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The new album by “kiss the gambler,” a gifted pop music maker with a voice that combines the innocence of a child and the depth of an adult, is now available as analog 12"! Many musicians participated in the arrangement, including Masayuki Ishii (tica), Shingo Suzuki (Ovall), Masato Suzuki (little Creatures), and Yosuke Sato. The natural-born pop maker sends us a pop world that seems to be everywhere and nowhere, as if we have moved into an exotic apartment.

7"
DJ Koze - Wie schön du bist EP
Two sides, one message - love in its purest form, captured at 45 RPM
A. Wie schön du bist (feat. arnim & The Düsseldorf Düsterboys)
AA. Amor (feat. César Lacerda)

A
DJ Koze, Arnim Teutoburg-Weiß aka arnim, and the Düsseldorf Düsterboys enchant with a touching homage to Holger Biege - one of the legendary architects of East German soul. DJ Koze once again proves his unparalleled sense for the extraordinary. Around the line "Du hast erzählt, gelacht / Mir gezeigt, wie schön du bist" from Holger Biege's 1978 song "Bleib doch", Koze weaves a small masterpiece, infused equally with nostalgic depth and futuristic elements.

Arnim Teutoburg-Weiß aka arnim (frontman of the iconic Beatsteaks) opens our hearts with his heavenly radiant voice. With full sincerity - pure and straightforward - he sings the love declaration of a lifetime.
Floating on a cloud, the Düsseldorf Düsterboys sprinkle lyrical stardust with their brilliant harmonies - fluffy and bizarre at the same time. It feels as if this cosmic quartet boarded a time machine and returned to the present to plant the essence of days gone by into today's matrix.

"Wie schön du bist" is not just a tribute to Holger Biege's work, but a loving bow to his entire musical legacy. It is an anthem to the timeless magic of music and the enduring power of love that connects us all.
Koze, arnim and the Düsterboys have created something truly unique here: a gem-a homage, a time travel, and a love letter all in one. Music can indeed be something magical.

AA
"Amor," a dandelion of a song, was created in collaboration with Brazilian singer César Lacerda. It is an acoustic love letter in its purest form-warm, crackling, and everlasting.

On September 13, the two original Amiga albums "Wenn der Abend kommt" and "Circulus" by Holger Biege were re-released as a double album and are available here
https://konsum.buschfunk.com

2 Afrobeat bangers inspiring a new label design fitting of this genre. Side A features South African singer Tyla's banger "Water" which is still killing the airwaves paired with Nigerian Rema's "Calm Down" this 45 is pure Fiiiiiire!! Summer sure shot don't sleep!

Well-versed in vintage vernaculars, Oakland-based producer/musician Mike Walti is about to return with his sophomore offering under the Organi moniker – as new album “Babylonia” follows 2020’s “Parlez-vous Français?,” a landmark in vibe acquisition ever since.

Wyldwood Studios is a portal. It’s a secret gateway to analog spheres. Cross the threshold and you’ll feel the difference: you can pick any ol’ time, any place, any tongue or vibe, in fact. Hit the dancefloor in 1967, feel that plushy loveseat in the early 70s. It’s a welcoming place where better, saner vibes are still within reach. Fueled, at least in part, by those long-classic 12”s on the walls – just imagine the sepia-tinted countenance of Melody Nelson alongside actual Birkin sans wig, right next to Shadow’s immortal crate diggers, forever blurred –, and channeled through ancient time travel devices such as the MCI 416b only to arrive on classic 2-inch tape (mm1000 aka Ol’ Bessy), it’s a haven for all things organic, for all things imbued with that warm élan. Built and run by Oakland’s own Mike Walti, countless artists from many different genres have felt that flair, creating sonic spheres and moving back and forth along the malleable axis that is space-time. Capturing magic.

Emerging from this unique portal back in 2020, Walti’s aka Organi’s first studio album was a stunning answer to its titular question – “Parlez-vous Français?” It was a soothing, somewhat psychedelic trip so magnétique and alluring that it immediately brought back those bits of Franglais you never knew you remembered. Whereas the debut LP indeed felt like a spontané voyage to the French Riviera ca. 1968, its follow-up “Babylonia” is so much more than linguistic confusion and ancient Akkadian Rhythms. Using that hidden portal near Alameda’s finest port to access all kinds of remote regions and sonic spheres, it’s super tight and feels, well, decent, even though, just like the ol’ Babylon, it’s full of surprising tongues and dreams, schemes and melodies.

“Where do we go from here?,” someone asks in opening “Organii-“ – all majestically cinematic boom bap, buoyant bass, sick strings. A fittingly massive opener that feels like cracking open a cold one after long weeks at work (that ecstatic “ahhhh”), it perfectly sets the tone for another half hour of pure time traveling, globe-spanning bliss. Whereas that certain prédilection pour all things French makes “La Rockette” so tempting and tantalizing (think MalMalNonBien), the sophomore album’s Berlin-based guest singer Nana Lacrima soon takes us elsewhere: title track “Babylonia” spins ever so softly, like a magic lantern, with images of dreamier Stones Throw funksters or Savath y Savalas looming over the steady flow of an arrangement that washes you clean like an ancient, unpolluted River Euphrates or Brazil’s actual Amazon. A sexy Portuguese-flavored anthem, occasional guest singer Alix Koliha also enters the scene to add yet another layer of French chic to this Brazilian landscape. Next, we’re back at the Riviera, but the “Italiano” version of it, splendido sunsets and bell towers in the distance, the ragazze laughing and shaking it up, perhaps even some Portofino Gin so you can really feel that “me ne batto il belin,” as your fingers align form some half-serious “ma che vuoi?”

Tim Maia-penned “Padre Cicero” (1970) deals with the stunning transformation of the titular hero – “De reverendo a lutador,” and what a soaring, sensual hook –, and Organi’s take on Elephant Memory’s “Old Man Willow” (now an “Old Man Waltz”) perfectly underlines what Walti’s Wyldwood endeavor is all about: Easy-Going Experimental Dream Pop, fueled by Gainsbourg, Broadcast, Stereolab, etc.

Later on, even though something seems to be tres complique in “Remembering Anna,” it all sounds carefree like a spontaneous Friday afternoon with a bottle of fine wine. Right before the outro, key album guest Yea-Ming Chen (of Yea-Ming & The Rumors) returns to the mic, adding her dark and dusky trademark timbre to melancholy anthem “Pictures Of Your Face”. Reminiscent of Nico and Trish (rip & rip), it’s a track that’s both dark and strangely propelling, hypnotic and hip-shaking.

A third generation Bay Area native, Mike Walti aka Organi has been running Wyldwood Studios in Oakland CA for some 15+ years (recording artists like Tommy Guerrero, Spelling, Why?, Latyrx, Del, Dan The Automator, and Big Freedia, to name but a few). A multi-instrumentalist who’s obviously in love with the 60s/70s, he loves to work with analog equipment (“We just love us some analog!” “Just listen to those relays purr…”). Recorded and mixed by Mike Walti at Wyldwood, “Babylonia” will be released on vinyl/digital by Alien Transistor.

