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2024 repress.

Five years ago, back in September 2016, Stefano Gentile published a photographic book entitled IL SILENZIO DEI TUOI PASSI (The Silence of Your Steps), which collected a series of 56 pictures, both in b/w and colour, dedicated to the nights in Venice. The book was a journey through the most remote "calli" and "campi" (streets, alleys and squares, as they're called in Venice) in search of the true 'breath' of the city, far away from the hordes of tourists who 'attack' it every day during daylight hours.

On such occasion, renowned musician Gigi Masin composed a 30 minutes epic ambient track entitled VENEZIA 2016 which was the perfectsoundtrack to the images included in the book. The track was published on CD and released bounded with the book itself in a limited edition of 480 copies only, and has been unavailable for years now.In 2021 Gigi Masin returned to that great piece of music and to its timeless sounds. Finally, Silentes can now offer PLAYS VENEZIA, Masin's latest work contanining a re-edited version of that 'pearl', accompanied by two unreleased tracks composed and recorded in the same period.

Once again inspired by the city, Masin created an enduring and wonderful ambient masterpiece, a sort of return to the origins, to his home. Adding to the intrinsic quality of the originals, the tracks were beautifully mastered by Brandenburg Mastering in Amsterdam. PLAYS VENEZIA is simply an unmissable release and one of Masin's greatest accomplishment in a long carrier that never ceases to amaze us.

* CASSETTE VERSION **
Five years ago, back in September 2016, Stefano Gentile published a photographic book entitled IL SILENZIO DEI TUOI PASSI (The Silence of Your Steps), which collected a series of 56 pictures, both in b/w and colour, dedicated to the nights in Venice. The book was a journey through the most remote "calli" and "campi" (streets, alleys and squares, as they're called in Venice) in search of the true 'breath' of the city, far away from the hordes of tourists who 'attack' it every day during daylight hours.

On such occasion, renowned musician Gigi Masin composed a 30 minutes epic ambient track entitled VENEZIA 2016 which was the perfect soundtrack to the images included in the book. The track was published on CD and released bounded with the book itself in a limited edition of 480 copies only, and has been unavailable for years now.In 2021 Gigi Masin returned to that great piece of music and to its timeless sounds. Finally, Silentes can now offer PLAYS VENEZIA, Masin's latest work contanining a re-edited version of that 'pearl', accompanied by two unreleased tracks composed and recorded in the same period.

Once again inspired by the city, Masin created an enduring and wonderful ambient masterpiece, a sort of return to the origins, to his home. Adding to the intrinsic quality of the originals, the tracks were beautifully mastered by Brandenburg Mastering in Amsterdam. PLAYS VENEZIA is simply an unmissable release and one of Masin's greatest accomplishment in a long carrier that never ceases to amaze us.

Inspired by the strong storytelling sensibilities of 60s folk icons and making a sound that sits her snugly alongside the likes of Aldous Harding, Julia Jacklin and Waxahatchee.

Written after a relationship’s end, Rowena Wise’s Senseless Acts of Beauty is a stunning and searingly honest record.

A new yet accomplished artist, Rowena grew up in the Western Australian surf town of Margaret River perfoming in her family’s folk band. Now grown up and living in Melbourne, her electric solo live performances of recent years has seen a real word of mouth build around her.

A songwriter inspired by the strong storytelling sensibilities of 60s folk icons, Senseless Acts of Beauty delivers on the promise hinted at by her live show. Full of emotional depth, its ten tracks offer heady ruminations on love, loss, and alienation. And by electing to record them all live in the room, often in one take, the kinks and blemishes add weight to the lived experience of Rowena’s lyrics.

A Gilles Peterson-approved deep jazz-rap classic.

2024 first time vinyl release, 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork.

Limited and Non-Returnable.

Holy grail hip-hop alert! Superstar Quamallah's Invisible Man was never released on wax so, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this astounding record, we present the first ever vinyl edition. A stunning record which gained accolades upon its initial release, such as a prominent feature on Gilles Peterson's renowned Best Of 2009 show, it's one of the most essential jazz rap albums of all time.

Deep jazz rap on that mellow-melodic tip, Invisible Man is an unforgettable album with nothing but dope beats and dope bars. There's a strong chance this album has passed you by but we truly believe it to be a lost hip-hop masterpiece. It supremely captures the essence of a golden age classic without being slavish to the past. No, this ain't some facile throwback rap. It's a fresh and deeply soulful, original album shot through straight from the heart. Perfect to chill to, Invisible Man is profoundly jazz-oriented and captures with simplicity and sincerity the essence of hip-hop circa 1983-1994. It sounds like vibing with your nearest, dearest and oldest friends on a long hot summer night as the tantalising thought that anything is possible fills the air. You know what, we can just call this "magic hour rap" and we think you'll know what we mean. It's just beautiful. Just Listen.

Brooklyn-born, California-based emcee, DJ, and producer Superstar Quamallah was active in the West Coast underground scene throughout the 90s and recorded extensively with such revered names as Defari and Tajai. His parents were some serious artistic heavyweights, too; his father was soul organist Big John Patton, a giant in the jazz world known for his releases on Blue Note whilst his mother was an active designer. However, he remains relatively unknown. Invisible Man, named ostensibly after the classic Ralph Ellison novel, could also refer to how he is viewed by the public at large. With close affiliations to the Hieroglyphics, Dilated Peoples and Likwit crew, his debut EP "Don't Call Me John" arrived in 1999 on ABB Records, after which he took a sabbatical from recording which included graduate school, travelling, teaching at Inglewood High and eventually a professorship of African Studies at Berkeley.

With a laidback flow and deep, relaxing presence on the mic, Superstar Quamallah is equal parts Big Daddy Kane, Rakim and Guru. Invisible Man is refined, soulful, feel-good hip-hop of the old school. Its wise, spiritual and literate sound, combined with the summertime vibes projected by the smooth beats and the nostalgia-inducing samples and vocal scratches, created jazzy boom-bap rap reminiscent of prime De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr.

Irresistibly bouncing opener "You Need Knowledge" loops sparkling pianos, horns and a nagging whistle refrain with scratched vocal refrains from Slick Rick, Mobb Deep and Guru. The super-smooth head-nod classic "88 Soul" also utilises a beautifully swelling piano line and dusty breaks whilst Quamé reminisces about his childhood in NYC. Deeply moving, the silky, sultry "Black Shakespeare" is built around an elegant piano loop and goes hard on the superman lover tip whilst "For My People...It's Spiritual" is transcendental rap in conversation with Rakim and older gods. The "Moment Of Truth"-sampling "Lonely At The Top" is striking for its undiluted boom-bap stylings and the staccato flute-hop of "Just Listen" is riddled with soulful refinement. The deeply-affecting, wistful-yet-triumphant bells and horn-drenched single "California Dreamin'" is top-tier rap of unimpeachable quality. What a flow!

Another highlight is the rich melodic piano-rap of "Purity", a beautiful ode to the foundations of rap and those keeping the culture authentically alive. Beautifully played instruments and spiritual jazz samples elevate the deep thinking present on "Kunta Kente" whilst the darker jazz-tinged battle-rap of "93 Shit" goes super hard both in a lyrical sense and with its no-holds drum punches. The breezy Rhodes and string loops that serve as the sonic backdrop to the slinky jazz rap of "We Got Plots" are just gorgeous as our hero evokes Common's "I Used To Love H.E.R." with a head-spinning tale of crime, deception and double crossing. And some twist! "Do Win-Dis" has a tense crime-funk backing and rolling beats which complement Quamé's flow perfectly before the record is rounded out by the tough yet jazzy brilliance of rap confessional "Hope She Remembers Me". Just sensational.

