Mit 'Kilogram' veröffentlicht die dänische Hardcore-Punkrock Band Tvivler ihr zweites Album über das norwegische Label Fysisk Format. In den Black Tornado Studios in Kopenhagen aufgenommen, erschafft die Band, mit Anspielungen auf Blondie und Brutal Truth, einen gewalttäigen und kathartischen Indie-Hardcore.
Red Vinyl
Time has come for Futurepast to release a long format album: Alarm Phase Red - catalogue number FPLP01 - will be the first full-length work from Futurepast founder Davy Vandegaer, appearing here under a new name: Brainwashed Today.
Rooted in a conceptual approach of electronic music, this double LP ranges from industrial ambient to experimental techno. Like an antidote to a twisted reality of controlled screens and mental isolation, Alarm Phase Red uses the raw language of electricity
to reach the core of the machine and sabotage it, reverse its effects by mirroring them. Fighting fire with fire, deflecting the pressure and strain of a world driven by fear and anger, the music of Brainwashed Today acts like a cathartic escape from technological enslavement.
With the purchase of the vinyl comes a batch of three digital bonus tracks pursuing further the sound research of the album.
Mit ihrem neuen Album „3“ öffnen die belgischen Krautrocker MOTOR!K ein neues Kapitel ihrer musikalischen Bandgeschichte. Während die Schlüsselelemente ihrer vorherigen Alben „MOTOR!K“ und „2“ (hypnotisierende Basslines, hämmernde Drums und sich repetetiven Gitarrenlinien) auch im neuen Album wiederzukennen sind, unterscheidet sich dieses Album dennoch von seinen Vorgängern.
Von Tracks mit minimalen Techno-Grooves, ambientartiger Gitarren- und Elektronik-Tracks, "Vintage" MOTOR!K Songs bis hin zu Post-Rock Feelings und psychedelischen Gitarren & Synthesizern. Delay-Gitarrenspiel und spacige Elektronik bauen hier neue Horizonte auf und zollen damit den Klängen der späten 70er Jahre ihren Respekt.
Motor!k 3 - ein Album dass geradezu danach schreit, in einer schweißtreibenden Konzertumgebung live gehört zu werden.
Das Belgische Trio bestehend aus Gitarrist/Synthesist & Motor!k Songkomponist Joeri Dobbeleir, Dirk Ivens - Guitar / FX (The Klinik/ Dive) und Drummer Dries D'Hollander, hält den instrumentalen Krautrock Vibe aufrecht & lebendig, sowohl auf Platte als auch live auf der Bühne.
Idrissa Soumaoro, L’Eclipse De L’I.J.A.’s sought-after album ‘Le Tioko-Tioko’ was originally released in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in 1978 and has been a long-time favourite at Mr Bongo. Two tracks from the album were featured on our 2017 compilation ‘The Original Sound Of Mali’ (MRBLP135), and we subsequently released the track ‘Nissodia’ on its own 12” (MRB12053) in 2020, complete with a blistering dancefloor re-edit by Mike D of The Beastie Boys.
‘Le Tioko-Tioko' is one of the rarest vinyl albums from the already scarce Malian vinyl discography, partly as the album was never released commercially, only independently distributed via the Malian Association for the Blind in Bamako. Though recorded at Radio Mali under the aegis of master engineer Boubacar Traoré; the album was originally released in East Germany. The tapes had been taken by some Malian students to East Berlin as part of a student exchange program. It was then manufactured and released on the East German state-owned label Eterna with only a few boxes of records being shipped back to Bamako.
A true masterpiece, this legendary LP offers some devastating songs such as ‘Djama’ (society), ‘Nissodia’ (joy of optimism), and ‘Fama Allah’ (an ode to god). Hypnotic organ riffs and breakbeats convey an unknown funk quality in Malian music, it now stands as a loving tribute to an unsung Malian golden age. Sadly, like many of the other now desired and prized vinyl rarities, at the time of release, it almost immediately disappeared without a trace due to a lack of promotion, and distribution. So, it feels fitting to share this gem of a record again, and hopefully it will reach the wider audience it deserved over 45 years ago.
Many thanks to Florent Mazzoleni for contributing sections of these notes.
"This Is A Photograph", MORBYs siebtes Album, ist ein Loblied auf die Americana, das Leben und Tod und Blut auf der Leinwand zum Ausdruck bringt. Der kreativ gestärkte Songwriter hat es geschafft, seine besten Songs, seine besten Gesangsleistungen, seine prägnantesten Texte und seine üppigsten Arrangements auf "This Is A Photograph" zu vereinen. Dies ist zweifellos sein bisheriges Hauptwerk. Die Geschichte beginnt im Januar 2020, als MORBY im Keller seines Elternhauses in Kansas City geistesabwesend in einer Kiste mit alten Familienfotos blättert. Nur Stunden zuvor war sein Vater bei einem Familienessen vor seinen Augen zusammengebrochen und musste ins Krankenhaus gebracht werden. In dieser Nacht spürte MORBY noch immer den Schock und die Angst, die ihm in den Knochen steckten. Also sah er sich die Bilder an, bis ihm eines davon ins Auge sprang: sein Vater als junger Mann, stolz und stark und voller Selbstvertrauen, der mit freiem Oberkörper auf einer Wiese posiert. "In the photo he looks young and full of confidence, puffing his chest out at the camera as if he were looking for a fight," erklärt MORBY. "It was not lost on me that this was the same chest, just hours before, I had seen the ambulance put a stethoscope against as he lay on the kitchen floor of my sisters house." Während sein Vater wieder zu Kräften kam, grübelte er über diese Gedanken nach. Und dann machte er sich auf den Weg nach Memphis. Er zog in das Peabody Hotel und verbrachte seine Tage damit, den Träumern, die er bewunderte, Tribut zu zollen und sich vor ihnen zu verneigen; er ging hinunter zum Ufer des Mississippi, zu der Stelle, an der JEFF BUCKLEY sein Ende fand. Er schlenderte durch das Viertel, in dem JAY REATARD seinen letzten Tag verbrachte, und fuhr dann am Stax-Zelt vorbei, um seine Stimmung kurz aufzuheitern. Dann fuhr er an Graceland vorbei, bevor er den Highway 61 überquerte und die Geister zu sich rufen ließ, um seine eigenen Träume zu gestalten. Abends kehrte er in sein Zimmer zurück und hielt seine Ideen auf einem behelfsmäßigen Aufnahmegerät fest, das nur aus seiner Gitarre und einem Mikrofon bestand. Die schwermütigen Songs, die zu all dem passen, was er gesehen hatte, sprudelten nur so aus ihm heraus. Wiederum leitete Sam Cohen (der "Singing Saw" und "Oh My God" produziert hatte) das Projekt. Sie begannen in Cohens Studio im Bundesstaat New York, das sich noch im Bau befand, zusammen mit dem Schlagzeuger Nick Kinsey, und arbeiteten langsam an den Songs, da die Reise der Aufnahme der Start-Stopp-Qualität von 2021 selbst entsprach, mit magischen Momenten, die in die prekären Navigationen eingestreut waren. Mit der Zeit füllte sich die Besetzung. Der ehemalige Tournee-Pianist Oliver Hill sowie seine Mutter Meg und seine Schwester Charlotte sorgten für die Streicher. Die Tourneeleute Cochemea Gastelum (Saxophon), Jared Samuel (Orgel) und Alecia Chakour (Gesang, Tamburin) stießen zu den Sessions hinzu, ebenso wie Eric Johnson (Banjo). Und neue Mitstreiter*innen wie Schlagzeuger Josh Jaeger (Schlagzeug, Perkussion), Brandee Younger (Harfe), Makaya McCraven (Schlagzeug), Cassandra Jenkins (Gesang) und sogar Tim Heidecker und Alia Shawkat (die schrägen Lacher auf "Rock Bottom") fügten sich in das entstehende Bild ein. Und passenderweise fanden die letzten Sessions live in Memphis in Sam Philips Recording Co. statt, das von seinem Sohn Jerry Philips geleitet wird und das Erbe des ursprünglichen Sun Records Studios fortführt.
"This Is A Photograph", MORBYs siebtes Album, ist ein Loblied auf die Americana, das Leben und Tod und Blut auf der Leinwand zum Ausdruck bringt. Der kreativ gestärkte Songwriter hat es geschafft, seine besten Songs, seine besten Gesangsleistungen, seine prägnantesten Texte und seine üppigsten Arrangements auf "This Is A Photograph" zu vereinen. Dies ist zweifellos sein bisheriges Hauptwerk. Die Geschichte beginnt im Januar 2020, als MORBY im Keller seines Elternhauses in Kansas City geistesabwesend in einer Kiste mit alten Familienfotos blättert. Nur Stunden zuvor war sein Vater bei einem Familienessen vor seinen Augen zusammengebrochen und musste ins Krankenhaus gebracht werden. In dieser Nacht spürte MORBY noch immer den Schock und die Angst, die ihm in den Knochen steckten. Also sah er sich die Bilder an, bis ihm eines davon ins Auge sprang: sein Vater als junger Mann, stolz und stark und voller Selbstvertrauen, der mit freiem Oberkörper auf einer Wiese posiert. "In the photo he looks young and full of confidence, puffing his chest out at the camera as if he were looking for a fight," erklärt MORBY. "It was not lost on me that this was the same chest, just hours before, I had seen the ambulance put a stethoscope against as he lay on the kitchen floor of my sisters house." Während sein Vater wieder zu Kräften kam, grübelte er über diese Gedanken nach. Und dann machte er sich auf den Weg nach Memphis. Er zog in das Peabody Hotel und verbrachte seine Tage damit, den Träumern, die er bewunderte, Tribut zu zollen und sich vor ihnen zu verneigen; er ging hinunter zum Ufer des Mississippi, zu der Stelle, an der JEFF BUCKLEY sein Ende fand. Er schlenderte durch das Viertel, in dem JAY REATARD seinen letzten Tag verbrachte, und fuhr dann am Stax-Zelt vorbei, um seine Stimmung kurz aufzuheitern. Dann fuhr er an Graceland vorbei, bevor er den Highway 61 überquerte und die Geister zu sich rufen ließ, um seine eigenen Träume zu gestalten. Abends kehrte er in sein Zimmer zurück und hielt seine Ideen auf einem behelfsmäßigen Aufnahmegerät fest, das nur aus seiner Gitarre und einem Mikrofon bestand. Die schwermütigen Songs, die zu all dem passen, was er gesehen hatte, sprudelten nur so aus ihm heraus. Wiederum leitete Sam Cohen (der "Singing Saw" und "Oh My God" produziert hatte) das Projekt. Sie begannen in Cohens Studio im Bundesstaat New York, das sich noch im Bau befand, zusammen mit dem Schlagzeuger Nick Kinsey, und arbeiteten langsam an den Songs, da die Reise der Aufnahme der Start-Stopp-Qualität von 2021 selbst entsprach, mit magischen Momenten, die in die prekären Navigationen eingestreut waren. Mit der Zeit füllte sich die Besetzung. Der ehemalige Tournee-Pianist Oliver Hill sowie seine Mutter Meg und seine Schwester Charlotte sorgten für die Streicher. Die Tourneeleute Cochemea Gastelum (Saxophon), Jared Samuel (Orgel) und Alecia Chakour (Gesang, Tamburin) stießen zu den Sessions hinzu, ebenso wie Eric Johnson (Banjo). Und neue Mitstreiter*innen wie Schlagzeuger Josh Jaeger (Schlagzeug, Perkussion), Brandee Younger (Harfe), Makaya McCraven (Schlagzeug), Cassandra Jenkins (Gesang) und sogar Tim Heidecker und Alia Shawkat (die schrägen Lacher auf "Rock Bottom") fügten sich in das entstehende Bild ein. Und passenderweise fanden die letzten Sessions live in Memphis in Sam Philips Recording Co. statt, das von seinem Sohn Jerry Philips geleitet wird und das Erbe des ursprünglichen Sun Records Studios fortführt.
In a generation of musicians that came of age in postwar Japan, Kazuki Tomokawa stands as a pioneer of radical individualism, with a sound marked by shocking intimacy and blistering honesty. In his third album, A String of Paper Cranes Clenched between My Teeth, released by Harvest Records in 1977, Tomokawa creeps "ever more inward," as Kiichi Takahara writes in the record's original introductory text-embracing an attitude pervasive amongst musicians of the time who interrogated the prosaic and the profound alike, eschewing politics and society in favor of an "attitude of total self-containment." Tomokawa recorded the album over the course of a month-from August 24 to September 25, 1977-at Tokyo's famed Onkio Haus studio in the bustling Ginza district. The arrangements, accordingly, are amped up: paired with the Black Panther Orchestra, Tomokawa's "screaming philosopher" vocals find their match with the orchestra's electric guitar, bass, piano, tuba, and ground-thumping drums played by the Brain Police's Toshi Ishizuka-who appears on Tomokawa's first three records and remains his collaborator to this day. "This is Kazuki Tomokawa in the flesh," concludes Takahara. A String of Paper Cranes Clenched between My Teeth is, in Tomokawa's uncanny way, able to cut through facade and artifice in pursuit of truth. "You call that life?" he heckles, exhausted by the melodrama and nihilism of youth counterculture, "try saying you're alive!"
In the 1970s, Kazuki Tomokawa catapulted into Tokyo's avant-garde scene with his cathartic and utterly electrifying performances. Straight from the Throat, Tomokawa's second album, released in July 1976 by Harvest Records, finds the musician in his truest form: as the "screaming philosopher" he would come to be called-cynical but fair, cheeky and melancholic, and looking at the world with truth-seeking eyes. In Straight from the Throat, Tomokawa shrieks and shouts and wallows with ritualistic abandon-his avant-folk stylings are cosmic and, at times, well to ground-shaking rock. He speaks of adolescence, passing hearses, and wedding chapel cars in a poem to his younger brother, Tomoharu, and watches ice melt on the Mitane River with spring's turn. Tomokawa's sound is, as Kiichi Takahara would later dub it, "I-music": revelatory and deeply intimate songs that turn to the everyday and the interior. They are portraits of a man in search of meaning, who is taking stubborn control of his life by doing so. As he croons in "The Spring Is Here Again Song," "I'll drink till I've had my fill / And fall in love until I die."
Folklorist Derek Piotr teams with Death is Not the End for a third outing, this time plumbing the depths of every archive from West Virginia University to the British Library in search of versions of the ballad Lamkin. Following the template set by Charlie Seeger with his seminal Barbara Allen compilation, Piotr's collection outs versions of the bloody ballad from the last ninety years; most of these renditions haven't been heard by anyone but their original recordists for decades.
Die 2003 in Bergen, Norwegen gegründete Band wurde 2006 von der renommierten Produzentin Sylvia Massy (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool, Johnny Cash u.a.) entdeckt, zu ihrer Lieblingsband erklärt und direkt in ihr Tonstudio in L.A. eingeladen, um dort das Debütalbum aufzunehmen. Seitdem haben Major Parkinson zwei weitere Alben und diverse Singles zumeist in Eigenregie produziert, und mit ihrem genialen Mix aus etwa Primus, Faith No More, Frank Zappa oder auch Queens Of The Stone Age zahlreiche Fans überzeugt.
Mit Norwegens führendem Prog-Label Apollon Records wurde nun eine längerfristige Zusammenarbeit vereinbart
Hinter CoreLeoni verbirgt sich Namensgeber und Saitenhexer Leo Leoni, Hauptamtlich in Lohn und Brot bei den Schweizer Hard Rock Giganten von Gotthard.
»Core« steht dabei für dessen musikalischen Wurzeln, seine Leidenschaft für kraftvollen Hard Rock sowie den frühen Sound von Gotthard auf deren ersten drei Studioalben. Speziell dem Debüt aus dem Jahre 1992 wollte der Tessiner Tribut zollen und rief mit befreundeten Musiker, wie Igor Gianola (ex-U.D.O.) sowie Frontmann Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG) eben Coreleoni ins Leben, die auf den ersten beiden Alben »The Greatest Hits Part 1« sowie »II« vor allem den härteren Gotthard Klassikern neues Leben einhauchten.
Auf ihrem kommenden, dritten Album stehen vorwiegend brandneue Eigenkompositionen im Vordergrund und sollen Coreleoni endgültig als eigenständige Rockformation etablieren. Sein Debüt darauf gibt der gebürtige Albanier Eugent Bushpepa (exˇSunrise, Darkology), der Leoni anno 2018 als Teilnehmer beim Eurovision Song Contest in Lissabon (Song »Mila«) auffiel, wo er den siebten Platz belegte.
»Er ist ein großartiger Sänger und ein wahnsinnig toller Mensch. Er hat unfassbar viel Seele und Emotion in seiner Stimme und seiner Weise, Musik zu machen. Das fasziniert mich sehr und ich hoffe, euch da draußen ebenso«, adelt Leoni seinen neuen Vokalisten.
Hinter CoreLeoni verbirgt sich Namensgeber und Saitenhexer Leo Leoni, Hauptamtlich in Lohn und Brot bei den Schweizer Hard Rock Giganten von Gotthard.
»Core« steht dabei für dessen musikalischen Wurzeln, seine Leidenschaft für kraftvollen Hard Rock sowie den frühen Sound von Gotthard auf deren ersten drei Studioalben. Speziell dem Debüt aus dem Jahre 1992 wollte der Tessiner Tribut zollen und rief mit befreundeten Musiker, wie Igor Gianola (ex-U.D.O.) sowie Frontmann Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG) eben Coreleoni ins Leben, die auf den ersten beiden Alben »The Greatest Hits Part 1« sowie »II« vor allem den härteren Gotthard Klassikern neues Leben einhauchten.
Auf ihrem kommenden, dritten Album stehen vorwiegend brandneue Eigenkompositionen im Vordergrund und sollen Coreleoni endgültig als eigenständige Rockformation etablieren. Sein Debüt darauf gibt der gebürtige Albanier Eugent Bushpepa (exˇSunrise, Darkology), der Leoni anno 2018 als Teilnehmer beim Eurovision Song Contest in Lissabon (Song »Mila«) auffiel, wo er den siebten Platz belegte.
»Er ist ein großartiger Sänger und ein wahnsinnig toller Mensch. Er hat unfassbar viel Seele und Emotion in seiner Stimme und seiner Weise, Musik zu machen. Das fasziniert mich sehr und ich hoffe, euch da draußen ebenso«, adelt Leoni seinen neuen Vokalisten.
Hinter CoreLeoni verbirgt sich Namensgeber und Saitenhexer Leo Leoni, Hauptamtlich in Lohn und Brot bei den Schweizer Hard Rock Giganten von Gotthard.
»Core« steht dabei für dessen musikalischen Wurzeln, seine Leidenschaft für kraftvollen Hard Rock sowie den frühen Sound von Gotthard auf deren ersten drei Studioalben. Speziell dem Debüt aus dem Jahre 1992 wollte der Tessiner Tribut zollen und rief mit befreundeten Musiker, wie Igor Gianola (ex-U.D.O.) sowie Frontmann Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG) eben Coreleoni ins Leben, die auf den ersten beiden Alben »The Greatest Hits Part 1« sowie »II« vor allem den härteren Gotthard Klassikern neues Leben einhauchten.
Auf ihrem kommenden, dritten Album stehen vorwiegend brandneue Eigenkompositionen im Vordergrund und sollen Coreleoni endgültig als eigenständige Rockformation etablieren. Sein Debüt darauf gibt der gebürtige Albanier Eugent Bushpepa (exˇSunrise, Darkology), der Leoni anno 2018 als Teilnehmer beim Eurovision Song Contest in Lissabon (Song »Mila«) auffiel, wo er den siebten Platz belegte.
»Er ist ein großartiger Sänger und ein wahnsinnig toller Mensch. Er hat unfassbar viel Seele und Emotion in seiner Stimme und seiner Weise, Musik zu machen. Das fasziniert mich sehr und ich hoffe, euch da draußen ebenso«, adelt Leoni seinen neuen Vokalisten.
Available on vinyl for the first time! -Limited to just 500 records worldwide, this 2XLP is a must have production tool for producers and deejays. -Included are one shot drum tools, loops, song starters, guitar chords, and melodic chops.
DJ Nu-Mark is pleased to present his Creme De La Crate sample pack on vinyl for the first time. This dynamic collection offers the rusty grit and groove of classic funk and soul records at your fingertips without the sticky licensing issues.
The featured drum breaks and one shots were captured through Nu-Mark’s array of vintage ‘60s preamps, compressors and microphones. There’s also complete drum loops and fills provided by J-Zone, Aaron Steele and Jon Radford, as well as an abundance of melodic content thrown into the mix. From Nu-Mark’s own inspiring ‘Song Starters’ to guitar chords, bass guitar lines, tonewheel organ licks and electric piano recorded by Dan Ubick.
Whether you’re looking to create some classic hip-hop, or add some additional energy to your production arsenal regardless of your preferred genre, there’s endless creative paths locked away in this diverse pack. As Nu says; “Enjoy and stretch out! Remember, nobody can replicate you so unlock and reveal your core since ultimately your art will live in perpetuity.”
English thrash metal outfit Xentrix is commonly referred to as one of the “big four” of English thrash metal, given their popularity in the underground metal scene of the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. The band was formed in 1984 under the name Sweet Vengeance, but after signing with Roadrunner Records they changed their name to Xentrix in 1988. Not long after, Xentrix released its debut album Shattered Existence in 1989. In support of the album, the band toured with Sabbat. The album set the tone for future works and lifted Xentrix to many metalheads’ treasured band.
Shattered Existence is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on translucent red coloured vinyl and includes an insert.
'The Last of the 20th Century Girls' is the storied second album from London-based artist Findlay - a full-fledged offering born of a personal journey that sees her at her most open, transparent, and introspective yet, drawing upon her own personal experiences since the release of full-length 2017 debut 'Forgotten Pleasures'. With complex, fully-realised themes ranging from grief and loss to the struggle of losing and re-building one's confidence, through to the challenges and pitfalls of the past couple of years, all serve to inspire a range of tracks across the album. Mastered by five-time Grammy award winning engineer Antoine 'Chab' Chabert (Daft Punk, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sebastien Tellier) and self-described as a "late coming of age story", drenched in nostalgia, melancholy and the kind of strange experiences only a misunderstood millennial could have; the album effortlessly blends a diverse melting pot of breezy alt-indie, psychedelic pop, dreamy lo-fi chill, indie-rock and expansive cinematic sounds. It's Findlay at her genre-melting finest, and a sharp, tasteful insight into her unique artistic psyche; a perfect representation of her impeccable alternative sound.
The summer starts beating to our doors and now that the nightmare of the pandemic (looks like) is coming to an end, mysterious dj and producer Hal Incandenza has taken over the control of MM Discos in order to get the things warmer and rock the dance-floors and festivals around the world.
