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One look at the axe-wielding marauder (drawn by famed heavy metal illustrator Edward Repka) on the front of this album and you know it’s not for the faint of heart. Canadian metal band 3 Inches of Blood’s musical attack (an appropriate term indeed) featured a unique, dual lead vocal line-up of Cam Pipes on “clean” vocals and Jamie Hooper on “screaming” vocals, with bludgeoning guitars (okay, axes) provided by Sunny Dhak and Bobby Froese (Dhak, Froese, and drummer Matt Wood left after this album to form Pride Tiger). Though this record came out in 2004 on the Roadrunner label, it wears its ‘80s metal allegiances on its sleeve, harkening back to the vein-popping intensity of vintage Judas Priest and Accept. Remastered on its 20th anniversary for an orange and black “ashen dawn” vinyl pressing, with a full-color inner sleeve sporting lyrics. Storm the castle!

How could Canadian heavy metal band 3 Inches of Blood dial up the intensity even more after their 2004 masterpiece Advance and Vanquish? Well, by bringing in Slipknot drummer Jordy Jordison to produce their next record, and adding a new instrumental line-up of former Allfather lead guitarist Justin Hagberg and former Walls of Jericho drummer Alexei Rodriguez to the band’s unique dual vocalist assault of Cam Pipes on “clean” vocals and Jamie Hooper on “scream” vocals. The result was 2007’s Fire Up the Blades, which, as Hooper put it, was “a faster, more intense version of us.” Which means that albums don’t get any faster and more intense than this one; that the epic lyrics are good enough to have been penned by George R.R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame is just a bonus. Speaking of bonus, for the vinyl debut of Fire Up the Blades (and after consulting the band) we’ve upped the stakes with a 2-LP release featuring an entire side of extra tracks that were released right around the time the album was, including their cover of the Lucifer’s Friend song “In the Time of Job When Mammon Was a Yippie.” All pressed in “Crimson Fire” vinyl housed inside a gatefold jacket with lyrics…limited to 1250 ferocious copies!

One of the prominent growing voices in Timmion Record's roster, singer Emilia Sisco blesses your turntable with another deep soul ballad. Joining hands with Cold Diamond & Mink, Emilia pours a generous helping of deep soul magic into "Let Me In", gliding over the southerntinged beat with melodic grace. It's almost impossible to remain ambivalent to Emilia's talent when the spine-tingling chorus with its clever twists rolls in. The bittersweet love song's timeless feel pours over the listener like the flooding Mississippi, anthemic but understated. Flipping the single, we get to revisit Emilia's previous single "Love Can Carry Me" but this time in instrumental mode, titled as "Way Past Midnight". It's not just a vocal strip down, but this time Cold Diamond & Mink has equipped the track with a jazzy Grant Green styled lead guitar. Tasty. You would have to be a cold-blooded robot not to feel something from this soulful double sider. Forget the dance floors and bedrooms for a minute, these songs are the best fertilizer for your personal mind garden.

Ambitious, smart, and magnetically retro, The Rise and Fall of American
Kitsch will charm you with dazzlingly quirky storytelling, stellar
performances, and an adventurous Americana soundscape
It's nuanced enough that you'll want to soak it in with front-to-back listens, and
fun enough for a road trip soundtrack. With American Kitsch, Karen Jonas is
clearly on the rise.
Full PR plan in place
UK Tour in October 2024

Das mit einem Grammy ausgezeichnete Album "Stankonia" enthält den weltweiten Hit "Ms. Jackson" (über 1 Mrd. Streams) sowie "So Fresh So Clean" (250 Mio.+ Streams) und "B.O.B." (100 Mio.+ Streams) und taucht regelmäßig in den Listen der besten Alben auf, z.B. in der "Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time". Erhältlich als schwarzes 2LP-Vinyl-Set.

One of the prominent growing voices in Timmion Record's roster, singer Emilia Sisco blesses your turntable with another deep soul ballad. Joining hands with Cold Diamond & Mink, Emilia pours a generous helping of deep soul magic into "Let Me In", gliding over the southerntinged beat with melodic grace. It's almost impossible to remain ambivalent to Emilia's talent when the spine-tingling chorus with its clever twists rolls in. The bittersweet love song's timeless feel pours over the listener like the flooding Mississippi, anthemic but understated. Flipping the single, we get to revisit Emilia's previous single "Love Can Carry Me" but this time in instrumental mode, titled as "Way Past Midnight". It's not just a vocal strip down, but this time Cold Diamond & Mink has equipped the track with a jazzy Grant Green styled lead guitar. Tasty. You would have to be a cold-blooded robot not to feel something from this soulful double sider. Forget the dance floors and bedrooms for a minute, these songs are the best fertilizer for your personal mind garden.

After promising to release only five studio albums under his own name, Simpson marks the beginning of a new era with Johnny Blue Skies and the release of Passage Du Desir. Out July 12 on his own independent label, High Top Mountain Records, the album includes eight songs produced by Johnny Blue Skies and David Ferguson and recorded at Clement House Recording Studio in Nashville, TN and Abbey Road Studios in London, England.

Houston, TX Legend & Rap Icon Sauce Walka, unleashes his first full length offering of 2024, Saucefather 2. The album is the follow up to his widely celebrated mixtape, The Saucefather, originally released in 2017. With features from Lil Yachty, BossMan Dlow, Wizz Havinn, Peezy, YTB Fatt & more, Sauce has earned his respect in the rap game, consistently proving "he's a force to be reckoned with lyrically" said HotNewHipHop. With cosigns from heavy hitting rap luminaries such as Jay-Z, Drake, J. Cole, Bun B, Conway the Machine and more, it’s clear Sauce Walka’s trajectory is only headed upward. Filled with odes to DJ Screw, Saucefather 2 pays homage to the unique and innovative Houston Chopped & Screwed Hip-Hop culture.

Limited Clear w/Black & Clear w/Red Vinyl. Recorded in 2023 Merzbow continues his newer ventures of extreme sonic dynamics. Deluxe spot gloss varnish on textured sleeve with booklet.

