Estetika Steps Up With It's Second Release Estetika002 To Bring You A Various Artists Ep Featuring Tracks From Pat King, Jason Patrick, Mattias Fridell, And Francesco De Luca.
Pat King Kicks Off The Ep With misery Loves Company' A Swinging Deep Techno Piece Laced With Emotive Atmospheres, Subtle Dubbed Out Vocals, And Rhythm Elements.
contour Subtracts' A Driving Techno Track Comes By Way Of Jason Patrick Bringing Ominous Pads, Dark Synth Elements, And A Jacking Modulating Clap.
Francesco De Luca Contributes The Third Track Of The Release With twisted' A Stripped Down Deep Moody Techno Number Laced With Polyrhythmic Synth Grooves.
Mattias Fridell Closes Out The Ep With semeldagen' Delivering A Dose Of His Signature Machine Funk Techno And Hypnotic Synth Riff Pivots In Conjunction With Rhythm Elements.
After the great success of his new-classsical album 'Voyage de la planète' last year Marc Romboy releases a special 7' single according to the album. And once again as he experiments with his sound - pushing the boundaries between classical and electronic music to create both an emotional and atmospheric experience.
The title track - Voyage de la planete' was especially taped at the Robert-Schumann-Saal in Düsseldorf to create a highgrade recording of each classical instrument. The difference between a studio roon and a concert hall is remarkable.
Another highly acclaimed track, - La lune et l´etoile' comes along with an outstanding piano only version which improves once again that less can be so much more.
That warm and dreamy Italian sound is experiencing a huge revival for a while now. Some of the best new cuts in this genre come from the Cosmic Rhythm camp. Producers Nicolas and Michele combine forces to deliver you this awesome new Rydm Sectors EP called Summertime. 4 deep house bombs with pumping club vibe!
After more than a decade of deep, expansive productions on labels such as Detroit Underground and CPU, Annie Hall arrives on MUSAR for a record typically rich in texture and understated grooves.
Opening track 'Linium' immediately seduces listeners with a complex drum pattern that somehow feels spacious, subtly twisting and turning its way around Hall's analogue world. Dutch artist Mattheis maintains this understated feel but adds a soft, compelling kick in response on his suspenseful remix of 'Lavandula'. The original, moodier version of this cut the follows to open the B side, gradually erupting around a killer distorted bassline. The EP continues to hit a more urgent note with the tense machinations of 'Silene', where dense layers of stuttering, frenetic drums interweave with Hall's trademark, melancholy keys. The record concludes on a weightless, transcendent note with 'Santolina', taking each visceral element featured thus far and slowing each down, with affecting results.
Indebted to vintage electro and IDM, Hall's music is no throwback, always looking forward and moving dancefloors in the most unexpected ways.
DJ FEEDBACK
Early support from
Michael Mayer (Kompakt) : Nice vibes from Mattheis... will play for sure!
James Zabiela (Born Electric) : Linium is a nice one, thanks.
Arnaud Le Texier (Cocoon / Chronicle) : Nice music. Thx!
Marcel Dettmann (Ostgut Ton/MDR) : Thx!
Carl Craig (Planet E) : Thx!
Gonno (Beats In Space Records / Endless Flight) : I like Mattheis' :)
Thomas Hessler (Index Marcel Fengler) : Nice one! Thank you!
Tom Lye (Melodic Distraction - Liverpool) : Big fan of the whole EP. Strong, building electro with different moods. Essential!
Afrodeutsche (NTS / LuckyMe / Skam) : Glitchy melodica... Right up my Strasse...
DJ Shiva / Noncompliant (Valence / Detroit Underground) : Stellar music here. Moving beyond "DJ music", this is just really fantastic to listen to in headphones. Gorgeous stuff.
Lonya (Asymmetric Recordings) : Great stuff here!
Nori (Posivision) : Cool work.
Cinnaman (Rush Hour / Naked Naked) : Lavandula and Santolina are my favorites! thanks
Dj Windows XP (E-Beamz) : Dope E.P. Will play Lavandula.
Ambivalent/LA-4A (Delft/Cocoon/Ovum) I'm a huge fan of Annie Hall and Mattheis!!! This is a FANTASTIC release!! One of my favorites of recent months just on first listen!!
Benoit C (Tsugi) : Linium for me
Ian Blevins (ESP Institute / Sulk Magic) : Linium and another bit of top work from Mattheis. Santolina is pushing my buttons too. Aphexy vibes.
Joe Europe (Ransom Note) : Very nice!
Azterisco: Very interesting record. Nice remix!
Oded Peled : What a fantastic release! Was hard to choose a favourite between Linium and the Mattheis Remix of Lavandula. Both will come in handy in my sets. ....Thanx a lot and keep em coming.
Naduve (Cocktail d'Amore / Disco Halal) : Both A1 and A2 are great!..Thanks.
Anastasia Kristensen (Nous) : I dig this a lot, it's a crazy well produced record.
Demia E.Clash (Darknet) : Such a good ep-.i love them all,quality production yess.
Pedro Martins (Karakter Records) : Nice EP overall. Linium, Silene, and Santolina are my favorites. Thank you so much!
Xinobi (Discotexas) : Great record. I'm specially enchanted by the original version o Lavandula. Congratulations.
Scan Mode (DJ Mag Spain) : Lavandula in both mixes for me
John Osborn (TANSTAAFL) : Can't pick a fav. it is all Devine. thank you.
Madloch (Sound Avenue) : Nice EP, Linium & Lavandula original are my favs, thanks.
DVS NME (Transient Force) : The standout track is Lavandula.
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Last delivered 5 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Good News! Berlin Calling - The Soundtrack By Paul Kalkbrenner Is Available Now On Double Vinyl For The Very First Time! The 10th Anniversary Vinyl Edition On 180 G Heavyweight Vinyl In A Beautifully Made Gatefold Sleeve With A Luxurious Finish Includes A Brand-new Exclusive Poster Marking That Particular Milestone In Recent Electronic Music History.
Paul Kalkbrenner's Eponymous Soundtrack To The Legendary And Unique Film Hardly Needs Any Introduction. The Original Movie And Its Soundtrack Catapulted Him Into Prominence As An Actor And Dj/ Producer, Spearheading His Peers And Being At The Forefront Of Electronic Music At The Time.
- 10th Anniversary Vinyl Edition
- 180 G. Heavyweight Vinyl In Gatefold Sleeve
- Exclusive Poster
- Berlin Calling Cd/digital Is A Double Platinum Album In Germany!
