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29 Speedway is a record label and performance series based in Brooklyn, NY featuring forward-thinking improvisational music and live multimedia. Founded in 2020 by Ben Shirken a.k.a. Ex Wiish (‘Shards Of Axel’, Incienso 2023), 29S serves as a platform for artists exploring the fringes of interdisciplinary art and music. Hosting D.I.Y-guerrilla style sound and performance art concerts at Pioneer Works (NYC), Public Records, and in Europe in partnership with Index Records, they have worked with artists such as James Hoff, J. Albert, Yolabmi, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, AceMo, Flora Yin Wong, Nexcyia, Young Boy Dancing Group, UMFANG, Color Plus, Poncili Creación, Special Guest DJ, Arushi Jain, Drumloop, Isabella Koen, Ben Bondy, Kamran Sadeghi, Yawning Portal, James K., Syndey Spann, Debit, Pent and many others.

Resident Advisor called their most recent compilation record ‘Channel Plus’ “one of the most stunning documents of the ‘modern ambient-techno movement pioneered by labels such as Motion Ward and West Mineral’, with a focus on New York as well as a global outreach that encompasses chilled-out trap, electro, downtempo and even early '00s electroacoustic music”. Their debut solo artist release from J. Albert and Will August Park, entitled “Flat Earth” (2023), was based on free improvisation and ambient jazz, receiving praise from Philip Sherburne, Shawn Reynaldo, and was included in RYMs top EPs of the year. 29S has been written about on ID, Bandcamp Daily: Best Ambient, Boomkat, Paper Mag, Artnet, Dazed, Clot Mag, Nina Protocol, and Document Journal.

The newest release from 29 Speedway, UltraBody, is a compilation record featuring the music of Jake Muir, Pent & Dylan Kerr, Nexcyia & Mu Tate, James K, Flora Yin-Wong, Ex Wiish & Dorothy Carlos, Kamran Sadeghi, Tati au Miel, James Hoff, Eric Frye, Muein and Maxwell Sterling. The record is emblematic of the artists who have performed at 29 Speedway shows in New York and Europe during the past two years, and is the third in a series released by the label.

The record was born out of a desire to investiage how the self, spirituality, and language are intertwined with the intervention of subjectivity by new technologies. With increasingly sophisticated tech, and the supposed ability to remake the world and ourselves, what differentiates our individual discretion from the will imposed upon us by software? Quoting Walter Chaw from his piece on David Cronenberg’s Videodrome, “Decades of rampant, unregulated and ill-considered technological leaps have begun to evolve, to mutate, humans at a biological level”. This haphazard acceleration towards a techno-utopic transformation of humanity has faulted, and as William Gibson put it, is leading us to live in a “half assed singularity”. In this reality, artistic processes are influenced by excessive access to computational tools and assistance, but not utterly controlled.

This in-between state of dominion is explored in 29 Speedway: UltraBody. “Incoherences” samples the utterances of Dylan Kerr’s voice processed between Pent’s percolated glazes, muddying the gulf between vaporous ambient and reflexive sound design. The voice on James Hoff’s “A... ...Cha.... A... I feel l” was created by trying to get voice cloning technology to sing a gps data stream, the music an extrapolation from an earworm he got stuck in his head while shopping in Kyoto. On “Plogue Chain”, Eric Frye’s most speculative sci-fi observations spiral into a glazed pool of digital cacophony, while Kamran Sadeghi’s “Formula Fiction” is an experiment in (un)controlled generativity. Incorporating minimal pings from a 3D simulation scene based on gravitational interaction, cello bits evolve on “Assimilation”, a collaboration between Ex Wiish & Dorothy Carlos.

On UltraBody, sound has no separate existence from space.

Waves of Distortion (The Best of Shoegaze 1990-2022) is a superbly curated trip through the genre from the good folks at Two_piers, who have served up similarly excellent collections focussed on everything from French psychedelic pop to garage psych. This serves as both a fine intro and a great retrospective for existing fans that will take you down a rabbit hole and leave you wanting more. Some of the scene's original pioneers feature and there are many a timeless tune here that help to document the subtle evolution of the genre throughout the decades.

Anonymous British funk studio outfit Ultrafunk was spearheaded by Blues & Soul magazine proprietor John Abbey, who ran a fashionable record shop and label called Contempo in London’s West End during the 1970s; he conceived of the group as the UK counterpart to US studio bands like Mfsb. Arranger Gerry Shury, who had worked with Barry White and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees, drafted guitarist Chris Rae and bassist Frank McDonald (who often composed library music together) and future Rubettes drummer John Richardson to form the group, in situ. A lack of band photos, suggestive song titles and a predilection for American cover tunes led many to believe the band was US-based. Their self-titled debut LP is where the myth all begins, with a number of truly atmospheric and cinematic hard funk instrumentals, given added textural depth through full orchestration, including covers of Bill Withers’ “Use Me” and Stevie Wonder’s “Living In The City.” Though not quite as compelling as the better-known follow-up set, Meat Heat, there is still plenty to savour on Ultrafunk, making this debut companion disc a must-have for all true funk aficionados.

Yes, *that* Al Hirt record. Featuring the godlike "Harlem Hendoo", looped unforgettably by De La Soul for the legendary Buhloone Mind State cut, "Ego Trippin' (Part Two)"!

Al Hirt's infamous Soul In The Horn is inextricably tangled up in crate-digger lore. Originally released in 1967, the album has been in heavy, heavy demand for over 30 years, entirely down to the majestic soul-jazz fire of "Harlem Hendoo". And it's a song so good, so vital, so timeless, that it will always tower above everything else in its proximity. This one track alone is worth the price of admission - even if the cost of entry were $100 or even $1000.

However, it would be an error to dismiss this record as merely a one tracker, loaded as it is with dope samples for adventurous beat makers. Certainly the funkiest Al Hirt record, it definitely lives up to the "soul" in the title. Thanks to composer Paul Griffin and arranger Teacho Wiltshire, Hirt got uncharacteristically free and groovy throughout. It comes on more like an obscure KPM library funk record than the easy listening Al was notorious for.

A Louisiana trumpeter and band leader who made Allen Toussaint’s “Java” famous, Al Hirt was also known for TV themes, Dixieland, Swing and being a minority owner of the New Orleans Saints. Unlike every other Al Hirt record - and despite most "diggers" claiming otherwise - this here gem is genuinely hard to come across "in the wild". Normally, you can't give Al Hirt records away, except this particular one, which raises pulses in the crate digging community to life-threatening levels. For every owner claiming to have found their copy for a dollar, there's scores more claiming to have *never* unearthed one in the field. So, paradoxically, you can consider this the most tricky-to-pull "thrift store record", ever. This is why we're finally making it available for everyone, not just those with endless hours to spend scouring the global goodwills!

