[engl] Long-awaited debut album from progressive and psychedelic rock band from Pula, Croatia, offers a berserk kick start into their world of music. Influenced by Kyuss, The Mars Volta and Tool.

[engl] "Heavy music for nerdy people", that's how someone once described the music of Mint Mind. "For" or "from"? Both, of course. After the first "VG+" songs, you get a feeling of what the world of Mint Mind looks like: instruments and amplifiers from several decades loosely piled and organized. In front of, next to and between are synthesizers and effects, some as big as microwave ovens. On the crooked record shelf are handfuls of comics, albums by New Order, Devo, the B52s, almost the entire SST catalog, as well as Krautrock classics by Can and Faust. "VG+", Mint Mind's third album, has become a great, cross-generational indie rock album. Mint Mind are sitting in the Upper Room Studio, a separate area of Rick McPhail's small industrial loft in Hamburg-Altona. This is where the new Mint Mind album VG+ was created. Rick, who grew up in Maine, USA, looks to his fellow musicians. They are a little younger than him. Christian Klindworth (Fluppe) is 40, Friedel Viegener is 22. Rick grins and says, "I'm a polite and cheerful person but I need moments to vent and that's what I do in my music. I usually get angry about the same things as young people. A lot of the things that suck today sucked in the 80s and it wasn't easier to fight them back then.” The album is about anger, optimism, a politician with little fingers or influencers who secretly lead a normal life. Some lyrics are funny, others serious: "Glow" is about love and appreciating good moments in difficult times. "Youth And I" deals with the question of why different generations with the same ideas on topics such as the environment, women's and LGBTQIA+ rights or even the economy do not manage to form a unity, but instead allow themselves to be disturbed by something as silly as age differences. The sound of Mint Mind combines sweet and sour, fuzzy riffs with the freedom and sentiment of 80’s post-punk/indie. Synthesizers have become a more central instrument this time. From playful and strange sounds to the eerie and dark, the album is littered with textures and ear candy to discover. The album title is well chosen. "VG+" is taken from the Goldmine Grading Standard for the evaluation of used vinyl records and means "Very Good +" - background noise can occur occasionally, but not always. Older folks might certainly feel reminded of Dinosaur Jr. or The Cure, the younger ones of Diiv, Wavves or Gurr. And for a moment, the world is Very Good + (with background noise) for everyone. Speaking of background noise: When Rick is not swinging his self-made Lego guitar at Mint Mind, he takes care of the technic, roadies and lead guitar in Tocotronic or spins records. In the Hamburger bar Mutter he plays Album/Adult Oriented Rock under the motto "AOR-Alles Klar?". He moderates the songs and with a telephone receiver converted to a microphone the guests can also make requests. As the morning dawns over Hamburg, Rick packs up his Billy Joel, Chicago and Steely Dan albums, grabs his skateboard and rides back to his studio with the rising sun at his back. “Sultan of Squat” furthers the band's trajectory into themselves, polishing off thirteen songs filled with dubious characters, whimsical retreats, and even the odd love song. As with previous releases, The Cowboys refuse to make their bed in any single genre. Lead track, “The Sultan of Squat'' opens the album with an earworm salute to America’s pastime while lofting a lyrical curveball of dark, defeated humor. The boys kick it into high gear, playing with the finesse and dexterity ten years as a band instills. It's automatic - whether they're launching into classic Midwestern garage punk (“Raining Sour Grapes”), dialing things back to piano-driven power pop (“Token Drifter”), or western slide guitar pop-rock ballads ("She's Not Your Baby Anymore"), The Cowboys are simply incredible across “Sultan of Squat”. This could well be The Cowboys' finest hour as a group, and six albums in - that's no easy feat. The best of the Midwest is back under the bright lights, pouring collective blood, sweat, and tears into a sound equal parts then and now. *LP includes 11x17 full color poster

