Buscar:k special

Steve Cradock reveals a different side to his music talents with a new instrumental LP drawing on jazz, folk, classical and film soundtrack influences. Conceived during the “most extraordinary” months of lockdown, ‘A Sound track to An Imaginary Movie’ began life one afternoon in summer 2020 when Cradock felt struck by inspiration. The music that poured out in subsequent sessions suggested to Steve an imaginary film soundtrack – hence the album title – with many of the songs exuding a quiet, hymnal grace and a profound sensation of stillness and inner peace. Hints of Eric Satie, Burt Bacharach, Ennio Morricone and Philip Glass can be detected – together with a piquant flavour of the jazz and classical greats. Steve is joined by guests including, his wife Sally, Jess Cox (cello), the Stone Foundation’s Rob Newton (congas), son Cassius Cradock (piano), plus fellow members of The Specials’ touring band Nikolaj Larson (Hammond B-3) and Tim Smart (trombone). Cradock is keen to impress that the record is in his mind, essentially a folk record, despite being amazingly mixed “ultimately, I could play most of these tunes on an acoustic guitar.”

On his latest album, 'The Sun is Shining Down', Blues legend John Mayall
teams up with a stellar cast to deliver a funky soulful affair punctuated by
brass, violins, harmonica and electric ukulele
Special guests include, The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell, fast rising roots rocker
Marcus King, Americana icon Buddy Miller, Scarlet Rivera of Bob Dylan's Rolling
Thunder Review, Chicago blues guitar mainstay Melvin Taylor and Hawaiian
ukulele star Jake Shimabukuro. Also on hand are Mayall's longtime dynamic
Chicago rhythm section of Greg Rzab on bass guitar and Jay Davenport on drums
with Austin's multi-talented and charismatic Carolyn Wonderland on guitar.
Recorded at Robby Krieger's (The Doors) Horse Latitudes studio with Grammy
nominated Producer Eric Corne, 'The Sun is Shining Down' is Mayall's 5th studio
album for Forty Below Records, a fruitful partnership that began with 2014's A
Special Life.
"I couldn't be happier with the new record," exclaims Mayall. "I can't wait to share
it with my fans. Each one of these special guests brings something unique to the
album and our team works so well together. I think you can hear that chemistry in
the music," raves Mayall.
The album explores a range of styles and eclectic instruments with guests
Scarlet Rivera's violin, Jake Shimabukaro's electric ukulele and Mike Campbell,
Marcus King, Buddy Miller and Melvin Taylor on guitars. As significant as each of
these guest turns is, however, they can't overshadow Mayall's own spirited vocals,
iconic harmonica and lyrical keyboard work.

Mark Du Mosch is a master of electronics. Gracing a glut of labels in a career spanning more than a decade, he arrives at Schrödinger’s Box with a very special release. Presence is a fiver tracker of enviable quality. Set in the canon of warm techno, Du Mosch focuses on melody and texture. “Studio M Uno” is bright and unassuming, “Koriander” both assured and fragile. The tracks on offer feel like the musical accompaniment to a Summer’s day, a time where cares are in the present and future worries do not exist. The unseen complexities of the everyday are an audio focus, the intertwined interplay of drum patterns in “Mrk I Utilities” and the mechanical dawn of the title piece throb with a human pulse. Always present, but never imposed, is the techno composition that brought this dutchman to the attention of so many. This is plain to hear in the diverse threads that are collected to produce the rich and varied closer, “Too Much.”

Available for the first time on 180 Gram 45rpm Double Vinyl! One of Diana's most sought after albums!

The first-ever live concert recording from Grammy®-winning vocalist/pianist Diana Krall was Recorded at the Paris Olympia Theatre. Here finally, captured in amazing audio quality, is an album showcasing the magic of Krall’s concert performances.

Krall and her band – perform some of the tunes from Krall’s studio recordings, such as "East of the Sun (West of the Moon)" and "Devil May Care." They are joined by special guests John Pisano (acoustic guitar) and Paulinho DaCosta (percussion) for several tracks, including the Gershwin’s "S’wonderful." The Orchestre Symphonique European, conducted by Alan Broadbent with special guest conductor Claus Ogerman, is featured on the upbeat "Let’s Fall in Love" and a haunting interpretation of "I’ve Got You Under My Skin."

Audiophile Audition / audaud Rated 4 1/2 stars
"ORG has remastered the tapes for audiophile 45 rpm vinyl. The results are flawless. There is warmth in the tones that reflect the acoustic sound of the band. The separation is precise, especially in the mixes with the orchestra. The intricate registers and suppleness of Krall’s voice are presented with impeccable clarity." - Audiophile Audition, audaud, September 2011

Soundstage Rated 5 out of 5 for Recording Quality!
"A favourite of audiophiles because her music and voice lend themselves to purist recording techniques, Diana Krall perpetually sounds in great form on her recordings... The sound, remastered by Bernie Grundman, is clear, spacious and well defined -- outstanding in every way, the backing players as vivid as Krall's voice and piano..." - Marc Mickelson, soundstage, May 2009

"One of Diana Krall’s most beloved CDs, Live in Paris, has been given a loving audiophile LP remastering treatment by ace engineer legend, Bernie Grundman and produced by an audiophile label new to us, Original Recordings. The shimmering string arrangements on Let’s Fall in Love and I’ve Got You Under My Skin, are testament alone to the real life power of vinyl..." - Audiophile Audition

"Bernie Grundman’s remastering for vinyl puts Live in Paris in the gold plated category for the legions of Krall aficionados. This two-LP audiophile edition would make an ideal late night listening experience, or the perfect background soundtrack for a special dinner party." - Audiophile Audition

Also on this recording is a special bonus studio track, a rendition of Billy Joel’s "Just The Way You Are" featuring Michael Brecker's beautiful tenor sax solo.

Strictly limited to 10,000 numbered copies, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, and mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's ultra-hi-fi UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP collector's edition enhances the blockbuster work for today – and the ages to come. Surpassing the sonics of any prior version, it peels away any remaining limitations to provide a transparent, lively, ultra-nuanced presentation of a record that won six Grammy Awards – including prizes for Album of the Year, Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, and Best Rock Song. The expanse and depth of the soundstage, fullness of tones, natural snap and extension of the guitar strings, realistic rise and decay of individual notes, and roll of Clapton's vocals all attain demonstration-grade levels.

Housed in a deluxe box, the UD1S Unplugged pressing features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recording and the reissue's premium quality. No expense has been spared. Aurally and visually, this UD1S reissue exists as a curatorial artifact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in the art – and everything involved with the album, from the images to the finishes.

Truly, everything about Unplugged matters. Having sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S. and more than 26 million copies worldwide, the 1992 work resonates with listeners of all generations and speaks a universal language. Recorded for MTV before a very small audience on January 16, 1992, the 14-track set became the signpost for future acoustic-based endeavours that witnessed artists of all stripes re-examining their catalogues and, in many instances, as Clapton does here, placing familiar originals in fresh contexts and unveiling spirited versions of cover material. Needless to say, Clapton's session turned MTV's series into can't-miss programming for which the likes of Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and more would soon participate.

