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Japanese folk-rock legend Morio Agata stunned fans with this way-outta-left-field dispatch - a synthesizer-laden, new-wave/post-punk classic. Originally released by Osaka’s Vanity Records in 1980 and back on vinyl for the first time in nearly 40 years, this fully authorized reissue has been remastered from the original analog tapes. In tip-on sleeve, with double-sided insert.

50 years ago, Hokkaido-born singer-songwriter Morio Agata released his debut single, Sekishoku Ereji (Red Elegy), an emotive, shuffling piano ballad that (shockingly) sold half a million copies in Japan. While he would never have another Top-40 hit, Agata would spend the next half century issuing a series of idiosyncratic, experimental pop albums. Today, he’s a beloved cult figure, still actively touring and recording in his seventies.

In his first decade as a recording artist, Agata released a stream of classics right out of the gate — Otome No Roman (1972) melded American-styled folk rock with traditional Japanese melodies, Zipangu Boy (1976) was a sprawling, Haruomi Hosono-produced psychedelic opus, and Kimi No Koto Suki Nan Da (1977) saw Agata tackle slick, lightly funky AOR. While this sort of stylistic schizophrenia might sink your average artist, Agata’s singular voice and magnetic charisma elevates everything he touches, and subsumes it all into Morio Agata World — a joyous, playful and frequently unhinged world.

Arguably the biggest left-turn of Agata’s early career, however, came in 1979, when legendary experimental label Vanity Records’ Yuzuru Agi paired Agata with major players from his label’s roster and the Osaka punk scene for an impromptu recording session. An impressive list of musicians took part (SAB, Yukio Fujimoto (Normal Brain), Masahiro Kitada (INU), Taiqui (Ultra Bide), Jun Shinoda (SS), Chie Mukai (Che-Shizu), and others) and even though they all came from different wings of the underground music scene, together they built an arresting, minimalistic bedrock of synthesized and acoustic sounds for Agata to work his magic over. The recording sesssions were tense and it took a while for the collective to find their footing. But the hard work paid off — Norimono Zukan is a masterpiece of ramshackle new wave and droning dirges, topped off with Agata’s unmistakeable croon, at times delicate, other times twisted. It’s a relatively short album, but a deep one, and Mesh-Key is honored to introduce it to a new generation of music fans.

* Strictly limited-edition 12” vinyl in full colour sleeve
* Lemon D is an iconic name in the world of Jungle and Drum & Bass. He's been at the forefront of the scene since the 90s, producing pioneering tracks that blended breakbeats, hip-hop, and soul into a unique sound that was all his own. Releasing on some the most influential labels in the genre, including V, Metalheadz, Prototype Recordings, and of course his own imprint Valve.
* First releasing on V with the sonic depth charge that is 'I Can't Stop' in 1995, Lemon D has been part of the family since the start and with the release of this Legends 12", his second in the series, that partnership is still going strong! This new release features two previously unreleased tracks from the 90s, which have been carefully sourced and remastered from DAT by head honcho Bryan Gee for the ultimate listening experience. First up is 'Cold Chillin'' from circa 1996, and on the flip 'Get Loaded' from circa 1998/99
* The 'Legends' series is all about celebrating the classic sound that defined Jungle and D&B, and Lemon D is a key part of that. With his innovative productions and undeniable talent, Lemon D has helped shape the sound of a generation. These two tracks are a testament to Lemon D's incredible legacy in the Jungle and D&B world, and still sound as fresh
* We're celebrating 30 Years in the game this year and Lemon D has been a part of the family from the start, with tracks like 'Unexplored Terrain', 'Grimey', and '40Hz' amongst many others that are widely considered as timeless classics that have made a lasting impact on the genre.
* This vinyl release is a must-have for anyone who loves Jungle and Drum & Bass. The 'Legends' series is all about showcasing previously unreleased gems from the archives and taking fans on a journey through the history of the genre. So, don't miss out on this limited edition release and add a piece of Jungle and Drum & Bass history to your collection today!

