These versions are taken from Marc’s own tapes. All royalties go to the ‘Light of Love Foundation’ for the Marc Bolan School of Music & Film. ℗ 2019 Easy Action Recordings Ltd © 2019 Easy Action Recordings Ltd. 700 copies pressed on cream vinyl. Rare and unheard versions of these songs remastered from Marc’s own personal copies, recently repatriated with the estate. Presented in high quality reverse board 3 mm spined sleeve with photo from Peter Sanders
The career of Patience Africa Spanned over 40 years. After almost a decade of success on a major label with her Zulu Disco sound, and a few years in the early 80s experimenting with a more soulful sound, the funky synths of the 80's would force her to stay relevant in the quick changing times. It would be in 1987 that she would sign to the independent Ream Music which with the help of their tight knit in house production team had released hits for upcoming disco artists Makwerhu, Ntombi Ndaba, Sunset, Athena, Percy Kay and more. The label's success in the traditional market made Patience a perfect fit and could have been their first crossover artist.
With the help of owner's Danny Antill and Clive Risko they would cut a 4 track EP that like many others of the time ended up being lost in to the hyper saturated market of the emerging Bubblegum demand. Two tracks would be written by Patience, including the title "Wozani La" Musically these were more aligned with her sound of the 70's accompanied by a purely digital production, but it's the two songs written by label boss Danny Antill that appear on this release. These two songs are unlike anything heard at the time. Embracing full commitment to the digital studio and some extensive and risky experimenting the trio managed to slide heavy house bordering electro pop and a haunting swing beat groove alongside the compositions of Patience to complete this EP for both markets. Although the album had great potential, poor promotion and low sales led Patience to feel cheated and after not earning a cent for the record left the label and took her first break from music since the early 70's. She would later return to her original sound recording up to til 2006 when she released what would be her final album before her death the following year. Still loved by her fans and those who knew her, she is remembered through the Patience Africa Foundation. Founded by her son Mangaliso in 2017 to help create a better South Africa in our lifetime.
Dub echo, hip-hop lyricism and heavy guitar fuzz are boiled down into a heady, characteristic musical brew.
On “Dreaming Is Dead Now”, multi-talented wonder Skinny Pelembe meditates on grief, heartache, stunted aspirations and fresh possibilities in post-recession Britain. For his debut album, the Johannesburg-born, Doncaster-raised artist weaves together a patchwork of personal and musical touchstones; memories and observations are dreamily laced together, sun-dazzled California folk diced with the murkier corners of the UK dance lineage.
Tipping a hat to West London broken beat as much as My Bloody Valentine, the album was co-produced by Malcolm Catto (of The Heliocentrics, who’s previously worked with Yussef Kamaal, DJ Shadow, and Madlib), who helped to distil down its bounty of ingredients into the record’s distinctive flavour. Tough, tight-programmed rhythms are washed over with fuzzy overtures, and the title track is the product of a studio session with a foundational drum & bass duo (credited under the covert alias of The Bleeding Edge). It’s the rare kind of record where the messy, in-between musical spaces are given a light to shine.
First discovered through the Gilles Peterson- and Brownswoodfounded Future Bubblers programme, Skinny has since made it onto Peterson’s iconic Brownswood Bubblers compilation series, performed and collaborated with fellow Future Bubbler Yazmin Lacey, and been tipped by the likes of Ghostpoet and James Lavelle. Praise has also come from The Observer, The Quietus and Huck, with previous singles “Spit / Swallow” and “I Just Wanna Be Your Prisoner” bumped up onto heavy rotation on BBC 6 Music’s A-List. He’s also been in demand for live sessions with The Vinyl Factory and Worldwide FM, and supported Nightmares on Wax and Maribou State.
Soft Machine is a surreal wander through the mystical sonic forest. A vision curated and designed by Chicago native Justin Aulis Long. A Cyclopian point of view while gazing through a wide lensed scope, which exists in the liminal spaces where light meets dark and angelic forces bath in the sludge and stardust of unfiltered eroticism.
Eye of the Minotaur - collage 001 is a collection of artists working in varying musical practices that are channeling the solitude of mutantness, strolling through the familiar yet unfamiliar halls of the uncanny, refusing ordinary structures of the mundane, grasping the cold humor of cynicism, basking in the dichotomy of cosmos and chaos, and invoking the energies of Eris and Eros.
