2023 marks the 25th anniversary of Zum as a proper record label. Zum Audio Vol 5 is a double CD format, necessitated by the 2:20 runtime of these tracks. The latest iteration of the comp not only features legacy Zum artists GROWING, The Intima, P:ano, Giardini di Mirò (collaborating with SunnO)))'s Daniel O'Sullivan), My Heart, an Inverted Flame, Somnambulists, and Davey Harms (fka Mincemeat Or Tenspeed); it also has new configurations by old pals like Exotic Gardens (Aaron Coyes of Peaking Lights), Curse All Kings (Rob Fisk of 7 Year Rabbit Cycle and Common Eider, King Eider), Jonathan Snipes (of Captain Ahab and clipping.), Second Dinner (Colin Langenus from USA IS A MONSTER), Paul Costuros (Total Shutdown, Death Sentence: Panda!) in a duo with Marshall Trammell (Black Spirituals, Music Research Strategies), Pulitzer Prize winning composer Raven Chacon in a duo with Chicago activist/writer/musician Mark Trecka, Adam Hervey’s (Pehr Records, Timonium) instrumental rock quartet Eucalyptus, Portland ambient vet Marcus Fischer, and Kevin Gan Yuen of Sutekh Hexen debuting his project EERIÆRMOR.

The new blood includes Las Vegas warped synth punk purveyors Spring Breeding, Oakland dirge metal trio KIM, spastic hardcore from Trough, power pop post-punk of Baus, synth workout from Left Hand Path label founder Nihar Bhatt, dance punk remix by Low Praise, noise rock jam by Saigon’s Rắn Cạp Đuôi, and a beatific cosmic Americana contribution from Aux Meadows.

Cover artwork and packaging for this compilation was executed by Robert Beatty who has created iconic covers for Oneohtrix Point Never, Oh Sees, Kesha, and his own project Three Legged Race.