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Darren Hayman New Starts are a spikey, fresh sounding band recalling the poppier ends of new wave and angular guitar rock. Their influences include The Cars, Breeders, Bay City Rollers, The Velvet Underground and ZZ Top. Lead singer Darren Hayman has his own long career running from the late 90s with John Peel faves Hefner to his more recent thematic and historical albums dealing with the English Civil War, William Morris and forgotten rural idylls. “I wanted a band again,” says Hayman, “and not a band that just backed me up and played my old songs. When we form our first bands in our teens we just find some friends and work through the musical differences. I usually look for players who play in a way I’m used to. This time I looked for variance and was led by people’s personality.” Guitarist Joely Smith of South London’s noise-pop adults and recently DIY-punks Fresh was recommended by a mutual friend who said, ‘She makes everything better’. Hayman and Smith shared a coffee and agreed on the correct number of guitar pedals and decided to proceed without an audition. “There is a tendency for me to make my chords too pretty. Joely cuts against that and plays in the opposite direction.” Hayman is a fan of rules and constraints and employed a new, oblique strategy on this record. “Even though I wrote all the songs, I wanted the songs to belong to everyone during arrangement. I decided that I would say ‘yes’ to every suggestion from the band, regardless of my instinct.” This made the songs warp and bend into new shapes and ensured that the record was the product of four individuals. Bassist Giles Barrett and drummer Will Connor come from funky afro beat influenced band Tigercats. “Pretty much the only rhythm I use, left to my own devices, is the ‘road runner’ rhythm. Will takes to care to find where the drum beat can be and we always end up somewhere I didn’t expect.” More Break Up Songs is a collection of 12 Break Up songs because Darren broke up with someone. Again. “I suck’, he says, “But it’s never anyone’s fault. It makes me very sad but I do have to work through these things in song and there’s always something to learn. I try to make songs about breakups that could be understood by both parties. I’m not interested in nasty songs.” Opening song ‘Little Stone in my Heart’ blisters along with Joely’s wildest guitars. The protagonist will do anything to make things right, but nothing ever is. ‘Under the Striplights’ has driving, choppy, incessant riffs, and is about the need to be anywhere but somewhere other than here. We could be under the moon or under the strip lights as long as we have each other. Another barely kept rule that Darren instigated on this album was that each song would be a tonal equivalent to one from The Velvet Underground’s third album. To that end ‘Don’t Need Persuading’ is this record’s ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ with the narrator being unable to break free of a vortex, knowing they will stay the night against all better judgment. ‘I’ve had a long standing distrust of the guitar,’ says Darren, ‘despite it being my primary instrument for twenty years. I thought it was time I made a record with two guitars and drums and bass. I wanted it to be bright, immediate and young sounding, despite the fact I’m old. We recorded it in four days and I think this might be the record a lot of my audience has wanted me to make for a long time.’ “bold and unique" The Sunday Times. // “Hayman has hit a creative purple patch… a treat” Mojo // “uniquely intimate and very satisfying”

Five years into the project, Yermande announced a thrilling new phase for this Dakar-Berlin collaboration; a giant step forward.

The group of players is boiled down to twelve for recordings, eight for shows; sessions in Dakar become steeply more focused. ‘This time around I was better able to specify what I wanted right from the initial recording sessions in Dakar,’ says Ernestus; ‘and further in the production process I took more freedom in reducing and editing audio tracks, changing MIDI data, replacing synth sounds and introducing electronic drum samples.’

Right away you hear music-making which has come startlingly into its own. Rather than submitting to the routine, discrete gradations of recording, producing and mixing, the music is tangibly permeated with deadly intent from the off. Lethally it plays a coiled, clipped, percussive venom and thumping bass against the soaring, open-throated spirituality of Mbene Seck’s singing. Plainly expert, drilled and rooted, the drumming is unpredictable, exclamatory, zinging with life. Likewise the production: intuitive and fresh but utterly attentive; limber but hefty; vividly sculpted against a backdrop of cavernous silence.

Six chunks of stunning, next-level mbalax, then, funky as anything.

