quête:v lock

Das Duo in der Rockmusik funktioniert in der Regel nach dem Prinzip der Reduktion: Wer nur zu zweit auf der Bühne steht, setzt meist notgedrungen auf Akzente statt auf Flächen, auf Gerüst statt auf Schmuck. Weniger ist mehr, heißt dann die Devise, und es braucht schon eine ganze Menge Charisma (siehe White Stripes), musikalische Versiertheit (siehe Black Keys) oder schlichtweg Druck (siehe Royal Blood), um der Irritation etwas entgegenzustellen, die entsteht, wenn man auf das gewohnte Gesang-Gitarre-Bass-und-Schlagzeug-Setting verzichtet. Das hat durchaus etwas von dem verzweifelten Ennui, den Bands wie die Fehlfarben oder Abwärts vor über 40 Jahren formulierten. Hier wird robotisch gegroovt, neurotisch gesungen, und fatalistisch getextet - und das immer mit lockerer Faust, um den Zuhörern bei Bedarf schnell mal eine reinzimmern zu können.

Godzilla returns once more to face the combined might of Japan's most extraordinary scientists in the second picture of the Millennium-era: GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS. Looking for new ways to defeat the Big G, the JSDF invent an incredible new weapon called Dimension Tide, which creates a miniature black hole that will transport Godzilla far away from Earth. However, a byproduct of weapon testing leads to thousands of winged insects invading Tokyo and attacking Godzilla. The Big G fights back, but their new queen appears, now kaiju-sized due to Godzilla's atomic breath. A thrilling battle then occurs as Godzilla goes head-to-head with Megaguirus while the JSDF frantically works to disappear both monsters forever.

GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS saw the introduction of composer Michiru Oshima into the franchise with a fantastic score that built on previous Toho musical traditions with a view to the future. While using music composed by the great Akira Ifukube for two sequences, Oshima also unveiled her own theme for Godzilla. First heard in a slow and foreboding mode, it's quickly unleashed in gigantic low tones, as terrifying and inevitable as the Big G himself. Soaring heroic material represents the JSDF and their advanced Griffon aircraft, while powerful brass is used for the threat of Megaguirus. Cementing Oshima's reputation as a great composer, GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS is a classic of kaiju musical mayhem. - Charlie Brigden

Composed by Michiru Oshima
Artwork by Attack Peter
Manufactured in Czech Republic

Infinity Machine is a duo comprised of Juan MacLean - as in the Juan MacLean, longtime DFA traveler - and Gee Dee, also known as Greg Droggitis, a producer and DJ based in Brooklyn and 1/3 of the Earth Beat DJ troupe. The project name stems from a series of gatherings the two began hosting in various private spaces around New York City shortly after lockdown, though that description is a bit innocuous for the journeys traveled by its attendees. These events, billed as "psychedelic dance ceremonies" lasting 8 or 9 hours, began with a sound meditation to vibrational and acoustic instruments before eventually segueing into a "dance" soundtracked by a DJ set from Juan and Greg. Something clicked - that ceremonial tea! - and so Juan and Greg began playing and recording in their studio using the same approach: improvisation with equal attention placed on traditional acoustic (flute, guitar, gong) and more contemporary electronic (Yamaha DX-7) sounds. After awhile, there was literally three albums worth of material, each of them a voyage into the warm, liminal space between new age, ambient, drone and psychedelia. None of those genres quite fully describe what's across 001, 002, and 003 - available from DFA digitally and on a very limited run of cassettes (150 each!) - but if you've read this far then you're either the right kind of curious or just forgot what you were doing.

Infinity Machine is a duo comprised of Juan MacLean - as in the Juan MacLean, longtime DFA traveler - and Gee Dee, also known as Greg Droggitis, a producer and DJ based in Brooklyn and 1/3 of the Earth Beat DJ troupe. The project name stems from a series of gatherings the two began hosting in various private spaces around New York City shortly after lockdown, though that description is a bit innocuous for the journeys traveled by its attendees. These events, billed as "psychedelic dance ceremonies" lasting 8 or 9 hours, began with a sound meditation to vibrational and acoustic instruments before eventually segueing into a "dance" soundtracked by a DJ set from Juan and Greg. Something clicked - that ceremonial tea! - and so Juan and Greg began playing and recording in their studio using the same approach: improvisation with equal attention placed on traditional acoustic (flute, guitar, gong) and more contemporary electronic (Yamaha DX-7) sounds. After awhile, there was literally three albums worth of material, each of them a voyage into the warm, liminal space between new age, ambient, drone and psychedelia. None of those genres quite fully describe what's across 001, 002, and 003 - available from DFA digitally and on a very limited run of cassettes (150 each!) - but if you've read this far then you're either the right kind of curious or just forgot what you were doing.

Infinity Machine is a duo comprised of Juan MacLean - as in the Juan MacLean, longtime DFA traveler - and Gee Dee, also known as Greg Droggitis, a producer and DJ based in Brooklyn and 1/3 of the Earth Beat DJ troupe. The project name stems from a series of gatherings the two began hosting in various private spaces around New York City shortly after lockdown, though that description is a bit innocuous for the journeys traveled by its attendees. These events, billed as "psychedelic dance ceremonies" lasting 8 or 9 hours, began with a sound meditation to vibrational and acoustic instruments before eventually segueing into a "dance" soundtracked by a DJ set from Juan and Greg. Something clicked - that ceremonial tea! - and so Juan and Greg began playing and recording in their studio using the same approach: improvisation with equal attention placed on traditional acoustic (flute, guitar, gong) and more contemporary electronic (Yamaha DX-7) sounds. After awhile, there was literally three albums worth of material, each of them a voyage into the warm, liminal space between new age, ambient, drone and psychedelia. None of those genres quite fully describe what's across 001, 002, and 003 - available from DFA digitally and on a very limited run of cassettes (150 each!) - but if you've read this far then you're either the right kind of curious or just forgot what you were doing.

