Proudly presenting Maravilhosamente Bem the powerful, female-centred third album by Brazilian singer, songwriter, actress, and creative director, Julia Mestre.
Alongside being a member of the Latin Grammy-winning Brazilian supergroup, Bala Desejo, Julia has been steadily building a solo career where her unique vision and alluring soft, sultry voice take centre stage. Drawing inspiration from ‘80s ballads, MPB, pop and disco productions, each song on this third album finds Julia creatively exploring different characters and tones.
A love-song-driven LP at its core, Maravilhosamente Bem holds a playful mirror up to blissful days gone by, artfully reimagined with Julia’s own modern twist. An album filled with love and nostalgia, it pays homage to her love of classic female disco divas such as Donna Summer, Sade, Alcione, Lady Zu, and the Brazilian rock queens Rita Lee and Marina Lima. Of that latter pairing, the late iconic Brazilian vocalist and musician Rita Lee (Os Mutantes) is referenced in the music video for the first single, ‘Sou Fera’, blessing Julia with a magical guitar. Marina Lima then provides guest vocals on the album’s closing track, ‘Marinou, Limou’, with her name transformed into a mantra by Julia.
Channelling a lo-fi ‘80s ballad aesthetic, Julia navigates a multitude of themes across the nine sublime tracks. From the sexy, whispered performances on vintage horror movie-inspired tunes ‘Vampira’ and ‘Pra Lua’ to the delicate, fragile love lullabies of ‘Sentimento Blues’ and ‘Cariñito’, and the seductive disco diva embodiment on dance tracks ‘Veneno de Serente’ and title track ‘Maravilhosamente Bem’. Another hidden highlight is the palette-cleansing mini-suite, ‘Interlúdio dos Amantes’. A luscious strings instrumental piece that lends to the beautiful Sade-esque ‘Seu Romance’.
Produced by Julia and longtime collaborators Gabriel Quirino, Gabriel Quinto, and João Moreira, Maravilhosamente Bem sees Julia embarking on a new era of her musical career. This sensational third album is a captivating showcase of the creative vision and versatility of one of Brazil’s finest stars.
Released on Mr. Bongo (ROW) and Altafonte (Brazil).
This is the fourth release in the critically acclaimed Environments series and continues where the third left off. It is a fourteen track journey from the river's delta to no-man's land where murmurations lead across supercontinents and back to the clear light of reality. Strings meet choirs - cascading down to the glass valleys of synthesised biophany.
'Murmurations' was the track featured on an exclusive vinyl 10' release for Record Store Day in 2012, it coincided with the CD version of this album's release that year. The album also has collaborations with Riz Maslen (Neotropic) and Ivor Novello award winning composer Daniel Pemberton.
"1980 was a huge year in pop music with every genre competing for hits. We have already included many tracks on the records of the 1980 Yearbook, the 80-84 Final Chapter, and their extras so far in our appreciation of the year…
Those tracks were generally the bigger hits of the year, with their chart achievement a factor in their inclusion – however – that’s not the whole singles story of the year, and our celebration of 1980 wouldn’t be complete without shining a light on some of the years’ singles that have been compiled much less frequently over the years.
Welcome to THE VAULT for 1980… Some of the tracks included were Top 40 hits, some missed the chart completely. Some were representative of massive selling albums, and some were big hits in the U.S. and not in the U.K… but all are part of the wonderful pop story of 1980. "
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Over and through the hot cement of North East L.A., an almost-dry riverbed winds like a snake through the city. Coyotes lap at its trickling stream by moonlight, as pedestrians rush past it by day without a second glance, their thoughts tangled up in the distractions of life in a sprawling metropolis. Here, amongst the many avenues and gentle hills, we find Coffin Prick (alias: Ryan Weinstein).
Loose Enchantment, this latest Coffin Prick record, is music conceived of in a different frame of mind for humans living in a world nearly-disenchanted with itself. The album consists of eleven new pieces of music recorded by Coffin Prick himself at his home in Los Angeles, a great city of quicksand-like commitments and those who love them enough to uphold the ends of their collective bargains. A record as much about the confusion of modern life as it is endeavored to expose the lusts in the very loins of creation. Sounds enchanting enough for you? Let’s look a little more closely…
On the heels of 2023’s Laughing (Sophomore Lounge), Coffin Prick got busy. And fast. Playing shows into the year with a newly minted live band, while simultaneously working day and night in his home studio laying the ground for what would become Loose Enchantment. Whereas he was essentially a recording know-nothing at the inception of his last LP, he’d learned a thing or two about better capturing his ideas by this point, taking the sidesteps and victories born of the experience Laughing provided and turning the bright lights on them. As many of Los Angeles’s drivers choose to do, it was time to take some surface roads. Odes to self-delusion, the mysteries of creation, cleanliness, and the secrets in other people’s lives.
A little Loose Enchantment for everyone, basically.
CINDY HORSTMAN & FRIENDS feat. JAMES KINGS - SOMETHING NEW
300 COPIES / CLEAR VINYL.
Cindy Horstman, a Texas jazz harpist released an album in 1995 entitled ‘Fretless’. Lurking within the track listings is the smooth soul jazz masterpiece SOMETHING NEW - a sublime production on this mid tempo opus, crowned by the soulful vocals of James Kings.
On the flip is an extended smooth version, crafted by our own Philip Ward - elongating the song with effortless ease.
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Mr. Computer sees two figureheads of Dutch electronics pay homage to the voice of electro disco, the vocoder. Figi and Luca dell’Orso team up to sing praise of a tool that has crossed genres and styles and give the little metal larynx deserved limelight on their own three track theatre. Rumbling bass is shot through with crisp snaps in the title piece, warbling vocals rising as keys dance in this wonderful collaboration.
Production across the 12” is beautifully clean and sharp, allowing the rich analogue sound and robotic lyrics to be fully appreciated. Of course, as happens with the vocoder, those lyrics are just that shade of bittersweet. That brooding quality is used to full effect by Luca dell’Orso in “Fire with Fire”. A bold and daring melody is countered by a tale flecked with sorrow, the brightness and immersion of synths contrasted by the filtered and fractured human voice. Figi flies solo for the finale. “Moonlight (Vocoder Version)” dips words in a thick mechanical syrup, a story of burning love recanted to moonbeam rinses and bending disco bars.
A true celebration of man and machine.
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Lynn White hails from Mobile, AL and started singing at the age of six in her local church. She worked in Ike Darby’s record store where she would sing along to the sounds that were playing, and it wasn’t long before the owner decided to record her on his local label Darby Records in 1978 at the age of 25. Three singles and the highly collectable album “Am I Too Much Woman For You” ensued, but they didn’t bring much success to the label, which folded shortly afterwards. They did get married though.
