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Mit dem BIPPP Sampler bringt uns das in Frankreich ansässige Label Born Bad ein Stück französischer 80s Untergrundmusikgeschichte für das manche Leute töten würden wenn sie die Originalaufnahmen in die Hände bekommen würden!

Die Compilation ist vollgestopft mit extrem raren französischen Minimal-, Synth- & Coldwave. Der Großteil der Songs von u.a.: A Trois Dans Le Wc, Act, Les Visiteurs Du soir, Vox Dei, Comix, Tgv, Mary Moor, Ruth, Visible, Casino Music sind dabei wohl auch nur dem engeren Kreis der Minimalsammler bekannt, können hier aber dankenswerter Weise auch endlich einem (etwas) größerem Publikum präsentiert werden. Wer frühe Soft Cell, Silicon Teens, Grauzone, Nouvelle Vague die von Martin Hannett produzierten belgischen Names oder ähnliches mag kommt hier wirklich nicht dran vorbei. Großer Tip für alle die auf schrägen 80s Epop, Postpunk und Minimalelektronik stehen, inkl. tollen beiheft- leider nur auf französisch!

Editions Mego welcomes KMRU back to the fold. Kin is Kenyan born, Berlin based, sonic wizard Joseph Kamaru’s second release on Editions Mego, following on from the classic 2020 release Peel. Since the release and subsequent praise for Peel, the artist has been a staple on the electronic scene performing on numerous stages and festivals worldwide in tandem with a flood of media recognition. Kin could be construed as the second child following Peel. The project came out of initial discussions with Peter Rehberg about what a Peel sequel would sound like. Kamaru is quick to clarify that Kin is not that record; “I'll know when that record will come and when I'll make it. It's already happening... or maybe it lives within both of these Mego records”.

It is this deft ambiguity and vague tiptoeing around the concrete that encapsulates the ambiguous sound world of Kamaru’s vision.

Kin was started early 2021 in Nairobi with Kamaru exploring his noisier palette of sounds encompassing distortions reminiscent of the sounds he would muster from in his youth when playing guitar. He paused making this record for a year as soon as Peter died, then slowly returned to it through 2022 resulting in the immense new work we have here.

The charms within Kin lay as Easter eggs revealing the true identity behind the colourful sonics only after multiple deep listens. With Trees Where We Can See sets the tone by way of a warm swaying melody inviting the listener in for further investigation. In 2022 KMRU and Mego stalwart Fennesz toured the USA together resulting in a strong friendship and also, the second track here, Blurred. A neat Mego/Editions Mego loop as such. Blurred arranges twangy guitar strums alongside glistening glaciers of shimmering drones. They Are Here represents a darker hue as melancholic clouds of shadowy noir tap directly into the listener's nerve stream. Maybe takes a detour into a bristling euphoric electronic storm whilst We Are screeches in a pattern formation not unlike a highly abstracted Aphex Twin forcing its way out of a hard drive. By Absence concludes proceedings, operating as both exit music and a portal to further sonic investigation with acoustic bellowing residing amongst a kaleidoscopic backdrop.

Kin is a trip that rewards close repeated listens as all the colours and textures, nuance and narratives unveil themselves. This isn’t a record to be glossed over, magic rewards concentration.

Kin is a record to be Played slow and LOUD.

For Pita.

All tracks written, produced, mixed by Joseph Kamaru
Blurred co-written & produced with Christian Fennesz
Mastered by Stephan Mathieu at Schwebung Mastering
Photography: Joseph Kamaru
Layout & Design: Nik Void
Cut by Andreas Kauffelt at Schnittstelle, Berlin

Gegründet 1992 in London von Sänger und Songwriter David Christian, gehören Comet Gain seit über drei Jahrzehnten zu den prägenden Namen des internationalen Indie-Underground. Inspiriert von Creation Records, den Television Personalities und Mod-Ikonen wie Dexys, The Style Council und Vic Godard, zieht die Band ihre Linie von The Velvet Underground, The Byrds bis zu den 13th Floor Elevators. Acht Alben auf Labels wie Wiiija, Kill Rock Stars, What"s Your Rupture und Fortuna POP! dokumentieren ihren unverwechselbaren Stil: eine Mischung aus französischer Nouvelle Vague und englischem "Kitchen Sink"-Herz, Riot Grrrl und Acid Punk, C86, Post-Punk und Northern Soul. "City Fallen Leaves", ursprünglich 2005 erschienen, gilt als Schlüsselwerk der Band und wird nun weltweit von Tapete Records neu aufgelegt. Boy/Girl-Vocals, kratzige Gitarren, Lo-Fi-Charme, Garagebeat und bittersüße Melodien machen dieses Album zu einem zeitlosen Statement für Enthusiasmus und Schmerz, Liebe und Wut. Einfach auflegen, laut drehen und wieder lebendig fühlen.

Mit "All Tied Together" veröffentlichen Ye Vagabonds ihr bislang eindrucksvollstes Album - ein berührendes, cineastisches Werk voller Erinnerungen, Dankbarkeit und Gemeinschaft. Die vielfach preisgekrönten Brüder Brian und Diarmuid Mac Gloinn verweben in ihren neuen Songs Heimat, Verlust und Zusammenhalt zu einem emotionalen Klangteppich, der weit über Irland hinausreicht. Aufgenommen in einem alten Haus in Galway und produziert von Phil Weinrobe (Big Thief, Adrienne Lenker), entfaltet das Album eine organische Intensität - live eingespielt, ohne Kopfhörer, mit bis zu zehn Musiker:innen. Akustische und elektrische Gitarren, Harmonium, Moog-Synthesizer, Trompete, Cello und die unverwechselbare Geschwisterharmonie schaffen einen warmen, zugleich modernen Sound. Von der nostalgischen Erinnerung in "On Sitric Road" über die mitreißende Hymne "The Flood" bis zur zarten Liebeserklärung "Young Again" erzählen Ye Vagabonds von echten Orten, echten Menschen und dem Wunsch nach Zugehörigkeit. In Songs wie "Danny" und "Mayfly" finden die Übersehenen und Gestrandeten eine Stimme, während Stücke wie "Four Walls" Hoffnung und Halt feiern. "All Tied Together" ist eine Ode an Freundschaft, Verlust, Heimat und das gemeinsame Singen - ein Album, das Herz und Seele gleichermaßen wärmt und die verbindende Kraft der Musik spürbar macht.

