Buscar:one of them

THIS IS NOT A REISSUE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS AMAZING MINIMAL SCORE HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VINYL

This is the first time the complete score to The Conversation has been released on vinyl. The film itself was originally released in 1974 and a 7' demo of the theme was sent out as promotional material by Paramount (PAA-0305), but a USA stock edition was never issued. In Japan the same music was also issued on a 7' at about the same time (JET-2273), with a picture sleeve, but until now nothing else has ever been pressed on vinyl.

Jonny Trunk's little obsession with this music began after I'd caught the film, late night, sometime in the mid 1990s. Musically it's an exceptional example of the 'new minimalism' in film music of the period, marking a departure (for some) from big scores to smaller, more economic ensemble sounds.

The film was written, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and is still a thrilling journey into sound, mind and murder. Heavily influenced by Antonioni's Blow-Up (and not, as some thought, by Watergate), Coppola wanted to fuse the concept of Blow-Up with 'the world of audio surveillance'. The story centres around Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a mac-wearing professional wire-tapper and clandestine bugger who gets unusually consumed by a conversation he's been paid to record. Caul is a loner, an obsessive-compulsive character with numerous neuroses that play out brilliantly throughout the film. And as he slowly pieces together the conversation fragments and forms his own story around it, his world falls apart.

Sonically this movie - all about sound - is groundbreaking in many ways, with actual 'sound Design' Provided By The Legendary Walter Murch - The Man Who Actually Invented The Term In The First Place.

For The Music, Coppola Wisely Chose A Young David Shire, His Brother In Law. Shire's Deceptively Simple Piano Theme (composed Because Of No Budget For Big Orchestra) Is One Of Tragic Beauty, Brilliantly Capturing Caul's Loneliness, His Slightly Disturbed Nature And This Trip Into Darkness. The Melody Has Both Sweet And Sour Tones, Feeling A Little Like A Slow Ragtime, Which Both Develops And Retreats Throughout The Film; There Are Even Trips Into Avant-garde Territory With Electro-acoustic Flourishes And Concrète. The Solo, Agitated Figure Of Caul, Wearing His Distinctive Transparent Mac, Is Made All The More Raw And Poignant By The Score - The Sparse And Curiously Emotional Compositions Are Unlike Any Others I Can Think Of From The Period.

The Soundtrack For The Conversation Proved To Be A Major Break For Shire, His Career Really Taking Off From This Musical Point. His Next Score Was To Be The Underground Classic Taking Of Pelham 123, Followed Up Later Ironically By All The Presidents Men - A Thriller About The Watergate Scandal.

The Conversation Went On To Win Several Awards And Nominations, And Has Become A Classic Of The 'new Hollywood' Movement. Hopefully Now This Music May Become Part Of The Renewed Interest In Old Film Soundtracks.

Lost Futures is a new label that explores experimental and often radical approaches to dance music from the past. In a musical landscape that increasingly claims to seek and reward new forms and ideas, Lost Futures delves into the recent past to revisit forward-thinking, optimistic projects that, owing to the social, musical or outright political climate, perhaps struggled to find an audience. Allowing only time to re-contextualise these leftfield, sometimes misunderstood and ultimately human bodies of work, Lost Futures taps into the inherent idealism of rave.

LF001 trips back until the early nineties to revisit the alternative scene emerging from the Dutch city of Utrecht. Here, three young men - DJ Zero One (Sander Friedeman), TJ Tape TV (Arno Peeters) and DJ White Delight (Richard van der Giessen) - joined forces to form 'The Awax Foundation'. Inspired by the transcendent and revolutionary electronic music arriving on their shores imported from Chicago and Detroit, combining their knowledge, gear and ever-expanding vinyl collection allowed additional freedom in paying sincere tribute to these intoxicating sounds, while also developing their tastes in a more personal, eclectic direction.

The musical flavours of Awax initially leaned toward acid house and the roots of techno. However, with three different mindsets in the mix, their tastes were rarely fixed. One thing each shared in common was a devotion to collecting rare sounds, specifically more adventurous and international samples than those emanating from the increasingly-hard, masculine dance music emerging from the Netherlands during the period. Inspired by the cross-over global sound of bands like Suns of Arqa, or 'World Music', as it was perhaps patronisingly termed at the time, the trio became interested in the idea of making techno with 'ethnic instruments'.

