Pop & Rock Vinyl New Releases - News

7" single (Mustard Coloured Vinyl, Ltd to 500 copies). "Rain Ruins Revolution" is the first single proper from Let's Wrestle's self-titled third album, due out in February. An uptempo zinger of a tune with a psychedelic edge it was written during the London riots and is described by songwriter Wes Gonzalez as 'my accidental "protest" song', musing as it does on the effect rain might have on the fickle, merchandise-looting youth of England. The album sees the band enter a new phase of maturity and sophistication giving frontman Wesley Patrick Gonzalez a forum to showcase his songwriting talents and love of classic pop. Straddling the sounds of the psych pop pioneers of the 60s and the Laurel Canyon cowboys of the 70s, Gonzalez still manages to give the songs a quintessentially English twist. For the first time, strings and horns are brought in giving the album a bigger, fuller sound, drawing on inspiration from the likes of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Judee Sill, Harry Nilsson, Fairport Convention and The Kinks. Recorded at Lightship 95, a converted boat on the Thames, the album was made with ex-test Icicles/Kasma man Rory Atwell at the helm, his work for Veronica Falls, Male Bonding and the Vaccines making him the perfect man for the job. Named by Lawrence (Felt, Denim) after a book by David Shrigley, Let's Wrestle were formed by Wesley Patrick Gonzalez on guitar and vocals with Darkus Bishop on drums and Mike Lightning on bass, recording their first two albums - In the Court of the Wrestling Lets (2009) and Nursing Home (produced by Steve Albini in 2011) - with that line-up before Mike left and was replaced by Sam Pillay (who left after the recording of the new album to focus on his band Virginia Wing). The third album also saw the addition of Max Claps of The Proper Ornaments on guitar. LIVE : UK/Europe Tour in April/May. // PRESS: Mojo - review confirmed; Q - review confirmed; Uncut - review confirmed; DIY - review confirmed; Loud and Quiet - review confirmed; London in Stereo - review confirmed; The Fly - review confirmed; NME - review confirmed; Artrocker - review confirmed. Online: Line of Best Fit - review confirmed; Neon Filler - review confirmed; The Fly - feature likely, Clash - feature confirmed. 4/5 Independent live review. Noisey premiere for video. // RADIO: Marc Riley (BBC Radio 6 Music) Spot plays and session confirmed. //

Skommel is the debut album from Queens, New York's Imaginary Tricks, available March 24, 2017 from Friendship Fever. Building upon a lifelong affair with guitar noise and love for buttery R&B classics, these songs are reflections of psych-tinged rock and pop obsessions, abused by years of a relentless search for something stranger, stronger, and free.
Imaginary Tricks takes an experimental approach to delivering a familiar thump. It's a heartbeat, with multiple layers of complex sounds, mired in soul and hidden lyrical depth. Welcome to the world of Mike Visser, the world of Imaginary Tricks.

It wasn't so much opening a map of music and dropping a finger on a destination as it was a methodical and sometimes arduous journey to where Visser is now. It started with the Sacramento, California band Frank Jordan—a tightly wound rock trio where Visser could learn to push his vocal range, the power of a good hook, what touring felt like in shit weather and what if felt like to open for some greats (Grandaddy, Dr. Dog, Jimmy Eat World). He just needed one more turn, one more journey into the abyss—traversing fear, self-realization, and what feeling truly alone was all about—before heading back into the world to share his discoveries.

So here we are now. Imaginary Tricks. Another journey for Visser, but this one feels different. The songs on Skommel are poignant and varied, from the surefire pop hit of Night Owl,' which captures the universal feeling of staying up at night, worrying yourself to bits. And there's the rugged and rhythmic Lights Out,' addressing the distribution of wealth in the Western world. And in the disarming No Ordinary Guy,' Visser details his father's immigration from South Africa to the United States.

Listen closely, and you're inside the room with him, in the eye of a storm, whipped up by whatever inclination strikes: whistles and wah-wahs, Doppler-effect vocals and alien Wurlitzer keyboarding. For his captivating live shows, he is joined by Harlan Muir, who contributes an alchemy of sounds, combining keys and tape delay. The results are intoxicating.

Much of Skommel was drafted and recorded at Japam Studio in Brooklyn. Conjuring up a romantic picture of a dank and dark place where the songs were pounded out night after night until they took shape would be a cool notion. But Imaginary Tricks songs are written in Visser's head—one can only imagine what goes on in there—and then sketched out here, in the real world, for us to hear. Can colors, thoughts, dreams and sideways conversations be translated into words and music After listening to Skommel, it just might seem possible. Skommel is available March 24, 2017 from Friendship Fever

Skommel is the debut album from Queens, New York's Imaginary Tricks, available March 24, 2017 from Friendship Fever. Building upon a lifelong affair with guitar noise and love for buttery R&B classics, these songs are reflections of psych-tinged rock and pop obsessions, abused by years of a relentless search for something stranger, stronger, and free.
Imaginary Tricks takes an experimental approach to delivering a familiar thump. It's a heartbeat, with multiple layers of complex sounds, mired in soul and hidden lyrical depth. Welcome to the world of Mike Visser, the world of Imaginary Tricks.