Soul In The Horn represented an expressive detour into authentic soul-jazz for Al Hirt. Throughout, we're struck by a fierce, fiery energy that's otherwise absent from his typically easy listening work. Without question, the slinky, magical "Harlem Hendoo" is the standout, here. It's also the reason why the record is so scarce and commands awe among crate diggers, sounding like something from an obscure and deeply revered spiritual jazz record. As is often the case, the true genius of the song is tricky to do justice to; it's like a minor miracle of songwriting and performance that simply swooned down from the heavens on the back of horns, bells and harpsichord. It's one of the sweetest musical compositions ever recorded inside a studio - it's only failing is that it's just too short. Sampled brilliantly by De La Soul, it has also been used by The Roots for "Stay Cool" and Nightmares On Wax for "Damn".

The rest of the record makes for a mighty fine listen. From the opening cover of Booker T. & The MG's "Honey Pot", to the propulsive, ultra-funky "Mess Around", it's nothing but a good time. Given its title, the elegant stepper "Calypsoul" sounds exactly as you'd hope whilst the melancholic, wistful "Long Gone" hurts so good. Truly, this is just dying to be looped up, Al's muted playing capturing a soulful longing only horns can often achieve. The bluesy, slo-mo swing of "Sweetlips" oscillates between cool disaffection and swelling pride whilst the graceful, low-key funky "Girl" closes out the A-Side in the fine style. Ushering in the B-Side, the brief but brilliant strut of "Love Ya' Baby" shines brightly before the skipping funky-jazz of true highlight "Sunday-Goin' To Meetin' Time" demands both your attention and your dancing shoes. The mellifluous piano-funk of bass and horn-drenched "Snap Back" serves as the sumptuous prelude to "Harlem Hendoo"'s main character energy before the irrepressible, upbeat R&B of "Ludwig" closes out this quite remarkable album. An album deserving of a place in every serious record collection.

The audio for Soul In The Horn has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring it sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue. This is after-hours music. Let it speak for itself. Listen. Listen to the soul in Al Hirt's horn.

2024 Repress

2LP gatefold with liner notes, 180gr vinyl. 'Funky Chimes' is a two-hour collection of excellent and unique grooves. It contains 27 of the most interesting yet long forgotten Belgian dance tracks from the seventies.

'Funky Chimes' is a two-hour collection of excellent and unique grooves. It contains 27 of the most interesting yet long forgotten Belgian dance tracks from the seventies, when a generation of extremely gifted and versatile musicians experimented with funk, jazz, latin and other grooves.
'Funky Chimes' is in many ways the logical follow up to 2014's highly acclaimed compilation 'Funky Chicken'. Uncovering a blind spot in Belgium's musical heritage and unearthing a diverse collection of hidden treasures. 'Funky Chicken' has induced a renewed interest in Belgium's rare grooves from the seventies, which until then had never been regarded a genre worth mentioning. Having said that, this second instalment is much more than just a fast sequel or a batch of leftovers. The music's quality matches that of its predecessor, but the treasure hunt was even more adventurous, and the stories behind some of the nuggets even more gripping.

The story of Ultrasonic Grand Prix is one of two vintage 60s guitars and their owners. I love my 1967 Vox Grand Prix guitar,” declares multi-instrumentalist/producer Shawn Lee - creator, among other feats, of the soundtrack for Rockstar video game classic Bully, and one half of Ultrasonic Grand Prix. “It is a serious beast and an important part of my arsenal. Every tone you need…’For guitar maestro Barrie Cadogan - of Nottingham Freakbeaters Little Barrie, best known for the main title theme of ‘Better Call Saul’, The The, Liam Gallagher and playing on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’ - it was the Vox Ultrasonic, also from the same period, that caught his eye. “I first became interested in Vox guitars because of people who used them like Spacemen 3 and the James Brown band of the late 60’s”, he explains, “but it was when I was part of a recording session at Anton Newcombe’s studio in Berlin that I had chance to get to know the Vox gear better. I was borrowing an Ultrasonic from a friend for a while and Shawn already had his Grand Prix. I thought it would be a good name for our project whenever we got it going.’ It was with this shared passion for these weapons of vintage, psychedelic gold that the suave, velvety, and off-kilter cool of INSTAFUZZ was born. While a project born of recent times, the flames of INSTAFUZZ were first ignited all the way back in 2010, where the two met during mixing sessions for Little Barrie’s 2011 LP King of the Waves. Snap forward a decade and we find Cadogan ripping guitar licks on Instagram, the workaholic Lee using these as inspiration to lay down rhythm tracks on analogue drum machines. And not long after that, cut to the two trading files back and forth furiously online, birthing music together in ever more completed forms. And the music that did emerge was weird, startling, and insatiably groovy. With one foot dipped in the organ-warbling garage of 60s psych, and the other vibrating in the mind-expanding fractals of the British Acid House boom, INSTAFUZZ plies the earthly quintessence’s of blues, rock, soul and jazz, against the preternatural discomforts of programmed drums and unhinged synthesisers to produce something distinctly and nostalgically futuristic

Submorphics’ new imprint Rosebay Music returns with its 2nd release - this time joined by North Quarter boss and soulful D&B aficionado Lenzman. Melding adjacent styles ofsoul and funk once again, this 2 track single is primed for dance floors, headphones, road trips and reflective late nights.

Echoes of November sees the longtime friends and collaborators fusing skanked-outfunk with steppy drums, Detroit-style synths and a haunting soul vocal echoing from thedeep past.

On The Messenger, Submorphics gives us an esoteric solo tune with ultra-rollingdrums, standout catchy vocals and deep musical flourishes.

Rosebay Music continues to wear its heart on its sleeve; presenting emotionally andmelodically engaging music to discerning D&B lovers.

Stay tuned for more!

Repress!

Tokyo Prose returns to The North Quarter for his first project since his acclaimed 2018 'Wild Grace' LP. Featuring his trademark ‘less is more’ aesthetics, this EP is a refined, confident progression of the Tokyo Prose sound. The title, ’Twelve Tones’, marks the musical intent of the Jazz-influenced project – which, by design, consists of uncompromising instrumentals. The exception that proves the rule is the Satl remix of 'Lift You Up', which features Steo, and closes out another stellar project by the Auckland native.

John Ghost (Ghent, Belgium) is the sextet led by guitarist/composer Jo De Geest. As a group, they draw influences from jazz, rock, and contemporary classical music. Minimalism, electronics, and an overall cinematic quality characterize their instrumental sound. The ensemble's sound can be described as a symbiosis of Hidden Orchestra, Portico Quartet, and James Holden.



After the critically acclaimed “Airships Are Organisms” (4-star reviews in The Guardian and Financial Times, as well as airplay on BBC 6 and Worldwide FM) John Ghost is back with “Thin Air . Mirror Land”, to be released on October 6 via Sdban Ultra, the label of ECHT!, Black Flower, Glass Museum, STUFF. and more.