Besides his amazing skills as producer, Henry Saiz the man behind the project of Hal Incandenza, has also made his path in music as songwriter, musician, graphic designer and dj.
This time introduces us to "Incivitas", a killer track that oscillates between House and Nu-Disco ready to dinamite the peak time of the most selected clubs. Hypnotic, selvatic and very wild.
Things turn even wilder with "Ceremony", highly influenced by the legacy of Daft Punk while Marvin & Guy closes the EP with an epic italo-dance version of "Invicitas", if you wonder why the duo from Parma are one of the fitter guys when it comes to burn down the house, just have a listen.
Bomba EP!!
Mit ihrem letzten Erfolgsalbum, Wanderers (2019), und der kürzlich veröffentlichten ersten Live-Blu-Ray/- DVD der Band-Geschichte, A Symphonic Journey to Remember, haben die Symphonic-Metal-Visionäre VISIONS OF ATLANTIS ganz ohne Zweifel bewiesen, dass sie zu Recht an der Spitze des Genres stehen.
Nun setzt die Band einmal mehr die Segel und bricht auf zu einem packenden Abenteuer, das zugleich den Beginn eines neuen Kapitels in der fantastischen Geschichte von VISIONS OF ATLANTIS schreibt. Das atemberaubende achte Studioalbum, Pirates (13.05.2022), markiert einen Wendepunkt in der Diskografie und zeigt das internationale Quintett selbstbewusst und offen wie nie zuvor. VISIONS OF ATLANTIS haben ihren Weg gefunden und erheben sich mit einer rebellischen Seite und einem freien Geist, so unbändig
wie die sieben Weltmeere. Pirates entführt den Hörer auf eine kathartische Reise durch faszinierende Klanglandschaften und eindringlich schöne Melodien gepaart mit symphonischer Härte, die musikalisch sowie lyrisch eine Form des Wandels und der Selbstfindung verkörper. Thematisch befasst sich das neue Album nicht nur mit der sonnigen Seite des Lebens, sondern stellt sich auch mutig den dunklen Nuancen, die in jedem schlummern. Auf Pirates schaffen es VISIONS OF ATLANTIS wahrlich, dass ihre Hörer das Salz des Meeres in der Luft schmecken, den Wind auf der Haut spüren und die grenzenlose Unabhängigkeit atmen, wie es nur wahre Piraten können.
Fragments repräsentiert eine Einladung an elektronische Künstler, traditionelle und moderne Musik zu kombinieren. Regelmäßig wird Fragments von einem neuen Komponisten inspiriert werden. Hieraus entsteht eine Serie von Alben, welche eine Bandbreite elektronischer Künstler dazu einlädt, einen ganz neuen Blickwinkel auf die Werke eines renommierten Komponisten zu werfen.
Fragments ist ein Projekt, das zwischen Welten schwingt. Zwischen klassischer und elektronischer Musik - zwischen alt und neu.
Beginnen wird die Serie mit Erik Satie: dem französischen Pionier der ‚Minimal Music‘, ein spitzfindiger Künstler, beliebt im Pariser Nachtleben seiner Zeit, ein Ambient Komponist avant la lettre, wiederentdeckt von einer Generation 100 Jahre nach seiner Lebzeit.
Beim Suchen und Finden der kollaborierenden Künstler, wurde das Projekt Fragments mit einstimmigem
Enthusiasmus empfangen. Das Resultat ist eine Kollektion großartiger Remixe & Reworks, welche monatlich zwischen August 2021 und Mai 2022 erscheinen.
Rolf Zuckowski wurde 1947 in Hamburg geboren - am 12. Mai 2022 feiert er seinen 75. Geburtstag. Seine musikalische Laufbahn begann er 1966 mit der Schülerband „the beAthovens“, später wurde er
Co-Produzent und Textdichter des Schweizer Trios „Peter, Sue & Marc“, schrieb Lieder u. a. für Nana Mouskouri, Paola und die Finkwarder Speeldeel. Sein erstes und bis heute noch erfolgreiches Album für Kinder, „Rolfs Vogelhochzeit“, produzierte er 1977. Der große Durchbruch in der Öffentlichkeit vollzog sich aber mit den Liedern „Du da im Radio“ (1981) und dem Auftritt als „Rolf und seine Freunde“ in „Wetten dass...?“ mit dem Titel „…und ganz doll mich“ (1982), das auch Nr. 1 der ZDF-Hitparade war. Diese erfolgreiche Phase repräsentieren die beiden Alben ”Rolfs Radio Lollipop” und ”Lieder, die wir Brücken sind (Neues von Radio Lollipop)”, die zusammen über 1 Mio. Alben verkauften und jetzt zusammen auf
einem Doppelalbum und damit endlich wieder auf Vinyl erhältlich sind. Das Gatefold und die Innenhüllen greifen die Original-Artworks der Ursprungsalben samt aller Liedtexte auf. Trotz der Zeitlosigkeit weiterer hier enthaltener Klassiker wie ”Wie schön, dass du geboren bist” und ”Stups, der kleine Osterhase” bietet diese Doppel-LP eine herrlich nostalgische Reise 40 Jahre zurück, als wichtige Grundsteine für die deutschsprachige Kindermusik und Familienunterhaltung an sich gelegt wurden.
„Live At The El Mocambo“ - ein legendäres Ereignis in der unglaublichen 60-jährigen Geschichte der Rolling Stones ist ab 13. Mai zum ersten Mal in voller Länge erhältlich. Das Album markiert die erste offizielle Veröffentlichung der beiden berühmten Geheimkonzerte der Band in dem Club El Mocambo in Toronto im März 1977. „Live At The El Mocambo“ enthält das komplette Set
der Stones vom 5. März sowie drei Bonustracks vom 4. März, neu abgemischt von Bob Clearmountain.
Das Album erscheint als 2CD und Ltd. Vinyl Box.
Part of IF Music founder Jean-Claude’s ever expanding ‘YOU NEED THIS!’ series of compilation albums, the London record shop impresario and DJ takes us on another scintillating musical journey, this time exploring the catalogue of German jazz imprint, Enja Records. Like Jean-Claude’s ‘Journey Into Deep Jazz’ series on BBE Music and his 2017 exploration of Black Saint & Soul Note Records before it, ‘IF MUSIC PRESENTS YOU NEED THIS!: AN INTRODUCTION TO ENJA RECORDS’ provides another impeccably curated and programmed selection of music, assembled by simply one of the most knowledgeable and passionate vinyl specialists in the business. Featuring performances by John Stubblefield, Bobby Hutcherson, Harold Land, Don Cherry, Cecil McBee and Pharoah Sanders collaborator Marvin Hannibal Peterson to name but a few, this collection provides a great jumping-off point for Enja’s rich and diverse back catalogue. Founded in 1971 by Munich natives and jazz obsessives Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber, in its heyday Enja released albums by Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Tommy Flanagan and John Scofield, as well as Kenny Barron, Chet Baker, Abbey Lincoln, Bea Benjamin, Freddie Hubbard, to name but a few. Having firmly established itself as “a bastion of all things deep in jazz” as Jean-Claude neatly sums up, Enja also went on to issue early World Music projects from Abdullah Ibrahim, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Mahmoud Turkmani and many others, and it remains active to this day. “There is no doubt that to the uninitiated, a compilation introducing such an esteemed archive is well overdue” says Jean-Claude. “As with previous albums curated by us, this is just a soupçon of this label’s vast back catalogue, which we hope will lead the listener to discover new music and to search out more from this criminally underrated, class act.”
Tracklisting
The British shoegaze pop band Engineers was formed in London in
2003 by Mark Peters, Simon Phipps, Andrew Sweeney and Dan MacBean. MacBean is also known as the guitarist in The Shining. After being signed to Echo Records, the band released their self- titled debut album in 2005. The album features the acclaimed tracks “Home”, “Forgiveness” and “Waved On”. The latter was produced by Tim Holmes, who worked with The Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream and multiple albums for Death In Vegas.
Engineers is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on white coloured vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.
Es gibt musikalische Projekte, da muss man die Headline zwei Mal lesen, um die tatsächliche Bedeutung zuverstehen. Zum ersten Mal in der mittlerweile fünf Dekaden umfassenden Erfolgsgeschichte der Rocklegendeaus dem südwestfälischen Hagen, erscheint ein rein akustisches Studioalbum mit Songklassikern der Band.
Das einfach nur „GROBSCHNITT ACOUSTIC ALBUM“ betitelte Werk enthält 13 Stücke und ist ab dem 13. Mai erhältlich. Das Album ist auch eine Reminiszenz an das 50jährige Bandjubiläum, das im
Herbst 2021 im Rahmen einer imposanten Grobschnitt-Ausstellung im renommierten Osthaus Museum ihrer Heimatstadt Hagen gefeiert wurde. Es ist aber auch eine Hommage an die die treue Fangemeinde, die mittlerweile drei Generation umfasst und deren Motto „Kein Tag ohne Grobschnitt“ immer schon Kult war und ist. Das ”Grobschnitt Acoustic Album” erscheint pünktlich zum Tourstart der Band am Freitag, den 13.
Mai 2022 auf Doppel-Vinyl, als CD sowie auch in digitaler Form und ist bereits jetzt schon vorbestellbar. Für die Grobschnitt-Enthusiasten und alle Progressive Rock-Neugierigen heißt es wieder einmal: HEUT´
IST EIN SCHÖNER TAG‘.
"Good To Be is a sort of homecoming for the five-time GRAMMY Award winning artist, most recently for 2019’s Oklahoma. Having recently renovated his childhood home in Compton, CA the album is heavily inspired by his connection to both Compton and where he finds himself now at the intersection of Country and Americana in Nashville, TN.
While it sonically contains the blues influence we come to expect, there’s a stronger country tinge thanks to production from country legend Vince Gil and help from Keb’s good friend Darius Rucker, who features on the first single “Good Strong Woman”. Outside the music, Keb’ collaborated with the Compton Cowboys, a local non-profit deeply rooted in the community who are re-introducing cowboy culture to South LA. A striking image of Keb’ driving a vintage Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 through the streets of Compton, flanked by the Cowboys on horseback, will be a part of both the album artwork and a music video. "
The aptly named “Sous Un Soleils Enorme” ("Under a huge sun“) is a solar album, undoubtedly, with many facets. The album was hugely successful . However, Lavilliers did not stop writing and offers on May 13, in the heart of a tour that began this winter, a new version of his album, including four new tracks. “Navires" with blurred outlines conveys the great theater of international affairs… The voice of a friend, “Pablo”, and those whose fraternal echo carries the nostalgia of adventure. "Quai de Béthune", a poem by Aragon set to music, an ode to the magic of the banks of the Seine. Finally, "Tony Machado", an ultimate perfume from Argentina, born in the darkness of a few troubled streets... An authentic collector's version of 15 titles, in limited edition 2LP.Ads and Reviews R2, London Macadam
Double black vinyl LP format of the 1994 OST from one of the all time classic films. Features 32 songs including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, The Four Tops, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Supremes, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez and more. Marketing activity.
RARE RECORDINGS BY SEMINAL HIP_HOP GROUP TUFF CREW - This record is a double album vinyl set w/ unreleased bonus material/tracks. - Tuff Crew is known throughout the world as Philly's first Rap super group. They've toured extensively with some of the biggest names in Rap music such as Public Enemy, Run-DMC, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Rob Base and LL Cool J. The response to Tuff Crew's music has been nothing short of stellar. On a national level, their single "My Parta Town" peaked at #23 on the Billboard Rap charts, while their album Back to Wreck Shop reached #74 on the Billboard R&B album charts. Estimates of Tuff Crew's global sales are in excess of three million units. Tuff Crew's body of work has resulted in a dedicated legion of fans across the world and their DJ Too Tuff has been the recipient of various accolades throughout his career. DJ Z-Trip advised that the technique of DJ Too Tuff inspired him to be a scratch DJ. Three time global DMC scratch champion DJ Q-Bert also notes Too Tuff as one of his inspirations. And A-Trak, Kanye West's DJ, has also voiced his adoration of the turntable techniques of DJ Too Tuff. Although Tuff Crew made an incredible mark on the musical landscape, they unfortunately fell victim to bad management and infighting. It was during this time period that DJ Too Tuff, the man behind legendary Tuff Crew sound, gathered the finest of Philly's underground MC's and began work on a solo project. The new Tuff Crew album, containing the finest of DJ Too Tuff's solo work, is entitled DJ Too Tuff's Lost Archives. DJ Too Tuff's Lost Archives will be highly sought after, and is destined to become an instant collector's item. For fans of of Eric B and Rakim, Public Enemy, Ultramagnetic MC's, Run DMC and Wu-Tang Clan, this record is not to be missed.
Die aufstrebende Indie-Künstlerin Lisa Wanloo ist in den letzten Jahren durch eine Zeit der Einkehr und der Klarheit gegangen. Furchtlos erforscht sie ihre Gefühle und drückt sie in schnörkelloser Musik auf eine Weise aus, die nur wenige ZuhörerInnen ungerührt zurücklassen wird. Wanloo entwirft in ihren Liedern eine große, dunkle Szenerie, gepaart mit etwas Zerbrechlichem, das auf wunderschöne Weise im Inneren stochert. Beeinflusst von den dunklen Spielarten der Americana- und Singer-Songwriter-Tradition sowie ihrer lebenslangen Liebe zur Grungemusik, schreibt Wanloo ihre Musik aus tiefstem Herzen heraus. Das erinnert von der Herangehensweise wie auch in der Umsetzung an die großen Angel Olsen und Sharon Van Etten. Lisa Wanloo aus Hönö in den Göteborger Schären hat erst spät mit dem Musizieren begonnen. Ihre 2018 veröffentlichte Drei-Track-Single präsentierte ihre ersten je geschriebenen Songs; damals noch in einer eher traditionellen Singer-Songwriter-Form. Anschließend begab sie sich auf die Suche nach ihrem individuellen Ausdruck und nun ist sie bereit, ihr Debütalbum "Shadows" zu veröffentlichen. Das Reeperbahn Festival, auf dem Lisa Wanloo 2021 zu Gast war, schreibt von einer "unwahrscheinlichen Ausdruckskraft" der Sängerin. Auch wenn der Grundtenor stets von einer sinnlichen Dunkelheit geprägt werde, so könne ihre Musik doch Hoffnung in trostlosen Lebensmomenten spenden. Wanloo sei eine "junge Künstlerin von unschätzbarem Wert für die Gegenwart".
"'AYII' is a collection of roadside Souvenirs on the rural highway of our
inevitable evolution," shares Jon Stone.
"Polaroids
Storms. Open fields. Tears. Therapy. Burning of fields to make way for new
growth. We've attempted to open personal doors that have been patiently waiting,
annoyingly, stubbornly waiting for a sliver of truth. Hopefully we've delivered."
Kristy Osmunson adds, "Parenthood. This album was created during the most
pivotal time in life made while creating two humans. If I could capture the
process this music brought about in five words I would say, sobriety, health,
growth, responsibility and joy. This last five years has been a massive transition.
Playing festivals, weddings, funerals, therapy sessions, and music lessons has
become the soundtrack of life. 'Gonna Be You' landed on this planet the same
weekend as my first son so I will love that song through eternity. As she always
does, this music brought about a full revolution in my existence as a human." The
11-track project was produced by American Young, Kyle Schlienger, Lee Brice, and
John Vesley.
Graham Nash: Live is the unique project arriving on May 6, on which Nash revisits his first two classic solo albums, Songs For Beginners and Wild Tales, recorded live in concert The live albums were recorded in 2019, each in their entirety with their songs in familiar sequence. Nash was joined on stage by a seven- piece band led by his
longtime collaborators, Shane Fontayne (guitar and vocals) and Todd Caldwell (keyboards and vocals), The album was mixed by Grammy Award® winner Kevin Killen and mastered by Grammy Award® winner Bob Ludwig.
An extraordinary Grammy Award® winning renaissance artist – and selfdescribed "simple man" - Nash was inducted twice into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, for his work with CSN and his work as a solo artist, beginning with these two landmark albums, Songs For Beginners and Wild Tales.
Nash's lifelong commitment to his work is unwavering. His inspiration is simple: "All the things we stood for, that love is better than hatred, that peace is better than war, that we have to take care of our fellow human beings, because that's all we have on this planet - those things are still true today. I need to know that I've brought something into the world that was positive and not negative."
Those Pretty Wrongs are Jody Stephens and Luther Russell, two old
friends and veterans of the music scene in different ways - Jody was the
drummer for the legendary band Big Star and now helps run equally
legendary Ardent Studios in Memphis & Luther Russell was the leader of
seminal roots-rock band The Freewheelers and is now an acclaimed solo
artist and producer
Those Pretty Wrongs (2016) & Zed For Zulu (2019) were both released to great
critical success and the duo toured much of the US and EU delighting crowds
with Those Pretty Wrongs music. There's an undeniable influence of Stephens'
former band in the breezy melodies, the strong, simple and straightforward
arrangements, beautifully built around the duo's harmonies. Billed as "Double the
PRETTINESS for the price of one" and inspired by the good ol' truck-stop LP twofers (along with the desire to update the vinyl pressing with premium cutting, and
packaging.) Curation Records has teamed up with Those Pretty Wrongs to not
only put their two LPs back in print but to also remind the world of the power of
"pretty music".
Following Pre-Choreographed released in April 2020 where he mixed his classical pieces with electronic sounds and started developing the relationship between dance and music, Japanese pianist Koki Nakano is back with Oceanic Feeling. The music deals with his inability to fully live in this so-called oceanic feeling, capturing thus the composer's longing, frustration and ultimately search for harmony within his own limitations. He composed much of Oceanic Feeling while watching dancers move to what he played and the album's singles come accompanied by mesmerizing videos featuring renowned choreographers and performers such as Tess Voelker and Marion Motin. Musically speaking, Nakano is constantly moving through the grey area between intellect and instinct on Oceanic Feeling. Tracks oftentimes feel simple, and in that simplicity, genuinely touching. Yet behind every piano key is a complex, layered recording system developed by the artist himself that gives sounds a unique depth. Oceanic Feeling is an impressive avantgarde journey that moves and stirs without ever losing balance.
Mt Joy's climb into the musical stratosphere owes a great deal to their
highly energetic and passionate live performances
They've sold out room after room across the country, have toured with arena acts
like The Lumineers, among many others, and fans the world over flock to their
shows. So when the coronavirus pandemic sidelined the touring industry, Mt. Joy
felt the effects in a significant way. Fast forward to May 22, 2021: artists and fans
alike are finally emerging, and Mt. Joy steps on the stage at Red Rocks
Amphitheatre, playing the biggest show on record since live music began to open
back up. Live At Red Rocks showcases the band's spirited performance in front of
the sold- out Colorado crowd, and the energy felt from the audience's thrill of
experiencing live music again is unmistakable, even through the air waves
![Mourning [A] BLKstar - The Cycle](https://www.deejay.de/images/l/1/9/997119.jpg)
The Cycle is the fifth album by Mourning A BLKstar - It's the Clevelandbased collective's masterwork -- a double LP spanning 20 songs and
three singers, touching on neo-soul, hip-hop, and the cosmic expanse in
between/beyond
It is a humble addition to the long legacy of James Baldwin's adage of the artist
as witness. It is their song cycle, written in a time that just may need a song or
two in support of and in love and power to the living. Pressed on Neon Yellow
Color Vinyl
Cream White Vinyl
It finally took five years and two lineup changes for Handful of Snowdrops to release their debut album, the iconic Land of the Damned. While too many of the songs written during that period never made it to tape, some fortunately did.
This is what we believed is first home recording from the second generation of the band with Jean-Pierre as the lead singer. All tracks were recorded in a single day in a dark and humid basement using a beaten-up TEAC 4-track tape cassette recorder borrowed from a friend. Since the original mix downs are long gone, we had to salvage the music from two old worn out cassette copies.
It would be fair to say that the recordings are very representative of the overwhelming naivety of the early compositions. It’s a unique chance to have another look inside an old photo album you thought you had lost forever.
The remastered, repackaged set Music From Grizzly Man contains all of the out of print material Thompson recorded for the acclaimed documentary. Richard Thompson's score for “Grizzly Man” Werner Herzog's 2005 documentary film of real life and death in the Alaskan wilderness is one of the best-kept secrets in the British guitarist's epic canon: an instrumental masterpiece disguised as a movie soundtrack. Recorded over two days as Thompson played live in the studio to Herzog's footage – mostly alone, at times in chamber settings with cello, piano and percussion – these tenderly detailed melodies and quietly visceral improvisations are cinema in their own right, rendered with pictorial instinct and the dazzling technique forged in Thompson's lifelong passage through traditional folk, psychedelia, North African modes and intensely personal songwriting. Here is Thompson at his natural best – finger-picking dance; snake-curl twang and singing-wire harmonics – in a solo clarity that runs from jig-like joy to deep-note meditation, the "Main Title" blues march with its echoes of Fairport Convention's "Sloth" to the long night of "Treadwell No More," a harrowing darkness in slicing treble and tremolo shiver. Produced by guitarist Henry Kaiser, Grizzly Man is a record of powerful solitude as bold and majestic as the land in Herzog's film; as intimate as prayer and essential Richard Thompson.