The journey through French-speaking pop archives continues with this fifth volume, packed with fuzz, gimmicks, and dissent. Far from the charts, the selected tracks display a great creative freedom, often backed by corrosive humor. Welcome to the surprising, kaleidoscopic, and colorful world of the late sixties and early seventies, Wizzz!
Born in Montauban, Robert Pico stumbled into music by chance when he met René Vaneste, then artistic director at Pathé-Marconi. René brought him to Paris to record his first 45 RPM EP in 1964. A year later, Pierre Perret introduced him to Vogue, where he recorded his second album with Claude Nougaro’s orchestra. Sylvie Vartan then introduced him to RCA, where he recorded four singles, including the astonishing "Chien Fidèle," a track backed by a hair-rising fuzz guitar. Alongside his solo career, he also composed for other artists like Alain Delon (the song was recorded but remains unreleased), Magali Noël, Bourvil, and Georges Guétary. In the Paris of the sixties, he mingled with Mireille Darc, Elsa Martinelli, Marie Laforêt, France Gall, Françoise Hardy, Petula Clark, Régine, Dani, Serge Gainsbourg, Joe Dassin, Franck Fernandel, Charles Level, and Roland Vincent. Despite his efforts and winning a Grand Prix Sacem for his final record, Robert Pico didn’t achieve the expected success in show business and decided to leave Paris and return to the Southwest, where he devoted himself to writing. He is the author of 23 books (including Delon et Compagnie, Jean-Marc Savary Editions 2025, a memoir about his youth and his many encounters). Today, he is relieved to never have become a celebrity and devotes himself to his work with passion.
In 1969, the Franco-Italian movie Erotissimo was released, directed by Gérard Pirès (who later directed Taxi in 1998, written and produced by Luc Besson). This pop comedy features Annie Girardot, Jean Yanne, Francis Blanche, Serge Gainsbourg, Nicole Croisille, Jacques Martin, and Patrick Topaloff. The soundtrack was written by Michel Polnareff and William Sheller, with lyrics by Jean-Lou Dabadie. "La Femme Faux-cils," performed by Annie Girardot. It recounts the feelings of a rich CEO's wife who seeks to develop her sex appeal under the influence of advertisement and magazines. Groovy, sparkling and light, this track, with ITS lush arrangements humorously critiques consumer society and feminine beauty standards.
“Je suis l’Etat” (1967) is the flagship track of the first EP by singer-songwriter Spauv Georges, aka Georges Larriaga, better known as Jim Larriaga (1941-2022). Born into a family of bakers, the young man was initially planning to become a hairdresser when he discovered English-speaking music through Elvis Presley and the Beatles. After this revelation, he decided he would become a songwriter and gave himself five years to succeed. He recorded his first two EP’s independently for RCA under the pseudonym Spauv Georges; meaning “that poor George”, a nickname given to him by the mother of her friend Jean-Pierre Prévotat (future drummer of the Players, Triangle, or Johnny Hallyday). Portraying a depressed and eccentric young man, Spauv Georges created corrosive and amusing songs that didn’t reach a wide audience, despite a TV appearance with Jean-Christophe Averty.
Supported by his loyal friend and fellow songwriter Jean-Max Rivière, Georges Larriaga met the future singer Carlos in the early '70s, then Sylvie Vartan’s assistant. He wrote songs for Carlos, including the popular "La vie est belle," "Y’a des indiens partout," and "La cantine", which went onto become a huge hit in 1972. He also composed for Claude François (“Anne-Marie”, 1971), Charlotte Julian (“Fleur de province”, 1972), helped launch child singer Roméo (who sold 4 million records), and later wrote the hit "Pas besoin d’éducation sexuelle" (1975) for the young Julie Bataille. In 1971, Jim recorded an album for Disc'Az: “L’univers étrange et fou de Jim Larriaga”, which featured pop gems like “La maison de mon père”.
The story of the song "Zoé" began when Pierre Dorsay, artistic director at Vogue Records, asked Swiss singer and musician Pierre Alain to write a song for a new female singer. The inspiration came when he realized that Zoé (the artist's name) was also the name of France's first atomic battery, created in 1948, which consisted of uranium oxide immersed in heavy water! The lyrics reflect a bubbling energy that must be handled with caution, while the instrumentation echoes this atomic theme, notably with the use of a theremin.
Zoé’s career lasted only as long as a single 45 RPM, but it seems Christine Fontane was the vocalist behind this pseudonym, who is known for several EPs, a good "popcorn" album in 1964, and a handful of children’s singles in the '70s. Regardless, the photograph on the cover is of a different girl entirely.
Later, Pierre Alain continued his career, writing songs for himself, Marie Laforêt, Danièle Licari, Alice Dona, Arlette Zola (3rd place in Eurovision 1982), and achieving multiple gold and platinum records in Canada. Also an inventor with several patents, president of the Romande Academy, and head of the French Alliance in Geneva, he now composes atonal music, books, and poetry. Moreover, he is also the host of "Les Mardis de Pierre Alain" at "Le P'tit Music'Hohl" in Geneva.
Filled with oriental choruses and fuzz guitar, "Fou" is from Jacques Da Sylva's only EP released by Vogue in 1967. Despite the quality of this recording, all traces of this singer disappear after this first effort.
Valentin is a baroque pop singer born in Belgium. He is the songwriter and composer of most of the tracks on his three singles released in the late 60s in Canada. A legend says that he reincarnated himself as Jacky Valentin during the 1970s for a rock'n'roll revival career in Belgium, but his older brother sadly debunked this story. Valentin's first two singles were arranged by Claude Rogen, a Parisian session pianist who had come to Canada to promote the song “Mister A Gogo”, a cover of David Bowie’s “Laughing Gnome”, adapted by singer Delphine, his wife at the time. Far from his usual network, Claude Rogen arranged music for Polydor, including the arrangements for “Je suis un vagabond” in 1969, a jerk tune with string arrangements and a furious optimism.
Jacques Malia wrote, composed, and recorded his only 45 EP for Festival in 1966. “Histoire de gitan” is an incredible beat track with bohemian scat that tells the story of a gypsy musician who came to Paris to make it in the Music-Hall, to no avail. The hero of the song and its author probably shared a similar fate, as Jacques Malia faded into anonymity after this remarkable attempt.
Bernard Jamet recorded two EPs for Barclay in the late sixties and co-wrote several songs with Christine Pilzer, Pascal Danel, and prolific songwriters Michel Delancray and Mya Simile. The track “Raison Légale” (1968), his masterpiece, immerses the listener in a courtroom right when a murderer is being judged, with jerk rhythm and free arrangements. A unique, paranoid, judicial, and psychedelic oddity.
Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers started his career in show business in 1967 as a singer and songwriter for the Philips label. After three singles, he wrote several songs of a new kind with his friend Pierre Halioche, in the midst of the sexual liberation movement and the democratization of drugs. With provocative lyrics, “Les filles du hasard” and “Barbara au Chapeau Rose” were released on a Philips singles in 1968. The character of Barbara was inspired by a queen of Parisian nightlife during the psychedelic years: model Charlotte Martin, who dated Eric Clapton from 1965 to 1968, then Jimmy Page from 1970 to 1983. Jean-Claude Petit’s arrangements, with a table-filled intro, soul brass, and Hendrixian guitar, emphasize the flamboyance of a hedonistic and sexy character, whose dog is named Junkie because “Junkie est un nom exquis”! The track was recorded live in three takes with a full orchestra.
Upon its release, the record was censored by Europe 1 and RTL due to its references to drug use. Jean-Pierre Lebrot was then banned from the airwaves and later dismissed by his record label. He changed his artist name to Jean-Pierre Millers, while his companion Pierre Halioche became D. Dolby for a new dreamy composition, “Chilla”, which Jean-Pierre produced himself with arrangements by Jean Musy. Once again, the song was immediately censored everywhere. After this setback, he decided to stop singing and started taking on odd jobs to support his Swedish wife and their son until the day he met Jean-Pierre Martin, then production manager at Decca, who had worked with Manu Dibango. Martin offered Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers, then employed at Rank Xerox, the position of artistic director at Decca. He accepted and became, a year later, promotion director (radio, press, TV). He worked on Julio Iglesias’s first album for Decca, which became a massive hit and allowed him to meet Claude Carrère. The latter asked him to write new songs and find their performers, much like a “talent scout.” It’s through him that Jean-Pierre discovered Julie Pietri and Corinne Hermès. He composed “Ma Pompadour” for Ringo, Sheila’s husband, and took the microphone again for the syncope hit “Rendez-Vous” in 1982.
That same year, Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers tried to release a track for which he had heavily gone into debt: “Si la vie est un cadeau”. Having recorded it in London, he presented it to numerous professionals, all of whom refused to get involved. The same thing happened with Antenne 2 and the Sacem when he proposed the song as France’s entry for Eurovision. He then met Haïm Saban, who was producing cartoon soundtracks and had just launched the Goldorak theme song. Saban, having listened to the song, declared it had the potential to become a hit. He sent Jean-Pierre and Corinne Hermès to meet the CEO of the Luxembourg radio and television network. The latter received them, asked to hear a verse and chorus a cappella in his office, and immediately hired them to represent Luxembourg at Eurovision 1983. They reworked the arrangements and recorded a new version with Haïm Saban as co-producer. The song ended up winning Eurovision 1983, a great comeback for our hero. He continued producing and hung out with the band Nacash in Belgium when a couple came to introduce their daughter for an impromptu audition in a hotel room. The girl sang “Les démons de minuit” while dancing to a radio cassette. Impressed, he had her take singing lessons for a year and composed a song for her (for which he had the melody and title, but no lyrics). This required him to go on the hunt for a lyricist, who ended up being Guy Carlier. They recorded the song, which was initially a ballad, at Bernard Estardy’s CBE studio, and gave the singer a new name: Melody. They showed the song around their industry network without success. Later, Estardy called Jean-Pierre to suggest changing the rhythm and making it pop-rock. Orlando, Dalida’s brother, liked the result and decided to co-produce the track. “Y’a pas que les grands qui rêvent » became a classic hit. The song has since been covered by Juliette Armanet (as a ballad, like the original) and Valentina.

