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In a generation of musicians that came of age in postwar Japan, Kazuki Tomokawa stands as a pioneer of radical individualism, with a sound marked by shocking intimacy and blistering honesty. In his third album, A String of Paper Cranes Clenched between My Teeth, released by Harvest Records in 1977, Tomokawa creeps "ever more inward," as Kiichi Takahara writes in the record's original introductory text-embracing an attitude pervasive amongst musicians of the time who interrogated the prosaic and the profound alike, eschewing politics and society in favor of an "attitude of total self-containment." Tomokawa recorded the album over the course of a month-from August 24 to September 25, 1977-at Tokyo's famed Onkio Haus studio in the bustling Ginza district. The arrangements, accordingly, are amped up: paired with the Black Panther Orchestra, Tomokawa's "screaming philosopher" vocals find their match with the orchestra's electric guitar, bass, piano, tuba, and ground-thumping drums played by the Brain Police's Toshi Ishizuka-who appears on Tomokawa's first three records and remains his collaborator to this day. "This is Kazuki Tomokawa in the flesh," concludes Takahara. A String of Paper Cranes Clenched between My Teeth is, in Tomokawa's uncanny way, able to cut through facade and artifice in pursuit of truth. "You call that life?" he heckles, exhausted by the melodrama and nihilism of youth counterculture, "try saying you're alive!"

At the tender age of twenty-five, while he was working part-time at an Italian restaurant in Tokyo's Kamata district, Kazuki Tomokawa released his debut record, fittingly titled Finally, His First Album. While he had already penned hundreds of songs, including his first single "Try Saying You're Alive!," written on a long train ride past fields and rice paddies, it was this recording that introduced Japan to one of its most unique musicians of the postwar era. Each track, as record label exec Kiichi Takahara writes in the LP's liner notes (here translated for the first time), is not a song but a "flesh-and-blood human being," birthed by the singer-songwriter and the raw, guttural cries that would become a hallmark of his incomparable sound. 1970s Japan was a time and place marked by a profound desire for authenticity amidst the onset of television and media saturation. Tomokawa arrived on the scene as a musician with "the personality of a hydrogen bomb," to borrow a phrase from his frequent collaborator Toshi Ishizuka. In an unwieldy interview included here, members of the notorious leftist band Zun? Keisatsu (Brain Police) put it bluntly: here was a man surrounded by the "disingenuous," the "wishy-washy," and the "superficial," who was delivering "real life, unvarnished." These songs are lullabies for the lost, staring not into the void but-as the fourth track declares-from inside it. Finally, His First Album is the first of three Tomokawa records to be reissued by Blank Forms Editions in conjunction with the US release of Tomokawa's memoir, Try Saying You're Alive!, the first-ever English translation of his writing. This debut captures the self-assured trademarks that Tomokawa would hone over the course of decades. Multiple tracks are performed in his native Akita dialect, a distinct and highly regional vernacular of northern Japan seldom heard outside the prefecture-and even more rarely heard in music. Tomokawa's lyrics locate profound interiority in the rituals of everyday life, and are sung against sparse folk arrangements of tender, lilting chords-a prelude to the rock and electronic stylings to come in later years. A self-proclaimed "living corpse," Tomokawa wallows, whispers, shouts, and cries, yet still, through his existential doubt, asks to be heard.

Music for Arp 2500 synthesizer
Recorded at Willem Twee Studios 's-Hertogenbosch in 2019/2021

Stasis covers a range from my first encounter with this synthesizer to performances where I have grown more accustomed to it. Each piece developed its own structure whilst playing and exploring the instrument. During later visits to the studio, I expanded the spectrum on tracks II an VIII with two ARP 2600s and an analog tape machine. Stasis grew into a document where I aimed for the music to feel close, stripped to its essentials and saved from the whims of editing and vast processing.

The dance floor as devotional is a trope as old as the club itself. But, with her new album, Jesus Was An Alien, Perel subverts the stakes of our collective communion: Who are our arms raised to? Who are we seeking salvation from?

“Jesus Was An Alien is a discourse about whether Jesus was an actual alien,” she explains, “but also a social debate about what is and implies religion today.” She offers up her provocative second record – her first on Kompakt – as a soundtrack for the listener’s own journey through the intricacies and ironies of modern belief.

Picking up on the themes she brought to her debut, the 2018’s LP Hermetica on DFA, Perel has created ten tracks rich with spirit and allusion. Her influences are myriad, from the indie dance hitmakers of the early 2000s – Hot Chip, Simian Mobile Disco, Justice – to rave compilations that predate her ascent to the DJ booth, to more abstract inputs. Living with synesthesia, she says, “I feel emotions and colors piling up inside me, then there’s a triggering sound or event that opens a valve. My tracks are color streams that tell a story.”

Jesus Was An Alien is not just multicolored – it’s multi-lingual too, slipping in and out of tongues in a single track, sometimes dispensing with words altogether (the ecstatic breakdown of “The Principle of Vibration”). The album features Perel’s voice almost entirely but for her special collaboration with Canadian songwriter Marie Davidson on the title track.

“Jesus Was An Alien” stirs like a late-night revelation, a heady discovery awakened in the dark. Perel lays out a fiercely disciplined electro pulse, with Davidson’s proclamations growing more fervent over the song’s sensual stride. “I already said everything with my synthesizers and the melodies I created,” Perel explains of the collaboration, but “somehow she gave the song a voice I couldn’t.”

Perel drives further not only spiritually but sonically across the ten tracks, taking thrilling production risks: standouts include her breathy vocals atop a melodic piano strut on “Matrix;” the delirious blur of ghostly chimes and disembodied voices of “Religion;” and the retro radiance of “The Principle of Vibration,” in which Perel exhorts us to “come on and vibe” over an athletic riff and shuffling percussion.

“Kill The System,” meanwhile, hits the listener with tense acid pulses, building to only an imagined release and calls out the end of patriarchy. Album closer “Am Kanal” starts as a pensive cloud of a track, finally breaking into a rich textural rain of synths and stabs.

The variety throughout Jesus Was An Alien underlines Perel’s purpose in this latest project; she’s experimenting her way to answers – or maybe just more questions. After all, she says, “questions are the beginning of something new.”

Hinter CoreLeoni verbirgt sich Namensgeber und Saitenhexer Leo Leoni, Hauptamtlich in Lohn und Brot bei den Schweizer Hard Rock Giganten von Gotthard.

»Core« steht dabei für dessen musikalischen Wurzeln, seine Leidenschaft für kraftvollen Hard Rock sowie den frühen Sound von Gotthard auf deren ersten drei Studioalben. Speziell dem Debüt aus dem Jahre 1992 wollte der Tessiner Tribut zollen und rief mit befreundeten Musiker, wie Igor Gianola (ex-U.D.O.) sowie Frontmann Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG) eben Coreleoni ins Leben, die auf den ersten beiden Alben »The Greatest Hits Part 1« sowie »II« vor allem den härteren Gotthard Klassikern neues Leben einhauchten.
Auf ihrem kommenden, dritten Album stehen vorwiegend brandneue Eigenkompositionen im Vordergrund und sollen Coreleoni endgültig als eigenständige Rockformation etablieren. Sein Debüt darauf gibt der gebürtige Albanier Eugent Bushpepa (exˇSunrise, Darkology), der Leoni anno 2018 als Teilnehmer beim Eurovision Song Contest in Lissabon (Song »Mila«) auffiel, wo er den siebten Platz belegte.

»Er ist ein großartiger Sänger und ein wahnsinnig toller Mensch. Er hat unfassbar viel Seele und Emotion in seiner Stimme und seiner Weise, Musik zu machen. Das fasziniert mich sehr und ich hoffe, euch da draußen ebenso«, adelt Leoni seinen neuen Vokalisten.

Hinter CoreLeoni verbirgt sich Namensgeber und Saitenhexer Leo Leoni, Hauptamtlich in Lohn und Brot bei den Schweizer Hard Rock Giganten von Gotthard.

»Core« steht dabei für dessen musikalischen Wurzeln, seine Leidenschaft für kraftvollen Hard Rock sowie den frühen Sound von Gotthard auf deren ersten drei Studioalben. Speziell dem Debüt aus dem Jahre 1992 wollte der Tessiner Tribut zollen und rief mit befreundeten Musiker, wie Igor Gianola (ex-U.D.O.) sowie Frontmann Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG) eben Coreleoni ins Leben, die auf den ersten beiden Alben »The Greatest Hits Part 1« sowie »II« vor allem den härteren Gotthard Klassikern neues Leben einhauchten.
Auf ihrem kommenden, dritten Album stehen vorwiegend brandneue Eigenkompositionen im Vordergrund und sollen Coreleoni endgültig als eigenständige Rockformation etablieren. Sein Debüt darauf gibt der gebürtige Albanier Eugent Bushpepa (exˇSunrise, Darkology), der Leoni anno 2018 als Teilnehmer beim Eurovision Song Contest in Lissabon (Song »Mila«) auffiel, wo er den siebten Platz belegte.

»Er ist ein großartiger Sänger und ein wahnsinnig toller Mensch. Er hat unfassbar viel Seele und Emotion in seiner Stimme und seiner Weise, Musik zu machen. Das fasziniert mich sehr und ich hoffe, euch da draußen ebenso«, adelt Leoni seinen neuen Vokalisten.

Hinter CoreLeoni verbirgt sich Namensgeber und Saitenhexer Leo Leoni, Hauptamtlich in Lohn und Brot bei den Schweizer Hard Rock Giganten von Gotthard.

»Core« steht dabei für dessen musikalischen Wurzeln, seine Leidenschaft für kraftvollen Hard Rock sowie den frühen Sound von Gotthard auf deren ersten drei Studioalben. Speziell dem Debüt aus dem Jahre 1992 wollte der Tessiner Tribut zollen und rief mit befreundeten Musiker, wie Igor Gianola (ex-U.D.O.) sowie Frontmann Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG) eben Coreleoni ins Leben, die auf den ersten beiden Alben »The Greatest Hits Part 1« sowie »II« vor allem den härteren Gotthard Klassikern neues Leben einhauchten.
Auf ihrem kommenden, dritten Album stehen vorwiegend brandneue Eigenkompositionen im Vordergrund und sollen Coreleoni endgültig als eigenständige Rockformation etablieren. Sein Debüt darauf gibt der gebürtige Albanier Eugent Bushpepa (exˇSunrise, Darkology), der Leoni anno 2018 als Teilnehmer beim Eurovision Song Contest in Lissabon (Song »Mila«) auffiel, wo er den siebten Platz belegte.

