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Montreal indie rock trio Plants and Animals announce "The Jungle", their fifth studio album set to be released October 23rd via Secret City Records. Their shortest album yet and certainly their boldest, "The Jungle" is eight acts in a world full of noise. The album is auto-produced and was recorded at Mixart, their studio in Montreal. The band explains : "We started working on this a couple of years ago. Warren was afraid for a friend's health. He thought he was self-medicating too much and not taking care of himself. He couldn't let go of this image of an overworked dude swallowing too many sleeping pills and falling asleep with the stove on. So it began as the place next door, sometime before Greta Thunberg turned the expression into a rallying cry, where Earth is the house and the people are sleeping. It's terrifying, and on the whole we're not unlike this friend, are we?" "The Jungle" starts with electronic drums that sound like insects at night. A whole universe comes alive in the dark. It's beautiful, complex and unsettling. Systematic and chaotic. All instinct, no plan. Voices taunt,"yeah yeah yeah." This tangled time in which we find ourselves is reflected back in shadows. Every song is such a landscape. The first one grinds to a halt and you become a kid looking out a car window at the moon, wondering how it's still on your tail as you speed past a steady blur of trees. You watch a house go up in a yellow strobe that echoes the disco weirdness of Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer and David Bowie. You get pummelled by a rhythm then set free by a sudden change of scenery_the wind stops, clarity returns. You're under a streetlight in Queens, soft-focus, slow motion, falling in love. You speak French now too, in case you didn't already. Bienvenue. These are personal experiences made in a volatile world, and they reflect that world right back at us, even by accident. There's one song Nic sings to his teenage son who was dealing with climate change anxiety and drifting into uncharted independence. The band carries it out slowly together into a sweet blue horizon. Warren wrote the words to another shortly after losing his father. It's about the things we inherit not necessarily being the things we want. In a broader sense, that's where a lot of people find themselves right now.

CLIQUE exists not as a traditional band but as a forum for radical discourse within hardcore's landscape. Formed in 2022 in California with members spanning the Bay Area and Los Angeles, CLIQUE has quickly made a name for itself through an undeniably vicious live show and a depth that's been long missing from the scene. In a world increasingly defined by individual recognition, CLIQUE operates anonymously, rejecting the spotlight in favor of their message and finding strength in collective struggle.

Unlike many of their contemporaries, CLIQUE was formed with explicit political intent. In an era where hardcore’s content has drifted toward toothless posturing, they aim to reintroduce radical thought into a scene that has lost much of its subversive edge. Drawing from influences spanning Crass to Neurosis, Earth Crisis to MBV, they forge a sound that defies easy categorization while undoubtedly belonging to hardcore.

CLIQUE isn't interested in raising awareness for impotent establishment causes or upholding the system. Their vision extends beyond reform to revolution - the dismantling of structures that exploit people, degrade cultures and destroy the earth. Each show is an invitation for people of all walks of life to participate, a reminder that hardcore’s true strength lies in the connection of everybody in the room, erasing the boundary between stage and crowd.

As they put it: "This is a prayer for those we've lost along the way. This is a celebration of our liberation to come. This is a eulogy for the state and its worthless existence." In an increasingly commercialized hardcore landscape, CLIQUE stands apart - anonymous, uncompromising, and unwavering in their conviction that another world is possible. The message is clear: no one is coming to save us, we can only make our own future, together. This music is both a reflection of our hellish reality and an invitation to imagine and create something better. Clique up. Say nothing.

Calling All Captains have built a reputation for turning personal struggle into explosive, emotionally charged punk rock. Blending post-hardcore grit with the melodic urgency of pop-punk and alt-rock, the Edmonton-based band delivers music that’s as volatile as it is vulnerable. Their upcoming EP, The Things That I’ve Lost (out January 9, 2026 via New Damage Records), is their most personal and sonically refined work to date. Recorded at The Audio Department in Edmonton, Alberta with longtime collaborator and producer Quinn Cyrankiewicz, the seven-track release features a standout co-write on “Blood for Blood” with world-acclaimed songwriter Tom Denney (A Day to Remember, Pierce the Veil, Neck Deep, etc.) Mastered by Stuart McKillop at Rain City Recorders, the EP explores burnout, grief, and the quiet collapse of identity; capturing a band reckoning with itself in real time: honest, raw, and entirely unfiltered. “This is the most personal release we’ve ever put out,” says Gauthier. “These songs came from a place of reflecting on everything we’ve been through, personally and as a band. It’s raw, but it’s real. And I think people will feel that.”

Mesh-mainstay Jinjé teams up with A. Montane for a collaborative EP born out of live improvised sessions, and composed over the period of a year.

Taking a slowed approach to the production of Neon Garden EP, the two hardware aficionados met sporadically for live jam sessions - an homage to the importance of not rushing the process, and letting ideas build over time. Each session consisted of an intense burst of musical propositions followed by a careful editing framework, giving space for each moment to flourish. Oscillating between moments of catharsis and intense rhythmic play, the EP merges disparate musical sources into exciting new structures.