For this album, they continued their fruitful collaboration with legendary producer Jørgen Træen, known for his work with Jaga Jazzist, Electric Eye, Kaizers Orchestra, and numerous projects on the Hubro Record Label. The result is an album with a slightly more somber tone, focussing on a broader range of instruments and an emphasis on percussive elements."Thin Air . Mirror Land" unfolds as an aesthetic refuge in stormy times. It is a musical urge for introspection in a chaotic reality, and a longing to reconnect with a natural environment.



During the creative process, Jo drew inspiration from the music of artists such as Hans Zimmer, György Ligeti, Magma, The Residents, Disasterpeace, James Holden & The Animal Spirits, Do Make Say Think, William Basinski, and Jóhann Jóhannsson. The album title "Thin Air . Mirror Land" and the song titles are driven by a fascination with the artwork of Edvard Munch. Jo found inspiration in Munch's painting "The Storm" (1893) as a catalyst for the writing process, exploring a dystopian backdrop and the intriguing interplay between comfort and unrest. Heavily inspired by the music, Jaak De Digitale created the gloomy artwork for the album.



Members of the band are Jo De Geest (Endlingr), Rob Banken (Rapidman, HAST), Wim Segers (Compro Oro, PAARD.), Karel Ceulenaere (Black Flower), Lieven Van Pée (Echoes of Zoo, De Beren Gieren) and Elias Devoldere (Nordmann, Elias) who went through a thoughtful studio process, with the result being a conceptual and slightly dystopian atmosphere.

Compiling the follow-up to a very successful first album is always a tricky task, but just 12 months since the release of volume one in the 'With Love' series, miche has excelled himself once again with another glorious, deep dive into the world of rare soul. 15 tracks of independently released music, created by magnificent artists with stories to tell and primed for rediscovery.

The ambition to celebrate under-the-radar artists has remained, but instead of a facsimile of volume one, what we have here is a selection shaped by life changes. Volume two is for the dancers; still soulful, still ultra-rare and slept-on records from the USA, Chile, Brazil and beyond, but the dynamics of the collection have shifted slightly. It represents a move from being immersed in a week in week out environment of beautiful, soulful music in a cosy, dimly lit hi-fi bar to playing livelier, more energetic, dancefloor-focused music in nightclubs. This volume will get you on your feet, make you move and unleash whatever it is that makes you get down.

One of the jewels in the crown of this compilation is a joyous, anthemic gospel version of Stevie Wonder's 'As' by The Family Tree (a project produced by the fantastic Julius Brockington). We are also treated to a rare and sought-after Pennsylvanian funk / AOR bomb by Maxwell, a stunning modern soul tune 'High On You' by Freedom, and self-released Brazilian 45s by Banda 22 and Zé Da Lata. P.J. City's 'Straight Forward (Non-Stop)' is gospel-disco perfection, and we also have 'Dame Solamente Amor’, a sublime, soul beauty from Chile by Rogers Mitchell. Many of these artists featured in this compilation aren't household names, but they deserve their moment to shine, to be heard, loved and appreciated for their artistry.

As Miche says it, “I hope this compilation helps in some way to keep this glorious music alive and play a part in connecting generations of music lovers from the worldwide soul family. As always, it has been made ‘With Love’.”

In the late 1980s, Disco was taking a backseat to the burgeoning psychedelic scene in San Francisco, marking a pivotal shift in musical culture. A dynamic transformation was underway as the younger generation sought a fresh auditory adventure, all while the devastating AIDS epidemic cast a somber pall over the city's nightlife. Amidst this evolving backdrop, a subtle yet distinct sonic movement quietly emerged within the confines of San Francisco’s vibrant club scene, often referred to as "The Beat." Although Hip-Hop, New Wave, Gothic, Punk, and the burgeoning Modern Rock genre held considerable sway, the pre-RAVE clubs in SF witnessed the fusion of these genres into a unique amalgam of sound that insiders dubbed “The Beat.” This musical tapestry encompassed everything from Hip-Hop and Freestyle to Industrial, New Wave, Boogie, Miami Bass, and Techno – the unifying thread being the distinctive vibe that characterised this eclectic mix.

As House, Techno, and Raving gradually gained prominence along the West Coast, a distinctive interpretation of these evolving sounds took root. Drawing inspiration from influential hubs like New York, Chicago, Detroit, Europe, and notably the UK, which saw a wave of talented young DJs migrate to California, San Francisco became the backdrop for its own version of the second Summer of Love. While the exact chronology might spark debate – some recalling '92, while others leaning towards '93 – what remains indisputable is the era spanning from 1990 to 1994, an unparalleled epoch of exuberant dancefloor revelry on the western shores.

In the face of limited backing from major labels or established independent dance music entities of the time, a grassroots movement of labels and producers emerged organically, ardently championing this distinct sound and catapulting it onto the global stage. This sonic identity was deeply influenced by “the Beat,” acting as a creative wellspring that informed the musical landscape. While the tracks compiled in these volumes might not encompass the entirety of this transformative musical epoch, they offer a vivid snapshot of the melodious tapestry that coloured San Francisco and the broader West Coast during that era. Each track featured stands as a 100% Sure Shot that was played heavily by DJ Spun back in those very heady days.

The second installment of this remarkable journey into the underground scene maintains the same profound level of depth and significance as its precursor. Showcasing tracks from Electroliners, High Lonesome Soundsystem, Single Cell Orchestra, DJ Emma, and Spun's own Central Fire project, all harmoniously enclosed within the captivating and arresting artwork by Villain Standard, this release stands shoulder to shoulder with its forerunner. Beyond a mere compilation, it's an indispensable extension of the narrative that has indelibly shaped the culture of underground American dance music within the region, embodying the era and the individuals involved. This is the authentic underground sound that reverberated across San Francisco and its surrounding environs, a truly distinctive and exceptional moment in time and space.

ALEXANDER SKANCKE´s exciting debut ep for SLICES OF LIFE, including a collaboration track with FOEHN & JEROME.

Alexander Skancke is a Berlin-based DJ, producer and rising talent within Europe´s underground house scene. The young Norwegian has made a sizeable impact on the electronic music scene, dating from way back to his early releases on Neostrictly, to the internationally respected releases on his own label Quirk. Entrenched in his love for vinyl and analog productions, Skancke is imbued with a passion for the very roots of house music, but has also kept his ears open far beyond the boundaries of electronic music.

Skancke’s excitement for analogue is reflected in all aspects of his life: from his work at Bikini Waxx (a record shop in Berlin specializing in second-hand vinyl), to his fascination with vintage studio gear, all culminating in his music having a wonderfully raw and organic feeling.

The 3 tracks that make up his “Public Trouble” ep showcase Alexander Skancke´s knowledge of the history of dance music without copying the originals, but instead creating his own unique signature:

The A side - “This Go This Way” sends you on a crazy acid dream, driven by a hypnotic unstoppable beat with Alexander Skancke´s voice appearing out of the ether, before vanishing away.

For the B1 track “Wind Sync” Alex teamed up with his label mates and renowned DJ- and Producer-Duo Foehn & Jerome at their studio in Berlin. Together they've masterfully crafted a light footed minimal house track with a slightly melancholic touch.