Of course, this being 1992, none of The Awax Foundation had access to such instruments, instead, they had a vast, collective library of samples from all over the world. There were no collaborations and no clear plan. Instead, they set to work using a Yamaha TX16W sampler, the legendary Atari 1040ST computer, a cheap mixing desk and a couple of low-end synths and FX machines. When Richard mentioned the project to his friend, Akin Fernandez, the London DJ and owner of cult label Irdial Discs, Fernandez was intrigued enough to invite the trio to record a one-hour show for his 'Monster Music Radio' series on London's then-burgeoning Kiss FM.

Forced to come up with a name, 'CultureClash' seemed like the obvious choice, even if the members of Awax were only creatively sparring among themselves. Along with the term 'ethno-techno', slightly dubious to a hopefully more conscious Western audience in 2017, these were the only guiding principles to the quietly ambitious project that soon combined cutting-edge machine rhythms with samples sourced from everywhere from Bolivia to Togo, and inspired by everything from Ravi Shankar's epic soundtrack to the Oscar-winning movie Ghandi, to the technical limits of their own setup requiring a dazzling degree of cut-and-paste work. Some tracks even emerged out of academic studies within the ethnomusicology department at The University of Amsterdam.

The show aired on October 2nd, 1992, recorded in one blistering take and without any rehearsals, traversing a huge variety of tempos and styles. If the performance wasn't seamless, it was undeniably thrilling, fresh and ambitious. As such, several labels, including Fernandez's aforementioned Irdial Discs expressed an interesting in commercially releasing CultureClash, while another imprint proposed a series of twelve-inches and an album. But the sheer complexity of the project meant that it never saw the light of day, while the trio embarked on different journeys ahead, both creative and personal.

Twenty five years later, and the original CultureClash lineup and founding members of The Awax Foundation provide the sound of the first release from Lost Futures. An otherworldly, ambitious and optimistic compilation, accompanied by extensive sleeve notes from the trio, CultureClash is a timeless ode to experimentation in dance music's ever-overlapping culture.

Arguably one of the most acclaimed and loved bands of the past 20 years, by both fans and their musical peers alike, The Beta Band formed in St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1996. Innovative and singular, their unique musical and aesthetic approach to everything they did set them far apart from their musical contemporaries. Together for a relatively short period of time, the three albums and three EPs they released between 1996 and 2004 would nonetheless help define them as one of the most exciting and cherished bands of their generation. Released in 1999, the album The Beta Band' followed the critically acclaimed compilation The Three E.P.'s' (1998). With high anticipation for The Beta Band, the band originally planned to record the album in four separate continents, but financial constraints slimmed the recording locations down, however, the album was still recorded in a variety of locations and pulling inspiration from sources as diverse as Jamaican reggae, Disney's movie The Black Hole' and Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart".

"Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth" is the the 1973 Stax debut and the only album released by The 24-Carat Black until a lost album, "Gone: The Promises Of Yesterday", was finally released 35 years later. "Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth" is an underground soul classic, a cohesive 8 song concept album about the hardship of black urban life, produced and arranged by classically trained Detroit song writer Dale Warren, who was an orchestrator and arranger on the Isaac Hayes' albums Hot Buttered Soul, The Isaac Hayes Movement and ...To Be Continued among others. This album has been a hit among many samplers for decades including being used on these songs: Jay-Z - "Can I Live Pt 2", Dr. Dre - "Nas Is Coming", Eric B - "In The Ghetto", Digable Planets - "Cool Like Dat" and Naughty by Nature - "Poverty's Paradise". 180 gram vinyl.

Berlins premiere Bass Collective continue their march into history with yet another TKO vinyl from regular contributor Bridge Guy. His 4 originals are joined by an absolute hammer of Deepness from Jesse Bru who steps up to remix Psilocybin.

Bridge Guy is exploring Deeper sounds in this EP and Isopropyl opens proceedings with a trip of clattering percussion and synth work, all with a laid back slant. Deep enough for the heads but with a sound that just pulls you in.

The theme is somewhat continued in Lone Frenchman, but where the previous track takes a step to the left, The Lone Frenchman turns right and gets his rhythmic jam on. Tightening up the groove and laying the dancefloor to waste.

Psilocybin really pulls the bass and groove centre stage, bouncy and warm and with a whole load of rhythm in the boot. This one is for the turning point right in the middle of the night where things start to get a little more freaky.

Cheese on Toast, drops things back a touch. Thick tones and a more relaxing vibe perfect for losing yourself in, as the last of Bridge Guys originals rounds out a remarkably vibey EP.

Closing out the package we have Jesse Bru's storming remix of Psilocybin, easily up their with some of the best lo-fi House of the past few years. Jesse rings his own vocal work and really heats things up. Peak time killer.

