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Die nächste Veröffentlichung in der Reihe der Steve Hackett-Vinyl-Editionen ist sein 18. Studioalbum "Wild Orchids", das zum ersten Mal überhaupt auf Vinyl erhältlich ist. Ursprünglich im Jahr 2006 veröffentlicht, wurde Steve auf diesem Album von bekannten Persönlichkeiten wie Roger King, John Hackett, Rob Townsend, Gary O'Toole sowie dem Underworld Orchestra begleitet, das den Sound mit herrlichen Streicher- und Bläsersätzen bereicherte. Das Album enthält Steves Cover von Bob Dylans "Man In The Long Black Coat" sowie "Reconditioned Nightmare", eine Neuaufnahme des Titels "Air Conditioned Nightmare" von seinem 1981er Album "Cured". Erhältlich als Gatefold 180g 2LP.

Cat Power veröffentlicht am 10. November ein Live-Album Cat Power Sings Bob Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert via Domino.

Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert" wurde am 5. November 2022 in der berühmten Londoner Royal Albert Hall aufgenommen und zeigt Chan Marshall wie sie Song für Song eines der legendärsten und transformativsten Live-Sets aller Zeiten nachspielt. Im Mai 1966 fand das Konzert in der Manchester Free Trade Hall statt, das aufgrund eines falsch beschrifteten Bootlegs lange Zeit als "Royal Albert Hall Concert" bekannt war. Bei dem Originalauftritt wechselte Bob Dylan in der Mitte des Konzerts von der akustischen auf die elektrische Gitarre, was den Zorn der Folk-Puristen auf sich zog und den Verlauf des Rock 'n' Roll für immer veränderte. "Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert" würdigt liebevoll Dylans Spuren in der Geschichte und bringt eine bezaubernde Vitalität in viele seiner am meisten verehrten Songs, einschließlich "She Belongs to Me" und "Ballad of a Thin Man"."

Oslo-based sludge-metal power trio SAVER are back with a vengeance. The band's new album `From Ember And Rust' channels the bare-knuckle ferocity of their 2019 full-length debut, `They Came With Sunlight', alongside a formidable command of dynamic, texture and sonic space that belies the relative youth of the project. Having erupted into the Norwegian metal scene without warning, SAVER is the result of heavy veterans Ole Ulvik Rokseth, Markus Stole and Ole Christian Helstad combining their years of experience into one three-headed beast, hellbent on pushing the boundaries of what the band is collectively capable of. Restless by nature, SAVER are constantly refining and reinventing their sound. The band's debut record was followed by two wildly creative collaborations which saw the trio marry their signature ferocity with some unlikely creative bedfellows in order to test new depths. `Emerald', 2021's full-length release, paired SAVER's calculated minimalism with the frenetic, percussive energy of Belgian post-metal collective Psychonaut whilst last year's `Split EP' saw SAVER and Norwegian folk singer/songwriter Frodekal reinterpret a song from each other's back catalogue with hauntingly spectacular results. With this revelatory experience still ringing in their ears, `From Ember And Rust' bears all of SAVER's heavy hallmarks alongside a newfound sense of dynamic anticipation and organic progression, which ties the seven tracks together as a significant body of work in the band's ascendant trajectory. As well as sharing their years of experience making the heaviest music they can, SAVER also share a passion for the unmistakable soundscapes of classic science-fiction. Already a key component of SAVER's distinctive sound; Rokseth's otherworldly, cinematic synth work is given centre stage on `From Ember And Rust' as the band boldly embark on a new journey together. As their first non-collaborative release in four years, `From Ember And Rust' could be interpreted as the band returning to the safety of their roots. However, SAVER are more determined than ever to keep pushing their sound into uncharted territory as the world they find themselves in continues to turn.

