"46 years after I first heard Stare Kits on a cassette, they finally have an LP. About time! This NYC quartet's name often comes up in discussions of the No Wave era, which make sense. The members -- Angela Jaeger, Amy Rigby, Michael McMahon, and Bob Gurevics -- were all fans of the scene, and involved with various aspects of TR3, one of No Wave's pre-eminent showcases. UT played their first gig opening for Stare Kits. Rick Brown (Blinding Headache, Information, etc.) played guest sax with them. Julia Gorton used Amy as a photo model almost as often as she used Lydia Lunch, and so on. But despite such connections they were not a No Wave band. Stare Kits's music certainly use instrumental elements in line with No Wave's ethos, but these're part of a much larger mix. The band's basic approach is much rockier and punkier. Bob's guitar parts are more in the tradition of Quine and Reed than they are Lydian, the McMahon/Rigby's rhythm section is more primitive than martial, and Angela's vocals are goddamn melodic. Closer musical comparisons might be made to a various aspects of UK bands from Penetration to Wire to Deaf School to X-Ray Spex. There's a soupçon of a '79 UK DIY rattle to some of the tunes as well. But there is an ineffable something lurking in their collective soul that keeps Stare Kits's instrumental sound grounded in the NYC art-punk/street-rock continuum. Angela's vocals may resemble Penelope Houston's at moments but there's not much overt political content in Stare Kits's lyrics. An eclectic mix of elements? Yeah, and it sounds fucking great. The saga of Stare Kits was laid out pretty well in Angela's excellent book, I Feel Famous (Hat & Beard Press 2025) and was also part of Amy McMahon's equally dandy Girl to City (Southern Domestic 2019). Now's your chance to hear what their hubbub was all about." --Byron Coley, 2025

LP version. Alongside Joy Division, The Durutti Column were amongst the first artists to be released by Factory Records. Their debut album, produced by Martin Hannett, showcased the filigree guitar work of Vini Reilly, awash with reverb and early experiments with synthesizers. It would be a first album of a five-decade career, in which The Durutti Column would quietly emerge as one of the most influential acts from the Manchester scene and beyond. To celebrate the album's 45th anniversary, London Records revisits the album with new editions, with audio sourced and remastered from the original tapes for the first time since 1980, with vinyl cut at half speed. LP version includes restored "second edition" artwork with textured sleeve. Liner notes by The Durutti Column/Factory Records expert James Nice.

WRWTFWW Records presents the limited-edition vinyl reissue of Natural Sonic, the groundbreaking 1990 environmental percussion album by Japanese composer and performer Yoshiaki Ochi. Long a hidden gem of the kankyō ongaku movement, Natural Sonic finally returns in its full analog glory, housed in a heavyweight sleeve with obi and carefully remastered from the original archives of Wacoal Art Center/Spiral's visionary NEWSIC label. Originally released only in Japan at the dawn of the 1990s, Natural Sonic is a mesmerizing exploration of earthly sound and rhythm -- a sonic tapestry woven from wood, water, and stone, and skin. Ochi, who at the time was the in-house composer and performer for world-renowned designer Issey Miyake, created a series of elemental pieces that blur the line between avant-garde percussion, ritual music, and environmental sound art. The result is both deeply physical and profoundly meditative -- an album that breathes with nature itself. Echoing the organic minimalism of Midori Takada's Through the Looking Glass and the ecological grandeur of Geinoh Yamashirogumi's Ecophony Gaia, Ochi's compositions open portals into primal landscapes, evoking forests, rivers, and stones in flux. Part of NEWSIC's celebrated experimental catalog -- alongside Yoshio Ojima's Une Collection des Chaînons, Motohiko Hamase's #Notes of Forestry, and Satsuki Shibano's Rendez-Vous -- Natural Sonic now finds new life for contemporary listeners seeking sound that feels both timeless and vital. A singular album of resonance and restraint, Natural Sonic is a treasure from the golden age of Japanese environmental music, finally available again over three decades later.

"On Beacon Hill: at twilight we find Anthony Moore, roots winding backwards to the halcyon days of Slapp Happy and the '70s progressive art rock scene, at guitar and piano. With the atmospheres and accompaniments of AKA & Friends, he breathes infernal new life into songs from his six decades of multivarious music making. This new delivery system is unto a séance, a communal incantation, twining Anthony's avant and pop traditions together in a darkly radiant coil of folky chamber music; a rope to lower the listener through cobwebs and murk, unveiling new life beneath Anthony's mad old lines. AKA are Anthony Moore, Keith Rodway and Amanda Thompson. A pagan family of sound worshipers hailing from that unholiest of all places: Hastings UK, home of Crowley and Turing. Like their sinister forbears in that infamous tradition, this latest trinity shares a passion for subverting pattern and number, factoring unlikely permutations arising from sea and horizon, greensward, the southerly aspect, and the planisphere as half-world. Their equatorial shore speaks of a planet of water and earth, fire and air. AKA's humble tools of choice for this endeavor are guitar, piano, organ, synthesizer and vocals. The Friends of AKA are Tullis Rennie, trombone and electronics; Olie Brice, double bass; Richard Moore, violin; and Haydn Ackerley, guitar. They too navigate the shoreline of the south coast, haunt the same taverns and regularly play together in whatever combinations fit the bill. Leaving the drums (and their drummer) at home to realize anew these dream-laden songs, AKA & Friends ensure that the notes fall around the beat and not on it, so as to define the pulse with absence. Anthony Moore with AKA & Friends manifest a sensuous post-devastation lounge act, seeking to re-invoke natural orders by naming -- rather than cursing -- the darkness in its many guises. Like final-phase Johnny Cash on a lost episode of Twin Peaks, Anthony's innate gravitas is a light through the surreal landscape, as the players combine themselves again and again, their efforts rising and falling in shared space. Their gothic jazz orchestra carves delicately through Anthony's songs, releasing the melodies and the melancholy to drift upward, like smoke against a sooty and scorched backdrop. Fantastic, prophetic journeys, dry eyed but deeply affected, through the shadow depths of Anthony Moore's mirror."