It wasn't so much opening a map of music and dropping a finger on a destination as it was a methodical and sometimes arduous journey to where Visser is now. It started with the Sacramento, California band Frank Jordan—a tightly wound rock trio where Visser could learn to push his vocal range, the power of a good hook, what touring felt like in shit weather and what if felt like to open for some greats (Grandaddy, Dr. Dog, Jimmy Eat World). He just needed one more turn, one more journey into the abyss—traversing fear, self-realization, and what feeling truly alone was all about—before heading back into the world to share his discoveries.

So here we are now. Imaginary Tricks. Another journey for Visser, but this one feels different. The songs on Skommel are poignant and varied, from the surefire pop hit of Night Owl,' which captures the universal feeling of staying up at night, worrying yourself to bits. And there's the rugged and rhythmic Lights Out,' addressing the distribution of wealth in the Western world. And in the disarming No Ordinary Guy,' Visser details his father's immigration from South Africa to the United States.

Listen closely, and you're inside the room with him, in the eye of a storm, whipped up by whatever inclination strikes: whistles and wah-wahs, Doppler-effect vocals and alien Wurlitzer keyboarding. For his captivating live shows, he is joined by Harlan Muir, who contributes an alchemy of sounds, combining keys and tape delay. The results are intoxicating.

Much of Skommel was drafted and recorded at Japam Studio in Brooklyn. Conjuring up a romantic picture of a dank and dark place where the songs were pounded out night after night until they took shape would be a cool notion. But Imaginary Tricks songs are written in Visser's head—one can only imagine what goes on in there—and then sketched out here, in the real world, for us to hear. Can colors, thoughts, dreams and sideways conversations be translated into words and music After listening to Skommel, it just might seem possible. Skommel is available March 24, 2017 from Friendship Fever

The Best Of... So Far marks the return of British Indie icons The Kooks. Celebrating over 10 years since their 5xPlatinum selling debut album Inside In/Inside Out, this 18 track album features the much loved 'Naïve', 'She Moves In Her Own Way' and 'Ooh La' as well as new singles 'Be Who You Are' and 'Broken Vow'.

The band have 4 previous Top 20 Albums. 2 of these albums 'Inside In/Inside Out' and KONK were No.1 Albums. They have achieved 4.5M Album Sales Globally with 2.2 M UK Album Sales.

The Invisible have made their best album yet, in a career already garlanded with critical praise.
Latest single 'Life's Dancers' comes replete with a remix by man of the moment and close collaborator Floating Points.
Backed with the brooding synth-pop of brand new B-side 'First Time', also co-written by Floating Points, this is the sound of one of the UK's best bands at the pinnacle of their form.
180g heavyweight black 12' vinyl in 3mm spined sleeve.

Bad Nerves are a 4 piece from East London, and have had support from BBC Radio 1's Phil Taggart, Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Daniel P Carter, as well as Gary Crowley & the BBC Introducing London team. They were included in NME's Top 100 for 2017 and more recently Spotify's 'New Music Friday' and Apple Music's 'Best of The Week' playlists.

'One of the most watched and crucially most talked about live bands in London' - Loud and Quiet
'Brooding menace...they find themselves at the forefront of a compelling new scene in the capital' - NME
'A filthy mess of The Doors, Sleaford Mods and The Pixies' - Guardian

*Les Disques du Crépuscule presents an anthology of classic early recordings by The Pale Fountains, the pioneering indiepop band from Liverpool whose first single appeared on the label in 1982.
*Something On My Mind combines a 12 track vinyl album with a bonus 19 track live CD. Side one of the album features six studio tracks, including all tracks from the maxi single released by Crépuscule/Operation Twilight in June 1982, as well as unreleased second single Longshot For Your Love plus two songs recorded for the Crépuscule compilation albums Ghosts of Christmas Past and Moving Soundtracks.
*Side two features 6 live tracks recorded in October 1982 on the celebrated Crépuscule package tour Move Back-Bite Harder, which saw the Paleys matched with Antena, 23 Skidoo, Cabaret Voltaire and Tuxedomoon. The bonus live CD packaged with the album includes complete performances by Pale Fountains from Brussels (5 October) and Leuven (6 October).
*At the end of 1982 the group signed to Virgin and went on to release the acclaimed albums Pacific Street and From Across the Kitchen Table. Praised as 'our greatest songwriter' by NME, Michael Head went on to form Shack in 1987 with brother John, while percussionist Nathan McGough moved into management. Trumpet player Andy Diagram also played in Diagram Brothers, Dislocation Dance and James. Sadly bassist Chris 'Biffa' McCaffrey passed away in 1989; a donation from the proceeds of sale of this album will be made to The Brain Tumour Charity in his memory.

