quête:mass prod

Buffalo Tom (Bill Janovitz, Chris Colbourn und Tom Maginnis) gründeten sich 1984 an der University of Massachusetts in Amherst - einer Brutstätte von Post-Punk-Gitarrenbands wie Dinosaur Jr. und Pixies. Die drei langjährigen Bandmitglieder erkennen die Leistung ihrer Langlebigkeit als kreative Einheit an. Anfänglich boten sie einen rauen, treibenden Sound, der Janovitz" imposanten Gitarrensound hervorhob, doch der frühe Ansatz von Buffalo Tom wich einem melodischeren, aber nicht weniger unverwechselbaren Stil. Die Band hat zehn Studioalben veröffentlicht, das jüngste, Jump Rope, erschien Anfang dieses Jahres. Birdbrain ist das zweite Album der Band, das mit Hilfe von J Mascis produziert wurde. Die Songs von "Birdbrain" sind zu Live-Favoriten geworden, darunter der epische Titelsong und "Enemy". Bill Janovitz sprach über den Songwriting-Prozess für dieses Album und sagte: "Ich denke, das Interessante an Birdbrain ist, dass sich das Songwriting verändert hat. Ich hatte alles auf der ersten Platte geschrieben. "Birdbrain" ist eine Art melancholischer Track, aber das meiste davon, wie "Fortune Teller" oder "Directive", das sind in vielerlei Hinsicht sehr wütende Songs. Für mich war das viel punkrockiger, aber wir haben uns in diese Richtung bewegt, und ich weiß nicht, warum. Aber Chris hat angefangen zu schreiben. Chris singt und schrieb "Baby" und die Art und Weise, wie wir schrieben - wir schrieben nicht im selben Raum zusammen - aber wir brachten diese Ideen zueinander und trieben sie herum."

Mysterious, multifaceted collective i Häxa have unveiled their epic self-titled, full length debut; a ground-breaking conceptual double album shaped by a collision of ancient gods and bleeding-edge technology_ Released as four distinct Parts over the course of the year, `i Häxa' now comes together as a singular vision that weaves together genre-defiant soundscapes, abstract cinema and ancient meteorological mythologies from singer-songwriter and visual artist Rebecca Need-Menear (also of electronic alt-rock duo Anavae) and forward-thinking producer Peter Miles (Architects, Dodie, Fizz). i Häxa is a ritualistic dissection of the world as we know it, a forceful separation of the monotony of modernity from the rites and rituals that for centuries formed the foundations for who we are, how we came to be and where we claim to belong. Disjointed fragments of time collide. Two sides, one of logic and one of chaos, seeking unity and balance through an expression of freedom. This is i Häxa. Whilst the album is composed of four distinct movements, each consisting of four distinct tracks themselves; pulling them apart into easily digestible, standalone singles isn't an easy feat and, as is now clear from the project's sprawling cyclic nature, was never the intention. In an age of fast fun and instant gratification, the ties that bind these works together are intended to transcend tracklisting. With aural, visual and lyrical themes freely intertwining, i Häxa is something to be consumed whole; just as it will, in time, consume you. Charting an existential journey to the very depths of what makes us who we are, with every dark corner illuminated in glitched out, discordant glory; i Häxa is a project years in the making that draws simultaneously from rituals for old gods and the modern day deification of data. i Häxa is both heartwarming and horrifying; i Häxa is ancient history and hyper-real; i Häxa is everybody and no one at all. Check out if you like Radiohead, Julie Christmas, Agnes Obel, Bjork, Fever Ray, Massive Attack, Dead Can Dance, Emma Ruth Rundle, Jenny Hval, Cult of Luna, Eivor, Zola Jesus, Marissa Nadler, Soft Moon

Matter-of-factly, Lycox exclaims "Yaaahh" right at the beginning. That's an affirmation but in times of distress it can also mean resignation, something like "Yeah, whatever". Lycox says he was only freestyling though. Then the bassline appears. Elastic, expressive, full-bodied. And it's not even present the whole time. He was "trying to develop a new formula for the Kuduro beat."

Songs for the club? Most certainly. Different sensibilities, one same focused mind. Lycox evolves within tradition, he has mastered the groove, the ambience, the right tones. Simply called "Energia", the last track circles above wistfully, menacing but maybe just promising some sort of action. With a few drops one could almost switch over to a parallel universe of old school Trance, a reference that feels as alien here as maybe this track feels to someone for whom the standard Afro House sound represents modern African music.

