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Andrea has his roots in the independent musical scene in the first decade of the 2000s. In addition to his compositional and live experience as the first Nadàr Solo drummer, he is one half of the Turin duo Anthony Laszlo with Anthony Sasso, ex guitarist and singer of Milena Lovesick. Andrea Laszlo De Simone made his debut in 2012 when he released his first homemade album, Ecce Homo. Recorded at home by makeshift means and accompanied by the following videos: Solo un uomo, 11:43, I nostri piccoli occhi, Perdutamente.

At the beginning of 2014, he met some experienced musicians from Turin’s underground scene that later, after a few months in a rehearsal room, became his band: Damir Nefat (guitar/backing vocals), Dani C (bass guitar/backing vocals), Filippo Cornaglia (drums/backing vocals), Zevi Bordovach (keyboards/backing vocals) and Anthony Sasso (keyboards/backing vocals/percussions).

Anticipated by the individual tracks Uomo Donna, Vieni a salvarmi and La guerra dei baci on June 9, 2017 - for 42Records - Uomo Donna came out. It’s Andrea Laszlo De Simone’s first real album, a well received work by both audience and critics. It also was pointed as one of the best albums of 2017 by several national music magazines.

Uomo Donna is a complex, articulate and vital album that lives in its own time - where past, present and future coexist. It’s a time in which a sonic world takes shape blending classic and modern, Italian songs with psychedelia, Battisti and Radiohead, Modugno and Verdena, the Beatles and Tame Impala, the magical flight of Claudio Rocchi and the earthly flight of IOSONOUNCANE.

The album was self-produced and then post-produced by Andrea in collaboration with Giuseppe Lo Bue, a sound engineer from Bologna. The recordings were made between October 2014 and the end of 2016 with experimental techniques straddling digital and analogic.

After playing in some important Italian festivals as Siren Festival and TOdays -- that earned him a special mention in the live scores by Rolling Stones -- on October 28, 2017 the first Uomo Donna album tour started in the clubs of the major Italian cities.

On November 30th 2017, Andrea Laszlo De Simone presented his video, Sogno l'amore, during the Torino Film Festival as a short film, shot in Sicily and directed by Francesca Noto and Andrea Laszlo De Simone.

On March 15th 2018 the music video of Gli uomini hanno fame was released, the most political song of the album, an overlook through ferocious human emotions, an eleven and fifty minutes trip within human nature portrayed even in its most ferocious instincts. The music video was directed by Andrea Laszlo De Simone and the mysterious duo Sans. The official cycle of Uomo Donna ends on 31 December 2018 with the music video of Sparite Tutti created by the creative collective Irene&Irene.

2019 was a year of new goals for Andrea, in fact, the album Uomo Donna leaves national borders and got a special mention on social media by the famous American band The Lumineers which included Andrea Laszlo De Simone and Uomo Donna among the most interesting discoveries of the international musical underground and inserts Solo un Uomo in the Spotify playlist “Inspirations”. A few days later, Solo un Uomo was broadcasted by KEXP Radio. On November 4th Andrea and his band were chosen to open for The Lumineers’ only Italian show at Alcatraz, in Milan.

On November 8th Andrea released a brand new work, digitally and on vinyl for 42Records, Immensità, a ‘suite’ of four singles: Immensità, Conchiglie, Mistero and La Nostra Fine. Turned into a medium-length film using Immensità as the soundtrack.

Immensità was presented with four special sold out concerts in Rome, Turin, Padua and Milan. For these shows Andrea Laszlo De Simone was accompanied on stage by a mixed orchestra composed of synths, electronics, choirs, strings and woodwinds. Classic and modern instruments that are intertwined in a nine elements formation: an immersive concert, a contemporary version of chamber music.

In March 2020 Immensità was released also in France, UK, Canada, Belgium and the United States with Ekleroshock/ Hamburger Records (Roster: Benjamin Clementine, Polo & Pan, Limousine and many others). The response of the transalpine press and media, sector and not, was unexpected: major French newspapers and magazines - from Le Monde to Liberation, Vanity Fair and Les Inrockuptibles - dedicated entire pages and rave reviews to Immensità and Andrea Laszlo De Simone. The track Immensità entered, after a few days, at the fourteenth rank of Spotify’s Top viral 50 playlist and broadcasted on France Inter and Radio Nova.

“Immensità” is a complex cross media work of music and images. A project divided into four chapters (the songs) for nine tracks (each chapter has a prologue or a conclusion). A true suite, using the classic term that best describes an instrumental composition in several stages, that can be enjoyed in its entirety only by listening to vinyl or digitally in the innovative single track format, without pauses: a single symphony of 25 minutes and 6 seconds.

In September 2020, Dal giorno in cui sei nato tu was released on all italian platforms, a song dedicated to Andrea’s children, a real love letter in the form of a small speech, where he tries to give them the three keys to approaching life: fantasy, music and irony. Martino, 8 years old, replies to his father’s love letter by making the video accompanying the song, created in Super 8. It's the story of the world through the eyes of the child. It is also an homage to the new little girl in family, Lucia.

1STEP Process 180g 45rpm Double LP Pressed on VR900-Supreme Vinyl!
Mastered from the Analogue Mix-Down Tapes of the Original Digital Recording by Bernie Grundman!
Ultra-Luxe "Monster Pack" Jacket with a Deluxe 16-Page Booklet & Striking Outer Slipcase!

New lacquers cut after each run of 500 pressings!

Strictly Limited to 5,000 Numbered Pressings!

Impex 1STEP #5 celebrates Patricia Barber's 1999 "return" to The Green Mill, Chicago's fabled jazz club. Conceived as a "companion" to her Grammy-winning studio album Modern Cool, Companion finds Barber and her touring band in inspired form, playfully and energetically performing hits and deep tracks from her celebrated oeuvre.

The dynamic interaction between the artist and her reverent audience adds a palpable sense of space and community. At the same time, the fans' hushed attention creates a studio-like sense of precision and detail. The snap and crackle of Barber, her grand piano, and her onstage partners practically leaps off the groove into your listening room!

Companion's fan-favorite reputation is enhanced immeasurably by Jim Anderson's jaw-dropping, lifelike recording. Eschewing the crystalline sterility of digital recordings of the time, Anderson's sound is always warm, natural, and lacking unforced "hype."

Like Anderson, Impex aims to present great recordings that are as natural as possible. And we couldn't wait to put our favorite Patricia Barber release, using Jim's analog mix-down master tapes, on 180 grams of VR900 Super Vinyl. The deep, inky black backgrounds and absence of surface noise will pull listeners right into those three evenings in 1999, capturing a seminal modern jazz artist at a creative and professional peak and reveling in a perfectly rendered and joyous audio time capsule.

Finally, our deluxe Impex Treatment packages the whole party with a lovely outer slipcase, a booklet containing a new note from Patricia, and a dazzling array of photographs from the evenings by frequent Barber collaborator Valerie Booth, exclusive to our 1STEP. Heavy paper stock with spot gloss coating and a faithfully recreated exterior design will satisfy original fans and aesthetes throughout the music-loving world.

Luxury Apartments have spent long enough pondering in the orb of creative frustration as art charged city dwellers and have alchemised a jagged piece of guitar work that calls on the past for a quick catch up before cracking on with their day as a witty, energised and wiry punk band. Formed before your favourite East London neighbourhood became full of high rises, cockapoos and pubs with Madri & Beavertown on Draft, there’s a whole swath of words you could use to describe Luxury Apartments, but doing so might draw too many parallels to estate agent listings wo we’re gonna let their track record and new LP do the talking… LA played with the likes of TOY, TELEGRAM, Deep Tan, Es, The Chisel and Rifle before even having an LP. Mixing dry humour with a belting live show served them well while the guys were woodshedding and earnt them early fans such as Graham Coxon and Jamie Reynolds, who I can only gather shed a single tear of seeing where they came from with all the chaotic guitar-busting, skin-splitting, bottle-smashing madness of an early LA show. But we’re here talking about NOW and NOW is the time to get your pre-order for their first LP, a half hour of power smashing the atoms of 80s c86 indie on lead track ‘Energy’, 77 punk on ‘Wire’ and new garage rock explosions on ‘Taliban’ which morph in to a piece of black wax that’s 100% guaranteed to get the disenfranchised wiggling, the fed-up hurling half bricks through foxtons windows and the punk lifers flipping off yet another boss before carving out another fork in their paths of resistance.

The concept behind the entire EP revolves around the power of scents, exploring how smells evoke emotions and memories from the past. Doci's fascination with scents and molecular fragrances inspired him to create an EP centered on the emotional experiences tied to different scents. Have you ever noticed how a fragrance can transport you back in time, bringing a rush of memories before your eyes? This EP is born from that very sensation. Needless to say, Doci's infatuation with fragrances significantly contributed to the effectiveness of the project. Hedione (Intro): Begin your odyssey with "Hedione," an atmospheric IDM/Experimental track. This floral molecular scent-inspired introduction gently ushers you into the EP's sensorial realm, setting the stage for a unique auditory adventure. Iso E Super & Ambroxan: Explore the intricate layers of musky, woody, and ambery scents in "Iso E Super" and "Ambroxan." These tracks, weaving through Break/Electro/Drum n' Bass genres with subtle Techno accents, offer a sonic journey that mirrors the nuanced edges of their aromatic inspirations. Each note captures the essence, presenting a balanced dance of rough and light tones. Javanol: Experience the raw energy of "Javanol" a leftfield/break Techno exploration. Reflecting the rough and woody facets of its scent inspiration, this track unfolds with aggressive synths and sounds, immersing you in a visceral encounter. Doc's musical interpretation captures the intensity of scent, creating a distinctive and bold auditory expression. In this EP, Doci skillfully translates fragrance into sound, inviting listeners on a textured expedition through scent-inspired composition

The Dream Of Delphi is an ode to motherhood created in LA, Natasha’s second home, during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a sonic archive of a time when Natasha birthed her daughter Delphi earth side. The record weaves together ten song poems, documenting the polarity of navigating both an exterior world that was seemingly turning upside down, whilst also experiencing theprofoundly personal and transformational early moments of mothering Delphi, named after the Greek Oracle, the ancient future teller. The music became Natasha’s sanctuary, born out of stolen trips to the studio, where each track was improvised and completed in a few hours and chronologises her diary like offerings over a period of two years; from “The Midwives Have Left”; to writing a “Letter To My Daughter”; and all the way through to “Waking up”, as well as a cover of her daughter’s favourite song, “Home”.While the storytelling behind Bat For Lashes’ previous albums have traditionally used otherworldly narratives and female lead characters (e.g. ‘Laura’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘The Bride’), for the first ti me, The Dream Of Delphi is about Natasha’s personal experience of the magical and sometimes melancholy intimacy of early motherhood. This record creates a more private form of mythology around the music than her previous work. The Dream Of Delphi touches on more of an instrumental “Bat For Lashes” world, and shows Natasha to be both a confident composer and craftswoman of intimate landscapes. While the music creates a more womb-like, ambient space for the listener, it still leaves ample room for her signature dream pop songwriting to vibrate through. Natasha has worked with Brad Oberhofer, Mary Lattimore and Jack Falby on this record.

Available on “Green Tea” colored vinyl, limited to 300. Remixed by Chris Teti & remastered by Kris Crummet for 10th Anniversary. Recommend If You Like: Prince Daddy & the Hyena, Into It. Over It., Blink-182. Maybe it always had to be this way. Posture & the Grizzly formed in Connecticut, in '08, and churned out a couple of demo tapes before dropping their debut LP in early 2014. Busch Hymns was scrappy and raw, all weed smoke and pent-up fury. Songs like "Egg Nog Drunk Off Hilary Duff's Piss" (yeah) and "You Know I Know What You Did Last Summer" exemplify the band's charm perfectly crystalline, wobbly leads ready to burst under bouncy hooks equal parts snarl and singalong. Just a glance at the tracklist lets you know what Posture & the Grizzly's all about: eight goofily titled songs in and out in eighteen minutes. Just in time for the LP's tenth anniversary, it's been given a remix by The World Is…'s Chris Teti, who originally produced and engineered the album back in 2013, along with remastering from Kris Crummett (Knuckle Puck, Dance Gavin Dance). Sometimes when an album like this is remastered, it loses some of its charm; the gloss crowds out the grit, the whole thing is recolored a bit too bright. But not so on Busch Hymns—these songs are crisper, but that doesn't mean they're cleaner. J. Nasty's throaty howls are as ragged as ever, but this time around they stand out against Piss Malone and Cabbage Pile's rhythm section, no longer straining for spotlight but basking in it. Their sound would get streamlined a bit over the course of their next two albums, I Am Satan and Posture & the Grizzly, replacing some of Busch Hymns's bite with a clearer-eyed sparkle and a newfound melodicism. Busch Hymns stands now as a document of the cult punks' early days, a transitional period from their throat-shredding demo days to their all-too-brief time as a pop-punk juggernaut. It's clearer than ever with the Busch Hymns remaster that Posture & the Grizzly was meant to sound like this, was meant for more than basement shows and beer-soaked floors. In this light, Busch Hymns is more than a transitional period; it's a glimpse into the greatness to come. So if you're sick of listening to modern punk too, then quit it. Listen to Busch Hymns instead

Available on Neon Orange vinyl, limited to 200. Early coverage from No Echo, BrooklynVegan, Destroy/Exist. Just damn good raw punk music. RIYL: Hot Snakes, Pissed Jeans, Marked Men, Dag Nasty, War on Women. Totally Slow offers up razor sharp, no-frills punk music, with angry lyrics that show how the personal is inseparable from the political when the country is on the brink of chaos. The band has combined the melodic anthems of 1980s SoCal bands like The Adolescents, Agent Orange and The Faction, with the skewed rawk of '90s San Diego bands Drive Like Jehu and Truman's Water, and the righteous conviction of classic DC hardcore like Dag Nasty, Gray Matter and Fugazi. "...finds the middle ground between Adolescents' snotty SoCal punk and the harder sounds of DC post-hardcore, and it manages to induce nostalgia and feel fresh and urgent all at once

Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts is an American rock band from Nashville founded and fronted by former Biters leader Tuk Smith, originally from Atlanta, now living in Nashville. The band released their debut single "What Kinda Love" on January 10, 2020 and were also added as an opening act for The Stadium Tour with Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe on the same day. Then came the onset of Covid 19. “When the pandemic hit, it was like hitting the reset button on my music career” recalls Tuk, “everything got taken away…album campaign, stadium tour, record deal. The world was in lockdown, and the only way to escape was to throw myself into writing. My thoughts began exploring the past, and the inspiration for the songs just came in tidal waves.”
The new collection is a rock ‘n roll silver lining that came out of the solitude and reflection of the pandemic. Ballad Of A Misspent Youth is the new single (and subsequent album of the same name) released summer of 2022 on Tuk’s new record label MRG, through Virgin Music. Tuk explains, “I decided to make a rock and roll record for me and what I like because there was no label, there was no committee involved…just me and my stories. I wanted to create a setting and an authentic feeling about everything. I reunited with long-time friend Dan Dixon and recorded these songs in his garage studio, and there is a purity to the work that came from all the circumstances of that time.” Growing up as an outsider in rural Georgia, Tuk found solace in hardcore punk acts like Black Flag and The Exploited. From there, Smith branched out into exploring seventies New York bands like The Dead Boys and New York Dolls, which lead him across the sea where he embraced first-wave British acts like The Buzzcocks and the Clash. Smith wasn’t just a casual fan of these acts, he was obsessed with them and traced their lineage with fervent dedication. “I was always into the Clash growing up and Mick Jones’ favorite band was Mott The Hoople, so through the years I ended up developing a love of the first wave of British glam, power pop and things like that,” he explains. Soon Smith was forming his own acts, touring relentlessly and building a following with his high-energy live shows, including his tour of duty as lead singer for the Biters, who he fronted for nearly a decade. He offers “Then after being on the road for years, I had a reckoning about where I was at and the future ahead. …I realized the only way to achieve something meaningful was to be a good songwriter…that clicked. I went on a musical diet where I stripped the obscure stuff away, and I really started focusing on the greats. When I started clicking that it was just about the songs, things changed. I had already put my 10,000 hours in the van to play in the dive clubs, but then I put my 10,000 hours into figuring out how to write. I also started working with other songwriters. I humbled myself… it was an education, like going to school.” Tuk elaborates, “I wanted to kind of branch out musically and do different things, and I figured to go solo would be better. My manager actually suggested I call my new band “The Restless Hearts” and that's what he would call me all the time. It was the title of a Biters song that people loved and I’d seen a few restless hearts tattoos at our shows along the way… and so Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts was born. I was in a period where I changed everything including the way I lived my daily life. I experimented with different ways to tap into positive/creative energy…it was an evolving overall process (and still is).” Tuk summarizes, “Things used to be about debauchery, and now they’re more about dedication. I mean, I was always driven, but I was sometimes focusing on the wrong things. Now I focus on the music and the craftsmanship of writing and producing and performing. “

The Dream Of Delphi is an ode to motherhood created in LA, Natasha’s second home, during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a sonic archive of a time when Natasha birthed her daughter Delphi earth side. The record weaves together ten song poems, documenting the polarity of navigating both an exterior world that was seemingly turning upside down, whilst also experiencing theprofoundly personal and transformational early moments of mothering Delphi, named after the Greek Oracle, the ancient future teller. The music became Natasha’s sanctuary, born out of stolen trips to the studio, where each track was improvised and completed in a few hours and chronologises her diary like offerings over a period of two years; from “The Midwives Have Left”; to writing a “Letter To My Daughter”; and all the way through to “Waking up”, as well as a cover of her daughter’s favourite song, “Home”.While the storytelling behind Bat For Lashes’ previous albums have traditionally used otherworldly narratives and female lead characters (e.g. ‘Laura’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘The Bride’), for the first ti me, The Dream Of Delphi is about Natasha’s personal experience of the magical and sometimes melancholy intimacy of early motherhood. This record creates a more private form of mythology around the music than her previous work. The Dream Of Delphi touches on more of an instrumental “Bat For Lashes” world, and shows Natasha to be both a confident composer and craftswoman of intimate landscapes. While the music creates a more womb-like, ambient space for the listener, it still leaves ample room for her signature dream pop songwriting to vibrate through. Natasha has worked with Brad Oberhofer, Mary Lattimore and Jack Falby on this record.

'The Singles Collection (The Spinefarm Years)' is a new luxurious compilation of singles by the legendary Finnish doom/death metal band Swallow The Sun. It focuses on the Spinefarm era of the band, which is to say their first six releases - five full-length albums and the 'Plague Of Butterflies' EP.

All of these full-lengths are represented with two songs (the singles) each on 12" singles, while the EP is included in its entirety on the same format, all of them including the original singles artwork and new liner notes provided by the band itself. The booklet pages and
lavish press photos in poster size were made especially for this boxset.

Two versions are available: a limited edition of 300 will come in variously coloured vinyl, and the remaining 700 will offer black
vinyl. In total, a limited and numbered edition of 1000 units which includes certificate of authenticity.

"Swallow the Sun is one of those bands that has created a notable amount of music over the years while remaining true to their
own unique sound. They have managed to consistently innovate their thoughtful voice while maintaining their originality." - Ghost
Cult Magazine

Cassette!

Czechoslovakian big band legend Gustav Brom has graced dancefloors with his music for a long time, you've probably heard his work and not realised it. PANORAMA returns with "Calling Up The Rain", from his 1976 album "Gustav Brom plays for you Pop Jazz and Swing" Gustav infused big band jazz and a latin groove into this dancefloor weapon, Organ solos, Trumpet solos and a screeching guitar solo. What's not to love?

Presented as a reissue by the newly launched London-based record label, PANORAMA Records, "Calling Up The Rain" reaffirms the label's discerning direction and "Don't Judge A Record By It's Cover" attitude. Championed by Gilles Peterson, Patrick Forge and a few other legends in the game, PANORAMA Records aims to reintroduce this big band hit to new audiences, establishing itself as a tastemaker in the business of reissuing global grooves. It comes with a sticker on the front with quotes from tastemakers Patrick Forge, Rainer Trueby and Zag Erlat (My Analog Journal).

With this release, record collectors can anticipate a discovery of Gustav's anthem, for the first time on a 45 and a first time official reissue, a full blown party starter, as Panorama Records presents "Calling Up The Rain" as a timeless reissue. The label shook mountains with it's first release of Gitte and Inger, with huge DJ support from Gilles Peterson, Ross Allen and other great tastemakers. PAN002 is here, Buy or cry!

The next release on Nastia's imprint NECHTO introduces Stanislav Tolkachev's latest offering, 'NECH024.' A pioneer of the Ukrainian techno scene, Tolkachev's journey into techno began in the early 2000s in Dnipro, Ukraine. Renowned for his atonal modular sound, he continues to showcase his mastery of synths in this upcoming release with dozens of timeless tunes under his belt.

Having a longstanding connection with Nastia and the NECHTO label, Tolkachev's collaboration with the label has been in the making for years. Nastia's unwavering support during difficult times has fostered a genuine friendship between them, paving the way for a much anticipated release.
The tracks, recorded approximately five years ago in his studio in Kyiv, are live recordings made using analog modular synthesizers and FM groovebox, adding a touch of hooliganism and romance to the mix.

Having patiently awaited the perfect moment, Tolkachev now unveils the five tracks, characterised by his signature minimalistic, synth-led and atmospheric sound.

The Samosa label gets its Re-Funk Head on once again with Part 2 of the exciting sonic laboratory project.

Opening this outrageously good EP are Samosa alumni Dirty Elements & Drunk Drivers feat E.M.E and their all-powerful and energy blasting ‘Disco Ball’ – a track that never even attempts to hide its sassiness. The brass ensemble fanfare (which is truly one of the best disco riffs in the known universe) acts as a victory parade through Samosa City – all tickertape and confetti raining down on smiling faces. A serious, serious groove which has featured in sets by Art of Tones on his Ultimate Mix Show for Glitterbox Ibiza and by Folamour in his Amsterdam gigs in March 2024.

Track 2 is respected Italian Maestro, Moplen and the wonderful ‘Ain’t No Doubt About It’. There’s an immediate dance floor lure to the disco beats and bongo rhythms here. Take a good helping of ‘pew-pew’ laser bolts, cow bells and hand claps; add a masterful bassline and you have some serious, serious disco business. You could be sipping evening cocktails in Club Coco Bongo or taking in a beach at sunrise - this track would make you want to dance regardless.

On the B-side the disco theme continues with the most aptly titled ‘Sexy Thing’ by Jazzyfunk. At 122bpm, this heads quickly into soaring, heavenly strings and punchy bassline territory, enveloping your ears like a warm duvet. The melody is a dance floor dream – it demands that you join the hands-in-the-air crowd and there really is no point in resisting. ‘Sexy Thing’ is one of those rare ‘moment in time’ tunes that could either kick a night off or act as the grandest of grand finales. Pure, unadulterated disco pleasure.

Closing the EP with Track 4 is DeGama himself and ‘Feel The Groove’. Make no mistake, this is a powerful, brooding beast of a tune that bursts out of the traps in no time at all. At a very deceptive 120bpm, ‘Feel The Groove’ starts with a warm, housey vibe that quickly breaks into a jumping, blues inspirerd guitar battle. The solid beat bounces gorgeously in tandem with the filthy rhythm guitar riffs and sultry saxophone in a knee-slapping, somersaulting, backsliding explosion. A seriously filthy tune from DeGama.

Re-Funk Head Part 2 acts as a perfect companion to its predecessor – featuring an all-star cast of some of the best talents to grace Samosa. A must for all serious record collectors.

Svart Records are proud to release the long-awaited full length album "SÁLA" by Kati Rán in May 2024

If the most profound treasures are often the most deeply buried, the journey to uncover them is vital process of discovery. Five years after the 15-minute single “Blodbylgje” signaled the birth of a new, more primordial, and immersive vision after the dissolution of her band L.E.A.F., Nordic dark folk artist Kati Rán has expanded on its oceanic theme for her long-awaited full-length album, “SÁLA”. Embarking on a far-reaching musical and personal travelogue, it’s a reawakening of both the feminine narratives submerged and fragmented within Norse mythology, and the enduring, healing powers held within.

Named after the Old Norse word for ‘soul’ and ‘sea’, “SÁLA” is an act of ‘soul retrieval’, the shamanic art of trauma recovery, be it illness, death, heartbreak or loss, and the reintegration of a splintered self. Across its 13, wide-ranging, elegantly unfolding tracks, the album is an embodiment of different feminine voices and perspectives – from the Norse nine daughters of the sea, or ‘billow maidens’, through various historical and fictional figures to the late-night voices we hear in our most liminal states – all with tales to tell, riddles to solve, challenges to be accepted and guidance to offer. It’s a multiplicity that, like the ocean itself, belongs to a vast, restless dynamic: a matrix of mysteries, unfathomable depths and ever-shifting currents, accumulating into an elemental, regenerative source of power.

Recorded in a barn in Húsafell, Iceland – home to glacier ice caves and a rare lava stone marimba rediscovered for the track “Stone Pillars” – as well as Finland, Norway and at home in Kati’s native Netherlands, “SÁLA” is as much chronicle of Kati’s own perspective-shifting recording process as it as a pilgrimage through different viewpoints and internal states. That itinerate urge is also reflected in the use of different languages, ranging across Norwegian, Old Norse, Icelandic, and, for the first time, English, her combination of ancient texts, historical reimagining’s and unguarded personal reflection backed up by deep research into the most resonant recesses of Nordic lore.

Spun throughout every thread of “SÁLA” is a sense of communion - with the power of stories to offer moral guidance and the thrill of the unknown; with the element of water, recreated across the album both in field recordings and the agelessly organic nature of the music itself; with the archetypes whose qualities we are called upon to embody at our most critical moments; and with the internal hidden realms forever whispering at us from the far edges of our consciousness.

Appropriately, it’s a collaborative venture too. As well as working closely together with Finnish producer Jaani Peuhu, there are contributions from across the musical spectrum, including extreme metal vocalist extraordinaire Gaahl, the Icelandic female choir Umbra Ensemble, renowned Norwegian jazz musician Karl Seglem, Björk and Brian Eno contrabassist Borgar Magnason, members of pagan folk acts Völuspá, Gealdýr, Heilung and Theodor Bastard and even Napalm Death’s Mitch Harris on vocals.

For all the many sources “SÁLA” draws from, the result is a singular, intimately transformative rite of passage, and a retuning of the heart to the reverent continuity of the sacred. It will take you from the opening title track’s chest-pounding rhythmic pulse emerging from a traditional Norwegian bukkehorn (recorded by Karl Seglem), a galloping horse-rider and Kati’s glacial, velveteen chant, through “Kólga’s” recounting of female persecution through the ages borne on the most gossamer-light yet unbreakable of timbres and “Stone Pillar’s” gently percolating, deep wells of abandonment and incantations to recovery. “SÁLA” closes with the track “Sátta” - Old Norse for ‘peace’ and ‘reconciliation’ – ending the album as it began with the bukkehorn, as it weaves rich drones and experience-stamped poems and prayers, Kati’s vocals the most sensitively tuned of emotional barometers. An album made in dedication, and in thrall to, its own sense of destiny, “SÁLA” is, as all quests must ultimately be, a homecoming.

Album introduction written by Jonathan Selzer.

Svart Records are proud to release the long-awaited full length album "SÁLA" by Kati Rán in May 2024

If the most profound treasures are often the most deeply buried, the journey to uncover them is vital process of discovery. Five years after the 15-minute single “Blodbylgje” signaled the birth of a new, more primordial, and immersive vision after the dissolution of her band L.E.A.F., Nordic dark folk artist Kati Rán has expanded on its oceanic theme for her long-awaited full-length album, “SÁLA”. Embarking on a far-reaching musical and personal travelogue, it’s a reawakening of both the feminine narratives submerged and fragmented within Norse mythology, and the enduring, healing powers held within.

Named after the Old Norse word for ‘soul’ and ‘sea’, “SÁLA” is an act of ‘soul retrieval’, the shamanic art of trauma recovery, be it illness, death, heartbreak or loss, and the reintegration of a splintered self. Across its 13, wide-ranging, elegantly unfolding tracks, the album is an embodiment of different feminine voices and perspectives – from the Norse nine daughters of the sea, or ‘billow maidens’, through various historical and fictional figures to the late-night voices we hear in our most liminal states – all with tales to tell, riddles to solve, challenges to be accepted and guidance to offer. It’s a multiplicity that, like the ocean itself, belongs to a vast, restless dynamic: a matrix of mysteries, unfathomable depths and ever-shifting currents, accumulating into an elemental, regenerative source of power.

Recorded in a barn in Húsafell, Iceland – home to glacier ice caves and a rare lava stone marimba rediscovered for the track “Stone Pillars” – as well as Finland, Norway and at home in Kati’s native Netherlands, “SÁLA” is as much chronicle of Kati’s own perspective-shifting recording process as it as a pilgrimage through different viewpoints and internal states. That itinerate urge is also reflected in the use of different languages, ranging across Norwegian, Old Norse, Icelandic, and, for the first time, English, her combination of ancient texts, historical reimagining’s and unguarded personal reflection backed up by deep research into the most resonant recesses of Nordic lore.

