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Dubfire - Dark Matter | Dust & Gas
With a career spanning over 3 decades, Dubfire has achieved global success as an artist with relentless drive, talent, and intuition. Pioneering commercial notoriety came initially as one half of the Grammy award (2001) winning duo Deep Dish, before embarking on a truly groundbreaking solo career in 2007. A career filled with timeless tracks include his early works ‘Ribcage’, ‘Emissions, ‘Roadkill’ and the highly acclaimed ‘Exit’ with Kiss Kitten. Collaborative work highlights include Luke Slater, Moscoman, Oliver Huntemann, Chris Liebing, Tiga and co-producing two tracks on the legendary Underworld’s ‘Barking’ album. This year he finally releases his debut album ‘EVOLV’. An 11-track visionary into the mind of Dubfire to be released on his long-standing label SCI+TEC. EVOLV’s concept? The journey of the ‘hybrid’ being and its evolution since its first appearance in 2015, as part of his two-year World tour following the release of his retrospective release ‘A Decade Of Dubfire’.
The first of 4 singles launch in July with ‘Dark Matter’ and ‘Dust & Gas’. Both tracks set a brooding atmosphere. The rougher percussion, and eerie lead in ‘Dark Matter’ is accompanied by a stripped back sound and glitchy vocals sitting in a spaced-out atmosphere in ‘Dust & Gas’. Its deep and minimal drum work is exceptional. The start of a sonically evolved journey for its listeners, this album is what many have waited for, with a few unexpected twists along the way.

DoomCannon presents a meticulously crafted debut album ‘Renaissance’ available on a 12” LP vinyl, CD and digital formats on 15th July 2022. Journeying through an awakening and reimagining of the young Black British experience. Sequentially moving through a rich breadth of soundscapes, ‘Renaissance’ signifies the birth of a new era in DoomCannon’s trajectory. Inspired by an accumulation of experiences over the past four years and defined by significant events like the global pandemic to the worldwide outcry of the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020.

The album has garnered early support from Gilles Peterson & Tom Ravenscroft at BBC 6Music, Jazz FM, Worldwide FM, NTS, Rinse France, FIP, Radio Nova plus features on Spotify & Apple. Almost 130K combined streams on Spotify alone for his first two singles ‘Amalgamation’ & ’Times (feat. Lex Amor)’.

DoomCannon spearheaded a plethora of forward-thinking, improvised Jazz-inspired outfits (Project Karnak, Triforce) and is the Musical Director of award-winning vocalist, Celeste, performing live at the Brit Awards and Later with Jools Holland. He presented his solo project at Abbey Road Studios & was selected via Jazz Re:freshed as part of the SXSW/ British Council collaboration. Invited to curate sessions at the legendary Ronnie Scotts, DoomCannon is set to hit numerous stages, including his debut headline show at Peckham Audio, the Worldwide Awards, World Island Festival & We Out Here this Spring/Summer.

**Hardcore, FWD dance music from two leading sound artists. Edition of 500, Mastered and cut by Matt Colton** Mark Fell and Gábor Lázár ratchet the game with their razor-sharp debut collaboration, 'The Neurobiology of Moral Decision Making'. As promised in the wake of Gábor's acclaimed vinyl debut, 'EP16', the duo have colluded on a full set of ten tracks, ranging from short synapse bursts thru to an uncannily emotive 12 minute masterpiece on the closing side. As the 10th release on The Death of Rave, it demonstrates the distance travelled since the early '90s paradigm shift of original rave culture, effecting a radical recalibration of meter and tone conventions in electronic/dance music, and by turns, acutely probing our perception of time and space. Essentially it's incredibly "funky", if "funk" is taken to mean syncopation or a play on tension-and-resolution. By utilising the grid-morphing potential of Max/MSP software, they unlock mutant ballistic patterns cleanly weaving between and recoding the tendons and ligament of techno, garage, footwork and hardcore with muscle memory-reprogramming impact. Kicks, claps and visceral chromatic stabs land at irregular, blind-spot junctures, acutely rewiring our sense of rhythmic anticipation and offering a thrilling new freedom of expression and dancefloor discipline in the process. It's a masterful step forward from Yorkshireman, Mark Fell's Sensate Focus output and SND classics, and, likewise, a logical leap from Budapest-based Max whizz, Gábor Lázár. If you're into Mumdance, Errorsmith, Lorenzo Senni, Autechre, Actress or SND; we'd say it's as essential as they come.

Die Death Metal-Band WITCH VOMIT mit Ihrem neuen Album „Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave“. Es ist nach „A Scream from the Tomb Below“ (2016) das zweite Album der US-Amerikaner.

„Buried Deep in a Bottomless Grave“ wurde erneut von Evan Mersky produziert. Das Mastering lag in den Händen von Dan Randall (u.a. für TOXIC HOLOCAUST tätig), während Matt Stikker (u.a. für OUTER HEAVEN tätig) für das Cover-Artwork verantwortlich zeichnet.

Das neue Album von WITCH VOMIT wird am 30. August 2019 via 20 Buck Spin erscheinen.

Carter Family meets Addams Family in Easy Listening for Jerks, two new covers EPs by gold-certified prairie pickers The Dead South. Rich with quality finger picking and replete with harmonies, Easy Listening for Jerks offers many new moods of songs we think we know so well. Under a title that recalls the songwriting humour of Roger Miller and Steve Martin’s comedy stylings alike, the EPs offer a surprising and compelling mix of gravity and levity. Foggy Mountain Boys, but make it Beetlejuice. Easy Listening for Jerks Parts 1 & 2 are pressed separately on 10" black vinyl.

Since the release of Superstition back in 2018, FUNERAL CHIC has been through something of a metamorphosis, a rebirth if you will. With renewed purpose and a line up that has been solidified along the way, the four piece are preparing to release their third full length album, Roman Candle, this summer. Holding no desire to make the same album twice, they have eschewed the punk-led powerviolence that informed their previous work and have embraced the great tradition of American rock and roll - but given it a very distinctive FUNERAL CHIC twist. The swagger of proto-punk forefathers The Stooges and The New York Dolls imbues the darkest, grittiest corners of their reinvigorated sound, and can also be found on their cover of Roky Erickson’s Two Headed Dog. The caustic energy of early thrash and black metal scenes is also present, flickering with unmistakable incandescence throughout. Having previously led with their outspoken politics, this time the lyrics are refracted through a more personal - but no less fervoured - lens. With members of the band taking a path of sobriety in recent years, the knot of rage that was previously doused with alcohol has been channeled into the lyrics on Roman Candle instead. Ten tales of sweat and pungent aggression dripping into a powder keg of a global identity crisis weave throughout the album’s length. Recorded at Legit Biz, in Greensboro, NC with engineer, Kris Hilbert, FUNERAL CHIC guitarist, Robert Stroud, oversaw production, before the album was mixed by Matt Russell and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. Throughout the process of creating Roman Candle, FUNERAL CHIC has - without ceremony - sloughed away old skin to reveal something new beneath. The volatile and unpredictable experience of living in modern day America is distilled via the mercurial sound of aggressive punk, sleazy Americana, and raw heavy metal. Roman Candle marks the beginning of the next blistering chapter for FUNERAL CHIC.