Setting the ground is Ciarra Black, a Berlin based New Yorker who makes no apologies for her bare knuckled soundscapes. DuPont Street is a ritualistic unification of discordant entities that summons visions of Pazuzu (lord of the demons) and Inanna (goddess of love) fornicating beneath The Tree of Life. Razor edged synthesizers slice through the atmosphere with the precision of an avenging angel’s flaming sword, while a psychedelic drum code activates ritual movement of the body.
As the needle passes beyond the next threshold it is met by a towering totem, bristling with the illuminated light of the sonic astral plane. Erected from the foundational matter that birthed the Detroit electro punk sound, Eyes Up continues to add to the narrative that is drenched in deranged electronics intuitively mangled in a post punk tradition. Dystopian percussive rhythms generate an unorthodox domain where muffled utterances present an aural Rorschach test. Could this be the riddle of the Sphinx, or an ancient spectral being that possesses secret knowledge? Only its creator, Stallone the Reducer, holds the key.
Fixed at the axis of the journey, Perfect Headache Forever, a mystic operating within the DIY spaces of Chicago, levitates on a transcendental mass that is equally melancholic and optimistic. Her voice hosts a strength equal to a pantheon of titans. Armed with a magical electronic musical box, she weaves narratives that are prophetic. Itself Ecstatic is a voyage through a misty soundscape that begins at one point, but ends in a distant other, in accordance with a system of divination.
Gazing into the murky waters of the oracle’s cauldron, Circling Vultures, (a collaborative effort by Justin Aulis Long and Kenneth Zawacki) channel and evoke the spirits of Antonin Artaud and Geroges Bataille. The poet’s voice, engaged in an act of mutilation and self cannibalization, howls while projecting visions of sacred conspiracies, sensations of vertigo while peaking over the edge of the abyss, and the looming weight acquired from the solitude of the Minotaur alone, sitting silently at the center of the labyrinth. Accompanying the mystical bard’s verbal declaration is a triggered mechanized synth that roars with the vitality of Cold War era Wave music, which is then juxtaposed against applications of loose keyboard playing. The artist’s hand is revealed against the calculated actions of machines.
Bringing the document to its finale, Libby Del Barrio, a multi disciplinary artist based in San Antonio, performs a closing ritual in a manner that only she knows. Setting fire to the Elysium Fields while personified as Moze Pray, Del Barrio rejects plastic narratives that aim to pacify. No Tears, is an unapologetic account of life’s feedback loop around the Wheel of Fortune. Sacrificial actions through ceremonial performance reveals a gateway founded on truth and torment. Moze Pray’s ability to combine musical production, poetic vocalization and ritualistic body performance is charged by chaos and amalgamates into a product of pure expression that defies the rose colored filters aiming to conceal harsh realities.
There are few people across the globe, who will have not been touched by the work of Frankie Knuckles. Forever regarded as ‘The Godfather of House’ for his unrivalled contribution to the house music we know today; what started as an underground movement in Chicago has grown to international heights thanks to Frankie. His records earned him recognition on a global scale, allowing him to work with some of the globes biggest names including the likes of Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.
Five years ago, Frankie passed away in Chicago on 31st March 2014 leaving behind one of the greatest house music legacies spanning almost four decades. Now he is commemorated by long time writing and production partner Eric Kupper. Eric, himself a seasoned DJ producer and writer, has worked on over 116 Billboard #1 Dance Records and played a pivotal role in a many of Frankie’s productions. Having both worked together for many years they established themselves at ‘Director’s Cut’ from 2011 and set about producing original releases and remixes based on the classic ‘Def Mix’ sound while sharing equal credits for their creations.
Together they re-produced and re-purpose classic cuts for modern dancefloors, with reworks including tracks from Marshall Jefferson, Ashford & Simpson, Artful & Ridney and The Sunburst Band, alongside Frankie Knuckles originals. These releases have now been brought together by Eric to feature on special album called ‘The Directors Cut Collection’ on SoSure Music. It includes the Director’s Cut reworks of Frankie’s classic cuts such as ‘Your Love’ and ‘Take You There’ with Jamie Principle, alongside Frankie’s first #1 single - ‘The Whistle Song’ on which Eric shares writing credits.
Within a multitude of classic reworks, highlights include a previously unreleased version of Ashford & Simpson’s ‘Bourgie Bourgie’ and a huge Director’s Cut Retro Signature mix of Marshall Jefferson’s 'The House Music Anthem (Move Your Body)' featuring Curtis McClain.
The Director’s Cut Collection is a fitting tribute to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Frankie’s passing whilst giving Eric a platform to tell his side of the creative story. This album is to be released in collaboration with The Frankie Knuckles Foundation who work to continuing Frankie’s legacy well into the future.
