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A snapshot in time...Where all the madness began... Sandwell District. In the summer of 2004 David Sumner (Function), then living in his native New York City, was over in Europe playing some shows. When passing through Berlin to play the old Tresor location at Potsdamer Platz, he stayed with long term friend and collaborator, Karl O'Connor (Regis). One afternoon the two head over to Hardwax and T++ puts on a copy of Sleeparchive Elephant Island. After months of discussions regarding the flavor of the moment ''Minimal'', everything changed in that instant...They looked at each other and said ''now this changes everything!'' Finally, a way forward! Later that night at Tresor - as Function is playing, Regis is behind him organizing a mic...As Dave mixes Regis Guiltless with Elephant Island, Karl starts singing a punk cover version of Buddy Holly Peggy Sue over his set. It's all there in that one moment! Sandwell District. Dave goes back to New York inspired. He sees there's no information on the record apart from an email address. So, he gets in touch...He gets a reply from Roger, the two hit it off and organize the first ever Sleeparchive remix - Regis Asbestos (Sleeparchive Remix). On the B-side comes a cut-up version of Karl and Dave's Portion Reform classic Closing In, where they collaborate with Detroit Underground's Kero to form Re:Group. Adding deep 808 rhythms combined with Kero's signature Max MSP IDM madness, Left provides the perfect counterpart that made this EP the instant classic it became 18 years ago. Now, remastered in all its glory, sounding fresh, massive and better than ever - available on BandCamp for the first time - Infrastructure presents; Regis Asbestos (Sleeparchive Remix) b/w Re:Group Left.

DNO welcomes two new signees, Slovenian producer Marka San and UK rapper Axel Holy, for one of the label’s darkest releases yet. The ‘Hidden Knowledge’ EP presents five tracks of dread bass and bad-trip sonics, as the Bristolian MC delivers cut-throat bars with the kind of calm, looming menace of a tomcat toying with its prey.

It was DEDW8, Axel’s horror-touched collab with Split Prophets’ Blanka, that first made him known in Slovenia, prompting Marka San to get in touch about working together. The same sinister vibe that drives that project has spread its tendrils right through the ‘Hidden Knowledge’ EP, from the twisted brass and squirming bass of ‘Where Did You Go’, which drags its feet like some zombified blues track as Axel repeats the titular phrase in his husky drawl, to the equally chilling ‘Classics’— all eerie samples and abyssal lows, with a pitched-down hook and braggadocious bars.

On ‘Patterns’, Axel goes to war, attacking the creeping beat with vicious battle bars and stories of the hustle, while ‘Hidden Knowledge’ sees him flex his vocabulary to take swipes at the powerful, and ‘Robert Downey’ makes his unswerving determination clear over grungy guitar.

Deliciously macabre, with intricate layers and lyrics that’ll have you spotting something new on every listen, yet still heavyweight enough for the dance, this is a match made in the nine circles and we can’t get enough of it.

Rhythms of postmodern realism at the very bottom of the DNO.

our Flies' 45s series continues to pay tribute to the golden age of Italian film music, this time with the first 7-inch release ever of two super-groovy themes from Gianni Marchetti's soundrack to Milano: il clan dei calabresi (known in English as The Last Desperate Hours), a 1974 poliziottesco film directed by Giorgio Stegani.

"M2", on side A, is a re-versioning of a timeless classic – Quincy Jones' "Ironside" theme – where the punch of funk comes to the fore and is fused with the acid sound of early 70s Italian prog rock. This combination of jazz-funk and prog rock is found also in "M3", on side B, which weaves a tapestry of powerful horns and gently weeping guitarover a driving, funk-blues bass line.
A must-have for lovers of rare grooves and poliziottesco films! But don't wait around, it's a limited edition!

***After birthing Street Riffs, their hi-definition, hi-energy, statement from 2020, CCR Headcleaner turned inward. The retreat from the pro-studio to the home studio was partially by design and partially decided by global events. Cleaner is very much a pandemic album, more of a homespun head trip than its predecessors. At the same time guitarist, songwriter and spiritual center of the group, Lacey Emmanuel, left the Bay for the shores of Lake Michigan. By most accounts an apocalyptic live-band became by and large a home recording animal. This is most apparent when Headcleaner turns up the balladry. “Don’t Feel the End” is a proto-metal campfire anthem, and “Everyday” hovers somewhere between keyboard misfit John Bender and the White Album. Make no mistake, the record will still be filed under “Punk” at your local record shop. It kicks off with “the brining pt. 2” the hottest slice of Funhouse free-rock that the band has committed to record. “Too Much” gives us its jail abolition rap over a two chord hardcore stomp. In a town (San Francisco) that is experiencing something of a DIY pop renaissance, Headcleaner has always fought to establish the fact that they have actual songs. This is no 70s throwback, but instead an attempt to up the ante. Without all the rock histrionics, technical arrogance and misogyny can the rock riff deliver on its ultimate promise: heavy music for total liberation. All tracks were mixed and lovingly fucked with by none other than Eric Bauer at his Bauer Mansion (RIP) Chinatown SF.

Fabled jazz-rock group Soft Machine present this heartfelt tribute to one of the greats of British jazz - trumpeter Harry Beckett - covering his stunning “The Dew at Dawn” on this limited edition 7” vinyl, with a cover of a classic Softs tune on the B side.

This is the second 7” in My Only Desire Records’ Brit Jazz 45s series, which sees some of their favourite contemporary jazz acts each making brand new studio recordings of two classic compositions from the golden era of ‘60s and ‘70s British jazz.

Now led by guitar master John Etheridge, an original Soft Machine member since the mid-‘70s and Canterbury scene veteran saxophonist Theo Travis, the band has undergone some recent lineup changes with bassist Fred Thelonious Baker (a former Harry Beckett bandmate) joining for 2023’s ‘Other Doors’ album. This is also the first recording with drummer Asaf Sirkis, who has replaced the late British jazz legend John Marshall.

Etheridge and Travis’ unique arrangement has upped the tempo of the “The Dew at Dawn” (originally released on Ogun Records in 1975) pushing the Caribbean-infused groove to the fore. Beckett’s joyful theme - first played on Etheridge’s guitar and then picked up by Travis’ mesmeric soprano saxophone - evokes the sun rising over the misty Hackney marshes and the hope of a better future. The track is underpinned by Baker’s nimble bass guitar and Sirkis’ scattering drums, with Etheridge’s superb soloing honed over a stellar five-decade career.

What Do We Do Now is the fifth solo studio LP recorded by J Mascis since 1996. This is obviously not a very aggressive release schedule, but when you figure in the live albums, guest spots, and records done with his various other bands (Dinosaur Jr., The Fog, Heavy Blanket, Witch, Sweet Apple, and so on), well, to paraphrase Lou Reed, "J's week beats your year." What Do We Do Now began to come together during the waning days of the Pandemic. Utilizing his own Bisquiteen Studio, J started working on writing a series of tunes on acoustic with a different dynamic than the stuff he creates for Dino. "When I'm writing for the band," he says, "I'm always trying to think of doing things Lou and Murph would fit into. For myself, I'm thinking more about what I can do with just an acoustic guitar, even for the leads. Of course, this time, I added full drums and electric leads, although the rhythm parts are still all acoustic. Usually, I try to do the solo stuff more simply so I can play it by myself, but I really wanted to add the drums. Once that started, everything else just fell into place. So it ended up sounding a lot more like a band record. I dunno why I did that exactly, but it's just what happened." Two guest musicians are playing this time out; Western Mass local Ken Mauri (of the B52s) plays piano on several tracks. Since J himself has some experience with keys, when asked why he needed a hired gun, he says, "Ken is great, and he plays all the keys. I tried playing some keyboards on the first Fog album, but I'm really only comfortable playing the white notes, so it's kind of limiting. laughs Nowadays, I could just turn the pitch on a mini Mellotron to play different sounds, but black keys just seem hard. For whatever reason, I just like banging on the white ones. Seems like it's harder to figure out how to stretch your fingers around the other ones." Mauri has no such qualms and plays all the keys very damn well. He sounds especially great on "I Can't Find You," where he is Jack Nitzsche to J's Neil Young, creating one of the album's loveliest tunes. The other guest musician, Matthew "Doc" Dunn, is also prominent on this track. Dunn's steel guitar manages to both widen and soften the musical edges of the music, giving it a full classicist profile. Dunn is an Ontario-based polymath who J met through Matt Valentine. After J played on Doc's great 2022 Sub Pop single, "Your Feel," he figured it was time for payback. Both Dunn and Mauri add beautifully to the songs here, helping to transform them from acoustic sketches into full-blown post-core power ballads. What Do We Do Now is the finest set of solo tunes J has yet penned, and the way they're presented is just about perfect. Asked if he would be touring to support the album, J says he'll be doing some weekend dates, but he probably won't be putting a band together. And I'm sure these songs will sound great solo and acoustic, but the arrangements on this album are truly great and put a cool, different spin on Mascis' instantly Recognizable approach to making music. So, what do we do now? Not sure. But apparently, what J does is to make one of his most killer records ever. Hats off to him. - Byron Coley

