Industrial Romantico, ITG031 In a world obsessed with appearance, Poor but Sexy is popular music, not a populist one. Ghetto techno, breakbeats, Detroit sound, sacred chants and voices from the hood: raw and real ingredients for a deeper story. This EP isn't just for listening, it's meant to be lived. For those who can feel it, it will be a transformative journey. Enjoy the ride.
out of Stock
Last delivered 7 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Die mit einem GRAMMY ausgezeichnete Singer/Songwriterin und Multiinstrumentalistin Amanda Shires meldet sich mit Nobody's Girl zurück. Produziert von Lawrence Rothman und aufgenommen in den Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, ist das neue Album Amandas bisher stärkstes Werk. Nobody's Girl ist eine Reise durch Herzschmerz, Verlust, Widerstandskraft, Selbstfindung und Ermächtigung. Auf dem Album sind Amandas ergreifender Gesang und ihre unverwechselbare Fiddle zu hören, untermalt von sorgfältig ausgearbeiteten Songs, die von ergreifend rauen Balladen bis zu rockigen Hymnen reichen.
An elusive cult gem resurfaces through Glossy Mistakes. Originally released in 1986, L'Empire Des Sons is an otherworldly blend of synth pop, folk experimentation, and cinematic percussive layers-dreamlike, poetic, and wildly ahead of its time. L'Empire Des Sons was a fleeting yet powerful transmission from the fringes of the French underground-an album that blurred genre lines and evaded easy classification. Fusing experimental folk, lo-fi synth pop, and avant-garde textures, the record exists in its own sonic universe: poetic, layered, and fiercely independent. Formed in Saint-Étienne by percussionist and composer Dominique Lentin (Dagon, Fille Qui Mousse) and first-time vocalist Bipé Redon, L'Empire Des Sons emerged from the vibrant DIY spirit of the early 1980s. Their paths crossed during the interdisciplinary project L'Opéra Quotidien, and what followed was an intuitive, deeply collaborative process. "I would bring in lyrics and my voice," Bipé recalled, "and Dominique would shape the music around the atmosphere or rhythm suggested by the words." The result is a collection of songs that feel both meticulously constructed and completely free. Ethnic percussion, marimbas, xylophones, and synthesizers dance around Bipé's surreal, fragmented lyrics-little sonic postcards from imagined worlds. There's a theatricality here, but it never feels forced; rather, it's playful, intimate, and raw. Despite their inventiveness, L'Empire Des Sons remained a well-kept secret-circulating only in select avant-garde circles and eventually becoming an extremely sought-after collector's item. Now, thanks to Glossy Mistakes, this lost artifact returns to the world with new life: remastered from the original tapes, pressed on vinyl for the first time with extended liner notes. L'Empire Des Sons was never meant to be boxed in. Like the quote from Brian Eno that opens their liner notes-"For the world to be interesting, you have to be manipulating it all the time"-their music resists stasis. It evolves, shifts, surprises. And now, it finally gets the audience it always deserved.
out of Stock
Last delivered 12 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
It's spring of 2023 in the North Carolina Piedmont, and songwriter and singer M.C. Taylor - leader of the band Hiss Golden Messenger - is feeling alive. Joyful. Eternal, he might say. For the Grammy-nominated musician, whose albums have traced an internal path through adulthood, fatherhood, spirituality, and depression for well over a decade, this is something new. "The tunes on Jump for Joy were composed in free moments throughout 2022, a year during which Hiss was on the road more or less constantly," explains Taylor. "And perhaps because the post-pandemic energy out in the world felt so chaotic and uncertain, I found myself thinking a lot about the role that music has played in my life and how exactly I ended up in the rarefied position of leading a band and crew all over the globe through dingy graffiti-scrawled green rooms, venerated music halls, dust-blown roadside motels.
Sometimes playing in front of 5,000; sometimes 200. Sleeping sitting up. Laughing until my stomach hurts. Not being able to fall asleep at 3 a.m. in some anonymous bed because my mind is spinning with anxiety or depression or adrenaline, or because my ears are still ringing. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, then robbing Paul to pay Peter back. Over and over again. It's an outlaw life but one, I'm coming to realize, that makes me happy." The songs that make up Jump for Joy - the sharpest and most autobiographical that Taylor has written under the Hiss name - read as a sort of epistolary, postcards between the present-day songwriter and his alias Michael Crow, a teenaged dreamer very much like Taylor himself, who trips his way through the 14 tunes that make up the record. In this way, Jump for Joy is a meditation on a life lived with art, and the ways that our hopes and dreams and decisions bump up against_ and, with a little bit of luck, occasionally merge with real life. "Creating this character became the way that I could explore these vulnerable, tender moments that were so decisive in my life, even if I didn't know it at the time," explains Taylor.
Produced by Taylor and engineered by longtime Hiss compatriot Scott Hirsch over two weeks in the late fall of 2022 at the fabled Sonic Ranch studio in Tornillo, TX, just a short walk from the Mexican border, Jump for Joy dances with joyful, spontaneous energy that feels like a fresh chapter in the Hiss Golden Messenger oeuvre. Taylor is accompanied throughout the album by his crack live band: guitarist Chris Boerner, bassist Alex Bingham, keyboardist Sam Fribush, and drummer Nick Falk, a collection of musicians that have helped make Hiss Golden Messenger's live performances legendary affairs
out of Stock
Last delivered 12 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Punk Rock Factory is back and bigger than ever with their new album, All Hands On Deck! Dropping via their new label, Cooking Vinyl, this album is a wild and nostalgic tribute to the massive hits of the 1990s. The Welsh pop-punk heroes, known for their energetic, tongue-in-cheek reworkings of iconic songs, have outdone themselves with a lineup of covers that will have you reliving the glory days of 90s music - but with a high-octane punk twist!
out of Stock
Last delivered 12 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Annahstasia kündigt ihr Debütalbum „Tether“ an, das am 13. Juni über drink sum wtr erscheint. Gleichzeitig mit der Ankündigung veröffentlicht sie die neue Single „Villain“.
Annahstasia sagt über die neue Single: „Wir alle bestehen sowohl aus Schatten als auch aus Licht. Aus irgendeinem Blickwinkel sind wir alle der Bösewicht der Geschichte gewesen, wir versuchen alle unser Bestes und verhandeln ums Überleben.“ Die Single wird von einem atemberaubenden Musikvideo begleitet, bei dem Adam Davis Regie führte und in dem die schwarze Rodeo-Community in Tulsa, Oklahoma zu sehen ist.
