We never miss a chance to shout about Munich’s own Squama Recordings – and guess what, we’re doing it again. The label run by Martin Brugger and Maximilian Schachtner has been releasing fire after fire since its 2019 launch. Every Squama release always pushes the boundaries of music, whether it’s forward‑leaning jazz, experimental producers, classical guitar, indie noise rock or avant-pop. Squama consistently champions musicians from across the musical spectrum. We were introduced to Berlin-based dream rock outfit Roomer last year through their debut album ‘Leaving It All to Chance’. The trio returns with ‘Written By ‘, the first song since the album. The song is pure first take. Ludwig played the chords, they hit record, and Ronja improvised the vocal in one pass – lyrics, melody, everything. This track is a must listen!

If you want more proof of just how good Squama Recordings is and how no two records in their catalogue sound alike, check out the new track from Damian Dalla Torre. The Leipzig-based multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer returns to the label that released his 2022 debut Happy Floating, and its follow-up I Can Feel My Dreams.  A world away from the dream rock jam of labelmates Roomer, his new track ‘Longitude’ drifts through guitar, woodwinds, subtle electronics, and field recordings. ‘Longitude’ is offered as the lead single from Torre’s forthcoming People Pleaser album, out June 12th.

Our love for Squama continues. ‘Knees, Hands, Shoulders, Teeth’ is the first track to surface from Martin Brugger‘s long-awaited second album, The Sheel, and it’s a lovely lo-fi folk number. At its core is an old nylon‑string guitar his grandmother gifted him years back, woven together with a looped tabla snippet recorded at an intimate Brooklyn sleepover show. Graceful in its execution, the song lands as an absolute delight.

French-born, London-based composer and musician Pascal Bideau, aka Akusmi, announces his second full-length ‘Terra Incognita’, an album of intrepid sonic exploration that delights in the sensation of being somewhere you’ve never been before. Woven together with contributions from tabla virtuoso Sarathy Korwar, Senegalese musician Dudú Kouate and Levitation Orchesta’s Marysia Osu. The album finds Akusmi balancing global and spiritual jazz with life-affirming minimalism. Get a little taste below.

With the wonderful single Dune whetting my appetite for more of their jazz-inflected Americana sound, the debut collaborative release fromSpencer Zahn and Will Graefe was an album I really needed to check out. If you like your music instrumental, with plenty of 12-string guitar and fretless bass, then this will likely be up your street. It is delicate and sprawling as the music requires. The record is the debut release from Zahn’s newly launched instrumental label, Sudden Quarterly. A collaboration between Booker Stardrum and Evan Shornstein is the label’s next release.