These songs pile up in a threshold balanced between styles, sensations, maybe in the middle of life itself. Such a concentration of energy is bound to need release and that comes figuratively through details in the music reaching out to receptive ears. "To Bem Loko" explicitly tries to "literally drive everyone crazy on the dancefloor." Once again Lycox provides vocals, as in "Edson no Uige", about a friend who embarked on a trip to the Angolan province of Uige and came back speaking only the local dialect known as lingala. A nod to tradition, very emotional, without compromising complex arrangements. Consequently, we the listeners are kept believing there is still enough space for a bright future. To ears accustomed to Lycox productions the title "Contemporaneo" (opening of side B) reads like a redundancy, then.

Maybe this music can never be quite as massive as other Afro styles. Without sounding pretentious, it avoids simplistic patterns, it demands a bit more mental processing while it certainly aims to loosen the limbs. Universal in vocation, underground at the core, Lycox definitely calls it Batida but for some it is still Ghetto Music. Like DJ Veiga said when describing a previous release for Príncipe, Ghetto is home, though. Lycox adds it is a foundation of personality. "Few in our community will recognize your work when you come from the same environment, but once you establish your reputation outside of the neighbourhood and even outside of the country, people will look at you differently, as if you were a star."

"Marombo" is a new track written, arranged and produced by Gerardo Frisina, that anticipates his forthcoming album scheduled for 2020.

Seeing the participation of Gerardo's longtime collaborators Ernesto Lopez on drums and percussion and Alfonso Deidda on baritone saxophone, "Marombo" is another a solid step into the future to explore new music territories: a great mixture of nu-latin and electronic beats with Afro-Cuban rhythm into a massive dancefloor groove!

No one has lived a life quite like Marcos Valle. He became an overnight international sensation, fled a military dictatorship, dodged the Vietnam war draft, had his music sung by Homer Simpson, made enemies with Marlon Brando, and became an unsuspecting fitness guru for multiple generations. But to truly understand the great Brazilian composer, arranger, singer and multi instrumentalist, one must listen to his music.

Lead Single (Life Is What It Is) : Between the release of his first album in 1962 and today, Marcos Valle has released twenty-two studio albums traversing definitive bossa nova, classic samba, iconic disco pop, psychedelic rock, nineties dance and orchestral music. He has also had his songs recorded by some of the all time greats, including Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Sergio Mendes, Elis Regina, and (last but not least), Emma Button of the Spice Girls. He has also had his music sampled by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pusha T and many more.


With his twenty-third studio album Túnel Acustico, Valle set out to bring it all together.

“I believe my music is many things. It goes in different directions. I have many different ways of writing music, sometimes it’s melodies and harmony, sometimes the groove is the focus. But all the music I have made over my sixty year career is unified. It is all natural and it is all sincere. And this is what I wanted to bring to my new album.”

A prominent feature of Valle’s career has been his dual residence between Brazil and the USA. Originally moving over in the mid-sixties on the back of bossa nova’s international proliferation, Valle toured with Sergio Mendes and became hugely in demand as a composer and arranger. But the Vietnam War loomed and the threat of being drafted saw him return to Brazil. He spent the following years in Rio writing music for TV and film, as well as four cult favourite albums in collaboration with some of Brazil’s most groundbreaking musicians including Milton Nascimento, Azymuth, Som Imaginario and O Terco.

By 1975, Brazil's military dictatorship was at its most oppressive, making living and working increasingly difficult. Valle moved back to the US where he would reside in LA, writing songs for, and collaborating with the likes of Eumir Deodato, Airto Moreira, Chicago, Sarah Vaughn and Leon Ware, amongst others.

Túnel Acústico features two songs originally conceived during Valle’s time on the West Coast: “Feels So Good”, a stirring two-step soul triumph written in 1979 with soul icon Leon Ware, and the sublime AOR disco track “Life Is What It Is”, composed around the same time, with percussionist Laudir De Oliveira from the group Chicago.

Built around an unfinished demo Marcos found on a shelf in his house 44 years after it was made, the “Feels So Good” demo was restored with the help of producer Daniel Maunick, who also utilised AI stem-separation to remove the placeholder vocal ad-libs. Valle added Portuguese lyrics to sit alongside Ware’s vocal hook, as well as extra keyboards and percussion.

Also written in late seventies LA, “Life Is What Is It” was co-penned by Laudir De Oliveira from the band Chicago and first released on the bands’ Chicago 13 album with lyrics by Robert Lamb. Another nod to his good times in LA, Valle recorded his own version for Túnel Acústico, upping the tempo and deepening the groove for a blast of irresistible summer soul.