„Meine Karriere war eine Lektion in Geduld“, sagt Annahstasia, die ihre musikalische Sprache zwischen den Flammen der Intimität und Unabhängigkeit über verschiedene Leben, Orte und Wiederholungen hinweg kultiviert hat, verlorene und gewonnene Lieben, Erwartungen, die sich entzogen und neu geschaffen wurden. Die Nähe der aufstrebenden Troubadourin zur Liebe für und von anderen, in der Gesellschaft im Allgemeinen und tief in sich selbst, leitet den Geist ihrer gefühlvollen, poetischen Folk-Songkunst. Die Liebe ist die elementare Konstante neben ihrer unverwechselbaren Stimme, die die Musik der Singer-Songwriterin seit ihren ersten autodidaktischen Aufnahmen prägt, als die damals 17-jährige Annahstasia Enuke entdeckt und in die Zwänge einer Industrie gedrängt wurde, die ihre größten Stärken beinahe erstickt hätte. Künstlerische Widerstandsfähigkeit, Dankbarkeit und Hingabe haben „Tether“ hervorgebracht, Annahstasias Debütalbum, das auf dem kunstorientierten Indie-Label drink sum wtr erscheint. „Tether“ ist eine Sammlung von strahlenden Torch Songs, orchestralen und astralen Hymnen, die sich wie gelebt anfühlen und aus der menschlichen Erfahrung und dem Spektrum der Liebe stammen. Annahstasia hat die Stücke von „Tether“ langsam und mit tiefer Absicht zusammengesetzt; sie hat diese Lieder mit auf Reisen genommen, sie für Freunde und Fremde gesungen und sie im Laufe der Zeit zusammen mit ihren persönlichen Offenbarungen weiterentwickelt. „Der Song ist geschrieben, und dann muss ich mit ihm leben und sehen, ob ich wirklich glaube, was ich sage“, erklärt sie. Sie brachte ihr Material zu den Sessions in den berühmten Valentine Studios in Los Angeles mit und wurde dabei von den Produzenten Jason Lader (ANOHNI and the Johnsons, Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey), Andrew Lappin (Cassandra Jenkins, L'Rain, Luna Li), Aaron Liao (Liv.e, Moses Sumney, Raveena) und einer Reihe versierter Musiker unterstützt, darunter die Gäste Aja Monet und Obongjayar. Die Aufnahmen erfolgten instinktiv, nur in Live-Takes, um das Gefühl des Raums und die Gemeinschaft der Musik einzufangen. Das Sequencing war ebenso essenziell; sie kam zu einem Fluss mit wechselnden Energien und ergreifenden Bögen. Die Instrumentierung schwillt an, mal zurückhaltend, mal üppig, und durch jedes Arrangement klingt Annahstasias Stimme wahrhaftig, offenherzig und frei. Lyrisch umarmt Annahstasia die Nuancen der Poesie und lädt die Zuhörer ein, sich auf die bedeutungsvollen Worte einzulassen, ob sie nun über Romantik oder soziale Konstrukte sinnieren.
“A once-in-a-generation vocalist writing haunting love songs” – NME
“Annahstasia’s grace and wisdom promises to leave a lasting impression this year and beyond.” – Clash
“Her flawless voice draws you into a world of feeling, whilst her beautiful, naturalistic songwriting spellbinds you into staying.” – Wonderland
out of Stock
Last delivered 8 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
It’s time. Miami’s son, Nick León, is set to release his highly anticipated album “A Tropical Entropy” en su casa, TraTraTrax. After two #1 tracks of the year, “Xtasis” and “Bikini,” Nick expands his "Arquitectronica" sonic universe to an exploration of decay, disillusionment, and psychedelia.
Inspired by Joan Didion’s novel ‘Miami’ and his unique energy, as well as altered states of consciousness—both chemically induced and sleep-deprived—the album reflects León’s personal experience of witnessing life and love fall apart against the backdrop of a crumbling society. The album is a manifesto from start to finish featuring stellar collaborations with Ela Minus, Casey MQ, Erika de Casier, Xander Amahd, Jonny from Space, Esty & Mediopicky, and Lavurn.
You'll find hazy tracks for the body and the mind; tracks to dedicate and feel deeply; tracks for heartbreak and tracks with the promise of future love. You will find themes of memory, sleep deprivation, decaying wildlife, and the suburban still life of Florida. “A Tropical Entropy” captures the haunting feeling of watching life unfold like a broken video recording—frozen in the orange hue of a never-ending sunset, signalling the final days of an apocalypse. In the meantime, León and TraTra will continue to establish their influence on the global circuit and their mission to keep releasing edgy music that connects la mente con el qlo.
out of Stock
Last delivered 9 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Common Labour proudly presents Bibione by pothOles – a sun-kissed tribute to the iconic 80s family camping trips to Italy. Whether you’re swaying to the high-octane ”12-Inch Mix” or lost in the ”Sensual Version”, you can surely feel the salty breeze of the hedonistic Adriatic coast.
And there’s more: we’re so excited to finally unleash the slamming Flabaire remix of This and That. Get ready to hear this on dance floors all summer long – a true masterpiece from the maestro himself. And as the sundowner, we serve up Fyre Fest Anthem – a classic deep house bomb, salty yet sweet, made for the golden hour.
Bibione EP is another cherished 12” from Common Labour – hand-stamped, individually numbered and limited to 199 copies worldwide. A true family affair, it features special artwork created by Aaro.
out of Stock
Last delivered 8 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Originally released in September 2024 we continue the re-release of Clark’s recent catalogue with the chance to get some limited vinyl versions of ‘In Camera’. Since his first composition credit in 2016 with The Last Panthers (Warp) Clark has built a reputation for expanding film and TV scores into intricate, exhilarating soundworlds of their own. Here Clark has expanded his score for Naqqash Khalid’s award-winning debut feature ‘In Camera’ stretching out the film’s surreal ‘modern fairy tale’ atmosphere with reversed vocals and gauzy synthpop-esque chords. Of the recording process Clark says: “Using my vocals but abstracted in a way that totally matched the film was the most unique challenge. I was going to just include the cues but got far too into recording new stuff that fitted the tone and emotion of the film. The record has a very distinct colour/ feel. It’s drenched in muted joy/ dark euphoria”. This includes a gnarly cover of the Carpenters’ ‘Superstar’ that burns closer to the frazzled Sonic Youth version.
out of Stock
Last delivered 12 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Limited Edition of 200 copies incl. Dolphins Remix (DALO, Benedikt Frey and Menqui).