Born into an aristocratic Breton family, Hervé Mettais-Cartier worked as a DJ at Queen Kiss, a nightclub in Poitiers, where he formed the band Les Concentrés with Michel (an actor) and Christian (a radio technician). Together, they created a repertoire of whimsical songs (“Ma bique est morte”, “J’suis un salaud”, “Fils de dégénéré”...) that they performed on stage dressed in white (in homage to “concentrated milk”). They performed at Bliboquet and Olympia in 1968 for the 10th edition of the “Relais de la chanson Française” organized by L’Humanité-Dimanche and Nous les Garçons et les Filles, sponsored by Pepsi Cola. Winners in the author-composer category, alongside Danish singer Dorte, their visibility allowed them to record a 45, and appear on television in Jean-Christophe Averty’s show. The A-side of the disc features Bruno le ravageur, a casatchok dedicated to Bruno Caquatrix, the director of Olympia, nicknamed in the song “Coq Atroce” or “croque-actrices”. The B-side is dedicated to “Fils de dégénéré”, a quirky tribute to Hervé's aristocratic roots, mixing absurdity with sophisticated vocal harmonies.
After Les Concentrés, Hervé Mettais-Cartier formed the duo La Paire et sa Bêtise with his friend Olivier Robert. They performed in Parisian cabarets and toured with Pierre Vassiliu. In the late 1970s, Hervé began a solo career. He recorded two albums for the Motors label in 1978 and 1979, which did not achieve their anticipated success due to lack of promotion. In 1980, he met Bernadette, with whom he started a family and created a “Chansons à voir” (songs to see) show that he performed until his death at the end of 2024.

Publicité comes from the final EP by the Missiles (Ducretet Thomson, 1966), a disc that also includes “La (nouvelle) guerre de cent ans”, featured on Volume 4 of our Wizzz! series. Please refer to the booklet for the story of the band.

“He’s 1.82 meters tall, 28 years old, weighs 135 kg, is black and Belgian”: this is the description of singer Hegesippe on the back of his sole single (Decca, 1967). He appears on the album cover wearing a Greek toga, like a hippie gag – we are at the end of the year 1967. In “Le crédo d’Hegesippe”, this former bodyguard of Antoine and the Charlots plays the delightful card of the thick brute converted to Flower-Power and non-violence, with arrangements by Jean-Daniel Mercier, aka Paul Mille.
“Ethéro-disco” was released on a promotional record for clients of the Maréchal company (Liège, Belgium) for the New Year 1979. Over a funky rhythm, celebrity impersonations (Brigitte Bardot, Jacques Dutronc, Fernandel…) deliver an enigmatic text about pharmaceutical products like ether, bismuth, and aspartate. The track was composed by Dan Sarravah (responsible for Joanna's “Hold-up inusité” featured on Wizzz! Volume 3) and Tony Talado, who was also a singer (one 45 in 1967), songwriter (with over a dozen credits between 1964 and 1985 in various styles from surf music to disco), author (Devenez Végétarien, Dricot Editions, 1985), ad designer, and psychologist.

Décollez-les is on the A-side of Mamlouk's only single, a pseudonym for Marsel Hurten, who is known for his work on several EPs in the late sixties, as well as composing music for Hervé Vilard’s “Capri, c’est fini”, Claude Channes' “La Haine”, Annie Philippe’s “On m’a toujours dit”, and Nancy Holloway’s “Panne de Cœur”.
This strange song, with Afrobeat horns and absurd dialogues between a chef and his kitchen staff, is the result of a collaboration between Marsel Hurten and one of his neighbors, a photographer from Pavillon-sous-Bois (93), where the musician settled after returning from the Algerian War. A music video was shot to promote the record.
Marsel Hurten was born in Tourcoing (59) into a musical family. At a young age, he joined the brass band founded by his grandfather, playing the piston before studying trumpet at the conservatory, as well as teaching himself how to play the guitar. As an orchestra musician, he toured in France, Belgium, Germany, and England. He released a series of solo 45’s between 1965 and 1968 for the DMF and Az labels before stopping recording to focus on working for other artists (Gilles Olivier, Noëlle Cordier…).
“L’amour nu” (Vogue, 1971) is the work of the short-lived Belgian band Mozaïque. The track, written by singer Jacques Albin, closely resembles another of his compositions, “Carré Blanc”, which he recorded in 1969 for Disc’AZ.
Represented by the Lumi Son micro-label based in Marignane (Côte d'Azur), Jean-Marc Garrigues released two 45 RPMs in the late sixties, defending the French jerk sound. The song “Je dis Non” is a short, joyful ode to youth, pop music, and rebellion.
Songwriter and performer Jacques Penuel released three singles. The first one, “Astronef 328” (Fontana, 1969), features a dizzying series of chords punctuated by sound effects, a sci-fi story, and arrangements by Jean-Claude Vannier.

We would like to sincerely thank Pierre Alain, Moon Blaha, Marsel Hurten, Bastien Larriaga, Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers, Bernadette Mettais-Cartier, Robert Pico, Olivier Robert, Claude Rogen, Micky Segura.

Äktaro stands for äkta (genuine) and ro (calm): music shaped by the simplicity and solitude of Swedish nature. This album was recorded during a winter week in a small family cabin in the Swedish woods, where cold days and a warm fireplace set the tone. The music sits between Scandinavian folk, jazz influences, ambient elements, and minimalist improvisation. Using analogue recording gear, traditional Swedish songs, and inspiration from Jan Johansson, it became a warm and personal collection in which place, time, and memory are clearly present. The music offers room for calm and reflection, much like the atmosphere during the recording week.

New FLEE publication focused on Arabian Gulf's pearl divers, their culture through their soundscape, traditional songs & rhythms. Including archival recordings and reinterpretations by moderns electronic artists such as Joakim, Tomaga, Ben Bertrand, Conny Frischauf, Hieroglyphic Being .....

Available as 2LP, black vinyls & 2LP+258p book (English & Arabic text) bundle.

The pearls of the Gulf have stoked the imagination and desire of people around the world for centuries, their magnificence matched only by the courage of the divers who found them. This project aims to honor the memory of these valiant free-divers, their culture and their music by the means of a 2XLP compilation with undisclosed original recordings of pearl divers and inspired modern-day compositions by artists like Tomaga, YPY, Ben Betrand, Tarek Yamani or Hieroglyphic Being. Along with that record, a 258 pages long book in Arabic and English is available featuring contributions from regional experts and artists to contextualize the tremendously rich theme that is pearling and its music.

In keeping with tradition, the new year brings another offering from Portuguese pianist and composer Tiago Sousa.

The fourth volume of the Organic Music Tapes series concludes this cycle that has significantly transformed Tiago Sousa’s music. Compositions in a fluid state, forming nebulae of sounds with vague contours for piano, organ, and tape loops, based on techniques pioneered by American minimalism, particularly by composers such as Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and Charlemagne Palestine.

While throughout this series the electric organ has played a more prominent role in contrast with pre-recorded loops, this is the moment when this technique is extended to the piano compositions. New opportunities arise for the repetition and variation of small motifs to induce subtle perceptions and psychoacoustic effects. This final edition represents the maturation of the Portuguese composer’s intentions surrounding the idea of organic music. In music, too, the organic world is quite different from the one built on the rules of syntax and grammar. It refers instead to a type of interdependent relationships and patient, repetitive processes that are simultaneously spontaneous and unpredictable, which shape rivers and mountains, the grain of wood, muscle fibers, or marks on a jade stone.

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

Master composer-pianist RIOPY returns with his fifth album “Be Love” - his first key music release since 2023’s “Thrive”. RIOPY’s releases have a history of RIAA Gold certifications, breaking records for topping the Classical music charts, and reaching over a billion streams. His music explores healing and resilience through sound. “Be Love” sees RIOPY sing for the very first time on a release. Through partnering with Lana Del Rey in 2023, RIOPY discovered the powerful, symbiotic connection between singing and the piano, leading to tracks like "Feeling Safe", "Long Way Home", "Come With Me". The 12 track album is comprised of 6 cinematic piano-instrumental tracks - a return to his roots of cinematic solo piano - and 6 more expansive tracks where RIOPY experiments with his voice: from meditative whispers stimulating his vagus nerve, to raw and emotive lyricism. The composer-instrumentalist has utilised numerous ways to produce sound, just never his own voice. “I had this compulsion, this need to use my voice, because I think it’s one of the biggest fears I’ve had through my life. I started just whispering… it’s not a new me, it’s just an expansion of what I do. It felt right. I needed to do this.”

Marking the return of one of house music’s most revered compilation series, Defected In The House Ibiza 2025 arrives to showcase the label’s sonic identity in full. This definitive 12-track release spans three LPs, shining a spotlight on iconic must-haves, tastemaker originals and Ibiza favourites from Defected Records and its associated imprints.

Reconnecting with the importance of curation, a longstanding cornerstone of the Defected ethos, this expansive collection celebrates the label’s role as a trusted voice in house music. Echoing the spirit of its flagship ITH series, which featured the likes of Gilles Peterson, Louie Vega, and Dimitri From Paris, this special 2025 edition continues its legacy by offering a cohesive snapshot of house music now.