The EP´s title track “Public Trouble” truly shows off Alexander Skancke´s love for deep minimal funk: An ultra groovy piece of music based around tight beats and warm basslines, topped off with a funky stripped back synth line.

2024 Repress

Egypt-born Barcelona resident Ahmed Raxon has proven himself to be one of the most consistent DJ producers of his generation. His ability to make big room techno FUNKY and highly entertaining has landed him releases on some of techno's finest powerhouses like Cocoon, Drumcode or Ellum. His new double header for Speicher again ticks all the right boxes. "Slipmode" is a robotic workout with that trademark irresistible Raxon drive. "Nu Waze" is more of a cheeky affair, combining an arab quarter tone hook with an ultra funky back beat that would make "Phunk Phenomena"-era Armand Van Helden proud.

Der in Ägypten geborene und in Barcelona lebende Ahmed Raxon hat sich längst als einer der konsistentesten DJ Producer seiner Generation bewiesen. Die höchst unterhaltsame Art und Weise, wie er Big Room Techno FUNKY macht, hat ihm unlängst zu Releases in den feinsten Technoschmieden wie Cocoon, Drumcode oder Ellum verholfen. Seine neue Doppel A-Seite für Speicher hat wieder alles, wofür man ihn lieben gelernt hat. "Slipmode" ist ein typischer Raxon Stomper: robotisch, prägnant, sexy. "Nu Waze" kommt deutlich frecher daher... Ein arabischer Viertelton-Hook paart sich mit einem superfunkigen Backbeat, der Armand Van Helden in seiner "Phunk Phenomena" Phase alle Ehre machen würde.

Mathis Ruffing’s Transatlantic debut cuts to the chase. This is getaway music, music designed to vaporise your long-dormant adrenal glands. ‘Skybox’ is made up of tracks that surge like quicksilver through veins, pulsing, flexing, relentlessly disciplined in execution. These tunes are crystalline and shimmering, eight sleek and streamlined club constructs rendered with what feels like the precision-engineering of some advanced alien DAW.

Opener ‘Ultranova’ hits like a cyborgian headbutt and refuses to let up. It’s followed by the one-two punch of the title track and ‘Hitherto’, which install cooling, gaseous pads and synths within breakneck drum&bassian exoskeletons. ‘Crater Edge’ and closer ‘Raytraced’ offer cryochamberesque respite from the cold-blooded fury enclosed within this release — well-earned breathing room in an album that takes hold with crisp and calculated force. Pure focus.

Over the past few years, Luca Binatti released a steady stream of quality EPs that showcased a remarkable talent with a clear understanding of what makes dance music unique. Also known for his guise as D:fferent Place, where house music is the main topic, Luca's boldest experiments belong under the Pressure Point project.

Pressure Point's debut on Pluie/Noir is no different — a collection of four ultra-personal tracks drenched in honest emotion and playful psychedelia. And it sounds as human as it sounds outer-worldly. Inspired by music genres unrestricted by the club ecosystems, "Ghost on Tape" features compositions that span from deeply spacial house to low-swung finely-detailed minimal.

Cover artwork features a stunning painting by the exquisite London-based artist David Surman. "Mask of a King / Midas" is inspired by Agamemnon's mask found in ancient Mycenae and Picasso's last self-portraits, furthering the emotional impact of the release as a whole. Limited pressing.

Bringing a combination of two conceptual artists Ultrastretch 11 moves away from dance music to present this comtemporary off kilter.


On the A side, Montreal based producer Ohm Hourani, known for minimalistic jazz influenced works on his own imprint ANOMA and beyond, with compositions showcasing infusions of organic sounds combined with modular synthestisers, drum machines and vocalists such as his collaboration with award winning Jazz singer and Vocalist Diminique Fils Aime.


On this release he presents a 14 minute stripped down, intrinsically and subtly arranged combination of elements Initiale by a minimalistic kick drum joined by a synth driven, quirky / hypnotic mind drilling element paired with the finest straight hihats delicately placed on the background as the Constant. The subtle movement of the track is introduced by percussive drumming, vocals and piano keys forming the most beautiful atmospheric melody. The last element of surprise brings shuffling hihats bringing amazing swing to the overall elegantly slick piece.

The B side brings the highly sought-after drummer Samuel Rohrer. Ranging from ECM sideman to member of KAVE, a quartet alongside techno pioneer Max Loderbauer, Stian Westerhus and Tobias Freund as well as collaborative works with Ricardo Villalobos and Laurie Anderson, he is known for his unique sound aesthetics on advanced musical cross-pollination, developments of improvisation in acoustic jazz and wider horizons of live electronics.
Rohrer also brings a hypnotic reinterpretation but in a very different manner / mood than the A side. Initiated by strings combined with Rohrer’s tight drumming patterns at the forefront and bass line underneath as the constant, combination by which forms a tense yet peaceful core pattern to this track. To compliment this, synths create movement by adding cosmic and quirky sounds forming an atmospheric soundscape with the whispering vocal “shake it” on top. Overall, the paradoxical relationship between tight (rhythm) and lose (soundscape) is presented in perfect harmony with each other.

ey campers, we are back with some new goodies for you! This one is by the
completely virginal duo Death Bulb, who have never released a single track
before, which is quite ridiculous as they have been producing this stuff since
2012. This is simply some of the best industrial noise techno around!

It starts out with the title track Zement, a total dancefloor killer that still gives
me goosebumps after hearing it about a million times. You will eat this up!


Second on the A side is Breathe In, Breed Out, a hilariously rough beatdown
with lots of heavy breathing involved - slays it every time! Ultraviolence never
felt so enjoyable!

The B side starts out with a rare guest appearance of label daddy Hanno
Hinkelbein who donated a remix of Zement for you people who like
straightforward techno. Lots of heavy bass and a crunchy ravepad, driven by
relentless percussion.

The vinyl ends with the broken banger Bettina's Betrayal - noise at it's
finest, somewhere between I-F's I Do Because I Couldn't Care Less...' and old
AFX.

As much as, in modern days, it has become increasingly difficult to pin things down to a specific genre this release brings very defined genres but also a refreshing feature, a constant change of energy in one single track, and most importantly, it all comes with this modern feel to it which indicates it is the new generation rising making justice to what Ultrastretch stands for, surfacing fresh and new talents. Signed by Austrian duo Foehn & Jerome.
The A side is of the EP consists of the genius idea that it is a relatively simple track, however, with the feel that so much is happening, the type when you listen to a loop but one you can listen to forever and not get tired of it, always the best sign. A rolling and constant bassline makes it into a super fat and rounded dancefloor groover, while on top you have these fragments of chopped up vocal samples in and out creating a sense of confusion, a mind drilling element is then complemented by very loose and fine hihats floating around.
On the B side starts with quirky minimal track with a galloping kick throughout, when the open hihats slam in with a vocal it quickly develops into a very happy and playful housy vibe and just when you are riding, the clap slams in now on a tighter hat sequence followed by the break and rebuilding, when it comes back however it adds another element changing the energy yet again, through introducing a synthline. The quirky frog sounding noises throughout certainly makes it a super witty track overall.