"Glyders been dreaming up this sound for ages -- over years, with different players, countless shows and many late nights at the tape machine. It's been a long ride to Forever -- but now that they've arrived, the vibe's lightning and the blink of an eye. Guitarist/vocalist Joshua Condon and bassist Eliza Weber started up in 2014, but even when they put together their 2023 album debut, Maria's Hunt, they still had a revolving door on the drums. Then they met Joe Seger, who fit on the kit like a glove and in their sound like a brother. Since then, the three have ridden together, building up Forever while playing shows all around the US and Europe. This makes Forever's spirit high and tight, its sinews rumbling with communal joy. The song nugs of Forever sprouted branches and spokes on the road, the increased physicality driving their mellow licks and riffs with a great depth of rolling bottom, its groove taking them further into their own thing. After all this time, the streamlined new chassis feels mighty fine, making this the first real band album for Glyders. These sweet tunes punctuate and emphasize the wind and rain in the hair of Forever's driving jams. Glyders like to keep shuffling the deck. Taped at their own Studio 'G' in Chicago's Humboldt Park, with Josh getting the sounds they like, then mixed by Cooper Crain at Sweat Loge Studios down in Pilsen, Forever is super rich, crackling with the raw details of real life. The title comes from a battle cry within the band, something they hear at shows too. Eliza's amazing art emphasizes this for life credo, mixing classic roots with punk collage style drawn from years of flyers. It's like a family/club vibe, the kind of thing you get tattooed into your skin. Forever lands smooth, its lightning-quick 37 minutes leaving you plenty of time to live. Flip it over and let it go again, then!"

Syncretic marks the debut full-length from Australian duo Bhairavi Raman, a Western and Carnatic violinist, and Nanthesh Sivarajah, a mridangam player and versatile percussionist. Both artists share a Tamil heritage, a current that hums across the album. Raman, from South India, and Sivarajah, from Sri Lanka, draw lines that connect Western practice and Carnatic tradition. This hybrid is central to Raman's approach as a violinist, an instrument itself caught between East and West since the late 18th century. Her playing folds history, lineage and experimentation into music that acknowledges inheritance while gently rewiring its circuitry. Expanding on traditional music can be a precarious practice, but Syncretic never feels heavy-handed. Raman and Sivarajah exercise measured restraint, letting the Carnatic framework breathe even as it is refracted through contemporary tools. Delays, looping, subtle layering and synthesized harmonies tilt tradition into a new light without disguising it. Even within a contemporary framework, Raman's rigorous Carnatic training under gurus Sri S. Varadarajan (India), Sri Murali Kumar (Australia) and Sri Gopinath Iyer (Australia) is unmistakable. She captures the spiritual and emotional essence of each raga: on "Seven," the playful raga Bahudari becomes both centerpiece and conduit, while on the traditional piece "Thunbam Nergayil," drawn from a Tamil poem, listeners hear a deeply personal iteration, a weeping euphony of mixed emotions hitting all at once. Tradition here is absorbed, expanded and reframed. Sivarajah's command of the mridangam, honed by his gurus Sri Jambunathan (Sri Lanka), Sri Balasri Rasiah (Australia) and Sri T. R. Sundaresan (India), is central to his original composition "Guardian." He sustains tradition while extending it through layering and sound-spatialization. The mridangam here functions as both a structural and ornamental force, mapping continuity between inherited form and contemporary sonic architecture. Syncretic resonates as a space where Tamil heritage, diasporic memory and contemporary practice coalesce. Culture, like sound, circulates, transforms and persists. Tradition is not an archive but living material, a soundworld that lingers in the ears and the imagination.

"Shutaro Noguchi didn't set out to make a farewell album, but On the Run captures a moment of profound change. Recorded just weeks before moving back to Japan after 20 formative years in America (spent primarily Louisville, Kentucky), the album reflects a life in motion -- rooted in memories, yet reaching toward the unknown. In Louisville, Noguchi had built a creative home with a tight-knit crew, crafting beloved records that ranged from the country-rock swagger of Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band to the mutant grooves of Equipment Pointed Ankh. Meanwhile, he released compelling solo work, including the full-band psych rock gem Love Super Terranean on Feeding Tube Records. With On the Run, Noguchi joins The Roadhouse Band once more for a searching, expressive collaboration -- an album made at a threshold between past and future. The opening track "Olympic 3.5" begins with Noguchi in solitary introspection: "Now the wind is blowing / It's passing me by -- I'm getting a little too used to watching this sunset." He's soon joined by the syncopated rhythms and lilting synths of The Roadhouse camp, constructing a warped odyssey that intertwines the cosmic spirit of Gong with the melodic, pop-driven abstraction of Ryuichi Sakamoto. Noguchi returns with Wyatt-esque wordless vocalizations before the song spirals into a dark, abstract descent. Jazz-tinged numbers like "Apocalypse/Calendar" and "River Dagger" highlight Noguchi's singular compositional voice. His relaxed vocals float over otherworldly arrangements, while "Drive My Cape Cod" -- a voice memo captured during a long car ride and completed in the studio -- offers a candid glimpse into his melodic daydreaming, in a move reminiscent of Maher Shalal Hash Baz, where casual, unpolished moments reveal deeper emotion. Some tracks lean into groovier, more danceable territory, with production touches that echo Japanese contemporaries like Shintaro Sakamoto, Fishmans, Cornelius, etc. "Melody" pairs a nostalgic City Pop feel with the band's forward-thinking sound. The bubbly rhythm of "Time With You" feels almost weightless beneath the album's perhaps only guitar solo, played, oddly enough, not by guitar wiz Noguchi himself but by bandmate Ryan Davis. Amid the breezy lightness, he accepts the chaos of an uncertain future: "It's beginning to change / The time of the world / Eventually we'll see it." Noguchi's reflections on uncertainty are deeply relatable and bittersweet -- especially in this moment. With On the Run, Shutaro Noguchi and The Roadhouse Band show us how they face the unknown -- together, embracing uncertainty with both resilience and camaraderie." -- Kryssi Battalene, 2025

