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As Planka Records continues its relentless pursuit of sonic exploration, delving deeper into the shadows of the underground. PLNK004 showcases a seamless blend of fresh, boundary-pushing talent alongside solid contributions from familiar artists. Together, they craft a soundscape where hypnotic rhythms, ethereal textures, and bold experimentation merge to redefine what we know about the underground.

These tracks transcend the confines of time and place, speaking to the moments where the music wraps around you, drawing you closer into its enigmatic energy. Whether it’s the pulse of the club at midnight or a reflective session in solitude, PLNK004 is a testament to the transformative power of sound.

With this release, Planka reaffirms its commitment to nurturing innovation and pushing the scene forward, always evolving, always underground.

In the vibrant streets of Tembisa, South Africa, amidst the sprawling urbanity connecting Johannesburg and Pretoria, the story of Moskito began. Formed in 2001 by Mahlubi "Shadow" Radebe and the late Zwelakhe "Malemon" Mtshali, the group first emerged as a powerhouse of pantsula dancers. However, their undeniable passion for music soon led them down a new path_ one that would cement their place in kwaito history. Spending countless hours on the street corners of their township, where they were born and raised, Shadow and Malemon danced and sang with an infectious energy that attracted crowds. It wasn't long before the duo decided to channel their talents into a kwaito group, and after adding friends Patrick Lwane and Menzi Dlodlo, Moskito was born. (Pantsula dancing emerged in the 1950s among Black South Africans in townships and continually evolved until it became intertwined with kwaito music culture. The stylized, rapid foot movements and characteristic low-dancing became associated with kwaito as it took over South African urban culture into the early 2000s.) With limited resources, the group displayed immense creativity, recording demos using two cassette decks and instrumental tracks from other artists. They would rap and sing over an instrumental playing on one deck while the second deck records their performance. Their determination paid off when they submitted their demo to Tammy Music Publishers, who were captivated by Moskito's style. "Kwaito was the thing `in' at the time. If you did music you did kwaito. We wanted to fit in and actually it was easy," says Radebe. "We didn't have engineers in the group, so the first time in a real studio was with Percy and Thami to record Idolar." That same year, the group released their debut album, Idolar, under Tammy Music. The album was an undeniable success reaching gold status selling over 25,000 units and earning them a devoted fan base across South Africa and neighboring countries like Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Moskito collaborated with industry legends such as Chilly Mthiya Tshabalala, who was known for his work with Thiza and Spoke "H." They drew inspiration from Thami Mdluli a.k.a Professor Rhythm, who had dominated the disco scene back in the 80s and 90s. Mdluli helped with musical arrangements and executive produced the album and signed on producer-engineer Percy Mudau, while Shadow and Malemon took pride in composing most of their songs. Like many of the rising kwaito artists of the time, they didn't have music production or engineering backgrounds so they required support from engineers together their ideas down on tape. They were inspired from South African kwaito icons like Trompies, Mdu, Mandoza, and Arthur Mafokate, alongside international heavyweights like Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre, 2Pac, and R. Kelly, Moskito created a sound that was uniquely theirs_a perfect blend of local flavor and global influence.

The debut release from the recently-launched London party of the same name, Balearic London shines a light on lesser known grooves from the past in this new edits series - and reappraisals of some classics given a new twist. A1 will result in spicy synchronised dancing wherever you play it so proceed with caution. Catch the Balearic London crew at festivals this summer including secretsundaze presents Multi Multi...

For customers of the Rush Hour shop, this item ships for its may 23rd release date. Any items ordered along with this will ship then also

After five years spent largely confined to the United States, Ron Trent is set to return to global touring in 2025. To mark the occasion, he’s partnered with Rush Hour to release Lift Off, a brand-new album of music recorded at different points over the last decade.

Arriving almost 35 years since he wowed the world with his game-changing debut, the Afterlife EP, Lift Off was inspired by Trent’s desire to ‘let the imagination speak for itself’ while exploring the diverse influences that have shaped his unique musical perspective. A departure from his previous album, 2022’s downtempo masterpiece as Warm, What Do The Stars Say To You, the 10-track set features a mixture of epic instrumentals, inspired collaborations and vocal cuts whose music was written with certain singers in mind.

While it features music that ripples with the experienced producer’s familiar aural trademarks – rich rhythms, warm chords, impeccable instrumentation, inspired arrangements, and lashings of heady hand percussion – it also consciously explores a variety of sounds and tempos, in the process blurring the lines between the past, present, and future. It’s a vision, in his words, of what dance music can become.

For proof, check the five tremendous tracks on part two. There’s the AM radio-ready warmth, guitar-flecked looseness, and eyes-closed bliss of ‘Just Another Love Song’, where Trent’s own multi-tracked vocals catch the ear, the slow-motion, head-nodding deep space bliss of ‘Juice’ and alternative Balearic love song ‘And Fly Away’.

Part two of the vinyl edition also includes two superb collaborations. Fellow Rush Hour artist Lars Bartkuhn lends his virtuoso guitar skills to ‘Street Wave’, a future house classic laden with nods to jazz-funk and fusion, while regular collaborator Harry Dennis (best known for his work as part of early Chicago house outfit Jungle Wonz) adds a poetic and emotion-filled spoken word vocal to the equally inspired ‘Her’.

Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 release their new album "Fontana Rosa". Possibly the world's only musical group to fuse Latin music of all kinds with the Welsh language, this time Rio 18 draw inspiration from slightly different musical corners, including Chicano Soul, Nuyorican pop, and Salsoul disco plus Latin sounds filtered through the cultural spectrum of the USA.

Most significantly though, the album was among the last ever to be recorded by the acclaimed producer Liam Watson at his legendary studio and shrine to all things analogue, Toerag Studios - a huge inspiration and influence on Rio 18's Carwyn Ellis. The "Fontana Rosa" sessions saw Ellis draw together an all-star band at the fabled studio which is perhaps best known through its place in the White Stripes history.

Talking about the story and gestation of the album, Carwyn said:

"I was in Mexico City with Baldo Verdú when I heard that Toerag Studios in London was going to close. It came as a shock - Toerag and Liam Watson, its owner and resident producer had been a massive influence on me. Liam, along with Edwyn Collins, had taught me much of what I know about recording, had hired me as an instrumentalist on countless sessions and had helped me to get started when I began my own solo career. And over the years, I'd still go in to record with Liam whenever the opportunity arose. When I heard that Liam was shutting up shop, I took it upon myself to try and ensure he went out with a musical bang. I rounded up the best band I could get: the aforementioned Venezuelan percussion wiz and singer, Baldo Verdú: American drummer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Shawn Lee: the Isle of Wight's finest drum and percussion master, producer and composer Rupert Brown (whom I'd originally met at Toerag many moons ago): Elan Rhys, one of Wales's finest voices and long term collaborator with Rio 18, as well as being one third of the wonderful folk group, Plu: and Kassin - my Brazilian brother from Rio de Janeiro, bassist and producer with artists such as Jorge Ben, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and a multitude of others, including Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18.

