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Repress!

First in a series of collaboration albums between Lokkhi Terra (described by songlines as the "probably the world's greatest Afrobeat-Cuban-Bangladeshi band") and Bangladeshi folk legends the Shikor Bangladeshi All Stars. This first outing is a Roots meets Roots affair. "The international power of Reggae" David Rodigan Radio1xtra

Written whilst Lokkhi Terra were on tour in Bangladesh, and recorded between Dhaka and London, the two tracks and corresponding dub mixes on side B reflect the bands long love affair with Roots Reggae. They were first perfromed on Bangladehi TV for a show called "The Bengal Tiger's Revenge", and then showcased at UK"s Womad Festival in 2015.

"should not have worked, but really did. Kishon Khans keyboard and artistic direction allowed the Bangladeshis to meld with his Cuban rhythm section to really fine effect, blending Latin, Afrobeat, Jazz, Dub and all manner of other elements to create something truly exceptional" United Reggae

"Awesome Cross-Cultural Collaboration" London Jazz News

THE LEGENDARY 1980 ALBUM REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL TAPES.
• 2LP SET WITH 12” X 12” BOOKLET.
• INLCUDES THE PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ‘COMS 1-3 RDX SUITE’ (TAKEN FROM THE ‘COMMERCIAL
ALBUM’ MULTITRACK TAPES).
• PRODUCED WITH THE RESIDENTS AND THE CRYPTIC CORPORATION.
• THE SEVENTH IN A SERIES OF VINYL RE-ISSUES OF THE RESIDENTS’ CLASSIC 70S ALBUMS.
Formed in the early 1970s, The Residents have now been charting a unique path through the
musical landscape for 50 years. In celebration of that remarkable and unlikely anniversary, we
present an expanded vinyl edition of the classic 1980 LP ‘Commercial Album’.
Following almost a decade spent attempting to redefine what pop music could be, but with zero
hit singles to show for it, The Residents finally caved and produced their own pop music album as
the 80s dawned. But rather than have each song repeat the same minute of music three times as
per the traditional pop format, The Residents produced no less than 40 one-minute pop
masterpieces, and invited the listener to do the repeating bit themselves if they felt the need.
The resulting ‘Commercial Album’ both showcased the incredible depth of the group’s musical
palette and proved definitively that they could easily be as big as The Beatles if they wanted to.
Probably bigger, actually.
Featuring a breathless collage of toe-tappers, memorable melodies, instrumental experiments
and guest performers (Fred Frith, Chris Cutler and XTC’s Andy Partridge among them), the
record has since acquired legendary status among both fans and confused onlookers alike.
Alongside the original album, this 2LP edition presents the ‘COMS 1-3 RDX Suite’ – a brand new
interpretation of (almost) the entire album, produced by the group using the original multi-track
tapes – and a brand new sleevenote essay shedding new light on the album’s production.
‘Commercial Album’ is the latest in The Residents’ extensive ongoing pREServed series – expect
more throughout 2023 and 2024. Possibly even 2025 too, the way things are going.

This July the esteemed scribe, proper DJ, and discreetly deft twiddler Bill Brewster, drops the latest instalment in his ‘After Dark’ series, for Late Night Tales.

A throbbing, louche and leisurely affair, groove is very much at the heart of this freestyle selection, a vibe which Bill de- scribes as “a basement, a red light and a sound system. Or, as the Beastie’s once rapped, slow and low, that is the tempo”.

There’s Hawaiian drum machine bossa balearica from Island Band, percussive afro post punk from Czech jazz singer Jana Koubkova, and breathy-bubbling-dubwise-slap-bass-soul from Debbe& The Code.

There’s also sultry deep house mood music from Lanowa, infectious bouncy jazz funk breaks from Canada High, and Nail’s life affirming re-edit of singer songwriter Gilbert O Sullivan’s electro pop gem ‘So What’.

Bill’s own studio skills are present and correct too, featuring an undulating bassy version of country troubadour Jeb Loy Nichols, reworked along Alex Tepper under their Hotel Motel moniker, and a chugged-up squelchy disco take on Khruang- bin, this time paired with Raj Gupta, as Mang Dynasty.

Chock full of exclusives, tracks are either completely brand new, or available digitally for the first time, whilst others are wallet-rinsing rarities if purchased elsewhere. Whichever way you slice it though, every tune is a highlight, working equally well as standalone nuggets, or within Bill’s fluidly cohesive mix.

Whether he’s taking the roof off a club with his unique selec- tion of deep and tough house music, enchanting a backroom with a genre-bending set of disco, Balearic, rock and hip hop or playing chillout music in a bay in Croatia, Bill Brewster is the man for all occasions.

In a former life, Bill was a punk rocker, a chef and also the co-editor of football magazine When Saturday Comes but has been a record nerd all of his life. He began DJing in the 1980s, but came into his own in the early 1990s, particularly during a two-year stint in New York running DMC’s office, where nights at the Sound Factory and hanging out with Danny Tenaglia gave him the musical grounding you can still hear in his music today.

Bill was also one of the founding residents at Fabric in London, a position he held for five years. There are few still playing regularly today that have his dedication, eclecticism and encyclopedic knowledge of music.

His parallel life is as a writer, and with his long-term part- ner-in-crime Frank Broughton, they have written four books together, including the acclaimed ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ (latest edition published last July), ‘How To DJ (Prop- erly)’ and ‘The Record Players’.

He has been working in the industry’s fringes for over 40 years including the running of various labels from Twisted UK and Forensic in the ’90s to Disco Sucks and Anorak in the noughties.

He is one of NTS radio’s new residents for 2023 and his ‘Low Life Loves You’ show is available on the first Tuesday of every month.

Lori McKenna titled her album 1988 after the year she married her husband, Gene, yet the 10 songs within also serve as a love letter to lifelong friendships, people she’s lost, and her family. Recorded with producer Dave Cobb in Savannah, Georgia, 1988 naturally has its nostalgic moments, even if not every ending is a happy one. With more of an electric edge than her past projects, 1988 feels in step with classic ‘90s albums by Sheryl Crow or Gin Blossoms, where the lyrics pulled you in as much as the melody or production. Playing together on acoustic guitars while facing one another in the studio, McKenna and Cobb tracked the album live, giving it a feeling of immediacy and authenticity.

There's something intangible about Celeste, the Soundcarriers’ second album, originally released in 2010. It has a light, lucid quality, almost like driving exhausted through a strange city at night. Freeflowing yet tethered, dreamy yet attacking, the band continue the fight to reconcile competing impulses. Various threads just about keep the shimmering tapestry from tearing. Haunting folk melodies underpinned by rhythmic static and the physicality of the totally analogue recording and mixing, baroque keyboard counterpoints and sweeping arrangements. The opener “Last Broadcast” seems to encapsulate this but it's almost as if the album gets the angst out of its system with this track and is free to explore the quieter, less crowded back streets. After the smoke of “Last Broadcast” has cleared, the twisting road takes in the soft introspection of “Hideaway” and “Morning Haze”, both tracks morphing into heavy psyche grooves or the eastern tinged psyche funk of “Signals” and “Rise And Fall”. Or takes another turn with the tightly arranged opening segment of “Long Highway”. Somehow it still manages to fit in ‘60s pop gems like “There Only Once”. An album to really lose yourself in, yet more concise than the sprawling Harmonium and more relaxed and freeflowing than the nervy rush of Entropicalia, Celeste could be arguably their most indispensable album and not to damn it with faint praise, their most listenable.

