This isn’t just a seminal album. It is an estuary. All the black rivers that would form Brazilian funk/hip-hop flow through it. Led by Paulista pianist Salvador Silva Filho – Dom Salvador – “Som, Sangue, e Raça” from 1971, one year after the explosion of Tim Maia on the scene, catalyzed the bossa nova and jazz background of its leader with the rhythm and blues of its members like saxophonist Oberdã Magalhães, nephew of samba-enredo master Silas de Oliveira and future leader of Banda Black Rio, who since the group Impacto 8 (which had, among others, Robertinho Silva on drums and Raul de Souza on trombone) had already been trying to reconcile MPB with Stevie Wonder and James Brown. Add to all this a mixture of samba, Nordestino accent, and even the black side of the Jovem Guarda represented by the authorial presence of Getúlio Cortes (older brother of Gerson King Combo, our James Brown “cover”) in ‘Hei! Você’. Alongside these elements and the presence of Rubão Sabino (bass), who still called himself ‘Rubens’, drummer Luis Carlos (another member of Black Rio), the record enlists the trumpet and flugelhorn of symphonic musician Darcy in place of the original Barrosinho (yet one more founder of Black Rio), who was traveling during the recording but would end up being a leading force of the band.
The album ‘Som, Sangue e raça’ paves the way for future generations of musicians and producers of the Carioca scene at the beginning of the 1970s. The lyrics that dealt with the question of race and the explosive fusion of samba, soul, jazz, and funk, elaborated by Dom Salvador and his troupe, Abolição, established the bases for the development of new sounds and tendencies in Brazilian music.
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Imagine a Latin remake of Back to the Future. The mad scientist is Arsenio Rodriguez (the godfather of salsa) and the young student who travels through time with him is Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers). This album can only be described as the perfect soundtrack for that movie that never was.
After the massive buzz generated by his first solo album, Mentallogenic, Alex Figueira got back in the studio to work in a more collective fashion this time, carefully assembling the second album of his largest project to date, Conjunto Papa Upa; a team of 6 musicians, spanning 3 generations of some of the best talent in the Latin and avant-garde scenes.
In an era where tropical music is dominated by purely electronic and rhythmically uniform sounds, the ten songs encompassed in “Fruta Madura” (“Ripe Fruit”) wander through the most diverse tempos, rhythms, and motifs effortlessly. A real breath of fresh air that gracefully incorporates soul, funk, jazz, psychedelia, and electronics into a solid tropical, irresistibly polyrhythmic foundation, without ever succumbing to the many genre clichés.
The distinctive production and catchy songwriting of Figueira shine in a very distinctive light on this second full-length. Living up to his reputation (Miles Cleret, founder of Soundway Records, called him “one of the scene's truly authentic and eccentric producers”), he takes the opportunity to show he’s not afraid to keep walking his own path.
Taking the band for a wild ride through the traditions of Africa, America, and the Caribbean; contrasting them with a ridiculously wide plethora of vintage, contemporary, and futuristic sounds, and pivoting on the exuberant musicality displayed by his musicians; the result leaves no doubt: this album is destined to be considered a future classic of the exciting tropical psychedelic music of the 21st century.
Addressing the most diverse themes in this new collection of songs, things take on a much more mature tone, as the title clearly suggests.
The opening track “El segundo es más sabroso” (“The second one is tastier”) sets the tone in the most assertive way imaginable, with the band boldly declaring, through multiple metaphorical references (laid upon a crazy mix of Dominican merengue, Detroit techno, classic and free jazz, dub, and electro), that the bar will be set higher with this second album.
The remaining compositions touch upon the most diverse subjects, with a fair dose of humor, sarcasm, and postmodern “magic realism”. “El Algoritmo” (The Algorithm) is a parranda-cumbia hybrid (for lack of a specific term) about the omnipresence of technology in our lives. The sophisticated Latin soul of the titling track “Fruta Madura” makes a case for the beauty of the maturity process. Some key philosophical teachings of Marcus Aurelius (the role of causality, the impositions of “the logos” and the importance of self-control) get a twisted cumbia treatment on “Reos del Deseo” (Prisoners of Desire). “No le pongas Coca-Cola” (“Don’t put Coca Cola in it”) shows us the most satirical side of the band, accusing those who mix Coca Cola with Rum of committing "sacrilege", on a powerful base of Dem Bow (the grandfather of Reggaeton), intertwined with touches of soul, salsa, and Cuban comparsa.
"Háblame Claro" (“Talk to me clearly”) is a story of heartbreak that evokes in its first part the spirit of the erotic salsa of the 80s (a subgenre deeply despised by purists), and after an unexpected samba interlude, leads to the hardest salsa of the 70s (a subgenre adored by purists), to end up in the surprising form of pure Afro-Cuban ceremonial music.
“Tu mamá tenía razón” ("Your Mom Was Right") is an attempt to exalt the spirit of the Latin American soap opera in the key of “acid bachata”, to recount a real-life case, witnessed by the band on countless occasions: the partying woman who arrives at the show accompanied by her bitter husband, who obviously does not like to dance. A very cheeky song to talk about the very serious and pertinent topic of female empowerment.
“La misma vaina” (“The same thing”) with its indescribable blend of bantú, candomblé, and Mozambique rhythms with abstract synthesizers, is an ode to adventure in favor of the aversion to taking risks and seeking predictability.
“Amigas picadas” (“Salty friends”) is another humorous song recounting another real-life case witnessed by the band on countless occasions: a love encounter sabotaged by the girlfriend's friends, who all happen to fancy the same guy. A jazzy take on the ancient Dominican rhythm of pambiche (grandfather of merengue), with generous psychedelic touches, resembling the classy late 60s releases of Guadeloupe's legendary producer / label owner Henri Debs.
“Vinimos a hablar” (“We came to talk”) takes sarcasm to the highest level, to ridicule the absurdity (also experienced by the band firsthand) seen in live music venues where people pay a ticket to go and have conversations that could be carried out much better on any bar, where no band is playing. The music alternates between a delicate melody with loose, sparse percussion and a full-on, pumping Angolan semba, with a techno kick drum included; bringing things to an apotheotic grooving finale, where the peculiar swing of Venezuelan calypso from the Callao region is thrown on top of all the precedent elements; closing the album in the most uplifting, “end of the carnival parade” feel.
The artwork is a delicate and impactful oil painting by Colombian artist Kevin Simón Mancera, who has collaborated many times with the label before (“Maracas, tambourines and other hellish things” tape and the Lola’s Dice LP).
What the experts are saying:
“Alex (Figueira) dove into this work with a brutal cohesion between lyrics and synths. Timbre poetry, sound poetry (you name it). And that, superimposed on his always impeccable percussive base, confirms the title of “avant-garde visionary of our beautiful Latin music”".
EBLIS ALVAREZ (MERIDIAN BROTHERS)
“Papa Upa's infectious quirkiness is a balm against boredom. A mature album, but without an expiration date”.
GLADYS PALMERA
“Here there is a lot of strength, drum, cadence and psychedelia, lost dance rhythms, united in an intercontinental Latin/African/and Caribbean journey, a unique winning combination that we could consider the new “Ritmo Figueira”.
DISCODELIC
All songs written by Alex Figueira.
Arranged and performed by Conjunto Papa Upa.
Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Alex Figueira at Heat Too Hot, Amsterdam.
