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Miss D used to work as a model in New York. That she ended up in Vienna was sheer coincidence. That she became a recording artist was never planned, either. She moved to the Austrian capital with a well-known commercial producer in the mid-1980s, and soon she found herself recording TV ads for ice cream manufacturers.

One day in the recording studio, someone had the brilliant idea of making a proper record with her. The outcome was the highly sought-after disco oddity "Moving", most copies of which were destroyed due to a lack of commercial success.

Now getting a second chance, "Moving" is as strong as Austrian disco productions from that era come: slow, bouncy, full of personality and consistently surprising. So, three cheers to coincidences and random ideas in recording studios. This is a most memorable 7".

Synth pioneer and musical polymath, Wally Badarou is a genius. But you know that already. A vinyl version of his majestic Colors Of Silence has been craved by the Balearic cognoscenti ever since its low-key 2001 release. Indeed, when we first started work on Be With, we asked some pals with exquisite taste what their dream release would be. We asked Balearic legend Moonboots and, without hesitation, he said Colors Of Silence by Wally Badarou. We didn't know Wally had made this album. And most still don't. But that's about to change.

Colors Of Silence is ostensibly a new age album. As ever though, Wally's sophisticated synth textures and expressive keyboard runs are so full of character, so full of life, that this work of art transcends any easy genre categorisation. It's simply stunning, throughout. It sounds like A.r.t. Wilson or Suzanne Kraft, with traces of CFCF and Jonny Nash. But it was made a good decade earlier than the work of these modern giants. Sometimes, it doesn't seem far from some Larry Heard albums.

Island Records founder Chris Blackwell's friend Nathalie Delon asked Wally to provide music for the yoga DVD she was to release. Lack of time on both sides made them agree on using "quality demos" Wally had in his ideas bank. It's understandable why Colors Of Silence remains somewhat of a lost gem. As Wally explains: "Total lack of promotion made it an 'intimate' release, which was exactly what I was looking for: just a buzz-maker and time-buyer that would allow me to concentrate on the real thing as soon as I'd have time, which could also turn into a rare collecting item later, once the final versions made their way to success. You never know."

Over the years, Colors Of Silence has become a true cult record for the ambient/Balearic heads.

The beguiling but brief "Dance In The Dust" is the shuffling, hyper-percussive, hypnotic opener. It gives way to the deep serenity of "Amber Whispers". It's a gliding, divine, mini melodic masterpiece. It'll make you swoon in its extreme beauty. The bright and breezy "Where Were We" follows, a tropical, reggae-tinged bounce through the islands.

The uptempo groove is maintained on the keys-drizzled soca-funk of "The Lights Of Kinshasa" before Side A is rounded out with "Pictures Of You". It starts with stately, melancholic, unadorned piano and this alone would make for a beautiful song. But Wally always gives us that bit extra and he effortlessly introduces warm, dreamy pads and minimal, slo-mo percussion to augment a frankly stunning piece of work.

Ushering in Side B, Wally's mesmeric piano playing is to the fore again, in the intro to uber-chilled "Serendipity For Two". The playing becomes more mellifluous as the track progresses and adds warmth through exotic percussion, woodwind, sweeping synths and digi-drums. It has echoes of, er, Echoes. It segues seamlessly into the more propulsive, wavy "Smiles By The Millions". If you're not nodding and grinning along widely to the gently throbbing bassline underpinning this, we can't help you. The meditative "Higher Still" follows, cinematic in feel and ever so slightly sinister with the strings. It sounds particularly Badalamenti-esque, if you ask us.

That unmistakable, almost peculiar Badarou funk - so lyrical, so texturally rich and so rhythmically spacious - is all over "Oriental". Next up, "Days To Wonder" brings the serenity back, insistent yet melodic keys, as if played in a place of worship, coupled with birdsong, conjure a kind of instant nostalgia for halcyon days of youth. The contemplative "Dawn Of Europa" is a sombre, beatless, ambient journey whilst the glorious, too-brief "Crystal Falls" features soft percussion and sparkle before fully glistening with some gentle head-nod beats. Wally brings this incredible collection to a mellow, tender close with the graceful "Purple Lines".