Thee Alcoholics are the brainchild of Rhys Llewellyn, a longtime Rocket Recordings alumnus whose background leans as heavily into the bassbin-shaking realms of electronic music as it does the tinnitus-inducing world of howling, cranked-up ampstacks. Not content with hammering drumskins for numerous floor-shaking records on the Rocket discography from the likes of Hey Colossus and The Notorious Hi-Fi Killers, he’s also been responsible for brain-rearranging electronic works under the Drmcnt and Acidliner monikers. Thee Alcoholics, however - which initially gestated as a result of Rhys himself wanting to pursue the somewhat hostile sound in his own head during lockdown - maps out a collision course between all of the above. Cranky and cantankerous yet lysergically aligned, Feedback is mesmeric rock with swagger, warped into sci-fi shapes by the spirit and sonics of bass and soundsystem culture. The psychedelic shapes here are redolent of the ur-klang of The Fall and the monolithic lurch of The Heads, the motorik malevolence less an uplifting trip to the heavens than a drill down to the earth’s core. Discernible in these jackhammer beats, grimly murmured vocals and delirious dirges to certain heads may be the trash futurism of Chrome, the decomposed stomp of unsung legends Earl Brutus and the electro-punk attack of Six Finger Satellite, yet all of the above co-ordinates are waylaid effortlessly by a balls-out intensity and a 6 fearsome intent on aural oblivion at all costs. Feedback may be elemental and primal, yet this is no psych comfort-blanket nor retrofetishism, rather a repetition-driven journey headlong into intimidating territory unknown. Get on board and strap yourselves in for a bumpy ride.

Nach dem Erfolg von We'll Bring The House Down aus dem Jahr 1981 setzten Slade mit Till Deaf Do Us Part ihren neuen Aufschwung fort. Mit der Single Lock Up Your Daughters sowie anderen Tracks, die im Laufe der Jahre zu festen Bestandteilen des Slade-Live-Sets wurden, darunter "Rock and Roll Preacher" (der zum neuen Opener der Band wurde) sowie Ruby Red und Knuckle Sandwich Nancy.Die LP erscheint in limitierter Auflage auf weiß-schwarzem Splatter-Vinyl, während die CD einen Bonus-Radio-Edit von "Rock and Roll Preacher" sowie erweiterte Booklet-Notizen enthält.













[m] 13. Funk, Punk & Junk [CD Bonustrack]

Jakku are Per Ingvaldur Højgaard Petersen and Bárður Næs both born and raised on the Faroe Islands. On their debut EP “Fashion” they unveil their unique take on dark, spiritual electronica locked to chopped up traditional singing from the Faroes as well as other corners of the world.

Jakku have labelled it Kingodub after a primeval form of hymn singing which is still practiced on the isles. Expect deep, heavy beats with ancient marching and chanting

The music of Atlanta trio Omni has always swung fast and hit hard. And Souvenir, their fourth album and second for Sub Pop, packs their biggest punch yet. Inactive during the majority of the pandemic-the longest downtime in their history-they approached this recording with lots of pent-up energy. Guitarist Frankie Broyles, singer/bassist Philip Frobos, and drummer Chris Yonker converted their creative fuel into sharp, driving songs that land immediately, sporting chopping riffs, staccato beats, and wiry melodies. Why does Souvenir sound so sharp? Because each track is a compact unit that stands on its own, reflecting the time and place in which it was created. That's why Omni called the album Souvenir: it's a collection of audio objects, a stash of musical miniatures. Think of it as a family photo album, a binder of rare playing cards, a shoebox holding precious gems. Take "Plastic Pyramid," the first song Omni wrote after coming out of lockdown. Filled with twists and turns, it's a journey unto itself, charged by clanging chords, spinning rhythm, and Frobos trading lines with Izzy Glaudini of Automatic, with whom Omni toured with last fall. (Glaudini sings on two other Souvenir tracks, the first guest vocalist the band has collaborated with). Or take opener "Exacto," a slicing web of intertwined guitar and bass. Its razor-fine notes and syncopated beats perfectly match pointillist Frobos lyrics such as "Exacto, de facto, concise, quite right"-a line that could well be an Omni mantra. The precision and clarity of Souvenir comes from some new Omni developments. For one, this is their first album with Yonker as their full-time drummer, and his forceful playing adds exclamation points to every pointed moment on Souvenir. In addition, the trio worked with Atlanta-based engineer Kristofer Sampson for the first time. Sampson pushed the band to a higher degree of power, with Frobos's vocals more upfront in his pulsing mix and the rest of the music leaping out of the speakers. You might notice that Frobos' singing is a bit more emotional and even nostalgic this time around. In crafting his vocals, he was inspired by the early college radio rock of formative favorites like REM, the Cure, and Big Audio Dynamite-the kind of bands whose melodies could have been top 40 hits in an alternative universe. The lyrics on Souvenir are also by turns funny, absurd, and even cryptic. A wry humor has always coursed through Omni's songs, and this time, it comes in shades of both dark and light. In "Granite Kiss," an "astronomical" love story concludes with the hope that "we can decay together," while in "PG," a romantic walk in the park includes a rose-colored mugging. Immediacy rushes throughout every moment of Souvenir, making it the band's most powerful album to date. Omni has truly crafted a musical keepsake-a set of songs that you'll want to keep close, an aural memento you'll cherish for the rest of time.