This first-ever vinyl reissue, remastered from the original analog tapes, includes a gatefold jacket and inner sleeve with restored, new, and alternate art and photos by Terry and Jo Harvey Allen; an insert with lyrics, original notes, and Terry’s letter to H.C. Westermann about the songs; and a high-res download code. Deluxe CD edition features a trifold jacket and inner sleeve. Recorded exactly two years after acclaimed visual artist and songwriter Terry Allen’s masterpiece Lubbock (on everything), the feral follow-up Smokin the Dummy is less conceptually focused but more sonically and stylistically unified than its predecessor it’s also rougher and rowdier, wilder and more wired, and altogether more menacingly rock and roll. Following the 1973 Whitney Biennial, in which songwriter and visual artist Terry Allen and fellow iconic artist Horace Clifford “Cliff” Westermann both exhibited, Allen maintained a lively long-distance correspondence and exchange of artworks and music with Westermann, whose singular and highly influential art he admired enormously. In a February 1981 letter to his friend and mentor, written shortly after the late 1980 release of his third album Smokin the Dummy, while he and his family were living in Fresno, California, Terry explains the genesis of the album title: Westermann died shortly after receiving this letter, enclosed with a Smokin the Dummy LP, the minimalist black jacket of which Allen suggested that Cliff fold into a jaunty cardboard hat if he didn’t like the music. That response was unlikely, since Westermann loved Terry’s music, calling his debut record Juarez (1975) “the finest, most honest and heartfelt piece of music I ever heard.” The Panhandle Mystery Band had only recently coalesced during those 1978 Lubbock sessions, Lloyd Maines’s first foray into production. Through 1979, they honed their sound and tightened their arrangements with a series of periodic performances beyond Allen’s regular art-world circuit, including memorable record release concerts in Lubbock, Chicago, L.A., and Kansas City. Terry sought to harness the high-octane power of this now well-oiled collective engine to overdrive his songs into rawer and rockier off-road territory. His first album to share top billing with the Panhandle Mystery Band, Dummy documents a ferocious new band in fully telepathic, tornado-fueled flight, refining its caliber, increasing its range, and never looking down. Alongside the stalwart Maines brothers co-producer, guitarist, and all-rounder Lloyd, bassist Kenny, and drummer Donnie and mainstay Richard Bowden (who here contributes not only fiddle but also mandolin, cello, and “truck noise theory,” the big-rig doppler effect of Lloyd’s steel on “Roll Truck Roll”), new addition Jesse Taylor supplies blistering lead guitar, on loan from Joe Ely (who plays harmonica here). Jesse’s kinetic blues lines and penchant for extreme volume were instrumental in pushing these recordings into brisker tempos and tougher attitudes. Terry was feverish for several studio days, suffering from a bad flu and sweating through his clothes, which partially explains the literally febrile edge to his performances, rendered largely in a perma-growl. (By this point, he was regularly breaking piano pedals with his heavy-booted stomp.) Like the album title itself, the songs on Smokin the Dummy ring various demented bells. The tracks rifle through Terry’s assorted Obsessions especially the potential energy and escape of the open road, elevated here to an ecstatic, prayerful pitch and are populated by a cast of crooked characters: truckers, truck-stop waitresses, convicts, cokeheads, speed freaks, greasers, holy rollers, rodeo riders, dancehall cheaters, and sacrificial prairie dogs, sinners seeking some small reprieve, any fugitive moment of grace. A reigning deity of a certain kind of country music since the mid-70s. – The New York Times // The kind of singular American artist who expresses the fundamental weirdness of his country. – The Wire
RIYL: David Byrne, Guy Clark, Bob Dylan, The Flatlanders, Randy Newman, John Prine, Lucinda Williams, Townes Van Zandt. The first-ever vinyl reissue of Allen’s manifold, moving fourth album, remastered from the original analog tapes. Deluxe LP edition features 140g virgin vinyl; a gatefold jacket, inner sleeve with restored, new, and alternate art and photos by Terry and Jo Harvey Allen and friends, insert with lyrics and original notes & DL. Deluxe CD edition features a trifold jacket & inner sleeve. On his manifold fourth album, acclaimed songwriter and visual artist Terry Allen contemplates kinship the ways sex and violence stitch and sever the ties of family, faith, and society with skewering satire and affection alike. Bloodlines compiles thematically related but disparate recordings from miscellaneous sources both theatrical and historical: two songs written for plays; two full-band reprises of selections from Juarez; the irreverent hellfire-hitchhiker-on-highway ballad “Gimme a Ride to Heaven Boy” (featuring Joe Ely); and the poignant eponymous ode to the arteries of ancestry and landscape (the debut recording of eight year-old Natalie Maines, later covered by Lucinda Williams). Since 1970, when they met in Allen’s studio in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, one of songwriter and visual artist Terry Allen’s great foils and friends was the sometimes cantankerous but always brilliant art critic and writer Dave Hickey, with whom he sparred on topics musical, visual, and beyond (and to whom this reissue is dedicated in memoriam, in the wake of his passing in 2021.) Hickey, a fellow Texan paddling against the currents of the hermetic New York centric art world, was an accomplished songwriter in his own right, and he and Terry pushed each other to refine their respective practices. In 1983, the two were thick as thieves brothers in blood and Hickey’s wry but big-hearted presence haunts the history and periphery of Bloodlines, the album Terry released in June of that year. Hickey’s commercial doubts notwithstanding, critical recognition was not in short demand. In a 1984 review of Bloodlines, the L.A. Herald Examiner called Allen “one of the most compelling American songwriters working today … making the most unique art-pop of our time,” elsewhere comparing him not only to Moon Mullican and Jerry Lee Lewis, but also to the Velvet Underground and Philip Glass (probably the first time that unlikely quartet ever appeared together in one sentence). In 1983, against all odds, such sentiments were growing in underground prominence, as Allen’s records gained a fanatical word-of-mouth following they weren’t easy to find in those days. Recorded piecemeal at Caldwell Studios in Lubbock, in sessions spanning August 1982 through January 1983, Terry self-released it, like all his previous records, on his own Fate Records imprint. Despite his frustration with the protracted timeline and some anxiety about the correspondingly higher budget, the production on Bloodlines courtesy, once again, of master guitarist Lloyd Maines is slicker, cleaner, and more dynamic than prior efforts, and it reached a broader audience than ever before. UK label Making Waves reissued it in 1985, facilitating semi-reliable European distribution for the first time as well as a 1986 UK tour, on which the great BJ Cole filled in for Lloyd on pedal steel. No veteran country songwriter sounds more attuned to the national mood. His songs still feel like little guidebooks for staring down a harsh universe. – The Washington Post // It has always been a fool’s errand to frame Allen in terms of other artists there was nobody like him before he showed up, and the subsequent 40 years have been equally light on plausible peers. Uncut
Vinyl is limited to 500 copies on black vinyl, no download card. Sunzoom have been making a stir from their Liverpool base and this highly anticipated debut is not to be missed. Lo-fi and DIY in equal measure, the record was only conceived of 4 weeks into the first lockdown when songwriter Greg McVeigh decided that recording music was the only way to stay sane. Building a makeshift studio in the kitchen of his North Liverpool home (and deciding to name the new project SUNZOOM after a favourite Captain Beefheart track) Greg set about learning the processes of home recording from the ground up. The album theme draws upon the peculiar aspects of lockdown; isolation, spiritual introspection, longing to be somewhere else, weird dreams, drinking too much and takes the listener on a journey of escape. The songs move the record through fields, countries, time, space, memories and longings to finally end back at home in the reality of the four walls. Digging into some past unreleased recordings, poems, unfinished snippets of tunes and writing new songs (usually sung into his phone during months of daily beach walks with his dog) Greg began to build a record within the claustrophobic environment of summer 2020. Friends were able to collaborate (by the magic of old recordings and new parts sent via email) and in early 2021 Sunzoom entered ARK Recording Studios in Liverpool to add live drums and vocal parts subsequently spending a month mixing the record back home in the familiar surroundings of the kitchen where the concept first began. The result is a snapshot of the period that magically transforms personal and public strife into glorious pop-folk psychedelia.
The second album from the transatlantic duo Wilma Vritra is richly orchestrated, replete with references to faith, mythology, and the cosmos, its 11 tracks grapple with themes of self-preservation and refuge from the world, even as they edge their way to a sort of redemption. Grotto is the work of two musicians separated by an ocean but undoubtedly operating on a shared wavelength. One is Will Archer, a Newcastle-born but London-based multi-instrumentalist and composer who today records as Wilma Archer, but who you might also know for his writing and production for artists like Celeste, Nilufer Yanya and Jessie Ware. Wilma Archer’s debut solo album A Western Circular, featured guest spots from the late MF DOOM, Future Islands’ Samuel T Herring, Sudan Archives and Laura Grove. The other is Hal Donell Williams Jr, aka VRITRA - a Los Angeles-based rapper whose tales of graft and grind are often couched in spiritual or cosmic terms. VRITRA has previously collaborated with Matt Martians via The Jet Age of Tomorrow, Pink Siifu and YUNGMORPHEUS. Grotto’s striking cover image is by Swampy, an enigmatic Californian street artist whose itinerant lifestyle – tales of squatting and train-hopping across North America – have made him a demi-mythical figure. A playful image, but it communicates the album’s themes – of a voyage through darkness, and the promise of light at the end of the tunnel.
Limited 300 180g white vinyl LPs with printed inner Discobag and digital download.
500 CDs in gatefold digifile sleeve.
Each drum controls a virtual musical instrument (synthesizers, samplers, arpeggiators, etc.) within Ableton Live music software that, in combination with a custom step sequencer developed with MaxforLive app, allows Davide to perform real melodies/electronic orchestration without the use of any backing track. 100% live. In addition to that, he also uses a microphone set up in the middle of the drumkit to capture the dynamics of the acoustic drums and translate them through an 'envelope follower' into electronic parts in several ways. About ‘Perceive Reality’: Opener Belief bursts the record into life, as skittering arpeggios spin across a vast open plain of pad synths, before the ground splits beneath it with thrashing drums. On Conceived, Davide creates a simultaneously dark and euphoric wall of crystallised sound, a cacophony of pounding drum hits and icy electronic stabs, with an intensity that continues into Collide. With its shuddering, cut-out reverbed synth pads split in two by crashing cymbals and snares, the song spins itself into a transformative cycling trance, before slowly fading and washing away into silence, only to be broken by Conjectures’ sudden cymbal slams and transfixed toms that roll like thunder into a frenzy, before their final lightning strike. On Subjective, arpeggios twist around beating kick drums and toms, quickly scaling to a furious yet tightly wound sequence that envelops the listener, before Relief, where the album finally takes the shape of a huge wave of calm, glimmering hope and reflection. About the concept behind this latest album, Davide says, “Perceive Reality is a vivid exhortation to deepen the relationship with reality, avoiding simple and often illusory visions. In a historical context that fosters the proliferation of dual information and visions, individuals are increasingly exposed to the danger of perceiving less the complexity of events, thus losing the training to express complex and articulated opinions, the result of a reflection, whether individual or collective. Without having the presumption of resolving epochal issues, the project alerts to the fact that univocal answers do not exist and that only by developing a path of knowledge and giving ourselves the opportunity to examine things in depth, can we enter into the relationship with the existing.” Press highlights so far: Video premiere on Rumore.IT (Italy).
Towards The SeaVery Limited new pressing on Orange/White Galaxy vinyl. This is for Indies only. Chelsea Wolfe's sound is best described with broad strokes: elemental, intense, radiant, ancient yet modern, intimate yet expansive, dark and sparkling. Hues of black metal and deep blues inform her ever-evolving electric folk—a warm force that wraps itself around the listener, encouraging uplift, seeking triumph. Her voice similarly haunts and soothes, with words that illuminate life's darker corners in order to reveal the unlikely truth and beauty hidden within. Originally hailing from Northern California, Wolfe's formative years were spent tinkering in her country musician father's home studio, however, she long lacked the confidence to share her work. Then, in 2009, an overseas excursion as part of a nomadic performance troupe ignited her passion for performing and initiated a renewed interest in writing and recording. After performing in cathedrals, basements and old nuclear plants to whoever would listen, she returned home with a new drive. She began toting around an 8-track and recording as the mood hit, eventually editing her findings into a breathtaking debut album, 2010's The Grime & the Glow. Marrying the gentle intimacy of folk, the atmospheric voodoo of death rock, and the bleak, sullen nihilism of black metal, Wolfe's sound effectively cast a genre all her own: a cavernous rumble, marked by stuttering drums, ethereal synths, and a wash of guitar, all very much in the service of one of the most hypnotic, celestial voices in modern music. Described as both healing and harrowing, enchanting and narcotic, the album established Wolfe as a force on the rise. Inspired, Wolfe then relocated to Los Angeles and recorded her second album, 2011's Apokalypsis, which found her in an actual studio with her live band. The songs captured therein maintained the strikingly visceral elements of her debut, further showcase Wolfe’s unique songwriting ability, while adding a serious heaviness of sound that balanced eloquently with her transcendent voice. Its release was subsequently met with critical adoration, and rightly landed on numerous best of 2011 lists.
RIYL: Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Nick Cave, Patti Smith, Leonard Cohen, Iggy Pop, Radiohead & Tom Waits. "If you have never heard the Doctors of Madness, you should. Musically they are the Velvet Underground, New York Dolls with shades of glam, hippie, prog and punk all rolled into one, yet are still totally original. Vastly underrated, they should have been huge. Pure genius" Vic Reeves…. The DOM are “the missing link between David Bowie & The Sex Pistols” (The Guardian May 2017). Exploding onto the music scene in 1975 with their theatrical, William Burroughs-inspired Sci-fi nightmare, they were misunderstood by many, but those who knew understood the importance of the band’s dangerous, uncompromising approach to lyrics, to music and to performance. Among the many fans of the band were acts as diverse as The Damned, Vic Reeves, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, Spiritualized, Julian Cope, The Adverts, The Skids and Simple Minds. The Sex Pistols supported them, so did The Jam & Joy Division. They were the first to combine the avant-garde approach of The Velvet Underground with a distinctly European aesthetic. The blue hair, exotic stage-names, the lyrical themes of urban decay, political propaganda, mind control and madness were all taken up by the punk bands who followed in their wake. The DOM were trailblazers, pioneers, adventurers…pushing the boundaries of rock music and theatre to see how far it would go before it bust. What happened after them was due, in no small part, to what they achieved in 3 short years. They may not have been Jesus Christ, but they were, arguably, John the Baptist!!! Now, 40 years after they imploded, they are back…with an album seething with lyrical anger and passion. It is the most potent and incisive musical dissection of modern life and contemporary politics released the decade. With tracks titles like “So Many ways To Hurt You”, “Sour Hour”, “Make It Stop!” and the ground-breaking sonic assault of the title track “Dark Times”, Richard “Kid” Strange proves once again that he has his finger firmly on the pulse of our times, just as he had when he founded the band in 1974. Produced by John Leckie (Radiohead, Stone Roses, Pink Floyd), the new album, Dark Times, features contributions from Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Sarah Jane Morris (Communards), Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey, Nick Cave etc), Steve ‘Boltz’ Bolton (The Who, Scott Walker) and the young protest singer Lily Bud, alongside the current thrilling and thunderous DOM rhythm section of Susumu Ukei (bass guitar) & Mackii Ukei (drums) of the Japanese extreme glam-metal band Sister Paul, and Dylan O Bates (violin and keyboards). Julian Cope, another rock star who, like Strange, found the confines of music too tight for his ambition, his energy and his imagination, was blown away when he first heard the songs, declaring, “These Dark Times are enormously informing: the RULES OF THE FUTURE are indeed being forged right now”. Top producer Martyn Ware (Human League/Heaven 17) said the album “…reminds me of Iggy Pop’s Kill City album – love it.” and Biba Kopf (The Wire) declared, “Still listening to new DOM album with immense interest and pleasure”. The first single, Make It Stop!, is an impassioned howl against the global drift to right wing extremism and persecution of minorities, and is already a live showstopper for the band. It features the thrilling cross-generational combination of Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Lily Bud on backing vocals. In the period since the last DOM gig in 1978, Richard has written a memoir, collaborated on a cantata with internationally celebrated composer Gavin Bryars, worked as an actor on films with Tim Burton, Martin Scorsese, Harmony Korine & Jack Nicholson, toured the world in a Russian version of Hamlet with James Nesbitt as his grave-digging co-star, played Glastonbury, sung baritone in the British premiere of Frank Zappa’s200 Motels at the Royal Festival Hall, directed a multi-media evening celebrating the life and work of William Burroughs, won Best Art Film Prize at the Portobello Film Festival last year, had his own live talk show, worked with Tom Waits and Marianne Faithfull on the William Burroughs/Robert Wilson stage play The Black Rider, curated events for the Tate Gallery, and sung Walt Disney songs with Jarvis Cocker.
Ex RSD LP on transparent red vinyl, gatefold sleeve with lyric inner sleeve and DL card. Final copies now reduced to £7.99. The tracks on this album have never been officially released before now. The eight songs on this album were recorded in 1978 on a 2-track stereo Revox A77 tape recorder. The recordings are unashamedly analogue, using one microphone and guitars plugged directly into the tape recorder. Bouncing down tracks irreversibly as they went on, forced to make creative decisions that could not be undone. Some hard choices had to be made with the mix, but with no record company meant no record company agenda. TV Smith & Richard Strange could write and record whatever they wanted – and did! It has been an enormous pleasure to rediscover these recordings, the result of a friendship of two artists emerging from broken bands and each about to embark on a lifelong adventure in words and music. TV SMITH - I wasn’t having a lot of fun in 1978 when Richard asked me to collaborate on a song he was writing called “Summer Fun.” I was in the final stages of songwriting for the second Adverts album “Cast Of Thousands,” a project that already seemed doomed to failure given an unenthusiastic record company, a band in the throes of falling apart, and a dwindling audience - but my creative juices were in full flow and I was ready for something different. I already knew Richard, of course, from the Doctors Of Madness, who I’d followed in the years before punk when I was still living in Devon and they were one of the few bands to come and play in the area. I considered them a warped poetic glam band with gothic leanings, and was slightly surprised when the song I’d been invited to work on turned out to be a kind of California surf pastiche. But I was game to get involved, and after we’d finished it and ventured forward with regular writing and recording sessions over the following weeks it soon became clear that “Summer Fun” was just a gateway drug, and the songs that were emerging from our combined forces were going to quickly become much deeper and much darker // RICHARD STRANGE - Watching the remnants of a musical dream being swept away by the juggernaut of corporate punk rock in 1976, I felt a combination of jealousy and resentment towards many of the key players who had been responsible for our demise. The Sex Pistols had supported my band Doctors of Madness early in their career and nicked not only our future but £12.00 from a pair of trousers in our dressing room in Middlesbrough Town Hall! The Jam, who supported us over four shows at London’s fabled Marquee Club, were how I imagined The Who would be if they’d joined the Young Conservatives. Warsaw, our go-to support band in Manchester, had just changed their name to Joy Division, and Johnny and the Self-Abusers, our Scottish flag wavers, had become Simple Minds. All were being feted by the all-powerful music press, while we were being buried. But there was one punk band for whom I never had anything but the greatest affection…The Adverts.
Modest became the talk of the town in native Denmark in 2017 when they released their debut single “Pretty Sure It’s Honest”. This saw them play the likes of Roskilde Festival and SPOT Festival in Denmark as well as Sebright Arms (London) and N.C.I. (Cambridge) in the UK. since then, Modest have released a line of EP’s and singles to great exposure on Danish National Radio (DR). All the while, the band have been preparing their debut album ‘Friend’. On ‘Friend’, Modest continue down the melodic, jangly path of their early material while widening their range and venturing into slightly darker territory. Lyrically, ‘Friend’ addresses the loss of lead singer Julius Lykke’s mother: Expressing my state of mind during the last couple of years has been an imperative part of the making of this album. Despite the very personal content of the lyrics, I feel the album is inclusive towards the listener, and I hope it will resonate with people in a universal way. ‘Friend’ was recorded by Jens Benz in Silence Studio in rural Sweden and is set to release on May 6 2022 via Copenhagen based Part Time Records. Modest is Jacob Tjerrild (guitars), Jakob Ahlers (guitars), Stinus Kruse (drums) and Julius Kruse Lykke (Bass, vocals).
Active from the late 1980s through to the present day Contrastate have released several critically acclaimed albums. Their early experiments in music were heavily influenced by the industrial and experimental music and art scene of the 70’s and 80’s. Contrastate’s idiosyncratic take on challenging, industrial tinged music has certainly changed and evolved through the years. Their current sound insinuates itself inside the dark ritual ambience of the electronic avant-garde shot through with a vein of experimental noise and stentorian vocals that are strewn amongst touches of industrial surrealism and sonic soundtracks. “Contrastate achieve an amazing equilibrium between organic sound and brooding electronics.” – Heathen Harvest “Contrastate covers a bit of everything in their sound, and that black humor component…makes for a project that I can never predict what they will sound like next, but I know it will be fascinating no matter what” – Brainwashed
Cocteau Twins, Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Julia Holter, DIIV, Washed Out, Broadcast, Insides, Beach House, Drug Store Romeos. Introducing Beneather, a BAFTA-nominated composer from North London obsessively crafting sad, lo-fi, cinematic, ambient scandi-dreampop submerged in gently fuzzy tape loops. Much like the paintings of Gerhard Richter or a heavy mist rolling through a familiar landscape, the debut long player from Beneather obscures and blurs ten beautiful tracks beneath washes of cinematic, ambient scandi-dreampop – details emerge and fade, voices ooze and flow, tunes soothe and unnerve, metronomic beats click and swing. It would not be out of place on a David Lynch or Jim Jarmusch soundtrack. Inspired by the likes of Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Hammock, Grouper, Low, GAS, Huerco S., Emeralds, Jenny Holzer, William Basinski & ABBA!! Beneather is the solo project of Lewis Young - composer and collaborator in The Leaf Library, drone pop from north London. As a composer, Lewis recently scored the British short ‘Lucky Break’ which found its way into the BAFTAs short list only to narrowly miss out on the gong. Lewis is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, designer and filmmaker currently living in Walthamstow, London. He started as a guitarist in noughties math-rockers Tea with the Queen, shifting to bass for multi-harmonied Naomi Hates Humans before returning to thumping roots as drummer for The Leaf Library. Objects Forever - the imprint label created by The Leaf Library - has provided Lewis with the vehicle to jump back into experimental song craft, inspiring the genesis of Beneather. “I just needed to make a project which spoke to all the aspects of music I’ve loved creating as a multi-instrumentalist. Plugging things into things to make satisfying little electronic loops, then layering extremely minimal bass and guitar lines with a lo-fi aesthetic. Melinda and I spent a few days in the studio - picking out objects, patterns… items that could inspire a thread of instinctive wordless melody. I took that expressionism and sliced it to pieces, rearranging it into ambient vocal hooks.” Beneather is an exercise in hypnotic simplicity. Experimental, dream-like music built on layers of scratchy electronic tape loops, chiming spacious guitars and abstract pulsing vocals. These cinematic songs combine Grouper's wistful deviations with the warm fuzz of Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, the nocturnal hum of Emeralds, the crackling collapse of William Basinski and Low's glacial pop melancholy. Outside of compositions for film, TV and Podcasts - Lewis plays with the indie drone-pop band The Leaf Library, featuring Matt Ashton from John Peel faves Saloon (“World-weary yet innocent, blissful dream-pop” - UNCUT - 8/10). Lewis has supported the likes of Lali Puna, Joanna Newsom, Lætitia Sadier & Alexis Taylor.