Upon its original release, Quamallah himself declared: "My favorite time period for Hip Hop music was definitely between 1983 and 1994 with 1988 and 1993 being two years that standout as extremely impressive years musically and culturally. The fashion, slang, movies, TV shows and vibe during those years was incredible. While totally submerged in the feelings and music of that entire time period, I went to work on Invisible Man and I am excited for people to hear the result! It is an album that I would want to hear from some of my favorite artists of the past and present today. This is not a RETRO trip for me; this is me at my best lyrically and spiritually using the accessories of the 80s and 90s to fuel me. I am a 88 soul as the song states!"

This album goes deep. It goes all in. When Invisible Man first came out it had a real hold on us here at Be With HQ. We couldn't stop listening to it. We'd venture to say it's one of the top 25 rap records of the 2000s. In the years since its release, it has remained a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We sincerely hope this first time double LP release will go some way to correct this.

It's been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. Finally available on the format it should always have been on, it must never be rendered invisible again.

"Daylight" ist eine exzellente Kooperation des britischen Dance-Produzenten Hifi Sean mit dem Top-Vokalisten David McAlmont. Ihre berauschende Reise zelebriert und erforscht auf 12 Tracks die Farben und das Gefühl des Sommers. Es wird das erste von zwei Alben des Duos dieses Jahr sein, zusammen mit dem Schwesteralbum "Twilight", das am ersten Wintertag, dem 1. Dezember, folgt.

- Format: Neon-gelbes LP-Vinyl mit downloadbarem Booklet samt Lyrics & Fotos.

"Daylight" ist eine exzellente Kooperation des britischen Dance-Produzenten Hifi Sean mit dem Top-Vokalisten David McAlmont. Ihre berauschende Reise zelebriert und erforscht auf 12 Tracks die Farben und das Gefühl des Sommers. Es wird das erste von zwei Alben des Duos dieses Jahr sein, zusammen mit dem Schwesteralbum "Twilight", das am ersten Wintertag, dem 1. Dezember, folgt.

- Format: Neon-gelbes LP-Vinyl mit downloadbarem Booklet samt Lyrics & Fotos.

Continuing from the release of Northern Soul Classics, this excellent value 2LP compilation brings together 40 essential tracks from a generation of artists inspired by gospel and rhythm and blues. Immerse yourself in the sweet soulful voices of Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, The Supremes, Ike and Tina Turner and many more!

LIMITED EDITION LILAC COLOURED VINYL LP WITH DOWNLOAD CODE
It's a year later and everything has gone from bad to worse.

Machiavellian Art and Riot Season Records present "Population Control". A Sonic Examination of the Mechanisms of Control.

An intense exploration of societal and self-imposed controls, encapsulated in a dynamic contrast between Side A's visceral anger and the introspective ambiance of Side B. This duality mirrors the contrasting themes of external control versus internal reflection.

"Population Control" extends beyond its predecessor, "Indoctrination Sounds," in both musical depth and thematic scope. The album confronts a broad spectrum of modern-day addictions - not just to substances, but to technology, social media, and the relentless 24-hour news cycle. These themes manifest across tracks like "A Slow Death," "Population Control (1) + (2)," "Fear of the Outside World," and "Crisis," each exploring the resulting isolation, paranoia, fear, and hopelessness. "Seaside Holiday," a critique of environmental negligence, specifically highlighting the issue of untreated sewage being dumped into Britain's waterways by private companies.

Previous praise:

"Incredibly progressive, psychedelic but massively discordant, saxophone and static infused psych rock chaos" (Nineherz)

"Nasty noise rock with sax and freeform jam segments, but also—because you may have heard music which answers to that description before—a stamp of individuality." (Maximum Rock N Roll)

"Want a weird and dangerous album with a lot to say then Indoctrination Sounds is that album. " (Outlaws Of The Sun)

"Indoctrination Sounds is a total exercise in distorted, claustrophobic riffs, uneasy, anxious vibes, and industrial noise." (The Sleeping Shaman)

Machiavellian Art are: Amy Murphy, Benjamin Thomas, Joe Parkes, John Andrews,Sam Hunt

Acid House is a genre most DJs love, play and sometimes produce. As an all-time acid aficianado, Ten Fingerz has already produced several tracks in the genre. This time he has decided to invite other friend producers to come and toy with the 303 sound. This is how the "Acid Friendz" EP is born : 4 acid tracks, each one made in collaboration with a different producer, bringing his own flavour to the record and the "acid sound". The guests are well known dancefloor agitators, in the persons of James Curd & Mr. Flip, S3A, Brooklyn Baby and the Tomasi Brothers.



Each track expresses the desire to collaborate on the project and just make acid tracks, the way House producers have for decades now, from Chicago and the world over.

Frappé says be ready to Jack!

After turning in a wall-shaking remix of Essaie pas last year, Romanian production duo Khidja present their first EP for DFA. These four tracks are deep, spooky heaters - think John Carpenter in the club, with industrial basslines, frenetic melodies careening a bit out of control, and vocals echoing from the corners of the room. Their signature throb that runs along all four tracks, influenced by their time spent in underground scenes in Bucharest, London, and Berlin, as well as an emphasis on the jagged sounds of hardware.

Having established themselves with previous releases on labels like Hivern Discs and Malka Tuti, Khidja get darker, dubbier, and more twisted on In The Middle Of The Night. We find the record in the witching hour, and the tracks represent the cycle of nighttime mentalities, revealing the various directions the mind can wander in the place between consciousness and unconsciousness - mania, paranoia, even boredom. It all makes for a raucous dancefloor experience, with the duo bringing something new and heavy to the DFA roster.

Kein Zweifel: Ohne Axel Rudi Pell wäre diese Welt um vieles ärmer. Der Bochumer Gitarrist und Songschreiber hält auch auf seinem 22. (!)
Studioalbum ‚Risen Symbol‘ die Fahne des melodischen Hard Rock hoch, ohne sie mit pseudo-modernen Stilvarianten oder effektheischenden Studiogimmicks zu verwässern. Gleichzeitig sucht er ständig nach neuen Einflüssen, spannenden Inspirationen und griffigen Hooks. Das Beste an den ARP-Hymnen: Sie sind treffgenau auf die charismatische Stimme von Frontmann Johnny Gioeli zugeschnitten. Der Amerikaner gehört zu den besten Rocksängern der Welt und bildet gemeinsam mit Pell, dem früheren Rainbow-Schlagzeuger Bobby Rondinelli und den beiden ARP-Langzeitmitgliedern Ferdy Doernberg (Keyboards) und Volker Krawczak (Bass) ein seit mehr als zehn Jahren perfekt eingespieltes Team, das Fans wie Medien gleichermaßen überzeugt. Veröffentlicht wird ‚Risen Symbol‘ am 14. Juni 2024 über Steamhammer/SPV. Für Ungeduldige gibt es am 3. April 2024 mit der ersten Single ‚Guardian Angel‘ und am 22. Mai 2024 mit dem Nachfolger ‚Darkest Hour‘ zwei Vorabsongs, die Pell treffend mit den Worten beschreibt: „Sowohl ‚Guardian Angel‘ als auch ‚Darkest Hour‘ sind typische-ARP-Songs, aber nicht unbedingt repräsentativ für ‚Risen Symbol‘.“

Since roaring onto the scene, the band has cemented themselves as one of British indie's most consistent and successful groups.