So this was my dream team, assembled to make beautiful music one more time at Toerag (I have to add at this point that Shawn and Rupert hit it off so well at our sessions that they booked their own session shortly afterwards! Look out for the brilliant Shawn Lee's Toerag Orchestra 'Percussion Discussion' album). Toerag, if you're not familiar with the place, made its name as London's foremost analogue studio for some 30 years, recording directly to tape which in essence means musicians playing live, together in a room until they get it right. And the sound? Oh the SOUND!! And this is all Liam Watson's doing, his sonic aesthetic - a real master engineer. The studio is perhaps best known as the place where the White Stripes recorded their monster hit album 'Elephant' but for me it's where I got to record with James Hunter, Lay Low (from Iceland), Quruli (from Japan), Fabienne Delsol (from France) and made many lasting friendships, learnt a great deal about popular music, as well as making a bunch of my own best recordings with Colorama.

Over the course of five days we laid down as much music as we could. We had some visitors too: guitar slinger Little Barrie (Primal Scream, The The and Liam Gallagher among other things, but also my dear bandmate in Edwyn Collins's band): sax and flute maestro Jim Hunt (Amy Winehouse, Primal Scream, Duffy and very many others): and Diego Laverde Rojas, the Colombian Latin harp virtuoso.

This time the music had a slightly different edge - although we still maintained our Brazilian/Welsh connection on 'Deffro'r Dydd' (written with and sung by Elan Rhys), our Cumbia vibe and some Merengue ('Mariposa' and 'Te Adoro', sung by Baldo Verdú) and even a traditional Afro-Venezuelan tune ('La Quichimba', again sung by Baldo) - the main influence for me this time was Latin music as recorded in the USA, both new and old. 'No More Secrets' is a straight up slice of Salsoul disco, while 'Hei Ti' is a punky funky but of Nu Yorican pop somewhere between ESG and the Beastie Boys. But one of my main influences in the last couple of years has been the current wave of Chicano Soul coming from California, particularly via the Penrose and Big Crown labels. I was turned on to this music when I was in Japan in early 2023 - Takashi-san at Pleased To Meet Me Records in Nara played me the Altons' 'Float' and I was hooked!

And that music has a similar aesthetic to Toerag: music recorded live to tape by excellent engineers, performed by fine musicians and singers. So our songs 'Impossible', 'Heartbreaker' and 'Lovesick' are very much in this vein. And that just leaves the title track, 'Fontana Rosa'."

After a collage tape collab with Bardo Todol back in 2022 (SUC52, Magnetic Road to Hell) Robert Millis finally gets his Discrepant debut proper, a much overdue entryin our random catalogue of lost musical oddities.

The not so self explanatory title Interior Music explores Millis obsession with hidden sounds and its anomalies. An hermetic rearrangement of emptiness could be another more big headed title. But I leave the man to talk about his thing:

‘’The phrase interior music occurred to me a few years ago as a way to describe some recent work. It’s about the resonances inside of hollow wooden chambers (and hollow heads) like gramophones and talking machines, music boxes, instruments, metal containers, and resonant rooms. It’s about exploring tiny audio fragments—single notes, vinyl and shellac surface noise, recording mishaps and anomalies—and arranging them into something meaningful. It is about my own interior mishaps and anomalies and attempts to arrange THEM into something meaningful. It also references “interior design” with the placement of sounds in specific locations, layers or in juxtapositions.

Inspirations include Steve Roden’s lowercase work, Toshiya Tsunoda’s field recordings, Eliane Radique’s slowly shifting ambiances, and the musique concrete of Pierre Schaeffer, as well as the dhrupad and kayal traditions of Indian classical music—especially Kesarbai Kerkar and the Dagar family who have a sublime way of stretching out individual notes and exploring their endless permutations, combinations and connotations.’’

Robert Millis is a sound artist known for his work with Climax Golden Twins, the Helen Scarsdale Agency, the soundtrack to cult horror film Session 9, the Victrola Favorites book and cassette series, and many releases on Sublime Frequencies including Indian Talking Machine, Paris to Calcutta: Men and Music on the Desert Road, compilations of the earliest music recorded in Korea, Japan and Myanmar, and the documentaries This World is Unreal Like a Snake in a Rope and Phi Ta Khon: Ghosts of Isan. Somehow he is a Fulbright scholar (to India 2012-13) and the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship (2020). He has or currently does play with AFCGT, Idol Ko Si, and/or Telescoping.

Much has changed for Ilan Pdahtzur since the release of his Night City Life compilation six years ago. Back then, he was a little-known record collector who shared obscure, synth-heavy music that “captured the night-time glow” of the city he calls home, London, via a dedicated Instagram page. Fast forward to 2025 and Ilan is now a respected member of the international digger-selector community, having delivered must-check mixes for the likes of Bordello A Parigi, Bayete, Hunee’s Lifetones and Sound Metaphors.

It seems a fitting time, then, for Spacetalk to unleash Night City Life II, a second deep dive into Ilan’s distinctive, neon-lit sound world – a place where European synth-pop rarities, Italo-dance treats, dancefloor-focused post-boogie instrumentals soundtrack strolls around shuttered skyscrapers, dockside housing estates and wharf-side warehouse conversions.

In the six years that have passed since the release of Night City Life, Ilan has uncovered many more rarities, private-press gems and slept-on treats, with 14 of these featuring on the dusty-fingered crate-digger’s sublime sequel. As with its predecessor, much effort has been made to track down the artists behind the synth-heavy songs on show, with the vinyl edition featuring extended liner notes where some tell the story of their track in detail. Musically, there’s much to set the pulse racing within Ilan’s superb selections, from the slow-motion shuffle of Playground’s self-released 1984 B-side ‘Rainy Day Woman’ and the brilliance of Shamor’s 1985 South African synth-pop special ‘Close To You (Bwela Pafupi)’, to Sharon & Tracy’s ‘The Sheik’ – a belly-dancing inspired slab of TB-303 bass-driven house – and the kaleidoscopic, piano-rich 1992 Euro-house brilliance of ‘Come Into My Life’ by Jennifer.

