Suche:af

Basing himself off the works of Cuban guitarist-composers José Angel Navarro and Hector Angulo, Italian guitarist Walter Zanetti intimately recreates sacred Afro-Cuban batá drum songs on guitar. The 15-track album of new recordings from Zanetti brings together six original compositions by Navarro dictated to the Italian guitarist on a month-long trip to Cuba andreinterpretations of Angulo"s nine original Cantos Yorubade Cuba, which give the record its name.

Formed in the late 1990s after a residency at Silver Lake, California’s iconic Spaceland club, Tsar burst onto the music scene with their eponymous debut album on Hollywood Records in 2000. Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls, My Chemical Romance) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge (Bruce Springsteen, U2, Madonna), the album was an immediate critical sensation, even winning two awards from L.A.’s New Times magazine.

The Crippled Flower was a post-punk band from Düsseldorf - and they arrived late. However, unlike many young, unsuspecting, hairsprayed hopefuls from that time, in 1985 they could sense that the end of their era was approaching. They knew too much to want to take the world by storm. They were four individualists searching their own way. Each of the band members only found their calling after the time that they had spent together – but that's exactly what makes The Crippled Flower still seem really interesting today, this static energy that does not discharge, but is simply there.

Searching dreamers should sound like that and that's what they were. Singer Phil Elston, for example, had brought his love of Kraftwerk from England to Düsseldorf. Even his bandmates found this strange, but they were also entangled in their own longings. This is because the times were still so crazy and these searchers were "on fire". A fire that glows in the band's recordings.

Listening to the songs today, The Crippled Flower sound like they are hugely at the height of their game; think of Wire, Felt, Scritti Politti or Minimal Compact. The variety of musical themes, as well as different soundscapes, which the band created can only be listened to in amazement. Often, it is only Phil Elston's Sprechgesang that confirms that this is really the same band. However, it was back in 1985 when, importantly, the catalyst that brought the musicians together - the short lived eclectic record store "Heartbeat" in Düsseldorf Bilk - occured. It was there where post-industrial and pop, melodic minimal music and sound attacks awaited those who wanted to discover music by artists and bands they did not yet know.

Cassette releases. All recorded on 4-Track. The Crippled Flower succeeded in this medium. Firstly, with a cassette just entited The Crippled Flower, working from project-like studio recorded sketches. Four more tracks from the short-lived band appeared in 1986 on "A Heartbeat Rendezvous“. A demo tape submitted to Les Disques du Crépuscule, however, did not lead to a worldwide career and so, unfortunately, it was soon over.

Stefan Krausen moved on to the follow-up project Deux Baleines Blanches with Stefan Schneider, which, in 1994, gave rise to the band Kreidler. Krausen was already drumming with the I-Burnettes on AtaTak and much later he studied painting in Munich. Nina Ahlers moved from Düsseldorf to Paris to study art, because in the 80s it was still the case that Paris was the destination of choice for those really wanting to become an artist – and that's what she did. Her work is characterized by a non-academic minimalism focusing on everyday objects. Stefan Schneider remained connected to music. Only Phil Elston, who helped sabotage fox hunts in England and wrote these observant lyrics about environmental destruction and time travel, seems to have escaped the social-media world. Whether he found Kraftwerk-fulfilment in Düsseldorf or moved on disillusioned remains a mystery to us. And somehow this also fits in with that peculiar, special band. - Oliver Tepel, Köln 2025 (Translation by Philipp Elston)

 HOME?' is a heartfelt tribute to what Wretch 32 calls home, exploring the complexities, questions, and deep connections that come with it. The artwork, shot at the heart of his origins the very Tiverton estate where it all began - paints a rich tapestry of the inspiration taken from his Caribbean roots and the Windrush Scandal, encapsulating a raw slice of the Black British experience. Centering on belonging, place and identity as well as themes of love, life and loss, the album features words from his father and uncle who became community activists after the Tottenham Riots.