Stars of the Lids, Tim Hecker, Brian Eno, Manuel. Duo Consists of Jonas Munk (aka Manual) and Jason Kolb (guitarist from Auburn Lull). 4th album, 2nd for Felte and first one since 2012. Initially on blue vinyl. Past press by Pitchfork, XLR8R, Impose. Past project Releases on Morr Music, Darla, and more. Billow Observatory is the project of trans-Atlantic duo Jonas Munk (Denmark) and Jason Kolb (Michigan). Initially planned as a small sideproject from their main work in Manual and Auburn Lull respectively, the two quickly realized their collaborative experiments merited more time and attention. Using heavily treated cavernous guitars, subtle synths, and crackling radio transmissions, their self-titled debut was released in 2012 as a double LP and established Billow Observatory as purveyors of unhurried, highly detailed ambient immersion. The release pair of II: Plains/Patterns in 2017, and III: Chroma/Contour in 2019, on Munk's own Azure Vista Records, introduced a subtle underpinning of rhythm, pulse, and stutter among the washes, expanding their sound with a hint of understated electronica. Marking 10 years since debuting on Felte, 2022 sees the release of Stareside, their most forcefully elegant undertaking to date. A record of swaying quarantine temperament, Stareside's 9 tracks thread the needle between hope and hopelessness - daydreaming whilst watching the world go mad in the blink of an eye. Not shy of overt rhythm, soaring motifs, and daunting undercurrents, Stateside veers wildly in new directions, yet keeps one hand near the record bin of comforting nostalgia (think early Warp Records, Jon Hassel, and Conny Plank to name a few).
New Heavy Sounds is proud to present the new album by Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard. now known simply as MWWB. There has been some speculation amongst fan circles that the final part of the trilogy of albums that preceded this, marked the end of Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard’s five-year mission. Not so. We can categorically confirm that having officially slimmed their name down to the acronym, MWWB are continuing their voyage through the far reaches of the galaxy. The first phase of that journey is their new album ‘The Harvest’. ‘The Harvest’ is the band’s fourth album, and of course it is a record shot through with the trademark heavy MWWB sound, and their unique blend of metal and shoegaze. However it also sees the band adding more experimentation, a progressive approach, and going a bit more left field conceptually. To some extent, it shares similarities with Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’. Not only by having the mix of experimentation and melodicism as that seminal record, but also in the way that it has been engineered and constructed as a seamless piece. Nine tracks flowing into one another. Space age riff monsters segueing into shorter musical interludes, where John Carpenter, rubs shoulders with Pink Floyd and a maelstrom of moog and mellotron. There are surprises, and of course a bucketload of heavy shit. With ‘The Harvest’ MWWB have refined and honed their sound, it’s a carefully crafted distillation of ideas, written, conceived and sequenced to be listened to in its entirety (preferably in one sitting). MWWB have always loved film scores and this new album is in many ways, the soundtrack to a film. MWWB provides the musical narrative (the song titles also provide a pointer) and the listener's imagination does the rest. ‘Oblok Magellana’ and its spooky atmospherics set the scene. before things really kick in with the riffs of title track ‘The Harvest’. A grooving Sabbathian chug intro’s Jessica Ball, who at the top of her game throughout. Her voice simultaneously sweet yet dark; almost neofolk; which when put against those riffs, is always a startling juxtaposition, nevertheless it perfectly crystallises MWWB’s distinctive dynamic. ‘Interstellar Wrecking’ is a succinctly crafted nugget of John Carpenter-esque drama, you can imagine the thundering mothership forging its way through the universe on some nameless quest before encountering ‘Logic Bomb’ and its fat fuzzed-up ride through light and shade guitar/vocal interplay. Ball’s voice soaring and shimmering throughout. ‘Betrayal’ gives a nod to Pink Floyd’s ‘On The Run’ but with its freaky spoken word and four on the floor kick it’s almost a dance track, yet there’s no incongruity here. ‘Altamira’ is epic MWWB, adding large doses of psych into a melodic concoction of dreampop and metal. Ball’s vocals here are many layered and textured effortlessly gliding through the weight of the backing. ‘Let’s Send The Bastards Whence They Came’ is another little gem. A plaintive repeating synth figure that builds with bass, drums, mellotrons and synths into ‘Strontium’ which rounds off the album’s ‘heavy’ numbers, a blend of monster grooves, and Ball’s swooning vocals. Finally, and outstandingly, Jessica strips things back to a distorted guitar and voice on ‘Moonrise’. Shorn of the layers of fuzz, it is a simple, beautiful and fitting catharsis to an epic voyage. MWWB are a thrilling proposition. They demonstrate that you can seamlessly mix crushing power, experimentation and delicate vulnerability into something that transcends any genre.
Tinnitus Tonight is the latest & sneakiest full-measure serving from LARS FINBERG, world-class bon vivant and prolific Panic Rock artiste. Why so sneaky? Here’s the dirt: Finberg developed a nerve rash leading up his 2017 tootle, the TY SEGALL-assisted Moonlight Over Bakersfield. Rather than blindly leap from the comfy zone, he tip-toed in secret to a friendly but far-flung (cough*Sacramento*cough) studio to capture a reserve of slanted tunes with a proven-effective team of buds. Those comrades – the glorious LAUREN MARIE MIKUS on keys, frequent collaborator & forever-gent KAANAN TUPPER on drums and, at the controls and elsewhere, the indestructible CHRIS WOODHOUSE – all fostered a supportive framework that first allowed Finberg to “think” beyond THE INTELLIGENCE, gearing him up for a life in the spotlight (or moonlight, as it were). So yes indeed: what appears to be an adventurous follow-up also doubles as a prequel. Keep accurate score or you’re dusted. The core of Tinnitus Tonight centers on an assemblage of Finberg’s most golden riffs – trash-coustic but driftwood-smooth, naughty and infinite, all of ‘em bangers and/or buggers. Tunes sprout and move matador-like until an inevitable goring. The past-it grunt that kicks off “Burger Queen” prompts a mimed chef’s kiss. “My Prison” and “The Doors” are quintessential, truly distilled Finberg moments, compounding his trademark acerbic, out-for-blood wit with these absurdly cool, whip-crack guitars. The massively impressive “Public Admirer” is unequivocally the loudest, most damaged blurt from this doggie in at least a decade. In total, Tinnitus Tonight is a wonderful and welcome reminder that our guy is a very real rouser and a vital, unique purveyor of artful aggression, playful and powerful. Finberg beams really fuckin’ brightly under his own name, perhaps more so than with any group orchestration he happens to be braising with. Do these higher personal stakes call for a dastardlier delivery? Maybe this permeating 2020 End Times feeling prohibits the normal corralling of the subconscious mind? Whatever the answers are, you will find them here.
"The gift Lars Finberg has to disfigure rock riffs into minor chord marvels should serve as a glowing example for those who feel the need to pick up a guitar and make some noise to share with the world. Using the conventional tools of rock and roll flavored with a mix of garage punk, post punk, synth punk and mutant surf, Mr. Finberg, with seemingly effortless cool, has crafted or contributed to countless albums with bands like The Intelligence, Puberty, Rubber Blanket, A Frames and more, all with a magnetic pull and genius lyrics that stand out from the indie rock heap and reveal an exceptionally creative mind that’s actually done its homework." - Noise For Zeros
Cruel Summer’s sound evokes the dazed, fuzzed-out, swirling noise of the late 1980s UK sound while still sticking to their pop roots--they’ve aptly been crowned San Francisco’s “jangle darlings.” Their first full-length album “Ivy” is forthcoming from Sacramento’s art/vinyl imprint Mt. St. Mtn. Following their 2013 ST/EP (Mt. St. Mtn.,) they released the sold-out lathe-cut 7” for “Leeches,” accompanied by a video. In 2016 Cruel Summer released “Around You, Around Me,” recorded for L.A.’s Part Time Punks, the 7” B-side features a moody cover of Pylon’s “Crazy.” Mastered by Kramer (Galaxie 500 and Low). “Ivy” is the long-awaited, first full-length album from this quartet, who have become a mainstay in the San Francisco and Oakland club scene. Recorded at Santo Studio in Oakland, California by Jason Kick (Sonny & the Sunsets, Once and Future Band, Mild High Club, Maus Haus), the record is a love poem to San Francisco, with all its changes and disappointments. "Bands have begun to push the boundaries of genre in a unique and satisfying way, and San Francisco’s Cruel Summer is a prime example. They are a group of voyagers into this uncharted territory, and their album Ivy is a joyful, dreamy blend of everything you might love about shoegaze and everything you thought shoegaze could never be... Cruel Summer is proof that shoegaze is alive and well, at least in San Francisco. The band is doing some creative, compelling work with a genre that is so often elusive - besides being an interesting act of musicianship, Ivy is also simply a joy to experience from beginning to end. If you need further convincing, take a listen to Ivy and let it take you somewhere warmer."
The story of 'Get Tragic' can be traced way back to the relentless gigging off the back of their 2014 self-produced and self-titled record, when the heels finally fell off of Blood Red Shoes at the end of that same year. A near-decade of incessant road time and a non-stop pace of life finally took its toll, with the band stopping only to quickly hammer out 'another ten songs' to release as their next record, before ploughing straight back into touring. The pair exhausted themselves to the point of collapse. 'We didn't, at any point, have a breather,' says Steven Ansel (drums and vocals), 'We probably didn't see each other for about 10 days a year, tops, for six or seven years.' Understandably, such incessant close proximity led to implosion. 'We got the to the end of the fourth record and were like, 'F**k you, I never want to see you again','Steven adds, half-laughing, half-sighing.
Stunning second album from Royal Headache and 2015's underground pop sensation. Royal Headache's follow-up, retains that swagger, pop hooks and grace but adds extra romance and instant appeal. The amount of emotion and range of Shogun's vocals and the whip-smart counterpoint provided by the band - drummer Shortty, guitarist Law, and bassist Joe - present a dash through decades of pop history, recombining not just the music but all of the feelings of pain and joy elicited from audiences, supercharged and ready to explode once more. Shogun's voice and lyrics aren't so much a secret weapon in Royal Headache's arsenal as they are the front line, happiness and hurt soaring above the songs, driving home all the feelings within. For fans of the Buzzcocks, The Strokes first album, Marked Men and The Undertones.
Australian hip-hop/neo soul duo SO.Crates are a boom-bap prayer sent live and direct from the heart of two of the culture’s most committed students. The group features Melbourne based beatmaker and DJ Skomes alongside California-via-Adelaide MC & poet Cazeaux O.S.L.O, not to mention the MUSE, a forever changing third party who completes the creative trinity of the Crates. With a legacy built on releasing a steady flow of cold-crush records and delivering uplifting live performances to the party people, SO.Crates prove that hip-hop’s golden era is not a lost date in time, but a foundational state of mind. Functioning as a considered preview of what to expect from the album to follow, the hypnotic first release 'Stars' is an auditory exploration of what happens when two opposing charges collide; the joyful and the melancholy. Here, layers of instrumentation, samples and vocals sit atop a foundation of grounding beats — the track's roots from which piano samples, live trumpet and vocal embellishments spring. "When Skomes gets in his stride, it's always a bit of a happy/sad feeling. It can go either way, like a mood ring", says Cazeaux O.S.L.O. "I guess you could say we make mood ring beats, and 'Stars' is no exception".
Like a book club - only with albums.A simple, but beautiful concept
MJ McArthy (Zoey Van Goey) asked a small group of his pals to gather at The Laurieston – that mystical voodoo Glasgow boozer…that adored bar that defies all reason and logic – and they would talk about a record, track by track, and see what happens.They didn't know each other. There were theatre people:, Playwrite Douglas Maxwell, Isobel McArthur (actress and writer, the genius behind smash hit Pride and Prejudice Sort Of) and Cathy Forde (acclaimed YA novelist and playwright) and Rhona NicDhughaill who works for Gaelic arts company Theatre Gu Leor, as well as being an old band buddy of MJ's from their student days. Peter Geoghegan, award- winning firebrand political journalist and writer of the wonderful Democracy For Sale was there. And lastly - and slightly freaking them out on that very first night - were two actual Delgados: Emma Pollock and Paul
Savage.
And then…MJ had songs. MJ always has songs. And he started to wonder if this particular group of humans could, as well as talk about an album, make an album? For the musicians I don't suppose that was a particularly weird notion, but for the rest of the band it was quite a leap. However, MJ was adamant…let Album
Club become ALBUM CLUB. The Band!
"I wrote the album in a tiny apartment, at a time when everything felt big and overwhelming," says poet and songwriter Jenny Berkel about her new album, "These Are the Sounds Left From Leaving"
She was living in a brownstone walk-up full of radiant light and the ever-present soundscape of a leaky bath faucet. It was a sudden move at the time - a spontaneous departure from touring, bustling city life, being many things to many people'that landed Jenny in a space of self- imposed stillness. "The songs themselves are a study of proximity, bringing big fears into small spaces," says Jenny, reflecting on the album. "They're intimate examinations of a world that often overwhelms." The album features contributions from critically acclaimed folk duo Kacy & Clayton, and string arrangements by Colin Nealis (Andy Shauf) - the record was co- produced by Jenny alongside Dan Edmonds and Ryan Boldt (The Deep Dark Woods). Warm and dark, soft with stabs of madness, "These Are the Sounds Left From Leaving" is a cohesive collection of spare songs that bloom
lushly with detail. Whether you're reading Jenny's poetry or listening to her songs, you'll experience her drawing layers of far- reaching concern into particular moments, like concentric waves rippling inward toward a lone cast stone. "These Are the Sounds Left From Leaving" showcases the perspective of a unique storytelling artist, with an evocative practice that hinges powerful narratives on the intricacies of a multifaceted musicality. A songwriter immersed in poetry, a poet immersed in music'her work in all its forms is an invitation into a world of relatable introspection, in which even absences can be sculpted into vividly memorable verse.
'I've been obsessed with western swing since I was a kid, and it's always
been an influence, but my records in the past have ranged from bluegrass
to hard country to folk, So I've never fully explored it' - So says genrebusting Fargo-born, Austin- incubated, Nashville resident Brennen Leigh,
whose new collaboration with the kings of modern-day western swing,
Asleep at the Wheel, Obsessed With The West, is a showcase not just for
the Bob Wills fans, but for anyone who's ever curled up with Loretta Lynn,
Hank Sr, Cindy Walker, Billie Holiday, or Willie Nelson
On twelve all original songs, Leigh's supple winking voice and multi- instrument
fluency, her interplay with Ray Benson, and the undeniable chops of the Wheel
serve up a treat on Leigh's seventh album. With cameos from Emily Gimble and
Katie Shore, and all the players getting their moments in the sun, Leigh - a twotime winner of the Texas Music Awards Best Female Vocalist award -
demonstrates on the terrific jump 40's rhythm and blues, 'Comin' in Hot' and the
lonesome cowboy musing of 'Riding Off Onto Sunset Boulevard' why Rodney
Crowell and Lee Ann Womack have recorded her songs. Obsessed With The West
is a celebration of music for music's sake in 2022, not just an exercise in looking
back on times gone by.
28. Januar 2022 – Gut drei Jahre nach seinem letzten Album erfreut Michael Bublé seine weltweite Fangemeinde mit der Ankündigung eines neuen Werkes: „HIGHER“ wird am 25. März 2022 über Warner Records / Reprise Records erscheinen und ist das insgesamt 11. Studioalbum des mehrfachen Grammy-Gewinners, vielfachen Juno-Preisträgers und weltweiten Multiplatin-Superstars. Die erste Single „I’ll Never Not Love You“ erscheint bereits heute und zeigt den Kanadier stimmlich und kreativ in Bestform. Der neue Track wurde von Greg Wells und Bob Rock zusammen mit Allen Chang, Jason „Spicy G“ Goldman und Sir Paul McCartney produziert.
Zu den Highlights des Albums gehören ein magisches Duett mit Willie Nelson für dessen Song „Crazy“, Bublés gefühlvoll gesungene Interpretation von Sir Paul McCartneys Song „My Valentine“ (produziert von McCartney) und der Bob-Dylan-Klassiker „Make You Feel My Love“, außerdem die drei von Bublé neu geschriebenen Titel, zu denen auch die erste Single „I'll Never Not Love You“ zählt. Absolut gelungen sind auch Bublés Interpretation des Sam-Cooke-Klassikers „Bring It On Home To Me”, „You're The First, The Last, My Everything” und das beschwingte „A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square". Den Abschluss des Albums bildet eine dramatische und atemberaubende Version von „Smile“, bei der Bublé von einem Gospelchor begleitet wird.
Bublé kommentiert: „Ich habe mich diesmal komplett geöffnet, um neue Dinge auszuprobieren. Ich wühlte mich tief in die Materie ein, umgeben von einigen der großartigsten musikalischen Vordenker, die wir auf diesem Planeten haben – Menschen mit einer gigantischen Vorstellungskraft. Ob ich mich mit Ryan Tedder und Greg Wells für Songwriting-Sessions zusammensetzte, mit meinem Kumpel Bob Rock drei Songs an einem Tag aufnahm – zusammen mit 40 fantastischen Studiomusikern, die seit 15 Monaten nicht mehr musiziert hatten –, oder einfach nur in Unterwäsche lachend und weinend durch mein Homestudio tanzte, weil ein Song genau richtig klang – jeder Moment fühlte sich magisch an. Als hätte sich das Universum verbündet, um mich nach 20 erstaunlichen Jahren genau an diesen Punkt zu bringen. Ich war noch nie so aus dem Häuschen, nachdem ich ein Album fertiggestellt hatte.“
„Michael Bublé ist ein großartiger Tanzpartner“, kommentiert Greg Wells. „Er zollt mir viel Anerkennung, doch der wahre Respekt gebührt ihm – dafür, dass er das Vertrauen hatte, mit einem neuen Team zu arbeiten. Er ist ein phänomenaler Hitmaker.“
Bublés langjähriger Produzent Bob Rock sagt: „Ich habe Michael noch nie so fokussiert und inspiriert erlebt. Er hatte eine ganz bestimmte Vorstellung von dem Album, das er machen wollte, eine klar umrissene Vision. Als wir uns ans Werk machten, hängte er sich bei jedem Song so lange rein, bis er so klang, wie er ihn in seinem Kopf hörte.“
Vor vielen Jahren entdeckte ein damals vierjähriger Michael Bublé im heimischen Elternhaus in Burnaby, Kanada seine Liebe zum Singen – und ließ sie seitdem nie mehr los. Sein selbstbetiteltes Debütalbum bei Reprise Records erschien 2005, gefolgt von einer Serie an Multiplatin- und #1-Erfolgen, darunter „Call Me Irresponsible“, „Crazy Love“, „To Be Loved“ und „Christmas“. Sein letztes Album „Love“ (2018) erreichte u.a. Platz 1 in den USA und UK und Platz 6 in Deutschland. Im Laufe seiner erstaunlichen Karriere hat Bublé über 75 Millionen Alben verkauft, sein Weihnachtsalbum wird auch zehn Jahre nach der ursprünglichen Veröffentlichung weiterhin millionenfach gekauft und gestreamt und seine Stimme ist der Inbegriff von Weihnachtszeit. Auch live hat Bublé in den letzten Jahrzehnten herausragende Erfolge gefeiert und ausverkaufte Shows in über 30 Ländern gespielt. Seine jüngste Tournee „An Evening With Michael Bublé“ (2019 bis 2022) wurde von über einer Million Fans auf der ganzen Welt besucht. Michael liebt Eishockey, Fantasy Football, TikTok und – na klar – Singen. Er ist der stolze Vater von Noah, Eli und Vida.
repress
In 1990 Joe Lewis teamed up with singer Darryl Goodlett to form the shortlived Survival. Now on Clone Classic Cuts their Midnight Dancin' finally gets a full release with all the versions. 2 of which were never released at the time. To top it of Simply Yours by DJ Joe Lewis also from the original Midnight Dancin' EP. Remastered by Alden Tyrell.
Very limited vinyl pressing, 500 copies in a gatefold sleeve, a printed inner housing white and marbling effect vinyl with full download included. CD in a 4 panel digipack with a 4 page booklet. New Heavy Sounds is very proud to bring you Moongazer, the 2nd album by the 4 piece stoner rock powerhouse from Italy, TENEBRA. The band had already made waves on the scene with their debut album ‘Gen Nero’ before delivering ‘What We Do is Sacred’ their debut EP for New Heavy Sounds last year, 3 killer tracks that were but a taster of things to come. Moongazer takes the story a stage further with 9 slabs of crushing fuzzed up grooves, fuelled by 70’s proto metal, hard rock, punk, psych-blues and noise, loaded with great riffs and melody and topped off by gutsy soulful vocals. Musically, you could say that TENEBRA occupy similar musical terrain to bands such as Graveyard, Witchcraft, Kadaver and other bands of that ilk, but TENEBRA are very much their own beast. They have all the chops of course, but are musically less slavish, often adding a twist that keeps the songs fresh and now. There’s also very little reliance on Sabbath-isms (apart from one cheeky nod) and though occult rock is also part of the vibe, the music steers well clear of the cliches. In fact the band bring a clutch of left field influences into their melting pot as well, from June of 44 and Love Battery to the Misfits and the psych grunge of Screaming Trees. Of the 4 members, Claudio (bass), Emilio (guitar) and Mesca (drums) came from the hardcore and post-hardcore squat scene that gathered around Bologna, whereas their formidable vocalist Silvia (the youngest of the crew) is immersed in the underground rock of the '60s and' 70s. When you hear her sing you’ll know where she’s coming from as she has one helluva rock voice, laced with whiskey, smoke, grit, late nights and a whole lotta soul. Think Maggie Bell meets Betty Davis with a smattering of Gillan, and you'll be in the right ballpark. So what you get with ‘Moongazer’ is a band revelling in the spirit of 70’s rock rather than recreating it. ‘Heavy Crusher’ lulls you with its dreamy intro, but it’s not long before the riffs hit with Silvia in full effect. This pretty much sets the tone for the record, coiling proto metal riffs, executed with gusto and joie de vivre. And as with every track on this album, Silvia belts it out like she absolutely means it man. ‘Cracked Path’ continues the journey and ups the heavy fuzz a notch or 2. First heard on ‘What We Do Is Sacred’ (full length album version). ‘Black Lace’ is a brooding beast, epic and melodic, almost a ballad, with a heap of soul lurking within, courtesy of Silvia’s mighty voice. ‘Carry My Load’ keeps the brooding vibe going till the loping off kilter killer riffs kick in. This is definitely Silvia at her most Gillan-esque. ‘Winds Of Change’ does just that, dial things down to bluesy, almost psych feel, with dreamy solos and a hooky guitar break. ‘Stranded’ is a full on stoner rocker as is ‘Space Child’ with its short homage to the dark lords, there’s even a a sax solo. Never one’s to just play it straight these guys. ‘Dark And Distant Sky’ is pure proto metal, a la Bloodrock or Grand Funk, it truly rips, and once again, it’s construction veers it away from anything approaching what you’d expect. ‘Moon Maiden’ is the album’s closer, featuring Gary Lee Conner (no less) of the aforementioned grunge legends Screaming Trees, guesting on guitar. It’s a fitting and epic closer, by turns hard ‘n’ heavy, psychedelic and chock full of great ideas. MOONGAZER is without doubt an accomplished sophomore release that deserves to be heard and appreciated, purely because, though it may appear to reside in the world of stoner, it is so much more.