Les Points Pay A Twisted Homage To The Early Foundations Of Electronic Music Where Hard To Get Tapes, Dystopia And The Sound Of The Wretched Worker Where Present In Genres Like Post-punk, Industrial, Minimal Synth, New Beat And Wave.
It's changing, the worker searched for post-leftist solutions and got lost.
Nine circles applauded the proletariat and imagined how a community
could be congregated, while screams of violence would be filtered by boiling blood.
Exploiters of labor either find themselves rotting away in a never ending icy rain or are dragging their selfish accumulations on their chests for eternity - while the worker slowly identifies himself as a counter-commodity. Algorhythms (fraud) always mislead - once the worker gets past them only Dis will be awaiting her/him.
Christy Essien was one of the leading female recording artists of her time in Nigeria. She was born in Akwa Ibom State in 1960 and enjoyed an accomplished career as a musician and an actress. Having conquered the music and TV worlds Christy moved on to feature in some of the early Hollywood films such as "Flesh and Blood" and "Scars of Womanhood", both of which addressed issues of child abuse and female circumcision. With a desire to make life better for Nigerian artists. She is also credited as having initiated the first meeting that brought about the formation of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria in 1981.
Dubbed Nigeria's "First Lady Of Song", Christy produced a respectable 9 studio albums across a number of labels. Her fifth album "Give Me A Chance" was released in 1980 by Afrodisia, and is being officially reissued again by the prolific Nigerian label.
"Give Me A Chance" showcases an impressive move on from her last album with a nice amount of variety. Her classic funky disco sound is most evident in what is her most notable song on the album "Rumours". This much sought after disco number is joined by a couple more disco grooves such as "Nobody Can Stop You" and "Onwu". "Ife" meaning love inflicts a little bit of reggae into the mix while the remaining tracks ("Saboteurs", "Don't Let Me Down", "Ikan Idomo" and title track "Give Me A Chance") take more of a traditional afrobeat - meets ballad approach.
Christy died after a brief illness in 2011. Close to the time of her death, she was involved in numerous successful businesses, organization and running the non-governmental organisation Essential Child Care Foundation involved in child welfare. Christy's achievements and awards are numerous. Too numerous to mention. Perhaps her greatest achievement however is her contribution to building a peaceful and tolerant Nigeria - which, alongside moral uprightness, remain constant themes of her songs.
Combo Lulo returns to Names You Can Trust for their sophomore single, digging deeper into the diversified sounds of the Caribbean that helped define their debut. While the first single took a Jamaican foundation south into the neighboring continent, fusing the sensibilities of rock steady with those of classic Afro-Latin orchestras, this single goes far east. Inspired by the heady and sublime sounds of foundational ska mixed with East African influences, (think Buster's Islam, Don D's Addis Ababa or Further East), The Sieve & The Sand is a brand new composition within this natural order, albeit with the fortune of different reggae eras and studio styles to draw from. Divided into two parts (but also available seamlessly as it was played in the studio), Combo Lulo's talented players move effortlessly from the galloping shuffle of ska into a deep and dark, Roots Radics-styled instrumental. It's a lovely ode to the original styles of reggae, but also another impressive accomplishment that will surely leave listeners and new fans in anticipation of the shape of things to come for Combo Lulo.
For the last 20 years London-based author and party organiser Tim Lawrence has dedicated himself to excavating the history of New York City party culture and bringing some of the most powerful aspects of that culture to London's dance scene, from where it has ricocheted around the world. Having conducted the first set of major interviews with David Mancuso, Lawrence started to put on Loft-style Lucky Cloud Sound System parties with David and friends in London in June 2003. In early 2004 he published Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-79, which tracked the influence of the Loft on the wider New York DJ, dance and disco scene. In 2009 his biography of the iconic musician Arthur Russell became the first book to map the wider downtown music scene. These beautifully written and politically insightful histories have educated, inspired and celebrated the previously overlooked foundations of contemporary dance music.
Lawrence's most recent publication, Life & Death On The New York Dancefloor, 1980 - 1983, published in late 2016, shines a light on 'one of the most dynamic and creative periods in the history of New York City'. Falling between the more regularly celebrated sounds of disco, house and techno, the period produced a uniquely hybrid series of sounds that never acquired a settled name. This led them to be largely ignored by historians and even DJs, yet the power of the period's music and the scenes it birthed, Lawrence argues, remains undeniable. Met with a rapturous response, Life and Death On The New York Dance Floor saw Lawrence on the road for most of the next year as he spread the word about the characters, the records, the clubs and the bands that shaped the post-Disco, post-Punk, and burgeoning Hip Hop landscapes of New York City during the early 1980s—a period when freedom still ruled.