Dive deeper into the collection and more under-appreciated musical masterpieces make their presence felt. There’s Sicilian musician Claudio D’Ignoti’s lesser-known boogie-era single ‘Anche Per Noi’, where rubbery bass guitar, Nile Rodgers style disco guitar licks and spacey synths dominate the sound space, Lena’s fashion circuit-inspired, early Pet Shop Boys-esque ‘Embrasse-Moi (Strumentale)’ – one that members of Milan’s Paninaro movement would surely have enjoyed – and a sublime, spaced-out and effects laden dancefloor dub of ‘Rescue Me (Imagination)’ by Jimmy D, a genuinely sought-after jam originally released on a now impossible-to-find seven-inch single. Offering another genuinely distinctive, carefully curated collection of lesser-known musical treats, Night City Life II is another essential, immersive and synthesizer-powered journey through Ilan’s unique sonic world.

SAMOSA RECORDS EARTH, WIND & FUNK VOL.2 - Pt.1

Samosa Records comes at you with all the elements for Earth, Wind & Funk Vol. 2 – a succulent double slice of vinyl heaven!

On side A1 label favourites Dirty Elements & Drunkdrivers start the party with the knee-slapping treat ‘Koko’. A bouncing bassline and some sweet clavinet keys act as the starters to this trip around the discophere. Lush strings and sassy vocals provide a delicious cherry on top. Mesmerising stuff.

For A2, Macchianera undergoes a De Gama Re-Groove with ‘Gotta Dance’, a deceptive 115bpm chugger that could travel the tracks for an eternity. Deep, groovy bass and soulful vocals combine perfectly in the build-up to the brass-soaked chorus line. Oh, and you know that rhythm guitar is gonna get you.

Side B1 finds Niels F. ‘Trying To Love’ with a little help from some De Gama Re-Drums. ‘Trying To Love’ breaks out into its stride from the off. With an almost ‘2-step’ vibe at the intro, ‘Trying To Love’ nicely builds to a rag time jam of lush strings, smile-inducing brass and a wicked vocal – all applied perfectly and filtered expertly. Let the good times roll!

B2 brings the Afro inspired delights of MP Soundworks and ‘Gotta Get It’. There’s a tribal vibe in the air at this party, a hypnotic runaway train of a track that makes full use of filtered build ups, looped vocal samples and a wicked, wicked bassline. Bouncier than supper-concentrated Zectron.

In Earth, Wind & Funk Vol. 2 Samosa Records has produced a stunning double slab release, featuring a good mix of some of the label’s most prolific artists and some welcome newcomers.

Lynn White hails from Mobile, AL and started singing at the age of six in her local church. She worked in Ike Darby’s record store where she would sing along to the sounds that were playing, and it wasn’t long before the owner decided to record her on his local label Darby Records in 1978 at the age of 25. Three singles and the highly collectable album “Am I Too Much Woman For You” ensued, but they didn’t bring much success to the label, which folded shortly afterwards. They did get married though.

Her sultry bluesy Darby-penned/produced “I Don't Ever Wanna See Your Face Again” was released in 1982 on another local label, Sho-Me Records, and it quickly came to the attention of Willie Mitchell, who signed her immediately to his Waylo imprint. A fruitful period followed with 7 albums and 12 singles released for the Memphis-based label during the rest of that decade. Her mid-paced “See You Later Bye” was a huge favourite with the modern soul scenes in Europe, and it was a pleasure to see White as part of Waylo’s A Memphis Soul Night - Live In Europe in 1990 when she appeared with Otis Clay, Ann Peebles and David Hudson, performing in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Berlin and London; each artist doing a solo spot then all four joining together for some rousing soul medleys.

By now a Memphis resident, she switched to S.O.H. Distributions in 1990, which gave her more control of her output, and these two sides are from that period; “I Don’t Know Why” (1993), clearly her most popular track was only available as a 12” single, and featured the amazing but uncredited vocals of Farris Lanier Jr., who was lead singer of another Waylo act, Lanier & Co. Now very hard to find, this will be an eagerly awaited release as a 7” single. The flip is a gorgeous stepper written by George Jackson (previously recorded by Otis Clay) and from her CD only album The New Me (1990). White’s version just oozes with soul and makes for an essential double-sider.

For customers of the Rush Hour shop, this item ships for its may 23rd release date. Any items ordered along with this will ship then also

A classic returns. Mystery, one of The RAH Band’s most beloved albums, celebrates its 40th anniversary with this long-awaited reissue - the album's first time on vinyl since its original 1985 release.

The RAH Band, the brainchild of producer and arranger Richard Anthony Hewson, has been synthesizing jazz, funk, and electronic pop into out-of-this-world tracks since the late 1970s. Mystery marked an important moment in Richard's career, following on from The Crunch & Beyond (1978), RAH (1980), and Going Up (1983). With this album, Hewson took his pop songwriting and commercial success to new heights while never compromising his unique and unbound production style.

At the heart of the album are eight perfectly crafted pop songs, each standing strong on its own, with no filler in sight. The lead single, Are You Satisfied?, set the tone for the album’s jazz-funk evolution, but it was Clouds Across The Moon, with its futuristic narrative of love and longing across the cosmos, that became a chart-topping phenomenon, reaching #6 in the UK. The track’s space-age storytelling cemented its place in pop history, with many still recalling that 1985 Top of the Pops performance as the moment they fell in love with The RAH Band - if you know, you know.

From the dreamy synth-jazz of Float, a club and radio favourite to this day, to the smooth saxophone solo on Out On The Edge, recently featured on Steven Julien (aka Funkineven)'s DJ Kicks mix, Mystery remains an essential album four decades later - a testament to the genius of one of the most quietly influential songwriter-producer-arrangers of our time.

There are bands that you feel you have known forever -- recent ones, new
ones even -- because you are already so familiar with what you know they are
going to offer, familiar with the anticipation and the need, with the pleasure
you expect them to, quite rightfully, provide the masses (by which I mean
people who have once considered calling their first-born Kang)
VERDICT is such a band. It has members of MEANWHILE, NO SECURITY,
WARCOLLAPSE, 3- WAY CUM, TOTALITAR, and too many other bands, and even
though I have never actually met any of them, I still have had more interactions with
them through (over)playing and rocking to their records than I have had with some
members of my family, which, to be honest, is definitely for the best. VERDICT is a
rather new (but experienced in the things of the D) kang hardcore band, and they know
exactly what they are doing and how to do it. Had they produced something different,
that would have completely taken me aback -- something horrendous like ska- punk
would have made so little sense that I would have had to quit punk altogether. Alright,
what about The Rat Race, then. This is the follow-up to last year's Time to Resign, and
this one has even more punch, fury, and pummeling power than its predecessor.
Unoriginal, in a good way, and thoroughly checking all the correct boxes: the
drumming is pure and relentless, the riffs' efficiency is religiously executed in a
"Scandicore 101" way, the vocals are angry, direct, and raspy. Think a joyous orgy
between NO SECURITY, UNCURBED, and TOTALITAR.
This is the kind of record that makes the world a better place to rock. Thank you
Phobia Records. Kang up your life.

