Seit mehr als drei Jahrzehnten befindet sich AFI in einem nahezu ständigen Prozess der Neuerfindung. Die Band hat es sich zum Ziel gesetzt, sich mit jedem Album weiterzuentwickeln - manchmal sogar dramatisch - und sich niemals zu sehr in einem Genre einzurichten oder sich auf ihren beeindruckenden Erfolgen auszuruhen. Dieser Ansatz hat ihr Publikum vergrößert, aber auch herausgefordert mit einer klanglichen Identität, die sich in wilde, unerwartete Richtungen entwickeln kann. Mit ihrem zwölften Album ,Silver Bleeds the Black Sun_" stehen AFI erneut am Anfang eines mutigen neuen Kapitels, nur dass sie es diesmal geschafft haben, sich selbst zu überraschen. Wie kann eine Band, die dafür bekannt ist, sich ständig zu verändern, noch etwas Neues bieten? Mit ihrem zwölften Album ,Silver Bleeds the Black Sun_" stehen AFI nun erneut am Beginn eines mutigen neuen Kapitels, nur dass sie es diesmal sogar geschafft haben, sich selbst zu überraschen. Wie schafft es eine Band, die für kreative Umbrüche bekannt ist, immer wieder Wege zu finden, sich selbst aus ihrer Komfortzone herauszuziehen? Typischerweise begann die Band mit dem Schreiben eines Albums, indem sie sich sofort in das Schreiben stürzte und den kreativen Prozess einfach ihrer intuitiven musikalischen Sprache überließ. Für ,Silver Bleeds the Black Sun_" jedoch haben AFI sich bewusst dazu entschlossen, ihren kreativen Ansatz komplett zu ändern. Normalerweise beginnt die Band ein Album, indem sie sich sofort in das Schreiben stürzt und sich einfach von ihrer intuitiven musikalischen Sprache leiten lässt. Für ,Silver Bleeds the Black Sun_" haben AFI jedoch beschlossen, ihren kreativen Ansatz bewusst komplett zu ändern. Diesmal begann alles mit einer Frage: Wie könnten sie neue Wege beschreiten? Der Schlüssel zum Fortschritt lag letztendlich in der gemeinsamen Vergangenheit von AFI. ,Wir haben mit etwas angefangen, das nach Echo & the Bunnymen klang", erklärt Gitarrist Jade Puget, der das Album produziert und aufgenommen hat. ,Aber schließlich sind wir bei dieser Mischung aus Death Rock und Postpunk gelandet - all diese Einflüsse aus den 80ern und 90ern." ,Wir begannen mit etwas, das wie Echo & the Bunnymen klang", erklärt Gitarrist Jade Puget, der das Album produzierte und abmischte. ,Aber schließlich landeten wir bei dieser Mischung aus Death Rock und Postpunk - all diesen Einflüssen aus den späten 70ern und frühen 80ern, mit denen wir aufgewachsen sind, wie Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus und Siouxsie and the Banshees." Das Ziel war es, ein Album mit einer einzigartigen Stimmung zu schaffen, etwas Verträumtes und Ätherisches, und die Bandmitglieder tauchten kopfüber in Einflüsse ein, die schon immer tief in der Musik von AFI verwurzelt waren, jetzt aber in den Vordergrund rückten. Silver Bleeds the Black Sun_ ist düster und jenseitig, aber auch grandios und würdevoll, bissig und schön zugleich - mit anderen Worten: Es ist sehr AFI, aber doch anders als alles, was man bisher von der Band gehört hat.
Cerca:pos
Like sneaking an extra scoop (or two) of ice cream for dessert, what do you do when you know something’s bad for you, but its vice-like nature makes it all the more irresistible? Vega Records explores this conundrum in its latest release, “Can’t Let You Go” by the late, great Loleatta Holloway.
“Can’t Let You Go” is one of the last unreleased recordings Loleatta completed before her passing in 2011. In the main mix, she addresses a relationship she knows she should end but can’t bring herself to leave because the lovin’ is just too good: “I keep coming back time and time again,” she ruminates with raw emotion. “We got to make things better or we got to do whatever to make it right… oh, let’s make it right, ‘cause I can’t let you go.”
For the unfamiliar, Loleatta Holloway, a.k.a. the “Queen of the Night,” is a bona fide disco and soul icon. The singer behind successful singles such as “Hit and Run” and “Love Sensation,” she is one of the most sampled artists from the disco era.