Das Londoner Trio Little Cub veröffentlicht seine neue EP "Loveless" als Vorgeschmack auf ihr Debütalbum "Still Life" (VÖ: 28.04.2017). In London genießt die Band bereits den Ruf, einer der aufregendsten Newcomer der Stadt zu sein. Gepflegt subversive Bescheidenheit, opulente und bewegende elektronische Einflüsse ganz im Einklang mit dem hausgemachten, progressiven Britpop-Feeling. So versteht sich das Trio auch als Kontrastmittel zu der etwas geistlosen Musik mit Pop Appeal, die sie sonst umgibt.

If you want to know the secret to happiness, look no further than transcendental psychedelic pop outfit Glass Vaults. The New Zealand via Berlin band led by Richard Larsen, Rowan Pierce and Carpark Record's signee Bevan Smith, create a unique concoction of joyously uplifting pleasure in their sonic laboratory and The New Happy is the result - an exploration of the euphoric sensations associated with Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR).

Glass Vaults' sophomore LP was recorded and mixed to seduce. ASMR, otherwise known as a 'brain orgasm,' is an aurally triggered euphoric experience characterised by a tingling in the scalp which travels down the neck and spine and The New Happy was specifically mixed to elicit an ASMR effect. 'We focused on retaining short high frequency transients and worked on modulating and panning certain sounds to induce goose bumps and shivers when listened through headphones,' Smith explains of the record's atmospheric ambiance. 'It looks not to emulate a sexual high, but a deeper, euphoric wave, that washes over the body in feelings of comfort and security... a new kind of happy.'

'We have always considered Glass Vaults to be an extension of our larger artistic interests and process,' Richard reveals. 'One thing which has never changed is our goal of creating music that fully immerses those who experience it. We're creating worlds and stories to fully transcend the audience.'

Whether it's capturing the feelings brought about by recollections of the pair's pre-teen days chatting with friends on MSN and downloading music from Napster ('Savant') sitting on Manhattan rooftops ('Brooklyn') or watching the sun rise after a long cold winter ('The New Happy'), each song is a shot of serotonin to the synapses. Speaking of the title-track Larsen says; 'I was interested in creating the feeling of the classic New Zealand summer. When I listen to this song I imagine a Fruju iceblock advert shown there in the 90s. Young beautiful people jumping off a boat, eating ice blocks and singing 'Ooh Aah!'

Not stopping at physical pleasure, The New Happy's absorbing soundscapes delve deeper into the unconscious by exploring nostalgia and dreams; 'Rewind' was inspired by a dream of hitting rewind on life whilst 'Mind Reader' refers to the way dreams linger, well into waking hours.

The New Happy sees the band peeling away at a once hazy veneer to reveal vibrant and colourful majestic pop moments crafted with precision and clarity. 'The New Happy is a sonic departure for us... where once we would have relied on large crystalline reverbs, this record takes cues from intimate spaces, percussive rhythm and groove to elicit a different kind of transcendence.' Glass Vaults' unique brand of dreamy psychedelic pop has wowed capacity crowds everywhere from drained swimming pools and humid forests, to New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S.A.

If you want to know the secret to happiness, look no further than transcendental psychedelic pop outfit Glass Vaults. The New Zealand via Berlin band led by Richard Larsen, Rowan Pierce and Carpark Record's signee Bevan Smith, create a unique concoction of joyously uplifting pleasure in their sonic laboratory and The New Happy is the result - an exploration of the euphoric sensations associated with Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR).

Glass Vaults' sophomore LP was recorded and mixed to seduce. ASMR, otherwise known as a 'brain orgasm,' is an aurally triggered euphoric experience characterised by a tingling in the scalp which travels down the neck and spine and The New Happy was specifically mixed to elicit an ASMR effect. 'We focused on retaining short high frequency transients and worked on modulating and panning certain sounds to induce goose bumps and shivers when listened through headphones,' Smith explains of the record's atmospheric ambiance. 'It looks not to emulate a sexual high, but a deeper, euphoric wave, that washes over the body in feelings of comfort and security... a new kind of happy.'

'We have always considered Glass Vaults to be an extension of our larger artistic interests and process,' Richard reveals. 'One thing which has never changed is our goal of creating music that fully immerses those who experience it. We're creating worlds and stories to fully transcend the audience.'

Whether it's capturing the feelings brought about by recollections of the pair's pre-teen days chatting with friends on MSN and downloading music from Napster ('Savant') sitting on Manhattan rooftops ('Brooklyn') or watching the sun rise after a long cold winter ('The New Happy'), each song is a shot of serotonin to the synapses. Speaking of the title-track Larsen says; 'I was interested in creating the feeling of the classic New Zealand summer. When I listen to this song I imagine a Fruju iceblock advert shown there in the 90s. Young beautiful people jumping off a boat, eating ice blocks and singing 'Ooh Aah!'

Not stopping at physical pleasure, The New Happy's absorbing soundscapes delve deeper into the unconscious by exploring nostalgia and dreams; 'Rewind' was inspired by a dream of hitting rewind on life whilst 'Mind Reader' refers to the way dreams linger, well into waking hours.

