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Auf ihrem selbstbetitelten Debüt machten sich WOMEN über eine gewisse lärmende Rotzigkeit her, die sich bei näherem Hinsehen als getränkt mit listigen Popmelodien entpuppte. Mit "Public Strain" macht sich die Band einen Sound zu Eigen, der diesem halldurchtränkten Noise treu bleibt, es den Popmelodien aber doch erlaubt, sich im Rampenlicht zu sonnen. Im Herbst 2009 begaben sich Patrick Flegel (Gesang/Gitarre), Matt Flegel (Bass/Gesang), Chris Reimer (Gitarre/Gesang) und Michael Wallace (Drums) mit einer Vielzahl Ideen ins Studio und arbeiteten um ihre individuellen Zeitfenster und Schichten auf dem Friedhof herum. CHAD VANGAALEN zeichnet sich einmal mehr für die Produktion verantwortlich, mit dessen Hilfe WOMEN sich die Mühe machten, im tiefsten Winter Kanadas ein Album aufzunehmen, das zeitlos klingt. Am Ende erscheint die knirschende, harsche Dissonanz in kleineren, kontrollierteren Dosen; Noise erscheint als Fundament des strukturierten, mehrere Schichten umfassenden Songwriting. Von den ersten Takten von "Can't You See" an ist klar, dass "Public Strain" so viel mehr ist als nur die Fortsetzung des Debüts. Manchmal ist das Album klaustrophobisch und beschwört Wachträume von sexueller Seelenpein und allgemeinem Zerfall herauf; anderswo schwingen sich Retrogitarren und Gesangsmelodien gen Himmel oder kollabieren in faszinierenden Arabesken. "Public Strain" kämpft sich durch Schlaflosigkeit, Paranoia, Resignation und Euphorie, um die Momentaufnahme einer Band einzufangen, die sich gerade genau im Klaren darüber ist, was sie leisten kann.

Das nordirisch-niederländische Duo Fräulein hat in Zusammenarbeit mit der in London ansässigen US-Band Cosmorat seinen turbulenten Sound in gestochen scharfer Wiedergabetreue eingefangen und so sowohl eine exakte Momentaufnahme seiner Livepower und Skills geliefert, als auch unendlich neue Türen zu weiteren Experimenten geöffnet. Die kraftvolle Debüt-Mini-LP "Sink Or Swim" wechselt zwischen grüblerischem Aufbau, rhythmisch-komplexen Wirbelstürmen und seekrankem Geprügel. Kritiker wie DIY, The Independent oder BBC Radio 1 & 6Music sind bereits auf Fräulein aufmerksam geworden. Transparent-blaues Vinyl, exklusiv für Indies.

Live-Mitschnitt des Attwenger Konzerts vom 6.12.23 im Chelsea in Wien, verteilt auf vier Seiten aus gelbem Vinyl mit Schwerpunkt auf den letzten beiden atmender-alben "Spot" und "Drum", angereichert mit Slangpunksongs aus den Neunzigern und Nullern. Attwenger ist live sowieso eine andere Geschichte als ein Studioalbum, ein Live-Album ist eine Momentaufnahme, licht, lärm und Leute bestimmen den Augenblick, der Augenblick ist schnell vorbei, aber den Mitschnitt unseres aktuellen Programms, der auf dieser Doppel-LP wiedergegeben wird, kannst du dir in hundert Jahren auch noch anhören und es wird trotzdem ein live-konzert sein. Attwenger live heißt Binder und Falkner auf der Bühne, singen und quetschen, verstärkt und verzerrt, Drums, Maultrommeln und Elektro-Beats, Stücke von 1990 treffen auf Songs, die grade erst im Entstehen sind, Lieder aus unterschiedlichen Entstehungsphasen werden zu ausgedehnten, groovigen Mixes kombiniert, geht alles. Die Reihenfolge der Stücke kann sich ändern, genauso wie die Reihen auf der Ziehharmonika und die Reime der Texte. alles Moment, alles bewegt sich, dreht sich, verästelt sich, die körperliche Intensität ist teilweise arg, die Gedanken sind oft woanders, das Publikum ist da, der Austausch zwischen Spielen und Tanzen führt zu einer Musik, die so dynamisch, stürmisch und euphorisch werden kann, dass du vom Akteur zum Passagier wirst in einem kollektiven Taumel, der alle beteiligten reinzieht, herumwirbelt, fortweht. Als Bonus-Track eine Aufnahme vom Juni 94, als wir mit unserem Gegenbesuch zur Zimbabwe-Tour im Oktober 93, Oliver Mtukudzi and The Black Spirits, einen gemeinsamen Auftritt in der Linzer stadtwerkstatt hatten. Zu hören ein Ausschnitt aus "I wanna know whats going on", in dem es schon damals geheißen hat: es is immer hoiba 8i.

"In the core of the album’s creation, lies my fascination with unveiling the piano overtones by harnessing the properties of complex systems, which emerge when competing oscillations of strings interact with room acoustics, microphone placements, the piano's pedals, and its soundboard. Through long forms, incremental gestures, and nuanced timbral artifacts, the album aims to distort the perception of time and invite an introspective experience of multiple and expanded temporalities." - Zoe Efstathiou.

Zoe Efstathiou, pianist and electro-acoustic composer, originally from Greece, has lived in Sweden since 2015. Her interest shifts between the intricate relationships of the overtones of acoustic instruments, electro-acoustic textures, and the sonic potential of light installations. Her music interpolates the momentary with the ever-evolving, exploring ideas related to time, expectation and memory.

Remastered vinyl of the original album which came out on CD only in 2005. Limited to 200 copies on classic black vinyl. This is an album that’s as alive as any could be. Indeed, far from sounding like the last desperate set of half-baked ideas from a once vital band (hello Oasis?) Artists Cannibals Poets Thieves is more like a debut album from a bunch of teenage upstarts: free from cynicism, fired with worldly wonder and chock full of ideas. This is certainly a different outfit from that of 1998, when they first wowed us (via John Peel, naturally) with the utterly essential sprawling noise that was The Things We Make. Long since stripped down by a series of resignations from a five strong collective to a taut three piece featuring founding members Chris Olley, James Flower and Chris Davis, the music has simplified considerably. Gone are the soundscapes of old, and in their place we have a series of sharp basslines, swirling keyboards, cutting guitar lines and the passionate hollering of frontman Olley. Opener All I Really Want From You Is Love is a perfect introduction to proceedings – a truly wonderfully distorted slab of indie rock, recalling early Jesus And Mary Chain in both its fuzz and, crucially, its wonderfully crafted tune. Next, Nowhere To Go But Home sounds like New Order if they’d emerged from Detroit in 1966. Tonight (I Wanna Make It Out) follows likewise with the best bassline Peter Hook never plucked. Throughout, Six By Seven manage to sound so natural, so refreshing free of the flab and introspection that a band on its last legs would usually succumb to. And whilst the momentum is momentarily lost as the drum machine makes an appearance to fashion the Suicide-esque trawl of Stara Paris Rescued Me, it’s not long before Just Get It Down muscles things back on course with a whispered Olley diatribe perched on top of more raw cacophony, before we reach the bitter end via the Depeche Mode-on-smack You Know I Feel Alright Now. Tracklisting:

repressed !

Gorillaz started the year with Episode 1 - ‘Momentary Bliss ft. slowthai and Slaves’ - of Song Machine, a whole new concept from one of the most innovative bands around. Now, six episodes in, Noodle, 2D, Murdoc and Russel have visited Morocco and Paris, London and Lake Como, as well as travelling all the way to the moon, and Gorillaz is ready to bring you the full collection titled Song Machine: Season One - Strange Timez, out on 23rd October 2020.

Song Machine is the ongoing and ever-evolving process which has seen Gorillaz joined by an expanding roster of collaborators captured live in Kong Studios and beyond. The result is an expansive collection of tracks embracing a myriad of sounds, styles, genres and attitudes from a breath-taking line-up of guest artists including Beck, Elton John, Fatoumata Diawara, Georgia, Kano, Leee John, Octavian, Peter Hook, Robert Smith, Roxani Arias, ScHoolboy Q, Slaves, Slowthai, St Vincent and 6LACK.
To date the project has seen over 100million streams on all tracks already and the band’s biggest period of sustained growth across both listenership and fanbase growth. All this before the album has even been announced!

