Visionary engineer, producer and dub experimentalist, Scientist returns to his roots to mix new album direct-to-disc for latest Night Dreamer session. With over 60,000 recordings to his name, Scientist (born Hopeton Overton Brown) is one of the most influential figures in dub. From Studio One to King Tubby"s, Channel One to Tuff Gong, he worked at Kingston"s premier studios, pioneering recording techniques and elevating the dub mix into an rt form in his own right. Known as the "Dub Chemist" for both his technical expertise and forwardthinking ideas, Scientist"s Night Dreamer session brings together musicians from across the London reggae scene, including The Instigators" rhythm section Mafia (bass) and Fluxy (drums), Creation Rebel guitarist Tony Ruffcut, vocalist Donovan Kingjay, Jah Shaka keyboardist Greg Assing and saxophonist Finn Peters.
Dive into the soulful world of Little Beaver with the long-awaited reissue of his 1972 debut album, Joey. Released on Cat Records, this album showcases the unmistakable talent of a musician who not only crafted the unforgettable guitar riff in Betty Wright's "Clean Up Woman" but also delivered the #2 R&B hit "Party Down."
Joey stands out as a masterful blend of Rhythm & Blues, Soul, and a touch of Funk & Blues, enriched by lush orchestrations that elevate each track. The album features the enchanting title track "Joey," which was produced by Betty Wright, "I'm Losin' the Feelin'," later covered by Gwen McRae, and the deeply evocative "Katie Pearl," adding layers of soulful resonance that speak directly to the heart.
Before his solo breakthrough, Little Beaver was a revered figure in the Miami Soul scene, known for his work as a bassist and guitarist since his early teens and as an arranger who brought magic to the music he touched. This release not only showcases his formidable skills as a guitarist but also highlights his deep, intuitive sense of songwriting that draws listeners into the emotional landscapes of his songs.
This reissue isn't just a return to the shelves; it's a celebration of a profound musical legacy that continues to resonate. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to his music, Joey by Little Beaver is an essential addition to your collection, offering a timeless journey through the depths of soul music. Don't miss the chance to experience this seminal album, beautifully remastered to capture the original warmth and spirit of Little Beaver's early work.
Repress in soon. Dead Moon’s first record! Originally released in 1988. Dead Moon were a band that existed outside of the constraints that time & style usually impose on artists. An authentic mix of psychedelic rock, punk, blues, country, & every other American music worth a damn. This LP features all time classics such as "Graveyard" ( A 13th Floor Elevators type vibrating psychedelic song), "Don't Burn The Fires" & "I Hate The Blues". Lo - fi as hell. Remastered from the original tapes. We are very proud to make this LP available on vinyl once more.
After scoring a surprise hit in 2006’s red-hot 7” funk market with their cover of “C.R.E.A.M.,” El Michels Affair quickly turned around another smash 7” double-single of re-imagined takes of the Wu-Tang Clan. “Duel of the Iron Mics” sees the hypnotic piano hook of the “Liquid Swords”-classic elevated to intriguing heights with dramatic strings and Catch the blast of a hype version on the b-side, where “Bring Da Ruckus” is brought to life in imaginative ways not hinted at on the bulletproof original. The raw sample stabs and sub-bass of the stripped-down Wu-Tang stunner are replaced with mind-bending bass notes, and the re-played organ hook turned way up.
Both of these tracks would eventually feature prominently on El Michels Affair’s landmark LP “Enter the 37th Chamber,” celebrating its 15th Anniversary in 2024.
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Boxed set of five 7-inch vinyl records, 300 copies limited edition. Artwork poster included.
All tracks remastered from the original master tapes.
Alessandro Alessandroni is no longer remembered simply as 'the whistler' in Morricone's spaghetti western soundtracks – and rightly so, since he was the key figure behind much of Italian 'secret music' from the 60s and 70s, always there in the studio during recording sessions, whether as a multi-instrumentalist or as the leader of session vocal group I Cantori Moderni di Alessandroni. Today his pervasive presence and important role has been finally recognized by music professionals and enthusiasts alike, so much so that he is now considered the true father of Italian library music – a genre whose sound he shaped since 1968.
As a film composer, Alessandroni often worked for small productions that had very limited (and often regional-only) distribution, and whose budgets were worlds apart from those in the 'top league' where friends and colleagues like Morricone, Bacalov, Trovajoli or Piccioni thrived. Rarely released as a soundtrack, this music ended up, at best, forgotten inside dusty ¼-inch reels or, at worst, disappearing into thin air.
After a string of releases that have brought back to life forgotten or lost works by Alessandroni (Sangue di Sbirro, Afro Discoteca, Lost and Found, etc.), it was pretty natural for us at Four Flies to start delving into a little investigated area of his filmography: his scores for erotic films, the last genre to gain popularity in the flourishing Italian film industry of the 60s and 70s, and perhaps the most extreme too, the one that, by pushing things too far, eventually put an end to that industry and its genres.
So, we're now very proud to present Alessandroni Proibito, an exclusive boxed set of five 7-inch records. It contains a total of 14 previously unreleased tracks from the soundtracks of 4 soft-core erotic films that included hard-core sequences and, therefore, fell somewhere in-between normal commercial distribution and the underground scene of adult movie theatres.
Taking an artisanal approach to his musical craft, Alessandroni was not afraid of having to deal with spicy subject matter, wobbly productions, implausible plots, improvised actors, or cinematographers who were clearly no disciples of Storaro. And he was so good at making a virtue out of necessity, at turning budget constraints into creative advantages, that he created soundtracks that far surpass the films' quality, with music that at once captures and elevates the spirit of the erotic genre as if into a condensed symbol.
More specifically, the maestro recorded many of the pieces in a DIY fashion at home, using a 4-track Teac tape machine to arrange his compositions. The Teac allowed him to play different instruments on each track, which meant he could basically put an entire soundtrack together all by himself, or almost all by himself.
These recordings often feature drum machines – which provide that retro, early electronic music vibe – as well as funk guitars and exotic-sounding percussion in the rhythm tracks. In addition, there is an extensive, almost bewildering use of synthesizers to replace solo instruments that would have required a paid session player. On top this minimalist arrangement, Alessandroni layered what he could: some piano chords, a little flute and, most importantly, his signature 12-string guitar phrasing.
The result is just stunning: a unique mixture of electronic music and acoustic instruments, in a style that stops short of kitsch and ranges from cinematic ambient pieces like "Tensione erotica" to disco-funk tracks like "Snake Disco" and "One Sunday Morning", both of which feature vocals by Alessandroni himself.
Alessandroni Proibito comes with artwork by Eric Adrien Lee and a matching 30x70cm folded poster inspired to the insert-size posters which used to be hung outside movie theatres to attract cinema-goers.
The boxed set is being released in a limited edition of just 300 copies and will never be reissued. First come, first served.