There can be few artists more under-appreciated given their vast influence than Wally Badarou. His solo work practically defined the sound of the Balearic DJs of the 1980s, and thus the more sophisticated sound of dance culture thereafter. A synth specialist, Badarou was the long-time associate of Level 42. He was one of the Compass Point All Stars (with Sly and Robbie, Barry Reynolds, Mikey Chung and Uziah "Sticky" Thompson), the in-house recording team of Compass Point Studios responsible for a series of albums in the 1980s recorded by Grace Jones, Tom Tom Club, Mick Jagger, Black Uhuru, Gwen Guthrie, Jimmy Cliff and Gregory Isaacs. Badarou's keyboard playing could also be heard on albums by Robert Palmer, Marianne Faithfull, Herbie Hancock, M (Pop Muzik), Talking Heads, Manu Dibango and Miriam Makeba. He also produced Fela Kuti. Phew!

Meticulously remastered and cut by both Simon Francis and Cicely Balston respectively, it has been pressed to the highest possibly quality at Record Industry in Holland. Special thanks must go to Apiento from Test Pressing who first introduced us to Wally and facilitated all those early zoom meetings. It couldn't have happened without his help. Not least on pulling the art together, too, which features striking original photography by Mads Perch. Benji Roebuck of Roebuck Press did his thing brilliantly in art working the whole package to completion. All in all: essential.

Faitiche releases the album Improvisations And Edits, Tokyo 26.09.2001 on vinyl for the first time. For the original 2002 CD on Soup-Disk and Sub Rosa (Audiosphere), Jan Jelinek and the Japanese trio Computer Soup (Satoru Hori – trumpet, Osamu Okubo - toys & electronics, Kei Ikeda - toys & electronics) presented eight tracks all recorded one afternoon in the trio’s living room in Tokyo. They are excerpts from a joint group improvisation that subsequently underwent rudimentary editing, on which Jelinek and Computer Soup worked separately.

Jelinek met the three musicians at his first concert in Japan in 2001, at Tokyo’s Yellow club, where Computer Soup performed as the support act. Delighted by their free improvisation on pocket-sized electronic toys, trumpet and oscillators, he arranged to meet Hori, Okubo and Ikeda a few days later for a session at their apartment. The resulting three-hour recording, made on their living room floor, formed the basis for Improvisations and Edits. A few days later, Jelinek returned to Berlin. Over the following months, they separately chose passages from the recording that were then edited and assembled into an album.

Formed in Tokyo in 1996 as a quintet (including Shusaku Hariya and Daisuke Oishi), Computer Soup began by performing with acoustic instruments on the streets of Shibuya. Ikeda und Okubo soon switched instruments, and from then on the group’s minimalistic but densely woven sound was defined by electronic toys, oscillators and Satoru Hori’s trumpet. Their first album was released in 1997 on the Japanese label Soup Disk. Eight further releases followed.

From the reviews of Improvisations and Edits, Tokyo 26.09.2001 in 2003:

"The mind-blowing first track Straight Life is perhaps the best example of what the album has to offer. Jelinek's trademark smears and washes occupy the midrange, like ghosted images of Joe Zawinul's electric piano floating quietly in the wind. DSP jazz modes are set against a walking bassline (possibly computer generated) and a gently tooted trumpet complete with Harmon mute, a dead ringer for Miles Davis' Prestige-era ballads. The effect is something like a three-dimensional film, with different realities on each layer; images of what jazz was manage to interact with a real-time demonstration of all it could be."
pitchfork, 2003

"Improvisations and Edits is a warm and mellow Ambient release with beautiful glitch fragments, static noise bursts and real trumpet intersections. However, there are times where it is the exact opposite, mainly effect-laden, overdriven and bouncy with a lack of melodies and focus, so be aware of these specific tracks."
ambientexotica, 2003

"Often deliciously dreamy and hazy, Improvisations and Edits is like listening to an exceptional instrumental jazz performance while half-conscious or under some sort of chemical influence. Computerised blips and bleeps, loops and treatments and murky sonic skips curl up around desolate horn notes and scattered instrumental noises that culminate in elegant music."
exclaim.ca, 2003