‘Ikeya Seki’ launches with glistening arpeggiations and subaquatic frequencies that interact over UKG-adjacent drums. ‘Vrem’ marches to a slow-stepping half time beat, building through yearning vocals before breaking down into a storm of pointillistic percussion. On ‘Yū’, rich melodies and bouncy, bass-led rhythms dance below chopped up vocals. Closing things off, ‘Velvet People’ builds a spatial setting with bells ricocheting through malfunctioning flutters.

A nod to the joys of improvisation, Neon Garden EP takes the spirit of spontaneity and lays out new structures for its ideas to grow.

This album is both a musical and political document that tells the story of one of the most brutal massacres that took place in 1976 in a Palestinian refugee camp during the Lebanese Civil War. Pianist Gaetano Liguori, along with Giulio Stocchi and Demetrio Stratos (the legendary singer of the band Area), composed this album, a gut-wrenching blend of free jazz, poetry, and Mediterranean music. The first edition was released in 1978 and, after almost 50 years, unfortunately, nothing seems to have changed. If we call ourselves human, we cannot help but grieve for the suffering of the Palestinian people. This is the third edition of the album, and as with the previous releases, all proceeds will go to charity. This time, we have chosen to donate the funds to UNRWA.

The notion of home isn’t precise, even a dictionary will offer multiple definitions. A home can be a place where you live, a place where you belong, where you originate from or a place where you’re given care; it can be a physical space, a land, a people or even a person. The concept isn’t completely universal, but everyone possesses a unique idea of what home means to them. On her fifth album, Ziúr considers not just what home symbolizes from her perspective, but the word’s resonance to the diverse community that surrounds her, and how their stories have impacted her over the years. Indeed, it’s the first time she’s felt it necessary to examine her own nationality. In the past, she’s deliberately avoided labelling herself as German, feeling disconnected from her country’s politics, culture and even the German language itself. In 2025, the idea of Germanness is in flux and progressives are under attack from all sides. The country’s politics aren’t only being turned inward by the growing throng of far-right voices, but by scared moderates, opportunists and those blinded by comfort, willing to ignore hatred to maintain their privilege. Stepping up to provide a different narrative, Ziúr scours her soul, writing and singing in German for the first time and proposing growth and evolution, not fear and regression. “I never considered being part of Germany,” she explains. “But I am.”

A solemn mood permeates the album’s opening track ‘Brown is the Color’, and Ziúr sings in measured, slow-motion breaths over noisy synth oscillations and doomed piano flourishes. Already, it’s a significant departure from her last run of releases, veering away from the frenetic, satirical chaos of 2023’s Hakuna Kulala-released ‘Eyeroll’ or its fantastical, dubby predecessor ‘Antifate’. Ziúr pulls on real world insights here, tracing her oldest, dearest musical inspirations to present her origins to anybody who might be listening. “Cold world is holding up,” she laments with a metallic crunch. “To let go of your heart, let me go.” And her voice emerges from the shadows completely on ‘Tame’; unprocessed, Ziúr sounds naked and vulnerable on ‘Tame’, curving her precise words around broken, lopsided rhythms and jangling new wave guitars. It’s pop music in its own way, inverted and reconstructed to fit snugly into her well-established sonic landscape. On ‘No Yawn’, brittle, downsampled hi-hats and industrial scrapes ping-pong around distorted riffs, provided by James Ó Ceallaigh aka WIFE; “You fail to sugarcoat your half-ass attempt,” she deadpans, “to build your promised wonderland on quicksand.” Even the beatless ‘All Odds No Chants’, a collaboration with Elvin Brandhi and Sara Persico, reveals another room in Ziúr’s autobiographical suite, mirroring György Ligeti’s enduringly influential choral works with its gnarled, dissonant vocal harmonies.

Stank In Here
Have no fear, the stank is here! Temu & Mofak are bringing it with their new single “Stank In Here”. Serving as a long-awaited follow-up to their first collaboration back in 2015, “On the Come Up”, the duo returns with an even smoother, soulful yet futuristic dance smash meticulously composed by Mofak for people of all ages to enjoy. Meanwhile, Temu addresses the listeners directly with a message of love and togetherness while echoing back to the era of EWF, Kool & The Gang, Zapp & Roger, and The Gap Band.

Heralds of the Stank
Temu is back on the scene with his new solo single “Heralds Of The Stank”. Temu recalls the first moments when the stank hit him personally and credits the ones who introduced him as its heralds — his parents — in an infectious funky tribute song. (Ever heard something so good it made you frown and pucker your lips while nodding your head? That’s the stank face!) Standing ten toes firm on his Funk roots, Temu both lyrically and musically draws inspiration from George Clinton, Sly & the Family Stone, Jackson 5, Prince, and James Brown. Be on the lookout for his upcoming album titled “HERALDS”.

The Cryovac machine operates independently to service the world with an original strain of techno. Our people are pioneers of their own sound and seasoned veterans of its' cause. This cause is the basis for our action and the motivation for our vinyl. Cryovac believes the vinyl format is the truest way to take in our music, and this is why we take great care to personally craft our own plates and photograph our own art. The Cryovac approach and stance make it a true oddity in a world of commodities, and we hope you realize, feel, and respect our work.