BLACK BOMBERS, Birmingham's rock 'n Roll veterans whose primal racket contains elements of both proto and post punk, drop a new 7"on Friday, April 1st - on Easy Action Records. All Fools' Day 2022 seems the perfect time to release a track about false promises and the fantasy of returning to fading Empires. The recording for the single was originally carried out during one of those brief respites from Lockdown in the Summer of 2020 and was then developed in the Soho studio of new Black Bomber guitarist Steve Crittall over the following few months. The 'B' side of the single features Black Bombers' cover of The Damned's 'You Take My Money' - the much maligned second album being something of a band favourite. Bass player Darren Birch played with Damned guitarist Brian James in a short-lived line-up of his James Gang band. This release comes as 'UN-SCENE!', Black Bombers' drummer Dave Twist's compilation album of Birmingham Post Punk, is receiving real acclaim and is already in short supply... The band have dates around the country in the coming weeks and play the DIE DAS DER benefit show for Ukraine on March 27th at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath Birmingham.
Clear Vinyl repress
1987... for those lucky enough visiting a decent import shop in that year could have seen a US import record with pink label showing a darts board with small text next to the picture saying "Target records" and "Joe R Lewis". Pretty sure nobody at that time would be alarmed by this... reading further it said....1. Love Of My Own... Written and produced by Joe R Lewis... in even smaller text the label info continued; mixed by Larry Heard! And even that, at that time that would not have ringed a bell, except for maybe a couple of dj's who only just in the last couple months picked up copy of a Mr Fingers record and memorised the writter credits. We're talking the very early days of House music, the pre-internet era where new music and info didnt spread all over the globe within a couple of seconds.... Now more then 30 years later this is a holy grail for worldwide record collectors and house aficionados, still not all info is clear. Rumors go that this record was produced after a recording sessions of Larry Heard and he helped Joe Lewis with the mixdown... but like all good stories there is a cloud of mystery covering up the details!. On the flip side there is one of the best tracks ever produced by Joe Lewis,.... Life Immoreal... a track so elegant and beautiful that it hurts!! Two of the best tracks Chicago House music has to offer in remastered versions taken from the original master tapes on this latest outing of Clone Classic Cuts!!
Within Reason Records welcomes Hugh Mane to the fold with a four track EP that is his most polished work to date. Veering away from his usual club ready sound, Hugh takes a much more relaxed approach on 'Resonant Moods', choosing to focus on meticulous production techniques and textural layering to create an EP that transcends both time and space. Often the case with Hugh's music, you can be 6 minutes into a track and not know that any time has passed at all. 'Resonant Moods' is a wonderfully crafted EP that encapsulates emotive tonality and playful rhythms, whilst oozing spacious sub frequencies.
Stunning debut release from RAFRAM aka Irdial legend Ramjac Corporation and the Toronto legend (& honorary Glaswegian) Raf Reza.
300 copies only, full printed sleeves plus riso insert.
Orphic Apparition is a new label born out of a transatlantic meeting of minds. Facilitated by a long, hedonistic party in one of present-day London’s ‘meanwhile use’ venues Grow Tottenham, Canadian producer Raf Reza and British acid house luminary Paul Chivers spent a precious day in the studio to record a 3 hour straight to DAT session before Reza's return to Canada. The result of this spontaneous yet intuitive collaboration blurs the lines between Chiver’s long-standing Ramjac Corporation alias and Reza’s genre-spanning approach to dub, breaks and house styles. Part of the early 90s rave scene and an important member of the blueprint-setting Irdial label, Ramjac locks heads with the self-professed ‘lazy music guy from Toronto’ to adapt their studio session into five separate mixdowns.
‘In The Grow’ begins with a bouncy, cut-up sounding Errorsmith-esque rhythm, the recurring fright night melody that distinguishes the record coming in all quick and powerful. The A2 ‘Rotten Mix’ offers a more traditional house approach in its composition, with dub FX and a nice DJ friendly outro. On the final uptempo choice the pair opt for a head-scrambling electro take. Choose your fighter! The ‘Swampy Dub’ on the flip really dismantles everything we’ve heard prior, slo-mo drums allowing a much different DJ experience and altering the freaky synthetic propulsion into an almost modern classical sound. A little like Paul Dresher’s eternal ‘Channels Passing’ (tip). Combined with the other edits this version almost becomes a totally different track. The final ‘Rootless Dub’ gives its clues in the title, removing all the tough drum sounds and allowing for an ambient decompression.
Orphic Apparition will return soon.
Sean Dixon, known from previous releases on Clone and Rawax, is back on his own label Final Chapter.
On this colorful four track record called Generations EP, he’s joined by Sheffield´s John Shima.
Opening the EP is Generations I, a raw piece, with chord stabs that are dancing around the percussion sounds and organ bass, with a vocal on top. Followed up on the A-side is Generations ll, a Chicago and Detroit inspired track with wonderful lush strings one top of the drums and vocal,. Generations lll opens up the B-side, with wicked melodies and a funky bassline.
The B2 track Generations IV comes from John Shima, who is doing a rework on Sean´s original sounds, putting his characteristic feeling and touch to it.
Known for his work on Transient Force, Gigolo, and of course as a contributor for Fundamental's Time Capsule a.k.a. 808 Box project, -=UHU=-'s album is a selection of his best unreleased tracks. Compiled from an old folder full of tracks that have that twenty years old spirit in each of them, that futurist funk that -=UHU=- can deliver so well. ''Ezzential Electro'' is the biggest project Electro Records has done so far. It consists of 36 vinyl records produced by artists they consider essential for the current underground electro movement. The first six parts of the series come in beautiful white silkscreen printed sleeves on recycled cardboard and include a real puzzle piece on the front cover, indicating which part of the series you have in your hands.
Brand new studio album by The William Loveday Intention as part of their “career in a year”! “The cover pic is from a visit I made with my son and friends to the artist Giovanni Segantini's hut in the High Alps sometime around 2016. Segantini (1858-1899), was an illiterate and stateless artist famous for his paintings made in the Engadin. The title track is about living your life through someone else's YouTube channel: a blow by blow account of how their life in the frozen north is more, picturesque, sensitive, fun, enlightened and artistic than yours could ever be. 'Stood Upon a Chair' is about the villain Jessie James, but without the romance part that is usually added to such tales. 'You Gotta Move', a Mississippi Fred McDowell cover, is one of the best recordings we've ever made. Here I’m accompanied by my wife Julie and my friend Dave Tattersall who plays electric slide guitar. A true gem which should make someone, somewhere, rich and famous. (Or at least make Mick Jagger blush with shame.) Topping it all off we hit a couple of old Headcoats numbers with added verses that reveal the hidden depth behind those impeccable pop songs.” - WILLIAM LOVEDAY 2022
Warm Currency is a new project by Sydney-based friends, artists and musician’s MP Hopkins and Mary MacDougall. Mary began working with MP Hopkins and Christopher Schueler in 2008 as Vincent Over the Sink morphed into The Bowles. ‘Returns’ was recorded in Mary's home during 2020-2021 and is their first release since 2012's The Bowles EP (Kye). Quietly intense folk music, song-poems, and concrète collages built from seemingly simple and delicate arrangements for guitar, keyboards, voice and tape. Recommended if you like Flaming Tunes, Nico, Alistair Galbraith, The Garbage and the Flowers.
Giacomo D’Attorre – lead singer of Clever Square – has been through a lot of late. With his band. In his personal life. Even just with the state of the world. This fire has fuelled Clever Square’s new record Secret Alliance, eleven tracks that explore feelings of frustration, disillusionment, and disconnection, and chronicle what it’s like to be swept along by a world that “gets noisier everyday”. The record was inspired by a creeping realisation; of coming change, and a sense that D’Attorre was “losing contact with who I was before, for the good and the bad.” New needs and desires surfaced; old ones disappeared. Thus he began writing around ideas of rethinking yourself, and “acquiring a new conscience of mutation”. The darker realms of science fiction informed much of D’Attorre’s thinking here; Philip K Dick, Ray Bradbury – ‘Mr. & Mrs. K’ was inspired by The Martian Chronicles – and Flannery O’Connor, whose The Violent Bear It Away proved particularly inspiring. All of this is perfectly framed by Clever Square’s shuffling, quirky indie, and cute melodies. Soft and worn around the edges, like the perfect flannel shirt, there’s a gentle, shambling quality to the music; “blue collar”, D’Attorre calls it. Guitar lines gently bloom, Fender Rhodes organ is sprinkled throughout, and the acoustic strumming sounds easy and unhurried. From the relaxed bustle and acoustic picking of ‘Hail The Proper Karl’, to the joyous, bouncy ‘Little Flaws’; from the stripped back melancholy of ‘Obsolete Epsilons’ to the arena-ready vibes of indie classic ‘Golden Wires’, D’Attorre has crafted a spell-binding, mesmerizing set of songs that delight on first listen and reward deeper inspection. “It’s a hymn to privacy, to the joys of secrecy, and solitude,” he says of Secret Alliance. That he wraps such heartfelt, profound topics in gloriously laid-back indie adds to the charm, and cements Clever Square’s status as one of Italy’s finest contemporary bands. The world might seem increasingly complex and be spinning ever faster, but Secret Alliance slows it down just enough to savour the scenery and think about charting a path back to something a little more manageable.
Sean Johnston has put together some righteous compadres to form a new project - The Summerisle Six. Featuring Jo Bartlett (Yellow Moon Band) on vocals, Andy Bell (Oasis and Ride amongst others) & Duncan Gray on guitars, Kev Sharkey (That Petrol Emotion, The Undertones, Elvis Costello to name a few) on percussion, Mick Somerset Ward on Sax (Clock DVA, Was Not Was, Crooked Man). This Is Something is a driving pop groover reminiscent of a late 80's early 90's Indie Dance anthem. The Dub mix invites the OG mix to ALFOS, turns the lights off and presses the smoke button for a chuggy heartwarming trip across the dance floor. There are no words to describe Rico Connings mix other than to say this 10 min journey has to be heard to be believed. A genuine Balearic gem.
Berlin's Cocktail d'Amore and Tokyo's Ene Records have come together once again to present the music of Solidair. The duo of Cocktail alumni Luigi Di Venere and Jules Etienne present three tracks aimed to induce a dance floor hypnosis. Orgonite (Riding the Waves) does just that, a slow build awash in the ebb and flow of acid tinges, just enough to wet your whistle on a Saturday night. The original mix keeps the skeletal support but throws in a life preserver of 8 bit gaming synthesis. Frisky arps call and respond to each other before making way for sinewy pads to lift off. Tiger's Eye sets itself onto cruising speed incorporating elements of late 90's acid techno with the sleek and smooth clubbing aesthetics of modern day Berlin.
Back in 2017, Moderat announced that they’d be taking an extended break following a final concert in front of 17.000 people in their hometown of Berlin. And now they return. MORE D4TA, the group’s fourth album, arrives more than six years after its predecessor (2016’s III). Created largely during a time when touring (and most traveling) was off the table, MORE D4TA is an album that wrestles with feelings of isolation and information overload—issues that have become particularly pronounced over the past two years. The ten songs on MORE D4TA are rooted in collaboration, but long before any of its tracks were laid down, Moderat spent months hanging out and getting musically reacquainted, indulging in extended bouts of experimentation and slowly fleshing out ideas as they dove into modular composition, field recordings and other sonic oddities.
But no matter how far the band ventures into music’s outer realms, they always wind up back in their own unique soundworld, a place where emotive pop and fluttering electronic soundscapes walk hand in hand. Many of its lyrics are rooted in Ring’s frequent trips to Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie museum (often with his infant daughter in tow), where he’d seek refuge in the great paintings of the past while worrying about the future.
What they make isn’t necessarily dance music, but it is something that shines brightest in the dark of night, the group’s rich melodies and Ring’s ethereal vocals emitting a warm, almost bioluminescent glow. After spending the better part of two decades making music together, they’ve carved out a sound and aesthetic that are all their own, and MORE D4TA showcases a group that’s creatively recharged and fully dedicated to its craft.
Deluxe Edition / LP+Poster
Back in 2017, Moderat announced that they’d be taking an extended break following a final concert in front of 17.000 people in their hometown of Berlin. And now they return. MORE D4TA, the group’s fourth album, arrives more than six years after its predecessor (2016’s III). Created largely during a time when touring (and most traveling) was off the table, MORE D4TA is an album that wrestles with feelings of isolation and information overload—issues that have become particularly pronounced over the past two years. The ten songs on MORE D4TA are rooted in collaboration, but long before any of its tracks were laid down, Moderat spent months hanging out and getting musically reacquainted, indulging in extended bouts of experimentation and slowly fleshing out ideas as they dove into modular composition, field recordings and other sonic oddities.
But no matter how far the band ventures into music’s outer realms, they always wind up back in their own unique soundworld, a place where emotive pop and fluttering electronic soundscapes walk hand in hand. Many of its lyrics are rooted in Ring’s frequent trips to Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie museum (often with his infant daughter in tow), where he’d seek refuge in the great paintings of the past while worrying about the future.
What they make isn’t necessarily dance music, but it is something that shines brightest in the dark of night, the group’s rich melodies and Ring’s ethereal vocals emitting a warm, almost bioluminescent glow. After spending the better part of two decades making music together, they’ve carved out a sound and aesthetic that are all their own, and MORE D4TA showcases a group that’s creatively recharged and fully dedicated to its craft.
Veerus has been one of Drumcode’s most consistently outstanding contributors since his debut in 2019 with the ‘Hypnosis’ EP. The Italian makes dramatic techno with a strong narrative arc and his tracks have been favourites of Adam Beyer’s used with thrilling effect from Awakenings to Cercle.
‘Yard’ marks his fourth DC EP and continues his graft in the studio, refining his sound and technical approach to share his most heartfelt work to date. The title track was a stirring weapon when played by Beyer at the Printworks show in October and centres around an enveloping bassline, powerful chords and atmosphere-building pads. ‘Bypass’ is a laser-kissed gem that had fists going skywards during Beyer’s Awakening set at ADE week. ‘Nobody’ is Veerus at his most creative and playful; this is just as much a grandiose composition as an effective dance track and inspired a collective roar of approval when played at Creamfields set this summer.
After lurking on the internet as an outlet for Dreamlogicc's solo and collaborative work, cheeky Peak Time Dance Music launches its physical imprint with a half dozen tracks of drum-driven madness. Drawing raw rhythms and rugged sound design from gqom, integrating elements of electro, grime, and techno, these flexible beats absolutely stomp. While the core sound remains, the moody grooves from his Kimochi Sound releases and bassy halftime from Main Drain Studios take the back seat here: it's a 12" for the club.
Mike Maurro does it again. Another slice of Philadelphia International Records gold from the legend Lou Rawls, officially licensed, taken from the master tapes and given that signature Maurro touch. Two all-time classics ‘You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’ and ‘See You When I Git There’ re-worked for the modern dancefloor.
Here we go with the ow. Another sharp shootin' 7" by pal
Drunkenstein. One instrumental tune on da A and another
great remix of the Bush Babees on the B. Perfect for all y'all
boom bap heads out there.
Retromigration returns to Ravanelli Disco Club with a brand new broken beat chanelling track 'Jeffa'. None other than Ron Basejam steps up on remix duties in signature disco don style.
He didn’t come alone though, bringing his friends Nephews to the dance on the B side who deliver sunset house grooves in the form of 'Reingelaxed'. To complete the EP Jkriv remixes 'Reingelaxed' into a synth swirling Balearic gem.
Sofa Movements Records, a Slovak-Irish label, returns with its second Various Artists compilation named DVA (meaning "two"). Four countries, twelve producers. House, Deep House, LoFi House, Techno, Minimal. Filters, vocals, synths, raw beats and everything danceable from 115 to 127 bpm. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for this one!
Part 2[11,39 €]
Heist welcomes, late 80’s DMC World DJ Championship contender, Techno veteran, and house royalty Orlando Voorn to the label
with his ‘Heist Mastercuts’ EP.
Orlando Voorn is a man who needs little introduction. He’s played a pivotal role in the development of the electronic music scene in the Netherlands, as well as in the USA where he now lives. With countless aliases, he has released everything from old school hiphop to sample heavy breaks, to banging Detroit techno to soulful house music. His recent outings as ‘Frequency’ on Clone, as well as his latest EP on our sublabel Transient Nature, are proof that even after 30+ years, the man is still very much on top of his game.
The Heist Mastercuts EP sees Orlando dig deep in his archive for some of his undercover hits from the nineties that have been remastered for
this EP. On top of that, he delivers a new track in the form of soulful house bomb “Be with you.”
“Be with you” starts off with a hazy groove and distant pads. The steady beat and funky electronic chops set a steady foundation for a rush-inducing string sample that works together with looping diva vocals for maximum dancefloor excitement. No heavy drumrolls, FX or other tools necessary here: It’s clever sampling and Orlando’s soulful touch that make this track tick.
Next up is the vinyl only track “Love Feelings” – originally released in ’96 on Urban Sounds of Amsterdam-. Think 130+ BPM vintage house grooves with hazy pads and you’ll get an idea of what’s coming. Love Feelings is an up-tempo dreamhouse track that, even though it’s almost 25 years old, still ticks all the boxes of a contemporary festival groover.
On the B-side you’ll find 2 versions of “Tenderness”: The original mix and the Late nite dub, both originally released on Clubstitute records back in ’95. The original has a 90’s garage groove with male vocal chops, old school house keys and strings. The late night dub is exactly that: a dreamy ethereal deephouse groove with warm synth hits, introverted percussion some very on point sax loops.
The Heist Mastercuts EP is the first EP of Orlando Voorn on Heist Recordings but considering the connection we’ve built with him over the last year and having heard the music he’s shared with us, we’re sure you’ll see much more of him on Heist in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Maarten & Lars
ZYX Italo Disco New Generation Vinyl Edition 4 präsentiert 8 ausgewählte Italo Disco Songs.
Diesmal mit dabei sind:
Den Harrow
The Sweeps
Flemming Dalum
Some Bizarre
Tom Hooker & Tam Harrow
Simon Bennett
George Aaron
Wish Key
Fast 50 Minuten analoge Klangqualität für alle Vinyl Liebhaber.
Spencer Miles Abraham Allen, wie er mit vollen Namen heißt, stammt aus Rochester im State New York. Schon mit seinem Mittelnamen Miles, natürlich angelehnt an den großen Miles Davis, gaben seine Eltern ihm eine Musikkarriere gleich mit in die Wiege. Während die künstlerische Laufbahn langsam ins Laufen kam, blieben diese dennoch skeptisch. Als Spencer. das College nämlich für die Musik verließ, um an seiner Karriere zu arbeiten, waren seine Eltern alles andere als glücklich darüber. Er gab ihnen das Versprechen, wenn es mit der Musik nicht klappen sollte, binnen eines Jahres zurück im Hörsaal zu sein. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt hatte er dann aber ein paar Millionen Streams bei Spotify und einen Plattenvertrag bei 4AD in der Tasche - sein Platz im College bleibt wohl vorerst leer und auch seine Eltern können wieder ruhig schlafen. Von Fader und Pitchfork als einer der Acts für 2021 proklamiert, kann Spencer. selbstbewusst vorausschauen. Mit seiner Single "Automatic" hatte er 2019 bereits einen kleinen Underground-Hit gelandet…
Brazilian talent Classmatic is next up on Hot Creations with the two-track Toma Dale. Having already set dancefloors alight at the hands of label heads Jamie Jones and Lee Foss, the eagerly anticipated release drops this April.
Toma Dale achieves exactly what Classmatic set out to do. The track opens proceedings with enticing congas that instantly transport you to Latin America. Punchy drum pads pounce in and combine with the percussion to create a highly energetic base, as finely cut Spanish vocals are embedded to fuse everything together. Bape pays homage to the Hot Creations sound. Warm, soft, bouncy kick drums lead the track, joined by subtle acid sounds that tantalise the ears. The breakdown is perfectly placed with the addition of mesmerising vocals that fade in and out before the punchy, bass-heavy drums are hauled back in.
Classmatic has built up a lot of traction over recent years, catching the eyes and ears of major heavyweights in the field, releasing under such labels as Solid Grooves and Hottrax and in 2021 he remixed Cloonees’ major hit, When The Sun Goes Down. Receiving support from artists such as Seth Troxler, Michael Bibi, Pete Tong and Loco Dice to name a few, it comes as no surprise when we say there is a bright future ahead for the talented artist.
LNDFK (aka Linda Feki) presents her ground-breaking debut album, "Kuni" on Brooklyn-based Bastard Jazz Recordings. Undeniably on the rise after her 2019 breakout performance at Primavera Sound, LNDFK has already caught the attention of Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Clash Magazine, Noisey, and Brooklyn Vegan (among many others) while being championed by the likes of Gilles Peterson, Tom Ravenscroft, and Jamz Supernova & landing spots on tastemaker playlists like Spotify's "Pollen" and "Fresh Finds."
"Kuni" is a spellbinding exploration of dichotomies: Love & Death (Eros & Thanatos), Flower & Fire, Delicacy & Violence, Poetry & Realism, Purification & Destruction. These opposites are reified in the 10-track LPs multifarious and multifaceted sounds, elegantly meandering through a variety of styles and genres, spearheaded by Linda and features the production wizardry of Darrio Bassolino who co-wrote the album.
"Kuni" opens with "Hana-bi," an ambient instrumental piece that sets the tone for the album. Inspired by the Takeshi Kitano 1997 film of the same name – particularly Joe Hisaishi's stunning soundtrack, as well as Kitano's paintings which appear in the film. "Hana-bi" expresses the dialoguing opposites of flowers and fire, the first of many dichotomous representations throughout the album. "Takeshi" acts as an extension and to "Hana-bi," albeit one of opposing sound, with its driving, highly syncopated drums (which reappear throughout "Kuni") – à la Karriem Riggins, Questlove, or Yussef Dayes – frenetic bass line, and jazz chords. Linda's sultry voice is interspersed, initially jumping around in scat fashion, being triggered as if a sample, before her lyrics come in; her vocals are used like an additional instrument, adding to the song's rich texture. "Kuni" truly hits its stride with the next song, "Smoke – a moon or a button" (its title lifted from the 1959 book by Ruth Krauss and Remy Charlip), which is structured like a jazz standard yet flows into neo-soul territory sonically with those prodigious drums a highlight once again.