Following the incredible reception to Deb Never’s most recent releases ‘Someone Else’ and ‘Sorry’ being championed by Radio 1s Annie Mac and Jack Saunders as ‘Tune Of The Week’ ‘First play’ & ‘First Wave’ stating that “Deb Never is a really special artist, someone with limitless sonic horizons and the most brilliant lyrical finesse! Deb Never has all the makings of stardom and her journey is truly under-way!”, along with continuous support from Matt Wilkinson and Zane Lowe Apple Music 1 shows, New York Times, Billboard, The Fader, Variety and Spotify’s continued love in both Pollen and LOREM adding to the playlist description ‘how are we supposed to focus when this Deb Never track exists’. In the lead up to her highly anticipated second EP, Deb Never teases us with another single ‘Disassociate’. The EP is due to drop this July, yet this is only an introduction to what is to come and to be an extremely exciting year ahead for Deb Never.

Very few copies in on this. Limited to 350 2LP’s pressed at 45RPM Black vinyl, pressed at Kindercore in Athens, GA, housed in “bootleg-style” hand-stamped and numbered LP jacket. Lacquers cut by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service. Mixed by John Congleton w/ Jeremy Lemos and Steve Shelley." In the summer of 2009, Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley and the band’s long time sound engineer, Jeremy Lemos, invited Lemos’ White/Light bandmate Matt Clark and Chicago spacepunx Disappears to come over to Lemos’ Semaphore Recording studio and jam. Their one-afternoon, two-drummers, three-guitarists, no-rules jam evolved into a productive and glorious multi-day freakout, which resulted in the recording of these eight songs. Producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Angel Olsen) later mixed the marathon session with Steve and Jeremy at Echo Canyon West in Hoboken, NJ.

Radio Slave & Dustin Zahn team up as Radio Zahn for ‘Berlin Sessions Vol. 1’.

Joining forces for the first time, Radio Slave and Dustin Zahn launch their collaborative works as Radio Zahn with a set of colourful, groove-laden techno tracks inspired by the sound of mid-90s New York on Rekids this May. Across all three mixes of ‘Twilo’ and ‘Power Muzik’, the duo deploys chunky, hard-hitting drums alongside building arrangements and masterful use of synths and dubbed-out FX, with the former featuring vocals by Toy Tonics member Kosmo Klint. A dream for fans of intricate, dancefloor-friendly techno, the release showcases why Radio Slave and Dustin Zahn are two of the most consistently exciting artist in dance music.

Responsible for some of the most recognisable tracks in the genre, including ‘Grindhouse’, ‘Don’t Stop No Sleep’, ‘Another Club’, and other timeless cuts, Radio Slave aka Matt Edwards’ work with Joel Martin as Quiet Village and solo work as Rekid has received critical acclaim, and he remains one of the most in-demand and consistent remixers around.

Since the late ’90s, Zahn’s hypnotic and driving techno has consistently caught the ears of top DJs and labels worldwide, best exemplified at his legendary marathon sets at Berghain. His vital work with Intellephunk includes the nearly two decades long running Communion after-hours events, cementing his invaluable contributions to the Minneapolis techno scene and beyond.

Available on color vinyl for the first time on limited edition opaque blue packaged with download code. Isotope 217 is made up of Dan Bitney, John Herndon, and Jeff Parker from Tortoise along with Rob Mazurek (Chicago Underground, Exploding Star Orchestra), and Matt Lux (Iron & Wine). The music of Isotope 217 is as complex and varied as the influences of it's members. Isotope 217 on Isotope 217: "It is hard to state exactly what this band is because of the diverse influences of the participants. One might say an eclectic avant funk ensemble dedicated to the Phonometric * system of universal thought. One might also say a freewheeling trans-moleculer unit dedicated to the betterment of all worlds." *Note phonometrics are, as described by Satie, the Science of measuring sound.

Now a two-times Number 1 UK Albums artist, Jack Savoretti’s 2015 album ‘Written In Scars’, a UK Top Ten, is now regarded as his breakthrough. A stunningly confident, almost effortless collection of songs, it contains co-writing and production from the likes of Adele / Sia musical collaborator Samuel Dixon and, on one highlight ‘Tie Me Down’, Matty Benbrook (aka Jake Bugg). Released in very limited quantities on vinyl at the time, and unavailable on the format for some years to the chagrin of Jack’s dedicated fanbase, this new repress of ‘Written In Scars’ comes on limited edition Aztec Gold vinyl, this new repress of ‘Written In Scars’ is looking and sounding better than ever on the format.

The new vinyl repress of Written In Scars represents another step in the celebration of Jack’s phenomenally successful years with BMG. After a successful mini digital campaign around ‘Christmas Morning’ in December 2021, this long-overdue vinyl repress of Jack’s first album with the label, comes courtesy of demand from diehard fans and all the new fans he has won over since its original release in 2015. Both Sleep No More and Singing To Strangers will follow with their own special vinyl editions in time.