Here comes a new EP
in limited Quantities

Coz' after long vinyl silence
beat is back with science

Starring mister C. Distortion
& Cyrius, brings back the Ozone

Starring Jeff's disco-Techno
The tribe goes downtempo

Starring freshly fixed
song from Ixindamix

SP23 non-stop transmission
Deby's visual for (r)evolution

And here comes a familly
through the year, in untity !

One of the most innovative and ambitious albums ever made, Genioh Yamashirogumi’s Ecophony Rinne is a sonic masterpiece featuring over 200 musicians that expanded the limits of what music and sound could do.

Before Akira there was Ecophony Rinne. Originally released in 1986, Ecophony Rinne is a four-part symphony of “ecological music” by Geinoh Yamashirogumi that married ancient tradition with technological innovation, and changed the way we listen to music in the process.

Half-speed mastered at Abbey Road by Miles Showell, Time Capsule’s high-tech analogue reissue is the first to reproduce composer Ōhashi’s ground-breaking “Hypersonic Effect” theory on vinyl, cutting frequencies beyond the realm of human hearing into wax to capture the full spectrum emotional impact of this extraordinary work.

Founded by genius polymath Tsutomu Ōhashi aka Shoji Yamashiro, Geinoh Yamashirogumi is a shapeshifting collective of over a hundred members from across disciplines. Rejecting professional musicianship, Ōhashi cultivated an ethos where neuroscientists, psychologists, doctors, journalists, engineers and students could critique society through artistic expression and pursue their research in ethnomusicological performances that spanned global traditions, Eastern spirituality and Western classical form.

Ecophony Rinne represents the pinnacle of this vision - an expansive orchestral suite made with over 200 musicians that channeled Ōhashi’s thinking about mankind’s relationship with nature, and fundamental questions of life, death and rebirth.

Here pipe organ synths made from sampled Tibetan horns sit alongside field recordings from Central African forests, Buddhist mantras circle dummy head microphones, Javanese Jegog percussion ensembles pulse like verdant ecosystems, and the acoustics of temples, caves and landscapes are conveyed in the mix. Weaving together culture, nature and technology, it is a record that vibrates with the polyphony of life on Earth.

But Ecophony Rinne was not only musically innovative. Noticing the difference between vinyl and CD versions of the album where digital reproduction limited the sound, Ōhashi developed a theory of “Hypersonic Effect”, determining that ultra-high frequencies above 20khz can impact human perception even if they are inaudible. At once a physical and a psychological experience, to listen to Ecophony Rinne is to feel music differently.

The rest is history. After its release, Ōhashi was approached by director Katsuhiro Ōtomo to produce the soundtrack for Akira, the work for which Geinoh Yamashirogumi is best known. Emerging from the shadows at last, Ecophony Rinne was its transcendental blueprint, reissued in its most complete hypersonic form on vinyl for the first time.

Rather than describe nature, Ecophony Rinne embodied it. Rather than reflect culture, Ecophony Rinne defined it. Rather than explore technology, Ecophony Rinne changed it. As a work of art, it is more relevant than ever. You won’t have heard anything like it.

Death Is Not The End reissue Mark Vernon's sought-after 2013 collection Sounds of a Modern Hospital on vinyl & cassette formats.

Whilst every effort has been made to record the subject in as great a degree of isolation as possible, the sound recordings you will hear on this record were made in a real working hospital and not under controlled conditions. Therefore, on occasion, you may hear some unavoidable background noise, conversations and other extraneous sounds.

All recordings were made by Mark Vernon at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert, Stirling Community Hospital and Falkirk Community Hospital between 2011 and 2013.

Zum 40. Jubiläum des ersten Teils des stylischen Actionspiel-Klassikers DEVIL MAY CRY erscheint der Killer-Soundtrack des Capcom Sound Teams - bekannt für seine Musik zur Resident Evil-Serie - spezielle für 180g Vinyl gemastert. Der OST ist eine genreübergreifende Meisterklasse, die von Rock über Techno zu Ambient und weiteren Paletten wechselt. Erhältlich als 2LP-Format mit 34 Tracks auf transparent-rotem und ockerfarbenem Doppelvinyl, sowie als luxuriöses 4LP-Boxset mit den kompletten 73 Tracks auf schwarzem 4fach-Vinyl.

Hardcore thrash punks VITAMIN X return with a new album in 2026 via Svart Records Amsterdam’s hardcore legends Vitamin X are back with their seventh album Ride The Apocalypse, the band’s most intense and ambitious album to date — released by Svart Records in March 2026. Mastered by Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust, Municipal Waste) and featuring apocalyptic artwork by Andrei Bouzikov (Municipal Waste), the record delivers 16 tracks of pure mayhem: faster, harder, and heavier than anything the band has done before. Everyone who’s heard the early mixes agree — this is the strongest Vitamin X album yet. For over two decades, Vitamin X has been one of the most explosive and influential forces in crossover hardcore punk. Emerging alongside the early wave of modern crossover and thrash-revival bands like Municipal Waste and Wolfbrigade, Vitamin X carved out a sound that is unmistakably their own: ultra-fast, razor-tight, socio-political, fun, and always completely unhinged. They’ve released albums on iconic labels such as Southern Lord, Havoc, and Tankcrimes, and worked with legends like Steve Albini, John Baizley (Baroness) and J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.). Their video About to Crack reached millions of views. The band has played over a thousand shows worldwide and appeared at festivals such as Hellfest, Maryland Deathfest, EXIT, and Obscene Extreme. With Ride The Apocalypse arriving in March 2026, Vitamin X enters a new chapter — sharper, faster, and more devastating than ever.

Hardcore thrash punks VITAMIN X return with a new album in 2026 via Svart Records Amsterdam’s hardcore legends Vitamin X are back with their seventh album Ride The Apocalypse, the band’s most intense and ambitious album to date — released by Svart Records in March 2026. Mastered by Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust, Municipal Waste) and featuring apocalyptic artwork by Andrei Bouzikov (Municipal Waste), the record delivers 16 tracks of pure mayhem: faster, harder, and heavier than anything the band has done before. Everyone who’s heard the early mixes agree — this is the strongest Vitamin X album yet. For over two decades, Vitamin X has been one of the most explosive and influential forces in crossover hardcore punk. Emerging alongside the early wave of modern crossover and thrash-revival bands like Municipal Waste and Wolfbrigade, Vitamin X carved out a sound that is unmistakably their own: ultra-fast, razor-tight, socio-political, fun, and always completely unhinged. They’ve released albums on iconic labels such as Southern Lord, Havoc, and Tankcrimes, and worked with legends like Steve Albini, John Baizley (Baroness) and J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.). Their video About to Crack reached millions of views. The band has played over a thousand shows worldwide and appeared at festivals such as Hellfest, Maryland Deathfest, EXIT, and Obscene Extreme. With Ride The Apocalypse arriving in March 2026, Vitamin X enters a new chapter — sharper, faster, and more devastating than ever.