What Do We Do Now is the fifth solo studio LP recorded by J Mascis since 1996. This is obviously not a very aggressive release schedule, but when you figure in the live albums, guest spots, and records done with his various other bands (Dinosaur Jr., The Fog, Heavy Blanket, Witch, Sweet Apple, and so on), well, to paraphrase Lou Reed, "J's week beats your year." What Do We Do Now began to come together during the waning days of the Pandemic. Utilizing his own Bisquiteen Studio, J started working on writing a series of tunes on acoustic with a different dynamic than the stuff he creates for Dino. "When I'm writing for the band," he says, "I'm always trying to think of doing things Lou and Murph would fit into. For myself, I'm thinking more about what I can do with just an acoustic guitar, even for the leads. Of course, this time, I added full drums and electric leads, although the rhythm parts are still all acoustic. Usually, I try to do the solo stuff more simply so I can play it by myself, but I really wanted to add the drums. Once that started, everything else just fell into place. So it ended up sounding a lot more like a band record. I dunno why I did that exactly, but it's just what happened." Two guest musicians are playing this time out; Western Mass local Ken Mauri (of the B52s) plays piano on several tracks. Since J himself has some experience with keys, when asked why he needed a hired gun, he says, "Ken is great, and he plays all the keys. I tried playing some keyboards on the first Fog album, but I'm really only comfortable playing the white notes, so it's kind of limiting. laughs Nowadays, I could just turn the pitch on a mini Mellotron to play different sounds, but black keys just seem hard. For whatever reason, I just like banging on the white ones. Seems like it's harder to figure out how to stretch your fingers around the other ones." Mauri has no such qualms and plays all the keys very damn well. He sounds especially great on "I Can't Find You," where he is Jack Nitzsche to J's Neil Young, creating one of the album's loveliest tunes. The other guest musician, Matthew "Doc" Dunn, is also prominent on this track. Dunn's steel guitar manages to both widen and soften the musical edges of the music, giving it a full classicist profile. Dunn is an Ontario-based polymath who J met through Matt Valentine. After J played on Doc's great 2022 Sub Pop single, "Your Feel," he figured it was time for payback. Both Dunn and Mauri add beautifully to the songs here, helping to transform them from acoustic sketches into full-blown post-core power ballads. What Do We Do Now is the finest set of solo tunes J has yet penned, and the way they're presented is just about perfect. Asked if he would be touring to support the album, J says he'll be doing some weekend dates, but he probably won't be putting a band together. And I'm sure these songs will sound great solo and acoustic, but the arrangements on this album are truly great and put a cool, different spin on Mascis' instantly Recognizable approach to making music. So, what do we do now? Not sure. But apparently, what J does is to make one of his most killer records ever. Hats off to him. - Byron Coley

* Following on from the success of the 'Ram Reloaded' repress vinyl series, we are pleased to announce our next project in collaboration with Ram Records. As part of Ram Records’ 30th anniversary, we have put together a series of new remixes and VIP’s of some of the labels biggest releases from the early 90’s.

* For their follow up to the anthemic ‘Valley of the Shadows’ two years earlier, Ant Miles and Andy C went back in the studio under their guise ‘Origin Unknown’. Firmly under the Jungle style of attack, Ant pushed the envelope and broke the mould on bass sounds, creating the first detuned wobble oscillating sine bassline. With the famous vocal from President Nixon on the moon landing, ‘For one priceless moment, all the people on this Earth are truly one’, this track is one of the most cherished and globally appreciated tracks on the Ram roster to this day backed with the haunting roller vibe of ‘Mission Control’. Ant Miles returns to deliver two brand new VIP’s for 2024 which continue the Junglist vibe of both original mixes.

The Bony King of Nowhere is the artistic alias of Belgian artist Bram Vanparys. He made a mark in 2018 with the release of his critically acclaimed album Silent Days. The record received consistent 4- and 5-star press reviews and was hailed as his best album to date. It also earned Vanparys a Music Industry Award (BE) for 'best author-composer'. Silent Days revealed the full potential of the singer-songwriter and his commitment to never repeat himself and keep surpassing his creative abilities.

The new album, entitled Everybody Knows, has been a long time coming, partly due to Vanparys' aforementioned pledge to artistic evolution. The first two tracks he unveiled give a definite hint of what to expect from this album. 'Are You Still Alive' and 'Almost Invisible' carry the quality mark, known colour scheme and scent of The Bony King of Nowhere, but add many more hues and details. The new record showcases the new league Vanparys is playing in. Themes like rusted patterns in society, the obedience of the everyday man, the structural false ignorance of big shots, the toxicity of online communication and other very recognisable but not always pleasant subjects. Inspired by the observations of many sociologists, Vanparys dissects our society, the loneliest ever. This album is not just disconcerting though, in its strength lies a sense of hope and vigour.

The first singles promise a new album with lots of punch and energy, while Vanparys is unveiling the complete complexion of his voice whilst remaining vulnerable and honest. On the album, he is accompanied by multi-talent guitarist Vitja Pauwels (Naima Joris), pianist Hendrik Lasure (Tamino, Bombataz), drummer Simon Segers (Sylvie Kreusch, Stadt) and bass player Jasper Hautekiet.

While the songwriting legends, particularly Neil Young and Bob Dylan, have always kept Bram company, his latest compositions also draw inspiration from more contemporary artists. The influence of PJ Harvey, Blur and Nick Cave are unmistakable when you listen to his music. While staying true to his heartfelt songwriting style and captivating voice, The Bony King Of Nowhere embarks on a journey into uncharted musical and thematic realms.

The last time this band was on tour in support of 'Silent Days', they took a big leap forward while touring 75 shows across renowned venues and festivals in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, and France, with a packed Ancienne Belgique in Brussels as one of the highlights. Now the five-man-band, consisting of Jasper Hautekiet, Simon Segers, Thijs Troch (Nordmann), Gertjan Van Hellemont (Douglas Firs), will start this tour with shows in Ekko, Utrecht on March 6 and Ancienne Belgique, Brussels on March 8.4

The Bony King of Nowhere is the artistic alias of Belgian artist Bram Vanparys. He made a mark in 2018 with the release of his critically acclaimed album Silent Days. The record received consistent 4- and 5-star press reviews and was hailed as his best album to date. It also earned Vanparys a Music Industry Award (BE) for 'best author-composer'. Silent Days revealed the full potential of the singer-songwriter and his commitment to never repeat himself and keep surpassing his creative abilities.

The new album, entitled Everybody Knows, has been a long time coming, partly due to Vanparys' aforementioned pledge to artistic evolution. The first two tracks he unveiled give a definite hint of what to expect from this album. 'Are You Still Alive' and 'Almost Invisible' carry the quality mark, known colour scheme and scent of The Bony King of Nowhere, but add many more hues and details. The new record showcases the new league Vanparys is playing in. Themes like rusted patterns in society, the obedience of the everyday man, the structural false ignorance of big shots, the toxicity of online communication and other very recognisable but not always pleasant subjects. Inspired by the observations of many sociologists, Vanparys dissects our society, the loneliest ever. This album is not just disconcerting though, in its strength lies a sense of hope and vigour.