- The Single "sky & Sand" Stayed In The German Top 100 Single Charts For More Than 2 Years (106 Weeks Continuously)
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Last delivered 4 days ago available to reorder, subject to availability
An Invitation To Disappear is the debut LP by British electronic musician Inland aka Ed Davenport - and his first release for A-TON. Based on his soundtrack for a video installation by conceptual artist Julian Charrière, Davenport has recast the material and field recordings into eight tracks of rhythmically intricate electronics and spectral, ambient techno, inspired by Charrière's visually striking, 76-minute tracking shot through a palm plantation toward a totemic soundsystem on full blast.
Both the album and original soundtrack were created in response to the 200th anniversary of the eruption of Indonesia's Tambora volcano in 1815, which plunged the world into darkness and caused a series of extreme weather conditions. At the time, the natural climate change crisis resulted in numerous global famines and is known throughout the northern hemisphere as 'The Year Without Summer', with global communities forced to adapt to sudden radical changes in temperature and weather.
An Invitation To Disappear offers a contemporary parallel, leading viewers - and listeners - down a seemingly endless direct path of gridded palms from dawn to dusk; a bio-commercial monoculture where ancient jungle once flourished. Light flickers between rows of fruit-laden trees and a distant fire burns in the undergrowth where the border between natural image and computer simulation breaks down. At the same time, formerly incoherent rumblings of sub-frequencies begin to transform into the contours of rhythm. This is reflected sonically in eight perspectives on the lush, synthetic jungle, made of myriad buzzing fauna, morphing melody and colossal bassweight. All paths lead toward an apocalyptic dancefloor, though speeds vary widely; rhythms dissolve from straight to broken, synth tempos operate by their own internal clocks (and logic). Juxtaposing industrial agriculture with rave culture, the album explores the industrialization and refinement of nature, and the new strange forms emerging from the synthetic grids of both.
As Inland, Davenport has previously contributed soundtracks to other installations by the Swiss-born Charrière, whose artistic practice focuses on bridging environmental science and cultural history, often taking place in remote geophysical locations, including ice fields, volcanos and radioactive sites.
Julian Charrière is a French-Swiss artist based in Berlin. A former student of Olafur Eliasson at the Institut für Raumexperimente, Charrière's art explores post-romantic constructions of nature, staging tensions between deep or geological timescales and those relating to mankind. His work has previously been shown across the globe, including at the main exhibition of the Venice Biennale in 2017, a solo show at Kunsthalle Mainz this past Spring and an upcoming solo show at the Berlinische Galerie opening September 26.
Inland (real name Ed Davenport) is a British producer, DJ and founder of Counterchange Records based in Berlin. Known for his detailed and explorative house and techno releases on his own label, Infrastructure, Naïf and more, Davenport has recently gravitated toward the contemporary art world, finding inspiration in the cross-pollination between Berlin's art and music scenes. Previous sound design collaborations with Charrière have been exhibited in institutions such as the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne in 2014 and Thyssen- Bornemisza Contemporary in Vienna in 2017.
The gallery version of An Invitation To Disappear premiered this past April at the Kunsthalle Mainz and will be on display at the Berlinische Galerie as part of Charrière's solo exhibition As We Used to Float, opening September 26, 2018. The LP will premier live together with the video installation during a special presentation in Berghain the same day for Berlin Art Week.
The Nomads EP is a new chapter for the Austrian duo. Not only is it the biggest project for RoyGreen & Protone to date it also includes hand drawn Artwork & Stickers by a Florine Imo and is rich of different musical flavours. It's a thing from the heart... you can see, hear & feel it.
Since the late 80s, Mudhoney - the Seattle-based foursome
whose muck-crusted version of rock, shot through with caustic
wit and battened down by a ferocious low end - has been a
high-pH tonic against the ludicrous and the insipid. Thirty years
later, the world is experiencing a particularly high-water
moment for both those ideals. Just in time, vocalist Mark Arm,
guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan
Peters are back with 'Digital Garbage', a barbed-wire-trimmed
collection of sonic brickbats.
Arm's raw yawp and his bandmates' long-honed chemistry
make 'Digital Garbage' an ideal release valve for the 2018
pressure cooker. 'My sense of humor is dark, and these are
dark times,' says Arm. 'I suppose it's only getting darker.'
'I would've really just loved to write songs about just hanging
out on the beach, and going on a nice vacation,' says Arm.
'But, you know, that probably doesn't make for great rock.'
Mudhoney, however, know what does make great rock - and
the riffs and fury of 'Digital Garbage' will stand the test of time,
even if the particulars fade away. 'I've tried to keep things
somewhat universal, so that this album doesn't just seem like
of this time - hopefully some of this stuff will go away,' Arm
laughs. 'You don't want to say in the future, 'Hey, those lyrics
are still relevant. Great!''
Mudhoney will be touring Europe in 2018.
CD in die-cut gatefold digipak with custom dust sleeve. LP in
die-cut gatefold jacket with custom dust sleeve and digital
download coupon. Cassette in four-panel J-card in clear case.
Digital download album.
Rough sounds burning down slowly, clashing like uncontrolled bodies in a turmoil of deviated thoughts. Lux Rec releases the first EP from Lausanne born, Zurich based musician, 808Hz. The record consists of three original tracks and one rework by Savage Grounds.
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Matthew Dear's Black City Can't Be Found On Any Map. It's A Composite, An Imaginary Metropolis Peopled By Desperate Cases, Lovelorn Souls, And Amoral Motives. Like Most Literary Gothams, Black City Is A Place To Love And Hate, As Seedy As A Nightclub's Back Room And As Seductive As The Promise Of Power. Matthew Dear, The Musician, May Live In New York City, But The Matthew Dear Of Black City Inhabits A Sound-world Unlike Any Other: A Monument To The Shadowy Side Of Urban Life That Bumps And Creaks, Shudders And Wakes Up Screaming In The Middle Of The Night. Black City Is Matthew Dear's Third Album On Ghostly International, And It's His Darkest And Most Engrossing Work To Date.
From The rst Notes Of Album Opener "honey", It's Clear That The Love-obsessed Matthew Dear Of 2007's Asa Breed Has Given Way To A More Existentially Paranoid Entity, As Creeping Tempos Dominate, Cavernous Atmospherics Envelop The Listener, And Strange Distortions Crackle On The Horizon. In Black City, Nothing Is At It Seems: Leadoff Single "little People (black City)" Is A Nine-and-a-half Minute Disco odyssey, subverting its gleaming electronic lead with eerily giddy backing vocals and cryptic, ominous lyrics ("a frozen wasted heart / has died", "love me like a clown"); "You Put a Smell on Me" is a sordid sex romp set to hysterically chattering percussion and a serrated synth line that will set your teeth on edge; "More Surgery" at rst recalls the barely-there Krautrock of Harmonia in its burbling minimalism, until Dear's chanted chorus of "Alter genetics / to make my body glow / I need more surgery / there's so much more to know" sends the track hurtling into a dystopian future.
