quête:j period

400 copies purple wax! Fold Out Poster, remastered & remixed by Eroc Welcome to the definitive Vortex. The LP you're holding has been on a journey, and no, not just shipping. Mouth's second after 2009's Rhizome, Vortex was mostly recorded in 2011 and 2012 over five sessions in a small space where the band rehearsed. Material was pieced together intermittently over a period of 11 months with Chris Koller handling guitar, keys and bass and Nick Mavridis on drums. That's where it started. Two construction projects: the studio and a recording that would help define the course of the band in classic and melodic progressive rock, happening almost simultaneously in a creative meta-narrative that could easily stand as analog for the depth of pieces like "Into the Light" or the sprawling "Vortex" itself, which opens the record (new and old editions) in an encompassing display of impulse and fluidity Through experiments in atmosphere like "March of the Cyclopes" and toward the finish of "Epilogue," Mouth married sounds that in other contexts would come up disparate, like finding a hidden magnetism between two north poles. Most of the Vortex songs were created on the spot in the studio.There would be no way to know it at the time, but this process would result in a collection of songs with a broad range, within as well as between the component tracks. "Parade" taps Sly Stone on the shoulder and asks if he wants to party (he does), while the penultimate "Soon After_" resonates with its smoky, mellow-jazz vibe. "Vortex" itself happens over six movements and was put together across different sessions, while "Epilogue" happened in a day. Dissatisfaction with the original mix - and when an album has as much put into its arrangements as Vortex, that balance matters - would lead Mouth to offer Out of the Vortex in 2020 as a collection of alternate versions of pieces like "Mountain" and "Parade," as well as the unreleased "Ready" and "Homagotago's Paddle Boat Trip," the latter an apparent successor to a cut from Floating. But sometimes a thing nestles itself into the back of your head and just won't leave, and Mouth's pursuit of a finished Vortex would lead them into the studio again. Koller handled the remix himself in Oct. 2023, and in addition to helming the new master, krautrock legend Eroc (who drummed in Grobschnitt) brought a gong to mark the beginning of "March of the Cyclopes." Like a lot of the finer touches on this Vortex, be it a hashed-out stretch in the title-track built on a drum/bass jam or just pulling the vocals and Hammond down a bit in "Epilogue," the result is a stylistic flourishing that was there all along throughout the journey and now can finally shine as the band intended. - JJ Koczan / Dec. 2023

180g Magenta marbled vinyl. This album features Herbie Hancock's more contemporary beginning sounds. His groundbreaking career commenced with Donald Byrd's group, followed by a transformative period with the Miles Davis Quintet in 1963. Renowned for reshaping jazz rhythm sections, Hancock's post-bop contributions were pivotal.

180g, magenta coloured vinyl. This album features Herbie Hancock's more contemporary beginning sounds. His groundbreaking career commenced with Donald Byrd's group, followed by a transformative period with the Miles Davis Quintet in 1963. Renowned for reshaping jazz rhythm sections, Hancock's post-bop contributions were pivotal.

Emerging out of Amsterdam's vibrant squat scene in 1979, The Ex – a name chosen for the ease and speed with which it could be spray-painted onto a wall – have for four decades been an entirely self-sustaining musical entity, charting a course through the global underground with a spirit of freedom and radical exploration.

On 1985's Pokkeherrie (Dutch for "terrible noise"), The Ex return to the more stripped-down instrumentation on their early LPs. A key lineup change would also see the arrival of drummer Kat Bornefeld (whose supple rhythms propel the group to this day).

Recorded at the new location of Koeienverhuur Studio in the basement of storied squat/venue Emma, Pokkeherrie is a testament to the angular momentum of a group in full creative flux. Right from the opening track, bassist Luc Klaasen generates a relentless pulse. Terrie Ex's sparse/acidic guitar and G.W. Sok's impassioned vocals combine in a vein similar to The Minutemen, Flipper or Rudimentary Peni, except The Ex have the patience and wherewithal to sustain their approach beyond just brief explosions.

Perhaps only The Fall from this period can match The Ex's ability to hold a melody together while utilizing otherwise harsh sonic elements over an extended piece, most effectively on "Soviet Threat," "1,000,000 Ashtrays" and "White Liberals."