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Scottish experimental/electronic musician Drew McDowall's lifelong interest in an elegiac solo bagpipe style called pibroch (ceòl mòr in Gaelic) has been an inspiration for much of his previous work (including Coil's legendary Time Machines). This form, often traditionally used for laments and for tributes to the dead, fuses modal drones with flickering dissonance and plaintive melody evoking an ancient, solemn mood. His latest work, A Thread, Silvered and Trembling, both incorporates and transforms these elements via exploratory electronic processing, weaving an electro-acoustic tapestry of strings, shudders, voids, and voices, alternately disembodied and displaced. Co-produced with engineer Randall Dunn at Circular Ruin Studios in Brooklyn, the collection's four pieces capture McDowall at his most elevated and elusive, in thrall to "the ineffable - that which refuses to be spoken." McDowall's palette here is unusually eclectic, sourced from a dynamic orchestral ensemble arranged by Brent Arnold and comprised of cello, viola, violin, harp (Marilu Donovan of LEYA), and french horn. Ebbing between shrouded electronics and enigmatic, sometimes spectralist orchestration, the album moves with a seething, simmering energy, surging into elegant, uneasy crescendos. The first two pieces are inspired by a liberatory hijacking and inversion of a grim biblical story (and by a cryptic and strange UK simple syrup branding). Opener "Out of Strength Comes Sweetness" shivers with short echo and resonant pads, before shifting into the album's centerpiece: the 14-minute saga "And Lions Will Sing with Joy." A murmuring electrical storm of keening strings and disorienting drones gradually grows darker and denser, until suddenly there's a crack in the clouds, revealing mutated choral voices and sparkling harp. McDowall describes the track as "an incantation to help usher in a break, and a new beginning." The record's latter half evokes a deep untamed animism shot through with spiraling radiance. "In Wound and Water" sways with harp, plucked strings and eerie cello undertows while lush layers of disorientated electronics hang in the dusk. There is no resolution, only a faint gradient of fragile dissipation, leading into the album's harrowing and climactic closer, "A Dream of a Cartographic Membrane Dissolves." Processed voices (credited on the liner notes to "The Ghosts Who Refuse to Rest") contort, whisper, and gather as the rest of the ensemble sharpens, poising to strike. Then it does - grand, tragic stabs of strings and horns lashing the sky, storming heaven by force. The fallout is poetic and inevitable, raining embers into a dark sea. But the journey and catharsis of A Thread linger long after it goes silent. Like so much of McDowall's multifaceted catalog, this is music of immanence and alchemy, attuned equally to the sacred and the profane, to the tile and the mosaic.
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Extra Soul Perception proudly unveils a new collaboration between two of the most captivating artists from the future soul and R&B scene. "Undercover Lover" is the culmination of three years of an organic creative partnership between Jamma-Dee and Qendresa - one that has manifested itself just in time to soundtrack summer in LA and London; their respective homes.
Following Jamma-Dee's celebrated debut album, "Perceptions," and Qendresa's recent midnight soul bomb, "2 Much", "Undercover Lover" is a highly anticipated release that emerges as an effortlessly smooth summer anthem.
The genesis of "Undercover Lover" was Jamma-Dee's irresistibly heavy beat, which underpins an intricate mirage of interlocking rhythms and textures, with the eclecticism that has cemented the producer as a mainstay of the West Coast soul-funk scene. Qendresa's songwriting prowess shines through in seamless hooks and vocal melodies that flow effortlessly over the production with bold and uncompromising energy. Gary Gritness's live bassline, introduced during an impromptu studio session, injects a deep groove into the track.
At the engineering helm, K15's expertise further elevates the record with a resonating richness and vitality. An instrumental version on the B-side allows listeners to experience the production and bassline on a deeper level.
The resulting sound is a collaborative effort that transcends borders and genres, delivering a record that is as heartfelt as it is infectious.
"Undercover Lover" stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and creativity, embodyingExtra Soul Perception's mission to facilitate transformative musical exchanges between artists worldwide.
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About Extra Soul Perception:
Extra Soul Perception is an artist development program that operates as a label, music agency, event curator, and producer of international musical residencies. With a mission to facilitate artistic collaboration across borders, Extra Soul Perception has garnered acclaim for its innovative approach to fostering creativity and diversity within the music industry.
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A song is a song until it isn't, until it's pushed to its limits and beyond to become harder, faster and more dissonant. The music on Oneida's 17th full-length album, Expensive Air, all started as tightly structured, melodic rock songs _ very much in line with the non-stop bangers of Success from 2022 _ but along the way, they changed. Bobby Matador sketched the structures of these songs from his home base in Boston, then sent the demos to Oneida's New York contingent: Kid Millions, Hanoi Jane, Shahin Motia and Barry London. "We were working out the songs in New York without Bobby. We would start out riding the riffs, and then Shahin and Jane would add wild, out-of-tune licks," said Kid Millions. "It seemed so perfect." Oneida has long straddled gray-area boundaries between the NYC punk/psych/rock world and the art/experimental world, playing at gritty rock clubs and elevated cultural institutions, including the Guggenheim, MoMA PS1, ICA London, MassMOCA and the Knoxville Museum of Art. The band has been known for extended live improvisational performances, collaborating onstage with Mike Watt, members of Flaming Lips, Portishead, Boredoms, Yo La Tengo, Dead C, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and many others. Oneida's members juggle a wide variety of other music projects. Drummer Kid Millions has played with Spiritualized, Royal Trux and Boredoms and releases solo compositions under his own name and as Man Forever. Shahin Motia founded noise - punk's Ex-Models and currently plays in Knyfe Hits. Kid and Fat Bobby perform and release music as People of the North, and Bobby's outside projects New Pope and Nurse & Soldier each released new albums in 2023. Oneida's previous album, Success, came after a four-year hiatus, unleashing the band's pent up creative energy in a set of catchy, accessible, nearly poppy songs. Song structure remained important in the run up towards Expensive Air, but so was the instinctual, improvisatory interplay that has always been a part of Oneida's process. The band had been playing live together for two years, sharpening its attack and pushing its songs to go harder, faster and wilder. Oneida recorded Expensive Air in three sessions scattered across 2023, convening at Colin Marston's Menegroth The Thousand Caves studio in Woodhaven, Queens, whenever they had a few songs ready. Marston and the band mixed the album in February 2024 at Menegroth. The new album expands on what Oneida achieved with Success, but also pushes past it, laying down irresistible song structures then blowing them to psychedelic bits. "I found myself thinking about this record as a darker, looser, louder, counterpart to Success," Bobby explains. "Both records charge forward from the jump and mix the elliptical with the blunt, and longing with self-mockery. But Success is like laughing in a car gunning carelessly through an ice storm, and Expensive Air is how you laugh at yourself as the car spins into the ditch, or a tree. Same trip, but a little closer to the bone."
Info: The soulful power of Asabi Goodman's vocals is finally on vinyl! Blunted Stylus ft. Asabi Goodman s' "Rhythm's Got Soul" has "groove and style" reminiscent of the back-to-back, wall-to-wall packed dancefloors of the fever-pitched disco era, steady spinning in at 115 BPM. The highly anticipated collaboration between the renowned singer/ songwriter Asabi Goodman, and producer/arranger Geoff Boardman A.K.A. Blunted Stylus brings authority and intrigue to the dance floor, with soul.... "Free your mind and the mirror ball will follow".
Side A "Rhythm's Got Soul bursts through the stratosphere 'all frequencies blazing!"
Treating the listener to pitched horns, filtered drums, those sultry Asabi vocals, reinforced by the everlasting bass from Andrew 'Bigfoot' Leslie.
Momentum steps up with the rhythm guitar of Dave VHS, accompanied with vamp keys and hectic percussion.
The SOULICITORS are the band on this release 'sitting in the groove', syncopated and loose after the MPC4000 sample treatment, a sort of new paradigm of band-samples soul-fusion exploration!
Side B "Rhythm's Hot" (Afro Instrumental) is a monster cut on the flip, a relentlessly persuasive percussion groove, well timed transitions spread smooth like butter, akin to Midnight Marauders chords, styled across 'A Taste Of Honey' bassline for example, on an Afrocentric trip building up to the disco-fever instrumental strut.