And yet, for all the foreboding moods on Black City, it's the album's sweeter moments that illustrate Matthew Dear's growing maturity as a songwriter. "Slowdance" is a futuristic lullaby in which Dear articulates a lover's helplessness ("I can't be the one to tell you everything's wrong") over breathy, Arthur Russell-esque cello swishes; the album-closing "Gem" is an achingly simple, reverb-drenched piano ballad that ends with a long, slow fade. Even in Matthew Dear's Black City, there is hope.
"Luz da Joaca" is a track taken from S-Tone Inc. latest full-length "Onda", here retreated by the magic touch of Maestro Gerardo Frisina with his unique taste. A musical journey in two different movements, both in a Batucada style: the A-side exalts the original melody sung by Toco, while the B-side is a dub rhythm-focused version especially made for a DJ use. Once again Mr. Frisina gives us a sample of his skills as an affirmed producer and longtime collaborator of Schema Records!
By track two we've already blitzed Cutty Ranks samples via Dawn Of The Dead chatter through Street Fighter vamps and Pulse X resurrection subs. All you can do with Mars89's mesh of gutter sonics is pick out the landmarks you recognise: 'oh yeah that's kinda drill, mmmm gqom, oooo Night Slugs' but like the best hallucinations you just shut your eyes and ride it.End of The Deathsounds like it comes from no place in particular.
Slotting way outside of the current batch of hard-to-describe club music that we're all struggling with, End of The Deathis the Tokyo native's third release, his 2nd for Bokeh (after 2017's Lucid DreamEP) and his first official appearance on wax (after a run of 30 'Biological Tides'/'Poltergeist' dubplates). Bokeh pays full respect to Mars89's futuristic intent with a bad acid Akira sleeve airbrushed by Patrick Savile and a limited VR headset edition - accompanied by a 360° video environment by Seth de Silva.
Bokeh Edwards and Mars89 met at the Bokeh Versions x Diskotopia night in Tangram hairdressers, Tokyo (sponsored by Pioneer) in October 2016. He's a crucial member of the Tokyo's Chopstick Killahz, a self-described "Post Tribal DJ Unit" lurking on the fringes of the city's grime scene. Mars89's self released his debut EP East End Chaos in 2016 on a limited run of zines. He's also recently composed music for Amazon Fashion Week Tokyo 2017A/W and started a residency at Bristol's Noods Radio to highlight DJ and production talent elsewhere in Asia.
Composer, filmmaker and photographer Phill Niblock is a true pillar of the New York avant-garde. In the past 50 years, he has curated over 1,000 performances at his Centre Street loft and steadfastly built a massive, multidisciplinary body of work. While his earliest musical compositions date back to 1968, Niblock waited until the early '80s to release any recordings. Nothin To Look At Just A Record, a powerful debut with densely layered trombones, would be the first to unfurl his unique approach to sound.
The second album and perhaps the most rare in Niblock's vast catalogue, 1984's Niblock For Celli / Celli Plays Niblock is a meeting of two great minds. Working with reed player Joseph Celli (a composer in his own right, who has collaborated with John Cage, Pauline Oliveros and Ornette Coleman), Niblock nimbly removes the breathing pauses from Celli's oboe and English horn to create seamless, enchanting drones.
Niblock insists that his music be played loud: only in this way can one experience the visceral ringing of these long instrumental tones through the speakers and their natural overtones generated by the room. Niblock For Celli remains deeply absorbing.
This first-time reissue is recommended for fans of Alvin Lucier, Yoshi Wada and Dome.
Fourth Kind the self titled mini album on Omniverse Records. It's hard to pinpoint a genre with records like this; produced by Marc Mac of 4hero and similar to some of the 4hero output, it defies genre and fits somewhere in-between many. The production is heavily reliant on synthesisers and vintage drum machines in places but is full of real life and organic movements, this is partly down to the signature drums played by Luke Parkhouse. The only other guest spot is filled by Nu Jazz Funker Pascal Strauss aka Luman Child who plays bass guitar on "Take Me To Your Sky" which along with "Afterglows" are the closest we get to dance tracks, in most parts a 70s fusion feel is present. The short interlude type tracks tie the journey together and I would go as far as to say vital to telling the story. Moogs, Arps and Solina strings weave patterns throughout, all in all, across the 10 tracks the album is a journey of mood and emotions. 180g Pressing. Released 28th September 2018.
Limited Edition of 500 handnumbered Box Set including 4LPs (180g), 1 CD, Download Coupon and a high quality 120 page booklet. NOTE: BOX IS SHRINK-WRAPPED BUT WILL BE OPENED FOR SHIPPING TO AVOID SEAM-SPLIT.
Black Truffle Together With Bernhard Rietbrock And Zhdk Are Honoured To Reissue This Stunning Boxset Celebrating Alvin Lucier's 85th Birthday Celebrations Which Took Place In Zurich, 2013.
Alvin Lucier Is One Of Most Important Figures In More Than A Half Century Of Avant-garde And Experimental Sound Practice. He Has No Equivalent. He Is Among America's Most Important Composers - A Towering Pillar Of Intellect, Creativity, And Beauty Realized Through Sound. His Singular And Unparalleled Body Of Work, Focused Around Acoustic Phenomena And Auditory Perception, Which Included, Among Many Others, The Groundbreaking Works Bird And Person Dyning, Music On A Long Thin Wire, And I Am Sitting In A Room, Each Quietly Shifting The Understanding Of What Music Could Be - Deceptively Discrete Gestures, Laying Their Mark On History And The Expectations Of Nearly Everything To Come, While Radically Expanding The Field. It Is Such A Life, Defined By Such Striking Accomplishment, Which This Release Celebrates Across The Four Lps, Cd, And Book Which Make Up The Lavish Illuminated By The Moon Release.
Recorded In October Of 2016 At The Alvin Lucier 85th Birthday Festival At The Zurich University Of The Arts, The Box Gathers A Remarkable Range Of Performances Of Works From Lucier's Life In Music, From The Iconic To The Lesser Known. It Begins With Wonderful Stagings Of I Am In A Sitting Room And Music For Solo Performer Performed By The Composer, Before Presenting The Work Charles Curtis Performed By The Cellist For Whom It Was Composed, And Double Rainbow, A Recent Work, Performed By The Incredible Joan La Barbara. Over The Course Of The Set's Many Discs, We Encounter Works Ranging From Nothing Is Real (strawberry Fields Forever), Braid, Two Circles, Hanover, Step, Slide And Sustain, And One Arm Bandits, Performed By Oren Ambarchi, Stephen O'malley, And Gary Schmalzl, With Further Contributions By Charles Curtis And Many Others Involved In The Celebrations Of Lucier's Life And Work. The Collection, By Offering An Expanse Of Material Otherwise Unavailable In The Composer's Discography, Opens A Rare Window Into The Breadth And Range Of Territory Which He Has Approached, As Well As Into The Unique Humor Which Has Quietly Bubbled Through His Entire Career. It Is A Singular Recording Event, The Likes Of Which Are Unlikely To Be Repeated.
