Sharing a mutual love for Dance Music in all its shapes and forms please welcome Philipp Lauer & Johannes Albert for the first time together. These Bucketheads overcame the franko-hessian border and give us a 3-Tracker on the A side that is "Based On Boss". The title track swims in 909 Drums, vocal samples shine through, and organ chords lead the way. You will be moving your feet with "Four 44", still all about a basement, a red light and lots of feeling. Rounding things up with the loopy powers of "Posh-O-Rama", if you are in need of soft breaks with a lovely twist. Now who's the boss?
Speaking B sides: Hamburg-Moenchengladbach-London? Probably not your everyday route. Three pillars in their own leagues team up for "Survivor": Boris Dlugosch, Marc Romboy and C.A.R. on vocal duties. Created in times of lockdowns and standstills "Survivor" is a midtempo stomper, slightly dark yet extra moving. Clocking in at 110 BPM a percussive beat is haunted by C.A.R.'s voice and a hypnotic robot bassline. Occuring melodies and pads do the rest. Remix time? Oh yes! Spicing and speeding things up a little the Johannes Albert remix arrives with additional chords, gated snare drums and maybe even happiness.
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12” LP cut at 45 (for the first time) (color vinyl only) Pressed on a 12" for the first time and cut at 45 RPM so it's EXTRA loud. Jacket is an extra hefty 24pt board with printed inner sleeve full of rare never before seen photos When Acid King pressed up their self-titled debut EP on a tape and started handing them out at shows with business cards, it wasn’t an aesthetic choice. It was 1993. And while the world was still reeling in the aftermath of grunge breaking big on rock radio, this dirty-as-hell trio founded by guitarist/vocalist Lori S. were digging into even heavier vibes. Born out of Lori's shiftless days of wasted youth hanging around Chicago-area public parks, Acid King laughingly adopted the name from the book 'Say You Love Satan' and its subject Ricky Kasso, a local drug dealer who killed a friend over angel dust, thereby becoming the stuff of Satanic Panic local news broadcasts all over the country. Founded after a move to San Francisco, Acid King were outliers on punker bills in the tradition of West Coast rifflords like Saint Vitus and Sleep, and this four-song outing captures them at their rawest. Long before the career-defining roll of Busse Woods (1999) and the psychedelic mastery of their latest offering, Beyond Vision, this EP set in motion one of American heavy rock’s most landmark careers. Presented on reissued vinyl through RidingEasy Records – the original 10” was on Sympathy for the Record Industry – Acid King’s Acid King also established one of the most crucial partnerships in underground rock in that between Lori S. and producer/engineer Billy Anderson (see also: Neurosis, Sleep, Om, Amenra, Eight Bells, Cattle Decapitation and too many others to list). As Acid King went on to help define stoner rock in the mid and late ’90s with Zoroaster (1995), their Man’s Ruin Records split with Altamont (‘97) and Busse Woods, that creative relationship would flourish no less than the band’s sound, and here it is distilled to its meanest and most elemental self. Led as ever by Lori, Acid King at the time featured bassist/vocalist Peter Lucas and drummer Joey Osbourne – legend has it both had to read 'Say You Love Satan' before joining – and Melvins drummer Dale Crover had a hand in producing it as well as singing lead on “The Midway” after Lucas took a turn on “Drop.” A preface to the many majesties to come throughout Acid King’s many-storied career, behold the formative incarnation that started it all. A piece of heavy rock history AND killer riffs? You can’t possibly go wrong. - JJ Koczan, May 2023
Seminal progressive rock icons, FATES WARNING, back from a four-year recording hiatus, return to form with 2004's highly anticipated studio release "FWX". In 2003 fans of progressive rock & metal were treated to a U.S. TOUR that took almost fifteen years to come together. When DREAM THEATER, QUEENSRYCHE and FATES WARNING hit the road in the summer of 2003, both the members of Fates and the fans in attendance were in for the surprise of a lifetime. As far as Jim Matheos, Ray Alder and journeyman bassist Joey Vera were concerned, FATES WARNING would be the opening act on a national tour that would shine the spotlight squarely on co-headliners Dream Theater and Queensryche. Much to the band's delight, they were able to reach a whole new and very appreciative audience. Accolades for the band reached fever pitch during the tour with new fans embracing the band on every tour stop. This excitement has rejuvenated FATES WARNING and you can clearly hear it on "FWX", as the return of the more aggressive side of Fates has breathed new life into the recording of "FWX". Produced by guitarist Jim Matheos and vocalist Ray Alder, "FWX" is the best of FATES WARNING flexing their creativity combined with a new sense of purpose and drive.
Psycho Bummer is proud to present UFO!, a true originator for bass music in the United States and a hero to us since before we can remember. As part of San Francisco's Phunckateck crew in the 90's, UFO!'s early music staked out a militantly abstract form of techstep that was unlike anything else around at the time. Releases like "Science Fact / Enemy Infiltration" in 1999 were among the first US-produced drum'n'bass records that many stateside ravers bought, and while we can only speak for ourselves, UFO! was a huge inspiration in getting us to make our own music.
On the "Level Up" EP, UFO! continues a recent exploration of jungle, footwork, and juke-influenced tracks that are completely unpretentious and fun yet carry a certain strain of weirdness that links back to his early music. From heads down rollers like "Operation Drag n Drop" to the bizarre rush of "Level Up", this stuff is unmistakably UFO! and it's an honor to have him on our label. We hope you'll love these tunes as much as we do.
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Catz ‘n Dogz make a standout debut on Crosstown Rebels with two compelling new house tracks on ‘Can’t Stand’, complete with a remix from leftfield innovator Robag Wruhme.
A pairing whose renowned reputation has been built and shaped across an illustrious career, Polish duo Grzegorz Demiañczuk and Wojciech Tarañczuk, aka Catz’ n Dogz, have been serving up their own diverse and varied take on house for more than fifteen years. Founders of their own Pets Recordings imprint, in that time they have released on esteemed labels, from Diynamic to Defected, Glitterbox to Watergate and more, while playing at almost every major club and festival across the globe. Their fresh in-between sounds and knack for cooking up curious and impactful sounds have made them mainstays of the scene, and that run of stellar releases continues here with a debut appearance on Crosstown Rebels as they link with ZenSoFly for ‘Can’t Stand’ - with longstanding German favourite Robag Wruhme on remix duties.