The first singles promise a new album with lots of punch and energy, while Vanparys is unveiling the complete complexion of his voice whilst remaining vulnerable and honest. On the album, he is accompanied by multi-talent guitarist Vitja Pauwels (Naima Joris), pianist Hendrik Lasure (Tamino, Bombataz), drummer Simon Segers (Sylvie Kreusch, Stadt) and bass player Jasper Hautekiet.

While the songwriting legends, particularly Neil Young and Bob Dylan, have always kept Bram company, his latest compositions also draw inspiration from more contemporary artists. The influence of PJ Harvey, Blur and Nick Cave are unmistakable when you listen to his music. While staying true to his heartfelt songwriting style and captivating voice, The Bony King Of Nowhere embarks on a journey into uncharted musical and thematic realms.

The last time this band was on tour in support of 'Silent Days', they took a big leap forward while touring 75 shows across renowned venues and festivals in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, and France, with a packed Ancienne Belgique in Brussels as one of the highlights. Now the five-man-band, consisting of Jasper Hautekiet, Simon Segers, Thijs Troch (Nordmann), Gertjan Van Hellemont (Douglas Firs), will start this tour with shows in Ekko, Utrecht on March 6 and Ancienne Belgique, Brussels on March 8.4

This was the second studio outing by supergroup Cactus. Existing of ’Vanilla Fudge’ rhythm section Carmine Appice (drums) and Tim Bogert (bass), as well as former Amboy Dukes lead vocalist Rusty Day (vocals/mouth harp), and Jim McCarty (guitar) from Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels and the Buddy Miles Express. The album offers eight tracks of which are six originals and two covers: Little Richard’s ’Long Tall Sally’ and Chuck Willis’ ‘Feel So Bad’.

Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series) Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Atlantic Records! 180-gram 45 RPM double LP Mastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog tape Contains Otis Redding's posthumous hit "Sittin' On the Dock Of the Bay" Appeared on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, rated 161/500! Pressed at Quality Record Pressings Gatefold old-style "tip-on" jacket by Stoughton Printing Hybrid Mono SACD Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman The guts of the story are this: While on tour with the Bar-Kays in August 1967, Otis Redding's popularity was rising, and he was inundated with fans at his hotel in downtown San Francisco. Looking for a retreat, he accepted rock concert impresario Bill Graham's offer to stay at his houseboat at Waldo Point in Sausalito, California. Inspired, Redding started writing the lines, "Sittin' in the morning sun, I'll be sittin' when the evening comes" and the first verse of a song, under the abbreviated title "Dock of the Bay." He had completed his famed performance at the Monterey Pop Festival just weeks earlier. While touring in support of the albums King & Queen (a collaboration with female vocalist Carla Thomas) and Live in Europe, he continued to scribble lines of the song on napkins and hotel paper. In November of that year, he joined producer and esteemed soul guitarist Steve Cropper at the Stax recording studio in Memphis, Tennessee, to record the song. Cropper remembers: "Otis was one of those the kind of guy who had 100 ideas. ... He had been in San Francisco doing The Fillmore. And the story that I got he was renting boathouse or stayed at a boathouse or something and that's where he got the idea of the ships coming in the bay there. And that's about all he had: 'I watch the ships come in and I watch them roll away again.' I just took that... and I finished the lyrics. If you listen to the songs I collaborated with Otis, most of the lyrics are about him. ... Otis didn't really write about himself but I did. Songs like 'Mr. Pitiful,' 'Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)'; they were about Otis and Otis' life. 'Dock of the Bay' was exactly that: 'I left my home in Georgia, headed for the Frisco Bay' was all about him going out to San Francisco to perform." Redding and Cropper completed the song in Memphis on Dec 7, 1967 with tragedy, unknowingly, looming. Just two days later Redding lost his life on a routine commute to a performance when the small plane he was in crashed. The other victims of the disaster were four members of the Bar-Kays — guitarist Jimmy King, tenor saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell, and drummer Carl Cunningham; their valet, Matthew Kelly and pilot Fraser. Cropper and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn completed the music and melancholic lyrics of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay' which was taken from the sessions — Redding's final recorded work. Cropper added the distinct sound of seagulls and waves crashing to the background. This is what Redding had wanted to hear on the track according to Cropper who remembered Redding recalling the sounds he heard when he wrote the song on the houseboat. One of the most influential soul singers of the 1960s, Redding exemplified to many listeners the power of Southern "deep soul" — hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, and an emotional way with both party tunes and aching ballads. At the time of his tragic death he was 26. ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay’ was released just a month following Redding’s death and became his only ever single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1968. The album, which shared the song's title, became his largest-selling to date, peaking at No. 4 on the pop albums chart. "Dock of the Bay" was popular in countries across the world and became Redding's most successful record, selling more than 4 million copies worldwide. The song went on to win two Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. With the album, Redding confirmed himself as a talent lost far too soon. All the hallmarks of a top-notch Analogue Productions reissue are here for you to savor: Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman and cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing.

A lot of water has flown under the bridge since Błoto released their last album. Sadly, in Polish rivers it wasn't just water flowing, but also all sorts of sewage of unknown origin, which destroyed the condition of these once vibrant bodies of water; it eventually led to a real catastrophe on the Odra River, which, after all, surrounds the entire city of Wroclaw, the band's birthplace. It is time for a decisive response. Błoto is making a comeback with a seven-inch vinyl and their first singles in over two years - "Szlam" and "Ścieki".

Climate change had already led to a permanent hydrological drought, which was echoed on Erozje LP. Today, as many as 91.5 percent of Poland's rivers are in very poor condition. It is not only drought that threatens rivers, but also excessive salinity. This is precisely the kind of disaster that happened on the Odra river. It resulted in 360 tonnes of dead fish and death of the river along a stretch of almost 500 km, and the reason for that was short-sighted human activity that could have been avoided. Still, the decision was made to turn the river into a cesspool.

Two years of hiatus is far too long. During this time, reality has not let up for a moment, providing new inspiration. Szlam (eng. sludge) is the sediment that forms on the river bed and sometimes the river banks. The Polish word derives from German (Schlamm), which means swamp - or mud. Szlam is therefore a sticky and unsettling remorse that rests somewhere at the bottom of the human consciousness.

In "Szlam" and "Ścieki" tracks, you will not only hear references to Erozje, but also to Kwasy i Zasady LP. For it is also a metaphor for everything that pours out of the media, smartphones, and then flows into one's head. The constant bickering, conflicts and dirty play in political campaigns, scandals to which we are already numb. On top of this, hate speech, low-quality stupefying influencer content, resulting in an ever-decreasing cultural capital of a society that breeds conformists, individualistically-minded egoists and mindless consumers. This state of affairs spawns a society of egoists, incapable of critical reflection, questioning and rebelling against reality.

The sound and genres explored by the band are, as usual, difficult to pigeonhole. These two musical miniatures contain a lot of anxious and neurotic sounds, as well as synth glitches evoking emotions such as fear, anger, sadness and guilt. The quartet consisting of Wuja HZG, OlafSaxx, Cancer G and Latarnik managed to distill this mental state by encapsulating it in shades of breakbeat ("Szlam"), and broadly defined house music ("Ścieki").

The 7" vinyl will be released on January 08th 2024 by Astigmatic Records.

