Buscar:ke

Recent Church Road Records signees, Outlander have today announced
their upcoming EP Sundowning / Unconditional.
The Birmingham based quartet’s latest release follows their well received 2019
debut album, The Valium Machine, and expands upon their established slowcore foundations with richly layered shoegaze and doom.
Recorded and mixed over a four day period by Neil Kennedy at the well revered
The Ranch Production House and mastered by Jack Shirley at The Atomic Garden, Sundowning / Unconditional shines in it’s chameleonic shifts between altrock sensibilities in the vein of Nothing and the languor of Hum and Holy Fawn
at their most oppressively dreamlike.
The marriage of shoegaze and doom has proved fruitful in recent years, in part
due to it’s fatalistic capturing of 21st century ennui, and Outlander have undoubtedly added themselves to the burgeoning list of exciting new acts that
are tapping into the zeitgeist’s current listlessness.

Marillion’s 2001 Studio Album ‘Anoraknophobia’ Now Available On Kscope
“A collection full of grace and tenacity, thoughtful and thought provoking and
not without moments of real clarity and beauty” - Classic Rock Magazine
Marillion formed in 1979 and have sold over 15 million albums worldwide.
Rightly regarded as legends of progressive rock, the band have also continued
to evolve and have been keen to embrace the possibilities of the internet, using
innovative ways to interact with listeners resulting in an incredibly loyal legion
of fans around the world.
‘Anoraknophobia’ is claimed by Marillion to have been the first crowdfunded
album in the music industry, completely financed by the fans, allowing the
band to record free from any record company pressures. The album is one of
their most absorbing records to date and finds the band departing their neoprogressive rock past in favour of elements of rap, groove, trip hop, blues, jazz
and dub elements to create a more contemporary sound.
Now issued on Kscope, this is a chance to revisit a band in truly inspired form
with a record far ahead of its time.

Operation: Mindcrime is regarded as one of the greatest concept metal albums of all time. The band’s third album, originally released May 3rd 1988, is based around Nikki, a recovering drug addict, who becomes disillusioned with a corrupt society and joins a revolutionary group to assassinate political leaders. Operation: Mindcrime was produced by Peter Collins (Bon Jovi, Rush, Alice Cooper) and was recorded, mixed and mastered digitally on a Sony 24-track digital tape machine. It was certified platinum in 1991 in the US and was ranked in the Top 100 Metal Albums Of All Time by both Kerrang! and Billboard magazines. Available on multi-formats, this new version was remastered at Abbey Road Studios and brings together all the available recordings to tell the story of this remarkable album. The deluxe version, housed in a 10″ x 10″ box, is the final word on this exceptional album. It also contains a DVD which features the accompanying promotional videos and a live performance of the album. The expanded booklet features new sleeve notes by noted journalist Alex Milas who spoke with Geoff Tate about the making of the album and the concept behind it.

Jimmy Smith was a self-taught pianist who abandoned the instrument in 1954 in favour of the Hammond B3 organ, renting a Philadelphia warehouse and woodshedding for a year until he emerged with a revolutionary style that immediately caught the ear of Alfred Lion. The Blue Note boss dubbed him The Incredible Jimmy Smith and recorded the B3 innovator as frequently as he could between 1956 and 1963. It’s a testament to Smith’s volcanic creativity that he recorded not one but two soul jazz classics — Midnight Special and Back at the Chicken Shack — when he entered Rudy Van Gelder’s studio on April 25, 1960 with Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Donald Bailey on drums. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

LTD Edition!

Die Grammy-nominierte Band Hiatus Kaiyote veröffentlichen ihr neues Album auf Brainfeeder! Knapp 6 Jahre nach "Choose Your Weapon" (2015) erscheint endlich das brandneue Studioalbum!

Die zweifach Grammy-nominierte Band besteht aus Naomi „Nai Palm“ Saalfield (Gitarre, Gesang), Paul Bender (Bass), Simon Mavin (Keyboards) und Perrin Moss (Schlagzeug). Das neue Album ist der Nachfolger ihres 2015er Albums, „Choose Your Weapon“, das der Rolling Stone als „atemberaubenden Schritt nach oben“ beschrieb und sie von Glastonbury bis zum Fuji Rock führte, vom Roots Picnic bis zur ausverkauften Sydney Opera. Das neue Projekt konnte endlich entstehen, nachdem die Band auf Songs von The Carters (Beyoncé & Jay-Z), Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Chance The Rapper oder Drake gesampelt wurde - mit dem Nai Palm aber auch auf seinem Album, „Scorpion“, zusammenarbeitete. Das Ergebnis ist ein Album, das sich, untermalt von Verocais Streichern, in einem Groove entspannt: sonnenbeschienen, erhaben, meisterhaft. Hinter allem steckt Hiatus' gewohnter Sinn für musikalische Abenteuer, ihre Gabe, das Komplexe einfach klingen zu lassen, oder, in ihren eigenen Worten: „Wondercore“. Simons Experiment mit einem ungeraden Rhythmus, der in 5er-Gruppen gepackt ist, wird zu einem kaskadenartigen Jam namens „Rose Water“. Benders und Simons Austausch einzelner Noten, hin und her, um eine Melodie zu bilden, wird zu „All The Words We Don't Say“. Nais frecher Kommentar auf sexbesessene, dreiminütige Pop-Hits wird zu „Chivalry Is Not Dead“, einem Song über die bizarren Paarungsrituale von Leopardenschnecken (sie leuchten fluoreszierend) und Seepferdchen (sie verschränken ihre Schwänze und tanzen). Das Album endet mit dem zarten „Blood And Marrow“, einer Bender-Bassline, zu der Nai und Perrin improvisierten, und die Simon als seinen Lieblingssong anpreist: „Es ist ein klassischer Hiatus-Studio-Song, der eine schöne Erkundung ist und ein Geheimnis bereithält.“

Die Grammy-nominierte Band Hiatus Kaiyote veröffentlichen ihr neues Album auf Brainfeeder! Knapp 6 Jahre nach "Choose Your Weapon" (2015) erscheint endlich das brandneue Studioalbum!

Die zweifach Grammy-nominierte Band besteht aus Naomi „Nai Palm“ Saalfield (Gitarre, Gesang), Paul Bender (Bass), Simon Mavin (Keyboards) und Perrin Moss (Schlagzeug). Das neue Album ist der Nachfolger ihres 2015er Albums, „Choose Your Weapon“, das der Rolling Stone als „atemberaubenden Schritt nach oben“ beschrieb und sie von Glastonbury bis zum Fuji Rock führte, vom Roots Picnic bis zur ausverkauften Sydney Opera. Das neue Projekt konnte endlich entstehen, nachdem die Band auf Songs von The Carters (Beyoncé & Jay-Z), Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Chance The Rapper oder Drake gesampelt wurde - mit dem Nai Palm aber auch auf seinem Album, „Scorpion“, zusammenarbeitete. Das Ergebnis ist ein Album, das sich, untermalt von Verocais Streichern, in einem Groove entspannt: sonnenbeschienen, erhaben, meisterhaft. Hinter allem steckt Hiatus' gewohnter Sinn für musikalische Abenteuer, ihre Gabe, das Komplexe einfach klingen zu lassen, oder, in ihren eigenen Worten: „Wondercore“. Simons Experiment mit einem ungeraden Rhythmus, der in 5er-Gruppen gepackt ist, wird zu einem kaskadenartigen Jam namens „Rose Water“. Benders und Simons Austausch einzelner Noten, hin und her, um eine Melodie zu bilden, wird zu „All The Words We Don't Say“. Nais frecher Kommentar auf sexbesessene, dreiminütige Pop-Hits wird zu „Chivalry Is Not Dead“, einem Song über die bizarren Paarungsrituale von Leopardenschnecken (sie leuchten fluoreszierend) und Seepferdchen (sie verschränken ihre Schwänze und tanzen). Das Album endet mit dem zarten „Blood And Marrow“, einer Bender-Bassline, zu der Nai und Perrin improvisierten, und die Simon als seinen Lieblingssong anpreist: „Es ist ein klassischer Hiatus-Studio-Song, der eine schöne Erkundung ist und ein Geheimnis bereithält.“

HIRAES – die neue Melodic-Death-Metal Gewalt der Ex-Mitglieder von Dawn Of Disease
Nach der Auflösung von Dawn Of Disease steigt jetzt die furiose Melodic-Death-Metal-Gewalt HIRAES
mit ihrem Debüt wie ein Phoenix aus der Asche! Die deutsche Formation – bestehend aus Lukas Kerk,
Oliver Kirchner, Christian Wösten, Mathias Blässe und der stimmgewaltigen Britta Görtz (Critical Mess,
ex-Cripper) – veröffentlicht am 25. Juni 2021 ihr atemberaubendes, heiß ersehntes Erstwerk Solitary über
Napalm Records. Der erste Longplayer von HIRAES liefert eine aufregende und mitreißende MelodicDeath-Metal-Wucht und zeigt, dass der Fünfer schon jetzt eine ganz eigene, Identität hat. Das Konzept
der neu formierten Band basiert auf einer alles zerschmetternden Vocal-Attacke, intensiven Melodien und
elektrisierendem Gitarrenspiel, angeführt von Gitarrist Lukas Kerk als Haupt-Songwriter. Solitary feuert
ohne Zweifel den Startschuss für eine vielversprechende Zukunft ab! Denn dieser massive Melodic-DeathMetal-Angriff lässt keinen Raum für Schwächen und serviert eine aufregende Interpretation des Genres mit
hymnischen Melodien, mitreißendem Schlagzeug- und Gitarrenriffing sowie atemberaubenden Hooklines.
Gekrönt von der unverwechselbaren und vielseitigen Performance von Britta Görtz ist diese kraftvolle, neue
Formation mit ihrem Debüt ein Muss für Fans von Bands wie Insomnium, At The Gates, Arch Enemy und
Amon Amarth. Solitary wird auch als streng limitierte 1 LP Gatefold Silver erhältlich sein.

Detroit artist Javonntte’s third album for Ten Lovers Music continues the theme set by the 2019 album No Rush and the 2020 album Runaway Galaxy. Flight 77 is full of summer jazz fusion grooves for the dancefloor now the world is getting back to something like normal. Javonnttes unmistakeable trademark sound runs through all the tracks on this album with Annette being a tribute to his mother who introduced him to jazz. Free Your Soul written by Caruso and Javonntte rounds off the album with a reprise by label boss Steve Conry.

Transmeridian is the first album from Departure Lounge (ex-Bella Union) in 19 years. It features all four original members plus a guest appearance from legendary REM guitarist, Peter Buck, one of many long-standing admirers of a band that embodied a lost age of reflective, experimental pop music coming to the fore at the turn of the Millennium alongside The Beta Band, Tunng, Boards Of Canada and Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci.

The surprise new album, named after the defunct ‘golden age of aviation’ cargo airline for which singer/guitarist Tim Keegan’s dad was chief pilot, is released on Violette Records (formed by Michael Head (Shack, The Pale Fountains) and Matt Lockett ) on digital and vinyl formats on Fri 26 March 2021.
Originally scooped up by Simon Raymonde’s Bella Union label (labelmates with John Grant’s Czars) following the self-funded release of their debut album Out Of Here (1999), Departure Lounge’s sophomore outing, Too Late To Die Young (2002) was equally acclaimed and was honoured as the first ever Album Of The Week on the emergent BBC 6 Music. The band toured extensively in the UK, Europe and the US, including outings with The Go-Betweens, Morcheeba, Paul Heaton and Robyn Hitchcock, peers whose stylistic contrasts reflect the eclectic nature of Departure Lounge themselves.

Calling a halt in late 2002, citing family and geographical reasons (drummer Lindsay lives in Nashville, where their second album Jetlag Dreams (2001) was recorded), the four members remained firm friends and occasional collaborators, before reuniting in late 2019 for shows at The Green Door Store, Brighton and The Lexington, London, ostensibly to support the digital reissues of their first three cult-classic albums. With no plans other than to make some new music, the next day they set off for Middle Farm Studios, Devon.
Tim Keegan (vocals/guitar), Chris Anderson (lead guitars/keyboards/bass), Lindsay Jamieson(drums/keyboards) and Jake Kyle (bass/guitar/drums) channelled their evident joy at being back together into a complete 13-track album, largely conceived and recorded in just one 24-hour session in the company of studio owner and co-producer, Peter Miles. Ranging from soulful Americana to piano and mellotron-fuelled melancholia via pastoral musings on the nature of post-youth and eerie Spaghetti Western-tinged instrumentals, the next leg on the Departure Lounge journey is a multi-mood expression of pure artistic freedom.
The ‘leak’ of instrumental track Al Aire Libre (remixed by Parisian groovemeister Kid Loco) in October 2020 gave little away as to what fans could expect from a new Departure Lounge record, the track going gracefully everywhere and nowhere on a whistled Latino breeze. First single proper, Mercury In Retrograde, covered in the twinkling lights of a music box Casio CZ101 melody, turned the clock back - this was an old live favourite that never got past the studio door. Unfinished business brought to a happy conclusion, the single returned Keegan’s honest and distinctive lyrical voice back to British music at just the time listeners needed it.
It was an emotional thread, rather than one musical style, which gave the first three Departure Lounge albums their coherence. The songs told the story of the band. Transmeridian has the same sense of deeply connected musical energy. The purring, campfire acoustica of Timber and So Long bear no obvious resemblance to the ethereal, end-of-the-evening, piano-led interlude Paging Marco Polo, whilst the quasi-glam stomp of Mr Friendly would normally have no business sharing space with the strange, spacey Gurnard Pines (named after an abandoned holiday camp on the Isle Of Wight). Yet the journey’s ebb and flow, accelerations and pauses make for compelling, grown-up listening. Australia, showcasing the chiming Rickenbacker 12-string of Athens, GA’s finest guitar slinger, leaves no doubt that Departure Lounge’s pop sensibilities also remain solidly intact.
These four friends from different musical backgrounds came together originally with the stated aim of ‘creating music to soothe the troubled soul’. Citing their love of (and placing on record their debt to) influences including Robert Wyatt, Nick Drake, Talk Talk, Lou Reed, Arvo Pärt and Cocteau Twins, the band’s diversity of taste is reflected in the music they create.
Transmeridian is only the second full-length LP released by Violette Records, formed by Michael Head (Shack, The Pale Fountains) and Matt Lockett as a platform for Head’s work and developing into a respected independent label as well as multi-disciplinary event organiser, drawing in outsiders working in music, literature, art and design. The label continues to host live events whenever possible and recently initiated an ELP (halfway between and EP and an LP) vinyl series, putting out acclaimed releases by The Pistachio Kid and Studio Electrophonique.