Opener ‘Can’t Stand’ sees the pair reunite with vocalist ZenSoFly, a talent they’ve worked with on notable hits like ‘Wave.’ Her vocals bring soul and attitude over a tight, rubbery and sleazy house beat, underpinned with a heavy bassline - providing the sort of chunky cut to lock in a dancefloor and make it march in unison. Robag Wruhme has been a Pampa label mainstay and famously curveball producer for many years with his scintillating blend of minimalism, melody and unusual sound sources. That is the case again with this remix, a dark workout that hurries along on snappy drums, detuned vocals and scuzzed up, droning synths to ensure maximum impact.
The EP is closed out with ‘Wake Up’, a widescreen and atmospheric cut packed with detail. The bassline is taught, freaky vocals echo within the mix, and synths spray about to dramatic effect, delivering another full flavour house cut with a dark soul and futuristic designs.
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West Seattle Soul is an oozing collaboration of 13-15 Seattle hot shots crammed into a raw, close quarters performance that is blatant and obscure. It's an accidentally defying, thoroughly enjoyable, relapse of Seattle funk. The group has spent the last two years honing their chops at a residency at West Seattle’s Parliament Tavern.
When writing original music, this outfit goes by the name "The Pulsations" as presented on the B-Side of this Juicy slice of Seattle Side A: "Soul Makossa" West Seattle Soul put an afro-soul twist on Manu Dibango’s pioneering afro-disco hit “Soul Makossa.”
Their arrangement boasts bubbling clavinet, a tenacious horn section, and energetic vocal chants reminiscent of the original with a modern, underground dance music twist.
Side B: "Black River Crisis" Forming an Artist for all original music The Pulsations summon the deep pocket in “Black River Crisis.” Spurred from a group writing session, the drum and bass groove pave the way for interlocking guitar parts and a topsy-turvy horn line. The group found inspiration in the cataclysmic nature of the Black River that fed Lake Washington in the Seattle area.
The river was inadvertently drained when a canal was constructed from the Puget Sound to Lake Washington. The dried-up river caused a catastrophic loss of a resource that affected local farmers, the salmon population, and Native tribes who still lived alongside the river. It beckons the reality of the inevitable briefness in all facets of life and thusly, “you gotta dig it while it’s happening.”
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Für ein beeindruckendes Gemeinschaftsprojekt tut sich Ellen Allien mit der italienischen Synth-Wave-Band Ash Code zusammen. Auf drei Tracks bündeln sie ihre kreative Energie, um die eindrucksvolle EP "Dance and Kill" zu produzieren.
Die drei Tracks der EP stellen eine perfekte Verbindung zweier starker und unverwechselbarer Soundwelten dar, wobei beide Acts aus allen Rohren feuern. Unheimliche Gesangseinlagen, kraftvolle Percussion, stampfende Bässe, verzerrte Vocals und bedrohliche Instrumentierung zeigen die Parallelen zwischen den beiden Klängen auf. Der Eröffnungstrack "Dance and Kill" verkörpert diese Verschmelzung von Techno- und Cold-Wave-Elementen. "Shining On You" mit Ellens Gesang und donnerndem Drum-Programming ist ein düsterer, aber unwiderstehlicher, tanzbarer Track. Everything Collapses" schließlich entfesselt kräftige Percussions und einen knurrenden Bass, der von einem Chor überirdischer Stimmen angehoben wird.
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Lost private press gem "The Swimmer" by Florida native Danny Morgan, is a cool and breezy, beguiling easy glide from 1987. It should've been huge. It still could be. It's a mellow marina masterpiece and quintessentially Balearic. Over the past few years, it's gathered a cult following yet the album from which it derives is virtually impossible to come by.
Finally available on a standalone, fully remastered 12", it's been backed by an instant classic "Seahawks Swimming Through Space Remix", courtesy of those beloved cats Jon Tye and Pete Fowler.
These won't be around for long, limited to just 500 copies for the world, so don't drown in procrastination.
One listen and you'll want to dive in.
Fans of the deeply entrancing, nautically and narcotically-enhanced cuts of Dennis Wilson or Michael Nesmith’s The Prison will be instantly mesmerised by the sheer beauty of "The Swimmer". After tracking Danny down, we wanted to know more. How does something so magical come about? The man himself answered thusly:
"At the time I was running many miles on the Sanibel Island beach and doing a bit of swimming in the Gulf Of Mexico. Keeping my mind busy on a long run, I imagined a “what if” movie scene. Almost every run or swim someone is sitting there on the beach watching what goes by. Back at my desk I started finger picking some chords and the picture in my head showed up. I punched in a rhythm loop and the song was on its way.
Adrian Belew and I had the same manager Stan Hertzman so I was listening to some of Adrian’s work. I was a huge fan of Joni Mitchel and the unusual chord changes and melodies in some of her songs. All of this influenced the sound on “The Swimmer”
I had a support band at the time living in my house on Sanibel Island so we practiced a lot. We came up with an arrangement of the song and we took across the bridge to John McLane’s Important Studios and recorded it. I played finger picking acoustic guitar and sang, Tim Miller played drums, Jeff Holck played fretless bass, Dave Dust played lead guitar and John McLane played keyboards and sang harmony."
Our deep thanks must go out to Jon Tye (MLO / Seahawks / Ocean Moon) for first hipping Be With to this stunner. We returned the favour by giving him the keys to the stems and requesting a strung out remix to go on the flip - he returned having conspired with Pete Fowler to conjure a cosmically copacetic rerub with the subtropical chug of the "Seahawks Swimming Through Space Remix".
Putting together the artwork for this 12" release was an enjoyable process. It was nice to be able to flip the original sleeve for the Beach Life album by using previously unseen photos, sent to us by Danny. We wanted to create something that looks like it would've gone with the LP sleeve. We think we've cracked it. Simon Francis remastered Danny's original audio and Cicely Balston's precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios ensures this 12" sounds appropriately outstanding. The immaculate Record Industry pressing will ensure this previously lost masterpiece stays forever found.
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"Spirals" goes back to the roots of jazz, funk, and disco and brings elements of these music streams into house music. In the appearance of swing, jazz was originally a dance music genre, which later developed in many directions. Various other genres were born from it. Even electronic music streams like house belong to those genres.
Bearing this in mind, "Spirals" connects different points in the history of these genres. Bringing this fusion to life, the MIMIKOTO project works with electronic elements (analogue synths, drum computers, electronic modulations) as well as acoustic instruments (saxophones, keys, trumpet, bass, drums and percussions).
The MIMIKOTO project was founded in 2019 by Fabio Kumori as a collective of musicians related to jazz, funk, soul and electronic music, after a certain period of composing and playing as duo, trio and quartet. One of the central goals of the MIMIKOTO project is to include people from different backgrounds - to be inclusive regarding the music and the musicians themselves.