Mr Lee Perry who in no uncertain terms defines the words musical genius, recorded some of the most inspiring, soulful, funny and weird / wild reggae music ever put down on tape. Working through all the manifestations of reggae from Ska to Roots and Dub, where his ground breaking 1973 ‘Blackboard Jungle’ LP, set the standards, he was an innovator. If this was not enough his recordings of THE WAILERS, many believe to be their finest work. Born Rainford Hugh Perry, 28 March 1936, Hanover, Jamaica. He began his career at the grand age of 16, working for Clement ‘Coxone’ Dodd’s sound system, rising quickly to the position of record scout and organising recording sessions during his 3 year period 1963-1966. Restlessness and unsatisfied with credit he felt due to him he moved on to work with Producers J.J. Johnson and Clancy Eccles, the later of which would help him set up his ‘Upsetter’ label in 1968,which would see his first of many recordings telling the injustices done to him by previous employees. ‘The Upsetter’ track itself pointed at Mr Dodd but reflected back to Perry when he inherited it as a nick name along side many others during the coarse of his career, including ‘Scratch’, again taken from one of his recordings ‘Chicken Scratch’ recorded in 1965/1966. Perry’s work in 1968 with producer Joe Gibbs was fruitful and resulted in many successfulreleases, but again lack of credit and itchy feet, it was time to move on. But not without leaving his trademark recording summing up his feelings at the time ‘People Funny Boy’ this time aimed at Mr Gibbs. Still not having a studio of his own, Perry recorded at the various Kingston establishments of the time, Randy’s Studio 17 on North Parade, Dynamics on Bell Road and Harry J’s on Roosevelt Avenue where the bulk of the aforementioned recordings with The Wailers were carried out. During this time and the years that followed Perry has built up a vast catalogue of backing tracks / instrumentals, he had cut over a 100 releases on his ‘Upsetter’ label alone. A library of music that he has an uncanny knack of reutilising to work into something new when put against a new song / singer. This collection of rare and unreleased dubs stems from his 1971-1974 period. We can here on tracks like ‘Perry’s Jump Up’ Ska-ish up tempo chopping guitar cuts leading through to organ laden tracks like ‘Roots Rock Dub’. The sound moving to a slowed down rhythm on ‘Perry in Dub’ which would predominate his sound, when in mid 1974 he’d open his own studio at his home in the Washington Gardens district of Kingston. We hope this selection of lost treasures will add to the jigsaw that makes Mr Perry’s output now spanning over 5 decades so remarkable.
RESPECT.... JAH FLOYD.

At the same time that Neville 'Bunny Wailer' Livingston recorded his debut solo long playing masterpiece, 'Blackheart Man', he was also creating a series of singles for his own Solomonic label. These records were every bit as good, at times even better, but they have never been released outside of Jamaica. Until now...,

It is next to impossible to ever overstate the importance of The Wailers to the history of Jamaican music and, as the last surviving member of the group, Bunny Wailer rightly regards himself as the sole keeper of their history ever mindful of the group's exalted position in the story of reggae music and the importance of their legacy. In 2010 Dub Store were proud to be able to work with Bunny on re-releasing a selection of his earliest recordings for the Solomonic label, lovingly restored and presented in reproduction sleeves and labels, on limited edition seven and twelve inch singles. Now, taking another step forward, we are more than proud to present Bunny's timeless music on two beautifully packaged CD's and double LP's. Bunny's first solo album, 'Blackheart Man' originally released in 1976 on his own Solomonic label in Jamaica and on Island in the UK, is one of the undisputed all time classics of Jamaican music and established Bunny Wailer as a highly respected, world renowned artist in his own right. During this period Bunny also produced a series of singles released in Jamaica and the UK in strictly limited quantities without the benefit of international distribution, that are every bit as good and, in some cases, even better than this awesome debut long player. Original copies have subsequently become highly prized, and highly priced, collector's items. "Classic rarities" is an overused and abused term too often employed to describe average records that failed to sell on their initial release but both 'Tread Along' and 'Rise & Shine' are packed from beginning to end with a searing selection of some of the greatest and hardest to find reggae records ever produced. 'Tread Along' opens, naturally enough, with 'Tread Along' from 1969, one of the last singles for The Wailers' own Wail N Soul M label, and runs through the first release on the Solomonic label, 'Searching For Love' also known as 'Search For I', 'Bide Up' released as 1974 drew to a close, a radical reworking of 'Pass It On' and a marked contrast to the version on The Wailers' 'Burnin'', album, 'Life Line' and the prophetic 'Arabs Oil Weapon' kept the pressure on as Bunny began outlining the flawless 'Blackheart Man' album. Each release was a certified classic in its own right. Peter Tosh's melodica version to Bunny's 'Amagideon' ('Armageddon'), the first track on 'Rise & Shine', is followed by 'Love Fire', an update of another Wail N Soul M track, 'Fire Fire'/'Babylon Burning', through to one of the deepest roots records ever created, 'Rise & Shine', on to 'Riding' from the 'Bunny Wailer Sings The Wailers' sessions (but not featured on the album) and a huge hit in the UK in 1981, and closing with 'Rule Dance Hall' from 1985. No idle boast..., The liner notes feature the story of The Wailers, as told to Dub Store by Bunny himself in Kingston in an enlightening 2012 interview, and rarely seen contemporary photographs complete these essential releases. The music of Bunny Wailer was not only a medium for change and protest but also to elucidate and educate and 'Tread Along' and 'Rise & Shine' finally complete the canon of un-compiled Wailers music. "I'm quite satisfied, you know, reggae music is the kind of music that although sometimes you would look at it and say..., boy, it's hard..., then again you look at what it has done for the people of the world you know that that couldn't be locked up in a little place like Jamaica!" Bunny Wailer