The New Happy sees the band peeling away at a once hazy veneer to reveal vibrant and colourful majestic pop moments crafted with precision and clarity. 'The New Happy is a sonic departure for us... where once we would have relied on large crystalline reverbs, this record takes cues from intimate spaces, percussive rhythm and groove to elicit a different kind of transcendence.' Glass Vaults' unique brand of dreamy psychedelic pop has wowed capacity crowds everywhere from drained swimming pools and humid forests, to New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S.A.

A1 The State I Am In 4:42
A2 Like Dylan In The Movies 4:11
A3 Judy And The Dream Of Horses 3:43

Indie favourite Marika Hackman is back with her second studio album released from new home AMF Records (Loyle Carner). The album sees a transformation into a gutsier sound packing a real punch with The Big Moon as the backing band. The artwork for the LP & CD features an impactful gatefold design by artist Tristan Pigott. Early support for 'Boyfriend' from Radio 1, 2 & 6 and across the board online and press support, this record looks set to propel Marika into the spotlight in 2017.

Indie favourite Marika Hackman is back with her second studio album released from new home AMF Records (Loyle Carner). The album sees a transformation into a gutsier sound packing a real punch with The Big Moon as the backing band. The artwork for the LP & CD features an impactful gatefold design by artist Tristan Pigott. Early support for 'Boyfriend' from Radio 1, 2 & 6 and across the board online and press support, this record looks set to propel Marika into the spotlight in 2017.

Hugo Race and Michelangelo Russo are no strangers to either Hooker or the blues. Hailed as a supreme influence on the music of their band Hugo Race & The True Spirit, here the duo create a full sensory immersion in John Lee Hooker's World Today with devastating singularity of purpose. Recorded in a single, continuous day and night session at the Berlin studio of Boris Wilsdorf (Einsturzende Neubauten), this is an epic album of sonic sorcery suspended in time and place, looking back through twenty-first century eyes at John Lee Hooker's delta blues legacy in a swirling mix of analogue grit and deep trance pulses. The selection of tracks tells a story in itself, from the runaway twelve-year old boy of the desolate classics 'Hobo Blues' and 'Country Boy' to the worldly-wise elder Hooker of 'The World Today' (originally from Hooker 'n Heat) and The Motor City's Burning (a cover of Hooker's cover of the MC5 classic), the album traces the arc of a life from pre-modernity to the Now on the 100th anniversary of Hooker's birth. Race and Russo's reimagining of Hooker is simultaneously blues, electronica, avant-garde and ambient, a homage to one of the greats of rock and roll prehistory, delivered with a sting and a twist more relevant than ever to The World Today. Release date May 19th, 2017 through Gusstaff Records (CD) and Glitterhouse Records (LP) in Europe, and MGM in Australia. Race and Russo will tour JLH's The World Today in Europe, Oct-November 2017.

Born in Buenos Aires, Teicher spent her childhood in Argentina and Colombia before moving to Vancouver and Montreal, cultivating a strong artistic sensibility from a young age. During her studies at Massachusetts' Berklee College of Music she began to realize her full potential as a performer, and by the time she moved to New York City after graduation, the Tei Shi project was born.

Crawl Space documents Tei Shi's transformation from the cautious and curious new kid on the block to a confident, self-possessed and buzz worthy artist. Written and recorded over a year and a half, the album traces a much wider arc, from Tei Shi's earliest musical explorations to this, her first long player. Growth is never easy, though, and if the title makes the process sound difficult, even claustrophobic, that's because it was. In fact, there is a palpable physicality surrounding this record, and it reveals itself everywhere: from the album's song titles - Keep Running', Lift Me' - to its rhythms, to its astonishing cover art. Constant motion is a fact of life. A real, physical crawlspace fits only one person and demands that person move forward, out and through it. Tei Shi's debut evokes that feeling and the experience of centering oneself, changing focus.

The Arms of Someone New was formed in 1983 in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois by Mel Eberle and Steve Jones. Steve managed and helped record Mel's band The First Things, while in the studio to demo some of Mel's songs, they started collaborating. Both grew up around their families' pianos and got into psychedelic rock drawing inspiration from Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles, taking their name The Arms of Someone New' from a line on a Beatle's X-Mas Fan Club Single. They modeled their sound after the melancholic side of Factory Records, The Cure's Faith' period and The Teardrop Explodes. Between 1983 and 1985 they released four cassettes, one 7', and one 12' EP.

In September 1985, the duo self-released their debut full length 'Susan Sleepwalking' on Office Records. To They drafted locals for the album's recordings, including Lynn Canfield, Henry Frayne, Brenden Gamble and Joe Strell (all of the group Ack-Ack!) as well as Nick Rudd. Equipped with Casio keyboards, drum machines, and jangly guitars, The Arms Of Someone New provided an American take on English folk, ambient, and industrial music. Over the album's ten tracks they paint pictures of stillness with sparse instrumentation and simple chord change. Psychedelic vocals add a dream-like veneer. The Arms of Someone New fearlessly mix genres without sacrificing the unity of their vision. 'Susan Sleepwalking' could as well be retitled 'Music for Interiors' - both architectural and of the mind' - The Michigan Daily 1985.

