quête:ka

The debut release in the 'Ononaiye Center For Increased Awareness' series compiled by Paul Nickerson and Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell. 'Free At Last' is a series of jam sessions that took place in South Africa under the name 'Outernational Meltdown' - after the dissolution of apartheid the idea was birthed to gather a group of South African musicians who had little chance to expand their musical horizons during the repression and pair them with some of the finest Western World and Jazz musicians and see what happens! After two weeks of spontaneous recording sessions in Jo'burg and Cape Town with Brazilian master percussionist Airto Moreira, Sao Paolo born guitarist Jose Neto, South African bassist Sipho Gumede and Pop Mohammed amongst others this was the result of their 'experiment'. Previously released only as a very limited CD, these songs haven’t been on vinyl and are paired with the never before available trance-inducing Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell edit of ‘Khon'Othwele’.
Pressed on mushroom cloud hallucinogenic Pink Vinyl and housed in a Hand-Printed Jacket. Blink and they will be gone.

In der Musik der Latin-Sängerin und Songwriterin Michi verschmelzen verschiedene Epochen zu einem einzigartigen Sound: Die Nostalgie des R&B der MTV-Diven-Ära trifft auf den Groove von Funk und Soul der 70er und 80er Jahre. Die Songs ihres Debütalbums 'Dirty Talk' handeln davon, wie man mit Selbstliebe und Lebensfreude aus Liebeskummer herauskommt.

In den Songs von 'Dirty Talk' geht es darum, sich selbst zu seiner Weiblichkeit, seiner Sexualität und seinem authentischen Selbst zu bekennen. Produziert wurde das Album von Blake Rhein (Durand Jones & the Indications) und Paul Cherry (Jordana, Kate Bollinger).

- Zu den featured Artists auf dem Album gehören Kiefer und der zeitgenössische Bossa-Nova-Musiker Gabriel da Rosa.
- Für Fans von: Erika de Casier, Cleo Sol, Ravyn Lenae, Kali Uchis, The Marías, Omar Apollo, ELIZA.

- Ltd. Col. LP: (Cremefarbenes Vinyl mit vollflächig bedruckter Innenhülle)

Strut introduces the highly anticipated third volume in the Disques Debs International series, diving deeper into the archives of one of the greatest French Caribbean labels, Disques Debs, based in Guadeloupe. Founded by the visionary Henri Debs in the late ‘50s, the label and studio operated for over 50 years, releasing more than 300 7” singles and 200 LPs, making it a cornerstone of Caribbean music history.

By the dawn of the 1980s, Henri Debs had already established himself as a prolific producer, with a record of releases unmatched in Guadeloupe and Martinique. From its humble beginnings with a 2-track tape machine in the back of a clothes shop, Disques Debs evolved into a powerhouse, boasting a state- of-the-art studio in downtown Pointe-à-Pitre, retail shops for records and musical instruments in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Paris, a nightclub in Gosier, and international distribution deals reaching Europe, the U.S., and South America.

Disques Debs played a pivotal role in shaping modern Caribbean music. The label bridged traditional genres like biguine and gwoka with contemporary styles like cadence, compas, and zouk, the latter becoming a global phenomenon in the 1980s with contributions from iconic acts like Kassav’ and Zouk Machine. The period also saw Disques Debs champion a new generation of artists while maintaining ties with legendary figures from earlier decades.

Volume 3 in this series spotlights one of the label’s most dynamic and influential periods as it expanded its global reach during the 1980s. Across 2 LPs, the release features a curated selection of tracks from the Disques Debs circle, highlighting both emerging talents and established artists who defined the era.

This collection not only celebrates Henri Debs’ unmatched legacy but also offers a snapshot of Caribbean music’s golden age, cementing Disques Debs as a cultural institution.

