10-track picture disc with worldwide pressing of 500 copies.

VHS Head's Phasia EP elaborates on the scenes and soundscapes of Phocus, building an even
further in-depth view of the world portrayed by the central character - is it the beginning and the end?

Ten Episodes you can easily binge in one go! Enjoy.

Written & Produced by Ade Blacow
Sleeve Design - Sophie Rogerson
Mastering - Bola

Side A
1 Locus 2 Strange Food 3 Mouth Matte 4 Phasia

Side B
1 Mortal Focus 2 Head Crimes 3 Dream Peeping 4 Instar 5 Phocus 6 Phocus Trailer


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

The 3rd full length album from Blackpool recording artist VHS Head. After a long delay from the label, finally Ade Blacow's new album gets a release!
Limited heavyweight Double Vinyl with Gatefold Sleeve. Digi-pak CD.
This album is a soundtrack for an unfinished science fiction film made in the Fylde coast area some time ago. The music is a behind the scenes journey exploring the movie and the central character Phocus, each track an exposition into the duality of actions, on and off screen.
Warped and detached audio set to atomic shot on video era visuals represents the atmosphere to this low budget thriller's vivid running commentary.
The album arrives on heavy weight vinyl with screen shot artwork from the film. Audio mastering by Bola.
https://on.soundcloud.com/vqXwy

Side A
1. Cold Open (Dust to Dust) - 5.03
2. Skinflex - 4.15
3. Fake Sweat - 4.00

Side B
4. Drown a Star - 3.34
5. I see You - 3.42
6. Strange Tangents - 2.38
7. Kilgrimol Dissolve - 3.35

Side C
8. Shoes For Dinosaurs - 2.28
9. Making a Monster - 4.55
10. Paradise Drive - 5.11

Side D
11. Devour the Heart - 2.18
12. Zagatile Marionette - 3.03
13. Dark Hair Magma Soul - 4.32
14. The False Eye Closes - 3.00



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

The 3rd full length album from Blackpool recording artist VHS Head. After a long delay from the label, finally Ade Blacow's new album gets a release!
Limited heavyweight Double Vinyl with Gatefold Sleeve. Digi-pak CD.
This album is a soundtrack for an unfinished science fiction film made in the Fylde coast area some time ago. The music is a behind the scenes journey exploring the movie and the central character Phocus, each track an exposition into the duality of actions, on and off screen.
Warped and detached audio set to atomic shot on video era visuals represents the atmosphere to this low budget thriller's vivid running commentary.
The album arrives on heavy weight vinyl with screen shot artwork from the film. Audio mastering by Bola.
https://on.soundcloud.com/vqXwy

Side A
1. Cold Open (Dust to Dust) - 5.03
2. Skinflex - 4.15
3. Fake Sweat - 4.00

Side B
4. Drown a Star - 3.34
5. I see You - 3.42
6. Strange Tangents - 2.38
7. Kilgrimol Dissolve - 3.35

Side C
8. Shoes For Dinosaurs - 2.28
9. Making a Monster - 4.55
10. Paradise Drive - 5.11

Side D
11. Devour the Heart - 2.18
12. Zagatile Marionette - 3.03
13. Dark Hair Magma Soul - 4.32
14. The False Eye Closes - 3.00



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

SDEM's debut LP for Mancunian electronic music imprint Skam Records.

VORTICES 9 tracks continue SDEM's current prolific flow after a steady series of drops via his own
MEDS label & other like-minded operators (CPU, Opal Tapes, Seagrave, Superpang etc..)

Informed by hiphop & computer music and steeped in Northern England's post bleep+bass
mutations, VORTICES operates in its own lane, rooted as much in the by-hand manipulations of
musique concrete and free improv as the studio-as-an-instrument innovations of electro, hiphop, dub and bass weighted electronica.
Evolved out of hardware jams, the pieces showcased here crackle with emotion and colour,
repeated plays reveal suggested and subliminal depths. Neither shackled to the grid nor enslaved to linearity, the LP expands & finesses SDEM's dynamic & forward facing approach