Oslo-based sludge-metal power trio SAVER are back with a vengeance. The band's new album `From Ember And Rust' channels the bare-knuckle ferocity of their 2019 full-length debut, `They Came With Sunlight', alongside a formidable command of dynamic, texture and sonic space that belies the relative youth of the project. Having erupted into the Norwegian metal scene without warning, SAVER is the result of heavy veterans Ole Ulvik Rokseth, Markus Stole and Ole Christian Helstad combining their years of experience into one three-headed beast, hellbent on pushing the boundaries of what the band is collectively capable of. Restless by nature, SAVER are constantly refining and reinventing their sound. The band's debut record was followed by two wildly creative collaborations which saw the trio marry their signature ferocity with some unlikely creative bedfellows in order to test new depths. `Emerald', 2021's full-length release, paired SAVER's calculated minimalism with the frenetic, percussive energy of Belgian post-metal collective Psychonaut whilst last year's `Split EP' saw SAVER and Norwegian folk singer/songwriter Frodekal reinterpret a song from each other's back catalogue with hauntingly spectacular results. With this revelatory experience still ringing in their ears, `From Ember And Rust' bears all of SAVER's heavy hallmarks alongside a newfound sense of dynamic anticipation and organic progression, which ties the seven tracks together as a significant body of work in the band's ascendant trajectory. As well as sharing their years of experience making the heaviest music they can, SAVER also share a passion for the unmistakable soundscapes of classic science-fiction. Already a key component of SAVER's distinctive sound; Rokseth's otherworldly, cinematic synth work is given centre stage on `From Ember And Rust' as the band boldly embark on a new journey together. As their first non-collaborative release in four years, `From Ember And Rust' could be interpreted as the band returning to the safety of their roots. However, SAVER are more determined than ever to keep pushing their sound into uncharted territory as the world they find themselves in continues to turn.

Beth Hart - Front And Center - Live From New York jetzt zum ersten Mal auf 2LP Transparent Blue Vinyl wiederveröffentlicht!
Am 7. März 2017 gab die GRAMMY-nominierte "Powerhouse-Sängerin" (Rolling Stone) Beth Hart ein ganz besonderes, intimes Konzert im Iridium Jazz Club in New York. Der Auftritt wurde auch in der Premierenfolge von Staffel 8 der von der Kritik gefeierten Konzertserie Front and Center des öffentlichen Fernsehens gezeigt.
Beth Hart, die für ihren mitreißenden, souligen Gesang und ihre dynamische Bandbreite bekannt ist, reitet auf einer kreativen Flutwelle nach der Veröffentlichung ihres von der Kritik gefeierten Studioalbums "Fire On The Floor" aus dem Jahr 2016 und ihrer gerade erschienenen Studiokollaboration mit dem Gitarristen Joe Bonamassa, "Black Coffee". Seit 20 Jahren begeistert sie das Publikum mit ihrer unglaublichen Power und ihrer gefeierten, honigsüßen Stimme.

Xavier Boyer, the lead singer of Tahiti 80 and one of the most distinctive voices in French indie pop, returns solo with a melodic and timeless new EP entitled "Soda Coda".

After "Tutu To Tango" (2007, under the name Axe Riverboy), "Some/Any/New" (2017), and not forgetting Tahiti 80's nine studio albums, Xavier Boyer has composed five songs navigating between soft rock, folk sounds and pop experimentation. "On previous albums, I'd done everything on my own, but this time I was looking for something more lively, more organic, more collective. I also wanted to exchange ideas with other musicians.

This mini-album (the vinyl version will include five alternative versions recorded on a 4-track cassette) was created with the help of three emblematic figures from the French music scene, Mehdi Zannad (Fugu, April March, A Girl Called Eddy) on keyboards, Laurent Blot (Le Superhomard) on drums and Stéphane Laporte (Domotic, Egyptology) on mix.

Recorded between tours and studio sessions with his main band, "Soda Coda" once again confirms his talent as a melodist and his appetite for sonic adventures. The power pop of "D Day" or the lyricism of "Children Of The Sun" would not be out of place on albums by Emitt Rhodes or Richard Swift (producer of Tahiti 80's "Ballroom" in 2014). "Oh Liza" is as smooth as an Elliott Smith novelty.

