Absolute monster when talking about US hard-rock/proto-doom private pressings. Hailing from Florida, Bolder Damn released this beast in 1971. Ultra-heavy, "raw-in-your-face" sound with loud fuzzed-out guitar, solid rhythm section and manic vocals. Bolder Damn formed in 1969 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The original lineup consisted of John Anderson on vocals and rhythm guitar, Glenn Eaton on lead guitar, Ron Refett on bass, Mark Gaspard on keyboards, and Bob Eaton on drums. Initially performing covers, they gradually incorporated original material into their sets. Their energetic live performances led them to open for notable acts such as Alice Cooper, MC5, The Amboy Dukes, and Blue Cheer. In 1971, after Gaspard's departure, the remaining members recorded their sole album, Mourning, at Hyperbolic Studios in Florida. The recording session lasted only four hours, resulting in a raw, in-your-face heavy sound. The album was privately pressed with approximately 200 copies distributed mainly to friends, family, and local fans. Side 2 featured the 16-minute epic "Dead Meat," which reflects the band's heavy, proto-doom style, reminiscent of contemporaries like Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer. In 1972 Anderson and Refett were drafted into military service during the Vietnam War, leading to Bolder Damn's dissolution. Comes with original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve plus OBI. Remastered sound. Fold-out insert with liner notes/interview with singer John Anderson and rare pictures. Includes download card. RIYL: Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Pentagram, MC5, Sainte Anthony's Fyre.

Double LP version. The official soundtrack to Jean-Cosme Delaloye's documentary about the life and career of Detroit techno pioneer Carl Craig, Desire: The Carl Craig Story is presented on 2x12" vinyl as well as CD. The collection, coming via his prolific and seminal Planet E Communications, features music from across Craig's vast catalog, including several tracks that have never previously seen full release. Its selections span his many aliases and projects, offering a rare glimpse into the full scope of his groundbreaking career. Among the rare and remastered tracks featured is "No More Words" -- originally released in 1991, newly reissued on vinyl and available digitally for the first time. A foundational track in the Detroit techno canon, "No More Words" captures the emotive synths and tight grooves of Craig's sound that would soon resonate across dance floors worldwide. Its reissue marks a moment of reflection on the genre's roots and evolution. Another remastered track from Craig's extensive archive is "The Truth," a deep cut from Craig's discography under his Designer Music alias, now widely available for the first time a quarter-century after its original release. The film's end credits are scored by the contemplative Meditation 4, an ambient production previously only available on Craig's 2013 Masterpiece compilation CD for Ministry of Sound. Iconic remixes such as his Grammy-nominated rework of Junior Boys' "Like A Child" is included alongside lesser-known but equally epic remixes such as his sublime 2012 mix of Slam's "Azure," which is employed for the film's title credits and had previously only seen a limited release. Also featured across the soundtrack's multiple formats are iconic Carl Craig productions under his 69, Psyche/BFC and Innerzone Orchestra aliases, and collaborations with Moritz von Oswald and Francesco Tristano. The soundtrack serves as a companion to the new documentary directed by Jean-Cosme Delaloye and produced by Sovereign Films, which follows Carl's journey from Detroit's middle-class roots to global stardom, set against the city's decline and recovery. The film explores his work at the intersection of music, art, and culture, from his collaborations with Bottega Veneta to his Party/After-Party installation, acquired by the Detroit Institute of Arts and exhibited at MOCA Los Angeles. Featuring interviews with Gilles Peterson, Roni Size, Laurent Garnier, DJ Minx, Kenny Larkin, Moritz von Oswald, and James Lavelle, Desire highlights Carl's championing of Detroit's Black creative excellence and the often-overlooked African-American roots of electronic music.

The NaC, a mysterious and surprising music project arising from English countryside, has beautifully constructed a musical parasol with this new album -- not just a traditional sunshade, but a metaphorical shield ("para" in Latin) against visual dischord, noise, the ultra-sonic spectrum, and generally all things unwanted. Parasol, composed by Miles Newbold -- one of the most unique and fascinating figures in the contemporary neo-library psychedelic jazz fusion scene -- was recorded in rural Derbyshire, nestled between hills and trees. The result is unmistakably singular, carrying The Natural Yogurt Band's wild yet perfectly balanced signature sound: raw-edged compositions, solid but fragile textures, and heavy drum work by Tom Dempsey. All of it is framed by Newbold's exceptional and uncompromising production style, which functions, fittingly, as a parasol -- a protective barrier against the modern world's relentless disturbances. Sonor Music Editions beautifully bridges the gap between the past and present, with this album, by featuring an original painting by Italian artist Vivì as the cover art. Vivì is renowned for creating iconic covers for 1970s library releases such as Paolo Casa's Nature (Wild Cat -- WC 114), Movimenti (Full Records -- FRLP 5099), and Origini (Leo Records -- LR 21), and Domenico Guaccero's La Cattedrale del Benessere (Abramo Allione -- A.A. 1010), among others.

The German guitarist, bandleader and soundscape architect JJ Whitefield has been an innovative force of the contemporary scene of neo-jazz-kraut, and adjacent sub-genres within the world of organic grooves, ever since the early 1990s. The work with his group Poets of Rhythm drew the blueprint for what's now known as retro-soul, and his creative canvas has never been blank since with numerous solo projects and collaborations across diverse constellations. Off The Grid is yet another testament to JJ Whitefield's creativity. The album perfectly connects the dots to the spirit of the golden age of library music waving together a rich tapestry of his world of playfulness, hypnotic grooves, and driving drums. It breathes new life into the genre while continuing to shape the future, as he has for over three decades. Sonor Music Editions beautifully bridges the gap between the past and present, with this album, by featuring a original paintings by Italian artist Vivì as the cover art.