“What It Means To Be King'' is the first posthumous album from late Chicago legend, King Von. Known as one of the great storytellers in modern hip-hop, Von’s untimely passing in November 2020 came on the verge of him reaching superstardom, with his album “Welcome To O'Block'' hitting number thirteen on the Billboard 200. Fans can finally expect to hear the finished product of the lead single, “Don’t Play That,” which Von himself teased on social media while still with us. Joining Von, the album features appearances from 21 Savage, G Herbo, Fivio Foreign, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Durk, Polo G, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Dreezy, OMB Peezy, Boss Top & DqFromDaO. Long Live King Von. Pressed on silver & black marble vinyl; widespine sleeve; 12-page booklet.

WNCL Recordings is back with a series of 2-track 10” vinyl battle weapons for your record box. Cementing his reputation as a modern day legend in the underground scene, LMajor gifts WNCL Recordings with this previously dubplate-only pair of future classics

* Classic roots / dub track with vocals from reggae legend Earl Sixteen known for his work with the likes of Lee Perry, Augustus Pablo, Mikey Dread, Leftfield and Dreadzone.
* Earl first recorded `Zion City’ with Dreadzone in 1995 which was known as `Zion Youth’.
The cuts on this 7” were mixed by Manasseh in 1997, with strong support coming from the late great Jah Shaka.
* Previously unreleased dubplate vocal cut backed with dub-wise excursion.

* Strictly limited-edition 12” vinyl in full colour sleeve
* V Recordings is excited to bring you the latest addition to their 'Legends' series, featuring none other than the legendary Jungle and Drum & Bass producer, Dillinja. You know the drill by now, two tracks, much sought after made available for the very first time.
* Dillinja, aka Karl Francis, has been a staple in the Jungle and Drum & Bass scene since the early days. With his poinerring basslines, intricate rhythms, and futuristic sound design, he's earned a reputation as one of the most innovative producers in the genre. His music continues to be celebrated by fans and DJs alike and remains just as fresh as the day it was created.
* On the hunt through the vaults Bryan Gee, came across these two tracks, 'Lionheart VIP' from 1994 and 'Love 4 You VIP' from 1999/2000, and knew instantly they needed to be part of the collection getting the transf erred to digital and remastered for this release. The result? A taste of Dillinja's unmistakable production style, giving us a glimpse into his creative process during the early days of Jungle and Drum & Bass.
* V Recordings is celebrating 30 Years in the game this year and Dillinja has been a part of the family from the start, with tracks like 'Unexplored Terrain', 'Grimey', and '40Hz' amongst many others that are widely considered as timeless classics that have made a lasting impact on the genre.
* This vinyl release is a must-have for anyone who loves Jungle and Drum & Bass. The 'Legends' series is all about showcasing previously unreleased gems from the archives and taking fans on a journey through the history of the genre. So, don't miss out on this limited edition release and add a piece of Jungle and Drum & Bass history to your collection today!

DTR Recordings enlist the expertise of the one and only DJ Sneak for a four track of underground house excellence. A true Chicago legend Sneak is responsible for producing a seamless string of seminal house tracks from the ‘90s through the ‘00s to the present date.

For this latest EP, Sneak serves up four brand new original productions, straight up jackin’, groove-laden house bumpers that we’ve come to expect from the mind of a master.

ZYX Italo Disco : Flemming Dalum Remixes Vol. 2 shines due
to 8 remixes carefully selected by the Italo Disco legend from
Denmark.

The remixes of Flemming are outstanding thanks to a modern
and perfectly produced sound, but are still close enough to the
original to convey the typical 80s Italo Disco feeling.

Skepta and fellow BBK member Jammer launch house label Más Tiempo, with the pair collaborating for the debut EP ‘Mas Murder’

The release sees the Mercury Prize-winning MC, songwriter, and producer showcase his house sounds ahead of the label launch party at London’s KOKO on 30th April 2023.

Skepta, the influential Mercury Prize-winning MC, producer, designer, director, and founding member of seminal British grime collective Boy Better Know, unveils his new label Más Tiempo on 28th April alongside instrumental LOTM founder and BBK mainstay Jammer, as the pair launch the house-centric project with their ‘Mas Murder’ EP.

Featuring London talents J Kolo and Ossie (Club Bad/Madhouse), the debut EP showcases a first glimpse of the musical direction of the label, with the imprint set to provide a platform for producers to ‘expand their current portfolio range’ - with Skepta building on his iconic DC10 debut for Circoloco last summer, plus forthcoming appearances in Milan, Ibiza and more.