Remastered and first ever vinyl and CD release When it came time to create "What I like to do," GRÓA took advantage of the prolonged standstill of lockdown and spent months on end in a friend’s studio, slowly building up an elaborate sonic world that unequivocally captures the joyful ferocity of their live show. To achieve the album’s glorious unpredictability, the band allowed themselves an even greater level of freedom in the writing and recording process. “All our songs are made in such different ways,” says Fríða. “Sometimes they come from us jamming in the garage, but other times we’ll sit down and draw a song on paper and then try to put the images to music. Another thing we love to do is switch instruments—when I hear Karó play the bass, for example, it gives me new ideas because she looks at the bass in a completely different way than I do. We’re always trying to find a new angle on what we’re creating.” Encompassing everything from the gorgeously ominous sprawl of “Ég skal bíða eftir þér” (“I will wait for you”) to the hypnotically loopy harmonies of “Grannypants,” What I like to do also marks the first GRÓA release to feature one of Karó self-built instruments. “For the last album I made a waterphone, which is a metal instrument that you pour water into and then play with a bow,” explains Karó, who’s currently studying new media compositions at university.

How about some swag, hype, bouncing high energy and filthy bass? RLGN breaks in with Apollo 3023. The lyrics say it all: "smell of gasoline, burned tires, smell of a blunt, gin and codeine". This is high af and this is rave. THE DAWLESS continue to rip off side A completely with a devastating workout. ACG is your perfect soundtrack for hustling in Summer 2023. A deeply personal track by our own dance music queen Errortica is dedicated to Dima Nova, 1/3 of Cream Soda and 1/2 of Locked Club, who tragically died in March 2023. Tender vocals about "invisible connections between real friends on the dance-floor" are mixed into some advanced and masterfully crafted rhythms and textures, giving us also a teaser of upcoming solo EP by Errortica - stay tuned! SAKHA is a mysterious duo, affiliated with some most epic Monasterio line-ups. More investigations of the project lead to R-Label Group and to some seriously dangerous high pressure techno. Automatic is a driving, euphoric, millennium-vibe infected track, sounding just timeless. We are excited to have such a sound on our board here. BEREZA closes this chapter with a chase anthem, Cops and Horns, again delivering his own formula of bass music + blistering drum programming at it's very best. It is crazy, physical and original. Eight Years Of Love - Part 2 can be deconstructed into 5 singles, but if you unite them into one, you will get a perfect glimpse to the mood and vibe of our main floor. Highlighting the newest generation of DJ's, artists and producers, we never forget about the rave essence: peace, love, unity and respect!

The story of Astral Bakers is an obvious one. Four experienced musicians get together in the same room, and make music as if it were the first time. Some say acoustic rock, others say soft grunge. Songs in English, halfway between Big Thief, Supertramp and an unplugged Nirvana concert. Initially, Sage (formerly of Revolver), Theodora, Nico Lockhart and Zoé Hochberg know each other from having collaborated together on other tours and records. All have worked with artists as varied as Clara Luciani, November Ultra, Woodkid, Pomme and Revolver. Together, they crave something different: epiphanies and presence, friendship and purity. No demos, no re-recording: just circular listening, between two guitars (Sage and Nicolas) that converse with each other, a bass (Theodora) that holds time, and soft drums (Zoé)thatenfoldthewhole.Selected by Spotify for their RADAR program, and already acclaimed by critics,this10-trackdebutalbum,writteninalivesetting,isalreadymakingitsmarkonthe 2024 indie landscape.

Pelvis Wrestley's sophomore LP, ANDY, or: the Four Horsegirls of the Apocalypse, is a fantastical meditation on impermanence through the lens of missing persons, and people we miss. Written in the back-and-forth days of unclear pandemic guidelines, the songs are informed by the diasporas of 2020, where so many people relocated without even the suggestion of a goodbye party. The record is named for a previous Benjamin Violet project, ANDY, which saw its members relocate during lockdown. As Pelvis Wrestley, Violet repurposes the mythology of the titular demigod for a new era. Following the release of their debut record, "Vortexas Forever", the Austin-based group gained notoriety for their unique blend of Americana, baroque pop and 70s glam, reminiscent of Of Montreal, Sparklehorse and Arcade Fire. They garnered support from Kishi Bashi, The Austin Chronicle, Under The Radar, and was named NPR affiliate KUTX's artist of the month in June 2023.

Dropping full Sweat EP with a very Chillout Mix by the mighty Locked Club and groovy jacking workout by Kovyazin D! Big TIP! Errortica has been smashing it really hard lately, vibing the big room and setting up the heat level of prime time slots (just watch her legendary STVOL.TV set and you can get an idea, how sweaty it was). Utilizing her experience of early years playing in garage bands and the experience as an in-demand DJ, Errortica comes with a fresh and original approach for production on Sweat and Get Down. Break-beat, balearic, jersey and bass music, Sasha denies genre borders, and incorporates what she plays out into her own new music world. Calligraphic sampling, re-sampling, vocal recording and processing via guitar FX pedals, heavy drum programming, - the creative flow here has been also very sweaty, and so is the final result. In her own words, "a real party is a sweaty party!" ...we can only agree! Pressed on transparent blue vinyl + full cover sleeve artwork

The X-Man has been locked away in the Detroit Psychiatric Hospital for the last 30 years. As his release date drew near PPU had a moment to sit down and talk with the man behind the mask.

Roberto Agosta, or just Agosta as he likes to be called, is a Sicilian DJ and producer from Catania active all along the eastern coast of Sicily, a place that proved to be a soulful place and a training ground for a long career, making him an excellent music selector and a reference point in the spread of alternative music.

A soundtrack music enthusiast since he was a child, now a vinyl "serial gathere", Agosta has always put his vast knowledge at the service of a very personal sound that sums many different music styles and contaminations, simple and profound but straightforward and direct at the same time.