Defected In The House Ibiza 2025 bridges the London label’s impressive catalogue with artists old and new, from new summer club anthems ‘Got The Funk’ by Low Steppa & Capri and Nic Fanciulli’s ‘Hold On’ with Marc E. Bassy, to Tripolism’s transformative reimagining of The Shapeshifter’s ‘Lola’s Theme’ and Dennis Ferrer’s fresh remix of Girls of the Internet’s ‘Affirmations’ featuring Anelisa Lamola.

Capturing the energy and emotional pull of the label’s events; Defected’s brand new residency at Pacha Ibiza in 2025 serves as inspiration for the collection. As such, the three volume collection also contains standout records from definitive artists of today’s Ibiza scene including Keinemusik, The Martinez Brothers, Peggy Gou, Armand Van Helden & A-Track as Duck Sauce, Mau P plus many more.

Das neue Album "The Jacket" von WIDOWSPEAK wurde vor und nach der Veröffentlichung ihres letzten gefeierten Albums "Plum" geschrieben. Für das Duo, das aus der Singer/Songwriterin Molly Hamilton und dem Gitarristen Earl Thomas besteht, fühlt es sich an, als ob sich mit dem neuen Album ein Kreis schließt. Thematisch beschäftigen sie sich weiter mit der eigenen Zeit und Arbeit, und mit dem, was sie umgibt. Dies ist teilweise darauf zurückzuführen, dass das Duo kürzlich wieder zurück nach New York City gezogen ist. Dort wo für sie als Band alles begann, haben sie ihr neues Album zusammen mit Homer Steinweiss von Daptone Records aufgenommen. Doch Wiedervereinigungen führen immer zur Reflexion und Hamilton gibt zu, dass ein Großteil der Themen des Albums mit ihren prägenden Erfahrungen in den frühen Jahren der Band zu tun hat. So behandeln einige Songs den Prozess des Weitermachens ("Unwind", "Salt"), während andere das Bedauern behandeln ("True Blue", "Forget It"). Der namensgebende Track des Albums befasst sich mit den buchstäblichen und bildlichen Verkleidungen. Diese Verkleidungen bekommen mit der Zeit eine große Bedeutung, bis man sich dazu entschließt diese abzulegen. Durch vage Erinnerungen an Arbeit, Musik und Nachtleben formt man eine neue eigene Vergangenheit. Klanglich zeigen sich WIDOWSPEAK auf "The Jacket" in gewohnter und bester Form: Die Dynamik wechselt nahtlos zwischen sanften, treibenden Balladen und energievollen Jams, die aus dichten Gitarren, fokussierten Perkussions und kraftvollen Basslines bestehen. An anderen Stellen hört man skurrile Flöten, chorale Texturen und Heimorgeln. Thomas' Gitarrenspiel ist so ausdrucksstark und gefühlvoll wie eh und je und Hamiltons betörender Gesang ist ohnehin eine Klasse für sich. Diese Dynamik wird im Mix von Chris Coady (YEAH YEAH YEAHS, BEACH HOUSE) noch verstärkt. WIDOWSPEAK vermischen ihren Americana-inspirierten Indie-Folk gekonnt mit Slow-Core und Dream-Pop, der sowohl an die 60er als auch an die 90er Jahre erinnert. Dieser Sinn für klangliche Nostalgie fügt ihren Texten eine weitere Ebene hinzu, die über alte, erfundene und wahre Persönlichkeiten reflektieren.

The Revenge of Alice Cooper, the long-awaited new album from the reunited original Alice Cooper Group, is officially out today on earMUSIC. Marking their first full-length collaboration in over 50 years, the original lineup returns in fierce form, unleashing all the chaos, danger, and theatrical swagger that first defined their legacy and cemented their place in rock history.

The iconic voice of Nouvelle Vague for 20 years, Mélanie Pain continues her unique solo career, blendingpop, folk, and intimate poetry.After three albums acclaimed for their delicacy, she returns with How and Why, a luminous and stripped-down fourth opus. Raw folk music centered on acoustic guitar, without artifice-and that unique voice: soft, deep, elegant. Recorded live with her long-time musicians, the album draws inspiration from Kings of Convenience, Iron & Wine, and Emilíana Torrini. Nine tracks in English, ranging from emotion to melancholy to rebirth, featuring a hypnotic duet with Brian Lopez (Calexico) and a sensual cover of Duman in Turkish. A sunny and peaceful album, the perfect showcase for Mélanie"s voice and words.

Sur cet album, Neniu développera l'histoire d'une chenille qui devient papillon, au-travers de plusieurs vidéos à destination des réseaux sociaux (TikTok : 27k followers, 1M likes cumulés ; Instagram : 6k followers), qui intégreront directement la musique de l'album.



Chaque single reprendra chaque phase de la métamorphose de la chenille (via la pochette notamment), et culminera avec la sortie de l'album qui marque sa transformation finale.

Space is a place in Kongsberg/Norway. Meadows & io fire up their spacerock jet engines for a double album release. An enchanting escapade into the ether and fabric of dreams. Claus A. Breda Gulbrandsen with Vegard Eggum, Svein Olav Eriksen and Julian Bugge Moe deliver soothing and gritty guitars intertwined, Lucious synts, and a cinematic and pleasantly drifting trip into a celestial plane. "Above and Below" just keeps on giving with those delicious keyboard leads and atmospheres... This is superb stuff that shouldn"t be overlooked by any prog and psychedelic space-prog nerd." - The Progspace.

Disco & Italo house

Mit Yenbett kehrt die mauretanische Sängerin Noura Mint Seymali eindrucksvoll zurück. Bereits die ersten beiden Tracks - zwei Versionen des Songs "Lehjibb" - zeigen die Spannweite ihres musikalischen Ausdrucks: archaische Klanglandschaften mit der traditionellen Harfe ardine treffen auf flirrende E-Gitarren, donnernde Drums und hypnotischen Gesang. Seymali verbindet die uralte Tradition der nordwestafrikanischen Griot-Musik mit modernen, elektrifizierten Klängen zu einem tranceartigen, kraftvollen Sound, der tief verwurzelt und zugleich zukunftsweisend ist. Als Tochter des Komponisten Seymali Ould Ahmed Vall und Stieftochter der berühmten Sängerin Dimi Mint Abba trägt sie ein musikalisches Erbe weiter, das sie mit eigener Handschrift neu interpretiert. "Die Griots sind Spiegel der Gesellschaft", sagt Seymali. "Wir bewahren Geschichte, feiern Kultur und schaffen Verbindung." Yenbett, ihr drittes Album und das erste seit 2016, wurde von Matthew Tinari (Drums) und Mikey Coltun (Mdou Moctar) produziert. Es ist roh, experimentell und voller Energie - ein Beweis für Seymalis Status als eine der kraftvollsten Stimmen der Weltmusik.

Jesse Harris’ Freund und Arrangeur Maycon Ananias hatte zusätzliche Aufnahmezeit mit einem estnischen Orchester und lud Harris ein, ein Stück beizusteuern. Das erste Experiment, Dolores, entfachte eine neue kreative Richtung. Obwohl Harris – Grammy-Preisträger und langjähriger Wegbegleiter von Norah Jones, Willie Nelson und Cat Power – bereits mehr als zwanzig Alben veröffentlicht hatte, war es seine erste Aufnahme mit Orchester. Beflügelt von dieser Erfahrung schrieb Harris innerhalb von nur fünf Wochen acht weitere Songs – detailreiche Kompositionen, die von Beginn an für symphonische Arrangements gedacht waren. Entstanden ist ein Album, das zwischen New York, Rio und Talinn aufgenommen wurde und hochkarätige Gäste wie Norah Jones, den brasilianischen Gitarristen Guilherme Monteiro, Jake Sherman sowie Marine Quéméré von Nouvelle Vague vereint.Mit seinen opulenten, zugleich feinfühligen Arrangements taucht If You Believed In Me in Themen wie Erinnerung, Sehnsucht und imaginierte Möglichkeiten ein – in die „Was-wäre-wenns“, die jeden Träumer begleiten. Herausgekommen ist orchestraler Pop voller Wärme, Melancholie und leiser Überraschungen – ausgelöst durch eine einzige Einladung.