“‘This generation rules the nation, with version’... that really resonated with us for the Más Tiempo journey. Musical Youth sampled on ‘Mas Murder’ was perfect to showcase the way we feel about giving people our spin on house production with instrumentals while paying homage to the ones that came before us.” - Jammer.

Collaborating on the lead cut, Skepta and Jammer’s ‘Mas Murder’ is a low-slung, heady house cut shaped for bustling terraces and built for clubs, fusing crisp percussion, a snaking bassline and eerie melodies for a heads-down effort. Handing over to Jammer, who links up with J Kolo and Ossie, ‘Touch Me’ draws from UK house influences for a skippy, slinking production.

Alongside the EP, Más Tiempo will also take over legendary London venue KOKO on 30th April, with the event being the first standalone show for the collective, having collaborated with The Martinez Brothers and Cuttin Headz at The Beams in December. Featuring performances from Benji B and DJ Maximum alongside sets from both label heads, the show will see Skepta return to the venue for the first time since 2016 following the release of his critically acclaimed LP ‘Konnichiwa’.

Miles Away Records are proud to introduce our latest single to land on the label: the cosmic soul gem "Super Star" by Ruth Waters and the State of Mind Show Band.

A Texas native, Ruth "Silky" Waters was best known for her two disco-infused album's "Never Gonna Be The Same" and "Out In The Open"- produced by the late, great John Davis (John Davis Orchestra). It was however some of Ruth's early material that caught our interest when we started the label as far back as 2018. "Super Star", released on the tiny independent KMBA Recordings label in the late 1970s, draws from the wells of modern soul and gospel with a touch of cosmic synthy goodness. An proper ear turner, it was like nothing we'd heard before. Flip it and "Super Star Pt.2" goes deeper into the cosmic essence of the track with extended guitar and synth solos making this a crackin' little 45.

The track has been lovingly remastered by Phil Kinrade at the legendary AIR Studios and the lacquer was cut deep by Jukka at Timmion Records. It's now presented in our custom teal green labels and house bag.

Orpheu the Wizard has a magic touch at finding records that fall between the gaps in music - oddities, curios, the weird, the wonderful. But that's just half the trick. It takes a sensitive and selective ear to construct a coherent, accessible narrative from them. So you get DJs who can play for the crowd and "selectors" adept at mining the black gold. In Orpheu, you've got yourself someone who can do both. On a festival main stage, he can keep it weird enough for the heads. In an audiophile setting, he'll keep the flow.

These skill sets come into play on the fifth The Sound of Love International compilation. Jumping between genres, decades, continents, the truly rare, and many B-side cuts that passed you by. But never eclecticism for its own sake; this collection makes sense. Orpheu never loses sight of the listener - he's a friendly and knowledgeable guide to the cosmic outer reaches.

He opens his account with the warm, psychedelic electronics of Drawing Future Life, with ‘1969’. Tucked away on the B-side of an LP of ambient/trance hailing from Fukuoka, this is a very pretty piece of music on a truly rare piece of wax. Then, leapfrogging a couple of decades and timezones, we have Rutuu Poiss' "IHATSIN." Off-kilter, experimental sounds with an endearing melodic hook, followed up by the with lethargic ambient breakbeat of Digital Distortion's "Mellow Bug".

On the B-side, things start to get lively. French Audacity featuring Valerie's "That Fine One" is Gallic garage that has simultaneously got it hugely wrong and mas­sively right. Owing as much to new wave as New York house, this is propulsive and quirky dance music at its finest. Next, we're on a ferry over the channel for DJ Spike and "Gaps In Space." Up-tempo electro with a fondness for sampled vocal cut-ups, like its predecessor.

lnterdance's "Kurz" (another B-side) is the perfect segway - house from 1990 with that sweet, slightly goofy naivete. Things move toward the gnarly with Bad Behaviour and "Living on Smoke," a lesser-known cut on the legendary Atmosphere records. The tempo edges upward on "Systematic Input" by Frequency, hectic hardcore techno that still retains a lightness of touch.