This, the first of a 2-part sonic tribute to the 1980 - 1983 era as well as a musical companion piece to Life & Death On The New York Dance Floor sees recognised musicians (David Byrne of Talking Heads) nestle up alongside the belatedly recognised (Arthur Russell's Dinosaur L and Loose Joints, and Suicide's Alan Vega) and the downright obscure (Gray, 2 Teens Kill 4 and Tuxedomoon). An indication of what's to follow, Dinosaur L's original album version of 'Go Bang' has been dramatically overshadowed by the definitive François Kevorkian remix yet received regular play by David Mancuso and remains an enthralling experimental Arthur Russell jam.
Lovingly curated across 2 slabs of vinyl, the album introduces listeners to a stunning array of sounds, styles, vibes and feelings that encapsulate this most fertile and forward-thinking era, when music, fashion, sound system innovations, leaps in music technology, a DIY attitude and a freedom from corporate politics combined with extraordinary expressivity. All music contained within this album has been hand-picked and programmed by Tim Lawrence. It represents a selective yet rich introduction to one of the most extraordinary periods in New York City's epic musical history.
This is the first release on Reappearing Records, a label led by Tim Lawrence and distributed worldwide by Above Board distribution. Licensing courtesy of Tracksuit Music. Mastering by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK. Artwork & design courtesy of Atelier Superplus. 2018.
The demons of night are out again: Seoul's one-stop shop creative collective Byul.org returns this fall with its third international album, entitled Nobody's Gold, out via Alien Transistor (worldwide) and the group's own Club Bidanbaem imprint (South Korea). Comprising 14 new songs, it's a dizzying, haunting affair that channels the group's manifold influences and references points (from post-punk to Stockhausen and back via club culture) and yet sounds intriguingly coherent.
Moving in and out of the shadows, Nobody's Gold breaks forth as pure sonic landscape - a universe of its own, folding and unfolding into both more experimental patterns, yet also with occasional hooks and dark catchy structures, gracious build-ups flickering among the hazy roar and thunder. After the screak and squeal of 'Lamb with a Wolf Mask,' the foreboding sounds of 'The Museum of The Two of Us' segue into a synthesized party tune about a missing friend being chased by police ('Nari Yuko Yin'), one of several vocal tracks with a sinister edge. Taking things up another notch, 'Friendly Enemies' is probably the closest this group will ever get to creating a stadium-ready anthem. On the other end of the spectrum, 'The Place Where Designers Go To Die' is a magnificent void with an immense and irresistible undertow...
Never too jolly (not even while 'Day Drinking at a Seaside Town' or during takeoff via epic pop tune 'Bats We Are'), Nobody's Gold compiles soundscapes with a very tangible, corporeal presence - iridescent sonic sculptures placed in unlikely settings (e.g. outer space, see: 'Dirty Dirtiness'), born at the fringes where night blends into day and vice versa.
Inspired by everyday life, half-remembered drug/club experiences, Pascal Quignard's disturbing La haine de la musique, Stockhausen and Bill Evans, the new LP sees the collective remain true to its DIY foundations while repeatedly questioning our listening habits and 'the exaggerated love for the concept of love,' as they put it.
Founded around the dawn of the millennium as a group of poetry-loving friends who'd occasionally meet for drinks, Byul.org has long become an extremely prolific and versatile collective within Seoul's scene: Main song-writer TaeSang Cho and his mates Yu Hur, Jowall, YunYi Yi, SuhnJoo YI, HyunJung Suh, and SoYoon Hwang went from publishing to recording, from releasing tunes to design, art direction and more. Although their list of clients includes Atelier Herme`s and the Venice Biennale (they did the Korean Pavilion twice), the group still remains a drinking circle of close friends at its core: Pals who simply like to create and carouse and dream and live and perform and play tunes together.
Although the band never released
an album during the years of their
activity, Wilde Flowers is certainly
to be counted among the foundation
stones of the Canterbury scene
of the mid-to-late Sixties. After
their departure from the band, the
members formed other two seminal
groups of the Canterbury Sound: Soft
Machine (Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers,
and Hugh Hopper) and Caravan
(David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye
Hastings, and Richard Coughlan).
The name is of course an homage
to Oscar Wilde, and this album is a
selection of some of their rarest gems
that originally came out in 1994.
Friendship. Gratitude. Music Passion. Turbo Recordings is proud to present the feel-good story of the year with the debut release from Tiga & The Martinez Brothers.