Asabi Goodman is an American born (Oklahoma), entertainer now calling Australia home, consistently performing in stage and screen productions, and touring with bands and Broadway musicals (Hairspray! The Musical, CHICAGO). Asabi's vocal ability effortlessly elevates from 'sweet and soulful' to 'commanding and powerful', all the while showing unmistakably that her passion for the audience, and respect for the song is at the heart of every performance.
Geoff Blunted is an Australian producer, avid record collector, and co-founder of the ground breaking sample-funk group the 'RESIN DOGS' (1996-2005) extensively touring and producing. From the early days in the 80's of cutting his teeth in mixtapes, and volunteering at community radio at 4ZZZ in 1988 (arguably the golden era of hip hop) hosting Australia's first dedicated Hip Hop show "Just2Def" that aired for 1 year. Four Jazz-funk sample albums under his belt, 'Rhythm's Got Soul' arrives cued-up ready! The track highlights Geoff's ability to blend his time proven sample ethic into a resonating dynamic disco experience.
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Tom Noble, digger extraordinaire, owner of Superior Elevation Records, and general Brooklyn/LA legend, dons his House Of Sprits moniker for the first single from a forthcoming LP on Razor-N-Tape.
'Times Are Changing' sets the tone for this album project that collects the work of nearly 15 years, a gritty vision of modern-retro soul that throws a reverent nod to its Mizell Brothers and Patrick Adams influences as it brings the sound into the future. Recorded with all live instrumentation and mixed tough for the dance floor, this limited 12 Inch boasts an extended original and instrumental on the A side, and a huge remix from Aussie synth wizard Harvey Sutherland on the flip that highlights the rich instrumentation and extremely catchy vocal hook. A surefire summer jam, this is timeless music that is only the tip of the iceberg from a future classic album
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Two-Piers, the label that brought you ‘Pop Psychédélique (The Best of French Psychedelic Pop 1964-2019)’ brings you the second instalment in the series ‘Garage Psychédélique (The Best of Garage Psych and Pzyk Rock 1965-2019)’. A thrill-a-minute dive into the crazy awesome world of Garage Psychedelic Rock.
From the Psych sound explosion onto the underground club scene in the US and UK in the mid 1960s, to its discovery by a wider audience via the exceptional Nuggets and Pebbles compilation series in the 1970-1980s. Through its mainstream revival with the Garage sound of the late 1990 - early 2000s, to the current crop of exceptional bands flying the Garage Psych flag today, ‘Garage Psychédélique’ takes you on a journey and gives you a little taste of some of the finest music from the scene and the bands that blazed a trail for others to follow…..Sit back and enjoy the ride!
From the opening bars of The Sonics ‘Have love Will Travel’ through the Psych workout that is Count Five’s ‘Psychotic Reaction’ to the joys of ‘60s Beat Psych groups from the US such as The Paragons, The Preachers, The Strangeloves, The Squires, and the eccentric stylings of The Monks. The album careers along at a blistering pace of Garage Psych brilliance, jammed packed full of underground floor fillers a plenty.
US legendary underground acts such as The Electric Prunes, The Chocolate Watch Band and MC5 all deliver classic tracks for the cause, and singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson even makes a foray into the psych rock sound with ‘Jump into the Fire’.
In recent years such bands as Thee Oh Sees, Moon Duo and Allah-Las from the US have taken the Garage Psych influence and ‘60s sound and made it their own. A whole crop of bands such as White Hills, Gnod and Goat from the scene have evolved the music into a ‘Pzyk Rock’ feel with a darker and heavier vibe, but crucially still with the joyous undertones that the scene brings to its devotees.
The Garage Psych sound has influenced groups from around the globe with bands like Liverpool’s The Stairs ‘Weed Bus’, Scotland’s finest The Poets with ‘That’s the Way It’s Gotta Be’, The Bogeymen, a largely undiscovered ‘90s Psych Hammond band from France with ‘Electrocution’. Hailing from Sweden Goat bring us ‘Gathering of Ancient Tribes’ and The Hives their dancefloor anthem ‘Main Offender’. From Perth, Australia Pond’s Psych leanings on ‘Fantastic Explosion of Time’ are clear to see. Finally, Kevin Parker’s band Tame Impala were very influenced by the whole garage psych sound in their early band incarnation, as perfectly showcased here on the epic wig-out that is ‘Half Full Glass of Wine’ that closes the album.
This isn’t meant to be a ‘crate diggers’ album or a compilation of ‘obscure hard to find tracks’ to out-do your mates. It is quite simply a celebration of the Garage Psychédélique scene and a chance to revel in its brilliance and dance around your kitchen. If it means you go down a rabbit warren of discovery to unearth more gems and brilliant bands from the Garage Psych scene then job done!
Innercity Griots, the second album from Freestyle Fellowship, is perhaps *the* essential West Coast left-field rap album of the early ’90s. Released in 1993 on 4th & Broadway, it’s a towering, progressive hip-hop masterpiece that expanded rap’s boundaries through lyrical elevation and production innovation. Their talent was ahead of everybody else by light years. This is pure b-boy jazz.
The original single vinyl LP is now hideously scarce, and of course the sound suffers from not being officially released as a double. This Be With re-issue fixes both problems, and for completeness also includes “Pure Thought” from the CD version of the album. This incredible display of imaginative hip-hop sounds better than ever.
Freestyle Fellowship were some of the earliest technically dazzling rappers to come out of California. Mikah 9, P.E.A.C.E., Aceyalone and Self Jupiter - along with DJ Kiilu - forged their famed lyrical dexterity in the ultra-competitive crucible of the Good Life Cafe. Founded in Leimert Park, South Central LA in December 1989, this earthy health-food store and cafe was where the city’s finest microphone fiends would gather to showcase their freestyle skills at the Thursday night open-mic.
Innercity Griots has been described as the Rosetta Stone for rap styles. The group’s dense, vibrant wordplay and enviable interplay quickly earned the attention and respect of the city’s hip-hop underground. Frenetically trading acrobatic rhymes with agility and grace, the Fellowship used their voices as instruments like true virtuosos, spraying improvised raps like a Coltrane sax solo.
With the bulk of the album’s production handled by The Earthquake Brothers, and Bambawar, Daddy-O, and Edman taking over for some of the tracks, Innercity Griots dances between organic and programmed music, largely forgoing sampling and instead built around live jazz jams. The likes of Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay” and Miles Davis’s “Black Comedy” were used more as templates for house band The Underground Railroad Band to spiral out from. As Pitchfork noted in their recent 9.0 review of this classic album, “Freestyle Fellowship embodied the style and spirit of jazz on a molecular level. They shared the effortless cool and tough countenance of the great bebop players from the ’50s without verging into jazz-rap parody. Their innate jazziness felt tangible and hard-earned”.
The unusual approach to the music was matched by the Fellowship’s lyrics. Eschewing the tired rap tropes of the time, this multifaceted album instead explores their ruminations on greed and homelessness, weed, sex, survival, insecurity and tribalism.
Remastered by Simon Francis for double vinyl and cut by Pete Norman, we hope this long-overdue re-issue of Innercity Griots satisfies the legions of fans that have since been bewitched by the majesty of this record. It should also introduce some new listeners to yet another overlooked classic.