Originally released in 2009, Céu"s Vagarosa is a landmark of 21st-century Brazilian musicc- a lush, genre-blurring journey that weaves samba, dub, psychedelic soul, and electronic textures into a sound cboth timeless and futuristic. Now reissued on vinyl, this essential album invites listeners to rediscover its warm, analog charm. From the opening track "Sobre o Amor e Seu Trabalho Silencioso," with its cavaquinho and vinyl crackle, to the dub-infused "Cangote," where organ swells and basslines intertwine, Vagarosa showcases Céu"s ability to blend traditional Brazilian rhythms with global influences. Her reinterpretation of Jorge Ben"s "Rosa Menina Rosa" transforms into a psychedelic swirl of reverb and phasing effects, maintaining its breezy essence. The album"s closing track,"Espaçonave," features rainforest sounds and multi-tracked vocals layered over fuzzed-out guitar, reminiscent of the art-pop sensibilities of artists like Natalia Lafourcade. Critically acclaimed upon release, Vagarosa reached No. 2 on the US Billboard World Music chart and was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album in 2010. Its innovative production and Céu"s ethereal vocals have cemented its status as a modern classic in Brazilian music. This vinyl reissue captures the album"s rich textures and sonic depth, offering both longtime fans and new listeners an opportunity to experience Vagarosa in its full analog glory. Remastered by Colorsounds Paris.

Limited edition BROWN & BLACK SWIRL vinyl 1000 copies worldwide. Remastered by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service. Originally released in 1989 vinyl reissue includes 2 bonus tracks. "...one of the best examples of melodic hardcore just a step away from emo. The album is excellently played and is full of breathtaking anthems that, from time to time, even wink at metal soundscapes." - Debaser - // Naked Raygun were an extraordinary staple in the Chicago music scene - beginning in the early 80's and continuing until their quiet demise in the early 90's. Their music showed the world that punk rockers could play and be really good at it. Founded in Chicago in 1980, by Marco Pezzati, Jeff Pezzati and Santiago Durango, Naked Raygun released six albums during their eleven year career that would change the sound of punk rock indefinitely. The band is widely recognized as being one of the most influential punk bands of the 80's. Their anthemic style incorporated politics in a uniquely accessible way, melding pop and hardcore into one cohesive sound, that would later be dubbed, "The Chicago Sound". Shortly after their first release, Basement Screams, Durango left to join Big Black permanently, and was replaced by John Haggerty, whose unique style of buzzsaw guitar would define Raygun's sound for their next four albums. Additionally, Pierre Kezdy replaced Camilo Gonzalez and Eric Spicer took over drums for Jim Colao. In 1990, Haggerty left the band to start Pegboy. Bill Stephens joined the band for their final studio release entitled, Raygun...Naked Raygun.

Uncharted musical terrains beyond jazz standards, precise and beautiful vocal arrangements, pop minimalism, Portuguese folk, R&B and playful loops. This is how we could define the first album “Un a Un”, by the Portuguese musician and singer based in Barcelona, Marta Garrett, which has been produced and multiinstrumented by Leo Aldrey and with the collaborations of guitarist Santi Careta and bassist Ramon Vagué. An album that tells us about the melancholic but hopeful search for a sense of belonging and the impulsive fight against fear and insecurity.

Thierry Wolf und Frédéric Lai (Sohn des Komponisten) wählten rund zehn DJs aus, darunter bekannte Vertreter der French Touch-Szene, die für Sammlungen wie Hôtel Costes bekannt sind. Diese Künstler wurden mit der Aufgabe betraut, die Werke von Francis Lai neu zu interpretieren. Die DJs, die oft weniger bekannte Stücke auswählten, überraschen mit persönlichen Entscheidungen. So wählte Play Paul (Bruder von Guy-Manuel von Daft Punk) „Robert & Robert“, da es das letzte Stück war, das er mit seinem Vater hörte. Auch Philippe Cohen Solal von Gotan Project wählte „L’Amour est bien plus fort que nous“ als Epigraph auf dem Grabstein seiner Eltern.

Dieses Projekt verbindet musikalisches Erbe, Emotion und Innovation. Durch die Remixe erhält die Musik von Francis Lai eine frische Perspektive, während gleichzeitig seinem Pioniergeist gehuldigt wird.

The Complete Piano Etudes of Philip Glass available for the first time on vinyl, housed in a 4LP Box set (also available as a 2CD format).



After more than thirty years of working with and performing the great repertoire, the music of Philip Glass has, in a way, almost revolutionized my life as a musician,” confides Vanessa Wagner.

An emblematic artist on the French music scene, winner of a Victoire de la musique award and director of the Chambord and Giverny festivals, Vanessa Wagner is as inspired in her interpretation of Mozart, Debussy, Tchaikovsky and Dusapin as she is alongside Murcof and Rone.

With her innovative and daring approach, she has established herself as a major influence on the classical music landscape, crossing boundaries and blazing inspiring trails.

A tireless pioneer of new repertoires, she has been exploring the repertoire of minimalist composers for several years. For InFiné, she has dedicated 4 albums to the major figures of this movement, John Adams, Meredith Monk, Brian Eno, Ryūichi Sakamoto, as well as to the new generation Caroline Shaw, Bryce Dessner and Nico Muhly.

After giving numerous concerts based on these works, she felt the need to record in their entirety this essential monument in the history of music, which bridges the gap between the 20th and 21st centuries: Philip Glass's 20 Etudes for piano
by Philip Glass.
His approach helps to place these two books in the great repertoire, alongside the great cycles of studies by Ligeti, Debussy, Dusapin, and before them, Chopin and Liszt.

Philip Glass was born in 1937 and grew up in Baltimore. He studied at the University of Chicago, the Juilliard School and in Aspen with Darius Milhaud. Dissatisfied with much of what was then considered modern music, he moved to Europe, where he studied with the legendary pedagogue Nadia Boulanger (who also taught Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson and Quincy Jones) and worked closely with sitar virtuoso and composer Ravi Shankar.

The thread linking Philip Glass to Vanessa Wagner may be as simple as a detail: a moment, a pedagogy, a way of looking at the piano. In Words Without Music, Glass recalls his apprenticeship with Nadia Boulanger in Paris - a lesson in rigorous received just as the Nouvelle Vague was about to shatter the conventions of cinema the conventions of cinema, just as the composers of the minimalist movement had done with with the language of music. Nurtured by Ravel and Debussy, the great French pedagogue disciplined yet inquisitive minds, capable of embracing modernity without denying modernity without denying their heritage.

Jessica93, prodigal bastard of our glorious french squat scene, relocated on Born Bad : this is no picnic. Geoffroy Laporte, alone against all odds, alternates bass and guitar to build harsh loops with a drum machine spitting pre-Gulf War patterns. That’s where it gets tricky : every musical posse claims him. Grunge, sure, but Jessica doesn’t indulge in necrophilia. His circuit is punk, he doesn’t dress the part though. Cold wave, the atmosphere fits somehow, but the gear does not. The self-confident rock horde saw him playing with hair in his eyes… but he never joined the Party. Metal had something to say but sadly, nobody listened. Maybe it's time to give it a rest and let Jessica93 cook his great misery broth on her own, called « 666 tours de périph’ » (666 laps on the beltway). Witnessing Jessica93 live makes you dread that he'll get up the next morning, drive 200 miles and one nap later kick it again, when it takes us a good week to recover from the bad half of that same evening. Like so many other unknown soldiers during our very own world war of music, he patrols small venues relentlessly.



At the heart of this cultural pentacle painted by french weirdos Bryan's Magic Tears, and Carine Krinator, Jessica93 has built a sound validated by years of chosen vagrancy, birthing bands with joyously stupid monikers, in the humid jungle of small labels. Jessica93's debut album had a track celebrating Omar Little, HBO’s gay bandit from Baltimore. This story begins on the beltway, where Florence Rey, accidental copkiller turned to political icon of the 90’s. Geoffroy offers his brilliant analysis : " C’est la police qui nous tire d’ssus / C’est mon trou d’balle qui leur chie d’ssus « (Police shoots us down / my dripping asshole gets the job done).



A previous album was haunted by bedbugs, this one is essentially about love, a delicious scourge just as hard to eradicate. Two black diamonds peek out of the LP : ’’La colline du crack’’, heartbreak song about the ultimate temptation of violent delights, located on crackhead central in Paris. The brilliant chorus, ‘Take my hand and come with me to Crack Hill’ will put an end to the rumours, almost everything was really false. And Bébé Requin, alternative obituary that’ll make you shiver, where our nice couple states ‘’on kiffe la drogue dure et les ptits chiens’ (‘we love hard drugs and little dogs’). And that is the reason we face the wall of sound jostled by unnecessary shoulder thrusts: those nice fat chunks of charcoal poetry, hidden under light sarcasm.