Sababa 5 explore a darker and more sophisticated and cinematic blend of psychedelic soul and Middle Eastern rock on Nadir, their first full length album of new music since 2023's Aspan (BTR 086LP). Following three acclaimed albums, a string of sought-after 45s, and collaborations with vocalists including Yurika and Sophia Solompon, championed by esteemed tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson, Cerys Matthews, and Jeremy Sole, Nadir finds Sababa 5 at their enigmatic and irresistible. The title is an astronomical term referring to the point on the celestial sphere directly beneath an observer, diametrically opposite the zenith. Metaphorically, it signifies the lowest point or a moment of adversity. This duality resonates with the band's exploration of contrasting musical themes -- melding the cosmic and the terrestrial, the ethereal and the grounded. The name encapsulates the album's essence, reflecting a journey through deep, introspective soundscapes that are both otherworldly and rooted in raw, earthly grooves. Nadir opens with "VU" -- close to four minutes of mysterious, darkly seductive, rhythm-driven funk. Swirling guitars, an Arabesque electric organ, and raga-like drones evoke the haze of a smoky Cairo bar, while the track nods to their close musical kin, vuvuvu, whose raw, noisy, and playful energy has rubbed off on the band. The title track itself conjures the sultry ambiance of a Mediterranean night, plunging listeners into a realm of intrigue and intensity. A brooding bassline sets a suspenseful tone before a synth-led melody, laced with Italian motifs and Middle Eastern tonalities, unfolds -- recalling the cinematic flair of soundtrack legends like Piero Umiliani and Stelvio Cipriani. Subtle wah-wah guitar accents add a psychedelic touch, echoing the acid rock elements of classic Poliziotteschi scores. However, not all tracks dwell in darkness; "Tell" sports a brighter tone reminiscent of Aspan. Leaning into Turkish ballad territory -- except with synths taking the lead part -- it is both melodic and melancholic, buoyed by an irresistible groove that offers a refreshing counterpoint to the album's shadowy moods. A must list album for fans of The Heliocentrics, Khruangbin, The Dap Kings, and Moğollar. Nadir stands as Sababa 5's most compelling and listenable offering yet -- a transcontinental journey where hypnotic grooves, cinematic arrangements, and evocative Middle Eastern scales create vivid imagery, compel movement, and touch the soul.

Double LP version. Originally released in 2003, Marcos Valle's Contrasts combined early noughties production techniques with his trademark Brazilian songwriting brilliance. The album quickly became one of Valle's most in-demand, with tracks like the triumphant "Parabéns" (which was sampled by Childish Gambino, covered by Tom Misch and remixed by Misa Negra) and bossa beach classic "Agua de Coco," both becoming firm fan favorites. Produced by Roc Hunter, and executive produced by Joe Davis, with musicians including Robertinho Silva (percussion), Alex Malheiros (bass), and Marcos' wife Patricia Alvi (vocals), Contrasts encapsulated Valle's ever evolving musical vision, bringing together samba, baião, bossa pop, broken beat, house, trip-hop and more, on one era-defining record. After 22 years, Contrasts is finally set for a double LP vinyl and CD reissue, with the original mix of "Valeu" and "My Nightingale" making it onto the vinyl edition for the first time. Remastered by Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis Studios.

"Junjo-produced compilation from the early '80s! Some classic dancehall badness with some of the best DJs of the time. Everyone delivers with the Hi-Times Band backing on all tracks. Yellowman & Fathead -- a duo that would release a string of albums -- team up with three cuts, 'Mash It Up Now' probably being the most recognizable as it's cut over the 'Zungguzeng Riddim.' Three cuts come courtesy of Sister Nancy, as well. Her classic 'Dance Pon The Corner' is here along with 'Bang Belly' which is cut over the 'Queen Of The Minstrel Riddim.' Purpleman, one of the other albino DJs of the era, shows that he can stand up with some of the best. Released by Greensleeves Records on black vinyl."

Huge selection of Australian punk singles from 1978-1980. Bands like Razar, Suicide Squad, and Fun Things actually never went beyond the 7" format. Here you will find everything they released, four 7" singles in total with notes and graphic reproductions.

Yellow color vinyl version. Alessandro Alessandroni's Panoramic Feelings, originally released in 1971 by the great Italian label Canopo, is a mega-rare work of Italian library music containing psych, funk, lounge, and bossa tunes from Ennio Morricone's closest collaborator.

Yellow color vinyl version. Welcome back to the world of composer Paolo Ferrara. Cut in 1974 on Italian library label Canopo, Sound is an alchemic mixture of frenzy rhythm, bossa tinged themes and acid funk stompers. Percussive in its own nature, the album has been finally rescued from the dust and given the re-issue treatment for a more enthralling experience. Well known for his psychedelic and electronic journey, Ferrara is in full rare groove mode here.

"On the cover: Bill Orcutt: The late blooming career of the former Harry Pussy guitarist is impossible to second guess. By Tony Rettman; Vanessa Rossetto: The Staten Island field recordist tells poignant and incongruous stories with loops and samples. By Ilia Rogatchevski; Slikback: Pushing beat-making software to the limits, the Poland based Kenyan producer conjures a world of posthuman rave music. By Hannah Pezzack; Michael Ranta: From Partch to Plank, the octogenarian percussionist and composer on a lifetime learning from the 20th century avant garde. By Derek Walmsley; Youth Code: Industrial shock unit. By Joseph Stannard; Fredrik Rasten: Not just intonation. By Peter Margasak; Nourished By Time: 808s and heartbreak. By Misha Farrant; Invisible Jukebox: Gina Birch: Will the Raincoat weather The Wire's mystery record collection? Tested by Mike Barnes; Global Ear: NØNRANDØM events in Philippine capital Manila. By Simon Coates; Unlimited Editions: Building the fifth world with Italian tape label Artetetra. By Milo? Hroch; The Inner Sleeve: Adam Wiltzie of Stars Of The Lid on Jóhann Jóhannsson's Virðulegu Forsetar; Against The Grain: Spotify is distorting the histories of UK Black musics, argues Derek Walmsley; Epiphanies: Post retirement, Larry Stabbins falls in love all over again with the saxophone. Plus 40 pages of reviews including Pharaoh Overlord: Welcome to the machine. By Emily Pothast; Dave Liebman/Billy Hart/Adam Rudolph: Other worldly goods. By Daniel Spicer; The Sabres Of Paradise: First cuts are the deepest. By Ken Hollings; Take No Prisoners: The Desert Storm Sound System Story: Reclaim the beats. By Derek Walmsley; MOR: Going underground in authoritarian Russia. By Xenia Benivolski; ECOCIDE: Climate summit. By Hannah Pezzack; Mehfil-e-Rose Hill: Ragas with rasa. By Daniel Spicer; and much, much more."