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Keep on Dancing EP by Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg on 10-inch 45 rpm vinyl with four versions fresh out of the oven. Faithful to the essences, the band of the only Ramone still standing trims all the fat off the originals and makes every second count. High voltage. DESCRIPTION Marky Ramone needs little introduction. The only Ramone still standing was born in 1952 in Brooklyn and joined the band in 1978, replacing Tommy, and remained with the Ramones until they disbanded in 1996 (with a 1983-1987 hiatus due to personal problems). He is a restless person and has never stopped recording and performing live, either solo (MR & the Intruders, MR & the Speedkings) or in projects and collaborations (Joey Ramone, Teenage Head, Tequila Baby, Wardogs...). MARKY RAMONE'S BLITZKRIEG is the name of the band with which he has been touring the world for 15 years celebrating the Ramones' legacy, as well as adding some own-penned songs and some covers of other iconic punk rock bands to his repertoire. Over the years the line-up has varied, but in recent times the band has consolidated its position on stage with the resounding presence of Vitoria-Gasteiz's own Iñaki Urbizu "Pela" (La Excavadora, Victima's Club) as frontman and vocalist, and the Argentinians Marcelo Gallo and Martín Sauan (Expulsados) on guitar and bass. So, the time seemed right to transfer all the energy generated live to a 10" plastic EP. Four versions fresh out of the oven. Three tracks under two and a half minutes and one just over three minutes. True to the Ramones essence, they remove all the fat that was left over from the originals and make every second count. The Gentrys' "Keep On Dancing" opens the selection. The original track reached number four in the US charts in 1965 and, after passing through the hands of MARKY RAMONE'S BLITZKRIEG, classic Ramones covers like "Do You Wanna Dance" inevitably come to mind. The idea is easy, speed up the original a bit, in 4/4, and then play it faster. The hard part is that the result is so exciting and energetic. "It's Not Unusual", the Tom Jones hit, becomes maximum fun. The familiar, catchy tune is elevated to a whole new level of energy and intensity so that the chorus can be belted out loud. The Beatles' "Octopus's Garden", originally composed and sung by Ringo Star, is transformed into a playful punk-pop song to escape, if only momentarily, from the worries of the earthly world in the backdrop of a bar with a good sound system. Closing "New York, New York", the classic song from the Frank Sinatra songbook, celebrates New York City. It fits perfectly with Marky's identity as a native of the city, rooted in its culture and spirit, capturing the vibrant energy and rebellious attitude of the city that never sleeps. Some can cover hundreds of different songs and make them their own, and others can't. MARKY RAMONE'S BLITZKRIEG, like their originators, are certainly one of those who can. The band is just as comfortable with a colossal song as they are with a ditty, it's all about electric atmosphere and chemistry and, on each of these new recordings, the voltage is very high. One euro from the sale of each record will go to the victims of war. Stop the war!
A1 - String Theory
Senses arrives on Curvature in epic form, String Theory opening with a memorable pad melody before the track bursts into life with a stunning amen workout - edited and chopped impeccably with finely honed skills from a storied history in drum & bass. A subtly pleasant female vocal graces the track in the breakdown as a cacophony of melodies dance around in the mix, before the amens rip back to the forefront in style.
A2 - Cosmic Telemetry
Continuing a fine exploration of sounds of yesteryear, Cosmic Telemetry showcases a delicately jazzy vibe with breaks that hark back to classics such as Planetary Funk Alert, modernised with an atmospheric twist. Rolling out with a plethora of familiar samples and keys as synths elevate and rise in the backdrop, Cosmic Telemetry is an elegant pastiche for the ears and the dancefloor alike.
AA1 - Papillon
Clean old school breaks introduce Papillon, an earthy track with deep room-filling bass underpinning tight analogue drums, playfully decorated with an assortment of wavy synths, horns and flutes, plinky melodies and delicious female vocal samples in the breakdown before Senses subtly edits the breaks as a voice declares "I'm all yours" to synths pitching up and down at will to great effect.
AA2 - Past Lives
Closing the EP on an intensely atmospheric tip, Past Lives is full of heavily reminiscent rhythms from the classic 90s atmospheric era with sharp drum samples and ethereal synthwork that transport you to a nostalgic dreamscape, seamlessly blending the past and the present with classic 808 basslines and fluid, harmonious strings that perfectly complement the dramatic, all-encompassing padwork.
Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)
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Introducing Lupe Fiasco 'Now Playing' on Translucent Red Vinyl - This track list features chart-topping hits like "THE SHOW GOES ON" and "SUPERSTAR" that blend catchy beats with meaningful lyrics.
Collaborations with talented artists like Nikki Jean and Matthew Santos elevate the album's emotional depth, making it a must-listen for fans of hip-hop and conscious lyricism.
‘’The duo’s music has traces of 1980s dream pop and 1990s slowcore, particularly Low, another married-couple band. There’s more to the comparison than ink on a certificate. Marriage’s suffering and devotion breed a particular kind of intimacy. Windy & Carl often resemble an ambient version of Yo La Tengo, another group that centers on a long-wed duo and conveys a secret, profound sense of life beyond the music.’’ PITCHFORK 7.2
For the first time in almost twenty years, Windy & Carl’s second album for kranky, Consciousness, will be available on the vinyl format once again. The fourth album from Michigan’s premier space duo, again delivers their shimmering trademark wall of sound, beautiful vocalization, and delicate songcraft. Six sweet and easy new tracks recorded in their home studio in Dearborn, that drift and dream with layered guitars, keyboards, bass and a love-arsenal of delicious effects and distortion.
“There is an airy shaft of light that extends straight through these six extended pieces, offsetting the density of sound with a breezy loveliness that’s almost impossible to articulate, towering on a floating sea of mesmerising, sub-level sounds.” —Boomkat
“Genre descriptions such as ‘ambient guitar soundscape’, ‘wall of sound’ and ‘drone’ fail miserably to capture the astonishing, magical emotional beauty of their pieces.” —Cyclic Defrost
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DJ Support: Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6 Music), Tom Ravenscroft/Deb Grant – New Music Fix (BBC Radio 6 Music), Huey Morgan (BBC Radio 6 Music)
Cut from material recorded in April 2021 at Fish Factory studios in London, the album’s title Abbreviations nods to the editing and post-production processes that trimmed the original recordings into seven succinct and intricate tracks. Making space for collaborators Ernesto Marichales (percussion), Miryam Solomon (vocals) and Valeria Pozzo (Violin, viola), it builds on the critically-acclaimed success of Sound & Reason (supported by Gilles Peterson and Mary Anne Hobbs) to bring out different shades of the group’s shape-shifting sound.
‘Elevator Company’ condenses twenty-minutes of jamming around Tal Janes’ hypnotic guitar line into a low-lit lounge groove that subverts the tropes of elevator music associated with some forms of easy listening jazz. Featuring Solomon’s wordless vocals, the piece blurs the lines between ambient and improvised music, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere reminiscent of classic RnB recordings.
On a different tip, ‘The Spin’ is a trance-like freak-out drawing on the final reserves of energy at the tail end of two days of solid recording. Reflecting guitarist Janes’ idea that "music really starts happening after a while, once you feel like you have nothing left to offer," the hypnotic rhythm section sets the tone for an fraught and frazzled guitar solo that seems to dissolve the very edges of time and space in the process.
An album that speaks to Qwalia’s endless capacity for self-renewal and uninhibited expression, Abbreviations takes its cue from the group’s name to communicate something ineffable about the nature of music, rhythm and sound that must be experienced to be truly understood.
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Gallegos, first name Oliver - deals in feelings rather than genres. The productions on his debut effort for RS INTL channel a 90’s rave euphoria. Luscious pads swirl amidst pitched down jungle drums, celestial strings and philosophical vocal snippets that evoke ecstatic joy.
