Search:hard

It's all aboard for Stasis' second 12" on De:tuned. Steve Pickton is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the early UK techno scene. Here he returns with a new 3 track EP of carefully selected and previously unreleased DAT tape tracks from the heyday of 90s electronic music. On offer a uniquely lush and sentimental style that resonates with the 313 Motor City sound. Sweet memories are the greatest kind of nostalgia!

Kevin Foakes (Openmind, DJ Food, Ninja Tune) created all the graphic work. Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis and pressed on 180 gr vinyl. A separate digital release will also be available at the usual digital shops. Stay tuned!

Allpa Puruma is a staple within the Latin American techno scene. This EP is nothing but incendiary hurricane whirlwind tracks…speckled with samples from the junglescape, full of hardgroove velocity.

In short: Four dancefloor bombshells (with a B2 to level you out) by a rising South American techno wizard. Tough tools to recalibrate your mind and ass to access the euphoria you need to set yourself free.

The first official compilation of DISCO STUPENDA, the party that brings back hidden masterpieces of Italian music to the dancefloor and that is sweeping the entire Italy and beyond, is finally coming out in vinyl, its most appropriate format.

The selection is by TOMMIBOY, resident DJ and founder of Italy’s most Italian party… everyone dances!

The 8 killer Disco Funk tracks tested on the most disparate dancefloors – from clubs in London, Berlin, Copenhagen, New York, Istanbul, Tunis, etc. to the Italian beach – are extremely rare gems that are hard to find even on the collector’s market.

South London Soul Band Trambeat, influenced by the floor shaking sound of 1960's Motor City. With brand new single, "Don't Hold Back"

Trambeat were formed in 2012 by guitarist Graham Potter and drummer Des" Jammy" James. Graham and Des had played together in several bands previously and already had a good musical understanding. Trambeat's manifesto; to write original songs influenced by a love of Northern Soul, Motown, Rocksteady and RnB. But also to look forward and include elements of more contemporary genres. Bass player Nipper Smith, Saxophonists Robin Ogleby and Nadia Barbosa, and organist Emer O'Hanlon were recruited to form the core band and Trambeat set about recording and gigging with various vocalists until, in 2016, Aimee Grinter became Trambeat's permanent lead singer.

Written by Graham Potter and Des James, "Don't Hold Back" is in some ways a comeback single for Trambeat. The pandemic years took their toll on many bands and Trambeat in particular, with the loss of founding member Robin Ogleby being a very hard blow. Following a tribute single in 2021 to raise money for Robin's charities, and a couple of festival gigs in the summer of 2022, theyndidn't have much appetite for writing new material, and were unsure whether to continue as a band without Robin. It was during a jam between Graham and Des in late 2022 that the bones of "Don't Hold Back" came together. The drums and rhythm guitar clicked into an infectious dance groove with echoes of vintage Motown. The band members came together in the studio with renewed enthusiasm and laid down the track in just a day. The band, who remained close,even during this hiatus, realised how great it was to be back in the studio together again. Graham's lyrics, as well as the euphoric feel of the track, reflected this new optimism within the band. "Don't Hold Back" is a celebration of life, of deep friendships and most of all, of love!

Plays on Gary Crowley's show on BBC London.

Regularly played by Button Down Radio, Heavy Soul (Cambridge), The Influential Factor show on Solid Front Radio (album of the week for TTN), Mod Radio UK (various shows), The Edward B'stard Radio Show, several stations in Germany and Edge Radio and couple of others in Australia

Grammy nominated DJ and production mastermind Paul Woolford steps up to deliver a timeless house reworking of Gabriels 'Angels & Queens'.

The title track from the trio's debut album (part 1) that took 2022 by storm. Endeared by the masses and critically acclaimed Gabriels set out a refreshing new take on soul that the world was subconsciously crying out for - an antidote to over produced pop - providing a deeper, more meaningful and heartfelt cause at its centre.

