Saul Williams, Carlos Niño & Friends - Saul Williams meets Carlos Niño & Friends at TreePeople

Land Back!

An unadulterated opening statement intoned by Saul Williams three times, as he joins Carlos Niño & Friends in sound ceremony underneath oak and black walnut trees in Coldwater Canyon Park, Los Angeles, on December 18, 2024.

The performance, which was organized by Noah Klein of Living Earth on the grounds of longstanding conservationist organization TreePeople, was the first of its kind for longtime friends and collaborators Williams and Niño. The two have been in contact since 1997 and have worked on a variety of projects together, but had never been moved to present in this way. For the occasion, Niño assembled and directed an ensemble of frequent collaborators including Nate Mercereau (Guitar Synthesizer, Live Sampling with Midi Guitar, Sample Sources), Aaron Shaw (Flute, Soprano Saxophone with Pedals, Tenor Saxophone), Andres Renteria (Bells, Congas, Egyptian Rattle Drum, Hand Drums, Percussion), Maia (Flute, Vibraphone, Voice), Francesca Heart (Computer, Conch Shell, Sound Design), and Kamasi Washington (Tenor Saxophone).

Williams’ inspired poetics both fit seamlessly and guide clairvoyantly the electro-acoustic ecosystem created by Niño & Friends – a constellation of deep connections and intersecting linkups from complementary sound makers. There’s the dialogue between not just Niño & Williams but Niño and Renteria’s reciprocal percussions; the intergenerational woodwind counterpoint between Washington and Shaw; the hovering harmonics of Maia’s vibraphone in aerial resonance with Heart’s digital designs. Heart’s sounds also make a beautiful analogue to synth-guitarist Nate Mercereau, whose live sampling and manipulation techniques turn fleeting moments of sonic presence into musical architecture in real time. Deepening the dimensionality of this constellation, Mercereau and Niño are several years into a shared musical simpatico that has yielded dozens of powerful collaborations, making their particular interaction on this recording as spiritual and transcendent as it is subtle and implicit. And there is yet another connection to be highlighted still.

Late in the set, Williams shares an extended reflection on the Dutch East India Trade Company, the indigenous Lenape people on the island of Manahatta, the origins of Wall Street, and a prayer for the end of empire as he incites an epic crescendo from the ensemble, swirling behind the twin winds of Shaw and Washington, spirited by his repeated call “I’ve seen enough.” The smoke has only begun to clear from this emotional apex as Williams passes the torch to poet Aja Monet, who arrests the atmosphere with a soft apocalyptic reading of a piece from her notebook, “The Water Is Rising.”

As Monet finishes her poem and steps aside, Williams follows her foreboding words with a solemnly hopeful return – closing the ceremony with a parable about a firing squad, where one member's dilemma is a "system of belief" allowing for humanity in the heart of an oppressor.

Tracklist:
1. Sound Then Words
2. We Would Lift Our Voice...
3. We Are Calling out in This Moment...
4. The Water Is Rising / As We Surpass the Firing Squad... (feat. aja monet)
5. We Have Work to Do (Speaking After the Concert)

Chip Wickham - The Eternal Now

Saxophonist, flautist and composer Chip Wickham casts a formidable shadow across the UK jazz landscape. Originally from Brighton, Chip Wickham first came to prominence in the UK breakbeat scene playing with the likes of Nightmares On Wax and Graham Massey. But at heart Chip has always been a jazz musician (he played on Matthew Halsall’s debut album 'Sending My Love' in 2008 beginning a relationship with Gondwana Records that now spans 17 years) and now dividing his time between the UK, Spain and the Middle-East, he has made a name for himself with a series of beautifully crafted solo albums that draw equally on hard swinging spiritual jazz, the classic sounds of 60s British jazz and the more contemporary sounds of artists such as Jazzanova, The Cinematic Orchestra, and Nicola Conte.

'The Eternal Now’ is Chip’s most progressive recording to date and represents a heartfelt ode to submitting oneself to the practice of creating art, and the freedom that’s derived from letting go.

Co-produced by Matthew Halsall, 'The Eternal Now' features two mainstays of the Manchester scene, legendary drummer Luke Flowers of The Cinematic Orchestra and well-loved bass-player Sneaky who played on Mr Scruff’s classic Keep it Unreal. Largely flute-led it’s his most rhythm heavy offering to date taking the listener on an expansive journey that touches on the influences of Lonnie Liston Smith, Sven Wunder, David Axelrod and even library music as Chip pushes his sound into exciting new spaces without ever losing the soulful groove and heartfelt melodies that make his music so loved. 

Tracklist:
1. Drifting
2. Nara Black (feat. PEACH.)
3. The Eternal Now
4. Lost Souls
5. No Turning Back
6. The Road Less Travelled
7. Falling Deep
8. Ikigai
9. Outside

Flava D - Here & Now

Having established a reputation as one of the most versatile and respected producers in the game – with over a decade at the forefront of UK bass music, spanning UKG, grime, bassline and drum & bass, Flava D needs no introduction. Now, with her debut drum & bass album Here & Now, she levels up once again, channeling years of dancefloor know-how into a project that’s as weighty as it is emotionally dialled-in.

Across 15 tracks, Here & Now captures the breadth of Flava D’s musicality, offering a bass-charged, genre-spanning statement that’s rooted in experience but tuned into the present moment.

A self-proclaimed fan of Hospital Records from the age of 14 – the first drum & bass CD she ever bought being ‘Hospital Mix Vol. 1’ – Here & Now marks a particularly paramount milestone for the Bournemouth-born beatmaker. With a star-studded bank of collaborators, including MPH, Anaïs, Unglued, SOLAH and more, the album highlights Flava D’s curatorial ear and the strength of her network across the scene. It moves fluidly through soulful rollers, gritty steppers, and rave-indebted bangers – each track stamped with her unmistakable touch.

Born in the stillness of lockdown and forged in the fire of the club revival, this is Flava D in full command – delivering a bass-fuelled snapshot of her current sound: warm, weighty and ready for the rave.

“Three years ago, my idea of what an album would've been was different from what it is now, because I was starting it in lockdown essentially – and I didn’t have the club testing ground. I could’ve made a liquid album so easily, but it wouldn’t translate into the sets I do today. I don’t think I really have a specific style, but I have characteristics in my tunes – UKG influence is still in there in little ways, definitely with the chords and certain basslines as well.” -Flava D‘Can’t Get It Back’ sees powerhouses SOLAH and Flava D link up for the first time, a soulful and expansive tune built around warm keys, crisp percussion and that signature Flava D bounce. The track feels like golden hour in audio form – sun-drenched nostalgia and effortlessly executed.

Flava D and labelmate Anaïs join forces with Dread MC for ‘Entertainer’ – a razor-sharp drum & bass cut that flips the switch from smooth to savage in seconds. Opening with deceptively delicate notes, the track quickly flips into peak-time territory – a heavyweight stepper infused with a piercing synth hook and Dread MC’s signature firepower. It's a showcase of Flava D’s instinctive versatility, building on her reputation for genre-blending with surgical precision.

Flava’s versatile catalogue has always carried with it an indisputable swagger – and ‘Reesey Thing’ is no exception. Originally dubbed ‘Reesey Bass,’ it is one of the few solo tracks on the album and Flava’s self-proclaimed favourite. Euphoric, rave-inspired piano stabs and an unforgettable build and release boast her superb production genius while remaining masterfully playful at its core. Driven by moreish vocal chops and gliding basslines, this one exudes high-energy groove with a BPM to match.

