VA - Peace Chant Vol.8 - More Private Jazz from Germany 1974-1986

The term “private” is used quite liberally in the promotion of rare groove compilations these days. The team at Tramp Records tends to be rather defensive when it comes to such terms. Although, and this should not be misunderstood as arrogance, label boss Tobias Kirmayer & his crew have been doing nothing else for 22 years, strictly speaking. Every compilation series from the Upper Bavarian label, be it the “Movements,” “Feeling Nice,” “Praise Poems,” or “Can You Feel It” series, specializes in independently produced music from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s released on small private labels. This means extremely time-consuming work to track down the musicians, write down their stories, and, last but not least, invest a high four-digit amount to release such compilation projects as deluxe (double) LPs and CDs.

The industrious creators of the label have already released seven volumes in the Peace Chant series. Parts 1 to 6 were single LPs with predominantly American tracks. Part 7 was the first to be dedicated to purely German productions. Furthermore, the decision was made to release a double LP with a gatefold cover, not least to accommodate the extremely comprehensive accompanying text and images.

The 8th edition once again focuses on German productions. It includes rare (Fences), unreleased (Music Community), but also the odd €10 record. The mere fact that a record is rare/expensive doesn't make it interesting for Tobias Kirmayer and his team. They are primarily interested in the music. And if a song convinces them, it makes it onto the shortlist. In fact, many established reissue labels too often ignore records or individual songs and don't re-release them simply because they are not sought after by collectors. Kirmayer and his fellow campaigners have made it their mission to combat this injustice. A good example of this would be Sabanone, a title by Büdi Siebert's formation with the wonderful name HerrGottSax. The original LP costs around €15.

In addition to presenting the music in combination with detailed information about the artists, the label has another concern close to its heart. For the sake of the environment (short delivery routes) and to support the domestic economy, the CDs and vinyl LPs are manufactured in Germany”. And the record was pressed on BIO🌿VINYL in the most environmentally friendly way possible. But enough talking. Have fun exploring!

~DJ Roman Bloecker (July 2025) 

Tracklist:
1. Jazz Workshop Ensemble - Aya Tolla
2. Music Liberation Unit - Monday Morning
3. Community Music - Groove Rock
4. HerrGottSax - Sabanone (Schlachtruf Der Affen)
5. Ad Libitum - Take Five
6. Fences - Mein Alter Hut
7. Spirit - Work Song
8. BZN-Big Band - Nr. 6
9. Ulmer Jazz Quintet - Grandfathers Waltz
10. Brainstream - B27
11. Trio Wolf-Sperl-Bräuer - Bulgarian Flirt

Modeselektor - DJ-Kicks: Modeselektor

Modeselektor, one of the most original acts to emerge from Berlin's techno underground, are in a period of transition. Earlier this year, the duo — aka Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary — moved into a new studio after many years based above the infamous KitKatClub in Mitte. After more than three decades of astonishing work—spanning cult labels, critically acclaimed albums and EPs, and era-defining releases as part of Moderat—they remain at the top of their game, as hungry as ever for the freshest electronic music from around the world. In 2025, the same year DJ-Kicks and !K7 Records celebrate their 30th and 40th anniversaries respectively, the duo are finally set to deliver their edition for the vaunted mix series.

Modeselektor's passion and drive are writ large across DJ-Kicks. Contributing to the long-running series has always been on their bucket list. Then, finally, this year, the stars aligned, and they set to work on their edition of the compilation. Bronsert and Szary gathered tracks in their new studio, designed and built in collaboration with Sascha Ring, by restructuring the remnants of an old industrial site.

"We decided not to overthink it too much," said Bronsert of the curation phase, "and just followed our instincts." At the same time, Szary added, "When you ask Modeselektor to make a mix, it's not a normal process."

The rhythmically compelling release came together over a matter of days. It features 22 tracks, including two original Modeselektor cuts, plus field recordings from tour—listen out for the lively discussion toward the end, recorded in a studio in Kingston, Jamaica. True to form, the mix stitches together an impressive mishmash of styles, from Kenyan sound artist Slikback and beloved London rapper Little Simz to Berlin techno darlings Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem. Moods and sounds change like the wind. "We didn't want to make a club mix," Bronsert said. "I love club music, so does Szary. But we didn't want to give people the full package, so we tried to tell a story. This mix is for listening in the car, or at home. It's weird, but not too much."