Two years after the release of his first self-titled album, DJ producer Massimo Napoli aka Galathea presents the new 'Sacred Love', in which he once again avails himself of the collaboration of his friend producer and bass player Salvo Dub, as well as a combo of respected musicians: singer Kadi Koulibaly - originally from Burkina Faso - already featured on the first album, Giulia La Rosa, author of the lyrics and performer of the title track, pianist Mario Pappalardo, percussionist Sergio Spitaleri and drummer Luciano Cantone.
'Sacred Love' is definitely a more mature, intense and profound journey than the previous album of the same name, which enhances the magical dreamlike and spiritual atmospheres of a certain African culture.
The album guides the listener along a path of multi-ethnic contaminations: "Divinité", "Ouaga" and "Koloko", well interpreted by Kadi, touch on the sacredness and mysticism of the African continent and blend well with the Spiritual Jazz sounds that have evolved in the West.
"Divinité", through the spoken word of French poet Diego Hernandez, tackles the themes of faith, life and the relationship with one's 'self', with references to French chanson productions, in which Kadi's spiritual song, at times 'Saharan', intersects and expands into cosmic space.
The title track, the first single from the album, also released on 7" (45rpm) in two versions, is an Afro-American gospel with a typically afrobeat rhythm, vaguely reminiscent of Nina Simone's 'See-Line Woman'.
North Africa is represented by "Equator", while we climb further north into the middle of the Mediterranean Sea with "Medican Blues", to land in Stromboli with the Deep Jazz of "Ginostra", whose title recalls the village of the marvellous island in the Aeolian archipelago.
Then we have the Cuban track "Caminito", a sort of Cha-Cha with a romantic piano melody (à la Chucho Valdez) well performed by maestro Mario Pappalardo; and then again "Eos", strongly Balearic with a Brazilian mood; "Impression", a dreamy journey of impact; "Sirens", already present on the first album and here reworked in a new Spiritual-Ambient version produced by Agosta.
"Sacred Love" is thus an original and musically borderless album, which expands a certain African sacred culture and naturally blends Afrobeat, Jazz and Blues atmospheres with the Balearic sounds of Mediterranean culture.
Enjoy listening!

Jason Grimez is a Cincinnati-based DJ and producer. He has a long history of record collecting, sampling, and creating new sounds with analog gear. Grimez works with some of Cincinnati's finest studio musicians to create raw, soulful, instrumental hip-hop under the moniker Doctor Bionic. The next LP, In The Infinite, is due out 12/01/2023 via Chiefdom Records. Grimez fell in love with music during the golden era of early 90's east coast hip hop - when digging for jazz and funky samples were the backbone of beats. He became comfortable scratching on a pair of 1200s and sampling records with an MPC 3000 in high school. After years of collecting music and working on his sound behind the scenes, he has compiled a huge discography of original songs. In 2015, Grimez started his independent label Chiefdom Records. His studio persona Doctor Bionic was one of the first to see a release on the new imprint. The project features a studio band of session musicians. Grimez is responsible for writing, recording, producing, mixing, and releasing the records. He gathers a group of musicians in his studio, presents a few ideas, and hits record. Due to a rotating cast of musicians and ever-changing inspirations, no two sessions are alike. "There's no set pattern," Grimez explained. "I'll invite some session players and have them jam on a few ideas. Sometimes we'll start with a drum break and add melodies over top. It's mostly improv, and I can always go back and chop it up." One common thread is the fresh, original sounds. "I like to call it Organic Groove," he shared. "I'm inspired by all kinds of music - instrumental hip-hop, soul, classic rock, jazz, you name it. When we get in the studio, all of the pieces add up to a new sound." In The Infinite features some of the best players in the Cincinnati music scene. Cameron Brown played guitar on several tracks. Brian Batchelor-Glader, an award-winning pianist, was also involved. All 12 tracks provide the perfect backdrop for hanging with a group of good friends or cruising in the car. The drums are solid, consistent, and lay an effortless foundation for all kinds of instrumentation. Jazzy trumpet lines, ethereal keyboards, choppy soul guitar licks, and much more. "Do You Remember?" (track 2) heroes a busy, poppy guitar and a head-bobbing bassline. The record scratching and tape-recorded drum tones on "Plastic Art" (track 7) feels like a hip-hop instrumental from the early aughts. From top to bottom, this record has a lot to offer. Pick up a copy of In The Infinite on vinyl or stream the album on 12/01/2023

ISLAND APES is a British band, formed in the East Midlands around 2018. The current line-up consists of ex members of Bivouac, Force Fed and Fudge Tunnel; guitarist/producer Dean Selby, drummer Antronhy, vocalist MKJ and bassist David Ryley. Their roots lie in anxiety, ritual and underlying melody. Call it what you like. Answers on a postcard to God Unknown. So the Germans call English football fans Island Apes? I guess they don’t know about the punk band of the same name. ISLAND APES features a lineup of UK underground punk legends. Antronhy, the drummer, was Nirvana’s infamous dancer at their Live at Reading performance. David Riley was the bass player in the legendary UK noise rock band Fudge Tunnel and current bass player in doom masters Conan. MKJ was in Forcefed and Meatfly; two early 90's influential UK hardcore bands. They have paid their dues and have produced a wild, lo-fi trip into an alternate punk universe where they tame audio chaos and explore the psychedelic side of consciousness. It’s grungy and grimy, guttural and grating, and even dubby, all in the most beautiful way. Their debut self-titled record is available on limited vinyl copies via God Unknown Records. To keep it punk the album will be released on vinyl only. Limited to 300 copies.

Finnogun’s Wake is the delightful portmanteau of a band fronted by Shogun (vocalist of Royal Headache, and later Shogun and the Sheets) and newcomer Finn Berzin. Decades apart in age but united in tutelage and outlook, they have mitigated the Joycean tome of What To Do Now, and crafted the four debut songs of the Stay Young EP from the inside out, sharing the spotlight for a riveting, deafening smear of melodic pop and buzzsaw guitars.

Mourning the departure of his best mate to a life overseas, Shogun started hanging out with his friend’s younger brother, Finn. The two of them started spending their free time together, one having seen a fair chunk of the world through music, the other just starting to figure it all out. They went through the essential lessons that could be gleaned from Definitely Maybe and Hüsker Dü, Finn got himself a guitar, and the songs simply fell out of both of them, with this initial batch as the result. Shogun sings on “Blue Skies” and “Strawberry Avalanche,” and Finn takes the lead on “So Nice” and “Lovers All,” and while there’s no mistaking Shogun’s striking delivery and fatalistic lyrics, Finn proves himself as a carousing foil, holding his ground like the natural he’s become.

Taking into account the fevered, quick-burning success of Royal Headache, this group is the most likely candidate to do it all again, giving the sense that some people can write bounding guitar leads that stick to you like burrs from the brush, and sing so effortlessly you’re embarrassed and a little mad about how great it all sounds. Backed on these recordings by keyboardist Gabrielle De Giorgio (a longtime collaborator of Shogun’s from back in the Sheets era), bassist Campbell Troy (who was in Shogun’s first hardcore band Nintendo Police back in the mid ‘90s), and DMA’s drummer Liam Hoskins (on some COVID-enforced boredom with no tour-dom), Finn and Shogun stare down a changed world from two very distinct poles, and aim to fill it with glorious songs just like these.

After Releasing Amazing Music on Labels Such as Skylax, Amsem, Kitsune or Hard Fist, Through an Exploration of a Wide Range of Electronic Sounds, Joe Lewandoski Delivers a New Ep Full of His Eclecticism and Sharpness. We Are Very Happy at Friendsome Records to Join Force With Him to Deliver a Beautiful 4 Tracker That Will Make You Travel ! This Ep Is the Perfect Demonstration of Joe’s Ambivalence as a Producer. That’s Why We Divided It in Two Distinct Sides, Clair & Obscur, Reflecting on Side One a Club Driven Housy and Acid Vibe to Make Dancefloors Sweat. Cosmic & Acid Nap Are Two Tracks Driven by Lewandowski’s Capacity to Get Things Straight Forward, Bangy and Dreamy, Made for a Pictime Crowd. on Side Two Where Joe Explores a More Dark and Intimate Approach to His Music, as Well as Where He Comes From, You Will Find Nick and Play the Game. They Are Much More Dark Disco and Rock Inspired, Full of Heavy Basses and Guitar Riffs, Perfect to Get to the Bottom of It !...