To experience Justin R. Cruz Gallego's pulverizing Sub Pop debut is to get burned down to ashes and burst forth, born anew. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), the Tacoma-based artist's second album, is driven by opposing forces: noisy abstractions and tightly structured beats, anguish and dissolution at the outside world and empowerment within, apathy and catharsis. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) weds scouring electronics to hooky songs and Gallego's powerful drumming in a way that feels visceral and new. It's his most personal statement to date, at once playful and intent, driven and combustible, total fucking chaos mixed into glints of broken-glass beauty. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Gallego experienced culture shock as a child after relocating to the frigid climes of the Pacific Northwest. He found solace in the Seattle punk scene centered around Iron Lung Records and has since remained a fixture in the underground community. "I see this record as first and foremost a musical statement," Gallego says. "I grew up in punk and DIY subcultures, but before that I had Latin music playing in the background through my childhood and every phase of adolescence. It was surprisingly natural to incorporate. I realized I wanted to go deeper into these rhythms. I wanted to make a record that felt as experimental as much as it felt from the perspective of a Latino. When I got a glimmer of that possibility, it felt exciting." Lead single "Dogear" is a face-melting party starter that sounds like someone forced Talking Heads and Rudimentary Peni to share a practice space. "I wanted a song that felt playful in the way it attempted to be dissonant without taking itself too seriously," Gallego says. "Cholla Beat" is even more ambitious, an anthemic mix of WAR and Wire led by unruly synthesizers spiraling down a labyrinth of production. Gallego's influences for the album are vast, ranging from British documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis to electric Miles Davis to audio miscreants like Demdike Stare and Oneohtrix Point Never. But it's Gallego's assured sonic vision that resounds the loudest. And, while J.R.C.G. is a solo project, conceived and executed primarily in Gallego's home studio, he found strength in opening the project to others, starting with Seth Manchester as co-producer. Manchester's penchant for bone-rattling frequencies, as seen in his production work with The Body, Battles, and Mdou Moctar, made him a natural fit for Gallego. Together, they retained the intimacy of Gallego's home recordings while taking advantage of the hi-fi stylings of his Machines With Magnets Studio in Rhode Island. The closing song, "World i," offers a glimpse into the live experience of Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), with upwards of seven band members blasting off. The album features a fascinating mix of supporting players, many of whom cycle through J.R.C.G.'s live lineup: Morgan Henderson (The Blood Brothers, Fleet Foxes), Jason Clackley (Dreamdecay, The Exquisites), Jon Scheid (Dreamdecay, U Sco), Erica Miller (Casual Hex, Big Bite), Veronica Dye (Terminator) Phil Cleary (U Sco), and Alex Gaziano (Dreamdecay, Kidcrash, Science Amplification). Taken as a whole, G.I.S.M. is a whirlwind of sound, pummeling, and cleansing. It's a sweaty, thrilling aural adventure and, like a great basement show, it'll leave you breathless, exhausted, and wanting to repeat it all over again. As any good mantra should.

Svart Records proudly present Winter’s most classic, gloomy and crust laden doom EP “Eternal Frost” for the first time as a vinyl version on its own ”Eternal Frost” is an EP by New York’s cult death doom band Winter. Never before released on vinyl as its own release and only included in the deluxe edition of ”Into Darkness” released by Svart Records in 2020, ”Eternal Frost” will finally be available on wax in August 2024. Formed in New York circa 1988, Winter played slow, deep and hard nuclear doom with a crust punk rawness, that came across like Hellhammer jamming with Amebix. Their penchant for mammoth sized and funeral-paced, wasteland droning has become a touchstone reference for bands across the whole spectrum of underground metal. Originally released only on CD by Nuclear Blast in 1994, ”Eternal Frost” is a reissue of the 1989 eponymously titled demo tape with an additional track “Manifestation I”. Winter’s pre-internet infamy led to their demos being tape- traded in hallowed adoration by fans and bands alike, gaining notable fans such as Fenriz from Darkthrone. “Eternal Frost” is available on Svart exclusive white/red/gold/orange marble vinyl, limited clear/green marble vinyl, and classic black vinyl. Release date August 2nd.

Svart Records proudly present Winter’s most classic, gloomy and crust laden doom EP “Eternal Frost” for the first time as a vinyl version on its own ”Eternal Frost” is an EP by New York’s cult death doom band Winter. Never before released on vinyl as its own release and only included in the deluxe edition of ”Into Darkness” released by Svart Records in 2020, ”Eternal Frost” will finally be available on wax in August 2024. Formed in New York circa 1988, Winter played slow, deep and hard nuclear doom with a crust punk rawness, that came across like Hellhammer jamming with Amebix. Their penchant for mammoth sized and funeral-paced, wasteland droning has become a touchstone reference for bands across the whole spectrum of underground metal. Originally released only on CD by Nuclear Blast in 1994, ”Eternal Frost” is a reissue of the 1989 eponymously titled demo tape with an additional track “Manifestation I”. Winter’s pre-internet infamy led to their demos being tape- traded in hallowed adoration by fans and bands alike, gaining notable fans such as Fenriz from Darkthrone. “Eternal Frost” is available on Svart exclusive white/red/gold/orange marble vinyl, limited clear/green marble vinyl, and classic black vinyl. Release date August 2nd.

Dive into the soulful world of Little Beaver with the long-awaited reissue of his 1972 debut album, Joey. Released on Cat Records, this album showcases the unmistakable talent of a musician who not only crafted the unforgettable guitar riff in Betty Wright's "Clean Up Woman" but also delivered the #2 R&B hit "Party Down."
Joey stands out as a masterful blend of Rhythm & Blues, Soul, and a touch of Funk & Blues, enriched by lush orchestrations that elevate each track. The album features the enchanting title track "Joey," which was produced by Betty Wright, "I'm Losin' the Feelin'," later covered by Gwen McRae, and the deeply evocative "Katie Pearl," adding layers of soulful resonance that speak directly to the heart.
Before his solo breakthrough, Little Beaver was a revered figure in the Miami Soul scene, known for his work as a bassist and guitarist since his early teens and as an arranger who brought magic to the music he touched. This release not only showcases his formidable skills as a guitarist but also highlights his deep, intuitive sense of songwriting that draws listeners into the emotional landscapes of his songs.
This reissue isn't just a return to the shelves; it's a celebration of a profound musical legacy that continues to resonate. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to his music, Joey by Little Beaver is an essential addition to your collection, offering a timeless journey through the depths of soul music. Don't miss the chance to experience this seminal album, beautifully remastered to capture the original warmth and spirit of Little Beaver's early work.