May the sound of "Spirals" be a social room in which everyone is invited to participate, and may this idea be spread everywhere where it will be played.
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The supremely swinging pianist Sonny Clark hit the Blue Note scene in 1957 with a burst of creativity recording three albums in three months including the sublime Sonny Clark Trio, a six-song set of bebop themes and standards featuring bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones.
This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.
Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley had been recording for Blue Note for a decade when he made his excellent 1965 album A Caddy for Daddy featuring a first-class sextet with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums.
This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.
"I cant believe its true" is a great uplifting Modern Soul tune produced, written and published by Gospel music veteran and Coconut record label owner Pastor Dr. Arris D. Wheaton from Dallas, Texas. He's now 77 years old, still kicking and licensing his stuff to respectful little labels like Stream Records. Counting on the vocals of Bobby Patterson’s of Pama and Jetstar labels fame, “I can’t believe it’s true” is a dancefloor destroyer of the highest order with perfect hooks and a production that still leaves you wondering why in the world these guys didn’t become acclaimed music stars as they sure deserved. Creators’ formation included Bobby Patterson (vocals), Andrew Jones (Guitar and background vocals), Timothy McNealy (Tambourine, Trombone, Organ and vocals), Ronnie Brewster (Drums), Robert (bobby) Simpson (Sax, Vocals and Band Leader), Billy ‘Sweet ‘Pea Thomas (Trumpet) and Michael Fugett (Bass and background vocals)
Part fantastical historic sonic biopic, part anthropologic
journey into the deep roots of Belgium’s monstrous
cosmic rock sound, this wholly individualistic concept
album combines the lead members of the mighty COS
(Daniel Schell and Pascale Son) with studio genius
Alain Pierre (Ô Sidarta / Des morts) and celebrated
Dutch progressive rock singer Dick Annegarn, for what
many consider to be both the overlooked hiding place
of Belgium’s deepest psychedelic moment and
European prog’s lost map to the ‘Franco-Flemish
Boom’.
Emerging from the wider musical family that counted
Marc Moulin, Placebo and Marc Hollander amongst its
creative kin, Daniel Schell’s most profound conceptual
project ambitiously combines the tale of the heroic
historical figure of Count Egmont (1522–1568), while
simultaneously tracing the evolution of the ud, or oud,
(‘the grandfather of the guitar’) in this multifarious
hallucinogenic epic.
Featuring key members of other collectable groups
such as drummer Felix Simtaine from Solis Lacus and
bass player Jean-Louis Baudoin from the mythical
Classroom (COS predecessor), this best-kept secret
vinyl release also harbours the voices of Dirk Bogaert
(of Belgian hard rockers Waterloo), as well as Catalan
singer Ilona Chale (Marc Hollander / Aksak Maboul)
before her later tenure as the COS front woman.
Initially released in 1978 via Zeuhl school distributors
Free Bird alongside French pressings of Don Cherry,
Jacques Thollot and CAN, it is plain to understand the
niche nature of this maligned ‘lost COS’ LP as it finally
blooms from between the cracked branches of
European jazz-rock-synth-psych-prog-pop history…
and beyond
Teaming up once again the original Spatial production duo open their latest EP serving up a thumping onslaught of amen goodness with Continuum, a track which takes the classic Demon's Theme break and carves it to bits unreservedly with a myriad of chops, cuts & edits. We are treated to some delicious filter work later in the track over a shimmering backdrop of synthwork, glazed with a bunch of micro melodies, bleeps and FX.
A2 - Depth Perception
Meticulously constructed vintage breakbeats immediately set a brisk tone with Depth Perception before a blissful early interlude reminds us to sit back and take a breath, before our breaks return - blanketed with an introspective layer of serene synths & keys which somehow combine perfectly, resulting in a tonal mosaic only ASC & Aural Imbalance can conjure up with their combined skillset.
AA1 - Distant Orbit
Nest up an unsettling, melancholic intro tenuously launches classic atmospheric breaks delivered with that crisp, old school brand new punch we have come to love from the distinctive style of drum n bass Spatial is showcasingand developing with each release. Powered with a lively bassline, it's easy to lose yourself in this piece as the track lives up to its title and sends the listener far beyond the confines of their speaker.
AA2 - Cold Front
An intriguing, inquisitive energy opens Cold Front with an assortment of breakbeats woven together exquisitely in a collage format, DJ-friendly yet mellow at once . The dialed-back airy backdrops showcase a glorious intricacy to the breaks, so detailed with umatched clarity - they almost possess an ASMR-like quality, offering new discoveries to the ear each time on repeated listens.
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ASC returns with another stellar solo EP and Burst Transmission dives straight in head first to kick things off, pulsing crafted breakbeats and computer FX intertwine and stack with smooth synths, keys and trademark vocal hits. A powerful undertone bassline perfect for the dancefloor keeps the momentum going with blissful speckles of detail in the composition, including expertly tuned bongo drums scattered throughout.
A2 - Whispers
Sci-fi vibes take center stage as ASC channels that classic 720 energy with Whispers, a track which utilises sharp stabbing snares in distinct, forceful drum patterns which develop and adapt over halcyon synthwork. Respite comes in the middle of the track as the breaks change and settle the vibe briefly, before we are thrust forward again with those epic breaks commanding our attention once more.
AA1 - Psionic bond
ASC continues the retro sci-fi vibes with Psionic Bond, entering with zapping laser FX and a haunting vocal sample echoing before thunderous breaks thrash their way into the track, epic kicks and sharp thrusting snares dominate proceedings while through the wooshing layers of synthwork a distinctive bassy melody elevates the composition. This one is going to send the lucky discerning dancefloor into extra-sensory fever.
AA2 - Future Music
Ending the EP with something a little different, Future Music gives us a true taste of the old school brand new. A building intro lashes you with jabbing bass and effects, classic hi-hats rattle and slowly the 90's jungle breakbeat edits are released in waves as the piece progresses. The construction of the breaks is staggered sparingly, weaved with an influx of effects and samples creating a truly unique experience.