Peter Jefferies, a living legend of New Zealand underground music, from his seminal bands Nocturnal Projections and This Kind Of Punishment, to his collaborative efforts in bands such as Plagal Grind and Two Foot Flame, is perhaps best known for his solo work on masterpieces such as The Last Great Challenge In A Dull World (1990) and Electricity (1994), as well as Elevator Madness (1996). All of these albums came out on vinyl but one of the best was the singular Closed Circuit (2001) which, unfortunately, only came out on compact disc and was somewhat lost to time until now. After Grapefruit released his collection of singles and unreleased songs called Last Ticket Home in 2019, Jefferies mentioned he’d always hoped one of his personal favorite solo albums could someday be heard on vinyl as it was intended. Grapefruit is proud to finally be able to highlight Jefferies’ last album of lyric-based songs by releasing Closed Circuit on vinyl, remastered and with new artwork and insert. This album features all of Jefferies’ signature tense and dark, piano-driven rock and moody balladry, along with themes of personal isolation and domestic ambivalence. It’s a tour-de-force that has remained in the dark too long.

Imperial f.f.r.r. was Unrest’s breakthrough album in 1992. It has withstood the test of time and is now considered an indie-rock classic and one of the best albums of the 1990s. Formed in 1984, at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, the band started releasing homemade cassettes on their own Teenbeat label. Imperial f.f.r.r. is their sixth album and marked the arrival of original Velocity Girl vocalist Bridget Cross joining drummer Phil Krauth and singer/guitarist Mark Robinson. It was recorded by Wharton Tiers (Sonic Youth) at his home studio in Manhattan. After the release of Imperial f.f.r.r., the band released singles on Sub Pop and K and soon thereafter signed to legendary U.K. indie 4AD, releasing their final studio album Perfect Teeth in 1993. This limited edition features the original design and layout of the very first pressing from 1992. All the details have been recreated including the lyric sheet, the blue box around the amplifier on the front, the label art, and even the Ajax and No.6 Records logos. The original didn't have a barcode, so we've created a spiffy new removeable OBI card for that featuring a photograph by Mike Galinsky (The Decline of Mall Civilization) of the band playing at New York's Spiral club in 1991.

Swami John Reis celebrates his 100th year in rock ’n’ roll with a brand new band and record! “Ride The Wild Night” is neither completely similar nor dissimilar to his previous bands (Hot Snakes, Night Marchers, The Sultans, Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, etc).

Yet the sound is immediately familiar and assuring (like an old friend you lost touch with that comes back into your life only to ask to borrow money).

The music is an amalgam of ’60s folk-punk, ’70s punk-punk and pre-Vietnam War rock ’n’ roll, filtered through the Reis’ unregistered, trademark sensibilities. “I wanted to celebrate some of my favorite rock n roll in its transitional periods. Flaming Groovies, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Kinks, The Saints and others created some of the most exciting recordings while also connecting the musical past to its future. That really appeals to me”.

Although titled a “solo” record it is predominantly in name only. The record is built on stentorian bedrock of savage drumming by J. Sinclair K. of Hot Snakes and the pounding acoustic piano of Joe Guevara. Also adding their expertise to the mix is Chris Prescott (Pinback) Gar Wood (Hot Snakes), Glen Galloway (Truman’s Water), Jacob Turnbloom (Mrs. Magician) and Jordan Clark (PLOSIVS). With this backing, Swami John Reis finalizes it with his throaty basso and weaponizes the files with roaring electric guitars, rapid acoustic guitar strum and bass.

Hear his defiant, croak-howl in what might be his most autobiographical work yet. “All of these stories are real. They just might not be completely true.” Reis adds, ”The words come from what I overhear through my fence, what I see across the street, pictures I see in my head, experiences that I can’t forget or am grateful to remember.” If there is a loose theme throughout the record he offers, “Musically and lyrically there is a motivation to surrender to a restless and impulsive spirit that can only be satisfied by breaking things. Creating rubble for better or worse. “

Music critics and fans alike have long referred to Reis’s signature voice as “The Velvet Yawn” and never has that description been more apt. “Ride The Wild Night” was recorded by Reis at City Of Refuge (Night Marchers, Black Lips, The Spits) and mixed by Ben Moore (Hot Snakes, Diamanda Galas) at Singing Serpent.

‘Mellifluous’... is a word you won’t hear much when conversation turns to early Pooh Sticks records. But ‘noise pollution’, sure: that comes up. I’ve even used it myself. So look away now if you must: ‘Straight Up: Noise Pollution C88-90’ is a selection of some of the most loved/despised/ignored tracks released by The Pooh Sticks on however many records it was before it all went wilfully ‘American’ sometime around dotted-lining for BMG mega-corp in 1991.
The record has highlights and lowlights. You and me, we’d probably agree on most of them. We chose a reasonable cross-section, I think (although there could’ve been more tambourine), including:
- “On Tape” - zeitgeist-nailin’ strum and strangle.
- “I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well” - long title
- “Teenage High” - breathy sweetness sneaked onto the depraved Sympathy For The Record Industry label.
- “Dying For It” - the Vaselines cover which beat Nirvana by a full two years (though theirs sold better).
... and more! It’s like Christmas (no, blocking up the chimney won’t help: we’ve cut spare keys). And all of this in a nice gatefold sleeve, and on Steve McQueen’s- eyes blue vinyl. And there’s even a repro poster for the March ’89 Pastels/Pooh Sticks/Vaselines gig up London way (“I swear I was there”, people say).
On behalf of the group, I hope you enjoy it. No, really. It was all a long time ago but I remember we had fun. Maybe you were even there having fun with us.

