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Cindytalk is the mercurial, expressionist outlet of Scottish artist Cinder. An evolution of her early 1980's Edinburgh-based punk band The Freeze, she launched the project upon moving to London, inspired by the crossroads of exploratory UK post-punk and early European industrial. Her work thrives on chance and transformation, collaging elements of noise, balladry, soundtrack, catharsis, and improvisation. After a series of celebrated albums for the Midnight Music label as well as collaborations with This Mortal Coil and Cocteau Twins, Cinder migrated to the United States, becoming involved with various underground techno collectives around the Midwest and West Coast. Subsequent relocations to Hong Kong and Japan further expanded Cindytalk's horizons, resulting in a fruitful partnership with Viennese experimental institution Editions Mego, for whom she released five albums of swooning, granular atmosphere. 2021 finds her as engaged as ever, at the precipice of long-awaited back catalog reissues alongside multiple new works, guided by her lasting love of discovery and deviation: “new pathways always being uncovered.”

Across decades of activity Cinder’s body of work has forever followed its own elusive muse but nowhere is this restless spirit more apparent and ambitious than the 4th Cindytalk LP, Wappinschaw. Conceived as “a call to arms” inspired by Scotland and its struggle for independence, the title refers to an archaic Scottish battle inspection during which clan chieftains surveyed their group's weapons to ensure they were combat ready. A mindset of reflective preparation threads throughout the record, manifested in forms both naked and noisy, ancient and anguished.

Opening with an aching solo vocal rendition of the British folk standard “The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face),” the album then surges into the Cindytalk classic, “A Song Of Changes,” sparkling and spiraling in strange waves of sorrow and joy. From there the mood fragments, tracing asymmetrical paths of feverish dirge, pensive spirituals, noir abstraction, spoken word (landmark Glaswegian writer Alasdair Gray guests on “Wheesht”), bagpipe drone, and apocalyptic post-punk. Given its aggressive eclecticism, it's not surprising that Cinder describes the creation of Wappinschaw as a “precarious” process, composed from “scraps” with abruptly shifting personnel – a situation only compounded by the impending dissolution of their label at the time, Midnight Music.

Lunar Tredd – Fimber Bravo’s first album on Moshi Moshi since the much acclaimed Con-Fusion – tells the tale. The highlife fusion of You Can’t Control Me resonates in the wake of the global Black Lives Matters protests. There is fire in these impactful clarion calls to resist oppression, recognise strength in resilience and fight against the corruption of power.

Bravo’s been a constant collaborative force - as his time as leader of 20th Century Steel Band, as musical director of Steel ‘n’ Skin, and appearances with everyone from Sun Ra Arkestra to Hot Chip, shows. Lunar Tredd reflects the influence of the music handed down to him by “ancestors” . Helped by an enviable cast of friends and collaborators, Fimber has shifted those touchstones to create something that sounds resolutely like the here and now.

Those friends that appear on Lunar Tredd, include Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip and The Horrors’ Tom Furse; The Invisible drummer Leo Taylor and Senegalese percussionist, Mamadou Sarr dropping in on rhythm duties, while there are also appearances from Susumu Mukai aka Zongamin, the brilliant Kora player Kadialy Kouyate, vocalist Cottie Williams, Vanishing Twin’s Catherine Lucas, and production from Lapo Frost and Ghostpoet producer Shuta Shinoda. Some, like Zongamin and Williams go way back with Fimber, other connections are newer, but all have quickly become part of the London-based musician’s musical family.

Indeed, Fimber never loses sight of where he’s come from on LUNAR TREDD - even as he looks to where he might go next. As a musician, he’s still finding new creative peaks nearly 50 years after he began.

Golden Earring were active for 50 years from 1961 until 2021. Their final line-up still included two founding members George Kooymans (vocals and guitar) and Rinus Gerritsen (bass, keyboard) along with Barry Hay (vocals, guitar, flute and saxophone), a member since 1968, and Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums), a member since 1970. They have had over 40 hits and 30 albums, many achieving either gold or platinum status in their home country, The Netherlands. They are best known for their 1973 hit single “Radar Love” and their 1982 single “Twilight Zone”.