The posthumous single was written and produced by prolific artist Yvonne Turner, whose resume includes production and remix credits for music greats such as Whitney Houston, Willie Colon, and Jeffrey Osborne; as well as mixes for Lenny Kravitz, Lalah Hathaway, Mica Paris, and more. Providing subtle, smooth background vocals for the track, she allows Loleatta’s belting vocals to be the star of the percussive house groover; while Vega Records boss Louie Vega offers a “Roots” mix and emotion-charged “Soul House” mix. Louie Vega also invited his vocalist friends Tawatha Agee (of seminal R&B and soul group Mtume) and Cindy Mizelle (Louie Vega’s longtime collaborator) to add powerful hooks and new background arrangements, enhancing the track with some call and response to Loleatta's adlibs during the vamp. Gene Perez on Bass, Axel Tosca on Fender Rhodes, and Roberto Quintero on percussion. In all, the record is club-ready catharsis made for dancing all your troubles away.
“Loleatta Holloway was one of the most dynamic vocalists of our time,” says Yvonne Turner. “She was blessed with the gift of song and her energy was electric! Loleatta's passion and artistry is on full display as she masterfully interprets a lyric then delivers her signature adlibs, which never disappoint. To describe her in a few words, Loleatta Holloway was the truth... my friend... extraordinary!”
Adds Louie Vega, “Loleatta Holloway has had a huge impact in my life as a DJ, producer, and clubber. She touched me in many ways through my music-making and even style of DJing; to this day, I still play many of her songs and acapellas. This is just our little way of saying thank you so much for what you've done for so many lives with your beautiful voice, you've affected us all!!!”
The record’s cover artwork is a mural of Loleatta Holloway created by Richard Wilson, a London-based artist who takes inspiration from DJs and producers from the house music and disco scene. Last month, Louie traveled to Liverpool, England for the mural’s unveiling.
- A1: Fall In Love With Her (Feat. Tanerélle)
- A2: Need U To Need Me
- A3: Sail
- A4: Before It's Too Late
- A5: Discouraged
- A6: One Word
- B1: Tall Tales
- B2: Mi Luz
- B3: Worse Than Me
- B4: Detoxing
- B5: Memory Foam
Sabrina Claudio's fifth studio album, Fall In Love With Her, marks a significant evolution in her musical journey. Known for her ethereal blend of R&B and pop, Sabrina Claudio delves deeper into personal narratives, offering listeners an intimate exploration of love, identity, and self-discovery.
This album follows her 2022 release, Based on a Feeling, where she emphasized authenticity and emotional resonance in her music. With Fall In Love With Her, Sabrina Claudio continues this trajectory, crafting songs that are both vulnerable and empowering. The lead single, "Need U to Need Me," exemplifies this, weaving themes of longing and self-worth into a sultry, atmospheric soundscape. Her introspective songwriting, combined with minimalist production, allows her vocals to shine, creating an immersive listening experience.
With a GRAMMY win to her name for her songwriting work on Beyonce’s Renaissance album & over 3B worldwide streams to date, Sabrina Claudio has firmly established herself as a standout in the R&B and Pop spaces.
1xLP, and includes a poster. Grab the vinyl today — and fall in love with her all over again.
- Cut & Rewind
- Under The Sun
- Disco Life
- Chapters
- Possibilities
- Take It All
- She Who Dares
- Shop Boy
- Bandit
- Little Kisses
- Do All Things With Love
- Make It Known
LILIAC VINYL[23,49 €]
NYC punk-chic, discodelic funk band Say She She is back with Cut & Rewind, their politically-charged, dancefloor-crushing third album. Led by the powerhouse vocal trio of Piya Malik, Sabrina Mileo Cunningham, and Nya Gazelle Brown, the group channels progenitors like Minnie Ripperton, Charles Stepney, Liquid Liquid, and Raw Silk to create a groove-forward, psychedelic soundscape of pulsing disco beats, heavenly whistle tones, and soaring three-part harmonies. There's a feeling of righteous rebellion simmering beneath these songs' body-moving exterior, though: "She Who Dares" is a call to fight against a near-future dystopia where women's rights have been decimated globally; "Disco Life" decries the racism and homophobia of Steve Dahl's 1979 "Disco Demolition Night," reclaiming the dancefloor as "a playing field where all are free." Cut & Rewind is protest music dressed up as a sweat-dripping, hip-shaking, mind-expanding good time.