The rest of the record demonstrates the know-how acquired in loop-by-loop construction of ruins that are pleasant to squat in together. There’s your classic doom delicatessen, with bits of heavy metal inside, crafted with the manic care typical of hard wankers. Arthur Satàn, who produced and mixed the album at home in Bordeaux, helped him get his head out of the reverb safe house. And Jessica93 took the opportunity to switch to the dark side of the language : french at last. Worth the wait ! Sing along : « nique sa mère / nique sa grosse mère » (translate that yourself).

"Bandleader Lina Langendorf has been known in Sweden for a long time as one of the most skilled and forward thinking saxophone players. She has been staying in both Mali and Ethopia for longer periods and has performed in concerts with legendary artists like Alemayehu Eshete, Vieux Farka Touré and...Mulatu Astatke who, at his club African Jazz Village (in Addis Ababa/Ethiopia), introduced Lina to people in the audience with the words: 'Amazing saxophone player, big respect! We should play together some day'. Some minutes later they go on stage together. Joined by the legendary piano player Dawit Yifru and the bass player from Roha Band, Giovanni Rico Bonsignori. 'Fantastic. You're so strong. Everybody loves you, they say you are ethio-jazz' was Mulatu's words after the jam session.
Lina has also been invited to the live club Le Hogon in Bamako numerous times for jam sessions and concerts with Toumani Diabaté and his band. And for Lina, these jam sessions in Addis and Bamako has been a crucial part of shaping (and sharpening) her musical vision. Last year she was also touring the UK as part of James Yorkston, Nina Persson and the second hand orchestra.
But it wasn't until feb 2023 we got to hear her own music. The debut album with her newly formed band Langendorf United was co-released between Italian label Black Sweat records and Swedish label Sing A Song Fighter and it immediately resonated with music lovers around the world (Radiohead drummer Philip Selway called it 'as if Tinariwen and Fela Kuti had a Blue Note session').
But the band is not just the composer/Saxophone star and band leader Lina Langendorf. Oh, no. The other four musicians are all highly praised musicians in various jazz bands in Sweden and Norway and together they form this sacred thythmic unity with the pulsating bass at the centre.
Langendorf United's music is vibrant and spiritual and on fire!"

Lina Langendorf - saxophone
Daniel Bingert (son of legendary South American musician Hector Bingert) - keys, guitars
Martin Hederos (The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Tonbruket) - keys, viola
Ole Morten Vågan (Trondheim Jazz Orchestra) - upright bass
Andreas Werliin (Fire!, Wildbirds & Peacedrums) - drums

The Rachel's band began when Jason Noble joined forces with Christian Frederickson. Within months of their meeting on a crowded trolley, they had formed a small ensemble to perform original compositions. In the next three years, madness ensued. Christian finished his degree at the Peabody Conserva-tory of Music, traveled to Switzerland to study, returned home, then wound up in NYC to attend the Julliard School. Jason didn't finish his degree, moved back to Louisville, began employment as an artist by day, dishwasher by night, and be-gan working with friends in a band that would become Rodan. This insane, all over the world life-style, led to a barrage of telephone, demo tape, notepaper, sheet music & mail communication. This, combined with sporadic two-week or two-day person-to-person collaborations in whatever city was central enough, became the bizarre process of the music. During this long gestation, Rachel Grimes became involved, first assisting Jason in his brute comprehension of written music, then joining as a pianist & confidant. Soon she was fully entrenched, providing the strange coincidence of possessing the name "Rachel," and an incredible backbone to the project. Several recordings had been finished, some in the studio, hundreds of 8-track cassettes, a few jambox cuts, but the time for a concentrated attempt at an LP seemed far away. Finally, Rachel, Christian, & Jason began assembling musicians who they respected; John, Mark and Barry from the Chicago supergroup The Coctails, Kevin Coul-tas from Rodan, Bob Weston, and several other string players from various walks of life. The result was a group of semi-vagrants, some reading from sheet music, some rambunctious noisemakers, working from an equally improvisational and tight-assed way. The real character comes from the musicians involved, participating in what can only be called a "labor of love." Handwriting, the band's debut album, was originally released by Quarterstick Records in 1995. Jacket custom screen-printed by Jeff Mueller at Dexterity Press.

Disco Mind heads all the way to South America for this next outing with Colombian duo Vagabundo Club Social at the helm, having previously impressed on the likes of Razor n Tape. 'El Gato' kicks off with bright, expressive disco horns and fat, low-slung drums that draw your hips right in. 'Yim Zalzedo' has another thick-set rhythm and this time the horns take a back seat to the percussion and jazzy keys and congas. 'Tabu' flips the vibes and taps into a revivalist 90s house sound with piano chords getting hands in the air, then 'Adicto Al Limon' shuts down with a perfect uplifting and feel good Balearic house sound with a classic Chic bassline.

If you're a serious music fan but not a native Kiwi, your first awareness of New Zealand's fab music scene may have come from the debut of The Chills' mesmerising Kaleidoscope World collection of early singles. Within a few years, a great number of NZ acts saw music released by various UK and US labels . . . generally to great praise and enthusiasm. That this occurred without any of these acts having to move abroad to further their chances was nearly as delightful a feat as the music itself. The exception to this was Dead Famous People, radical in a snap decision after a five-song 12" for Flying Nun, Lost Persons Area, to change hemispheres and make a go for it in London. It started well. Three London recordings were added to three from their Flying Nun EP and put out by Billy Bragg's Utility label - about as perfect a mini-album as there's ever been. Response was positive, more songs recorded, the group did a John Peel session and played out often, but the vaguely impoverished group began to fall apart. Singer and primary writer Dons Savage - determined to make it - had a near-miss at becoming Saint Etienne's singer on an early take of their 'Kiss And Make Up' cover, and there was a fine performance from her on The Chills' 'Heavenly Pop Hit' . . . but dismay had set in. Upon learning of her mum's passing back home, Dons returned to NZ and was quiet for decades. Most of their London recordings were later released later in minuscule quantities by very small labels, but these saw scant press or attention and enjoyed next-to-no sales. Their moment had passed, and the band has suffered the strange fate of being the least-known of the truly brilliant acts associated with Flying Nun. Listening to these `lost' songs, it seems unfathomable that they could have fallen by the wayside. No NZ songwriter comes as close to equalling Martin Phillipps' pop brilliance as Dons. Her superbly sweet vocals, delicious harmonies and sophisticated arrangements aside, the songs dealt perceptively with universal follies of youth and yearning in tandem with a then-unusual twist of lyrics dealing matter-of-factly with her sexuality at a time when `women's music' was seen as exclusionary (segregated into its own bin in shops, if it existed there at all), and the riot grrrl movement was years away, later breaking through due to its radical stance. Dons is a pioneer in myriad ways, the irony of her transcendent brilliance failing to propel a greater career may rest in the fact that she leapt to the head of the class too quickly for people to grasp it; a fate that's befallen so many musical geniuses acknowledged today but less in their time - something rather tragically acknowledged in old pal Martin Phillipps' song with The Chills, 'A Song For Randy Newman, Etc.' None of these thirteen songs fails to deliver something both immediate and unique. And we're proud to debut 'Vampirella"', a magical fantasy song of longing and intrigue - surely one of the most perfect tunes to ever sit around unreleased for decades! Dons is again busy conjuring new songs; in the meantime we're delighted to unveil these obscure gems from the past.

‘Tedere Baldadigheden’, Guido Belcanto's new, long-awaited album in a production by Firmin Michiels and Guido Op De Beeck, was released on 4 October, 2024 at the beginning of a very extensive, sold out tour. It is a special retrospective from an award-winning singer who looks back with melancholy and humour on the many mischievous adventures that marked his life. Love prevails, but tragedy and tristesse also leave their mark on Belcanto himself and the scarred souls of the many colourful characters who come to life in his songs.

This 15th studio album undoubtedly represents a new high point in Belcanto's oeuvre, which now numbers over 300 songs, with 11 of his own songs and 2 surprising adaptations of songs by Eels and Guido's idol Renaud. Besides members of his loyal backing band Het Broederschap, guest musicians such as Stoy Stoffelen, David Poltrock, Evert Verhees, Jan De Smet, Alban Sarens, Adriano Cominotto and Chris Peeters also play along. Also notable are certainly the passages of Lara Chedraoui (Intergalactic Lovers) and The Bonnie Blues.

For more than 40 years, Guido Belcanto has been creating a universe all his own with his songs. A warm, recognisable home for everyone, young or old, rich or poor, winner or loser. A home too, masterfully brought to a stage where the audience is allowed to be themselves without embarrassment, praising happiness, measuring the damage suffered, letting the tears flow and the laughs ring out.