Side A
A1 Geiwis - 1.30 A2 Skrunge - 3.38 A3 NSEM Rev - 6.00
Side B B1 30Mag - 4.15 B2 Quadro Diagrammatics ft S1 - 4.20 B3 SKEF - 3.27
Side C C1 RZ - 11.28 Side D D1 Sile - 6.40 D2 2 vs 2 - 4.50

Cover & Layout by modernist graffiti master SODA.
Selection & Sequencing by MDX.
Guest sounds on B2 from SheOne.
Miles Whitaker's mastering completes the frame.
Wide ranging radio support from Autechre, Afrodeutsche, The Fear Ratio, ZULI, Aya, edv3ctor,
Brassfoot, Sylvia Kastel, Rian Treanor, 96 Back, Mosca.. etc
SDEM's live set from 2022 appears in Tom (Rat Heart) Boogizm's "best of 2022" boomkat chart.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

SDEM's debut LP for Mancunian electronic music imprint Skam Records.

VORTICES 9 tracks continue SDEM's current prolific flow after a steady series of drops via his own
MEDS label & other like-minded operators (CPU, Opal Tapes, Seagrave, Superpang etc..)

Informed by hiphop & computer music and steeped in Northern England's post bleep+bass
mutations, VORTICES operates in its own lane, rooted as much in the by-hand manipulations of
musique concrete and free improv as the studio-as-an-instrument innovations of electro, hiphop, dub and bass weighted electronica.
Evolved out of hardware jams, the pieces showcased here crackle with emotion and colour,
repeated plays reveal suggested and subliminal depths. Neither shackled to the grid nor enslaved to linearity, the LP expands & finesses SDEM's dynamic & forward facing approach

Side A
A1 Geiwis - 1.30 A2 Skrunge - 3.38 A3 NSEM Rev - 6.00
Side B B1 30Mag - 4.15 B2 Quadro Diagrammatics ft S1 - 4.20 B3 SKEF - 3.27
Side C C1 RZ - 11.28 Side D D1 Sile - 6.40 D2 2 vs 2 - 4.50

Cover & Layout by modernist graffiti master SODA.
Selection & Sequencing by MDX.
Guest sounds on B2 from SheOne.
Miles Whitaker's mastering completes the frame.
Wide ranging radio support from Autechre, Afrodeutsche, The Fear Ratio, ZULI, Aya, edv3ctor,
Brassfoot, Sylvia Kastel, Rian Treanor, 96 Back, Mosca.. etc
SDEM's live set from 2022 appears in Tom (Rat Heart) Boogizm's "best of 2022" boomkat chart.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

The 3rd full length album from Blackpool recording artist VHS Head. After a long delay from the label, finally Ade Blacow's new album gets a release!
Limited heavyweight Double Vinyl with Gatefold Sleeve. Digi-pak CD.
This album is a soundtrack for an unfinished science fiction film made in the Fylde coast area some time ago. The music is a behind the scenes journey exploring the movie and the central character Phocus, each track an exposition into the duality of actions, on and off screen.
Warped and detached audio set to atomic shot on video era visuals represents the atmosphere to this low budget thriller's vivid running commentary.
The album arrives on heavy weight vinyl with screen shot artwork from the film. Audio mastering by Bola.
https://on.soundcloud.com/vqXwy

Side A
1. Cold Open (Dust to Dust) - 5.03
2. Skinflex - 4.15
3. Fake Sweat - 4.00

Side B
4. Drown a Star - 3.34
5. I see You - 3.42
6. Strange Tangents - 2.38
7. Kilgrimol Dissolve - 3.35

Side C
8. Shoes For Dinosaurs - 2.28
9. Making a Monster - 4.55
10. Paradise Drive - 5.11

Side D
11. Devour the Heart - 2.18
12. Zagatile Marionette - 3.03
13. Dark Hair Magma Soul - 4.32
14. The False Eye Closes - 3.00



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

The 3rd full length album from Blackpool recording artist VHS Head. After a long delay from the label, finally Ade Blacow's new album gets a release!
Limited heavyweight Double Vinyl with Gatefold Sleeve. Digi-pak CD.
This album is a soundtrack for an unfinished science fiction film made in the Fylde coast area some time ago. The music is a behind the scenes journey exploring the movie and the central character Phocus, each track an exposition into the duality of actions, on and off screen.
Warped and detached audio set to atomic shot on video era visuals represents the atmosphere to this low budget thriller's vivid running commentary.
The album arrives on heavy weight vinyl with screen shot artwork from the film. Audio mastering by Bola.
https://on.soundcloud.com/vqXwy