Russell County, Virginia-based 49 Winchester is following up their 2022 breakthrough hit, Fortune Favors The Bold with their latest album, Leavin’ This Holler. Since their last release in 2022 the band has mined success across the globe by playing multiple sold out tours in the US as well as a sold out run of arena concerts opening for Luke Combs across Europe. Crowds have celebrated and supported this band across the globe and the band’s hard workin ways continue to help build their devoted following. Leavin’ This Holler is a soulful anthem of liberation and renewal. The album narrates a journey of breaking free from the chains of the past to pursue happiness and freedom. With a resolute spirit and a clean washed heart, 49 Winchester embraces change and sets out on a quest for new heights. Fortune has favored these bold boys and fueled by determination and the promise of a bright future, ‘Leavin’ this holler’ is a powerful ode to resilience and the pursuit of personal fulfillment.

Russell County, Virginia-based 49 Winchester is following up their 2022 breakthrough hit, Fortune Favors The Bold with their latest album, Leavin’ This Holler. Since their last release in 2022 the band has mined success across the globe by playing multiple sold out tours in the US as well as a sold out run of arena concerts opening for Luke Combs across Europe. Crowds have celebrated and supported this band across the globe and the band’s hard workin ways continue to help build their devoted following. Leavin’ This Holler is a soulful anthem of liberation and renewal. The album narrates a journey of breaking free from the chains of the past to pursue happiness and freedom. With a resolute spirit and a clean washed heart, 49 Winchester embraces change and sets out on a quest for new heights. Fortune has favored these bold boys and fueled by determination and the promise of a bright future, ‘Leavin’ this holler’ is a powerful ode to resilience and the pursuit of personal fulfillment.

Waking Season is the third full-length album from Beverly, MA post-rock quintet Caspian. The 10-song set was co-produced by Matt Bayles, former keyboard player from Minus the Bear and producer for such seminal albums as Isis’ Oceanic, Botch’s We Are Romans and Mastodon’s Blood Mountain. Waking Season is the follow-up to Caspian’s 2009 album Tertia. 2LP pressing from Triple Crown Records. Guitarist/keyboardist Philip Jamieson on working with Bayles, “We wanted to shake things up and work in a different type of environment, the kind of environment where it wasn’t just us calling the shots all the time. Working with someone who had the credibility to challenge the way we heard the songs outside of our own bubbles was extremely important to us for this record. Matt has a way of pulling the pieces together to make them sound crystal clear, sharp and balanced without removing any raw energy from a track. Working with him was a humbling and enlightening experience and we feel like it really benefited the album.”

Marking its first decade of activity, Blume returns with the first ever vinyl reissue of the seminal “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media”, from 1977, the third and final instalment in a suite of releases that includes James Tenney’s “Postal Pieces” and Ben Vida’s “Vocal Trio”. Unquestionably among the most important collections of experimental music to emerge during the 20th Century, “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” is the original feminist presentation in its context, releasing the work of Johanna M. Beyer, Annea Lockwood, Pauline Oliveros, Laurie Spiegel, Megan Roberts, Ruth Anderson, and Laurie Anderson under its collective banner. Includes newly commissioned liner notes by Jennifer Lucy Allen and Bradford Bailey.

Since its founding back in 2014, Blume has carved a unique place in cultural landscape, issuing free standing works, spanning the historical and contemporary, that represent singular gestures of creativity within the field of experimental sound. Joining their broad efforts in building networks of context and understanding that already includes the efforts of efforts of Werner Durand, Sarah Hennies, Bruce Nauman, John Butcher, Jocy de Oliveira, Mary Jane Leach, Valentina Magaletti, Alvin Curran, Julius Eastman, Alvin Lucier, and others, Blume delivers their third release in their first suite of releases for 2024, the fist ever vinyl reissue of the seminal “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” compilation, originally issued by Thomas Buckner's 1750 Arch Records in 1977. Out of print for decades on vinyl and arguably the most important feminist statement in the history of experimental music, illuminating the work of Johanna M. Beyer, Annea Lockwood, Pauline Oliveros, Laurie Spiegel, Megan Robert, Ruth Anderson, and Laurie Anderson - in a number of cases representing their recording debuts - during a crucial moment in the history of experimental music. Blume’s brand new edition - complete with newly commissioned liner notes by Jennifer Lucy Allen and Bradford Bailey, as well as reproducing Charles Amirkhanian’s original accompanying text - radically shifts perceptions of the past and present day with its truly revolutionary sounds.

Issued by Thomas Buckner's 1750 Arch Records in 1977, and out of print nearly the entire time since, “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” can be understood within two simple frameworks. On one hand, it is an astounding document of the landscape of experimental music toward the end of the 1970s. On the other, it is a historically significant feminist statement, being the first collection of experimental music entirely dedicated to female composers, a number of whom were grossly under-celebrated at the time, but have since gone on to be regarded as among the most important composers of their generation.

