Meet Me at the Gloaming is the long-awaited second album from Los Angeles indie artist A.O. Gerber. Following-on from her acclaimed 2020 album Another Place To Need, which enjoyed support from the likes of Gorilla vs Bear, NPR and The Line Of Best Fit, who gave the record a glowing 9/10 review, the new LP showcases Gerber's knack for subtly infectious indie-pop, crunching, atmospheric alternative-rock and classic acoustic songwriting. Across Meet Me at the Gloaming, A.O. Gerber carefully grapples with the constraints she was taught as a child to reach for the flourishing that comes when we look past the black and white, and into the grey gauze of the in-between. “I was thinking about how damaging it can be to exist in that binary space of good and evil,” Gerber explains. “When we see everything in either/or’s, we lose the nuance and complexity that make life rich enough to be worth living.” By interlocking memory and imagination, Gerber crafts a gleaming future, where the light and the dark don’t just coexist - they create a new colour entirely.
"Since 2004, ALTER BRIDGE has been one of the most consistent bands to successfully represent the rock and metal communities with their driving melodies, blazing guitar riffs and topical lyrics that resonate with fans around the globe. Their seventh album, Pawns & Kings, continues that trend with 10 unforgettable new additions to their catalog. Coming off the launch of what was shaping up to be one of the band’s pinnacle moments with Walk The Sky (#1 US Billboard Top Albums, #1 US Current Rock and Hard Music, #4 UK Official Charts, #1 UK Independent and Rock/Metal, #5 Official German Album Charts), everything came to a halt as the world would forever be changed due to the events of a global pandemic. The time the members of ALTER BRIDGE spent apart sparked a new fire and heaviness when the quartet comprised of Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums would reconvene for what would eventually become Pawns & Kings. Teaming with longtime producer and collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette, the album shines with massive, menacing arena-ready production while emerging as another sonic testament to the seasoned Kennedy/Tremonti songwriting dream-team. The band deliver three epic anthems, including two that clock in at over six minutes – the reflective and absolutely epic title track “Pawns & Kings”, grim-riffed, progressive influenced “Sin After Sin”, and the emotive eight-and-a-half minute journey “Fable Of The Silent Son.” “Silver Tongue” is backed by a punishing intro riff that gives way to one of the band’s most infectious choruses as Myles Kennedy sings, “Truth of a crime. You can’t outrun. Under the spell of my silver tongue,” while tracks like “Holiday” and “Season Of Promise” ebb and flow within the trademark multi-faceted metallic rock attack that has enchanted ALTER BRIDGE fans for a generation. Songs like “This Is War,” “Dead Among The Living” and “Last Man Standing” showcase the heavier side of a band firing on all cylinders, with soaring leads, hair-raising vocals and introspective lyricism abound. Mark Tremonti helms lead vocal duties on the uplifting track “Stay” – an interchanging of skills that first debuted on the band’s fourth album, Fortress, and continues to this day. Nearly 20 years into their celebrated career, one thing is for sure – Pawns & Kings offers a musical snapshot of a band that shows no signs of slowing down and continues to push itself creatively for the whole world to see. before peaking with a frenetic, metallic bridge-breakdown and piercing solo worthy of rock legend.
Surprise Chef’s music is based on evoking mood; their vivid arrangements utilize time and space to build soundscapes that invite the listener into their world. The quintet’s distinct sound pulls from 70s film scores, the funkier side of jazz, and the samples that form the foundation of hip hop. They push the boundaries of instrumental soul and funk with their own approach honed by countless hours in the studio, studying the masters, and perhaps most importantly, the “tyranny of distance” that dictates a unique perspective to their music. Hailing from just outside of Melbourne, Australia their first two albums, All News Is Good News and Daylight Savings amassed a die-hard fanbase and brought their sound from their home studio to every corner of the globe. The band is now signed to Big Crown Records, joining a lineage of contemporary and classic sounds that have influenced Surprise Chef’s music since their formation in 2017. Surprise Chef is Lachlan Stuckey on guitar, Jethro Curtin on keys, Carl Lindeberg on bass, Andrew Congues on drums, and Hudson Whitlock—the latest member who does it all from percussion to composing to producing. Their self proclaimed "moody shades of instrumental jazz-funk" have a bit of everything: punchy drums, infectious keys, rhythm guitar you might hear on a Studio One record, and flute lines that could be from a Blue Note session. But when you step back and take in the entirety of their sound and approach, you'll hear and see a group greater than the sum of its parts. In many ways Surprise Chef embodies the idiom "the benefits of limits." They were limited in that there weren't many people making or talking about instrumental jazz/soul/funk in Southeast Australia, let alone putting out records. This left them to develop their sound and approach in a kind of creative isolation where a small circle of friends and like-minded musicians fed off each other. "Being in Australia, being so far away, we only get glimpses and glances of this music’s origins," Stuckey says. "But hearing a label like Big Crown was one of the first times we realized you could make fresh, new soul music that wasn't super retro or just nostalgic." This approach is on full display throughout their new album Education & Recreation. Tracks like “Velodrome” pair chunky drums with an earworm synth line that has all the making of something you would find on an Ultimate Breaks & Beats compilation while numbers like “Iconoclasts” show their knack for tasteful use of space. From the crushing intro of “Suburban Breeze” to the floaty mellow bop of “Spring’s Theme” Surprise Chef has weaved together an album that takes you through peaks and valleys of emotion and provides a vivid soundtrack that will pull you deeper into your imagination. There is a beauty in the vast space for interpretation of instrumental music and they are adding a modern classic to the canon with this new album. Turn on the record and enjoy the ride, wherever it may take you.
OVERVIEW: The horror master John Carpenter is back with his Halloween franchise collaborators Daniel Davies and Cody Carpenter for their infectious new soundtrack to the 2022 adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter. This marks the first official soundtrack that the team has composed together outside of the Halloween franchise and their inspiration and evolution as a creative team is on full display.
OVERVIEW: The horror master John Carpenter is back with his Halloween franchise collaborators Daniel Davies and Cody Carpenter for their infectious new soundtrack to the 2022 adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter. This marks the first official soundtrack that the team has composed together outside of the Halloween franchise and their inspiration and evolution as a creative team is on full display.
Danish quartet Kindsight make the kind of music that feels like a summer
kiss in an autumn breeze
Pointed out as "your new favourite band" by UK tastemakers For The Rabbits their
highly anticipated debut LP 'Swedish Punk' arrives in March on Rama Lama
Records (Melby, Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes, Wy etc.). The debut is packed with
charming and infectiously catchy noise- jangle- pop melodies full of exuberant
optimism and coming-of-age tales. Inspiration comes from acts such as Pixies,
Cocteau Twins, Snail Mail, Big Thief and more.
Freedy Johnston is one of those rare singer-songwriters who counts
critics among his biggest fans — and whose heroes consider him a peer.
Not bad for a self-proclaimed "geek in glasses who never left his room."