To The Hilt was released in 1976 and is considered to be one of their most complex albums. More than half of the songs are over 7 minutes long and musically the songs are very diverse. It is the last record that features Robert Jan Stips on keyboards. This reissue will come with a gatefold sleeve.

The album is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on silver coloured vinyl, and includes an insert.

John Dawson Winter III, better known as Johnny Winter, was an American singer and guitarist. He was best known for his energetic blues rock albums, combined with equally energetic live performances throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. As such, it’s no surprise that he released many live albums. Captured Live! is his second live album, released in 1976 to positive reviews. It features mainly cover songs, including songs by John Lennon, Bobby Womack, Bob Dylan and more. This allows for the focus to shift towards Winter’s impeccable guitar playing skills, backed up by his band.

This LP edition contains an insert with photos and credits.

Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

With the Buena Vista Stars, including Candido Fabre. Based on a true story and filmed in the exotic countryside outside Havana, this remarkable and engaging film will move both your spirit and your feet with its unforgettable passion and intoxicating music. The soundtrack and live performances in the film include some of the legendary Cuban artists who appeared in the box office smash, Buena Vista Social Club.

MAMBO MAN is packed with musical contributions from Cuban legends including; Candido Fabre, Maria Ochoa, Alma Latina, David Alvarez, Arturo Jorge, Omara Portuondo, Eliades Ochoa, Juan De Marcos Gonzalez and the Afro-Cuban All Stars.

REVIEWS Rome Prisma Independent Film Awards

“There is rather the mature and conscious gaze of two authors who want to represent Cuba, and the story of the protagonist, with truth and love. With this awareness, each shot conveys a charm superior to that of a good staging. This film, made with passion, penetrates the audience to the rhythm of music and tells us about a whole, small, precious universe, absorbing its beauty and misery. “Mambo Man” is a bit like Cuba: beautiful, kind and melancholic.”

J.B. Spins, Joe Bendel

“It’s a dynamic, colourful film, with bustling markets, lively clubs, friendly outdoor cafes, and—best of all—a remarkable soundtrack of classic Cuban music, which is a focal point of the film.”

On this deluxe edition vinyl you will find unreleased Johnny Cash recordings recorded at the House Of Cash Studios, Hendersonville, TN in 1974.
Released for the first time !!!

It’s finally here, and what an explosive package it is!

Our beloved Ricky Nelson’s previously unreleased and final “live” concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England that Ricky and his band performed on November 17th, 1985 - along with a very special added extended play record that includes 5 tracks from his final unreleased sessions with Curb Records. This vinyl package is a MUST for anyone who loves to listen to the original rockabilly artists of the 50s in addition to Ricky’s millions of fans and collectors alike.

It’s finally here, and what an explosive package it is!

Our beloved Ricky Nelson’s previously unreleased and final “live” concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England that Ricky and his band performed on November 17th, 1985 - along with a very special added extended play record that includes 5 tracks from his final unreleased sessions with Curb Records. This vinyl package is a MUST for anyone who loves to listen to the original rockabilly artists of the 50s in addition to Ricky’s millions of fans and collectors alike.

hat do you get when you mix about a dozen musicians (including members of The Animals & The Police) with a lot of drugs? An acid psych opus!
What do you get when you package it in a prefab jacket with stock Christmas
art and a festive title? Total confusion! We hypothesize that if you take enough
drugs you may think this private press treasure is a holiday album...but we’re
not so sure.

LIMITED SPLATTER EDITION. The bands fifth and final studio album.
OUT OF PRINT FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

First ever US release of this German chewy pop-psyche goodness so tasty
we included a pack of Glee Gum! Glee is one of the only plastic free gums
on the market. Enjoy your pop bliss!