On Túnel Acústico, Valle's core band features two members of the renowned Brazilian jazz-funk group Azymuth: Alex Malheiros on bass and Renato Massa on drums. The rhythm section is completed by percussionist Ian Moreira, with additional contributions from guitarist Paulinho Guitarra and trumpeter Jesse Sadoc.

The contemporarily composed music on Túnel Acústico features an impressive lineup of guest lyricists, including renowned Brazilian artists: Joyce Moreno (Bora Meu Vem), Céu (Nao Sei), and Moreno Veloso (Palavras Tão Gentis) as well as Valle's brother Paulo Sergio Valle (Tem Que Ser Feliz).

The album closes with "Thank You Burt (For Bacharach)", a tribute to the legendary composer who passed away in 2023.

Túnel Acústico will be released on 20th September 2024 via Far Out Recordings. Valle is set to tour Europe and America in support of the album.

Just under a year after their acclaimed self-titled debut, dreampop duo deary release a brand new six-track EP – Aurelia – via Sonic Cathedral on November 1. It includes the singles ‘The Moth’, ‘Selene’ and ‘The Drift’ and features Slowdive drummer Simon Scott playing on three songs. It will be available on three different vinyl variants, a CD with three bonus tracks and digitally. It’s a stunning record, which displays a new-found maturity in terms of production as well as musically and lyrically. The band – singer Rebecca ‘Dottie’ Cockram and guitarist/producer Ben Easton – have had to grow up in public since the release of their debut single at the start of 2023, supporting legends such as Slowdive and Cranes and TikTok sensations like Wisp along the way. An aurelian is a rare old term for a lepidopterist – someone who studies and collects moths – derived from the Latin aurelia, meaning chrysalis. The perfect title for an EP which is based around the theme of metamorphosis and change. “It leans on the natural world, the human body, the earth and sky as well as human emotion,” says Ben of how the EP represents physical and metaphysical growth. “Change can be daunting but equally exciting, which is something we’ve come to learn.” “While writing the EP, I found a letter I had written to myself when I was 22,” adds Dottie. “I was fresh out of university and had moved back in with my parents as Covid was in full force. I was uninspired and lost and reaching out to my future self for some hope. It was a physical representation of what can happen in a few years; how much can change and how you never know what’s coming next. “I found it interesting that – at the age of 26 – here I was looking back to my younger self for hope or just some comfort in the fact that things will and do move on. It was important to me to bring both of these versions of myself into the new songs.” “Personally, I had noticed a change in myself; a new level of social anxiety, a strange disassociation to things that once brought me joy as well as negative repetitions in my daily life,” reveals Ben. “I began the year sober which allowed me to finish the writing process as a letter of care to my own mental health. There are motifs throughout the EP – for example the riffs in ‘The Moth’ and ‘The Drift’ being reminiscent of each other – which are like musical reflections of these repeated cycles.” It’s musically where the change deary have undergone is most obvious. ‘The Moth’ mixes howling guitars atop a strident breakbeat making it more Curve than Cocteaus; ‘Selene’ is a slow-building wall of noise; ‘The Drift’ combines a perfect pop melody with an incredible sense of urgency. These three singles are balanced by the brief but beautiful ‘Where You Are’ which leads into the Portishead-style trip-hop of ‘Dream Of Me’. The title track has been a staple of their live sets for about a year as ‘Can’t Sleep Tonight’, but its mix of The Cure circa Disintegration and Mezzanine Massive Attack has grown and evolved so much that they renamed it ‘Aurelia’ as the embodiment of the change they have been through. “We’ve allowed deary to naturally grow over the past year, we didn’t want to force it to take a certain shape or sound,” explains Dottie of the duo’s slow and steady approach. “A lot of the last EP was written by sending ideas back and forth over WhatsApp, but this time we were able to sit in the same room and I think that really shows. We know each other a lot better now as we have experienced this journey together and that benefits the writing process as we are more open with each other and can be vulnerable.” “Aurelia definitely feels a lot more collaborative, more personal and more fully realised than the first EP,” concludes Ben. “It feels like a real document of what has been a very important time in both of our lives. Ironically, the band has changed and matured even more since the recording, so we’re both excited to document the next stage

Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare or Sly and Robbie as they are affectionately known are the drum and bass backbone of Reggae Music, they have played on, produced, invented, reinvented more records then many of their contemporaries put together.