LP version. On "Cold Sweat," James Brown famously called to "give the drummer some." In 1974, Philadelphia vibraphonist Khan Jamal called to Give the Vibes Some, with superb results. Pianist and composer Jef Gilson's PALM label gave Jamal the platform he needed to deliver a thorough exploration of contemporary vibraphone. After launching PALM in 1973, Gilson quickly demonstrated that he would only produce records not found anywhere else. Give the Vibes Some, PALM number 10, was another confirmation of this guiding principle. Raised and based in Philadelphia, Khan Jamal took up the vibes in 1968, after two years in the army during which he was stationed in France and Germany. Decisively drawn to the instrument by the work of the Modern Jazz Quartet's Milt Jackson, Jamal studied under Philadelphia vibraphone legend Bill Lewis and soon made his debuts in the local underground. Early in 1972, Jamal made his first recording, with the Sounds of Liberation. The band attempted an original fusion of conga-heavy grooves with avant-garde jazz soloing. Saxophonist Byard Lancaster, an important figure in Jamal's development, contributed much of the solo work. Later in 1972, Jamal made his leader debut with Drum Dance to the Motherland, a reverb-drenched, never-to-be-replicated experiment with live sound processing. Both albums appeared on the tiny musician-run Dogtown label. "We couldn't get no play from nowhere. No gigs or recording sessions or anything. So I took off for Paris," Jamal recalled in a Cadence interview with Ken Weiss. "Within a few weeks, I had a few articles and I did a record date. It didn't make me feel good about America." That was in 1974, while Byard Lancaster was recording the music gathered on Souffle Continu's The Complete PALM Recordings, 1973-1974. Jamal's record date delivered Give the Vibes Some. At its core, it was an exploratory solo vibraphone album, even if two tracks added (through technological resourcefulness?) a très célèbre French drummer very much into Elvin Jones appearing under pseudonym for contractual reasons. Another track, for which Jamal switched to the vibes's wooden ancestor, the marimba, added young Texan trumpeter Clint Jackson III. The most notable article published on Jamal during this stay in France was a Jazz Magazine interview. Jamal's last word there were "The Creator has a master plan/drum dance to the motherland." "Give the vibes some" could be added to this programmatic statement.

Prolific South East London guitarist and songwriter Alpha Maid presents her album Is this a queue. Beginning from a sense of frustration at the predictable and boring narratives and systems of the world, and the feeling that such rules were the rules of the universe, Alpha Maid formed an interest in particle physics. "We only know 4% of the universe, there is hope in that and the unknown 96%. I found excitement and wonder in that. The theories I was reading about relied more on the conditions of the present moment, and it made the idea of living in the moment feel more accessible. It started to be possible to see present time from all these different angles, and to have infinite more options to choose where to be next." Written across many years and different places, the LP documents a journey and the people Alpha Maid met while moving around, collating moments of the present. Her guitar remains a constant amongst an array of sonic influences throughout: from dub which honors her Jamaican heritage and the Windrush Generation, to the twinges of an emo love song in "On Smoke." Is this a queue revels in the magic of that which people cannot see and coherently understand, and the narratives that have been shrunk down to fit. Remembering, continuing, forgetting, paying attention, building, navigating, contributing, time. Alpha Maid (aka Leisha Thomas) is a guitarist, vocalist, and producer from South London. Her debut EP Spy (2019) was released by the collective/label CURL. She continues to collaborate in various forms with fellow members such as Coby Sey and Mica Levi. Alpha Maid's debut vinyl release Chuckle EP (2021) was released on the C.A.N.V.A.S. collective/label, and garnered significant critical attention. In spring 2023 Alpha Maid teamed up with Mica Levi to self-release their joint EP spresso. Featuring Leo Hermitt, Valentina Magaletti, Ben Vince, and Coby Sey.

Aguirre edition: Mastered by Helge Sten, Audio Virus, Oslo. Lacquers by Dubplates & Mastering. Liner Notes by Theaster Gates. LPs pressed on premium audiophile-quality vinyl at Pallas Records. Rich in musical associations yet utterly singular in its voice, joyous with an inner tranquility, the music of Natural Information Society is unlike any other being made today. Their sixth album in eleven years for eremite records, descension (Out of Our Constrictions) is the first to be recorded live, featuring a set from London's Cafe OTO with veteran English free-improv great Evan Parker, & the first to feature just one extended composition. The 75-minute performance, inspired by the galvanizing presence of Parker, is a sustained bacchanalia of collective ecstasy. You could call it their party album.

This was the second time Parker played with NIS. Joshua Abrams: "Both times we played compositions with Evan in mind. I don't tell Evan anything. He's a free agent."

The music is focused & malleable, energized & even-keeled, drawing on concepts of ensemble playing common to musics from many locations & eras without any one specific aesthetic realization completely defining it.

"The rhythms that Mikel plays are not an exact reference to Chicago house, but that's in there," Abrams says. "I like to take a cyclic view of music history, can we take that four-on-the-floor, & consider how it connects to swing-era music? Can we articulate a through line? I dee-jayed for years in Chicago & lessons I learned from playing records for dancing inform how I think about the group's music. The listener can make connections to aspects of soul music, electronic music, minimalism, traditional folk musics, & other musics of the diaspora as well. It's about these aspects coming together. I don't need to mimic something, I need to embody it to get to the spirit, to get to the living thing."

For jazz fans, the sound of Parker's soprano & Jason Stein's bass clarinet might evoke Coltrane & Dolphy, even though they didn't necessarily set out to do that & they play with complete individuality. Abrams sees a bridge to the historical precedent, too. "Since we first met in the 1990s, one of the things that Evan and I connected on was Coltrane's music," he says. "I hoped that we would tap into that sound world intuitively. In this case, I think that level of evocation adds another layer of depth, versus a layer of reference."

Indeed, this is a performance in which the connections among the ensemble & the creative tension between improvisation and composition build into a complex mesh of associations & interactions. While the band confines itself to the territory mapped out by Abrams' composition, they are remarkably attentive & responsive, making adjustments to Parker's improvisations. When Parker's intricate patterns of notes interweave with the band, the parts reinforce one another & the music rockets upward. Sometimes, Parker's lines are cradled by the group's gentle pulse & an unearthly lyrical balance is struck.

Drummer Mikel Patrick Avery is locked-in, playing with hellacious long-form discipline, feel & responsiveness. Jason Stein's animated, vocalized bass clarinet weaves in & out with Lisa Alvarado's harmonium to state the piece's thematic material; the pulsing tremolo on the harmonium brings a Spacemen 3 vibe to the party. Abrams ties together melody & rhythm on guimbri, a presence that leads without seeming to. Like his bandmates, he shifts modes of playing frequently, improvising & then returning to the composed structure.