Writing music for film and theatre has always been a big part of Hania Rani's musical world. It is also a part of the creative process that can be tantalisingly out of reach for listeners, either the project doesn't come to fruition or the music simply isn't available away from the film or play. From early collaborations with friends, to last year's two scores for full length films (xAbo: Father Boniecki directed by Aleksandra Potoczek and I Never Cry directed by Piotr Domalewski') Rani has been involved in many such projects, each representing an important step in her artistic development and life as a composer and artist:
"Composing for motion picture or theatre is for me a very different kind of work than writing for my own projects. Firstly, I need to collaborate with somebody else who sees the world through the lense of their own art and craft. That's why these kinds of encounters can be so exciting - they are a promise of creating something very new, as a result of creative work of so many people from all walks of life. Secondly, I feel that music in film is an invisible character, a missing emotion that creates a special atmosphere and sensation. It doesn't illustrate, it completes the work of art. I think it is an extremely sensitive matter that rejects banal associations and easy solutions. I feel like composing for film works like an exercise for my imagination."
It is the nature of these collaborations though, that sometimes the composers own preferred compositions don't make the final cut. This is where Music for Film and Theatre comes in as it allows Rani to present a selection of her own personal favourite pieces composed for film and plays. Pieces that made it to the final cut and pieces that were rejected by the director or the producer. Bringing the music together as an album offers a chance for Rani to share her music with her listeners on her own terms and a chance for her fans to hear a different side of her art.
"I put them in one place, as a collection of precious objects that were kept for years in a drawer. Some of them were composed a couple years ago, some are the result of recent research. I am very happy to finally be able to present them as a separate project."
Rani is of course grateful to all of the directors who have entrusted her to create music for their projects, but she professes especially warm feelings for the pieces composed for her first 'real' theatre play, Pradziady, directed by Michał Zdunik. The title comes from 'Dziady' a term in Slavic folklore for the spirits of the ancestors and a collection of pre-Christian rites, rituals and customs that were dedicated to them. The essence of these rituals was the 'communion of the living with the dead', namely, the establishment of relationships with the souls of the ancestors. "I felt this story needed extremely dark and fragile music, and at the same time a sound that could express the mixture of the two worlds - the living and the dead. I decided to compose part of the soundtrack with a string quartet but including two cellos, viola and only one violin. We recorded in a little house, completely built from wood, mostly from Finnish pine. I always felt this space has a very special, warm and natural acoustics - especially when it is combined with string instruments. The track composed for this theatre play is called Ghosts but actually didn't finally make it to the performance, although I like it so much that I thought it would perfectly fit
this compilation". Other highlights include the enchanting Soleil Pâle written for a collaboration with director Neels Castillon, and improvising dancers Alt Take, the beautiful melancholy of In Between (from the film score for xAbo: Father Boniecki) and the magical bliss of The Beach (from I Never Cry) and together they create a beautiful offering from an artist whose every note is worth hearing, but for whom the journey is just beginning:
"I am very happy to see that many artists consider my music as the right soundtrack for their works, because film music was always a huge inspiration for any of my compositions. I find there a lot of life and real emotions, but also a feeling of freedom. Freedom from my own thinking patterns and prejudices. I also believe strongly in collaboration between people, I always feel this is the way to create something really new, based on a mixture of different ways of thinking, feeling, expressing."
This then is Hania Rani, Music for Film and Theatre – enjoy!
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Filipovich is one of a kind. The Belarus-born, Paris-based artist works in a multitude of media - found footage films, painting, silkscreening and performance to name a few. It's her musical output that has caught the attention of late, though, with Filipovich dropping a run of releases in recent years which began with 2021's Magnificat on Time Released Sound. Filipovich takes as much of a novel approach to her music-making as she does with her other artistic endeavours - Magnificat was centred around treated samples of Sergei Rachmaninov's All-Night Vigil, and she's also combined classical composition with contemporary electronic techniques on her subsequent drops.
For Idealized, Filipovich's debut on Sheffield's Central Processing Unit, she maintains the gothic air which characterised her previous releases and applies it to a record of widescreen contemporary techno joints. These tracks represent something of a gear shift for CPU, a label which has long made its name by delivering top-quality electro and machine-funk jams, but such is the quality of Idealized that these superbly-executed techno productions are sure to win over label fans both old and new.
Idealized is very much schooled in the German tradition of minimal/dub techno. Tracks like 'Physical', 'Wave' and 'Dance Minor' all anchor themselves on single, steady drum pulses and delay-drenched single-chord loops. Filipovich generally lets the central idea of these tracks play out across several minutes while introducing increasingly disorientating elements into the rest of the mix - wiccan atmospherics, clashing chords, spiralling delays and so forth. It's an approach at once respectful of Filipovich's predecessors - Basic Channel, Deepchord, Ellen Allien and so on - but also full of idiosyncrasies and individuality.
Many of the club cuts here hardwire us into the moody, murky environs of the darkest Berlin Basements. 'Ultra Red' rides forward on a crisp drum machine snap, a menacing burble of bassline and an eerie single-note synth whistle in the upper end of the mix; 'Dance Minor' shows off a bit of KiNK in the brain-bending modular loop that waxes and wanes at its centre; the second-half run from 'Wave' to closer 'Small Cave' travels ever-further out into deep space - the kick drums remain insistent, yet the textural elements are delivered with an edge and flair that evidences Filipovich's ability to think outside the box.
Filipovich's unusual methods, and the influence of sound art and electroacoustic composition on her music, are drawn out further when Idealized steps away from the dancefloor. 'Hydra' comes off like a more gothic version of Pole - its central pulse draws from dub techno but never quite settles into a danceable groove, and this beat is combined with the kind of unnerving keyboard work that would make John Carpenter proud. Although closer 'Small Cave' eventually locks into another dark-room techno roller, the opening section of the track delivers a weightless soundscape of bright, tinny chords and a scene-setting field recording.
Idealized, the first drop on Central Processing Unit from Paris-based Belarusian Lina Filpovich, broadens the label's horizons with a selection of finely crafted minimal/dub techno joints.
RIYL: Andy Stott, Deepchord, Ellen Allien, Moritz von Oswald
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Grande Coisa! (Big Deal!). You could hear it. It is the eternal irony of life. For a composer who has been making music since he was a teenager and only at the age of 38 does he make his work public, it can indeed be a big deal. Grande Coisa, is Dorea's first authorial album, and tells his stories, the ones he lived, others he heard about, but mainly the ones he created. With all the songs composed during the most isolated period in the pandemic, the work can be dense in many moments, difficult to digest, but there are sighs. And there are stories that intersect, like those of the boys who are one and also millions, and show the artist's vision of Brazil. The disappeared, forgotten, the sad and aimless still appear. And there is the warmth of the song for a loved one or even a family partnership, between mother and son. Grande Coisa has ten songs, all written by the artist himself, one of them with lyrics adapted from an excerpt from a book written by his mother. Its musical roots are rooted in rock, but with a blatantly Brazilian gaze and interpretation. It has musical production and minimalist paths chosen by Sebastian Notini, collaborative arrangements forged in the encounter of Dorea's guitar with Seba's percussive and melodic vein and Carla Suzart's bass, and a wood weave that ends the album with the timbres of Joana Queiroz (bass clarinet and clarinet) and Leandro Tigrão (flute) under the baton of maestro Per Ekdahl.
DJ Koco on the cover. A growing superstar DJ, but with an old soul. He brings a classic beat digger’s approach to his impeccable 7-inch selections but peppers them with new-school DJ tricks and is now making waves that reverberate worldwide. Beyond this the issue will be chocked full with articles covering Brit-Funk, Taj Mahal, 23 Skidoo, DJ Parrot, the Monterrey dance scene in the 90's, Don Blackman, Hermeto Pascoal, Larry McDonald and much much more.
Far Out Recordings proudly presents the first and only album from the mysterious Brazilian vocal sensation Dila (pronounced “Jee-la”). Having reportedly died in a car crash shortly after the album’s release in 1971, there is very little known about the woman behind the voice. But the joyous music Dila left behind, gives us a picture as good as any, of a powerful feminine soul at the top of her game.