»Er ist ein großartiger Sänger und ein wahnsinnig toller Mensch. Er hat unfassbar viel Seele und Emotion in seiner Stimme und seiner Weise, Musik zu machen. Das fasziniert mich sehr und ich hoffe, euch da draußen ebenso«, adelt Leoni seinen neuen Vokalisten.

Available on vinyl for the first time! -Limited to just 500 records worldwide, this 2XLP is a must have production tool for producers and deejays. -Included are one shot drum tools, loops, song starters, guitar chords, and melodic chops.

DJ Nu-Mark is pleased to present his Creme De La Crate sample pack on vinyl for the first time. This dynamic collection offers the rusty grit and groove of classic funk and soul records at your fingertips without the sticky licensing issues.

The featured drum breaks and one shots were captured through Nu-Mark’s array of vintage ‘60s preamps, compressors and microphones. There’s also complete drum loops and fills provided by J-Zone, Aaron Steele and Jon Radford, as well as an abundance of melodic content thrown into the mix. From Nu-Mark’s own inspiring ‘Song Starters’ to guitar chords, bass guitar lines, tonewheel organ licks and electric piano recorded by Dan Ubick.

Whether you’re looking to create some classic hip-hop, or add some additional energy to your production arsenal regardless of your preferred genre, there’s endless creative paths locked away in this diverse pack. As Nu says; “Enjoy and stretch out! Remember, nobody can replicate you so unlock and reveal your core since ultimately your art will live in perpetuity.”

***
serpentine butterflies
trickle to his chin
ceaseless punches
fall like moribund rain
cracked bones clang
like splintered glass
again and

To celebrate the 45th anniversary of iconic Dutch jazz label Timeless Records, Music On Vinyl is releasing a series that features albums that are part of the Timeless Records legacy and will be released mainly throughout 2022.

Part of this series is Pharoah Sanders’ Moon Child from 1990, which bookended a decade of musical soul searching for Sanders. The acclaimed free jazz player is known to have a raw and abrasive sound, but reinvented himself on this album as a more traditional improviser capable of thoughtful deliberations. Moon Child is a grand old time throughout, and Sanders has never been more eminently sing-along-able as he is on its title track. The record was co-written with Horace Silver, George Gershwin and Abdullah Ibrahim and recorded with William Henderson, Stafford James, Eddie Moore and Cheikh Tidiane Fal

First release of Tangram & Stikdorn with their new project TSP on 180g Vinyl. Analogue jams textured in reverberating sounds covering up a wide range of styles. Limited to 150 hand-stamped copies. Composed by Tangram & Stikdorn in between 2018-2022 in Cologne.

'The Last of the 20th Century Girls' is the storied second album from London-based artist Findlay - a full-fledged offering born of a personal journey that sees her at her most open, transparent, and introspective yet, drawing upon her own personal experiences since the release of full-length 2017 debut 'Forgotten Pleasures'. With complex, fully-realised themes ranging from grief and loss to the struggle of losing and re-building one's confidence, through to the challenges and pitfalls of the past couple of years, all serve to inspire a range of tracks across the album. Mastered by five-time Grammy award winning engineer Antoine 'Chab' Chabert (Daft Punk, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sebastien Tellier) and self-described as a "late coming of age story", drenched in nostalgia, melancholy and the kind of strange experiences only a misunderstood millennial could have; the album effortlessly blends a diverse melting pot of breezy alt-indie, psychedelic pop, dreamy lo-fi chill, indie-rock and expansive cinematic sounds. It's Findlay at her genre-melting finest, and a sharp, tasteful insight into her unique artistic psyche; a perfect representation of her impeccable alternative sound.

Mit ihrem letzten Erfolgsalbum, Wanderers (2019), und der kürzlich veröffentlichten ersten Live-Blu-Ray/- DVD der Band-Geschichte, A Symphonic Journey to Remember, haben die Symphonic-Metal-Visionäre VISIONS OF ATLANTIS ganz ohne Zweifel bewiesen, dass sie zu Recht an der Spitze des Genres stehen.

Nun setzt die Band einmal mehr die Segel und bricht auf zu einem packenden Abenteuer, das zugleich den Beginn eines neuen Kapitels in der fantastischen Geschichte von VISIONS OF ATLANTIS schreibt. Das atemberaubende achte Studioalbum, Pirates (13.05.2022), markiert einen Wendepunkt in der Diskografie und zeigt das internationale Quintett selbstbewusst und offen wie nie zuvor. VISIONS OF ATLANTIS haben ihren Weg gefunden und erheben sich mit einer rebellischen Seite und einem freien Geist, so unbändig
wie die sieben Weltmeere. Pirates entführt den Hörer auf eine kathartische Reise durch faszinierende Klanglandschaften und eindringlich schöne Melodien gepaart mit symphonischer Härte, die musikalisch sowie lyrisch eine Form des Wandels und der Selbstfindung verkörper. Thematisch befasst sich das neue Album nicht nur mit der sonnigen Seite des Lebens, sondern stellt sich auch mutig den dunklen Nuancen, die in jedem schlummern. Auf Pirates schaffen es VISIONS OF ATLANTIS wahrlich, dass ihre Hörer das Salz des Meeres in der Luft schmecken, den Wind auf der Haut spüren und die grenzenlose Unabhängigkeit atmen, wie es nur wahre Piraten können.

Part of IF Music founder Jean-Claude’s ever expanding ‘YOU NEED THIS!’ series of compilation albums, the London record shop impresario and DJ takes us on another scintillating musical journey, this time exploring the catalogue of German jazz imprint, Enja Records. Like Jean-Claude’s ‘Journey Into Deep Jazz’ series on BBE Music and his 2017 exploration of Black Saint & Soul Note Records before it, ‘IF MUSIC PRESENTS YOU NEED THIS!: AN INTRODUCTION TO ENJA RECORDS’ provides another impeccably curated and programmed selection of music, assembled by simply one of the most knowledgeable and passionate vinyl specialists in the business. Featuring performances by John Stubblefield, Bobby Hutcherson, Harold Land, Don Cherry, Cecil McBee and Pharoah Sanders collaborator Marvin Hannibal Peterson to name but a few, this collection provides a great jumping-off point for Enja’s rich and diverse back catalogue. Founded in 1971 by Munich natives and jazz obsessives Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber, in its heyday Enja released albums by Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Tommy Flanagan and John Scofield, as well as Kenny Barron, Chet Baker, Abbey Lincoln, Bea Benjamin, Freddie Hubbard, to name but a few. Having firmly established itself as “a bastion of all things deep in jazz” as Jean-Claude neatly sums up, Enja also went on to issue early World Music projects from Abdullah Ibrahim, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Mahmoud Turkmani and many others, and it remains active to this day. “There is no doubt that to the uninitiated, a compilation introducing such an esteemed archive is well overdue” says Jean-Claude. “As with previous albums curated by us, this is just a soupçon of this label’s vast back catalogue, which we hope will lead the listener to discover new music and to search out more from this criminally underrated, class act.”

Tracklisting

The British shoegaze pop band Engineers was formed in London in
2003 by Mark Peters, Simon Phipps, Andrew Sweeney and Dan MacBean. MacBean is also known as the guitarist in The Shining. After being signed to Echo Records, the band released their self- titled debut album in 2005. The album features the acclaimed tracks “Home”, “Forgiveness” and “Waved On”. The latter was produced by Tim Holmes, who worked with The Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream and multiple albums for Death In Vegas.

Engineers is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on white coloured vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

Credited as one of the leaders of the Bay Area thrash metal scene, Heathen released four studio albums in total, including their Victims Of Deception. Originally released in 1991 on the Roadrunner label, the album includes their cover version of Rainbow’s “Kill The King”. In support of the album, the band toured Europe with Sepultura and Sacred Reich.

This is the first time Victims Of Deception is available as a 2LP- set. The track “Hypnotized” features snippets from a speech by the infamous cult leader Jim Jones. Victims Of Deception is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on translucent yellow coloured vinyl and includes an insert.

Es gibt musikalische Projekte, da muss man die Headline zwei Mal lesen, um die tatsächliche Bedeutung zuverstehen. Zum ersten Mal in der mittlerweile fünf Dekaden umfassenden Erfolgsgeschichte der Rocklegendeaus dem südwestfälischen Hagen, erscheint ein rein akustisches Studioalbum mit Songklassikern der Band.

Das einfach nur „GROBSCHNITT ACOUSTIC ALBUM“ betitelte Werk enthält 13 Stücke und ist ab dem 13. Mai erhältlich. Das Album ist auch eine Reminiszenz an das 50jährige Bandjubiläum, das im
Herbst 2021 im Rahmen einer imposanten Grobschnitt-Ausstellung im renommierten Osthaus Museum ihrer Heimatstadt Hagen gefeiert wurde. Es ist aber auch eine Hommage an die die treue Fangemeinde, die mittlerweile drei Generation umfasst und deren Motto „Kein Tag ohne Grobschnitt“ immer schon Kult war und ist. Das ”Grobschnitt Acoustic Album” erscheint pünktlich zum Tourstart der Band am Freitag, den 13.

Mai 2022 auf Doppel-Vinyl, als CD sowie auch in digitaler Form und ist bereits jetzt schon vorbestellbar. Für die Grobschnitt-Enthusiasten und alle Progressive Rock-Neugierigen heißt es wieder einmal: HEUT´
IST EIN SCHÖNER TAG‘.

Communion, the debut album by Sister Ray, is a raw, meticulously-crafted portrait of momentous, ordinary moments; experiences that define your past, and instruct how you move through the world. The record is anchored by guitar melodies that bear an undercurrent of turmoil, and echoes with the wisdom of hard-won lessons. It’s a break-up album invested in exploring the motivations behind actions, rather than attempting moral judgment. Out May 6 via Royal Mountain Records.

Double black vinyl LP format of the 1994 OST from one of the all time classic films. Features 32 songs including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, The Four Tops, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Supremes, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez and more. Marketing activity.

