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With both sides as vibrant and colourful as a hot and sweaty street party, this latest 45 is the perfect afrobeat soundtrack to end your summer.

A side, Blue G. opens explosively and delivers all that it promises in the opening bars: beautifully orchestrated twists and turn that chug along instrumentally for half the track. South African singer Nongoma unexpectedly adds a vocal spin in English and Xhosa, and with the catchy lyrics of "all the children need love, peace and harmony", it's a delight to be swept up in this swirling, festive, solar energy.

The B side, That Good Thing, follows on at exactly the same tempo, weaving horns, guitars, keys and numerous percussions in and out of an equally infectious groove. A highly polished track, full of rises and falls in all the right places.

The Konkolo Orchestra is, for now, a Zürich studio project led by multi-instrumentalist Alexis Malefakis, but let's hope that changes soon because it feels rather criminal not to have these rich sounds live and in your face. Dexterous musicianship meets fine production and execution.

As a duo they embrace both sides of the coin, drums and guitar, chaos and order, male and female, ying and yang, the angel and the devil. They are more than the sum of both counterparts though, making for a maximalist auditory experience. PIKA brings her skills of mystifying performance to the table, all free-drum bluster and vocals veering between shrine maiden and wild spirit. Kawabata's guitar-work moves from a roar to a whisper, a yell to a sob, he's working on the same canvas of extremes. The aim of their unity is to write truly celestial hymns for the outer world and odes of love for the inner cosmic context.
 
No strangers to one another, the pair have not only gigged together with their respective bands but also recorded together, when these two outfits temporarily fused in 2005 to become Acid Mothers Afrirampo (releasing an album of the same name). Two years later they distilled their collaboration, all other players being stripped away to leave the core of Pikacyu's manic drums and pop vocal, and Makoto's schizoid guitar conjurings. In 2011 they spent five weeks touring the US and their first album, 'OM Sweet Home: We Are Shining Stars From Darkside', which was released by the esteemed UK label of all things heavy and brilliant, Riot Season. Last year they spent two weeks touring through Europe whilst writing a new album suffused with the outreaching sound and message of their impulsive live performances. This new album is entitled 'Galaxilympics' and will be released by Upset The Rhythm on August 4th on LP and CD.
'Galaxilympics' is an album of contrasts, so much colour, so much shade! 'Space Sumo' kicks off the record in explosive style. Pikacyu's drums jitter, crash and stumble, but steadfastly refuse to groove. Makoto attacks his guitar, cloaking himself in reverb to produce a wall-of-sound, alternating between melody and noise. 'Funifunikonefuni' follows with it's frenzied take on pop music, bubbling with energy and PIKA's multiple vocal layers. 'I'll Forgive' is chant-like in its devotion to following the tumbling melody line of the song even to absurd and unpredictable dimensions. 'Pika Mako Hall' is a more serene affair, with whispered echoes and guitar drones swirling amongst bursts of rapid sequencer ambience. 'Castle Of Sand' picks up on this more spacious approach with slowly developing programmed electronics, before the title track erupts with gurgling synths, soaring guitar trails and PIKA's most searching vocal yet.
 
The album concludes in reflective manner with the suitably titled 'Sayonownara', a song as much in the present as it is in the act of saying farewell. It's positively elegiac with washes of cymbal and deep acres of guitar drone for the first five minutes before PIKA's drums take things up a gear and into more psychedelic out-rock terrain. This insurgence eventually peaks and the album melts away to silence. PIKACYU-MAKOTO have made an album that takes you on a trip into your very soul before emerging once more at the edge of another galaxy. 'Galaxilympics' is a triumph of opposites united, it enjoys walking out into the unknown, but it's also a portal into the very real world of two musicians who find peace and semblance through their interaction. Hymns and odes to one side, this is a giant album of future-facing song and noise, where better to find harmony enthroned

(feat. Joe Russo)

The 10-piece ensemble founded by saxophonist Stuart Bogie and drummer Joe Russo is comprised by musicians who hail from a long list of groups, including Antibalas, The Dap Kings, Red Barat, Arcade Fire, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, David Byrne’s American Utopia, St. Vincent, The Budos Band and Superhuman Happiness. A collaboration between old friends, Bogie's horn arrangements meet Russo's propulsive drumming in an explosive combination of woodwind and brass instruments that reimagine wind music in bold and dynamic new ways.

‘The Struggle (45 Edit)’ is a battle song, musically contemplating the seemingly constant struggle between forces in society. It features solos by Michael Leonhart and Raymond Jay Mason, with the exclusive 45 remix of “Arrival” originally featured on The Prophets in the City LP. Do you remember your first time in the City?

What Are People For? make the perfect kind of dystopic dance music for our times. Born from a collaboration between artist Anna McCarthy and musician/producer Manuela Rzytki, the band could be the illicit lovechild of Tom Tom Club and Throbbing Gristle, displaying the ideal balance of hip shaking vibes and dark provocative content.

On their collaborative debut, McCarthy and Rzytki share songwriting duties. The album was produced by Rzytki herself. They are joined by Paulina Nolte on backing vocals and Tom Wu on drums, while Keith Tenniswood mastered the record.

The whole project stems from a publication and exhibition by McCarthy laying the foundations for the content and lyrics of the album, which is humorous, poetic and political. As a lyricist, McCarthy uses her storytelling ability to explore anxieties and desires, digging into free surreal word associations reminiscent of Su Tissues’ tongue in cheek experiments with Suburban Lawns, but also explosive and gripping like a Kae Tempest rap.
Rzytki’s precise sonic palette and talent at penning structured bangers perfectly complement McCarthy’s playful and subversive language manipulations. Rzytki's beats are rooted in old school Hiphop loop principles and an authentic love for the analog. Her use of an array of synthesizers and other "real" instruments adds to WAPF's depth, soul and sincerity.

The album opens with a joyful anthem, full of energy and melodic hooks. The audience is confronted with the quintessential titular question What Are People For? and told that they are just a mere disposable commodity. Throughout the album, lyrical themes revolve around underground aspects of society, violence, political ideologies, sexuality and mysticism. The content is deep but the album is as danceable as it is biting.

73, with its drum machine hysteria and hypnotic synth basses is a a text collage written on the 73 bus through London, consisting of situations and conversation snippets encountered along the way. Drones indulges in the narrator’s paranoia as they feel they are being watched by cigarette machines, whilst the haunting choir is half spoken, half sung, ending on the orgasmic chanting of the word “mummy”. Nursery Rhyme brings more soothing incantations. There is definitely an affinity for fairytales, albeit adult ones and especially the anarchistic ones such as The Moomins, who were a consistent influence on the band. The artwork for the record, created by McCarthy, is a beautiful children's book-style painting of the group in a forest, seemingly about to engage in a magical encounter to which we are invited.

WAPF? have absorbed and digested a variety of influences. Trip hop, Punk and Techno are rubbing shoulders on Party Time. 1977 was coined “Summer of Hate” in the UK and unsurprisingly in WAPF?’s Summer of War, ethereal singing alternates with a powerful marching Garage/Grime chorus reminiscent of street protests and UK culture.