"Fimbulvinter" by Bjorn Riis: A Journey Through Darkness and Light... Named after the legendary long winter that heralds Ragnarok, a time of both destruction and rebirth. Bjorn Riis' new album Fimbulvinter is a profound and deeply personal work. Drawing from his own experiences with anxiety, Bjorn explores themes of hopelessness, paranoia, and despair, ultimately finding a spark of hope and gratitude in the darkness. "This isn't an autobiographical album," Bjorn explains, "but I wanted to share parts of my own journey and address a subject that I feel is both deeply important and still somewhat taboo." Musically, Fimbulvinter reflects Bjorn's diverse influences, blending the atmospheric and introspective tones of progressive rock with the energy and swagger of the hard rock bands he grew up with in the early '80s. Fans of Kiss, Black Sabbath, and classic progressive acts will find much to love in the album's rich soundscapes. From the driving, anthemic energy of "Gone" - a track made for blasting on the open road - to moments of introspection and monumental heaviness, Fimbulvinter is a dynamic journey through darkness and light. Bjorn takes centre stage on the album, performing all instruments and vocals, while also enlisting contributions from talented collaborators, including Henrik Bergan Fossum (Airbag), Arild Broter (Pymlico) and Kai Christoffersen on drums. Longtime partner and co-producer Vegard Kleftås Sleipnes also returns, ensuring the album's production is as impeccable as its compositions. With Fimbulvinter, Bjorn Riis once again demonstrates why he is a cornerstone of the progressive rock scene, delivering music that is as emotionally resonant as it is sonically captivating.

"Fimbulvinter" by Bjorn Riis: A Journey Through Darkness and Light... Named after the legendary long winter that heralds Ragnarok, a time of both destruction and rebirth. Bjorn Riis' new album Fimbulvinter is a profound and deeply personal work. Drawing from his own experiences with anxiety, Bjorn explores themes of hopelessness, paranoia, and despair, ultimately finding a spark of hope and gratitude in the darkness. "This isn't an autobiographical album," Bjorn explains, "but I wanted to share parts of my own journey and address a subject that I feel is both deeply important and still somewhat taboo." Musically, Fimbulvinter reflects Bjorn's diverse influences, blending the atmospheric and introspective tones of progressive rock with the energy and swagger of the hard rock bands he grew up with in the early '80s. Fans of Kiss, Black Sabbath, and classic progressive acts will find much to love in the album's rich soundscapes. From the driving, anthemic energy of "Gone" - a track made for blasting on the open road - to moments of introspection and monumental heaviness, Fimbulvinter is a dynamic journey through darkness and light. Bjorn takes centre stage on the album, performing all instruments and vocals, while also enlisting contributions from talented collaborators, including Henrik Bergan Fossum (Airbag), Arild Broter (Pymlico) and Kai Christoffersen on drums. Longtime partner and co-producer Vegard Kleftås Sleipnes also returns, ensuring the album's production is as impeccable as its compositions. With Fimbulvinter, Bjorn Riis once again demonstrates why he is a cornerstone of the progressive rock scene, delivering music that is as emotionally resonant as it is sonically captivating.

**RSD 2025** - Record Store Day exclusive pressing comes on Blue vinyl with heavyweight sleeve

Seminal album from cult Ghanaian musician Alhaji K. Frimpong, recorded in 1976 and considered to be one of the best highlife albums ever recorded.

Features the masterpiece Kyenkyen Bi Adi M’awu (come back my love) - universally known in Ghana, covered and sampled by artists such as Chronnix, Gnarls Barkley and many more.

Backed by Vis a Vis - one of the most influential bands to come out of the Ghana Highlife / Afro Rock movement.

Unique avant garde sound that blends traditional highlife percussion and horns with synthesizers

Original copies of the album are extremely rare. The album was reissued in limited quantities in 2011 and has been unavailable since - even reissue copies sell for high prices on the second hand market.

