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Martina Berther and Philipp Schlotter are prolific in their respective ways, having been active in pop and jazz music, respectively, as well as playing in bands and exploring the outer fringes of sound art or composing music for film. Their first joint album »Matt« was recorded over the course of four days in a church in the Swiss village after which the album was named. Berther and Schlotter worked with the buildingʼs organ as well as synthesizers and electric bass to follow an experimental approach that oscillated between composition and free improvisation. The five pieces, recorded directly to tape by Flo Götte without any additional overdubs, are characterised by an intimacy and rawness that calls to mind the introspective atmosphere of Hallow Ground label mateʼs FUJI||||||||||TA or mastering engineer Lawrence Englishʼs latest album for the Swiss label. »Matt« is the result of two versatile composers and musicians executing minimalist ideas by giving them plenty of space to unfold.

The album opens with »Unruhe,« a composition that is based on the twelve-tone technique. Using a stopwatch to ensure the adherence to the pre-determined temporal intervals between the individual notes, Berther and Schlotter used the church organ and synthesizers for an ominous piece that traverses different moods and levels of intensity throughout its 14-minute run time. »LFO1« and »LFO2« are different variations of the same concept: Based on a synthesizer preset and structured by an organ drone, two tone generators slowly fall silent, resulting in elegiac pieces that call to mind the work of Éliane Radigue. »Frachter« and »Gallia« put more emphasis on percussive elements. Again working with organ as well as Bertherʼs prepared electric bass, this improvisation comprises interlocking textures that sound almost menacing on »Frachter,« while they create a very different atmosphere on »Gallia.« These notable discrepancies in sound and mood are even more astonishing if you consider that the two pieces are based on the exact same recording, played at different speeds.

As two variations on the same idea with very different results, these two pieces perfectly represent how the duo effectively creates emotionally affective sound worlds with very few means. Berther and Schlotterʼs conceptual minimalism yields rewarding, multi-faceted aesthetic results. »Matt« is an intimate album, marked by a sense of vividness and spontaneity, but also the product of compositional conciseness.

Brotherhood Of Peace (aka B.O.P.) brought the world some of the best breezy power pop, Southern rock and heavy boogie all packed into one brilliant album in 1976, the fittingly titled Cuttin’ Loose. The album is a free-flowing nine song collection of genre blending would-be hits suited for both ’70s AM gold and FM album rock that never received its proper due, until now. The album flows somewhat similar to the way Big Star combined heavy riffs with airy pop sweetness, but B.O.P. brought more of a blues rock groove to the proceedings, resulting in heavier undercurrents to songs with glowing three-part harmonies and impeccable power trio musicianship. By the mid-’70s, rock ’n’ roll was truly anything goes. Experimentation, excess and inventing new genres was all the rage, and the trio of spritely young men—guitarist / vocalist Dennis Tolbert, bassist / vocalist Mike Arrington and drummer / vocalist Ronnie Smith—gamely tackled whatever sound they pleased. Fortunately, the band captured it all on their lone album, released on the small independent label Avanti Records in March 1976. The Mount Airy, North Carolina trio got its start as teens in 1969 as the backing band to a large 20-50 person traveling church choir called the New Americans. By 1970, the band was ready to move on to performing on their own. First as a sextet, the band soon trimmed down to a three-piece, working the local club circuit like madmen, sometimes playing three shows a day. At the height of their live tightness, B.O.P. recorded the album with local musicians Don Dixon and Robert Kirkland of the band Arrogance who worked at Charlotte recording studio Reflection Sound in October 1975. The band laid out the highlights of their live set in the studio, which ran the range of influences from The Raspberries to Deep Purple, Doobie Brothers to Nazareth, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Grand Funk. The initial pressing of 1000 copies was released in March 1976, but without major label machinery for retail distribution, radio and press, the album never took off. The band mostly sold them at live shows, via consignment at local stores and in limited distribution in the Southeastern region. However, to date, the record still occasionally pops up for sale online worldwide at exorbitant collectors’ prices. Until now, finally getting a proper reissue via Riding Easy Records.

Classic Jazz Album from 1978.
Featuring an all-star line-up.
First ever vinyl reissue since 1986.
Released for the first time in the UK & North America.
180g BLACK vinyl limited to 500 copies (w/obi strip).

Curtis Fuller (December 15, 1932 – May 8, 2021) was an American jazz trombonist best known for being a member of several legendary jazz outfits, his impressive catalog of solo albums and a contributor to many classic jazz recordings.

Fuller was born in Detroit and lost both his parents at a very young age. He spent several years in an orphanage run by Jesuits where he developed a passion for jazz after one of the nuns there took him to see his first live performance. Curtis attended public school in his hometown (together with Donald Byrd and Milt Jackson) where he took up the trombone at the age of sixteen.

Curtis Fuller was a well-respected member of iconic outfits such as Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Art Farmer’s Tentet, The Benny Golson Quintet and Eastern Rebellion. The list of his collaborations is impressive to say the least, Mr. Fuller recorded and performed with greats such as Quincy Jones, John Coltrane, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Roland Kirk Rashaan, Miles Davis…and many others.

Fuller was granted an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music in 1999 and eight years later he was honored as a NEA Jazz Master. Curtis Fuller’s performances were included on classic recordings released by prominent labels from the likes of Blue Note, Savoy, Prestige, Strata-East, Muse, Verve and Impulse!

On the album we are presenting you today: Four On The Outside (Recorded in 1978 at the famous New York CI Recording Studio and released on Timeless Records the same year) the listener is treated to six majestic tracks of the highest caliber and features a remarkable outing of advanced musicianship by jazz-giants in their prime, delivering an inspirational gem of an album.

