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Mammoth Penguins are a 3-piece indie powerhouse, showcasing the songwriting and vocal talents of Emma Kupa (Standard Fare) backed up by the noisiest rhythm section in indie pop. May 2024 sees the release of their fourth album Here on Fika Recordings. After 2019’s big, bold and confident There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win, and the initial shock of the global pandemic cancelling a trip to SXSW in 2020, the band returned to the studio in the summer of 2021 to start recording. The new record leans into a raw pop-punk power-trio sound more than ever, with a deep growl in layered guitars and bursts of percussion and harmony. The songs and artwork explore themes about finding a place for yourself and familiarity with people and places. Although it turns back towards a classic three-piece sound, the band weren’t restricted by that palette, adding finishing touches of percussion, extra guitars and backing vocals in short bursts in a garden shed, and also bringing in gorgeous strings to sweeten the title track. The sound builds on the band’s first album, Hide and Seek, which was released with the much-loved and sorely missed Fortuna POP! in 2015. The follow-up LP John Doe in 2017 was an ambitious concept album, exploring the feelings of loss and anger at a man who fakes his own death only to return years later, expanding well beyond the 3-piece rock‘n’roll template, with washes of strings, synths and samples. The ‘Penguins have been smashing it at some high-profile support slots in the lead up to this album release, including at Allo Darlin’s joyous reunion at Islington Assembly Hall (Oct 2023) and Muncie Girls last ever London show (Dec 2023). They play the Leicester Indiepop all-dayer and Wales Goes Pop in March, before heading out on tour in support of the new album in May. Those big singalong choruses need your voice shouting back from the crowd with joy and defiance. Mammoth Penguins are Emma Kupa (guitar, vocals), Mark Boxall (bass, vocals) and Tom Barden (drums, vocals). Reminiscent of the pop melodies of The Beths, the indie dissonance of Land of Talk, and the guitar forward slacker rock of Weezer, Mammoth Penguins marry heart-ache indiepop with spiky guitars and Emma’s frank confessional songwriting. “wonderfully awkward indie pop with a literate flair, sounding a lot like a Weezer record or even a more feminine Wedding Present” Clash // “eminently relatable earworms” Brooklyn Vegan // “one of the finest examples of simple and true indie rock around” All Music // “her characterful voice still carrying masses of charm and the messier, grungey approach bringing a strength all of its own, aided by a clutch of cheerful hooks and riffs that contrast nicely with lyrics dealing mostly with heartbreak and misery” Drowned In Sound

Arguably one of the best punk albums of the 70s, The Boys self-titled debut (produced by Dangerfield & Steel) is a cult UK classic. The album is filled with the pop punk gems, the kind of immediate salvos that would elevate Buzzcocks into the charts. In the intervening years, the history of punk rock has been written and re-written and a whole heap of bands have been sidelined. The Boys’ debut album, re-mastered here still sounds as fresh and immediate as it did back then and it also includes two classic punk rock singles in ‘I Don’t Care’ and ‘First Time’ (the latter, along with The Undertones "Teenage Kicks", the ultimate punk anthem of teenage romance and adolescent angst). Along with the Sex Pistols, Clash and the Damned, The Boys were part of the first wave of the mid-1970’s UK punk explosion. Armed with an arsenal of killer Steel/Dangerfield songs The Boys became the first UK punk band to sign an album deal in January 1977 and subsequently released two albums, their self-titled debut and the follow-up “Alternative Chartbusters” in quick succession. Highly regarded by the music press and their contemporaries, yet somehow criminally ignored by a wider punk audience, unable to grasp their heritage of vintage rock ‘n’ roll that went back to Chuck Berry courtesy of The Beatles. Their well-crafted songs, together with Steel and Dangerfield’s layered harmonies, even led to them being described as ‘The Beatles of Punk’.

"With a career spanning more than eight decades, The Isley Brothers have one of the longest, most influential and most diverse careers in popular music. The group began in 1954 as an American family music group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, which began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley. The Isley Brothers have sold over 18 million records in the United States alone. Go For Your Guns is the fifteenth album by The Isley Brothers. Originally released in mid-April 1977, the album peaked a month later at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Soul chart, and at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. The album Includes ""Footsteps In The Dark"" as sampled by hip hop artist Ice Cube for his hit ""It Was A Good Day"". The song peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 25 on the 1993 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Go For Your Guns is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on translucent blue coloured vinyl. The album is housed in a gatefold sleeve and includes an insert. "

Go For Your Guns by The Isley Brothers, released 3 May 2024, includes the following tracks: "Tell Me When You Need It Again (Part 1 & 2)", "Voyage To Atlantis ", "Go For Your Guns" and more.

This version of Go For Your Guns comes as a 1xLP in a(n) Gatefold Sleeve packaging. This release comes with (a) Insert(s).

The vinyl is pressed as a translucent, blue disc.

"Star Wars Stories is a collection of the most famous melodies & fan favourite tracks from the recent Star Wars Universe including The Mandalorian, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rogue One. This compilation features main themes, epic orchestral tracks and emotional songs, paying tribute to the originals John Williams, Ludwig Göransson, John Powell, Anthony Williams & Michael Giacchino. This project is a follow-up to the 2019 release Music From The Star Wars Saga – the essential collection, a compilation of music from the Star Wars films. Included are the most famous melodies & fan favourite tracks from the hugely popular tv series, paying tribute to Ludwig Göranssons’ work. This includes musical highlights from the series ranging from the infamous main theme to epic orchestral tracks & character pieces for Boba Fett & Luke Skywalker. From Solo: A Star Wars Story, this tribute to John Williams & John Powell’s 2018 album features action-loaded orchestral musical highlights from the film and themes for the beloved characters Han Solo and Chewbacca. Star Wars Stories is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on ""Hyperspace"" coloured vinyl. This 2LP-set is housed in a gatefold sleeve, includes an insert, and features secret inscriptions in the run-out grooves.
"

Star Wars Stories by Various Artists, released 2 May 2024, includes the following tracks: "Luke Skywalker Hallway Theme", "End Theme", "Flying With Chewie", "The Adventures Of Han" and more.

This version of Star Wars Stories comes as a 2xLP in a(n) Gatefold Sleeve packaging. This release comes with (a) Insert(s).

The vinyl is pressed as a marble, blue & white & black disc. Another vinyl is pressed as a marble, blue & white & black disc.

Knapp drei Jahre war es still um die selbsternannten Söldner
von Funker Vogt. Nach dem Ausscheiden von Chris L. im
Sommer 2021 hat man zunächst eine einjährige
Schaffenspause eingelegt, bevor Gerrit Thomas und René
Dornbusch den Sänger und Shouter Bastian Polak zum
vollständigen Trio rekrutieren konnten. Der „Neue“ am Mikro
dürfte vielen bereits durch das Duo Intent:Outtake bekannt
sein. Da Komponist und Produzent Gerrit Thomas bereits für
diese Formation Gesangsaufnahmen sowie Mix & Master
getätigt hat und man sich daher schon kennen und schätzen
lernte, war es für einige Fans sicher keine große
Überraschung, dass Bastian Polak für Funker Vogt angeheuert
wurde.