Factory Benelux presents an expanded double vinyl edition of Sex and Death, the 11th studio album by lauded Factory Records ensemble The Durutti Column.

Originally released in 1994 on CD only, the album has now been re-mastered with 5 bonus tracks and appears on vinyl for the VERY FIRST TIME in a coloured vinyl edition limited to 1500 copies.

The vinyl edition is housed in a gatefold sleeve . Disc 1 is pressed in blue vinyl, and disc 2 in silver. A 2xCD edition is also available (FBN 201 CD).

The writing and recording of Sex and Death closed an uncertain period for Vini Reilly and the group following the collapse of Factory Records in 1992. Factory founder Tony Wilson remained in post as manager of the band, but Sex and Death would be their last album with producer Stephen Street, famed for his work with Morrissey, The Smiths and Blur.

Writer and master guitarist Vini Reilly remained philosophical. “People say the Durutti Column is this or that. I don’t care, so long as we make good music. There’s screaming feedback on some tracks, heavy metal guitar, Spanish picking. It’s not just this ethereal trip. Don’t listen to the form, never listen to the form. Listen to the content.”

Stand-out tracks include Anthony (dedicated to Wilson), The Rest of My Life, and Believe In Me. Guest musicians include viola player John Metcalfe, vocalist Ruth-Ann Boyle (later to form hitmakers Olive with Tim Kellett), programmer Martin Jackson (Magazine, Swing Out Sister) and bassist Peter Hook, then on furlough from New Order post-Republic.

All 5 bonus tracks are previously unreleased, having been retrieved from a long-lost DAT tape located in Tony Wilson’s personal archive. All tracks on the album have been newly re-mastered in 2020 by Peter Beckmann and Technology Works.

Soul Jazz Records' new Studio One release Rocksteady Got Soul is a collection of uplifting and superb rocksteady and soulful reggae from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Studio One is the number one label in the history of reggae and he album features - as ever with Studio One - an impeccable and unbeatable line-up of reggae superstars, all soaring at the height of their creative powers. Alton Ellis, John Holt, The Heptones, Jackie Mittoo, The Ethiopians, Lee Perry and more. The album is a mix of classic tunes and rhythms alongside super-rarities that were released in a dazzlingly complex web of Studio One labels and issues, deftly navigated with new sleevenotes from author and Studio One authority Rob Chapman. But enough with the chatter, just spin the platter - these tunes rule the town, hands down! This Soul Jazz/Studio One album is released as deluxe gatefold double-vinyl + house inners + download code. Also as jewel case CD housed in card slipcase. Both formats come with full sleeve notes/discography and exclusive photography.

Sasha introduces LUZoSCURA, a new compilation that hasevolved from the thriving eponymous playlist. Featuring adiverse package of original works from a host of fresh talent, aswell as established artists and Sasha himself, it traverse selectronica, ambient, breaks and techno. Meaning light and dark, LUZoSCURA began on Spotify as a stash of tracks sent to Sasha which didn't meet the pace of his clubsets nor suit his venerated label LNOE, LUZoSCURA came into itsown through 2020 as Sasha gravitated toward more mellowed sounds while being off the road, and clubbers diverted their ears to home listening. Gaining a renewed source of energy inconnecting with more gifted, budding producers and seeing the project blossom, the idea for the compilation came off the back of doing a live stream solely featuring tracks from the playlist. Meticulously compiled to flow like a DJ mix for home listening, Sasha kicks it off with the buoyant, breaks-influenced 'Corner Shop', the first of his three tracks on the compilation. MJ Cole is among the established artists to feature with blissed out track 'Maestro', while The Micronaut, a multi-instrumentalist whose back catalogue was a favourite of Sasha's through lockdown, offers an immersive trip in 'Koelsa'. Lau.ra, lead singer from British experimental rock band Ultraísta, evokes a sense of spiritedness in 'I'll Wait' before we hear again from Sasha with another breaks-loaded trip in 'HNDI' and a collaboration withB ritish producer Franky Wah. Closing the odyssey with a stirring, expansive soundscape is synth duo Felsmann + Tiley.

Perila (Aleksandra Zakharenko) left her native Russia six years ago, landing in Berlin. Finding her place almost immediately - first at Berlin Community Radio and through that amongst a group of like-minded creative individuals (including her current flatmates Special Guest DJ and exael) - she started a regular practice of working on an expressionistic "sonic diary" of field recordings and electronic sound research for her own pleasure. When the opportunity arose to create her own podcast series, WET (or Weird Erotic Tension) was born. Upon hearing her evocative and atmospheric music layered with friends Nat Marcus and Inger Wold Lund's erotic spoken word poetry, Sferic Records asked to release it, and Perila - a project name originally used for her BCR show - truly came to be. Aleksandra, who was raised in St. Petersburg, has been involved in music since childhood thanks to her melomaniac father. She's been both drummer and singer in local bands in Russia, and is also the co-founder of radio.syg.ma - one of the first online stations in Russian focusing on experimental sounds - but Perila is something else entirely. You could loosely describe it as ambient, but her soundworld is so specific and transportative, filled with detail and movement, it's more akin to hauntological musique concrète, touched by song. Her fascination with voice and language - she studied English literature at university - is still evident, although that's now her voice, her texts, her crooning you can hear on the Everything Is Already There cassette (Boomkat Editions, 2020), her processed breaths on the Meta Door L cassette (Paralaxe Editions, 2020). The Wire Magazine got it right when they said about Irer Dent that, "Sensuality is presented as a secret pass to a higher consciousness." For her debut album, How Much Time it is Between You and Me?, released via Smalltown Supersound on June 11th, Aleksandra takes inspiration from the concept of time, which she felt keenly during the pandemic. Recorded primarily in September 2020 in a rural village in France - her only travel during the first year of the pandemic period - surrounded by mountains but otherwise alone with no internet, her perception of time there differed immensely. She describes the trip as, "an immersive experience into self," viewed through a "silence prism" where everyday sounds usually ignored felt amplified. While her work has always dealt in intimacy - be it the private thrills of WET or the audible closeness of our surroundings - the organic response and consistent feedback she gets for Perila made Aleksandra recognize a longing, a need for it in today's world. Intent on creating work based in honesty and tenderness, Perila's practice also explores how we feel music and emotion throughout the body and how sound can help to release it. How does the sound enter a body and travel through it? Where does movement start? How do you reach and unblock emotional clusters with the help of sound and deep listening of the body responses? Aleksandra likes to describe her music and performances as trips - thick narratives drifting along sound to get closer to self. Let Perila guide you through this journey.

Japanese import exclusive!

Cosmic Suite is a long 35 minute jam cut in two pieces, it blends house, techno, jazz, reggae and dub

It's a collaboration with iconic musicians including the legendary Jeff Mills, Osunlade, Mutabaruka, Tanaka Tomoyuki (FPM), Yashiki Gōta and Watusi (Coldfeet), among others.

Written by Yasushi Ide

A.Guitar：Kazuma Fujimoto
E.Guitar：Akihiro
E.Guitar：Masayuki Ishii
Drums Sampling：Gota Yashiki
Drums：Hideo Yamaki
Drums：Yukari Uehara
Rhodes：Nobuyuki Nakajima
Keyboards：Mitsuhiro Toike
Percussion：Hiderow Nishioka
Steel Pan：Gen Tamura
Trumpet：icchie
Sax：Motoharu
Electronics：Jeff Mills Rhythm
Treatment：Tomoyuki Tanaka, Hiroshi Nakamura
Vocal Sampling：Osunlade
Dub Poet Sampling：Mutabaruka
Programming,Keyboards：Watusi
Mixed by Watusi at brickwall

“South Africa’s lost jazz history contains many an overlooked classic. But even within that hidden tradition, there are few albums that suffered such an unlucky fate as Spring, the monumental 1968 debut album by pianist Ibrahim Khalil Shihab, formerly Chris Schilder.

Though Shihab was only twenty-two when Spring was recorded, he was already a lynchpin of the Cape Town scene, and the album was to be his first major statement as leader and composer. It is a magnum opus gilded by the presence of the upcoming saxophonist Winston ‘Mankunku’ Ngozi, who was soon to find huge acclaim with the hit album Yakhal’ Inkomo.

Three months of touring southern Africa in 1968 honed the band to the point that this entire album was recorded within the just two hours of allocated studio time. This album was repressed just once before the master tapes were destroyed by an ignorant record company executive. While it has remained out of print since then, the album was ‘kept alive’ as an ‘add-on’ to a 1996 CD of Mankunku’s Yakhal’ Inkomo. As a result, many modern jazz lovers still incorrectly believe these five compositions come from Yakhal’ Inkomo.

With this edition of Spring, Matsuli Music corrects an historic wrong. This edition of Shihab’s stunning debut, produced with the blessing of the man himself, is the first time it has been properly available in over forty years, and the first time it has ever been available outside South Africa. Restored and presented with new liner notes by Valmont Layne, Spring can now be seen for what it is: a peerless masterwork of Cape Jazz, blessed by the presence of the great Mankunku, but truly animated by the subtle vision and original musical spirit of its creator, Ibrahim Khalil Shihab.”


• The monumental 1968 debut album by pianist Ibrahim Khalil Shihab, formerly Chris Schilder.

• Almost lost recording is back on vinyl after more than 50 years.

• Heavyweight 180g vinyl with remastered audio, inner sleeve with photographs and new notes by Valmont Layne

Includes Download Code and Special Insert Drawing !
Quindi Records continues to yield intriguing prospects as we reach the third edition, moving from Woo's astral ruminations via Cabaret Du Ciel's sonorous meditations on to the dusty, dusky mantras of Dead Bandit. Maintaining the ambiguous creative practices of the label's previous releases, From The Basement r eaches to the earth for the malleable grit of post-rock while making the most of the broader sonic outlooks afforded by kosmische and electronic effects processes.
Dead Bandit are Chicagoan songwriter Ellis Swan and Canadian multi-instrumentalist James Schimpl. Swan has previously released solo works including the stunning, inward-looking album I'll Be Around, a lo-fi Southern gothic dragging the husk of country ballads through battered signal chains. In Dead Bandit, Swan and Schimpl's artistic vision casts its gaze outwards on a vast expanse, where the distortion has space to stretch its legs and the drums pound out into open space. There's a common tonality at work here, the duos guitars telling a thousand hard-bitten tales where Swan's voice falls silent. It's no surprise to learn Swan and Schimpl's reference points include Neil Young's Dead Man soundtrack, SF noise rockers Chrome and the imperial work of the late, great Mark Sandman of Morphine.
You can sense Jim Jarmusch's America just lingering behind the road-weary thrum of 'These Clouds' and detect the shadow of Tom Waits lurking in the raunchy lurch of 'FF M'. The pointedly titled 'Sedated' calls to mind the slowcore movement and its rejection of rock n' roll's fixation on speed. Instead, tonality and atmosphere are key across From The Basement , although the ambient lull of 'I See Her There' is the exception rather than the rule. Dead Bandit's desert sound has vibrancy and immediacy to match its moodiness, from the sultry swagger of opening track 'Mud' to the bold and borderline bombastic 'When I Looked Around'.
Like the previous Quindi releases, this record is inherently experimental in nature, but not at the expense of its warmth and instant appeal. From the basement, an inquisitive pair with primitive tools look out and imagine a colossal plain as the canvas on which to paint their picture

Wayout Records head honcho, Manchester DJ and producer James Kumo aka K.Mo, takes the reins for their next release ‘Space Funk EP’, featuring man of the moment Byron The Aquarius.

The deep house groove of title track ‘Space Funk’ has Byron on keys, laying down his trademark synth and bassline stabs courtesy of his Prophet 6. The warm and soulful vibes sit alongside driving drum patterns and additional live percussion by Mauskovic Dance Band member Chris Bruining.

The B side opens with ‘Moon Light Shuffle’, delivering a captivating bass line with synth lead melodies accenting the organic solo to die for from the super talented Tim Jules.

Close ‘Inner Soul’ is full of sparkle with heady pads, luscious piano chords again from Tim Jules, elevating this very credible record to a whole other level.