A central figure in Seattle’s fading disco scene, radio DJ, producer, engineer, writer and multi-instrumentalist…Tony Benton was the driving force behind the Seattle soul-funk sound during the late 70s & 80s. Starting off his career at the age of ten he learned how to play the piano and then finally got to take a music class in the 7th grade. Having access to an electric piano made him fall in love with the thought that he could make his own music. At the age of 16 Tony and his friends already formed their first band called ‘Crystal Clear’ and were making up songs in his basement.
Things would really start off when Tony Benton teamed up with his group to form the avant-boogie group Teleclere who went on to release their first single in 1982 (Fantasy Love / Ultra Groove). That’s when Tony started playing all of the other instruments and thus earning him the title ‘multi-instrumentalist’. Teleclere was all about creating and performing original music, there was no music scene in Seattle at that time for a black artist or group who played original compositions. Rap-music was also emerging and clubs slowly started to switch from live performances to deejays.
Through the success of their independent EP release, Teleclere followed up a year later with their Affection/Defection album which created a serious hype. This gave them the chance to regularly open at concerts for national artists in halls and clubs. They played at nightclubs, bars, festivals, private parties and did mini tours in the Washington State cities & Canada…including opening for Grammy-award winning soul-star Peabo Bryson (performing for a crowd of 3,000 in their hometown Seattle)
Sadly, radio would not play their music so folks never really had the chance to hear it unless they saw them perform live (they always won the crowd over). To add insult to injury, venues and the likes started to mainly book cover bands playing top 40 music. Disappointed by this Tony Benton became a radio personality but would continue to record and perform under the name ‘Teleclere’ with various players and vocalists for many years to come. Only a handful of his tracks recorded were released in the end.
Thankfully we are left with the unique audio-document that is the Affection/Defection LP. The album took the scene by storm in 1983 and sounds like a sci-fi space odyssey unfolding on an intergalactic dance floor…a chopped and slapped slice of 80ies electro-funk, sensual soulful serenades, pulses of Innervisions-worthy bass, top of the line vocals and a plethora of vocoder magic. Also included is the hit ‘Steal Your Love’ that was featured on the acclaimed 2014 Light In The Attic compilation ‘Wheedle’s Groove Volume II: Seattle Funk, Modern Soul And Boogie 1972-1987’.
Tidal Waves Music (in collaboration with the Numero Group) now proudly presents the first ever vinyl reissue of this fantastic private pressed Seattle electronic soul/funk album (originally released in 1983 on Telemusic Productions). This rare record (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a limited 180g vinyl edition (500 copies) complete with the original artwork and obi strip.

Animal Crossing Presents: Squid Ink Records 001 a new vinyl only label from the guys over at Animal Crossing with a slick cut E.P from resident Joey Jackson.

Auf "Amongst the Low & Empty" wird der wütende Deathcore von SIGNS OF THE SWARM mit einer gehörigen Portion Groove und Industrial-Impulsen angereichert, die Vergleiche mit Meshuggah, Deftones und Fear Factory nahelegen. Die Band aus Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, erreicht damit eine neue Ebene der Düsternis - der Soundtrack zu einer nicht allzu fernen dystopischen Zukunft, während ihre eigene heller denn je brennt. Das Feuer wurde von Co-Produzent und Mixer Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, King 810, Tallah) entfacht, der über einen Monat lang im Studio an dem Album arbeitete, wobei Schlagzeuger Bobby Crow das Fundament legte, auf dem alles aufgebaut wurde. "Amongst the Low & Empty" beginnt mit einer Bulldozer-Note - kein mäanderndes Intro - mit einem Titeltrack, der so schwer ist, dass ein später Ausbruch der Double Bass den Manager der Band buchstäblich zum Lachen brachte. Danach geht es mit "Tower of Torsos", "DREAMKILLER" oder "The Witch Beckons" weiter, bei dem Trivium-Sänger Matt Heafy neben dem animalischen Growl von Sänger David Simonich zu hören ist.Unermüdliches Touren mit Bands wie Lorna Shore, Whitechapel, Fit for an Autopsy, Born of Osiris, Archspire und VIELEN anderen hat es Signs of the Swarm ermöglicht, ihr Handwerk zu verfeinern, aber auf "Amongst the Low & Empty" haben sie es wirklich gemeistert und sind bereit, in der Welt des extremen Metal auszubrechen.Einfach gesagt ist dies der Sound von Kunst, die bis zum Äußersten getrieben wird.

Von ihrer selbstbetitelten Debüt-EP im Jahr 2019 bis zu ihrem ersten Album 'Moonlit Cross' zwei Jahre später ging der Aufstieg von THE NIGHT ETERNAL rasant. Die Ästhetik des deutschen Quintetts stand von Anfang an fest – melodischer, aber dennoch stimmungsvoller Heavy Metal mit mehr als einem Hauch der teuflischen Vergangenheit des Hard Rock – aber selbst der Übergang von der EP zum Album bewies, dass ihre Vision immer noch die dunkleren Nuancen des Heavy Metals auslotete. „Beugen, aber nicht brechen“, lautet die Devise, und THE NIGHT ETERNAL kehren weitere zwei Jahre später mit einem Album zurück, das mehr Dunkelheit denn je erforscht.

Das zweite Album von THE NIGHT ETERNAL mit dem Titel 'Fatale' strahlt sofort eine berauschende Aura aus: härter, schwerer und definitiv DUNKLER, und doch auch irgendwie sanfter und geheimnisvoller. Dynamik spielt hier eine Schlüsselrolle: Während die Deutschen immer noch hart rocken, färbt ein feines Gespür für Nuancen diese neun Hymnen, die eine fast violette Samtatmosphäre haben. Passend dazu strotzt ihre ohnehin schon überragende Melodik vor hymnischer Energie, selbst wenn sie entscheiden, düsterere Schritte ins Jenseits unternehmen. Das Ergebnis ist unwiderruflich ein verblüffend einzigartig und eigenständiger Sound und Stil.

„Unser Versuch für Fatale war es, THE NIGHT ETERNAL noch mehr nach uns selbst klingen zu lassen. Wir haben versucht, gleichzeitig die Melodien und Riffs eingängiger zu machen und dem Gesamtsound eine härtere, düsterere und zeitlosere Note zu verleihen.“

'Fatale' bietet eine kraftvolle, kristallklare Produktion von Marco Brinkmann, abgerundet durch Arthur Rizks Mastering. Der zweite Longplayer von THE NIGHT ETERNAL ist groß und geräumig, bewahrt aber auf magische Weise Intimität und Geheimnisvolles. Es klingt und fühlt sich stadiontauglich an, ganz wie ihre Gründungshelden Judas Priest, Iron Maiden und die Scorpions. Aber auch hier kann nicht genug betont werden, wie 'Fatale' die Band nachhaltig zu einer einzigartigen Einheit macht.

"Fatale" strahlt sofort eine berauschende Aura aus, die Fans von TRIBULATION, THE DEVILS BLOOD, IN SOLITUDE und UNTO OTHERS sofort in ihre Bann ziehen wird!