The eight pieces gathered by “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” - Johanna M. Beyer’s “Music of the Spheres”, Annea Lockwood’s “World Rhythms”, Pauline Oliveros’ “Bye Bye Butterfly”, Laurie Spiegel’s “Appalachian Grove I”, Megan Roberts’ “I Could Sit Here All Day”, Ruth Anderson’s “Points”, and Laurie Anderson’s “New York Social Life” and “Time To Go (For Diego)” - might be regarded as the first cohesive vision of alternate proximity or expression of experimental music to what has always been a frustratingly male dominated environment, and to the tropes, temperaments, and sensibilities that have been historically perceived to define it. It is an expanded vision of truth. While the presence of feminine sensibilities and temperaments in experimental music, however they may present themselves, were anything but new in 1977, “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” was the first opportunity, beyond the temporal limitations of live performance, to view them collectively, rather than as individualised expressions within a larger body of similar gestures (as was the case of Oliveros’ inclusion in Odyssey’s 1967 “New Sounds In Electronic Music” and “Extended Voices” compilations) where they might be confused for something else; to regard and celebrate a radical notion of feminine sonority for its unique characteristics and through its interrelations.

While its historical significance and groundbreaking nature can not be debated in its totality, nearly half a century on “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” remains compelling in both its musicality and the palpable sense of its lasting influence. Every composition across the album’s two sides is not only engrossing and deeply compelling - feeling as fresh and relevant as the day it was laid to tape - but clearly tangible in their lasting influence. Viewed in context, the album’s eight works feel like breath of fresh air when compared to much of what came before, and laid the groundwork for much of what was to come, introducing a new, often more holistic temperament and more sensitive and inclusive sensibility into the landscape of experimental music.

Particularly in the case of Annea Lockwood, Pauline Oliveros, Laurie Spiegel, Ruth Anderson, and Laurie Anderson, it's hard to throw ourselves back in time and imagine a moment when these composers rested in a fairly marginalised corner of the creative landscape. Blume’s brand new edition of “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” - complete with newly commissioned liner notes by Jennifer Lucy Allen and Bradford Bailey, as well as reproducing Charles Amirkhanian’s original accompanying text - brings us back to this confounding moment and points us toward a crucial moment of change set forth by these incredible composers and their sounds. Absolutely seminal and not to be missed.

I’ve lost my sense, I’ve lost control, I’ve lost my mind! Yeah, we all know how the song goes, but those words will no doubt end up driving their point home throughout the duration of Bloodstains’ self-titled debut LP. This thoroughly-welcome Euro pressing follows the album’s DIY release earlier in 2024, which is excellent news for UK/mainland fans of early 80s SoCal hardcore who’ve yet to hear it - the whole thing absolutely fkn rips. Feel free to rifle through your Adolescents, Weirdos and (natch) Agent Orange records to see what these guys have been mining, but all you’ll find is a launchpad - Bloodstains inevitably hail from California and they’re clearly au fait with all the above (not to mention a certain compilation), but they manage to inhabit that sound with a personality all of their own. Vocalist Cesar Marin splits his delivery between a sneering bark (like the most withering put-downs you’ve ever heard being delivered via nailgun) and a purposeful, melodic croon… which itself sounds it’s made from sandpaper and vitriol, but there you go. Most importantly, this is a band with SONGS. Eight of ‘em here, to be precise, and you’ll rarely have been so glad to have something turned up so loud it blows holes in your speakers. ‘Stray Bullets’ hangs its mighty chorus on a call-and-response refrain that dares you not to pick a side and bellow along, while instrumental opener ‘The Last Rites’ sets you up perfectly for the seething, volatile bundle of hooks to follow. I’d say the interplay between the band’s string-wielding Espinoza contingent is something to behold as well, but what am I, some kinda nerd? The guitars sound fkn awesome - that’ll do ya. And I don’t wanna spoil the party ahead of time, but just wait til you hear future anthem ‘Public Hanging’. I could go on about this record all day, but ultimately all you need to do is listen to it. Hell, even buy it. And dare I return to a theme, lose your mind.

Comes with insert and download coupon.

Imagine a Latin remake of Back to the Future. The mad scientist is Arsenio Rodriguez (the godfather of salsa) and the young student who travels through time with him is Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers). This album can only be described as the perfect soundtrack for that movie that never was.

After the massive buzz generated by his first solo album, Mentallogenic, Alex Figueira got back in the studio to work in a more collective fashion this time, carefully assembling the second album of his largest project to date, Conjunto Papa Upa; a team of 6 musicians, spanning 3 generations of some of the best talent in the Latin and avant-garde scenes.

In an era where tropical music is dominated by purely electronic and rhythmically uniform sounds, the ten songs encompassed in “Fruta Madura” (“Ripe Fruit”) wander through the most diverse tempos, rhythms, and motifs effortlessly. A real breath of fresh air that gracefully incorporates soul, funk, jazz, psychedelia, and electronics into a solid tropical, irresistibly polyrhythmic foundation, without ever succumbing to the many genre clichés.

The distinctive production and catchy songwriting of Figueira shine in a very distinctive light on this second full-length. Living up to his reputation (Miles Cleret, founder of Soundway Records, called him “one of the scene's truly authentic and eccentric producers”), he takes the opportunity to show he’s not afraid to keep walking his own path.

Taking the band for a wild ride through the traditions of Africa, America, and the Caribbean; contrasting them with a ridiculously wide plethora of vintage, contemporary, and futuristic sounds, and pivoting on the exuberant musicality displayed by his musicians; the result leaves no doubt: this album is destined to be considered a future classic of the exciting tropical psychedelic music of the 21st century.

Addressing the most diverse themes in this new collection of songs, things take on a much more mature tone, as the title clearly suggests.

The opening track “El segundo es más sabroso” (“The second one is tastier”) sets the tone in the most assertive way imaginable, with the band boldly declaring, through multiple metaphorical references (laid upon a crazy mix of Dominican merengue, Detroit techno, classic and free jazz, dub, and electro), that the bar will be set higher with this second album.

The remaining compositions touch upon the most diverse subjects, with a fair dose of humor, sarcasm, and postmodern “magic realism”. “El Algoritmo” (The Algorithm) is a parranda-cumbia hybrid (for lack of a specific term) about the omnipresence of technology in our lives. The sophisticated Latin soul of the titling track “Fruta Madura” makes a case for the beauty of the maturity process. Some key philosophical teachings of Marcus Aurelius (the role of causality, the impositions of “the logos” and the importance of self-control) get a twisted cumbia treatment on “Reos del Deseo” (Prisoners of Desire). “No le pongas Coca-Cola” (“Don’t put Coca Cola in it”) shows us the most satirical side of the band, accusing those who mix Coca Cola with Rum of committing "sacrilege", on a powerful base of Dem Bow (the grandfather of Reggaeton), intertwined with touches of soul, salsa, and Cuban comparsa.