Lisa Milberg and Jon Bergström started their band Miljon over a pitcher of margarita in Mexico City and have since kept busy writing gorgeous little pop-songs in makeshift studios in and around their hometown of Stockholm, Sweden – mostly in their bedrooms and various cabins in various woods surrounding the city, never staying too far from the pine trees.
Having assembled a collection of 13 pieces of proper flaskpost-disko, these demos were passed on to Studio Barnhus’ in-house mixmaster Matt Karmil, who worked his studio magic on the recordings, turning them into a seductively warm and spacious debut album. “Until then, our only expenditures for the album were wine bottles and taxis”, says the band.
This isn’t the first time Miljon has teamed up with Studio Barnhus, the ever-explorative Stockholm dance label. The band collaborated with Barnhus co-founder Axel Boman on the wistful piano-house ballad “Forgot About You” in 2018 (“a summer anthem … a marvel of simplicity” - Pitchfork) and the label’s core personnel are all regulars at Arranging Things, the design store (“Stockholm’s coolest” - Vogue) that Lisa runs with another friend.
Going further back, Miljon isn’t the first musical project of neither Lisa’s nor Jon’s – the former enjoyed her fair share of 00's indie rock success as drummer and eventually lead singer of The Concretes, while Jon has earned a reputation as the hardest working man in several Swedish music scenes, bringing energy and expertise to punk stages around the country as well as Stockholm’s electronic underground.
With Miljon, the two friends make sure to keep it short and sweet, happily celebrating imperfections. “We believe in ‘first thought, best thought’ and try to work on the songs as little as possible, instead trusting a good melody and a nice vibe, not overthinking it. We dare you to find a bridge on this album!”
With “Don’t They Know”, the duo presents not only 13 beautiful songs (perfect for shower-humming, living roomshuffling and warm summer night boombox-blasting alike) but also an album that turns into something grander than the sum of its parts.
“We made it because it’s the kind of album we’ve been wanting to hear ourselves. It’s all quite song-centric these days and it feels rare to find a whole album to step into and stay inside, you know? We hear great songs all the time, but we wanted an album that was its own little universe, with its own mayor, own happy hour, its own yard sales and extramarital affairs.”
“Don’t They Know” is released through Studio Barnhus as a vinyl LP June 18.

BUILDINGS was born out of a creative merger between Detroit’s 313 Acid Queen (Rebecca Goldberg) and Italian maestro Sickboy (Stefano Piseddu), their 4th and 2nd releases on Detroit Underground respectively. The duo have thoughtfully arranged a half dozen tracks inspired figuratively and literally by the landscape of Detroit. Working 7,000km and multiple time zones apart, having never met in person, their individual expressions intertwine in soundscapes reminiscent of techno’s origin and exist in a way only capable in our present time. Devoted as ever to the roots of Detroit techno, Goldberg and Piseddu have built a magnificent album around the Detroit Map Series theme conceptualized by DU label founder Kero and designed by Neubau Berlin.

Opener GUARDIAN pays homage to Detroit’s Art Deco landmark skyscraper exploring rigid textures and a mosaic of tones reflective of the building’s diverse composition.

STRUCTURE escalates through synth leads and drum breaks ascending into a powerful high-rise track.

MCS carves through an array of percussion and crooning acid as you might imagine the sounds of Detroit’s former train depot, at one time used by thousands of passengers per day traveling to and from Detroit.

FOUNDATION’s original mix and rework get down to the literal with vocal samples calling out the project’s muse. Sickboy’s dynamic hits and 313 Acid Queen’s bubbling acid lines are truly reflective of both producers’ individuality within the collaboration.

RENAISSANCE represents a continued era of rebirth and is more literally named for the group of connected skyscrapers whose central tower stands as Detroit’s tallest building.

Adopted Berliner hailing originally from the US, Kyle Geiger is not just an experienced DJ and producer, having already released on staple techno imprints Soma, Perc Trax and Droid, but also a budding production teacher via his Twitch livestream started during the first lockdown of 2020. When he’s not sharing knowledge about DAWs and shedding light on diverse voices in the music scenes, he also runs his labels Cubero and Front Left.

Across three techno excursions, collectively dubbed 'Bellhouse' and numbered 1 to 3, Kyle uses recurrent themes and motifs to craft intricate techno rollers in different forms. 'Bellhouse 1' stands out as a peak time dancefloor track, complete with heavy-hitting percussion, a dramatic lead and scintillating hi hats. 'Bellhouse 2' on the other hand comes off as a more subtle, restrained groove, whose nervousness can keep the energy high, while the third track can be found more on the dubby side, with metallic synths and mechanical whirs atop a steadily evolving marching bass. Hosts Rebar take on 'Bellhouse 2' giving it their own spin - distilling its fidgety atmosphere into a more anchored, mind-bending slow burner.

With a 20-year-experience each in the music production, Digital Cut & Dance Soldiah are joining forces for an ambitious project entitled “Kensei/Sensei Riddim”, supported by Canna France, to be released on June 18, 2021. This double “One Riddim” album brings together 21 international artists of 6 different nationalities on 20 titles. The project is built on an innovative concept as 10 tracks are from female artists and the other 10 from male artists. Equality and parity is the essential value placed at the center of this new project.

Women are represented by the artists Khalia, Denyque, LMK, Sophia Squire, Thaïs Lona & Myriam Sow, Queen Omega, Ikaya, SumeRR, Bad Gyal Jade, Nattali Rize & Minori and men by Pressure, Jah Vinci, Blacko, Million Stylez, Skarra Mucci, Turbulence, Stranjah Miller, Riflah and Charly B.

The complementary sounds of the 2 instrumentals (or "riddims") will delight all Reggae/Dancehall fans and purists. The artwork is signed by the artist KAMO, one the French leader in manga culture, who created 2 original illustrations for the occasion.

The first music video taken from the project was released in February 2021 with the track “No Better Day” by Jamaican rising star Khalia. The track is already airplayed on radios in more than 40 countries around the world and is set to become a real hit in Jamaica. The second single highlights the French female artist LMK with a beautiful video shot in Colombia. The entire album will then be released on June 18, 2021 and more music videos will follow !

Dieses ausgegrabene Matthew Dear Album wurde ursprünglich nach seinem gefeierten Album Asa Breed (2007) aufgenommen. Für Fans von Beck, Bill Callahan/Smog, Bibio. In erster Linie kennt man den gefragten texanischen DJ und Elektronikproduzenten Matthew Dear seit über zwanzig Jahren als Grenzgänger der Clubmusik, der nur im erweiterten Sinne als Popmusiker aktiv ist. Auf seinem 'neuen' Studioalbum überrascht der US-Musiker jetzt mit ungewöhnlichen Klängen. "Preacher's Sigh & Potion: Lost Album" wurde vor zehn Jahren aufgenommen, aber das Material nie veröffentlicht. Inspiriert vom Gitarrenspiel seines verstorbenen Vaters und klassischen Country-Folk-Favoriten wie Emmylou Harris, wendete Dear an, was er über Techno-Arrangements wusste, um einen organischen, loop-zentrierten Sound zu erforschen, der bluesig, persönlich und verspielt ist und die Geschichte von Pop und Rock, den Twang von Country, den Aufbau und das Loslassen von Techno durcheinander wirbelt.

This was the ardent wish of thousands of fans calling out to Andi Deris, Michael Kiske, Michael Weikath, Kai Hansen, Markus Grosskopf, Sascha Gerstner and Dani Löble during the PUMPKINS UNITED WORLD TOUR - and their dream has come true! With the upcoming album, simply titled HELLOWEEN, the band opens a new chapter after 35 years of a glorious career. The future of one of the most influential German metal bands from now on will feature three singers. Originally planned for the live performances only, it was the birth of a unique seven piece metal alliance.

Dani Löble: ”This record is the coronation of the PUMPKINS UNITED journey! Still today I am fascinated by the different character traits and facets of the HELLOWEEN history. As an example I’d like to point out the legendary voices of Michi, Andi and Kai. To enjoy them now together on one record, under one flag is the ultimate HELLOWEEN experience”. It is therefore not surprising that the pre-release single SKYFALL, a 12 minute epos written by Kai Hansen, has the long yearned “Keeper-vibe” - even if the long player can by no means be limited to it. SKYFALL implies the musical arch which will be loved by fans of every era. This first album of a new age is taking the fans from unforgettable memories of the fifteen studio records and four live CD’s to new adventures. SKYFALL begins with a bang. The epic track describes an alien landing on earth and a dramatic chase while Kiske, Deris and Hansen duel with each other in a breathtaking manner and create a vocal broadband adventure. Produced by Martin Häusler, it is the most elaborate video clip in the history of the band; shown with 3-D animation and having a cinematic look, this video is a real high-end experience.

”FEAR OF THE FALLEN” – the second single is a fast paced, melodic track done the way only Deris can do it. ”I had so much fun not only writing a song for my voice but also for one of the greatest singers out there. I always have an extremely broad smile on my face when I hear Michi singing my melodies“, says Deris and Kiske adds: ”The whole process, including the spirit, was just ideal. If I had the feeling that one of the parts would not be really fitting, I asked Andi if he would sing it and vice versa. There was no competition whatsoever – what counted was what is best for the respective song. I am thankful to be (again) a part of this crazy family. I love them all”. Along with massive album tracks such as HELLOWEEN classic and album opener “OUT FOR THE GLORY“, the epic “DOWN IN THE DUMPS”, both written by Weikath, the power metal shouter “MASS POLLUTION“ by Deris and Grosskopf’s scuff proof rocker “INDESTRUCTIBLE“ (which could be an analogy towards the unbreakable career of the band), the album release is flanked by the ‘party-track‘ of the record, “BEST TIME“. Lyrically the song by Sascha Gerstner reminds of the good old days, musically it´s convincing with confident HELLOWEEN style guitar harmonies and a chorus that stays in your long-term memory after hearing it for the first time.

“HELLOWEEN“ offers a complete metal universe within 12 songs. The base of this milestone album was already erected in the studio: using the original drum kit of Ingo Schwichtenberg, the recording was done with the same modulators at the Hamburg HOME studios where back then ”Master Of The Rings“, ”The Time Of The Oath“ and ”Better Than Raw“ were recorded. Completely analog and under the eyes of long term producer Charlie Bauerfeind and co-producer Dennis Ward, the UNITED impact travelled to New York and got the final mix in the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Rammstein).

Returnee Kai Hansen reflects: ”Being in the studio with my old companions after 30 years was very emotional for me. But at the same time it was a completely different experience with the ‘new‘ boys. The collaboration of different songwriters and strong characters made the album very special: a unique mix with reminiscences from all chapters of the band’s history. HELLOWEEN is a big part of my life and I am looking forward to celebrating the songs live for and with our fans“! From another perspective Markus Grosskopf agrees: ”For me, being one of the last “survivors” who played every note from the beginning, it was a fantastic experience and a very emotional process. I think everyone can hear it on this album. I love it“. When it came to capturing the larger-than-life emotions in the artwork, it quickly became clear that it was only possible as a handmade painting on which the important topics of the band's history are processed. The work of Berlin based artist Eliran Kantor has achieved this and visually underscores the fact that the band cherishes all parts of their history. With all this brand new material an album has been created, an album that is set apart from the digital mainstream and showing the essence of the band was never more solid. This is the beginning of something big – here comes HELLOWEEN!

This was the ardent wish of thousands of fans calling out to Andi Deris, Michael Kiske, Michael Weikath, Kai Hansen, Markus Grosskopf, Sascha Gerstner and Dani Löble during the PUMPKINS UNITED WORLD TOUR - and their dream has come true! With the upcoming album, simply titled HELLOWEEN, the band opens a new chapter after 35 years of a glorious career. The future of one of the most influential German metal bands from now on will feature three singers. Originally planned for the live performances only, it was the birth of a unique seven piece metal alliance.

Dani Löble: ”This record is the coronation of the PUMPKINS UNITED journey! Still today I am fascinated by the different character traits and facets of the HELLOWEEN history. As an example I’d like to point out the legendary voices of Michi, Andi and Kai. To enjoy them now together on one record, under one flag is the ultimate HELLOWEEN experience”. It is therefore not surprising that the pre-release single SKYFALL, a 12 minute epos written by Kai Hansen, has the long yearned “Keeper-vibe” - even if the long player can by no means be limited to it. SKYFALL implies the musical arch which will be loved by fans of every era. This first album of a new age is taking the fans from unforgettable memories of the fifteen studio records and four live CD’s to new adventures. SKYFALL begins with a bang. The epic track describes an alien landing on earth and a dramatic chase while Kiske, Deris and Hansen duel with each other in a breathtaking manner and create a vocal broadband adventure. Produced by Martin Häusler, it is the most elaborate video clip in the history of the band; shown with 3-D animation and having a cinematic look, this video is a real high-end experience.

”FEAR OF THE FALLEN” – the second single is a fast paced, melodic track done the way only Deris can do it. ”I had so much fun not only writing a song for my voice but also for one of the greatest singers out there. I always have an extremely broad smile on my face when I hear Michi singing my melodies“, says Deris and Kiske adds: ”The whole process, including the spirit, was just ideal. If I had the feeling that one of the parts would not be really fitting, I asked Andi if he would sing it and vice versa. There was no competition whatsoever – what counted was what is best for the respective song. I am thankful to be (again) a part of this crazy family. I love them all”. Along with massive album tracks such as HELLOWEEN classic and album opener “OUT FOR THE GLORY“, the epic “DOWN IN THE DUMPS”, both written by Weikath, the power metal shouter “MASS POLLUTION“ by Deris and Grosskopf’s scuff proof rocker “INDESTRUCTIBLE“ (which could be an analogy towards the unbreakable career of the band), the album release is flanked by the ‘party-track‘ of the record, “BEST TIME“. Lyrically the song by Sascha Gerstner reminds of the good old days, musically it´s convincing with confident HELLOWEEN style guitar harmonies and a chorus that stays in your long-term memory after hearing it for the first time.

