"On the cover: 2025 Rewind: The Year in Sound and Music: The Wire's essential guide to the highs and lows of the last 12 months in underground music and culture. Our 2025 Rewind double issue will have twice the shelf life of a standard issue and will include our essential Top 50 Releases of the Year and Archive Releases of the Year charts, both compiled from the votes of more than 60 of our critics and contributors. Other features include cultural reflections from our roster of writers, our specialist columnists' charts and analyses from avant rock to dub, and essays on some of 2025's talking points including DIY radio, slow music for fast times, and the current state of skronk. Inside: Makaya McCraven; After a three year hiatus in solo output, the prodigious drummer, producer and bandleader has released one new studio album, Off The Record via Chicago's International Anthem label, and four EPs, all edited and reworked from extensive live recordings dating back as far as 2015 and featuring contributions from Theon Cross, Ben LaMar Gay and Jeff Parker. In this special feature he is interviewed by Black Rock Coalition bassist Melvin Gibbs; Company was the name the British improv guitarist Derek Bailey gave to the festival he ran in London between 1977?1994, for which he would invite diverse casts of musicians to come and improvise together. To mark the 20th anniversary of Bailey's death, Mark Wastell gives the inside story of what happened when the guitarist revived Company for events in New York, London and Marseille; Hilary Woods; The Irish confessional singer, songwriter and filmmaker returns to the Sacred Bones label with her new album Night CRIÚ, a follow up to 2023's acclaimed Acts Of Light. By Leah Kardos."

Repressed! Joanne Robertson follows up on AD 93 with the album Blurrr. Written between painting sessions and also whilst raising a child, Blurrr is a record of loose and playful intuition. Robertson's vocals and guitar drift, murmur and whisper across the record; fostering a deep intimacy as unknown emotions rise up from the well. Robertson's intuitive approach to music making co-exists alongside her improvisatory and collaborative nature. She has collaborated regularly with artists such as Elias Rønnenfelt on Heavy Glory, Dean Blunt on Backstage Raver, and Black Metal, and Sidsel Meineche Hansen on Alien Baby. In Blurrr Robertson turns to previous collaborator and friend: cellist, composer and producer Oliver Coates.

"First time on vinyl for Chapter One of the acclaimed previously CD-only set that was released to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Randy's Records. Kicking off with the joyful ska of Lord Creators' Independent anthem, Chapter One runs the true course of Jamaican music in the 1960s with a virtual who's who of reggae music including Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Toots & The Maytals, Rico, Skatalites, John Holt & Alton Ellis. Beautifully packaged with inner sleeves featuring rare photos and liner notes by Blood & Fire's Steve Barrow."

2025 repress; white vinyl. "In the 4 years after The Clipse dropped their sophomore classic Lord Willin' the duo was able to build a legacy that had fans hungry for new material. After the smoke cleared and they hit the studio the Virginia brothers recorded the confidently mature sophomore effort, Hell Hath No Fury. Best known for their unconventional radio smash 'Grindin',' Clipse are no strangers to taking risks with the boundary-pushing Neptunes, who return as trusted co-pilots for Hell Hath No Fury. As always the duo is right at home over The Neptunes crafted beats which perfectly embrace Pusha's inventive drug-game metaphors and Malice's soul-baring confessionals. Get On Down now proudly issues this Neptunes produced favorite on LP for the first timel."

2025 restock; gatefold LP version. Includes CD. Legendary French record executive, talent agent, and producer Jacques Canetti recorded French singer Jacques Higelin's first disc in 1965, though their meeting dates back to 1954, when Higelin was 14 years old and was already singing Trenet -- at the time, Canetti refused to work with teenagers, whatever their talent. To celebrate the 2015 50-year anniversary of his career, the release of his 2013 album Beau Repaire, and a 2015 residency at the Philharmonie de Paris, Jacques Canetti Productions reissues his first album, with two bonus duets with French poet and vocalist Brigitte Fontaine.

Bassist, composer and producer Shay Hazan returns with his third solo album, When It Rains It Pours, on Batov Records. Following the critical success of Reclusive Ritual and Wusul, Hazan takes a bold step forward, shifting from the guimbri-led sound that established his reputation to a broader palette of bass, guitar, and synth-driven compositions. Where his earlier work foregrounded the raw, earthy textures of Gnawa tradition, When It Rains It Pours reflects Hazan's evolution as a producer and multi-instrumentalist. Across eleven tracks, Hazan deepens his exploration of layered grooves, spiritual melodies, and experimental textures, resulting in his most expansive and personal statement to date. The album's title embodies Hazan's experience of being tested by life when multiple challenges arrived at once -- musically, personally, and physically. A painful period in which he was unable to play double bass or guimbri due to joint issues became the spark for rediscovering the electric bass, reconnecting him with an instrument he had set aside personal projects for years. The record documents this transition, capturing the tension between struggle and renewal. Unlike his previous guimbri-focused albums, Hazan's approach here highlights his growth as a studio craftsman. Sampling, layering, and textural exploration sit at the core, without losing the immediacy of live musicianship. Longtime collaborators including saxophonist Eyal Netzer, trumpeter Roy Zuzovsky, and drummer Shahar Haziza, help ground the record in ensemble interplay, even as it pushes further into electronic and producer-led territory. The album's gestation was shaped by encounters and inspirations stretching far beyond Tel Aviv. Hazan draws influence from Malawian one-man-band Gasper Nali, the spiritual openness of his recording sessions with legendary drummer Hamid Drake, and years of improvisational collaborations across jazz and global traditions. When It Rains It Pours captures Shay Hazan at a turning point: confronting physical and personal limitations, yet finding new creative channels in response. By leaning into bass, guitar, and studio experimentation, Hazan has crafted an album that feels at once urgent, meditative, and transformative, a body of work that situates him firmly among today's most adventurous voices in spiritual jazz and beyond.