Virtual band Gorillaz is singer 2D, bassist Murdoc Niccals, guitarist Noodle and drummer Russel Hobbs. Created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, their acclaimed eponymous debut album was released in 2001. The BRIT and Grammy Award winning band’s subsequent albums are Demon Days (2005), Plastic Beach (2010), The Fall (2011), Humanz (2017) and The Now Now (2018). A truly global phenomenon, Gorillaz have achieved success in entirely ground-breaking ways, touring the world from San Diego to Syria, winning numerous awards including the coveted Jim Henson Creativity Honor.

The band are recognised by The Guinness Book Of World Records as the planet’s Most Successful Virtual Act.












j 10. Désolé (feat. Fatoumata Diawara) Extended Version

Eine Platte zu machen ist beides: Musik, die als Momentaufnahme festgehalten wird, und gleichzeitig eine Dokumentation des Zeitraums, in dem die Lieder entstanden sind. Wenn man dieser Dokumentation und dem Zeitrahmen einen Namen geben möchte (wie einem Albumtitel), stellt sich die Frage: Was ist seit der letzten Aufnahme passiert - auf persönlicher, sozialer und vielen anderen Ebenen? Was hat sich verändert? Oder ging es einfach nur um "mehr" vom Gleichen: in immer kürzerer Zeit zig Dinge parallel erledigen, optimieren, wiederholen? Entwickeln sich diese Dinge in die Richtungen, in die sie sich entwickeln sollten? Schreitet der Fortschritt überhaupt voran? Oder geht es einfach nur darum, das zu tun, was wir schon vorher getan haben - nur schneller, effizienter? Der Ausdruck "L'inertie polaire" (fast 35 Jahre alt) erklärt nicht alles, was in der Welt vor sich geht, aber eine, ziemlich unangenehme, Menge_ 3 Jahre nach Extract.Transform.Debase veröffentlichen The Antikaroshi ihr 6. Album, das inhaltlich direkt an den Vorgänger anknüpft. Das Trio setzt genau dort an, wo es aufgehört hat: Lieder, die sich Zeit nehmen, die atmen um dann im nächsten Moment hektisch zu lärmen! Die Lautstärke ist immer ein Mittel zum Zweck und das Spiel mit ihr ein Markenzeichen von The Antikaroshi. Während Drums und Bass die Grundlage bilden, aber trotzdem immer wieder bekannte Muster durchbrechen, ist die Gitarre hypnotisch und forschend. Die Vocals wechseln zwischen rezitativem und melodiösem Ausdruck und geben der Musik genügend Raum. So bilden The Antikaroshi die Welt ab, die sie umgibt: Hektik und Stillstand schließen einander nicht aus, sondern sind kulturelle Pole zwischen denen sich Gesellschaft entfaltet. Und so wird ihre Musik politisch: Während eine Handvoll superreicher Menschen bereits Abschied von diesem Planeten nimmt (Lost In Compassion), läuft die Medienmaschine geölt wie ein Uhrwerk und hat gelernt, schlechte Nachrichten als gute zu verkaufen (Shiny White Teeth). Kriege werden zu Friedensmissionen (Authority) und das Ergebnis rechtfertigt allzu oft die Mittel (Gravity), wenn es darum geht, der eigenen Schwerkraft zu trotzen. Sogar Seen stehen inzwischen zum Verkauf (Thousand Lakes) und alle verfügbaren Mittel werden genutzt (Sticky Hands). Die Menschen schwanken zwischen gegensätzlichen Sichtweisen, handeln gegen ihren Verstand und viel zu oft auch gegen ihr Herz (Doxa). Was lässt sich dem entgegensetzen? Solidarität und metaphorisch die Wölfe zu vertreiben (Homohominilupus). Und natürlich der kollektive Protest (Tang Ping).

With her third Gondwana album, "Constellation", Manchester"s Caoilfhionn Rose has come of age as an artist, digging deep to find experimental new ways of expressing her wonder at nature"s beauty, her love of music in all its diversity, and her belief in the restorative powers that both afford in the troubled post-COVID world. The ten tracks on "Constellation" feel rooted in a knowledge of folk, jazz and all the twentieth century"s classic tunesmiths, and yet they seem to create a magical, otherworldly space of her own imagining, blending Caoilfhionn"s core piano with synths, and pitting a live rhythm section and saxophone embellishments against ambient samples and future-facing production techniques.

With her third Gondwana album, "Constellation", Manchester"s Caoilfhionn Rose has come of age as an artist, digging deep to find experimental new ways of expressing her wonder at nature"s beauty, her love of music in all its diversity, and her belief in the restorative powers that both afford in the troubled post-COVID world. The ten tracks on "Constellation" feel rooted in a knowledge of folk, jazz and all the twentieth century"s classic tunesmiths, and yet they seem to create a magical, otherworldly space of her own imagining, blending Caoilfhionn"s core piano with synths, and pitting a live rhythm section and saxophone embellishments against ambient samples and future-facing production techniques.

Nach ihrer Tournee zu dem von Kritikern hoch gelobten „Luck of the Draw“- Album legt die ELLIS MANO BAND ihren ersten Konzert-Mitschnitt vor.
„Live: Access All Areas“ enthält 15 Songs, aufgenommen 2023 bei Gastspielen in Deutschland und der Schweiz ist über eineinhalb Stunden lang das
faszinierende Dokument einer direkten Momentaufnahme. Es macht Lust darauf, die 2017 gegründete, multinationale Gruppe mit Mitgliedern aus
Kroatien, Deutschland, Schweiz auf der Bühne zu erleben. Die Ellis Mano Band ist auf der Bühne eine Macht und agiert auf internationalem Level!
Virtuos, die Musiker - dicht, ihr Zusammenspiel - intelligent, die Improvisationen - druckvoll und transparent. Eigenständiger, postmoderner Bluesrock
voller Soul.
Zitat Great Music Stories - UK: „Joe Cocker, Dire Straits, Van Morrison, Toto und Chris Rea bei einer improvisierten Late-Night-Jam-Session“.

Nach 15 Jahren ihrer Karriere, in der sie sich zu einer der rücksichtslosesten, individuellsten und erhebendsten Bands des Metals entwickelt haben, mit ausverkauften Hallen und Tourneen durch Europa und die USA stehen Amaranthe kurz vor ihrem definitivsten und aufschlussreichsten Schritt. Drei Jahre nach dem vielgelobten ‹Manifest‹, das international die Top 20 der Charts erreichte und über 130 Millionen Streams verzeichnete, sind Schwedens Meister des donnernden, melodischen Futurismus dabei, »The Catalyst« zu enthüllen.

Mit 12 Songs und fast überlaufend mit tödlichen Hooks und genreübergreifendem Einfallsreichtum ist »The Catalyst« eine Momentaufnahme einer Band, die eine neue Ebene kollektiver Kraft erreicht. Seit dem elektronischen Puls und dem unwiderstehlichen Vorwärtsdrang von Re-Vision haben Amaranthe ihrem Sound ein furchtloses Upgrade verpasst. Sie haben noch mehr mitreißende Elemente in ihren Markensound integriert.

Vladislav Delay presents the fifth and last EP in his "Hide Behind The Silence" series. Intuitive and raw music, momentary and reflective, released on Ripatti's own label "Rajaton".

