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Currently celebrating ten years of releasing music on vinyl & cassette and following hype for recent releases from Moscow (via Tallinn)’s Galun (glagol album) and Osaka's Kiji Suedo (Hosek EP & Riot album), Edinburgh's Hobbes Music label continues to mine a leftfield seam with this brand new album from singer/songwriter George Demure (Tirk, Output) aka DJ/producer George T (Greco Roman, Optimo), better known as George Thomson to his mum. And it’s another absolute peach if you have a taste for post-club sounds of a more leftfield persuasion.

This is the follow-up to his 'The Record Store' EP which came out via George's own All Noise imprint in 2021. He has also released the Roll On, King's Cross single via Hobbes Music under his George T moniker last November (plus various bits for the Paradise Palms and Ramrock labels in the interim).

“It all began with the Record Store EP in 2021,” explains George. “Limit my options. No samples, one drum machine, two analog synths (mono and poly), computer simply to record. I was so happy with the results I began with what you hear today. Same drums, same machines (or lack thereof) maybe some real percussion and melodica but hey, I only answer to me.”

Imagine, if you will, Scott Walker jamming with Kruder & Dorfmeister in a very small studio…

Bonus Album ‘Dandy In Dub’ features dubs, instrumentals and bonus tracks, with yet more regular flashes of pure brilliance. Be sure to check out opener 'After' and closer 'Blue Lou', which sound like George might well have sound-tracked some French 80s flick of the 'cinema du look' period (Betty Blue, Diva et al) in another life. Plus ‘Mr Minilogue’ with its clarinet-like synth.... Does it really get any better than this?!!

Sleeve art by the amazingly talented Bernie Reid, another local legend.

Feedback/Reviews to date:

'He's so talented!' JD TWITCH (Optimo)
'Love the LP. Sounds really together, production is awesome. I love the aesthetic. Vocal tracks sit nicely with instrumentals. Vocals sound light-hearted' THE MAGHREBAN
"On a bobbled and float-y, light sunbeam dappled vapor of deep house, garage, electro, kosmische, leftfield pop electronica, dub and new wave (both the German and UK’s), the Edinburgh DJ/producer and singer-songwriter George Thomson continues the good work he laid down on the last EP... It’s a most lovely, swimmingly blend of motivations, feels and deep grooves that effortlessly comes together in a generous offering of electronic music: the very epitome of the Hobbes label’s remit in delivering leftfield unique visions of now techno, house and club sounds." MONOLITH COCKTAIL
‘I love the album’ LEO MAS
‘Lovely stuff’ S/A/M (Music For Dreams/DK, Cafe Del Mar, Pikes, Playasol Radio and many more, Ibiza)
Plus play/s from Andy Wilson on ‘Balearia’ Ibiza Sonica Radio
+ DJ Dribbler (Pikes, Ibiza // Paradise Lost, Red Light Radio, Pure)

The second solo album by Frank Zappa, Hot Rats (October 1969) is one of the most influential Jazz fusion albums ever. It marked Zappa's first recording project after the dissolution of the original version of The Mothers of Invention. Multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood is the only member of the Mothers to appear on the album and was the primary musical collaborator.

Other featured musicians include bassists Max Bennett and Shuggie Otis; drummers John Guerin, Paul Humphrey and Ron Selico; and electric violinists Don "Sugarcane" Harris and Jean-Luc Ponty. The first Frank Zappa album recorded on 16-track equipment, Hot Rats was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and was given a rating of 4½ stars in Al/Music, with Steve Huey stating that "few albums originating on the rock side of jazz-rock fusion flowed so freely between both sides of the equation, or achieved such unwavering excitement and energy". The model on the cover is Miss Christine, from the group GTO's.

repressed !

Birthed at the turn of the ‘80s, synth and wave music has remained a constant force over the last four decades, with a recent spike in interest in the sound offering further proof of its’ timeless, out-of-this-world quality. It’s against this backdrop that Dutch DJ Interstellar Funk presents his celebration of the style, “Artificial Dancers – Waves of Synth”.

A bumper compilation bristling with obscure and hard-to-find gems, the set sees the Artificial Dance label founder joining the dots between synthesizer and drum machine-driven tracks in a variety of subtly different styles. It’s the result of hundreds of hours spent digging through dusty old records, tapes, and the Bandcamp accounts of DIY musicians who have been active since the sound’s first boom in the early 1980s.

The 11-track set draws on tracks made and released at different times over the last 40 years, with the earliest cut committed to tape in 1978 and the most recent in 2018. While the tracks date from the ‘80s, ‘90s, noughties and 2010s, the showcased cuts are united by a primitive but futuristic quality that makes dating them difficult. In many cases, it’s hard to tell which tracks were made in the early 1980s and which were conjured up in 21st century studios.

As you’d expect, highlights are plentiful with a number of the most unknown or sought-after cuts appearing on vinyl for the first time. In this category you’ll find the Human League’s odd but inspired early number “4JG”, a near mythical 1982 live version of Liasons Dangereuses’ “Dias Cortas” (previously only available on a VHS video) and Chris and Cosey’s “Hybrid C”, a brilliant mid-’90s cut plucked from their CD-only album “Skimble Skamble”. You’ll also find a rare demo version of Clan of Xymox’s Dutch darkwave classic “Stranger”, which became a club smash across Europe in 1983.

Interstellar Funk has also chosen to showcase tracks by a range of DIY producers and lesser-known artists. These include Californian band Batang Frisco, who self-released a sole private press album in 1986 (their contribution, “Sewing Machine”, is dedicated to founder member Bill DiMichele, who passed away this year), Matthias Schuster’s Im Namen Des Volkes project – which contributes the previously unreleased 2014 track “Alles Ist Gewinn” – and Zahgurim, a short-lived early ‘80s act who reunited in 2018 to record their first new material since 1983.

If that wasn’t enough to set pulses racing, the compilation also showcases a solo track by sadly departed Psyche member Stephen Huss. Nobody is quite sure when Huss recorded “Infinity Sign”, but we can confirm this is the first time that one of his solo productions has ever appeared on vinyl.

Get ready to unleash another fine release on BCSM Records. We present you a powerful tune and version by singer Christine Salem from Reunion Islands and danish dub wizard Dub Across Borders (DAB) , combining the best of world music and dubwise business.
The characteristic, deep and powerful voice of Christine Salem first made its way to
the speakers in the Dub Across Borders studio one winter night in 2018. Through a musical friendship in Brazil, DAB was presented with a recording of one of Salem’s live concerts.

Instantly, the stripped down vocal/percussion style arrangements of the songs resonated with a raw authenticity and nerve which sparked inspiration. Shortly after, with a sort of ‘bootleg-approach’, DAB was found reworking the song “Kadjembawe” into a heavy dub version, adding several other instruments like, organ, bass, guitars, etc. Some years later when the rework had gone rounds with friends and alike, it was presented to the Swiss bass clarinet virtuous Eloi Cálame.

From his studio in Switzerland he then transcribed and recorded the horn arrangements with trumpeteer Jaronas Hoehener. After many e-mails with Christine and her management, the song being reborn into its dubby self. Then it was presented to Tino from BCSM who took charge in the endeavour to present it to the world.

Bristolian producer Claude Cooper returns with hot new single ‘Stay A While’, inspired by the vinyl discoveries made from months of digging and cataloguing the bulging inventory of Bedminster’s Friendly Records record shop.