The immediacy and carefree attitude are the driving motivations of this superb new release via the band's own independent label, Alt. Records. With creative collaborations including Matt Schwartz (YungBlud), Benjy Gibson (Fred Again), Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles) and The Nocturns (Mimi Webb), this record is for fans of guitar music who are not afraid of big hooks and massive choruses. The result
is their first album without compromise, reflecting the joy and energy they brought to the scene with their debut 'Open Up Your Head' and hit songs like 'Call Me Out' and 'All I Want To Hear You Say'.

Announcing the debut album from one of London’s most electrifying acts, New Regency Orchestra. An 18-piece Afro-Cuban big band, inspired by the musical melting pot of NYC in the 1950s, but with the punch and power of a whole host of London’s best Latin and jazz musicians. Blowing new life into these compositions, the album is a reimagining of some of the finest music from that golden era. From early 1950s René Hernandez and Tito Puente, through to the 1970s salsa of Rafael Labasta and Orlando Marin, produced and performed with fresh fire.

NRO is the brainchild of its artistic director, and the man behind Total Refreshment Centre and Church of Sound, Lex Blondin. Through a long-held passion for jazz, Lex discovered the explosive Afro-Cuban rhythms of mid-1940s NYC via the godfather of Afro-Cuban jazz, Mario Bauzá. A time when two musical worlds collided in a fusion of creativity and energy, jazz luminaries like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker joining forces with Cuban greats like Machito and Chano Pozo. This vibrant sound was music to dance to and found a home at The New York Palladium, a formative space of freedom and expression that was key to the scene’s development.

Although dance-focussed in their makeup, those early recordings are not often heard in modern club environments and Lex dreamt of retelling their story with a contemporary dynamism. A slice of serendipity followed, as a slot at a new festival opened up and Lex jumped at the chance to make this idea a reality, an 18-piece big band breathing new life into these beloved songs.

Enlisting the expertise of some of the capital’s finest talent, Lex and co-captain Andy Wood, of Como No fame, put together a world-class line-up of talent. Bringing in Eliane Correa as musical director and bandleader, a fluid and interchanging 18-piece band was formed.

The album itself is a hand-picked selection of timeless Afro-Cuban jazz classics, reimagined with NRO’s unbridled energy. It contains ten incredible instrumental tracks including 'Pregon' with its anthemic horn stabs and the addictive head nod bounce of 'Mambo Rama', alongside two scorching vocal numbers in 'Papa Boco' and 'Labasta Llego'. Coupling a heavyweight rhythm section with a wall of horns, they provide a fresh spin on songs from Tito Puente and Chico O'Farrill, René Hernandez through to Rafael Labasta.

“Some of the tunes like Tito Puente’s ‘Mambo Rama’ and ‘Scarlet Mambo’ might sound like they went to a gym as extra drums and bass synth were added to them whilst the tune ‘Sahib & Tito’ is a mix of Tito’s ‘Mambo Buda’ and Sahib Shihab’s ‘Nus’. Our intention is to be both respectful to the innovators and inventors of this incredible music and to pay our dues, but also to add something special from London where the city’s new jazz scene connects with its Latin American musicians and the musical influences around us.”

This pure collective joy, shared experience and music you can’t help but move to.

Die japanische Postrock-Band MONO meldet sich mit "OATH" zurück, ihrem zwölften Album, diesmal mit genreübergreifender klassischer Orchestrierung und den typischen transzendentalen Gitarren-Klängen einer Karriere, die sich seit vier Jahrzehnte erstreckt. "Was tun wir hier?" Das Jahr 2020 hat das, was einst die Quintessenz des nächtlichen Kiffer-Existenzialismus war, zu einem täglichen Mantra für fast alle Menschen auf diesem Planeten gemacht. Was machen wir mit unserer begrenzten Zeit in diesem Leben? Was ist unser Ziel? Was sollten wir tun? In den letzten 25 Jahren haben MONO Themen wie die Beziehung zwischen Dunkelheit und Licht, Hoffnung im Angesicht der Katastrophe und die Dualität von Geburt und Tod erforscht. Auf ihrem 12. Album, OATH, denken sie über die Zeit nach, die das Leben ausmacht, und darüber, wie man das Beste aus dieser Zeit macht. Aufgenommen und abgemischt mit ihrem langjährigen Freund und Produzenten Steve Albini, beginnt OATH wie ein Sonnenaufgang mit einem langsam aufsteigenden Orchester und Bläsern, wobei sich die gesamte Band Zeit nimmt, die Atmosphäre zu genießen, bevor sie sich dem Glanz anschließt. Während der gesamten 71-minütigen Laufzeit des Albums meditiert MONO auf vielfältige Weise über das Thema Zeit und Leben. Die gemächliche Entwicklung eines Songs, die ein Markenzeichen von MONOs Katalog ist, ist von einer Eleganz durchdrungen, die OATH zu neuen Höhen erhebt. MONO haben sich selbst mit einer universell nachvollziehbaren existenziellen Untersuchung herausgefordert und mit OATH geantwortet, einem Album, das eher wohlwollende Reflexion als flüchtige Erholung bietet. "We live with a vow that hasn't changed since we were children. Hear the wind sing. We are part of the universe. We already know what we should do and what the most important thing in life is." - Takaakira `Taka' Goto, MONO

Die japanische Postrock-Band MONO meldet sich mit "OATH" zurück, ihrem zwölften Album, diesmal mit genreübergreifender klassischer Orchestrierung und den typischen transzendentalen Gitarren-Klängen einer Karriere, die sich seit vier Jahrzehnte erstreckt. "Was tun wir hier?" Das Jahr 2020 hat das, was einst die Quintessenz des nächtlichen Kiffer-Existenzialismus war, zu einem täglichen Mantra für fast alle Menschen auf diesem Planeten gemacht. Was machen wir mit unserer begrenzten Zeit in diesem Leben? Was ist unser Ziel? Was sollten wir tun? In den letzten 25 Jahren haben MONO Themen wie die Beziehung zwischen Dunkelheit und Licht, Hoffnung im Angesicht der Katastrophe und die Dualität von Geburt und Tod erforscht. Auf ihrem 12. Album, OATH, denken sie über die Zeit nach, die das Leben ausmacht, und darüber, wie man das Beste aus dieser Zeit macht. Aufgenommen und abgemischt mit ihrem langjährigen Freund und Produzenten Steve Albini, beginnt OATH wie ein Sonnenaufgang mit einem langsam aufsteigenden Orchester und Bläsern, wobei sich die gesamte Band Zeit nimmt, die Atmosphäre zu genießen, bevor sie sich dem Glanz anschließt. Während der gesamten 71-minütigen Laufzeit des Albums meditiert MONO auf vielfältige Weise über das Thema Zeit und Leben. Die gemächliche Entwicklung eines Songs, die ein Markenzeichen von MONOs Katalog ist, ist von einer Eleganz durchdrungen, die OATH zu neuen Höhen erhebt. MONO haben sich selbst mit einer universell nachvollziehbaren existenziellen Untersuchung herausgefordert und mit OATH geantwortet, einem Album, das eher wohlwollende Reflexion als flüchtige Erholung bietet. "We live with a vow that hasn't changed since we were children. Hear the wind sing. We are part of the universe. We already know what we should do and what the most important thing in life is." - Takaakira `Taka' Goto, MONO

Hailing from Toronto, the dynamic indie rock quintet, Good Kid, comprises lead vocalist Nick Frost, drummer Jon Kereliuk, bassist Michael Kozakov, and guitarists David Wood and Jacob Tsafatinos, who thrives as a vibrant community fueled by the boundless enthusiasm of its listeners. Their eclectic blend of J-rock, indie-rock and pop-punk resonates with high-energy riffs, catchy melodies and clever lyricism.

