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'Irish indie rock band The Academic are very excited to announce details of their forthcoming new album. “Sitting Pretty” . The album was produced by Nick Hodgson at Snap Studios in London. Sitting Pretty is an album about navigating life in your 20s; the uncertainties and the ever-shifting sense of self. “It’s about the entrance into true adulthood and how that can alienate you from yourself, making you feel like you’re playing a supporting role in your own life,” the band explain. “In one moment feeling 100% certain about everything, only to become overwhelmed with feelings of aimlessness and lack of direction in the next.” To complete the announcement, the band are excited to share four UK headline dates for February 2023, including the Roundhouse in London for their biggest headline show outside Ireland

The latest album by Pomme, Consolation imposes itself, confident and determined to prove her as the important artist she is. Consolation is a joy that necessarily comes from a pain and its beautiful ashes. "Consolation" has been an enormous success, acclaimed by the media, it was released last August. On February 10, Pomme will release "Lot 2 consolation", the long-awaited reissue of his scrapbook. With its 5 new titles, Reviews and Ads – R2 and London Macadam.

Concerto Pour Détraqués" was ranked 52nd best French rock album by Rolling Stones magazine in 2010.

Eleven tracks like so many vitriolic pictures of a sick society: rape, extreme right-wing, psychiatric confinement, security paranoia, alcoholism and all the other crap that the future seems to hold. Loran and François express more than ever their rage and their refusal of the adult world in a recital with three chords: more aggressive guitars, more incisive lyrics and voices while an armada of chorus members and a saxophone come to heckle or underline this darkness.

"Concerto Pour Détraqués" is the band's reference album, with a string of hymns to insubordination and freedom: Petit Agité, Vivre Libre ou Mourir, Les Rebelles, Porcherie, Hélène et le Sang...

The band's name alone evokes the epic of alternative rock: rebellious and committed.

Born by mistake on a February evening in 1983, Bérurier Noir soon found itself the driving force behind a vast "Youth Movement", determined to take control of its life in the face of a society that was ultra conservative at the time. Times have hardly changed.

From the first self-produced records distributed by hand to the creation of self-managed labels, from concerts in squats and wild appearances in demonstrations, on the street or in the metro to endless tours, from interviews given to fanzines and free radio stations to unclassifiable appearances in the mainstream media, Bérurier Noir has waged the most exciting war of independence in the history of French rock, with only a microphone, a guitar, a drum machine, a few red noses and patched-up theatre masks.

The last finger of honour of this turbulent and irrecoverable raia, François, Loran and their "Troupeau d'Rock" commit hara-kiri, at the peak of their glory, during three last concerts in the heart of Paris in November 1989.

Forty years after its birth, Bérurier Noir's work still resonates, whether in demonstrations or free parties, nourishing the hopes of those who wish to overthrow this world to build a truly libertarian, united and fraternal society.

The label Archives de la Zone Mondiale reminds those who missed this unprecedented adventure, 8 discographic parts of the group Bérurier Noir in the form of reissues on particularly original colour vinyls (crown finish), in a limited series and distributed throughout the year.

After 12 years this is the triumphant return of Hellenic darkness! Followers of Deviser all over the world who still concider their early releases as hidden gems of their collections, are in a frenzy this year awaiting the long-awaited new full length release, “Evil Summons Evil”, Greeks latest installment in the Black Metal scene and possibly the most important album of their career. An album that will surely leave its mark on the global metal community. Produced by the talented Psychon of Septicflesh who has taken over the mixing and mastering of the album and recorded exclusively at Soundabuseproductions in Athens. Deviser is a long-lasting value in the history of European Black Metal for the connoisseurs of the genre. The call of evil comes to darken the whole earth this February through Hammerheart records.

ZEHRA is proud to present the debut album ISTEHLAL by the MOHAMAD ZATARI TRIO, consisting of musicians from Syria, Iran & India. The trio merges traditional Middle Eastern sounds with contemporary vibes incl. interpretations of Hossein Alizadeh & Riad Al-Sunbati classics.

In a contemporary globalised world where music has lost its borders and is fighting a constant – yet particular – stream of Western commodification, the Mohamad Zatari Trio stands out as an original cultural artefact, aiming at transcending the boundaries between different music worlds.
Founded in 2019 the ensemble had its first public appearance in 2020 at the Outernational Virtual Festival. Comprising the performers Sara Eslami (Iran) on tar, Avadhut Kasinadhuni (India / Romania) on tabla and Mohamad Zatari (Syria) on oud.
Their debut ISTEHLAL plunges into its own aesthetics, politics and sound intricacies and represents the combined efforts of three musicians hailing from different, yet deeply rooted cultures. Over the course of eleven songs, the album transcends stylistic, ideologic and
geographic boundaries and reflects on the human condition in an interconnected and interrelated technological world. The repertoire includes not only original compositions in different stylistics
but also rearranged traditional pieces by influential composers Riad Al Sunbati (Egypt) and Hossein Alizadeh (Iran).
The Mohamad Zatari Trio introduces itself as a strong new voice within a new generation of young musicians that carry the musical heritage of great masters like Ravi Shankar, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or Zakir Hussain with a fresh and contemporary approach.

Mohamad Zatari is a composer and oud player from Aleppo, Syria, currently based in Bucharest, Romania. His artistic effort is devoted to deconstructing stereotypes and blending various musical genres. He has been taught traditional and regional music by Tarek Al-Sayed,
and has a Bachelor in classical composition at the National University of Music Bucharest (2021). His compositions were used for short films as well as educational courses. He performed in various ensembles and groups, in countries such as Syria, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Italy
and Austria.

Sara Eslami is an Iranian composer, tar and setar instrumentalist and improviser. She has a bachelor's in musical Performing at the Tehran University of Arts (2011).


Romanian/Indian Avadhut Kasinadhuni has a Master in Musical Performing / Violin at the National University of Music Bucharest (2022) and started studying tabla intermittently in India with Prof. Kamal Kant (2008) and Prof. Durjay Bhaumik (2017).

Credits:
Recorded by Alexandru Zaharencu at Avanpost media, Bucharest, Romania
on 29th & 30th January 2022
Mixed by Dirk Dresselhaus at ZONE, Berlin, Feb. 2022.
Mastering & lacquer cut by Anne Taegert at D&M.

repress !

Am 3. Februar 2023, knapp ein Jahr nach der Veröffentlichung von Korns ”Requiem”, wird die Band
ihr Album ”Requiem Mass” veröffentlichen - eine Sammlung von Aufnahmen der Requiem Mass LivePerformance in der Hollywood United Methodist Church in Hollywood, Kalifornien im Februar 2022.