RARE RECORDINGS BY SEMINAL HIP_HOP GROUP TUFF CREW - This record is a double album vinyl set w/ unreleased bonus material/tracks. - Tuff Crew is known throughout the world as Philly's first Rap super group. They've toured extensively with some of the biggest names in Rap music such as Public Enemy, Run-DMC, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Rob Base and LL Cool J. The response to Tuff Crew's music has been nothing short of stellar. On a national level, their single "My Parta Town" peaked at #23 on the Billboard Rap charts, while their album Back to Wreck Shop reached #74 on the Billboard R&B album charts. Estimates of Tuff Crew's global sales are in excess of three million units. Tuff Crew's body of work has resulted in a dedicated legion of fans across the world and their DJ Too Tuff has been the recipient of various accolades throughout his career. DJ Z-Trip advised that the technique of DJ Too Tuff inspired him to be a scratch DJ. Three time global DMC scratch champion DJ Q-Bert also notes Too Tuff as one of his inspirations. And A-Trak, Kanye West's DJ, has also voiced his adoration of the turntable techniques of DJ Too Tuff. Although Tuff Crew made an incredible mark on the musical landscape, they unfortunately fell victim to bad management and infighting. It was during this time period that DJ Too Tuff, the man behind legendary Tuff Crew sound, gathered the finest of Philly's underground MC's and began work on a solo project. The new Tuff Crew album, containing the finest of DJ Too Tuff's solo work, is entitled DJ Too Tuff's Lost Archives. DJ Too Tuff's Lost Archives will be highly sought after, and is destined to become an instant collector's item. For fans of of Eric B and Rakim, Public Enemy, Ultramagnetic MC's, Run DMC and Wu-Tang Clan, this record is not to be missed.

A Fully Licensed release of the Helene Smith Rarity on 7" vinyl for the first time since it's original release on Blue Star Records

NEW PICTURE DISC EDITION OF THE BREAKOUT SINGLE FROM
WASP.Strictly limited to 2,000 copies worldwide
Originally released as a Picture Disc via Capitol in 1984, 'I Wanna Be Somebody'
was the first single from heavy metal band W.A.S.P.'s self- titled debut album.
Ranking at #84 in VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs, this single is backed with
the incendiary 'Tormentor' as on the original release. The band will be embarking
on a huge world tour in 2022 to celebrate the band's 40th Anniversary.

50th Anniversary of the historic concert recorded live in Stockholm in
1972
This is the first time the vinyl is being released wide on 140gm Black vinyl. A must
for any Ray Charles collection!

50th Anniversary of the historic concert recorded live in Stockholm in
1972
This is the first time the vinyl is being released wide on 140gm Black vinyl. A must
for any Ray Charles collection!

On their bold and brilliant debut album 'Unsoothing Interior', Stockholm's
Vero reflect the nature of life itself
Their songs prioritise feeling over perfectionism ' what feels, or sounds, best '
creating a record that tumbles through its contents with a sense of
unpredictability, excitement and curiosity. It's an album full of raw guitar riffs that
spin and swirl and fizz, and evoke the spirit of artists like Sonic Youth, Garbage
and Pixies. The record, out May 6th via PNKSLM Recordings (ShitKid, Les Big
Byrd, Holy etc.), is a document of the three musicians' own experiences, injected
with a natural urgency that comes from both the reality in the songs and writing
and recording them in a studio paid for by the hour. For its listeners, it acts less
as a roadmap through the turbulence and more as a confidante to share the highs
and lows, drama and desire with, encompassing everything from sex, friendship
and figuring out exactly who you are

A turning point for the band: Savatage's 1989 studio album exploring the
more progressive sound.
Even the album's regal front cover demonstrated the band's continued
musical evolution.To quote producer Paul O'Neill: "Savatage was
graduating from being a heavy metal band to becoming more than a
heavy metal band
On Mountain King, we had toyed with a little bit of more symphonic, progressive
side, but we hadn't taken it as deep as we did on Gutter."
Mastered for vinyl and reissued with the original cover design, enhanced artwork
including a 12pages LP booklet with extensive liner notes by Clay Marshall, the
album will become available as a 180g Black Vinyl Gatefold Edition and as a
Strictly Limited Heavyweight Collector's LP Edition on Silver Vinyl which includes
an exclusive '89 poster replica and an exclusive 10" Vinyl Single featuring the
songs "Thorazine Shuffle" (Side A) and a 1990 live version of "When The Crowds
Are Gone" (Side B).
"It's a very versatile album. It shows all sides of the band, and where we were
going with our songwriting. Working with Paul there were no limitations, we were
no longer just a heavy metal band, we now were a band ready to explore and
grow, as the follow up album "Streets" clearly shows. "Gutter Ballet" remains in
my top 3 favorite Savatage LP's." (Jon Oliva)

A turning point for the band: Savatage's 1989 studio album exploring the
more progressive sound.
Even the album's regal front cover demonstrated the band's continued
musical evolution.To quote producer Paul O'Neill: "Savatage was
graduating from being a heavy metal band to becoming more than a
heavy metal band
On Mountain King, we had toyed with a little bit of more symphonic, progressive
side, but we hadn't taken it as deep as we did on Gutter."
Mastered for vinyl and reissued with the original cover design, enhanced artwork
including a 12pages LP booklet with extensive liner notes by Clay Marshall, the
album will become available as a 180g Black Vinyl Gatefold Edition and as a
Strictly Limited Heavyweight Collector's LP Edition on Silver Vinyl which includes
an exclusive '89 poster replica and an exclusive 10" Vinyl Single featuring the
songs "Thorazine Shuffle" (Side A) and a 1990 live version of "When The Crowds
Are Gone" (Side B).
"It's a very versatile album. It shows all sides of the band, and where we were
going with our songwriting. Working with Paul there were no limitations, we were
no longer just a heavy metal band, we now were a band ready to explore and
grow, as the follow up album "Streets" clearly shows. "Gutter Ballet" remains in
my top 3 favorite Savatage LP's." (Jon Oliva)

Cream White Vinyl


It finally took five years and two lineup changes for Handful of Snowdrops to release their debut album, the iconic Land of the Damned. While too many of the songs written during that period never made it to tape, some fortunately did.

This is what we believed is first home recording from the second generation of the band with Jean-Pierre as the lead singer. All tracks were recorded in a single day in a dark and humid basement using a beaten-up TEAC 4-track tape cassette recorder borrowed from a friend. Since the original mix downs are long gone, we had to salvage the music from two old worn out cassette copies.

It would be fair to say that the recordings are very representative of the overwhelming naivety of the early compositions. It’s a unique chance to have another look inside an old photo album you thought you had lost forever.

The remastered, repackaged set Music From Grizzly Man contains all of the out of print material Thompson recorded for the acclaimed documentary. Richard Thompson's score for “Grizzly Man” Werner Herzog's 2005 documentary film of real life and death in the Alaskan wilderness is one of the best-kept secrets in the British guitarist's epic canon: an instrumental masterpiece disguised as a movie soundtrack. Recorded over two days as Thompson played live in the studio to Herzog's footage – mostly alone, at times in chamber settings with cello, piano and percussion – these tenderly detailed melodies and quietly visceral improvisations are cinema in their own right, rendered with pictorial instinct and the dazzling technique forged in Thompson's lifelong passage through traditional folk, psychedelia, North African modes and intensely personal songwriting. Here is Thompson at his natural best – finger-picking dance; snake-curl twang and singing-wire harmonics – in a solo clarity that runs from jig-like joy to deep-note meditation, the "Main Title" blues march with its echoes of Fairport Convention's "Sloth" to the long night of "Treadwell No More," a harrowing darkness in slicing treble and tremolo shiver. Produced by guitarist Henry Kaiser, Grizzly Man is a record of powerful solitude as bold and majestic as the land in Herzog's film; as intimate as prayer and essential Richard Thompson.

This first-ever vinyl reissue, remastered from the original analog tapes, includes a gatefold jacket and inner sleeve with restored, new, and alternate art and photos by Terry and Jo Harvey Allen; an insert with lyrics, original notes, and Terry’s letter to H.C. Westermann about the songs; and a high-res download code. Deluxe CD edition features a trifold jacket and inner sleeve. Recorded exactly two years after acclaimed visual artist and songwriter Terry Allen’s masterpiece Lubbock (on everything), the feral follow-up Smokin the Dummy is less conceptually focused but more sonically and stylistically unified than its predecessor it’s also rougher and rowdier, wilder and more wired, and altogether more menacingly rock and roll. Following the 1973 Whitney Biennial, in which songwriter and visual artist Terry Allen and fellow iconic artist Horace Clifford “Cliff” Westermann both exhibited, Allen maintained a lively long-distance correspondence and exchange of artworks and music with Westermann, whose singular and highly influential art he admired enormously. In a February 1981 letter to his friend and mentor, written shortly after the late 1980 release of his third album Smokin the Dummy, while he and his family were living in Fresno, California, Terry explains the genesis of the album title: Westermann died shortly after receiving this letter, enclosed with a Smokin the Dummy LP, the minimalist black jacket of which Allen suggested that Cliff fold into a jaunty cardboard hat if he didn’t like the music. That response was unlikely, since Westermann loved Terry’s music, calling his debut record Juarez (1975) “the finest, most honest and heartfelt piece of music I ever heard.” The Panhandle Mystery Band had only recently coalesced during those 1978 Lubbock sessions, Lloyd Maines’s first foray into production. Through 1979, they honed their sound and tightened their arrangements with a series of periodic performances beyond Allen’s regular art-world circuit, including memorable record release concerts in Lubbock, Chicago, L.A., and Kansas City. Terry sought to harness the high-octane power of this now well-oiled collective engine to overdrive his songs into rawer and rockier off-road territory. His first album to share top billing with the Panhandle Mystery Band, Dummy documents a ferocious new band in fully telepathic, tornado-fueled flight, refining its caliber, increasing its range, and never looking down. Alongside the stalwart Maines brothers co-producer, guitarist, and all-rounder Lloyd, bassist Kenny, and drummer Donnie and mainstay Richard Bowden (who here contributes not only fiddle but also mandolin, cello, and “truck noise theory,” the big-rig doppler effect of Lloyd’s steel on “Roll Truck Roll”), new addition Jesse Taylor supplies blistering lead guitar, on loan from Joe Ely (who plays harmonica here). Jesse’s kinetic blues lines and penchant for extreme volume were instrumental in pushing these recordings into brisker tempos and tougher attitudes. Terry was feverish for several studio days, suffering from a bad flu and sweating through his clothes, which partially explains the literally febrile edge to his performances, rendered largely in a perma-growl. (By this point, he was regularly breaking piano pedals with his heavy-booted stomp.) Like the album title itself, the songs on Smokin the Dummy ring various demented bells. The tracks rifle through Terry’s assorted Obsessions especially the potential energy and escape of the open road, elevated here to an ecstatic, prayerful pitch and are populated by a cast of crooked characters: truckers, truck-stop waitresses, convicts, cokeheads, speed freaks, greasers, holy rollers, rodeo riders, dancehall cheaters, and sacrificial prairie dogs, sinners seeking some small reprieve, any fugitive moment of grace. A reigning deity of a certain kind of country music since the mid-70s. – The New York Times // The kind of singular American artist who expresses the fundamental weirdness of his country. – The Wire