Das Role-Playing-Game "Cassette Beasts" liefert einen mitreißenden 80er-Synthie-Rock-trifft-auf-britischen-Indie-Soundtrack, der vom Briten Joel Baylis komponiert wurde und bei dem die Newcomerin Shelby Harvey, den Gesang übernimmt. Der Soundtrack nimmt seine Hörer mit auf die mysteriöse Insel New Wirral und bietet alles: Von Lo-Fi Akustikballaden bis hin zu stadiontauglichen Hymnen. Apropos, willkommen in New Wirral, einer abgeschiedenen Insel, die von mysteriösen Kreaturen bewohnt wird, die man sonst nur aus den Albträumen kennt, die man niemandem wünschen möchte. Die Insel wird aber auch von einem tapferen Völkchen, das Kassetten benutzt, um gegen diese Monster in die Schlacht zu ziehen. Um wieder nach Hause zu finden, gilt es, die Insel bis in die letzte Ecke untersuchen und Monster auf Tape zu bannen, um ihre Eigenschaften zu erlangen! Joel Baylis gibt einen kurzen Einblick in seine Vision hinsichtlich des Soundtracks dem Resultat seiner Arbeit: "Mein Ziel war es, als ich die Musik für Cassette Beasts gemacht habe, etwas zu erschaffen, dass irgendwo zwischen einem Rollenspiel-Soundtrack und einem 80er Synthie-Rock-Album liegt. Ich denke, selbst wenn man diese Einflüsse in Betracht zieht, ist etwas höchst Eigenständiges entstanden. Es fällt schwer, den einen Genre-Stempel aufzudrücken, dafür versammelt die Musik zu viele Stimmungen und Stile." Darüber hinaus könnte die Freude bei Baylis über die Veröffentlichung des Soundtracks auf wunderschönem lila und mintgrünem Vinyl sowie natürlich auch auf limitiertem Tape kaum größer sein: "Die Stücke für den physischen Release wurden mit viel Bedacht ausgewählt und zusammengestellt, so dass alle Aspekte des Soundtracks perfekt in Szene gesetzt werden und das Produkt einfach großartig in jeder Sammlung aussehen sowie unter der Nadel klingen wird." Und da sich bei "Cassette Beasts" alles um die legendären Tonbänder dreht, haben sich Black Screen Records natürlich ebenfalls um eine limitierte Auflage von Tapes gekümmert. Alles bereit für die Monsterjagd! Der "Cassette Beasts"-Soundtrack ist nicht nur für Indie-Gamer ein Muss, sondern auch für Fans von Künstlern wie CHVRCHES oder Liebhaber des 80er Synthie-Sounds.

Das Role-Playing-Game "Cassette Beasts" liefert einen mitreißenden 80er-Synthie-Rock-trifft-auf-britischen-Indie-Soundtrack, der vom Briten Joel Baylis komponiert wurde und bei dem die Newcomerin Shelby Harvey, den Gesang übernimmt. Der Soundtrack nimmt seine Hörer mit auf die mysteriöse Insel New Wirral und bietet alles: Von Lo-Fi Akustikballaden bis hin zu stadiontauglichen Hymnen. Apropos, willkommen in New Wirral, einer abgeschiedenen Insel, die von mysteriösen Kreaturen bewohnt wird, die man sonst nur aus den Albträumen kennt, die man niemandem wünschen möchte. Die Insel wird aber auch von einem tapferen Völkchen, das Kassetten benutzt, um gegen diese Monster in die Schlacht zu ziehen. Um wieder nach Hause zu finden, gilt es, die Insel bis in die letzte Ecke untersuchen und Monster auf Tape zu bannen, um ihre Eigenschaften zu erlangen! Joel Baylis gibt einen kurzen Einblick in seine Vision hinsichtlich des Soundtracks dem Resultat seiner Arbeit: "Mein Ziel war es, als ich die Musik für Cassette Beasts gemacht habe, etwas zu erschaffen, dass irgendwo zwischen einem Rollenspiel-Soundtrack und einem 80er Synthie-Rock-Album liegt. Ich denke, selbst wenn man diese Einflüsse in Betracht zieht, ist etwas höchst Eigenständiges entstanden. Es fällt schwer, den einen Genre-Stempel aufzudrücken, dafür versammelt die Musik zu viele Stimmungen und Stile." Darüber hinaus könnte die Freude bei Baylis über die Veröffentlichung des Soundtracks auf wunderschönem lila und mintgrünem Vinyl sowie natürlich auch auf limitiertem Tape kaum größer sein: "Die Stücke für den physischen Release wurden mit viel Bedacht ausgewählt und zusammengestellt, so dass alle Aspekte des Soundtracks perfekt in Szene gesetzt werden und das Produkt einfach großartig in jeder Sammlung aussehen sowie unter der Nadel klingen wird." Und da sich bei "Cassette Beasts" alles um die legendären Tonbänder dreht, haben sich Black Screen Records natürlich ebenfalls um eine limitierte Auflage von Tapes gekümmert. Alles bereit für die Monsterjagd! Der "Cassette Beasts"-Soundtrack ist nicht nur für Indie-Gamer ein Muss, sondern auch für Fans von Künstlern wie CHVRCHES oder Liebhaber des 80er Synthie-Sounds.

'Keepsakes', hackedepicciottos 5. Studio-Album, ist nicht nur eine wunderschöne Ode an die Freundschaft, sondern zugleich auch ein Manifest stetig wachsenden Beziehung des in Berlin ansässigen Avantgarde-Duos aus Axel Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten) und Künstlerin Danielle De Picciotto (nicht zuletzt die Mitbegründerin der Love Parade). Obwohl diese nun schon zwei Dekaden währt, zeigen sie sich in einer goldenen Zeit der Kreativität und Verbundenheit.

Ein charmanter Dieb und eine Gruppe ungleicher Abenteurer unternehmen einen epischen Raubüberfall, um ein verlorenes Relikt zu bergen.

Mit ”Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves” kommt die vielschichtige Welt des legendären Rollenspiels in einem unterhaltsamen und actiongeladenen Abenteuer auf die große Leinwand. Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head und Hugh Grant spielen die Hauptrollen in diesem epischen Fantasyfilm, der auf dem kultigen Hasbro-Tischspiel Dungeons & Dragons basiert.

Der Soundtrack stammt aus der Feder des Grammy und Emmy Gewinners Lorne Balfe, der auch die Musik von Blockbustern wie Mission Impossible Fallout oder preisgekrönten Serien wie The Crown geschrieben hat. Mit rasanten Orchesterarrangements und starken Melodien erweckt der schottische Komponist diesen Film zum Leben.

Über die Musik selbst sagt Balfe: ”Ich bin so glücklich, der Komponist für ’Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves’ zu sein. Ich habe mit diesem Spiel begonnen, als ich 7 Jahre alt war, und ich bin begeistert, dass eine neue Generation das Spiel entdeckt, mit dem ich aufgewachsen bin. Die Musik ist voll von zarten, mystischen, keltischen Reisen, gemischt mit einem großen, üppigen Kino Orchester. Mit diesem Werk konnte ich meine schottischen Wurzeln richtig ausleben!”

Ein charmanter Dieb und eine Gruppe ungleicher Abenteurer unternehmen einen epischen Raubüberfall, um ein verlorenes Relikt zu bergen.

Mit ”Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves” kommt die vielschichtige Welt des legendären Rollenspiels in einem unterhaltsamen und actiongeladenen Abenteuer auf die große Leinwand. Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head und Hugh Grant spielen die Hauptrollen in diesem epischen Fantasyfilm, der auf dem kultigen Hasbro-Tischspiel Dungeons & Dragons basiert.

Der Soundtrack stammt aus der Feder des Grammy und Emmy Gewinners Lorne Balfe, der auch die Musik von Blockbustern wie Mission Impossible Fallout oder preisgekrönten Serien wie The Crown geschrieben hat. Mit rasanten Orchesterarrangements und starken Melodien erweckt der schottische Komponist diesen Film zum Leben.

