Search:expression

Genre: Electronic, World (Arabic). 180gram vinyl includes 12'x24' art print poster + 320kbps DL card. RIYL: Matar Mohammad, Pauline Oliveros, Nadah El Shazly, Lucrecia Dalt, Chino Amobi, Sote, Arca, Fatima Al Qadiri, Tacita Dean, Stan Brakhage. Jerusalem In My Heart (JIMH) returns with Daqa'iq Tudaiq, the third full-length album from the Montréal-Beirut contemporary Arabic audio-visual duo, following the acclaimed 2015 release If He Dies, If If I f If If If (ye ar-end li sts at The Wire (#39), The Quietus (#24) and A C loser Listen (Top 10), among other accolades).
Featuring voice, electronics, buzuk and other instrumentation from composer-producer Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (Matana Roberts, Suuns, Big Brave) and abetted by the 16mm analog film work of Charles-André Coderre in live performance, JIMH continues to expand the horizons of its profound conceptual and aesthetic engagement with Arabic/Middle-Eastern traditions. Daqa'i q Tudaiq translates as 'minutes that bother/oppress/harass'—which presumably needs no further explanation—and features two distinct album sides of music. Side One realizes a long-held dream of Moumneh's to record a modern orchestral version of the popular Egyptian classic 'Ya Garat Al Wadi' by the legendary composer Mohammad Abdel Wahab. JIMH assembled a 15-piece orchestra in Beirut, enlisting the celebrated Montréal-Cairo composer Sam Shalabi (Land Of Kush) as arranger and musical director for the session. Anchored by the stately hypnotic pace of mallet and percussion instruments (riq, santur, derbakeh, kanun), the piece unfolds with lush, languid, reverb-drenched manoeuvrings through virtuosic Maqam shifts (Oriental scales). Moumneh's melismatic lead vocals and electronic production sensibility pay homage to the genre's documented historical recording traditions, while pushing things subtly and respectfully into new territories of sonic distortion and noised, artefact-laden transmission.
The song's original title (with lyrics penned in 1928 by the poet Ahmad Shawqi) translates as 'Oh Neighbour Of The Valley', but JIMH takes a different line from the original lyric as the new title for its orchestral-electronic re-interpretation. 'Wa Ta'atalat Loughat Al Kalam' (' The Language Of Speech Has Broke Down') is an expression of wordless love and transcendent communication between two lovers' eyes in Shawqi's poem; JIMH re-titles the song with this line, exploding the sentiment with more complexity, tragedy and socio-political meaning - also prefiguring the formal aesthetic ruptures JIMH bring to the piece itself. Love in a time of politics, politics in a world conspiring against love, and the specificity of Arab diasporic experience in our brutish 21st century. Side Two comprises four tracks of non-ensemble 'solo' material by Moumneh which push rupture and decomposition/recomposition of tradition further into avant-garde territory - voice, buzuk and electronics take the lead on a suite of emotive and evocative songs, including the percussive loopdriven instrumental 'Bein Ithnein' ('Between Two' ) and the stunningly unsettling processed vocal track 'Thahab, Mish Roujou', Thahab' ('(The Act Of) Departing, Not Returning, Departing'). Daqa'iq Tudaiq is a masterful, mesmerizing artistic statement and confirms Jerusalem In My Heart as one of the most engaged and forward-looking avant-Arabic projects at work in contemporary music today. Thanks for listening.

Having started out throwing DIY raves in Toronto Canada, the Forth collective became influenced by the city's hunger for self-expression. Various Artists Vol. 2 is the second instalment in a series of compilations that gives Toronto artists a chance to realise their ideas on the local and international stage.

Limited Edition heavyweight 180g Vinyl EP - PURSUIT by KWALIA, available now! Following the success of his 'Wallflower' and 'Cloak' LP's, breakthrough artist Jordan Rakei has teamed up with classical composer Richard Melkonian for something entirely new, releasing their debut EP 'PURSUIT' under the name 'KWALIA'. Joining the dots between their respective musical sensibilities, a hybrid sound incorporating free moving jazz rhythms, Rakei's soulful vocals and Melkonian's Armenian harmonies came to fruition. A deep, melodic and emotive journey, the EP features string quartet, woodwind live band and heavy synths throughout. 'PURSUIT' is an authentic blend of two entirely different musical worlds that complement one another in an entirely new way. Rakei's expressionist lyrics unashamedly explore questions about faith, God, identity and power structures. Several of these themes came about through discussions between Rakei and Melkonian and the musical structures of each track follow this free-form enquiry; ideas are allowed to flow, unexpected tangents form and no predetermined song-form is ever adhered to. Running at 22 minutes in length, the EP is comprised of three long compositions.

"On Pursuit, they continue the fruitful partnership with three-long compositions that meld meandering jazz rhythms with Rakei's achingly beautiful vocal work". - XLR8R

"'The Waves' is a superb fusion of their disparate influences, the mellifluous arrangement in a perpetual state of flux, grinding dissonance leading to soothing ambience.

Jordan Rakei's vocal continually strains against the rules, displaying the same daring that flooded through Tim Buckley's late 60s work." - CLASH

Written and produced by Jordan Rakei and Richard Melkonian

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Rick David at Pink Bird Recording Co.

Two sizzling South African boogie tracks from Kabasa's Tata Sibeko. A killer producer, arranger and bass wizard, Tata channels the gloomy current affairs landscape of 1985 into a glimmering Afro-synth nugget. As South African pop embraced 1980s synth sounds, Maxi Singles on 12-inch vinyl became a new canvas of expression with wider grooves for fat beats and extended mixes that suited dancefloors.
.
The supergroups of the 1970s fragmented into solo recording artists with the likes of Harari's Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse releasing his seminal 'Burnout' single in 1984. Former Kabasa frontman Tata Sibeko dropped 'It's A Mess' in 1985, addressing the world's Cold War climate with an appeal to 'learn to love each other' and 'save ourselves from catastrophe.' The B-side 'Afro Breakdance' marked the evolution of Tata's Afro-global sensibilities from 'Afro Funkin'' that had appeared five years earlier on Kabasa's self-titled debut in 1980. Tata Sibeko (RIP) passed away in 2017 after approving the restoration and reissue of this single. This release is dedicated to his kindness, charm and creative zeal.

It took a while before it was this. It was a place to find clothes made by people lost in a minefield of ideas who liked to party. It was a place for temporary visions that turned out to happen and were then forgotten. It was always a place to find a new circle of friends. A place for expression where the throttle had been loosened and we all careered into the next day and the day after that. We all need to meet in the flesh away from the pixels and connect our first thoughts. Somewhere to ruffle our own feathers and take off on a phantom flight. It has been all this and it still is. Only now there is a record label to try and actually document a little of all of that. Welcome to Sameheads.

This record is a morsel from the community. Novo Line, Twoonky, Kruton, Kris Baha and Antoni Maovvi and Balance Crew aka Dane Close & L. Zylberberg. Six acts whose sweat is in the carpet and who all owe more than seven euros to the place for one reason or another. Six songs that electrify a new way to no wave. Don't forget, this a mince based dish. Enjoy.

