"After releasing their debut album (I’m) Stranded to both critical and commercial success, The Saints followed up with the 1978 album Eternally Yours. The set features some of their most popular tracks to this day, including “Know Your Product”, “Private Affair”, and “This Perfect Day”. Eternally Yours is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on pink coloured vinyl and includes an insert.
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Daniel Avery returns to fabric Originals with his second EP of 2024 following on from the ‘Wonderland / Running’ EP back in March, Avery’s only officially releases for this year.
“Broken euphoria. The other side of Room 1 that will crush your skull and fill your soul in equal measure. Being blinded by the most beautiful light you’ve ever seen.”
Daniel Avery plays fabric, 15th November – ALL NIGHT – Divided Love Party
Vinyl lands 6th December
Music To Varnish Owls By. Does Geoff Bastow have a claim for the best album title of all time? It's certainly up there. It's also one of the hardest to find library funk records. But don't let the eye-catching name fool you into thinking this isn't serious business.
As a key member of Giorgio Moroder's team, the legendary Geoff Bastow shouldn't need any introduction. You'll be familiar with his singular brilliance as the brains behind the much-sampled boogie/disco classics "You Don't Like My Music (Hupendi Muziki Wangu?!)" and "Don't Stop", released by his group, K.I.D.
But 1975's Music To Varnish Owls By is where it all began for our hero.
It's packed with incredibly soulful, soothing music that - despite being utilised a few times by Knxwledge - remains still largely un-mined. So, beat-makers, get cracking. And instead of that hyper-rare original, spend that £300 on something else.
Born in 1949, Bastow was a Munich-based English songwriter and record producer. Originally working as a guitarist and pianist in dance bands around his home county of Yorkshire, he moved to London in the early 1970s and then Munich in around 1976. He was one of the main architects of the Munich disco sound of electronic innovator Giorgio Moroder and also released heaps of killer library records for legendary labels like Bruton (with brother Trevor), Impress, JW Music Library and the Munich-based Sonoton between the 1970s-2000s. Bastow died tragically young, in Berlin, Germany on 16 March 2007, at the age of just 57. But he left behind a truly incredible electronic music legacy. He deserves to be much better known and this reissue should bring him to a fair few more ears. Let's see why...
Light-hearted opener "The Rough With The Smooth" contains a killer open drum break and is basically guitar-drenched flute-laced piano-funk. However, the first genuine highlight, "Beautiful People", is just majestic. Reflective, pastoral and silky smooth - as the title suggests, it's just straight beautiful; a chiming, deeply soulful instrumental that has to be heard to be believed. Sampled by Knxwledge but nobody else of note, which is crazy. Slo-mo soul beat "Tumbleweed" is another stone cold track just desperate to be laced by a skilled MC. Laconic, lysergic funk with nostalgic overtones, the guitar is prominent but the flute and glock really elevate it to perfection.
"Bits And Bats" is clav-enhanced Blaxploitation-esque street-funk with tough bass and crunchy drums that, despite its hardness, manages to flirt with breeziness. All in all, sumptuous, pounding wah-wah brilliance. Another huge one, up next. The insistent piano-funk head-nodder "A Change Of Pace" is a total sleuth-funk jammer, with a wonderfully soft snare and more hypnotic, melancholic flute lines. Man, we'd love to hear Alchemist chop this up. It even sounds a bit like Bastow was keeping things thoro with this one. Closing out Side A, the bright and breezy Bossa of "Janelle" makes it a perfect run of six untouchable gems. As elegant as it is sleazy, it sounds like it could've been on the classic KPM greensleeve, Piano Viberations.
Side B opens with the Ramsey Lewis-inspired "Time And A Half", a deceptively simple bass, drums and piano workout, decorated with stylish percussion with some great chord changes and hints of drama via a great bass solo. The heavy "Supersplash" is a doped-out drama suite with fuzzy wah-wah guitars, electric piano and glock. "Fillet Of Soul" is a catchy wah-wah propelled shuffle with piano and vibes, super dynamic but also incredibly chill.