Africamore: The Afro-Funk Side of Italy (1973-1978)

Continuing Four Flies' dedication to delving into lesser-explored periods of Italian music, Africamore takes us on a captivating journey into the intersection of Afro-funk and the Italian soundscape during the six years between 1973 and 1978 - a time when disco was looming on the horizon and the nightclub market was rapidly expanding.

Before reaching Italian shores, the infectious sound originating from African and Afro-Caribbean roots traversed both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, landing on New York dancefloors, where DJ Dave Mancuso discovered "Soul Makossa" by Manu Dibango. In 1973, from Mancuso's Loft parties, the song's hypnotic groove spread to the rest of the globe, including in Italy, where it sparked a wave of imitations and variations.


Tribal influences thus found their way into Italian soul-funk and early-disco productions released between 1973 and 1978 – from psychedelic-tinged tunes like Jean Paul & Angelique's "Africa Sound" to the Afrobeat-inspired club banger "Kumbayero" by composer/producer Albert Verrecchia (aka Weyman Corporation); and from groundbreaking Afro-cosmic songs like Chrisma's "Amore", co-written by Vangelis and featuring the rhythms of Ghanaian-British Afro-rock band Osibisa, to mind-blowing floor-fillers like Beryl Cunningham's "Why O", a re-write of Nat King Cole's "Calypso Blues" arranged by Paolo Ormi, with percussion breaks that sound pretty much like what would later become known as techno.


Combining feel-good vibes with driving rhythms, world-style percussion, and even synths, all these productions pushed the boundaries of dance music at a time when disco had not yet taken over. In doing so, they sowed many of the seeds of the later Italian cosmic scene and its unique mixture of African elements, disco-funk and electronic music.

This was a brief but nuanced period in Italian music history, one that deserves to be rediscovered, with love.

Africamore is due out on March 22nd and will be available as a gatefold 2LP and digipak CD. Both formats come with stunning artwork by Kathrin Remest and liner notes by Pierpaolo De Sanctis and Elena Miraglia.

Merengue Típico: Nueva Generación! delves into the heart of Dominican merengue, a genre whose significance often eludes the spotlight. Bongo Joe's venture into unexplored terrain takes us to the Caribbean, specifically the Dominican Republic, shedding light on its musical tapestry. Curated by Xavier Daive, aka Funky Bompa, the compilation unveils rare '60s and '70s gems, providing a glimpse into a transformative period following the fall of the Trujillo regime.

With over 20 years in the Dominican Republic, Xavier Daive meticulously sources original 45s, offering a snapshot of merengue's evolution during a creatively charged era post-Trujillo. The genre's roots, dating back to the 19th-century Dominican Republic, predate salsa, establishing its unique identity with the introduction of accordions via German trade ships. The genre's classic típico configuration emerged in the mid-'60s, leaving a lasting impact on its evolution.

Focused on the explosive '60s and '70s merengue típico scene, influenced by genre pioneers like “Tatico” Henríquez and Trio Reynoso, the compilation showcases technical finesse and high-speed rhythms. Tracks like Rafaelito Román’s "Que Mala Suerte" embody the genre's infectious energy. Aristides Ramírez’s "Los Lanbones" adds a touch of humor, cautioning against pub freeloaders. Merengue Típico: Nueva Generación transcends the realms of a typical reissue; it's an immersive journey into mthe roots of Dominican merengue, expanding its narrative beyond borders to enrich the global musical landscape.

This compilation goes beyond individual tracks, providing a historical and cultural context, enriching our understanding of the genre's evolution in the Dominican Republic during a crucial period. Designed for both connoisseurs and wild dancefloors, this compilation is not only a historical and cultural exploration but also a treasure trove for DJs seeking to infuse their sets with the vibrant rhythms of merengue típico.