[engl] Weaving a fragile thread through collectible outsider genres such as acid folk, French jazz, Braziliana and world music it is virtually incomprehensible that this incredible one-off solo album by mononymous Occitan language singer, songwriter and activist Miquela has managed to evade notoriety and wider affection zover five decades. Captured via a humble makeshift studio set-up in a classroom in 1977, this startlingly crystalline recording is one of the best examples you are likely to hear, not shying from ambitious small string arrangements and intimate Gallic jazz infusions this LP represents the quiet storm erupting from the pride and protection of the ancient “romance” language known as Occitan, as spoken by less than 1.5 million people in Southern France (as well as parts of Italy and Spain). Naturally combining a wide range of influences, and fuelled by the same impassioned fervour found in privately pressed minority language records from Britanny, Catalonia and Wales, Miquela’s first and only solo record was recorded by request of poet Ives Roqueta for his exclusively Occitan language label Ventadorn. Including players from Miquela’s surrounding area of Toulon the album also enlisted arrangements from important musicians such as co-author Jean-Michel Mariou, jazz contrabass player Didier Capeille (later affiliate of Marseilles’ Etron Fou Leloublan), and guitarist Gilles Cardon, who would regularly play for Britanny based label Nevenoe (knotting the ties between both French language rehabilitation movements). Released and well-received by a supportive and emotional Occitan fan base, this would be Miquela’s only ever solo LP (preceded by a 7? picture sleeve EP, drawing similarities to Welsh label Sain) and laid the foundations for future releases with her folk rock girl group Lei Chapacans (The Vagabonds) which led to tours as far as Sardinia, Yemen and Moscow. As a vital forerunner of a maligned genre of Occitan femme-folk singers such as Estela, Nicòla, Jacmelina, Rosina De Peira E Martina and Claudia Galibert, this LP marks the start of a journey that would eventually find its beloved protagonist at the heart of the galvanised Occitan language media.

[engl] The first progressive girl group of the French Occitan language pop scene bring you folk funk, sun-baked bossa, Coltrane jazz and their own brand of punky Dizco rural against an untouched French Balearic backdrop spanning the late 70s and 80s. If even the most assiduous of European record collectors consider the Occitan language music scene to be France’s best-kept secret then it’s as fair to say that the incredible multifaceted recordings of langue d’oc prog girl group Lei Chapacans has spent the last four decades hiding in plain sight. In all fairness this overlooked treasure chest of minority language excursions into folk funk, Balearic, bossa, John Coltrane penned jazz, baroque psych, Palestinian poetry, comedic synth skits (and even the rawest form of femme-fronted multiingual punky disco) has been stowed away in inconspicuous photographic record sleeves, falsely evoking something closer to contemporary C&W while oft-misplaced in record shop cassette racks alongside “traditional” spoken-word and scholastic albums. So for the uninitiated, don’t be too hard on yourself. The fun starts here. For those who are familiar with the rare and sought-after one-off solo album by Occitan singer Miquela and have craved for more, then you’ve come to exactly the right place. Lei Chapacans (a name that roughly translates to The Vagabonds) is the all-girl vocal group assembled by Miquela herself just two years after her debut release, having toured the word and snubbed major label record deal offers with a steadfast allegiance to the protection of the Occitan language in which this album is primarily penned and performed (minus a small amount of German and sarcastic English in one rebellious instance). For European collectors with a penchant for French savoir faire, but have further yearnings for folkloric femme funk, then it’s time to look towards the Occitan sunset where you will meet Lolo, Miquela, Sophie, Irena and Denise. These amazing, and undeniably culturally important recordings might have taken some time to find a wider audience, but for music lovers, crate diggers and vinyl vultures alike there are still a lot of tasty morsels out there to be scavenged and devoured, ask any self-respecting Chapacan and they’ll concur wholeheartedly.