Über die Musik selbst sagt Balfe: ”Ich bin so glücklich, der Komponist für ’Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves’ zu sein. Ich habe mit diesem Spiel begonnen, als ich 7 Jahre alt war, und ich bin begeistert, dass eine neue Generation das Spiel entdeckt, mit dem ich aufgewachsen bin. Die Musik ist voll von zarten, mystischen, keltischen Reisen, gemischt mit einem großen, üppigen Kino Orchester. Mit diesem Werk konnte ich meine schottischen Wurzeln richtig ausleben!”

The Waterboys’ eighth studio album is made available on vinyl for the first time, in ‘Seville’ orange. Originally released in 2003, ‘Universal Hall’ was recorded in the basement studio of the titular hall, a theatre and concert venue in Findhorn, Scotland. It is the most nakedly spiritual of the band's records, all the more so for having been mostly written and entirely made in the spiritual community at Findhorn. At the time of release, band leader Mike Scott described ‘Universal Hall’ as "a record containing eleven spiritual songs that articulate - to the best of my ability - the vision that drives, challenges, sustains and transforms me.” This vision is explored in now-classic Waterboys numbers such as Peace Of Iona, The Christ In You and Universal Hall itself, One track, the celtic-flavoured I've Lived Here Before, was written with Liam O'Maonlai of Hothouse Flowers. The album also saw the return of the band's fiddler Steve Wickham, his first appearance on a Waterboys’ record since ‘Room To Roam’ in 1990. The vinyl format is 180g Orange vinyl. The CD format is packaged in a jewelcase with 16 page booklet.

Besucher:innen des Newport Folk Festivals wurden im vergangenen Sommer Zeugen eines ganz besonderen Momentes: Joni Mitchell kehrte am 24. Juli 2023 nach 20 Jahren auf die Bühne zurück und spielte ein eindringliches Set, das einige ihrer großartigsten Songs
beinhaltete.

Es war das triumphale Bühnen-Comeback der Frau, die nicht wenige für die größte Singer-Songwriterin aller Zeiten halten.

Erhältlich ab 28. Juli als CD-, 2-LP, außerdem gibt es eine Version in durchsichtigem Vinyl im Indie-Handel ++ Produziert von Brandi Carlile und Joni Mitchell (mit Linernotes von Cameron Crowe )

Lazy Reflex Complex lands their second release with a split EP by Clone's techno-ambassador Lenson and Sculpturism / Miller & Keane; two collaboration projects of Dave Miller that were produced back in 2003. Tranquilizer, originally released on the Schenk1 compilation (Onderwereld), has been remastered for vinyl and is exclusively available for the fitting format. Label head 543ff reworks Tranquilizer in an ominous and hypnotic fashion. Big room beats built to shake floors and move crowds. Mastered by Audiosculpture.

Recorded in 1977, James Taylor's first album JT for Columbia Records made a huge impact on the hit charts. The album itself peaked at number 4 of the Billboard 200, and the singles “Handy Man” and “Your Smiling Face” hit high on the charts as well. JT meant a new direction for the folk pop singer as he shows a newly found positive approach to his songwriting material. Gone were his 'rainy day man' sensitive croons, in comes this mainstream, sunny easy listening vibe. Taylor mixes his patented acoustic guitar-based folk sound with elements of rock, blues, and country to great effect.

Just like the original European pressings, the album is packed in a gatefold sleeve and contains a lyric sheet. JT is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on red coloured vinyl.

Repress!

"One Step Forward" is the debut album from Brighton based DJ and producer Cut La Vis aka David Lavis. Raised on a healthy diet of 90s hip hop, roots reggae and ska, Cut La Vis debut album for NICE UP! is a melting pot of exactly that - the sounds and culture he grew up around whilst learning his trade. Starting off as the DJ for a reggae band in his hometown of Hereford, he soon gravitated to the turntablist explosion of the mid 90s, competing in local competitions and B-Boy jams. At the same time, his love for dub and roots reggae led him into trying his hand at the fertile reggae mash-up scene, making a name for himself with an array of dancefloor shaking blends of classic hip hop tracks infused with a feel good skank, as well as remixes for for artists such as Blend Mishkin, Dreadsquad and Max Rubadub. Making the transition from mash-up maverick to original producer, you can still expect the same reggae infused bangers, dubwise hip hop and ska shakers complemented by an impressive array of guest vocalists plus a little help from a tight band of session musicians. Following their summer hit "Still Have The Love", London-based reggae/soul singer Maddy Carty appears on a number of tracks, as well as Bristol songstress Eva Lazarus who has been bothering the top 40 recently alongside Etherwood (Hospital Records). Roots Manuva collaborator and Speech Debelle's Mercury-winning producer Lotek blesses the mic on the bouncing "Rinse & Repeat" as well as UK Dancehall legend Tippa Irie who crops up on "Love My Music" pus an appearance from regular collaborator Mystro who opens the album with "Hit Me One Time". Rounding things off are JA dancehall MC Peppery and vocalist from Origin One, Parisa - giving the album a healthy balance of established artists and newer talent. With a cheeky nod to the classic Max Romeo track, "One Step Forward" also refers to this being Dave's debut album and making his first step into the future whilst retaining inspiration from the past.

LP includes Poster.

When Sacred Bones first began their Mort Garson reissue project in 2019 with a proper reissue of Plantasia, the Garson-naissance began in earnest. Soon after, you could hear Mort Garson and his Moogs bubbling up on TV shows, documentaries, podcasts, hip-hop tracks, or anywhere else, the man a cultural phenomenon once more.

Like a perennial that returns with each new spring, the Mort Garson archives have brought to bear yet another awe-inspiring bloom.

Journey to the Moon and Beyond finds even more new facets to the man's sound. There's the soundtrack to the 1974 blaxploitation film Black Eye (starring Fred Williamson) alongside some newly unearthed music for advertising. Just as regal is "Zoos of the World," where Garson soundtracks the wild, preening, slumbering animals from a 1970 National Geographic special of the same name.

The mind reels at just what project would have yielded a scintillating title like "Western Dragon," but these three selections were found on tapes in the archive with no further information. The crown jewel of the set is no doubt Garson's soundtrack to the live broadcast of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, as first heard on CBS News. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for Moogkind. But for decades, this audio was presumed lost, the only trace of it appearing to be from an old YouTube clip. Thankfully, diligent audio archivist Andy Zax came across a copy of the master tape while going through the massive Rod McKuen archive.

So now we get to hear it in all its glory. Across six minutes, Garson conjures broad fantasias, whirring mooncraft sounds, zero-gravity squelches, and twinkling études. It showcases Mort's many moods: sweet, exploratory, whimsical, a little bit corny, weaving it all together in a glorious whole.

Maybe at the time it scanned as crass and opportunistic for Garson to apply his keyboards to subjects like astrological signs, the occult, hippiedom, houseplants, or the moon landing. But more than most other electronic music pioneers of his ilk, Garson foresaw the integration of such electronics into our daily lives, how they would allow us to engage with the world.

LP includes Poster.

When Sacred Bones first began their Mort Garson reissue project in 2019 with a proper reissue of Plantasia, the Garson-naissance began in earnest. Soon after, you could hear Mort Garson and his Moogs bubbling up on TV shows, documentaries, podcasts, hip-hop tracks, or anywhere else, the man a cultural phenomenon once more.