Mz. Lazy starts like an invitation to meditation and references Gertrude Stein’s book Ida in which she develops the idea that publicity is a new religion and people are now famous for being famous. Repressed anger explodes into violence and freedom at the end of the song as our heroine eventually grabs an axe to destroy her oppressors.
Fantasize, on its part, is raw, sexual and liberating while the closing track Bring Back the Dirt is a welcome hymn into a world that is becoming more and more sanitised.

While exploring deep subject matters throughout their album, WAPF? manage to remain satirical, exciting and funny. Each and everyone of their songs have a cathartic quality.

The visual identity of the band is intrinsic to their appeal. Live, they are eccentric, wild and unapologetic, wearing see-through costumes, bright miniskirts and intricate headpieces while delivering their songs with sharp intensity. Their performances radiate queer sexiness and transcend B52's thrift store aesthetics, creating a space for collective dreaming.

WAPF? is a rare combination of contemporary punk energy, irresistible groove, absurdist dry humour and astounding depth of field. They have the mighty power to create a party with their music and soon you will find yourself lifting your arms as if controlled by an external force, to chant: WAPF? WAPF? WAPF?

– Marie Merlet (Malphino, Little Trouble Girls, London)

Novelists FR sind zurück! Aber „Déjà Vu“ setzt sie die Messlatte höher als je zuvor. Mit einem Vibe der an Bring Me The Horizon erinnert, kreieren viele Songs einen Pop-zentrierten Ansatz zeitgemäßer Rockmusik mit Akzenten des modernen Metalcore. Das Resultat sind große Riffs und eingängige Refrains, die in „Smoke Signals“ und „Made By Design“ perfekt vermischt sind.
Auf „Déjà Vu“ gibt es fünf atmosphärische Interludes, die als angenehme Zwischenspiele inmitten der explosiven Songs, wie „Terrorist“, „Do You Really Wanna Know“ und „Lost Cause“ zu finden sind. Diese Zwischenspiele reichen von elektronischen Soundscapes („Mae“) über liebevoll gespielte klassische Gitarre („Erre“) hin zu beflügelndem Post Rock („Colas“).
Novelists FR halten 2022 noch immer ihren groovigen und druckvollen Metalcore Sound („Heretic“). Die Band zeigt immer noch ihre Gitarrenskills, die in kurzen Solopassagen durchblitzen und sich mitsamt der Synthesizer-lastigen Klangwelten perfekt in Szene setzen. Darüber hinaus sind es die elektronischen Elemente, die die Produktion des Albums unglaublich reich klingen lassen.
Viele Dinge haben sich geändert, aber es ist auch aufgrund von Tisches eingängigen Vocals, das Novelists FR ihr Level auf „Déjà Vu“ erneut angehoben haben und am Ende mit einer gewissen Leichtigkeit ihr stärkstes, überzeugendstes, sowie authentischstes Material überhaupt abliefern.

First released in the summer of 1966, ‘Yardbirds’ (or ‘Roger The Engineer’ as it became known’) showcases the
Yardbirds at the peak of their powers. Featuring the classic line-up of Jeff Beck, Keith Relf, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja,
and Paul Samwell-Smith, the group explored explosive new sonic territories, pushing their blues-rock sound into the
realms of the avant-garde, psychedelia and Indian music.
• This new edition has been expertly cut from the original stereo tapes using precision half-speed mastering by
Cicely Balston at AIR Mastering.
• Half-speed mastering is a vinyl cutting technique that improves groove accuracy and transient information creating
an incredibly detailed stereo image with a natural high frequency response.
• Pressed on 180g heavyweight vinyl, featuring an obi strip and housed in a poly-lined inner sleeve. Also includes a
4-page booklet with extensive liner notes by David French based on interviews with Jimmy Page, Paul SamwellSmith, Jim McCarty and Simon Napier-Bell.

In response to the current political and ecological turmoil, the famous Malian quintet BKO appeals to the magical spirit of the djinn with Djine Bora (the appearance of the genie). An explosive and mystical third album, embodied by a music of resistance, the fruit of their unique experimentation with Mandingo music and their extraordinary history

The three letters B.K.O. are the code for Bamako airport. It is in the Malian capital that the group has been rehearsing since 2012. In the same year that Mali declared a state of emergency, no one could have imagined that these musicians would be responsible for three albums and over 450 concerts in 25 different countries. BKO fights, does not fail, unifies and looks like no one else.

In this album, the band delivers an abrasive music where tradition is tinged with rock, polyphonies, distortions and shrill breaks. They invoke ancestral spiritualities by marrying for the first time in Mali
two diametrically opposed traditions.

In the course of the ten tracks of Djine Bora, BKO propels the traditions within a powerful and hybrid universe, just like Bamako. In this bewitching atmosphere, crackling concrete and ritual ceremonies
meet. The group has released one of its most accomplished albums, tinged with trance, enigmatic melodies (Ntiaro's Peulh prayer) and unifying messages (Maya, Bamako, Toumaro).

Explosive, unpredictable, and persistently candid throughout, I Owe You
Nothing is a lesson in introspection and identity -The Denton, Texasbased Record Setter are unflinchingly inventive with every new release,
creating intricate compositions which balance their fierce spirit and
delicate emotions
Frenzied and impassioned vocals soar over thunderous guitars, ferocious
percussion, and bone-shaking basslines, comprising fervent songs that oscillate
between raw powerful screamo and affective post- rock melodies. Through
introspective lyricism and turbulent sonic soundscapes, Record Setter chronicle
the lifelong journey of coming to terms with yourself, your anxieties, and your
mistakes, ultimately rewarded by a sense of empowered independence.

Modern Rituals have announced their return with the release of upcoming new album, Cracking Of The Bulk. For a band who’ve tended to flesh out songs in the practice room and track live, the writing and recording of Modern Rituals’ third album was a disparate and protracted process. In cramped apartments and a secluded annex, sharing files over the internet and working on parts in solitude, the band introduced subtler tones from their last record, This Is The History. Yet still, this new direction is matched by an explosive frustration that gives it a unique balance of darker and lighter shades. Tour Dates:20th November - The Victoria Dalston, London 21st November - The Prince Albert, Brighton 22nd - The Crofters Rights, Bristol 23rd - Voodoo Daddys Showroom, Norwich 24th - Gorilla Studios, Hull 25th - Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds 26th - The Jericho Tavern, Oxford 27th - JT Soar, Nottingham


1. Mixx3ed 2. The Flow 3. Nails of Love 4. Wastrel 5. Western Cut 6. Scummeth 7. Incipit 8. Sonder 9. Dog Jerky Haiku 10. Perpetual Dawn

