Search:key to life

Opaque yellow vinyl in reverse board jacket.
A full four years after Chicago organ maestro Jimmy Lacy’s legendary maiden voyage as SiP, Leos Naturals, he returns with its lush, layered, long-awaited sequel: Leos Ultras.

Conceived and recorded in a corner of a large floorplan warehouse-turned-sound lab called Homan Gardens, the album radiates a rare joy and colour, projected through a technicolor slideshow of cosmic keys, clarinet, kalimba, sax, melodica, flute, tambourine, and drumbox. The songs feel warm and weathered, like familiar garments treasured through passing seasons.

Many seasons did pass while these songs took shape, spiked with seismic changes – Lacy’s first daughter was born, followed 17 months by a second. Daily routines grew denser, but he never lost faith in the melodies simmering in the periphery of his thoughts: “I knew the music would be there whenever I had the time. It felt good to stay calm about it.” Patience paid off; Leos Ultras is indeed the ultimate SiP statement to date, rich with detail, discovery, beauty, lofted improvisation, and shades of spiritual jazz. It’s music both casual and cosmic, playful and poignant, channelled from long shadows and wordless hours in celebration of life, love, and Leo.

After his fulminant debut ep on RAWAX, we are happy to present
you a new beautiful and positive record by this high rising artist - right on time for last Summer days of the year.

Scored by the legendary Italian film composer Armando Sciascia, Sea Fantasy is a conceptual suite of twelve exotic themes evoking the many moods and dramas of life under the sea. Recorded in 1972 for Sciascia's own Vedette label, the album is a key recording within the micro-genre of Italian underwater library music. A mosaic of evocative modern classical, flamenco textures and a surge of raw analogue synthesizers. Mysterious aquatic music that sits comfortably alongside other Italian Soundtrack and Library recordings including the lush bossa of Daniele Patucchi's Men Of The Sea (CAM) as well as the experimental electronics of Biologia Marina by Amedeo Tommasi & Alessandro Alessandroni (Rhombus). With several cues used for the English-version soundtrack to Harald Reinl's 1976 (Erich von Däniken inspired) mondo-documentary Mysteries Of The Gods, Sea Fantasy is reminiscent of the exotic mood-music scored for Folco Quilici's documentary Oceano composed by Ennio Morricone as well as Luigi Scattina's legendary tropical sexploitation film Il Corpo composed by Piero Umiliani. This new 2019 edition has been newly remastered and expanded with additional liner notes and photos.

Remastered and expanded edition.
Legendary Italian underwater Library recording
Replica vinyl reissue of the rare 1972 LP
Mysterious aquatic mood music

No one has lived a life quite like Marcos Valle. He became an overnight international sensation, fled a military dictatorship, dodged the Vietnam war draft, had his music sung by Homer Simpson, made enemies with Marlon Brando, and became an unsuspecting fitness guru for multiple generations. But to truly understand the great Brazilian composer, arranger, singer and multi instrumentalist, one must listen to his music.

Lead Single (Life Is What It Is) : Between the release of his first album in 1962 and today, Marcos Valle has released twenty-two studio albums traversing definitive bossa nova, classic samba, iconic disco pop, psychedelic rock, nineties dance and orchestral music. He has also had his songs recorded by some of the all time greats, including Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Sergio Mendes, Elis Regina, and (last but not least), Emma Button of the Spice Girls. He has also had his music sampled by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pusha T and many more.


With his twenty-third studio album Túnel Acustico, Valle set out to bring it all together.

“I believe my music is many things. It goes in different directions. I have many different ways of writing music, sometimes it’s melodies and harmony, sometimes the groove is the focus. But all the music I have made over my sixty year career is unified. It is all natural and it is all sincere. And this is what I wanted to bring to my new album.”

A prominent feature of Valle’s career has been his dual residence between Brazil and the USA. Originally moving over in the mid-sixties on the back of bossa nova’s international proliferation, Valle toured with Sergio Mendes and became hugely in demand as a composer and arranger. But the Vietnam War loomed and the threat of being drafted saw him return to Brazil. He spent the following years in Rio writing music for TV and film, as well as four cult favourite albums in collaboration with some of Brazil’s most groundbreaking musicians including Milton Nascimento, Azymuth, Som Imaginario and O Terco.