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Stillness is a myth. Consider concepts such as ”still water”, or ”still air” for that matter. Go to a restaurant, ask them for a glass of still water, hold it against the light and see where we’re at. Even though the water itself has been captured and imprisoned in the glass, it never stops breathing. It’s filled with tiny particles, dancing. Everything can be explained on a molecular level, but since we’re not scientists – and even if you happen to be – it’s the natural world of perception that moves me.
Still air is very similar. A hot summer’s day with zero wind feels completely still. It’s the closest I have felt to complete stillness. Or for a more urban adaptation, imagine the same vibe inside a normal apartment. In those moments, revelations and mind- blowing experiences can be had with experiments in stillness.
Try this: Just sit down for a minute on a sunny day, making sure there’s enough natural light. Do absolutely nothing. Try not to breathe for a bit. (If you need a mental anchor, you can play Cage’s 4’33” in your head but nothing else.) Watch the tiny dots of dust dancing :..’ ̈.:; ́ ́*°.,’:,. ̈ ̈ ̈ ̈:,.’
The movement is crazy, but the feeling of stillness comes from witnessing how subtle it is. In (perceived) complete stillness, every act of microscopic mobility seems to speak volumes. Yet, it feels both reassuring and oddly threatening that the stillness is never complete. What if we would need absolute stillness? Or is it just enough that we can perceive something as such? Extremes attract, so for both water and air, extraordinary movement is equally fascinating. That is also a luxury item of sorts. For us to enjoy a very ”loud” body of water or air, we need to be safe, in enough control of the situation. So when you are, it’s worthwhile to pay attention and take it all in.
A rapid flowing free with extreme strength and just barely in control. Look at that water go! No still water on this one, only ”sparkling”. A windy day when birds seem surprised how hard it is to fly, but in the end they make it. Trees bend but don’t break. The wind shows you its movement but doesn’t hurt you. It feels friendly, like a big clumsy dog that doesn’t quite understand its size.
It’s beautiful to be a guest of the elements, but not at the mercy of them. A new kind of dialogue forms.

Vladislav Delay's complete "Hide Behind The Silence" series. Intuitive and raw music, momentary and reflective, released on Ripatti's own label Rajaton.

Stillness is a myth. Consider concepts such as ”still water”, or ”still air” for that matter. Go to a restaurant, ask them for a glass of still water, hold it against the light and see where we’re at. Even though the water itself has been captured and imprisoned in the glass, it never stops breathing. It’s filled with tiny particles, dancing. Everything can be explained on a molecular level, but since we’re not scientists – and even if you happen to be – it’s the natural world of perception that moves me.
Still air is very similar. A hot summer’s day with zero wind feels completely still. It’s the closest I have felt to complete stillness. Or for a more urban adaptation, imagine the same vibe inside a normal apartment. In those moments, revelations and mind- blowing experiences can be had with experiments in stillness.
Try this: Just sit down for a minute on a sunny day, making sure there’s enough natural light. Do absolutely nothing. Try not to breathe for a bit. (If you need a mental anchor, you can play Cage’s 4’33” in your head but nothing else.) Watch the tiny dots of dust dancing :..’ ̈.:; ́ ́*°.,’:,. ̈ ̈ ̈ ̈:,.’
The movement is crazy, but the feeling of stillness comes from witnessing how subtle it is. In (perceived) complete stillness, every act of microscopic mobility seems to speak volumes. Yet, it feels both reassuring and oddly threatening that the stillness is never complete. What if we would need absolute stillness? Or is it just enough that we can perceive something as such? Extremes attract, so for both water and air, extraordinary movement is equally fascinating. That is also a luxury item of sorts. For us to enjoy a very ”loud” body of water or air, we need to be safe, in enough control of the situation. So when you are, it’s worthwhile to pay attention and take it all in.
A rapid flowing free with extreme strength and just barely in control. Look at that water go! No still water on this one, only ”sparkling”. A windy day when birds seem surprised how hard it is to fly, but in the end they make it. Trees bend but don’t break. The wind shows you its movement but doesn’t hurt you. It feels friendly, like a big clumsy dog that doesn’t quite understand its size.
It’s beautiful to be a guest of the elements, but not at the mercy of them. A new kind of dialogue forms.

Q&A with Sasu Ripatti:

1) Tell us something about the EP series ”Hide Behind the Silence”, what’s the idea and what can we expect?

Exploration of inaction. Of many kinds. In arts and in personal life, or at bigger and more serious levels. Questioning myself as a human being as well as an artist. Acknowledging the growing activism all around, and the very clear need for it, and how it reflects my own inaction.
Musically speaking, after Rakka, Isoviha and Speed Demon, I finally found some relief, but more importantly lost the need to go musically ever more outward and intensive. I felt quite strongly certain periods/moods from the past and they made me revisit some musical ideas or states of mind I was exploring early on.
It’s about live moments being captured, not much premeditation or editing. More intuitive and raw, even though the end result (to me) feels and sounds quite introspective and calm. It’s not very ambitious. Momentary and reflective.

2) Your music doesn’t sound very silent. Does it come from somewhere behind the silence?

Oh, this time to me it sounds quite quiet and playing with space if not silence. I don’t know what’s actually behind silence, but I think silence is the source of everything. We just don’t understand it yet.

3) What kind of thoughts or experiences gave inspiration to this series?

Writing this in Nov ’22, it’s not a stretch to say the world has been really unwell. Sometimes, like Mika Vainio put it, the world eats you up. I feel a bit like that. And I try to hide in my studio and stay away from it all, but it’s getting harder by the day. I’ve been questioning myself and thinking if what us artists are doing is worth anything, and whether it’s just a selfish thing I’ve been doing for the past 25 years, running away from everything. I haven’t come to a conclusion yet.

4) Is it easy for you to be in silence, or around silence?

Absolutely. I not only hide behind silence but I also love silence. It’s only since I started going back to nature as a grown-up person that I sensed and was enveloped by silence, true silence. I have begun to appreciate it a lot. I think all the people should spend more time in silence.

All tracks composed and produced by Sasu Ripatti.
Artwork by Marc Hohmann, photography by Shinnosuke Yoshimori.
Mastering by Stephan Mathieu for Schwebung Mastering.
Vinyl cut by SST Brueggemann.
Publishing by WARP Music Ltd.

plastic death - the second album by glass beach - is a follow-up record almost five years in the making. The band's 2019 debut, aptly titled the first glass beach album , has over the years grown a cult fanbase for its unflinching depiction of queer life as mediated through social media, its oversized ambition, and its scrappy yet adventurous production. And while it took some time to arrive, plastic death sounds like the logical expansion of all the things that made their first album so special. Years and years of relentless writing, tinkering demos, cancelled tours and a few lockdowns only strengthen the chaotic core of what makes glass beach' s maximalist approach work so well. Frontperson and primary songwriter J McClendon is joined by lead guitarist Layne Smith, bassist Jonas Newhouse and drummer William White to create something adventurous on each song. Trumpet, trombone, violin, and even marimba dance and bloom alongside the band's own creative and dextrous instrumentation - a stunning, transformative creation that pulls from indie rock, jazz, prog, hardcore, metal, experimental, and beyond. Songs like lead single "the CIA," are examples of the band's ambitious writing. It's a dark, dancy, post-punk/jazz hybrid, a coordinated, breathless braid of synth and saturated guitar. Tension and confusion explode into a brutal modern metal climax to close the track, flickering with glitchy production zaps and razor-sharp stops. The artwork of plastic death is similarly rich with detail, resulting in a bioluminescent, fully-realized double album depicting sprawling scenes where moments of neon brightness shine momentarily in a dark undersea - a metaphor for the moments of optimism and catharsis glass beach provide on these songs. "This album is the Pacific garbage patch: cultural trash strewn together seemingly by accident, standing in stark juxtaposition to each other ," says McClendon. plastic death is a complete, uncompromising, playful work of art; every corner and crevice of the record's 13 tracks, each arrangement and timbre and texture, is alive with intention and possibility.

plastic death - the second album by glass beach - is a follow-up record almost five years in the making. The band's 2019 debut, aptly titled the first glass beach album , has over the years grown a cult fanbase for its unflinching depiction of queer life as mediated through social media, its oversized ambition, and its scrappy yet adventurous production. And while it took some time to arrive, plastic death sounds like the logical expansion of all the things that made their first album so special. Years and years of relentless writing, tinkering demos, cancelled tours and a few lockdowns only strengthen the chaotic core of what makes glass beach' s maximalist approach work so well. Frontperson and primary songwriter J McClendon is joined by lead guitarist Layne Smith, bassist Jonas Newhouse and drummer William White to create something adventurous on each song. Trumpet, trombone, violin, and even marimba dance and bloom alongside the band's own creative and dextrous instrumentation - a stunning, transformative creation that pulls from indie rock, jazz, prog, hardcore, metal, experimental, and beyond. Songs like lead single "the CIA," are examples of the band's ambitious writing. It's a dark, dancy, post-punk/jazz hybrid, a coordinated, breathless braid of synth and saturated guitar. Tension and confusion explode into a brutal modern metal climax to close the track, flickering with glitchy production zaps and razor-sharp stops. The artwork of plastic death is similarly rich with detail, resulting in a bioluminescent, fully-realized double album depicting sprawling scenes where moments of neon brightness shine momentarily in a dark undersea - a metaphor for the moments of optimism and catharsis glass beach provide on these songs. "This album is the Pacific garbage patch: cultural trash strewn together seemingly by accident, standing in stark juxtaposition to each other ," says McClendon. plastic death is a complete, uncompromising, playful work of art; every corner and crevice of the record's 13 tracks, each arrangement and timbre and texture, is alive with intention and possibility.