Johnston's 9th album, 'Back on the Road to You' is a record steeped in
wit, humor, pathos, love, and friendship drenched with memorable,
infectious melodies
Johnston recorded the album in Los Angeles with producer Eric Corne after
setting up house in nearby Joshua Tree. The new surroundings seem to have
imbued the album's mood and instrumentation with echoes of The Byrds,
Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young. Joining Johnston in the studio
were Aimee Mann, Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, and longtime collaborator,
Susan Cowsill, along with an all-star roots music band, including Doug Pettibone
(Lucinda Williams), Dusty Wakeman (Jim Lauderdale), Dave Raven (Shelby Lynn)
and Sasha Smith (Priscilla Ahn).In 1994 Rolling Stone named Johnston the
'Songwriter of the Year', describing him as "A master storyteller, (who) sketches
out full- blown tragedies in a few taut poetic lines." Adding, "He joins that elite
cadre of songwriters—Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Elvis Costello—whose brilliant pop
compositions turn magical with the addition of a defiantly idiosyncratic singing
voice."
'Back on the Road to You' is a return to grace for this gifted songwriter. It
embodies the sound of an American original reminding us that he is still
considered one of the best songwriters of his generation.
Freedy Johnston is one of those rare singer-songwriters who counts
critics among his biggest fans — and whose heroes consider him a peer.
Not bad for a self-proclaimed "geek in glasses who never left his room."
Johnston's 9th album, 'Back on the Road to You' is a record steeped in
wit, humor, pathos, love, and friendship drenched with memorable,
infectious melodies
Johnston recorded the album in Los Angeles with producer Eric Corne after
setting up house in nearby Joshua Tree. The new surroundings seem to have
imbued the album's mood and instrumentation with echoes of The Byrds,
Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young. Joining Johnston in the studio
were Aimee Mann, Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, and longtime collaborator,
Susan Cowsill, along with an all-star roots music band, including Doug Pettibone
(Lucinda Williams), Dusty Wakeman (Jim Lauderdale), Dave Raven (Shelby Lynn)
and Sasha Smith (Priscilla Ahn).In 1994 Rolling Stone named Johnston the
'Songwriter of the Year', describing him as "A master storyteller, (who) sketches
out full- blown tragedies in a few taut poetic lines." Adding, "He joins that elite
cadre of songwriters—Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Elvis Costello—whose brilliant pop
compositions turn magical with the addition of a defiantly idiosyncratic singing
voice."
'Back on the Road to You' is a return to grace for this gifted songwriter. It
embodies the sound of an American original reminding us that he is still
considered one of the best songwriters of his generation.
'Cross the Rolling Water' is the debut collaborative album from Hannah
Reed and Michael Starkey
Acclaimed singer-songwriter and fiddler Hannah Read met banjo player Michael
Starkey at an Appalachian old time session in Edinburgh in late 2019.The
moment they first struck up a tune together there was an immediate meeting of
musical minds and they have since become a formidable and dynamic fiddle and
banjo duo, playing repertoire deep from the old time tradition like Apple Blossom
as well as newly composed tunes and songs Shenandoah by Anais Mitchell.
Hannah is an award winning Scottish musician based in Brooklyn, NY. She moved
Stateside to study American fiddle styles and to immerse herself in the thriving
string music scene. She has toured extensively, performing solo and collaborating
with musicians far and wide including Tony Trischka, Sarah Jarosz and Jefferson
Hamer, as well as being one part of the BBC Folk Award winning Songs of
Separation. Her previous album was the well-received 'Way Out I'll Wander' from
2017.
Michael is a multi-instrumentalist, music teacher and old time banjo enthusiast
living in Scotland. His mission as a musician is to keep things simple - clear
melody lines underpinned by solid, infectious rhythm. Recent collaborations
include with Wayward Jane (Edinburgh- based UK/ US folk and roots music 4-
piece) and 'Faultlines', a collection of Lisa Fannen's poetry set to music.
"Hannah and Michael have arrived at a way of playing old- time music that's
refreshingly dynamic, expressive, and toneful. Every track makes me feel like I'm
sitting right next to them, eyeing my fiddle case, just hoping they'll let me join in" -
Stephanie Coleman, old time fiddler
The story of this album is a story of love and lust - it's a love letter to rock
music - Your first love being the first time you held that instrument or
lover that would propel you into the next chapter
Your first heartbreak. Your first fear. Your first fuck. There's a constant need to
feed the first because all of that unfinished business fuels the second.
But the truth about the first is that it was there all along. These songs were out
there years ago, playing out their melodies to a closeted, jealous, angry Iowa City
gay boy trying to find his way towards freedom. Decades later, No. 2 grabs those
songs down and punches the idea of a first all open. First Love reintroduces No. 2
to us all, driven by the propulsive lyrics of Neil Gust along with the incomparable
Gilly Hanner on bass and the unparalleled Paul Pulvirenti on drums.
Produced by Joanna Bolme (Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks) and mixed by Gary
Jarman (The Cribs) and Tony Lash (Heatmiser). The album was recorded over 3
years in studios and basements across Portland, OR and finished in a boathouse
in Connecticut during Covid. Special guest Rebecca Cole (The Minders, Wild Flag)
shows up on keyboards here and there.
Racing through queer anthems, noir grooves, and more under and over ground
rock references than a Quentin Tarantino movie, First Love bursts with all the
infectious chemistry that made the band so much fun in the first place.
The Deer have built a devoted audience for their uninhibited, cosmic indie folk the old-fashioned way: playing their hearts out, night after night. In addition to extensive headlining, they’ve shared stages with the likes of Big Thief and The Head and The Heart. Their label debut Do No Harm, released in 2019, marked a set of career breakthroughs, topping the KUTX chart and earning a nomination for the Austin Music Awards’ Album of the Year. When live music took global pause, The Deer had momentum to sort. The five musicians took the energy reserved for tour and brought it into the studio, a pressure cooker not only for creativity but newly, for existential reflection. The result is two full albums, the first of which, The Beautiful Undead, will be released September 9, 2022, on tastemaking indie Keeled Scales. It’s an uninhibited collection of cosmic indie-folk reflecting upon what it means to lose your sense of purpose. The Deer, amidst turbulent assessment, transformed a paralyzing void into an empowering surrender of ego a rollicking submission to the immense unpredictability of existing. It's a free-spirited album fueled by hard-earned revelation. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, the planet is getting warmer, and human extinction looms likely. The Deer handle their devastated call for change with an artful subtlety, an infectious sense of play, and a projection of internal learning onto the external world. Their genius is in creating palpable, emotional urgency not with boisterousness, but fact. Throughout The Beautiful Undead, The Deer radiate an intensity fit for the times, but not at the cost of dancing. Also Available From The Deer: Do No Harm LP / CD. Track listing: SIDE A: 1. Bellwether 2. I Wouldn’t Recognize Me 3. Baby Green 4. Columns 5. Lilacs SIDE B: 6. The Lion Or The Bear 7. Six-Pointed Star 8. Golden Broken Record 9. Up I Presume 10. Bowl
Portsmouth post punks Hallan reveal their
pulsating new single, ‘Sich Übergeben’, via Nice
Swan Records (English Teacher, Sports Team,
Courting).
The track is a study in perpetual motion, caught
between an exhilarating swagger and a drunken
lurch. Built around a spiralling, infectious synth
lead line, rolling bass and drums, and skittish
guitars, this all provides the backbone for Conor
Clements’ visceral vocal spitting.