Coral Red Vinyl. Frank Zappa was instrumental in getting former Mothers Of Invention member Lowell George and his new band, Little Feat, featuring Roy Estrada, RIchie Hayward and Billy Payne, a contract with Warner Bros. Records. The eponymous first album delivered to Warner Bros. was recorded mostly in August and September 1970, and was released in January 1971. Despite good reviews of their sophomore effort, lack of commercial success led to the band splitting up, with Estrada leaving to join Captain Beefheart's Magic Band. In 1972 Little Feat reformed, with bassist Kenny Gradney replacing Estrada. The band also added a second guitarist in Paul Barrere, who had known George since they attended Hollywood High School in California, and percussionist Sam Clayton (brother of session singer Merry Clayton and the brother-in-law of the jazz saxophonist Curtis Amy) and as a result the band was expanded from a quartet to a sextet. This new lineup radically altered the band's sound, leaning toward New Orleans funk. The group went on to record 'Dixie Chicken' (1973) - one of the band's most popular albums, which incorporated New Orleans musical influences and styles - as well as 'Feats Don't Fail Me Now' (1974), which was a studio-recorded attempt to capture some of the energy of their live shows. This recording was made in between the 'Dixie Chicken' and 'Feats Don't Fail Me Now' albums. Recorded live in Denver on July 20, 1973 at Ebbet's Field.

Coral Red Vinyl. Frank Zappa was instrumental in getting former Mothers Of Invention member Lowell George and his new band, Little Feat, featuring Roy Estrada, RIchie Hayward and Billy Payne, a contract with Warner Bros. Records. The eponymous first album delivered to Warner Bros. was recorded mostly in August and September 1970, and was released in January 1971. Despite good reviews of their sophomore effort, lack of commercial success led to the band splitting up, with Estrada leaving to join Captain Beefheart's Magic Band. In 1972 Little Feat reformed, with bassist Kenny Gradney replacing Estrada. The band also added a second guitarist in Paul Barrere, who had known George since they attended Hollywood High School in California, and percussionist Sam Clayton (brother of session singer Merry Clayton and the brother-in-law of the jazz saxophonist Curtis Amy) and as a result the band was expanded from a quartet to a sextet. This new lineup radically altered the band's sound, leaning toward New Orleans funk. The group went on to record 'Dixie Chicken' (1973) - one of the band's most popular albums, which incorporated New Orleans musical influences and styles - as well as 'Feats Don't Fail Me Now' (1974), which was a studio-recorded attempt to capture some of the energy of their live shows. This recording was made in between the 'Dixie Chicken' and 'Feats Don't Fail Me Now' albums. Recorded live in Denver on July 20, 1973 at Ebbet's Field.

Mit elf mitreißenden Tracks sind die Grenzen zwischen Rebellion und Hingabe fließend. 33RPM haben ein Album geschaffen, das dich mit seiner Authentizität, Energie und Leidenschaft mitreißen wird.
Dieses Album ist eine explosive Mischung aus eingängigen Melodien, kraftvollen Texten und energetischen Rhythmen, die dich von Anfang bis Ende in ihren Bann ziehen werden. 33RPM zeigen, dass Punkrock und Ska lebendiger sind als je zuvor, und sie tun es mit einer Leidenschaft, die ansteckend ist.
Verpasse nicht die Chance, dieses außergewöhnliche Debütalbum zu erleben! Hol dir "nen Scheiss muss ich" von 33RPM und lass dich von der rebellischen Energie und der musikalischen Vielfalt mitreißen. Deine Ohren werden es dir danken!

Recital presents the first full-length vinyl LP by sound artist Asha Sheshadri. Whiplash combines elements of sound poetry, diary-like narrations, and delicate incidental music. Sheshadri has crafted a unique and marvelous album.

Asha Sheshadri is a visual artist and musician, who “meditates on meaning, context, and impermanence” (Joshua Kim). Moves freely between video, writing, sound, and photography. Her forms flow together to create unpredictable observations of the overlooked, while documenting personal and political networks within our collective, imperfect memory.

“This record is an alternate approach to the autobiographical ‘confessional’ – I wanted to stitch together some pivotal sketches in self-understanding and forgiveness. While their designs may seem affectively disparate, they are in fact quite interrelated. My intention (as with past recordings) is to task the listener with tracing the contours of the narrative (or lack thereof). Each track contains sound from video work, excerpts from writers I admire, ethnographic methods, recovered and recycled voice/text memos, photographs from personal and public archives, and research-driven fictions. These sources expand and collapse into each other, only to reveal the eponymous "whiplash". To me, the feeling of "whiplash" is the collision of: a refracted ambivalence towards what was once real, the endless cycle of reckoning with wherever "home" has taken place, the fraught process of anchoring one’s self in the wake of slow-release trauma, and how (if even possible) to translate all of this into artwork.” –Asha Sheshadri, 2023

“Place is security, space is freedom: we are attached to the one and long for the other. There is no place like home.” –Yi Fu Tuan, Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience.