Agosta’s eponymous album, released on LP, CD and digital formats, was conceived during the Covid-19 lockdown, thanks to the precious collaboration of friend DJ and producer Massimo Napoli aka Galathea, with whom Roberto has already started another project called AN-AN that will produce a new record for Space Echo at the end of 2022.

This record highlights a typical chill-out aesthetic, thanks to its trip-hop and ambient rhythms and atmospheres, while a deeper exploration reveals the psychedelic essence of the entire work, a daring and exciting journey in the most primitive Sicily, and the energy that sustains all of its ten tracks.

Much of their author and his lifestyle - mainly based on meditation, the search for spiritual elevation, the relationship with nature and the regaining of contact with those particular places and with the people who live there - is revealed by those tracks that constitute a soundtrack for this spiritual but also extremely physical journey.

The song titles are, in fact, intrinsically linked to Roberto’s real life: the Gorna and Ilice mountains at the foot of Etna, the Carricante vineyard and its excellent wine, Unna, Three Chestnuts, Varanni, Don Alfio, Lady G. Each of them represents a pleasant and dreamlike narration and the escape from the complex dynamics of a city like Catania, among echoes of the most dreamy Pink Floyd, the softer side of ’70s krautrock, but also the Massive Attack and Tricky’s Bristol scene.
There’s also an excellent choice of synthesizers and overdubbed guitars, thanks to the talent of the multifaceted musician and producer Salvo Bruno Dub, and of Manuela Amalfitano, Loredana Poidomani and Deran Obika’s voices.

Agosta is an introspective, deep work with a cinematic vocation, perfectly rooted in the territory where it took shape, among sunny landscapes, lush with vegetation but also deserted and arid lands. From Sicily to the cosmos... enjoy!

Ein bahnbrechendes Album aus dem Jahr 1975, das mehr als dazu beigetragen hat, den Reggae einem neuen internationalen Publikum nahezubringen. Der Titeltrack ist auch heute noch eine der ikonischen 70er Reggae-Hymnen und das gesamte Album ist randvoll mit Roots-Reggae-Klassikern. Aufgenommen bei Channel One, Randy's & Harry J's und gemischt auf Treasure Isle.
Black Star Liner hat bei seiner Veröffentlichung die Messlatte für Roots-Reggae-Musik sehr hoch gelegt, und die Zeit hat nichts an seiner Majestät eingebüßt.

Das 4. Remaster der Serie um den australischen Singer-Songwriter Robert Forster.
Erstmals erscheint Beautiful Hearts“ hier mit Bonusmaterial auf Vinyl im Gatefold mit zusätzlicher 7".

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) return with their 14th studio album Bauhaus Staircase, over six years after the triumph of their Top 4-charting record The Punishment of Luxury. The album was born from the impetus to kickstart new explorations during lockdown when as Andy McCluskey admits: “I rediscovered the creative power of total boredom.”

The album’s first offering as a single is the title track which serves as a nod both to Andy McCluskey’s love of the Bauhaus era & the power of protest art. “I am a huge lover of visual arts especially mid 20th century movements” Andy comments. “The song is a metaphor for strength and artist passion in the face of criticism and adversity. When times are hard there is a tendency for Governments to look at cutting funding for creativity just at the moment when the arts are most needed to nourish our souls. It seems appropriate that the song and its eponymous album were created during Covid Lockdown.”

Ranging further from the beautiful film noir ballad of ‘Veruschka’ and the dance stylings of ‘Anthropocene’ - a term for the current epoch in Earth’s evolution to the sinister ‘Evolution Of Species’ and the hectic ‘Kleptocracy’ - OMD’s greatest straight-up protest song - the new album is a broad electronic sonic masterpiece that lyrically tackles the topics of the future. The record closes on ‘Healing’ - a moment of reflective calm.

By rights OMD should be in semi-retirement performing classics like Enola Gay and Maid Of Orleans on the nostalgia festival circuit like so many peers. Instead they’ve created a landmark album worthy of their finest work. Bauhaus Staircase remains unmistakably the work of a duo who are still perfectly in sync 45 years after their first gig at legendary Liverpool club Eric’s.


“I’m very happy with what we’ve done on this record" McCluskey summarises. “I’m comfortable if this is OMD’s last statement.”

Mit ihrem neuesten Album "Suffer & Become" setzen VITRIOL aus Portland ihr entschlossenes Bestreben fort, die Essenz des modernen Death Metal sowohl zu verfeinern als auch neu zu definieren. Fachmännisch aufgenommen vom visionären Frontmann der Band, Kyle Rassmussen, und gekonnt abgemischt von Dave Otero (bekannt für seine Arbeit mit Archspire und Cattle Decapitation), umarmt VITRIOLs zweites Full-Length-Album von ganzem Herzen die verblüffenden technischen Feinheiten und die unverfälschte Wildheit und lässt langjährige Fans, die ihr bühnenzerstörendes Können neben Acts wie Morbid Angel und Cattle Decapitation erlebt haben, völlig fassungslos zurück. Tracks wie "Shame and Its Afterbirth" und "Weaponized Loss" bieten unverfälschte Streifzüge in eine Welt intensiver klanglicher Erkundung, durchtränkt von dichtem, geschwärztem Sound. VITRIOLs Wirkung ist nichts weniger als ein Paradigmenwechsel, der Grenzen auslöscht und neue Maßstäbe setzt, und "Suffer & Become" ist ein unbestreitbares Meisterwerk zeitgenössischer Extremität.

Belgian artist Jennifur is a bit of an enigma in today’s contemporary music climate. While most bend over backwards to satisfy the algorithm’s constant need for content, Jennifur (real name Hector Devriendt) has been quietly crafting spell-binding music that stands the test of both time and decreasing attention spans, blurring genre and emotion seamlessly through a sonic DNA that is diverse and colourful.