The all-star line-up includes Pepper Adams (Oliver Nelson, Lalo Schifrin, Herbie Hancock) on saxophone, Dennis Irwin (The Jazz Messengers, Chet Baker) on bass and James Williams (Calvin Keys, Thelonious Monk) on piano.

Four On The Outside shows off Fuller’s mastery of the Trombone and this delightful set features him in a front line with Pepper Adams delivering a unique trombone-baritone saxophone combination (few others have followed this intriguing coupling). Curtis Fuller plays from the heart and is on top of his game. Expect sharp and elegant original compositions, machine gun-like spurts, angular boppish lines and top rhythm section work that never gets in the way of the horns spreading their wings. All of the above makes this record a must have for any self-respecting jazz fan or collector!

Since his early days with Henry Cow, Fred Frith has been regarded as a brilliant instrumentalist and improviser, but what has been overlooked is that he is also a first-rate composer. This recording offers both aspects. His most complex orchestral composition and two selected improvisations with the Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles. Fred Frith, as an infusion of energy and inspiration.

''Something about this Landscape was commissioned by Ars Musica in 2018. I composed the piece during a residency at Lou Harrison's straw-bale house in the desert at Joshua Tree, California. It's an inspiring place for a number of reasons - the silence, the light, the life, the history. The extraordinary diversity of birds during the migration season. Both other pieces are improvisations. The first one is the one we did during the concert (in public), the other one, very different, is the one we did during the dress rehearsal (on the day of the concert).'' - Fred Frith

Musiques Nouvelles is one of the two most successful and diversified contemporary music ensemble in this country with Ictus. With, under the influence of Jean-Paul Dessy, a deeply spiritual and mutual listening aspect. This meeting with the legendary Fred Frith will remain as an important step.

Maurice Louca & his band Elephantine announce Moonshine, shining brightly with a live, raw, collective sound. Maurice Louca's band is incredible: double drummers Tommaso Cappellato & Özün Usta, Piero Bittolo Bon on alto, Daniel Gahrton on baritone and Isak Hedtjärn on clarinet, Rasmus Svale Kjærgård Lund on tuba, Rosa Brunello on bass, Els Vandeweyer on vibraphone, Louca on guitar/lap steel/synth.

As Asher Gamedze puts it in his essay: "Abstract territories of freedom, always grounded, expansive, multiple, internally differentiated, and elephantine."

One of the most gifted, prolific and adventurous figures on Egypt's thriving experimental arts scene, Louca has in recent years garnered a global reputation through three previous solo albums and an expanding, evolving lineup of genre-defying collaborations. The Wire called his 2014 sophomore solo effort, Salute the Parrot, "remarkable music-dense, driven and splashed with colour.

For Louca, Elephantine serves as both the pinnacle of his wide-ranging experience and a bold next step in his development as a composer, arranger and bandleader, from Cosmic Jazz, African and World music to transcendental modal traditions. The music-from its pensive lulls through its stretches of hard-grooving hypnosis and moments of avant-jazz.

Fusion's Border Town is an obscure late Sixties bluesy psychedelic record. The sound is best described as a cross between Creedence Clearwater Revival and Circus Maximus with a touch of Ry Cooder (Cooder does perform a guest role on this album). It contains some full on rural spiked blues rockers with Ry Cooder's slide guitar taking center stage. The album contains the fan-favorite tracks "Time Of The Ostrich Head", "News Of Selena" & "Erebus".

This rare psychedelic nugget is available as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on turquoise coloured vinyl.

Eine 2-CD-Neuauflage von HAIMs Debütalbum Days Are Gone (2013), die den ersten Platz in den Charts einnahm, zur Feier des 10-jährigen Jubiläums. Mit den sechs Singles „Forever“, „Don’t Save Me“, „Falling“, „The Wire“, „If I Could Change Your Mind“ und „My Song 5“ wurde die Platte seit ihrer Veröffentlichung nicht mehr neu aufgelegt Veröffentlichung im Jahr 2013. Das Album ist in einer völlig neuen Verpackung untergebracht und enthält eine von der Band zusammengestellte Titelliste ihrer Lieblingsdemos und Remixe sowie ein exklusives ausklappbares Poster. Auch als coloured 2LP erhältlich.

The timeless artistry of Billie Holiday is something that every generation gets to discover for themselves. The iconic songs on this collection showcase Holiday's unique ability to infuse every lyric with unparalleled emotion and depth. With her distinctive voice and incomparable phrasing, Holiday remains an enduring performer and a powerful influence on generations of musicians. Great Women Of Song is a testament to Holiday’s profound legacy and an essential addition to any music collection

The mystery continues to deepen, as you hear whispers beckoning you out to the sea...

After refining their dark and seductive vision of alternative/gothic metal to surreal, cinematic levels with three EPs and a full-length album, The Cause of Shipwreck, behind them, the Assen-based Blackbriar continue to set their sails towards the future in 2023, signing with Nuclear Blast Records and working towards their second full-length album, again accompanied by long-time collaborator Joost van den Broek.