Tantalising from the outset, Woolford steps up to the plate with a hard-hitting remix that drives in straight to your centre. Punchy TR-909 drums combine with thundering bass tones and his archetypal, rising piano hooks. A combination that brings Jacob Lusk's inimitable vocals to new heights.

After a feverish reception to Paul's Instagram tease of the track, we've been itching to release this remix into the wild. It's a big one, don't miss it!

'Three supremely talented artists simply excelling at what they do' - Paul Woolford

Gerd Janson - 'Gabriels!!! - Total madness at Panorama Bar. Like it was made for the room'

DJ Feedback:

Prins Thomas – I’m melting….Amazing

Groove Armada – Love this!

Gorgon City - yessss

Fred P - Dope!!!!

Marco Faraone - Super remix!!!

Sasha – Quality

Bakermat – tasty

Mano Le Tough – Ace

Hector Romero - Gabriels have quickly become my fav new artist. Paul!! You nailed it. Great collaboration.

Horse Meat Disco – Pretty big remix!

Gerd Janson – MEGA

The first solo excursion on Half Grand Records comes from label boss, Jon Doppler. Clocking in at 37 minutes, this collection plays more like a mini album than a 12”.

The Artifact is full of the cavernous electro vibes that Doppler hinted at on the previously released compilations from the label. And if this record is an Artifact, it belongs at the bottom of the Mariana Trench with its alien percussion and deep, fluid bass.

It’s hard to pick a favorite as any one of these tracks would add atmosphere and color to a set. “Sapphire” sounds like it would perfectly underscore the discovery of an ancient Atlantean civilization. While Tar Like Gold’s driving, arpeggiated basslines and vocal samples “tomorrow holds the key” look to the future.

Take a listen and see for yourself, there’s a lot to love on this one.

For fans of Morphology, CPU records, Versalife

the remix album from daft punk !!! now repressed !!!

GRAILS don’t mince words. Awesomely communicative but entirely instrumental, this dynamic band’s violin, guitars, piano, and drums collide with sober melodies and massive emotion. At alternate moments, Grails can sound vaguely classical, Eastern European, Irish, like the lost tapes of Pauline Oliveros, and, you know, rock. They’re not really like anything else on the Neurot roster, but they’ve got something in common with all the Neurot bands: a commitment to intense music that forges new paths and, yeah, communicates in the most real way possible.
Grails have their fair share of ambient noise - shivery violins, a trickle of a high-hat, the amplified scrape of a guitar string - but their music is based on strong, narrative melodies that resonate in the heart. At times it sounds delicate, but they never cower; Grails ROAR, even when they’re being quiet.
The Burden of Hope is the debut LP, following a pair of self-released, eponymous ep’s in 2000 and 2002. The LP is the culmination of a year’s worth of recordings, including a reinterpretation of Sun City Girls’ classic “Space Prophet Dogon.”
Grails are gathered in Portland, Oregon from Baltimore, Little Rock, Louisville, Chapel Hill, and Reno. As an ensemble, their respective backgrounds in hardcore, classical, folk, and rock blend seamlessly. Formed in late 2000 to execute live the bedroom recordings of guitarist Alex Hall, the once-tentatively-assembled group found unexpected success with both audiences and local press. Originally formed under the moniker Laurel Canyon, the name of the group was changed to Grails to coincide with the release of The Burden

repressed !

Jasper Byrne Aka Sonic (sonic & Silver / Accidental Heroes) Spent The Late 90s & 00s Dropping Releases On Pretty Much Every Legendary D&b Label Going (reinforced, Metalheadz, Renegade Hardware, Formation, Virus, Soul:r And His Own Space Recordings), Before Mysteriously Disap-pearing To The Far East & Re-emerging Years Later As A Hit Indy Computer Games Developer (lone Survivor) & Soundtrack Artist (hotline Miami).