Stellen Sie sich einen Schaltkreis vor. Eine geschlossene Form, ein in Komponenten und Hindernisse geschnitzter Pfad, dessen Signal eine Reihe von Tönen, neuen Klängen und subtilen Interaktionen erzeugt, laute Saiten und hart gepannte Vocals, die fest stehen, bevor etwas sich verändert. Eine tiefe Note hebt sich und gleitet davon. So schnell sind Sie mitten in einem Song. Dizzy Magic ist Sophie Weils viertes Album als Syko Friend, ihrem Soloprojekt, mit dem sie seit über einem Jahrzehnt in der Underground-Szene der USA aktiv ist - eine Klassifizierung, die so vage und genreübergreifend ist, dass sie fast bedeutungslos wäre, würde Weils Projekt nicht kontinuierlich bestimmte klare Verpflichtungen einhalten: Gitarren und Verstärker, Feedback und Texte, freie Komposition und festgelegte Songstruktur. Durch ihre Verflechtung von Tradition und Experiment, ihre reichhaltige organische Klangpalette und ihre mühelose Intimität ist die Musik von Syko Friend sofort erkennbar. Man muss nur eine ihrer Platten auflegen, um sie zu verstehen. Auf Dizzy Magic hat Weil diese Parameter beibehalten, aber verfeinert, indem sie die Studiotechnik verfeinert und die Arrangements zu traumhaft breit gefächerten Ereignissen erweitert hat, in denen Gefühle scharf und detailliert wiedergegeben werden, sei es in einem Solo-Gitarrenstück oder in einem der zahlreichen Stompers mit zusätzlicher instrumentaler Unterstützung von Evan Burrows, Hank Doyle und Henry Barnes. Diese Platte ist klar und erreicht bisher unbekannte Weiten, eine großartige Geste, die mit ihren kleinsten Bestandteilen in Einklang steht. Es ist ein Beweis für Weils Hingabe an die kontinuierliche Erforschung, an die kathartischen Fähigkeiten der Gitarrenmusik und an die Zusammenarbeit und die Anstrengungen beim Schreiben, Aufnehmen und Touren, die dem ständigen Streben nach Selbstverwirklichung am Rande zugrunde liegen. Dort habe ich Weil jedenfalls vor langer Zeit kennengelernt, irgendwo zwischen den Knotenpunkten der Underground-Landkarte, wo Musiker Nacht für Nacht ihre Route abfuhren und dachten, wir würden den Geist am Leben erhalten. Damals war dieser Signalweg schwer zu erkennen, wir waren zu sehr darin versunken. Aber hin und wieder taucht etwas wie Dizzy Magic auf und plötzlich offenbart sich die Bedeutung, diese Form, die man sehen, hören und fühlen kann. Eigentlich ist es ganz einfach. Stellen Sie sich einfach einen Stromkreis vor.

A multidisciplinary artist, and avant-garde icon in her own right, Little Annie leaves little room for an introduction that is worthy of her prolific career. She has remained relevant for over four decades through her innate spirit of experimentation and the multiplicity of her genre-bending collaborations with artists traversing the globe such as Adrian Sherwood, Swans, The Wolfgang Press, Kid Congo, Current 93—the list goes on!

For this release, Noir Age is proud to present a 7” single of new material from Little Annie in collaboration with South Florida-based producer and label owner Richard Vergez, recording here under the moniker of Night Foundation. Annie and Richard met back in 2016 after a gig at the ICA in Miami through their mutual friend: Drew McDowall of Coil.

Sharing a requited spirit for visual art and music, they became fast friends and began collaborating, conjuring what you hear on this release: Inertia.

Edition of 300 records, each housed in a silkscreened, custom black 7" envelope jacket with newsprint insert.

Reviewed in The Wire magazine:

"Night Foundation is one of the current electronic projects envisioned by Florida's Richard Vergez. In this instance, his work is smooth and bassoid enough to have a vague dancefloor-friendly feel without being overtly prancy. This notion is enhanced by the presence of a dub B side, so things are not as dark as with most of Verge's projects. But they're still not sunny. Of course, Little Annie's lyrics and casual vocals have more in common with urban menace than sunshine pop, so the pairing works quite well."

Brenda (Hudson Whitlock of Surprise Chef / Karate Boogaloo / The Pro-Teens) presents new album 'Bath Time', a suite of heartbreaking, cinematic indie-soul ballads from the hotbed of Melbourne, Australia.



Brenda encompasses the left-field soul sensibilities for which Whitlock has come to be recognised in cult instrumental groups Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo and The Pro-Teens, alongside heartfelt, introspective lyricism delivered in a sincere, delicate falsetto. Stylistically, lines can be drawn to the 1960s sweet soul ballads of The Delfonics, Jean-Claude Vannier's vivid arrangements for Serge Gainsbourg, and, of course, the unmistakable flavour of Melbourne's cinematic soul movement à la other Whitlock exploits Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo.



'Bath Time' contains ten entrancingly melancholic ballads that earnestly express Whitlock's dramatic indie-soul sensibilities; encompassing the classically introspective nature of the poetic lyricist and the idiosyncratic use of soulful instrumental arrangements. The songs encompass themes of old romantic habits dying hard, familial rifts and unrequited love.



True to his modest vagabond nature, Whitlock has 'released' six Brenda albums to date, each uploaded exclusively to bandcamp, gladly resigning the music to the underground. Whilst he created theses albums in solitude, playing each instrument himself, 'Bath Time' sees Whitlock relinquishes the isolationism of previous works in favour of including his trusted inner circle of friends and collaborators: Surprise Chef's Lachlan Stuckey and Jethro Curtin on guitar and keyboard respectively, Karate Boogaloo's Darvid Thor on bass, and production from Henry Jenkins (Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Frollen Music Library).

AVAILABLE IN BLACK ICE WITH ORANGE AND BLUE SPLATTER (COK015WW)

Irish double bassist Caimin Gilmore who can be heard performing with the likes of Shahzad Ismaily, Crash Ensemble, stargaze, The Staves, Sam Amidon, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Aaron Dessner (The National), Ye Vagabonds, and Phoebe Bridgers, among many others, releases his debut record BlackGate, via New Amsterdam Records in collaboration with Dublin Based Ten Spot Records. BlackGate features renowned cellist Kate Ellis, harpist Lavinia Meijer, and Caimin Gilmore on double bass & DX7.

Brenda (Hudson Whitlock of Surprise Chef / Karate Boogaloo / The Pro-Teens) presents new album 'Bath Time', a suite of heartbreaking, cinematic indie-soul ballads from the hotbed of Melbourne, Australia.



Brenda encompasses the left-field soul sensibilities for which Whitlock has come to be recognised in cult instrumental groups Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo and The Pro-Teens, alongside heartfelt, introspective lyricism delivered in a sincere, delicate falsetto. Stylistically, lines can be drawn to the 1960s sweet soul ballads of The Delfonics, Jean-Claude Vannier's vivid arrangements for Serge Gainsbourg, and, of course, the unmistakable flavour of Melbourne's cinematic soul movement à la other Whitlock exploits Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo.



'Bath Time' contains ten entrancingly melancholic ballads that earnestly express Whitlock's dramatic indie-soul sensibilities; encompassing the classically introspective nature of the poetic lyricist and the idiosyncratic use of soulful instrumental arrangements. The songs encompass themes of old romantic habits dying hard, familial rifts and unrequited love.



True to his modest vagabond nature, Whitlock has 'released' six Brenda albums to date, each uploaded exclusively to bandcamp, gladly resigning the music to the underground. Whilst he created theses albums in solitude, playing each instrument himself, 'Bath Time' sees Whitlock relinquishes the isolationism of previous works in favour of including his trusted inner circle of friends and collaborators: Surprise Chef's Lachlan Stuckey and Jethro Curtin on guitar and keyboard respectively, Karate Boogaloo's Darvid Thor on bass, and production from Henry Jenkins (Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Frollen Music Library).

AVAILABLE IN BLACK ICE WITH ORANGE AND BLUE SPLATTER (COK015WW)

The quietest voices can be the most durable.

American Football’s original triumph, on their 1999 self-titled debut, was to reunite two shy siblings: emo and post-rock. It was a pioneering album where lyrical clarity was obscured and complicated by the stealth musical textures surrounding it.

Like Slint’s Spiderland, or Codeine’s The White Birch, even Talk Talk’s Laughing Stock, American Football asked far more questions than it cared to answer. But there wasn’t a band around anymore to explain it, anyway. The three young men who made the album – Mike Kinsella, Steve Holmes, and Steve Lamos – split up pretty much on its release.