In the last two years, Barry Can’t Swim has released two albums – When Will We Land? and Loner. The debut was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, winning 2024’s Best Dance Act on BBC Radio 1 and being nominated for Best Dance Act at the BRIT Awards in the same year. The latest album, 2025’s Loner, hit the top ten in the UK charts and was number one in the dance charts. This summer, Barry Can’t Swim cemented his position as one of the most singular new voices in electronic music with a gangbusting performance as a headliner at All Points East in London’s Victoria Park, building on his back-to-back performance with Bonobo at Coachella in 2024. Barry’s Late Night Tales mix brings together disparate styles and forms them into a coherent narrative. The powerful house tracks, like Lance DeSardi’s ‘Power of Suggestion’ and Daniel Avery’s remix of Factory Floor, intertwine with the abstract grooves of Freddie Da Stupid or Ronald Langestraat’s leftfield reading of Boz Scaggs’ ’70s smash ‘Lowdown’. There are exclusive tracks from Barry Can’t Swim himself (in the form of new single ‘Chala’ and an exclusive edit of Superpitcher’s ‘Yves’) and from friends and contemporaries, like Ninja Tune labelmate O’Flynn. Leaving aside the obvious quality of the mix, with its serpentine twists and dramatic turns, you can tell Josh is a fan of this series by bringing in his own personal poet, the brilliant Seamus, for the spoken word section right at the end. He’s a one-man Late Night Tales programmer.

In the last two years, Barry Can’t Swim has released two albums – When Will We Land? and Loner. The debut was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, winning 2024’s Best Dance Act on BBC Radio 1 and being nominated for Best Dance Act at the BRIT Awards in the same year. The latest album, 2025’s Loner, hit the top ten in the UK charts and was number one in the dance charts. This summer, Barry Can’t Swim cemented his position as one of the most singular new voices in electronic music with a gangbusting performance as a headliner at All Points East in London’s Victoria Park, building on his back-to-back performance with Bonobo at Coachella in 2024. Barry’s Late Night Tales mix brings together disparate styles and forms them into a coherent narrative. The powerful house tracks, like Lance DeSardi’s ‘Power of Suggestion’ and Daniel Avery’s remix of Factory Floor, intertwine with the abstract grooves of Freddie Da Stupid or Ronald Langestraat’s leftfield reading of Boz Scaggs’ ’70s smash ‘Lowdown’. There are exclusive tracks from Barry Can’t Swim himself (in the form of new single ‘Chala’ and an exclusive edit of Superpitcher’s ‘Yves’) and from friends and contemporaries, like Ninja Tune labelmate O’Flynn. Leaving aside the obvious quality of the mix, with its serpentine twists and dramatic turns, you can tell Josh is a fan of this series by bringing in his own personal poet, the brilliant Seamus, for the spoken word section right at the end. He’s a one-man Late Night Tales programmer.

Death Is Not The End reissue Mark Vernon's sought-after 2013 collection Sounds of a Modern Hospital on vinyl & cassette formats.

Whilst every effort has been made to record the subject in as great a degree of isolation as possible, the sound recordings you will hear on this record were made in a real working hospital and not under controlled conditions. Therefore, on occasion, you may hear some unavoidable background noise, conversations and other extraneous sounds.

All recordings were made by Mark Vernon at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert, Stirling Community Hospital and Falkirk Community Hospital between 2011 and 2013.

Gemastert und restauriert von den Original-Master-Transfers durch Patrick W. Engel bei TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY im Dezember 2021. Geschnitten von SST Germany auf Neumann-Maschinen für optimale Qualität auf allen Ebenen. Die ultimative audiophile Neuauflage dieses zeitlosen Thrash-Klassikers! Infernäl Mäjesty aus Toronto, Kanada, formierten sich 1986 zunächst unter dem Namen Overlord; ihr erstes Demo brachte ihnen im Underground und bei der einschlägigen Presse gleich genug Bekanntheit ein, um einen Deal mit Roadrunner Records an Land zu ziehen. Das selbstproduzierte Debüt „None Shall Defy“ wurde 1987 veröffentlicht und hat sich seitdem zu einem veritablen Kultklassiker gemausert. Thrasher in der ganzen Welt betrachten „None Shall Defy“ als eines der besten Thrash-Alben überhaupt, und als die beste Kanadische Scheibe auf ihrem Gebiet – sengend, aggressiv und ultra-heavy; trotzdem hat der Infernäl Mäjesty-Erstling bisher nie die gebührende Aufmerksamkeit erfahren. Das muss sich ändern, und dank des Re-release auf High Roller Records gibt es nun die Chance, dieses Stück Thrash-Geschichte (wieder) zu entdecken. Wenn man sich vor Augen hält, dass Infernäl Mäjesty sich nur ein Jahr vor Erscheinen des Albums gegründet hatten, werden seine hohe Qualität, das große musikalische Können und die extrem durchdachten Songstrukturen noch ein Stück beeindruckender. Während der Sound das Albums vielleicht schon auf vorbildliche Weise das Harte, das Klare und das Finstere ausbalanciert, wurde es von Patrick W. Engel (Temple of Disharmony) noch einmal sorgfältig remastered, um das Beste aus “None Shall Defy” herauszuholen. Was Reviewer niemals zu erwähnen vergessen ist, wie unglaublich evil das Album ist; nicht nur was den Sound angeht, sondern auch in der Art und Weise, wie die Band ihre Songs rüberbringt – es ist technisch, aber die Technik ist stets songdienlich; die Riffs werden ohne Ende variiert, es herrscht definitiv kein Mangel an brillanten Ideen, an komplexen Tempiwechseln und an starken Soli.

Darüber hinaus sind die Lyrics schön finster und streckenweise extrem blasphemisch – was will man mehr?

When percussionist, pianist and vibe player Ricardo Marrero recorded the ultra-rare Latin jazz meets funk LP “A Taste” in 1976, little did he know that decades later that sealed copies of the original album would exchange hands among collectors for thousands of dollars. A veteran of the New York salsa and Latin jazz scene since the mid-1970s, Marrero has worked with luminaries such as The Fania All-Stars, Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, The 5 Stairsteps, Dave Valentin, Angela Bofill and most recently - Ruben Blades. Full of up-tempo funky gems and sizzling slow burners, “A Taste” also includes Marrero’s crossover hit “Babalonia” that received quite a bit of airplay in the mid-1970s. Originally pressed in a very limited quantity on Don King and Lloyd Price’s TSG Records, and with little or no promotion, “A Taste” nevertheless pushed the boundaries of New York City salsa forward and has subsequently become one of the rarest, sought after and expensive records the vinyl world has ever seen. Suffice it to say that the music on this obscure jewel is priceless, featuring some of the greatest players of the era, directed by the great maestro Marrero on keyboards, percussion, vibraphone and vocals with the legendary Dave Valentin (flute, percussion, coro), Ralphy De Jesus (bongos, percussion, quinto), Erasto Bernard (congas), Tito Marrero (drums, timbales, percussion), George Oldziey (flugelhorn, trumpet), Nancy O’Neil (lead vocals, coro), John “Figgy” Figueroa (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone), Sean Mahony (trombone) and John Dearth (trumpet). A taste of Ricardo Marrero & The Group is one that’s sure to satisfy.