Young Fathers - Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole und G. Hastings - kündigen heute ihr langerwartetes neues Album, „Heavy Heavy“, an. Das vierte Album des Trios erscheint am 3. Februar 2023 via Ninja Tune und ist ihr erstes seit „Cocoa Sugar“ von 2018. Das 10-Track-Projekt signalisiert einen erneuten Back-to-Basics-Ansatz ohne externe Produzenten, nur ein winziges Heimstudio, ein paar Geräte und Mikrofone: alles immer eingesteckt, alles immer in Reichweite. Über das Album schreibt Alloysious: „Jede Platte muss besser sein als die letzte. Das ist die Mentalität. Wenn es nicht besser wäre, würde es nicht herauskommen.“ Für ihn geht es bei diesem Album nicht einmal wirklich um die zehn Songs auf der Tracklist. Es geht darum, was mit dem Trio in den langen, verrückten Jahren seit „Cocoa Sugar“ passiert ist. „Heavy Heavy“ ist der Beweis für das, was von dieser Zeit übrig geblieben ist. Der Erfolg des Überlebens, der Exzess der Existenz. „Ich mag den Titel ‚Heavy Heavy‘, denn es ist alles plus die Küchenspüle", fügt G. hinzu. „Maximalistisch. Keine Art von Schlankheitskur. Es fühlt sich voll an, gewichtig. Und es zweimal zu sagen, macht es spielerisch.“
Für Young Fathers gibt es keinen Dresscode. Tanzen, nicht moshen. Die Hüften zucken, die Füße rutschen, das Gehirn feuert in Catherine Wheel-Sparks aus Freude und Empathie. Unterirdisch, aber nie dunkel. Immer noch jung, nach einigen Jahren, auch wenn die heavy, heavy weight of the world von Tag zu Tag zu wachsen scheint.

Red Vinyl

Young Fathers - Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole und G. Hastings - kündigen heute ihr langerwartetes neues Album, „Heavy Heavy“, an. Das vierte Album des Trios erscheint am 3. Februar 2023 via Ninja Tune und ist ihr erstes seit „Cocoa Sugar“ von 2018. Das 10-Track-Projekt signalisiert einen erneuten Back-to-Basics-Ansatz ohne externe Produzenten, nur ein winziges Heimstudio, ein paar Geräte und Mikrofone: alles immer eingesteckt, alles immer in Reichweite. Über das Album schreibt Alloysious: „Jede Platte muss besser sein als die letzte. Das ist die Mentalität. Wenn es nicht besser wäre, würde es nicht herauskommen.“ Für ihn geht es bei diesem Album nicht einmal wirklich um die zehn Songs auf der Tracklist. Es geht darum, was mit dem Trio in den langen, verrückten Jahren seit „Cocoa Sugar“ passiert ist. „Heavy Heavy“ ist der Beweis für das, was von dieser Zeit übrig geblieben ist. Der Erfolg des Überlebens, der Exzess der Existenz. „Ich mag den Titel ‚Heavy Heavy‘, denn es ist alles plus die Küchenspüle", fügt G. hinzu. „Maximalistisch. Keine Art von Schlankheitskur. Es fühlt sich voll an, gewichtig. Und es zweimal zu sagen, macht es spielerisch.“
Für Young Fathers gibt es keinen Dresscode. Tanzen, nicht moshen. Die Hüften zucken, die Füße rutschen, das Gehirn feuert in Catherine Wheel-Sparks aus Freude und Empathie. Unterirdisch, aber nie dunkel. Immer noch jung, nach einigen Jahren, auch wenn die heavy, heavy weight of the world von Tag zu Tag zu wachsen scheint.

Perth-based artistic hub 823, led by producer / creator-extraordinaire Taku, joins forces with producers Idealism & Lucid Green for “Undone,” a genre-melting LP that bridges sonic comfort, textured tones and lush timbres into one serene, 10 track experience. LP arriving February 3rd, 2023 via 823 x Jakarta Records.

Finnish-born producer and pianist Idealism (1.5mil Spotify Monthly Listeners - SML) and French transplant Lucid Green (568k SML) are no strangers to each other’s subtle, yet potent productions. Having worked together on a number of past releases, their upcoming, fully collaborative LP “Undone” is a natural journey into the beautiful ambient, downtempo, lo-fi worlds they’ve each created. Through visits to Lucid’s flat in Paris and ideas being exchanged remotely, the duo experimented with different sounds, instruments and aural environments, in the process crafting a natural partnership that sits in a comfortable, melancholic pocket. With lulling guitar and poignant piano progressions that provide a pillow to rest your ears, and downtempo percussions that keeps you ebbing and flowing along on a subtle current, unsure where one wave ends and the next begins, only the albums progressions dictate the head-nod. Featuring the likes of Yutaka Hirasaka (220k SML) and Charlie Kurata (aka Charlie – 200k SML; Duumu – 109k SML), the album soars, reminiscent of life’s simple, yet wholly memorable moments that bring you a nostalgic pause.
As with all 823 releases, the project is a visual one as much as it is a musical project. The first singles visualizers are a fusion of Hopes & Dreams Club & 823’s design aesthetics with personal super8 footage captured by Idealism & Lucid Green, beautifully expressed from Hopes & Dreams Club member Mindi Ossi. Each visualizer and single art will easily stand on its own, transporting you to worlds familiar, yet undeniably groovy and sonically comfortable.
823 is a multifaceted Perth-based record label, fashion brand, and artistic community, founded by Australian producer and all-around creative, Ta-ku (852k SML). With an astute attention to detail and an ethos that appreciates the everyday things in life, 823 doesn’t stick to any particular genre. Past 823 releases include “So Far To Go” EP via Cabu (753k SML), Ta-ku and matt mcwaters’s duo project “Black and White,” featuring Masego collaboration “Flight 99” (17mil streams on Spotify), the “All Things Considered” compilations, a curated, collaborative series featuring both budding and wellestablished artists around the world and have included Idealism, Wun Two, pastels, L.Dre, Flobama, SwuM, Jinsang, Tenderlonious, among a host of others, as well as multiple sold out clothing capsules.

Doomsday Outlaw return with their third studio album Damaged Goods, set for release on 3rd February 2023 via Republic of Music.

As Doomsday Outlaw began work on this album, they knew they wanted to step up to the next level and deliver on the promise of their previous albums, keeping the heaviness and the soulful vocals, and turbo-charging it all with some retro rock feelgood vibes.

Channelling Skynyrd, Aerosmith and The Faces through their signature heavy blues stomp, the band worked to expand their signature sound.

Working with Chris D’Adda at Vale Studios (Temples, Deaf Havana) and Dave Draper (The Wildhearts), to put them through their paces, the band have pulled together their best work yet.

Lyrically, the album is a very personal insight into vocalist Phil Poole’s life and motivations. Speaking about Damaged Goods, vocalist Phil Poole said: "This album is a continuation of the stories of my life – played out for all to see, filled with heartbreak and redemption. My own version of therapy, Damaged Goods is the latest chapter in my life."