Formed in 2012 by Zora Cock, René Boxem, Bart Winters, and Frank Akkerman, they crafted their first single in 2014 with “Ready to Kill,” but it was 2015’s second single “Until Eternity” that truly propelled them into the scene. A sweeping track with an equally compelling and beautiful video, it continues to draw many to the act with over 18.1 million views since its debut. Taking advantage of the growing buzz surrounding the band, they independently recorded and released their first EP, Fractured Fairytales, as well as acquiring a second guitarist in Robin Koezen. This EP layed down an impressive foundation for the band’s ethereal and breathtaking sound and brought about new opportunities for the act, including tour dates in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and more, where the band played alongside Epica, Halestorm, In This Moment, Delain and MaYan. To keep moving ahead with full control of their creative ideals, the band successfully crowdfunded their follow-up EP, We’d Rather Burn, and brought it to life in October 2018. This EP would be the first time the band worked alongside esteemed producer Joost van den Broek to arrange and produce the effort, and this fruitful collaboration allowed Blackbriar’s whimsical and enigmatic sound to reach new sonic heights. Released the same day as their self-made video for “I’d Rather Burn,” this EP showcased a stronger sense of dreamy atmosphere and brought listeners beautifully grim tales of witches, banshees, and sea sirens. In the time following, keyboardist Ruben Wijga (ex-Re-Vamp) took a larger role within the band and began playing shows, after being involved in the songwriting process since Fractured Fairytales.

A busy 2019 followed, the band released a haunting single in May entitled “Snow White and Rose Red.” A duet with Ulli Perhonen, their take on the Grimm’s fairytale featured striking cinematic visuals to accompany the spellbinding track. Continuing to dig deeper into fairytale realms, Blackbriar closed the year with their third EP, Our Mortal Remains. Ever-sharpening their intoxicating blend of storytelling and breathtaking musicianship, the EP brought about new live exposures for the act as well. Small, sold out tours with Epica in 2019 and 2020, as well as a sold out opening for Delain’s Apocalypse & Chill release show in Utrecht followed, with more future plans then being put on hold due to COVID-19. Championing their continued independence, which included everything from songwriting, maintaining their web presence, overseeing merch, as well as shooting and producing their own videos and photos, Blackbriar reached out to their ever-growing and loyal fanbase for assistance to make their full-length album a reality in 2020. Fans fervently heeded the call, reaching the € 25,000 goal in under 24 hours and ending with a total of € 70,000 and achieving all five stretch goals. An impressive accomplishment for an independent act, which also showcases a strong internet presence with over 214,000 YouTube subscribers and 46.1 million channel views as well as 27.6 million Spotify streams and 150,000 monthly streamers on the platform.

The party goes on! Here, in the second part of the historic Christmas salsa album Asalto Navideño, Willie Colón and vocalist Héctor Lavoe treat us to more of the special sounds that made Volume 1 of the collection one of the most popular Latin music albums of all time. In Volume 2, the team of bandleader/trombonist Willie Colón and inimitable singer Lavoe joins forces again with premier cuatro player Yomo Toro and legendary percussionists Milton Cardona and José Mangual Jr. to cook up New York salsa versions of typical Christmas songs familiar to Puerto Rican audiences of all ages. This típico sound of traditional country music, called música jíbara, is mixed and blended, salsa-style, with a range of other rhythms, starting with Cuban guaguancó and son montuno and African-American jazz.

Mother I’d Like To Funk are back with another sizzling hot re-issue, this time straight from Denmark. Danish pop group “Boulevard” released an obscure LP back in 1981, called “American Dream”.

This official re-issue features the street funk anthem “Ready For Your Love” on the A Side, with a special “Synthphonic” Dub version on the B Side (previously only available on the album)

This special 7’ version is guaranteed to light up any dance floor

Play Loud wird die gesamten Aufnahmen (siehe Liste unten) der Manchester-Post-Punk-Band GODS GIFT (1979-1985) veröffentlichen, einige davon zum ersten Mal überhaupt. Mark E. Smith von The Fall war Fan. Gods Gift-Gitarrist Steve Murphy hat 11 Songs für ihre allererste LP zusammengestellt.

Gods Gift gab es, als viele Manchester-Gruppen Ruhm und Reichtum erlangten. Manchester brachte einen düsteren Soundtrack für die musikbegeisterte Jugend dieser Zeit hervor. Die gotischen Katakomben waren der Nährboden für viel Zorn. Gods Gift wollte seine Wut und seinen Hass gegen eine Welt zum Ausdruck bringen, die auf nichts so Belangloses wie die Menschen hört. Wenn die Leute beim Konzert plapperten, wurde die Lautstärke auf ohrenbetäubende Lautstärken eingestellt, wodurch eine Wand aus dissonantem Lärm entstand, unterbrochen von den hymnischen Schreien eines weiteren wütenden Refrains

When you're doing business, you always need a Plan B. Most of the songs of this album were written during the Covid 19 Lockdown time.

And because of that, we thought about releasing a digital album. The plan was to do this album with my band "The Goosebumps Bros".

This would be the first joint album that I produced with my band and the first digital only album. But things changed again, and there will also be a CD and vinyl release of the album. And this is another reason why we called it Plan B.

Our first plan was changed due to the circumstances of life / business. So now we're definitely running with the name Plan B You know, sometimes Plan B is even better than the first plan, and this is definitely the case with this album. The songs for Plan B are written and composed by myself and The Goosebumps Bros.. Songs of soul, blues, roots and life. Songs that will strengthen your faith. Our goal is to make you smile. Hope you will enjoy listening to our Plan B. I am very happy with this Plan B.

"Space Trip" is a cult record released in 1973 on the legendary Amigo catalog, the longest-running independent label in Sweden.

This amazing Spiritual Jazz-Funk/Fusion LP was very hard to find. Finally available again, fully licensed and remastered, with original artwork.

This album is a killer one in its entirety, with no fillers.

Some of the best spiritual jazz on record!