Sly Dunbar born Lowell Charles Dunbar on 10 May 1952, Kingston, Jamaica, drummed his first session for Mr Lee Perry which included a Jamaican hit ,a track called 'Night Doctor', before moving on to the group Skin, Flesh & Bones who had a residency at Kingston's famous 'Tit for Tat' club. This band would evolve into the Channel One house band The Revolutionaries where Sly named after his fondness of the band Sly and the Family Stone would begin to play alongside a bass player who would become his long standing partner in music, namely one Robbie Shakespeare.

Robbie Shakespeare born 27 September 1953, Kingston, Jamaica, had worked his way through session bands including the legendary Aggrovators before uniting with Sly Dunbar in The Revolutionaries. Both musicians had worked with other respective bass / drum players including such figures as Lloyd Parks bass, Carlton 'Santa' Davis drums, but everything seemed to fall into place when they worked together.

They also both had a quest to push the boundaries of reggae music, which they would do throughout their careers, over many sessions to numerous to mention. But highlights would include the groundbreaking Mighty Diamonds 1976 set 'Right Time' with its fresh rockers rhythms which lead the way in the 1970's. Also their work with the bands Culture and Black Uhuru the later of which they toured extensively with, spreading the reggae vibes across Europe and America. Not to forget to mention their Taxi label / productions which are always inventitive whether its in the reggae field or outside where their playing / production skills are much in demand.

The third piece of this jigsaw is the mighty Mr Bunny 'Striker' Lee who brought these legends together. Born Edward O'Sullivan Lee 23 August 1941, he must be one of reggae's most underrated producers. Leading the way in the 1970's especially in the dub field and being one of the early exponents of a King Tubby remix ,which would see nearly all his 7'' releases carrying a Tubby reworking on its flip side. Bunny started his musical career in 1962 working for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label and soon moved into the world of production gaining his first hit in 1967 with 'Musical Field' by Roy Shirley for the WIRL label. The 1970's was a very productive time for Bunny Lee and saw the launch of his LEE'S label which was producing hits in Jamaica. Not having a studio of his own and renting studio time from the existing establishments like Randy's Studio 17 and Channel One he had to have a crack team of session players to carry out this task, fast and efficiently. This happened firstly under the guise of THE AGGROVATORS see The Aggrovators dubbing it studio 1 style JRCD005 and then with the group of musicians THE REVOLUTIONARIES[ see The Revolutionaries at Channel 1 dub plate specials JRCDOO3]. It’s here in the latter of these groups that Bunny matched Sly and Robbie together for the first time and it’s this match made in heaven that these tracks on this release are culled from. Sessions that Bunny Lee produced with Sly and Robbie during this magical 70's period. These rare dubs are taken from the original master tapes, you may have heard the tune before but not these versions. So sit back and enjoy Reggae Musical History in the making....

Rising multi-media artist Shaboozey intends to build his own world.

Determined to carve his own lane in the Alt-Country / Hip-Hop space; he crafts a sound that pays homage to a cast of traditional Western influences, such as Bob Dylan, Lead Belly, Johnny Cash, and Leonard Cohen, while looking into the future of what the two genres have yet to introduce.

Remaining true to his Virginia roots, Shaboozey hopes to continue the region’s long-standing tradition of producing some of the most prolific creatives of the new millennium. This time through elevating the scope of contemporary hip-hop and introducing a modern Americana culture to a global audience.

Fresh off of his inclusion in the groundbreaking Beyonce album, Cowboy Carter, of which he was the only featured artist to appear twice, Shaboozey is set to release his own album, Where I've Been, isn't Where I'm Going. An album that has been years in the making, it includes standout singles “Let It Burn,” “Vegas,” “Anabelle,” & the infectiously fun singalong anthem “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Millions of streams later, and appearances on esteemed programs such as COLORS and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Shaboozey is set to become the new face of modern American country music.

Red Laser gets on a kinky tip, where poppers are currency and salacious activities mandatory as label chief Il Bosco grabs us by the nethers and heads for 'The Darkroom EP'.

Inspired by amyl-soaked tales of Euro basement sex club debauchery, and steadily edging its way to a never-ending climax, the EP is a highly charged exercise in x-rated synth-jizz and erotic Manctalo that'll have you quickly believing you're surrounded by massive pulsating dicks on a cocktail of GHB and Mkat.
Maintaining a persistent throb throughout, the EP has us reaching blindly through clouds of pink saturated club smoke, unsure of what our sweat-soaked hands will grasp on to.

Two remixes alongside three originals. Fabrizio Mammarella has the blood rushing to our head quicker than a whiff of Rush Black Label* on his mix of 'Notio Botherdini'. Adding extra acid for a trippier sexperience and urging willing participants to "close your eyes" as he achieves maximum thrust.