Bassist Indy added: “It’s been a hard slog these last couple of years with Covid cutting short our European adventures, and generally waiting for live music to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but these new tunes have kept us going. The excellent response we’ve had to playing the songs live has been great to see, and we can’t wait to get everything out there for people to hear.”

Doomsday Outlaw return with their third studio album Damaged Goods, set for release on 3rd February 2023 via Republic of Music.

As Doomsday Outlaw began work on this album, they knew they wanted to step up to the next level and deliver on the promise of their previous albums, keeping the heaviness and the soulful vocals, and turbo-charging it all with some retro rock feelgood vibes.

Channelling Skynyrd, Aerosmith and The Faces through their signature heavy blues stomp, the band worked to expand their signature sound.

Working with Chris D’Adda at Vale Studios (Temples, Deaf Havana) and Dave Draper (The Wildhearts), to put them through their paces, the band have pulled together their best work yet.

Lyrically, the album is a very personal insight into vocalist Phil Poole’s life and motivations. Speaking about Damaged Goods, vocalist Phil Poole said: "This album is a continuation of the stories of my life – played out for all to see, filled with heartbreak and redemption. My own version of therapy, Damaged Goods is the latest chapter in my life."

Bassist Indy added: “It’s been a hard slog these last couple of years with Covid cutting short our European adventures, and generally waiting for live music to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but these new tunes have kept us going. The excellent response we’ve had to playing the songs live has been great to see, and we can’t wait to get everything out there for people to hear.”

Anfang Februar 2023 legt Knorkator nach: Nummer 5 von 10

Der amerikanische Sozialpsychologe und Professor für Psychologie am Knox College in Galesburg Frank T. McAndrew behauptet, dass sich mit zunehmendem Alter die Fähigkeit des Gehirns verschlechtert, subtile Unterschiede zwischen Akkorden, Rhythmen und Melodien zu machen. Die Alten raunten stets, dass sie mit moderner Musik nichts anzufangen wissen. Darum hat sich Knorkator entschieden, dem vorrangig alten Publikum auch das vor 15 Jahren erschienene 'Das nächste Album aller Zeiten' als großartig klingendes, herausragend anzusehendes Vinyl zu veröffentlichen.

Composer Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen presents his Nonet formation on We Jazz Records. Their debut album Tigers Are Better Looking is released 3 Feb and the ensemble features internationally renowned Finnish clarinetist Antti Sarpila, plus a strong cast of Helsinki-based musicians from several of the top Finnish groups.

Based on the writings of British-Caribbean author Jean Rhys (1890–1979), the 6-track album is a melancholy, intimate chamber jazz creation. Laurell's music swings, yet he doesn't stop there, but moves further to paint an original, richly-toned sonic image with the highly potent Nonet.

Laurell states Gerry Mulligan, Miles Davis's "Water Babies" and Charles Mingus among the key musical influences of his compositions on this album. Through Rhys's text, Laurell finds a special sense of detachment and melancholy evident in his new material. Antti Sarpila's masterful clarinet provides the icing on the cake, floating high above the clouds of sound.

Der gefeierte australische Sänger, Songwriter und The Go-Betweens Gründer Robert Forster kündigt sein achtes Soloalbum an: "The Candle And The Flame" erscheint am 3. Februar 2023 bei Tapete Records. "The Candle And The Flame" enthält neun Songs, geschrieben von Forster. Das Album wurde produziert von Forster, seiner Frau Karin Bäumler sowie Louis Forster (The Goon Sax) und gemischt von Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey). Mit von der Partie sind die ehemalige Go-Betweens- und Warm Nights-Bassistin Adele Pickvance sowie Scott Bromiley und Luke McDonald (The John Steele Singers), der auch auf Forsters Alben "Inferno" und "Songs To Play" gespielt hat. Großartige, zutiefst inspirierte Musik entsteht manchmal ganz unerwartet - in richtig schwierigen Zeiten, aber manchmal auch in Zeiten größter Zufriedenheit. 2021 hatte Robert Forster eine Reihe von Songs fertig, die er in den vergangenen drei Jahren geschrieben hatte. Diese sollten die Grundlage seines neuen Albums bilden. Die Songs waren stark und emotional wie aus einem Guss. Selbst der Autor war überrascht: Sie boten eine neue Perspektive, waren persönlicher und erzählten von den Menschen, die ihm am nächsten standen. Es gab noch ein weiteres Songfragment - nur Musik und Melodie, noch ohne Text. Da Robert zeitgleich an seinem ersten Roman arbeitete, eilte es nicht. Die neuen Songs konnten auch noch eine Weile warten. Doch das Leben stellte ihn plötzlich vor ganz neue Herausforderungen: Im Juli 2021 erhielt Roberts Frau Karin Bäumler, mit der er auch gemeinsam Musik macht, die Diagnose Eierstockkrebs. Und so standen also erst einmal Krankenhaus, Tests und Chemotherapie auf der Agenda. Eine intensive Zeit voller Angst und Hoffnung. Wie so oft in ihrer seit 32 Jahren währenden Beziehung war Musik der Fels in der Brandung, der Zufluchtsort. "Die Aufnahmesessions für das Album fanden sporadisch über sechs Monate statt. Manchmal nur ein oder zwei Tage im Monat. Das war alles, was Karins Kraft und ihr Zustand zuließen. Wir mussten also "live" aufnehmen, magische Momente einfangen und auf "Gefühl" setzen. Und das ist der Sound des Albums geworden", sagt Robert.

Speedy J and Steve Rachmad join forces as Speedy & Steve for a four-track techno EP on Luke Slater's Mote-Evolver this February.

Dutch artists Speedy J and Steve Rachmad have long been defining the techno underground with seminal tunes on a range of influential labels. For their new release, the duo jammed in Speedy's studio for their new release, working the live results into four fresh and powerful new tracks, kicking off a new series of live collaborations on Luke Slater's Mote-Evolver.

The intense and textural 'Reddo' kicks off with industrial synth lines designed for maximum warehouse impact before 'Dabler Nine' brings its deep rolling drums and mind-melting synth lines late into the night. 'Right Well and Clean' has fresh, airy kick drums rolling beneath harsh and icy hi-hats before 'Rotor' closes the release in cosmic fashion with spiralling pads and intensely layered synths and drums.

This new series will see artists collaborating in person, with each EP capturing the creative moment as it happens, with results aimed squarely at the dance floor. Each release in the series has artwork in a specific style that combines one item from each artist, which means something to them, into one new image.

Somebody’s Child has quickly established himself as a voice at the forefront of the new music scene in Ireland. Early support slots in Dublin with the likes of Kodaline, Primal Scream, and Kaiser Chiefs, as well as national radio play and an appearance on the nation’s beloved Late Late Show all acted as vindication for Cian Godfrey holding back the unveiling of SC until the relatively late age of 23 - he had honed his craft and formulated a clear message ahead of time. Newly signed to cult label Frenchkiss Records, Godfrey now announces his self-titled debut album out 3rd February 2023 which has its roots in Godfrey’s formative years growing up in Dublin and the experiences that went with that. It was recorded at East London’s Hackney Road Studios with the producer Mikko Gordon (Arcade Fire, The Smile).

