perform in some of Europe's most exciting venues.

Limitiertes Silber mit schwarzem Splatter Vinyl im Klappcover! Ein leeres Fotoalbum. Instinktiv blätterst du jede Seite durch, ob sich nicht doch irgendwo ein Fetzen deiner Erinnerungen, deiner Vergangenheit findet. Doch die Fotos sind längst herausgerissen oder verloren gegangen. Und doch spürst du etwas. Auf jeder Seite, die du aufschlägst, eröffnen sich Welten. Gedanken und Gedenken an Vergangenes macht sich in dir breit. Das Gefühl von Vergänglichkeit unterdrückst du, jetzt und hier ist alles ewig und für immer. Und mit geschlossenen Augen blätterst du weiter und fliegst an Orte, die wie Relikte aus deinem Leben aus der Landschaft emporragen. Es sind deine Orte und nur das Gedenken hält sie lebendig. "Memorial", ist das fünfte Album von RUSSIAN CIRCLES und balanciert von Metal beeinflusste Sounds mit nuancierten orchestralen Elementen. In den zwei Jahren nach der Veröffentlichung von ,Empros" war das Trio aus Chicago fast unaufhörlich weltweit auf Tour und traf dabei auf viele härtere Bands, deren Musik unnötig kompliziert schien. "Also machten wir uns auf, eine unkomplizierte, geradlinige, intensive, heavy Platte aufzunehmen" so Cook. "Unbewusst strebten wir nach dunkleren und düstereren Klängen. Wir wollten weg von der offenen Aufdringlichkeit." Auf der Suche nach dem optimierten Sound konzentrierte sich das Trio auf jeden einzelnen Song mit seinen eigenen emotionalen und musikalischen Eigenschaften. Und so fühlt sich "Memorial" fast so an, als würde man die Stufen der Trauer erklimmen und wieder hinabsteigen. Das Konzept wird durch die clevere Struktur des Albums unterstützt, da es an der gleichen Stelle endet in der es beginnt, und natürlich durch den Auftritt der Gastsängerin CHELSEA WOLFE, die mit ihrem ergreifend düsteren Gesang im abschließenden Titeltrack dem Album das angemessene Ende verleiht. Bis zu einem gewissen Grad sind die monolithischen, nebeneinander existierenden Stimmungen auf "Memorial" die Reaktion der Band auf die Verbreitung und den Einfluss der iPod Kultur und wie diese die Songwriting-Prozesse von Bands neuerdings beeinflusst. Heutzutage versuchen viele Musiker aus unvereinbaren Elementen einen Sound-Brei zusammenzurühren und die Ergebnisse klingen so ungenießbar, wie eine Mahlzeit nach Kochen mit verbundenen Augen. RUSSIAN CIRCLES hingegen umgehen klug und geschickt die Fallen der Genre Verschmelzung. "Ich möchte Bands mit einer breiten Palette hören," sagt Cook, "aber sie sollte diese seltsame Balance zwischen Bandbreite und Weite finden. Wir wollten ein Album mit mehr extremen Höhen und Tiefen. Ich hoffe, dass wir damit durchkommen, eine schizophrene Platte gemacht zu haben."

The free folk/jazz sound of modern Los Angeles. Featuring a heavy bunch of musicians and vocalists including Moor Mother.

"Fearlessly Accessing the Divine Spirit From Here on Out" is the vinyl debut from pianist, composer, and producer Diego Gaeta. He has previously released projects as Club Diego and with the trio Human Error Club (whose members Mekala Session and Jesse Justice helped produce this record). He has quickly become a fixture in a number of Los Angeles musical environments, working with Lionmilk, The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, Carlos Niño, Black Nile among others. This album is a synthesis of these many LA environments, and carries chamber, jazz, ambient, and folk influences, ultimately giving it an uncategorizable feel similar to works by Arthur Verocai or David Axelrod.

Gaeta recorded the initial ideas for the album by himself after experiencing a burst of creativity during the lockdown of 2020, in the aftermath of a season of protests in Los Angeles, on a piano at his home in El Sereno. "I was constantly not in tune with myself, always awaiting outrage and tragedy in a very unstable world. However, hitting the streets in support of various ongoing pandemic community actions felt necessary and it marked a point in time that ushered in large societal changes. The weight of that era made me feel allergic to making art at the time. All of these ideas came after that period, expressing my reflections subconsciously. I remember that the ideas came in a short amount of time, and then they developed."

Once he had created the tracks as Ableton sessions, he realized the gravity and context of how he was processing his ideas so he, as he puts it, "felt like taking them outside the hands of midi and into the hands of friends." Gaeta was able to assemble his dream band, which ended up being a 9-piece ensemble, or a nonet. "I felt that at some point I was channeling the geometrical balance of that nonet...it's almost as if I had a sextet and then the three of the sextet that's not the rhythm section were doubled. It's a really dense sextet, that's how I see it."

The recording process began the following summer in June 2021 as the musicians were all adjusting to the newfound dynamic of getting tested for COVID, waiting a few days, and then meeting up to record. "We were eating Indian food, some of us were smoking, it was a nice memory, but I felt a little stressed, because I was the bandleader, and I felt the emotional weight of my music."