Der Sound auf „Final Construct“ dürfte reichlich Epos mit sich
bringen, da sich die Band stark auf das Songwriting konzentriert und den hymnischen Charakter mehr denn je in den Fokus gesetzt hat. Nahezu jeder der insgesamt 19 neu komponierten Titel hat den sogenannten Single-Charakter. Herr Polak beweist auf allen Songs dieses Albums und dessen

"Carlos Santana’s nineteenth studio album Shaman was released in 2002 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. Just like its predecessor Supernatural, Santana invited contemporary artists to collaborate with him across genres including neo-soul, pop, rock, metal, and opera. Artists such as Seal, P.O.D., Chad Kroeger, Dido, Michelle Branch, Macy Gray, Music, Citizen Cope, Alejandro Lerner, Plácido Domingos, and Ozomatli can be heard on the album. Four tracks were released as singles: “The Game Of Love”, “Nothing At All”, “Why Don’t You & I”, and “Feels Like Fire”. Shaman is being reissued for the first time since its original release. A limited edition is available of 2000 individually numbered copies on translucent purple coloured vinyl and includes an insert."

Shaman by Santana, released 3 May 2024, includes the following tracks: "The Game Of Love (ft. Michelle Branch)", "Amoré (Sexo) (ft. Macy Gray)", "Victory Is Won" and more.
This version of Shaman comes as a 2xLP. This release comes with (a) Insert(s).

The vinyl is pressed as a translucent, purple disc. Another vinyl is pressed as a translucent, purple disc.

The title track of Unklevon’s ‘UN1C’ album starts with a steady snare-heavy beat, foreboding atmospherics and a futuristic vocal. It introduces the France-based producer’s Detroit-inspired electro LP and also marks his debut full-length, landing on Boysnoize Records, a label Unklevon’s been affiliated with since 2022.

For the second track on Unklevon’s ‘UN1C’ LP, the International Chrome & Nechto artist is joined by Maral for ‘Bag Secured’, adding her sensual vocals to a raw cut featuring rough synthlines and racing rhythm. ‘Science Club’ then continues with infectious and hypnotic energy driven by a deep, earworm vocal before ‘Speed Chains’ picks up pace with speedy basslines and rhythms shot through with bleeps.

Ukranian singer Alina Pash infuses Unklevon’s ‘High Key’ with fantastic modern hip-hop flair, with ‘All 4 Homies’ returning to the club with cut-up sampling and tripped-out electro sonics. Boysnoize Records’ Boys Noize also teams up with Unklevon for ‘Spa8cid’, a menacing dancefloor heavy-hitter which eases into the acid madness of ‘Miami South Express’ which follows.

Next up, Unklevon and Vel drop the aptly named ‘Transed About U’, a true peak-time roller boasting hypnotic trance-like gated vocals, with German electro superstar DJ MELL G joining him for ‘Wizard Snakes’, taking a more classical approach with rich synth lines and crisp drum work. Closing out this fantastic first album from a promising name in the global electro spheres is ‘Call Me Von’, another amped-up, bass-laden track ready to rock the warehouse.

Ice Cream Vinyl

Since the release of their debut studio album Do Hollywood (on 4AD) in 2016, The Lemon Twigs_the New York City rock band fronted by brothers Brian (27) and Michael D'Addario (25)_have waved the same revivalist torch as Alex Chilton and his Big Star crew, working to prove that archaic music from the `60s and `70s can still be relevant in digital world. Alongside peers like Foxygen and Drugdealer, The Lemon Twigs have explicitly documented a synchronistic blend of contemporary narrative motifs, old-school recording techniques, and flawless, consistent attitudes collaged from various crucial stages of rock 'n' roll. After a whirlwind 2023, the D'Addarios are continuing the momentum of their own evolving vision and voice, distilling a history lesson of baroque and power pop into A Dream Is All We Know (out May 3 on Captured Tracks). Garnering the top-to-bottom critical acclaim the brothers have long deserved, their 2023 LP Everything Harmony was spearheaded by an impressive string of singles, including "Corner Of My Eye" and "Any Time of Day." It was the kind of record that put all of Brian and Michael's talents on display, be it the former's multi-instrumentalist gifts or the latter's boyish, explosive pop-rock charisma and eye for engineering and vocal layering. But A Dream Is All We Know is not the acoustic, nylon string-based project that Everything Harmony was. Instead, it's a return to the form the Lemon Twigs first introduced on Do Hollywood_an electric guitar-centric, anthemic assemblage of, really, everything the band does great. These two companion records are an immediate example of a band capitalizing on their fire-in-the-belly appetite to make tunes that boast ubiquitous chemistry. A Dream Is All We Know is grandiose yet grounded; meticulous, yet wild and glowing. Made with analog precision, the album was finished in the immediate months after the band completed Everything Harmony during a vibrant, prolific period split between three studios on separate coasts. A Dream Is All We Know is a profoundly dense and charged album, rife with string arrangements and a sonic thesis statement that has quaked through phases of glam, conceptualism, baroque, and Mustang-loud, stone-cold rock `n' roll for more than half-a-century. A Dream Is All We Know sounds like it's lived a thousand lives already.

Repress! Sean Price fans anticipated this album for 5 years. Mic Tyson debuted at number 58 on the Billboard 200 and was Prices’ highest charting solo album, as well as his first to chart in the top 100 since Magnum Force with Heltah Skeltah in 1998. Mic Tyson features production from The Alchemist (5 songs), 9th Wonder, Evidence, Team Demo, Beat Butcher, Khrysis & more. The cover artwork was illustrated by Marc Ecko's lead designer, who also created the cover art for Monkey Barz.

Sean Price tragically passed away in August 2015 at the age of 43. Sean was a popular rapper, hailing from Brooklyn, NY. He was celebrated for his work as ½ of the group, Heltah Skeltah, and 1/8 of the supergroup, Boot Camp Clik. However, his solo albums were what truly set him apart.

London-based Kouslin's Le Chatroom imprint presents LCR003; a percussion-heavy release of four tracks from close friends and affiliates.

Taking inspiration from rhythms around the world and the uproar within the new-gen UK Funky scene, Le Chatroom once again exhibit their ethos of eclecticism that has found them in the record bags of the likes of Ben UFO and Call Super.

Big Brothers' frontman Amor Satyr (also of Parisian collective Boukan Records), channels heavy baile funk on 'Hohohoi', with razor-sharp low-end separation and haunting harmonies.

Soreab (Baroque Sunburst/BeatMachine) serves up a hearty cut of low-slung, tribal drum funk with a groove synonymous of Hessle Audio sets.

Having recently featured on an R&S Records compilation, plus a release on More Time Records, rising artist DJ Tess presents her new “Mala Femmina” alias and offers up a triplet-based 4x4 groove with relentless icy blows and rotating polyrhythms.

Livity Sound's Cando close out with a remix of Soreab's 'Cave Walk'. Racing away with dancefloor panic, the intricacies of the remix shine through via its claustrophobic and pristine mixdown.

