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Seit der Veröffentlichung ihres Debütalbums St. Jude im Jahr 2008 haben sich Courteeners zu einer der beliebtesten Bands Großbritanniens
entwickelt und eine riesige Community um ihre ausverkauften Shows aufgebaut, die sie landesweit immer wieder vor ausverkauften Häusern und
Plätzen spielen lässt.
Pink Cactus Café ist Courteeners' 7. Studioalbum und ihre erste neue Musik seit More. Again. Forever. im Jahr 2020, das von den Kritikern begeistert
aufgenommen wurde.
In ihrer 16-jährigen Karriere hatte die Band beständigen kommerziellen Erfolg und erhielt in UK Auszeichnungen in Platin (x1), Gold (x3) und Silber
(x2) für ihre Alben. Zuletzt erreichte eine Neuauflage des Debütalbums St. Jude im Jahr 2023, fünfzehn Jahre nach der ursprünglichen
Veröffentlichung, Platz 1 der britischen Albumcharts, und Anfang dieses Jahres gewannen Courteeners bei den Nordoff Robins Northern Music
Awards die Auszeichnung Band des Jahres.

The French group consolidates its soul, rock and Americana roots in a liberating and timeless second album.

In 2021, Lowland Brothers, the first self-titled album from the group led by Nico Duportal (vocals, guitars, lyrics), Hugo Deviers (percussion, guitar, lyrics) and Max Genouel (bass, keyboards) built an unprecedented transatlantic bridge between soul, rock and the woody sounds of Americana. " We have some

African-American, but our desire is to transport this baggage and take it elsewhere,” specifies the group from the West and North of France.

Luther Dickinson, 10-time Grammy nominated North Mississippi All Star, joins up with noted Bay Area mensch David Katznelson to chase the spirits and get weird. World Boogie is Coming! This is the debut project from Luther Dickinson and David Katznelson, who famously signed The Flaming Lips. It also features the last known audio of Jim Dickinson and is limited to 400 foil stamped numbered vinyl copies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"“There are times in life when you’re so present, so fully immersed in the moment that you can catch a glimpse of another universe, of a realm beyond our own,” says Louisa Stancioff. “It might last for a second or an hour, it might come in the midst of bliss or sadness, you might be alone or with a lover, but when it happens, there’s nothing quite like it.”

When We Were Looking, Stancioff’s stunning Yep Roc debut, is full of those moments. Written and recorded through a period of deep heartbreak and uncertainty, the collection is the raw and unflinching work of a nomadic soul who spent stints living in Alaska, California, New York, and North Carolina before returning home to her native Maine, one that holds nothing back in its bittersweet reckonings with pain, healing, acceptance, and growth. Stancioff writes with a cinematic eye here, conjuring up richly detailed stagings for her emotionally-charged character studies, and the guitar-and-synth-focused arrangements are immersive and nuanced to match, thanks in part to the evocative sonic landscaping of producer/keyboardist Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Craig Finn), who proves to be an ideal creative foil on the record. Add it all up and you’ve got a dreamy, nostalgic Polaroid of an album that blurs the lines between indie stoicism and folk sincerity, a lush, cathartic work that hints at everything from Phoebe Bridgers and Arlo Parks to Big Thief and Waxahatchee as it learns to find the beauty in grief and rebirth."

A hard rock mash up - Bandleader Paul Ngozi's split album with his drummer and co-vocalist Chrissy Zebby Tembo. The set includes an oversized 8 page booklet detailing Ngozi’s arc, rare photographs, discography and annotations.

"Zambia’s Zamrock movement that exploded in the 1970s...provided young musicians access to European and American music, and created a unique sound. At its root, Zamrock melded fuzz-toned psychedelia, chugging garage rock and roiling funk with a broad mix of African cadences and beats...enlivening a scene that included bands like Musi-O-Tunya, Amanaz and the Ngozi Family” - New York Times

Zamrock was a bona-fide rock scene: on the African continent, only Nigeria can claim one so comprehensive, and Nigeria’s was largely catalyzed and funded by subsidiaries of the European major labels. Zamrock was as independent as the newly-named country, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia. Zamrock is starting in its completeness, especially for a scene that emerged, unfurled and disappeared so quickly. From Musi-O-Tunyaís fusion of Fela’s Afro-beat, Hendrix’s rock, South African jazz and traditional Zambian melodies and rhythms to Salty Dog’s acid folk/rock, Zambia’s rock scene contained all of rock’s subgenres. Zamrock was much more than an imitation of American and European rock music: it quickly became a uniquely Zambian movement, befitting of its name. WITCH, Paul Ngozi and Amanaz sound nothing like other rock music from the African continent - or elsewhere. Zamrock came from a nation's youth carrying forth the momentum of a political and social revolution with a musical revolution that maintained the fiery power of early rock - in the mid-to late-70s. From that era, Zamrockís energy is matched only by the punk and hip hop scenes of England and America.

Seit der Veröffentlichung ihres Debütalbums St. Jude im Jahr 2008 haben sich Courteeners zu einer der beliebtesten Bands Großbritanniens
entwickelt und eine riesige Community um ihre ausverkauften Shows aufgebaut, die sie landesweit immer wieder vor ausverkauften Häusern und
Plätzen spielen lässt.
Pink Cactus Café ist Courteeners' 7. Studioalbum und ihre erste neue Musik seit More. Again. Forever. im Jahr 2020, das von den Kritikern begeistert
aufgenommen wurde.
In ihrer 16-jährigen Karriere hatte die Band beständigen kommerziellen Erfolg und erhielt in UK Auszeichnungen in Platin (x1), Gold (x3) und Silber
(x2) für ihre Alben. Zuletzt erreichte eine Neuauflage des Debütalbums St. Jude im Jahr 2023, fünfzehn Jahre nach der ursprünglichen
Veröffentlichung, Platz 1 der britischen Albumcharts, und Anfang dieses Jahres gewannen Courteeners bei den Nordoff Robins Northern Music
Awards die Auszeichnung Band des Jahres.

Bounds follows Craven Faults"second full-length album Standers. Following loosely in the footsteps of 2020"s Enclosures release, here"s another 37-minute journey through Northern England via a lifetime obsessing at the fringes of popular culture.

Bounds follows Craven Faults"second full-length album Standers. Following loosely in the footsteps of 2020"s Enclosures release, here"s another 37-minute journey through Northern England via a lifetime obsessing at the fringes of popular culture.

"‘Dancing Undercover’ was released in 1986 as RATT toured North America with a brand new LA band called POISON as the opening act. Lead single “Dance” hit the Billboard Hot 100 and spawned another music video hit with “Slip Of The Lip”, while “Body Talk” was featured in a key scene in the Eddie Murphy film, ‘The Golden Child’. ‘Dancing Undercover’ became RATT 3rd consecutive PLATINUM album and reached #26 on the Billboard Top 200.
The album features the classic line up of Stephen Pearcy (vocals), Warren DeMartini (guitars), Robbin Crosby (guitars), Juan Croucier (bass/vocals), and Bobby Blotzer (drums), and is now available on CD and Limited Edition red, black & white stripe vinyl."