J R Seaton aka Call Super

Gaijin Blues is Naphta and band mate PlaystationYoga Music's tribute to Japanese pop culture, manga and video games. This EP is the result of tours to different regions of Japan and spending time in record shops, as well as playing classic RPGs. Gaijin Blues is a blend between Japanese and Western music with live studio instruments. It's a feeling, an expression and a time and space vehicle.

Secret of Mana explores live percussion and bass with strings, live flute and dreamy vocals, whilst Cafe LeBlanc references a peaceful location in JRPG Persona 5 and features more soothing strings and is inspired by manga soundtracks.

Metal Gear Rex is string-lead and features complex melodies and vocal chops. Another tribute to Japanese gaming culture, this one has a driving, hypnotic bassline and an eye on the dance floor.Guardia Castle opens with a 4/4 disco beat before introducing unexpected layers of blissful, melodic female vocals, acoustic guitars and flutes.

"The "Future Reference EP" see's Deepblak label head AYBEE pushing ever forward into the outliers of electronic rhythms.
Always avoiding convention "The Future Reference EP" continues to expand on the producers affinity for forward thinking dance music rooted in soul expression."

Martina Lussi's second album fuses together disparate sound sources with a disorienting
quality that reflects the modern climate of dispersion and distraction. The Lucerne, Switzerland- based sound artist released her debut album 'Selected Ambient' on Hallow Ground in 2017, and now comes to Latency with a bold new set of themes and processes.

The range of tools at her disposal spans field recordings, processed instrumentation, synthesised elements and snatches of human expression. The guitar is a recurring figure, subjected to a variety of treatments from heavy, sustained distortion to clean, pealing notes. Elsewhere the sound of sports crowds and choral singing merge, and patient beds of drones and noise melt into the sounds of industry and mechanics. The track titles manifest as a compositional game of deception complete with innuendos, empty phrases and claims - flirtations with perfume names and ironic assertions.

From the volatile geopolitical climate to the changing nature of music consumption in the face of streaming and digital access, 'Diffusion is a Force' is a reflection on fractured times where familiar modes and models change their meaning with the ever-quickening pace of communication.

Chapter five. London based Teffa returns to Cue Line Records with a large five track EP. The piece has been crafted with a clear mission that evolves throughout the tracks by a well-balanced progressive expression. The style is raw and dirty yet with a rich profoundness. The EP features a collaborative track with Berrik (US) and a remix of the title track by Gaze ill (DK), both bringing an extra touch to Teffa's brilliant Faulty Line EP. An outstanding piece, made as a heavyweight 180 grams 12" vinyl.

In folklore, the witching hour or devil's hour is a time of night associated with supernatural events. Creatures such as witches, demons and ghosts are thought to appear and to be at their most powerful and magic is thought to be most effective at this time.

It is also the time when we are at Underground parties, this is considered the main time of the party before it tapers off into the ethereal realm of translucent soundscapes and marionette dance moves. This is when we feast on sound intoxication and our parallel daywalker skins are shed into ancient dances and rites of sacred drums.

The witching Hour takes our souls back to our ancient pagan rituals of music and dance till the cleansing of dawn, this is where revelations happen and where groups of like minded people form a coven of sorts and bond in non verbal communications thru the expression of movement.

This is a new label project from Jay Tripwire and TJ Mc Au, they will be presenting underground minimal sounds specifically designed for the dancefloor and for the DJ.

This EP features Creepshow and Klangtone. Creepshow is a dark bassy roller with an eerie underground atmosphere that holds the groove but it also designed for mixing and layering. Klangtone features a percussive groove, voices from the Tikuna rainforest tribe and a haunting modular flute line with a massive sub bass that is sure to rattle bassbins. This is classic Tripwire with modern production but still keeping the his roots of his trademark sound.

To throw a CANDELA is a popular expression for hosting an impromptu encounter revolving around tobacco, fire and music. CANDELA and fire are used as metaphors of passion, warmth and love, and this is what CANDELEROS transmit in their live performances, delivering their very own unique Afro-Caribbean vibes with a strong identity: folklore and psychedelia given a modern twist in a ritual of catchy drums, surf guitar riffs and South American percussions.
Infusing punk energy into their remarkable interpretation of traditions, the six-piece band embarks on a journey through the vibrant and immensely rich musical culture of the Caribbean, fusing merengue, champeta, salsa, and son, with bullerengue and cumbia; constantly reinventing themselves.
William, Fernando, Urko, Sergio, Alex and Andrés, come from different regions of Colombia and Venezuela. Their paths crossed in Madrid, Spain, where the Latin American family comes together through art and culture, gathering in diverse groups that focus on bringing their common cultural heritage to the world.
Their passion for endless musical improvisation, always crossing the thin line between genres, can be felt in these two tracks selected by Galletas Calientes Records .
A-Side 'La Cumbia Del Chinche' is an experimental, mind-bending cumbia, driven by a heavy mix of electronic and acoustic drums, hissing guacharacas and hallucinogenic guitars.
B-side 'El Boleta' is a totally freaked-out, uptempo merengue; a clever blend of subtle electronic drums, organic and hard-hitting percussions, psychedelic guitars and keys with the iconic ghostly tremolo and trippy reverb of seventies Peruvian cumbia.

German electronic originator Gudrun Gut's latest solo collection distills a lifetime of persuasions and obsessions into a compelling 14-track statement: "Moment." Stark, somber, sultry, and clever, the sides slide between ballad and lament, synth-pop and spoken word, anthemic and abstract.

Gut's background as a key figure in Berlin's first-wave industrial uprising still casts an aura in the music's mechanized rhythms and frozen emotional palette but decades of improvisation and collaboration have deepened her sense of composition and melody beyond any easy genre categorization.

If anything "Moment" finds Gut's muse at its most enigmatic, threading shades of motorik hypnosis, technoid laboratory, coldwave pop, glitchy gauze, and even a gender-bent Bowie cover ('Boys Keep Swinging') into its eclectic web. It also showcases the depth and detail of her voice, reserved but suggestive, intoning blunt truths and opaque poetry in both German and English.

This is music of history and heartache, modernity and desire, alienation and expression, by a singular creative committed to the complexities of sound. - Britt Brown

Gudrun Gut's story spans many years, scenes, and sounds, from the 'ingenious dilettantes' subculture of early 1980's Berlin as part of Mania D, Einstürzende Neubauten, and Malaria! to her twilit industrial pop trio Matador into an expansive solo catalog of later work scoring films, videos, and radio plays. Her talents extend beyond musician, however, to include founding record labels (the influential imprints Moabit Musik and Monika Enterprise), club nights (progressive electronic pop collective Oceanclub), and experimental feminist collaborations (Monika Werkstatt).

Gut also works extensively in the technical sector of the recording industry, as a producer. Recent projects have included collaborations with Antye Greie (AGF) and Hans-Joachim Irmler of Faust, participating on the advisory committee for Musicboard Berlin, and performing at The Royal Albert Hall with Âme as part of an Innervisions label night.