"Háblame Claro" (“Talk to me clearly”) is a story of heartbreak that evokes in its first part the spirit of the erotic salsa of the 80s (a subgenre deeply despised by purists), and after an unexpected samba interlude, leads to the hardest salsa of the 70s (a subgenre adored by purists), to end up in the surprising form of pure Afro-Cuban ceremonial music.

“Tu mamá tenía razón” ("Your Mom Was Right") is an attempt to exalt the spirit of the Latin American soap opera in the key of “acid bachata”, to recount a real-life case, witnessed by the band on countless occasions: the partying woman who arrives at the show accompanied by her bitter husband, who obviously does not like to dance. A very cheeky song to talk about the very serious and pertinent topic of female empowerment.

“La misma vaina” (“The same thing”) with its indescribable blend of bantú, candomblé, and Mozambique rhythms with abstract synthesizers, is an ode to adventure in favor of the aversion to taking risks and seeking predictability.

“Amigas picadas” (“Salty friends”) is another humorous song recounting another real-life case witnessed by the band on countless occasions: a love encounter sabotaged by the girlfriend's friends, who all happen to fancy the same guy. A jazzy take on the ancient Dominican rhythm of pambiche (grandfather of merengue), with generous psychedelic touches, resembling the classy late 60s releases of Guadeloupe's legendary producer / label owner Henri Debs.

“Vinimos a hablar” (“We came to talk”) takes sarcasm to the highest level, to ridicule the absurdity (also experienced by the band firsthand) seen in live music venues where people pay a ticket to go and have conversations that could be carried out much better on any bar, where no band is playing. The music alternates between a delicate melody with loose, sparse percussion and a full-on, pumping Angolan semba, with a techno kick drum included; bringing things to an apotheotic grooving finale, where the peculiar swing of Venezuelan calypso from the Callao region is thrown on top of all the precedent elements; closing the album in the most uplifting, “end of the carnival parade” feel.

The artwork is a delicate and impactful oil painting by Colombian artist Kevin Simón Mancera, who has collaborated many times with the label before (“Maracas, tambourines and other hellish things” tape and the Lola’s Dice LP).

What the experts are saying:

“Alex (Figueira) dove into this work with a brutal cohesion between lyrics and synths. Timbre poetry, sound poetry (you name it). And that, superimposed on his always impeccable percussive base, confirms the title of “avant-garde visionary of our beautiful Latin music”".
EBLIS ALVAREZ (MERIDIAN BROTHERS)
“Papa Upa's infectious quirkiness is a balm against boredom. A mature album, but without an expiration date”.
GLADYS PALMERA

“Here there is a lot of strength, drum, cadence and psychedelia, lost dance rhythms, united in an intercontinental Latin/African/and Caribbean journey, a unique winning combination that we could consider the new “Ritmo Figueira”.
DISCODELIC

Conjunto Papa Upa are: 



Alex Figueira - Timbales, percussion, vocals. 

Gerardo Rosales - Congas, percussion, vocals. 

Ramón Mendeville - Bongos, percussion, vocals. 

Randy Winterdal - Bass.

Andrew Moreno - Guitar.

Nico Chientarolli - Organ, piano, synths.



All songs written by Alex Figueira. 

Arranged and performed by Conjunto Papa Upa. 

Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Alex Figueira at Heat Too Hot, Amsterdam.


Repress!

Far Out Recordings proudly presents the first and only album from the mysterious Brazilian vocal sensation Dila (pronounced “Jee-la”). Having reportedly died in a car crash shortly after the album’s release in 1971, there is very little known about the woman behind the voice. But the joyous music Dila left behind, gives us a picture as good as any, of a powerful feminine soul at the top of her game.

The liner notes on the elusive original LP, written by composer Arnoldo Medeiros attest: “Friend, look out! Because when this girl starts to sing, you’re in trouble. Hold the railing so you don’t fall down the stairs, because she’s coming this way and shaking up everything.”

Arranged and produced by Durval Ferreira, alongside his studio band affectionately known as “Os Grillos” (The Crickets), Dila (1971) is a rare glimpse into the authentic soulful Samba sound of Rio’s favelas in the late sixties and early seventies.

A blast of funky, percussive Brazilian breaks, scorching hot brass and swing-laden piano, the music is as iconic as the album’s stark cover, as is clear on opener ‘Inez’, composed by The Crickets’ bassist Romildo. There’s a fantastic interpretation of the Ivan Lins classic ‘Madalena’ (made famous by Elis Regina), a moving version of the Tom Jobim and Vinicius De Moraes classic ‘O Morro Não Tem Vez’, and a number of sunny original compositions by Arnold Madeiros, who’s other writing credits include music for Marcos Valle, Wanderlea, Evinha and Dom Salvador.

With original LPs extremely hard to come by, this rare treasure of Brazilian soul, which fans of Gal Costa, Celia, Evinha and Elis Regina will love, gets a much-deserved official reissue: remastered and pressed to 180g vinyl.

Recorded straight on the heels of Bad Company's 1974 debut — just a matter of three months later; not quite long enough to know how big a success the first LP would be — Straight Shooter is seemingly cut from the same cloth as its predecessor. It is, after all, a tight collection of eight strong, steady, heavy rockers that never, ever proceed in a hurry, but from the moment "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" kicks off the proceedings, it's clear that Bad Company have decided to expand their palette this second time around, writes AllMusic.

The album, released in April 1975, reached No. 3 on both the U.K. Albums Chart and the U.S. Billboard 200. It was certified gold (500,000 units sold) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a month after its release.

The jacket for the album was designed by Hipgnosis, who also designed their debut album.

"Good Lovin' Gone Bad," was released in March 1975 and reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was released in April. The album's final single "Feel like Makin' Love" was released in August and reached No. 10 on the Hot 100.

"Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Shooting Star," became classic rock staples due to this expanded aural vocabulary, and even straight-ahead rockers like "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" and "Deal with the Preacher" benefit from this additional muscle, while they feel comfortable enough to settle into a soulful groove on "Anna" and "Call on Me."

Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket by Stoughton Printing, this is the definitive pressing of Straight Shooter and one fans of Bad Company will be proud to own.

Even as a relatively new face on the scene, Boaksi, isn’t a stranger to longer format releases. The budding Zurich based producer made a splash with his first two releases “Under The Pavilion'' and "I Thought It Was Yesterday” which featured remixes from Soela, Louf and Al Zanders. Now he debuts on Seb Wildblood's all my thoughts label with a 4 track emotionally visceral EP titled Keep Movin’.

The title track, "Keep Movin'," takes a dynamic approach, layering creamy pads and impactful percussion with subtle dub techno influences that create a refreshingly deep groove, propelling a carefully positioned vocal sample into the forefront.

“Didn't I", leads with a beautiful, progressive melody that evokes a sense of yearning, and the ever-relatable Romanticism of the club. Delicately triggered chords dance off the wonderfully unpredictable drum patterns, while Boaksi's minimalist vocals add a touch of human emotion.

"Running Out Of Time" takes a more introspective turn, featuring distant, detuned textures that set the stage for a bed of soft, distorted pads. Stripped-back percussion allows the climbing arpeggios to take centre stage, building to a cleansing break that allows the atmosphereto expand before settling back into a warm, percussive groove.

The EP closes with "Wanna Be With You," another emotionally intelligent piece that showcases Boaksi's
prowess for crafting captivating soundscapes. Elemental drums and breathtaking, climatic chords provide the foundation for a beautifully free-forming synth arpeggio that flutters playfully around an unforgettable vocal hook.

Rosebay Music presents Darker Flowers - a V/A project showcasing 4 hotly-tipped new school producers - all representing a haunting soul sound with elegance and class. Romanian wiz kid Azotix has been making moves recently with his ultra-clean future bangers. But here he shows another side of his sound with the beautiful 'Hurt'. Styke & label boss Submorphics linked up in The Hague for a unique collab in 'Lonely Dub' - channeling dub techno + moody film noir D&B. LO! represents Chicago with the timeless banger 'Transition' - bringing an early 2000s sound into 2024. And imo-Lu finishes the EP with the gorgeous- yet-deadly bassbin rattler 'Inhibition'. Epic soundsystem music straight out of Glasgow.

Crossroads are back with a new single featuring the newcomer talented singer Cler, here covering the 1986 R&B tune "You're My Occupation" with a modern contemporary soul groove. On the B-side the classic "Tripping out" written by Curtis Mayfield, gets a new lifting with a catchy nu-soul

Diego Ruiz, aka DFRA, is an Argentine music producer very active in the last five years with several productions in the underground deep house scene. Now he's definitely setting the bar at the highest level with this project. He's introducing a full band of musicians with jazzy roots, and the result is a four-track EP that's a clear fusion of how jazz and electronic music merge in a unique way. It incorporates classic Deep House and House sounds plus the fusion of Modal Jazz, Bebop, and Hard Bop style melodies.

2024 Repress

180 Gram, Tip On Sleeve RSD version of this classic. One of the rarer records of the mythical Strata East albums is finally reissued for the first time on Heavenly Sweetness!
The recording of Earth Blossom, the John Betsch Societys one and only album, seems something of an enigma nowadays. For even though Nashville is clearly one of the towns in the US with the highest number of recording studios, who would have thought that the capital of country music would give birth to one of the forgotten masterpieces of 1970s spiritual jazz. The path leading to the album starts in 1963 when John Betsch, originally from Jacksonville in Florida, arrives in Nashville to study at Frisk University. He is a young drummer and joins Bob Holmes trio. Holmes is one of the towns major jazz organists and pianists; he becomes Betschs mentor and, over the space of two years, John will play alternately with him and with the trumpeter Louis Smiths group. However, in 1965, John leaves town to go to the prestigious Berkeley University in Boston and do a two-year course along with his fellow debutants with names like John Abercrombie, Ernie Watts and Alan Broadbent. Two years later, he is invited by a pianist friend, Billy Chilf, to join the legendary singer/songwriter Tim Hardins group. Just after Woodstock, John Betsch and Tim record a psychedelic album Columbia will never release together with the members of the future group Oregon: Colin Walcott, Glen Moore, Paul McCandles and his friend Billy Chilf. But he soon leaves this group to return to Nashville where he hooks up again with his friend Bob Holmes. Two years later, he is accepted on Archie Shepp and Max Roachs famous course at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMASS) and for the next four years he participates in this collective of intellectuals and musicians under the aegis of the two masters.
During this period he returns to Nashville to form his Society whose music is obviously influenced by the Afrocentric ideas of the UMASS student and political movement. However, the album, recorded in one day and in one take, also bears the hallmark of their generations psychedelic experiences, and in the themes and playing of the musicians we can hear a less violent form of music than the radical free jazz of New York or Chicago. Nature and environmental themes are the inspiration behind tracks touched by the spirit of Coltrane but also of Flower Power.

After Amherst, John Betsch joins Marion Browns group in 1976, leaves Tennessee for good and makes his home in New York over the next ten years or so. He plays and records with Dollar Brand, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre and many others, before heading off to France. He has lived in Paris for the last twenty years and played in Steve Lacy, Mal Waldron and Archie Shepp bands, as well as forming groups of his own. He now lives in Paris and plays with many musicians/bands.

“Todavía No”, La Paloma’s debut album, consolidates the young band from Madrid as one of the realities of the current scene. Undoubtedly, it’s definitely a bold step forward in all senses: compositional, interpretative, and artistic. Noise-rock to combat all the noise out there.