A Ride is the new dark alt-country concept album on the road by Phill Reynolds, to be released on June 17th, 2022 by Bronson Recordings; Like all the best concept albums, A Ride takes you on a journey. This one concerns the last three days of an American runaway’s life. Part road-trip, part engrossing mystery, part search for redemption, it’s the fictional tale of a troubled man whose past comes back to haunt him. Via eleven intimate, chronologically-sequenced songs, we travel with him. There are epiphanies and dream sequences, drunken dive-bar nights and chats with Jesus and Lucifer. As the narrator battles with his dark side, it is ultimately we, the listeners, who must weigh-up and flesh-out his story. According to its creator Phill Reynolds, AKA Italian alt-country singer-songwriter Silva Martino Cantele, the key to The Ride’s mystery might lie within its fifth song, A Clockwork Dream. “That’s where we discover that, because of some kind of courtroom trial, the narrator has lost someone who was very important to him”, Reynolds explains. “But we never find out her name or her relationship to the main character. Is she a blood relative? Is she his wife or someone else?”. The origins of A Ride go back to 2015. On tour in the US, Reynolds took in the shifting landscapes, the people he met and their stories. All of this fed into the album he recorded at the all-analogue TUP Studio in Brescia, near Milan. Reynolds played almost all of the instruments himself and co-produced A Ride with long-term collaborator Bruno Barcella. If A Clockwork Dream features a full band arrangement – “I think of it as the kind of thing Neil Young & Crazy Horse might do on a Sunday morning”, says Reynolds – other songs are sparer, more intimate. Banjo, Fender Rhodes, harmonica and glistening slide guitar all feature as Reynolds delivers haunting confessionals such as Run, Run Away and The Fault Is Mine, songs likely to appeal to fans of artists such as Damien Jurado, Strand Of Oaks or For Emma, Forever Ago-era Bon Iver. Intricate, rapid-fire fingerpicking on the first single This Isn’t Me and The Call of The Dark demonstrates Reynolds’ dexterity, while his voice is a rich, fully-lived in instrument seasoned with the salt of experience,and strengthened by the 120 or so gigs a year he used to do before COVID took his one-man show off the road. Long an inhabitant of picturesque Italian towns in the Vicenza province, Phill Reynolds was born in Marostica and currently lives in Zugliano. He was only five when The Beach Boys’ Barbara Ann worked its magic upon him via the radio. Later a fan of ‘90s Californian punk bands, Reynolds was writing and performing in his own post-hardcore bands by 13, but didn’t make it to the nearest big city, Milan, until he was 19. Bands still matter deeply to him. But his love for folk music has deepened over the last decade or so, hence his solo act alter-ego. Where did the name Phill Reynolds come from? “Everybody asks me this,” he smiles. “Especially in the UK. The truth is I needed an alternative name for a gig I was doing, and at the time I was in love with the music of Phil Ochs and Malvina Reynolds. Malvina Ochs didn’t sound too good to me, so I became Phill Reynolds, and I like that, because it sounds like a normal person”. The esteemed Italian label Bronson Recordings will release his fourth solo album A Ride on June 17th, 2022, on CD, vinyl and digital. A Ride is the most ambitious and fully-realised Phill Reynolds album to date. He was assisted by Stefano Pilia (lead guitar on Dive Bar Oblivion), IOSONOUNCANE (backing vocals, synth, bass and field recordings on World On Fire), and C+C=Maxigross (bass, drums and backing vocals on In The Dark). The record’s story is a dark one, but not one without hope. “Every end is a new beginning”, says Reynolds. “One of the main themes here is that life can be a sort of trap unless you recognise your own demons and try to deal with him. So we must be prepared and try to live well”.

'The Best Of The MPS Years' presents you all the classics and highlights
of Oscar Peterson's time at the Black Forest label on one album
It was 1961 when Oscar Peterson came to Villingen, Germany the first time.
Hans-Georg Brunner-Schwer, former owner of the hifi dynasty SABA, had just set
up the first version of his studio, equipped with the most advanced recording
technology of the time. This was the bait used by the piano enthusiast to attract
the famous pianist to the Black Forest. After a performance in Zurich, Peterson
climbed into a limousine and embarked on a journey across the mountains. As
soon as he arrived, along with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, the
international star was led to the Steinway grand in the living- room where a
number of excited guests were eagerly waiting. "I listened to him play 'til four
o'clock in the morning and lost the desire to ever hear the Beatles again!", says
Matthias Brunner- Schwer, HGBS' son, still starry- eyed half a century later. The
legendary pianist himself was equally delighted when he listened to the recording
of the nocturnal living-room performance, never before having heard such a direct
and pristine piano sound on tape. Peterson's enthusiastic response marked the
beginning of a long-term friendship and spiritual kinship with Brunner-Schwer.
In the following years, the Canadian pianist returned again and again with various
line-ups to capture his musical vision on tape. The legendary "Exclusively For My
Friends" live series was the very first release for Brunner- Schwer's newlyestablished MPS label with many studio albums to follow.

Auf 'Third' hebt Jitwam seine Fähigkeiten als Beatmaker und Produzent auf ein neues Niveau, verschmilzt Live-Musik mit Samples und Edits, garniert sie mit Features von Melanie Charles und Akhtari und weckt Erinnerungen an die Suche nach Frieden im Chaos des täglichen Lebens. Inspiriert von seiner Zeit in NYC kombiniert Jitwam mit trunkener Unbekümmertheit Einflüsse aus Latin, Soul, Punk und einer Menge Disco zu einem einzigartigen, reichhaltigen Sound. Die 10 ansteckenden Songs aus moduliertem Gesang und traditioneller Instrumentierung vermengen sich mit dem Schwung von Soul-House und Jazz. Entsprechend erhält Jitwam Support von Gilles Peterson, Moodymann und Matthewdavid.

"This album is about influence, inspiration, perception & reality. Every song was written in an outside environment, so that I could observe the subjects that would become my subject matter. All too often in Hip Hop, reality is limited to that of the artists own, actual experiences. People Hear What They See is my attempt to liberate the MC from those constraints & allow reality to be penned other than my own. Listening to congressmen & lawyers converse on the steps of the supreme court inspired 'American Greed', Watching a couple argue over the phone in a bar inspired 'Maybes'. By having a visual representation of my subject matter, my hopes are that the listener will see them through the worlds & melodies of my songs."

Smilax Records presents "Dance Classics Vol.1", a vinyl full of great music and above all great classics of Dance Music; Robert Miles, Moony, 2 Black and many other wonderful artists who have made the history of this genre