Multi-talented artist Poppy Ajudha will be announcing her sophomore album, titled ‘Poppy’, which will be released 22nd November 2024. This follows Poppy’s triumphant return to releasing music this year with the release of 'My Future', following a two year hiatus. ‘Poppy’ was created alongside Mike Malchicoff (Kanye West/King Princess) with contributions from the likes of producers Maestro (Rihanna), Fred Ball (Alicia Keys/Raye/Mariah Carey), Grades, (Kali Uchis, Dua Lipa, Britney Spears), and Travis Sayles (Ariana Grande).

Poppy says: “I can’t believe I’m writing this, but my sophomore album is finally coming out! After numerous trips back and forth from London to LA, millions of revisions to perfect each song and a lot of moving the track listing around, I’ve made an album I’m so in love with, with people who I felt truly seen by, who I respected and found a natural synergy with. I really put everything into this album, it is a reflection of my growth over the last 2 years, an outward pouring of my raw vulnerability, the inner workings of my chaotic brain and the deep desire I have to challenge myself with everything I do. I’m really proud of what we made, and I hope that when you hear it, it means something to you too. Thank so much to all the special people who contributed to the making of this project, the producers, engineers, musicians, visual creatives, the friends who listened to me while I processed my life in order to write it down, I wouldn’t have been able to manifest this dream without you.”

Alongside the announcement of her upcoming album, Poppy has also released new single ‘Lean On Me’, a bold pop banger about the importance of community and showing support for each other even during challenging moments. ‘Lean On Me’ was written by Poppy with production from Wesley Singerman (Kendrick Lamar/Anderson Paak).

On ‘Lean On Me’, Poppy says: “We realise true friendship in the moments we are most vulnerable with each other. When I wrote ‘Lean On Me’ I was going through a breakup and struggling to make sense of my world. My friend who was experiencing their own kind of grieving found the time to give me the advice I needed, and the next day I wrote this song about the power of friendship, community, unconditional love and showing up for each other through our hardest times.”

After appearing on some of the labels key releases, dub maestro Andre Kronert is back on Berg Audio doing what he does best : dubby, reduced, and highly efficient dancefloor breaking tunes - Incl. a highly awaited repress of >Triton<.

Known as an icon of Shibuya-kei and Swedish Pop in Japan since the 1990s, Hideki Kaji returns to his roots with this work, seriously embracing jangle pop/guitar pop. The cover illustration is done by Hisashi Eguchi.

The second release from the My Favorite Soul label is a 7-inch featuring singer Keyco. This ambitious project features Keyco's empowering vocals, recorded with a live band assembled once again by producer Chick-d.

Side A, titled ‘Watashi Jishin,’ is a cover of the track from Ayumi Ishida & Tin Pan Alley Family’s classic 1977 album *Our Connection*. The cover retains the original’s spoken word sections while infusing a touch of Latin funk into the sophisticated city pop vibes, giving the song a warmer feel. (It's also worth noting that a recent cover of "Bye Bye Jet" from the same album by Muro featuring Keyco remains fresh in memory.)

Side B, ‘I Am,’ is a cover of the hidden gem by neo-soul duo Kindred the Family Soul from their 2003 album “Surrender to Love”. This track features a soft and warm band arrangement, with standout contributions from Swing-o (of 45trio) on keys and Tsuyoshi Kosuga’s mellow guitar. However, the real highlight is the heartfelt harmonies shared by long-time collaborators Keyco and Mika Arisaka, whose gentle and beautiful vocals make this recording truly captivating.

Hawaiian enka singer Torao Hikariyama, who gained fame by winning a foreign talent singing competition on TV and is well-loved in Hawaii as a key performer at Bon dance festivals, has his hit song "Torao no Tairyo sen" boldly remixed and dubbed by Tengaku DUB! This release comes in a UK-style center-cut double-sider 7" vinyl, making its long-awaited debut.

The Moon and the Melodies is a singular record within the Cocteau Twins" catalogue - unusually ethereal, even by their standards, and largely instrumental, guided by the free-form improvisations of Harold Budd, an ambient pioneer who had drifted into their orbit as if by divine intervention. Building on the atmospheric bliss of Victorialand, released earlier the same year, it signalled a possible future for the trio, yet it was a path they"d never take again. Now, almost forty years after it was fi rst released, it"s being reissued on vinyl for the first time - remastered, from the original tapes, by Robin Guthrie himself. Over the ensuing years, The Moon and the Melodies has attracted a passionate fan base. Its most atmospheric tracks routinely turn up in ambient DJ sets. "Sea, Swallow Me" is one of the Cocteau Twins" most streamed songs on Spotify, having found a new life on TikTok, where it serves as the soundtrack to innumerable expressions of hard-to-express melancholy. For such a low-key aff air, the album casts a long shadow - but Raymonde believes the record"s uniqueness stems directly from its humble, unpremeditated origins. "It captured a moment in time between friends that are enjoying making music together. Really, that"s the essence of it."

Amaiwana's new project draws influence from Shibuya-kei, new wave, and techno-pop genres.

Scheduled for release in October 2024, the project includes two EPs, 'new Shibuya' and 'new WAVE,' presented as a double A-side. Ginger Root, an American musician, contributed to the mixing and mastering of both EPs. 'new Shibuya' features the track "cover GIRLS," with a guest appearance by Maki Nomiya, the queen of Shibuya-kei. The album continues the spirit of Shibuya-kei into the Reiwa era. It also includes "Shanghai Girl," part of Amaiwana's "Shanghai trilogy," alongside previous releases "Shanghai Planet" (2020) and "Shanghai Rendezvous" (2023). 'new Wave' reimagines tracks from 'new Shibuya' in a techno-pop and new wave style, influenced by artists like Plastics, Hikashu, and Miharu Koshi, as well as 80s techno kayō music. These self-remixes offer a fresh take on the original songs, giving them entirely new identities. Amaiwana also designed the cover art, which features a double-sided concept that represents both the new Shibuya-kei and new wave aesthetics.

The remastered edition of the City Music Tokyo multiple compilation, curated by Cunimondo Takiguchi (Ryusenkei), originally released on CD and digital formats by Nippon Columbia in 2023, is now making its debut on vinyl!! The compilation is a chronicle curated by Cunimondo Takiguchi (Ryusenkei / City Music Tokyo), specializing in curation from the vast catalog owned by Nippon Columbia. It serves as a chronological account of the most exciting and innovative originators and key artists in the genre of City Pop.

First Dabeull's proper album of his career after several key releases - Intimate Fonk, Fonk Delight or the sought-after compilation InDaStudio.

For Dabeull, analog production is his favorite playground as showing his upcoming 9-track album, "Analog Love" (out on April 12th 2024) was recorded using Michael Jackson's Thriller console - 100% analog.

First Dabeull's proper album of his career after several key releases - Intimate Fonk, Fonk Delight or the sought-after compilation InDaStudio.

For Dabeull, analog production is his favorite playground as showing his upcoming 9-track album, "Analog Love" (out on April 12th 2024) was recorded using Michael Jackson's Thriller console - 100% analog.