"Critically acclaimed and the most-watched Netflix series during the week of 12th February 2024, One Day – adapted from the David Nicholls book – follows the lives and relationship of Emma and Dexter over the course of 20 years, presented through the lens of their annual encounters on the 15th of July.
The series has been a hit globally (number one in 80 countries) with a standout soundtrack, including The Cranberries ‘Dreams’, Joan Armatrading ‘Love And Affection’, Crowded House ‘Weather With You’, Soul II Soul ‘Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)’, Cameo ‘Candy’, Nick Drake ‘Northern Sky’.
This 2LP release curates twenty songs from across the twenty year period of the series’ soundtrack, as well as including two tracks from the score to close each disc in the set."

A RADICAL HORIZON is comprised of a series of duets between cellist Lori Goldston and pianist Stefan Christoff, recorded on a late Fall afternoon in Brooklyn, NY. A conversation between friends, these improvised excursions reflect a willingness to be open to the spirits in the space and between the notes; a spirit of communion that, as Stefan writes, "guides and dances with our dialogue together".

Stefan Christoff is a Canadian musician, community organizer, and journalist based in Montreal, Quebec. He has collaborated with artists such as Sam Shalabi and Adriana Camacho, performs with his brother Jordan as a duo in Anarchist Mountains, and has released music on labels such as Moon Villain, Shimmering Moods, and Aural Canyon.

A lifelong community activist, he helped establish the Musicians For Palestine project and has engaged in street-level solidarity work in Lebanon and The Philippines as well as closer to home in Montreal. This is his second appearance on Beacon Sound after 'In Sofia', an album of piano improvisations recorded in Bulgaria, was released on the label in 2023.

Classically trained and rigorously de-trained, possessor of a restless, semi-feral spirit, Lori Goldston is a cellist, composer, improvisor, producer, writer and teacher from Seattle. Her voice as a cellist, amplified or acoustic, is full, textured, committed and original. A relentless inquirer, her work drifts freely across borders that separate genre, discipline, time and geography.

Current and former collaborators and/or bosses include Earth, Nirvana, Mirah, Jessika Kenney, Ilan Volkov, Eyvind Kang, Stuart Dempster, David Byrne, Terry Riley, Jherek Bischoff, Malcom Goldstein, Steve Von Till, Lonnie Holley, Cat Power, Ellen Fullman, Maya Dunietz, Mik Quantius, Embryo, O Paon, Tara Jane O’Neil, Natacha Atlas, Broken Water, Ed Pias, Christian Rizzo and Sophie Laly, Threnody Ensemble, Cynthia Hopkins, 33 Fainting Spells, Vanessa Renwick, Mark Mitchell, Lynn Shelton, and many more.

Her work has been commissioned by and/or performed at the Kennedy Center, Sydney Festival, Cineteca Nacional de México, Tectonics Festival, Frye Art Museum, Time Based Art Festival (TBA), WNYC, The New Foundation, Paris Fashion Week, Northwest Film Forum, On the Boards, Seattle International Film Festival, Seattle Jewish Film Festival, Bumbershoot, Crossing Border Festival, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, Joe’s Pub, the Stone, University of Chicago, and venues large and small throughout North America, Mexico, Australia, and Europe.

“Friends, they are my ticket out of this place I am in… feels like nothing more than a dirt bike vacation stop between Phoenix and San Diego.” Dirt Bike Vacation—for Worried Songs Records—explores the sonic world of the late amateur guitar player, Charles ‘Poppy Bob’ Walker, through a captivating set of instrumental songs made in the mid-1980s. Recorded on a single-track, Marantz field recorder, the project is a transportive document of Walker’s days spent as a meatpacking employee in Yuma, Arizona and the dailiness of that existence: driving to work, sitting in his backyard, walking around drunkenly, unwinding on the couch with a friend. These sketches, showing an experimental tendency, are surprisingly ahead of their time; some exhibit ad hoc tape delay (“Granite Bluffs,” “Goodbye YMCA”), while others make use of primitive overdubbing (“Continuation to Moon Doctor”). Not dissimilar to works such as Bruce Langhorne’s The Hired Hand soundtrack, Walker’s guitar playing is melodic, texturally rich and beautifully sober. On a musical tour from Nashville to Los Angeles, musician-archivist, Cameron Knowler, uncovered these songs from a series of dusty cassette tapes housed at a branch of the Yuma County Library. Originally tipped off by cryptic metadata entries found through an online finding aid, Knowler requested a sound sample and was immediately drawn in by their eerie, yet hopeful nature: “I didn’t care what they sounded like at first, but once I heard just a few seconds, I had to find out everything I could about Charles, who he was, and if he was still alive.” As it turns out, the two had miraculously crossed paths over 20 years prior when Cameron was a young boy accompanying his mother, a gem trader, on a biyearly sojourn to Quartzsite, a town 80 miles north of Yuma: “Charles, sitting down and smoking in a recliner, withdrawn, held what I now understand to be a mid-1990s Martin D-28 guitar. Unlike other old-timers, his instrument was sharply tuned and had a nice sound, even to my young and uncalibrated ears. Though his left hand showed signs of highly developed arthritis, his musical ideas were animated by a palpably deep understanding of fretboard anatomy, arrangement and harmony.” Sorting through the index cards associated with these tapes, Knowler was able to gain a detailed sense of most recording’s provenance, whereabouts and time: Walker’s Datsun pickup truck chugging along boiling hot Interstate 80, the Marine Corps Air Station parking lot, the Eastern Wetlands on the banks of the Colorado River, a fishing trip to Martinez Lake. Trying to reduce the amount of his own subjectivities coloring the work, Cameron constructed titles and track sequences by borrowing information gleaned from Charles’ handwritten notes: “I tried to organize everything by time of day, giving the listener the sense of how a Yuma day might sound and feel like, and each song title—even the record itself—is borrowed from his own words.” This proved no small task, as many notecards had to be deciphered and then coupled with their native tapes which needed extensive restoration treatments. The result is a project very much out of the blue, and one that is intensely personal to Knowler, having grown up in the same town under similar circumstances. “It feels like a part of my own journey as a guitarist reckoning with the defining marks of a gothic border town,” he remarks. “At the time I would’ve met Walker, I didn’t have much outside influence, but he has been in there all the while.” In their current form, the tracks combine to create a sonic journey that boldly contributes to the traditions of acoustic guitar soli, archival digs and field recordings all the same; most importantly, it is a creative document which shows a day-in-the-life of a man grappling with the human experience under a ubiquitous Yuma sun.