Side A
1. Cold Open (Dust to Dust) - 5.03
2. Skinflex - 4.15
3. Fake Sweat - 4.00

Side B
4. Drown a Star - 3.34
5. I see You - 3.42
6. Strange Tangents - 2.38
7. Kilgrimol Dissolve - 3.35

Side C
8. Shoes For Dinosaurs - 2.28
9. Making a Monster - 4.55
10. Paradise Drive - 5.11

Side D
11. Devour the Heart - 2.18
12. Zagatile Marionette - 3.03
13. Dark Hair Magma Soul - 4.32
14. The False Eye Closes - 3.00



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

James Ruskin & Mark Broom are back as The Fear Ratio with their third album 'They Can't Be Saved'.
LIMITED 180G 2LP - 500 only pressed. CD - 500 only.
The duo, who are long-term collaborators have created their own signature style with abstract synths, heavy basslines and experimental soundscapes that fit somewhere in between IDM, electronica and ambient.
Their acclaimed debut album 'Lightbox' was initially released in 2011 on Ruskin's Blueprint Records, featuring remixes from Warp aficionados Plaid and Deadhand. Soon after they formed a long-lasting relationship with cult Manchester based label Skam, with the follow-up album in 2015 'Refuge of a Twisted Soul'. 2018 saw a four track 'Live EP' release made up of exclusive versions of their Autechre supporting slot at the Great Northern Warehouse in Manchester,
Several years and various solo productions later, The Fear Ratio return with an album that solidifies their reputation as experimental producers. From the ethereal opening bars of 'Sender' slowly twisting into a brooding dub breakbeat, to the staccato, bugged out atmospherics of 'Grey Code', ghostly electronics of 'Small World', tripped out, schizophrenic hip hop haunting bass of 'Game Plan' and sun-dappled keys of 'The Final Vision' Broom & Ruskin flex their techno muscles ever further beyond the floor.
Track list: 1Sender 2 Exile 3 Grey Code 4 Small World 5 The Invisible Girl 6 The Curse 7 LM3 8 Captive 9 Game Plan 10 The Final Vision 11 BY3 12 A406


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

James Ruskin & Mark Broom are back as The Fear Ratio with their third album 'They Can't Be Saved'.
LIMITED 180G 2LP - 500 only pressed. CD - 500 only.
The duo, who are long-term collaborators have created their own signature style with abstract synths, heavy basslines and experimental soundscapes that fit somewhere in between IDM, electronica and ambient.
Their acclaimed debut album 'Lightbox' was initially released in 2011 on Ruskin's Blueprint Records, featuring remixes from Warp aficionados Plaid and Deadhand. Soon after they formed a long-lasting relationship with cult Manchester based label Skam, with the follow-up album in 2015 'Refuge of a Twisted Soul'. 2018 saw a four track 'Live EP' release made up of exclusive versions of their Autechre supporting slot at the Great Northern Warehouse in Manchester,
Several years and various solo productions later, The Fear Ratio return with an album that solidifies their reputation as experimental producers. From the ethereal opening bars of 'Sender' slowly twisting into a brooding dub breakbeat, to the staccato, bugged out atmospherics of 'Grey Code', ghostly electronics of 'Small World', tripped out, schizophrenic hip hop haunting bass of 'Game Plan' and sun-dappled keys of 'The Final Vision' Broom & Ruskin flex their techno muscles ever further beyond the floor.
Track list: 1Sender 2 Exile 3 Grey Code 4 Small World 5 The Invisible Girl 6 The Curse 7 LM3 8 Captive 9 Game Plan 10 The Final Vision 11 BY3 12 A406