A Worthy Tribute To One Of The Last Century's Most Important Composers, Offering Insight, Recognition, And Critical Investigation, Long Overdue And Lovingly Produced. Including An Extensive, Lavish 120 Page Book, With Numerous Unseen Images. Pressed On 180 Gram Vinyl, This Limited Edition Of 500 Individually Numbered Copies Is Unquestionably One Of The Most Beautiful And Important Releases Of 2018.
Key Selling Points: - Limited Edition Of 500 Handnumbered Units From Legendary Electronic Music Pioneer Alvin Lucier
- Lavish Box Set Including 4lps, 1 Cd, And A High Quality 120 Page Booklet.
- 180g Vinyl
- Incl. Download Coupon To Redeem All Tracks
- Over 190 Minutes Playtime
- Remarkable Collection Of Performances Of Works From Lucier's Life In Music, From The Iconic To The Lesser Known.
- Mastered & Cut By Helmut Erler At Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin.
For over 18 years, Spectral Sound, the dance music imprint of Ghostly International, has thrived at the forefront of techno and house. It has been a source of support for numerous DJs and producers during that time, from Matthew Dear and Benoit & Sergio to Avalon Emerson and Hieroglyphic Being. Now, Spectral brings the past alongside the present with its latest release, a compilation that offers a vibrant cross-section of the current moment in underground dance music. Despite the wide-ranging selections on Spectral 139, a throughline of classic style and infectious energy emerges from the up-and-coming and established artists alike. Rising talents such as Minimal Violence, Russell E.L. Butler, and Earth Trax x Newborn Jr. bring unique perspectives to their hardware-centric productions. Veteran producers bring their own edge as well: D'Marc Cantu blows the roof off with the outsized funk of "Regularly People," and Nigil Caenaan's "January's End," a low-key Detroit classic from the late '90s, closes Spectral 139 with a whirlwind of manic rhythms and sedate synths. Gunnar Haslam opens the tracklist with his acidic mindbender, "Versione Antica." And Ghostly regulars like Tadd Mullinix, who drops a lush JTC remix of his new X-Altera alias, and Matrixxman, who collaborates with Riccardo Limiti on the cavernous "Inferno," tie everything back to the label's roots. The double-12" compilation, as well as each individual single, features original work by Los Angeles-based artist Nina Hartmann. Her designs have appeared on releases from labels such as Ascetic House and Big Love, and the pieces for Spectral 139 continue to develop her cryptic aesthetic. The marriage of Hartmann's striking, high-contrast symbols with such bold dance music speaks to a collection that aims to stand out.
'Bound to shake your walls and rattle your windows' Max Reinhardt, BBC RADIO 3 "The first bit of evidence that Elizabeth Bernholz's next album Pastoral - due out in September - could be her best to date". THE QUIETUS "Will likely be one of the year's very best records.' CLASH 'What species is this What century' Forged in a rural idyll in Middle-England, the new album Pastoral, by Gazelle Twin, exhumes England's rotten past, and shines a torch over its ever-darkening present. Told through a troupe of multi-gender voices, in vernaculars old and new; from the shrill echo of folksong to tabloid-tinged jaunts, the artist aka Elizabeth Bernholz, presents the notion that 'there is horror in every idyll, and danger lurking beyond the 'quaint' '. The village square - once host to centuries of public torture - becomes a floral framed postcard, dolled-up for the Summer Fête. A sunny, afternoon walk over the hills unsettles a cloud of angry flies feeding from unidentifiable remains. Bigoted vitriol gently murmurs amidst tearoom chatter, as the neatly framed pastoral picture dissolves into a solemn ennui. Four years in the making, amidst life-changing events, including a move far out of the city, Pastoral will be the first major release by the artist since her widely acclaimed LP UNFLESH (2014, Anti-Ghost Moon Ray) and is seamlessly on-theme, together with Bernholz's J.G. Ballard-inspired A/V show 'Kingdom Come' (soundtrack released November 2017, Anti-Ghost Moon Ray) - a fascism-infused hellscape, this time set in deepest Old England. As its sole creator, Gazelle Twin 'The Composer, Musician and Producer' has crafted an album overflowing with a frenzy of traditional and contemporary musical tropes; from early music instrumentation - the harpsichord and the humble recorder, fed through myriad electronics - to the compelling, ritualistic application of found sample-looping. Beyond Bernholz's signature choral-infusions, here reverberating like a warped Sunday Service, there are even shades of '90s house and the once-thriving rural rave scene, albeit recalled as a watery, second-hand memory. In its consummation it is an album that feels pan-century, even pan-species. Set against a verdant backdrop of hedgerows and steeples, Gazelle Twin 'The Artist and Performer', constructs an eccentric and commanding visual embodiment of all-of-the-above - a costume fit for a court Jester of the 21st Century. The colours of Neo-Nationalism. Coke cans, and DANGER. 'It' (not 'she') hints at folkloric traditions with a footy mascot twist. The 'Ye Olde' and 'The Everyman' of the English cliché. Brandishing a sneer and a hobby horse. A riddle and a recorder. A jeer and a square dance in red, Adidas Gazelle's, and a mad, fixed GRIN - first glimpsed in the single, 'Hobby Horse' (22 June, Anti-Ghost Moon Ray). A deranged, absurd reflection of deranged and absurd times.