[engl] Thirteen perfectly balanced, keyboard saturated songs 7lutter like 7lags threaded on a string: a collection of 7leeting thoughts stirred by the winds of Eighties pop. Riffs soar, the drum machine gallops and vocals are as carefully blended as a mango smoothie on a white-sky day. Modal Melodies is the duo made up of Violetta Del Conte-Race (Primo! / The Glass Picture) & Jake Robertson (Alien Nosejob, etc.) The group stemmed from a loose chat at Geelong’s Jerkfest in early 2021, where they made plans to help each other complete some un7inished demos. After emailing ideas back and forth through lockdown, they were soon able to be in the same room together to structure their quickly blossoming songs. Vio added vocals from home and Jake mixed them into their sessions. Six to eight months after making their 7irst arrangements, Modal Melodies had matured into this debut record. There’s something about a duo - something intimate and serious: it requires full trust and an act of balance. These are people who have listened to so much music they know how to make tunes in a way that seems intuitive. Karen Marks, Saada Bonaire and Lena Platonos have been mentioned as influences, but it seems like the biggest inspiration to cite came from each other. There’s an untamed instinct for melody, and layers like clouds, slowly rolling in. Drenched with colours and understated tension in parts, coupled with reckless joy, this album speaks to this moment.

[engl] Mona Mur, born in Hamburg, met FM Einheit, Alexander Hacke and Mark Chung from "Einstürzende Neubauten" and Gode B. from "Front" during the punk explosion. As "Mona Mur & Die Mieter" they released their first 12" single “Jeszcze Polska” in '82, which immediately claimed the "Single of the Week" slot by London's New Musical Express. Mona Mur then lived a wild life in Paris and Berlin. In fall 1984, she formed a new Mona Mur band with FM Einheit and Alexander Hacke, joined by "Flucht nach Vorn" keyboardist Nikko Weidemann (today "Moka Efti Orchestra"), Siewert Johannsen (guitar, "Stricher") and Thomas Stern (bass, "Crime and the City Solution"). This "Mona Mur Band" was recorded and mixed live by Raymond "Nainz" Watts ("Einstürzende Neubauten", "Psychic TV", "KMFDM") at his Building Site studio in Hamburg. The band played acclaimed concerts in Germany and Europe, as well as festivals, such as the renowned PANDORA's BOX in Rotterdam. Their manically intense live performance in guitar thunderstorms and morbid slowbeat chic and especially their seminal Brecht/Weill interpretations ("Surabaya Johnny", "Der Song von Mandelay", "Die Ballade vom Ertrunkenen Mädchen") are still cult today. The band broke up in spring of '86, and Mona Mur embarked on a solo career.

[engl] In 1989, before the wall came down, Mona Mur and her producer Dieter Meier (“Yello”) came to Poland. Under the musical direction of Polish rock star Grzegorz Ciechowski (“Republika”) and with renowned Polish musicians, arrangers and the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, she recorded her album WARSAW in early 1990. “WARSAW deals with the old topic of love as a marginal experience. Why does this intrigue me? Because this is how I experienced it at a very young age. There is hardly a more relevant subject for me as an artist, maybe apart from war. Both confront you with the possibility of annihilation.” Mona Mur During six months of production in Warsaw, from September 1989 to March 1990, Mona Mur observes historical changes in Europe and the whole world. The recordings take place at Polish Television’s legendary studio S4 – 10 songs of great intensity, three of which are given genre-redefining orchestration by renowned composer and conductor Krzesimir Debski. Producer Dieter Meier is enchanted. But WARSAW faces challenges. Its release does not happen as planned. Mona Mur‘s record company back then, German RCA, feels the album is not mainstream enough. More illustrious bidders follow, including Stevo Pearce of Some Bizarre, then the album vanishes. In 2000, four of Mona Mur‘s songs from WARSAW are covered by Polish singer Katarzyna Groniec on her album “M??czy?ni“ (SONY). Producer: Grzegorz Ciechowksi. The album gets high chart rankings, the single with Mona‘s song “Paintings“ (polish: “Dzi?ki za mi?o??”) sells over 70,000 copies. Soon after, in late 2001, producer Gzegorz Ciechowski dies suddenly at the age of only 44, under tragic circumstances. His work as a musician, singer, frontman and rock poet is unique in Poland. An annual memorial concert in the medieval city of Torun, as well as several new interpretations of the "Republika" hits keep the memory of "Citizen GC" alive. In 2011, Mona Mur is invited to Torun, where she performs live with Grzegorz Ciechowski's band members. Finally, in 2015, Mona Mur’s album WARSAW is released by Mystic Productions, but only on CD and exclusively in Poland.