OXBLOOD / BLACK MARBLED Vinyl[23,49 €]
"Horizons/West" (2025) completes the thematic arc begun with "Horizons/East" (2021), pairing personal reflection with sweeping sonic ambition. Self-produced by the band, engineered by guitarist Teppei Teranishi, mixed by Scott Evans, and mastered by Matthew J. Barnhart, "Horizons/West"balances cinematic tones with spacious atmosphere. Teranishi calls it "less dense," while vocalist Dustin Kensrue sees it as their first sequel-two halves of a larger emotional and political panorama. Blending post-rock textures from their earlier albums "Beggars" and "Major/Minor", with rhythmic complexity from "Horizons/East", the band sharpens its edge without losing nuance. Kensrue"s vocals shift from whisper to roar, anchoring meditations on perception, memory, and social influence. "Horizons/West" looks inward while never ignoring the larger world - urging listeners not to adopt beliefs, but to interrogate them. After more than two decades, Thrice continues building catharsis from chaos, and clarity from noise.
Black Vinyl[22,65 €]
"Horizons/West" (2025) completes the thematic arc begun with "Horizons/East" (2021), pairing personal reflection with sweeping sonic ambition. Self-produced by the band, engineered by guitarist Teppei Teranishi, mixed by Scott Evans, and mastered by Matthew J. Barnhart, "Horizons/West"balances cinematic tones with spacious atmosphere. Teranishi calls it "less dense," while vocalist Dustin Kensrue sees it as their first sequel-two halves of a larger emotional and political panorama. Blending post-rock textures from their earlier albums "Beggars" and "Major/Minor", with rhythmic complexity from "Horizons/East", the band sharpens its edge without losing nuance. Kensrue"s vocals shift from whisper to roar, anchoring meditations on perception, memory, and social influence. "Horizons/West" looks inward while never ignoring the larger world - urging listeners not to adopt beliefs, but to interrogate them. After more than two decades, Thrice continues building catharsis from chaos, and clarity from noise.
Carrboro, NC’s inimitable synthesizer duo MARV follow up their well-received 2021 opus Keyboard Suite I with a second volume co-released by enmossed and Softer Recordings. As a (regrettably) posthumous release, Keyboard Suite II documents MARV in their fully matured state with melodies that eschew easy categorization and a much-expanded studio effects and processing palette. But the same dreamy languidity marking their previous releases remains, drawing us into their visions of a summer day spent in the shade, by a babbling creek. As a storm approaches from the distance - keyboards saturated by tape into distortion, bursts of noise from idiosyncratic electronics, aleatoric stuttering - MARV grants us an album’s worth of sonic sublimation.
- 1: Logos Kill
- 1: 2Hawkins Discovered
- 1: 3Flashback
- 1: 4Spit
- 1: 5Hey Kid
- 1: 6The Myer's House
- 1: 7Cops Explore
- 1: 8First Attack
- 1: 9Stand Off
- 1: 0Halloween Kills (Main Title)
- 1: Let It Burn
- 1: 2He Appears
- 1: 3From The Fire
- 1: 4Strodes At The Hospital
- 1: 5Cruel Intentions
- 1: 6Phone Call
- 1: 7Massacre
- 1: 8Someone's In The Car
- 1: 9Halloween Trick
- 1: 20Back At The Hospital
- 1: 2Goodbye Michael
- 1: 22Gather The Mob
- 1: 23Rampage
- 1: 24Frank
- 1: 27Evil Dies Tonight
- 1: 28The System Failed
- 1: 29Blood On The Door
- 1: 30Disturbed Man
- 1: 3Violent Return
- 1: 32Hallway Madness
- 1: 33It Needs To Die
- 1: 34Look At Me
- 1: 35Reflection
- 1: 36Hunting A Killer
- 1: 37Righteous Intention
- 1: 38Morbid Discovery
- 1: 39Unkillable
- 1: 40Payback
- 1: 4Michael's Legend
- 1: 42Back To His Sister's Room
- 1: 43Final Kill
- 1: 44Michael Answers
- 1: 45Halloween Kills (End Titles)
- 1: 25Search
- 1: 26Frank And Laurie
KILLS: Orange & Green Splatter Vinyl[33,57 €]
Bone White & Orange Splatter Vinyl[33,57 €]
COMPLETE EXPANDED COLLECTION[137,77 €]