All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Housed in the original jacket featuring a blood red-tinted photograph with ghostly textures. Each copy includes a 2-sided 11' square insert with lyrics and press clippings from the band's archive.

Despite having found initial attention via the modern British folk scene that also spawned Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling et al, Bear's Den have managed to carve our a distinct identity for themselves, and this second album sees them building on this with aplomb and ingenuity. Maintaining their trademark heart-on-sleeve approach, and harnessing their Ivor Norvello-worthy songwriting chops to electronic soundscapes and sweeping melodic traditions that extend through hazy recollections of the '70s and '80s, 'Read Earth & Pouring Rain' is the sound of this duo striking out as global contenders for widescreen pop supremacy.

JFDR - the latest project from young and prolific Icelandic songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jófríður Ákadóttir (Samaris, Pascal Pinon, Gangly) - releases her debut solo full length album Brazil, set for release in Spring 2017 through her own label White Sun Records. Brazil was recorded in New York in 2016 and co-produced by legendary multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily (Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, Tom Waits, Yoko Ono, etc.).

Brazil sees a blend of cyclical guitar parts, soft minimal soundscapes, and poetic wanderings of a journey that ends where it began. Drawing from classical, folk, and electronic backgrounds, JFDR amalgamates the sounds of changing seasons, her voice a current that moves through rough seas to smooth waters. But perhaps JFDR shines the most in her capacity as a wordsmith, employing rich imagery to evoke the subtle emotions embedded in each song.

"I got obsessed with her band Samaris a few years ago, and then it was amazing to see her do her own stuff." - Björk in the Guardian selecting JFDR as one of her artist inspirations.

The beautifully shot black and white video for 'Airborne' was created by Timothée Lambrecq with direction from Jófríður.

"'Airborne' was one of the first songs Shahzad and I recorded in New York', says Jófríður. One afternoon I confessed I had never played with a drummer before, so Shahzad immediately called up his friend, Liturgy drummer Greg Fox. After an hour or so of intense Casio wailing and Greg drumming so fast it was borderline droning, it was suggested that Greg had a go at this track we'd recorded earlier that day, a half written song named 'Airborne'. It took about 10 minutes, Greg nailed it.
The result is this half programmed, half live drum performance, carefully but effortlessly stitched together by Shahzad, merged with my fragile piano break up ballad. The track was later blessed by De La Soul's Maseo who stopped by the studio and listened. He said it was dope."

'Airborne' follows the video for the evocatively atmospheric and mesmerising 'White Sun' directed by Brendan Canty, released at the end of 2016 as the first teaser for Brazil.

In an isolation tank, one is immersed in body-temperature salt water. The skin's boundary loses its coherence. It becomes difficult to tell outside from inside. Deprived of light and sound, the mind plays freely. In the tank, it is precisely the softness of water that works to break down the structure of the here and now, allowing reverie to spill in.

It's this paradoxical quality of water, its simultaneous strength and yieldingness, its stillness and impermanence, that Magic Island seeks to capture on her debut LP, Like Water. She describes her wish to return to a sensitivity, a delicate state, to become soft again,' and her songs, each a kind of romantic lullaby, weaving together equal parts R&B and New Age, gain their power from their gentleness, the relentless subtle action of a universal solvent. If Like Water belongs to a time of day, it is not the middle of the night, but the first hours of late-morning wakefulness, when memories present themselves at an unhurried pace, to be studied in a mood of detached reflection rather than compulsive regret.

The first single Alchemy,' with its disorienting swirl of chimes and echoes, is the album at its most alienated, a spell of 'desperation and confusion, about looking for release but becoming a monster. Shepherd,' which first surfaced at the end of 2015, is a story of being lost and hoping for a guide, while the ritualistic Wonders,' explores themes of illusion, those made by others and by ourselves.

On the sultry title track (co-produced with fellow Berliner Karolini) which sees Magic Island demonstrating an impressive new vocal range, the deep bass kick measures out a slow-mo waterfall. Days Go By' shifts midway into a bedroom rave. But elsewhere the drum machine strikes like a becalmed heart heard by an ear held close to the chest, most strikingly on the languid closer Rundry,' and Little Love,' a polyamorous duet with leading indie-crooner Sean Nicholas Savage.

Like Water was written in Magic Island's home studio in Neukölln, and mixed by Dawid Szczesny (Normal Echo) and Lucas Chantre (Fenster), supported by Musicboard Berlin.