JJ McCann Transmission - aka James McCann - has a long history in Australian rock circles (in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne) and has had a bunch of releases out in France and Spain. James' new album - his first under the new JJ McCann Transmission moniker - is called Hit With Love and it was produced by Rob Younger of Radio Birdman and the New Christs who produced every second great Australian rock record in the 80s and 90s (Died Pretty, Hard-Ons, Lime Spiders, Celibate Rifles, Hoodoo Gurus etc) and who more recently produced Civic's Taken By Force. It is a scorcher. Songs like "Forces at Work", "Don't Bother Me", "She's Repatriated" and "Blindsided" would be at home in the booze stained venues and shagpile carpet sharehouses of Australian inner-city music scenes of yore. mphibious Skin' and ew Machine' pack an angular post-punk punch, while entimental Crap' takes a booze and blues-stained axe to misconceived nostalgia. This is an album that drips with reverence for the past and bursts with passion for the future of rock'n'roll. Get it now and feel the love.

Little Dragon, die allseits populäre und Grammynominierte Band, wird am 7. Juli 2023 ihr neues Album, „Slugs Of Love“, bei Ninja Tune veröffentlichen.

Die Band besteht aus den Schulfreunden Erik Bodin (Schlagzeug und Perkussion), Fredrik Wallin (Bass), Håkan Wirenstarnd (Keyboards) und Yukimi Nagano (Gesang) und hat sich zu einer der beständigsten, respektiertesten und beliebtesten Bands der letzten Zeit entwickelt. Aufgenommen in der musikalischen Oase ihres Göteborger Studios - demselben Studio, in dem sie seit fast 20 Jahren arbeiten - bringen sie auf „Slugs Of Love“ ihre unverwechselbare Mischung aus gefühlvollem Pop, Elektronik und R&B - untermauert von der unverkennbaren Stimme der Leadsängerin Yukimi - in elf Tracks zum Ausdruck, die die ganze Bandbreite ihrer individuellen musikalischen Einflüsse widerspiegeln.

Das Album enthält einen Gastauftritt von Damon Albarn (Gorillaz/ Blur) auf „Glow“, einem „langsam triefenden, glitzernden Ritt zu einem Tagtraum im Wunderland“ und eine Zusammenarbeit mit dem angesehenen Rapper JID aus East Atlanta (der bei J. Coles Dreamville-Label unter Vertrag steht) auf der zuvor veröffentlichten Single „Stay“, einem Song, der die Höhen und Tiefen einer Beziehung beschreibt. Sie sind die neuesten Zusammenarbeiten in der langen Liste der Band, die bereits mit Künstler:innen wie Kali Uchis, Kaytranada, Brittany Howard, Flying Lotus, Badnadnotgood, Moses Sumney, Kelsey Lu, Gorillaz, Big Boi (OutKast), Sbtrkt, Yo-Yo Ma und vielen anderen zusammengearbeitet hat. Darüber hinaus zählen SZA, Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak, Diplo, Flume, Ava DuVerney, Ali Wong, Syd, Disclosure, LaKeith Stanfield, The xx und viele mehr zu ihren Fans, was ihren Status als eine der einflussreichsten Bands ihrer Zeit zementiert.


Durchsichtige Vinyl-LP mit orange/schwarz/blauem Splatter. Inklusive Poster und MP3-Album-Download. Gemälde von Yusuke Nagano. Fotografie von Jakob Ekvall. Grafische Gestaltung von Alice Winroth.

It would be insufficient to call Rory McPike “prolific”; it does a disservice to the depth and breadth of his oeuvre as Rings Around Saturn, Cactus Head, Bleekman, 2200, Dan White, and as one half of Turner St. Sound. His work can be broken into a litany of different genres, but at the heart of it all lies an endlessly explorative spirit with a restless desire for expression. This impulse spans his diverse body of work and all the different facets of his musical practice.

‘All Things Shining’ touches on ambient, electroacoustic studies and filmic/VGM composition, but outside of these references, it stands as a beautiful suite of songs and a testament to the power of the creative impulse. Best Effort is proud to present the realization of Rory's vision.

Speed Hardtechno, called Hardfloor !
Old school tempo, in the mood of some Infrabass productions. Nice one.

This is a remastered and recut record !

”Guess Who’s Back” - Hip-Hop is! Das beliebte Genre ist aus der Musiklandschaft nicht mehr wegzudenken und feiert dieses Jahr sein 50-jähriges Jubiläum! Zu diesem Anlass erscheint das brandneue Album „HipHop At Fifty (50 Jahre Hip-Hop)“ mit vielen Hits aus den Anfangsjahren des Genres sowie zahlreichen deutschen und internationalen Chartstürmern. Eins ist sicher – dieses Album kommt ”Straight Outta Compton”!
Mit Oldschool-Pionier*innen wie Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, LL COOL J, 50 Cent, DMX, Lil’ Kim, Fugees als auch mit deutschen Rap-Größen wie Die Fantastischen Vier, Luciano, Sido, Apache 207, Seeed oder Deichkind hat das Album einiges zu bieten.

Ob die groovigen Sounds von ”Super Freaky Girl”, die explosive Rap Power von ”Bamba”, der weltweite Club-Klassiker ”In Da Club” oder der funky Vibe mit harschen Lyrics des Klassikers von ”The Real Slim Shady” – diese Mischung sorgt für die volle Ladung Hip-Hop!

Erhältlich als 4LP, 3CD, eAlbum und im Streaming ab dem 29. September 2023!

Bar Musica's fourth EP is a fascinating one from Jesse Marcell with a remix by Pier Bucci. El Calvario De Los Indecisos opens up with intense minimal sounds, relentless drum and bass loops tying your mind in knots. All manner of dark and grubby sounds and effects scuttle across the groove and make this a late night head wrecker.