"As specific as the composition is, the goal is to internalize it & mix it up," Abrams says. "The idea is to get so comfortable that we can make spontaneous changes, find new routes of activity, stasis & byways every gig. It's like a web we're spinning. If someone makes a move, we all aim to be aware of it, make room for it. Experiencing & listening is what it's about, & Evan supercharges that."

& "supercharged" is the word for this album. With Parker further opening up their music, descension (Out of Our Constrictions) is the sound of Natural Information Society growing both more disciplined and freer, one of the great bands of its time on a deep run.

"The Adolescents' Welcome To Reality on coke bottle colored vinyl."

LP version. Swiss saxophonist Gilles Torrent, perhaps known from the Spiritual Jazz collection A Tribute to 'Trane, leads the way with his new album Buleria; a mesmerizing set of modal jazz pieces that will speak directly to any listener who has felt the other-worldly depths of John Coltrane. The album is comprised of Torrent originals and explorations of Coltrane standards. It reaches for something beyond the mundane, and blends complex harmonic structures with raw, improvisational energy. The Torrent original, "Danse Tropical," opens the set with a contemplative tone. Led by a sax that pulls the listener through a maze of scales and modes, the rhythm section remains steady, creating a grounding space for exploration. "Quannassa" drives the energy forward, and the band moves seamlessly through shifting tensions as Torrent's saxophone searches for answers within a pantheon of harmonic structures. The standout track, "Buleria" is a daring 8-minute piece, with an evolving, meditative flamenco piece that showcases the saxophonist's raw improvisational skill, a spiritual journey that takes the listener to the windswept plains of Iberia. The quartet is a faithful tribute to classic modal jazz, with the interplay between piano, bass, and drums feeling natural and organic. They provide a harmonic foundation that encourages the saxophone to glide and soar, pushing into new emotional territory, going from tender and melodic to fiery and free. This interplay gives the album its distinctive feel -- while drawing from Coltrane's influence, it's clear the musicians are searching for something new, something personal.

2025 repress. Holy grail of US roots reggae released in 1979. Old-style tip-on sleeve replicating the original sleeve. More Relation started in 1977 in New York as a backup band for reggae artists such as Melodians, Larry Marshall, Carlton Coffee, and Ken Booth. They released many now sought-after singles and one self-titled album.

Max Graef turns his attention back to his universally adored debut, Rivers of the Red Planet, and offers up an exclusive gatefold edition on marbled vinyl with new versions and unreleased gems. As such, on revisiting Rivers of the Red Planet for this Anniversary Edition, Graef decided to go beyond the basic repackaging and demo offcuts to deliver something meaningful that marks the passing of time and offers a fascinating answer to the sort of "what-ifs" so many fans of the album will have pondered. The new versions of key album tracks are as fascinating for the similarities as the differences, still bursting with the expressive flair of a versatile beat maker while comfortably leaning into a richer variety of moods and grooves. "Running (Ancient Mix)" is a downtempo dancehall-tinged dream that repositions Wayne Snow's wistful vocal in a street soul reverie replete with '90s RnB MIDI-harp. "Superswiss (Atmosphere Mix)" leans on plastic slap bass and deliciously dubbed out sax woven through a laconic beat for the ages -- the consummate lysergic swirl of chill out with teeth. "Itzehoe (World House Mix)" gets into a subheavy, spring-loaded new jack swing funk, like Jam & Lewis meeting Smith & Mighty downtown and stopping by the juice bar for a quick hit of freshness. "Jazz 104 (Acid Mix)" turns the heat up on busy, bustling breaks and bass licks that positively spring forth from the mix with a clarity and purpose that speaks to the progression in Graef's craft over the past decade.

Double LP version. Following the skewed-unself-help-brilliance of Sus Dog (which marked his first full foray into songs, abetted by Thom Yorke), and its companion piece Cave Dog, Chris Clark returns to the dancefloor's simple, but no less affecting pleasures, with Steep Stims. Steep Stims marks a back-to-basics approach, invoking the early years of gung-ho creativity enforced by limitations in technology at the time. Made quickly, Steep Stims reflects the immediate rave energy of his live show, but that's not to say it's basic floor fodder, as it's rife with personality, synth magic, and knack for melody. Although swift and impressionistically captured rather than labored over, it's still formidably deft, with plenty of oddball weirdness lurking beneath the dancefloor. Soft, orange, scorched, brutal, the opening track "Gift and Wound" captures the classic dance music dread/awe/euphoria combo perfectly, before "Infinite Roller" merges sparkly-minimalism with snarling bass and soft sines, which turn more-dense and metallic as it progresses. The melancholic smoke belch of "No Pills U" gives strong classic vibrations, which is belied by its creation, made in just 20 minutes. Drumless, yet still full of exhilarating-big-trance-drama, "Who Booed The Goose" flashes by in stroboscopic fast forward, then "5 Millionth Cave Painting" gives a palate cleanser, letting "the virus with its delicious broken, luxurious reverb have a moment," before "Negation Loop" swoops down in all its glory, with Clark's tweaked vocals leading deconstructed trance breakdowns, tape edits and brutal noisebursts. An antidote to the bombast of its predecessor is "Micro Lyf," which closes the set on a poignant note, of sorts. Muted staccato gives way to field recordings "that gradually put it in this outside space; alien in a meadow somewhere nameless. It feels like a sinkhole. The record kinda swallows itself up and then is gone", ends Chris.

2025 restock. "The album was produced by the band themselves, and issued in two different stereo mixes. The more widely distributed mix is the one done by MGM/Verve staff engineer Val Valentin. The other mix was done by Lou Reed, boosting his vocals and guitar solos, while reducing the level of other instruments. This version was dubbed the 'Closet Mix' by Sterling Morrison, because it sounded to him as if it had been recorded in a closet. The most dramatic difference is that the two versions use entirely different performances of 'Some Kinda Love', both taken from the same recording sessions."