Following 2022' acclaimed 'Topical Dancer' album with Charlotte Adigéry, here comes 'Letter To Yu', the debut solo album by Bolis Pupul : produced by fellow Belgians Soulwax & released on DEEWEE/Because Music. Exploring many themes including loss, grief, ancestry, culture, belonging/not belonging and identity. It's no coincidence that Bolis Pupul's music sounds the way it does. Born in Belgium to a Chinese mother and Belgian father and raised in the super-cool creative city of Ghent, Bolis' music is a joyous cross-cultural assemblage. Mixing widescreen electronica with the warm-hearted and wonky naivete of Belgian New Beat, Bolis' singular sonics are at once playful, emotive, unrelenting and tender. The real key to unlocking Bolis' musical secret, however, is that conversation he has between his Eastern and Western roots. The creation of the album is built around Bolis' trip to Hong Kong earlier this year, made to reconnect with his late mother's roots.

One of the summer’s anthems, Popular, taken from the HBO series The Idol, features non other than Madonna and for the flip we go back to 2016 and the title track of the multi platinum

LP Starboy featuring French superstars Daft Punk – both tracks killer and intro/outros added with the DJs in mind – this is likely to be a popular one!

The track "Chocolate Lemonade" features American musician Ginger Root as the arranger. Ginger Root also handled the mixing and mastering for the entire album. The album includes a techno-pop cover of "Message Song," originally by Pizzicato Five, whom Amaiwana admires. Additionally, it features "Shanghai Aibiki," an answer song to their 2020 track "Shanghai Wakusei," marking a continuation of Amaiwana's "Shanghai series." The album's title, "sweet Sweet Sweet," reflects a pop aesthetic inspired by the Shibuya-kei genre. The cover art, designed by Amaiwana, is sweet and catchy, complementing the album's vibe.

Sampha announces "lahai", his highly anticipated second album, which will be released on Young on 20 October. Named after his paternal grandfather's name, which is also Sampha's middle name, the music on "lahai" flows between the awe of life and the magic of mundane existence, describing the chaos experienced when facing the cycle of life and the afterlife. On the 14 tracks, Sampha has called together close friends and colleagues - including fantastic artists such as Yaeji, Léa Sen, Sheila Maurice Grey (Kokoroko), Ibeyi, Morgan Simpson (Black Midi), Yussef Dayes, Laura Groves and Kwake Bass. Unlike its predecessor "Process", "lahai" is a more collaborative album. The latest single "Only", accompanied by a music video by Dexter Navy in collaboration with Sampha and following on from the advance track "Spirit 2.0", features an extremely vibrant Sampha singing melodically over a fragmented hip-hop beat with co-production by Spanish musician El Guincho. In June, Sampha returned to the stage for the first time in five years for his Satellite Business residencies in London and New York. The unique setup, with Sampha and his band performing in the middle of the room, gave fans intimate access to the improvised performance of new, unreleased music and alternative arrangements from Sampha's catalogue that left audiences "spellbound" (Pitchfork). This autumn, Sampha will take a larger version of the Satellite Business live show on tour. It kicks off with several nights in London at St Johns at Hackney Church in October, before returning to North America to perform in major cities: Los Angeles, Toronto, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Atlanta. In early December, he returns to Europe and plays in Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris. Like its creator, "lahai" refuses to be pigeonholed. The new album is a mixture of jazz, soul, rap, dance, jungle and West African music, with which Sampha raises his production and vocal ambitions to a new level. A gifted singer , songwriter and producer, it is no wonder that artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Stormzy, Travis Scott and earlier Drake, Solange, Frank Ocean, Beyoncé, Lil Wayne and Alicia Keys have sought him out for his inimitable voice as well as his contributions to the songwriting and production of their music. His previous creative partnerships include fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner, the Shy Light zine with Durimel (who also shot the Lahai artwork), his Process film with director Kahlil Joseph, and most recently, a collaboration with Jonny Lu, with whom Sampha designed the artwork for his Lahai album and new logo. If "Process", Sampha's 2017 Mercury Prize-winning debut album, showed an artist searching for and eventually finding his own place in the world, "lahai" is an exercise in the radical acceptance and joy of life and the beauty of the journey to get here. Welcome to Sampha's next musical chapter: Lahai.

Daniel Ögren is one of the key artists in Sweden’s contemporary, underground music scene. He has already accrued quite the back catalogue, both as a member of the sensational quartet Dina Ögon and also as a solo artist with eight albums already under his belt. ‘Fastingen-92’ was originally released as a limited-edition vinyl pressing in 2020 on the independent label Sing A Song Fighter Records (the same label that first introduced us to Dina Ögon's music). The album came to our attention after hearing Daniels' solo band performing live at the Stockholm Jazz Club, Fasching. The band featured Love Örsan and Christopher Cantillo of Dina Ögon fame (who also records with the incredible Sven Wunder), and their sensational genre-busting set blew us away. It convinced us that this now out-of-print album needed to reach a wider audience.
‘Fastingen-92’ doesn't sit in one genre, it draws from Daniels's love of South American folk music, soul, Nordic folk music and film soundtracks, resulting in something unique, dreamlike and transformational.

It features 'Idag’, an epic, beautiful, cinematic song that introduces the ethereal vocalist Anna Ahnlund. ‘Idag’ has gained a cult following and Daniel has stated that it was the spark that started the Dina Ögon project. Tracks like 'Annalena' and 'Kristinehamn by Night (for Christopher)' sound like a new club sound that hasn't yet been invented (which Nicola Cruz would spin in his DJ sets), mysterious, hypnotic, and engaging. Other songs like 'Maj (for Tintin)' and 'Picasso' venture into blissed-out Scando-Balearic realms. Daniel's love of nature and the inspiration he draws from the geographic environment of the Swedish countryside can be felt in these tracks, they take you to other places and times and are simultaneously familiar, ancient and alien.

Alongside the collaborations with Anna and Christoper, the album features Josefin Runsteen playing the drums on 'Idag' and Swedish musicians Edvin Nahlin and Ulrik Ordin. The majority of the album was played, recorded and mixed by Daniel. For the Mr Bongo edition, we have added the bonus track 'April’, which was previously only available digitally. ‘Fastingen - 92’ is a truly remarkable record that gets into your soul, so please delve in!

After taking time out from working together to focus on separate musical projects, maverick composer Alan Roberts (Jim Noir) and crowd-rousing vocalist Leonore Wheatley (International Teachers of Pop / The Soundcarriers) have re-joined forces to introduce Co-Pilot. Each the other’s wing person, they’re plotting an escape through Manchester’s claustrophobic grey skies with the pencil case colour of a hand-sewn multi-coloured primary school patchwork quilt. “We are both the creators in charge of navigating Co-Pilot’s overall sound which changes from track to track,” Leonore hints at what to expect. “There are about 6 different genres on one album, it's a pick n mix record!”

Happy in the haze of many boozy hours the album was recorded over just a few months whilst holed up and hanging out in Al’s city centre Dookstereo studio. The former Mill allowed the pair to relax, laugh and create without constraint. Armed with their original demos and vocal recordings from Al’s flat, they’d nip by the offie to pick up some Dutch courage before setting to work: building arrangements from a drum beat and basic chord pattern, the pair were so in tune they rarely spoke, allowing only the music to lead the way. “We’d communicate through nods of agreement or grimaces of dismay,” Leonore recalls. “Using the instruments with Al in production mode, we let the sound dictate the process whilst being drunk enough to follow it.”