Pier Bucci then steps up to smooth things out and layer in some more soft and soulful late night chords. It flip the cut into a more dreamy number for trance inducing late night sets.

Last of all, Marcell offers La Fe' with it's high tempo drums, pressurised kicks and sweeping sense of minimal tech funk really getting you deep in the groove. This is a superb offering from this vital label.

ONE OF THE RAREST MAINSTREAM ALBUMS FEATURING CLASSIC ATCQ SAMPLE GETS REISSUED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON VINYL

Jack Wilkins' highly sought-after Mainstream Records album "Windows" finally gets reissued on vinyl on Wewantsounds forty five years after its inital release. Produced by Bob Shad in 1973 the album, which is on many collectors' want-list, is especially cult for his rendition of Freddie Hubbard's classic "Red Clay," sampled by A Tribe Called Quest on ("Sucka Nigga") and Chance The Rapper. The album will be released in a deluxe gatefold sleeve featuring never-seen session photos and new liner notes by leading UK journalist Kevin Le Gendre.

Before the Odysee, there was the Iliad; a tale of the golden age of heroes and warriors.'

The idea behind the new Iliads series is to return to the sound of the golden age of Jungle/Drum & Bass, and more specifically the original ‘heroes’ of the Odysee label.
This second in the series pays homage to the unique sound of the Mirage releases. The influence of these releases on the SD sound that followed has often been overlooked, principally because it was assumed that the ‘Mirage’ moniker was simply another pseudonym for Source Direct, when in actual fact it was a lethal combination of the powerful engineering and arrangement skills of Jim Baker (Source Direct) and the sound selection and co-production of Odysee’s founder, Tilla Kemal (T-Mirage).

Face In The Shadows immediately opens with that slightly darker feel, with tracks like Feel My Dreams and Stonekiller in mind. The trademark SD style of break switches (aptly named ‘call & response) are immediately evident, although the Funky Mule gives the track its primary momentum. The sound selection is eerie, focusing on the 70’s Film-Noire, and deep Electro in line with Tilla’s particular preferences. The spoken word quotes are also unmistakably ‘Mirage-esque.’

Regenesis is a classic Odysee B-side track; lighter, more experimental and Jazzy in it’s feel. It showcases intricate and crisp rolling break work, and a beautifully refined selection of real stand- out musical quotes; from the sweet R&B-esque vocal ad-libs to the lush 70’s style sleaze of the Rhodes rolls. The interaction of these elements is the glue that holds this tune together.

The Darkness Within is the final track of the E.P. and it is the arrangement of samples that really emulates the ‘Mirage’ sound. Tilla & Jim were very particular about grouping sounds to work with & answer each other in each section of a tune. Samples were often sourced from obscure Film OST’s or rare electro albums which had sample diggers scratching their heads for many years! This track is dubbed out deeper, with a punching & rolling Soulpride features as the hero break and a repetitive deep chord stab forming the foundation of the tune.

Look out for the final instalment Volume III, where we will be focusing on the dystopian Jazz sound of the Hokusai releases!

Known principally as a smooth titan of blue-eyed soul, Bobby Caldwell transcended genre tags with consummate ease; he was a musical icon of real class and versatility, cherished the world over. Tragically passing away in March 2023 at the too young age of 71, it still feels as if Bobby's true artistry is profoundly under-appreciated. His double platinum self-titled album from 1978 is a timeless masterpiece of sophisticated jazzy soul brilliance and is strictly canonical. Yes, it's perfect, yet it's been out of press on vinyl for years. We're deeply honoured to present the long-awaited reissue this summer.

Whilst Ned Doheny is known in Japan as "Mr California", native New Yorker Bobby Caldwell has always been "Mr AOR" to his Far-Eastern friends. His distinct charm is an irresistible blend of soul, jazz, and pop influences. He possessed phenomenal songwriting prowess, smooth vocal performances, was both a great soul guitarist and dextrous keyboard player and known for genius chord progressions. It all added up to a multi-layered brilliance entering the studio, and the singular sound he landed on was laced with soulful, sweeping strings and funky horns, touching lightly on disco, while allowing his supple voice to carry the stunning tracks he'd crafted.

String-swept opener "Special To Me" immediately sets the tone with its lush instrumentation, rich harmonies, and Caldwell's velvety-smooth vocals. Next up, a huge one. The infectious, mid-tempo bounce of "My Flame" showcases Caldwell's ability to effortlessly blend catchy pop hooks with soulful arrangements. It's an exquisite, emotive ballad that, at the same time, absolutely SLAPS. Game recognise game, and all that, so, accordingly, Notorious B.I.G. memorably ran with “My Flame” for his 1997 single “Sky’s The Limit”. The rolling, disco-very "Love Won't Wait" is a slick, uptempo track containing heartfelt lyrics intertwined with elegant strings and a horn section to die for. Aching - and achingly cool - single "Can't Say Goodbye" is a real fan favourite, and it's no surprise. It's a laconic, slow-mo jazz-funk stepper, with fantastic, very deliberate playing that closes out the A Side quite exceptionally. "Come To Me" slows proceedings down elegantly to open Side B before the universally agreed-upon masterpiece enters proceedings.

"What You Won't Do for Love," the standout hit that became a classic in its own right, perfectly captured Bobby's ability to infuse a contagious groove with introspective and relatable lyrics. With its instantly recognisable horn riff and Caldwell's soulful delivery, this timeless, chiller anthem continues to captivate audiences and define his musical legacy. He scored huge with the track, taking over the pop and R&B airways with this mellow soul stepper. It has remained a perennial favourite and has been heavily sampled, such is its unique allure; Aaliyah sang over snatches of it on "Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number" and you can hear Caldwell’s vocal sample used for the hook on Tupac’s posthumously released “Do For Love”.