Flava D and MPH deliver a rush of blood to the head on ‘Blush’ – add invigorating vocals from Paige Eliza into the mix, and the result is a seething weapon with both club sensibility and stereo playability. Blending a hammering bassline with exceptionally silky vocals, ‘Blush’ lends itself to both late-night joyrides and top-shelf sound systems. After citing Flava D as “by far the biggest influence on my sound to date,” UKG mercenary MPH crosses an item off the bucket list.After a decade of ascent, including standout Hospital releases like ‘Do U Want Me,’ Fluent (ft. Emz), and ‘All We Ever Do’ (ft. DRS & Paige Eliza) – Flava D’s signature sound is now deeply embedded in the DNA of UK dance music. Her technical finesse and instinctive selection have cemented her status as one of the scene’s most trusted and forward-facing tastemakers.

At its core, Here & Now is a meditation on presence — a fresh, fearless chapter from one of the UK’s most consistently innovative producers. The album is equal parts masterful and functional, giving fans what they came for while revealing new layers of Flava D’s ever-evolving sound. Through its stacked line-up of collaborators, Here & Now also connects voices who are helping shape the future of dance music, from the underground up.

Here & Now lands September 5 – and yes, it’s on vinyl.  

Tracklist:
1. Blush (feat. Paige Eliza & MPH)
2. Blackwall Tunnel
3. Entertainer (feat. Ana∩s & Dread MC)
4. Fluent (feat. EMz)
5. Can't Get It Back (feat. SOLAH)
6. Frequency (feat. Nu:Tone, Slay & Eva Lazarus)
7. All We Ever Do (feat. Paige Eliza & DRS)
8. The Function (feat. Logan_olm)
9. This Is A Roller M8 (feat. Unglued & Doktor)
10. Reesey Thing
11. Antidote (feat. Charlotte X)
12. Circles (feat. Slay & DRIIA)
13. The Cycle (feat. Lauren Archer)
14. Do U Want Me
15. Keeping Me Up (feat. Mandidextrous)

Anushka - Ancestry

Anushka's third album Ancestry comes out on BBE Music as both digital and vinyl and represents a massive hitting of the duo's potential as songwriters, musicians and performers following their well received and critically acclaimed previous releases on Brownswood and Tru Thoughts respectively. Indeed Ancestry represents their best album to date and one which befits a release on one of the UK's (and the world's) premiere independent record labels.

Anushka is the collaborative name for Victoria Port and Max Wheeler. The duo first met in the vibrant club, music and arts scenes in that creativity incubating south coast town that is Brighton.

With their first single, Yes Guess, gaining support from major broadcast influencers such as Gilles Peterson they released their debut album, Broken Circuit, in 2014. With major airplay support from Mary Anne Hobbs, Annie Mac, the aforementioned Gilles Peterson and others the second album Yemaya was released in 2021. On this second record they experimented with their sound, exploring darker and more complex songs and palettes. Both albums forged Anushka's sound and production values, combining a deep respect for the UK's electronic club culture mixed with Jazz and Soul.

Now, with the release of Ancestry on BBE Music, the duo has created an album that furthers their sound, their songwriting, their arrangements and their production. Victoria's songwriting for Ancestry is influenced by her love of Ella Fitzgerald, Sampha, Jimmy Cliff and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Max's approach to the production on Ancestry is driven by his own ancestral back catalogue of music from Moodymann and Theo Parrish and further back to Larry Heard, Wu Tang Clan and the 90's electronica of Tricky, Portishead and David Holmes. It definitely bears repeating that list of influences has resulted in Ancestry being Anushka's best album yet.

Releasing on BBE Music, on both digital and vinyl formats, Ancestry is an album that is a must for lovers of the highly innovative, jazz and soul fuelled club sound that is part of the UK's contemporary music scene. 

Tracklist:
1. Overwhelmed
2. Really (Nothing is Cool)
3. Afternoon
4. My Mother's Mother
5. Ancestry
6. Magic
7. You Don't Dream
8. Keep Me in the Picture
9. Wanna Dance
10. Higher Ground
11. Q&A
12. Guided
13. Only Your Love

El Michels Affair - 24 HR Sports

Leon Michels has quietly become one of the most sought-after producers in music. His signature sound has caught the attention of the mainstream while continuing to inspire the underground. Since 2023’s El Michels Affair and Black Thought album Glorious Game, Michels has been busy producing records for other artists; Norah Jones’ Grammy winning Visions, Clairo’s Grammy nominated Charm, Kali Uchis’ Moonlight, as well as albums for labelmates Brainstory, Derya Yıldırım and Grup Şimşek, Thee Heart Tones, and Liam Bailey. His new album 24 Hr Sports marks the highly anticipated return to recording under his own moniker, El Michels Affair.

24 Hr Sports was inspired by the fashion and graphic design of ‘80s & ‘90s Sports Illustrated magazines, MF DOOM’s Special Herbs albums, the sample sources used on them, and gospel music a la Pastor T.L. Barrett. The sum of those influences with Michels’ impeccable creative touch prove to be the recipe for an instant classic that will surely be one of the most heralded releases of 2025.

Features Clairo, Norah Jones, Shintaro Sakamoto, Florence Adooni, Rogê, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and Dave Guy.

Tracklist:
1. Drumline
2. Mágica (feat. Rogê)
3. 24 HR Sports Theme No. 1
4. Say Goodbye (feat. Florence Adooni)
5. Oakley's Car Wash (feat. Dave Guy)
6. Anticipate (feat. Clairo)
7. Eastside
8. Clean the Line
9. Cortex
10. Shining
11. 24 HR Sports Theme No. 2
12. Indifference (feat. Shintaro Sakamoto)
13. Carry Me Away (feat. Norah Jones)
14. Take My Hand (feat. Rahsaan Roland Kirk)
15. Open Season
16. Victory Lap

Tres Leches - The Smooth Sounds of Tres Leches LHCC Mart Vol 1

"A joke has never been as sensual as this Tres Leches tongue-in-cheek promo for Hiatus Kaiyote. Renditioning Love Heart Cheat Code, 80s electronics pair with a saxophone and supermarket/elevator vibes to create a funky instrumental that still has humorous undertones to its sexiness, a difficult feat for sure."
- Flying Out

What started out a joke for a truly demented promotional campaign became so much more. Originally envisioned as the soundtrack to an imaginary supermarket in the album promo for Hiatus Kaiyote's Love Heart Cheat Code, these sultry and sensual renditions of Hiatus Kaiyote classics, like Nakamarra, Red Room, Make Friends and more, soon took a life of their own. Thus Tres Leches was born, a trio of heart wrenching troubadours unafraid to turn the lights down low and set the mood to 'sexy'.

Tracklist:
1. Get Sun
2. And We Go Gentle
3. Love Heart Cheat Code
4. Blood And Marrow
5. Telescope
6. Make Friends
7. By Fire
8. Red Room
9. Nakamarra

Steven Bamidele - THE CRASH!

“You're gonna love the sound on this!” – Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2) “Electronic soul at its finest” – Clash
“A killer combination of groove and angular harmony” – Soweto Kinch (BBC Radio 3)
“Steven Bamidele ain’t no fool” – Emma-Jean Thackray

Steven Bamidele presents his sophomore album ‘THE CRASH!’. A collision of cosmic soul, existential dread and a desperate search for meaning in the static.