The sound of life coming full circle after honing their separate crafts, Leonore had previously played keys and vocals in Jim Noir’s live band before moving on to front International Teachers of Pop for two critically lauded albums of joyous dancefloor filling bangers - their self-titled debut (2019) and Pop Gossip (2020). During that time Al would further expand Jim Noir’s universe with AM Jazz, which was celebrated as the no.1 album in Piccadilly Records’ ‘End of Year Review’ (2020), followed by the Deep View Blue E.P. (2021) cementing his status as one of Manchester’s finest songwriters.

As Leonore added her vocal magic to Al’s early demos of what would eventually become Co-Pilot’s ‘Spring Beach’ and a crooked original version of closing track ‘Corner House’, the vibe was prophetic “like the ending of Grease as Danny and Sandy take flight through the clouds”, letting their imaginations fly. The songs were the catalyst to spark a new phase of the pair working together, picking up where they left off. “From messing about with sounds during rehearsals in the very beginning it was always clear we liked the combination of sounds we made,” Leonore recalls.

Powered by a ‘try anything’ approach, Co-Pilot blends the musical DNA of what you’ve come to expect from each of the pair’s previous flight paths. “Whatever is switched on or nearby gets used. There's no 'correct' for us. If it sounds good, record it,” Al tells. United through typically turbulent wonky pop and lurking samples, whether culled from 70s TV themes or recreations of past and found sounds (see Al’s 60s tropicalia guitar on ‘Brick’, or the innocent ‘Swim to Sweden’ which opens with an ice cream van jingle Al recorded from his bedroom window) their process offers up a bucket load of Easter eggs. The album even features snippets from dearly departed pal Batfinks whilst ‘Motosaka’ is perhaps the most expensive 2-minutes on the album, featuring a Columbia Records Japan-cleared sample of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s ‘Thousand Knives’. Its synth squelches and Tom Tom Club funk also received the blessing of Haroumi Hosono, Godfather of Japanese Electronica, who agreed to being sampled in an original version of the song. “We just kept listening back and hitting gold,” Al recalls. “I was thinking ‘yeah, not sure what this is but I like it! We were buzzing with what we had made.”

But the sound wouldn’t come without self-imposed instrumental challenges. Thanks to an old mellotron sample on ‘Move To It,’ the moog riff and nautical accordion breaks on ‘Swim To Sweden’ and the 6/8 and 7/8 jaunt of ‘Brick’, time signatures were lovingly skewed to create Co-Pilot’s unique mood. “It was a bastard getting the drums right,” Leonore reveals, “but I like the wonkiness”. Levelling up through the lyrics, the words of smoky and evocative ‘She Walks In Beauty’ are based on a Lord Byron poem, with the sentiment of remembering Leonore’s late grandparents. “I wanted to see how much I could get away with just singing on one note, and how I could harmonically change everything else around it vocally,” she says. Elsewhere ‘Can You See’ was written from the perspective of a concerned sister to a brother which tells of keeping someone safe. “The lyrics are quite metaphorical about day-to-day happenings, people loved and lost. Others are rhythmic nonsense! It’s up to the listener to figure out what’s true.”

It’s clear from Al’s productive production techniques and Leonore’s knack for vocals and lyricism, Co-Pilot’s course is engineered by two aeronautically adept sonic storytellers. “We share a pretty similar sense of humour,” Al tells, “It is funny listening to this quite serious album but knowing we were giggling as we recorded it all. It’s been great to have another brain to bounce off.” Their destination might be unknown, but the clouds are about to part for a sound that is light years ahead. “You'll like at least one song,” Leonore suggests, “and hopefully them all.”

No. is the tenth Soft Riot album by Glasgow-based Canadian synth auteur Jack Duckworth (also known as Jjd). With origins from the mid-nineties in the vibrant art-punk/hardcore dominating the West Coast American/ Canadian underground at the time, he has clocked in over twenty five years of musical output in various bands and projects.

No. is the logical follow-up to When Push Comes To Shove, released in November 2019 on the Glasgow UK-based label Possession Records, which saw some critical acclaim in the increasingly diverse synthwave scene — a crystallization of the artist’s signature “SynthLord” sound.

With No. things have been shaken up and pushed into new directions. Many different factors came into play, including the conditions of the pandemic lockdowns and an urge for listening to music favourites from beyond his own scene informed developments on this new record. One key feature of these tracks is that under these conditions they were developed as individual pieces — a contrasting approach from previous albums where tracks were written with an album in mind. An evaluation of all of these individual tracks in the summer of 2022 unveiled a common pattern going through these new compositions.

One can still hear any number of echoes of the spirits of original synth artists in his sound, such as Images in Vogue, The Box, Section 25, Thomas Dolby, Skinny Puppy, Chrome, Cabaret Voltaire, Fad Gadget, Japan and Bill Nelson. However, some of Jack’s halcyon punk influences surface as well, taking inspiration from legendary punk/hardcore labels such as Dischord and Gravity, as listening habits over pandemic steered back towards more guitar-based styles. The introduction of expanded production techniques, experiments with vocal styles and tones, and stylistic shifts mark a progression of Soft Riot’s sound. The result is a snarkier, urgent and more playful, with a focus on pure synthpop, new wave, art-punk, proto-EBM as well as grittier synth-punk and post-punk tones.

The variation, energy and tone of this collection of tracks illustrates Soft Riot’s ability to transcend the hallmarks of today’s music environment, which increasingly is fragmenting into smaller and smaller micro-genres. Dry wit and dark humour take the lyrics and the tone of this album on a fun ride through music scenes, dark alleys and inside jokes.

Third full-length solo album by singer-songwriter Mimlus Naito Akiko, filled with high-quality city pop songs. This album "home Fermenting" was produced with two supporting members during the pandemic stay-home period, and the entire production process was done at home DIY. The sound is a quality POP album with a smooth lineup of 80s~city pop~organic acoustic sounds.

Attn.: We did not receive this record in time for RSD, but we will get it this week.

The title of the sixth album from Californian singer-songwriter Nick Waterhouse is more than just the name of one of its tracks. The Fooler is both a clue and a red herring. The Fooler is the observed and the observer, narrator and subject, truth and lie. The Fooler is the shadow and reflection of a city the artist knows sufficiently well to wander with his eyes closed, and a place which very possibly never even existed. The Fooler is not so much an unreliable narrator as a constantly shifting perspective.

The Fooler is the new album by Nick Waterhouse, and it’s a lot. Recorded by Mark Neill (Black Keys; Los Straightjackets; Dave Cobb) in Valdosta, Georgia, it’s a song-cycle of sorts, the arc of the album telling a tale of a city and its denizens.

The result is a record that offers up new riches and fresh perspectives with every spin. From the hidden corners of ‘Hide & Seek’ and the roadhouse soul of ‘Play To Win’ to the primitive, attitudinal, chugging two-chord thrill of ‘Late In The Garden’, it builds inexorably to the drama of the title track and pulsing roll-and-rock of the final pay off, ‘Unreal, Immaterial’. Play it once and it sounds immediately like a collection of great songs. Play it again – and you will – and it feels like a novel or film slowly unveiling its secrets, kaleidoscopic in its narrative complexity. “Especially during this record, I started just becoming what Allen Ginsberg called a pure breath,” says the artist. “I was becoming pure breath with my ideas.”

"San Francisco Bay Area bon vivants with an impressive pedigree and playful meld of loopy Syd Barrett flights of fancy; sparse Young Marble Giants-styled quietness & minor-key New Zealand sub-underground dissonance..."—Dynamite Hemorrhage fanzine.