Presenting the second thematic volume on the “Aquapelagos" series - a collection of split LPs where selected artists offer their own take into water surrounded cultures and communities. After the initial release of the Anthology compilation Aquapelago in 2022 (Discrepant ,CREP91) and the split LP Atlantico by Lagoss & Banha da Cobra (Keroxen, KRXN027) we proudly introduce an unique collaboration in the series in the shape of no other than two improvising giants, Mike Cooper and Pierre Bastien.
This second volume blows the lid wide open with a sound journey inspired by the equally majestic and mysterious Indian Ocean, a wide space of open ocean bounded by Africa, to the west, Asia to the north and north-west and Australia, to the south west.
From Philip Hayward and Matt Hill’s liner notes:
‘’The album opens with Return To Chagos by emphasising human presence in the oceanic space, opening with gentle percussive taps and distant looped male vocalisation that gradually come into sharper focus, layered and thickened, accompanied by thicker percussion and mouth harp. The sense of departure is taken up in Trincomalee, which lifts over the oceanic textures, opening with slow, struck and scraped metallic sounds before thick low pitched wind instrument sounds enter, oscillating around shifting microtonal frequencies. The shore returns on Side 2, with the miniature epic of Nicobar elaborated over looped ‘atmos’ sounds of birds and insects over which tonal, slightly distorted electric guitar lines enter before looped high pitched feedback squeals join the texture. Summoning tropical storms and the disruption to the region caused by western intrusion, strong and startling brass accents appear, melding with the looping guitar feedback, creating eeriness and a sense of alarm. Tuangku is permeated by restrained dynamics and an expressive, breathy, low pitched, animalistic melodic voice that offers intermittent and ambiguous utterances, as if rendered in a language essential to and evocative of a place and time but impossible to precisely comprehend – coming from an ocean-aquapelagic beyond that can only be glimpsed and rendered by affect.’’
Philip Hayward and Matt Hill, March 2022

Today, less than two months following the final tour date of their As Long As You Are tour, Future Islands announce the details of their new album People Who Aren"t There Anymore which will be released January 26, 2024. The seventh album from the band - Samuel T. Herring (vocals, lyrics), William Cashion (bass, guitars), Gerrit Welmers (keyboards, programming), and Michael Lowry (drums) - follows 2020"s As Long As You Are. People Who Aren"t There Anymore heralds a new chapter for Future Islands who, despite having formed nearly two decades ago, continue to challenge themselves and each other. Where they"ve pursued ever-higher energy anthems in the past, they"ve turned inward this time, and unlocked a new level of ferocity, delivering some of their most inspiring and most heartbreaking tracks by doing the opposite: taking their time, making each breath, each syllable, each cymbal crash count. The result is a powerful, defining statement from a group of musicians that have made the best album of their career. People Who Aren"t There Anymore was co-produced by Future Islands and Steve Wright, and mixed by Steve Wright and Chris Coady (who returns to working with the band for the first time since 2014"s Singles).

Today, less than two months following the final tour date of their As Long As You Are tour, Future Islands announce the details of their new album People Who Aren"t There Anymore which will be released January 26, 2024. The seventh album from the band - Samuel T. Herring (vocals, lyrics), William Cashion (bass, guitars), Gerrit Welmers (keyboards, programming), and Michael Lowry (drums) - follows 2020"s As Long As You Are. People Who Aren"t There Anymore heralds a new chapter for Future Islands who, despite having formed nearly two decades ago, continue to challenge themselves and each other. Where they"ve pursued ever-higher energy anthems in the past, they"ve turned inward this time, and unlocked a new level of ferocity, delivering some of their most inspiring and most heartbreaking tracks by doing the opposite: taking their time, making each breath, each syllable, each cymbal crash count. The result is a powerful, defining statement from a group of musicians that have made the best album of their career. People Who Aren"t There Anymore was co-produced by Future Islands and Steve Wright, and mixed by Steve Wright and Chris Coady (who returns to working with the band for the first time since 2014"s Singles).

Ajay Saggar is BHAJAN BHOY. Since his debut album was released in June 2020 (“Bless Bless”) he has been receiving critical acclaim for his recorded output and his live shows. His second album “Shanti Shanti Shanti” was initially released on a limited edition cassette in November 2022 on his own Wormer Bros. Records. However, when respected label honchos at Cardinal Fuzz (UK) and Feeding Tube Records (USA) heard it, they insisted that this mighty album deserved a vinyl release. This album is part of a triptych. The other two albums in this series (“To Love Is To Love Vols.1+2”) were released in March 2023 to universal acclaim, with publications such as Mojo and Uncut and the Wire heaping praise on the two albums. "Another fine release by Dutch musician Ajay Saggar. His basic thrust is modern psychedelia, minted from radio snippets, dubby reverb flapping, elegant guitar washing, electronic drones interwoven with flashes of mock jaw harp or sploshy drums, and a generally stoned atmosphere. And the concept is spectrally sound!" (Byron Coley / the Wire magazine...January 2023) The songs on this album are varied stylistically. Combining psych, drones, minimalism, free jazz, electronic music and dub in this work, this is another album's worth of musical joy and wonder for all to enjoy.

Crypt of the Wizard is proud to present Peace Vaults - I & II on vinyl and digital formats. New blood from the Viennese gutters. Amidst the vile and hostile ravines of sooted stone and waste filled waters is a glade to be found. Peace Vaults erect four pillars of crude and stoic Black Metal, guided by luring vocals and synth melodies, which shimmer like ominously kaleidoscopic light through cracks in the walls of rat filled sewers. Hissing through cracked and blackened feedback Peace Vaults produce jangly off-kilter rhythms, awash with raw metal energy and diffuse post punk lethargy. Frantically pulling chaotic drum patterns and howling guitar leads into rhythmic structure until, wild, they pull themselves apart again. This compilation of the band's two demo tapes rightly now presented on vinyl marks the beginning of an ongoing union between Peace Vaults and Crypt of the Wizard with new material due in the not so distant future

* Lou Reed's final solo album finally available again * First time on vinyl * Produced in partnership with Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive * Booklet features unseen photography by Lou, Q&A with Laurie Anderson & Jonathan Cott, essay by Eddie Stern, and archival interviews with Lou and Hal Willner * Remastered by GRAMMYr-nominated engineer John Baldwin * Package designed by multi-GRAMMYr-winning artist Masaki Koike // "I first composed this music for myself as an adjunct to meditation, Tai Chi, and bodywork, and as music to play in the background of life, to replace the everyday cacophony with new and ordered sounds of an unpredictable nature. New sounds freed from preconception. ...over time, friends who heard the music asked if I could make them copies. I then wrote two more pieces with the same intent: to relax the body, mind, and spirit and facilitate meditation." - Lou Reed Light in the Attic Records in cooperation with Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive, proudly announces a definitive re-release of Hudson River Wind Meditations, the pioneering artist's final solo album. Originally released in 2007, the deeply personal project combines Reed's love of creating drone music with his passion for Tai Chi, yoga and meditation. The album's ambient soundscapes have been described as a counterpoint to his intense Metal Machine Music album-but they are similar outliers in Reed's 40+ year exploration of drone music and feedback harmonics. The album has been remastered by the GRAMMYr-nominated engineer John Baldwin with vinyl pressed at Record Technology Inc. (RTI). The Double LP set is presented in a gatefold jacket designed by GRAMMYr-winning artist, Masaki Koike and features new liner notes by renowned Yoga instructor and author, Eddie Stern, who guided Reed's practice for years. Also included in the physical editions is a fascinating conversation conducted earlier this year between author/journalist Jonathan Cott (Rolling Stone, The New Yorker) and Reed's wife, artist Laurie Anderson, who discusses the album, as well as her husband's devotion to Tai Chi - one of the album's primary inspirations. Hudson River Wind Meditations marks the latest release in LITA's Lou Reed Archival Series. Launched in 2022 in tandem with the late artist's 80th birthday, the ongoing series has celebrated one of America's most influential songwriters through such acclaimed collections as Words & Music, May 1965 featuring many of Reed's earliest (and previously-unreleased) recordings, including the earliest-known versions of "I'm Waiting for the Man" and "Pale Blue Eyes."

