ONLY Europe! NO rest of WW / UK!

When people think of Yacht Rock-those smooth, sun-drenched sounds that once drifted from Californian radio stations in the late '70s and early '80s-they rarely imagine it echoing through rehearsal rooms in Hamburg or Linz. Yet even far from the Pacific coastline, the appeal of shimmering chords, laid-back grooves, and polished production found fertile ground.
This compilation gathers rare and overlooked tracks from Germany and Austria. These artists embraced West Coast aesthetics with sincerity and subtle twists, resulting in music that feels both familiar and refreshingly new-smooth sounds for cloudy skies. So drop anchor, pour something cool, and enjoy this unexpected cruise through the lesser-charted waters of Euro Yacht Rock.

Our journey begins in Austria, where Reflection's Because (1981) set the tone with blue-eyed soul and analogue warmth-a sunlit blend of Doobie Brothers polish and local charm. Its creator, Dieter Heyduk, reappears with Austrian Sky, a heartfelt nod to his homeland that fuses mountain calm with oceanic longing.
From the North Sea island of Föhr, Ara Pacis dreamed of California on their 1979 self-release To the Westcoast. Inspired by Steely Dan and Lake, they turned German rock precision into breezy, melodic sophistication. Meanwhile, in Düsseldorf, Mainpoint fused funk and jazz-rock on Frisbee, their 1980 single bursting with rhythmic drive and optimism before the tide of the Neue Deutsche Welle swept such grooves aside.
Bremerhaven's Nuages offered the compilation's only instrumental gem, Strange Weekend (1985)-a gentle blend of jazz-funk and rock and largely lost to time. Its cool restraint captures the European interpretation of Californian ease.
Around the same period, British traveler Gavin James recorded River of Laughter in southern Germany, backed by the blues-rock band Black Cat Bone. His acoustic reflections on water and flow mirrored the soft, meditative pulse at Yacht Rock's core.
Berlin's Top Spin kept things playful with Bikin (1985), a funk-fusion snapshot of urban joy that showcased the city's finest session players. From the Ruhr area, the Jan Pack Band is up next. While not a typical Yacht Rock track, Cable Dance is driven by an effortless, groovy '80s vibe.
Peter Seiler's Goldfinger project reimagined Walkin' in the Sand as a relaxed reggae-tinged track, while Munich's Major Seven closed the voyage with Silverboat, a wistful soft rock ballad gliding between melancholy and light.

Across these hidden harbors of German and Austrian pop, the West Coast dream took on new forms-reflected in rivers, skies, and studio lights half a world away from L.A. Under and Above the Clouds celebrates that spirit: the enduring pull of smooth music, wherever it's made.

Special remarks:
- Co-release with Tramp Records
- First ever German Yacht Rock compilation with a selection of extremely rare tunes
- Fully Licenced
- Thick gatefold sleeve with hype sticker and extended liner notes
- Artwork by Chrisse Kunst
- Pressed on BIO VINYL -> Replacement of petroleum in S-PVC by recycling used cooking oil or industrial waste gases
- Manufactured in Germany

Tracklist:

Side A:
Reflection - Because
Ara Pacis - To The Westcoast
Mainpoint - Frisbee
Nuages - Strange Weekend
Dieter Heyduk - Austrian Sky

Side B:
Gavin James - River of Laughter
Top Spin - Bikin
Jan Pack Band - Cable Dance
Goldfinger - Walkin' In The Sand
Major Seven - Silverboat



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

Vinyl Only!

The Shaketown series is back with another sunshine-fueled chapter - this time celebrating the blissful, sun-drenched sounds of the Balearic Islands. Following the highly acclaimed
African Shaketown and Caribbean Shaketown EPs, the third installment, Balearic Shaketown, delivers four irresistible edits and remixes of classic ‘80s pop gems - lovingly reimagined by MAGIC JAMS for today’s dancefloors.

Tracklist:

THIS 1 // Cloudbusting (Magic Jams Remix)
THIS 2 // Orinoco Flow (Magic Jams Remix)
THAT 1 // The Space Between (Magic Jams Remix)
THAT 2 // Rule the World (Magic Jams Edit

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

2026 repress

Format: 2LP (LP1+LP2)

Tracklist:
A1 / Franz Scala - New Look (feat. Furotica)
A2 / Franz Scala - Echoes Of Love
B1 / Franz Scala - Telephone Boy
B2 / Franz Scala - Light Year Run
C1 / Franz Scala - Saxon Rebel (feat. Local Suicide)
C2 / Franz Scala - Crush Test (feat. Charlie)
D1 / Franz Scala - BIT99
D2 / Franz Scala - Fantasy Bazar
D3 / Franz Scala - Fase Lunare (feat. Acid Gymnastics)


Key Selling Points
Slow Motion Records founder Franz Scala announces the infectious, ground-moving LP 'Cafe Futuro', a follow-up to his highly acclaimed debut ‘Mondo Della Notte’. Homage to the influential Neukolln bar and meeting point for Italo and Cosmic disco heads, 'Cafe Futuro' builds upon a bold and innovative sound, showcasing fellow creators and genre-defining artists, solidifying the Italo Aficionados sound, synonymous with the pioneering greats.


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