Upon submitting the finished album to his label, they requested more material in hope of a big single. As Bobby remembered to Wax Poetics a few years ago: “Now at this point, I’m mentally exhausted...and bear in mind that I got so close to all the songs I’d written. I gave each song a profound amount of thought, and maybe too much. So, in haste, I went in and cut this song, "What You Won’t Do For Love". Wrote it in a day, cut the rhythm track, overdubbed the horns, I sang the song, and literally turned it in three days after. And lo and behold, the one song I gave the least thought to,” Bobby laughed, “ended up being a national anthem.”

The mysterious, magical "Kalimba Song" is a cosmic, kalimba-driven melodic-funk instrumental - short but oh, so sweet. It's followed by the supreme tear-jerker "Take Me Back To Then", Bobby's otherworldly voice deeply longing for a simpler time, "when life was mellow". I think we can all get behind this sentiment. The final cut is arguably its deepest, its low-key finest moment. For us, it is, anyway. The glorious, driving, effortlessly funky guitar-soul jam "Down For The Third Time" is a huge melancholic Be With favourite and has been played by discerning genre-hopping DJs with significant glee for years. Hypnotic, melodic, beautiful. Like the album it elegantly rounds out.

Bobby sadly passed away on 23rd March 2023, after a long struggle with mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress, due to an adverse effect from a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. The reissue of his wonderful eponymous album will be available on vinyl across the globe, ensuring that fans of his incomparable talent - and soul music enthusiasts worldwide - can radiate in the deep beauty of this seminal album. Meticulously remastered and cut by both Simon Francis and Cicely Balston respectively, it has been pressed to the highest possibly quality at Record Industry in Holland.

Bobby Caldwell's second album, Cat In The Hat, from 1980, is one of his greatest moments and another masterwork of soulful sophistication. Featuring the eternal "Open Your Eyes", brilliantly sampled by J Dilla for Common's "The Light", it's about as essential as records get. Like its eponymous predecessor, it's been out of print for far too long. To finally release the hugely-anticipated reissue is one of our sincerely proudest moments.

Whilst Ned Doheny is known in Japan as "Mr California", native New Yorker Bobby Caldwell has always been "Mr AOR" to his Far-Eastern friends. His distinct charm is an irresistible blend of soul, jazz, and pop influences. He possessed phenomenal songwriting prowess, smooth vocal performances, was both a great soul guitarist and dextrous keyboard player and known for genius chord progressions. It all added up to a multi-layered brilliance entering the studio, and the singular sound he landed on was laced with soulful, sweeping strings and funky horns, touching lightly on disco, while allowing his supple voice to carry the stunning tracks he'd crafted.

Right from the off, it's easy to tell that Cat In The Hat is a deeply special record. It's fantastically produced and incredibly well-rounded, carving its own lane with deep soul, warm jazz and a stunning vocal delivery that really helped Bobby reach out to some big new audiences at the time. Goosebumps at the ready for the rolling power-piano funk of "Coming Down From Love", opening up the album with a track as good as anything Steely Dan or The Doobies ever crafted, with a vocal performance from the heavens. Pumping AOR wonder "Wrong Or Right" is up there with the slick, classy rhythms of prime Ned Doheny whilst the cool, skipping soul of guitar-drenched "To Know What You've Got" is a funky ballad par excellence, with elemental traces of "What A Fool Believes". No bad thing. Closing out Side A, the folk-funk of "You Promised Me" is a bright, soulful strut with a wonderful vocal coda that just builds. Sensational.

The delicate bounce and falsetto self-harmonising of "It's Over" offers a truly delightful introduction to Side B, and serves as a great precursor to what follows. Bobby's dynamite "Open Your Eyes" is likely the reason you're all here. As if he needed it, the eternal J Dilla further immortalised Caldwell in the hip-hop canon with his production of Common’s epochal “The Light,” which heavily samples the magical “Open Your Eyes.” On a post paying tribute to Bobby in March 2023, Questlove claimed that he "got word Brother Bobby loved it". Bobby's original has seen new life even more recently from the likes of Dwele and Kendrick Lamar and deservingly so, as its insistent drums and staccato piano created a modern-soul classic. You'd think that would be hard to follow, wouldn't you? Not so, when you're Bobby Caldwell. Indeed, the horn-drenched stepper "Mother Of Creation" is absolutely ace, and, whisper it, possibly the album's finest track, all funky piano and guitars with horn lines to die for. Exquisite ballad "I Don't Want To Lose Your Love" rounds out the album beautifully.

Bobby sadly passed away on 23rd March 2023, after a long struggle with mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress, due to an adverse effect from a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. The reissue of Cat In The Hat will be available on vinyl across the globe, ensuring that fans of his incomparable talent - and soul music enthusiasts worldwide - can radiate in the deep beauty of this seminal album. Meticulously remastered and cut by both Simon Francis and Cicely Balston respectively, it has been pressed to the highest possibly quality at Record Industry in Holland.

The Vinyl Chill Collection is back with a new volume dedicated to Nu Soul An elegant collection with an original vinyl to relax in a cosy and warm musical atmosphere. Featuring Jazzanova, Quantic Soul Orchestra, Kimberose, Terry Callier...