After A Chance Encounter With Dead Man's Chest At A Gig In La (where Jasper Had Been Working On A Game And Wholeheartedly Soaking Up The Local Low End Theory Music Scene), It Quickly Emerged The Two Had Shared Similar Musical Stories, Straying From Previous D&b Careers And Into The Musical Wilderness, Only To Drift Back Toward The Tempo With A New Found 'outsider' Approach And Eerily Familiar Conclusions..

After Teasing Us With 2018's 110174 Mixtape (ltd Edition Cassette Only Release) And His Appear- Ances On Blunted Breaks Vol.1, 2019 Sees Sonic Mark His Return To The World Of Dance Music Proper With This Two Part, Heavyweight Ep For Western Lore.

Blending Techno, Footwork, La Bass, Hardcore, Synthwave And D&b Under A Loose Jungle Tekno Framework, 110174 Sees Sonic Crafting Beats, Breaks & Bass With An Artisanal Deftness Rarely Seen.

Mal- One’s new single tells us about the punk fanzines that initially appeared in late 1976, but really exploded in 1977.They provided vital information on the scene and later became a great artefact of the time. A quick, fast, format, put together by fans of the music. It provided a great way to communicate with likeminded people. A couple of interviews with band members, that were keen to encourage the support. Culled together with some reviews of gigs attended and reviews of new releases, then quickly photocopied, stapled together and away you go. It’s amazing how many fanzines there were. Some examples are listed in the lyrics of this track. If you got your fanzine copies to Rough Trade, who seemed to take them all !!!, man you got it made. The hard copy these days seems a thing of the past and is sadly missed. Today’s messages arrive mainly in digital format. To take another example from the lyric ..Punk Rock Fanzines way to go…. and only 25p a go…

Jordon Alexander (pen name Mall Grab) brilliantly carved out his very own niche in dance music. Influenced by hardcore punk skateboarding and high fashion (Linea Rossa!) in equal parts the young Australian delivers precise studies in house and techno. As entertaining as they are excitatory there hasn’t been a bump on his road so far. Alexander’s debut for Running Back proves this point. How The Dogs Chill Vol.2 delivers four high octane tracks whose DNA contains traces of deep house and a penchant for atmospheric and dulcet melodies. But they are also muscle-bound soaring and cater to the aptitude of shaking legs. Written in 2022 while he was around the flora and fauna of Australia these tracks are also supposed to sound somewhat botanical – or at least evoke the sensory experience of a visit to a greenhouse. Carefully sequenced and crafted one is left with an appetite as soon as the playtime is over. Proper nutriment for party people and serious music pendants alike.

Making their debut appearance on Steel City Dance Discs, Clouds, an irrefutable powerhouse of sound consisting of Liam Robertson and Calum Macleod, exercise their intensely unapologetic musical personality with their latest venture with Mass Hysteria, for SCDD040.

The Scottish duo have become recognised for their heavenly balance of euphoric soundscapes, ladened with break-neck percussion, ecstasy-induced melodies and rupturing drum patterns. All of these highly characteristic elements are found in Mass Hysteria; an EP that highlights the hard-edged nature of Clouds’ ever-evolving style.

Mass Hysteria is a five-piece project that is nothing short of atomic. Typically energy-fuelled, the duo coordinate a masterful blend of hard-hitting, four-to-the-floor basslines: a seemingly perfect marriage for an EP that sets the listener deep into a cosmic whirlwind of electronic emotions.

2023 REPRESS

Two dub edits "Bad" and "Badder" deconstructed from the track "Badman" with DRS, from legendary Mark Ernestus and exclusively released via his Hardwax Record store on 29th January and via Bandcamp on Feb 12th. "Getting to work with Mark Ernestus is a real honour, I collected his and Maurizio Von Oswald's work for many years and still do," he remarks. "It's hard to avoid the influence of these guys in electronic music across genres and so it is a real pleasure to have Mark do his thing with the Badman tune which I think sounds closely related."

