Record of the Week
Dina Ögon's first release in a year and a half, is a melancholic blast-off. We're thrown into a story in media res, the moment a stagnant relationship falls to pieces. Anna Ahnlund's voice has never sounded this ambivalent before, and the lyrics have never been so fantastically bittersweet. While the lyrics capture a relationship in decay and regrowth, and games of give and take, Dina Ögon's music is taking a new direction. The innocent playfulness that emerged in the soundscapes of their debut, their follow-up has been refined with layers of experience. Dina Ögon is back.
A new, fourth album titled "Människobarn" (Children of Man) will be released on February 6, 2026. This upcoming album is without a doubt Dina Ögon's most magnificent. Even if it was only judged by the amount of music, the case would be clear; while their previous albums held back and left listeners wanting more, this is the first time they've truly gone all out with more songs than ever before. This is hardly in vain, as the quartet dares to explore new ideas and expressions like never before. Vinyl enthusiasts can look forward to what, by the laws of physics, must be released as a double album, but what does that mean in the digital space?
It means Dina Ögon is asking for more attention than they have before, and rightfully so. Expect a fuller, more distinct sound. The band has settled into a more confident and unique sound of their own.
%20-%20Good%20News.jpg)
Berlin-based duo Modha continue their journey toward the release of their second full-length album 'At Your Pace' with the release of the third single, “Good News” - a warm, soul-soaked collaboration with Naarm/Melbourne vocalist, producer and songwriter Allysha Joy (30/70).
Driven by laid-back percussion, velvet horn lines and Rhodes chords that feel like sunlight through curtains, “Good News” shows Modha at their most open and emotionally generous. Joy ’s voice — raw, intimate, and unmistakably her own — wraps itself around the groove with a kind of quiet urgency, turning the track into a kind of prayer for light amidst the grey. Allysha Joy is one of the most distinctive voices in modern soul and jazz. Known for her work with Melbourne collective 30/70 and her solo releases on Gondwana Records, First Word and BBE, she brings depth and clarity to everything she touches — and “Good News” is no exception.
As with all of At Your Pace, the track is built on Modha’s core philosophy: slow down, listen closely, embrace imperfection. The song was recorded between Berlin and Limburg with Modha’s close circle of collaborators, including Shanice Ruby Bennett (bass), Käthe Johanning (Rhodes), Fabiano Lima (percussion), Konstantin Döben (horns), and Tim Sensbach (guitar). The result is a track that feels both loose and precise — rooted in groove, but built for introspection.
“Good News” follows previous singles "River (feat. Àbáse & Fanni Zahár)" and "Find Me (Underneath the Sun) (feat. okcandice)", and gives a final glimpse into the emotional and musical terrain of Modha’s upcoming album At Your Pace — out March 13th, 2026 via Sonar Kollektiv.
In May 2021, the world lost musician, producer, composer and bandleader, Nick Page, aka Count Dubulah. Having worked on 200 plus albums and singles during his illustrious career, Nick Page was also working on a new collection of songs in his last few months.
These last recordings of Nick Page with Dub Colossus, the project Nick founded in 2008, are being released through Real World X in spring 2026 as a special album from one of the founding fathers of the dub global music scene.
“‘Dub Will Keep Us Together’ was co-produced by Nick Page, Toby Mills and Nick’s life partner, Cristina Moran aka Dubulette. It reflects on collective understanding as a resistance to the global forces shaping our societies, — a shared struggle for justice, bound together by love. Themes of unification, diversity and cultural inclusivity permeate the album’s vocals and timeless rhythms.
As Dubulette describes the completion of the album seemed the best way to honour his life, his work and musical family,
“We were remembering the good times touring with Dub Colossus and how Nick was an easy and open-minded band leader...as Nick used to say for the love of music. We all miss him in different ways and intensities, and this is dedicated to his life, our lives shared with him. “
The power of creating atmospheric global fusion outside the confines of borders will always be part of Nick’s musical legacy. Exciting rhythms fuse with traditional sounds, dub sirens and striking warm vocals to re-create the Dub Colossus sounds. Nick Page’s signature humour pervades the album as on “24 Carat Dub Affair” and “And The Gods Made Dub”.
Original singers and musical heavyweights from Nick’s collective Dub Colossus feature on ‘Dub Will Keep Up Together’ such as the incredible Ethiopian vocalist Mimi Zenebe, London saxophonist and flautist, Ben Somers, and British ground-breaking percussionist, Paul Chivers.