“HELLOWEEN“ offers a complete metal universe within 12 songs. The base of this milestone album was already erected in the studio: using the original drum kit of Ingo Schwichtenberg, the recording was done with the same modulators at the Hamburg HOME studios where back then ”Master Of The Rings“, ”The Time Of The Oath“ and ”Better Than Raw“ were recorded. Completely analog and under the eyes of long term producer Charlie Bauerfeind and co-producer Dennis Ward, the UNITED impact travelled to New York and got the final mix in the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Rammstein).

Returnee Kai Hansen reflects: ”Being in the studio with my old companions after 30 years was very emotional for me. But at the same time it was a completely different experience with the ‘new‘ boys. The collaboration of different songwriters and strong characters made the album very special: a unique mix with reminiscences from all chapters of the band’s history. HELLOWEEN is a big part of my life and I am looking forward to celebrating the songs live for and with our fans“! From another perspective Markus Grosskopf agrees: ”For me, being one of the last “survivors” who played every note from the beginning, it was a fantastic experience and a very emotional process. I think everyone can hear it on this album. I love it“. When it came to capturing the larger-than-life emotions in the artwork, it quickly became clear that it was only possible as a handmade painting on which the important topics of the band's history are processed. The work of Berlin based artist Eliran Kantor has achieved this and visually underscores the fact that the band cherishes all parts of their history. With all this brand new material an album has been created, an album that is set apart from the digital mainstream and showing the essence of the band was never more solid. This is the beginning of something big – here comes HELLOWEEN!

One of the most significant collections in Trojan’s immense catalogue, the ‘The Trojan Story’ album dramatically changed the perception of Jamaican music among the general British public outside of the country’s Afro-Caribbean population.

Prior to its release in 1971 there had never been an attempt to present a comprehensive anthology of the island’s musical development, with vintage ska, rock steady and reggae widely regarded as obsolete and of precious little merit.

The treble disc set, which became an instant best-seller, had been the brainchild of Trojan’s label manager and Black Music fan, Rob Bell, who, assisted by Trojan stalwarts, Dandy, Webster Shrowder and Joe Sinclair, produced arguably the most significant Jamaican music retrospectives of all time.

Now, 50 years following its original release, this hugely influential album has been revisited by Bell, along with reggae musician, Rusty Zinn, who have succeeded in improving what was already an almost perfect collection.

Presented in the original eye-catching artwork, the set is further enhanced by a highly illustrated 50-page booklet in which Bell relates the stories behind the release and the 50 tracks featured on the compilation.

Demon Records is proud to present the ultimate reissue of the Yardbirds’ 1966 album Yardbirds, (often known as ‘Roger
the Engineer’.) Recorded by the classic line up of Jeff Beck, Keith Relf, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja and Paul Samwell-Smith,
the band began exploring new sonic territories, pushing their blues-rock sound into the realms of the avant-garde,
psychedelia and Indian music. Using original tapes, this super deluxe edition features new and definitive remastering by
Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering at AIR, overseen by original album producer Paul Samwell-Smith.
"Remastering this album has been a joy. To hear the tracks sounding just as we heard them all those years ago while we were
recording them - energetic, edgy, and in your face - is an unexpected treat. In 1966, it was a rare and exciting opportunity to be
given a recording studio for 5 days and allowed to experiment. That excitement still shows." – Paul Samwell-Smith
“This is what rock ‘n’ roll beauty is - the true freedom of creative impulse.” – Thurston Moore
“The Yardbirds produced some of the most compelling musical art of the 20th century.” – Wayne Kramer

Wenn eine Band sich von ihrem langjährigen Klangbild löst und - wieder einmal - häutet, kann sie heute alles Mögliche sein. Großes Orchester oder Laptop-Projekt. Das Skizzenhafte kann neben dem Ausgefeilten stehen. Das Beeindruckende neben dem Unscheinbaren. Das Aufwändige neben dem Simplen. Die Frage ist nur: Will man das überhaupt? Und wenn ja: Zieht man das durch? Auf ihrem neunten Album "Talks Of Paradise" präsentieren Slut sich in einem ungewohnten und neuen Soundgewand. Die Gitarrenwände haben sie ersetzt, das Klanggewitter neu gedacht. Stattdessen gibt es analoge elektronische Töne, eine tiefe Transparenz und einige beinahe minimalistische Skizzen. Den hymnischen Indie-Sound ihrer früheren Alben gibt es immer noch. Das hört man unter anderem auf der Vorab-Single "For The Soul There Is No Hospital". Es geht aber nicht darum, zwanghaft etwas Neues zu versuchen. Oder um den Zweikampf Synthie vs. Gitarre. Vielmehr um das Abschalten von Automatismen. Um eine Suche nach dem Momentum. Auch wenn dabei anfangs ein Mosaik aus vermeintlich widersprüchlichen Eindrücken entsteht. Slut ist etwas bemerkenswertes gelungen: Eine etablierte Band aus Leuten und Freunden, die sich schon sehr lange kennen, hat sich entschieden etwas wirklich Neues zu wagen. Und das auf der gesamten Strecke. Tell your friends!

• Widely and rightly regarded as one of the best ever soul and funk bands, the now legendary Average White Band tore-up
the rule book and conquered the US, UK & International charts with a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980.
• AWB’s repertoire has been a source of inspiration and influence for many R&B acts and they are one of the most sampled
bands in history, remaining relevant today, continuing to reach new generations of younger audiences.
• Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, Ice Cube, Puff Daddy, TLC, Rick Ross, will.i.am and Mark Ronson amongst countless others, have
all borrowed sections of their grooves.
• ‘Cover To Cover/Soul To Soul’, is a collection showcasing their take on classic recordings, both Soul and otherwise and
demonstrates why they were totally embraced as an authentic R&B band in the USA.
• ‘Cover To Cover....’ also includes for the first time on vinyl, their 2017 recording of The Isley Brothers ‘Harvest For The
World’, which was produced by and features Chris Jasper.
• Average White Band remain highly influential and this collection, shows why they have remained so powerfully important.





e a5. I Heard It Through The Grapevine [Live – Edit]

[g] b2. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me [Live]

Chart-breaking German folk rock institution SUBWAY TO SALLY have carved a unique live experience in stone with their upcoming release, Eisheilige Nacht: Back To Lindenpark, out on BluRay/DVD/CD on June 18, 2021 via Napalm Records. Since their foundation in the early ‘90s, SUBWAY TO SALLY have established themselves at the top of the scene. Having released thirteen studio records so far, the seven-piece featuring the remarkable Eric Fish on vocal duties never fails in surprising their devotees with an ingenious symbiosis of folk, heavy metal and rock. In the course of time, it became a tradition to celebrate every year with numerous fans and a final live show on December 30. What started as Eisheilige Nacht - with sold out solo-gigs in the band's hometown of Potsdam at the venue Lindenpark - turned into a whole annual festival tour shortly after, where top-notch bands heeded the call to join SUBWAY TO SALLY for some magical evenings. Due to the pandemic, 2020’s edition couldn’t take place in its usual form. As a result, the German folk rock unit decided to offer an unforgettable lockdown live event which they hope will be a unique way to fill the gap until they return to the stage. SUBWAY TO SALLY returned to Lindenpark and - supported by many great artists like Chris Harms (Lord Of The Lost), Joachim Witt, Feuerschwanz, Schandmaul, Saltatio Mortis, Major Voice and Patty Gurdy - created an extraordinary live experience. In an intimate setting, the recording starts with “Messias” and “Königin der Käfer” from the band’s latest chart-breaking full-length, Hey! (DE #5). SUBWAY TO SALLY then continue to not only travel through their own discography with songs like eerie “Unsterblich”, animated “Tanz auf dem Vulkan” and live-sensation “Grausame Schwester”, but also present a bunch of enchanting features as well: Don’t miss when highly talented Birgit Muggenthaler-Schmack and Saskia Forkert (Schandmaul) join SUBWAY TO SALLY for Schandmaul’s “Dein Anblick” and a premier version of “Kleid aus Rosen”, or when the band sets the exceptional stage on fire for an explosive performance with Saltatio Mortis on their hit “Sie Tanzt allein” - just to name a selection.

The seminal new album from progressive Death Metal troupe ALUSTRIUM. The passion project of virtuoso guitarists Chris Kelly and Mike DeMaria (both are also ex members of Galactic Empire). Essential for fans of Rivers of Nihil, Between the Buried and Me, Xenobiotic, Amorphis and Soilwork.

The seminal new album from progressive Death Metal troupe ALUSTRIUM. The passion project of virtuoso guitarists Chris Kelly and Mike DeMaria (both are also ex members of Galactic Empire). Essential for fans of Rivers of Nihil, Between the Buried and Me, Xenobiotic, Amorphis and Soilwork.

Blue Lab Beats sind momentan eines der gefragtesten Produktionsduos der Welt und stehen für einen Sound, dem sie selbst den Namen Jazztronica gegeben haben und in dem Elemente von Jazz, Hip-Hop, Soul, Funk, R&B, Boom-Bap und Musik der afrikanischen Diaspora zusammenfließen.
Ihre erste EP bei Blue Note enthält fünf großartige Tracks, darunter den Kracher “Blow You Away (Delilah)”.
Die fröhliche Nummer ist unüberhörbar von westafrikanischem Highlife und Afrobeat inspiriert und featuret den aus Ghana stammenden, aber heute in London ansässigen Sänger Ghetto Boy, der als “Prinz” der dortigen Afrobeat-Szene bezeichnet wird. Ein weiteres Highlight ist der Track “Nights In Havana”, der
Hörer/innen mit souligen Jazzfusion-Klängen und einem Solo des jungen Gitarristen Alex Blake in karibische Gefilde lockt. In der slicken Titelnummer “We Will Rise” setzt sich der Bostoner Saxofonist Braxton
Cook in Szene, der schon mit Rihanna und Solange Knowles auf der Bühne stand. Das letzte Wort auf der
EP hat in “Tempting (Dance 2)” schließlich der momentan omnipräsente Rapper Kojey Radical, der auch
auf dem neuen Album von Sons Of Kemet glänzt

”Saskadelphia” steht sinnbildlich für den kreativen und Live-Höhepunkt von The Tragically Hip und gilt
als das verlorene Album der Band. Es kommt nun als Teil der einjährigen Feier zum 30-jährigen Jubiläum
von ’Road Apples’.
Der Albumtitel entstand durch die Vielzahl an Live-Shows der Band zu der Zeit, da sie nie wussten,
ob sie in Saskatchewan oder Philadelphia aufwachen würden. Als der Titel abgelehnt wurde, antwortete
die Band mit ’Horseshit...Road Apples’ und Road Apples’ wurde dann ausgerechnet das erste #1 Album
der Band in Kanada erreichte schließlich Diamantstatus.
Das Album beinhaltet alle bisher unveröffentlichten Tracks, wurde von Don Smith (Tom Petty & The
Heartbreakers, Keith Richards, 10.000 Maniacs, Roy Orbison) produziert und in den Barris-Studios in New
Orleans 1990 aufgenommen. Mit dabei auch die Single und das Video - # 1 ’Ouch’.

180g schwarzes Vinyl, Cover auf 300g GC1 INSIDE/OUT, gefütterte Innenhülle, 2seitiges Insert, Downloadcode. Tony Conrads Konzept von Minimal Music als Maximalismus des Ausdrucks ist eine der Inspirationen für TRIALOGOS. Die Musik entsteht aus der Spannung zwischen den Beiträgen der drei Akteure Conny Ochs, Sicker Man und Kiki Bohemia, die aus unterschiedlichen musikalischen Subszenen stammen. Im Zusammenspiel ergeben sich so musikalische 'Trialoge'. Das Ergebnis sind kinematografische Klangflächen, die sowohl helle Interferenzen schaffen, als auch düstere, verzerrte Wirklichkeiten verbergen. Dabei wirken die Stücke des Debüt-Albums "Stroh zu Gold" hoch emotional. Sie sind das Ergebnis einer kollektiven Improvisation und Instant Composition, und eben keine Konstruktion. TRIALOGOS sind: Conny Ochs, Sicker Man and Kiki Bohemia. Conny Ochs ist längst fester Bestandteil der Exile-On-Mainstream-Familie. Zeugen sind seine Solo-Alben und natürlich die Kollaborationen mit Doom-Legende Scott "Wino" Weinrich. Tobias Vethake ist Multiinstrumentalist und Komponist. Als Komponist von Schauspiel- und Filmmusiken arbeitete er u.a. am Volkstheater Wien und dem Imperial War Museum London und schrieb Soundtracks u.a. für Muxmäuschenstill (D), Bye Bye Berlusconi (I) und Seance (US). Er ist auch Produzent und Co-Autor diverser internationaler Vero?ffentlichungen (z.B. Serengeti (US / Anticon), SchneiderTM (D / Editions Mego), Gregor Schwellenbach (D / Kompakt). Die Berliner Musikerin und Sängerin Kiki Bohemia produziert und veröffentlicht eigenes Material und kollaboriert mit internationalen Künstlern unterschiedlichster musikalischer Genres (z.B. Yann Tiersen, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Blainbieter, The Crack-Up Collective). Echtzeitkompositionen, Live- Filmvertonungen, Musik fu?r Kunstinstallationen, Performances und Live-Ho?rspiele sind Zeugnisse ihrer Affinität zu experimentellen und aleatorischen Auffu?hrungsansa?tzen und Improvisation (u.a. Documenta Kassel 2012, Schauspielhaus Hamburg, Sophiensaele Berlin, Kater Holzig, Deutschlandradio Kultur).

