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Canada’s answer to Metallica? The Eddie Van Halen of thrash metal? Both these terms could have easily applied to Annihilator and its mastermind, lead guitarist and songwriter Jeff Waters. A fan of both speed metal and classic rock, the Canadian emphasized a flair for both. The fresh invention of Waters’ guitar work was a major reason why Annihilator got off to a promising start and have survived to the present, with a dozen or more albums under their belts.

THE BEST OF ANNIHILATOR compiles cuts from the band’s first three studio albums, a rarities collection, and a live disc, all of which emerged on Roadrunner between 1989 and 1996.

There have been many records in the years since, as Annihilator has continued to be one of the few bands to fly the flag for the classic thrash metal sound, earning themselves a devoted following and a regular spot on the European concert and festival circuit. THE BEST OF ANNIHILATOR takes the listener back to the early days of that sound, which stands up to anything else of it’s time - and even most metal today.

Two albums filled with the best that this band has to offer and for the first time available on vinyl.
Best Of Annihilator is available as limited numbered edition of 1500 copies on silver coloured vinyl

Hardly Cricket sees the band truly lean into their rock tendencies. Those who have enjoyed their past forays into 70s style dual guitar leads will find much to latch onto here. Explosive, high energy tunes like “New Music” and “Sacred Heart” are instantly infectious and truly set the tone with high flying guitar action from all the players. However, as always, Shirese keeps it varied. With songwriting duties being more evenly spread throughout the group this time around, listeners will find 60s garage, country, and even doo-wop inflected songs as well. Matt Paolilo’s ever present vocals and tongue-and-cheek lyrics keep listeners on their toes. While the occasional descent into tape spliced experimental madness still finds its place in the grooves. Shirese continues to evolve as their lineup continues to cement. Gone are the days of a revolving cast of characters, and in its place we find a group of friends who mesh tightly, pushing beyond their perceived limits to true rock’n’roll glory! A Grapefruit Records and C/Site Recordings co-release. Limited to 300 copies.

Amongst the hundreds of recordings issued by Sun Ra and his Arkestra, under their various guises, the majority were recorded in concert or in makeshift studios such as their early 1960s set-up at NYC's Choreographer's Workshop. Beyond those, roughly 22 albums were recorded at Variety Recording Studio in New York's Times Square. However, on August 25, 1986, Sun Ra and cohorts entered Mission Control, a state-of-the-art 24-track studio north of Boston, which was teeming with electronic keyboards and otherworldly sound generators. Nestled within that arsenal was a brand-new digital ultra keyboard — the Prophet VS ("Vector Synthesizer").
Of all the keyboards Ra played throughout his half-century career, the Prophet was one of the most sophisticated. There's no evidence that he had played either of the instrument's earlier incarnations, the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 and Prophet-10. Created using microprocessors, a then-new technological advance, under the auspices of engineer Dave Smith in 1978, the Prophet-5 revolutionized electronic music as the first polyphonic and, most importantly, programmable synthesizer.
Ra was intrigued by the Prophet (surely by the instrument as well as by the name). Recorded during a single day, it's about time that these once lost performances have now been found.
It was a joy and a thrill to be sitting at the console hearing this music for the first time, especially with my fingers on the faders and knobs of the mixing desk. We watched the oxide fly off the 2" tapes during playback, making this our one chance to digitize before they metamorphosed into dust. Welcome to the new Sun Ra album....35+ years after it was recorded. The Omniverse has expanded once again.

Universe Room is the eighteenth Guided By Voices album in ten years and packs a vast mix of energy levels and sounds into seventeen diverse tracks in less than forty minutes. The new record ventures into truly surprising territory, where barely any song segments and choruses are revisited and fidelity daringly shifts between lo-fi and hi-fi.

“I wanted to create, hopefully, an experience, kind of a wild ride, where the listener would want to hear it multiple times in order to grasp all the sections and fields of sound to discover something new with each listen,” says Robert Pollard. “I trimmed down the songs so that there wasn’t a lot of repetition, so you get a lot of sections that happen only once or twice.”

Universe Room embodies a realm of new horizons for Guided By Voices, who continue to redefine and expand as they blast off to unpredictable worlds.