Like a perennial that returns with each new spring, the Mort Garson archives have brought to bear yet another awe-inspiring bloom.

Journey to the Moon and Beyond finds even more new facets to the man's sound. There's the soundtrack to the 1974 blaxploitation film Black Eye (starring Fred Williamson) alongside some newly unearthed music for advertising. Just as regal is "Zoos of the World," where Garson soundtracks the wild, preening, slumbering animals from a 1970 National Geographic special of the same name.

The mind reels at just what project would have yielded a scintillating title like "Western Dragon," but these three selections were found on tapes in the archive with no further information. The crown jewel of the set is no doubt Garson's soundtrack to the live broadcast of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, as first heard on CBS News. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for Moogkind. But for decades, this audio was presumed lost, the only trace of it appearing to be from an old YouTube clip. Thankfully, diligent audio archivist Andy Zax came across a copy of the master tape while going through the massive Rod McKuen archive.

So now we get to hear it in all its glory. Across six minutes, Garson conjures broad fantasias, whirring mooncraft sounds, zero-gravity squelches, and twinkling études. It showcases Mort's many moods: sweet, exploratory, whimsical, a little bit corny, weaving it all together in a glorious whole.

Maybe at the time it scanned as crass and opportunistic for Garson to apply his keyboards to subjects like astrological signs, the occult, hippiedom, houseplants, or the moon landing. But more than most other electronic music pioneers of his ilk, Garson foresaw the integration of such electronics into our daily lives, how they would allow us to engage with the world.

SOMNURI hält sich nicht an der Oberfläche fest. Der Heavy Metal der Band stapft von Genre zu Genre mit der Inbrunst und dem Selbstvertrauen einer Band, die bereit ist, die Schwellen zu allem Wahrnehmbaren und Möglichen zu überschreiten. Die Band, bestehend aus Lead-Gitarrist und Sänger Justin Sherrell, Schlagzeuger Phil SanGiancomo und Bassist Mike G, hat sich die Aufmerksamkeit von Magazinen wie Revolver Magazine, BrooklynVegan, MetalSucks, MetalHammer und anderen verdient und ihr neuestes Werk ist ein wahrer Beweis für die unersättliche Arbeitsmoral der Band, die sie als einen der aufregendsten aufstrebenden Acts des Heavy Metal zementiert.

Aufgenommen in den Gojira Silver Cord Studios, abgemischt von Justin Mantooth in den Westend Studios und gemastert von Brad Boatright bei Audiosiege Mastering, bewegt sich die Band auf „Desiderium“ nahtlos durch eine Vielzahl von Tempi und Klängen und gibt einigen ausgetretenen Pfaden neue Wege vor. Songs wie „Paramnesia“ kommen wie eine schlammige Abrissbirne daher und erinnern in ihren stärksten Momenten an Eyehategod und Crowbar. Anstelle von Moshparts zieht sich die Band zurück und lässt Sherrell ein paar cleane Vocals einstreuen, bevor sie wieder voll angreift. Sherrells Stimme ist wahnsinnig vielseitig und kann sowohl gefühlvolle cleane Vocals als auch grimmige Schreie liefern. Sie ist der perfekte Kontrast zu den Instrumenten der Band, die ein Band zwischen Sludge, Grunge, Psych-Rock und mehr weben.

RAGE waren schon in den Achtzigern eine hart arbeitende Band, die sich aber erst finden musste. Auf Alben wie „Perfect Man“ (1988) und „Secrets In A Weird World“ (1989) konnte das Line-up aus Peavy Wagner (v./b.), Manni Schmidt (g.) und Chris Efthimiadis (dr.) sich stilistisch austoben, auf dem Nachfolgewerk „Reflections Of A Shadow“ (1990) gar unter Hinzunahme eines Keyboarders.
Anfang der Neunziger erhielt die Metal-Szene aber einen zeitgemäßeren, Riff- und Groove-betonteren Anstrich, der auch an den Hernern RAGE nicht vorbeiging. Diese Entwicklungen haben deutliche Spuren auf den beiden Werken „Trapped!“ und „The Missing Link“ hinterlassen. Auf diesen Longplayern konnte das Trio sich auch qualitativ nochmal steigern und lieferte zahlreiche Hits ab, die in den Folgejahren zum festen Bestandteil ihres Live-Sets wurden (u.a. 'Solitary Man', 'Enough Is Enough', 'Medicine', 'Firestorm', 'Refuge', 'Nevermore'). Die beiden Alben bescherten der Band nicht nur einen gehörigen Popularitätsschub, sondern gingen zurecht als RAGE-Klassiker in die Geschichte ein.

Nun erscheinen die beiden legendären Alben zum 30. Jubiläum als streng limitierte Sonderauflage inklusive Demoversionen sowie unveröffentlichter Titel. Für RAGE-Fans sind diese Neuauflagen natürlich unverzichtbar!

Lavinia Meijer is one of the most versatile harpists of this era and representative for Dutch harpists worldwide. She experiments with different forms of music and art, like theatre, dance, electronica and jazz. Her last album contained adaptations of Phillip Glass, for which she received a Platinum award in The Netherlands for selling more than 20.000 copies.

In Passaggio, Lavinia adapts the works of Ludovico Einaudi, for which the maestro allowed his full cooperation. As Lavinia herself says: “The music of Einaudi speaks to me through my fingers and crosses all borders. The pieces that are presented on Passaggio fill me with joy and affection, which I want to share with my audience, hoping to solve some of the mystery of Einaudi. Or maybe even better; to enlarge the mystery altogether”.

Passaggio is available as a 10th anniversary edition of 500 individually numbered copies on translucent red coloured vinyl. The package contains a 4-page booklet with pictures and liner notes.

Covet is fronted by Yvette Young who is revered by guitarists around the world for her mastery of the innovative two-handed tapping technique. Yvette says of the album - "I'd like to be honest - this album process was one of the most challenging ever, and none of the reasons for that was related to the actual music. There was a moment where it felt like it might not come out ever...but I think having patience and faith does pay off. I named this record "catharsis" because the word to me feels like a triumphant exodus. No matter the dire circumstances, music is one of those things that I’ve always needed to create to survive (in all senses of the word), and time and time again, I turn to guitar and songwriting as my outlet to uplift and feel like I have control over something in this chaotic universe. The overall theme of the album is escapism and fantasy, which also feels fitting because in a lot of ways, we use music and art to escape our anxiety, our pain, and our sometimes oppressive realities...to travel to universes that we so badly wished existed. Music is so powerful for this reason because it can be so transformative- it uplifts and empathizes with you without needing to say a single word. With this music, I wanted to tell a concise but dense story that goes many places- not necessarily all joyful. I have been working on it down to the last minute, and in less than 30 minutes, I'd like to take you to all the magical places I’ve been and show you all the highs and lows that I've had the privilege of experiencing during the last 2 years of creating this body of work."