Andy Vaz is a rebel from the city of Cologne. He is a creator of techno labels that follow their own path and challenge the standard dogma. His version of the techno sound has gone from stark and funky minimalism to synth cascades and housey feels. Andy Vaz is the perfect choice to collaborate with Andy Garcia. Garcia's brand crunchy soul tech mixed with vocal nonsense is the yin to Vaz's yang. These like minds share a name, a spirit, and a drive to keep moving forward no matter the cost.

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

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

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

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

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

Teddy is the accumulation of past projects. Swims stands for: someone who isn’t me sometimes, a reference to Teddy’s struggle to integrate the different parts of himself. For Teddy, the goal is to break barriers and bring people together. About the project, Teddy says, “There are no categories, no stereotypes, no statistic is a definite number. Until we learn to see every person as an individual, we will never truly reach unity.”

The tapes for “Ronnie McNeir Makes A Move” were found in Mickey Stevenson’s extensive master tape collection. A full new LP of classic McNeir is an absolute treat for his many soul fans; particularly in Europe where he is so admired.
Ronnie recorded over twenty tracks with Mickey Stevenson’s production company in 1971. Eleven of these were featured on his RCA LP “Ronnie McNeir”, but another ten were left in the vaults.

The title track, ‘Let’s Make A Move’ is an urgent, exciting funk sound, composed with Ronnie’s frequent writing partner, Andre Moore. ‘I’m Sorry’ is an earlier version of ‘Gone Away’ which featured on the 1972 RCA “Ronnie McNeir” LP, without the female singer’s vocal response track.
‘Say You’ is the Motown song first recorded by the Monitors in 1965. It has a more laid-back treatment here, giving it a whole new dimension. We issued the single version on a Kent Select 45 in 2022; both versions are featured on the CD. Another re-envisaged Motown number is ‘The Girl’s Alright With Me’ which features Hodges, James, Smith & Crawford’s backing vocals − as do other tracks on this album. Surprisingly, Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowing In The Wind’ is also covered; in a pleasing, jaunty treatment.

‘My Day Will Come’ is a slow-burning number Ronnie co-wrote with his wife Mona. It is one he is particularly proud of and has been picked up by modern soul DJs as a potential crossover hit. ‘Tell Your Mama’ is a sensuous, Marvin Gaye-influenced groove, while ‘East Side, West Side’ is more streetwise, dealing with the social problems that face many young people.

As a multi-instrumentalist, heavily influenced by jazz, it comes as no surprise that Ronnie would record two jazz / soul instrumental jams which he simply named ‘Ronnie’s Bag #1’ and ‘Ronnie’s Bag #2’. The tracks are keyboard-lead, piano and possibly organ – or more likely one of the early synthesisers that Ronnie pioneered. ‘Ronnie’s Bag #1’ is more jazz-oriented, while ‘Ronnie’s Bag #2’ goes funky.

“Godzilla just walked into the room. People just stood there with their eyes and mouths wide open.” To hear Randy Holden describe the audience’s reaction in 1969 to his solo debut performing with a teeth-rattling phalanx of 16 (sixteen!) 200 watt Sunn amps is about as close as one will get to truly experience the moment heavy metal music morphed into existence. However, at last Riding Easy have unearthed the proper fossil record. Population II, the now legendary, extremely rare album by guitarist / vocalist Holden and drummer / keyboardist Chris Lockheed is considered to be one of the earliest examples of doom metal.

Though its original release was a very limited in number and distribution, like all great records, its impact over time has continued to grow. In 1969, Holden, fresh off his tenure with proto-metal pioneers Blue Cheer (appearing on one side of the New! Improved! Blue Cheer album and touring for the better part of a year in the group), aimed for more control over his band. Thus, Randy Holden - Population II was born, the duo naming itself after the astronomical term for a particular star cluster with heavy metals present. “I wanted to do something that hadn’t been done before,” Holden explains. “I was interested in discordant sounds that could be melodic but gigantically huge. I rented an Opera house for rehearsal, set up with 16 Sunn amps. That’s what I was going for, way over the top.” And over the top it is. The six-song album delves into leaden sludge, lumbering doom and epic soaring riffs that sound free from all constraints of the era. It’s incredibly heavy, but infused with a melodic, albeit mechanistic, sensibility.

Troubles with the album’s release bankrupted Holden, who subsequently left music for over two decades. It was bootlegged several times over the years, but until now hasn’t seen a proper remaster and has yet to be available on digital platforms. “The original mastering just destroyed the dynamics of it,” Holden says. “They flattened it out. Now we got a really nice remaster that should be the closest thing to the original recording.”

2025 Repress

Eric Cloutier launched Palinoia three years ago with an EP from himself, and now he's back on his own imprint for the first solo production since then. His new EP combines the three sounds he's know for - "Apeirophobia" is a heady roller that takes a solid twist halfway through, "Eleutheromania" is a dubby jam that was inspired by listening to (and owning) a LOT of Sterac / Steve Rachmad records, and, rounding it out, "Madrugada" is a deep and etherial house groove that lends itself more towards my monthly DOWN here in Berlin than the jacking beats most people equate my sound with.