The singer assumes his influences: "My aim has always been to write timeless songs without pretending it's 1975, or 1998. I want my music to remain rooted in its time." "Read The Room" blends Jamaican music and avant-garde pop with its crystalline guitars and soaring synths, while "Soda Coda" brings a touch of Soul to the EP with its distorted piano and slap-back vocals.

More than a journey or a nostalgic trip, Soda Coda is a succession of luminous songs, and as Xavier Boyer sings on the eponymous track: "I'm singing something good, I can hear this tune lighting up my path".

Diviner ist eine 2011 gegründete griechische Heavy Metal Band. Nach ihrem donnernden Debüt Fallen Empires (2015) und dem grandiosen Zweitwerk Realms Of Time (2019), das ihren Status etabliert hat, kehren sie mit ihrem dritten und bisher besten Album zurück. Avaton zeigt eine verblüffende Musikalität, inspiriertes Songwriting und kompromisslosen Heavy Metal mit allen Elementen eines echten Klassikers. Kraftvoll, melodisch, episch, düster, spirituell, atmosphärisch, intensiv, Aggressiv, roh und vielfältig zugleich. Herausragende Produktion, dynamischer Sound, außergewöhnliche Texte, süchtig machende Riffs, wunderbare Melodien, eingängig-hymnische Refrains, atemberaubende Gitarrenarbeit, herausragendes Schlagzeugspiel und einige der großartigsten und leidenschaftlichsten Vocals. Avaton ist eine zeitlose, atemberaubende Reise von der grausamen dystopischen Welt zu unseren tiefsten Träumen, auf der Suche nach den wahren Geheimnissen des Lebens. Voller Abenteuer, Emotion und purer Magie, die das Herz eines jeden Metal Fans begeistern wird.

Diviner ist eine 2011 gegründete griechische Heavy Metal Band. Nach ihrem donnernden Debüt Fallen Empires (2015) und dem grandiosen Zweitwerk Realms Of Time (2019), das ihren Status etabliert hat, kehren sie mit ihrem dritten und bisher besten Album zurück. Avaton zeigt eine verblüffende Musikalität, inspiriertes Songwriting und kompromisslosen Heavy Metal mit allen Elementen eines echten Klassikers. Kraftvoll, melodisch, episch, düster, spirituell, atmosphärisch, intensiv, Aggressiv, roh und vielfältig zugleich. Herausragende Produktion, dynamischer Sound, außergewöhnliche Texte, süchtig machende Riffs, wunderbare Melodien, eingängig-hymnische Refrains, atemberaubende Gitarrenarbeit, herausragendes Schlagzeugspiel und einige der großartigsten und leidenschaftlichsten Vocals. Avaton ist eine zeitlose, atemberaubende Reise von der grausamen dystopischen Welt zu unseren tiefsten Träumen, auf der Suche nach den wahren Geheimnissen des Lebens. Voller Abenteuer, Emotion und purer Magie, die das Herz eines jeden Metal Fans begeistern wird.

Diviner ist eine 2011 gegründete griechische Heavy Metal Band. Nach ihrem donnernden Debüt Fallen Empires (2015) und dem grandiosen Zweitwerk Realms Of Time (2019), das ihren Status etabliert hat, kehren sie mit ihrem dritten und bisher besten Album zurück. Avaton zeigt eine verblüffende Musikalität, inspiriertes Songwriting und kompromisslosen Heavy Metal mit allen Elementen eines echten Klassikers. Kraftvoll, melodisch, episch, düster, spirituell, atmosphärisch, intensiv, Aggressiv, roh und vielfältig zugleich. Herausragende Produktion, dynamischer Sound, außergewöhnliche Texte, süchtig machende Riffs, wunderbare Melodien, eingängig-hymnische Refrains, atemberaubende Gitarrenarbeit, herausragendes Schlagzeugspiel und einige der großartigsten und leidenschaftlichsten Vocals. Avaton ist eine zeitlose, atemberaubende Reise von der grausamen dystopischen Welt zu unseren tiefsten Träumen, auf der Suche nach den wahren Geheimnissen des Lebens. Voller Abenteuer, Emotion und purer Magie, die das Herz eines jeden Metal Fans begeistern wird.