A tribute to one of the greatest songwriters & artists of our time! Features newly recorded covers from Keith Richards, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Rufus Wainwright, Lucinda Williams, Maxim Ludwig & Angel Olsen, Rickie Lee Jones, Mary Gauthier, Bobby Rush, Automatic, The Afghan Whigs, and Rosanne Cash. Special Record Store Day Edition pressed on Silver Nugget vinyl and housed in a silver laminated jacket Booklet features liner notes by compilation producer & former Lou Reed publicist Bill Bentley, featuring photos by Mick Rock and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. "To me, Lou stood out. The real deal! Something important to American music and to ALL MUSIC! I miss him and his dog." - Keith Richards "Lou seemed fearless to me, like he'd rather die than be a people-pleaser. I took inspiration from that." - Rosanne Cash "Lou Reed is my earliest influence, my introduction to punk rock, and the soundtrack to the beginning of my romance with Maxim." - Angel Olsen "Lou Reed has been gone now for many years. He's one of the few people whom I miss as much now as when he left. There are so many instances where I wonder what he would say or what he would think. His general aura would always lend something really unique to the room. Thank God he left his great music and recordings. His personality is sorely missed. Love you, Lou." - Rufus Wainwright // It goes without saying that the legendary Lou Reed was a true rock 'n' roll pioneer. From The Velvet Underground's debut in 1967 all the way through the end of his days, Reed sang truth from his heart. He lived life to the limit-and then some. The Power of the Heart is a tribute to Reed's freedom of expression with covers spanning his ground-breaking years with the Velvets into his majestic solo career. Each track is a glorious extension of the Rock 'n' Roll Animal's soul, ever adventurous and avant-garde. The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed kicks off with a legend in his own right, Keith Richards, reimagining the Velvets' classic, "I'm Waiting for the Man." Richards' rendition instantly invites you on board this unforgettable ride. In stark contrast, "Perfect Day" is somehow even more melancholy than the original given the Rufus Wainwright treatment, featuring sparse fingerpicking and gentle harmonies. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts deliver a version of "I'm So Free" that would have even Lou rockin' in his grave. It's thrilling to hear these songs reinterpreted and sung by such heavyweights; you can even hear as Lucinda Williams channels the spirit of Lou with her take on "Legendary Hearts." Other notable tracks include a punk-drunk, loved-up duet by real-life lovers Angel Olsen & Maxim Ludwig with "I Can't Stand It," and Rickie Lee Jones' reimagining of "Walk on the Wild Side," both whimsical and enticing with her whispery vocals, stripped-down percussion, and a piano fit for a late-night lounge. This tribute album truly defies genre, but its throughline, in the end, is its heart: a deeply thoughtful collection of songs that shaped a generation, each paying homage to a man whose body of work still sings.

Culled from three 1985 gigs in the UK during a transitional and transcendent time in the band's story, Sonic Youth's `Walls Have Ears' appeared as a 2LP set in 1986, not just a live album but an artful tapestry full of live experimentation with songs, between-song tape segues, darkness, humor and audio verité on par with elements of side B of `Master Dik' to come later. With a bit of complexity to the situation of the release itself. But that's a different story. Deleted as quickly as it appeared then, it's now issued for the first time officially under the band's auspices. In this 2LP set brimming with primitive classics like "The Burning Spear", "I Love Her All The Time", "Death Valley 69" and "I'm Insane" (uncredited on sleeve), segues and live guitar changes ooze together threaded by Madonna tapes and vocal loops off the board. The first two sides of `Walls' are massive, cavernous, with newly-drafted drummer Steve Shelley in tow taking on past tunes and unveiling "Expressway To Yr Skull" in glorious form. They tear it up especially on one trash-fi excerpt of "Blood On Brighton Beach" (actually "Making the Nature Scene") from a legendary outdoor gig November 8th where Moore, Gordon and Ranaldo's guitars treble-blast dissonant shockwaves over the black-stoned beach of Quadrophenia fame. The record's second slab spotlights an April 1985 pre-Shelley gig supporting Nick Cave at London's Hammersmith Palais and was one of the final appearances live of Bob Bert, again featuring some molten takes on "Brother James", "Kill Yr Idols", "Flower" (Iisted as "The Word (E.V.O.L.)"), "Ghost Bitch" and others. The emergence of the Jesus and Mary Chain in the world gave Brit scribes a lazy and easy parallel, addressed here with a wink with the inclusion of "Speed JAMC", another offstage tape interlude playfully scrolling through one of that band's songs at fast-forward. This document remains an essential representation of some lean and mean years of the quartet's throttling march out into the world in the mid eighties. Coloured vinyl, one red, one yellow LP.

"Look to the East, Look to the West", das neue Album von Camera Obscura, ist eine Offenbarung. Die von Tracyanne Campbell geleitete Band hat sich wieder mit dem Produzenten Jari Haapalainen zusammengetan und ein Album geschaffen, das daran erinnert, warum die langjährigen Fans sie seit Jahrzehnten heiß und innig lieben, und das gleichzeitig ihr bisher anspruchsvollstes Werk ist. Es ist auch das am härtesten umkämpfte Album in der Karriere von Camera Obscura. Nach dem Tod von Gründungsmitglied, Keyboarder und Freund Carey Lander im Jahr 2015 (an den der vorletzte Track "Sugar Almond" gerichtet ist), ging die Band in eine längere Pause. Sie blieben in Kontakt, aber ihr Status war ungewiss. Nachdem sie eingeladen worden waren, im Rahmen von Belle & Sebastians Kreuzfahrtfestival Boaty Weekender 2019 aufzutreten, kündigten sie ihre Rückkehr an. Donna Maciocia (Keyboards und Gesang) stieß bei diesen Shows zu den Gründungsmitgliedern Kenny McKeeve (Gitarre und Gesang), Gavin Dunbar (Bass) und Lee Thomson (Schlagzeug und Perkussion) und ist seitdem Songwriting-Partnerin von Campbell. Aufgenommen im selben Raum, in dem Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody" schrieb, fühlt sich "Look to the East, Look to the West" groß an, eine Breitwand-Neuinterpretation des Camera Obscura-Sounds, bei der die Band paradoxerweise zu den Grundlagen zurückkehrte - es gibt keine Streicher- oder Bläserarrangements, der Schwerpunkt liegt auf Klavier, Synthesizern, Hammond-Orgel und Drumcomputern, und, was vielleicht am auffälligsten ist, die Gruppe hat den Hallschleier fallen lassen, der ihre früheren Alben charakterisierte. Der Hauch von Country und Soul, der Camera Obscuras barocke Interpretation von Popmusik so bittersüß macht, war noch nie so offensichtlich - die Gitarren schimmern in die Ferne, die Tasten spuken, und Campbells Stimme sucht nach dem Herzen, reflektiert über Liebe, Verlust und den Lauf der Zeit. "Look to the East, Look to the West" ist Camera Obscura in seiner besten und eindrucksvollsten Form, ein Album, das den emotionalen Kern des Hörers völlig neu ordnet und ihn gleichzeitig traurig und beschwingt zurücklässt. Der Katalog von Camera Obscura ist voll von Liedern, die Menschen als lebensverändernd bezeichnen, Lieder, die sie ihr ganzes Leben lang begleiten werden. "Look to the East, Look to the West" hat 11 davon zu bieten.

Galaxy Vinyl-
blue + white vinyl pressed galaxy effect in a gatefold jacket with lyrics.