'Bound to shake your walls and rattle your windows' Max Reinhardt, BBC RADIO 3 "The first bit of evidence that Elizabeth Bernholz's next album Pastoral - due out in September - could be her best to date". THE QUIETUS "Will likely be one of the year's very best records.' CLASH 'What species is this What century' Forged in a rural idyll in Middle-England, the new album Pastoral, by Gazelle Twin, exhumes England's rotten past, and shines a torch over its ever-darkening present. Told through a troupe of multi-gender voices, in vernaculars old and new; from the shrill echo of folksong to tabloid-tinged jaunts, the artist aka Elizabeth Bernholz, presents the notion that 'there is horror in every idyll, and danger lurking beyond the 'quaint' '. The village square - once host to centuries of public torture - becomes a floral framed postcard, dolled-up for the Summer Fête. A sunny, afternoon walk over the hills unsettles a cloud of angry flies feeding from unidentifiable remains. Bigoted vitriol gently murmurs amidst tearoom chatter, as the neatly framed pastoral picture dissolves into a solemn ennui. Four years in the making, amidst life-changing events, including a move far out of the city, Pastoral will be the first major release by the artist since her widely acclaimed LP UNFLESH (2014, Anti-Ghost Moon Ray) and is seamlessly on-theme, together with Bernholz's J.G. Ballard-inspired A/V show 'Kingdom Come' (soundtrack released November 2017, Anti-Ghost Moon Ray) - a fascism-infused hellscape, this time set in deepest Old England. As its sole creator, Gazelle Twin 'The Composer, Musician and Producer' has crafted an album overflowing with a frenzy of traditional and contemporary musical tropes; from early music instrumentation - the harpsichord and the humble recorder, fed through myriad electronics - to the compelling, ritualistic application of found sample-looping. Beyond Bernholz's signature choral-infusions, here reverberating like a warped Sunday Service, there are even shades of '90s house and the once-thriving rural rave scene, albeit recalled as a watery, second-hand memory. In its consummation it is an album that feels pan-century, even pan-species. Set against a verdant backdrop of hedgerows and steeples, Gazelle Twin 'The Artist and Performer', constructs an eccentric and commanding visual embodiment of all-of-the-above - a costume fit for a court Jester of the 21st Century. The colours of Neo-Nationalism. Coke cans, and DANGER. 'It' (not 'she') hints at folkloric traditions with a footy mascot twist. The 'Ye Olde' and 'The Everyman' of the English cliché. Brandishing a sneer and a hobby horse. A riddle and a recorder. A jeer and a square dance in red, Adidas Gazelle's, and a mad, fixed GRIN - first glimpsed in the single, 'Hobby Horse' (22 June, Anti-Ghost Moon Ray). A deranged, absurd reflection of deranged and absurd times.
"The Room", Fenster's fourth album and their first release on Altin Village & Mine marks the beginning of a new chapter for the band. After releasing three albums, a feature length film, and touring extensively throughout Europe and North America since 2012, "The Room" serves as an entry point into their sonic evolution. The essential characteristic of the band is transformation - within and between genres, albums, and songs. Their sound is a window framing psychedelic, groovy, hypnogogic, playful pop.
Fenster is Elias Hock (Germany), Jonathan Jarzyna (Germany), Lucas Ufo (France) and JJ Weihl (USA). Their mission in creating this album was to compose and arrange every song together in a room. It is an experiment in collective creativity that pushed all of them to transcend their individuality and create something together which is greater than the sum of its parts.
The songs were tracked live in a house where the band ate, slept, and played together. Often the songs were recorded without implementing a click track. They were intent on finding and locking into a human groove—one open to imperfection—while still maintaining a tightness between them. They wanted to make the songs feel alive—as if the listener were present in the room with them in the moment of creation.
The album's title track "The Room" opens the record like a rollercoaster ride. There is a tension in the first bars that ties us to earth, a minimal riff that guides us to the first chorus where we feel we are slowly lifting into the air—and by the time we reach the second chorus it has exploded into a space far away from the planet's gravitational pull.
The band's use of juxtaposition is not just a way of channeling a vast library of musical genres and concepts, it is a means of expression. Combining tender pop melodies with kraut-beats, disco grooves and psychedelia frees the band from any one sound and creates a genre all its own.
This playfulness is especially vibrant in songs like "Rhythm A" and "HAHA lol" which deconstruct and fuse together disparate moments of explosive rock, tender harmonies, percussion made of splashing water, voices from a radio, and electric piano. Even "Feel Better", a sparkly pop ballad is cracked wide open by a long trippy interlude that appears unexpectedly within an otherwise classic structure.
The cover art, created by the band's own Lucas Ufo, invites us into a room in the shape of a human skull. If one looks "out" the window in the picture, one finds oneself looking in to an infinite portal of rooms within rooms. The record plays a lot with this idea of perception. In "HBW", the relationship between the bass and the drums creates the feeling of an infinity loop. The lyrics lend an enigmatic tint to the landscape of so called objective reality v. perceived reality: "I was a phase — you were going through — said I was the one but there is no one — there's only the sun — that gives shape to the moon"
The record starts with "The Room" and ends with "Two Doors". Maybe one door is an exit, and one leads to another room... who knows The song has something mysterious and expansive, like a digital ocean flooding the room, carrying everything away. The whole process of making a record is about capturing a moment in time. This is the record they made - in this point in time, all together, in a room. The last words of the record roll out with the waves: "What you leave behind for someone else to find — Two doors inside — neither one is right"
You May Not Have Heard The Name Jackson Almond Before, But You Will Have Likely Heard Some Of His Music. Having Released On Wotnot Back In 2013 Under The Name Real, With A Flurry Of Eps, Remixes And Bootlegs Under This Name And As Part Of Duo Boean (on Bbe, Warner, Xvi & Slowfoot Among Others), Jackson Has Been Delighting Ears For A While Now, With A Particular Knack For Balancing Hooks And Earworms With Original Ideas And Creative Production.
This Ep Began Life As A Series Of Headphone Jams Written When Jackson Was Living Outside Of The City In Self-imposed Exile, Tuning Into The Goings On In Dance Music From An External Position. It Was Then Polished Into Dancefloor Gems At The Wotnot Studio At The Total Refreshment Centre. The Music Reflects This, With The Sonic Palette Reflecting Lo-fi And Outsider House, But With A Warmth, Depth And Musicality Specific To His Own Personal Situation.
The Music Embodies The Hook Of The Title Track - Open Your Head - A Mix Of Influences And Sounds From World, Soul, Jazz, House And Techno Sources. In Oyh, A Child's Voice Floats Over Percussive Drum And Mbira Layers With African Flavours, While Soulful Guitar Stabs Widen The Palette. Ee Ye Follows A Similar Idea With Overseas Sounds Opening To Infectious House Organ Stabs. People, Places, Things In Spaces Is An Immersive Roller With Warming Wurlitzer Chords Providing An Almost Gospel-like Inflection.
The Attention To Detail Throughout The Ep Is Astonishing, The Best Example Being The Arrangement Of Our Personal Favourite Common, With The Irresistible Chord Progression Working Its Way Around Instruments, Patiently Building To Hit Its Peak Halfway Through The Track For The Ultimate Screwface Moment.
Ultimately This Rebirth Of Jackson Almond Sits Nicely With A Label Finding Their Stride Again, With Widely-praised Releases From Danvers And K15 Already This Year, Wotnot Are Staking Their Claim On People's Ears Once Again.
Early Dj Support:
Atjazz, Jimpster, Dave Harvey Futureboogie, &me, Robert Luis (tru Thoughts), Severino Panzetta (horsemeat Disco)
Bath-come-London party purveyors, Origins, take to channelling some of their creativity into the creation of their own Origins label. At the helm for the debut release is Bristolian up-and-comer Tommosini. Having heard Move D unleash the beauty of 'Another Dimension' at Freerotation last year, Origins knew they had to find out who the mastermind behind this deep house gem was....and the rest, they say, is history.