Luminice Blue Transparent Vinyl. Can you hear the war drums beating? Prepare for battle! Lost In Cult Records, Black Screen Records, Gaziter and Deadpan Games are proud to present Wildfrost: the Original Game Soundtrack. For the first time on vinyl, enjoy the complete and unabridged orchestral score from composer Paul Zimmermann. Rich with folk roots and powerful crescendos, it's the perfect soundscape for your journey through the cold. No Pengoons were harmed in the making of this vinyl. Composer Paul Zimmermann on working on this soundtrack and vinyl: "Writing the music for Wildfrost was a blast. I loved mixing a ton of different instruments from all around the world to bring to life the colourful and unique setting of the game. The gameplay can get very challenging, so I wanted to make sure the music felt playful and uplifting, while also providing those big and heroic moments for our boss fights. I'm super pleased to partner with Lost in Cult and Black Screen Records to bring this soundtrack to vinyl. Seeing the positive response from players has been amazing and I hope this vinyl, with its unique artwork by Nuri Durr and the additional extras, provides fans of the game and its music another great way to connect with the world of the eternal winter!"

Pirates Press Records is proud to re-release Close My Eyes, the 2002 album by NYC ska-reggae legends The Slackers - a complex and nuanced album that shows the band's versatility and capacity for both commentary and introspection. It is often said - to the point of cliche - that New York City is a "character" in the work of the city's most noted filmmakers. A similar statement could be made about the artistic symbiosis between the city and The Slackers. From the Bronx-born accent of lead vocalist Vic Ruggiero to the band's embrace of cosmopolitan musical traditions from a melting pot of cultural origins, New York defines The Slackers at least as much as the band have contributed to defining the sound of New York for well over 30 years.Therefore, it bears mentioning that - aside from a 2002 collaborative album by "The Slackersand Friends" - Close My Eyesis the band's first proper studio LP released after the traumatic terrorist attacks on their home city in 2001, and the band took enough time to reckon with the global fallout of this tragedy. "So feel free go steal and rob, revolution ain't my job," sings Ruggiero on the title track. "And if I sing your happy song, please don't tell me I am wrong." It is the statement of an artist searching for a way to still sing about joy and life in uncertain times of great upheaval. And ultimately the band must reckon with these times. On "Real War," toaster Marq Lyn takes lead vocals as the band addresses the march to war that was omnipresent in those early days of the 21st century, stating in no uncertain terms that it was "Time to fight the real war_ Against hunger and poverty_ For racial equality." The Slackers make it clear that while the machinations of hawkish politicians grind on, the real needs of people all over the world are left behind. This tension between a dangerous world and the struggles of one's personal life are present throughout the record, and the band weaves stories from the whole spectrum of human emotion, war, heartbreak, joy, and everything in between. Bookended by instrumental tracks, opening with the energetic "Shankbon" and ending with moody dub reggae, these veteran virtuoso players ultimately take listeners on a masterful journey through the human experience.

FIRST TIME ON VINYL! AVAILABLE IN A BROWN & WHITE COLORED VINYL PRESSING IN A GATEFOLD JACKET WITH OBI LIMITED TO 1000 NUMBERED COPIES.

Memphis Rap legend Project Pat released his third studio album Layin' Da Smack Down in 2002 on CD and Cassette via Loud/Columbia/Hypnotize Minds. Following up Mista Don't Play, Project Pat spits rapid-fire street tales of the dirty south over DJ Paul and Juicy J's signature Three 6 Mafia bangin' 808 beats. From rowdy club tracks to smoother pimp tales and true-to-life stories of being incarcerated, Project Pat delivers another Hypnotize Minds North Memphis classic. The album also contains the single "Choose U" which would be reworked in 2007 for UGK's "International Players Anthem." Get On Down in partnership with Sony Music's CERTIFIED is proud to present Layin' Da Smack Down for the first time on vinyl. Pressed on colored vinyl packaged in a gatefold jacket with a printed insert and numbered OBI limited to 1000 copies.

Isata Kanneh-Mason erkundet mit ”Mendelssohn” drei Facetten eines der berühmtesten Namen der klassischen Musik: das glanzvolle Klavierkonzert Nr. 1 von Felix mit den London Mozart Players, die lange verschollene ”Ostersonate” seiner Schwester Fanny sowie Transkriptionen von Mendelssohns berühmtester Musik durch andere Komponisten.