Great musical friends join bassist and percussionist Toby Mills and Nick Page on ‘Dub Will Keep Us Together’. These include global fusion giants Transglobal Underground’s Tim Whelan on keyboards, Hamid Mantu on drums.
Guest vocalist spots including leading London Latino vocalist Holly Holden, George Riley, Mykaell Riley and Amara & Ollie Mills. Dubulette also features as a guest vocalist and as co-producer with Nick Page and Toby Mills, says this of the project,
“This is an eclectic album with some new members alongside some of the old ones. Mimi from Ethiopia is back, and like her country, it’s a compendium of different rhythms and influences, showing the path the band has taken since its beginnings in 2008. ‘Dub Will Keep Us Together’’ talks of the understanding of the collective as the counteraction to international events which are shaping our societies and minds, a fight for justice. Love will keep us together.”
Co- producer Toby Mills says of the album:
“Of course, there is playfulness and puns, but there is a reflection on the times we live in: the world seems to be spinning out of control, and those with evil intent are on the rise. But we mustn’t give up hope (keep the faith, chuck!). Humanity is not doomed, but we must stand up and fight for what is right.
Climate change. Inequality rising exponentially. Wars are on the rise. Corruption is rife, and capitalism seems to be failing us. It can feel overwhelming, that we are on a bad path, but it can be turned around. In a fast-changing world, we need more dub.”
Real World Records has been the sonic home for many of Nicks recordings since ‘Temple Of Sound & Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali - Peoples Colony No 1’ in 2001. A generation of releases included ‘Dub Colossus - A Town Called Addis’ (2008), ‘Syriana - The Road To Damascus’ (2010), ‘Dub Colossus - Addis Through The Looking Glass’ (2011) and ‘Dub Colossus - Dub Me Tender, Vol1 & 2’ in 2012. The last release on Real World was the 2018 EP ‘A Spy In The House Of Dub’ and now in 2026, ‘Dub Will Keep Us Together’ will be the last recording for Dub Colossus with Nick Page.
Throughout his life, Nick Page was known for uniting musicians and singers from across the globe to produce timeless world-class global fusion. ‘Dub Will Keep Us Together’ is his last indelible musical stamp on the world, produced with friends from across great cultural divides to create music sans borders.
The first single 'We Stand' releases on the 16th January 2026. The album, 'Dub Will Keep Us Together’ will be released through Real World X on March 6th, 2026.
As the album’s opener states, “Dub Conquers All”.
Strut proudly presents the new single from Momoko Gill, ahead of her debut album dropping on 13th February 2026.
Heavy (released 15th January 2026) is a lush, harmonic arrangement from the drummer, producer and songwriter. Here her vocals take centre stage, with her jazz-leaning electronic production style making space for beautifully meandering harmonies alongside Tamar Osborn's intricate flute flourishes & Marysia Osu's rich harp additions. Dedicated to Momoko's friend Matt Gordon (AKA Pie Eye Collective) the track began as an attempt to encapsulate the gratitude she feels towards the people in her life who allow her to feel such a way whilst still showing her love. In Momoko’s own words: “Once I finished the song, every time I played it I felt Matt’s presence and always had tears welling up in my eyes. The consistency of that actually surprised me. I didn’t know it when I was writing it but this song was always for Matt. Maybe he was writing it with me. It allows me to feel both my grief in losing him and a deep gratitude for the times we shared together.”
Alongside Heavy, Momoko announces her debut full-band headline show at London’s Jazz Cafe on 13th February as well as instore dates at London’s Rough Trade East & Banquet Records on the 14th and 18th Feb respectively.
Momoko has long been one of the UK electronic and jazz scene’s best-kept secrets. A self-taught drummer, producer, songwriter, and vocalist, she has brought her unique touch to collaborations with Alabaster DePlume, Matthew Herbert, Coby Sey, Tirzah, and Nadeem Din-Gabisi (her musical foil in An Alien Called Harmony). Extensive touring behind the drum kit, at the keys and in front of the mic have honed her compositional and production instincts.
The upcoming album’s eleven tracks take in a wide spectrum with the harmony-drenched, reflective Heavy contrasting with the dark, confrontational sound of Shadowboxing leading into an eerie left-field instrumental beat, Test A Small Area. It is a deeply personal and poetic recording and showcases the full uncompromising range of Momoko’s vision, presented in her own voice.
Momoko is set for release on 13th February 2026 on Vinyl LP, Digital & CD. The album was produced by Momoko Gill, recorded at Total Refreshment Centre, mixed by Matthew Herbert and mastered by Alex Gordon at Abbey Road Studios.