"Lushes" by Diffusion spins us off into space, filigree techno with an emotive trance edge. The chiming intro of "Blue to Be Happy" by MFA lulls us into a sense of false security before massively putting the boot in with a pounding kick drum, bassline, and arpeggiation. From there, it's a sharp left turn into the urban psychedelic dub of R.I.P's "E.O Pan" on cult label Digi Dub.

Sticking with UK sound system music but taking it down a notch, Orpheu closes proceedings with a leftfield reggae excursion from the master of the mixing desk, Mad Professor’s"Oh Hell".

It's a compilation as varied as the many moods and grooves of Love International itself - from sun-dappled olive groves to moments deep in the strobes. This is serious music for party freaks or party music for serious freaks. Tisno is calling.

Black Truffle is pleased to announce Symphony No. 107 –The Bard, a previously unheard archival recording of the legendary improvising ensemble MEV (Musica Elettronica Viva), captured in concert at Bard College, New York in 2012. Formed by a group of American expat composers in Rome in 1966, the MEV ensemble played an important role in the development of free improvisation, bridging the live electronics tradition begun by Cage and Tudor and the high-energy squall of free jazz. Early recordings like Spacecraft or The Sound Pool unleash volleys of metal and glass amplified with contact microphones, howling winds, primitive synthesizer bleep and raucous audience participation, the intensity of which puts much later ‘noise’ to shame. In later decades, the ensemble would go through many iterations, often including legendary free players like Steve Lacy and George Lewis. In its final years, MEV settled into the core trio of founding members heard here: Alvin Curran, Frederic Rzewski, and Richard Teitelbaum, using piano, electronics, and small instruments.

Curran, Rzewski, and Teitelbaum were life-long friends blessed, as Curran says, with ‘incompatible personalities’: major figures in the post-Cagean experimental tradition, they explored countless divergent and even contradictory paths as composers and performers, from agitprop songs to brainwave-controlled synthesis. MEV is the sound of these three personalities coming together, their contributions radically individual yet attaining a state of ‘fundamental unity’ that Rzewski, in a text written in the collective’s earliest years, defined as the ‘final goal of improvisation’. Of course, listeners familiar with aspect of the trio’s individual works might hazard some guesses about who is doing what: the crisp piano figures are probably Rzewski’s, the cut-up hip-hop samples most likely Curran’s, the sliding, squelching synth possibly Teitelbaum’s. But often these identities are dissolved in a constantly shifting hall of mirrors, the listener unable to tell which of these pianos is live and which is a sample of a past virtuoso, or whether a horn blast derives from ethnographic documentation or Curran cutting loose on Shofar. The two side-long sets here occupy a similar terrain of constantly shifting texture and instrumentation, unexpected interruptions, and moments of sudden beauty. The first set is sparser, at times almost ominous, as a bell repeatedly sounds across wheezing harmonica, seasick orchestral textures, and creaking wood, making room for episodes of yodelling and delicate prepared piano before exploding into a storm of buzzing synth and piano fragments. The second set is more frenetic, moving rapidly across centuries and continents: cars crash into post-serial piano pointillism, wailing voices collide with chopped and screwed hip-hop samples, Hollywood strings are buried under layers of electronic gurgles. The performance slows in its final moments, making way for a sampled voice repeating the phrase ‘protest and the good of the world’, reminding us that MEV’s idea of freedom was always more than musical. Symphony No. 107 –The Bard is a beautifully recorded example of the endlessly multi-layered later MEV sound, accompanied by new liner notes by Alvin Curran (now the only surviving member of the group) and a selection of previously unseen photographs from across the many decades of the group’s activity. Arriving in an elegant sleeve bearing a beautiful photograph by Francis Zhou of the Olin Hall at Bard College where the concert was recorded, this is an essential document from a major group in the history of experimental music. As Rzewski wrote, this music is ‘like life, unpredictable, sometimes making sense, mostly not’.

Repress!