Das brandneue Studioalbum des brasilianisch-dänischen Garage-Rock-Duos! The Courettes präsentieren stolz ihr drittes Album, Back In Mono. Es ist ein Meilenstein in ihrer bisherigen Karriere. "Spit 'n'Snarl Garage Rumble-meets-Phil Spector Pop", der die Band in Bestform zeigt - großartiges Songwriting, Spector-esque Arrangements, mit weiteren Nuancen, Einflüssen und Produktionsqualitäten, die ihr Garagenrock-Rezept ergänzen. Vierzehn wagnerianische Teenie-Tragödien-Meisterwerke - es ist, als wären The Ronettes und The Ramones zu einer wilden Party in die Echokammer der Gold Star Studios eingeladen worden. Fuzz-Gitarren, laute Drums, trashige Pianos, Jingle Bells, Tamburine und dreiminütige Dancefloor-Garagenkiller, bei denen eine Wall of Sound die Songs aus den Lautsprechern schmettert! Produziert und aufgenommen von Soren Christensen in den Starr Sound Recording Studios in Dänemark und abgemischt vom Top-Produzenten und Wall of Sound-Liebhaber Seiki Sato in Japan.

Zum 10. Jubiläum farbiges Vinyl! Es war unvermeidlich: seit ihrer ersten Zusammenarbeit im Jahr 2012 für den Track "Tá bom" kreuzten sich ständig die Wege des MC und des Trios, entweder im Studio oder auf der Bühne. Es war dann an der Zeit, anlässlich des 10. Jahrestages des Labels auf der schönen Insel Réunion, bei einem Glas Rum und einer Zigarre, dass die Entscheidung getroffen wurde: Das Album "The Journey" wird im Herbst 2015 veröffentlicht und die Reise gestartet. Für die Produktion griffen die drei "Chinesen" ganz tief in die Plattenkkiste: Banjo-Methode, 30 Jahre Musik, Flöten aus den Anden, das Ziel ist einfach: aus dem geohnten Gebiet der Sample Digger auszubrechen und sich so weit weg wie möglich von Hip Hop zu entfernen, um dann wieder mit neuen Perspektiven zu starten. Die Texte von conscious rapper TUMI schwanken zwischen Ironie und Bitterkeit. Fünf der Titel wurden von Chinese Man produziert und eingespielt, einer von Leyan und Tomapam. Oben drauf runden sechs Instrumentalversionen das Album ab, darunter Beiträge von Hugo Kant, Le Syndicat Du Chrome und der Scratch Bandits Crew.

At the start of the 60s, a new wave of gospel-influenced jazz started to emerge, with hits such as Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' "Moanin'" and Cannonball Adderley's "Work Song" epitomizing this evolution in the genre. The terms "soul jazz" and "funky jazz" were coined as a way to describe this new sound that was making an impact in the US and also on the other sides of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

In 1964, Ray Charles made his first visit to Japan. Then, in 1968, Martha & The Vandellas and Stevie Wonder set foot in the country, followed by Sam & Dave in 1969, Ike & Tina Turner in 1970, and B.B. King in 1971. The TV show "Soul Train" also began airing in Japan in the early 1970s. A watershed moment happened in 1973 when Sammy Davis Jr. was cast in a TV commercial for Suntory whisky — and the influence of the US Black entertainment world had really landed, with soul, jazz, and funk artists becoming household names.

Nippon Columbia played a pivotal role during this turning point. The company had contracts with Buddah Records and Blue Thumb Records, releasing notable works by artists such as Gladys Knight & The Pips, Curtis Mayfield, The Crusaders, and The Pointer Sisters. At the same time, the label was also releasing several Japanese soul, jazz, and funk projects under the lead of music director Jiro Inagaki. Inagaki, a saxophonist who began his professional career in the early 1950s, honed his skills at U.S. military camps, where he shared his love of music with the Black servicemen. In the 1960s, he played with drummer Hideo Shiraki's band, which was widely considered to be Japan's representative group of the funky jazz movement. Later, Inagaki went on to pursue more cutting-edge sounds with his Soul Media project, including being a pioneering figure in the "jazz rock" genre. By working closely with Inagaki and his various musical projects, Nippon Columbia really placed the company at the center of an exciting and important period in Japanese music.