Hot seducers. Two of them. On one 7inch. A/B Side business, hard to choose a fav, as both so fab. The A-Side is called "Happen". It comes from prolific Tokyo based DJ and producer Hoshina Anniversary. A simple drum machine groove, a manic melody, witching siren sounds, psychedelic voices, some soft chords, and soulful high-pitched singing, somewhere between Dam-Funk coolness and Ian Svenonius-The-Make-Up sixties pop longing. One for warm sexy nights under neon lights. Out there in psychic realms. The flip brings a Dolphins interpretation. Yes, that feverish trio behind R.i.O., consisting of Nadia D'Alò, Benedikt Frey and Menqui. Their freshly recorded version comes with haunting nonchalant singing, displaying the tunes core melody as a more prominent actor of the play. Michael-Mann-Pop-Nostalgia with a baroque touch, that waves dark-ish. Even some Jon Hassle feeling is in there. Hoshina Anniversary disclosed, that the original song is inspired by jazz musicians like Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Jaco Pastorius and Keith Jarrett. None of them is directly stylistically audible. But their kind of blue is all over. On the A as well as on the B. Twice soul music for the free.
out of Stock
Last delivered 5 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Letters Home is the debut full-length on ambient powerhouse Pas tInside The Present from Tennessee-based Slow Blink aka Amanda Haswell. And a fine one it is too with mesmerising routes through hazy soundscapes she calls "tape loop weather patterns." Across two half-hour pieces, bowed guitar, piano, bells, and toy synths dissolve into dreamy loops and create symphonies of colour and memory. Side one, 'The Heart's Docent', feels like a love-struck dance unraveling in slow motion, while 'Laughter at Cascade Park' evokes bittersweet nostalgia for long-lost joys. Handmade, analogue and alive with imperfections, Letters Home is an intimate meditation on memory, nature and impermanence.
out of Stock
Last delivered 12 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Much sought-after funk 45 originally recorded and released in Tasmania on the Candle label in 1976.
Written and performed by Lyn Thomas to celebrate the opening of the Silvers Nightclub at the Hobart Casino.
out of Stock
Last delivered 13 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
On his new album All Cylinders, Yves Jarvis expresses a brazen songcraft and pure musicianship. 11 tracks he played himself, without a single additional contributor, transforming his now four-time-Polaris-nominated vision into the stuff of verses and choruses, hooks and hits, vibrating like a cosmic anthropology. Whereas once he had fetishized analog tape, now Jarvis appreciated the value of working without any such preciousness: much of All Cylinders was recorded on bare-bones Audacity, sans plugins, channeling the spirit of Paul McCartney’s II.
Jarvis is an omnivore, and All Cylinders smashes together a stunning array of influences: Serge Gainsbourg, Judee Sill, Sheryl Crow, Captain Beefheart, Jackson Browne, Throbbing Gristle, Ray Charles, Brian Eno, Fleetwood Mac… All distilled into tunes that feel like taking sips from a cup, or drags from a cigarette. Vivid and self-contained songs that are just two or three minutes long. “I feel like this is the least contrived thing I’ve ever done,” Jarvis declares. Lyrics that matter. Vocals up front, where people will actually hear them. “If something’s true to you,” he explains, “it’s probably true to a million other people.”
The first run of All Cylinders on limited edition vinyl sold out, leading to this highly anticipated second pressing. This edition includes 4 bonus tracks from the forthcoming deluxe release, making it an essential piece for fans and collectors alike. Originally released via In Real Life to critical acclaim from Pitchfork, Financial Times, NPR, Aquarium Drunkard, Far Out Magazine, New Noise, Out Front, KCRW, RANGE, Atwood Magazine, The Luna Collective, Billboard Canada, The Fader, Blamo! Podcast, Stereogum, and Guitar World.
Obwohl die Feelies im Laufe der Jahre sechs Alben mit eigenen Songs veröffentlicht haben, sind sie vor allem dafür bekannt, dass sie in ihren langen Zugabensets gerne Cover-Songs spielen. Rewind ist eine Zusammenstellung einiger ihrer Lieblingssongs von den Beatles, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Doors und anderen.
GOODWIN, das Soloprojekt des The Slow Show-Sängers Rob Goodwin, hat das Debütalbum 'PEEKABOO' angekündigt, das am 19. September 2025 über PIAS Recordings veröffentlicht wird. An Goodwins Seite ist dabei Lambert, der mysteriöse, maskierte Pianist und Komponist, der u.a. für seine Zusammenarbeit mit Künstlern wie Nils Frahm und Ólafur Arnalds bekannt ist.
'PEEKABOO' geht über die cineastische Wucht seiner Band hinaus und liefert etwas Intimeres und Ungeschliffeneres. Eine Sammlung zutiefst persönlicher Songs, die in stillen Momenten entstanden sind und in Berlin-Neukölln mit Lambert geformt wurden. Als Produzent bringt Lambert seine Handschrift - sowohl spielerisch als auch tiefgründig - in 'PEEKABOO' ein. Er verwebt eindringliche Pianos und Arrangements mit Goodwins intimem Storytelling und lässt jeden Song in seinem eigenen ruhigen Raum atmen. Gemeinsam geht es auch auf 'PEEKABOO' Tour im Herbst.
Getragen von Goodwins unverwechselbarem Bariton - einer Stimme, die sowohl zärtlich als auch donnernd und voller Sehnsucht ist - entfalten sich die zehn Songs wie eine Reihe stiller Bekenntnisse. Inspiriert von den stimmungsvollen Atmosphären von Leonard Cohen und Nick Drake, behandeln die Lieder das Gewicht von Liebe, Verlust und stiller Tapferkeit. Romantische, traumhafte Geschichten für Menschen, die verstehen, dass manchmal die kleinsten Momente die größte Bedeutung haben. “These songs are fragments of myself. Sharing them feels exhilarating and terrifying, as vulnerability often does.”
To All That We Lose And All We Fight For is the debut album by Vera Logdanidi - the
culmination of nearly two decades of musical evolution. Her journey began in the world of drum & bass and jungle, gradually expanding into deep explorations of house, dub techno, and techno. Over the years, Vera has performed on leading stages across Ukraine and internationally, while also mentoring a new generation of DJs and producers, hosting radio shows, and supporting the scene through her label and community work.
This album was written during a time of deep upheaval. The outbreak of full-scale war forced Vera to leave behind a well-established life and begin again on the international stage. While the music often feels dreamy and introspective, To All That We Lose And All We Fight For is a profoundly personal record - a sonic refuge shaped by grief, uncertainty, and resilience.
The album doesn't follow formulas; it's driven by intuition, texture, and a genuine connection to sound. It's rich, emotional, and occasionally unexpected. The tracks form the core of Vera's current live set, which has resonated at major festivals such as Draaimolen or Strichka - captivating audiences with its depth and subtle, immersive energy.
The cover art, created in close collaboration with Vera's longtime visual team, is a real
photograph - not a digital effect. It captures the tension between anxiety and hope: a glance back, and a step forward into the unknown. This visual metaphor reflects the emotional landscape of the album - the fragility of what's been lost, and the courage to embrace what lies ahead.
This release also marks a new chapter for Rhythm Buro Records - one that moves towards music that is more personal, intimate, and unconstrained by expectations.
To All That We Lose And All We Fight For is released alongside another important Rhythm Buro release: RB011 - Your Curves EP by Na Nich. Ukrainian producer Oleksandr Pavlenko, formerly known as Sunchase, returns to his roots in broken beats and bass music, blending them with house and techno sensibilities. The four-track EP ranges from deep grooves to melancholic late-night moods - a compelling counterpoint to Vera's album and a testament to the label's evolving identity.