It tells a tawdry tale, examining the propensity for
unhinged views born of banal insularity. As the
band explain: “A father hiding behind a screen, a
family watching the Queen’s jubilee and a wife
leaving her unloving husband for a new life in
Spain. We’ve seen all of these people and we
know them too.”
“I’ve been coming a thousand years / you could call me the endless fuck,” goes the memorable opening line of Rubblebucket’s Earth Worship, a dance-forward, joyously layered collection of songs which work to dissolve the imaginary lines between the natural world and its inhabitants. Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth, the group’s front persons and co-writers, first began a friendship as jazz students at the University of Vermont. Soon after, they formed a prolific band that has delved into pop, funk, dance and psychedelia over five records, with performances spanning Bonnaroo to their self-curated Dream Picnic Festival, and collaborations with kindred genre-blenders including Arcade Fire and Questlove. But Traver and Toth initially bonded over another shared passion: the two were part of UVM’s Sustainable Community Development program. Though Toth communes with nature as part of his morning routine, and Traver is adept at foraging in the band’s adopted home of New York, songwriting explicitly about environmentalism in Rubblebucket has felt immaterial—besides, the band has shared its beliefs over the years by inviting anti-fracking, reproductive justice, and other organizations to table at their shows. But Traver was interested in writing love songs for and from the natural world, and both were inspired by their parents’ work in ecology and community facilitation, from which they saw a throughline to music’s communal healing. Traver suggested “earth worship” as a lyrical prompt for their sixth record, and with this concept at its core, the duo began writing Earth Worship: a Rubblebucket album with renewed shimmer, showcasing the group’s intricately sparkling beats, hushed yet hooky vocals and infectious melodic complexity.
“I’ve been coming a thousand years / you could call me the endless fuck,” goes the memorable opening line of Rubblebucket’s Earth Worship, a dance-forward, joyously layered collection of songs which work to dissolve the imaginary lines between the natural world and its inhabitants. Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth, the group’s front persons and co-writers, first began a friendship as jazz students at the University of Vermont. Soon after, they formed a prolific band that has delved into pop, funk, dance and psychedelia over five records, with performances spanning Bonnaroo to their self-curated Dream Picnic Festival, and collaborations with kindred genre-blenders including Arcade Fire and Questlove. But Traver and Toth initially bonded over another shared passion: the two were part of UVM’s Sustainable Community Development program. Though Toth communes with nature as part of his morning routine, and Traver is adept at foraging in the band’s adopted home of New York, songwriting explicitly about environmentalism in Rubblebucket has felt immaterial—besides, the band has shared its beliefs over the years by inviting anti-fracking, reproductive justice, and other organizations to table at their shows. But Traver was interested in writing love songs for and from the natural world, and both were inspired by their parents’ work in ecology and community facilitation, from which they saw a throughline to music’s communal healing. Traver suggested “earth worship” as a lyrical prompt for their sixth record, and with this concept at its core, the duo began writing Earth Worship: a Rubblebucket album with renewed shimmer, showcasing the group’s intricately sparkling beats, hushed yet hooky vocals and infectious melodic complexity.
“I’ve been coming a thousand years / you could call me the endless fuck,” goes the memorable opening line of Rubblebucket’s Earth Worship, a dance-forward, joyously layered collection of songs which work to dissolve the imaginary lines between the natural world and its inhabitants. Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth, the group’s front persons and co-writers, first began a friendship as jazz students at the University of Vermont. Soon after, they formed a prolific band that has delved into pop, funk, dance and psychedelia over five records, with performances spanning Bonnaroo to their self-curated Dream Picnic Festival, and collaborations with kindred genre-blenders including Arcade Fire and Questlove. But Traver and Toth initially bonded over another shared passion: the two were part of UVM’s Sustainable Community Development program. Though Toth communes with nature as part of his morning routine, and Traver is adept at foraging in the band’s adopted home of New York, songwriting explicitly about environmentalism in Rubblebucket has felt immaterial—besides, the band has shared its beliefs over the years by inviting anti-fracking, reproductive justice, and other organizations to table at their shows. But Traver was interested in writing love songs for and from the natural world, and both were inspired by their parents’ work in ecology and community facilitation, from which they saw a throughline to music’s communal healing. Traver suggested “earth worship” as a lyrical prompt for their sixth record, and with this concept at its core, the duo began writing Earth Worship: a Rubblebucket album with renewed shimmer, showcasing the group’s intricately sparkling beats, hushed yet hooky vocals and infectious melodic complexity.
Stratton returns to Of Paradise for the label’s 20th release. Chalking up a hat-trick of EP’s on the imprint, with the impeccably effective ‘Never Bettered Always Battered’. Arguably his most accomplished and significant release to date, this 4-tracker effortlessly showcases the London-based producers expertly distilled and patented style of evocative and headstrong UK hardcore.
The A-side launches with the anthemic ‘Badboy’, a true floor melter, loaded with tunnelling drums, an electric bassline and a criminally infectious chopped vocal. Following that is ‘Double Happiness (Bludclot Mix)’, a lethal dose of no nonsense proto-rave goods, emanating from the streets of North London. The product of a truly skilled operator who fully understands the inner workings of the kick, hoover and piano.
‘Bless’ kicks off the flip side with effortless momentum. The impetus clearly focused on rupturing bassbins and rewiring brains, with its weapons grade drums, growling bassline, lethal Amen break, euphoric melody and rabid hoover.
Closing out the release is ‘Vapour Trail Hurricane’ another system-rushing slice of hardcore mastery that pulls no punches in its pursuit of dance floor dominance. Fuelled by a hammering kick, sharp sirens and swirling acid lines, these are the final moments before imminent self destruction.
This is true peak-time pressure from one of the UK’s most exciting and inimitable talents.
out of Stock
Last delivered 2 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Lady of Mine is the 1989 debut LP by self-made Italian-American Joe Tossini. An astoundingly honest, passionate record of cosmopolitan lounge music, he willed this charming suburban oddity into existence without any formal musical training.
Special remarks : LP with digital download card
Lady of Mine is the 1989 debut LP by self-made Italian-American Joe Tossini. An astoundingly honest, passionate record of cosmopolitan lounge music, he willed this charming suburban oddity into existence without any formal musical training.
Sicilian by birth, Tossini drifted around the world between Italy, Germany and Canada, before finally settling in New Jersey. After the passing of his mother and the breakdown of a second marriage, an anxious and depressed Tossini took to songwriting as a form of therapy, crafting disarmingly candid lyrics from his extraordinary life and loves. Whatever industry savvy or musical virtuosity he lacked was made up for by unflinching resourcefulness and infectious charisma. Befriending bandleader Peppino Lattanzi at local club The Rickshaw Inn, he was encouraged to animate his singular songs with an ambitious cast of 9 players and 5 backing vocalists, sincerely credited as his Friends.