Hot on the heels of Luv (LuvLuv) comes a sublime new Drum Chums from midland's madlads Wrekin Havoc.
Over the years we've shared great tunes, fun times and A-grade dance floor debauchery with these permanent party people (our first encounter almost exactly like that Spiderman pointing meme) so it made more sense than we usually do to invite them aboard the V*nga bus for some Balearic-Disco edit excellence.

Things kick off with the sexy throb of 'Shine A Light', a stonewashed funk workout complete with Paisley guitars, Troutman bass grunts and some big time blue-eyed soul vocals. It's a bit like an extended and unheard collaboration between George Michael and Tears For Fears recorded immediately after a particularly heavy night at Future. Unsurprising perhaps that this one's been getting a whole lot of love from DJ Harvey.

'Mars Bar Party' grabs you by the hips from the first bar of its swaying Mediterranean house rhythm, then tugs at every single one of your heartstrings with melancholic pads and a silken vocal croon. Fuuuuuuckin' hell! Sorry, was totally bewitched by the primal power of piano house magic - it's like John Rocca was in the room for a second. Armed with an awesome arrangement and clocking in at ten massive minutes, this may be the ultimate Balearic house journey.

If all this wasn't enough to have you stocking up on 5-HTP and sinus rinse, those crafty cats close the set out with the shimmering disco euphoria of 'Leccy Meet Her'. The bottom end pulses endlessly, Cowley synths trill and a crystal clear Vox soar above, sending us far off into mirrorball orbit. If this isn't a hit at Horse Meat, we'll neck a bottle of poppers and never eat a tomato again.

Each and every track Wrekin Havoc touch is a pearler, but we're particularly chuffed with ourselves for snapping this top trio up.

100% Drum Fun Guaranteed. .

Back in 1988, disco rap aficionado and collector Dave Lee put together a compilation titled 'Back To The Old School', showcasing some of the best of the genre, most of which had never been issued before in the UK . Fast forward to 2025 and Dave's label Z Records has managed to procure the rights to a few choice old school cuts for a (sort of) follow up. The difference is this time Mr Lee has remixed and re-worked the songs for today's dancefloors while preserving their original flavour and integrity. In this first part of the series we have TJ Swann's 1981 jam 'Get Fly', re-tracked and taken into lo-slung yacht rock funk territory with a sizzling synth solo for good measure, a perfect compliment to TJ's smooth NYC flow. Terry Lewis & Wild Flower are up next on the A-side, with a boogie rich, mid-tempo stomper with a heavy funk bottom end and a message that still rings true in this day and age. Mike T's 'Do It Anyway You Wanna' finishes things up with a compulsive dose of jazz-tinged disco rap that goes straight for the jugular, super charged slap bass underpinning sharp sax and flute motifs while the rich tones of Mike T slide over the top. Dave Lee yet again providing a masterclass in production.

Wenn du zehn Jahre in die Vergangenheit reisen könntest, was würdest du deinem jüngeren Ich sagen wollen? Das war eine Frage, die sich Khruangbin selbst stellten, als sie sich dem zehnjährigen Jubiläum ihres Debütalbums näherten - dem einstigen Kultklassiker, der heute als genreprägend gilt: The Universe Smiles Upon You". Wenn wir zurückgehen und uns selbst sagen könnten, wie viel nach diesem Album auf uns zukommen würde, was würden wir feiern wollen?" fragte Laura Lee, Bassistin, Sängerin und Gründungsmitglied der Band. Stattdessen dachten sie: Lasst es uns noch einmal machen." The Universe Smiles Upon You ii" wurde vom 4. bis 6. Januar 2025 in derselben Familien-Scheune des Gitarristen Mark Speer aufgenommen, an denselben Tagen, an denen TUSUY vor zehn Jahren erstmals entstand. Obwohl die Bedingungen dieselben waren - Schmutzboden, brutal kalt, minimale Schalldämmung, alle Aufnahmen live - sind die Songs es nicht. Sie wurden neu angegangen, einige stärker verändert als andere, mit der eingefangenen Blitz-in-der-Flasche"-Energie des ursprünglichen Albums, während gleichzeitig entdeckt wurde, was diesmal einzigartig sein würde, in dieser Phase des Bandlebens. Das Ergebnis bewegt sich wie Wellen auf dem Wasser über zehn hypnotisierende Tracks, die Scheune erzeugt ein Gefühl von Weite, Gelassenheit und kreativer Freiheit, die nahegelegene Tierwelt ist hörbar (achtet auf die Vögel bei August Twelve ii"), ebenso das Knarren und Klappern der Scheune. Es ist ein Geflecht aus kleinen Bewegungen in nuancierten Arrangements, das langsam das neue Leben, die Geschichten und den Charakter von jemandem enthüllt, den man nach zehn Jahren wieder wie zum ersten Mal trifft.