* Remastered At Abbey Road * Ltd Colour 180gm Vinyl * Die Cut Sleeve * Two New Sleeve Designs * Fold Out Poster. When the mysterious masked collective calling themselves Goat first emerged in 2012, armed with an incendiary debut album ‘World Music’ and a backstory for the ages – the band’s anonymous members hailing from the remote village of Korpilombo in northern Sweden, where inhabitants had for centuries been devoted to a form of voodoo introduced by a travelling witch doctor – there was, and there still isn’t, anyone else on earth quite like them. Their mythology enticing, their music full of sinuous grooves and manic explosions of fuzz, Goat were outliers from the very beginning. ‘World Music’ received an avalanche of acclaim with critics, psych heads, outernational crate diggers etc, all left enraptured by its thunderous intensity, conjured from a singular mix of sounds from across the globe.Now, exactly a decade later, Rocket Recordings and the band have decided to dust-off the original recordings of ‘World Music’ and pass them over to the capable hands of the team at the legendary Abbey Road Studios to remaster the tracks and make them shine like they have never before. The results are better than we could have hoped. New details within the tracks have been revealed and - most importantly - the fuzz is even more explosive than before. You hear every crackle of electricity as it flows through the pedals. ‘World Music’ s famous die-cut sleeve has been updated too, the colours of the eye-popping pattern have been reversed from the original, making this package even more desirable. The album is brimming with tracks now seen as ‘classic’ Goat live favourites. Tracks that have been wowing audiences all over the world; the afrobeat stomp of ‘Disco Fever’ , the fuzz abuse of ‘Goathead’, the post-punk groove of ‘Let it Bleed’, the sing-along repetitive pop of ‘Run to your Mama’ ...From the first note to the last, ‘World Music’ oozes with a sonic confidence rarely seen on a debut album. Over the last 10 years many bands have tried to recreate the addictive ingredients which make up Goat ’s cosmic soup, but none have ever come close to getting the recipe right. What Goat have is unique. They have an unsurpassed level of authenticity and honesty that makes them stand head and shoulders above all their imitators. They’ve managed to create a sound unrestrained by genre boundaries. There literally is still no other band on earth that sounds quite like them

* Remastered At Abbey Road * Ltd Colour 180gm Vinyl * Die Cut Sleeve * Two New Sleeve Designs * Fold Out Poster. When the mysterious masked collective calling themselves Goat first emerged in 2012, armed with an incendiary debut album ‘World Music’ and a backstory for the ages – the band’s anonymous members hailing from the remote village of Korpilombo in northern Sweden, where inhabitants had for centuries been devoted to a form of voodoo introduced by a travelling witch doctor – there was, and there still isn’t, anyone else on earth quite like them. Their mythology enticing, their music full of sinuous grooves and manic explosions of fuzz, Goat were outliers from the very beginning. ‘World Music’ received an avalanche of acclaim with critics, psych heads, outernational crate diggers etc, all left enraptured by its thunderous intensity, conjured from a singular mix of sounds from across the globe.Now, exactly a decade later, Rocket Recordings and the band have decided to dust-off the original recordings of ‘World Music’ and pass them over to the capable hands of the team at the legendary Abbey Road Studios to remaster the tracks and make them shine like they have never before. The results are better than we could have hoped. New details within the tracks have been revealed and - most importantly - the fuzz is even more explosive than before. You hear every crackle of electricity as it flows through the pedals. ‘World Music’ s famous die-cut sleeve has been updated too, the colours of the eye-popping pattern have been reversed from the original, making this package even more desirable. The album is brimming with tracks now seen as ‘classic’ Goat live favourites. Tracks that have been wowing audiences all over the world; the afrobeat stomp of ‘Disco Fever’ , the fuzz abuse of ‘Goathead’, the post-punk groove of ‘Let it Bleed’, the sing-along repetitive pop of ‘Run to your Mama’ ...From the first note to the last, ‘World Music’ oozes with a sonic confidence rarely seen on a debut album. Over the last 10 years many bands have tried to recreate the addictive ingredients which make up Goat ’s cosmic soup, but none have ever come close to getting the recipe right. What Goat have is unique. They have an unsurpassed level of authenticity and honesty that makes them stand head and shoulders above all their imitators. They’ve managed to create a sound unrestrained by genre boundaries. There literally is still no other band on earth that sounds quite like them

(feat. Joe Russo)


The 10-piece ensemble founded by saxophonist Stuart Bogie and drummer Joe Russo is comprised by musicians who hail from a long list of groups, including Antibalas, The Dap Kings, Red Barat, Arcade Fire, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, David Byrne’s American Utopia, St. Vincent, The Budos Band and Superhuman Happiness. A collaboration between old friends, Bogie's horn arrangements meet Russo's propulsive drumming in an explosive combination of woodwind and brass instruments that reimagine wind music in bold and dynamic new ways.

‘The Witnesses' speaks to urgency of the times in a musical language that laid the ground work for the project. The brass knocks, the saxophones scream, and the drums keeping you running for your life. Backed with ‘Take Them On’ - a battle song, soundtracking the internal and external summoning of the energy required to enter conflict. Featuring Eric Biondo on trumpet.

Kid Kapichi, die Rock-Schwergewichte aus Hastings, haben sich 2019 einen festen Platz in der britischen Rockszene erspielt. Sie bieten eine einzigartige Mischung aus explosiven Riffs, knochenbrecherischen
Liveshows und ohrwurmverdächtigen Melodien des Duell-Lead-Gesangs und der Gitarre.
Die Band wird von Jack Wilson und Ben Beetham (gemeinsame Leadgitarre/Gesang) angeführt, während
die andere Hälfte ihres ohrenbetäubenden Sounds von George Macdonald (Schlagzeug) und Eddie Lewis
(Bass) stammt. Kid Kapichi hat die Bühne bereits mit Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Slaves und
Nothing But Thieves geteilt und ist mittlerweile in aller Munde. Das neue Album ”Here’s What You Could
Have Won” erscheint am 23.09.

Kid Kapichi, die Rock-Schwergewichte aus Hastings, haben sich 2019 einen festen Platz in der britischen Rockszene erspielt. Sie bieten eine einzigartige Mischung aus explosiven Riffs, knochenbrecherischen
Liveshows und ohrwurmverdächtigen Melodien des Duell-Lead-Gesangs und der Gitarre.
Die Band wird von Jack Wilson und Ben Beetham (gemeinsame Leadgitarre/Gesang) angeführt, während
die andere Hälfte ihres ohrenbetäubenden Sounds von George Macdonald (Schlagzeug) und Eddie Lewis
(Bass) stammt. Kid Kapichi hat die Bühne bereits mit Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Slaves und
Nothing But Thieves geteilt und ist mittlerweile in aller Munde. Das neue Album ”Here’s What You Could
Have Won” erscheint am 23.09.

Jackie Cohen decided the only way forward was to succumb to crisis, to
relax into it instead of fighting, to find beauty even in the flame an
approach that fuels her sublime new album, Pratfall
Because of the record's pandemic origins, Cohen was only aided in studio by two
collaborators: her husband, Foxygen's Jonathan Rado, and engineer Rias Reed.
"We were a tight pod," she laughs. The three musicians holed up at Sonora
Recorders in Los Angeles, tapping into the studio's vaulted ceilings and haunted
feeling to amplify Cohen's widescreen songwriting. "Elliott Smith recorded some
stuff there, and it always seemed like there was a ghost banging around in there,
turning lights on and off," she says, before adding a cheery followup: "Shakira
recorded there too, can't forget another 5'2" icon." On Pratfall, Cohen renders both
extremes of that range of experience in warm, inviting indie pop. "I didn't want to
write a dirge inspired by the darkest moments of my life, I wanted a cathartic
moment, to experience the emotion and build from it," Cohen says. "This record is
a climax where everything becomes explosive and you can just close your eyes,
give in, and dance it off."
LP Tracks: Two Days / Coup De Grace / The Valley / Pratfall / Ghost Story /
Moonstruck / Dire Love / Lost Without Fear / Some Days / Extra Credit / Scraps
Of Love