The Atlantic City basement sessions are a low budget, high romance testament to Tossini's character and the power of positive thinking. From the defiant, Casiotone samba of If I Should Fall In Love, to Wild Dream's dizzying escapism and the native tongue croons of Sulla Luna and Sincerita, Lady Of Mine hums with the inimitable magic of a true original. Piercing the heart with an effectively sparse combination of humming keys, CompuRhythm drums, horn flourishes and backing divas, ample room was left for Tossini to frankly deliver his much-needed life lessons.
Underperforming commercially at the hands of short lived label IEA Records, Lady Of Mine has since earned a place in the outsider music canon. Recently peaking interest as a cornerstone of the Sky Girl compilation, the private press trades for inordinate sums, typically with no financial benefit to its creator. Lady Of Mine is now finally reissued on the artist's own terms via Joe Tossini Music, in partnership with Efficient Space, restored from original master tapes with unseen photos, extensive liner notes and Tossini's trademark wisdom.
Devoutly independent, Tossini has previously self-released the 2015 instrumental album When You Love Someone as well as two books - a new fiction novel The Devil In White and his autobiography The Account of My Life.
B. Bravo (aka Adam Mori) returns to Bastard Jazz with the long-awaited follow-up to his 2017 debut LP, "Paradise," with a fresh full-length offering: "Vizionz." Replete with his signature future funk vibes, infectiously soulful grooves, and talkbox excursions, "Vizionz" sees the multifaceted artist take the classic West Coast into outer space. If B. Bravo's last album sought to get lost in paradise - enjoying the moment here and now - "Vizionz" looks forward, feet placed firmly in an established LA vibe, while the matured eyes of a veteran producer gaze keenly to the future.
"Vizionz" arrives following a slew of diverse singles, which highlight B. Bravo's stunning versatility as a songwriter, producer, and collaborator. Last year's "Lifted (What U Waiting 4)" came first, at the end of May, 2020, pairing g-funk talk-box verses and synth lines with rich vocal harmonies and a dance-floor-ready beat. Frequent collaborator Reva DeVito (Miami Horror, Kaytranada) makes a standout vocal appearance on "Fly Bye," the second single. Here, Adam surrounds Reva's vocals with ambient pads, a Dilla-inspired beat, and an irresistible bassline, while Reva's dreamily sings about getting away from it all. The final single, "Believe," sees Chuck Inglish (of the famed duo The Cool Kids) rhyme in his distinctive baritone over a bass-heavy instrumental meant to rattle some car stereos.
The singles offer a view into the rest of the album: Solo B. Bravo joints include "Moon Bounce," a talk-box boogie jam begging for late-night drives with the top down; the largely-instrumental synth improvisation, "Midnight Rider;" the upbeat "Penelope," which showcases Adam's vocal and harmonic prowess; a bumping g-funk interlude, with "Flip Out;" as well as the laid back album opener, "Da Essence."
Further vocal assists come by way of Sally Green on the flirty "10/10," and Rojai on the slow jam ""No Regrets" . Both singers have worked on B. Bravo projects in the past, with Rojai additionally joining forces with Adam to form the duo Kool Customer, whose self-titled debut album was released on Bastard Jazz in 2018. Two more hip-hop-leaning tracks are aided by Def Sound ("Back Times Two") and Nico Fasho ("Ms. Stardust"); leaning heavy into outerspace G-Funk Hip-Hop vibes.
Taken as a whole, "Vizionz" is a much needed boost of serotonin: Uncompromisingly positive, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes aspirational, but always funky. The range of styles is a testament to Adam's indelible production chops, songwriting skill, and ability to collaborate. While it has been a long 5 years since "Paradise," "Vizionz" proves more than worth the wait.
Born and raised in California, with roots in Japan, B. Bravo's signature style of Cosmic Funk and late night synth grooves have made him a favorite among DJ's, dancers, and music lovers worldwide. A tasteful producer, sought after remixer, party rocking DJ, master of the talkbox, band leader, and alumnus of the Red Bull Music Academy, Mr. Bravo is an accomplished performer both at home and abroad.
Heavily inspired by the synthesizer-enhanced R&B grooves of the late '70s and early '80s, B. Bravo debuted in 2009 with the seven-track "Analog Starship" EP. A deeper impression was made the following year with a shorter extended play, "Computa Love," the title track of which was supported by BBC DJ Benji B months prior to release. Additional strides were made with a batch of singles and EPs that followed throughout the next few years, as Bravo toured and performed at numerous festivals around the world.
His relationship with the Brooklyn tastemaker label, Bastard Jazz Recordings, began in 2016 with the 7" single "I'm For Real / Stay The Night' (which notably featured a Mr. Carmack remix of the latter). Bravo's debut solo LP quickly followed with 2017's critically acclaimed "Paradise" - which shone a light on vocalists and frequent collaborators Reva DeVito, Trailer Limon, Kissey, and Lauren Faith - with a remix album appearing six months later.
Additional solo releases have found a home on Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings and Frite Nite, while production credits have appeared on releases from the legendary Blue Note Records, HW&W, All City, Friends of Friends, and Tokyo Dawn. B. Bravo has worked on projects with the likes of Salva, Mr. Carmack, Teeko, DJ Lean Rock, Reva DeVito, Lauren Faith, and Kate Stewart.
Having toured throughout the US, Latin America, Europe and Asia, he's shared the stage with performers like Erykah Badu, Flying Lotus, DāM-FunK, Hudson Mohawke, at a world-spanning range of festivals such as Detroit Electronic Music Fest, HARD LA, Northern Nights, Laneway Singapore, Sonar in Barcelona, Snowglobe, SXSW, Basscoast, Do-Over, Low End Theory, Boiler Room, and Soulection.
B. Bravo's "Vizionz" LP is out on Brooklyn's Bastard Jazz Recordings Spring, 2022.
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Cal Green is a soul guitarist from Houston, Texas who isn't afraid to get as emotional as can be. Here is one of his standout cuts which was made with R&B organist Charles Kynard plus jazz heavyweights Tracy Wright and Billy Moore gets a long overdue repress. 'Tripping' and the reverse side opener 'Sieda' are Cal Green originals that come with hooky melodies that makes perfect jazz-funk listening. The infectious groover will carry you away in no time and this limited edition reuse, the first ever, is sure to fly out so do not sleep.
Big AC Records and renowned music photographer, Dean Chalkley, present ‘So Pure’, an astonishing soulful single written and recorded in just 48 hours by six musicians working together for the first time.
The collective, named Phono 48, features neo-soul singer Laville, Kitty and Lewis Durham (of Kitty, Daisy and Lewis), Amané Suganami (Maisha), Solomon Douglas and Nick Corbin, all of whom entered the studio with no preconceived ideas of what they would create.
The result is a beautifully crafted, contemporary-sounding song; Laville’s positive lyrics and smooth, laid-back vocal are soundtracked by an infectious piece of music, with all participants blending seamlessly to create a track at the intersection of soul, funk and jazz.
‘So Pure’ anchors the multi-media ‘New Perspectives’ project devised by Dean Chalkey, who captured the magic of the two days’ studio time in a vast series of documentary style images.
Additionally Chalkley and art director Ciaran O’Shea created a short experimental film with different abstract elements reflecting this brilliant creative journey, inspired by Jean Luc Godard’s ‘Sympathy For The Devil’, where the director shot the Rolling Stones as they made their famous record.