Fifteen years later, American Football reunited (now as a four-piece, with the addition of Nate Kinsella). They played far larger shows than in their original incarnation and recorded their long-anticipated second album, 2016’s American Football (LP2). The release was widely praised, but the band members still felt like their best work was yet to come.

‘I feel like the second album was us figuring it out,’ says Nate. ‘For me, it wasn’t quite done. I knew there was still more.’

Enter American Football (LP3). ‘We put a lot of time and a lot of energy into it,’ says Mike. ‘We were all thoughtful about what we wanted to put out there. Last time, it was figuring out how to use all of our different arms. This time, we were like – Ok we have these arms, let’s use them.’ The band used the same producer, Jason Cupp, and recorded the album at the same studio (Arc Studios in Omaha, Nebraska) as its predecessor – yet they approached it in a markedly different way. There was a determination to let the songs breathe, to trust in ideas finding their own pace. The final result is a definite, and deliberate, stretching of the band.

As a result, LP3 is less obviously tethered to the band’s past than the second album. An immediate contrast between LP3 and its two predecessors is its cover. The two previous albums featured the exterior and interior of a residence in the band’s original hometown of Urbana, Illinois (now attracting fans for pilgrimages and photo opportunities), by the photographer Chris Strong. But American Football knew that LP3 was an outside record. Instead of the familiar house, this time the cover photo (again by Strong) features open, rolling fields on Urbana’s borders. It is a sign of the album’s magnitude in sound, and of the band’s boldness in breaking away from home comforts.

American Football also joked that LP3’s genre was ‘post-house’, because of this very conscious visual break. But, in a strange way, there are links in LP3 with an actual post-house genre: shoegaze. The more exploratory members of the original British shoegaze scene were inspired by the dreamtime and circularity of house music (ambient house in particular), cherishing its sonic possibilities. That spirit drips into LP3, most obviously on ‘I Can’t Feel You’, a collaboration with Rachel Goswell of Slowdive.

The album also features Hayley Williams from Paramore on the album’s catchiest moment, ‘Uncomfortably Numb’, and Elizabeth Powell, of the Québécoise act Land Of Talk. Mike wrote lyrics in French especially for her.

LP3 is contemplative, rich, expressive, yet with a queasy undercurrent. It is heavy with expectancy, revealing its ideas slowly, eliciting the hidden stories people carry around with them. ‘I feel like my lyric writing has changed a lot over the years,’ says Mike. ‘The goal is to be conversational, maybe to state something giant and heavy, but in a very plain way. But, definitely in this record, I keep things a little more vague.’ As on the first album, the lyrics on LP3 may seem confessional and concentrated, but the more you scrutinize them, the further their meaning slinks away. Or, as Mike tellingly sings on ‘I Can’t Feel You”: I’m fluent in subtlety.

‘Somewhere along the way we moved from being a reunion band to just being a band,’ says Steve Holmes. American Football is now a bona fide ongoing focus, and they are making some of the best music of their lives. American Football (LP3) stands with two other rare reunion successes – Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine’s mbv – as a fine example of how a band refinding one another can augment, rather than taint, their legacy.

‘I think that there are those albums, or the music that you heard when you were younger, and they imprint on you,’ says Nate. ‘And no matter where you go, or what you do they’re always there.’ He is talking of Steve Reich – an early and ongoing influence on American Football – but he might as well be reflecting what is said of his own band, and the ardent following they inspire. American Football stands as an enduring symbol of elusive emotional landscapes, where introspection can be as dramatic as confrontation

On Rollerstate, Belgian duo Mosley Jr. (Niels Blondeel & Ijsbrand De Wilde) embrace a sound that’s raw and free, yet impossibly refined. This 7-track EP offers a journey through their unfiltered creativity, where analog imperfections, captivating grooves and nostalgic soundscapes collide.

Rollerstate is creatively underground, yet undeniably catchy, capturing an era of old-school dance influence, TV-commercials and vague hazy distant airwaves. Rollerstate is both the state of mind and fictional place we all tend to escape to.

Released on Moodfamily, the EP is available digitally and physically on vinyl and limited edition cassette (MFC001)

On Rollerstate, Belgian duo Mosley Jr. (Niels Blondeel & Ijsbrand De Wilde) embrace a sound that’s raw and free, yet impossibly refined. This 7-track EP offers a journey through their unfiltered creativity, where analog imperfections, captivating grooves and nostalgic soundscapes collide.

Rollerstate is creatively underground, yet undeniably catchy, capturing an era of old-school dance influence, TV-commercials and vague hazy distant airwaves. Rollerstate is both the state of mind and fictional place we all tend to escape to.

Released on Moodfamily, the EP is available digitally and physically on vinyl and limited edition cassette (MFC001)

This new "Experimental Chapter" by DJ Narciso comes as no surprise, really. Autonomous in the motorization of his music, pushing for progress within the framework of an undeniable (inescapable?) heritage. Twisting and bending sound every step of the way, Narciso definitely keeps in touch with the dancefloor, offering the always much needed transcendence through distinctive, non-linear melodies and patterns. The artist pursues a direct link with bodies in motion but seldom in the expected, institutionalized way club culture is being largely promoted.

This is challenging dance music, proud statements of difference. Narciso's previous record was named "Diferenciado". Now we get "Dificuldades", a track that simultaneously carries the weight of being somewhat odd and the difficulties of life. Check how the piano is venting, freestyle, communicating a feeling, and then lets itself get stuck in a loop, but that's exactly when the groove really starts flowing. And then another layer. It's like direct speech.

A common assertion of pride is found in the origin of the artists. The ghetto as a place where any transformation projects more power precisely because of... inherent difficulties. As others (including himself) did in more or less obvious ways, Narciso clearly states "I come from the ghetto" ( "Não Sabes" ). Twice the value. At least. Almost every segment of music in this album ends up sounding heavily emotional, reaffirming what may be - perversely - a well-known characteristic of Portuguese music: melancholy.

"Não Quero" begins side B as a march maybe more significant than a thousand words, such is the ominous tone of its texture. Next track is another lunar tarraxo, pulling down the shades. Then, "Dor de Barriga" lets things loose again, steering clearly off road, shouting this way and that until a peaceful resolution comes. In "Livra-me Desta", vocal snippets blend into synth snippets, disembodied voices abandon all traces of humanity and finally mutate into different entities that, towards the end, again sound vaguely human but now we find ourselves doubting. Closer "Bob" is a rather classic percussion track with plenty of echo, reverb and an unconscious nod to dodecaphonic music. Unlikely? No, the structural ADN of this music is made up of elements western and eastern, southern and northern. To say all-over-the-place is usually not flattering but in this case the expression translates as wonder, surprise, The Unexpected, and reveals Narciso perfectly at ease inside the nucleus of creation.

Between The Seed And The Timber is a cycle of six songs exploring ritual and mystical aspects of the modern era. At times both noir and psychedelic, they evoke a strong sense of nostalgia for a disappearing age. In contrast to industrial music’s dystopian semiotics, Jas Shaw challenges us to hear sounds inspired by machinery, electricity and mechanisation in a new light.

“I made the synth parts for a Swans gig,” says Shaw. “As SMD we’d supported Swans. James was away doing some production but I didn’t want to pass it up, so I offered to open solo. It turned out the gig was sooner than expected so I made all these synth things to do live.”

Shaw put the tracks to one side and forgot about them, only returning to them years later. “You know when you’ve changed as a person and you listen back to something from a different angle? I suddenly could hear what I had been after. It reminded me of experiences I’d had at Swans gigs. I wanted to achieve that energy and charge.”

Dubbing techniques are crucial to the sound of the record. “I set up a few synths on a table and had my mixer running loads of auxes back into the desk so it was all on the edge of feeding back. Then I realised that if I put a mic into the desk I’d have an extra feedback route. I found a setting where I could get it to build when I pointed the mic at the monitors but then turning it away you could put the brakes on the regen.”

Between The Seed And The Timber is Jas Shaw’s inaugural release for the London based, Kindred-affiliated TEETH label. TEETH is rooted in a reverence for texture, space, and sonic decay - amplifying experimental sounds that blend dreamlike melodies with weathered landscapes. Each release informs the next, with every track as vital as the last to complete the whole set.

Orchestrated by Jojo Mathiszig-Lee, founder of London’s Kindred, the label celebrates like-minded talent from the community, providing a platform for transgressing music.

Artworks are made by Scarlet Griffiths.