"This is a true labour of love,' says Tiga. 'Two of the most refreshingly positive figures in dance music teaming with me, the heartless cynic with a heart of gold. Positivity and actual quality: the best of both worlds."
Tiga was originally meant to produce tracks for the DJ duo, but the sessions soon evolved into a full-fledged collaboration. The three men manned the studio in psychic unison, laying real-time drum programming and minimal storytelling over a techno foundation to create a truly dynamic dynamic. The result is some of the best work of their careers.
'Chris and Steve brought a deep knowledge of house music and DJ energy-flow, while I left my deep hatred of live studio jam sessions at the door," adds Tiga. 'These tracks are tougher, funkier and weirder than 99.3% of contemporary dance music, and it's all because we were brave enough to get sincere and real."
The material was written and recorded over the course of two sessions at Montreal's Lost Star Studios, a haven for vintage gear and laid-back vibes right out of your most casual dreams. It was easily the most fun anyone's had in a studio since 2014.
"You can keep your VIP laminates and hot flavors of the moment,' concludes Tiga. 'I'm here to tell you that there's nothing cooler than the magic of friendship.'
Part II of the collaboration is set for release on The Martinez Brothers' Cuttin' Headz label under the name The Martinez Brothers & Tiga, an inspiring nod to the importance of fairness in project credits
Following on from the three highly-acclaimed CoOp Presents 'Selectors Assemble' compilation EPs from the past year, it's now time to focus on some of the individual talents from the ever-evolving movement. As the international foundation grows, we invite aboard the extremely talented Neue Grafik into the fold.
French producer, instrumentalist and DJ, Neue Grafik, has been building a strong rep for himself over the past few years, releasing records previously on labels such as Rhythm Section, 22a and Wolf Music. His sound is a hybrid of jazz, house, broken beat and hip hop, all with his unique geographical flavours of African ethnicity, Parisian roots and a love for London thrown into the mix.
So to the music - two brand new tracks, 'I Miss Something' and 'Bed Stuy's Mood', complete with remixes from EVM128, Danvers, Xtra Bruk and NameBrandSound (aka label bosses IG Culture & Alex Phountzi) respectively, making this one essential package for the bruk soldiers and beyond.
In Neue Grafik's words...
"I remember the first time I was at a CoOp party and met IG - I just said something like "unbelievable party, well done! Thank you, man". I didn't expect to be a part of this brilliant family a few months after that; it's totally insane to think about it now.
I began to hang properly with the CoOp fam during a DJ session at The Flex in East London. I was so happy to live in this moment; surrounded by these talented performers, artists and producers, excitedly talking about unreleased music on everyone's USB sticks.
This EP is a personal vision of the broken beat scene and my love for that. A meeting with artists who build my own taste, with friends keeping the same vibrancy and desire for this music. 'I Miss Something' and 'Bed Stuy's Mood' are two tracks dedicated to Porte Des Lilas (Paris), and Bedford-Stuyvesant (New York). One was made in my house, the other on holiday. These two tracks, as well as the remixes from the Selectors Assemble crew, represent a real and deep friendship."
More essential music from the CoOp Presents camp, available on limited vinyl and all digital services. Don't sleep.
Standard Edition, Mastered at half speed, 140g vinyl, Sticker We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records' new sister-label) is thrilled to present the official reissue of criminally overlooked Japanese jazz gem Mellow Dream (1977) by Hokkaido pianist wunderkind Ryo Fukui, released in conjunction with the its legendary predecessor Scenery, sourced from the original masters and mastered at half speed. Firmly standing on the foundation he laid down with Scenery, Ryo Fukui continues his exploration of modal, bop and cool jazz sounds with meticulous grace and absolute mastery. As its title suggests, Mellow Dream ventures into slightly mellower, more soulful, and sometimes more contemplative territories (the Bill Evans-reminiscent 'Mellow Dream' and 'My Foolish Heart") while still packing the commanding punch Fukui's work is loved for, as heard on the amazingly bombastic 'Baron Potato Blues' or the gigantic McCoy Tyner/John Coltrane-influenced 'Horizon' which sees each member of the trio (Satoshi Denpo is on bass and Yoshinori Fukui is on drums) demonstrating their virtuosity for 9 exhilarating minutes. With his sophomore album, Ryo Fukui swings from melancholy to vibrant joy with ease, reminding us that jazz is best served with a pinch of blues, and displays an immensely rare combination of pure talent, unique personal approach and focused discipline. The man undeniably deserves a spot in the pantheon of all-time great jazz pianists. After releasing the outstanding Scenery and Mellow Dream back to back, Ryo Fukui worked on developing his live skills, often performing at Sapporo's Slowboat Jazz Club (which he co-founded with his wife Yasuko Fukui), and even releasing 2 live albums. He sadly passed away in March 2016, leaving behind a legacy of works that all jazz lovers should explore.