In the heart of 1990s Morocco, Cheb Nacer brought a new breeze to the popular music scene. Born in Oujda, he grew up surrounded by raï, staïfi and chaâbi before moving to Casablanca, where he blended these roots with the electronic sounds filling cabarets and clubs. Inspired by the international clips broadcast on 2M and RTM, he reimagined European hits in darija, creating a hybrid, dance-driven sound. "Olé Olé Olé" became a national hit, carried by bright synths and playful energy -- far from the sentimental pop dominating the airwaves. Between 1993 and 2006, he released a string of tapes, shows and hits, defining his unique style: spontaneous, raw and festive techno-raï born in studios, living rooms and wedding halls. Cheb Nacer embodied an era when the lines between cabaret and club blurred, when music circulated freely and reinvented itself without rules. Decades later, his songs still echo as the soundtrack of a generation tuned into global waves -- free, curious, and proud to dance their own way.

Double LP version. Having ended the '90s with the spirited Laughing Mostly compilation of singles and demos, Delta finally released their debut studio album of twelve songs in the summer of 2000 on the Dishy Recordings label. Accepting that this might be their sole studio album the band threw everything at these recordings allowing it to exist in its own sphere, unbothered by their contemporary generation and disregarding the idea of even releasing a single. Recorded at DEP International there was a notable difference to the scruffier, looser charm of their 1990s recordings, a tighter focus developed by having the experienced Lenny Franchi mixing the LP with them. Lenny had been working with a number of Island artists including My Bloody Valentine and Tricky so knew his way around a desk. There was also the question of budget, so every day counted. Ultimately though you can hear the joy in the recordings, even amongst the melancholy and angst. As James recently recalled in an interview in Shindig! Magazine: "It was such a big deal for us. It's one of my fondest memories doing that record. Everyone was happy. If there's anything that I'd stand by, I think it would be that." Louis Clark Jr joined the band towards the end of the '90s and brought a classically-trained element to the recordings particularly with his string arrangements. For "Cuckoo," "I Want You," and the prophetic "We Come Back" Louis brought in eight players from the Birmingham Conservatoire; the baroque style is partly why the record often receives comparisons to Love's "Forever Changes." On release Slippin' Out was a big favorite with writers at the NME, Mojo, and The Guardian again and before long the band were signed to Mercury/Universal for their second studio album Hard Light, a far more expensive and expansive love affair. It was a temporary palatial home where things quietly fell apart again, but that's another chapter.

"If long-term memory is nothing more than selective editing and only pop's most weighty visceral works are built to last then it's quite possible that in 50 years the Britpop era will be best recollected for the two bands it ostracized. Earlier this year we met Shack and thought their story of mercurial brilliance indicated the biggest music biz oversight of the '90s. We were wrong because we hadn't met Delta yet. This is richer and more engrossing than anything by Shack." --The Guardian

Frederiksberg Records presents the long-awaited reissue of Ambonisye Lord Shepherd's 1981 debut album, Evidence For Real -- a deeply personal and spiritual fusion of soul and jazz that has remained a hidden treasure for more than four decades. The newly remastered edition arrives on vinyl, restoring the powerful work of a drummer, composer, and bandleader who chose to walk his own path, well outside the mainstream. Born Robert Charles Sheppard Jr. in Omaha, Nebraska, and later known as Ambonisye Lord Shepherd, the artist carried a life story as inspiring as his music. From his formative years in Omaha's historic 24th & Lake district to his creative explorations in Los Angeles, Shepherd forged a sound that was at once fiercely personal and universally searching. Recorded in late-night sessions across Hollywood and Hermosa Beach with a close circle of collaborators, Evidence For Real reflects Shepherd's spiritual journey in the wake of his mother's passing, embodying his belief in music as a vehicle for healing and higher consciousness. Though self-released on his Verline Records label and overlooked upon its release, Evidence For Real has since become a cult artifact -- a record whispered about among collectors who revere it as a profound statement of resilience, spirituality, and independence. This reissue finally brings Shepherd's masterpiece back into the light.

2025 repress. Two 180-gram LPs with 15 bonus tracks from the deluxe CD edition. Despite his huge success with his 1971 political concept album What's Going On, Marvin Gaye left social concerns behind for those of a more intimate nature with this 1973 album. Let's Get It On album broke new ground, gaining its place in history as one of the most sexual albums ever recorded, laying the basis for every slow jam ever after, and making Gaye both socially concerned and sexy -- a potent commercial combination.