"Several years in the making, Lion can now finally deliver on its promise of another Groove Club volume dedicated to the deep and moving (and grooving) compositions of Sinn Sisamouth, sung by the Emperor of Khmer music himself, alone or duetting with the other legendary singer of those halcyon days in Cambodian music: Ros Sereysothea, the 'Queen with the Golden Voice.' Groove Club Vol. 5 also includes a 16-page booklet featuring an exclusive interview with Mrs. Khav Thong Nhot, widow of Sinn Sisamouth, and Sin Sethsochhata, artist and granddaughter of Sinn Sisamouth, revealing more about Sinn Sisamouth than has ever been known before now. Readers hear directly from his wife about their courtship, their life together as Sinn Sisamouth became famous -- and then what happened as the Khmer Rouge took control: the separation from her husband, and her own harrowing experiences trying to keep herself and their children alive. It's not easy reading, yet stands as an important contribution to a story which until now has only been partially told. Sinn Sisamouth's granddaughter, Sin Sethsochhata, a musical artist and also keeper of the family's legacy, speaks of her own experiences in both realms. Sinn Sisamouth is, without question, the most famous and beloved Cambodian singer and songwriter of all time. A brilliant singer and composer, 'the Emperor of Khmer music' has had a greater influence and has touched more hearts than any other singer in the country's history. Though he was tragically taken from this world, his soul, spirit, and emotions are echoed in the legacy of songs he bequeathed to the world, and for this reason, he is eternal. The fact that any of this music even exists today is nothing short of miraculous. Original vinyl is extremely rare -- and well-guarded! Lion has done its utmost to make the sound quality of the songs as good as can be without in any way treating or disrupting or limiting (or destroying) the frequency range of the tracks. This means that a few tracks might sound less than audiophile quality. But who cares! It's about the music. It's always about the music. And the stories. Mostly the music. Although this time, very much about the stories too. Official reissue -- and in most cases, first appearance of any kind -- of these insanely rare recordings since their initial release as singles."

Beat Records re-releases on CD the OSTs by Ennio Morricone for the romantic comedy films Idoli controluce and E la donna creo' l'uomo (aka Volles Herz und leere Taschen). In this score, Morricone alternates pleasant, lounge-flavored tunes ("Sophisticated boy," "Relax in solitudine," "Rendez-vous") with romantic themes ("Le meno importanti," "Le cose più important"). This CD reissue, lasting 51:04, includes for the first time the Baroque-flavored piece "Villa Madama," which was featured as the background music at a house party and had only previously been released on an Italian promo library vinyl and Japanese CD compilation. For this Italian-German co-production, Ennio Morricone composed a pleasant lounge-type score that didn't see the light of day on the soundtrack market at the time. It wasn't until 2005 that GDM Music issued the music from this film on CD (GDM 2058), along with selections from Idoli controluce, with the approval of Maestro Morricone. A dance tune is introduced in the opening credits (repeated in the finale with Alessandroni's whistle), alternating with exotic rhythms ("Exoticoerotico") and a romantic orchestral theme ("Dawn in the park"). The leitmotif is arranged in bossa nova ("Donnabossa"), classical ("E la donna creò l'uomo"), fast version ("Inseguendo lei"), for classical guitar and orchestra ("Dolcemente donna"), with sax ("Sexydonna"), suspended and sweetly magical ("Aspettando lei"), and a brilliant and even faster version ("Correndo verso lei"). Mastering and liner notes by Claudio Fuiano, graphic layout by Daniele De Gemini.

An elusive and quiet figure amidst the Portuguese electronic scene, Timóteo Azevedo aka Random Gods releases his debut album on Discrepant's sub label Souk after his killer appearance in the long sold out Antologia de Música Atípica Portuguesa Vol. 2 compilation back in 2019. With two previous EPs on Danse Noire and ZABRA, Random Gods' futurist visions project themselves through a scavenger-like body music assembled from the hopes and debris of these uncertain and dread-inducing times. Rituals conjured from metal shards, blunted kickdrums, submerged basslines, reverberating textures, cut up vocals and lazer guided melodies. The orchestral runs of opener "Abertura" as a glimmer of nervous light into the deep end bass weight meditations on syncopated kicks and grimey synth stabs of "Somatiga." Slow burner "Pneuma" conjures neon synth lines into its half-step flow, while "Acervo" complicates the rhythm further with its profusion of crumbling kickdrums, tossed off claps and tonal percussion. "Prumoo" dwells deeper into post-industrial ardkore nuum with its merciless drum patterns and mol-ten basslines and "Alvoro" feels like footwork taken into those same wastelands, with a nervous percussive backbone from some ancient future -- take that as you will.

Limited anniversary edition: hand numbered, limited edition white vinyl, 500 copies available! Sophomore album from the French space rock electro combo Heldon. Here, mastermind Richard Pinhas has formed a duo with Georges Grunblatt. The music: an interplay of feather-light acoustic guitars, Mellotron textures, fuzzy sounds and heavy, spherical synthesizers. Before making his own music in the early '70s, Richard Pinhas was a King Crimson fan. By now the British group has buzzed in Pinhas' mind for decades, but their greatest impact came early, from something he couldn't even identify immediately. When he first saw them play, Pinhas was struck by music played during intermission. That influence is clear on the second Heldon album, Allez-Teia, originally released in 1975 on Pinhas's own Disjuncta label. The opening song, a soaring mix of string-like electronics and smeared guitar, is called "In the Wake of King Fripp," a reference both to the guitarist and King Crimson's second album In the Wake of Poseidon. The meditative "Omar Diop Blondin," in which free tones float above a repetitive guitar figure, is dedicated to Fripp and Eno. Allez-Teia -- whose title is a nod to "aletheia," the ancient Greek term for philosophical truth -- is hardly a tribute album. The pieces Pinhas crafts with partner Georges Grunblatt -- both playing guitar, Mellotron, and ARP synths -- are beatific on the surface but infused with undercurrents of tension. Over four decades after he made Allez-Teia, Pinhas's admiration for King Crimson remains profound. He actually met Fripp in 1974, and the two still stay in touch.