The opening section sets the tone. Leading with the tender pads of Szary's "PREY," a reworking of a track from Moderat's More D4ta sessions, the energy gradually ramps up from there, with the occasional detour. Standouts include the world premiere of Kitschselektor, a long-awaited link-up between Modeselektor and popular German producers KITSCHKRIEG; Modeselektor's previously unreleased "MEGA MEGA MEGA," which hits the duo’s typically euphoric high notes; and Slikback's stormy "Sea," which landed on iconic dubstep label Tempa early in 2025. The atmosphere shifts again—like sand through your fingers—with the breathy vocals of GAISTER (aka Olivia Salvadori, Akihide Monna, and Coby Sey), another Szary pick.

Across the mix, Szary's selections lean more beatless and ethereal, while Bronsert is the dancefloor specialist. "He chose all the tracks without drums," Bronsert confirmed. "A lot of very interesting music I never would've discovered myself. He's looking for non-structured music. That makes for a very interesting balance because we're fighting for our ideas all the time."

The first major gear shift arrives 20 minutes in, as fast, crisp kick drums burst through the murk. Released in 2024, "Mood Swings" by Little Simz is one of many new or unreleased cuts on the mix—an intentional decision to create "a fingerprint of a moment," said Szary. Forays into the past occur sporadically, like a revisit to the thick bass and heavy air of Modeselektor's 2021 collaboration with legendary dub techno vocalist Paul St. Hilaire. The blend into Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem's industrial clanker "The Machine" is mind-blowingly seamless.

Modeselektor built their name on creating spellbinding musical moments by boldly fusing disparate sounds. Going from "The Machine" into American indie folk project Beirut, and back out again into the loopy techno of Kaan Pirecioglu's "Spellbound," should rank as a career high. Beirut's "Spillhaugen," a firm Szary favourite, is disarmingly beautiful, with Zach Condon's dreamy vocals building to a shimmering crescendo. "We always try to find music in the timeless zone," said Bronsert. "That doesn't get old too quickly."

Taking the non-linear approach has always been the Modeselektor way. No two tracks on DJ-Kicks sound alike, meaning the magic often happens in the liminal spaces between tunes. Take how Untold's "Discipline," the oldest track on the mix (2008), folds perfectly into the lively techno of Erik Jabari's "Stone Rinse," released last year. (Jabari is a current employee of historic Berlin record store Hard Wax, where Bronsert once worked.) Or the way Julien Bracht's emotion-rich "Melancholia" collapses into the grand finale, "Koko," a quirky, piano-heavy cut that premieres on the mix, delivered by close collaborator Siriusmo.

The beauty is in the lining—in listening to the mix again and again, and uncovering fresh details and earworms each time. Despite its modern bent, it has an everlasting quality, much like Modeselektor and DJ-Kicks themselves. Both are totems of Berlin's rich, shape-shifting electronic music culture. Decades later, they remain as relevant as ever. "Don't skip the tracks," laughed Szary, when asked how fans should approach the mix. "And just enjoy it." 

Tracklist:
1. SZARY - PREY
2. Kitschselektor - Permit Riddim (feat. Pobdon)
3. Modeselektor - MEGA MEGA MEGA
4. Slikback - Sea
5. GAISTER - Source
6. Modeselektor - Kupfer
7. Aho Ssan - Hero Once Been (feat. 9T Antiope)
8. DJ Narciso - 10 Minutos
9. Little Simz - Mood Swings
10. Chlär - Populism Is Money
11. Maxime Denuc - Ouverture
12. Modeselektor - Movement (feat. Paul St. Hilaire)
13. Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem - The Machine
14. Beirut - Spillhaugen
15. Kaan Pirecioglu - Spellbound
16. Yraki - Percolate
17. PLUS ONE - Bonk
18. Modeselektor - USA USA USA
19. Untold - Discipline
20. Erik Jabari - Stone Rinse
21. Julien Bracht - Melancholia
22. Siriusmo - Koko

FloFilz - Hagaki

FloFilz’s new album 'Hagaki' – out September 12th on Melting Pot Music – is a musical love letter to Japan—a sonic travel log that blends jazz and beats with Japanese music and culture. Recorded in both Berlin and Tokyo, FloFilz invited fellow musicians, beatmakers, and singers such as Takuya Kuroda, Nao Yoshioka, Toshiki Soejima, Budamunk, and Matt Wilde to join him on his journey. Acclaimed music and travel photographer Robert Winter was responsible for the outstanding visuals that accompany the album.

FloFilz is recognized as one of Germany’s most in-demand producers. Born in Germany, he grew up in Belgium before moving to Berlin in 2020. A classically trained violinist, he began making beats in 2012 while still performing in orchestras.