[engl] With 'The Monochrome Set – Radio Sessions (Marc Riley BBC 6 Music 2011-2022)' we revive the great tradition of releasing radio sessions of great (independent) acts. And what could be more natural than starting our series with a band that represents the indie ethos like few others in following their own unique artistic vision without compromise. The most unique thing about the radio session recordings is that they encompass a mixture of concert and studio. The bands are freer than in studio recordings at the same time more focused than in live performances - gems from the bands repertoire which might not have been played live are often preserved only in the radio sessions. The Monochrome Set - Radio Sessions contains all the BBC 6 sessions recorded for and hosted by the great Marc Riley from the years 2011-2022. 32 songs in total including well- known hits like "Eine Symphonie des Grauens", "Jet Set Junta" and "Alphaville" as well as fantastic versions of seldom heard or not so well-known songs like "Rain Check" or "Hip Kitten Spinning Chrome". With the kind support of the BBC, we are now able to release these recordings of the most demonstrably intelligent, dark, witty and British of all guitar pop bands on record for the first time. Radio Sessions" by THE TELESCOPES and COMET GAIN are planned for the near future. Stay tuned!

[engl] "On one hand, the music is very melodic and cheerful. The lyrics, however, deal with death, decay, change ... no wonder we are rather popular with the undead," says singer, guitarist and songwriter Bid of the new THE MONOCHROME SET album "Spaces Everywhere". A very particular humor. And a very unique sound: Although this time banjos, Hammond organ, female backing vocals and even flutes can be heard on the new album, experts and laymen alike will recognize: This is THE MONOCHROME SET. Undistorted, nervous guitars, like the soundtrack to a Nouvelle Vague film ... but one featuring Michael Caine, Louis de Funès and Belmondo (directed by Andy Warhol).

[engl] Released in February 1980, their first album "Strange Boutique" – featuring the band's percussion-heavy theme song (predating Adam & The Ants' "Kings of the Wild Frontier" by months) and the Johnny Marr-anticipating "Love Goes Down the Drain" – caught The Monochrome Set in full flight, quickly followed by the equally taut, funny and adventurously dynamic "Love Zombies".

[engl] 33 years after the release of the classic “Volume, Contrast, Brilliance... Vol.1” comes this wonderful collection of unreleased and rare demos. Spanning 1978 to 1991, these range from DIY to high quality studio recordings - many are real gems, but some also failed to be released or properly recorded for a variety of reasons (which are explained in the liner notes) - bad timing, odd decisions, even forgetfulness! The range of styles displayed are typical of this iconic and highly influential band - slices of their sound can be heard throughout the indie and mainstream genres of many countries.

[engl] What's going on in Lyon? Is there something in the water? So many unbelievable great bands are from that little city in France. After a great demo LP from 2017 comes finally the highly-anticipated debut from Monplaisir. Playful Indie / Noiserock in the vein of Unwound, Sonic Youth, ... Featuring members of Sport

[engl] The eagerly anticipated debut long player from Naarm/ Melbourne trio MOODY BEACHES! Limited edition Acid Green colour vinyl - comes with download code. Following the release of their thundering lead single 'Crowded World' and the latest cut ounting Reasons', Naarm/ Melbourne trio Moody Beaches have announced their hotly anticipated debut long player 'Acid Ocean'; a 10-track serve of harmony-driven and brooding fuzzed-out songs, raw and scathing, channelling the loud-quiet-loud dynamic and introspection that made 80s-90s music so visceral. Emerging from Melbourne's punk-rock underbelly in 2017, Moody Beaches have since cemented themselves as a must-watch live act and staple of the Australian indie punk scene, who have shared stages with the likes of Magic Dirt, Screamfeeder, Dead Kennedy's and Spiderbait.