Mit Red Bull Symphonic stellten sich die beiden
Musiker gemeinsam mit Christian Kolonovits
erstmals der Herausforderung, ihre Songs mit
klassischer Musik zu verschmelzen. Der Dirigent
arrangierte dabei die größten Hits von Seiler und
Speer neu. Das Ergebnis dieser außergewöhnlichen
Vereinigung präsentierten sie im Februar dieses
Jahres live gemeinsam mit ihrer Band, dem Max
Steiner Orchester und Gästen im Wiener
Konzerthaus.
Mit dabei sind auch die Crossover-Stücke
"Herr Inspektor" mit dem Wiener Kammerchor
sowie "Principessa" mit Geigen-Virtuosin Lidia
Baich. Der Gastauftritt von Sopranistin Juliette
Khalil mit der Einlage von "Ruaf Mi Ned Au" beim
Song "Ala bin" darf natürlich auch nicht fehlen. Die
klassische Version des Überhits "Ham Kummst"
setzt dem Live-Album die Krone auf.

Double LP - Remastered album on 180-gram vinyl, packaged in a sleeve that replicates the LP's first pressing in exacting detail.

The Led Zeppelin reissue campaign continues in 2015, turning the spotlight on the double album Physical Graffiti. The deluxe edition of the group's sixth studio album will arrive 40 years to the day after the original debuted in February, 1975. The reissues of the first five Led Zeppelin albums in 2014 found both commercial successes, with multiple titles reaching Top 10 chart status in countries around the world, as well as widespread critical acclaim, including the recent Classic Rock 'Reissue Of The Year' Award. As with the previous deluxe editions, Physical Graffiti has been newly remastered by guitarist and producer Jimmy Page and is accompanied by a disc of companion audio comprising previously unreleased music related to the original release.
The companion audio disc that accompanies the deluxe edition of Physical Graffiti has seven unreleased tracks, including rough mixes of 'In My Time Of Dying' and 'Houses Of The Holy,' as well as an early mix of 'Trampled Under Foot' called 'Brandy & Coke.' All the unreleased companion tracks offer fans a chance to hear well-known songs from a different perspective, including the Sunset Sound mix of 'Boogie With Stu' and 'Driving Through Kashmir,' a rough orchestra mix of the band's eight minute opus 'Kashmir.' Also featured is 'Everybody Makes It Through,' a strikingly different early version of 'In The Light' with alternate lyrics.

"A Tribute to Jack Johnson" by Miles Davis. Original Release: February 24, 1971.

A1. "Right Off" Feat. Billy Cobham, Herbie Hancock, John Mc Laughlin, Michael Henderson & Steve Grossman.

B1. "Yesternow" Feat. Bennie Maupin, Billy Cobham, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, John Mc Laughlin, Michael Henderson, Sonny Sharrock & Steve Grossman.

New York’s very own JW Francis announces his brand new album ‘Dream House’ – his third with London based label Sunday Best Recordings. Coinciding with the announcement is the gloriously up-beat new single ‘Casino,’ which offers a glimpse into what to expect on his forthcoming feel-good LP. When JW isn’t writing songs about his own life or surreal imagery, he writes about other people – most notably around the month of February when he writes valentines songs on his fans’ behalf. ‘Dream House’ encapsulates all of this and forms a collection of glorious tracks written for other people: “Every year, about 6 weeks before Valentine’s Day, I make the following post on social media: “If you send me the name of your Valentine, and the reason you love them, I’ll write a song for them on your behalf.” That is how Dream House was born, 3 years ago. Over the past three years, I have received over 300 requests from fans to write songs for their loved ones. All of the songs on Dream House come from this project, some of them have been reworked to speak more to the artist’s life, others have remained exactly as they were first written. Ultimately, this is an album about caring for others, and the way we express it.” Written and recorded at the start of 2021 in NYC, ‘Dream House’ is slightly reminiscent of The Strokes and even has hints of Lou Reed, however the project is still quintessential JW Francis with its blissful melodies and dreamy instrumentation; perfectly fitting given the album’s title. Along with the announcement comes ‘Casino’, a track about pursuing your dreams, as JW explains, “This song is about taking a gamble on myself as a musician, quitting my job, and living the life I want to be living. The video explores the two lives I was living before I got the opportunity to follow my dreams and doing music full time.” ‘Dream House’ follows the hugely well received ‘WANDERKID’ and ‘We Share a Similar Joy’ and once again proves why JW is the king of laid-back and effortlessly cool song-making.

New York’s very own JW Francis announces his brand new album ‘Dream House’ – his third with London based label Sunday Best Recordings. Coinciding with the announcement is the gloriously up-beat new single ‘Casino,’ which offers a glimpse into what to expect on his forthcoming feel-good LP. When JW isn’t writing songs about his own life or surreal imagery, he writes about other people – most notably around the month of February when he writes valentines songs on his fans’ behalf. ‘Dream House’ encapsulates all of this and forms a collection of glorious tracks written for other people: “Every year, about 6 weeks before Valentine’s Day, I make the following post on social media: “If you send me the name of your Valentine, and the reason you love them, I’ll write a song for them on your behalf.” That is how Dream House was born, 3 years ago. Over the past three years, I have received over 300 requests from fans to write songs for their loved ones. All of the songs on Dream House come from this project, some of them have been reworked to speak more to the artist’s life, others have remained exactly as they were first written. Ultimately, this is an album about caring for others, and the way we express it.” Written and recorded at the start of 2021 in NYC, ‘Dream House’ is slightly reminiscent of The Strokes and even has hints of Lou Reed, however the project is still quintessential JW Francis with its blissful melodies and dreamy instrumentation; perfectly fitting given the album’s title. Along with the announcement comes ‘Casino’, a track about pursuing your dreams, as JW explains, “This song is about taking a gamble on myself as a musician, quitting my job, and living the life I want to be living. The video explores the two lives I was living before I got the opportunity to follow my dreams and doing music full time.” ‘Dream House’ follows the hugely well received ‘WANDERKID’ and ‘We Share a Similar Joy’ and once again proves why JW is the king of laid-back and effortlessly cool song-making.

Subterranean Jungle is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band the Ramones, released by Sire Records in February 1983. The album appealed to a hardcore punk rock style rather than featuring several pop-oriented pieces; this is due to the fact that guitarist Johnny Ramone received more leeway with steering the overall genre with his hard rock influenced riffs.
40th Anniversary of the seventh Ramones album. Subterranean Jungle marked a return to the roots of the band. Includes "Time Has Come Today.