In 1965, Nippon Columbia opened a recording studio in Tokyo's Akasaka neighborhood. Akasaka was also home to the first ever discotheque in Japan, the legendary MUGEN, which ran from 1968 to 1987 and where many acts performed, including Con Funk Shun, the Bar-Kays, Ike & Tina Turner, B.B. King, Sam & Dave, Three Degrees, and Edwin Starr, as well as many local Japanese singers and musicians. This melting pot of creativity in the area led to the recording of many singles and albums by Japanese artists that were infused with the sounds of soul and funk. Most of these recordings were not available outside of Japan and remain rare and unknown musical gems. The selection you are holding in your hands is an explosive collection of 10 essential tracks released by the legendary Nippon Columbia label between 1969 and 1977, capturing the raw, unapparelled energy that was flowing through the air of the Akasaka streets at this electrifying time. Enjoy!

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180GWALP07 - Manufactured and distributed by 180g.

Introducing the ultimate Rock and Power Ballads collection - NOW That’s What I Call Rock Anthems – Out 31st May! Get ready to crank up the volume and let the music take you on a journey through 79 epic hits, spread across 4 CDs.and with 45 epic hits on 3-LP’s pressed in stunning Neon Violet Vinyl

AIR 's Jean-Benoît Dunckel & Jonathan Fitoussi have joined forces to release Mirages II, a sonic exploration of analogue synthesis, moving from the minimal to the cinematic.

"After their first album as a duo, released in 2019, JB & Jonathan have gone back together to build another work, in which their two personalities unfold even more surreptitiously, always very attentive to each other.

At their heart, an electronic spirit, anchored to a very mineral rhythm.

There are glimpses and echoes of the great German musicians of the 70s, with their infallible metronome.
There are also ghosts of Detroit's hypnotic machines.

Above all, this album moves forward as if it were running slowly, its rhythms giving a cadence that calms and radiates, in sparkling harmony...

These mirages, second chapter of that name, are at their zenith."

J. Ghosn

“Form itself, even if completely abstract... has its own inner sound.”
— Wassily Kandinsky

We are thrilled to announce the release of Objection To Form, a protean dispatch from the fringes of 1980s-inspired wave and raw, rugged electro. Driven by arcane machines and imbued with a melancholic urban atmosphere, Objection To Form offers a warped, modern-day response to the sonic landscapes forged by the likes of Chris & Cosey, Shoc Corridor, The Normal, and Cabaret Voltaire.

Spanning eleven tracks, Objection To Form explores electro-tinged wave that resonates with today’s creative pulse. From the lo-fi machine sounds of Alpha Sequenz’s Dawn Lines and the rugged jams of Fiume’s Haïti Market Daze, to the implacable Electro cadenza delivered by Le Syndicat Electronique, the compilation unfolds like a fragmented narrative. L.F.T.’s Inside I Was Screaming, a cavernous, electro-wave anthem featuring the mythical British band The Children Of Leir, adds a deeply resonant dimension, while the relentless drive of Beau Wanzer’s The Johnnie’s Secret Sauce underscores the compilation's protean spirit.

Objection To Form delivers a forward-looking sonic experience—a space where experimentation meets timeless resonance.

Spencer Parker returns to Rekids with ‘Better Days’. Tee Amara lends her voice to both English and Spanish versions, while Radio Slave steps up for a remix. Spencer Parker and Tee Amara arrive on Rekids with ‘Better Days’ in March, alongside a remix from label founder Radio Slave.

Originally the closing track ‘Faster Forward’ on 2018’s ‘DANCE MUSIC’ album on Parker’s Work Them Records, the track is reborn as full vocal cut ‘Better Days’ after the long search for a vocalist led the producer to fellow Berlin resident, Tee Amara. Known for work alongside Cromby, Ariel Me Llamo, and Ed Davenport, Amara’s heartfelt, soulful vocals in both English and Spanish versions bring new depth to Parker’s original track. As a longtime friend of Matt Edwards and a staple of the Rekids imprint since the mid-2000s, Parker returns to the label with ‘Better Days’, an occasion that calls for a remix from Radio Slave himself, who adds a jazzy swing vibe via additional melodic elements while he puts in a classic house groove. Spencer Parker, Tee Amara, and Radio Slave

‘Better Days’ is Rekids proper! Radio Slave’s Rekids was founded in 2006 and has since spawned successful offshoots with the Techno-focused Rekids Special Projects in 2017 and its newest sublabel, REK’D, in 2024. With Matt Edwards as the sole A&R, Rekids has been crucial in developing early artist careers and has become a haven for established acts operating in House and adjacent genres, having recently featured the likes of Hilit Kolet, William Kiss, Bushwacka, Mathias Kaden, Katerina, Sean Johnston, and many more.