Wewantsounds presents the release of Tokyo Funk Diva, a compilation highlighting the work of Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama, one of Japan's leading funk voices of the 1980s. Blending funk, boogie and soulful grooves, Penny brought a distinctive energy to Japan's music scene during the decade. Compiled by Nick Luscombe -- who previously curated Tokyo Dreaming for the label -- the set marks the first time Hitomi's music has been compiled outside of Japan. Featuring newly remastered tracks and liner notes by Luscombe, the release offers fresh context to Penny's work and its role in the evolution of Japanese funk and groove culture. Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama was one of the few female singers to fully embrace Japan's burgeoning funk and boogie movement of the 1980s. Born in Okinawa in 1957 and raised partly in California, she developed a cosmopolitan outlook that would shape her music. At a time when the country's pop scene was shifting toward slick, funk-oriented productions, Penny crafted a distinctive style that fused boogie, disco, and funk with her confident, soulful delivery. Her albums for Nippon Columbia recorded in the '80s capture this vibrant moment, combining sophisticated studio craft with the pulse of Tokyo's nightlife. The selection includes cult classics such as "Sexy Robot," "Love is the Competition," and "Instant Polaroid," with lesser-known gems such as "Exotic Yokogao" and "I Love You Shika Omoitsukanai." Together they showcase the singer's versatility, moving effortlessly between syncopated upbeat floorfillers and chilled mid-tempo grooves. While her music earned recognition at home, these releases were never widely available outside Japan and slowly became prized finds among DJs and collectors. Tokyo Funk Diva presents highlights from this catalogue for the first time in an international release. Compiled by broadcaster and tastemaker Nick Luscombe, the selection has been newly remastered and comes with Luscombe's liner notes, retracing Penny's career and her role in the evolution of Japanese boogie and disco. As he writes in the liner notes, "It's this deep musical craftsmanship -- both in the songwriting and performances -- that gives Penny Tohyama's work its lasting power. Her music feels as fresh and relevant today as it did when it was first released." With its mix of sharp production, irresistible rhythms, and Penny's unmistakable presence, Tokyo Funk Diva serves both as a long overdue introduction to one of Japan's original funk queens.

Something is brewing in the state of Norway! Kronstad 23 are the latest trailblazers from northern Scandinavia: a creative force exploring the boundaries of musical genres, including but not limited to: psych rock, jazz, post-rock and Scandinavian folk music. The group of young players follows the footsteps of Motorpsycho, Elephant9 and El Paraiso's own Lotus, Fra Det Onde and Kanaan, carving out their path through the musical landscape in seemingly effortless ways! One minute you're floating on cosmic Pharoah Sanders waters, the next you're ascending on electrified if-Tortoise-played-Allman Brothers-style jamming. The band describes their approach as: "Sommermørket is an escape from inhumane technology and politics in search of something that feels authentic. The music breathes in the little that is left of old air and rises slowly into the hazy summer twilight like brittle thoughts that try to connect and fade away." Kronstad 23 was formed in Kronstad, Bergen, Norway in the Autumn of 2023. As old friends and musical collaborators, they rekindled a creative spark that had been dormant for over 10 years. Rarely rehearsed and often caught on first take, Sommermørket was recorded live on tape in the studio of Keyboardist Øyvind Vie Berg in Bergen, Norway. The record captures three sessions across one year, from spring and late summer in 2024 to winter of 2025.

The latest album from Michael Cashmore (formerly of Current 93 plus known for his work as Nature and Organisation) collects ten pieces which, as with the previous album, Until the End of Vibration, released by Lumberton Trading Company, draw from that magical place where crepuscular and moody soundtrack work converges with the kind of synth lines Tangerine Dream made a name for themselves with. Along the way, there are piano-led melodic swells, a couple of surprisingly serrated edges and sparingly used percussion veering between the bombastic and more emotionally charged. Between each of the compositions, there's an overarching sense of sadness or resignation while carefully woven refrains point to the simple beauty one derives from staring at a night sky or the sun's rise or setting over a serene sea apparently untouched by man. Sophisticated yet unostentatious, this is music that's bold, minimal and utterly deserving of the attention of the film that will doubtlessly play out in your head as you lock yourself in to everything it promises.

The brilliantly named duo -- formed by Adam Morrow and Jamie Sego -- might be based in "the hit recording capital of the world," Muscle Shoals, Alabama, but somehow, they have made a concept album about the ancient religious outpost off the coast of northeast England. It's a stunning record that mixes fuzzy guitars with folk horror and fantastic melodies -- for fans of Ride, Slowdive, Galaxie 500, Talk Talk, Yo La Tengo and The Clientele. Despite its lyrical inspiration lying thousands of miles away, it comes imbued with the soulfulness of their surroundings -- not least because it was recorded in the old Muscle Shoals Sound studio by the Tennessee River, now Portside Sound, which is run by Jamie. "The story of Lindisfarne gave us a framework for what were otherwise very abstract ideas and emotions," explains Adam. "It became a way to make sense of our own moment in history. We really want our lives and societies to always get better, and to be left alone to make that happen. But we are stuck in these cycles of progress and regression, and I think most people are really driven to make sense of it and assign meaning. Lately, we've lived through a global pandemic, a devaluation of truth and reality, and a resurgence of far-right politics into the mainstream. Not really what I expected out of life in 2025." He is keen to point out that, despite the seriousness of its inspirations, the duo had a lot of fun making the album and really want it to be "a living and breathing thing". "We want people to be able to engage with it regardless of whether they care about it as a concept record," he says. "For me, it's just another reason to expand the pedalboard," concludes Jamie. "We hope you enjoy it. Peace, love and reverb from Alabama."

Grey CD version. New York-based artist James K returns with Friend. This album is full of electric pop anthems that blends ear-worming melodies with peak-time breaks, buzzing powerpunk guitars and a classic rave pulse, with K's signature enchanting vocals playfully spitting emotion. It's a hallucinatory pleasure, tearing through your body and mind. "Play" rushes with a rebellion of friends -- an electro fever daydream waking up everywhere you go. Hot off extensive tours worldwide, playing the likes of Pitchfork Festival, Dekmantel, iii Points, and Mutek, following in the footsteps of her last two critically acclaimed singles Friend comes on AD 93. RIYL: Cocteau Twins, Yves Tumor, Prodigy, Oklou, Grimes. Also available on black (WHYT 083LP) and transparent vinyl (WHYT 083TR-LP).