‘Stay A While’ introduces some delightful twists to Cooper’s psychedelic-funk sound. Blurring the lines between sampling and performance, lush string flourishes are sliced with 6Ts girl-group vocals and rollicking piano chords resulting in a dreamy, end of night, lights up anthem in-the-making. The track is backed with the insistent ‘Dance Tonight’, a ragged bass-boogie surf-rocker that doesn’t take no for an answer.

Cooper’s irrepressible debut album ‘Myriad Sounds' (Jan ‘22) caught the attention of the UK's press and radio alike. Mojo's four star review described it as “Bristol’s beat scene backdrops late night jams”, Uncut enjoyed the "rugged psych-funk romp" and Louder than War declared "it’s vital and vibrant and exactly what we need to kick start the year”. BBC radio DJs including Cerys Matthews, Gideon Coe, Huw Stephens, Jamie Cullum, Lauren Laverne, Stuart Maconie, Tom Ravenscroft rinsed the singles, with Huey Morgan inviting Cooper to contribute a Block Party Mix for his show.

Bonus round 'More Myriad Sounds' (Apr ‘23) added Brooklyn vocalist Brain Fog to the melange with a bounty of pyretic vocal performances. DJ Mag called it “A fierce, kaleidoscopic trip” while Bandcamp Daily said “This album of cross-genre influences is as likely to get it included in any number of best-of columns, with the theme of serious fun as their common element”.

Behind the release is Friendly Records, the best little record shop in Bristol and now a burgeoning record label. Opened by Tom Friend on North Street in 2016, it’s gone on to become a hub of the local musical community. As well as Claude Cooper, the label has reissued two of Alison Cotton’s albums, 'The Twenty-Three Views' by outernational ambient jazz project Floating World Pictures, and Christian Madden & The Enemy Chorus’s organ heavy ‘The Extra Weight’.

Claude Cooper will return with a new album on Friendly Recordings this year.

Optimo (Espacio) started life as a weekly club night. It was born at The Sub Club in Glasgow on a wet, windy, wintry November Sunday night in 1997. Run by JD Twitch and partner in crime Jonnie Wilkes. Optimo was a reaction against what felt like an increasingly conservative musical soundtrack in clubs here at that time. Clubland felt as if it had become very bland and a bit too serious; it was the era of the dawn of the Superstar DJ. Clubs often felt like bastions of male energy. It seemed dance music and culture was going somewhere far, far away from where it was meant to be. The notion of fun had got lost.

It was no longer the world they had devoted ten years of their lives to already, and lots of their friends felt the same. When the opportunity came up to do a Sunday night at The Sub Club it felt like the perfect opportunity to rip it all up and start again. So they did. There was nothing in the city (or possibly anywhere) like it. As the club believed wholeheartedly in what they were doing, there was no pressure from The Sub Club to fill the club. So, they embraced the freedom. Groups of people who had never been in the same room at the same time before came together. A community of kindred spirits started to emerge.

Word spread, slowly. Lots of people checked it out. Many loved it, some hated it. The core of the Optimo idea was to embrace music they loved that might work on the dancefloor from whatever era or genre they thought felt right. It might not seem very radical now but at that time it was revolutionary.

After about a year and a half, the club went from having 100 people attending most nights to suddenly one week having 500 people turn up. It was very weird. It was as if a collective light bulb went off in people’s heads in Glasgow. From that week on, until the very last weekly Sunday night at the Sub Club, in 2010, over a decade later, it was packed.

There were 550 Sunday Optimo nights. A LOT of music was played. So, what was the music? People often find it hard to pin down exactly what Optimo is. This has been a positive but also a negative as we live in a world where people want easily defined “brand identities”. The simplest definition of the music played is “music for dancing”, which of course is a very broad definition. Even better than trying to define it in words, we have these 2 volumes of music that give a hint of what that might be.

This is not a “Best of Optimo” or a “Greatest Hits of Optimo” compilation. For people who come to, or used to come to the nights there are of course “Greatest Hits”. But, over such a long timespan they are “hits” belonging to a certain moment in time and space. Someone who came to Optimo in 1997 would have a completely different notion of the big tracks at the club to someone coming in 2003, or 2010, or today. This compilation is just a snap shot missing several genres that might make up the DNA of Optimo. There is though a broad sweep through lots of music Optimo loves, that they believe is amazing. Music that they know will rock a dancefloor, that they have played between 1997 and 2023. Of course Optimo nights were not all about rocking the dancefloor. The first hour was always a time for them to play music they loved that often was far removed from the dance. Side 1, Volume 1 of this compilation is the kind of music one might hear at the very start of an Optimo night.

Optimo have always loved a good slogan. The most long lived, and fitting Optimo slogan is "We Love Your Ears", which is in essence what it is all about to them.

First time vinyl release for this classic LOW holiday recording.
Their attention to musical detail combined with the heavenly vocal harmonies of ALAN SPARHAWK and MIMI PARKER (R.I.P.) are perfectly attuned to both traditional carols like “Silent Night” and more contemporary tunes such as “Blue Christmas.”
Christmas contains a selection of seasonal songs, including four originals by the band, mostly recorded at Lowʼs 20º Below studio in Duluth, MN. “If You Were Born Today” and “Blue Christmas” were released as a 7-inch single in 1997 on the English Wurlitzer Jukebox label, while “Taking Down The Tree” is taken from a 1998 compilation of live recordings issue by the Dutch VPRO radio station.

The Sex featuring members of Mercenary God and No Suicide. A mixture of different elements with a rock substrate for an uncategorized result. Another Post-Punk gem from the 80's Italian North-Eastern scene.

My adventure buddies? The silent, enigmatic Patti, former singer of the mysterious No Suicide, and the young, faithful Chris, a passionate Police fan, we met on the battlefield and he immediately became my brother. For him, learning to play the bass was a way to get close to Sting, in other words, just one step below Paradise. Patti instead played keyboards as an extension of her mysterious and glacial presence, so still and distant that the audience sometimes wondered if she was real. And then there was my fixation for the drum machine, a futuristic device which could transform the drumming sweat into an invisible, yet physical, dreamlike pulsation. A particular combination of characters and a special astral conjunction, that’s what you need to get a nucleus source of sonic emotions, and in some ways this is what we were. You could clearly feel it during the concerts. When at the end of ‘81 My Mercenary God lost their drummer and had to disband, I felt clearly that the music had already changed.

Our old 70’s rock ‘n’ roll sound was no longer representative of the day. We were like some sort of yesterday’s newspaper. Thus I Sex was born (later The Sex). According to Freudian thought that sees sexual instinct as the driving force behind every (creative or destructive) human act. And in fact we immediately started creating, destroying, assembling and deconstructing our sound. Suddenly “tomorrow became now”. It was an outburst of creative independence in the form of homemade cassettes put together with makeshift tools, at least until the arrival of the legendary 4 track recorder. I was 19 years old, Chris was only 17. Nothing more than kids after all. Yet we were already veterans, veterans of a lost war. Wise, naive, disillusioned dreamers, everything and the opposite of everything. But, above all, we were totally devoted to our creative delirium up to the point of losing touch with reality, crossing limits, breaking down barriers and almost bordering on madness. Perhaps we were just too involved, especially if in relationship with what we could receive in return. We always spread our energies as if there was no future. We unconsciously felt that we had to live in the moment, now or never, and in retrospect it really was like that, and this is why these songs exist now. Songs created with the intent to tell an inner universe that is, now as then, far from any convention.