Wa Wu We is the artist alias and vinyl only label from Sebastian Mullaert. This is the third chapter, crafted in the Swedish woods. The first 6 episodes of the Wa Wu We label will form a collection of records, united by their significant and unique cover art and the way they've been recorded; this being the focus on improvising expression, resting in meditation and the nature surrounding Sebastian's studio. All 6 of these episodes will be released as vinyl only and will be limited to 500 copies each.

THE STORY Wa... the Wu are We Let the question appear, and dissolve in the dance! Wa Wu We is back with the third vinyl release, and like before its vinyl only. Deep jams nurtured by the Swedish woods, the home of Sebastian Mullaert.

The beautiful four colour sleeve is designed by art director Markus Clemmedson and include Sebastian's poetry.

Recorded already in 1983/84, these soulful songs still show a relation to 1970s soul pop with lush
arrangements that work with real instruments and have a vibrant atmosphere. An all in all memorable songwriting
and the incredible vocals of Mavis Staples from The Staple Singers make the album stand the test of time, even 35
years after the initial recording sessions and 25 years past its first CD/MC release. Licensed by legendary BRIAN
HOLLAND and for the first time on vinyl now by EVERLAND!

Mavis Staples has come to fame and fortune as member of the family vocal group THE STAPLES
SINGERS from the late 50s onward to the mid 80s and she has released a fair amount of solo albums as well,
many of them in recent years. - Love gone bad' is a solo effort from 1993, originally titled - Mavis Staples' and only
released on CD and cassette back in the days. So EVERLAND have now done the right thing and put out the first
ever vinyl of this gem. And a real gem can be found here. Soul music in a down tempo with a slick production and
lush arrangements that still have this vivid expression making it real music by real musicians. The songs contained
on this album all date back to the early 80s, from a session not released until 1993. The melodies and the way the
compositions flow go back to a mid to late 70s soul pop style that incorporates elements of funk and dance music
but in a moderate pace. You can easily float upon the dancefloor and drift away in silky dreams. Some tunes have
a synthesized beat with a typical 80s sound, but these are compositions that stand the test of time and 25 years
after their initial release and 35 years after these recording sessions they shine on as diamonds of black soul pop
and R'n'B music (not to be confused with Rhythm & Blues). Mavis sings like a grand lady of soul with a timeless
quality that makes her stand out from the crowd of similar crooners. Even in the most gentle moments here the
tunes have an irresistible groove that moves the listener. But you can also sit and listen and explore piece by piece
digging deeper into the arrangements to unearth great bass and guitar lines. You will sing these vocal melodies
over and over again in the days to come until you throw this onto your turntable once again. I wonder why this did
not see a regular release back in the 80s as it would have led Mavis Staples to the top positions of the charts, Pop,
Black Music and Billboard. She was meant to make an impact and although she was already in her mid 40s when
she recorded this collection of soul nuggets, she brought a lightfooted youthful spirit in, which gives so much life to
her songs. A must have for all aficionados of female fronted soul pop.

Strut Present An Exclusive New Compilation Curated By Optimo's Jd Twitch, 'kreaturen Der Nacht', Bringing Together Classics, Rarities And Oddities From Germany's Original Post-punk And Diy Scene. 1979 To 1984 Was An Era Of Particular Artistic Upheaval In Germany As Strong Subculture Scenes Formed In Many German Cities. Emphasis Was Placed On Expression Rather Than Technical Perfection, Artistic Impact Rather Than Skill. Diy Self-organisation Prevailed With The Establishment Of Small Record Labels And Independently Produced Records And Cassettes. Bands Experimented Across Genres And Consciously Abandoned The English-speaking Mainstream With German Band Names And Lyrics. 'although We Had A Small Underground
Scene, It Was Very Vibrant,' Explains Gudrun Gut Of Malaria! 'bands Like Die Haut, My Frst Band Mania D., Malaria!... We Organised Gigs Ourselves Or Friends Would Open A Gallery And
Have Bands Playing. We Hung Around Together In A Handful Of Clubs Like Risiko Or Dschungel And Went To Gigs At So36. West Germany Had Other Regional Scenes Too: Düsseldorf And
Köln Around Der Plan And The Ata Tak Label And There Was The Hamburg Side With Abwärts. Germany Didn't Have A Real Music Industry Like The Us Or England Back Then.'
This New Collection Is A Personal Selection From Jd Twitch, Built Over Years Of Playing The Tracks In Club Sets. 'it Is Not Designed To Tell A Defnitive Story Of What Was Going On In
Germany In This Era,' He Explains. 'rather, It Is Simply An Arbitrary Collection Of Records I Adore From A Specifc Era With A Specifc Attitude That Hopefully Together Sum Up Some
Of The Musical Undercurrents In Germany At That Time.'
The Package Features A Host Of Rare And Unseen Photos From The Period Along With Extensive Interviews With Artists Including Beate Bartel (mania D.), Christoph Dreher (die Haut),
Michael Hirsch (p1/e) And Thomas Voburka (weltklang). All Tracks Are Remastered By The Carvery With Artwork By Optimo's In-house Design Man Andrew Beltran.

With her debut album Self Fulfilling Prophecy, released by InFiné last June, the French producer closed the loop on the first sequence of her life. A sequence filled with transformations, encounters and collaborations: her successive moves to Montréal and Berlin (where she was closely involved with feminist activism), and her foundational residency at Detroit's Underground Resistance, among others, informed her authentic, global-minded techno aesthetic. The aptly-named Self Fulfilling Prophecy is thus the honest expression of a artist who has found herself at the center of techno activism, an eloquent testimonial to 'how today's electronic is made.' With the necessary hindsight and application, La Fraicheur has created an opus that blends raging techno with more atmospheric moments. An opus that is now being reviewed in light of the electronic scene's main pillar: the dancefloor. 'Self Fulfilling Prophecy remixes' recasts in vinyl version the Techno esprit of La Fraicheur´s original album with four reworks, which condition the dancers to unstoppable footwork as much as they open the listeners 'minds up. On the A-side, an activist of the Polish scene, VTSS is a leading figure in the protest against conservatism, racism and ambient homophobia and one of the founders of the Brutaz parties in Warsaw. She rocks 'Eau Troubles' in an 'industrial' soundscape, as disturbing as fascinating

* Belia Winnewisser is returning to Präsens Editionen with Radikale Akzeptanz. The record is her debut album as a solo artist and it marks her second release on 'the curious label arm of Lucerne's zweikommasieben magazine.'

* Radikale Akzeptanz, a furious amalgamation of (synth-)pop references and more abstract sounds, combines long running traits from Winnewisser's practice in various band projects with rather new interests from her studies in sound art. Thus, bittersweet off-pop-hymns with bubble-y melodies can be found next to austere examinations. Add a good amount of time spent in clubs and you get a Skull Disco-esque banger at the end of this gutsy album.
The title Radikale Akzeptanz—or radical acceptance—stems from a concept in evidence-based psychotherapy. Even more than the concept as such that is about accepting uncompromisingly your situation, however, it is the expression's mere sound that is of interest to Winnewisser. Homey and adventurous, gentle and challenging, at ease with itself and full of tension(s).

Edition of 300copies, artwork (incl. booklet) by Vinzenz Meyner.