Nigerian-born, London-based singer, songwriter, musician and producer Steven Bamidele's keenly anticipated ‘THE CRASH!’ is a sonically rich exploration of purpose, doubt and personal reckoning. Written against the backdrop of an ever-changing world, the album combines soul, rock and jazz, acoustic and electronic textures, along with daydream-esque storytelling for a thought-provoking journey in pursuit of something real in an age of hyper-curation and superficiality.

The album’s lead singles reveal nuanced interpretations of its central themes, each offering a distinct perspective. “The Fool” featuring renowned US-based composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Sly5thAve, wrestles with the self-imposed loneliness of ambition; “Exoskeleton” reveals the paradox of shedding emotional barriers, only to forge a trauma-bonded connection; and “Cuckoo Goes the Clock” with British hip-hop artist Cam Thomas, questions who will be the ‘straw to break the camel’s back’ and disrupt the comfortable facade of feigned reactions, exposing the passivity behind the ‘good life’ – a life increasingly curated for public consumption on social media, where sincerity is often sacrificed for performance

“Truman”, a reference to the Jim Carrey film ‘The Truman Show’, explores how social media has normalised constant surveillance, fostering an exhausting cycle of self-presentation – a chilling phenomenon also explored in the musical comedy Bo Burnham’s ‘Inside’. Steven laments the loss of innocence, stating, “I’m a child in an adult’s body. I feel so nostalgic for the games I played, the friends I had. I was always a self-conscious kid but feeling like you’re constantly being viewed exacerbated it tenfold. Life before being a ‘musical artist’ was the “thing” was just way simpler”. Living in a habitual state of monitoring and inauthenticity, Steven explores the ridiculousness of this reality and what it has done to his peace of mind over the years.

“In my youth, I really enjoyed writing songs and playing instruments, there was nothing more to it for me. Musical success, to me, was starting and finishing a song. I genuinely believed widespread recognition would come through the merits of the music alone. I was blissfully unaware of the realities of the industry back then and what it would eventually become. As the internet expanded and became capitalised, a lot of my generation’s life, let alone my music, has become about how we come across to people online and how, in fact, that process has seeped into the way we are with people in person”

At its core, ‘THE CRASH!’ is a soulful meditation on the weight we place on relationships, the fundamental cost of growth and the search for direction in an imperfect world. It’s a deeply personal project, shaped by Steven’s own journey through faith, disillusionment and self-discovery. Raised in a strictly Christian household, Steven’s first crisis of belief came at 17, when he began questioning the very foundations of existence. As his faith unravelled, music became his new guiding force – a source of direction, discipline and identity. But as he turned 30, disillusionment crept in once again. The stark realities of the music industry, coupled with global uncertainty, reignited that same despondent weight he had battled in his youth.

“It was an intoxicating feeling when I was younger and had no responsibilities, to foolishly believe I was the first person in history who'd worked something out that no one else had. It gave me this twisted sense of power and was a big creative motivator. Where I'm at now, nihilism is debilitating, boring and unhelpful. I’ve worked to find a way to channel those feelings into this project. I’m really proud of it”

'THE CRASH!' also features “Wreckage,” which offers a critique of performative online culture, while “Turn Ugly” embraces doomsday paranoia, questioning whether an apocalypse would feel any more surreal than reality. “Nichiyoubi” with French-born singer, songwriter and guitarist Célia Tiab, offers a raw reflection on relationships and “The Moment That You Know” slows the pace, creating space for contemplation. “Take Cover” captures the thrill of escape, but “Withdrawn” featuring Brighton-based musician Scarlett Fae, soon unravels that illusion, marking the emotional breaking point of both a doomed relationship and Steven’s evolving connection to music.

Closing the album, “Phone Home” with Célia Tiab and Manchester-based Trumpeter Aaron Wood leaves things open-ended, its final words “I need to phone home” posing a lingering question of where meaning and solace can truly be found.” Navigating the habitual doubts of existence, Steven confronts pessimism with a quiet hope for forward movement, establishing himself as a thought-provoking and adventurous artist grappling with the profound questions of his generation.

His isolated upbringing has shaped the introspective nature of his songwriting, which pairs with his distinctive reverb-drenched falsetto, synth textures and syncopated beats, to create a forward-thinking, soulful sound.  

Tracklist:
1. If It Matters
2. Wreckage
3. Turn Ugly
4. Exoskeleton
5. Cuckoo Goes The Clock (feat. Cam Thomas)
6. The Moment That You Know (Interlude)
7. Nichiyoubi
8. Take Cover
9. The Fool (feat. Sly5thAve)
10. Truman
11. Withdrawn (feat. Scarlett Fae)
12. Phone Home (feat. Aaron Wood & Célia Tiab)

VA - Soulful Vocals vs Papa 3

Tracklist:
1. Imaani & The Layabouts – Shine [The Layabouts Vocal Mix]
2. DJ Spinna & Phonte – Tonight We Ride [Vocal Mix]
3. Domu, The Muthafunkaz & Pete Simpson – Look A Little Further (feat. The Muthafunkaz) [MuthaFunkaz 12" Vocal Mix]
4. Yukihiro Fukutomi, The Realm & V – One Chance (feat. Yukihiro Fukutomi) [Yukihiro Fukutomi Remix]
5. Reel People, David Federmann & Maeva – Cherry Tree (feat. Maeva & Reel People) [Reel People Remix]
6. Frankie Feliciano & L. Young – I Love My Girl (feat. Frankie Feliciano) [Frankie Feliciano Classic Vocal Mix]
7. Dalminjo & Lenny Hamilton – I'll Wait (feat. Lenny Hamilton)
8. Alison David & Bopstar – Dreams (feat. Bopstar) [Bopstars Vudoo Refix]
9. Reel People & Vanessa Freeman – The Light [4Phlash Rework]
10. Nathan Haines, The Layabouts & Shelley Nelson – Believe (feat. Shelley Nelson & The Layabouts) [The Layabouts Vocal Mix]

Chicago Underground Duo - Hyperglyph

Chicago Underground Duo is the long-running collaborative project of composer/trumpeter/electronicist Rob Mazurek (Exploding Star Orchestra, Isotope 217, New Future City Radio with Damon Locks) and composer/drummer/mbiraist Chad Taylor (jaimie branch’s Fly or Die, Marshall Allen’s Ghost Horizons, Luke Stewart’s Silt Trio). Hyperglyph is their first album in 11 years, and 8th in the absolute cabinet of wonders that is the Chicago Underground Duo.

The pair have played music together in a multitude of formations over nearly three decades, including their ongoing partnership in Mazurek’s large-format-skyward-expressionism vehicle Exploding Star Orchestra, in the expanded Chicago Underground Trio & Quartet (with guitarist Jeff Parker), and in a plethora of other assemblages. The early albums by the Duo have proven to be embryonic blueprints for the avant-jazz / electronic / indie rock hybridizations of the time, making them majorly important moments in the articulation of the “jazz” dimensionality of the then-burgeoning "post rock" sound. That sound, of course, was being transmitted far and wide due to the success of these groups as well as Mazurek’s Isotope 217 project with Jeff Parker, and the Chicago Underground’s frequent collaborators in Tortoise.

