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.

AWEN & MURDEROUS VISION - 'A Nature Out Of Season' CD + Sigil Deck (Live Bait Recording Foundation) - £17

Awen and Murderous Vision combined to produce an album of sinister industrial psychedelia, devastating dark ambient and wistful dark folk intention. A distillation of synthetic and practical sounds - the composite elements recognisable to the initiated, but together forming a distinct entity with a compelling presence of its own. Let it guide you on a journey between worlds and times. Special guest appearances by Larry Kerr (of Steel Hook Prostheses) on two tracks and C*nting Daughters on another. "A Nature Out Of Season" is a CD presented in a high gloss digisleeve with a professionally-printed deck of 10 specific sigil cards (each card corresponds to a track on the album), beautifully drawn and designed by artist Lot1113, and housed in a hand dyed / printed cloth pouch.

SCRELOMA - 'I Continue To Hate This Unfair World' 7" Lathe Cut (Subliminal Propaganda) - £13

Screloma is the one-man Japanese power electronics / industrial noise project from Jun-ichi Takahashi (MOTHRA). This is the ultra limited lathe cut vinyl edition of a digital-only EP from December 2024. "Life is unfair, and that can't be helped"...however, there are people who die without ever being able to do what they love or what they want to do, and there are also people who die having lived a lucky and happy life. You cannot choose the country or environment you are born into. If you are born into a terrible government, your life choices are further limited. How can you continue to live a satisfying life in this one and only life when you are not blessed with a good environment? This single has the same style and appeal as their previous 4th album, "Amplifying Hatred" (2021). Lathe cut disc, limited to just 50 copies with numbered insert!

MURDEROUS VISION - 'Voided Landscapes' CD (Live Bait Recording Foundation) - £11

Inspired by a visit to Helsinki, "Voided Landscapes" is a bleak journey into the paths of dark industrial and minimal death ambient. Using an arsenal of electronics, field recordings, strings and less conventional items, "Voided Landscapes" is a shifting beast that covers a lot of ground, but stays on a course that will not disappoint long time followers of the project. Features guest appearances by Robert O'Lexa (Vengeance Space Quartet), Pauline Lombardo and Rebecca Potter (both of C*nting Daughters). Ltd x 300 copies in a 6-panel digisleeve with photography by Andy Henry, printed on heavy uncoated retro paper stock.

TEMPLE OV PSYCHIC YOUTH (PSYCHIC TV) - 'Rise' T-Shirt RED - £17
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 - red with black print, or 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)

PHRAGMENTS & NEW RISEN THRONE - 'Between Ecstasy And Death' CD (Winter-Light) - £11.50
PHRAGMENTS & NEW RISEN THRONE - 'Between Ecstasy And Death' LP BLACK (Winter-Light) - £22

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. CD: Ltd x 300 copies in a 6-panel digisleeve. LP: Ltd x 100 copies on black vinyl in a matt-laminate sleeve, including a 210mm x 210mm cover art print on 300g paper.

FALLEN SUN / SACHER-PELZ / THOMAS BEY WILLIAM BAILEY - 'Acousmatomisation' CD (Attenuation Circuit / Grubenwehr Freiburg) - £11.50

For this collaborative album with Malaysian industrial / noise project Fallen Sun and U.S. sound artist Thomas Bey William Bailey, Italian Industrial music overlord Maurizio Bianchi has reactivated his early project name Sacher Pelz. With its 'scientific' approach, the track names which reference physics could come from a Bernard Parmegiani album as well as from techno avantgardists Dopplereffekt / Arpanet. A journey through the interferences of tones (sometimes extreme in their frequency) and noise; sound masses coalesce, solidify, pulsate and drone, eventually disintegrating into particles, which in turn regroup and morph into new structures. "While much of the album uses digital means, there's an odd piece, 'Concrete Absorption', which sounds like old-fashioned industrial music, with rusty tape loops and many stomp boxes. That's an interesting material diversification, but it fits right in, mainly because it's followed by the Merzbowian approach of 'Particle Deterioration'. Maybe this album has more analogue power than I anticipated? A great album" (Vital Weekly). Ltd x 200 copies in a gatefold digisleeve.

THE MIDNIGHT SHADE - 'The Midnight Shade ' MCD (Corvus Records) - £10

The debut of The Midnight Shade, who merge noir jazz with typical elements of atmospheric black metal and blackened doom. The three lengthy pieces (22min) manage to evoke the atmosphere of old noir movies with a more modern and urban feel, typical of big cities. Acoustic and electric guitars are accompanied by bass, Rhodes piano, synths, drums, trumpet, and flugelhorn. Flood-printed, matt-laminate digipak.