'Another Dimension' transports you through the galaxies via a combination of dreamy pads, crisp percussion, full-bodied bass and those sensual deep tinged vocals. Future classic in the making.
The A2 'I Don't Stop' carries on the U.S flavoured deep house with a vocal house track that wouldn't be out of place coming from the shores of Chicago masterfully intertwining a bumping bassline, soft organs and those introspective, luscious vocals.
Flip it over and you're treated to two interpretations of 'Another Dimension'. First up fellow Bristol bass badboy, Hodge, serves up a signature remix, chopping the vocals and layering them behind a pounding kick and machine gun percussion to give that bass heavy flavour he's become so well known for. Deadbeat steps up to close out the e.p. with a heavyweight techno rework of the original, complete with hypnotic bleeps, phased hats, and intermittent sub bass goodness, all tied together with a driving kick to give a real industrial feel to the remix.
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Last delivered 6 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Tropical Disco Records are back with their fifth release of the year, bringing you four killer edits from the Tropical Disco Volt.
Moodena introduces Volume 5 in fine style, mustering another spellbinding composition with Gil's Groove. Sounding as swagged out as ever, it's evident form & flair comes naturally to the artist.
TD comrades Moodena & Sartorial present their first collaboration on Turn It Up, neatly entwining their distinct styles, rolling basslines, cascading guitars and sultry Sax. The result is a piece of pure energy - it's hard not to do exactly what the track tells you.
The disco wizard, Sartorial continues his ever growing solo output with 6 million, a righteous slab of soulful dance music that can make a dancefloor bang, as well as weep.
Feel The Heat rolls effortlessly with a lush vocal that melts the loins and lays out a sonic smorgasboard of what epitomises Tropical Disco Records - soul!
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This EP combines the veteran talents of Kniteforce label owner Dj Luna-C, with the debut release of Kniteforce Radio owner, The Lowercase, and comes up with something quite unique. A love for heavy beats and inspired by some of the toughest old skool around, the EP delves into the underground in a big way, throwing caution to the wind and layering multiple breakbeats and aggressive stabs together to make a wall of hard sound, just like it was back in the day....
Club / DJ Support
Billy Bunter, the Fat Controller, Glowkid, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Clayfighter, Jimni Cricket, Bustin, Sc@r, Doughboy, Saiyan, Dave Skywalker, Ponder and many others
* Alk-e-d is the first to get the 'Legacy' treatment on Kniteforce Records. One of the original KF crew, he has been with the label since 1991, and remains a fan favourite. The Legacy series is designed to showcase our most dedicated artists, those who have been with the label since the very early days. And if Kniteforce itself has a legacy, it is one where risks get taken and the love of good music is always at the front of our minds. This EP contains 4 remixes, and the highlight must be the first brand new remix in decades from legendary producer Sublove who went onto become huge with Way Out West. Sublove featured on the very first Kniteforce EP back in 1992, and was enticed to come back and make some old skool for the label as well as remixing Alk-e-d. And what a remix it is! Proper old skool with depth and class. Not only that, we have Darwin, one of the biggest names in the modern hardcore scene, Shadowplay, and Luna-C on remix duties too. All in all, this EP is stunning, and is nto to be missed.
Club / DJ Support
Billy Bunter, the Fat Controller, Glowkid, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Clayfighter, Jimni Cricket, Bustin, Sc@r, Doughboy, Saiyan, Dave Skywalker, Ponder and many others
Takashi Kokubo - A Dream Sails Out To Sea (get At The Wave) (lagrec003)
Recorded In 1987 As Promotion For A Luxury Air Conditioning Line, Takashi Kokubo's Balearic Gem A Dream Sails Out To Sea Gets First Ever Official Release From Lag Records, Complete With Previously Unheard Music.
Originally Only Available As A Sought-after Promo By The Name Of Get At The Wave, Takashi Kokubo's Mini-masterpiece Of Halcyon Mastery Finally Re-emerges For The First Time Since 1987 With A Remastered Vinyl Edition Courtesy Of Uk Label Lag Records.
A Dream Sails Out To Sea (get At The Wave) Comes Not Only With A New Title, But Also A Brand New B-side As Taken From Get At The Wave's Original Recording Sessions. Never-before Released, The Epic Ocean Breeze Makes The Perfect Companion For The Sonic World Kokubo Created With His Original Release, Imbued As It Is With The Same Serene Sense Of Understated Beauty.
The Original Story Of A Dream Sails Out To Sea Is As Interesting As Kokubo's Own Backstory As A Musician And Sound Artist. Originally Composed To 'soundtrack' A High-end Air Conditioning Line From Japanese Electronic Giant Sanyo, The Album Was Meant To Transport The Consumer Into A Paradise Far Away From The Heat And Hurry Of Urban Life. One Listen To Something As Splendorous As Underwater Dreaming, And It's Mission Accomplished.
Takashi Kokubo Meanwhile Is A Musician Whose Work, Without Many Knowing It, Has Perhaps Touched The Most Lives In Japan. Composer Of Environmental Music Such As Nationwide Phone Alerts To Warn Of Oncoming Earthquakes, And The Fruitful Jingle Of A Standard Contactless Payment, Kokubo's Oeuvre Also Includes Anime Soundtracks And Works In The Avant Garde Realm.
It Is With Kokubo's Blessing And Original Masters That The Lag Records Release Has Been Made Possible, With A Remastering Courtesy Of Jerome Schmitt At The Airlab. A Dream Sails Out To Sea (get At The Wave) Also Comes With New Artwork By Ella Mclean In A Standard Sleeve On Clear Blue Vinyl Lp.
* Sheffield-based Subaltern resident Taiko returns to the imprint with a stunning selection of four distinctively grimy pieces of sub-bass science, proving once again his original take on the 140 bass realm.
A. Trenches
Introducing his unique style once again with a fresh twist, Taiko delivers relentless earth-shattering bass waves in 'Trenches', which graces the A side of the release. Bells, strings and dark synths set the mood for a precisely executed wall of bass, complimented by subtle vocal work.
B1. Raid
Dramatic orchestral strings and horns set the stage for the grim reaper that is 'Raid' - leading into a dark and roaring synth that accentuates the laid back bass-line. Sure to shake every system it is unleashed on, the track keeps evolving and luring the listener ever deeper into a maze of darkness. You can run but you can't hide...
B2. Mana Pool
'Mana Pool' adds a more psychedelic and subtle edge to the release. Synth loaded parts play in exchange with carefully laid out harmonic synth lines complementing the tasteful bass-lines, while remaining the raw edge of the release.