Im Jahr 2024 spielte Isata in dem von der Kritik hochgelobten Film ”The Other Mendelssohn” mit, der das Leben der außergewöhnlich talentierten, aber übersehenen Fanny Mendelssohn, später Fanny Hensel, beleuchtet. In dem Film wird die Tatsache aufgedeckt, dass die Ostersonate, ein seit 150 Jahren verschollenes Stück, in irklichkeit von Fanny und nicht von Felix geschrieben wurde. Isata war die erste
Künstlerin, die das Werk, das dem richtigen Komponisten ugeschrieben wird, aufführte.

Das Album enthält die Weltersteinspielung der neuen Urtextausgabe von Fanny Mendelssohns Ostersonate sowie wunderschöne Transkriptionen für Soloklavier von Liszt (”Auf den Flügeln des Liedes”) und Rachmaninoff (”Ein Sommernachtstraum”). Zwei der ”Lieder ohne Worte” von Felix und Fannys ”Nocturne”, ebenfalls für Soloklavier, werden auch von Isata auf diesem Album präsentiert.

Tokyo Riddim Band continue their journey striding across times and cultures, this time with their colourful keyboardist and frontwoman Mimi Kobayashi breathing new life into a song she originally penned in 1981. ‘Lazy Love’ first featured on Mimi’s highly sought after Coconuts High LP, which she recorded in LA recruiting top session players to play alongside her. It was also included in Time Capsule’s 2024 compilation of Japanese reggae - Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985.

This soulful pop tune turned deep dub cut retains the romantic charm of the original, whilst the tasteful performances of the Tokyo Riddim Band and Ras Tavaris combined with Prince Fatty’s studio magic give the song a newly found depth.

London based Tokyo Riddim Band is a unique fusion of cultures, bringing together the vibrant energy of three generations of Japanese female musicians with the eclectic sounds of London. Their dynamic performances blend reggae drums, funky bass lines, and the smooth City Pop guitar, all magically dubbed-out live on stage. This is not just music; it's a cultural phenomenon, offering a fresh and exciting take on the reggae scene.

This led to her immediate recognition as a banjo pioneer and to her win in 1991 of the Banjo Player of the Year award from the International Bluegrass Music Association (the first female to win an Instrumentalist of the Year award). For the 2024 reissue, the original 8- track, 1" multitrack tapes were transferred at a resolution of 192kHz/36- bit, and remixed and mastered by Matt Coles at
Compass Sound Studio in Nashville.


The album was produced in 1989 by acoustic music icon and frequent Jerry Garcia cohort David Grisman (architect of "Dawg Music," the jazz- influenced breakout fringe of the bluegrass genre) and recorded with a cast of all- star musicians at Dawg Studio in Marin, CA. Players on the sessions included Alison Krauss (fiddle), David Grisman (mandolin), Mike Marshall (guitar, fiddle, mandolin), Matt Eakle (flute), Joe Craven (percussion) and Jim Kerwin (bass).

The album's 12 tunes were all written by Alison and include the first recorded versions of some of her most well- known compositions, including "Mambo Banjo," "Leaving Cottondale," and "Weetabix."
REMIXED AND REMASTERED from 192kHz/36-bit transfers of the original multitrack tapes. LP – features LIMITED EDITION BLACK & WHITE SWIRL + album download code with 3 never- before- released bonus tracks Includes a 4- COLOR BOOKLET with liner notes from Alison Brown, Dave Dennison, and Mike Marshall, plus ARCHIVAL PHOTOS and SESSION DOCUMENTS

Susan Wong's 2007 debut for the evosound label

Susan moved in a new direction for this album, travelling to Nashville to work with top local session players, and arrangers. The album features songs from the 1940s standard "Over The Rainbow" to the 1990's classic love song "When You Say Nothing At All" and also includes covers of songs from Van Morrison, Buddy Holly, and Burt Bacharach.

This is part of the evosound 20th Anniversary special re-release collection. The album will be available on 180g vinyl transparent green LP.