LP version. ATA Records presents the fourth volume of their regular soundtrack series, the Library Archives. An honest and forthright homage to the golden age of library recording, this new release is no exception -- with nods to David Shire, Roger Webb, '60s/'70s Hollywood, early anime and golden era video games. Hammond & Farfisa organ, soul flute and vibraphone are joined by the Baldwin electric harpsichord, alto flute and trumpet, all coloring the usual high-end rhythm section of drums and bongos, electric bass, piano and guitars. Moods range from the dynamic "The Galata Extraction" to the whimsical "Travers" and the romantic "Redford in Sheepskin," from the brooding "Tatsuya," the "Sword" to the sensual "Dunaway's Eyes." Walter in Gabardine and Sutherland fly the ATA library flag of '70s-era NYC soundtracks -- and both "A Dilemma for Holbrook" and "Roundtree" are drenched in soul flute so funky, it should be on the cheese counter. Now four volumes (and a couple of singles) in, The Library Archive will eventually stand as a testament to the love the ATA producers and artists have for the original composers and performers of the great music libraries of the past.

2025 repress; LP version. First vinyl edition; 180 gram vinyl; printed inner-sleeve; Includes CD. Because Music present a reissue of JJ Cale's Closer To You, originally released in 1994. The album was published under the independent French label Delabel and distributed by Virgin Records. Personnel: JJ Cale - vocals, guitar, synthesizer; James Cruce - drums; Tim Drummond - bass; Jim Karstein - drums, percussion; Christine Lakeland - guitar, vocals (background); Bill Payne - keyboards; Don Preston - guitar.

"On the two albums that preceded Closer To You, Travel-Log (1989) and Number 10 (1992), JJ Cale adopted a more basic musical approach. This album continues the trend. Cale plays a few songs alone (though the overdubbed parts sound remarkably spare), including the title track. Closer To You finds him electronically treating his vocals, a technique that surprisingly makes him sound as down-to-earth as ever." --All Music

Visionary Amsterdam-based ensemble Stargazers present their self-titled debut album via Night Dreamer. Drawing on the spiritual, freedom-driven sound of '60s/'70s Black jazz, Stargazers breathes new life into the introspective, quietly crafted and previously hidden musical diary of the ensemble's orchestrator, saxophonist, flautist and composer, Finn Peters. Released as a direct-to-disc live album, Stargazers marks Peters' debut in Night Dreamer's prestigious direct-to-disc series, joining the ranks of Emma-Jean Thackray, Gary Bartz & Maisha, Sarathy Korwar, and Knoel Scott featuring Marshall Allen. Like all entries in the series, it was recorded live at Artone Studios, cut straight to vinyl with no overdubs, bringing to life the highwire musicianship of the group. From the meditative deep jazz of "Loempia" to the spaced-out astral improvisation of the title track, Stargazers presents a fluent and poised collection of originals and spiritual jazz interpretations that take the legacies of John Coltrane and Sun Ra -- whose "Theme of the Stargazers" inspired the title -- into shimmering new realms. Looking to the sky for inspiration, Peters blends personal compositions such as "91 Ships" with tributes like "Clifford Jordan," paying homage to the lineage of saxophonists who came before him. Alongside rhythm section siblings Yoran and Yariv Vroom, bassist Jeroen Vierdag, Timothy Blanchet on keys and Gideon Tazelaar's tenor sax, Peters set out fashioning a new record that would represent both his range of influences, the kinetic interplay of his consummate improvisors and the versatility of his own playing on alto sax, flute and Moog. A nod to the iconic tenor saxophonist and composer who played with everyone from Max Roach and Art Blakey to Charles Mingus before signing for independent label Strata-East, "Clifford Jordan" takes a cooler tone, carried by Peters' sensitive flute playing and a light-touch triplet feel that flutters in the breeze of Yoran Vroom's delicate drumming. A glittering homage, the track then breaks down into an extended percussive outro, mirroring the journey of Jordan's own eclectic career, from hard bop to free jazz and beyond. Released as a six-track album, Stargazers' self-titled debut is a late night ode to the eternal cosmos and an earth-bound time capsule of Finn Peters at the height of his game, ready to take off once more.

Double LP version. "Official expanded edition of Sun Ra's Saturn debut features an additional fourteen tracks of alternate versions and studio takes. The CD also contains four CD only bonus tracks. Liner notes were penned by avid fan Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo, as well as an essay from longtime Ra blogger Rodger Coleman (NUVOID Sun Ra Sundays). Vinyl gatefold jacket includes a 12x12 insert reproduction of the original LP jacket art. Recorded in 1956 and released in 1957, Supersonic Jazz is arguably the first long-playing album by Sun Ra and His Arkestra on his Saturn label. However, it was not recorded as a debut. Rather, the album was assembled from tapes recorded during a number of sessions at two Chicago studios (RCA Victor and Balkan), and several tracks had been released as singles before their inclusion on this album. (Sunny's first fully realized commercial album was 1957's Jazz by Sun Ra, produced by Tom Wilson on his short lived/soon to be defunct Transition label.) Prior to these sessions, Sunny was still arranging for the Red Saunders Orchestra and singer Joe Williams, in addition to arranging for and coaching doo-wop ensembles. As Sunny's ambitions achieved liftoff, the Arkestra coalesced, began building a repertoire (mostly of Ra's originals), and making forays into studios. Deciding it was time for commercial releases, Sunny and business partner Alton Abraham launched Saturn (sometimes called El Saturn) as a record company in 1956. As a first offering, Supersonic Jazz is a pinnacle Sun Ra release. While reflecting many prevailing bebop, Latin, and R&B conventions of the mid-1950s, it's evident that Sun Ra's musical voice and vision were starting to propel him away from the jazz mainstream. Biographer John Szwed finds on these recordings 'characteristics which seemed alien to swing, bebop, or the new, more soulful and hard-edged music which was coming to be called hard bop.'"