Ric Robertson is an American original, pulling influences from the greats
that came before, but wholly responsible for building his own
creative universe.
His new full-length record ‘Carolina Child’ is nothing short of an opus, taking
his wealth of musical proclivities from the mountain music of his home state of
North Carolina, all the way to the jazz and funk of his current homebase in New
Orleans and fueling it into a gonzo vision of Americana that is equally innovative as it is simply beautiful to hear.
As a songwriter, Robertson takes his inspiration from the fragility of our inner
lives and the small moments packed with meaning that surround us. This is
John Prine by way of New Orleans, Harry Nilsson in a Nudie suit, a stoned Dr.
John lost in Nashville, Bill Monroe on mushrooms listening to Bessie Smith. It’s
a riot of juxtapositions and a chaos of imagination anchored by Robertson’s
soft, flowing voice, and his uncanny knack for chronicling our lost lives.
‘Carolina Child’ was produced by Dan Molad of Lucius, and features Jess Wolfeand Holly Laessig from Lucius plus a whole host of Robertson’s friends and
picking partners including Dori Freeman, Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers),
and Logan Ledger.
Listening to the album’s ten tracks, it’s clear that Robertson one of the best
kept secrets of Americana is poised for a breakout moment with ‘Carolina
Child’. Step into his boundlessly creative multi-verse and you’ll find nothing
short of American songbook excellence.

- North American version on CLEAR vinyl (2XLP) - Limited DOUBLE 180g Vinyl Edition (500 copies) with obi strip - Rare Dutch studio recordings, one of Art's last sessions before he passed away - Comes with insert/liner notes // Art Blakey (1919-1990) actually needs little introduction, the American Jazz drummer and bandleader made a name for himself in the 1940s & 1950s playing with contemporaries such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. He is often considered to have been Thelonious Monk's most empathetic drummer (he played on both Monk's first recording session in 1947 and his final one in 1971). In the decades that followed Blakey recorded for all THE labels that mattered in the field of jazz (Columbia, Blue Note, Atlantic, RCA, Impulse!, Riverside, Prestige, Verve, etc.). His collaborations were numerous and include working with equally legendary artists such as Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Chet Baker, John Coltrane_.and countless others.Art Blakey was a major figure and a pioneer for modern jazz, he assumed an aggressive swing drumming style early on in his career and is known as one of the inventors of the modern bebop style of drumming. His signature polyrhythmic style was amazing, exuding power and originality, creating a dark cymbal sound punctuated by frequent loud snare and bass drum accents in triplets or cross-rhythms. A loud and domineering drummer_but Blakey also listened and responded to the others in the band. He was an original, an important drummer you'd hear_and would recognize immediately.Art Blakey was inducted into the Downbeat Jazz Hall of Fame (1981), the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame (1991), the Grammy Hall of Fame (1998 and 2001) and was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 2005. He was sampled and remixed by renowned acts such as Raekwon, Black Eyed Peas, A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, Buscemi, KRS-One and Madlib.In the mid-1950s he and Horace Silver formed `The Jazz Messengers': a group that Blakey would perform and record with for the next 35 years. Originally formed as a collective of contemporaries_but over the years the band became known as an incubator for young talent that included artists such as Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton, Chuck Mangione, John Hicks_and MANY others. Art Blakey went on to record dozens of albums with a constantly changing group of Jazz Messengers. Blakey's final performances were in July 1990. He died on October 16 of lung cancer. The legacy of Art Blakey and his band is not only the music they produced, but also the opportunities they provided for several generations of jazz musicians.Released on the legendary Dutch jazz label Timeless Records and one of his final recordings_on the album we are presenting you today (Chippin' In) you'll find ten sublime tracks recorded at Rudy van Gelder's Recording Studio in February 1990. Art Blakey passed away just 8 months after these tracks were cut and you can't hear any signs of him slowing down at all. For these specific recordings, The Jazz Messengers were expanded from its usual quintet or sextet into a septet and they showcase their energetic signature sound with remarkable style, musical knowledge, a dash of good humor and camaraderie you'd expect from a world class band who have entertained, thrilled and amazed for almost five decades. The line-up on these fantastic sessions includes non-other than Essiet Okon, Geoff Keezer, Dale Barlow, Javon Jackson, Frank Lacy, Steve Davis and Brian Lynch_impressive to say the least!Chippin' In sounds as successful, young and vibrant as ever! Expect supercharged hard bop with striking notes, no-holds-barred musicianship, high swinging solos, screaming choruses and plenty of solid virtuosity to spare. This electrifying set of tracks contains both originals and several eclectic versions of standards_making this release a bonafide hit and a must have for any self-respecting jazz fan or collector.

When it comes to smooth jazz vibes with soulful melodies, nobody in the lofi scene can avoid producer Flughand and saxophonist steichi. After a few successful singles, they have now completed another album titled "mandue”.