Kicking off his performance with a spirited instrumental to establish the mood, Clapton immediately wades into the style that originally caught his attention as a British teenager in the early 1960s: American blues. Backed by a superb band that includes guitarist Andy Fairweather Low, pianist Chuck Leavell, bassist Nathan East, and drummer Steve Ferrone, Slowhand delivers a rhythmic, toe-tapping rendition of Bo Diddley's "Before You Accuse Me" that announces he's come to reconnect with his muse. What follows over the course of nearly the next hour stirs the heart, shakes the soul, moves the mind, and invigorates the senses.

Of course, there's no talking about Unplugged without keying in on "Tears in Heaven," the striking ballad Clapton penned about the death of his four-year-old son. More emotional, direct, spare, and healing than the studio version released a year prior, it crackles with an intimacy, maturity, poignancy, honesty, sweetness, and integrity that inform the entire concert. Indeed, how Clapton frames other favorites here – transforming "Layla" into a relaxed, comfortable stroll and ruminating on the seasoned ripples flowing throughout "Old Love," for example – indicate both a creative rebirth and gleeful acceptance of the next phase of his career.

And that very direction (two of Clapton's next three albums would be all-blues projects) is what really makes Unplugged so indispensable. Equivalent in mastery if not in volume to the output that earned him his "God" nickname, interpretations of Jesse Fuller's "San Francisco Bay Blues" (complete with kazoo!), Big Bill Broonzy's "Hey Hey," Robert Johnson's "Walkin' Blues" and "Malted Milk," and Muddy Waters' "Rollin' & Tumblin'" showcase a learned professor in his element and all the wheels turning.

In every regard, Clapton's Unplugged session was appointment listening when it came out in August 1992. With the arrival of MoFi's UD1S pressing, that sensation is more urgent than before.

More About Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step and Why It Is Superior

Instead of utilizing the industry-standard three-step lacquer process, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's new UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) uses only one step, bypassing two processes of generational loss. While three-step processing is designed for optimum yield and efficiency, UD1S is created for the ultimate in sound quality. Just as Mobile Fidelity pioneered the UHQR (Ultra High-Quality Record) with JVC in the 1980s, UD1S again represents another state-of-the-art advance in the record-manufacturing process. MFSL engineers begin with the original master tapes and meticulously cut a set of lacquers. These lacquers are used to create a very fragile, pristine UD1S stamper called a "convert." Delicate "converts" are then formed into the actual record stampers, producing a final product that literally and figuratively brings you closer to the music. By skipping the additional steps of pulling another positive and an additional negative, as done in the three-step process used in standard pressings, UD1S produces a final LP with the lowest noise floor possible today. The removal of the additional two steps of generational loss in the plating process reveals tremendous amounts of extra musical detail and dynamics, which are otherwise lost due to the standard copying process. The exclusive nature of these very limited pressings guarantees that every UD1S pressing serves as an immaculate replica of the lacquer sourced directly from the original master tape. Every conceivable aspect of vinyl production is optimized to produce the most perfect record album available today.

MoFi SuperVinyl

Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, MoFi SuperVinyl is the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Analog lovers have never seen (or heard) anything like it. Extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, the special proprietary compound addresses two specific areas of improvement: noise floor reduction and enhanced groove definition. The vinyl composition features a new carbonless dye (hold the disc up to the light and see) and produces the world's quietest surfaces. This high-definition formula also allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are indistinguishable from the original lacquer. MoFi SuperVinyl provides the closest approximation of what the label's engineers hear in the mastering lab.



SACD



Mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's numbered hybrid SACD enhances the blockbuster work for today – and the ages to come. Peeling away remaining sonic limitations to provide a transparent, lively, ultra-nuanced presentation of a record that won six Grammy Awards (including prizes for Album of the Year, Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, and Best Rock Song), it places Clapton and company in your room. The expanse and depth of the soundstage, fullness of tones, natural snap and extension of the guitar strings, realistic rise and decay of individual notes, and roll of Clapton's vocals all attain demonstration-grade levels. A perennial audiophile favourite, Unplugged now tosses its hat into the ring as a demonstration disc.

The Spy from Cairo (aka Moreno "Zeb" Visini) returns with his 5th studio album on Wonderwheel Recordings: "Animamundi" features some special collaborations from his travels & live shows from over the past few years. The album reflects the move from his home in NYC to his mother's home in a quiet village in Italy to take care of her in her older age. It's been a difficult transition with Italy's challenging experience with the pandemic, including some of the strictest measures enforced on the public. He recalls by stating "This album was conceived between 2020 and 2021 in Italy, between lockdowns, restrictions, and various pandemic mandates. Its message is of hope and positivity - a reminder that we are all spiritual beings… Free spiritual beings… and that freedom can't be broken."

"Animamundi" is a reconfirmation that The Spy from Cairo overcomes all obstacles & delivers a diverse progression of his iconic "Arabadub" sound, with the help of collaborators like Andalucian vocalist Carmen Estevez, Mexican vocalist Mambe Rodriguez on the heavy hitting "Criminal," Egyptian vocalist Adii Small on "Beautiful Baraka," and former touring band member, the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Fatima Gozlan from Hungary. The music can vary from heavy deep electronic synths and live eastern instrumentation with Zeb playing oud, saz, chiftelli, bass, percussion, and other instruments, all along giving it his signature dub mixing style.

The songs take inspiration from a wide range of musical traditions and cultures, including Turkish (on "Cosmic Pasha," "Qanun in Dub" – using the qanun, an instrument popular across the Middle East, with a sound between the European harp and a dulcimer – and "Black Sea," which utilises a typical Dabke melody), Egyptian ("Mizmirized," sampling riffs from a mizmar), Indian ("Seeds of Culture), and Sufi ("Divination," a devotional composition), fusing these reference points with healthy doses of cumbia, funk, reggae, psychedelic, and dub. Thematically, "Animamundi" deals with some of the struggles Zeb – and all of us – have faced the last two years, through the lens of his personal experiences. Yet, the tone of the record manages to remain positive, like an uplifting dance through the world's sounds; after all, "Animamundi" means "soul of the world" in Greek. With album art by Sam Angeli and layout design by Marcial Arts, this beautiful album is a truly well-rounded worldwide collaboration.

"Animamundi" will be released digitally on March 4th, 2022, with the LP to follow shortly after.

Music For Nations release - essentially a reissue of the record from last year's ‘Kvitravn’, augmented with livestream audio from their worldwide streaming event last year, housed in limited deluxe packaging. 2CD with 28 double page booklet includes disc 1 – 'Kvitravn' (original album tracklisting) and disc 2 'Kvitravn – First Flight of the White Raven' (livestream audio featuring tracks from Kvitravn). 2LP set in gatefold sleeve pressed on 180gm vinyl with an 8 page booklet. Specialist promo/marketing activity across all relevant media outlets.

EALZ! Records & brand new label A.D.S team up to pay tribute to the mysterious bluesman and producer : Cleo Page.

Born in Louisiana, this L.A.-based musician worked with the great Johnny Otis, hang out on Central Avenue’s clubs and possibly jammed with top West Coast bluesmen like Jessie Allen, Pete “guitar” Lewis, Jimmy Nolen, Lafayette Thomas.

Curley Page for some, Sly Williams for others, difficult to follow his career and in definitive, little is known about him despite his “big deal” recently approved by blues specialists : Cleo Page IS the man who wrote and recorded the original Boot Hill, a blues classic covered many times up until now.