Paperback. 248 pages. "The vinyl record as an artistic medium: a contemporary sequel to the 1989 definitive guide on sound works and records by artists. Following Ursula Block's groundbreaking 1989 exhibition 'Broken Music: Artists' Recordworks' and the accompanying publication, which was reproduced in facsimile by Pioneer Works in 2018, this theoretical sequel explores the development of the record as an artistic medium from the postwar period to the present. Broken Music Vol. 2 explores links between the fields of music in composition and improvisation, pop, punk and techno, expanded by sound works from the collection of the Nationalgalerie, including sound installations and media works. Artists include: Tauba Auerbach, Harry Bertoia, Luciano Castelli, Martin Creed, Henning Christiansen, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Romuald Hazoumé, Rolf Julius, Milan Knízák, Christina Kubisch, Piotr Nathan, Bruce Nauman, Hermann Nitsch, Charlemagne Palestine, Mario Pfeifer, A.R. Penck, Salomé, Richard Serra, Viktor Vasarely, Lawrence Weiner."

A Few We Remember is the new album by Jonah Parzen-Johnson and Lau Nau. The recording debut for the new duo of Finnish composer Lau Nau, aka Laura Naukkarinen, and American baritone saxophonist Jonah Parzen-Johnson, it cycles between moments of knotty ambience, whispered melody, and innocent tinkering, as the duo improvises over 8 narrative scores composed by Parzen-Johnson. Jonah Parzen-Johnson and Lau Nau are each prolific and celebrated creators on their own, with 22 albums released between the two of them, but in this fresh conversation, something completely new comes to life. In Laura's words: "I enjoy recording live takes without overdubs, and this album is exactly that -- pure first takes, bubbling creative energy happening in the moment. Jonah's written stories gave a powerful spark and direction for our improvisations, but the album reminds me of a chemical reaction: a result that is impossible without both of our inputs, and a surprise to each of us." On the debut single, First Time Viewer, it is almost impossible to tell where Jonah's fragile baritone saxophone melody begins and where Lau's live-sampled, processed, and re-synthesized accompaniment ends. As the improvisation develops, a cloud of ethereal fragments forms into a lattice of melody and texture strong enough to support the entire track.

Léo Dupleix returns to Black Truffle with Round Sky, following the enchanting Resonant Trees (BT 119LP, 2024). The composer here performs on analogue synthesizer, harpsichord and spinet as one member of Asterales, a group that brings together four important figures in the international community of musicians working with just intonation: Dupleix, Jon Heilbron (double bass), Rebecca Lane (quarter-tone flute) and Frederik Rasten (guitars). The quartet perform three recent pieces by Dupleix, each of which is like a different view on the same landscape of unruffled calm, where the unique harmonic events made possible by just intonation flicker across melodies and harmonies like light on the surface of water. The first side is dedicated to "Poème d'air," composed while Dupleix was immersed in the music of 14th-century ars nova composer-poet Guillaume de Machaut. A sustained study of the "sonic possibilities of low-pitched sounds in just intonation," it begins with a long, rumbling pitch from Heilbron's bass, soon joined by the organ-like tones of the composer on synthesizer. The piece is made up of cycling sequences of chords, each of which is repeated for several minutes before the music either freezes on a single harmony or silently pauses before the next episode begins. The development culminates in a stunning episode around fifteen minutes in where the texture thins out, casting a spotlight on a melodic figure exploiting the uncanny sound of Lane's quarter-tone flute. On the second side comes two briefer pieces, closer to the sound of Resonant Trees as they return harpsichord and spinet to the foreground. "Ghosts" centers on a harpsichord melody that slowly expands as it repeats, growing from a haunting six-note cell to a flowing succession of notes whose shape become increasingly difficult to perceive. Alongside this melodic development, an increasingly lush accompaniment grows, with long tones from bass, flute, e-bowed guitar and synthesizer holding notes picked out the harpsichord melody in a swaying harmonic cloud. Dupleix notes that the concluding "Round Sky" was written in the countryside in spring, a circumstance that seems far from irrelevant to the impression the piece makes when its euphonous spinet arpeggios emerge from a gentle synthesizer drone like a flower from a bud. Performed as a duo with Rasten, with both instrumentalists also singing, this title piece exemplifies what makes Dupleix's music so unique: grounded in a rigorous application of just intonation principles yet as open as Harold Budd or Andrew Chalk to an uncomplicated, intuitive experience of beauty.

50th Anniversary edition of the legendary Eduardo Bort album, the crown jewel of Spanish hard-prog and psychedelic hard-rock from the '70s. Recorded between 1973 and 1974 and released in 1975 as part of Movieplay's legendary Gong series, Eduardo Bort's debut stands as one of the most visionary and legendary works in the birth of Spanish progressive rock. Conceived in Valencia after years of performing across Europe and enduring several failed recording attempts, Bort set out to create, without compromise or commercial restraint, an album that fused fantastic literature, instrumental virtuosity, and sonic experimentation. Inspired by the dreamlike worlds of H. P. Lovecraft and Lord Dunsany, the Valencian musician composed a conceptual suite based on the imaginary river Yann, weaving together passages of pure prog-rock, psychedelia, hard-rock, and cosmic poetry. He surrounded himself with an exceptional band -- José Soriano, Marino Hernández, Vicente Alcañiz, and Fony -- with whom he recorded the complex demos that would eventually shape the album. The sessions at Audiofilm Studios in Madrid, featuring dazzling production and a technical arsenal previously unheard of in Spain (Mellotron, Moog, Hammond organ, Rhodes piano), resulted in a sound so advanced that no local label knew what to do with it. Even EMI UK, deeply impressed by the recording, offered to release it internationally -- but the project was never finalized. Eventually, the album appeared quietly in 1975 through Movieplay, though over time it has come to be recognized worldwide as an absolute masterpiece of progressive and psychedelic rock. Featuring original artwork in gatefold sleeve. Sourced from the original masters. Includes insert with detailed liner notes (Spanish only) and photos.