The liner notes on the elusive original LP, written by composer Arnoldo Medeiros attest: “Friend, look out! Because when this girl starts to sing, you’re in trouble. Hold the railing so you don’t fall down the stairs, because she’s coming this way and shaking up everything.”
Arranged and produced by Durval Ferreira, alongside his studio band affectionately known as “Os Grillos” (The Crickets), Dila (1971) is a rare glimpse into the authentic soulful Samba sound of Rio’s favelas in the late sixties and early seventies.
A blast of funky, percussive Brazilian breaks, scorching hot brass and swing-laden piano, the music is as iconic as the album’s stark cover, as is clear on opener ‘Inez’, composed by The Crickets’ bassist Romildo. There’s a fantastic interpretation of the Ivan Lins classic ‘Madalena’ (made famous by Elis Regina), a moving version of the Tom Jobim and Vinicius De Moraes classic ‘O Morro Não Tem Vez’, and a number of sunny original compositions by Arnold Madeiros, who’s other writing credits include music for Marcos Valle, Wanderlea, Evinha and Dom Salvador.
With original LPs extremely hard to come by, this rare treasure of Brazilian soul, which fans of Gal Costa, Celia, Evinha and Elis Regina will love, gets a much-deserved official reissue: remastered and pressed to 180g vinyl.
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In Craig Charles' eigenen Worten enthält "The Craig Charles Trunk Of Funk Volume 3" "19 der feinsten Stücke von super-slinky Soul, boot shaking Blues und Boogie, schillernde Discosongs und feine funky rump shakers!"
Als Dichter, Schauspieler, Radio- und Fernsehstar (u. a. in der Science-Fiction-Comedy "Red Dwarf" und der Seifenoper "Coronation Street") ist er seit seiner Jugend berühmt, und seit über 22 Jahren predigt er in seinen weltberühmten BBC 6 Music-Wochenend- und Tagesshows für den guten Groove, legt in Clubs und auf Festivals rund um den Globus auf - sein Ruf als einer der profiliertesten Botschafter für alles, was Soul und Funky ist, ist unbestritten.
Craigs neueste Kollektion mischt Up-Tempo-Club-Klassiker mit frischer Musik von der Creme de la Creme der zeitgenössischen Soul- und Funk-Szene mit einer Prise Oldschool-Klassikern. Das Ergebnis ist so, als ob Craig persönlich als DJ auflegen würde - eine Mischung aus modernem und klassischem Soul, Disco, Deep Funk und beatlastigem Rhythm and Blues.
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Strut introduces a pioneering new compilation 'A Dancefloor In Ndola,' curated by revered East African DJ, Kampire. This release marks an evolution in Strut's approach to compilations, showcasing emerging DJ talent from across the world and embracing an innovative approach to musical discovery from the next wave of selectors. Forging her reputation through memorable sets for the Nyege Nyege Festival in Uganda over the last decade, Kampire now tours worldwide and is celebrated for her brilliantly curated sets spanning the full range of African music styles from the ‘70s and ‘80s to the present day.
Although born in Kenya to Ugandan parents, Kampire spent her formative years in Ndola, Zambia. ‘A Dancefloor In Ndola’ is inspired by artists and songs that formed part of her soundtrack during that time. “It is important for me to continually reference Africa’s own musical history,” she explains. “At 17, I didn’t pick up on my Dad’s music but now I love and collect those records. I’m constantly referencing them in my music sets today. I love that feeling of shared nostalgia where people recognise a song they haven’t heard in a long time. It is a touchstone for me when I’m playing.”
The compilation flows through different East African and South African genres from Congolese rumba and soukous to 1980s township bubblegum and the rich guitar-led sounds of Zambian kalindula. “There are styles of music on the compilation which are often considered unsophisticated from rural areas. I and other contemporary African artists and DJs draw inspiration from them; it is part of what makes us ourselves.” Kampire also shines the spotlight on many incredible women in African music from the ‘80s, including Congolese legends like Pembey Sheiro, Feza Shamamba and Princesse Mansia M’bila to V-Mash and Di Groovy Girls from South Africa.
‘A Dancefloor In Ndola’ is released on 2LP and CD and features exclusive new edits by Kampire alongside personal liner notes tracing her links to the music. Cover artwork montage is by Canon Rumanzi and vinyl restoration / mastering by The Carvery
Debut compilation by one of East Africa’s leading new generation DJs, Kampire.
Mix of African classics and rarities spanning 1970s – 1990s from Congolese soukous, South African bubblegum and Zambian kalindula.
Shining the spotlight on women in African music Pembey Sheiro, Feza Shamamba and Princesse Mandisa M’bila.
Exclusive cover artwork collage by Canon Rumanzi.
Worldwide DJ dates supporting release during Summer and Autumn 2024.
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Recorded straight on the heels of Bad Company's 1974 debut — just a matter of three months later; not quite long enough to know how big a success the first LP would be — Straight Shooter is seemingly cut from the same cloth as its predecessor. It is, after all, a tight collection of eight strong, steady, heavy rockers that never, ever proceed in a hurry, but from the moment "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" kicks off the proceedings, it's clear that Bad Company have decided to expand their palette this second time around, writes AllMusic.
The album, released in April 1975, reached No. 3 on both the U.K. Albums Chart and the U.S. Billboard 200. It was certified gold (500,000 units sold) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a month after its release.
The jacket for the album was designed by Hipgnosis, who also designed their debut album.
"Good Lovin' Gone Bad," was released in March 1975 and reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was released in April. The album's final single "Feel like Makin' Love" was released in August and reached No. 10 on the Hot 100.
"Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Shooting Star," became classic rock staples due to this expanded aural vocabulary, and even straight-ahead rockers like "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" and "Deal with the Preacher" benefit from this additional muscle, while they feel comfortable enough to settle into a soulful groove on "Anna" and "Call on Me."
Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket by Stoughton Printing, this is the definitive pressing of Straight Shooter and one fans of Bad Company will be proud to own.
Limited Yellow w/ Purple Splatter Vinyl. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong has been turning heads coast-to-coast with their high-energy psychedelic funk shows for over 15 years. In 2014, the fledgling flock released their now-classic studio album, 'Psychology.' Featuring fan-favorite songs like "Horizon" and "Melting Lights," the album has produced 40 million streams on Spotify alone. Since its release, 'Psychology' has come to represent everything the band stands for, with its hypnotic hybrid of funk, rock, and infectious groove. "Recording 'Psychology' feels like a lifetime ago," says singer/guitarist Greg Ormont. "We were really just finding our identity as a band, but everything seemed to come together in the studio in a way that we all knew felt special. Looking back, the album laid the foundation for our growth, helped shape who we are as musicians, and the songs continue to be staples of our live catalog today."Ten years later, 'Psychology' still stands the test of time, and PPPP celebrates the anniversary with the first-ever vinyl pressing of their definitive studio work. Available on limited edition 180g Splatter Vinyl on July 12, 2024."We've always wanted to release 'Psychology' on vinyl, so we couldn't think of a better way to mark the 10-year anniversary than with its first-ever vinyl pressing!"