Mit elf Songs lenkt "In Mind" die Band Real Estate in eine neue Richtung, ohne das warme und weiche Narrativ, für das Fans sie lieben, aufzugeben - pastorale Gitarren, elegant eingesetzte Arrangements, eine wohl bedachte Melancholie.
"In Mind" spiegelt den Sound einer erwachsenen Band wieder, die sich nicht nur auf der Höhe ihrer Karriere, sondern auch in einer Zeit des Wandels befindet. Seit ihrer letzten Platte - Atlas, 2014 - ist Mastermind Martin Courtney zweifacher Vater geworden und mit seiner Familie nach New York gezogen, während Bassist Alex Bleeker sich in Kalifornien niedergelassen hat. Ausserdem haben Courtney, Bleeker, Schlagzeuger Jackson Pollis und Keyboarder Matt Kallman ihren Freund aus Jugendtagen in New Jersey, Julian Lynch, als Vollzeit Gitarristen in die Band aufgenommen, nachdem Mitgründer Matt Mondanilie dieselbe in 2015 verlassen hatte.

Mit elf Songs lenkt "In Mind" die Band Real Estate in eine neue Richtung, ohne das warme und weiche Narrativ, für das Fans sie lieben, aufzugeben - pastorale Gitarren, elegant eingesetzte Arrangements, eine wohl bedachte Melancholie.
"In Mind" spiegelt den Sound einer erwachsenen Band wieder, die sich nicht nur auf der Höhe ihrer Karriere, sondern auch in einer Zeit des Wandels befindet. Seit ihrer letzten Platte - Atlas, 2014 - ist Mastermind Martin Courtney zweifacher Vater geworden und mit seiner Familie nach New York gezogen, während Bassist Alex Bleeker sich in Kalifornien niedergelassen hat. Ausserdem haben Courtney, Bleeker, Schlagzeuger Jackson Pollis und Keyboarder Matt Kallman ihren Freund aus Jugendtagen in New Jersey, Julian Lynch, als Vollzeit Gitarristen in die Band aufgenommen, nachdem Mitgründer Matt Mondanilie dieselbe in 2015 verlassen hatte.

Das gute Stück ist nun endlich 'durchsichtig' auf Vinyl erhältlich! Auf die Frage, ob Album Nummer fünf das persönlichste der Bandgeschichte ist und der Schreibprozess diesmal besonders intensiv und erleuchtend war, ob man vielleicht gar von einer Weiterentwicklung und/oder Neuerfindung von Montreal sprechen kann, orakelt Schlagzeuger und Medienprofi Max Power sich ein nebulöses "möglich" aus dem Bart. Gut gebrüllt!

Das gute Stück ist nun endlich 'durchsichtig' auf Vinyl erhältlich! Auf die Frage, ob Album Nummer fünf das persönlichste der Bandgeschichte ist und der Schreibprozess diesmal besonders intensiv und erleuchtend war, ob man vielleicht gar von einer Weiterentwicklung und/oder Neuerfindung von Montreal sprechen kann, orakelt Schlagzeuger und Medienprofi Max Power sich ein nebulöses "möglich" aus dem Bart. Gut gebrüllt!

'Find Me Finding You', the new album from the new organization called the Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble, manages to strike new chords while touching familiar keys in the song of life.
From its percolating opening beat, 'Find Me Finding You' locates new systems within the sound-universe of Laetitia Sadier. This in itself isn't a surprise - Laetitia has relentlessly followed her music through different dynamics and into a variety of dimensions over the course of four solo albums since 2010 (not to forget her three albums with Monade and the long era of Stereolab) - but the nature of the construction here stands distinctly apart from her recent albums. Laetitia was inspired by a mind's-eye envisaging of geometric forms and their possible permutations. As she sought to replicate the shapes in music, this guided the process of assembly for the album.
Part of the freshness of 'Find Me Finding You' comes from working and playing within the Source Ensemble and exploring new sound combinations via a set of youthful and evolving musical relationships. Laetitia recognized the energy of the tracks in their initial form and sought to preserve their vitality by not retaking too many performances - instead, the rawness in the tracks was retained and refined at the mixing stage, maintaining an edge throughout. When we hear synth lines diving, lifting and drifting, unusual guitar textures, the plucked sound of flat wound bass strings or the bottomless pulsing of bass pedals stepping out of the mix with an exquisite vibrancy, this is the sound of the Source Ensemble.
A key to Laetitia's music is her use of vocal arrangements. Throughout 'Finding Me Finding You' the shifting accompaniment creates space to bring this element gloriously forward. Arranged by Laetitia with Joe Watson and Jeff Parker making string charts that were subsequently transposed to vocal parts for several songs, richly arranged choirs of voices provide depth along with the thrilling presence of extra breath in the sound. Laetitia's community-politic is well-served by the groups of voices lending support to the machining of the song craft, providing additional uplift to her quintessentially forward-facing viewpoint - as well as massed voices from three different countries sharing space in harmony.
Working in collaboration is Laetita's tradition and a key to this album's view on being free together. The designation of Source Collective implies a new togetherness phase, alongside long time collaborators Emmanuel Mario and Xavi Munoz, keyboard and flutes parts played by David Thayer (Little Tornados) were essential contributions, as well as further keys, synths and electronics from Phil M FU and several intense guitar sequences from Mason le Long. Chris A Cummings (aka Marker Starling, Laetitia's favourite composer) graciously wrote 'Deep Background' for her. The duet with Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor on 'Love Captive' (not to mention Rob Mazurek's distinctive coronet playing) gives voice to an ideological cornerstone of 'Find Me Finding You'