Bristol-based singer, songwriter and bandleader, who has powered her
way to the-forefront of the British blues and roots scene in recent years,
unveils her eagerly-awaited third album 'Shining in the Half Light'
Crammed with vibrant originals brought to life with her A-list touring band, it's yet
another significant step forward in a career already feted with awards and
acclaim.'Shining in the Half Light' is Bailey's first full length album recorded in the
UK & feature's Joe Wilkins on Guitar, Jonny Henderson on Ivories, Matthew Waer
on Bass duties and Matthew Jones on drums. It was recorded in deepest Devon
in December 2020 at Middle Farm Studios and produced by Dan Weller, best
known for his long working relationship with Enter Shikari. Elles wanted this
record to feature 'gospel style vocals' so in steps Izo Fitzroy, an incredible artist in
her own right, who arranged the stunning background vocals on 'Shining In The
Half Light', and performed them alongside Jade Elliot and Andrusilla Mosley.
An exciting team of co-writers feature with three credits for Ashton Tucker & Will
Edmunds, who both wrote with Elles for 'Road I Call Home', plus she teamed up
with longtime guitarist Joe Wilkins to write the slow-flowing, philosophical 'Riding
Out The Storm'. Other kindred spirits include guitar maestro Martin Harley, for the
gentle and romantic 'Different Kind Of Love' and Matt Owens, co-founder of the
hugely successful indie- folk outfit Noah and the Whale, on the aforementioned
'Sunshine City'. The album comes to a striking conclusion with its title track, cowritten with Nashville's Craig Lackey, written over Zoom in May 2020.
Front cover features in Blues in Britain (Jan) and MNPR (May) Features in Record
Collector, Rock and Reel, Blues Matters, HRH Magazine, Fireworks Mag,
Powerplay, and Maverick
Reviews in Record Collector, Maverick, Powerplay,Fireworks,Blues Matters,HRH
Mag
Online press in Music News, Maximum Volume, Rush On Rock, All About The
Rock, Vents, Bluesdoodles, Rock and Blues Muse,Blues Rock Review, Blazing
Minds, Decibal Report, Maverick Country
Radio- BBC Radio 2 Cerys Matthews and Johnnie Walker, Planet Rock A playlist.

Bristol-based singer, songwriter and bandleader, who has powered her
way to the-forefront of the British blues and roots scene in recent years,
unveils her eagerly-awaited third album 'Shining in the Half Light'
Crammed with vibrant originals brought to life with her A-list touring band, it's yet
another significant step forward in a career already feted with awards and
acclaim.'Shining in the Half Light' is Bailey's first full length album recorded in the
UK & feature's Joe Wilkins on Guitar, Jonny Henderson on Ivories, Matthew Waer
on Bass duties and Matthew Jones on drums. It was recorded in deepest Devon
in December 2020 at Middle Farm Studios and produced by Dan Weller, best
known for his long working relationship with Enter Shikari. Elles wanted this
record to feature 'gospel style vocals' so in steps Izo Fitzroy, an incredible artist in
her own right, who arranged the stunning background vocals on 'Shining In The
Half Light', and performed them alongside Jade Elliot and Andrusilla Mosley.
An exciting team of co-writers feature with three credits for Ashton Tucker & Will
Edmunds, who both wrote with Elles for 'Road I Call Home', plus she teamed up
with longtime guitarist Joe Wilkins to write the slow-flowing, philosophical 'Riding
Out The Storm'. Other kindred spirits include guitar maestro Martin Harley, for the
gentle and romantic 'Different Kind Of Love' and Matt Owens, co-founder of the
hugely successful indie- folk outfit Noah and the Whale, on the aforementioned
'Sunshine City'. The album comes to a striking conclusion with its title track, cowritten with Nashville's Craig Lackey, written over Zoom in May 2020.
Front cover features in Blues in Britain (Jan) and MNPR (May) Features in Record
Collector, Rock and Reel, Blues Matters, HRH Magazine, Fireworks Mag,
Powerplay, and Maverick
Reviews in Record Collector, Maverick, Powerplay,Fireworks,Blues Matters,HRH
Mag
Online press in Music News, Maximum Volume, Rush On Rock, All About The
Rock, Vents, Bluesdoodles, Rock and Blues Muse,Blues Rock Review, Blazing
Minds, Decibal Report, Maverick Country
Radio- BBC Radio 2 Cerys Matthews and Johnnie Walker, Planet Rock A playlist.

Don't You Turn On Me ist das zweite Album der Poison Boys. Gestarted mit "Out Of My Head" in 2019, ist das 2. Ablbum ein großer Schritt in Richtung Punk und der Fähigkeit, knallharten Punk der späten 1970er Jahre zu schreiben mit einer großen Portion Rock 'n' Roll. Es reicht von sleazy Hits der frühen bis Mitte der 70er Jahre bis hin zu glühenden Punk-Tracks, von Instant-Punk-Klassikern bis hin zu Johnny Thunders Garage Rock. Ganz anders als viele andere Bands, die zu viele moderne Einflüsse in ihrem Streben nach Punk hinzufügen, bringen dich die Poison Boys mit diesem neuen Album zurück ins Jahr 1977 und versetzen dich in eine Zeit und an einen Ort, an dem du vielleicht noch nicht einmal existiert hast, aber auf jeden Fall wünschtest, du wärst da gewesen. Gegründet im Jahr 2014 von Matt Dudzik und Mike Lippmann, der tragischerweise an einer Überdosis verstarb, bleibt die Band den Klängen der späten 1960er / frühen 1970er Jahre Protopunk-Bands wie den Stooges, den New York Dolls und den Flamin 'Groovies treu und mischt sie mit New Yorker und britischen Punkbands der späten 1970er Jahre wie The Heartbreakers, Dead Boys, Vibrators und Slaughter and The Dogs, hinzu kommt noch ein Dosis Hanoi Rocks Glam. In der aktuellen Besetzung der Poison Boys spielen Sänger und Gitarrist Matt Dudzik, Gitarrist Steve Elfinger, Bassist Nico Bones und Schlagzeuger Matt Chaney. Poison Boys tragen die Rock'n'Roll Fackel glorreich weiter.

14 track vinyl version of the 2012 CD compilation. Pressed on pale blue vinyl, with printed lyric inner sleeve. First time on vinyl. Includes poster and postcard.
A swish compilation LP featuring fourteen of the most memorable songs in the career of the top notch indie band THE HIT PARADE.
Entitled ‘PICK OF THE POPS (VOL1)’ the LP collects together the most poignant moments in the career of THE HIT PARADE, and includes their thoughtful recording for Sarah Records “In Gunnersbury Park”, their tubthumping single for Minty Fresh USA “Hitomi” as well as other cuts, both cheerful and desolate in style, that feature CATH CARROLL (Factory Records), AMELIA FLETCHER (Heavenly and Talulah Gosh) and HARVEY WILLIAMS (Another Sunny Day and The Field Mice).
THE HIT PARADE was formed by JULIAN HENRY with his school friends MATT MOFFATT and RAYMOND WATTS in 1984 when they released their first single ‘Forever’ on JSH RECORDS. Since then they’ve clung to the sensibilities of pure pop and have become a curiosity item with their retro attitudes and songs about dead writers, disused swimming pools and failed love affairs.
Their early vinyl singles were lauded by John Peel, the NME and Melody Maker, the now defunct weekly paper that published JULIAN HENRY’S writing. In the 1990s the band toured alongside Edwyn Collins, The Milkshakes and Sarah Records notables, and signed to Japanese and US labels, releasing a sequence of albums that have since become collectible.