Zum 30-jährigen Jubiläum des achten Studioalbums
erscheint am 24. Februar 2023 die remasterte Version
von »Hotel Monopol« auf CD wiederveröffentlicht. Das
Booklet der CD wurde um exklusive Liner Notes erweitert.
Bei Hotel Monopol handelt es sich um ein Album, das
Extrabreit drei Jahre nach ihrem furiosen Live-Album "Das
grenzt schon an Musik" in herausragender Spielfreude
zeigte, mit der Hildegard-Knef-Kollaboration "Für mich
soll´s rote Rosen regnen" Wellen schlug und in der
erfolgreichsten Tour der Band überhaupt mündete

"Island Time" is the latest album from Joel Sarakula and his first since relocating to The Canary Islands at the height of the pandemic. From his home in the UK he accepted an invitation to perform a special concert Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria in November 2020 not realising it would change his life.

"Island Time" is a collection of songs covering themes such as island life, city life, loneliness and romantic love and our relationship with nature.

Stylistically covering soft-rock, soul, disco and reggae, "Island Time" and its first single "Tragic" is broad in scope but ultimately a cohesive record, with the production focusing on a small group of musicians featuring Phil Martin (Dawn Patrol, Martin & Garp) on drums and Xav Clarke on guitar and bass. Building on his previous records "Love Club" and "Companionship", Sarakula expands his palette with a broader use of synthesizers and drum machines and makes stylistically adventurous choices such as the AOR samba of "Dinosaur" and the 70s-cod reggae inspired title track "Island Time", a tribute to escape and re-invention. Sarakula sings "Don't bother me I'm on island time, don't bother my mind once again." For any overworked and over-connected city-dweller, this plea for isolation in a tropical island is a beautiful fantasy.

"Island Time" will be released on Jan 20th, 2023 with Sarakula bringing some tropical sunshine to the freezing European winter in January and February with performances already confirmed in The Netherlands and Germany.

Originally released in February 2012 and receiving positive critical reception, COGNITIVE is SOEN’s phenomenal debut album. The project features co-founding members, drummer Martin Lopez (OPETH, AMON AMARTH) and vocalist Joel Ekelöf (WILLOWTREE), Steve DiGiorgio (SADUS, TESTAMENT, DEATH, ICED EARTH) on bass and Kim Platbarzdis on guitars. The album was mixed by the Grammy Award-winning Canadian producer David Bottrill, who has worked with PETER GABRIEL, TOOL, SMASHING PUMPKINS and MUSE.

Described by Lopez himself as “melodic, heavy and intricate”, COGNITIVE, through its beautiful melodies, not only displays the performers’ superb technical proficiency, it also showcases the impressive and mysteriously warm vocals of Ekelöf.

Due to great public demand, SOEN will release COGNITIVE for the very first time on vinyl on January 27, 2023 via Silver Lining Music. This official SOEN-endorsed double vinyl release is complete with the bonus track “Writhen” and all of the album lyrics.

Der Grundstein für "Quiet The Room" wurde vor zwei Jahren gelegt, als Helen Ballentine einen Song gleichen Namens komponierte und aufnahm. Im Gegensatz zu den meisten anderen Songs von SKULLCRUSHER wurde dieser auf dem Klavier geschrieben, dem erklärten Instrument ihrer Kindheit. Während Ballentine im Sommer 2021 den Rest des Albums schrieb, flogen ihr Visionen aus ihrer Jugend zu, wie die Fledermäuse vom Dachboden, während sie in der schwülen, stickigen Hitze durch ihre Wohnung in Los Angeles lief. Das Bild eines Hauses entstand in Ballentines Kopf, als sie die innere Welt ihrer Songs mit den äußeren Räumen, die sie jetzt umgab, zusammenfügte. Sie dachte dabei viel an ihre Kindheit in Mount Vernon, NY, die sie als größte Inspiration für die Platte bezeichnet. "It's like layers of tracing paper, like someone is trying to make a drawing and you're seeing the entire process", sagt Ballentine über die Entstehung des Albums. Bei der Durchsicht älterer Heimvideos fielen ihr die scheinbar harmlosen Aufnahmen auf, die durch das Fenster gemacht wurden und sie am Klavier oder beim Spaziergang im Garten zeigten. Versteckte Bedeutungen, die über die Ränder der Bilder hinausgingen, eine sich abzeichnende Dunkelheit, die außerhalb des Blickfelds schwebte (ihre Eltern stritten sich, waren auf dem Weg zur Scheidung usw.). Das Haus schaffte es nicht länger, sie alle unter einem Dach zu beherbergen. Ballentine versucht nicht auf "Quiet The Room" die oft zitierte Unschuld der Kindheit einzufangen, sondern will diese in ihrer intensiven Komplexität darstellen. Das Ergebnis ist ein atemberaubendes wie leise bewegendes Werk geworden, das die Reisen widerspiegelt, die wir durch unsere körperlichen und geistigen Sphären unternehmen, um uns der Welt zu präsentieren.

Tyranny and Mutation is the second studio album by American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on February 11, 1973, by Columbia Records. The album was recorded at the Columbia Studios in New York City during the year before and was produced by Murray Krugman and Sandy Pearlman. On May 12, 1973, the album peaked at #122 on the Billboard 200.

The song “Baby Ice Dog” features lyrics by singer/poet Patti Smith (who was keyboardist Allen Lanier’s girlfriend at the time), who would make several lyrical contributions to the band’s repertoire during its career. The song “The Red & The Black”, with lyrics referencing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is a renamed, re-recorded version of “I’m on the Lamb But I Ain’t No Sheep” from the same-titled debut album. The song was later covered by the Minutemen and Band of Susans.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Tyranny and Mutation is available as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on translucent blue coloured vinyl.

LIXTP, the collaboration between Love International Recordings and the Test Pressing website, yields its second release following 2021’s label debut from Fantastic Man.

This time it falls to Test Pressing founder Paul Byrne AKA Apiento to open 2023’s account with the simmering ‘Escape Reality’ EP.

Having carved out a prestigious career over the years, as A&R for Junior Boys Own, International Feel and Test Pressing labels, and releasing his own Apiento productions on Music For Dreams, World Unknown and World Building, Apiento goes in deep across six tracks of esoteric electronica and transcendental dance.

The influence of Detroit techno can be found in the complex drum work and dreamy synths of tracks like ‘Those Busy Circuits’ and ‘Axis’, whilst hedonistic dance vibes are served up on ‘Everything Move’. Presenting a broad palette of moods and tones, Apiento delivers an allencompassing release for lovers of the real electronic groove.

‘Escape Reality” by Apiento is released on Love International Recordings/Test Pressing from 10th February 2023.

-Limited to just 500 copies worldwide, February is part two of a 12-part vinyl series celebrating Papoose’s decorated career as he stages his exit from the rap game.

Papoose first jumped on the scene in ’98 as a guest feature on “Home Sweet Home,” taken from the legendary Kool G Rap’s sophomore solo effort, Roots of Evil. But it was his work with DJ Kay Slay that made Pap a staple in the New York rap scene. Now after 20 plus years in the game, Papoose is calling it quits. But not before releasing his "one a month" album series. Each album is aptly titled with the month of the year and features some of the most adept emcees and producers in the game.