- Debut album by percussionist, Pianist, Vibraphonist and two time Grammy Award winner
- Rare 1970 melange of Latin Jayy, Soul, Funk and Salsa from New York City
- Features legendary flutist Dave Valentin

2026 Repress

Flickering in ultraviolet, there is an elusive place where blue pill meets red, ups become downs, and day merges with night. Those liminal spaces where anything is possible is where you’ll find Nightbus and their hypnotic debut album Passenger. Doom, uncertainty, and opportunity lurk in the shadowy corners of their murky existence with stops at disassociation, co-dependency, and addiction before reaching its final destination - a glimmer of hope.

The in-between of Nightbus’ own Gotham lies where Manchester’s city pulse meets Stockport’s outer realm. An audio-visual entity formed among a musical family of friends, freaks, and foes in messy mills and after hours on dancefloors alike, their sound bleeds from tension where collective creative forces are bound together and collide with the fallout of being torn apart. Before even playing a show, their So Young released single ‘Mirrors’ – a knowing nod of respect to some well-known gloomy Northerners - may have made old school indie heads shimmy at shows in Salford’s The White Hotel but also signalled the duo’s knack for offering listeners a Bandersnatch approach to hitchhiking their own personal Nightbus in whatever direction they choose to take. “Everyone can have their moment with our songs; the music is our response to who we are as young people, living in the city full of this energy right now,” they say.

Whilst reverb hefty melodies and dread-filled loops embody isolation from writing at each of their home studio set-ups, magic happens in the ether across 90s trip-hop, indie sleaze and electronica; Jake’s production layers Olive’s pop sentimentality with drums and samples whilst tales of a cast of faceless characters place Olive as puppet master; her severed self’s perspective manipulating their stringed limbs at arm’s length to see how their stories play out when scenes reflecting her own lie close to the bone. “It’s a bit fucked; like having this out of body experience with a made-up movie running through my head,” she says. “As I write I can see they’re all from a similar world, but they allow me to explore different feelings without giving away part of myself.”

Recorded at The Nave in Leeds with producer-engineer Alex Greaves (Heavy Lungs, Working Men’s Club), surprise and danger lies in every crevice. Brooding whispers turn to chants on 6-minute opus ‘Host.’ Improvised when performed live, its immersive shift in tempo leads to hefty dub courtesy of Jake’s pedals. Even then, you won’t know shit’s hit the fan until its mid-point reveal when ominous bass blasts a thunderous soundtrack as its protagonist defiantly walks away after committing the perfect crime. “It makes you wait, and more songs should have sirens,” Olive grins.

Leaning deeper into alter-egos via the video game-psychological horror of a Silent Hill dystopia, the band’s Fight Club moment ‘Angles Mortz’ turns its literal translation of death angles on its head as it reflects upon kink and internalised shame reincarnated as pride. Elsewhere the ice cool ‘Landslide’ is a Requiem for a Dream about the addiction of being in a band; ‘The Void’ explores co-dependency and estranged relationships; and carefully selected samples revive house track ‘Just A Kid’ from the band’s early incarnation. Passenger’s every direction is to face challenges head on. “That is what’s so great about horror; you can see through predictable patterns so when the unexpected occurs it's more realistic and uncomfortable… I want to own the dark stuff!”

As for Passenger’s first single, the pulsating ‘Ascension’ is a spiralling deep dive into death, suicide, and legacy around who or what we leave behind. A noughties club banger by way of NYC beats - ergonomically designed for those who like to stay out a little too often and too late - it throbs like a house party’s partition wall as the literal levelling up undergoes a neon transformation; blue glitching to pink, diffusing the white construct of the Nightbus Matrix. “It really does feel like the end of something and was purposely written that way,” they say, “the ascension is like a firework going off!”

With wheels in motion, Nightbus has become a movement surpassing sonic realms. Between shows from Porto to Brighton taking in The Great Escape, Rotterdam’s Left Of The Dial and Paris’ Supersonic; DJing; remixing; guesting (BDRMM’s Microtonic album); and even enlisting talented like-minds to craft a 3-part queer coming-of-age music video series which ties in with a new ‘hyperpop’ phase in the evolution of their popular Nightbus Soundsystem club night, heads are now being turned from sports brands to high-end fashion designers. “There are things we can’t reveal just yet,” tells Olive, “but we’re excited about the direction this beast we’ve created is heading.” As the album philosophises and asks one ultimate question; what does it truly mean to be ‘Passenger’? Nightbus may not claim to offer a definitive answer, but it might make you feel a bit better about those demons.

The song titles on Van Halen's aptly titled Fair Warning don't lie. The likes of "Unchained," "Mean Street," "Push Comes to Shove," "One Foot Out the Door," and more indicate the mood the band channels on its double-platinum 1981 record — the nastiest, darkest, and fiercest album of the group's storied career. For the fourth time in four years, Van Halen throws down the gauntlet to all challengers and emerges victorious.


Sourced from the original analog tapes, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at Fidelity Record Pressing, and strictly limited to 5,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP set plays with unfettered clarity, dynamics, and immediacy. Benefitting from superb groove definition, an ultra-low noise floor, and dead-quiet surfaces, this vinyl edition captures what went down in the studio with tremendous realism and involving presence.

Taking a more controlled approach in the studio and still completing everything in less than two weeks, Van Halen and producer Ted Templeman relied on studio amplifiers to direct the sound. Further diverging from the live-on-the-floor approach of its earlier albums, the ensemble also employed overdubs to great effect. The result: Dense, stacked architecture that underlines the hard-hitting tenor of the songs — and which comes alive like never before on this reference edition that looks as good as it sounds.

The premium packaging and gorgeous presentation befit the reissue's select status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recording. Aurally and visually, it is made for listeners who want to immerse themselves in everything involved with the album, including the iconic cover art adopted from William Kurelek's haunting painting, "The Maze."

Isolated frames from Kurelek's childhood-inspired work — including a man bashing his head into a brick wall, a guy pinning down an adversary as he delivers bare-fist blows to his face and others watch with apparent glee, a boy tied down on a conveyer belt and being sent through the equivalent of a meat saw — adorn the front and back covers. The sunnier visual disposition of Van Halen's prior efforts gives way to something sinister and tortured, traits reflective of the music within. The band members, too, are visually depicted not in glamorous shots but in a serious black-and-white portrait in which the quartet is clad in black leather jackets.

