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A multicultural explosion of West African, French and Brighton sounds
Stranded Horse is a touring machine centered around composer, songwriter and
instrument maker Yann Tambour.Whilst he had developed his own kora playing
and teamed up with local player Boubacar Cissokho (cousin and protege of
erstwhile Tambour collaborator Ballake Sissoko) In terms of repertoire, there is
nothing to stop him from covering Joy Division, the Smiths or even Jackson C.
Frank and the moving "My Name is Carnival".Behind Yann Tambour and his band
Stranded Horse lies a faith in chance encounters, a belief that renewal is born out
of chaos. They strive to skirt conventions and labels and wed together
unexpected genres, rules and habits in an album of erratic wanderings, dance and
trance, at a time when more and more get walled off by reluctance and suspicion.
But a strange spell, it seems, was cast on our stranded horse since he chose to
hit the dancefloor for the first time the very year nobody could. Yann Tambour
was first known as Encre at the turn of the millennium. He was then whispering
and stacking orchestral samples into a kind of spoken word electronica with an
acoustic tinge. But in 2005, he decided to return to his early love for arpeggios
and dusted off his classical guitar, all the while growing a fascination for the kora,
an instrument symbolic of West-Africa.
But Stranded Horse doesn't forget to draw on the indie heritage that is still very
much present, as evidenced by "In A Sharper Fairway", which may remind the
most passionate folk fans of the folk- mindedness of Jackson C Franck. As for
the choice of English or French, it is a natural one, whether it is a question of
immersing oneself into the contemplative and poignant "Sparks Turn To Stone" or
entering the frenzied dance of the irresistible "Rumba du trépas", the richness of
the lyrics is reinforced by a voice stripped of all artifice, making each composition
sincere and authentic. The same is true when, with Youssou N'Dour's permission,
Stranded Horse adapts Star Band de Dakar's heady and vast "Thiely" from Wolof
to French.

The multi-instrumentalist duo that comprises Hermitude - Luke Dubber
(aka Luke Dubs) and Angus Stuart (aka El Gusto) - were in Japan when
Covid became a stark reality
Just making it back to Australia before the borders closed, they quietly slipped up
to Angus' place just outside of the Blue Mountain town of Blackheath as the rest
of the world went into meltdown.
The two holed up together in Angus' childhood home with a pared- back music
setup and began a process that was all about taking back control over how and
why they make music as Hermitude. As Luke says, "they say the artist is your
inner child, so it was like the children were out at play. There were no rules or
expectations; we just threw stuff at the wall. It was really fun, which is why we
started making music in the first place." A year and a half later, Mirror Mountain
was finished.
The album acts as a reawakening, a place to draw strength as time goes by..

30th ANNIVERSARY VINYL EDITION OF THE ICONIC 1992 BLACK METAL
CLASSIC FROM DARKTHRONE - PRESENTED ON LIMITED WHITE VINYL
WITH SLEEVE DESIGN REPLICATING THE ORIGINAL PRESSING
'A Blaze In The Northern Sky', Darkthrone's official second album, was originally
released in 1992 & was without question the blueprint for the Black Metal scene,
spearheading the evolution of the early second wave movement in Norway &
beyond. It was hailed on release as an album of true scene- shifting greatness,
following their more death metal focussed debut, 'Soulside Journey'. The rawness
apparent on the album (recorded at Creative Studios, the same location as
Mayhem's legendary Deathcrush was put to tape), was unusual for the time & an
antithesis to the usual metal production values & standards during the period.
With this, Darkthrone's statement of attitude & intent was clear & their status as
masters of Norwegian black metal was set.
This edition of 'A Blaze in the Northern Sky' coincides with the 30th anniversary of
the seminal album's release & is presented on limited white vinyl, with the sleeve
design replicating the original pressing, plus a refresh of the original 1992 audio
master.

Shadow Kingdom Records is proud to present Savage Master's highly
anticipated fourth album, 'Those Who Hunt at Night' on CD and Red &
Black Tears colored vinyl'.One of the most exciting and electrifying bands
in today's occult heavy metal scene, during the first six years, Savage
Master swiftly built an impressive canon of work
Now Savage Master stands taller than ever and surveys those they leave in the
dust with their fourth full-length, 'Those Who Hunt at Night'. All too perfectly titled,
'Those Who Hunt at Night' sees Savage Master going in for the kill, keeping their
unyielding-as-steel sound whilst sharpening it yet further with their clearest and
most powerful production to date. In fact, that palpable professionalism
profoundly impacts that sound - timeless electricity, eternal glory, boundless
energy, authentically ancient but no tired ""retro"" retread, with the immediately
recognizable vocals of Stacey Savage leading the charge - so much so, one could
put the album alongside such early/mid '80s stunners as Judas Priest's Point of
Entry (moody and dynamic) or Jag Panzer's Ample Destruction (locomotion and
drama). Which is to say nothing of the subtle- but- crucial placement of vintage
synths across the 36- minute album, giving all nine songs a unique twist that
altogether make the record a unified experience. Still, from the impeccably
constructed hooks to the broader range of tempos they explore, Savage Master's
creativity here seems to know no bounds whilst keeping their core intact.

30th ANNIVERSARY VINYL EDITION OF THE ICONIC 1992 BLACK METAL
CLASSIC FROM DARKTHRONE - PRESENTED ON LIMITED WHITE VINYL
WITH SLEEVE DESIGN REPLICATING THE ORIGINAL PRESSING
'A Blaze In The Northern Sky', Darkthrone's official second album, was originally
released in 1992 & was without question the blueprint for the Black Metal scene,
spearheading the evolution of the early second wave movement in Norway &
beyond. It was hailed on release as an album of true scene- shifting greatness,
following their more death metal focussed debut, 'Soulside Journey'. The rawness
apparent on the album (recorded at Creative Studios, the same location as
Mayhem's legendary Deathcrush was put to tape), was unusual for the time & an
antithesis to the usual metal production values & standards during the period.
With this, Darkthrone's statement of attitude & intent was clear & their status as
masters of Norwegian black metal was set.
This edition of 'A Blaze in the Northern Sky' coincides with the 30th anniversary of
the seminal album's release & is presented on limited white vinyl, with the sleeve
design replicating the original pressing, plus a refresh of the original 1992 audio
master.

Black Stone Cherry returns with a new live album, 'Live From The Royal Albert Hall..

Y'All!', available via Mascot Records.
Taken from their sold out performance at London's world famous Royal Albert
Hall on September 21st, 2021, this release marks a new milestone for the band,
and serves as a celebration of their 20 year career. Featuring songs from Black
Stone Cherry's entire catalog, 'Live From Royal Albert Hall... Y'All!' has something
for every BSC fan.