By 1975, Brazil's military dictatorship was at its most oppressive, making living and working increasingly difficult. Valle moved back to the US where he would reside in LA, writing songs for, and collaborating with the likes of Eumir Deodato, Airto Moreira, Chicago, Sarah Vaughn and Leon Ware, amongst others.

Túnel Acústico features two songs originally conceived during Valle’s time on the West Coast: “Feels So Good”, a stirring two-step soul triumph written in 1979 with soul icon Leon Ware, and the sublime AOR disco track “Life Is What It Is”, composed around the same time, with percussionist Laudir De Oliveira from the group Chicago.

Built around an unfinished demo Marcos found on a shelf in his house 44 years after it was made, the “Feels So Good” demo was restored with the help of producer Daniel Maunick, who also utilised AI stem-separation to remove the placeholder vocal ad-libs. Valle added Portuguese lyrics to sit alongside Ware’s vocal hook, as well as extra keyboards and percussion.

Also written in late seventies LA, “Life Is What Is It” was co-penned by Laudir De Oliveira from the band Chicago and first released on the bands’ Chicago 13 album with lyrics by Robert Lamb. Another nod to his good times in LA, Valle recorded his own version for Túnel Acústico, upping the tempo and deepening the groove for a blast of irresistible summer soul.

On Túnel Acústico, Valle's core band features two members of the renowned Brazilian jazz-funk group Azymuth: Alex Malheiros on bass and Renato Massa on drums. The rhythm section is completed by percussionist Ian Moreira, with additional contributions from guitarist Paulinho Guitarra and trumpeter Jesse Sadoc.

The contemporarily composed music on Túnel Acústico features an impressive lineup of guest lyricists, including renowned Brazilian artists: Joyce Moreno (Bora Meu Vem), Céu (Nao Sei), and Moreno Veloso (Palavras Tão Gentis) as well as Valle's brother Paulo Sergio Valle (Tem Que Ser Feliz).

The album closes with "Thank You Burt (For Bacharach)", a tribute to the legendary composer who passed away in 2023.

Túnel Acústico will be released on 20th September 2024 via Far Out Recordings. Valle is set to tour Europe and America in support of the album.

Dive into the soul-stirring depths of Snowgoose's latest album, "Descendant."
"Descendant" is crafted with their exquisite blend of folk and psych. Featuring the guitar of Raymond McGinley (Teenage Fanclub) the keys of Chris Geddes (Belle and Sebastian), the bass of Stevie Jones (Arab Strap), the pedal steel of Tim Davidson (Tracyanne & Danny), and the drums of Stuart Kidd (BMX Bandits) and Adam Stearns (Trembling Bells), this album is a testament to the collaborative spirit of Scottish indie royalty.
Following their acclaimed psych folk albums "Harmony Springs" and "The Making of You," Snowgoose continues to enchant with narratives of love, loss and the ephemeral beauty of life.
Praised for their "spellbinding" sound (Uncut Magazine) and vocals that evoke "the spirit of Sandy Denny" (The Scotsman),

Weval (consisting of Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte Albers) are an Amsterdam-based duo who have established a solid reputation across the globe for crafting highly textured and sophisticated electronic music. They announce a new EP called ‘Night Versions’ which contains brand new, club-focused alternatives to key tracks from their recent critically acclaimed album, ‘Remember’. ‘Night Versions’ is set to release on Ninja Tune imprint Technicolour on 4th October. With the announcement Weval share a Night Version reimagining for title track “Remember".

Speaking about these new versions, Weval say, "It was so much fun to return to the material and make some bold moves. Just to see how far we could push the tracks with the dance floor in mind. We've been road-testing a few of these in our DJ sets lately, and it's so rewarding to watch people dance and hear the tracks blasting on the dance floor. It's addictively fun to experience and see the second life of the songs from the LP."

‘Remember’ embarked on a high energy journey of nostalgic memories and euphoric emotions, with elements of pop, dance and every genre in between being thrown in and whittled down to make an intense, spontaneous and substantial work. PopMatters noted the album as "a kaleidoscopic, gut-turning, jaw-dropping wondrous journey" while it received additional support from the likes of Cool Hunting, Clash Magazine and Stereogum among others.