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

LIMITED 180G 2LP ON TRANSPARENT RED VINYL + BRAILLE STICKER
Afrodeutsche (Henrietta Smith-Rolla), is a British born Ghanaian/Russian/ German artist, composer, producer, and DJ based in Manchester.
Afrodeutsche is main support for Aphex Twin at the sold out Printworks show on 14th September:
https://www.printworkslondon.co.uk/listings/aphex-twin/
Afrodeutsche's DJ style is a synthesis of Drexciyan and Underground Resistance - inspired selections, intercut with a variety of forward thinking UK techno such as Bola and Lego Feet.
Her polyrhythmic compositions integrate a wide array of musical genres, including Afrofuturistic electro and techno, classical solo piano and Detroit legacy house; all memorable journeys into deep, abstracted sound.
Hosting a monthly radio show on the renowned NTS, Afrodeutsche entrances listeners with her idiosyncratic combinations of dark electro, breaks, footwork, ghetto tech and jacking house.
Forever evolving a fully live hardware show, Afrodeutsche has already appeared alongside celebrated producers Dopplereffekt and Carl Craig, with many more to come.
Her remix of Montreal producer Marie Davidson's 'Day Dreaming' was released earlier this year on Ninja Tune. 2019 sees her releasing genre-defying new material and touring across Europe, with appearances confirmed at Dekmantel (Amsterdam), SONAR (Barcelona), and Dimensions (Croatia).
Praised by the Guardian for enacting a new wave of club music, named by Dummy Mag as one of 2019's most exciting artists, Afrodeutsche's spectacular debut album 'Break before Make' will be released on all formats in the Autumn of 2019 on the legendary Skam label.
Sleeve design by Bhatoptics Mastered by Bola

Tracklisting
Side A 1. DAY TUNER Side B 4. WORK IT 5. NOW WHAT Side C 7. BLANKET BAN 8. FILANDANK 9. WTWTWTF 10. YOU HEARD ME THEWW FIRST TIME Side D 11. THE MIDDLE MIDDLE 12. HIAEA 13. OD 14. THE BEGINNING
Written and produced by AFRODEUTSCHE P&C Skam Records


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

CD LIMITED CD IN TRANSPARENT RED JEWEL CASE + BRAILLE STICKER
Afrodeutsche (Henrietta Smith-Rolla), is a British born Ghanaian/Russian/ German artist, composer, producer, and DJ based in Manchester.
Afrodeutsche is main support for Aphex Twin at the sold out Printworks show on 14th September:
https://www.printworkslondon.co.uk/listings/aphex-twin/
Afrodeutsche's DJ style is a synthesis of Drexciyan and Underground Resistance - inspired selections, intercut with a variety of forward thinking UK techno such as Bola and Lego Feet.
Her polyrhythmic compositions integrate a wide array of musical genres, including Afrofuturistic electro and techno, classical solo piano and Detroit legacy house; all memorable journeys into deep, abstracted sound.
Hosting a monthly radio show on the renowned NTS, Afrodeutsche entrances listeners with her idiosyncratic combinations of dark electro, breaks, footwork, ghetto tech and jacking house.
Forever evolving a fully live hardware show, Afrodeutsche has already appeared alongside celebrated producers Dopplereffekt and Carl Craig, with many more to come.
Her remix of Montreal producer Marie Davidson's 'Day Dreaming' was released earlier this year on Ninja Tune. 2019 sees her releasing genre-defying new material and touring across Europe, with appearances confirmed at Dekmantel (Amsterdam), SONAR (Barcelona), and Dimensions (Croatia).
Praised by the Guardian for enacting a new wave of club music, named by Dummy Mag as one of 2019's most exciting artists, Afrodeutsche's spectacular debut album 'Break before Make' will be released on all formats in the Autumn of 2019 on the legendary Skam label.
Sleeve design by Bhatoptics Mastered by Bola

Tracklisting
Side A 1. DAY TUNER Side B 4. WORK IT 5. NOW WHAT Side C 7. BLANKET BAN 8. FILANDANK 9. WTWTWTF 10. YOU HEARD ME THEWW FIRST TIME Side D 11. THE MIDDLE MIDDLE 12. HIAEA 13. OD 14. THE BEGINNING
Written and produced by AFRODEUTSCHE P&C Skam Records


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Skam Records are very proud to announce the return of Bola.


After 10 long years hidden away in the hills, huddled in the Bolamachine - at long last Bola awakens, delivering an album of power, elegance and beauty...