ANAN is a project born from the musical inspiration of DJs Roberto Agosta and Massimo Napoli (Galathea). The name ANAN comes simply from the repetition of the initials of their surnames.

Their new single ‘Naif’ blends African musical roots with a European groove and celebrates the cultural fusion of modern times and explores sounds that transcend borders. Imagine listening to Fatoumata Diawara or Ali Farka Touré meeting St. Germain or Bonobo

This track opens with a pulsating rhythm, featuring traditional instruments, percussion, and the vocal performance of Kadi Koulibaly from Burkina Faso.

Koulibaly manages to convey a sense of joy and vitality, evoking soundscapes rich with texture and dynamic motion. The melody is skilfully combined with electronic and jazz elements, creating an aural experience that invites you to dance. In short ‘Naif’ is a celebration of cultural fusion, an invitation to indulge in rhythm and explore sounds that transcend boundaries.

Don Kashew returns to Subject To Restrictions Discs with the album ‘Bellows’. A haunting, melodic, maudlin affair, as one would expect from the Zurich-based producer, with a variety of ‘breathing’ instruments as a fulcrum, that challenges any physicality.

The compositions draw from the pool of New Age music and neo-folk of the 80s and 90s. But ‘Bellows’ stretches and looks at the future, deliberately blurring lines that were supposedly anchored. So, Don Kashew has begun a new phase in his musical expression; quivering, but grounded and interwoven in a rich arras of synth work and overlapping woodwind sounds.

2024 Backstock

15-track double album black vinyl 2-LP including the singles Through The Wire, All Falls Down and Slow Jamz. With jaw-dropping cameos from Jay-Z, Common, Mos Def, John Legend, and the Harlem Boys Choir, this 2004 album is as explosive, provocative, and complex as rap gets. Kanye magically sledgehammers home opinions on taboo topics over beats that are equally daring.

2LP Vinyl Reissue of Late Registration, the second studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released on August 30, 2005, by Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place over the course of a year at Record Plant Studios, Chalice Recording Studios, and Grandmaster Recording Studios in Hollywood, and at Sony Music Studios in New York City. West collaborated with American record producer and composer Jon Brion to produce Late Registration, and the album features guest contributions from artists such as Jay-Z, Common, Lupe Fiasco, Jamie Foxx, Nas, Brandy, and Adam Levine, among others.

Karen has launched her solo career with Essentials, a collection that summaries her career as a jazz singer.

For this special release, we’re excited to unveil something brand new: a triple vinyl, perfect for casting a spell on your Halloween night

Witches brew and cauldrons bubble, as Halloween stirs up an eerie trouble! Step into the world of spooky beats with Lofi Girl's 'Halloween 2024' compilation. Featuring talented artists from around the world, this potion of ghostly rhythms and haunting melodies sets the mood for a night of chills and thrills. Whether you're conjuring up potions or unwinding under the moonlit sky, let the witchy magic of these chilling beats take over your Halloween night!

"There is great power in secrecy. Detached from the world, brewed under a strict code of confidentiality, a new lifeform came into existence. Led by none other than Sonata Arctica frontman Tony Kakko, this new beast of his gained momentum in the massive shadow of his wildly successful power metal superheroes, slowly, steadily, biding its time, waiting for the right moment. This moment is now: With his self-titled debut, Tony Kakko opens the curtains into this strange new world of his just enough to take a first peek – and instantly hunger for more. A master story teller and a wizard of conjuring musical emotions, Himmelkraft stages Kakkos trademark talents in a wholly new, unexpected and thrilling way. To him, the sky truly is the limit, bestowing upon us an album that sounds like nothing else out there – brooding and dark, menacing and eerie, stomping and monumental.




This project sees Tony Kakko enter a fascinating new era. Much like the legendary Elven smiths of old, forging away in solemn silence, Kakko has stopped the wheel of time to reinvent himself and his bold musical vision. Shrouded in mystery, a new being appears in the fog, barely discernible and yet distinct the very moment Tony Kakko starts to sing.