Das Londoner Electro-Pop-Duo Strange Boy präsentiert - nach bemerkenswerten Kollaborationen mit Terry Riley, Nils Frahm, Clark, Squid, Jeremy Deller und Aurora - auf seiner Debüt-LP 'Love Remains' eine Welt voller Symbolik, Erhabenheit und Verbundenheit, entstanden aus den kühnen Erzählungen von Sänger/Songwriter Kieran Brunt und den atmosphärischen Klanglandschaften von Matt Huxley. Die intim-reflektierende Art des Geschichtenerzählens wird in der lofi-Vocalproduktion mit üppigen Streichern, 'November Skies' feat. Anna B Savage, deutlich, während Blunt seine Liebe zu James Blake, Anohni & The Johnsons und The Magnetic Fields mit einer Coverversion des Kultsongs '100,000 Fireflies' unterstreicht, die er in einem einzigen Take aufnahm und über gefundene Tonbandaufnahmen legte, die er mit halber Geschwindigkeit rückwärts abspielte.

Japanese alt-rock band BO NINGEN are delighted to announce they will be releasing an alternative soundtrack album to cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky's seminal film 'The Holy Mountain', set for release on 15th March 2024 via Alcopop! Records on double CD and a limited box set of triple vinyl, each in their own unique colour In partnership with Deeper Into Movies, the band will also be hosting a very special live performance of their alternative soundtrack at EartH, Hackney on 1st March 2024 --a 700 capacity tiered seated venue with original Art Deco features and state of the art L-ISA sound system, to provide the best possible experience of this must-see-and-hear event.


Commenting on the release, Kohhei Matsuda (guitar/synth) and Monchan Monna (drums) said: "We wanted to make something more than 'a band jamming to the film' live score. To do so, we tried to decipher the secret of Jodorowsky's alchemy to reach our own Holy Mountain, reflecting the underlying structure of the film-- which is delusional at sight, yet mystically logical throughout--in each stage of the music. It was quite an experience to work on the piece that way, diving deep into the director's vision where the border between the reality, delusion, the film, and real life blurs. Trying not to drown in it all, we had to find our own path back to our own version of reality. This is an aural representation of our own version of the film. We hope each of you find your own way to your own version of The Holy Mountain through reliving this mind-altering journey with us."
The band originally performed their alternative soundtrack to the film 'Holy Mountain' in July 2019 for 2 sold out nights at the Rio Cinema in Dalston, where it was nominated for 'Best Event Cinema Campaign Of The Year 2019'. During the brief latter periods of the pandemic when the band were allowed to travel internationally between London and Japan, BO NINGEN at last managed to reconvene as a unit in London to finally commit the soundtrack to record.

Desert Dictionary navigates sonic territories oscillating between language and landscape, between notation and noise. Voices responding and contributing to a complementary narrative, connecting personal memories, political considerations and psychological effects of a landscape seemingly empty and quiet. Adjacent, beneath and intertwined a modular synthesizer score based on field notes – a synthesized soundscape appearing as imaginary field recordings, at the same time resembling and unalike the place in question.

The twelve contributions presented on the LP were recorded in South Africa over a period of three months in 2020 and 2021. These recordings occurred in various locations in Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Richmond / Northern Cape, Cape Town, Grassy Park, Krugersdorp and Johannesburg.

The Desert Dictionary appears in four iterations – a situation as part of Modern Art Projects South Africa’s collection, a radio play (commissioned by Deutschlandfunk Kultur), a book edition (published by MAPSA), and the present LP.

The LP version is based on the radio play and features the voices of Richard John Forbes, Maja Marx, Phala Ookeditse Phala, Victoria Wigzell, Tubatsi Mpochmoloi, Liza Grobler, Nkosinathi Gumede, Karlien van Rooyen, Mongezi Ncombo, Ivan Messelaar, Gerhard Marx and Lindiwe Matshikiza.

The synthesized field recordings – translations of fieldnotes taken in the desert – were recorded in Johannesburg and Berlin.

Written and produced by Boris Baltschun, 2021-2022. Mastered and cut by Kassian Troyer at D&M, Berlin. Photo & map by Boris Baltschun. Graphic design by Joe Gilmore.

Randy Rice mixed accoustic singer-songwriter songs with electrifying acid guitar in his marvellous privately pressed double album from 1974.

Offered here in a much needed reissue so you do not have to spend over a grand for an original copy.

Housed in it's original minimalist hand made artwork with the little upgrade twist of silk-screen printing.

· First ever vinyl reissue of ultra rare privately pressed double LP!

· Remastered sound!

· Reproductions of the two original inserts!

· Plus a new one with liner notes by Randy Rice himself sharing his memories of the recording!