Things are looking up for The Harlem Gospel Travelers, who return here with a new album, a new lineup, and a new lease on life. Produced by Eli Paperboy Reed, Look Up! marks the group's first full-length release as a trio, as well as their first collection of totally original material, and it couldn't have come at a more vital moment. The music still draws deeply on the gospel quartet tradition of the '50s and '60s, of course, but there's a distinctly modern edge to the record, an unmistakable reflection of the tumultuous past few years of pandemic anxiety, political chaos, and social unrest. The songs are bold and resilient, facing down doubt and despair with faith and perseverance, and the performances are explosive and ecstatic, fueled by dazzling vocal arrangements punctuated with gritty bursts of guitar and crunchy rhythm breaks. Born out of an non-profit music education program led by Reed, The Harlem Gospel Travelers_singers Thomas Gatling, George Marage, and Dennis Bailey_released their debut LP, He's On Time, to rave reviews in 2019, with Pop Matters hailing the album's "musical transcendence" and AllMusic praising it as "dreamlike and joyous." The record charted on Billboard, earned the Travelers high profile fans like Elton John (who invited them to appear on his Rocket Hour radio show on Apple Music), and landed them festival slots everywhere from Pilgrimage to Telluride Jazz.

Middle Eastern psych-rock collective Al-Qasar"s debut album is an explosive mix of heavy Arabian grooves, global psychedelia and North African trance music. The band calls it "Arabian fuzz." Brazenly electric yet deeply connected to their roots, guests include Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) and Alsarah (Alsarah & The Nubatones). Mixed by Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey). Al-Qasar was born in the Barbès neighbourhood of Paris," explains band leader Thomas Attar Bellier. "I"ve lived in Los Angeles, Paris, New York, Lisbon... I wanted to start a project that was in tune with the daily life of people living in these international cities, something diverse, radically colourful, with a fresh, contemporary outlook on what societies really look like today". The musicians came together from France, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and the United States. Shows followed, first in France, then in Europe and the Middle East. They put out an EP, the widely-lauded Miraj, recorded in Cairo. In the same time frame, Attar Bellier collaborated with the likes of Emel Mathlouthi and Dina El Wedidi, two of the most exciting names in contemporary Arab music. Drawing on years of experience working in Los Angeles studios, Attar Bellier produced the album. Who Are We? translates the sound that inhabited his head into something physical that stirs spirit, heart and feet. It is relentless and insistent, like a psychedelic celebration on the dancefloor, bristling with the kind of deep energy that makes Al-Qasar sound like the world"s most dangerous wedding band. During those years spent behind the control board, Attar Bellier made some good friends in the US, and they"ve been eager to help out on the project. Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey) mixed the record, and Grammy-winner Dave Collins mastered it. The Dead Kennedys" Jello Biafra was a natural addition to "Ya Malak," his inimitable voice reciting a translation of Egyptian revolutionary poet Ahmed Fouad Negm, elevating the record"s social critique while showcasing the first-ever English recording of Negm"s work. Jello Biafra is not the only punk hero to appear on Who Are We? Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth layers textured, brooding guitar over the first two cuts, "Awtar Al Sharq" and "Awal." The sweeping drones embrace the Moroccan bendir groove to magical results. "Lee sent me upwards of eighteen guitar tracks," says Attar Bellier in amazement. "It was enough for an entire EP, and all so good. The hard part was deciding what not to use. Lee"s vibe just fit perfectly with what I was trying to do with the track." Who Are We? is an exhilarating album. Its intensity never wavers, music that pulls from the hypnotic roots of North African trance and threads it into a fabric with the elaborate beauty of Arabic scales and the shock and thrill of rock"n"roll. It is modern folklore, a reflection of the cross-cultural societies we"ve become.

For Fans Of: The Flying Stars Of Brooklyn NY, Durand Jones & The Indications, Como Mamas, Eli Paperboy Reed, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens. Things are looking up for The Harlem Gospel Travelers, who return here with a new album, a new lineup, and a new lease on life. Produced by Eli Paperboy Reed, Look Up! marks the group’s first full-length release as a trio, as well as their first collection of totally original material, and it couldn’t have come at a more vital moment. The music still draws deeply on the gospel quartet tradition of the ’50s and ’60s, of course, but there’s a distinctly modern edge to the record, an unmistakable reflection of the tumultuous past few years of pandemic anxiety, political chaos, and social unrest. The songs are bold and resilient, facing down doubt and despair with faith and perseverance, and the performances are explosive and ecstatic, fueled by dazzling vocal arrangements punctuated with gritty bursts of guitar and crunchy rhythm breaks. Born out of an non-profit music education program led by Reed, The Harlem Gospel Travelers singers Thomas Gatling, George Marage, and Dennis Bailey released their debut LP, He’s On Time, to rave reviews in 2019, with Pop Matters hailing the album’s “musical transcendence” and AllMusic praising it as “dreamlike and joyous.” The record charted on Billboard, earned the Travelers high profile fans like Elton John (who invited them to appear on his Rocket Hour radio show on Apple Music), and landed them festival slots everywhere from Pilgrimage to Telluride Jazz. Tracks: 1. Look Up! 2. Hold On (Joy Is Coming) 3. God's in Control 4. Help Me To Understand 5. Nothing but His Love 6. Fight On! 7. Hold Your Head Up 8. That's the Reason 9. Let Me Tell You 10. God Will Take Care of You 11. I'm Grateful

For Fans Of: The Flying Stars Of Brooklyn NY, Durand Jones & The Indications, Como Mamas, Eli Paperboy Reed, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens. Things are looking up for The Harlem Gospel Travelers, who return here with a new album, a new lineup, and a new lease on life. Produced by Eli Paperboy Reed, Look Up! marks the group’s first full-length release as a trio, as well as their first collection of totally original material, and it couldn’t have come at a more vital moment. The music still draws deeply on the gospel quartet tradition of the ’50s and ’60s, of course, but there’s a distinctly modern edge to the record, an unmistakable reflection of the tumultuous past few years of pandemic anxiety, political chaos, and social unrest. The songs are bold and resilient, facing down doubt and despair with faith and perseverance, and the performances are explosive and ecstatic, fueled by dazzling vocal arrangements punctuated with gritty bursts of guitar and crunchy rhythm breaks. Born out of an non-profit music education program led by Reed, The Harlem Gospel Travelers singers Thomas Gatling, George Marage, and Dennis Bailey released their debut LP, He’s On Time, to rave reviews in 2019, with Pop Matters hailing the album’s “musical transcendence” and AllMusic praising it as “dreamlike and joyous.” The record charted on Billboard, earned the Travelers high profile fans like Elton John (who invited them to appear on his Rocket Hour radio show on Apple Music), and landed them festival slots everywhere from Pilgrimage to Telluride Jazz. Tracks: 1. Look Up! 2. Hold On (Joy Is Coming) 3. God's in Control 4. Help Me To Understand 5. Nothing but His Love 6. Fight On! 7. Hold Your Head Up 8. That's the Reason 9. Let Me Tell You 10. God Will Take Care of You 11. I'm Grateful