Spun throughout every thread of “SÁLA” is a sense of communion - with the power of stories to offer moral guidance and the thrill of the unknown; with the element of water, recreated across the album both in field recordings and the agelessly organic nature of the music itself; with the archetypes whose qualities we are called upon to embody at our most critical moments; and with the internal hidden realms forever whispering at us from the far edges of our consciousness.

Appropriately, it’s a collaborative venture too. As well as working closely together with Finnish producer Jaani Peuhu, there are contributions from across the musical spectrum, including extreme metal vocalist extraordinaire Gaahl, the Icelandic female choir Umbra Ensemble, renowned Norwegian jazz musician Karl Seglem, Björk and Brian Eno contrabassist Borgar Magnason, members of pagan folk acts Völuspá, Gealdýr, Heilung and Theodor Bastard and even Napalm Death’s Mitch Harris on vocals.

For all the many sources “SÁLA” draws from, the result is a singular, intimately transformative rite of passage, and a retuning of the heart to the reverent continuity of the sacred. It will take you from the opening title track’s chest-pounding rhythmic pulse emerging from a traditional Norwegian bukkehorn (recorded by Karl Seglem), a galloping horse-rider and Kati’s glacial, velveteen chant, through “Kólga’s” recounting of female persecution through the ages borne on the most gossamer-light yet unbreakable of timbres and “Stone Pillar’s” gently percolating, deep wells of abandonment and incantations to recovery. “SÁLA” closes with the track “Sátta” - Old Norse for ‘peace’ and ‘reconciliation’ – ending the album as it began with the bukkehorn, as it weaves rich drones and experience-stamped poems and prayers, Kati’s vocals the most sensitively tuned of emotional barometers. An album made in dedication, and in thrall to, its own sense of destiny, “SÁLA” is, as all quests must ultimately be, a homecoming.

Album introduction written by Jonathan Selzer.

180GM BLACK VINYL : 500 PRESSED WORLDWIDE.

Furthermore, Billy Mahonie now have their own label, Whistling Sam Projects, an almost sold-out London launch show at The Lexington on May 4th, and they are confirmed to play Portals Festival Saturday May 25th in East London. After nearly quarter of a century, Billy Mahonie are very much back.
Formed in the first wave of British post-rock alongside the likes of Mogwai in the late 90s, John Peel favourites Billy Mahonie are set to return with the first new music from their original line-up in some twenty-four years. Whilst their debut album ‘The Big Dig’, released in 1999 on Too Pure Records, is considered a classic of the post rock genre, Billy Mahonie always crafted their intricate music with memorable hooks and melodies and performed it with energy and gusto. Theirs was not an aimless, meandering sound, instead the songs and attitude were rooted in punk rock, and still are. Billy Mahonie put the rock into post-rock.
Set for release this coming May 24th via Whistling Sam Projects, ‘Field Of Heads’ sees the band returning with their classic original line-up of Gavin Baker (guitar), Howard Monk (drums), Hywell Dinsdale (bass and guitar) and Kevin Penney (bass and guitar). Whilst this line-up has been semi active for a few years, no new material came to fruition. After their last gig in 2017, however, the band decided it was time to get back into the studio, but with two members living abroad new challenges were faced, but ideas were shared, old ones were resurrected and finally in October of 2019, Billy Mahonie were back in the studio.
Recorded over two long weekends on either side of the Covid 19 lockdowns, the band tracked at The Church studios, owned by their former collaborator and front of house engineer Paul Epworth, with senior engineer Luke Pickering at the controls, allowing ‘Field Of Heads’ to quickly take shape.
New single ‘Kaiju’ gives the music world the first taste of ‘Field Of Heads’ and right from the off, it’s classic Billy Mahonie. Immediately bursting into life with the energy and melody that is so unique to their sound, Howard’s driving drums thrust the music ahead as the guitars and synths weave their way around them. Intricate and shifting, but never at the expense of a tune that sticks in your head.
“This one came from a chord progression myself and Gav first tried out jamming in 2010,” explains drummer Howard. “Needless to say, when Hywell and Kev got their hands on it, it became something no-one ever envisaged. Kev's great title is, of course, the Japanese name for the subgenre of monster-based science fiction. A frenetic riff opens the song and for a counter guitar part only two options remain, play in the minimal gaps or find an overarching theme. We chose both. Kaiju films influence the additional Synths, echoes of those early Japanese movie themes. Some people we have played this to in advance have suggested this track is one we should lead with, as it is kind of where we left off. We agree. It rocks pretty hard. And is a bit funky too. What’s not to like?!”
 
Furthermore, Billy Mahonie now have their own label, Whistling Sam Projects, set up for global distribution through SRD, an almost sold-out London launch show at The Lexington on May 4th, and they are confirmed to play Portals Festival Saturday May 25th in East London. After nearly quarter of a century, Billy Mahonie are very much back.

When Eastward was first announced back in 2018, it was heralded for its pixelated prowess and quirky sense of style. In the three years leading up to its release, the hype train continued to gather steam as more and more was unveiled. Upon launch, it became clear that Eastward was about so much more than just style. It had substance, too. A modern celebration of early '90s video games, Pixpil's Eastward delivers a poignant yet hopeful post-apocalyptic story set in a delightfully dark world. It's a story of tribulation and triumph for a small indie studio and offers a thought-provoking exploration of societal constructs whilst also providing some warm-hearted and good-humoured fun. Eastward's iconic art style is complemented perfectly by its incredible original soundtrack composed by Joel Corelitz. In celebration of Eastward's recently launched and highly anticipated Octopia DLC, Black Screen Records and Lost In Cult Records have teamed up to bring you an exclusive opportunity to secure a series of beautiful Eastward OST items.

When Eastward was first announced back in 2018, it was heralded for its pixelated prowess and quirky sense of style. In the three years leading up to its release, the hype train continued to gather steam as more and more was unveiled. Upon launch, it became clear that Eastward was about so much more than just style. It had substance, too. A modern celebration of early '90s video games, Pixpil's Eastward delivers a poignant yet hopeful post-apocalyptic story set in a delightfully dark world. It's a story of tribulation and triumph for a small indie studio and offers a thought-provoking exploration of societal constructs whilst also providing some warm-hearted and good-humoured fun. Eastward's iconic art style is complemented perfectly by its incredible original soundtrack composed by Joel Corelitz. In celebration of Eastward's recently launched and highly anticipated Octopia DLC, Black Screen Records and Lost In Cult Records have teamed up to bring you an exclusive opportunity to secure a series of beautiful Eastward OST items.

Introducing “Psyche Gems”, the Jakarta Records debut LP from LA based Rapper JUICEBOX & Norwegian producer duo Myeye. Debut LP “Psyche Gems,” a collaborative musical venture sparked by an impromptu Instagram jam session in 2021, is poised to mesmerize audiences. The brainchild of JUICEBOX, a versatile artist known for his roles as a singer, songwriter, rapper, and one half of the acclaimed group Figmore (with 10.4 Rog), “Psyche Gems” emerged from JUICEBOX's admiration for Simen Hallset's psych-pop band Gold Celeste (over 20 million Streams on Spotify). After reaching out to Simen, they swiftly connected with Henrik Norbakk, the other half of Myeye, igniting the genesis of the collaborative project. An Instagram jam session in 2021 gave sonic birth to LP “Psyche Gems”. Buttery vocals meet funky, soul-driven beats, meticulously recorded live, then chopped and repurposed to create an experience that transcends sonic definition. From vibrant head-nodding energy to lush beats seamlessly melded with an inimitable vocal delivery, “Psyche Gems” captures the essence of past and present, offering a kaleidoscope snapshot of life reflected through timeless grooves. The album's distinctive sound is characterized by meticulous layering, where each element is meticulously played, chopped, looped, and jammed over until achieving sonic perfection. United by their shared passion for old soul and jazz records, ‘90’s + ‘00’s hip hop, lo-fi indie, and psychedelic music, JUICEBOX and Myeye seamlessly fuse their diverse influences to craft a musical experience that resonates with listeners on a profound level. "We wanted to create something that inspires, provokes, and sheds light on the truths we all carry inside us," explains JUICEBOX. "Psyche Gems is more than just an album; it's an infinite journal entry of reflection, a testament to the power of music to illuminate the human experience."

Folk-Singer/Songwriter Moddi offenbart auf dem Album "Vandreviser" seine persönlichen Erfahrungen während einer abenteuerlichen Pilgerreise durch die bahnbrechende norwegische Natur. Ohne Mobiltelefon und ganz allein begibt er sich jenseits der Komfortzone, nimmt alle Instrumente von Mundharmonika bis Kirchenorgel selbst auf und verfeiner seine Tagebucheinträge mit Liedtexten aus dem Gesangbuch und spontanen Feldaufnahmen vom Wanderweg.

In one sense, it's easy for artists-songwriters, specifically-to express their feelings in their work. After all, that's what the lyrics are for! But it's much harder to convey emotional energy in how you play, slash at the guitar, and the structure of the music itself. That's precisely why Girl and Girl's Sub Pop debut, Call A Doctor, feels like such a vital, electrifying shock to the senses. Not since the early work of Car Seat Headrest or Conor Oberst's widescreen emotional brutality as Bright Eyes has indie rock managed to come across as this intimate and grandiose, as the Australian quartet led by Kai James lay a lifetime's worth of woes-mental health, the human race's planned obsolescence if you've been living on this cursed rock you know what we're getting at-across a canvas of indie rock that feels both timeless and in-the-moment. An audacious and aggressively tuneful blast of a record, Call A Doctor is an unforgettable first bow from Girl and Girl, whose origins lie in James and guitarist Jayden Williams jamming in his mother's garage in the afternoon after school. One afternoon, James' Aunty Liss headed down to their practice space after walking her dog and asked if she could sit in on drums. "It sounded really great," James recalls. "We begged her to stay, and she said, 'I'll stay until you find another drummer.' We wore her down, and she eventually became a permanent member." After bassist Fraser Bell joined to round things out, Girl and Girl hit the road and began to make a name for themselves beyond the Australian bush, eventually signing to Sub Pop off the strength of word of mouth. Call A Doctor came together quickly soon after, largely recorded in marathon sessions in a two-story industrial complex over the course of two weeks. "That added to the intensity of the album," James says about the frenzied creative process overseen by producer Burke Reid. "I can hear the stress in the record, which is good because that's what it's about-being tense, tied up, and in your own head." Call A Doctor's eleven songs-spanning sweeping guitar epics and wry acoustic shuffles to spiky punk maneuvers and the type of raw, adoringly unvarnished indie-pop associated with legendary PacNW label K Records-are literally plucked from James' personal history, as he reworked older recordings with newer lyrics reflecting his past struggles as well as new anxieties that emerged prior to the album's recording. "I've struggled with mental health for a lot of my life," he explains, "and I went through a particularly difficult patch when we were making the album; the band had started to get some attention, and I felt an enormous amount of pressure to live up to it." "This record is about an individual who's too far in their head, trying to get out," James continues while discussing Call A Doctor's overall outlook-specifically the snapshot it offers of its creator. But even though this record deals with uneasy topics we all know well from within ourselves, it's important to emphasize how teeming with life Girl and Girl's music is. There's a brazen, bold sense of humor to this stuff, an undeniable brightness to the darkness that makes it impossible not to be drawn in as a listener. Feeling down never sounded so goddamn good.

Through his project Lionlimb, New York based singer/songwriter/producer Stewart Bronaugh crafts unfurling soundscapes that feel mysterious and otherworldly, yet timeless and nostalgic at the same time. He presents his most ambitious vision of these inner vistas on his new album, Limbo, arriving May 24th on Bayonet Records. Inspired by a palette of '70s Italian film soundtracks, '60s girl group music, and funk and soul ballads, Bronaugh brings these influences together to invent an immersive sound all his own-with help from close collaborator Joshua Jaeger, whose live drums bring a rawness to Limbo's meticulously layered production. Led by the smoldering single "Dream of You," featuring Angel Olsen, Limbo taps into universal themes of romance, longing, and loss, while still offering a hazy escape from our present reality. Bronaugh penned the songs with "classic" songwriting in mind, transforming his personal struggles with grief and addiction into love songs. Using images inspired by nature (like the sun, moonlight, hurricanes, and deep water), he expresses being overtaken by a force greater than himself, as the psychedelic production evokes a sense of being plunged into this vast landscape. Limbo benefits from its eclectic influences, as Bronaugh overlays sitar-sounding guitar on top of funky basslines, melodramatic string arrangements, and fuzzed out guitar, making for music that could easily belong on Twin Peaks just as much as a Western cowboy film. An album of duets, Limbo features a host of female vocalists-Angel Olsen, Ewa Synowiec, to Bion augil, nderstad ocal periora ne Bill bout vocal sad ate another instrument* he explains. "When we first tried to have someone else sing, I liked it, because I felt more akin to a producer than a songwriter." There's a dreamy quality to how these singers trade off with Bronaugh, both parties expressing his inner emotions. Limbo is a culmination of Bronaugh's years of production experience, as he composed, produced, and mixed the project almost entirely by himself, with additional recording from Robin Eaton. Always inspired to make bold and experimental choices that capture his instincts in the moment, Bronaugh's production style is informed by "wanting to do the weird thing that engineers wouldn't approve of," as he describes it. "My favorite part of making music is the mistakes."

Clean Hands Go Foul (2009) generously offers more of everything: voluminous drones, clashing dissonance, mysterious subharmonic swells, escalating terror, and environments drenched in heavy anticipatory dread. The final hour of the band's first decade sees Khanate, as always, making "music that, even in the realm of extreme music, is dark and distorted" (Pitchfork). Clean Hands Go Foul would be followed by the ultimate minimalism, as the Khanate entity sat shrouded in silence until the release of 2023's To Be Cruel.