'The Present Is A Foreign Land' ist ein ausgereiftes und vollendetes Werk mit 12 Tracks, die komplett von den Brüdern James und Matty Veck-Gilodi in Eigenregie geschrieben und eingespielt wurden. Inhaltlich drehen sich die emotionalen Songs um Themen wie das Impostor-Syndrom, dem Überwinden schwieriger Lebenshindernisse und der Selbstfindung. Für die Produktion zeichnet Mike Horner (Hot Chip, Jess Glynne, YONAKA, u.a.) verantworlich. Die erste Singleauskopplung heisst 'Going Clear', ein ehrlicher und verletzlicher Song, der einmal mehr James' unverwechselbare Stimme mit emotionalem Text vereint, der direkt aus dem Herzen zu Herzen geht. Neben dem neuen Album kann man sich auch auf Liveshows der Jungs in diesem Jahr freuen, u.a. beim Slam Dunk Festival im Sommer neben Alexisonfire, The Wonder Years und Meet Me At The Altar.

'The Present Is A Foreign Land' ist ein ausgereiftes und vollendetes Werk mit 12 Tracks, die komplett von den Brüdern James und Matty Veck-Gilodi in Eigenregie geschrieben und eingespielt wurden. Inhaltlich drehen sich die emotionalen Songs um Themen wie das Impostor-Syndrom, dem Überwinden schwieriger Lebenshindernisse und der Selbstfindung. Für die Produktion zeichnet Mike Horner (Hot Chip, Jess Glynne, YONAKA, u.a.) verantworlich. Die erste Singleauskopplung heisst 'Going Clear', ein ehrlicher und verletzlicher Song, der einmal mehr James' unverwechselbare Stimme mit emotionalem Text vereint, der direkt aus dem Herzen zu Herzen geht. Neben dem neuen Album kann man sich auch auf Liveshows der Jungs in diesem Jahr freuen, u.a. beim Slam Dunk Festival im Sommer neben Alexisonfire, The Wonder Years und Meet Me At The Altar.

Singer, songwriter, novelist, and painter Kathryn Williams is proud to announce her new album 'Night Drives'. The collectionexploresa more filmic sound, with a larger ensemble of instrumentation, particular emphasis on the strings and production from Ed Harcourt. Journeying from leftfield contemporary pop to soft acoustics, Kathryn Williams uses her latest LP to explore a variety of fresh ideasdriven, in part, by a host of collaborators. Kirsty Logan, Oystein Greni, Romeo Stodart, Matt Deighton, Simon Edwards, YvetteWilliams, Neill Maccoll, Andy Bruce, Ida Wenoe, Joel Sarakula, Emily Barker and John Alder all have credits on various tracks across 'Night Drives'. Kathryn explains "I've been releasing music for 24 years now. That fact blows me away, and things have changed so much over those years. The biggest change has been my love of co-writing and writing for other artists. This began when I first went on a writing retreat with Chris Difford forming close friendships and working relationships that are represented here".

Repressed

It's been four-years since La Coka Nostra released their sophomore album, Masters Of The Dark Arts, (the groups first project without Everlast was also their most critically acclaimed project - featured collaborations with Vinnie Paz, Sean Price & production from DJ Premier and Statik Selektah) and the music industry has changed considerably in that time. However, a few things still remain constant; La Coka Nostra will always be as their aptly-titled 2009 debut verified, A Brand You Can Trust, and the group will continue to dazzle their rapid fan-base with sold out shows around the globe with their rau-cous live performances. Always known for tackling controversial topic matter, the group’s new album, To Thine Own Self Be True, finds them once again in torchbearing mode, addressing subjects that most artists shy away from.“This album was created during a time of unique and individual transformation for each member of the group” ILL Bill stated. “Speaking for myself, it’s been a heavy last couple of years.It’s definitely the most personal record we’ve made under the La Coka banner and while we’re still making music that’s hard as fuck, there’s a maturity to this latest batch of songs that makes it different from a lot of the older stuff. I notice the biggest reactions come from the songs our listeners can personally relate to and we needed to make a record like this right now, not only for the fans, but for ourselves. I got alot off my chest on this one. Making music can be extremely therapeutic and making To Thine Own Self Be True was a rebirth and a re-ignition for me.” Slaine had a similar take on the projects thera-peutic manifestation “You don’t put as many years in the game as we have without having ups and downs. We all have gone through struggle and adversity—personally and professionally”Slaine la-mented. “This album was recorded as I walked out of a very dark time toward a place of truth and understanding. Music has been how I feed my family, my plane ticket around the world and a place I’ve built real friendships; but at the very core it’s a tool I use to get through life.This album is a moment in time. It is visceral and real.” While DJ Lethal continues to oversee the production end ofToThine Own Self Be True, the group also enlisted Statik Selektah, Marco Polo, Salam Wreck (D-12, Obie Trice, Proof, B-Real, Tha Dogg Pound) & ChumZilla (from the Demigodz) and get vocal contributions from extended family members such as Vinnie Paz, Apathy, Q-Unique, Sick Jacken, SKAM2? & Rite Hook.

Mudlow have been making trouble and music for over twenty years,
playing stages as far-flung as Minnesota's Deep Blues festival, Belgium's
Muddy Roots festival and Dorset's Dark Holler festival, to name a few -
Their good fortune has led them to play alongside household names such
as Model T Ford, Cedric Burnside, Seasick Steve, Scott H Biram, The
Detroit Cobras, The Jim Jones Review, Daddy Longlegs, The Bonnevilles
and Alabama 3 - Now it is time for Mudlow to become a household name
themselves
.Dangerous and unashamedly funky, Mudlow's world is populated with characters
full of lament and thoroughly committed to their mistakes. Tobias Tester (Guitar/
Vocals), Matt Latcham (Drums, Percussion) and Paul Pascoe (Bass/ Producer)
soundtrack these fables of misfortune with their distinctly scuzzy take on the
blues. Prepare to enter their world as Mudlow take you Lower Than Mud...
· "Wild bluesy rock from Mudlow, who have been going a good twenty years but
never quite got their due. I hope their new album "Bad Turn" will change that" –
Huey Morgan, The Blues Show, BBC Radio 2 · "This is really good" – DJ Andy
Smith · If you have soul, you need this new Mudlow record. If you don't have soul
you need this Mudlow record to help you get some." - Andy McGibbon Jr, The
Bonnevilles · "Mudlow are a swamp dream of a band... You have to hear this
beast" – Folk and Honey