Quotes:
'Interesting stuff! It has a surprising bit of post-rock language in it to my ears, just executed with electronics.' - Byron Westbrook (Hands In The Dark, Umor Rex)
'A pleasant listen! Especially 'III,' 'Trapped In My Mind,' 'The View' and 'Albasty.' Also, found that the idea behind the title is weighty to the extent it can be related to relevant issues of today's ways of interaction!' - Arcagelo de Castris (Macao, Dance Affliction)
'Sounds like John T Gast, Caterina Barbieri and Klara Lewis making tunes on a space ship!' - James Marrs of Laura Lies In
'This is really good.' - Hypermedium's Timos Alexandropoulos 

Press / Promotion*Airplays on NTS Radio by Flora Yin-Wong, Hypermedium and more, airplay on Radio Raheem by Arcagelo, feature on Noods RadioVarious (release) events upcoming, incl. a show at London's Café Oto, an exhibition in Lucerne and gigs next to Lorenzo Senni, Puce Mary and more.
Premiere of 'WAHDWTH' on Bizaarbazaar.PE / zweikommasieben mailing list = 2000 subscribers

Social NetworkingPräsens Editionen - Facebook = 550 likes / Insta = 500 / Spotify = 350 subscriberszweikommasieben - Facebook = 5200 likes / Insta = 2000 / Twitter: = 680 followers

Continually pushing the boundaries of jazz, funk, electronic music and disco, as expressed through their signature samba swing, the Brazilian mavericks have recreated the energy of those spellbinding seventies' sessions which would launch them into international recognition and confirm their status as one of Brazil's most successful bands. Since the passing of keyboard maestro Jose Roberto Bertrami in 2012, remaining members Ivan Conti and Alex Malheiros have worked tirelessly to keep the spirit of Azymuth alive, and to continue the legacy of Bertrami's genius. But Fênix also marks a new era as the Azymuth trio is complete once again, by special guest keyboardist Kiko Continentino. A hugely talented pianist, composer and arranger, Kiko has worked with the likes of Milton Nascimento, Gilberto Gil and Djavan, and the fresh energy and inspiration he has brought to the group is undeniable. The album also features Brazilian percussion legend Robertinho Silva, one of Brazil's most important and influential players.

From the disco-carnival title track to sunny jazz-funk head-nodder Orange Clouds, through to the deep-space samba Corumbá, Azymuth have drawn upon five decades of consummate craftsmanship - which coupled with their endless desire for experimentation and improvisation - has resulted in a 10-track journey encapsulating the full spectrum of Azymuth's brilliantly coloured expressionist fusion. With all the cosmic energy and masterful musicianship you'd expect from the three-man orchestra, Azymuth rise from the ashes!

Recorded in Rio De Janeiro in May 2016 with producers Daniel Maunick and Joe Davis the official release date is set for December 2016, on super-heavyweight vinyl.

- Upward Bound' is a long lost, incredibly rare and very expensive classic disco era album! It combines soul, funk with and slick pop appeal into a great cocktail of grooves and melodies! This will drive you to the dancefloor and make you sing along at the same time! The lush arrangements, tight grooves and powerful soul vocals with catchy harmonies make this album an instant evergreen. I'm least surprised that the arrangements should pose a challenge to every rhythm section and that the catchy melodies instantly stick to the listener. The flashing horn arrangements are amazing! The funky bass grooves and guitar riffs weave a cocoon of sound around your soul. The sound is certainly clean but also vivid and the music feels grounded despite it's larger than life expression. The swirling backing vocals in combination with the lead singer are the icing on the cake that already consists of catchy and outstanding songs. This is more funk and soul than simple disco music. There is depth in the arrangements with awesome details as you delve deeper into each single track. You can of course groove along and just enjoy the songs as they are, but be sure to at least be on the lookout for the beautiful ornaments in each song. This music will surely move you, it makes it impossible sit still . In this album you'll find a wide range of funky music, from Slow groovers to fast paced tunes, you will get them all. Some with a deep atmosphere, some energetic, all of them memorable with arrangements that keep your attention going even with the 50th spin on your turntable. To my opinion this album is an unmissable gem of the disco era at it's peak! The original album retails at $ 400 going up, rarely a decent copy could surfaces on the market once a year. So here's a chance for you to grab an affordable copy of this well-deserved and long overdue reissue on vinyl and be enchanted!

Compilation of the works by MJ Lallo, weird harmonizing mantras layered with drummachine rhythms.. Very psychedelic compositions where she uses her voice to create all kinds of sound(scapes)
.
Take Me With You is a revelatory voyage through the captivating universe of voice artist and poet MJ Lallo. The works on this 2LP compilation were all recorded in her home studio between 1982 and 1997, primarily using drum computer, synth and her own voice processed through a Yamaha SPX 90 digital effects unit. They range from wordless harmonizer mantras and primitive drum computer meditations, to psychedelic latin dance-floor anthems and synth-drenched end-of-the-nighters. Lallo has created her own inimitable galaxy of sound where the human voice, liberated from the constraints of language and abstracted using digital technology, is able to explore the outer realms of human expression, like Joan La Barbara with an Eventide and a new-age sensibility. Although Lallo's flight path is distinctly her own, her journey converges with other travellers as diverse as Jon Hassell, Laraaji, Stereolab, William Aura, Laurie Anderson, Meredith Monk, Gertrude Stein and even Terry Gilliam (whose film Brazil was a big influence on Lallo). Like something beamed in from another planet, Lallo's work is both fascinatingly strange and strangely familiar, and will leave a lasting impression for lightyears to come. Double gatefold LP, remastered DDM pressing.






[E B1 | Midnight in the Sky

'Shlom Hatzibur' - 'Yanshuf al Anaf Gavoha' a repress of a long lost new wave single along with edits by 'The Models' and 'Mule Driver'.

'Shlom Hatzibur', a band formed by Yuval Banay and Oren Elazary, was active between 1984-1985. This was the year in which the band 'Mashina' paused their activity. ('Mashina' was established in 1983 - and is considered by many ones of the most influential rock bands in Israel). In 1984, they independently published two singles, one of which was 'Yanshuf al Anaf Gavoha'.'Yanshuf al Anaf Gavoha' (Owl on a High Branch) represents a rare moment in Israeli musical history and culture: a moment of disillusionment and expression of personal voice, contemporary sound, and rhythm which stood out during a turbulent political period.

During the First Lebanon War, in the 80s, a generation of young people traveled on the weekends from the battlefields of southern Lebanon and flocked to the rising nightclubs in Tel Aviv. From army discipline to individual freedom, from the threat of death to the city's vibrancy. It is a song of adolescence in a divided and alienated society, and its reissue is more relevant than ever.

The song mixes industrial rhythm with Post-Punk, Rock and Ska. The unusual musical production and the use of a drum machine were influenced prominently by the musical soundtrack played in Tel Aviv's record shops and alternative nightclubs (eg, 'Fuzz', 'Penguin').

Confunktion Records own Mr. Confuse returns with his fifth studio album 'Only A Man'.

This album is about the depths of Mr. Confuse and therefore a very personal album in a way. From well-known soul topics of love and hate to social issues of modern life - this album is all about an odyssey through time, rhythm and music.