Having locked himself in his basement for eighteen months in order to produce the soundtrack for PS5 and XBOX ONE snowboarding game Shredders – which was later released by Jennifur himself under the title Nowhere, Now Here – the Ghent based artist is preparing the release of his next full length; Things Don’t Change Until They Do on Supreems’ new label Sweet Sun.

Tears-on-the-dancefloor aesthetics meet with polyphonic, nostalgia-inducing patterns, coming-of-age breakbeats and heart-string tugging classical ambient on an album that sounds completely unlike anything else you will hear this year.

Nach dem 2022er Erfolgsalbum "Go Steady" kehren die Londoner Ska-Pop-Punker BUSTER SHUFFLE auf die Bühne zurück und bringen eine brandneue Buster-Hymne mit, die den Titel "Hold Back The Rebels" trägt. Als Jet am Ende des Lockdowns umzog, stellte er fest, dass er einen sehr ungewöhnlichen neuen Nachbarn hatte. Im Garten des Nachbarn lebte nämlich ein Truthahn, ein sehr, sehr lautstarker Vogel (Tag und Nacht). Diese lärmende Meleagridinae (gerne googeln) hat schon so manche Tasse Tee im Garten verdorben. Es musste etwas unternommen werden, und so bereitete Jet seine geliebte Katze und seinen Hund (die Rebellen) auf ein "Attentat über den Zaun" vor. Als seine Frau von Jets Vorhaben erfuhr, griff sie in letzter Minute ein und befahl ihm, die Rebellen zurückzuhalten". Bei der Produktion der 7-Inch-Single und der Tournee wurden und werden keine Truthähne verletzt. Der Nachbarschaftsstreit wurde friedlich beigelegt. Fresssack! Nur 500 Exemplare von 'Hold Back The Rebels', auf der B-Seite der ebenfalls brandneue Song "Then Like Thunder", werden auf 7-Inch-Öko-Vinyl gepresst und nur bei Buster Shuffle-Live-Shows und über Cargo/375Media erhältlich sein! Buster Shuffle still goin' steady!

For the first Klasse Wrecks release of 2024, the label looks back to 2020 and a previously digital only track from label co-owner Mr. Ho. During the first lockdown of covid Mr. Ho released '000Baby' as part of the digital 'Homeboys' EP alongside Luca Lozano. An alternative version popped up on the 'Michaelsoft' album in 2021 but the much lauded original has never seen the light of day on wax....until now. The first 10inch on Klasse Wrecks also features a suped and sped up interpretation from Om Unit, who expertly increases the pressure with deft 808 bass subs, a half time swagger and dubbed out atmospherics.

Der Detroit-Spucker Danny Brown ist nicht ohne Grund ein Fanfavorit. Nur wenige MCs haben die pure lyrische Wildheit in eine so fesselnde Persönlichkeit gehüllt. Dannys Beats und Reime sind berüchtigt, er wusste immer, wann er die Dramatik ankurbeln musste. In einer Zeit, in der sich Hip-Hop in zahllose Richtungen aufspaltete, schien Brown alles einer Wissenschaft zu verdanken – mit seinem bahnbrechenden Album XXX war er die Speerspitze einer Bewegung des avantgardistischen Internet-Hip-Hop, in dessen Schatten wir heute noch leben. Seitdem hat Brown Raver auf europäischen Festivals in Aufruhr versetzt, eine Brücke zwischen alten und neuen Rap-Königen geschlagen (Kollabos von Earl Sweatshirt bis Q-Tip) und ist mit den renommiertesten Underground-Labels für elektronische Musik verbunden. Und dabei ist er unerklärlicherweise er selbst geblieben ist, macht sich auch nicht die Mühe zu erklären, wie er das Gleichgewicht hält. QUARANTA beginnt endlich, den Vorhang zu öffnen und enthüllt die inneren Monologe eines Künstlers, der seine Fans seit über einem Jahrzehnt verblüfft. Browns sechstes Studioalbum, das während der Pandemie-Lockdowns im Jahr 2021 geschrieben wurde, ist autobiografisch und persönlich, wie man es vom MC selten zuvor gehört hat. 'Es gab nicht viel zu tun, also war es das Beste für mich', sagt er, 'alles, was ich durchgemacht habe, in die Musik zu integrieren.'

Der Detroit-Spucker Danny Brown ist nicht ohne Grund ein Fanfavorit. Nur wenige MCs haben die pure lyrische Wildheit in eine so fesselnde Persönlichkeit gehüllt. Dannys Beats und Reime sind berüchtigt, er wusste immer, wann er die Dramatik ankurbeln musste. In einer Zeit, in der sich Hip-Hop in zahllose Richtungen aufspaltete, schien Brown alles einer Wissenschaft zu verdanken – mit seinem bahnbrechenden Album XXX war er die Speerspitze einer Bewegung des avantgardistischen Internet-Hip-Hop, in dessen Schatten wir heute noch leben. Seitdem hat Brown Raver auf europäischen Festivals in Aufruhr versetzt, eine Brücke zwischen alten und neuen Rap-Königen geschlagen (Kollabos von Earl Sweatshirt bis Q-Tip) und ist mit den renommiertesten Underground-Labels für elektronische Musik verbunden. Und dabei ist er unerklärlicherweise er selbst geblieben ist, macht sich auch nicht die Mühe zu erklären, wie er das Gleichgewicht hält. QUARANTA beginnt endlich, den Vorhang zu öffnen und enthüllt die inneren Monologe eines Künstlers, der seine Fans seit über einem Jahrzehnt verblüfft. Browns sechstes Studioalbum, das während der Pandemie-Lockdowns im Jahr 2021 geschrieben wurde, ist autobiografisch und persönlich, wie man es vom MC selten zuvor gehört hat. 'Es gab nicht viel zu tun, also war es das Beste für mich', sagt er, 'alles, was ich durchgemacht habe, in die Musik zu integrieren.'