All tracks arranged & recorded by Asha Sheshadri; in bedrooms, living rooms, libraries, bars, airplanes, backyards and parks across North America.
Mastered by Sean McCann.

The Complete Full House Recordings wurde anlässlich des hundertjährigen Jubiläums des einflussreichen Jazzgitarristen Wes Montgomery veröffentlicht und vereint alle Aufnahmen der Full House Sessions mit zwei bisher unveröffentlichten Auftritten. Mit Johnny Griffn, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers und Jimmy Cobb enthält diese Sammlung neue Linernotes des Journalisten Bill Milkowski und ist auf 180-GrammVinyl gepresst, das von Joe Tarantino von den analogen Originalbändern gemastert und von Kevin Gray bei Cohearent Audio lackiert wurde.

DEVO’s Hardcore documents the group’s beginning as pre-punk outcasts in the fertile Akron, Ohio, underground rock scene. Spawned at the nearby college of Kent State, site of the infamous May 4 Massacre, DEVO formed as a conceptual art project armed with the radical philosophy of de-evolution. Brothers Mothersbaugh (Mark, Bob and Jim) and Brothers Casale (Jerry and Bob) along with drummer Alan Myers soon whipped up an otherworldly brand of “devolved blues” that could hold its own alongside the beatnik groove of 15-60-75 (a.k.a. The Numbers Band) or the primal rock poetry of The Bizarros. Recorded on various four-track machines and in tiny studios, basements and garages between 1974-1977, Hardcore reveals their strikingly clear vision: rock ’n’ roll stripped bare of its collective cool and jerked back into propaganda fit for post-modern man. It’s no surprise that these transmissions would soon catch the eye and ear of Brian Eno, who later produced their landmark 1978 debut album. Noisy synth, strangled guitar chops and a primitive rhythmic thud power the early DEVO sound. Threaded beneath it all are lyrical themes of post-McCarthy paranoia, middle-class ephemera and DEVO’s long-running topic of choice: sex, or lack thereof. Few moments in pop music history can match the grinding, pent-up energy of “Mongoloid” and the spastic bounce and sputter of “Jocko Homo” (two anthems presented in their earlier and superior versions here). Cult favorites like “Mechanical Man” and “Auto-Modown” make Volume 1 essential listening. Superior Viaduct and Booji Boy Records are proud to present DEVO’s Hardcore to a new generation of spuds, lovingly packaged with Moshe Brakha’s stunning cover photography. As David Bowie said in 1977, DEVO is indeed “the band of the future.”

III is the third studio album by French DJ Bob Sinclar. First release February 2003, and reached number 24 on the French albums chart. It features the hits : "The Beat Goes On" and "Kiss My Eyes" An Uncut review from May 2003 found that while Sinclar"s music is "frothier and camper than ever" on III, he "has a new-found focus and vitality ... Whereas so much electroclash lacks melodic thrills, there"s an abundance of crisp, pulsating tunes here. And despite the disco flashbacks, Le Friant favours twisted re-interpretations over dead-handed pastiches". The review concluded by noting that "fans of Daft Punk"s Discovery will love it". Jack Smith, writing for BBC Music, felt that III is Sinclar"s homage to French disco artist Cerrone, given Sinclar"s compilation Cerrone by Bob Sinclar (2001), and his collaboration with songwriters Lene Lovich and Alain Wisniak on III, both of whom previously composed several songs for Cerrone. While acknowledging Sinclar"s intention for a "new sound" after being an "international man of mystery" on his first two records, Smith opined that "herein lies the problem... III, his latest opus, is nothing less than average, and at times dull", summarising that the album"s "pluses are few and far between".

Repress on green vinyl of GGGOLDDD's fourth album, Why Aren't You Laughing'. The Dutch ensemble marry hypnotic gothic vibes with soulful heavy rock, overlaid with atmospheric, often dream-like vocals. The multi-faceted album is complex in its construction, but by enlisting producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (Paradise Lost), each element is given ample room to breathe and indeed shine. GOLD's fourth album, Why Aren't You Laughing?, produced by Jaime Gomez Arellano (Paradise Lost, Grave Pleasures). The Dutch ensemble marry hypnotic gothic vibes with soulful heavy rock, overlaid with atmospheric, often dream-like vocals. Available on CD & LP. Recalling the experimentalism of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the dark and sweet beauty of Kristin Hersh and Throwing Muses, but firmly rooted in a powerful, yet artsy rock vibe, GOLD have tapped into something truly unique.