The Post-Punk Synth Alchemists return with new album ‘Strange Loops’. With blistering rhythms and searing bass, AK/DK return with their highly anticipated fourth album, ‘Strange Loops’. It builds on the momentum of their previous release; Shared Particles, which sold out of the Dinked edition even before its release and achieved no. 7 in the Indie Record Store charts. Known for their trademark motorik energy and riotous joy, AK/DK are back, and for the first time, they’ve introduced guest vocalists into the fray. This new release sees the drum and synth duo collaborate with three exciting artists: the musician TVAM, punk poet - Thick Richard, and I Am Fya; sound artist. The angular guitars and spaced-out vocals of TVAM intertwine with the duo’s driving beats and convulsing synths, resulting in the pulsating Devo-esque powerhouse of ‘Square Route’. The two bands have been crossing paths on festival line ups for a while now and it seemed inevitable that they should join forces. I Am Fya’s usual experimental textures and sound-collage is temporarily put to one side on ‘Pull Up’. For this deep and heavy sub-rattling cut; I Am Fya and AK/DK lean heavily into sound system bass and dancehall style. Her febrile and powerful vocals interweave with tectonic sub bass and stuttering rhythms, sounding like Missy Elliot jamming with a modular synth. Manchester’s very own Thick Richard adds his lyrical, jet-black humour to the track ‘Nobody Shouts’. Their collaboration began when the band invited the punk poet up for an impromptu improvisation during their set at Beatherder festival 2020. It went down so well that they had to record it; learning the track from fan footage online. This is nothing new for AK/DK, creating powerful improvised moments for those lucky enough to be in the audience. Strange Loops presents two distinct halves of music. The A side offers sure-fire bangers that will linger in your ears and have you pounding the dance floor, while the B side delves into more experimental and ambient territories with completely live takes from the studio, reflecting the duo’s love of ‘70s German Kosmische bands. “We always had more ambient experimental tracks on our records, and wanted to give them a spotlight on this release” says the band’s Gee Sowerby. Their previous releases have earned accolades such as BBC 6 Music’s ‘Album Of The Day’ and impressed judges on Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable, solidifying their reputation as pioneers in their genre. It’s on stage where AK/DK truly come to life. Their electrifying performances, characterised by joyous live-looping of keyboards, drums, and distorted whoops, have made them a fervent fan favourite for over a decade. They’ve left an indelible mark on audiences at festivals like End Of The Road, Blue Dot, and Green Man, winning over new audiences wherever they play. With Strange Loops, AK/DK continue to push boundaries and defy expectations, reinforcing their status as one of the most dynamic and innovative acts in the scene

The Leeds jazz scene is the gift that keeps on giving. From the dub-leaning ambience of Submotion Orchestra through to the afro-jazz fusion of Nubiyan Twist and TC & The Groove Family, a multi-generational lineage has emerged. Adding yet another page to the eclectic story of jazz from the city, emerging punk-jazz upstarts Plantfood announce the imminent arrival of their debut album ‘Carnivores’ on Friday 4th October via Bridge The Gap.

Consisting of JJ Petrie (percussion), Ruben Maric (keyboards), Joe van der Meulen (tenor saxophone), Woolley (baritone saxophone), Finn Hamilton (drums) and Woody Hayden (bass), Plantfood began in the throes of lockdown, during which all the members lived together. The group spent day after day sharing their eclectic music tastes, ranging from the electronic punk of The Prodigy and art-rock of Black Country New Road, through to the jazz dance of Steam Down and The Comet Is Coming. Taking these influences, they crafted their own sound, but without live shows, their only audience was the plants in their rehearsal room:

“We called the band Plantfood because we were writing and rehearsing in one of our bedrooms which was full of house plants. The plants kind of became our only audience, so it was like the music was food for the plants.”

The band’s debut album ‘Carnivores’, plays on this theme, referring to the plants as carnivores for consuming the bands music, whilst also reflecting the apocalyptic palette of sounds and chaos found within the record. However, mirroring the dynamism of a Plantfood live show, the album is anything but one-dimensional. The group expertly balance moments of serenity and vulnerability with cataclysmic urgency, all brought together under the guidance of producer David Haynes (TC & The Groove Family, Nubiyan Twist). The group share:

“The album’s moments of vulnerability and hope are intended as the depiction of a return-to- earth theme (circle of life, growth and decay), reflecting that the cycle of nature is not simply destructive.”