Asmaa Hamzaoui stands out as a pioneering female figure in the traditionally male-dominated realm of Gnawa music. With her group, Bnat Timbouktou, she brings a dynamic and spiritual dimension to the genre, infusing it with the vibrant energy of desert blues. Despite the essential role women have played in Gnawa rituals, female musicians have historically been underrepresented. Hamzaoui, however, is at the forefront of changing this trend. Born into a family deeply entrenched in Gnawa traditions in Casablanca, Hamzaoui was immersed in this musical heritage from a young age. Her father, a master musician, and her mother, a dancer, provided a rich environment for her early education in music. She learned to play the guembri, a three-stringed lute central to Gnawa music, and began performing with her father's band on the qraqeb, metal castanets used in Gnawa music, and in the choir. Encouraged by her father, she eventually formed her own group, Bnat Timbouktou. The group's debut album, "Oulad Lghaba," recorded in collaboration with the Swedish label ajabu! Records, was critically acclaimed and nominated for a Songlines Music Award. This album, along with their upcoming release "L'bnat," showcases Hamzaoui's commitment to preserving and revitalizing Gnawa music. "L'bnat," will emphasize the female traditions and spiritual aspects of Gnawa culture. Hamzaoui's performances are characterized by her powerful voice and the rhythmic, percussive playing of the guembri. Her music not only pays homage to the spiritual and healing qualities of Gnawa but also aims to keep the tradition alive by introducing it to new audiences worldwide.
A holy grail for fans of French boogie, early hip hop, Arabic funk and Balearic bops,"Ettika" has been seriously sought after since Vidal Benjamin found it in the 1€ bin back in 2006. Teasing the ears of the underground via Vidal's 'Balearic Nightmare' mix for Noncollective, copies of the original were soon snapped up completely, and the later adopters were sated by a Blackdisco edit from Alexis Le-Tan (himself gifted Vidal's second copy), which is now also rare as hen's teeth. The fervour for the track is easy to understand. Underpinned by an endlessly buoyant bass groove, chanted female vocals dart out the speakers like a post- modern mantra while synth vamps flare in stuttering stereo.
Middle-Eastern motifs add an air of mystery, but this truly belongs in a dance floor utopia. That the track was the product of a 'back-to-work' scheme aimed at unemployed immigrant youth in Rouen only adds to the appeal. Led by teacher Bernard Guégan, a quartet of students delivered lyrics in French and Arabic inspired by their rejection letters, serving a little social commentary and a lot of funk. If you're mad on Ahmed Fakroun and Shams Dinn, or even those folks in the Bush of Ghosts, then this is a must have for you.
Archeology isn't just about excavation, there should be interpretation too, and in this case it comes from Italian duo Hear & Now and Leeds' The Veteran Delinquents. The former furnish the 12" with two radical takes, the dreamy downtempo stroll of their French Remix - all unhurried percussion, Gilmour-riffing and coastal élan - and the peaktime pump of their Arab Remix, which transports the original vocal into a land of desert new beat and Balearic trance with a little space left for some frazzled fretwork. If you've followed their work with Claremont you know the quality on show.
The Veteran Delinquents, the collaborative vehicle of Leeds stalwarts Craig Christon and Tim Hutton, condense a lifetime of club experiences into their remix, establishing the infectious groove of the original before subverting with chugging bass and winking acid, all augmented with their own slick synth work. The original was an all time classic at Craig's Joe's Bakery nights way back when, and this new interpretation is both respectful and revolutionary.
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The magic and majesty of Holger Czukay’s late career works for Claremont 56 is being celebrated on a new compilation. The former Can bassist – a musical maverick renowned for his freewheeling approach to composition, recording and promotion – released a string of inspired tracks on Paul Murphy’s label between 2009 and 2012, typically delivering hard-to-pigeonhole workouts, bona-fide epics and radical reinventions of some of his most beloved tracks.
The collection has been a labour of love – fitting given the sonic details and inventive musicality that marked out the late artist’s solo career – for Claremont 56 founder Paul Murphy AKA Mudd, who first reached out to Czukay after witnessing his now legendary live performance at the Roundhouse in 2009. As Murphy details in his introductory liner notes, it led to a productive working relationship between the pair that included collaborative recording sessions with Ben Smith in Czukay’s legendary Innerspace Studio – a former cinema in Cologne in which much of Can’s music was recorded.The impact of that Roundhouse gig on Murphy is reflected in the fact that two of the tracks on the collection are based on that celebrated performance. There’s ‘Ode To Perfume’, a languid and solo-laden version of one of Czukay’s most celebrated solo records that ratchets up the original’s inherent dreaminess, and a jaunty take on quirky kraut-pop number ‘Photosong’ featuring a spoken introduction recorded at the concert in question.
Murphy’s ability to coax Czukay into delving into his archives is evident across the compilation. Opener ‘A Perfect World (Remix)’ is an eccentric, ever-building masterpiece originally recorded in 1984 – but later re-imagined for Claremont 56 – featuring vocalist Sheldon Ancel and former Can band-mates Jaki Leibezeit and Michael Karoli, while ‘Fragrance’ is a subtly re-wired slab of picturesque Balearic kraut-dub which was initially recorded as a coda for ‘Ode To Perfume’ but lay unreleased for decades.
Then there’s ‘Let’s Get Cool’, a bright and breezy, French horn-sporting 2009 take on 1979 avant-disco classic ‘Cool In The Pool’; ‘My Persian Love (Remix)’, a 2010 re-take of one of his earliest solos recordings; and the near 18-minute brilliance of ‘Music Is A Miracle’. Originally recorded for his fans in the 1980s – but only released three decades later – this widescreen epic not only features drums by Jaki Leibezeit and a fine spoken word vocal by Czukay, but also numerous nods to some of his most revered tracks.
It's fitting, too, that two of the most potent cuts feature Czukay’s much-missed wife and musical muse Ursa Major: the dense, trippy and fittingly out-there ambient soundscape ‘In Space’, and the mesmerising ‘Music To be Murdered By’. Partially inspired by hearing painfully out of tune violin practice through his studio windows, the track was originally recorded for an unreleased album but finally found a home on Claremont 56’s 10th anniversary box set ion 2017. A genuinely spaced-out and mind-mangling slab of organic dub in Czukay’s distinctive style, it delivers a fine curtain call to the iconic artist’s endlessly inventive career.
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Teknotika goes back to 1995 and 1996 to hand pick two favorites to be reworked and computerized for perfect tempos. “2020 Interview With An Alien” uses the original rare and sought after version with an added “jack” in the rhythm. “Acid Spores From Outer Space” is what happens when you mix acid with science fiction. It contains the original but changes the bassline and adds a tripped out section 3/4 in the song. Both the originals and the reissues are written and produced by Gary Martin with some help from The Outer Limits.
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Rosebay Music presents Darker Flowers - a V/A project showcasing 4 hotly-tipped new school producers - all representing a haunting soul sound with elegance and class. Romanian wiz kid Azotix has been making moves recently with his ultra-clean future bangers. But here he shows another side of his sound with the beautiful 'Hurt'. Styke & label boss Submorphics linked up in The Hague for a unique collab in 'Lonely Dub' - channeling dub techno + moody film noir D&B. LO! represents Chicago with the timeless banger 'Transition' - bringing an early 2000s sound into 2024. And imo-Lu finishes the EP with the gorgeous- yet-deadly bassbin rattler 'Inhibition'. Epic soundsystem music straight out of Glasgow.
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Soul Revivers are back with ‘Holding it Down’, the first single from the follow up to their critically acclaimed debut album ‘On The Grove’. • For ‘Holding it Down’, Nick Mansseh and David Hill enlist the help of West London keyboard maestro and producer, Ash Walker, and ace vocalist Lyn Gerald. • Together they’ve cooked up an ethereal but infectious tune, which tips its hat to the great Jackie Mittoo and oozes balmy summer evenings. • Being a Soul Revivers single, the main track comes with a Manasseh dub workout, of course, titled ‘Holding the Dub’.