plastic death - the second album by glass beach - is a follow-up record almost five years in the making. The band's 2019 debut, aptly titled the first glass beach album , has over the years grown a cult fanbase for its unflinching depiction of queer life as mediated through social media, its oversized ambition, and its scrappy yet adventurous production. And while it took some time to arrive, plastic death sounds like the logical expansion of all the things that made their first album so special. Years and years of relentless writing, tinkering demos, cancelled tours and a few lockdowns only strengthen the chaotic core of what makes glass beach' s maximalist approach work so well. Frontperson and primary songwriter J McClendon is joined by lead guitarist Layne Smith, bassist Jonas Newhouse and drummer William White to create something adventurous on each song. Trumpet, trombone, violin, and even marimba dance and bloom alongside the band's own creative and dextrous instrumentation - a stunning, transformative creation that pulls from indie rock, jazz, prog, hardcore, metal, experimental, and beyond. Songs like lead single "the CIA," are examples of the band's ambitious writing. It's a dark, dancy, post-punk/jazz hybrid, a coordinated, breathless braid of synth and saturated guitar. Tension and confusion explode into a brutal modern metal climax to close the track, flickering with glitchy production zaps and razor-sharp stops. The artwork of plastic death is similarly rich with detail, resulting in a bioluminescent, fully-realized double album depicting sprawling scenes where moments of neon brightness shine momentarily in a dark undersea - a metaphor for the moments of optimism and catharsis glass beach provide on these songs. "This album is the Pacific garbage patch: cultural trash strewn together seemingly by accident, standing in stark juxtaposition to each other ," says McClendon. plastic death is a complete, uncompromising, playful work of art; every corner and crevice of the record's 13 tracks, each arrangement and timbre and texture, is alive with intention and possibility.

plastic death - the second album by glass beach - is a follow-up record almost five years in the making. The band's 2019 debut, aptly titled the first glass beach album , has over the years grown a cult fanbase for its unflinching depiction of queer life as mediated through social media, its oversized ambition, and its scrappy yet adventurous production. And while it took some time to arrive, plastic death sounds like the logical expansion of all the things that made their first album so special. Years and years of relentless writing, tinkering demos, cancelled tours and a few lockdowns only strengthen the chaotic core of what makes glass beach' s maximalist approach work so well. Frontperson and primary songwriter J McClendon is joined by lead guitarist Layne Smith, bassist Jonas Newhouse and drummer William White to create something adventurous on each song. Trumpet, trombone, violin, and even marimba dance and bloom alongside the band's own creative and dextrous instrumentation - a stunning, transformative creation that pulls from indie rock, jazz, prog, hardcore, metal, experimental, and beyond. Songs like lead single "the CIA," are examples of the band's ambitious writing. It's a dark, dancy, post-punk/jazz hybrid, a coordinated, breathless braid of synth and saturated guitar. Tension and confusion explode into a brutal modern metal climax to close the track, flickering with glitchy production zaps and razor-sharp stops. The artwork of plastic death is similarly rich with detail, resulting in a bioluminescent, fully-realized double album depicting sprawling scenes where moments of neon brightness shine momentarily in a dark undersea - a metaphor for the moments of optimism and catharsis glass beach provide on these songs. "This album is the Pacific garbage patch: cultural trash strewn together seemingly by accident, standing in stark juxtaposition to each other ," says McClendon. plastic death is a complete, uncompromising, playful work of art; every corner and crevice of the record's 13 tracks, each arrangement and timbre and texture, is alive with intention and possibility.

Latest project from Swervedriver front-man Adam Franklin. Working under the name Bolts of Melody Adam, along with main contributor Locklsey Taylor from Sianspheric, have created an atmospheric masterpiece with Film Noir, an album that features additional guitar work from none other than the legendary J Mascis! Film Noir by Bolts Of Melody, released 19 January 2024, includes the following tracks: "The Village Sleeps ", "Vibratube ", "Cops Raid Easys ", "The Isle is Full of Noises" and more. This version of Film Noir comes as a 1xLP. The vinyl is pressed as a transparent, cloudy disc.

Aptly titled Two Worlds, Tigers Jaws sophomore full-length draws on the strengths of the band's raw, minimalist atmospheres and driving grunge-rock rhythms, funneling them into a catchy, brooding and brilliantly focused album. Sounding as confident as ever in abandoning dependence on traditional pop structures, songs ebb and flow naturally as the band explores fresh tones and textures. Firmly planted in their own niche of the 90 s-era Midwestern emo sound, Two Worlds probes Superchunk's indie-punk stylings, Weezer's discordant pop moments and the far edges of Kurt Cobain's brain while managing to sound almost nothing like those groups. Chimey clean guitars weave in and out of the mix, juxtaposing a gain guitar laden with thick grit. Standing alone, the tones create familiar Tigers Jaw moods, but when combined, the effect lays the foundation for swelling walls of sound. Pulsing bass fills the low end, locked with the drums in rhythmic unison, alternately tracing guitar lines and stepping forward to grab the listener s car. Similarly, the drumming style perfectly compliments the songwriting with steady beats and measured flash. Lush and resonant cymbal splashes constantly flourish, adding color and a new spaciousness. Keyboards swell in a wave of warmth creating the band s defining ambiance, in parts taking on more adventurous melodies and chord tones. At its core, Two Worlds is a Tigers Jaw album through and through. It evokes many moods the band is known for, but adds a depth that will leave listeners discovering new reasons to love them with each new listen.