A blistering advancement of the knife-sharp hooks and urgently efficient post-punk structures that they’ve spent over a decade refining since their formation in 2011, the band’s fourth album – and second on Specialist Subject - emerges from a period of flux for the band’s chief songwriting partnership of Emma Wigham (drums/vocals) and Mark Jasper (guitar/vocals). First came a move north to Yorkshire from their native London. “We had decorated a tiny, rented house in Mytholmroyd” Jasper explains. “We setup a practice room in the top of a mill nearby and tried to write music, which we did amid stress about money, and a fear of having made the wrong decision. We had left our jobs, friends and a nice but absolutely tiny flat in London behind, and moved to a small village in West Yorkshire.” Although they found the location to be beautiful, the transition from city life to rural turned out to be an odd fit – too much so, it turned out. From this relatively short stay in West Yorkshire, however, came a more permanent change as the couple welcomed their first child Ivy into the family. Although, they’re hesitant to put too much of Streams and Waterways influence on the shoulders of their young daughter – she arrived a year and a half into the album’s conception – there’s no denying that its themes of loss, birth, and being part of this eternal, momentary life were brought into sharp focus following their new arrival. “Streams and Waterways is about the struggle of looking at the clock, realising it’s actually going pretty damn fast and knowing that really you have no control over anything” Jasper confirms. Perhaps that explains the way that opener The Valley doesn’t even introduce itself before careering into a full-throttled, three-minute scuzzy rager that would approach the descriptor anthemic had it not been kicked and scuffed along the way; it’s maybe why the wiry, ferocious Choice You Make feels like a charge into a storm despite the uncertainty of what you might find. It’s perhaps why even when Witching Waves allow themselves respite on the pared down Open A Hole, there’s a churning anxiety that lies below the acoustic guitar and harmonising vocals: in many ways musically and thematically Witching Waves are relinquishing the control that’s always been a fixture of their music – with all the thrilling and nervous fallout that comes from that. Although the pair have since returned south (having relocated to Exeter), Streams and Waterways also serves as a document of their foray northwards. The surviving artefact from Jasper’s never-to-be-finished studio that he’d began to build in Yorkshire – following the ending of his London-based Sound Savers studio – the record is also the first to feature current bassist Will Fitzpatrick, who joined initially live on their support tour with Australian punks Camp Cope. Fitzpatrick – a key component of Liverpool’s DIY scene for two decades – quickly became a key part of the writing process. Recording sessions were done during periods of lockdown that allowed congregation, Jasper recalling a still unborn Ivy kicking hard during an early mix playback of It’s A Shame’s layered noise rock assault. “The song was about my past, a much harder time. But my future was egging me on” he says. It’s a neat summation of Streams and Waterways and its representation of the discomfort of life amidst the compulsion to ride on its journey regardless. It’s a record that finds Witching Waves looking into the future more than ever before, but still bristles with the rush of being in the moment – because ultimately, despite what may have happened or may yet come, the band’s strongest trait remains being able to keep you feeling in the present.

Vladislav Delay presents the fourth EP in his "Hide Behind The Silence" series with five 10" releases coming throughout 2023. Intuitive and raw music, momentary and reflective, released on Ripatti's own label "Rajaton".

Stillness is a myth. Consider concepts such as ”still water”, or ”still air” for that matter. Go to a restaurant, ask them for a glass of still water, hold it against the light and see where we’re at. Even though the water itself has been captured and imprisoned in the glass, it never stops breathing. It’s filled with tiny particles, dancing. Everything can be explained on a molecular level, but since we’re not scientists – and even if you happen to be – it’s the natural world of perception that moves me.

Still air is very similar. A hot summer’s day with zero wind feels completely still. It’s the closest I have felt to complete stillness. Or for a more urban adaptation, imagine the same vibe inside a normal apartment. In those moments, revelations and mind- blowing experiences can be had with experiments in stillness.
Try this: Just sit down for a minute on a sunny day, making sure there’s enough natural light. Do absolutely nothing. Try not to breathe for a bit. (If you need a mental anchor, you can play Cage’s 4’33” in your head but nothing else.) Watch the tiny dots of dust dancing :..’ ̈.:; ́ ́*°.,’:,. ̈ ̈ ̈ ̈:,.’
The movement is crazy, but the feeling of stillness comes from witnessing how subtle it is. In (perceived) complete stillness, every act of microscopic mobility seems to speak volumes. Yet, it feels both reassuring and oddly threatening that the stillness is never complete. What if we would need absolute stillness? Or is it just enough that we can perceive something as such? Extremes attract, so for both water and air, extraordinary movement is equally fascinating. That is also a luxury item of sorts. For us to enjoy a very ”loud” body of water or air, we need to be safe, in enough control of the situation. So when you are, it’s worthwhile to pay attention and take it all in.
A rapid flowing free with extreme strength and just barely in control. Look at that water go! No still water on this one, only ”sparkling”. A windy day when birds seem surprised how hard it is to fly, but in the end they make it. Trees bend but don’t break. The wind shows you its movement but doesn’t hurt you. It feels friendly, like a big clumsy dog that doesn’t quite understand its size.
It’s beautiful to be a guest of the elements, but not at the mercy of them. A new kind of dialogue forms.

Q&A with Sasu Ripatti:

1) Tell us something about the EP series ”Hide Behind the Silence”, what’s the idea and what can we expect?

Exploration of inaction. Of many kinds. In arts and in personal life, or at bigger and more serious levels. Questioning myself as a human being as well as an artist. Acknowledging the growing activism all around, and the very clear need for it, and how it reflects my own inaction.
Musically speaking, after Rakka, Isoviha and Speed Demon, I finally found some relief, but more importantly lost the need to go musically ever more outward and intensive. I felt quite strongly certain periods/moods from the past and they made me revisit some musical ideas or states of mind I was exploring early on.
It’s about live moments being captured, not much premeditation or editing. More intuitive and raw, even though the end result (to me) feels and sounds quite introspective and calm. It’s not very ambitious. Momentary and reflective.

2) Your music doesn’t sound very silent. Does it come from somewhere behind the silence?

Oh, this time to me it sounds quite quiet and playing with space if not silence. I don’t know what’s actually behind silence, but I think silence is the source of everything. We just don’t understand it yet.

3) What kind of thoughts or experiences gave inspiration to this series?

Writing this in Nov ’22, it’s not a stretch to say the world has been really unwell. Sometimes, like Mika Vainio put it, the world eats you up. I feel a bit like that. And I try to hide in my studio and stay away from it all, but it’s getting harder by the day. I’ve been questioning myself and thinking if what us artists are doing is worth anything, and whether it’s just a selfish thing I’ve been doing for the past 25 years, running away from everything. I haven’t come to a conclusion yet.

4) Is it easy for you to be in silence, or around silence?

Absolutely. I not only hide behind silence but I also love silence. It’s only since I started going back to nature as a grown-up person that I sensed and was enveloped by silence, true silence. I have begun to appreciate it a lot. I think all the people should spend more time in silence.

All tracks composed and produced by Sasu Ripatti.
Artwork by Marc Hohmann, photography by Shinnosuke Yoshimori.
Mastering by Stephan Mathieu for Schwebung Mastering.
Vinyl cut by SST Brueggemann.
Publishing by WARP Music Ltd.

Die zweite LP des Duos und Internetphänomens THE FRENCH MADEMOISELLES aka Mademoiselle KT (Katia) und Mademoiselle L (Lexie) wurde mit Chansons von Annie Philippe, Jacqueline Taïeb, Katty Line und Liz Brady vervollständigt. Eine musikalische Momentaufnahme des Swingin' Paris für Liebhaber von süßem Pop und wilden Idioten. Lilafarbiges Vinyl.