"Look to the East, Look to the West", das neue Album von Camera Obscura, ist eine Offenbarung. Die von Tracyanne Campbell geleitete Band hat sich wieder mit dem Produzenten Jari Haapalainen zusammengetan und ein Album geschaffen, das daran erinnert, warum die langjährigen Fans sie seit Jahrzehnten heiß und innig lieben, und das gleichzeitig ihr bisher anspruchsvollstes Werk ist. Es ist auch das am härtesten umkämpfte Album in der Karriere von Camera Obscura. Nach dem Tod von Gründungsmitglied, Keyboarder und Freund Carey Lander im Jahr 2015 (an den der vorletzte Track "Sugar Almond" gerichtet ist), ging die Band in eine längere Pause. Sie blieben in Kontakt, aber ihr Status war ungewiss. Nachdem sie eingeladen worden waren, im Rahmen von Belle & Sebastians Kreuzfahrtfestival Boaty Weekender 2019 aufzutreten, kündigten sie ihre Rückkehr an. Donna Maciocia (Keyboards und Gesang) stieß bei diesen Shows zu den Gründungsmitgliedern Kenny McKeeve (Gitarre und Gesang), Gavin Dunbar (Bass) und Lee Thomson (Schlagzeug und Perkussion) und ist seitdem Songwriting-Partnerin von Campbell. Aufgenommen im selben Raum, in dem Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody" schrieb, fühlt sich "Look to the East, Look to the West" groß an, eine Breitwand-Neuinterpretation des Camera Obscura-Sounds, bei der die Band paradoxerweise zu den Grundlagen zurückkehrte - es gibt keine Streicher- oder Bläserarrangements, der Schwerpunkt liegt auf Klavier, Synthesizern, Hammond-Orgel und Drumcomputern, und, was vielleicht am auffälligsten ist, die Gruppe hat den Hallschleier fallen lassen, der ihre früheren Alben charakterisierte. Der Hauch von Country und Soul, der Camera Obscuras barocke Interpretation von Popmusik so bittersüß macht, war noch nie so offensichtlich - die Gitarren schimmern in die Ferne, die Tasten spuken, und Campbells Stimme sucht nach dem Herzen, reflektiert über Liebe, Verlust und den Lauf der Zeit. "Look to the East, Look to the West" ist Camera Obscura in seiner besten und eindrucksvollsten Form, ein Album, das den emotionalen Kern des Hörers völlig neu ordnet und ihn gleichzeitig traurig und beschwingt zurücklässt. Der Katalog von Camera Obscura ist voll von Liedern, die Menschen als lebensverändernd bezeichnen, Lieder, die sie ihr ganzes Leben lang begleiten werden. "Look to the East, Look to the West" hat 11 davon zu bieten.

Before "Svengali" came to describe any vaguely megalomaniacal personality in the entertainment industry-from the genuinely evil Phil Spector and Colonel Tom Parker all the way to their Diet Rite equivalent Jack Antonoff-he was a literary character who was probably the prototypical megalomaniacal personality in the entertainment industry. The antagonist in the famously mid and otherwise unmemorable 19th century novel Trilby, Svengali is depicted as a machiavellian manipulator who transforms the guileless titular character into a famous singer. Mo Troper's Svengali is a deeply psychological record with the throbbing heart of a fragile giant. It is a meditation on evil-ness. At certain points across Svengali's 13 tracks, Troper relishes his own innate evil-ness; just as often he's repulsed by it. Like any Mxo Troper album, Svengali is a collection of razor-sharp pop songs that sound like they were written yesterday, or in 1990 by Paddy McAloon, or in 1966 by Brian Wilson, or in 1936 by some unheralded Tin Pan Alley great. Troper has always belonged in the Pop Hook Hall of Fame but his latest and sixth LP of original material is, lyrically, a "look, there are levels to this" moment.

Bobby Hutcherson’s 1968 album Total Eclipse was the vibraphonist’s first recording to feature saxophonist Harold Land who would become a key collaborator for years to come. Rounding out the band were pianist Chick Corea, bassist Reggie Johnson, and drummer Joe Chambers on this impassioned post-bop set. This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

Pull the Rope, the new record by Ibibio Sound Machine, casts the Eno Williams and Max Grunhard-led outfit in a new light. The hope, joy, and sexiness of their music remain, but, further honing the edge of their acclaimed 2022 album Electricity, the connection they aim to foster has shifted venues from the sunny buoyancy of a sunlit festival to a sweat-soaked, all-night dance club. Williams and Grunhard attribute this shift to a matter of collaborators, recording Pull the Rope with Sheffield-based producer Ross Orton (Arctic Monkeys, M.I.A.) over the course of two weeks. The way the pair wrote songs changed significantly_rather than Eno penning lyrics to music generated by Max and company's jamming, Orton started with Eno and Max writing together before adding the band. With less time in the studio and a new way of considering how they built songs, the duo found making decisions about Pull the Rope's sound quicker and more instinctual than before. "Ross is from Sheffield, which has an edgier, more industrial vibe than London," Grunhard explains. "He hears things differently than us, is more grounded in rave and grungier sounds, and knew when to add drums or push the instrumentation more. It was very different for us, but it lends itself to where Ibibio Sound Machine is going." In melding their songwriting process, Grunhard and Williams have, impossibly, pulled the trick of making Ibibio Sound Machine a tighter band than ever before, building out from their core in a way that highlights the electrifying group of musicians they play with. Rather than recording with the full band in the room, Pull the Rope was sculpted, elements added and shaped by Grunhard, Williams, and Orton along the way. As a result, Pull the Rope is a nimble, sleek machine that's thrilling from the first note of the opening title track, Eno's otherworldly voice and PK Ambrose's throbbing bass driving through a kaleidoscopic array of house, post-punk, funk, Afrobeat and disco, bangers and ballads, making an argument for unity that begins on the dancefloor. "We are the places we grew up, the places we've been, and the people we've met along the way," Williams says. "Hopping around the globe, we've found that people are fundamentally the same_they're people. Opposing sides push and pull, but there is an alternative to war, violence, and suffering." Lead single "Got to Be Who U Are" literally globetrots, name checking locales across the world that would feel disparate were it not for how well-traveled they are. Eno growing up in the musical melting pot of the Ibibio region of Nigeria and Max being a conservatory-trained musician from Australia, one could call their meeting in London and formation of Ibibio Sound Machine predestined. "Mama Say" and "Let My Yes Be Yes" touch themes of female empowerment. They're indicative of the band's depth as they push further into the electronic; "Mama Say" hits notes of electropop while "Let My Yes Be Yes" fuses electro to Afrobeat. Ibibio Sound Machine have always imbued their music with political consciousness, and the light that shines through in Williams' vocals and voice has never felt more necessary. The sound of Pull the Rope, then, is hope in darkness, bliss in spite of bleakness. Once again, Ibibio Sound Machine are here to provide the soundtrack to the best night of your life, and the better world to come.

The definitive vinyl reissue of the Nancy's 1966 sophomore album contains the hits "Bang, Bang". "Sand" and "How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?". This special Record Store Day Exclusive is pressed on Orange Cream vinyl and features audio freshly remastered from the original analog tapes by GRAMMYr-nominated engineer John Baldwin. It also includes two bonus tracks: "The Last Of The Secret Agents?" and the previously unreleased "If Things Don't Start Picking Up". This beautifully packaged and expanded gatefold LP with 20-page booklet featuring Q&A with Nancy & GRAMMYr-nominated co-producer Hunter Lea also includes never-before-seen photos from Nancy Sinatra's personal archive. Less than two weeks after "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" made it to the top of the charts, Nancy was back in the studio working on the follow-up. With a newfound confidence and a fresh batch of songs, How Does That Grab You? is a snapshot that captures the fun, creativity, and genius of an artist embracing her moment. The album includes the sparse masterpiece "Bang, Bang," the Boots-esque "How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?" and Nancy & Lee Hazlewood's very first duet, the proto-psychedelic "Sand." Equal parts strong, sultry, and savvy, Nancy Sinatra has long been ahead of her time_both in her choices as an artist and as a businesswoman. Unapologetically, she established her own path early on and paved the way for decades of female artists to come_all while firmly maintaining control over her career, her image, and her music. In 1965, Nancy Sinatra changed the face of music, fashion, and culture.