Discover the groundbreaking sound of Los Texao, a legendary Peruvian rock band that helped shape the music scene in the 1970s. Born in the culturally rich city of Arequipa, Los Texao's journey to stardom was paved with innovation, passion, and an undeniable connection to their roots. Their music fused the energy of psychedelic rock with Latin American influences, captivating audiences across their native Peru, Los Texao's psychedelic phase was marked by experimentation with new sounds and instruments. This release comprises their complete recordings, including all their singles and also covers of some of the most influential rock bands of the era, most of them previously unavailable on vinyl. Formed in 1969, the band took their name from Arequipa's emblematic flower, the nasturtium, and made an immediate impact with their debut at a local band contest. Soon after, they recorded their first 45 RPM single, which included covers of tracks by Chilean group Los Beat 4. But it was in the early 70s when Los Texao truly found their voice. With a dynamic lineup, including the talented Fernando "Feño" Humbser and Juan Núñez on guitar, Víctor Dibán on vocals and bass, and Edgar "Chito" Manrique on drums, their musical evolution began to take shape. The addition of Julio Torres, a keyboardist and guitarist from the iconic bands Los Beatniks and Los Dig It, further elevated their sound. Los Texao's psychedelic phase was marked by experimentation with new sounds and instruments. They embraced the emerging trend of playing rock in English, despite the language barrier, and incorporated cutting-edge gear. With the help of the legendary Peruvian jazz musician Jaime Delgado Aparicio, they created hypnotic tracks like 'Algún día' and 'Nunca cambias,' capturing the essence of 70s rock with swirling textures and atmospheric vibes. But it wasn't just the melodies that set them apart - their electrifying rhythms and powerful arrangements, like those heard in 'Stone' and 'La pelea del gobernador,' showcased their refined musicianship and intense dedication. Los Texao quickly became a sensation in Peru, performing in cities like Puno, Moquegua, and Arica (Chile), and sharing stages with iconic bands like Los Shain's, Traffic Sound, and Telegraph Avenue. Their infamous hit 'La pelea del gobernador' tells a tale of generational conflict and rebellious youth, captured in a live performance that still resonates with audiences today. The band's wild live shows became the stuff of legend, with fans packing into intimate venues to experience the raw energy of their loud, unapologetic rock. In addition to their 45s, Los Texao also recorded covers of some of the most influential rock bands of the era, including Cream, Steppenwolf, and The Guess Who, showcasing their versatility and love for classic rock. Unfortunately, this session remained lost for years and some of these covers have never been available on vinyl before. Despite their growing success, Los Texao eventually disbanded in 1975 due to personal and professional challenges. But their legacy never faded.

“Music is the weed that keeps popping out of the concrete in my life. It just seems to want to come out.” –Jeff Bridges

Extensive booklet including liner notes by Sam Sweet, new interviews with Jeff Bridges, and never-before-seen archival photos.

Featuring Burgess Meredith (Rocky, Batman), members of Oingo Boingo, and assorted characters from the West Los Angeles art and music underground
Culled from a single decaying cassette tape labeled “July 1978,” these recordings are a window into the secret musical life of the Dude. Even after becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Bridges spent all his free time jamming and recording with a trusted circle of musicians composed of childhood friends, artists, and assorted L.A. oddballs.

Imagine The Band playing at CBGB with The Exploding Plastic Inevitable. Or Arthur Russell and the Talking Heads collaborating on a suite of mutant disco. Though Bridges and his friends were brought up around the movie industry, they decided to create their own private musical universe, where they could be as weird as they wanted.

Their music opens a portal to a hidden world of outlandish creativity and camaraderie in 1970s Los Angeles. It’s the missing piece of his musical evolution, revealed here for the first time in all its joyful abandon.

Their 1990 debut, the first time on vinyl since the 1992 Big Cat reissue. Remastered.

Limited edition in blue vinyl for RSD2025.

The New York noise band with two bassists who later signed to Interscope.
After their split in 1996, main man Tod A formed Firewater, who released seven albums.

DESCRIPTION
Looming above Hastings on the South Coast of the UK, carved into East Hill, three black shapes are visible from a distance. Mysterious and ominous, they assume the aspect of the entrance to a church or a portal to dimensions unknown. Closer inspection however reveals them to be no more than mere follies carved and painted into the rock, as hoaxster John Coussens sought to convince visitors that an elaborate subterranean kingdom lurked within. Centuries later, this coastal town remains a place that serves as a magnet to the wyrd and the mischievous. And it’s here that the meeting of minds took place that led to 'Folly' - the second release for Rocket’s Black Hole series - an imprint focused on the unorthodox, otherworldly and esoteric. The journey that led to ‘Folly’ began in the dingy cellar of a wine bar in the town. Black Arches formed around a regular local experimental night in such environs aptly named Weird Shit, initially as a freeform musical outlet for author and musician Gareth E. Rees’ later incorporating Matt Frost from his garage rock troupe The Dirty Contacts, and frequent collaborator James Weaver, to form a vehicle for wild experimentation and psychic abandon. Given he was also a regular attendee, it was no surprise when Sexton Ming, arch maverick outsider artist and uncompromising iconoclast of over four decades standing, entered the picture. Soon after a perplexing but serendipitous chain of events took place, with demons conjured up via improvised sessions, poetic licence taken, dystopias chronicled, audio files gone awry, vocals overdubbed and laptops lost, Somehow amidst the sturm-und-drang ‘Folly’ was summoned in all its murky glory. As we embark on the second quarter of an uncertain century, just maybe this psychic travelogue is a dark prism to make sense of the chaos we confront. Whichever, it remains a spectacle as compelling as that by which Black Arches were named