But the sounds being created by this extended family are and were far from static. Just as most of the still-working artists born of that Chicago era have evolved, reconfigured, and grown, Chicago Underground Duo has undergone a number of musical moltings, with the project always in the background of disparate individual aural investigations — always an option, always an outlet. As the project drops off and picks back up, the concurrent personal evolutions of Mazurek and Taylor make the Duo a true reflection of their own lives and friendship.

“Rob is my longest collaborator and also one of my best friends,” says Taylor, who first performed with Mazurek at a club in Chicago in 1988, aged 15.

“When it feels right we do it,” says Mazurek of the gaps in duo activity. “We have worked together and have been friends for a long time. This creates a kind of continuity not only in the music, but in our lives.”

Musically, there are certainly internalized nods here to AACM composers like Wadada Leo Smith, or albums like Don Cherry & Ed Blackwell’s “Mu” and El Corazon, but the songs of Hyperglyph exemplify Mazurek and Taylor’s individualities while also addressing another longtime influence on the Chicago Underground Duo sound — the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost of extreme studio editing in jazz-adjacent music, Miles Davis and Teo Macero’s Bitches Brew, In A Silent Way, and Get Up With It.

“Post production has always been a big part of our process,” says Taylor.

“Sometimes it just flows and we one-take a thing,” Mazurek elaborates. “Other things take time to ferment. We hit those hard in the post production.”

International Anthem engineer Dave Vettraino was indispensable as part of this process, recording and mixing the entire album at IARC HQ in Chicago. “We are very open and free in the studio,” says Mazurek. “Working with Dave is a joy because he is so intuitive and open with his approach as well. We can try anything with him. In this way it is more like a trio than a duo.”

Couple this trio’s take on the now classic cut-and-recut production techniques of Davis/Macero with Mazurek and Taylor’s longtime interest in deep electronic sounds (think Bernard Parmegiani, Morton Subotnick, Xenakis, Eliane Radigue, Plux Quba), transformative processing (think Autechre, King Tubby, Mouse On Mars, Carl Craig) and we can finally get close to understanding just where the duo lands in this lineage — this ongoing narrative each individual finds themselves in whether they see it or not. The Chicago Underground Duo, it seems, sees it.

While the musical language of Mazurek and Taylor can certainly be clocked in the slew of projects that they participate in together, the sound of a Chicago Underground Duo album is singular among them. Hyperglyph is no exception and could even be considered a distillation of that intuitive yet complex sound. A key can be found in the title of the album itself: highly complex geometric structures which can seem overly complex at first but, when thousands are arrayed in 3D space and with user training and adaptation, can significantly enhance perception and information assimilation and lead to new knowledge and insights.

The album opener “Click Song” kicks off with a blown-out horn chant from Mazurek, doubled by tuned bells and nestled into a muscular and symmetrical stereo-overdubbed polyrhythm from Taylor. Synthesized bass pulls our ears along cyclically, dropping in and out to almost severe dynamic effect while Mazurek and the subtle-yet-persistent bells elaborate upon the melody before ultimately departing from their repetitive psalm in favor of improvisation. It’s all held together by the steady, deep, chest-thump boom of Taylor’s kick drum pattern.

“There has always been a lot of African influence in the rhythms we play,” says Taylor. “With this record, specifically, we utilize rhythms from Nigeria, Mali, Zimbabwe, and Ghana.” Taken as a whole, spiritually, this introductory three-minute stomper lives somewhere between a Tuareg wedding and the most hypnotic moments of the click songs of Northern Africa.

Title track “Hyperglyph” follows, and begins with a chromatic moving harmony played by Mazurek on the RMI electric piano, an instrument famously utilized on Miles Davis’ groundbreaking Filles de Kilimanjaro. The vibe here, though, is one of unyielding, trancelike repetition. The trumpet introduces the time, with Taylor's chunky smacking rhythm hitting hard from the get go. Eventually, the tune undergoes a transformation, with the back and forth of melody and rhythm hitting a fever pitch. A pitch-shifted trumpet becomes a New Orleans march baritone. Dennis Bovell-style dub sounds enter (or, maybe, reveal themselves) at the start of the song’s final movement, followed by wordless incantations. Swelling and saturated, the track sounds as if it’s about to tear itself apart. Static pulsing merges and overtakes the recorded percussion to present a new rhythm of hissing electronics — the harnessed wailing of the unleashed ghost in the machine. A spiritual awakening from the bowels of the earth.

“Hemiunu”, a Chad Taylor composition, is a waltz based around a simple piano figure repeated throughout. A folk melody from anywhere, the kind that’s been in the air for as long as anyone can remember. One might imagine the melody played clawhammer on an Appalachian afternoon, bowed somberly on the Chinese erhu, or hummed nonchalantly on the factory line. From the jump, Taylor’s percussion threads itself into the sound of a well-worn upright piano as the high register is haunted in wide stereo by that roiling RMI electric piano in octaves, alternately dubby and harplike. Enter Mazurek with another folk-like melodic phrase. Pause. Again. Pause. Leaving room for the now densely waltzing bouquet to bloom before diving deep into laser-sharp Lee Morganesque territory with a wildly vibrating high trumpet cry, but with a tone Mazurek owns completely.

The deeper reference for Mazurek’s most untethered emotional playing is his late friend and mentor Bill Dixon, an extraction most apparent in the three-part "Egyptian Suite.” At the start of part one (“The Architect”) a cyclical pattern from Taylor becomes a bed for Mazurek’s repeating, descending, synthetic-Egyptian scaled theme. This call to action dissolves into the second movement, “Triangulation of Light,” where Taylor’s bowed cymbals set the stage for an exploration of microtonal color with and against the occasional joining and un-joining of tones that stretch the frequencies to their limits from Mazurek's open and half muted trumpet. Like a tornado siren in the distance, breaking through the membrane of storm clouds on the horizon, in search of another siren.

The third and final movement, “Architectonics of Time,” announces itself with free rolling swaths of percussion from Taylor à la Robert Frank Pozar’s mind-bending percussion on The Bill Dixon Orchestra’s classic Intents and Purposes. Here, though, the lineup is limited to two, with no overdubs or post-production. Taylor's singular style and Mazurek's tonal painting coalesce into a maelstrom of intervallic tone and beat before the final repeat of the lead melody from the suite’s first movement. It truly feels like reaching the summit. It’s pure and free duo interaction, the symbiosis of 30 years.

“Succulent Amber,” the final track on Hyperglyph, could fit just as easily on side two of Autobahn. After a brief modular synth-induced pan-harmonic melody shift, a steady kalimba is joined by the gentle intermittent raindrop-melodicism of the RMI electric piano in this understated final duo performance, unadorned by further studio arrangement. It’s a full-on comedown moment after the intensity of “Egyptian Suite,” though rather than winding down or petering out, here the Chicago Underground Duo still manage to point toward some kind of incoming mystery with four sudden-yet-patient ascending chords on the low-register of the RMI electric piano just before the curtains close. The piano notes end on a leading tone, leaving the resolution to the listener.

Once we’ve climbed the mountain, they remind us, we have to deal with what’s on the other side.  