A jack-of-all-trades ensemble - musicians, programmers and storytellers, Good Kid has carved a unique path for their audience to follow suit. Good Kid's fanbase is not just passive listeners; they are a passionate community, actively contributing to the band's universe. Through platforms like Discord and Iwitch, as well as their strong social media presence, fans create art, animation, videos and covers, reflecting their profound connection to the music. The band's journey is marked by streaming successes with the release of "From the Start" on November 10th, 2023, hitting 1 million streams in just 24 hours, accumulating several million streams and counting. Their reach extends to leading YouTube and Iwitch accounts in the gaming space, aligning them with top content creators

and gamers. Their energetic performances have not only led to two-sold out headline US tours in 2022, but have included supporting sold-out UK and EU tours, as well as a nationwide run on Portugal the Man's Canada tour.

(Clear with black, white & blue splatter limited to 500 copies on LP) Jeff Rosenstock's 2018 album POST-. Written in the days after the 2017 Presidential inauguration, POST-'s lyrics get (really) heavy but the melodies are so catchy and the builds are so big and bright that the end result is more of a rallying cry than a surrender. The album was recorded in a one-week, 86-hour marathon recording session with Jack Shirley (Joyce Manor, Deafheaven) at the Atomic Garden in East Palo Alto, CA. "I wrote the songs and the liner notes. And did the layout. This is Jeff."

'The Animation Of Entomology' is an EP by American supergroup Blotted Science, originally released in 2011. Like on their 2007 debut album 'The Machinations Of Dementia', these instrumental songs are a product of the union of Watchtower guitarist Ray Jarzombek and
Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster's imaginations, this time with former Obscura and current Triptykon drummer Hannes Grossmann behind the kit. Once again, the trio embark on unusual and unpredictable compositions, as crazy as their titles seem to indicate.
Virtuosity goes hand in hand with extremity and experimentation for an unforgettable, unrepeatable experience.

"All seven tracks on this EP are beautifully written and could be praised for hours" - No Clean Singing
"a real progressive metal tour-de-force" - Sea Of Tranquillity

'The Animation Of Entomology' is an EP by American supergroup Blotted Science, originally released in 2011. Like on their 2007 debut album 'The Machinations Of Dementia', these instrumental songs are a product of the union of Watchtower guitarist Ray Jarzombek and
Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster's imaginations, this time with former Obscura and current Triptykon drummer Hannes Grossmann behind the kit. Once again, the trio embark on unusual and unpredictable compositions, as crazy as their titles seem to indicate.
Virtuosity goes hand in hand with extremity and experimentation for an unforgettable, unrepeatable experience.

"All seven tracks on this EP are beautifully written and could be praised for hours" - No Clean Singing
"a real progressive metal tour-de-force" - Sea Of Tranquillity

Yes, once again, CATS in SPACE are firing on all cylinders and ready to launch their long-awaited, blistering, double, live album this June, together with a documentary style film about their successful 2023 tour. FIRE in the NIGHT - Live was recorded during the ‘Kickstart the Sun - Part II’ theatre tour in 2023 when our fabulous sound crew captured the full two-hour show. As always, this release will be available in CD, vinyl and digital formats and due to the sheer length of the performance will once again be delivering both quality and value on double CD and limited double vinyl LP in a choice of colour variants - Fire red vinyl and spotlight white vinyl. A lead single, and crowd favourite, ‘Johnny Rocket’ was released ahead of the album in March 2024 on all digital platforms. 'For The Love Of It', a film made by James Heron of Carriage Return productions, chronicles the stage production from conception to delivery of the CATS in SPACE Kickstart the Sun tour. It is a detailed insight into the highs and lows of modern-day touring for original rock bands and shows the unique way that the tour was put together. All in all a fantastic opportunity to see behind the curtain before the release of the album! Whilst on the subject of ‘Johnny Rocket’, he is also set to appear later this year, in a full-length feature cartoon book designed and published by Sentinel Publications. The team are putting together the full ‘Johnny Rocket’ story that first appeared on the 2019 Daytrip to Narnia album and is set to be a very special publication. “We are super hopped-up with the recording of the album, thanks to our amazing live engineer Pete Russell and the fans who made every night so special throughout the tour. It really has captured the power and excitement of the band’s show...It will be a fitting finale to our time with Harmony Factory label, as we head down a new flight path for a very exciting future for all of us in CATS in SPACE. More to be revealed soon! As ever we have a LOT going on this year so keep your eyes peeled for updates…we are all thrilled to bits!”

Yes, once again, CATS in SPACE are firing on all cylinders and ready to launch their long-awaited, blistering, double, live album this June, together with a documentary style film about their successful 2023 tour. FIRE in the NIGHT - Live was recorded during the ‘Kickstart the Sun - Part II’ theatre tour in 2023 when our fabulous sound crew captured the full two-hour show. As always, this release will be available in CD, vinyl and digital formats and due to the sheer length of the performance will once again be delivering both quality and value on double CD and limited double vinyl LP in a choice of colour variants - Fire red vinyl and spotlight white vinyl. A lead single, and crowd favourite, ‘Johnny Rocket’ was released ahead of the album in March 2024 on all digital platforms. 'For The Love Of It', a film made by James Heron of Carriage Return productions, chronicles the stage production from conception to delivery of the CATS in SPACE Kickstart the Sun tour. It is a detailed insight into the highs and lows of modern-day touring for original rock bands and shows the unique way that the tour was put together. All in all a fantastic opportunity to see behind the curtain before the release of the album! Whilst on the subject of ‘Johnny Rocket’, he is also set to appear later this year, in a full-length feature cartoon book designed and published by Sentinel Publications. The team are putting together the full ‘Johnny Rocket’ story that first appeared on the 2019 Daytrip to Narnia album and is set to be a very special publication. “We are super hopped-up with the recording of the album, thanks to our amazing live engineer Pete Russell and the fans who made every night so special throughout the tour. It really has captured the power and excitement of the band’s show...It will be a fitting finale to our time with Harmony Factory label, as we head down a new flight path for a very exciting future for all of us in CATS in SPACE. More to be revealed soon! As ever we have a LOT going on this year so keep your eyes peeled for updates…we are all thrilled to bits!”

Since roaring onto the scene, the band has cemented themselves as one of British indie's most consistent and successful groups.

The immediacy and carefree attitude are the driving motivations of this superb new release via the band's own independent label, Alt. Records. With creative collaborations including Matt Schwartz (YungBlud), Benjy Gibson (Fred Again), Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles) and The Nocturns (Mimi Webb), this record is for fans of guitar music who are not afraid of big hooks and massive choruses. The result
is their first album without compromise, reflecting the joy and energy they brought to the scene with their debut 'Open Up Your Head' and hit songs like 'Call Me Out' and 'All I Want To Hear You Say'.