Caamp formed when Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall met and bonded
over a shared love of music and a shared love of home, specifically the
inspiration they culled from the Midwest lives they grew up in
The two began writing and performing and quickly grew a rabid fan base. A selftitled 2016 debut album took flight, Evan and Taylor brought a third member and
longtime friend, Matt Vinson, to join on bass just before recording By and By. In
week one of the release of their full- length, By and By on Mom + Pop, Caamp
made multiple chart debuts. By and By entered the Billboard Top 200, was the #1
Heatseeker, #1 on the New Artist Alternative Albums, top 5 vinyl album sales for
the week and entered the Alternative and Emerging Artist charts. Caamp then
scored their first #1 at radio with their single 'Peach Fuzz,' made their late-night
television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and followed that up with a killer
performance on CBS This Morning Saturday. After a victorious 2019 festival
season playing Firefly, Shaky Knees, Forecastle, Outside Lands, Austin City Limits,
Great Escape and many more, Caamp kicked off a major US headlining tour in
September of 2019 and sold out show after show. In early 2020, Caamp
performed on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The performance was filmed
in Caamp's hometown of Columbus, OH during quarantine. The trio later released
their first live EP Live From Newport Music Hall. The five- track recording was
taken from one of their seminal hometown shows in Columbus, OH. The
recording contains live versions of songs off their most recent album, By and By.
Not long after the release of Live From Newport Music Hall, Caamp kept
themselves busy by releasing the singles and companion videos for 'Officer Of
Love' and 'Fall Fall Fall' via their label home, Mom + Pop. The band then
celebrated another victory in 2020 with their single 'By and By' resting snugly in
the Top 5 Most Spun on Sirius XM's Alt Nation. They kicked off 2021 with 'Officer
of Love' hitting #1 at AAA radio for 2 consecutive weeks. In 2022, the band will
release their highly-anticipated album 'Lavender Days' featuring 'Believe

Mental health, unconventional relationship models, jealousy, failed dating
experiences and the banality and transience of life - these are the central
themes of 'The Absurdity Of Being', a coming-of-age album as if quoted
from a diary, recorded by a street artist in a construction trailer in the
north German countryside
Wydra herself describes her music as 'melancholic stray cat pop', and it sits
somewhere between indie and bedroom pop, comparable to the likes of Courtney
Barnett, Phoebe Bridgers and Chloe Moriondo. The Hamburg- based artist
surprises with '90s sounds, stomping club beats emerging from nowhere and
instruments such as melodica and violin. The opener 'Quality Time' deals with the
dark side of an open relationship and the title track with the banality of human
existence

Features all-analogue mastering from the original tapes by legendary engineer Bernie Grundman (himself a former employee of the label), as well as unsurpassed audiophile pressing on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, presented in a Stoughton Printing old-style tip-on jacket.

The series highlights gems from Contemporary's extraordinary catalogue and features artists who both defined and expanded the sound of West Coast jazz.

1957's The Poll Winners was the first of five all-star trio sessions featuring the dazzling interplay of guitarist Barney Kessel, drummer Shelly Manne and bassist Ray Brown. For The Poll Winners, Kessel, Manne, and Brown did not record together simply because they all happened to have won first place on their respective instruments in the Down Beat, Playboy, and Metronome polls.

Their collaboration was due to mutual respect, and their sensitivity to one another's musical requirements. Here, in a set composed mainly of pop and jazz standards, they represent the ultimate in their fields, constituting a rhythm section that also provides brilliant solo interludes by all three members. Collectively, Kessel, Manne, and Brown won dozens of polls over the years; this record eloquently tells you why.

Having kicked off in Galway and then quickly on to Brisbane, we travel across the pond to Durham, to pick the brains of one dance music’s freshest minds and most exciting talents, Tommy 2000, for the all-encompassing GTOWN 003 - ‘2K Musik’.

5 tracks that will travel the length and breadth of your brain; from the epic opener and lead single, ‘Whales’, to the algebraic break sequences of ‘T-2000’, Tommy’s follow up to his debut EP on DJ Haus’ Dance Trax is about as mature a sound you could expect from any artist, let alone an 18 year old just dipping his toes in the water.

‘Whales’ leads the way as an almost orchestral breakbeat builder-style track that reaches its peak gradually and really takes us for a ride as we step into the world of 2K Musik. Following on from that, is the most classically-conventional track of the lot, ‘Baff’. The four to the floor backbone lulls the listener to be sucked into what is an entirely unique club track they’ve never even come close to hearing before. That is then spun on its head entirely when Tommy’s almost bookmark sound comes into play on the title track, ‘2K Musik’. Hammering us with breaks and unapologetic bass, this marriage of old school sounds with entirely dynamic arrangement and all around ingenuity tells us exactly what 2K Musik is all about.

We swap over to the B side then, without much of a break for air, and kick off with the ever-nautically themed ‘Tuna’. At this point, it’s more than evident that Tommy 2000 is entirely worthy of his placement as an artist that’s here to stay, as if he’s pulled us underwater to listen to what the sea creatures have to say to us. Totally transforming even more modern sounding breakbeat drum patterns and bending them to his will, GTOWN003 is almost like a portal into the mind of a music genius, not just an EP you sit down and listen to; this is an immersive exhibition into the world of Tommy 2000. The final stop on the line is ‘T-2000’. You want to stop and get off, but you can’t. Everytime you think you’ve got this track figured out, you haven’t. Snares coming crashing down and attacking the breaks just as you’ve began to comprehend the synthlines and pads that eb and flow off of each other as this crescendo takes us home and back to reality, as the needle lifts on what is only the beginning for one of dance music’s brightest stars on one of its realest labels.

GTOWN003 - 2K MusiK by Tommy 2000 lands on G TOWN RECORDS on June 24th. Are you Ready?

Perhaps the best Soul / Funk LP Athens of the North has ever released and you know we have high standards, not one filler and mostly unreleased tracks – Essential LP

The Up Tights were formed by Henry Bradley in Forrest City, Arkansas in March of 1967 while most of the band members were attending Lincoln High School.They took their name from the Stevie Wonder song "Uptight - Everything's Alright." Playing at school functions, they quickly branched out to playing bigger shows and headlined the 1968 St. Francis County Fair in Forrest City.

The Up Tights first recorded for Action Records in Memphis as Noble and the Up Tights. The 45 featured an original song by singer, Izear "Ike" Noble Jr. titled "Don't Worry About It."