Als 2017 Ilgen-Nurs Solo-EP No Emotions erschien, war die junge Songwriterin schnell in aller Munde. Ihr damaliger Slacker-Sound wurde als die neue Coolness im deutschen Indie-Pop gefeiert, es folgte eine Europa-Tour und Supports für Bloc Partys Kele Okereke und Tocotronic. Für Ilgen wurde ein Traum wahr, den sie von Kindheitstagen an geträumt hatte: Mit ihren eigenen Songs auf die Bühne!

Sie gewann Musikpreise, wurde zu Features eingeladen, ihre Songs wurden für erfolgreiche Netflix-Produktionen genutzt. Ilgen brach zwei Studiengänge ab, ging von Hamburg nach Berlin. 2019 kam dann ihr Debut Power Nap raus, das sie gleich auf dem eigens dafür gegründeten gleichnamigen Label selbst veröffentlichte. Die Kritik reagierte begeistert.

2022 dann also: Mit einer Handvoll Songs im Gepäck ging Ilgen schließlich mit ihrem Wahlproduzenten Jon Joseph in dessen Studio in San Pedro. Maximilian Barth, ihr neuer Gitarrist, flog über den großen Teich, Sessionmusiker wurden eingeladen. IT‘S ALL HAPPENING nun, das Resultat dieser Zeit, zeigt eine neue Ilgen-Nur, die herausgefunden hat, wer sie sein will, wer sie ist. Es klingt warm und melancholisch, gibt ihrem dunklen Timbre genau die Fläche, die
es verlangt. Und zeugt von gewonnener, hörbarer Reife.

Black Truffle is pleased to announce Tender Membranes, the label’s first release from Swedish-Finnish sound artist and electro-acoustic composer Marja Ahti. Active for a decade in the Finnish underground music scene, in recent years Ahti has developed a distinctive approach to patiently unfolding electro-acoustic constructions, documented on a string of solo releases and collaborative projects with Judith Hamann and her husband Niko-Matti Ahti. Working with concrete and instrumental sounds, field recordings, and electronics, Ahti favours neither disjunctive collage nor monolithic consistency; rather, her work is composed of organically unfolding sequences of details and textures, which, as she says, ‘can stretch out or cut fast as long as they have a sense of inner stillness’, a sense that she connects to moments of heightened attention in everyday life. Tender Membranes consists of four lengthy pieces, partly inspired by the image of the senses and mind as membranes allowing for the passage between inner and outer spaces, sensation and its causes, creating a world. Ahti’s unhurried pacing encourages this sense of listening as an opening or surrender to sound, which can often create the impression that the listener is moving through a space zooming in on details. The opening Shrine (Aether) exemplifies this aspect of Ahti’s approach: a bell clears the air with a single long tone, followed by the ambience of outdoor spaces, crackling electronics, an archival recording of a horsefly on a windowpane. Dozens of these moments, varying in length, density, and intensity, move past the listener’s attention, momentarily brought into focus then slipping away. Like those of the masters of the French musique concrète tradition, Ahti’s sounds are not often recognisable, though they might suggest proximity or distance, open environments or closed spaces, the urban or rural, day or night. In Ahti’s work, we do not encounter spectacular metamorphoses à la Parmegiani but rather a state of ambiguity where the listener is often unsure what is organic and what is inorganic, where the careful productions of the synthesizer might end and sounds discovered in the environment begin. What Ahti calls her ‘poetic way of experiencing and organising the familiar and the unfamiliar’ is sustained throughout Tender Membranes, but each piece has its own character. On Dust / Light, human presence is more overt, as what appear to be whispers, singing, and distant speech thread between high frequencies, untraceable drips and pops, and metallic shimmers. In all this there is a melody that you can sing and to which you may dance makes more prominent use of musical instruments, gaining a sombre beauty from half-buried piano chords and organ tones. On the closing Oh Fragrant Witness, a delicate cloud of subtly bending pitches is repeatedly disrupted by a resounding, almost ominous mass of low tones, at once a strange detour from much of what has gone before and an almost classical finale. Arriving in a sleeve reproducing contemporary Finnish photographer Sini Pelkki’s fragmented visions of the everyday, Tender Membranes is a balm to reawaken tired ears.

Vinyl mit Downloadcode. Die LP und CD Versionen dieses Albums unterscheiden sich in einigen Details: Nicht mit an Bord bei der LP-Version sind die Songs "Intro" und "Ends", die sich auf der CD finden lassen. Dafür gibt es auf der LP den Track ,Body And Blood" in einer längeren Version. Außerdem tummeln sich auf der D-Seite 100 Locked Groove Audio Loops, die exklusiv nur auf dem Vinyl auftauchen. ,CLIPPING. machen Partymusik für den Club, bei dem man sich wünscht, nie in ihm gelandet zu sein; das Auto, bei dem du dich nicht erinnerst, wie du eingestiegen bist und die Straßen, auf denen man sich nicht sicher fühlt." (Aus der Pressemitteilung für das CLIPPING. Debüt ,Midcity", das im September 2012 veröffentlicht wurde). Seit das verfasst wurde, hat sich einiges geändert für CLIPPING. Die Band fand heraus, dass die potentiellen Hörer bereiter für sie waren, als sie es erwartet hatten. Vor ,Midcity" erwartete keins der Mitglieder (Rapper Daveed Diggs und die Produzenten Jonathan Snipes und William Hutson), dass ihr kantiger Rap ein Publikum finden würde. Die Band war ursprünglich als Remixprojekt und Fußnote im wahren Leben der Mitglieder gedacht: Diggs ist ein Bühnenschauspieler; Snipes komponiert Filmmusik und Hutson ist ein etabliert Noise Musiker (Snipe und Hutson kollaborierten beim Soundtrack zur IFC Dokumentaion ,Room 237"). Doch seit der Gründung von CLIPPING. weitete sich das Feld der kommerziellen Musik leicht aus, so dass plötzlich Platz für mehr Noise und mehr Abenteuer in der elektronischen Produktion war (obwohl CLIPPING. selbst natürlich darauf bestehen, dass sie Rap Musik machen). ,Clppng" ist ambitionierter als ,Midcity". Das Album wartet mit Gästen wie Gangsta Boo (Ex-THREE 6 MAFIA und momentan bei DA MAFIA 6IX), Guce (Veteran der Bay Area; Mitglied von BULLYS WIT FULLYS), King T (Gangster Rap Legende der Westküste; Gründer der Likwit Crew; Mentor von XZIBIT und THA ALKAHOLIKS) und COCC PISTOL CREE (Newcomerin aus Compton, bekannt vom DJ MUSTARD Mixtape ,Ketchup"). ,Clppng" weitet die experimentellen Sounds der Band aus, um eine größere emotionale Palette zu bedienen. Doch die Band ist nicht zum Softie geworden; das Intro des Albums ist eins der brutalsten Stücke, das die Band je aufgenommen hat und ,Or Die" (feat. Guce) ist so bitterböse wie alles auf ,Midcity". ,CLPPNG" ist ein Album, das unter Beweis stellt, wie vielschichtig Sound sein kann, wenn die Regeln eines Genres mutwillig in Frage gestellt werden.

The kind of band whose members are fully immersed in their local scene-through a handful of notable side projects and the show- promoting Philly staple 4333 Collective- the quintet's sound takes wide- spectrum influence from its environment. The result is an amalgam of complex song structures and flourishes of technical acumen, wholly unconcerned with genre, yet evoking the specific styles of touchstones such as Paramore and Circa Survive.

On their debut longplayer Where the Heart Is, Sweet Pill's unbound, raucous energy presents through ten autobiographical tracks that hinge on singer Zayna Youssef's elastic, enrapturing voice- at times belting and controlled, at others textural and guttural. Supporting Youssef are guitarists Jayce Williams and Sean McCall, bassist Ryan Cullen, and drummer Chris Kearney. Their blistering lead single "Blood" sees Youssef exploring a deteriorated friendship over Williams and McCall's trudging riffs and tactful counterpoint, with Cullen and Kearney rumbling nimbly in the song's foundations.