Hard psychedelic bluesy rock with heavy fuzz-wah guitar by these legends from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, the first band to perform live with a boa constrictor, before Alice Cooper. Privately pressed in 1972, Everlasting Tributes was really a collection of studio tapes recorded in 1968/1969. Born in the summer of 1965 in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, The Finchley Boys carved out their place as one of the Midwest's most electrifying and unpredictable rock bands. Starting with British Invasion covers (Yardbirds, Kinks, Animals, Stones), the group quickly moved into originals like "Only Me" and "Hooked," setting them apart from the pack. By 1967, they were on the road full-time -- too young to drink but old enough to blow the doors off every bar from Illinois to Iowa. A fateful merger with local favorites Somebody Groovy led to the definitive Finchley lineup: George Faber (vocals, harp), Garrett Oostdyk (guitar), Larry "Tabe" Tabeling (bass), and J. Michael Powers (drums). Named after a gang mentioned on a Kinks album, the Finchleys became infamous for their wild stage shows, psychedelic blues riffs, and outrageous theatrics -- including a real live boa constrictor on stage. They shared bills with legends like The Byrds, B.B. King, Canned Heat, MC5, Iggy & The Stooges, The Faces, and John Mayall, and were hailed as one of the Midwest's most exciting live acts. Their defining moment came at The Kickapoo Creek Rock Festival (1970) -- a "mini-Woodstock" where their explosive set left tens of thousands of fans in awe and the Chicago Sun-Times proclaiming them festival standouts. Though mainstream fame eluded them, their recordings at Golden Voice Studios and Chess Studios captured their raw power and unique sound. These sessions became the cult-classic 1972 LP Everlasting Tributes -- a roaring mix of heavy blues, hard-psych and proto-punk energy that continues to inspire collectors and fans worldwide. Featuring original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve plus OBI. Ultimate reissue of this classic US hard-psych album including two killer tracks that were left off of the original tracklist. Includes insert with detailed liner notes and photos/memorabilia. Sourced from the original masters.

Following the completion of the Pulse EP series, Peverelist invites four producers to present their own refreshing takes on choice cuts from his most recent phase of club exploration. Fadi Mohem channels the bright angles of "Pulse IX" into a buoyant, sleek run of uptempo dub techno. Huey Mnemonic takes the crafty, curious swerve of "Pulse XX" and sets it to a 4/4 rush of exuberant, steady-climbing techno. Munich-based artist Polygonia's snaking electronica response to "Pulse VII" capitalizes on the swooning melody of the original's second half. Rounding off an especially invigorating round of remixes, the stark jack of "Pulse V" becomes a twinkling, dreamy Motor City reverie in the hands of the legendary Optic Nerve, aka Keith Tucker.

A conjuration between dreamweaver Spencer Clark and Italian psychic traveler Mondo Riviera, Lorenzo's Oil present an oracle of aural travelogues between seen and unseen worlds on Paperopolis. Two likeminded individuals on their distinct but complementary quest for the netherworld, Clark and Riviera's meeting of the minds projects sonic artefacts assembled from lucid dreaming keyboard pads, narcotic late night TV rhythms, spiraling sequences and mangled voices. The 10+ minute "Neo-Paperopolis Jump Suite" makes these intentions quite clear right from the start, veering from no frills keyboard runs to a mid-tempo bounce and on towards the house of mirrors synth stabs and driving rarified percussion that close the suite and open the pathway to such "places" as "Central Jungle, Paperopolis" and "visions" as "The Neverending Skylines of Taipei." Ride on. All music composed by Spencer Clark and Lorenzo Camera.

The English blues revival was surely functional in developing a new series of performer and sub-genres. The hard rock revolution began from the power-chord of Cream and the likes, leading the way for a new "British invasion." Short lived four-piece Bedlam released one single studio album in 1973 led by the intense power of drummer extraordinaire Cozy Powell (Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, Rainbow, Jeff Beck). Their self-titled debut was enlightened by other amazing performers: vocalist Frank Aiello (formerly of pop duo The Truth) and brothers Dave (the guitarist who had recently replaced Robin Trower in Procol Harum) and Denny Ball (bass). The album was produced by Felix Pappalardi of Mountain fame. This is soulful proto-heavy metal at its best!

2025 repress. "Pressed on opaque orange vinyl. This landmark recording from Now-Again's comprehensive overview of Zambia's premier garage-, psych-, prog-, funk-, Afro-rock ensemble WITCH, We Intend To Cause Havoc! is now available in a never before seen color variant. The audio is nigh-perfect -- restored and remastered from the original master tapes. WITCH's musical arc is contained to a five-year span and, in retrospect, is a logical one. The band's third album, Lazy Bones!!, is the band's masterpiece -- a dark, brooding psychedelic opus that makes equal use of wah-wah and fuzz guitars, that relies as heavily on the stomping feel of hard rock as it does the syncopation of funk."