Recorded @ Bolamachine B All tracks composed and performed by the Bolaman. Kappafects co-composed and performed by Dennis Bourne. No humans were harmed during the making of Evensong. While every care was taken, slight but unavoidable human abuse was endured in the making of Kappafects.

Art and design: Michael England

Side A - 1. Fhorth - 2. Herzzatzz - 3. Avantual Side B - 4. Evensong - 5. Landor 50X2 Side C - 7. Pelomen Vapour 1 - 8. Pelomen Vapour 2 - 9. Pelomen Vapour 3 Side D - 10. Kappafects - 11. Maghellen





Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Skam Records are very proud to announce the return of Bola.

LIMITED GATEFOLD 2LP.

After 10 long years hidden away in the hills, huddled in the Bolamachine - at long last Bola awakens, delivering an album of power, elegance and beauty...

Recorded @ Bolamachine B All tracks composed and performed by the Bolaman. Kappafects co-composed and performed by Dennis Bourne. No humans were harmed during the making of Evensong. While every care was taken, slight but unavoidable human abuse was endured in the making of Kappafects.

Art and design: Michael England

Side A - 1. Fhorth - 2. Herzzatzz - 3. Avantual Side B - 4. Evensong - 5. Landor 50X2 Side C - 7. Pelomen Vapour 1 - 8. Pelomen Vapour 2 - 9. Pelomen Vapour 3 Side D - 10. Kappafects - 11. Maghellen


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Skam Records are very proud to release an album of unheard tracks from one of our very first artists and it feels good to have him back home. Jega has always provided his own slant on the genre, with warm standout melodies and his always edgy solid beats driving it all. Its good to hear his machines working again after all these years. Jega returns with a selection of the year before his seminal first release (Ska006). A collection of unreleased tracks from 1995, recorded live to Cassette Tape and DAT, and gathered 20 years later to form "1995". This album provides a glimpse into the fledgling electronic music scene of the 90's. Jega has released three albums on PLANET MU.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Skam Records are very proud to release an album of unheard tracks from one of our very first artists and it feels good to have him back home. Jega has always provided his own slant on the genre, with warm standout melodies and his always edgy solid beats driving it all. Its good to hear his machines working again after all these years. Jega returns with a selection of the year before his seminal first release (Ska006). A collection of unreleased tracks from 1995, recorded live to Cassette Tape and DAT, and gathered 20 years later to form "1995". This album provides a glimpse into the fledgling electronic music scene of the 90's. Jega has released three albums on PLANET MU.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Skam Records are very proud to welcome The Fear Ratio to the label and are pleased to announce a new album "Refuge of a Twisted Soul" to be released in late May. The Fear Ratio consists of Mark Broom and James Ruskin who together have developed an album of sheer quality, deep and heavy music.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Skam Records are very proud to welcome The Fear Ratio to the label and are pleased to announce a new album "Refuge of a Twisted Soul" to be released in late May. The Fear Ratio consists of Mark Broom and James Ruskin who together have developed an album of sheer quality, deep and heavy music.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklisting
A1 OBEDEYA - BEMINE
A2 DJ FRANKIE - MACUMBA
B1 OBZERV - ANNIHILATOR
B2 DJ SACRED - SWIRL ON 20s

Sales Note
The long awaited first release of ULTRALOW has finally arrived, on wax! A four track VA, each one a different style (for the real ones that can handle). Featuring artists from London, Argentina and Ukraine, always in support of the underground, ULTRALOW
MOTHERFUCKERS will take up space in your collection

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

New Environments & Rhythm Studies finds Andrew Pekler returning to the humid zones he explored on previous albums such as Sounds From Phantom Islands and Tristes Tropiques. Split between longer immersive compositions and shorter glimpse-like sketches, these 12 tracks feature new juxtapositions of Pekler's familiar palette of synthetic field recordings, warm, undulating electronic textures, shifting percussion patterns and serene melodies.

As with much of his recent work, Pekler's compositions here are structured around the beguiling effect of synthetic and non-synthetic sounds mirroring, mimicking and modulating one another. The teeming atmospheres within tracks such as Globestructures, Cymbals In The Mist or Globestructures: Option II are, despite their seemingly anthropogenic nature, entirely synthetic. Elsewhere, the lopsided grooves of Cumbia Para Los Grillos or Fabulation For K are derived from recordings of crickets and other insects which Pekler loops and uses to trigger electronic percussion – producing a pleasantly skewed rhythmic base for the fragments of melody which are layered on top. The six Rhythm Studies also follow the same principle – a playful interweaving of the organic and synthetic.