Supported by the world-renowned Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, multi-award winning quartet Kalaha present Tutku, an energetic fusion of jazz, Turkish psychedelic rock and 80's inspired synth-pop. Their most ambitious and adventurous record yet album pairs the self branded "Danish band with world roots" with a big band committed to embracing innovative contemporary jazz and guest star vocalist Hilal Kaya. Formed after an improvised set at 2013's STRØM Festival in Copenhagen, the four members that make up Kalaha share a collective passion for collaboration and an open-minded approach to music making. Each being active members of different corners of the Danish music scene, the result of their combined musical personalities is refreshingly modern cross between thoughtful songwriting and high level jazz-minded musicianship. While their 2021 release 'Mystafa' saw them collaborate with a number of vocalists, 'Tutku' sees the entrancing vocals of Danish/Turkish artist Hilal Kaya as the focal point of the record. Grounded by the driving sounds of Anatolian rock, the nine track work weaves between folk, spiritual jazz, and even disco, serving up a wealth of danceable grooves and rich harmony. Produced by Kalaha themselves, the production style shifts between the close, modern sound of a pop outfit and the expansive, reverberated sound of a 20 piece ensemble. Soaring over the top of AJO's intricate ensemble arrangements are an expansive network of electronic sounds, carefully designed and played by two of Denmark's leading synthesists, Jens "Rumpistol" B. Christiansen and Mikael "Spejderrobot" Elkjær. With careers including international recognition from UK trendsetter Gilles Peterson, their immersive sound-world of melodic synth solos and explosive dub-tinged sound effects transform Tutku into a large ensemble record unlike any other. Completed by legendary drummer Emil de Waal and in-demand guitarist Niclas Knudsen, Kalaha's striking and colourful visual identity shares the Middle Eastern influence of their music and enhances the psychedelic nature of their songs, invoking otherworldly imagery in the listeners' minds and rounding Tutku off as a cohesive, well thought out recorded statement. Line up>> Niclas Knudsen – Guitars, Emil de Waal - Drums amd percussion, Jens "Rumpistol" Christiansen - Synths & vocals, Mikael "Spejderrobot" Elkjær - Synths and Laptop, Hilal Kaya - Lead vocals, Plus: Aarhus Jazz Orchestra

Brighton sextet Opus Kink share their debut EP ‘‘Til The Stream Runs Dry’,
via Nice Swan Records (Sports Team, Pip Blom, FUR, English Teacher).
• Partnering up with the cult indie label for their first extended release, the
enigmatic collective - comprised of Angus Rogers, Sam Abbo, Fin Abbo, Jed
Morgans, Jazz Pope and Jack Banjo Courtney - lend a blend a dizzying
array of influences in their ever-evolving enigmatic style, producing an
experimental patchwork of explosive material that’s consistently earned
widespread plaudits since bursting onto the scene.
• With EP lead singles ‘I Love You, Baby’, ‘The Unrepentant Soldier’ and ‘Dog
Stay Down’ attracting praise from all corners of the press landscape (NME,
DIY, So Young, Dork, Clash, Gigwise), not to mention countless BBC 6
Music (Steve Lamacq, Lauran Laverne) spins, the six-piece are clearly
primed for a busy summer.
• Having already ticked off live dates alongside labelmates Malady and
Mandrake Handshake, in addition to a sold-out headliner at London’s
legendary 100 Club last month, the band have a slew of festival appearances
lined up in the months to come, as well as shows with FEET and Bull.
• Detailing their EP, Opus Kink stated: “You may begin by dipping one stained
and rancid toe, but you know that once those waters have been tasted
there’s only one way to go - into the stream, away down the valley like
flotsam and windfall. Here lie six songs of bad love, ill winds, possession,
stagnation and earthly delights.”
• “Horn-fuelled filth-funk, where punk & jazz combine in grimy circumstances” -
NME
• “A land where growled-jazz meets the blues in a showdown to end all
perceptions of genre… Opus Kink have succeeded in turning listeners on
their head” - So Young
• “A frenetic groove-filled glimpse of what’s to come” - DIY
• “Intense blast of guitar pop” - Clash
• “There is a sense that they are still only just beginning to hit their stride” - M
Magazine
 Tourdates - August 20 Beautiful Days, September 28 Oslo London, 29 Record
Junkee Sheffield, 30 YES (Pink Room), Manchester.

Unique and much lauded classic soulful blues-rock band XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES will release their hotly anticipated new album Order Out Of Chaos on 6th May. This is preceded by their explosive single “Leave The Light On” released 4th March with an amazing video giving a tantalising taster for the main course of songs to be unleashed on their upcoming album. Order Out Of Chaos is replete with heart-warming songs with soul-searching meanings. There’s also a tumultuous sea of sounds to be discovered on Leave The Light On that will send shockwaves through the ears of connoisseurs of classic rock music. And creating musical shockwaves is something that Xander And The Peace Pirates specialise in ever since brothers Keith and Stu Xander were discovered on YouTube by former Gibson Brands CEO Henry Juszkiewicz and quickly grabbed the attention of music industry figures such as Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Rolling Stones) and Rick Allen (Def Leppard). After their 5-year tenure as the resident band at Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club, they went on to support the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, The Temperance Movement, ex-Whitesnake’s Bernie Marsden and even Bon Jovi at Old Trafford Stadium to name but a few.

Ltd edition RED Vinyl, DL card. Re-writing the rule book when it came to punk requisites, Leatherface combined passion, angst and power with undeniable songwriting and technical prowess. Led by wordsmith Frankie Stubbs their explosive hooks and thrashing guitars quickly became their trademark and made them one of the most exhilarating UK bands of the 90s. Arriving at the peak of their career, ‘Minx’ channelled Stubbs’ love for Joy Division and features their much loved fourth bassist, former Snuff band member Andy Crichton. A lost classic, it brought with it a more emotional direction to their sound which was released on the brink of the band’s hiatus. // “A ferocious force to be reckoned with… another superb album” AllMusic // ★★★★ MOJO

Orange w/ black marble vinyl. 180g. To celebrate their seventh anniversary, Black Screen Records have once again teamed up with Oddworld Inhabitants to release the soundtrack to Oddworld: Soulstorm - the explosive second game in their brand new Oddworld Quintology - on limited edition 180g vinyl. Composed, mixed and mastered by the American EDM DJ and producer Josh Gabriel - you may know him from his work on the Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee soundtrack - the official soundtrack comes on limited edition 180g orange/black marbled vinyl in a full-coloured gatefold sleeve and includes four intense ambient bangers from the latest installment of the Oddworld series. All tracks have been remastered for the vinyl format by Christian Bethge. "Josh's unique music has been the ideal soundtrack to Abe's story since its very beginning. This selection of completely original tracks are a clear progressive evolution of that sound, which is a perfect match for the expanded ambitions of the game itself." - Lorne Lanning ABOUT THE GAME: Oddworld: Soulstorm is the explosive second game in a brand new Oddworld Quintology that tells the continuing story of Abe and his comrades as they discover further crimes against Mudokonkind and look for the spark that will ignite a revolution.

Die Pioniere des French House, Alan Braxe und DJ Falcon, alias Alain und Stèphane Quême, veröffentlichen ihre erste gemeinsame EP als Braxe + Falcon auf Smugglers Way, dem neuen, auf Dance & Electronic fokussierten Imprint von Domino.