Das in Nürnberg beheimatete Trio macht klassischen Rock, der sich an der Hochzeit des Genres in den 1960ern / 1970ern orientiert und starke Blues- wie auch Psychedelic-Einflüsse enthält. Dabei kommt der von ihm selbst als "Vintage Rock" bezeichnete Sound des Trios absolut frisch und zeitgemäß daher und lässt immer wieder durch unerwartete Einschübe oder Ausflüge in andere Genres aufhorchen. Das aktuelle Line-up, bestehend aus Jochen Leistner (Gesang, Orgel, Bass und Mundharmonika) Kris Karla (Gitarre und Chorgesang) sowie Oliver Pfeiffer an Schlagzeug und Percussion, zeigt die mit Abstand ausgereiftesten und kompaktesten Songs ihrer bisherigen Karriere. Eines der besten Beispiele dafür ist gleich zum Start der Platte platziert. "Eden's Gate" ist im Grunde ein herrlich gradliniger, satt nach vorne gehender Rocker. Zum Ende hin entwickelt er dann aber doch geradezu epische Qualitäten, bevor er dank eines atmosphärischen Klavierparts wunderbar nachdenklich auf das Finale zusteuert. "Gettin' Rid Off" hingegen ist ein dreckiger, heavy groovender Stampfer, der sich als Live-Hymne geradezu aufdrängt, während "Mother Earth" deutlich introvertierter und sanfter, dabei aber immer vorwärts orientiert und mit einem brillanten Gitarrensolo daherkommt. Für noch mehr Abwechslung sorgt nicht nur das unterschwellig immer mal wieder durchkommende Americana-Feeling, sondern speziell der erstaunlich authentisch präsentierte Latin-Rocker "De Ángeles Y Diablos". Das abschließende "Homecoming" ist dann nicht nur der vielleicht ruhigste Titel, es bringt auch noch einmal die psychedelischen Wurzeln der Musiker so richtig zum Vorschein. Fans handgemachter, kraftvoll-lebendiger und in allen Belangen mitreißender Rockmusik dürfen sich auf die Tourdates von The Shadow Lizzards freuen - ebenso wie auf ihr exzellentes neues Album " Paradise".

Es ist durchaus eine kleine Sensation, dass dieser Tage ein weiteres MORBID SAINT-Album erscheint, also mehr als 30 Jahre, nachdem ihre zweite LP „Destruction System“ aufgenommen, aber bis zu ihrer offiziellen Veröffentlichung vor kurzem nicht fertiggestellt worden war. Allerdings war die Aussicht, neue Musik in ihrem einzigartigen Death/Thrash-Metal-Stil zu schreiben, einer der Hauptgründe dafür, dass sich die Kernmitglieder 2010 überhaupt wieder vereinten. Während ihrer ersten aktiven Phase von 1984 bis ’94 konnte die Band ihr Potenzial längst nicht ausschöpfen, insbesondere im Hinblick auf ihre bahnbrechende erste Platte „Spectrum of Death“ (1990). Das neue Werk entstand im kreativen Fernaustausch, wobei sich alle Mitglieder gegenseitig Ideen zuspielten, um ein Breitseite aus zehn Extrem-Metal-Tracks abzufeuern, wie man sie heute kaum mehr hört – absolut verheerend und doch musikalisch anspruchsvoll, Grenzen überschreitend, aber nicht auf Teufel komm raus, und abgerundet von einem Artwork des legendären Ed Repka (Death, Megadeth). „Swallowed By Hell“ wurde von Chris Djuricic (Num Skull, Disinter) im The Belle City Sound Company aufgenommen und erhielt den letzten Schliff von Scott Elliott in den Chernobyl Studios. Es riecht nach alter Schule, steht aber mit beiden Beinen im Hier und Jetzt. „Eine bessere Besetzung könnte man sich nicht wünschen“, sagt Gitarrist und Mitbegründer Jim Fergades. „Wir freuen uns jetzt über alle Möglichkeiten, und je nachdem, welche sich uns bieten, kann eine Menge passieren.“

"The outsized sounds emerging from the Excelsior Mill organ captured here constitute a unique chapter in the Sun Ra story, a dizzying phantasmagoria that offers a whole new view on what Ra could do. It might thrill you; it might unnerve you; it might strum your heartstrings; it might spook the living daylights out of you. Most likely you’ll experience all of the above before the jolting musical jeremiad is done. The CD includes the full uncut show with music not featured on the LP version!

When you’re Sun Ra, you don’t need synthesizers to evoke apocalyptic visions and interstellar excursions. You don’t even need a band.

Ra is most widely known for working with various iterations of his Arkestra, but he was no stranger to unaccompanied keyboard expeditions. His discography contains solo piano albums, solo Fender Rhodes records, and solo recordings on conventional organ, the latter going as far back as his home recordings from the 1940s. But none of those instruments ever offered Sun Ra the kind of sonic artillery that waited beneath his fingers and feet when he sat before the keyboards, pedals, and multicolored constellation of tabs controlling the Wurlitzer pipe organ.

Mystic and magisterial, Ra comes off here like a cross between a demonically riffing ‘50s horror movie villain and a futuristic congregation leader delivering the interplanetary gospel. Brassy stabs provide the kind of punctuation that could be graphically rendered as an endless string of exclamation marks in 500-point font. String-like swoops and swirls dance across the top of the carnage, cooling the flames just enough to keep the whole thing from combusting (for a while at least) but never dousing the fiery fury that Ra draws forth from the instrument.

Clean Hands Go Foul (2009) generously offers more of everything: voluminous drones, clashing dissonance, mysterious subharmonic swells, escalating terror, and environments drenched in heavy anticipatory dread. The final hour of the band's first decade sees Khanate, as always, making "music that, even in the realm of extreme music, is dark and distorted" (Pitchfork). Clean Hands Go Foul would be followed by the ultimate minimalism, as the Khanate entity sat shrouded in silence until the release of 2023's To Be Cruel.

In one sense, it’s easy for artists—songwriters, specifically—to express their feelings in their work. After all, that’s what the lyrics are for! But it’s much harder to convey emotional energy in how you play, slash at the guitar, and the structure of the music itself. That’s precisely why Girl and Girl’s Sub Pop debut, Call A Doctor, feels like such a vital, electrifying shock to the senses. Not since the early work of Car Seat Headrest or Conor Oberst’s widescreen emotional brutality as Bright Eyes has indie rock managed to come across as this intimate and grandiose, as the Australian quartet led by Kai James lay a lifetime’s worth of woes—mental health, the human race’s planned obsolescence if you’ve been living on this cursed rock you know what we’re getting at—across a canvas of indie rock that feels both timeless and in-the-moment.

An audacious and aggressively tuneful blast of a record, Call A Doctor is an unforgettable first bow from Girl and Girl, whose origins lie in James and guitarist Jayden Williams jamming in his mother’s garage in the afternoon after school. One afternoon, James’ Aunty Liss headed down to their practice space after walking her dog and asked if she could sit in on drums. “It sounded really great,” James recalls. “We begged her to stay, and she said, ‘I’ll stay until you find another drummer.’ We wore her down, and she eventually became a permanent member.”

After bassist Fraser Bell joined to round things out, Girl and Girl hit the road and began to make a name for themselves beyond the Australian bush, eventually signing to Sub Pop off the strength of word of mouth. Call A Doctor came together quickly soon after, largely recorded in marathon sessions in a two-story industrial complex over the course of two weeks. “That added to the intensity of the album,” James says about the frenzied creative process overseen by producer Burke Reid. “I can hear the stress in the record, which is good because that’s what it’s about—being tense, tied up, and in your own head.”

Call A Doctor’s eleven songs—spanning sweeping guitar epics and wry acoustic shuffles to spiky punk maneuvers and the type of raw, adoringly unvarnished indie-pop associated with legendary PacNW label K Records—are literally plucked from James’ personal history, as he reworked older recordings with newer lyrics reflecting his past struggles as well as new anxieties that emerged prior to the album’s recording. “I’ve struggled with mental health for a lot of my life,” he explains, “and I went through a particularly difficult patch when we were making the album; the band had started to get some attention, and I felt an enormous amount of pressure to live up to it.”

Far from the sound of collapsing under pressure, Call A Doctor finds James and Co. stepping up with their entire collective chest. This is a record that’s so out-and-out alive that you nearly feel like you’re in the same room with Girl and Girl as you listen to it; lead single “Hello” practically bursts through the speakers, amplified by Aunty Liss’ unbelievable stickhandling duties. “‘Hello’ is all about romanticizing your own misery. Letting those deep, dark, dirty thoughts take over. Understanding that even if you could pull yourself out, you wouldn’t because the constant stress and worry is far too familiar and comfortable.”

“Mother” pogos on a spiky groove that’s reminiscent of the geographically close New Zealanders who make up the legendary Flying Nun label, while “Oh Boy” draws from the Shins’ own jangly sound, injected with James’ wonderfully nervy vocals. Then there’s Call A Doctor’s sorta-centerpiece “Maple Jean and the Anthropocene,” a five-minute epic offering a new perspective on climate change and the notion of what it means, in a personal sense, to suffer: “I live in the bushland, and I was driving home one night and hit and killed a wallaby with my car,” James recalls while discussing the song’s lyrical inspiration. “My first thought was, ‘What is the universe trying to tell me?’ No remorse, no guilt, just total self-centeredness. Which was like, Woah, you fucking psychopath! This wallaby wasn’t put on this earth to send you a message. That’s what the song is about, our egocentric species - thinking you’re the main character and that everything that happens is somehow about you.”

“This record is about an individual who’s too far in their head, trying to get out,” James continues while discussing Call A Doctor’s overall outlook—specifically the snapshot it offers of its creator. But even though this record deals with uneasy topics we all know well from within ourselves, it’s important to emphasize how teeming with life Girl and Girl’s music is. There’s a brazen, bold sense of humor to this stuff, an undeniable brightness to the darkness that makes it impossible not to be drawn in as a listener. Feeling down never sounded so goddamn good.

"After an acclaimed run of performances at the National Theatre in 2018, Hadestown returned to London in February 2024 for its long-awaited West End premiere at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue.

This Grammy award winning recording represents the Broadway show in its entirety. It features vocal performances by Reeve Carney (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark); Tony nominees Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon), Patrick Page (Spring Awakening), and Amber Gray (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812); and Tony winner André De Shields (The Wiz).

Following two intertwining love stories - that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone - Hadestown, the 8x Tony-winning musical (including Best Score and Best Musical) by celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back.

Mitchell's beguiling melodies and innovative director and Tony Award nominee Rachel Chavkin's poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.

Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, Hadestown delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience. This album was produced by Grammy® winner David Lai (the 2009 West Side Story Cast Album) alongside Todd Sickafoose and Anaïs Mitchell, who also collaborated on Mitchell’s celebrated modern folk album Young Man in America. This is a new 2LP version in standard packaging making it cheaper than previous deluxe versions. 2 x 140g discs in a gatefold sleeve"

If you love groove, irresistible basslines, and a sonic universe that dances between Italo house, Balearic, and funk, consider it as a new hit for your playlists:

“Euro Nettuno – Après Le Paradise” on POLYAMORE Records.

The first single is titled “Si Fua,” exotic rhythms blend with tropical sounds to produce Calypso vibes, yet charged with positive energy. Absolutely not to be missed is the remix by the well-established DJ and producer ELADO, who offers listeners a total immersion in drum solos that transform the dancefloor into a tribal dance.

The second single, on the other hand, is titled “Il Diavolo” (“The Devil”). Magic cults, esoteric sects, and dance floor devotees all come together for an unrestrained dance. The perfect fusion of house and Italo disco creates a true anthem for those who never stop when it’s time to dance. To close this fantastic EP, the remix of “Il Diavolo” by Marvin & Guy will teleport you on a mystical journey where dark yet colorful sounds alternate with a combination of astral rhythms that will lend sensuality and vigour to the powerful basslines of this remix.

The official soundtrack release to the new film of Amy Winehouse, BACK TO BLACK, releasing Spring 2024. Amy Winehouse is widely considered as one of the greatest artists in recent history, selling more than 30 million records worldwide. Her acclaimed self-produced 2006 album Back to Black, propelled her to global stardom, going on to win a (then) record breaking 5 Grammy Awards, including Record Of The Year and Song of The Year for hit single Rehab. Releasing on 140g 1LP Black vinyl, the tracklist comprises a carefully curated highlights collection of Amy's original recordings and tracks from her idols, such as The Shangri-Las, Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington, that are featured in the film, plus a new original track sung by Nick Cave. The vinyl product is housed in a single sleeve with printed inners featuring a personal note from director Sam Taylor-Johnson.

180GM BLACK VINYL : 500 PRESSED WORLDWIDE.

Furthermore, Billy Mahonie now have their own label, Whistling Sam Projects, an almost sold-out London launch show at The Lexington on May 4th, and they are confirmed to play Portals Festival Saturday May 25th in East London. After nearly quarter of a century, Billy Mahonie are very much back.
Formed in the first wave of British post-rock alongside the likes of Mogwai in the late 90s, John Peel favourites Billy Mahonie are set to return with the first new music from their original line-up in some twenty-four years. Whilst their debut album ‘The Big Dig’, released in 1999 on Too Pure Records, is considered a classic of the post rock genre, Billy Mahonie always crafted their intricate music with memorable hooks and melodies and performed it with energy and gusto. Theirs was not an aimless, meandering sound, instead the songs and attitude were rooted in punk rock, and still are. Billy Mahonie put the rock into post-rock.
Set for release this coming May 24th via Whistling Sam Projects, ‘Field Of Heads’ sees the band returning with their classic original line-up of Gavin Baker (guitar), Howard Monk (drums), Hywell Dinsdale (bass and guitar) and Kevin Penney (bass and guitar). Whilst this line-up has been semi active for a few years, no new material came to fruition. After their last gig in 2017, however, the band decided it was time to get back into the studio, but with two members living abroad new challenges were faced, but ideas were shared, old ones were resurrected and finally in October of 2019, Billy Mahonie were back in the studio.
Recorded over two long weekends on either side of the Covid 19 lockdowns, the band tracked at The Church studios, owned by their former collaborator and front of house engineer Paul Epworth, with senior engineer Luke Pickering at the controls, allowing ‘Field Of Heads’ to quickly take shape.
New single ‘Kaiju’ gives the music world the first taste of ‘Field Of Heads’ and right from the off, it’s classic Billy Mahonie. Immediately bursting into life with the energy and melody that is so unique to their sound, Howard’s driving drums thrust the music ahead as the guitars and synths weave their way around them. Intricate and shifting, but never at the expense of a tune that sticks in your head.
“This one came from a chord progression myself and Gav first tried out jamming in 2010,” explains drummer Howard. “Needless to say, when Hywell and Kev got their hands on it, it became something no-one ever envisaged. Kev's great title is, of course, the Japanese name for the subgenre of monster-based science fiction. A frenetic riff opens the song and for a counter guitar part only two options remain, play in the minimal gaps or find an overarching theme. We chose both. Kaiju films influence the additional Synths, echoes of those early Japanese movie themes. Some people we have played this to in advance have suggested this track is one we should lead with, as it is kind of where we left off. We agree. It rocks pretty hard. And is a bit funky too. What’s not to like?!”
 