LNDFK touches on experimental hip hop in two songs on the record (both of which were released as singles in 2021): "Don't Know I'm Dead or Not (feat. Chester Watson)" – track #4 – and "How Do We Know We're Alive (feat. Pink Siifu)" – track #9. Although they embrace a more hip hop-leaning sound, these songs by no means shy away from the exploratory theme, and feature two of the alt-rap scenes rising stars with Chester Watson and Pink Siifu who offer provocatively impressing verses, combining dense word play with unconventional flows. While these tracks may first appear to be outliers on the album, they are undeniably in tune with "Kuni's" message and sonic palette, acting as testaments to LNDFK's willingness to explore and experiment.
Meanwhile, "Ku" – the third and last single before the album release – furthers the pre-established future soul sound while meandering through nu jazz and left-field electronic. Inspired by the graphic novel and film, "Sin City," and its female assassin protagonist Miho, "Ku" is a musical interpretation of Miho's story, incorporating both her beauty – the first half of the song – and murderous tendencies – the second half – to create a stunning juxtaposition, culminating in an ambient finale that suggests the character's vulnerability and inner peace. The song gracefully bridges the gap between Hiatus Kaiyote-esque songwriting, Dilla's rhythmic syncopation, and Thundercat's instrumental prowess (LNDFK has shared a stage Brainfeeder labelmate Kamasi Washington).
Mixed in throughout "Kuni" are a series of instrumental pieces that function as something akin to an interlude. The aforementioned intro, "Hana-bi," and the album closer "se mi stacco da te, mi strappo tutto:" act as bookends, while "Om" indicates the half-way mark, and "Ktm" sees Jason Lindner add his sound the album. These tracks are the ambient foundation of "Kuni," representing the thematic duality of the work. Clocking in at only 24 minutes, "Kuni" packs an astonishingly diverse array of sounds, styles, and themes, all while showcasing virtuosic musicianship and instrumental prowess.
Appearing on "Hana-bi" and "Ktm," renowned international artists Asa-Chang and Jason Lindner add an additional perspective to "Kuni": Asa-Chang on "Hana-bi," and Jason Lindner on "Ktm." Asa-Chang - famously of the Japanese avant-garde group Asa-Chang & Junray - provides vocals and percussion to an alternate version of the instrumental opener, while the acclaimed keyboardist Jason Lindner offers his synth expertise on "Ktm." These features highlight the spirit of collaboration found in LNDFK's music, always willing to try out new ways of working.
LNDFK is a singer and songwriter, born of two cultures – an Italian mother and Arab father. She grew up in Naples, away from her father, the Sahara, her homeland and traditions, which has helped nourish the desire to rediscover – through art – an engagement to her roots. Her music melts with jazz, neo-soul and hip-hop influences, filtered through her experiences and sensibility.
Her first EP, "Lust Blue," was composed with the artistic production of Dario Bass and released by Feelin' Music; after that she released several singles that saw international radio support (BBC, NTS, Wordwide FM) and gained a massive audience on digital platforms. Together with her band, she toured around Europe, performing alongside such notable artists as Kamasi Washington and Mndsgn, among others. Most recently she toured Italy, and performed at Primavera Sound Festival 2019 in Barcelona.
"Kuni," is due out on NYC label Bastard Jazz Recordings in February, 2022, while the vinyl LP will follow shortly after.
Comprising Marco Simioni, Mattero Mazreku, and Francesco Pio Nitti, Qualia are a group of Italian producers who have never met in person. Due to the covid pandemic, they had to colaborate in the cloud, yet the results are impressively coherent.
Having previously released records on Detroit Underground and fellow Utrecht label 030303 between them, they arrive on U-Trax in April 2022 with their eponymous EP of four deep tracks taking influence from a range of genres, including acid-techno, ambient, noise, and beyond.
Leading the release, 'Perception' brings beautiful strings, funky 808 drums and acid tones for a deep and moving opener. The track clearly reveals the inspiration Qualia got for this release from the early Gescom releases. Stretched across the A2 is the ambient bliss of 'VV Cephei A', which brings Boards of Canada-esque drones and tones.
On the flip, the title track 'Qualia' brings a headsy dose of braindance to the mix, recalling the early experiments of Aphex Twin with merciless 303 squelches and distant reverberations. Closing track 'Until I Break Apart' leads with dark, moody strings before a pounding kick introduces a stark tempo shift before deep ambient atmospheres engulf the final minutes.
“Nice EP. Need a proper listen in a dark room with only the speakers and me ;)”
Minus Magnus — Mhost Likely
“Beautiful Ambient soundscapes!”
IDA — Ectotherm, Boiler Room Glasgow
“Excellent release from U-Trax. Perception and Until I break apart are my fav's.”
Drox — Nightimedrama, Crobot Muzik, Analog Cabin, Southern Outpost
“Interview & Premiere”
— Parkett Channel
“The best part is “VV Cephei A”, where a floral intro leads to colliding drone pulses.”
— Terminal 313
Something fresh and dark from a newcomer. First record on a new label... At the frontier between Hardcore and Industrial Techno... This new label will provide one EP per industrial catastrov... Infinite project init ? Here Individu Lambda offers an unconfortable industrial techno, pushing it to the core with strident frequencies and obsessing sounds. Intro and drops are beautyfull and kick is hard and dry. The whole thing really offers an industry-core ambiance and gives the naufrage trauma another memory in time....
The Second installment of legendary UK House producer Neil (Nail) Tollidays, Smoke - 'Kemuri No Demo' lands with it's dubbed out yet melodic soundscapes for the dancefloor (or not) as the case may be.... Tolliday sees his Smoke guise as electronic exprements first and formost, but we can't think of anything better than a dark room and the sounds of Kemuri No Demo melting the speakers and filling the air with expansive, warm atmospheric dance music.
Hand stamped limited press and as always vinyl only, Hut Vibez Records returns, Jase is back with a dreamy trip of lush minimal electronic on the new 12'', The full A side Metanoia is a stomper for anytime of the day or night and a joy on the ears with big kicks, catchy riffs & a neat bass.....B sides, Law of Nature takes a minimal 90s approach with a tight groove to keep you well locked in, and second track of the B side Nubigavant is a bassy, heavy breaks track, high above the clouds, with bass, dirty breaks and trippy vocals perfect for late mornings, the music speaks for itself & will put you in a good place.
Having embraced the wide wired world of modular synthesis, Prince of Queens aka Felipe Quiroz has already proved fit and formidable in dialing in the necessary sonic component of his current stargazing outfit Combo Chimbita. His first two solo records on NYCT have only added to an already wide-ranging electronic fluency, yet have also brought a flare and understanding of dance music foundation that in combination is rarely matched.
For his next release, Prince of Queens teams up with the voice of El Julius, his Colombian countryman and New York neighbor. As a seasoned member of Names You Can Trust alumni, Bulla En El Barrio, El Julius helps to bridge the classic with the contemporary. "Rompe Cadenas" is a traditional arrangement with poignant lyrics, but it's still funneled through the unpredictability of POQ's machinery. It's a modern day reinterpretation of sound system cumbia at its heart, and just a further example of the breadth of POQ's production possibilities. Much of that potential is realized on the second track of this double-sided release, "Acidosa." Like his earlier releases, POQ's quintessential future leanings are on display here with all of his remarkable synthesis. It's worth the trip alone. Just imagine a wild and hypnotic meeting of cumbia and pitched-down acid and off we go.
Builded up with a solid kick, and surrounded by acid stories these 4 tunes leads to a natural shamanik dancefloor sound.
Superb Tunes.
Taken from, Hard Up, the acclaimed 10th studio album from the Melbourne Soul / Funk trailblazers, "Nothing I Wanna Know About" is a crisp funk number with Kylie Auldist delivering her reliably storming vocals plus an absolutely killer percussion breakdown.
Motown styled soul swinger "Bad Line" makes its first viyl appearance on the flip after being released on the expanded Deluxe digital edition of Hard Up in late 2021.
This black vinyl 7" is packaged in a specially designed printed Bamboos logo sleeve.
Both tracks have been supported by Craig Charles on BBC.
The album received great media support across Europe and the UK with glowing reviews in print such as Rockerilla (4 page feature), Rumore, Blow Up (ITA) Stadtkinder, Na Dann (GER), Soul Bag (FRA), Jazzism (4 page feature) (HOL). Radio support from FIP, France Inter, C-Lab Radio, Radio Galere, RDWA, Radio Krimi, Canal B, Radio Capital(FRA),
Radio Popolare, Radio Citta Fujiko, Contatto Radio, Radio Regione 100, Radio Start, Radio Per Passione, Radio Base, RKO (ITA), Radio 3, Saltamontes,Sateli 3 & Sonideros, EITB, Enlace Funk, Onda Local Andalucia, Radio Catalunya (SPA), Deutschlandfunk Kultur, Ego FM, Byte FM, UKW, Radio X (GER)
Culture III is the fourth studio album by American hip hop trio Migos. It was released by Capitol Records, Motown Records, and Quality Control Music on June 11, 2021. The album features guest appearances from Drake, Cardi B, Polo G, Future, Justin Bieber, Juice Wrld, Pop Smoke, and YoungBoy Never Broke Again. It is the follow-up to their 2018 album Culture II and serves as the conclusion to their Culture trilogy
South London based producer and multi-instrumentalist Neue Grafik announces his new EP 'Foulden Road Part II' from his Neue Grafik Ensemble band, released 25th March on Total Refreshment Centre. The sequel to their impressive 2019 release 'Foulden Road', Neue Grafik continues to incorporate 100% live takes with the ensemble, as well as solo productions that reflect Neue Grafik's past work with both the Rhythm Section and 22a labels.
Neue Grafik explains, "This EP is a reflection of the social context which surrounds me" – created in a year of much social isolation as well as political unrest, 'Foulden Road II' explores the complex feelings that he found himself battling. He adds "In 2019, we released 'Foulden Road Part I', which was a transitional album, exploring a new culture and navigating between two worlds: Paris and London. 'Part II' is a bit darker, closer to realness with a sprinkle of hope. I couldn't have predicted that I'd finish it encased in my flat, between four walls, in December 2020 after a year of lockdown, Brexit, George Floyd protests, and without London's brilliant culture mesmerising my mind. Everything was sad and closed. Hills were difficult to climb. But it also gave me the time to work hard and deliver this second part of Foulden Road, pushing it forward".
Combining an array of influences — from London, to Paris via New York, Nigeria and Cameroon — with well-measured confidence, ' Foulden Road II' allows you to reflect on the complexities of the last year, whilst braced with energy and hope to move forward positively. Heavy horns and hypnotic poetry form the backbone record, which will ignite any room. 'Foulden Road II' begins with the grounding poetry of MA.MOYO on 'Black Bodies'. The EP is dedicated to Adama Traoré, a black man who died in police custody in Paris. Neue Grafik explains "His name is not well known outside of France. I was shocked, devastated even, to learn that his story didn't cross the Channel". 'Queen Assa' is a heavily percussive dancefloor-hitter which honours French activist Assa Traoré, (Adama's sister) her family, and her struggle to support all families hurt by police brutality. Broken beat elements flow through the horn accompanied 'Officer, Let Me Go To School', while West London rapper Lord Apex offers an unapologetic and poignantly personal perspective on 'Step To It'.
Released on the Total Refreshment Centre label, based out of Stoke Newington's Foulden Road, the EP is a testament to his versatility as an ever-shifting figurehead. Engineered by Capitol K, recorded at Total Refreshment Centre, mixed by Marcus Linon at Greasy Records and mastered by Guy Davie at Electric Mastering – a significant pillar in Neue Grafik's musical career. Having played a DJ set there in 2017, he was convinced by TRC founder Lex Blondin to start a band after he was heard playing some compositions on the communal piano. After spending a couple of sleepless nights on the living room couch, his first gig was booked in the venue space downstairs a week later. The ensemble was established and he has remained in London ever since.
Neue Grafik Ensemble's musicians include; Matt Gedrych, Benjamin 'The Chief' Appiah, Jack Banjo Courtney, Chelsea Carmichael, Dougal Taylor, Yahael Camara-Onono, Xvngo, Rebekah Reid, Dan-Iulian Drutac, Jamie-lee Glinsman and Zara Hudson-Kozdój.
Neue Grafik hosts The Orii Jam Sessions, an energising weekly jam night at Hackney Wick's Colour Factory, which has become a pivotal weekly gathering, inspired by the likes of Unit 31 and Steam Down.
Vordergrundmusik’s Rittik Wystup returns with a slightly-so avant-garde collage of Piano and Beats. Little melodies awake spuriously, welcoming Spring; they interplay with sizzling cymbals and flamboyant drums. The usage of wind is the carrier throughout the record, just as coastlines bring a strong breeze of cool or warm air.
The overture "Rhythm of the Wind" opens a space of gusts and drafts which circle the EP’s leitmotif. Shifting keys only slightly, it’s a calm prelude to the following track.
"Drums in the Deep" tells the story of a drifting wanderer, voiced by Stepan Terteryan, at the shore of Armenia’s Lake Sevan. His poem can be heard throughout the track, mumbling away as he feels the ground beneath him shaken by roaming bears.
"Three Droplets in Space" presents falling water drops, lifted by a steady, sharp beat. As they approach a large pool, they increase in size and weight, becoming more round and abundant. A gnarly FM bass and frozen hi-hats make way for the passage through the thickening air, blitzing the little leitmotif here and there.
Staying in key, "I Exhale" whispers an ascending piano phrase into the air, which upon reaching for the sky reforms into an unwavering, repeated, slightly melancholic expression. A homage to a valley of bells and chimes, it bursts and blasts into tiny fractions before it evaporates.
Traditional drums and plucked strings progress through "Might y Mist". Before they lose themselves in a faraway landscape, feet stomp and heads bob. As they meld into a fog, carrying debris of the wanderer’s voice and his melody, they spread like a mist: over the water’s surface.
Finally, Timo Maas drops a hefty and punchy remix of "Drums in the Deep". He picks up on the poem and its inclinations but keeps the dancefloor in mind when shattering glassy bits over distorted fragments of the melody. A splendid pumpy finisher to a fairly eccentric EP.
Clear vinyl[33,07 €]
Originally released in 2017 on the band's own label Artificial Plastic and now being reissued by Fuzz Club Records, 'Damage And Joy' is the seventh studio album from Scottish alt-rock legends The Jesus and Mary Chain. The long-awaited follow-up to 1998's 'Munki', 'Damage And Joy' was the band's first studio album in nearly two decades and contained brand new material alongside reimagined versions of songs that had been released in various forms by the Reid brothers in between the Mary Chain's 1999 break-up and 2007 reunion. Co-produced by Youth (Killing Joke) and featuring the lead singles 'Amputation' and 'All Things Pass', 'Damage & Joy' also featured guest appearances from Scottish singer-songwriter Isobel Campbell ('The Two of Us', 'Song For A Secret') and American alt-pop star Sky Ferreira ('Black And Blues'). 'Damage And Joy' is now being given a deluxe, expanded vinyl reissue. The double LP is reissued on both black and coloured 180g vinyl with remastered audio by Pete Maher (U2, The Rolling Stones, Jack White, Liam Gallagher), a heavy tip-on-printed gatefold sleeve, printed inner-sleeves and a 16-page booklet, plus bonus tracks and an alternative track-order. Included in this reissue and available on vinyl for the very first time is 'Ono Yoko' (originally only available on the Japanese CD version of the album), as well as alternative versions of 'The Two Of Us' featuring Sky Ferreira and 'Black And Blues' featuring Isobel Campbell.
Black vinyl[31,72 €]
Originally released in 2017 on the band's own label Artificial Plastic and now being reissued by Fuzz Club Records, 'Damage And Joy' is the seventh studio album from Scottish alt-rock legends The Jesus and Mary Chain. The long-awaited follow-up to 1998's 'Munki', 'Damage And Joy' was the band's first studio album in nearly two decades and contained brand new material alongside reimagined versions of songs that had been released in various forms by the Reid brothers in between the Mary Chain's 1999 break-up and 2007 reunion. Co-produced by Youth (Killing Joke) and featuring the lead singles 'Amputation' and 'All Things Pass', 'Damage & Joy' also featured guest appearances from Scottish singer-songwriter Isobel Campbell ('The Two of Us', 'Song For A Secret') and American alt-pop star Sky Ferreira ('Black And Blues'). 'Damage And Joy' is now being given a deluxe, expanded vinyl reissue. The double LP is reissued on both black and coloured 180g vinyl with remastered audio by Pete Maher (U2, The Rolling Stones, Jack White, Liam Gallagher), a heavy tip-on-printed gatefold sleeve, printed inner-sleeves and a 16-page booklet, plus bonus tracks and an alternative track-order. Included in this reissue and available on vinyl for the very first time is 'Ono Yoko' (originally only available on the Japanese CD version of the album), as well as alternative versions of 'The Two Of Us' featuring Sky Ferreira and 'Black And Blues' featuring Isobel Campbell.
Breitwandkino für die Ohren!
2012 kam noch mehr Pomp, noch mehr Pathos, noch eingängigere Melodien, noch mehr traditionelle Zitate, noch mehr Chöre und noch mehr Hits dazu als auf allen SABATON-Alben zuvor. Und all das verpackt in einem Konzeptalbum, das nach der zuvor ausgeschöpften Weltkriegsthematik, die Geschichte der Heimat aufwühlt. »Carolus Rex« handelt vom schwedischen Königreich des 17. Jahrhunderts und hat sich im speziellen König Karl VII vorgenommen. Optisch wie selbstredend akustisch hätte man es nicht besser anlegen können, denn trotz des für SABATON typischen modernen Backgrounds, der trotz allem auf althergebrachtem Heavy Metal fußt, kann man die Schlachten und Geschichten jener Zeit bildlich vor dem geistigen Auge miterleben. Ob beim preschenden Opener 'Lion From The North', bei dem erstmals die großartigen Chöre (in Latein noch viel eindrucksvoller) zum Tragen kommen oder dem folgenden, zum Mitgröhlen prädestinierten 'Gott mit uns', bei dem der Hauptverantwortliche für den so bombastischen, transparenten und maximal drückenden Sound, Peter Tägtgren (PAIN, HYPOCRISY), einen kurzen Gastauftritt hinter dem Mikro absolviert – man spürt sowohl das blaue Blut hinter den Kulissen als auch das rote auf den Austragungsorten des Krieges.
EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF SIGH'S EARLY DEMOS, EP's & RARITIES,
PRESENTED ON DOUBLE CD FORMAT - INCLUDES INTERVIEW & LINER
NOTES COURTESY OF MAINMAN MIRAI KAWASHIMA ON THE
FORMATIVE YEARS OF THE JAPANESE LEGENDS.Cult Japanese black
metal legends Sigh formed in 1989/90, featuring mainman Mirai
Kawashima, Satoshi Fujinami & Kazuki Ozeki
Following initial demos, Shinichi Ishikawa was brought into the band, & Kazuki
removed from the line- up. It was following this shift that the band set about
recording the masterpiece debut 'Scorn Defeat' for Euronymous' Deathlike Silence
Productions, going on to become one of the country's greatest & most revered
metal exports. With a journey through the strange & the psychedelic,
incorporating a whole eclectic mix of genre styles & experimentation throughout
their career, Sigh has remained a vital creative force in the avantgarde field.
However, at its core, Sigh has always remained true to its roots of old school
metal. 'Eastern Darkness' contains a comprehensive collection of Sigh's early rare
works showing their swift musical evolution as well as the strong utilisation of
keyboards in their compositional process throughout. The collection includes the
band's legendary demo tapes, 'Desolation', & 'Tragedies', plus their EP's & rarities,
as well as contributions to various compilation releases in the mid 1990's.
Considering Sigh's well- known regard for UK legends Venom throughout their
career, 'Eastern Darkness' also contains the band's own tribute to the 1980's black
metal pioneers, in the form of tribute 'To Hell & Back', originally released on tape
in 1995.
This edition of 'Eastern Darkness' is presented on double disc CD format &
includes a 12- page booklet featuring an interview with Mirai Kawashima about
the early years of the band, along with his recollections of the origins of each title
contained within the release, three decades on from Sigh's formation.
Stars Are the Light, the luminous seventh album by the American psych explorers Moon Duo, marks a progression into significantly new territory. From a preoccupation with the transcendental and occult that informed Ripley Johnson and Sanae Yamada’s guitar-driven psych rock, and reached its apotheosis in the acclaimed Occult Architecture diptych, Stars Are the Light sees the band synthesize the abstract and metaphysical with the embodied and terrestrial.
Branching out from Occult Architecture Vol. 2, the album has a sonic physicality that is at once propulsive and undulating; it puts dance at the heart of an expansive nexus that connects the body to the stars. These are songs about embodied human experience — love, change, misunderstanding, internal struggle, joy, misery, alienation, discord, harmony, celebration — rendered as a kind of dance of the self, both in relation to other selves and to the eternal dance of the cosmos.
Having scooped the prestigious Record Store Day Unsigned 2020 award, her debut album 'In The Blue Corner' was released as a limited edition run on turquoise sparkle vinyl in November 2021. Now available on a full digital and physical release including a new vinyl pressing on dusk blue coloured vinyl. "Loving this. Really cool voice_ love the voice!" Craig Charles (6Music) // "The most original sound. Like Little Richard, Mark Ronson, Nina Simone and Nick Cave all got locked in a New Orleans speakeasy" Record Store Day Unsigned Panel 2020 // "Wow, I mean what's not to like about that? That is sensational! How groovy is that?! Mark Radcliffe, BBC 6Music // "What a voice!" Robert Elms, BBC London // "Her voice is stunning, powerful and unique, and her stage presence hits the back of the room at any venue she plays" DJ Anne Frankenstein, Jazz FM // Included in Craig Charles' Funk and Soul 'Ones to Watch 2022' list. From London via Lagos, charismatic chanteuse Sister Cookie will take you on an eclectic excursion into the roots & fruits of black music. Old sounds, new tricks. Sensuous, seductive and moody. As well as possessing a distinctive voice that's tender and sweet when it needs to be, she's a composer and self-taught pianist who writes honest and raw songs about pain, heartbreak, suffering - all that bad (meaning-good) stuff. A mainstay on the vintage Soul & R'n'R circuit since 2015 with slots at Wilderness, Latitude, Red Rooster, Port Elliot and more under her belt - as well as touring across Europe with her band - Sister Cookie has so far been supported by Craig Charles, Mark Radcliffe & Cerys Matthews at 6Music, Robert Elms on BBC London plus plays on Resonance, Jazz FM and Amazing Radio. Craig Charles is a big supporter on BBC 6 Music and has played current single 'Ain't No Good (But It's Good Enough For Me)' several times. Steve Lamacq and Lauren Laverne have also given the track multiple plays. The track has also been playlisted at Jazz FM. Singles from the album have been played many times across European radio stations including France Culture, Rock Radio (Greece), Radio Nova (Portugal), Mach 5 (Italy), HR Radio Sijeme (Croatia). She's performed at some of the UK's most esteemed venues including the 100 Club and Union Chapel, The Round Chapel and has enjoyed a number of stints as a guest vocalist with The Soulful Orchestra, Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind, Future Shape Of Sound & MFC Chicken. Sister Cookie Is going to be part of the judging panel for Record Store Day Unsigned competition in April, the competition she won in 2020.