-Daniel Zelonky (aka Low Res) has been producing records since 1978. Notable credits span from The Misfits to his own iconic club track "Amuck".
-His 2022 orchestral funk celebration of "Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man" has earned critical acclaim. This record, featuring many outstanding musicians, breaks the mold of history-conscious record making, eschewing the slavish copying of past styles which has become so common, and exemplifying the label’s stated mission of “Reimagining a futuristic past” where “weird vistas of fresh possibilities unfold before us...”
Suite Crude Revue is a rotating cast of outstanding performers committed to an unshackled aesthetic. Produced, composed, and arranged by Daniel Zelonky, this single presents songs for imagined films.
“Cowpoke Detox” might be termed “spaghetti jazz”. It’s a strange hybrid of spaghetti western style baritone guitar lines supporting jazz noir harmonies, creating a surreal backdrop for the tale of an unrepentant murderer, who feels regret only in terms of the consequences he’s facing.
“Blue Ramen #1” is a lover’s lament, set to what might be termed a “Hollywood samba”: One imagines Los Angeles session players emulating samba for a commercial film, not an authentic Brazilian band. The lush aural environment culminates in a dreamy closing vamp with the impassioned vocal set amid a swirl of improvised trumpet, violin, and piano. This haunting, yet ironic song may well have found its way into the popular consciousness ... if the movie had actually existed!

Shrouded in mystery, hailing from Hamburg, Germany, Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band (BRSB) releases their long awaited debut “55” on Brooklyn’s own Big Crown Records. Long time multi-instrumentalist and band leader Bjorn Wagner spent a few months in Trinidad & Tobago where he became fascinated with Steel Drums. His initial intrigue with local steel pan music culture led him to learning the instrument both through help of local players and on his own. After he became proficient on the pans Bjorn had his own instrument built from a used oil barrel by legendary pan man Louis C. Smith. Upon returning home to Germany, Bjorn set out to blend the Tropical Steel into his already sharply honed Funk, Soul, and Hip-Hop sensibilities. The outcome is an updated take on a classic format, a truly unique sound. Their first two recordings were covers of The Meters “Look A-Py-Py” & “Ease Back” which they self-released on a 45. Looking back on these two sides you can tell they were just getting their chops up for what was to come next. This is evidenced by how all hell broke loose when they went on to cover 50 Cent’s hit PIMP taking the DJ and vinyl collecting communities by storm. Many people thought the recording was the original sample and probably still do to this day when it is played. The original Mocambo pressing sold out quickly and is now a collector’s item fetching heavy prices when it changes hands. It was this tune that made the introduction between Bjorn and Danny Akalepse of Big Crown. They immediately hit it off and started making plans to do a full length project with the band. Keeping in the tradition of Steel Drum records, 55 is a journey through re-interpolations and covers with an updated approach, pushing Steel Pan music to uncharted territory. Flawlessly bringing previously untouched genres into the steel pan cannon ranging from Underground Hip Hop tunes to staple Funk tracks and some of all that falls in between. BRSB’s 55 is reinvigorating tunes both well-known and helping to shed some light on tunes still largely undiscovered. However, some of the strongest tunes on the album are original compositions, from spaced out Disco vibes on “Beetham Highway Ride” and “Port Of Spain Hustle” to the ugly face inspiring drums of “Laventille Road March”. Recorded to analog 8 track tape at The Mocambo Studios in Hamburg, 55 is a gritty, punchy journey in sound drawing on music from around the world, using production aesthetics from across both eras and genres, all coming together seamlessly. If the 45s that have already come out on Mocambo, Plane Jane, and Truth & Soul are an indication, this full length is going to be a staple to both casual listeners and Disc Jockeys alik

Stella Polaris is all about quality Scandinavian electronica, chill out, down tempo, leftfield indie music. This 18th edition of the Copenhagen chill-out festival brand comes with a double gate folded colored limited edition (300 copies) vinyl with a focus on inspiring female talent

