diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 2a05fdbe..7991c796 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -12,90 +12,117 @@ env:
   miniforge_variant: "Mambaforge"
 
 jobs:
-  build_sdist:
-    name: Build sdist
+  release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - name: Set up Python 3.8
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
       - name: Build distribution
         run: |
+          # set version from '${{ github.ref_name }}'
+          export RELEASE_VERSION=${{ github.ref_name }}
           pip install numpy cython
-          pipx run build --sdist
+          python setup.py sdist
 
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: cibw-sdist
-          path: dist/*.tar.gz
-
-  # adapted from 
-  # https://github.com/pypa/cibuildwheel/blob/main/examples/github-deploy.yml
-  build_wheels:
-    name: Build wheels (py ${{ matrix.pyver }}) ${{ matrix.os }}
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
-    strategy:
-      matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-13, macos-14]
-        pyver: ["37", "38", "39", "310", "311", "312"]
-
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Install Python packaging tools
-        run: |
-          pip install numpy cython
-          python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
-
-      - name: Build wheels (py ${{ matrix.pyver }}) Linux
-        if: matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest' 
-        env:
-          CIBW_ARCHS_LINUX: "x86_64 aarch64"
-          CIBW_SKIP: "*-musllinux*"
-          CIBW_BUILD: "cp${{ matrix.pyver }}-*"
-
-        uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.17.0
-      
-      - name: Build wheels (py ${{ matrix.pyver }}) MacOS
-        if: matrix.os == 'macos-latest'
-        env:
-          CIBW_ARCHS_MACOS: "x86_64 arm64 universal2"
-          CIBW_BUILD: "cp${{ matrix.pyver }}-*"
-
-        uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.17.0
-
-      - name: Build wheels (py ${{ matrix.pyver }}) Windows
-        if: matrix.os == 'windows-latest'
-        env:
-          CIBW_ARCHS_WINDOWS: "amd64 win32"
-          CIBW_BUILD: "cp${{ matrix.pyver }}-*"
-
-        uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.17.0
-
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: cibw-wheels-${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.pyver }}-${{ strategy.job-index }}
-          path: ./wheelhouse/*.whl
-
-  release:
-    needs: [build_wheels, build_sdist]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    environment: pypi
-    permissions:
-      id-token: write
-
-    if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'published'
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: cibw-*
-          path: dist
-          merge-multiple: true
-      
-      - name: Check artifacts
-        run: ls -lrt dist/
-
-      - name: Publish Distribution
-        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@v1.5.0
+      - name: Publish a Python distribution to PyPI
+        if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'published'
+        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@release/v1
         with:
           user: __token__
           password: ${{ secrets.PYPI_API_TOKEN }}
+
+# wheels are not working
+# cutting them out did not "just" work
+# getting a release out right now is more important than
+# precompiled builds.
+  #jobs:
+  #  build_sdist:
+  #    name: Build sdist
+  #    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  #    steps:
+  #      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  #
+  #      - name: Build distribution
+  #        run: |
+  #          pip install numpy cython
+  #          pipx run build --sdist
+  #
+  #      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+  #        with:
+  #          name: cibw-sdist
+  #          path: dist/*.tar.gz
+  #
+  #  # adapted from 
+  #  # https://github.com/pypa/cibuildwheel/blob/main/examples/github-deploy.yml
+  #  build_wheels:
+  #    name: Build wheels (py ${{ matrix.pyver }}) ${{ matrix.os }}
+  #    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+  #    strategy:
+  #      matrix:
+  #        os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-13, macos-14]
+  #        pyver: ["37", "38", "39", "310", "311", "312"]
+  #
+  #    steps:
+  #      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  #
+  #      - name: Install Python packaging tools
+  #        run: |
+  #          pip install numpy cython
+  #          python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+  #
+  #      - name: Build wheels (py ${{ matrix.pyver }}) Linux
+  #        if: matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest' 
+  #        env:
+  #          CIBW_ARCHS_LINUX: "x86_64 aarch64"
+  #          CIBW_SKIP: "*-musllinux*"
+  #          CIBW_BUILD: "cp${{ matrix.pyver }}-*"
+  #
+  #        uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.17.0
+  #      
+  #      - name: Build wheels (py ${{ matrix.pyver }}) MacOS
+  #        if: matrix.os == 'macos-latest'
+  #        env:
+  #          CIBW_ARCHS_MACOS: "x86_64 arm64 universal2"
+  #          CIBW_BUILD: "cp${{ matrix.pyver }}-*"
+  #
+  #        uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.17.0
+  #
+  #      - name: Build wheels (py ${{ matrix.pyver }}) Windows
+  #        if: matrix.os == 'windows-latest'
+  #        env:
+  #          CIBW_ARCHS_WINDOWS: "amd64 win32"
+  #          CIBW_BUILD: "cp${{ matrix.pyver }}-*"
+  #
+  #        uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.17.0
+  #
+  #      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+  #        with:
+  #          name: cibw-wheels-${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.pyver }}-${{ strategy.job-index }}
+  #          path: ./wheelhouse/*.whl
+  #
+  #  release:
+  #    needs: [build_wheels, build_sdist]
+  #    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  #    environment: pypi
+  #    permissions:
+  #      id-token: write
+  #
+  #    if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'published'
+  #    steps:
+  #      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+  #        with:
+  #          name: cibw-*
+  #          path: dist
+  #          merge-multiple: true
+  #      
+  #      - name: Check artifacts
+  #        run: ls -lrt dist/
+  #
+  #      - name: Publish Distribution
+  #        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@v1.5.0
+  #        with:
+  #          user: __token__
+  #          password: ${{ secrets.PYPI_API_TOKEN }}