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Debütalbum der Stuttgarter Hard Rock/Metal Band Front Row Warriors. 2019 von Jay-G, (Drums/ Shining, Sharon), Elkie Gee (Gesang / Ampyre, Antares) und Sorin Badin, einem bekannten rumänischen Gitarristen (Cardinal, Samsara, Crystal Maze) gegründet. Hinzu kamen noch Richie Seibel (Keyboards/ Lanfear, Ivanhoe, Them) und Timo Michels (Bass / 5. Staffel, Pump) und Gitarrist Stef Binnig-Gollub (Septagon). Eine musikalische Reise durch die Ära des Hardrock und Metal der letzten 30 Jahre, mit herausragender Gitarren- und Keyboardarbeit und eingängigen Hooklines. Jedes Bandmitglied repräsentiert einen der verschiedenen Stile und Einflüsse, die den Sound der Front Row Warriors ausmachen. Die Band wurde 2021 vom Verband Deutscher Rock- und Popmusiker zum "Besten Hardrock-Act Deutschlands" gekürt. Die gelungene Mischung aus AOR, getriebenem 80er- und 90er-inspiriertem Hardrock und flotten Uptempo-Nummern sowie epischen Balladen findet sich nun auch dem mit Spannung erwarteten Debüt. Als Special Guest glänzt der US-amerikanische Sänger Todd Michael Hall (J. Starr's Burning Starr, Riot V) auf dem Song "Dystopian Times", für den Sängerin Elkie vom Deutschen Rock- und Popmusikerverband zur besten Hardrock-Sängerin des Jahres 2022 gewählt wurde.
Loek Frey's Add Interaction is an exercise in damp, eerie atmospherics and intricate drum patterns. Released through Omen Wapta, the Dutch producer gets experimental through drum and bass, IDM and breakbeat deconstructed with unexpected tempo shifts and effects. Produced during the pandemic, the EP conjures loneliness, solitude and unfamiliarity. Expect tunneling, meditative, low-end structures fit for a journey through the earth's layers down to its core. And expansive, pearlescent vocals evoking spiritual bodies. Soundscape-leaning IDM weave into polyrhythms and muted breakbeats. Frey's release positions him as a teacher of brooding textures. The unpredictability can draw you deep into the sonic abyss -- if you let it.
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Another week, another new release from the unstoppable ambient powerhouse that is zake. His latest full-length LL has two new cuts by the American maestro with remixes from a hefty selection of equally prolific producers all served up on his home label Past Inside the Present and no fewer than six sides of vinyl.
Across this immersive two hours of music, there is a mix of ambient, drone, drum & bass, electronica, and deep techno from Warmth, Aural Imbalance, ASC and Bvdub. It is yet another essential release from zake and co.
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On their sophomore effort Tusky, surrealist duet Robbie & Mona ascend beyond the lo-fi scrawlings of their debut album to something altogether more grandiose. Between the lights down drama of sprawling opener ‘Sensation’, to the ‘roll credits’ coda of closer ‘Always Gonna Be A Dead Man’, Tusky exists as a glitzy, lucid journey playing out before the listener.
While debut album EW captured William Carkeet and Ellie Gray as they were finding their feet with one another, creating Tusky was a wholly symbiotic process from day one. “We got better at knowing what each other wanted,” William offers. “This was the album that we were trying to make from the beginning.”
Simultaneously evoking multiple eras of music, the album drifts through worlds of synth pop, jazz, trap, drill, ballroom waltz and leftfield electronica, with the scatterbrain sound palette melded by a peppering of instrumental motifs and William’s addiction to sampling sounds across multiple tracks. “I wanted there to be this weird dimensional thing going on,” William explains, “where songs from the album are playing in multiple places.”
The record sees an expansive cast of musicians assembled, with a much heavier focus on live instrumentation than previous outings. Alongside the expected fare of crackly synths, samplers and drum machines, Tusky gets its glossy sheen from a rich tapestry of jazz drums, double bass, grand piano and saxophone.
Most of the tracks are laden with improvised saxophone from Campbell Baum (Sorry, Broadside Hacks) and Ben Vince (Housewives, Joy Orbison), much of which was scrambled by William in post-production, lifting scraps from one song and layering them atop an entirely different track. Elsewhere, session musicians were cherry picked, including Bingo Fury, his drummer Henry Terrett, and a string ensemble led by Caelia Lunniss and Jo Silverston (Spindle Ensemble).
Most surprising is a rap feature from Monika (of South-East London collective Nukuluk), who brings album centrepiece ‘Mildred’ to new heights with a fiery verse on pain. Aside from being the most unlikely addendum to a sombre piano ballad, it demonstrates Robbie & Mona’s natural state of playfulness, forever following emotions and sensuality over any notion of traditional compositional boundaries.
Many of Tusky's tracks owe their inception to cinema, be it the soundtrack to Betty Blue, the glowing films of Wim Wenders, or the surprising parallels between La Belle Et La Bete and Bad Boys. Equally, much of Robbie & Mona's new-found sense of tension and spectacle comes from William’s recent work soundtracking independent filmmakers, while Ellie gave greater priority to threading a narrative through her stream of consciousness writing style.
In all its majesty, Tusky celebrates creativity with creation. “If you begin to see fiction as real, you can reincarnate and become different things. You can grow,” Ellie implores. “Nothing stays the same. You can shed old characters in yourself. There’s great joy in that.”
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Official re-release, retrieved from original cassette tape (1988). First time on vinyl! Includes Turkish musicians like jazz & percussion star Okay Temiz.
Brought to you by the compiler of the Saz Beat series as well as the Bosporus Bridges series.
A Danish-Lebanese Afro-American who has learned Turkish and knows how to play the saz? Who entered the Anatolian Pop scene in Istanbul right in the heyday, the early 1970s? And who got so much musical credit that the renowned Turkish producer Nazmi Senel released a solo album with him in 1988, recorded in Istanbul and including musicians like Turkish percussion star Okay Temiz? Sounds pretty unlikely. Sometimes miracles happen and highly improbable music gets released. A person with a diverse heritage as Nyofu Tyson can be seen as a 'melting pot', as a 'synthesis'. Yet, he can be also seen as someone who is able to step out for new paths.
This is the case for TÜRK LOKUMU - TURKISH DELITE. Like nobody before, Tyson connects and opens up Anadolu Pop towards a whole range of styles: Synth-Pop, New Wave, Reggae, Hip Hop/Break, Latin, Disco Boogie… He shows us how vital, compatible and versatile one could think Anadolu Pop at the end of the 1980s. The compositions are basically all Türkü-s, traditional Anatolian folk songs, yet updated with a poly-cultural music practice, which involved a lot of the then current musical trends. So, this is Turkish folk music and it has at the same time all what you like about the late 1980s pop music: cold electronic drum sounds, crisp-flashy synths, crunchy bass - all in contrast with warm distorted saz tones, wooden Turkish wind instruments, and a disco-soul proven female choir. This is crazy music. This is a miracle. This is Anatolian-Synth.
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Toronto-based Soul/R&B artist Aphrose is back and ready to release her soulful,long-anticipated single, "Good Love" from her upcoming 7" vinyl release on LRK Records.