Remix 7inch from the project "Tetsuro Yafune & Seira Kariya" is now available!! The key person in the current city pop scene, "Cunimondo Takiguchi (ryusenkei)", and "Auto&mst", wicked beat maker in the Lo-Fi~Chill Hop scene, have joined as remixers!!

A match made in heaven and hell, since forming in the cradle of Europe Athens, back in 2012, dark synth duo Selofan have paved their own perditious way, reinventing the modern Darkwave scene throughout the continent and worldwide with their prolific creativity and work ethic over the past decade. Through varied experimental synth-scapes conjured with keen ears for sound design, production, and theatrical aesthetics, Selofan rest not on the laurels of just creating highly danceable coldwave infused music, but with together with Joanna Pavlidou's haunting vocals, and Dimitris Pavlidis' throbbing bass guitar, and modular synth compositions, the pair conjure whole other worlds and narratives throughout each album and music video they create. Thus far the Selofan have released 5 studio albums, issued through their own legendary label they curate themselves: Fabrika Records. Through their Fabrika family, Selofan have championed such acts as Lebanon Hanover, and She Past Away, aiding these bands in becoming two of the most popular Darkwave acts worldwide. In the Spring of 2020, Selofan released the video for the hopelessly plaintive "There Must Be Somebody", the first single from their forthcoming sixth studio album Partners In Hell, the follow-up to 2018's widely popular Vitrioli LP. "There Must be Somebody" is a discordant composition, mimicking the startled song of birds after a disturbance in a wooded enclave on a mountainside, while a magick ritual unfolds. The album itself opens with "Grey Gardens", a menagerie of morose melodies setting a sombre tone for the rest of a bleak record whose sound design and dreamscapes evoke the best sounds of British and German post-punk of the 80s. "Almost Nothing" is a brooding bell-driven track with a dark and pirouetting melody that is the perfect soundtrack to a figurine twirling in a music box. The German language "Nichts" means No, and this song is both sinister and cinematic with sighing keys, shuddering drum machines, and German lyrics sung with sorrowful conviction. "Zusamen", is a word often asked if you are together, or separate, is a dark ballad whose shadowy keys weave a nightmarish delirium, evoking the soundscapes of a lullaby sung in a haunted dollhouse. "4am" is a restless rhythm, whose soft percussive melody tosses and turns alongside subtle bass and string accents overlaid with despondent vocals. "Happy Consumers" sounds like the swirling of a finger drawn upon the edge of crystalline glass, with vocals and drum machines coming emanating from an adjacent room with echoing acoustics, collectively evoking the sound like lingers when the somnambulist wakes from his dream. "Absolutely Absent" hums onward like a phantom train ride that is a one-way ticket to madness, and with the next track "Metalic Isolation" the locomotive beats gather more steam, propelled forward with anachronistic melody. The album closes with "Auf Dein Haut", which translates as on your skin, and the song is both tactile and tenebrous with sensuously dark synth textures amidst howling German vocals that take flight like witches during a sabbat

On Al Hadr, Sabrina Bellaouel taps into myriad influences: from spirituality, astrology to club culture, romance, the body and self-love. Creating a balance between places, identities and sounds is a huge part of the charm of Al Hadr. As a true Libra, she’s finding a balance between honoring her roots and carving out her future.

Following two solo EPs, also on InFiné — 2020’s We Don’t Need To Be Enemies and 2021’s Libra — the French-Algerian producer and vocalist’s unique style of electronic R&B blossoms with Al Hadr, a 13-track album featuring collaborations with dance producer Basile3, experimental club DJ and writer Crystallmess, jazz musician Monomite and pop singer Bonnie Banane, among others.

Born, raised and based in Bagneux, outside the southern périphérique of Paris, Bellaouel lives between worlds. At home, her Algerian heritage and Muslim faith have fused tight familial bonds and a keen sense of history and culture; as “Berbers”, she speaks French and Arabic. In her headphones, she finds comfort in the sparse experimentalism of Radiohead and romantic tales of Jill Scott. On the hot club dance floors of Paris, driving house beats connect her to her body.

In swirling these private and public passions together on Al Hadr — which translates from Arabic as “the present time” — Bellaouel is the most vulnerable she’s ever been on record. Classic neo-soul and silken R&B blend with club electronics. Tender harmonies are sung and rhymes are spoken in English, French and Arabic, exploring love, faith and identity. Samples of drum machines are the backbone for wisps of woodwind, strings, keys and environmental ‘found sounds’, including Bellaouel’s own live recordings.

Creating a balance between places, identities and sounds is a huge part of the charm of Al Hadr. As a true Libra, she’s finding a balance between honoring her roots and carving out her future.

First release of the band Joel, 12 original tracks with numerous influences: funk, soul, rock, pop, folk… Kind of like David Crosby rubbing elbows with The Meters, like a jam session between the Alabama Shakes and Pink Floyd, or the Black Keys having a beer with Joe Cocker. All carried by a charismatic voice.Joel is a little bit of all this at once.

Endearing Montreal-based trio Afternoon Bike Ride announce their forthcoming second album "Glossover", set to be released via Friends of Friends. Consisting of Lia Kurihara (vocals, guitar, programming), David Tanton (vocals, guitar, drums, programming), and Éloi Le Blanc-Ringuette (vocals, keys, drums, programming), Afternoon Bike Ride is a lo-fi folk trio providing a comfort zone in audio form. It"s in the name. When all three artists are together, their chemistry culminates into one organic and lush sound. Sonics that feel natural and freeing, as if fireside with a handful of microphones and instruments and toys. The band has released a series of cohesive projects where field recordings blend with ambient, acoustic, folk, and pop. A cauldron of genres they stir during each song. With precision, Afternoon Bike Ride presents a soothing sound all their own, one that continues to expand and deliver with each new release.

The master sleuths at Dark Entries bring us Forbidden Overture, another tantalizing mystery from the hidden depths of sleaze. It all began years ago when Bijou Video’s Jules Zinn introduced the label to the soundtracks of the pornographic films of legendary filmmaker Steve Scott and gay superstar Al Parker. It wasn’t until The Magazine’s Bob Mainardi gifted a cassette copy of the soundtrack to the film Turned ON—a bathhouse fantasy from 1982—that the wheels started turning. The steamy, hypnotic sounds were credited only to “Forbidden Overture…” but who was that? This question remained unanswered for some time, and countless hours of research, Venn diagramming, and elaborate flow charts all proved fruitless. It wasn’t until a chance screening of BAD Girls Dormitory, a 1986 women-in-prison movie from gay porn director Joe Gage that happened to reuse some of the same music did the answer become clear: Forbidden Overture was none other than the mighty Man Parrish! The soundtrack to Turned ON consists of two epic side-long pieces, both of which employ classic Man Parrish production techniques. “Primal Overture” slinks along with brooding pads and ominous chords, building and oozing throughout its 27 minute runtime like a sultrier Goblin soundtrack. “Strictly Forbidden” takes a similar groove to a major key, but it’s optimistic chirp conceals a wry, mysterious wink. Says director Steve Scott: “It took us about two weeks to find the right piece for the jockstrap scene. But it's like anything else—you know when it’s right.” Also included is a 20 page booklet featuring photos, archival material, a pull-out poster, and interviews with Steve Scott and stars Al Parker and Scott Taylor. Turned ON is an exciting musical rediscovery as well as a vital document of queer history.