Times of big studio personals are long gone so a big part of creating this album was the imagination what kind of instruments, musicians and sound design is wanted. With up to 16 international musicians, Mr. Confuse created incredible sounding big arrangements.

The way Mr. Confuse produces his music is inspired by growing up with the 90s hip hop producer technique of creating something new by referring unheard funk and soul. This from of appreciating 60s and 70s music in order to bring it on a new level of musical expression is a clear trademark of Mr. Confuse.

The process of sampling and resampling recorded musicians creates an organic, powerful, authentic and danceable funk sound, which can be heard in each and every second on this record.

Twisting electro funk from the 80s into heavy 60s and 70s funk that could have been the blue print for the original version became a true Mr. Confuse feature already years ago. This time he re-funked the well-known freestyle electro classic 'Let The Music Play' by Shannon.

Also one of the reasons it's entitled 'Only A Man' is because it means composing, producing, arranging, mixing, recording, organising, promoting and going abroad preforming by just one 'man'.

RLydmor is Copenhagen based Jenny Rossander, an electronic producer, composer, singer, songwriter and general troublemaker. Now she's about to release her third solo album "I Told You I'd Tell Them Our Story", a multi-layered piece of modern electronic pop music.
In her sounds and with her words, Rossander captures a reflective description of her surroundings and invites the listener to follow her on a very personal journey.
After her first steps with her two solo albums, that have been released in Denmark only, to much applause, the first international coming out was the 'Seven Dreams Of Fire" album as Lydmor & Bon Homme (with Tomas Høffding from WhoMadeWho). In 2016 Lydmor suddenly disappeared to Shanghai for several months. Her life in the Chinese metropolis inspired her to write a piece of modern electronic pop music which will be released as her new solo album "I Told You I'd Tell Them Our Story" in September. "There is a fearless madness in her that might have waited for too long to finally break out." (Nothing But Hope And Passion). With lots of initiative, Lydmor has made her dream come true to tour most of the world with her music. No matter if she plays an acclaimed festival, a famous club or the tiny living room of her greatest fans, every single one of Lydmor's shows means a highly intense experience. With her irresistible voice and unabashed honesty Lydmor places the little hooks of her melodies and lyrics into the electronic soundscape and she will flirt, dance, cry, scream and hug her way into your heart.

After her first two albums - A Pile of Empty Tapes (2012) and Y (2015) - which were only released in Denmark, Lydmor's new record will be released internationally for the first time by hfn music. "I Told You I'd Tell Them Our Story" is a rite of passage captured in intense moments experienced on the edge of the world and on the edge of one self. Lydmor lived in Shanghai for several months in 2016 and the Chinese metropolis inspired her to completely redefine her artistic expression and to write this new album.

D38 Authority is a new project born in late winter as a new form of expression of two different realities, so far but so close. 100% club proof!

Singer, pianist, writer, poet and creative being, Allysha Joy, is a key member of Melbourne collective, 30/70. Their growing success over the last two years has led her to further challenge her expression in a project of her own, pushing boundaries as a female keys player, poet, singer and producer. Whether performing solo on Fender Rhodes or accompanied by her band, Allysha's steady groove, husky vocal tone and unique style of writing emanates her own personal truth and illuminates a powerful feminine energy learning to be peaceful, giving and considerate of others.

"The Room", Fenster's fourth album and their first release on Altin Village & Mine marks the beginning of a new chapter for the band. After releasing three albums, a feature length film, and touring extensively throughout Europe and North America since 2012, "The Room" serves as an entry point into their sonic evolution. The essential characteristic of the band is transformation - within and between genres, albums, and songs. Their sound is a window framing psychedelic, groovy, hypnogogic, playful pop.

Fenster is Elias Hock (Germany), Jonathan Jarzyna (Germany), Lucas Ufo (France) and JJ Weihl (USA). Their mission in creating this album was to compose and arrange every song together in a room. It is an experiment in collective creativity that pushed all of them to transcend their individuality and create something together which is greater than the sum of its parts.

The songs were tracked live in a house where the band ate, slept, and played together. Often the songs were recorded without implementing a click track. They were intent on finding and locking into a human groove—one open to imperfection—while still maintaining a tightness between them. They wanted to make the songs feel alive—as if the listener were present in the room with them in the moment of creation.

The album's title track "The Room" opens the record like a rollercoaster ride. There is a tension in the first bars that ties us to earth, a minimal riff that guides us to the first chorus where we feel we are slowly lifting into the air—and by the time we reach the second chorus it has exploded into a space far away from the planet's gravitational pull.

The band's use of juxtaposition is not just a way of channeling a vast library of musical genres and concepts, it is a means of expression. Combining tender pop melodies with kraut-beats, disco grooves and psychedelia frees the band from any one sound and creates a genre all its own.

This playfulness is especially vibrant in songs like "Rhythm A" and "HAHA lol" which deconstruct and fuse together disparate moments of explosive rock, tender harmonies, percussion made of splashing water, voices from a radio, and electric piano. Even "Feel Better", a sparkly pop ballad is cracked wide open by a long trippy interlude that appears unexpectedly within an otherwise classic structure.

The cover art, created by the band's own Lucas Ufo, invites us into a room in the shape of a human skull. If one looks "out" the window in the picture, one finds oneself looking in to an infinite portal of rooms within rooms. The record plays a lot with this idea of perception. In "HBW", the relationship between the bass and the drums creates the feeling of an infinity loop. The lyrics lend an enigmatic tint to the landscape of so called objective reality v. perceived reality: "I was a phase — you were going through — said I was the one but there is no one — there's only the sun — that gives shape to the moon"

The record starts with "The Room" and ends with "Two Doors". Maybe one door is an exit, and one leads to another room... who knows The song has something mysterious and expansive, like a digital ocean flooding the room, carrying everything away. The whole process of making a record is about capturing a moment in time. This is the record they made - in this point in time, all together, in a room. The last words of the record roll out with the waves: "What you leave behind for someone else to find — Two doors inside — neither one is right"

Tracklisting

We really think there are no accidents in life, or rather it's chance that makes things happen. When we started our project 'In The Meantime' we could immediately feel a connection, that invisible line joining people who have the same passion and feeling
towards music. We shared emotions and ideas, making music in harmony and mixing our visions like if we knew each other since longtime. This collaboration was a great opportunity for us both artistically and personally.

'In The Meantime' is a project that aims to find new ways of expression mixing ambient, electronic, techno and drone music into original dimensions and evocative atmospheres.

A love beyond...