The multi-faceted ‘New Perspectives’ project also includes a one-off journal written by music journalist Andy Thomas. The project will launch on 17th February at The Museum of Youth Culture with a photography exhibition and film screening.
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While so many follow the status quo, Mat Zo has always danced to the beat of his own drum. From his days topping both the drum & bass and trance charts simultaneously (releasing on Hospital Records as MRSA), to his current status as a big room innovator, collaborating with Public Enemy's Chuck D and dropping genre-blurring 70-track contributions to BBC Radio 1's Essential Mix, the precocious talent is destined to play by his own rules.
Supported by DJs as diverse as Skrillex, Madeon, Pete Tong, Above & Beyond, Steve Aoki and A-Trak, the LA-living producer's much anticipated debut LP 'Damage Control' is a bold, brilliantly diverse statement of intent from one of the scene's most unique talents. In a world of EDM sound a likes, this is electronic dance music with integrity and ambition. The release of the album will coincide with an extensive upcoming world headline tour, which sees Zo playing renowned dance music hubs such as Ministry of Sound in London, Light in Las Vegas, Create/Avalon in Los Angeles, Miami's LIV nightclub, Toronto's Guvernment and New York City's famed Pacha. (See full list of dates below).
The product of nearly three years dedicated work, 'Damage Control' represents a star of the future coming of age. Including his Beatport No.1 smash 'Easy' (feat. Porter Robinson) and recent hook-up with hip-hop legend Chuck D (Public Enemy) on 'Pyramid Scheme', Zo's 14-track LP also features the sun-soaked melodies of his innovative future single 'Lucid Dreams' - another track that perfectly embodies his uniquely quirky take on big room sounds.
What really sets the album apart from the pack are its diversions away from the dancefloor. 'Damage Control' takes in everything from electro-charged French house ('Only For You' feat. Rachel K. Collier), classy trance vibes ('The Sky' feat. Linnea Schossow) and big room progressive, through to wonky, trap-styled beats ('Caller ID' and 'Little Damage'), UK garage updates ('EZ') and hip-hop ('Moderate Stimulation').
Retaining a cohesive thread throughout thanks to Zo's unmistakable sense of fun and infectious grasp of melody, 'Damage Control' is tipped as one of the most forward-thinking debut artist albums of 2013.
Four Flies is thrilled to present a fresh little gem of a 7 inch where the Salifornian funk collective Banda Maje put their spin on "Wait For Me", a disco-funk track by Canadian multi-instrumentalist Franky Selector originally released in his album Never Better – which last spring was fully reinterpreted by a number of Italian artists, including Banda Maje, in the digital album Italians do it (Never) Better.
The full, vocal version of the re-edit, on side A, sees Franky Selector himself sing in perfect Neapolitan amidst irresistible backing vocals, while the instrumental version is provided on side B.
Both versions brim with joy, funk, and Salifornian energy, bringing Italy and Canada closer than ever. Infectious groove has no boundaries.
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Oakland, California dark punk trio TENSION SPAN unites Noah Landis (Neurosis, Christ On Parade) on vocals, Geoff Evans (Asunder) playing guitar and synth, and Matt Parrillo (Dystopia, Kicker) providing bass, guitar, synth, and additional vocals.
Infusing classic elements of punk and post-punk, fans of Killing Joke, T.S.O.L., Subhumans, Conflict, Rudimentary Peni and The Wraith will be instantaneously addicted to TENSION SPAN’s dire urgency and infectious hooks.
During the isolation of Covid, the newly formed trio crafted The Future Died Yesterday, an album that sounds both varied and cohesive, combining musical and emotional heaviness with melody, samples, and synth. Sonically unique and riveting, The Future Died Yesterday sees the band ripping through thirteen doomed anthems.
Vexed Sphere is proud to present its first vinyl release, 'VS4 - Various Artists', featuring four techno producers based in North America. On the A side, Müzmin (San Francisco) delivers 'Acid Sag', a peak-time, twisting, mental, stomping frenzy, and JX-216 (San Francisco) provides a thunderous, percussive drum workout with 'Argenteum'. FadeFace (NYC) opens the B side with 'Dispatch', an infectious, intercosmic groove, and Sone (Seattle) closes the record with 'Serriform', a thick, tension-building, subterranean roller.
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'Hypnotise' is the spellbinding new single from sampler slayers, The Allergies. Who, once again, build funky new worlds out of dope beats and loops from their wild and wonderful record collections.
Here, the Bristol-based duo break new ground, sampling the incredible Deli Sosimi and heading out on the housier side of things, working a deadly dancefloor 4/4 around their signature soulful stylings.
Pulsing kicks and playful percussion keep the pace, as euphoric Afrobeat horns and insistent vocal lines build the energy in the room.
It's a captivating cut, made for discerning DJs and discos. But, as soon as you let the infectious double bass-led groove hit you, you'll mesmerised by the music.
'Vamonos' on the flip laces old school boogaloo and salsa samples with sizzling hi-hats, claps, and club-ready breaks. It's an anthem for beach bodies, holiday heroes, and sun-seekers, hell bent on escaping the rat race.
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Limited Blue Sky Colour Vinyl LP Pressing. This release is strictly for Indie Stores Only. First reissue of Love Battery’s 1992 Debut Sub Pop Album. Remastered by Jack Endino from the Original Masters. Includes Liner Notes with photos, lyrics and more. Jackpot Records is proud to announce the upcoming vinyl reissue of the classic 1992 Sub Pop album: LOVE BATTERY “Dayglo”. In the middle of the wonderful sludge that was coming out of Seattle in the late 80s/early 90’s, Love Battery pierced through with something different to offer. They were more psychedelic, more tuneful, and even more...dare we say...British sounding than what Sub Pop was releasing at the time. We were listening. The results are crystal clear on the record Jackpot Records is reissuing, ‘Dayglo’. And like many of the Sub Pop records of the day, this has not been available on vinyl in the U.S. Until now. On 'Dayglo', inventive and underrated guitar wizard Kevin Whitworth and vocalist/guitarist Ron Nine slash and burn through 10 songs that would give bands like Blur, Swervedriver, and yes, Nirvana, a run for their money. It doesn't hurt that the focused driven energy of drummer Jason Finn (soon to be of The Presidents Of The United States) and ex-U-Men bass monster Jim Tillman add more than their weight to the sonic mystery of these songs. From the melodic battle cry of opener 'Out Of Focus' with its slippery, infectious chorus, it's obvious that Love Battery had an incredible knack for hypnotic hooks, cryptic lyrics, and propulsive grooves, ones that record obsessives still drool over when the needle hits the turntable. The record is as mysterious as early R.E.M., with equal hints of 13th Floor Elevators and Screaming Trees sprinkled throughout.