Billie Eilish has revealed details on her highly anticipated sophomore album. The 16-track studio album, titled Happier Than Ever, will be released via Darkroom/Interscope Records on July, 30 Continuing the tradition on from her multi-GRAMMY Award, record-breaking debut album WHEN WE ALL GO TO SLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, Happier Than Ever features no outside songwriters or producers, and was written by 19-year-old Billie Eilish and her brother FINNEAS who produced the album in Los Angeles.

MAT is proud to announce the forthcoming release of ‘The Side I Never See’, by Hugh Small & Brian Allen Simon. Hugh forms half of Scottish post-punk duo Vazz, whose work was the subject of a recent retrospective by Belgian label Stroom. Brian is known best for his solo project Anenon, under which name he has released four full length albums and multiple remixes for artists including Ryuichi Sakamoto.

An improvised recording of Brian playing over the Vazz piece ‘Kazimierz’ catalysed this long-distance collaboration; 2000 feet up a mountain in Andalucia, Hugh heard the recording on a broadcast of Brian’s dublab LA radio show. Immediately taken in by Brian’s playing, the pair soon established contact and began discussing the possibility of working to create something new together.

The rest, as they say, is history: the results are fully realised in ‘The Side I Never See’, a shimmering suite of ten compositions for piano, soprano saxophone, synthesizer and guitar. In Hughs words… ‘so, what is it? It’s Ambient-Punk, Abstract-Jazz, Disaffected-Classical, it’s whatever the fuck you want it to be!’ :-)

‘The Side I Never See’ will be released on Melody As Truth in early August 2021, as always on vinyl and digital. Mastered by Stephan Mathieu, Artwork by Michael Willis.

This is the first volume of a rare “some other kind of” selection of the best and more iconic tunes inspired by 70s and 80s Cosmic Disco.
The sound of Cosmic Disco is a genuine mixture and influence
from different musical styles: from electro and funky to fusion jazz and Brazilian music, some flavour of Italo Disco, analog synthetizers and African-influenced rythms and sounds. (all spinning around 90-110 bpm) A really ear-opening compilation, which will be served on a
33rpm exclusive purple coloured vinyl, limited and non reprintable number of copies. All tracks have been gently and respectfully mastered, to keep the original mood and deep dynamic. The volume two is already on the way, so stay tuned.

Exclusively on vinyl, The 60s Album brings together some of the biggest and most iconic names of the decade.



A value packed 37 tracks kick off with one of the greatest of all time ‘Good Vibrations’ from The Beach Boys, and continues with solid gold smash hits including ‘House Of The Rising Sun’, ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’, ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’’, the timeless ‘In Dreams’ from Roy Orbison, ‘Blue Velvet’ from Bobby Vinton, and the epic ‘River Deep Mountain High’ by Ike & Tina Turner.

Side B begins with a 6-track salute to the soul female stars and groups of the era - The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, The Ronettes, The Crystals, The Shangri-Las and Lesley Gore are all here, alongside some easy listening from Andy Williams and Julie London, and the cool pop jazz of Astrid Gilberto and The Dave Brubeck Quartet.



The second LP begins with 6 of the most iconic U.S. tracks ever: Simon & Gafunkel’s ‘Mrs Robinson’, and Harry Nilsson’s ‘Everybody’s Talkin’ lead into the peerless ‘Witchita Lineman’ from Glen Campbell, the immaculate ‘California Dreamin’ from The Mamas & The Papas, Scott McKenzie’s ’San Francisco’, and Linda Ronstadt’s defining vocal as part of The Stone Poney’s on ‘Different Drum’. The side is rounded off with 3 of the most atmospheric pieces of music from the 60s… ’A Whiter Shade Of Pale’, ’Nights In White Satin’, and Fleetwood Mac’s stunning ‘Albatross’.

The final side offers up Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Ben E. King and Dusty Springfield as some of the best voices and most soulful performances ever, before some of the greatest pop from Petula Clark, Love Affair and ‘I Got You Babe’ from Sonny & Cher and then it’s left to two of the biggest names in music history to close the album - Bob Dylan, and the incredible ‘In The Ghetto’ from Elvis Presley.



37 of the greatest tracks and artists from an era-defining decade… The 60s Album.