Blancmange return with their 16th studio album ‘Private View’. The band returns to London Records some 40 years later after their first album ‘Happy Families’ (1982). Album features vocalist Neil Arthur with producer, keyboardist and programmer Ben Edwards (John Grant, Stephen Mallinder, John Foxx) and guitarist David Rhodes (Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Scott Walker). With 7 Top 40 UK hits and 70 weeks in the UK Official Charts, Blancmange’s influence on the global electronic and pop music scenes cannot be understated. Private View is distinctly Blancmange while also expanding into new sonic terrain. There’s a deft marriage of futuristic electronic sounds, Neil Arthur’s unmistakable vocal hooks, and songs veer from buoyant and joyful to dark and brooding. Private View will be released on London Records almost exactly 40 years to the day since the label released Blancmange’s debut album Happy Families. This neat full circle of Blancmange re-signing to the same label that ignited things all those years ago is also reflected in the album itself, being the perfect crystallisation of four decades of creativity. On Private View Neil returns with key collaborator Benge (Wrangler, John Foxx, John Grant), and David Rhodes (Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Scott Walker) also returns as the guitarist, having previously performed with the band as early as 1982’s Happy Families (as well as several other Blancmange albums). Private View is a record that manages to capture an artist who is potently in the moment when it comes to creating new work, while also being able to draw on 40 years’ worth of knowledge, experience, and built-in intuition. “I'm really lucky to be able make the music completely on my own terms,” Arthur says. “Being able to just continue being creative...that's when I'm happiest.” As he said before: “within myself there are no limits.” Blancmange is also reflected in the ongoing influence the music has on younger generations of artists and fans over the years. Contemporary electronic producers like Honey Dijon and Roman Flügel have paid tribute with remixes, Moby once called Blancmange “probably the most underrated electronic act of all time.”; while John Grant continues to profess his love for Arthur’s music, old and new, and has invited Blancmange to perform as part of Grace Jones’ Meltdown festival.

Blancmange return with their 16th studio album ‘Private View’. The band returns to London Records some 40 years later after their first album ‘Happy Families’ (1982). Album features vocalist Neil Arthur with producer, keyboardist and programmer Ben Edwards (John Grant, Stephen Mallinder, John Foxx) and guitarist David Rhodes (Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Scott Walker). With 7 Top 40 UK hits and 70 weeks in the UK Official Charts, Blancmange’s influence on the global electronic and pop music scenes cannot be understated. Private View is distinctly Blancmange while also expanding into new sonic terrain. There’s a deft marriage of futuristic electronic sounds, Neil Arthur’s unmistakable vocal hooks, and songs veer from buoyant and joyful to dark and brooding. Private View will be released on London Records almost exactly 40 years to the day since the label released Blancmange’s debut album Happy Families. This neat full circle of Blancmange re-signing to the same label that ignited things all those years ago is also reflected in the album itself, being the perfect crystallisation of four decades of creativity. On Private View Neil returns with key collaborator Benge (Wrangler, John Foxx, John Grant), and David Rhodes (Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Scott Walker) also returns as the guitarist, having previously performed with the band as early as 1982’s Happy Families (as well as several other Blancmange albums). Private View is a record that manages to capture an artist who is potently in the moment when it comes to creating new work, while also being able to draw on 40 years’ worth of knowledge, experience, and built-in intuition. “I'm really lucky to be able make the music completely on my own terms,” Arthur says. “Being able to just continue being creative...that's when I'm happiest.” As he said before: “within myself there are no limits.” Blancmange is also reflected in the ongoing influence the music has on younger generations of artists and fans over the years. Contemporary electronic producers like Honey Dijon and Roman Flügel have paid tribute with remixes, Moby once called Blancmange “probably the most underrated electronic act of all time.”; while John Grant continues to profess his love for Arthur’s music, old and new, and has invited Blancmange to perform as part of Grace Jones’ Meltdown festival.

Gabriel Gosse - Flow

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Coming off her first Number 1 single at country radio with "Somebody Like That" & 2021 ACM's New female artist nominee, Tenille Arts is set to release her third studio album, Girl To Girl. Catapulting into the project is the Dave Pittenger produced lead single,"Back Then, Right Now” which has amassed 8.8M streams on Spotify to date. Tenille continues to deliver magic with the 13 track album while stepping into stardom on a major tour this summer through January 2022 with Lady A. Features include Matt Stell & Callista Clark.

„V I N C E N T“ ist FKJs zweites Album. Es markiert den Beginn eines neuen Kapitels für FKJ, der damit nach seinen Arbeiten als gefragter Produzent und zentrale Remix-Adresse für andere Künstler:innen wie PinkPantheress und Moses Sumney das nächste künstlerische Solo-Statement macht – nachdem er zuletzt schon ausverkaufte Konzerte in aller Welt mit seinen gefeierten „One-man-Shows“ verbuchen konnte. Kombiniert liegt auch die Zahl seiner Streams inzwischen im Milliardenbereich.

Das Konzept des „V I N C E N T“-Albums entstand während eines Soloabstechers nach Los Angeles, den er schon vor dem Jahr 2020 antrat. „Ich wohnte dort dann ganz allein in so einem Haus … und schaltete auch mein Telefon ab, um wirklich runterzukommen. Ich brauchte einfach etwas Abstand und Zeit für mich, weil ich herausfinden wollte, was ich eigentlich als nächstes machen wollte.“ Schon bald wurde ihm klar, dass er demjenigen Freiheitsgefühl nachspüren wollte, das man als Teenager hin und wieder spürt. „Damals habe ich einfach nur gespielt, es ging beim Musikmachen um nichts anderes. Ich hab über nichts nachgedacht“, so FKJ. Genau dieses Gefühl kommt schon im Eröffnungs- und dem Abschlusstitel der neuen LP durch: einerseits der Future Jazz von „Way Out“ – eigentlich ein verspielter Mini-Soundtrack: eine anmutige Pianomelodie, unterfüttert mit wilden Trap-Beats und ruhigen Streichern – und das fast wie ein Schlaflied wirkende „Stay A Child“. „Ich wollte einen Teil von dieser verlorenen Unschuld zurückholen … diesen Augenblick, wenn man einfach nur aus purem Vergnügen Musik macht.“

Wieder zurück im eigenen Home Studio auf den Philippinen angekommen, dort sogar ohne Wlan und zunehmend abgeriegelt durch internationale Lockdown-Maßnahmen, war FKJ nun tatsächlich abgeschnitten vom Rest der Welt. Was auch bedeutete: noch weniger Ablenkungen. Es war die ideale Gelegenheit, um ganz allein die endlosen Möglichkeiten der Musik zu erkunden. „Manchmal habe ich die ganze Nacht durch an den Songs gesessen und bin erst ins Bett gegangen, als schon wieder die Sonne aufging.“ Dieser unbefangene Ansatz war entscheidend: Basierend auf dieser Freiheit ist ein expressionistisches, wirklich berührendes Album entstanden, das man unmöglich einordnen kann. Auch versteckt sich FKJ nicht mehr hinter irgendwelchen grünen Zweigen, wie er es auf dem Cover seines Solodebüts getan hatte: Mit „V I N C E N T“ tritt FKJ heraus aus dem Schatten und zeigt sich, seine Stimme als Musiker, seinen Sound. Indem er Saxophon und Klavier aus Late Night Jazz-Sessions mit geerdetem Flüstergesang (à la Bon Ivers Frühwerk) und Gitarren à la Santana zusammenbringt, gibt er sogar dem schwierigen Begriff Chillout Music eine ganz neue Bedeutung.

