New/Sealed
Amped Exclusive
ROCK
UPC: 349223018813
Release Date: 4/10/2026
 
Big Crown Records is proud to present the sophomore full-length from Les Imprimes, Fading Forward. Spearheaded by self taught multi-instrumentalist and producer Morten Martens, this album explores mortality, escapism, and a myriad of experiences associated with love. Martens made a tremendous impression with his highly acclaimed 2023 debut Rêverie and has since cultivated a diehard fanbase whose demographics are as wide-ranging as the influences that shape his music. He mixes tones from ‘60s and ‘70s Soul with arrangement nods to Doo-Wop records, takes drum energy from Hip-Hop, and covers the whole thing with vocal stylings from ‘90s & 2000s Alternative. But it is Martens’ lyrics, emotion, and delivery that truly bring everything together and help him stand out from his peers. There’s an infectiousness and pop sensibility in the writing that is executed with utmost class and taste, giving Les Imprimés the rare quality of immediate attraction that only deepens the more you listen.Hailing from Kristiansand, Norway, Martens plays nearly every instrument on Fading Forward, produces and arranges the album, and of course sings. "It's soul music, but I don't exactly have the soul voice," Morten explains humbly. "But I do it my own way, in a way that's mine." Album opener “You & I” is Morten's homage to his partner who sticks it out “through the chaos and the blunders” with him. Punchy drums and cascading pianos make this one a proper two-stepper and an anthem for those lucky enough to find someone who understands them and helps in the parts of life they need it. “Again & Again” slows the pace and deals with the heavier side of love & life as Martens professes his resilience through the mishaps, the heartbreak, and the let downs of love affairs gone wrong. “Untainted Love” brings the sweet side of new love center stage with a tune that plays on the title of the Gloria Jones classic. “Get Lost” leans into the metaphysical with an invitation to leave reality behind and spend time with Les Imprimés, where there’s room to dream. “Only Love” is built over a gritty drum break with a chorus that is simple yet profound, and the arrangement gives it the energy of a mantra. They turn to the dancefloor on “With You,” an uptempo, uplifting tune about a fleeting encounter that leaves you pining for more. Martens longs for her, but joyfully, as if just remembering such a connection is possible is what he really needed. Martens is joined by guest vocalist Ama Li on “Miss The Days,” a slow burning ballad that reckons back to simpler times when love was in a better place. Fading Forward closes on a wholly somber note with “Paradise”, a tune that wishes freedom and peace to a friend who passed away. In the small town of Kristanland, Norway there is a huge talent who spent most of his life laying low and playing the background. Signing to New York’s Big Crown Records inspired Morten Martens to start sharing his own music. The response to his debut Rêverie pushed him right out of the studio and onto the stage and all of this has served as inspiration to push his artistry to new heights. New heights that are on full display on Fading Forward.
 
Antonio Carlos & Jocafi, the legendary duo from Bahia whose music has embodied the soul of Brasil for over five decades, return with a bold new collaboration: Jazz Is Dead 026. Introduced to Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad by Beto Barreto of Baiana System, the meeting was instant magic. "The first time we met, it was like family," they recall. That kinship led Younge and Muhammad to invite the duo to Los Angeles, where they carried a handful of ideas and created new songs on the spot-an intuitive, improvisatory process that defines the Jazz Is Dead ethos.
 
The story of Antonio Carlos & Jocafi begins in Salvador at the close of the 1960s, when the pair first joined forces as composers and performers. In 1971, their debut album Muita Zorra! Introduced Brasil to a sound that was both rooted in Bahia's folk traditions and attuned to the modern pulse of samba, funk, and MPB. From that record came Você Abusou, an anthem that became one of the most recorded songs in the history of Brasilian popular music. The duo quickly distinguished themselves through their ability to channel the everyday life, humor, and struggles of Bahia into universal songs that resonated across the country and beyond. Through the 1970s and 1980s, Antônio Carlos & Jocafi wrote and recorded music that blended the sacred and the profane, Afro-Brasilian traditions and urban funk, biting satire and joyous celebration. Their compositions were picked up by some of the greatest voices of their generation: Clara Nunes, Gal Costa, Maria Creuza, and Sérgio Mendes among them. They also contributed to television and cinema, writing theme songs that became part of Brasil's cultural fabric. Despite their success, they remained deeply tied to Bahia, drawing constant inspiration from Salvador's streets, the Mercado Modelo, the rhythms of candomblé, and the irreverent humor of the people. Now, with Jazz Is Dead 026, Antônio Carlos & Jocafi reaffirm their creative vitality while introducing their timeless Bahian spirit to a new generation. "Adrian's love for Brasil is greater than that of many Brasilians," they say, noting how deeply he listens, studies, and channels the rhythms, stories, and feelings of their culture. The result is an album that bridges Salvador's Mercado Modelo with the global stage, weaving Bahia's folkloric traditions into Jazz Is Dead's analog soul. This collaboration stands not only as a continuation of their journey but also as a testament to the enduring power of Bahia's music-a sound that carries history, resistance, and joy in every beat. From Você Abusou to Jazz Is Dead 026, Antônio Carlos & Jocafi remain essential voices in the evolving story of Brasilian music.