From the slums of Recife in Brazil’s North-East to international jazz icon, Amaro Freitas has worked tirelessly to become the artist he is today. His new album Sankofa - a spiritual quest into the forgotten stories, ancient philosophies and inspirational figures of Black Brazil - is his most stunning and sincere work to date.

• King Tubby was the legendary producer and engineer who pioneered remixing and developed dub as an art form in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Today, he is considered to be one of the most important figures in Jamaican music and his influence can be heard in hip-hop, jungle, garage and dubstep.
• ‘Majestic Dub’ was first released in 1983 on the British reggae label Star. Recorded at King Tubby’s famous Kingston studio, it features performances by legendary reggae session musicians including Sly & Robbie, Noel “Skully” Simms, Uziah “Sticky” Thompson, Jackie Mittoo, Winston Wright, Earl "Chinna" Smith and Willie Lindo
• Demon Records is proud to present the first vinyl reissue of ‘Majestic Dub’, pressed on 140g black vinyl.

LTD Edition inklusive 3 Bonustracks auf Vinyl!

The Cinematic Orchestra haben eine ganz besondere Wiederveröffentlichung ihres Klassikers, „Ma Fleur“aus dem Jahr 2007, angekündigt. Es wird eine limitierte Version auf transparentem Vinyl geben welche drei Songs aus dieser Zeit enthält, die noch nie auf Vinyl veröffentlicht wurden; „Flowers“, „Talking About Freedom“ und „Colours“, und werden mit vier doppelseitigen Kunstkarten/Drucken geliefert: Seinerzeit wurde das Album für seine kühne Abkehr von den klanglichen Traditionen der Gruppe gelobt. In den Jahren seither wurde es kontinuierlich gefeiert, wobei Tracks wie „To Build A Home“ mit über einer halben Milliarde Streams bis heute ein riesiges Publikum erreichten. Die Band hat ausverkaufte Shows in einigen der prestigeträchtigsten Veranstaltungsorte der Welt gespielt, darunter die Royal Albert Hall in London, die Philharmonie de Paris, das Auditorium Parco Della Musica in Rom und das Sydney Opera House, außerdem waren Festivals wie Coachella, Glastonbury, Fuji Rock, Montreux und Sónar allesamt Gastgeber*innen für die beliebten Live-Auftritte der Band. Ihr letztes Album, „To Believe“ aus dem Jahr 2019, debütierte auf einem Karrierehoch auf Platz 19 der offiziellen UK-Album-Charts und war #1 in den UK-Vinyl-Charts.

GRAZ, das Debüt Album von Nils Frahm. Was, wie bitte? Wer den Klaviervisionär und -virtuosen schon einmal im Konzert erlebt hat, wird bereits wissen, dass Nils auch gelegentlich den einen oder anderen Scherz macht, ohne dabei eine Miene zu verziehen. Die Pointe kommt dieses Mal etwas verzögert: Graz ist tatsächlich das erste Studioalbum, das er schon 2009 für das Londoner Label aufgenommen hat. Nur ist dies irgendwie unter Verschluss geblieben - bis jetzt. Nils Frahm hat in aller Ruhe die gesamte Musikwelt auf den Kopf gestellt; er hat die jahrhundertealte Figur des Pianisten-Komponisten neu definiert, sie ins Jetzt überführt - für eine vollkommen neue Generation. Während seine Musik über Mundpropaganda immer mehr Menschen erreichte und in ihren Bann zog, kehrte auch sein Instrument zurück in den Fokus der Popkultur. Eine Entwicklung, die ihn und einige Gleichgesinnte im Jahr 2015 dazu inspirierte, den jährlichen Piano Day ins Leben zu rufen. Einen neuen Feiertag im Kalender, der eine der größten Erfindungen der Menschheitsgeschichte zelebriert. Mit Aufnahmen, die den Menschen und dieses Instrument in den Mittelpunkt rücken. Graz ist so eine Aufnahme. Eine bislang unveröffentlichte Momentaufnahme eines jungen Nils Frahm, mitgeschnitten im Jahr 2009 im Mumuth, dem Haus für Musik und Musiktheater der Kunstuniversität Graz, als Teil der Abschlussarbeit Conversations for Piano and Room, produziert von Thomas Geiger, der dafür im selben Jahr den 1. Preis in der Kategorie Classical Surround Recording der 127. AES Convention in New York in Empfang nehmen durfte. Zwar wurde damals beschlossen, jene Graz-Sessions am Konzertflügel beiseite zu legen, um sich stattdessen auf die gedämpften, ganz intim klingenden Klavierexperimente zu konzentrieren, die dann 2011 auf seinem gefeierten Studioalbum Felt zu hören waren. Jedoch sollten zwei der Kompositionen - und das gilt ganz besonders für Hammers - in seinen Livekonzerten weiterleben und sich erweitern; neu aufgenommen für Spaces, jenes Album, das ihm 2013 endgültig den Durchbruch bescherte. Graz dokumentiert den Moment, der ganz am Anfang jener wortlosen Revolution steht, die Nils in den Jahren danach auslösen sollte. Sein Genie, die Essenz seiner Handschrift ist schon hier zu erkennen: der harmonische Ausdruck der Klassik, die Unmittelbarkeit des Jazz. Es wirkt so, als würde Nils jede Idee für sich aufgreifen, ganz behutsam, nur auf den Moment konzentriert, um auch ja nicht die Muse wieder zu vertreiben.