The exemplary and well-travelled cornetist Kirk Knuffke presents a bold
new trio, with bassist Michael Bisio and pianist Matthew Shipp, on an
intimate and expansive double album
'Gravity Without Airs features' the three world- class musicians on Knuffke
compositions and in open form, creating a tour-de-force of poetry and verve. It's
available as a 2CD in deluxe 8-panel digipak and a 2LP in deluxe gatefold sleeve
with download card, the liner notes are by Francis Davis.
This is Knuffke's debut as a leader for TAO Forms. Accolades for the cornetist's
recent work as leader include NPR's Jazz Album of the Year laurel for 2017's
Cherryco, his homage to Don Cherry, a prime influence. DownBeat praised the
way that album showcased Knuffke's "nonchalant versatility and ebullient
melodic gifts," while esteemed critic Francis Davis called it "nothing short of
spectacular." Davis also wrote the liner notes for Gravity...noting the allure of
Knuffke's instrumental aplomb: "Kirk plays as if his cornet is a part of him - he
plays with it, not just on it."
On his guiding artistic impulse, Kirk Knuffke says: "I'm concerned with making
beautiful music. Beauty is always first, though not in a precious way. It can be in a
rough way, too." A prolific, lauded record- maker, 'Gravity Without Airs' fulfils his
poetic aims as well as any recording he has made. This work finds Knuffke in the
rare, even unique, trio format of cornet, piano and double-bass. His partners are
two ever- estimable pillars of creative music, and the work they've created
together here brims with melody and mystery, intimacy and dynamism.
"Rhythmically precise, New Orleans funky and full of grace, Kirk Knuffke's music is
a reflection of his multifaceted personality: part musical sage, part jazz
philosopher, a self-taught musician with wide interests, endless curiosity and an
abundance of good humour." - DownBeat

Decomposed recalls classic American hardcore like Bad Brains, Poison Idea and Jerry’s Kids or Japanese ragers like Paintbox, The Comes, Eiefits and Skizophrenia. But there’s also a healthy slug of classic UK and US punk and even a bit of Krautrock, psychedelia and Black Sabbath in there too. Nottingham has always been a melting pot for heavy music. For a small city, it has boasted more than its fair share of genre defining bands and artists, not to mention record labels. Bands cross-pollinate, form projects and offshoots and play one-off gigs that would result in lengthy careers and world tours if they had happened across the Atlantic. It has always been like that there. No big deal (but yet, a really big deal if you know). One such band/project/offshoot were Endless Grinning Skulls. Formed by guitarist Andy Morgan (also from Bloody Head, Army Of Flying Robots, Nadir and countless more), drummer Steve Charlesworth (Heresy, Wolves Of Greece, Meatfly, Geriatric Unit) and bassist Gords (Hard To Swallow, John Holmes, Geriatric Unit) in the early twenty-teens, they re-set the bar for the 3-piece hardcore band before (perhaps inevitably) burning out in 2018. Morgan and Charlesworth weren’t done though. They’d forged a bond in EGS and wanted to carry on playing together so - in a familiar Nottingham storyline - they recruited former Pitchshifter guitarist Stu Toolin on bass and Anmarie Spaziano (who you might know from running a famous burger joint) on vocals and formed Blind Eye. They knew Toolin was about to relocate to Portland, Oregon so they wrote and recorded an EP (released on Morgan’s own Viral Age Records). Quick-sharp. No messing about. And that – by rights – should have been that: over and out. New band please. However, the demo captured a rare intensity and vitality that more considered projects often fail to achieve. This was a band let loose, free from previous shackles and loving the noise they made. It seemed a shame to stop there. Recruiting Matt Grundy (a former bandmate of Morgan’s in both Nadir and Dead In The Woods) to the bass vacancy they went back to Stuck On A Name Studios in 2021 with Ian “Boulty” Boult at the helm again and delivered the album Decomposed.
Decomposed genuinely rocks out without losing one iota of the effervescent anger that made the demo such an essential listen. From the insistent, minimal opener Ready To Go Now via the unhinged thrash of Straw Man and the menace of the stomping Pero No Quieres, to the measured chugging and epic crescendo of closer Broken Star, this record is a fucking blast. Needle off, flip it back over, play it again. Your neighbours are loving it so much they’re banging on the walls to tell you. “I suppose the intention was to write high energy, catchy hardcore, with a nod to what has come before, but also to do our own thing,” explains Andy. “Lyrically, the album was written during the pandemic, and although it’s not ‘a pandemic album’, I think it deals with a lot of the feelings of loss, separation and isolation

Embodying the mutant nature of club music in the modern age, Cocktail Party Effect comes bowling into Sneaker Social Club with a taut, wiry sound which joins dots and melts barriers at will.

The brainchild of Charlie Baldwin, who previously recorded as Kasket, Cocktail Party Effect has been forged over the past six years through heavy bursts of sound design anchored by soundsystem dynamics veering between 140 and 160 tempo zones. From 2020’s self-titled LP on Tectonic to drops on Osiris, Cold, Transfigured Time and more, Baldwin’s deftly avoided allegiance to any specific scene and instead deployed shock-inducing gear for DJs with fortitude to test on their crowds.

On SNKRX010 the commitment to physicality is prevalent across all four tracks, veering from the deadly broken beat barbs and artful fills of ‘Racka’ to the splintered breakbeat rushes and stop-start aggravation of ‘C.A.T.C.R’. ‘Grims8’ is perhaps the purest manifestation of the Cocktail Party sound though, all monochrome rigour with the contrast turned way up, powered by steely, gleaming rhythmic impulses and writhing with dense layers of sonic matter. Watch out for the glutinous bass snarl of ‘58bethe7’ though, which slams in sideways with an unabashed rave instinct crushed through a post-modern production lens.

Baldwin may be operating on his own terms, but on this 12” he demonstrates versatility to match his originality, resulting in four inventive dance destroyers tooled to bridge between styles, sets and scenes.

Gondwana Records announces Horizons the debut album from Jasmine Myra, produced by Matthew Halsall, it's an elevating debut record of understated beauty.
Jasmine Myra is a Leeds-based saxophonist, composer and band leader Her original instrumental music has a euphoric and uplifting sound, influenced by artists as diverse as Kenny Wheeler, Bonobo and Olafur Arnalds and like Mammal Hands and Hania Rani her music has a special, emotive quality that draws the listener into her world.

GONDLP052 - Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2 "...That's Jasmine Myra and 'New Beginnings', wonderful to hear new music from a new artists I’ve not heard before, a great new artist!"