Her sultry bluesy Darby-penned/produced “I Don't Ever Wanna See Your Face Again” was released in 1982 on another local label, Sho-Me Records, and it quickly came to the attention of Willie Mitchell, who signed her immediately to his Waylo imprint. A fruitful period followed with 7 albums and 12 singles released for the Memphis-based label during the rest of that decade. Her mid-paced “See You Later Bye” was a huge favourite with the modern soul scenes in Europe, and it was a pleasure to see White as part of Waylo’s A Memphis Soul Night - Live In Europe in 1990 when she appeared with Otis Clay, Ann Peebles and David Hudson, performing in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Berlin and London; each artist doing a solo spot then all four joining together for some rousing soul medleys.
By now a Memphis resident, she switched to S.O.H. Distributions in 1990, which gave her more control of her output, and these two sides are from that period; “I Don’t Know Why” (1993), clearly her most popular track was only available as a 12” single, and featured the amazing but uncredited vocals of Farris Lanier Jr., who was lead singer of another Waylo act, Lanier & Co. Now very hard to find, this will be an eagerly awaited release as a 7” single. The flip is a gorgeous stepper written by George Jackson (previously recorded by Otis Clay) and from her CD only album The New Me (1990). White’s version just oozes with soul and makes for an essential double-sider.
Reissue of both EPs on one single vinyl: "Ruiner." on side A, "Clean." on side B. * Gatefold: cover of "Ruiner" is on the front, cover of "Clean" is on the back. Since their inception in 2010, Whores. has laid waste to both presumption and audial functioning. Beginning with 2011's Ruiner EP, Whores.brought a welcomed new vision to the often-tired "extreme music" scene. Two years later saw the release of the Clean. EP, a six-track musical display of visceral rancor and songwriting brilliance. Highly anticipated by critics and fans alike. For Whores.,the cavalcade of anticipation provides no pressure or expectation as Lembach states: "We don't just want to fill in the blanks." The only pressure here is to maintain authenticity, and to that end, Whores. are the quintessential example of genuine malice. "You have to bring a sense of realness to the music, otherwise it's fake, and it sounds fake. You have to be honest about it, and it's about getting to the really ugly stuff inside of you, and that's what we do." Classic black vinyl, pn: split cover that is the main product image here is just a mockup (original front showing the Ruiner.cover art)
Two Times Juno awards listed and 2 times Polaris price listed, Canadian Soul Star Tanika Charles unleash the new album "Reason To Stay that drops on May 16 via independent soul label Record Kicks. Reasons To Stay is Tanika Charles' fourth full-length album, and her most introspective to date. Where her songs have typically touched on romantic love and heartache, the core love and loss of this record is family focused. It has taken years for Tanika to be able to publicly reflect on the childhood trauma and family breakup that occurred during her teens. The majority of the album was composed by Tanika with the tight knit team of Scott McCannell (Lydia Persaud, Henry Nozuka), Kyla Charter (Aysanabee) and Chino de Villa (Jessie Reyez). Kelly Finnigan of the Monophonics joined in to mix the bulk of the project and apply some trademark analogue grit to Tanika's sheen. Guests include Quebec-based Soulful singer/songwriter Clerel on the last track "Win", as well as Toronto soul artists Aphrose and Claire Davis providing additional vocals. "I love this album. I love singing these songs. I love that it's made me step outside of my comfort zone. It's forced me to face the root causes of my own insecurities that I carry to this day. Why am I striving so hard to seek validation, and why take it so personally when it doesn't come? That distortion has prevented me from celebrating my own successes at times. This album is me trying to change that." "I love the conversations that have begun with these songs. It's about childhood trauma, but it's not a victim story. I'm doing well, despite the baggage I carry. I want others to be able to carry theirs too." In the last few years, Canadian Soul/R&B powerhouse Tanika Charles has transformed from an emerging solo artist to a commanding performer and bandleader, cementing her status as a staple in the Canadian soul scene. Her previous studio albums - "Soul Run" (2017), "The Gumption" (2019), and "Papillon De Nuit" (2022) - have propelled her to international acclaim, earning her two JUNO nominations, two Polaris Prize listings, and a growing global fanbase. Extensive touring across North America and Europe has further solidified her reputation, with standout performances at festivals such as Trans Musicales in France, Fusion Festival in Germany, Mostly Funk & Soul Festival and Jazz Festival in the UK, Holy Groove Festival in Switzerland, and Canarias Jazz Festival in Spain. She has also shared the stage Estelle, Mayer Hawthorne, Haitus Kayote, Lauryn Hill, Bedouin Soundclash and Macy Gray. Tanika's meteoric rise and undeniable artistry have been widely championed by outlets such as KCRW, KEXP, BBC6 Music, Exclaim!, CBC Music, Uncut Mag, PopMatters, Albumism .. further solidifying her position as a global soul sensation.
Babe Rainbow's 'Slipper Imp and Shakaerator' ist ein sonnendurchflutetes Fest des psychedelischen Acid-Pop, durchdrungen von der entspannten Magie der australischen Goldküste. Das Album ist eine Rückkehr zu den Wurzeln der Band und verbindet nostalgische Riffs, schimmernden 80er-Jahre-Funk, fließende Rhythmen und psychedelische Jams zu einem mühelos fröhlichen Album, das wild und strahlend ist und geteilt werden will.