Alain und Stéphane Quême, oder Alan Braxe und DJ Falcon, sind die unbestrittenen Architekten des French Touch - der gefühlvollen House-Musik, die aus geloopten Samples mit einem unnachahmlichen gallischen Flair gezaubert wird und Mitte der 90er Jahre in Paris entstand. Im Jahr 2022 werden diese beiden Originale ihre erste Zusammenarbeit als Braxe & Falcon in Form der Step By Step EP präsentieren, die auf Smugglers Way erscheint. Braxe ist bekannt für einige der wichtigsten und kultigsten House- und Popmusik-Platten der späten 90er und frühen 2000er Jahre, darunter "Music Sounds Better With You" (The Upper Cuts) als Stardust mit Thomas Bangalter von Daft Punk und offizielle Remixe für Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Kelis, Kylie Minogue und mehr. Bangalter arbeitete in den frühen Tagen auch mit DJ Falcon zusammen und veröffentlichte als Duo Together die French Touch-Hymne "So Much Love To Give". Neben wichtigen Remixen für Phoenix, Cassius und Justice hat Falcon zuletzt "Contact", den explosiven Abschlusstrack von Daft Punks Megalith "Random Access Memories" aus dem Jahr 2013, mitproduziert, geschrieben und mitgespielt.

Retro house sounds from Italy on this release... tunes that still go down well with some of the big name festival dj's during their summer tour! A track that remained unpublished for 33 years until Devil Dee decided to make it public and bring his own voice to the spotlight joined by jazz-blues singer Joan Faulkner, (former supporting voice of Boney M and Milli Vanilli, also known by her stage name 'Dee-Vah'). Devil Dee is Davide Mancori - a cinematograph with a flattering career as a club-dj from 80s-90s onwards - who lovingly produced this release which differs from most of the releases on Best Record by its housey vibe. 'And The Beat Goes On', was written in Germany in 1989 by Leonie Gane and Ryan Paris. Laying the crucial foundations for an evolutionary step of the italian disco music. A step forward for the 'Italo' movement which at the end of the 80s was been considered obsolete and defunct. In fact, the track is also referring to the latest Italo-Disco which entirely covered the scene of the 1980s with furious activity, If the meeting between Devil Dee and the famous interpreter of 'Dolce Vita' - Mister Ryan Paris - creates the alchemy, the explosive mix is completed with the precious work of Marco Magrini. The arrangement by Pierluigi Cerin and the executive work of Claudio Casalini close the magic circle. Five friends and a great singer from Indiana to fill the dance floors all over Europe, while the images of the provocative and surreal video-clip capture the audience by splitting in two. There are those who do not want to see certain issues publicized and those who appreciate their cheekiness, such as Best Record which by publishing the vinyl printed at 180 grams celebrates the 40 years of activity.

This explosive set of 22 floor filling synth-italo-tech-disco blasts from the past charts the rise and heyday of the synthesizer in Finnish pop music. Compiled by renowned Helsinki DJ and music historian Mikko Mattlar, these 22 choice cuts from 1978 to 1992 include many cult hits and impossibly rare tracks, such as the Fenno-Italo-disco cult classic Satan in Love by Emilia and the synthetic experiments of Argon and Syntax.

Repressed !

Fuzzed out and psychedelic covers of rare and classic tracks performed by San Francisco's Monophonics.
Monophonics are back with a six-song EP that fuses the complimentary and explosive soul, rock and funk influences, proving themselves to be the rightful inheritors of the Bay Area’s impressive psychedelic soul sound. Mirrors is comprised entirely of cover tunes, except that I doubt you’ve ever heard of half the deeply funky and soulful originals that inspired these soulful, tastefully produced, and timeless Monophonics treatments. “We wanted to do a couple songs that were more familiar to people and then shine some light on groups we’re big into,” lead singer, keyboardist and co-producer Kelly Finnigan explains. It takes a lot of guts to cover your favorite songs, your van jams, that song you play as a shot of inspiration to break-up a marathon studio session. “Not only are these great songs, but these are artists that we listen to and are influenced by.”

“It’s not about making records that sound old, it’s about making records that sound cool,” Kelly says. Not that he and the other five members of Monophonics mind if you confuse their albums for classic-era recordings. Even musician friends regular mistake a sweaty and greasy Monophonics original for an unheard Bar-Kays’ side, or a deep soul cover tune might pass for an original to a novice ear, except that Kelly makes sure to give credit where credit is due, which is what they do explicitly on this EP, Mirrors.

Even the familiar tunes, iconic, better said, receive a fresh treatment as instrumentals, despite their ubiquity as vocal songs. The EP opens with a ‘tip of the cap’ to The Main Ingredient’s version of “Summer Breeze” before the band unfolds a hazy, mellow-funk opus worthy of inclusion on a Bob James CTI album. The next four songs, all featuring vocals, range from the lowrider soul ballad, a cover of the The Invicibles’ “My Heart Cries” with a pleading and plaintive vocal by Nicole Smith, to the psychedelic blues stomp, “Lying,” originally by the archetypical psychedelic soul band nearly signed to Motown, Black Merda. Add in Kelly’s monster vocal take on Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons Northern Soul classic, “Beggin” (to be released as a 7” single with an instrumental version on the b-side), and the deep-funk pop-soul of Nu People’s “I’d be Nowhere Without You” with back-up vocals by Jeanine Jones and Veronica Johnson, and you have a highly-entertaining, toe-tapping, backbone-slipping, masterclass in deep funk and soul.

The final tune is the band’s singular take on the Mamas and the Papas hippie standard, “California Dreaming,” as an explicit and heartfelt tribute to their fans in Greece. The discerning music lovers of Greece fell in love with Monophonics after their 2012 hit “Bang Bang” resulting in multiple tours of the Mediterranean, where these native Californians imbibed on the fine ouzo, good vibes, and Grecian hospitality. Gifted a prized bouzouki (a traditional Greek guitar) by a local fan, Monophonics’ guitarist Ian McDonald and band infused this classic pop song with a soulful cinematic air and Mediterranean flavor, evoking a tune from an imagined Fellini film with a soundtrack by David Axelrod.

Catch the band on the road this Spring to hear some of these songs, favorites and new tunes from their forthcoming LP.

Long before Lina Seybold became a geologist, the singer and guitarist was already writing songs and making a name for herself far beyond the city limits of Munich with her Steve Albini-trained (and produced) quartet candelilla, before the band dispersed into new projects. During her studies, she met Moritz Gamperl and the two realised that what they learned in rock research could also play a role in rock music. Thus, the material history of the planet became both a source of existential reflections for the two and the impetus for a highly accomplished and often graceful sound, which has been expressed in the band pirx together with drummer Sascha Saygin since 2019: Technically sovereign, obstinate songs that - with Seybold now on bass and vocals - create subtle dramaturgies, cinematic aesthetics, far-reaching arcs of tension.

With Lamina, the trio now presents an excellent debut album, recorded by Martin M. Hermann, which shoots out of the earth with explosive force as hot lava, only to flow into the valley in glowing beauty the next moment, changing the earth's surface, telling of elemental forces - until it finally evaporates the water in the sea and lays a comatose fog over all existence. Or in other words: pirx make creation music, in all directions of time!

Chart-topping, multi-platinum rap superstar YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s huge album, SINCERELY, KENTRELL is available on Vinyl.