Tom Ravenscroft on BBC 6 Music "Leeds-based saxophonist, composer and band leader Jasmine Myra. 'New Beginnings' on Gondwana Records. Compositions drawing influence by Kenny Wheeler, Bonobo, Ólafur Arnalds. Produced by Matthew Halsall"

Rudolf Abramov is taking a step in a different direction from his last release on Höga Nord Rekords. This 7” contains the works of deep mining in an old hard drive during the introversion of the pandemic quarantine. These two gems have been going under a bit of tasteful polishing before reaching the point of release and the result is a punk meets Stoner rock experience propelled by hard sequencers and drum machines.

This record is as English/Irish as you find em: straight forward instrumentation and lyrical performance presented with a dirty and rough production. The beats are stripped with an edgy punch and the synthesisers are overdriven, giving them guitar like qualities.

The Paracetamol/Clonex 7” is a release of covid demons, and the sound of spitting out the bitter taste of isolation, or to use his own words: “On this 7" you will find absurd and desperate lyrics accompanied by heavy English and Irish accents, driven robotic drum machines, dirty synths, crunching bass, and as unpolished as your dad's old Angle grinder. All that served alongside your favourite cheese and onion crisps”

Hailing from Adelaide, Australia's CHARNEL ALTAR formed in late 2018. Not long after, the band's self-titled debut demo followed in January 2019. Originally self-released digitally, a cassette version was soon released by Desert Wastelands Productions and a 12" vinyl version by Seed of Doom Records and Impure Sounds; a tape re-release then came in mid-2020 via Blood Moon Productions. With this underground momentum building, CHARNEL ALTAR released a split EP with fellow Aussies CARCINOID, which was released on tape by Headsplit Records and on 10" vinyl once again by Seed of Doom. During all this, CHARNEL ALTAR became a prolific force on the live front. Their first show was supporting Uada, and they went on to play with the likes of Incantation, Krisiun, Integrity, Primitive Man, Faceless Burial, Gutless, Ignivomous, and Vile Apparition. A tour with CARCINOID was planned for 2020, but was unfortunately cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, CHARNEL ALTAR make their full-length debut with the slimy 'n' stultifying Abatement of the Sun. Horrific and harrowing, churning and gestating with utter dread and doom, CHARNEL ALTAR's death metal is like a slo-mo melting of mind and matter. One could arguably qualify it as death-doom, but the band's version of such evades easy categorization and aims more for hovering tension and paradoxically spacious density - indeed, like old(er)-school death metal dragged through tar but trudging forward like a tank. That all three members previously played together in the cult Tombsealer - who toured nationally in support of Mournful Congregation and played with such acts as Dead Congregation, Portal, Fetid, Windhand, Cough, Inverloch, and Nocturnal Graves to name a few - shows in their seemingly effortless execution, that these dreadful 'n' doomed-out ruminations have been simmering in their hearts for time eternal. Or, put another way, Abatement of the Sun is all-too-perfectly titled: the end is not just nigh; it's NULL.

Quarto Valley Records proudly announces the release of 'Brother Johnny', a
tribute to the legendary blues guitarist created by his brother Edgar Winter.
The album is a powerful sonic journey, traveling the course of Johnny's musical
life, impeccably directed, as only his brother Edgar could. Joining Edgar on the
inclusive project is an impressive array of renowned musicians who knew, or were
inspired by Johnny, including: Joe Bonamassa, Doyle Bramhall II, John McFee,
Robben Ford, Billy Gibbons, David Grissom, Taylor Hawkins, Warren Haynes, Steve
Lukather, Michael McDonald, Keb Mo, Doug Rappoport, Bobby Rush, Kenny
Wayne Shepherd, Ringo Starr, Derek Trucks, Waddy Wachtel, Joe Walsh, Phil X
and Gregg Bissonette. The guitar- driven album celebrates the expansive styles
Johnny was known for. The 17 tracks were carefully curated by Edgar and
producer Ross Hogarth to represent Johnny's evolution as an artist, honoring his
great legacy while also incorporating a personal tribute from brother to brother,
and for which Edgar penned two new songs.
Print coverage:
the Telegraph, The Daily Mirror and The Scottish Daily Express
Mojo feature and Review, Classic Rock Magazine, Record Collector, Blues In
Britian, HRH Magazine, RNR, Vintage Guitar, Rock Candy, Fireworks
Review in Blues Matters confirmed, Guitar Techniques
Online coverage: Velvet Thunder, Pennyblack Music, Spiral Earth
Radio:BBC Radio Solent, BBC West Midlands, Total Rock Radio, Forest FM, Castle
Sound Radio, 242 Radio, Brooklands Radio, Hard Rock Hell, Mystery Train,
Graham Lavendar Blues Show
Podcasts: Blues In The Night, The Blues Podcast

Debut solo album from the former frontwoman of The Total Bettys. Olive Green colored vinyl, comes with Download Card. Recommend If You Like: Tancred, Adult Mom, Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy Maggie Gently is a San Francisco-based indie songwriter with a fondness for wild schemes and intimate gestures. Her identity as a queer woman is important to her and the community she creates and participates in. Maggie Gently’s music is melody-driven and heartfelt — a big-city indie rock fascination with an unmistakable emo accent. Her songs are about how making decisions for your own mental health can feel like a matter of survival. Peppermint peers around the edges of trauma for a new glimpse at what growth could look like. With songs about eternal questions of commitment and love and the terrifying possibility of being vulnerable and known, this album is about trusting something enough to let yourself get swept away. The nine songs that make up Peppermint reinforce empowering truths that can be hard to internalize or say out loud. As an artist, Maggie finds inspiration in Meg Hayertz’ “Make It, Mean It” tarot-focused guided meditations, lesbian romance novels, and the Enneagram, almost as much as fellow bands like Snail Mail, Lala Lala, and Clairo. “’Steady’ is a sun-kissed ode to rebirth, driven by sweet acoustic melodies and Maggie’s soaring serene harmonies. As steady drums and shimmering synths join the mix for the chorus, the track gains a sense of resolute hope, as if emerging from the dark of winter into the light of spring.”