"Well Above Average" is exactly that, a funky instrumental that serves as a straight ahead guitar-soul workout. Oozing bass-driven class, it gets better with every listen. Some open drums for your delectation, too. The fuzzy clav-and-vibes funk of "The Clan" - also understandably sampled by Knxwledge - is a monster head-nod slow jam whilst, seeing us out, the uber-relaxed "Sing Song" rounds things off in bright fashion with its slow but insistent clav, electric piano and glock greatness. Swoon.
As ever, the audio for Music To Varnish Owls By has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring it sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.
British Funk Renegades - Baker Brothers: A Legacy of Groove and Innovation
Since 2001, British funk luminaries the Baker Brothers have been at the forefront of the UK funk scene, consistently redefining the genre while staying true to its roots. Their groove, deeply embedded in soulful nostalgia, draws inspiration from legendary acts such as Steely Dan, Sly and the Family Stone, The Doobie Brothers, D'Angelo, The Roots, The Meters, and Prince.
Renowned for their electrifying live performances, the Baker Brothers deliver an "in-your-face" experience that takes audiences on a journey through their extensive back catalogue, spanning eight studio albums and four live albums. These albums feature collaborations with notable artists, including Hamish Stuart of the Average White Band, Snowboy, and soul divas Vanessa Freeman, Hannah Williams, Acantha Lang, and Katie Holmes.
With over ten tours in Japan and numerous European tours under their belt, the Baker Brothers have proven their enduring appeal. They continue to navigate the challenges of band life with unwavering creativity and passion, using music as their vehicle to overcome life's hurdles.
As they forge ahead with new creations, the Baker Brothers' signature sound—characterised by tight horns, a driving rhythm section, and irresistibly funky guitar riffs—remains as killer as ever. Their journey is a testament to their longevity and their unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of funk.
Eurorack tweaker, 8-bit master, king of carnival madness, Dutch producer Solo moderna is back with his female alter ego singer Krage, for some 80s flavored, chiptune infused, electro-latin bangers. Unofficial Electo-Funk anthems? Sweaty remakes from outta space? who knows.. the only unquestionable thing here is that loads of fun await the crowd when dropping this tasty 7” on the turntable. Certainly not your average tropical music, though.
This double sider stands as a foretaste for the album release in May 2024, that will unite this pair in a perfect fusion of Afro-Latin rhythms and modern synth pop.
- Blue Eyed Elaine (Ernest Tubb)
- Don't Be Ashamed Of Your Age (Cindy Walker, Bob Wills)
- I Forgot To Remember To Forget (Charliefeathers, Stan Kesler)
- I Love You Because (Leon Payne)
- Pistol Packin' Mama (Al Dexter)
- Saginaw, Michigan (Bill Anderson, Donald Wayne)
- Old Dogs, Children And Watermelon Wine (Tom T. Hall)
- Old Cape Cod (Claire Rothrock, Milton Yakus, Allan Jeffrey)
- Death Of Floyd Collins (Andrew Jenkins, Irene Spain)
- Blue Side Of Lonesome (Leon Payne)
- In The Garden (C. Austin Miles)
- Justthe Other Side Of Nowhere (Kris Kristofferson)
- Old Rugged Cross (George Bennard)
- Where The Blue Of The Night (Bing Crosby, Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk)
Unbound by place or genre, mercurial, experimental pop duo Soft as Snow find freedom to intuitively reflect the disarray of human connection with their intricate, shape-shifting pop production. With each successive release, the duo evolves, unfurling into their own poetic sound, now fully realized on their intimate, third full-length, Metal.wet.
The oft-present trappings of male-female duos are eschewed here as the Berlin-based Oda Starheim and Øystein Monsen contribute equally across a canvas of analogue synthesizers, samplers, live drums, and processed guitars. At once a part of and yet apart from the zeitgeist, their forward-thinking modernity stretches the limits of expectations across Metal.wet's ten insouciant tracks. Fans of Tirzah, Hype Williams, and even Angelo Badalamenti will find much to love in this haunting work peppered with ASMR moments and rough sampling wrapped in high production –– twinkling glasses and sirens in the distance, rhythms and voices up front. The result is synth-driven, noisy, and dripping with laidback, confident sensuality.