Private Space, the group's third album, is a previously untapped vibe at the heart of The Indications. Pushing beyond the boundaries of the funk and soul on their previous releases, Private Space unlocks the door to a wider range of sounds and launches boldly into a world of synthy modern soul and disco beats dotted with strings. It's an organic, timeless record that's as fresh as clean kicks and familiar as your favorite well-worn LP. Developed after being apart for much of the year, Private Space is creatively explosive and delights in upending expectations. Its 10 tracks are both an escapist fantasy and a much-needed recentering after a tumultuous 2020. Throughout, The Indications highlight a collective resiliency - as well as the power of a good song to be a light in the darkness. Durand Jones and The Indications have long provided the soulful soundtrack for such deep thoughts, both on stage and on your turntable. But as the world slowly resets from the chaos of the past year, Durand Jones and The Indications' Private Space is arriving at just the right time.

Aufgenommen im Herbst 2020 in den Middle Farm Studios in Großbritannien, markiert "Thirstier" eine Wende zu einem größeren, bombastischeren Sound für TORRES. Die ängstliche Stille, die sich über einen Großteil von Scotts früherer Musik legte, wird in Songs, die für die Feier nach der Seuche zugeschnitten sind, auf den Kopf gestellt. Scott hat das Album zusammen mit Rob Ellis und Peter Miles produziert und dabei auf ihre Erfahrungen mit der Eigenproduktion von "Silver Tongue" zurückgegriffen, um ihre Musik auf eine noch breitere Basis zu stellen. Gitarrengetriebene Soundwände, die an die Arbeit von Produzent Butch Vig mit Garbage und Nirvana erinnern, wogt und zerstreut sich wie die Brandung bei starkem Wind und trägt Scotts souveräne Stimme in den Vordergrund. "Thirstier", der Nachfolger von "Silver Tongue" aus dem Jahr 2020, ist Scotts bisher überschwänglichste und gewagteste Platte, die sie im aufregenden freien Fall zeigt. Das Album revoltiert gegen den grauen Luftzug der Zeit, eine sengende und lebensbejahende Eruption eines Albums, das sich fragt, was passieren könnte, wenn wir einen Weg fänden, unsere Fantasien unerschöpflich zu machen. "Thirstier" sprengt die Grenzen der imaginativen Möglichkeiten.

Available on CD and 180gram heavyweight gatefold LP.
Noura Mint Seymali hails from a Moorish musical dynasty in Mauritania, born into a prominent family of griot and choosing from an early age to embrace the artform that is its lifeblood. Yet traditional pedigree has proven but a stepping-stone for the work Noura and her band have embarked upon in recent years, simultaneously popularizing and reimagining Moorish music on the global stage, taking her family's legacy to new heights as arguably Mauritania's most widely exported musical act of all time.
Arbina is Noura Mint Seymali's second international release. Delving deeper into the wellspring of Moorish roots, as is after all the tried and true way of the griot, the album strengthens her core sound, applying a cohesive aesthetic approach to the reinterpretation of Moorish tradition in contemporary context. The band is heard here in full relief, soaring vocals and guitar at the forefront, the mesmerizing sparkle of the ardine, elemental bass lines and propulsive rhythms swirling together to conjure a 360 degree vibe. Arbina refines a sound that the band has gradually intensified over years of touring, aiming to posit a new genre from Mauritania, distinct unto itself, music of the "Azawan."