"Something Soft", das zweite Album der irischen Post-Punk-Brandstifter M(h)aol, ist alles andere als soft. Von der ersten Note des Eröffnungsstücks von "Something Soft" bis zu den verzerrten Schreien des letzten Stücks fühlt sich die Platte antagonistisch gegenüber dem Konzept der Sanftheit an, klanglich und thematisch. Es ist eine unapologetische Annäherung an intersektionellen Feminismus, Tierschutz, Konsum und den Kampf um einen Platz in einer Welt, der es an Empathie mangelt. Was M(h)aol bietet, ist Katharsis in zwei Formen: die Art, die man bekommt, wenn man anderen gegenüber offen ist, und die Art, die man bekommt, wenn man mit Recht etwas kaputt macht. Wut und Empathie effektiv zu kanalisieren ist ein Akt der Widerstandsfähigkeit, und um "Something Soft" zu machen, mussten M(h)aol besonders widerstandsfähig werden. Nach ihrem gefeierten Debüt "Attachment Styles" änderte sich das Line-up von M(h)aol und bestand nun aus dem Kerntrio Constance Keane (Schlagzeug/Gesang, sie/ihr), Jamie Hyland (Bass/Gesang, sie/ihr) und Sean Nolan (Gitarre, er/ihm). Dieser Prozess veränderte die Herangehensweise der Band an das Songwriting und die Auftritte und führte zu einem unerwarteten Durchbruch. "Something Soft" zeichnet sich durch einen dringlicheren Sound aus, der sich eng um den Rhythmus von Hyland und Keane legt. In Songs wie "Pursuit" und "Snare" verbindet sich Keanes Gesang mit dem Schlagzeug, als würden ihre Worte durch ihr Spiel zum Leben erweckt und direkt aus ihrem Körper kommen. Vor dem Hintergrund dieser ängstlichen und schwadronierenden Tracks nimmt ihre Stimme den Raum eines inneren Monologs ein, in dem sie von einem angespannten Heimweg und von der Misogynie im Green Room aus einer Position der drolligen Beobachtung heraus erzählt - eine universelle Erfahrung, die in spezifischen Details wiedergegeben wird. Wie seine Vorgänger "Attachment Styles" und die "Gender Studies" EP wurde auch "Something Soft" von Jamie Hyland aufgenommen. Es ist die technisch ausgefeilteste der bisherigen M(h)aol-Aufnahmen, denn die Band, zu der auch Sarah Deegan vom Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra am Bass gehört, zog in das Dubliner Ailfionn Studio, wo sie die räumlichen Gegebenheiten und das Studio-Equipment nutzten, um ihrem Sound mehr Nuancen zu verleihen. Die zusätzlichen Sessions und das Können hinter den Reglern waren ein Segen, aber für eine Band, die es gewohnt ist, unter extremem Zeitdruck zu arbeiten, war dies eine unerwartete Herausforderung: Konnten M(h)aol das Gefühl der Unmittelbarkeit beibehalten, das ihre Musik bis zu diesem Zeitpunkt geprägt hatte? Songs wie "DM:AM" zerstreuten diese Sorge schnell, indem sie innerhalb von 20 Minuten aus einem Drone entstanden, den Nolan spielte, während Hyland ihr Aufnahme-Equipment aufbaute und sich beeilte, den Song einzufangen, sobald Keane und Deegan dazukamen. Eine der geisterhaften Hymnen von "Something Soft", "1800-Call-Me-Back", begann als Scherz, dass die Band einen Fußballgesang schreiben sollte, wurde aber weitaus komplexer - die köstliche Balance aus Chaos und Klarheit, die sie gefunden haben, wäre ohne Zeit unmöglich gewesen. "I Miss My Dog" ist weniger spontan, aber seine Meditation über Trauer baut sich in einem halsbrecherischen Tempo auf, von Rückkopplungen über Keanes Schlagzeugspiel und Gesang bis hin zu einem spektakulären Schluss, der die Trauer in Bass und Gitarre erstickt, eine der größten technischen Leistungen von M(h)aol bis heute. Der Feinschliff unterstreicht den schelmischen Charme von M(h)aol und lässt das Intime hymnisch wirken, indem persönliche Erfahrungen genutzt werden, um die allgemeinen Systeme, unter denen wir leben, zu beschreiben. Für diejenigen, die sich in den Songs von M(h)aol wiedererkennen, ist das Hören von "Something Soft" wie ein Sprung in einen lang laufenden Chat-Thread, voller Wut und Humor.
To celebrate Molly Nilsson’s most enduring fan-favourite album to date, Night School and Dark Skies
Association are releasing a limited 10th anniversary pressing on Red-Gold vinyl, limited to 500 copies.
Since its release in late summer of 2015, Zenith has come to be considered Nilsson’s greatest album to date. Now
on its 6th pressing, in 2025 Zenith represents the mid-point in the songwriter’s career to date and contains firm fan
favourites in Mountain Time, Happyness and her most popular song, 1995. Zenith sits square between Nilsson’s
original flurry of DIY creativity and her later, outward-looking political material.
A sweeping, cinematic, emotional change is in the air. Molly Nilsson's sixth studio album Zenith begins with clear, wide eyes open to Earth as we would love it to be but seldom is. Recorded in her home of Berlin and whilst touring and, as ever, conceived, produced, written and recorded in solitude, Zenith is Nilsson's big statement and consequently her most affecting work to date. It sees her reveling in big arrangements, sweeping synth strings, bigger choruses and emotions. Like the rest of us she looks within and to endless sunsets in wonder and puzzlement
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Clear Vinyl. Holt Eure Spandex raus, der Glam kommt JETZT in Euer Leben. Eine super warme Dusche aus Australien, mit Leuten von CLOWNS und CABLE TIES. Es gibt 11 zuckersüsse PopPunk Perlen, die mit Twin Leads auch den Hardrockfan an den richtigen Stellen abholt. Stellt Euch eine Melange aus The Exploding Hearts, The Shivvers, Thin Lizzy und Judas Priest vor... Und bums: da stehen Leatherman vor Euch. Qualitativ hochwertig hauen die 5 fünf Australier Hit nach Hit raus, der Gesang von Annabel Brown trifft genau den richtigen Ton zwischen rotzig, unschuldig und aggressiv...
In 2012 Gruff Rhys embarked on a solo 'investigative concert tour' through the heart of America following the route taken by his distant relative John Evans. Every night he presented songs augmented by a power point presentation that detailed his relative's unbelievable history, along with any new piece of information that had come his way during the day. He was ultimately looking for Evans's lost unmarked grave. Along with many major cities, the tour took him to play shows at the Mandan and Omaha tribe reservations, a Missouri vineyard, villages that no longer exist and lay at the bottom the Mississippi river and a New Orleans bordello. What transpired from that ‘investigative concert tour’ was a 2014 album, American Interior, plus a book, film and exhaustive tour of the same name. With the aid of the dusted-off power point presentation, Gruff Rhys and a full band revisits the project in 2025 to perform the songs that formed both the album, and the soundtrack to the film.
Gruff says of the reissue -
“Revisiting American Interior 11 years later, feels very prescient. In following the unusual story of explorer John Evans (1770-1799) it becomes clear that faked narratives can have profound and unpredictable consequences in real life. His barely believable journey of verification in searching through continental scale wilderness for a fictitious Welsh speaking tribe believed to be living on the Great Plains of North America (an ancient folk tale perpetuated by the Elizabethan court following the subjugation of Wales, to make colonial claims on behalf of the British on the Americas) had a dramatic political effect on the fledgling USA and a devastating impact on himself and some of those who helped him on his way. I wrote an album of songs inspired by his life; American Interior, which also served as a soundtrack to a documentary film based on a book that detailed his journey, intertwined with my own investigative concert tour, all three of which I worked on simultaneously during a 2-year fever 2012-14. By far the most ambitious undertaking I’ve ever attempted. Living with one foot in the 18th century, wearing the same clothes (for cinematic continuity) for that entire period, left me pretty exhausted. (Imagine a cold extra from The Revenant movie). It took me a while to process the whole experience and its lessons and feel I owe it to my former self to take these songs back on the road for a couple of months and re-tell the story for a new decade. To celebrate it further Rough Trade will reissue a remastered version of the album with previously unreleased tracks.”