"New York Hip Hop revolutionaries Ced-Gee, Kool Keith, Moe Luv and T.R. Love, known as Ultramagnetic Mc’s dropped their seminal debut album Critical Beatdown in 198 Immediately grabbing the attention and pushing the boundaries of hip hop into new horizons, it was hailed as a masterpiece by the underground. Influential hip hop magazines The Source and Hip Hop Connection both listed Critical Beatdown in their Top 100 charts, naming it one of the best 100 hip hop albums ever. The 1986 single “Ego Trippin” is one of the first tracks to use the SP1200 drum machine (programmed by producer Ced-Gee), and the SP1200 would later become the golden standard for many hip hop producers. This expanded edition features not only the original album with the 15 tracks, but it also includes 6 bonus tracks: the original 12” versions of “Funky”, “Bait”, “A Chorus Line” featuring Tim Dog, “Mentally Mad” plus “Traveling at the Speed of Thought (Hip House Club Mix)” and “Ego Trippin (Bonus Beats)”. Don't miss out on the opportunity to catch them live as they are touring the globe again. Critical Beatdown (Expanded Edition) is available as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on green coloured vinyl. It also contains a 4-page booklet with interviews, rare photos and liner notes. "

Critical Beatdown by Ultramagnetic Mc's, released 23 February 2024, includes the following tracks: "Ego Trippin (Original 12” Version)", "Kool Keith Housing Things", "Feelin’ It", "Ain’t it Good to You" and more.

This version of Critical Beatdown comes as a 2xLP. This release comes with (a) Booklet & Insert(s).

The vinyl is pressed as a green disc. Another vinyl is pressed as a

It's a UK thing, they say. However, halftime and Jungle are dubbed internationally since ages. Positive vibes are killing borders all over the globe.

Members of Champion Sound met while playing in Reggae bands in Moscow. Neekeetone was drumming, Koondoongoo is still playing bass. A bit later they ran into Distant Roots while DJing at Dub Raw Camp, a bass family festival in the north of Caucasus.

When the 45Seven label and its sounds started to flourish, it gave instant inspiration to them Champions, resulting in nothing less than the two bombs you will hear on this very plate.

Gun Fevah is cultivating splashy halftime snares spiced with jungley layers, embedded between classic horns and skanks.

Wise Man steps up Sesame's Treat wise with vibes hailing from far away over a lush bassline that could roll on forever.

This seven looks back to the imaginary roots of these 45s as well as making way for a bright future of Dubby Jungle!

5, the fifth installment of the mixtape series that propelled her to stardom - a journey that began over a decade ago with the release of the first Winter’s Diary. This follows the release of her 2023 masterpiece, Thanks 4 Nothing, which was executive produced by Hitmaka. Thanks 4 Nothing has garnered over 160 million streams, and received accolades from virtually every major publication, including receiving a 7.6 rating by Pitchfork and gracing the cover of Galore Magazine. She followed up with her Thanks 4 Everything North American tour where she delivered an unforgettable performance of hits from her previous albums as well as the new project. In addition to new music coming this year, Tink will also be joining Jhene Aiko on The Magic Hour arena tour, spanning 27 cities. While all of this success may be a surprise to some, Tink and her day ones know how hard she has been grinding for this moment and how deserved it is. An album over 6 years in the making, Winter’s Diary 5 is finally here, and it’s about to be a cold winter.

Distance as a measure of time and place informs Kelly Finnigan's, A Lover Was Born with a grit and grace that turns passion into virtue. The latest solo release from The Monophonics frontman roots itself in the best traditions of midwest soul labels like King, Curtom, Dakar, and the Bodie Recording Company. A Lover Was Born is a testimony that these deep cut grooves are not resigned to nostalgia, instead, they are at the burning heart of longing and hope. The journey Finnigan takes listeners on over Lover's eleven tracks echo the state of motion and growth since his solo debut, The Tales People Tell (2019). These two records bookend a prolific period of output, including a pair of Monophonics albums, a Christmas album, a mixtape, and a full slate of producing other artists (The Ironsides, Alanna Royale, the Sextones). "There's nothing like making records," says Finnigan. "It feels like that's my purpose _ the reason I was put on this earth." Written in California, Ohio, and Staten Island, Kelly Finnigan collaborated with old friends in and outside the studio. "I enjoy working alone but it's not how you want to make a record_almost everybody I brought in for this album I've worked with, toured with or spent a great deal of time with." Max and Joe Ramey (The Ironsides), Jimmy James (Parlor Greens), Sergio Rios (Orgone), Joey Crispiano (Dap Kings) and Jay Mumford (aka J-Zone) all contribute to the overall sound of A Lover Was Born. Dramatic influences like Isaac Hayes (check out the piano on "Be Your Own Shelter") and Jerry Ragovoy are chopped and folded into Northern Soul uptempo numbers to create stompers like "Get a Hold of Yourself" or "Chosen Few". Finnigan's take on Deep Soul is captured brilliantly on "Walk Away from Me" and "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)", while Boom Bap pervades on hard hitters "His Love Ain't Real" & "Cold World". Slower songs such as "Let Me Count the Reasons", the emotional "All That's Left", and the soul-stirring album closer "Count Me Out" show the honest and tender side that has become Finnigan's calling card. All the while, the voice is raw and earthy _ in the best tradition of R&B shouters like Otis Redding, Lee Moses, and David Ruffin. The songs on A Lover Was Born reconfigure the spliced and sampled DNA of hip hop (extracted by crate diggers like Dilla and RZA) to create something new, underscoring both the spectrum and depth of soul while making a case to the timelessness of Finnigan's sound.

Distance as a measure of time and place informs Kelly Finnigan's, A Lover Was Born with a grit and grace that turns passion into virtue. The latest solo release from The Monophonics frontman roots itself in the best traditions of midwest soul labels like King, Curtom, Dakar, and the Bodie Recording Company. A Lover Was Born is a testimony that these deep cut grooves are not resigned to nostalgia, instead, they are at the burning heart of longing and hope. The journey Finnigan takes listeners on over Lover's eleven tracks echo the state of motion and growth since his solo debut, The Tales People Tell (2019). These two records bookend a prolific period of output, including a pair of Monophonics albums, a Christmas album, a mixtape, and a full slate of producing other artists (The Ironsides, Alanna Royale, the Sextones). "There's nothing like making records," says Finnigan. "It feels like that's my purpose _ the reason I was put on this earth." Written in California, Ohio, and Staten Island, Kelly Finnigan collaborated with old friends in and outside the studio. "I enjoy working alone but it's not how you want to make a record_almost everybody I brought in for this album I've worked with, toured with or spent a great deal of time with." Max and Joe Ramey (The Ironsides), Jimmy James (Parlor Greens), Sergio Rios (Orgone), Joey Crispiano (Dap Kings) and Jay Mumford (aka J-Zone) all contribute to the overall sound of A Lover Was Born. Dramatic influences like Isaac Hayes (check out the piano on "Be Your Own Shelter") and Jerry Ragovoy are chopped and folded into Northern Soul uptempo numbers to create stompers like "Get a Hold of Yourself" or "Chosen Few". Finnigan's take on Deep Soul is captured brilliantly on "Walk Away from Me" and "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)", while Boom Bap pervades on hard hitters "His Love Ain't Real" & "Cold World". Slower songs such as "Let Me Count the Reasons", the emotional "All That's Left", and the soul-stirring album closer "Count Me Out" show the honest and tender side that has become Finnigan's calling card. All the while, the voice is raw and earthy _ in the best tradition of R&B shouters like Otis Redding, Lee Moses, and David Ruffin. The songs on A Lover Was Born reconfigure the spliced and sampled DNA of hip hop (extracted by crate diggers like Dilla and RZA) to create something new, underscoring both the spectrum and depth of soul while making a case to the timelessness of Finnigan's sound.