SINCERELY, KENTRELL serves as a testament to YoungBoy’s remarkable talent and versatility, showcasing the Baton Rouge, LA-native’s true heart and soul over 21 featureless tracks. The album sees YoungBoy joined in the studio by a number of longtime collaborators and rising new producers, including Dubba-AA, Mike Laury, TnTXD & Dmac, Smashdavid (Big Sean, Chris Brown, Khalid, Bad Bunny), MikeWillMadeIt (Kendrick Lamar, Rae Sremmurd, Eminem, Beyonce), and TayTayMadeIt (Roddy Ricch, Swae Lee, Jack Harlow).

With 76 total RIAA certifications and over 72.5M certified units under his belt thus far, YoungBoy Never Broke Again is without question among the landmark hip-hop artists of this or any era. 2020 and 2021 have both seen him become America’s #1 most video on demand streamed artist of any genre. His second studio Album, Top, is officially platinum certified after an explosive debut at #1 on the SoundScan/Billboard 200 upon its September 2020 release. YoungBoy was also last year’s #3 most audio on demand streamed artist industrywide and is currently #5 for 2021 thus far and it serves as a testament to his remarkable talent and versatility, showcasing the Baton Rouge, LA-native’s true heart & soul.

The third release from Night Dreamer’s essential “Direct-to-Disc” sessions sees an incredible meeting between legendary US saxophonist Gary Bartz and leading UK spiritual jazz ensemble, Maisha, featuring two Bartz classics and three brand new joint songs written by both Bartz & Maisha in close collaboration.

Having cut his teeth playing with the likes of Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Art Blakey and finally in 1970, Miles Davis at the peak of his electric period, Gary Bartz became a leading figure of the early-to-mid 70s spiritual jazz movement, releasing a string of ground-breaking albums on legendary NYC jazz label Prestige Records with his NTU Troop, featuring classics such as “Celestial Blues”, “Uhuru Dance” and “I’ve Known Rivers”, before collaborating on Blue Note Records with the Mizell Brothers on the anthemic jazz funk of “Music Is My Sanctuary”. An oeuvre much loved by soul jazzers and hip hop fans alike.

Led by drummer Jake Long, Maisha have been central to the UK’s jazz explosion, and have fast become the UK’s most exciting and in-demand young spiritual jazz ensemble, from steller shows at Jazz re:freshed, Total Refreshment Centre & Church of Sound and supporting the Sun Ra Arkestra, to releasing their critically acclaimed debut LP, ​“There Is A Place” ​on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings in 2018. Theirs is an organic & explosive sound that blends influences from afrobeat and broken beat to Persian music, with a deep love and understanding of jazz, particularly the heritage of spiritual jazz led by titans such as Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane and of course, Gary Bartz.

Which makes this collaboration even more special. Bartz was first invited to share a stage with Maisha by Gilles Peterson to headline the inaugural We Out Here festival. Their chemistry was rich and instantaneous, certainly a two-way street, with the young musicians reinvigorating the legend’s performance and wowing the intergenerational festival audience. A European tour followed, including a London Jazz Festival highlight at the Royal Festival Hall, celebrating the 50th anniversary of his album “Another Earth”, originally featuring fellow legends, Pharoah Sanders, Charles Tolliver, Stanley Cowell, and John Coltrane’s own bassist, Reggie Workman.


Now the relationship has evolved into a special straight-to-disc recording for Night Dreamer Records, that captures the vitality of their collaboration. Whilst Bartz and Maisha reinvent classic Bartz compositions “Uhuru Sasa” and “Dr Follows Dance”, extending the pieces into long piece improvised grooves, their recording session gave birth to three brand new joint compositions, written the very same day. These include the propulsive “Leta’s Dance” that magically combines the Bartz’ soulful musical lyricism with Maisha’s African-jazz influences, and the organic jazz

funk of “Harlem to Haarlem”, featuring a hot solo from guest trumpeter Axel Kaner-Lidstrom of Cykada & Levitation Orchestra fame.

Like previous Night Dreamer efforts from afrobeat star Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, and the beautiful collaboration between Brazilian stars Seu Jorge & Rogê, the album was recorded in Haarlem’s Artone Studio, a stones throw from Amsterdam, in just one-take, straight-to-disc, avoiding post-production embellishments and retaining the purity of the performance lost in modern recording techniques.

This record really is an event, in and of itself, a meeting of talents, minds, generations and zeitgeist moments, captured in a unique and pure manner. The music does not disappoint, as Maisha have been inspired to reach new heights whilst we find Bartz truly reinvigorated, and both artists in tune to the spirit of the other.

Recorded direct-to-disc @ Artone Studio, Haarlem, The Netherlands on Tuesday 29th Wednesday 30th October 2019

Black 2LP

Some bands play it safe when it comes to taking their next steps. But then, While She Sleeps have never been “some band”. The Sheffield quintet have made a career out of confounding expectations, be it through their dizzying blend of crushing metal, guttural hardcore and arena-worthy hooks, or the way they’ve carried themselves over an explosive, 15-year career'‘SLEEPS SOCIETY (Special Edition)’ sees the band expand the Sleeps Society album with 3 new tracks as well as one acoustic reworking of ‘YOU ARE ALL YOU NEED’ and ‘SYSTEMATIC’ getting guest vocals from Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari. The original album recorded with producer Carl Bown, ‘SLEEPS SOCIETY’ promises to be another defiant step forwards, The album also sees some unexpected guests including Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro and Deryck Whibley from Sum 41!

LTD Black Marble 2LP

Some bands play it safe when it comes to taking their next steps. But then, While She Sleeps have never been “some band”. The Sheffield quintet have made a career out of confounding expectations, be it through their dizzying blend of crushing metal, guttural hardcore and arena-worthy hooks, or the way they’ve carried themselves over an explosive, 15-year career'‘SLEEPS SOCIETY (Special Edition)’ sees the band expand the Sleeps Society album with 3 new tracks as well as one acoustic reworking of ‘YOU ARE ALL YOU NEED’ and ‘SYSTEMATIC’ getting guest vocals from Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari. The original album recorded with producer Carl Bown, ‘SLEEPS SOCIETY’ promises to be another defiant step forwards, The album also sees some unexpected guests including Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro and Deryck Whibley from Sum 41!

LTD Pink Edge Glow 2LP
Some bands play it safe when it comes to taking their next steps. But then, While She Sleeps have never been “some band”. The Sheffield quintet have made a career out of confounding expectations, be it through their dizzying blend of crushing metal, guttural hardcore and arena-worthy hooks, or the way they’ve carried themselves over an explosive, 15-year career'‘SLEEPS SOCIETY (Special Edition)’ sees the band expand the Sleeps Society album with 3 new tracks as well as one acoustic reworking of ‘YOU ARE ALL YOU NEED’ and ‘SYSTEMATIC’ getting guest vocals from Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari. The original album recorded with producer Carl Bown, ‘SLEEPS SOCIETY’ promises to be another defiant step forwards, The album also sees some unexpected guests including Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro and Deryck Whibley from Sum 41!

Jazz writer Walter Kolovsky has said that Friday Night In San Francisco "may be the most influential of all acoustic guitar albums." LPs of it have been a demonstration staple on turntables around the world for over 40 years. To celebrate the lasting impact of this singular album and the legendary concert that it represents, Impex Records is proud to announce the long-awaited follow up: Saturday Night In San Francisco.