The anniversary edition comes in a gatefold-sleeve on clear / golden marbled vinyl with an exclusive poster. It all started in Gothenburg, Sweden back in 2003. After various incarnations the band we've now come to know as EF hit their stride by opening up their heavy distorted guitar palet to a much richer, textural approach with haunting melodies and harmonies. The band started touring and built up a dedicated fanbase throughout the years. The experience and confidence gained from these 22 odd tours have taken them all over Europe and Asia. It has shaped them to become the explosive, energetic and cathartic live band they are now today. As it goes with age and experience also comes growth. Although the sound of the band has evolved away from the hardcore infused post-rock of their early days, EF have always kept their hardcore d.i.y. ethics alive. By running their own record label, And the Sound Records, and setting up their own worldwide distribution they sold thousands of records along the way. In 2010 EF started to collaborate with German label Kapitän Platte by releasing the third album "Mourning golden morning" on vinyl. Now 15 years later, especially as the record is long time out of print, it's time to celebrate this anniversary with a new edition of this album that reached in the meantime the status of a post-rock masterpiece, to name in a row with bands like Caspian, Mogwai or Explosions in the sky.
TÖRZS, Hungary's premier instrumental post-rock band, return with the understated sonic beauty of `Menedèk', their first new music in six years. Loosely translating as `Refuge', `Menedèk' sees the freshly bolstered trio in their element; finding shelter, comfort and joy in the act of creative collaboration whilst the storm of day to day life weathers ever on. A steadfast and admirable mission statement centred on staying true to themselves in the moment, being open to growth and documenting this process as honestly as possible has led to TÖRZS building a reputation as one of Hungary's most exciting musical collectives. Three stunning albums of organic and perfectly composed contemplation, as well as the band's transcendental live shows alongside acts including contemporaries We Lost The Sea, Oh Hiroshima, Föllakzoid and more have placed TÖRZS at the forefront of a post-rock movement that prizes the shared experience of band and listener above all else. The band's previous full-length release, 2019's `Tükor', was recorded live at Aggteleki Cseppkobarlang, a UNESCO World Heritage protected cave system, 500 metres below the Aggteleki National Park. Embracing the cave's utterly unique natural reverb almost as a fourth member led to `Tükor' receiving critical acclaim, with TÖRZS were subsequently nominated for the HEMI Music Awards 2022 and invited to perform at the likes of Moscow Music Week (2020), The Budapest Showcase Hub (2021) and 2024's Changeover Festival in Belgrade, Serbia. Whilst the intervening years have seen unprecedented change on a global scale, TÖRZS too found themselves in a state of flux. The band returned to the more traditional studio setting in 2023, working alongside long-time producer György Ligeti, in order to faithfully capture the intimate energy of songs meticulously crafted together in their small rehearsal space, a far cry from 2019's subterranean setting. However, having spent countless hours writing, orchestrating and recording the pieces that have become `Menedèk', the band's founding drummer Zsombor Lehoczky stepped away from the band and music as a whole. Where this might have been catastrophic for any other band, remaining members Soma Balázs and Dániel Nyitray soon found a connection with Tamás Szijártó, who approached TÖRZS' music with the same openness to creativity in the moment; not `performing' as such, but simply working together to produce breathtaking, musical escapism away from the daily humdrum. The album's themes of shelter, refuge and support resound clearly on lead single `Otthon'. Meaning `At Home' in Hungarian, `Otthon' serves as a de facto introduction to the record. The song's lilting groove, soaring yet soft guitar palette and the band's signature delicate dynamism all combine to invite the listener to reflect; not steering one way or another yet inviting us to close our eyes and join the flow. Elsewhere, the pounding, chiming `Levegovétel' proves TÖRZS are still staying true to their mission statement of documenting the inevitable process of change. Here the band embrace elements of post-rock's harsher, heavier side with a cacophony of driving half-time drums and distorted, open-chord guitars yet still provide brief havens of space for themselves, the song and the listener alike to breathe before the euphoric swell rises anew. Whilst TÖRZS' previous full-length effort was a spectacular collision of the band's tight-knit existence and the (literal) echo chamber of the world outside, `Menedèk' is introspective, understated and refreshingly brave in its honesty. TÖRZS have opened the doors to their inner sanctum, their rehearsal space, their songwriting process, their friendship; inviting us to live in it with them, to revel in the moment together. FOR FANS OF Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Explosions In The Sky, This Will Destroy You, Caspian, MONO, Sigur Rós
TÖRZS, Hungary's premier instrumental post-rock band, return with the understated sonic beauty of `Menedèk', their first new music in six years. Loosely translating as `Refuge', `Menedèk' sees the freshly bolstered trio in their element; finding shelter, comfort and joy in the act of creative collaboration whilst the storm of day to day life weathers ever on. A steadfast and admirable mission statement centred on staying true to themselves in the moment, being open to growth and documenting this process as honestly as possible has led to TÖRZS building a reputation as one of Hungary's most exciting musical collectives. Three stunning albums of organic and perfectly composed contemplation, as well as the band's transcendental live shows alongside acts including contemporaries We Lost The Sea, Oh Hiroshima, Föllakzoid and more have placed TÖRZS at the forefront of a post-rock movement that prizes the shared experience of band and listener above all else. The band's previous full-length release, 2019's `Tükor', was recorded live at Aggteleki Cseppkobarlang, a UNESCO World Heritage protected cave system, 500 metres below the Aggteleki National Park. Embracing the cave's utterly unique natural reverb almost as a fourth member led to `Tükor' receiving critical acclaim, with TÖRZS were subsequently nominated for the HEMI Music Awards 2022 and invited to perform at the likes of Moscow Music Week (2020), The Budapest Showcase Hub (2021) and 2024's Changeover Festival in Belgrade, Serbia. Whilst the intervening years have seen unprecedented change on a global scale, TÖRZS too found themselves in a state of flux. The band returned to the more traditional studio setting in 2023, working alongside long-time producer György Ligeti, in order to faithfully capture the intimate energy of songs meticulously crafted together in their small rehearsal space, a far cry from 2019's subterranean setting. However, having spent countless hours writing, orchestrating and recording the pieces that have become `Menedèk', the band's founding drummer Zsombor Lehoczky stepped away from the band and music as a whole. Where this might have been catastrophic for any other band, remaining members Soma Balázs and Dániel Nyitray soon found a connection with Tamás Szijártó, who approached TÖRZS' music with the same openness to creativity in the moment; not `performing' as such, but simply working together to produce breathtaking, musical escapism away from the daily humdrum. The album's themes of shelter, refuge and support resound clearly on lead single `Otthon'. Meaning `At Home' in Hungarian, `Otthon' serves as a de facto introduction to the record. The song's lilting groove, soaring yet soft guitar palette and the band's signature delicate dynamism all combine to invite the listener to reflect; not steering one way or another yet inviting us to close our eyes and join the flow. Elsewhere, the pounding, chiming `Levegovétel' proves TÖRZS are still staying true to their mission statement of documenting the inevitable process of change. Here the band embrace elements of post-rock's harsher, heavier side with a cacophony of driving half-time drums and distorted, open-chord guitars yet still provide brief havens of space for themselves, the song and the listener alike to breathe before the euphoric swell rises anew. Whilst TÖRZS' previous full-length effort was a spectacular collision of the band's tight-knit existence and the (literal) echo chamber of the world outside, `Menedèk' is introspective, understated and refreshingly brave in its honesty. TÖRZS have opened the doors to their inner sanctum, their rehearsal space, their songwriting process, their friendship; inviting us to live in it with them, to revel in the moment together. FOR FANS OF Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Explosions In The Sky, This Will Destroy You, Caspian, MONO, Sigur Rós
In 2012 Gruff Rhys embarked on a solo 'investigative concert tour' through the heart of America following the route taken by his distant relative John Evans. Every night he presented songs augmented by a power point presentation that detailed his relative's unbelievable history, along with any new piece of information that had come his way during the day. He was ultimately looking for Evans's lost unmarked grave. Along with many major cities, the tour took him to play shows at the Mandan and Omaha tribe reservations, a Missouri vineyard, villages that no longer exist and lay at the bottom the Mississippi river and a New Orleans bordello. What transpired from that ‘investigative concert tour’ was a 2014 album, American Interior, plus a book, film and exhaustive tour of the same name. With the aid of the dusted-off power point presentation, Gruff Rhys and a full band revisits the project in 2025 to perform the songs that formed both the album, and the soundtrack to the film.