Limited anniversary edition: hand numbered, limited edition light blue double vinyl, 500 copies available! Third album from the French spacerock electro combo masterminded by Richard Pinhas. Heldon's darkest work lays another stone in their sonic mosaic: synths, drones, fuzz and trippy improvisations. There's something wicked happening on Heldon's third album It's Always Rock and Roll. Richard Pinhas' essential attack of searing guitar and space-bound synthesizer didn't change radically after the first two Heldon albums, 1974's Electronique Guerilla and 1975's Allez-Teia. But there's dark energy coursing through this double album, a chilly aura that makes even the quietest pieces shiver with tension. The darkness of It's Always Rock and Roll is more about exploring what's hidden and overturning convention -- about diving beneath bright surfaces to find something more mysterious. If It's Always Rock and Roll stands up in Heldon's catalog, perhaps it's due to expansion -- both in the sense of big ideas and lengthy durations. Most tracks last over seven minutes, and two are side-covering epics. "I think the length of a track is part of the creation of the track," says Pinhas. "There are imperatives. You can do something very complex with a lot of events in four minutes, and then some other things need to be done very slowly. You have to do the length that it demands." Like the Heldon albums that precede it, It's Always Rock and Roll is undoubtedly Pinhas' baby. But its depth-probing sounds earned it a godfather, too.

Efficient Space honors trailblazing Australian imprint Volition Records with Volition Cuts Vol. 1. Evolving from Andrew Penhallow's time at GAP Records, which smuggled Cabaret Voltaire, The Fall and the Factory catalogue into the region, Volition shifted focus to homegrown talent over imported sounds. Echoing its precursor's blend of indie friction and electronic curiosity, the label wired itself into the pulse of club and rave culture, linking city scenes and amplifying them for the mainstream. With retina-scorching design, uncompromising packaging and top-tier remixes, Volition consistently bent the major label machine to its will. No Volition retrospective would be complete without Sisters Underground's intergenerational anthem "In the Neighbourhood." Ōtara teenagers Brenda Makamoeafi and Hassanah Iroegbu brought their Pasifika perspective to Proud (An Urban-Pacific Streetsoul Compilation), a commercial success that platformed NZ rap and R&B with a clarity that outshone its overseas counterparts. The quiet architect of Volition's sound, producer prodigy Robert Racic flipped the classic as a hip-house dub before his untimely passing in 1996. Its A-side companion comes from Brisbane synth-pop unit Boxcar, who signed to Volition after frontman Dave Smith handed a cassette to Tom Ellard of Severed Heads during a school newspaper interview. That unlikely handoff led to their 1990 debut Vertigo. Here, their ritual-laced, body-jacking industrial is retooled by Miami freestyle maverick Tony Garcia. Further cherry-picking from the VOLT vaults, Sexing The Cherry unleash a bleep-addled meltdown from Brisbane's Edwin Morrow and Cherryn Lomas. "This Is A Dream" was recorded exclusively for High (A Dance Compilation), the first all-Australian V/A to top the ARIA charts, propelling the local movement into national consciousness. Closing the sampler, Sydney's Single Gun Theory joined Volition as they moved from post-punk abstraction and electronic collage toward downtempo, sample-based mysticism. Their 1994 ambient-pop reverie "Fall" is reimagined by Stuart Crichton and Apollo 440's Norman Fisher-Jones as full-throttle Goa trance, a final surge that channels the label's relentless push into new terrain. Volition Cuts Vol. 1 is dedicated to the loving memory of Volition's visionary founder Andrew Penhallow, and key contributors Robert Racic and Edwin Morrow.

A note from Lawrence English: "Time is a strange and elusive companion. Listening to Alan Lamb's Primal Image/Beauty, the traces of time are deep, and forever deepening. Recorded in 1981 and 1983 respectively, and then revised and refined across the coming half decade, each of these pieces traces Lamb's personal history through materiality and harmony. 'Primal Image' was the first composition Alan Lamb completed. Recorded on the Faraway Wind Organ, a long stretch of abandoned telephone line located on his family's farm close by the Fitzgerald National Park in Western Australia, this piece resolved an interest in the sonification of wires which had started many decades before. Lamb recounts pressing his ears to a telephone pole as a child, encouraged by his nanny to 'hear the sound the world made.' 'Primal Image' is a work of intense dynamism, a climatic sonic environment within which a complexity of harmony, timbre and texture intermingle, inviting us to lean in. Similarly, 'Beauty' maintains this offer of harmonic complexity. Recorded across some 20 hours, the piece is a condensation of vibration, a folding of time and listenership that speaks both to Lamb's passion for his instrument and the instrument itself as a source of unbounded, and evolving sonics. Lamb's music is one of both attentiveness and patience. It is a music that comes forth from the world, but is simultaneously hidden from most of us. It is a music of the moment, but also one of recurrence as vibrations travel along the material that is the metal wires. It is also a music which, by its very nature, is eternally in the present. Alan Lamb, as a conduit to this material music invites us to share his listening in these moments. He asks us to cast our ears outward into the world and in doing so unlock an interiority of the mind which remains forever compelling and more so fascinating."