To experience Justin R. Cruz Gallego's pulverizing Sub Pop debut is to get burned down to ashes and burst forth, born anew. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), the Tacoma-based artist's second album, is driven by opposing forces: noisy abstractions and tightly structured beats, anguish and dissolution at the outside world and empowerment within, apathy and catharsis. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) weds scouring electronics to hooky songs and Gallego's powerful drumming in a way that feels visceral and new. It's his most personal statement to date, at once playful and intent, driven and combustible, total fucking chaos mixed into glints of broken-glass beauty. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Gallego experienced culture shock as a child after relocating to the frigid climes of the Pacific Northwest. He found solace in the Seattle punk scene centered around Iron Lung Records and has since remained a fixture in the underground community. "I see this record as first and foremost a musical statement," Gallego says. "I grew up in punk and DIY subcultures, but before that I had Latin music playing in the background through my childhood and every phase of adolescence. It was surprisingly natural to incorporate. I realized I wanted to go deeper into these rhythms. I wanted to make a record that felt as experimental as much as it felt from the perspective of a Latino. When I got a glimmer of that possibility, it felt exciting." Lead single "Dogear" is a face-melting party starter that sounds like someone forced Talking Heads and Rudimentary Peni to share a practice space. "I wanted a song that felt playful in the way it attempted to be dissonant without taking itself too seriously," Gallego says. "Cholla Beat" is even more ambitious, an anthemic mix of WAR and Wire led by unruly synthesizers spiraling down a labyrinth of production. Gallego's influences for the album are vast, ranging from British documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis to electric Miles Davis to audio miscreants like Demdike Stare and Oneohtrix Point Never. But it's Gallego's assured sonic vision that resounds the loudest. And, while J.R.C.G. is a solo project, conceived and executed primarily in Gallego's home studio, he found strength in opening the project to others, starting with Seth Manchester as co-producer. Manchester's penchant for bone-rattling frequencies, as seen in his production work with The Body, Battles, and Mdou Moctar, made him a natural fit for Gallego. Together, they retained the intimacy of Gallego's home recordings while taking advantage of the hi-fi stylings of his Machines With Magnets Studio in Rhode Island. The closing song, "World i," offers a glimpse into the live experience of Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), with upwards of seven band members blasting off. The album features a fascinating mix of supporting players, many of whom cycle through J.R.C.G.'s live lineup: Morgan Henderson (The Blood Brothers, Fleet Foxes), Jason Clackley (Dreamdecay, The Exquisites), Jon Scheid (Dreamdecay, U Sco), Erica Miller (Casual Hex, Big Bite), Veronica Dye (Terminator) Phil Cleary (U Sco), and Alex Gaziano (Dreamdecay, Kidcrash, Science Amplification). Taken as a whole, G.I.S.M. is a whirlwind of sound, pummeling, and cleansing. It's a sweaty, thrilling aural adventure and, like a great basement show, it'll leave you breathless, exhausted, and wanting to repeat it all over again. As any good mantra should.

LOS ANGELES—To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the celebrated Talking Heads and Jonathan Demme’s concert film Stop Making Sense, the set will be re-released as a 2LP and 2CD/Blu-ray set this summer.

Released last year, the sold-out Deluxe Edition of the soundtrack will return as a 2-LP black vinyl on Rhino and 2-LP crystal clear vinyl at retail. Both variants feature a 12-page booklet with liner notes from all four band members –Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison—and band photos. The 2CD/Blu-ray version includes the entire 28-page booklet from last year’s Deluxe Edition and a Dolby Atmos mix of the complete concert, mixed by Jerry Harrison and E.T. Thorngren, who also mixed the original release. Both will be available on July 26. Pre-order now.

The band appeared together for a sold-out screening and Q&A last night at the Pantages Theater, the same theater at which Stop Making Sense was recorded. They were joined by Blondshell, who performed “Thank You For Sending Me an Angel.” Another special screening with the band will occur in Brooklyn at the King’s Theater on June 13, with the Q&A hosted by Questlove and The Linda Linda’s performing “Found a Job.” The two events cap off a banner year of celebrations for what many consider to be the best concert film of all time.

The inspiration for Stop Making Sense came when director Jonathan Demme saw Talking Heads perform during the band’s 1983 tour for Speaking in Tongues. Afterward, he approached them with the idea of making the show into a concert film. They agreed and worked together over the next few months to finalize the details. Ultimately, Demme filmed three shows at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December 1983 to create Stop Making Sense.

The concert film presents a retrospective of the band up to that point, with a performance that weaves together songs from all six of its studio albums. The show progresses methodically, opening with Byrne onstage performing “Psycho Killer” alone with a drum machine. After each song, he’s joined by a new band member until Weymouth, Frantz, and Harrison are all on stage with him. The group continues to grow throughout the concert as members of the stellar touring band are added: keyboardist Bernie Worrell, percussionist Steve Scales, guitarist Alex Weir, and backup singers Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt.