In May 2000, pop princess supreme Britney Spears released her second studio album Oops!... I Did It Again, which features Stronger, Lucky and the title track Oops!... (red leather jumpsuits and the necklace from The Titanic were never looked at the same again!). The massive commercial success debuted at #1 in 20+ counties, selling 1.3 million copies in its first week, breaking the SoundScan record for highest debut album sales by a female artist.

Britney’s record was broken 15 years later in 2015 by Adele’s 25. Considered one of the best-selling albums of all time, to date, it has sold ~20 million copies worldwide. 25 years later, with Britney’s trailblazing influence still being seen in pop artists today, we are delighted to release a 25thANNIVERSARY EDITION 2-LP DELUXE vinyl release. Featuring an alternate cover, a 20-page booklet of never-before-seen and rarely seen photos of the era PLUS 2 new remixes, “Stronger (Adamusic Remix)” & “Oops!...I Did It Again (Pessto Remix)” on black vinyl

The deadbeat Danish duo return to serenade us with their signature sound of fuzzed-out garage-rock guitars, falsetto vocal supremacy, and an unyielding rhythm section. Gabestok find themselves lodged at the pinch point between the grandiose and the garage, crafting songs that are at once eminently epic yet raw and direct. Alle Dør I Fremtiden is a road trip into oblivion, always accelerating toward some unknown precipice until inevitably driving you over the edge. Laying in the wreckage of an old car smelling of stale cigarettes and beer you wonder what happened, then flip the record and start again.
A short conceptual album steeped in hopelessness, regression, power, and the almighty battle against mob mentality in the wake of advancing technology and knowledge. Set amidst a geomagnetic storm on a desolate, scorched Earth, we follow an obsessive collector who has amassed a vast physical repository of lost knowledge now esoteric in an era of hard drives and remote storage. Books, piles of papers, and artefacts are all locked away in his private Citadel, far removed from a population of spiritless people, trapped within their own thought-prisons, fiercely guarded by corporate algorithms.
Fire and flames come in many disguises and eventually We All Die in the Future.

15th Anniversary Edition. Lime Green Vinyl. When Dinosaur Jr. reunited, more than 20 years after their formation and legendary dissolution, the worry was that these guys were just flogging the back catalog, taking the old show on the road as a marketing gimmick. But the 2007 release of Beyond gave a hearty Marshall-driven "F**K YOU!" answer to those inquiring ears. Restoring the sound established by the unassailable hat-trick gambit of their first three albums -- Dinosaur, You're Living All Over Me, and Bug -- Beyond continued the band's march into rock greatness by making old ears smile and new ears bleed afresh. And then came Farm, the 9th full length record by the original line-up: J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph. If Beyond was Dinosaur Jr.'s return to form, Farm is proof that Dinosaur Jr. could (and still do, to this day!) deliver timeless, exhilarating rock music. Farm encompasses Dinosaur Jr.'s signature palette: soaring and distorted guitar, unshakable hooks, honey-rich melodies. At times wholly 70's guitar-epic, at times perfect for sitting by a babbling brook with Joni and Neil, these songs get into your head and stay there, bouncing happily around. The ear-catching "Plans" is nearly seven minutes of classic whipped-topping rock dessert, while "I Don't Wanna Go There" is a meat-and-potatoes main dish, mixing unapologetic lead guitar with straight-ahead delivery a la James Gang or Humble Pie. This expanded deluxe edition of Farm features four songs never pressed to vinyl and never given worldwide release:"Houses", "Whenever You're Ready" (The Zombies Cover), "Creepies" (Instrumental), and "Show". "Whenever You're Ready", a cover of classic pop-rockers The Zombies, is impossibly good for a hidden gem; Murph stomps in with a sledgehammer to the kit, J and Lou layer low-end and fuzz like two halves of one brain, and right when things feel biggest, airy and colossal, there's J with a lightning bolt of a guitar solo. Pure electricity and melody like only he can make. Recorded in J Mascis' Bisquiteen studio in Amherst, Massachusetts, Farm was produced by Mascis himself, and delivers the singular, unique energy of one of America's greatest living rock bands.

AAA Gripper have seemingly dropped out of nowhere but the story goes back. The idea was conjured in the summer of 2023 at the first Wrong Speed Records festival in the town of Glastonbury. Inspired by a weekend of radical sounds and fine company a decision was made - 'let's try something'.
Recording hours and hours of bass and drums in deep Somerset then editing it down to a sharp and concise 32 minutes. From Can's Lost Tapes boxset to No Means No's 0+2=1 via a thousand song structure decisions. Wild guitar strafe and precise hyper vocal added. Nine tight tunes magically appeared. The band raised a glass of tea. The band was born. The 'something' had worked.
We Invented Work For The Common Good is a deep dive into the world of the working person. How we end up. Why we climb onto the conveyer belt and never get off. The front cover is one of many of the same photo taken every day, on the walk to work, the dark mills looming - KEEP THEM BUSY, THEY WON'T RISE UP.
Music is therapy. They think it's part of the bread and circuses. We know it's armour. We know it's weaponry.
Gigs being planned.

The long-rumored, sweat-soaked live album from the night Bill Davis (Dash Rip Rock) and Fred Le Blanc (Cowboy Mouth) dared Jello Biafra to join them during Jazzfest and sing all classic New Orleans soul, rhythm and blues, and (at Jello's request) garage songs! Joining in were piano Wildman Pete Wet Dawg' Gordon (Mojo Nixon), Pepper Keenan (Down, Corrosion of Conformity) and a wacky horn section from Egg Yolk Jubilee and Morning 40 Federation that even includes a sousaphone! You want loose We got loose! You want crazy That's here, too. Walk on Jindal's Splinters is one of the all-time great you are there' high-energy live albums—audience participation galore, plenty of trademark Jello banter, and full-on soul / trash / frat / garage gumbo from eleven of New Orleans' finest, just playing their asses off and having a good time doing it. The album also showcases a whole 'nother side of Jello Biafra: his deep, pre-punk roots known only to a handful of vinyl junkies and anyone lucky enough to catch his DJ gigs. For all those whose interest in Jello goes beyond the punk persona to Jello Biafra, the singer, this is for you. Maximum trash appeal! Southern roadhouse debauchery at its finest! Calls to mind those sing-along, clap-along frat-rock platters from The Premiers to The Kingsman to Geno Washington's Hipsters, Flipsters... series, Swingin' Medallions, or even Slade Alive! You can almost feel the grease and voodoo dripping from the walls!" Showcases a rarely seen side of Jello—his pre-punk roots. Personnel includes members of Dash Rip Rock, Cowboy Mouth, Mojo Nixon, Corrosion of Conformity, etc. Vinyl includes digital download card

The East Sussex three piece take a sidestep to their country punk debut. The revamped sound is gritty and raw, with basslines that rumble with unfiltered intensity and drums that drive each track with pounding, relentless energy. The dark twang elements have not disappeared but if you break the surface you will find a restless undercurrent of electronic rhythms, adding complexity and tension. Andrew J Davies’ baritone vocals help answer the question you never knew you needed to ask. What would Lee Hazlewood guesting on a Leftfield track sound like?