Orange & Red Splatter Vinyl. John Carpenters Soundtracks für die jüngste Halloween-Trilogie, die er zusammen mit seinen langjährigen Mitarbeitern Cody Carpenter und Daniel Davies komponierte, markierten die Rückkehr des legendären Regisseurs und Komponisten zur Filmmusik nach fast zwei Jahrzehnten Pause. Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills (2021) und Halloween Ends (2022) wurden alle von David Gordon Green inszeniert, der Carpenter bereits früh in die Vorproduktion einbezog und ihn schließlich als ausführenden Produzenten und Soundtrack-Komponisten für die Trilogie engagierte. Nun erscheint erstmals eine Deluxe-Edition des Soundtracks zu ,Halloween Ends" als 2xLP-Erweiterung bei Carpenters langjährigem Label Sacred Bones Records. ,Halloween" aus dem Jahr 2018 war ein Erfolg, der die kühnsten Träume aller Beteiligten übertraf. Der Film startete mit den höchsten Einspielzahlen in der Geschichte von Blumhouse und war der erfolgreichste Film der ,Halloween"-Reihe. Es war unvermeidlich, dass bald zwei Fortsetzungen, Halloween Kills und Halloween Ends, grünes Licht erhielten. Green unterschrieb für die Regie beider Filme, aber er wollte nicht davon ausgehen, dass John, Cody und Daniel für die Filmmusik zurückkehren würden. ,Ich nehme nichts als selbstverständlich hin", sagt er. ,Man hofft also, dass sie eine gute Erfahrung gemacht haben. Ich weiß, dass wir Spaß an dem Projekt hatten, aber man weiß nie, wie es um die Zeit und die finanziellen Interessen der Leute steht und all diese Dinge. Die Realitäten des Geschäfts und des Filmemachens laufen nicht immer so reibungslos ab. Aber es gab keine Probleme. Wir sahen uns an und sagten: ,Wie können wir das hinbekommen? Lassen Sie es uns noch einmal versuchen.` Zweimal."Die erweiterte Version von Halloween Ends enthält 10 bisher unveröffentlichte Stücke und wird mit brandneuen Artworks von Chris Bilheimer und einem exklusiven 24 x 36"-Poster von Creepy Duck geliefert. Erweiterte Versionen der Soundtracks zu Halloween und Halloween Kills sowie eine Box mit allen drei erweiterten Editionen werden ebenfalls am selben Tag bei Sacred Bones erhältlich sein.
- 1: Logos Kill
- 1: 2Hawkins Discovered
- 1: 3Flashback
- 1: 4Spit
- 1: 5Hey Kid
- 1: 6The Myer's House
- 1: 7Cops Explore
- 1: 8First Attack
- 1: 9Stand Off
- 1: 0Halloween Kills (Main Title)
- 1: Let It Burn
- 1: 2He Appears
- 1: 3From The Fire
- 1: 4Strodes At The Hospital
- 1: 5Cruel Intentions
- 1: 6Phone Call
- 1: 7Massacre
- 1: 8Someone's In The Car
- 1: 9Halloween Trick
- 1: 20Back At The Hospital
- 1: 2Goodbye Michael
- 1: 22Gather The Mob
- 1: 23Rampage
- 1: 24Frank
- 1: 27Evil Dies Tonight
- 1: 28The System Failed
- 1: 29Blood On The Door
- 1: 30Disturbed Man
- 1: 3Violent Return
- 1: 32Hallway Madness
- 1: 33It Needs To Die
- 1: 34Look At Me
- 1: 35Reflection
- 1: 36Hunting A Killer
- 1: 37Righteous Intention
- 1: 38Morbid Discovery
- 1: 39Unkillable
- 1: 40Payback
- 1: 4Michael's Legend
- 1: 42Back To His Sister's Room
- 1: 43Final Kill
- 1: 44Michael Answers
- 1: 45Halloween Kills (End Titles)
- 1: 25Search
- 1: 26Frank And Laurie
ENDS: Orange & Red Splatter Vinyl[33,57 €]
Bone White & Orange Splatter Vinyl[33,57 €]
COMPLETE EXPANDED COLLECTION[137,77 €]
Orange & Green Splatter Vinyl! John Carpenters Soundtracks für die jüngste Halloween-Trilogie, die er zusammen mit seinen langjährigen Mitarbeitern Cody Carpenter und Daniel Davies komponierte, markierten die Rückkehr des legendären Regisseurs und Komponisten zur Filmmusik nach fast zwei Jahrzehnten Pause. Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills (2021) und Halloween Ends (2022) wurden alle von David Gordon Green inszeniert, der Carpenter bereits früh in die Vorproduktion einbezog und ihn schließlich als ausführenden Produzenten und Soundtrack-Komponisten für die Trilogie engagierte. Nun erscheint zum ersten Mal eine Deluxe-Edition des Soundtracks zu ,Halloween Kills" als 2xLP-Erweiterung bei Carpenters langjährigem Label Sacred Bones Records. ,Halloween" aus dem Jahr 2018 war ein Erfolg, der alle Erwartungen der Beteiligten übertraf. Der Film startete mit den höchsten Einspielzahlen in der Geschichte von