The band performs 18 songs in Stop Making Sense, including its recent single at the time, “Burning Down The House.” That summer, the song was in heavy rotation on radio and MTV, helping the song become the band’s first top 10 hit in America. It was, however, a different song from Speaking in Tongues that was destined to deliver one of the film’s signature moments. Talking Heads would perform “Girlfriend Is Better” wearing the now iconic, oversized suit inspired by costumes worn in traditional Japanese theater. For good measure, a picture of David Byrne in the suit also graces the album cover.

Stop Making Sense focuses mainly on music by Talking Heads but does include a few songs recorded outside the band: “Genius Of Love” by Tom Tom Club, “What A Day That Was” and “Big Business” from Byrne’s 1981 album, The Catherine Wheel. Limited edition vinyl versions of both of these albums, along with Harrison’s The Red And The Black, were released for this year’s Record Store Day.

When it arrived in September 1984, Stop Making Sense was an artistic and commercial triumph. The film had people dancing in theatre aisles, and the soundtrack sold over two million copies. Just last year, the Library of Congress added Stop Making Sense to the National Film Registry in recognition of its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.

Weymouth praises Demme as a collaborator: “…Jonathan was a very enthusiastic, highly adaptive, and imaginative guy who was just as good a listener as he was a talker and collaborator. From the get-go you just got the impression he was as flexible as he was disciplined. Being team players, that boded well for a great relationship and a great film!”

Harrison says the film still holds up today: “To me, Stop Making Sense has remained relevant because the staging and lighting techniques could have been created in a much earlier time period. For example, Vari-Lights, lights with motors to re-aim them, had just come into vogue. Had we used them, there would have been a timestamp on the film, and it eventually would have felt dated...The absence of interviews, combined with the elegant and timeless lighting, created a film that can be watched over and over.”

Byrne says it’s interesting that this album was – for many people – an introduction to Talking Heads. “We had done a live album before this, but coupled with the film, and with the improved mixes and sound quality, this record reached a whole new audience. As often happens, the songs got an added energy when we performed them live and were inspired by having an audience. In many ways, these versions are more exciting than the studio recordings, so maybe that’s why a lot of folks discovered us via this record.”

Frantz recalls the sheer joy surrounding the entire Stop Making Sense experience. “I’m talking about real, conscious, transcendent joy… I’m talking about what the Southern gospel people call ‘getting happy,’ which means ‘to be filled with the Spirit.’ That is what happened to us onstage every night, and from my seat behind the drums, I recognized that this was happening to the audience too. Joy was visible in front of me and all around me every night.”

Limited edition 300 only cyan coloured vinyl LP, housed in a reverse board sleeve with hype sticker, polylined inner bag and download code. Non-Returnable.
Stars align and Oli Heffernan brings his ever-(d)evolving Ivan The Tolerable to Riot Season for two LPs of sublime entropic drift.
Having this time recruited Christian Alderson (The Unit Ama) on drums, John Pope (Ponyland) on double bass, Kevin Nickles (Ecstatic Vision) on flute and saxophone and Ben Hopkinson on electric piano - both works were recorded as a quintet almost instantaneously, the players barely brushing or breathing a note before the whole thing was done.
‘Vertigo’, is all claustrophobic, dense and disorientating - like Sun Ra sitting in with Exploding Star Orchestra
John Hubner (Complex Distractions) on ‘Vertigo’
“An expansive collection of free-flowing sound and mood bringing to mind Coltrane (John and Alice) as well as the great Albert Ayler, while touching on the forward thinking compositions of Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra.
From the titanic soundscape of "New Worlds On Earth" to the Marc Moulin touches of "Liquid Voices" and the mysterious eccentricities of "Swimming", 'Vertigo' hangs in the air long after the final note plays.”

Vigil is a (heavy & avantgarde) doom/death metal band from the Unites States, with an aggressive sound - yet emotional and obscure, but also beautiful and emotional. A dark doomy road of sorrow and anger. With two bass players and some influences of post-rock, thrash and progressive metal, Vigil is a showpiece of the apocalypse filtered through ears, hands and emotions. The songs range from old-school European styled doom, with an aggressive death touch, like My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost and Katatonia, all the way to current atmospheric post-rock/metal acts as The Ocean, Isis and Intronaut. There are slow tempos to drag you through the emotional pain, and there are blast beats and thrashy grooves occasionally to spice things up