One afternoon in 1975, friend and fellow music traveler, Harold Schroeder, showed up at Poo-Bah Record Shop where Tom Recchion worked selling records and experimental music to people, forcing them to buy albums that he swore would change their lives. Harold asked if Tom wanted to share in a studio space close to the shop. After seeing it Tom immediately said "YES!". They moved in and divided the space in half. On Tom's half he made drawings, paintings, performances, video, sculptures, installations, and music. Harold had his all set up for music with his newly acquired Steiner-Parker synth and guitars and things. At the beginning they played under the name The Two Who Do Duets. Soon the late-night jam sessions that took place in the back of Poo-Bah moved over to the fourth floor of 35 South Raymond. It was pretty beat up and derelict, the way one imagines an artist's studio to look. They could make all the noise they wanted. No one else was on their floor. The music heard on this LP has remained unheard since it was recorded and was created just before and right after the inaugural concert by the Los Angeles Free Music Society (LAFMS) groups Le Forte Four, Doo-Doettes, and Ace & Duce. That concert took place in late January 1976. The sessions on this release feature members of the newly formed and expanded Doo-Doettes, which now included Dennis Duck, Juan Gomez, Harold Schroeder, and Tom Recchion, as well as Ju Suk Reet Meate from Smegma and Ace, of Ace & Duce. 35 S. Raymond eventually became a sort of LAFMS headquarters, with Chip Chapman of Le Forte Four, artist and future Extended Organ vocalist/guitarist Paul McCarthy, and soon to become singer for Nervous Gender, punk/folk artist Phranc, who along with many other artists and musicians, moved into the building. 35 S. Raymond allowed for free expression and explorations of all sorts. Some wild parties ensued, not to mention the luxury of endless hours of experimentation. Parking was free and so was the art and music. Ace found the tapes for side one ("Tom's Studio") in his archive and Ju Suk Reet Meate found the tapes for side two ("50 Of Every American Are Machines") and edited them both for this release. No overdubs or remixing was emplo

Meet Me On The Corner is taken from the band's sophomore album, Orange Whip, which itself was BBC 6Music's Album of The Day on its release. It follows previous singles Whatever You Do and Sinner, which garnered support from Craig Charles, Tom Ravenscroft and Huey Morgan. The song showcases Honeyfeet at their funkiest and chunkiest. A pounding beat beefed up by bass, guitar and brass propels forward while Rioghnach Connolly sings lyrics that could be straight out of the playground, but suggest something deeper, possibly mystical even, in its demands for a dalliance on the street.

Remixes on this more foot friendly single come courtesy of homegrown legends of funky house music, Crazy P who come through with both a vocal and dub version. Honeyfeet's latest opus is turned into a straight up soulful disco monster by the boys from Nottingham, with Rioghnach's rasping vocals playfully meandering over Hot Toddy and Ron Basejam's crisp beats and trademark live bass. Elsewhere, much hyped Russian production don, I Gemin, delivers his take - still aimed at the dance floor of course, but a slightly deeper house affair based around jazzy keys and chopped up vocals that take the song into more sonorous territories.

As a bonus, the 12" package also features the acclaimed remix of previous single, Sinner, courtesy of erstwhile Polish Innocent Sorceror, Envee - his shuffling, moody take only previously being available on vinyl via a super limited (and now impossible to find) 7-inch release late last year. For the last couple of years Honeyfeet (whose name comes from a line in the Blues Brothers film) have been a conduit for the ideas and expressions of an exotic mixture of Manchester based musicians. This genre-defying band incorporate styles including jazz, folk and hip hop into their music.

The band are fronted by Rioghnach Connolly - also known for her work with Real World artists Afro Celt Sound System and The Breath - "A remarkable singer and flutist who...can ease from Irish traditional influences to soul" (The Guardian). The line-up is completed by Rik Warren (vocals/harmonica), Gus Fairbairn (tenor sax), Biff Roxby (trombone/vocals), Ellis Davies (guitar), Lorien Edwards (bass guitar), John Ellis (keyboards) and David Schlechtriemen (drums).

Since their self-released debut album, 2013's It's a Good Job I Love You, keyboardist John Ellis jumped on board as full-time member, bringing his unique musical presence. This enabled the development of a more texturally adventurous style, as witnessed with the dual atonal solo between himself and guitarist Ellis Davies on Sinner. Similarly, for their current LP, Orange Whip, engineer, bassist and spiritual guide Lorien Edwards makes his Honeyfeet recording debut, so completing the 'kitchen' of this very special band.

- The album, Orange Whip, is out now.

From 'Breaking Bad' to Danish films and albums
Asger Baden is a productive composer and has created music for countless films, television productions and series. He has worked with directors such as Christoffer Boe, Nicolaj Arcel and Martin De Thurah, and his music is featured well known productions like 'Breaking Bad', 'The Wolfpack' and 'VICE' on HBO.
'Zarniqa' is recorded with a 40 piece major symphony orchestra in Prague. On the album, Asger Baden chases music's untouched essence.
Asger Baden is a composer and producer based in Copenhagen Denmark. 'Zarniqa' the 1st album in his own name - 16 cinematic, timeless compositions with a dramatic and dense expression ranging from melancholy to an etheric ease.
The main part of the album is recorded with a 40-piece symphony orchestra in the majestic Rudolfinum Dvoák Concert Hall in Prague. In stark contrast to the orchestra are the piano pieces - recorded solo by Asger Baden in Copenhagen. The contrast between the grand symphonic sound and the intimate piano pieces defines the album

Producer Okzharp and vocalist-artist-dancer Manthe Ribane both hail from South Africa, where Manthe still resides, while Okzharp lives in the London where he is a DJ and producer, initially cutting his teeth in LV, who in 2007 were one of the very first acts signed to Hyperdub. Manthe has been at the forefront of South Africa's cutting edge fashion, art and dance worlds for over a decade. After leaving LV, Okzharp and Manthe started collaborating, going on to release two well-received EPs on Hyperdub, 'Dumella 113' and 'Tell Your Vision', recorded in Joburg and London respectively. The recording of 'Closer Apart' reflects the title. Okzharp says 'Most of the music came out of headphone moments in hotel rooms, planes and airports in the brief periods of time that we spent together.' Describing Manthe as a co -producer, he continues 'She selected instrumental sketches and we developed them together, sometimes just keeping the bare bones or a melody or rhythm, or trying different elements or sounds.' Even though the album was built long distance, the short periods they spent together were the ground zero for creativity. Okzharp recalls 'One particular moment in Milan last year, we had a whole free day before our flight so we visited the Salone di Mobile design show. We were so inspired by an installation there just walking around, listening to the amazing soundtrack. That evening our flight was delayed, so we sat on the floor of the airport terminal putting musical ideas down for 'Time Machine' on the laptop speakers and writing the lyrics. "Tic Toc time, we'll be fine / Airport queues, cerulean blues / Viper trails cross the skies / Lights reflect in your eyes...' ' 'Closer Apart' has a softness and openness that contrasts the tougher sound of the EPs. Manthe explains, 'The new music is a 360 turn, an expression of my 'Lady' side. I grew up listening to Jazz, Classic and Gospel, I am a very soft spoken person, and it resonates with being confident with that. It's been crazy finding balance and finding a smart way to strengthen my weaknesses, I had to trust the process.'