RIYL: David Byrne, Guy Clark, Bob Dylan, The Flatlanders, Randy Newman, John Prine, Lucinda Williams, Townes Van Zandt. The first-ever vinyl reissue of Allen’s manifold, moving fourth album, remastered from the original analog tapes. Deluxe LP edition features 140g virgin vinyl; a gatefold jacket, inner sleeve with restored, new, and alternate art and photos by Terry and Jo Harvey Allen and friends, insert with lyrics and original notes & DL. Deluxe CD edition features a trifold jacket & inner sleeve. On his manifold fourth album, acclaimed songwriter and visual artist Terry Allen contemplates kinship the ways sex and violence stitch and sever the ties of family, faith, and society with skewering satire and affection alike. Bloodlines compiles thematically related but disparate recordings from miscellaneous sources both theatrical and historical: two songs written for plays; two full-band reprises of selections from Juarez; the irreverent hellfire-hitchhiker-on-highway ballad “Gimme a Ride to Heaven Boy” (featuring Joe Ely); and the poignant eponymous ode to the arteries of ancestry and landscape (the debut recording of eight year-old Natalie Maines, later covered by Lucinda Williams). Since 1970, when they met in Allen’s studio in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, one of songwriter and visual artist Terry Allen’s great foils and friends was the sometimes cantankerous but always brilliant art critic and writer Dave Hickey, with whom he sparred on topics musical, visual, and beyond (and to whom this reissue is dedicated in memoriam, in the wake of his passing in 2021.) Hickey, a fellow Texan paddling against the currents of the hermetic New York centric art world, was an accomplished songwriter in his own right, and he and Terry pushed each other to refine their respective practices. In 1983, the two were thick as thieves brothers in blood and Hickey’s wry but big-hearted presence haunts the history and periphery of Bloodlines, the album Terry released in June of that year. Hickey’s commercial doubts notwithstanding, critical recognition was not in short demand. In a 1984 review of Bloodlines, the L.A. Herald Examiner called Allen “one of the most compelling American songwriters working today … making the most unique art-pop of our time,” elsewhere comparing him not only to Moon Mullican and Jerry Lee Lewis, but also to the Velvet Underground and Philip Glass (probably the first time that unlikely quartet ever appeared together in one sentence). In 1983, against all odds, such sentiments were growing in underground prominence, as Allen’s records gained a fanatical word-of-mouth following they weren’t easy to find in those days. Recorded piecemeal at Caldwell Studios in Lubbock, in sessions spanning August 1982 through January 1983, Terry self-released it, like all his previous records, on his own Fate Records imprint. Despite his frustration with the protracted timeline and some anxiety about the correspondingly higher budget, the production on Bloodlines courtesy, once again, of master guitarist Lloyd Maines is slicker, cleaner, and more dynamic than prior efforts, and it reached a broader audience than ever before. UK label Making Waves reissued it in 1985, facilitating semi-reliable European distribution for the first time as well as a 1986 UK tour, on which the great BJ Cole filled in for Lloyd on pedal steel. No veteran country songwriter sounds more attuned to the national mood. His songs still feel like little guidebooks for staring down a harsh universe. – The Washington Post // It has always been a fool’s errand to frame Allen in terms of other artists there was nobody like him before he showed up, and the subsequent 40 years have been equally light on plausible peers. Uncut

Vinyl is limited to 500 copies on black vinyl, no download card. Sunzoom have been making a stir from their Liverpool base and this highly anticipated debut is not to be missed. Lo-fi and DIY in equal measure, the record was only conceived of 4 weeks into the first lockdown when songwriter Greg McVeigh decided that recording music was the only way to stay sane. Building a makeshift studio in the kitchen of his North Liverpool home (and deciding to name the new project SUNZOOM after a favourite Captain Beefheart track) Greg set about learning the processes of home recording from the ground up. The album theme draws upon the peculiar aspects of lockdown; isolation, spiritual introspection, longing to be somewhere else, weird dreams, drinking too much and takes the listener on a journey of escape. The songs move the record through fields, countries, time, space, memories and longings to finally end back at home in the reality of the four walls. Digging into some past unreleased recordings, poems, unfinished snippets of tunes and writing new songs (usually sung into his phone during months of daily beach walks with his dog) Greg began to build a record within the claustrophobic environment of summer 2020. Friends were able to collaborate (by the magic of old recordings and new parts sent via email) and in early 2021 Sunzoom entered ARK Recording Studios in Liverpool to add live drums and vocal parts subsequently spending a month mixing the record back home in the familiar surroundings of the kitchen where the concept first began. The result is a snapshot of the period that magically transforms personal and public strife into glorious pop-folk psychedelia.

The second album from the transatlantic duo Wilma Vritra is richly orchestrated, replete with references to faith, mythology, and the cosmos, its 11 tracks grapple with themes of self-preservation and refuge from the world, even as they edge their way to a sort of redemption. Grotto is the work of two musicians separated by an ocean but undoubtedly operating on a shared wavelength. One is Will Archer, a Newcastle-born but London-based multi-instrumentalist and composer who today records as Wilma Archer, but who you might also know for his writing and production for artists like Celeste, Nilufer Yanya and Jessie Ware. Wilma Archer’s debut solo album A Western Circular, featured guest spots from the late MF DOOM, Future Islands’ Samuel T Herring, Sudan Archives and Laura Grove. The other is Hal Donell Williams Jr, aka VRITRA - a Los Angeles-based rapper whose tales of graft and grind are often couched in spiritual or cosmic terms. VRITRA has previously collaborated with Matt Martians via The Jet Age of Tomorrow, Pink Siifu and YUNGMORPHEUS. Grotto’s striking cover image is by Swampy, an enigmatic Californian street artist whose itinerant lifestyle – tales of squatting and train-hopping across North America – have made him a demi-mythical figure. A playful image, but it communicates the album’s themes – of a voyage through darkness, and the promise of light at the end of the tunnel.

Towards The SeaVery Limited new pressing on Orange/White Galaxy vinyl. This is for Indies only. Chelsea Wolfe's sound is best described with broad strokes: elemental, intense, radiant, ancient yet modern, intimate yet expansive, dark and sparkling. Hues of black metal and deep blues inform her ever-evolving electric folk—a warm force that wraps itself around the listener, encouraging uplift, seeking triumph. Her voice similarly haunts and soothes, with words that illuminate life's darker corners in order to reveal the unlikely truth and beauty hidden within. Originally hailing from Northern California, Wolfe's formative years were spent tinkering in her country musician father's home studio, however, she long lacked the confidence to share her work. Then, in 2009, an overseas excursion as part of a nomadic performance troupe ignited her passion for performing and initiated a renewed interest in writing and recording. After performing in cathedrals, basements and old nuclear plants to whoever would listen, she returned home with a new drive. She began toting around an 8-track and recording as the mood hit, eventually editing her findings into a breathtaking debut album, 2010's The Grime & the Glow. Marrying the gentle intimacy of folk, the atmospheric voodoo of death rock, and the bleak, sullen nihilism of black metal, Wolfe's sound effectively cast a genre all her own: a cavernous rumble, marked by stuttering drums, ethereal synths, and a wash of guitar, all very much in the service of one of the most hypnotic, celestial voices in modern music. Described as both healing and harrowing, enchanting and narcotic, the album established Wolfe as a force on the rise. Inspired, Wolfe then relocated to Los Angeles and recorded her second album, 2011's Apokalypsis, which found her in an actual studio with her live band. The songs captured therein maintained the strikingly visceral elements of her debut, further showcase Wolfe’s unique songwriting ability, while adding a serious heaviness of sound that balanced eloquently with her transcendent voice. Its release was subsequently met with critical adoration, and rightly landed on numerous best of 2011 lists.

Modest became the talk of the town in native Denmark in 2017 when they released their debut single “Pretty Sure It’s Honest”. This saw them play the likes of Roskilde Festival and SPOT Festival in Denmark as well as Sebright Arms (London) and N.C.I. (Cambridge) in the UK. since then, Modest have released a line of EP’s and singles to great exposure on Danish National Radio (DR). All the while, the band have been preparing their debut album ‘Friend’. On ‘Friend’, Modest continue down the melodic, jangly path of their early material while widening their range and venturing into slightly darker territory. Lyrically, ‘Friend’ addresses the loss of lead singer Julius Lykke’s mother: Expressing my state of mind during the last couple of years has been an imperative part of the making of this album. Despite the very personal content of the lyrics, I feel the album is inclusive towards the listener, and I hope it will resonate with people in a universal way. ‘Friend’ was recorded by Jens Benz in Silence Studio in rural Sweden and is set to release on May 6 2022 via Copenhagen based Part Time Records. Modest is Jacob Tjerrild (guitars), Jakob Ahlers (guitars), Stinus Kruse (drums) and Julius Kruse Lykke (Bass, vocals).

Stars of the Lids, Tim Hecker, Brian Eno, Manuel. Duo Consists of Jonas Munk (aka Manual) and Jason Kolb (guitarist from Auburn Lull). 4th album, 2nd for Felte and first one since 2012. Initially on blue vinyl. Past press by Pitchfork, XLR8R, Impose. Past project Releases on Morr Music, Darla, and more. Billow Observatory is the project of trans-Atlantic duo Jonas Munk (Denmark) and Jason Kolb (Michigan). Initially planned as a small sideproject from their main work in Manual and Auburn Lull respectively, the two quickly realized their collaborative experiments merited more time and attention. Using heavily treated cavernous guitars, subtle synths, and crackling radio transmissions, their self-titled debut was released in 2012 as a double LP and established Billow Observatory as purveyors of unhurried, highly detailed ambient immersion. The release pair of II: Plains/Patterns in 2017, and III: Chroma/Contour in 2019, on Munk's own Azure Vista Records, introduced a subtle underpinning of rhythm, pulse, and stutter among the washes, expanding their sound with a hint of understated electronica. Marking 10 years since debuting on Felte, 2022 sees the release of Stareside, their most forcefully elegant undertaking to date. A record of swaying quarantine temperament, Stareside's 9 tracks thread the needle between hope and hopelessness - daydreaming whilst watching the world go mad in the blink of an eye. Not shy of overt rhythm, soaring motifs, and daunting undercurrents, Stateside veers wildly in new directions, yet keeps one hand near the record bin of comforting nostalgia (think early Warp Records, Jon Hassel, and Conny Plank to name a few).