We're old and familiar friends. These compositions represent the thing that happens when we get together. They aren't representative of one individual, one moment in time, or one chain of decisions. Some are ancient refrains, beginning life as habits and warm-ups, in-jokes; others are distilled jams; more still are refined from MIDI sketches and ideas whistled into voice notes. On whatever terms these elements become something we're happy to stand in front of you and play, to put on record, so be it.” So ANTA describe the process behind 2024's Organesson. Characteristic of the Bristolian Sci-Prog quartet, the record weaves together mesmerising, muscular riffs in insanely loud compositions that extend well into excess. Less typical is the polarisation at play, where granular polymeters will yield in an instant to passages of one or two-note simplicity. The record strides from one raging refrain to the next, lurching between devastation, joy, chaos, and stirring the themes accumulated along the way in exposition. “It comes down to those precious sweaty hours” the group suggest, “in which we get to vibrate these sounds into your face and chest, and you can dance and laugh with us. This is the stuff we remember and plan for, the moments we talk about the most when writing these songs.” ANTA's live shows, ceaseless onslaughts of deafening riffs, have been notable for maintaining the same intense energy among festival crowds or to three people in a basement. Walls of amps going full-pelt. Pounding, ornate drums and metals, wherein drummer James King is relentless in discovering strange and mighty rhythms. Full-drawbar organs, electric pianos, piercing synths from keys-man Alex Bertram-Powell. Joe Garcia's growling bass that strides rather than walks. Ben Harris' all-encompassing, dizzying guitars. Hypnotic, communal, compelling, indefinite energy. Organesson is the latest effort to put this feeling on record.

"On “We Are Where We Are,” a glimmering mid-tempo highlight from Annabel’s new album, Ben Hendricks sings of “a modern way to fill the empty space.” Worldviews, the band’s fourth LP and first in nine years finds the band reconciling with the ways the world has changed in the decade since they’ve been away. His protagonists are trying to determine the boundaries between what’s real and imagined, navigating their worldviews and the dominant ones around them, fighting for an escape or at least a distraction, wondering where the time goes, “going through the motions, running in a circle.” That could’ve been Annabel’s fate, too. But the core of the Ohio band is brothers Ben and Andy Hendricks, and as long as they’ve got each other, we’ve still got Annabel. In a world that feels so uncertain and so disconnected, where else is there to turn but back to Annabel? Think of Worldviews less like a comeback and more as the product of years spent gestating.

Hendricks spends the chorus of “All Time” promising to “make up for all the lost time,” and Annabel makes good on that promise for the next half hour. Worldviews is the most locked in the band has ever sounded, perfecting and building on their indie-emo sound. The title track and “Dog” are classic Annabel, sprightly and jangly midwestern rock songs, while “Defense Mechanism” is a rougher-edged update; when they go in the opposite direction, it results in some of their best work: “Every Home Needs a Ghost” is spartan and spectral, worthy of its title, and the beautiful “Small Victories” dabbles in downtempo electronics. They don’t sound like a band returning after nearly a decade; they sound at the same time hungry and lively like scrappy upstarts and wizened and seasoned like they never left."

DJ Subaru has already made their name exciting dancers with offbeat anthems and obscurities as part of their luminous Pleasuremaxxx parties, alongside similarly inclined soirees in Leeds, London, Berlin and beyond. Making their accomplished production debut on CWPT with 'Lots of Love', DJ Subaru instinctively mines the expressive, outsider strains of disco, Italo and pop pleasures in their record bag, revealing an EP that throbs with the pleasures, pain and potential of a life in strobes and smoke.

Vocalist and muse Tiss Vampiric emerges from London’s shadowy underground to lend their voice to the brooding, disco-Gothic track, ‘My Love’. Stalking a moody paradise amongst DJ Subaru’s EBM-oriented synthesizers, their baroque lyrics conjure an atmosphere that bridges the energies of subversive pioneers such as Soft Cell and Ministry, a sensual maze where denial only leads to more devotion, as well as more dancing.

Keeping the lights dim but brightening the corners, the prolific cosmic disco pioneer Prins Thomas reinvigorates his legendary ‘Discomiks’ approach for a euphoric remix of ‘My Love’. Incorporating DJ Subaru and Tiss Vampiric into a dancefloor canon that also includes Lana Del Rey, Pet Shop Boys and the Chemical Brothers, this classic arrangement has been road-tested to build euphoria, joyfully reflecting menace from mirrorballs.

The latter portion within 'Lots of Love' leaves us entirely in DJ Subaru’s musical visions. The only voice on ‘I <3 You’ is soft and robotic, intoning the track’s simple title over a lush, caramelized groove that’s pure circuits and sentiment. In contrast, the moody pads of ‘Just Visiting’ build to a crescendo of breaks and basslines that capture more urgent early hours energy, while ‘She’ provides a beautifully naive melody and a slightly balearic touch for a wide-eyed kiss goodbye.

Chuck Berry ist ein Poet und unbestrittener Pionier des Rock'n'Roll, der einen erheblichen Einfluss auf die Rockmusik und deren Lifestyle ausübte. Als "The Father of Rock'n'Roll" verfeinerte und entwickelte er Rhythm'n'Blues zu den Hauptelementen, die den Rock'n'Roll so unverwechselbar machten. Dieses aussergewöhnliche Vinyl bietet eine Zusammenstellung seiner größten Hits, alle sorgfältig remastered, darunter "Johnny B. Goode", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Rock And Roll Music", "Maybellene", "Carol", "Sweet Little Sixteen" und "Wee Wee Hours".

Experience the sonic journey that is The Black Dog's latest album, "Other, Like Me," as they delve into the intricacies of the artist's psyche, questioning the very essence of individuality and creative worth. The album invites listeners to confront darker thoughts about self-identity, imposter syndrome, and the relentless pursuit of creative value, all while celebrating the joy found in the act of artistic creation. In this introspective exploration, The Black Dog challenge both themselves and their audience, creating a musical experience that is profoundly personal and open to interpretation. The themes woven throughout the album are a poignant counterpoint between the shadows of self-doubt and the exuberance of creative expression. It's an inward exploration, offering a place of solace for listeners to find comfort amid the chaos of external influences. The album's title, "Other, Like Me", draws inspiration from an interview with Cosey Fanni Tutti in 1999, resonating deeply with The Black Dog's outsider perspective. The phrase encapsulates the essence of the album, reflecting the band's unique identity and shared experiences, while respecting each member's individual passions and interests. Navigating the waters of cognitive dissonance, The Black Dog bring an authenticity to their music that mirrors the internal and external conflicts of the contemporary music scene. With a commitment to stripping back layers and allowing the heart of each song to shine through, "Other, Like Me" offers a raw and unfiltered musical experience that speaks directly to the soul. It's an invitation to introspection, a celebration of independence, and a testament to the power of authentic artistic expression.

Blue Vinyl - After releasing two brilliant albums in 1986 (Born Sandy Devotional and In The Pines, which both were critically acclaimed), The Triffids were finally snapped up by a major label, Island. The Triffids set out to make their most epic sounding album yet, working again with producer Gil Norton (known for his for with Pixies, Echo and The Bunnymen and many others). The result was Calenture, one of the best albums made by anyone, ever! Abandoning the lo-fi sound of their last album, In The Pines, and instead returning and expanding on the lush and majestic sound heard on Born Sandy Devotional, Calenture captures The Triffids on their creative peak, and is also probably their most accessible album, since it really has no weak songs.