Distance as a measure of time and place informs Kelly Finnigan's, A Lover Was Born with a grit and grace that turns passion into virtue. The latest solo release from The Monophonics frontman roots itself in the best traditions of midwest soul labels like King, Curtom, Dakar, and the Bodie Recording Company. A Lover Was Born is a testimony that these deep cut grooves are not resigned to nostalgia, instead, they are at the burning heart of longing and hope. The journey Finnigan takes listeners on over Lover's eleven tracks echo the state of motion and growth since his solo debut, The Tales People Tell (2019). These two records bookend a prolific period of output, including a pair of Monophonics albums, a Christmas album, a mixtape, and a full slate of producing other artists (The Ironsides, Alanna Royale, the Sextones). "There's nothing like making records," says Finnigan. "It feels like that's my purpose _ the reason I was put on this earth." Written in California, Ohio, and Staten Island, Kelly Finnigan collaborated with old friends in and outside the studio. "I enjoy working alone but it's not how you want to make a record_almost everybody I brought in for this album I've worked with, toured with or spent a great deal of time with." Max and Joe Ramey (The Ironsides), Jimmy James (Parlor Greens), Sergio Rios (Orgone), Joey Crispiano (Dap Kings) and Jay Mumford (aka J-Zone) all contribute to the overall sound of A Lover Was Born. Dramatic influences like Isaac Hayes (check out the piano on "Be Your Own Shelter") and Jerry Ragovoy are chopped and folded into Northern Soul uptempo numbers to create stompers like "Get a Hold of Yourself" or "Chosen Few". Finnigan's take on Deep Soul is captured brilliantly on "Walk Away from Me" and "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)", while Boom Bap pervades on hard hitters "His Love Ain't Real" & "Cold World". Slower songs such as "Let Me Count the Reasons", the emotional "All That's Left", and the soul-stirring album closer "Count Me Out" show the honest and tender side that has become Finnigan's calling card. All the while, the voice is raw and earthy _ in the best tradition of R&B shouters like Otis Redding, Lee Moses, and David Ruffin. The songs on A Lover Was Born reconfigure the spliced and sampled DNA of hip hop (extracted by crate diggers like Dilla and RZA) to create something new, underscoring both the spectrum and depth of soul while making a case to the timelessness of Finnigan's sound.

Brothers Dana and Alden McWayne, along with a troupe of multi-instrumental artists, come together to create jazzy melodies with indie sounds inspired by their unconventional upbringing in Eugene, Oregon. Following the success of their debut full-length album and it's lead track "Dragonfly" (which tracked 300,000 TikTok creations, and over 10 million streams) the brothers recruited Jared Solomon (Sza, Remi Wolf, Teezo Touchdown) to produce their sophomore LP, Coyote, You're My Star. Melding vintage sounds with the aesthetic and experience of existing in Gen Z and the digital age, the new LP has already been met with rousing approval, with airtime on the Zane Lowe show on Apple as well as playlist covers like Spotify's State of Jazz. The band is also set to tour North America and Europe across festivals and headline shows.

Phoebe Rings is a dream-pop band offering a unique blend of introspective yearning with celestial danceable grooves. Their self-titled debut EP, a hopeful collection of musings, out on Carpark Records, is a testament to the distinctive musical style of Auckland jazz-school-trained pianist and songwriter Crystal Choi. Across six tracks, the EP is a love letter to some of the band’s influences: Studio Ghibli films, Zelda and Stardew soundtracks, Bossa Nova, Stereolab, and 90’s Korean ballads.

In 2020, the band played their first gig in a ‘funny side room’ during a festival at Auckland Town Hall. Choi’s songwriting was brought to life with Alex Freer on drums, Simeon Kavanagh-Vincent on guitar and synths, and Benjamin Locke on bass. Choi says she knew the tracks had to be recorded after the band played the songs better than she could ever imagine. And so, remotely through the COVID-19 lockdowns, the band started recording the EP.

“Daisy” is the vibrant leading single, with the shimmery refrain “Ooh-wee-a-waa” and the uplifting mantra: “When you’re next to me, the world’s full of daisies.” The swirling synths fizz on the skin like warm sun, promising growth and new starts. “Cheshire” is an Alice in Wonderland-inspired trip through the rabbit hole, pacing in anticipation. “Like a Cheshire cat, it grins and disappears in moments when you accept yourself,” explains Choi. Locke and Choi finished the lyrics one evening, huddled in the corner of a local underground music venue, with references to Murakami’s book Dance Dance Dance.

Choi grew up in Seoul, developing a palette for K-pop and retro sounds. The city-pop influence of “January Blues” shines through, with Choi crediting one of her favourite songs from the ’80s: “연극이 끝난 후 After Play”. The track explores her disconnect with the summer break. “In the Northern Hemisphere, January is winter,” says Choi. “I missed that a lot, and I don’t vibe with the beach.”

“Spissky,” chimes in with Choi’s lilting vocals reminiscent of childhood lullabies, inspired by a lonely-looking castle she saw on tour with Princess Chelsea in Slovakia. While “Ocean” leans into its mumble-core roots, taking a leaf from the Cocteau Twins. There’s an external shift in the EP, with “Lazy Universe” being the most energetic track, evolving with the band’s chaotic sci-fi experimentation. Asking, “Are you still waiting for a kiss?” Choi is self-critical and urgently speaks up from being passive.

The members of Phoebe Rings are cemented in the musical ecosystem, balancing other projects and full-time work. Yet Sundays will always be carved out for Phoebe Rings to dream up imaginative, world-building tunes — often with a Nintendo game soundtrack in the background as inspiration.

THE CHEFS tauchten zum ersten Mal auf der ,Vaultage 79" Compilation aus Brighton auf. Zwischen 1980 und 1981 veröffentlichten sie drei Singles: zwei auf dem legendären Brightoner Label Attrix, eine auf Graduate Records. John Peel und andere Radio DJs spielten ihre Songs zu Tode, was schließlich in BBC Radiosessions mündete. Nachdem THE CHEFS zu SKAT geworden waren, brach die Band auseinander. Helen McCookerybook sollte als HELEN AND THE HORNS Erfolge für sich verbuchen und ist heute noch solo aktiv. Diese Doppel-LP mit 26 Tracks von THE CHEFS enthält sämtliche ihrer Aufnahmen auf Attrix und Graduate Records, dazu bisher unveröffentlichte Songs des verschollenen Debütalbums, und Songs aus den Radio Sessions für John Peel und Richard Skinner. Dies sind die Wurzeln von C-86, von Indiepop und vielem mehr. Nebenbei ist ,Records&Tea" auch noch ein wirklich gutes Album.