Although humans possess language as a means of communication, We sometimes hurt each other simply by intending to. In war, bullets kill people. If we consider words to be like bullets, they can be violent and cause mental suffering. However, when communication causes problems, the only way to solve them is through more communication. I thought: wouldn't it be wonderful if those bullets could turn int flowers instead? In everyday life, when we talk, laugh and share moments with friends and family, Those moments can be transformed into flowers. Keeping this in mind, I created this album. (Hidetoshi Koizumi aka Hybrid Leisureland)

In November 2023, I played an event in Stockholm, put on by Bojan aka Boj Lucki, who runs a label called Bukva Sound, which I had done a remix for earlier that year. DJ Sofa was also on the lineup with me, as well as someone I had never heard of called Gustav Ejstes.

A lot of people I was talking to at the event and on the day were telling me about Gustav and how much of a spectacle it was that he would be DJing tonight, and explaining about a band he is a part of called Dungen (pronounced Doon-yen) which is very well known & respected in psychedelic rock.

I checked his set out and was very impressed by how confident he was with his vinyl mixing & selection, as well as some of the tracks on digital he was playing that I'd never heard before. I told him afterwards how much I enjoyed his set and he seemed quite happy about that, because he had been a long time vinyl buyer of my music & other releases on Future Retro London.

The day after, Bojan took me & DJ Sofa to meet Gustav at his home & we got to chat with him about music, see his record collection & hear some jungle/hardcore tracks that he had been making. Turns out a lot of the tracks I liked from his set that I'd not recognised were ones that he made!

I thought it'd be really cool to be able to release some of them as he's never put anything out like this & since he's a fan of the label, so I asked if he'd up for it and here we are!

Big thanks to Gustav for the wicked music, his manager Oskar for his co-operation in helping to put his release together, to Bojan for introducing me to Gustav's work & to The Tribes for doing the artwork.

(What’s The Story) Morning Glory? Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition featuring newly unplugged versions of five classic tracks ‘Cast No Shadow’, ‘Morning Glory’, ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Acquiesce’ and ‘Champagne Supernova’, all newly mixed by Noel Gallagher. Available on limited edition 2CD and 3LP formats plus exclusive coloured vinyl including Amazon Exclusive ‘Wonderwall’ inspired sepia marble 3LP, Indie Exclusive 'Cast No Shadow' Inspired Crystal Clear 3LP, and HMV Exclusive 'Morning Glory' Inspired Blue Marble 3LP. All formats will include the 2014 remastered version of the album alongside the new bonus versions.

The duality of "man" is a subject that has been explored in art for centuries, from writings of the Bible to Descartes, all the way up to filmmakers like Lynch, Cronenberg, & Carpenter. Who is your "true self" & what do they want? With their sixth studio album "Wish Defense" (again for longtime home Trouble In Mind Records), Chicago trio FACS take a good, long look in the mirror to face themselves. The return of original member Jonathan Van Herik - who stepped away from the group just before their debut album "Negative Houses" was released in 2018 - replacing longtime bassist Alianna Kalaba brings renewed vigor & a marked angularity from the band's more recent output. The songs still hit hard, but the approach is sideways - the roles have changed since Van Herik's original tenure & his previous time with Case & powerhouse drummer Noah Leger in Disappears; now on bass, Van Herik was originally the group's guitar player and features on the debut, while current guitarist Brian Case played bass. This role reversal has helped the band's dynamic, offering up a different musical perspective than before, now revisiting the trio's long-going collaboration with some distance and time. Case notes that the lyrics on "Wish Defense" revolve around doppelgängers or "doubles", tackling the idea of facing yourself and observing your ideas and motivations. Look no further than the album's title track; "Enter the mirror / Double walker / An intimate / Wish defense / Is it real? / You beside me / The detail / Terrifying / Abject self / Your grief / A public / Performance". Case lays out the entire album's theme in one stanza; Are your actions & emotions your true self? Or are they a performative aspect of that "other" person you put forward? Case says that ultimately the sentiment is "_don't let the bastards get you down, there's something beyond this moment, like hope - but not in the naive belief that ultimately people are good". "Wish Defense"s artwork is also a subtle reference to "Negative Houses"' art, returning to that album's black & white starkness & minimalism. The album's checkerboards everywhere are offset reflections of themselves, mirrored with the album's lyrics printed front & center on the cover. Everything is out in the open. A final note; "Wish Defense" is the last album engineered by Steve Albini. Two days were recorded at Electrical Audio in early May of 2024 before Steve's untimely passing, with renowned engineer & friend Sanford Parker stepping in to finish the session 24 hours later, tracking the last bits of vocals and overdubs. Longtime collaborator John Congleton mixed the album as Albini would have; in Electrical Audio's A room, off the tape, using Albini's notes about the session.

Sometimes, the most beautiful stories begin simply between friends, over laughter, late nights and shared music. That’s how the collaboration between Oscar and the Wolf and Roméo Elvis was born. What started as an unexpected jam session after dinner soon evolved into something much greater: a modern-day Romeo and Juliet where two distinct worlds, North and South, pop and rap, light and shadow, meet and merge effortlessly.

Their first collaboration, “Ceiling”, captures that magic: the perfect balance between intimacy and grandeur, where contrast becomes harmony. Premiered live before 100,000 people during Belgium’s National Day celebrations, the single immediately resonated, becoming a radio hit and surpassing one million streams within weeks.