Meanwhile local Stretford poppers enthusiast** Bob Swans also has a fumble in the shadows, remixing 'Dark Room' with late late late on in the session in mind - a time of carnal lucidity and primal urges that'd make even Michael Barrymore's peculiar desires look vanilla. It's a sparse and special redux, fluffing us with that latexy bassline and never-ended sfx trails until we're quite literally cumming in your ears.
Apologies, that probably was a bit graphic.

*Poppers brand highly endorsed by Red Laser contributor Count Van Delicious

**Red Laser only hypothesizes to said producer’s poppers usage.

Das dänische Hardrock-Quartett BLACK OAK COUNTY veröffentlicht sein drittes Album, das sie zu neuen musikalischen Horizonten führt, mit einer
breiten Mischung aus donnernden Breakdowns, eingängigeren Refrains als je zuvor, einer massiven Wand aus stampfenden Gitarrenriffs und einer
gefühlvollen Klavierballade. „III“ wurde gemeinsam mit dem dänischen Metal-Schwergewicht Nicklas Sonne (Defecto, Aries Descendant, dänische
Eurovisions-Vorentscheidungen) geschrieben und produziert, was sich als fruchtbare kreative Beziehung zwischen den beiden Parteien erwies. Das
Album markiert eine Rückkehr zur alten Form für die Band, die auf den Singles „Back For Blood“ und „It's On You“ von 2022 wieder mit
Gitarrist/Sänger Niels Beier zusammenkommt, der von dem ehemaligen Grammy-Nominierten Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Asinhell) produziert und
zusammen mit Soren Andersen (Glenn Hughes, Mike Tramp) geschrieben wurde. Jetzt, wo sowohl Beier als auch Sänger/Bassist René Kristensen in
der Band singen, haben sich für die Rocker aus Esbjerg neue musikalische Türen geöffnet. Black Oak County haben tief in ihrem musikalischen
Ideenfundus gegraben, um eine breitere Palette von Songs als je zuvor zu entwickeln und dabei brandneue Ideen mit älterem Material aus den
Anfangstagen ihrer Karriere zu verbinden. „III“ ist ein energiegeladenes Album mit der bekannten Mischung aus hochintensiven, tief gestimmten
Riffs, die eine Hommage an ihre Metal- und Hardrock-Helden darstellen, gemischt mit modernen Mixing-Techniken, Synthesizern und einer frischen
Interpretation des vertrauten Sounds der Band

Das dänische Hardrock-Quartett BLACK OAK COUNTY veröffentlicht sein drittes Album, das sie zu neuen musikalischen Horizonten führt, mit einer
breiten Mischung aus donnernden Breakdowns, eingängigeren Refrains als je zuvor, einer massiven Wand aus stampfenden Gitarrenriffs und einer
gefühlvollen Klavierballade. „III“ wurde gemeinsam mit dem dänischen Metal-Schwergewicht Nicklas Sonne (Defecto, Aries Descendant, dänische
Eurovisions-Vorentscheidungen) geschrieben und produziert, was sich als fruchtbare kreative Beziehung zwischen den beiden Parteien erwies. Das
Album markiert eine Rückkehr zur alten Form für die Band, die auf den Singles „Back For Blood“ und „It's On You“ von 2022 wieder mit
Gitarrist/Sänger Niels Beier zusammenkommt, der von dem ehemaligen Grammy-Nominierten Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Asinhell) produziert und
zusammen mit Soren Andersen (Glenn Hughes, Mike Tramp) geschrieben wurde. Jetzt, wo sowohl Beier als auch Sänger/Bassist René Kristensen in
der Band singen, haben sich für die Rocker aus Esbjerg neue musikalische Türen geöffnet. Black Oak County haben tief in ihrem musikalischen
Ideenfundus gegraben, um eine breitere Palette von Songs als je zuvor zu entwickeln und dabei brandneue Ideen mit älterem Material aus den
Anfangstagen ihrer Karriere zu verbinden. „III“ ist ein energiegeladenes Album mit der bekannten Mischung aus hochintensiven, tief gestimmten
Riffs, die eine Hommage an ihre Metal- und Hardrock-Helden darstellen, gemischt mit modernen Mixing-Techniken, Synthesizern und einer frischen
Interpretation des vertrauten Sounds der Band

4 Jahre sind vergangen, seit "Endless Wound" Stigmata auf der Menschheit hinterlassen hat, aber seid sicher, Black Curse werden sich jetzt noch tiefer einschneiden. Eine Platte, die wegen ihrer ekstatischen Rücksichtslosigkeit und massiven fanatischen Bösartigkeit schockieren soll. Aber das was tief unter den Kompositionen schwebt, öffnet die Türen zu einer Welt, die so unglaublich groß ist, dass man Gefahr läuft, sich in ihr zu verlieren. Und diese Tiefen entziehen sich jeglicher Exegese.