Order RB012 n
out of Stock
Last delivered 5 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
After a ten-year absence that left a palpable void in the hearts of millennial emo kids, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK are finally back-and yes, it"s everything we hoped for. The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World feels like coming home: a dizzying, emotionally articulate blast of guitar-laced pop-punk that reminds us why this band meant so much in the first place. It"s a sonic time machine, sure, but it never gets stuck in the past. Instead, it builds on it-older, a little bruised, but somehow more alive. Justin Pierre"s voice still wobbles gloriously between a scream and a sigh, only now it carries the weight of experience, not just anxiety. Rather than reinventing themselves, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK double down on what they"ve always done best: big hooks, bigger feelings, and that perfect tightrope walk between chaos and control. Tracks like "Particle Physics" (with Patrick Stump of Fallout Boy) and "Your Days Are Numbered" (featuring Mat Kerekes of Citizen) channel the kind of clarity that only comes after surviving your own worst years. In a world drowning in lazy nostalgia, The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World is a rare and welcome return that feels less like a reunion and more like a long-overdue continuation.
After a ten-year absence that left a palpable void in the hearts of millennial emo kids, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK are finally back-and yes, it"s everything we hoped for. The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World feels like coming home: a dizzying, emotionally articulate blast of guitar-laced pop-punk that reminds us why this band meant so much in the first place. It"s a sonic time machine, sure, but it never gets stuck in the past. Instead, it builds on it-older, a little bruised, but somehow more alive. Justin Pierre"s voice still wobbles gloriously between a scream and a sigh, only now it carries the weight of experience, not just anxiety. Rather than reinventing themselves, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK double down on what they"ve always done best: big hooks, bigger feelings, and that perfect tightrope walk between chaos and control. Tracks like "Particle Physics" (with Patrick Stump of Fallout Boy) and "Your Days Are Numbered" (featuring Mat Kerekes of Citizen) channel the kind of clarity that only comes after surviving your own worst years. In a world drowning in lazy nostalgia, The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World is a rare and welcome return that feels less like a reunion and more like a long-overdue continuation.
out of Stock
Last delivered 6 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Can a self-portrait be a collage? Can empathy be autobiographical? What's the point of living if we're not trying to understand all the horror and humor that surrounds everything? These are a few of the questions lurking under the bleachers of Wednesday's new album Bleeds, an intoxicating collection of narrative-heavy Southern rock that_like many of the most arresting passages from the North Carolina band's highlight reel so far_thoughtfully explores the vivid link between curiosity and confession. Bleeds is not only the best Wednesday record_it's also the most Wednesday record, a patchwork-style triumph of literary allusions and outlaw grit, of place-based poetry and hair-raising noise. Karly Hartzman_founder, frontwoman, and primary lyricist_credits Wednesday's tightened grasp on their own identity to time spent collaborating on previous albums, plus a tour schedule that's been both rewarding and relentless. "Bleeds is the spiritual successor to Rat Saw God, and I think the quintessential `Wednesday Creek Rock' album," Hartzman said, articulating satisfaction with the ways her band has sharpened its trademark sound, how they've refined the formula that makes them one of the most interesting rock bands of their generation. "This is what Wednesday songs are supposed to sound like," she said. "We've devoted a lot of our lives to figuring this out_and I feel like we did." Just like Rat Saw God, one of the defining rock & roll records of the 2020s so far, Bleeds came together at Drop of Sun in Asheville and was produced by Alex Farrar, who's been recording the band since Twin Plagues. Hartzman again brought demos to the studio, where she and her bandmates _X andy Chelmis (lap steel, pedal steel), Alan Miller (drums), Ethan Baechtold (bass, piano), and Jake "M.J." Lenderman (guitar) _ worked as a team to bulk-up the compositions with the exact right amounts of country truth-telling, indie-pop hooks, and noisy sludge. More than ever, the precise proportions were steered by the lyricism_not only its tone or subject matter, but also the actual sound of the words, as well as Hartzman's masterfully subjective approach to detail selection. Every image or scene is filtered through Hartzman's agile, writerly brain. The particulars deemed essential all contain revelations about Hartzman's specific obsessions and vulnerabilities, about the fragmented way she processes the world. Maybe sometimes the best way to locate truth or pain or dignity within your own life story, Bleeds suggests, is by crawling into someone else's.
Can a self-portrait be a collage? Can empathy be autobiographical? What's the point of living if we're not trying to understand all the horror and humor that surrounds everything? These are a few of the questions lurking under the bleachers of Wednesday's new album Bleeds, an intoxicating collection of narrative-heavy Southern rock that_like many of the most arresting passages from the North Carolina band's highlight reel so far_thoughtfully explores the vivid link between curiosity and confession. Bleeds is not only the best Wednesday record_it's also the most Wednesday record, a patchwork-style triumph of literary allusions and outlaw grit, of place-based poetry and hair-raising noise. Karly Hartzman_founder, frontwoman, and primary lyricist_credits Wednesday's tightened grasp on their own identity to time spent collaborating on previous albums, plus a tour schedule that's been both rewarding and relentless. "Bleeds is the spiritual successor to Rat Saw God, and I think the quintessential `Wednesday Creek Rock' album," Hartzman said, articulating satisfaction with the ways her band has sharpened its trademark sound, how they've refined the formula that makes them one of the most interesting rock bands of their generation. "This is what Wednesday songs are supposed to sound like," she said. "We've devoted a lot of our lives to figuring this out_and I feel like we did." Just like Rat Saw God, one of the defining rock & roll records of the 2020s so far, Bleeds came together at Drop of Sun in Asheville and was produced by Alex Farrar, who's been recording the band since Twin Plagues. Hartzman again brought demos to the studio, where she and her bandmates _X andy Chelmis (lap steel, pedal steel), Alan Miller (drums), Ethan Baechtold (bass, piano), and Jake "M.J." Lenderman (guitar) _ worked as a team to bulk-up the compositions with the exact right amounts of country truth-telling, indie-pop hooks, and noisy sludge. More than ever, the precise proportions were steered by the lyricism_not only its tone or subject matter, but also the actual sound of the words, as well as Hartzman's masterfully subjective approach to detail selection. Every image or scene is filtered through Hartzman's agile, writerly brain. The particulars deemed essential all contain revelations about Hartzman's specific obsessions and vulnerabilities, about the fragmented way she processes the world. Maybe sometimes the best way to locate truth or pain or dignity within your own life story, Bleeds suggests, is by crawling into someone else's.
out of Stock
Last delivered 13 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
múm are returning with a new album on Morr Music. »History of Silence« is the first full body of work by the Icelandic collective since 2013's »Smilewound« and their seventh studio album to date—recorded, deconstructed, put back together again, refined and finished over the course of two years. Vibrantly oscillating around a carefully curated palette of electronic and analogue sounds, the eight new tracks reflect the group's continuous strive to explore sonic spaces through subtle yet gripping songwriting.