His music is a seductive blend of jazz, soul, and hip-hop-influenced grooves. Deeply inspired by London’s jazz scene, FloFilz has collaborated with artists such as Alfa Mist, Kofi Stone, MF DOOM, Kojey Radical, JuJu Rogers, Wun Two, Bokoya, Jerome Thomas, Summers Sons, and J. Lamotta.

In 2014, FloFilz and Melting Pot Music launched an album series that explores the culture, vibe, and landscape of cities he loves—both musically and visually. The visual side is handled by Robert Winter, a well-known music and travel photographer immersed in Germany’s hip-hop and beat producer scene. For the first album, 'Metronom', FloFilz, Robert Winter, and Melting Pot Music founder Olski traveled to Paris. For 'Cenário' (2016) and 'Transit' (2019), they visited Lisbon and London. Each album is released as a high-quality gatefold edition and includes a 20-page photo book.

For 'Hagaki', the fourth volume in the series, FloFilz traveled to Japan, where he spent a full month working on music and visuals. 'Hagaki' means 'postcard' in Japanese. The album is a multidisciplinary love letter and a dialogue with Japanese culture and music. FloFilz had visited Japan several times before—playing shows in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto; enjoying some of the best food he’d ever had; and discovering rare records in meticulously curated record stores. He also ventured beyond the big cities, hiking through mountains, forests, and along coastlines. These experiences deepened his appreciation for how Japanese culture emphasizes harmony with nature. The attention to detail and sincerity found in Japanese art and craftsmanship are qualities that also define FloFilz's approach to music-making.

'Hagaki' is dedicated to Tokyo, the Japanese capital and the most populous city in the world, with over 37 million residents. FloFilz, Robert Winter, and Olski immersed themselves in the city and its culture. They visited jazz joints, ramen shops, record stores, tea houses, temples—and even more record stores. They attended performances by local jazz artists like Uyama Hiroto and Manchester’s own Matthew Halsall at the iconic Blue Note club. FloFilz performed at the Jazzy Sport x Roland Anniversary Party and was invited by Ella Records for a DJ set and an in-depth video interview about record culture and digging.

During their trip, they reconnected with old music friends and made new ones—from Mitsu The Beats, Budamunk, and Lidly to the entire Jazzy Sport crew and the welcoming team at Ella Records. FloFilz also hit the studio with trumpeter Takuya Kuroda, vocalist Nao Yoshioka, guitarist Toshiki Soejima, and some of Tokyo’s most respected beatmakers.  

Tracklist:
1. Furo 風呂
2. Setagaya Samba
3. Taito City Hideout (feat. Takuya Kuroda)
4. Kimochi ii 気持ちいい
5. Yoinokuchi 宵の口
6. 6F Encounters
7. Yokohama Yard (feat. tajima hal & Lidly)
8. Inemuri 居眠り
9. 20today (feat. 12Vince)
10. Kaki 柿
11. Ma 間
12. Atélier (feat. Matt Wilde & Toshiki Soejima)
13. Insomnia (feat. Nao Yoshioka)
14. Yōkai 妖怪
15. Forest Crab (feat. Budamunk)
16. Sunken Stones

Kassa Overall - CREAM

Grammy-nominated drummer, producer, emcee, and vocalist Kassa Overall is redefining the boundaries between jazz and hip-hop. Revered by living icons and underground tastemakers, he began his career behind the drum kit. His groundbreaking solo projects have established him as a driving force in the American jazz scene and beyond, fielding support from visionaries including Thom Yorke, Iggy Pop, Virgil Abloh, and more. As a 2025 recipient of the prestigious Doris Duke Artist Award, Kassa has cemented his status as a leading voice in contemporary jazz.

On Cream, his fourth solo studio album, Kassa pays homage to the twin passions of his youth—hip-hop and jazz drumming. With this collection of instrumentals, the visionary drummer and producer transforms classic rap songs into timeless standards, mining the continuum between jazz and hip-hop from every angle without any shortcuts and offering a fresh take on the “Great American Songbook”—honoring the rich legacy of Black American music.

Cream highlights Kassa’s artistry through masterful arrangements, thoughtful song selection, and a sound that traces the arc of his evolution. Backed by a stellar band with generational jazz legacy, the project embodies his genre-fluid approach and his commitment to pushing jazz forward.