What are the differences and similarities between human and artificial sound, between oscillations generated by vocal cords and synthesizer voices, voltage amplified by speakers? On Silencio, his latest album for Tresor Records, Moritz von Oswald works with a 16-voice choir to explore this concept.
Drawing from the ensemble works of long-standing inspirations Edgard Varèse, György Ligeti and Iannis Xenakis, von Oswald and Vocalconsort Berlin delve into the space between sounds, creating a deeply textured collection that shifts between light & ethereal and
dark & dissonant.
As masterfully demonstrated in the early work of von Oswald and Mark Ernestus’ influential Basic Channel project, repetition and reduction are key elements here, much in the tradition of techno and minimalism. The vast dynamism of the human voice adds to the
profound weight of electronics while offering up a rhythmic source and sonic noise palette unexplored in von Oswald’s repertoire. In Silencio, von Oswald dredges a dank murk, pulling clouds over a distant pulse. It hangs, ready to take on new forms.
The compositions were written in von Oswald’s Berlin studio on classic synthesizers, such as the EMS VCS3 & AKS, Prophet V, Oberheim 4-Voice and the Moog Model 15. These abstract recordings were transcribed to sheet music for choir by Berlin-based Finnish composer and pianist, Jarkko Riihimäki and performed by Vocalconsort Berlin in Ölberg church in the city’s Kreuzberg district, only few metres down the road from where Dubplates & Mastering and Hard Wax opened their doors for music enthusiasts for many years so long. The recordings of the choral versions were then incorporated into the synthesized parts of the album and brought into anew electronic context; in Silencio, the focus is not on using one means to imitate the other, but to sonically discuss the tensions and harmonies between the two worlds and create a dialogue between them.
The relationship between von Oswald and Tresor Records goes back thirty years, all the way to Blake Baxter’s Dream Sequence in 1991 - which von Oswald engineered alongside Thomas Fehlmann. The collaboration with Fehlmann lived on, seeing the duo team up as 3MB with Eddie Fowlkes or Juan Atkins. More recently, the Detroit-Berlin connection continued as Juan Atkins & Moritz von Oswald present Borderland.
For von Oswald, Tresor Records and also the participating guest musicians of the choir, this release brings together audiences from other musical areas, cross-pollinating; Silencio is an album that stands for itself beyond the musical genre boundaries.

JIMI HENDRIX / LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL: AUGUST 18, 1967 - Diese Aufnahme wurde noch nie zuvor veröffentlicht oder als Bootleg erhältlich. Sie fängt die Jimi Hendrix Experience in einem einzigartigen Moment ihrer beeindruckenden Karriere ein. Vor einem ausverkauften Publikum von 17.000 Zuschauern begeisterte die Experience ein ahnungsloses Publikum mit einer großartigen Show, die seine Interpretationen von Songs der Beatles, von Bob Dylan, Howlin' Wolf und Muddy Waters sowie seine unverkennbaren Songs wie "Purple Haze" und "The Wind Cries Mary" umfasste. "Are You Experienced", das Debütalbum der Band, war damals noch nicht von Jimis Label Reprise veröffentlicht worden.

Vier Jahre und eine Pandemie nach "Orificial Purge" legt Vastum, die am längsten bestehende Band im 20 Buck Spin-Roster, mit "Inward To Gethsemane" ihr fünftes knüppelhartes Manifest über psychisches Unwohlsein und verlorenen Glauben vor. Wie schon zuvor umgibt der abgrundtiefe Ekel, der in Vastums einzigartiger Herangehensweise schonungslos eingefangen wurde, die Musik mit einer Aura von beunruhigendem Unbehagen.