If the Corona pandemic and the accompanying concert bans have at least one good thing going for them, it's the extra time musicians have to write songs and live out their creativity. This circumstance was also the driving force for the SAMURAI PIZZA CATS, who come from the Electric Callboy environment. Frontman Sebastian Fischer was behind the microphone in their predecessor band Her Smile In Grief, whose line-up also included Daniel "Danskimo" Haniß, who is now celebrating success as guitarist, songwriter and producer of Electric Callboy. The contact between the two never broke off and so Daniel also produced Sebastian's later band Fall Of Gaia in recent years, whose former drummer and multi-instrumentalist Stefan Buchwald is also involved in this new project - family business from downtown Castrop Rauxel! So while Stefan contributes the music, Sebastian writes the lyrics and Daniel, as a creatively involved producer, ensures a well-rounded overall result. Okay, before we try your patience any further, let's talk about the elephant in the room: the band name. The SAMURAI PIZZA CATS have named themselves after a Japanese anime series from the early nineties. Why? Stupid question! Of course, because they are fearless warriors on their instruments, love to eat pizza and like cats! And maybe a little bit because they have soft spots for anime and silly band names - but only maybe. Rumour also has it that "Banzai! Smack! Meow!" is an onomatopoeic description of the band's sound.

When South Korean balearic prodigy Mogwaa came to MM Discos with an idea for his rst full-length album, we were a bit surprised.
He said, ‘I want to do an album of bossa tracks with synths, a drum machine and my guitar’. We obviously had to take him up
on that deal.

Fresh from the recent Bandcamp feature on his own brand of danceoor-ready modern boogie, Seungyoung Lee (aka Mogwaa)
arrives back on MM Discos with his - and our - rst full length exercise. With six tracks per side of 80s inuenced synth and bossa
badness, ‘Hazy Dreams’ is an exercise in simplicity, and more proof of the ever-expanding musical horizons of one of the scene’s
most virtuosic instrumentalists.

Pairing a sensitivity to the construction of ambient, funk, bossa and cassette-tape 80s experiments with his own cinematic subtlety,
‘Hazy Dreams’ takes a gentle, minimalistic approach, crafting its own escapist world that oers a welcome diversion from the
steady ow of busy balearica and downtempo.

Opening track ‘Full Bloom’ paints a picture of midsummer at dawn, some clear-skied island where lush vegetation climbs through
hibiscus gardens. ‘Nacimiento’ is an AOR/bossa crossover evoking West Coast yachting in full afternoon, and A3, ‘Soothing’, adds
a touch of wistfulness with reverb-doused guitars over meandering bass motifs.
The easy kick-and-snare combo of ‘Levitation’ sets the scene for a drum machine love aair, unrequited love on the rocks, and
‘Flashback’ plays with short delay trails and o-kilter melodic sequences, where you feel the soft presence of the nebula approaching
at the break of day. Closing out the A-side, ‘Dispatching’ reaches out even further into the imagined cosmos of Mogwaa’s
picture-perfect world, portraying an ambience at dusk, observing, calmy, as pued-up pink clouds melt into the evening canvas.
On the other side, Mogwaa explores quiet corners with ‘Illusions’, a slow meditation on the nature of simple presence, and ‘Echoes
of You’, a stream of subdued brush strokes that crescendo into higher frequencies on gently undulating pads. B3, ‘Moondance’,
ups the tempo and recalls classic Mogwaa with its sideways shue and starry melodic refrain, pivoting through folk-dance
moods and surprising chord changes.
Nearing the end of the album, ‘Footprints’ wades through tall grass in search of altered states, innite and hypnotic, changing
course only to crouch down and study the landscape, and B5, ‘It always comes and goes’, pictures the to-and-fro of jetstreams and
comets in the blinding midday sky. Finally we have the closing credits of ‘Swingin’ that looks o into the horizon, jaunty and exalted,
a guitar-led tribute to an easy-going world, and ultimately mindful of the power of dreams.
We’re humbled to have such a special record for our rst full-length release on the label.

Nur 1 Jahr nach ihrem erfolgreichen Album „Kreatura“ und einer ausverkauften ersten Headliner-Tour durch ganz Deutschland, sind MANNTRA mit ihrem neuen Album„War of the Heathens“ zurück!

Das epische neue Meisterwerk erscheint am 22.09.2023. Voller Energie, mit niederschmetternden Riffs und gewaltigen Melodien, die nicht aus dem Kopf gehen, sind MANNTRA zurück mit dem, was sie am besten können: einer einzigartigen Mischung aus Metal, Industrial und Folk.

Die vier kroatischen Musiker, die vom dämonischen Barren King unterstützt werden, vereinen die Energie und die Atmosphäre des Meeres der Adria und der Berge ihrer Heimat auf ihrem neuen Album. Lasst Euch entführen in die Welt der alten Legenden und Schlachten, die ganz Europa geprägt haben.

Their approach to music beckons the voices of years gone by, clearly evoking inspiration from bluegrass icons like Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin and the Stanley Brothers. Described as one of the busiest, hardest working, and most entertaining bands in bluegrass, The Kody Norris Show brings back to the stage, old school suiting swagger with their custom matching suits, harkening visual spectaculars like those who donned the legendary western wears of designers like Nudie and
Manuel. Their sophomore album with Rebel Records, titled 'Rhinestone Revival' has everything that their fans love from The Kody Norris Show...and more! The album boasts 12 hard driving traditional bluegrass tracks, upping the honky-tonkanty, with the addition of percussion to really achieve a proper toe tapping collection.

Miles Davis is regarded to be one of the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Quiet Nights is the fourth and last studio album that Davis collaborated on with Gil Evans. The 1963 release took inspiration from the bossa nova genre that rose to popularity during the time.