Releasing in the autumn of 2024 Andy Smith's curation of the 3rd volume in his Reach Up – Disco Wonderland series brings us more carefully selected music from the Discosphere. With tracks from artists as far ranging as Buscrates, Trailer Limon and Rena Scott included in this 16 track killer compilation Andy has also included excellent edits and remixes from such stellar names as Full Intention, Yam Who and Skratch Bastid. Indeed, the CD and digital versions of the release also include a fully continuous Skratch Bastid mix of all 16 tracks. Reach Up-Disco Wonderland vol. 3 was curated during the lockdown periods of the pandemic after a series of virtual 'nights out' viewing DJs such as Skratch Bastid, The Nextmen, Chris Wheatley and others performing sets on the Twitch platform. Andy is now playing out in the real world with some of the DJs he 'met' online so now the time is right to drop this compilation on BBE Music. Andy Smith's pedigree in sourcing and mixing tracks from across eras and genres goes back to his debut compilation release The Document in 1998, he was the explorer and provider of samples and breaks for the first two Portishead albums and played as the band's international tour DJ. His compilation track record of some fifteen plus releases since 1998 has covered New Orleans Funk, Northern Soul, Reggae, the mixed genre follow ups to the The Document and, of course, the now three volumes of the Reach Up-Disco Wonderland series on BBE Music. Pressed as a triple vinyl LP, along with the aforementioned double CD and digital versions, not only is Reach Up-Disco Wonderland vol. 3 a delight for the DJ consul and the dance floor, but also an audiophile's dream on vinyl with all tracks mastered at the renowned and Grammy nominated Carvery Studios.

My Life, Americana trailblazer Iris DeMent’s sophomore album, cemented her legacy as one of the nation’s greatest living songwriters. Dedicated to her father, Patrick Shaw DeMent, who died in 1992, the album illustrates DeMent’s razorsharp songwriting on originals like “Sweet Is the Melody,” “No Time to Cry” and the title track. The songs “are jewels of universal longing” (Chicago Tribune) and “it is nearly impossible to exaggerate the beauty of these recordings.” (AllMusic). The album is being officially reissued for the first time for its 30th anniversary, pressed on maroon color vinyl and remastered by Mike Westbrook of MW Audio. The lacquer is cut by renowned mastering engineer Kevin Gray and is pressed at the state-of-the-art audiophile facilities at Citizen Vinyl in Asheville, North Carolina. This pressing is limited to 2,000 copies worldwide.

Wyatt Flores, is an American country music singer-songwriter and musician. EMI are please to announced his debut album Welcome To The Plains will be released in UK on 18th October. Flores told fans that the record will be released on October 18th and was inspired by his native Oklahoma and ultimate search for happiness. From stories about his life, family and many places he’s been, it is highly-anticipated by fans and was produced by Beau Bedford (Orville Peck, Shane Smith & The Saints). They recorded the songs between Los Angeles and Asheville, North Carolina (a pretty stark contrast), and the songs feature writers like Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor and Aaron Raitiere, as Wyatt details the struggle of leaving his hometown of Stillwater and dealing with the highs and lows of life on the road as an up-and-coming musician.

After their critically acclaimed full length vinyl release “Acid Universe” from last year, the American (from Fargo, North Dakota) psychedelic, proggy, bluesy and groovy instrumental stoner rock band El Supremo continues on “Signor Morte Improvvisa” with its strong line-up featuring Chad Heille on drums, Neal Stein on guitar, Chris Gould on organ/keys and Cameron Dewald on bass. El Supremo was originally formed as a one-man project with Chad Heille playing all the instruments and handling recording/production. A self-titled full-length demo was released in 2008, with Tom Canning and Neal Stein only contributing guitar solos. Chad and Neal went on to play in the band Egypt from 2012 to 2018. After Egypt split, it was time for Chad and Neal to continue under the El Supremo name, whose influences are rooted in classic 70’s rock, heavy blues and cinematic (cosmic / desert) stoner rock. “Signor Morte Improvvisa” is their third full-album. Vinyl.

An incredible version of 7 Days Too Long on beautiful green vinyl, by New Zealand Soul Sensations Jamie and The Numbers. To make this even more special, the artwork has been inspired by Dexy’s Midnight Runner’s debut album “Searching for the Young Soul Rebels”, as well as the sleeve notes written by Kevin Archer. It also features the trombone skills of “Big” Jim Paterson!

“The original by Chuck Wood was released in the 60's. However, it was 1973 when I heard it for the first time whilst growing up in the Black Country. At the time, I was just 15 years old and having no siblings, I looked towards the older kids, who for me, were into the scene, especially Northern Soul. There were songs such as "Me & Baby Brother" by War, and the commercial "Skiing In The Snow" by The Invitations that grabbed my attention, plus I also liked the drummer Hamilton Bohannon.

The footwear of choice were Solatio shoes, which had leather soles that allowed shuffling on the dancefloor, as well as the great acts of acrobatics during the high points of these great tunes. Although girls attended these gatherings, it was unheard of to ask a girl to dance. It just wasn't the cool thing to do! All of this brings me to Dexys Midnight Runners. Mike Taylor, a friend of the band, suggested covering this song. Our sound was a little bit like Jamie & The Numbers, in what both bands set out to achieve with each of their respective sounds. This version has been inspired by Dexys - the intro, the breakdown, the guitar and organ driven vibe, all providing the perfect backdrop for the amazing talent of Jamie Musava. Her vocals are just brilliant and of course, Big Jimmy is there with them on trombone. Now for the caper...”

Originally released following Deep Purple’s split in 1976, David Coverdale’s first two solo albums will be available on vinyl for Rocktober 2024, newly remixed and presented as Whitesnake records. Featuring future Whitesnake lead guitarist Micky Moody, and produced by Deep Purple’s Roger Glover, these long out of print albums are a key part of the David Coverdale and Whitesnake story.