The Velveteers bring a visceral energy to their explosive sophomore album, A Million Knives. The album is a blistering rock anthem infused with melodic indie songwriting. With GRAMMY Award-winning producer Dan Auerbach at the helm, the Boulder, CO trio encapsulates the raw, forceful, and profoundly heavy energy of their live performances and laser-focuses a spotlight on tightly crafted songs as they carve out their own distinctive niche. Driving The Velveteers is the commanding presence of frontwoman Demi Demitro, a no-bullshit, five-foot-something spitfire with thunderous guitar riffs and soaring vocals, backed by the incendiary duo of Baby Pottersmith and Johnny Fig on drums. The band's signature dual drum setup creates a thunderous foundation that propels their gritty, dynamic garage rock sound. On A Million Knives, this setup melds seamlessly with a more modern indie rock influence-the attitude of Wolf Alice, the colossal sound of Queens of the Stone Age, and the singular lyrical voice of Hole. The Velveteers have built a dedicated following through relentless touring and electrifying performances, sharing stages with renowned acts such as Smashing Pumpkins, The Black Keys, Greta Van Fleet, Guns N' Roses, and Des Rocs. With A Million Knives, The Velveteers offer a compelling testament to their rising stardom, a rock 'n' roll album as beautiful as it is terrifying.

Hailed by Galore Magazine as "A Queer Icon", 80's inspired popstar Caroline Kingsbury releases her latest EP "I Really Don't Care!" on pink 10" vinyl. "I Really Don't Care!" was produced by Charlie Brand (Minature Tigers), and features the song "Take My Phone Away" co-written with Justin Tranter.

Kingsbury has been featured in influential playlists such as Spotify's Fierce Femmes, Fresh Finds, and Apple Music's Alt Pop, and New Music Daily. She's toured the US multiple times over supporting artists like Alex Lahey, St Lucia, Arlie, and has garnered praise from Pitchfork, the New Yorker, Gay Times, Rolling Stone, and many more."

Ein prächtiges Doppelalbum (2x LP) im Gatefold welches die besten Beispiele eines bis vor kurzem sehr unterschätzten Genres enthält.
Jetzt ist es natürlich der angesagteste Sound überhaupt.
Aus dem umfangreichen Nippon Columbia-Katalog hat Cunimondo Takiguchi die heißesten Stücke der innovativsten Schöpfer des City Pop-Genres zusammengestellt.
Wenn man dann noch die berühmte hohe Produktionsqualität und Qualitätskontrolle von Gearbox hinzunimmt, hat man einen frühen Anwärter auf die Compilation des Jahres!

Vinyl Only / Original artwork / Black Vinyl / 400 mcn paper / 30x30 cm insert with notes by Tony Higgins and graphic elaboration printed on 250 gram G.F. Smith Colorplan / PVC outers


Personnel:
Jorge Ruiz Lopez – Double Bass
Roberto Fernandez Trumpet
Leandro "Gato" Barbieri - Tenor Sax
Ruben Lopez Furst – Piano
Pichi Mazzei - Drums

Notes:
Jorge López Ruiz is one of most versatile of musical talents to emerge from Argentina. As a bass player, composer, performer and arranger he has worked across many genres including jazz, pop as well as stage productions and feature films.

BA Jazz was originally released in 1961 on Vik Records as the debut album from Lopez Ruiz featuring a mix of covers and original material. Alongside Ruiz Lopez are Roberto Fernandez on trumpet, Ruben Lopez Furst on piano, Pichi Mazzei on drums and a young musician called Leandro Barbieri on tenor sax. Leandro became better known at Gato Barbieri, who went on to build an international reputation working with Charlie Hayden, Don Cherry, Dollar Brand and Carla Bley and recording for Impulse! Records, Flying Dutchman and A&M Records.
The BA Jazz album has been a rarity for years and original pressings attract huge amounts from collectors. It's rarity is matched by the fantastic music contained with its grooves. It's a genuinely important record in the development of jazz in South America. (Tony Higgins)

The hornsman instrumental has a long legacy in the realms of reggae music. Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Vin Gordon, Rico Rodriguez, Eddie Tan Tan. The list players behind this tradition could go on and on. The notes they played across eras from ska to rock steady to the deepest dubwise steppers bellow through the wind and the wire like a Warrior Charge ….