A dreamy, evocative slow jam that is sure to make you feel like you've been transported back to the heyday of the 70s, "Good Love" features Aphrose's undeniable vocal prowess supported by layers of bass, drums, string synths,percussion, and luxurious vocal harmonies.Drawing inspiration from the late Teddy Pendergrass, early MJ, and the sounds of the 70s Soul era, Aphrose and her production team SafeSpaceship Music (Scott McCannell, Chino DeVilla & Ben Macdonald) crafted this deep-cut soul classic that drenches you in lush vocals and string synths, met by undulating bass and drum sounds.Aphrose was inspired to write about experiencing that "good love" that surpasses all barriers, even theself-sabotaging ones we put up to protect ourselves. "Good Love" also features Kyla Charter-one of Toronto's most brilliant artists- on background vocals,as well as Ben Macdonald on tenor saxophone, which is the cherry on top.
Yaya to be announced soon..
Releases July 7, 2023
Currently in the UK soul chart at number 14
Got to number one on The Grenada Soul Chart
Played on all the soul stations , starpoint radio, solar radio, misoul etc Played on national Italian Radio Capital by Massimo OldaniNational Spanish radio show "Como Lo Oyes" on Radio 3,
"Sounds So beautiful" blog featured "Good Love" by Aphrose on the front page
PREMIERED in "Canadian Beats"
Spun on cbc on afterdark by Odario Williams
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'BATSUMI’s 1974 classic. Repressed at Pallas in Germany on 180g black vinyl. Cover printed on reverse board and includes printed inner sleeve with liner notes from Francis Gooding. Initial copies shipped with exclusive 30cm x 30cm print of Batsumi performing in 1974.
Batsumi is a masterpiece of spiritualised afro-jazz, and a prodigious singularity in the South African jazz canon. There is nothing else on record from the period that has the deep, resonant urgency of the Batsumi sound, a reverb-drenched, formidably focused pulse, underpinned by the tight-locked interplay of traditional and trap drums, and pushed on by the throb of Zulu Bidi’s mesmeric bass figures. The warm notes of Johnny Mothopeng’s guitar complete a soundscape that is at once closely packed with sonic texture and simultaneously vibrating with open space, and in whose shimmer and haze Themba Koyana and Tom Masemola soar. A sonorous echo emanating from an ancient well, reverberant with jazz ghosts and warmed by the heat of soul and pop, Batsumi is nothing short of revelatory.
Many groups from this period did not issue recordings at all, and Batsumi are unusual in even having left an official recorded legacy. Out of print since the 1970s, and never issued outside of South African in its entirety, Batsumi is a landmark South African jazz recording, and a key musical document of its time.'
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Viscardi & Il Duo Magnetico is the new collaborative project between italo-swiss DJ, producer and singer Pascal Viscardi,
Yavor Lilov and Alain Sandri, respectively drummer and percussionist of the swiss cult band L’Éclair.
The three musicians joined forces in Geneva and worked in the studio for the past two years with Viscardi as the main
vocalist, Lilov producing the tracks and playing drums, bass and keys, and Sandri on guitar, percussion, and backing vocals.
The result is a unique and contemporary version of italian pop, peppered with new-wave, boogie, disco and world music
references.
On Sale Sole Pascal's mellifluous lyrics float on a midtempo boogie groove, projecting visions of sun drenched cities and
summer sunsets. On the flip side Jamba Club is a reggae infused slow burner, reminiscent of night encounters and forgotten
love stories.
Sale Sole / Jamba Club marks the project’s debut release and serves as a sneak peek into the upcoming full-length album,
set to release on Cosmic Romance in fall 2023.
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Jamie Jones and Lee Foss’ Hot Creations imprint welcomes another essential house offering as Jay Farina & Quinzi connect on ‘Pumpin The Junk’.
Collaborating to great effect on labels like Hooj Choons and Cleveland City Digital, Jay Farina and regular studio partner Quinzi have been playing across Europe while cooking up a take on house music that is fresh and full of irresistible grooves. Joining forces for their biggest release to date, the pair head to Hot Creations to open the summer with their two-track ‘Pumpin The Junk’ EP.
‘Pumpin The Junk’ is a sleazy, low-slung and driving house cut with raw and edgy percussion, while the vibrant vocals and old-school rave stabs all light up the track with the sort of character that gets a floor going wild. Next comes ‘The Buzz’, which is exactly that, the type of steamy house groove to get people moving. Rolling drums are overlaid with jumbled toms and fluttering snares before a monstrous bassline brings the warmth, while fiery vocals, drum fills and filtered FX all add more texture and tension to this red-hot offering.
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2023er LP Nachpressung auf schwarzem Vinyl! Nach eigenen Angaben verbrachten Gitarrist Mike Sullivan und Drummer Daniel Turncrantz eine gewisse Zeit in amerikanischen Nationalparks und fuhren durch Berglandschaften, als sie "Station" aufnahmen. Ihr Album klingt auch entsprechend episch, monumental und besitzt eine unglaubliche Tiefe. Sullivan und Turncrantz bekamen prominente Unterstützung vom THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES/BOTCH Bassisten Brian Cook, während sich Morgan Henderson von den BLOOD BROTHERS (R.I.P.) auf "Xavii" dem Kontrabass annimmt. Aufgenommen in Seattle von Mastermind Matt Bayles (ISIS, MASTODON, MINUS THE BEAR), verpasste er der Band diesen intensiven und beeindruckenden Klang und achtete gleichzeitig darauf, dass "Station" den Namen Album auch wirklich verdiente: ein kohärentes Werk, vom ersten Lied Campaign bis zum letzten Lied mit Double Bass Xavii. Insgesamt sechs Stücke befinden sich auf "Station" und es ist ohne Untertreibung instrumentaler Postrock at its best! Ein echtes Kunstwerk. Gegründet 2004 haben RUSSIAN CIRCLES von Anfang an mit Versatzstücken des Metal, Elementen des Minimal Jazz und kryptischen Riffs, die so klangen, als sei ein Komet in einer Großstadt eingeschlagen, verwirrt, polarisiert und unendlich verzückt. Ihre Musik verwebt einen Teppich aus intensivsten cinematischen Eindrücken, der einem auf der einen Seite mit seiner Härte den Boden unter den Füßen wegzieht, es auf der anderen Seite aber auch versteht, den Aufprall zu bremsen und für Kopfkino ohne Gleichen sorgt. "Enter", ihr Debüt von 2006, bescherte RUSSIAN CIRCLES Shows mit Größen wie TOOL, DALEK, DAUGHTERS und PELICAN. RUSSIAN CIRCLES setzen mit "Station" genau dort an, wo sie mit "Enter" aufhörten, erschließen sich aber gleichzeitig einen neuen Weg in die musikalische Tundra, um Kopf und Körper mitzuziehen und nicht nur dem Jahre 2008, sondern der ganzen Musikgeschichte ihren Stempel aufzudrücken.