It’s no mean feat to induce a feeling of elation without the means of a synthetic intervention - but Ollie seems to have cracked the code - taking us there with harmony, texture and rhythm alone - nothing synthetic here: this is alchemy at play... The EP - which in all honesty feels more like a mini album - is a real journey across 5 songs and 29 minutes. It’s about equally split between driving rhythmic compositions created with movement in mind, and pensive ambient detours that are more sonic meditations than anything else. The album reaches its most dizzying heights when these two elements come together in unison for the title track, “Memories You’ve Memorised'' - a widely road-tested future classic which blends scattered Juno chords, arpeggiated church organ and 80s vocal samples to a tear-jerking crescendo.
Memories You’ve Memorised elevates Oliver Gallegos to the top tier of modern electronic composition. There’s comparisons to be made to Primal Scream, Underworld and even Aphex Twin - but after all is said and done, we’re witnessing the coming of age of a future pioneer.
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Detroit based duo Luke Hess and Joshua Harrison return with their second EP, that continues their Dub Techno odyssey following their prior release on EchoChord. On this outing, the duo present four unique and immersive tracks, created live in a single take at BlackCat Recordings in New York. Radiating chaos and humanity, each track focuses the listener on real time dub performances with the aim of elevating both mind and body. Hess & Harrison’s intersection of intention and accident activates a reckless energy that invites listeners to journey inwards yet be ready for action!
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The Fall Of The House Of Usher by Newton Brothers, released 28 June 2024, includes the following tracks: "Burial", "Aftermath", "Opportunity", "Trowel" and more.
This version of The Fall Of The House Of Usher comes as a 2xLP in a(n) Gatefold Sleeve packaging. This release comes with (a) Insert(s).
The vinyl is pressed as a green disc. Another vinyl is pressed as a green disc.
House of Harm are proud to announce the forthcoming release of their new album Playground, out December 1st, 2023. The new record builds and expands upon the three-piece’s enthralling shadow-pop sound, a mix of midnight atmospherics, 90s era jangle pop, and contagious synth drenched hooks that further elevate the transcendent vocals of lead singer Michael Rocheford. Rounded out by Cooper Leardi (guitar / synths) and Tyler Kershaw (guitar / synth), House of Harm have amassed an impressive following as something of a best kept secret among their growing fanbase, leading to sold out shows on both coasts by the power of word of mouth alone. The band members have been drawn to music for as long as any of them can remember, and the drive to be around like-minded artists and make their own noise drew them all to Boston after high school. There they all quickly enmeshed themselves, playing in other bands before meeting each other. Ever since, House of Harm have been quietly making a name for themselves among music fans with darker pop persuasions via a steady stream of releases in single, ep and album form. That attention to detail and workmanlike approach at the expense of chasing instant gratification seems to be paying dividends after years of steady effort. The journey of their new album Playground saw House of Harm stay true to that ethos. The band painstakingly narrowed the record down to an efficient 10 tracks that they felt made the most sense, both standing on their own as well as fitting into an LP that built a cohesive world for the listener to get lost in. The album’s name also reflects the experimentation and happy accidents that came about during the writing and recording process. On “The Face of Grace” they set out to explore different dynamics by writing a song entirely without drums, but couldn't help themselves from putting emphasis on the song’s 6/8 waltz time signature. “Two Kinds” is another first for House Of Harm in that it’s predominantly driven by acoustic guitar. That aforementioned vulnerability shows up in other areas of the songwriting process as well with “Two Kinds”, one of their most revealing songs to date from a lyrical standpoint, written from a place of reflection and weakness and tackling feelings uneasy to be put on display for public consumption. Taken as a whole, the end result is an album representing a collection of the band’s most raw and expressive songs yet.
2024 first time vinyl release, 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork.
Limited and Non-Returnable.
Holy grail hip-hop alert! Superstar Quamallah's Invisible Man was never released on wax so, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this astounding record, we present the first ever vinyl edition. A stunning record which gained accolades upon its initial release, such as a prominent feature on Gilles Peterson's renowned Best Of 2009 show, it's one of the most essential jazz rap albums of all time.
Deep jazz rap on that mellow-melodic tip, Invisible Man is an unforgettable album with nothing but dope beats and dope bars. There's a strong chance this album has passed you by but we truly believe it to be a lost hip-hop masterpiece. It supremely captures the essence of a golden age classic without being slavish to the past. No, this ain't some facile throwback rap. It's a fresh and deeply soulful, original album shot through straight from the heart. Perfect to chill to, Invisible Man is profoundly jazz-oriented and captures with simplicity and sincerity the essence of hip-hop circa 1983-1994. It sounds like vibing with your nearest, dearest and oldest friends on a long hot summer night as the tantalising thought that anything is possible fills the air. You know what, we can just call this "magic hour rap" and we think you'll know what we mean. It's just beautiful. Just Listen.
Brooklyn-born, California-based emcee, DJ, and producer Superstar Quamallah was active in the West Coast underground scene throughout the 90s and recorded extensively with such revered names as Defari and Tajai. His parents were some serious artistic heavyweights, too; his father was soul organist Big John Patton, a giant in the jazz world known for his releases on Blue Note whilst his mother was an active designer. However, he remains relatively unknown. Invisible Man, named ostensibly after the classic Ralph Ellison novel, could also refer to how he is viewed by the public at large. With close affiliations to the Hieroglyphics, Dilated Peoples and Likwit crew, his debut EP "Don't Call Me John" arrived in 1999 on ABB Records, after which he took a sabbatical from recording which included graduate school, travelling, teaching at Inglewood High and eventually a professorship of African Studies at Berkeley.
With a laidback flow and deep, relaxing presence on the mic, Superstar Quamallah is equal parts Big Daddy Kane, Rakim and Guru. Invisible Man is refined, soulful, feel-good hip-hop of the old school. Its wise, spiritual and literate sound, combined with the summertime vibes projected by the smooth beats and the nostalgia-inducing samples and vocal scratches, created jazzy boom-bap rap reminiscent of prime De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr.
Irresistibly bouncing opener "You Need Knowledge" loops sparkling pianos, horns and a nagging whistle refrain with scratched vocal refrains from Slick Rick, Mobb Deep and Guru. The super-smooth head-nod classic "88 Soul" also utilises a beautifully swelling piano line and dusty breaks whilst Quamé reminisces about his childhood in NYC. Deeply moving, the silky, sultry "Black Shakespeare" is built around an elegant piano loop and goes hard on the superman lover tip whilst "For My People...It's Spiritual" is transcendental rap in conversation with Rakim and older gods. The "Moment Of Truth"-sampling "Lonely At The Top" is striking for its undiluted boom-bap stylings and the staccato flute-hop of "Just Listen" is riddled with soulful refinement. The deeply-affecting, wistful-yet-triumphant bells and horn-drenched single "California Dreamin'" is top-tier rap of unimpeachable quality. What a flow!
Another highlight is the rich melodic piano-rap of "Purity", a beautiful ode to the foundations of rap and those keeping the culture authentically alive. Beautifully played instruments and spiritual jazz samples elevate the deep thinking present on "Kunta Kente" whilst the darker jazz-tinged battle-rap of "93 Shit" goes super hard both in a lyrical sense and with its no-holds drum punches. The breezy Rhodes and string loops that serve as the sonic backdrop to the slinky jazz rap of "We Got Plots" are just gorgeous as our hero evokes Common's "I Used To Love H.E.R." with a head-spinning tale of crime, deception and double crossing. And some twist! "Do Win-Dis" has a tense crime-funk backing and rolling beats which complement Quamé's flow perfectly before the record is rounded out by the tough yet jazzy brilliance of rap confessional "Hope She Remembers Me". Just sensational.