New one on Antinote.. Broken glass, dogs barking & cats roaring: Succhiamo is back and gives us news from the scrapyarh with punkish synthpop traxx
Some words from the label:

Remember that straightforward mix of EBM and synth-punk that came out on Antinote last year, wrapped in a suggestive black and gold sleeve The lyrics were strictly not ambiguous and the music produced by Panoptique and Paula was joyfully aggressive.
Broken glass, dogs barking & cats roaring: Succhiamo is back and gives us news from the scrapyard.

The thing is, it seems that Succhiamo's scrapyard has been animated by Bill Plympton : in place of dogs and cats, it's a lew Pink Panther chasing a spaced-out Scooby-Doo on Dolore Dentro or Stai Male. Happily championing bad taste, the two musicians even venture into the illegitimate territories of italo-pop missed hits, shaped for lipsync performances on Rai Uno with the nagging Que Pena.

As we're getting close to the middle of the record, the music gets openly punkier, climaxing with the explicitly
named Desiderio Di Violenza, brushing past 200 BPM. While the inevitable silence following the last notes of Que
Pena temporarily puts an end to the pleasant nightmare that is Mani In Fuoco, the figures - somehow similar to
those inhabiting the world of Fritz the Cat - that Succhiamo insidiously inserts into the listener's head don't fade
away: they patiently wait for the duo's pulsing drum machines and the saturated synths to wake up again and set
them in motion for another ride.

100 copies only. Comes on yellow transparent vinyl. Mastered by Helmut Erler at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin.

The next releases on Eotrax will round off a busy 2018 for the label and set out an exciting proposition for a future way of working and releasing music. In what will be an ongoing, curated collaboration series artists will be invited to make work together for the label, without restrictions on genre, style or aesthetics. An open environment of collaboration and experimentation which will then be released by the label.

To launch this series label head Eomac teams up with four different artists over four slabs of vinyl, to be released sequentially over four months. The collaborations are improvised and composed, wild and emotive, unexpected and expected and all of them resulting in music that would never have been made by either artist individually.

The final installment comes from the UK via Berlin sonic renegade Kamikaze Space Programme and Eomac. What started as an attempt to synthesise the heaviest reese bass possible turned into a session of futuristic, noisy soundscapes. 'Environment 1' takes inspiration from grime, dub, noise, jungle and techno to create a track that sounds like all of the above and none of the above. The more experimental 'Environment 2' on the flip utilises the very same sounds and processes but moves into abstract terrain with a dense, noisy take on feedback and drone.

With records already out from Paula Temple, Sean Carpio and Demian Licht this final collaboration is the one that started the whole concept and as such is a fitting close to a diverse and colourful series.

Jonny Rock is somewhat of a sorcerer, an omnipresent eye that gathers secret ingredients from far and wide—old school House oddities, hypnotic melodies of the Orient, the furthest reaches of Disco, the easy pace of Turkish psychedelic funk—fusing it all into his own shrouded code, a string of immaterial messages, both subliminal and lucid, that highlight his eccentric sense of storytelling and nuance. He imbues a sense of familiarity in his music, implying history that might not be studied but still feels learned, a quality inherent to productions born from a vast catalog of influence (and the inseparable sample material). Jonny conjures euphoric acid flashbacks, herds of crowds through Istanbul alleys, the misty morning residue from raves of yore, orchestral winds blown across the Aegean riviera, and he manages to concentrate their essence into singular details such as a snare drum. Both sides of his eternally-awaited ESP debut lean toward his dark arts—'Tye Die Techno' drives a relentless hard-edged drum kit that could throw an otherwise self-respecting Goth into a heated breakdance battle, while the title track and theme, 'Ode To A Happening On Earth,' plays with the imagery of ritual, fantasy and role-playing—but throughout this malevolent stew, there is a sustained hint of the artist's playful nature. No matter how murky the trip becomes, Jonny is always there, a light at the end of the tunnel, with a big hug to reassure that everyone will be OK. He is one clever bastard—if you know, you know.