Toxic Holocaust makes good on the threat to unleash the finest metal this side of the 21st century on their Relapse debut An Overdose of Death… An Overdose of Death… is an unstoppable juggernaut of infectious riffs, punk attitude and unforgettable anthems. If you call yourself a fan of metal, punk, or just kick ass rock, this record is nothing less your godsend.

This live recording of Sentenced's last live performance in 2006 has been only briefly available on vinyl previously in a very small edition. This official new edition by Lipposen Levy ja Kasetti with Svart Records is officially licensed from Century Media. Split over three LPs, this is the full two hour show with 26 tracks. The pressing is limited to 700 copies.

*Very limited LP reissue on blue vinyl*

Canadian crooner star Calvin Love’s long sold out debut album ‘New Radar’ now as a repress for its 10th year anniversary on blue vinyl.
New Radar’, Love's debut album, blends memories of the late '80s cassette/analog era, '90s cable-TV generation, and 'aughts social media confessionalism into a satisfying collage of evocative and moody yet familiar and comforting music.

From the simple synths of "Magic Hearts", which bemoans love gone wrong, to the frustrating relationship detailed in "Waiting On You", Love's music is both catchy and emotionally resonant. In "Treasure Hunters", a flirty yet laid-back bubblegum rock and roller, Calvin Love invites us to share our secrets. while in "Missions", snarky, wailing guitars duet with Love's vocals in a noisy wash of exchanged frequencies. Throughout, Love relies on throwback synths and jangly guitar sounds to pick out unorthodox melodies, driven by a dutifully clicking drum machine. The overall effect of New Radar is a uniquely nostalgic yet forward-looking sound, at once evocative and comforting.

Calvin Love's music is distinctively characterized by its sparse yet focused arrangements, featuring thin guitars, electronic drums, and vintage synthesizers that impart a warm and wooly electronic texture. The lo-fi, cassette, 4-track recording quality creates an ambiance that feels both retro and futuristic, as if transmitted from an intimate and isolated space. Despite the arena-rock hooks, Love's use of primitive home-recording gear lends his music a folksy quality indebted to artists ranging from Ariel Pink to Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
About Calvin Love:

Am 4. November veröffentlicht PJ Harvey eine Sammlung von B-Seiten, Demos und Raritäten.

Die Sammlung beinhaltet 59 Tracks der letzten drei Jahre und wurde von Jason Mitchell zusammen mit dem langjährigen Produzenten von PJ Harvey neu gemastered. Zusätzlich enthält die Sammlung 14 zuvor unveröffentlichte Songs und gibt Fans die Möglichkeit, die bereits veröffentlichten Songs erneut zu genießen.

Zudem zeigt das Artwork bisher unveröffentlichte Archivfotos.

Diese Sammlung ist als 3CD und LP Box Set erhältlich.

Repress!

Funkiwala Records presents the third in the series of "Lokkhi Terra meets"albums, with the London fusionistas creating another unique sound-clash, this time with ex-Fela Kuti keyboardist and legendary UK Afro-beat ambassador Dele Sosimi, and members of his critically acclaimed Afro-beat Orchestra.

This particular collaboration has been bubbling away for a few years now, teasing audience expectations with a handful of sold out shows each year in between both bands busy schedules.
Featuring the two pianos of Kishon Khan and Dele Sosimi – Cuban percussionists/vocalists Geraldo De Armas (Yoruba Andabo), Oreste Noda (Ariwo), Javier Camilo (Ibrahim Ferrer) - a horn section led by Justin Thurgur (Bellowhead) featuring Yelfris Valdes (Sierra Maestra) and Graeme Flowers (Kyle Eastwood) to name a few – this is an All-star cast.

Kishon Khan's Lokkhi Terra have over a number of years now been quietly establishing themselves as one of London's more unusual heavyweight outfits, described as "Stunning Headliners… A majestic multi-cultural blend of sounds… effortlessly builds bridges between rolling Indian raga rhythms, Afro-Cuban grooves, Acid Jazz/funk and free flowing improvisation" (Timeout London). Included amongst the band members are London's top Cuban musicians, adding their infectious rich musical history to the city's melting pot.
When the band wanted to explore Cuban links with another of their favourite traditions, Afrobeat, who better to bring in then one of the Afrobeat originators – maestro Dele Sosimi – "Sosimi creates some of the most bewitching grooves in modern African music" E Jazz News.
Bringing together two Yoruba speaking musics - with different accents, from different sides of the Atlantic - Havana meets Lagos in London – A Cuban-Afrobeat-Experience. CUBAFROBEAT.

All About Jazz 4star review

A younger version of London's Grand Union Orchestra, founded by world-jazz pioneer Tony Haynes in 1982, Lokkhi Terra was put together by keyboard player Kishon Khan in 2005. Both ensembles have made a specialism of jazz / South Asian fusion, with Lokkhi Terra also giving as much attention to music from Cuba, where Bangladeshi-born, London-based Khan lived for a while in the early 2000s.

Cubafrobeat, as the title foretells, is a blend of Cuban dance music and Nigerian / Yoruban Afrobeat—a fusion rendered seamless by the synergies existing between Afro-Cuban and Yoruban music, language and mythology. The album is Lokkhi Terra's third and partners the band with the keyboard player and vocalist Dele Sosimi .

A young-going-on-child-prodigy member of Fela Kuti's Egypt 80, Sosimi went on to become musical director of Femi Kuti's Positive Force, before relocating to London and setting up Dele Sosimi's Afrobeat Orchestra, the finest Afrobeat band outside Nigeria, bar none, now with a string of consistently engaging albums under its belt. Cubafrobeat features Sosimi as lead vocalist on all four tracks, and on Fender Rhodes on two of them. His singing plays a prominent role in the Afrobeat Orchestra, but, such is the whirlwind impact of the band in full instrumental flight, that Sosimi is often thought of first and foremost for his keyboard and arranging talents. That may change by the time 2018 is over. Cubafrobeat is the third album in as many months to feature Sosimi as guest vocalist, spotlighting the gravitas, air of mystery, intimacy and ferocity his voice can bring to an occasion.

The first of these albums was the genre-bending spiritual-jazz band Emanative's Earth (Jazzman). One of the stand-out tracks, "Ìyáàmi," features Sosimi making obeisance to the titular Mother Goddesses of the Yoruba spirit worlds. His raw and intense invocations carry the track for nine mesmerising minutes. Otherwordly is not the half of it. Next up was dub / reggae / jazz band Soothsayers' Tradition (Wah Wah 45s), which featured Sosimi as lead vocalist on the compelling "Sleepwalking (Black Man's Cry)." Earth and Tradition are both outstanding albums and have previously been reviewed here.

Cubafrobeat is a total stonking blinder, too. It is an effectively nuanced affair, opening with the fiery "Afro Sambroso" and closing with the relatively reflective "Rumbafro." Sosimi's vocals light up the music, as do the several solos from trumpeters Graeme Flowers and Yelfris Valdes Espinosa and trombonist Justin Thurgur (a member of both Lokkhi Terra and the Afrobeat Orchestra). Sosimi and Kishon Khan's intertwining Fender Rhodes solos on "Cubafro" are also a delight, as is the drum and percussion section throughout.