I was between the ages of 18 and 20 when I wrote the 22 songs found on To Anyone Who Ever Laughed at Someone Else. They express the thoughts and frustrations, hopes and fears of a young man coming of age in a world that was full of upheaval and transformation. I was a product of that period in America we call the sixties—those years between the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963 and the resignation of President Richard Nixon in August 1974. In fact, this record was released that same month Nixon resigned. Over the next five years, I toured the country as an acoustic artist performing at clubs, coffeehouses and colleges. During that time, I watched the idealism and social consciousness of the sixties slowly fade away. In its place emerged a cynicism and materialism that still seems to be with us so many years later. More than anything else, I think To Anyone Who Ever Laughed at Someone Else is a time capsule that speaks to us from a past era. A period when, above all other things, we asked questions. We questioned our country, we questioned our faith, we questioned the very purpose of life itself. I am very excited to bring those questions and these songs to a new generation on a new continent. Special thanks to my friends Jordi Segura of Wah Wah Records who took the initiative to release this 50th Anniversary Re-issue of To Anyone Who Ever Laughed at Someone Else and Michel Veenstra Klinkhamer, who introduced us.

A1.Hello
A2. Mr. Dumpty, Before The Fall
A3.The Song
A4.Mrs.Bitch
A5.Students From Marian Catholic High School
A6.Will You Still Love Me When You're Twenty-One
A7.To Anyone Who's Ever Laughed At Someone Else
B1.The Other Day
B2.SPQR Part 1 - I Wish That Fly Would Land So I Could Swat Him
B3.SPQR Part 2 - Sorry
B4.SPQR Part 3 - My Last Question
B5.SPQR Part 4 - Gosh, Darn, Golly Gee, or Those Canadians Can Sure Tell It Like It Is
B6.SPQR Part 5 - All American Girl
B7.SPQR Part 6 - Let Me Grow
C1.For Me, For You
C2.The New Testament, Or A Good Samaritan Will Never Jew You · Matthew: Love Means Never
Having To Say You're Happy
C3.The New Testament, Or A Good Samaritan Will Never Jew You · Mark: Jesus Was A Capricorn, But
Then So Am I
C4.The New Testament, Or A Good Samaritan Will Never Jew You · Luke: Morning Meditation
C5.The New Testament, Or A Good Samaritan Will Never Jew You · John: Mother Mary, Let Me Be
C6.The New Testament, Or A Good Samaritan Will Never Jew You · Fred: Post-Mortem Dirge
D1.Everyday People Revisited
D2.Filler Song
Out Of Here
D5.The Continuing Story Of A Square Peg In A Round Hole Part 3: Footnote To The Preceding Nineteen Songs, And Is It Really Necessary
D6.The Continuing Story Of A Square Peg In A Round Hole Part 4: I Hope I Always See You
Smiling
D7.The Continuing Story Of A Square Peg In A Round Hole Part 5: My Song
D3.The Continuing Story Of A Square Peg In A Round Hole Part 1: The Ballad Of Uthage
D4. The Continuing Story Of A Square Peg In A Round Hole Part 2: I Think It's Time For Me To Get

Suchi’s bouncy, airy productions are so organically deft that they almost belie the complexity that exists within. Prior to her !K7 debut the Oslo-born, London-bred, Delhiinfluenced DJ and producer found herself in a period of creative stagnation, while attempting to rediscover her own voice through production. After going back to the drawing board again and again she resolved to let go of overthinking, eschew the process, and let experimentation lead the way, revisiting some simmering sketches and work in new ways.

Ghungroo EP is the result of this reset, and rediscovers Suchi’s sense of playfulness through different production styles. It’s pressed on eco-friendly vinyl, PVR free and 100% recycled. “Ghungroo” is a homage to Suchi’s early years, and named for the small metallic bells strung around the ankles of classical Indian dancers. The track is equal parts cosmic, bassy and wavy, with a downwards bassline that plumbs the depths of low frequencies. The memory of early music passions emerges as the same melodic loop undresses and redresses in different guises - between breezy pads, glowing chimes and euphoric bells.

“Blåmerke” means bruise in Suchi’s native Norweigan tongue, and it leads heavily with double-time polyrhythmic drums, ravey rhythms and percussive bubbles popping. Triplets of synth stabs are artfully deployed with reverb and warped, stretched pads, bringing a whimsical twist to a track that is otherwise a tough-edged stomper. “Bottlepop” loosens up the tempo for a funky house framework, foregrounded by a big melodic synth riff. The track’s hookiness is enhanced by its old-school school feel, with distorted whistles and evocative pads. “Blåmerke” is then given a rework by Sam Goku who was chosen for his euphoric, dusty-sounding club tracks that hit hard; in his care the remix provides exactly that, via throbbing, shimmering, deep trippiness