DESCRIPTION
The boundaries between contemporary art music and folk music are pushed as Apneseth and his all-star ensemble invite listeners into their very own musical universe. Hardanger fiddle player Erlend Apneseth, with his distinctive playing style, a long list of critically acclaimed Hubro releases, and explorative musical collaborations, has achieved the rare feat of becoming a favorite among audiences and critics in the worlds of folk music, jazz, and contemporary music. His latest album, Song over Støv, will be released on Hubro on April 4th, and the band he has assembled for the occasion can only be described as a supergroup made up of some of the most influential musicians on today’s Norwegian music scene. The project originated as a commissioned work for Oslo World and Riksscenen in 2023. As a composer, Apneseth has spent recent years working with orchestras and larger ensembles, and after being a member of Frode Haltli’s Avant Folkfor several years, he was inspired to write for a large band himself. For this project, he brought together 11 fantastic musicians, creating an immense musical playground. The commissioned work matured over time before Apneseth took the ensemble into Amper Tone studio in August 2024, with Bård Ingebrigtsen at the controls. Ingebrigtsen also mixed the album, which was produced by Anja Lauvdal and Apneseth himself

Rhythm Of Paradise with the first release on HOUSEWAX!
We are very happy to welcome back our dear friend, who already delivered
timeless music for us on CHIWAX ! This beauty comes with an fantastic remix by Spiritual Emhpasi
also known as St. David!

Big record - highly recommeded!

Coming from a diverse background of equal amounts hip hop and rock, the producer behind the alias of nrl:ndr got into dance music late in his musical career. After playing in kraut-oriented bands like So Many Mammals, parts of that group reformed into the live techno outfit Tren Né, with the goal of fusing techno elements with live drums. Playing for illegal raves with a punk-like energy, nrl:ndr has cemented his relationship with his machines in service of the dance floor.

But his solo debut on blundar is quite far removed from that scene. To understand this music, one should be aware of the conditions under which it was manufactured. Reluctant to consider himself an artist in the traditional sense, nrl:ndr makes his music free of anticipation and without apparent goals. To glean into this outré musical space is like putting one's ear to the boarded up windows of the photograph that adorn the front sleeve.

The album makes extensive use of the Roland JV-2080, a sample-based synth rack from 1996 with a distinctly clean sound. Our producer dives deep into the expansion cards (labeled after genres like “Hip Hop” and “World”) for curious and sometimes cheesy samples. But he also forces the JV-2080 to do things which are not its forte, like the arduous task of programming decent kick drums.

Another technique that is testament to his experimental view on music making, is the idea of using sketches of unfinished tracks with different time signatures, and mash them together into something new - of which the results of one of these experiments can be heard on the closing track and its bilingual conversation between ambient and tribal.

Full of stunted rhythms and eerie melodies, the unclassifiable nature of the music of nrl:ndr lies somewhere in the vicinity of IDM, classical avant garde and private press synth. From the epic opening track - echoing the post-kraut drumming style of Michael Shrieve - to juggling with chopped up vocal samples and treading into almost trap-like territories on A4, he crosses into a multitude of genres without getting his hands too dirty with nostalgia.