…It is within this tradition that Ital Counselor’s next weighty contribution to the musical world of QUALITY reggae fits…

…From the very first sonorous note emanating from the mighty Soothsayer’s Horn Section the listener can tell the Dub Organiser means business. That’s right. Once again, the Ital Counselor teams up with Chris Lane of Fashion Records for a cantankerous churning steppers meant to burn out all weak heart sound who try come test.

As evidenced from this 12”s namesake, the humble Soul Dragon Temple of Tone Sound System and IC partners in crime out of Philadelphia, USA, the Soul Dragon Anthem breaths some serious fire. The hard hard rhythm churns relentlessly while the bassline rolls like Dragon’s breath calling all in the dance to spring heel skank straight through all four cuts.

The Dub Organiser stirs a cauldron of dense dub at points conjuring aspects of Lee Perry’s classic Black Ark sound while maintaining his own distinctive spin on the mystical mixing arts. Shards of sound echo and delay. Mr. Lane takes the bassline to aquatic depths as the DRAGON DIVES DEEP……Cut 1…Cut 2…Cut 3…Cut 4…

This one is dedicated to all home town hi-fi’s forwarding reggae and sound system culture outernationally. So without further ado, all soundman and woman worth your salt it is time to DROP the needle on this track. Watch the Dragon FLY and let the Dub Organiser and the Soothsayer Horn’s “Soul Dragon Anthem” BREATH FIRE through your SPEAKER BOX!!!!!!

Free jazz poetry by a spry, 85 year old Joe McPhee, adapting his renowned improvised practice to words - juxtaposed with Mats Gustafson’s sparing brass and electric gestures. It’s an utterly timeless and transfixing salvo, another shiny notch for Smalltown Supersound’s Le Jazz Non Series.

As a common ligature to the OG free jazz scene of ‘60s NYC, with formative binds to its European offshoots and the experimental avant garde, Joe McPhee is a true force of nature who has represented jazz at its freest over a remarkable lifetime. In duo with Swedish free jazz and noise standard bearer Mats Gustafson, he upends expectations with an astonishingly vivid and upfront example of his enduring contribution to freely improvised music. In 11 parts he variously reflects on everything from the neon sleaze and scuzz of NYC to contemporary US politicians and laugh out loud imitations of his previous sparring partners such as Peter Brötzmann, with a head-slapping immediacy that leaves you reeling, spellbound.

McPhee’s flow of rare, organic cadence, ranging from urgent to contemplative and dreamlike, is blessed with a unique turn-of-phrase that surely mirrors his decades of instrumental work. Gustafsson, meanwhile, dextrously takes up the mantle with a multi-instrumental spectrum of sounds, leaving McPhee unbound and able to float and sting on the mic. There’s obvious wisdom in his perceptively penetrative observations, as derived from a rich cultural life well spent, but also a playful naivety and levity in his ability to veer from almost melodic speech to explosive aggression and a knowing, bathetic wit. It’s perhaps hard to believe that McPhee only started incorporating and performing spoken word in his work in the past ten years, a half century since his declaration of “What Time Is It‽” announced his arrival on a legendary debut ‘Nation Time’ (1971), ushering in one of free jazz’s most singular characters in the process.

Oscillating between discordant reflections on life as a touring musician, set to Gustafsson’s skronk and culminating in a snort-worthy imitation of Peter Brötzmann’s gruff German accent, on ‘Short Pieces’ or the glowering growl and noise exhortations of ‘Guitar’, he evokes a more sweetly consonant calm in ‘When I Grow Up’ and eerie threat of ‘The Dreams Book’, and viscerality of ‘Disco Death’, where Gustafson’s tonal versatility comes into hugely mutable play, whilst McPhee’s extraordinary, unaffected voice is a constant. It’s perhaps McPhee’s balance of cool measuredness and wellspring of barbed energies that allows us, at least, to get the most out of this one; not stifling with mannered or manicured enunciation that can trigger certain icks; keeping close to the nature of spoken word in a way that avoids cliche and becomes inherently critical of it within his purposeful, non-hesitant clarity and unflinching approach.