PREGOBLIN II is a strange name for a debut album. For the artist who created it, Alex Sebley aka PREGOBLIN, its astonishingly heartfelt and brilliantly catchy assemblage of songs is the culmination of a tortuous genesis period. Its release finally, he hopes, will usher in a fresh, more positive chapter for him, a sequel to all the misery and bullshit up to this point – hence the title. The creative journey to this point has been labyrinthine and frequently painful. As far back as the early ’10s, Sebley was registering his embryonic talent alongside Lias and Nathan Saoudi in The Saudis, the chaotic pre-Fat White Family ensemble where he played guitar and co-authored raw, post-punk material including FWF’s breakthrough tune ‘Touch The Leather’. PREGOBLIN receive a healthy 50,000 plays a month on Spotify. Previous singles include: Combustion which to date has amassed 2.2M streams and was dubbed ‘Single of the year’ last year in The Quietus. Other PREGOBLIN songs include Anna (flowers Won’t Grow), Love Letters, Snakes & Oranges and Wimpy & Wimpy Love with the Pop Group. “PREGOBLIN II’s genre-straddling dexterity and melodic riches mark it out as a loser classic fit to rank alongside Beck and Daniel Johnston. The tunes are memorable and the execution’s forward-facing and inspired” ★★★★ MOJO MAGAZINE // Live Shows February: 2nd Friday London - Amp Studios (with Harry Merry) 17th Saturday Leicester - Academy 2 (with Pip Blom) 19th Monday Cambridge - Junction 2 (with Pip Blom) 20th Tuesday Brighton - Chalk (with Pip Blom) 21st Wednesday London - Heaven (with Pip Blom) 24th Saturday Bristol - Simple Things Festival 25th Sunday Milton Keynes - MK11 (with the Libertines)

PREGOBLIN II is a strange name for a debut album. For the artist who created it, Alex Sebley aka PREGOBLIN, its astonishingly heartfelt and brilliantly catchy assemblage of songs is the culmination of a tortuous genesis period. Its release finally, he hopes, will usher in a fresh, more positive chapter for him, a sequel to all the misery and bullshit up to this point – hence the title. The creative journey to this point has been labyrinthine and frequently painful. As far back as the early ’10s, Sebley was registering his embryonic talent alongside Lias and Nathan Saoudi in The Saudis, the chaotic pre-Fat White Family ensemble where he played guitar and co-authored raw, post-punk material including FWF’s breakthrough tune ‘Touch The Leather’. PREGOBLIN receive a healthy 50,000 plays a month on Spotify. Previous singles include: Combustion which to date has amassed 2.2M streams and was dubbed ‘Single of the year’ last year in The Quietus. Other PREGOBLIN songs include Anna (flowers Won’t Grow), Love Letters, Snakes & Oranges and Wimpy & Wimpy Love with the Pop Group. “PREGOBLIN II’s genre-straddling dexterity and melodic riches mark it out as a loser classic fit to rank alongside Beck and Daniel Johnston. The tunes are memorable and the execution’s forward-facing and inspired” ★★★★ MOJO MAGAZINE // Live Shows February: 2nd Friday London - Amp Studios (with Harry Merry) 17th Saturday Leicester - Academy 2 (with Pip Blom) 19th Monday Cambridge - Junction 2 (with Pip Blom) 20th Tuesday Brighton - Chalk (with Pip Blom) 21st Wednesday London - Heaven (with Pip Blom) 24th Saturday Bristol - Simple Things Festival 25th Sunday Milton Keynes - MK11 (with the Libertines)

Repress

A third and final volume of Jamaican doo wop & R&B records taken from the late 50s and early 60s.

These records represent a period in which sound-systems were beginning to dominate the island, with Duke Reid and Sir Coxsone Dodd stepping up their rivalry by beginning to make and release their own records rather than rely on US imports for use in their dances. Many of these records are definitely more-or-less imitations of the American records, as the uniquely Jamaican ska sound was yet to take hold - however many of the future stars of ska, rocksteady and reggae were beginning to cut their teeth in the industry on these records, incl. Alton Ellis, Derrick Morgan, Derrick Harriott and more, and provide a unique view into the fledgling independent record industry culture in Jamaica that would prove to be unbelievably prolific and unparalleled for an island of it's size.

Younger Than Me announces his debut full length "The Golden Age Of Love", to be released on 90's Wax this coming March 2024. The record is the perfect example of the breadth of his irrepressible and unique sound. Featuring collaborations with Massimiliano Pagliara, Brame & Hamo and Pablo Bozzi. The artist is an Italian native known for a modern interpretation of '90s club music' - a dynamic blend of Progressive House, Trance, EBM, Breakbeat, and Techno ideas. This first album is a love letter to a deep-rooted passion for the idiosyncrasies of rave culture and the crossover points with contemporary electronic music.