Toolbox is so proud of this wax.... I discover Somatic Responses with their very first EP on CFET, and I still dig for any of their music... Whatever it was with Cavage, with Ant-Zen or with DBN. But it's true to say Techno became more and more rare with them. And this time we hang on with four unreleased techno and hardcore tunes from Somatic Responses !!! The sound is just Acid and crazy of course, but this is not oldschool... this is Music, probably the best musical EP on Acid Night. Check this LIVE at the Glaz'Art on 13th of September ! LOVE !

Boss Priester makes his LOCUS debut with his bustling four-track ‘Hotel Dijon’ EP.

Working hard in the studio to develop his own take on minimal-leaning house and techno, The Hague-based DJ/ producer Boss Priester is starting to reap the rewards and emerge as another hotshot from the country’s hotbed of electronic talent. Racking up support from the likes of Dungeon Meat, East End Dubs, Michel de Hey, Dr. Banana and Alec Falconer, his releases on What NxT and Dark Side Of The Sun have accompanied appearances at the likes of Thuishaven, Colorado Charlie and Lovelee. Another fan of the young Dutchman is FUSE and LOCUS boss Enzo Siragusa, and late September brings a first appearance on the latter imprint as he makes his label debut with his four-track ‘Hotel Dijon’ EP.

Title track ‘Hotel Dijon’ comes loaded with raw drum licks, cosmic synths and menacing, swirling low-ends for a heavy-hitting opener set to cause serious dance floor damage, while the slinking ‘ROF66’ mixes eerie stabs with shuffling drums and bouncy baselines for another heavyweight anthem. Next, ‘SUP01’ keeps things ticking nicely on a similar tip with yet more punchy percussion arrangements linking with playful sound design peppered with zippy FX, before closing the show with the hopped-up, bass-driven sonics of final effort ‘Wek’.

Boss Priester ‘Hotel Dijon’ EP drops via LOCUS on 22nd September 2023.

Continuing where Oddkut and Abstrakt Sonance’s FKOFv007 left off, our 8th record is a collaborative affair – three artists, four tunes and a whole lot of weight. 11th Hour is one of our long-standing collaborators, having appeared on our second ever EP back in 2013, and Substrada is quickly following in Jason’s footsteps with his latest outing with us. And, as you’d suspect, we’re delighted to welcome Charles back after his epic (collab) FKOFd046 in 2020. Last, but definitely not least, we welcome Kusmo to the FKOF family – an artist we’ve super excited about.

“FKOFv008’s been doing the rounds for most of 2022, with two solo outings for Substrada and two collaborative efforts. We’ve had some epic DJ support from the likes of Mala, but it’s hard to choose a favourite from across this record. ‘Coolin’ With The Gang’ is signature Substrada; all spooky atmospheres, suffocating sub pressure and a few vocal samples that have upset a few radio stations over the last 12 months. It’s a banger. The second A- side is the meditative ‘Predator Flow’ – eyes down power and our favourite beats, bass and space recipe. Watch for this one! The third inclusion, the Kusmo collab entitled ‘Wump’, does what you’d expect. It is, as it proudly exclaims, “the shit”. We’re excited to see where these two take their efforts (separately and together)! The record closes with the absolute scenes ‘Colossus’ has inspired across the dance floors this year, with Substrada and 11th Hour joining forces to create one of our tunes of the year. It is relentless.

“FKOF Records celebrates its tenth birthday in 2023 and we’ve got some epic physical releases coming to celebrate our decade of 140bpm. Substrada’s FKOFv008 gives you some idea of what we’ve got coming, and we hope you enjoy these four tunes (from three of our favourite producers!) as we close out 2022. Thank you for all your support this year, and we’ll see you on the flipside.