Multi-talented US punk, Jeff Rosenstock releases fourth album on Specialist Subject Records (UK /EU) & Polyvinyl (Worldwide)! NO DREAM comes at a time of unparalleled chaos and confusion, division and despair, the depths of which would have been impossible to predict when much of it was being written over the course of the last few years. And yet the record feels prescient, unexpectedly and uniquely suited for this moment. Newly settled in Los Angeles after a lifetime on the East Coast (namely Brooklyn by way of Long Island), Rosenstock recorded NO DREAM with Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Hard Girls, Joyce Manor) at Oakland's Atomic Garden, and even took on mixing duties alongside Shirley for the first time. Opting to stay off the computer "even more than usual" and record to tape with outboard gear, the result is a lived-in sound that gives each song its own individual voice and organic energy. After building a cult following with the acerbic ska-punk of the Arrogant Sons of Bitches and DIY heroics of Bomb the Music Industry!, Rosenstock's first proper solo record, 2015's We Cool?, was a step into uncharted territory, fully untethered from genre and expectation. Followed by 2016's WORRY. and the surprise New Year's Day launch of POST- in the early hours of 2018, Rosenstock was facing down that least punk of opportunities: a career playing music. Having taken some time away from his work as a solo artist to recalibrate and reset over the last year, Rosenstock stayed busy playing alongside Mikey Erg, recording and touring with the Bruce Lee Band, releasing a Neil Young covers record with frequent collaborator Laura Stevenson, reissuing two of his own out-of-print early albums, compiling a live album which was recorded during a run of four sold-out shows at Bowery Ballroom, making a 76 page photo book, and scoring over 80 episodes of the Cartoon Network series Craig of the Creek. In fully returning to his own voice, it's no surprise that Rosenstock's output has never been more eclectic, reflected across NO DREAM's 13 songs.

2024 Repress

Electronic duo Atelier excel at riding chillwave to a cooler, moodier sound. Atelier was conceptualized by childhood friends Alexander Inggs and Jaś Miszewski whose love of analog synths, drum machines and effects pedals is revealed in a hardware-heavy live show. The project is a platform for combining their differing musical backgrounds – a blend of house, indie, folk and techno – and has an underlying maturity that emerges in their frank performances and honest productions.

Yes, *that* Al Hirt record. Featuring the godlike "Harlem Hendoo", looped unforgettably by De La Soul for the legendary Buhloone Mind State cut, "Ego Trippin' (Part Two)"!

Al Hirt's infamous Soul In The Horn is inextricably tangled up in crate-digger lore. Originally released in 1967, the album has been in heavy, heavy demand for over 30 years, entirely down to the majestic soul-jazz fire of "Harlem Hendoo". And it's a song so good, so vital, so timeless, that it will always tower above everything else in its proximity. This one track alone is worth the price of admission - even if the cost of entry were $100 or even $1000.

However, it would be an error to dismiss this record as merely a one tracker, loaded as it is with dope samples for adventurous beat makers. Certainly the funkiest Al Hirt record, it definitely lives up to the "soul" in the title. Thanks to composer Paul Griffin and arranger Teacho Wiltshire, Hirt got uncharacteristically free and groovy throughout. It comes on more like an obscure KPM library funk record than the easy listening Al was notorious for.

A Louisiana trumpeter and band leader who made Allen Toussaint’s “Java” famous, Al Hirt was also known for TV themes, Dixieland, Swing and being a minority owner of the New Orleans Saints. Unlike every other Al Hirt record - and despite most "diggers" claiming otherwise - this here gem is genuinely hard to come across "in the wild". Normally, you can't give Al Hirt records away, except this particular one, which raises pulses in the crate digging community to life-threatening levels. For every owner claiming to have found their copy for a dollar, there's scores more claiming to have *never* unearthed one in the field. So, paradoxically, you can consider this the most tricky-to-pull "thrift store record", ever. This is why we're finally making it available for everyone, not just those with endless hours to spend scouring the global goodwills!

Soul In The Horn represented an expressive detour into authentic soul-jazz for Al Hirt. Throughout, we're struck by a fierce, fiery energy that's otherwise absent from his typically easy listening work. Without question, the slinky, magical "Harlem Hendoo" is the standout, here. It's also the reason why the record is so scarce and commands awe among crate diggers, sounding like something from an obscure and deeply revered spiritual jazz record. As is often the case, the true genius of the song is tricky to do justice to; it's like a minor miracle of songwriting and performance that simply swooned down from the heavens on the back of horns, bells and harpsichord. It's one of the sweetest musical compositions ever recorded inside a studio - it's only failing is that it's just too short. Sampled brilliantly by De La Soul, it has also been used by The Roots for "Stay Cool" and Nightmares On Wax for "Damn".

The rest of the record makes for a mighty fine listen. From the opening cover of Booker T. & The MG's "Honey Pot", to the propulsive, ultra-funky "Mess Around", it's nothing but a good time. Given its title, the elegant stepper "Calypsoul" sounds exactly as you'd hope whilst the melancholic, wistful "Long Gone" hurts so good. Truly, this is just dying to be looped up, Al's muted playing capturing a soulful longing only horns can often achieve. The bluesy, slo-mo swing of "Sweetlips" oscillates between cool disaffection and swelling pride whilst the graceful, low-key funky "Girl" closes out the A-Side in the fine style. Ushering in the B-Side, the brief but brilliant strut of "Love Ya' Baby" shines brightly before the skipping funky-jazz of true highlight "Sunday-Goin' To Meetin' Time" demands both your attention and your dancing shoes. The mellifluous piano-funk of bass and horn-drenched "Snap Back" serves as the sumptuous prelude to "Harlem Hendoo"'s main character energy before the irrepressible, upbeat R&B of "Ludwig" closes out this quite remarkable album. An album deserving of a place in every serious record collection.

The audio for Soul In The Horn has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring it sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue. This is after-hours music. Let it speak for itself. Listen. Listen to the soul in Al Hirt's horn.

Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts is an American rock band from Nashville founded and fronted by former Biters leader Tuk Smith, originally from Atlanta, now living in Nashville. The band released their debut single "What Kinda Love" on January 10, 2020 and were also added as an opening act for The Stadium Tour with Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe on the same day. Then came the onset of Covid 19. “When the pandemic hit, it was like hitting the reset button on my music career” recalls Tuk, “everything got taken away…album campaign, stadium tour, record deal. The world was in lockdown, and the only way to escape was to throw myself into writing. My thoughts began exploring the past, and the inspiration for the songs just came in tidal waves.”
The new collection is a rock ‘n roll silver lining that came out of the solitude and reflection of the pandemic. Ballad Of A Misspent Youth is the new single (and subsequent album of the same name) released summer of 2022 on Tuk’s new record label MRG, through Virgin Music. Tuk explains, “I decided to make a rock and roll record for me and what I like because there was no label, there was no committee involved…just me and my stories. I wanted to create a setting and an authentic feeling about everything. I reunited with long-time friend Dan Dixon and recorded these songs in his garage studio, and there is a purity to the work that came from all the circumstances of that time.” Growing up as an outsider in rural Georgia, Tuk found solace in hardcore punk acts like Black Flag and The Exploited. From there, Smith branched out into exploring seventies New York bands like The Dead Boys and New York Dolls, which lead him across the sea where he embraced first-wave British acts like The Buzzcocks and the Clash. Smith wasn’t just a casual fan of these acts, he was obsessed with them and traced their lineage with fervent dedication. “I was always into the Clash growing up and Mick Jones’ favorite band was Mott The Hoople, so through the years I ended up developing a love of the first wave of British glam, power pop and things like that,” he explains. Soon Smith was forming his own acts, touring relentlessly and building a following with his high-energy live shows, including his tour of duty as lead singer for the Biters, who he fronted for nearly a decade. He offers “Then after being on the road for years, I had a reckoning about where I was at and the future ahead. …I realized the only way to achieve something meaningful was to be a good songwriter…that clicked. I went on a musical diet where I stripped the obscure stuff away, and I really started focusing on the greats. When I started clicking that it was just about the songs, things changed. I had already put my 10,000 hours in the van to play in the dive clubs, but then I put my 10,000 hours into figuring out how to write. I also started working with other songwriters. I humbled myself… it was an education, like going to school.” Tuk elaborates, “I wanted to kind of branch out musically and do different things, and I figured to go solo would be better. My manager actually suggested I call my new band “The Restless Hearts” and that's what he would call me all the time. It was the title of a Biters song that people loved and I’d seen a few restless hearts tattoos at our shows along the way… and so Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts was born. I was in a period where I changed everything including the way I lived my daily life. I experimented with different ways to tap into positive/creative energy…it was an evolving overall process (and still is).” Tuk summarizes, “Things used to be about debauchery, and now they’re more about dedication. I mean, I was always driven, but I was sometimes focusing on the wrong things. Now I focus on the music and the craftsmanship of writing and producing and performing. “