Yet, everything else remains just what it was from the very start – a mystery. Call them songs for a dying world or songs for a world reborn – either way, you will be intrigued how this extraordinary project will develop. And that’s a promise
"

Repress!

VERY LTD 100 COPIES UK

‘Indian Wedding Sweetmeat Celebrations’ transparent Yellow vinyl.** Ten years on from its original release, Ample Play Records will release, the ground breaking ‘Cornershop And The Double ‘O’ Groove Of’ album by Cornershop feat. Bubbley Kaur on vinyl for the first time. The LP, pressed as a stunning limited edition of 500 copies on ‘Indian Wedding Sweetmeat Celebrations’ sticky transparent Yellow vinyl in a gatefold sleeve with poster insert, will be available via mail order direct from the group and in all good independent record shops from 3rd December 2021. Cut for vinyl at optimum levels by Fluid Mastering, the same clever folk who mastered both the celebrated ‘England Is A Garden’ and ‘England Is A Garden Instrumentals’ albums. It’s a vinyl release that Rough Trade Shops have petitioned us for years to action and we’re pleased to report they consider the audio results to be “topknotch, an amazingly defined cut”. After many a time in the studio, under lab conditions Cornershop originally released the album in 2011 featuring the incredible double sugar-coated vocals of Bubbley Kaur. When Tjinder and Bubbley decided to work with each other, she had not recorded a note of music. They had met very fleetingly, years ago at a cellar gathering in Preston Lancashire, where Tjinder & Benedict studied. So it was much surprise when a taxi driver friend introduced him to a lady that liked singing, worked in a local launderette, and was the same lady he had met in a northern cellar bar. They then met a good many times at Tjinder’s house where they would listen to and discuss traditional Punjabi Folk Music, and slowly Bubbley came out writing her own original lyrics, which were set to a varied range of modern musics. ‘Natch’ was the first song she recorded, followed by ‘Topknot,’ and together they became the first double ‘A’ single on Rough Trade Records. The complete recordings were made in their own good time. Tjinder explains “There was no need to quickly put the album out, but there was a need to make it top rank and evergreen, especially as I have wanted to do an album like this for 20 years.” Benedict & Tjinder set up their own label, Ample Play in 2009 to release the highly acclaimed album ‘Judy Sucks A Lemon For Breakfast.’ The way Tjinder & Bubbley met was like a hindi movie script, and the outcome of the music is like an Asian version of The Kids From Fame – totally upbeat, giving rise to new ways of expressing yourself.

Arny Margret, Iceland’s remarkable and poetic upcoming singer-songwriter, is due to release her second album ‘I Miss You, I Do’ on March 7th via One Little Independent Records. The follow-up to 2022’s celebrated, minimalist folk debut ‘they only talk about the weather’ sees her working with new producers in America to develop and hone a sound that’s more textured, expansive, and mature.

‘I Miss You, I Do’ incorporates sessions from Arny Margret’s trips to New York City, North Carolina, and Colorado, as well as those recorded in Iceland. During extensive international touring, she wrote prolifically and spent time getting to know producers and musicians who each brought their own unique and individual talents to the project. Arny’s atmospheric and introspective material has been layered with country-inflected full band ensembles, keys, banjo, harmonium, slide guitar and more, adding an ambience that only enhances her natural ability to convey crystal-clear imagery within thematically rich writing.

In pursuit of her creative vision, Arny enlisted producers Josh Kaufman, Andrew Berlin, Brad Cook, and Guðm. “Kiddi” Kristinn Jónsson. Josh Kaufman is best known for his work with Grateful Dead founder Bob Weir, The National, This Is The Kit, Hiss Golden Messenger, Josh Ritter, and The War on Drugs. Andrew Berlin, GRAMMY nominated for his work on Gregory Alan Isakov’s record ‘Evening Machines’, also mixes national punk rock staples such as A Wilhelm Scream, Rise Against, and Teenage Bottlerocket. Brad Cook served as a producer for Bon Iver, Big Red Machine, Waxahatchee, Hand Habits, Kevin Morby, and Whitney amongst others. Arny also returned to Iceland to record with her long-time collaborator and friend Kiddi Jónsson in Reykjavík, Iceland.