The deep and swinging groove is what makes Buddy Guy’s Slippin’ In so wonderful. The album earned Guy the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Slippin’ In was produced and engineered by the great Eddie Kramer, who manned the board for Jimi Hendrix and many others. Guy finds his way back to the blues, with some incredible electric guitar sounds. He was backed by a stellar cast of musicians that included Stevie Ray Vaughan band mates Tommy Shannon, Reese Wynans, and Chris Layton. Some absolute blues classics and up-tempo rockers found their way to Buddy’s tracklist. He uses the blues in such a fantastic way that everything turns out to be positive. Just listen and you’ll hear what the master of blues is doing.

From the Dolls-meets-the-devil opening title track to the desperate Sister Lovers-adjacent finale "The Findings," The Interrogator is thirteen vibrant, crackling, scary and hilarious songs which taken together represent nothing less than a thorough and thrilling moral inventory of our decadent and depraved times. Following up and doubling down on the themes of last year's lionized cult favorite For Executive Meeting, Elizabeth Nelson has authored an album as politically potent and pointedly hilarious as antecedents like The Mekons' Rock `n' Roll and Neil Young's On the Beach and wed it to the sound of ZZ Top's Eliminator. As writers like Rob Sheffield and Robert Christgau have known for years, Elizabeth Nelson has been one of our very best songwriters for going on a decade. On the charged anthem "Bad Day for the Group Chat" she reassesses the current state of affairs: "I have bested all my peers.

The trio of John Medeski, Billy Martin, and Chris Wood did as much to reinvigorate and reimagine jazz as anybody over the last three decades. Now, Real Gone Music is proud to provide the band’s classic second album It’s a Jungle in Here its first widespread vinyl release. That this record includes covers of tunes by John Coltrane, King Sunny Ade, and a mash-up of Bob Marley with Thelonious Monk speaks volumes as to Medeski Martin & Wood’s fresh approach to the jazz tradition; but their ability to compose and perform startlingly original material is what really sets them apart. Black vinyl pressing for optimum sound!

“Challenge” was released in 1981 on Bootleg, a record label born inside a record store in Pavia with the same name. “Challenge” keeps the original and uncompromising punk attitude alive. 3 groups: No Suicide (from the Udine province), Mercenary God (from Gemona), No Submission (from Treviso), all sick children of the industrious, rich and Christian Democratic north-eastern part of Italy. I read about them in “New Fahrenheit” (a controversial article about local rivalries, common backgrounds and eventually separate roads.) but I don’t know their music. Something tells me that “Challenge” is the record I was looking for, perhaps because of its very powerful cover with no slogans, and a circled “A”. I send the money in a sealed envelope and wait. When the package arrives, I open it, I put the record on the turntable and let the needle go. The first listen is enough to realize that this is a crucial release, a real “challenge”.

The challenge is against an indifferent market. The instrument is a sound that is already changing skin. No Suicide, Mercenary God and No Submission have nothing to do with Great Complotto, they are the other face of the northeastern underground. Punk is their background, (read “hardcore” for No Suicide) but for all of them there is a progressive detachment from the original material, including a common attitude towards the caustic sound coming from the harshest side of British wave. A classic example of “work in progress” able to generate great songs like “The Degraded Men” by No Submission (the band that later evolved into Wax Heroes), one of the peaks of Italian post-punk. Mercenary God will give birth to The Sex, while No Suicide with their tight hypnotic hardcore will disbanded soon. It’s 1981 when the rain clouds on the “Challenge” front cover seem to remind us that the wind is going to change soon.

3 bands, 11 songs, an unearthed piece of history 43 years after its first release. Thanks to this reissue, “Challenge” is now back on track. A different disc, today as then. (Luca Frazzi)

Ein bandbetiteltes Album markiert fast immer einen
Wendepunkt in der eigenen Diskografie, und für „WISBORG
“ trifft das gleich in mehrfacher Hinsicht zu. So arbeitete die
Band erstmals mit Lord Of The Lost-Frontmann Chris Harms
als Produzenten zusammen, der auch als Feature-Gast auf der
Leadsingle „Im freien Fall“ in Erscheinung tritt (das
Musikvideo zum Song wurde auf der gemeinsamen Tour in
den Locations sowie im Nightliner gedreht).
Auch visuell geht die Band neue Wege: „WISBORG“ bricht mit
dem schwarz-rot-beigen Farbschema der bisherigen
Veröffentlichungen und präsentiert erstmals ein Foto der Band
als Albumcover! Für das Bild und die visuelle Ausgestaltung
zeichnet Stefan „Heilemania“ Heilemann verantwortlich
Darüber hinaus finden sich auf „WISBORG“ erstmals deutsche
Texte – und zwar ausschließlich!. „Auf Deutsch zu singen ist
ein zweischneidiges Schwert“, erklärt Frontmann Konstantin
Michaely. „Wenn dein Publikum auf Anhieb versteht, wovon
deine Stücke handeln, dann haben die Texte naturgemäß
mehr Gewicht. Dadurch macht man sich verletzlicher, aber

Dazzle rolled deep. Very deep. In the 1980s, it wasn't unusual for the Milwaukee-based group to show up at various Midwest night clubs in a caravan of 30-40 cars and vans. Their live following was hard won over a career that spanned 20+ years, many line up changes, and a handful of project names. Friends, family, and fans made the journey with them weekend after weekend, a testimony to both the musical prowess of the group and the tight-knit community that they emerged from.

Donald Smith, band leader, was there the whole time - joined by many of his siblings and friends - first as founder of the Ghetto Players, a early 70's nine-piece which also included siblings Michael, Ronald, and Charles. They played hard funk in the style of early Kool and the Gang, and although they sadly left no recordings, the strength of their live act managed to catch the eye of local Milwaukee R&B music entrepreneur Cobie Joe Payne. Cobie had made a couple of records locally in the early/mid 70s as a singer, including the impossibly weird and amazing rare afro-blues-funk 45 "Sweet Thing", but had never enjoyed national success. When the Ghetto Players disbanded in the early-mid 70s, Donald soon put together a new group, C on the Funk (the 'C' referring to lead vocalist and sibling Charles), under Payne's tutelage. Sister Lorrie Smith came in as the drummer, the line-up being fleshed out by brothers David and Melvin Johnson, and friend Robert Mitchell. After a few years as a strictly live attraction, they drove to Chicago and produced a single, "In the Disco" / "A Place" for Payne's small record label Sweet Thang Records in 1980. Lacking the financial backing needed to supply the local R&B disk jockey's "promotional fees" , this single sadly languished in obscurity, gathering dust inside the local tavern jukeboxes and manilla promo envelopes that comprised Payne's DIY distribution network.

C on the Funk were traveling the Mid West extensively at this point, and making some important friends on the road. Ike Wiley Jr. of the Dazz Band/Kinsman Dazz took particular interest and the band was re-christened Dazzle, partially as a tie-in with Dazz, partially to embrace the new sounds that would distinguish the 70s disco scene from what record collectors and DJs would now refer to as the "Boogie" era. There no doubt was a stigma attached to the word "Disco" as the eighties began, and as we see in this collection C On the Funk's "In the Disco" is remixed and transformed into the psychedelic synth instrumental of Dazzle's "Disco's Out", a title which embodies both the next-step approach Smith and company were pushing for, and humorously comments on the state of black dance music in the early 1980s. The Dazzle recording, done in Chicago in 1982, updated the sound and featured an expanded line up, most notably a second synth player (Charles Washington), and a percussionist/second lead vocalist (Greg McDonald). The added synth textures and deep percussive grooves give the Dazzle recordings an elegant late night vibe that resonate just as well in a good pair of headphones as they do on the dance floor. The trance inducing cough syrup-warble of "Explain" may best exemplify this here. Sadly, a pressing flaw in the 12" halted production and promotion, and the EP and the songs within were lost to the ages. The group, having done a much better line in the live music business, followed that path instead all the way to the early 90s. --bio provided by andy noble

THE 2016 RELEASE OF SUPREME SICKNESS FROM THE US GORE LEGENDS

Skull Grinder was originally released in 2016, and contained 7 new tracks of gut-wrenching death metal delivered in the unmistakable Autopsy way, from members Chris Reifert, Eric Cutler, Danny Coralles & Joe Trevisano.