Furthermore, Billy Mahonie now have their own label, Whistling Sam Projects, set up for global distribution through SRD, an almost sold-out London launch show at The Lexington on May 4th, and they are confirmed to play Portals Festival Saturday May 25th in East London. After nearly quarter of a century, Billy Mahonie are very much back.

Pitched Peach's inaugural release marks a significant homage to the Bay Area's musical legacy, featuring five tracks from Darwin Chamber, the alter-ego of Mark Greenfield.

Chamber's contributions have been instrumental in shaping the distinctive sound of the ambient house/trip-hop and breakbeat movement that originated in San Francisco during the 1990s. His work offers listeners a timeless experience that represents the essence of electronic music's history. This EP encapsulates the playfulness we seek both as a listening experience and to burn the dance floor, setting the stage for an electrifying future of releases on the label. All tracks have been remastered for the occasion!

Presenting ‘Lotus Island EP' by Forest on Stasys, a record that seamlessly weaves through the tapestry of the deep techno landscape. We kick off with the title track, 'Lotus Island,' a hypnotic journey characterised by rolling percussion and menacing synths. Feral then adds his reconstruction, plunging the listener into a dark, swampy realm, reimagining the original with his unique signature sound.

Next up is 'Torre De Alquimia,' a spacious, haunting track that rolls through techno terrains with an enigmatic allure, evoking a sense of mystery and suspense throughout. Closing the EP is 'Prism of Nature,' a brighter, melodic workout that serves as a serene conclusion to this wonderfully deep record.

FIRST OFFICIAL REISSUE OF ONE OF THE MOST SAMPLED TURKISH RECORDS IN 45 YEARS! SAMPLED BY RAP LEGENDS LIKE SCARFACE OF THE GETO BOYS. TURKISH PSYCHEDELIC MASTERPIECE FROM 1980

Licensed from "Warner Records Sweden" and remastered from original material in Warner Record's vaults by Shawn Joseph at Optimum Mastering Bristol. 180 gr heavyweight vinyl Manufactured in Optimal Berlin.
Recorded between Istanbul and Stockholm, it captures the era between Okay Temiz's Don Cherry Trio touring and his own band Oriental Wind's sensational debut.
Mentioned distinctive elements have elevated the record to 'cult' status among record collectors, sample enthusiasts, and diggers around the world.
By 1980, Okay Temiz had already embarked on a series of dynamic collaborations and sound experiences with Don Cherry as a member of the Don Cherry Trio. This period included a noteworthy summer in the early '70s at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, hosted by Jon Appleton, a notable American composer and visionary in electro-acoustic music.
"During that summer, Jon asked me, 'What kind of sound do you have in mind?' I had already given this considerable thought, using a tape recorder to capture sound frequencies influenced by the moon's position. Jon Appleton's question made me think about the extension of 'Organic Music Theory,' which we were exploring with Don Cherry at the time."
In 1982, Okay Temiz recorded the most comprehensive answer to 'What is Turkish Jazz?' at the Montreux Jazz Festival (CAZLP 004) with his band Oriental Wind, featuring Bobo Stenson (of the Jan Garbarek - Bobo Stenson Quartet), Palle Danielsson (of the Peter Erskine European Trio), and Lennart Åberg (of the Scandinavia New Jazz Group).
In 1980, without fully realizing he was navigating between these two worlds, Okay Temiz entered Stockholm's renowned Metronome studios to record the 'sound in his mind' as a solo artist.

`Drummer of Two Worlds` is a star map of Okay Temiz's musical worlds. Blending elements from the grand piano to his handmade drums, and from the amplified Berimbau to his cowbell array, weaving Turkish rhythms like 9/8 and 7/8 with the universality of 4/4, it presents a unique sound narrative that resonates with the dimensions of a well-traveled mind."

Haluk Damar

Intrigue's self-released synth-funk rarity released officially for the first time by Backatcha. Recorded in 1986 by the same line-up that created the classics 'I Like It', 'Call Of The Heart', 'No Turning Back' and more, 'One Touch' expresses the woes of a homewrecker over a "midnight" groove weighted with synth bass and rhythm delay. This limited 12" is a forerunner to the forthcoming Intrigue compilation featuring previously unreleased material alongside the group's sought-after catalogue of recordings.

This is a record !
Oh man... a real destroyer for the dancefloor.
A weapon.

A killer offering crazy drops , fresh ideas and oldschool big ups !

Blood wicked hard music !

With 'Stone Flute', the free-improvising duo's third studio album proper, Galecstasy returns to the universe of synthesizers to deliver an aural odyssey, conjuring the ancient tones of a forgotten world.
The album was entirely conceived and recorded in, and around, the majestic landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park in the magnificent high desert of southern California. From atop the mountain, the two sonic surveyors were witness to a 360 degree view of the stars at night. From above, the giant rocks looked like immense wise faces looking up at the sky, or even huge bodies resting on the Earth and looking up at space. It was during this time that Galecstasy started a ritual that ended up being called the “Moon Cruise”. This would involve waiting for the full moon to rise and then driving into the national park after dark. They would turn off the headlights of the car and drive slowly through the alien landscape lit up by the moon. Boulder fields took on the shape of temples; faces carved into the rocks everywhere they looked; giant heads with smiles or haunting expressions; and the knowledge that people had been living, dancing, and making music here for thousands of years. It was during these enchanting escapades that 'Stone Flute' was conceived.
In the mountain-top recording studio, the band were utilizing every potential space to tap into the best vibrations the land had to offer. Where the mic was placed: Perhaps a giant boulder once stood, or an ancient tree. One could feel the different energies of every room. The fireplace in the living room was built of giant lava rocks for the music to swirl around. Sounds would spill and climb around the house.

"The living room was just a beautiful tangle of synthesizers and plants. It was an inspiring place to make great records. We channeled the music of the boulders buoyed by the energy shooting up from the fault lines. The good feelings emanated from the studio, it had become our own temple and the birthplace of 'Stone Flute'."

With 'Stone Flute', the free-improvising duo's third studio album proper, Galecstasy returns to the universe of synthesizers to deliver an aural odyssey, conjuring the ancient tones of a forgotten world.
The album was entirely conceived and recorded in, and around, the majestic landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park in the magnificent high desert of southern California. From atop the mountain, the two sonic surveyors were witness to a 360 degree view of the stars at night. From above, the giant rocks looked like immense wise faces looking up at the sky, or even huge bodies resting on the Earth and looking up at space. It was during this time that Galecstasy started a ritual that ended up being called the “Moon Cruise”. This would involve waiting for the full moon to rise and then driving into the national park after dark. They would turn off the headlights of the car and drive slowly through the alien landscape lit up by the moon. Boulder fields took on the shape of temples; faces carved into the rocks everywhere they looked; giant heads with smiles or haunting expressions; and the knowledge that people had been living, dancing, and making music here for thousands of years. It was during these enchanting escapades that 'Stone Flute' was conceived.
In the mountain-top recording studio, the band were utilizing every potential space to tap into the best vibrations the land had to offer. Where the mic was placed: Perhaps a giant boulder once stood, or an ancient tree. One could feel the different energies of every room. The fireplace in the living room was built of giant lava rocks for the music to swirl around. Sounds would spill and climb around the house.

"The living room was just a beautiful tangle of synthesizers and plants. It was an inspiring place to make great records. We channeled the music of the boulders buoyed by the energy shooting up from the fault lines. The good feelings emanated from the studio, it had become our own temple and the birthplace of 'Stone Flute'."

"Du reitest über die Zwickauer Hügel nach Nordosten. Die Lederzügel schneiden sich in deine gefrorenen Hände, während sich heiss-saurer Sod nach oben brennt. Metaphysischer Katerschweiss sticht sich Pore für Pore durch deine Haut, durch ein verblasstes Sargtattoo auf dem Unterarm. Die müden Füße in den NVA-Stiefeln deines Vaters umklammern die Flanken eines dampfenden, grauen Appaloosa, oder ist es doch nur die frisierte Simson S51? Egal, denn eigentlich ist es deine ur-eigene Mind-Machine, in der du dem Ruf der Leere folgend durch die Ruinen der Selbsterkenntnis irrst. Nach Chemnitz - dem San Francisco des ganz kleinen Mannes. Erwarten wird dich dort allerdings nicht Bernd Spier's einfältige Flowertime, sondern Asbest, Eternit und vor allem die Risse, die sich durch ebendiesen ziehen. Genau da verdichten sich die Songs auf L'Appel du Vide's erstem Full-Length "Metro" jedem Leerstand trotzend zu einem 9 Stories hohen Monolithen aus Post-Punk, Death-Rock, Synth- und Darkwave, der einen - einmal erklommen - über jene Genregrenzen hinwegschauen lässt. Ein schwarz-schimmernder Jengaturm aus (East-)German Angst und kompromissloser Innenschau. So viel aufrichtiger wankend, als ein Campino im einstudierten Seitwärts-Taumeltanz der Mitte der Gesellschaft weismachen will, führt er dich weg von den tief hängenden Früchten des epigonalen (Post-)Punkswindles. Hin zu den aufgehenden Blüten echter Musikliebhaberei. Man hat sich festgebissen und ist drangeblieben, hat geschürft und sortiert, die Linernotes gelesen und vor allem eins: den vielen Platten zugehört. Die Schubladen aufgemacht und offen gelassen. Sänger René klagt sich ohne Allüren, zeigefingerfrei und immun gegen jedes Zeitgeistgeheische ins zunächst eigene Herz. Die Gitarre sägt, klirrt und kreischt vor Hunger und ist doch satt. Die Rhythm-Section knurrt und scheppert und bumst sich geradeaus in den Abyss, aus dem auch analoge Synths hier und da auftauchen um kurz Luft zu schnappen. Überhaupt kann man die Instrumente atmen hören, so ehrlich ist der Sound. Gitarrist Flatty hat die Band Anfang 2023 im Studio Gloom, Chemnitz aufgenommen. Doch da ist nicht nur Sachsen und die zu oft beschworenen, modrigen Wurzeln der Hängengebliebenen. Da ist Detroit, Frisco und Los Angeles. Manchester, New York und Portland. Und genau so wie Poison Idea's "Feel the Darkness" (um dann doch mal eine Reminiszenz zu bemühen) beginnt, endet "Metro" nach 37 Minuten Spielzeit - mit nacktem Piano. Dazwischen: eine Verwandtschaft in Wucht und Haltung, nur ohne Metal- und Gepose. Just Power and Void. Und in der Satteltasche ein altes Foto vom Meer, körnig, schwarz weiss und doch alle Farben widerspiegelnd.

2024 Repress

Ned Doheny's Hard Candy, originally released in 1976, is widely considered the finest blue-eyed soul album of all time. It is has long been a source of great frustration then, that this perfectly-formed Southern California masterpiece has been unavailable on vinyl for almost 40 years. Previously bootlegged in derisory fashion, original copies are rarely found for less than $100.

Be With Records, a new vinyl-only reissue label, continues apace by marking its third release with the first officially licensed reissue of Doheny's nautical classic. Perhaps most famously, this impeccably smooth set features the timeless Get It Up For Love, a wonderful example of mid-70s mid-tempo white-(hot)-funk.

Produced by the legendary Steve Cropper, it featured a veritable who's-who of the Laurel Canyon soft-yacht sound (JD Souther, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, the entire horn section for Tower of Power!) yet bombed mysteriously. It's been a cult record since.

Pressed on audiophile 180gram vinyl and featuring the original artwork for both jacket and full colour inner sleeve, this very limited reissue of 500 copies is one not to be missed.

Rund sechs Jahre nach ihrem Debütalbum kehrt die aufstrebende Symphonic Metal-Band ELVELLON mit ihrem zweiten Werk und Napalm Records-Debüt zurück: Ascending in Synergy enthält zehn brandneue Tracks der deutschen Symphonic Metal-Hoffnung.
Ascending in Synergy ist der Nachfolger des hochgelobten Erstwerks Until Dawn (2018), das auf die 2015 erschienene EP Spellbound folgte. Das offizielle Musikvideo zum Track „Born From Hope" zählt bis dato über 1,3 Millionen Aufrufe, die EP-Version des Songs wurde weit über 2,5 Millionen Mal auf Spotify gestreamt und im Metal Hammer wurden ELVELLON bereits als „Helden von morgen“ gefeiert. ELVELLON teilten die Bühne bereits mit bedeutenden Szene-Bands wie Visions of Atlantis, außerdem konnten sie ihre einnehmende Live-Präsenz auf zahlreichen Festivalbühnen im Inund Ausland unter Beweis stellen, wie etwa dem RockHarz, M'era Luna oder dem Rock Fest Barcelona.
Das neue Album Ascending in Synergy beweist das herausragende Feingefühl der Formation um Sängerin Nele Messerschmidt, stilistisch gekonnt zwischen den frühen Anfängen des Symphonic Metal auf der einen, und einem modernen, zeitgemäßen Ansatz auf der anderen Seite zu balancieren. Dabei vereinen sie beide Welten zu ihrem ganz eigenen, Sound, der sowohl Genre-Liebhaber als auch neue Fans in den Bann ziehen wird.

Die Londoner Band Home Counties veröffentlicht nach ersten EPs ihr Debütalbum 'Exactly As It Seems', produziert von Bandgitarrist Conor Kearney und gemischt von Andy Savors (Black Country New Road, Rina Sawayama, Sorry). Home Counties haben sich als eine der wichtigsten neuen Alternative-Bands Großbritanniens etabliert, die mit Shame, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, FEET, Courting und bdrmm auftraten und von BBC Radio-DJs sowie Elton John (Apple 1) unterstützt werden. Der Band gelingt es, lyrische Offenheit über die besch******* Details des modernen Lebens und musikalischen Schwung mit Begeisterung in Einklang zu bringen. Nach dem treffenden Motto: 'Mein Leben ist ruiniert, weil ich mir die Miete nicht leisten kann, aber ich werde darüber tanzen.'