For the sophomore release, February, Pap brings along E-40, Fred The Godson (R.I.P.), Mysonne and Kent Jones. Production is handled by JR Swiftz, Ron Browz, Brady Watt, and JaySwiftDaProducer, among others.

-Limited to just 500 copies worldwide, February is part two of a 12-part vinyl series celebrating Papoose’s decorated career as he stages his exit from the rap game.

Papoose first jumped on the scene in ’98 as a guest feature on “Home Sweet Home,” taken from the legendary Kool G Rap’s sophomore solo effort, Roots of Evil. But it was his work with DJ Kay Slay that made Pap a staple in the New York rap scene. Now after 20 plus years in the game, Papoose is calling it quits. But not before releasing his "one a month" album series. Each album is aptly titled with the month of the year and features some of the most adept emcees and producers in the game.

For the sophomore release, February, Pap brings along E-40, Fred The Godson (R.I.P.), Mysonne and Kent Jones. Production is handled by JR Swiftz, Ron Browz, Brady Watt, and JaySwiftDaProducer, among others.

-Limited to just 500 copies worldwide, February is part two of a 12-part vinyl series celebrating Papoose’s decorated career as he stages his exit from the rap game.

Papoose first jumped on the scene in ’98 as a guest feature on “Home Sweet Home,” taken from the legendary Kool G Rap’s sophomore solo effort, Roots of Evil. But it was his work with DJ Kay Slay that made Pap a staple in the New York rap scene. Now after 20 plus years in the game, Papoose is calling it quits. But not before releasing his "one a month" album series.

Each album is aptly titled with the month of the year and features some of the most adept emcees and producers in the game. On the inaugural effort, January, we’re met with guest appearances by Wiz Khalifa, with production supplied by Brady, Statik Selektah, Cool & Dre and more.

Outernational Live from Studio Two Abbey Road" is a unique live LP featuring new stars of UK jazz recorded at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios during the winter lockdown of 2021.

Tracks were originally laid down for a covid-friendly filmed show hosted by the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in March of that year following a run of ground-breaking live showcases at the Austin event since 2017.

Featuring UK rising jazz stars Doom Cannon, Camilla George, Richard Spaven, Theon Cross, Noya Rao, Daniel Casimir and Tess Hirst, this will be a VINYL ONLY release - limited to 500 copies.

Previous acts from these internationally celebrated showcases include Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia and Moses Boyd with this special-edition LP highlighting the best of the next wave.

Theon Cross stated, "The JRF/BU Outernational showcase for SXSW filmed and recorded at Abbey Road in Feb 2021 was a very special one. It was one of the first times since the start of the pandemic that we were able to play together and make music for an audience despite them not being in the room. We really hit our stride with Panda Village a track from my album FYAH channeling all the joy and emotion of this cathartic moment."

Jazz Re:freshed also confirmed they will be returning to SXSW in 2023 for another landmark showcase, with further details to follow.creditsreleased September 2, 2022

Recorded in February 2021 in Studio Two, Abbey Road Studios, London.
Produced by Jazz re:freshed and British Underground.
Engineered by John Barrett
Mixed/Mastered by Mark Lewis
Photography Miles Myerscough-Harris
Cover Art by Luke Drozd

"Matasuna Records" musical journey takes the listener this time to "Panama" - a country in Central America, which offers a rich and breath-taking variety of musical treasures. In a first reissue, two songs from the legendary "Loyola Records" label were selected, both released in 1969: one by "Camilo Azuquita" and one by the group "Panama Brass". Two super-rare tunes that fetch crazy prices, if you're lucky enough to find a copy at all. Available for the first time as an official remastered reissue on 7inch vinyl - the song by Panama Brass even makes its 7inch premiere. Don't sleep on it!

The A-side features the killer boogaloo tune "Borombon" by "Camilo Azuquita". Its take of the song composed by "Javier Vasquez" is undoubtedly the best version of this song. The striking piano, driving bass and rich horns are fueled by percussive accompaniment and especially by Azuquita's powerful voice. A terrific song that has also recently gained new notoriety in movies and series - such as "Better Call Saul".

The B-side features the instrumental Latin Jazz/Guaracha tune "Con La Mano En La Biblia" by "Panama Brass" - an orchestra led by the excellent organist "Cristobal Munoz Jr." and consisting of Panama's best musicians. A no less energetic and furious song composed by "G. Garcias". The musicians of the orchestra combine a great musicality and diversity in the song, delivering a special delicacy.

"Camilo Luis Argumédez" is a singer and composer born in "Colon (Panama)" on February 18th 1945. He became world famous under his stage name Camilo Azuquita. He began his career at a young age, when he participated in various competitions organized by local radio stations. He left Panama for the first time for an engagement in "Lima (Peru)" - the prelude tocountlesstrips.

After returning to Panama, another engagement in 1966 took him to "Puerto Rico", where he also recorded music. Due to a tour he was involved in, he ended up in "New York City" where he made new & fruitful acquaintances with other artists that resulted in some more recordings.

In 1968 he returned again to Puerto Rico, where he joined a band to record an album. In the following years, tours and concerts followed, as well as an engagement in a club where he musically accompanied many stars of Latin American music.

Between 1972 and 1976 he spent four years in "Los Angeles", where he performed in night clubs, recorded two albums and toured California with his own band "Melao". In LA, through a brother of the "Fania" boss, he got a contract with "Vaya Records", a subsidiary of the Fania label, which brought him back to New York City in 1976. There he joined the band "Tipica'73" and their two following albums brought him much success.

A tour led him to "Paris", where he met the journalist "Pierre Goldman". A proposed project became reality two years later: Azuquita opened the first Parisian Salsa Club. As this became a complete success and the audience filled the club on each of the evenings, a first engagement of one month was extended to several years. In France, he performed at the world-famous "Olympia Theater "or played at the "Old Bourget airport", opening for a live concert by reggae legend "Bob Marley" in front of 75,000 people. From France, he traveled throughout Europe, where the performances in front of European audiences brought him enormous prestige.

From 1985 to 1987, "Azuquita y su Melao" toured extensively in "California", where he signed a 1-year contract at "Club Candilejas" in "Hollywood" in 1988. In the following decades, he recorded many more albums - in NYC, Cali (Colombia), France or Havana (Cuba), among others. In addition, he was still very active on tours, festivals and concerts around the globe. An extremely remarkable artist, whose activity has brought him to the top.

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"Panama Brass" was an orchestra directed and orchestrated by the excellent organist "Cristobal Munoz Jr." The orchestra consisted of one of the best musicians of Panama at that time. Munoz was an exclusive artist of "Loyola Records" at the time and was considered a promising or up-and-coming conductor. That this album could be realized at all had only been possible thanks to Hubert J. Pretto. Pretto, then Assistant Vice President & General Manager of "Coca Cola Panama" arranged the funds necessary for the realization of this album and supported the campaign to promote music culture in Panama. This album would remain the only one released by this group.