London-based musician Harriet Zoe Pittard aka Zoee has been described as an artist who writes 'personal pop for people who don't fit in' (Huck Magazine). Previously, Zoee has released singles through Ryan Hemworth's 'Secret Songs' imprint and Vegyn's label Plz Make It Ruins, as well as guesting as a vocalist on tracks with Hot Chip's Joe Goddard and with hyper-pop collective PC Music.Over the past two years Zoee has taken some time to nurture her voice and her sound. Her debut album 'Flaw Flower' is due on June 25th. 'Flaw Flower' is an honest and vulnerable glimpse into Zoee's interior world, a world she creates through marrying her real-life phone notes with imagery taken from modern works of literature such as "The Flowering Corpse" by Djuna Barnes, Sylvia Plath's "A Winter Ship" and Maggie Nelson's "Bluets". Through these 11 new songs, Zoee delves deep into her own emotional life, combining aspects of the everyday with the surreal in order to uncover the beauty found in being flawed. The record nods to the avant pop of the 80s, an era that Zoee has always been drawn to thanks to the expressive and trailblazing music of women including Anne Clark, Joan Armatrading, Cyndi Lauper, Rose McDowall and Anna Domino. The album is characterised by a mix of hi-fi and lo-fi instrumentation. 'The Loft' features a free jazz solo from acclaimed experimental saxophonist Ben Vince alongside stock GarageBand synths. 'Host' combines home demo backing vocals with an elaborate baby grand piano solo. Zoee sources foley sounds from YouTube and pulls from her own domestic field recordings, such as a microwave buzzing in 'Microwave' and a shower running in 'Evening Primrose', often using these sounds as the starting point for the songs. Maintaining intimate bedroom elements whilst developing a more expansive band sound, felt integral to the project, since that's where Zoee's writing process often starts, sat on her bed with her laptop and midi keyboard. Writing for the album began in October 2018 when Zoee started working closely again with friend and long-term musical collaborator Rowan Martin. As the material for the record began to take shape the writing and recording process also evolved with the addition of bassist Kyrone Oak and keys player Laura Norman, as well as contributions from Ben Vince and London pop artist Saint Torrente. "I feel like the songs on this album took me deeper into myself, the sad song that I thought was about a boy is still about that but it's also about loss, about self-determination, about not losing hope, about memory, about domesticity, about detachment, about my dad, about my mum, about change, about feeling incredibly alone, about growing up."

Here’s a monster of its own. Not to be confused with Trevor Jackson early 2000 project (even if the british producer has obviously been informed by post-punk, dub, post-industrial and the likes) Playgroup was more than anything a collective, based somewhere around Bristol and London. Drummer Bruce Smith was the key figure behind the project. Neneh Cherry husband and fabulous motorik force for The Pop Group, The Slits, New Age Steppers, African Head Charge and – more recently - Public Image Limited, Bruce brought the post-punk aura into the realm of controlled chaos with several partners in crime.

Playgroup is the so-called English version of Jamaican dub, informed by the industrial revolution and the studio wizardy of On U Sound acolytes. Crucial Tony (Creation Rebel, Dub Syndicate, Singers & Players) on bass and guitars, Sean Oliver (New Age Steppers, Rip Rig & Panic) on guitar, the almighty Style Scott (Creation Rebel, Dub Syndicate, New Age Steppers) on drums and percussionists Eskimo (African Head Charge, Creation Rebel, Mark Stewart And The Maffia) and Bonjo I (African Head Charge) are among the main conspirators here. Produced by none else tham Adrian Sherwwod Epic Sound Battles Chaper One still resonates with its original dark humor and guerrilla warfare tactics.

Federico Durand’s music is a weave of sound searching introspection and delight through simple melodies, made in the heart of Argentina. Federico likes music, gardens, John Keats’ poetry, collecting stamps and Earl Grey tea. Since 2010 he has been released on various labels such as 12k, Home Normal, IIKKI, Spekk, White Paddy Mountain and more.

"Herbario is the Spanish name given to a collection of dried plants and flowers preserved in an album. The collector usually writes with pencil the name of the herb, the place and date of collection, thoughts, and the habitat where the plant was collected from.

I live in a place surrounded by mountains and wild gardens which are, to me, a source of inexhaustible beauty. Through them I feel the passage of time: an ancient, circular temporality that follows the course of seasons, dialogues with the dark stillness of the mountain and the moon calendar. Each musical piece of Herbario has the name of my favourite flowers and trees.

Through a year of uncertainty, from March 2020 to March 2021, I composed this album in the same way a botanist would have proceeded: collecting and preserving simple, broken and hypnotic melodies." - F. D. / La Cumbre, Argentina.

On "APHEXions", the Brussels pianist with French roots Dorian Dumont - key member of the electro jazz band ECHT! - is expressing his love for one of his greatest musical heroes: Aphex Twin. Contrary to what one would expect, there are no electronics involved in this album, but he carefully transcribes a wide selection of Richard David James' music to grand piano, giving the songs a whole new dimension. Rave classics like Polynomial-C and Xtal are being stripped to the core while on tracks like Nannou, Kesson Daslef or Fingerbibb he stays truthful to the minimalistic aesthetics from the original tracks.

As an accomplished jazz pianist, he improvises on the various themes and injects it with a tinge of blues here and there. As a result, this homage record captures both the simple beauty and the unruly complexity of Aphex Twin. But above all, it sounds like refreshing new music that immediately puts Dorian Dumont on the map as a solo pianist!

Esteban Adame aka Frequencia drops the track list for an intergalactic backyard party with the Chicano Boombox EP. Esteban’s music career started as a DJ in L.A.’s East Side backyard party scene, he then stepped up his musical game by collecting gear and studying the piano. His evolution into a professional musician led him to gigs around L.A.’s jazz and salsa scenes. But he never lost his love for DJ culture and electronic music and that led him to join Mad Mike’s Galaxy 2 Galaxy band through his mutual friendships with UR’s Santiago Salazar and Yaxteq’s own DJ Dex. He’s released music on esteemed labels such as Underground Quality, Dolly, Mister Saturday Night, EPM, Jealous God and more. He also collaborates with DJ Dex as El Coyote.

“Rush The Floor” makes you want to do just that with its hypnotic lead synth and a breakdown that will leave the dancefloor wanting more. “Deep Function” flexes musical chops via soulful chords and a perfectly timed solo all riding over a thumping house beat. “Still Here” recalls classic Detroit Techno methodology as a reminder to keep the inspiration flowing. The EP is rounded out with “The Promise” a driving yet euphoric track perfect for watching the sunrise after a long night.

Since first emerging in the latter half of the noughties, Guillaume Metenier’s Soul Sugar project has evolved considerably. Initially a trio built around the virtuoso organist’s love of ‘60s and ‘70s soul-jazz and Hammond funk – Metenier studied under jazz organ legend Dr Lonnie Smith – Soul Sugar is now a collaborative collective that draws just as much influence from classic Jamaican dub and reggae as the works of Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff.

The outfit’s musical evolution comes into sharp focus on Excursions in Soul, Reggae, Funk & Dub, a collection of hard-to-find tracks that have been released at different points, and on different vinyl formats, over the last three years. Taken as a whole, the set offers a stunning snapshot of Soul Sugar’s rapidly expanding catalogue of classics. Metenier is once again at the controls but this time round Soul Sugar’s cast list of contributing musicians includes Sly & Robbie, Blundetto, Lone Ark, Slikk Tim, Thomas Naim and honey-voiced soul singer Leo Carmichael. Metenier also stars as a musician, providing lively and ear-catching organ solos under his now familiar Booker Gee alias.

What’s most noticeable from the off is the richness of the reggae riddims, the warmness of the instrumentation and the effortlessly soulful nature of the music. This is particularly evident on the collective’s stunning covers of Luther Vandross’s "Never Too Much" and Marvin Gaye’s "I Want You": effortlessly sunny and life-affirming interpretations that re-imagine the tracks as sumptuous slabs of reggae-soul and provide a platform for Leo Carmichael’s inspiring and comforting voice. Metenier and friends’ take on dub reggae – toasty, authentically bass-heavy and seeped in analogue effects – can also be admired on "Matumbee" and "Cool Down", the latter a digi-dub influenced affair rich in colourful synths sounds, echoing delay trails and sub-bass so deep it will rattle your teeth. Both also contain lusciously jazzy guitar licks and some incredible keys-work from Metenier.The guiding hand of Spanish multi-instrumentalist and producer Lone Ark can be heard on album opener "Aximites" – think Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry producing Jimmy Smith – and "Faith", an expertly breezy concoction that sports Jackie Mittoo-esque Hammond B3 solos from Metenier over a luscious backing track that sounds like something that may have emerged from Studio One in the mid 1970s. The collective’s love of Studio One is explored further on a sweaty, reggae-funk cover of "Greedy" that features fabulous drums, bass and guitar from Slikk Tim, while "Out In The Rain" is an authentically sparse, spaced-out dub number laden with fluid instrument solos and devilishly heavy riddim.
Part compilation, part artist album, part collaborative celebration of dub-soul fusion, Excursions in Soul, Reggae, Funk & Dub is the strongest statement yet of who Soul Sugar are, and where they’re going.

African, funky, sarcastic, bewitching, green, ecstatic: these words collide to describe Vaudou Game and all of them are true.

Noussin is the fourth album of the french Afro Funk band. Forced into lockdown, like much of the planet, Peter Solo and his Vaudou Game had no choice but to retreat into the studio. A reunion to once again invoke the spiritual forces of the Voodoo Deities. A reunion that was Initially imagined for an EP…yet these spiritual forces behind that imagination yearned for something more, and as we all know, these forces are impossible to push away once they have decided to stay.

Under the strain enforced by the current socioeconomic climate, as much as by the environmental peril that faces us all today - they diverted the course of the groove towards daring new vibrations. Without extinguishing or diminishing its highly communicative power, they released Vaudou Game from its origins of pure Afro-Funk to gradually engage into compositions which crystallized themselves into tones resembling more rock than funk.

On this fourth album, with an entirely revisited line-up, Peter Solo separates for the first time in his career from his brassy guard, leaving saxophone, trumpet and trombone outside to invite an arsenal of keyboards to define, with him, this new voodoo sound. A sound, as usual, built on vintage and precise analogical material - grime even on the white side of the tape, a blunt instrument used to blanket anything that strived to shine too much in the mix.

Graced with tapered guitars stringing out rhythmic bumps or withdrawing a few beats to indulge in infectious solos, this album is boisterously alive with vintage 70's Funk, infused with a few digressions into other ethers of the funk timeline, nicking different sounds and frequencies to render the black and white keys of an inspired keyboard to reach new euphoric levels of melodic acidity.

Tearing off the enigmatic mask to reveal his true face: on a few titles, Peter Solo ventures outside of his sacred voodoo range to reconnect with his London years, these titles feature small nods to the time he spent in “The Smoke” where the incantations of British music culture were written within him.

Noussin which means “Stay strong” in Mina, a dialect spoken in the south-west of Togo. Noussin, a message of hope as much as a call to come together to weather the turmoil and to come out better on the other side. Don’t let them grind you down…Noussin!

50th anniversary of the legendary Philadelphia International Records label founded in 1971 by innovative and prolific songwriters/producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff. This superb compilation showcases the sophisticated sound associated with the label also known as 'The Sound of Philadelphia'. Featuring the legendary roster of music stars who helped bring these chart topping disco, R&B, soul and funk sounds to life including The O’Jays Patti LaBelle, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls, McFadden Whitehead, The Three Degrees, Phyllis Hyman, The Intruders and the ultimate 'house band' MFSB. A 12 song album pressed on a standrad single black vinyl. Marketing.

OPTIC NERVE / STRAND ......define Detroit techno definitively and beautifully through their respective sense of dance from the Motor City. The 12 inch kicks off with the voice of Brian Bonds from Strand simply stating what you are in for and it is indeed a treat. The "Optic Nerve Meets Strand" opener is a mature track with all the colorful strings and funky bass the two groups have brought for over 20 years, ready for the dance floor. B side) "Factor It N" (Mix 1) is a Strand experiment filled with layered bass pads exploding through the speakers and is one of those rare tracks that leads you to listen to hear what comes next. "Factor It N" (K1 Mix) is Keith Tucker's electro persona bringing the electro heads to the dance floor with intricate, precise bass lines thumping within the beats and claps smacking you in the face.......

The Journey is the autobiographical account of Folamour's last two years, spent between airports and stages, London, France and the rest of the world, between crowds and solitudes, between highs and lows. The album, due out in June, is composed of metropolises and no-man's-land, inspired by moments that surprised and touched the artist. To express all these emotions, Folamour puts aside samples and computers to concentrate on writing lyrics, recording strings and brass, drums and vocals in order to be as close as possible to the moment. No limits of format, nor of genre, the total freedom to choose the tool adapted to the picture. This album is the sum of chance and encounters, an initiatory rite, as much in form as in content, the tale of a life with all that it can contain of joys and trials, as much in its writing and production as in its message, "The Journey" mixes contemporary sadness, isolation of artists, but also wonder at the simple pleasures of life and the discoveries it brings with it, it is neither a joyful nor a sad and disillusioned tale, it is the sum of all that and the rest too. Cover album adapted from a painting by Tomás Sánchez "Meditador en la laguna" from 1995. Edited by Koria

Debut release for the brand new mediterranean label ‘R&C Records’ based on just “benessere” (well-being).