The project’s lead single ‘Y.U.S.’ drew praise from tastemakers including Jamz Supernova on BBC Radio 6, with the track featuring the talents of UK-Palestinian MC Yung Yusuf, a serial collaborator who also appears on album closer ‘Monstera’. Both tracks channel Plantfood’s explosive live energy into a blend of afro-latin rhythms and broken grooves, with the distinctive blend of tenor and baritone saxophone weaving in and out of grime-leaning, poetic exchanges with Yusuf.

Elsewhere, the second single from the project ‘Birdgang Pt. II’ is a fresh take on the band’s contemporary jazz sound, blending jazz, Balkan folk and Moroccan rhythms with a punk edge. The album’s title track resets the balance, soothing the soul through a swirling approach to spiritual jazz that wouldn’t be amiss amongst the Gondwana Records catalogue.

"“There are times in life when you’re so present, so fully immersed in the moment that you can catch a glimpse of another universe, of a realm beyond our own,” says Louisa Stancioff. “It might last for a second or an hour, it might come in the midst of bliss or sadness, you might be alone or with a lover, but when it happens, there’s nothing quite like it.”

When We Were Looking, Stancioff’s stunning Yep Roc debut, is full of those moments. Written and recorded through a period of deep heartbreak and uncertainty, the collection is the raw and unflinching work of a nomadic soul who spent stints living in Alaska, California, New York, and North Carolina before returning home to her native Maine, one that holds nothing back in its bittersweet reckonings with pain, healing, acceptance, and growth. Stancioff writes with a cinematic eye here, conjuring up richly detailed stagings for her emotionally-charged character studies, and the guitar-and-synth-focused arrangements are immersive and nuanced to match, thanks in part to the evocative sonic landscaping of producer/keyboardist Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Craig Finn), who proves to be an ideal creative foil on the record. Add it all up and you’ve got a dreamy, nostalgic Polaroid of an album that blurs the lines between indie stoicism and folk sincerity, a lush, cathartic work that hints at everything from Phoebe Bridgers and Arlo Parks to Big Thief and Waxahatchee as it learns to find the beauty in grief and rebirth."

Bassline veteran and all-round soundsystem sorcerer Marcel Deptford lands on Sneaker Social Club with two ruff-n'-tuff rave-n'-b re-flips that run as a prelude to big things to come.

This is the first time you will have heard a record under the name Marcel Deptford, but he's got serious skin in the game with an imposing history in the legendary bassline scene from the late-00s. His records as DS1 are the stuff of legend for anyone keyed into the Niche-centric sound, but more recently he's put out some serious heat as Haider running his own Breaker Breaker label and popping up on Aus and the like.

If you're a fan of millennial RnB there's every chance you'll recognise the vocals that breathe life into Deptford's two tracks for this Sneaker release. Moving beyond simple edit territory, the voices are bedded deep down into gritty rave productions that boast the kind of dirt bag sonics that call straight back to the OG days of breakbeat hardcore. 'Rock The Boat' has bloated bass pushing into the red, clattering breaks chopped up with a rugged swagger and a dreamy, haunted dose of dub poured all over the vocals.

'Make It Hot' has a lighter, swung feel which nods to garage, but there's still plenty of weight on the low end. Once the lead vocal sample steps back to open up the space, Deptford's knack for strong melodic hooks comes through in a blown out arp line which the bassline dutifully follows.

Hitting every sweet spot from the low-down dirty rave receptors via moody head-nodding restraint on to iconic vocals, Marcel Deptford shows exactly what he's capable on this release ahead of a more extensive dive into his legacy, due further down the line.

The album is Frost* at its most ambitious, offering nearly 90 minutes of music over 14 exquisite tracks. The album is the brainchild of Godfrey who was inspired to create the conceptual world for the album based on the group’s previous release Day and Age (2021).