Fresh takes on 90’s jungle and atmospheric drum & bass by Finland’s ODJ Pirkka. Starting track ‘OMG’ combines soulful R&B vibes with blunt basslines, radical samples programming and hard hitting beats. DJ Sofa remixes ‘OMG’ into a dope Bristol style roller with infectious bassline and some hi-energy buildups and cuts. Flipside ‘Bookworm’ is an atmospheric roller with memorable sunrise synths and a sneaky dark section in the middle that slams you with a crazy reese bassline and some red hot amens. Lastly Msymiakos from Norway uses the supplied atmospherics to remix ‘Bookworm’ into an intricate and brooding drum workout.

Most Excellent Unlimited is happy to announce the next release in its series of collaborations with master DJ and editor "Mr. K". Two exceptional deep classic album gems skillfully cut down to a maximum 7" 45rpm format, Luther’s “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)” and Zulema’s “Giving Up.”

Long before “Never Too Much” and his other solo hits, Luther Vandross was an in-demand backup singer and vocal arranger, working with luminaries like Carly Simon, Bette Midler, and Donna Summer, along with his stand out performances in Change, Bionic Boogie, & so many more. Perhaps his most significant role, however, was backing David Bowie on the 1975 Young Americans album. It was during these sessions that Bowie heard Luther’s song “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)” and re-tooled it to become the Bowie/Vandross joint composition “Fascination,” which went on to become a successful Bowie single.

For the latest edition of Most Excellent Unlimited’s series of edits, Mr. K has gone back to the original source, credited to the group (not the solo artist) Luther (which also features Christine Wiltshire). Mr. K's technique on this edit is cleverly subtle, in the process giving us the first opportunity to get almost the entire full-length song on compact 7-inch wax, keeping that irresistible building energy that places the track firmly on dancefloor-friendly territory.

“Giving Up” was the opening track on Zulema’s second LP, and given the drama of the intro, with its rolling piano, string ensemble, and piercing guitar, it’s not hard to hear why it was effective in that role. Mr. K’s edit benefits from a crystal clear remastering in which each element of the band is distinct in the soundfield, led by Zulema’s gutsy vocals upfront. Originally a 1964 Gladys Knight tearjerker that crept along at a tango’s pace, Zulema’s 1973 cover gives the song a new, powerfully soulful arrangement, championed by such disparate eras and tastemakers as Nicky Siano at the Gallery in the ’70s and breakbeat hunters the Beatnuts in the ’90s that has easily found favor with a wide variety of listeners and DJs, and this new issue should solidify that position. Never before available on 7-inch, “Giving Up” is a bonafide funk and proto-disco classic —

Mysteries Of The World is the stunning final studio album from legendary Philly supergroup MFSB. Expertly co-written and produced with the mighty Dexter Wansel, it features the untouchable, sparkling masterpiece "Mysteries Of The World". The whole album is truly exquisite; a stylish, classy collection of pure Philly soul and orchestral jazz-funk.

MFSB, an acronym for Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, was formed by producers Gamble & Huff of Philadelphia International Records. The band's roots can be traced back to the house band at the legendary Sigma Sound Studios, where they played on numerous hit records by artists like The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and The Stylistics. Mysteries Of The World comprises slick jazz-funk grooves, mostly penned by Wansel, who produced a fair chunk of the album in a similar style to his space-funk records. MFSB's smooth sound is retained but it receives a fresh, elegant and jazzy upgrade. While this album is as mellow as the rest of the latter-period MFSB recordings, it never forgets the group's soul music underpinnings.

Swaggering, well-timed horn blasts, sweeping strings and a percolating, hard thumping slap-bassline combine to devastating effect on amazing opener "Manhattan Skyline". It's a sexy mid-tempo instrumental which sets us up nicely for what follows. Essays could be written analysing the perfection of title track. Arguably the finest jazz-funk instrumental ever made, it's absolutely magnificent. Featuring musicianship of the highest calibre, the band play with their trademark tight discipline, cooking up a syncopating rhythm with an array of exploratory keyboard riffs wrapped around a punchy bassline sent from heaven. It sounds like house music, it's that ahead of its time. The string intro is sumptuous, hypnotic and divine and that's all before the beat hits. The track fuses classical, jazz and funk into a musical journey that you never want to end. Absolutely flawless, it's a dramatic disco dancefloor killer.