4 Flüche wurden in 4 Hymnen absoluter Todesmagie verwoben. Und diese werden einen in den schwarzen Abgrund des großen Göttlichen führen. Das Album wurde erneut vom unbestrittenen Meister Arthur Rizk produziert, der mit seiner außergewöhnlich dichten und zerstörerischen Produktion mal wieder alle Erwartungen übertrifft. "Burning in Celestial Poison" klingt, als wäre es mit dunklen magischen Formeln aus einer sehr viel tieferen Welt erschaffen. Um die Erhabenheit dieses Albums zu erkennen, müssen andere Sichtweisen und Wertigkeiten definiert werden. In dieser Welt wird es als hässlich und bedrückend gelten. Und zwar von denjenigen, die nicht in der Lage sind, sich diesen bodenlosen Abgründen hinzugeben.
Es bricht absichtlich mit allen modernen Hörgewohnheiten, vermeidet alle Regeln der Songlänge und -struktur und erzielt genau dann das beste Ergebnis, wenn es in Dunkelheit und bei maximaler Lautstärke erlebt wird.

"Burning in Celestial Poison" beginnt, mäandert und endet mit einem prophetischen Grollen, das sicherlich aus der Welt stammt, der wir uns noch stellen müssen, nämlich der Welt in Flammen.

Something About Livingis an album of live recordings by experimental jazz composer/multi-instrumentalist Robert Stillman. The music was captured over the course of Stillman's time as the solo support act for The Smile (Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Tom Skinner). The album weaves excerpts from various theater and arena shows along the tour's North American routing into a seamless whole, creating a 40-minute program that represents an expanded version of Stillman's ever-transforming live set.

Something About Livingis the product of a steady, on-stage evolution that happened over the course of the nearly 60 shows opening for the Smile across the EU, UK, US, Canada and Mexico. However, the creative origins of the set began in relative isolation during the pandemic, through Stillman's work on projects like his multi-media installationUnseen Forcesand his monthly broadcast for Margate Radio, both of which drew upon solo improvisation using saxophone, cassettes, Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, and effects.

"At the time The Smile asked whether I'd like to open for them on their first tour, I felt like I'd already been preparing without really knowing it," says Stillman. "I'd been doing this music constantly, but always for a hypothetical audience" During the pandemic, Stillman's solo set-up served as the research lab where he worked on all the concepts he was interested in: solo improvisation, creating and manipulating cassettes, FM synthesis, analogue delays chains, no-input mixing, and non-metric rhythmic pulses. So when he was offered the first Smile tour, the idea was to bring "the lab" onto the stage.

What Stillman could not have prepared for was the experience of playing in venues with capacities of up to ten thousand listeners. "The first tour was in summer 2022, so not that long after the worst of the pandemic, when I had pretty much made peace with the idea that I might never be able to perform for an audience again. Then all of a sudden I found myself in front of huge numbers of people, and felt the massive responsibility of being with an audience, of this thing I'd done alone for so longactually being witnessed, and it was completely overwhelming!" On the flip-side, Stillman also recalls, was a new appreciation of how powerful the live performance was as a social phenomenon. "It's a cliche, but also true: the moment of making and hearing music in a shared time and space has a very specific meaning and power; there was a sense that everyone in the venue was necessary to make it real, regardless of what they were doing, or how they felt about it. There was an inevitability about it that I'd never fully appreciated."

Over the course of the tours that followed, Stillman transformed this appreciation of the shared moment into an ethic of spontaneity that guided the development of his live set. "An important reference for this set has always been an Animal Collective show I saw when I first moved to New York, probably in 2001 or so, that has always set the high-water mark for what I wanted to do live- they were improvising a lot, and out of what would seem to be absolute chaos they'd find their way to something structured, and then back out again into the unknown. It was so thrilling to witness".

ThoughSomething About Livingcompiles recordings from different dates along the tour, Stillman has edited and mixed them into a work that seeks to reflect the ebb and flow between 'chaos and control' that characterizes his live set. Among the compositions featured are some from previous album releases ("Time of Waves", "What I Owe", "What Does it Mean to Be American") as well as some new compositions ("The Dream of Waking", "Renaissance 2.0," and the title track, "Something About Living").