Die höhlenartige Dichte, die Vastum zu einem Kernelement ihrer Diskografie gemacht hat, bleibt so unmenschlich wie eh und je. Sie taucht weiterhin in dunklere Atmosphären ein, verkommt aber nie zum Ambient-Dunkel; im Gegenteil, sie ist immer strafend und mit einer furchterregenden Dynamik. Der unverkennbar erschütternde Doppelgesang von Daniel Butler und Leila Abdul-Rauf taucht in "Inward..." auf; die besessenen Erzähler der höllischen Unterwelt von Vastum. Der achtminütige Albumabschluss "Corpus Fractum" zeigt eine transformative und sogar experimentelle Seite von Vastum, sowohl musikalisch als auch stimmlich, während er die charakteristische gnadenlose Kraft beibehält, für die die Band über ihre fünf Alben hinweg gefeiert wird.

Mit ihren sporadischen, aber legendären Live-Auftritten und ihrer verehrten Diskografie des modernen True Death Metal sind Vastum zu einem Fackelträger des grausamen und grotesken Undergrounds geworden, sowohl in ihrer Heimat Bay Area als auch weit darüber hinaus. "Inward to Gethsemane" schlägt eine weitere Kerbe in Vastums Totem der Abartigkeit.

Vier Jahre und eine Pandemie nach "Orificial Purge" legt Vastum, die am längsten bestehende Band im 20 Buck Spin-Roster, mit "Inward To Gethsemane" ihr fünftes knüppelhartes Manifest über psychisches Unwohlsein und verlorenen Glauben vor. Wie schon zuvor umgibt der abgrundtiefe Ekel, der in Vastums einzigartiger Herangehensweise schonungslos eingefangen wurde, die Musik mit einer Aura von beunruhigendem Unbehagen.

Die höhlenartige Dichte, die Vastum zu einem Kernelement ihrer Diskografie gemacht hat, bleibt so unmenschlich wie eh und je. Sie taucht weiterhin in dunklere Atmosphären ein, verkommt aber nie zum Ambient-Dunkel; im Gegenteil, sie ist immer strafend und mit einer furchterregenden Dynamik. Der unverkennbar erschütternde Doppelgesang von Daniel Butler und Leila Abdul-Rauf taucht in "Inward..." auf; die besessenen Erzähler der höllischen Unterwelt von Vastum. Der achtminütige Albumabschluss "Corpus Fractum" zeigt eine transformative und sogar experimentelle Seite von Vastum, sowohl musikalisch als auch stimmlich, während er die charakteristische gnadenlose Kraft beibehält, für die die Band über ihre fünf Alben hinweg gefeiert wird.

Mit ihren sporadischen, aber legendären Live-Auftritten und ihrer verehrten Diskografie des modernen True Death Metal sind Vastum zu einem Fackelträger des grausamen und grotesken Undergrounds geworden, sowohl in ihrer Heimat Bay Area als auch weit darüber hinaus. "Inward to Gethsemane" schlägt eine weitere Kerbe in Vastums Totem der Abartigkeit.

"Chapter Two" umfasst die Alben "The Final Chapter" (1997), "Hypocrisy" (1999) und "Into The Abyss" (2000). Diese Alben gelten als Meilensteine in der Karriere von HYPOCRISY, da Peter Tägtgren, Mikael Hedlund und Lars Szöke in dieser Zeit ein neues Niveau an Songwriting-Qualität erreichten und die Dynamik betonten. Sie schufen zusätzliche atmosphärische Ebenen und setzten gelegentlich Clean-Vocals ein, was zu eindringlich schönen, aber dennoch schweren und aggressiven Melodic-Death-Metal-Hymnen führte. Nun kehren diese atemberaubenden Alben in edlen Vinyl- und CD-Editionen zurück, während Tägtgrens Remaster von "Into The Abyss" auch digital veröffentlicht wird.

9Million is a Toronto shoegaze band helmed by the multi instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Matthew Tomasi. Best known for his work with alt pop icons like Ethel Cain and Nicole Dollanganger, Tomasi has gained increased notoriety in recent years for his behind the scenes work as a producer and mix engineer, but he is also a tireless creator and songwriter himself; playing and contributing to the music of countless bands and independent artists. With 6 other members including Ace Mendoza (Lead Guitar, Vocals), Danielle Clark (Vocals), Lia Lepre (Keys), Jamie Fastlane (Bass), Brandon Santi (Drums), and Looch Man (Guitar, Vocals); Tomasi says 9million started out “as a creative outlet for myself to explore new sounds and ideas that I wasn’t touching on with any of my other projects or clients'', but quickly the project took on a collaborative spirit not unlike his hardcore band Friction.