Dutch lute player and composer Jozef Van Wissem's new album The Night Dwells in the Day out 19th January 2024. “It's like a part of my body,” says Jozef Van Wissem of the relationship he has to his chosen instrument, the lute. “The complexity of it is what keeps me going because you can always find something new.” The ability to constantly extract something different and explore fresh terrain is evident throughout Van Wissem’s sprawling back catalogue and up to his latest album, ‘The Night Dwells in the Day’. Over the years he’s released countless solo albums stretching into double figures, there’s been collaborations with Jim Jarmusch and Tilda Swinton, award-winning computer game soundtracks, along with award-winning film soundtracks, from Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive to Pierre Creton’s 2023 film A Prince. Since studying the lute in New York with Patrick O'Brien in the 1990s, Van Wissem has gone on to create works equally as rooted in classical Renaissance and Baroque forms of lute music, as contemporary sounds spanning drones, electronics and field recordings. Throw in some of his formative influences from the no wave and industrial scenes, alongside a dedicated approach to minimalism and this has resulted in Van Wissem producing distinct and singular work whose sound is often a marriage of opposites; meditative and intense, forward thinking but with a sense of the arcane. The Quietus has called him “probably the most famous lutenist in the world”. The genesis for his latest album began during lockdown in Warsaw, where Van Wissem splits his time between Rotterdam. “The Call of the Deathbird” was the first song he wrote from the album and is the first to be shared, along with an accompanying video today. Over a hypnotic yet beautifully fluid and plucked melody - captures scenes of deserted streets, death and the intense isolation that gripped us all. One of the relatively rare tracks that Van Wissem sings on - along with some stirring and enveloping guest vocals from Hilary Woods (who will tour with Van Wissem later this year – details below) - his towering voice circles above the music much like the swooping deathbird he sings of. Normally Van Wissem writes all the music for one album within a confined period but this one song from a few years ago stuck around and took on a new lease of life and so joined a bunch of freshly written songs for the album. While one song written during, and about, the pandemic came to be the album’s centerpiece, the rest of the album grapples with the world as it moved on and all the dualism and dichotomies that followed. “It has to do with darkness and light,” Van Wissem says of the album. “The title can mean different things to people but sometimes people say that if I play a happy piece of music that it still sounds sad. So this is why I came up with that title.”

During the dreaded lockdown of 2020, many people found themselves working from home, or with much more time spare than they had previously. Vasts amounts of music was being offered during this period as a result. I’ll be honest, the name Riffz I had no experience of at the time, unlike Msymiakos, which was a name I was already familiar with. The most compelling aspect of my curiosity before listening was that I was intrigued by the geographic blend of Poland and Norway. How would these distant locales combine to decipher their thoughts into this great sound we all know and love. Once I had listened, the word ‘no’ was nowhere within the vicinity of my vocabulary. Hear for yourself.

“Water Tiger” is the debut album from oqbqbo & Scandinavian Star, compiling their previously released singles with 3 new songs. In 2020 the couple released their first collaborative work, the double single “Airdrops / Coercion” just as the the first wave of Covid lockdowns set in action across Europe and the rest of the world. The music offered a kind and compassionate stance to the turmoil that swept across the world in those months. Later that year the single “Wakening” was released on Rift One, a compilation by Year0001. In 2022 they returned with another double single “Dandelions / Sleep Lines”. “Water Tiger” compiles all those with 3 new songs; Free Fall, Colibri and Water Tiger. oqbqbo is the moniker of Russian born artist Nastya Sipulina. Scandinavian Star is Malthe Fischer, producer and part of pop outfit Lust For Youth. They live together in Copenhagen, Amager with their daughter Freja Rei. Together they make uplifting and bubbly dance music that inhabits its own world whilst playfully referencing both euro dance and contemporary club music. The LP version comes on white vinyl, housed in a white, stickered disco sleeve, with hand-stamped and numbered white labels, a fold around two-sided color cover and an obistrip. ltd to 300 copies

London-based producer Otik releases his first album 'Cosmosis' on Martyn's label 3024. The 11-track LP signifies the fourth album on the imprint across its ten-year tenure, showcasing a more introspective side to Otik's musical output.

The album leans into delicate melodies, hazy atmospheres and lush analogue sounds, often evoking blissed-out feels and ripples of brilliant colour. Produced three years ago during lockdown, 'Cosmosis' comes after a period of spiritual struggles, where Otik questioned his faith, religious beliefs, and the concepts of right and wrong. While the pandemic allowed ample time for reflection, Otik translated these thoughts into music from his Peckham-based studio, later finding a home on 3024's evolving discography.

Following Otik's EP 'Soulo' in 2021, 'Cosmosis' marks the second release from the Bristol-born DJ and producer on 3024. This time, his sound stems from a broader palette, touching on slower, aerated ambient notes through to rugged D'n'B, displaying the far-reaching breadth, vision and maturity of Otik's aesthetic.

Keen to release a body of work that explores the journey of enlightenment and the struggles to get there, Otik drew inspiration from the luminary filmmaker Terrence Malick and how Malick portrayed ideas and philosophies in films like The Tree of Life and Voyage of Time. As a result, the record conveys a compelling narrative of rebirth, told through exquisite sound design and a push-pull pace that oscillates across the album.

The lead single 'Cosmosis' binds astral breakbeats with a star-lined melody stitched against a spacious backdrop. Sparse, celestial vocals punctuate the soundscape and add a spiritual feel, culminating in a dazzling trip at just over five minutes.

Aroop Roy’s star is deservedly in the ascendancy! As one of London’s most exciting selectors, he’s managed to position himself in the sweet spot of being the DJ’s DJ and causing wild scenes wherever he plays, with headline grabbing sets at Defected Croatia, We Out Here, Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide and many more.

As a producer, musician and label owner, he continues to excel, armed with a vast knowledge of outernational sounds, from rare African disco, jazz, funk, to house, UKG and seemingly everything in-between. His open-minded approach has led to brilliant releases and remixes for labels as diverse as Soundway, Heavenly Sweetness, Permanent Vacation, Club Bad, Delusions of Grandeur, Atjazz Recordings and his own Vive La Musique imprint.