Tracklist:
1. FREEDOM JAZZ DANCE
2. BIG POPPA
3. C.R.E.A.M. (CASH RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME)
4. REBIRTH OF SLICK (COOL LIKE DAT)
5. NUTHIN BUT A “G” THANG
6. CHECK THE RHIME
7. SPOTTIEOTTIEDOPALISCIOUS
8. BACK THAT AZZ UP

Marshall Allen - The Omniverse Oriki

Beautiful space, wild chaos, fire lotus– we now embark on the future-ever present, the conjuring of the past in non-linear chronospace, we present narratives in African/Afro-Cuban dreamtime! This is The Omniverse Oriki, legendary Sun Ra bandleader Marshall Allen Trio’s collaboration with the Ade Ilu Ensemble, an explosive macrocosmic reach into the residual ethers of the past to birth a new future, right here the now!

Pulled together on Halloween night, 2023, Marshall Allen’s trio and Philly’s Ade Ilu Ensemble channelled and churned indelible musical spirits in extended “oriki”, Yoruba narratives set to explore omniversal wavelengths, to unmoor the patterns of universal control through Afro-Cuban-Futurist diagrams.

Their first confluence was at Marshall’s monthly residency in Philadelphia, then captured here at Rittenhouse Soundworks Studios. The result is a righteous din, a mythological cacophony, a joyful noise. Swirling notes of Afro-cuban entrancing Lucumi, shocked and fragmented Afro rhythms, and vibrant flourishes of rhapsodic free jazz– we are here at the sonic temple! We are the beautiful space! - Alex Smith

Release date XX-XX-XXX. 1st High Two edition of 300 copies pressed on premium audiophile-quality 140 gram vinyl at Smashed Plastic, from Carl Saff audio lacquers and mastering. Recorded by Michael Richelle, Rittenhouse Soundworks, Philadelphia. Digital files available at High Two Bandcamp.

Tracklist:
1. Omniverse Oriki 1
2. Omniverse Oriki 2 
3. Omniverse Oriki 3

Kendra Morris - Next

With her fourth full-length album of original material, idiosyncratic singer/songwriter Kendra Morris invites you to join her in the DIY kaleidoscope world of Next. Morris’s latest record for Karma Chief strips away the veneers of layered production and slick sounds to create an album that may be Kendra at her most authentic, one in which the creative process is vibrant, beautiful, and messy, buoyed by heart and the imperfectly perfect now.

A concept album in reverse, Next ties Kendra’s cast of characters (including her band: guitarist Supremo “Premo” Massiv, bassist Monti Miramonti, and drummer Chauncey Yearwood) to a vintage board game in the spirit of Milton Bradley’s finest retro dice-rolling moments. Travel along Next’s block-to-block journey, and this universe reveals itself as a mosaic of corals, creams, and pale lilac tiles. You can hear the sonic palette resonate with Morris’s influences and inspirations. Decades of New York sounds and voices bend and blend at the seams of these tracks—a world where the Brill Building and Warhol’s Factory thrive on the same block while Blondie and the Frightnrs explore rocksteady sounds. Doo-wop and boom-bap soundtrack a UHF network’s worth of cut-and-paste stylings, all the while paced by Morris, an artist equally at home behind the lens as she is in front of a microphone.

Next is an album of firsts. The album’s extended gestation provided Morris with an opportunity to explore her ideas and demos. “I’ve been living in this record for over a year,” says Morris. “I’ve always been a writer, and [Next] was a chance to write a record from scratch on my own.” The New York (by way of Loveland, Ohio) production is co-helmed by Kendra Morris and Leroi Conroy. Its production trades the steel and chrome sleekness for a more personal and scaled-down sound, exposing the songcraft. While earlier albums were awash in IMAX-level cinematic sweep, Next explores Kendra’s perspective with a handheld 8mm kinetic energy, all the while showcasing the dynamic, soulful range of her powerhouse voice — equal parts Roberta Flack, Betty Wright, and Minnie Riperton.

With recording done at Portage Studios in Loveland and additional vocals recorded at Kendra’s Brooklyn apartment, the symmetry is as poignant as it is reflected in the home cooking vibe throughout. “I wrote and recorded my demos right here at this desk with my guitar, drum loops, and my Casio keyboard,” Morris reflects. “To then have Leroi come here, stay a few doors down, and record the vocals felt right and right now…and I’m also playing guitar [on Next] which I’m excited about, too.” Much like the best board games, you may end your journey where you began it, but the path you take along the way is where moments are made.