Upchuck are experiencing a moment. The Atlanta punk collective just came off multiple tour runs with their good friend Faye Webster. Their Ty Segall-produced second album Bite The Hand That Feeds, with all its buzzsaw guitars and high-speed rippers and headbanging sludge, arrived in October. Later this year, they’ll make appearances at multiple festivals including Coachella. In the midst of relentlessly barreling ahead, the band and their label Famous Class are taking a beat to revisit how they got here. After working with Segall on Bite the Hand That Feeds, the band floated the notion that they wished they could hear what their collaborator could do with the songs on their 2022 debut album Sense Yourself. Holed up in his studio over Christmas with COVID and nothing else to do, Ty Segall began toying with Sense Yourself, sifting through folders of unlabeled stems to find the best guitar parts, emboldening the drum sound, and bringing greater clarity to KT’s vocals, all while bolstering the urgency of the band’s overall attack. With Segall’s new mix, Upchuck’s intense and righteous debut now impossibly overflows with even more fuzz and fury. In Segall, they found a kindred spirit whose studio approach made sense for just how hard they wanted this music to hit. “When we first went to record with Ty for Bite the Hand That Feeds, Mikey and I walked into the guitar room and Ty said, ‘Don’t touch the EQs.’ We looked at the amp and everything was on 10 except the master volume,” Hoff said. Previously, the band had been encouraged to capture the unvarnished sound of the studio. They’d toured with Segall’s band Fuzz, so everybody had the same goal while recording together: Capture the electricity of their intense live set. The band’s shows have a reputation for coming unglued, and there’s no greater document of that than Sense Yourself’s iconic album artwork. With no text, it’s a candid photo of a moment from a show shot on film without editing: blood streaked across KT’s face as they shout into the mic. In the middle of their EP release show, KT was in the pit as a fan started crowd surfing inside a shopping cart. A loose piece of metal near a wheel caught the singer right near the eyebrow and blood was everywhere, an instant piece of iconography snapped by probably every camera phone in the room. When Hoff revisits the message of this first album and Upchuck’s first songs, he thinks back to the year before the band even started when he and KT were hanging out. “We were sitting around talking for eight hours like ‘fuck, that's fucked up, that's fucked up.’” Upchuck became a vehicle for these five people to process how fucked up everything it is—to digest these formative hours-long conversations and put them to bludgeoning, intense rock music. The music is also fun as hell, and that’s part of the point. “There's a lot we need to do as people and a lot of things we need to fix in society but also like come on man like have your fun, wild out, have your drink,” KT says. “But be on your shit at the same time. Check your folk.”

Diplomat and Beagle are old studio partners from the early 90’s and have recently started to record together again, fusing their musical talents to make some next level hardcore rave.

Their last release was all the way back in 1993 on the label Bogwoppa, an EP titled ‘Small Hours’ under their group name Narc. This EP went onto cult status due to its futuristic and unique take on the sub-genre, changing hands for vast amounts on Discogs.

Featured on this EP is a remix of ‘Equatorial Bass’, a track from the original 1993 EP revamped for 2022.

Hit the turbo!

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL’S SWAN SONG: BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER FEATURES METICULOUS PRODUCTION, GORGEOUS SONGWRITING, AND HEALING SPIRIT
Sourced from the Original Master Tapes and Limited to 4,000 Numbered Copies: Mobile Fidelity’s 180s SuperVinyl 33RPM LP Plays with Staggering Detail, Clarity, and Definition
1/4" / 15 IPS analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe



Unifying, soothing, comforting: Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water quickly became the album of an era upon release in 1970, the benchmark set serving as a beacon of hope and hymn of reassurance during a time marked by polarizing changes, social unrest, uncertain politics, and the dawn of a new era. These uplifting reasons — to say nothing about the gorgeous songwriting, meticulous production, and watershed performances — attest to why it is more relevant than ever in our current climate. Music, Bridge over Troubled Water simultaneously suggests and proves, heals all wounds and lifts all boats.

The seminal effort Rolling Stone named the 51st Greatest Album of All Time reaches illustrious sonic and emotional heights on Mobile Fidelity’s 180g SuperVinyl 33RPM LP. Pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl and strictly limited to 4,000 numbered copies, this ultra-hi-fi collector's edition brings you closer to music that picks up where the duo's Bookends leaves off. You'll enjoy deep-black backgrounds and pointillist details. Seemingly every note, breath, and movement is reproduced with exquisite accuracy, clarity, and balance. Each rotation benefits from SuperVinyl’s ultra-low noise floor and superb groove definition.

The best-selling record in the U.S. for several years running and winner of six Grammy Awards — including nods for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Engineered Recording — Bridge over Troubled Water endures as a staple of accessible sophistication, angelic elegance, effortless singing, unhinged ambition, and therapeutic spirit. While it would turn out to be the final studio set for a duo surrounded by creative and personal disagreement, Simon and Garfunkel's collaborative ethos and soaring harmonies — combined with reflective narratives centred on the American experience, friendship, romance, and farewells — combine to turn the 11-track work into a paean to resolution, reconciliation, calm, and balance.

Home to the legendary title track graced by Garfunkel's pacifying solo lead vocals as well as the equally famous folk ballad "The Boxer," Peruvian-based "El Condor Pasa," upbeat "Cecilia," and rock ’n’ rolling "Baby Driver,” Bridge over Troubled Water remains as renowned for its musical diversity as its lyrical poignancy. Moving beyond the templates they'd perfected on four prior albums, Simon and Garfunkel embrace a then-unimaginable swath of styles. Rock, pop, gospel, country, R&B, South American, and jazz strains course throughout the songs, each sparked with bold experiments yet grounded in a well-orchestrated melange of melody, rhythm, and classicism that makes everything personal, familiar, and warm.

Not for nothing is Bridge over Troubled Water one of the finest-sounding albums ever made. Featuring instrumentation helmed by members of Los Angeles' fabled Wrecking Crew as well as multiple choral and string sections, songs took hundreds of hours to complete and involved pioneering recording techniques. Evoking both Phil Spector's live"Wall of Sound" approach as well as inventive effects, Bridge over Troubled Water is a triumph of texture, atmosphere, and architecture. Our audiophile edition brings the record's unique traits to the fore.