The long-rumored, sweat-soaked live album from the night Bill Davis (Dash Rip Rock) and Fred Le Blanc (Cowboy Mouth) dared Jello Biafra to join them during Jazzfest and sing all classic New Orleans soul, rhythm and blues, and (at Jello's request) garage songs! Joining in were piano Wildman Pete Wet Dawg' Gordon (Mojo Nixon), Pepper Keenan (Down, Corrosion of Conformity) and a wacky horn section from Egg Yolk Jubilee and Morning 40 Federation that even includes a sousaphone! You want loose We got loose! You want crazy That's here, too. Walk on Jindal's Splinters is one of the all-time great you are there' high-energy live albums—audience participation galore, plenty of trademark Jello banter, and full-on soul / trash / frat / garage gumbo from eleven of New Orleans' finest, just playing their asses off and having a good time doing it. The album also showcases a whole 'nother side of Jello Biafra: his deep, pre-punk roots known only to a handful of vinyl junkies and anyone lucky enough to catch his DJ gigs. For all those whose interest in Jello goes beyond the punk persona to Jello Biafra, the singer, this is for you. Maximum trash appeal! Southern roadhouse debauchery at its finest! Calls to mind those sing-along, clap-along frat-rock platters from The Premiers to The Kingsman to Geno Washington's Hipsters, Flipsters... series, Swingin' Medallions, or even Slade Alive! You can almost feel the grease and voodoo dripping from the walls!" Showcases a rarely seen side of Jello—his pre-punk roots. Personnel includes members of Dash Rip Rock, Cowboy Mouth, Mojo Nixon, Corrosion of Conformity, etc. Vinyl includes digital download card

Risk/Reward is the brainchild of New York based, London-born underground music scene veteran and Archivio Records owner Daniel Dutts.

The label fuses leading contemporary artists, with iconic 90s producers to create a playful yet sophisticated sound, firmly focused on creating dance floor magic!

The first EP showcases rising Philadelphia talents Post Play (Sweater & John Raffaele), whose previous excursion on Small Moves became a much sought after cult classic.

Danger is what’s commonly known by DJs as a “sure thing”, guaranteed to get the most stubborn of crowds moving. A cheeky bass groove, quirky stabs, hip hop breaks and scratched vocals, create a vibe best described as “if DJ Premier made a track for Wiggle in the late 90s”

Go blends vintage Nu Groove style NYC house with progressive and techy elements to create a unique dancefloor monster. warping speed garage style sub bass combines with punchy stabs, lush pads, trippy synth leads and skippy, swinging drums, creating an atmospheric but driving track, that keeps you guessing til the very end.

Bushwacka! channels his Plank-era heyday to create a remix of Danger that delivers multiple “what the f#%k was that?” moments, as he takes you on a breakbeat voyage with crisp percussion, devastating low end, hypnotic ragga vocals and a didgeridoo no less! A reminder of the man’s genius and genre-defining sound.

What I Meant To Tell You merges warm, J Dilla style sampled chords, with punchy 808s, a deep and warm bassline, dreamy pads and enchanting male/female call and response vocals. Perfect for a warm up or deep in the afters.

With heavy support from the likes of Dyed Soundorom, Tini, Harry McCanna and more, the Post Play boys are ready to add another buy on sight record to their growing discography.

Even now, as he reaches his eighth decade, with a lifetime of accolades and a
seminal body of music behind him, Robin Trower is still chasing the biggest
high he knows
It always starts the same way, with a road-scuffed Fender Stratocaster and a revvedup Marshall amplifier, those skilful fingers exploring the fretboard until a riff sticks and
a new song ignites. And from the cultural flashpoint of Sixties London with Procol
Harum, through 1974's stadium- filling Bridge Of Sighs, right up to this year's
acclaimed Come And Find Me, it's these addictive moments of creation that have kept
the guitarist vital, relevant and contemporary while his peers trade on past glories.
"Some people say I'm driven, but I think it's just the love of doing it," reflects Trower of
a multi- million- selling solo catalogue fast approaching thirty releases (and that's
before you compute his collaborations with everyone from Jack Bruce to Bryan Ferry).
"I play guitar every day and just through messing around, ideas happen. I can never
feel the songs coming. But all of a sudden, you get a sliver of an idea and you think,
'Oh, what's this...?'"

2005's Naturally was a pivotal moment in the history of soul music. It was the first Daptone album tracked at the renowned "House of Soul", a recording studio handbuilt by Sharon and the rest of the Daptone family in a two story rental in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The album has gone on to sell over 200,000 records, with hit singles "How Long Do I Have To Wait?" and "This Land is Your Land" streaming in the hundreds of millions- staggering figures for a wholly independent release.

Up to this point Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings had yet to reach an audience outside of dingy, hole-in-the-wall clubs, dive bars, and underground DJ parties, attended by only the most in-the-know. This was the scene where the band began to flourish, developing the sound that would forever alter the musical landscape and set a lofty new bar for what could be considered real-deal soul music. It made Daptone a household name and opened doors for countless musicians and record labels to come. Naturally sparked a renaissance that is still vibrating today- a testament to Sharon Jones' legacy as the undisputed, reigning Queen of Heavyweight Soul.