Echocord's Colour sub-label returns early June with a four- track EP from Eindhoven's Albert Van Abbe in the shape of 'Klangbilder'. Dutch Techno artist Albert Van Abbe has nearly two decades of experience under his belt in various forms of musical and visual expression, releasing on his own Vanabbe imprint, Figure Jams, Semantica and No Comment, as well as playing live and DJing at hot spots across the globe such as Berghain, Tresor, DGTL and Awakenings festival. 'Klangbilder 1' leads with a robust rhythmic drive, employing bumpy toms, shuffled hats and lumpy kicks at its core as vacillating synths, tension building drones and menacing pizzicato strings develop throughout. 'Klangbilder 2' takes things deeper next, retaining the dusty drums sound of the previous cut whilst stirring in airy ethereal pads and choppy, resonant stab sequences. 'Klangbilder 3' kicks off the B-Side with modulating synth whirrs, emotive organ tones and a muted drum tones throughout before 'Klangbilder 4' closes the package, taking things beatless and cinematic via emotive synth leads, droning subs and expansive echoes.

Banoffee Pies Records drop their third Beats release 'Samba Del Sol' with Clifford Brown & Jeen Bassa Ft. Ella Mae Sueref - The album is influenced by Carnival and Latin sounds with Hip Hop drums and Soul roots - meeting in middle ground as an expression of the production duos upbringing, John's heritage in Mauritius and Cliffords childhood in South America. Partnered with Ellas Spanish language fluency and soft Badhu acclaimed voice as previously heard on the single 'Stop Rewind' credited by the like of Gilles Peterson and Mr. Scruff.

The tracks were recorded on Garageband by Clifford Brown and Jeen Bassa with 2 Karaoke Microphones, mixed in Bath and later buried on a hard drive for over 6 years never to be heard again. Sliding into the forgotten darkness of lost tracks and rediscovered in 2017. The production, originally just an instrumental, was then found and reignited, revamped with a vocal insert from the wonderful Ella Mae Sueref.

The 10 track album demonstrates a flurry of drums, latin inspired sampling, and mesmerizing vocals from start to finish. For the music and the lovers. Living room jams made in smoke. Banoffee xx
In Loving memory of Anna Sueref.

Winter thaw marks the return to Furanum of Uncto, the Silesian dyad Domink Muller and Rafal Furst, with their first full release of collaborative material since 2013's seminal FU009. Like its predecessor, Unctuous offers four cuts of viscerally engineered and rhythmically exacting dystopias, each ably situated within a striking 'synth-etic' narrative. It is this latter aspect of each arrangement that perhaps most noticeably demonstrates the pair's singular and evolving approach to composition, born out in the calculated emphasis on hardware-based expressionism.

The opening title track stands as a testament to the above: while deceptively sparse at the outset, its ponderous advance, both heavyset and indomitable as it gathers pace, is framed in the midst of an unfolding panorama of stark analog wails. Further interspersed with resonant timbres more akin to the vocalizations of some hell-beast luring its prey, the eponymous behemoth ingratiates its listener, beckoning submission to its will with the promise of exhilaratory assimilation. Such a hive-mind state attained, exhilaration does follow, yet so does a concomitant loss of agency, leaving one thoroughly subjugated and enslaved to its cadence. Perhaps as a manifestation of dramatic resistance to such a fate, 'Trust No One' daringly defies the impositions of its predecessor. Instead, it animates and emboldens the beholder through its rhythm, ineluctably driven by a sense of accelerating linear intensity. Thus arriving at a climactic percussive build whose isochronal blows shatter any remnants of doubt, angst transforms into raw conviction as one is propelled into a delirious realm of solipsistic certitude.

Situated amidst the foreboding sound of blade clashing with blade, 'Cold Knife', on the other hand, is driven by an entirely disparate off-beat progression. As its anticipatory rhythmic thrusts cut through an advancing fog of shivering drones with frigid precision, one seemingly undergoes a cyclical plunge into a state not unlike one marked by the visceral dopaminergic rush of contact with extreme cold. Finally, 'Metzgers Tochter' ('Butcher's Daughter') closes the EP with a ruthless exploration of the contrast between the gruesome and the feminine. In a similar way to the opener, the track's meter is staggered and undulating, yet also steadily punctuated with breathing room between its crushing blasts. Such scenery thus serves as a canvas for the expression of the titular character's 'beauty and the beast': a paradoxical synthesis of attraction and aural brutality, held in tension by the unceasing throbbing of the composition's beats.

Mastered & cut by CGB at Berlin's Dubplates & Mastering,

Wolves Bay is a state of mind. An inspiration. A fantasy. Frequencies & sound waves bringing us back to the core of our art form. Music for the sake of it, without compromise, feeding the trance. The man & the machines speaking free & creating their own dimension. Who, where & how all this was made is irrelevant. It is all about love & self-expression. Going back to the basement. To the sweat. To the sound.

Dilated Pupils is a collective group of likeminded friends home-based in the Netherlands. When forces are joined in one of their many studios each individual brings his own influences and styles to the table. Together they share a distinct flavor in productions and raw one-take jam sessions created with the use of analogue machines and often recorded on tape. Each of them have their own solo productions as well as other collaborations, but when united as Dilated Pupils they prefer to be known jointly as one entity with their own unique and distinguished sound. Since 2014 the group has developed an interesting and widespread discography with releases on labels such as Fear of Flying, Sol Asylum, Mode of Expression, Tabla, Music is Art, Dorcas, Make Sense and Mayak.

Hieroglyphic Being / Jamal Moss visted the Moog Sound Lab in the end days of 2016. Testing the lab through his prismatic rhythmic cubism meets synth expressionism methodolgy. 21st Century Afro-Futurism to the max. Both parties expressed their satisfaction with the encounter. I believe Bob Moog was (in the late 20th century) creating his modular system 55 synthesiser for artists yet to come....artists like Jamal Moss' (Eldon Tyrell)

African Scream Contest 2

A great compilation can open the gate to another world. Who knew that some of the most exciting Afro-funk records of all time were actually made in the small West African country of Benin Once Analog Africa released the first African Scream Contest in 2008, the proof was there for all to hear, gut-busting yelps, lethally well- drilled horn sections and irresistibly insistent rhythms added up to a record that took you into its own space with the same electrifying sureness as any favourite blues or soul or funk or punk sampler you might care to mention.

Ten years on, intrepid crate-digger Samy Ben Redjeb unveils a new treasure- trove of Vodoun-inspired Afrobeat heavy funk crossover greatness. Right from the laceratingly raw guitar fanfare which kicks o Les Sympathics' pile-driving opener, it's clear that African Scream Contest II is going to be every bit as joyous a voyage of discovery as its predecessor. And just as you're trying to get o the canvas after this one-punch knock out, an irresistible Afro-ska romp with a more than subliminal echo of the Batman theme puts you right back there. Ignace De Souza and the Melody Aces' Asaw Fofor" would've been a killer instrumental but once you've factored in the improbably-rich-to-the-point-of-being-Nat-King-Cole-influenced lead vocal, it's a total revelation.

The screaming does not stop there, in fact it's only just beginning. But the

strange thing about African Scream Contest II's celebration of unfettered Beninese creativity is that it would not have been possible without the assistance of a musician who had been trained by the Russian secret services to "search and destroy" enemies of the country's (then) Marxist-Leninist president Mathieu Kerekou.