Although Starheim's voice begins the album in a whisper, it quickly becomes apparent that the group has jettisoned their previous tendency to bury and distort her vocals. Nested in a bed of thorny electronics and broken rhythms, her multifaceted vocals might bring to mind Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead or Hope Sandoval fronting Massive Attack. London MC Brother May (Mica Levi, CURL) makes an appearance on the driving and ethereal “Whip,” while Øystein’s own voice appears for the first time in a state of languid background haze.
Soft as Snow create and record across Europe. Defiantly averse to genre, the pair become vessels for their “electronic music pushed to the brink of collapse” (The Wire), previously released by Infinite Machine and Houndstooth. Informed by backgrounds in film and performance art, “there’s a surrealism that comes with watching Soft as Snow in the flesh,” (Vice) as seen at L.E.V. and Lunchmeat Festivals. Collaborations with visual artist Guynoid, designer AGF Hydra, and sculptor Camilla Steinum add depth to the corporeality of their “strange, mesmerising and utterly unforgettable” electronic experimentations. (DJ Mag).
Porno For Pyros exploded out of the ashes of Lollapalooza founders Jane's Addiction's ashes. Featuring two of the founding members of Jane's, Porno went on to create bombastic alternative rock that defined the sound of the 90s. This is the first ever greatest hits collection from the band, who just reunited for a brief tour in 2024 for the first time in ages. Pressed on multi-coloured vinyl and featuring brand new art, it also includes a brand new remix of "Pets" by Daniel Avery, and three brand new recordings - "Fingernail," "Little Me" and "Agua."
Long-time friends and collaborators, musician Daniel Avery, alongside photographer Keffer are proud to present Techno is Boring, a new book that collects a decade of work chronicling club culture in visceral form.
Techno is Boring also includes short written essays and notes from Avery and fellow DJ, writer and collaborator John Loveless, who also provides an introduction, appearing alongside guest contributions from friends and allies.
The book is 24.5cm x 17cm, and the 148 pages are printed on premium heavyweight paper with Swiss binding.
- A1: John Martyn - Small Hours
- A2: Stephen Whynott – A Better Way
- A3: April Fulladosa - Sunlit Horizon
- B1: Sylvain Kassap - Plancoët
- B2: Manu Dibango - Night In Zeralda
- B3: Henri Texier - Hocoka Time
- B4: Nivaldo Orneleas - O Que Ha
- B5: 808 State – Pacific State (Massey’s Conga Mix)
- C1: Magma - Eliphas Levi
- C2: Homelife - Stranger
- C3: Michael Gregory Jackson - Unspoken Magic
- D1: Dora Morelenboum - Avermelhar
- D2: Simone - Tudo Que Você Podia Ser
- D3: Experience Unlimited – People
- D4: Otis G. Johnson - I Got It
- D5: Mel & Tim - Keep The Faith
Oxblood Coloured Vinyl[36,09 €]
Exploring late-night, after-hours meditations on sound; ‘Everything Above The Sky (Astral Travelling with Luke Una)’ is a new compilation by the titular DJ, promoter and enigmatic cultural curator. Off the back of the E Soul Cultura phenomena, this compilation comes at a timely point in Luke’s rich career as he soars the heights of playing all over the world. Avoiding any chance of his sound being pigeonholed, Luke has put together a tracklist of songs and music that have a transcendental feel, after coming off the grid, going back to source, outside the city walls .
Music has long been believed to aid out of body experiences and many of us have searched long and hard for a combination of those elusive ingredients that might alleviate some of the monotony of everyday life, our daily routines and obligations, and those things that seem to block us from the spirit of the universe. In this collection, Luke selects music with all the right ingredients in just the right quantities, allowing the listener to engage in an esoteric journey of enlightenment through sound. Being a prolific collector of music, Luke initially delivered enough tracks to compile several compilations, making the licensing process the biggest effort to date for the label. The music moves softly and slowly, never becoming too intrusive, exemplifying the wonderful elevating properties of simple songs played from the heart.