Drama were the Canadian duo of Eric Simpson (Vocals, Bass Guitar, Guitar) and Don Stagg (Keyboards). Formed in in Mississauga, Ontario in 1978, the pair had previously played together in progressive psych bands Majik and VIIth Temple. Almost every Saturday, Eric and Don would record one song on a TEAC 4 track tape recorder after a couple of takes with very little over dubbing. The pair were influenced by what was playing on the radio during the recording sessions. Everyone else at that time was in a rock or pop band yet Drama were making electronic music. The pair released their debut LP 'Loneliness' on Psycho Records in 1979. There were 500 albums made and about 200 ended up in the garbage as band members shuffled from apartment to apartment. This was followed by a 4-track 7' later that year featuring live drums and additional guitar.
Seance Centre says it best, 'On Loneliness, the pair traded in their velvet and chord charts for thin ties and a cheap drum-machine. The LP still carries a whiff of patchouli, but the sound stings of solder and electricity, and inhabits a nascent zone somewhere between krautrock and new-wave. The vocal cuts are all clustered on the A-side, starting with an ode to the inefficiency of the Toronto Transit Commission - some things never change! The dystopian sci-fi themes are par for the League, and highlights are the love ballad 'Anna King' and the charming 'Feable'. The instrumentals on the B-side feel decidedly more Teutonic, and have a certain CBC charm that sounds like JP Decerf recording for Parry Music. It even opens with a slinky stoned Pink Panther.' For this first time vinyl reissue we've expanded to a double LP with a bonus album of the 4 songs from Old Hollywood 7' and 9 previously unreleased tracks and demo versions. All songs are remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a jacket with original photo by Don Stagg taken from his apartment rooftop overlooking Toronto of a young teenager sniffing glue and includes an insert with photos and liner notes by Drama.

Born in Venezuela and based in Barcelona, Luis Garban aka Cardopusher has spent the last decade creating a wide variety of noisy dancefloor assaults. Although his roots lie in the breakcore scene, he's slowly gravitated toward a raw, electro-infused take on techno that is no less compelling. Along the way, he's released music via labels like Terminal Dusk, Murder Channel, Hyperdub, and Tigerbeat 6, and has also found the time to launch his own Classicworks imprint, which he continues to run alongside co-founder Nehuen. Cardopusher has also forged a relationship with German bass enthusiast Boys Noize, issuing a pair of EPs as well as two full length albums.

We are proud to present a new 6-track EP titled 'Muscle Memory' that takes the listener on a deep and gritty ride through his diverse sound, from techno to electro, acid, rave, and house. Luis is inspired by labels like Warp, Schematic, Planet Mu, Rephlex, as well as EBM and New Beat. Hard-smacking claps and raw TB-303 sequences merge with robotic vocals, solid and perfect for dark dance floors. The B-side features one track with haunting guest vocals by fellow Barcelona musician, Ivy Barkakati. Luis says the main themes of this EP are obscurity, desperation, confusion, nostalgia, escaping the world's indifference. All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Housed in a workout themed die-cut jacket designed by Eloise Leigh with raw acid-style mixed bold type and sporty graphics.

* 13 tracks featuring the likes of DRS, Serum, Riya, Cleveland Watikiss, Lorna King, L-Side, MC Fats, T.R.A.C and Sofi Mari.and many more.

* Colourful, effervescent, and energetic, the Brazilian drum & bass scene has given us some of the most distinctive production voices in the game. Including São Paulo's Level 2 and DJ Chap or, as they're known collectively, Alibi.

* 'In each of the songs, we expressed our feelings and each song carries a unique message. The album itself talks about life. We all go through times where we fall and get hurt. Then we get up and we recycle. In every single situation: we learn.' - Alibi

* Alibi signed exclusively to V Recordings at the end of 2015, and this LP shares the characteristics held dearly by both the duo and the label. Weaving together threads from the duo's shared funk, soul, reggae, and hip-hop influences with the drum 'n' bass tutelage of shared heroes like S.P.Y., Calibre, D-Bridge and the late Marcus Intalex, this is set to be the most complete statement of their musical vision so far.

* Each track from the album stands as an example of their impeccable production, starting with 'Debris' which is filled with cinematic textures and a sub-low reese typical to their sound. The album plays home to a handful of other lighter atmospheric pieces, including 'Recycle', 'Destiny', and 3 other tracks with Riya, Cleveland Watkiss and Lorna King, all gracing the booth with their vocals. The duo can effortlessly skip between sub-genres, shown by the tracks on the LP that would be more suited in a dark club at 5am, such as 'Smash Through The City' with Serum, L-Side & T.R.A.C., as well as the floor shaking 'Scuffed' - there's a style to cater to everybody.

* With V Recordings celebrating their 25th anniversary, there really is no better time for Alibi to cement themselves as one of the crown jewels of the label and the scene as a whole.

After Heading Up The First Three Releases Of His Akoya Circles Label, Look Like Brings A Brand New Name Into The Fold.