Highly wanted amongst collectors for its unique sound, this Italian psychedelic percussion heavy disco single was originally only released on 7" format sometime in the late 70s on the Idea label. Quite experimental for its time, it stands out not only for the reckless use of percussion but also the use of early synthesiser sounds in very rhythmic conscientious manners, some moments almost sounding as if a pioneering example of Acid House years before its time. While it seems like all possible percussion instrument sounds are chaotically employed into the drum salad that unfolds, the clavinet and vibraphone offer a contrasting dreamy nuance via a simple and slowly moving melody. Besides the original “Parte 02a” version this release comes with a new remix “Drum Implosion (Parte 10a)” further propelling the chaos commenced in the original release with the aid of flangers and delays, already striking the fancy of DJs like Marcell Dettmann. Severely remastered at Manmade mastering, now featured in 12” format with full cover artwork.
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Sunny Crypt is incredibly happy to announce its seventh release: a retrospective compilation of six previously CD-only tracks by Nightmare Lodge, a name that might ring the bell to many enthusiasts of Italian experimental music.
It Passed Like A Dream is a selection of some of our favourite tracks they released between 1994 and 2000, aiming to spotlight a small glimpse of the amazing body of music they did throughout the years.
Nightmare Lodge is a musical project by Minus Habens Records / Disturbance founder Ivan Iusco alongside vocalist B. Mazzilli and bass player Gianni Mantelli, when the Bari based trio decided to decided to embark on a path in search of their own dreamlike musical dimension tied to introspective explorations.
Over the years, the group's lineup evolved, eventually solidifying as a duo comprising Iusco and Russolo.
With their first release dated 1987 and staying active till the early 2000s, it is quite challenging to put the Nightmare Lodge discography in a precise musical box. Their first outings flirted with post-industrial music and a more stripped down sound palette marked by a DIY approach to composition, while in later years leaning towards a more horroresque / cinematic feeling and following the development of new technologies but always charactering their output with a ritualistic, trance inducing and mystical approach, whatever if it’s ambient, downtempo, techno not techno, or a whole lotta else...
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Far Out Recordings Proudly Presents The 1975 Self-titled Debut Album From Brazilian Vocalist And Bossa Nova Luminary Emilio Santiago. Nicknamed 'the Nat King Cole Of Brazil', Santiago Was A Master Bossa Balladeer And A Top-class Crooner. But He Is Known Equally For His Brazilian Funk, Soul And Boogie Classics. One Of His Best Know Is Album Opener 'bananeira', A Party-starting Version Of The Song Originally Written By Joao Donato And Gilberto Gil. 'brother' Is A Smooth-grooving Killer With Great Horn Arrangements And A Huge Backing Choir, While 'la Mulata' Is A Soulful, Swinging Salsa Stepper.
Originally Released On The Cid Label, The Album Showcases The Full Range Of Emilio's Talents, While Paying Homage To Some Of Brazil's Greatest Composers, Including Jorge Ben, Marcos And Sergio Valle And Ivan Lins Among Others.
The Credits On The Album Are A 'who's Who' Of Brazil's Greats, With João Donato On Keys, Wilson Das Neves, Ivan 'mamão' Conti And Paulinho On Drums, Durval Ferreira, Carlos Roberto Rocha And Helio Delmiro On Guitar, Ariovaldo, Orlandivo, And Chacal On Percussion, Danilo Caymmi On Flute, A Brass Section Featuring Victor Assis Brasil, Edson Maciel And Jesse Sadoc, And Backing Vocals From Jaime And Nair, Lúcia Lins, Jurema And Marcio Lott.
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CM008 by Mirko Felicioli, Magma Moods a project inspired by a Vulcano. A concept in which we decided to press our first colored record. Mirko decided to title the EP Mons Gibel, one of the many acronyms by which the Etna Volcano has been named over the centuries, but also where Mirko has been living for 30 years. His beloved city of Catania, Sicily. "We all have a visceral connection with this gentle giant; we are all somewhat its children."
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“Todavía No”, La Paloma’s debut album, consolidates the young band from Madrid as one of the realities of the current scene. Undoubtedly, it’s definitely a bold step forward in all senses: compositional, interpretative, and artistic. Noise-rock to combat all the noise out there.
In “Una idea, pero es triste”, their celebrated debut EP, La Paloma expounded something very serious, but they explained it only once. Five songs that instantly connected with an audience eager for new references. In “Todavía no” there is more depth; here practically each cut shows a different shade of being La Paloma. “Tiré una piedra al aire” is far from “Algo ha cambiado”, but both are unequivocally La Paloma. Surely, this is something that can be attributed to the baggage acquired during this time lapse, but it certainly speaks very well of the artistic ambition of a band to which now seems to have no ceiling.
We are not, therefore, facing a mere extension of their 2021 EP, although musically they pick it up from where they left off. “Todavía no” is an accessible and contagious work, equal qualities shared with “Una idea, pero es triste”. It’s a work that conveys discontent and liberation, ambition and boredom. In large part, it’s due to the accredited ability of its composers Nico Yubero and Lucas Sierra to observe the world with the right dose of skepticism and disappointment, avoiding tormented gesticulation.
The presentation tour that followed the publication of the EP was extensive and led La Paloma to defend their songs throughout the Spanish geography, as well as visits to Portugal, Mexico and the United States. That state of grace was transferred to the studio, where they tried to reflect their live sound and proposal. With an elegant production and without undue frills, the mission of preserving the sharp fang shown in concert halls was achieved, ensuring, in turn, that the elements, arrangements and the proposal of each instrument were heard crystal clear.
Right from the start, we notice in the sequence many of the virtues that make La Paloma one of the most advantaged groups of the current scene: gushing guitars, the solidity of its rhythm section with Rubén Almonacid on bass and Juan Rojo on drums and the color tone provided by the voices of Nico and Lucas, who share the vocal tasks on alternate tracks.
But there’s more: songs that destroy the most generic canon of noise-rock to take it to little-explored territories, frantic guitar games and a cascade of imaginative arrangements. It combines popular song constructions with unpredictable structures that prevent you from anticipating what twist is to come next, making listening experience exhilarating and addictive.
“Todavía no” is a tightly cohesive album, a remarkable fact considering the two creative inputs from which the band draws from and the artistic ambition with which they faced the building of this work. Because we are talking about a complete work, conceived as such. The first chords of “Sigo aquí” sound and the disorganization of reality… is still disorganized, but somehow it makes sense now.
Crack Cloud has always been something beyond a rock band: both profound and grand, vaporous and elusive. The first iteration of Crack Cloud was formed nearly a decade ago as a proxy-rehab outlet on the fringes of Calgary. Over time, two EPs and accompanying visual pieces were produced out of the residence known as Red Mile. By 2017, several members had relocated to Vancouver, working out of harm reduction centers and low-barrier shelters. Sobriety, self-reformation and the idealism of their work further formed an ethos for Crack Cloud. It was during these years that the band produced their astounding 2020 album Pain Olympics. At once, their vision became expansive, cinematic. Now, Red Mile is a bit of a homecoming. Members have returned to Calgary. But Calgary/home has become a liminal space, a place of flux. After a decade of personal and collective growth, what does home even mean? Red Mile is, for them, something like samsara: a return and a rebirth. Red Mile's sound breathes expansive energy into the circuitous, street bound sonics of Crack Cloud's prior material. Fizzling synths intertwine with chiming pianos. Songs layer like Russian nesting dolls; one may find a Ramones chorus set within a desolate Western prog soundtrack only to watch it erupt into a joyous anthem. Real-ass guitars _ alternately lilting, scuzzy and soaring _ ring out across wide sun-bleached spaces. In 2024, the cumulative effect is (in rock instrumentation terms) naturalistic. Any whiff of embalmed nostalgia is absent. Even the close of the album - a winding, almost Jerry Garcia guitar noodle that leads us out of Red Mile - is delivered without sentimentality. Principal songwriter Zach Choy's lyrics are cutting but merciful, with a sharp self-awareness that never slides into self-satisfaction. Crack Cloud as artists are critical _ and ultimately as forgiving _ of themselves as they are the melting world around them. The songs balance an easy charm and cathartic power: affirming life without denying death. Recorded predominantly between the outskirts of Joshua Tree California, and Calgary, Alberta, this record is informed by a bittersweet mélange of old and new. The sprawling, novelistic structures of their previous albums are condensed and sharpened, while maintaining their refusal to delve into superficiality. Through playful melodies and elliptical guitar soliloquy, they deliver a final product of exceptional depth and distinctly unprecious warmth. Crack Cloud have produced a mature, vital work that interrogates the platitudes of the rock-n-roll lifestyle, but ultimately exalts its sacredness. Red Mile's de facto thesis statement "The Medium" is itself a rock song meditation: an ode to the form and its practitioners. This genre that _ typical, repeatable, corporatized as it can be _ somehow still has the power to help us live through life. We see the dusty sentiment of "I love rock and roll" exhumed, taken apart, and stitched back together. It's a song guided by faith _ if the medium helps us proclaim our love today, it's worth protecting from derision tomorrow. We live in an era where music seems to love hitting its head against the wall. Crack Cloud's Red Mile is the sound _ the feeling! _ of the bricks giving way.