Luke’s Everything Above The Sky manifesto reads, “Astral Travelling in the meadowlands with acid folk, spiritual jazz, around midnight hocus pocus, cosmic psychedelic soul, magical spellbound whirling swirling love songs, Brazilian ballads of light into machine soul gospel utopia dreaming, Balearic bossa, Outer Space ancient African drum, the breath of trees, escaping the big bad modern world, gathering round winter fires, walking amongst the bracken in Padley Gorge in late summer twilight, overlooking the Hope Valley, escaping ego, detaching and finally letting go amongst the stars with the slowly floating people. It’s beautiful beyond. Everything above the Sky”.
Beginning his career as an original Sheffield house young blood in the mid 1980s, Luke’s move to Manchester and partnership with Justin Crawford saw the birth of Electric Chair, a cornerstone cult night in the UK underground club scene. Then came Electric Elephant, a Croatian festival paying homage to their wild eclecticism from Balearic to Brazilian to É Soul, house, disco and techno. Luke’s much loved, long-running Homoelectric night and more recently Homobloc sell out festival for 10,000 souls has been at the forefront of Manchester’s LGBTQ+ cultural landscape. Luke’s Friday evening show on Worldwide FM captured imaginations and became a cult four-hour must-listen monthly journey for fans all over the world. Today, Luke remains, as ever, at the forefront of a changing milieu, pairing the momentous legacy of Manchester’s 80s and 90s scene with the delivery of what today’s club communities need to get down.
- A1: The Hitmen - Like I Love You (Vocal Club Cut)
- A2: Starsplash - Wonderful Days (2001 Radio Edit)
- A3: Aquagen - Girl (Uhh Uhh Yeah Yeah) (Single Edit)
- A4: Jens O - Hardcore Vibes (Radio Edit)
- A5: Basslovers United & Averion - A+ Superstar (Radio Edit)
- A6: Andrew Spencer - Give It Up (Game Of Love) (Vanilla Kiss Remix Edit)
- A7: Alex Megane X Timster & Ninth - Life Is For Living (Newdance Mix Edit)
- A8: Klaas & Mister Ruiz - Feel Only Love (Axmo Remix Edit)
- B1: Dj Tht X Ced Tecknoboy - One Last Dance (Single Edit)
- B2: Special D - Forever Young (Single Edit)
- B3: G4Bby Feat Bazz Boyz - What Is Love (Radio Edit)
- B4: Djs @ Work - Fly With Me (To The Stars) (Short Distance Radio Mix)
- B5: 49Ers Feat. Ann Marie Smith - I Got The Music (Inovation Remix Edit)
- B6: Dual Playaz - Every Day I See You (Justin Corza Meets Greg Blast Remix Edit)
- B7: Megara Vs Dj Lee - Musical Society (Club Cut)
Alle Hands Up-Fans dürfen sich freuen. Am 18.10. geht die
erfolgreiche TECHNOBASE.FM Serie nun schon mit der
4. Vinyl-Ausgabe an den Start. Auch dieses Mal begeistert
die Doppel-Vinyl mit vielen Hits und Ohrwürmern. Mit an Bord
sind Jens O. mit Hardcore Vibes, Klaas & Mister Ruiz mit Feel
Only Love, Special D. mit Forever Young, 49ers feat. Ann Marie
Smith mit I Got The Music, uvm.
Mit insgesamt 15 HandsUp-Songs eine starke Vinyl-Edition
des Webradiosenders TechnoBase.FM
Der italienische Musiker, Produzent, Komponist und Instrumentenbauer Alessandro Cortini veröffentlicht am 4. Oktober sein neues Album 'NATI INFINITI' via Mute.
Nach 'Scuro Chiaro' (2021) ist 'NATI INFINITI' ein 40-minütiges Stück in fünf Sätzen, das auf einer immersiven Audioinstallation basiert, die Cortini ursprünglich für das Sónar Lisboa Festival 2022 schuf, wo sie auf vier Etagen des Museu de Lisboa's Moagem präsentiert wurde. Später, im Jahr 2023, präsentierte Cortini die Live-Performance auf dem Atonal-Festival in Berlin, wo er das Werk als einen einzigartigen, sich entwickelnden Dialog neu interpretierte. Das Album wurde von der für einen Grammy nominierten Tontechnikerin, Produzentin und Mischerin Marta Salogni (Björk, Depeche Mode, Sampha) abgemischt und enthält Cortinis Strega-Synthesizer, den er zusammen mit dem Musiktechnologieunternehmen Make Noise entwickelt hat.