For a long time now, múm have been exploring the idea of distance in their music. In the beginning, this was born purely out of necessity. Founded in Iceland in the late 1990s, the members soon began embarking on journeys across the world—collectively while touring, but also individually, exploring new places to live and create. Settling in, moving on, catching up: The concept of distance soon became an integral part of the collective's process. »History of Silence« leans into this idea, with space and time becoming indispensable pillars of the arrangements. While being coherent and structured, they echo their origins from different seasons, cities, and spaces—neatly stitched together with unparalleled craftsmanship. They breathe an overall airy and intimate atmosphere, yet resonate with the structural heft of time.
On »History of Silence« time manifests in unexpected, liberating, and mesmerizing ways. It does not move reliably forward; it drifts, takes twists and turns, even disappears completely. Electronic textures blur into acoustic sounds, voices flicker and dissolve, melodies stumble and repeat. The arrangements often feel like they’re wandering, gently resisting direction. »Our Love is Distorting,« for instance, begins with a subtle piano motif, playing hide and seek with feedback noises, digital artefacts, and lush—yet very quiet—string arrangements, before gradually forming into a distinctive song. It's a perfect illustration of múm's general approach on this album. »Mild at Heart« turns this idea upside-down, flowing freely from start to finish with moments of silence sprinkled in—serving to emphasize the musical elements. The music on »History of Silence« moves like weather: unexpected, intimate, quietly detailed. Contrasted with vivid phrases, rhythmic shifts, and small hooks, the album offers a new angle of compositional clarity and vision.
Work on »History of Silence« began at Sudestudio in southern Italy. Additional recordings were made in Reykjavík, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, New York, and Prague. The strings were recorded by Sinfonia Nord at the Hof concert hall, Akureyri, arranged and conducted by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, who has worked with the band for many years. The orchestral elements don’t dominate the record—instead, they surface gently, adding depth and resonance to the songs without disturbing the songs' fragility.
Contrary to what the album title suggests, »History of Silence« is a collection of bold and colorful songs, no matter how muted they might sound at times. They tickle like a feather drifting through the wind, ending up in unexpected places, stimulating long-forgotten thoughts and feelings, intimate moments of introspection. The songs move through the echoes those moments leave behind: the emotional traces of things unsaid, the weight of stillness. Offering closeness by means of distance and much-needed support.
múm are returning with a new album on Morr Music. »History of Silence« is the first full body of work by the Icelandic collective since 2013's »Smilewound« and their seventh studio album to date—recorded, deconstructed, put back together again, refined and finished over the course of two years. Vibrantly oscillating around a carefully curated palette of electronic and analogue sounds, the eight new tracks reflect the group's continuous strive to explore sonic spaces through subtle yet gripping songwriting.
For a long time now, múm have been exploring the idea of distance in their music. In the beginning, this was born purely out of necessity. Founded in Iceland in the late 1990s, the members soon began embarking on journeys across the world—collectively while touring, but also individually, exploring new places to live and create. Settling in, moving on, catching up: The concept of distance soon became an integral part of the collective's process. »History of Silence« leans into this idea, with space and time becoming indispensable pillars of the arrangements. While being coherent and structured, they echo their origins from different seasons, cities, and spaces—neatly stitched together with unparalleled craftsmanship. They breathe an overall airy and intimate atmosphere, yet resonate with the structural heft of time.
On »History of Silence« time manifests in unexpected, liberating, and mesmerizing ways. It does not move reliably forward; it drifts, takes twists and turns, even disappears completely. Electronic textures blur into acoustic sounds, voices flicker and dissolve, melodies stumble and repeat. The arrangements often feel like they’re wandering, gently resisting direction. »Our Love is Distorting,« for instance, begins with a subtle piano motif, playing hide and seek with feedback noises, digital artefacts, and lush—yet very quiet—string arrangements, before gradually forming into a distinctive song. It's a perfect illustration of múm's general approach on this album. »Mild at Heart« turns this idea upside-down, flowing freely from start to finish with moments of silence sprinkled in—serving to emphasize the musical elements. The music on »History of Silence« moves like weather: unexpected, intimate, quietly detailed. Contrasted with vivid phrases, rhythmic shifts, and small hooks, the album offers a new angle of compositional clarity and vision.
Work on »History of Silence« began at Sudestudio in southern Italy. Additional recordings were made in Reykjavík, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, New York, and Prague. The strings were recorded by Sinfonia Nord at the Hof concert hall, Akureyri, arranged and conducted by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, who has worked with the band for many years. The orchestral elements don’t dominate the record—instead, they surface gently, adding depth and resonance to the songs without disturbing the songs' fragility.
Contrary to what the album title suggests, »History of Silence« is a collection of bold and colorful songs, no matter how muted they might sound at times. They tickle like a feather drifting through the wind, ending up in unexpected places, stimulating long-forgotten thoughts and feelings, intimate moments of introspection. The songs move through the echoes those moments leave behind: the emotional traces of things unsaid, the weight of stillness. Offering closeness by means of distance and much-needed support.
múm are returning with a new album on Morr Music. »History of Silence« is the first full body of work by the Icelandic collective since 2013's »Smilewound« and their seventh studio album to date—recorded, deconstructed, put back together again, refined and finished over the course of two years. Vibrantly oscillating around a carefully curated palette of electronic and analogue sounds, the eight new tracks reflect the group's continuous strive to explore sonic spaces through subtle yet gripping songwriting.
For a long time now, múm have been exploring the idea of distance in their music. In the beginning, this was born purely out of necessity. Founded in Iceland in the late 1990s, the members soon began embarking on journeys across the world—collectively while touring, but also individually, exploring new places to live and create. Settling in, moving on, catching up: The concept of distance soon became an integral part of the collective's process. »History of Silence« leans into this idea, with space and time becoming indispensable pillars of the arrangements. While being coherent and structured, they echo their origins from different seasons, cities, and spaces—neatly stitched together with unparalleled craftsmanship. They breathe an overall airy and intimate atmosphere, yet resonate with the structural heft of time.
On »History of Silence« time manifests in unexpected, liberating, and mesmerizing ways. It does not move reliably forward; it drifts, takes twists and turns, even disappears completely. Electronic textures blur into acoustic sounds, voices flicker and dissolve, melodies stumble and repeat. The arrangements often feel like they’re wandering, gently resisting direction. »Our Love is Distorting,« for instance, begins with a subtle piano motif, playing hide and seek with feedback noises, digital artefacts, and lush—yet very quiet—string arrangements, before gradually forming into a distinctive song. It's a perfect illustration of múm's general approach on this album. »Mild at Heart« turns this idea upside-down, flowing freely from start to finish with moments of silence sprinkled in—serving to emphasize the musical elements. The music on »History of Silence« moves like weather: unexpected, intimate, quietly detailed. Contrasted with vivid phrases, rhythmic shifts, and small hooks, the album offers a new angle of compositional clarity and vision.