Blumhouse und war der erfolgreichste Film der ,Halloween"-Reihe. Es war unvermeidlich, dass bald zwei Fortsetzungen, Halloween Kills und Halloween Ends, grünes Licht erhielten. Green unterschrieb für die Regie beider Filme, wollte aber nicht davon ausgehen, dass John, Cody und Daniel wieder für die Filmmusik verantwortlich sein würden. ,Ich nehme nichts als selbstverständlich hin", sagt er. ,Man hofft also, dass sie eine gute Erfahrung gemacht haben. Ich weiß, dass wir Spaß an dem Projekt hatten, aber man weiß nie, wie es um die Zeit und die finanziellen Interessen der Leute steht und all diese Dinge. Die Realitäten des Geschäftslebens und des Filmemachens laufen nicht immer reibungslos ab. Aber es gab keine Probleme. Wir sahen uns an und sagten: ,Wie können wir das hinbekommen? Lassen Sie es uns noch einmal versuchen.` Zweimal." Die erweiterte Version von ,Halloween Kills" enthält 25 bisher unveröffentlichte Stücke und wird mit brandneuen Artworks von Chris Bilheimer und einem exklusiven 24x36-Zoll-Poster von Creepy Duck geliefert. Erweiterte Versionen der Soundtracks zu ,Halloween" und ,Halloween Ends" sowie eine Box mit allen drei erweiterten Editionen werden ebenfalls am selben Tag bei Sacred Bones erhältlich sein.
JOHN CARPENTER
HALLOWEEN: THE COMPLETE EXPANDED COLLECTION - LP 6x12"
ENDS: Orange & Red Splatter Vinyl[33,57 €]
KILLS: Orange & Green Splatter Vinyl[33,57 €]
Bone White & Orange Splatter Vinyl[33,57 €]
John Carpenters Soundtracks für die jüngste Halloween-Trilogie, die er zusammen mit seinen langjährigen Mitarbeitern Cody Carpenter und Daniel Davies komponierte, markierten die Rückkehr des legendären Regisseurs und Komponisten zur Filmmusik nach fast zwei Jahrzehnten Pause. Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills (2021) und Halloween Ends (2022) wurden alle von David Gordon Green inszeniert, der Carpenter bereits früh in die Vorproduktion einbezog und ihn schließlich als ausführenden Produzenten und Soundtrack-Komponisten für die Trilogie engagierte. Nun werden erstmals erweiterte Ausgaben aller drei Soundtracks in einer Deluxe-Box von Carpenters langjährigem Label Sacred Bones Records veröffentlicht. Beim Anhören der aktuellen Halloween-Soundtracks fällt als Erstes der Teamgeist des Komponisten-Trios auf. Der mittlerweile berühmte Part mit der gestrichenen Gitarre in ,The Shape Hunts Allyson" aus Halloween wird, wie alle Gitarrenparts in der Trilogie, von Daniel Davies gespielt. John bezeichnet Daniel als den ,Abenteurer" der Gruppe und schreibt ihm zu, Sounds eingeführt zu haben, an die er selbst nie gedacht hätte. Cody, den sein Vater als ,musikalisches Genie" bezeichnet, ist eine ebenso wichtige Präsenz. Es ist seine ruhige, methodische Hand, die den Ideen, die entstehen, wenn diese drei zusammenkommen, Gestalt verleiht. Die Filmmusik für die neuen Filme mag sich um bekannte Themen drehen, aber sie ist auch klanglich viel vielfältiger und musikalisch gewagter als alles, was John 1978, als er den Originalfilm ,Halloween" komponierte, hätte schaffen können. Zusätzlich zu den einzelnen erweiterten Veröffentlichungen wird die ,Halloween Expanded Trilogy" als Teil eines limitierten Deluxe-Boxsets im 6xLP- und 3xCD-Format erhältlich sein. Diese Editionen enthalten exklusive neue Verpackungen und Artworks von Chris Bilheimer sowie ausführliche Liner Notes des Musikkritikers Brad Sanders, darunter exklusive Interviews mit John Carpenter und Regisseur David Gordon Green. Beide Box-Sets enthalten außerdem drei Sammlerposter von Creepy Duck, ein exklusives Posterdesign von Chris Bilheimer und ein luxuriöses Lentikular-Cover, das das Artwork zum Leben erweckt. Die erweiterte Version von ,Halloween Kills" enthält 25 unveröffentlichte Musikstücke, während ,Halloween Ends" 10 neue Tracks hinzufügt und ,Halloween" ein komplett neues Artwork und eine neue Verpackung von Chris Bilheimer erhält. Für John-Carpenter-Sammler, Halloween-Komplettisten und alle Fans großartiger Filmmusik ist die ,Halloween Expanded Trilogy" ein unverzichtbares, wegweisendes Release.