Double LP version. WRWTFWW Records presents its third release from visionary Japanese ambient/experimental/environmental composer/producer Yutaka Hirose, this time with brand new album Voices, available on limited edition heavyweight-sleeved double LP as well as double CD, both with liner notes from the artist. Voices finds Yutaka Hirose expanding his signature spatial layering into a three-dimensional videography of sound, blending field recordings, electronic manipulations, and abstract narratives. The 12-track album is a journey through a crumbling library where books whisper, history collides, and sonic textures weave new realities. Chaos, memory, and transformation -- Hirose's voices echo throughout the space, creating a fully immersive sonic experience. The pioneering experimental and abstract electronic piece with deep hints of ambient and IDM is beautifully represented by the original artwork by Koji Shiroshita and Mifuku gracing the double LP and double digipack CD sleeves. Voices marks Yutaka Hirose's third full-length release on WRWTFWW Records, following his kankyõ ongaku classics Nova + 4 (an expanded version of his genre defining Soundscape 2: Nova album) and archival compilation TRACE: Sound Design Works 1986-1989.

5LP box version. Includes art book. Over the decades, the image of Kompakt as a pirate ship has taken root in our minds, braving the dangers of the seven seas of the music market. Sometimes it glides with a tailwind through calm waters, sometimes it has to survive violent storms. In the label's fast-paced business, the 500 mark is rarely reached, so Kompakt wants to celebrate it. In a democratic process, the label has selected 50 pearls from the thousands of tracks released over the last 33 1/3 years. Alongside many Kompakt evergreens, there are also some real rarities from the early Kompakt Sound of Cologne, which have been lovingly remastered here to shine in new splendor. The 5LP box set version (KOM 500LP) also contains a 144-page book that tells the story of Kompakt from 1993 to today with detailed texts and images. In addition to the manifold musical and graphic achievements of Kompakt, the multidisciplinary links to the visual arts are also highlighted here. The magic of groovy loop minimalism and the "art of omission" are once again brought to the proverbial point. Featuring Tocotronic, Kaito, Terranova, Justus Köhncke, Heiko Voss, Leandro Fresco/Thore Pfeiffer, The Bionaut, Ada, Raz Ohara, Superpitcher, Rex The Dog, Dettinger, The Field, Robag Wruhme, Saschienne, Max Würden, Gas, Triola AG, Thomas Fehlmann, Scsi-9, Jürgen Paape, The Modernist, Aril Brikha, T.Raumschmiere, Reinhard Voigt, Schaeben & Voss, DJ Koze, The Orb, Michael Mayer, Laurent Garnier, Anna & Kittin, Mike Ink, Reinhard Voigt, Forever Sweet, Wassermann, Sven Väth, Blank Gloss, Michael Mayer / Matias Aguayo, Wighnomy Bros., John Tejada, Sam Taylor-Wood, Pet Shop Boys, Gui Boratto, Jürgen Paape, Matias Aguayo, Voigt & Voigt, Gui Boratto, Kölsch, GusGus, Closer, Wassermann, Jürgen Paape, Superpitcher, and Markus Guentner.

2025 restock. 50th anniversary official reissue of this holy grail kraut album from 1972. Real underground heavy-prog/psychedelic hard-rock with raw, in-your-face production, German lyrics, insane acid-fuzz guitar, garage organ and dark, proto-doom atmosphere -- the real deal! Named after the famous Lovecraft book, Necronomicon formed in the German town of Aachen in 1970, first influenced by bands like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Hendrix... In 1972 they entered a small studio in the Dutch border and recorded in just five days a concept album named Tips zum Selbstmord. The title roughly translates as "Tips on how to commit suicide" but the message the band wanted to give had nothing to do with taking your own life but instead with how mankind was facing self-destruction, destroying its own planet by pollution, wars, exploitation and overpopulation. 500 copies of the album were privately pressed by the band, housed in a lavish, cross shaped multi fold-out cover. It was a graphical translation of what they wanted to express musically. Original copies are impossible to find, making it one of the most desirable and sought-after kraut/German albums ever. Here's a long overdue new vinyl reissue. RIYL: Black Sabbath, Amon Düül, Gila, Paternoster, Hawkwind, Gäa, German Oak, Pink Floyd, Hendrix. Faithful reproduction of the original multi-fold-out cross shaped cover; sourced from the original master tapes; insert with detailed liner notes and photos. "... one of the best and most unique German records of the early seventies." --Cosmic Dreams At Play "... Necronomicon has created a dark and powerful vision that blends psychedelic and progressive music with a proto-punk garage band sensibility" --Rolf Semprebon (AllMusic)

2025 restock. Recorded when he was just nineteen, Dreaming With Alice by British folk musician/artist Mark Fry was (barely) released only in Italy in 1972, making it one of the rarest and most desirable acid-folk/psychedelic albums ever. Tracks like "The Witch" or "Mandolin Man" are considered nowadays classics of the genre. Original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve. Sourced from the original master tapes. Includes insert with liner notes by Mark Fry and photos. RIYL: Donovan, Nick Drake, Incredible String Band, Dr. Strangely Strange, Comus.

Itara is the debut solo album by Paul Pèrrim -- guitarist, composer, and anthropologist -- featuring a set of guitar-driven compositions that blend hallucinatory acid folk, abstract blues, mutant Eastern jazz, surreal ambient, and free improvisation into a vivid and distinctive sonic tapestry. With a background in ethnomusicology and a degree in Music Education, Pèrrim's work bridges popular and experimental music. He contrasts the acoustic guitar's austerity with the expansive possibilities of the electric guitar, drawing from late '60s folk traditions, contemporary fingerstyle, sound collage, drone, psychedelia, and improvisation. A key figure in the Canary Islands' experimental scene, he released two albums in the 2010s under The Transistor Arkestra, a Catalan collective merging free jazz and psychedelia. As Transistor Eye, his solo project, he merges ana-log electronics with guitar, using vintage synths and effects. In 2022, Pèrrim gained wider recognition through his appearance on Manos Ocultas (Philatelia Records) and the international tribute Solstice: A Tribute to Steffen Basho-Junghans (Obsolete Recordings). That same year, he founded GUITARRACO, a contemporary guitar festival in Tarragona, where he has shared the stage with Joseba Irazoki, Buck Curran, and Raphael Roginski. Itara was recorded and produced by Pèrrim, and features liner notes by critic Bill Meyer, who writes: "While it's common to call music cinematic these days, Pèrrim goes split-screen. One might say he composes econo, jamming scenes and sounds to psychedelic effect. But economy does not equate with poverty. Pèrrim draws upon a rich bank of musical notions, all of which he makes his own through the alchemy of recombination and transmutation."