“In my category, I’m the one and only,” proclaimed Oakland legend Too $hort on his 1990 single “Short But Funky.” Few disagreed then, and even fewer would do so decades later. First appearing in the mid-1980s, slinging homemade tapes out of his car trunk, the man born Todd Shaw has always stayed true to himself. Although he is known more for the dirty side of his rap game, on “Short But Funky,” he also reminds listeners of an important fact: “There’s a serious side to everything I say.” Short Dog’s In The House, was $hort’s sixth studio album, and his second for the Jive label. By the time it hit, he was a West Coast legend, but his rep was growing Eastwards, as the rest of the country started opening its ears to new sounds. Peaking at #20 on the national Billboard 200 chart, the album was exactly what his dedicated fans expected funky, 70s drenched beats made for cars on the boulevard, and no nonsense lyrics that made more sense and dropped more knowledge than he was ever given credit for. For examples of his conscious side, look no further than the P-Funk fueled “It’s Your Life” or the album’s lead single, “The Ghetto.” The album’s second single “Short But Funky” landed somewhere in the middle of $hort and Todd Shaw, talking about where he was at as the new decade broke, and making it clear that he wasn’t going anywhere. His mortality was mainly on his mind after rumors had surfaced the year before that he had died in a crack house. He speaks directly to this crazy episode on “Dead Or Alive.” And although it’s mostly a solo affair, he brings in some heavy artillery and a lot of not for the kids profanity on “Ain’t Nothin’ But A Word To Me,” featuring none other than Ice Cube In between, $hort distributed plenty of tales and charisma for fans to eat up, continuing to build his legendary status as one of the rap trailblazers of the era. Get On Down has repressed this 1990 Bay Area classic album on Blue and Ruby Color-In-Color vinyl

Elipsis is the convergence of three musical personalities deeply rooted with one foot in the tradition and one foot in the future. Pedrito Martínez (Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Sting, Wynton Marsalis), master percussionist, Yoruba priest, and one of the iconic voices of Cuba, seamlessly weaves Afro-Cuban tradition with an innovative approach to every project he touches. Mexico City-bred Antonio Sánchez is equally admired for his work as a solo artist (with guest appearances by people like Thom Yorke, Trent Reznor, and Dave Matthews), sideman (Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Avishai Cohen), drummer for the Pat Metheny Group for almost two decades, and Oscar-nominated film scorer (Birdman). Michael League is best known as the founder of the 5-time Grammy-winning, Texas-born instrumental music ensemble Snarky Puppy, but has spent the majority of his career producing records by artists like David Crosby, Youssou N’Dour, Susana Baca, Silvana Estrada, and Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. The result of these three musicians is future folklore- a delicate balance of each member’s roots and the insatiable desire to push the tradition into places one can only imagine.

Rinse France branches out with a brand new label of its own and who better to inaugurate it than Paris-based Beatrice M. The producer makes a knowing nod to dubstep's golden era on this debut with the first version of 'Magic.' It is built on steppy rhythms with seriously wobbling basslines that are all-consuming. Glitchy effects and shimmering synths finish it in style and leave you dreaming of dubstep dances gone by. The B-side is a Techno Mix that reimagines the original with a driving four-on-the-floor rhythm and plenty of richly atmospheric pads.

Rico Nasty returns with a new studio album, LETHAL due out May 16th on Fueled by Ramen (Atlantic Music Group).

Rico Nasty is known for her own particular brand of rage-rap and for her outrageous on-stage, online, volume-up persona. But as she grew up, she started to feel trapped by the character she created. LETHAL is a reckoning of who Rico is at 27 with the trap-pop teen persona she created more than a decade ago. Executive produced by GRAMMY nominated producer Imad Royal, the album still features all the hallmarks of a Rico Nasty record - female rage, heavy guitars, humor - but there are also notes of femininity,

introspection and a more complex framing of all the angles of Rico - the performer, the mother, the adult.

LETHAL is Rico Nasty’s third studio album following her debut album, Nightmare Vacation and her 2022 follow-up to Las Ruinas.

"Music was his passion. His life, his love_ his all." Book-ended by the two parts that make up the album's centrepiece, "Opus Imperfectus", Maestro is Magic Pie's long-awaited 6th studio album, years in the making... "Maestro! Where did you go? People ask and I need to know." Does life imitate art, or is it the other way around? Magic Pie is a Norwegian progressive rock band formed in 2001, known for their intricate compositions, symphonic arrangements, and blend of vintage and modern influences. Highly regarded in the international prog community, Magic Pie's music explores themes of introspection, existentialism, and human emotion. Drawing inspiration from bands like Dream Theater, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Kansas, Deep Purple, Yes and many more - their music incorporates complex time signatures, lush keyboards, and dynamic guitar work, mixing elements of symphonic rock, jazz, and even folk. Fronted by the charismatic Icelandic singer and lyricist Eirikur Hauksson and "maestro-mind" & composer Kim Stenberg, Magic Pie continues to strive for higher & bigger musical conquests. "Follow your vision, fulfill your dream".

This was Don Thigpen's first recording as an artist, but he was no stranger to the studio. In fact he was the individual behind many heavy tunes that came out of the Jackson area. He and good friend Sam Anderson also cut a record on his CJR labelb (Capitol Jackson Records) called "Shirley Baby", also a highly coveted record if you got a copy to sell or record let us know). The name "LEO" became Dons preforming pseudonym. Leo was also his zodiac sign, which he deemed edgy enough to marquee this electro heavy track "Fee Fi Fo Fum". The inspiration for the song came from the computer craze of the 80s. Much like Zapp & Roger's track "Computer Love" an inanimate object is worshipped and then romanticized by a love affair. The song literally depicts a computer falling in love with a woman and attempts to communicate with her by seductively flashing the words "Fee Fi Fo Fum" on the screen.

Eleven is a magic number in many cultures, for us maybe it is… or not, anyway our eleventh release is going to be something special with vinyl again as the main format after some only digital releases.

The man in charge of production duties is well known for crafting merciless techno exercises all over the place, RNGD is not a newcomer at all, his roots come from the late nineties and you can somehow feel that into his modern tunes.

These four cuts have a strong link with the classic Birmingham school, Regis,
Downwards, Female, Surgeon… but with a personal and unique twist.

Direct Source is a clear example of what I mentioned before, a few elements are enough to make the funk happen: a solid sequence, proper drums and a hypnotic arrangement.

Same approach on 037, proper neural funk with basic elements administered properly. B side opens with Degradation, again with the same mantra, anabolic, gymnastic and physical.

To close the release Diabólica, providing the mental slice of the pie with the
occasional pad and vocal samples but yet energetic and direct to the floor.

This is the true spirit of techno, don’t be fooled for the new trends. Timeless is the word here.