Gruff says of the reissue -
“Revisiting American Interior 11 years later, feels very prescient. In following the unusual story of explorer John Evans (1770-1799) it becomes clear that faked narratives can have profound and unpredictable consequences in real life. His barely believable journey of verification in searching through continental scale wilderness for a fictitious Welsh speaking tribe believed to be living on the Great Plains of North America (an ancient folk tale perpetuated by the Elizabethan court following the subjugation of Wales, to make colonial claims on behalf of the British on the Americas) had a dramatic political effect on the fledgling USA and a devastating impact on himself and some of those who helped him on his way. I wrote an album of songs inspired by his life; American Interior, which also served as a soundtrack to a documentary film based on a book that detailed his journey, intertwined with my own investigative concert tour, all three of which I worked on simultaneously during a 2-year fever 2012-14. By far the most ambitious undertaking I’ve ever attempted. Living with one foot in the 18th century, wearing the same clothes (for cinematic continuity) for that entire period, left me pretty exhausted. (Imagine a cold extra from The Revenant movie). It took me a while to process the whole experience and its lessons and feel I owe it to my former self to take these songs back on the road for a couple of months and re-tell the story for a new decade. To celebrate it further Rough Trade will reissue a remastered version of the album with previously unreleased tracks.”
Clear vinyl w/ blue splatter. Limited to 250 copies. Formed in 2000, Boston-based band Death Before Dishonor has made a name for themselves with their uncompromising style of hardcore and energetic, intense live performances. Throughout their career, the band has released five albums, building a dedicated international fanbase. On May 16th, Death Before Dishonor will release their sixth album, Nowhere Bound, through Bridge Nine Records. Produced by Zeuss, the record showcases 11 aggressive, fast-paced, and purposeful tracks that are made for the moshpit.
“In my category, I’m the one and only,” proclaimed Oakland legend Too $hort on his 1990 single “Short But Funky.” Few disagreed then, and even fewer would do so decades later. First appearing in the mid-1980s, slinging homemade tapes out of his car trunk, the man born Todd Shaw has always stayed true to himself. Although he is known more for the dirty side of his rap game, on “Short But Funky,” he also reminds listeners of an important fact: “There’s a serious side to everything I say.” Short Dog’s In The House, was $hort’s sixth studio album, and his second for the Jive label. By the time it hit, he was a West Coast legend, but his rep was growing Eastwards, as the rest of the country started opening its ears to new sounds. Peaking at #20 on the national Billboard 200 chart, the album was exactly what his dedicated fans expected funky, 70s drenched beats made for cars on the boulevard, and no nonsense lyrics that made more sense and dropped more knowledge than he was ever given credit for. For examples of his conscious side, look no further than the P-Funk fueled “It’s Your Life” or the album’s lead single, “The Ghetto.” The album’s second single “Short But Funky” landed somewhere in the middle of $hort and Todd Shaw, talking about where he was at as the new decade broke, and making it clear that he wasn’t going anywhere. His mortality was mainly on his mind after rumors had surfaced the year before that he had died in a crack house. He speaks directly to this crazy episode on “Dead Or Alive.” And although it’s mostly a solo affair, he brings in some heavy artillery and a lot of not for the kids profanity on “Ain’t Nothin’ But A Word To Me,” featuring none other than Ice Cube In between, $hort distributed plenty of tales and charisma for fans to eat up, continuing to build his legendary status as one of the rap trailblazers of the era. Get On Down has repressed this 1990 Bay Area classic album on Blue and Ruby Color-In-Color vinyl
"Amazing! Like stumbling on a treasure-trove of unheard Charlie Patton and Blind Willie McTell 78s, but imbued with the spirit of Mahlathini and Ladysmith." Joe Boyd
'But for this compilation of rescued songs masterfully restored from rare 78 rpm shellacs, few could imagine the diversely beautiful roots of Zulu Guitar Music emerging during the period 1950 – 1965. Story-tellers and master musicians appropriate outlaw personae, re-purpose country and western, Hawaiian and other styles, to stretch and challenge our notion of “the Zulu guitar”.
Twenty-five songs (18 on vinyl) plunge us into the depths of the migrant experience. Translations in the liner notes offer us glimpses of pugnacity, melancholy and heartache, all coloured by the paternalism that circumscribed the singers’ apartheid-dominated lives.
The early *mbaqanga* undertow in many of the songs subverts the wanderlust of Country and Western music into a fugitivity burdened by nostalgia. Something irretrievable has been lost, prompting a blending of ideas and cultures to make sense through thankless acts of musical divination. Inadvertently they have been thrust into the role of the antihero, where outwitting competition for lovers is as important as evading the Black Jacks (apartheid’s municipal cops) and their informants.
Considering the politically repressive period that this music emerges from, we can surmise that the specificity in the storytelling went a long way towards evading censure. But even when words are absent, there is a narrative arc suggested by the musical expression.
With most of the master tapes wilfully destroyed or lost, modern transcription and restoration techniques from the original shellac discs present the original sound most likely more clearly than ever heard before.'
Produced for reissue by Chris Albertyn and Matt Temple at Matsuli Music and Siemon Allen at Flatinternational.
Artwork design by Siemon Allen.
Liner note and translations by Kwanele Sosibo.
Audio restoration and lacquers by Frank Merritt at The Carvery and pressed at Pallas, Germany.
Original 78rpm recordings sourced from the collections of Chris Albertyn at Matsuli Music, and Siemon Allen at the Flatinternational Archive.
Notoriously spirited, hard parrtyin’ West Coast rap trio Tha Alkaholiks have returned with their first new studio album in over 10 years!
Combining fresh takes on some of the band’s best known singles including “Daaam!” and “Make Room” PLUS several new songs, this album hits that ‘90s rap nostalgia spot! Features special guests Planet Asia and spookybands!