“If I Called You” evolved from a slow take featuring just Kendra and guitar, but at Portage, the demo was transformed into a track that could easily find its way onto Prince’s self-titled record. Parlor Greens guitarist Jimmy James adds a guitar solo that channels some Paisley Park magic.

Additional guests on the album include Ray Jacildo of Jr. Thomas and the Volcanos, lending his organ and piano to lo-fi reggae banger “Flat Tire.” It’s a track that traces the throughline from Kingstown to Bushwick and back again all with Morris’ signature AM radio-ready vocals.

That live band energy reverberates on tracks like “Bill.” A staple of recent tours, the song’s eponymous character is a playful personification. “I love it when other people realize, ‘Oh, I have that same Bill that shows up at my door,’” laughs Morris.

“Dear Buddy,” an open letter to Morris’ daughter, serves as Next’s emotional core. Not since the moving tribute to her brother (the 2017 single “Ride On”) has Kendra’s poetry and heart resonated with a tenderness and spiderweb fragile strength.

Kendra Morris and Karma Chief Records invite you to play along with Next, a sonic journey where the roll of the dice means excitement and adventure. Explore the world, tile by tile, meet new friends like Jerry & Roger, help the gang with a “Flat Tire,” or read a letter to “Dear Buddy.” Maybe you can avoid crossing paths with “Bill.” It’s Next, complete with 10 tracks and hours of fun for the whole family. Some assembly required. Turntable, CD player, or streaming service sold separately.

Tracklist:
1. In My House
2. Dear Buddy
3. After Midnight
4. If I Called You
5. Back With Me
6. Flat Tire
7. Bill
8. Don't Wanna Be Happy
9. Go Nowhere
10. Something In Common

Venna - MALIK

It’s a beautiful rarity when an artist sees themselves as a vessel of the music, and though MALIK is a manifestation of his experiences and how he sees the world and years of craft, Venna wants MALIK to be an invitation. An invitation to let go, be present and submit to sensory experiences.

“Every experience, every memory, every conversation, anything new, any encounter has influenced how this album sounds. I might like a particular guitar tone from it, and then I bring it into my world. Everything has come and conjured into one place, and it's beautiful to also hear and see,” Venna says.

MALIK is where listeners can get lost and find themselves again. The album also features a long list of musicians including Rocco Palladino, Elijah Fox, AoD, J Warner, Marco Bernardis and longtime collaborator, Yussef Dayes.

Venna speaks on the reason behind the album title: “The album MALIK was named by my mother 26 years before the album was made. A strong name that means King or leader in Arabic. A name that I’ve lived with all my life. A name that my nearest and dearest have called me & a name that I learnt to become. Throughout the whole process of the album - I’ve had another name that I loved but I felt like I wasn’t living in my undeniable truth & what better way to live in one’s truth than naming their debut album the name that their mother named them. I present my debut album MALIK.”

Tracklist:
1. Yoshi’ Intro
2. Numero Uno
3. Myself (feat. Jorja Smith)
4. Prophet
5. +Star101
6. Day x2 (feat. MIKE & Marco Bernardis)
7. São Paulo’ Interlude
8. Twisting (feat. Leon Thomas)
9. Zazu
10. Mr Popular (feat. Smino)
11. Raggo Rock
12. Veranda (feat. CARI)
13. Alchemy
14. Clarendon Fable
15. Indigo
16. My Way
17. Eternal Reflections (feat. Yussef Dayes)

Ancient Infinity Orchestra - It's Always About Love

Based in the North of England. Ancient Infinity Orchestra is a joyous large ensemble that has communal music-making at the heart of everything they do. And that includes the melodies that flow out of their new album It’s Always About Love which blossom with uplifting improvised contributions that circle around bandleader Ozzy Moysey’s beautiful compositions; generous sonic gifts of healing and repair.

The 15-member Spiritual Jazz ensemble has a distinctive line-up: two double basses, harp, saxophones, clarinets, violin, viola, cello, oboe, flutes, mandolin, congas, piano, drum kit, with bells, shakers and other percussion instruments scattered on the floor of live sets and recording sessions, ready for members to use whenever the spirit takes them. This orchestration, and the overlap between membership and friendship, gives Ancient Infinity Orchestra a sound that is at once expansive and intimate, earthy, and cosmic, constantly shifting yet grounded in shared intention.

Ancient Infinity Orchestra can be described as melody-driven improvised music, made by people who are deep into different types of traditional music, including folk, jazz and classical. “The tunes are a vessel,” he says, “with everyone doing their thing. It exists so that my friends can be musically fulfilled.”