Text by Luis Rozalén / Hd Substance

First studio album in 11 years for Normandy-based, English psychedelic folk
musician/painter, Mark Fry
When 19-year-old Mark Fry recorded his debut album 'Dreaming With Alice' for RCA
sublabel, "It" in Italy in 1971, little did he know that it would become a much-soughtafter, much -bootlegged "acid folk" classic three decades later, with millions of Spotify
plays. Fry, an acclaimed painter in the interim, returned to making music in 2008 and
has released three more acclaimed studio albums - this, 'Not On The Radar,' is the
fourth. These days, far less "acid" than in his youth, Fry still knows his way around a
beautiful melody. The new album, recorded with musician friends at his Normandy
home studio and produced by David Sheppard (Ellis Island Sound/ State River
Widening) is resplendent with love songs, the beauty of nature and the passing of
time.
Full press, radio, online PR campaign both in the UK and in the EU, handled by Big
Mouth Publicity. Mark plays a very rare London show, as an album launch, with full
band, on the day of release, at Stone Nest, Shaftsbury Avenue, London. He will also
perform at A Celebration Of The Incredible String Band, Southbank Centre, London on
20th Sept (alongside Sam Amidon, Junior Brother, Daisy Rickman and more.
Reviews in Mojo and Uncut (with interview) confirmed for month of release. News/
features online : Click Roll Boo, KLOF, Maximum Volume Music, Pipilo Pop, The Pop
Corporation, White Light/White Heat (Italy). Playlisted : Rockambula, Foxy Lady

"Kindred spirits and loyal soldiers on the frontlines of the dub war Detroit's 2Lanes and Los Angeles' Cromie link up to present to the world, Destiny Cloud. With a project name inspired by a mystical vacant storefront in Cromie's neighborhood of Altadena (still standing after the fires, bless), the guys formed like a storm after being intro'd by a notorious LA promoter and hotboy producer matchmaker. Funnily enough, the first session was foiled by a missing cable, so it wasn't until the sexy summer of 2023 that the cloud seeds that went on to become Sun Phase/Moon Phase were planted. From the jump, their vision was lucid and their objective collective: lock in at the stu(s) to make the most jiggy, psychedelic, tripped out club shit they could muster. Fast forward to today, Destiny Cloud is proud to bring you the latest missive on 2Lanes' Auto Shop imprint.

On the A side, Sun Phase sets it off with searing stabs from the hands of session killer Ji Hoon on a heavenly Jupiter-8 (sorry not sorry, the real thing does sound better) before a bassline straight off the Adriatic's Argonaughty comes in to funk up the flow over a bed swung hi-hats and drum circle conga lines the Wickedest west coast house heads can appreciate (no hippy shit, but we ARE on Hipp-E's dick). A keep-it-simple-stupid *muah' organ line plays nice with a gang of embellishments to take this one through its duration (Joey pressed record and said "ooh-wah" into the vocoder; no lie, I was there). With his Toxic Love remix, NYC upstart DJ John Brooklyn injects the tune with the highest grade octane to up the revs. The aforementioned organ becomes a timeless trance lead, and new pipes are inserted reminding us all that house music is forever.

Day turns to night on the B Side with Moon Phase, where booming kicks let you know off the rip that this is some real deal late night trunk funk. We're talking dualities here y'all; Cromie's deep-as-the-Pacific bassline meets Joey's frozen-lake-cold Detroit stabs as the drums speak in tongues with those on the other side of the slab. Reverb ghosts and rhythmic acid have this one veering more psychedelic without losing the jiggy factor, while diving proggy synths will have the Global Underground saying, "yea this is our shit, for real." With a run time that allows for maximum fun time, the ambient outro gives you a kiss on the forehead to put that ass to sleep. The iconic DJ Miss Parker takes the wheel on the remix, taking this one straight down the Tunnel with new-school/true-school Tenaglia-isms that wouldn't sound out of place in 2000, 2005 or 2025.

Like all the work we do, this one's a team effort. Salar Ansari put's his deft touch on the mixdowns and Jack Anderson blesses the center of both sides of the disc. Out mid-May, just in time for when things start heating up

Sonic Interventions is a diaspora-futuristic band of interdisciplinary artists from five continents. Emerged in 2020 from the transcultural Berlin Jazz scene, the group unites diverse languages, instruments, rhythms and dance for collective meditation and healing, improvisation and groove.

Since then, the band has established itself as one of Berlin's most acclaimed underground Jazz collectives. Known for inclusive live spectacles, in which moments of meditation and trance rise into heavy grooves, traditional rhythms of the African and Latin American continents coalesce with urban styles such as Hip Hop, Trap and House. The band combines poetry and dance inspired by the cosmos, ancient alchemy and world mythologies.

It's 2022. The world lockdown is finally over. Imagine a picturesque lake in Tuscany. Now imagine a floating state of the art studio on that lake with two maverick rock icons creating a wild, alchemical concept album: Hugo Race, frontman of Australian post-punk legends The Wreckery and guitarist for the Bad Seeds and leader of True Spirit and Fatalists, and Gianni 'Marok' Maroccolo, producer of Italian alternative music and film soundtracks since the 1980s Florence darkwave scene with Litfiba, CSI & CCCP. Together, they fuse an existential narrative made up of individual stories in the style of Boccaccio's Decameron with psychedelic soundscapes framed by experimental electronica, rock instrumentation and decades of experience as cutting edge musicians and studio producers to bring you an album that defies categorization - The Vigil… "We all knew the situation was inauspicious, the planets lined up overhead like a firing squad and this empty silence roaming around our town, cut off from the other mountain towns by an electrical blackout. Without power, there was no way of knowing what was happening anywhere else. Left alone with our thoughts until help came from outside, a group of us gathered around a blazing fire in the abandoned city hall, feeding it with documents and broken furniture. Scientific progress had long told us we were parcels of dumb atoms and that consciousness and the soul were merely human projections. Now science had failed itself..."

If you're reading this you will probably already know that this Cruise Music series has been full of gold over the previous instalments. Whoever is in charge for curation has pulled it off again with four more funky and disco infused house gems. Keller's opener is a classy mix of filtered vocals and drum loops with an aching soul edge. Mark Funk offers a more party starting disco bumper with classic vocal hooks and Danny Cruz takes things onto a summer terrace with glorious horns and uplifting grooves. Makito shuts down with the dusty deep house shuffles and party atmospheres of 'Jackin With Millie.'

Amber Broos, the rising star of Belgium's techno scene, has released a thrilling remake of the iconic anthem 'Arpegia'. Originally released in 1995 by Belgian dance act The Mackenzie, this legendary track has captivated clubgoers for decades and earned its place as a true cult classic. Amber Broos, known for her dynamic fusion of techno and Belgian retro influences, breathes new life into 'Arpegia' with a powerful, energy-infused version on the Belgian label Serious Beats Classics. Her reimagined version for a new generation of dance music lovers features an epic breakdown, driving beats, and an electrifying intensity that cements her reputation as the next-generation artist to watch. With this bold and electrifying remake, Amber Broos continues to carve her path as one of the most promising female artists in the electronic music scene.

Amber Broos: "'Arpegia' is a track that has shaped Belgium's dance scene, and I'm honoured to bring it back to life with my own twist. It's a tribute to the past, but also a vision of the future."