2025 repress. Before the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975, unleashing a horrifying genocide, Cambodia had one of the most vibrant and exciting music scenes in Asia. With a mixture of traditional Khmer music and a myriad of western genres (from French and Latin music, to rock-and-roll, rhythm-and-blues, surf, psychedelia, soul, and many more) the few pre 75 Cambodian recordings that survived -- most of them were destroyed -- are enough to make anyone with a taste for good music shocked by the amazing quality of the sounds created during those golden years. Gathered on Cambodian Nuggets are some of the most talented and unique musicians from that amazing era with an explosive collection of tracks sure to blow the mind of the listener. A celebration of some of the best music ever made. Features Ros Serey Sothea, Yol Aularong, Pan Ron, Tet Somnang & Meas Samon, Houy Meas & Dara Chom Chan, Choun Malai, Sinn Sisamouth, Liev Tuk, Thra Kha Band, Yol Aularong & Liev Tuk, Eng Nary, and Baksey Cham Krong + Mol Kamach. Edition of 500.

2025 repress. A collection of mind-blowing songs from Hindi films 1958-1984. 12 musical gems from the Bollywood vaults with a wide variety of styles thrown in the mix, from the classic to the rare, a must! An astonishing overview of the magnificent musical talents populating Bollywood films. With a predilection for movies with a strong musical backbone where songs and musical numbers play a pivotal role, the Hindi cinema boom gave birth to a strong and creative music industry where composers, musicians, musical directors, conductors, producers, singing actors, and playback singers (singers who provide vocals for the musical parts of roles played by actors or actresses) found a perfect place to develop their careers. A sample of those incredible talents is included in this compilation, the ideal point to start digging deeper into the lush garden of musical delights that is Bollywood. Featuring Mohammedd Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar, Geeta Dutt, Kamal Haasan, Sridevi, Kalyanji & Anandji, P. Susheela, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, Manna Dey, Lata Mangeshkar, Shankar & Jaikishan, and R. D. Burman.

2025 repress. Sky Girl is a mysteriously unshakeable companion, a deeply melancholic and sentimental journey through folk-pop, new wave and art music micro presses that span 1961-1991. It's a DIY collection of different genres, from different countries across different decades, that are all bound by the same longing sentiment. A concept compilation! A seemingly disparate suite of selections of forgotten fables by more or less never-knowns, Sky Girl forms a beautifully coherent and utterly sublime whole deftly compiled by French collectors DJ Sundae and Julien Dechery. From Scott Seskind's adolescent musical road movie to Karen Marks' icy Oz-wave, the charming DIY storytelling of Italian-American go-getter Joe Tossini and the ethereal slow dance themes of Parisian artists Nini Raviolette and Hugo Weris, Sky Girl resonates on a wide spectrum historically, geographically and stylistically. It unites in a singular, longing, almost intangible ambience. If the names sound wholly unfamiliar that doesn't matter, the nature of the compositions swiftly nurtures an intimacy with these lonely, poignant, openhearted wanderers. Most were available in a very limited capacity at the time of their release, some were never really released at all - Gary Davenport declined to release "Sarra" after he split with the girl for whom the track is named - years later a friend convinced Davenport to allow him to put 100 copies online to sell and DJ Sundae was quick enough to snare one. Beyond their scarcity, these tracks are bound together by a certain raw beauty that's achievable when music is made and no one is listening. Sky Girl comprises of fifteen officially licensed songs, a two year international scavenger hunt through long-folded home label operations, the depths of internet forums and traceless acetates. Both compilers are well trained record sleuths - DJ Sundae's labels Hollie and Idle Press have reissued Arthur Russell affiliate Nirosta Steel and DIY relic Pitch, while Julien Dechery previously compiled Fire Star, a retrospective on Tamil film composer Ilaiyaraaja, for Bombay Connection. Released by popular NTS show "Noise In My Head" offshoot Efficient Space, Sky Girl is enriched with artwork from Perks and Mini mutant Misha Hollenbach and appropriately elegant sleeve notes courtesy of Ivan Smagghe. Includes digital download. Also features: Linda Smith, Bruce Langhorne, The Seraphims, Some of My Best Friends Are Canadians, The Rising Storm, Warfield Spillers, Joyce Heath, Angel, Nora Guthrie and Once.

Volume 2 of this series focused on the amazing sonic treasures Bollywood music has to offer. This second volume is centered on the incredible instrumental gems that populate Hindi cinema soundtracks. 14 tracks of pure Bollywood instrumental genius to continue the dive into the mind-blowing world of Hindi cinema music. Covering a time span of three decades, this compilation mixes well-known names with lesser-known talents from the endlessly thrilling vaults of Hindi movie soundtracks and throws a couple of delicious covers for a truly unforgettable sonic experience. Includes liner notes. Featuring Charanjit Singh, R.D. Burman, Sapan & Jagmohan, Raghunath Seth, Chic Chocolate, S. D. Burman, Van Shipley, Kalyanji Anandji, O.P. Nayyar, Govind Naresh, Usha Khanna, S. Hazarasingh, Babla & His Orchestra, and Laxmikant-Pyarelal.