The title track and single, featuring vocals by Jimetta Rose, begins with a speech by Gaeta delivered when playing with Black Nile in 2019 at the Levitt Amphitheatre in MacArthur park. Gaeta provides the following account: "Even though it was in 2019, socio-political tensions and issues were at the forefront for me at that time. I wrote a speech that was intended to be critical of the US but it ended up becoming a collage inspired by different women that had messages of freedom that spoke to me the most. I quoted Nina Simone and Georgia Anne Muldrow, it wasn't something that I read but something that she said "kicking it with consciousness and style" that phrase stuck with me, so I used it in that speech. Although critical, the speech had a positive feeling to it, and it was hopeful. I gave that speech while fireworks were going off."

Moor Mother & Zeroh are found on their respective tracks, Memory Screen & Eccolo - both delivering a distinct, commanding vocal performance. Low Leaf colors the track Soft Spot with harp, a beautiful ballad nestled in the center of the album. Other players include Gregory Uhlmann on guitar, Jon Kaye on violin, Devin Daniels on alto saxophone, Caleb Buchanan on bass, Dante Luna on vibraphone, Patrick Behnke on viola, Bryan Baker on tenor saxophone/flute, and Mekala Session on drums.

"I’d like for us tonight to embody a freedom oriented life. Freedom isn’t just a dream, it’s a place we must all arrive at together, as one by one the people of the Earth help each other to be Free of power, hate, and insecurities. Let’s kick it with consciousness and style. Can y’all dig that? YEAH. I can too. So now we’d like to present to you a spiritual transmission I like to call: 'Fearlessly Accessing the Divine Spirit of Freedom From Here On Out.' YEAH" - Diego Gaeta

The saxophone, thunderous as a peal of lightning, burns the listener’s body and shakes the soul. Out Of Chaos captures a new frontier reached by Kosuke Mine beyond the depths of chaos.

Having attracted widespread attention through his work with the Masafumi Kikuchi Group and the consecutive release of three albums under his own name in 1970, Kosuke Mine was one of the most talked-about figures in Japanese jazz. Following the breakup of the Kikuchi Group, he released the masterpiece Daguri in 1973, followed by the recording of Out Of Chaos.

From the hard-driving Recollection to the beautiful ballad Little Abi, Mine’s playing—said to have been influenced by John Coltrane during this period—displays both sharp inspiration and a grand sense of scale, blowing with a power that seems to break through every barrier.

Backing him is the trio that helped propel Mine to the center of the jazz scene. Their performance, completely united and burning with intensity, is nothing short of breath-taking.

After a brief hiatus, Nuances de Nuit returns with Lucho's 'RioGroove'; a tightly woven trio of deeper cuts, perfect for the hazy dancefloor and after-hours alike.

Two Lucho originals and a stripped-back, slow burning reinterpretation from Rumps.

Melody As Truth and Future Days Radio present ‘At the Emerald Pool’, an album by Tomo Katsurada and Jonny Nash.

Netherlands-based artists Tomo Katsurada (Ex-Kikagaku Moyo / Future Days Radio) and Jonny Nash (Melody As Truth) combine forces for an exploration into the sonic potential of the guitar duo, rooted in their experiences performing together over the last 12 months.

Friends and admirers of each other’s work for a decade, their musical collaboration began in 2024 with Katsurada asking Nash to contribute guitar to his debut EP ‘Dream Of The Egg’. Sensing the need to explore this further, they spent the following year performing together in different configurations, with Nash joining Katsurada’s trio and Katsurada in turn playing with Nash as a duo, across a wide spectrum of spaces, from churches and temples to concert halls, theatres and outdoor festivals. With new ideas developing organically out of these performances, recording new material became the next logical step. A short period of three days was set aside with a clear goal: to capture the essence of their fluid, intertwining melodies and guitar playing in a way that felt as direct and unfiltered as possible. Working from a handful of pre-existing sketches, they left ample room for experimentation to unfold within the process.


The results are presented on ‘At The Emerald Pool’, a collection of ten pieces that offer the listener a full immersion into the pair’s sound. With guitar as the primary instrument for both artists, it is no surprise that the core of the album lies here, specifically in the fluid interplay between the two players. Layers of gentle, delay-soaked fingerpicking often make it almost impossible to distinguish where one player ends and the other begins. As soloists, both Katsurada and Nash have a gift for crafting melodic lines that feel open and ascending, expressive and hopeful without becoming saccharine. Longer, more abstract pieces are counterbalanced by a series of shorter songs, with five vocal tracks appearing across the album. The decision to share vocal duties lends the record a unique quality and a strong sense of variation, bringing a wide expressive range out of a deliberately focused musical framework.


‘At The Emerald Pool’ represents the first chapter in an ongoing musical dialogue, an attempt to capture a moment of connection, openness and discovery, laying the foundation for what continues to unfold.

Truthdare Doubledare marked a significant change in the direction of synth-pop trio Bronski Beat’s as a band, with vocalist Jimmy Somerville leaving and being replaced with John Jøn Foster.