It opens with ‘Eram’ a nice italo-balearic flavoured fusion between Carella’s sounds & sea winds, ruffled by drums of “Soul”.

On the flip-side ‘Key Mon’ is a splash of psycho roller drums on Peter’s magical voice. Shock !!

This definitive rare groove was first released in 1978 but the unique US 7” version from 1980 has not been reissued for over 40 years and has been impossible to find. It sounds how It was originally pressed and is coupled with an extended version of the ultra-rare ‘RED 3’ mix released in the UK on Grapevine, the Richard Searling/John Anderson label that preceded Expansion “Give Me The Sunshine” was composed by Johnny Simone at the time he was working with Stevie Wonder at Motown. Others in the group were Kenny Stover and Alvin Few, all three of them born under the ‘Leo’ star sign. Kenny worked as a songwriter at Motown and lived in the same house as Marvin Gaye at the time “What’s Going On” became an idea. He co-wrote “Inner City Blues” but was only credited much later. The original “I’m Back For More” included here has equal standing in the soul world too, the song later reaching new heights when covered by Al Johnson featuring Jean Carn. Both songs come from the album “We Need Each Other”, long associated with Expansion Records. The two songs featured here first appeared on Expansion 12” in 1986, the launch year of the label which in 2021 celebrates it’s 35th Anniversary.

Bosconi welcomes fellow producer Mattia Lapucci on board with his EP titled Levitated Sensor Detector (LSD) with a massive 4-track that includes a great variety of styles: from Electro to Deep House with a touch of progressive trance reminiscences, all fused in a decidedly original and unique style.
The record opens with "LSD Hallucinogen", surely a floor killer with a retro flavor and EBM inspiration characterized by mechanical grooves with an industrial appeal and a hypnotic voice capable of dragging you into this sonic 'mind bending' vortex.
The second cut of the A side is "Quantum Entaglement" which goes deeper into the territories of the renowned old school 90s Italian house with its recognizable deep basslines and its mysterious sound weaves in full afterhour style.
Side B opens instead with "Density Matrix", a song performed during the quarantine period that resonates in its suggestive hybrid vein between New Beat and Balearic carefree as a nostalgic call to freedom.
The closing piece of this release is finally entrusted to the fluid atmospheres of "Kinematic Postulates" where a relaxed and fascinating proto trance melody will keep you ready for a soft landing in the most psychedelic territories of dance music. One for the Eat Static fans for sure, we hope you dig it!

Another all-time classic from the extensive back catalog of the legendary Miami songstress Gwen McCrae.

"90% Of Me Is You" is instantly recognizable, it's been sampled countless of times by some of the most seminal Hip Hop artists ever (Large Professor, Jaylib, Mobb Deep & more) & is a bonafide "Rare Groove" sure-shot that never loses it's appeal & is always in demand with DJ's & producers. Perhaps it's the pairing of the languid guitar & strings, or Gwen's sultry vocals & that steady breakbeat that keeps people hooked some 40 years after it's original release Whatever it is, it's classic material from start to finish!

Backed here with it's original b-side slow jam "It's Worth The Hurt" this super-rare 45 has been re-mastered, re-pressed & brought back for 2015's dance-floors in conjunction & with the permission of T.K. Disco / Henry Stone Music, Miami USA.

Re-mastering by: Kevin Gray



The best of pianist Horace Tapscott's recordings for the tiny Nimbus label is this 1981 LP which features him in a sextet with trumpeter Reggie Bullen, altoist Gary Bias, tenor saxophonist Sabir Matteen, bassist Roberto Miranda and drummer Everett Brown, Jr. The group stretches out on a couple of Tapscott's originals plus a 19½-minute version of Linda Hill's "Dem Folks." Although the music could be called avant-garde, its use of rhythms and repetition keep the results from being forbidding and the performances have a momentum of their own.

Scott Yanow/AMG

A great group recording from pianist Horace Tapscott – recorded in LA in the early 80s, but done with all the righteousness and spirituality of his earlier albums! Tracks are long and exploratory, but also relatively lyrical too – stretching out with a style that's never too "outside", and which has Horace and the group really soaring to the heavens on the best moments! The group here is a sextet – with the great Gary Bias on alto and soprano saxophone, plus Sabir Matteen on tenor, Reggie Bullen on trumpet, Roberto Miguel Miranda on bass, and Everett Brown on drums and percussion – all working with a cohesiveness that reminds us of some of Tapscott's larger group recordings, but with a cleaner, leaner kind of feel. Titles include "Lately's Solo", "Dial B For Barbara", and "Dem Folks".

Live album by the Swedish supergroup STORMWIND!
This epic and melodic `raw´ live album was recorded at Sweden Rock Festival and has been remastered at redmount studios in Stockholm
Features Sabaton member Joakim Brodén on keyboard!
This is one of the most classic artists in its genre
Crystal clear limited vinyl edition for RSD 2021 (x500 copies)
Featuring members that are/have been active in bands such as; Sabaton, Therion, Hammerfall,
Yngwie Malmsteen, Candlemass, Royal Hunt, Dionysos and more
Re-Mastered by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios (Hellacopters, Alcest, Culf of Luna,
Imperial State Electric, Misery loves Co, Lucifer, Dool, Refused and more…)

Splatter Vinyl

Shall Not Fade welcomes Rotterdam based producer Kessler to the family with six weighty jams for their "Basement Tracks" series. Rising Rotterdam based producer Kessler has been bubbling over the past 12 months with a string of high quality releases on labels such as Yellow Island Records and his own KESSLER TRAX imprint. His first full vinyl outing sees him serve up a bass driven masterpiece for Shall Not Fade's new "Basement Tracks" series. Ambivalent EP is nothing short of spectacular, weighty breaks meet dreamy synth patterns on this killer dance disc.

Over 1.5m albums sold in the UK and 3 consecutive no 1 albums for Noel Gallagher’s High
Flying Birds – plus a record breaking 10 consecutive chart-topping studio albums in the UK
for Noel.
- Debut eponymous album released 17th Oct 2011, debuted at no 1 with 122.5k sales and
achieved double Platinum status less than 6 months post release
- International Magic DVD release of the 02 Arena gig Feb 2012 certified Gold on shipment
-2011-2012 live schedule saw NG HFB visit 32 countries across 6 continents, playing 150
shows over a 15 month period. 406k headline tickets and 1.2m festival tickets sold
- Chasing Yesterday, released 2nd March 2015, no 1 album on release with 89.1k sales and
certified Platinum
- 2015-2016 18 month world tour covering 122 shows in 28 countries. Almost 400k headline
tickets and 1.25m festival tickets
- Who Built The Moon?’ released on 24th Nov 2017 - no 1 with 77,853 sales (almost 35k sales
ahead of no 2), Silver album after only 4 days and certified Gold 2 weeks post release
- Tour covering 59 shows in 17 countries with 245k headline tickets and 550k festival tickets
- Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds released a series of 3 multi-genre EP’s over the course
of 2019 and 2020
- 2019 saw a host of headline festival dates covering 150k tickets sold across the summer
plus tours of the USA and Australia with Smashing Pumpkins and U2 respectively

Rubyworks are pleased to present a vinyl release of 'Marcata', the much-loved 2011 debut album by Dublin rock-trio The Minutes. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of its release. 'Marcata' will be released on a limited edition fluorescent pink vinyl pressing. 'Black Keys' from the album is currently soundtracking a Jameson Whiskey TV advert. 8/10 - The Goes The Fear An underground classic debut from one of Ireland’s loudest - live4ever One of the Top 30 album releases of 2011 - Hot Press. It is as fine a rock record as you'd expect from Ireland, or any other country for that matter - entertainment.ie Artrocker - The greatest rock 'n' roll band in Dublin. **** A cacophonous, confident and crushing slab of authenticity, steeped in the anarchic history of rock 'n' roll – Hot Press “A thundering combination of old school rock 'n roll with modern guitar music. The Minutes have taken their time in getting here and it was worth every second” 8/10 - State.ie **** “You want to bang your head until it and your neck ache” - Irish Daily Mail **** “Loud, energetic and worth the wait” - News Of The World ***1/2 “A melodic and irresistible strut that makes for compelling listening” - Heineken Music *** “This debut booms, bangs and pulsates from the first note. Boiling over with a sense of urgency” - The Sunday Times *** “Fans of straight up, 'classic' rock will find lots to enjoy here” - The Irish Independent “Marcata certainly cements their status as one of the most exciting sounding bands on the scene at the moment” – Goldenplec “Full of raucous thrills and high-voltage riffage” – The Guardian “Authentically gritty, pulse-quickening rock 'n' roll in the grand style” 7/10 – AU magazine “The Minutes’ debut is a classic rock n’ roll album” – We Are Noise “Heavy riffs, urgent vocals, and pounding beats, the way rock'n'roll should be” – The Herald

The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick hail from the City of Brotherly Love, better known as Philadelphia. They boast six members (sometimes seven, if you believe their Facebook page), decorated with strings, keys, guitars, and drums. Dual vocalists weave enchanting lines over a lush landscape of sound that feels like a score of a movie. For a band of such large size it’s not a surprise they know how to fill space, but most impressive is they also know when to leave the space empty.

The debut release from Philadelphia’s The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick. 10 songs that make use of every instrument in their repertoire- strings, keys, drums, guitars, and bells. Dual vocals pepper throughout, playing off each other and weaving through the music to create a beautiful tapestry

Shall Not Fade's Time Is Now series continues to showcase the cutting edge of breaks and bass oriented club music. This time they introduce Groovy D; this new solo project of one third of Sheffield-based trio Denham Audio curates a totally fresh take on garage which is soulful, unique and genre-defying.

Afterworld Groove EP features female vocalists and a collaboration with Time Is Now regular Interplanetary Criminal; vocal heavy tracks are a highlight of the record, taking the garage sound away from the confines of the club. "Outta Control" is one of these tracks; Emma Cannon's vocals walk the edge between soulful and mournful, contrasting the wild breakbeats and deep, dirty bass. The title track uses housey intoned keys; this is daytime garage, made for summer parties. Taking influence from his Sheffield home, "Keep Movin' On" has a classic bassline sound palette, cheeky stabbing synths and hyperactive breaks.

"Project Zeus" opens the B-side: stutters of snare and punching bass are broken through with a classic, uncontrollable bassline; the tongue-in-cheek sample that forms the drop will undoubtedly bring a smile to British fans. More minimalist B2 "Timeless" is a chorus of bubbling ear candy until the rolling sub bass looms into a deep, headsy climax. Manchester's Interplanetary Criminal joins to close the EP; with vocals from Anna Straker, "Higher" takes a genre-spanning approach in hazey garage percs and soaring pads. The tempo is down, and misty, romantic sax forms the backbone.

Weaving its way through the tapestry of influences from Lonnie Liston Smith, Softmachine and Ravi Shankar, the title track takes a more contemporary approach merging U.K. urban / spoken word, with a meandering melancholic melody, driving home the message that it’s a 'Matter of Urgency’.

Opening the recording, 'Jazz Emergency' has a laid back vibe, coasting on a hypnotic bass line, with layered wailing trilled horns, creating a blanket of tenor sax, delayed Rhodes and pianos over and around.

Crooked Urge (Part 1 & 2) (Trk: A2, B1) came about from a first time session with drummer Sergiu Fanica, Ozan and pianist Aziz. Although a jam, the band were keen to share the spirit of this recording!

The track 'Matter of Urgency' is a call to the inner self, to take care of the world around us and to pave a better world for the generations ahead. It is an enchanting fusion of wailing horns with spoken word poetry over the top.

'Sound of Pulsar' is another spaced out journey that came about from a jam night in the studio, bass line looped and off into the musical cosmos...

Once again we thank all the amazing musicians and friends sharing their creativity on this album and to those who inspire us to create!

Neon Finger once again pays tribute to the figure of the great Roger Troutman with the second part of the compilation entitled “We Love You Roger”. Some of the most respected names in the modern funk scene show his love for a key figure, who still remains a huge influence today.

Green Vinyl

Following breakout releases on Love-Hz, Heresy, Genosha and Meta4 Recordings, rising industrial hardcore producer Strange Arrival makes his debut on PRSPCT Recordings. Inspired by a range of science fiction literature, cinema and narrative video games, Anticitizen channels the eerie atmospheres of post-apocalyptic wastelands and the artist's own feelings of isolation into a moody, rollicking four-track self portrait in sound. This one is for all the anticitizens out there!

Standard version on black vinyl. 2LP in gatefold sleeve with liner notes. Utopic Cities is an eclectic selection of forward-thinking jazz from the Belgian underground, including the left-field fusion of Marc Moulin's Placebo, Koen De Bruyne, Solis Lacus and more.

Standard version on black vinyl. 2LP in gatefold sleeve with liner notes. Utopic Cities is an eclectic selection of forward-thinking jazz from the Belgian underground, including the left-field fusion of Marc Moulin's Placebo, Koen De Bruyne, Solis Lacus and more.