Now, the duo present JARDIN, an eight-track EP arriving this December. Here, Oscar and the Wolf and Roméo Elvis push each other beyond their comfort zones, exploring new sonic landscapes and blending their unique identities into one sound. From the pulsating energy of “Crocodila” and “Je M’en Balec”, to the tender alternative rock ballad “Lose My Baby”, and the groove-driven “Chargé (Monet)” or the club-ready “Bon Sense”, JARDIN unfolds like a living garden, a vibrant space where every track blossoms into something new.

To celebrate the release, the duo will perform together for the first time on December 15 and 16 at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels. Both shows sold out within hours, a testament to the excitement surrounding this groundbreaking collaboration.

With JARDIN, Oscar and the Wolf and Roméo Elvis don’t just unite genres and languages; they build a bridge between regions, emotions and artistic worlds, a celebration of sound, connection and friendship.

The project brings together a stellar cast of musicians. Guitarist and producer Matthis Pascaud who crafts a rich and colourful sonic landscape, along with acclaimed drummer Raphael Chassin, pianist Thibault Gomez, and bassist Simon Tailleu. The record shines further with the participation of special guests: iconic guitarist Bill Frisell and the legendary saxophonist Archie Shepp, whose contributions underscore both the intimacy and the grandeur of Rampal's homage. Through inventive arrangements and deep poetic sensibility, 'Song For Abbey' revisits key pieces from Abbey Lincoln's repertoire, including a luminous, modern rendition of ' And It's Supposed To Be Love' .

Marion Rampal's voice, instantly recognisable and deeply evocative, breathes new life into Lincoln's world, blending tradition and innovation across jazz, blues, and folk influences. With high-profile guest artists, Bill Frisell and Archie Shepp, who elevate the album's international visibility and media value, 'Song For Abbey' is not just an album, but a resonant contemporary statement - a vibrant crossroads of jazz legacy, emotion, and artistry. "One of the most beautiful voices of her generation brings new life to the legacy of the sublime singer and songwriter Abbey Lincoln - chills guaranteed." - Jazz Magazine

He cast off his old skin, fundamentally altering his studies, homeland, and life, thereby charting a new future. Recorded at Sound on Sound Studios in Montclair, New Jersey, in January, 2024, 'Ancestral' was influenced, in part, by O'Gallagher's PhD studies into the music of John Coltrane, and reunites the versatile reeds player with guitarist Ben Monder while, notably, features the first-ever recorded collaboration between master drummers Andrew Cyrille and Billy Hart. "Basically, my PhD (available on O'Gallagher's website) is an analysis where I transcribed all of Trane's solos, spelling out what he does on his late recordings 'Interstellar Space' and 'Stellar Regions'. And it shows that free music is not free, not the way people think it is.

Trane was definitely thinking about organization in those records. This research definitely gave me ideas about how to be freer within the systems that I had developed, and how to perceive them in a more organic way." O'Gallagher's latest recording marks a significant artistic evolution, following a period of considerable personal change. After leaving Brooklyn, New York, he and his wife relocated to the UK before ultimately settling in Lisbon, Portugal. This journey, coupled with dedicated study, profoundly shaped his new music. O'Gallagher, Monder, Cyrille, Hart, and Coltrane: a potent brew. In an album consisting largely of first takes, O'Gallagher's compositions vary from through- composed pieces to skeletal charts to full- blown group compositions/ improvisations.

Highlighted by Kathy's own exquisite compositions like 'Fly off with the Wind' and 'For Emile', it also includes her unique interpretations of songs by Jimmie Spheeris and Jackson Browne. This is the first official reissue - 180g vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.

Her superlative voice is supported by a team of heavyweight studio musicians, among them Jan Hammer, Warren Bernhardt, Tony Levin, Jerry Jemmott, Don Alias and Jeremy Steig. Remastered from the original analogue tapes, this edition includes two exceptional previously unreleased bonus tracks - 'For Emile' (demo version), and 'Hang On To A Dream'. Smith emerged from the same Orange County, Californian milieu as Tim Buckley and Jackson Browne. Championed by singer- songwriter- guitarist Richie Havens, Kathy recorded two hauntingly beautiful albums, 'Some Songs I've Saved' and 'Kathy Smith 2', for his Stormy Forest label, and then quietly disappeared from the scene. 'Kathy Smith 2', presented here, is the first authorised reissue of the LP

Live music needs to offer you something that you cannot get on a studio recording. It's the sense of freedom and intimacy, wondering how the songs will be played and what the reaction will be. Live concerts give you the tingle where the hair stands up on the back of your neck. "Live audiences give you the tension and responsibility to be creative, for me that's the challenge I like," says the iconic Dutch guitarist. After all of these years, you ponder what keeps Jan going out there, night after night. "It's my love to play for people all around the world," he smiles. The supremely gifted guitarist is equaled by very few, and his legendary ability makes him impossible to pigeonhole. His position as Dutch royalty has been cemented; he received the Golden Harp Award in early 2005, Holland's most prestigious music prize, and in 2012, he was appointed Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau. This royal honour recognized his contributions to Dutch music and his influence on musicians worldwide.