2025 restock. Zauberberg -- Wolfgang Voigt's most fundamental (and foreboding) release under his alias GAS and perhaps of all in his untold discography -- finally stands alone once again and is released in the way its original splendor. Originally released in 1997 on the iconic Frankfurt imprint Mille Plateaux, and then reissued in 2016 as a part of GAS Box (KOM 370LP, 2016), Zauberberg is now released on his own label, Kompakt. Though this narcotic symphony is not the first release under the GAS moniker, Zauberberg is the first to disclose the true nature of Wolfgang Voigt's unified sound and ideology as GAS. Layers of ominous intensity supported by muffled kick drums as classical music loops incessantly swirl with no direction, Zauberberg is the definitive GAS album and a perfect starting point for those not familiar with his music. 180 gram vinyl.

2025 restock. The inaugural release on KMRU's own fledgling OFNOT imprint, Dissolution Grip is an ambitious project that emerged from his studies at Berlin's prestigious UDK. Guided by Jasmine Guffond at Berlin's Universität der Künste (better known as UDK), KMRU looked at waveforms -- the visual representation of sound itself -- and embarked on a process where he would write scores from the shapes, gradually turning the scores into raw synth sounds. Each sound is birthed from one of KMRU's field recordings, but none of those recordings are audible in their original form. The album's opening side "Till Hurricane Bisect" is a 15-minute epic that evolves at its own glacial pace, carefully transforming blustering wind sounds into gasping drones, glassy oscillations and choked distortion. Cosmic and meditative, it's a testament to KMRU's skill as a sound engineer and patience as a composer, combining the gentle world building of his acclaimed Editions Mego album Peel (EMEGO 289CD/LP, 2020) with the rumbling energy of Limen, last year's collaboration with Aho Ssan. On the title track, KMRU takes the opportunity to flex his orchestral muscle, conducting a cast of warbling synth tones into a durational symphony. Starting as quietly as a whisper, Dissolution Grip expands at its own pace until it's a dense wall of harmony, powerful but never completely overwhelming. It is music embedded with a rich sense of place that informs us of KMRU's past and present, and signals where his musical philosophy might take us in the future.

A note from Andy and Klaus: "After playing together for years, our tide was turning. What began as a happy rhythm of show dates in Berlin, from cozy trios in Klaus' home studio to ten-piece ensembles at Ausland, was now ebbing away thanks to Andy's move to the US. Whenever an accustomed pattern shifts it can take time to readjust, to find the gravity that will pull to shape an orbit again. What had been working well between us remained on both our minds for a few years after: the tension between complimentary forms and reflexes -- from deep bass to airy hiss, from swift improvised gesture to slowly developing layer -- these still animated our imaginations. But they had been honed in live playing, a situation now vanishingly rare. Then Klaus simply suggested we work toward a record, in gradual steps, no pressure, by trading recordings and responding to them in turn. This would be a conversation in concrete sound objects as opposed to the intuitive communication and reciprocal flow of on-stage collaboration. A different listening, becoming a different sounding. Again we found seemingly opposing tendencies resonating to surprising effect in the long-distance, long-term recording and exchange process. A new productive tension was added to our process: between the excitatory becoming of live playing and the carving directly in fixed blocks of sound that felt more like writing than performing. We took our time, savored the eddies and deluges, gaps and jumps of building a work together asynchronously. Around the time we were working on the last track of this collection, Andy pored over Stefan Helreich's A Book of Waves, a brilliant exploration of the ocean wave in its many forms and meanings across science and cultures, from histories to technologies to ecologies. In both the title's turn of phrase and the depths it plumbed, we felt we had found an echo of our cyclical endeavor, circumnavigating an idea, a shadow of which we can finally share in the shape of this record."

2025 restock. LP version; includes download code. Soulsheriff Records presents a milestone in electronic music, Liaisons Dangereuses' legendary 1981 self-titled debut album, newly remastered and reissued for the first time since 2002. Liaisons Dangereuses still fascinates today, through its innovative sound and the mystery encompassing it. The 10 electrifying songs, produced by Chrislo Haas (DAF) and Beate Bartel (Mania D, Matador) and reinforced by Krishna Goineau's French and Spanish speech-attack lyrics, created a unique style. The album, anything other than a typical Berlin or Düsseldorf thing, became an international favorite. Songs like "Peut Être... Pas" and "Los Niños del Parque" played a decisive role in the development of house in Detroit and Chicago, as well as various forms of European techno.

LP version. Follow up to the critically acclaimed 2023 album RPG. Me Lost Me -- the project of Newcastle-based artist Jayne Dent -- delights in experimenting with songwriting, creating a beguiling mix of soaring vocals and atmospheric electronics that playfully push the boundaries of genre. On Me Lost Me's fourth full-length, This Material Moment, she has created an "emotionally raw" album, her most honest and vulnerable yet. Concerned with physicality, interpretations, and, yes, materiality, This Material Moment is an album akin to rummaging through a box of long-forgotten trinkets. With each song, Me Lost Me extracts something from the box and asks listeners to consider it from every angle. With the release of This Material Moment, Me Lost Me puts into practice the automatic writing techniques she developed during a workshop with Julia Holter, and in the process has spun her music in different directions that draws on poetry, psalms and using mesostic poems and phonetic translations to generate words. Whilst Jayne Dent's music as Me Lost Me has previously presented time stretching back and forwards in opposition, on This Material Moment she does away with linearity altogether, evoking rather than narrating, and presenting feelings, happenings and moods with no clear beginning or end point. Instead, each track on This Material Moment exists entirely in media res, adjacent to past and future, and instead sprawling across the endless now. This Material Moment was written and arranged solo, but played with a core band of John Pope on electric/double bass, Faye MacCalman on clarinet, and now with the addition of Ewan Mackenzie (Dextro/Pigs x7) on drums -- bringing in live drums and electric bass for the first time. The album was recorded by Sam Grant at Blank Studios in Newcastle, who also worked on RPG.