Beginning in the 60"s, the small chamber group ensemble became increasingly important in the advancement of jazz, enabling horn players including Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, and Ornette Coleman to seek uncharted sonic territories and achieve new levels of freedom without the support of chordal instruments. With a mature, cohesive ensemble sound, the young trio juxtaposes tranquility and space with energy and tenacity across nine original compositions showcasing their stylistic breadth. From the swinging waltz "December" with a melodic contour reminiscent of a jazz standard, the soothing folk-influenced simplicity of "Vent", the intimate lyrical interplay between bass and clarinet in "Duo", to the heavy, propulsive power of the title track, the trio demonstrates fearlessness, listening, and spontaneity in a raw and personal recording that puts each of their distinctive voices in the spotlight. Christian Holm-Svendsen, currently resides in New York, studying for a master of music at Manhattan School of Music. In Denmark he played with, among others, The Danish Radio Big Band, Copenhagen Jazz Orchestra, Odense Jazz Orchestra, Jesper Zeuthen, and Regnfang. Daniel Sommer is an award-winning artist and sought-after drummer on the international jazz scene. Known for crossing the borders of different musical landscapes with a distinctive musical approach, Sommer currently performs with Karmen Roivassepp Quartet, Foyn/Hess/AC/Sommer and recently released the trio album "From Within" with Arild Andersen and Rob Luft on April Records. Mariusz Prasniewski is a Polish double bass player, residing in Copenhagen. A part of the Danish and European jazz scene for more than a decade, the bassist has worked with musicians like Tomasz Dabrowski, Anders Mogensen, and Gilad Hekselman.

LOS ANGELES—To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the celebrated Talking Heads and Jonathan Demme’s concert film Stop Making Sense, the set will be re-released as a 2LP and 2CD/Blu-ray set this summer.

Released last year, the sold-out Deluxe Edition of the soundtrack will return as a 2-LP black vinyl on Rhino and 2-LP crystal clear vinyl at retail. Both variants feature a 12-page booklet with liner notes from all four band members –Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison—and band photos. The 2CD/Blu-ray version includes the entire 28-page booklet from last year’s Deluxe Edition and a Dolby Atmos mix of the complete concert, mixed by Jerry Harrison and E.T. Thorngren, who also mixed the original release. Both will be available on July 26. Pre-order now.

The band appeared together for a sold-out screening and Q&A last night at the Pantages Theater, the same theater at which Stop Making Sense was recorded. They were joined by Blondshell, who performed “Thank You For Sending Me an Angel.” Another special screening with the band will occur in Brooklyn at the King’s Theater on June 13, with the Q&A hosted by Questlove and The Linda Linda’s performing “Found a Job.” The two events cap off a banner year of celebrations for what many consider to be the best concert film of all time.

The inspiration for Stop Making Sense came when director Jonathan Demme saw Talking Heads perform during the band’s 1983 tour for Speaking in Tongues. Afterward, he approached them with the idea of making the show into a concert film. They agreed and worked together over the next few months to finalize the details. Ultimately, Demme filmed three shows at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December 1983 to create Stop Making Sense.

The concert film presents a retrospective of the band up to that point, with a performance that weaves together songs from all six of its studio albums. The show progresses methodically, opening with Byrne onstage performing “Psycho Killer” alone with a drum machine. After each song, he’s joined by a new band member until Weymouth, Frantz, and Harrison are all on stage with him. The group continues to grow throughout the concert as members of the stellar touring band are added: keyboardist Bernie Worrell, percussionist Steve Scales, guitarist Alex Weir, and backup singers Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt.

The band performs 18 songs in Stop Making Sense, including its recent single at the time, “Burning Down The House.” That summer, the song was in heavy rotation on radio and MTV, helping the song become the band’s first top 10 hit in America. It was, however, a different song from Speaking in Tongues that was destined to deliver one of the film’s signature moments. Talking Heads would perform “Girlfriend Is Better” wearing the now iconic, oversized suit inspired by costumes worn in traditional Japanese theater. For good measure, a picture of David Byrne in the suit also graces the album cover.

Stop Making Sense focuses mainly on music by Talking Heads but does include a few songs recorded outside the band: “Genius Of Love” by Tom Tom Club, “What A Day That Was” and “Big Business” from Byrne’s 1981 album, The Catherine Wheel. Limited edition vinyl versions of both of these albums, along with Harrison’s The Red And The Black, were released for this year’s Record Store Day.