Classic 1987 album is one of the band’s most beloved releases. Includes a cover of Crime’s “Hot Wire My Heart”. “Let’s get something straight. There is no album in the entire corpus of indie rock not Loveless, not Surfer Rosa, not Psychocandy that reaches the heights of invention, joy, and magic of Sonic Youth’s sublime fifth album.... The haunted reveries of Sister remain with you for years, even if you only hear them once” Stereogum // 1987’s Sister was another notch in the band's move away from No Wave, yet still maintained their experimental approach. Gordon, Moore, Ranaldo and Shelley were coming into their own at this point, combining elements of noise, punk and pop. They had also become better songwriters since their previous album, providing better context for their noisier elements and incorporating the dissonance of their earlier releases into more traditional song structures. To quote Stereogum once again, “Sister is the sonic manifestation of refracted light. It’s a record that changes you.”

Tinnitus Tonight is the latest & sneakiest full-measure serving from LARS FINBERG, world-class bon vivant and prolific Panic Rock artiste. Why so sneaky? Here’s the dirt: Finberg developed a nerve rash leading up his 2017 tootle, the TY SEGALL-assisted Moonlight Over Bakersfield. Rather than blindly leap from the comfy zone, he tip-toed in secret to a friendly but far-flung (cough*Sacramento*cough) studio to capture a reserve of slanted tunes with a proven-effective team of buds. Those comrades – the glorious LAUREN MARIE MIKUS on keys, frequent collaborator & forever-gent KAANAN TUPPER on drums and, at the controls and elsewhere, the indestructible CHRIS WOODHOUSE – all fostered a supportive framework that first allowed Finberg to “think” beyond THE INTELLIGENCE, gearing him up for a life in the spotlight (or moonlight, as it were). So yes indeed: what appears to be an adventurous follow-up also doubles as a prequel. Keep accurate score or you’re dusted. The core of Tinnitus Tonight centers on an assemblage of Finberg’s most golden riffs – trash-coustic but driftwood-smooth, naughty and infinite, all of ‘em bangers and/or buggers. Tunes sprout and move matador-like until an inevitable goring. The past-it grunt that kicks off “Burger Queen” prompts a mimed chef’s kiss. “My Prison” and “The Doors” are quintessential, truly distilled Finberg moments, compounding his trademark acerbic, out-for-blood wit with these absurdly cool, whip-crack guitars. The massively impressive “Public Admirer” is unequivocally the loudest, most damaged blurt from this doggie in at least a decade. In total, Tinnitus Tonight is a wonderful and welcome reminder that our guy is a very real rouser and a vital, unique purveyor of artful aggression, playful and powerful. Finberg beams really fuckin’ brightly under his own name, perhaps more so than with any group orchestration he happens to be braising with. Do these higher personal stakes call for a dastardlier delivery? Maybe this permeating 2020 End Times feeling prohibits the normal corralling of the subconscious mind? Whatever the answers are, you will find them here.
"The gift Lars Finberg has to disfigure rock riffs into minor chord marvels should serve as a glowing example for those who feel the need to pick up a guitar and make some noise to share with the world. Using the conventional tools of rock and roll flavored with a mix of garage punk, post punk, synth punk and mutant surf, Mr. Finberg, with seemingly effortless cool, has crafted or contributed to countless albums with bands like The Intelligence, Puberty, Rubber Blanket, A Frames and more, all with a magnetic pull and genius lyrics that stand out from the indie rock heap and reveal an exceptionally creative mind that’s actually done its homework." - Noise For Zeros

OVERVIEW: After a five-year hiatus encompassing the birth of a son, a third coast to west coast and back to the third coast move, and an ongoing global pandemic – Chris Bathgate returns with ‘The Significance of Peaches’.

On this, his 6th full-length album, the NPR & BBC-lauded artist is found ruminating on time spent living in the National Forests of Michigan while homeless, his emergence into fatherhood, and yes, the significance a certain stone fruit has played throughout his life.

Sonically, ‘The Significance of Peaches’ leans heavily on the structural support of parlor organ and Bathgate’s signature multi-tracked percussion – surprisingly sparse use of guitar and strings sheathed in the middle - his haunted vocals perched atop it all.

Stunning second album from Royal Headache and 2015's underground pop sensation. Royal Headache's follow-up, retains that swagger, pop hooks and grace but adds extra romance and instant appeal. The amount of emotion and range of Shogun's vocals and the whip-smart counterpoint provided by the band - drummer Shortty, guitarist Law, and bassist Joe - present a dash through decades of pop history, recombining not just the music but all of the feelings of pain and joy elicited from audiences, supercharged and ready to explode once more. Shogun's voice and lyrics aren't so much a secret weapon in Royal Headache's arsenal as they are the front line, happiness and hurt soaring above the songs, driving home all the feelings within. For fans of the Buzzcocks, The Strokes first album, Marked Men and The Undertones.

Far from the twin epicenters of New York and Miami, Carlos Ruiz and his Ebirac label were both feeling and generating the aftershocks of the mid-’70s salsa boom. Holed up in their own bustling Puerto Rican community center on Chicago’s west side, these third coast salseros plied their trade outside the hot lights, cutting their teeth in city parks, VFW halls, and Holiday Inn rec rooms. Nearly 50 records survive in the wake of orquestas La Justicia, La Solucion, and Tipica Leal ’79, the most impassioned, singular moments of which are compiled here.

Australian hip-hop/neo soul duo SO.Crates are a boom-bap prayer sent live and direct from the heart of two of the culture’s most committed students. The group features Melbourne based beatmaker and DJ Skomes alongside California-via-Adelaide MC & poet Cazeaux O.S.L.O, not to mention the MUSE, a forever changing third party who completes the creative trinity of the Crates. With a legacy built on releasing a steady flow of cold-crush records and delivering uplifting live performances to the party people, SO.Crates prove that hip-hop’s golden era is not a lost date in time, but a foundational state of mind. Functioning as a considered preview of what to expect from the album to follow, the hypnotic first release 'Stars' is an auditory exploration of what happens when two opposing charges collide; the joyful and the melancholy. Here, layers of instrumentation, samples and vocals sit atop a foundation of grounding beats — the track's roots from which piano samples, live trumpet and vocal embellishments spring. "When Skomes gets in his stride, it's always a bit of a happy/sad feeling. It can go either way, like a mood ring", says Cazeaux O.S.L.O. "I guess you could say we make mood ring beats, and 'Stars' is no exception".

Since its original release in 1984, Piledriver's bolt-from-the-blue debut
'Metal Inquisition' has found a legion of fans worldwide, over successive generations and spanning all stripes of metal


The album was the work of one metal maniac named Gord Kirchin, who became the selfsame "Pile Driver" so eloquently depicted on the album's cover art, and a certain "Bud Slaker" - AKA Leslie Howe, whose resume did not include any heavy metal before nor after. Nevertheless, together the duo recorded a crude 'n' rude document of blitzkrieg Metal spirit, spit forth across songs that encompassed scuzzy speed metal and pounding traditional metal. The fact that the band was Canadian figured into this style of sound, as one could detect the likes of Anvil AND Exciter here.

Taut and tight, the 37 minutes of 'Metal Inquisition' ,demanded repeat plays…and now it will demand those repeat plays as Shadow Kingdom officially releases the album for the first time in over 20 years! The CD version will contain the full master of the album, including a "Crazy On You"- style intro to "Pile Driver" as it was originally intended, while the vinyl version will stay how they were in the '80s.


Absolutely mandatory metal madness!

Ye Vagabonds release their second album for Rough Trade's River Lea
label.Nine Waves was recorded in the Dublin Mountains at Hellfire
Studios, produced by John 'Spud' Murphy (whose previous work includes records by black midi, Lankum and caroline)

The album features 11 tracks of both traditional and original songs and tunes. Nine Waves follows the duo's standalone single I'm A Rover, which won them an RTE Radio One Folk Award for Best Traditional Folk Track. Ye Vagabonds were also named Best Folk Group for the second time at the 2021 ceremony, where they hold the record for most awarded artists.The brotherly harmonies and multiinstrumental abilities of Diarmuid and Brían Mac Gloinn were joined on Nine Waves by Kate Ellis (cello) and Caimin Gilmore (double bass), both members of the Irish contemporary classical group Crash Ensemble, and Ryan Hargadon (Anna Mieke, Rachael Lavelle, Kojaque) on piano and saxophone.

"I wrote the album in a tiny apartment, at a time when everything felt big and overwhelming," says poet and songwriter Jenny Berkel about her new album, "These Are the Sounds Left From Leaving"

She was living in a brownstone walk-up full of radiant light and the ever-present soundscape of a leaky bath faucet. It was a sudden move at the time - a spontaneous departure from touring, bustling city life, being many things to many people'that landed Jenny in a space of self- imposed stillness. "The songs themselves are a study of proximity, bringing big fears into small spaces," says Jenny, reflecting on the album. "They're intimate examinations of a world that often overwhelms." The album features contributions from critically acclaimed folk duo Kacy & Clayton, and string arrangements by Colin Nealis (Andy Shauf) - the record was co- produced by Jenny alongside Dan Edmonds and Ryan Boldt (The Deep Dark Woods). Warm and dark, soft with stabs of madness, "These Are the Sounds Left From Leaving" is a cohesive collection of spare songs that bloom
lushly with detail. Whether you're reading Jenny's poetry or listening to her songs, you'll experience her drawing layers of far- reaching concern into particular moments, like concentric waves rippling inward toward a lone cast stone. "These Are the Sounds Left From Leaving" showcases the perspective of a unique storytelling artist, with an evocative practice that hinges powerful narratives on the intricacies of a multifaceted musicality. A songwriter immersed in poetry, a poet immersed in music'her work in all its forms is an invitation into a world of relatable introspection, in which even absences can be sculpted into vividly memorable verse.

Limited edition box set, which includes the complete original LP - 180g vinyl - gatefold sleeve, an 80-page book 'The Making of Chet Baker Sings' by Brian Morton and the complete CD with bonus tracks

The unforgettable 'Chet Baker Sings' put Baker on the map not just as a brilliant trumpeter, but also a talented vocalist. The album was a revelation at the time and won Baker new fame and a new audience, which was less familiar with jazz than with pop music. The reasons are quite clear; Chet's voice is tender and beautiful, and at the same time his phrasing always swings and surprises.