Recorded once more at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California, with Adam Munoz, Skull Grinder perfectly captures the rancid essence of Autopsy in all its savage glory, with a suitably dirty and organic sound mixed with brutal riffs, resulting in a slab of perfect and relentless horror.

“Musically, it's just what you'd expect from us; no style changes, wimp outs, sell outs, settling down or caving in. Add to that acknowledgement of the obvious, some of Wes Benscoter's sickest art yet to (dis)grace the cover, and you have a new sledgehammer to the bowels with no apologies offered whatsoever.”

One of the early breed of US death metal acts, Autopsy formed in 1987 in San Francisco, and released 4 albums on Peaceville Records - beginning with the classic debut Severed Survival in 1989 - before disbanding in 1995, with members going on to form Abscess. Autopsy triumphantly and officially returned from the grave after a 15 year hiatus with the 2010 EP, The Tomb Within. This was followed by the release of the band's fifth studio album, Macabre Eternal in 2011, to great acclaim.

Lovingly compiled, this album features only the finest Lovers from Jamaica’s finest label. From Blues parties in London, Birmingham, Bristol etc Lovers Rock quickly became one of the UK’s finest-ever musical movements.

Sweet harmonies, soulful reggae, love songs – the key ingredients of Lovers Rock - were all based on the revival of many of the classic Rocksteady harmony groups of the late 60's and early 70's, such as The Heptones, Carlton and The Shoes, Larry & Alvin, The Paragons, that Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd’s Studio One and rival Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label produced hit after hit with as they fought for dominance in the dancehalls of Kingston.

As well as these classic harmony groups, this album also features fine contributions from many of the reggae greats – Horace Andy, Alton Ellis, Bob Marley and The Wailers, Delroy Wilson – All artists who became stars at the legendary Studio One Records which Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, describes as "The University of Reggae".

Lovely Is Today (Edit) by Eddie Harris b/w September 13 (Edit) by Deodato | Galaxy Sound Co. — GSC4540, test pressing | Hot off the presses via the always-on-point @galaxy_sound_company crew. This will mark number 40 in the GSC45 series. Every release has been stellar, elevating it to the rarified “buy-it-on-site” status. If you love hip-hop, broken beats & top-class edits, anything w/ their stamp on it — you know it’s going to be top notch. They’ve got a bottomless discography full of that good ish, & here comes another addition to the cannon in the form of a pair of glorious jazz-funk nuggets.

Side A is an edit of “Lovely Is Today” by Eddie Harris, which is taken from his brilliant 68 soul-jazz LP “Plug Me In”. Chicagoan Harris pioneered the usage of amplified electric Varitone saxophones. It features a stellar line-up: Ron Carter (bass), Haywood Henry (baritone sax), Jodie Christian (piano), Garnet Brown (trombone), James Bossy (trumpet), Grady Tate & Richard Smith on drums, &, of course, Harris on tenor sax. Here the edit trims off the intro noise & extends the breaks recalling hip-hop songs it sampled: “2 Deep” by Gang Starr, “Intro” by Mobb Deep, “It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Stink Mix)” by Nas, “What’s My Name Yo?” by MC Lyte, among others.

Side B is an edit of “September 13” by Deodato, taken from his self-titled jazz-funk 73 LP. Deodato, aka Eumir Deodato De Almeida, is a Brazilian artist known for his range of production work for Kool & The Gang to Björk, as well as TV & film scores & collabs w/ Milton Nascimento, Ithamara Koorax & Marcos Valle. Heads will know this one as the source for heaters like “In The House” by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, “Park Joint” by Camp Lo, “Epoca” by Gotan Project, “Don’t U Know” by DJ Rels aka Madlib & “Track 13” on Beat CD #2 by J Dilla.

Very limited vinyl pressing, 500 copies, housed in a full colour sleeve & printed inner sleeve & download. CD in a 4 panel digipack with a 4 page lyric booklet. New Heavy Sounds are always on the lookout for new bands that are looking to push the boundaries of what is considered as inhabiting the ‘heavy’ or ‘metal’ spectrum’. Stuff that pricks up the ears, a bold new voice within a maelstrom of genres and sub-genres. We believe we have found such a band. New York-based GUHTS (pronounced ‘guts’) declare themselves to be an ‘avant-garde post-metal project, delivering larger than life sounds through, deeply emotional music’. We are thrilled to be able to deliver that statement in the form of their debut album ‘Regeneration’. By their own admission, GUHTS' musical style is influenced not only by iconic metal bands like Gojira, Cult of Luna, YOB and Deftones, but more unconventional acts like Bjork, Subrosa, Isis, Julie Christmas, and even PJ Harvey. It’s undoubtedly heavy, with a strong feminist streak, it’s cathartic and weighty, a formidable debut for such a new band. Founded in 2020 as a passion project by Scott Prater (Witchkiss), and Amber Burns (Witchkiss) and then Dan Shaneyfelt (Black Mountain Hunger), GUHTS became its members’ main focus following the release of their first EP 'Blood Feather' which itself received rave reviews from the likes of Decibel Magazine, Invisible Oranges, The Obelisk, Cvlt Nation, and more. Brian Clemens Sleaping Dreaming) & Daniel Martinez (Nefariant) joined GUHTS in 2022 and the band swiftly started booking tours and making plans to record 'Regeneration'. Since then GUHTS have been steadily making a name for themselves with their powerful live performances., sharing stages with the likes of Yob, Cave in, Marissa Nadler, plus appearances at the Maryland Doom Fest, Crucial Fest and Ohio Doomed and Stoned Fest. ‘Regeneration’ is set to cement their status as one of the coolest and most interesting bands on the scene. Of the album, vocalist Amber says. "Regeneration" symbolizes the power of self-renewal, often overlooked. Embracing it means shedding old layers and welcoming new beginnings. Without this, life stagnates and is “sustaining”. Through regeneration, change becomes empowering, allowing new facets to emerge. It's a courageous, transformative process, inspiring others to overcome fear and embrace change. The album embodies the human spirit's resilience and capacity for growth. Musically ‘Regeneration’ is a powerful and intense series of songs, topped off by some seriously powerhouse and expressive vocal performances. It’s slow-moving chords, moving like sheets through sludge. High guitar lines above, ranging from piercing and shimmering to nasty. Drums pound but not without groove. There are strings, pianos and synths widening the palette. Atmospheric sludge, Metalgaze, maybe, but there’s also that link to the New York Noise lineage from The Velvets and Sonic Youth, becoming a type of post-hardcore in the process, while gaining a connection to metal partly due to the sheer heaviness. A raft of creative experimentation that pushes beyond the realm of post-metal. And then of course, the very first thing that hits you is Amber Gardner's unbelievable, hypnotising vocals - as scary as a banshee while also intimate and persuasive. Amber means it for sure and almost dominates the proceedings. Her lyrics are eclectic, thoughtful. Immersed in women's narratives frombooks like "Women Who Run With the Wolves" or works like "On Our Best Behavior" by Elise Loehnen. Amber advocates stepping beyond comfort zones, believing it's transformative for individuals and vital for Earth's future. Hokey occult rock it is not. In short ‘Regeneration’ is a bold and startling debut, that will reward and enthral listeners the deeper they delve into its many layers.