Henry Bradley was drafted into Vietnam in 1968. He served in the 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. While he was away, the Up Tights continued with Henry's brother, Arthur, taking over all the guitar duties. The band also hired a manager named John Mitchell. In 1968, the band met Joe Lee, who owned Variety recording studio in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

For the band's first recordings at Variety, Lee chose two originals by Noble titled "Look a Little Higher" and an updated version of "Just a Dream" which Lee released on his Alley Records label in 1968. Lee continued to record the band over the next several months. He liked to experiment in the studio and produced many versions of the group's original songs, adjusting the mix and adding elements to each unique take.

For the group's second Alley release, they appeared simply as Ike Noble on the record label. Lee brought in a local songwriter named Charles "Jamie" Holmes, who had previously written for Alley records and Joe Keene's studio in Kennett, Missouri

The resulting 45 from this collaboration was "It's Bad" backed with "That's What I Get," two Holmes originals. Another Holmes original was unreleased at the time, but available here titled "There's Gonna Be a Better Day Coming." Stax Records was interested in signing the group and wanted to re-cut "It's Bad" at their studio, but ultimately the label passed since they generally had a policy of working with Memphis based groups.

As the band grew in popularity, they began appearing with and competing with Memphis legends, the Bar-Kays. The group's biggest show in Arkansas was an opening slot at Barton Coliseum, one of the largest venues in the state, in Little Rock in mid-1969. As a result, the band was offered a spot on George Klein's "Talent Party" television show on WHBQ in Memphis in July of 1969..... Further Sleeve notes on back of the LP

In a genre belonging to crooners like Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, James Brown and Otis Redding, authenticity is a requirement.
Enter Anduze, a unique vocalis whose riffs evoke the retro sounds of the aforementioned artists, but reverently done his way
– a fresh brand, re-imagines and crefted into a modern depiction of the era.

Anduze was raised on his father’s native land of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. His distinctive upbringing still lines the
threading of his creative fabric, which continues to expand into all corners of taday’s musical landscape.

It’s been over a decade since Anduze last released a full album. A lot has changed and progressed since then. He left behind the LA/Hollywood nights in exchange for a better quality of life in Athens, Greece. Also, during this span, he’s been a multi-featured artist on collaborations with producers such as Satin Jackets, Art of Tones, LTJ Xperience, Gramatik, and more…

However, his most noteworthy ascent is as lead singer (and songwriter) of Austrian act, Parov Stelar, with whom he tours
worldwide. Still, with all his accomplishments within the electronic world, it was time for Anduze to get back to his own sound – SOUL.

Using the pandemic as an opportunity, instead of a crutch, Anduze recorded “Aura,” a nine-song album that blurs the lines of
soul, funk, pop, folk, and R&B, with 20 contributing musicians.
If you like Prince, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Lenny Kravitz, Terence Trent D’arby etc…this album takes influences from
all their best moments and combines them into one mighty explosion that is simply, ANDUZE.
These days he is also living the new life of his song in collaboration with LTJ Xperience entitled Bad Side which has been
included in the new game update for Play Station GTA 'Los Santos' starring the DJ producer Moodyman and in the soundtrack of the new series And Just Like That, a popular follow-up to Sex And The City, which aired worldwide.

The Psychedelic Side Of Kosmische Musik

Joona Toivanen Trio makes their We Jazz Records debut with their new album "Both Only", out 25 Feb 2022. A landmark work for the long standing group, the album showcases a new sound for the band, trekking deep into new ideas for an acoustic jazz piano trio. Since their formation as teenagers in mid-1990's, the trio of pianist Joona Toivanen, bassist Tapani Toivanen and drummer Olavi Louhivuori (of Superposition, Ilmiliekki Quartet and Linda Fredriksson "Juniper") has developed their remarkably coherent band sound step by step, touring the world over. Nowadays, the trio is geographically split between Gothenburg, Sweden (Joona), Copenhagen, Denmark (Tapani), and Helsinki, Finland (Olavi), but the unit has never sounded so together as one, and as adventurous as on "Both Only".

"Both Only" by Joona Toivanen Trio is a cocoon, a welcoming shelter of sound that opens up naturally for the listener to inhabit. The album is moody and introspective, even dark at times, but by the time you get to the closing track, "This and This", you'll likely notice something hopeful brewing up. This is not music dealing with nostalgia or a world lost. Instead, it's a body of work with delicate dynamics, taking a minute just to listen and to look inwards to learn something, to move forward.

The first single "Enlightened" is perhaps the most traditional piece on the album, yet it flows like a vessel beyond genre, conveying a mood, a feeling and an idea. Listen to how the piano, bass and drums discuss, how the groove moves with the instruments having their clear roles but also supporting each other and documenting a musical aging process exactly as that of a quality bottle of red wine. As a song like "Direction" proves, the melody is there all the way, yet there is nothing obvious about how it's carried by the trio. Things remain surprising, fresh and moving at all times. "Except For" keeps its intensity, while nearly erupting into a full on 4-to-the-floor banger. Nearly! The key here is how the energy sustains itself, building the intensity within the music.

"Both Only" is a powerful statement from a band ready to renew itself time and again, and one willing to do it slowly, outside of the hype. This process makes the impact enduring, nuanced and lovely.

WJLP37 Joona Toivanen Trio "Both Only" is available on vinyl as a black vinyl edition and as a LP+7" bundle also including WJ0716 "Except For (7" Edit)" / "Keyboard Study No. 2".

“More excellent poetic soundscapes from We Jazz! Love the flow through the tracks here – textural pieces moving into more rhythmic jazz abstractions. Beautifully recorded too.”
Quinton Scott — Worldwide FM

“Following on from the excellent Linda Fredriksson album We Jazz extend the journey with this innovative Joona Toivanen Trio set.”
Paul Bradshaw — Straight No Chaser

“You’ll look in vain here for extravagant splashes of color or bright swathes of sound, but what you will discover are a finely-chiselled set of compositions that make the most of the trio’s limited palette: flint-sharp melodies hewn from the ice, crisp and crackling rhythms.”
Cal Gibson — Ban Ban Ton Ton

“Incredible album from Joona Toivanen Trio and a strong start to the new year from We Jazz.”
Kerem Gokmen — Dubmission

“Encapsulating a new movement in jazz.”
Jay Scarlett — Sounds Supreme

“Interesting listen on the shortest day of the year. They have a very definite and saturated style.”
John Chacona — All About Jazz

“Airplayed the track”
Tom Ravenscroft — BBC6 Music

“Jazz album of the year released already in February?”
Ralf Sandell — Hufvudstadsbladet

“★★★★★”
Iida Simes — Voima Magazine

Höga Nord Rekords kindly welcomes Teecwa back to the label, following up his last full length-album “Beyond the Altai” with “Elysian on Moon Lake”. He is still exploring the intersections between house, electro, techno and dub and once again he manages to harness the analogue electronics in his machines to produce modern psychedelia.