New Environments & Rhythm Studies is a further attempt to re-describe past tropes which laid claims to authentically represent music and sound from beyond the Western world (exotica, ethnomusicology, field recording) as undertakings of the imaginary.

Written and produced by Andrew Pekler, mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi, artwork by Morgan Cuinet, graphic design by Dmytro Nikolaienko.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

French DJ/producer Simo Cell is gearing up to drop a new 4-track EP on his label TEMET. He reimagines the Blog House/French Touch 2.0 movement, presenting a futuristic evolution of its iconic sound with a distinct Simooo twist and the raw energy of contemporary club music. It's a big day! Meet FL Louis, a (real) puppet designed by Simo Cell and the robotic voice behind the music. Stay tuned, clips coming soon!

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Balmat 17 marks both a return and a new frontier. It is the second album on the label from Patricia Wolf, whose 2022 album See-Through is one of the most beloved in Balmat’s catalog; it also marks the first time that Wolf has turned her hand to a film soundtrack. The results are every bit as magical as fans of the Portland, Oregon, composer’s music might expect.

Hrafnamynd—Icelandic for “raven film”—is a new feature-length documentary by experimental filmmaker Edward Pack Davee. Shot on a mix of film and digital formats, and incorporating his father’s Ektachrome slides from the 1970s, the autobiographical film works on multiple levels at once: a reminiscence of his childhood in Iceland, an exploration of landscape and folklore, and a documentary study of the island nation’s ravens—including a talking raven named Krummi.

Wolf is the perfect artist to score such an unusual film. Mixing ambient music and field recording—including extensive experience documenting bird song—Wolf brings an unusually empathic perspective to her music. In the context of Hrafnamynd, her airy melodies, pensive atmospheres, and vivid textures intuitively complement the film’s grainy film stock and blown-out colors. Friends for years, the two artists further bonded when Wolf asked Pack to film music videos for her songs “Woodland Encounter” (from See-Through) and “The Culmination Of” (from I'll Look For You In Others). Pack used Wolf’s previously recorded music as placeholders as he began assembling a rough cut of the film, which made her a natural choice to help him complete his idiosyncratic vision with an all-new, bespoke score.

But Wolf’s soundtrack also indisputably stands alone as a full-length album. Largely created using the UDO Super 6 synthesizer, it features a carefully distilled palette of warm, string-like pads and darkly glistening mallets, rounded out with the very occasional introduction of nylon string guitar. Musically and stylistically, the album’s 11 tracks represent both a continuation of the ruminative sound of See-Through and also an extension into new expressive modes. Few musicians, ambient or otherwise, are as skilled at balancing melody with atmosphere, or at finding ways to eke fresh at finding ways to eke fresh, surprising sounds out of an intentionally reduced toolkit. Meditative, immersive, and emotionally generous Wolf’s Hrafnamynd soundtrack evokes a range of ambient classics from decades past while confidently marking out its own verdant patch of ground.


Artist’s Statement:
Edward and I have been friends for years, but we really started to get to know one another better after I hired him to make music videos for my songs “Woodland Encounter” and “The Culmination Of.” For those projects we got to spend a lot of time hiking in various locations around the Pacific Northwest with his camera, very nice lenses, and tripod. Keeping quiet, hidden, and vigilant we searched for wildlife, good light on the trees, meadows, lakes, rivers, and skies. Edward was already an appreciator of my music and I was already in awe of his filmmaking talents so it felt like a great fit. Although we work in different areas of art our styles compliment one another. We both tend toward slow and careful pacing, with a focus on emotion and introspective reflections on life and the landscapes around us. For this reason, Iknew that I could trust Edward to create videos for my music. We saw so many beautiful and unexpected things on our filming days, but I was moved to tears once I saw how magnificent and poetic it all was. His video work from the cinematography, to the editing, and color correction helped bring my inner vision to life.