Crack Cloud has always been something beyond a rock band: both profound and grand, vaporous and elusive. The first iteration of Crack Cloud was formed nearly a decade ago as a proxy-rehab outlet on the fringes of Calgary. Over time, two EPs and accompanying visual pieces were produced out of the residence known as Red Mile. By 2017, several members had relocated to Vancouver, working out of harm reduction centers and low-barrier shelters. Sobriety, self-reformation and the idealism of their work further formed an ethos for Crack Cloud. It was during these years that the band produced their astounding 2020 album Pain Olympics. At once, their vision became expansive, cinematic. Now, Red Mile is a bit of a homecoming. Members have returned to Calgary. But Calgary/home has become a liminal space, a place of flux. After a decade of personal and collective growth, what does home even mean? Red Mile is, for them, something like samsara: a return and a rebirth. Red Mile's sound breathes expansive energy into the circuitous, street bound sonics of Crack Cloud's prior material. Fizzling synths intertwine with chiming pianos. Songs layer like Russian nesting dolls; one may find a Ramones chorus set within a desolate Western prog soundtrack only to watch it erupt into a joyous anthem. Real-ass guitars _ alternately lilting, scuzzy and soaring _ ring out across wide sun-bleached spaces. In 2024, the cumulative effect is (in rock instrumentation terms) naturalistic. Any whiff of embalmed nostalgia is absent. Even the close of the album - a winding, almost Jerry Garcia guitar noodle that leads us out of Red Mile - is delivered without sentimentality. Principal songwriter Zach Choy's lyrics are cutting but merciful, with a sharp self-awareness that never slides into self-satisfaction. Crack Cloud as artists are critical _ and ultimately as forgiving _ of themselves as they are the melting world around them. The songs balance an easy charm and cathartic power: affirming life without denying death. Recorded predominantly between the outskirts of Joshua Tree California, and Calgary, Alberta, this record is informed by a bittersweet mélange of old and new. The sprawling, novelistic structures of their previous albums are condensed and sharpened, while maintaining their refusal to delve into superficiality. Through playful melodies and elliptical guitar soliloquy, they deliver a final product of exceptional depth and distinctly unprecious warmth. Crack Cloud have produced a mature, vital work that interrogates the platitudes of the rock-n-roll lifestyle, but ultimately exalts its sacredness. Red Mile's de facto thesis statement "The Medium" is itself a rock song meditation: an ode to the form and its practitioners. This genre that _ typical, repeatable, corporatized as it can be _ somehow still has the power to help us live through life. We see the dusty sentiment of "I love rock and roll" exhumed, taken apart, and stitched back together. It's a song guided by faith _ if the medium helps us proclaim our love today, it's worth protecting from derision tomorrow. We live in an era where music seems to love hitting its head against the wall. Crack Cloud's Red Mile is the sound _ the feeling! _ of the bricks giving way.
180 Gram, Tip On Sleeve RSD version of this classic. One of the rarer records of the mythical Strata East albums is finally reissued for the first time on Heavenly Sweetness!
The recording of Earth Blossom, the John Betsch Societys one and only album, seems something of an enigma nowadays. For even though Nashville is clearly one of the towns in the US with the highest number of recording studios, who would have thought that the capital of country music would give birth to one of the forgotten masterpieces of 1970s spiritual jazz. The path leading to the album starts in 1963 when John Betsch, originally from Jacksonville in Florida, arrives in Nashville to study at Frisk University. He is a young drummer and joins Bob Holmes trio. Holmes is one of the towns major jazz organists and pianists; he becomes Betschs mentor and, over the space of two years, John will play alternately with him and with the trumpeter Louis Smiths group. However, in 1965, John leaves town to go to the prestigious Berkeley University in Boston and do a two-year course along with his fellow debutants with names like John Abercrombie, Ernie Watts and Alan Broadbent. Two years later, he is invited by a pianist friend, Billy Chilf, to join the legendary singer/songwriter Tim Hardins group. Just after Woodstock, John Betsch and Tim record a psychedelic album Columbia will never release together with the members of the future group Oregon: Colin Walcott, Glen Moore, Paul McCandles and his friend Billy Chilf. But he soon leaves this group to return to Nashville where he hooks up again with his friend Bob Holmes. Two years later, he is accepted on Archie Shepp and Max Roachs famous course at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMASS) and for the next four years he participates in this collective of intellectuals and musicians under the aegis of the two masters.
During this period he returns to Nashville to form his Society whose music is obviously influenced by the Afrocentric ideas of the UMASS student and political movement. However, the album, recorded in one day and in one take, also bears the hallmark of their generations psychedelic experiences, and in the themes and playing of the musicians we can hear a less violent form of music than the radical free jazz of New York or Chicago. Nature and environmental themes are the inspiration behind tracks touched by the spirit of Coltrane but also of Flower Power.
After Amherst, John Betsch joins Marion Browns group in 1976, leaves Tennessee for good and makes his home in New York over the next ten years or so. He plays and records with Dollar Brand, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre and many others, before heading off to France. He has lived in Paris for the last twenty years and played in Steve Lacy, Mal Waldron and Archie Shepp bands, as well as forming groups of his own. He now lives in Paris and plays with many musicians/bands.
The early Reggae sound that came out of Jamaica between the years 1968 and 1971 became the soundtrack to the skinhead movement in the UK. Not only was the music embraced but also the dress style of the Jamaican Rude Boys.
The skinhead style started around 1968 and by the following year 1969, had become the style and fashion of the British teenagers. The uniform of the skinheads consisted of boots, braces, button down shirts and jeans and the upbeat reggae sounds seemed to match the style perfectly. The tempo of the music in Jamaica had previously slowed down from the more up tempo beat of Ska to the calmer pace of beat called Rock Steady. Some say this was to match the extreme heat wave that was hitting the island between 1966 and 1968. But that period had now passed and the evolution of the Reggae beat had again found a new pulse to hang its songs by. A more up tempo beat that all Jamaicans, British youths and various pockets of people around the world could groove to.
We have selected a cross section of tunes from those heady times, so sit back and enjoy some of the tunes the youths were listening to when the Skinhead Shuffle was all the rage. Hope you enjoy the set….