Upon its original release, Quamallah himself declared: "My favorite time period for Hip Hop music was definitely between 1983 and 1994 with 1988 and 1993 being two years that standout as extremely impressive years musically and culturally. The fashion, slang, movies, TV shows and vibe during those years was incredible. While totally submerged in the feelings and music of that entire time period, I went to work on Invisible Man and I am excited for people to hear the result! It is an album that I would want to hear from some of my favorite artists of the past and present today. This is not a RETRO trip for me; this is me at my best lyrically and spiritually using the accessories of the 80s and 90s to fuel me. I am a 88 soul as the song states!"
This album goes deep. It goes all in. When Invisible Man first came out it had a real hold on us here at Be With HQ. We couldn't stop listening to it. We'd venture to say it's one of the top 25 rap records of the 2000s. In the years since its release, it has remained a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We sincerely hope this first time double LP release will go some way to correct this.
It's been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. Finally available on the format it should always have been on, it must never be rendered invisible again.
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Malmö’s Mod Sens arrives on Programm LDN with an electric intersection of soundsystem styles and taut techno and electro. Pushing inventive, bassweight dance music through his Melt club night in the city he calls home, the wildly talented Swedish producer brings an international outlook to his subtly crafted workouts.
“These four tracks were all made at a time in Malmö when electro was completely dominating the underground scene,” says Mod Sens. “That had a strong influence on the creation of these tracks, but I was definitely more urgent to create my take on ‘UK’ Sounds.”
The sound on Misperceptions EP is introspective by design, cast in melancholic pads which balance the rugged impact of the crafty drums and upfront low-end. Mod Sens himself describes exploring the tension between wanting to run and feeling ‘stuck’, and that yearning sensation culminates in four elevated cuts that uphold Programm’s commitment to advancements in club music.
Visual director Blackwall and graphic designer Alfie Allen responded to the tangible mood of the EP, resulting in an accompanying visualiser and sleeve design which round out the emotion Mod Sens was reaching for while working on the music. As a complete package, it’s an audio-visual statement which leaves a lingering impression, as any art worth making
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Drumcode hits 300 releases as the brilliant Mha Iri returns to the label for her second EP, 'Bombay'. Since debuting on Drumcode just a year ago with 'Never Go Back To Sleep', (her contribution to the debut Elevate compilation series and one of the best-selling techno tracks of 2023), the Scottish producer has rapidly established herself as one of Drumcode's most exciting new artists. A stellar debut EP followed in September with 'The Unexpected', before 'Bell' her cut on A-Sides Vol.12 charted #1 in Beatport's techno Top 100. Due to its success Drumcode chose it for the Change The Beat remix competition, and the remix from YOZÉ is a highlight on the latest 'Elevate Vol.II'. Amidst an impressive touring schedule which will include Awakenings main stage, Junction 2, Tomorrowland and Drumcode's Mysteryland main stage takeover this summer, Mha Iri has been active at Drumcode showcases, playing Watergate in Berlin and more recently the massive Drumsheds show in London. It was there her spit-fire new EP 'Bombay' shined in the huge halls of techno. A hypnotiser of the highest order, the title track is a fully-loaded barrage of tribal techno, crushing drums and vocals that unite for arguably Mha Iri's strongest track on DC to date. We can't wait to see this one launch. Pairing beautifully is 'Existence', a galloping slice of peak-time fare elevated by a rousing vocal.
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Info: The soulful power of Asabi Goodman's vocals is finally on vinyl! Blunted Stylus ft. Asabi Goodman s' "Rhythm's Got Soul" has "groove and style" reminiscent of the back-to-back, wall-to-wall packed dancefloors of the fever-pitched disco era, steady spinning in at 115 BPM. The highly anticipated collaboration between the renowned singer/ songwriter Asabi Goodman, and producer/arranger Geoff Boardman A.K.A. Blunted Stylus brings authority and intrigue to the dance floor, with soul.... "Free your mind and the mirror ball will follow".
Side A "Rhythm's Got Soul bursts through the stratosphere 'all frequencies blazing!"
Treating the listener to pitched horns, filtered drums, those sultry Asabi vocals, reinforced by the everlasting bass from Andrew 'Bigfoot' Leslie.
Momentum steps up with the rhythm guitar of Dave VHS, accompanied with vamp keys and hectic percussion.
The SOULICITORS are the band on this release 'sitting in the groove', syncopated and loose after the MPC4000 sample treatment, a sort of new paradigm of band-samples soul-fusion exploration!
Side B "Rhythm's Hot" (Afro Instrumental) is a monster cut on the flip, a relentlessly persuasive percussion groove, well timed transitions spread smooth like butter, akin to Midnight Marauders chords, styled across 'A Taste Of Honey' bassline for example, on an Afrocentric trip building up to the disco-fever instrumental strut.
Asabi Goodman is an American born (Oklahoma), entertainer now calling Australia home, consistently performing in stage and screen productions, and touring with bands and Broadway musicals (Hairspray! The Musical, CHICAGO). Asabi's vocal ability effortlessly elevates from 'sweet and soulful' to 'commanding and powerful', all the while showing unmistakably that her passion for the audience, and respect for the song is at the heart of every performance.
Geoff Blunted is an Australian producer, avid record collector, and co-founder of the ground breaking sample-funk group the 'RESIN DOGS' (1996-2005) extensively touring and producing. From the early days in the 80's of cutting his teeth in mixtapes, and volunteering at community radio at 4ZZZ in 1988 (arguably the golden era of hip hop) hosting Australia's first dedicated Hip Hop show "Just2Def" that aired for 1 year. Four Jazz-funk sample albums under his belt, 'Rhythm's Got Soul' arrives cued-up ready! The track highlights Geoff's ability to blend his time proven sample ethic into a resonating dynamic disco experience.
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Split EP of psychedelic techno carefully selected from the archives of UK label Hollistic Recordings. Remastered and restored for the modern acid purveyor.
Features the epic 13 minute Elevate on the A side, produced by Iestyn Polson and Steve Dungey of Projective Vision and the chugging Levitate on the B side, produced by Iestyn Polson and Jason Meherin.
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The archetype for the '60s-era girl group was etched indelibly into stone, like a commandment: three pretty girls with matching outfits and bouffant hairdos would sing, with musical backing supplied by a bunch of guys standing in the shadows. The Quatro sisters shattered that archetype forever with the Pleasure Seekers, an all-girl teenage rock & roll group who played all the instruments themselves and were fully capable of wiping the stage with any male band that crossed their path. Pressed on violet vinyl!
Enjoy The Ride Records in conjunction with Morgan Creek Entertainment proudly presents the True Romance Original Motion Picture Score, composed and conducted by Hans Zimmer.
In celebration of the iconic film's 30th anniversary, the True Romance Original Motion Picture Score is pressed at 45 RPM across 2 LPs for optimal sound quality.
Recorded on a budget of nine musicians (after being told the plans for a full orchestra had to be scrapped due to director Tony Scott going over budget), Hans Zimmer's True Romance score features percussion instruments xylophones, and marimbas to create innocent noise, a reflection of the lead characters - Alabama and Clarence Worley - in the violently dark comedy written by Quentin Tarantino. Featuring original art by Steven Wild, the art captures the spirit of the iconic characters of the cult classic film.
German film score composer and record producer Hans Zimmer has composed over 150 film scores in his vast career, some of which include Crimson Tide, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Gladiator, The Lion King, The Pirates of the Caribbean series, and True Romance. This carefully mastered score will bring you back to the innocence and intensity of the film, which fans had only been able to experience by watching the film in the theater or in their homes.