Work on »History of Silence« began at Sudestudio in southern Italy. Additional recordings were made in Reykjavík, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, New York, and Prague. The strings were recorded by Sinfonia Nord at the Hof concert hall, Akureyri, arranged and conducted by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, who has worked with the band for many years. The orchestral elements don’t dominate the record—instead, they surface gently, adding depth and resonance to the songs without disturbing the songs' fragility.
Contrary to what the album title suggests, »History of Silence« is a collection of bold and colorful songs, no matter how muted they might sound at times. They tickle like a feather drifting through the wind, ending up in unexpected places, stimulating long-forgotten thoughts and feelings, intimate moments of introspection. The songs move through the echoes those moments leave behind: the emotional traces of things unsaid, the weight of stillness. Offering closeness by means of distance and much-needed support.
Halima's debut album SWEET TOOTH is a bold declaration of power from an undeniable talent. Seductive, restless, and deeply assured, the record unspools like a night in motion. In the afterglow of her 2024 EP on drink sum wtr, praised by Clash Magazine, The Fader, BBC Radio, and others, the Brooklyn-based, UK/Nigerian musician solidifies her sound and expands it tenfold. If EXU was a spark, SWEET TOOTH is the full burn. Not so much genre-less as "genre-full"; the album spans a bright, lush world where club bangers meet deep ballads in a striking, fully-formed hybrid of honeyed Afro-pop and scorched R&B. Across its eleven tracks, Halima maps the push-pull of desire, transformation, and emotional reckoning. "Sweetness on my terms," she offers a mantra for reclaiming softness without surrendering strength. "The album is about the journey to reclaim one's self amidst the chaos of life and ultimately acts as a love letter to the pleasures and pain of these human pursuits." While SWEET TOOTH declares Halima's artistic arrival, she calls it an epilogue, a reflection on past behaviors and lessons learned. "Am I the person that I wanted to grow into becoming? I think so. I've given myself permission to be free of those things. To be bold. To take up space."
Strut Records proudly presents the official reissue of Hidden Fire Volumes 1 & 2, the final album released by Sun Ra on his El Saturn label in 1988.
Captured live over three nights at the Knitting Factory in New York City, these performances mark the closing chapter of a 33-year odyssey of radical, independent music-making. Originally issued in tiny quantities with minimal packaging and cryptic artwork—often featuring hand-written labels or Ra’s own handmade designs—Hidden Fire was among the most elusive entries in Sun Ra’s vast discography.
Musically, these recordings stand apart from Ra’s other '80s compositions. Here, Hidden Fire plunges into darker, more dissonant territory. Ra performs exclusively on the Yamaha DX7 synthesiser, pushing its digital sound palette into alien dimensions. The Arkestra lineup is uniquely configured, featuring a rare and heavy string section with three violins, including the legendary Billy Bang, and the singular space vocalist Art Jenkins, whose eerie textures and vocalisations had not been heard so prominently since the early 1960s Choreographers Workshop sessions. The music is raw, unsettled, and often overwhelming.
“Retrospect / This World Is Not My Home” opens with a palindromic riff that evokes Ellington before unraveling into a stark sermon from Ra, warning of death’s dominion over Earth-bound minds. “Hidden Fire Improvisation” is a furious explosion of tone science, with Marshall Allen, Billy Bang, and John Gilmore delivering fire-breathing solos over relentless drumming and Ra’s cascading synth clusters. “Hidden Fire Blues” offers a warped, electrified version of Ra’s familiar blues feature, led by Bruce Edwards on guitar and Rollo Radford on electric bass, transformed through the haze of DX7 textures. “My Brothers The Wind And Sun #9” evokes the experimental weight of The Heliocentric Worlds with its crashing percussion, pulsing synth-vocal duets, and string- driven chaos that seems to spiral into oblivion.
Even the quieter moments—such as “Hidden Fire II,” a duet between Ra and Art Jenkins—feel thick with unease and shadowy beauty. These performances represent a Sun Ra less concerned with cosmic joy or outer-space swing, and more focused on conjuring portals to the unknown.
Remastered from original sources and presented with archival photos, new liner notes by Paul Griffiths, and restored artwork inspired by the original Saturn editions, this reissue offers a definitive window into the last creative surge of one of music’s most visionary figures across two Vinyl LP’s.
Running with Scissors is a cathartic heart ache and, ultimately, a therapeutic exploration of what it means to be alive—to love, to grieve, to regret, and to grow. It pulses with rawness and authenticity, sincerity and honesty, offering both solace and strength to anyone navigating their own emotional journey.
Running with Scissors is the third full-length album from Canadian trio Afternoon Bike Ride. Residing in Montreal, the group is made up of Lia (vocals, guitar, programming), David (vocals, guitar, drums, programming), and Éloi (vocals, keys, drums, programming). Since their formation in 2019, the band has released numerous projects where indie rock blends with acoustic pop, ambient field recordings, and lofi folk.
With each track on the new album, the three artists explore the rollercoaster ride of life’s most profound lessons—falling in and out of love, embracing grief, and navigating the complex spectrum of human emotion. The album feels like a series of journal entries, capturing moments of vulnerability, self-discovery, and personal growth. A lot has changed since their formation in 2019 but their hearts are still in the right place. Lead singer and songwriter Lia reflects on the bittersweet realization that life is an ongoing journey and we’ll never have all the answers, but we can still find meaning through love, meaningful connection, and the lessons that shape us. If life is one big lesson, then according to Lia, "I guess these songs are some classes I've taken."
The twelve song soundscape blends raw, emotional acoustic elements with subtle electronic layers and indie rock grunge, creating a textured blend that feels as vast and intimate as the album’s themes. It’s an immersive record that shifts perspectives, from the micro to the macro, zooming out to explore the universe and zooming in on the personal experiences that define our lives. Throughout the album, ABR explores the beauty of feeling deeply while embracing both the intensity of emotion and the struggles of finding purpose. "I'm finding my way through this world now," says Lia, "with the comfort of knowing I'll never know it all.”
Here we are with the Earth perched on a thin tenuous wire. The neo-liberal order and its fascist mirror world burning through fossil fuels and the souls of vulnerable peoples the globe over. Conflict, warfare, climate degradation, misinformation. The time is nigh to break the spell with music.
Right on time comes IC007 – Four cuts of progressive elektro roots to shine a light on only four of the multitudinous hot spots of suffering while also inspiring a musical movement forward through the storm. Dedicated to the peoples of the Sudan, Palestine, Ukraine, and Taiwan this tune is another ITAL COUNSELOR sound system scorcher.
The message at its very core is to keep keeping on. Never give up. Forward through the storm like an ITAL WARRIOR! This RHYTHM SHOWER is a guideline toward a better tomorrow.
Delivering this message are some of ITAL COUNSELOR MUSIC’s stalwart players. Inyaki Basque Dub Foundation returns to the fold with yet another top-notch original rhythm – A drum and bass workout that harkens back to the best of Sly & Robbie’s Compass Point era science fiction dubwise and just a little bit of Aswad’s “To The Top” era progressive roots. Both raw and rhythmically complex, Inyaki makes the drum and bass hit hard with the mixing help of top studio man James Zugati. The dubwise cuts on side two are of course custom made to make bass bins rumble and weakheart drop.