Tough, aggressive, stark: Fair Warning comes on like a series of bare-knuckled punches to the solar plexus and boasts lyrical narratives to match. Though not a concept record, the concise album revolves around themes of roughing it on the streets and struggling to survive amid dim prospects. Singer David Lee Roth reportedly penned many of the initial lyrics after traveling to Haiti and observing extreme poverty. The characters and situations populating Fair Warning reflect hardscrabble existence, last-chance desperation, and underlying danger.

Witness the crazies, poor folks, and hunters of “Mean Street”; the former prom queen turned pornographic actress on “Dirty Movies”; the menace and vice of “Sinners Swing!”; the streetwise hustle of “Unchained”; the isolation and alienation of “Push Comes to Shove”; the desire for escape on “One Foot Out the Door”: A carefree California beach party Fair Warning is not.

Having said he felt angry and frustrated during the sessions, guitarist Eddie Van Halen uses the forceful arrangements as a playground for his seemingly unlimited arsenal. Supported by a crack rhythm section and a hyped-up Roth, he performs with an almost impossible combination of punk-like intensity, technical finesse, lyrical fluidity, and unbridled emotion. The virtuoso was increasingly butting heads with Templeton and seeking a freedom in the studio he believed denied him.

No wonder he plays like a bat out of hell. Listen to the rapid-fire manner in which he slaps the high and low E strings on the 12th fret of his instrument on “Mean Street,” instilling the tune with funk flair and metal-spiked sharpness. For the pouty strut of “Dirty Movies,” Eddie Van Halen contributes slide guitar magic made possible after he sawed off the lower portion of a Gibson SG so he could reach further down the fretboard.

Related intensity, urgency, and daredevil momentum punctuate the surging “Sinner’s Swing!” A heavily flanged, delicately melodic introduction frames the attitudinal “Hear About It Later,” among the most creative arrangements of Van Halen’s career. And do riffs come any bigger or magnetic than those on the high-wire kick of “Unchained”? As for the out-of-left-field “Sunday in the Park,” an instrumental composed on an Electro-Harmonix micro-synthesizer: Who but Eddie Van Halen to supply creep factor in such an ingenious way?

Despite selling fewer quantities than Van Halen’s prior efforts, Fair Warning remains for many diehards the record that epitomizes all of the band’s immense strengths —Roth’s manic energy and tongue-wagging humor, Alex Van Halen’s rhythmic heartbeat-in-your-chest bombast, and Michael Anthony’s lucid bass lines included. Arriving when the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and new-wave movements were taking flight, it signaled a shot across the bow from a band determined to stay a step ahead and provide proof nobody could touch what it delivered.

More than four decades later, Fair Warning still sounds that alarm.

Here are 4/5 of the early work of Dj Ultramars, before he created his own label, Mars Assault Records.

Dj Ultramars drew inspiration from records from the begining of Hard Techno; from some work of the Spiral Tribe, but also just from the musical impression he had after attending his my first free parties.
Those tracks corresponds to a certain moment in the history of the free party movement, so a release on Toolbox Killerz was logical.

The tracks have been edited so that the arrangements would be more relevant to nowadays standards, and to alow a better sound quality on vinyl. Back in 1997, we didn't know better about vinyl cutting & premastering, so we went to a legacy cutting studio that had made all the cuts for Rock & Pop for decades, and they didn't understand the specifics of such Tekno music. Therefore on their first release, those tracks didn't make much sense without the highest frequencies... This time we have their ultimate cuts, the way they should always have been cut on vinyl, thanks to the legendary Hervé @ DK mastering studio.

Hercules & Love Affair music has always been about folding past, present and future together – and never more so than in the latest phase, encapsulated by the track that launches things, “Someone Else is Calling.”

If the song-first, ultra-gothic mind-movie of the last H&LA album In Amber was partly motivated by Andy Butler falling out of love with dance culture, this new body of work – an EP titled Someone Else Is Calling – is an unabashed resurgence of the love affair. A co-production with London underground veteran and inspiration to Butler, Quinn Whalley of Paranoid London and Decius, the lead single is a surging, tactile acid track woven around the vocal of Icelandic icon Hips & Lips aka Elín Ey – who hits that new wave disco sweet spot between Grace Jones and Yazoo era Alison Moyet.

Elín’s lyrics work perfectly with the bodily momentum of the sounds, circling around themes of self-possession and the urge to move on to the next experience, the next sensation: hunger for reality. And this taps into Andy’s feelings on escaping New York and moving to Belgium, discovering that dance culture was anything but the hollowed-out, identikit-festival-lineup conveyor belt he’d feared, and still had plenty of outposts where it was still – as he’d first experience it as a teen – about the hot, sweaty reality of diverse people seeking communion, communication and heightened ways of being in the here and now.

The video, filmed by Tatsumi Milori couldn’t be a better expression of exactly this. A love letter to the strange and glorious party scene of Mexico City, it captures people who are both tapping into the eternal verities of those magical dancefloor communions, and thrilling – against all the odds of oppressive forces – at the sense of possibility in the flow of gender and sexuality in the present moment. It’s powered by innocence and experience as intertwined forces, and it amplifies the heartbeat of the song a thousandfold. There will be more, much more, to follow from the partnership of Andy, Elín and Quinn. It digs deeper still into the decades of dance and other underground cultures that feed into this modern moment – but this shining beacon should give you a pretty good hint.

Someone Else Is Calling will arrive on one of Los Angeles’s most exciting new independent labels and creative hubs, StrataSonic, on December 14. The lead single of the same name, along with the music video directed by Tatsumi Milori, is out now. This marks the first collaboration between Hercules & Love Affair and Stratasonic.

New York-based Patrick Sullivan AKA P-Sol has a terrific track record when it comes to refined re-edits and classy, sample-rich mash-ups. Even so, his latest effort, delivered on a tidy and must-check seven-inch, is particularly potent. On the A-side, he takes us into immersive, seductive and ultra-deep territory via the mid-tempo house headiness of 'Everybody' - a kind of 'quiet storm goes deep house' affair featuring warming electric piano chords, heady bass and selected vocal samples from a soulful classic. On 'Walk Away', he provides a warming, percussion-rich new take on R&B classic 'Don't Walk Away', adding her familiar vocals to a head-nodding instrumental full of mazy solos, rubbery bass guitar and handclap-heavy beats.

Muddy Monk's Ultra Tape is being released on vinyl for the first time



Originally released in 2020, this project, conceived as a mixtape, condenses five tracks that are both radical and raw, for a quarter of an hour of a ghostly and thrilling ride. Compressed and melodic, dark and iridescent, lyrical and modern, Ultra Tape offers, according to the artist, ‘a somewhat desperate view of life and the world, with a little note of hope added’.



The cover, designed by Swiss illustrator Dexter Maurer, extends Muddy Monk's unique visual universe. Created at a time when Dexter was beginning to get involved in musical projects, this collaboration was a seminal encounter between two Swiss sensibilities that are both melancholic and futuristic.