On The Motorsport Ep, New Swiss/ Serbian Talent Parco Palaz Takes Familiar Club Sounds And Reanimates Them Through His Own Prism Of Rhythm And Sound Design, Presenting An Unconventional And Sophisticated Debut Release. The Tracks Show A Mouth-watering Combination Of Heady Textures And Impulsive Movement That Mark The Young Producer As One To Watch For The Future.

The Lead Track, Motorsport Takes An Acid Trip Through An Imaginary, Nocturnal Landscape Of Hissing Percussion. Raw And Hypnotic, The Track Has A Looseness And Swing To It That Tempers A Tight Rhythmic Focus, Swelling And Pulsing For Sure Fire Dance Floor Heat.

On The Flip Side Palaz Steps Away From The Peak Time With A Pair Of Spacey, Ambient Leaning Electronic Pieces. Prelude To A Dream Is Wandering And Cinematic, Tinged With Psychedelic Melodrama. Slow Motion Is More Upbeat But Similarly Wide-eyed And Explorative. The Young Producer Experiments With Junglist Rhythms Against Soft Keys, Creating A Meditative Rave Homage To Round Off The Ep.

Matteo (aka Zé Mateo), Musician, Script-writer, Director And One Of The Founding Member Of The Band Chinese Man, Will Release His First Solo Album In 2018. This Album Is Called Scaglia (« Scale » In Italian).
For Several Years, While Matteo Was Making Music, Touring With The Band Chinese Man, Through Life Crisis, Places He Crossed And People He Met, He Has Been Producing Music. On Summer 2017, Gathering All These Tracks Created From Those Different Places And Emotions He Experienced, Matteo Has Been Able To Create Various But Coherent Pieces Of Music That Can Match These Multiple Environments.

The Symbol Of Chameleon Seemed Like The Obvious Choice, As Adaptation Is Its Strength. The Creative Process Is Hybrid And Progressive, Sometimes Very Personal, Sometimes Collaborative, Fully Arranged Or Inspired By A Sample. We Might Add An Instrumental Piece Later With Maybe A Mc Or A Singer.
Matteo Usually Works With Musicians Who Bring Their Own Style Or Capture Themes He Worked On And Offered Them. For The Whole Creative Process,
Matteo Also Gathered Artistic Advices From His Friends From Chinese Man And People Of Talent Who Are Part Or Collaborate With The Record Label Chinese Man Records.

inner Sea' Is A Journey Inwards, Delving Into The Hidden Ocean Of Unconscious Dreams And Memories. Melodies Tell Stories Of Key Moments, Anchoring Certain Points In One's Life And The Experiences And Sensations They Reflect. Giving Them Sounds To Breathe And Mirroring The Soul In Unseen Depths, These Memories Are Stored Eternally In A Shelter Floating Within This Inner World.

all These Memories Lay In The Depths Of My Inner Sea. It's Surface Reflects Pictures Of All The Worlds That I Want To Dive Back Into, Over And Over Again.' - Takeleave Nicolas De Araújo Peixoto

'inner Sea' Comes Out Worldwide On Limited Double Blue Vinyl (including Download Code)

This highly prolific UK Drum and Bass producer returns with his second Tempo Records release. This work sees Alex' Judd rhythmic tweaks and overlays of texture with intricate melodies, heavy dub basslines giving the tracks a live & energetic feel. He draws out each track with his own distinctive craftsmanship and still giving them space to breathe. ''U Got me'' might be his best work to date but that's just our opinion. ''No Hype'' on the flip side says it all; music shouldn't be a hype but this release surely creates a huge buzz with all the dj's worldwide. This release comes as a limited 140g crystal clear vinyl pressing with full artwork sleeve + white glossy inner sleeve, including a mp3 download voucher + a free poster/inlay and all tracks mastered by Stuart Hawkes of Metropolis Mastering London.

Early Dj Support & Feedback
More Coming Soon!
Ltj Bukem thanks For Sending'
Grooverider good'
Icicle thanks, I'll Support No Hype On Rinse Fm'
Dj Flight nice Release, U Got Me & Loved Up Are Probably My Picks On First Listen. Will Play The Former This Weekend.'
A-sides no Hype', Thanks!'
Doc Scott thank You'
Drumsound & Bassline Smith nice One'
Gremlinz dope'
Hyroglifics (aka The Executioner) nice Ep!'
Villem hype Hype Hype'
Lynx yesssss Not A Media Hype!'
Chromatic nice Ep, Big Up Alex!'
Dj Clarky great Tracks On This'
Dj Chef (ministry Of Sound) big Ups Full Support'
Dj Tendai (swerve) loved Up Is Sublime'
Dj Kalm great Release Thanks!'
6blocc love The u Got Me' Track'
Earl Grey u Got Me Is The One, Badness.'
Arkaik will Be Supporting 'no Hype' Thanks'
Bulletproof Tiger (nyc, Usa) always A Pleasure To See Tempo In My Inbox. Biggups Y'all'
Dj Ros (addiction Fm + Label, Poland)'!'