Reviews: “4 ½ stars out of 5 - Dayglo is imbued with a highly energetic style and creative force”. All Music Guide // “Two years later, Oasis made the same record and were called geniuses” SPIN Magazine // Track listing: 1 Out Of Focus 2 Foot 3 Damaged 4 See Your Mind 5 Side (With You) 6 Cool School (Trane Of Thought) 7 Sometimes 8 Blonde 9 Dayglo 10 23 Modern Stories
The debut 7” vinyl from bloody/bath ‘Idle Hands’ is also the debut release by Kooky>Too, an offshoot of Kooky Records est 1996 (previous output including the acclaimed Durutti Column album ‘A Paean To Wilson’). This limited 7” is a peach – a gloomy neu wave banger for our gloomy fin de siècle death-spiralling age. And it’s increasingly relatable - previous bloody/bath digital single ‘Washed Out’ was championed by Lauren Laverne on 6 Music. Limited to 300 distro copies – black vinyl – 300gsm spined sleeve – reverse board printing. Sonically a bout of sleep paralysis, emotionally a midnight text from your favourite ex, bloody/bath are feverish, infectious and bewitching taking a post-punk passage that sounds distinctly their own. Catchy melodies dance throughout the tracks, disguising a heaviness, a desperation, drowning somewhere beneath the surface. Louder Than War describe the bloody/bath sound as “Stop-The-Clocks pop. Music to submerge yourself in. Wallow deep, then count your blessings”. Summoned initially by Northampton singer-songwriter Kailan Price, but now a fully fledged five-piece band, interest has been soaring following their incendiary live sets invited to play for Slow Dance at the Brixton Windmill, and other shows in London, Bristol and Bedford with Ritual Howls, Do Nothing and Minor Conflict. Bloody/bath have steadily created a large following on spotify with over 1.8 million streams and over 36,000 monthly listeners - particular streaming numbers in London, Berlin and across Eastern Europe - their sparse expanses, concrete homogeny and heavy atmospheres - perhaps testament to what bloody/bath are creating and why people are listening. Bruised and beaten down, a whole load of listeners can’t get enough of bloody/bath.
Grammy-nominated blues, soul and Americana singer is revered
worldwide for her defiant music and fire-breathing performances
' Done Come Too Far' continues Shemekia's riveting, clear-eyed testimony about
our troubled world while celebrating the blessings that keep hope alive. The new
album, available in Clear Vinyl and CD, is again produced by Will Kimbrough, and
an all-star supporting cast includes slide guitar whiz Sonny Landreth, Hill Country
blues great Cedric Burnside and Hi Rhythm Section organist Charles Hodges.
'Done Come Too Far' is another exhilarating Shemekia Copeland showcase, as
her rousing vocals bring the heat in an infectious array of muscular rockers,
stomping blues, swampy soul and heartbreaking ballads. Intense, topical new
originals make up most of the tracks and spirited versions of songs by Ray Wylie
Hubbard and her father, Johnny Copeland, fit right into the mix.
MOJO - September review
BLUES MATTERS - upcoming review
BLUES MATTERS - upcoming feature with interview
BLUES IN BRITAIN - upcoming review
BLUES IN THE SOUTH - upcoming review
BLUES' BLUES - upcoming review
BLUES BYTES - upcoming review
Polly Paulusma follows up her critically acclaimed 2021 album 'Invisible
Music' with 'The Pivot On Which The World Turns' out via One Little
Independent folk subsidiary Wild Sound.Affectionately shortened to
'Pivot', the album marks a return to her singular brand of insightful songs
that, in their subject matter, roam around the badlands of love, sex and
parenthood, death and grief, failure and success, violence and healing
Most poignantly the album focuses on the roles of women, in our lives and
across history, from a variety of perspectives.'Pivot' swings from the warm, bluesinspired Americana of 'Back Of Your Hand' and 'Dirty Circus', to the more
traditional folk of 'Brambles and Briars' and 'Robin', as well as poetic, pop
curiosities such as 'Snakeskin' and the effervescent 'Luminary', all of which
combine to make up Polly's most sonically adventurous album to date. As always,
she delights in the telling of stories, with littered spoken word aiding her as she
utilizes infectious melodies and a light delivery to explore her characters.
The product of a decade of writing, she tells us that "the album's title 'The Pivot
On Which The World Turns' is a corruption of a moment in the Russian novel Anna
Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, in which Stepan Arkadyitch knowingly confesses,
"women, my boy, they're the pivot everything turns upon". In context, Stepan and
Levin are discussing romantic relationships, but I saw wider interpretations of this
epithet".
Each track on the LP examines a different aspect of life that women play, and
"charts a development for me through all the roles I pivot on in a day, a week, a
year, a decade". 'Snakeskin' represents the daughter, 'Back Of Your Hand' is the
love interest, 'Dirty Circus' the mother and so on. "I truly believe, having travelled
the last few years, having endured grief and horror and having discovered and
pivoted on all these people that I am capable of being, that by learning how to
love, and re- learning, and learning again, so many of the wartier and knobblier
parts of me can be forgiven, and translated into something better".
Polly Paulusma follows up her critically acclaimed 2021 album 'Invisible
Music' with 'The Pivot On Which The World Turns' out via One Little
Independent folk subsidiary Wild Sound.Affectionately shortened to
'Pivot', the album marks a return to her singular brand of insightful songs
that, in their subject matter, roam around the badlands of love, sex and
parenthood, death and grief, failure and success, violence and healing
Most poignantly the album focuses on the roles of women, in our lives and
across history, from a variety of perspectives.'Pivot' swings from the warm, bluesinspired Americana of 'Back Of Your Hand' and 'Dirty Circus', to the more
traditional folk of 'Brambles and Briars' and 'Robin', as well as poetic, pop
curiosities such as 'Snakeskin' and the effervescent 'Luminary', all of which
combine to make up Polly's most sonically adventurous album to date. As always,
she delights in the telling of stories, with littered spoken word aiding her as she
utilizes infectious melodies and a light delivery to explore her characters.
The product of a decade of writing, she tells us that "the album's title 'The Pivot
On Which The World Turns' is a corruption of a moment in the Russian novel Anna
Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, in which Stepan Arkadyitch knowingly confesses,
"women, my boy, they're the pivot everything turns upon". In context, Stepan and
Levin are discussing romantic relationships, but I saw wider interpretations of this
epithet".
Each track on the LP examines a different aspect of life that women play, and
"charts a development for me through all the roles I pivot on in a day, a week, a
year, a decade". 'Snakeskin' represents the daughter, 'Back Of Your Hand' is the
love interest, 'Dirty Circus' the mother and so on. "I truly believe, having travelled
the last few years, having endured grief and horror and having discovered and
pivoted on all these people that I am capable of being, that by learning how to
love, and re- learning, and learning again, so many of the wartier and knobblier
parts of me can be forgiven, and translated into something better".
P&F Recordings takes a quick break from original material to welcome back everyone’s favourite Episcopalian Minister/DJ: JAZ.
When it comes to left-field floor fillers, JAZ (née John Zahl) is in a league of his own. Over the past 13 years, he's churned out celebrated home listening mixes, jaw-dropping DJ sets, and extended edits with a pace that belies the usual slow-motion tempo of the majority of his selections.
Here, he serves up four colourful, cosmic, dance floor delights. EP opener ‘Cloud Worship’ marries a chugging prog-rock-esque bassline with virtuosic synth work. Then ‘Pick a Toy’ gets us sweating with some serious Caribbean flair.