2025 Repress

The Colombian producer whose name is on everyone's lips, figure of the underground in his native land, Felipe Gordon makes a sensational debut on our beloved label SKYLAX RECORDS ! His fabulous Django Mango EP mixes his house music obssessions with his love for Latin & jazz music. Adept of analog equipment and eminent musician, he gives us a real work of art to store alongside Nuyorican souls legends (master at work in mind). Kicking off the release, the title song django mango takes us through the swirls of the alleys of bogota, a bit as if moodymann had paid for a first class round trip in bogota , a laid-back title that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. a clever mix of funky bassline & a light piano that almost reminds us of the masters of the buena vista social club (without the vocals!) in house mode. A masterpiece in itself. on A2, we can hear this mixture again the perfect fusion between the golden-age house aesthetics and the cultural sounds of South America all complemented by a superb vocal during the break "our names are nick names wich won't reflect where we came from" a statement in itself ! The b-side from the outset gives us perhaps one of the best songs of the ep, the brilliant dakar, a subtle mix of rhodes, swaying bass and African children's chants. And to end, D, Fuck Off All Your Trouble, is an ode to the resilience of the motor city in the purest style of the 313. A brillant debut !Skylax 4 Ever

Cassette Release

Montreal, Quebec. A vast, adorned studio—an after-midnight sanctuary for the MOAB collective. Outside, winter carves its presence, the snow piling high against the factory’s walls. Inside, time dissolves into a sprawling, 24-hour reverie—music unfolding in an endless current, every moment captured, distilled, refined.

MOAB is a Montreal-based collective that embraces improvisation as its guiding force. Long, unbroken sessions where intuition eclipses thought, and where the body moves before the mind.
This is their first offering, released on Knekelhuis. A document of instinct, frozen in time yet endlessly shifting.

This re-issue of World Machine, Level 42's 1985 breakthrough album, is presented with scrupulous attention to the detail of the original UK first pressings and available in audiophile 180g pink vinyl in celebration of the album's 40th anniversary.

By 1985, Level 42 – bassist and vocalist Mark King, keyboard player/vocalist Mike Lindup, guitarist Boon Gould, drummer/lyricist Phil Gould and studio-only keyboard player Wally Badarou – were on the verge of breaking big - After a string of well-received albums, such as their pioneering jazz-funk 1981 debut or the Ken-Scott produced True Colours, the group decided, rather than work up material through jamming, to sit and write some songs for their forthcoming album.

Producing themselves, with assistance from engineer Julian Mendelsohn, this new approach meant that World Machine was the quantum commercial leap they craved. And most of that was due to the album's towering lead single, the pop-funk of "Something About You". With its expensive video seeing the group styled for the 80s, it set radio alight, becoming a Top 10 hit and charting around the world, importantly in the US. Following up with the tender ballad "Leaving Me Now" and then the bouncy funk of the album's title track as singles, the album's success was guaranteed; it reached No 3 in the UK charts and spent an amazing 72 weeks on the listings.

David Janeway’s 1986 independent release Entry Point is a gathered and stylish offering of fusion jazz, flitting between Latin, modal and spiritual themes. Featuring desirable cameos from the likes of Bob Berg, Steve Berrios and Marcus Belgrave, the album comprises seven tracks, six of which are original Janeway compositions.

Self-released in 1986, Entry Point didn’t initially make a splash and fell into relative obscurity, only to be discovered by rare jazz collectors and dealers many years later. Upon contacting David with a view to potentially reissue Entry Point, he revealed that he had original sealed copies of the release in his possession – a record which has commanded high prices in jazz dealer circles. We have exclusively imported the last of the original stock: what you’ll get here are original, sealed copies from 1986, pressed up on David’s New Direction label. They are all in mint condition, sealed in their original shrink wrapping, and extremely limited in quantity, with only forty copies in stock.

Entry Point is a beautiful album full of outstanding musicianship, dedication, craft and audible passion, informed by the many diverse musical stylings of its time and gathered by the overarching sonic maturity and discipline of jazz. A true classic of its ilk, and a one-of-a-kind album that is an absolute must for any discerning jazz collector, a newly discovered gem that is long overdue recognition for the outstanding piece of work that it truly is.

David Janeway is an extraordinary pianist with a great facility and wealth of ideas. He exhibits maturity and depth in his playing. He has most definitely “ARRIVED”. ~ Eddie Henderson

Both tracks were produced by Lee 'Scratch' Perry on the much looked after SPINNING WHEEL label in 1970. Only 10 singles have been released on this label and this very single was the first release on the label.

These two very much in demand Reggae instrumental gems were only reissued in a Trojan singles box aptly called HAUNTED HOUSE that is now also rare and expensive.