Produced by Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak. LP is on coloured coke bottle green vinyl + inclues download code and 12x12' lyric sheet/ liner note insert.
Madeline will be on tour throughout the UK and Europe this Autumn.
'Building from understated beauty to dense guitar theatrics. It reminds me of Chicago circa '93 as remembered in a dream — a little bit of Liz Phair 'Exile In Guyville' - rendered in soft-focus with the graceful confidence of a young master. ' STEREOGUM
In January of 2018, five months after the release of her debut album Night Night at the First Landing, Madeline Kenney traveled from Oakland, California to the woods outside of Durham, North Carolina to record her sophomore album with a new collaborator, Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner.
The choice was a conscious decision to explore new methodology in writing, recording, production and even genre. Perfect Shapes sees Kenney leaping headfirst into fresh and adventurous territory, largely eschewing conventional rock structures in favor of theme and melody. Its ten songs are full of surprises big and small - from vibrant synth lines to taut bass figures and subtly modulated vocals - that instead of feeling fussed over, reveal Kenney's penchant for elegant and abstract composition.
Kenney's 2017 debut, Night Night at the First Landing, was a guitar-centric rock album, produced by friend and collaborator Chaz Bear of Toro Y Moi, Perfect Shapes leans on the foundational pieces of Night Night - fuzzed-out guitar tones, coy wordplay and Kenney's notably strong voice - but with an unconventional approach that allows them to bloom, reincarnated. Perfect Shapes marks Wasner's first foray into producing another artist's work and is permeated by the pair's collaborative spirit. Both Wasner and Kenney play multiple instruments on the record, and engineered the session alongside Kenney's touring percussionist, Camille Lewis.
An eagerness to explore and experiment is apparent from start to finish, as Kenney and Wasner weave endless sonic curve balls into the arrangements. From the delightfully warped percussion on opening track 'Overhead' to the burbling synths on the R&B-tinted 'The Flavor of the Fruit Tree' and the left-field trumpet solo in 'Your Art,' these rich and inventive ideas echo Yo La Tengo's everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mentality, as well as the surging soundscapes of Tame Impala and Wye Oak at their most impressionistic. Lead single "Cut Me Off" is a surprise of its own - the most pop-forward song Kenney has written yet. 'Bad Idea,' finds her balancing fragility as foil; later, 'I Went Home' manages to evoke both frustration and affection in a single breath.
The complex and open-ended questions that lay at the core of Perfect Shapes mark Kenney's arrival into a hard-hitting reflective space: How do you love another when it hurts to do so What is the physical limit to which one can carry the emotions of others How does a modern female artist reckon with the expectations demanded of her femininity Yet for all the notes of doubt and fear that Kenney raises, she delivers each song with confidence and poise, grounded by the pointedly laid and surging soundscape.
Kenney has always had a penchant for curiosity and experimentation. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, she began studying classical piano and dance in kindergarten, and grew to believe her future lay in modern dance choreography. Not one to be tied to a singular pursuit, however, Kenney took a hard left in college, studying Interpersonal Neurobiology and supporting herself with a career in baking. Music remained a constant however, and after moving to the Bay Area in 2013, Kenney quickly found footing in the supportive arts community in Oakland. There, she met and began collaborating with Chaz Bear (Toro Y Moi), which led to the production of her Signals EP and later her debut album, Night Night at the First Landing. Both releases were received with great critical acclaim, and saw Kenney exploring the sounds within her self-proclaimed twang-haze genre, defined by cathartic fuzz breakdowns and lyrical sensitivity.
The music contained in this album invokes the vibes and spirit that were so crucial to much of the music recorded during the 1960's & 70's in Jamaica. If you talk to the musicians and singers of this era, they will tell you that the driving force behind the songs they created was the sheer love of music. This is one of the reasons these recordings are so powerful and move listeners to this day. Music like this can only be made by those who were schooled in the studios and yards around Kingston and is not something that can be easily reproduced outside Jamaica. The Kingston All Stars represent some of the most legendary musicians to ever grace the little island & it is thanks to their passion and dedication that we have a lifetime of music to enjoy.