"It's time. Africa, it's time. It's time that Africa changes. It's time our leaders change. Everything that happens in Africa is extraordinary. We have everything: water, earth, sun, fields of oil, gas. We have all this in Africa, but Africa is still poor. It's time we change our way of thinking. It's time for Africans to take their destiny into their own hands. If not, others will take it." This is the message instrumental guitarist Tidiane Thiam hopes to convey with his new solo album, Africa Yontii, a Pulaar title that translates to "Africa Time." To a casual listener, Thiam's bold statement starkly contrasts with his melodic playing. But a closer listen to Thiam's expressive playing reveals a thoughtful voice that stands out from the crop of contemporary guitarists. "What I should be singing (with words) I'm instead saying with my guitar," he says. Hailing from the sleepy fishing Senegalese fishing town of Podor, home of the great Baaba Maal, Thiam taught himself guitar by playing along to late-night radio broadcasts of Manding music. He soon developed his style, often reworking Pulaar folk themes into his compositions. On Africa Yontii, Thiam's third album for Sahel Sounds, he teamed up with hip-hop beat maker Ndiaye Moctar from studio M.N. Records to provide accompaniment, integrating unexpected elements such as field recordings and electronic sounds. In the liner notes for Africa Yontii, Thiam voices his concerns about the lack of opportunities for Africa's youth and the lonely road that can come with leaving behind loved ones in the hope of a better life. He also sprinkles in a philosophical query about the eroding state of the world alongside two more hopeful, traditional offerings in the form of wedding and river songs. Despite the sometimes heavy subject matter, Thiam's love for his homeland and heritage shines through. Tidiane Thiam's Africa Yontii reclaims the maligned "world music" genre within a sonic space that has long been dominated by others telling the story. As the title suggests - It's time!

Amerikanische Death Metal-Klassiker neu gemastert! Die legendäre Chicagoer Death Metal-Band Oppressor wurde 1991 von Bassist/Sänger Tim King und Gitarrist Adam Zadel gegründet, bald kamen Gitarrist Jim Stopper und Schlagzeuger Tom Schofield hinzu.

Oppressor hat sich neu formiert und spielt wieder live! 1993 nahmen Oppressor zwei Demos auf... und ihr zweites Demo, "As Blood Flows" von 1993, brachte sie unter Vertrag. Dieses Demo war mit über 30 Minuten Spielzeit und einer anständigen Produktion eine sehr starke Veröffentlichung. Im darauffolgenden Jahr wurde das Debütalbum "Solstice of Oppression" veröffentlicht, das von ausgiebigen Tourneen begleitet wurde, aber das Label von Oppressor ging kurz darauf in Konkurs. Um ihren Namen in der Öffentlichkeit zu halten, veröffentlichten Oppressor eine halb Live-, halb Studio-Compilation namens "European Oppression Live/As Blood Flows", Live-Material, das sie auf ihrer europäischen Support-Tour für ihr Debüt gesammelt hatten, und Studiomaterial, das aus dem kompletten "As Blood Flows"-Demo der Band von 1993 bestand.

The official soundtrack release to the new film of Amy Winehouse, BACK TO BLACK, releasing Spring 2024. Amy Winehouse is widely considered as one of the greatest artists in recent history, selling more than 30 million records worldwide. Her acclaimed self-produced 2006 album Back to Black, propelled her to global stardom, going on to win a (then) record breaking 5 Grammy Awards, including Record Of The Year and Song of The Year for hit single Rehab. Releasing on 140g 1LP Black vinyl, the tracklist comprises a carefully curated highlights collection of Amy's original recordings and tracks from her idols, such as The Shangri-Las, Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington, that are featured in the film, plus a new original track sung by Nick Cave. The vinyl product is housed in a single sleeve with printed inners featuring a personal note from director Sam Taylor-Johnson.

One of the most essential works from Nurse With Wound, coming in an extended luxury 3x picture LP and 2CD edition, with many unreleased, alternative versions and songs.

This album is the sister album to Current 93’s same titled album and it’s a crownjewel for collectors of avantgarde and experimental music.

The original release of Nurse with Wound’s gargantuan “Thunder Perfect Mind” in 1992 coincided with that of Current 93’s homonymous genre-defining album. Legend has it that the gnostic name initially appeared to Steven Stapleton in a dream as the title of Tibet’s then still nameless upcoming album. Both records feature contributions from David Tibet, Colin Potter, Rose McDowall, John Balance of Coil, Alan Trench of Orchis and Joolie Wood amongst others. The title and the partial overlap of the personnel on both albums isn’t quite where the similarities end, both albums have since become undisputed milestones in their respective artists’ oeuvre. At the core of the definitive 2023 Infinite Fog re-release fully overseen by Steven Stapleton are the two original tracks “Cold” – a classic unsettling rhythmic Nurse collage-fest, significantly closer to jittery psychelia than the oft-cited “industrial feel” and the epic “Colder Still”, easily one of the most mind-bending breathtaking NWW compositions up to this point and well beyond. The track soothes ghostly atmosphere and reveals new surprises with every listen, not least of which is a direct link to its sister release from c93 as well as the first appearance of the signature rhythm loop that would mutate and re-emerge on several later tracks. The album also is the first full-length collaboration with genius sound wizard Colin Potter who has since become a ubiquitous sidekick both on Nurse albums as well as in live performances. As a follow-up to what is widely acknowledged as one of the best-loved exercises in drone of the 20th century “Soliloquy for Lilith”, TPM is a much more varied but at least equally rewarding experience. Infinite Fog are beyond pleased to be able to offer a significantly enhanced, remastered and extended 3 LP version for old and new fans alike.

"The Rob Ritter Tapes - Live At Starwood 1980 / 1981" is a must for fans of punk rock history and offers an intimate and raw insight into the most formative years of one of the genre's most influential bands. The live recordings will be released as lim. digisleeve double CD, lim. colored, 180g double vinyl and digital - these previously unreleased recordings take us on a musical journey back to the Hollywood of the early 80s.

Fabulous Soundtracks, the fourth studio album by reclusive Los Angeles musician Jack Name, is an homage to the IRL world and its twisted and varied romance with the worlds of our minds, in a wild collection of "soundtracks'', each a sonic re-construction dedicated to a distinct scene. Both musically and lyrically, this is Name's most adventurous and genre-defying album. Elements of acid, dance, folk, micro-tonal weirdness, horror, sensuality, impressionism, and bursts of rock fuse with Name's most direct yet ethereal lyric writing to date.

Each song with artful intention confuses dream-like experiences and common everyday situations, and vice-versa, sometimes inflicting a frightening energy into the banal, or this in reverse. Offering a "fabulous soundtrack" as the title implies, to dreamlike cinematic scenography including but not limited to; walking alone through a park at night, a woman tiptoeing through a garden, a person wrestling with time and change, lust, grieving a pet, driving alone in the rain, laying in bed with a lover, a bare tree standing in a field, looking through pieces of glass, and inviting the devil into the home (as one does).

After the Dead Boys, Bators embarked on a musical journey that saw him touch upon power pop during a brief solo career. Although included in our past release "I Wanna Be a Dead Boy" (1992), as a limited edition 7" boxset, this is the first time the single gets an official reissue in its original format. This is an essential power pop classic! As the frontman for the Dead Boys, Stiv Bators terrorized audiences with his snotty, in-your-face punk rock style. But after the Dead Boys, Bators embarked on a musical journey that saw him touch upon power pop during a brief solo career. Stiv moved to Los Angeles and signed with Bomp! Records, Greg Shaw's label that released many seminal 70s West Coast punk and power pop groups such as the Nerves, the Weirdos, the Zeros and the Germs. The first Bators single to emerge from Bomp!, 'It's Cold Outside' (originally by Ohio legends The Choir), is a song that the Dead Boys reportedly could not figure out how to play. It was released in May 1979. The B side 'The Last Year' is a Stiv/Jeff Jones (alter ego of Frank Secich) song dedicated to the recently deceased bassist of the Sex Pistols Sid Vicious and would later appear on the LP "Disconnected" (1980).

And once again with a reissue of a rare record that's highly sought after by collectors around the world. After the great undertaking we conducted with lost metal bands like CHILD SAINT and more recently with KNIGHTMARE II, it is with great pleasure that we bring you the first official reissue of TRAITOR and their mini-album "Shot Down"! All those who are familiar with "Show Down" know that it is impossible to remain indifferent to songs like "The Way It Used To Feel", "Have You Ever" or "Feel The Steel".

Formed in 1984 in Bellflower, California, TRAITOR began their short-lived career with the release of the one- sided flexi- single "Feel The Steel" that same year. In the following year, they would release the mini- album "Shot Down" containing a total of five original songs, which takes us unquestionably to the best US Metal made independently in the 80s. We are delighted to bring the first ever official reissue of "Shot Down" on vinyl.

A limited edition with the quality that Lost Realm Records has accustomed you to. With a total of 12 tracks, this reissue will feature the 5 songs from the original "Shot Down" version released in 1985, as well as an alternative mix version, never released before! All tracks fully remastered for the best sound experience.

Recording technology was completely revolutionized in the 80s by the multitrack recorder, with the popularity of 24-channel SSL consoles sweeping the world. Japanese pop music created during this wave of digital improvement is now recognized worldwide as ""City Pop."" Techno Pop was another offshoot born of the same revolution. Precise, computer-controlled beats produced by groups like Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) introduced a different type of sound to the masses. By now, these works have been brought into the international limelight and continue to be a major influence on today's music.

At the center of Tokyo’s Techno Pop scene was ALFA/YEN Records. The label left behind an impressive body of work, but much of it wasn't made widely available... until now! This new, definitive compilation focuses on the music archives of the YEN Records catalog, available for the first time exclusively at Light in the Attic. This is a true celebration of Japan's Techno Pop scene of the 80s, reissued with the intent that future generations, internationally, will be able to discover, enjoy, and appreciate ALFA/YEN and its significant contributions to the sonic landscape of the 80s and beyond.

In a partnership between Lost Realm Records and Classic Metal Records, we bring you the vinyl edition of Sacred Alien's first studio album "The World Doesn't Care About You" In 2020 we already had the opportunity to work with these NWOBHM legends, with the vinyl release of "Legends" (compilation of studio and unreleased songs recorded between 1980 and 1983), which was a success given the tremendous acceptance by fans and followers of this British band.

An edition that was sold out in less than 2 months! "The Universe Doesn't Care About You" is the logical continuation of the band's legacy. With a total of 9 songs, Sacred Alien once again offers us a sonic journey between parallel universes, extraterrestrial forces and the meaning of life.

Some albums are game-changers in a genre. Take OutKast's Speakerboxxx / The Love Below or Primal Scream's Screamadelica, they observe, study, and then flip what an album can mean to a genre or moment in time.

From the very first listen of Rubel’s Latin Grammy-nominated third album As Palavras, Vol. 1 & 2, you can feel its transformative force for the MPB genre. Here we see one of Rio’s brightest stars, fusing the contemporary with the classic, soaking up the richness of Brazil’s musical heritage. The result is a marauding 20-track epic, incorporating traditional styles such as forró, MPB, pagode and samba with modern baile funk, rasteirinha and hip-hop.

The album exudes a sense of freedom and creativity, playfully and provocatively juggling the familiar with the forward-thinking. The tracks are divided across two records, navigating feelings of love, heartbreak and discovery, whilst balancing themes of violence, passion, irony and affection. Collaborating with some of the country’s most esteemed artists such as Gabriel do Borel, Liniker, Luedji Luna, Tim Bernardes and Ana Caetano, Rubel takes this fusion of styles, subjects and flavours to the global stage.

The grand, forró-blending, choral opener, ‘Forró Violento (Instrumental)’ sets the tone for the album, with references and links between tradition and modernity everywhere to be seen. From the Ana Frango Elétrico produced, funk flexing, samba-soul brilliance of ‘Não Vou Reclamar de Deus’, to the album’s title cut ‘As Palavras’, in collaboration with Tim Bernardes, that melds MPB influences with electronic elements and hip-hop touches.

Across both sides of the album, Rubel’s story-telling gift is given space to shine. ‘Torto Arado’ featuring Liniker and Luedji Luna, beautifully references the racial injustice, tragedy, hope and ambition found in one the most celebrated Brazilian novels of recent times by Itamar Vieira Júnior. Elsewhere, ‘Na Mão do Palhaço’ manifests a satirical march about a suicidal conservative middle-aged man, who is rescued by the miracle of the carnival.

At times the album is gentle and intimate with tracks like ‘Toda Beleza’ featuring Bala Desejo, or the ode to friendship ‘Lua de Garrafa’, composed with the legendary Milton Nascimento. At others, the grooves hit harder, with sounds from the favelas laced within. ‘Put@ria!’, explores the universe of baile funk, with BK’ and MC Carol trading off on the mic, as ‘Rubelía’ moves between reggaeton, funk, and hip hop. The latter is a tribute to a key influence of the album, Spanish star Rosalía and her parallel mix of current with classic.

Ultimately though the beauty of this album lies in its concept. In the midst of a country divided, ‘As Palavras Vol. 1 & 2’ sets out to bring together genres and generations, grounded in rhythms and words that have helped define Brazil through the ages.

-This is MIA's first single since the hit song "Love Me Right".
-"Love Me Right" has sold 3000 physical copies and garnered over 5 million online streams to date.
-MIA a.k.a. Honey Deux, is known as the Queen of Miami Boogie.
-Crime Of Passion music video release with street date.
-Pressed on black vinyl. Paper inner sleeve in blank die-cut jacket.
MIA is back with her first single since “Love Me Right”. Her 2020 Gil Masuda-produced hit song has sold 3000 7” copies and garnered over 5 million online streams so far. It has become a bonafide funk anthem by top DJs in the West Coast and earned her an invitation to play at Funk Freaks parties and Hittin’ Switches festival. The song even made its way into the intro of a Silk Sonic Radio episode.
Side A’s “Crime of Passion” reveals a sultry story around compassion. The song’s deep bass and groove pick up where “Love Me Right” left off. The up-tempo 80s-tinged boogie of producer Gil Masuda provides the backdrop for the Miami-born singer’s unmistakably silky voice. “Am I your shining diamond, baby, kryptonite?” It’s a line sure to lure you to the dance floor.
Side B’s “Love Bug” is a chill roller skating jam with lush Rhodes chords and warm synth tones that will appeal to anyone who’s ever been in love.

Although the band is partly known for being the first band that Philip Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN, NECROPHAGIA) was part of, RAZOR WHITE represents much more than that, especially for aficionados of heavy metal made in the United States. An example of this is the tremendous 1988 cassette ("The Black Demo"), which contains a valuable proof of what late 80's US Metal could offer. But RAZOR WHITE aren't just a page of 80's metal glory.

The 1991 album "Just What The Doctor Ordered" represented the natural next step for many bands at the time: an album with a better production and more mature, only released on CD, being nowadays a highly sought after collectors item.