(500 copies 12-inch exclusive for RSD 2017) Music from the heart. Mind Gamers is not a super group but UNITY. Mind Gamers cheer for beautiful women in Los Angeles, Sydney and Paris. Mind Gamers are: Sebastien Tellier, Daniel Stricker, John Kirby MIND GAMERS Music from the heart. Mind Gamers is not a super group but UNITY. Mind Gamers cheer for beautiful women in Los Angeles, Sydney and Paris Mind Gamers are: Sebastien Tellier, Daniel Stricker, John Kirby MIND GAMERS 'POWER OF POWER' is the first release All music written, performed & recorded in Los Angeles, Paris, Sydney, Hydra, Mexico City & Bangkok by Mind Gamers, with the help of: Come to America Mike Bolger: brass Shags Chamberlain: Additional bass design Michael Di Francesco: Additional bass design Timothy Dunn: engineer Thibaut Javoy: engineer Golden Boy Karl Lagerfeld: vocals Mike Bolger: brass Timothy Dunn: engineer Thibaut Javoy: engineerand addtional help from Eric Chedeville: mixer Joe Laporta: mastering Iracema Trevisan: artwork Marc Teissier du Cros: management MIND GAMERS' 'Power of power' to be released on Record Store Day on vinyl and all platforms

In collaboration with Oneohtrix Point Never and Hudson Mohawke, on PARADISE,' ANOHNI seeks to support activist conversations and disrupt assumptions about popular music through the collision of electronic sound and highly politicized lyrics.
PARADISE' includes new songs as well as material recently debuted live. On the title track, Paradise,' Anohni voices ecstatic alienation, describing a dystopian life filled with horror, awe, comfort and threat. She expresses a sense of disembodiment: "Myself, I'm here... not here, as a point of consciousness." The music is wild and invigorating with a heavy beat conceived by Hudson Mohawke and twisting vocal treatments by Daniel Lopatin.
10' LP format includes a copy of the album on CD.

In collaboration with Oneohtrix Point Never and Hudson Mohawke, on PARADISE,' ANOHNI seeks to support activist conversations and disrupt assumptions about popular music through the collision of electronic sound and highly politicized lyrics.
PARADISE' includes new songs as well as material recently debuted live. On the title track, Paradise,' Anohni voices ecstatic alienation, describing a dystopian life filled with horror, awe, comfort and threat. She expresses a sense of disembodiment: "Myself, I'm here... not here, as a point of consciousness." The music is wild and invigorating with a heavy beat conceived by Hudson Mohawke and twisting vocal treatments by Daniel Lopatin.
10' LP format includes a copy of the album on CD.

LTD pink vinyl repress !

Kofi Holmes Attivor aka Mined is - quite literally - a man of many names. Born to a Ghanaian family in Tooting in London, this electronica newcomer, philomath and a Molecular biologist
was given eight names at birth. Raised on the RnB and soul from his parents record collection, he was granted his wish to get his first 'sleek, silver Casio'. Putting his musical experiments on hold, Kevin went pursued his other passion of science at University of York and a Molecular Cell biology degree. While investigating the sonic landscapes of Brian Eno's 'Music for Airports' and the work by artists like Spooky Black, Majical Cloudz and Foals, he
started developing his own sound that embodied his philomath pursuits. Mined deals with his emotions with brutal sincerity while placing these lyrics in a sanctuary-like, pastoral sonic
sphere, gravitating towards the tranquility of James Blake, Caribou and Boards of Canada. 'I've always been more drawn to poignant honest music that evokes a sense of melancholy,
or sadness or nostalgia', he explains. Written in his room in London, his tracks were created as a form of escapism. Partnering up with the filmmaking duo The Rest (Jungle, Little Simz) and illustrator and Stormzy collaborator Sam Adefe to visualise the crisp richness of Mined's quintessential British electronica.

Gewalt - sind Patrick Wagner (Surrogat), Helen Henfling und Yelka Wehmeier. "So Soll Es Sein" ist ihre dritte Veröffentlichung. Patrick Wagner besingt das tiefe Gefühl der Einsamkeit so laut und krachig, dass der Song in die Top 10 Songs des Jahres 2016 bei Spiegel Online (Andreas Borcholte) gewählt wurde und nun endlich zur Tour auf 7" erscheint.