Commemorate's self-titled debut album blends swirling guitars and dreamy vocals to create a hypnotic yet weightless sound, a longing that swells and fades gently. Emerging from Kuala Lumpur's hazy musical depths, Commemorate is a 5-piece ensemble creating their own ethereal soundscapes, while taking heavy influences from shoegaze titans and infusing modern dreampop with post-rock sensibilities. Available in clear and black vinyl.
Eleven is a magic number in many cultures, for us maybe it is… or not, anyway our eleventh release is going to be something special with vinyl again as the main format after some only digital releases.
The man in charge of production duties is well known for crafting merciless techno exercises all over the place, RNGD is not a newcomer at all, his roots come from the late nineties and you can somehow feel that into his modern tunes.
These four cuts have a strong link with the classic Birmingham school, Regis,
Downwards, Female, Surgeon… but with a personal and unique twist.
Direct Source is a clear example of what I mentioned before, a few elements are enough to make the funk happen: a solid sequence, proper drums and a hypnotic arrangement.
Same approach on 037, proper neural funk with basic elements administered properly. B side opens with Degradation, again with the same mantra, anabolic, gymnastic and physical.
To close the release Diabólica, providing the mental slice of the pie with the
occasional pad and vocal samples but yet energetic and direct to the floor.
This is the true spirit of techno, don’t be fooled for the new trends. Timeless is the word here.
Text by Luis Rozalén / Hd Substance
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Camper Van Beethoven"s groundbreaking debut album back on vinyl for the first time since the 1980s. 140g Clear + Orange Marbled Vinyl, Printed Inner, Kraftpack Disco Bag Sleeve
Regina Spektor's 2009 follow-up to Begin to Hope, available on limited edition Velum Clear vinyl. On Far, Spektor invites four esteemed producers, Jeff Lynne, Mike Elizondo, David Kahne, and Garret "Jacknife" Lee, to collaborate on intricate and adventurous soundscapes for her songs. Includes “Two Birds”, “Eet, “Laughing With", “Dance Anthem of the 80’s,” and more
Teal’s debut LP, Original Watercolour, is an album that feels like a canvas come to life. A sonic blend of street-soul, digi-dub, and downtempo. Original Watercolour explores the complexities of love, oneness, and intuition — themes that resonate deeply within the context of the history women have shared with what was once known as the “ladies’ medium.”
The bi-coastal family trio—Ashleigh and Melissa Ball, better known as the Ball Sisters, alongside producer N1_SOUND—bring a fresh, genre-defying sound to the table with their latest 6-track album. Running just under 30 minutes, this immersive collection weaves together skipping beats, addictive bass lines, three-dimensional flute textures & emotional vocal melodies. This musical portrait is as ethereal as it is powerful, inviting the listener to get lost in its depths while celebrating the beauty of self-expression.
The opening track, “Original Watercolour,” takes you on a psychedelic trip-hop journey. From the first reverberous snare hit, you’re whisked away to a sonic wetland — lush and euphoric. The soft yet poignant soundscapes set the tone for the album, inviting us into a world where the boundaries between earth and music, reality and imagination, automatically seem to blur.
“Locked In 2 Love” offers a boogie-fueled bassline that pushes Teal into dance-floor territory with soaring flutes and rhythmic intricacies that make it impossible not to move — it’s a track that exemplifies the magic of Teal’s ability to craft both intimate and expansive musical landscapes. And then, there’s the hypnotic flow of “One In The Same,” where stacked vocal harmonies and mantra-esque lyrics transport you to a place that could easily be mistaken for a lost Soulquarians demo. It’s gentle yet unrelenting in its depth.
The second side of the album opens with “Sleep on It,” a track that immediately grabs attention with its dancehall-driven rhythm. Ashleigh Ball's vocals set the stage for a song that’s both introspective and emotionally charged, yet unmistakably rooted in groove. The phased-out bassline creates an almost hypnotic atmosphere. Pulling the listener into a mood of contemplation—matching the restless, sleepless night that Ball describes. As the song progresses, this groove builds in intensity, culminating in an explosive ending that mirrors the emotional release of a long-held frustration.
Original Watercolour is more than just an album — it’s a meditation on the interconnectedness of life and art. “Frog Kingdom,” the longest and only instrumental track creates a contemplative space that builds upon the themes introduced earlier. It feels like a sequel to their earlier work, Frog Legacy from their debut Bluish Green 2024 12”, expanding on the familiar sound with even more complex layers.
Yet the real emotional power of the record lies in its closing track, “Can’t Shake the Feeling.” Simple in structure but profound in impact, this song captures a deep yearning and understanding — that everything, from the ecosystems we inhabit to the relationships we nurture and the art we create, is fundamentally interconnected. As the track crescendos in a falsetto peak, it becomes clear that the album is a reflection of both the world around us and the personal journey each member of the band has embarked upon to get to this point.
Just as the medium of watercolor has been traditionally linked to women artists, Teal carries this legacy into the modern musical landscape, blending the richness of history with a unique forward-thinking perspective. The album feels like both a celebration of the past and a bold declaration of a path forward — one that welcomes anyone ready to join in and shape the future of the art form.
The beauty of Teal’s work is that it feels familiar, while simultaneously offering something new and refreshing. Original Watercolour doesn’t just push musical boundaries; it redefines them, offering a lush and textured soundtrack for those willing to listen closely.
In a world that often feels over-saturated, Original Watercolour stands as a reminder of the power of simplicity, intuition, and connection. Teal’s debut album invites you to experience something both deeply personal and universally understood. The landscapes they create are vivid, yet soft, grounding yet expansive. With each track, Teal’s music reflects the interconnectedness of all things — a truly unique piece of work in the world of experimental soul and dub adjacent electronic music.
Rising and falling. We all live in the same pond. Peace to all.
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Previously unreleased; four track 12" with two different vocal takes, each w/ dub. Comes in Bond Export company sleeve.
Another cold case solved! One of DKR's early victories was finding a tape of the drum & bass cut of the legendary dubplate 'Rocks & Mountains.' Rumor had said the artist was the Mighty Travellers, but this didn't really add up chronologically or audibly. More astute listeners mostly agreed the artist was likely the Majesterians, a little recorded group who had made a couple other records for Taxi circa 1980. When we first issued the song on a 10" back in 2011, even Sly himself couldn't recall for sure who sang the tune. Like with other 'mystery' projects which we eventually came to realize, we never gave up digging on this one. There were two mysteries at work here - one, confirming the identity of the group, and two - finding the other cut of the tune, which features fuller instrumentation and a different vocal take. Both cuts were around on dubplate circa '80/'81, and the latter cut can be heard ever so briefly in the infamous UK "Sound Business" documentary film from '81. In the course of a mere 13 years, both questions came to be solved - we obtained a pretty clean plate cut of the fuller mix, and we confirmed the identity of the group. The Majesterians were a vocal trio consisting of Everton Dacres, Roderick Perkins and Paul Mitchell. While the latter two gentlemen don't seem to have done much otherwise, we are sure the roots heads and hopefully all DKR followers know Everton Dacres, who made some fine roots music in the 1970s prior to fronting the Majesterians. We spoke to Everton and he confirmed 'Rocks & Mountains' was their tune, cut in Channel 1 at a Taxi session featuring a host of other artists. Indeed, these were the heady days of 1980 with Channel 1 booked round the clock for locked-in sessions, with the Taxi Gang and the Roots Radics laying down future classic after future classic. All that said, we're happy to re-present this tune now with not only proper accreditation, but also both known mixes and the drum & bass mix in improved fidelity over its previous issue.