“Elysian On Moon Lake” is rawer, less airy and not as sparkling as his last album. This is a tighter, and slightly darker experience than Teecwa’s previous work, maybe caused by being in quarantine for extensive time during production, letting some of the dreaminess aside for the harsher reality in a pandemic world. Still, you get a mind-altering experience in a lot of tracks since the album starts off in a lighter tone than how it later develops. Switching from the A- to the B-side works as a rite of passage going from dusk to night; the sun rays through the blinders are replaced by neon light dancing on the walls and ceiling.

Regarding the dramaturgy of “Elysian On Moon Lake”, this album has movielike qualities; a well-directed piece from the opening impact and setup through the confrontational part where intensity builds up to the climax in “Hythmdoser” to the cooling down effect of the peaceful closer “Celestial Trails”. The trip eventually ends up in a safe and happy place after the cathartic finale.

This is not a just collection of songs, this is an album made to experience in full length without interruptions.

"Points of Light” is the debut album from Sơn FM, consisting of Nic Ford and Attiss Ngo. After being part of the Vinyan cassette, the Vietnam-based duo returns to Siamese Twins Records with the label's first album in 2xLP format.

The album is an ode to the patterns of nature, which are repetitive but never quite identical. Playing with the endless possibilities of phase-shifting is at the core of Sơn FM's heavy ambient sound, shaped by their signature live performances across art galleries or surrounded by nature. Weaving dreamy kinetic sound tapestries into morphing texture movements. Analog synthesizers loops slowly decay and unfurl, ranging from melodic elements to droning sequences in a fourth world atmosphere.

This is music for inward journeys and exploring the interstices between cosmic patterns. Commanding harmonies evolve in soft-focus, phase-shifting soundscapes reminiscent of how sound is perceived underwater, at mountain summits, in the womb, or in altered states. Resembling liminal spaces between places, like dreams that haven't been dreamt yet or forgotten visions at the edge of consciousness, gently corralling its audience towards transcendental points of light.

“I’m closing a chapter in my life,” Barbie Bertisch says to me from a park bench in Greenpoint, “I spent the last four years working towards gaining confidence around my ideas and my creative perspective. This feels like a culmination of that process” The “this,” in question is Bertisch’s debut record Prelude, a collection of eleven songs that chronicle 5 years of Bertisch’s life. The legendary musician Anna Domino describes the record best: “Prelude is a record of layers and depths. The melting phases and soaring distances.”


Raised in Buenos Aires and Miami, Bertisch has called New York home for most of her adult life. When she started piecing together Prelude, she was in her Brooklyn kitchen. It was early quarantine. Stuck at home instead of DJing at clubs, she found the space to parse through the archives. What she previously considered unworthy of attention in the era of distractions, finally made sense as a whole once all the noise was turned down. Compiling a list of songs in various states of completion, Bertisch dreamed up an album, a chronicle in growth and healing frustrations of the past, an honest account of someone trying to find her own voice. That in and of itself was a journey. It took years for Bertisch to accept that she was an artist. “I felt like I was surrounded by men who ruled every space. I constantly felt like I had to ask permission to enter, always around bands but never the girl in the band” she says.


Prelude is an introspective record. It explores all of the valences of being and feeling. Some songs are chaotic and choppy. Others are soft and searching. There is rage and innocence, and moments of forced stillness, like capturing the aftermath of panic attacks, as in “After The Storm”. Bertisch also focuses on rhythm, bass guitar being her main instrument, and no stranger to the power of the beat. The record also draws on influences as varied as Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Cocteau Twins, Berlin School, and pioneering producer François Kevorkian. Both sonically and conceptually, Prelude is a portrait of who Bertisch is as a person.“Is This What You Wanted?” is fiery, a pointed provocation to domineering figures from her past. It’s full of strobing, strident synths, and heady lines of bass. It gives off the same vibe as a fire alarm, as a big room dance track that subverts your expectations of what it means to dance in a sea of bodies. “28,” the record’s opening track is more peaceful. It’s all languid keyboard arpeggios with the occasional flourish of a cascading synth effect.


Since most of the songs already existed in some form or another, Bertisch’s job on Prelude was to refine and reimagine music that had previously been private. She spent time rearranging, rewriting, adding elements newly available to her, such as the saxophone, and pushing the limits of the rough mixes to mold the universe she envisioned. Along the way, Bertisch grew more excited about her abilities as a musician. The resulting record is one that is inherently confident.


Prelude is also a homespun release. It’s coming out on Bertisch’s own label, Love Injection Records, which she runs with her partner Paul Raffaele. The two also DJ and make zines under the name, which started in 2015. Love Injection is a love letter to New York. Prelude is a word of encouragement to those struggling with self-actualization. The record was mixed by Justin Van Der Volgen and mastered by Walter Coelho. Love Injection Records holds the remix tradition in high regard, and they’ve enlisted reworks by some of Barbie’s favorite producers. It’s all a labor of love for Bertisch. Prelude is her: Barbie the musician.
©℗ Love Injection Records 2022

I feel honoured to finally present my first EP on de Lichting. All tracks except A1 were made during my COVID-19 quarantine between 8th-19th July 2021 on an EMU E64 and KORG MS2000. With the EP, I tried to cover most of the sounds that I regularly play during my DJ sets. Side A starts with two house cuts, ‘CAL01’ and ‘Emspacer’ inspired by some of my favourite house records, and ends with the electro title track ‘RDS THEME’. Side B, starts with the minimal-ish ‘Substance’, followed by two Ambient Techno/IDM cuts ‘Trapswet’ and ‘Cwejfx’. Personally, I feel that the tracklist reflects the process of being isolated, which on the one hand, enabled me to (finally) work on music without being distracted, and on the other hand, got me into a melancholic mood over time’.