Today, the Toronto-born-and-raised singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Day Wilson announces her highly-anticipated sophomore album Cyan Blue out May 3rd via Stone Woman Music / XL Recordings Along with the announcement of her new album comes the release of first single, "I Don"t Love You", a stark and devastatingly beautiful confessional, highlighting Wilson"s immaculate production skills and chill inducing vocals laid atop smooth groove piano chords and soft drums. The track also arrives with a visual directed by Dani Aphrodite featuring layered low fi footage of the artist and producer performing at home, living every day life and having moments of solitude in her car, a theme that comes up throughout the album. Cyan Blue finds Wilson crafting a smoothly woven cyan tapestry of her eternal influences; thumping gospel piano, warm soul basslines, atmospheric electronics, and penetrating R&B melodies. Yet, it possesses a sense of vastness that rings in a new era for Wilson, one in which she"s embracing collaboration and newfound creative openness tinged with wistfulness and yearning and a reflection on youthful innocence. "I want to look through the unjaded eyes of my younger self again," Wilson explains of making Cyan Blue. "Before there wasn"t as much baggage, before so much life was lived. But I also wish that my younger self could see where I am now. It would be nice to be able to impart some of the wisdom and clarity that I have now onto her." Working with producers like Leon Thomas (SZA, Ariana Grande, Post Malone), and Jack Rochon (HE.R, Daniel Caesar), Cyan Blue demonstrates Wilson"s sonic expertise while also showcasing the next evolution of her time-bending songwriting. Through 13 hypnotizing tracks, she continues to use music as a vessel for unpacking relationships, which in turn allows her to meet and understand herself in life-spanning, panoramic focus. But, on Cyan Blue, she challenged herself to kick her perfectionist tendencies. "Before, I was extremely intentional about creating music with a strong foundation, a bed of artistic integrity," Wilson reflects. "But that was a bit stifling, like, "Let me just make a great piece of art that will stand the test of time, no pressure." Now, I think I"m getting out of this frozen state of needing everything to be perfect. I"m more interested in capturing feelings in the moment as they happen and leaving them in that moment." While this is only her second album, Wilson"s influence in music has made a major mainstream impact. Wilson broke out in 2016 with her critically acclaimed EP, CDW, followed by 2018"s Stone Woman and made her debut studio album an official coming out moment in 2021 with the critically acclaimed, self-released Alpha. Over the past decade, she"s been sampled by Drake, John Mayer, and James Blake, while Patti Smith has recently praised and covered Wilson"s 2016 breakout single "Work." Additionally, she"s collaborated with artists like Kaytranada, BADBADNOTGOOD, and SG Lewis, demonstrating that there"s no sound Wilson can"t adapt to and sprinkle her cyan-colored magic over.

SlapFunk return to the world of phonographic recordings with a mini album split into two ep’s from the highly regarded Tommy Vicari Jnr.

Hailing from the steel city of Sheffield he forged a new bond with the label after a standout DJ set at one of the famous SlapFunk parties and then delivered 8 solid tracks to work the speaker stacks.

Even with a minimal approach to the main ingredients in the productions, the results have been creating maximum impact on the dance floor, fully road tested at some of the best parties and festivals. Deep,moody, glitched out grooves collide with warehouse box jams that will soon get you throwing some serious shapes.

We are thrilled to have such a talent appear on our label and are very excited to present to you this dynamite double disc release. soft pads that will make you close your eyes and dive into intense reflections.

Blushing's unique brand of dreampop-infused indie rock hearkens back to the halcyon days of college radio. With a diverse array of influences including Elastica, Curve, Veruca Salt, Lush, The Breeders, and Smashing Pumpkins, Blushing manages a deftly executed eclecticism that recalls the best elements of alt rock's past while retaining a vitality and immediacy that tethers them firmly to the present. On their recently completed third LP, Sugarcoat, Blushing's dynamism is on full display, flitting effortlessly from spacey psychedelia to twee pop jangle with finesse and panache. Sugarcoat is a dense, reverb-laden exploration of alt rock's 40+ year history that conjures up concord from chaos. This album is where the band get to explore their love for expanding genres, from Post-punk (Seafoam), Psych-gaze (Slyce), Grunge pop (Silver Teeth), Indie Pop (Tamagotchi), Slowcore (Sugarcoat) and beyond. A huge highlight when making the album was the ability to collaborate with Jeff Schroeder on the track "Seafoam". The band had the opportunity to meet with him a few times over the years and asked him to see if he would be interested in lending lead guitar on the track as they were nearing the end of recording. He agreed right away and wrote a perfect accompanying lead while out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins. The contribution elevated the song and the band are so grateful to have his influence captured on the album.

Holland, Dozier and Holland are arguably the greatest songwriters ever. More prolific than Lennon and McCartney, they shaped “the Sound of Young America” and propelled the Motown sound in the mid-1960s into a creative stratosphere unmatched by any other independent music label. Their trademark catchy teenage love songs were delivered energetically by previously unknown Detroit groups like The Supremes, the Four Tops, Martha & the Vandellas & Marvin Gaye. Although synonymous with Berry Gordy’s Motown, it was their departure from Motown after a stand-off strike in 1967 and a brutal legal battle that led them to run their own group of labels, Invictus, Hot Wax and Music Merchant. This compilation is a definitive look at this period in history, exploring how H-D-H, under a new guise ‘The Creative Corporation’, drove the next generation of soul music in a myriad of different ways, towards funk, underground disco and jazz. Featuring 55 tracks, this collection documents HDH’s creativity and growth over this seminal 8 year period. During this time the trio developed new artists to rival Motown’s success such as Chairman Of The Board, Freda Payne, Honey Cone, Glass House, Flaming Ember, 8th Day, Laura Lee & Eloise Laws. The collection is complete with a detailed depiction of this period in history by award winning author Stuart Cosgrove who wrote the Soul Trilogy, a series of books on soul music and social change - Detroit 67: the Year That Changed Soul, Memphis 68: The Tragedy of Southern Soul which won the Penderyn Prize, as Music Book of the Year in 2018, and Harlem 69: the Future of Soul. Stuart’s notes detail the relationship with Motown in the final days, the immediate fall out after the trio left Motown and the creation of the new labels Hot Wax, Invictus & Music Merchant

Lost in the soot and fall out from Youngstown, Ohio's infamous Black Monday steel industry collapse was Tony March's cross-generational Tammy label. From its early days as a doo wop powerhouse to their last gasps chasing disco hits, Tammy unintentionally documented Youngstown's small but prolific Black music scene. This single LP surveys the label's best R&B, soul, funk, and disco, with 13 tracks from Ice Cold Love, Lynn Minor, J.C. & the Soul Angels, The Snapshots, Iron Knowledge, Roy Jefferson, and Steel City Band. Housed in a deluxe tip-on jacket, with a booklet crammed full of notes and ephemera, The Tammy Label continues Numero's 20 year tradition of preserving regional Ohio music.

Sheer Magic Transparent Silver Glitter Colored Vinyl. Lost in the soot and fall out from Youngstown, Ohio's infamous Black Monday steel industry collapse was Tony March's cross-generational Tammy label. From its early days as a doo wop powerhouse to their last gasps chasing disco hits, Tammy unintentionally documented Youngstown's small but prolific Black music scene. This single LP surveys the label's best R&B, soul, funk, and disco, with 13 tracks from Ice Cold Love, Lynn Minor, J.C. & the Soul Angels, The Snapshots, Iron Knowledge, Roy Jefferson, and Steel City Band. Housed in a deluxe tip-on jacket, with a booklet crammed full of notes and ephemera, The Tammy Label continues Numero's 20 year tradition of preserving regional Ohio music.