House of Flying Daggers is a multiple Satellite, LA Film Critcs & Boston Film Critics award winning 2004 wuxia romance film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi and Takeshi Kaneshiro. Unlike other wuxia films, it is more of a love story than purely a martial arts film. The film features the theme of a beautiful woman who brings woe to two men. The soundtrack is produced and created by legendary Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi and features vocals by Zhang Ziyi and Kathleen Battle. Shigeru Umebayashi is perhaps best known for “Yumeji’s Theme” (originally from Seijun Suzuki’s Yumeji), included in director Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love. In celebration of Umebayashi’s 70th birthday on February 19, 2021, the House of Flying Daggers soundtrack is released on vinyl for the first time. It is pressed on green marbled vinyl as a limited edition of 2000 copies. The packages comes with an exclusive replica of the movie poster and a 4-page booklet.

Miki Yui is a musician, artist, and composer, originally from Tokyo, who has been based in Düsseldorf since 1994. Her whose work has long explored multiple forms of media, while documenting liminal zones of perception. On her latest album, As If, Yui creates a subtly connected suite of electronic music, drawn from improvisations and randomised processes that she has engaged with modular synthesis. Deeply poetic in its expression, even at its most minimal, the six pieces on As If have a curious tenor – they are, each of them, intensely sensuous, almost haptic listening experiences, as though the laser focus that Yui displays towards her compositions allows her to engage them as almost physical presences in the world.

One of the keys that unlocks the intimate complexity-in-simplicity of As If was Yui’s encounters with the Amazonian rainforest in Manaus, Brazil in 2018. Finding that the sounds in the rainforest both shadowed and echoed the music she had been making for two decades, she embraced the possibilities of modular synthesis, the sounds of which she discovered “have astonishing similarities to the sounds I experienced in the rainforest.” There is, indeed, something natural about the way these sounds bloom in real time; in their dedicated focus to the subtle development and mutation of several discrete parameters of sound, they grow slowly, gradually, their rhizomic structures suggesting that we are always situated within the middle of sound.

Sometimes, the material here has a kind of febrile energy, as on the ticking, clacking electronics of “Generativ”, a track that seems to rotate in the air in front of the listener, the light reflecting off its multiple surfaces as we catch the intricacies of its micro-patterns. Elsewhere, we slide into a cooled but welcoming environment, like the late-night fire-fly horizon of “Song 4”; there’s also the humid, dripping tropical sunset that’s documented on “Summernight”. It’s a music that’s hard to locate external coordinates for, though there are, perhaps, some parallels with the work of Laurie Spiegel, Eliane Radigue’s Vice Versa, and Pauline Oliveros’s “Roots of the Moment”. But As If is an extraordinary collection of naturally developing, rich studies for slowly mutating, enveloping, elemental electronics.

Bakermat’s upcoming album, Grace Note, is a heartfelt tribute to the powerful connection between House music and Gospel. Celebrating the joy and spiritual essence of these genres, the album invites listeners to rediscover the magic of the dancefloor, where Bakermat's music has fostered moments of joy and connection for over a decade.

Retrofuturism, outer space and limitless exploration are the central themes of Cesar Quinn's second album, "HELO".They incorporate influences from contemporary hip-hop experimentalists like The Alchemist and Armand Hammer, while also revisiting the space jazz of Sun Ra and the ambient probings of Terry Riley.



"HELO" was self-produced by Frederik Daelemans, with co-production contributions from Aram Santy and Youniss. LA-based mixing and mastering engineer Zeroh (associated with Injury Reserve, Liv.e, Pink Siifu) added his hip-hop flair, enhancing the band's sound into a cohesive, sample-inspired experience.

Features play a significant role in "HELO". The first vocal feature is Antwerp artist Youniss on "SMOKE," followed by New York vocalist Semiratruth, who energises "QUASAR." The collaboration with Belgian jazz saxophonist Mattias De Craene, long discussed but never realised on the debut album, finally materialises on "MARS," where he explores a range of saxophones, creating a rich tapestry of sound. The standout feature is undoubtedly Detroit rapper Zelooperz, whose verse and chorus on the title track "HELO" fulfilled a long-held aspiration for the band, given their admiration for his work with The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt. Finally, Zeroh lent his deep vocals to the ambient track "BOOTES," further uniting the album.

Drama is the first EP released by Lourene. Produced by Idris Bena, it's a blend of electro, house and post punk vibes.