Florence Cats is a poet, visual artist, sound composer, performer and acupuncturist. Born in Vilvoorde (Belgium) in 1985, she is currently living and working where Brussels merges with the Sonian forest.

Florence Cats’ working process involves things about to appear or disappear, and echo one another : air, light, wind, tone, print, voice, water, color, dust, junk, rumor… She creates eclectic pieces related to travel, porosity, natural energies and celestial events. Each proposal is in tune to a context, a space, an environment.

Ys is a generous debut. Raw, courageous.

Sunken Cathedral is Florence interpreting Claude Debussy’s La Cathédrale Engloutie (trans. the Sunken Cathedral). The track reminds me of one of those fabled Charles Ives home recordings. Where he records himself on Speak-O-Phone - an old brand of recordable aluminium phonograph discs - while practicing and composing his music. But unlike Charles Ives treating these home recordings as personal sketches, Florence Cats shares her captured moments as compositions for the public.

Similar to the Speak-O-Phone recordings, we now meet the piano as a physical expression - not as an archetype. We are together with Florence in a room. The pedal. The keys. The hiss of the room. Learn, repeat.

Trough Florence’s hands and feet, La Cathédrale Engloutie is brought out of its pupa stage to become a presence. Instead of being grounded in luxurious concert halls or on high end recordings, the piece is now natural. Sunken Cathedral is a template, an affirmation for amateurs.

The piece was originally created for the group exhibition "Here Comes the Wave” at Project(ion) room, Brussels, February 2020.

In Fall Call, we find ourselves at QO2, a sound art initiative in Brussels. This piece was captured during a residency Florence took over the summer of 2022. We listen to the moment when a summer storm just washed the city.

Fall Call is a testament to Florence’s magical - humanistic way of playing her custom-made theremin. By pushing the controls of the instruments so high, her whole body starts to control the instrument - instead of just her hands. So when she walks around in the room, the instrument answers in full color.

And then, a phone-call. Giving it a bit of a Poulenc vibe.

For the last piece, Drop Out, we find ourselves in Florence’s apartment. When Florence opens the windows, the ambience of the surrounding Sonian Forest seeps in. This is an adorable moment. It predicts new beginnings. The smell of wet dirt and dripping leaves in the air. The poetry of rain.

After a summer of touring and working on remixes, Big Miz readies this new self-released 5 track EP. The first outing on Miz Records since February, three solo cuts and two collaborations
bring us yet another versatile spin on the modern house sound.

With aquatic sound design and tight kicks introducing ‘Causal Loop’, an opener that quickly morphs into a Legowelt / Alden Tyrell type synth-led jacking house jam, the EP wastes no time in getting going. There’s a sharp vocal sample of the narcotic persuasion that brings to mind Paul Johnson’s classic ‘Give Me Ecstasy’, whilst the clubbier vibe of those early LIES 12”s is also present. The title track is a drum machine workout that gradually ends up in a loopy 90s style minimal techno groove, whereas ‘An Facile’ pushes and pulls at the dancefloor with a mean acid line and makes reference to a gig that may or may not have taken place at a now shut-down Glasgow club many moons ago. You’ll need to ask Miz.

Over to Side B and ‘Sleep Well’ brings in production help from fellow Scottish stalwart Ewan McVicar, the pair working on the tune in a hotel room after a show. Evidently no sleep was had as the swirling acid lines, modulated rimshots and tempo trickery combine to make one of the trippiest jams on the record. Things draw to an end with an Underground Resistance sampling colab with Good Thing resident DD Watermelon.

Volker Bertelmann and Hildur Guðnadóttir hardly need an introduction - their distinct styles have graced the speakers of pretty much anyone enamored with experimental music in the last decade, and between them the two have chalked up an enviable canon of successes. Bertelmann, under the Hauschka moniker has explored the extremities of prepared piano improvisation, and Guðnadóttir has taken cinematic, explorative cello music into a new era of depth and passion, so to hear them both together is a rare and unexpected treat. Rare is putting it lightly even - „Pan Tone“ is a recording of a single concert which the duo performed on the 26th of February 2010 as part of Arctic Circle - Bubbly Blue and Green festival at Kings Place in London, and documents an event that would truly never be repeated. Sure, they could attempt to re-create the event, but the spontaneity and glorious serendipity in this particular recording is a pleasure to behold.

Bertelmann and Guðnadóttir decided to create a set of compositions which based on the idea of the ocean, and took a book of Pantones to extract exact references to the specific colors of the sea. These watery tones form the backbone of the performance and inform the direction of the collaboration, guiding us through rich blues, glassy greens and frothy whites. In listening to the music it seems incredibly appropriate that the artists should choose blue as the middle ground in their work; the ineffable lightness that Bertelmann brings to the table is a stark contrast to Guðnadóttir's sinking darkness, and as the two styles collide we witness a plethora of tones, shades and hues. It sounds as if the two artists have been playing together for decades, and their sound is so perfectly matched you might wonder why it's taken them this long to collaborate. All that's left for us to do is to soak in the tidal beauty of this very exclusive body of music, to listen to it sing, bubble and crash through its duration before settling in total silence. When the record reaches its conclusion there is an unsettling calm, a sense that you have witnessed something very special indeed, and that is a feeling to prize amongst all else.

On in february, Isik Kural works like a photographer of sound, documenting the passing and returning of time as if material snapshots of life's temporality. Across the album's twelve songs, each composed from chance loops and cocooned within the soft container of Isik's memorable voice and melody play, time is held on to hopefully, impossibly, eternally.
Born in Istanbul, Isik studied music engineering at the University of Miami, alighted in New York City, and eventually settled in Glasgow, immersing in a sound design masters and audiovisual practice. While these paths guided him between different projects and cities, a voice was simultaneously growing inside the artist, informed by a vision of the world in its everyday luminosity. This voice was expressed in the lyrical and instrumental waves of 2019's As Flurries, a cassette collection for Italian label Almost Halloween Records.
Isik Kural's in february will be released on October 15, 2021 on vinyl, cassette, compact disc, and digital formats. On behalf of Isik, a portion of the proceeds from this release will benefit Turkiye Egitim Gonulluleri Vakfi, an organization that creates and conducts workshops, educational training programs and after school programs for children across Turkey.