In der zweiten Hälfte des Jahres 2022 widmete Neal Morse seine kreativen Bemühungen der Erarbeitung einer neuen Rock Oper, nach der
erfolgreichen Veröffentlichung von "Jesus Christ the Exorcist". Die Inspiration floss und das Ergebnis ist eine fast zweistündige Musik, die die
Geschichte von Joseph, der für seinen bunten Mantel bekannt ist, durch die Brille des progressiven Rock in einem ganz eigenen Stil erzählt.
Anstatt beide Teile gleichzeitig als Doppelalbum zu präsentieren, entschied sich Neal dafür, die neue Oper in zwei separaten Bänden zu
veröffentlichen. Er war der Meinung, dass die Stärke sowohl der Musik als auch der Geschichte diesen Ansatz rechtfertigten, da jedes Album für sich
als Zeugnis seines inneren Wertes steht. "Der Träumer - Joseph: Part One" endet mit Joseph, der zu Unrecht eingekerkert wird. In "Die
Wiederherstellung - Joseph: Part Two" wird die biblische Erzählung fortgesetzt, in der beschrieben wird, wie Josephs Weisheit und Intelligenz ihn zum
Vizekönig von Ägypten und schließlich zur Wiedervereinigung seiner Familie führt. Erneut übernimmt Neal Morse die Rolle des Leadsängers, während
eine beeindruckende Reihe von Gastmusikern, darunter Ted Leonard (Spock's Beard, Pattern Seeking Animals), Matt Smith (Theocracy), Ross Jennings
(Haken) und Jake Livgren (Proto-Kaw, Kansas), sich ihm in diesem zweiten Kapitel anschliessen. Sie arbeiten mit Mitgliedern der Neal Morse Band
zusammen, wie Bill Hubauer und Eric Gillette, um nur einige zu nennen. Gemeinsam hauchen sie dieser bekannten Geschichte neues Leben und
Musik Leben ein, die verspricht, Progressive-Rock-Fans erneut zu begeistern.

Jakes was the commanding voice behind the Lonely The Brave sound. A master of melody, his lyrical talents enthralled audiences across Europe from supporting Neil Young in Belgium, to arenas with Biffy Clyro, to the main stage at Reading and Leeds festival. Jakes has always been uncomfortable with being the centre of attention; when playing live he would stand at the back of the stage, side on, barely saying a word to the audience between songs. A total juxtaposition to the anthemic tunes he wrote-songs that felt like they could move mountains. As Lonely The Brave grew in reputation and audience, so did Jakes' discomfort with attention and adoration. He left the band in March 2018. Fast forward five years and Jakes is back with Interlaker, a new musical project, with a new musical partner, Jack Wrench of Arcane Roots. Wrench, a skilled drummer, but also a multi-instrumentalist, became the perfect partner for Jakes. Jakes says: “Jack and I got chatting about doing some music over Instagram in the spring of2022. I'd seen Jack, a couple to times, playing with Arcane Roots, so I knew what an amazing drummer he was. It was when he started to send over fully instrumental pieces that he'd done-drums, guitar, bass and all-that I realised we could be onto a really good thing. I think the first demo we put down-we did all the demoing together over the airwaves on Logic Pro-was a track called 'Ghost ride'. So we thought we were off to a good start. It certainly wouldn't be for everyone-putting together music without being in the same room together (me in Cambridge and Jack in Brighton) but it worked out really well for the two of us. Around a year later we had 12 tracks ready to go and began the process go beginning to make a record...”

Few bands have burst quite so brilliantly onto the scene as Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Fewer still can say their debut album defined a scene, a time, and marked a paradigm shift in the music industry. But the then five-piece, fronted by the enigmatic Alec Ounsworth, managed all this and more; no wonder their self-titled record is still considered one the finest, and most influential, indie releases of the 2000s.A heady blend of left-field pop and melodic, exuberant indie rock, the record repurposed a number of classic new wave references for a new generation of music fans. Fun-loving and quirky, the band achieved that rare alchemy - synthesising a dizzying array of styles and influences into something wholly their own. And that something was utterly glorious, full of buzzing synths, trebly guitars, bustling drums, and lilting, wailing vocals. The record's raw, ramshackle sound was an integral part of its appeal; time has merely magnified that charm. In `The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth' and `Upon This Tidal Wave Of Young Blood' Ounsworth wrote two of the most uplifting, celebratory tracks of this millennium, obvious highlights on an album of consistent excellence, and one rightly lauded for re-writing the rules of what indie bands could be.

If the Corona pandemic and the accompanying concert bans have at least one good thing going for them, it's the extra time musicians have to write songs and live out their creativity. This circumstance was also the driving force for the SAMURAI PIZZA CATS, who come from the Electric Callboy environment. Frontman Sebastian Fischer was behind the microphone in their predecessor band Her Smile In Grief, whose line-up also included Daniel "Danskimo" Haniß, who is now celebrating success as guitarist, songwriter and producer of Electric Callboy. The contact between the two never broke off and so Daniel also produced Sebastian's later band Fall Of Gaia in recent years, whose former drummer and multi-instrumentalist Stefan Buchwald is also involved in this new project - family business from downtown Castrop Rauxel! So while Stefan contributes the music, Sebastian writes the lyrics and Daniel, as a creatively involved producer, ensures a well-rounded overall result. Okay, before we try your patience any further, let's talk about the elephant in the room: the band name. The SAMURAI PIZZA CATS have named themselves after a Japanese anime series from the early nineties. Why? Stupid question! Of course, because they are fearless warriors on their instruments, love to eat pizza and like cats! And maybe a little bit because they have soft spots for anime and silly band names - but only maybe. Rumour also has it that "Banzai! Smack! Meow!" is an onomatopoeic description of the band's sound.

The vinyl edition of Klein's 2022 album: »STAR IN THE HOOD« plays like a cracked, tarnished mirror of contemporary numbing music, replacing long-form expression with tighter, more explosive and sometimes completely freeform transmissions that will wake you up from your overly comfortable environmental music slumber. Opening with cycling ghost drones, dialog and piano motifs that blur into heartfelt noise, »black star« is all loping, looping piano and chthonic vocals spiked with cheese-grater noise and chipmunked chirps. It’s Klein’s delirious vocal runs that push the album to the next level though; like her style-defining »Lagata« and the Hyperdub-released »Tommy,« she subverts the raw material that makes up R&B, turning memorable hooks into blurry impressions that will glue to your mind like a diva moment on a Suburban Bass cut.

She keels into longform on »schooled,« fogging organ drones into hazed clouds that gust into imposing shapes over a 10-minute duration, rekindling the dialog between contemporary noise and gospel music. Grandiose classical sounds receive a similar treatment on ‘Friend in the Mirror’, pulled into disorienting shapes that dispel any notions of class gatekeeping; in the final third, Klein’s voice interrupts the mood, before machine-gun percussion reminds us not to get too comfortable. If yr in search of beauty, »postcode wars« finds Klein fuzzing euphoric chords into an afterparty woosh of half-heard voices and dribbling synths. She simultaneously channels rapture and wrath, poignantly torching the contemporary societal skeleton without losing her near-at-hand community in the process.

Midway through the album there’s a thematic pivot signalled by the brief »shorty alert,« a trilling mass of carnivalesque vocal quirks that sound like spiders spitting DMT into yr eardrums. From here, things get darker and more unsettling: there’s doomed subterranean ambience on »signed and delivered«, Disney-esque piano motifs, blown-out lo-fi outsider rawk on »Swerve,« and speaker garbling free eccentric soul on »brand new day,« each struck through with that unmistakable high-vs-low culture posturing. It all brings us to the album’s unsettling one-two punch of ‘haha hehe business’, maybe the foamiest track we’ve heard from her this year, and the zonked »winter« - a piece that’s as crystal clear as Klein gets, an unprocessed heartstring-tugging vocal performance over acoustic guitar twangs.