Während weite Teile von „V I N C E N T“ vor allem romantisch klingen, geht’s ab und zu auch richtig sexy zu, dann wieder verträumt, den Kopf hoch oben in den Wolken – wie etwa bei „Us“, den er seiner Frau June widmet. „ihm“ kommt mit Nineties-Hip-Hop-Einschlag daher, wobei er jedoch immer weiter das Tempo drosselt und das Licht dimmt. Genau genommen doch nicht 100% solo eingespielt, hilft ((( O ))) schließlich beim Song „Brass Necklace“ aus – was ähnlich eindringlich klingt wie The Internet oder die Keys, wenn Stevie Wonder sie spielt. Zusammen mit Toro Y Moi setzt er für die Leadsingle „A Moment of Mystery“ auf astreine Space-Trip-Vibes, die tatsächlich aus nicht ganz nüchternen Parallelwelten stammen: Während der Arbeit in San Francisco tranken FKJ, Toro und dessen Keyboarder Tony eine Flüssigkeit, die Tony als „heiliges Wässerchen“ bezeichnete … „Wir teilten uns dann die ganze Flasche, was in einen ziemlichen Trip mündete“, erzählt FKJ und lacht. Zurück in der Realität, ist das Ergebnis dieses Trips eine sanfte Electro-Ode auf dauerhaftes Liebesglück. Vor allem ist es ein Track, der in Sachen Eingängigkeit und dezentem Prog-Faktor selbst Tame Impala in nichts nachsteht.

Auch Yukimi Nagano (Little Dragon) ist am Mikrofon zu hören – auf dem umwerfenden „Can’t Stop“ –, und mit „Let’s Live“, einem treibenden Technopop-Song, in dem Handclaps, Klavier und Vocals perfekt miteinander verschmelzen, besinnt sich FKJ noch einmal auf seine Anfangstage zurück, als seine Produktionen noch größtenteils ins Dance-Genre passten. Obwohl er immer wieder Kategorien aufsprengt und seine Stücke kontinuierlich mit neuen Ideen erweitert, wirken die Tracks nie aufgeblasen, nie zu dick aufgetragen. Trotz der Vielschichtigkeit wird einem nie schwindelig.

Insgesamt ist „V I N C E N T“ ein kleines Wunder. Es ist der Beweis, welche Magie entstehen kann, wenn man nur tief genug gräbt, Inspirationen lange genug reifen lässt. „Das war schon eine echte Herausforderung, diese Platte aufzunehmen“, sagt er abschließend. „Ich bin nun mal eigentlich ein Perfektionist – und das kann man nicht einfach so abschalten. Als ich es dann jedoch geschafft hatte und die Musik selbst tonangebend war, fühlte ich mich mit einem Mal vollkommen frei.“

After releasing on Atomnation's Unfold Vol. 2 last year, Berlin-based Italian Nocui returns with more rich and uplifting grooves on his new 12” “Entrain”. Leonardo Di Fiore (Nocui's real name) is a Rome-born composer and a classically trained pianist who brings a performative approach to how he makes music. An early love of jazz also permeates his work and he now considers himself a "studio and sound design obsessive." That shows in the meticulously crafted, always fresh music he makes on his go-to drum machine, the Jomox Alpha Base. Nocui is also adept at speaking through other key bits of gear such as the Roland Sh101, Acidlab 303, DSI Prophet 6, and Haken Continuum Fingerboard - machines that lend his music its signature sound and have taken him to labels like Traum and Wildfire.

In March 2020, Tahiti 80 had a plan to start recording their new album in the studio. That plan, of course, along with everything else in the world, got derailed. But the five-piece group was resilient and resourceful. They quickly shifted to a socially distanced plan B that included file swapping and virtual sessions, all refereed by producer Julien Vignon. The result, due for release in March 2022, is the buoyant Here With You, a collection of eleven upbeat songs that unfold like a prescription for a post-pandemic panacea.

“When lockdown in France happened, we said, 'We're not going to stay at home not doing anything,'” says singer-guitarist Xavier Boyer. “And our new plan became a hopeful thing, waking up every morning and seeing what the other guys had worked on. It wasn't always easy, but this new method allowed a freer approach where we could really go all the way with an idea without being influenced by each other’s suggestions. It must've been overwhelming for Julien, who ended up selecting all our arrangements. But he stayed positive all the way through.”

To help stay inspired and focused during their time in isolation, the band created a mood board, with the centerpiece a photo of an early '90s rave in the UK.

Boyer says, “Whenever you see pictures from this era, people seem very innocent. There are no cell phones and everybody is in to what they are experiencing. We kept that picture in mind as a kind of mantra that would help everyone feel connected to this idea of people celebrating, gathering and just having fun. We were missing the connection with people, and thought it would be great if we could create music that would inspire that kind of emotion.”

Indeed, the songs on Here With You are brimming the feeling of communion that we've all been missing over the past two years. It's there in the catchy opener Lost in the Sound, which walks the walk with Chic guitar flicks, urban nightfall sparkles and an inviting chorus (“Your heart grooves like a thousand 808s on the right time”). It's there in the Jackson 5-style syncopated bounce of “Vintage Creem,” the lush, dreamy “Breakfast in L.A.” and the panoramic sweep of “UFO.” And it's there in the first single “Hot,” which matches an irresistible groove with a neon-lit, percolating arrangement that evokes the disco clubs of 1979.

What's remarkable is that though Tahiti 80 displays a clear affection for sounds of the past, from bubble gum to '70s soul, they never trade in mere pastiche. Their take is more a slightly warped and playful carnival mirror mash-up of classic pop styles, given depth through Boyer's hang-gliding, coolly emotive vocals and lyrics that often rub against the euphoric grain of the music.

“I like to think of songs as a three-minute drama,” says Boyer. “This concept of drama definitely adds different levels to our music. There's the melody, the lyrics, then the production that can maybe emphasize or counterbalance the interaction between the yin and yang in a song.

“There's a difference between the very upbeat, sunshine-y soft rock and the lyrics, even on our past albums,” he continues. “Not dark, but a little more melancholy, and also looking for some kind of motivation, talking to yourself. Like with a lot of Motown songs, you get that feeling where you body’s dancing while your mind’s reflecting, reminiscing.”

That alluring blend of happy-sad has been a signature part of the Tahiti 80 sound from the time Boyer and bassist Pedro Resende formed the group in 1993, as students at the University of Rouen. Taking their name from a souvenir t-shirt given to Boyer's father in 1980, the duo recruited guitarist Mederic Gontier in 1994, and with the addition of drummer Sylvain Marchand a year later, the lineup was complete. The foursome released a self-produced and self-financed EP, 20 Minutes, in 1996, which resulted a record deal with French label Atmospheriques in 1998. Their full-length debut Puzzle, produced with Ivy's Andy Chase and mixed by Tore Johansson, went gold and featured the international hit “Heartbeat” that established the band throughout Europe and Asia.