Working with hours of original 16-track live session tapes, Al Di Meola and his team have brilliantly curated this musical tour-de-force, bringing to life for the first time on LP, SACD-Hybrid and CD the explosively virtuosic final performance of Di Meola, John McLaughlin, and Paco De Lucia at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco, December 6, 1980. In the exclusive essay by music historian Charles L. Granata, Di Meola says of that final night: "It's exciting because the audience was right there with us, savoring every single note of music. And, we were ripping. It was crazy good!"

Impex worked carefully with Di Meola, mixing engineer Roy Hendrickson (SPIN Studio), and mastering engineer Bernie Grundman to recreate the magic of Friday Night In San Francisco so these never-before-released solos and trios burst out of your system with striking clarity, dynamics and technical brilliance. "Crazy good," indeed.

Tim Pinch

Musicians

Al Di Meola guitar

John McLaughlin guitar

Paco De Lucia guitar

Selections

Jazz writer Walter Kolovsky has said that Friday Night In San Francisco "may be the most influential of all acoustic guitar albums." LPs of it have been a demonstration staple on turntables around the world for over 40 years. To celebrate the lasting impact of this singular album and the legendary concert that it represents, Impex Records is proud to announce the long-awaited follow up: Saturday Night In San Francisco.

Working with hours of original 16-track live session tapes, Al Di Meola and his team have brilliantly curated this musical tour-de-force, bringing to life for the first time on LP, SACD-Hybrid and CD the explosively virtuosic final performance of Di Meola, John McLaughlin, and Paco De Lucia at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco, December 6, 1980. In the exclusive essay by music historian Charles L. Granata, Di Meola says of that final night: "It's exciting because the audience was right there with us, savoring every single note of music. And, we were ripping. It was crazy good!"

Impex worked carefully with Di Meola, mixing engineer Roy Hendrickson (SPIN Studio), and mastering engineer Bernie Grundman to recreate the magic of Friday Night In San Francisco so these never-before-released solos and trios burst out of your system with striking clarity, dynamics and technical brilliance. "Crazy good," indeed.

Tim Pinch

Musicians

Al Di Meola guitar

John McLaughlin guitar

Paco De Lucia guitar

Selections

ft Alton Miller Mix

Razor-N-Tape co-founder JKriv delivers a trio of all-original cuts on his Something Else EP, bringing together a cast of featured hometown Brooklyn talent to center dynamic songwriting with club-ready vibes.

On the A1 title track, a playful funk-laden bassline lays the foundation for an explosive hook and soaring vocal performance from Brandon Markell Holmes. Dynamic live instrumentation take center stage in the soulful Try Again, which builds to an anthemic peak as guests Nic Hanson and Phenomenal Handclap Band intone the song’s hopeful message.

On the flip, the laid-back boogie groover Shoulda Been Me slow-burns with heavy bass, percussive rhythms, and serene synth-work to support the layered vocal textures by Toribio (of Conclave). Detroit legend Alton Miller takes the tune in a classic soulful deep house direction, with a bouncing rhodes pattern revolving over solid drums, and showcasing Toribio’s vocal prowess in a new light.

Motorik, Techno, Lo-fi, Primal and monotonous are words to describe Black Bones unique take on afro and post punk. This 7” is their first on Höga Nord Rekords and contains two tracks showing depth in musical creativity and record collections.

Black Bones use familiar components in surprising ways: electronics and loops swirl over sequenced pounding backbeats, but when the aggressive stereo bass kicks in on “Nairobi Night Train”, Kenya’s border stretches all the way up to the British Isles and a huge savannah opens its horizons just south of Belfast.

This is an unusual mix of European and African music tradition - a meeting of genres so seamless it’s hard labelling it crossover. It’s just an explosive potion mixed for dancing!

Hailing from Portugal, PHENOCRYST was formed in early 2020 by D.S. (Archaic Tomb, Summon) and P. Tosher (Extreme Unction, Scum Liquor, ex-A Tree of Sign), with N. (Summon, Sepulcros, Concilium) and V.M. (Systemik Violence, Necrobode) joining later on, during the recording of their debut EP. The band is based in the outskirts of Lisbon, and the origin of such conjuration is a rigorous consequence of a vibrant underground activity in the city. D.S. and P. Tosher wanted to create the foundation of a death metal act crossing other influences like doom and some psychedelic vibes, to illustrate soundscapes of disastrous, catastrophic, and annihilating volcanic and natural events. There are not many artists actually singing about this specific topic, if any, and therefore, the lyrical content is also something to explore. As such, the moniker PHENOCRYST is fitting. Aptly titled Explosions, PHENOCRYST now reveal their debut recording. Totaling five tracks (one instrumental) over 23 minutes, Explosions unsettles with preternatural ease, reeking of death stench and obscure delirium. PHENOCRYST are proudly and purely death metal, but are emboldened in their liberation to explore within this rich language: Only Death is Realer. Indeed, Explosions is an explosive event, and one which marks PHENOCRYST's forthcoming debut album, which is currently being prepared. Take the first step into their burnt lands...

It’s going off and The Chisel are back to cause a bit of bovver. Following a trio of explosive singles, the band finally bring us their debut full-length album, Retaliation, on the London-based punk institution La Vida Es Un Mus. Having formed in early 2020 and featuring a crew of members with long-term associations to the London punk scene, The Chisel quickly secured a reputation as one of the most exciting bands from a pool of contemporaries that includes Chubby & The Gang, Stingray and Big Cheese. Their sound is rooted firmly in Punk but with influences that run across the board to create a distinctive blend of Oi!, anarcho, UK-82 and hardcore. Retaliation is an unmistakably British record that draws a line from 1982 up to the present day, pushing its way into your collection and torching your stereo. Opening with the agitated force of ‘Unlawful Execution’, the tone is firmly set by a song that addresses the brutality of the Met Police (“Tell me what’s the difference between right or wrong / When a copper gets to blast a lad who did nothing wrong”). ‘Come See Me’ is a ferocious ode to camaraderie in the face of mouthy boneheads and bellends. ‘Shit Life Syndrome’ is a poisoned reference to the same cynical phrase used by physicians to describe the effects of people living under poverty and in the grips of substance abuse (“How can you expect people to act nicely, they’ve all been left on the edge of society”). It’s one of many songs influenced by singer Cal’s experiences of growing up in the working-class town of Blackpool. Cal states: “Blackpool as a town is often overlooked or even looked down upon, I wanted to write lyrics which gave the people of my town a voice”. With tunes like these The Chisel show that they’ll never pull any punches. However, beyond the fury and the swagger there’s another side that plays to an additional strength; the ability to write a memorable hook. Songs like ‘Retaliation’, ‘Tooth & Nail’ and ‘Not The Only One’ could be described as modern day anthems (the latter has become a fan favourite since the arrival of their first live shows) and cement their identity as a band not to be defined by their influences. Recorded by Jonah Falco at Total Refreshment Centre, London, March 2021.
Mixed by James Atkinson at the Stationhouse in Leeds. Mastered by Daniel Husayn at North London Bomb Factory. Cover painting by Tara Atefi.