LP version. Born in Buenos Aires in 1934, Hector "Costita" Bisignani is one of the leading figures in Latin American jazz. Settling in São Paulo in the late 1950s, he quickly established himself as one of Brazil's most renowned flutists and saxophonists, collaborating with major artists such as Sérgio Mendes, Elis Regina, Hermeto Pascoal, João Donato, and Gato Barbieri. His career also led him to play alongside Michel Legrand, Lalo Schifrin, Burt Bacharach, and Ray Conniff, demonstrating his international influence. A founding member of Sérgio Mendes' Sexteto Bossa Rio, he contributed to the rise of Brazilian jazz by incorporating local rhythms and bold compositions. He is also renowned as a teacher, making him a respected figure for several generations of musicians. With a career spanning more than 70 years, he remains a pioneering figure in the history of Latin American jazz. 1981, now reissued, perfectly illustrates this creative freedom. Recorded in the exuberant spirit of the 1970s and 1980s, it blends baião, jazz-funk, and Brazilian soul. Led by his saxophone, flute, and clarone, and backed by his Gallery Club band, this rare recording embodies the vibrant energy of a scene where experimentation and virtuosity went hand in hand.

"At the intersection of the two extreme genres of noise and grindcore, Sissy Spacek has been an ongoing artistic process to create anxiety inducing chaotic music. The band has gone back to its basics with a lineup of its core member John Wiese and longtime collaborator Charlie Mumma (who you may know from Bloody Phoenix or his contributions to Knelt Rote). Diaphanous is a mess of blast beats, noise walls, and ardent screaming. The music is both artistic and unstructured -- is it high culture or lowbrow? If you enjoyed the group's 2016 album Disfathom, you can consider this its spiritual successor. For fans of raucous noise with blastbeats. This is technically the band's second grindcore full length after being a band for almost a quarter of a century and it is not to be missed."

Repressed; on 180g vinyl. In Everybody Loves the Sunshine (1976), Roy Ayers seamlessly blends genres, creating a timeless sound that continues to influence musicians and DJs around the world. He makes the vibraphone the central instrument, a jazz-funk approach that defines his unique style. Over time, the album has remained an essential reference in Roy Ayers' discography and in the history of '70s Black music. Summertime soul classic! This album not only solidified Ayers as a key figure in the world of jazz-funk but also marked a milestone in soul music and contemporary jazz. It features a sophisticated blend of irresistible grooves, smooth melodies, and a unique sound that has endured over the years, becoming a reference for multiple generations of musicians and listeners. By the mid-'70s, Ayers had already established his reputation with his band, Roy Ayers Ubiquity, and his distinctive use of the vibraphone, which became his personal trademark. However, with this album, Ayers ventured into a smoother, more accessible sound, partly in response to the rise of disco music and the growing interest in more experimental sounds within the music scene. Throughout its ten tracks, Ayers managed to create a sonic atmosphere that evoked both the warmth of summer and the sophistication of jazz from that era, set against a backdrop of modern soul. The production was carried out by Ayers himself, along with his producer and friend, David R. Williams, and features the wonderful sound of Phillip Woo's Fender Rhodes and the powerful energy of the rest of the band, achieving an unmistakable authenticity and freshness. Some of its most well-known songs include the title track, "Everybody Loves the Sunshine," "The Golden Rod," and "The Third Eye," which quickly became classics of jazz-funk and soul. This album is crucial in Roy Ayers' career, as it demonstrates his ability to remain relevant and creative in an ever-changing music industry.

LP version. Wewantsounds presents the release of Akiko Yano's cult 1979 album 7 O'Clock in Tokyo, recorded live in September 1978 at a pivotal moment in Japanese music history, just as Yellow Magic Orchestra was about to take the world by storm (Yano would tour the world with the group in 1979). Featuring a very funky Yano performance accompanied by Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Yukihiro Takahashi, plus Tatsuro Yamashita and Minako Yoshida, the album is presented outside Japan for the first time, with remastered audio, original artwork, and a four-page insert including new liner notes by Paul Bowler. Akiko Yano holds a unique place in Japan's musical history. Emerging in the mid-'70s while still in her early 20s, she quickly gained attention for her inventive songwriting, versatile singing, playful melodies, and genre-blending mix of pop, jazz, funk, and experimental sounds. Her influence has since reached far beyond Japan, earning her a devoted international following that includes Mac DeMarco, Clairo, and Jessy Lanza. By the late '70s, she had become closely connected with the members of Yellow Magic Orchestra, joining them on their first international tour in 1979. 7 O'Clock in Tokyo, captured live in September 1978, features Yano with a band including the three musicians performing a concert to support her third studio album, To-Ki-Me-Ki, just as YMO was preparing to take the world stage with their debut album. This performance offers a compelling snapshot of a pivotal moment in Japanese pop, when musical boundaries were being explored and new sounds were emerging. The concert highlights Yano's distinctive blend of Japanese pop and funk, with a superb rendition of "To-Ki-Me-Ki's" title track and "Katarun Kararan" from the same album, plus "Satchan," a playful piece performed with Yano accompanying herself on acoustic piano. The album closes with "Walk on the Way of Life," an eight-minute funky finale that brings the musicians together in a groovy performance, underlining both their versatility and the energy of the show.

Wewantsounds collaborates with cult musician Yusuf Mumin of the Black Unity Trio to unveil previously unreleased music from his personal archive. Following 2024's acclaimed Black Artist Group release, this new instalment continues to unearth hidden treasures from the Great Black Music tradition. Although the exact recording dates remain unknown, the music here is a powerful blend of serene spiritual jazz and fiery sonic intensity. All tracks have been remastered for vinyl by Colorsound Studio and the release also includes a two-page insert featuring new liner notes by Mumin and Pierre Crépon. In 1968, Yusuf Mumin was the blistering alto saxophone voice of the Black Unity Trio, who recorded the cult privately pressed album Al-Fatihah, one of the most sought-after albums in the genre. After extensive but unsuccessful searches for additional material by the group, Journey to the Ancient finally offers more unheard music from Yusuf Mumin. The album presented here draws from a selection of recordings preserved in Mumin's private collection, revealing previously unheard layers of his experimental vision. Mumin performs under both his own name and, when multitracking revelatory double bass parts, the pseudonym Dan Nuby. Born Joseph W. Phillips in 1944, Mumin became a key figure in Cleveland's radical free jazz underground of the 1960s. Deeply influenced by spiritual and esoteric traditions, Mumin was originally drawn to "outside" playing by the sonic explorations of Yusef Lateef. Shortly after Albert Ayler's U.S. recording debut with trumpeter Norman Howard, Howard and Mumin were co-leading a group in Cleveland. Mumin's legacy was cemented through his collaborations with Abdul Wadud and Hasan Shahid as the Black Unity Trio. The release includes a two-page insert featuring interview-based liner notes by Mumin and Crépon, offering fresh insight into the great history of the Cleveland scene. Journey to the Ancient continues Wewantsounds' mission to unearth the hidden treasures of such visionary jazz musicians, and it's an honor to finally present Yusuf Mumin's cutting-edge work for the first time after it remained unheard in the vault for decades.