Tracklist:
1. Click Song
2. Hyperglyph
3. Rhythm Cloth
4. Contents of Your Heavenly Body
5. The Gathering
6. Plymouth
7. Hemiunu
8. Egyptian Suite / Part 1: The Architect
9. Egyptian Suite / Part 2: Triangulation of Light
10. Egyptian Suite / Part 3: Architectronics of Time
11. Succulent Amber

Ami Taf Ra - The Prophet and The Madman

North African, LA-based singer-songwriter Ami Taf Ra announces her debut album, The Prophet and The Madman, arriving August 22 via Brainfeeder. A transcendent, sonic palate cleanser that draws from Moroccan gnawa, gospel, and spiritual jazz, the album is a personal and poetic meditation on duality, healing, and ancestral memory. Inspired by Khalil Gibran’s seminal work, The Prophet, Ami Taf Ra’s album was produced by legendary saxophonist composer and her frequent collaborator Kamasi Washington. Arriving alongside the announcement is Ami Taf Ra’s powerful new single “How I Became A Madman” featuring Kamasi Washington. With soaring arrangements and entrancing emotional arcs, the track captures the tension between inner chaos and clarity—a central theme of the forthcoming album.

“How I Became A Madman” follows the release of “Speak To Us (Outro)”, Ami Taf Ra’s Brainfeeder debut, praised for its emotional depth and the accompanying video’s striking visual storytelling. Her upcoming album expands that sonic vision into a richly textured 11-track journey, featuring collaborators including Ryan Porter, Miles Mosley, Brandon Coleman, Tony Austin, Taylor Graves, Cameron Graves, Ronald Bruner Jr., Allakoi Peete, Kahlil Cummings, and Kamasi Washington. Ami Taf Ra’s The Prophet and The Madman is a bold statement from a vocalist rooted in the traditions of Arabic greats like Fairuz, Umm Kulthum and Warda, yet reaching fearlessly into new sonic territory. It’s an album that seeks not answers but presence—a devotion to the journey, not the destination. 

Tracklist:
1. Speak to Us (Intro)
2. How I Became a Madman (feat. Kamasi Washington)
3. The Prophet
4. God
5. Love (feat. Ryan Porter)
6. My Friend (feat. Brandon Coleman)
7. Children
8. Gnawa (feat. Kamasi Washington)
9. Gibran
10. Khalil
11. Speak to Us (Outro)

La Chooma - Local Spirits

FFO: Jimi Tenor, Meridian Brothers, The Comet Is Coming, The Mauskovic Dance Band, Sun Ra Arkestra, Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids

Psychedelic dub, Afro-Latin rhythms and cosmic grooves come together on La Chooma’s self-titled debut for Batov Records. Drawing on Moroccan Gnawa, Colombian cumbia, Afrobeat, Jamaica dub & roots, and cosmic jazz, the six-piece ensemble create deep, hypnotic music rooted in global traditions and shaped for contemporary dancefloors.

Having already captivated local audiences with their hypnotic, organic live performances, La Chooma – now a six-piece ensemble – have been steadily building an international following. Initial singles “Magic Plant” and “Huachuma” earned support from tastemakers including BBC Radio 6 Music’s Deb Grant and Tom Ravenscroft.

“Magic Plant” distills the band’s signature blend of hypnotic grooves, lush percussion and woozy synths, like Jimi Tenor lost in the Colombian Amazon. A dreamlike, dub-infused trip driven by organic rhythm and cosmic textures. “Huachuma” picks up the thread, fusing Afrobeat percussion, swirling basslines and psychedelic flourishes into a hallucinogenic jam made for a tropical dancefloor.

“High Grow” conjures images of The X-Files set in Addis Ababa, with Ethio-jazz-style synths dancing and tripping across a relentless Mulatu-inspired bassline and Afrobeat drums, all drenched in foreboding dub delay. Perfect for dark, smoke-filled rooms in the small hours.

Like the lost child of Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids and The Comet Is Coming, “Lonely” hits like a sledgehammer of cosmic synth funk and intense Afro-rock drums, riding an acoustic bassline that breaks into a frenetic solo after a minute. The drums constantly threaten to overwhelm, but open up for the spiraling synths to peak half way through the track.

“Cozumel” follows seamlessly, moving to a slightly slower groove built on a deep electric bassline and irresistible four-to-the-floor Afro-Latin rhythms. Synths rise in harmony with the haunting call of the hand-carved Egyptian kawala flute as the energy builds in the third minute before the tension finally releases. There’s something in the music’s spiritual core and soulful presence that recalls the groundbreaking work of Jamaican legends Count Ossie and Cedric Brooks, who fused jazz with Rastafari drumming.

La Chooma draw dotted lines across time and space, finding hidden connections and shared frequencies, pulling threads together into a sound that hypnotises the mind and moves the body.

Tracklist:
1. Magic Plant
2. High Glow
3. Huachuma
4. Praise
5. Rhinno Dance
6. Lonely
7. Cozumel
8. Gamal Gadol
9. Cookie Crumble Cumbia
10. Veggie Berber Boy

Vimbai Mango - Searching (Nzira)

British-Zimbabwean soul singer, producer, and composer Vimbai Mango releases her debut EP Searching (Nzira) on Tru Thoughts, in collaboration with labelmate South London producer and DJ Footshooter.

The EP is a journey of self-discovery and transformation, grounded in electronic textures, intricate jazz harmonies, and soulful vocal expression. Vimbai’s voice, woven through tender sung verses and delicate spoken word, unites broken beat rhythms with African-inspired instrumentation. The project includes the single of the same name, Searching (Nzira).

Nzira, translates to “the journey” in Shona, a Bantu language spoken by the Shona people of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. “That’s exactly what this project has been,” Vimbai explains, adding, “it started at a time when so many of us were searching for connection and clarity. Nzira is a reflection of identity, heritage, and the power of collaboration. It’s about navigating where we’ve come from and where we’re going, through sound.”.

The EP opens with its focal track, I Am (Ndinzonzi), a symbolic piece for Vimbai. Deeply influenced by Vimbai’s childhood memories and her grandfather’s vinyl collection, the song evokes the era surrounding Zimbabwe’s independence. Through the lyrics, she likens herself to “a bridge between two worlds,” reflecting the experience of a first-generation immigrant, echoing the journey of a first-generation immigrant, she celebrates a sense of self forged at the confluence of cultures.

Continuing the themes of storytelling, transformation, identity, and cultural fusion, Hatibatike (feat. MA.MOYO) shines as an affirming anthem. MA.MOYO, a Zimbabwean-born author, poet, and sound artist based in London, channels the rhythms of the African diaspora, weaving education with art. Her powerful lyricism and resonant voice deepen the track, framed by the uplifting refrain: “You’re bad and you’re bold and you’re bright and you’re beautiful,” carried by soulful keys and a vibrant, thumping dance beat.

The interlude Zongororo flows from a tender, lilting ballad into a fractured soundscape with dragging hip-hop drums, sonically mirroring its themes of change and evolution. In Shona, zongororo means millipede, a creature symbolising vadzimu, ancestral spirits of transformation, often seen as a sign of shifting tides and spiritual metamorphosis.

Closing the project is Not There Yet, a soulful collaboration with gifted trumpeter Wilf Petherbridge, whose rich, melodic lines add depth and warmth. Blending African instrumentation with UK jazz and broken beat influences, courtesy of Footshooter, the track offers a gentle compass, encouraging the listener to cultivate a sense of belonging from within.