Having played a few gigs together, it was only a matter of time before Jimpster convinced Aroop to get an EP together for Freerange and the resulting Re Bulele EP couldn’t be any more satisfying!

Leading the charge, 'Mama Mwana' captivates with entrancing thumb piano loops and a traditional African vocal all propped up by a subtle yet chunky house beat to lock the dancers in.

'Re Bulele' features the hypnotic vocals of Botswana native Fox Meropa. Aroop masterfully combines a deep, techy Afro House groove with glassy synth pads to form a stripped back instrumental with the vocals front and centre. Seemingly disparate elements shine on this wonderful alternative to the deluge of maximal Afro House tracks being released these days.

Moroccan producer FNX Omar delivers the goods with a sublime remix of Re Bulele. Creating tension with layers of looping vocals along with a rolling, percussive groove. Like the original, this remix transcends genres and will create special moments on the dancefloor, whether it be in a dark, sweaty basement or daytime festival in the sunshine.

‘Cull Portal’ was an idea that came to life during Sydney’s 2nd lockdown in 2021 when the world was in limbo and time felt like it was standing still.
It’s an exploration of modal harmony and improvisation, extrapolated over the course of the eight tracks. Woozing analog synths, grand piano, live drums and Jeremy Rose’s tenor sax set the tone for this fusion spiritual jazz/ electronic release. Cull Portal definitely nod’s its head to the past while intrinsically pushes the genre forward at the same time.
“I set myself the task of writing something as economical as possible that slowly unfolds into larger, more complex structures. The seed idea started as a solo piano piece, which later formed as ‘Cull pt II’ and from a two chord modal vamp. The rest of the album grew organically from there.
The live instrumentation you hear on this album was recorded remote during lockdown and is a true testament to the abilities of the performers, especially Jeremy Rose who brought so much life to the parts.
I was fortunate enough to record the original Yamaha CS-80 (The synth made famous in the cult classic Bladerunner score by Vangelis) down at MESS in Melbourne for the album, once the borders re-opened and we were allowed to travel again.”

In keeping with tradition, the new year brings another offering from Portuguese pianist and composer Tiago Sousa. »Organic Music Tapes Vol. 3,« the third instalment in Tiago’s ongoing series, continues to develop a freeform dual approach to organic and fluid compositions for Piano and Organ - this time adding a real church tube organ to the proceedings.

Evolving from the foundation laid in the first two volumes, Sousa introduces the pipe organ into his signature piano compositions, expanding his sonic palette into an even more otherworldly organic realm.

Much like its predecessors, »Organic Music Tapes Vol.3« immerses listeners in a nebulous sonic landscape, where the compositions exist in a nebulae-like state— eternally floating over stars and planets. The contours of these musical pieces are indefinite and indeterminate, refusing to settle or conform, a testament to Sousa's commitment to pushing the boundaries of traditional minimalism while still paying respect to the American pioneers of the genre, such as Terry Riley and Steve Reich.

Enter then the third volume and be locked in a new theatre of eternal music by an artists that keeps pushing his own style to ebullient highs.

repress

As EarToGround Records hits its seminal tenth release we have decided to go all out sonically and visually.

As you all know Dax has been a core member of EarToGround right from the beginning. It all began with his and Chris Stanford's jointly produced track 'Programm' on ETG001.

From then on in he has worked tirelessly at his East London studio, climbing through the ranks to become the very respected and some would say inspirational producer he is now. Over the last year he has very much honed in and developed his now unique sound and recently released on much respected, high quality labels such as Deeply Rooted.

You could say his own EP on ETG has been a long time coming but we like to think ETG010 is what he has been building up to, some of his best work to date. We will let you decide

3 new solid, hook heavy, DJ and dancefloor friendly tracks from Dax as well as 2 centralized locked grooves and additional, extremely slick remix work from ARTS label boss 'Emmanuel'...

Black vinyl. Internal textured black inner sleeve. External textured white outer sleeve. 2 ETG Invader Stickers. Again the artwork is Space related. The theme this time pays homage to what can arguably be called one of the best modern SYFY films ever made.

"Ultra-textured arrangements that radiate quiet power, locking listeners into a distorted landscape before evaporating without any fanfare."
Resident Advisor

"Both reflective and rapturous...focuses on altering the DNA of traditional Japanese instruments and building something new from it, without losing the essence."
Bandcamp Daily Acclaimed Japanese musician 99LETTERS joins Phantom Limb for new album Zigoku / 地獄, seamlessly processing traditional Japanese instrumentation into pitch-black techno and quasi-industrial sound design.

“This album is made with the theme of human death,” 99LETTERS (Osaka producer Takahiro Kinoshita) writes of Zigoku / 地獄 Eng: hell, his first album for Phantom Limb. “Even if I eventually end up in hell when I die, it might be a more peaceful place than I had imagined. The whole album may represent the world of death that I desire.”

Though the music of Zigoku / 地獄 is ostensibly programmed with dark, disorientating, disturbing sound design, 99LETTERS continues his now-characteristic practice of sampling, processing and disguising traditional Japanese instrumentation to develop a sound world both organic and unsettling. The very real presence of beauty, culture, and folklore remains throughout the record, in attendance as a kind of heaven to offset the willful hell of Kinoshita’s craft.

Appropriately - and in his typically cryptic language - Kinoshita speaks of human interference with reality and morality as key themes of the album: “Everyone has a good and bad person within them, which can be deceived by misinformation and superstition. The bad side can be ferocious and can easily hurt people. Sometimes I think that the present age is a complicated and difficult era to live in, and that this era may be hell.”