Die New Yorker GUHTS (ausgesprochen 'guts') bezeichnen sich selbst als 'Avantgarde-Post-Metal-Projekt, das überlebensgroße Klänge und tief emotionale Musik liefert'. Nach eigener Aussage ist der Musikstil von GUHTS nicht nur von kultigen Metal-Bands wie Gojira, Cult of Luna, YOB und Deftones beeinflusst, sondern auch von unkonventionelleren Acts wie Bjork, Subrosa, Isis, Julie Christmas und sogar PJ Harvey. Es ist zweifelsohne schwer, mit einer starken feministischen Ader, es ist kathartisch und gewichtig, ein formidables Debüt für eine so neue Band. GUHTS wurde 2020 von Scott Prater (Witchkiss), Amber Burns (Witchkiss) und Dan Shaneyfelt (Black Mountain Hunger) als Passionsprojekt gegründet. Nach der Veröffentlichung ihrer ersten EP "Blood Feather", die begeisterte Kritiken vom Decibel Magazine, Invisible Oranges, The Obelisk, Cvlt Nation und anderen erhielt, konzentrierten sich die Mitglieder auf neue Ideen. Brian Clemens (Sleaping Dreaming) & Daniel Martinez (Nefariant) stießen 2022 zu GUHTS und die Band begann schnell, Pläne für die Aufnahme von "Regeneration" zu schmieden. Seitdem haben sich GUHTS mit ihren kraftvollen Live-Auftritten einen Namen gemacht: Sie teilten sich die Bühne mit Bands wie Yob, Cave in und Marissa Nadler und traten auf dem Maryland Doom Fest, Crucial Fest und Ohio Doomed and Stoned Fest auf. Musikalisch ist "Regeneration" eine kraftvolle und intensive Reihe von Songs, die durch einige sehr kraftvolle und ausdrucksstarke Gesangsdarbietungen gekrönt werden. Langsame Akkorde, darüber liegende hohe Gitarrenlinien, die durchdringen und schimmern. Das Schlagzeug hämmert, Streicher, Pianos und Synthies erweitern die Palette. Atmosphärischer Sludge, Metalgaze, mit Verbindungen zur New Yorker Noise-Linie von The Velvets und Sonic Youth. Streng limitierte Vinyl-Pressung in einer farbigen Hülle, bedruckter Innenhülle und Download. CD in einem 4-seitigen Digipack mit 4-seitigem Textheft.

A sonic ode to Italy's 2023 Capital of Culture, Brescia-Bergamo, "Brixia Sonora" by Rebirth celebrates the city's diverse music scene. Breaking free from genre constraints, the project unites fragmented musical paths into a collective identity. Featuring remixes from heavyweights like Fred P, K-Lone, Rahann, Bruise, Map.Ache, and Pedro Ricardo, the original tracks are transformed for the dancefloor. With a limited pressing, swift action is essential.

D Double E is one UK rap's most respected, celebrated and genre defining artists, shelling down radio sets, raves and having countless solo hits. Starting off in Jungle and UK garage, he began life in grime as a member of the N.A.S.T.Y. Crew alongside Ghetts, Kano and Jammer before founding the Newham Generals with Footsie. From solo releases and much loved classics including ‘Street Fighter Riddim’ and ‘Woo Riddim’, in 2018 he released his debut solo album Jackuum to critical acclaim. Subsequent releases included the invigorated and daring D.O.N and most recent Bluku! Bluku! 2 have led the legendary artist to receive consistent praise and support from the likes of The Fader, i-D, Crack, The Guardian, VICE, Complex, Highsnobiety, COLORS, DJ Target and more. Boasting artistic collaborations with everyone from Kenny Allstar, Unknown T, Skepta, Ghetts, Novelist, Shy FX, Backroad Gee and more, D Double E has also made an impact in his career resounding far outside of UK rap with big brands. He wrote the original track for the viral and now iconic IKEA Christmas Advert, put his lyrical magic touch on an advert for Pepsi and more. Most recently he has been interviewed as part of the BBC documentary “8 Bar: The Evolution of Grime” and has been tapped for collaborations with Clarks, Palace Skateboards and others.

Kein anderes Konzert wird auf der ganzen Welt mit so viel Spannung erwartet wie das alljährliche Neujahrskonzert aus Wien. In diesem Jahr wird das Mega-Klassik-Event in über 90 Länder übertragen und von mehreren Millionen Menschen verfolgt.Am Pult des Neujahrskonzerts 2024 steht Christian Thielemann, Chefdirigent der Sächsischen Staatskapelle Dresden und künftiger Nachfolger von Daniel Barenboim an der Berliner Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Thielemann ist den Wiener Philharmonikern seit dem Jahre 2000 musikalisch eng verbunden, und 2019 leitete er erstmals eines ihrer Neujahrskonzerte. Darüber hinaus dirigiert er das Orchester regelmäßig in Abonnementkonzerten im Wiener Musikverein, bei den Salzburger Festspielen sowie auf Tourneen in Japan, China, Europa und den USA. Nach der Referenz-Einspielung eines gemeinsamen Zyklus sämtlicher Beethoven-Symphonien begannen die Wiener Philharmoniker und Christian Thielemann noch während der Pandemie mit der Arbeit an einer Gesamtaufnahme der Symphonien von Anton Bruckner, die im Oktober 2023 bei Sony Classical erschien.Bruckner wird auch im Neujahrskonzert 2024 mit einer dortigen Erstaufführung seiner Quadrille op. 212 geehrt.

Jubiläumsfolge: Limitiert 180g Vinyl schwarz, Clamshellbox - Setinhalt: 5 Vinyle

Schaurige Maispuppen, Schüsse und verurteilte Verbrecher - keine guten Vorzeichen für eine Hochzeit. Die drei ??? geben ihr Bestes, um das Fest zu retten. Deep Spring, ein verschlafener Ort in der Wüste von Arizona: Die drei ??? reisen an, um die Hochzeit eines alten Bekannten zu besuchen. Doch während die Vorbereitungen in vollem Gange sind, pflastern unheimliche Puppen den Weg der Detektive. Als sie schließlich ein Hochzeitspaar aus Mais, aufgehängt im Gebälk, entdecken, bekommt nicht nur die Braut kalte Füße. Können Justus, Peter und Bob die seltsamen Geschehnisse aufklären?Sprecher:innen und MitwirkendeErzähler Axel MilbergJustus Jonas, Erster Detektiv Oliver RohrbeckPeter Shaw, Zweiter Detektiv Jens WawrczeckBob Andrews, Recherchen und Archiv Andreas FröhlichTante Mathilda Karin LienewegOnkel Titus Erik SchäfflerKenneth Till HusterChief Householder Gordon PiedesackTricia Cooper Anna CarlssonMr. Rice Stephan Schad Katee Anne MollSergeant Murray Achim BuchMary Svantje WascherScott John Wesley ZielmannJohnson Wanja Mues Nigel Tim Mälzer Patrick Christian Rudolf Dolly Craig Rosemarie Wohlbauer Mrs. Cooper Angelika BergProduktionshinweiseBuch und Effekte: André MinningerRegie und Produktion: Heikedine KörtingRedaktion: Maike MüllerTitelmusik: Simon Bertling & Christian Hagitte (STIL)Musik: Jan Friedrich Conrad, Peter Morgenstern, Constantin Stahlberg, Betty George, Andris Zeiberts, Detlef OelsCover-Illustration: Silvia ChristophDesign: Atelier SchoedsackBasierend auf dem gleichnamigen Buch von André Marx, erschienen im Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart. Die drei ??? © 2024 Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. KG. Based on characters created by Robert Arthur. Mit freundlicher Genehmigung der Universität Michigan. (P) & © 2024 EUROPA a division of Sony Music Entertainment GmbH