...

Radio & Podcast
Coming Soon!
Icicle (rinse Fm) thanks, I'll Support No Hype On Rinse Fm This Thursday 20-09-2018'
Dj Chef (ministry Of Sound) big Ups Full Support'
Onedek (origin Radio Uk) awesome!!!!!'
Andre (soulsurfer - Bassdrive) now This Is A Strong Release... I Agree That This Is Alex Greatest To Date. U Got Me, Loved Up And Feel Good Are Immediate Favorites. Support In Club And Radio!'
Benjamin (the Dance Mission Dnb Show - Kiss Fm Australia) cool Music'
Overfiend (bassdrive) superb!'
Stunnah (bassdrive) big Release!!'
Chris Muniz (insomniac / Bassrush) mashing It Up Proper!'
J Swif (dnb Hq Podcast) dope Release Duded, 'feel Good' Is The One!'
Stanislav (zima - Czech Radio 1) gonna Play no Hype' Today... Cheers. Stanislav'
Matze (urban Wildlife / Syncopix Records) 5/5 The Rework Of Sweet Sensation Is Killer. The Crowed Loved It. Cool Arrangement And Use Of The Vocals. Feel Good With It´s Long Bassline Is Also A Most Functional Dance Floor Banger. Thanks For This One!'
Jose (nas Radio Show - Brazil) awesome Crazy Material Right Here'
Simon (see You Next Life Podcast & Night) soul Intent Fan Here So It's All Good. Cheers!'
Francesco (delta9 Recordings / Podcast) interesting And Diverse Album! All Are Great, Fav Are Loved Up And No Hype'
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Reviews Blogs & Magazines :
More Coming Soon!
Julian (mixmag Germany Dnb Reviews) i Really Enjoy loved Up'.
Aliina (jungledrumandbass) big Up !!
Matthew (one Hour One Dj) great Tunes. Particularly Feeling The Two 2 Sides, Loved Up And Feel Good. Lovely Gritty Rollers.'
Rohan G. (dj Mag Spain) pow!'
...

Known for a broad swath of genre-obliterating club tracks on crucial labels including Critical, Exit, and 50Weapons, Sam Binga approached us earlier this year with a radically different kind of project, a collaboration with Welfare, true junglist and label boss at D&B bastion Rua Sound. The result of their team-up is Conamara Fieldworks. Its unique inspiration and patient process are best described by the duo themselves:

"In early November 2016, we set off through the bleakness of an Irish November into the wilderness that is Conamara, County Galway, Ireland, with about half an idea of what we wanted to do. Our friend Laney had been kind enough to allow us the use of a 300 year old cottage overlooking the sea, itself belonging to her family through generations which she was bit by bit restoring to its former glory. The isolation was perfect - very little in the way of creature comforts, no network coverage, but plenty of turf for the stove and Guinness for the belly.

Our routine for the next few days consisted of trudging the length of the rugged coastline in search of interesting sounds we could potentially process into usable elements for some kind of dub/dub techno-inspired composition...This took us inside tidal caves and abandoned ruins, across sheep fields, up and down mountains and winding country lanes, in and out of the odd pub, under upturned boats and (carefully) across huge washes of seaweed-covered shoreline. Using our handheld recorder (shouts Danny Scrilla for the lend) we assembled a palette of varied noises, constantly battling with the peaking and distortion created by the incessant Atlantic gusts.

Each evening, following some intense huddling around the stove and vital Irish home cuisine and stout, we'd examine and dissect what we had collected that day, sometimes discovering the most interesting material firmly planted in the background of the soundscapes. A certain amount of (but not too much) processing later we had the bones of a few short loops of each sound which made some kind of musical sense when played alongside each other.

Binga suggested staying true to the craft and keeping the rawness to the foreground by attempting to develop the loops into full compositions via live desk mixing, arrangement and effects. We said our goodbyes to Conamara and a month or two later said our hellos to the Dubkasm shedio. Following a crash course from the dynamic duo, we set to work for the day, learning as we went along and enjoying to the full the unpredictability, intuition and sheer vibes a dubbing session can bring, particularly in a studio kitted out with some fine analogue gear which undoubtedly helped us to keep that damp, saturated feeling that Conamara had sown."