Entstanden aus dem Schlamm der Internet-Kultur und des Social-Media-Narzissmus erstrahlt das durch David Welles angeführte New Yorker Quartett. Die Mittzwanziger spielen Millennials-Stilistik gegen wesentliche Institutionen aus. Die zerbröckelde Musikindustrie vs. die unhaltbare DIY-Ethik. Die verwelkende Legende des CBGB's Newyork vs. die gentrifizierte Nachbarschaft von Bushwick, Brooklyn. Das Debütalbum "David Welles" wurde von Kevin McMahon (Swans, Titus Andronicus, Widowspeak, Real estate) produziert und durch Meisterwerke wie David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust", Bretton Easton Ellis' Roman "American Psycho", und Terry Gilliam's dystopischen Film "Brazil" animiert. ONWE liefern prägnante Pop-Songs die auf einer frühen Buzzock's Platte nicht fehl am Platz erscheinen würden.

This March, Leeds based indie quartet Deadwall release their second studio album, 'The Zero Cliff', via Hatch Records. Following on from their impressive debut released in 2014, the band have spent the intermittent period rediscovering their potential as a group. It's the best band Deadwall has been, I think' explains frontman Thomas Gourley. Whereas 'Bukimi no Tani' was a mix of old and new ideas, 'The Zero Cliff' was built from the ground upwards as one solid body of work. It's also the first recording with a really settled line-up'.

The ten track collection is inspired by four books specifically, 'God is Not Great' by Christopher Hitchens, 'This Changes Everything' by Naomi Klein, 'The Cloudspotter's Guide' by Gavin Pretor-Pinney and 'We' by Yevgeny Zamyatin. The title itself is a chapter taken from the latter, one that focusses on the human notion of zero', and it's from this assessment that Gourley's lyrics occasionally refer back to, with zero itself changing meaning and representation.

The single overall theme of the record is change, what it means, how we deal with it, view it, impose it, ignore it, fear it, etc. We are all habit addicts. 'The Zero Cliff' to my mind is the infinitesimal, and infinite, gap between one thing and another. It is paradoxically infinite and non-existent, and when we change we don't notice but yet once we change it is inevitably permanent, the gap between life and death you might say.'

The subject matter doesn't stop there. Within this overarching idea the record discusses a number of sibling sub-themes, religion, climate change, neo-liberalist economics, the oil & gas industry, death and rebirth and more. The music itself is just as broad, in equal parts shoegaze, alt-pop, college rock and chamber pop.

Tracks such as opener 'Hall Of Mists' and 'Alto Flocc' showcase the bands expert refrain, where soaring vocals are allowed to glide over shimmering guitar and delicate keys. Contrastingly, new single 'Heartlands', (released February 3rd) sees the band at their most anthemic, with a driving, motoric beat and an earworm vocal melody that stays with you long after first listen.

'The Zero Cliff', though, is not a beast made to be dissected but enjoyed as a single epic journey where each song merges seamlessly with the next and a story allowed to develop. Not dissimilar to the likes of gig mates The Wedding Present, C Duncan and British Sea Power, Deadwall are driven by the stories they tell, backed with original and thought-provoking musical arrangements and masterful songwriting.

The Joy Formidable have never been one to shy away from a challenge. Proving that time and again by holding their own as support for legendary artists and acts from Sir Paul McCartney to The Foo Fighters and The Black Keys.
'Hitch', though definitely not short of The Joy Formidable's quintessential energy, is the product of the band adopting a more minimal approach in production style. Dubbed by Ritzy as one of the most rhythmical and driving records we've made but also the saddest. This album takes you to places that we might not have taken you before".

Horsebeach is the Manchester-based project masterminded by multi-instrumentalist and producer Ryan Kennedy. Two years on from the chiming majesty of II, he returns with Beauty And Sadness - ten rain-soaked vignettes touching on love, loss, regret and remorse. Conceptual, confessional and boldly melodic, it's a deeply textured LP fusing the familiar C86 jangle with chirping synths, grooving rhythms and expansive ambience whilst meditating on break ups and fuck ups with striking lyrical honesty.

Melancholic, but never miserable, Beauty And Sadness is a celebration in the exquisite pain of longing. Named after Yasunari Kawabata's 1964 novel of the same name - a book which helped Kennedy through a difficult breakup - the source of the album's title gives a clue as to what lies within, as Ryan explains, It's about regret and an overlaying sense of loss but also a realisation of the beauty of starting again. I found some beauty in sadness, as it forced me to re-evaluate everything.'

Although the sound may be a departure from Horsebeach's norm, the recording process remains the same with Kennedy overseeing all aspects of production. Taking full control of his melodic output, Beauty And Sadness is the third record to be released on Horsebeach's own Alone Together imprint.

Drawing on inspiration from either side of the Atlantic, both new and old, Horsebeach's music retains a certain appreciation to classic British guitar bands - The Smiths, Felt and groups from the C86 era are all indebted here. But Kennedy gives it a unique twist by delving into ambient electronics inspired by the likes of William Basinski and Jefre Cantu-Ledesma. From the album's dream-like intro - soft with velveteen pads and the delicate romanticism from a speech sample of Japanese author, Yukio Mishima - hazy synths give way to propulsive percussion, rippling guitars and soaring chord progressions as the band's bittersweet signature sound evolves with newfound poise and purpose.