Schaurige Maispuppen, Schüsse und verurteilte Verbrecher - keine guten Vorzeichen für eine Hochzeit. Die drei ??? geben ihr Bestes, um das Fest zu retten. Deep Spring, ein verschlafener Ort in der Wüste von Arizona: Die drei ??? reisen an, um die Hochzeit eines alten Bekannten zu besuchen. Doch während die Vorbereitungen in vollem Gange sind, pflastern unheimliche Puppen den Weg der Detektive. Als sie schließlich ein Hochzeitspaar aus Mais, aufgehängt im Gebälk, entdecken, bekommt nicht nur die Braut kalte Füße. Können Justus, Peter und Bob die seltsamen Geschehnisse aufklären?Sprecher:innen und MitwirkendeErzähler Axel MilbergJustus Jonas, Erster Detektiv Oliver RohrbeckPeter Shaw, Zweiter Detektiv Jens WawrczeckBob Andrews, Recherchen und Archiv Andreas FröhlichTante Mathilda Karin LienewegOnkel Titus Erik SchäfflerKenneth Till HusterChief Householder Gordon PiedesackTricia Cooper Anna CarlssonMr. Rice Stephan Schad Katee Anne MollSergeant Murray Achim BuchMary Svantje WascherScott John Wesley ZielmannJohnson Wanja Mues Nigel Tim Mälzer Patrick Christian Rudolf Dolly Craig Rosemarie Wohlbauer Mrs. Cooper Angelika BergProduktionshinweiseBuch und Effekte: André MinningerRegie und Produktion: Heikedine KörtingRedaktion: Maike MüllerTitelmusik: Simon Bertling & Christian Hagitte (STIL)Musik: Jan Friedrich Conrad, Peter Morgenstern, Constantin Stahlberg, Betty George, Andris Zeiberts, Detlef OelsCover-Illustration: Silvia ChristophDesign: Atelier SchoedsackBasierend auf dem gleichnamigen Buch von André Marx, erschienen im Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart. Die drei ??? © 2024 Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. KG. Based on characters created by Robert Arthur. Mit freundlicher Genehmigung der Universität Michigan. (P) & © 2024 EUROPA a division of Sony Music Entertainment GmbH

LP auf wolkenweißem Vinyl! Original-Soundtrack für den Film "Past Lives" (2023) kommt von Christopher Bear und Daniel Rossen, die gemeinsam die Indie-Rock-Band Grizzly Bear bilden und deren Musik zuvor in zahlreichen Filmen und Fernsehproduktionen verwendet wurde. Der Originalsong "Quiet Eyes" ist von Sharon Van Etten. Das Artwork enthält Originalgemälde der renommierten Künstlerin Na Kim. Der Debütfilm der Regisseurin Celine Song feierte im Januar 2023 beim Sundance Film Festival seine Premiere und erhielt viel Lob seitens der Fachkritik. In Deutschland wurde der Film erstmals im Rahmen der Berlinale im Februar 2023 vorgestellt. Dort konkurrierte Past Lives im Wettbewerb um den Goldenen Bären, den Hauptpreis des Festivals. Der Kinostart in Deutschland fand am 17. August 2023 statt.

tapetopia 004 The Leipzig band Neu Rot represented a singular phenomenon within the alternative music reservoir of the GDR. As with so many bands that cultivated a more sophisticated sound in the late 80s, Neu Rot’s beginnings had been in punk rock. But, with a remarkable rigour against itself, the band steadily worked its way towards post-rock. This thorough process came to fruition in 1988 with the production of the tape “Halt An”. It had been preceded by the band’s struggle for its very own means and their technical feasibility. Neu Rot’s pilgrimage to its own centre was not unimpeded. The band’s name was perceived by the GDR’s cultural watchdogs as an erratic chain of associations between the suspicious word “Neu” and the ideological signal colour red. The band was legal, but its lyrics were deemed illegal. The edition of “Halt An” was somewhere between over fifty and under one hundred copies. Jörg Stein (voc, g, casio sk-1, yamaha ps-2) Karsten Maaß (bg, voc) Anke Mehlhorn (vl, casio sk-1) Henrik Eiler (dr, voc, casio sk-1) Produced by Mike Stolle & Jörg Stein Lyrics by Jörg Stein, except „Sometimes“ and for „Die Schlange“ by Christoph Wielepp Tape artwork by Daniel Schörnig Tape cover photos by Daniel Schörnig Published by Henryk Gericke Liner notes by Henryk Gericke Remastered by Black Flag Mastering/ Friedemann Kootz © Music by Neu Rot except „Sometimes“ (traditional) recorded Oktober 1988, Leipzig Thanks to: Mike Stolle, Adrian Neumann, Nikolaus Michael, Horst Pfaff, Andreas Berger, Christoph Wielepp, Daniel Schörnig and to the unknown roommate Lachmund Christian Andersen, Michael Barthel, Sarah Baumann, Ralph Gabriel, Ronald Galenza, Jakob Geisler, Ulrike Geisler, Gerd Gericke, Elke Grabinski, Gabriele Herzog, Egmont Hesse, Sabine Jansen, Siegfried Männer, Bettina Matten-Gericke, Christian Morin, Frank Siewert, Philipp Strobel, Christoph Tannert, Stefan Widdess, Margarete Wohlan In memory of Michael Pfaff.

The Infernal Sea sind seit 2011 eine Plage auf dieser Erde, komponieren grimmigen und furchteinflößenden Black Metal mit ihrem einzigartigen UK-Imprint und beschwören fesselnde Geschichten aus der englischen und europäischen Geschichte des Mittelalters herauf. The Infernal Sea stammen aus dem Osten Englands, einer Gegend voller Trostlosigkeit und Trostlosigkeit, die in ihrer Musik widerhallt. Viele ihrer Geschichten stammen aus dieser Gegend, insbesondere auf ihrem neuen Album 'Hellfenlic', das sich um die brutale Verfolgung von Männern und Frauen durch den berüchtigten Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, dreht. Es erzählt von seiner Besessenheit, seinem religiösen Eifer, seiner Brutalität und schließlich seinem Untergang.

The Infernal Sea setzen ihre Live-Auftritte mit einer furchterregenden und fesselnden Bühnenshow fort und ziehen das Publikum in ihren Bann, wo auch immer sie sich aufhalten. Dazu gehören Auftritte bei wichtigen britischen Festivals wie dem Bloodstock Festival, Incineration Festival, Damnation Festival, A Night of Salvation, Reaper Fest, Cosmic Void sowie eine ganze Reihe von wichtigen Supportslots für Bands wie Anaal Nathrakh, 1349, Taake, Napalm Death, Akercocke, Nargaroth, Primordial, Hellripper, Tsjuder, Mork, Rotting Christ, Hulder, Strigoi, Abigail Williams, Arch Enemy und viele mehr. The Infernal Sea beeindrucken das Publikum weiterhin mit ihren mitreißenden Headline-Shows, darunter eine Reihe von ausverkauften Auftritten im Jahr 2023.