At just 22 years old, Amber Broos is already a force to be reckoned within the global electronic music industry. She has made waves with her radio shows on Belgium's leading station Studio Brussel and Tomorrowland's One World Radio, and has become a favourite among fans for her energetic performances and happy dance vibes. Her impact was undeniable at Tomorrowland Belgium, where she not only hosted her own stage at the Atmosphere tent but also performed on the iconic Mainstage for the second time in her career - a historic moment as the youngest female DJ ever to achieve this milestone.

Heady house label Courtesy Of Balance only releases music that you know will stand the test of time. It is informed by the classic schools of deepness but always with a modern touch and unique character, and next to carry that torch is Ostrich aka Nadir Agha. He's in charge of curation at Montreal's legendary Stereo Club and shows his class here with opener 'Snake Charmer' which is built on a dynamic groove foundation and embellished with wispy pads that take your mind on a wander. 'Promiscuous' is heavy, dubby house stripped back to the core essentials and perfectly executed. 'Buttered Up' is a little more mobile but embellished with nothing chords and smoky vocal soul and 'Broken Science' closes with a brilliant broken beat flourish that is full of jazzy invention.

We all know that great feeling of finding a hidden gem as diggers, but as a label, it’s just the same ! When we came across Urban CC’s music, we just knew we had something special in our hands… We’re happy to welcome the exciting new project formed by techno heavy weight Obscure Shape & classically trained musician Conrad for get-traum’s 15th installment. With the amount of requests label head Traumer had every time he played “Mana”, delivering his own take of this club hit was the only option – we hope you’ll enjoy this incredible pack as much as we did gathering it for you !

Teal’s debut LP, Original Watercolour, is an album that feels like a canvas come to life. A sonic blend of street-soul, digi-dub, and downtempo. Original Watercolour explores the complexities of love, oneness, and intuition — themes that resonate deeply within the context of the history women have shared with what was once known as the “ladies’ medium.”

The bi-coastal family trio—Ashleigh and Melissa Ball, better known as the Ball Sisters, alongside producer N1_SOUND—bring a fresh, genre-defying sound to the table with their latest 6-track album. Running just under 30 minutes, this immersive collection weaves together skipping beats, addictive bass lines, three-dimensional flute textures & emotional vocal melodies. This musical portrait is as ethereal as it is powerful, inviting the listener to get lost in its depths while celebrating the beauty of self-expression.

The opening track, “Original Watercolour,” takes you on a psychedelic trip-hop journey. From the first reverberous snare hit, you’re whisked away to a sonic wetland — lush and euphoric. The soft yet poignant soundscapes set the tone for the album, inviting us into a world where the boundaries between earth and music, reality and imagination, automatically seem to blur.

“Locked In 2 Love” offers a boogie-fueled bassline that pushes Teal into dance-floor territory with soaring flutes and rhythmic intricacies that make it impossible not to move — it’s a track that exemplifies the magic of Teal’s ability to craft both intimate and expansive musical landscapes. And then, there’s the hypnotic flow of “One In The Same,” where stacked vocal harmonies and mantra-esque lyrics transport you to a place that could easily be mistaken for a lost Soulquarians demo. It’s gentle yet unrelenting in its depth.

The second side of the album opens with “Sleep on It,” a track that immediately grabs attention with its dancehall-driven rhythm. Ashleigh Ball's vocals set the stage for a song that’s both introspective and emotionally charged, yet unmistakably rooted in groove. The phased-out bassline creates an almost hypnotic atmosphere. Pulling the listener into a mood of contemplation—matching the restless, sleepless night that Ball describes. As the song progresses, this groove builds in intensity, culminating in an explosive ending that mirrors the emotional release of a long-held frustration.

Original Watercolour is more than just an album — it’s a meditation on the interconnectedness of life and art. “Frog Kingdom,” the longest and only instrumental track creates a contemplative space that builds upon the themes introduced earlier. It feels like a sequel to their earlier work, Frog Legacy from their debut Bluish Green 2024 12”, expanding on the familiar sound with even more complex layers.

Yet the real emotional power of the record lies in its closing track, “Can’t Shake the Feeling.” Simple in structure but profound in impact, this song captures a deep yearning and understanding — that everything, from the ecosystems we inhabit to the relationships we nurture and the art we create, is fundamentally interconnected. As the track crescendos in a falsetto peak, it becomes clear that the album is a reflection of both the world around us and the personal journey each member of the band has embarked upon to get to this point.

Just as the medium of watercolor has been traditionally linked to women artists, Teal carries this legacy into the modern musical landscape, blending the richness of history with a unique forward-thinking perspective. The album feels like both a celebration of the past and a bold declaration of a path forward — one that welcomes anyone ready to join in and shape the future of the art form.

The beauty of Teal’s work is that it feels familiar, while simultaneously offering something new and refreshing. Original Watercolour doesn’t just push musical boundaries; it redefines them, offering a lush and textured soundtrack for those willing to listen closely.

In a world that often feels over-saturated, Original Watercolour stands as a reminder of the power of simplicity, intuition, and connection. Teal’s debut album invites you to experience something both deeply personal and universally understood. The landscapes they create are vivid, yet soft, grounding yet expansive. With each track, Teal’s music reflects the interconnectedness of all things — a truly unique piece of work in the world of experimental soul and dub adjacent electronic music.

Rising and falling. We all live in the same pond. Peace to all.

Many of the greatest artists of all time found inspiration in their dreams... and pdqb is known to be an absolute pro when it comes to creatively exploiting the REM cycles.

Recently, for example, he dreamed of Gunnar, who had witnessed the rise and fall of electronic dance music, which had once held simple-minded creatures in its thrall. The beats had a peculiar effect on them, drawing them into euphoric trances. But Gunnar, allergic to its hypnotic frequencies, stood apart, unaffected. However, eventually, in a hidden enclave in the highlands of Reykjavík, he met Dr. Amara El-Amin, a neuroscientist fascinated by his unique immunity. Together, they discovered that Gunnar's resistance was a gift, offering insights into human consciousness and the power of music. With this knowledge, Gunnar inspired a global movement celebrating frequencies that resonate...differently. Though EDM had become a relic, Gunnar Oliasson remained a legend - a bad taste survivor who embraced a symphony of pure electrical potential, a language of circuits and oscillations beyond sound.

He woke with a jolt, the phantom music still echoing in his mind. He scribbled furiously, equations and diagrams mixing with strange, abstract notations. The dream, he knew, was a glimpse into a world where his inventions would dance, not just function.

For Synaptic Cliffs, it is an extraordinary honor to be able to offer you, dear listeners, the soundtrack of pdqb's world-changing dream: Four beautiful genre-defining Electrocognition tracks, embracing the depths of the human wetware. And three jaw-dropping sonic remodels from a human-like being called The Exaltics.