The album/track title "Something About Living" is a reference to a line from Stillman's favorite film,My Dinner With André: "André Gregory is explaining the value of life experiences that, as he says, are'to do with living'.That really struck me, the way he articulated it. I strongly believe live music situations can ask these kinds of questions, for performers and audiences. I hope that's reflected in this music."

[a] 01: Time of Waves (Live in Miami FL) [Live]
[b] 02: What Does It Mean to Be American (Live in Forest Hills NY) [Live]
[c] 03: The Dream of Waking (Live in St Augustine FL) [Live]
[d] 04: Something About Living (Live in Richmond VA) [Live]
[e] 05: What I Owe (Live in Chesterfield MO) [Live]
[f] 06: Renaissance 2.0 (Live in Chesterfield MO) [Live]

NOW Music is proud to present the newest addition to the ‘Yearbook’ series: NOW – YEARBOOK 1982. 3 LPs of 44 defining tracks that ruled the charts in 1982.
Featuring number 1s, including ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ (Survivor), ‘Ebony And Ivory’ (Paul McCartney), ‘Town Called Malice’ (The Jam), and 1982’s biggest seller ‘Come On Eileen’ from Dexys Midnight Runners.
1982 saw the first huge hits from a wealth of new artists including Culture Club, Wham! and Tears For Fears, as well as an incredible line-up from artists who had established their chart presence in the prior 18 months and would produce some of the greatest tracks of the decade; Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, ABC, Haircut 100, Soft Cell, The Human League, and a newly solo Adam Ant.
‘Fame’ was the TV phenomenon of the year, and Irene Cara’s theme from the original 1980 film enjoyed massive success.
As ABBA released their last singles for nearly 40 years, pure-pop from Bucks Fizz, Blondie, and Madness is celebrated alongside synth-pop gems from New Order, Simple Minds, Visage and Japan.
Leading artists from the punk scene enjoyed continued and renewed success, including The Stranglers, The Clash and Pretenders, whilst Foreigner, Meat Loaf with Cher, and Steve Miller Band provided radio-favourite rock and power ballads.
1982 saw a huge chart presence for dance music – from the hi-NRG of Boys Town Gang, to the electro-infused beats of Malcolm McLaren, and Rockers Revenge, the 1980’s disco of Shalamar, alongside soul classics from Marvin Gaye and Donna Summer… plus stellar ballads from Elton John, Lionel Richie, and Roxy Music.

Sol Power Sound returns with an EP of two blistering (and rare) island disco cuts remixed by Bosq and the Sol Power All-Stars that will make you forget that summer has come to a close. Officially licensed from the estate of Nappy Mayers, who wrote and produced both originals, both tracks capture Nappy’s exquisite sound that dominated the Trinidadian discotheques in the late 1970s and early 1980s but never received the international acclaim they deserved.

Bosq, a long-time friend of the label, leads things off on the A-side with his fiery dance floor flip of Nadie La Fond’s “Three Way Situation.” In his classic yet understated style, Bosq adds just enough, enhancing the captivating groove, while preserving the true essence and of the original. Using both vocal and dub parts Bosq turns up the funk and transforms the tune into a blistering modern disco cut that works equally well on the beach, in a dark club, or at your favorite underground afterhours.

On B1, the Sol Power All-Stars present an extended disco dub of the 1980 Nappy Mayers tune “Let Yourself Go.” The Sol Power crew opts to work with the b-side version of the original, which bypasses the lead vocal and instead focuses on the synth-bass led groove, an unforgettable chorus, and powerful disco horns. Toss in some chopped up flute, guitars, and synth and you’ve got yourself a party. And did we mention drums and perc? Don’t miss the massive soca break that will take you straight to a carnival jam in the islands.

Alongside remastered extended 12” versions of both original vocal cuts, Trini Disco Dubs highlights the genius of Nappy Mayers, a legendary Caribbean songwriter, producer, and performer, through the lens of modern producers who are at the top of their game.