Purple-Black-Smoke Vinyl, limitiert auf 200 Exemplare. Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre ist eine explosive Band des Crossover-Thrash-Metals aus der pulsierenden Musikszene von Chicago, Illinois. Seit ihrer Gründung im Jahr 2011 haben sie sich schnell einen Namen gemacht, dank ihrer mitreißenden Auftritte und humorvollen Texte, die das Publikum begeistern. Die Band besteht aus den erfahrenen Mitgliedern Josh "Macho Frost" Kandich am Gesang und Jordan Miller an der Leadgitarre, ergänzt durch den talentierten Bassisten Viaj D Crum und den dynamischen Schlagzeuger Tony Strissel. Ihr unabhängiger Status ermöglicht es ihnen, kreativ zu bleiben und Musik zu kreieren, die unverfälscht und originell ist.

Sour Grapes Records piece together the live LP of Nonagon Infinity on vinyl, with tracks made up of their sell outs shows across the years. The album features some of the best and most raucous live outings (Chicago, Barcelona, London) from each of the songs available on the infamous King Gizzard bootlegger series, one of the first of its kind. Available on red vinyl, with artwork designed by Jordan Warren.

Fueled by colorful outfits and an exceptional presence, these power girls were born to break mold and drive full speed in the music scene. Bad Skin was
formed in 2015 and let me introduce you to this killer team. We have lead singer and Rhythm guitarist Dope, Lead guitarist Victoria, Bassist Maria and Samantha
on the Drums. They have toured in the United Kingdom in 2022 & 2025 and with the public demand; they have performed in the biggest Punk festival “Rebellion” in 2023. In 2022 they also showcased at the famous Le Phoque OFF festival . The same year, they also had a huge impact in Plovdiv in Bulgaria for the Spike Festival and Summerfest in USA. They have also performed in Canadian Festival such as Music 4 Cancer, Canadian Music Week, Rock La Cauze, Festivoix,
Rock Fest pour La Santé Mental, Pouzza Fest and many more. This year their main goal is to connect with the future generation and speak about the importance of self-confidence and that, “it’s okay not to be okay as long
as you keep your head high and still be you”. This goal was well achieved, as the fan base grew. People are seeing why these girls are really the IT factor.
They always deliver an outstanding performance and after each show, they take the time to thank everyone who came and always organize a signing and picture
booth so they can speak & connect with their fans.

Oh No helped shape the texture of modern independent hip-hop, introducing the world to his turbulent lyricism with the 2004 Stones Throw classic The Disrupt before establishing himself as one of the world’s most dynamic beat architects. Ranging from soulful to sinister, hypnotic to chaotic, Dr. No’s psychedelic production has become a vital force in hip-hop, bringing the best out of artists like Mos Def, Action Bronson, Prodigy, Murs, Dilated Peoples, Danny Brown, Elzhi, Your Old Droog, and more. The California native has also released several acclaimed sample-themed instrumental collections, mining Mediterranean psyche funk, the work of jazz icon Roy Ayers, Italian library music, rare Ethiopian grooves, and more. Now, Oh No is back with Nodega, his first vocal album in more than a decade. Conceptualized as a corner store where microphone assassins stop through to lay down their street tales, the project finds Oh No cooking up a fresh batch of wild creations as the drama unfolds. While contributing a handful of memorable verses himself, Oh No mostly focuses on crafting soundscapes for a staggering array of guests, including Logic, Ghostface Killah, Talib Kweli, Tha God Fahim, Alchemist, Guilty Simpson, Blu, Crimeapple, Rah Digga, Esoteric, Vic Spencer, Wildchild, Big Twins, and more. “I work with some of the most dangerous emcees in the game,” he explains. “I wanted the album to be like a hip-hop play, with all these different geniuses showing how they steal the scenes.” This concept is brought to life by music Oh No describes as a “cinematic landscape ranging from dark stabbing pianos to melodic jazz interludes, raw gutter loops to funk grit, dirty synths to nighttime thrills.” A visceral experience elevated by immense collective talent, Nodega is a compelling one-stop shop for Oh No’s expansive artistry.

The Sound Systems of Jamaica were always the people's radio station.
Tunes were tried and tested in the lion's den of the dance to see which songs rose to the top and became the most popular.
This was the litmus test and the first step to a tracks commercial release to capitalise its hotness on the circuit.
Then the Dub/Version hit big in Jamaica in the early to mid 70's this was also the case and many times the version cut of a track would even prove more popular than its vocal counterpart.
We have compiled some great 70's dub plates that rocked the Sound Systems in fine style...
Hope you enjoy the set....

c1 | NUCLEAR GURU (MANS RUIN EP VERSION)
c2 | HAND OF DOOM (BLACK SABBATH COVER)
d1 | BLACK SHAPES OF DOOM (TROUBLE COVER)
d2 | BLUE SNOW (BBC SESSION)