Cleo Page who lived in California since 14 years-old has been crossing Blues, Rhythm & Blues and proto-Rock'n'Roll in a personal way. He will run his own labels in the heart of Watts just after the 1965 riots. Those tragic events deeply influenced his laid-back groovy sounds, powerful guitar playing, organ-driven garage Blues with strong political and social messages. Somewhere between the first electric recordings of Howlin' Wolf and… Black Diamond Heavies!

You're about to discover 12 rare tracks probably recorded between late ‘60s and early ‘70s. This brand new release includes the ultra-rare track "Black Man part. 1 & 2".
Material reissued here for the first time in an arty/artisanal trifold Vinyl LP and a bonus Vinyl 7inch

Amália Rodrigues, international star, nicknamed "the Queen of Fado", had a special relationship with France and Paris in particular. From the end of the 1950s, she met with success and became a popular artist, filling the Parisian halls. This record recounts this through three performances at the ABC, the Alhambra and the Bobino, preceded by a recording in the French radio studios.

Label favourites Balearic Ensemble return to the fore following last summer's spectacular 'Cachonda' EP, this time with a 12" treasury of wonderful, eclectic dancing music of the highest balearic order. They're joined by Das Komplex, notable for recent excursions on DJ Harvey's Mercury Rising, to round out their five-track excursion for the label: this is the Mediterráneo EP.

Opener 'Pitiusas First' sets the tone with dizzy, downbeat percussions as a bass guitar skates and glissades underfoot; soaring, starry-eyed synth work and Latin organ stabs in concerto. This homage to the islands and islets of Ibiza comes with a note of melancholy, or nostalgia: waking up to find that your best years might have evaded you - and celebrating the fact. It's a maturing of the Residentes sound in a way we haven't heard before; a gorgeous moonlight serenade, the last tango on Formentera, and a tip for orange-tinted sunsets all summer long.

Second track 'Almendros y Drones' takes us deeper into the throes of that distinctive Mediterranean sound with dizzying arpeggios and analogue bass over teetering hihats and fizzing synths; it's an eruptive, volcanic beast of a track that will take liberties with your dancefloor. Over-the-top filter action and driving piano perforations, crashing snares and resonant howls, Almendros, Drones.

The third offering is 'Mojada', taking cues from classic deep house with its deep-set bassline and modular squeaks. It's a slow burner, an aquaplane on Eivissa, cueing 303 squelches and 90s drum machine riffing before its eventual, explosive peak.

After Mojada we enter the chugging, gritty realm of Das Komplex's remixes. He refashions the heady throes of 'Mojada' into a driving, churning unit; percussions, distorted into infinity; basslines bent and buckled into submission; slabs of piano lathered with space echo delay. Wonky late-nite dancing music at its very best.

Extra treat: Das Komplex also left us his 'Pineapple Bonus Mix' of Mojada, which is a more sunset-suited affair altogether. This special mix lasers in on that exuberant piano part, then plays with percussions and dynamics to create a full-on dub version of the original track.

Solo bedroom-pop project of Michael Ramos (Flowertown, April Magazine, Hectorine). Mostly recorded between last Christmas and New Year's during a window of isolation at home, “Hey There Flower” preserves Tony Jay’s prowess at making beautifully eerie lo-fi pop; like a hazy memory where your favorite Sixties girl-group melody is perpetually slowed down. Without a band to practice with, Tony Jay recorded the music alone, but recruited a slew of friends to remotely record backing vocals: Karina Gill (Cindy), Griffin Jones (Galore), Kati Mashikian (Mister Baby), Alexis Harper (Al Harper), & Hannah Lew (Cold Beat). "Hey There Flower", the most recent release from the prolific and mysterious Tony Jay delivers real melodies -- both lacey with vocal harmonies and dusty with layered guitars -- as fans have come to expect. This release also carries forward and elaborates on Tony Jay's tradition of songs that express a kind of naked honesty about things we all know -- love and loneliness and all that -- while communicating at the same time a wry edge of skepticism, so that the songs are like coins spinning on edge before landing heads, tails, or lost under the couch. Tony Jay brings us into a nostalgia where we recognize moods from music of the past -- Marc Boland definitely comes to mind, as well as Velvet Underground of the Nico era, and Tony Jay even covers Francoise Hardy on this collection -- but the songs create a three dimensional space with what feels like a thousand layers so that instead of being thrown back in time, it's like stepping into a little world with its own laws of nature, of which the listener gets just a few hints. - Karina Gill, Cindy/Flowertown. “Hey There Flower” is introduced by thudding snare beats eliciting reverb-stained tattered noisy guitar scrapes, to weave abrasive shimmery emotive vibrations, imbued with shattered nostalgic dreams, lit by brittle yet dazzling forsaken keyboard flows, over submerged and distorted male vocal’s whispery deluge of obsessive longing, lonely melancholy, and dark desire to exude a hazy gritty concoction of awkward sadness and brooding unrest.” White Light // White Heat // “What Tony sketches are concise commentaries on love, loneliness and a few things in between. His mode of expression is sparse, intense, and captivating. The arrangements are invariably lo-fi and slow tempo, blanketed with a fuzzy hiss. And it only took one listen to decide that it is a very special album. It has a '60s feel, albeit washed in an eerie slowcore machine. An ace example is "September Skies", which could be the 1965 'last dance' at the prom for the introverted students.” - When You Motor Away

Limited Baby Pink Vinyl LP. P.H.F. is the recording project of Auckland, NZ songwriter and producer Joe Locke. From its origins in Locke's 2008 bedroom productions, P.H.F. has gone on to collaborate with artists like Clairo and ARTHUR, toured globally, and had music released on pioneering vaporwave label Crystal Magic, before settling at its current home, Danger Collective Records. P.H.F's highly anticipated 2022 LP Purest Hell stands as a love letter to Locke's close friend and essential collaborator Reuben Winter (milk, Totems) who passed away in September 2020. Expanding on the genre-bending ambition of New Metal, Locke uses musical experimentation as a way to process grief, incorporating shredding guitar, careening breakbeat chops, and heavy electronics as a way of paying tribute to, and feeling closer to Winter. While tracks like "Skincare" and "A Letter From Purest Hell" draw power from a deep and impactful sense of loss, the album is more than just an elegy, but a celebration of life of a beloved friend and musical innovator. Locke rises to the occasion, and with the help of collaborators Fantasyluv, Rew, and fellow 909 Worldwide members 99jakes & Forcefeeded, crafts his strongest and most affecting collection of songs to date // Also Available From P.H.F. New Metal LP/CD, Anthology LP

Now available at a much cheaper price. SOS JFK, the one and only album from folk two-piece The Children’s Hour, which featured Josephine Foster and Andy Bar. Initially released in 2003, the album introduced audiences to Foster’s enchanting vocals and poetic folk, which would be developed to staggering effect in her later solo recordings, such as the recently released critically acclaimed album Blood Rushing (Fire Records). The Children’s Hour were an acoustic duo comprised of members Andy Bar and Josephine Foster. The two friends first connected in 2000 in a short-lived rock trio called Golden Egg, and then on a lark formed the pop song-writing duo oriented toward more naïve themes. Foster was a recent opera school dropout and the band became a vehicle for her to explore singing in a non-operatic manner into a microphone and learn to play the guitar. Bar was finishing studies at the Art Institute of Chicago and was honing a personal and highly melodic fingerpicking style inspired by bossa nova in particular. They were heard performing in a Chicago dive bar and given a surprise invitation to make a studio recording (SOS JFK), which both found to be an extremely nerve-wrecking learning experience. Meanwhile fans of their music rose up from unexpected corners, even invited by the band Zwan to open all the shows of both bands´ maiden tour. Initially conceived of as a modest front porch collaboration and side project, the band did not withstand all the attention long. Bar and Foster took meandering paths in diverse directions, although the two remain stalwart pals and both continue to dedicate themselves to the muses.