Recorded in concert at the University of Sheffield in March 2025, Reality Is Not A Theory is the first collaboration between Mark Fell and Pat Thomas. Major figures in British experimental music since the 1990s, Fell and Thomas have developed their rigorous practices from radically different backgrounds and perspectives: where Fell's singular take on synthetic abstraction emerged from Sheffield's electronic underground, Thomas is a virtuoso improvising pianist steeped in jazz and modernist art music who has simultaneously worked with sampler-based electronics for decades. As the record's wonderfully academic subtitle explains, listeners are presented here with two sides of "algorithmic and improvised music for computer and piano," exemplifying both players' insatiable search for new (and sometimes uncomfortable) playing situations. The performance begins with Fell's electronics close to the timbres of acoustic percussion, attacks that suggest wood, metal or glass threaded along a rapid pulse while Thomas focuses on the lowest registers of the piano, deadening the strings. As Fell's electronics start to ring out and occupy more harmonic space, Thomas turns to wide, repeated clusters, which slowly expand into patterns of chords. Like in his recent solo recordings and his trio work with Joel Grip and Anton Gerbal, Thomas' playing combines extreme dissonance with a deep lyrical sense. Fell's work gradually shifts its focus toward drum sounds, drawing on the microtemporal processes that have characterized his practice in recent decades. Heard together with Thomas' probing piano, the computer sounds call up unexpected associations with the klangfarben antics of improv drummers like Paul Lovens or Tony Oxley. Throughout its second half, the music grows increasingly frenetic, as Thomas sounds out rapid, irregularly repeated figures and beautifully sour chords in the upper register, while Fell's percussion develops into angular pan-pipe-like feedback and waves of glissandi. With great confidence and patience, Fell and Thomas often let their individual contributions remain rhythmically distinct and unsynchronised, allowing unexpected correspondence and coincidence to guide the music's development. Recorded in a hall named after Sheffield steel manufacturer and Master Cutler Mark Firth, the location might suggest a model for understanding how Fell and Thomas interact here: two workers in the same workshop, each immersed in their own part of the production process. Arriving in a striking sleeve designed by Mark Fell, with liner notes by Francis Plagne, Reality Is Not A Theory is an invigorating document of the meeting of two mavericks of contemporary music.

The inimitable Richard Youngs returns to Black Truffle with this third full-length for the label, Hidden. Like CXXI (BT 081LP) and Modern Sorrow (BT 101LP, Hidden unfolds across two side-long pieces at once eminently listenable and possessed of the "bloody-minded" dedication to "having an idea and sticking with it" that Youngs himself has identified as one of the key qualities of his work. At the core of both pieces are rapid, randomized arpeggios generated with a Moog Grandmother, hypnotic patterns that wouldn't be out of place on a Berlin School classic. Alongside these arpeggios, across the seventeen minutes of the first side-long piece Youngs builds an airy structure of shakers, synthetic handclaps and a brief, repeated sample, impossible to identify but sounding like a glitched foghorn. Over the top is his unmistakable voice, repeating single syllables with a slow delay, something like a lonely one-man-band take on Anthony Moore's Pieces from the Cloudland Ballroom or a more musical elaboration of the hypnotically overlapping delayed phonemes of Anton Bruhin's Rotomotor. Like much of Youngs' work, the arrangement of sounds is sparse, each layer punctuated by spaces that allow others to shine through, in a way that seems to have more to do with dub or early hip-hop than high-brow models of musical reductionism. On the flipside, the arpeggios return, now accompanied by ringing, filtered guitar chords and long flute tones. The use of a similar ground layer across the two pieces with strikingly different overdubs calls up Youngs' first solo record, the classic Advent, reminding listeners of how consistent "theme and variations" is as an approach in his enormous body of work. Joined by handclaps and a chiming sound, the piece almost feels like it is about to achieve dance-floor lift-off at times, only for the percussion to disappear and leave the listener once again floating among the guitar and flute, now joined by occasional cut-off vocal snippets, like a radio turned quickly on and off. The suspension of these disparate elements over the steady foundation of the Moog arpeggios might remind some listeners of the free-form studio explorations of Moebius & Plank and Holger Czukay or even give a nod to Youngs' formative encounter with Cabaret Voltaire. Like some of Youngs' much-loved work with Simon Wickham-Smith, Hidden approaches relatively familiar sounds and instruments from skewed angles, delighting in loose structures of interaction that border on gleeful incoherence while remaining outwardly beautiful.

European edition with exclusive Ed Colver photo-poster, width 60 cm x height 30 cm. Few records from the American punk underground have echoed as far and wide -- or as enduringly -- as the Adolescents' self-titled debut, first released by Frontier Records in 1981. Known to fans simply as "The Blue Album," this landmark release captured the raw pulse of Southern California's teenage rebellion at a time when hardcore was beginning to take shape yet still holding onto the infectious urgency of punk's first wave. Formed in Fullerton, California, Adolescents brought together members of earlier OC punk outfits like Social Distortion and Agent Orange, fusing their varied influences into something uniquely their own. With songs like "Amoeba," "Kids of the Black Hole," and "No Way," the album offered more than just speed and volume -- it spoke directly to suburban alienation, youthful frustration, and the search for identity in a world that felt increasingly hostile and conformist. This new edition offers longtime listeners and new fans alike a chance to revisit -- or discover -- an album that helped define the West Coast punk sound. From its striking blue cover to its mix of melody, defiance, and urgency, Adolescents remains a vital listen, as relevant today as it was over four decades ago. It's an album that didn't just reflect its moment -- it shaped what punk could be: loud, smart, emotional, and unflinchingly real. Reissued with care and respect for its original spirit, "The Blue Album" stands not only as a milestone in punk history, but as a testament to the enduring power of youth in revolt.