Fans of the band’s masterful debut album Milliontown (2006) will enjoy the band revisiting the style that made that debut album one of the most successful prog rock albums of the last 20 years, a fact that was not lost on Godfrey as he was writing this new record. “With Day and Age, we made it a very specific point: we're not doing any solos, we'll do clever arrangements. And we enjoyed that discipline, but this time I thought it might be good to row back on that position a bit. Plus I wanted to have a little bit of a nod to Milliontown with this album, because it's been nearly 20 years since Milliontown came out and I’m still proud of it. The 15-minute title track has a few of those Milliontown moments in it which were great fun to do again.”
Mitwirkende
wird veröffentlicht am 18. Oktober 2024

Line-Up:
Jem Godfrey – Keyboards, guitar, vocals
Nathan King – Bass, vocals
John Mitchell – Guitars, vocals
Craig Blundell - drums

"Jede Prog-Band, die etwas auf sich hält, sollte eigentlich ein Doppelalbum machen, oder?", fragt Frost*-Frontmann Jem Godfrey. Das war eine der ersten Ideen, als der Songwriter/Keyboarder/Sänger der Band die Arbeit an Frost*s 5. Studioalbum "Life in the Wires" in Angriff nahm. Das Album ist Frost*s ehrgeizigstes Werk und bietet fast 90 Minuten Musik auf 14 exquisiten Tracks. Das Album ist das Geistesprodukt von Godfrey, der von der vorherigen Veröffentlichung "Day and Age" (2021) der Gruppe inspiriert wurde, die konzeptionelle Welt für das Album zu erschaffen. Fans des meisterhaften Debütalbums "Milliontown" (2006) werden sich freuen, dass die Band den Stil wieder aufgreift, der das Debütalbum zu einem der erfolgreichsten Prog-Rock-Alben der letzten 20 Jahre gemacht hat - eine Tatsache, die Godfrey nicht entgangen ist, als er das neue Album schrieb. "Bei Day and Age haben wir es sehr genau genommen: Wir machen keine Soli, wir machen clevere Arrangements. Und wir haben diese Disziplin genossen, aber dieses Mal dachte ich, es wäre gut, in dieser Position ein wenig zurückzurudern. Außerdem wollte ich mit diesem Album eine kleine Anspielung auf Milliontown machen, denn es ist schon fast 20 Jahre her, dass Milliontown herauskam, und ich bin immer noch stolz darauf. Der 15-minütige Titeltrack enthält ein paar dieser Milliontown-Momente, die zu wiederholen mir großen Spaß gemacht hat." "Life in the Wires" wird als limitierte 2CD Edition, als Gatefold 2LP und als Digitales Album erhältlich sein, mit atemberaubendem Artwork von Carl Glover (Steven Wilson).

Nothing But Net presents “Perceptions”, the debut LP from Los Angeles producer/beat maker Jamma-Dee aka Dyami O’Brien. Jamma-Dee has been a figure in the west coast modern funk and boogie scene, both as an accomplished DJ and music producer, having released records under his own name and producing for the likes of Joyce Wrice, Mndsgn and others.

From a musical upbringing in Los Angeles, Dyami’s adolescent obsession with record digging and beatmaking eventually led him to Dam-Funk’s renown Funkmosphere parties where he built friendships with key players in the LA funk scene and began to make a name for himself as a DJ and producer. In the second half of the 2010’s he released a series of EPs on Arcane and hosted the legendary Soul In Paradise show on NTS radio.

His first full-length, “Perceptions” is a long time in the making. Beginning with studio experiments nearly a decade ago, a version of the album found its way to producer and Nothing But Net label boss Onra, who helped guide the project to completion. The album artwork was created by outsider soul music conceptualist and painter, Mingering Mike, whom O’Brien felt compelled to reach out to after discovering his work years earlier. Thematically, the artwork, record, and its title touch on very modern themes: the alienation of life in a world of instant-gratification, an overly-connected society of masks, distorted realities and shifting identities.