Under 1 House is the blazing new mixtape from Blue Hawaii - a six track tour-de-force showcasing the duo's trademark blend of liquid beats, dance-floor euphoria, and soaring diva-vocals.Under 1 House was written during Blue Hawaii's 2019 North American and European tours, and recorded at a wood cabin in rural Québec. Finding each other trapped on different sides of the Atlantic, the record was then finished over long-distance between Montreal and Berlin due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. This music is dedicated to the spirit of togetherness. Unity achieved through confidence, in the seductive redemption of one's own sexuality, finding power in feelin' one's self. Under 1 House honours the magnetism of impulse and first takes. This flow can be found in the brooding, early Warp Records reminiscent "Where are the Keys???", the sub-heavy, lustful organ groove of "Feelin'", the lo-fi high energy "I Felt Love" or the chanting of "I'm my own damn woman" during the screeched ending of "Not my Boss!". Blue Hawaii have been around for a decade, having released 3 full length albums and two EPs to date. Consisting of Ra and Ag, the duo met throwing parties and shows in Montreal and continue to create together despite living in separate cities - split between Montreal and Berlin.

Ltd edition of 50 hand numbered cassettes from the magnetic north, containing Scopeotaku’s next incarnation of DIY tape manoeuvres.

Sounds for the mythology of a dystopian society that is tired of being spoon fed the common denominator, where police states and clandestine government activities are the norm.

This, the fourth, album from scopeotaku bridges the gap between 4040 and They Came From The Sea. Modern electronics with a experimental dub mentality.

XXCEPTION TO THE RULE - THE SWEETER THE JUICE b/w ANGEL IN DISGUISE

Daxwood Records out of North Carolina owned by music maestro Doyle Wood have recorded some real gems over the years.

From the Daxwood Studios, IZIPHO SOUL are proud to present XXCEPTION TO THE RULE, a female duo consisting of Vanessia Mathis and Daniela Curry.

On a 7” for the first time are two songs originally recorded in 1982.

THE SWEETER THE JUICE (Re-Titled for 2024) is an arousing dancer with a potent ‘squelchy’ bass sound and soaring vocals.

On the flip is ANGEL IN DISGUISE, a supreme ballad of it’s era, with Vanessia’s voice shining through; the piano solo by the late Eldridge McMillan is simple yet has so much feeling - Pure SOUL!!

These tracks are featured on a 2011 CD album - Xxception To The Rule ‘Then And Now’.

Forgetting You Is Like Breathing Water, the self-titled debut from the duo of trumpeter Will Evans and guitarist, synthesist, producer and multi-instrumentalist Theo Trump, arrives like a vault revelation. It feels like a decades-old yet newly unearthed masterwork of gorgeous ambient improvisation, the sort of thing scholars live to research and shepherd into deluxe reissue.

The patient, crystalline chords that swell and resonate like a series of confessions; the textured brass murmurs that suggest a ’60s or ’70s Fire Music master at their most poignant. Provocative found-sound experiments threading arcane religious recordings through dystopian soundscapes. Ear-shattering free-noise tumult. Where and when did this music come from? Who are these voices?

As it turns out, Forgetting You Is Like Breathing Water springs from an engrossing human story, though it isn’t necessarily the one you’d expect. This work of stunning maturity is in fact an entrance by two little-known explorers in their early 20s, who grew up together in Virginia, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It documents one of those perfect, sparkling moments in post-adolescence when big decisions and responsibilities are right around the corner, but for a spell, two young artists are able to create among the comforts and nostalgia of their shared past.

It also represents a reunion of sorts, as Evans and Trump connected as toddlers, became inseparable as boys, then pursued independent lives and creative paths as young adults. “Theo is my oldest friend,” Evans says, “and I feel like that’s what this band is — us meeting right in the middle of our interests.”

Now, having conjured this magic, they’ve detached once again: Evans, whose other works include the indie/avant-jazz unit Angelica X, is currently based in New York City. Trump recently moved to England, where he’d participated in his family’s theatre company, to go to school and further his solo ambient project. “This album didn’t start out as something super ambitious,” Evans explains. “It was more just an excuse to spend time together again and make music.”

***

In conversation, Evans and Trump are a delight, especially for cynics who might think that Gen-Z is only capable of doomscrolling. They come across as kindly young intellectuals who grew up using the internet as it was intended, for exposure to ideas and art across genres and generations. Trump points to indie-folk and the oracular post-rock of late Talk Talk, Bark Psychosis and Gastr del Sol. Pressed for his guitar heroes, he cites Bill Orcutt, Mary Halvorson and Marc Ribot, and mentions his devotion to alt-country. Heyday electro-industrial stuff like Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails also meant a lot to him.

Evans is equally intrepid, though his background has a greater jazz focus. Ambrose Akinmusire, among today’s most thoughtfully commanding trumpeters, is a favorite. As for the soulful murmur he offers throughout Forgetting You, Pharoah Sanders’ wistful and lyrical contributions to Floating Points’ work is a touchstone.

The two grew up down the street from each other in the northern Piedmont town of Batesville, Virginia. Their families were friends, holidays were celebrated together and they became the most loyal of pals. As children they had a pretend band.

Then life unfolded, they attended different schools and their paths diverged. Evans discovered John Coltrane and became a jazz obsessive, as Trump found punk and hardcore and later began making ambient music. As a dedicated jazz trumpeter, Evans studied formally and widely; Trump was an autodidact, teaching himself guitar and absorbing synthesis and production techniques. The late teens and very early 20s brought moves away from home and back to home, as well as plenty of listening and learning. The Covid pandemic meant an opportunity to reconnect on long walks. Through it all, together and apart, they remained reverent of each other.

By early 2023, they found themselves living again among the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the evening, after giving trumpet lessons in Charlottesville, Evans would make the eerily beautiful trek “over the mountain” to Trump’s home in Staunton, Virginia. They’d talk and eat and begin to improvise, deep into the night. Evans played trumpet and sometimes drums. (Given the wee-hours recording schedule, the neighbors didn’t appreciate the latter.) Trump plugged a rickety, junk-store Telecaster-style guitar into a cheap solid-state amp and explored open tunings; he also layered on lap steel, electric bass, synths and electronics.

They locked in and relished each other’s gifts. In Trump, those include patience and intentionality and sonic decision-making; for Evans, a distinctive trumpet sound that both musicians think of as a singer’s voice. “Will’s playing is so thoughtful and well placed,” Trump says. “My goal from a producer’s mindset is that the trumpet will occupy the space that vocals would take.”

Often, they got lost in the best way. “The thing I look for most when I’m playing is that feeling of disappearing into what you’re doing,” Evans says. “Usually when that happens, the music is good.”

By the same token, they didn’t pursue free improvisation as an ethic, or as a pure process. Their goal was something closer to spontaneous composition. “We were trying to make good songs,” Evans says simply. Later, Trump did brilliant post-production work, expanding a modest setup into an enthralling soundworld. Under his judicious editorship, music that was wholly improvised sounds at times like a carefully composed new-music commission.

The results speak for themselves. “A Happy Death” summons up a swath of American desolation through the viewfinder of Wim Wenders. “Flesh of Lost Summers” and “Partings” are highlights from an essential ECM LP that never was. “A Collapse of Horses” infuses those seminal post-rock influences with the plod of doom metal or slowcore. The album’s final track, “The Mountains Are a Dream That Calls to Me,” was in fact the first thing the duo recorded, as an evocation of those twilit drives across the Blue Ridge Mountains. “Looking back at what we chose to name the songs,” Evans says, “and some of the sounds and how they make me feel, there is an air of impermanence and loss to this album.”