Already familiar to fans of the first African Scream Contest as a mainstay of ruthlessly disciplined military band Les Volcans de la Capitale, Lokonon André vanished in a cloud of dust at Ben Redjeb's behest with a list of names and some petrol money, only to return a few days later having miraculously tracked down every single name he'd been given. The source of this Afrobeat bounty-hunter's impressive people-finding skills - his training with the KGB - highlights the tension between encroaching authoritarian politics and fearless expressions of personal creative freedom which is the back-story of so much great African music of the 60s and 70s. Happily, in this instance, Lokonon was tracking the artists down to oer them licensing deals, rather than to arrest them.

Where some purveyors of vintage African sounds seem to be strip-mining the

continent's musical heritage with no less rapacious intent than the mining companies and colonial authorities who previously extracted its mineral wealth, Samy Ben Redjeb's determination to track this amazing music to its human sources pays huge karmic dividends.

Like every other Analog Africa release, African Scream Contest II is illuminated by meticulously researched text and eortlessly fashion-forward photography supplied by the artists themselves. Looming large - alongside Lokonon André - in the cast of biopic-worthy characters to emerge from this seductive tropical miasma is visionary space-nerd Bernard Dohounso, who laid the foundations for Benin's vinyl predominance by importing and assembling the turntables that would play the products of his Bond villain-acronymed pressing plant SATEL, a factory that would revolutionise the music industry in the whole region.

The scene documented here couldn't have been born anywhere else but in the Benin Republic , and the prime reason for that is Vodoun. It's one of the world's most complex religions, involving the worship of some 250 divinities, where each divinity has its own specific set of rhythms, and the bands introduced on the African Scream Contest series and other compilations from that country were no less diverse than that army of dierent Gods. At once restless pioneers and masters of the art of modernising their own folklore, the mystic sound of Vodoun was their prime source of inspiration.

One especially irascible Vodoun-adept was Antoine Dougbe, who styled himself The devil's prime minister' while turning ancestral rhythms into satanically alluring modern beats. As Orchestre Poly-Rythmo songwriter Pynasco has observed sagely, Evil is not elsewhere, evil extends into the house'. And African Scream Contest II is a gloriously cinematic road-trip through an undiscovered realm of music lore whose familiarity is every bit as thrilling as its otherness.

Written by Ben Thomson, March 2018

For his third album for Far Out Recordings, London based multi-instrumentalist and one of Europe's finest saxophonists Sean Khan ventures to Rio de Janeiro to collaborate with iconic Brazilian polymath Hermeto Pascoal. Taking its title from the escaped slave settlement 'Palmares' in the Northeast of Brazil during the 1600s, Palmares Fantasy is Khan's utopian jazz message for the world, and features Azymuth drummer Ivan 'Mamao' Conti, bassist Paulo Russo, guitarist Jim Mullen, and guest vocals from Brazilian chanteuse Sabrina Malheiros, and Cinematic Orchestra frontwoman Heidi Vogel.

Like Hermeto Pascoal, Sean Khan is a self-taught musician. Never able to afford his original dream of studying at Berklee, and having been turned away from Guildhall School of Music for being 'too raw', he became disillusioned with what he saw as the exclusivity, elitism and dangerous institutionalisation of the jazz world. Yet Sean's love for music and the drive to create never faltered.

Hermeto Pascoal, the man Miles Davis once dubbed the most impressive musician in the world', is a similarly independent artist. A true maverick whose ingenuity and freedom from conventional restraints is so great that he has essentially conceived his own musical language, made him the dream collaboration for Sean.

Aspiring to inclusivity and equality also informs the message in Khan's music. Inspired by the 17th Century settlement of Palmares in Brazil's Alagoas region, which was free from the Portuguese crown's murderous exploitation of South America for a century, Khan notes his fascination with the fact that while majoritively made up of escaped African slaves, many deserter conquistadors also joined the settlement.

Hearing the deep-grooving title track with this history in mind, the listener is transported to a futuristic musical eden, with Mamao's insatiable 10/8 rhythm back-boning Hermeto's wild improvised vocals, rhodes and whistles, while Sean's harmonically brilliant sax and flute add more layers of moody, characterful expression. 'Moment of Collapse' is Sean's poetic study on the uncertainties of modern day western civilisation, delicately presented by the gorgeous vocals of Heidi Vogel and drenched in lugubrious strings and Alice Coltrane-esque harp. The two covers on the album are of Hermeto's own 'Montreux' (on which Hermeto plays solos on a teapot and a pint of water), and an uplifting soulful jazz-funk take on Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges MPB classic 'Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser' featuring the vocals of pioneering nu-bossa voice Sabrina Malheiros.

The recording sessions for the album were part of an intensive and hugely productive eight-week excursion to South America for Far Out boss Joe Davis in the summer of 2016, which also saw the sessions for Azymuth's Fênix and a forthcoming album from Uruguayan fusion legend Hugo Fattoruso.

Fantastic' Gilles Peterson

Loving this!' Opolopo

Thank you!' Sassy J

Proper! Great track.' Colin Dale

this is great!' Yannick Elverfeld (RBMA / Needs Records)

I've enjoyed Sean Khan's earlier releases, but this really seems like he's grown into his fairly considerable talent.' Mark Sampson (Songlines)

His last album was his best so far, but I think this one may be even better.' Laurence Pragnell (Soul Brother Records)

dope!!!' Kyri (R2 Records)

this is great - really cool vibe!' Sam Redmore

wonderful track - can't wait to hear the lp.' Simon Harrison (Basic Soul Radio)

This is very tasty indeed.' Gavin Boyd (Soul Has No Tempo)

Stunning!!!' Mark Milz (Further In Fusion)

Oi Oi' Samuel Lloyd (Balamii Radio)

PRESS / ONLINE

VINYL FACTORY (UK) News (Anton Spice) 09/03/18 online

SOUNDS & COLOURS (UK) News (Gabriel Gahan) 09/03/18 online

THE WIRE (UK) Review confirmed (Joseph Stanard) print

EVENING STANDARD (UK) Review confirmed (Jane Cornwell) print + online

ECHOES MAGAZINE (UK) Review confirmed (Laurence Pragnell) print

LIBERATION (FR) Feature confirmed (Jacques Denis) print + online

MUSIC IS MY SANCTUARY (CA) Premiere confirmed (Mike Jones) online

JAZZ MAGAZINE (FR) Review confirmed (Frederic Goaty) print

SHINDIG! (UK) Review confirmed (Grahame Bent) print

MUSICA MACONDO (UK) Premiere confirmed (Tim Garcia) online

RAWCKUS MAGAZINE (USA) News (Randy Radic) online

KIND OF JAZZ (UK) Review confirmed (Fernando Rose) online

TONART MAGAZINE (DE) Review confirmed (Michael Moehring) print

WORLD MUSIC NETWORK (USA) Review confirmed (Raul Da Gama) online

BADD PRESS BLOG (USA) Review confirmed (Kevin Press) online

ORKESTER JOURNALEN (DK) Review confirmed (Patrik Sandberg) print

LIVE

WORLDWIDE FM (UK) Sean Khan live session confirmed (Gilles Peterson)

RADIO

BBC RADIO 6 (UK) Gilles Peterson - Palmares Fantasy (24/02/18) link

OTHER

BRITISH AIRWAYS On board BA flights (June 2018)