Younger Than Me, an artistic project by Francesco Mingrino that is steeped in the nostalgia of ‘90s rave, yet not at all trapped in that past. A project that has cemented a special place in the electronic music scene with a string of records on labels like Bordello A Parigi, Amsterdam-Utrecht based platform XXX, Rotterdam’s Bar and Jennifer Cardini’s Dischi Autunno. To this point Francesco has pushed his fun yet forceful sound, with many releases on his own 90's Wax, and collaborations with people like Skatebård, Francesco Farfa, Timothy Clerkin and Curses (as Y2C).

"The Golden Age Of Love" as a package is curated in Younger Than Me's characteristic style. Opening with "Long Life Death", a track that sets the stage with a cinematic soundscape in a classic Carpenter vibe. Picking up the tempo "Zarathustra Dance" takes you right into the golden age itself, its low slung beat and carefully sequenced lead line pushes an ever building tension designed to crack any dancefloor. The track with Massimiliano Pagliara, "Eternal Sunshine Of Solitary Mind", is one of the highlights, perfectly building around a catchy lead with tight arpeggio and sequenced acid. Leading us into the 2nd half of the record "Sadness Is The Only Way To Happiness" is a proto-trance beast, inspired by that period in the early 90s when Trance was less bright lights and big stages and more dark rooms and smoke filled spaces, an ever building progressive run of haunting vocals, rave stabs and rolling bass.

Whilst YTM is at home presenting dancefloor focussed material, we see him explore the other side too, with "Memory Is A Clock" like the earlier "Vortix", he ditches the 4x4 for breakbeat territory. Whilst the bass keeps the solid metronome you would expect, "Memory Is A Clock" is a track that takes a few moments, contemplative melody and trademark arpeggios take the lead. When it comes to the other collaborations on the record, the appearance of Brame And Hamo on "Raver's Heart Is A Mess" sees them lean into the Progressive nature both artists love so much. Then Pablo Bozzi lends his own unique outlook to "We Don't Know The Way, We Just Stay" in one of the standout tracks, epitomising Younger Than Me’s ability to create profound experiences.

The album concludes with "Music Will Never Stop, Heartbeat Will Never Fade, Party Will Never End", less of a title and more of a personal philosophy – the perpetual essence of rave culture and its timeless impact on music. A rhythmic belter, juxtaposed with incendiary synth-lines and staple catchy sequence work, finishing the record with one of the true highpoints. In addition the release also features four digital bonus tracks, including "The Other Face Of Loneliness" and a Prog Dance Reshape of one of the records more eclectic cuts "Zarathustra Dance" all offering an extended exploration into the creative landscape YTM inhabits.

"The Golden Age Of Love" is a debut album that ticks all the boxes; it's a celebration of a bygone era through the lens of the contemporary. Younger Than Me stands as a testament to the enduring spirit and evolving nature of the music that began in the ‘90s rave scene, with an LP that pushes Love, Progression and Fun to the forefront.

"L'idée nous est venu lors d'une conversation un peu arrosée dans un pub du sud de Londres avec Philippe du label Tapeworm" dixit François Kirmann Gamaury alias Franz Kirmann alias Dj Salinger – producteur français établi à Londres depuis plus d'une vingtaine d'années.

"Voyage voyage voyage" est une mixtape. Mais pas dans le sens traditionnelle du terme. Kirmann l'appelle une mixtape subjective, où les morceaux ne sont pas joués tels quels mais présentés tels qu'ils sont ressentis par l'artiste.

Un peu comme le DJ Vladimir Ivkovic qui ralentit certain morceaux sur ses platines pour en révéler un autre aspect, Kirmann zoom dans l'étoffe même des enregistrements, étire les notes et les sons à l'infini, pour en mettre à jour un sens caché, altérer notre perception de ces chansons qui peuvent parfois sembler un peu désuètes. Ici elles sont transformées en nappes fantomatiques et envoutantes qui évoquent un souvenir d'une période de sa vie, une trace sonore d'une époque un peu naive, qui revient aujourd'hui sous forme d'echo, une musique nostalgique trempée dans la reverb et la distortion.

Kirmann a grandit au Sénégal pendant les années 80 et il se souvient des étés de son enfance passé chez ses grand parents, les chansons à la radio, dans le bus du centre aéré, dans un Prisunic en Dordogne, où une fête de camping en Alsace: Catherine Lara, Elsa, Veronique Jeannot et bien sûr Desireless et son fameux tube "Voyage voyage".