Musically, “Perceptions” is the culmination of a life lived under the groove. Featuring a long list of collaborators, including Benedek, Mndsgn, Koreatown Oddity, the legendary Craig T. Cooper and fellow NBN labelmate, Devin Morrison, the double album touches on all of O’Brien’s musical influences. Album opener “Up N Down” sets the scene with it’s syrupy g-funk impressionism, before “Jamma’s Jam” bounces out of the speakers through an auburn-colored sunset haze of lush Rhodes chords and sparkling vibraphones. “It Takes A Freak” and “Datafile Groove” shuffle westward, re-imagining New Jack Swing grooves through a distinctly Californian lens. Elsewhere, the album touches on classic deep house rhythms (“Tic Toc” and “Silly”) and crystalline, downtempo R&B and UK street soul (“Joy”, “Saturday”).“U.R.” features legendary L.A. guitarist Craig T. Cooper laying down a network of stunning, silken guitar lines with absolute class.

Over the course of these 15 tracks, Jamma Dee consolidates, renovates and perpetuates the sound of his influences. “Perceptions” is a masterclass in modern funk and soul production.

In collaboration with musicians and parody artists Auralnauts, Stumpy Frog Records has pressed the soundtrack to their ongoing series of ‘As Seen on TV’ parodies known as the ‘Infomercial Wars’. During an unspecified point in time, a faceless dystopian company pushes out products under the guise of improving the quality of life for humanity. The commercials have a sexy presentation to them, designed to lull the viewer into a hypnotic state and gloss over what is really being sold to them: enslavement to an evil entity. The true purpose of these products is clear to anyone with an iron will: to imprison your mind, strip away your humanity and weaponize what remains. Humanity’s only hope is a scrappy group of freedom fighters whose key to success is convincing you to buy their products instead of the enemy’s. May the best infomercial win. Beyond humanity. Beyond Copper. The parody series is made up of real life infomercials with complete audio makeovers. The products themselves vary from one commercial to the next, but a popular trend in these ads is the seemingly unlimited uses for copper, which is taken even further by the parody versions. The bubbly pitchman from the source material has been replaced by a soothing, yet vaguely threatening alien presence. This mysterious voice paints a picture of a world that would make David Cronenberg and James Cameron blush, and all of it is held together by a dystopian soundtrack that is perfect for ushering humanity into the next step of this forced evolution. Side A of the album contains six full length studio versions of the music featured in each ad. 1) 300% More Human 2) Techromancer 3) Full Body Copper System 4) Master of Reality 5) Final Boss (Sock Defense Grid) 6) Beyond Copper Side B features the ads themselves, presented faithfully as they appear on the Auralnauts Youtube channel.

* After the stunning success of their critically-acclaimed third album Sharpener, which reached number 3 in the jazz charts and number 14 in the independent music charts, London’s brass juggernauts Hackney Colliery Band blaze back onto the scene with their first collaborative album, ushering in a whole new era for the band.

* Featuring collaborations with a host of key names in jazz and world music including amongst others the father of Ethio-jazz Mulatu Astatke, British jazz funk legend James Taylor, trombonist Dennis Rollins, UK saxophonist Pete Wareham and Beninese singer-songwriter and Grammy Award-winner Angélique Kidjo, Hackney Colliery Band have effortlessly transformed their explosive live energy into 11 original recordings that push the groove and form in an accomplished manner.

*On ‘Collaborations: Volume One’, writers Steve Pretty, Olly Blackman and Luke Christie have between them penned the outfit's most dynamic material to date. ‘Mm Mm’ (feat. Angélique Kidjo and Roundhouse Choir) merges Beninese grooves with wah pedal trumpet textures, and the rousing call-and-response between Kidjo’s soaring vocal and the exhilarating choir adds a richness and depth to the composition.

*On ‘Snowfire’, innovative Norwegian pianist Bugge Wesseltoft brings a euro/nu-jazz feel to the album, while Dennis 'Funkybone' Rollins adds his trademark virtuoso trombone to the carnival-flavoured ‘Ricochet’.

*There’s an energy, respect for tradition and the exuberance of London in Hackney Colliery Band’s work, best exemplified in the evocative and downright thrilling James Taylor collaboration ‘Hypothetical’, with Taylor’s Hammond organ recalling the Acid Jazz era in which he made his name.
*New single ‘Netsanet’ (feat. Mulatu Astatke) is a deep exploration of Mulatu's trademark Ethio-jazz, while ‘Crushing Lactic’, composed by Tom Rogerson (fresh from a recent collaboration with Brian Eno) has a frenzied flow, with big horns and driving rhythm section.