It's hard to believe it's been four years since the debut release of The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty's kick excellent debut "Ways of Hearing." But growth takes time and rather than rush a follow-up album to market to capitalize on their newfound success, the group opted to take their time and focus their efforts at their own pace. It paid off.On their much anticipated sophomore album, ambition is key. The name of the album itself "The Iliad and the Odyssey and the Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick" spans a glorious 71 characters and is bound to swallow the screen of whatever device that attempts to display the text. The essence of the album is built upon delicate, pleading vocals that sit atop stirring dynamic movements that seem to move between small and vulnerable to full-on symphonies that are bursting with emotion. "The Iliad and the Odyssey and the Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick" will be released by veteran indie label Count Your Lucky Stars on April 25th, 2024 (an homage to their first released single of the album) during the dead time when the cold end of winter is transitioning to a hopeful and promising spring- an apt metaphor that seems to encompass the heart of the album.

Saltburn is the 2023 black comedy psychological thriller film
written, directed, and co-produced by Emerald Fennell. The film stars a student (Barry Keoghan) at Oxford University, who finds himself drawn into the world of a charming and aristocratic classmate (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to his eccentric family’s sprawling estate for a summer never to be forgotten.

The film became one of the most-streamed films upon its streaming release on Amazon Prime Video in December 2023. It received critical acclaim and several accolades, including nominations for two Golden Globe Awards and five BAFTA Awards.
The music was created by Anthony Willis, who previously scored Fennell’s Promising Young Woman among others. Saltburn is available as a limited edition on white & black marbled vinyl and includes an insert.

Limted version on 2LP transparent violet vinyl in gatefold sleeve, 300 copies! ‘Lefto presents Jazz Cats' is back with volume 3 and still doing what it does best: putting you in the front row of what the thriving Belgian jazz scene currently has to offer and revealing a melting pot of the musical talent.



'Lefto presents Jazz Cats' is back with volume 3 and still doing what it does best: putting you in the front row of what the thriving Belgian jazz scene currently has to offer and revealing a melting pot of the musical talent coming out one of the smallest countries in Europe. Never change a winning team they say, so we're happy to have Belgian DJ and eclectic connoisseur Lefto on board again.

Although you expect thecompilation to be talking jazz, volume 3 explores a broader array of styles, genres, and sounds than ever before, arriving at a point where the 'young cats' of today don't bother no more. It may focus on the Belgian scene, but let's face it, seeing the influences, this one could be compiled from all over the world. From the empowering and bittersweet voices of Oriana Ikomo and Adja, over the more acoustic-electronic productions of Moodprint, Ciao Kennedy, Kassius and echofarmer. It's even expanding the Jazz Cats universe to dub and bass-heavy tracks with Kin Gajo and Le Ministère, Ethio-jazz from Azmari, while sending you back to earth with bodies' swirling sax and drums. That saxophone still rings in your ears when you end up in the orbit of the march-like drums of Bodem, Orson Claeys' piano testing your ability to follow him, slamming the breaks to go smooth cruisin' with HONEY (Morricone meets Khruangbin, anyone?), to crashing in a raging tempo on that last track of Bruno x Soet x Moene. And there you are, back with us.



2018's 'Lefto presents Jazz Cats' included tracks from some of Belgium's biggest hitters, including Black Flower, STUFF. De Beren Gieren and Glass Museum who have all gone on to receive global acclaim. The album was given the accolade of 'Album of the Week' on Worldwide FM and also received further radio support from Jazz FM in addition to numerous glowing reviews. The 2022 follow-up 'Jazz Cats volume 2' paved the way for a new generation inspired by its peers, entering another era of very talented individuals and collectives. Maybe even more so than 4 years before. It uncovered a beautiful balance of more established but also obscure musicians and artists. Opening up to electronics and dance, enter bands like ECHT!, Stellar Legions and TUKAN. Thrilling innovative soundscape grooves and jazz fusion with Bandler Ching and L?p?GangGang, not to forget about the weaving musical odyssey that is M.CHUZI. In addition, there's the balanced unease of One Frame Movement, the laidback 'acoustic electronica' of Boombox Experiments, the classic funky jazz stylings of Cargo Mas and cinematic The Brums, all of these have set volume 2 on the map as an essential release for any jazzhead with a passion for new sounds.

Tastemaker, selector, curator, DJ and producer, these words often get mentioned when Lefto's name pops up in discussions. And rightly so. If you've ever had the pleasure to listen to one of his incredible Boiler Room sets or one of his many radio shows, you'll know why. Famed for his gloriously eclectic taste on the decks, he switches effortlessly between hip hop, funk, breaks, neck-snapping beats, future bass, South-American influences, bruk riddims, some wild African rhythms and of course, jazz.

Growing up as a child, his father would have the sounds of jazz flowing through the speakers. Which led him to bars around town to hear the latest jazz ensembles. Falling in love with the genre, he would later refine his knack for record digging and fine ear for music working at Belgium's legendary Music Mania record store in his hometown Brussels. Which makes that Lefto is consistently a couple steps ahead. He doesn't wait for the next thing to land in his lap, but actively seeking it out.

Lefto on Jazz Cats volume 3:
"Another release in less than two years! I am very impressed by the amount of creative "jazz" talent we've managed to compile over the last couple of years. Thanks to the internet, young musicians find inspiration from around the globe and incorporate diverse influences into their work. Given the history and heritage of jazz in this country, it has managed to create a healthy jazz scene supported by festivals, venues, press, and labels. Therefore, I am very proud to present to you the thirdinstallment of Jazz Cats. This compilation is dedicated to the young and hardworking musicians who are the present and the future of Belgium's jazz scene."

Bringing together over 50 of Jamaica's greatest session musicians, whose work spans from the birth of reggae in the late 1960s until today, Roots Architects is the largest gathering of Jamaican musical talent on one all-instrumental album. Never before have so many veterans, who helped create the immortal rhythms that made reggae internationally successful, been assembled to play on new material without vocals. This album aims to celebrate and pay tribute to the unsung heroes of reggae music: the rhythm builders or Roots Architects.

The project is the brainchild of Swiss keyboardist and producer Mathias Liengme. In 2013, he travelled to Kingston, Jamaica, to produce The Inspirators project, an all-star album gathering Leroy ”Horse-mouth” Wallace, Lloyd Parks, Earl ”Chinna” Smith and Sangie Davis, the four of them acting both as musicians and vocalists. This first experience in Kingston studio life paved the way to what would become the Roots Architects project. In February and March 2017 Mathias Liengme travelled for the fifth time to Kingston to record as many of reggae’s greatest living veteran musicians as he could. With the help of a few of these Architects like Robbie Lyn, Fil Callender or Dalton Browne, he managed to gather over 50 session musicians aged 60 to 85 on nine instrumental songs.

Roots Architects are legends back together in Kingston studios doing what they do best: creating in-strumental music all together!

"Black Sheep" ist ein spannendes Hörerlebnis mit einigen der bisher schärfsten Texte und elektrisierendsten Darbietungen von Cakes Da Killa. Er bringt die Stimmen von außen zum Schweigen und nutzt voll und ganz seine Vielseitigkeit: melodischere Hooklines, noch raffiniertere Pointen und die charakteristische Stimme, die mit durchsetzungsfähiger, roher Kraft alles durchdringt. Während sich in den globalen Verhältnissen Dunkelheit abzeichnet, bietet Cakes neue Fluchtwege - nicht aus Fahrlässigkeit, sondern aus Erholung, um weiter zu kämpfen. Ihm eilt sein kritischer und gesellschaftlicher Beifall voraus: Er hat bei Glastonbury, Governors Ball, Sonar und Whole Festival gespielt und von Honey Dijon über Injury Reserve bis zu Rye Rye mit allen zusammengearbeitet.