Second single "High Hopes" counters with introspective, melodic punk that reshapes anxiety rather than succumb to it. But third single "Diamond Eyes" momentarily slows the pace, with McCall joining Youssef on vocals for a breakup lament laden with acoustic sentimentalism and an emotive flurry from guest flutist Jill Ryan. Such range is the central facet of Where the Heart Is, where Sweet Pill's penchant for combining punkish tropes enlivened with the vibrance of math- rock and the aggression of post- hardcore sweetened with pop sensibility compound into something stylistically new yet still familiar.

Die britische Indie-Rock Band „The 1975“ meldet sich zurück!

Als Schulband haben sie im Jahre 2002 begonnen und feiern nun das 10. Jubiläum ihres Debut Albums.
Eine ganze Dekade ist vergangen, seitdem das gleichnamige Debut Album „The 1975“ das Licht der Welt erblickte und mit Hits wie „Chocolate“ und „Robbers“ die britischen Charts im Sturm eroberte. Dave Reynolds vom Bearded Magazin beschrieb das Album wie folgt:
”A debut album with 16 tracks should never be able to capture and hold a listeners attention, but The 1975 make a damn good stab at it, with a record littered with pop hooks and imagination. MJ would be proud.”

„The 1975“ wurde mit zweimal Platin in der UK, einmal Platin in den USA und Neuseeland und diversen Gold-Awards ausgezeichnet.

Mit über 14 Millionen monatliche Hörer: innen auf Spotify, 19 Millionen verkaufte Tonträger und hunderttausenden Menschen, die jedes Jahr auf die Konzerte der vier Jungs aus Manchester strömen, prägt „The 1975“ seit Jahren die Indie-Rock Szene auf der ganzen Welt.
Momentan befindet sich die Band auf großer Amerikatournee bis Ende 2023. Auf dem Tourplan stehen riesige Festivals, wie das Lollapalooza, aber auch diverse ausverkaufte Arenen.

Das Album „The 1975 (10th Anniversary)“ ist als 4LP seit dem 01. August vorbestellbar und erscheint am 01. September im Handel.

Jerome Reuters Musikprojekt ROME verbindet mehr mit der Ukraine als der gelegentliche Gastauftritt. Seit 2015 bereist der Luxemburger Singer-Songwriter auf seinen Europatourneen das Land regelmäßig für Konzerte. So auch im Februar 2022, als Reuter nur wenige Tage vor der großen russischen Invasion noch Soloauftritte in Kyiv und Odessa trotz drastischer Reisewarnungen absolvierte.

Doch Reuter - ein von seiner Kreativität Getriebener, der schon immer eigenwillig seinen Weg ging - schwor sogar darüber hinaus, in absehbarer Zeit mit der kompletten Band zurückzukehren. Einige Monate später, nachdem er mehrere Online-Wohltätigkeitsshows zur Unterstützung der Ukraine gespielt hatte, kam er zunächst für einen Soloauftritt zurück und war damit der erste ausländische Künstler, der seit Beginn des Krieges ein komplettes Konzert auf ukrainischem Boden absolvierte. Dieser Auftritt im Juli 2022 wurde genutzt, um Spenden für eine Flüchtlingsunterkunft in Lwiw zu sammeln. Auf den Tag genau ein Jahr nach Reuters letztem Auftritt in Kyiv, löste er dann sein Versprechen ein und spielte zum ersten Jahrestag des Kriegsbeginns zwei mittlerweile geschichtsträchtige Full-Band-Shows mit ROME in Lwiw und Kyiw.

Reuters Unterstützung für den Freiheitskampf der Ukraine ist für jeden, der das bisherige Schaffen von ROME kennt, keine Überraschung. Seit fast zwei Jahrzehnten besingt Reuter die europäische Solidarität und Kultur, und so ist es nur eine logische Konsequenz, dass er nun mit "Gates of Europe" eine konzeptionelle Arbeit über den anhaltenden Krieg in Europa veröffentlicht.

Das Album beginnt mit einem Paukenschlag - einer unheilvollen und bedrohlichen Collage der Klänge des 24. Februar 2022, der ersten Stunde des Einmarsches - und führt mit minutiös geschliffenen Kleinoden fast chronologisch durch das erste Kriegsjahr. Auf "Gates of Europe" werden traditionelles Songwriter-Handwerk mit raffinierter Poesie und ungewöhnlichen Arrangements zu einem Gesamtkunstwerk verschmolzen. Die 14 Lieder sind packende Momentaufnahmen der inneren Befindlichkeit des Landes, das sich dem Sturm wider Erwarten entschlossen entgegenstellt. Und so ist "Gates of Europe" vor allem eines: Bekenntnis zu einem freien Europa aus der Feder eines Mannes, der mit tausend Fäden an vergangene Jahrhunderte gespannt zu sein scheint und doch in seinem Werk die zeitlose Zeit anvisiert.

Dieses Album scheint in vielerlei Hinsicht der Höhepunkt aller bisherigen Arbeiten Reuters zu sein, so als ob die letzten zwei Jahrzehnte nur der Übungsplatz für diesen Moment in der europäischen Geschichte waren. In mehr als 50 offiziellen Veröffentlichungen, darunter etwa 20 Studioalben, Live-Sessions und verschiedene andere offizielle Veröffentlichungen, hat es ROME geschafft, eine ganz eigene künstlerische Welt zu schaffen und sich eine starke und treue Anhängerschaft in Europa und der ganzen Welt aufzubauen.

Das Engagement für die Ukraine ist für den überzeugten Europäer Reuter eine Selbstverständlichkeit und doch in seiner Kompromisslosigkeit vorbildlich.

To Life!

- Schwarzes, 180 Gramm schweres 12" Vinyl
- Extra audiophiler Tonträger von hoher Qualität - deutsche Pressung!
- Opulentes Gatefold Cover
- Gatefold im Inside-Out Druckverfahren bedruckt
- 20-seitiges Vinylbooklet aus speziellem, rauem Papier
- Alle Grafiken in einem der Bildwelten würdigen Großformat (ca. 30 x 30cm)
- Mehrfarbig bedruckte Innenhülle
- Innenhülle aus speziellem, rauem Papier
- Mehrfarbig bedruckte Vinyletiketten
- Zertifikat von Jérôme Reuter handnummeriert und signiert
- Limitiert auf 500 Exemplare

Jerome Reuters Musikprojekt ROME verbindet mehr mit der Ukraine als der gelegentliche Gastauftritt. Seit 2015 bereist der Luxemburger Singer-Songwriter auf seinen Europatourneen das Land regelmäßig für Konzerte. So auch im Februar 2022, als Reuter nur wenige Tage vor der großen russischen Invasion noch Soloauftritte in Kyiv und Odessa trotz drastischer Reisewarnungen absolvierte.

Doch Reuter - ein von seiner Kreativität Getriebener, der schon immer eigenwillig seinen Weg ging - schwor sogar darüber hinaus, in absehbarer Zeit mit der kompletten Band zurückzukehren. Einige Monate später, nachdem er mehrere Online-Wohltätigkeitsshows zur Unterstützung der Ukraine gespielt hatte, kam er zunächst für einen Soloauftritt zurück und war damit der erste ausländische Künstler, der seit Beginn des Krieges ein komplettes Konzert auf ukrainischem Boden absolvierte. Dieser Auftritt im Juli 2022 wurde genutzt, um Spenden für eine Flüchtlingsunterkunft in Lwiw zu sammeln. Auf den Tag genau ein Jahr nach Reuters letztem Auftritt in Kyiv, löste er dann sein Versprechen ein und spielte zum ersten Jahrestag des Kriegsbeginns zwei mittlerweile geschichtsträchtige Full-Band-Shows mit ROME in Lwiw und Kyiw.

Reuters Unterstützung für den Freiheitskampf der Ukraine ist für jeden, der das bisherige Schaffen von ROME kennt, keine Überraschung. Seit fast zwei Jahrzehnten besingt Reuter die europäische Solidarität und Kultur, und so ist es nur eine logische Konsequenz, dass er nun mit "Gates of Europe" eine konzeptionelle Arbeit über den anhaltenden Krieg in Europa veröffentlicht.