Dan Lacksman is a Belgian electronic music pioneer who co-founded the Electro Pop Dance formation Telex and is credited for their classic 'Moskow Diskow.' He also worked under the Transvolta name but put out only one single, 1978's impossibly hard-to-find classic 'Disco Computer.' Dan himself has carefully remastered the original for this special 12" reissue. It's still a retro-future sound all these years later with the signature talk box vocals and sleek drum machines under cosmic synths. On the flip is a long version of 'You Are Disco' which is a similar vibe but with a slightly more lively groove and vocal. Two serene dancefloor gems by any standards.

In 2019 BC (Before Covid) Discharge frontman Jeff Janiak reached out to longtime friend and musician JP Parsons to assist on a new project. The pair wrote and recorded various ideas before reaching out to Amebix guitarist Stig.C.Miller who joined them in the midst of the global pandemic. The trio utilized this new creative climate of physical restriction and went on to set the foundations for their first album, via file sharing home recordings, which would be arranged and produced by Stig. It was several months later when he would call upon Nausea, Ministry and former Amebix drummer Roy Mayorga to complete the line up. Roy went onto record drums, mix and produce the band's debut album 'LET THEM EAT FAKE'.

In these unprecedented times of global restriction, fear and the everlasting lack of faith in the hierarchy 'False Fed' has cultivated a heavy sound that is drenched in melody, aggression and shrouded in darkness. It is not bound by genre, yet still offers subtle hints to the creators lineage. 

False Fed are:
Jeff (JJ) Janiak - Vocals 
Stig.C.Miller - Guitar 
JP Parsons - Bass Guitar 
Roy Mayorga - Drums 

As one of Britain's finest songsmiths of the 1960s and 1970s, Peter's voice continues to convey magic and emotion with a lustre of lysergic lyrical lacquer.

His brilliant 60's group Kaleidoscope were one of the great psychedelic groups to emerge from the U.K. during those heady days.

With infectious pop tunes laced with folk- rock jingle- jangle goodness and anapaestic lyrics that set them apart from many of their contemporaries, Kaleidoscope were vital as was too their more progressive folk early '70s incarnation as Fairfield Parlour. The band has often been spoken about with the same reverence reserved for Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett era, despite their lack of mainstream success.

This is a 50-50 collaboration with Mark Mortimer, formerly of DC Fontana and The Sorrows, who has always been a fan of Peter's work. Chelsea is more sonic expressionism from the two musicians; the songs are "psychedelic" in a sense without ever falling into the trap of being shoddy xeroxes of past glories. As Spill Magazine put it:"This is not a retro or throwback album. This is an album that may be ahead of its time." This is modern, forward-looking music that longtime Kaleidoscope fans will enjoy.

The album is produced by Julian Cope producer Donald Ross Skinner in London and Rick Reil in New York.

Waiting For The Rain was produced by Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers) and recorded at Rockfield studios in Monmouth and The Libertines Albion Rooms studios in Margate. Having just completed an Arena Tour of America with Louis Tomlinson, Andrew Cushin is on the road again with Louis across Europe in August/September. Wor Flags, released last month is the fifth track (following It’s Coming Round Again, 4.5%, You’ll Be Free and Dream For A Moment) to be taken from Waiting For The Rain. A new single Just Like You’d Want Me To is released August 30th. 23-year-old singer-songwriter Andrew Cushin is Newcastle’s fastest rising star. He has already recorded with Noel Gallagher and counts Paul Weller and Sam Fender among his biggest cheerleaders. Andrew grew up on a council estate in Heaton, Newcastle. His songs, delivered in a gorgeous baritone that sounds way beyond his years, are full of his experiences growing up, his lust for life, his grief at the loss of loved ones, his hopes and fears, his love and his stoicism. Andrew Cushin released his debut single It’s Gonna Get Better (2020) followed by Waiting For The Rain (2020); ’Where’s My Family Gone’ (2021) featuring production and guitar from Noel Gallagher and in 2022, through Peter Doherty’s Strap Originals label, You Don’t Belong EP and double A Side single You’ll Be Free / Dream For A Moment. Press quotes: “Cushin recalls acoustic Noel Gallagher circa Morning Glory.” – Sunday Times Culture // “The kitchen-sink realism of his songs, raised on the concrete turfs of council estates and smoke filled social clubs of Newcastle, is something the chart-topping Toms, Jacks and Georges of guitar pop are not only desperately lacking, but entirely unaware of.” - The Line of Best Fit // “Andrew Cushin is a newcomer being feted by actual icons.” – Clash // “Has built enough hometown momentum to suggest he could ‘do a Sam Fender’ very soon.” - Music Week // “It's clear to see the future is bright for Andrew whose backing from big names as well as a loyal following sets him up nicely to take the scene by storm.” Daily Mirror // “Transforming his native infused-sound, Andrew Cushin releases a banger.” Wonderland // “A set of personal yet relatable songs that connect immediately and directly.” Louder Than War