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Wild And Clear And Blue is the second full-length album from I'm with Her, featuring multi-Grammy-Award-winners Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O'Donovan. Before coming together these artists co-founded seminal bands (Nickel Creek and Crooked Still) and since have collectively contributed to critically acclaimed albums from esteemed artists including Yo-Yo Ma, The Civil Wars, Kris Kristofferson, John Mayer, Alison Krauss, John Prine, and many others. Produced by Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horseman) at Outlier Inn in Woodridge, NY and The Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, NY, Wild And Clear And Blue delivers a warmly textured sound that features a throughline of maternal wisdom which comes from artists who are first and foremost mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends
La Revolución de Emiliano Zapata was the Mexican psychedelic rock band that achieved the most commercial success internationally in the early 70s. Their self-titled and much sought-after debut LP (1971) is considered one of the best acid rock albums in Mexico, recorded under the influence of groups like Credence Clearwater Revival or the Who but also adding their own style featuring an original and stunning guitar sound. Remastered from the original tapes. Includes poster. 180g vinyl. Despite not participating in the legendary Avándaro festival, La Revolución de Emiliano Zapata was the Mexican psychedelic rock band that achieved the most commercial success internationally in the early 70s. Their fantastic 'Nasty Sex', along with other songs like 'If You Want It' or 'Melynda' boosted their first album at the top of the sales charts worldwide. Although their sound changed over time, their debut LP (1971) is considered one of the best acid rock albums in Mexico, recorded under the influence of groups like Credence Clearwater Revival or the Who but also adding their own style featuring an original and stunning guitar sound. Sadly, Mexican record labels lost interest in local rock bands due to the repression of La Onda movement by the Mexican Government, resulting in rock bands being banned. This, in addition to internal disagreements between members of the group, eventually led to the end of their relationship with Polydor in 1973. La Revolución de Emiliano Zapata entered a new artistic phase in their career, focusing on ballads and adopting different new musical trends over the years.
Liebe existiert nicht isoliert - sie verweilt, verändert sich und taucht auf eine Weise auf, die wir nicht immer erwarten. So auch der 27-jährige Sänger, Songwriter und Multiinstrumentalist Brandon, der all das und mehr auf seinem Debütalbum „Before You Go“ erforscht, das am 9. Mai bei Secretly Canadian erscheint. „Before You Go“ ist eine grenzenlose Sammlung von Soul- und R&B-beeinflussten Alternative-Pop-Gitarrensongs. Heute stellt Brandon auch die Leadsingle „Right Back“ vor, ein gitarrengetriebener Alt-R&B-Song mit warmem Gesang und synkopierten Beats.
Brandon Joseph - einfach Brandon genannt - ist aus der reichhaltigen kreativen Landschaft Südkaliforniens mit einem Sound hervorgegangen, der eine Mischung aus unaufdringlicher Verletzlichkeit und genreübergreifendem Ehrgeiz darstellt. Brandon hat seine Stimme durch Ausprobieren, Beharrlichkeit und Visionen gefunden, und seine Songs tragen die Spuren seines Einfallsreichtums: Brandon hat sich das Gitarrenspiel selbst beigebracht, er spielt jedes Instrument auf praktisch jedem Track, und er hat sein Debüt nicht nur selbst produziert, sondern auch jeden Song selbst gemischt und die Harmonie in ihren unzähligen Schichten gefunden. Nach dem Erfolg der zwei EPs „Coming Clean“ und „Blush“ ist Brandons Debütalbum bei Secretly Canadian sowohl sehr persönlich als auch klanglich anspruchsvoll. Einige der Songs auf „Before You Go“, die er komplett in seinem Heimstudio geschrieben und aufgenommen hat, brüteten jahrelang vor sich hin, während Brandons Talent und Ressourcen den Visionen in seinem Kopf entsprachen. Eine erste Reise in die Heimat seiner Familie in Trinidad erwies sich ebenfalls als prägend. Dort wurde Brandons Weltanschauung entspannter und friedlicher, und seine Musik folgte ihm. „Ich habe gelernt, mir Zeit zu nehmen“, erklärt er, „das Leben anders zu betrachten und die Menschen nicht mehr nur aus dem Blickwinkel der Transaktion zu sehen“. Das Ergebnis ist eine Sammlung von Songs, die sich nicht davor scheuen, selbstbewusst und zurückhaltend zu sein. Die Leadsingle „Right Back“ verkörpert dies mit einer hellen, minimalen Akustikgitarre unter Brandons warmem, romantischem Gesang. Der Song beginnt als Kreuzung aus Folk und R&B (man denke an den frühen Frank Ocean oder Steve Lacy), aber er öffnet sich zu etwas Größerem - ein nach unten gerichteter, in Dur-Tonarten gehaltener Floater mit wehmütigem Text, einem federleichten, synkopierten Beat und einem unwiderstehlichen, hymnischen Gefühl. Brandon ist bekannt für seine magnetischen Auftritte an der Seite von Omar Apollo und Mac Ayres und seine gefühlvolle Stimme zementiert seinen Platz als einer der fesselndsten neuen Singer-Songwriter, die in den letzten Jahren aufgetaucht sind.
Underground hip-hop icon and Miami rapper Pouya kicks off 2025 with his seventh studio album, Suicidal Thoughts in the Back of the Cadillac, Pt. 3 - serving as an unofficial spiritual successor to his 2024 album, THEY COULD NEVER MAKE ME HATE YOU. After a successful run as direct support to $uicideboy$’ Grey Day 2024 Arena Tour, it’s clear that Pouya has cemented himself among the top artists from the alternative / cloud-rap scene from the mid 2010s. With a rabid fan base primarily built from the ground up, and without the flashy mainstream features or press looks, Pouya has established himself as a staying power in a lane that typically sees artists rise and fall in accordance with today's modern attention span. Continuing to super-serve his fans, Pouya will be embarking on a nationwide tour in North America in 2025.