“There is a need for love and connectedness. You pour the love you have into the music and people listening can feel it”

Tracklist:
1. All I Can Say of the Blossoms
2. Golden Meadow
3. Chant for Don Cherry
4. Joy of a Natural World
5. Nilgoon
6. The Seeker
7. Old Friends
8. At Yoshino Mountain

Ebi Soda - frank dean and andrew

Jazz-disruptors Ebi Soda return with their latest album 'frank dean and andrew'.

Harnessing the chaos born from endless jams in a remote, rented farmhouse, the album dives deeper into their punk approach to jazz, while opening up space for long-nurtured fascinations with electronic textures and cinematic oddities. Their third album, it features previous singles feely, and bamboo.

The title was pulled from a bank of favourite names after the band saw Ez’s artwork; a quirky world of three cell-like flats housing absurd creatures. 'frank dean and andrew' nods to the anonymous, everyday passersby whose lives quietly unfold in the background of a nondescript town.

Pulling back the curtain on its creation further, the band reveals, “The album was recorded at the end of a year of extreme highs and lows. The tensions play out in the music in weird ways... the feeling of the music is very particular, and peculiar. Most UK Jazz music can end up too arranged and neat, or generally optimistic in mood, whereas this album goes the other way in all aspects.”

At the album's core, the glitchy, late-night focus track red in tokyo features Chinese-Vietnamese-British rapper Jianbo, whose grimey, distorted flows cut through growling guitar riffs and a dragging, drill-like drum line. “It’s a weird, grimey anger with a touch of no-wave and post-punk,” the band explains, “Hari’s bass ended up sounding like a Japanese Koto”. The intensity is fitting, as Jianbo recounts a tense moment in Tokyo that left him “seeing red.”

Shifting through moods, the second track oscillates to life with a dubby bassline and bursts of distant, animalistic commotion, like a flock scattering after a disturbance. With unsettling keys and guitar, the instrumental upends the familiar contours of jazz and leaves a lingering unease as part of what the band calls the album’s “weird, off-key” side. Equally unexpected, the title, horticulturalists nightmare (birds), taps into the surreal fear lurking in the pulsing soundscape.

That freeform, borderless creativity carries into grilly, where the keys lay out the pace and mood. “The tempo and the ambience frame the track to be like a dance tune, but with a darkness from Burial-type ambiences and pulsing drill-style delays,” the band notes. As horn layers clear the haze, the jam’s raw energy and feeling come together as a transportive piece.

Taking a dip into the melancholic, toucan opens with a whir and solemn, ceremonial horns, underpinned by a mellow harmony that moves into far-off, choral-like overlays. Opening with a similarly dystopian eeriness is location, the band’s favourite. From the heavy slump of the drums to the three-piece horns of Dan, Akers, and Jonny, which counterpoint each other in a sea of reverb. The tune is named after a Playboi Carti song of the same name, inspired by the opening synth movement.

The title track, frank dean and andrew, flickers with a bittersweet nostalgia, capturing for Ebi Soda, a modern sense of indifference, a stay-at-home, it-is-what-it-is kind of resignation. It mirrors the mood of the figures on the album artwork: sitting alone in flats, suspended in quiet isolation. Lou’s chords, Hari’s chordal bass, and Sam’s laid-back tempo lay down a "loose, Midwest, emo undercurrent, a tone that runs deep in much of the hyperpop" the band had been absorbing. Will vocalises through the trombone, making it sound as though someone is singing down a crackling phone line. A flugelhorn overdub adds more warmth to the track’s slow-burning atmosphere, with trombone and sax joining the mix in the second half.

Closing the album is insectoid creatures are infesting the land, beginning as a dissonant, scattered hellscape of wailing improvisations, freewheeling robotic noise, and buckling delays that eventually rupture into a cinematic scape, giving way to an ascending sequence of hopeful, mood-settling melodies.

As a whole, the album’s character arises from stylising with production and mixing. The approach fluctuates between focusing on ambience and reverb, drawing from UK dubstep influences like Zomby, Burial, and Joe Armon-Jones’ collaborations with Maxwell Owin, and embracing the raw, grainy DIY ‘mixtape’ sound, inspired by artists like Athletic Progression, Yameii Online, and Playboi Carti. 

Tracklist:
1. bamboo
2. horticulturalists nightmare (birds)
3. grilly
4. toucan
5. milk in my console
6. location
7. feely
8. red in tokyo (feat. Jianbo)
9. when pluto was a planet and everything was cool
10. frank dean and andrew
11. insectoid creatures are infesting the land