The initial 1954 release was a 10" LP (Pacific Jazz LP11) which contained just eight tracks, reappearing in 1956 as a 12" LP (World Pacific PJ-1222) with additional tracks from the same session.
This wonderful definitive edition puts together: the original 12" LP 'Chet Baker Sings' in a 180-gram virgin vinyl gatefold edition illustrated with William Claxton photos from the sessions; the complete CD containing the same album plus six bonus tracks; an 80- page fully illustrated hardcover book on which writer Brian Morton explores the genesis of the iconic album. The book also includes a
specially written essay by bassist Riccardo Del Fra, speaking about his experiences playing with Chet, as well as dozens of classic, rare and never before published photos by such important jazz photographers as William Claxton, among many others.

Ex-We Are The Physics and current Slime City vocalist Michael M returns with a brand new album of irreverent lo-fi garage punk bangers

Short, fast, pointed anecdotes crammed into just over 30 minutes (so it's eligible for a Scottish Album of the Year Award) for fans of Weezer, Art Brut, Mike Krol, Half Man Half Biscuit, Mclusky, Jay Reatard. Includes download code and videos for each song.A scathing but reflective attack on the internet's Balloon Guy? 10003;The existential crisis of finding out how old the boy from the Sixth Sense is? A Shangri-Las inspired tragedy-pop song about an old crisp packet?Nu Metal, but polite?


Pressed on a totally randomly assigned Eco Colour Vinyl!

Eli 'Paperboy' Reed pays homage to country legend Merle Haggard by
putting a soulful spin on some classic tunes

Recorded in Brooklyn with longtime collaborator Vince Chiarito (Black Pumas, Charles Bradley), Reed taps into all the heartache of Haggard's iconic catalog and channels it into explosive, high-octane performances that blur the lines of genre, geography, and race to reveal the common, distinctly American threads tying hem all together.

On their bold and brilliant debut album 'Unsoothing Interior', Stockholm's
Vero reflect the nature of life itself
Their songs prioritise feeling over perfectionism ' what feels, or sounds, best '
creating a record that tumbles through its contents with a sense of
unpredictability, excitement and curiosity. It's an album full of raw guitar riffs that
spin and swirl and fizz, and evoke the spirit of artists like Sonic Youth, Garbage
and Pixies. The record, out May 6th via PNKSLM Recordings (ShitKid, Les Big
Byrd, Holy etc.), is a document of the three musicians' own experiences, injected
with a natural urgency that comes from both the reality in the songs and writing
and recording them in a studio paid for by the hour. For its listeners, it acts less
as a roadmap through the turbulence and more as a confidante to share the highs
and lows, drama and desire with, encompassing everything from sex, friendship
and figuring out exactly who you are

'I've been obsessed with western swing since I was a kid, and it's always
been an influence, but my records in the past have ranged from bluegrass
to hard country to folk, So I've never fully explored it' - So says genrebusting Fargo-born, Austin- incubated, Nashville resident Brennen Leigh,
whose new collaboration with the kings of modern-day western swing,
Asleep at the Wheel, Obsessed With The West, is a showcase not just for
the Bob Wills fans, but for anyone who's ever curled up with Loretta Lynn,
Hank Sr, Cindy Walker, Billie Holiday, or Willie Nelson
On twelve all original songs, Leigh's supple winking voice and multi- instrument
fluency, her interplay with Ray Benson, and the undeniable chops of the Wheel
serve up a treat on Leigh's seventh album. With cameos from Emily Gimble and
Katie Shore, and all the players getting their moments in the sun, Leigh - a twotime winner of the Texas Music Awards Best Female Vocalist award -
demonstrates on the terrific jump 40's rhythm and blues, 'Comin' in Hot' and the
lonesome cowboy musing of 'Riding Off Onto Sunset Boulevard' why Rodney
Crowell and Lee Ann Womack have recorded her songs. Obsessed With The West
is a celebration of music for music's sake in 2022, not just an exercise in looking
back on times gone by.

Stunning debut release from RAFRAM aka Irdial legend Ramjac Corporation and the Toronto legend (& honorary Glaswegian) Raf Reza.
300 copies only, full printed sleeves plus riso insert.

Orphic Apparition is a new label born out of a transatlantic meeting of minds. Facilitated by a long, hedonistic party in one of present-day London’s ‘meanwhile use’ venues Grow Tottenham, Canadian producer Raf Reza and British acid house luminary Paul Chivers spent a precious day in the studio to record a 3 hour straight to DAT session before Reza's return to Canada. The result of this spontaneous yet intuitive collaboration blurs the lines between Chiver’s long-standing Ramjac Corporation alias and Reza’s genre-spanning approach to dub, breaks and house styles. Part of the early 90s rave scene and an important member of the blueprint-setting Irdial label, Ramjac locks heads with the self-professed ‘lazy music guy from Toronto’ to adapt their studio session into five separate mixdowns.

‘In The Grow’ begins with a bouncy, cut-up sounding Errorsmith-esque rhythm, the recurring fright night melody that distinguishes the record coming in all quick and powerful. The A2 ‘Rotten Mix’ offers a more traditional house approach in its composition, with dub FX and a nice DJ friendly outro. On the final uptempo choice the pair opt for a head-scrambling electro take. Choose your fighter! The ‘Swampy Dub’ on the flip really dismantles everything we’ve heard prior, slo-mo drums allowing a much different DJ experience and altering the freaky synthetic propulsion into an almost modern classical sound. A little like Paul Dresher’s eternal ‘Channels Passing’ (tip). Combined with the other edits this version almost becomes a totally different track. The final ‘Rootless Dub’ gives its clues in the title, removing all the tough drum sounds and allowing for an ambient decompression.

Orphic Apparition will return soon.

repress

In 1990 Joe Lewis teamed up with singer Darryl Goodlett to form the shortlived Survival. Now on Clone Classic Cuts their Midnight Dancin' finally gets a full release with all the versions. 2 of which were never released at the time. To top it of Simply Yours by DJ Joe Lewis also from the original Midnight Dancin' EP. Remastered by Alden Tyrell.

Official remastered limited edition of this down-tempo disco heaven from one-hit wonders Byron. Originally released in 1985 on the Italian label Golden Sound, 'Too Much' is a must for any discerning Balearic record bag. A side contains the original vocal version and on the B side there is the original instrumental plus the warmest Remix version previously available only on the rarest Byron Album from 1985.

Far from the twin epicenters of New York and Miami, Carlos Ruiz and his Ebirac label were both feeling and generating the aftershocks of the mid-'70s salsa boom. Holed up in their own bustling Puerto Rican community center on Chicago's west side, these third coast salseros plied their trade outside the hot lights, cutting their teeth in city parks, VFW halls, and Holiday Inn rec rooms. Nearly 50 records survive in the wake of orquestas La Justicia, La Solucion, and Tipica Leal '79, the most impassioned, singular moments of which are compiled here.

Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalia is back with her third studio album and one that is a hugely conceptual and experimental affair. She herself describes it as "her most personal and confessional album" and that is embodied by the lead single, 'Saoko', which celebrates transformation and change. It is an album of pop leaning, reggeaton inspired sounds and plenty of nods to dembow, champeta, flamenco, bachata, hip-hop and piano melodies. The artist's own fierceness and unapologetically brave attitude helps make this the force that it is.

Sean Dixon, known from previous releases on Clone and Rawax, is back on his own label Final Chapter.

On this colorful four track record called Generations EP, he’s joined by Sheffield´s John Shima.
Opening the EP is Generations I, a raw piece, with chord stabs that are dancing around the percussion sounds and organ bass, with a vocal on top. Followed up on the A-side is Generations ll, a Chicago and Detroit inspired track with wonderful lush strings one top of the drums and vocal,. Generations lll opens up the B-side, with wicked melodies and a funky bassline.

The B2 track Generations IV comes from John Shima, who is doing a rework on Sean´s original sounds, putting his characteristic feeling and touch to it.

Very limited vinyl pressing, 500 copies in a gatefold sleeve, a printed inner housing white and marbling effect vinyl with full download included. CD in a 4 panel digipack with a 4 page booklet. New Heavy Sounds is very proud to bring you Moongazer, the 2nd album by the 4 piece stoner rock powerhouse from Italy, TENEBRA. The band had already made waves on the scene with their debut album ‘Gen Nero’ before delivering ‘What We Do is Sacred’ their debut EP for New Heavy Sounds last year, 3 killer tracks that were but a taster of things to come. Moongazer takes the story a stage further with 9 slabs of crushing fuzzed up grooves, fuelled by 70’s proto metal, hard rock, punk, psych-blues and noise, loaded with great riffs and melody and topped off by gutsy soulful vocals. Musically, you could say that TENEBRA occupy similar musical terrain to bands such as Graveyard, Witchcraft, Kadaver and other bands of that ilk, but TENEBRA are very much their own beast. They have all the chops of course, but are musically less slavish, often adding a twist that keeps the songs fresh and now. There’s also very little reliance on Sabbath-isms (apart from one cheeky nod) and though occult rock is also part of the vibe, the music steers well clear of the cliches. In fact the band bring a clutch of left field influences into their melting pot as well, from June of 44 and Love Battery to the Misfits and the psych grunge of Screaming Trees. Of the 4 members, Claudio (bass), Emilio (guitar) and Mesca (drums) came from the hardcore and post-hardcore squat scene that gathered around Bologna, whereas their formidable vocalist Silvia (the youngest of the crew) is immersed in the underground rock of the '60s and' 70s. When you hear her sing you’ll know where she’s coming from as she has one helluva rock voice, laced with whiskey, smoke, grit, late nights and a whole lotta soul. Think Maggie Bell meets Betty Davis with a smattering of Gillan, and you'll be in the right ballpark. So what you get with ‘Moongazer’ is a band revelling in the spirit of 70’s rock rather than recreating it. ‘Heavy Crusher’ lulls you with its dreamy intro, but it’s not long before the riffs hit with Silvia in full effect. This pretty much sets the tone for the record, coiling proto metal riffs, executed with gusto and joie de vivre. And as with every track on this album, Silvia belts it out like she absolutely means it man. ‘Cracked Path’ continues the journey and ups the heavy fuzz a notch or 2. First heard on ‘What We Do Is Sacred’ (full length album version). ‘Black Lace’ is a brooding beast, epic and melodic, almost a ballad, with a heap of soul lurking within, courtesy of Silvia’s mighty voice. ‘Carry My Load’ keeps the brooding vibe going till the loping off kilter killer riffs kick in. This is definitely Silvia at her most Gillan-esque. ‘Winds Of Change’ does just that, dial things down to bluesy, almost psych feel, with dreamy solos and a hooky guitar break. ‘Stranded’ is a full on stoner rocker as is ‘Space Child’ with its short homage to the dark lords, there’s even a a sax solo. Never one’s to just play it straight these guys. ‘Dark And Distant Sky’ is pure proto metal, a la Bloodrock or Grand Funk, it truly rips, and once again, it’s construction veers it away from anything approaching what you’d expect. ‘Moon Maiden’ is the album’s closer, featuring Gary Lee Conner (no less) of the aforementioned grunge legends Screaming Trees, guesting on guitar. It’s a fitting and epic closer, by turns hard ‘n’ heavy, psychedelic and chock full of great ideas. MOONGAZER is without doubt an accomplished sophomore release that deserves to be heard and appreciated, purely because, though it may appear to reside in the world of stoner, it is so much more.