Says Dexter Wansel himself: "You know, of all the songs I wrote/produced/arranged for MFSB, this is for me the most different. I think it's an experiment in rhythmic, soft sonic synth and live string and harp combinations. I composed it in an effort to blend a funky groove, along with synthesis, and orchestral sounds. There are 3 synthesizers: Oberheim 4 voice, Polymoog, and of course Arp 2600v. And, as I remember, I recorded the track with the rhythm section, string, harp and flute players first. Then I added synthesis."

The profound elegance remains in abundance on the slinky, harp-laced "Tell Me Why"; Carla Benson's beautiful voice truly shines on this sophisticated cut. The side closes out in dramatic style with the string-drenched "Metamorphosis". It's a staccato, Blaxploitation groove workout featuring wah-wah guitar, creeping basslines, rich horn solos and soulful vocals drifting in and out of the mix. The bouncy, irrepressible "Fortune Teller" opens the B side in the bass-heavy orchestral funk style before the beautiful "Old San Juan" glides in, a Balearic-adjacent track with intricate arrangements, building its mellow soul groove around an atypical flamenco guitar hook. Melancholy, guitar-led instrumental "Thank You Miss Scott" is a real highlight, with gorgeous flute, string and percussive elements whilst closer "In the Shadow" works an otherworldly synth line into its bossa nova groove.

An essential record for fans of Philly soul and groovy jazz-funk, Mysteries Of The World was mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Cicely Ralston for Alchemy at AIR Studios. The stunning artwork, the work of renowned illustrator Robert Giusti, was restored at Be With HQ to round out this beautiful reissue.

In the late 2000s a sprawling catalog of what is now genre-defining music was emanating from an unlikely place. Cleveland, Ohio has a broad reputation for many things, but in the aughts, psyche-expanding Kosmische wasn’t necessarily Cleveland’s calling card… until Emeralds. The trio of John Elliott, Steve Hauschildt, and Mark McGuire had released a profusion of limited-run cassettes, CD-Rs, and vinyl titles that had been passed around basement shows and then migrated to niche music communities online, creating a unique kind of murmur, even in the height of the DIY blog era. Three kids from the rust belt were crafting a distinctive and truly far-out strain of music on their own terms in the Midwest. They were flipping lids in wood-paneled basements and circulating around the underground with soaring sounds stylistically indebted to deep German electronic music pioneers and released with the ethos and twisted fervor of renegade Midwestern noise freaks. After several releases garnered a die-hard fandom in niche circles of internet/music culture, and then catching the attention of the late Peter Rehberg, the renowned artist and curator of the Editions Mego label, an expectation was set that the next Emeralds record was going to be a big one. And in 2010, Does it Look Like I’m Here? was it.

mp3s of this album; they can finally get a fresh copy on vinyl. Does It Look Like I’m Here? became a hallmark that would carve a path for an entire scene. Ghostly International is thrilled to reissue the album, remastered by Heba Kadry, including 7 bonus tracks exclusive to the digital album and CD. The limited edition 2xLP includes extensive liner notes by Chris Madak (Bee Mask).

Carved out from between the cracks of life over a 2 year period, Low Flung presents his eighth full length album ‘The Wheel’. Together, the 11 tracks provide a space to process and sit with difficult change. This takes the form of microscopic minimalist landscapes. Presented in both audio and physical form as micro grooves on a 12” vinyl.

At times the sound wanders and walks, other times it remains still, clear and precise. The omni-present artifacts found in ‘The Wheel’ are left to breathe a different life during each listen. Drones act like familiar trails losing their path as space transforms like a breeze over a table of sand. Hyper focused spores evolve around blurred waves of time. Electronic tones are captured flowing to the rhythm of a decaying natural world.