*Elsewhere, Pete Wareham (stalwart of the London jazz revival) lends his free-flowing sax to ‘What’s Gone Before’, leading us into a powerful communion of jazz and brass as Mulatu Astatke’s ‘Derashe’ takes the listener down a vibrating rhythmic path while accompanied by blasts of horns and Mulatu’s trademark vibraphone.

*Two spoken word compositions (‘Why Yellow’ and ‘Climbing Up My Own Life Until I Die’) featuring York born writer and comedian Rob Auton lend an introspective voice to ‘Collaborations: Volume One’.

*A band never content to rest on its laurels, Hackney Colliery Band already have a number of collaborations in the works for ‘Volume Two’, and with further live shows planned for 2019, including the album launch at the famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, 2019 looks set to be HCB’s biggest year yet, both live and on record.

* Steve Pretty, the band’s frontman said: “It’s hard to believe that 2019 is our tenth anniversary, but now we’re ten years older it felt like the right time to get back to our jazz roots. It’s been such a privilege to work with so many of our musical inspirations both old and new on this record, and we’re super excited to be ushering in the next ten years with this new collaborative spirit: this is called ‘Volume One’ for a reason…”

After a near decade spent in obscurity, Peter Cat Recording Co. or PCRC, emerged from the toxic winter smog of Delhi to enter the global Krishna consciousness with the release of 2019's "Bismillah", the culmination of years of refining their unique vision of 21st century pop music. Seeking a transcultural sound, centered around the song writing of Suryakant Sawhney, PCRC's music mines ideas from both time and space, across centuries and continents, extracting and transforming them into modern hymns and timeless folk, something you could perhaps imagine hearing in the holo-deck of a ship from Star Trek. As the name suggests, Peter Cat Recording Co. is less a band and more of a self-sufficient factory of music and art. With 3 potent song writers in Suryakant, Dhruv & Kartik, the group is building a legacy informed and echoing the spirit of groups like The Velvet Underground and The Beatles. The next chapter of this entity began with the announcement of their new album, "BETA", a name inspired by the birth of Karan Singh's son. PCRC is Suryakant Sawhney on vocals and guitars, Karan Singh on drums, Dhruv Bhola on bass and samples, Rohit Gupta on keys, horns and woodwind, and Kartik Sundareshan on guitars, horns and woodwind.

NoLand sounds like a story already experienced. A series of lyrical landscapes infused with deviant pop sonorities.
In the second album on Knekelhuis, Reymour gives us the keys to three years of life's passages through mist and clearings, delving deep into their innermost selves and emotions.
By merging new inspirations with new encounters, they weave and unravel their tale.

To celebrate 40 years as a solo artist, Alison Moyet releases Key, a collection of 16 reworked singles and deep cuts, alongside two brand new tracks. Key is a blazing showcase of the depth and breadth of Moyet"s song writing ability that unlocks who she is as a creative artist. With nine studio solo albums to choose from to celebrate her fortieth year as a solo artist, Moyet wanted "to look at the trajectory of those decades and explore songs that, in their original form, were never fully realised or have had their relevance to me altered by time." The album distils 40 years of music making, presenting a cohesive overview of a long and dazzling journey.

To celebrate 40 years as a solo artist, Alison Moyet releases Key, a collection of 16 reworked singles and deep cuts, alongside two brand new tracks. Key is a blazing showcase of the depth and breadth of Moyet"s song writing ability that unlocks who she is as a creative artist. With nine studio solo albums to choose from to celebrate her fortieth year as a solo artist, Moyet wanted "to look at the trajectory of those decades and explore songs that, in their original form, were never fully realised or have had their relevance to me altered by time." The album distils 40 years of music making, presenting a cohesive overview of a long and dazzling journey.

First Word Records are very proud to present a brand new album from Kaidi Tatham!

'An Insight To All Minds' is Kaidi's 3rd solo album under his own name, following several EPs and two albums for First Word; 2018's acclaimed 'It's A World Before You' and the re-press of his seminal 2008 sophomore album 'In Search Of Hope' last year.