BLACK BOMBERS, Birmingham's rock 'n Roll veterans whose primal racket contains elements of both proto and post punk, drop a new 7"on Friday, April 1st - on Easy Action Records. All Fools' Day 2022 seems the perfect time to release a track about false promises and the fantasy of returning to fading Empires. The recording for the single was originally carried out during one of those brief respites from Lockdown in the Summer of 2020 and was then developed in the Soho studio of new Black Bomber guitarist Steve Crittall over the following few months. The 'B' side of the single features Black Bombers' cover of The Damned's 'You Take My Money' - the much maligned second album being something of a band favourite. Bass player Darren Birch played with Damned guitarist Brian James in a short-lived line-up of his James Gang band. This release comes as 'UN-SCENE!', Black Bombers' drummer Dave Twist's compilation album of Birmingham Post Punk, is receiving real acclaim and is already in short supply... The band have dates around the country in the coming weeks and play the DIE DAS DER benefit show for Ukraine on March 27th at the Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath Birmingham.

Giacomo D’Attorre – lead singer of Clever Square – has been through a lot of late. With his band. In his personal life. Even just with the state of the world. This fire has fuelled Clever Square’s new record Secret Alliance, eleven tracks that explore feelings of frustration, disillusionment, and disconnection, and chronicle what it’s like to be swept along by a world that “gets noisier everyday”. The record was inspired by a creeping realisation; of coming change, and a sense that D’Attorre was “losing contact with who I was before, for the good and the bad.” New needs and desires surfaced; old ones disappeared. Thus he began writing around ideas of rethinking yourself, and “acquiring a new conscience of mutation”. The darker realms of science fiction informed much of D’Attorre’s thinking here; Philip K Dick, Ray Bradbury – ‘Mr. & Mrs. K’ was inspired by The Martian Chronicles – and Flannery O’Connor, whose The Violent Bear It Away proved particularly inspiring. All of this is perfectly framed by Clever Square’s shuffling, quirky indie, and cute melodies. Soft and worn around the edges, like the perfect flannel shirt, there’s a gentle, shambling quality to the music; “blue collar”, D’Attorre calls it. Guitar lines gently bloom, Fender Rhodes organ is sprinkled throughout, and the acoustic strumming sounds easy and unhurried. From the relaxed bustle and acoustic picking of ‘Hail The Proper Karl’, to the joyous, bouncy ‘Little Flaws’; from the stripped back melancholy of ‘Obsolete Epsilons’ to the arena-ready vibes of indie classic ‘Golden Wires’, D’Attorre has crafted a spell-binding, mesmerizing set of songs that delight on first listen and reward deeper inspection. “It’s a hymn to privacy, to the joys of secrecy, and solitude,” he says of Secret Alliance. That he wraps such heartfelt, profound topics in gloriously laid-back indie adds to the charm, and cements Clever Square’s status as one of Italy’s finest contemporary bands. The world might seem increasingly complex and be spinning ever faster, but Secret Alliance slows it down just enough to savour the scenery and think about charting a path back to something a little more manageable.

New limited pressing on Zombie Green Vinyl. Suck My Shirt is the fourth studio album by the Atlanta-based all-female punk rock band The Coathangers. It was released in 2014. Mark Deming of AllMusic writes, 'their approach to songcraft has matured and tightened up quite a bit, and the departure of keyboard player Candice Jones has turned this group into a leaner and meaner three piece. "It's a balance between overthinking and just going for it," guitarist Crook Kid (Julia Kugel) says of their songwriting strategy. It's a duality immediately apparent with the album opener "Follow Me." It's a classic Coathangers tune with Stephanie Luke's raspy vocals belted out over their signature ragged garage-rock. . But the chorus opens into one of the most accessible hooks in the band's canon, just before segueing into the next verse with a squall of violent dissonant guitar.

UFC is proud to presents R.I.P. Bestiaʼs second outing on the label. Starting out with “Resurgence of Rave Echoes” R.I.P. Bestia delivers an influenced rave breakbeat track with chopped vocals, big bass, acid and piano raves that take you to a new future rave dimension. "Anarchic Alien Fuel" takes over a trance breakbeat influenced with a heavy ambient pad and cyberdelic vocals. Finally “Extraterrestrial Shamanic Ceremonial Rite” rounds up the EP with a tribal and breaks drums, epic synths, an hypnotic vocals that will keep you in the shamanic rite going from start to finish.

Mike Maurro does it again. Another slice of Philadelphia International Records gold from the legend Lou Rawls, officially licensed, taken from the master tapes and given that signature Maurro touch. Two all-time classics ‘You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’ and ‘See You When I Git There’ re-worked for the modern dancefloor.

Retromigration returns to Ravanelli Disco Club with a brand new broken beat chanelling track 'Jeffa'. None other than Ron Basejam steps up on remix duties in signature disco don style.

He didn’t come alone though, bringing his friends Nephews to the dance on the B side who deliver sunset house grooves in the form of 'Reingelaxed'. To complete the EP Jkriv remixes 'Reingelaxed' into a synth swirling Balearic gem.

Retro-Future beats for stubborn ravers.
Phase O'Matic is a London based promising producer.
Philoxenia is delighted to have him on board.

Back in 2017, Moderat announced that they’d be taking an extended break following a final concert in front of 17.000 people in their hometown of Berlin. And now they return. MORE D4TA, the group’s fourth album, arrives more than six years after its predecessor (2016’s III). Created largely during a time when touring (and most traveling) was off the table, MORE D4TA is an album that wrestles with feelings of isolation and information overload—issues that have become particularly pronounced over the past two years. The ten songs on MORE D4TA are rooted in collaboration, but long before any of its tracks were laid down, Moderat spent months hanging out and getting musically reacquainted, indulging in extended bouts of experimentation and slowly fleshing out ideas as they dove into modular composition, field recordings and other sonic oddities.
But no matter how far the band ventures into music’s outer realms, they always wind up back in their own unique soundworld, a place where emotive pop and fluttering electronic soundscapes walk hand in hand. Many of its lyrics are rooted in Ring’s frequent trips to Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie museum (often with his infant daughter in tow), where he’d seek refuge in the great paintings of the past while worrying about the future.
What they make isn’t necessarily dance music, but it is something that shines brightest in the dark of night, the group’s rich melodies and Ring’s ethereal vocals emitting a warm, almost bioluminescent glow. After spending the better part of two decades making music together, they’ve carved out a sound and aesthetic that are all their own, and MORE D4TA showcases a group that’s creatively recharged and fully dedicated to its craft.

Deluxe Edition / LP+Poster

Back in 2017, Moderat announced that they’d be taking an extended break following a final concert in front of 17.000 people in their hometown of Berlin. And now they return. MORE D4TA, the group’s fourth album, arrives more than six years after its predecessor (2016’s III). Created largely during a time when touring (and most traveling) was off the table, MORE D4TA is an album that wrestles with feelings of isolation and information overload—issues that have become particularly pronounced over the past two years. The ten songs on MORE D4TA are rooted in collaboration, but long before any of its tracks were laid down, Moderat spent months hanging out and getting musically reacquainted, indulging in extended bouts of experimentation and slowly fleshing out ideas as they dove into modular composition, field recordings and other sonic oddities.
But no matter how far the band ventures into music’s outer realms, they always wind up back in their own unique soundworld, a place where emotive pop and fluttering electronic soundscapes walk hand in hand. Many of its lyrics are rooted in Ring’s frequent trips to Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie museum (often with his infant daughter in tow), where he’d seek refuge in the great paintings of the past while worrying about the future.
What they make isn’t necessarily dance music, but it is something that shines brightest in the dark of night, the group’s rich melodies and Ring’s ethereal vocals emitting a warm, almost bioluminescent glow. After spending the better part of two decades making music together, they’ve carved out a sound and aesthetic that are all their own, and MORE D4TA showcases a group that’s creatively recharged and fully dedicated to its craft.

After lurking on the internet as an outlet for Dreamlogicc's solo and collaborative work, cheeky Peak Time Dance Music launches its physical imprint with a half dozen tracks of drum-driven madness. Drawing raw rhythms and rugged sound design from gqom, integrating elements of electro, grime, and techno, these flexible beats absolutely stomp. While the core sound remains, the moody grooves from his Kimochi Sound releases and bassy halftime from Main Drain Studios take the back seat here: it's a 12" for the club.

To accompany the CD and digital release of Yves Deruyter’s remastered, D-Album, we’ve selected five much loved tracks with an included, sixth bonus track, to be cut onto wax in a 2 x 12 inch pack. A true legend for many decades, Yves Deruyter is a name synonymous with Belgian club life and techno & trance music. His tracks have the ability to raise the energy in any venue, sending the crowd into a frenzy, just the way it should be. To The Rhythm, Feel Free, Outsiders, Factor-Y and A Story About House are joined by the mighty Push Rework of The Rebel and will no doubt grace the turntables of many jocks as the vinyl revolution continues. This one is a true collector’s piece that is not to be missed because it’s comes in 2 different colors, just like the artwork.

Rasmus Hedlund Vapor DJ Burdock CRC Hexe

Sofa Movements Records, a Slovak-Irish label, returns with its second Various Artists compilation named DVA (meaning "two"). Four countries, twelve producers. House, Deep House, LoFi House, Techno, Minimal. Filters, vocals, synths, raw beats and everything danceable from 115 to 127 bpm. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for this one!