Cortini ist einer der wichtigsten Vertreter der zeitgenössischen elektronischen Musik und vor allem für seine eindringlichen, atmosphärischen Werke bekannt. Als langjähriges Mitglied von Nine Inch Nails ist er ein äußerst produktiver Solokünstler, der in den letzten zehn Jahren einen stetigen Strom seiner eigenen berauschenden Musik auf renommierten Labels wie Mute, Hospital und Important Records veröffentlicht hat. Während seines schattenhaften Aufstiegs zum Ruhm hat er mit Künstlern wie Lawrence English, Daniel Avery und Merzbow zusammengearbeitet und wurde in die Rock and Roll Hall of Fame aufgenommen (als einziger italienischer Musiker, der jemals geehrt wurde).
- Ltd. LP: (Limited edition first pressing - Silver Mirror Board - Embossed on front / Debossed on back / Includes information sheet insert)
"Once more with attitude: April Art have set out to do nothing less than change the world. That may seem bold, true, but you know what: They have the songs to back this attitude. It’s a modern metal sensation like no other, emerging from the underground and led by sparkling frontwoman Lisa-Marie Watz. In, fact, April Art have risen so rapidly in recent years that it could make you feel dizzy just by watching them. Now, however, the time has come for the big leap, for their breakthrough: their third album “Rodeo” unapologetically changes into the fast lane, speeding away from everyone else with huge hits, a brutal bite and peerless power.
Trigger warning: a German band hasn’t sounded this explosive, this hungry, this insatiable for a very long time. “Our music stands for hope,” says the German band. “We want to give strength and courage to believe in yourself and in life. The more people realise that they can take their lives into their own hands, the less room there is for hatred and envy.”
April Art deliver this important message in the best possible way – with uplifting, electrifying, euphoric music somewhere between modern metal and alternative rock. The band are just as averse to blinkers as they are to racism, homophobia or division, spicing up their energising brew with flavours ranging from pop to rap and electro. “Rodeo” gives us all wings. Let’s soar together. In 2022 and 2023 alone, April Art earned two million streams on Spotify, appeared on WDR Rockpalast and will be on stage at the legendary Wacken Open Air this year. "
On this new album 'BEEFKAT', Skordatura, Jozef Dumoulin and Mâäk find each other in a rough embrace of energy and raw expression, averse to compromise and with an unbridled passion that encompasses everything beautiful and ugly.
SKORDATURA
With undulating rhythms, sharp injections, angular grooves, snippets of humour and an unreal sound
sometimes reminiscentof the intergalactic funk of Battles, Skordatura conjures up a simmering pot of ideas. Fender Rhodes wizard Jozef Dumoulin provides additional fireworks as the fourth newly enlisted Skordaturian.
JOZEF DUMOULIN
Belgian pianist Jozef Dumoulin redefined the Fender Rhodes keyboard thanks to his contemporary, eclectic, and highly personal approach to the instrument. Besides his own projects, he is also a much sought-after sidekick on the jazz and improvised music circuit. Jozef currently lives in Paris.
MÂÄK
Formed more than 20 years ago as a fascinating jazz ensemble, it has now become a versatile collective with international ramifications. With Mâäk, the ever-adventurous Laurent Blondiau, Jeroen Van Herzeele, Michel Massot and Grégoire Tirtiaux form one of the most exciting avant-garde jazz bands in Belgium.
