VARIOUS ARTISTS - 'Decoder'
CD £11 Adv. - OUT 19th SEPTEMBER

     

Released on standalone CD for the first time in 33 years, this now-complete edition of the ground-breaking, legendary soundtrack is finally here.

A cult classic of sci-fi dystopia, "Decoder" (1984) saw EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN's members working alongside GENESIS P-ORRIDGE (THROBBING GRISTLE / PSYCHIC TV) and WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS. It's one of the strangest (and most prescient) films of the decade. The film was made in Hamburg and Berlin, and directed by Klaus Maeck 'Muscha' (who directed several punk films).

The lead roles are played by Christiane F and FM Einheit from Neubauten, who also contributed to the film's score. Genesis P-Orridge, the kingpin of the English industrial scene, also appears as a priest of the Black Noise faith. Author William S. Burroughs portrays an insurrectionist salesman of audio equipment (and contributes spoken word to the soundtrack), and American cult actor Bill Rice plays a detective.

SOFT CELL contributed their classic 'Seedy Films', while MATT JOHNSON from THE THE wrote a frenetic, deformed song for the film that is both fantastic and painful to listen to, and EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN's 'Compressed Metal' is sublime. Dave Ball (SOFT CELL), Jon Caffery and Genesis P-Orridge composed the rest of the soundtrack.

A futuristic film, and a joyous application of William S. Burroughs' "The Electronic Revolution", which proposes a seditious and rather poetic method of subverting the masses and inciting them to rise up against the forces of order.

MUZAK IS MORE THAN MUSIC.

• CD in matt-laminate digipak with 10-page foldout booklet.

Track listing:

1. Genesis P-Orridge & Dave Ball 'Muzak For Frogs' (3:23)
2. The The 'Three Orange Kisses From Kazan' (4:30)
3. Genesis P-Orridge & Dave Ball 'Dream' (2:30)
4. Genesis P-Orridge & Dave Ball 'Main Theme (Showdown)' (3:04)
5. Genesis P-Orridge & Dave Ball 'Sex And The Married Frog' (3:24)
6. Soft Cell 'Seedy Films' (5:05)
7. FM Einheit 'Riots' (2:55)
8. Genesis P-Orridge 'Information (0:46)
9. FM Einheit / John Caffery / Alexander Von Borsig 'Muzak Decoding / Dream Machine / Pirates' (8:41)
10. Einstürzende Neubauten 'Compressed Metal' (2:25)
11. Genesis P-Orridge & Dave Ball 'Main Theme (Finale)' (3:42)

ILLUSTRIOUS - 'Mesmerine 111™'
2 x CD **SIGNED** £16 Adv. - OUT 5th SEPTEMBER

     

Illustrious is MARTYN WARE (HEAVEN 17, B.E.F., ex-THE HUMAN LEAGUE), and CHARLES STOOKE.

Illustrious Company presents... Mesmerine 111™. This is a 3D soundscape based on / inspired by the frequency 111Hz, which has been historically and scientifically proven to induce a trance-like state.

Findings of MRI scans suggest that at exactly 111hz, the brain switches off the prefrontal cortex, deactivating the language centre, and temporarily switches from left to right-sided dominance, which is responsible for intuition, creativity, holistic processing, inducing a state of meditation or a trance.

These findings have been confirmed by archeo-acousticians in studies regarding ancient and Neolithic shamanistic burial rituals around the world. The title is a take on the use of sound as pharmacology (Mesmerine is the name of an imaginary drug). ...

The soundscape of the ambient Dose 1 is 50 minutes in duration - long enough to induce a true trance-like state. Dose 2 continues with a calming and unctuous vocal mix performed by Charles Stooke. Bringing to mind HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey), the sound is simultaneously reassuring and disquieting.

The world premiere of the 3D sound composition was at the FOCUS Art Fair in New York, Spring 2025.

Safe when used as directed. Recommended optimal dosage: 30-60 minutes at (less than) 70dB, delivered by Illustrious Labs 3D audioscape system or binaural through your own headphones.

Side effects may include:

Contra-indications (in less than 10% of cases)
Loss of consciousness
Unresponsiveness
Low blood pressure
Hypnogogic meta-trance
Inertia
Extreme calm
Hypnotic hypersensitivity
Hyperacuity
Visual hallucinations

• 2CD in matt-laminate digipak, presented in a slipcase with sticker hand-signed by Martyn Ware.

MARC AND THE MAMBAS - 'Three Black Nights Of Little Black Bites'
Ltd 2LP Black / Red Splatter (sold out) | Ltd Red 2LP (sold out) | Black 2LP - OUT NOW!