Extended Instrumental tracks from the nocturnal studio session of director and musician Jim Jarmusch, Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo, Balázs Pándi (Keiji Haino, Venetian Snares, Merzbow) and producer Marc Urselli (John Zorn, Mike Patton, Laurie Anderson a.o). All was recorded live and analog, and in the moment. Mixed, mastered, recorded and produced by Marc Urselli at EastSide Sound Studios, NYC, 2019. Artwork by Italian artist Sara D'Uva.

press quotes from the debut album (TR181)

Lee Ranaldo/Jim Jarmusch/ Marc Urselli/ Balázs Pándi is an egoless collection of ideas from four musicians who sound like they've been working together for an eternity - Daniel Sylvester, Exclaim! 2019
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It’s exactly this unpredictability that makes the quartet’s evocative sounds thoroughly captivating - Poscic, The Quietus
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A magical, hypnotic and somehow frightening album – Jazzthing 2019

This album was recorded in 1977 and produced by Status Quo’s FRANCIS ROSSI. Shockingly, this album has never been released on vinyl until now. It originally came out on CD in 1992 and is now long out of print and even that goes for good coin.

Du Cann’s stellar career included freakbeat heroes THE ATTACK (“Magic In The Air”), psych/prog legends ANDROMEDA, and the group he’s best known for, ATOMIC ROOSTER. Du Cann wrote their their #4 hit single “Devil’s Answer”. A couple of years later he was in DAEMON, later renamed BULLET, then HARD STUFF. In 1974 he was even a temporary guitarist for a THIN LIZZY German tour.

In 1977, he was signed to the same management company as STATUS QUO, who paired him with Quo leader, Francis Rossi. The resulting album, “The World’s Not Big Enough” included Rossi on guitar, Andy Bown (The Herd, Judas Jump, Status Quo) on keyboards, Pete Kircher (Honeybus, Status Quo, Liverpool Express) on drums, and John McCoy (Ian Gillian, Tyla Gang, U.K. Subs) on bass. Basically, this is Du Cann backed by Status Quo at their Belt Buckle Boogie peak.

A few songs from this album appeared on killer late 70s Punxploitation singles “Throw Him Jail”, “Don’t Be A Dummy” (a UK Top 40 hit!), and “Where’s The Show”. This album has been described as “Quo mixed with the Sex Pistols”, and we can’t disagree with that assessment.

Melbourne-via-Tasmanian four-piece Quivers first released
their 2018 debut We’ll Go Riding On The Hearses as hand-made
cassettes. The album dealt with singer Sam Nicholson’s loss
of his brother in a freediving accident, and “trying to not think
about that, and often coming back to ghosts, benders, water,
and pissing in the snow.” When demand for the album grew,
it received a vinyl release and led Quivers to tour the US, film
a KEXP session, and be selected by NPR Music for both the
Austin 100 SXSW preview and as a “Slingshot” artist to watch.
Their life-damaged but hopeful jangle pop has only sharpened
since then, and while 2021 follow-up Golden Doubt conjures
up REM or The Clean, there is a lyrical directness that sets this
record apart as always its own.
Golden Doubt is carried by shimmering guitars and the
harmonizing vocals of members Holly Thomas and Bella
Quinlan. Elevated by the production of Matthew Redlich
(Holy Holy, Husky, Ainslie Wills), the record explores what
comes after grief, and how one throws oneself back into love. As
Nicholson explains, the album tries to bottle “the rush of feelings
and fears when you give in to falling for someone. It’s also an
album in love with other albums, and the other bands around
us.” Before each take at Woodstock and The Aviary studios in
Melbourne, Australia, the band would imagine a scene together
(a waterhole for “Laughing Waters”, an overgrown carpark for
“Videostores”) and then dive in to capture live group takes.
Quivers need to get words on the page and sounds out to keep
moving on. Both Nicholson and Thomas lost their brothers in the
same year, and through that shared vulnerability they all have
together that runs deep. Golden Doubt is also a love letter to
playing music as a band and processing it all together rather than
just carrying it as a weight. The cancellation of a 21-date US
tour they had slated for 2020 has left them undeterred; Quivers
plans to continue being a band and get back out into the world
as soon as it’s possible.

Los Angeles independent label Minky Records is issuing
two crucial, hitherto unheard slices of music recorded in the
’80s by the late L.A. punk rock legend Jeffrey Lee Pierce
and his band The Gun Club.
On June 12, the company will release an exclusive single
version of the Pierce original “Bad Indian” and a cover
of Jody Reynolds’ “Fire of Love.” This Minky 45 will be
accompanied by an even more impressive vault discovery:
Soulsuckers On Parade, a full-length 1984 Pierce solo
recording drawn from an abortive session for the cowpunk
compilation album Don’t Shoot, first released by Zippo
Records in the U.K. The vocalist is supported by an allstar
unit comprising guitarist Dave Alvin, drummer Bill
Bateman, and the late pianist Gene Taylor, then of the hot
L.A. roots combo The Blasters, and bassist Jack Waterson
of Green On Red; Chris D. (Chris Desjardins, who also
produced the date) and The Gun Club’s Kid Congo Powers
guest on background vocals.
Featuring covers of songs originated by Willie Nelson,
Big Joe Turner, and Creedence Clearwater Revival, a wacky,
profane blues Pierce improvisation called “New Way of
Walkin’’, and a rampaging, demented seventeen-minute
original, “Walkin’ Down the Street (Doin’ My Thing)”,
the album will be issued as a limited edition Kelly-green
vinyl LP on Record Store Day (June 12), and an unlimited
expanded CD package (with studio chatter and improvised
vocals and jams) on the same day.

ith canceled shows, closed venues and lost incomes, the pandemic was bad news for many music artists. But it wasn't only bad news in 2020, as many artists used their struggle to do what they do best during difficult times: create great music. This is why N.E.W.S. Records, a record company based in Ghent releases 'Bad News. Good News.'. A limited edition vinyl record with great songs that couldn't be played live because of the pandemic. The record itself is made from the ashes of newspapers and magazines containing the bad news that hit the music industry in 2020 (and prevented artists from performing live). As proof that great music always survives bad news, no matter how desperate things can get. To create the records, N.E.W.S. Records worked with And Vinyly, a UK-based company specialized in pressing vinyl records with ashes.

Many artists collaborated on the project and shared their insight on how the bad news happening in the music world influenced their music, like Johannes Genard, lead singer of School is Cool: "The one good thing about bad times is that they open new perspectives on things you've grown accustomed to, and that is exactly our core business as artists: comforting during challenging times; challenging during comfortable times and finding new ways to look at old things."

The compilation contains some exclusives like the Brihang & Compact Disk Dummies 'Steentje / I Remember' mash up, recorded live for 'Week van de Belgische Muziek' and Sam De Nef's cover of the belpop classic 'Satelliet Suzy' recorded for StuBru.

Bamboozle is the third album by Dutch blues rock group Livin’ Blues. Formed in The Hague in the late 1960’s, Livin’ Blues are widely considered to be one of the best blues acts from the Netherlands. Bamboozle was produced by Jaap Eggermont, who was the drummer for fellow The Hague band Golden Earring. The album contains the band’s biggest hit: “L.B. Boogie”.

Available as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on white vinyl.

This journey, this slowly drifting sonic meditation, is an 'inner soundscape', a dialogue between the senses, the conscience and the world, inside / outside, interconnected. Like waking up from a long dream, and being stuck into its echo. The April Sessions immerges the listener into a drone-ish universe, full of random acousmatic events, inner monologues and a vast and unwritten subjective map to be drawn.

The April Sessions has been living in a seedy hotel in Brussels for a few months. She listens to the sparse traffic outside her window, locked in and locked down. 'Everything is constructed', she says to herself, 'even the sound of a solitary aircraft at 25,000 feet traverses the sky no further out than the inside of my skull'. Other weird sonic phenomena criss-cross the inner cosmos of her brain and streak across her private sky like comets. And then there is the unshakeable presence of that inner monologue, known to her variously as the Tacit Dictator, the Subvocaliser and, nightmarishly enough, the voice of the Merlucid Hake. (Anthony Moore, St Leonards, 10th of March 2021)

Anthony Moore, Dirk Specht and Tobias Grewenig have known each other and worked together since the early 2000s. They have collectively participated in a number of projects including live performances and recordings. In 2016, as part of The Missing Present Band, they released the live LP 'The Present Is Missing' on A-Musik. The following year they released 'Ore Talks', a double LP, realised in collaboration with Therapeutische Hörgruppe Köln.

Anthony Moore was born in 1948, founded the band Slapp Happy (circa 1972) with Peter Blegvad and Dagmar Krause, then worked alongside a.o. Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson in the unclassifiable band Henry Cow. He released several solo albums, composed soundtracks for experimental movies. His path also crossed Kevin Ayers's, Pink Floyd's, Richard Wright's. He was appointed professor for research into sound and music in the context of new media at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne, Germany. He still continues to write and perform.

Dirk Specht is a sound artist, musician and curator. He studied architecture and media art and is active in the fields of sound works for choreography, radio drama, sound art, film and video art soundtracks. He published releases with several bands and projects. He has been an assistant for research into sound from 2011 to 2016 at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne, and is a founding member of Therapeutische Hörgruppe Köln.

Tobias Grewenig studied at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne. He primarily deals with non-linearity in his audiovisual installative works and performances, including projects with the artist group 'Therapeutische Hörgruppe Köln', the ensemble 'The Knob, The Finger & The It' and the improvisation collective "Frequenzwechsel". The conception and development of electronic instruments and code is a key component of his artistic work. He lives and works in Cologne.

In the spirit of old school power metal, Germany’s up-and-comers HAMMER KING have gathered to set fire on their new album Hammer King (out June 11 via Napalm Records)! Ever since HAMMER KING burst onto the scene in 2015, they have proven themselves as an unstoppable force. Hand-picked by thy majesty, the Hammer King himself, the band consists of former ROSS THE BOSS vocalist Titan Fox V and former SALTATIO MORTIS drummer Dolph A. Macallan, alongside Gladius Thundersword on bass and Kleveland's most timeless lead guitarist: Gino Wilde. HAMMER KING keeps it heavy with speedy riffs, energic grooves and fist-pumping choruses, devoting their existence to the one and only myth of the godly Hammer King! The new self-titled album starts off with blasting drums and brisk guitars on “Awaken the Thunder”, with frontman and guitarist Titan Fox V showing off his incredible vocal range, whereas tracks like “Atlantis” prove HAMMER KING’s ability to write catchy and memorable choruses. Hammer King tells the lore of the Hammer King himself, a wrathful and mighty war god, who is praised in tracks like anthemic “Baptized by the Hammer”, energetic and double-bass driven “In the Name of the Hammer” and the hard-hitting “Hammerschlag” featuring the legendary Gerre from TANKARD, Isaac from EPICA and the almighty The Crusader (WARKINGS). Hammer King will be available as a deluxe box edition including, as well as on gatefold vinyl amongst others. Kneel before the king of kings, the HAMMER KING! 1. SINGLE - EN "Kicking off with a tight, punishing drum groove and heavy guitars, “Hammerschlag” gets your blood pumping right from the first second! A catchy power metal singalong hook and guest vocals by Gerre from TANKARD and Isaac from EPICA and the almighty Crusader (WARKINGS), topped off with dizzying guitar solos – HAMMER KING knows how to get your head banging! " 2. SINGLE - EN "On “Atlantis”, power metallers HAMMER KING reveals its melodic side as singer and guitarist Titan Fox V shows off his incredible vocal range. Dynamic songwriting meets multi-faceted, virtuoso guitar solos! " 3. SINGLE - EN “Awaken The Thunder” by HAMMER KING is a heavy, fist-pumping power metal anthem! The double-bass groove will catch the listener off guard, leading seamlessly into the passionately performed verses by Titan Fox V. HAMMER KING at its best!

Another Land features the extraordinary playing of legend Dave Holland with a new trio featuring superstar guitarist Kevin Eubanks, and drumming prodigy Obed Calvaire on a funky, rocky, powerful album with writing credits spread between the three.