Waiting For The Rain was produced by Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers) and recorded at Rockfield studios in Monmouth and The Libertines Albion Rooms studios in Margate. Having just completed an Arena Tour of America with Louis Tomlinson, Andrew Cushin is on the road again with Louis across Europe in August/September. Wor Flags, released last month is the fifth track (following It’s Coming Round Again, 4.5%, You’ll Be Free and Dream For A Moment) to be taken from Waiting For The Rain. A new single Just Like You’d Want Me To is released August 30th. 23-year-old singer-songwriter Andrew Cushin is Newcastle’s fastest rising star. He has already recorded with Noel Gallagher and counts Paul Weller and Sam Fender among his biggest cheerleaders. Andrew grew up on a council estate in Heaton, Newcastle. His songs, delivered in a gorgeous baritone that sounds way beyond his years, are full of his experiences growing up, his lust for life, his grief at the loss of loved ones, his hopes and fears, his love and his stoicism. Andrew Cushin released his debut single It’s Gonna Get Better (2020) followed by Waiting For The Rain (2020); ’Where’s My Family Gone’ (2021) featuring production and guitar from Noel Gallagher and in 2022, through Peter Doherty’s Strap Originals label, You Don’t Belong EP and double A Side single You’ll Be Free / Dream For A Moment. Press quotes: “Cushin recalls acoustic Noel Gallagher circa Morning Glory.” – Sunday Times Culture // “The kitchen-sink realism of his songs, raised on the concrete turfs of council estates and smoke filled social clubs of Newcastle, is something the chart-topping Toms, Jacks and Georges of guitar pop are not only desperately lacking, but entirely unaware of.” - The Line of Best Fit // “Andrew Cushin is a newcomer being feted by actual icons.” – Clash // “Has built enough hometown momentum to suggest he could ‘do a Sam Fender’ very soon.” - Music Week // “It's clear to see the future is bright for Andrew whose backing from big names as well as a loyal following sets him up nicely to take the scene by storm.” Daily Mirror // “Transforming his native infused-sound, Andrew Cushin releases a banger.” Wonderland // “A set of personal yet relatable songs that connect immediately and directly.” Louder Than War

Waiting For The Rain was produced by Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers) and recorded at Rockfield studios in Monmouth and The Libertines Albion Rooms studios in Margate. Having just completed an Arena Tour of America with Louis Tomlinson, Andrew Cushin is on the road again with Louis across Europe in August/September. Wor Flags, released last month is the fifth track (following It’s Coming Round Again, 4.5%, You’ll Be Free and Dream For A Moment) to be taken from Waiting For The Rain. A new single Just Like You’d Want Me To is released August 30th. 23-year-old singer-songwriter Andrew Cushin is Newcastle’s fastest rising star. He has already recorded with Noel Gallagher and counts Paul Weller and Sam Fender among his biggest cheerleaders. Andrew grew up on a council estate in Heaton, Newcastle. His songs, delivered in a gorgeous baritone that sounds way beyond his years, are full of his experiences growing up, his lust for life, his grief at the loss of loved ones, his hopes and fears, his love and his stoicism. Andrew Cushin released his debut single It’s Gonna Get Better (2020) followed by Waiting For The Rain (2020); ’Where’s My Family Gone’ (2021) featuring production and guitar from Noel Gallagher and in 2022, through Peter Doherty’s Strap Originals label, You Don’t Belong EP and double A Side single You’ll Be Free / Dream For A Moment. Press quotes: “Cushin recalls acoustic Noel Gallagher circa Morning Glory.” – Sunday Times Culture // “The kitchen-sink realism of his songs, raised on the concrete turfs of council estates and smoke filled social clubs of Newcastle, is something the chart-topping Toms, Jacks and Georges of guitar pop are not only desperately lacking, but entirely unaware of.” - The Line of Best Fit // “Andrew Cushin is a newcomer being feted by actual icons.” – Clash // “Has built enough hometown momentum to suggest he could ‘do a Sam Fender’ very soon.” - Music Week // “It's clear to see the future is bright for Andrew whose backing from big names as well as a loyal following sets him up nicely to take the scene by storm.” Daily Mirror // “Transforming his native infused-sound, Andrew Cushin releases a banger.” Wonderland // “A set of personal yet relatable songs that connect immediately and directly.” Louder Than War