Sign Libra's third album Hidden Beauty is an intimate voyage through feminine nature, guided by the arts of subtext, musical collage, and mysterious allusions. Elegantly arranged, enigmatic, and mischievous, Hidden Beauty seeks to "release the invisible and bring fragility to the surface." From the rainforests of Closer to the Equator (Sounds of the Dawn, 2016 / Antinote, 2018) to the surreal lunar landscape of Sea to Sea (RVNG Intl., 2020), Agata Melnikova, the Latvian musician behind the Sign Libra symbol, has developed a signature blend of evocative composition with lyricless, ethereal vocalizing. Hidden Beauty attends to a closer space than her first two albums, a playfully layered pastiche of refined references, drawing musical inspiration from the assortment of Erik Satie, the early work of Mylène Farmer and Laurent Boutonnat, and 90s R&B. The first inklings of Hidden Beauty arrived in 2019, with the basic contours of the album sculpted in 2020 and early 2021. Like Sea to Sea, Hidden Beauty was invented as a solitary creative effort, but this time under uniquely hermetic impositions. Tethered to the world only by screen, the artist sought inspiration from an unlikely array of activities: new, unorthodox approaches at composing, learning French, a virtual pedagogical practice, and plenty of jubilant dancing in her flat, sunglasses on, to 90s dance music. Hidden Beauty moves inward from the distant spaciousness of Sea to Sea in favor of a "chamber-like" sound, reflecting the intimate environs of its creation. Balancing the New Age balletic resonance of Closer to the Equator and the cosmic-dancerly tracks of Sea to Sea, Hidden Beauty combines deft, postmodern arrangements with popular, contemporary suggestions. The reverb drenching her previous recordings is sponged up in the songs of Hidden Beauty, giving the exercises contained within a feeling of presence, and closeness. And always Agata's crystalline vocal furnishings, less a lead vocal than a first instrument, the ever-returning counterpoint in a beatific swirl. The other hidden elements of this work are plenty, and perhaps best left concealed for the listener's enjoyment. Or perhaps they are hidden in plain sight and sound, depending on what the puzzle pieces reveal to your imagination. Sign Libra's Hidden Beauty will be released in vinyl, Japanese import CD, and digital editions on November 3, 2023. A portion of the proceeds from this release will benefit Coral Guardian, a non-governmental organization working internationally and with local communities to protect coral ecosystems.

Kepler is free” represent the brand new Athenian Urban Jazz scene in full. You may say that they actually started the whole scene with their debut album "Teegarden" by Veego Records, an instant sold out! Voted by local music portals as one of the best albums of 2020 and probably one of the best debuts ever when it comes to the Greek jazz game. “Kepler Is Free” jazz rock ensemble makes expansive music that straddles the line between '70s soul-jazz, alternative hip-hop, and experimental electronica.

The name of the band is inspired by a retired space telescope launched by NASA to discover Earth-size planets orbiting other stars. Named after astronomer Johannes Kepler. Founded in November of 2018 by Sokratis Tsentoglou (drums) who gathered George Migdanis (electric guitar), Nikiforos Nugent (keys), Spyros Zardas (trumpet) and Vasilis Alexopoulos (bass guitar), they all came together from different musical backgrounds in order to create original and groundbreaking material.

Commuting over their shared love of jazz and hip-hop, they composed their debut album, “Kepler”, with five tracks that highlighted their love for the music of GoGo Penguin, Badbadnotgood and Alfa Mist.

The fact that all the members were young and had not played in other Jazz bands before was something that shook the Greek Jazz community. ''Second Light'' was recorded in difficult conditions and was delayed quite a while until it was finished due to the pandemic.

The band played a handful of sold out shows in Athens over the last few months proving with their performance and the attendance that the band created a crossover from Jazz to pop audience. "Juno" track was a smash hit on legendary "En Lefko'' Radio station over the last two years. Worth to mention that just a month before the release of their second album Kepler is Free collaborated with LEX, one of the most famous rappers in Greece with the "Spike Lee" track.

Amazing floaty modern soul / disco goodness out of late 70s Queens, NY. 'Love Is The Same' two brilliant and different versions, both dancefloor fire…

Mark Beiner met Ben Iverson in 1976 when I was 17 years old, at the time he was a junior at Newtown High School in Elmhurst, Queens. Mark had taken a part time job as a Produce Clerk at Walbaum's Supermarket on Northern Boulevard in Jackson Heights, Queens, where I met Ben Iverson, the "Frozen Food Manager."

Back then Mark remembers, 'I was going to work early just to talk to him about his musical background and his time spent in the 50's and 60's with the Ohio Doo Wop Group, "The Hornets", or better known as, "Ben Iverson and The Hornets."'

In 1978 after Ben and I discussed getting together and composing music, I started writing poetry and expressing in writing my break-up with my college girlfriend, Paula. Ben and Mark went on to writing two albums worth of material, which in turn gave us a lot of time and presence on stage at our live gigs.

The regular Coast to Coast Band members consisted of Ben Iverson on Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitarist and Co-Executive Producer, Joe Crowley, who is known today as "New York Congressman Joe Crowley." Carl (Woody Wood) Morton on Bass Guitar, Jimmy Johnson on Keyboards. Lead Guitarist, Lou Jimenez, currently owns his own recording studio, Music Labs in Elmont, Long Island. On Drums, Eddie Byam, on Alto Sax, Jay Cohen, who in the 70's used to record for "Gary U.S. Bonds." Gary Pevols on Trumpet. On Bone, Scott Burrows, Trumpet player, Steve Becker, along side Neil Levine, Stan Stockley, Tom Russo.

Oceanvs Orientalis reveals the second single from his forthcoming album on Crosstown Rebels with ‘Heart Pieces’ feat. Idil Mese, accompanied by remixes from Mustafa Ismaeel and Nightmares On Wax.

A producer, live performer and solo act whose productions merge influences spanning Turkish, Kurdish, Armenian and Arabic sonics and beyond, Safak Oz Kutle, aka Oceanvs Orientalis, has crafted a sound that is entirely his own ever since making his debut back in 2014. Following on from his impressive debut appearance on the imprint with ‘Il Lupo’ alongside Italian talent Tooker, revealing the first single from his forthcoming album, the Istanbul-based talent is back on Crosstown Rebels with another gem taken from the project as he reunites with singer-songwriter Idil Mese for the excellent ‘Heart Pieces’ - with remixes from Crosstown and Rebellion regular Mustafa Ismaael, and legendary house talent and Warp favourite Nightmares On Wax.

Slow-blooming and resonant throughout, guided by Mese’s soulful and emotive vocals, vibrant sax melodies and trippy background samples, ‘Heart Pieces’ is a dazzling slice of laid-back, jazz-infused house music full of subtle elements. Remixing the record, Mustafa Ismaeel leans towards late-night hours with a remix drenched in rolling percussion and sweeping leads, while Nightmares On Wax takes the track in two directions - opting for loose drums, hazy tones and chugging grooves across his first take before laying the focus solely on the musical elements with his ‘Club Dub’.

In January 1983, Minor Threat went into Inner Ear Studio for the first time as a five - piece (Brian Baker had moved from bass to second guitar and Steve Hansgen was now playing bass).

They had six new songs that would end up being the centrepiece of what became the ‘’Out of Step’’ 12" EP. The band had also decided to re-record the song "Out of Step" with some extra language to try to clarify the lyrics, as well as "Cashing In", a tongue-in-cheek song about the DC punk scene which they had only played live once.

After much debate, "Cashing In" was added as a hidden track on the original vinyl release though not listed on the cover or label. There was still blank tape on the reel, so they decided to record an instrumental with the working title, "Addams Family" and then recorded new versions of "In My Eyes" and "Filler" to hear what they sounded like with two guitars.

"Addams Family" ended up being used as a coda to "Cashing In", but the other two songs were never mixed and largely forgotten for over 35 years until the multitrack tapes were taken into the studio to be digitized in 2021.

Surprised by the discovery, Ian and Don Zientara mixed the two songs along with the complete take of "Addams Family". These outtakes are now being released on a 7" to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of ‘’Out of Step’’.