When it arrived in September 1984, Stop Making Sense was an artistic and commercial triumph. The film had people dancing in theatre aisles, and the soundtrack sold over two million copies. Just last year, the Library of Congress added Stop Making Sense to the National Film Registry in recognition of its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.

Weymouth praises Demme as a collaborator: “…Jonathan was a very enthusiastic, highly adaptive, and imaginative guy who was just as good a listener as he was a talker and collaborator. From the get-go you just got the impression he was as flexible as he was disciplined. Being team players, that boded well for a great relationship and a great film!”

Harrison says the film still holds up today: “To me, Stop Making Sense has remained relevant because the staging and lighting techniques could have been created in a much earlier time period. For example, Vari-Lights, lights with motors to re-aim them, had just come into vogue. Had we used them, there would have been a timestamp on the film, and it eventually would have felt dated...The absence of interviews, combined with the elegant and timeless lighting, created a film that can be watched over and over.”

Byrne says it’s interesting that this album was – for many people – an introduction to Talking Heads. “We had done a live album before this, but coupled with the film, and with the improved mixes and sound quality, this record reached a whole new audience. As often happens, the songs got an added energy when we performed them live and were inspired by having an audience. In many ways, these versions are more exciting than the studio recordings, so maybe that’s why a lot of folks discovered us via this record.”

Frantz recalls the sheer joy surrounding the entire Stop Making Sense experience. “I’m talking about real, conscious, transcendent joy… I’m talking about what the Southern gospel people call ‘getting happy,’ which means ‘to be filled with the Spirit.’ That is what happened to us onstage every night, and from my seat behind the drums, I recognized that this was happening to the audience too. Joy was visible in front of me and all around me every night.”

2024 Re-Release
Newly formed archival label Fresh Hold presents one of Australia’s most mysterious jazz long players - Singing Dust, in collaboration with Efficient Space. Almost bound for obscurity from its inception, the eponymous creation of Queensland-based jazz pianist Robert Welsh was originally issued in 1986 on Melbourne independent label Cleopatra Records. Rich in compositional sophistication and expressive performance, Singing Dust resembles a unique fusion of Indian devotional song, the jazz piano styles of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, English folk and Debussey’s tonal impressions, bearing little similarity to the dominant commercial and subcultural music of its time.

Representing a culmination of Welsh’s influences in and outside of music, the dynamic collection of seven compositions accompany the Ghazal devotional poems translated by Australian poet Francis Brabazon. While Singing Dust sits loosely within the spheres of exploration that many jazz players took into world fusion in the '80s, it stands alone in its bright searing light of truth, love and austerity.

A true work of dedication and posterity that will appeal to many serious music lovers, the album has finally been transferred and remastered from original tapes by Dan Elleson, superseding the imperfect 1986 pressing and fully realising Welsh’s expansive vision.

This is the first release from "Wenha", the successor label of "Tribe", which was established by Wendel Harrison in the 70's. This album is full of spirituality and blackness, and it retains the philosophy of "Tribe", but it also incorporates the smooth feeling of the early 80's. This is the first release from "Wenha", the successor label of "Tribe". This is the first release from Wendel Harrison's "Wenha" label, the successor to "Tribe" and a collector's item that has always fetched high prices for its original version, but it has been highly acclaimed not only for its rarity but also for its content, which has made many experts in the industry gasp in delight. This is a superb gem that has made many pundits roar not only in terms of rarity but also in terms of content! The players on the side include Phil Ranelin (Trombone), Harold McKinney (Keyboards), Roy Brooks (Percussion), and many other Detroit heavyweights, including Phil Ranelin (Trombone), who founded the Tribe together. The album starts with "Take Time Out" (A1) featuring soulful vocals, followed by the spiritual jazz "Pink Snowballs And Violet Skies" (A3) with its exhilarating bellow, and then the jet-black groove-filled jazz funk number "Where Am I?" (B1) is a truly historical document that beautifully captures the transition from the '70s to the '80s!
For this reissue, the 7inch "No Turnin' Back / Rocket Love" released at the same time on "Wenha" has been added to VINYL as a BONUS DISC, and a bonus track "Patrina's Dance" (B3) has been added to the LP. This is the latest reissue of the album in a completely new guise!








[h] C1. No Turnin' Back [7-inch]
[i] D1. Rocket Love [7-inch]