Es ist ein unwahrscheinlicher Eindruck, den Xmal Deutschland in den frühen Achtzigern nicht nur auf das hiesige, sondern auch auf ihr britisches Publikum gemacht haben. Es war wie gebannt von den unvermittelten Stakkato-Rhythmen, der mysteriösen (also: deutschen) Sprache und der Kraft und Vision der beteiligten Musikerinnen. 40 Jahre später, genauer am 9. Mai 2025, erscheint nun "Gift: The 4AD Years", mit dem das Londoner Label die Jahre 1983/1984 wieder aufleben lässt. Die 3xLP führt das fiebrige "Fetisch", das mächtige "Tocsin" und die korrespondierenden EP-Tracks zu einem Ganzen zusammen, das pulsiert vor Energie und Haltung. Enthalten sind auch die Bandklassiker "Incubus Succubus II" und "Qual". Das Coverartwork mit einer Fotoarbeit von Peter Schulte wurde auf Grundlage von 23 Envelope-Originalarbeiten von Timothy O"Donnell designt. Es kommt begleitend zu den originalen Sleeve-Fotografien von Nigel Grierson. Hinzu kommt ein Fotobuch mit Bildern von Kevin Cummins, Paul Slattery, Sheila Rock und weiteren sowie einem Text von Chris Roberts. "Gift: The 4AD Years" erscheint am 9 Mai digital, auf Doppel-CD sowie als 3xLP auf transparentem, rotem Vinyl sowie exklusiv in Deutschland als Crystal Clear Vinyl.
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3xLP Boxset mit den remasterten 4AD-Alben Fetisch und Tocsin und den EPs Incubus Succubus II und Qual Es ist ein unwahrscheinlicher Eindruck, den Xmal Deutschland in den frühen Achtzigern nicht nur auf das hiesige, sondern auch auf ihr britisches Publikum gemacht haben. Es war wie gebannt von den unvermittelten Stakkato-Rhythmen, der mysteriösen (also: deutschen) Sprache und der Kraft und Vision der beteiligten Musikerinnen. 40 Jahre später, genauer am 9. Mai 2025, erscheint nun "Gift: The 4AD Years", mit dem das Londoner Label die Jahre 1983/1984 wieder aufleben lässt. Die 3xLP führt das fiebrige "Fetisch", das mächtige "Tocsin" und die korrespondierenden EP-Tracks zu einem Ganzen zusammen, das pulsiert vor Energie und Haltung. Enthalten sind auch die Bandklassiker "Incubus Succubus II" und "Qual". Das Coverartwork mit einer Fotoarbeit von Peter Schulte wurde auf Grundlage von 23 Envelope-Originalarbeiten von Timothy O"Donnell designt. Es kommt begleitend zu den originalen Sleeve-Fotografien von Nigel Grierson. Hinzu kommt ein Fotobuch mit Bildern von Kevin Cummins, Paul Slattery, Sheila Rock und weiteren sowie einem Text von Chris Roberts. "Gift: The 4AD Years" erscheint am 9 Mai digital, auf Doppel-CD sowie als 3xLP auf transparentem, rotem Vinyl sowie exklusiv in Deutschland als Crystal Clear Vinyl.
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Growing up is painful, brutal, and sometimes beautiful _ something Brooklyn-based indie-rock band Bedridden knows all too well. The band's name is even a nod to that ineffable period between childhood and the jagged edges of the real world. "When I was 21, I kind of lost my home," says frontman/guitarist Jack Riley. "I was couch-surfing. I was having a hard time.The next iteration in the band's maturation, then, is their debut, LP Moths Strapped To Eachother's Backs, 10 fuzzed-out (and sometimes gnarly) ruminations on dating, drugs, and survival out April 11 on Julia's War. The title came from a mysterious missive Riley received on astrology app Co-Star. "Last year I was way too reliant on other people _ my partner at the time, my friends," he says. "I was strapped to them in a weird way _ and flying in circles. This album is about that time."The current incarnation of Bedridden encompasses a patchwork of styles, influences, and friends Riley accumulated over the years. A Chicago native who first started making music at age five on a thrift-store guitar emblazoned with Kurt Cobain's name, Riley moved to New Orleans for college where he dabbled in punk before falling in love with shoegaze. There, he launched the first version of Bedridden. Sebastian Duzian (bass) _ a jazz musician and Pasadena native _ linked up with Riley in NOLA along with his bandmate, drummer Nick Pedroza. Pedroza, from Claremont, grew up on rock, metal, and jazz, honing his style after joining the band. Wesley Wolffe _ a guitarist fed on a steady diet of New Wave and `90s alt _ rounded out the crew just a few months back. Bedridden's previous lineup released their first EP, Amateur Heartthrob, in 2023 _ a noise-washed blend of shoegaze, DIY, and indie that Riley says is a "coming-of-age EP _ these formative stories about not having a bed, dating, being kind of a jackass. I was making fun of myself a lot." That release caught the attention of Douglas Dulgarian from Philly Label Julia's War (and TAGABOW), who signed them for Moths."Some of these songs have been around for years," says Riley, adding that they were recorded last February at Studio G Brooklyn; the album was produced by Aron Kobayashi Ritch (Momma). "As opposed to Amateur Heartthrob, we attempted to blend more clean guitars into a driving sound to capture more clarity _ one that also sounds live_ and raw," Riley says. That rawness thrums through the record, which kicks off with the thrashed "Gummy," about an incident when Riley had to gently fend off a co-worker's unwanted advances while both drunk and high on an MDMA gummy. And then there's mournful rager "Etch," which sees Riley daydreaming about beating up a meddler in his personal life _ in the minor key.The annihilating "Chainsaw" revs in next, a lightning-fast Lemonheads-inspired track that recalls Riley moving in with new roommates who were unnaturally obsessed with purchasing a lamp. "For some reason that pissed me off," he laughs; that rage is evident in the album cover, which shows said power tool demolishing a lampshade. Heavy-shredding "Heaven's Leg" showcases the band's affinity for `90s mainstays like Smashing Pumpkins while telling the tale of a gig at a local church. "The lyrics are about a pastor I had met that had lost his leg," Riley says. "The church had signs about not cussing and I had a feeling that neither of us had anything to talk about without potentially offending the other."The band's not afraid to get confrontational, though, on the anger-fueled, drum-heavy "Philadelphia, Get Me Through," which deals with a dead-end relationship and the mistaken assumption that getting drunk in the titular city would be a balm against the pain. And the nasty, brutist, and short hardcore-adjacent "MainStage"? "It's about being disrespected at a show on New Year's and how I lashed out," Riley says. "I then began to take it out on other people, which was a quality that I despise."Things get contemplative and mournful from here on out _ the emo-edged "Snare" is about bringing flowers to a hospital room where you're not welcome, while the Smiths-inspired "Uno" wrestles with self-loathing. "I guess the big finale of that song was my response to dealing with this recurring experience of feeling like I wasn't good enough by getting really into whippets," Riley says. Nu-metal bop "Bonehead," then, recalls an embarrassing dinner that turned into an argument _ the name applies both to that incident and the delicious simplicity of the guitar parts.After all that turmoil and pain, the band caps everything off with their eyes to the future on the jangle-pop "Ring Size." "All my friends are getting married _ do I follow in their footsteps? Or is it all a waste of time?" Riley says of the song. "At the end, through it all, I guess that's what I've been trying to figure out _ how to grow up, how to move on. I'm trying to navigate things as an adult and I'm not very good at it. But this is just the first record. This is just the beginning."And, hey, at least now he has a bed.