 

The complete recordings of the legendary Marc And The Mambas run of three live performances given at The Duke Of York's Theatre in London's West End in 1983. Restored from the original VHS tape recordings made by the late Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson (Throbbing Gristle, Coil), these remain the only recordings that exist of Marc And The Mambas performing live.

Originally released in 2012 on Marc Almond's (Soft Cell) own Strike Force Entertainment label as a CD/DVD set (long sold out), this edition, presented on vinyl for the first time, contains the 17 tracks from the SFE CD release, expanded to include the two bonus DVD-only tracks: 'Près Des Ramparts De Séville' and 'Jacky'. Completely remastered for vinyl by Martin Bowes (The Cage Studios).

A combination of the chanson and torch songs which he still sings today, over piano, strings and woodwind-accompanied compositions. "It's quite a spectacle, especially when Almond hits his sweet spot of sinister lyrics, declared pompously over a droned string arrangement... Early signs of the full-on showtune and classical rearrangements that make up Almond's current albums are evident"(Record Collector).

Presented on heavyweight double vinyl in a deluxe glossy gatefold sleeve featuring the extensive reminiscence by Marc Almond himself from the 2012 release.

Also included is a reproduction of the 16-page programme printed for the three concerts in 1983. The stunning cover painting by Val Denham is exclusive to this release.

• Ltd x 150 copies Red / Black Splatter 2LP (via Cold Spring only! SOLD OUT!)
• Ltd x 350 copies Red 2LP (SOLD OUT!)
• Black 2LP

LTD RED / BLACK SPLATTER 2LP	LTD RED 2LP	BLACK 2LP £29
SOLD OUT	SOLD OUT

PSYCHIC TV - 'A Prayer For Derek Jarman'
CD £11.50. OUT NOW!

      

Unavailable for almost 30 years in its own right, this collection from the Cold Spring archive has been remastered / repackaged with new art. This classic album exists as a document of the soundtrack work PSYCHIC TV created for the many films and videos of Derek Jarman. Another demonstration of why PSYCHIC TV were one of the most important groups in the world.

The titular track, 'Prayer For Derek', is intended as an invocationary prayer, based on Tibetan rituals; a collage of sounds including field recordings of the lulling waves running aground on the shingle beach opposite Jarman's Prospect Cottage in Dungeness, Kent alongside bird song, crying babies, and massed ritualised chants to aid the late film director in his after-life journeys. Other tracks feature elongated drones, washes of dissonance, melancholic guitar chime, evocative piano scoring, Burroughs cut-ups, gothic chants, and familiar snarling dogs.

• CD in matt digipak with 8-page fold-out booklet, with detailed liner notes by Genesis P-Orridge (1997); Astorical anecdotes and background facts for completeness.

SONOLOGYST - 'Planetarium'
2 x CD £13.50. OUT NOW!

          

An aural exploration of the solar system by Sonologyst, using data from NASA's probes.

On the latest album by Sonologyst, raw data from radio waves, electromagnetic fields, and plasma fluctuations, utilising data sonification files provided by NASA, are transformed into a haunting soundscape, unveiling the ambient music of planets, solar winds, and the cosmic beyond.

As the newest addition to Sonologyst's series of sonic documentaries, this work deepens his exploration of the sonic spectrum, converting cosmic phenomena into immersive auditory experiences.

NASA and other space agencies have captured "sounds" from the cosmos by recording non-audible signals like radio waves, electromagnetic waves, and plasma (ionized gas that's prevalent in space) wave fluctuations. These are converted into audio frequencies we can hear using a process called data sonification. Spacecraft like Voyager, Cassini, and Juno are equipped with special instruments (e.g., plasma wave antennas, magnetometers, radio wave receivers) to detect radio waves, plasma waves, and electromagnetic fields.

These signals can provide data on phenomena like solar wind, planetary magnetospheres, and charged particles. Since many of these signals are outside our hearing range (radio waves might have frequencies far below the audible range (20 Hz to 20 kHz) or far above it, while magnetic and plasma waves are often in the range of milliHertz (mHz) to kilohertz (kHz), also outside human hearing.), they are converted using various techniques, including frequency scaling, sampling, filtering, and amplitude modulation. Some events, like plasma wave bursts, happen over long periods. Scientists may speed up the playback so we can hear the changes in a shorter time frame.

After conversion, the resulting sounds are often enhanced to make certain patterns, pitches, or changes in intensity more noticeable. This may involve amplifying certain frequencies or adding layers to represent multi-dimensional data. This processing helps bring out subtle differences that might otherwise be hard to discern.