This amazing performance features songs from her highly acclaimed release
"The Blues Album" in addition to fan favourites and never- before- heard tracks.
This incredible event welcomes Grammy- Nominated Recording Artist and "The
Blues Album" producer Joe Bonamassa as well as Kenny Wayne Shepherd and
Mike Farris as the night's special guests, giving attendees a once- in- a- lifetime
concert experience.

Limited edition 180g blue vinyl with its own unique sticker, includes
specially prepared liner notes by the 'Penguin Guide to Jazz' writer, Brian
Morton
"In a very real sense, Come Fly with Me captures Sinatra at his untouchable
zenith: his manner seductive, his promise romantic, his range of contacts, as the
track titles suggest, genuinely international." - Penguin Guide To Jazz

John Coltrane's classic 1962 LP 'Coltrane' plus 2 bonus tracks pressed on
180g green vinyl, incudes a unique sticker
Overlooked on its original release, 'Coltrane' has since been regarded by as a
major recording in the saxophonist's discography. Featuring the classic quartet
and produced by Bob Thiele for Impulse, this special edition has two bonus tracks
from the same sessions not included on the original LP: 'Impressions' and 'Up
'Gainst The Wall'.

Two albums on 1CD with 28-page booklet, includes specially prepared
liner notes by the Penguin Guide to Jazz writer, Brian Morton
The idea of an LP as a single aesthetic unit, pioneered by Frank Sinatra and a few
others, was still relatively new at the time. Not the least of Coltrane's
achievements was to harness the long player's potential and to give it nearperfect, lastingly satisfying content. This is one of the great modern records." -
Penguin Guide To Jazz
Since its release in 1960, the fascination with Giant Steps has never wavered.
This is a true masterpiece that should be in everyone's collection." - DownBeat

"The dazzling symphonic album he always threatened to produce" UNCUT 5/5
"A soulful symphonic masterpiece" ROLLING STONE

Originally released in Japan only on CD in 2002, Plush's Fed lives up to the cult-like adulation it has garnered ever since. A stunning symphony of Bacharach-inspired pop, Toussaint-swing andMelody Nelson-era-Gainsbourg, it's an album bound together by Liam Hayes' maverick genius, an uncompromising Brian Wilson-esque quest for sonic perfection. Positively indulgent in every way, this sumptuous record has long deserved to be treated to a deluxe vinyl edition. Lovingly overseen by Hayes and recent collaborator Pat Sansone (Wilco/The Autumn Defense), it will finally be available on the format it should've always been, this Record Store Day 2018. Remastered and presented as a double LP - cut specially at 45rpm - it comes housed in a beautiful gatefold jacket with expanded artwork throughout.

Its expansive, singular vision infamously took years to realise, involving Earth Wind & Fire's horn arranger (the legendary Tom Tom MMLXXXIV) amongst other elite personnel. Recorded with five different engineers (including Steve Albini and John McEntire), Hayes meticulously extracted every ounce of pop from each note. A long list of renowned studio ringers (including soul drummer Morris Jennings) and Chicago regulars (McEntire, Rizzo, Parker) among many others provide playing of demonstrably professional precision. As such, Hayes' complex, meandering melodies are rendered far more coherent and satisfying than they otherwise might have appeared, bringing his epic, anguished pop to a rarely seen level of perfection and depth. This unstinting dedication to the overarching vision was rewarded handsomely - artistically, at least.

However, as might have been expected, his deluxe approach resulted in a bill too steep for any American or European label to ultimately support. It has since seemed unlikely that it would see the light of day on either side of the Atlantic. Yet we were determined not to allow Hayes' lifetime achievement to go unnoticed or let music fans across the world miss out on one of the finest albums of this century.

A wide-eyed opus of stunning intensity, Fed oozes Hayes' impeccable influences without ever becoming overwhelmed by them. Incredibly, it touches upon Blaxploitation soul, Boz Scaggs-soft-rock, hints of jazz and blues, timeless baroque and skewed pop. In one long minute, the stabbing, soulful "So Blind" moves through five different melodic segments, horns shift easily from haunting backdrop to explosive forefront, smoothly giving way to strings as Hayes' voice casts its bewitching spell. The ambitious soul of "Having It All" has been described as the diffident cousin of Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children" whilst the breezy "Greyhound Bus Station" is pure 70s AM Gold, evoking the easy warmth of Jimmy Webb's beloved Land's End period. The sublime resignation of "No Education", a beautifully slow number that begins, "Never read a book in my life/ But I feel just fine" is post-rock ballad heaven. Arriving towards the end, the title track arrives as a majestic suite, moving from a horn-and-guitar-led instrumental via shifting melodies to Hayes' compelling vocal bursts.

An album of such brilliance, Fed can comfortably sit alongside such staggering statement pieces as David Bowie's Young Americans, Randy Newman's 12 Songs or Harry Nilsson's Nilsson Schmilsson. Indeed, for all the sprawling elements that went in - lengthy guitar builds, exploding horn sections, solemn strings, female backup chorus - it is a deeply personal and original record. Employing a distinct "more is more" aesthetic, he demonstrates remarkable restraint in producing an album of such intimacy. "My creation has drowned me," he memorably sings on languid opener "Whose Blues", yet he navigates the shifting styles and ideas with enviable ease.

The Howling is a collaborative project started by writer Ken Hollings and sound artist Howlround devoted exclusively to their shared love of text, audiotape and trash aesthetics. An intense collision of spoken word and analogue tape effects, the Howling's first performance took place at the Iklectik in September 2019 as part of a special programme to celebrate The Tapeworm's 10th anniversary.

Despite the pandemic, they have managed to continue working and conferring together since then, sharing sound files, texts and mixes online, which has resulted in All Hail Mega Force, their first full-length release for The Tapeworm. The two extended tracks contained on this audiocassette reflect their shared interest in Fluxus and how informal rules and permutations can be set up to work themselves out through loops and repetitions. A straight line connects Terry Riley's tape experiments in Paris from the early 60s with their experimental recordings in the Wimpy Bar on Streatham High Road, one of their favourite meeting places. 'The idea of instant, disposable one-off creations appealed to us a lot at the time,' The Howling explain, 'particularly as both pieces were conceived and developed during different phases of Covid lockdown in the UK.'

The title and source material are derived from the kid's adventure movie MegaForce, starring Barry Bostwik and Michael Beck. Designed to sell a range of Mattel hi-tech action toys, MegaForce tanked at the box office but lives on in the collective consciousness of those who share with The Howling a special love for Trash and Trash Aesthetics.

The two tracks also share similarities in approach and realization.

'All Hail Mega Force' was created by reading combinations of the words 'All Hail Mega Force' into a voice memo recorder, transferring it to tape, cutting the whole thing as a single long loop and then stretching it across three reel-to-reel machines simultaneously, using two pencils and a pint glass full of loose change to try and maintain sufficient playback tension. Over time the loop started to degrade, which accounts for the increasingly slurry and unpredictable playback, plus frequent ruptures caused by the tape becoming jammed and having to be tugged through the machine workings by hand. Twenty-four minutes later and the result was a completed new work and a slight backache.