Japanese crustpunk and grindcore icon Eri Fuzz-Kristiansen, aka Gallhammer’s Viviankrist, keeps
the curveballs coming on Diagonal with a bloodied mastication of charred noise and and rhythmic
electronics, following up the label’s acclaimed sides by Sote and Not Waving/Jim O’Rourke
Co-released with the metal-minded Ritual Productions label, ‘Cross-Modulation’ is a brutal
testament to the acridly personalised sound that Viviankrist has explored solo since 1995 in Tokyo,
when she performing vocals, sax and SP-202 sampler in her first industrial/noise unit. 23 years
later her music is still sorely raw, yet riddled with a new found poignance and atmospheric unease
that places her music sometimes as close to Kali Malone’s see-sawing dissonance as the power
electronics of Pan Sonic or the possessed pulses of Conrad Schnitzler and Merzbow.
Since the demise of Eri’s main project Gallhammer at the start of this decade, when she moved
from Tokyo to Oslo (home of her husband and bandmate in Sehnsucht, Maniac - also former
vocalist for BM legends Mayhem), she returned to her early Viviankrist alias from 2017 as a place
to express her primitivist-futurist urges, resulting a trio of CDs including the vicious solo strike
of ‘Morgenrøde’ for Cold Spring. Now on ‘Cross-Modulation’ she intuitively tempers that album’s
phosphorous burn with a deadly incisive application of what Black Metal/Techno pioneer Black
Mecha terms “mentation electronics.”
Alloying avant-metal with rhythmic noise, ambient techno and mind-bending drone to a
metallurgic tang, ‘Cross-Modulation’ serves a dense flux of energies in seven parts, piercing a path
thru maelstrom electronics in ‘Eleventh’ to churn up grizzled Vainio-esque rhythms in ‘Blue Iron’,
while the tenderly bruised ambience of ‘Midnight Sun’ provides a bittersweet palette cleanser for
the tart technoid prang of ‘Insects’, a bout of slow gripping psychedelia in ‘Out of Body’, and the
rugged North European pastoralism of ‘Behind Mirror.’

Matrixxman's The Grid welcomes its first ever guest artist with none other than the newcomer Alarico. In a short time he has already made a name for himself with shuffling loops and blistering sci-fi sound design. The mysterious Toru Katsuta and Matrixxman assist with remix duties alongside a further contribution from legend Takaaki Itoh on the digital. Jump into Neo Tokyo and plug into The Grid!

Das Album "12" von Komponisten-Legende, Produzent und Pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto ist eine Sammlung von 12 Kompositionen für Synthesizer und Piano. Die Stücke hat der Grammy-, Oscar- und Golden Globe-Gewinner aus musikalischen Skizzen ausgewählt, die er während seines zweieinhalbjährigen Kampfes gegen den Krebs wie ein Tontagebuch aufgenommen hat. Jedes Stück ist eine intime Momentaufnahme aus dieser schweren Periode seines Lebens und trägt als Titel das jeweilige Entstehungsdatum. "12" ist das erste Solo-Album des mit seinen elektronisch-akustischen Genre-Überschreitungen weltweit stilprägenden Komponisten seit dem 2017 erschienenen Album "async".Über das Album sagt Ryuichi Sakamoto:"Nachdem ich nach einer großen Operation endlich in meine neue vorübergehende Unterkunft 'heimgekommen' war, griff ich zum Synthesizer. Ich hatte nicht die Absicht, etwas zu komponieren; ich wollte einfach nur von Klängen überflutet werden. Wahrscheinlich werde ich diese Art von 'Tagebuch' auch weiterhin führen."

FOR FANS OF: LED ZEPPELIN, THE YARDBIRDS, ROLLING STONES.
Im Sommer 1994 kamen Jimmy Page und Robert Plant für einen MTV-Fernsehauftritt in London zusammen. Dabei wurden alte Led Zeppelin-Songs neu arrangiert eingespielt. Die allgemeine Resonanz auf die Ausstrahlung der Sendung war derart positiv, dass man von den Aufnahmen eine CD veröffentlichte. Es entwickelte sich eine weiterführende Zusammenarbeit der beiden Ex-Led-Zeppelin-Bandmitglieder, in deren Rahmen es zu einer erfolgreichen Welttournee mit über 110 Konzerten kam. Diese strikt limitierte 10" Picture Schallplatte enthält legendäre Radio-Broadcasts aus den
Jahr 1996 inklusive den grossen Welthits; damals Live übertragen von diversen Radiostationen.