In “Una idea, pero es triste”, their celebrated debut EP, La Paloma expounded something very serious, but they explained it only once. Five songs that instantly connected with an audience eager for new references. In “Todavía no” there is more depth; here practically each cut shows a different shade of being La Paloma. “Tiré una piedra al aire” is far from “Algo ha cambiado”, but both are unequivocally La Paloma. Surely, this is something that can be attributed to the baggage acquired during this time lapse, but it certainly speaks very well of the artistic ambition of a band to which now seems to have no ceiling.
We are not, therefore, facing a mere extension of their 2021 EP, although musically they pick it up from where they left off. “Todavía no” is an accessible and contagious work, equal qualities shared with “Una idea, pero es triste”. It’s a work that conveys discontent and liberation, ambition and boredom. In large part, it’s due to the accredited ability of its composers Nico Yubero and Lucas Sierra to observe the world with the right dose of skepticism and disappointment, avoiding tormented gesticulation.
The presentation tour that followed the publication of the EP was extensive and led La Paloma to defend their songs throughout the Spanish geography, as well as visits to Portugal, Mexico and the United States. That state of grace was transferred to the studio, where they tried to reflect their live sound and proposal. With an elegant production and without undue frills, the mission of preserving the sharp fang shown in concert halls was achieved, ensuring, in turn, that the elements, arrangements and the proposal of each instrument were heard crystal clear.
Right from the start, we notice in the sequence many of the virtues that make La Paloma one of the most advantaged groups of the current scene: gushing guitars, the solidity of its rhythm section with Rubén Almonacid on bass and Juan Rojo on drums and the color tone provided by the voices of Nico and Lucas, who share the vocal tasks on alternate tracks.
But there’s more: songs that destroy the most generic canon of noise-rock to take it to little-explored territories, frantic guitar games and a cascade of imaginative arrangements. It combines popular song constructions with unpredictable structures that prevent you from anticipating what twist is to come next, making listening experience exhilarating and addictive.
“Todavía no” is a tightly cohesive album, a remarkable fact considering the two creative inputs from which the band draws from and the artistic ambition with which they faced the building of this work. Because we are talking about a complete work, conceived as such. The first chords of “Sigo aquí” sound and the disorganization of reality… is still disorganized, but somehow it makes sense now.

High Roller Records, 12 Seiten Booklet, Schuber, Seit den Achtzigern ist Cleveland ein Hotspot für großartige Heavy Metal Musik. Der aus Ohio stammende Andrew D'Caga setzt diese Tradition stilecht fort. In den vergangenen Jahren war der Multiinstrumentalist in mehr als einem halben Dutzend Bands aktiv, darunter Brimstone Coven und Icarus Witch. Sein Hauptaugenmerk liegt jedoch auf seinem eigenen Projekt Ironflame, für das er die Musik und Texte schreibt, alle Instrumente bedient und singt. Ironflame wurde 2016 gegründet und hat seitdem vier Alben veröffentlicht, die von Kritikern gelobt und von den Fans begeistert aufgenommen wurden. Auf das 2017 erschienene „Lightning Strikes The Crown“ folgten „Tales Of Splendor And Sorrow“ (2018), „Blood Red Victory“ (2020) und das High Roller-Debüt „Where Madness Dwells“ (2022). Und nun ist es Zeit für das brandneue Studioalbum, das den Namen „Kingdom Torn Asunder“ trägt.

High Roller Records, 12 Seiten Booklet, Schuber, Seit den Achtzigern ist Cleveland ein Hotspot für großartige Heavy Metal Musik. Der aus Ohio stammende Andrew D'Caga setzt diese Tradition stilecht fort. In den vergangenen Jahren war der Multiinstrumentalist in mehr als einem halben Dutzend Bands aktiv, darunter Brimstone Coven und Icarus Witch. Sein Hauptaugenmerk liegt jedoch auf seinem eigenen Projekt Ironflame, für das er die Musik und Texte schreibt, alle Instrumente bedient und singt. Ironflame wurde 2016 gegründet und hat seitdem vier Alben veröffentlicht, die von Kritikern gelobt und von den Fans begeistert aufgenommen wurden. Auf das 2017 erschienene „Lightning Strikes The Crown“ folgten „Tales Of Splendor And Sorrow“ (2018), „Blood Red Victory“ (2020) und das High Roller-Debüt „Where Madness Dwells“ (2022). Und nun ist es Zeit für das brandneue Studioalbum, das den Namen „Kingdom Torn Asunder“ trägt.

For the first time on clear vinyl, Death Cab for Cutie's landmark 2003 Double-LP "Transatlanticism" comes in a gatefold jacket with a beautiful full-size 12-page booklet.

These copies are pressed from the 2023 Ryan Smith re-cut and include a download code containing the album and all of the original album demos.

After ""Down Two Then Left"" and ""Silk Degrees"", Boz Scaggs again worked with the members of Toto to create Middle Man; another amazing mix of soul, harder rock, slow ballads and catchy songs. The two singles Breakdown Dead Ahead and JoJo were two of his most successful, both reaching the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself reached the US album top 10 and went Platinum. Middle Man is available as a limited edition on crystal clear vinyl and includes an insert.

The album opens with a 13 minute improvisation titled “The Time Is Now For Change”. As Ranelin , Belgrave, and Harrison exchange flurries of notes and squeaks over improvised chaos from the rhythm section, the group builds to a spiritual high that calls to mind the best Albert Ayler recordings. Bebop lines and unison phrases occasionally rise to the surface, offering a glimmer of familiarity in what is largely a harsh soundscape. Yet what sets Ranelin (and indeed, all of his Tribe contemporaries) apart from the larger free and spiritual jazz scene at the time is their sense of rhythm. Even as Harrison evokes sounds that would make a Meditations era Coltrane blush, the drums stay in time, and the looping bass and piano riffs take on an almost hypnotic quality, repeating quietly under a whirlwind of sound.

Later tracks see the ensemble veer into soul jazz, and jazz-funk, with “Black Destiny” perfectly highlighting the group’s ability to meld the avant-garde with grooves that you won’t be able to stop yourself from tapping your foot to. Members of the Tribe were well known for their appreciation of African American popular music, and the influence of groups such as Sly And The Family Stone is clear in the song’s edgy rhythms and dense sound.