A few months after that, Edward surprised me with an invitation to work on the soundtrack for his new film, Hrafnamynd. I enthusiastically said yes. I had always wanted to work on a film, and I knew that his filmmaking style would be inspiring to write music for. I had recently acquired an UDO Super 6 synthesizer but hadn't used it much. I decided that this would be the synth that I'd use for the film. It has the ability to sound very modern, but can also sound so warm and fuzzy, like a synth from the 1970s. It turned out to be the perfect instrument for this project as the film itself straddles time from the ’70s to today.

When Edward sent me the rough cut of the film, he used placeholder music to help give me an idea of the emotion and energy that he was hoping to achieve for each scene. For many of the scenes, Edward used music from my albums as temporary tracks. This told me that he trusted my work and style and therefore I should just trust my intuition with how to proceed. I wanted to make sure that everything that I made was a direct reflection of what was happening on screen, a mirror of its emotion and energy so people could really lock into the film psychologically. This process took my composing to unexpected places—like being led by a strange cat or a raven that seemed to have something to show me. I found that the approach made the music so much more dynamic than my usual style. I really enjoyed being influenced by the action and dialog on the screen. Thankfully, Edward was very happy with the work. I made sure to handle this project with the utmost care because this is about his life and his family, and an exploration of the experiences that made him an artist and filmmaker. While watching the film many times over, I found myself thinking about my own family and my early memories with them and how the place where I grew up has influenced who I have become. I found that his film invites the viewer to reflect on their own lives in a similar way. I hope that this music and film can guide others to contemplate on the history of their beingness and the people and places that shaped them.

Another aspect to this project is the splendor and wonder of Iceland itself. I had the opportunity to visit Iceland for the first time in 2023. I got to play a show there for the Extreme Chill Festival and met many friendly and brilliant Icelanders. I also got to collect field recordings that I used in the film. It's a fascinating place and culture that easily captures the hearts and imaginations of anyone who visits. Whether you spend your time in the city immersed in its impressive arts scene, or venture out into the wilderness to behold its wondrous landscape, it will leave a lasting impression. The soundtrack is also a love letter to Iceland itself.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Lapalux (Stuart Howard) is a UK-based experimental electronic music producer known for his emotionally charged sound design, intricate textures, and immersive sonic storytelling. With releases on Brainfeeder and widespread critical acclaim, Lapalux has built a loyal global following and earned consistent airplay on BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, and NTS. His work has been championed by DJs including Mary Anne Hobbs, Benji B, and Tom Ravenscroft, and praised by outlets such as The Guardian, Resident Advisor, XLR8R, and Clash. Lapalux's music occupies a unique space between IDM, ambient, and leftfield electronica — rich in atmosphere, detail, and feeling.On the Grid is Lapalux's latest EP — a deeply intricate, hardware-driven exploration of rhythm and emotion that fuses fragmented IDM with warm analogue tones and deep dynamics. The EP showcases Lapalux's continued evolution as a producer, balancing intricate sound design with powerful melodic undercurrents. It follows years of refinement in the studio, drawing on his signature use of modular synthesis, Digital and analogue hardware and organic imperfections. With a limited vinyl pressing and strong fan demand, On the Grid stands as a key release in Lapalux's catalogue and a compelling addition to any store's forward-thinking electronic selection.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Second offering from Leo Gibbon’s MUDLINE imprint sees the producer reunite with grime’s perennial wild card, Trim, for a two-sided pressure test that flexes both restraint and raw power in equal measure.

On Side A – Orbit Step, Gibbon leans into the emotive end of the 140 spectrum — all reflective pads, sci-fi shimmer, and subbed-out swing — with Trim delivering a rare, inward-facing performance. It’s grime as meditation, anchored by subtle tek textures and lyrical ambiguity. The accompanying acapella, exclusive to the vinyl, is a potent bonus.

Side B – Danny and Darren flips the script entirely. It’s a no-frills, floor-ready juggernaut — grime at its most ballistic. Trim in full yardman mode here, riding the riddim with relentless intent. It’s sweaty, chaotic, made for late sets and soundsystem abuse.

Instrumentals included on both sides, giving extra room for exploration and dubplate mischief.