Die Originalbesetzung von Black Ox Orkestar ist nach einer 15-jährigen Pause wieder zusammen. Die aus der fruchtbaren Montréaler Post-Punk-Agit-Prop-Szene der frühen 2000er Jahre hervorgegangene Band besteht aus Scott Gilmore, Jessica Moss und Thierry Amar von Thee Silver Mt. Zion (Amar komponiert und spielt auch weiterhin Bass für Godspeed You! Black Emperor) und Gabriel Levine von Sackville. Black Ox Orkestar haben Mitte der 2000er Jahre zwei gefeierte Alben mit aufgewühltem akustischem Avant-Folk veröffentlicht, auf denen sie osteuropäische und nordafrikanische Folklore durch die Linse einer düsteren, resonanten Indie-Rock-Sensibilität erforschten und Interpretationen von Instrumentalstücken aus verschiedenen jüdischen, rumänischen und arabischen Traditionen den Originalen gegenüberstellten. Auch dank Gilmores politisch aufgeladenem jiddischen Gesang sind diese frühen Alben für eine neue Generation von Musikern und Fans der jiddischen, Klezmer- und jüdischen Diaspora-Musik zu Meilensteinen geworden. Das von Greg Norman (Jason Molina, Nina Nastasia, Electrical Audio) hervorragend produzierte Album Everything Returns macht genau da weiter, wo die Band aufgehört hat: ein einschneidend atmosphärisches, melancholisches und doch entschlossenes Album einzigartiger moderner jüdischer Folkmusik, bei dem Klavier, Geige, Kontrabass, Klarinette und Cymbalom die Kerninstrumentierung bilden und die Gesangsstücke hauptsächlich auf Jiddisch gesungen werden. ENG Everything Returns reunites the original Black Ox Orkestar lineup following a 15-year hiatus. Arising from the fertile Montréal post-punk agit-prop scene of the early 2000s, the band comprises Scott Gilmore, Jessica Moss and Thierry Amar of Thee Silver Mt. Zion (Amar also continues to compose and play bass for Godspeed You! Black Emperor) and Gabriel Levine of Sackville. Black Ox made two acclaimed albums of roiling acoustic avant-folk in the mid-2000s, exploring Eastern European and North African folkways through the lens of a gritty, resonant indie rock sensibility, juxtaposing interpretations of instrumentals from various Jewish, Romani and Arabic traditions with originals led by Gilmore's politically-charged Yiddish vocals. These early albums have since become lodestars for many among a new generation of Yiddish, Klezmer and radical Jewish diasporic music practitioners and fans. First revealing its resurrection in February 2022 with a surprise flexi 7" single issued by left journal Jewish Currents as a gift to its thousands of subscribers, Black Ox has indeed fully and fruitfully reunited. Exquisitely recorded by Greg Norman (Jason Molina, Nina Nastasia, Electrical Audio), Everything Returns picks up right where the band left off: an incisively atmospheric, melancholic yet resolute album of uniquely modern Jewish folk music, with piano, violin, upright bass, clarinet and cymbalom making up the core instrumentation, and the vocal tunes sung primarily in Yiddish, alongside album centerpiece "Viderkol" and closer "Lamed-Vovnik" where English also features. This is not fusion music, but diaspora music: a cross-cultural call and response of musical lexicons, emerging from the history of Jewish persecution and displacement, the musicology of 19th century repertoire from Jewish shtetls , the improvisational traditions of nusakh in Jewish music and taqsim in Arabic music, and a wider polyglot dialogue of Jewish, Slavic, Arabic, and Central Asian musical traditions. Lyrically and stylistically, Everything Returns connects key current issues_from refugees forced to leave their homes, to the return of fascism and exclusionary nationalism_with the legacy of modernist Yiddish poetry and song. The new Black Ox Orkestar album is a sublime, poetic, politically-informed statement of re-energized diasporic musical intent, where Gilmore's voice and the band's simmering arrangements conjure an ardent, doleful balladry that echoes the sound and sensibility of artists like Tindersticks, The National, Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. Everything Returns is a haunting, richly textured, darkly sparkling song cycle at once from a vanished world and very much of our time and place. Thanks for listening.

RIYL: A Hawk And A Hacksaw, Leonard Cohen, Daniel Kahn, Xylouris White, Arooj Aftab, Tindersticks, Nick Cave, Alasdair Roberts, Geoff Berner, The Klezmatics. Deluxe 180gLP with 350gsm Arktika jacket/inner + 36”x12” art/lyrics fold-out + DL. CD in gatefold jacket + art/lyrics fold-out. Recorded by Greg Norman (Jason Molina, Nina Nastasia, Electrical Audio). Everything Returns reunites the original Black Ox Orkestar lineup following a 15-year hiatus. Arising from the fertile Montréal post-punk agit-prop scene of the early 2000s, the band comprises Scott Gilmore, Jessica Moss and Thierry Amar of Thee Silver Mt. Zion (Amar also continues to compose and play bass for Godspeed You! Black Emperor) and Gabriel Levine of Sackville. Black Ox made two acclaimed albums of roiling acoustic avant-folk in the mid-2000s, exploring Eastern European and North African folkways through the lens of a gritty, resonant indie rock sensibility, juxtaposing interpretations of instrumentals from various Jewish, Romani and Arabic traditions with originals led by Gilmore’s politically-charged Yiddish vocals. These early albums have since become lodestars for many among a new generation of Yiddish, Klezmer and radical Jewish diasporic music practitioners and fans. First revealing its resurrection in February 2022 with a surprise flexi 7” single issued by left journal Jewish Currents as a gift to its thousands of subscribers, Black Ox has indeed fully and fruitfully reunited. Exquisitely recorded by Greg Norman (Jason Molina, Nina Nastasia, Electrical Audio), Everything Returns picks up right where the band left off: an incisively atmospheric, melancholic yet resolute album of uniquely modern Jewish folk music, with piano, violin, upright bass, clarinet and cymbalom making up the core instrumentation, and the vocal tunes sung primarily in Yiddish, alongside album centerpiece “Viderkol” and closer “Lamed-Vovnik” where English also features. This is not fusion music, but diaspora music: a cross-cultural call and response of musical lexicons, emerging from the history of Jewish persecution and displacement, the musicology of 19th century repertoire from Jewish shtetls, the improvisational traditions of nusakh in Jewish music and taqsim in Arabic music, and a wider polyglot dialogue of Jewish, Slavic, Arabic, and Central Asian musical traditions. Lyrically and stylistically, Everything Returns connects key current issues from refugees forced to leave their homes, to the return of fascism and exclusionary nationalism—with the legacy of modernist Yiddish poetry and song. The new Black Ox Orkestar album is a sublime, poetic, politically-informed statement of re-energized diasporic musical intent, where Gilmore’s voice and the band’s simmering arrangements conjure an ardent, doleful balladry that echoes the sound and sensibility of artists like Tindersticks, The National, Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. Everything Returns is a haunting, richly textured, darkly sparkling song cycle at once from a vanished world and very much of our time and place. Tracklist: 1 Tish Nign 2 Perpetual Peace 3 Oysgeforn / Bessarabia Hora 4 Mizrakh Mi Ma’arav 5 Skotschne 6 Viderkol (Echo) 7 Epigenetik 8 Moldovan Zhok 9 Lamed-Vovnik