2023er LP Nachpressung auf schwarzem Vinyl! Nach eigenen Angaben verbrachten Gitarrist Mike Sullivan und Drummer Daniel Turncrantz eine gewisse Zeit in amerikanischen Nationalparks und fuhren durch Berglandschaften, als sie "Station" aufnahmen. Ihr Album klingt auch entsprechend episch, monumental und besitzt eine unglaubliche Tiefe. Sullivan und Turncrantz bekamen prominente Unterstützung vom THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES/BOTCH Bassisten Brian Cook, während sich Morgan Henderson von den BLOOD BROTHERS (R.I.P.) auf "Xavii" dem Kontrabass annimmt. Aufgenommen in Seattle von Mastermind Matt Bayles (ISIS, MASTODON, MINUS THE BEAR), verpasste er der Band diesen intensiven und beeindruckenden Klang und achtete gleichzeitig darauf, dass "Station" den Namen Album auch wirklich verdiente: ein kohärentes Werk, vom ersten Lied Campaign bis zum letzten Lied mit Double Bass Xavii. Insgesamt sechs Stücke befinden sich auf "Station" und es ist ohne Untertreibung instrumentaler Postrock at its best! Ein echtes Kunstwerk. Gegründet 2004 haben RUSSIAN CIRCLES von Anfang an mit Versatzstücken des Metal, Elementen des Minimal Jazz und kryptischen Riffs, die so klangen, als sei ein Komet in einer Großstadt eingeschlagen, verwirrt, polarisiert und unendlich verzückt. Ihre Musik verwebt einen Teppich aus intensivsten cinematischen Eindrücken, der einem auf der einen Seite mit seiner Härte den Boden unter den Füßen wegzieht, es auf der anderen Seite aber auch versteht, den Aufprall zu bremsen und für Kopfkino ohne Gleichen sorgt. "Enter", ihr Debüt von 2006, bescherte RUSSIAN CIRCLES Shows mit Größen wie TOOL, DALEK, DAUGHTERS und PELICAN. RUSSIAN CIRCLES setzen mit "Station" genau dort an, wo sie mit "Enter" aufhörten, erschließen sich aber gleichzeitig einen neuen Weg in die musikalische Tundra, um Kopf und Körper mitzuziehen und nicht nur dem Jahre 2008, sondern der ganzen Musikgeschichte ihren Stempel aufzudrücken.
The band consists of the duo of Greg Wilkinson (Guitars/ bass) & Chris Reifert (drums/ vocals), both members of legendary American masters of sickness Autopsy, with Greg (also of cult act Deathgrave) recently becoming the band's new permanent bass player for the band's 'Morbidity Triumphant' opus.'Aborted From Reality' follows swiftly on from Static Abyss' 2022 debut, 'Labyrinth Of Veins', itself a wild & contagious ride through a nightmarish soundscape.
Whitelands follow their acclaimed single ‘Setting Sun’ – which saw the London-based band added to the BBC Radio 6 Music playlist – with their first ever vinyl release, an EP of reworkings, which is released as a limited edition orange vinyl 10” on June 23.Simply titled Remixes, the EP features two reworkings of ‘Setting Sun’ by dreampop legends A.R. Kane – the short Initiation Dub and the epic Hero Remix, which comes in three parts, titled Departure, Initiation and Return and takes the song to some unexpected and exciting new places.“Whitelands came up in conversation three times in a week,” explains A.R. Kane’s Rudy Tambala of how he got to know the band and came to remix them. “Two times is coincidence, three times is a conspiracy, so I reached out to them on social media, and we started chatting. They’re cool, like baby Kanes. ‘Setting Sun’ was close to my heart, reminding me of ‘Fools Gold’ meets Slowdive versus Frank Ocean. Anyway, I heard several approaches in my head, so I thought, ‘Fuck it, let’s do ’em all’. “I knew I wanted to take a prog approach: Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon, Sasha’s Involver2, Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, Frank Ocean’s Blond, etc. Even my own sixty nine. It’s that seamless drift from one part into the next, stretching the idea until it ruptures, creating space for a new way of perceiving; this has the first inklings of hive mind, telepathy, in a musical form; you dissolve into it as it dissolves into you. A fundamental dreampop construction and aim, whereby subject and object become one. Ahem. “As the extended mix took shape it suggested to me the three components of The Hero’s Journey, hence the titles. The three-minute pop song was determined by the technical limitations of the 7” vinyl single. Digital has obliterated that. The perfect dreampop song has no time limit. ‘Setting Sun’ A.R. Kane Hero Remix is timely.” Alongside Rudy’s reworkings is an equally dazzling drum’n’bass take on last year’s single ‘How It Feels’ by the band’s guitarist Michael in his howdogirlssleep guise.
Five years after the release of their last studio album, legendary UK musical institution, Soft Machine, return with a brand new CD/LP,
Other Doors. Boasting new material and two numbers drawn from their extensive historical repertoire, Other Doors finds the band on their usual fiery form.
Featuring John Etheridge (guitars), Theo Travis, (saxes, flutes, Fender Rhodes piano, electronics), Fred Thelonious Baker (Fretless bass),
John Marshall (drums), Other Doors also features two guest appearances from long-serving bassist Roy Babbington, who retired from the band in 2021.
Other Doors was recorded at Temple Music Studios, a facility owned by the late Jon Hiseman during July and August 2022.
It’s a location of which the band is particularly fond, explains John Etheridge. “Working at Jon Hiseman’s studio was special,
especially with Ru Lemer who is a brilliant engineer. He’s fantastically quick and that’s very good as we record mainly live in the studio. It’s come out really well and I think it sounds great.”
On Other Doors they’ve revisited the very first album, originally released in 1968, to include Kevin Ayers ‘Joy Of A Toy. Fred Baker, makes his studio debut with Soft Machine.
A well-known figure on the Canterbury Scene not only is he the perfect choice for the group but he’s also is a long-term fan of the repertoire.
“The way I look at it is that this is all great music which we’re continuing to preserve and keep alive as we play it but also we’re adding to it all the time,” he explains.
The idea for revisiting the number was Theo Travis’ he says and has been part of the band’s live setlist for a while.