The resulting collection of music speaks for itself, and does so in its own language. It is meditative, deeply textural, and richly saturated, with awesome sound design, generous bass weight, and dubwise finesse. Referencing ambient, concrete, and dub techno while never letting any genre dictate its path, Conamara Fieldworks is a deeply rewarding and intensely involving listen. A restrained yet transporting remix from the one Ossia completes the set.

"I met Marcell at a gig I played at Karlstorbahnhof in Heidelberg earlier this year, he was serving beers behind the bar all night, it was a fun but not so busy party. The club shut the doors early and we were holed up in this old train station-come-club having a few drinks into the early hours. We sat down, chewed the fat and bonded over Jungle (and UK music in general). Marcell's buddy Phillip was insistent on me checking out his tunes through a small little bluetooth speaker!!! and these sorts of scenarios never quite play out how you'd like them too right! This one did!" Patrick Conway

Our final physical release of 2018 at First Word comes courtesy of Souleance, aka the DJ producer duo consisting of Soulist and Fulgeance, with a double A sided single, and a glimpse into one of our forthcoming 2019 releases, 'French Cassette' which follows on from Souleance's acclaimed 'La Beat Tape' release from 2013, and again delves into crates of samples with a distinct French flavour.

'François' is a track dedicated to the one and only François de Roubaix, legendary film score composer, jazz aficionado and one of the duo's biggest French influences. A delectable slice of 100 bpm instrumental boom bap, built around a seriously infectious jazz-funk groove, and chopped-up vocals.

'Sète' heads to the south of France, to the beautiful Mediterranean city where Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Festival takes place. A region that the duo have had love and appreciation of, for many years. This one touches up the tempo a little, with some sun-glazed boogie riding beneath ethereal vocals, samples and sizzling synths.


With a decades worth of collaboration between them, and persistent party rocking across Europe, Souleance continue to create tried & tested nuggets of magic for the dancefloor. This double-sided 7" is no exception, and should give you an idea of what to expect from the full beat tape next year. Meanwhile, here's another essential one for the record bags.

One thing The Vryll Society aren't short of is admirers, Lauded at just about every turn by press and public alike, the release of their debut LP for Deltasonic Records is hotly anticipated thanks to the promise this band have shown through their live sets and recent single releases.

Discovered and nurtured by the late and much missed Deltasonic founder Alan Wills, they fitted the type for him perfectly. He instantly saw in them similar attributes he'd previously found in the early days of The Coral and The Zutons. The confident swagger, the solid union formed by their band-of-brothers gang mentality, their willingness to stand outside the conventional and often stifling jangly Liverpool scene, and the work ethic. Always the work ethic.

Wills instilled in The Vryll Society something which has become over the ensuing years a key element of what they are, what they've become, and of the music they produce. He gave them belief. A belief that hard work and determination will bring them to the place they wanted to reach.

'Alan taught us that all you need to conquer the world is a rehearsal room, your instruments, a good work ethic and a positive attitude and you'll get there. He kind of taught us the rules and the attributes that you need to have to be successful so we've just continued on that path' says frontman Mike Ellis.

Ellis has stated that it was that attitude and that work ethic which got them through the subsequent tragic loss of their friend and manager in 2014, driving them forward through those times, propelling them to harder work, and bonding them even closer together as a unit.

That unit have spent the intervening time creating and honing their own brand new-psych sound, and building up a fanbase with their superlative live shows. Drawing from an eclectic palette of influence from deep funk to Krautrock, electronica and prog, they've created a heady, intoxicating, pin sharp, and tightly wound mellifluous groove, washed over with cyclical motifs, acres of effects laden guitar hooks, and shimmering, textural technicolour soundscapes. It is at once blissful, dizzying and madly infectious. It's that eclecticism, that kaleidoscopic swirl of influences which brings together hip hop flavours, with the prog stylings of names such as Aphrodite's Child and The Verve - pre Urban Hymns - when the drugs were still working. The dynamic leaps and folds through all these influences is where you find The Vryll Society's own brand perfect pop. Its all there in the loops, in the hooks, the drive and the vibe of this unique band. But this isn't frippery, these aren't throwaway cheap thrills for our disposable times. No, this is heavier. This is music too feed your head.