The text for 'Are You Man Enough For Mega Force?' was recorded live in the Wimpy Bar on Streatham High Road, 28 November 2021. It was cut to tape and looped on 3 December 2021 at Warrior Studios, Loughborough Junction. Dragged by motor and then by hand across two tape machines with copious amounts of closed input feedback provided by a third rushing in to fill the gaps. One take with no effects or overdubs, but one tiny edit in the middle when something fell over.

Kavinsky is a zombie who came back from the dead after his Testarossa crashed in 1986.

His first song, "Testarossa Autodrive", was an instant success, and was followed by two singles. In 2007, he was chosen by Daft Punk to open their now legendary "Alive" tour.

In 2011, his track "Nightcall", produced with Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, became the theme song for the film "Drive", and consequently a worldwide success.

Kavinsky's first album, "Outrun", was released in 2013, followed by a collaboration with The Weeknd on the song "Odd Look".

In 2022, Kavinsky is back with "Reborn", his second album recorded at the famous Motorbass studio in Paris, due March 25th. While recording it, Kavinsky had this special project to record a sequel to his hit song "Nightcall", which after all sounded almost like a movie scene. This sequel would be called "Zenith".

Therefore, like in the original, he composed a duet between a girl and a man, but reversed:
the verse is sung by the woman, the chorus by the man.
Prudence (formerly from the successful duet The Dø) is the female vocalist, Morgan Phalen (who sung with Justice and is the vocalist of the band Diamond Nights) plays the male character along with a special guest: the saxophone.

"Zenith" showcases Kavinsky's romantic side on a muted and futuristic sound.

"This fabled 11 minute+ version of Brazilian icon Joyce's groundbreaking "Feminina" was recorded at Columbia Studios, New York in 1977, for the as yet unreleased Natureza album. Produced, arranged and conducted by the great Claus Ogerman (Frank Sinatra, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Billie Holiday... the list goes on), Natureza would have ostensibly been Joyce's big break to international stardom, but mysteriously it was never released. With Joyce came fellow Brazilian icons Mauricio Maestro, Nana Vasconcelos and Tutty Moreno, and Ogerman employed North American jazz legends Joe Farrell, Michael Brecker, Buster Williams and Mike Manieri. In anticipation of the monumental forthcoming Natureza album release via Far Out Recordings, this astonishing version of a true classic gets it's first proper 12" release for Record Store Day 2022. In the spirit of making the release special for RSD, rather than make it a single sided 12", Far Out boss called up Joyce to talk about the recording, recorded the conversation, and pressed it to vinyl on the B side."

''The acts Mermaid Chunky call to mind here tend to lean on a blithe naivete: Animal Collective, Peaking Lights, youthful Norfolkians Let’s Eat Grandma and fuckwitted freak-folkers Cocorosie. This isn’t a fashionable sound in 2020 – venture your own sociopolitical reasoning – and I reckon I’ve found the one record of its type I want to hear this year.''
Mermaid Chunky are an audiovisual duo made up of artists Freya Tate and Moina Moin. Bathing in milkmaid serenity and improvised chaos, the duo boast of pumping trance rhythms, sad Easter time chicks and seriously arousing sax solos. Much of their cultivation has come out of the mossy club culture of Stroud's SVA and London's Total Refreshment Centre, collaborating with the likes of Alabaster DePlume, Danalogue, Donna Thompson, Grove, Snapped Ankles (UK tour support) and Yama Warashi.

Their debut Faith and Industry album VEST (produced by Capitol K at Total Refreshment Centre), was birthed last year out of a history of improvised cheek and club dexterity forefronting their live shows and audiovisual solstice celebrations, recently captured by British Vogue's 2021 PRIDE series. Championing this action is the Mermaid Chunky Mothership, a gang of fellow artists and performers, often clad in nauseous satin frills, swamping the stage with french mime and slut drops (Roundhouse 2021, End Of the Road 2021, SVA Solstice always.) The MC gang just scoured their PRS Woman Make Music funding so who knows what they will be stirring up in the heat of summer soup 2022 (the most ducks in a year we will ever experience.) The only way for you to find out is to join the chunklett buffet and dip your wicked, webbed fingers into something mega.

Mermaid Chunky will perform Camp Bestival (Shropshire), Kite Festival (Oxford) and at Orbury Common’s PrahEP launch (a collaborative audiovisual May Day celebration) at the Brunel Goods Shed, SVA, Stroud 30th April - 1st May.
They will aslo be collaborating with Percolate Music on a series of London based audiovisual events this year focused on experimental, electronic womxn performers, visual artists and DJs. More special announcements to be revealed in the present future of your past.

LIMITED TO 500 COPIES // HIGH-QUALITY TIP-ON COVER // INCL. DOWNLOAD CODE

OFFICIAL RE-ISSUE, DONE IN COOPERATION WITH THE FAMILY OF BOBBY COLE !!!

If you lived in New York during the 1950s through the 1990s and liked jazz, you knew about Bobby Cole. He played piano, sang, composed, arranged and, in 1967, released an album of original compositions titled "A Point of View" (Concentric Records). He had fans but avoided becoming mainstream. He stayed contemporary without becoming current. Jazz, folk, rock, modern dance scores…he wrote and performed them all. He smoked too much, drugged too much, drank too much. He was also cerebral, curious, a prodigious reader of poetry, philosophy, theology, and an uncommonly intelligent and literate lyricist.

On a December night in 1996, he had a heart attack while walking to work. An ambulance brought him to New York Hospital where, a few hours later, he died. Bobby Cole performed throughout Manhattan for forty years, but he spent most of the 1960s headlining at Jilly's, the midtown bistro owned by Frank Sinatra and his friend Jilly Rizzo. Sinatra called Bobby "my favorite saloon singer."

Bobby Cole caught the attention of Judy Garland, who visited Jilly's one night in 1964. She was hosting a weekly television show, and in the midst of a feud with her special materials arranger, Mel Torme. Three weeks later, Mel was out, and Bobby was in. He performed on Judy's show with his Trio. Bobby was scarcely 30 years old and it was his first time on television, but he was unruffled, sophisticated, and so damn cool. After Judy's show ended, Bobby occasionally arranged and conducted for her until she died.

Today, Jilly's is called the Russian Samovar and the piano is in the same spot. My husband and I ate there a few years ago. As we enjoyed our meal, I talked about Jilly's in the Sinatra era. Jilly had an apartment on the upper floor. I pointed up to the apartment and the balcony, where Jilly and Frank would sometimes drop water-balloons on unsuspecting pedestrians below. Another story described Jilly's as "tough, and you had to be tough to work there. Bobby Cole was tough. Frank and Jilly used to throw firecrackers at him to see if they could rattle him, but nothing rattled Bobby Cole. He ignored them and kept on playing." In the 1980s, Bobby headlined at a club called the Café Versailles. His daughter sometimes visited with her friends. She recalled that when she and her father would exit the club after work, a panhandler would be waiting for him. Bobby, who fought his own losing battle with the bottle, would slip the guy twenty dollars and wryly admonish him, "Be sure not to spend it on food." The night my husband and I visited the Russian Samovar there was a guy playing piano there, very young, and trying hard. I talked to him a little bit between his numbers about Bobby and the history of Jilly's and he was sweet, but I could tell he didn't care. I felt like one of those old people who bore young people to death with stories about things that happened before they were born – which, let's face it, is what I was. Nonetheless, when we were ready to leave, I put twenty dollars in his tip jar and said, "This is with compliments from Bobby Cole." After we left my husband said I should have added, "Be sure not to spend it on food."