The album also contains Penny Hitch, a track originally heard on 1973’s Soft Machine Seven.
If the album ushers in a new member in the shape of Fred Baker, it also acts as a fond farewell to drummer John Marshall, who joined Soft Machine midway through the recording of 1972’s Fifth.
At the age of 81 Marshall has decided to retire making Other Doors his final studio album with the group. “I’ve known John since 1975 when I first joined Soft Machine and of course,
we’ve worked through the years together intermittently ever since. His drumming always meant a lot to me,” says Etheridge.
“We worked over three days in the studio and John played great. It sounds terrific.”
Indeed, Marshall is on whip-cracking form throughout the album bringing his trademark musicality and decisive presence.
With Other Doors, he brings his distinguished career to a rousing conclusion.
Intense, celebratory, and consistently impressive. Other Doors is the sound of a group determined to press forwards with an
integrity and sense of purpose that’s quintessentially and definitively Soft Machine.
The fourth release in Fu Manchu's 30th Anniversary vinyl reissue series, No One Rides For Free, is a new vinyl specific remaster of the band's debut album. These songs are the only recordings of the band's line-up of Scott Hill (vocals/guitar), Mark Abshire (bass), Eddie Glass (guitar) and Ruben Romano (drums). The 8 song collection was recorded on April 16 and 17, 1993 at Sandbox Studios in LA, produced by the band along with Brant Bjork. This reissue was remastered by Carl Saff for optimum fidelity. This limited edition 2,000 unit LP run is pressed on red vinyl with white splatter and the newly designed gatefold package includes never before seen photos of the band and flyers from the shows of the era. The limited edition 1,000 unit CD run also features the updated art and a digital specific remaster.
Routes is the result of their musical camaraderie, anchored in the musical tradition of the island and firmly rooted in jazz.With his brand new group consisting of Alex Wilson on keys, Hammond and melodica, Ira Coleman on bass, Dion Parson on drums, Michael Blake on tenor sax and Soweto Kinch on alto and vocals, one could argue that Blaser has successfully rounded up the ultimate lineup to present Jamaican jazz to a larger audience.
Those two prior releases were voted #4 and #5 best albums of the year, respectively, in the annual Francis Davis Jazz Poll of over 150 jazz critics. In two 4 1/2 Star reviews, Downbeat called Mesmerism "wonderfully simple, yet breathtakingly deep" and Off- Off Broadway (featuring saxophonist Greg Osby) "music robust enough to have you believe the energy generated by the group is its own discrete force."While the new release features the same musicians as on Mesmerism - Sorey on drums, pianist Aaron Diehl and bassist Matt Brewer - the result could not be more different.
He made his recording debut in 1961 and the following year joined Dizzy Gillespie's band which firmly established the pianist in jazz circles. Though Barron might be best known for his association with the sections of Gillespie (1962-66), Freddie Hubbard (1970-75), and Ron Carter (1976- 80), remarkably, Barron has played with virtually every leading figure in his journeyman career. This includes George Benson, Booker Ervin, Ella Fitzgerald, Chico Freeman, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin Jones, Abbey Lincoln, Buddy Rich, and Clark Terry, just to name a few. This album originally released in 1991 showcases the warm, undiluted lyricism of Barron's playing, with stellar performances from Ray Drummond on bass and Ben Riley on drums
After their critically acclaimed full length, ‘Clarity Through Distortion’ (2019), the American (from Austin, Texas) psychedelic instrumental stoner rock band El Supremo continue with ‘Acid Universe’ with a strong line-up featuring Chad Heille on drums, Neal Stein on
guitar, Chris Gould on organ / keys and Cameron Dewald on bass.
Suburban Architecture continue their series of now highly collectible 4 track EP releases with their 5th offering, 'Turning Point'. Following in the footsteps of 2022's 'Exploration' EP, this new collection once again draws heavily on influences from the jazzier, atmospheric strains of mid to late 90s Drum & Bass. Putting their own spin on sounds rooted in this golden era of dance music, the Turning Point EP delivers more of the London duo's trademark warm atmospheric production and Jungle-adjacent drum programming at a variety of tempos.
Opening track 'The Drifter' pulls no punches - Jazz Fusion flutes and delicate arps float over dreamy pads before giving way to a smashing Amen track, creating a classic roller with enough punch to hold a dancefloor. Title track 'Turning Point' delves further into Jazz Fusion sonics: underpinned by lush Rhodes, intricate drum programming sets the scene for a rousing vocal refrain and an atmospheric blend of flutes and horns. 'The Believer' delivers a similar blend of instrumentation, this time adding muted horns to the mix, building to a motivating, Soulful vocal hook. Closing out the EP 'Memoriam' lowers the tempo with a slo-mo roller placing deep, atmospheric pads and unexpected subtle guitar licks over a punchy, rolling drum track.
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Fresh off the critically acclaimed “Capichone EP” on Peach Discs, Nachtbraker takes us on a blazing journey! The tight drum patterns, vigorous and heartwarming pads, bolstered with his signature bass lines, will have you reminiscing on 90’s Dutch House Music.
In the driver’s seat, anthemic title track “Dondoni” gears up with a vivacious synth pad and galvanic bass line whilst, in the passenger seat, “Barkuchi Fus" goes full throttle on multi-layered melodies and pads. In the back seat we find the original mix of “Don’t Worry” with a cleverly alternating arrangement and intricate sound design.
Rounding out the package, you’ll find Treviso (IT) based Slow Life affiliate Paolo Mosca flips “Don’t Worry” into an epic feast of arpeggios and melodies on some nifty and steadfast drum
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In the centre of deep space we tune in to the radio broadcasts from an old Class T interstellar spaceship. The emissions endlessly resonate the frequencies of the seventeenth release on the label HC Records by one of the titans of the Valencian scene, The Lost Boys, new pseudonym of the DJ and producer Raszia.
With releases on labels such as Bass Agenda, Subsist or Hxagrm Records, the artist mesmerises our senses with the Exiles of Mars Ep, available in both double vinyl and digital.
Syncopated rhythms are the protagonists across four original tracks together
with remixes by four electro legends: Boris Divider, Estrato Aurora, Dark Vektor, and Filmmaker.
The EP’s first cut is a remix of "Wall Of Bricks" by the legendary Boris Divider, which gives the track an air of crystalline, synthetic and cosmic sound, very much in line with his latest works on the Generative Operations series. Next, we find the original version, where the kick drums are heavier, the synths and basses more colourful and the acid sequences take centre stage in an odyssey of sidereal intensity.