Whilst maintaining a clear voice in support of gay rights and political activism, the production gave way to a rougher and rawer style, featuring more real instruments, ever-powerful lyrics and more variety in genre.

This never-before re-issued album features the #3 single ‘Hit That Perfect Beat’, a full remaster, remixes & b-sides.

Digi Dub re-enter the vinyl world with a handful of archival 10” releases, the first collating tracks harvested from four releases which originally came out in the early 90s.

The Aliens EP provides a perfect showcase of the adventurous and experimental approach that the label took at a time when breakbeat hardcore was starting to fragment. Taking none of the paths that their peers took, the artists in the Digi Dub stable infused their breakbeat science with a playful dubwise methodology to create idiosyncratic dance music operating at the interstice between modern dub mechanics and rave dynamics that was a premonition of much of the experimental bass music that the UK has become known for.

The first track comes from the trio L.S. Diezel whose Alien In The Woods marries cosmic interference with a steppers reinforced breakbeat and a tough digital bassline. The Diezel boys are joined by label owner Lee Berwick under his Launch DAT pseudonym for the second track Rougher Than A Lion. Beginning with what sounds like a sort of distorted tribal ritual, the track erupts into a symphony of skittering breakbeats, processed jazz lines, bursts of acid and discombobulated ragga chat.

On the second side the collaboration between Diezel and DAT continues with Poor Mans Glory that sees a weighty sped-up funk break allied with a suitably robust dub bassline overlaid with bursts of rasta invocation rattling around in the echo chamber. L.S. Diezel’s Get Your Spear Out rounds out the package with a clangorous proto-dubstep breaker forging the link between a Jah Shaka dance and Horsepower Productions.

With the original 12s now rare as rocking horse shit, grab yourself a 10” and make your bass bins smile.

This is not a Ben Vida, Booker Stardrum, and Will Epstein record; it’s a Play Time record. That’s a subtle but important distinction, for a couple reasons. One, the sound of Magic Object—a polymetric blend of improv and pulse minimalism for saxophone, drums, and Moog—doesn’t really sound anything like any of their many other ensembles or respective solo projects. And two, it was only while making Magic Object, their debut album, that Play Time realized they were a band at all.

Let’s back up. The roots of the trio date to 2020-21, when Will and then Booker moved to the Hudson Valley, where Ben was already living. The three got into the habit of playing together at Ben’s house, and they soon realized that their hang sessions felt fundamentally different from making music in some falling-down studio in Bushwick. Where those experiences were rushed and cramped, a new sense of time and space now suggested itself. Where once they rat-raced the music, now they relaxed into it.

Early gigs yielded similar revelations. A booking at Tubby’s, the beloved Kingston venue, evolved into a kind of residency. Tubby’s is a small space, fitting around 100 people, with a bar in the front room and a stage in the back. Play Time decided that they didn’t want to play on the stage; they wanted to play in front, among the people in the bar. Rather than hogging the spotlight and overpowering the other voices in the room, they blended with the energy of their surroundings and emerged as a sort of minimalist-jazz-krautrock bar band.

Gradually, they discovered a newfound “elasticity”—Ben’s word—that reshaped the music from inside. “It’s this communal thing,” he says. “It’s vibes. And it’s embedded in the community up here, which feels really vital and nourishing.” They were jamming, but it wasn’t just a free-for-all; they found themselves listening to each other in new ways. “Ben and Booker joke that they’re always playing in different time signatures,” Will says. “We’re all going forward with our own ideas, but we’re open to each others’ as well, and they’re all sort of dancing together.”

“We all have our painterly solo projects,” Will says—where, Booker adds, “we do a lot of studio arranging and thinking and composition that takes shape over a period of time.” Play Time, on the other hand, is all about being in the moment. That spontaneity was key to the process of recording the album. They booked two days in their friend Joey’s studio, a converted wooden barn. “It’s just a live room,” Booker says. “There’s no separation or anything. So we’re all in the space together and it’s got this beautiful, woody sound, and that’s very much the sound of the record.” For two days, they just jammed, for seven or eight hours each day. When it was over, they went through, edited down the portions they liked, and added very judicious overdubs designed to enhance the original recordings without fundamentally altering them, staying true to the spirit of the sessions.

The result is something like a snapshot and a mission statement all rolled into one. “You’re hearing us discover the voice of the band in real time,” Ben says. “We finished those sessions and we were like, ‘Oh, that’s what our band sounds like now.’”

Now, with Magic Object, the rest of us get to find out too.

—

Balmat is a label with a cloudy outline. Jointly shepherded by Albert Salinas and Philip Sherburne, two friends living in Cardedeu, Catalonia, and on the Balearic island of Menorca, Balmat grew out of Lapsus Radio, a weekly show born almost ten years ago. Balmat’s mission is simple: to foster new ideas, expand upon personal obsessions, and put enveloping sounds out into the world.

“Balmat” means “empty” or “void” in Catalan. But quite apart from any negative connotations, we prefer to think of it in terms of possibility: a space waiting to be filled.