The sound of 9million infuses a shoegaze / alt rock foundation with elements of brooding alternative pop, indie rock, and synthwave - resulting in something that recalls ahead of their time 90s bands like Hum and Failure while connecting that sound from the past to the modern world of post-Lana Del Rey slowcore pop sound that Tomasi traffics in on records like Preacher’s Daughter, Natural Born Losers,
and Married In Mount Airy. Featuring several new original songs and two covers, the mixtape explores more electronic elements and layers of vocal processing that, when paired with the fuzzed out rock sound of Between Us, present an exciting blend of styles the band is pulling from. As a whole, Gush is a loose yet emotionally hefty collection of songs that highlights Tomasi’s distinct approach to shoegaze while also capturing the unique dynamic and possibilities of this band as a whole.

StriIn 2013, Blue Smiley officially formed in Brian Nowell and John Slavin’s rodent-infested North
Philadelphia apartment. With Nowell primarily composing from the hammock he used as a bed, Blue
Smiley created three short recordings within a year, featuring drummers Gracie Clements, Tim
McMonigle, and Joe Veltri. Matt McGraw, drummer and childhood friend of Slavin’s, later joined the
group to galvanize a sound that helped define Philadelphia indie rock of the 2010’s. Blue Smiley’s first
professionally recorded album ok released in 2015, featuring dystopian noise-pop compositions with
fuzzy effects, unique for its focus on groove and precipitous tempo changes. Slavin then relocated to
Austin, TX while close friend and bassist Michael Corso joined Nowell for the next iteration of the
group. True to the Blue Smiley ethos, their next full-length return soon followed, replete with snappy,
short songs that waste no time getting to the point. On return, Nowell’s hushed vocals settle deeper
into the band’s tapestry, like an iridescent thread that catches your eye at just the right moment.
During their last tour, the band introduced a handful of new songs, but never made it to the studio.
While celebrating his upcoming 27th birthday with his parents, Nowell expressed his intentions to put
these tracks together for a third LP. Tragically, Nowell was found unresponsive in his room the
following morning on October 8, 2017, a victim of fentanyl poisoning. In spite of the band’s premature
ending, their legacy is now immortalized with this physical recording.

StriIn 2013, Blue Smiley officially formed in Brian Nowell and John Slavin’s rodent-infested North
Philadelphia apartment. With Nowell primarily composing from the hammock he used as a bed, Blue
Smiley created three short recordings within a year, featuring drummers Gracie Clements, Tim
McMonigle, and Joe Veltri. Matt McGraw, drummer and childhood friend of Slavin’s, later joined the
group to galvanize a sound that helped define Philadelphia indie rock of the 2010’s. Blue Smiley’s first
professionally recorded album ok released in 2015, featuring dystopian noise-pop compositions with
fuzzy effects, unique for its focus on groove and precipitous tempo changes. Slavin then relocated to
Austin, TX while close friend and bassist Michael Corso joined Nowell for the next iteration of the
group. True to the Blue Smiley ethos, their next full-length return soon followed, replete with snappy,
short songs that waste no time getting to the point. On return, Nowell’s hushed vocals settle deeper
into the band’s tapestry, like an iridescent thread that catches your eye at just the right moment.
During their last tour, the band introduced a handful of new songs, but never made it to the studio.
While celebrating his upcoming 27th birthday with his parents, Nowell expressed his intentions to put
these tracks together for a third LP. Tragically, Nowell was found unresponsive in his room the
following morning on October 8, 2017, a victim of fentanyl poisoning. In spite of the band’s premature
ending, their legacy is now immortalized with this physical recording.