After an initial link up last summer, Altrimenti Records present four more remixes of cult Italian synth maestros Cabaret Du Ciel. Once again the focus is on experimentation, testing unusual crossovers between artists, eras and styles in pursuit of compelling new sounds.
The results across all four of these versions are distinct from each other, and distinct from wider trends in dance music.
First up, Benedek approaches 'Great Plains' as a low-tempo space-boogie excursion. Following in the wake of his releases on Leaving Records, L.I.E.S. and People's Potential Unlimited, the LA-based artist lays down thick slabs of Moog while retaining the ethereal swirl of the source material.
Rome's L.U.C.A. (aka Francesco De Bellis) has established his new wave-inspired sound on his own Edizioni Mondo label, not to mention working in other projects such as MAT101 and Jollymusic, and he brings a sprightly, motorik energy to 'Climatic Variation'.
Lorenzo Fortino's 'Suspacid Revisitation' version of 'Lakota' is aqueous and psychedelic, but remains elegant and understated in its execution. The emergent producer has already released on Wo-Land and most recently Miniera, and this remix ably embodies the entrancing qualities inherent in his sound.
The remix package concludes with a playful, leftfield electro diversion from elusive Montreal-based producers Sentena. Hailing from an emergent scene orbiting the Doo label and projects like SnP 500 and Fashion, their crooked take on machine music perfectly meets the adventurous aims of Altrimenti in testing out crossovers of styles and creative processes.

‘Self Oscillation’ is made up of 5 club-ready psychedelic workouts swaying with natural momentum, from
Ecuadorian superstar Nicola Cruz, who makes his 2nd appearance on London’s Rhythm Section INTL.

The internationally renowned producer, Nicola Cruz, has been instrumental in pioneering the sound of Andean music over the last decade. Born and raised in Ecuador, Nicola has found his own unique way to tap into Latin America’s illustrious musical past to create something utterly contemporary. His previous projects have had the 4 elements running through as major themes: Fire and lava erupted during his sophomore album, Siku, with an Ecuadorian volcano doubling up as a recording space. And now, with his second Rhythm Section release, we are met with sounds of flowing water that Nicola describes as “aqueous explorations”. On this EP, ‘Self Oscillation’, Nicola Cruz fuses experimental production techniques with underwater, bass-heavy constructions. Moods change like the tides; from euphoric highs with acid riffs and latin drum patterns, the music quickly dives to moody submarine basslines and dark, frenetic rhythms.

‘Self Oscillation’ sees Nicola’s production move to new heights as he expertly bridges the gap between natural and mechanical sounds. With the help of iconic 80s and 90s synths and the retro colours of a Roland Space Echo, his newest work is a hybrid of electronic dance music and a synaesthetic image of nature. In the spirit of his previous EP on Rhythm Section INTL, ‘Self Oscillation’ showcases the synergy - or rather ongoing battle between the organic and inorganic, the analog and digital, civilisation confronted and confounded by nature. It’s within this dichotomy that Cruz revels, and manages to say so much, without words.

The seminal 1994 Criss Cross Jazz album by saxophonist Mark Turner
'Yam Yam', released on vinyl for the first time, it features his all-star
quintet made up of Brad Mehldau, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Larry Grenadier and
Jorge Rossy
2- LP set pressed on high quality 180g audiophile vinyl, mastered for vinyl and
lacquer cutting by Bernie Grundman.
Mark Turner: tenor saxophone
Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar
Brad Mehldau: piano
Larry Grenadier: bass
Jorge Rossy: drums.
Seamus Blake & Terence Dean: tenor saxophone (added on "Zürich" only)

For the last decade German jazz saxophonist and composer Uli
Kempendorff has been an invaluable fixture on the Berlin jazz scene,
quietly but steadily honing his own sound in countless contexts
In 2012 the band Field evolved from his first group, the Uli Kempendorff Quartet,
becoming the first vehicle to truly reflect his erudition and curiosity. The band's
first two albums are superb, but they didn't quite attain the approach
Kempendorff had been searching for, so at the end of 2017, he remade the lineup,
replacing original guitarist Ronny Grauper and drummer Oli Steidle with
vibraphonist Christopher Dell and drummer Peter Bruun.
What makes 'Someone Talked' such a visceral, thrilling listening experience is
that all four members push each other, collegially, to infuse a delicious tension
into performances distinguished by constant give- and- take and quicksilver
alterations.

'Hotel Florida', the debut album by trombonist Andreas Tschopp and
baritone saxophonist Matthias Tschopp's Swiss sextet Sparks and Tides,
delivers an enthralling, improvisation-laced set of electro-acoustic
soundscapes
The first collaboration co- led by brothers Andreas and Matthias Tschopp, the
Swiss sextet makes a subtly enthralling debut with Hotel Florida, an album
marked by lapidary textures, extended melodies, and finely calibrated production.
Sparks and Tides also refers to the flow of their music, which unfurls in unhurried
waves until suddenly surging with quicksilver flurries. Cinematic and full of
intriguing passages, it's music for unsettled dreams. "There are lots of little things
like drum machine tracks, bass drones, live sampling of the horns by the
keyboardist and using the sounds as samples, and also some modular synth
processing of the saxophone," Andreas says.
The group brings together some of the most creative figures on the small,
intertwined and fervently inventive Swiss jazz scene. A member of the R&Binfluenced electro- duo True, drummer Rico Baumann is as deeply versed in hip
hop, pop and electronic music as he is jazz and improvised music, which is the
terrain he inhabits with Andreas in the collective jazz quintet Le Rex.

1985 session by piano great Duke Jordan alongside bassist Jesper
Lundgaard and drummer Billy Hart
Duke Jordan (1922-2006) famous for his intense lyricism embarked on the world
jazz scene as a member of the classic Charlie Parker Quintet in the late 40s with
his trademark introduction to "Embraceable You". Jordan unlike many other
American jazz musicians in Bebop era found his artistic and personal living space
in Europe since the early '70s. His extensive recording output on SteepleChase
including this album from 1985 recorded in Denmark makes up the huge part of
his discography.
"A most agreeable set that is both eminently listenable and very
enterprising...Jordan was always a fleetly swinging but subtle pianist whose allround musicianship has never got the recognition it merits. This fine trio deserves
to sell well and spared his name further afield." - Richard Palmer, Jazz Journal
International

Grant-Lee Phillips' new album, All That You Can Dream, is a turbulent and
highly musical rumination that finds the veteran singer-songwriter
addressing the strange fragility of life
The collection of songs bears the markings of his prolific output, a melodic
prowess and an ear for lyric in everyday conversation. Comparable to the works
Low or Duster, Phillips offers a salve to a wounded world, struggling to regain
equilibrium. This is Grant- Lee Phillips at his most reflective, wrestling with the
most pertinent of questions. Focusing on life in quarantine ("A Sudden Place,"
"Cruel Trick") and the ever-shifting political landscape ("Rats in a Barrel," "Cut to
the Ending"), this collection shows that Phillips remains one of the finest singersongwriters of our time.