Frank Sinatra was one of the greatest performers and first musical superstar of the last century. His voice, timing and performance created the standards for vocalists ever since. Even today’s performers like Michael Bubble, Jamie Cullum and Robbie Williams are highly inspired by “Ol’ Blue Eyes.”

On Frank Sinatra Collected, his career and musical legacy is celebrated on 2 LPs, spanning over 5 decades. In association with Frank Sinatra Enterprises, the 31 recordings on Collected include not just his most famous songs, but also delves into some of his best album tracks and collaborations with Count Basie, Quincy Jones and his daughter Nancy, all showcasing the versatile artist he was.

Frank Sinatra Collected is available as a 2LP, housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve with liner notes inside. 10.000 numbered copies are pressed on “Sinatra Ol’ Blue Eyes” translucent blue coloured vinyl.

Satoshi Tomiie Is Back on Phonogramme With "12b-Dub Pt. 2," the Second Volume of the Acclaimed Ep Series by Legendary Producer Satoshi Tomiie. This 4-Track Ep Continues to Explore Tomiie's Deep and Innovative Soundscapes, Making It an Essential Addition to Any Electronic Music Collection. Available on a Limited Edition Marbled 12'' Vinyl, "12b-Dub Pt. 2" Promises to Deliver a Unique Auditory Experience With Its Rich Textures and Masterful Production. Don't Miss Out on This Exclusive Release From Phonogramme, Showcasing Satoshi Tomiie's Enduring Influence in the World of Electronic Music....

Slum Dunk Music is proud to re-release Tropical Punk - a 12" EP by Brazilian mutant punk funk duo Tetine formed by Sao Paulo-born artists/musicians Bruno Verner & Eliete Mejorado, originally released in 2010 - and featuring 4 warm dance punk numbers taken from their the album "From A Forest Near You". The opener "Tropical Punk (Mutant edit)" comes with a brand new mutant funk re-edit with more percussion, more analog synths, warm drum machines, and a funky bassline. The result is a mid-tempo South American cannibalistic disco-pop with catchy lyrics & beautiful half-sang/half-spoken melodies. "Yr Daugther Lies" is a cosmic, experimental/new wave piece with plenty of old school synths, processed vocals, percussive drum machine & spooky live electronics flying around in the mix. It marks Tetine's first collaboration with L.A. electronicists Howardamb. On the B side, "Shiva" comes as a percussive tropical mutnat punk-funk number led by a swinged bassline & Eliete Mejorado's distinct post-feminist spoken word vocals on sordid domesticity set against organic drum beats, dissonant soundscapes, a lost trumpet & some great interplay of raw guitars. The last track "O Espaco" is a relaxed 6-minute cosmic disco piece of Brazilian tropical punk funk on the dangers & delights of being lost in the jungle - sang in Portuguese by Bruno & Eliete - & permeated by a discordant interplay of ultra-funky guitars, abstract synth-bass plus all sorts of FX & live electronics. Tropical Punk finds Tetine celebrating their art-punk roots back to the underground of Sao Paulo with a collection of wild & raw unconventional dance tracks.

Forever was a record that was written and recorded one track at a time with my husband Coley. After scrapping about 20 songs or so I had written the last few years, I wanted to get to the heart of things. I had a great talk with a friend on the phone and she mentioned she just wasn’t sure where I’d been. I realized I wasn’t really certain of that either. It’d been a foggy few years after 2020, and the pieces seemed to just be starting to be picked up. I had fallen in love, gotten married, had a dog, a house…things I had always dreamed of. But it took my quite some time to accept them as my life. For a bit, I felt like an outsider watching myself stumble though everything, and was constantly critiquing myself, to the point where I could hardly leave the house for a bit. But then I realized my life was passing me by, and the love I was living in required presence to accept. I started to do the little things you have to do to just show up for people: listen, grow, change, write….get outside of my own problems. Time is flying, and I want to be here for it all rather than lost in my thoughts all the time. My love is forever. When I was a kid I used to say to my mom and dad “I love you forever and always” then neurotically changed it to “I love you forever and always and it’s true and I mean it”…because I wanted to make sure they knew how much I wasn’t messing around! I still feel that way when I say “I love you” to anyone and hope it comes across on this record. Love y’all forever!