Fire-splattered vinyl is opaque red vinyl with yellow & orange starburst. As C418, composer and producer Daniel Rosenfeld designs sounds to resonate in both physical and pixelated realms. Best known for his original soundtracks to Minecraft, the single best-selling video game of all time, he's developed a discography of instrumental music over the last decade that traverses electronic pop patterns, neo-classical dreamscapes, and sparse ambient motifs. The latter element has broken from the "8-bit" pigeonholing of game music and earned him accolades that reference artists like Erik Satie (The Guardian) and Brian Eno (VICE). In 2015, after quietly self-releasing Minecraft Volume Alpha and Minecraft Volume Beta, Rosenfeld partnered with Ghostly International to reissue Minecraft Volume Alpha on vinyl and CD. The release garnered attention from proper music critics and the gaming community alike, becoming one of the most sought after records in the Ghostly catalog. Now, following several restocks of Alpha to fervent fan response, it is time for the soundtrack's second installment to shine. For the legion of listeners and players to, at long last, have Minecraft Volume Beta in tangible formats. Originally self-released in 2013, Minecraft Volume Beta was C418's longest batch of music to date at nearly 140 minutes. The collection features tracks that were "silently" added to Minecraft during its music updates and a few that never officially entered the game. The run time is now adapted to fit the double LP format, while digital downloads include the full set Rosenfeld's unmistakable abilities are on display; he creates a sweeping variety of musical ideas that mirror the limitless universe of Minecraft. Ghostly International is thrilled to give this unique collaboration its due treatment and hopes to see the creative inspiration which drives Minecraft and Rosenfeld continue to disperse by virtue of this unexpectedly universal music.

It's the one all the massive have been waiting for! Part 2 of the Salford sage - DJ Absolutely Shit's 'Memoirs Of A Crust Monster'. More hyped up tear outs, soundsystem ruffage, and bass 'n breaks love songs from our Hell's Angel-dodging beat freak.

Kicking things off with glowing neons and super-charged subs is 'Higher', a modern jungle monster decorated with classic hip-hop samples and a well known diva vox squealing through the melee.
A serious 'watch your bassbins' track - RL HQ have safety tested this on the most robust car stereo systems and so far have yet to avoid any cabinet damage - proceed with caution!

'Lost In Space' rolls outta the speaker stacks with a b-boy swagger and loose breaks. A tribute to classic breakdance electro galvanized with Ab Shit's intricate trademark production chops. You'll want to crack out your finest red Puma classics and a slick tracksuit for this one.

Onto 'Out On Love' and between you and me, someone needs to call the social service for samples - as it's unlikely you'll ever witness a more blatant case of sample molestation. Squeezing every last drop out of a catchy piano lick, TV snippet and drum break; the track really does highlight the unrivaled programming prowess of our Irlam renegade who's taken SP1000 trickery to its absolute zenith.

'Money Talks' sees our cheeky ragamuffin dictate a life affirming sunrise over Pomona - pre-gentrification of course; a thousand smiles and memories of old Mancunia shimmering in the early morning industrial haze. And an abject slight at those who put profits above people - another poignant ode to our changing cityscape driven by the most addictive boogie-based groove and clattering Linn drums.

Spine-tingles and fanny flutters guaranteed ALL DAY on this one cru!
Look out for the full 16 track album due on C90 cassette and digi download coming very soon...

RL x

Maximilian Skiba, an Eminent Figure in the World of Electronic Music, Makes a Triumphant Return to Skylax After an Absence Spanning Over a Decade. His Resurgence Is Nothing Short of Exceptional, as He Joins Forces With the Legendary Snax to Deliver a Musical Offering That Rekindles the Very Essence of House Music's Illustrious origins.
Skiba's Two New Tracks, "Pushing My Buttons" and "In Motion," Serve as a Compelling Testament to His Impeccable Craftsmanship as a Producer. the Influence of the Pioneering triumvirate—Larry Levan, Ron Hardy, and Frankie Knuckles—is Palpable Within These Compositions. Both Tracks Are a Masterful Blend of Nostalgia and Innovation, Perfectly Aligning With the Playlists That Once Defined the Heyday of House Music's Most Celebrated luminaries.
"Pushing My Buttons" and "In Motion" Evoke an Air of Sophistication, Exuding a Smooth, Velvety Quality That Transports Listeners to the Cherished Era of Original Disco. Drawing Parallels to the Timeless Classics Like Dinosaur’s "Kiss Me Again" or Loose Joints "Is It All Over My Face", Skiba's Creations Pay Homage to the Bygone Era While Injecting a Modern Edge. This Phenomenal Ep Goes Beyond Skiba's Original Works, Offering Two Exceptional Remixes That Elevate the Experience. the First Remix, a Balearic Interpretation by the Emerging Talent Maltitz, Adds a Refreshing Dimension to the Tracks. the Second Remix, Helmed by the Skilled Apollon Telefax, Ingeniously Transforms the Already-Classic Tunes Into an Explosive Italo-Disco Sensation. These Remixes Seamlessly Weave Together the Past and the Present, Creating a Bridge Between Different Eras While Keeping the Music timeless.
In Essence, This Ep Is Not Just a Musical Offering; It's a Journey—a Seamless Fusion of History and Innovation That Transports the Listener to an Era of Musical Brilliance, All the While Redefining the Boundaries of Contemporary Sound. Skiba and Snax's Collaboration Is Not Merely a Comeback; It's a Testament to the Enduring Legacy of Electronic Music, Encapsulating the Spirit of House Music's Golden Age While Breathing New Life Into Its Timeless Allure....

UK jazz ensemble The Jazz Defenders release their third album "Memory In Motion" in April on Haggis Records (home of The Haggis Horns and Malcolm Strachan). The Bristol jazz boppers deliver another quality release of original material that takes in their usual diverse mix of influences and genres, from timeless acoustic jazz referencing the classic sounds of Blue Note Records, to a more contemporary fusion where jazz meets soul, funk and hip-hop.

Although they love to mix things up, their roots are in the classic acoustic jazz quintet sound of the late 1950s/early 1960s, back when hard bop and modal jazz ruled. They have already explored this musical path well on their previous albums but they still deliver a couple of classic inspired jazz cuts here. "Chasing Fantasies" and "Fuffle Kerfuffle" both give the band some space to cut loose on solos over swing jazz beats that will keep their original jazz audience happy. The latter bubbles away with a jazz shuffle beat that would make drum legend Art Blakey smile.

"Meanderthal" and "Snakebite Playfight" bring soul to this jazz party. Exactly like jazz legends Lee Morgan/Herbie Hancock/Freddie Hubbard etc did back in the early-mid 1960s. The first is a feel-good, toe-tapping gem that's heavy on the backbeat and short and snappy on the solos, the exact reasons that made it the perfect opening single from the album. "Snakebite Playfight" comes with a jaunty New Orleans shuffle before transforming into a heavy psychedelic soul jazz burner, flipping back with ease to the NOLA shuffle for the Mardi Gras meets bebop piano solo by band leader George Cooper.

"Rolling On A High" is a hip-hop/jazz banger that sees the band continue their collaborations with UK rapper Doc Brown, a perfect combination that began on their second album "King Phoenix''. This time, the Doc spits some old-school block party-style bars over a bouncy uptempo funky beat with the band cooking up some soul stew behind him. Definitely dancefloor material.

Another uptempo jam is the heavy jazz fusion jam "Net Zero". It kicks off with some live broken beat kit playing and piano/bass staccato vamping before taking off into Headhunters territory on the solos, sounding both contemporary and classic at the same time. This is The Jazz Defenders at their fiercest and toughest and delivering a track that will have jazz dancers worldwide in an utter frenzy.

It's not all uptempo numbers or dancefloor-oriented compositions on this album. Two tracks take the musical dynamics right down to give a temporary break from the high-energy numbers. "Take A Minute" has a rolling double bass line locked into the groove while the horns play a lazy and laid-back theme with vibes embellishment, sounding like some trippy independent film soundtrack. Another recurring musical reference point for this band over the years.

The album finishes on a poignant and introspective note with a beautiful piano and double bass feature for George Cooper and bassist Will Harris. It's called "Enigma", it was recorded live in Paris and it closes the album on a peaceful note evoking the music and playing of Bill Evans. The perfect way to close this brilliant third album from The Jazz Defenders.

With Memory In Motion, pianist George Cooper and his band undoubtedly pay great homage to a golden era of jazz music that they love, but also elaborate on this influence with a wealth of modern musical experience, to create their own raw and vibrant compositions. The result is an enthrallingly unique sound that is as danceable as it is listenable.

Soul Jazz Records’ new 10th anniversary one-off limited-edition heavyweight special-edition orange coloured vinyl pressing (+ download code) exclusively for Record Store Day 2024 of their long out of print Punk 45: Kill the Hippies! Kill Yourself! Soul Jazz Records’ debut Punk 45 album charts the rise of underground punk across the United States of America in the years 1973-1980. This album is fully remastered, relicensed with new tracks exclusively for RSD 24 and includes new tracks from Iggy & The Stooges, Nervous Eaters, The Angry Samoans and more!


The Punk 45 album features a collection of seminal, classic, obscure and rare punk and proto-punk 45 singles from the likes of Electric Eels, The Pagans, The Deadbeats, The Randoms, The Lewd and many more - a lightning-rod journey across the states of America - Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, Akron, New Orleans, Philadelphia – tracing the rise of punk music in these various towns and cities. The album comes complete with extensive text, biographies on each of the bands, exclusive photos and original record artwork.

Die "Gothics" glaubten an das Do-it-yourself-Punk-Ethos, dass jeder ein Instrument in die Hand nehmen könne. Graue Wolken zogen auf, und in der unwahrscheinlichen Stadt Hamburg gründete eine dreiste und eindringliche Bande von fünf Frauen, Caro May, Rita Simon, Manuela Rickers, Fiona Sangster und Anja Huwe, Xmal Deutschland. Und wie es sich für einen echten Punk gehört, taten sie dies ohne musikalische Vorkenntnisse. Die 7“ Single "Schwarze Welt" wurde 1981 auf dem lokalen Punk-Label ZickZack veröffentlicht und stellte die Band als einen beunruhigenden Schwarm von Intensität vor. Die Dringlichkeit des repetitiven Klagelieds, die wirbelnde Manie, die sich auf der B-Seite mit "Die Wolken" und "Großstadtindianer" fortsetzt, deren krude Synthesizer-Geräusche die Spannung noch steigern. Vor allem der einzigartig giftige deutsche Gesang von Huwe wurde schnell in die ungezügelte und aufkeimende Szene der glamourösen Düsternis eingebettet. Die Unabhängigkeit des Punks vom starren Griff der Tradition erlaubte es der Band, Trost in einer Anti-Establishment-Kunst und -Musik zu finden, weit entfernt von den Konventionen der Vergangenheit. Mit ihrem Pfauenhaar und den dick mit Kajal umrandeten Augen bewahrte sich die Musik von Xmal Deutschland sowohl eine Unruhe als auch eine Zartheit, die mit der Veröffentlichung der Single "Incubus Succubus" im Jahr 1982 die Grenzen der "Neuen Deutschen Welle" (ähnlich wie ihre Kollegen und Freunde DAF und Einstürzende Neubauten) überschritt. Sie wurde sofort zu einem Post-Punk-Klassiker. Die Gitarre wühlt sich durch die Melodie, während die schaurige Primitivität von Huwes Stimme andeutet, dass sie vielleicht, nur vielleicht, die alptraumhafte Kreatur ist, vor der man sich in Acht nehmen muss. Die B-Seiten, "Zu Jung Zu Alt" und "Blut Ist Liebe", halten sich an strenge militaristische Tanzbeats, während sie in Aufregung wimmeln. Im selben Jahr trat die Band in London als Support für die Cocteau Twins auf; das war die Plattform, die sie brauchten, um in die Arme der zerrissenen Netzmassen zu stürzen. „Early Singles 1981-1982“, ist eine Karte der grundlegenden Bewegungen von Xmal Deutschland, nur Sekunden vor dem Abheben. Die Bonustracks auf der Compilation, "Kaelbermarsch" und eine düstere Live-Version von "Allein", unterstreichen die Verschmelzung von Härte mit der quixotischen Dekadenz atmosphärischer Synthesizer. Das Streben der Band nach etwas Größerem ist spürbar, zu einer Zeit, in der nach dem Aufkommen von Punk neue Möglichkeiten des Musikmachens offenstanden.

Nach ihrem von der Kritik gefeierten UK-Top-20-Album 'As Days Get Dark' kehren Arab Strap mit ihrem zweiten Album für Mogwais Rock Action Records zurück, das den treffenden Titel 'I'm totally fine with it don't give a fuck anymore' trägt. Fast 28 Jahre nach ihrem Debüt klangen Arab Strap noch nie so essentiell, so unentbehrlich wie jetzt, und dieses neue Album ist ein glühender Beweis für ihren Laserfokus auf breitere Horizonte. Das Album, das ausschließlich von Malcolm Middleton und Aidan Moffat geschrieben und eingespielt wurde und an dem auch Paul Savage, ein langjähriges Mitglied der Band, mitgewirkt hat, unterstreicht die Wandlung der Band von melancholischen Slow-Core-Romantikern zu wütenden Alt-Pop-Chronisten.

MISSILES fire off their debut album "Weaponize Tomorrow" on Svart Records Malmö’s MISSILES are set to release their inaugural album, "Weaponize Tomorrow", on May 10, 2024, under the banner of Svart Records. The members of MISSILES are no new kids on the block. Coming from punk, rock, and metal, as well as surf and rather diverse backgrounds, they all answered to the call of their good friend Gabriel Forslund - sincerely interested in doing something new and exciting together. The band's trajectory began with a 7" single released by the Swedish label Fetish in 2016. Initially viewed as a project, MISSILES have organically evolved into a fully dedicated band with a laser-guided focus, causing shock waves in the underground with their jet-fuel genre-clash. Combining abandoned sounds with new inventions on “Weaponize Tomorrow”, MISSILES promises to both pat you on the head and stab you in the back, delivering a unique blend of post-punk with a touch of goth rock. The band’s lineup consists of: Gabriel Forslund (vocals and guitar) Jens Rasmussen (drums) Tobias Augustsson (synthesizers) Sebastian Gadd (guitar) Linus Larsson (bass) MISSILES claim their debut is a one-of-a-kind album, truly a loved bastard. ”Weaponize Tomorrow” will appeal to those who enjoyed the certain “je ne sais quoi” found in the New Wave movement, a line of thought that is liberating to hear today when artists go to the bank with a genre description. MISSILES couldn’t be bothered; it’s rock, it’s pop, its punk, it’s je ne sais quoi. Hard to pin down, but undeniable to freak out to, "Weaponize Tomorrow" is a high yield blast wave that will leave MISSILES hot on the tongues of those looking for a sudden and dramatic, incendiary kick. A gut smashing future shock that will resonate across diverse musical landscapes, “Weaponize Tomorrow” will be the perfect atomic cocktail for fans of Wipers, Dead Moon, The Birthday Party, The Gun Club and even modern iconoclasts Molchat Doma and Beastmilk. Keep your finger on the button for MISSILES‘ explosive debut out on May 10, 2024.

Repress!