On the record’s flip side, a feeling of overwhelming melancholy takes root in our soul. Valencian Estrato Aurora mentally transports us to the mysterious red sand of Mars in a precise exercise in symphonic minimalism with his remix of "Exiles of Mars", which mutates the original idea with velvety pads, synths and a slow and rapturous hypnotism that sinks us to unfathomable depths.
The Lost Boys' original concept on B2 is a combination of Miami Bass-style breaks and a demonic mantra-like main synth line, backed by what seems like an infinity of pearly effects and secondary melodies, pushing the track towards a crescendo punctuated by a dry and sharp snare.
The second disc’s opener "Bust My Moves" is a masterclass in deconstruction and reconstruction by Dark Vektor with his "Electro Escuadrón Remix”. The genius from Terrassa provides powerful lyrics loaded with a message about the modern rise of the 808 movement. We return to the original Lost Boys version on C2, a futuristic martial discourse takes shape with combating breaks combined with rave chords and brief episodes of respite, almost dreamlike, in the middle and end of the track’s exciting development.
On the D side, rough frequencies verging on distortion materialise through our ship's speakers as we pick up the Colombian Filmmaker’s remix of "Data Recovery For Brains". A psychotronic final appetiser that combines harshness and elegance in the use of the rolling kick drums and saturation of the sound, it is without a doubt the ideal soundtrack to narrate the collision of two galaxies. The closing of the EP features the original track, in which The Lost Boys show us his most mental and lysergic side as the track progresses along a slow and comforting broken rhythm, made dynamic by clever use of diverse acid sequences and clairvoyant stellar melodies.
The complete artistic experience is enhanced in all dimensions with accompanying artwork by
Daniel Requeni and videos elaborated by Frank-F.
Mastering as usual by Steve Voidloss at Black Monolith Studios in London (UK).
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Phi-Psonics is a meditative, deeply soulful immersive jazz group from
Los Angeles, led by bassist Seth Ford-Young and featuring Sylvain
Carton on woodwinds, Mitchell Yoshida on electric piano, and Josh
Collazo on drums. Their deeply soulful music draws on jazz and
classical influences together with Ford-Young’s own musical
experiences, relationships, and his introduction to spirituality, yoga and philosophy at a young age, along the way they create something
uniquely their own, beautiful landscapes for your thoughts to roam
within.
Octava is their second album and like the Cradle before it’s emotional,
introspective, and unusual approach to spiritual jazz offers us a
beautiful space for uplifting contemplation and wields a quiet power to create a spiritually inspiring world of timeless, warm melodies and
instrumental exploration for the deep listener. Originally from
Washington DC area, Ford-Young moved to California in the early 90s
and fell in love with the deep sounds of the upright bass and the music of Charles Mingus, John and Alice Coltrane, and Duke Ellington along with Bach, Chopin, Pärt, and Satie. He immersed himself deeply in music and keen to learn combined intense personal study with
collaborations, tours, and recordings with artists such as Tom Waits,
Beats Antique, and John Vanderslice. In 2010 he moved from the SanFrancisco Bay area to the Los Angeles hills and continued his
explorations and although Phi-Psonics music has been described as
spiritual jazz, or deep immersive listening music but this is music for
fans of Radiohead and The Invisible as well as fans of Alice Coltrane
and Pharaoh Sanders.
The album opens with Invocation as we embark on our journey. The
repeated melody at the end feels ancient but also contains an energy
that is driving forward. An Offering is a humble but beautiful tune full of texture and colour. We Walk in the Gardens of Our Ancestors shows clear eyed reverence for those who came before us as we walk through their gardens. Green Dreams is a tender, gentle love song to Seth’s wife.Where We've Been Is a group improvisation centered around the drums. Lunar Reflections is a romantic ode to nature that draws inspiration from where Seth lives a green oasis within the sprawling cityscapes of LA. Becoming draws on memories of the dark days of 2020 but this was a period that was also full of beauty and light and this song elevates and uplifts us. Finally New You offers hope of change
Going past musical genres and instead straight towards something more elemental - Selvhenter’s music creates a strikingly direct, physical experience of sound composed of polyrhythms, acoustic and electric melodies, heavy music and improvised beauty.
Since forming in Copenhagen in 2010, drummers Jaleh Negari and Anja Jacobsen, saxophonist Sonja LaBianca and trombonist Maria Bertel have forged a unique approach to making music that starts with their instrumental setup: two drummers that interlock as frequently as they go their own way, a trombone put through a bass amplifier loud enough to rattle your chest and a saxophone put through a range of effects so that it often sounds unrecognisable. Selvhenter work within their own idiom, drawing from the individual players’ personalities and interests to make a highly collective music, where all four musicians are absorbed into a total sound where an improvised free jazz approach collides with experimental electronic music and avant-garde noise/post-punk sonorities.
Their new LP Mesmerizer - which marks their first physical album release in nearly a decade and their debut on the French label Hands in the Dark - carries forward this process of exploration, deploying original and complex patterns of rhythm through various percussive instruments and finely textured horns and synths. The attention to sonic details is also almost pushed to an extreme on this new offering, making the open auditory adventure suggested by the title of the album all the more captivating. These creative developments have brilliantly kept Selvhenter’s music alive to new uncharted moods and possibilities, while at the same time strengthening their core elements: a propulsive, dense and often ecstatic music.
International super group Bokanté, led by Grammy-winning Snarky Puppy founder Michael League, are set to release a brand-new studio album, History, via Real World Records consisting of nine tracks celebrating black history, global unity and the futility of war. The first single “Adjoni” is out today and you can watch the song’s official video below.
Consisting of members from five countries and four continents, different genders, races and generations working in harmony and celebrating individuality, Bokanté are united in the belief that music should be a voice for the voiceless. Recalling rhythms from West Africa as well as those of Guadeloupe’s drum-centric Gwo ka, lead single “Adjoni” is a story of a life on the spectrum and of brilliance in the margins; the lyrics of “Iliminé” speak to the protective properties of love, offer a mantra to keep us joyful regardless.
History finds them exploring further, dressing folkloric instruments including the Arabic oud, West African ngoni and North African guembri, the bass lute favored by Morocco’s Gnawa maalems, in western clothes. Interweaving layers of percussion with all the nuanced skill expected of four percussion maestros: André Ferrari of Swedish folk renegades Väsen. Ex-Berklee music professor Jamey Haddad (Sting, Paul Simon). Nagasaki-raised, New York-based Keita Ogawa (Cecile McLorin Salvant). Ghanaian-New Orleanian drum king Weedie Braimah (Christian Scott), a special guest on What Heat, a vital band member now.