Supported by guitarist, husband and fellow griot, Jeiche Ould Chighaly, Seymali's tempestuous voice is answered with electrified counterpoint, his quarter-tone rich guitar phraseology flashing out lightning bolt ideas. Heir to the same music culture as Noura, Jeiche intimates the tidinit's (Moorish lute) leading role under the wedding khaima with the gusto of a rock guitar hero. Bassist Ousmane Touré, who has innovated a singular style of Moorish low-end groove over the course of many years, can be heard on this album with greater force and vigor than ever before. Drummer/producer Matthew Tinari drives the ensemble forward with the agility and precision need to make the beats cut.
Many of the songs on Arbina call out to the divine, asking for grace and protection. "Arbina" is a name for God. The album carries a message about reaching beyond oneself to an infinite spiritual source, while learning to take the finite human actions to necessary to affect reality on earth. The concept of sëbeu, or that which a human can do to take positive action on their destiny, is animated throughout.

Lyrically, the Moorish griot tradition is complex and associative. Poetry is held in a continuum between author and audience in which a singer may draw on disparate sources, selecting individual lines here or there for musicality to form a lyrical patchwork expressing larger ideas via association. A griot may relate her own thoughts and poetry, sing poetry written for and about her by a third party, and transmit lines from one party addressing another in the course of a single song. With this ever-fluid narrative voice, stories are told.

Kim Wilde became an overnight sensation back in 1981 courtesy of the worldwide success of her single ‘Kids In America’, which offered a very British twist on the new wave energy and glamour of Blondie. In due course, Kim would enjoy numerous hits throughout the 1980s, first on RAK Records (with help from father Marty and brother Ricky) and then later on MCA (when she took up songwriting herself and toured with Michael Jackson and David Bowie).

Reissued as an LP for the very first time, “Catch As Catch Can” is pressed on limited edition blue vinyl, remastered from fresh transfers of the original analogue tapes. The original artwork has been faithfully recreated, with the inner sleeve featuring a stunning portrait shot of Kim plus full lyrics.

Wackelkontakt are the trio that currently spearheads the Jerusalem scene, playing music that's precise yet eclectic, cruel and abrasive even when vulnerable. An unholy mixture of trap, industrial, experimental and power electronics. Wackelkontakt have already made a global mark with the sensory overload of their live multimedia performances and the scintillating presence of frontwoman Tomer Damsky AKA MC Slice, backed by Eyal Lally Bitton (electronics, visuals, scenography) and Marco Milevski Tomasin (drums and electronics). Wackelkontakt's wildly eclectic approach, bound by an impossibly consistent sound, is a direct result of the band living a minute away from The Old City's Damascus Gate and recording in the ultra-orthodox neighbourhood of Me'a She'arim; Jerusalem is present in the music, not in the shape of touristic exotica but in a sense of conflict, paranoia and isolation. The lyrics are equally contradictory, schizophrenic and chaotic. Emotional manipulation clashes with a desire to shake and be shaken, to allow oneself to become sucked as far as possible from self-loathing. When self-reflection arises it is bitter, ridiculous, pathetic, interweaving with philosophical texts lifted directly from the likes of Deleuze & Guatarri, Foucault, Artaud, WJT Mitchell and others.

Devin The Dude is back with another classic. At 14 tracks, Soulful Distance plays on the current global scenario and oozes the familiar smooth sounds and cruising music that Devin is best known for. Keeping things local, the album features several notable Houston natives, including Scarface, Slim Thug, Big Pokey, & Lil Keke.