Das Album beginnt mit einem Paukenschlag - einer unheilvollen und bedrohlichen Collage der Klänge des 24. Februar 2022, der ersten Stunde des Einmarsches - und führt mit minutiös geschliffenen Kleinoden fast chronologisch durch das erste Kriegsjahr. Auf "Gates of Europe" werden traditionelles Songwriter-Handwerk mit raffinierter Poesie und ungewöhnlichen Arrangements zu einem Gesamtkunstwerk verschmolzen. Die 14 Lieder sind packende Momentaufnahmen der inneren Befindlichkeit des Landes, das sich dem Sturm wider Erwarten entschlossen entgegenstellt. Und so ist "Gates of Europe" vor allem eines: Bekenntnis zu einem freien Europa aus der Feder eines Mannes, der mit tausend Fäden an vergangene Jahrhunderte gespannt zu sein scheint und doch in seinem Werk die zeitlose Zeit anvisiert.

Dieses Album scheint in vielerlei Hinsicht der Höhepunkt aller bisherigen Arbeiten Reuters zu sein, so als ob die letzten zwei Jahrzehnte nur der Übungsplatz für diesen Moment in der europäischen Geschichte waren. In mehr als 50 offiziellen Veröffentlichungen, darunter etwa 20 Studioalben, Live-Sessions und verschiedene andere offizielle Veröffentlichungen, hat es ROME geschafft, eine ganz eigene künstlerische Welt zu schaffen und sich eine starke und treue Anhängerschaft in Europa und der ganzen Welt aufzubauen.

Das Engagement für die Ukraine ist für den überzeugten Europäer Reuter eine Selbstverständlichkeit und doch in seiner Kompromisslosigkeit vorbildlich.

To Life!

- Schwarzes, 180 Gramm schweres 12" Vinyl
- Extra audiophiler Tonträger von hoher Qualität - deutsche Pressung!
- Opulentes Gatefold Cover
- Gatefold im Inside-Out Druckverfahren bedruckt
- 20-seitiges Vinylbooklet aus speziellem, rauem Papier
- Alle Grafiken in einem der Bildwelten würdigen Großformat (ca. 30 x 30cm)
- Mehrfarbig bedruckte Innenhülle
- Innenhülle aus speziellem, rauem Papier
- Mehrfarbig bedruckte Vinyletiketten
- Zertifikat von Jérôme Reuter handnummeriert und signiert
- Limitiert auf 500 Exemplare

Black Truffle is pleased to welcome free jazz legend Joe McPhee back to the fold with Oblique Strategies, a wild trio recorded in Antwerp in 2018 in the company of Mette Rasmussen’s fire-breathing alto saxophone and Dennis Tyfus’s post-Fluxus antics on tape, voice, and percussion. Rasmussen and Tyfus have previously recorded together as Bazuinschal, and some similar strategies are on display here: mysterious metallic scrapes, extended tones in which voice and sax become indistinguishable, comic explosions of varispeed tape. With McPhee on board, however, proceedings are more sumptuous, with the two horns moving fluidly from expeditions into the extremes of their instruments’ registers to pointillistic note-splatter and Ayler-esque folk melodies; we even get to bask in some of the slow-motion free blues that McPhee has now been playing for half a century. McPhee is heard primarily on tenor, Rasmussen mainly on alto, but with Rasmussen doubling on sundry objects, and the whole trio contributing vocals, certainty about who is doing what becomes nigh impossible.

The recording and production add to this hazy unclarity. Where much contemporary improvised music aims at dryly clinical hi-fi, the lively reverberant space of Oblique Strategies calls to mind the less-than-pristine sonics of classic free jazz artefacts like John Tchicai’s Afrodisiaca or McPhee’s own Underground Railroad. A further dimension of oblique unpredictability is added by subtle changes in the sense of space: at times merely a reverb tail glimpsed between phrases, at other points the whole mix seems to be momentarily swallowed up in slap-back, blurring the lines between acoustic instruments and the decayed fidelity of Tyfus’ tape playback. Spread across four pieces ranging from four to nineteen minutes in length, Oblique Strategies moves with anarchic swagger from explosions of clattering cymbals and bellowing horns to near-silent episodes of mysterious rumble and clunk. ‘Death or Dinner?’ opens the record with a lovely duet of climbing melodic patterns shared between the two saxophones, played with a buzzing oboe-like tone. A long, wavering note sung by Tyfus cues the first of countless changes of direction, eventually leading to a crescendo of watery splutters and duelling saxes. At points Tyfus’ keening resemble the signature moves of his friend and collaborator, Ghédelia Tazartès; at others, his tape-sped huffs and puffs possess a rawness reminiscent of Henri Chopin or Gil Wolman. The dialogue between wailing saxophones and vocal cries, punctuated by percussive thuds and crashes, can at times feel less like a musical performance and more like the calls of some mysterious forest creatures, possessing a primordial energy that might remind some listeners of the outdoor antics of Brötzmann and Bennink’s Schwarzwaldfahrt.

Oblique Strategies can also be delicate at times, as on the beautiful third piece, ‘Destilled Edible’, dominated by a slow, microtonal melody played with a breathy tone resembling a shakuhachi. The closing side-long ‘Light My Fire’ ranges across classic improv call and response, skittering trumpet blurts, inept cymbal clatter, mock-operatic vocals, and crude tape manoeuvres. Momentarily pausing at the ten-minute mark for an interlude of ghostly room sound and crackling texture, its closing moments unfurl a glorious dual saxophone finale, the almost epic tone subtly undermined by Tyfus quietly tapping out swing rhythms. Arriving in a striking sleeve adorned with Tyfus’ drawings, Oblique Strategies is an invigoratingly free-spirited blast of improvisation.
Downloads

Combat Beachs zweites Album effortlessly cool kombiniert lässig aus dem Ärmel geschüttelten Power Pop mit viel Selbstreflektion
Denn so effortlessly, also spielend leicht von der Hand, geht die Coolness dann doch nicht. Das Album ist eine Sammlung an Momentaufnahmen und Erfahrungen aus dem Leben junger Menschen, deren roter Faden die Erkenntnis ist, dass man ein bisschen besser rauskommt als man hineingegangen ist. Insofern ist der Titel vielleicht etwas ironisch, die Message aber bleibt die Gleiche: Man wächst an den Herausforderungen, die Coolness kommt von selbst.

History has proven that when the world is in flames, it ignites the empathetic artists to siren their words, music, and rhythm, to blanket our society"s fury and nurse scorched souls. The seemingly endless years of pandemic lockdown and social distancing, coupled with the turbulent plague of civil unrest and racial injustice, called on Vintage Trouble to step into their battle wear. Like so often before, they have spun records to drop onto the fighting grounds, with the intent to freeze the frame long enough to momentarily halt the warring world. And while at ease, we can freely choose to think before we strike or decide to retreat, rather than thoughtlessly charge into repeating history. This collection of heavy hymns is from the heart, and it provides a necessary rise to our ever reckoning.

In Hollis Debütalbum Der erste gute Tag kann sich jeder wiederfinden, der auch schon mal einen schlechten Tag hatte Der erste gute Tag ist ein Album übers Älterwerden und übers Dazulernen, über Fehler und was man aus diesen mitnehmen kann.

So ist es dann auch eher auf der melancholischen Seite der Gemütsskala angesiedelt, wenn auch beizeiten tanzbar-lebhafter Indie Rock und melodisch-folkige Arrangements darüber hinwegtäuschen mögen. Der erste gute Tag ist ein Album in tagebuchartigen Momentaufnahmen, aber ohne aufdringliche Weisheiten.

Vladislav Delay presents the third EP in his "Hide Behind The Silence" series with five 10" releases coming throughout 2023. Intuitive and raw music, momentary and reflective, released on Ripatti's own label "Rajaton".