The members of KAS have been working & recording with each other in some of Jamaica's most legendary studios for over 50 years. The vibes and music that are created when they get together is nothing short of magic. This is the 3rd KAS LP showcasing the talents of Jamaica's top session musicians from the golden era of Jamaican music. These are the artists who laid the foundation for Rocksteady, Reggae, Roots and beyond in countless recording sessions around Jamaica & without them the music we love would not exist.
The album's intro piece 'Boo Rock', is a tribute to the legendary drummer Mikey 'Boo' Richards. Mikey has recorded with many of the Kingston All Stars in some of Jamaica's most fabled studios. It is obvious that Mikey is revered by all of the Kingston All Stars and it is fitting that this is the 1st track on the album.
Singer Allen Jahsana who is known for his work with Mikey Chung in the early 70's brings two amazing songs to the project. The first 'Jungle Justice' is a commentary on the lack of justice in the tough streets of Kingston, one which Alan knows firsthand as a longtime Kingstonian. The second vocal 'Rising from the Ghetto' is a call to the youth to rise up out of sufferation with some seriously heavy basslines courtesy Jackie Jackson.
New to the KAS family Carol Brown's 'Only Jah Knows' on a sweet dubbed out Rocksteady riddim shines that much brighter with the help of her daughter, Krystal Mittoo. Carl was married to Jackie Mittoo before his untimely passing.
Greenwich Farm rasta and legendary roots vocalist Prince Alla adds a real classic vibe to a new he wrote titled 'My Vision". The deep and powerful style Alla is known for was voiced on a riddim built by keyboard legend Ansel "Stagalag" Collins.
'Guns & Pulpit', the companion vocal for 'Clappers Dub' which saw release on the KAS Dub LP, finally sees the light of day. A proper roots anthem from singer RZee Jackson with conscious lyrics and RZee's unique vocal style.
The Kingston All Stars include Sly Dunbar, Hux Brown, Mikey 'Mao' Chung, Ansel Collins, Jackie Jackson, Robbie Lyn, Everton & Everald Gayle with the guidance of musician, writer & engineer Moss ' Mossman ' Raxlen. Members of the Kingston All Stars have been part of / or recorded with The Revolutionaries, Lynn Taitt & The Jets, Studio One's Sound Dimension and Soul Vendors Band, Lee 'Scratch' Perry's Upsetters, Peter Tosh's Word Sound and Power Band, Toots and the Maytals, Now Generation, In Crowd, Wailers Band and countless others.
The music contained in this album invokes the vibes and spirit that were so crucial to much of the music recorded during the 1960's & 70's in Jamaica. If you talk to the musicians and singers of this era, they will tell you that the driving force behind the songs they created was the sheer love of music. This is one of the reasons these recordings are so powerful and move listeners to this day. Music like this can only be made by those who were schooled in the studios and yards around Kingston and is not something that can be easily reproduced outside Jamaica. The Kingston All Stars represent some of the most legendary musicians to ever grace the little island & it is thanks to their passion and dedication that we have a lifetime of music to enjoy.
The members of KAS have been working & recording with each other in some of Jamaica's most legendary studios for over 50 years. The vibes and music that are created when they get together is nothing short of magic. This is the 3rd KAS LP showcasing the talents of Jamaica's top session musicians from the golden era of Jamaican music. These are the artists who laid the foundation for Rocksteady, Reggae, Roots and beyond in countless recording sessions around Jamaica & without them the music we love would not exist.
The album's intro piece 'Boo Rock', is a tribute to the legendary drummer Mikey 'Boo' Richards. Mikey has recorded with many of the Kingston All Stars in some of Jamaica's most fabled studios. It is obvious that Mikey is revered by all of the Kingston All Stars and it is fitting that this is the 1st track on the album.
Singer Allen Jahsana who is known for his work with Mikey Chung in the early 70's brings two amazing songs to the project. The first 'Jungle Justice' is a commentary on the lack of justice in the tough streets of Kingston, one which Alan knows firsthand as a longtime Kingstonian. The second vocal 'Rising from the Ghetto' is a call to the youth to rise up out of sufferation with some seriously heavy basslines courtesy Jackie Jackson.
New to the KAS family Carol Brown's 'Only Jah Knows' on a sweet dubbed out Rocksteady riddim shines that much brighter with the help of her daughter, Krystal Mittoo. Carl was married to Jackie Mittoo before his untimely passing.
Greenwich Farm rasta and legendary roots vocalist Prince Alla adds a real classic vibe to a new he wrote titled 'My Vision". The deep and powerful style Alla is known for was voiced on a riddim built by keyboard legend Ansel "Stagalag" Collins.