After meeting in 1992 as members of St Etienne's touring band, Debsey Wykes (Dolly Mixture) and Paul Kelly (East Village) turned their shared love of the soft rock and sunshine pop of the 1960s and 1970s into the now-legendary Birdie. In the summer of 1998 Birdie recorded their debut album "Some Dusty" with the estimable Brian O'Shaughnessy (Denim, Moose, The Clientele). It's a deep and beautiful album, with melodic & sophisticated (yet understated) arrangements providing the perfect setting for Debsey's sweet and soulful soft-pop vocals. Add in gorgeous string arrangements from The High Llamas' Sean O'Hagan and you have all the makings of a pop classic.
Subsequent singles and a second album cemented their reputation as top-notch purveyors of pop, but family life and other artistic pursuits called and Birdie has only been sporadically active since 2001. Their brief but perfectly-formed discography has become the stuff of legend, though, charming savvy pop fans around the world with its timeless songcraft and flawless production.
Summer 2024 will see the long overdue vinyl reissue of "Some Dusty" on US indie label Slumberland Records, returning this classic album to much-needed availability in deluxe remastered form with a deluxe 60s-style laminated heavy card jacket and a fine insert with rare photos and liner notes by Chickfactor’s Gail O’Hara.
This album was recorded in Philadelphia in 1977 by Rare Feelings, a band led by Rick Mason, who was fully involved as songwriter, arranger, and producer while also supporting the band's groove as bassist. This is a superb example of one of the few soul and funk hard diggers that every hard digger has wished to have and has been lucky enough to acquire, and it is a masterpiece that is numbing not only in its sound but also in its vintage-inspired artwork! Rick Mason's bass roars, the organ and horns fold in and out, and a faintly haunting vocal (?) enters, blended with an exquisite psychedelic feel. The opening track "Rare Feelings" (A1) blends exquisite psychedelic sensation with slap bass, swirling intro, raging horns and organ, and then suddenly changes the tone to mid-tempo with the intertwining of bewitching vocals again. The song suddenly changes to a mid-tempo and leads to "Dope" (A2) with its bewitching vocals, a sound that is worthy of being called rare groove! The instrumental number "Metamorphosis Funk" (B2), which features not only bass and organ, but also continuous drum fill-in, fast cutting guitar and solo, and flute lead, is sure to get the floor going! This is the first official reissue in the world!
Coloured vinyl repress of Penguin Cafe album Rain Before Seven… A sense of optimism infuses Penguin Cafe’s fifth studio album, not the braggadocious, overconfident kind, but more a blithe, self-effacing optimism in keeping with the national character. Even when all signs point to the contrary, it operates within the certainty that things are going to be alright. Probably.
The title comes from an old weather proverb with the rhyming prognostication — fine before eleven — hinting at a happy ending, irrespective of the science: “I found it in a book and I'd never heard it before,” says Arthur Jeffes, leader of Penguin Cafe. “It has faintly optimistic overtones and I quite like it. It's fallen out of usage recently but it does describe English weather patterns coming in off the Atlantic.”
From the widescreen reverie of opener ‘Welcome to London’ with its cheeky nod to Morricone to ‘Goldfinch Yodel’, the self-described “Maypole banger” at the denouement, there’s a welcome sense of sanguinity, always with an undercurrent of exotic rhythmic exuberance. Playfulness pervades, with a titular nod to A Matter of Life... from 2011, the last album title that concluded with an ellipsis. That Penguin Cafe debut is the bridge between the legendary Penguin Cafe Orchestra, led by Arthur’s father Simon Jeffes, and the much- loved descendent, led by Arthur.
“Stylistically it's really satisfying to get back to playful rhythms and instruments,” says the younger Jeffes, who kept the group’s debut from 12 years ago in mind when writing the new album. “Certainly when starting out, I became aware that we’d stopped using quite a few of the textures that had been there at the beginning—and it was certainly there in my dad's earlier stuff. So there's a lot of balafon and textures from completely different parts of the world, musically and geographically: ukuleles, cuatros and melodicas that you can hear.”
Encouraged by co-producer Robert Raths, the rhythmic elements of Rain Before Seven... have never been more to the fore and, at times, even hint at the electronic. ‘Find Your Feet’, for instance, is underpinned with more than just a pulse. Mixed by Tom Chichester-Clark, it brings to the musical melange what Arthur describes as a “near electronic feel”. He adds, excitedly: “There are elements of fun here which we haven't really done with the last three records.” Another ebullient highlight is ‘In Re Budd’, dedicated to the late ambient godfather Harold Budd, who Arthur discovered had died on the day he’d been writing the celebratory ear worm with a deceptively tricky syncopation. Played on an upright piano with some “prepared” felt to accentuate the bounce, Jeffes feels a track with an Afro Cuban Cafe vibe would appeal to Budd’s contrariness.
Over 10 years ago, Leon Michels released his first full length record, Sounding Out The City. It was Michels' first full length record under the moniker El Michels Affair. At the time, the budding retro soul scene consisted of mostly organ quartets a la The Meters and of course, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings were in the early days of their ascent to world domination. Leon Michels, who was 18 when recording Sounding Out The City began, had just released Thunder Chicken, the first record by his high school band The Mighty Imperials. At the time of SOTC, Michels was just discovering early rocksteady, afrobeat, and 60's garage rock, which inevitably crept its way into the songwriting. He purchased a Tascam 388, an 80's 1/4" reel to reel 8 track intended for home recordings, and began recording music in a 10x10 box with no windows that also doubled as his childhood bedroom. Along with fellow Mighty Imperials Nick Movshon, Homer Steinweiss, and Sean Solomon, and Michael Leonhart, Thomas Brenneck, and some of the musicians from The Dap Kings, Michels recorded the LP over a two year period. Upon it's release, it received some rave reviews and the small deep funk community ate it up, but due to the lack luster promotion and distribution the rest of the world was slow to catch on to the instrumental gems featured on SOTC, which Michels appropriately labelled as "cinematic soul". However, in 2005 it found it's way into the hands of the people who were organizing a series of concerts for Scion that paired bands with MC's. El Michels Affair was contacted about playing one show with Raekwon The Chef of Wu Tang Clan fame. The show was such a success it led to a tour, and then to another set of concerts that featured multiple members of the Wu-Tang Clan. This eventually led to the release of El Michels Affair's second record, "Enter the 37th Chamber" which introduced them to a much larger audience and has been their most successful release to date. Michels has since gone on to produce and co-produce numerous records for powerhouse soul artists like Lee Fields. He shares songwriting credits with Adele, Jay-Z, Ghostface Killah, Aloe Blacc, and has played on records by Ray LaMontagne, Lana Del Rey, The Black Keys and Dr. John.
Kitty Liv hat schon in jungen Jahren Musikliebhaber auf der ganzen Welt begeistert. Als Co-Frontfrau der Familienband "Kitty, Daisy & Lewis"
verkaufte sie über eine Viertelmillion Platten. Die Band tourte mehrmals um die Welt und gewann Fans wie Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson und
Coldplay.
Jetzt schickt sie sich an, eine noch breitere Fangemeinde mit einem Solo-Albumprojekt zu erobern, das eine völlig neue Richtung für sie markiert. Als
Songwriterin, Produzentin und Multi-Instrumentalistin greift Kitty auf eine Vielzahl von Einflüssen zurück, von Erykah Badu und D'Angelo bis hin zu Al
Green und der Blues-Legende Howlin' Wolf, um eine Reihe persönlicher Songs zu produzieren, die die ursprünglichen Tiefen von Soul, Gospel, Blues
und Rock and Roll heraufbeschwören. Die Songs sind von einer tiefen Stimme durchdrungen, die fast ihre Dämonen kanalisiert. Kitty hat ihre Ideen
über mehrere Jahre hinweg entwickelt und nimmt derzeit einige atemberaubende Performances im Studio auf.