--

Stillness is a myth. Consider concepts such as ”still water”, or ”still air” for that matter. Go to a restaurant, ask them for a glass of still water, hold it against the light and see where we’re at. Even though the water itself has been captured and imprisoned in the glass, it never stops breathing. It’s filled with tiny particles, dancing. Everything can be explained on a molecular level, but since we’re not scientists – and even if you happen to be – it’s the natural world of perception that moves me.
Still air is very similar. A hot summer’s day with zero wind feels completely still. It’s the closest I have felt to complete stillness. Or for a more urban adaptation, imagine the same vibe inside a normal apartment. In those moments, revelations and mind- blowing experiences can be had with experiments in stillness.
Try this: Just sit down for a minute on a sunny day, making sure there’s enough natural light. Do absolutely nothing. Try not to breathe for a bit. (If you need a mental anchor, you can play Cage’s 4’33” in your head but nothing else.) Watch the tiny dots of dust dancing :..’ ̈.:; ́ ́*°.,’:,. ̈ ̈ ̈ ̈:,.’
The movement is crazy, but the feeling of stillness comes from witnessing how subtle it is. In (perceived) complete stillness, every act of microscopic mobility seems to speak volumes. Yet, it feels both reassuring and oddly threatening that the stillness is never complete. What if we would need absolute stillness? Or is it just enough that we can perceive something as such? Extremes attract, so for both water and air, extraordinary movement is equally fascinating. That is also a luxury item of sorts. For us to enjoy a very ”loud” body of water or air, we need to be safe, in enough control of the situation. So when you are, it’s worthwhile to pay attention and take it all in.
A rapid flowing free with extreme strength and just barely in control. Look at that water go! No still water on this one, only ”sparkling”. A windy day when birds seem surprised how hard it is to fly, but in the end they make it. Trees bend but don’t break. The wind shows you its movement but doesn’t hurt you. It feels friendly, like a big clumsy dog that doesn’t quite understand its size.
It’s beautiful to be a guest of the elements, but not at the mercy of them. A new kind of dialogue forms.

History has proven that when the world is in flames, it ignites the empathetic artists to siren their words, music, and rhythm, to blanket our society"s fury and nurse scorched souls. The seemingly endless years of pandemic lockdown and social distancing, coupled with the turbulent plague of civil unrest and racial injustice, called on Vintage Trouble to step into their battle wear. Like so often before, they have spun records to drop onto the fighting grounds, with the intent to freeze the frame long enough to momentarily halt the warring world. And while at ease, we can freely choose to think before we strike or decide to retreat, rather than thoughtlessly charge into repeating history. This collection of heavy hymns is from the heart, and it provides a necessary rise to our ever reckoning.

This time two years ago, Pupil Slicer were preparing for the release of their debut album, Mirrors, with zero expectations of where it could take them. The breakneck speed with which Pupil Slicer were not only accepted but celebrated by the metal scene - both at home and abroad - took the band by surprise. As 2023 starts to unfold, it is a more mature, more considered version of Pupil Slicer that stands before us brandishing their sophomore album: Blossom. Blossom is a hard science fiction/cosmic horror concept album with central themes of abject despair, reincarnation and a fascination of hell. An intense month in the studio with producer Lewis Johns has led to a cohesive and confident sounding album that embraces ethereal singing, electronic breakdowns, and bold experimentation - without ever losing sight of their core tenets. Drawing from influences as diverse as Nine Inch Nails, Deafheaven, Radiohead, and Deftones, Pupil Slicer have moulded an album that is effervescent with passion but doesn’t shy away from a good hook and a catchy chorus. Through darkness and despair, there is always - at the very least - a glimmer of light in all that they do. Blossom is an album that benefits from being digested as a whole, but within this body of work there are gems that stand out, demonstrating that the future is extremely bright for Pupil Slicer. They’re only just getting started.

BAG X COLLAPSING DRUMS is a collaboration between experimental producer Collapsing Drums (Charlie Behrens) and spoken word/electronic duo BAG (Jody DeSchutter and Dan Allison). Modular synth, spoken word, field recording, experimental play and abstract guitar are a few of the practices visited by the project.

Momentary Lapses was born of an improvisational outburst sewn into a back and forth process, the three diverse perspectives nurturing creation and dissection along the way. This album maps multiple landscapes and conditions as drawn by the trio in an exploratory document, providing a journey through textures and atmospheres, beats and spaces, construction and reassembly. During the 18 months of the album’s creation, a series of bereavements disrupted and informed BXCD’s journey.

DeSchutter’s dada-esque verse moves purposely forward, fragmented through synaesthetic habitats. Her words, woven into the electronic compositions of Behrens and Allison, touch on themes of re-interpretation, incongruity, and longing. Momentary Lapses celebrates all that is unknown, pluralistic, and paradoxical as proposed antidotes to a binary mode of knowing. Sonically bridging the gaps between postpunk, IDM and experimental, BAG X COLLAPSING DRUMS promises a fresh take on the possibilities of sonic abstraction.

Berlins ASEC liefert hier vier verschiedene Tracks ab. Seine kreative Kraft wird vom Dancefloor angetrieben, behält aber seine persönliche Perspektive bei. Von universellen Emotionen durchdrungen kam die Inspiration für diese Veröffentlichung aus "der Idee, Entscheidungen zu treffen, die unumkehrbar sind, und dem Gewicht, das damit
einhergehen kann. Die Unentschlossenheit, die Angst und die Endgültigkeit von schwierigen Entscheidungen"

Berlin-based artist ASEC steps up for the latest release from BPitch. A creative force who is driven by the dance floor, while also maintaining his own personal perspective, ASEC delivers four distinct cuts. Swathed in universally relatable emotion, the inspiration for this release came from “the idea of making decisions that are irreversible and the weight that can come with that. The indecision, the fear and the finality of making difficult choices”. ‘Crossing The Rubicon’ sets the EP off to a galloping start with a contagious rhythm and an unsettling melody. It’s dark, yet utterly danceable, striking a delicate balance between beats and atmospherics. The title track follows, with ASEC’s penchant for modular synths giving the cut plenty of flavour and character. Propelled by snub-nosed kicks and shifting percussion, this is a deep dive into the mind of a considered artist. Next up it’s ‘Our Light In Momentary Troubles’, a dense composition with thick solid low end frequencies dancing side by side with a gnarly analogue riff. Finally ‘Bleep Test (Tool Mix)’ closes the EP, utilising the power of repetition to ensnare the listener. An utterly hypnotic cut that will keep you hooked to the very end...

Joel Vandroogenbroeck was an arranger, conductor, producer and, above all, a unique multi-instrumentalist in the world of music. The Belgian artist was also famous for being the only permanent member of the group Brainticket and the main promoter of its creativity, often renewed with the contribution of exotic instruments. At the dawn of the Seventies, this versatile musician began a parallel life as a composer of singular music libraries tailored to comment documentary images. “L'Immagine Del Suono” was one of them, originally released by Italy's Flirt Records and now repressed on vinyl
by Musica Per Immagini for the first time. This album circulated, however, unnoticed in a limited number of copies among insiders, only rediscovered later by fans, thus raising Joel Vandroogenbroeck as a real pioneer of ambient and new age music.

It is appropriate to consider the twelve short-lived pieces of L'Immagine Del Suono” as a sort of continuous and visionary experiment, with the addition of electronic gasps, a strong dose of inevitable psychedelia, fragments of synthesized jazz, all coming from experiences both internal and external, hallucinatory and hedonistic. All of this combined creates a mysterious and abstract hybrid. Sonic raw material is sculpted with artisanal care, at times twisted and cryptic, characterized by a transversal irony, to the point that the interference of rock elements in the course of the set divert the listener's attention and momentarily interrupt the flow of consciousness. “L'Immagine Del Suono” is a concentrated example of the avant-garde, free from categorisation of any kind, developed in a non-commercial key and, equally, is drawn from a direct line via what was previously expressed within the folds of the then contemporary works of Brainticket.

White Vinyl

Did you know that miracles happen every day? We don't always see it that way We look at the state of the world and think, "It'll be a miracle if we make it out alive." But miracles are what humans do. We're Earth's most inventive and unpredictable species, when we're allowed to be. Also the most destructive. Miracle-Level is Deerhoof's mystical manifesto on creativity and trust. It celebrates the infinite small wonders of existence that spontaneously present themselves, when not obstructed by our death-driven masters. Musically, Miracle-Level is vulnerable, brave, and brimming with spicy surprises. Deerhoof's 19th album is also their their first to be recorded and mixed in a recording studio. Production was entrusted to Mike Bridavsky, at No Fun Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This is also their first album written entirely in Satomi's native language. Deerhoof once again speak in a secret code that only their fans understand, in which hooks abound, and genre is nonexistent.