Marie Hegeman (December 2021)

full colour sleeve / clear light-green vinyl
Number 3 of the Tensal limited series is here, and it is signed by Komatssu, who delivers an album with a special artistic design for this occasion.

An exercise in sound eclecticism between spatial techno and the most melodic environments, rugged breaks and beautiful atmospheres in this new and surprising work.

The Mankunku Quartet's 1968 album 'Yakhal' Inkomo’ clocks in at just over 30 minutes of jazz perfection. This compact, and to-the-point, album would sit comfortably in amongst some of the best works in the catalogues of any of the quintessential jazz labels such as Blue Note, Prestige and Impulse. 'Yakhal' Inkomo’, however, was originally released on the South African record label World Record Co., which resulted in it becoming an elusive and sought-after piece for jazz collectors. First press copies sometimes fetch as much as £1,000 on the collectors' market. It has been long regarded as one of the finest South African jazz albums and DJ / broadcaster Gilles Peterson cemented this when he included it in his "best of genre" focussed radio show, 'The 20 - South African Jazz'.

Tenor saxophonist Winston "Mankunku" Ngozi recorded the session on 23rd July 1968 at the Manley van Niekerk Studios, in Johannesburg. It was recorded by Dave Challen and produced by Ray Nkwe. The session is built up of two original works by Mankunku on the A-side, 'Yakhal' Inkomo' & 'Dedication (To Daddy Trane and Brother Shorter)', and on the B-side, the Horace Silver composition 'Doodlin', and a John Coltrane number 'Bessie's Blues'. What is striking is how the Mankunku-penned compositions not only hold their own next to Silver and Coltrane but they are, arguably, the better tracks on the record - a testament to the beautiful writing and playing of Mankunku.

'Yakhal' Inkomo' features the great musicians; Agrippa Magwaza on bass, drummer Early Mabuza, and pianist Lionel Pillay. Pillay was of Indian descent, making this a mixed-race group, thus the very recording of the album was an act of resistance as it broke the apartheid restrictions of the time. The title of 'Yakhal’ Inkomo' means “the bellow of the bull”, the Black audience would have understood this as coded community symbolism and an act of protest but it escaped the attention of the white government.

For this edition, we have enlisted the services of Abbey Road Studios mastering, and lacquer-cutting engineer Miles Showell to cut a special half-speed master from the audio taken off the original master tapes. Miles has previously worked on our Arthur Verocai, Marcos Valle and Ian Carr re-issues, and once again we are blown away by the richness and clarity of Miles' work. We have also presented it as a replica copy using the cover artwork and labels from the primary World Record Co. original version.

On the sleeve notes, Ray Nkwe the producer and the President of the Jazz Appreciation Society of South Africa writes "This is the LP that every jazz fan has been waiting for" and Ray was not wrong, it's a stone-cold timeless jazz classic.


• Half-speed mastering at Abbey Road Studios

• Repressed with an OBI strip as well as a deluxe tip-on sleeve

• One of the finest South African jazz albums

• "This is the LP that every jazz fan has been waiting for" Ray Nkwe

"Robot Hive/Exodus" is the second of initially four albums reimagined and individually curated by a band member, in this case Dan Maines, and reissued as part of the Clutch Collector's Series. The first album in this new series was Blast Tyrant, curated by Jean-Paul Gaster. TheRH/E artwork is in the vein of the original "Blast Tyrant" yet strikingly different. The vinyl release is remastered and manufactured on 180-gram colored vinyl which in turn is stored in extra heavy sleeves. The gatefold jacket is printed on metalized polyester paper, and each album includes a numbered insert autographed by the band. As an extra special element this 2xLP includes a 7" with two tracks: "What Would a Wookie Do?" and "Bottoms Up, Socrates". These two songs were originally among the 16 songs written and recorded for Robot Hive/Exodus back in 2005 but were left off the final album for time purposes. We are glad to have these recordings return home as part of the RH/E Collector’s Series limited to 7,500 units worldwide.

Robot Hive/Exodus (Ltd. Collector's Series/2LP+7"):
- The 12" colors are "Metallic Silver" with "Metallic Gold"
- Bonus 7" with two additional tracks
- Remastered Audio
- Limited Edition
- 2xLP 180g Colored Vinyl
- Artist Autographed Numbered Insert

Here is a quote from Dan, who quarterbacked this project re the two tracks on the 7" (the 7" is black vinyl in its own sleeve):

"What Would a Wookie Do?", and "Bottoms Up, Socrates" were among the 16 songs written and recorded for Robot Hive/Exodus back in 2005. For time purposes these two were left off the final album. We are glad to have these recordings return home as part of the Robot Hive/Exodus Collector’s Series.

Es gibt eine Dub-Serie die seit Jahren für Furore sorgt, und das seit der VÖ der "KING SIZE DUB 1" (damals in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Kult-Magazin SPEX) im Jahre 1994! In der Serie gab es immer wieder Ausflüge zu obskursen Zählweisen (Vol.69) und Specials über bestimmte Regionen (Dub In Germany), Labels (ON-U Sound Records aus London) oder Bands (Dubmatix aus Toronto)! Wunderbar, dass nun mit KSD 25 eine weitere Compilation der Reihe Dub als vielschichtige Kunst des Klangmischens darstellt. Im Rahmen dieser Ausgabe dubben sich alte und neue Freunde des Hauses Echo Beach gegenseitig oder präsentieren eigene Versionen von Pop- und Reggae-Hits von u.a. Ramones, Bob Marley, Blondie, Robert Palmer und David Bowie. Die Musik suggeriert Sonnenschein und Sound Systems, heissen Sand und coole Drinks, der Bass schlurft gelassen aber auch aufreizend rebellisch. Dub ist die Kunst des Disk Jockeys, den sie zunächst in Jamaika zum Star erhoben haben. In den Fünfzigern waren dort Musikmobile, die "Sound Systems", der Ersatz für fehlende Radiosender. Die auf Exklusivität bedachten DJs nahmen ihre Hitsingles bald selbst auf, mit instrumentalen Rückseiten für Ulk und Ansagen. Ende der Sechziger verselbständigte sich dieser Dub durch den technischen Fortschritt. King Tubby und Lee "Scratch" Perry spielten mit Hall, Echo und rückläufigen Bändern. Dub löste sich von Jamaika, ging nach New York oder London, wo er in seiner Militanz gut zum Punk passte.

Benefits are an issues-based music collective from Teesside in the
North East of England. They write songs about the urgencies that
concern them, and they play them loud.

Forming in 2019 and consisting of Kingsley Hall on vocals, Robbie
Major and Hugh Major on synths and noise, and Jonny Snowball
on drums, they quickly evolved from a standard shouty punk rock
outfit into a minimalist, overtly political band that merges noise,
hip-hop and industrial rock, creating an effect that feels urgent,
darkly hilarious and unsettling all at once.