Live too, The Vryll Society are a formidable force. That gang mentality binds them together over the ideas formed by spending long hours together in the rehearsal every day. Hotwiring these ideas into the heads of the crowd through extended psych jams and deep solid grooves gives a different show every time, and with each and every set, the offer gets better. Recent travels have seen them take SXSW 2017 by storm as guests of BBC Introducing as well as major festivals such as Glastonbury and Leeds/Reading.

The songs that fill the delicious grooves of Course Of The Satellite weren't so much written as devised or developed, brought together organically over months in the band's underground lair, or over weeks in Liverpool's Parr Street Studios. Working closely with producers, Wills' right hand man and Deltasonic brother-in-arms Joe Fearon and Tom Longworth, the album took shape organically, biding its time and finding its way. The result is a work of impressive confidence and stature. It's a record that believes in itself, and for all the right reasons. This is an effortlessly cool album, the sort of record that makes friends easily. The world is ready, willing and more than able to take The Vryll Society even deeper to their heart. The path Alan Wills showed them awaits. It's a path that leads to greatness.

a1 | Course Of The Satellite
a2 | A Perfect Rhythm
a3 | Andrei Rublev
a4 | Glows And Spheres
a5 | Tears We Cry
a6 | When The Air Is Hot
b1 | The Light At The Edge Of The World
b2 | Shadow Of A Wave
b3 | Soft Glue
b4 | Inner Life
b5 | Give In To Me

On her deeply moving debut album At Weddings, Sarah Beth Tomberlin writes with the clarity and wisdom of an artist well beyond her years. Immeasurable space circulates within the album's ten songs, which set Tomberlin's searching voice against lush backdrops of piano and guitar. Like Julien Baker and Sufjan Stevens, she has a knack for transforming the personal into parable. Like Grouper, she has a feel for the transcendent within the ordinary.

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, and now based in Louisville, Kentucky, Tomberlin wrote most of At Weddings while living with her family in southern Illinois during her late teens and early twenties. At 16, she finished her homeschooling curriculum and went to college at a private Christian school she describes, only half-jokingly, as a "cult." By 17, she had dropped out of school, returned home, and begun to face a period of difficult transition in her life. The daughter of a Baptist pastor, Tomberlin found herself questioning not only her faith, but her identity, her purpose, and her place in the world.

"I was working, going to school, and experiencing heavy isolation," Tomberlin says of the time when she first began writing the songs on At Weddings. "It felt monotonous, like endless nothingness. It was a means to get through to the next step of life." In songwriting, Tomberlin found relief and lucidity she had trouble articulating otherwise. When she was 19, she wrote "Tornado" on her parents' piano, and began to develop confidence in her music. A year later, she had written enough songs to fill an album.

Throughout At Weddings, Tomberlin's lyrics yearn for stability and belonging, a near-universal desire among young people learning to define themselves on their own terms for the first time. "I am a tornado with big green eyes and a heartbeat," she sings on "Tornado," her voice stretching to the top of her range. Rich, idiosyncratic imagery — a fly killed with a self-help book, brown paper bags slashed violently open, clouds that weep over a lost love — sidle up to profound realizations about learning to be alive in this world. "To be a woman is to be in pain," Tomberlin notes on "I'm Not Scared." On "A Video Game," she muses, "I wish I was a hero with something beautiful to say."

Tomberlin cites the hymns she grew up singing in church as her greatest musical influence, and while At Weddings in many ways documents the unlearning of her childhood faith, it's easy to hear the reverential quality of sacred music in her songs. "A lot of hymns talk about really crazy stuff — being saved from the depths and the mire, judgment. When you actually realize what you're singing, it becomes really overwhelming," Tomberlin says. "I grew up singing in church. I was still helping to lead worship when I started coming to terms with the realization that I didn't know if I believed. I felt nauseous and shaky reading these words I was singing and feeling their intensity. If I did believe this, how could I sing these words without being scared out of my mind That's what's influenced how I write."

At Weddings is laden with reverence for music itself, for the power it has to heal others and help people navigate their lives. It is a record about learning to love oneself and others without reservation, from a place of deep sincerity — a lifelong challenge whose tribulations Tomberlin articulates beautifully. "My number one goal with my music is for honesty and transparency that helps other people find ways to exist," she says. With At Weddings, this remarkable young songwriter offers up comfort and wonder in equal measure.

a1 | Any Other Way
a2 | Untitled 1
a3 | Tornado
a4 | You Are Here
a5 | A Video Game
b1 | I'm Not Scared
b2 | Seventeen
b3 | Self Help
b4 | Untitled 2
b5 | February