Ivo Neame's twisting grooves and harmonic ingenuity have helped
establish his distinct voice in international contemporary jazz
The celebrated Phronesis pianist returns to Whirlwind for 'Glimpses of Truth', a
powerful artistic statement marking the first time Neame's big band
compositions have been committed to disc. Neame's most assured body of work
to date will undoubtedly be remembered as one of this period's most impressive
artistic achievements. "Having lots of people play this intricate polyrhythmic
music can be really emotionally powerful," says Neame. Taking inspiration from
Phronesis' large ensemble projects, the compositions also played a didactic role,
as a way of introducing newcomers to complex rhythmic structures. The
pandemic flipped that idea on its head: faced with dwindling opportunities to hear
these compositions live, Neame thought "'I'm just going to plough on regardless
and record it all'." Composed, multi-tracked (Neame plays all the tutti sax lines),
videoed, mixed and mastered remotely over the pandemic period, 'Glimpses of
Truth' embraces the digital on a global scale, as Gilad Hekselman, Jim Hart and
Ingrid Jensen appear alongside a stellar selection of UK musicians.
Neame stumbled across an article which claimed that 12 million Americans
believe interstellar lizards run the United States. "I wanted to write a tune that
would encourage people to wake up and question their beliefs" - 'Rise of the
Lizard People' is what followed, immediately dropping you into Neame's world of
pulsing rhythms and shifting feels.
The album finds Neame well equipped on his continued search for hard- fought
truths.

Grizfolk is an album by Grizfolk, released in 2022
Grizfolk includes a.o. the following tracks: "Fumes", "California High", "Howlin",
"Stargazer" and more.

What does it mean to feel pride - to feel love? Not just romantic
desire, but an all-encompassing love built around acceptance
and unconditional respect? For 24-year-old indie/alternative
artist NoSo, they seek out the answers in their work. The title of
their debut album ‘Stay Proud of Me’ is an entreaty to their past
self, as they dauntlessly forge ahead to become the person and
artist they’ve always wanted to be.
 NoSo is shorthand for North/South: A nod to their Korean
heritage, and the inane origin question (“Which Korea are you
from?”) that so many Korean Americans inevitably face at some
point in their lives. Hwong’s writing often indirectly grapples with
the insecurities and frustrations that can arise from the Asian
American experience.
 Just as there is no singular Asian American experience, there is
no singular LGBTQ experience. Hwong, a queer non-binary
person, remembers that the first time they realized they were
attracted to women was when they wrote a romantic song with
femme pronouns. They don’t remember ever explicitly coming
out in public; from the start, their declaration of themselves to
the world at large has always been through music.
 Support tours with Yumi Zouma, Lucy Dacus and Molly Burch in
the US. First ever London headline show at The Waiting Room
on 20 July, followed by Bluedot Festival 22 July.
 ‘Stay Proud of Me’ will be released on Partisan Records
(IDLES, Fontaines D.C., Laura Marling).

Sofatalk & XL Regular have come up with a wonderful jazzy EP for Outplay. Filled with warm chords and broken house beats.
Italy’s Piero Paolinelli and Alessandro Giacchi are the newest addition to our Outplay family. They have released music previously on Omena, ANMA, Cognitiva Records (Sofatalk’s own label), INI Movement, Nómada and Monologues. Their EP for Outplay is called Afro Quarters EP and contains 4 electronic jazzfunk infused house
tracks and make for a perfect testimony of their musicianship.
Rumble Strip kicks off with broken beats turning into a 4x4 house beat filled with percussion, dreamy keyboard licks and sultry vocals to underline the floaty vibe.
The title track, Afro Quarters, is up next pushing us further into their signature jazz infused broken beat house style. With the funky bassline and the stabby keys it’s hard not to move. Throw in tastefully done flute and Rhodes solos for the mature sound they’re known for.
The third piece is called Easy and contrary to its name it’s not as chilled out as you’d think. It’s incredibly groovy, with heavy staccato bass and keys, while keeping the dreamed out jazzy chords to balance it out. It makes us think of the masterful work of Kaidi Tatham.
“On The Run” concludes the EP and continues the vibe displayed throughout the release filled with arpeggiated and stabby keys and vocal bits.
It’s our absolute pleasure to be able release this and we are excited to share it with you!

A rigorous recollection of all the music that went into last year's Netflix smash The Queen's Gambit. You were probably too busy trying to keep up with actress Anya Taylor-Joy's timer-stopping and piece-placing chops to notice the ingenuity of the soundtrack; packed with contemporaneous music to the time in which the series is set, from Donovan to The Monkees to The Vogues, we're duly thrown back by this new 2xLP edition (which comes to a special black and white colour vinyl). Check it, mate.

Running with the ball that 2020’s “Serve To Serve Again” punted forward, this album marks another energetic break towards the goal for Vintage Crop. ‘Kibitzer’ sees the band define their field of play, more melodic at times, still bruising, forever droll. These ten tracks of ‘snappy as elastic’ Australian punk are packed with tensile riffage, hefty beats and witty refrains of everyman curiosity.

‘Kibitzer’ was written in quick response to their critically lauded ‘Serve To Serve Again’ album. Harsh guitars, a brutish rhythm section and a knack for always having the right words at hand are still abundant, but this time Vintage Crop’s songs expand upon their forceful nature with greater harmonic arrangement. It was recorded by Jasper Jolley in one single session on a former apple orchard in Geelong, a backdrop that mirrors the band’s own organic growth whilst highlighting their willingness to approach capturing their own sound their own way. The album was then mixed and mastered by Mikey Young.

‘Kibitzer’ delves into themes of identity, resilience and acceptance; some of the more upbeat notions that the band have dealt with to date. ‘Casting Calls’ opens the record, slamming through the speakers with gusto and setting the tone for the following 30 minutes. “It’s rolling, we’re rolling, we’re winding back the tape, we’re getting better with each take” sings lead songwriter Jack Cherry. Accepting your limitations and taking pride in your work are key themes on ‘Kibitzer’. In fact ideas around learning, growing and being able to take things in your stride are strongly felt through their entire body of work. These themes hit home with the album’s title too, with Cherry feeling that ‘Kibitzer’ is an apt way to describe a lot of the band’s focus. “I feel like a lot of our lyrics over the years have been our unsolicited opinions on other people’s situations, the very definition of the word Kibitzer. So for this record we wanted to lean into that tendency by acknowledging it and even go as far as stamping it on the album cover.”