Les chansons sélectionnées pour la cassette ont toutes en commun une incitation au départ, une recherche de l'ailleurs, un amour perdu, un souvenir, les thèmes de predilection d'une certaine pop française que l'on nommait variété.

Ces idées d'évasion sont accentuées ici par le traitement sonore qui leur est appliqué. Les chansons sont paralysés dans le temps, figées dans le son, comme si l'on avait souligné certain passages dans un roman pour les détacher du texte intégral.

Distortion, écho, réverbération et autres effets sont appliqués et donnent à la musique et au son une qualité rêveuse et distante. Certains passages reconnaissables se dévoilent et sortent de la brume sonore, ils se révèlent plus net, d'autres sont noyés dans un brouillard imprécis, une musique proche de l'ambient qui enveloppe l'auditeur.

Kirmann: "Chaque track est basé sur une chanson de variété française des années 80, je voulais re-créer une impression de distance, quelque chose de lointain. Les morceaux deviennent des sortes de tapisseries sonores mais dont l'essence de la chanson originelle est toujours présente. Il y'a un roman de Patrick Modiano où les personnages lancent des avis de recherche pour la France à partir d'une station de radio d'un pays lointain. Le son est brouillé, les voix étouffées. J'avais un peu cette idée en tête de faire quelque chose de similaire, comme si les chansons étaient entendus sur un vieux poste de radio mais émises d'une station lointaine et d'un autre temps."

Le résultat est un voyage nostalgique, une musique ambient et nébuleuse façonnée à partir de tubes synthétiques 80's. Imaginez Fennesz ou My Bloody Valentine jouant des reprises de Laurent Voulzy et vous y êtes presque…

Loveless non, Desireless oui!

DJ Salinger. Voyage Voyage Voyage – Disponible en cassette uniquement. 100 exemplaires sur le label Tapeworm.

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Franz Kirmann is a French music producer living in London. He has made albums for various labels including Denovali, Bytes, Mercury KX. He also writes music for film and TV and is a lecturer in music production at Point Blank Music school.

Alternative pop duo, YOVA release their brand new album ‘Dreamcatchers’ on 1st March 2024. Featuring nine tracks the album was written over a nine year period stretching from the duo’s inception in 2014 through to 2022. The album was recorded and mixed 2021-23 between home studios in Dorset and London. Discussing the themes behind the record YOVA explain: “The lyrics of the songs delve deeply into our lost and unrealised dreams and ideals, whether from a personal perspective or within a more global context. The tracks relate to how our dreams are caught then nurtured, realised, abandoned or destroyed. This can apply to our personal lives, but it equally informs our helplessness and on-going quest for self-identity at a time of deep geopolitical and ecological uncertainty.” Produced by YOVA in collaboration with Rob Ellis, Alex Thomas and Martin McDougall, the record features the duo’s earlier singles “Dreamcatchers”, “Hurt Like No Hurt” and “Feel Your Fear” alongside six brand-new tracks. YOVA assembled a collective of like-minded musicians to create the sonic tapestry of Dreamcatchers including Terry Edwards (NIck Cave, Gallon Drunk, The Jesus & Mary Chain), James Sedwards (The Thurston Moore Group/ And This Is Not This Heat), Rob Ellis ( PJ Harvey, Marianne Faithfull), Daniel O’Sullivan ( Grumbling Fur, Tim Burgess), and Alex Thomas (John Cale, Anna Calvi). YOVA are Jova Radevska and Mark Vernon. With Vernon a seasoned veteran of the alternative music scene who has managed and recorded with John Cale and co-produced tracks on PJ Harvey’s debut album ‘Dry’, a chance encounter with Macedonian vocalist and songwriter Jova paved the way for their bewitching collaborative project. Their debut album ‘Nine Lives’ was released in late 2021 to praise from the likes of Louder Than War, Electronic Sound and MOJO, with the latter hailing the album as “a beguiling debut from a duo of sonic adventurers” in their four star review

"The Blinders make their return today with ‘Brakelights’, the first track to be taken from their forthcoming third album, Beholder, which is released on Friday 1st March 2024 via Funhouse Recordings/ EMI.
The perfect introduction to their new album ‘Brakelights’ drips with a dark atmospheric intensity which equally lurks across the albums other 9 tracks. The Blinders are an English alternative rock band originally from Doncaster, now based in Manchester, England. Beholder shares a frenetic energy with their previous albums but there’s a new depth both lyrically and musically to the album. With a visceral urgency live to more than match the likes of contemporaries IDLES or Fontaines DC, The Blinders take their brooding and intense live show, which recalls the dark atmospherics of The Bad Seeds or peak-period Bunnymen around the UK in March"