In the years since, Tahiti 80 – with the additions of Raphaël Léger on drums and Hadrien Grange on keys - has released eight acclaimed albums. The band has fused what Mojo called a “glorious entente of old and new technology” (including singles like “Yellow Butterfly,” “1000 Times,” “Sound Museum,” “Crush!” and “Big Day,” which was featured on a Fifa video game soundtrack), while collaborating with such producers and arrangers as Richard Swift, Tony Lash and Richard Anthony Hewson, who famously arranged The Beatles' “Long and Winding Road.” Boyer has also put out two solo albums, the first under the anagram Axe Riverboy and the second under his name. In 2019, the band released Fear of an Acoustic Planet, a stripped-down reimagining of some of their best-loved tracks from the previous twenty years. It served not only as a look back but a reminder of their formidable songwriting skills.

Boyer is definitely a student of the timeless three-minute pop song format pioneered by '60s artists like The Beatles and The Beach Boys. He says, “I see it as kind of a frame for a painting. Most of the songs on this album, I wrote a verse, pre-chorus and chorus. There aren't many middle eights. I wanted it to be very concise. I feel like people have less attention. There's so much music. It's too easy to switch off or skip to another track, so I want to hook the listener. The three-minute song is kind of an easy code to crack, but at the same time you have to figure out a new way to tell the stories that we've heard before.”

And the stories on Here With You are very much about the longing for connection. Of the album title, Boyer says, “In the world right now, that can mean a lot of different things. Like missing our fans, missing going to concerts. In a way, it can be a statement of what happened last year, and a wish of 'I want to be here with you again.' It's our ninth album. We've had some had some very open, conceptual titles like Puzzle, Activity Center. Sometimes they were more specific like Fosbury orWallpaper for the Soul. Here with You, seems more personal, more engaging in terms of relationships. When I suggested that title, everyone in the band said, 'Yeah, that's it.'”

Until Tahiti 80 can resume a full tour schedule, Boyer says he hopes the new record will make that personal connection. “If I see from the point of view as a music fan, sometimes I see albums I like as companions throughout my life. So if we can be a part of people's existence, even if it's a song that reminds them of the time they were driving with the windows open and it was sunny. Or a sad song that resonates with them after a breakup. That's what we're all looking for when we're making music. You do this very personal thing and you want it to touch as many people as possible.”

A1. Tahiti 80 - Lost In The Sound A2. Tahiti 80 - Vintage Creem A3. Tahiti 80 - Telling Myself A4. Tahiti 80 - Hot A5. Tahiti 80 - Breakfast In LA

B1. Tahiti 80 - Cameo B2. Tahiti 80 - UFO B3. Tahiti 80 - Riddles & Rhymes B4. Tahiti 80 - Zoo B5. Tahiti 80 - Wicked Wicked B6. Tahiti 80 - Let's Get Started

Today New York based singer, songwriter and producer Amber Mark announces details of her long-awaited debut album ‘Three Dimensions Deep’, out January 28th via Emi/pmr Records. The announcement of the album is accompanied by a sultry R&B instant-grat track ‘What It Is’ as well as a huge UK, EU and US spring tour announcement including London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in March

Amber’s debut album arrives almost 4 years after the release of her second EP ‘Conexão’, an extended process that has proved central to its thematic development. The 17 track album can be divided into three main acts that follow the arc of Amber’s personal and musical development; Without, Withheld and Within. Beginning by acknowledging her insecurities and anxieties before reflecting on her time in denial and spent processing them in all the wrong ways, Amber eventually widens her focus by seeking answers to the world’s negativity and trauma on a cosmic scale. Finding peace and a form of inherent spirituality in the world of astrophysics while writing the album led to a fresh perspective on

life and a renewed sense of self. Amber’s debut album is simultaneously a profound concept album and a love letter to herself, richly intertwining messages of self-worth and reflections on the universe beneath a veneer of shimmering pop. In true Amber Mark style, ‘Three Dimensions Deep’ is a kaleidoscopic melting pot of influences and genres, drawing from funk and R&B, soul and hip-hop with international accents influenced by a nomadic childhood spent travelling the world with her late mother.

“Three Dimensions Deep is a musical journey of what questions you begin to ask yourself when you start looking to the universe for answers.” says Amber; “I can only go as deep as the third dimension as that’s how we see the world, but what about when you start looking to the universe within for answers.”

“‘What It Is’ low key is the title track of the album without it actually being the title track” explains Amber; “It comes from going through negative experiences which end up being the gateway to a question I think I’ll be asking for the rest of my life. What is the meaning of life,the universe and everything?”

The three official singles already released from the album ‘Worth It’, ‘Competition’ and ‘Foreign Things’ marked Amber’s first official singles since 2020’s ‘Generous’, though 2020 was still a hugely productive year for Amber. With her hometown of NYC hit hard in the first wave of the pandemic and placed under strict lockdown, Amber turned to her simple home studio to create an acclaimed series of home-produced covers and originals titled ‘Covered-19’, each accompanied by a homemade video and artworks. The series was followed by a collaboration with longtime friend Empress Of on the protest song ‘You’ve Got To Feel’, earning Annie Mac’s Hottest Record, ‘Tune Of The Week’ and a spot on the Radio 1 playlist. Earlier this year Amber was featured on legendary DJ Paul Woolford’s new piano-house track ‘heat’, again snagging Annie Mac’s Hottest Record and a long run across the Radio 1 and 2 playlists. Having already amassed over 300 million streams since the release of her breakout debut EP 3:33AM in 2017, Amber has built a global fanbase eager to hear her debut full length -

„Sybilline“, „unique“ and „peerless“. These are some of the adjectives that were used to describe Everyone Is A Door – Panoram’s first full-length on Edinburgh’s Firecracker Recordings. Since then, the elusive producer, founded his own label Wandering Eye, produced automated piano music in Los Angeles (Thom Yorke Sonos playlist approved), composed synth lines underwater for Amen Dunes Freedom and toured two years with the band as well being involved in their collaboration with Sleaford Mods Feel Nothing and their upcoming album on SubPop. But Panoram can also hold its own very well. His debut on Running Back’s Incantations series lets you hear and experience that after the first few bars already. Acrobatic Thoughts is surreal, abstract, puzzling and urgent, yet filled with beautiful, slow-moving melodies and emotional passages. Eccentric humor meets serious soundscapes, acrobatic thoughts evolve around abstract key notes, while an out-of-time and out-place atmosphere surrounds a microcosmos that seems to be otherworldly and very natural at the same time. Panoram manages to build a house that can be as much of a home for ambient record collectors as for futuristic pop fans and all the ones in-between those poles. Or to describe it one sentence while quoting two titles of this enigmatic record: Seabrains controlled by beautiful engines. Short: Seabrains controlled by beautiful engines. Panoram’s new record Acrobatic Thoughts and his debut on Running Back is surreal, abstract, puzzling and urgent, yet filled with beautiful, slow-moving melodies and emotional passages. Eccentric humor meets serious soundscapes, acrobatic thoughts evolve around abstract key notes. One LP to make millions happy.

Still sealed. Clear vinyl. tiny wear.

White opaque wax.