Musically the band have expanded their palette on this album; exploring a world of rhythmic harmony and a newfound vocal melodicism. There’s also greater lyrical elaboration and considered song structures at play. ‘The Duke’ is a mob of rollicking chants and heavy hitting, catchy to the core. ‘The Bloody War’ is a more sanguine reflection of tumbling drums, struck chords and shrill keyboard warble. “He’s got the keys to the universe and they’re hanging from his belt loop, his wit is as quick as lightning, his disapproving gaze is the thunder that follows” pipes Cherry on ‘Double Slants’, guitars chiming through the hubbub. ‘Hold The Line’ turns the wry amusement of dealing with cold callers into a fidgety anthem of knowing frustration. Whilst ‘Switched Off’ even welcomes the introduction of horns (courtesy of Heidi Peel) to the group’s repertoire, ushering in an unexpected serenity into their tough sound.

Running with the ball that 2020’s “Serve To Serve Again” punted forward, this album marks another energetic break towards the goal for Vintage Crop. ‘Kibitzer’ sees the band define their field of play, more melodic at times, still bruising, forever droll. These ten tracks of ‘snappy as elastic’ Australian punk are packed with tensile riffage, hefty beats and witty refrains of everyman curiosity.

‘Kibitzer’ was written in quick response to their critically lauded ‘Serve To Serve Again’ album. Harsh guitars, a brutish rhythm section and a knack for always having the right words at hand are still abundant, but this time Vintage Crop’s songs expand upon their forceful nature with greater harmonic arrangement. It was recorded by Jasper Jolley in one single session on a former apple orchard in Geelong, a backdrop that mirrors the band’s own organic growth whilst highlighting their willingness to approach capturing their own sound their own way. The album was then mixed and mastered by Mikey Young.

‘Kibitzer’ delves into themes of identity, resilience and acceptance; some of the more upbeat notions that the band have dealt with to date. ‘Casting Calls’ opens the record, slamming through the speakers with gusto and setting the tone for the following 30 minutes. “It’s rolling, we’re rolling, we’re winding back the tape, we’re getting better with each take” sings lead songwriter Jack Cherry. Accepting your limitations and taking pride in your work are key themes on ‘Kibitzer’. In fact ideas around learning, growing and being able to take things in your stride are strongly felt through their entire body of work. These themes hit home with the album’s title too, with Cherry feeling that ‘Kibitzer’ is an apt way to describe a lot of the band’s focus. “I feel like a lot of our lyrics over the years have been our unsolicited opinions on other people’s situations, the very definition of the word Kibitzer. So for this record we wanted to lean into that tendency by acknowledging it and even go as far as stamping it on the album cover.”

Musically the band have expanded their palette on this album; exploring a world of rhythmic harmony and a newfound vocal melodicism. There’s also greater lyrical elaboration and considered song structures at play. ‘The Duke’ is a mob of rollicking chants and heavy hitting, catchy to the core. ‘The Bloody War’ is a more sanguine reflection of tumbling drums, struck chords and shrill keyboard warble. “He’s got the keys to the universe and they’re hanging from his belt loop, his wit is as quick as lightning, his disapproving gaze is the thunder that follows” pipes Cherry on ‘Double Slants’, guitars chiming through the hubbub. ‘Hold The Line’ turns the wry amusement of dealing with cold callers into a fidgety anthem of knowing frustration. Whilst ‘Switched Off’ even welcomes the introduction of horns (courtesy of Heidi Peel) to the group’s repertoire, ushering in an unexpected serenity into their tough sound.

Planet Battagon – Episode 01, a labyrinth of different sounds and textures was created live, purely on machines. Creating Experimental and other-worldly tones, all three tracks hail from the quirky "Planet Battagon" world, with "Like You, Like Me" the most likely contender for Club play by the more adventurous DJs. Touching on early Techno and Space-Jazz, Episode 01 is certain to take you on a sonic journey like no other...

Gilles Peterson – “Love it, I can’t wait to play this one out”

Rob Da Bank - “ WOW what a fresh and unique sounding record…drumtastic! "

Felix (Basement Jaxx) - " It's like the Clangers playing at a bass music festival ”

Rhythm Doctor - “ Explosive, Techno Jazz experiment. . .will become a classic ”

Toddla T - "Refreshing, Sic!”

Further support from Riton, Sinden, Canblaster and Brodinski

"Emotional Rescue continues its 10th anniversary by again presenting Jorge Reyes’ collaborative album with Antonio Zepeda – a masterpiece and therefore, worthy of the time and effort to share.

From cult artist to becoming an essential musical discovery, Jorge Reyes is an example that no one discovered or owns the music beyond the writer and creator.

Growing up in Mexico’s 2nd City, he spent much of his life dedicated to travelling and learning music traditions and instruments. While at University to study Flute, he was involved in several influential bands of the era before going on to travel the world to further his learning, before returning to found the seminal Chac Mool group.

By the early 80s he went solo, exploring an increasing interest in the use of Prehispanic instruments mixed with electronics. In the opening songs, I-Cana and A La Izquiedra Del Colibri, the interplay between flute, guitar and vocals with TR-700, Poly 800 and DX7, all fuse his vision perfectly.

The additional contribution of Antonio Zepeda’s percussion creates a timeless mystique to the album, taking you on a journey deep in the mind of one of Mexico’s most important experimental artists.

Passing away at just 56, Jorge Reyes work was cut short, however he has left over a dozen albums to be explored. While critics increasingly question the valedictory of reissues, the premise on whether something should be heard is if it’s good. Therefore, let A La Izquierda Del Colibri be heard."

"The past 5 years we have taken our music all over the world: Europe, Asia, Africa besides our homeland Denmark, and even though we cannot speak with many of the people we meet, our music is a universal language that transcends borders. The meetings we have had (and continue to have) all over inspire us to create new music. But of course we are the composers of the music, so this is our representation of those meetings.

Our 3rd album is called AFROTROPISM. Tropism is a biological phenomenon that indicates growth of a plant in response to the environment; so when you see a plant turning for the sunlight, this is tropism. In other words, this is not so much about the plant's roots but more about how it reacts when it touches the air, feels sunlight or rain - in other words the outside world. So AFROTROPISM refers to the fact that we are drawn towards the African traditions, but we are "growing" our own music.

On our first two albums we have recorded extensively with African musicians, and AFROTROPISM is centered around The KutiMangoes (TKM) as a band. We are developing our artistic direction by going more in depth with how we can mix our inspirations with our own musical heritage. Our musical mission is (and has always been) to mix cultures and create our own sound.

With our background in jazz music, TKM counts virtuoso instrumentalists with a heartfelt intent and sound innovators with our horns, effect pedals, synthesizers, drums and percussion from all over the world. AFROTROPISM is a further and deeper development of our trademark bold sound that experiments with synthesizers, soundscapes and a bit of electronic effects without losing it's focus on groove, melody, atmosphere and musicianship."