Limited 30 copies
Here is another doublesider from the legendary Daddy-O of Stetsasonic. Originally recorded in 1993 and shelved for over two decades "Psychedelic Sally" finally sees the vinyl light of day. This Hip Hop Version of the Jazz Dance classic is a true banger!
I heard it first on the 2016 digital release "#Everybodybutkrs" and I could not resist to put it on wax any longer.
The flipside (the "Soul Side") is a brand new track featuring R.A. The Rugged Man that will leave you amazed on how hard you can flow over a smooth instrumental.
True black gold!
Before Madvillain, before Yesterday’s New Quintet and before Quasimoto or any other of his several alter egos, Madlib perfected his craft as an MC/producer in the Lootpack. Along with DJ Romes, and fellow rhymer Wildchild, they released the dusty full-length, Soundpieces: Da Antidote back in 1999, that laid down the foundation for the unique and dusty sound now associated with Madlib. The loose, freeform recordings on this collection are circa 1996 when the group was managed by Madlib’s father, and they show the now-renowned maverick producer in comparatively restrained form. Madlib’s scope and imagination was clearly fixated on East coast jazzy hip-hop production from the early ’90s, laying down soundscapes for his hungry crew including the likes of Kazi, Declaime and Medaphoar, who have all become well known underground rap vets. Madlib’s own strong mic presence is noticeable given his now only-on-rare-occasion rhyming, but it’s his production that is the most fascinating element here. While a resolutely hip-hop project, the burgeoning jazzy flourishes and Madlib’s heavily accomplished ear for sound makes the record an important starting point for adherents of his more recent exploratory work.
Vol.2[20,80 €]
The Decades Collected compilations are part of the Collected compilation series, which is a collaboration between Universal Music and Music On Vinyl. The compilations bring together the biggest names of each decade, combined with forgotten hits and less discovered gems, giving the listener an experience of listening to their favourite tunes while uncovering new musical grounds at the same time.
Various Artists - Sixties Collected features Love “Alone Again Or”, Cher “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)”, The Who “Pinball Wizard”, Diana Ross & The Supremes “Love Child”, Steppenwolf “Magic Carpet Ride”, The Animals “House Of The Rising Sun”, The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations”, David Bowie “Love You Till Tuesday”, Bob Dylan “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, Tom Jones “It’s Not Unusual”, Nina Simone “I Put A Spell On You”, Rod Stewart “Handbags & Gladrags” a.o.
Various Artists - Sixties Collected is available on black vinyl and includes an insert.
Vol.2[28,15 €]
The Decades Collected compilations are part of the Collected compilation series, which is a collaboration between Universal Music and Music On Vinyl. The compilations bring together the biggest names of each decade, combined with forgotten hits and less discovered gems, giving the listener an experience of listening to their favourite tunes while uncovering new musical grounds at the same time.
Various Artists - Seventies Collected features classic tracks and forgotten gems: Queen “Somebody To Love”, Billie Joel “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)”, Lou Reed “Vicious”, Blondie “Atomic”, Paul McCartney & Wings “Mrs. Vandebilt”, Rodriguez “Sugarman”, Patti Smith Group “Dancing Barefoot”, Roxy Music “Dance Away”, Big Star “Thirteen”, Leon Russell “A Song For You”, 10CC “Dreadlock Holiday”, Grace Jones “La Vie En Rose”, Rush “Closer To The Heart”, Gerry Rafferty “Right Down The Line”, Minnie Riperton “Les Fleurs”, The Brothers Johnson “Strawberry Letter 23” a.o.
Various Artists - Seventies Collected is available on black vinyl and includes an insert.
Deutsche Grammophon honour the supreme artistry of Daniel Barenboim throughout the coming year as he approaches his 80th birthday next November. The anniversary celebrations of the great pianist and conductor’s remarkable legacy began on 31 December 2021 with the release of Debussy’s Clair de lune, one of the highlights of Maestro Barenboim’s first DG album of 2022. For this new record, specially recorded in Barenboim’s Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, the great multi-faceted musician lavishes his artistry on such gems as Debussy’s “Clair de lune”, Schumann’s “Träumerei” and an array of other masterpieces by Chopin, Schubert, Liszt and Albéniz and many more.
A new bombastic Italian Tribe record.
A superb banging new Hazardous Sound !
The Mentalcore original style stepping ahead thanks to Industrial Tekno skills . Dark is the flavour !
To celebrate the 45th anniversary of iconic Dutch jazz label Timeless Records, Music On Vinyl is releasing a series that features albums that are part of the Timeless Records legacy and will be released mainly throughout 2021/2022.
American jazz drummer Billy Higgins recorded his second album The Soldier in 1979. Featured on this album are Monty Waters on alto saxophone, Cedar Walton on the piano, Walter Brooker on bass and vocalist Roberta Davis. The track “Peace” features guest performer Horace Silver and on “Sonny Moon For Two”, Higgins is accompanied by Sonny Rollins.
Higgins mainly played free jazz and hard bop. He was one of the house drummers for Blue Note Records and played dozens of Blue Note albums of the 1960s. His drums were an important addition to many recordings such as Dexter Gordon’s Go! and Herbie Hancock’s Takin’ Off.
The Soldier is available as a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on translucent green coloured vinyl and includes an insert with upcoming titles from the Timeless Records 45th Anniversary Jazz Series.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is a 2020 American musical comedy film directed by David Dobkin and written by Will Ferrell and Andrew Steele. The film follows Icelandic singers Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdóttir (Ferrell and Rachel McAdams) as they are given the chance to represent their country at the Eurovision Song Contest. Pierce Brosnan, Dan Stevens, and Demi Lovato also star.
“Volcano Man” was the first song released from the album and features vocals from Will Ferrell and Swedish singer Molly Sandén (credited as My Marianne). Towards the middle of the film, as the characters of Lars and Sigrit get fully immersed in the Eurovision magic, the audience is treated to a “Song-A-Long”, producers mash-up iconic pop classics into a celebratory party anthem. Cher transitions into Madonna, which transitions into homages to the aforementioned ABBA and Celine Dion, capped off with a little from The Black Eyed Peas. The cherries on top are vocal cameos from Eurovision champions: Conchita, Netta, Jamala, Loreen, and Alexander Rybak. The album also features the cult hit “Jaja Ding Dong”.
The soundtrack has been nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media at the upcoming 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on “Lion Of Love” pink coloured vinyl. The package includes a 4-page booklet and printed innersleeve with movie stills.
Famed free jazz concert registration of an early New Direction for the Art performance. Recorded in 1971. Old-style Gatefold LP, with rare photographs & extensive liner notes by Alan Cummings.
The performance by Takayanagi Masayuki New Direction for the Art at the Gen’yasai festival on August 14, 1971 was an intense, bruising collision between the radical, anti-establishment politics of the period in Japan and the febrile avant-garde music that had begun to emerge a few years before. The ferocious performance that you can hear here was received with outright hostility by the audience, who responded first with catcalls and later with showers of debris that were hurled at the performers. Takayanagi though described the group’s performance to jazz magazine Swing Journal as a success, “an authentic and realistic depiction of the situation”.
In 1962, Takayanagi, bassist Kanai Hideto and painter Kageyama Isamu went on to form an AACM-style musicians’ collective called the New Century Music Research Institute. Every Friday, members gathered at Gin-Paris, a chanson bar in the fashionable Ginza district of Tokyo, to push the outer limits of jazz creativity.
But the pivotal moment for his music was the creation a new trio version of his New Directions group in August 1969, with the free bassist Yoshizawa Motoharu and a young drummer Toyozumi (Sabu) Yoshisaburō. Experiments eventually led to the creation of two basic frameworks for improvisation that Takayagi referred to as Mass Projection and Gradually Projection.
“La Grima” (tears), the piece that was played at the Gen’yasai festival, is a mass projection and listening to it, you can get a clear sense of what Takayanagi was aiming at. Mass projection involves a dense, speedy and chaotic colouring in of space that destroys the listener’s perception of time, and thus of musical development.
The ferocity of the performance of “La Grima” at the Gen’yasai Festival in Sanrizuka on August 14, 1971 was consciously grounded by Takayanagi in a particular historical moment, ripe with conflict and violence. A month after the festival, on September 16, three policemen would die during struggles at the site. This was the context that the three-day Gen’yasai Festival existed within. The line-up reflected the radical politics of the movement, with leading free jazz musicians like Takayanagi, Abe Kaoru, and Takagi Mototeru appearing alongside radical ur-punkers Zuno Keisatsu, heavy electric blues bands like Blues Creation, and Haino Keiji’s scream-jazz unit Lost Aaraaff.
New Direction for the Arts trio topped the bill on the opening day, playing an aggressive, uncompromising “mass projection” set of polyphonic improvisation. Alongside drummer Hiroshi Yamazaki and saxophonist Kenji Mori, Takayanagi soloed hard and continuously for forty minutes. This was performance as precisely calibrated metaphor: three musicians responding to the demands of the moment with instinctive force and fury, untethered by rules, leaderless yet not rudderless (the direction part of the group’s name was no accident). The piece was entitled La Grima – tears - and the fusion between the palpable anger of the performance and hopeless sadness of its title were also perfectly apt for the situation. This was a fight that the state was always going to win. Yet, by all accounts, the band’s set went down like a fart at a funeral. The band were showered with catcalls and debris throughout, and by chants of “go home” when the music finally came to an end.
However, looking back at the event in the year-end issue of Japan’s leading jazz magazine, Swing Journal, Takayanagi was surprisingly upbeat: New Directions brought a solid political consciousness to our performance and succeeded in an authentic and realistic depiction of the situation. But journalism revealed its superficiality in its inability to penetrate the core of the music. I don’t know much about anyone else, but we at least left behind a competent record.
It’s a fascinating statement in many ways. Perhaps on one-hand it can be read as stubborn, solipsistic and self-justifying, yet in conjunction with his statement in 1971 there are points that guide us towards an understanding of just what Takayanagi intended with his performance at the festival. As Kitazato Yoshiyuki has argued, it becomes an almost religious act, directed at the earth deities of the land. A union of anger, sorrow and malevolence that can be placed nowhere effective, all it can do is find expression and channeling. The forcible land seizures at Narita, the eviction of farmers from land that had been in families for generations, the destruction of communities: none of this can be prevented, not least by an artistic action. All that can be done is an attempt to mark the land itself, to soak it with the combined force of emotions and the volume of the performances, to bury something there that cannot be drowned out, even by the coming roar of jet engines.
Ferocious JP / US free jazz bomb. A rare meeting between the NYC free jazz scene and the Japanese free music scene. Old-style Gatefold LP, with rare photographs & liner notes by Alan Cummings.
Following hot on the heels of the first, mid-sixties generation of Japanese free jazz players like Kaoru Abe, Masayuki Takayanagi, Yōsuke Yamashita, Motoharu Yoshizawa, etc., an exciting second wave of younger players began to emerge in the seventies. Two of its leading members were the saxophonist Kazutoki Umezu and multi-instrumentalist Yoriyuki Harada. Both were post-war babies and immigrants to the city, Umezu from Sendai in the north and Harada from Shimane in the west. They first met as students in the clarinet department at the Kunitachi College of Music, a well-known conservatory in western Tokyo. Harada was already securing sideman gigs on bass with professional jazz groups and was active in student politics, making good use of his connections to set up jazz concerts on campus. It was around this time that the two began to play together in an improvised duo, with Umezu on clarinet and bass clarinet and Harada on piano. They also experimented with graphic scores and prepared piano.
These experiments eventually led to the creation of a trio, with a high-school student called Tetsuya Morimura on drums, that they decided to name Seikatsu Kōjyō Iinkai (Lifestyle Improvement Committee) in joking reference to the Marxist discourse of the student radicals of the time. Around 1973, Umezu and Harada decided to call it a day and go their separate ways. Umezu began playing with the Toshinori Kondo Unit and Harada with the Tadashi Yoshida Quintet. In 1974 Harada formed his own trio and began to play at jazz coffeehouses across Japan.
Then, in September 1974 Umezu travelled alone to New York, where he set about building connections with the loft jazz scene in the city. It was a fortuitous moment to arrive in New York. Rents were cheap in the Lower East Side, possibilities for squatting existed, so many musicians and artists had moved to the area. Umezu soon became known on the scene as Kappo and he started to make connections with some of the young musicians like David Murray, Arthur Blythe, and Oliver Lake. He recalls making the rounds of the lofts every evening, checking out the performances, and getting the chance to sit in with many groups including Juma Sultan’s Aboriginal Music Society and trumpeter Ted Daniel’s orchestra.
Things were going so well that Umezu wrote to Harada and invited him to come to New York. He accepted and arrived in the city in July 1975. Harada and Umezu took the opportunity to resume their artistic collaboration. Their first concert together in over two years took place on July 20th at another loft, Sunrise Studios at 122 2nd Avenue. Umezu remembers Sunrise as an unusually sunny loft with the rarest of things, a grand piano. He invited along Ahmed Abdullah, a trumpeter he had got to know while playing with Ted Daniel. Abdullah led his own group and was a long-term Sun Ra sideman. William Parker, one of the key figures in the loft jazz scene of the period, was on bass. Abdullah also brought along Rashid Sinan on drums. Sinan drummed in Abdullah’s units throughout the seventies, but he had also played on Frank Lowe’s immortal Black Beings album and collaborated with Arthur Doyle, playing on Doyle’s Alabama Feeling album. By all accounts the evening was a huge success, with speed and dynamism of Harada’s piano playing gaining him lots of support.
Since they had managed to save some money from their day jobs, Umezu and Harada decided to set up a recording session with the same line-up on August 11 at Studio We, where there was a well-equipped studio on the third floor. Umezu recalls the session as follows, Of course, we recorded our performances in one take, with zero retakes as far as I remember. On all the tracks we recorded, we moved as one unit, sharp and fast. That was the nature of Lifestyle Improvement Committee, New York Branch.
Umezu and Harada would later become known for the elements of parody and entertainment that they brought to their music, a freewheeling blend of pastiche, humour and on-stage performativity that paralleled the approaches of the Art Ensemble, Sun Ra, and Holland’s ICP. But here, on their first recordings, the humour element is not yet present. Instead, there is a febrile sense of joy in creation and connection. On the Umezu-penned “Kim”, for example, Harada opens the piece with a speedy exploration of the full-range of the keyboard, hitting hard on the bass keys to create a rhythmic bed out of which patterns begin to emerge. Umezu enters at a much slower pace, longer held notes that at first float weightlessly over the urgency of the piano before they begin in splinter and accelerate. When Parker and Sinan kick in, it’s a rollicking tempo with Parker plucking deep and hard and the left-handed Sinan skittering hard across the topside of his kit. Abdullah kicks in a glorious solo twelve minutes in, bright and breathy at once. The piece slows and grows more spacious towards the end, giving Parker a chance to showcase some arco work that shades beautifully into the air against Abdullah’s trumpet.
Provogue / Mascot Label Group will re-issue Nothin' But Love and In My Soul from the Robert Cray Band as part of their ongoing special re-issue campaign. The albums will be released on 140g light blue vinyl on 6 May 2022.
Repress !
(November Collective Title) Meditative but heaving with energy, Son Lux's third full-length weaves disparate elements into songs both strange and welcoming. On the heals of being named NPR's 'Best New Artist of the Year', Son Lux has created an album that sits as comfortably next to the compositions of Stravinsky, John Adams, David Lang and Ben Frost, as it does to those of Jamie Lidell, Björk, Flying Lotus, and Radiohead. Equal parts producer and composer, Son Lux (aka Ryan Lott) bridges an unusual gap between old-world music theory and next-level experimentation. Meditative but heaving with energy, 'Lanterns' finds a peculiar congruency between futuristic soul and ancient sentiment. Driving orchestral electronica (Lost It To Trying, No Crimes) is placed alongside creepy minimalism (Pyre), often starkly juxtaposing densely layered arrangements with Lott's fragile voice. In recent past Son Lux has gained notoriety both for his s/s/s project (with Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti), and from being named NPR's 'Best New Artist of the Year'. His third full-length album, and his first for Joyful Noise (Kishi Bashi, Sebadoh, etc.), positions Son Lux at the helm of an impressive ensemble of instrumentalists and singers, including Chris Thile (The Punch Brothers), Peter Silberman (The Antlers), DM Stith, Lily & Madeleine, Darren King (Mutemath), Ieva Berberian (Gem Club) and yMusic (Dirty Projectors, Bon Iver).
Nach einer ersten BBC-Livesession für Marc Riley veröffentlicht das Indie-Pop-Trio PEANESS aus Chester sein Debütalbum 'World Full Of Worry' über das bandeigene Label Totally Snick Records. PEANESS haben sich mit ihrem zuckersüssen, melancholischen Indie-Pop in den letzten sechs Jahre eine fanatische Anhängerschaft im Untergrund und bei der Musikpresse aufgebaut und sind mit BC Camplight und Maximo Park auf Tour gegangen.
- 'Sunshine-laden indie-pop to brighten the short autumn days and darker nights.' - Louder Than War
- 'A deliriously fun piece of guitar pop racket…addictive, funny, and charming as hell.' – CLASH
- 'Whip-smart songwriting…kick-ass indie punk.' – Kerrang! Magazine
‘Wax Limousine’ is the third solo album from London’s Wesley Gonzalez. Set for release on 18th March via Moshi Moshi Records, the record is the follow up to last year’s critically acclaimed ‘Appalling Human’ and finds the indie stalwart delivering his most personal album to date, via a collection of 12 irresistible pop songs. The announcement arrives alongside the title track, which received its first play from Marc Riley on 6Music and its accompanying video, the second to be revealed from the record following ‘Greater Expectations’, released earlier this year. In support of the release, Gonzalez heads out on tour this November, headlining Electrowerkz on 25th and supporting Young Knives across the country (full dates below).
With its truly eclectic range of musical influences drawing on Gonzalez’s ever developing sonic palette, the album’s uplifting sound juxtaposes its themes, documenting the end of a long-term relationship and the overwhelming experience of dealing with a family member’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment. ‘Wax Limousine’ navigates these hurdles with a razor-sharp wit and often brutally perceptive self-awareness, nowhere more so than on the new single. Inspired by both 'Faithless' by Scritti Politti and Aretha Franklin, it is Gonzalez’s version of an 80’s gospel song and, as he explains, written at a crucial point over the last 12 months
“This was written right after the breakup and cancer diagnosis. It was that early stage of a breakup where you can't really understand what went wrong for you or for your ex. There was resentment for the extreme change I had suddenly found myself in, and I was asking what it really was I did wrong. The title Wax Limousine came from old phrases like "as useless as an ashtray on a motorbike". I was trying to express how useless I felt within every situation that had just arrived at my doorstep.”
Wesley Gonzalez first made a name for himself as the leader of Let's Wrestle, whose tuneful and eccentric punk earned critical accolades and a devoted audience with three albums, including 2011’s Steve Albini produced ‘Nursing Home’. Gonzalez wasted little time forging his own path and quickly assembled a live band for his solo work, expanding upon the guitar-driven music of his former band, with an interesting concoction of classic 70’s pop, soul, and indie rock. Gonzalez released his debut solo record ‘Excellent Musician’ in 2017, then the follow up ‘Appalling Human’ in June 2020 through Moshi Moshi Records.
Nach einer ersten BBC-Livesession für Marc Riley veröffentlicht das Indie-Pop-Trio PEANESS aus Chester sein Debütalbum 'World Full Of Worry' über das bandeigene Label Totally Snick Records. PEANESS haben sich mit ihrem zuckersüssen, melancholischen Indie-Pop in den letzten sechs Jahre eine fanatische Anhängerschaft im Untergrund und bei der Musikpresse aufgebaut und sind mit BC Camplight und Maximo Park auf Tour gegangen.
- 'Sunshine-laden indie-pop to brighten the short autumn days and darker nights.' - Louder Than War
- 'A deliriously fun piece of guitar pop racket…addictive, funny, and charming as hell.' – CLASH
- 'Whip-smart songwriting…kick-ass indie punk.' – Kerrang! Magazine
Remastered Reissue des 2002er Kultdebütalbums der Emo/Post-Hardcore-Band Desaparecidos von Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), der zu einem der beliebtesten und aussagekräftigsten Statements seiner Ära wurde und die Entfremdung derjenigen einfing, die den Kriegsnebel für $$$$ nach dem 11. September durchschauten. 20 Jahre später sind die auf 'Read Music/Speak Spanish' zum Ausdruck gebrachte Angst und Abscheu sogar aktueller als damals, wirken eher prophetisch als paranoid und machen die Botschaft des Albums so notwendig wie seit je.
'Desaparecidos is like finding gold when you're looking for silver.' - Exclaim!
This album is a music novel inspired by surrealism and South American magic realism. Every instrument acts as a character in action and its narrative set is studied to give an imaginary experience during the listening. The main themes are the transformation, the spiritual awakening and the political consciousness, the sublime and the worldly.
Cologne-based, multi-instrumentalist and creative jazz powerhouse
Gianni Brezzo presents his full-length LP “Tutto Passa,” arriving via
Berlin’s Jakarta Records May 5th.
Gianni Brezzo is the jazz affiliated band / studio project headed by
Cologne-based producer & creative maestro Marvin Horsch, whose diverse musical profile is reflected both in his scene-hopping as well as his creative output. Besides producing cologne bands like Keshavara, Woman and Xul Zolar, Gianni has released a number of EP and LP’s since 2017, culminating most recently with “The Awakening” EP in 2021 on Jakarta Records. While Gianni’s works are usually instrumental only, “The Awakening” featured vocal appearances from Berlin/Tel Aviv based singer / producer J.Lamotta and soul singer Otis Junior from Louisville, Kentucky. Gianni’s tracks have consistently placed on Editorial Lists including Spotify’s “State Of Jazz” and “Café / Croissant”, and most recently was synced in an episode of Gossip Girl for HBO US.