'Guns & Pulpit', the companion vocal for 'Clappers Dub' which saw release on the KAS Dub LP, finally sees the light of day. A proper roots anthem from singer RZee Jackson with conscious lyrics and RZee's unique vocal style.
The Kingston All Stars include Sly Dunbar, Hux Brown, Mikey 'Mao' Chung, Ansel Collins, Jackie Jackson, Robbie Lyn, Everton & Everald Gayle with the guidance of musician, writer & engineer Moss ' Mossman ' Raxlen. Members of the Kingston All Stars have been part of / or recorded with The Revolutionaries, Lynn Taitt & The Jets, Studio One's Sound Dimension and Soul Vendors Band, Lee 'Scratch' Perry's Upsetters, Peter Tosh's Word Sound and Power Band, Toots and the Maytals, Now Generation, In Crowd, Wailers Band and countless others
The 2nd Release On 823, A Creative Project Founded By Ta-ku, Is Featuring The Label Debut Of Portland Wunderkind Quickly, Quickly.
823 Is Also The Numerical Representation Of The Phrase 'thinking Of You'. It Represents The Appreciation For The People/ideas/places That Inspire Us And Push Us Forward. As A Label We Are Proud To Present A Series Of Musical Releases That Showcase The Artists Musical & Visual Endeavors. The Artwork Is Shot By The Artist Themselves & Each Release Has An Accompanying Photo Zine That Acts As A Visual Story That Compliments The Music They Wrote At That Time.
There's A Maturity To The Sound Of Portland, Oregon-based Producer Quickly, Quickly That Makes It Difficult To Believe He's Just 17 Years Old. Using Elements Of Jazz, Hip Hop, And R&b, Quickly, Quickly Weaves A Tapestry Of Wispy Productions That Feel Equally Inspired By The Dusty Drums Of Early '90s Boom Bap As They Do By The Whimsical Electronics Of Head-turning Contemporaries Like Tennyson. Taking Over On Vocals, Bass, Drums, And Piano, He Offers Insight Into A Greater Understanding Of Musicality, There's Time Devoted To Each Audible Layer And It Shows.
Ta-ku:
graham First Caught My Eye With His Film Photography - It Was Only Co-incidental That He Also Made World Class Sounds & Made Me Ever So Jealous With His Musical Talent At Such A Young Age. Graham Is One Of Those Wunderkinds That Have Managed To Create Such A Strong Musical Identity For Himself And Makes It Look So Effortless. Graham Is The Reason Why I Started 823. He Is The Epitome Of Someone Who Embodies That Free Flowing Creative Energy That Needs To Be Showcased To The World!
Music Has Always Been A Part Of Quickly, Quickly's Life, As He Started Playing Piano When He Was Two Years Old. This Love Of Music Shaped His Young Life And Created A Solid Musical Foundation For Future Efforts. In 5th Grade Quickly, Quickly Found Hip-hop, Citing Common Market, J Dilla, Blue Scholars, And The Pharcyde As Early Influences. With His Love Of Hip-hop And Early Musical Background, It Seemed Only Right That Quickly Would Begin To Produce His Own Music.
Having Now Made Beats For Around Six Years, Quickly, Quickly Is Producing At The Top Of His Game. The Production On His Debut Ep over Skies' Is As Easy-going As It Is Complex, And The Fact That There Are No Samples On The Ep Makes It All The More Impressive. Inspired Heavily By The Sky And The Many Forms It Takes, This Ep Blends Genres And Crosses Musical Borders With Ease.
Here it is !
The long-awaited new LP from former Dubtribe Soundsystem shaman Sunshine Jones
Far from basking in Bay Area bliss, Sunshine has been busy redefining his organic approach to music making and sound synthesis into a rich and textured fresh take on the House blueprint - best realised in his elaborate & ever-evolving live shows.
Assembling these improvised pieces into a cohesive whole, that might well just be the best vinyl based representation off a full night out you're likely to hear this year.
From the emotive opener to last year's anthemic 'Fall In Love, Not In Line' closer, Home represents the fluid but refined garden of sound that's grown from Dubtribe's rich 90's foundation.
The artwork on this splendidly presented gatefold LP is a photograph of Sunshine performing live at the Garden Party in San Francisco by The Holy Mountain, the collage is done by Sunshine and the design is by Fernando_Graphicos. Accompanied by detailed track notes, with all equipment used to make the record alongside sonic schematic. Man and machine aligned for total transcendence !
SINGLE GATEFOLD LP