“The mission was to build something drawing on Vimbai’s Zimbabwean heritage but also paying homage to U.K. house, broken beat, jazz, soul and trip hop that we both love. We very much co-produced this one.” – Footshooter

Vimbai Mango’s sound blends electronic music with African rhythms, jazz instrumentation, and folk-spoken word in both English and Shona. Incorporating traditional instruments like the mbira, her work bridges ancestral roots and contemporary sonic landscapes. She has collaborated with artists such as Beringei, Arnheim, and Andrés Alcover, and performed at Glastonbury, Rich Mix, and with Bristol-based bands Konketsu and Matuki.

Footshooter, following his acclaimed album The Oasis, praised by Jamz Supernova, Joe-Armon Jones, and supported across BBC, NTS, and Jazz FM, joins Vimbai in this project. A resident of Balamii Radio and a fixture on stages like Love Supreme and We Out Here Festival, he brings his deep-rooted UK sound to the collaboration.

Tracklist:
1. I Am (Ndinonzi)
2. Searching (Nzira)
3. Hatibatike (feat. Ma.Moyo)
3. Zongororo (Interlude)
5. Not There Yet (feat. Wilf Petherbridge)

VA - Unlock Your Mind with Morning Glory - Compiled by James Endeacott

Crate digger and music enthusiast James Endeacott compiles ‘Unlock Your Mind With Morning Glory’ for Two-Piers Records – A glorious heady mix of the weird and wonderful eclectic music from his radio show ‘Morning Glory’

“One weekday afternoon towards the end of 2017 I sat in The Lyric pub on Great Windmill Street, Soho with my dear friend Raf. I’d just finished another of my weekly Soho Radio shows and was starting to think about the next one. Raf had been on as a guest playing some of his favourite tunes of the day. We had a few drinks, told a few stories and started to plot and scheme. It was always a dream of mine to have a daily radio show. Radio had always informed and excited me from my early teens listening to John Peel under the blanket when I should’ve been either sleeping or revising right up to the present-day musical excursions of NTS, WFMU and numerous internet based stations.

We decided to speak to Adrian and Dan who ran Soho Radio to see if they’d be up for us doing a daily morning show. To our surprise they were into the idea and within 5 minutes Adrain came up with the name Morning Glory. We all liked it. We were all excited. It was all systems go. In December 2017 Raf and myself started a daily 2 hour show. We did the show together, got guests in and the musical policy was whatever we felt like that day. After several months Raf found the mornings too much. Off he went into the distance occasionally coming back with a smile, and a bag of new music. I carried on alone and then suddenly in March 2020 the world stopped, and we went into lockdown.

We set up in my house in Catford, Southeast London and carried on. The show became 3 hours a day and I started to invite friends, record labels, record shops, bands etc.. to supply me with hour long mixes that I played every day. The show took off during this time. My musical tastes expanded as I spent all day long searching for new sounds from around the globe. People started to send me more and more music. I became obsessed with the show. The audience started to take to social media and ask for certain tracks or artists to be played. I got listeners to make me mixes to play on the show and I did several phone interviews with musicians while playing some of their favourite tunes.

I was grateful that Soho Radio left me to my own devices. They never told me what to do or what to play – they trusted me and I trusted my instincts.

The music on this compilation is not a ‘best of’ it’s just how I felt when I compiled it at the start of 2025. Apart from a couple of tracks they are all things I’ve come across since the show started in December 2017. If I did a list of tracks now I’m sure it would be completely different. Surely that’s the point. We never stick in one place. We are always moving and searching. Always trying to unlock our minds. Put it on. Take your time and let it take you somewhere” James Endeacott 2025.

Tracklist:
1. Anuradha Paudwal - Gayatari Mantra
2. Baba Zula - Arsiz Saksagan (Cheeky Magpie)
3. Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp - So Many Things (to feel guilty about)
4. Christopher Martin - Playing Games With My Heart
5. Geir Sundstøl - C'est vide en ville
6. Brother Ah - Transcendental March (Creation Song)
7. Les Abranis - Therrza Rathwenza
8. Sparkels - That Boy Of Mine
9. Maximum Joy - Stretch (7" Mix)
10. Chillera - SCHAX
11. Elijah Minnelli, Lansied Nechdelani - I Hope The Goats Come Back (ze-hood de-sham lichdal)
12. Siti Muharam - Pakistan
13. Muriel Grossmann - Traneing In
14. Catford Gyrations - Land of 1000 Presets
15. The Living Daylights - Let's Live For Today
16. Natalie Bergman - Shine Your Light On Me
17. Dennis Bovell - Morning Glory

Pola & Bryson - FABRICLIVE presents Pola & Bryson

fabric, the iconic hub of electronic music culture, proudly announces its latest addition to the fabric mix series: "FABRICLIVE. presents Pola & Bryson". This mix will be a dynamic exploration of contemporary drum & bass, fluid in genre, rich in emotion, and sharp in sound design. It navigates the space between soulful reflection and controlled chaos, painting a vivid picture of contrast and transformation.

Showcasing a unique blend of melancholy, emotion, and euphoria that elegantly yet purposefully harnesses the immense power of electronic music, UK-based duo Pola & Bryson have solidified themselves as one of the most talented production duos flying the flag for the genre today.

Throughout the mix, you’ll hear liquid textures layered with depth and warmth, tracks that breathe with shimmering pads, smooth rolling drums and emotionally resonant melodies. These moments evoke late night introspection and spacious clarity, tapping into the more human, melodic side of drum & bass.

But the mix doesn’t stay in one mood for long. It periodically plunges into darker, more technical territory, where the basslines twist, the rhythms fracture and tighten and the atmosphere becomes tense and futuristic. Here, the emotional gives way to the mechanical, driving energy through razor-sharp precision and relentless force.

Experimental soundscapes weave throughout, blurring genre lines and adding moments of unpredictability. At times ambient and abstract, other times intensely rhythmic, the mix balances structure with freedom, always pushing forward without losing emotional weight.  

Tracklist:
1. Pola & Bryson & Emily Makis – Worlds Apart
2. Breakage – The Certified Bubbler
3. Technimatic – Not Far To Go
4. Camo & Krooked & Mefjus – Lies
5. Hoax – Noir
6. Pola & Bryson & Iyamah – Too Shy [Mixed]
7. Thread – Overshadow
8. Hoax – Spark It [Instrumental]
9. Pola & Bryson – Decay [Mixed]
10. Charli Brix, Monrroe & Pola & Bryson – How It Was [Mixed]
11. Xeonz – Feel Right (03:50)
12. DJ Marky, Pola & Bryson & Iyamah – Be There [Mixed]
13. Particle – Fooling
14. Breakage – Tape Bubbler Spesh
15. Pola & Bryson – 24 / 7 [Mixed]
16. Pola & Bryson – Aurora [Mixed]
17. Noisia & Sleepnet – Lapse
18. Pola & Bryson – Magic [Mixed]
19. Technimatic – Shifting Sands
20. Camo & Krooked & Mefjus – U
21. Etherwood & Hugh Hardie – TANGARA
22. Pola & Bryson – Temple Stomp [Mixed]
23. Technimatic – Everlasting
24. Pola & Bryson – Klaxon
25. Hoax, Hugh Hardie & SOLAH – Wake Up
26. Alcemist – Us [Pola & Bryson Remix]
27. Mefjus – Sinkhole
28. Pola & Bryson – Without You [Hoax Remix]
29. Strategy & Pola & Bryson – Anaesthetist [Mixed]
30. Xeonz – Quartz
31. Technimatic – Sunburst
32. Wilkinson, Jem Cooke & Pola & Bryson – Fade Away
33. Break, Pola & Bryson & Cimone – This Chance [Mixed]
34. Molecular – Fair Warning
35. LSB, Komatic & Technicolour – Rotary Motion
36. Charli Brix – Touch Me [Mixed]
37. Pola & Bryson – Insomnia

Frollen Music Library - Lovely Beats To Study To - Vol II

Frollen Music Library proudly presents Lovely Beats To Study To - Vol II, the highly anticipated follow-up to their celebrated first volume. This collection features 15 meticulously crafted compositions that expand on the library’s signature sound while drawing fresh inspiration from vintage Mood Music and Muzak, with subtle nods to minimalist and darker hip-hop sensibilities that anchor the atmospheric explorations.

