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How does one follow up one of the most legendary, yet rarest albums said to signal the birth of doom metal? If you’re Randy Holden, you give everyone about fifty years to catch up, then casually drop a tastefully modernized reinterpretation of that sound. Population III picks up where Holden’s 1969 solo debut left off, updated with several decades worth of technological advances and personal hindsight. Following his tenure in proto-metal pioneers Blue Cheer in 1969, the guitarist aimed for more control over his next project. Thus, Randy Holden - Population II was born, the duo naming itself after the astronomical term for a particular star cluster with heavy metals present. Along with drummer / keyboardist Chris Lockheed, Holden created what many say is one of the earliest forms of doom metal. Their six-song debut album Population II delves into leaden sludge, lumbering doom and epic soaring riffs that sound free from all constraints of the era. However, troubles with the album’s original 1970 release bankrupted Holden, who subsequently left music for over two decades. For good reason, it’s widely hailed as a masterpiece, and until finally getting a proper formal release in 2020 on Riding Easy Records, was a longtime Holy Grail for record collectors. Flash forward forty years to 2010, one finds the guitarist / vocalist quietly coaxed into recording a followup album by Holden superfan and Cactus member Randy Pratt. Joined by drummer Bobby Rondinelli (who has played with Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow), the trio cut the six-song collection of leaden future blues, Population III. “Randy Pratt had written the basic song structures, he understood my music and where I come from quite well,” Holden says. “He nailed it.” But the recording was ultimately shelved for over a decade. Throughout Population III, Holden effortlessly dishes out squealing, soaring leads and skull-thwacking riffs with his signature low end grit and penchant for Middle Eastern scales. Coupled with Pratt’s pocket-locked bass, the slight flanging effect on Rondinelli’s drums and his pugilistic beats, the album occasionally brings to mind Presence-era Led Zeppelin. At times, Holden sounds reminiscent of Neil Young leading Crazy Horse’s ruptured grunge as his lilting falsetto vocals push and pull his guitar’s siren’s call. Population III is the real deal —a powerful continuation of a sound forged fifty years ago, that almost didn’t happen. Somehow, Randy Holden’s music always finds a way to stand the tests of time.

As we continue our half-joke-verbal agreement of "one album per year" with Taner Öngür, here we go with "Water Cycle". Like many musician in the world, lock down home, early 2020 Taner Öngür got back to his own song books and merge them with some new ideas and brought us this exceptional instrumental album. It's quite hard to classify it within one genre but we can say it takes off from progressive sounds and explore around Öngür's latest band 43,75's own swing-surf-rock style (of course with some little psychedelic touches). These 14 tracks consist 3 special covers such as the Beatles' "I am the Walrus", Bollywood's famous "Mera Joota Hai Japani" and "Ya Mustafa" which featured in various works of middle eastern cinema. Taner Öngür, the legendary bass player of Moğollar (the iconic group of 1970’s Anadolu Pop movement), is producing solo projects since 90's. "Water Cycle" is his 4th opus of his collaboration with his latest band 43,75 and Tantana Records. During lockdown days of 2020, Öngür got back to his own song books and surfed between UK and India -and of course over fly central Asia- got together this very special instrumental guitar trip. Considering he is the "baptist" of the "anatolian rock" movement of 70's, his beyond-genres-eclectic view to the music fits perfectly to the swinging guitars, progressive touches, tribal beats, melancholic moments of “Water Cycle"... It's also a great "introduction to Taner Öngür's universe". Back in 2016 he formed this project: 43,75. Their first album “Elektrik Gramofon” (2017) was a beautiful selection of 20's - 50's Istanbul songs, distilled by Öngür's surf-swing-rocknroll appoach (it's LP's sold out within 48 hours!). Nowadays, most of the vinyl collectors knows about Anatolian Rock; but not many knows that Taner Öngür was on many cult records of the era and the definition of "anatolian pop" and "anatolian rock" are actually Taner Öngür's own wording, that became the name for it - since 70's. So, on "Sayko Ana” (2018) Öngür did not hesitate to have fun with it; browsing between forgotten Turkish folk songs and psych them. In 2019, he got back into archives, to dig "strange stories" from newspapers and vintage novels of 1930's-1960's, which gave birth to "Asrî Sadâ" album, that its LP consisting a superb - rich contented 16 pages tabloid newspaper; with "news" and "articles" related to the songs... and many other bizarre details of our "dusty days”. So, please welcome to Taner Öngür's own psych-surf-swing flavored universe!

On March 26, 2015, a surprising announcement sent shockwaves through the Belgian music scene. Noe?mie Wolfs declared her departure from Hooverphonic, the band she had fronted as the lead singer for over five years. She described it as the end of an incredible chapter in her life and expressed her desire to forge her own musical path, which she did by releasing her critically acclaimed debut album "Hunt You" a year later.

In February 2020, the long-anticipated second solo album by Noe?mie arrived, titled "Lonely Boy's Paradise," brimming with melancholic hues. Taking her time to craft and record this album, Noe?mie delivered a collection of songs that resonated even more deeply with her. At the production helm was Yello Staelens (also known as Yong Yello). With "Lonely Boy's Paradise," her confidence grew, allowing her to embrace risk and unconventional ideas. However, the international lockdown soon threw a spanner in the works, as the society shut down a day after her celebrated sold-out release show at the Ancienne Belgique. Rather than sit by, she therefore retreated to her home studio to work on new music.

Making music from the heart has always been in the DNA of Belgian singer Noémie Wolfs and yet this time it is a tad different as she's gearing up to release her third album, "Wild At Heart," in November. This time around, she joined forces again with her partner in crime, Simon Casier (of Balthazar and Zimmerman), to write and produce the album in their home studio. Despite being in the business for years, the upcoming project also immediately presented a challenge for her because this time she was involved both as a writer, but more importantly as a producer, giving the album an even more personal touch. Everything was done from an emotion or a vision, you notice and hear the love for enchanting arrangements immediately.

The ten tracks on "Wild At Heart" promise a distinct sound, enriched with meticulous attention to detail. The melodies are interwoven with dreamy, melancholic strings and an array of synths, revealing a new facet of Noémie's musical evolution. The new sound of Noémie evolved from a hip-hop-oriented use of samples on her second album "Lonely Boys Paradise" to a more electronic approach, where danceable beats with analog synths join forces with big orchestrated strings to capture the different facets of a love story.

"Strings are actually very hopeful or often form a warm blanket for many people, but can also be very frightening, oppressive, dark, and sad. It might even be my favourite instrument, which is why I definitely wanted to use them on this album. Sometimes you can even hear 42 violins at the same time, with which we wanted to capture the grandeur of Hollywood," she says about including strings.

The upcoming album is not a sonic continuation of her previous albums, but a deliberate exploration of what has always inspired her. "Wild At Heart" tells the story of two lovers who cannot live with each other, but also cannot live without each other. The dramaturgy of the album also reflects itself musically, which is immediately evident with the first single "Lonely Heart". In almost eight minutes, you feel the matchless passion in her music and her voice remains the narrative thread that makes you forget time and space around you for a moment. Noémie Wolfs' new music is therefore the perfect way to take a break from the daily grind and digs deep into all forms of romance.

"Wild At Heart" is Noémie Wolfs' reintroduction and her most personal project so far. For dreamers, lovers, and travelers.