Today, less than two months following the final tour date of their As Long As You Are tour, Future Islands announce the details of their new album People Who Aren"t There Anymore which will be released January 26, 2024. The seventh album from the band - Samuel T. Herring (vocals, lyrics), William Cashion (bass, guitars), Gerrit Welmers (keyboards, programming), and Michael Lowry (drums) - follows 2020"s As Long As You Are. People Who Aren"t There Anymore heralds a new chapter for Future Islands who, despite having formed nearly two decades ago, continue to challenge themselves and each other. Where they"ve pursued ever-higher energy anthems in the past, they"ve turned inward this time, and unlocked a new level of ferocity, delivering some of their most inspiring and most heartbreaking tracks by doing the opposite: taking their time, making each breath, each syllable, each cymbal crash count. The result is a powerful, defining statement from a group of musicians that have made the best album of their career. People Who Aren"t There Anymore was co-produced by Future Islands and Steve Wright, and mixed by Steve Wright and Chris Coady (who returns to working with the band for the first time since 2014"s Singles).

Today, less than two months following the final tour date of their As Long As You Are tour, Future Islands announce the details of their new album People Who Aren"t There Anymore which will be released January 26, 2024. The seventh album from the band - Samuel T. Herring (vocals, lyrics), William Cashion (bass, guitars), Gerrit Welmers (keyboards, programming), and Michael Lowry (drums) - follows 2020"s As Long As You Are. People Who Aren"t There Anymore heralds a new chapter for Future Islands who, despite having formed nearly two decades ago, continue to challenge themselves and each other. Where they"ve pursued ever-higher energy anthems in the past, they"ve turned inward this time, and unlocked a new level of ferocity, delivering some of their most inspiring and most heartbreaking tracks by doing the opposite: taking their time, making each breath, each syllable, each cymbal crash count. The result is a powerful, defining statement from a group of musicians that have made the best album of their career. People Who Aren"t There Anymore was co-produced by Future Islands and Steve Wright, and mixed by Steve Wright and Chris Coady (who returns to working with the band for the first time since 2014"s Singles).

Hochdynamischer melodischer Metal aus dem Herzen von Raleigh, North Carolina! Auf ihrem vierten Album in voller Länge verbinden Mega Colossus epische Metal-Größe mit den Hooklines und Melodien von Rainbow und Kansas! Aufgenommen mit Al Jacob im Warrior Sound in Chapel Hill fängt 'Showdown' Mega Colossus mit vollem Tempo ein und setzt wieder auf duellierende Twin-Guitar-Harmonien. Buchanans Gesang ist schrill und mühelos und trägt grandiose, kühne Refrains, die sogar gelegentliche Styx-Anspielungen aufweisen. Vor allem aber ist das Album ein der Zusammenschluss von fünf sehr unterschiedlichen Musikern. Kein Wunder also, dass sich Showdown zu einer epischen Darbietung unheimlichen und markanten melodischen Metals entwickelt hat, mit der ganzen Tiefe und dem Charisma einer Band, die jetzt in ihr 20. Jahr geht.

Rock Hard (8,5 Pkt. / Soundcheck # 4 Dynamit!)
MEGA COLOSSUS aus North Carolina haben ihren Stil gefunden. Sie adaptieren die pathetische Melodik von Seventies-Heroen wie Kansas, Styx oder auch Uriah Heep und sind mit ihren drei Stimmen durchaus in der Lage, deren abgefeimten Chorgesang zu reproduzieren. Aber ihre spielerische Provenienz liegt eben nicht im Rock, sondern im agilen, technisch ausgereiften, enorm zeigefreudigen Heavy Metal. Dieser Kontrast zwischen Schmonz und Breitseite ist ziemlich suggestiv. Trotz des hohen Tempos nieten sie sich souverän und tight durch ihre vertrackten Kompositionen, und das Gitarrenduo Bill Fischer/Chris Millard lässt die Finger fliegen, erinnert mit seiner an die Grenzen gehenden Spiellaune an Bands wie Haunt oder Valkyrie. Was ihnen an totaler Eingängigkeit vielleicht noch abgeht, machen sie mit Energie und Frische allemal wett.

Legacy (11 Pkt.)
Bill Fischer und Sean Buchanan stellen einmal mehr unter Beweis, wie geschickt sie Harmonien, Riffs und Hooklines mit prägnantem Gesang zu griffigen Songs zusammenschrauben können. Das inzwischen fünfte Album der Truppe aus North Carolina punktet ab dem Opener 'Fortune And Glory' mit straight gerifftem Siebziger-Jahre-Hard-Rock, der immer wieder Ausflüge in den Bereich des melodischen Metal unternimmt und von Buchanans Organ noch eine epische Note verliehen bekommt - hörbar bei 'Outrun Infinity' oder 'Showdown'. Die Melodielinien in Songs wagen auch immer mal wieder den Flirt mit wirklich poppigen Passagen und Strukturen, ohne dabei in den Kitsch zu schliddern - der kleine Hit 'Wicked Road' ist hier das wohl schillerndste Beispiel. Mit deutlichem Fokus auf Gitarren und Gesang und gesungenen Übergängen zwischen den verschiedenen Momenten erschafft der Fünfer eine Atmosphäre, die klingt, als wären Thin Lizzy auf Europe getroffen und hätten ganz unbefangen ein paar Songs geschrieben. Am Ende spendieren MEGA COLOSSUS dem Hörer mit 'Take To The Skies' noch eine schöne Achtziger-Metal-Nummer. Starkes Teil!

Green Black Splatter Vinyl
The Infernal Sea sind seit 2011 eine Plage auf dieser Erde, komponieren grimmigen und furchteinflößenden Black Metal mit ihrem einzigartigen UK-Imprint und beschwören fesselnde Geschichten aus der englischen und europäischen Geschichte des Mittelalters herauf. The Infernal Sea stammen aus dem Osten Englands, einer Gegend voller Trostlosigkeit und Trostlosigkeit, die in ihrer Musik widerhallt. Viele ihrer Geschichten stammen aus dieser Gegend, insbesondere auf ihrem neuen Album 'Hellfenlic', das sich um die brutale Verfolgung von Männern und Frauen durch den berüchtigten Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, dreht. Es erzählt von seiner Besessenheit, seinem religiösen Eifer, seiner Brutalität und schließlich seinem Untergang.

The Infernal Sea setzen ihre Live-Auftritte mit einer furchterregenden und fesselnden Bühnenshow fort und ziehen das Publikum in ihren Bann, wo auch immer sie sich aufhalten. Dazu gehören Auftritte bei wichtigen britischen Festivals wie dem Bloodstock Festival, Incineration Festival, Damnation Festival, A Night of Salvation, Reaper Fest, Cosmic Void sowie eine ganze Reihe von wichtigen Supportslots für Bands wie Anaal Nathrakh, 1349, Taake, Napalm Death, Akercocke, Nargaroth, Primordial, Hellripper, Tsjuder, Mork, Rotting Christ, Hulder, Strigoi, Abigail Williams, Arch Enemy und viele mehr. The Infernal Sea beeindrucken das Publikum weiterhin mit ihren mitreißenden Headline-Shows, darunter eine Reihe von ausverkauften Auftritten im Jahr 2023.

EVOLV is a visionary window into the mind of Dubfire, the journey of the ‘hybrid’ being and its evolution. Last year in October, an 11-track debut album was released on his long-standing SCI+TEC imprint. And now, just over a year later, Grammy award winning producer Dubfire returns to that sonic discourse, drafting in an impressive array of names to re-interpret the material, and accompanied by Dubfire's new audio-visual EVOLV show which picked up where the critically acclaimed electronic performance experience HYBRID had left off.