2025 repress; double LP version. Abelardo Carbonó, the godfather of champeta, was born in 1948 in Ciénaga, a small town between Santa Marta and Cartagena, Colombia. He started playing guitar when he was eight or nine, just playing along with his father. His family moved to Barranquilla in 1959. Upon his arrival, he quickly went to become a police cadet as it was pretty much all the city had to offer him in terms of employment. At the turn of the '80s, Abelardo had almost two decades of being in the police, a job he "wasn't very good at." With his brothers Jafeth (bass) and Abel (solo guitar), he progressively formed what was to become the nucleus of the bands to come, developing their signature: a sharp guitar, a strong bass, and a choir. The tropical pop sound, the groaning voice, the drum kit, the mix of rock and tropical guitar that one would hear later in Abelardo's work, were already visible in his personal way of playing Caribbean music, such as on "A otro perro con ese hueso." The vallenato cajón drum, a traditional feature one would rarely consider beyond vallenato circles, was used here and would be used extensively by Abelardo in various contexts. With its childish voices drowned in reverb, the swinging electric bass contrasting with the acoustic guitar, and the funny lyrics about a man who promises a lot as the choir rejects his affirmations, the tune stood out on a 12-song compilation released by Sonolux and gained Abelardo's band attention from the music industry. Other tracks like "Quiero a mi gente" and "Schallcarri" seem to testify once again that Fela Kuti's Shakara had a huge impact on the musicians from the coast. In fact, the most decisive influence was the African and Afro Caribbean one: it ranged from the Super Negro Bantous to South African music, the 45s from Kenya, and of course, Congolese and Haitian music. Funk and pop were also important, as were vallenato, cumbia and porro. For several years, Abelardo enjoyed the savoir faire and experience of the best studios around and worked with producers such as the great Eduardo Dávila, some sort of costeño Lee Perry, out of which came memorable sessions with collaborations by legends such as Michi Sarmiento and several artists from the Dolcey Gutiérrez Orchestra. On his albums for Felito, Abelardo recorded such gems as "Negra Kulenge," "Palenque," and "Carolina," magnified by a great sound and a unique mix. The rest of the world is finally about to discover the talent of this kind of Colombian Tom Zé -- a man that represents the psychedelic yet groovy side of the Caribbean musical world, and one of the best-kept secrets of Colombian music. Compiled by Lucas Silva of Palenque Records and annotated by Etienne Sevet.

2025 repress. Wewantsounds release Sharayet El Disco a selection of Egyptian '80s disco and boogie tracks curated by Egyptian DJ Disco Arabesquo from his vast collection of cassettes. Most tracks have never been released on any other format and are making their vinyl debut with this set. A journey through the funky sound of '80s Egypt, Sharayet El Disco (which can be translated by "Disco Cassettes") features Simone, Ammar El Sherei, and more obscure names from Cairo's cassette culture. Sharayet El Disco is part of an important mission for Moataz Rageb aka Disco Arabesquo. The Amsterdam-based Egyptian DJ has been collecting cassettes from Arab-speaking countries and its diaspora for many years and has amassed a vast collection of Egyptian music concentrating on the '80s, the sound he grew up listening to. His goal has been to search for these rare sounds and make them known to a new vinyl-hungry audience. During this decade, the rich Egyptian music industry, which had seen such stars as Oum Kalthoum, Abdel Halim Hafez, and Warda take the Arab world by storm in the '60s and '70s, was going through a new phase and the cassette format was the cause. This radical change enabled many young musicians and producers to spread their music directly to consumers duplicating cassettes themselves. A new vibrant music scene erupted in Cairo blending their sound with trends coming from the US and Europe including, of course, disco, soul, and funk. The cream from this scene was soon picked up by the most daring labels, including Mohsen Gaber's Alam El Phan, Sout El Hob, and Americana. Sharayet El Disco gives you a glimpse of these great tracks which -- for most of them -- were only ever released on cassette. The set is a unique insight into the diversity of the Egyptian disco sound, from the pulsating disco of "Hezeny" by Hany Shenouda's Al Massrieen band to the boogie of Simone's "Merci", via Firkit El Asdekaa's tongue-in-cheek "Eklib el Sheriet" ("turn the cassette to the other side"), produced by legendary Egyptian musician Ammar El Sherei. The music is both inventive and funky and played with both Western and Arab instruments proving that quality of Egyptian music. Audio remastered for vinyl by David Hachour/Colorsound Studio in Paris. LP artwork by young Egyptian graphic designer Heba Tarek. Includes two-page insert featuring artwork of the original cassettes plus insightful liner notes by Moataz Rageb. Also features Afaf Rady, Dr. Ezat Abou Ouf & el four M, FIrkIt el Ensan, Eman el Bahr Darwish, Firkit Americana Show, and Lebleba.