Die New-England-Extrem-Metal-Band Escuela Grind wird am 18. Oktober ihre neue LP „Dreams on Algorithms“ über MNRK Heavy veröffentlichen.
Aufgenommen im GodCity-Studio in Salem, Massachusetts, mit Produzent Kurt Ballou und gemastert von Nick Townsend (Dr. Dre, Betty Davis), ist die
Platte der mit Spannung erwartete Nachfolger von Escuela Grinds gefeiertem Debütalbum „Memory Theater“ aus dem Jahr 2022, das von der New
York Times als „ein Opus der Extremität“ gefeiert wurde.Escuela Grinds Reise durch die strafende Klanglandschaft des Grindcore war alles andere als
status quo. Ihr Mantra der Förderung von Inklusivität und Akzeptanz innerhalb extremer Musikgemeinschaften steht als Pfeiler des Fortschritts in
einer oft abgeschotteten und verschlossenen Subkultur. Sängerin Katerina Economou verbreitet den Geist und die Grundüberzeugungen der Band auf
jeder Bühne, auf der sie auftritt - sie verstärkt die Stimmen der Unterrepräsentierten und verbindet die Menschen auf einer Ebene, die tiefer geht als
die Musik.Dreams on Algorithms ist ein klanglicher Beweis für die Ideologien der Band - eine knüppelharte Darbietung von progressivem
Extrem-Metal, der die Genregrenzen überschreitet.

"Redrawing pop music’s borders in the early 21st century, London trio Sugababes occupy an important
place in the history of British music. Formed in London in 1998, the group seamlessly combined
mainstream pop with cutting-edge R&B, soul and dance music – and they added to this intoxicating mix
on 2002’s Angels With Dirty Faces, an album which brought avant-garde electronic music to the masses.
This landmark second album from Sugababes includes the era-defining ‘Freak Like Me’, which, helmed
by underground producer Richard X, rode a sample of Tubeway Army’s ‘Are “Friends” Electric?’ all the
way to the top of the UK charts in the spring of 2002. Led by the guiding hand of the Xenomania
production team, ‘Round Round’ repeated the trick, paving the way for Angels With Dirty Faces to clean
up that summer, going triple-platinum and scoring Sugababes the 2003 BRIT Award for Best British
Dance Act.


"

Produced by Wild Rivers and Gabe Wax (Soccer Mommy, Adrienne Lenker), "Better Now" consists of eight tracks that complement the recent album Never Better, as the group dives deeper into the complicated, confusing and unknown realities of life in their twenties, and the personal growth they’ve found through it all. Of the new project, Wild Rivers shares: “Better Now" is our companion record, and the other side to "Never Better".

On the first record, the songs contain raw, absolute and instinctual feelings. In many ways, Better Now is the afterglow of this. We’re reflecting and understanding that relationships change over time. Complicated situations can be just that, complicated. Feelings can remain unresolved. If the first record is bright and bold, this one is the softer gradients in between; the sunrises and the sunsets. Both projects make up the full spectrum of who we are.

"Better Now" is just the moodier, misunderstood one. Musically the records really are twins. We wrote all of the songs at the same time. Finishing Better Now, we really felt that it was the close of a massive musical and personal chapter. It’s bittersweet but so meaningful to be able to chronicle our lives between these projects. Ultimately, we are optimistic; ‘better now,’ after the ups and downs of the relationships and turbulence of our twenties. Hopefully we’re wiser for it.”

On October 18th, Twisted Pine releases its joyous third LP, Love Your Mind. Dubbed “a band to watch” by NPR, the band’s first album in four years is the long-awaited follow-up to Right Now, which No Depression praised for its "sheer pop glory, funky all-day grooves, and spacecraft sonics.” The title represents the quartet landing after several years of touring, serious introspection, glorious bursts of creativity, and many after-hour festival jam sessions that had them pickin’ ‘til dawn. What started as a (semi-)traditional bluegrass band in the trenches of the storied Massachusetts Americana scene a decade ago has bloomed into an ensemble gleefully ready to race down any artistic detour. This is the sound of Twisted Pine now —experimental production, fearless songwriting featuring input from each member, finely-crafted collaborative arrangements, playing that is sometimes virtuosic, always visceral. The sound of a band that demands you Love Your Mind.

Here comes No Obligation, the second full-length release from THE LINDA LINDAS further advances their unironic, joyful, and exciting trajectory of mashing up L.A. punk with alt-rock, garage rock, power pop, new wave, rock en español. No Obligation was written and recorded by the band during spring breaks, winter breaks, and long weekends (Lucia and Eloise are still in high school, Mila just finished middle school, and Bela is patiently waiting for them to get done with it already) and was produced by Carlos de la Garza (Paramore, Best Coast, Bleached). Known for their incredible musicianship and live performances, the band who has shared stages with and opened for Paramore, Japanese Breakfast, Jawbreaker, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, are about to embark on a massive two-month tour across America with Green Day. Look for headlining shows at small clubs in between-including a sold-out gig at the famously DIY Gilman Street in Berkeley. The new album, No Obligation, is out on October 11 . No Obligations. No expectations. No limits for THE LINDA LINDAS.