Reintroducing Soar -- the alias of Christian Aebi, serial DIY taper and one-man orchestra from Langenthal, a fog-shrouded town in the Swiss provinces. Krautophobia, ambient lo-fi agriculture, analogue soul balm and slowspeed psych gelati-blitz cardboard pop only gesture towards the sound world he coaxed from his broken Tascam four-track recorder, in attics, churches, junkyards and at the kitchen table. The spark for Soar was likely time and space, somewhere in the autumn of 1994. Armed with a cable salad of '60s guitar/bass, fairground drums, mold-speckled organs and toy instruments, Aebi coaxed five albums, an unverified run of 25 cassettes, and a handful of gigs. Mostly issued through Zurich label Corazoo, the records arrived in hand-pasted sleeves, rough-cut reproductions of his teddy bear-fixated artwork that carried the same imperfect immediacy as the music. With Rudi Steiner, performances in galleries, clubs and halls bent into live sound-image happenings -- part installation, part film, part flea-market-instrument theatre -- invariably leaving the house engineers bewildered. At the time of his untimely death in 2021, Aebi remained a village secret, his music passed quietly between friends and local ears. Now, Swiss graphic designer and Ghost Riders compiler Ivan Liechti has pieced together a portrait from the afterglow, gathering tangled audio formats, paintings, illustrations, photographs and notebooks with his family, former label and peers. What emerges is a first glimpse of Soar's intimate cosmos -- brushing against Füxa, Spectrum, Dump, Stereolab, and King Crimson, but orbiting a dimension entirely his own.

"Containing 2 BBC sessions (four songs recorded for John Peel's show in 1974 and two from The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1975) and two songs recorded live at the Rainbow Theatre in 1974, this record is filled with the power and intensity that Nico could summon with just her powerful voice and beloved harmonium. A somber and beautiful journey through the world of mid-'70s Nico, one of the most singular and personal artists of the era. Includes fold out poster/insert."

This anthology of Los Wembler's allows listeners to appreciate the legacy of the iconic group from Iquitos, the most important city in the Peruvian Amazon which is only accessible by air or river, and their key role in the creation and revival of Amazonian cumbia. Los Wembler's emerged as a family band in the late 1960s in the Belén district of Iquitos and are regarded as pioneers of electric guitar-driven Amazonian cumbia from Perú. The selection of songs that make up this compilation dates from the period between 1972 and 1980, at the peak of the band's career. Songs such as "Sonido amazónico" or "La danza del petrolero" have become highly influential classics of the genre. Most of these tracks are reissued here for the first time after remaining unavailable for decades. Selva includes an insert with liner notes and photos. Pressed on 180g vinyl.

LP version. Wewantsounds presents the release of Tokyo Funk Diva, a compilation highlighting the work of Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama, one of Japan's leading funk voices of the 1980s. Blending funk, boogie and soulful grooves, Penny brought a distinctive energy to Japan's music scene during the decade. Compiled by Nick Luscombe -- who previously curated Tokyo Dreaming for the label -- the set marks the first time Hitomi's music has been compiled outside of Japan. Featuring newly remastered tracks and liner notes by Luscombe, the release offers fresh context to Penny's work and its role in the evolution of Japanese funk and groove culture. Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama was one of the few female singers to fully embrace Japan's burgeoning funk and boogie movement of the 1980s. Born in Okinawa in 1957 and raised partly in California, she developed a cosmopolitan outlook that would shape her music. At a time when the country's pop scene was shifting toward slick, funk-oriented productions, Penny crafted a distinctive style that fused boogie, disco, and funk with her confident, soulful delivery. Her albums for Nippon Columbia recorded in the '80s capture this vibrant moment, combining sophisticated studio craft with the pulse of Tokyo's nightlife. The selection includes cult classics such as "Sexy Robot," "Love is the Competition," and "Instant Polaroid," with lesser-known gems such as "Exotic Yokogao" and "I Love You Shika Omoitsukanai." Together they showcase the singer's versatility, moving effortlessly between syncopated upbeat floorfillers and chilled mid-tempo grooves. While her music earned recognition at home, these releases were never widely available outside Japan and slowly became prized finds among DJs and collectors. Tokyo Funk Diva presents highlights from this catalogue for the first time in an international release. Compiled by broadcaster and tastemaker Nick Luscombe, the selection has been newly remastered and comes with Luscombe's liner notes, retracing Penny's career and her role in the evolution of Japanese boogie and disco. As he writes in the liner notes, "It's this deep musical craftsmanship -- both in the songwriting and performances -- that gives Penny Tohyama's work its lasting power. Her music feels as fresh and relevant today as it did when it was first released." With its mix of sharp production, irresistible rhythms, and Penny's unmistakable presence, Tokyo Funk Diva serves both as a long overdue introduction to one of Japan's original funk queens.

LP version. "For the first time in more than fifteen years, the debut album Way Their Crept by Grouper is being made available, reissued in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the original release. The first in a series of ineffable solo albums and collaborations that have come since, these are the initial sounds widely shared by the artist on a long journey of explorations that continue to this day."

"This is ambient music that refuses to simply wash over the listener; it's a riptide dragging you under." --The New Yorker

"The chain reaction these songs generate together produces enough fog and smoke to keep the spell going strong -- and to keep whatever secret she's trying to tell us just on the other side of the speakers." --Pitchfork

"Each track sounds, in the best possible way, like it was never meant to be heard outside of the room in which it was recorded." --New York Times