Whether the reverberation generated by Garfunkel's cassette recorder on "Cecilia," echoing drums captured in a corridor heard throughout "The Boxer," automobile noises peppering "Baby Driver," layer upon layer of voices dotting "The Only Boy Living in New York," or echo-chamber percussion on the title track, details comes through with stunning accuracy, clarity, and dimensionality. In every regard, Bridge over Troubled Water exudes genius.

Luxury Apartments have spent long enough pondering in the orb of creative frustration as art charged city dwellers and have alchemised a jagged piece of guitar work that calls on the past for a quick catch up before cracking on with their day as a witty, energised and wiry punk band. Formed before your favourite East London neighbourhood became full of high rises, cockapoos and pubs with Madri & Beavertown on Draft, there’s a whole swath of words you could use to describe Luxury Apartments, but doing so might draw too many parallels to estate agent listings wo we’re gonna let their track record and new LP do the talking… LA played with the likes of TOY, TELEGRAM, Deep Tan, Es, The Chisel and Rifle before even having an LP. Mixing dry humour with a belting live show served them well while the guys were woodshedding and earnt them early fans such as Graham Coxon and Jamie Reynolds, who I can only gather shed a single tear of seeing where they came from with all the chaotic guitar-busting, skin-splitting, bottle-smashing madness of an early LA show. But we’re here talking about NOW and NOW is the time to get your pre-order for their first LP, a half hour of power smashing the atoms of 80s c86 indie on lead track ‘Energy’, 77 punk on ‘Wire’ and new garage rock explosions on ‘Taliban’ which morph in to a piece of black wax that’s 100% guaranteed to get the disenfranchised wiggling, the fed-up hurling half bricks through foxtons windows and the punk lifers flipping off yet another boss before carving out another fork in their paths of resistance.

The Telescopes Radio Sessions collects together the essence of three live session recordings in 3 different countries over a three year period between 2016-2019. This is the third in a series of radio session releases from Tapete Records that have so far included The Monochrome Set and Comet Gain. More session releases are being lined up for the rest of the year and beyond - enjoy the sonics and stay tuned. Over the years I have read a lot on people’s impressions of The Telescopes. Some folk think it’s a collective, others imagine it used to be a band and feel nostalgia towards what they consider to be the original line-up (even though many had come before, during and since) and some people refer to it as currently a solo career. In a way this is all true and none of it is. When faced with these kind of questions, along with questions about the style of music that The Telescopes make I often say The Telescopes house has many rooms, which explains things perfectly for me but for people on the outside looking in it only serves to increase their confusion. For me, confusion isn’t such a bad thing. Everything is born into confusion, the sense we try and make of that chaos is interesting and excites me. The universe often disorientates, it sends me a jumble of thoughts and impressions coupled with a feeling of something I need to express… if I could only decipher the encryption. This is how The Telescopes music comes to be and it is also how The Telescopes came to me. I regard The Telescopes as an entity of it’s own that introduced itself in my darkest hour and I was chosen as its vessel. From the second it arrived I was obsessed to the point where there was nothing else. A bit like having an imaginary friend. As the obsession grew it began to infect others, everybody loved my imaginary friend and wanted a piece of it. As its success grew however, so did the corruption, until one day the entity fell silent. The silence lasted for years, I tried everything to reconnect but it was having none of it. I had been a bad caretaker, I had let the house become infested and I had lost my way. This epiphany served to remind me of simpler times when anything felt possible with this entity by my side. It had trusted me with something so simplistically profound and I had let it down. The realisation of this was a eureka moment. I am not The Telescopes, I never was and never will be, I am the caretaker, the lighthouse keeper and if a job is worth doing it is worth doing well. With this dawning, I felt a crack open up in the cosmic egg and a familiar confusion in my head. The entity had returned. It was time to start untangling its tangled threads once more, to make sense of what it was saying, this time without corruption. It’s all about listening. I listen to what my cosmic friend sends me and channel this expression into what you hear through your speakers. It may take one person to achieve this, it may take more. There is no set line up or instrumentation that can hold The Telescopes. Whatever it takes to hit the zone, whatever is available, absolute focus is imperative. Sometimes it takes sabotage to keep that line of vision intact, there is no room for preconceptions or complacency in making the music. The Telescopes music is the now

incarnate and a state of total being is necessary to achieve. From the outside looking in... again, it’s all about listening. What comes through your speakers is the only thing that matters. The music either reaches you or it doesn’t. Everything else may seem interesting or confusing but ultimately it is corruption. So if you’ve bought the record, read the sleeve notes and bought a ticket to see a live show, don’t be surprised if the line-up is or isn’t the same as the recording. The only thing that is for sure is that The Telescopes as an entity is speaking to you in its own voice in every scenario.
Of course the difference between albums and live shows is that you can play the record over and over again to the point where you know every line and every note that was played. Whereas with live events you are left with an impression that can only be replayed in your mind. It can be frustrating at times. When you are touring with a great line-up and feel like something exciting is happening, you want everyone to hear it, not just the people at the shows but the people that couldn’t make it on the night as well. There is no guarantee that there will be the same line-up at a live show as there is on the album. This is why live sessions are important, they document a side of things that is often fleeting. Here we have three sessions, all different people transmitting The Telescopes sound on each. Some are regulars, some dip in and out and some were just passing through. In each case The Telescopes chose them as their vessel and as the lighthouse keeper I did everything I could to help them on that journey while trying to be a good caretaker to the house of many rooms. The Telescopes have been invited in for many sessions over the years, the first two were for John Peel on BBC Radio 1. We also recorded a session for Marc Riley and Mark Radcliffe before their
celebrity when they had a show on BBC Radio Manchester. We could have compiled this album from those sessions, it was certainly considered but Tapete and myself believe this selection gives an exciting glimpse into that fleeting side of The Telescopes in a constant state of flux that is left mostly to myth and imagination. For those who listen to the records but have never had the chance to take in the live experience, welcome to the other side. For those that follow us live, here’s a little reminder and a keepsake. Infinite suns. Stephen Lawrie February 2024.

Die britische Sängerin Becky Hill, die kürzlich zum dritten Mal in Folge für den BRIT Award als bester Dance Act nominiert wurde, veröffentlicht am 31. Mai ihr mit Spannung erwartetes, zweites Album „Believe Me Now“?. Mit 2 bereits gewonnen BRIT Awards, 13 Platin Singles und über 10 Milliarden Streams gehört Becky Hill seit Jahren zu den erfolgreichsten Sängerinnen und Songwriterinnen Großbritanniens. „Believe Me Now?“ enthält den #1 UK-Airplay-Hit ”Side Effects”, ”Disconnect” featuring Chase & Status, der auf Platz 6 der UK-Charts landete und mit Gold ausgezeichnet wurde, sowie die aktuelle Single ”Never Be Alone”, die mit Sonny Fodera aufgenommen wurde. Auf dem Album arbeitete Becky mit einer Reihe von Top-Produzenten zusammen, darunter PARISI, Mark Ralph, Toddla T, Maur, Solardo, MJ Cole, Jax Jones und Franky Wah, und enthält Einflüsse aus der Welt des Drum’n’Bass, House, Techno und Trance. Nach einem fulminanten Jahr 2023, in dem Becky Hill u.a. ein großartiges Glastonbury-Set spielte, eine Sommerresidency auf Ibiza hatte und den Start der zweiten Staffel ihres Podcasts „The Art Of Rave“ mit Gast Fatboy Slim feierte, wird 2024 das Jahr sein, in dem Becky Hill endgültig ihren Status als eine der einflussreichsten Stimmen der Dance Music festigt.