Rarely could a project be called such a culmination point of a career as what Kris Defoort presents with Pieces of Peace. Just about all the backgrounds, influences and acquaintances the iconic Belgian composer and improvising pianist collected throughout his long career come together in this distinct and original musical adventure.

Together with vocal artist Veronika Harcsa and three fellow musicians, he forms a chamber orchestra in the strict sense of the word, although they are by no means restricted to that one idiom. As an experienced opera and classical composer, Kris Defoort dribbles the timbres, harmonies, dynamics and, if you like, drama of a complete (opera) orchestra through these compositions, supplemented by an inescapable layer of jazz, obviously the other form of music that remains continuously prominent in Kris' life and DNA.

As always in his work, also improvisation is added as a core element, not least thanks to the voice and inventive personality of Hungarian vocalist Veronika Harcsa, a true European reference in this field. This duo has worked together regularly over the past decade, including for Diving Poet Society (2017, W.E.R.F.148) and in DUET: pure vocal and piano improvisations, on poems by Theodor Roethke, Peter Verhelst and William Blake.

Those musical ideas formed the framework when composing the final new song cycle Pieces of Peace. The duet was then quickly expanded into a quintet, with Lode Vercampt on cello, Jean-Philippe Poncin on clarinets and Benjamin Sauzereau on electric guitar. These three musicians are as well compagnons de route of Kris has since many years, allowing him to incorporate each one's own playing style in a special way throughout these compositions: therefore, the entire orchestral spectrum (woodwinds, strings, percussion) is thus prominently represented through these five instruments.

Intimate and joyful, playful and complex, lyrical and rhythmic, ... and layered and full of detail, each track on the eponymous record unfolds like a story in itself. They are all states of emotions, impressions from real life - another reference to opera. They are also an ode to the voice, the human instrument par excellence. As improvised compositions (or composed improvisations?), Pieces of Peace represents a constant evolution that offers hope, softness and inspiration in times when all this sometimes dares to be lacking.

Out on 6 October, the music for Certainty of Tides was initially recorded with the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra with Nils Petter Molvaer as a soloist in 2020. He had asked several wonderful Norwegian composers to arrange a set of music from his back catalogue. “Have a listen to the recordings I did with the orchestra and tell me what you think” he told Norwegian composer, musician, and producer Jan Bang. Since the original recording was close mic’ed for broadcasting purposes, Bang saw an unfulfilled potential in the material due to lack of space in the initial recordings.
Bang came up with the idea of re-amping the mixes playing the music through speakers in a concert house followed by re-recording of the result through distant microphones. With 76 speakers (one per instrument) carefully placed exactly like the orchestra would have been seated onstage, Certainty of Tides was recorded from microphones strategically placed in the large hall of Kilden Concert House with phenomenal acoustics.
The re-amping and re-recording produced astonishing results. Some of the pieces needed additional color. Bang invited two of his highly talented electronic music students at the University of Agder (Kristian Isachsen and Even Sefenias Sigurdsen Frodesønn Røsstad). Both given freedoms to create their own sound based on their own personal taste.
The final mixes were put together by Øyvind Kurszus at Kilden Studios supervised by both students, Molvaer and Bang. Helge Steen has mastered the recording. Knut Sævik has re-sampled the drum track (played by Peter Baden) on “Simply so” and mixed the Song as well.