‍Where Volume I delved into the golden era of Hip Hop with cinematic influences, Volume II explores the lush, atmospheric textures of mid-century library records — but with that essential freak factor that sets F.M.L.’s compositions apart. This sample pack weaves through the liminal spaces between nostalgia and innovation, creating the perfect sonic backdrop for focused sampling, creative endeavours, or simply drifting into contemplative states.

‍The F.M.L. house band returns with elevated musicianship, showcasing the warm embrace of Fender Rhodes electric piano, crystalline Vibraphone tones, intricate Bass patterns that dance beneath the surface, and delicately balanced Kangaroo-Hide Drums that never intrude but always support.

‍As with all Frollen Music Library releases, every sound has been captured with uncompromising attention to detail. Utilising their signature combination of vintage and analog recording techniques, all performances were meticulously processed through classic preamps and hardware processors, ensuring the warmth and character that has become synonymous with the F.M.L. sound while maintaining pristine clarity. Each composition stands as a testament to Frollen's meticulous craftsmanship, meticulously labelled with BPM and key information for seamless integration into the producers' own sonic explorations.

Tracklist:
1. Cosy
2. Procrastinate
3. Homebound
4. Rush To Relax
5. Closing In
6. Time To Go
7. Bookshelf
8. Parchment
9. Lucky Coin
10. Curled Up
11. End To End
12. By Fire
13. Rain Again
14. Blackhole
15. Chemistry

Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek - Yarın Yoksa (Instrumentals)

Big Crown Records is proud to present the instrumental version of Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek’s latest album Yarın Yoksa. The show stopping intensity of Derya backed by the psychedelic soul of Grup Şimşek with production by Leon Michels has yielded a stand out record that challenges genre with a broad appeal and a powerful message.

They refer to themselves as “outernational” over international as they say it suggests a sound that’s more inclusive or “beyond borders.” Derya, who sings and plays the bağlama, is German born to Turkish parents. Drummer Helen Wells is Berlin-based by way of South Africa while keyboard player Graham Mushnik is French. The collective influences they bring to Anatolian music make for a completely unique and fresh sound that both pushes the genre forward and champions its rich heritage.

Yarın Yoksa, which translates to If "There Is No Tomorrow", delves into deeply personal pain and collective resistance with a central thread of loss, longing, and hope for change running throughout. The music shifts track to track making each tune stand out on its own but also work together perfectly as an album.

“Cool Hand”, the first single released on Big Crown in September of 2024, is a beautiful juxtaposition of intensity and lightheartedness with a thoroughly infectious groove. “Direne Direne” is a protest song that embodies the struggle and tireless pursuit of justice encouraging people to resist oppression. The slow and weighty vibe of “Yakamoz” lets onto the meaning of the song, even without lyrics. It is a deeply moving song that captures the profound emotions connected to displacement and loss without knowing if you will ever return.

Nine of the tunes on the album are original compositions but they also take on three Anatollian folk songs with their own inimitable approach. The introduction of “Misket”, a folk song from Ankara/Türkiye, will stop you in your tracks. The tune deals with death and how the living cope and continue a relationship with those who have passed away. Another traditional tune from Sivas that they put their signature sound to is “Hop Bico”, a tune about a playful character named Bico who is a symbol of vitality and spirit. The synth intro grabs your ear from the first note and the earworm chorus encouraging Bico to lead the group in celebration and embrace life through dance has the same effect on everyone who hears it.

The band has taken a big step forward that you can hear on this record. Derya’s passion and authenticity is front and center and the music is too moving to deny. Yarın Yoksa is sure to captivate the hearts and minds of all those who hear it, and just wait til you hear them play it live… 

Tracklist:
1. Çiçek Açıyor (Instrumental)
2. Cool Hand (Instrumental)
3. Yakamoz (Instrumental)
4. Hop Bico (Instrumental)
5. Bilemedim Ki (Instrumental)
6. Yüz Yüze (Instrumental)
7. İstanbul’un Kuşları (Instrumental)
8. Direne Direne (Instrumental)
9. Ceylan (Instrumental)
10. Misket (Instrumental)
11. Güneş (Instrumental)

Pink Butter - Can We Go Back

DeepMatter is proud to present the debut project from Pink Butter—'Can We Go Back'

Merging the freedom of jazz with the contemporary sounds of hip-hop and soul, Pink Butter is a Swedish collective of four musicians—guitarist Oskar Bettinsoli, keyboardist Björn Lehnert, bassist Malte Bergman, and drummer John Bjurström. Built on a foundation of spontaneous creativity, where live performance and raw energy take centre stage, they are set to release their debut EP ‘Can We Go Back’ on 1st August 2025, via DeepMatter Records.

Featuring collaborations with groundbreaking artists such as T3 of Slum Village and Jermaine Holmes (D'Angelo), it weaves together a collage of each member’s musical history, blending their individual influences into a bold collective vision. Their music is a testament to the idea that the power of spontaneous, live creation is timeless—whether in a jazz jam session or a contemporary hip-hop track.

They expand: “We made our songs by simply playing together live in the studio, giving as much of ourselves as possible to the music,” the band explains. “In an age where digital perfection is easy to achieve, we chose to embrace the human side of music. It’s about capturing the raw energy of the moment—just like the jazz records we love—but infused with the modern collaboration and vibe of today’s hip-hop and soul. It’s a balance between the timelessness of improvisation and the innovation of contemporary music.”

Tracklist:
1. Made for Me (feat. Jermaine Holmes)
2. Can We Go Back (feat. T3 of Slum Village)
3. Alright (feat. Joanné Nugas)
4. Voice Memo
5. U (feat. Jermaine Holmes & Venus Anon)
6. Lost My Mind (feat. Elma)

Natalie Slade - Molasses

Sydney artist Natalie Slade's debut album Control, co-written with Hiatus Kaiyote's Simon Mavin, is now followed-up with a second instalment of Australian future soul in Molasses, an album featuring a range of UK and Antipodean artists. Joined by The Dieyoungs on keys and Laneous on guitar, Natalie's songwriting and vocals are brought to the fore with excellent production by key Melbourne scene driver, Brisbane's Sampology and additional production from guest Dan Kye.

Staying true to the debut album's style of Australian future soul Molasses has an emphasis on poetic storytelling, Natalie's lyrics and melodies that are heard against a lush bed of string arrangements and the influence of Sampology’s soulful but gritty sensibility.

As well as her amazing eponymous releases Natalie has also featured on tracks from artists as important and diverse as Posy, Plutonic Lab, Parker and Rhodes and Dojo Cuts among others.