Extending the heritage left from the first chapter of the homonymous collection, Schema Records presents "Freedom Jazz Dance Book II". The concept comes from an idea of Luciano Cantone aiming at offering "New Standards" that can be understood and responsively absorbed by young generations. The title deriving from a composition from Eddie Harris describes precisely the project's essence: the intuition of something overcoming hurdles laid by rigid market rules. From this, the artistic meaning of "Freedom", solid funded in "Jazz", from which spawns subsequently the natural impulse to movement, manifesting in "Dance" in fact. With "swing" setting the right pathway without hesitations, the objective of the project remains capturing younger people inside the magic of Jazz. The only possible way it's organic: by leaving the music to free up the spirit within themselves.

The third major release from deadbeat Records – East London’s newest home for delinquent house, techno and breaks – sees I Love Acid heads Posthuman swagger out of the shadows with a wry smile, packing a full clip and one in the chamber.

DBR003 offers 4 peak cuts of early-hours madness. Pure and simple. And we are not talking fucking beautiful sunrises here. This is 4am, sanity wearing off, blurred vision, locked jaw, pumped fist, heart in your mouth kind of music. Where Extender drops in hard upfront with its jacked, high energy rave stabs,

Head Wrench’s relentless acid worm burrows a little deeper into your amygdala before splitting it wide open. On the flipside, Wobble Tool’s suitably drippy hook oozes over a brooding, proggy baseline, but only after Builder growls out the gate, an irresistible dancefloor-melting monster with an appetite for destruction

Gordan machen Musik zwischen Expressivität und Abstraktion. Ihre Stücke sind nicht durch starre formale Strukturen begrenzt. Vielmehr handelt es sich um offene Prozesse, die einen Verlust des Zeitgefühls bewirken. Reduzierte Arrangements und ausdrucksstarker Gesang verbinden sich zu einem kraftvollen musikalischen Ganzen. Diese Band schafft etwas Neues aus Minimalismus, Intensität und der reichen Gesangstradition des Balkans. Als Down in the Meadow, das erste Album von Gordan, im Oktober 2021 bei Morphine Records veröffentlicht wurde, wurde es von Kritikern und Publikum gleichermaßen gefeiert. Nun legt das Trio sein zweites, noch radikaleres Album vor. Auf dieser neuen Veröffentlichung spiegeln Gordan die Mystik von Legenden und Geschichten aus den Balkanländern mit kontrolliertem Feedback, hypnotischem Bass, ausdrucksstarkem Schlagzeugspiel und dem einzigartigen Gesang von Svetlana Spajic. Schlagzeuger Andi Stecher verzichtet auf jegliche Ausschmückung und spielt gleichzeitig abwechslungsreich und konzentriert. Souverän und mit hervorragender Technik ist er der Motor des Bandsounds. Seine stilistische Flexibilität zeugt von einer profunden Kenntnis der globalen Musikgeschichte. Guido Möbius spielt Bassgitarre und verschiedene elektronische Klangerzeuger. Außerdem provoziert er mit Gitarrenverstärker, Mikrofon und Effekten Rückkopplungen. Diese mal sphärischen, mal sehr konkreten Klänge interagieren mit der Stimme von Svetlana Spajic. Gesang und Rückkopplung umkreisen einander in flüchtiger, sich ständig verändernder Harmonie.

Repress
Dry mix only single LP edition, reverb mix of 2LP edition excluded.

Issued in 1975, this is the articulation of Zambia’s Zamrock ethos. Its' musicians were anti-colonial freedom fighters, it envelops Zambian folk music traditions, and it rocks - hard. Amanaz were serious, and they made a serious stab at an album. They titled their album Africa, according to original band member Keith Kabwe, “because of how it was shared and how its inhabitants were butchered and enslaved, its resources stolen... all the atrocities slave drivers committed. “ Thus, their “Kale,” a blues sung in Nyanja, that traced the continent’s arc from slavery to Zambia’s independence closes the album. Kabwe and rhythm guitarist John Kanyepa have a winsome softness to their vocals, which sit politely aside the feral growl of drummer Watson Baldwin Lungu, bassist Jerry Mausala and bandleader/lead guitarist Isaac Mpofu. Africa’s vibe ranges from anxious (“Amanaz”) to escapist (“Easy Street”) to straight-up pissed-off. On the “History of Man,” his voice whiskey-burned, his distorted guitar buzzing like swarming hornets, Mpofu indicts his species. There’s a darkness to Africa not found on any other Zamrock records, and a melancholy drifts throughout, specifically on Mpofu’s more restrained “Khala My Friend,” which stands as an effective, bleak situation for the Zambian everyman, the average citizen of a struggling, new nation, who might have had relatives in conflict-torn countries on the horizon, who might have been struggling to find his next meal, who might have seen a bleaker future than his president promised. Then there’s the clear Velvet Underground-influence on the nostalgic “Sunday Morning,” which, as Kabwe recalls, was the first song written for the album, back in 1968, when Velvet Undergound and Nico was a new release - and the underground funk of “Making The Scene.” The album also tackles traditional Zambian music and early-‘60s rock – punctuated, of course by Kanyepa’s wah-wah and Mpofu’s fuzz guitars. But every time Amanaz get too deep, too violent, they come back with an accessible song and woo their listener back to the groove. “Green Apple” is a civil song, featuring Kanyepa’s sighing guitar.

Nach ihrem von der Kritik gefeierten UK-Top-20-Album 'As Days Get Dark' kehren Arab Strap mit ihrem zweiten Album für Mogwais Rock Action Records zurück, das den treffenden Titel 'I'm totally fine with it don't give a fuck anymore' trägt. Fast 28 Jahre nach ihrem Debüt klangen Arab Strap noch nie so essentiell, so unentbehrlich wie jetzt, und dieses neue Album ist ein glühender Beweis für ihren Laserfokus auf breitere Horizonte. Das Album, das ausschließlich von Malcolm Middleton und Aidan Moffat geschrieben und eingespielt wurde und an dem auch Paul Savage, ein langjähriges Mitglied der Band, mitgewirkt hat, unterstreicht die Wandlung der Band von melancholischen Slow-Core-Romantikern zu wütenden Alt-Pop-Chronisten.

Geschmiedet aus demselben Sheffield-Stahl wie Def Leppard, entstiegen auch Crimes Of Passion dieser Stadt mit der Leidenschaft und dem Ziel, unseren Vorbildern auf dem Weg an die Musikspitze folgen. Eine Band, die das Glück hatte, die einflussreiche Ära von Dio, Ratt, Queensryche und Journey miterlebt zu haben, aber keineswegs zu sehr in der Vergangenheit zu stecken, um das Songwriting vom damaligen Emo/Metalcore-Sound beeinflussen zu lassen.

Es war offensichtlich, dass Crimes Of Passion das gewisse „etwas" hatten, denn innerhalb eines Monats nach der Gründung und dem Schreiben der Songs für das erste Album ging die Band auf Tour mit Bands wie Tyketto, White Lion, Great White, Gotthard und durfte auch bereits auf mehreren Festivals auf dem ganzen Kontinent spielen - die Stahlkugel aus Sheffield kam tatsächlich

Lloyd Banks is gearing up for the release of The Course Of The Inevitable, his first studio album in over a decade. Having previously set the stage with a few cinematic teaser trailers and the album cover, Banks has now come forward to confirm the official release date for the upcoming project, as well as the tracklist and guest appearances to be expected.

For the most part, Banks will be flying solo on COTI, with only five of the eighteen tracks including featured artists. On that front, we're looking at appearances from Roc Marci, Benny The Butcher, Styles P, Sy Ari Da Kid, and Vado. Other than that, however, the stage is largely set for the Punchline King, who will likely have much to say on his fourth studio album.

Inspired by being legally able to sell weed on the West Coast, Harlem's kush god Smoke DZA teams up with LA producer Real Bad Man on their joint album "MOOD$WINGS" to kick off their 2022. THC infused bars perfectly delivered over RBM signature beats alongside guest appearances by Flee Lord, NymLo, Knowledge The Pirate, Remy Banks and OT The Real.

Following a banging streak of collaboration albums with the likes of Boldy James and Smoke DZA, as well as his successful On High Alert series, Real Bad Man teams up with one of the most buzzing names in underground hip-hop right now, a true chameleon, Pink Siifu. The Birmingham, Alabama native emcee has been shaking the foundations and pushing boundaries in rap and music in general over the last few years gaining major attention and touring the world. On collaboration album "Real Bad Flights" the two both bring their A-game to the table, creating a unique soundscape together with special guests such as Boldy James, Armand Hammer, Chuck Strangers and Iojii among others, to bring you one of the most exciting albums of 2022/2023!

Combining elements of post-rock, trip-hop, and industrial music, HAAL have quickly become cult favourites in the UK live scene. Their psychotropic blend of samples, DIY pedals, and monolithic instrumentation, has seen the band play and tour alongside the likes of Kyoto Kyoto, WEB, Deliluh, Treeboy & Arc, Katy J Pearson, and Gurriers, as well as appearing at festivals such as ArcTanGent, Dot To Dot and more. Coming off the heels of their recent singles “Janus” and “Judy” (and subsequent remixes by Water From My Eyes and Crimewave), the new EP “Back To Shilmarine” arrives as a blistering snapshot of the band’s protean dynamism.

The band celebrate their late-90s / early-00s influences in a caustic yet melodic blend of tracks that nod as much to the output of labels such as Dischord, Touch & Go, and Nothing Records, as they do their contemporaries in the UK scene such as SCALER, Famous, deathcrash, and LICE. The EP sees them bring all these touchstones together to create a unique and uninhibited maelstrom of sound that spans everything from intricate math-inflected guitar lines and pensive vocals to propulsive drumming, totemic riffing, and warped synths.

Arguably some of HAAL’s heaviest material to date, “Platform 1, 18:19” offers the first look into this new material melding motorik rhythms and hypnotic riffs with sudden explosions of noise and power. However, as ever with HAAL, there is more than meets the eye – the track also features samples completely abstracted from their sources, for instance, the drone that begins the song is taken from a video of frontman Alfie Hay and his friends beating Bop It.

Elsewhere on the EP, the lyrics explore themes of cosmic existentialism, absurdism, meaning, transhumanism, inner reflection, science, history, and general philosophy. “All the lyrics are musings or verses that I wrote at very different times in my life” says Hay. “I then had to fit them around the music, despite being written at wildly different periods.” The record was once again recorded with long-time collaborator Alfie Tyson Brown (Katy J Pearson, LICE, Lazarus Kane) at The Louisiana in Bristol. The band have a tight knit collaborative circle around them, this is particularly notable around the band’s imagery

We are really excited to share ‘Make It Happen', the second single from Wonder 45 in the lead up to their album release and also the A side to the new 7” record!

It’s a positive, uplifting, track filled with in-your-face brass, dirty wah guitar, and group vocals that fans of “Sly and The Family Stone” will instantly fall in love with. It has already received praise from Craig Charles on BBC 6 Music in his “Funky Future Releases of 2024" show at the beginning of the year.
We would love you to give the track a listen and consider it for promotional play on your radio shows in the lead up to the official release. The band have a live show scheduled for Monday 29th January at 606 Club in London, so if you’re interested in coming along to that too, please let us know.

Introducing the next release in Names You Can Trust's long-running collaboration with the prolific and symbiotic musical universe of Bogotá, Colombia. Mau Gatiyo y Los Años Maravillosos formed in 2021, arising from the very same fertile ground of the Teusaquillo neighborhood that has spawned many records and musical mischievousness. At the heart of this experimental movement is what can only be described asTropicanibalismo, where a deep hunger for the roots of Colombian tropical music are only satiated by dissecting it, consuming it and ultimately creating something new again as some kind of untraditional, unholy, and yet referential form of musical sustenance.

Within this concept, there's a clear lineage of inspired and visionary artists that have been featured throughout NYCT's record catalog for the last 15 years that includes luminaries Frente Cumbiero, Meridian Brothers, and Romperayo. Each of these artists' tentacles have touched several parallel projects from their talented neighbors and friends, and whether through production, playing, engineering, or mixing, these collaborations have heavily contributed to a very fruitful and colorful scene that could only exist within Colombia's capital, while also gaining notoriety in the nooks and crannies of northern latitudes like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Mau Gatiyo, a talented accordian player and vocalist, together with his group (translated as The Wonder Years), is precisely one of these projects, a collective that has found their calling in the echoes of thevallenatosandcumbiasthat once populated the nation's airwaves throughout the 20th century. It's a traditional format that has always lent itself to storytelling, whether it be anecdotes about daily life, or using one's voice to raise uncomfortable questions in protest against the system. This is where Mau Gatiyo's poetic, almostnew wavetimbre finds a lane of its own, straddling a 2020s societal landscape under the guise of ostensibly old-time accordion music.

The debut 7-inch from the group, an excerpt from their recently released album Baño Unisex, was recorded at Mambo Negro studios by Ivan Medellin (La Sonora Mazurén) and mixed by Eblis Alvarez of Meridian Brothers, both familiar names and contributors to the NYCT catalog. Alvarez himself, who has emerged in recent years as an international beacon of this new tropical avant-garde, is no stranger to flipping traditional styles on their head, or at least respectfully off-kilter. Mau Gatiyo y sus Años Maravillosos proves to be another great vessel for this veryBogotano expression, draping the classical playing of its group members in a modern day cosmopolitan expression of righteousness, both outwardly in their dashing, performative fashion sense, and lyrically with their cheeky "420, Reloj"ganja-tune promotion – or even their outward dissenter objections to paramilitary and firearm power in "Poder Militar."

Ultimately, these songs lie at the crossroads where two cultural eras connect and become something unique, a protestation one with performance, dance, and artistic expression. This cathartic ritual of protest has a storied history in music, and these two new entries into the NYCT catalog will hopefully find their place amongst a modern day canon, or at the very least, have your feet moving and your head nodding in just approval.

Special new 25th anniversary edition of this most popular and highly-acclaimed of all Soul Jazz Records' Dynamite! series - 300% Dynamite is jam-packed with reggae tunes that crossed-over to become dancefloor hits and are 100% guaranteed to rock any party!

Out of print for the last 15 years, this new edition is being released in a one-off limited-edition heavyweight special-edition yellow coloured vinyl pressing + download code exclusively for Record Store Day 2024. This album is fully remastered, relicensed and with new tracks exclusively for RSD 24. Wayne Smith's booming anthem "Sleng Teng", Althea & Donna's worldwide hit 'Uptown Top Ranking', Sister Nancy's classic "Bam Bam", Augustus Pablo, Lee Perry - it's all here as 300% Dynamite joins the dots between reggae, jazz, funk, dub and soul.