Scottish producer Austin Ato has been making waves the last couple of years having had well received releases on Futureboogie and Phonica White and this year looks to be his best yet! Remixes for Folamour on Classic, Balako on Greco Roman and an EP for Man Power's label Me Me Me will be dropping in the coming weeks, paving the way for his Delusions Of Grandeur debut double A side; Ella / Putting It In My Way.
On Ella we see Austin deliver some pure, unadulterated, house pleasure over eight minutes (although for us it feels like it could go on for days!). A filtering disco loop, synth melody, string stabs, all reinforced by punchy drums and that all important vocal chop. A simple recipe for a track when cooked up in the right way with love, passion and experience.
Flipping over to the AA, Putting It In My Way drops in somewhat bipolar fashion, a barrage of percussive beats and rolling snares building to a drop where Austin Ato skilfully switches the vibe completely, bringing in deep pads, rolling bassline and his own inimitable vocals. A totally unique track which harks back to the good old days when house music had a soulful and musical touch which connected instantly with the dance floor. This feels to us like a producer marking his arrival as an artist to watch closely for, and whose talent extends way beyond the confines of your standard four on the floor fodder.
Closing the release we have an Instrumental Version of Putting It In My Way which may well be your choice for the deeper moments, letting the groove push to the fore and the lush chords shine through the haze of dubby stabs and twisting synth line.
Boredom, anxiety, pain killers and frustration make a heady mix for both reflection and action. For three weeks I stared out of the window of the tower block onto the tall brick towers of the old asylum chimneys. The past was a strange land suddenly out of reach, the present confusing and claustrophobic, the future something I could only visualise and idolise.
From the balmy Autumn day of my release a light was switched on, buzzing urgently like a neon street light on my path. Life took on new vigour and meaning. Pleasures starkly illuminated, annoyances inconsequential. Old work was re-examined and appreciated. Machines were treasured and connected. My basement filled with ever greater warmth and excitement.
The toy towns of our inner minds are constructed of a million tiny building blocks of experience. But there's a freedom that comes from realising what might have been. Peace in reflection, untethered from the everyday distraction and I take pleasure in the hum drum. Unhampered by trends, untethered to a scene, stripped back to essential carnal influences and desires. Who are we but the sum of our experience.
'Everything Is Quite Now' meanders through a reimagined landscape of personal history, releasing musical fragments to dri* amongst soaring treetops, hollowed lakes and labyrinthine concrete structures, liberated from genre and form - alive at last. In these great expanses, light and dark are presented not as polar opposites, but as a limitless, unified whole.
References to EBM and industrial techno manifest within the sporadic percussive framework whilst gauzy ambient backdrops form an entire world of their own, constructed from the gentle hiss of a looping tape, the booming caverns of a muffled kick, the vivid distortions of a crystalline synth. In the depths of a misty forest, warmth permeates, absorbing inside it all of the darkness, pain, romance and beauty from before.
Prequel Tapes is a work of deep synthesis. Fragments of melody and memory orchestrated into densely layered tapestries; a deeply emotional study on a life characterised by a shi*ing relationship to electronics. The pieces serve as a chronology of desire and reflection, reconciling a nascent passion for industrial music with a history in the club. Oscillating between utopian to claustrophobic, the evolving synth work, deep techno atmosphere and traces of clangorous energy of early European ambient and industrial tell a distinctly German tale, forged between the forest and the autobahn.
Reform, the Tuscan techno duo, make a return to Etruria Beat to follow up the success of 2017's 'Checkmate' EP, remixed by Amelie Lens and their recent EP on Second State with a huge new offering - Unconventional Spaces.
Reform present three fresh originals, backed by a massive rework from Etruria boss Luca Agnelli.
Unconventional Spaces is a melodic and timeless work, perfect for a magic sunrise closing set. Luca delivers a heavier rework, creating a special atmosphere with powerful chords that drift back and forth.
Just This is characterised by a raw triple stab, a vocal laid down by the guys themselves and an emotional and mysterious break. Closing the EP is Span, which is composed of bouncing tom samples, straight hats and a moogy bass that develops throughout the arrangement, a perfect peaktime number and strong finalé.
Alma Negra are back on Heist! After their much applauded 2017 release with that great Soulphiction remix, they've been rather busy taking over the scene. They started their new label 'Alma Negra records' where they released 3 ep's in quick succession, with new as well as older material that showcases their tropical roots and keen ear for clubby reworks. They launched their live show, doing gigs across Europe with a highlight at one of London's more intimate live venues: the Jazz Café. Their latest outing -making their release count a total of 4 in only 8 months - was on Marcel Vogel's Lumberjacks in Hell and explored the more live / rework side of their project. Now they're back on Heist with 3 new tracks, supported by an Awanto 3 remix. 'Conversation' is a track we wanted to put out on Heist badly, simply because it's a beast of a track. It sits somewhere between a live African drum track, percussive techno and moody Midwest electronics, with pads and strings coming in and out of play while a relentless kick drum keeps the energy on a haunting level. This track is Alma Negra at their filthiest, and it feels like they've taken a next step from last year's dark and heavy Luanda dub, bringing it from an intimate dreamy stage straight into the main room. 'This is the place' shows a different side of the house spectrum with the Alma's love for dreamy deep house. The track flows up and down, with soothing Rhodes chords, arpeggio's and mumbling vocals setting a summery mood that's perfect for your warm up or daytime party. Meanwhile, their third original track 'From the heart' goes even deeper and navigates around a smart vocal loop topped with strings, bleeps, claps and rimshots that just keeps going.
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Last delivered 6 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
"It is not often that we hear STL's music reworked and in this instance, it was not an easy process, since the parts to the originals were unavailable, resulting in a uniquely interesting approach for this release.
Juniper lead the way on the A side, delivering two dynamic versions of Haze & Kraze. Dark and shuffly edits of the original that keep you drawn in from beginning to end.
On the B side, Fold reinterprets Hide & Seek into a low tempo dub house piece. Heavy on the low end. Lush with the pads. And suited for your warm ups. B2 sees Jonas Friedlich work a loose electronica / techno edit of Hide & Seek, complete with twists and surprises.
Right after the Ombra Intl. EP 'Ella' and the Duro release 'Luna', Theus Mago presents a new single, "Inertials", which continues his series of pieces inspired by Philip K. Dick's 'Ubik'. Influenced by the main characters of the groundbreaking sci-fi book, "Inertials" is an energetic breaks track with unearthly vocals that reaches it's peak with a dazzling trumpet-like synth. The single is accompanied by a remix from Mexican producer INigo Vontier, which successfully combines organic sounds with an industrial edge, as well as a take from Jamie Paton (Cage & Aviary) that subtlely evokes the soundscapes of Cabaret Voltaire.