On the flip side, ‘Puzzle’ delivers exotic chants and an infectious, serpentine beat - and lastly ‘Friday Night’ closes things out with infectious, retro positivity.
While one might wonder how JAZ consistently unearths these obscure -yet essential- gems, it's obvious that he's driven by a higher purpose.
Let the ceremonies begin!
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Lisbon's purveyor of dance incantations Paraiso are back with an EP that packs a meeting of 3 legends of the local and global underground - a trio of fearless pioneers and cultural agitators from different eras. Yen Sung and Photonz have partnered up in 2020 to collaborate on new music and start a record label. Fast forward to today and this Paraiso EP is their third release, further exploring their mutual penchant for ethereal house music drenched in subtle but fiery grooves and acid basslines. Opener 'A Temperanca' taps into moody yet bouncy motifs, punctuated by crisp claps and an infectious 303 line in the vein of DJ Pierre's record 'What is House Music', their confessed influence for this track. Things get slower on the A2 where the title track gets reworked with alternative elements - aptly named Gravity Mix. The B side continues the metallic acid exploration via 'Akasha', twisting and turning like only expertly crafted basslines do before things blossom into a sunny house groover with enticing percussion and variegated hats. Legendary Angolan-Portuguese producer DJ Satelite steps in for remix duties, adding his iconic deep afro house edge to a wonderful effect, all blissful motifs and broken percussive sonics.
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Subb-an returns to 20/20 Vision with 'State Of Flow' featuring vocals from Oli Gosh (Crosstown Rebels). Ash Subhan has been an integral part of the deep house and techno scenes over the last decade and more with releases for One Records, Spectral and Culprit.
'State Of Flow' is a beautiful slice of deep techno that incapsulates atmospheric layers of melodies and vocals with powerful bottom heavy bass and percussive floor control. SOF is the first collaboration between Subb-an and singer songwriter Oli Gosh and has resulted in new directions and musical landscapes.ASOF comes complete with remixes from Adam Pits and Armec.
Adam Pits delivers a devious little gem aimed at dance-floor destruction that winds it's way between a heavy garage bassline and 90's four to floor house rhythms, fragmenting the vocal around an increasingly unhinged and infectious groove. It's fusion served at it's finest and a super fresh sound perfectly placed for the current club scene.
Armec accentuates and expands the immense power hidden in 'State Of Flow' by breakin' the beats up and adding heavily swung filtered loops snaking around a massive bass. The Armec remix comes complete with a twist to its tale with the additional of a magnificently wobbly arpeggiated synth twisting our melons into a right old state.
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TV Blonde is a veritable triple threat—singer, songwriter, producer. Bear witness to the LA native's infectious bedroom soul masterpiece entitled Ghost In My Mirror. Whether your tastes call for harmonics, punchy rhythms, or both - best believe this LP has them in spades. Smoky vocals deliver deep vulnerable expressions, while rolling dreamscapes stain these fluttering reverb laden tracks. The LA native transfixes us with infectious groove after infectious groove. The icy heat of Fuck It Up’s plucked harmonics bleed into warm synth lines with biting vocals. With snares shuffling seismically atop a pastiche funk ground, Fool’s driving percussion pulsates towards a breakdown that emanates a quiet, slick cool. Idyllic soundscapes are in no short supply either and are tenderly crafted; A pillowy bassline sitting beneath crisp high-mids on Where is My Baby adds depth, with liquid synthwork drizzled atop the break. Plucked strings slide underneath grounded musings on Come Back Again, slowly taking the album’s built-up energy and distilling it into slowed down concentrate. While maintaining an aged realism, TV Blonde weaves dreamlike aural tools into inviting and entrancing cuts on Ghost In My Mirror. Soulful and beat-driven tunes lie ahead on this 11-track scape - savor the journey.
TRACKLIST: 1. Ghost 2. Fuck It Up (featuring Palmer Eldritch) 3. Pick Up Your Phone 4. Fool 5. Where Is My Baby 6. My Love Is The End 7. Before The Lie (Prelude) 8. Why Do I Lie 9. Searching For 10. I Feel Ugly Today 11. A Song For My Little Woeful Sinner 12. Don't Break My Chest
Temples is a tempting invitation into another world, full of light and movement. From the second the synth comes in this track has got us deep in its pocket. Shotter manages something that is hard to achieve - he has us floating completely, yet steadily carried by tip-toeing metallic rhythm elements and the relentless swells of bright synths. The game changer in the second half is a new, gritty bass quality, which couldn't roll in any more fiercely. At its fullest the track has us in an uncompromising trance, a relentless movement that we don't ever want to escape from. Breaking back down to pleasantly gentle hi-hat reverb-tails and inducing synth patterns Temples lets us down easy, with the unspoken promise to return.
Ueno claims the room to itself completely and immediately. The rise and fall of melodic synth lines lead us through a labyrinth at first, leaving plenty of space for imagination. Before we notice playful call-and-response rhythms are teasing our ears, until the track surrenders itself to an ever-growing wave of synth patterns and their behind-the-beat-delay. It climaxes into a haunting silence with tenuous high-pitched sounds and a clear outer space feel. Finally, all elements lock into a comforting groove, driving us forward, not too fast, not too slow - exactly right.
The track starts off with a blissfully nostalgic vintage-feel - slightly muffled, like the humbling quality you get from an old Technics playing your favourite LP. But don't be fooled, Cube March is bold. And unexpected. Stomping rhythms take over quickly and full-blown gritty synth-stabs cut the air effortlessly, like blades. An unapologetic and careless pumping bass line makes us want to move with every cell in our body. Shotter demonstrates his fearlessness in experimenting with heavy contrasts and elements from different genres here. A break with tastefully placed repetitive rhythm elements is complemented by the constant ebb and flow of melody lines. Both in volume and presence they fluctuate, one handing over the spotlight to the other seamlessly, keeping us hooked until the very end.
This remix lures you away from reality in a matter of seconds, with Definition's signature heavy hitting bass dominating. He expertly weaves shimmery fills into buoyant synth lines and brings us a skilful mix of dark minimal techno, breaks and infectious monster synth lines. Every so often, he adds a new layer, increasing the depth of the track, before letting it all crumble in a breakdown where time stops and tension grows, as we impatiently await the next rise to carry us away. The lengthy build-ups give this remix the energy to fill any room, easily. It is subtle, yet propulsive, too - a lane that Definition seems to manage regularly.
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Deluxe audiophile 2LP pressing of 'Bucharest 1994', the first joint
performance of Romanian-German jazz pianist Eugen Cicero and
Romanian bassist Decebal Badila, a congenial duo that worked together
successfully until Cicero's early death in 1997
Eugen Cicero - critics reverently called him the man with the "golden hands". For
over 30 years, his name stood for pianistic virtuosity, phenomenal sense of
rhythm and imaginative ingenuity. He masterfully connected works from the
Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods with sophisticated harmonic sequences
from jazz and an infectious rhythm - no one who had attempted such symbioses
before him achieved a similarly inspired and technically accomplished result.