We are proud to introduce you our next and tenth release on which we have been working for more than a year.
This release is intended to be the soundtrack to an experimental short film/ballet we are currently working on.
This 9-tracks VA is a journey through different visions of music production, but all unique, bold, passionate — the order of the tracklist is designed to follow the story of the short film.
On the vinyl side it will be a 12” 140g double disc with inner sleeves and printed outer sleeve pressed at Vinyl de Paris (100 copies limited edition).
'Quintela', the debut album by Carme López, a performer, teacher and researcher of traditional oral music from Galicia, is a new experimental work for Galician bagpipe. Influenced by the approach of composers like Éliane Radigue or Pauline Oliveros, the Spanish composer creates slowly modulating sound environments, and stretches the sonic the possibilities of the bagpipe to its absolute limit. 'Quintela' is structured in four movements, plus a prologue and an epilogue, which serve as a link to the contemporary language of the instrument.
The bagpipe is strongly tied to traditional musics; its use in different genres and musical contexts is extremely limited and unimaginative. 'Quintela' brings it to a wholly unknown field, decontextualising the bagpipe in order to elevate a personal approach, and leaving behind its male-dominated past (in which it relates to ideas of prestige, dominance or carries even sexual connotations). López expertly demonstrates its grandeur and breadth; the music on 'Quintela' ranges from barely audible sounds of air passing through the hide bag through rhythmical use of its reeds to all-encompassing drones with complex harmonic structures and vibrant overtones.
The narrative arc focuses on the composer's past, its people and places, and could be conceived as a journey in and of itself. A homage to those in our memories, but also a step into the unknown, 'Quintela' is an ambitious, graceful and captivating debut.
HOLY MOTHER präsentieren den Nachfolger von "Face This Burn" und ihr insgesamt siebtes Studioalbum: "Rise"!
In einer Karriere, die sich von den 1990er Jahren bis heute erstreckt, haben HOLY MOTHER einige der mitreißendsten Songs ihres Genres abgeliefert und ihr neues, bis dato härtestes und kraftvollstes Album bildet keine Ausnahme.
Hymnen wie "Rise", "Power", "Fire", "Rain", "Jeremiah" und "Hex" gehen ordentlich ins Ohr, und der Klassiker "Live To Die" vom hochgelobten "Toxic Rain" Album, wurde von HOLY MOTHER zu neuem Leben erweckt und lässt den Geist des verstorbenen HOLY MOTHER-Mitbegründers Randy Coven auferleben.
Mit Mike Tirellis an Ronnie James Dio erinnernde Vocals, den passionierten Shreds des Gitarristen Mickey Lyxx, den treibenden Drums von James Harris und Wayne Banks' flinken Fingern am Bass, werden HOLY MOTHER alle Hard Rock- und Metalfans begeistern!
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Good Looks write kindhearted and cathartic rock songs about the persistence required to make it through hard times. In April 2022, the Austin, Texas quartet released their critically acclaimed debut `Bummer Year'. Immediately after their triumphant hometown record release show, lead guitarist Jake Ames was hit by a car crossing the street, fracturing his skull and tailbone. Thankfully, Ames made a full recovery. The traumatic accident strengthened the bond that built their electric new album `Lived Here For A While'. Out May 3 via Keeled Scales, it's fearlessly direct music that captures the fullthroated intensity of their galvanizing live show. Reinvigorated, Good Looks tracked `Lived Here for a While' at Texas' Dandy Sounds with producer/engineer Dan Duszynski (of Loma and Cross Record) the following summer. Though Ames had to relearn some of his parts, his palpably energetic performances elevated the entire record. On the LP, the band trades the Americana sound that colored in the lines of `Bummer Year' for clanging post-punk guitars and expansive indie rock. Lyrically, the songs on this album are healing meditations on family dysfunction, new relationships, and how a home can become unrecognizable. Lyricist Tyler Jordan's songs explore how relationships can crumble irrevocably but also how those partnerships can be centering, hopeful, and exciting. In another horrific accident in July 2023, their tour van was rearended by a speeding car, causing their van, instruments, merch, and records, to go up in flames. Thankfully, none of the band members suffered serious injuries. This resilience is essential to Good Looks and why the songs on `Lived Here For A While' resonate so profoundly.
A1 - Blue Sky
Opening with a clean, DJ-friendly Hot Pants break, Blue Sky offers the listener a subtle, warming production with inquisitive synth work creeping around a fine selection of serene effects, panning excitedly across a pristine, polished field. Utilising light orchestral strings, a soft undertone bassline and wistful twilight sounds, Aural Imbalance blends danceable breakbeats with the soothing sounds of yesteryear as fluidly as ever.
A2 - Starburst
Starburst jumps straight into a tight, energetic beat pattern constructed with old school breaks and an off-key bassline, soon joined by eerie, spectral pads to gradually build an ethereal, other-worldly vibe. The composition is elevated by arising symphony of swirling blippy melodies, expressing a nervy and curious tone with detail and harmony before the beat recedes, allowing the melodies to shine alone in the dreamy outro.
AA1 - Frozen Tears
Aural Imbalance conjures a quietly grandiose track with Frozen Tears, driven by muffled keys and thick hi-hats in the intro before a luscious, meditative melody enters the mix. Intricate breakbeats with a suitably understated bassline accompany the fading and echoing synthetic strings, rich pads and subtle bells, producing a beautifully varied spectrum of sound, perfect for the Spatial record box.
AA2 - Moonlit Clouds
A distinctive, impeccably produced Helicopter break takes center stage with Moonlit Clouds, a deftly relaxing ambient aura floating overhead as synths and knowing melodies slowly weave their way into your psyche like shimmering fireflies seizing the moment in the dark. A low sub bassline permeates the depths to complete a collage of euphony to round off another special EP from Aural Imbalance.
Words by Chris Hayes Spatial/Red Mist
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Named "one of Europe"s most versatile and curious players" by Downbeat Magazine, Polish trumpeter Tomasz Dabrowski returns with the sophomore album from his internationally acclaimed septet. Following their eponymous 2022 debut, the ensemble proudly presents "Better",set to release on March 29th on April Records. With an atypical lineup featuring the cream of the crop of the Polish and Scandinavian contemporary improvisation scenes,"Better" captures the edge and energy of a live performance extended and elevated by the use of electronic instruments and textures. Drawing the listener in with its refined sense of space and pace, the record sees the septet navigate their way through Dabroski"s open compositional ideas, passing melodic structures around the ensemble and evolving through ethereal ambient soundscapes, scorching solos and adventurous cacophonies of collective improvisation. Drawing on a year"s worth of experience performing extensively together as an ensemble, the level of intensive listening, interactivity and trust within the group enables each instrumentalist to fearlessly contribute their voice. "Every track has a unique twist. "Upright" plays with form. "Bonzer", the use of instrumentation. "Hale & Hearty" explores textures." A testament to the ensemble"s commitment to artistic growth and creative evolution, "Better"reminds us to consider what we all can and should strive for. It"s an inspiring message that manifests in the music and radiates through every aspect of life. "We should all strive to do better. To be better versions of ourselves and observe how it resonates within and in those around us," Dabrowski says.