The eclectic package will include such notables as Glaskin, Arjun Vagale, Nadia Struiwigh, Mathimidori (dub alias of Mathias Kaden), Maral, Decka, Carl Craig, Truncate, Drumcell, Chris Liebing, Radio Slave and Luke Slater who have all given the original music in their own unique style.

With a career spanning over 3 decades, Dubfire has achieved global success as an artist with relentless drive, talent, and intuition. Pioneering commercial notoriety came initially as one half of the Grammy Award-winning (2001) duo Deep Dish, before embarking on a truly groundbreaking solo career in 2007. A career filled with timeless tracks include his early works, ‘RibCage’ (2007), ‘Emissions' (2007), ‘Roadkill’ (2007) and the highly acclaimed ‘Grindhouse’ (2009) remix from Radio Slave which led to a host of other notable projects over the years.
Collaborative work highlights include projects with Miss Kitten, Luke Slater, Flug, and Oliver Huntemann, as well as co-producing two songs on Underworld’s Barking album. A true artist, he has always been heavily invested in exploring performance technology, unveiled to wide praise with his HYBRID live show. A two-year world tour commenced in 2015 and was followed by his retrospective album, A Decade Of Dubfire (2017), a celebration of his immense output during the first 10 years of solo artist stardom. EVOLV is Dubfire’s debut solo artist album.

In der zweiten Hälfte des Jahres 2022 widmete Neal Morse seine kreativen Bemühungen der Erarbeitung einer neuen Rock Oper, nach der
erfolgreichen Veröffentlichung von "Jesus Christ the Exorcist". Die Inspiration floss und das Ergebnis ist eine fast zweistündige Musik, die die
Geschichte von Joseph, der für seinen bunten Mantel bekannt ist, durch die Brille des progressiven Rock in einem ganz eigenen Stil erzählt.
Anstatt beide Teile gleichzeitig als Doppelalbum zu präsentieren, entschied sich Neal dafür, die neue Oper in zwei separaten Bänden zu
veröffentlichen. Er war der Meinung, dass die Stärke sowohl der Musik als auch der Geschichte diesen Ansatz rechtfertigten, da jedes Album für sich
als Zeugnis seines inneren Wertes steht. "Der Träumer - Joseph: Part One" endet mit Joseph, der zu Unrecht eingekerkert wird. In "Die
Wiederherstellung - Joseph: Part Two" wird die biblische Erzählung fortgesetzt, in der beschrieben wird, wie Josephs Weisheit und Intelligenz ihn zum
Vizekönig von Ägypten und schließlich zur Wiedervereinigung seiner Familie führt. Erneut übernimmt Neal Morse die Rolle des Leadsängers, während
eine beeindruckende Reihe von Gastmusikern, darunter Ted Leonard (Spock's Beard, Pattern Seeking Animals), Matt Smith (Theocracy), Ross Jennings
(Haken) und Jake Livgren (Proto-Kaw, Kansas), sich ihm in diesem zweiten Kapitel anschliessen. Sie arbeiten mit Mitgliedern der Neal Morse Band
zusammen, wie Bill Hubauer und Eric Gillette, um nur einige zu nennen. Gemeinsam hauchen sie dieser bekannten Geschichte neues Leben und
Musik Leben ein, die verspricht, Progressive-Rock-Fans erneut zu begeistern.

Aus der Asche von DAWN OF DISEASE ist eine Melodic Death Metal Band entstiegen, die bereit ist, alles unter Feuer zu setzen: HIRAES. Alle vier
Instrumentalisten von DOD (Lukas Kerk, Oliver Kirchner, Christian Wösten und Mathias Blässe) haben ihre Kräfte gemeinsam mit Sängerin Britta Görtz
(CRITICAL MESS, ex-CRIPPER) gebündelt, um Musik zu erschaffen, die zwischen hymnenhaften Melodien und packenden Gitarrenriffs pendelt:
atemberaubende Hooklines kombiniert mit gnadenlosem Drumming sowie einem allgegenwärtigen melancholischen Spirit und variantenreichen und
eingängigen Growls

'Why Black Man Dey Suffer', aufgenommen 1971, wurde von Fela Kuti's damaligen Label EMI ursprünglich als zu kontrovers für eine Veröffentlichung angesehen. Geprägt von der amerikanischen Black-Power-Bewegung und einer neuen panafrikanischen Weltsicht, diente dieses Album Fela als musikalisches Vehikel, um die kolonialen Ungerechtigkeiten und die Korruption der herrschenden Eliten seiner Zeit aufzudecken und herauszufordern.

Der Titelsong "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" ist eine Geschichtsstunde über die Unterdrückung des afrikanischen Menschen. Er beschreibt die Litanei des Missbrauchs, den Schwarze erlitten haben - von der Versklavung bis hin zur Auferlegung einer neuen Kultur durch ein fremdes Volk, das ihnen ihr Land wegnahm, sie bekämpfte und sie gegeneinander aufbrachte.

Der folgende Track, 'Ikoyi Mentality', bringt Felas Identifikation mit den unterdrückten Massen und seine Ablehnung der Lebensweise der herrschenden Klasse im Stadtteil Ikoyi in Lagos deutlich zum Ausdruck.

'Why Black Man Dey Suffer' ist Teil des von Chris Martin und Femi Kuti zusammengestellten Box Sets #5 und ist jetzt endlich auch einzeln erhältlich auf transparent gelbem Vinyl. Inkl. einer bedruckten Innenhülle.

Das nigerianische Establishment bezeichnete die Einwohner der Republik Kalakuta als "Hooligans", "Hanfraucher" usw. Noise For Vendor Mouth demonstriert Felas Gleichgültigkeit gegenüber diesen Beschimpfungen, denn für ihn sind die Menschen in Kalakuta in Wirklichkeit ein Haufen hart arbeitender Bürger, die versuchen, in einer von Korruption und Misswirtschaft geprägten Gesellschaft zu überleben. Er fügt hinzu, dass die wahren Hooligans die Machthaber sind, die auf politisches Gangstertum und manchmal auf Militärputsche zurückgreifen, um verfassungsrechtliche Probleme zu lösen. Er hält ihre Kritik für nichts anderes als den Lärm, den Straßenverkäufer machen, um ihre Waren zu verkaufen.

Mattress: Fela wurde von Kritikern vorgeworfen, dass er sich nicht um die Frage des Feminismus und der Ungleichheit der Geschlechter kümmere und sich damit im Einklang mit verschiedenen Traditionen befinde, die er aus ihrer Sicht willkürlich aufrechterhalte. Mehrere Themen stehen aus afrikanischer Sicht im Gegensatz zum modernen westlichen Blick. Nehmen wir die Polygamie: Fela wurde kritisiert, weil er die Polygamie offen befürwortet. Wie kann ein Mann, der sich gegen die ungleiche Stellung der Geschlechter und gegen Rassismus einsetzt, eine männliche Vorherrschaft gutheißen? Fela rechtfertigt die Polygamie, abgesehen von der traditionellen Wiederbevölkerung der afrikanischen Gesellschaft nach der Sklaverei, mit der polygamen Natur des Menschen. Der Mensch sei - so seine Überzeugung - von Natur aus polygam. In christlichen Gesellschaften, in denen Polygamie nicht geduldet wird, heirateten Männer offiziell eine Frau, hatten aber Mätressen. Afrikanische Männer sind seiner Meinung nach da ehrlicher - sie gehen damit offen um leben mit ihren Frauen unter einem Dach. Lieder wie Mattress tragen vielleicht nicht dazu bei, das Macho-Image von Fela zu ändern, doch zieht er ja lediglich Vergleiche.