Joe Rainey is a Pow Wow singer. On his debut album Niineta he demonstrates his command of the Pow Wow style, descending from Indigenous singing that's been heard across the waters of what is now called Minnesota for centuries. Depending on the song, his voice can celebrate or console, welcome or intimidate, wake you up or lull your babies to sleep. Each note conveys a clear message, no matter the inflection: We're still here. We were here before you were, and we never left. On Niineta, Rainey finds himself in between cultures, collaborating with producer Andrew Broder, who brought his turntablist sensibility to the project. The two of them met backstage at Justin Vernon's hometown Eaux Claires music festival before crossing paths more through the 37d03d collective, and both contributed to the last Bon Iver album before partnering up. "At first I didn't know what I could add," Broder says. "I came to understand everything is rooted in the drum-even the songs on our record that have no drum." Each song started with Broder's beats, the two of them experimenting with various sounds and tempos before orchestrating and recontextualizing the ancient sounds in strange, new in-between places, also pulling from Rainey's vast sample folder of pow wow recordings, layering in slices of his life. Niineta is a short version of the Ojibwe term meaning, "just me," and Rainey is using the term only in the sense that he's taking sole responsibility for the music. He is protective of Pow Wow culture-once outlawed by the US government and maintained in secret-while trying to figure out where he fits and how he can be creative with it. "These are my creations, but they're pow wow songs, and our language is sacred," he says. Rainey suggests conceptualizing the album as him working the door at a Pow Wow after party. "If I'm answering that door, I want to say, hey, yeah, come on in. But there's fucking tons of us in here. It ain't just me."

Hot Creations welcome back Fabio Neural and DJ Fronter who join forces once again for their second release on the label titled Ding Dong. Following on from their success with the first release, the eagerly anticipated second drops in May.

The title track opens proceedings, plunging straight into a heavy 4x4 beat, creating a stripped back, minimalistic base, expertly layered with finely chopped vocals. Foghorn like sounds and sharp percussion bring the piece together, resulting in a raw, industrial experience. Shocked follows, encapsulating the Hot Creations sound in true style, packed full of energy. Riveting bass lines paired with fanfare-esque melodies lay at the forefront of the track, transporting the listener to a bustling, colourful dancefloor.

Fabio Neural threw himself into the music industry at an early age. His productions have seen him release on Steve Lawler's Viva Music and feature in Pete Tong’s 500th Essential Mix. His eclectic DJ sets have enabled him to share the stage with heavyweights such as Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin and Adam Beyer. Colombian native DJ Fronter has become one of the greatest promises to come out of South America with releases being supported the likes of Paco Osuna, DJ Sneak and Matthias Tanzmann.

This EP is Justin Time doing what he does best! Making anthems that are instantly recognisable, uplifting vibes without the cheese. Sweet In Pocket is one of those tracks! No matter were you where in the club or rave, when you heard this coming in, you knew the dance floor was gonna rock. It is a close fought battle between this original and the DJ Force & The Evolution remix as to which is better, and either could win on any given day! Movin’ is another great track from Justin Time and on any other EP it could have been the A side title track but when on the flip to such monster track you are to be overshadowed for sure. Don’t let that distract you from its magnificence!

Club / DJ Support
Jay Cunning, Billy Bunter, the Fat Controller, Liquid, Hyper On Experience, Glowkid, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Paul Bradley, Jimni Cricket, Bustin, Jimmy J, Doughboy, Lowercase, Dave Skywalker, Ponder and many others

Matte Silver 180g. Free MP3 Download. GUM aka Jay Watson is a multi-instrumentalist, founding member of POND and touring member of Tame Impala. Gum’s solo debut album was originally released in 2014 and has now been newly remastered by tour mate Kevin Parker. Delorean Highway is a collection of 10 songs, described as “paranoid pop songs, mostly about falling in love and all of the things that he thinks are going to kill him”. ‘Delorean Highway’ is the first track off the album of the same name, inspired by a dream Gum had of driving through the desert in the silver car from Back to the Future, before taking off into the night. In the real life, Gum can’t drive, but he has seen Back to the Future and it’s fair to say he does look a little bit like Doc. The second single, ‘Growin’ Up’ was unleashed onto willing ears towards the end of 2013 and taps into every emotion that the name would suggest – a sense of paranoia, doubt, fear, honesty and hopefulness.

Matte Gold 180g. Free MP3 Download. GUM aka Jay Watson is a multiinstrumentalist, founding member of POND and touring member of Tame Impala. Gum’s 2015 album Glamorous Damage has been newly remastered by tour mate Kevin Parker. ‘Glamorous Damage,’ is a warped comb running thru the shiny blonde hair of pop and disco. Produced and mixed by GUM and mostly recorded at home, the album is at times reminiscent of the elastic robo-glam of Prince, the sci-fi waves of Chrome, early Eno experimentalism and a love of Beach Boys melody. In 2015 ‘Glamorous Damage’ was critically acclaimed by the likes of Pitchfork, NME and Stereogum and featured on the longlist of the 2015 Australian Music Prize. Glamorous Damage features lead single ‘Anesthetized Lesson.’

Greek genius Christos Chondropoulos’ stunning debut for The Death of Rave finally lands on vinyl - an incredibly imaginative masterwork rich with quartertone melody and meticulously chiselled production, shaped into a future-folk songbook that deeply expands on his wonders for 12th Isle and The Wormhole. Highly recommended if yr into Paul DeMarinis, Rashad Becker, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Kara-Lis Coverdale's 'Aftertouches', Jonathan Bepler’s soundtracks for Matthew Barney, Black Sabbath or Aphex Twin. Floors us every time!

Continuing Christos’ singular fascination with, and reappraisal of, Ancient Greek modes, ’Relics’ further excavates the deeptime topography of Greek music prior to the ban of “oriental” or 1/4 tone microtonal modes nearly 100 years ago.

Clandestine, euphoric, hyperreal and otherworldly; it takes shape as faintly familiar forms of new age folk, avant-techno and metal musicks, but with an alien appeal that treats the past almost like another planet, never mind a foreign land. Christos studiously raids the past for lost treasure, navigating his tuned instincts as an improvising percussionist, and lover of non-Western composition, to create a uniquely absorbing soundworld that resembles an AI’s dreams after ingesting encyclopaedia entries on thousands of years of Greece prior to 1936. In the process, the album acutely questions his and our relationship to the past, and what has become lost in translation with reliance on prelaid templates and the “wisdom” of elders.

Bursting to life with the iridescent arps and new age AI chorale of ‘First Love Fereter’, and concluding with bone-clacking raverie of ‘Jungle X’, the album offers a stunning advance of the themes and aesthetics in Christos' previous records, from the self-released free jazz of ‘Fingerpainting’ (2013) to 2021’s 12th Isle released ‘Athenian Primitivism.’

Thanks to meticulous detailing, ‘Relics’ allows a finer play of textured light and almost tangible - yet entirely generated - voices into his music: most strikingly on the sublime songcraft of ‘Regret’ and ‘I Dream Of You’, while the likes of ‘Asham’ are bathed in deeply uncanny atmosphere, and his percussive proprioceptions are most heightened in the delirious battery of ‘War Horns’ and ‘Sacrifice’, with ‘Cyber Crust’ calling up demonic, cthonic pagan spirits resembling Black Sabbath undergoing regression therapy.