The worlds seems to be falling apart. How fortunate that art and music continue to stand in its way. Here we present and recommend a few recent releases that have particularly impressed, engaged and empowered us:
Shems Bendali “Casbah Qassioun” (Jazz Family)
“Casbah Qassioun” is the new album by French-Algerian Swiss based trumpeter Shems Bendali. We kinda missed this fantastic album from late 2025 and just got reminded by it´s repress nowadays. “Casbah Qassioun” unfolds in a science-fiction universe situated between the Maghreb and the Middle East, inspired by the aesthetic of futuristic comic books. From the silent undulation of the sand to the light filtering through the skyscrapers, he weaves a journey in which every setting transforms into a soundscape. More than a narrative, it is a sonic lore: a unique fictional setting that serves as a backdrop to evocative compositions, at times intimate, at times contemplative. The album features singer Climène Zarkan and oud player Amine Mraihi on a track with Arab-Andalusian influences, coming together in a celestial, unique and powerful creation, rooted in a thousand-year-old tradition.
➜ Listen & buy here.
S. Fidelity “I Guess I’ll Never Learn” (Jakarta Records)
“I Guess I’ll Never Learn” marks the third solo outing for Berlin-based producer S. Fidelity on Jakarta Records, representing his most intricate and conceptually ambitious work to date. Structured into a three-act narrative across thirteen tracks, the album examines the cyclical dynamics of romantic relationships. Synthesizing elements of experimental R&B, neo-soul, and electronic music, the project features a diverse roster of vocalists, including the genre-defying Dawn Richard and UK collaborator Collard. The record highlights S. Fidelity’s evolution as a multidisciplinary artist, blending his signature mantra-like vocal delivery with a sophisticated production style that transcends traditional genre boundaries.
➜ Listen & buy here.
OPEK “TRAFO” (Schallplatten Firma Rec.)
TRAFO is the new album by Cologne-based producer OPEK, and it straddles the genres of spiritual jazz, rare groove, library music and the krautrock-inspired film soundtracks of the 1970s. Rather than a polished studio aesthetic, OPEK opts for the organic sound of a live band – which lends the album a palpable sense of tension, warmth and character. “TRAFO” feels like a musical film without images: hypnotic grooves, cinematic arrangements and, time and again, moments that oscillate between nostalgia, psychedelic openness and an urban night-time atmosphere. On the album, OPEK combines his love for jazz greats such as Wayne Shorter and David Axelrod with a very distinctive, analogue soundscape. “TRAFO” is not a casual listen, but rather a record to be listened to with intention — ideal for those who want to experience jazz not just technically, but atmospherically.
➜ Listen & buy here.
Phantom Horse “Primal Forms” (Umor Rex)
The last album of Berlin based Phantom Horse is six years ago, their new release “Primal Forms” just arrived on Umor Rex. The band have long established a reputation for expertly crafted, kraut-influenced, hypnotically slow-burning electronic music, and we do not hesitate to say that “Primal Forms” stands among the epitomes of their discography. “Primal Forms” is an album in the classic sense. It demands to be listened to in its entirety, which also points to a closer affinity with Krautrock.
➜ Listen & buy here.
Vladislav Delay “vd5” (We Jazz Records)
Vladislav Delay, primarily known as a highly regarded electronic music innovator, steps ahead with his acoustic jazz quintet, releasing “vd5” on We Jazz Records. Vladislav Delay has never fit into any preset mould as an artist. Be it his forward-reaching recent releases as Vladislav Delay on his own Rajaton imprint, his Ripatti alias, or playing metallic percussion with the Moritz Von Oswald Trio, Delay always has A SOUND. And that sound is ever-evolving, as his new jazz album shows. What “Jazz” is this? There are certainly liquid elements there in the mix, not unlike the ones heard on previous vd productions. Then again, this is acoustic quintet music by and large, but not any specific kind we have ever heard before. Isn’t that the whole point of “Jazz”? Whatever came before is a springboard, not a limitation.
➜ Listen & buy here.