This EP contains six tracks previously released as three 7" singles in 2003, and have not been available for almost two decades. Emerson Kitamura played his favourite songs from different eras and places with his organ equipped with bass pedals and accompanied by the legendary drum box TR-808.

Having had a long career playing keyboards in bands and sessions, Kitamura came to the fore in Japan with his self released 7" on his Bubblingnotes label. In 2018, he burst onto the international scene with his EP for EM Records, The Countryside Is Great, which gave him an opportunity to stretch out his inimitable style to make a bass/dub re-work of the Thai hit. The EP also debuted his collaboration with the guitarist/singer/songwriter/ mmm, with their cover of George McCrae's Rock Your Baby. The duo went on to release their LP Chasing Giants on Kitamura's label, and to grace Europe with a few legendary gigs.

This EP represents Kitamura's roots, with two Jackie Mittoo covers, some jazz evergreens, and a stellar version of the Lou Rawls classic

Aptly titled Two Worlds, Tigers Jaws sophomore full-length draws on the strengths of the band's raw, minimalist atmospheres and driving grunge-rock rhythms, funneling them into a catchy, brooding and brilliantly focused album. Sounding as confident as ever in abandoning dependence on traditional pop structures, songs ebb and flow naturally as the band explores fresh tones and textures. Firmly planted in their own niche of the 90 s-era Midwestern emo sound, Two Worlds probes Superchunk's indie-punk stylings, Weezer's discordant pop moments and the far edges of Kurt Cobain's brain while managing to sound almost nothing like those groups. Chimey clean guitars weave in and out of the mix, juxtaposing a gain guitar laden with thick grit. Standing alone, the tones create familiar Tigers Jaw moods, but when combined, the effect lays the foundation for swelling walls of sound. Pulsing bass fills the low end, locked with the drums in rhythmic unison, alternately tracing guitar lines and stepping forward to grab the listener s car. Similarly, the drumming style perfectly compliments the songwriting with steady beats and measured flash. Lush and resonant cymbal splashes constantly flourish, adding color and a new spaciousness. Keyboards swell in a wave of warmth creating the band s defining ambiance, in parts taking on more adventurous melodies and chord tones. At its core, Two Worlds is a Tigers Jaw album through and through. It evokes many moods the band is known for, but adds a depth that will leave listeners discovering new reasons to love them with each new listen.

This is The Zeros' third single, a pioneer punk rock band formed in 1976 in Chula Vista, California. Comparisons with The Ramones are often made when describing the energetic and fierce guitar driven sound of the group. After a 2-year gap, following their two first singles on Greg Shaw's very own Bomp! Records, the band released this third 45 on Test Tube Records. 'They Say That (Everything's Alright)' is a fabulous song by Hector Peñalosa. "Getting Nowhere Fast" is another classic by Javier Escovedo. In spite of the excellence of these two tracks, The Zeros lost the momentum generated by the first two singles, leaving the third as an afterthought. Soon after, the band broke up. First time reissue! Incl. artwork replica on retro style record sleeves.

Known for weaving together complex rhymes with style, Elzhi has been rapping circles around the competition for more than two decades. After years as a member of iconic group Slum Village, Elzhi’s impressive solo career has included projects produced by acclaimed artists like Black Milk, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Khrysis, and Will Sessions. Now, the Detroit emcee is linking with California beat maestro Oh No for the new collaborative album Heavy Vibrato. A multitalented underground hip-hop luminary, Oh No has built a formidable resume behind the boards, crafting tracks for Mos Def, Freddie Gibbs, MF DOOM, Action Bronson, Talib Kweli, Ab-Soul, Danny Brown, and more. Heavy Vibrato is a thrilling showcase for Elzhi’s lyrical wizardry and cinematic storytelling, as Oh No breathes new life into a compelling tapestry of jazz samples, producing the entire collection. “The only thing you need to absorb this experience is an open mind,” says Elzhi. With guest appearances by Blu and Guilty Simpson, Heavy Vibrato taps into an undeniable frequency.

Limited Transparent Blue vinyl. “Pop” is a tag that’s been assigned to Minus the Bear throughout their career. It’s been used to set a distinction between the unique brand of complex indie rock they introduced on their first EP, and the more angular and aggravated sounds of their previous bands Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving. It’s also a tag that was thrown around frequently in the wake of their streamlined fourth album, OMNI. And it’s a descriptor that immediately comes to mind within the first few seconds of their classic second formal EP, They Make Beer Commercials Like This. Beer Commercials is the evolutionary step between Minus The Bear’s first two landmark albums, Highly Refined Pirates and Menos El Oso. Opening track “Fine + 2 Points” remains one of the band’s strongest opening tracks in their discography, charging out of the gates with a syncopated stomp that comes across as a more agitated take on Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Outta My Head.” If Minus The Bear were looking to make pop music without any of its major-scale bubblegum trappings, they nailed it here. The band follows it with “Let’s Play Clowns” and “Dog Park”—nods to Highly Refined Pirates’ formula of frenetic clean guitar work, bombastic choruses, and Jake Snider’s lyrics of detached romantic nostalgia. These tracks may represent Minus the Bear’s original trademark version of pop but on songs like “I’m Totally Not Down With Rob’s Alien,” the band eschews its restless energy for atmosphere and dynamics, creating a sound that’s inspired more than a handful of contemporary melodic post-rock bands. By the time the band belts out “Pony Up!” the listener has watched the three-year sonic transition between Minus the Bear’s first two full-lengths transpire within under half an hour, with their earlier math rock predilections yielding to the tightly wound club-banging pedalboard trickery that defined their sophomore album. Even if Beer Commercials doesn’t fit within your definition of pop music, the unorthodox energetic charm of this relatively low-profile release serves as an exciting reminder of why Minus the Bear became one of the most important and influential indie rock bands of the new century

It's the pair you've all been waiting for! FINALLY!

Alan Tew's driving jazz-rock, sleuth-funk masterpiece, Drama Suite Part I is finally reissued to sate your appetites for arguably the very best library two-parter in existence. If you don’t know, get to know. Originally released in 1976 but wonderfully timeless, Drama Suite Part I is at the top of every library funk collectors' list. It's easy to see why...

Racing out the gate, the gritty crime funk of "The Detectives" makes for a thrilling, wild ride. A dramatic action theme, it's packed with strident playing and bags of attitude. There follows 10 (ten!) drama-tinged, horn-heavy, wah-wah-laced, conga-enhanced, synth-riddled links for neat segues and maximum funk fever. "Helicop" is another fast paced and energetic dramatic action background with great breaks and horns. "The Big One (Prelude)" has an ace bassline and creeps along superbly to create expectation and contains an amazing rolling piano loop that just stops you dead in your tracks. It's all building to "The Big One", a driving, dramatic, full-band action with fantastic funk breaks, heavy horns and *that* piano refrain. It was sampled by Jay-Z, and you can't really blame him, can you? The brief, tense "Headlights" and (even briefer) burner "The Burn" add some - you guessed it - deep drama over insistent rhythms to close out Side A.

Flip over for "The Detectives (Slow Version)", a relaxed, thoughtful version featuring synths. You might recognise it as being sampled by Domo Genesis and Evidence for "Tallulah" from their brilliant collaboration a few years ago. "The Detectives (Interlude)" is another slow, pensive version featuring electric piano and a trombone solo in the centre section. There follows 6 further links, Detectives versions essentially, with guitars, electric pianos, flugelhorns - all very cool and relaxed rhythms. The strutting majesty of big-time highlight "The Build Up" is next. It's a medium-slow drama background with occasional light statements of The Detectives theme peppered throughout. Nice. The fantastically-titled "Snout" is a slow, tense background theme which features a repetitive guitar figure with alto flutes over the top. The tense, stabby funk of "The Prowler" rounds out proceedings, with nervous figures over a slow, insistent cymbal beat.

As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for Drama Suite Part I comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. And as usual, the sleeve reproduction duties were handed over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity. We're not quite sure what else to say about this landmark record, other than, GET IT!