Just as the hippie era came to an end in America, a second '60s began. In what is now Zimbabwe, young people created a rock and roll counterculture that drew inspiration from hippie ideals and the sounds of Hendrix and Deep Purple. The kids in the scene called their music "heavy," because they could feel its impact, and it resonated from Zambia to Nigeria. At its peak in the mid-'70s, the heavy rock scene united tens of thousands of young progressives of all racial and social backgrounds. The country was called Rhodesia then, one of the last bastions of white rule in Africa, and heavy rockers defied segregation laws and secret police to make a stand for democratic change. Wells Fargo was at the forefront of the scene, and the title track of this album, "Watch Out," was the anthem of the counterculture. Following previous collaborations with Now-Again Records, Munster are thrilled to reissue now Wells Fargo's Watch Out!, a curated collection of songs intertwining rock and funk with Zimbabwean folkloric melodies, taken from the band 45s discography, never available outside of Zimbabwe at the time the singles were originally released.

"POP ART is the cover story as Ugly Things examine how British Pop Artists ignited the Swinging Sixties in the UK and how the art world and the pop world intersected throughout that decade and into the next. The late great Pop Art icon Derek Boshier was interviewed for the story. Other interviews this issue include Brian McMahon of feral proto-punk geniuses the Electric Eels, and Dave Clague (Bonzo Dog Band, Kevin Coyne's Siren). Also featured are Toronto '60s garage hooligans the Churls, the Unforscene from Vancouver, enigmatic psychedelic-folk singer Kathy Smith, notorious Milwaukee punk rockers the Lubricants, and the tale of two obscure but wonderful, overlapping West Coast-inspired bands from Kansas, In Black & White and the Wizards From Kansas. Not to forget '60s Midwest garage band the Why Four, and the final installment of the epic story on Milwaukee psychedelic heroes Plasticland. As always, you can count on acres of reviews covering all the latest and greatest reissues, and the esteemed book review section."

Originally released in 1972 on the Odeon label, Quarteto Em Cy stands as a high-water mark in the group's prolific discography -- and a hidden gem for collectors of Brazilian vinyl. Known for their intricate vocal harmonies and deep roots in the bossa nova movement, the quartet ventures into post-bossa territory here, where sophistication meets groove in all the right ways. Arrangements by Edu Lobo and Luiz Eça (of Tamba Trio) lend the album a richly layered sound -- elegant, jazzy, and emotionally resonant -- while the group's harmonies remain as mesmerizing as ever. It's a masterclass in vocal interplay and tasteful orchestration, with an unmistakable Brazilian soul running through every track. Highlights include their stunning interpretation of Milton Nascimento's "Tudo Que Você Podia Ser," along with deep cuts like "Quando o Carnaval Chegar," "Canto de Obá," and "Cantoria." These recordings capture a moment when the group, already respected collaborators of Vinícius de Moraes, Jobim, and Chico Buarque, hit a new creative stride. Long out of print and often cited as their finest work, this self-titled LP has become a sought-after piece among collectors of MPB, bossa, and '70s harmony pop. For those drawn to groups like The Free Design or The Mamas & The Papas -- but with a distinctly Brazilian elegance -- this album offers a rare and rewarding listen. Reissue on 180g vinyl.

Released in 1967, Jazz Raga is more than just an album -- it's a fearless leap into uncharted musical territory. Gábor Szabó, the Hungarian jazz guitarist known for his boundary-pushing style, delivers one of the most captivating records of his career with this genre - masterpiece. Blending jazz, rock, psychedelic folk, and Eastern influences -- with sitar-laced melodies and Latin-infused rhythms courtesy of legendary funky drummer Bernard Purdie -- Jazz Raga defies categorization. It's a hypnotic fusion where European tradition meets the counterculture spirit of the '60s, all woven together by Szabó's unmistakable guitar tone. From the dreamy groove of "Walking On Nails" to the swirling mysticism of "Mizrab," and his hauntingly original take on the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black," Szabó creates a sonic landscape that is both daring and deeply soulful. His playing here is electric -- full of offbeat chords, flowing improvisations, and a voice all his own. Decades later, Jazz Raga still stands as a landmark of creative freedom and global influence -- a must-hear for anyone seeking music that transcends borders and expectations. If you haven't experienced this cult classic yet, now's the time to let Gábor Szabó expand your musical horizons. Reissue on 180g vinyl.

Double LP version. "Fragments was a completely new way of working for us. We've always worked with an internal brief, creating documents, pictures and videos, simply because keeping an idea on track with three individuals can be difficult. It's easy for someone to be edged out of the creative process when the focus is not clearly defined. It's a formula we've used since the early 2000s, but things have changed a lot since then, particularly when we decided to dip our collective toes into supporter memberships with Patreon. It made us think about what we could do directly for our supporters rather than just the next album or project. At first, the whole thing felt odd and uncomfortable, but we decided that we'd try a few things and ask for feedback. Fragments was initially a way for us to see how we could include others in an ongoing creative process. There was no over-arching concept, no defined characteristics or purpose, just the promise that there would be at least one new track for members to download every month. Consequently, we never knew what was coming next, so the old, very focused working method was irrelevant. It was difficult for us to let individual tracks go without knowing what was coming next, but this also made the project more interesting. And then C19 hit and we were forced to continue the project remotely from our home studios. As difficult as the disruption was, it was during this period that we realized we could reorganize and remaster the individual tracks into a coherent album, capturing a specific moment in time and drawing a line under the first phase of the project. Like our Allegory EPs, we've tried to keep everything stripped back. We used to hide many subtle elements within the layers, but not so much this time. Fragments is our journey through many changes, both self-imposed and those imposed upon us, and it ultimately led us to create things differently. We hope you like it." --The Black Dog