2025 restock; LP version. Wewantsounds presents the release of one of Japan's most coveted albums of the '70s, Mangekyou by singer-songwriter Yoshiko Sai. Produced in 1975 by Master musician Yuji Ohno, the album features Yoshiko Sai's superbly crafted songs and crystal-clear voice over Ohno's lush, funky sound and breezy arrangements. A strong buzz has been growing around the album over the years and original copies now change hands for large sums of money. This is the first time Mangekyou is available outside of Japan, featuring remastered audio, original artwork and a four-page insert including new liner notes by Paul Bowler. Yoshiko Sai holds a unique status in the Japanese music landscape. The Japanese singer songwriter made a strong impression with her blend of ethereal melodies, poetic lyrics and crystalline singing. A private, almost enigmatic artist, Sai only made four highly praised albums during the '70s and all but retired from the music industry in 1979, which adds to the mystic surrounding her persona. Only thanks to the persistence of Japanese guitarist Jojo Hiroshige from the noise group Hijokaidan did she come out of retirement to record new material in the 2000s. She was originally noticed by key record labels and swiftly signed to Black Records/Teichiku. This led to the recording of Mangekyou ("Kaleidoscope"), in the Spring of 1975. While she penned all the material for Mangekyou, the arrangements were assigned to Ace producer Yuji Ohno, one of the top arrangers in Tokyo at the time. Ohno helped craft the album's superb funk sound and also played keyboards. The album displays Sai's unique craftmanship when it comes to songwriting and alternates between mid and up-tempo songs such as "Yoru No Sei" (Night Spirit) and "Fuyu No Chikadou" (Winter Underpass) and more atmospheric ballads such as "Tsubaki Wa Ochita Kaya" (Did The Camellia Fall?) or "Yukionna" (Snow Woman). It's worth noting Ohno blended his rich arrangements with elements of Japanese traditional music, with the use of such instruments as the Shakuhachi (bamboo flute), Tsuzumi (hand drum), and Biwa (wooden lute), giving the music its unique twist. All in all, listening to Mangekyou is a unique experience and it's easy to see why the album and Yoshiko Sai garnered such a cult following over the years.

Psychedelic hard-rock Holy Grail, originally released by this Greek band in 1976 but sounding more akin to late '60s/early '70s. Highly recommended to fans of heavy-fuzz guitars, think Dark, Fire, Open Mind, or even Spacemen 3 circa Revolution. The 4 Levels Of Existence (Τα 4 Επίπεδα Της Ύπαρξης) formed around 1974 in Athens from the ashes of a band called Frog's Eyes. Some of their influences were groups like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Who, or Iron Butterfly as well as traditional Greek music. They recorded their sole album in just ten hours with no overdubs and it was eventually released (500 copies only) on the small Venus label. The cover artwork was created by guitar player Athanasios Alatas. The band sadly split soon after but they left behind one of the most legendary and sought after albums not only from Greece but also from the worldwide heavy-prog scene. Remastered sound with original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve with OBI. Insert with liner notes by Klemen Breznikar (It's Psychedelic Baby) and rare photos / memorabilia. Includes "Someday In Athens," sampled on "Run This Town" by Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West.

Official reissue of this sought-after Canadian psychedelic hard-rock album from 1970. Formed in Toronto in the late '60s, It's All Meat (the name was taken from a dog food commercial!) soon caught the attention of influential character Jack London (frontman of pre-Steppenwolf band Jack London and the Sparrows) who managed the band and secured a deal with major label Columbia Records. After recording their first 45, the proto-punk MC5/Stones sounding "Feel It," the band started working on their first album with the tandem of Jed MacKay and Rick McKim as main songwriters. It's All Meat was released in 1970 and offered a powerful mix of garage-rock, psychedelia and early hard-rock, drawing influences from bands like the Stones, Country Joe & The Fish, Doors, Velvet Underground -- tracks like "Roll My Own" or the lysergic "Crying Into The Deep Lake" are now considered classics of the genre. Sadly, the band would split soon after the LP was released. Original artwork in gatefold sleeve and remastered sound in 24-bit domain. Includes insert with liner notes by Plastic Crimewave and rare photos/memorabilia. Includes download card with non-LP singles and rare tracks.

2025 repress. Following well-regarded outings on Phonica Records and Wolf Music, and a superb Many Shades Of House compilation released this year, Lausanne-based Lea Lisa joins Smallville Records with Poem For The Lost Souls, accompanied by remixes from Kuniyuki and Session Victim as a special double-12" package with gatefold cover. For these tracks, Lea Lisa has worked with several musicians in the studio to transform the warmth and organic feel of real instruments into her musical universe. The original mix of "Poem For The Lost Souls" leads, a jazzy house journey that ebbs and flows through fluttering flute melodies, ethereal chords, wandering piano and funk-infused bass grooves running atop organic percussion and disco tinged drums. On the B Side, the "Broken Mix" follows, as the name would suggest, rhythmically shifting focus towards off-kilter drum breaks alongside the other melodies and again -- all the ingredients that make a classic house track. Opening the C-side on record two, acclaimed Japanese artist and Mule Musiq regular Kuniyuki steps up to rework "Poem For The Lost Souls," in typical fashion the Sapporo born producer extracts the core grooves from the original and shapes it into something uniquely his own, laden with warmth, soul and dynamics. The duo Session Victim then round out the release on Side D with their interpretation, fusing together the original synth melodies with their own amalgamation of intricately intertwined keys and atmospherics, underpinned by a shuffled rhythm section and bouncy low-end drive. It's coming with a gatefold cover-artwork by Stefan Marx for a cherry-blossom glimpse of Yoyogi Park in Tokyo.

When the trio of Sontag Shogun gathered at Laura Naukkarinen's home on the Finnish island of Kimitoön in the summer of 2019, they had not the slightest inkling that the world was about to change irretrievably with the onset of a long-predicted pandemic the following year. By the time their collaborative album, Valo Siroutuu ("The Light Scatters"), was released nearly two years later, the intimate and reflective nature of the work they had created together had taken on new meaning, resonating powerfully (and quietly) with a world in which the proverbial cracks in the wall only seem to be widening. Päiväkahvit completes the story that began with Valo Siroutuu, featuring nine new songs from the original sessions plus four interpretive reworks courtesy of Amulets, Fadi Tabbal, Post-Dukes, and Jeremy Young. Available digitally and in a one-time vinyl pressing of 300 copies, the album flows seamlessly from beginning to end, incorporating field recordings, tape, sublime vocal melodies, and a host of acoustic and electronic instruments. Richly textured and immersive, Päiväkahvit positively crackles with warmth and a sense of creative embrace.