“I’m excited for everything that’s to come,” he adds, “but I recently thought, ‘Damn — that’s not going to happen again.’ It was a privilege for us to have that time together.”

Australian indie folk rock band The Paper Kites release Evergreen, a compilation featuring the band’s debut EP Woodland and follow-up EP Young North for the first time on vinyl. Notably the release includes standout single "Bloom" which has been certified platinum in the U.S.A, Canada, Australia, Italy & the Netherlands. It melds earthy instrumentals to create a perfect backdrop for the band’s trademark harmonies that have garnered them a dedicated audience and over 1 billion streams across their catalog.

Come Play With Me present the fourth edition of their compilation album, Side By Side, Vol. 4, supporting women, marginalised genders, LGBTQ+ artists and people of colour with ties to the North of England. The compilation features seven tracks spanning a range of genres including Alternative Rock, R&B, Jazz and more. shaene sensitively captures the feeling of falling back into sync with a distant best friend on the compilation’s lead single “tom”. Set to a backdrop of synthetic soundscapes, fingerpicked and distorted guitars, Maddie Lara’s “Let Go” marks an impressive debut for the Merseyside-based artist. The compilation will be available both digitally and on vinyl via the CPWM website and select stores, alongside all major streaming platforms. With special thanks to our selection partner Future Yard, Arts Council England for their continued support, as well as our judges on this callout Amber Strawbridge, Beth Heaton and August Charles. Due to the random nature of eco-mix vinyl, produced out of leftover wax, the vinyl may not match the featured promotional image.

2024 Repress

Dark Entries is honored to finally present the first ever official vinyl reissue of Space Museum by Solid Space. Solid Space was the British duo of Dan Goldstein (keyboards, vocals) and Matthew 'Maf' Vosburgh (guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals) formed in 1980. Dan and Matthew met at the age of 11 while attending school in north London. In late 1978 at at the age of 14, they formed Exhibit 'A' with Paul Platypus' and Andrew Lunchbox' Bynghall. They recorded two EPs in 1979 and 1980, self-released on Irrelevant Wombat Records and appeared on 'The Thing From The Crypt' compilation. After the dissolution of the group, Mathew started taking his guitar over to Dan's house where he'd play his Casio MT-30 and they would record songs. Eventually a second hand drum machine and Wasp synthesizer were acquired from classified ads in Melody Maker and the Solid Space sound was born. By this time they were just turning 18 and finally found the freedom to make the music they'd had in their heads. Over the course of the next two years the band assembled eleven bedroom recordings that would become one of the most cherished DIY obscurities of its kind. Their debut album 'Space Museum' was released in 1982 on cassette by In Phaze Records. All of the songs were mixed by label boss Pat Bermingham on 8-track tape at The Shed, in Ilford, which was literally a garden shed. The band's music and lyrics were heavily indebted to science fiction, in particular the 1960s television series Doctor Who. 'Space Museum' is an unveiling of atmospheric, minimalist post punk supported by bright melodies. The music combines drum machines and synths with acoustic guitar and toy drums whilst also experimenting with samples between tracks. Lyrics deal with space travel and a general sense of dejection. Representing a bubbling spirit within the underground, they foreshadowed an entire world of independent music which would emerge across the 80's and well into the 90's. For this reissue we've included two bonus tracks from the band's archive, Platform 6' originally released on the B-side of the second single by Exhibit 'A', this song features only Dan and Matthew and is the first Solid Space track ever recorded. Tutti Lo Sanno' is a cover of In Phaze label mates Marine Girls, though the lyrics have been changed to suit the gender of the new singer.Each song has been carefully remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record is sleeved in a replica of the cassette artwork featuring the Cybermen and Jamie from the Doctor Who episode "The Wheel in Space". Every copy includes a double sided 11x11 insert with lyrics, notes and never before seen photographs of the band taken by Maf as well as a postcard featuring an original advert for the cassette.

Longtime enthusiasts of ambient music have much to celebrate as Rafael Anton Irisarri's cherished out-of-print cassette, "Midnight Colours," returns in a meticulously remastered edition and makes its inaugural debut on vinyl. The significance of this album's announcement is accentuated by its historical resonance, coinciding with the same day in 1952 when the world bore witness to the first-ever test of the hydrogen bomb.

"Midnight Colours" is far more than a mere album; it's an exploration of the enigmatic relationship between humanity and time. Conceived as a sonic interpretation of the Doomsday Clock, which symbolizes the world's existential vulnerabilities, Irisarri's work beckons listeners to contemplate the gravity of our existence and the delicate balance that envelops it.

"I wanted to capture the essence of humanity's relationship with time, both the anxiety and the serene beauty that coexists within the shadows of the night," explains Irisarri. "The vinyl format adds a tactile dimension to the experience, inviting listeners to physically engage with the music."

Known for his contributions to the ambient and electronic music genres, Irisarri often explores themes of introspection, nostalgia, and the interplay between sound and emotion.

Recorded in 2017, when the Clock was at 2½ minutes-to-midnight (and at the time, the second-closest to midnight since the Clock's inception in 1947), "Midnight Colours" permeates with the melancholy of memories resurfacing as one approaches the end of life: the regrets, the closure, the uncertainties, the anxieties.

Originally released as a limited tape on the beloved Atlanta-based label Geographic North, "Midnight Colours" swiftly garnered praise and acclaim within the ambient music sphere. Now, with this newly remastered edition on his own Black Knoll imprint, fans, both longstanding and newfound, can rediscover the album's captivating beauty in unprecedented clarity and depth.

"I've wanted to release 'Midnight Colours' on vinyl since it first came out, and I'm thrilled to finally be able to. The remastering process, brilliantly done by Stephan Mathieu, has breathed new life into the work, and I'm eager for listeners to experience it in this format."

The reissue of "Midnight Colours" features band-new artwork and design by the renowned Mexican visual artist Daniel Castrejón. A frequent collaborator and friend of Irisarri, Castrejón's imagery impeccably complements the album's mood and themes, extending a compelling invitation for listeners to explore its aural world visually.

This landmark release serves as a testament not only to Irisarri's enduring impact on the ambient music genre but also as a long-awaited gift to those who have patiently anticipated the album's vinyl debut.