Nettle DJ teams up with African-born, Australia-based hit-maker Audius on “Ndaterera”, a powerful Afro House anthem driven by energy, melody, and commanding rhythm. Blending Audius’ vocal-led Afro House style with Nettle DJ’s bold and enigmatic production, the track delivers an immersive groove built for peak-time moments. With over 20 years of experience and millions of units sold and streams worldwide behind Audius, this collaboration brings together depth, impact, and dancefloor-ready intensity, making “Ndaterera” a standout release designed to move crowds.
Kyra - Feeling Blue
West London singer-songwriter Kyra returns with her latest single ‘Feeling Blue, out 29th January 2026 via Yellow Car Recordings. The track marks Kyra’s first release of 2026 and the third instalment of a five-single run, following the release of Strong Ones and Need a Moment — continuing on her path of exploring the emotional complexities of womanhood through a soulful jazz lens.
Produced by James Berkeley and co-written with Lizzie Berchie, Feeling Blue is a jazz-infused ballad with a cinematic, late night feel – drawing subtle inspiration from classic movie soundtracks and timeless jazz story telling. Built around lush instrumentation and Kyra’s unmistakably powerful vocal delivery, the track captures a moment of self-reflection, vulnerability and release. Lyrically, Feeling Blue explores what it means to lose touch with yourself – emotionally, mentally and physically. All whilst navigating womanhood.
“Feeling Blue was birthed after my second child,” Kyra explains. “When I was in the throes of postpartum depression, rediscovering myself and exploring what womanhood meant and if it even existed. There was a duality of self – who I needed to be and who I was, of which grief and acceptance came with that. I was a nurturer, I didn’t feel sexy. I felt useful. It’s a reclamation of self and an exploration into a topic so many women experience but don’t often have the outlet to explore.”
With reflective moments of quiet introspection, Kyra reclaims confidence and sensuality. Confronting the neglect of self that can take a hold over time. Feeling Blue is a song about remembering who you are, even when you feel disconnected from that version of yourself.
Feeling Blue follows an exceptional period of live growth for Kyra. Since the release of her EP as things grow, she has taken to stages across the UK and beyond, including a five-city tour with Elli Ingram, a multi appearance at Global Soul’s Showcase Special at KOKO, and her first sold-out headline show in early 2024. That same year, Kyra showcased at SXSW with Jazz re:freshed Outernational, became the face of Jazz Re:fest at the Southbank Centre, and was invited to perform as a guest vocalist for Jazz Voice, the opening gala for the EFG London Jazz Festival 2024, before closing the year with her own LJF headline show at The Lower Third. In late 2025, Kyra a sold out her headline show for the Royal Albert Hall’s Late Night Jazz series, further cementing her place within the UK’s contemporary jazz and soul landscape.
This new era sees Kyra exploring the many layers of womanhood and continuing to open up honest conversations around the emotional weight women carry. Feeling Blue stands as a moment of pause within that journey: reflective, cinematic and deeply human.
Ilhan Ersahin's Istanbul Sessions announce their highly anticipated sixth studio album,"Mahalle," set for release January 16, 2026 via Nublu Records. The new work represents the band's most cinematic offering yet, guiding listeners through a sonic exploration of Istanbul's diverse neighborhoods where tradition meets innovation and the ancient pulse of the city merges with contemporary rhythms.
Frontman Ilhan Ersahin, one of the rare moguls of the New York City underground scene through his influential club and record label Nublu, has spread his New York energy throughout the world. Whether jamming with The Red Hot Chili Peppers in São Paulo, featuring Bugge Wesseltoft at Blue Note Tokyo, or performing elegant oriental sets with Turkish gypsies in European concert halls, Ersahin continues to transcend musical boundaries with masterful eclecticism.
"Mahalle"– the Turkish word for neighborhood – captures the essence of Istanbul Sessions' genre-crossing artistry. Since 2008, the band has ignited stages across the globe from New York to Istanbul, Paris to São Paulo, London to Skopje, posing questions that challenge musical categorization: Is this really jazz? Doesn't this sound like a rock band? Their electrifying performances represent master-level musicianship meeting high eclecticism, where the often-clichéd "east-to-west crossover" finds its true sense and power.
The album unfolds as a carefully orchestrated cinematic journey. Album pre-orders launch October 3rd via Bandcamp Friday, accompanied by "Galata," the first glimpse into this new musical territory. A phased release strategy follows with digital 45 series beginning October 14th with "Galata/Karaköy" capturing the essence of Istanbul's historic districts where the Golden Horn separates ancient and modern.