"I stood on top of the mountain and looked out over the landscape. It was so beautiful that my chest hurt. The light vibrated, time stood still, and the contours dissolved for a moment. Everything had changed; I felt it then. I took their little hands so as not to lose contact with the ground. Then we ran down the mountain, scraping our knees. Still, we didn't make it. You had already put away all the nautical charts, loosened the moorings and steered out among the skerries. Mum stood waving from the jetty. You were alone, you wanted it that way. It was to be just you in the boat this time. I called out to you. I think you heard me and felt less lonely. We couldn't carry each other anymore, no matter how hard we tried. We washed our wounds on the shore and scattered tears and rose petals in the bay. The children laughed and searched for treasures under water. We called to them that it was time to come up. They were cold, and we hugged them to warmth. One ran ahead, the other up on our shoulders. Up the mountain, our mountain."
In 2020 Anna Högberg put her widely celebrated band Anna Högberg Attack on hold, retraining as a nurse whilst continuing a solo practice and playing in other groups. With Ensamseglaren she makes a spectacular return with her own ensemble — this time a double sextet — performing an album length suite of new music written in dedication to her late father — the titular ‘ensamseglaren’ pictured on the LP cover as a young boy.
(ensam in Swedish can mean both alone and lonely, seglaren = the sailor).
Shot through with renewed energy and a brutally affective emotional punch, Högberg’s formal experimentation opens up vibrant possibilities for the assembled musicians to let loose with some of their wildest and most ecstatic playing on record.
Högberg’s contention with grief leans into collective joy as method of mourning — the big band as extended family; where bonds are made through a shared experience of being together. Where everyone gets to be themselves without expectations of who they should be or what they can do. It’s a radical commitment to care — of her self and others — that animates and unifies this suite of music’s radical dynamics and variations in colour: from whisper-quiet textural intensity to harrowing distortion and double drum chaos; raucous and solemn song.
"Throughout history, humans have had different images of the transition between life and death. Imagine standing on the seashore on a summer evening and seeing a beautiful vessel being prepared for departure. The sails are hoisted. The evening breeze comes, the sails fill and the boat glides out onto the open sea. You follow it with your eyes as it heads towards the sunset. It gets smaller and smaller, until it finally disappears as a tiny dot on the horizon. Then you hear someone next to you say, ‘Now they have left us.’ Left us for what? The fact that they got smaller and smaller and finally disappeared is only how we see it. In reality, they are just as big and beautiful as when they were here, lying on the beach by our side. Just as you hear that voice say ‘Now they have left us’, there may be someone on another beach who sees them appear on the horizon, someone waiting to welcome them when they reaches their new port."
- In The Beginning
- One Of Us Is Dead
- Wayward Song
- Slow Man's Dream
- 25: Easy Pieces
- Morning Wonder
- The Devil's Country
- Song For #3
- Lows
- Bring It Back Again
- Dead Birds
Names Records in conjunction with Two Piers Editions are delighted to announce the long awaited 21st Anniversary reissue of the debut album from The Earlies.
'These Were the Earlies' was released on Names Records / 679 Recordings in July of 2004 and quickly became one of that summer’s essential albums.