Mit The Hard Quartet hat sich eine Band zusammengetan, der man mit Blick auf ihre Mitglieder wohl den ein oder anderen Superlativ zuschreiben kann. Immerhin tummeln sich hier mit Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney, Emmett Kelly und Jim White vier Musiker und Songwriter, die mit prägenden Größen des Indierocks assoziiert werden: Pavement, Chavez, Ty Segall, The Cairo Gang, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Guided By Voices, Cat Power, Dirty Three und Bill Callahan sind nur ein Bruchteil der musikalischen Institutionen, bei denen die vier ihre Finger (und Stimmen) im Spiel haben. Über das selbstbetitelte Debüt von The Hard Quartet wird m Netz schon seit Bekanntwerden der Gründung der Band angeregt spekuliert: "Es ist einfach ein vertrauensvolles Umfeld, in dem alle bereit sind zu sagen: Komm wir werfen unseren ganzen Kram in einen Topf und machen daraus etwas Größeres", so die Band dazu. Dass es trotz der getrennten musikalischen Biographien so gut läuft, ist aber sicher auch der Tatsache zu verdanken, dass sich die Wege der Vier schon zuvor immer wieder gekreuzt hatten. "Ich habe eine geradezu vorzeitliche Geschichte mit Stephen und Jim", so Matt Sweeney. "Nun, zumindest reicht sie bis in die Neunziger. In jüngerer Vergangenheit war es dann Emmett, der einen wirklich tiefen Eindruck bei mir hinterlassen hat. So sehr, dass es die Art verändert hat, wie ich übers Spielen denke." Das Album vereint die Stärken von Malkmus, Sweeney, Kelly und White, oszilliert zwischen sonnigem Slacker-Rock und Noise-Experimenten und dürfte alle mit einem Faible für die goldene Ära des US-Indierock begeistern.

To mark the 10th anniversary of Gidge's landmark album Autumn Bells on Atomnation, the label has assembled a brand new box-
set reissue. This deluxe and expanded edition features a 58-page photo book, poster, the original double album plus a nine-track bonus vinyl with alternative edits and demo tracks from the time, all on transparent wax. The exclusive, limited edition boxset comes first on September 27, then all tracks come digitally in mid-November.

Gidge is the Swedish duo of Jonatan Nilsson and Ludvig Stolterman, who has also taken all of the photos in the booklet. As
friends since high school, they have a deep connection, a great understanding of one another and a shared love of Nordic
woodlands. The spirit of the northeastern forests they grew up around has always coloured their music and lent it an organic,
ethereally, otherworldly edge that conveys feelings of inner peace.

Their brilliant debut album Autumn Bells captured all that in nine accomplished tracks that picked up critical praise from the music
media and millions of online streams. More importantly, it also won them a dedicated fan base who appreciate the art of Gidge's
craft and the sensitivity of their sound. Despite the early success of the album and the three more that have followed since, this
humble pair have chosen to remain low-key. They play only a few shows a year and consciously haven't chased wider commercial
acclaim.

2024 Repress

'Solar Nights' is the long awaited second album from German nu-disco star Tim Bernhardt, aka Satin Jackets. Released on Eskimo Recordings this April, 'Solar Nights' follows on from Bernhardt's critically acclaimed, and Gold certified, debut LP 'Panorama Pacifico' and features 14 tracks of smooth disco and leftfield pop sounds with guest appearances from the likes of Future Classic's Panama, David Harks, Niya Wells, Emma Brammer and Anduze.

The global success of 'Panorama Pacifico' has seen Bernhardt coaxed out from his remote studio in one of Germany's ancient forests to play to fans across the world, from South Korea to Mexico and beyond, experiences that inspired both the album itself and its title, 'Solar Nights'.

"In recent years the world's become smaller, a more inter-connected place. It can be dark and cold here, with snow all around, and the next day I can be playing to people on a beach. Somewhere on the planet it's always daytime or summer, but beyond that day and night just blend into each other these days," Tim explains. "We have daytime discos so you can go and party while the sun is still high in the sky, and you can go and hit the gym at night. Beit day or night, Satin Jackets is your soundtrack."

And what a soundtrack it is, from the first chords of opening 'Welcome Back' it's clear we're in safe hands here, the warm pads, delicate guitars and pianos providing the perfect introduction to the album. Whether it's the slow burning seductive pop of tracks like 'Just Like You', piano led house tracks like 'String It Again', the Balearic haze of 'All For You' or bonafide hits like the Nordic inspired 'Northern Lights' and 'Mirage' that between them have already scored well over 10 million streams across streaming platforms, 'Solar Nights' takes everything we loved from 'Panorama Pacifico' and polishes it to an ultra high sheen.

And in an age when rough and raw production is seen as an easy shorthand for authenticity, Tim's love of über-smooth production has made him an unlikely iconoclast, "I had always been fascinated by how glossy people like Nile Rodgers made their music," he reveals. "It always sounded like the musical equivalent of a fashion magazine's cover. I'd been making more underground music for a while but really wanted to go in totally the other direction and instead create a really smooth, polished sound."

That obsession with sonic fidelity shines through across every track on 'Solar Nights', and the years since his debut was released have been well spent perfecting his craft. "Even in just the last couple of years I've made some big changes in how I produce music. Compared to my debut, everything under the hood has changed here," he explains. "Every day, with every production, I'm learning new things and when I listen to these new tracks, the depth in the mixes, the clarity, I like to think of 'Solar Nights' as Satin Jackets but in 3D."

From wanting to recreate the sound of magazine covers to appearing on them, the past few years has been quite some journey for the still enigmatic producer. The man behind the golden mask may prefer to stay out of sight but 'Solar Nights' reveals him to be fully in control, producing music that reflects the glamour and glitz of 70s Manhattan, artfully updated for the 21st century.

RAT BOY have recorded in Los Angeles with T im Armstrong of Rancid, played festivals as far afield as Japan and China, and toured North America with The Interrupters. Yet for all those globe-trotting adventures, there"s no place you know quite as well as home. That"s the central topic that R AT BOY explore on their upcoming third album "SUBURBIA CALLING", which will be released on October 4th via Hellcat. "SUBURBIA CALLING" sees RAT BOY exploring stories from their roots in Essex. It"s the land of wheeler -dealers and dodgy geezers, and home to nosey neighbours, rowdy clubs and Joey Essex. For readers outside of the UK, it"s the land of Blur, Depeche Mode and The Prodigy: a place not so far outside of east London, but in other ways it"s a world away. And it"s not only an immense font of inspiration for RAT BOY, but the place where ever ything happens for them.. Just outside of Chelmsford sits a converted barn where the band can jump in and be creative whenever the mood takes them - a HQ that is a recording studio, a rehearsal space, an art studio, a storage space and a hangout spot all-in-one. Frontman Jordan Cardy says, "I wanted to sing about Essex. Essex is where we live and when you"ve grown up somewhere you notice things about it. There"s so much to draw on. Essex is really close to London but it"s different in a lot of ways. We"ve got a lot of freedom here, we built a place where we can record and rehearse and hang out, somewhere you wouldn"t be able to have in London." RAT BOY - completed by Liam Haygarth (bass), Harr y Todd (guitar) and Noah Booth (dr ums) - approached the making of the al - bum in unorthodox fashion. They recorded a home demo and a live performance of each song, which were then sent to producer Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur) to edit together like a tapestry puzzle.