Gianni’s new LP, “Tutto Passa” is a meditation around Marvin’s relationship to Italian culture, accompanied by research into Italian composers of the 60’s / 70’s such as Piero Umiliani, Stelvio Cipriani, Piero Piccioni and Armando Trovajoli to more recent work by Sven Wunder. Sonically rich, the album rides a sonic wave similar to some Matthew Halsall, Surprise Chef, El Michels Affair and BadBadNotGood all rolled into one beautifully luscious work. Jakarta is ecstatic to share such a career-defining work, arriving May 6th, 2022.
The albums 1st single, “Il Sole” will be released Wednesday, March 2nd with the LP pre-order announcement that Friday, March 4th to capitalize on Bandcamp Friday. The track is a perfect sonic voyage that encapsulates the growth of Gianni’s sound and gives a sonic peak into the LP. Subtle, yet lush layers of synths, horns, keys and strong, beat-driven percussion all ebb and flow together, bringing to mind the finest Library Themes of Umiliani, Sven Wunder, Janko Nilovic and others. Visualizer accompaniments for all singles provided by Robert Winter and his DIE OTTOS crew that perfectly captures the sonic mood.
The LP’s 2nd single, “Capture This,” will be released March 30th and is a splash of pure, groovy, jazz-funk. Instantly catchy, the track will have you imagining yourself in a movie that perfectly captures the musical themes: playful flutes, crisp, fluid guitar riffs, heart-pulling strings, all held together by a strong, swingin’ drum groove.
The third single is the stunning, swirling, thematic track “Rising Of My
Mind.” Careful layers of harmonized brass, flutes, percussion ebb & flow, bubbling up to the acoustic surface like sonic ripples effortlessly bursting from Gianni’s auditory palette. Only reaching the tracks full crescendo more than 2 minutes in, “Rising Of My Mind” is on that finest jazz tip, raising Gianni’s musical caliber into the skies.
Focus track is the effortlessly smooth, soulful jazz-funk piece, “Torino.” Certified fresh, the progression gives you that euphoric, elated feeling, like you’re finally arrived at that special place you never knew existed, but were always meant to find.
“Tutto Passa” is a project with a variety of moods ranging from Arthur
Verocai and David Axelrod inspired arrangements to lush, thematic jazz progressions with a swingin’ percussive edge. It’s a timeless release, one that would sit just as well in 1972 as it does in 2022, and one that, as Gianni says:
“…reflects exactly the feeling I had last year when I was in Italy with my own family. As a musician, I was looking for the challenge of a more orchestral approach on this album, which I hoped to achieve with my arsenal from the Cologne jazz scene and the support of musicians from around the world.”
Besides online promotion from the label and artist profiles, the album will further be promoted by external agencies within the US, UK & Italy
Remember Rainbow Bridge', the new album by Croatian Amor, is a homage to youth and the delicate metamorphosis that occurs as childhood trips into maturity. Focused on this tender flux, the songs on 'Remember Rainbow Bridge' are infused with the restless energy of adolescence and a dawning sense of mortality. From the sun-kissed title track, to the night burn and wet pavement of 'Paper Birds', monumental highs are shuffled with great lows that we perhaps feel most clearly and earnestly in those formative years. Since the earliest collages committed to tape under the name of Croatian Amor, Loke Rahbek's alias has at every step gravitated towards constant discovery and experimentation. The sound collages are still present while the unity of each song's construction now often conceals the juxtapositions and overlapping edges. Employing a medley of diffuse electronic music traditions, fantastical synthetic worlds are evoked and while 'Remember Rainbow Bridge' heavily relies on rhythmic structures to propel the compositions, Croatian Amor continues to tend a highly textured field in his own inimitable way. 'Remember Rainbow Bridge' is a celebration of the liminal space between phases of life, the chrysalis of youth. It is a record about coming to terms with our ever-changing place in the world, its title urging us to see the world with a child's eye, to never forget the miraculous at play only an arm's-length away. "This world as we see it is passing away"
Das vierte Album von Stephen McBean’s Nebenprojekt von Black Mountain. Die Bandbesetzung wechselt stetig und beinhaltet Mitglieder von Redd Kross, Melvins, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Dead Meadow und Brian Jonestown Massacre.
Das vierte Album von Stephen McBean’s Nebenprojekt von Black Mountain. Die Bandbesetzung wechselt stetig und beinhaltet Mitglieder von Redd Kross, Melvins, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Dead Meadow und Brian Jonestown Massacre.
High Roller Records, reissue 2022, swamp green/ gold splatter vinyl, ltd 250, lyric sheet, poster
High Roller Records, reissue 2022, black vinyl, ltd 250, lyric sheet, poster
No time to waste: nine months after Tim Vanhamel released 'Dubs Pour Oh La La', his debut album under the moniker Comité Hypnotisé, the Millionaire frontman presents already the second album 'Hiking The Trails Of Mount Muzak'.
Hardly leaving any traces of the dubbed out vibe which marked the first record, Tim expands his Comité Hypnotisé universe to a surprising next level on this second album: exploring a place where James Last, Wu-Tang Clan and Dj Shadow are cooking up a Thai meal in a Peruvian restaurant overlooking the breathtaking peaks of Mount Muzak.
Ney flutes tumbling backwards over the edge of easy listening in opener 'Rise Of The Equinoxians', lurking for feel good vibes in 'Red Wolf Riddim' and breezing in to new dimensions in 'Zing Zoing' on the A-side while the Comité enters the chambers of the 70's 'Disco Skank' and rides an untamed dragon towards the scorching sun in search of a flame-bringing beat in 'The Dragon Rider' on the flipside.
Proprietary rhythm: Vector Rituals sees techno polymath Stefan Goldmann constructing polymetric rites of percussion. Synthesized from the ground up, timbral characteristics, metric properties, dynamic expression and microrhythmic phrasing are shaped by the interactions of layered control voltage functions. The result is an assembly of abstract dances ranging from the intricate to the powerful.
Near-humanoid behaviour emerges from liquid patterns, laid out and brought to life by the freewheeling encounter of modular waveforms and snappy envelopes. Sounds evoke metallic textures
– ringing, scraping – and group into virtual shapes from tiny spikes to vast surfaces.
Some of the parametric relationships employed are as loose as to imply chance drifts. Others lock in with strict regularity as found in the 13 vs. 17 polymeter pattern of opening track 'Nayba'. By contrast,
in the strictly repetitive yet highly asymmetrical sequence of 'Yukagir' each metric step has its own uniquely irregular duration. The center piece of this collection is 'Ayon' with multiple autonomous and
highly agile timelines. Its constituent layers break away in radial fashion and fall back together at widely spaced points of congregation.
All compositions herein present powerful proof of the unlimited capacity of electronic music to yield new principles of organisation and to solidify their expression into clear-cut gestalt.
Der Maurice Jarre-Score zum britischen Historien-Monumental-Epos 'Lawrence Of Arabia' (1962) ist eine der berühmtesten und bekanntesten Filmmusiken, die jemals komponiert wurden. Die neue Ausgabe auf lilafarbenem Doppelvinyl enthält über 50 Minuten der von der Kritik gefeierten Originalmusik aus diesem David Lean-Epos, darunter über 20 Minuten Musik, die nicht auf dem Original-Soundtrack-Album von 1962 zu hören ist. Eingespielt von den Prager Philharmonikern unter der Leitung von Tony Bremner.
Das neue CITY Album „Die letzte Runde“ erscheint am 01.04.2022
50 Jahre CITY – Die letzte Runde
Auch das Jubiläumsjahr wird ein lautes: Es wird ein aktuelles Album mit durchweg neuen Songs geben, der MDR dreht eine Doku und wird ein Jubiläumskonzert mitschneiden, eine neue Bandbiografie erscheint und nicht zuletzt werden CITY auf den Brettern stehen, die ihnen ihre Welt bedeuten. Bei aller Euphorie zu den geplanten Geburtstagsaktivitäten gibt es auch einen Wermutstropfen. Sowohl Tour als auch Album heißen „Die letzte Runde“ und sie wird es auch sein: CITY verabschieden sich im Jubiläumsjahr von ihren Fans und Wegbegleitern. Das allerletzte CITY-Konzert (und damit Pflichttermin) findet am 30.12.2022 in der Berliner Mercedes-Benz Arena statt.
Best known for his work with CL Smooth, and his remixes for Public Enemy, House of Pain, Mary J Blige and Mick Jagger to mention a few. Hailing from the little town of Mt. Vernon, NY, right next to the Bronx, Pete Rock & CL Smooth pretty much got together in their local high school when Pete noticed CLs dope and unique voice. After high school, Pete hooked up a weekend hip-hop show on WBLS-FM and was considered one of NYs premier DJs during his four year stint on the show. All Souled Out was Pete & CLs debut EP, it was the phenomenal production by Pete Rock which really drew people to this EP. If the legendary DJ Mark The 45 King was the first producer to incorporate horns, Pete Rock was the first to really perfect this new style of production with his trademark echoing horns laced throughout his music. This was done very nicely on two of the cuts off the EP, Creator and Mecca & The Soul Brother, and people were taking notice in a big way.
After the solid Mecca/Creator 12 inch, the duo unleashed one of those all-time classic LPs every MC dreams of having, Mecca & The Soul Brother featuring the monumental: They Reminisce Over You, Straighten It Out, Ghettos Of The Mind, and Lots Of Lovin. Songs to make you cry - damn, they were playing TROY at funerals everywhere. One of the greatest hip hop records ever made ...it never leads my box man...- (Tim Westwood)
Pete Rock on hip hop: Hip hop to me today is still important but we are going through a phase right now. Hip Hop as been injected by a virus, and right now weve got to find a cure to this. Which brings along myself. (Frank 151)
The Press ...from downtempo, funkdified sounds to hypnotic hip-hop beats, this is a wonderfully crafted album - (BPM July 2001)
This hypnotic ... album represents hip hops incredible ability to morph and manipulate a hodgepodge of sounds to create something unique...although the sound is now industrial, electronic and everything but natural Pete's version of hip hop will remain a classy affair that merges the elements of an orchestra, the roots of black music and the cacophony of the streets. - (Mass Appeal July 2001)
Protean producer Jaymie Silk returns to Shall Not Fade with an intensely club-driven LP. On "The Rise & Fall Of Jaymie Silk & Rave Culture" a range of vocal samples tell a story over assertive rhythms that switch rapidly so that hard-hitting acid becomes breaks before melting into sleazy, low-end bass techno. Strap in!
It"s not easy to anticipate how any release from the Paris-based Jaymie Silk will sound. A self-proclaimed musical nomad and a real jack-of-all-trades, his artistic identity is defined by its undefinability. With this release - a follow-up from "The Legend of Jack Johnson" EP released on Shall Not Fade last year - Jaymie references the kaleidoscope of sounds which inspired him to make music in the first place.
Sampling an iconic Malcolm X speech, the force of which is bolstered by giant synth swells and clattering percussion, "Freedom For Everybody" places the album in the context of diaspora and resistance - themes that run ever-present through Jaymie's music. With "The Heat", he pays tribute to late '80s dance music, with a classic Lyn Collins drum break sample and diva-esque vocals. The hard-hitting acid-tinged techno of "Start Swinging" sees the album at its most assertive before "Bad B" takes things camper with deep bass pulses and
pitched-shifted vocals which affirm "I'm a bad bitch, yeah you heard about me". "Cats Love Drums" offers another direction completely with polyrhythmic percussion and real meow's before the two closing tracks leave a taste of sentimentality, with a major-key vocal melody and a giddy 150BPM pulse ("Waiting For The Day") and an intimate slow burner ("Take Time To Breathe").
The Rise & Fall Of Jaymie Silk & Rave Culture LP drops 6th May via Shall Not Fade.
Origu teams up with HiPNOTT and 2 Hungry Bros once more for two slices of dope Hip Hop vinyl!
Deep of Deep Breez returns under the 2 Hungry Bros banner, with a nasty piece of boom bap and MC Likwuid brings her surgically sharp lyricism, to collaborate on "IllFayted". Likwuid's commanding presence is inescapable as she delivers powerful messages between her similes, commonplace catchphrases, and cynicism. Dj Evil Dee of Da Beatminerz layers "IllFayted" with some signature cuts to engage your Hip Hop senses! Though, don't be too distracted by those cuts and the hot 2 Hungry Bros beat, because Likwuid's rhymes are so precisely interwoven you might miss an comedic analogy or sociopolitical statement. illFayted is for the true lover of Hip Hop that appreciates all the fresh elements that make it classic and undying.
In the spirit of letting go of negative energy, toxic relationships and flakey individuals, "Hold That (Faybles)" offers an escape plan for folks who are just ready to move forward in 2017. Tired of being outcasted, misinterpreted or just shut out by your peers? Then here is the gateway to redirecting that energy back to the source...hold that! Deep of 2 Hungry Bros lends his magic by providing a melodic canvas with signature heavy alternating drums and sinister deep loops and chops. The song features Donwill of Tanya Morgan and Hipnott's P.so the Earthtone King.
For Number 008 ORIGU releases two more bangers from the Loyalty Digital Corp. camp.
Off his album "Underground With Commercial Appeal", Fokis brings you "Audio Crack" featuring Skyzoo and Chi-Ali, plus the previously unreleased "52 Pick Up" produced by Paul Danjer.
Fokis managed to create quite a line-up for his releases on his label, and Skyzoo and Chi-Ali are just big names he put on his album.
Eversince his official debut "Cloud 9" in 2006 Skyzoo is a well-known figure in the hiphop game. Chi-Ali is making his first appearance on vinyl since 1992, when he was a teenager and released the album "The Fabolous Chi-Ali" with the help of The Beatnuts, Black Sheep, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest.
Release date delayed to the 29.04.22.
Here is a brandnew doublesider by the amazing Andy Cooper of Ugly Duckling and The Allergies fame. Both tracks are featured on his upcoming album "L.I.S.T.E.N.", to be released on UNIQUE RECORDS in late September.
"The Man" is co-produced by DJ Moneyshot of The Allergies.
Two sides of funky Hip Hop that you can not miss out on!
Repressed on red vinyl!
Belgium, not the first place you'd think of when it comes to Latin or Afro funk. Yet one of the greatest records to blend both styles came from the small northern European country, masterminded by Nico Gomez and his Afro Percussion Inc.
Ritual was originally released in 1971 on the Dutch label Omega International (Gomez was born in Holland before moving to Belgium in the late 40s) and is being reissued by Mr Bongo in 2013, bringing its blazing funk grooves to both new ears and those already tuned in to this masterpiece's legacy.
Across its 11 tracks Ritual delivers the kind of production, arrangement and musicianship that rightfully belong in a dictionary next to the definition of professional. Gomez' band was tight and they knew it, showing it off on their covers of Perez Prado's 'Caballo Negro' and 'Lupita' by injecting the originals with a deep funk that blends both Afro and Latin influences. On 'Samba De Una Nota So' and 'El Condor Pasa', another pair of covers, they switch to soulful downtempo with mesmerising ease. The title cut remains one of the album's highlights, a devastating dancefloor groove with horns to match that has aged beautifully and was heavily sampled by Liquid People for 'The Dragon'. 'Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!' adds touches of rock with fuzzy guitars for one of the album's headier experiences.
Nyami Nyami Records presents a reissue of a rare gem from the Gramma Records catalog , the historic Zimbabweean label. Dumisani Maraire, the leading creator of modern mbira, settled in the USA in the late 60s where he popularized the traditional music of the Shona people.
Tichazomuona is the first album he recorded in liberated Zimbabwe, in 1986, with his wife Maichi and daughter Chiwoniso.
You can hear the very young singer on lead vocals on the title track, long before she went on to perform solo on the international stage.
We launched Nyami Nyami with her last recording Zvichapera and are happy to also release now her very first.
Released via Columbia Records - new 15 track album is the masked singers follow up to 2019’s 'Pony' and the 2020 EP 'Show Pony'. 'Bronco' will be released in chapter digital installments before arriving in full on April 8th on this 2 LP black vinyl set. UK promo trip. Marketing activity across all media outlets.
JOYFULTALK returns with its third album for Constellation; another vibrantly divergent stylistic take on the analog materiality and sensibility of electronic composer-producer Jay Crocker, whose previous two records forged trance-inducing polyrhythmic intricacy, each from a distinct angle and sound palette, each enlisting a single instrumental collaborator. Familiar Science rallies contributions from a larger cast of musicians into a looser, cosmic recombinant combo_still shot through with JOYFULTALK's singular mixing desk kinetics, but this time deep-diving into gnarled and twisted, spliced and diced out-jazz. Crocker draws inspiration from 1980s M-Base music and Ornette Coleman's harmolodic funk period, while his own prior history as an improv guitarist also resurfaces for the first time in many years_an element in this polyvalent artist's chemistry set that hasn't appeared prominently in his own music for over a decade. Familiar Science finds Crocker folding time (as lockdown will do), immersed in his present-day kaleidoscope of solitary art and music practices in rural Nova Scotia, while channeling his former life as a bustling jazz collaborator in Calgary, Alberta. Building outwards from roiling resampled acoustic drums, Crocker extracted additional sonic and rhythmic textures, then formed the head of each song using dusted-off archival recordings and his own bass, keys and midi sequencing. Albertan percussionists Eric Hamelin (Ghostkeeper, Chad Vangaalen) and Chris Dadge (Lab Coast, Alvvays) provided improvised drum tracks to be chopped and harvested; Nova Scotia-based Nicola Miller (Ryan Driver, Doug Tielli) laid down resplendent excursions on saxophone and flute; Crocker's own dexterous guitar appears on several cuts. Familiar Science also poignantly features samples from live recordings by the late Calgary saxophonisticonoclast Dan Meichel, catalysing some of the album's heaviest contortions. Crocker weaves all these raw materials into exuberant compositions that blur the line between sizzling corporeal combo and sampledelic futurist jamz, variously conjuring (leftfield) Flying Lotus, (later) Tortoise, BADBADNOTGOOD and Squarepusher's Music Is Rotted One Note. The rubbery hyper-compression of boom-bap opener "Body Stone" initiates the séance, and the album offers a panoply of skittering grooves and soaring melodic pathways thereafter, through quags of heady jazz alternately streaked with dayglo delirium and other more vaporous states of revelry. Crocker's own wordless stacked vocals are the giddy secret sauce on several cuts, and his lead guitar work (in kinship with the lean progressions of Mary Halvorson or Jeff Parker) features on "Take It To The Grave", "Stop Freaking Out!" and the album's title track. More honeyed passages on songs like "Blissed For A Minute" and "Ballad In 9" center around Miller's bouyant alto sax and flute. Familiar Science is a rousing feast of noise-tinged polychrome electronic avant-jazz: richly harmolodic compositions teeming with intersecting textures and turbulences; exploratory, exhilarated and indeed joyful.
The first release on the brand new DigBig Records comes from prolific Swedish composer, producer and DJ Joey FDH. In Level 7, Joey steps away from the harder electro beats she's known for and goes inward to explore the depths and corners of her own shadow through four slow burners. The EP rides a soft yet sinister groove with two acidic workouts on the A side - the beautifully atmospheric Acid Girl and the cosmic-dreamy eponymous Level 7. B side morphs effortlessly onto heavier but just as funky vibes with Shadow Play that slaps in the face with infectious breaks and the hypnotically thumping Shift Shaper. Spending over a decade in Berlin honing her signature dark sound, Joey FDH has recently returned to her homeland to find new inspiration in the forests and mo
Nachdem sich die afro-kubanisch französischen Zwillinge Lisa-Kaindé und Naomi Díaz 2015 auf ihrem selbstbetitelten Debütalbum mit ihrer Familiengeschichte, dem Tod und ihrer Herkunft beschäftigten und auf dem Nachfolger "Ash" (2017) von Rassismus, Weiblichkeit und Aktivismus sangen, schlagen sie nun das nächste Kapitel ihres musikalischen Schaffens auf. Mit ihrem neuen Album "Spell 31", das am 6. Mai auf XL Recordings erscheint, kehren sie zu ihren spirituellen Wurzeln zurück. Harmonie, Heilung und Magie sind die zentralen Themen von "Spell 31". Es ist kein Zufall, dass dieses Album gerade jetzt erscheint - in einer Welt, die dringend spirituelle Heilung benötigt. Die 10 Songs von "Spell 31" wurden von Ibeyi 2021 geschrieben. Produziert und aufgenommen wurde das Album mit XL Recordings-Chef Richard Russell, der auch an den beiden Vorgängern beteiligt war. Neben den Zwillingen sind darauf Jorja Smith, Pa Salieu, BERWYN, sowie Ibeyis Vater, Mutter und eine Neuinterpretation von Black Flags "Rise Above" zu hören. Mit der Albumankündigung erscheint die neue Single "Sister 2 Sister", die von ihrem Leben als Schwestern, sowie ihren Latinx Wurzeln inspiriert ist und ein Sample der Single "River" vom Debütalbum beinhaltet. Das Video zum Song inszenierte Regisseur Colin Solal Cardo.
Bongo Joe presents brand new sounds from the cutting-edge of the 21st century Istanbul underground by powerhouse Turkish trio Lalalar. Riding a wave of fierce energy and acclaim generated by their show-stopping festival performances at Le Guess Who and Trans Musicales, they now unleash their hotly-anticipated debut album, "Bi Cinnete Bakar". The brainchild of three of Turkey's most active and innovative alternative artists - Ali Güçlü Simsek, Barlas Tan Özemek and Kaan Düzarat - the album is a thrilling mix of punk energy, dark electronics and Turkish instrumentation and samples.
In a very special edition of our Basement Tracks series, house legends Alan Fitzpatrick and DJ Deeon team up on a Chicago-inspired house track, later flipped by Shall Not Fade family member, DJOKO.
A figure who needs little introduction, Alan Fitzpatrick has long been electrifying dance floors with his big-room selections and production. This EP sees the tech-house icon collaborate with the equally illustrious DJ Deeon on a track which gleams from the Chicago producer's musical heritage in juke and Ghetto house. "Shake That Thang" cruises along a deep house beat whilst Deeon's unmistakable vocal chops float over the top, offering a blissed-out take on the genre before Cologne's house music stalwart DJOKO who brings the funk on a buoyant flip. Rounding things off, "Learning to Love" sees Fitzpatrick fly solo with a sunshine-doused melody and euphoric drops. This one's sure to be heard on festival stages all across the globe this summer.
A survey of the modern jazz & hard-bop scenes that emerged in the new cultural melting pot of post war London, with recordings from the end of the 1940s through to the early 1960s.
Featuring representations from players whose roots lay in the East-End's jewish community, such as Ronnie Scott, Vic Ash & Harry Klein, alongside a wealth of talent of Caribbean and African descent playing and recording in post war London during this period, incl. Dizzy Reece, Wilton Gaynair, Joe Harriott, Shake Keane & Ginger Johnson.
Made in partnership with the Barbican to coincide with the exhibition Postwar Modern: New Art in Britain 1945-1965.