"Black Sheep" ist ein spannendes Hörerlebnis mit einigen der bisher schärfsten Texte und elektrisierendsten Darbietungen von Cakes Da Killa. Er bringt die Stimmen von außen zum Schweigen und nutzt voll und ganz seine Vielseitigkeit: melodischere Hooklines, noch raffiniertere Pointen und die charakteristische Stimme, die mit durchsetzungsfähiger, roher Kraft alles durchdringt. Während sich in den globalen Verhältnissen Dunkelheit abzeichnet, bietet Cakes neue Fluchtwege - nicht aus Fahrlässigkeit, sondern aus Erholung, um weiter zu kämpfen. Ihm eilt sein kritischer und gesellschaftlicher Beifall voraus: Er hat bei Glastonbury, Governors Ball, Sonar und Whole Festival gespielt und von Honey Dijon über Injury Reserve bis zu Rye Rye mit allen zusammengearbeitet.

Backwater Collage ist das erste Soloalbum von James Hoare, das er unter dem Namen Penny Arcade veröffentlicht. Dem ein oder anderen wird er als Musiker/Songwriter bei Bands wie Veronica Falls, The Proper Ornaments oder Ultimate Painting bereits über den Weg gelaufen sein. Backwater Collage ist in der Tat ein Album bei dem die Gesamtheit der Songs als Ganzes wirken und nicht einzelne Songs die anderen überstrahlen oder ausblenden. Vom ersten bis zum letzten Ton hält die Stimmung und begleitet den Hörer auf seiner ganz persönlichen Reise. Die elf vertraut klingenden Songs, die das Album ausmachen, sind in bester Homerecording-Tradition entstanden, aber dennoch (behutsam) produziert. James entwickelt und entfaltet reine, unaufgeregte Melodien, in denen sich seine sanfte, melancholische Stimme mit dem weichen, warmen Gesang von Nathalia Bruno vermischt. Angedeutete Gitarrensoli unterbrechen manchmal die klare, ungeschliffene musikalische Linie. Der langjährige Freund Max Claps hat Keyboard-Parts beigesteuert, die die minimale Nostalgie der Tracks aufgreift und dabei jeglichem tränenreichen Pathos entgegenwirken. Um diesen homogenen Sound, diese Sounddichte zu erreichen hat James sich Zeit gelassen. Das er seine Songs aus verschiedenen Aufnahmesessions retten musste, die von einer Reihe von Missgeschicken geprägt waren, an die er, wie er amüsiert zugibt, gewöhnt ist: kaputte Multitracks, versagende Tonbandmaschinen oder selten verfügbare Schlagzeuger, die in der Hauptstadt leben, kam ihm dabei sicherlich zu Hilfe. Ähnlich wie Jack Name oder Syd Barrett - nur weniger psychedelisch - sitzt Hoare auf dem schwarz-weißen Sofa von Velvet Underground und verleiht seinem Album eine unterirdische Note. Zeitweise unruhig, aber leichtfüßig, ohne unnötige Effekte, tritt die Platte in die Fußstapfen einer weniger lauten, aber ebenso rohen und schmucklosen Jesus and Mary Chain. Mit Backwater Collage, allein am Ruder unter einem stürmischen Himmel, lädt James Hoare seine Hörer ein, es sich bei einer Tasse Tee gemütlich zu machen.

Backwater Collage ist das erste Soloalbum von James Hoare, das er unter dem Namen Penny Arcade veröffentlicht. Dem ein oder anderen wird er als Musiker/Songwriter bei Bands wie Veronica Falls, The Proper Ornaments oder Ultimate Painting bereits über den Weg gelaufen sein. Backwater Collage ist in der Tat ein Album bei dem die Gesamtheit der Songs als Ganzes wirken und nicht einzelne Songs die anderen überstrahlen oder ausblenden. Vom ersten bis zum letzten Ton hält die Stimmung und begleitet den Hörer auf seiner ganz persönlichen Reise. Die elf vertraut klingenden Songs, die das Album ausmachen, sind in bester Homerecording-Tradition entstanden, aber dennoch (behutsam) produziert. James entwickelt und entfaltet reine, unaufgeregte Melodien, in denen sich seine sanfte, melancholische Stimme mit dem weichen, warmen Gesang von Nathalia Bruno vermischt. Angedeutete Gitarrensoli unterbrechen manchmal die klare, ungeschliffene musikalische Linie. Der langjährige Freund Max Claps hat Keyboard-Parts beigesteuert, die die minimale Nostalgie der Tracks aufgreift und dabei jeglichem tränenreichen Pathos entgegenwirken. Um diesen homogenen Sound, diese Sounddichte zu erreichen hat James sich Zeit gelassen. Das er seine Songs aus verschiedenen Aufnahmesessions retten musste, die von einer Reihe von Missgeschicken geprägt waren, an die er, wie er amüsiert zugibt, gewöhnt ist: kaputte Multitracks, versagende Tonbandmaschinen oder selten verfügbare Schlagzeuger, die in der Hauptstadt leben, kam ihm dabei sicherlich zu Hilfe. Ähnlich wie Jack Name oder Syd Barrett - nur weniger psychedelisch - sitzt Hoare auf dem schwarz-weißen Sofa von Velvet Underground und verleiht seinem Album eine unterirdische Note. Zeitweise unruhig, aber leichtfüßig, ohne unnötige Effekte, tritt die Platte in die Fußstapfen einer weniger lauten, aber ebenso rohen und schmucklosen Jesus and Mary Chain. Mit Backwater Collage, allein am Ruder unter einem stürmischen Himmel, lädt James Hoare seine Hörer ein, es sich bei einer Tasse Tee gemütlich zu machen.

Who is Leon Dinero? From whence did he come? The soulful singer dropped his first single this past June, tearing up a ska version of Lee Fields & Sugarman 3's classic "Lover Like Me". Backed by The Frightnrs, and with Victor Axelrod in the producer's chair Leon returns with "If You Ask Me", a gorgeous piece of wax that draws inspiration from the deep vaults of Jamaican Rocksteady.

Originally penned for The Frightnrs' debut long player but never tracked as such, this version showcases Dinero's timeless vocal delivery - his voice etched with honey-dipped imperfections that call to mind the classic vocals of Alton Ellis and Hopeton Lewis. Gracing the flip-side is"Bandits", a lyrical takedown of the continuing gentrification of New York City that rides the A-Side's instrumental in pure Jamaican DJ style. Vocal duties for this stellar side are brought to you by Screechy Dan, who's often described as the glue that holds the NYC reggae community together.

Beyond his classic tunes like"Pose Off" and "Big Bills", Screechy has nurtured generations of young artists, sound systems and selectors, forging deep ties that bind Jamaica to New York and veteran artists to the new school. Victor Axelrod expertly handles the production by employing the rhythmic powerhouse that is The Frightnrs to help mine the sweetness of rock steady for the A-side whilst tempering it with the drum and bass toughness of classic rub-a-dub for the flip. We're looking forward to much more to come from this extraordinary group of musicians!

"Black Sheep" ist ein spannendes Hörerlebnis mit einigen der bisher schärfsten Texte und elektrisierendsten Darbietungen von Cakes Da Killa. Er bringt die Stimmen von außen zum Schweigen und nutzt voll und ganz seine Vielseitigkeit: melodischere Hooklines, noch raffiniertere Pointen und die charakteristische Stimme, die mit durchsetzungsfähiger, roher Kraft alles durchdringt. Während sich in den globalen Verhältnissen Dunkelheit abzeichnet, bietet Cakes neue Fluchtwege - nicht aus Fahrlässigkeit, sondern aus Erholung, um weiter zu kämpfen. Ihm eilt sein kritischer und gesellschaftlicher Beifall voraus: Er hat bei Glastonbury, Governors Ball, Sonar und Whole Festival gespielt und von Honey Dijon über Injury Reserve bis zu Rye Rye mit allen zusammengearbeitet.