"The Best Debut Album of 2004” – UNCUT
"Insane Pop Genius. Scintillating” - 10/10. NME
NME #1 Top Rated Album 2004
There is much here to love” - The Sunday Times
"This rustic hymn to imperfect pop is a reminder that Britain and the States still have a special relationship.” - The Observer
This Numbered Limited Edition Vinyl (1000) will be issued on Double Cream Vinyl, includes a poster and new refreshed artwork by Rina Donnersmarck. Produced by the band and Tom Knott. Beautifully Remastered by Shawn Joseph (Portishead, Beak, PJ Harvey).
- A1: Drowning In Honey
- B1: Icarus
- Fine + 2 Pts
- Let's Play Clowns
- Dog Park
- I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien
- Hey! Is That A Ninja Up There?
- Pony Up!
- Houston, We Have Uh-Oh
"Pop" is a tag that's been assigned to Minus The Bear throughout their career. It's been used to set a distinction between the unique brand of complex indie rock they introduced on their first EP and the more angular and aggravated sounds of their previous bands Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving. It's also a tag that was thrown around frequently in the wake of their streamlined fourth album, OMNI. And it's a descriptor that immediately comes to mind within the first few seconds of their classic second formal EP, They Make Beer Commercials Like This. Now celebrating its 10-year anniversary and first time in print since 2011, Beer Commercials is the evolutionary step between Minus The Bear's first two landmark albums, Highly Refined Pirates and Menos El Oso. Opening track "Fine + 2 Points" remains one of the band's strongest opening tracks in their discography,charging out of the gates with a syncopated stomp that comes across as a more agitated take on Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Outta My Head". If Minus The Bear were looking to make pop music without any of its major-scale bubblegum trappings, they nailed it here. The band follows it with "Let's Play Clowns" and "Dog Park" - nods to Highly Refined Pirates' formula of frenetic clean guitar work, bombastic choruses, and Jake Snider's lyrics of detached romantic nostalgia. These tracks may represent Minus The Bear's original trademark version of pop, but on songs like "I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien" the band eschews it's restless energy for atmosphere and dynamics, creating a sound that's inspired more than a handful of contemporary melodic post-rock bands. By the time the band belts out "Pony Up!" the listener has watched the three-year sonic transition between Minus The Bear's first two full-lengths transpire within under half-an-hour, with the their earlier math rock predilections yielding to the tightly wound club-banging pedalboard trickery that defined their sophomore album. Even if Beer Commercials doesn't fit within your definition of pop music, the unorthodox energetic charm of this relatively low-profile release serves as an exciting reminder of why Minus The Bear became one of the most important and influential indie rock bands of the new century.
Formed in Hakata, before moving to Tokyo in 1984 AKEBONOJIRUSHI were a six piece band who played a wild mix of New-Wave and Funk-Jazz elements condensed into unconventional Pop songs. Originally released on DIW in 1987 “Paradise Mambo” stands as a great example of pure 80’s Japanese post-modern sound.
“Dance Till You Die” a loud and clear order and warning from one of the most uncompromising Japanese Post-Punk bands of the early 80’s. A raw, esoteric yet infectiously groovy gem for all No-Wave freaks out there!
Originally released on CD-R, then on tape, and now reissued on vinyl, »Juvenile Rock« comes as an essential collection of unreleased recordings from the legendary post-punk band Dendö Marionette. An entire double album full of demos, studio experiments, and live performances. An essential document from the 1980s Japanese underground.
At the dawn of the 80’s Osaka based band DENDÖ MARIONETTE were part of Japan’s legendary early Synth-Wave explosion. This essential album consists of their sole 7” release from 1981, plus a previously unreleased EP from 1982, plus lots of extra tracks from various demos. A double LP full of glorious, intoxicating, sounds from one of the most fascinating acts of the Japanese Post-Punk era.
Sub Channels Records is proud to announce their first release, "Epic EP," featuring a collaboration between Belgium-based producer Unlisted Fanatic and Moonshine Horns.
The track "Epic" is a result of the first "post-covid" spontaneous rehearsal session. After Martin just finished building his new fast-driven 90s UK stepper riddim, Jort and Kris came to a studio, and they both felt the vibes instantly. Very quickly this turns into a recording session where they have lay down the powerful, triumphant horn line. With bouncy bass and very clever percussion layering, it's a perfect backing beat for uplifting horns.
On the flip side, EchoBoy slows down the tempo of the original recordings, transforming the melodic horns into more rootikal vibes. This, combined with hard-hitting wobs and ground-shaking subs, makes the B-side a more futuristic tune.




