• Double CD in a matt-finish gatefold ecopak, with a bonus disc of the raw source material from NASA's probes.

All purchases direct from Cold Spring will receive a small pack of original stamps from the golden age of the space race - one original Soviet stamp celebrating the Venera 14 probe to Venus, and a further random stamp from anywhere in the world again celebrating Mankind's missions into space. All stamps are authentic and original and can be neatly stored away within the package.

PHRAGMENTS & NEW RISEN THRONE - 'Between Ecstasy And Death' CD (Winter-Light) - £11.50

A hauntingly immersive collaboration, born from a year-long creative journey between two dark ambient icons - Phragments and New Risen Throne. This concept album explores ecstasy and death as two extreme conditions of human existence, closely examining the dynamic relationship between these two opposites. Each artist contributed two tracks - one representing Ecstasy, the other Death - before exchanging them to reinterpret and reshape each other's work. The result is a captivating fusion of individual visions, blending seamlessly into a singular, immersive experience. Rooted in dark ambient soundscapes, the album masterfully blends ominous drones, classical orchestration and analogue synths to craft an atmospheric odyssey through the depths of the human psyche. A deeply evocative exploration of the human condition, it invites listeners to confront the intensity of life's most profound extremes. Ltd x 300 copies in a 6-panel digisleeve.

PHRAGMENTS & NEW RISEN THRONE - 'Between Ecstasy And Death' LP BLACK (Winter-Light) - £22

Black vinyl edition of the above release. Ltd x 100 copies on black vinyl in a matt-laminate sleeve, including a 210mm x 210mm cover art print on 300g paper.

TEMPLE OV PSYCHIC YOUTH (PSYCHIC TV) - 'Rise' T-Shirt RED - £17

A limited Temple Ov Psychic Youth shirt, featuring the infamous 'crucified skin' image widely used in TOPY communication, perhaps more famously on the live 'Berlin Atonal' LP, by Psychic TV. The shirt, in red, reflects the LP itself, and in white as used within TOPY Access Point comms. Limited edition - act fast! High quality, Gildan Heavy Cotton shirt - red with black print. Sizes S-XXL:

S: 46cm / 18"        XL: 61cm / 24"
M: 51cm / 20"       XXL: 66cm / 26"
L: 56cm / 22"       (Manufacturer's guide)

TEMPLE OV PSYCHIC YOUTH (PSYCHIC TV) - 'Rise' T-Shirt WHITE - £17

A limited Temple Ov Psychic Youth shirt, featuring the infamous 'crucified skin' image widely used in TOPY communication, perhaps more famously on the live 'Berlin Atonal' LP, by Psychic TV. The shirt, in red, reflects the LP itself, and in white as used within TOPY Access Point comms. Limited edition - act fast! High quality, Gildan Heavy Cotton shirt - white with black print. Sizes S-XXL:

S: 46cm / 18"        XL: 61cm / 24"
M: 51cm / 20"       XXL: 66cm / 26"
L: 56cm / 22"       (Manufacturer's guide)

MAURIZIO BIANCHI - 'Bacillusmetrial Entopathogen' CD (Attenuation Circuit / Grubenwehr Freiburg) - £11.50

The three long tracks (74 mins), as well as the sound sources which made up this album, point to the concerns with physical defects and decay present in Maurizio Bianchi's works since its very early stages - the heritage of old school industrial's rather nihilistic outlook. Musically, M.B. makes the most of the underlying concept of inevitability: ambient loops overlap and circulate, pumping sound into the listener's ear like a heart pumps blood into organs, but gradually they slow down and die away. And from track to track the sound textures become harsher and more uncomfortable - not in a harsh noise kind of way, but in a more subliminal manner. Yet somehow the relentless pulsing of the music is strangely comforting: as long as you can still hear these sounds, you are not dead yet. "An exciting work, harking back to [M.B.'s] early days. It is almost as if he dusted off his old equipment and tried to make new music with those machines. It works very well! The bleak sound isn't fully there yet in the opening piece, 'Bacillus, ' which is more of a demented ambient soundtrack. It is bleak but still very pleasant. In the other two pieces, 'Metrial' and 'Entopathogen', one quickly recognises that single sound feeding through some delay pedal, some tape-delay perhaps, some vague, almost erased trace of a melody, and it's reminiscent of, say, 'The Plain Truth'. The titles refer to diseases and have that dark science-fiction soundtrack quality to them. This new [work] I rank among his best" (Vital Weekly). Ltd x 200 copies, with CD in matt-laminate card slip, housed in a 7" PVC sleeve with insert, showcasing the fact that M.B. is not only a prolific sound artist, but also a visual one.