Live recording of the final show of SANAM's debut European 2023 tour at London's home for experiemntal music, Cafe Oto.

Beirut's SANAM burst on the scene in 2023 with their debut album Aykathani Malakon, chosen by The Guardian as one of their 5-star albums from 2023: "Aykathani Malakon thoroughly embodies their originating influences, whipping up kosmische, post-punk, psych rock, free jazz and Levantine folklore into an alchemical tour de force delivered with a defiant, DIY disposition".

Under difficult conditions, the band took to the road for a European tour in November 2023 with the final show at Café Oto. From their incendiary European debut earlier that month at LeGuessWho then rapturous, sold out shows in Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and the UK, spirits for the Cafe Oto gig were high and it was destined to be a tour highlight. 'Live at Café Oto' captures the intensity of the shows, a ritual where improvised rock, free jazz and noise underscored an exorcism of traditional Egyptian song and Arabic poetry.

Drummer Pascal Semerdjian adds: "On this tour, I felt the album evolve from being a set of improvised tracks captured spontaneously, into ripe solid songs. Playing these shows back-to-back, our chemistry kept growing, we got closer, and our live sets, at least to me, were an embodiment of this evolution. In a way, this was the real birth of the band"

Vocalist Sandy Chamoun: "We started the tour with a great push at LeGuessWho, and we kept this energy throughout the whole tour. Every gig felt like I was playing the songs for the first time, providing a new and fresh experience for me. We finished the tour with an emotionally intense gig at Cafe Oto, a dream venue. The audience was incredible, as if we had known each other for a long time and the energy was intense and intimate at the same time; it felt like we were in a small circle of fire together, both us and the audience."

"There was definitely magic in the air for our show at cafe oto - an iconic, humble and warm venue and the last show of the tour – it felt like everything was in the right place. It was my favourite show by far, specially that we were also comfortably able to talk about Palestine, the atrocity we have to live with and can't ignore." Pascal Semerdjian

The opening line of Emily Dickinson’s short poem ‘‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers’ inspired the central image of Emily Barker’s new single ‘Feathered Thing’, written while she navigated cumulative grief.

When Barker was first introduced to producer Luke Potashnick (Gabrielle Aplin, Jack Savoretti, Katie Melua) in May 2022, she brought with her a full album’s worth of songs. But after visiting Potashnick’s storied studio, The Wool Hall and hearing his ambitious production ideas, she was inspired to write one more song.

“I also needed to process some heavy news” she comments. Barker and her husband Lukas Drinkwater had been trying to start a family. Following a couple of failed IVF cycles (and other “starts that we’d lost”), they investigated adoption and had decided to relocate to Australia to be closer to Barker’s family.

“It felt like we couldn’t work out what we wanted, but we finally reached a point where we both felt at peace with not having kids,” Barker recalls. “It had been an incredibly intense time, coinciding with a house move and the pandemic.”

And then Barker found she was pregnant. “We’d done all these things to try to make it happen, and then it happened naturally (and against all biological odds). Having previously navigated losses throughout our pregnancy journey, we now had to get our heads around what having this new person in our lives might look like - emotionally and practically.”

Soon after work began on the album, Barker had a miscarriage.

“Songwriting has always been a way of processing throughout my life.” Barker reveals how the new song came quickly as she sat at her piano at home. She shared an early version with Potashnick and remembers him politely asking, “Do you mind telling me what this is about?”

“I think I’d left it too abstract, initially,” she reflects. “It was difficult to open up about the miscarriage, but Luke was very supportive and encouraged me to dig a little deeper without necessarily being specific. I revisited the lyrics, and the result is much stronger.”

“I went to the burnt-out woods/ A tourist with some damaged goods/ Remembered how the trees withstood fires before…”

“The opening line is a metaphor for knowing that I’ll get through this,” Barker clarifies. “It’s about recovery and hope, allowing yourself both the space to grieve and permission to move on”. But Barker’s optimism is never misplaced – she knows the imprint of imagined futures and lost children are carried in hearts and minds forever:

“It’s so hard to let go, wanted to know wanted to know you …”

“I think that it's important to share and normalise these stories, which are all too common, yet not openly spoken about. People hide their pain and don’t want to burden friends and family. I think behind all this anguish, there’s a deep, often untold story.”

Now that Barker is settled back in Western Australia, she’s embracing being an auntie. “I’ve got three younger siblings over here who I’m close to, and they all have kids,” she enthuses. “I look after my brother's kids, aged two and five, one morning a week.”

Recorded - along with the entirety of the new album - at The Wool Hall, ‘Feathered Thing’ begins gently, with oscillating piano and distant drums, until the arrangement gradually transforms into an instrumental dervish of vibrant strings, bass drones and cymbal crashes. Throughout, Barker’s vocals float tantalisingly like a slipstreaming feather.

Watch the video, filmed at The Wool Hall here. The Wool Hall is a studio in Beckington, Somerset, set up by Tears for Fears in the 1980s and used by artists including The Smiths, Pretenders, Joni Mitchell and many more.

Emily Barker is an award-winning singer-songwriter, best known as the writer and performer of the theme to the hugely successful BBC crime drama ‘Wallander’ starring Kenneth Branagh.

Her last album, 2020's ‘A Dark Murmuration of Words’, was produced by Greg Freeman and recorded at StudiOwz, a converted chapel in the Welsh countryside. Lyrically probing, by turns both dark and optimistic, Barker searches for meaning through the deafening clamour of fake news and algorithmically filtered conversation, delivering a timely exploration of the grand themes of our age. It garnered widespread acclaim, with Uncut calling it “…a kind of Australian equivalent of PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake”.

Barker has released music and toured as a solo artist as well as with various bands and collaborations, most notably her long association with Frank Turner, and has written for TV and film, including composing the soundtrack for Jake Gavin’s lauded debut feature ‘Hector’ starring Peter Mullan and Keith Allen.

‘Fragile as Humans’ is scheduled for release on May 3rd 2024 through Everyone Sang/Kartel Music Group. The album will also feature earlier singles: the vast, cinematic ‘Wild to be Sharing This Moment’ and the meditative, crestfallen ‘Loneliness’.

The VA theme on the LP series under the name Untitled || continues to explore the subject of 8 different minds from different corner of the globe connected by the principle and love for the audio frequencies in line with Exarde. Featuring two artists which already dear to label due to the fact of past releases on it and six new ones who have become instant people of love and admiration for me.

From the more deep and mellow to the higher pressure for the brain this double disc shall meet your demands. The art theme of this one is blobs & globs from space, whether they are emerging, fighting with their own shadow, or just simply floating and co-existing. This shall conclude my rambling for this body of work as I go and put these eight essences through my ear canals once again. Great deal of thanks for the hard work and dedication of these talented conductors.

High Roller Records, 180g black vinyl, lyric sheet + 4 pages insert printed on uncoated paper, poster, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, bonus track "Strange World". Mastered by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY. Cutting by SST Germany on Neumann machines for optimal quality on all levels

High Roller Records, 180g black vinyl, lyric sheet + 4 pages insert printed on uncoated paper, poster, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, bonus track "Strange World". Mastered by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY. Cutting by SST Germany on Neumann machines for optimal quality on all levels