We're delighted to announce the release of all Orange Goblin's Rise Above Records releases on vinyl, many of which will be for the first time. Next in the series is their classic 1998 album, Time Travelling Blues. Goblin singer Ben Ward recalls the album: "Time Travelling Blues came very hot on the heels of Frequencies and is considered by a lot of people as their favourite Orange Goblin album. As a band we had found our niche, the songwriting was developing all the time and we were starting to get recognised by a wider audience. Again, we still play a lot of the material from this album live but a lot of the younger fans havent heard it so much as its been out of print. Were exceptionally proud that this record is being made available for the first time on vinyl from the original masters which really makes the songs stand out! Throw in the bonus tracks and the additional artwork and it makes for an awesome package." Deluxe vinyl edition of ORANGE GOBLIN's second album released for the very first time on vinyl from the original masters. British Doom/Stoner Metal legends. Features never before seen pictures & exclusive liner notes from singer BEN WARD. Hi quality 180gm vinyl. Gatefold sleeve with full colour insert. Includes a bonus 10 EP with 4 exclusive tracks! 10" Tracklist: Side A 1. Nuclear Guru (Mans Ruin EP version) 2. Hand of Doom (Black Sabbath cover) Side B 1. Black Shapes of Doom (Trouble cover) 2. Blue Snow (BBC Session)

"Ray Fernández is a name that cannot be forgotten when we talk about the new generation of Cuban singer-songwriters.
"The current moments the world is going through are reflected in his lyrics. What better for this artist than to be accompanied by the Zanja All Stars! Ray Fernández, accompanied by the Zanja All Stars under the direction of Julio Padrón, make a formidable combination. This allows us to see new shades by blending his lyrics with a selection of the best musicians in Cuba today.
"The social and political issues shaking the world right now are perfectly reflected in his work, which, like all songs, can be interpreted in different ways. Ray’s lyrics become a bridge that should foster understanding between different sides of thinking, where the most important bridges are formed by art.
"The largest of the Antilles, Cuba, is one of the few places in the world where such revolutionary music can emerge. His lyrics deserve to be heard at a time when the world needs people unafraid to express ideas and willing to give everything."

Joel Shearer’s Listening Immerses Itself in Ambient Guitar, Restraint, and the Beauty of Repetition

With guitarist and ambient composer Joel Shearer’s new album, Listening, he took the path of repetition, subtle movement, and pure sound rather than conventional songwriting. What began as a disciplined experiment — limiting himself to just electric guitar — soon expanded. At various points, he introduced piano, cello, and trumpet, allowing the record to evolve organically. "I didn’t know I was making another record,” Shearer says. “I was experimenting, wanting to do something beyond just the electric guitar. So, I started these other tracks, and that’s how Listening came about.”

Unlike albums built around hooks or dramatic shifts, Listening unfolds gradually, moving with patience and restraint. There are no choruses, no obvious climaxes — just sound evolving over time. “Instead of a traditional song structure with a verse, chorus, or B section, it’s one continuous movement that grows and dissolves,” Shearer explains. “It’s not about anticipating the next moment—it’s about sitting inside the sound, getting comfortable with patience.” A Topanga-based session musician, composer, and producer, Shearer’s previous solo albums, Morning Loops and Hours, explored the manipulation of only the electric guitar, using texture and repetition to push beyond conventions. Listening continues that journey, offering music that resists distraction and rewards deep attention.

Shearer recorded Listening without a click track, working in long, freeform takes. His shimmering, clean guitar tones—often unrecognizable, processed through looping pedals and effects—became a foundation, with layers of sound building around it. “I love making the guitar sound like anything but a guitar,” he says. “I might play for just a minute, but once the sound enters the effects chain, it takes on a life of its own. The music keeps evolving, stretching time in ways I couldn’t predict.”

The opening piece, “Big Sur,” is an 11-minute meditation that drifts in slow, hypnotic waves, its layered guitar textures sparkling like light over water. The piece moves without urgency, subtly transforming as it pulls the listener deeper into its atmosphere. “Threshold” features a delicate piano melody that gradually unfurls, allowing its essence to fully settle before the next emerges. Subtle layers of ambient guitar weave around the piano, stretching and dissolving into the background, creating a sense of stillness and slow expansion.

At nearly 15-minutes, “The Clear Light of the Void” is a slow-burning study in sustain and resonance. Layers of guitar stretch and dissolve into an open, drifting soundscape, each note lingering and shifting like a breath held in suspension. Subtle tonal variations emerge over time, creating a sense of vastness—an expanse where sound is less about movement and more about presence.

“The world is noisy—so much information, so much distraction,” Shearer says. “I wanted to create something that allows people to just be present with the sound, without expectation.” It’s an album that demands nothing from the listener but offers space — to focus, to drift, to listen without waiting for what comes next.

Info: Slow-burn funk, tribal wrong-speed chug and a boogie-disco breaker — three floor-fillers that creep, groove and bounce.



A low & loose opening with a reworking of 'Night People' – with intro and outro stretched, drum breaks extended, and percussive overdubs layered - the EP sets the tone with a warm-up tool that fills a floor almost unnoticed at 98 BPM. From there, 'Lions' prowls as a 45rpm slowed down to a hypnotic, percussive workout laced with chants and tribal drive, closing with 'Breakin’, a rogue boogie–disco hybrid bursting with bongos and breakbeats: Absolute DJ fuel.