Confirmed feature article in Electronic Sound Magazine and other media. “There’s A Rhinoceros In The Mega Church” is their debut LP released on Sound Records. U.S.E. (also often expressed as Unicorn Ship Explosion, but feel free to interpret this yourself), are unfortunately two boys known to their mums as Rob & Sash. Since we last saw Rob he has been working really hard as a multi-instrumentalist. He’s almost mastered the drums (he’s even been to jazz school), and he’s near to the final chapter of piano lessons. He’s really talented. He has his own music studio where he produces & writes music for the likes of, The Staves, Holysseus Fly & other fantastic acts that are well worth a listen if you have the time. Sash (or Sasha) is a great guy. Everyone loves working with him. He’s an average musician with big ideas, which is why he uses modular synths. He has written much music for many artists you’ve probably not heard of and has collaborated with some musicians you’ve definitely heard of. He sometimes works as a sound designer for some fashion brands you can’t afford, but you wouldn’t want to wear them anyway (so don’t feel bad for not being successful enough to spend £400 on a t-shirt). Sometimes a really cool woman called, Agnieszka Szczotka, collaborates with these two loveable boys. She is a performance artist of great skill. She studied art at the Royal Academy and chose to abandon her supreme painting and sculpture skills to dedicate her life to confrontational live performance art. Big respect. Together they are Unicorn Ship Explosion (not yet known as U.S.E. as it hasn’t caught on yet). It’s a creative attempt to be in the present and not overwork music as is often the norm these days.As a result an exciting new genre is emerging from this album. The genre hasn’t a name yet, but what is certain is that A.I. can’t recreate it, and wouldn’t want to either. Let’s be human together and accept and appreciate we can’t always be great. Enjoy the good moments with the bad. And together, yes together, you the reader and us(e) your new best friends, shall show A.I. that humanity is beautiful.
Over a catalog of six albums, Native Harrow have produced a discography of “rich, engrossing records” and “instant classics” while single-mindedly following their own artistic code, acquiescing only to the exigence of the song: each song its own world with its own rules.
Formed a decade ago, Native Harrow spent their first five or six years crisscrossing the United States and Canada on numerous tours, averaging more than 150 concerts per year in 47 states and 4 provinces, on the back of two self-released albums, Ghost (2015) and Sorores (2017). In 2019, they released Happier Now, partnering with London alt-country stalwarts Loose Records. The record garnered glowing reviews, with Rough Trade selecting it for its album of the month, writing “Beautifully soaring... rolling grooves ground languid and dreamy clearwater shimmers of sound.” The critical acclaim and Americana chart success of the album prompted three back-to-back UK tours in 2019 and early 2020, ultimately leading to a three-year stint living and touring in the UK and Europe. In this time, Native Harrow released two more critically acclaimed records with Loose; Closeness (2020) and Old Kind of Magic (2022), playing for audiences ranging from rock clubs in Norway and Sweden to opera halls in Portugal, and every stop in-between, as well as performing at festivals such as BST Hyde Park (supporting the Eagles and Robert Plant & Alison Kraus), Greenman Festival, Black Deer Festival, The Great Escape, Celtic Connections, Moseley Folk Festival, SXSW, and many more.
Following the eruption of its title track, Side A of “Divided Kind” transitions nimbly through hazy tremolo-laden dusty canyons, past an intimate soulful love letter, and towards a moody anthem of devotion buoyed by propulsive grooves, before ultimately settling on a gentle bird’s-eye-view of love and transcendence. Side B opens with the debut single, “Goin’ Nowhere” a soul transmission over incendiary bass and undulating layers of guiro, congas, tambourines, shakers, and handclaps that sidesteps into moments of infinite dial-toned burnished, Rhodes-propelled soul-jazz and self-assured blues rock à gogo before ending in a spectral folk reading on celestial meditation.
“Divided Kind” was produced and recorded by the pair, in their home studio surrounded by the vintage acoustic and electric guitars, dusty semi-functional amplifiers, and out-of-date Rhodes, B3, piano, and assorted percussion they’ve grown accustomed to. Chicago-based Alex Hall was again drafted to add drums and to mix, and Philadelphia drummer and engineer Joshua Friedman mastered the record. London-based musician Joe Harvey-Whyte added the pedal steel to “Borrowing Time”, with all other voices and instruments being performed by Tuel and Harms.