‘The Wheel’ is a patchwork of sonic experiments made using modular synthesis, fixed architecture synthesis, Buchla Music Easel (replica), outboard effects, cassette manipulation techniques, samplers and field recordings taken along the texturally rich and historically questionable eastern coastline of Australia.

The tracks have been composed with a materiality that embraces the acoustics of different listening environments. Much like mood, this means each listening experience is unique due to the natural acoustics of your listening space. The sounds on this album embrace this phenomena, creating a rich, visceral listening experience that slowly scratches away at discrete moments of time

Rather than attempting to traverse new sonic fields of experimentation in ‘The Wheel’, the album touches on the various spaces Danny has explored over the past ten years as an Audio Visual artist. Although technically eighth, it would be more fitting to say this album draws a clear line from ‘Blow Waves (2018)’ to ‘Outside The Circle (2020)’ to become the third and final chapter in the expanded non linear, unintentional landscape series. Serendipitous that each was conceived over 2 year periods of time.

While the key focus is sitting with difficult change, this album is also a celebration of any moment you might find yourself in. Good, bad, easy or hard, this album is an attempt to help with feeling content wherever you are along your path. With each cycle a new context.

Labrish’ is one of jamaica’s great talkover tunes, producers bunny lee and lee perry discussing hard times and funny stories over a great rhythm. the flipside is another cut to the rhythm by cornell campbell & the original b-side to the single on it’s release ‘power pressure’.

Originally released on Island Records in September 1998, the soundtrack to the box-office smash film, written and directed by Guy Ritchie, quickly became a must-own album, and is frequently cited as one of the best movie soundtracks of all time.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels redefined the British gangster film and established Guy Ritchie as one of the greatest directing and writing talents of his generation. Using a frenetic mixture of filmic styles, humour, violence, breakdown of the fourth wall, narration, and vast amounts of swearing, it is hard to imagine a time when this film and its influence was not around. It made a star of the-then unknown Jason Statham, and, amazingly, hard man footballer Vinnie Jones, who as Big Chris, had several scene-stealing moments. Taking his cue from Quentin Tarantino, who had been meticulously curating his film soundtracks since the early 90s, Ritchie made the music to his film tell its own story, complete with memorable snatches of dialogue between many of the tracks.

It offers a beautifully eclectic selection of songs from the preceding three decades, plus then-current artists providing some of their best material, such as Hundred Mile High City by Ocean Colour Scene or E-Z Rollers' drum'n'bass masterpiece Walk This Land. Of the heritage tracks, Dusty Springfield sings her sultry take on Spooky; James Brown appears twice with The Boss and The Payback; The Stooges with I Wanna Be Your Dog, and two versions of Pete Wingfield's masterful one-hit-wonder 18 With A Bullet; in its 1975 original and a contemporary cover by Lewis Taylor and Carleen Anderson. And this is only half of it.

Two mavericks, out on the weekend, trying to make it pay...

"Maverick was the word that came to mind when I listened to this music. A slightly wayward independence of spirit and outlook. The word originally referred to an unbranded male calf that had become separated from the herd (because Texan rancher Sam Maverick was so negligent in his branding - ‘if it ain’t branded, it’s a Maverick’). But Sam’s grandson Maury Maverick gave it a different twist in his short but stormy Congressional career as the only liberal member of the Southern Democratic caucus. Maury was so out of step with his own folks that he not only voted in 1937 to make lynching a federal crime, he even addressed the House to condemn the practice as barbaric. His attempt to ban racist mob murder sadly failed, but it’s that refusal to march in step which distinguishes the two ‘mavericks’ who made this record.