Thus far, Benefits have been completely DIY yet, via a succession
of digital singles and accompanying videos through 2021, they
built a following that enabled them to complete a sold-out headline
UK tour in March 2022. They also gained fans in high places,
including Sleaford Mods, Black Francis, Garbage and Elijah Wood
and Steve Albini.

James and Ryan of Yard Act were also instant admirers and that’s
where their label Zen F.C. comes in. Using their ill-gotten major
label gains Zen F.C. are pressing Benefit’s single ‘Flag’ (backed
with ‘Empire’) on vinyl.

On working with Yard Act, Kingsley comments: “I think Benefits
come at some of the same subject matter that they talk about but
from a slightly different angle (and by ‘slightly different’ I really
mean ‘more frequent swearing’, though we've never said the C
word in a song unlike...ahem). We appreciate every bit of help
we’ve had off them, we just wish we could somehow repay that
kindness (not monetarily mind, we're totally skint).”

Yard Act’s James Smith says of the release: “Lots of bands are
saying all this stuff so what makes Benefits so special? Why do I
need to be told what I already know over and over again by a
shouty man from Teesside? Well, because no one else is saying it
with such physicality they sound like their voice box is about to
leap from their throat and eat your eyeballs. With that little bit of
influence we’ve garnered and the small fortune of money we now
have kicking about, I’m so glad we can play a part in spreading the
word on Benefits, because I think they’re well on their way to a
classic debut album, and I’m going to fucking love being able to
brag about how important I was in making it all happen.”

For Fans Of: Fishbone, The Specials, Bomb The Music Industry, Skankin’ Pickle, MU330, RX Bandits. New 12 song LP. It's SKA. What else is there to say?

Previous unreleased compilation of vintage 90's Disciples output! Vintage "Boom Shacka Lacka" UK Dub, soundsystem-style!

Kavinsky is a zombie who came back from the dead after his Testarossa crashed in 1986.

His first song, "Testarossa Autodrive", was an instant success, and was followed by two singles. In 2007, he was chosen by Daft Punk to open their now legendary "Alive" tour.

In 2011, his track "Nightcall", produced with Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, became the theme song for the film "Drive", and consequently a worldwide success.

Kavinsky's first album, "Outrun", was released in 2013, followed by a collaboration with The Weeknd on the song "Odd Look".

In 2022, Kavinsky is back with "Reborn", his second album recorded at the famous Motorbass studio in Paris, due March 25th. While recording it, Kavinsky had this special project to record a sequel to his hit song "Nightcall", which after all sounded almost like a movie scene. This sequel would be called "Zenith".

Repress !

Post-punk milestone, back in print on vinyl and CD in its original form. Many fans consider it their finest hour. Vinyl includes a digital download card and Sonic Youth poster!! Daydream Nation was Sonic Youth's sixth full-length, their first double-LP, and their last for an indie label before signing with Geffen. Widely considered to be their watershed moment, the album catapulted them into the mainstream and proved that indie bands could enjoy wide commercial success without compromising their artistic vision. More recently, Daydream Nation has been recognized as a classic of its time: Pitchfork ranked it #1 on their '100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s'; Spin listed it at #13 on their '125 Best Albums of 1985-2010'; Rolling Stone put it at #45 on their '100 Best Albums of the Eighties' list and #328 on their '500 Greatest Albums of All Time.' It was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry in 2006. 2007 saw the release of an expanded four-disc vinyl box set, but now the album is back in its original form after years of being out of print and highly sought after. As a special 21st century bonus, the vinyl now includes a digital download card—radical adults rejoice!

First Word Records continues its series of special collaborative releases for it's 15th anniversary with an absolutely firing double-header from 14KT and Tall Black Guy.
On this limited 7" vinyl, the two renowned US beat-makers revisit two of their previous First Word singles, turning out flips of each other's tracks, also featuring a multitude of talent, in the form of Moonchild, Muhsinah, Stro Elliot and James Poyser of The Roots.

Following on from the first volume in 14KT's jazz project 'IAMABEENIE', here he flips TBG and Moonchild's collab, 'I Will Never Know', originally from Tall Black Guy's 2017 sophomore album 'Let's Take A Trip'. The original neo-soul bump is transformed into a deliciously epic latin affair, drenched with deep Brazilian vibes throughout - this is one to draw for at those steamy get-downs; a slinky slab of dancefloor fire.

Tall Black Guy returns to First Word for the first time in a minute, and takes on the Muhsinah-lead joint 'The Power Of Same', the lead single from 14KT's 2019 acclaimed album, 'For My Sanity'.

As to be expected, TBG delivers his unmistakable blend of dope dubbed-out spacey soul and boom bap kicks & snares, complete with guitar licks from Stro Elliot, and keys from James Poyser. Two of the dopest producers in the game, this one is completely 1000% essential.

Stone Free was the only album to be released by funk and soul specialist Cecil Lyde in 1980, and its sumptuous body of songs immediately takes hold upon first spin. Originally released with the short-lived Californian label Aladdin Records, Chicago-native Lyde created an album of uncompromising modern soul and boogie that has an urgency to entertain.

To celebrate two years of release and 1+ million plays, Vice beats’ releases “That Love” on 7” for the first time, featuring a remix from the super talented UK based producer Smoove. That Love is taken from the only UK based official J Dilla tribute album to date - “Dilla - The Timeless Tribute” which reworks Miguel Atwood Ferguson’s “Suite For Ma Dukes”. “That Love” is a detail focused and passion led reworking of Slum Village’s, Dilla produced classic “Fall In Love”. The limited vinyl release sees both a black original 45 version alongside a very limited red version. Having received worldwide praise from tastemakers and pioneers of the scene including DJ Premier and Chuck D of Public Enemy, this is much more than a tribute, it’s a special piece of Hip Hop history, raising money for the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation in Detroit (setup by Dilla’s family). Profits from this vinyl support young musicians to develop their skills and opportunities. With original artwork from Nina Fini, and mastering from Cosmic Trigger, this is a must have for the collection.

To celebrate two years of release and 1+ million plays, Vice beats’ releases “That Love” on 7” for the first time, featuring a remix from the super talented UK based producer Smoove. That Love is taken from the only UK based official J Dilla tribute album to date - “Dilla - The Timeless Tribute” which reworks Miguel Atwood Ferguson’s “Suite For Ma Dukes”. “That Love” is a detail focused and passion led reworking of Slum Village’s, Dilla produced classic “Fall In Love”. The limited vinyl release sees both a black original 45 version alongside a very limited red version. Having received worldwide praise from tastemakers and pioneers of the scene including DJ Premier and Chuck D of Public Enemy, this is much more than a tribute, it’s a special piece of Hip Hop history, raising money for the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation in Detroit (setup by Dilla’s family). Profits from this vinyl support young musicians to develop their skills and opportunities. With original artwork from Nina Fini, and mastering from Cosmic Trigger, this is a must have for the collection.

Savage is the original ‘80s Italodisco pop star, worldwide famous singer and platinium record producer of Europop and house artists such as Zucchero, Alexia, Double You and Ice Mc. Composer and writer of various multimillion worldwide hits. His real name is Roberto Zanetti. Throughout his career he has used two different professional names, "Robyx" as a producer, and "Savage" as an artist.In 1983 he produced a dance single entitled "Don’t cry tonight", chose the stage name “Savage” and started his career as solo artist. The song was a huge hit in Italy for first and all Europe later and was invited to take part in many TV shows such as "Mister fantasy", "Discoring", "Pronto Raffaella", "Azzurro" and "Festivalbar".