Following the reissue of his debut album Dispatches (FIELD 034LP), Field Records returns to the seminal work of Mike Parker with an overview of his releases on Prologue -- a truly original strain of steely, hypnotic techno that has touched upon many different waves within the wider scene. Having pioneered a hard-edged, reductionist style via his Geophone label since the mid-'90s, around 2010 Mike Parker found himself at the vanguard of an emergent sound alongside artists like Donato Dozzy and Cio D'or exploring the possibilities of immersive, profoundly transcendental club music. The Prologue label came to define this cult zeitgeist, where reduction and repetition took on a truly psychedelic quality and the subtle details made all the difference. It ran from 2008 to 2015, laying the foundations for the deep techno sound that remains a vital, evolving subculture in the present moment. From Parker's first appearance on Prologue with the Subterranean Liquid EP in 2011 through to the Lustrations LP in 2013, he delivered some of the most incisive music of his accomplished career -- teased-out rhythms carrying exquisitely engineered textures veering from the subliminal to the visceral, locked into endless, cyclical oblivion and maintaining a stern, machinist veneer. This collection on Field Records combs through Parker's Prologue output and makes a considered selection, gathering key pieces from the first two EPs alongside six of the album tracks on a triple vinyl pressing, alongside a further eight cuts on the expanded digital edition. Not just a straight-forward reissue, consider Epilogue a thoughtful reframing of a key point in Mike Parker's stellar career. In every exacting pulse, every inch of tacit spatial design, it's the work of an expert sculpting a sound which remains influential in the here and now.

LP version. For the 26th time, the most consistent of all ambient compilations, in a constant flux of static change, is released on Kompakt. Joining good friends from the early days and reliable confidants are some new additions to the non-hierarchical charts of contemplative rapture culture. Leading the way is Micå, a Japanese electronic musician whose chiseled, graceful musical style has made it onto the new collection with two pieces. Also making his debut is Richard Ojijo, a seasoned sound engineer known, among other things, for his long-standing collaboration with the artist Marcel Odenbach and the Cologne-based label Magazine. Oskø aka Max Hytrek, a multi-talented newcomer to Kompakt and the music scene, debuts with his rapturously ecstatic piece "Ar Vag." He's followed by Sebastian Mullaert, appearing for the second time -- this time teamed up with Sebastian Lilja aka Hush Forever. After his surprise return after a 20 year hiatus, Kompakt are delighted that Tetsuo Sakae aka Pass Into Silence is back again this year with one of his distinctive sound gems. As are Dirk Leyers (Closer Musik) and Mikkel Metal. "Erlösung" (Redemption) is the title of Segensklang's closing track. A kind of ambient bolero into infinity. Or at least until next year... And what would Pop Ambient be without the iconic, artistic cover design of Veronika Unland, who once again, in her unmistakable way, says through the digital flower: The eye always listens. Also featuring Ümit Han, Würden & Schäfer, Luis Reich, Morgen Wurde, Tetsuroh Konishi, Thore Pfeiffer/Niko Tzoukmanis, Joachim Spieth, and Blank Gloss.

Pressed on galaxy cognac colored vinyl. "Debut solo album from Orange Mound's Lil Ced produced by Lil Ced, Kingpin Skinny Pimp, and Chill Will. Lil Ced was also in the group R.A.N. with Big Syl and received the Now-Again Memphis Rap reissue treatment on Gotta Be Lyrical. The album was originally released on CD and cassette in 1997 and is now available for the first time on vinyl. This is part of Now Again Records' multi-LP series on the History of Memphis Rap, which attempts to capture Memphis and its underground rap scene as it began to produce some of the most distinctive music of the 1990s. This was a unique hip-hop strain -- visceral and often vicious. It was a local, lo-fi, cassette-tape-based movement -- yet it went on to change the course of rap music. These albums have never been pressed on vinyl -- until now. From Skinny Pimp and Carmike to Gangsta Blac and Shawty Pimp, these albums have been relegated to the proverbial bins of history and bootlegged, with unofficial copies still fetching top dollar on the secondary market. These albums were all licensed directly from their original creators and come on limited-edition colored vinyl with artist-approved imagery for their first LP iterations. You can read the story of the Memphis Rap scene in a 12-page, oversized booklet with notes by Torii MacAdams. It captures the story of Memphis rap, starting with the city's founding and ending with an auto supply shop that sold these albums over the counter, with all points in between."

Led by guitarist Seiji Hano, the jazz group Om released only one album -- Solar Wind, a landmark work that stands as one of the greatest achievements in Japanese ethnic jazz. Now, this masterpiece is finally being reissued. Their sound, seemingly a response from Japan to ECM artists such as Oregon and Codona, active during the same period, is refined yet imbued with a distinctly Japanese sense of wabi-sabi -- melancholic, nostalgic, and deeply resonant. From "Windmill," featured on Studio Mule's compilation Midnight In Tokyo Vol. 2, to every other track, Solar Wind is a flawless album with not a single weak moment -- a true masterpiece of Japanese jazz.