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Celebrated producer and musician Danger Mouse and prodigiously talented New York rapper Jemini are gearing up to release their long delayed collaborative album, Born Again Remarkably this soul and funk infused hip-hop tour de force arrives two decades after its creation and the duo's debut LP, Ghetto Pop Life which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Enthused by the response to Ghetto Pop Life, soon after Danger Mouse and Jemini began to tour and to write and record Born Again. Finally, having been recorded two decades ago and indefinitely shelved until now, Born Again will finally be released to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of Ghetto Pop Life. The previously unheard record retains many of the elements of Danger Mouse and Jemini's debut; the fun- loving, shit- talking innocence, but also adopts a noticeably more introspective and confessional tone. This time, in addition to lighthearted topics such as being an incredible artist (Knuckle Sandwich II, Brooklyn Basquiat), living large and being a magnet for attention (Me), Jemini also delivers highly- personal and occasionally devastating lyrics about missed opportunities and redemption (All I, Born Again), his time in prison (Locked Up) and complicated relationship with his father (Dear Poppa). His effortless free flowing cadence and indelible sing-song delivery elevate each track with a melodic infectiousness whilst Danger Mouse exhibits an affinity for resonant instrumentals built from sampled organ, vibraphone, or guitar loops and infused with his trademark minor key magic. The result is a classic, timeless hiphop record.
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Bank NYC is very excited to present the definitive statement of Collector, "No Prospects". Collector is the solo guise of Jason Campbell, resident of Newcastle, Australia. Since 2014, Campbell has been channelling the industrial malaise of his hometown through his unique take on heavy electronics. After a series of releases on global-spanning labels such Steel City Dance Discs (UK), Nice Music (AUS), Clan Destine (SCO) & Night People (US), the debut long-player for Bank NYC finds Collector embracing true album form for the first time in his discography. Across eight pieces, Collector delivers a bleak sonic narrative via a hardware-only approach to production: Analog drum machine patterns are intricately intertwined with menacing synth lines, and driving bass is met with the unrelenting clatter of tightly-sequenced field recordings taken straight from the heart of local industry.
Thematically, "No Prospects" navigates the downfall of Newcastle's BHP Steelworks at the end of the 20th century. Acknowledged widely as the largest de-industrialisation event in Australian history, the closure of the Steelworks in 1999 marked a dramatic cultural shift where blue-collar vocations were vanquished due to an economic slump, and were consumed by the trending cosmopolitanism seen in adjacent cities. "No Prospects" draws on Campbell's family lineage in the Newcastle's steelworks, providing a rich, personal context to an industry that both gives and takes away. The sharp intensity of the album is sustained by dramatic shifts in pace: the devestating slow burners of 'Two From Five' and 'Ricochet' are instinctually offset by the frenetic 'CFT' and 'Workers Club Collapse', which showcase Campbell's no-nonsense approach to shaping an almost club-ready breed of modern industrial techno. Although diverse across both sides, cohesion is found in Campbell's toolkit of samples that are unmistakably Collector. The album's eponymous track, 'No Prospects', serves as an introspective centrepoint - a largely arrhythmic excursion shrouded in familiar brooding, textural drones, and underpinned by the chug of machinery on the brink of collapse.
Although forever indebted to the spirit of local electronic outcasts, Bloody Fist Records, Collector's "No Prospects" is a remarkably distinct statement straight from the heart of Australia's Steel City. The complexity of arrangements speak to Campbell's long association in experimental music communities, whilst the persistent feeling of dread conveys a uniquely regional story of decay and futility. Pure Novocastrian industrial electronics.
Remotif is a fast-rising star with a sound being called 'trance fusion.' He makes his mark again to that end with a new one on Especial that brings more of his modern-day ethnic styles to the driving breaks of techno following outings on the likes of Coymix and Space Lab and sets everywhere from Fabric to Berlin's Warning parties.
This one kicks off with 'U 15' which is a busy blend of shimmery timbres and sharp perc, spaced-out pads and psychedelic synths that are ever on the rise. More trance overtones define 'Glint's Pursuit' and 'The Elevated Place' is slick and sleek, ascending and always rising. 'The Sunken Place' shuts down with more slow and percolating dub mutations to round out a superb EP.
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Introducing "Uprising Volume 2" by Zaratustra, the Highly Anticipated Second Installment of the Acclaimed Series on Skylax Records. Following the Groundbreaking Success of "Uprising Volume 1" in the Indie Dance Scene, Zaratustra Returns With a Collection of Tracks That Push the Boundaries of Genres, Inspired by Indie Dance, Italo Disco, Ebm, New Beat, Acid, and Ethnic Music. Prepare to Be Captivated by the Infectious Energy of "Uprising Volume 2." the Ep Opens With the Mesmerizing "Dark Clouds" (Club Mix), Reminiscent of the Futuristic Vibes of I-F's "Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass" and the Early 2000s Brilliance of Tiga. the Instrumental Version of "Amours Electroniques" Takes You on a Nostalgic Journey, Evoking the Spirit of Miss Kittin & the Hacker's Iconic Sound. Emilio Van Rijsel Delivers an Astounding Acid Trance Techno Remix of "Dark Clouds," Surpassing Expectations and Becoming an Undeniable Highlight of the Ep. for an Extra Treat, Those Who Purchase the Vinyl on Our Bandcamp Will Receive the Full Instrumental Version of "Dark Clouds," the Vocal Version of "Amours Electroniques" (Feat. Angst for Greta), and the Vocal Version of Naranja's Remix. Speaking of Naranja, the Ep Features a Dynamic and Uptempo Remix of "Amours Electroniques" (Instrumental) by the Talented Producer. Naranja's Remix Infuses the Track With a Pulsating Rhythm and Compelling Grooves, Elevating the Energy to New Heights While Maintaining the Essence of the Original. It's a Captivating Reinterpretation That Will Ignite Dancefloors and Leave Listeners Craving More. "Uprising Volume 2" Is a Powerful Testament to Zaratustra's Ability to Revive the Spirit of the Early 2000s New Wave and Electroclash Era. Each Track Encapsulates the Essence of That Time, Infusing It With a Modern Touch That Will Leave Listeners Craving More. Join the Uprising and Immerse Yourself in the Electrifying Soundscapes of Zaratustra. This Vinyl Release Is a Must-Have for Any Music Enthusiast Seeking a Sonic Adventure That Defies Genres and Rekindles the Spirit of a Bygone Era. Grab Your Copy of "Uprising Volume 2" and Witness the Evolution of Zaratustra's Artistic Prowess, as He Continues to Shape the Future of Electronic Music....
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From weaving thought-provoking poetics to channeling the spirit of vintage West Coast gangsta rap, acclaimed Los Angeles emcee Blu is a dynamic musical presence, forever evolving and defying expectations. Supremely talented producer and musician Shafiq Husayn has a similarly diverse skill set, with a storied history as a member of Sa-Ra Creative Partners and solo production credits for top artists across the musical spectrum, from Erykah Badu to Ice-T to Anderson .Paak to Jurassic 5 and many more. After linking up for the mixtape The Blueprint back in 2018, Blu and Shafiq Husayn are reuniting for the new album Out Of The Blue, elevating their collaboration to a new level. “The Blueprint was just me rhyming over some of Shafiq's beats that I found online,” Blu explains. “This time we were actually in the studio together. We’ve been working together since 2008, but this is our first official album.” Awash in Shafiq’s dense sonic architecture, Out Of The Blue showcases the intricacy of Blu’s spiritual street talk while simultaneously delivering a series of bass-heavy L.A. anthems. Entirely produced by Shafiq Husayn, the collection features guest appearances by MED, Exile, Chuuwee, Thurz, Speed Walton, Jimetta Rose, and Freestyle Fellowship members Myka 9 and Self Jupiter. “Out Of The Blue is my G-Funk album,” Blu explains. “Big brother Shafiq gave us a master class in production. We just in here being funky and having fun.”