For those that don't know, Kaidi Tatham is a legendary multi-instrumentalist. Once dubbed "the UK's Herbie Hancock" by Benji B, he's a virtuoso on the keys and a true innovator in sound production as one of the original creators of the Broken Beat sound. Over the years his musical prowess has blessed numerous projects, initially with the likes of Bugz In The Attic and The Herbaliser, and more recently with DJ Jazzy Jeff (through the PLAYlist projects), Andrew Ashong (on the acclaimed 'Sankofa Season' EP last year) and with longtime accomplice, Dego. This in addition to session work for artists such as Mulatu Astatke, Slum Village, Amy Winehouse, Soul II Soul and Leroy Burgess, along with First Word label mates such as Eric Lau, Children of Zeus and Darkhouse Family. Kaidi is also a revered DJ known for rocking parties globally, whilst his solo catalogue spans tons of EPs and releases for labels such as 2000 Black, Eglo and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature.

On 'An Insight To All Minds', Kaidi says it's "not about a destination, but a process. It's about how you drive, not where you're going. Nothing in this world can torment you as much as your own thoughts… We are all going through it. We can all feel what the next person is feeling, believe it or not. It's learning how to tap into it".

The album is comprised of an assortment of Kaidi's unique flavours - uptempo jazz-funk bruk, laced with rhodes, flutes, live bass and delicious percussion. Using that blueprint he moves effortlessly through latin and samba, half-step, deep afro house and a sprinkle of curveballs, all presented in Kaidi's inimitable way.

'Intergalactic Relations' brings with it some 110bpm synthed-out spacey electro-breaks, 'Could It Be' sets off sounding like a Morricone film score, whilst 'Rodney' is some serious heads-down business; stark and punchy off-kilter broken beat and vocal stabs. There are a few guests too - 'Chungo' sees the return of Uhmeer (who previously appeared on 'Cupid' on the album 'It's A World Before You'); here the young Philly MC deftly rides a 9/4 time signature beat. Meanwhile 'Stro Kyat' invites in another supreme talent, Stro Elliot (The Roots), who provides a suitably crisp & crunchy riddim to accompany Kaidi's key play over a mind-bending 5/4 time signature.

With this new album, Kaidi Tatham adds further to his already impressive catalogue, a body of work that falls within the cracks of jazz and dance music, exemplifying modern British black brilliance once again; uncompromising, innovative, groundbreaking, intricately sophisticated and deeply funky. His fanbase expands on every release and it's no surprise that that fanbase includes peers such as Madlib ("ahead of his time"), Gilles Peterson ("a key part of an entire movement"), K15 ("a limitless source of inspiration"), Alexander Nut ("a true virtuoso") and Kyle Hall.

A1 - Consensus Reality
JLM opens another stellar EP for Spatial with Consensus Reality, acheery, optimistic track which opens with lush keys, and filtered breaks. Soon we are treated to long synths brimming with optimism while melodies are formed from a slew of elements entangled in joyous harmony. This is a special track before we even mention the amazingly crisp apache breaks which are introduced and toyed with to the conclusion in JLM's inimitable style.

A2 - Salva Veritate
An eerie vibe immediately grips the listener for a remarkably intense atmospheric journey in the shape of Salva Veritate. Whooshing, reverberating synths punctuate a dense soundscape laced with tensionand intrigue. The hefty Hot Pants breaks drive the track perfectly with atuneful 808 rumbling below, as blippy sub-melodies and keys add further texture to the mix to complete an immensely memorable production from JLM.

AA1 - Hotspot
Mellow keys with a hint of jazz open Hotspot, as JLM adds further flex tohis repertoire in another impressively detailed journey through sumptuous atmospherics. The track quickly bursts into life in full flow with chunky breaks driven by juddering snares nestling over smooth 808 basslines andswathes of strings & pads that swoop across the mix to create a dreamy paradox of lively calm.

AA2 - Nova
A soothing way to close the EP as JLM opens Nova with long, relaxing synthwork before the delicate beat patterns begin with a symphony offiltered effects and soft notes punctuating the soundscape. Extended reverse cymbals and subtly used reverberating vocal samples add textureto proceedings as the cosmic breaks flow, as we have become accustomed to from JLM's exceptional output on Spatial.
Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)