I tend to exist in the darker parts of the psyche, Jim Ward admits. “That’s where I’ve always been.” And yet what makes the musician so unique and downright compelling is how exactly at the moment when the world joins him in the darkness — take, for example, the ultra-challenging year that was 2020— it’s then Ward is able to claw his way back into the light. “All I was doing was basically meditating with a guitar,” Ward says of how every night during the pandemic,armed with a guitar as well as a bit of time and purpose, this prolific musician was able to churn out several riotous riffs that ultimately transformed into one of his most personal and profound albums to date. “I’ve always used music as an outlet for anxiety and frustration,” notes Ward, who has played in a slew of monumental bands, from the iconic post-hardcore band At The Drive-In to Sparta, aswell his alt-country project, Sleepercar. In fact, it’s this healing power of music, Ward offers, that led him to Daggers, the lauded musician’s new solo record set for release in 2021 via Dine Alone. “When my world has upheaval, it becomes about doing the work in front of me,” he adds. “And this record was pure joy: talking to my friends on the phone, swapping ideas with them, going into my head for a while, coming out with something.” So while Daggers is officially credited as a solo work, and Ward never entered the room with any of his collaborators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s effusive in his praise for them: notably the twin team of Incubus bassist Ben Kenney and Thursday drummer Tucker Rule, both of whom took Ward’s guitar riffs and helped propel them into fully fleshed-out songs. For Fans of: Sparta, At The Drive-In, The Mars Volta, Thursday, Incubus, Frank Eiro, Bear vs Shark, Glassjaw, ...Trail of Dead, Deftones, Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, Queens of the Stone Age, Thrice, The Smashing Pumpkins Key marketing highlights: - Jim Ward is the lead singer and guitarist of Sparta and co-founder of post-hardcore band At The Drive-In. - Ward has toured with the likes of My Chemical Romance, Deftones, mewithoutyou and many more - Ward has received acclaim from Pitchfork, Consequence of Sound, Brooklyn Vegan, Alternative Press, Guitar World, Billboard and more. - Ward has performed on the late night TV programs of Conan and David Letterman. - Ben Kinney From Incubus playing bass on record and Tucker Rule from Thursday playing drums on record

Ahead of their sophomore album, ‘Now is a Long Time’, subversive electronic-punk provocateurs Otzeki are unveiling the latest track, ‘Unthunk’, alongside a striking visual directed by Frankie Roberts. ‘Now is a Long Time’ is set to be released on 19th March 2021 via Akira Records. Singer Mike Sharp on the song: “Unthunk is a sardonic ‘maditation’ on pop. In terms of musical references, I was inspired by the kitschiness of Billy Joel’s ‘We didn’t start the fire’ after overhearing it at the Stapleton Tavern in Finsbury Park, I was also watching a bunch of music videos by the band Devo, Daft Punk, Throbbing Gristle and Kendrick Lamar. The seed grew out of a quirky drum loop Joel and I made using his TR8 drum machine, which gave the song a far slower vibe before Beni Giles later introduced vocoder and synths into the mix, taking it back to the 80’s.”

Marillion’s Trailblazing 1999 ‘Marillion.’ Now Available On
Kscope On Vinyl Marillion formed in 1979 and have since sold over 15 million albums worldwide. Rightly regarded as legends of progressive rock, the band have continued to evolve and have been keen to embrace the possibilities of the internet, using innovative ways to interact with listeners resulting in an incredibly loyal legion of fans around the world.
One early example of this type of forward-thinking online fan-engagement was seen in 1999’s Marillion, which was one of these first internet-based promotions whereby the band asked for fans to send them passport pictures of themselves, resulting in 732 pictures being used to make up the artwork for the slipcase for the record.
With most of the album featuring mixing from Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree and the band taking care of the remaining songs, this was the bands last album of the ‘90’s, but just the beginning of a more direct relationship with fans which has since developed and grown.

遠き火、遠き雲 (Tōki Hi, Tōki Kumo / A Distant Fire, A Distant Cloud) is the second collaboration by Tomoyoshi Date and Stijn Hüwels. The album was commissioned by Laaps.

Tomoyoshi Date and Stijn Hüwels met for the first time in 2015 in Tokyo, being introduced to each other by Chihei Hatakeyama. That same evening, they recorded what would later become Hochu-Ekki-Tou, their first album, released on Home Normal in 2019. For "Tōki hi, tōki kumo", they teamed up again to create a slow and bright album, using field recordings, processed guitar, piano and synth. The title refers to a poem by Tadahito Ichinoseko, recited by the poet on the album as well.

Tomoyoshi Date creates acoustic and organic sounds with a little touch of digital processing. He began to create electronic music in 1998. In 2003, he forms the group Opitope with Chihei Hatakeyama (released by SPEKK), in 2012 the group ILLUHA with Corey Fuller (released by 12k), and the group Melodia with Federico Durand (Home Normal). His solo albums were released from Flyrec (2009, Japan) and Own Records (2011, Luxembourg). Also he worked as emergency doctor until 2014, and started his ambient oriental medical clinic "Tsuyukusa Clinic" in Tokyo since 2014. Tomoyoshi currently resides in Narita, close to Tokyo.

Stijn Hüwels has a profound fascination for minimalism. He's using mainly layers of processed guitar and field recordings. He released on Dauw, mAtter, Eilean Rec., Home Normal, White Paddy Mountain and Slowcraft/Lifelines. He released albums in collaboration with Chihei Hatakeyama, Norihito Suda, An Moku and Ian Hawgood. Together with James Murray he forms Silent Vigils. Stijn lives and works in Leuven and Brussels, Belgium. He's also curating Slaapwel Records since 2014, a label dedicated to music to fall asleep with.

Very limited LP on Cream / Blue twist vinyl. Emma Houton is a timeless, celestial voice from New York City. We felt an urgency to share this incredibly calming product of Lockdown with the wider world, Trapped Animal Records. // "her ambient soundscapes brim with escapism _and enchantment" Highclouds Magazine // "a truly bewitching, gorgeous sonic tapestry." Beats Per Minute // Composed after ethnographic study into her Irish folk song roots, and recorded as part of her senior thesis in experimental electronic music, Emma originally wrote The Bath as a piece for eight voices to be performed live. Due to the COVID pandemic, she ended up recording all eight parts alone in her childhood bedroom, mixing and producing it herself. On recording the piece, Emma says: "When composing the album I had an interest in recreating the feelings I had hearing folk tales as a kid. We had a giant book of Irish folk tales my grandmother gave me, and I was both fascinated and scared shitless by them! I intended this to be a live performance initially and so the whole album is scored. I write most of my music by constructing layered loops of my voice using a loop pedal and then singing a melody line over them, and I was trying to translate that practice into a live performance in which each "loop" is sung and repeated, creating the effect of looping without actually recording loops. I was hoping to create something where voice is used as an instrument, rather than standing apart from instruments as it often does I took source material from hymns and traditional folk songs, with the lyrics centering on water-related themes like drowning, baptism, and purification, which I tried to reflect in the sonic environment of the piece through enveloping delays, cavernous reverb, and a general sense of being completely immersed in sound. The concept for the piece in its live form is much more of a production than the album itself, which became more of a "how do I record something written for an ensemble alone with an SM58?" project, and I've figured out how to perform these pieces solo with the loop pedal, in a very coming-full-circle turn." Emma found her way to Trapped Animal Records after a quirk in the Bandcamp algorithm led her to listen to - her now label mate - Maija Sofia's similarly named debut "Bath Time". Signed within a fortnight of making contact with the label at the end of 2020, during a bleak winter, the label quickly ploughed ahead to schedule release of "The Bath". Label partner Kerry Devine says "there was a feeling of urgency to share this incredibly calming product of Lockdown with the wider world, we felt compelled".

Premieres from Data Transmission and Bolting Bits. Early support from Hospital, Huey Morgan, Rupture, Fanu, Rob Luis, Anthony Kasper (Fokuz), Red Rack'em, Bandcamp Weekly, etc.

150 copies pressed on 180 gram vinyl. Picture shows the HF021VFELT edition which comes with 'Nuthin' But a Jungle Thang' die-cut felt sleeve insert (in assorted colours), with Heard and Felt embroidered fabric tag. HF021V edition is the same 180g vinyl without the felt sleeve insert.

With music from Jonny Faith's recent Night Lights EP appearing in Grand Theft Auto and best of 2020 lists including Gilles Peterson's, you might think Jonny would continue to mine his take on hip hop and broken beat. Well, all in good time. He's been ready to enter the jungle for 20 years, and he's not waiting any longer.

Now based in Melbourne, Jonny first got involved in music in Edinburgh as a DJ and turntablist in the 90s, getting hooked on jungle, drum & bass, hip hop and the hybrids of these championed by the Mo'Wax label. Formative experiences included hearing DJ Hype spinning in Newcastle, seeing the Roni Size/Reprazent live show with two drummers and hanging out at cult Edinburgh club night Manga, where residents G-Mac and DJ Kid hosted the likes of Marky, Grooverider and J Majik.

Jonny was keen to start making his own sounds, signing up for an electronic music production course. But it wasn't quite what he was after.

'The course turned out to be more house-oriented,' Jonny recalls. 'Sampling wasn't on the curriculum, and the students weren't allowed to touch the Akai S900, the sampler used in lots of the early jungle classics.'

When Jonny did start releasing his own productions a few years later, he was starting to explore the experimental beat scene around the time Flying Lotus and Hudson Mohawke (another Scottish turntablist) were starting to make their mark.

Jonny continued to widen his sonic palette, adding elements of dub, jazz, funk, electronica and broken beat, and picking up fans like Radio Nova Paris, KCRW, Vice and Clash Magazine along the way. But he's never been more than one degree of separation from his jungle/D&B roots. He continued to buy and play the music, did the odd D&B remix and snuck sonic elements and techniques into his tracks at various tempos. Over the years his releases have shared labels with the likes of Peshay, Om Unit, Drumagick, Reso, Kid Drama and Danny Scrilla.

Now, more than 20 years after those early experiences in Edinburgh, Jonny unveils his first jungle/D&B EP, On Lock. And it sounds like he's been making this music the whole time. In a way, he has.

The single 'Open My Eyes' bursts out the gate, chopping not only the breaks and the soul for a tune that sounds like Amerie's '1 Thing', or some Just Blaze chipmunk soul, reimagined for the 174 BPM crew. Jonny started this one as a hip hop beat for a live routine on his MPC, but it only really came together when he reframed the groove around a D&B rhythm. Next up, Jonny tries a similar trick on his own boom bap tune 'Stay in Your Lane' from the 'Night Lights' EP. His new Step Off Mix totally recontextualises US MC Lady K's slinky soulful rap and hooks with a tough and funky junglist groove. One for fans of the old Roni Size/Bahamadia collab. 'Create' then spaces things out just a touch, with atmospheric but propulsive drumfunk. Vinyl bonus track 'Nuthin' But a Jungle Thang' layers cascading amen breaks, timestretched vocals and a massive double bass-line over the wah guitars and synth whistling of a G-funk era classic.

With early support for Jonny Faith's take on jungle/D&B coming from Hospital Records, Rupture (Rinse FM) and Fanu (Metalheadz), Jonny is ready to be welcomed (back) into the scene.


b A2: Stay in Your Lane (Jonny Faith Step Off Mix) feat. Lady K

More a family than a band, BANDA MAJE formed in a home studio in the historic district of Salerno, in Southern Italy, on the initiative of Peppe Maiellano (composer and keyboards) and Tonico Settanta (producer, rapper and DJ). The collective has an ever-changing number of members, all of whom – a bit like the lively port city they are from – exist at the crossroads between Italian melodies and imported genres like funk, soul and disco.

Released by Four Flies Records, a label specializing in vintage Italian soundtracks and brand new productions with a strong cinematic feel, Banda Maje's debut album "Ufo Bar" transports you to an imagined version of Salerno that combines local tradition and 70s pop and film culture.

Listening to the album's eight funk- and soul- infused tracks also means seeing stories unfold in the streets of this re-imagined city: from the jubilant uprising organised by the women from the Rione Fornelle neighborhood in "Fornellesse", to the cigarette smuggling story in "P' ciel, p' mar, p' terr"; from the distinctly southern Italian pucundria (bittersweet melancholy) in "Sunday Embarcadero", to the saga of provincial nightlife in "Living Disco Club".

While the LP's Side A is sunny and cheerful, its Side B is more nostalgic, almost nocturnal, with bittersweet vibes in "2010" and new wave-influenced synths in "Ago". This variety of moods reflects the emotional depth behind the music of Banda Maje: "We want to leave a trace of what we experience: the narrow little streets brimming with life; our love for Neapolitan music, for Italian soundtracks from the 70s, for B-movies and the saga of cigarette smugglers; our passion for vinyls and cassette mixtapes, not to mention second-hand love affairs and dusty afternoons spent watching third-division football."

First Word Records is extremely proud to welcome back Children of Zeus with their sophomore album, 'Balance'.

Following the release of their debut album 'Travel Light' in 2018 (which featured in numerous 'Album of the Year' lists), Tyler Daley and Konny Kon spent the next two years extensively touring the UK, Europe, Australia and South Africa.

With shows on ice over the last 12 months, Children of Zeus took the time to mature their sound; 'Balance' is 50 minutes of future-classic British soul music encompassing hip hop, neo-soul, gospel and r&b. Konny's laidback flow once again merges with Tyler's unmistakable buttery vocals across a set of bass-heavy backdrops and smoothed-out keys, taking the blueprint from their debut and evolving it into a deeper, more-refined sound.

As with previous material, the album is largely produced by the duo themselves, though we also see the return of Grammy-winner Beat Butcha, whose previous production credits include Jay Z, Beyonce, Nipsey Hussle, & Griselda (one of Butcha's productions graces first single 'No Love Song'). Title track 'Balance' comes from upcoming producer & Soulection regular, cay caleb and also features the only vocal feature on the album, from rising UK soul talents Akemi Fox and Georgie Sweet.

The Children of Zeus journey began with a mutual love of 90s Manchester pirate radio; consuming hip hop and beats, r&b and street soul, lovers rock and dancehall, garage and bass music. Then followed decades of performing, creating and collaborating in different guises. Over the past few years, the hip hop soul duo have garnered props far and wide; from Jazzie B to Jazzy Jeff. They've done performances for the likes of Soulection and BBC, in addition to hosting their monthly NTS Radio show and collaborating with artists like Black Milk and Goldie.

From travelling light, to travelling nowhere, it's been a time where we've all had to reflect on the lives we lead. This album is about equilibrium; walking the thin line of life and striving to keep your footing firm at all times, ever pushing forward. Balancing the rough with the smooth and the work with the play.

The Children of Zeus sound is now fully grown. It's time to bring 'Balance' into the universe. This is unashamedly big people music to be played out of big speakers. The definitive sound of UK street soul in 2021. The story continues..