This double LP reissue also contains alternate versions and outtakes that are so good you’ll be wondering why they were originally left out! With modern remastering, three bonus tracks, and an obi-strip, you don’t want to miss the definitive version of Phil Ranelin’s The Time Is Now! "

The third collaborative album by ASC & Sam KDC is here, entitled Surfacing. A six track excursion through sombre mood setting drones, relaxing hypnotic melodies, with a heavy slice of melancholy setting the scene throughout.
Pressed on clear/white heavyweight 180gram vinyl, with a high quality picture sleeve, designed by ASC.

Pressed on a triple 180-gram CLEAR MARBLE vinyl! This album features the Mahavishnu Orchestra, a jazz fusion band led by English guitarist John McLaughlin. Formed in New York City in 1971, the group underwent lineup changes during its active periods from 1971 to 1976 and 1984 to 1987. Known for their complex blend of Indian classical music, jazz, and psychedelic rock, the band received acclaim for dynamic live performances. Many former members have pursued successful careers in jazz and jazz fusion.

Pressed on a triple 180-gram CLEAR vinyl! This album features the Mahavishnu Orchestra, a jazz fusion band led by English guitarist John McLaughlin. Formed in New York City in 1971, the group underwent lineup changes during its active periods from 1971 to 1976 and 1984 to 1987. Known for their complex blend of Indian classical music, jazz, and psychedelic rock, the band received acclaim for dynamic live performances. Many former members have pursued successful careers in jazz and jazz fusion.

Ben Reed has worked with Frank Ocean, David Byrne, Sampha and many others, but his own music is unpredictable, passionate and tinged with melancholy and has drawn comparisons to the so-called Canterbury sound of Progressive rock.


‘Bandaged’ is much more in the singer/songwriter vein than Ben's previous releases, albeit tinged with an undeniable British proggy-ness. The richness of melody and harmonic vocabulary remains, and the influence of jazz is still detectable, this time via more concise song forms.


Past review comparisons to the Canterbury sound aren't too far wide of the mark here, especially as Jimmy Hastings (Caravan, Hatfield & the North) is present on two of the songs.


Throughout the album there is a detectable combination of sentimentality and melancholy combined with playfulness and a dark sense of humour making ‘Bandaged’ one of the most interesting and innovative new albums of its genre in 2023.

"Limited Run on Bottle-Green Clear Vinyl

Remastered by Bernie Grundman under the supervision of Joni Mitchell
Includes ""In France They Kiss On Main Street,"" ""Edith And The Kingpin,"" and ""The Jungle Line"""

An incredible, uplifting joint from New Zealand soul artist Arjuna Oakes. His second release on the Albert’s Favourites imprint overflows with the clear enjoyment of the band featuring legendary Nathan Haines. We’d say there’s a reasonable nod to D'Angelo’s essential Spanish Joint within these grooves.

The b-side delivers a vinyl exclusive – a downtempo, moody little number with an emotional drive that is deeply compelling – one to get lost inside.

DJ Feedback:

Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6 Music) - 'Watch out for a great singer from New Zealand called Arjuna Oakes' Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6 Music)

Finnish drummer/Producer Teppo "Teddy Rok" Mäkynen returns with his alias The Stance Brothers with "Sao Paolo / Timmy", a new 7"/digital single release on July 26th on We Jazz Records. Lauded by the likes of DJ Koco aka Shimokita, Kenny Dope and Gilles Peterson, Mäkynen's studio creation released the new album Duktus in November 2023, the project's first full length in more than 10 years. Back a new version of album cut "Sao Paolo" polus an unreleased new track, "Timmy", the project a treasure-trove for everyone into crunchy jazz funk à la Bob James & CTI, but this is no retro exercise. Teddy Rok moves forward in all directions, constantly bringing new elements into his sound, which is more layered and deep than ever before. At the same time, the crunch & the breaks are there when you need them.

The Stance 7" sides are often dominated by crunchy drums and crystal clear vibraphone melodies, and that's the overall vibe here, too. That being said, Mäkynen keeps things moving forward at all times, achieving moments of pure bliss with tracks that sound compact but expand far and wide both emotionally and musically.

The Stance Brothers are active live as a four-piece band, appearing live over the summer in Finland at Odysseus Festival and Flow Festival in Helsinki, plus G Livelab Tampere.

Facta & K-LONE’s Wisdom Teeth imprint continues its busy schedule of 10 year celebrations with the debut LP by H TO O: a new collaborative project by Japanese ambient artists H. Takahashi and Kohei Oyamada. Set across six distinct movements, the LP maps the different stages of the cosmic cycle through a series of dynamic ambient set pieces: from the exponential expansion of the universe in its infancy - here invoked by the bright, chiming album opener ‘Inflation’ - through to its inevitable collapse and rebirth, captured by the record’s driving, ominous closer, ‘Ever’. The record started life in Takahashi’s hands, initially intended as a solo follow-up to his acclaimed 2018 LP, Escapism. The Kankyō Records founder shared his early sketches with friend and collaborator Oyamada, who began to play with the arrangements, taking the work in an experimental new direction. Naturally the project evolved into a cooperative effort, and its final form is the result of an honest and fluid back-and-forth between the two artists. The collaboration marks a considerable shift in energy to the artists’ previous works - most of all in its foregrounded use of rhythm. Where Escapism was built from a series of gently lilting, dream-like vignettes, each movement of Cycle has a clear sense of forward momentum and purpose. Each composition builds from a set of sparse, meandering elements into something dense, cinematic and, at points, discordant. Although Cycle is at heart an ambient record, there is a club-informed feeling of forward motion running through the record, placing it in a similar sonic world to the beatless-but-rhythmic ambient techno of artists like Barker, Lorenzo Senni and Sunareht. Delicate and dramatic in equal measure, Cycle is a vital and exciting debut dedicated to the building of worlds - and to their eventual and inevitable dissolution. Genre: Electronic / Ambient