BASIC is a mind-meld between Chris Forsyth, his frequent running partner (and formidable 6-string thinker) Nick Millevoi, and Mikel Patrick Avery (Natural Information Society). "This Is BASIC", their debut album, is a complex and entrancing instrumental LP recasting forgotten scraps of guitar history into a moving mosaic of strings, skins and electronics. Taking inspiration (and their name) from the 1984 Robert Quine/Fred Maher album ("Basic"), Forsyth and Millevoi got together for a run of low-key jam sessions using an Alesis drum machine for rhythm tracks and forging a collaborative language from angular polyrhythms, pulsing baritone-guitar lines, and shimmering chorus-pedal washes (another stylistic nod, this time to the glistening post-punk of the Durutti Column and numerous 4AD bands). Avery was soon enlisted on drum kit_a setup that quickly morphed into a single drum, bell, and a bespoke electronics rig of his own creation. The trio quickly flowered into an improvisational swirl of disorienting electronics, hypnotic throb, and dense flanged-guitar harmonics: three unique voices spinning a complex conversation of textures and rhythms.
Black Truffle is thrilled to present a Song for two Mothers / Occam IX the first ever solo release from Laetitia Sonami. Born in France in 1957, Sonami studied with Éliane Radigue in Paris before moving to California in 1978 to study electronic music at Mills College, going on to make important innovations in the field of live electronics interfaces and multi-media performance. Sonami is perhaps most closely associated with one of her inventions, the Lady’s Glove, an arm-length tailored glove fitted with movement sensors allowing the performer fluidly to control digital sound parameters and processing, as well as motors, lights and video playback. Having performed with the Lady’s Glove for 25 years, Sonami retired it in 2016, turning her attention to the interface/instrument heard and pictured here, the Spring Sprye.
In Sonami’s own description, “The Spring Spyre is composed of three thin springs that are attached to reverb tank pickups, mounted on a metal ring. The audio generated when the springs are touched, rubbed or struck is analyzed in Max/MSP. The extracted features are then used to train machine learning models in Wekinator and Rapidmax and control the audio synthesis in real time. We never actually hear the springs.” After decades of aversion to documenting her work on recordings, a Song for two Mothers / Occam IX treats listeners to two side-long performances with the Spring Spyre: the very first piece developed for the instrument and the most recent, the two contrasting remarkably in sound palette, energy and form. A Song for two Mothers (2023) spins an intricate web of rippling synthetic burbles, rapid sweeps and fizzing textures. Performed in real time with the sensitive and partly uncontrollable Spring Sprye ("a bit tyrannical," Sonami calls it), the music is delicate yet chaotic. Abrupt gestures hover against a backdrop of silence, "devoid of spatial or temporal direction". After several minutes, the sound-world becomes metallic and percussive, tapping and ticking in pointillistic flurries before a wavering harmonic cloud emerges, sprinkled with resonant drips and pops.
Occam IX is a radically different proposition. At the outset of Sonami’s exploration of the Spring Sprye, she asked her former teacher Éliane Radigue to compose a piece for it—and her: like all of Radigue’s work since she ceased working with analogue electronics at the beginning of the 21st century, Occam IX is written not only for an instrument but also for a particular performer. These scores are developed verbally, through meetings and conversations between performer and composer; each is grounded in an image (usually kept from listeners, to avoid influencing their experience); all magnify the subtlest acoustic phenomena and require great commitment and patience from the performer. Sonami’s is one of the few Occam pieces to make use of electronics, bringing it closer to Radigue’s famous longform pieces for ARP 2500. Beginning from a rumbling low tone, the listener is gradually immersed in slowly lapping waves of synthetic tones, eventually thinning out into delicate bell-like pings against a background of white noise, reminiscent of one of the most beautiful sections of Kyema from the Trilogie de la Morte.
Accompanied by notes from Sonami, her longtime collaborator Paul DeMarinis, and Radigue, and illustrated with scores, photographs and images of the Spring Spyre, a Song for two Mothers / Occam IX is an essential document celebrating an under-recognised pioneer of electronic music and performance.




