Founded by saxophonist/club owner Ilhan Ersahin, Istanbul Sessions represent a unique fusion of New York's underground jazz scene with Turkish musical traditions. The band's cinematic approach to genre-crossing music has established them as one of the most innovative acts in contemporary jazz, world music, and electronic fusion.
'Never The Same' is a jazz-tinged modern mid-tempo disco cut, taken from lovetempo's forthcoming self-released debut album 'There Is A Light', out April 17th 2026.
Written and co-produced with Dougie Stu (of the psychedelic pop dance duo Brijean), 'Never The Same' twists club music into jazzy shapes, capturing the spiraling disorientation of trying to return to something you’ve outgrown. Slow, grooving electronic drums, a bouncy twisted piano riff, and swirling synth textures evoke a sense of loss and transformation, giving voice to the emotional clarity that often follows a difficult goodbye.
lovetempo is the project of Brooklyn-based musician Mattie Safer (Poolside, The Rapture). His debut full-length album, 'There Is A Light', is a deeply personal journey through heartbreak, self-doubt, and hard-won optimism. Introduced by the singles “The Right Way” and “Wanna Be With You,” the album continues to unfold with forthcoming tracks “Never The Same,” “Thinking About You,” and “By Your Side”. Blending soul, disco, house, and jazz-funk, lovetempo makes emotionally resonant dance music rooted in vulnerability, groove, and hope.
Barry Can’t Swim – one of the most exciting electronic artists in the world – is set to be the latest artist to curate a Late Night Tales compilation.
The release marks Late Night Tales’ first mix in over five years, and kicks off the series’ 25th anniversary year. This 20-track mix showcases Barry’s wider musical tastes and influences, fitting for both on and off the dancefloor. From house classics like Lance DeSardi’s ‘Power of Suggestion’ and Daniel Avery’s remix of Factory Floor, to the abstract grooves of Freddie Da Stupid or Ronald Langestraat’s leftfield reading of Boz Scaggs’ ’70s smash ‘Lowdown’. Elsewhere, atmospheric and emotionally rich selections such as This Mortal Coil’s ‘The Lacemaker’ and Magic Spirit Quartet’s delicately beautiful ‘Annabi’ deepen the narrative arc of the compilation.
Barry also shares an exclusive reworking of Felt’s 1986 obscurity ‘Ferdinand Magellan’, alongside an edit of Superpitcher’s ‘Yves’, nodding to the classic Late Night Tales tradition of bespoke reinterpretations. His own unreleased material appears too - ‘Sometimes I Feel So Alone’, originally written for his debut album, and lead single ‘Chala (My Soul Is On A Loop)’, released today on Ninja Tune / Late Night Tales. We also hear exclusive tracks from producer O’Flynn, one of Barry’s closest friends, and the closing track ‘Ultrasound (Exclusive Spoken Word)’ by poet and longtime collaborator Seamus, who features on Barry’s Loner album. Throughout, Barry’s eclectic tastes are woven into a seamless, expertly curated journey.
“I was absolutely buzzing when I got asked to do Late Night Tales. Over the moon,” Barry commented. “It was such a significant thing for me. It’s a series that works consistently with really great artists, so it felt like a massive privilege to even be considered to be among the kind of people that Late Night Tales typically works with.”
“I have this Spotify playlist that’s called Barry Can’t Curate. I’d always put electronic music and different things in there that maybe I wouldn’t get to play in DJ sets,” he continues. “Late Night Tales is in the same world really - another place where you can share the music you love, but not necessarily music you’d play on a dancefloor.”
Born and raised in Edinburgh, Barry Can’t Swim (Joshua Mainnie) developed his early relationship with music learning piano and playing in local bands, before club culture drew him into electronic music and the bedroom studio. That breadth of background underpins a Late Night Tales mix that brings together disparate styles and makes them feel like a coherent narrative - a hallmark of the series, and a skill Barry demonstrates with confidence and flair.
Barry’s latest album Loner, released in July 2025 on Ninja Tune, hit the UK Top 10 and reached number one on the Dance Chart. Last summer, Barry cemented his position as one of the most singular voices in electronic music with a sold-out headline performance at All Points East, followed by a huge Barry Can’t Swim Curates Warehouse Project show, filmed by BBC Radio 1 for their legendary Essential Mix series. In 2024, he won BBC Radio 1’s Best Dance Act, and was also nominated in the category at the BRIT Awards.