The KutiMangoes, July 2019


About each track:

STRETCH TOWARDS THE SUN
This track opens up with a synthesizer groove that is inspired by the polyrhythmic grooves played by the balafon (a predecessor of the piano) from West Africa. Our rolling sequence could not be played on the balafon because of the key changes, but the basic idea comes from that instrument. Quick and light, we wanted to write a song where you can feel the sun coming out and feel the energy it's rays give. The combination of the programmed groove, the horn-arrangement, the huge percussion section and the live instruments makes for a sound that we have not heard before, and it illustrates what this album is all about (and what the track's title refers to): that we stretch towards the things that give us energy – and that although our roots are in Denmark, when we encounter a musical tradition as rich as in West Africa, it changes us and our music.

A SNAKE IS JUST A STRING
The first time we saw Mali-bluesman extraordinaire Vieux Farka Touré on stage was just after we had played at a huge festival in Burkina Faso, and we almost literally caught on fire. Their groove was so strong and insistent that we were mesmerized, and it inspired us to come up with the opening guitar part of this song. Basically a bluesy tune with some unusual chord changes and a crazy synthesizer solo by Johannes Buhl Andresen reminiscent of that fuzzy guitar-sound we love so much in the Mali blues. The title is an homage to the Nigerian writer Chinua Acheba, who in his masterpiece novel "Things Fall Apart" tells that in the village during the night, to ward off the fear of darkness, people would call dangerous animals by a different name: don't be afraid, a snake is just a string.

KEEP YOU SAFE
It is a basic human necessity to have a place where you can feel safe. But there are far too many people in our world that fear for their safety, their livelihood, their children, their relatives – and this is surely not a feeling that helps us to flourish as humans. With this song we are saying that we all need to make it a priority to help our fellow humans to feel safe. And of course, if our song can offer a feeling of safety and comfort for a short time to those who listen, we are truly thankful.

MONEY IS THE CURSE
This track is directly inspired by Fela Kuti's ability to create music that is both physical and political. Dance music with a serious message about our times. For the solo part we wanted a more melancholy, pensive feel (than the full-on baritone-trombone melody) and also wanted to experiment with some choppy, stuttering effects to make the horns sound desperate. Money is the curse because it can become the objective of our life; money is the curse because it changes the relationships we have with our fellow humans. Money is the curse.

THORNS TO FRUIT
This melody is inspired by the scales and developments of a traditional Bambara folk-song. We love the way these melodies constantly evolve with small developments and changes. We felt like an accompaniment that is really dry, sparse and earthy would fit well and then made a contrasting solo part. As a group we are interested in how to develop our improvisations together and create sonic landscapes that evoke a distinctive atmosphere – so here, we have no soloist, but a collection of synthesizer parts, saxophone lines and guitar-sounds that together create a dreamy and lush ambience.

SAND TO SOIL
We started out with a short ngoni riff played by our good friend and master musician Aboubacar Konaté. We then sampled it, built soundscapes and our own both meditative and pumping groove around it. We created a melody with both melancholy and joy, with afterthought and impulse and then the brilliant Aske Drasbæk added an emotive and blistering saxophone solo. The title refers to the contrasts in our humanism. As part of our human nature, we have a dark side that drives us (and each other) towards destruction – making the fertile soil into barren sand. The title is an encouragement to emphasize the opposite movement in our nature: to create life and help it flourish. We keep ourselves human by insisting that we must never forget this side of our nature no matter how tough, tiresome or trying it might be. Let's keep our focus on the light, the warmth, the positive energy – that can turn the cold stone into fertile ground.

repressed !

A nice collection to relax in a warm and cosy musical atmosphere

First time reissue from this essential latin jazz album from 1971 !

Often affectionately referred to as the "Godfather of British Latin music" Robin Jones was truly one of the great performers on the international Latin scene.

Denga, his first recording from 1971 is a scintillating fusion of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazillian rhythms laden with heavy Fender Rhodes sounds and no less than three Afro-Latin Percussionists. The hard-to-find album has now been reissued by legendary London jazz DJ Paul Murphy's Jazz Room Records imprint. It should be an essential purchase for anyone who loves Latin jazz.

Feature's Robin's personal favorites including "Goodbye Batucada" which rightfully lays claim to be the first Brazilian Jazz Samba tune recorded in the UK and the Worldwide Sound standard setters "Denga" and "Africa Revisited".

FRENCH COMPOSER, PRODUCER AND MULTI INSTRUMENTALIST ADRIEN DURAND’S THIRD ALBUM

"Our last album, “La Course” was released in 2020 during the lockdown. Inspired by the feedback from listeners, who received the music with special attention, the idea and need for “(Loin des) Rivages” was born.” - Adrien Durand

Bon Voyage Organisation is the story of the construction of an ensemble, the quest for harmony, through music, between beings. This story has been the central leitmotif in Adrien Durand's composition and production work for almost ten years. Adrien Durand is a renowned Parisian bass keyboard player, composer, producer and mixing engineer having worked with noteworthy projects such as Amadou & Mariam and Papooz among others. Known for his knowledge of ensemble recording and arrangement techniques, BVO is his attempt at meticulously creating a musical dialogue around his compositions with a distinguished cast of musicians from di?erent backgrounds without the pressure associated with pop music recordings reminding us of the musical ensembles of the 70’s such as that of Carla Bley, Soft Machine or Irakere. (Loin des) Rivages was recorded over five days in June 2020 at Studio Atlas, the studio of Air’s Jean- Benoit Dunckel and mixed the following summer by Adrien Durand in his Parisian studio, Bureau 12. It was an orchestrated performance considering that all ten tracks of the album were played live, gathering up to thirteen musicians in the same room. The album follows what was initiated with BVO’s previous album La Course: an entirely instrumental sound free from any constraints. The close collaboration between Adrien Durand and the members of the ensemble allowed for an exquisite completion. Together, they deliver the incredible energy of "Le Sentier des Orpailleurs", the depth of melancholy of "Apacheta", and the originality of "Et s’éveillent"... Inspired by the great explorers of the soul: Sun Ra, Moondog and Coltrane - a cover of his Naïma actually opens the album - Adrien Durand mixes humanity’s first instruments (percussion and the wind) with its latest ones (mixing desks and synthesizers). Thus, he continues the most interesting yet rewarding artistic journey: The journey inward, far from the standards of civilization, in the heart of what some can take for madness, reaching into a jungle of the soul so marvelously represented in Clément Vuillet’s artwork. This is not an intellectual record but rather a spiritual e?ort, because, as Adrien Durand likes to repeat in his concerts: "Let us step into music as we step into a sanctuary."