A bold second chapter from MUDLINE, Orbit Step builds on the promise of Happy Lovers and underlines Gibbon’s growing prowess in crafting versatile 140 tools with personality — while Trim, as ever, shapeshifts with ease.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Chicago deep house pioneer Merwyn “Merle” Sanders needs no introduction to true heads.As one half of the legendary Virgo Four (alongside Eric Lewis) and under a slew of aliases, Merwyn helped shape the sound of late ’80s deep and acid house. Their records, now considered foundational, continue to echo across dancefloors and DJ sets worldwide.In the late ’90s, after years of trying to release more material through Trax Records, Merwyn took matters into his own hands. He self-produced his first 12” under the Merle alias — a record that sadly flew under the radar at the time, with most copies eventually destroyed. But one track survived and thrived: “Fannie Likes 2 Dance.” What started as a quiet release became an underground classic, highly sought after by DJs and collectors alike.

Now, Still Music and Jerome Derradji proudly present the full reissue of this cult favorite — featuring the two original mixes along with a never-before-heard unreleased remix by Merle himself.

This special edition comes housed in a full sleeve, complete with a detailed backstory written by Jerome Derradji about the track’s origins and legacy. A true slice of Chicago house history, back where it belongs — on wax.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

The Danish/Norwegian duo of Ida Urd and Ingri Høyland believe that music is an extension of one’s immediate sensory environment. Duvet, their collaborative full-length debut, explores the way that creating sounds together is intertwined with various quotidian actions: establishing surroundings, rearranging furniture, moving towards the light, collecting flowers or other objects for aesthetic and sensuous impulses. Through a quiet and attentive process, music becomes a way of nurturing space: a soft architecture for play, writing, care, or simply rest.

Sonically, Duvet feels like an extension of Høyland’s last album, 2023’s Ode to Stone, which also featured Urd along with ambient musician Sofie Birch and visual artist Lea Guldditte Hestelund. But where that album, created in response to an open call for work themed around Denmark’s national parks, suggested rolling landscapes and endless horizons, Duvet turns inward, countering chill winds with glowing warmth. Its eight tracks seek a balance between abstraction and melody, intention and happenstance.

“We had a truly inspiring and rewarding process working with Birk Gjerlufsen Nielsen from Vanessa Amara, who co-produced and mixed the album with us,” Ingri adds. “He approached the material with great care and sensitivity, while also bringing his own distinct presence and creativity into the sound.”

Høyland and Urd both studied at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, which has turned out many acclaimed artists over the past few years, including Erica de Casier, Astrid Sonne, and Smerz. Over many years, the two composers have developed a collaborative method based on connection and trust. A practice, they write, “where composing, or rather suggesting, sounds and melodies for one another is a way of carefully talking, mending emotions and obstacles. Saying yes to one another. The compositional space becomes a nest for entangling whatever emotions, thoughts, or barriers one of the composers brings to the given day or moment.”

Quiet and contemplative, Duvet is simple on the surface but rich in timbral, textural, and emotional complexity. Høyland and Urd sourced their sounds from an array of instruments and techniques—electronic devices, modules, pedals, and also electroacoustic treatments of various wind instruments.

Mixing primarily through analog tape units added further mystery and depth, weaving together wordless voices and unknown sounds—breathing, rustling, perhaps the coppery gleam of Urd’s electric bass—into a dynamic matrix. Like a nest, pull one twig and the whole thing unravels.

In the winter of 2023, Ingri Høyland and Ida Urd retreated to a summer house along the coast to create the album. Picture the scene: an abiding quiet all around. Gardens carpeted by snow; beach grass silvery against the silvery sky; a tendril of smoke rising from the chimney. Not another soul in earshot. This sanctuary was the perfect setting to yield this meditation on shelter, trust, and communication. The two composers hope the album can be a similar space for others—a temporary space of residence, it can represent a summerhouse, a cabin in the woods, your favorite bench or wherever you need to go. “The album also works really well when picking out apples in the supermarket” Urd laughs.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklisting
A1 SND & RTN - The Mole
A2 SND & RTN - The Vacuum of Space
B1 SND & RTN - Rhudaur
B2 SND & RTN - Noise Factory

Sales Note
ECHOLTD013: Mastered on a reel to reel tape machine cut on 12" 180g Gold marbled vinyl.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More