Quiet Nights is a mix of situations and sources: Brazilian folk (“Prenda Minha”, titled “Song #2” on the album), Spanish classical (“Adelita” by guitar pioneer Francisco Tárrega, here called “Song #1”), and a few ballads, including one that stands out from the rest of the big band album: “Summer Night,” a quintet take featuring Miles playing muted then open trumpet and the start of a new band: tenor saxophonist George Coleman, pianist Victor Feldman, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Frank Butler.

The album was produced by Teo Macero. Some of the additional performers on this album include Paul Chambers, Bill Barber, Steve Lacy, Jimmy Cobb, Willie Bobo, and George Coleman amongst others.

A/B-Side effect green/yellow/purple vinyl. Limited to 200 copies. "I had just got off the road and went right into the studio out in the desert at Rancho de La Luna. I was living in the house just behind at the time making sessions super convenient. I was set to record with my band the Bros in a couple weeks but I decided to go into the Rancho early and get some sounds. Tony and I ended up recording a bunch of songs that I was writing on the fly. A week later the Bros showed up and we recorded another batch of songs with the band playing live in the front room. After we wrapped I combined both my solo session and the Bros session and released in as one record called Saved By Magic on my label Duna records. That was 2005. Now I'm rereleasing this record on HPS and I've decided to separate the two sessions into their original bodies of work. My solo session and the Bros session. I mostly did this because I feel the Bros deserve to have something of their own as they were a magical band. I also just thought it would be cool. I call both records Saved By Magic Again."

Colour in colour vinyl, transparent and red with blue splatter. Limited to 200 copies. "I had just got off the road and went right into the studio out in the desert at Rancho de La Luna. I was living in the house just behind at the time making sessions super convenient. I was set to record with my band the Bros in a couple weeks but I decided to go into the Rancho early and get some sounds. Tony and I ended up recording a bunch of songs that I was writing on the fly. A week later the Bros showed up and we recorded another batch of songs with the band playing live in the front room. After we wrapped I combined both my solo session and the Bros session and released in as one record called Saved By Magic on my label Duna records. That was 2005. Now I'm rereleasing this record on HPS and I've decided to separate the two sessions into their original bodies of work. My solo session and the Bros session. I mostly did this because I feel the Bros deserve to have something of their own as they were a magical band. I also just thought it would be cool. I call both records Saved By Magic Again." New album cover by Maarten Donders. Remastered by John McBain !!

Pianistin Geri Allen, Bassist Charlie Haden und Drummer Paul Motian schließen sich in den 80er Jahren zu einem Trio zusammen. Haden, weltberühmt als Mitglied von Ornette Colemans Doppelquartett sowie von Keith Jarretts Trio mit Motian am Schlagzeug, der wiederum mit dem Bill Evans Trio Jazzgeschichte schreibt, und Allen, der mit Steve
Coleman die Jazzwelt revolutioniert, präsentieren Bud Powells groovigen Klassiker „Oblivion", Ornettes Post-BopIkone „The Invisible" und ihre eigene geschaffene Werke, die die hohe Kunst des Trios manifestieren.

Vienna has a storied history as a ground zero for new music. Radian, who call Vienna home, embodies the city"s spirit of innovation. Martin Brandlmayr (drums, electronics), Martin Siewert (guitar, electronics) and John Norman (bass) are stalwarts of the European contemporary music community. Distorted Rooms presents a dazzling new elevation of Radian"s employment and manipulation of microtones with a new emphasis on abstracted guitar motifs, often employing a more loop-based or electronic approach to the guitar"s sonics. Radian"s visionary approach to composition speaks to a lifetime of working in forward-thinking music. The trio expertly hone in on sounds often removed from the sheen of the recording process and mine them for unique, rich textural sound palettes which they then meticulously arrange. Distorted Rooms creative process began with multi-stage recording of often the smallest sounds, from pick-scrapes to an amplifier"s latent hiss. These slivers of sound are then restructured and processed through a variety of techniques that transform them drastically. Radian have always been interested in sounds that might be considered byproducts and maximizing their creative and aural potential. More minor gestures like switching a pedal on and off or toggling the guitar"s pickup are mic"d and spun into textures that crackle and froth to fascinating effect. Radian"s angular, expansive music delights in tension and contradiction, sound and silence, improvisation and composition. The trio employs a singular and wholly unique sense of microtonality. While their creation process is complex, the resulting music is emotionally affecting, creating an aura of suspense and at times unease. Brandlmayr, Siewert, and Norman share an unconventional, wildly imaginative approach to sound.

**AVAILABLE ON BLACK VINYL AND COKE CLEAR INDIE EXCLUSIVE**Detroit has a long tradition of being the farm team for the Big Apple jazz big leagues, but just as important is the acknowledgement of local legends who left their mark on the city by staying put and releasing amazing music right in Detroit. Kenny Cox and the Contemporary Jazz Quintet is one such group that could have and definitely should have had a wider audience in their day, but their recorded legacy continues to grow in estimation. Truly a comprehensive group with no weak links, the compositions and playing on this record show the incredible talent and innovation that was brewing in Detroit before, during and after Motown locked its doors in the Motor City. Of note is group member Charles Moore, an important figure in the jazz and arts scene in Detroit and founding member of an underground art and music co-operative called the Detroit Artist Workshop. A talented musician and composer in his own right, Moore and group leader Cox composed all the material on Multidirection. Cox described it as “more of an orchestral-type effort than just a combo per se.” in the original release liner notes by Nat Hentoff. Both were integral in the future DIY jazz universe by co-founding the highly influential Strata Records. But before embarking on that journey, his group recorded two timeless classics for Blue Note Records. Like many of the greatest musical albums, this work shines brightest as a whole with new dimensions to discover with each listen. This new and exciting re-issue is certain to provide the listening experience with the best possible platform.