In 2013, Blue Smiley officially formed in Brian Nowell and John Slavin’s rodent-infested North Philadelphia apartment. With Nowell primarily composing from the hammock he used as a bed, Blue
Smiley created three short recordings within a year, featuring
rummers Gracie Clements, Tim McMonigle, and Joe Veltri. Matt McGraw, drummer and childhood friend of Slavin’s, later joined the
group to galvanize a sound that helped define Philadelphia indie rock of the 2010’s. Blue Smiley’s first professionally recorded album ok released in 2015, featuring dystopian noise-pop compositions with
fuzzy effects, unique for its focus on groove and precipitous tempo changes. Slavin then relocated to Austin, TX while close friend and bassist Michael Corso joined Nowell for the next iteration of the
group. True to the Blue Smiley ethos, their next full-length return soon followed, replete with snappy, short songs that waste no time getting to the point. On return, Nowell’s hushed vocals settle deeper
into the band’s tapestry, like an iridescent thread that catches your eye at just the right moment.

During their last tour, the band introduced a handful of new songs, but never made it to the studio. While celebrating his upcoming 27th birthday with his parents, Nowell expressed his intentions to put
these tracks together for a third LP. Tragically, Nowell was found unresponsive in his room the following morning on October 8, 2017, a victim of fentanyl poisoning. In spite of the band’s premature ending, their legacy is now immortalized with this physical recording.

In 2013, Blue Smiley officially formed in Brian Nowell and John Slavin’s rodent-infested North Philadelphia apartment. With Nowell primarily composing from the hammock he used as a bed, Blue
Smiley created three short recordings within a year, featuring
rummers Gracie Clements, Tim McMonigle, and Joe Veltri. Matt McGraw, drummer and childhood friend of Slavin’s, later joined the
group to galvanize a sound that helped define Philadelphia indie rock of the 2010’s. Blue Smiley’s first professionally recorded album ok released in 2015, featuring dystopian noise-pop compositions with
fuzzy effects, unique for its focus on groove and precipitous tempo changes. Slavin then relocated to Austin, TX while close friend and bassist Michael Corso joined Nowell for the next iteration of the
group. True to the Blue Smiley ethos, their next full-length return soon followed, replete with snappy, short songs that waste no time getting to the point. On return, Nowell’s hushed vocals settle deeper
into the band’s tapestry, like an iridescent thread that catches your eye at just the right moment.

During their last tour, the band introduced a handful of new songs, but never made it to the studio. While celebrating his upcoming 27th birthday with his parents, Nowell expressed his intentions to put
these tracks together for a third LP. Tragically, Nowell was found unresponsive in his room the following morning on October 8, 2017, a victim of fentanyl poisoning. In spite of the band’s premature ending, their legacy is now immortalized with this physical recording.

Famous Last Words is a fully realised expansion of the dystopian futurism that has captivated audiences since CASISDEAD first announced himself in 2013. Over the past decade, he"s dipped in and out of the shadows, blessing fans with cult hits while maintaining his anonymity, shunning media attention and donning various masks; a rejection of the spotlight that"s helped to create folklore around a rapper who"s widely regarded as one of the UK"s most inventive lyricists. Famous Last Words is as much a sci-fi film as it is a rap record, a labyrinth of vice, crime and faded glamour. The listener steps through a portal into a realm narrated by CASISDEAD, whose command of storytelling drops you right into the underground of a city where he is the main character in a shady network of gangsters, girls and drug deals. However, Famous Last Words isn"t a story of bravado or posturing; much of the album deals in themes of loss, regret and paranoia, a persona constantly self-reflecting amongst the madness that surrounds him. The album features a carefully and idiosyncratically curated roll call of collaborators including Pet Shop Boys" Neil Tennant, Connie Constance, Kamio and Desire. The vocalists are immersed in CASISDEAD"s hallmark 80"s-inspired synthpop soundscapes, aided and abetted by a production cast that includes Stranger Things composer Kyle Dixon and producer, composer and Italians Do It Better label founder Johnny Jewel. Meanwhile, actors Ed Skrein and Emma Rigby"s narrative weaves through the record, amplifying the widescreen, cinematic experience.