Die in Camden Town geborene und aufgewachsene Kitty lebt und atmet Musik, gründete die Durham Sound Studios und arbeitet mit anderen
Musikern und Künstlern zusammen, um magische Momente auf funkelndem analogem Aufnahmeequipment einzufangen. Wenn jemand seit seinem
siebten Lebensjahr Musik spielt, aufnimmt und schreibt, ist es nur eine Frage der Zeit, bis er einen Quantensprung in ein neues Paradigma macht.
Bristol's cultured Innate label is back with a first outing of the year and it returns to their various artists format with a mix of talents all making their mark. UK veteran Tom Churchill opens up with 'Unknown Unknowns (Edit)', which brings plenty of fuzzy and lo-fi aesthetic to jacked up drums and spaced-out pads. Rai Scott then shows her class with 'Suasion' that sinks down deep into immersive drums and is subtly lit up with simmering strings. Innate co-founders Owain K and Gilbert then hook-up under their brand new alias Curved Space and showcase their love of electro with 'Reverie,' a dreamy cut that glows with nice celestial melodies and will have dance floors in a zoned-out state. Last of all it's Lisbon mainstay Jorge Caiado who debuts with the chord-laced 'Floating Without Lifting,' a sophisticated and serene jazz-techno cut that takes you to the stars.
DJ Feedback
Richard Sen:
"Lliking the Tom Churchill and Curved Space tracks. Will try and fit them into the show and in the club."
Laurent Garnier:
"A lovely EP indeed!"
Jayson Wynters:
"This is a great release. Nice varied tracks for different moods. Will certainly be playing this."
Anna Wall:
"Lovely VA! Thanks so much for sharing :) Faves are Jorges track and Rai Scott. Really beautiful music!"
Ewan Jansen:
"Great listen mate - a good gang assembled too."
DJ Guy:
"The EP is gonna be incredible..."
Orlando Voorn:
"I like em all!"
Moy:
"This is another really wikid V/A!"
Hizou:
"Thanks a lot, so good music here!"
Appleblim:
"I love the Tom Churchill - very detroity and deep, beautiful!"
Baldo:
"Thanks for this release, I love your track with Gilbert and also Jorge's! pure class!"
Alex Attias:
"Sounding dope! I’m feeling this great ep, thank you so much."
Chris Duckenfield:
"Many thanks for sharing, it’s a strong EP for sure. B2 probably my immediate fave."
Adam Shelton:
"Wicked release! Love all tracks, thanks so much."
Alien Communications:
"Love the EP, really like all the tracks but your own, Reverie, is definitely the strongest for me."
Dan Curtin:
"Sounding so lush...really really great. "
Vine Watson:
"Sounding great!!!"
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Last delivered 15 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
On The Edge Of A Lost And Lonely World is the sophomore album from Humanist, the moniker of frequent Mark Lanegan collaborator Rob Marshall. The album features an array of guests including Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, Midlake’s Tim Smith, Isobel Campbell, and Ed Harcourt, amongst others.
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Last delivered 2 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
The Fossils label has been unearthing more musical treasure for its fifth outing, and this one takes you directly to the Middle East for some twisted disco-funk with red hot grooves courtesy of Fava Luva & Dr. Professor. The source of the tunes is obscure and unknown but the pair bring plenty of their own goodness with additional layers of live instrumentation really bring them to life. 'Lahatz' is steamy and full of sensuous vocal magic and cosmic synth work that will get the floor into action, while 'Kerem' is even more topical and exotic with its rich array of strong melodies and downtempo beats making for a woozy and wonderful trip.
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Last delivered 3 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
- New signing to Basin Rock label who released breakthrough albums by Julie Byrne, Nadia Reid, Aoife Nessa Frances, Jim Ghedi, Andrew Tuttle, Trevor Beales….
- Limited edition black vinyl with download code.
French lullabies and traditional folk songs dating as far back as the 14th century, adapted with contemporary arrangements and faint tape manipulations in Dublin, Ireland.
Imagine Serge Gainsbourg, John Martyn and Gábor Szabó squeezed on a small stage in the early hours of a smokey backstreet Parisian jazz club, slowly hypnotising the audience into hypnagogic hallucinations.
Growing up, Kevin Fowley split his time between living in France and Ireland. He listened to French lullabies sung by his mother in one room, while his father would be playing Donegal tunes on the fiddle in another. “I’m lucky to have been brought up bilingual and bicultural,” he says. “What I find interesting is that I usually think in English, but if I intentionally start thinking in French, a markedly different side of my personality comes through, encouraging different thought patterns.”
And this is apparent on his beautiful record of French lullabies À Feu Doux, which encompasses musical elements from both worlds, as it seamlessly glides across folk, jazz, and a rich yet shimmering in between sound. Varnished and exposed is the feeling that floats through À Feu Doux like a gentle gust of wind creeping in through the open window at night. Real night time music.
Sulo Karlsson is probably most well known as the frontman of the long serving Swedish glam boogie rockers Diamond Dogs but he's far more than that. Besides forming bands with UK guitar legend Chris Spedding (The Piggyback Riders) and former members from
The Clash and Sham 69 (The Crunch) he has been releasing numerous of solo albums and collaborated with artists such as Paul Young, Maria Mckee, Terry Reid, Janis Ian etc.
A well-kept secret and a lost pearl in the collection have been his first ever solo album "Rough Diamonds" that came out in a limited edition in 2003 and since the been out of stock for a long time and never released on vinyl or as download. Until now!
The complete debut including 13 tracks recorded between 1997-1999 at the legendary Sunlight studio and produced by Tomas Skogsberg (Hellacopters/Backyard Babies etc) will now be re-released together with an extra album of 12 never before released tracks. With guest like Nicke Andersson (Hellacopters), Dregen (Hellacopters) and his old band mate Boba among others "Rough Diamond" is a distorted display of Punky glam numbers that really points out the future for Sulo's career.
Jetzt folgt endlich Liana Flores‘ Debüt-Album auf dem berühmten Verve-Label. Musikalisch beeinflusst ist die Songschreiberin mit den hypnotischen Songs und der einschmeichelnden Stimme von britischem Folk der 60er Jahre, Künstlern wie Nick Drake und brasilianischer Bossa Nova. Ihre eigene Melange aus diesen Zutaten erinnert an erfolgreiche aktuelle Zeitgenossen wie Laufey und Faye Webster. Auf ihren Social-Media-Kanälen beschäftigt sich Liana Flores, die nicht nur eine beeindruckend reife Songschreiberin, Sängerin und Gitarristin ist, auch mit Themen wie Literatur und der Natur und ihrer Schutzwürdigkeit, Themen die sie auch in ihren Liedern behandelt.
out of Stock
Last delivered 2 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
On their second album, Winter Pageant, The Softies move forward with focused delight. It's the combination of Jen Sbragia (All Girl Summer Fun Band) and Rose Melberg (Tiger Trap, Gaze, Go Sailor) that molds The Softies' panoply: feathers and thorns, fawn and fearless, fable and friction. Originally released in 1997, Winter Pageant is the drama of utter melancholia documenting the broken promises, missed phone calls, conversations stalled, love lost. Colossal tasks recorded two guitars deep, forming a new Iliad, chapters on brave deeds and the power of love on the move. You can live for love, or you could live for the splendid cascade of guitar on guitar, voice over voice: The Softies. Winter Pageant was recorded by Stuart Hallerman (Soundgarden, KARP) at his Avast! recording studio in Seattle, Washington.
Pierced Arrow's first record! Fred And Toody Cole's post Dead Moon band with Legendary rocker Kelly Haliburton on drums. Most musicians get softer with age, but Fred and Toody brought a harder edge to Pierced Arrow's than their earlier bands. A legendary record back in print for the first time since it initially came out in 2008. A killer!