Over the course of eight thrilling tracks, ‘Royal’ leads listeners on a topsy-turvy journey from Middle Eastern exotica to Spaghetti Western style scores, via scorching Mediterranean beaches.
Highlights of the album include the surf-meets-Western delights of “Silver Lining”, where irresistible guitar lines are piled high and topped with euphoric synths and rock drums, resulting in a timeless soundtrack for both headless nights in dive bars and heedless days at the funfair.
“Juda” follows, a deadly combination of Zepellin and Middle Eastern rock with subtle hints of synth funk. The track is named after living legend and Middle Eastern guitar hero, Yehuda Keisar, who also joins the band for this song, contributing a scorching solo. The thunderous guitar riffs are matched pound-for-pound by the irresistible percussive groove.
Boom Pam, widely renowned for their spellbinding Middle Eastern guitar music, have unveiled their highly anticipated fifth album, 'Royal'. Celebrating their twentieth anniversary, the Tel Aviv based band combine cinematic atmospherics and high-powered surf rock on
their first album for international ambassadors of Middle Eastern grooves, Batov Records.

Boom Pam “Rock the Casbah” on title track “Royal”, revealing another card up their sleeve, as they transform a famous 80's Israeli radio theme into a discoinspired super jam with a punk edge.

The band maintain their reputation for first-rate and distinctive surf rock on the fast paced “Daber Yafé” and “Monsour”.
The sonic imprint is both warmed and widened by the rare addition of a tuba supplying the lower frequencies.
Meanwhile, opener “Lava Tongue”, and “Golden” emphasize the melodic side to the band, conjuring dreamy sunset mirages to hypnotize the listener.

Boom Pam have established themselves as pioneers of modern Middle Eastern surf rock, combining sophisticated yet catchy guitar riffs, with roaring tuba basslines and fiery drums. In the past decade the band have frequently collaborated with and backed legendary Turkish folk singer-songwriter, Selda Bagcan, on stage and record, and performed at some of the world's most renowned festivals, including Primavera Sound, Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock, the Montreal Jazz Festival and many more.
An engaging listen from beginning to end, ‘Royal’ is the perfect representation of Boom Pam’s incredible 20-year journey, showcasing their superior skills in pushing the boundaries of their genre.

Rule of Thirds is the debut album from Nine Windows, a collaborative project between Kid Drama & DJ Trace.

The album pulls inspiration from the golden era of atmospheric jungle with the focus on labels like Good Looking, Deejay Recordings and Lucky Spin.

Expect deep nostalgia and euphoria as the pads wash over you and breaks skitter over subsonic 808 basslines as these two veterans take you on a journey into 90s bliss.

To top it off there are features with the Pioneer of the new Jungle movement - Tim Reaper and the legendary Skream making an appearance on the album.

So sit back, reminisce and listen to the sounds of Nine Windows.

The legendary Tru Comers release their first instrumental double album "Avantgarde"! On the album you can expect over 60 minutes of finest productions which will not only excite all lovers of the CominTru sound. The music on this album reaches deep and sweeps the listener along from the first minute. This project is a must have! Get your vinyl copy now!

Superb 45 featuring two Hammond-led instrumentals. The A-side is taken from The Guy HamperTrio's second long player due out on Hangman Records. The B-side is exclusive to this release. 'Man in the Mouth of a Cave' - I have painted St. Cuthbert's Cave, Northumberland on many occasions and decided that it was imperative that I write a great jazz /beat theme all about it. (Important info: After Viking raids monks from Lindisfarne wandered the north-east carrying the body of St. Cuthbert. Legend has it that they took refuge in 'St. Cuthbert's Cave.') I wrote the song with my friend Jamie Taylor in mind to have his way with it, which he does to thunderous applause - I should imagine. '107 Sleepless' is a tune I wrote in the early 1980s when me and Mick Hampshire would stay up the entire weekend writing songs for our group The Milkshakes. (We lived at 107 Rochester Street, Chatham.) About 3am Sunday morning we would be flagging and sitting there senseless. I would play this jazz riff over and over for some unknown reason. Meanwhile it should make a nice theme tune to some yet to be written HBO series and make me a millionaire - I should imagine. GUY HAMPER - APRIL 2023