‘Medieval Femme’, Fatima Al Qadiri’s new ten track suite inspired by the classical poems of Arab women, invokes a daydream through the metaphor of an Islamic garden, at the border between depression and desire, where the present temporarily dissolves, leaving only past and future. Mixing neon drones and the faint outlines of Arabesque melody, ‘Medieval Femme’ reveals a fully-realised, dreamlike setting, shaded with colour and subtle friction. Conveying a thematic state of melancholic longing, Fatima seeks to transport the listener to a place of reverie and desolation, to question the line between two seemingly opposite states and rejoice in celestial sorrow. ‘Medieval Femme’ takes instrumentation from music of the Middle Ages, recast in a futuristic setting; soft-synth lutes, organs and pipes reverberate in space while gauzy pulses ripple in response. Fatima's vocals of repeated, mantra-like phrases are sometimes pitched and altered, drawing out increasingly intense peaks, angelic choruses and yearning incantations. On ‘Tasakuba’, Kaltham Jassim’s recitation of a couplet from the 7th century poet Al-Khansa', the sorrow of her words are given a turbulent, hallucinatory setting, before the album resolves on the final song, the limpid, airy ‘Zandaq’.

RECORD STORE DAY 2021 TITLE!!!
Negative approach - Tied down demo - complete session (green vinyl)
Vinyl re-issue - long out of print now available once again on limited collector's green vinyl!!

Previously known for his progressive trance works, van Wyk has spent a lot of his time as of late composing for the film industry. In 2013, his solo output switched to more pastoral forms of neo-classical leaning ambient with his first full-length Days You Remember, before moving into more piano-based composition for Attachment (2016) and Opacity (2017).

Threads does reflect some of his previous ambient works; however, the album shows van Wyk composing music for (and of) current times. There is a much-welcomed underlying beauty to Threads, but there are also threads of anxious- ness and unwavering intensity throughout its forty-minute run-time. It's an engaging listen full of texture where each piece takes you on an engrossingly escapist journey.

Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Sylvia Robinson's super rare soul LP released in 1975 on her Vibration label, part of her All-Platinum/Stang/Turbo empire. A few years later, she would bring hip hop to the international stage producing "Rapper's Delight" in 1979 and "The Message" in 1982. "Sweet Stuff" features several Sylvia cult classics including "Private Performance," "Soul Je T'aime", a cover of Serge Gainsbourg's "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus" and the mellow favourite "Sho Nuff Boogie" recorded with The Moments. As bonus tracks, the release features "Sho Nuff Boogie, Part 2" which only came out as the single's b-side at the time and the long version of "Soul Je T'aime", all packaged in the album's original artwork.

Born and raised in New York, Sylvia Robinson began recording at a young age under the name "Little Sylvia" in the early 1950s. She gained exposure when she teamed up with Mickey Baker scoring a hit in 1956 with "Love Is Strange" as Mickey & Sylvia. She went on to record many singles during the late 50s and 60s before setting up her own label, All Platinum Records in 1966 followed by Stang Records and Vibration. Through these labels, she had several hit records in the 70s as a producer including The Moments' "Love On A Two Way Street" and Shirley & Co's "Shame Shame Shame". ​

Sylvia Robinson continued to record as a solo artist shortening her name as 'Sylvia'. She got a massive hit of her own with "Pillow Talk" in 1973, a song she'd originally penned with Al Green in mind. The song went to nr 3 in the charts and started a string of other hits over the next few years. In 1973 she covered Serge Gainsbourg's 1969 megahit "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus" renaming it here "Soul Je T'aime" and duetting with Fania Records' Latin soul singer Ralfi Pagan. ​

The following year was also busy for the singer and producer with three singles that went to the R&B chart: the Soul Ballad "Alfredo", the Funky "Private Performance" and "Sho Nuff Boogie," sung with The Moments. They are all featured on the album "Sweet Stuff" which was released in 1975. Interestingly the song "Sweet Stuff" notoriously sampled by J Dilla for "Crushin'" doesn't appear on this album even if "Sho Nuff Boogie" sounds very much like a forerunner of the song with its similar languorous pace and almost identical melody. "Sweet Stuff" is packed with other tasty soul songs including "I Can't Help It", "The Notion" and "Love Is The Only Thing."

Four years later in 1979, Sylvia Robinson would make another genius move with the launch of Sugarhill Records and the Sugarhill Gang's single "Rapper's Delight" but that's another chapter of Sylvia Robinson's life. Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue one of her rarest albums from her best 70s period for the first time in decades and make it available on vinyl.