Sampology is an innovative producer who, for the past 15 years or so, has been a driving force behind Australia's Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul and Broken Beat/Jazz explosion and has worked with the likes of Ron Trent, Tiana Khasi and Charlie Hill as well as releasing his own tracks.

This collaboration between Natalie and Sampology on Molasses is a real high-water mark of music, song-writing and production. Releasing on digital and gatefold vinyl LP, Molasses further chronicles the rising stars of Australia's burgeoning and increasingly important neo- soul and future soul scenes.

Tracklist:
1. My House
2. Kings and Queens
3. The Lesson
4. As the Stars
5. The Curse
6. Adobe Clay
7. Unquenchable Craving
8. Telephone
9. The Other Side
10. Big World

Prefaces - Acqua Marina

Prefaces is a Lebanese trio made up of long-standing members of Beirut’s independent music scene: Charif Megarbane (Habibi Funk, Cosmic Analog Ensemble, Hisstology Records), Salim Naffah (Alko B), and Pascal Semerdjian (Postcards, SANAM).

On their sophomore album Acqua Marina, the band explore the desolate beach clubs along Lebanon's coastline, turning a chance encounter into a lasting musical partnership.

With its electric guitar interplays, vibrato action, and galloping rhythms, debut album 'Hippodrome' (Hisstology Records, 2021) introduced Prefaces’ distinctive take on surf rock and Mediterranean guitar music: a rich blend of cultures, genres, and traditions. East and West meet again on Acqua Marina, recorded at Beirut’s Tunefork Studios and co-released by Ruptured and Hisstology Records.

Where 'Hippodrome' captured the energy of spontaneous collaboration, Acqua Marina marks the band’s evolution into a more deliberate and unified project; and the album reflects that growth. The songs may have moved from land to sea, but the group’s sound has matured, expanding to include nods to library music, Levantine breaks, and coastal psychedelia.

The types of fish catalogued in the song titles and the wintry, abandoned swimming pool on the cover hint at the themes running through the record: the desolation and coldness of Lebanon’s off-season beach clubs, their concrete walls and vacant spaces roamed only by those waiting for the sun and the crowds to return.

It’s hard not to see these seasonal images as allegory for Lebanon’s prolonged political winter. Yet Acqua Marina overflows with vitality, inspired performances, and the luminosity of serendipitous collaboration; shining much-needed light into our darker seasons.  

Tracklist:
1. Abu Sinn
2. Bezreh
3. Firan
4. Balamida
5. Lekkos Ramle
6. Lekkos Sakhre
7. Mallifa
8. Sultan Brahim
9. Marmoura
10. Braa
11. Jaro

Ohbliv - Home Remedies II

Tracklist:
1. Home Remedy 5
2. Home Remedy 6
3. Home Remedy 7
4. Home Remedy 8
5. Home Remedy 9
6. Home Remedy 10

Lack Of Afro - From the Volt, Two

Lack of Afro offers up From The Volt, Two, a second collection of hidden gems that either haven't been released, or flew under the radar.

These two collections, (From The Volt, One) was released last November, come in the midst of an exciting time for Lack of Afro. With a rekindled live show firmly back on the circuit, he and his band have a busy summer lining up, with festival appearances confirmed at Camp Bestival, Wychwood Festival and more to be announced.

As with the first collection, the soulful vocals of repeat collaborator Elliott Cole appear, this time on the laid-back groove of ‘Never Love Again’. Originally recorded in 2015, this one has previously not seen the light of day.

“Recorded in the same session as 'Lost In A Friend's Eye' [From The Volt, One], this one came together quickly.” explains Adam Gibbons AKA Lack of Afro “I do remember snapping a bass string halfway through the recording though - an incredibly rare occurrence which hasn't happened before or since! Elliott's voice is on form as always, and this track comes complete with a reference to 'Sunny' in the outro.”

The drum heavy and funky number ‘Numero Seenko’ was first released as the B-side of ‘A Time For...’ back in 2011 and went on to be used in the film 'Dumb & Dumber To'. Also previously unreleased, the tight and groove laden ‘We Need One More (Interlude)’ was written for a film that never was.

“I originally recorded as a cue for a heist movie that didn't end up happening (note the 'Ocean's Eleven' reference in the title), I'd always intended on fleshing it out with additional instruments, but when it came to doing so, it seemed like the vibe was being smothered. So I've left it here as it was originally recorded - just the good stuff of bass, drums and percussion!”

With a career pushing close to two decades, these latest collections offer a fascinating insight into some of the forgotten corners of the Lack of Afro universe. 

Tracklist:
1. A Month of Summers
2. Never Love Again (feat. Elliott Cole)
3. Getting Kinda Boring
4. Numero Seenko
5. First Break
6. We Need One More (Interlude)
7. Not Too Late (feat. Elliott Cole)
8. Daddy Brings His a Game
9. Day Is Done
10. Junior's In
11. Spooky

Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele 2

After wrapping up The Final Chamber tour, and taking a victory lap with his Wu-Tang brethren, Mass Appeal is proud to release the next instalment of their monumental Legend Has It initiative, as hip-hop legend and Wu-Tang Clan icon Ghostface Killah is officially returning with the highly anticipated sequel to one of his undisputed classic solo albums, Supreme Clientele 2.

First released in 2000, Supreme Clientele is both timeless and enduring. At its core, it served as a window into Ghost's soul; wildly creative, a conduit of old and new. Ghost's stream-of-consciousness style became the quintessential definition of fresh, not only holding a privileged place in the history of hip-hop music but significantly influencing the subsequent generation of artists that followed.

Meticulously crafted over the last decade, Supreme Clientele 2 is both a homecoming and a new chapter for Tony Starks, as he picks up the legacy with a new, but familiar lens. Real Rap--No gimmicks--Just Ghost. Exactly the way fans would want! Supreme Clientele 2 features guest appearances from Nas, Raekwon, Method Man, GZA, Redman, Conway The Machine, Styles P, M.O.P. and Dave Chappelle.

"Supreme Clientele was a frame of mind and era in time. You could never duplicate that feeling, but you can tap back in. We dug in the files from years ago and pulled together a Clientele that is Supreme! Get ready, Supreme Clientele 2 is now." - Ghostface Killah

Tracklist:
1. Intro by Redman
2. Iron Man
3. Sample 420 (feat. M.O.P.)
4. Curtis May (feat. Styles P & Conway the Machine)
5. 4th Disciple
6. Windows
7. Pause (Skit)
8. Georgy Porgy
9. Force MD (Skit)
10. Break Beats (feat. Ty Boogie)
11. Beat Box (feat. Ty Boogie & Aisha Hall)
12. Rap Kingpin
13. Sale of the Century (Skit)
14. The Trial (feat. Raekwon, GZA, Method Man, Reek da Villian & Pillz)
15. Love Me Anymore (feat. Nas)
16. Soul Thang (feat. DriZ, Nems, Iceman, Supreme-Intelligence, Sun God, Pillz & Reek da Villian)
17. Metaphysics
18. Candyland
19. Lenny Green (Skit)
20. The Zoom
21. You Ma Friend (feat. Method Man)
22. Knuckles (Skit)

Garrett & DāM-FunK - In Space

Tracklist:
1. Awake...Again
2. In Space
3. Heavy Dusk