Psychoskunk are back a new vinyl series of Error Etica This first Section Roots serie included are 3 original tracks of the label's owner Victor Martinez (Error Etica) and special rmx by R2pi.
R2pi is a eight-hands project born from the organic fusion of three Italian techno projects Retina.it (Nicola Buono and Lino Monaco), Prg/M (Pier Giuseppe Mariconda) and Ruhig (Luigi Cicchella).
This new project is a triangulation of three Parthenopean energetic elements that through several different paths have decided to build a perfect "quadrature of the circle", a holistic ensemble where their souls are still distinguishable though.
Walter Gibbons, a true master of the mix, a disco legend, a pioneer of dance music. There's literally very few who can lay claim to progressing the artform of studio mixing and technique than the late Gibbons. His contribution to contemporary music cannot be understated, first as a DJ where his drum laced experimentation captured the ears and minds of his peers and the dancers, then later as a mixer and studio genius where he continued on his quest. Often fixated on the percussion and breaks within records his versions would often dive into spaced out, dubby and stripped back territory that very few of his peers were even contemplating at that time, fervently reconstructing the tracks themselves and often the time, space and dancefloor within which the record was being played. A true original, Gibbons was behind many of the 'definitive' versions of the classics, his unique style often catapulting records that were just fine in their original form into brand new colourful, cosmic interpretations that flourished sonically and rhythmically with brand new sounds that bristled with vision.
Salsoul Records thought a well programmed and thought out retrospective of this legends output was in order and this incredible collection of tracks is where we find ourselves. A stellar compilation across 2 heavyweight slabs of wax featuring of some of Gibbons' finest works. Included you'll find genre defining cuts like his mixes of Double Exposure, Loleatta Holloway, Love Committee, First Choice and many more.
A truly essential package for the die-hard Disco aficionado or for those who are exploring this most important movement in dance music for the first time. Curated with the full input and backing of Salsoul Records and carefully selected to reflect the truly timeless nature of the music contained within. For listening, for dancing, for turning on a party!
Remastered by Optimum Mastering. Artwork & design by Million Dollar Disco. Fully authorised.
In Sudan, the political and cultural are inseparable. In 1989, a coup brought a hardline religious government to power. Music was violently condemned. Many musicians and artists were persecuted, tortured, forced to flee into exile — and even murdered, ending one of the most beloved music eras in all of Africa and largely denying Sudan's gifted instrumentalists, singers, and poets, from strutting their creative heritage on the global stage.
What came before in a special era that protected and promoted the arts was one of the richest music scenes anywhere in the world. Although Sudanese styles are endlessly diverse, this compilation celebrates the golden sound of the capital, Khartoum. Each chapter of the cosmopolitan city's tumultuous musical story is covered through 16 tracks: from the hypnotic violin and accordion-driven orchestral music of the 1970s that captured the ears and hearts of Africa and the Arabic-speaking world, to the synthesizer and drum machine music of the 1980s, and the music produced in exile in the 1990s. The deep kicks of tum tum and Nubian rhythms keep the sound infectious.
Sudan of old had music everywhere: roving sound systems and ubiquitous bands and orchestras kept Khartoum's sharply dressed youth on their feet. Live music was integral to cultural life, producing a catalog of concert recordings. In small arenas and large outdoor venues, musical royalty of the day built Khartoum's reputation as ground zero for innovation and technique that inspired a continent.
Musicians in Ethiopia and Somalia frequently point to Sudan's biggest golden era stars as idols. Mention Mohammed Wardi — a legendary Sudanese singer and activist akin to Fela Kuti in stature and impact in his music and politics — and they often look to the heavens. A popular story is of one man from Mali who walked for three months across the Sahel to Sudan because the father of the woman he wanted to marry would only allow it if he got him a signed cassette from Wardi himself. Saied Khalifa is said to be the one of the few singers to make Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie smile.
Such is the stature of Sudanese singers and the reputation of Sudanese music, particularly in the "Sudanic Belt," a cultural zone that stretches from Djibouti all the way west to Mauritania, covering much of the Sahara and the Sahel, lands where Sudanese artists are household names and Sudanese poems are regularly used as lyrics until today to produce the latest hits. Sudanese cassettes often sold more in Cameroon and Nigeria than at home.
But years of anti-music sentiment have made recordings in Sudan difficult to source. Ostinato's team traveled to Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Egypt in search of the timeless cultural artifacts that hold the story of one of Africa's most mesmerizing cultures. That these cassette tape and vinyl recordings were mainly found in Sudan's neighbors is a testament to Sudanese music's widespread appeal.
With our Sudanese partner and co-compiler Tamador Sheikh Eldin Gibreel, a once famous poet and actress in '70s Khartoum, Ostinato's fifth album, following our Grammy-nominated "Sweet As Broken Dates," revives the enchanting harmonies, haunting melodies, and relentless rhythms of Sudan's brightest years, fully restored, remastered and packaged luxuriously in a triple LP gatefold and double CD bookcase to match the regal repute of Sudanese music.
A 20,000-word liner note booklet gives voice to the singers silenced by an oppressive regime.
Take a sail down the Blue and White Nile as they pass through Khartoum, carrying with them an ancient history and a never-ending stream of poems and songs. It takes two Niles to sing a melody.
Fresh from starting his own label Insult To Injury, Timothy Clerkin returns to Ransom Note Records with the 'Knife Edge Heart' EP. Three tracks of stirring techno for dark basements and warm hearts. Timothy is a very interesting man, but he's also the sort of person who'd rather let his music do the talking, so we'll move on swiftly. The MVP here is 'Knife Edge Heart', an unabashed pop song whose shimmering exterior is cut through with flashes of steely darkness. Frequent collaborator Natalie Reiss' glacial voice is held at the perfect level of remove, while Timothy allows his love of shoegaze to blossom with a guitar line that seems to extend like a ladder to the stars.'With You' bridges Timothy's opposing impulses, balancing sparkling synths and a celestial vocal sample with churning low-end, while 'Divisive' is paranoid warehouse techno at its very best. With his debut solo album out soon on Phantasy, Gabe Gurnsey of Factory Floor stops by for a lurching, seasick remix of 'Knife Edge Heart' that sounds like the onset of the robot apocalypse we've all been promised for so long. After cutting his teeth as one half of Eskimo Twins, Timothy launched his solo career in 2014 under the now-retired Heretic moniker. He's since released on labels including Throne of Blood, Hard Fist and Days of Being Wild. Timothy's last release on R$N was the 'Serenade' EP, which brought us plenty of special moments last year - most memorably Andrew Weatherall closing out his Houghton quarry set with 'Execute'. Here's to many more this summer and beyond.