Who would attempt to combine cunning ethnological forgery, Scottish folk songs, claw-hammer guitar, untutored horn-tootling, elastically relaxed drumming and garage electronic fuckery? Only Greg and Stefan, high on sea, sunshine and mis-judged micro-dosing – that’s who. ‘Don’t drown’ was offered as practical advice during the self-described ‘Yellow Submarine’ phase of making this record. And while they managed to avoid literally doing so (phew), they sound here like they got pretty ‘deep in’ to an Octopus’s sound world all their own. This surprisingly clear analogue recording has just enough Bikini Bottom grit to ensure traction. The tunes are inviting, and the sonic disruptions are too good-natured and goofy to upset even the most delicate digestion.

The sessions have had a couple of years to marinate, courtesy of some pandemic, and are here offered in that most Archducal of vinyl formats, the double ten inch. What are you waiting for, a side of Crabby Patties? Get your water-wings and dive in (unless you’re tripping)!" - Bruce Russell (The Dead C)


Pumice is the long-running, endlessly inventive project of New Zealand native Stefan Neville (1974), whose shambolic music is equally reminiscent of Kiwi pop groups such as The Clean and Tall Dwarfs as well as the country's experimental noise-rock bands like the Dead C. Largely recorded solo by himself on junky equipment, his songs typically feature blown-out guitars, wheezing chord organs, and vocals disguised by tape hiss and static.

Greg Malcolm (1965) is a guitarist from New Zealand who has played everywhere on the globe and with all most everyone, including Rosy Parlane, Toshimaru Nakamura, Tetuzi Akiyama and Bruce Russell, as well as solo releases on his own label, Corpus Hermeticum, Kraak and Celebrate Psi Phenomenon.

Nice Coordinated Outfit is a journey through history to a time before the internet and social media and before inner city gentrification, when Fitzroy was the beating heart of Australia's avant-garde music and culture. Musically, it showcases the band's incredible range from deep minimal dub to bizarre electronica with elements of shoegaze and experimental noise.

Back then, High Pass Filter were the kings of the Fitzroy underground. Dark, weird improvisers who aimed for something new each performance. Whilst electric guitars and rock n roll dominated Australian airwaves and stages, High Pass Filter were pioneering a sonic revolution in the shadows. The band's indefinable sound saw them sharing lineups with artists from hardcore and punk luminaries like Fugazi and The Boredoms and to dub heavyweights such as Lee Scratch Perry and The Mad Professor.

Four Flies is proud to present the very first 7" version of music from "Il corpo", Piero Umiliani's acclaimed soundtrack to the 1974 film that ends the exotic/erotic trilogy directed by Luigi Scattini and starring Zeudy Araya, where the Florentine composer reached one of the peaks of his creative powers.

"Chaser", featured on side A in an exclusive extended version (previously unreleased in any form), is a track with a dreamy groove that blends rock, funk, jazz, exotic and psychedelic elements into a gorgeous symphony of rhythmic sensuality.

The imperishable "Hard Times", on side B, is one of the most sublime examples of Italian jazz-funk, with an orchestration built around a stunning string section that provides incredible depth and three-dimensionality. At once exotic, percussive, and full of jazz and funk vibes, this unique double-sider is the perfect accomplice to any DJ. Copies will go very fast – it's a limited edition, don't sleep on it!

Amy Douglas should need no introduction, having supplied song-writing and vocal duties for Horse Meat Disco, Róisín Murphy, Luke Solomon, Soul Clap, and worked with Joe Goddard on their Hard Feelings project,

Here she teams up with Craig Bratley, who dusts off the analogue synths to produce something which clearly wears its influence on its sleeve, taking in elements of Balearic, Street Soul and early Sheffield Bleep.

On the Ashigaru Dub, Craig explores these influences further, the result reminiscent of Mad Professors take on Massive Attack.

NOW Music is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series – and our first to celebrate the ‘90s, NOW – Yearbook 1992; 79 tracks from a brilliant year in Pop! Available as a Special Edition CD housed in ‘hard-back-book’ packaging, including a 28-page booklet featuring a summary of the year, a track-by-track guide, a quiz, and original singles artwork, a standard 4CD package, and a Limited edition 3-LP set pressed on green vinyl.