[engl] Formed in 2012, the Perth quintet released a string of releases in their formative years, slowly setting themselves aside from the influx of Australian psychedelia through the combination of powerful live performances and genre-spanning sensibilities. Soon they were sharing stages with international heavyweights the likes of Sleep, Thee Oh Sees and Moon Duo. On their 2016 debut, Cosmos Terros, the quintet crystallised their aesthetic ambitions: an enchanting fusion of krautrock rhythms, sun-dappled guitars, haunting vocals and tectonic crescendos, brimming with equal parts menace and melody. The 2017 follow-up, Dust, unfolds like the score for a film yet unwritten, a long form musical homage to the landscapes of the Australia’s Western seaboard. Mt. Mountain would go on to perform Dust in full in concert halls and historic civic spaces, silhouetted by a carefully curated set of visuals depicting the diverse scenery from which the songs draw their inspiration. Golden Rise mark’s the band’s return to the traditional song format, but the powerful connection to landscapes remain. Each of the album’s 10 track feel rich with depth and space, even in the midst of crushing crescendos. It’s appropriate that it, along with Dust, emerged in a rural studio two hours form Perth, where country roads give ways to pastures. But the sublime green views are never far from the vast deserts. That juxtaposition of elements remains the constant throughout Mt. Mountain’s oeuvre, whether the sound emanating from the speakers is a bang or a whisper.

[engl] "Second full length from Muncie Girls! 13 new songs, sounding more personal than ever without losing their political edge. Produced by Lewis Johns at The Ranch in Southampton and mastered by Emily Lazar at The Lodge in New York."

[engl] Japanese idol-metal.

[engl] Croatian band Nellcote was formed in 2010. Their music traverses through alternative rock, indie, and blues. While ‘running away from the past’ sound-wise, the band draws heavily on it thematically. Having exposed himself completely in an intimate semi-acoustic atmosphere on the acclaimed EP Surrender (2017), this time, with the help of a full band, Vinko Ergoti? has recorded a louder, groovier, cheekier album, with more psychedelic elements. The author is now ready to face the past – he is confronting bad dreams, toxic relationships, and hostile environment, using the power and energy of the band to get everything out of himself and out of the way.

[engl] Nolan Potter is putting us home recording freaks to shame. We had a year of global pandemic to lay out our grand ideas and the sum total of most artists “quar-riffs” wouldn’t push the constraints of a normal band practice (gosh, remember those?). Nolan Potter, in the meantime, has quietly painted us a beatific masterpiece that veers from the whimsical to the wigged out, deftly weaving an untamed tapestry of sound all the while archly commenting on the present musician’s predicament - and he did it alone. No drum machine clattering in the background amidst tape hiss and 4 track grime here - this is a fully realized, insanely well played, full on rock record that might even one-up his first LP for us, last years excellent Nightmare Forever. The guys’ got more chops than a beauticians’ college across a wide array of instruments - no small feat, and easily overlooked when you leave the lyric sheet and credits on the dining room table. That the songs travel far, wide, up, down, backwards, and gamely spill out over the 5 minute mark with exceptionally loose interludes and diversions is just another marvel in this carnival of aural delights.

[engl] Nord is a band from Rijeka, Croatia. Their sound is a great blend of dark textural ambiance, massive guitar riffs and emotional lyrics with a very personal feeling. Play Restart is their debut album and it echoes the work of influential artists such as Faith No More, Tool, Soundgarden, but also Massive Attack, Depeche Mode or David Bowie.