The sound of summer, for sure, Cubafrobeat has enough depth and variety to make it something for all seasons.

Songlines 4star review

Lokkhi Terra are one of London's most authentic groups. They are a Latin-flavoured collective whose keyboard player and bandleader Kishon Khan segues from percussive montunos to complex Bengali rhythms and back, with jazz chops sparking funky and outward-looking fusions. Their collaboration with Dele Sosimi, Britain's foremost Afrobeat ambassador, has been bubbling for a while; here four tracks at ten minutes see musical conversations that never lose their sense of flow. An extensive line-up of stellar players, including trumpeter Yelfris Valdés, conguero Oreste Noda and trombonist Justin Thurgur, highlights the genre-crossing potential of world traditions. Opener 'Afro Sambroso' showcases batá drums from Gerardo de Armas Sarria before the track links Cuban grooves with Afrobeat. 'Timbafro' crackles and sways via Khan's organ, Sosimi's vocals and Oscar Martinez's timbales. 'Cubafro' features dazzling interplay between Khan, Sosimi and Javier Camillo's Spanish-language vocals. 'Rumbafro' is all rumba choruses, Yoruba vocals and Afrobeat horns. Rooted in their sources, but with musical threads intertwining, separating and reconfiguring – with grooves at a premium – this is a fusion lover's dream

First time on wax for P.0.3 and BLUMET!!!

Printed sleeve

A1 TRASHIN is a POWERFUL 194 bpm melodic hardfloor banger, old school off beat bass, full of mini breaks and surprises with a stomping kick!! FIRST DEBUT FOR P.0.3 ON VINYL!!!

A2 ANTRAX is a mega TRIBE CORE track with an impressing solid kick and mental melodies. Slowing down a bit to 165 bpm, driving off beat bass and ghosty effects, nice mixing tool!! FIRST DEBUT FOR P.0.3 ON VINYL ALSO!!!

B1 BLUE ANGER is the very first debut on vinyl for BLUMET, 2013 RS7000 drum machine remake. The track recall IVAR THE BONELESS war cry saying "you cannot kill me". Mad 210 bpm angry tune to make the crowd gabber kick the air! Edit and mix from STITCH!

B2 THE NAME OF DOVA is an old school hardfloor unreleased banger at 180 bpm from the infamous UZI. Stomping and deep first part with fidget recalls and digi sound effects, second part goes melodic on a Zelda Epic theme sound like, very cool!

MASTER from the very talented producer and Master engineer 1NC1N.

GRAPHICS from STITCH!!

Shapes of Rhythm is proud to present the self-titled debut LP of Turkish psychedelic pop from MLDVA & Çınar Timur. This record is a celebration of the classic music and culture typically of the 70s and 80s, but which also leans into western jazz funk and soul jazz moments. If you're into the Turkish music legends of the 70s and 80s such as Barış Manço and more recently Altın Gün or Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, you've come to the right place.

MLDVA were formed in Krakow, Poland in 2013 as a DJ and production outfit. Under the influence of Greek and Turkish folk and psych-rock music they began to transform into a band, taking up instruments including the Saz which is one of the most recognisable trademarks of the Turkish sound. Two years later in 2015 they invited Turkish instrumentalist Çınar Timur to join them and this completes the line up on their debut. This electric album is packed with excellently-recorded expansive tracks which are full of energy, psychedelic deep grooves, hard-hitting breakbeats and everything else you'd expect with classic Turkish sounds.

The instrumental double-header of Neşat Erkaş' Zülüf Dökülmüş Yüze, moving into the time-honoured traditional Kozan Dağıis the perfect opening track. The introduction is an overture of sorts with two minutes of Çınar Timur's pondering guitar. This tees up the record perfectly before heading into a break-beat driven workout with the band matching Çınar's evocative and energetic riffing. The result is a tight sound and a heavy groove that sets the tone for what's to come.

With the band unveiled, Sarı Çizmeli Mehmet Ağa, written by Barış Manço (a legend in Turkish popular music), hits a relaxed, deeper and more psychedelic groove, dominated by Wojciech Długosz's dreamy Rhodes piano, set against choppy wah-wah guitar licks that characterize that classic electric Turkish pop sound. We're introduced to Ulaş Çıbuk's vocals for the first time, telling the historic tale of a charitable village lord Mehmet Ağa from 19c Anatolia known for his generosity. He shared his fortune with people inneed and as a result, died penniless. This track also features the unique sound of Çınar's Mictrotonal electric guitar.

Bir Adım Öte is MLDVA & Çınar Timur's magnificent mellow moment, marking the halfway point in their debut. The group shows that it's not all about the frenetic in a nod to western Soul-Jazz constructs. They showcase restraint, emotion and that joy in repetition of a wonderful guitar refrain. Not content with holding this down, Wojciech Długosz's Rhodes solo steps into a world that's US-influenced Soul jazzand is a lesson in reduction and feeling. Çınar Timur then takes a solo turn, keeping it western-influenced with an on the spot improvisation. When the three minutes of solos are over, we're brought back out of thedream and towards the East again.

Adımız Miskindir Bizim kicks off like a hip hop/funk crossover tune, until the chord changes muscle in, to remind you where you are in the world. As with other tracks on the debut, the tune is marked by recurring motifs, this time from Çınar's microtonal electric guitar. We've more solo Rhodes action, thist ime busier and more urgent. The lyrics–originally written by Yunus Emre – criticizevalues such as holding grudges that destroy ideas of love, friendship and peace among people which causes hostility. Adımız Miskindir Bizim concludes with an uplifting vocal vamp which switches it up unlike any of thetracks on the LP.

In Fesupanallah– made most popular by Erkin Koray – Ulaş Çıbuk sings about the simple subject ofbeing patient with never ending problems in life, and trying to find a solution for them. This cut takes a rhythmical side-step to the rest of the album. The kick drum maps out a solid four-four, but the vocals and guitar lines move around it to impose Fesupanallah as being the record's most traditionally Turkish-sounding cut.

The album's closing track Ölüm Allah'ın Emri (another Manço classic) was recorded live in the band's more familiar surroundings of Krakow's Cheder Cafe during 2020's Jewish Culture Festival. The lyrics tell the tale of someone who has accepted death but cannot accept the separation that comes with it. We open with a dreamy, psychedelic mood before progressing into a heavy-riffing rock feeling with probing synths. Ulaş delivers his vocals over the top of a stripped back, shuffling groove. As the track progresses towards a frenetic conclusion, drummer Szymon Piotrowski cuts loose, combining with Grzegorz Dąbek's synth lines.

MLDVA & Çınar Timur's debut LP is not the sound of a band starting out. Taking time to hone their craft and let influences across the global spectrum of music mature, this is the result of years of jamming, gigging and collaborating. Now, after prestigious festival appearances and their place on Saz Power – an essential modern Turkish music compilation – they're making a lasting contribution to a rich, time-honored culture. MLDVA & Çınar Timur releases Friday 30 June 2023 on limited edition vinyl LP and digital download/streaming services on Shapes of Rhythm. Global distribution by Kudos Records.