Thanks to the catchy melody and timbre of his voice, Savage quickly
became one of the most appreciated singers in Europe, one of the creators of the “Italodisco” movement. From 1983-85 Savage was continuously on tour, performing about 300 shows throughout Europe, in Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Greece, Portugal, Yugoslavia, Sweden and, of course, Italy. In the meantime other singles, "Only you", "Radio" and "A love again", were released and included in his first album “Tonight". In Eastern Europe Savage is still one of the most popular contemporary artists. After more than 30 years, DWA is proud to announce the re-print of this album on vinyl, a special gift to all collectors of Italodisco’s hits.

Come Away With Me, released in 2002 by a young, unknown singer on a traditionally un-pop label, was a unique blend of jazz, blues, country, folk and pop – and lifted off beyond imagination. To date, the album has sold nearly 30 million times, and has garnered multiple awards, including no less than eight Grammys®. This coming February marks this landmark album’s 20th anniversary and, to celebrate, Blue Note/UMe has worked with the artist and her team on a special collection that will reveal for the first time the full story of the making of this now-classic album.

• New remastering of Norah’s legendary debut album

• 22 unreleased tracks: demos, session outtakes, alternate versions & mixes

• Norah’s earliest demos—the tracks that got Blue Note’s attention, and the demos she recorded for the label—some of which were released on the promo-only EP First Sessions

• The full previously-unreleased original version of the album—including 11 unreleased cuts—produced by Craig Street and now newly-mixed by Tony Maserati, with alternate versions of well-known tracks and unheard performances

• Premium packaging with an extensive booklet featuring new liner notes by Norah, rare session photos and detailed track annotations.

Ian Campbell was born in Nottingham (UK) in 1968.
In 1980 he left UK to join a breakdance group. During a tour of Italy
Ian fell in love with the “bel paese” and decided to stay on and find
a job as a singer or DJ.

His first love was rap, above all Raggamuffin (due to his Jamaican
origins).

In 1989 by chance he met the producer Robyx, who decided to
record a track with him.
In just a few days, the first single "Easy" was ready. Within a few
months it became a success first in Europe, then worldwide.
The project was called "Ice MC" and the songs were sung, written
and played by Robyx, while Ian took care of the rap.
The album “Cinema”, and two further singles, “Cinema” and
“Scream” followed this first success.

The three singles sold a total of two million copies, and the album
around five hundred thousand!
After more than 30 years, DWA is proud to announce the re-print of
this album on vinyl, a special gift to all collectors of ‘80s / ‘90s hits.

Gondwana Records sign LA bassist and composer Seth Ford-Young's Phi-Psonics project and announce a remastered deluxe-edition of The Cradle featuring bonus material

Phi-Psonics is a meditative, immersive instrumental group from Los Angeles, led by bassist Seth Ford-Young and featuring Sylvain Carton on woodwinds, Mitchell Yoshida on electric piano, and Josh Collazo on drums. Their deeply soulfulmusic draws on jazz and classical influences together with Ford-Young's own musical experiences, relationships, and his introduction to spirituality, yoga and philosophy at a young age, to create something uniquely its own. Phi-Psonics' name and ultimate aim is to find 'Phi' – the golden mean – in art, nature and self. Ford-Young explains:

"It's a bit of a cliché, but music saved my life many times and instilled in me a belief in the great power of healing through art. It is my hope and intention that this music provides healing to someone somewhere."

Originally from Washington DC area, Ford-Young moved to California in the early 90s and fell in love with the deep sounds of the upright bass and the music of Charles Mingus, John and Alice Coltrane, and Duke Ellington along with Bach, Chopin, Pärt, and Satie. He immersed himself deeply in music and keen to learn combinedintense personal study with collaborations, tours, and recordings with artists such as Tom Waits, Beats Antique, and John Vanderslice. In 2010 he moved from the San-Francisco Bay area to the Los Angeles hills and continued his explorations. But great music is rarely just about music and Ford-Young's meditative, soulful music draws on more than just the twin wellsprings of jazz and classical music:

"My mother was a yoga teacher from the early 70's until recently and taught me yoga and meditation at an early age, my stepfather is an Aikido instructor and student of the teachings of Gurdjieff. Those were all early areas of study that I came back to many times throughout my life. Phi-Psonics has been a project that unapologetically synthesizes some of these ideas into our music".

It's this mixture of influences, musical and extramusical, that gives the music of Phi-Psonics it's immersive quality and quiet power. Revealingly the music that would becomeThe Cradle, wasn't written specifically for an album, originally Ford-Young was just writing down what was coming through. As time went by and the album began to take shape, the world situation seemed to be getting darker and his compositions aim to offer hope as a response to the negative influences that abound today. Remarkably for such a beautiful sounding record, it was recorded at the composer's home, rather than in a studio, but the relaxed nature of this process gives the music an airy lightness that propels the music to some magical spaces.

Originally self-released on vinyl in a limited run just as the world went into lockdown, The Cradle reached Matthew Halsall (founder of Gondwana Records) when he aws looking for music for his Worldwide FM show and he was blown away, hearing a kindred spirit at work. Halsall explains:

"Phi-Psonics make beautiful, humble and honest music, it's not showy, but it has a deep vibe that will elevate your mind and soul if you let it. When we heard The Cradle we reached out and are really super delighted to welcome Seth and his band to our label". Whereas for Ford Young: "Connecting with Matthew and the Gondwana records family has been a light in the darkness of the last years - to have my music make connections even as we are more isolated."

Ford-Young is currently putting the finishing touches to the second Phi-Psonics record, but aware that only a select few had heard The Cradle, let alone had the chance to buy a copy, and entranced by its deceptive simplicity and elevating energy, Halsall suggested that Gondwana present the album as a remastered 'deluxe edition' with an extended running time featuring extra tracks and new artwork from Daniel Halsall.

The Cradle starts with First Step, perfectly setting the tone for the whole album, it is a beautiful, soulful slice of musical calm gently propelled by Ford-Young's resonant bass and elevated by sublime flute and Wurlitzer electric piano solos. The seductive title track The Cradle was written way back in 2011 during a time of great personal change that led the composer to a feeling of newness and nurture. The magical, winsome Desert Ride is inspired by many rides through the grandly cinematic Mojave Desert. You can experience how incredibly full of life it's harsh landscape is if you slow down to its tempo. The gentle, sublime Mama is a tribute to mothers of all kinds, beautiful and heroic. Drum Talk was largely improvised, Ford-Young and the band agreed on a topic and recorded their conversation. Choosing their notes based on how Josh's drums were tuned. Like Glass is named for the special properties of Glass. Like some music, glass is delicate, yet has structure. The first of the two bonus tracks Still Dancing was written during the early days of 2020 in response to the challenges we all were facing then. It's a reminder that the figurative dance continues and that real dancing is essential. And the second, The Searcher, also written as a response to 2020, is a gently hypnotic song about the introspection and growth that can spring from a difficult situation.

This then is The Cradle, a quiet self-contained masterpiece, life-affirming and elevating in equal measure and the first offering from a wonderful new voice in spiritual jazz and the latest members of the global Gondwana Records family.