ILUITEQ + ERALDO BERNOCCHI - 'Fade, Remain' CD (13 / Silentes) - £12

In its apparent bare simplicity, "Fade, Remain" is the most uncompromising and intimate album of ILUITEQ (Sergio Calzoni & Andrea Bellucci) to date. Delving the universal human condition of experiencing a loss and coping with a new phase of life, ILUITEQ release a new collaborative album, co-written with renowned Italian producer and musician Eraldo Bernocchi (Sigillum S). The album juxtaposes the condition of "fading", meant as leaving or departing, with the notion of "remaining", either physically or spiritually. The existentialist theme of the album is gradually unravelled through the tracks, depicting a sombre and sometimes mournful atmosphere. With "Fade, Remain", ILUITEQ go back to the more ambient-drone sound which characterised their first works, relying almost entirely on analogue synths and outboard for the production and mixing. Guitar and piano were later added, while the field recordings mixed in the tracks were recorded in Bosco della Panfilia (Terre Del Reno, Italy). Rafael Anton Irisarri provided an extra level of depth to the tracks, thanks to his proven experience and craftsmanship as a mastering engineer, perfectly sculpting the bass frequencies and adding the extra airy to the album at his Black Knoll Studio. Ltd x 200 copies in a 6-panel digisleeve.

BU.D.D.A. - 'Diese Anmut Von Trophäen' CD (Attenuation Circuit) - £11.50

Bu.d.d.A. (Bund des dritten Auges) was born in a dark room in Barcelona. It evolved quietly until Sascha Stadlmeier (Emerge) and Chris Sigdell (B°tong) took Bu.d.d.A. on the road. This album of mesmerising ambient music sees Stadlmeier and Sigdell doing the unexpected... playing real instruments. "Diese Anmut Von Trophäen" ("This grace of trophies" in German) features not only trademark Bu.d.d.A. tracks, but also guest appearances by such illustrious figures as Bees from COMMON EIDER KING EIDER, DREKKA and BEBAWINIGI. Think of Earth meets Troum together with Brian Eno on LSD. Rooted in the core duo of b°tong on guitar (this time more plucked than bowed) and synthesizers and EMERGE on violin, plus effects and field recordings, this release gains additional dimensions by adding the mournful piano work of Drekka. Vocals, too, are a new addition to Bu.d.d.A.'s sonic palette - while the humming chant of Bees supports the drone structure of the piece, highly expressive female vocalist Bebawinigi turns loose one of her energetic multi-tracked outbursts and gently, but decidedly sets the atmosphere on fire. Bu.d.d.A. refine their common musical language and at the same time depart in several exciting new directions at once. "Massive music here, all dark and heavy, but it never collapses under this weight" (Vital Weekly). Ltd x 300 copies in a matt-laminate mini-LP sleeve with three inserts.

MARRASMAA - 'Noidat' CD (Corvus Records) - £11.50

"Noidat" (Witches) is a meditative journey that is as dark as it is beautiful. With the sound of kantele at its core, Marrasmaa's music draws inspiration from Finnish nature and ancient shamanic traditions, creating a folk-ambient soundscape where time slows and the mind can drift. Marrasmaa tell of ancient sagas and myths, of pagan healers, shrouded in mystery. Hallucinogenic mushrooms enable shamans to fall into a trance, taking them to other dimensions and into the Beyond, from where they draw their strength. The sacred, hidden places in the woods, where the spirits of mother nature and the ancestors are worshipped, where Will-o'-the-wisp, the wandering lights of the forest, can lead you to safety... or lead you astray. Flood-printed, matt-laminate digipak.

LIKE THE SNOW - 'The Power Of Eternal Love' CD (St.An.Da. / Silentes) - £12

Continuing the luminous path forged by his previous CD, "The Visions Of A Dream Traveller", Like the Snow returns to paint vast cinematic soundscapes that breathe with emotional depth, shifting seamlessly between disruptive, majestic crescendos with thunderous orchestral impact and more introspective passages of nocturnal intimacy. These darker, at times brooding atmospheres are delicately pierced by fleeting luminescent textures, gradually dissolving into serene ambient spaces that remain deeply melodic. Throughout this sonic voyage persists that signature melancholic romanticism - the nostalgic essence that has permeated Like The Snow (Luca Mazzariol)'s work since the project's inception, now woven even more intricately into every sonic layer. Ltd x 200 copies in a 6-panel digisleeve.