Alas, we cannot forget Soothsayer horns – here as always proving that they are the best horn section out there. They feel it. They know it. They execute it in the hardest and sharpest of manors. Heavy heavy hornsman manners…
With »Roto«, Derek Piotr revisits the aqueous terrain first explored in his 2016 album »Drono«, where the paradox of water’s stillness and perpetual motion was refracted into looping voices and glitching textures. Conceived as a »spiritual successor« and recorded in 2019, the album has lain dormant for six years before surfacing on Discreet Archive. That stretch of silence seems to have deepened its charge – the sound feels unearthed rather than made, like a whirlpool biding its time in obscurity until now.
Unlike »Drono«’s mosaic of shorter pieces, »Roto« unfurls as two expansive half-hour tracks, allowing Piotr to probe repetition with greater intensity. Vowels accumulate until they shimmer with alien sentience, drones grow dense and psychoacoustic, and the smallest digital artifacts flicker like neural sparks. The result is a work that denies familiarity; recurrence here only breeds strangeness, unspooling into a procession of hidden pulses and altered voices that resist prediction, drawing the listener deeper into a submerged, otherworldly space.
Derek Piotr is a folklorist, researcher and performer whose work focuses primarily on the human voice. His work covers practices including fieldwork, vocal performance, preservation and autoethnography; and is primarily concerned with tenderness, fragility, beauty and brutality. He has collaborated with artists including Scott Solter, Nathan Salsburg and Thomas Brinkmann across various disciplines.
He is lead archivist and creative director of the Fieldwork Archive.
The Delines "Scenic Sessions" 10th anniversary Coke Bottle Green Colored LP reissue. Originally issued in 2015 as a Rough Trade and Tour exclusive The Delines album, Scenic Sessions sold out in a period of weeks with their End of the Road Festival appearance that Sept. It was time for a reissue as it is one of the fans favourites and never available outside of the UK at retail with only 1000 copies printed. The band always thinks of this one as The Delines at summer camp. We recorded it during a minor heat wave, it"s loose and a bit rawer than most of our other records, and there"s a no pressure easy going feel to the session that really comes across. It"s a band favorite, too, because while recording it I think we all knew we were becoming a real band.
Die HC-geneigten Punkrocker aus Schweden melden sich mit ihrem dritten Album zurück! "Liminal State" kann als Schwellenzustand beschrieben werden - der Übergang zwischen zwei verschiedenen Phasen, Orten oder Realitäten. Ein Dazwischen, in dem man nicht mehr der Mensch ist, der man einmal war, aber auch noch nicht der, der man werden wird. Genau in diesem Zustand befinden sich die Mitglieder von Death By Horse - oder sie haben ihn seit ihrem letzten Album "Reality Hits Hard" (2019) durchlebt. Dieses Album ist kein Hilferuf - es ist ein Schrei direkt ins Gesicht! Es ist ein Weg, die emotionale Achterbahnfahrt der letzten Jahre zu verarbeiten. Death By Horse stürzt sich kopfüber in diesen Sturm voller existenziellem Zorn, dem Kampf gegen toxische Muster, dem Tod von Familienmitgliedern und dem Tragen einer Maske aus falschem Selbstvertrauen, um Selbstzweifel und Selbsthass zu verbergen. Das ist Punkrock mit einer melodischen Hardcore-Kante - schnell, gnadenlos und mit Texten voller Widersprüche, unbequemer Wahrheiten, Ironie und der brutalen Selbstreflexion, für die Death By Horse bekannt ist. Keine geschönte Fassade, kein Filter - nur rohe, raue Energie und eine Ehrlichkeit, die weh tut. Gleichzeitig ist "Liminal State" eine Erinnerung daran, dass das alles nur eine Fahrt ist - nicht mehr und nicht weniger. Also: Genieß jede verdammte Sekunde davon! Wenn du dich jemals wie ein Freak, ein Geist oder wie eine Granate kurz vorm Explodieren gefühlt hast - willkommen zu Hause! Klassisch schwarze oder farbige Splatter Vinyl-LP, CD kommt im schmalen Cardboard.
Die HC-geneigten Punkrocker aus Schweden melden sich mit ihrem dritten Album zurück! "Liminal State" kann als Schwellenzustand beschrieben werden - der Übergang zwischen zwei verschiedenen Phasen, Orten oder Realitäten. Ein Dazwischen, in dem man nicht mehr der Mensch ist, der man einmal war, aber auch noch nicht der, der man werden wird. Genau in diesem Zustand befinden sich die Mitglieder von Death By Horse - oder sie haben ihn seit ihrem letzten Album "Reality Hits Hard" (2019) durchlebt. Dieses Album ist kein Hilferuf - es ist ein Schrei direkt ins Gesicht! Es ist ein Weg, die emotionale Achterbahnfahrt der letzten Jahre zu verarbeiten. Death By Horse stürzt sich kopfüber in diesen Sturm voller existenziellem Zorn, dem Kampf gegen toxische Muster, dem Tod von Familienmitgliedern und dem Tragen einer Maske aus falschem Selbstvertrauen, um Selbstzweifel und Selbsthass zu verbergen. Das ist Punkrock mit einer melodischen Hardcore-Kante - schnell, gnadenlos und mit Texten voller Widersprüche, unbequemer Wahrheiten, Ironie und der brutalen Selbstreflexion, für die Death By Horse bekannt ist. Keine geschönte Fassade, kein Filter - nur rohe, raue Energie und eine Ehrlichkeit, die weh tut. Gleichzeitig ist "Liminal State" eine Erinnerung daran, dass das alles nur eine Fahrt ist - nicht mehr und nicht weniger. Also: Genieß jede verdammte Sekunde davon! Wenn du dich jemals wie ein Freak, ein Geist oder wie eine Granate kurz vorm Explodieren gefühlt hast - willkommen zu Hause! Klassisch schwarze oder farbige Splatter Vinyl-LP, CD kommt im schmalen Cardboard.
”The Definitve Croce”, eine Sammlung von Jim Croces unvergleichlichem Studioalben, die 1972 und 1973
veröffentlicht wurden, ist wieder als limitierte 3LP-Box aus farbigem Vinyl oder als limitierte 3CD-Box
erhältlich. Alle drei Alben enthalten aktualisierte Mixe von Paul Hicks (George Harrison, John Lennon).