With 'Bucharest 1994', In+Out Records now presents a very special live event by
this man who has created something unique in his mediation between classical
music and jazz standards. This is the first concert with exceptional bassist
Decebal Badila, which laid under lock and key for 28 years. Already at a young
age, Badila adored the music of his older compatriot and was already very
familiar with Cicero's repertoire before their first meeting, which can impressively
be heard on the recordings.
'Bucharest 1994' contains both entertaining, technically demanding and
documentarily indispensable material from the early work of a rising virtuoso
musician and the late work of an exceptional artist whom the jazz world lost far
too early.
Strut continue their Patrice Rushedn original album reissue series with the definitive edition of her influential classic ‘Now’ from 1984.
Released after the global success of ‘Straight From The Heart’ and the huge hit ‘Forget Me Nots’, ‘Now’ stripped back the arrangements and explored a new sonic palette, combining top level musicianship with the evolving studio technology of the mid-‘80s. “By this time, I had built a little home studio,” explains Patrice, “and the new synthesizers and drum machines opened a lot of possibilities. A lot of the pieces on ‘Now’ started off as demos based on these instruments and we just went with it quite naturally, adding guitar, bass and drums.”
The album continued Patrice’s unerring skill in fusing intricate jazz musicianship with infectious grooves. The solid boogie classic ‘Get Off (You Fascinate Me)’ lit up dancefloors and ‘Feels So Real’ became one of Patrice’s best loved songs, an effortless mid-tempo soul stepper. The album is also celebrated for the tender ‘Gotta Find It’ and one of Patrice’s most poignant ballads, the intricate and politically charged ‘To Each His Own’.
The album marked the end of Rushen’s tenure with Elektra before a move to Arista and remains a much-referenced part of her career. “I think it was a great representation of where we were at the time and it may have been a little bit ahead of its time”, she reflects. Famously, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had become fans, attending her live shows, and, allegedly, the feel of Janet Jackson’s debut album ‘Control’ two years later was heavily influenced by Rushen’s approach on ‘Now’.
Parallel Minds returns after a two-year hiatus with a dub-infested celestial dance debut from a promising Toronto-based producer, record-slinger, and long-time DIY scene mainstay, Ficilio
Ficilio, a.k.a. Will Gillespie and the Parallel Minds crew have enjoyed a long musical friendship. Having met at various underground raves in Toronto, it wasn't long before they found themselves on the same lineups and began trading tunes post-show. When label co-founder Ciel first heard the tunes that would eventually end up on Parallel Minds 003, she was mesmerised by the deep, misty grooves present throughout. 'Dangerous Goods' is the creation of an artist with a super dialed-in sound, whose attention to detail, cohesion, and sound design suggest experience wise-beyond-their-years.
‘Rush-V’ begins the release with a shimmery bang, propelled by infectious chord stabs that sound like they're sprinkled with alien fairy dust and grounded by a driving and subby drum groove. 'Fluid Form' continues in this trajectory, all spacey synths and dubbed out stabs propped up by tough and bouncy drums and a deep low sub. There is an unmistakable 90s influence on these tracks, halfway between old Swayzak and the early 90s output of Dutch label ESP Records. Ficilio is not afraid to flirt with dub techno AND trance influences, which is most discernible on the last track on the A-side, the sublime 'UAM'.
In comparison to the other side, the B-side is a more sub-loaded affair. The drums on this side are less driving and more broken, chopped, and staggered. They work spectacularly on the title track, its vocal chops complement the low-slung groove of the drums to a hypnotic head-nodding effect. 'Second Fold' intrigues immediately with its unusual tempo, fluttering along in a leisurely way until these enchanted synth stabs come in and the track blooms like a beautiful flower. The release comes to a Zen-like close on 'Frame (Amber Mix)', the heavy sub and sparse arpeggiated loops draw us deep within its cavernous interiors.
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Trapped Animal Records are proud to present for the first time on vinyl, Stars and Rabbit's 2020 smasher 'Rainbow Aisle'. Remastered at Metropolis to lacquer and cut to 300 Purple Stripe 180GSM 12"s this is a very special package from Indonesian household names, Stars and Rabbit! // Press quotes : Alternative Fruit, UK - This fun and catchy album is laid back to back with classic numbers which each have a soul of their own. A friendly rock 'n' roll delivery mixed with classical melodies and homely closeness allows us to hear this band in person from wherever we happen to be. // Analogue Trash, UK - Reviewed (Little Mischievous) There’s a joy and innocence at the heart of Little Mischievous that is delightful and infectious, in large part down to the fun, rollercoaster vocals of Elda Suryani. Sounding like a cross between Nina Persson and Björk, her livewire performance is the perfect foil for Didit Saad’s equally electric lead guitar melody and the briskly bouncing arrangement. // Reviewed Naked King - They make up the central core of the song, as soft synths and lush strings wash in and out of perception, combining to confect a sweet sense of serenity. Though contemplative, Naked King looks outward and also seeks to engage the listener: the children’s choir and assertive guitar solo bringing the song to a euphoric crescendo, with Elda Suryani’s performance directing the song to ever greater heights. // Antenna, Japan - Stars and Rabbit were captivated by a variety of songs that sublimated 90s introspective alternative rock, mainly in Europe, such as Sigur Rós, Radiohead and Portishead. On one occasion, listeners like "Little Mischievous" show light guitar pops that can sing a long, and "Attic No.7" shows a jazzy, dark side like a trip hop. // Atwood Magazine, UK - Elda Suryani and Didit Saad make up the group and both employ signature rhythms and harmonies onto each song of theirs, and “Little Mischievous” is no exception with its slick guitar riffs and tantalizing vocal performance. // Beehive Candy, UK - Their new LP, Rainbow Aisle, a full spectrum of colors, showcasing their knack for groovy electro rock as well as intimate acoustic confessions. // Big Takeover, US - Wow, such a vocally and lyrically intriguing number! Yet again, there’s the ’90s alt-rock feeling, but the vocals are yes, mischievously impish; a teeny-tiny bit like SOAK vocally, but with a grainier, deeper timbre.
The indie dance and leftfield techno magicians Radial Gaze join the Urge To Dance family after remarkable releases for labels such as TAU, Feines Tier, Calypso and Eskimo. The Saint Petersburg-based project is accompanied by Thomass Jackson and Zombies in Miami on remix duties for the mesmerizingly exotic “In Each Other” EP.
The leading track, In Each Other, is a multi-layered and infectiously danceable combination of addictive bassline, magical Cameroonian drums, Amazonian percussions and mystical marimbas creating a mysterious and exotic track. Psych Subsidy delivers dirty, energising and somehow hypnotic emotions. Entrancing sitars loops, long pitched synthesizer and a twisted old lullaby female vocal will get you on board for an amazing psych-trip.
The B-side is where Thomass Jackson and Zombies in Miami deliver their wild and unorthodox remixes of In Each Other. The Thomas Jackson True Love Remix is emotional, hypnotising and yet so trippy, a true testament of Calypso Records Boss’ remixing skills. The second take of the leading track is by Zombies in Miami, a powerful and forward-looking track that blends the hypnotic percussions of the original with a rhythmic bassline and flawless simplicity of all elements used in this remix.
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