Disk 1 ist das Studioalbum von 1972 „You Don’t Mess Around with Jim“. Das Album erreichte Platz 1 und
ist mit GOLD ausgezeichnet, und enthält die Nummer-1-Single „Time In A Bottle“, sowie die Hits „You
Don’t Mess Around With Jim“ und „Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels).“ Disk 2 ist das Studioalbum
von 1973 „Life and Times“. Das Album erreichte die Top 10 und ist mit GOLD ausgezeichnet, und enthält
die GOLD-Nummer-1-Single „Bad, Bad Leroy Brown“, sowie den Hit „One Less Set Of Footsteps“. Disk
3 ist das letzte Studioalbum von Jim Croce „I Got A Name“, das 1973 veröffentlicht wurde. Das Album
erreichte Platz 2 und ist mit GOLD ausgezeichnet, und enthält die Top 10 Hits „I’ll Have To Say I Love
You In A Song“ und „I Got A Name“ sowie den Top 40 Hit „Workin’ At The Car Wash Blues.“
Human Leather have always been a ferocious live act, unbelievably loud for a 2 piece. Their gigs are often an overwhelming wall of sludge, howls and amphetamine-addled drums, with spectators flying joyously around the pit. Previous recordings did full justice to the impact of the live show; however, the second helping is something else. On Here Comes the Mind, There Goes the Body the sludge is still present, rising, and lapping at your ankles, but there's a new clarity showing off exactly how f*cking good those riffs are. There are ear worm riffs for days, shout along vocals that roar, shriek and reform into a Greek chorus, drums that thump you repeatedly in the chest and then the whole thing vanishes in just under 30 minutes, leaving you bruised, deafened and with Some Questions about your life. Squint your ears a bit and you'll hear the influences of bands like Karp, Torche and Big Business but they're thrown into a much crustier stew. The lyrics span a variety of political issues, not limited to the landed gentry, global warming and consumerist harbingers of doom. Importantly the songs are also not afraid to discuss class issues (unlike many political bands who you suspect have a much sturdier security net). While this could easily feel preachy, every line is delivered with the knowing wink of the underdog and good humour (I am going to smile every time I think of "clod damn" or "QVC Hands" staring up at me from the lyric sheet), and the vibes are as they've always been in difficult times - "we know we're fucked, tonight we mosh, tomorrow we march". And what is the point of a revolution you can't dance to? Speaking of dancing, the final track features an honest-to-god dance beat, acid squelches and disembodied vocal samples, pointing to an alternative universe in which Human Leather are a heavy electroclash band. Here comes the record of the year, bring what is left of your eardrums. You didn't need that body anyway
First released on August 18, 2023, "Outline of Nature" started as an experiment in building a modular synthesizer system and ended up as a voltage controlled outpouring of love for the natural world. Sylvan-born and pastoral-powered, sap-blooded and lightning-charged, this album grew out of the damp florescent corners of the woods, each note and sound, a fractal extension of their seedling sounds. It was nurtured into being at The Twilight Research Centre, a studio facility situated on the border of Somerset and Dorset. During Covid lockdown 1.0, I spent the outdoor hours we were permitted, wandering through the centre's surroundings, in the green lanes, woodlands and corridors of the wilds with their wary and flickering inhabitants, beneath the distant eyes of the soaring buzzards and the hulking red kites. I didn't expect it, but it was in the quiet, ferociously vibrant dens of nature, that I found a deeply profound connection with the natural world. It once again made sense to feel as much a part of the woods as the trees were; I felt like a natural entity in its habitat again, not something I'd properly felt since running wild through the gullies, dells and fells of the Midlands as a child. And I became afflicted with a powerful urge to build strange electronic sound systems that were organic, chaotic, fractal and in some way reflective of the awesome natural systems that surround us and surround the centre. I plugged in the modular, and went searching for signs of life. Adding to this, just before the lockdowns, I stumbled across a three volume nature encyclopedia in a local charity shop, called "Outline of Nature in the British Isles" by Sir John Hammerton. The sub-heading reads "A Comprehensive Photo-Survey of the Varied Life of Field and Hedgerow, Moor and Mountain, River, Pond and Sea", and it's a stunning collection of grainy photographs, beautiful illustrations and wondrously poetic writing, some of which inspired track titles and of course, the album title. I also rekindled my love of Ladybird nature books such as the "What to Look for in Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter" series, "Birds and How They Live" and "Butterflies, Moths and Other Insects", rebuilding a small collection I had as a child and discovering numerous volumes new to me. Between the two literary sources, I had a rich well of imagery, writing and pastoral nostalgia to draw from; and coupled with the extended sessions of blissing out in my own heavily ecstatic awe descended on me in the sheer grandness of the wilderness, I set about enticing out of the woods an album of phosphorescent electrical music, abundant with comparatively microscopic, but persistent and wild life-forces.
Jennifer Touch release her next LP 'Aging at Airports' on Fabrika Records. The idea for the record title came before the music even existed as Touch was spending an increasing amount of time in airports while touring. In her own words: "It felt like I waste a large part of my life waiting for the next show to come, to entertain and perform my music and build timeless moments with others. This waiting, the slowly ticking time at the gate, was in complete contrast to what I want to do as an artist: to be in flux, to create things that will last forever. The airport, as a busy hub, was like a symbol of this ambivalence. And a reminder: every second, whether waiting or on the move, I have to accept that I am fading, that my creative power, my face, and my body are fading. As a (performing) artist, everything feels like a strange contrast. While you want to stay true to yourself and speak authentically from the soul, you are also expected to appear forever young, and powerful. Artists are often wanted to distract people, but creating this art forces me to confront my own transience. I feel the struggle to fit into this powerful artificial framework that the world has set and the desire to break free from it."
On Friday, September 5 Liv Andrea Hauge Trio releases its third album, Dognville, on Norwegian label Hubro. The record explores the feeling of being "dognvill" a Norwegian term describing the sensation of being out of sync with time and reality, like during jet lag or insomnia. The music inhabits this liminal space between structure and freedom, consciousness and dream. Half of the compositions were written while pianist and composer Liv Andrea Hauge was bedridden with a high fever in a semi lucid, dreamlike state. The other half emerged ahead of the trio's European tour in autumn 2024.The result is a fusion of fresh inspiration and songs shaped and seasoned through live performance a record rooted in both spontaneity and maturation.Since forming in 2022, the trio Liv Andrea Hauge (piano), Georgia Wartel Collins (bass) and August Glännestrand (drums) has become a compelling voice in modern acoustic jazz. With extensive touring across Norway and internationally, and two previous album releases, the band has cultivated a strong, intuitive musical chemistry.Dognvillereflects this presenting a sound that is more serious and contemplative than earlier works, echoing the uncertainty and introspection of our times.
Forgetting is Violent is the most powerful release to date from Los Angeles saxophonist and composer Patrick Shiroishi (The Armed, Wild Up), with timely suites that meditate on racism and addiction. The music developed in part through extensive solo touring opening for Emma Ruth Rundle, in which Shiroishi brought effects pedals to the forefront. For the first time on a solo LP, Shiroishi has brought in collaborators: a who’s who of heavy music, including Aaron Turner (SUMAC), Gemma Thompson (Savages), and Mat Ball (BIG|BRAVE). With liner notes by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hua Hsu, Forgetting is Violent is Shiroishi’s latest masterwork. We recommend snapping this one up while you can, because we expect copies will fly.