Thanks to this mini-LP format, Interface Palm gets to showcase more of his talent. He explores a wide range of influences and offers an overview of his wide musical palette, from broken beat, to cosmic jazz, hip-hop and house music. A true milestone for Interface Palm, this “Curated Space” mini-LP is the perfect example of artists willing to set new standards by blurring the lines of musical styles.

Welcome to the Broken District !

Taken from, Hard Up, the acclaimed 10th studio album from the Melbourne Soul / Funk trailblazers, "Nothing I Wanna Know About" is a crisp funk number with Kylie Auldist delivering her reliably storming vocals plus an absolutely killer percussion breakdown.

Motown styled soul swinger "Bad Line" makes its first viyl appearance on the flip after being released on the expanded Deluxe digital edition of Hard Up in late 2021.

This black vinyl 7" is packaged in a specially designed printed Bamboos logo sleeve.

Both tracks have been supported by Craig Charles on BBC.

The album received great media support across Europe and the UK with glowing reviews in print such as Rockerilla (4 page feature), Rumore, Blow Up (ITA) Stadtkinder, Na Dann (GER), Soul Bag (FRA), Jazzism (4 page feature) (HOL). Radio support from FIP, France Inter, C-Lab Radio, Radio Galere, RDWA, Radio Krimi, Canal B, Radio Capital(FRA),

Radio Popolare, Radio Citta Fujiko, Contatto Radio, Radio Regione 100, Radio Start, Radio Per Passione, Radio Base, RKO (ITA), Radio 3, Saltamontes,Sateli 3 & Sonideros, EITB, Enlace Funk, Onda Local Andalucia, Radio Catalunya (SPA), Deutschlandfunk Kultur, Ego FM, Byte FM, UKW, Radio X (GER)

LNDFK (aka Linda Feki) presents her ground-breaking debut album, "Kuni" on Brooklyn-based Bastard Jazz Recordings. Undeniably on the rise after her 2019 breakout performance at Primavera Sound, LNDFK has already caught the attention of Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Clash Magazine, Noisey, and Brooklyn Vegan (among many others) while being championed by the likes of Gilles Peterson, Tom Ravenscroft, and Jamz Supernova & landing spots on tastemaker playlists like Spotify's "Pollen" and "Fresh Finds."

"Kuni" is a spellbinding exploration of dichotomies: Love & Death (Eros & Thanatos), Flower & Fire, Delicacy & Violence, Poetry & Realism, Purification & Destruction. These opposites are reified in the 10-track LPs multifarious and multifaceted sounds, elegantly meandering through a variety of styles and genres, spearheaded by Linda and features the production wizardry of Darrio Bassolino who co-wrote the album.

"Kuni" opens with "Hana-bi," an ambient instrumental piece that sets the tone for the album. Inspired by the Takeshi Kitano 1997 film of the same name – particularly Joe Hisaishi's stunning soundtrack, as well as Kitano's paintings which appear in the film. "Hana-bi" expresses the dialoguing opposites of flowers and fire, the first of many dichotomous representations throughout the album. "Takeshi" acts as an extension and to "Hana-bi," albeit one of opposing sound, with its driving, highly syncopated drums (which reappear throughout "Kuni") – à la Karriem Riggins, Questlove, or Yussef Dayes – frenetic bass line, and jazz chords. Linda's sultry voice is interspersed, initially jumping around in scat fashion, being triggered as if a sample, before her lyrics come in; her vocals are used like an additional instrument, adding to the song's rich texture. "Kuni" truly hits its stride with the next song, "Smoke – a moon or a button" (its title lifted from the 1959 book by Ruth Krauss and Remy Charlip), which is structured like a jazz standard yet flows into neo-soul territory sonically with those prodigious drums a highlight once again.

LNDFK touches on experimental hip hop in two songs on the record (both of which were released as singles in 2021): "Don't Know I'm Dead or Not (feat. Chester Watson)" – track #4 – and "How Do We Know We're Alive (feat. Pink Siifu)" – track #9. Although they embrace a more hip hop-leaning sound, these songs by no means shy away from the exploratory theme, and feature two of the alt-rap scenes rising stars with Chester Watson and Pink Siifu who offer provocatively impressing verses, combining dense word play with unconventional flows. While these tracks may first appear to be outliers on the album, they are undeniably in tune with "Kuni's" message and sonic palette, acting as testaments to LNDFK's willingness to explore and experiment.

Meanwhile, "Ku" – the third and last single before the album release – furthers the pre-established future soul sound while meandering through nu jazz and left-field electronic. Inspired by the graphic novel and film, "Sin City," and its female assassin protagonist Miho, "Ku" is a musical interpretation of Miho's story, incorporating both her beauty – the first half of the song – and murderous tendencies – the second half – to create a stunning juxtaposition, culminating in an ambient finale that suggests the character's vulnerability and inner peace. The song gracefully bridges the gap between Hiatus Kaiyote-esque songwriting, Dilla's rhythmic syncopation, and Thundercat's instrumental prowess (LNDFK has shared a stage Brainfeeder labelmate Kamasi Washington).

Mixed in throughout "Kuni" are a series of instrumental pieces that function as something akin to an interlude. The aforementioned intro, "Hana-bi," and the album closer "se mi stacco da te, mi strappo tutto:" act as bookends, while "Om" indicates the half-way mark, and "Ktm" sees Jason Lindner add his sound the album. These tracks are the ambient foundation of "Kuni," representing the thematic duality of the work. Clocking in at only 24 minutes, "Kuni" packs an astonishingly diverse array of sounds, styles, and themes, all while showcasing virtuosic musicianship and instrumental prowess.

Appearing on "Hana-bi" and "Ktm," renowned international artists Asa-Chang and Jason Lindner add an additional perspective to "Kuni": Asa-Chang on "Hana-bi," and Jason Lindner on "Ktm." Asa-Chang - famously of the Japanese avant-garde group Asa-Chang & Junray - provides vocals and percussion to an alternate version of the instrumental opener, while the acclaimed keyboardist Jason Lindner offers his synth expertise on "Ktm." These features highlight the spirit of collaboration found in LNDFK's music, always willing to try out new ways of working.

LNDFK is a singer and songwriter, born of two cultures – an Italian mother and Arab father. She grew up in Naples, away from her father, the Sahara, her homeland and traditions, which has helped nourish the desire to rediscover – through art – an engagement to her roots. Her music melts with jazz, neo-soul and hip-hop influences, filtered through her experiences and sensibility.

Her first EP, "Lust Blue," was composed with the artistic production of Dario Bass and released by Feelin' Music; after that she released several singles that saw international radio support (BBC, NTS, Wordwide FM) and gained a massive audience on digital platforms. Together with her band, she toured around Europe, performing alongside such notable artists as Kamasi Washington and Mndsgn, among others. Most recently she toured Italy, and performed at Primavera Sound Festival 2019 in Barcelona.

"Kuni," is due out on NYC label Bastard Jazz Recordings in February, 2022, while the vinyl LP will follow shortly after.

Having embraced the wide wired world of modular synthesis, Prince of Queens aka Felipe Quiroz has already proved fit and formidable in dialing in the necessary sonic component of his current stargazing outfit Combo Chimbita. His first two solo records on NYCT have only added to an already wide-ranging electronic fluency, yet have also brought a flare and understanding of dance music foundation that in combination is rarely matched.

For his next release, Prince of Queens teams up with the voice of El Julius, his Colombian countryman and New York neighbor. As a seasoned member of Names You Can Trust alumni, Bulla En El Barrio, El Julius helps to bridge the classic with the contemporary. "Rompe Cadenas" is a traditional arrangement with poignant lyrics, but it's still funneled through the unpredictability of POQ's machinery. It's a modern day reinterpretation of sound system cumbia at its heart, and just a further example of the breadth of POQ's production possibilities. Much of that potential is realized on the second track of this double-sided release, "Acidosa." Like his earlier releases, POQ's quintessential future leanings are on display here with all of his remarkable synthesis. It's worth the trip alone. Just imagine a wild and hypnotic meeting of cumbia and pitched-down acid and off we go.

isuals Painted by NEUROBUG


C'est une magnifique surprise. Ca faisait longtemps que je n'avais pas été surpris... que je n'ai pas entendu un morceau aussi riche et aussi précis... Un truc chargé où tout est défini, où tout est clair, et tout existe. Chaque son, chaque fréquence... une 3D sonore... du mastering à la composition infernale tout est incroyable... Il faut une sacrée concentration pour écouter. Je réapprends à écouter... Et c'est aussi insupportable et aussi fascinant et aussi fort et j'aime et je réécoute avec surprise encore. Je suis accro ! Surtout la face "Je Le Sais Je Le Sang"... Terry Riley est mort. ça y est il a eu sa peau. Le hardcore est mort, ça y est il a eu sa peau. La musique est vivante, enfin encore, en kore.
Rappelez-vous que les gens avaient plus ou moins mal reçu les Hangars Liquides 01 et 02, ou le 21 et le 28... Toujours une longueur d'avance...

Ce Vinyle est plus proche de l'art-core que du hardcore et pourtant... Quel bonheur ce sera de l'entendre sur du gros son !! mwhahahahah !!!

STRICKTLY LIMITED

Comprising Marco Simioni, Mattero Mazreku, and Francesco Pio Nitti, Qualia are a group of Italian producers who have never met in person. Due to the covid pandemic, they had to colaborate in the cloud, yet the results are impressively coherent.

Having previously released records on Detroit Underground and fellow Utrecht label 030303 between them, they arrive on U-Trax in April 2022 with their eponymous EP of four deep tracks taking influence from a range of genres, including acid-techno, ambient, noise, and beyond.

Leading the release, 'Perception' brings beautiful strings, funky 808 drums and acid tones for a deep and moving opener. The track clearly reveals the inspiration Qualia got for this release from the early Gescom releases. Stretched across the A2 is the ambient bliss of 'VV Cephei A', which brings Boards of Canada-esque drones and tones.
On the flip, the title track 'Qualia' brings a headsy dose of braindance to the mix, recalling the early experiments of Aphex Twin with merciless 303 squelches and distant reverberations. Closing track 'Until I Break Apart' leads with dark, moody strings before a pounding kick introduces a stark tempo shift before deep ambient atmospheres engulf the final minutes.

“Nice EP. Need a proper listen in a dark room with only the speakers and me ;)”
Minus Magnus — Mhost Likely

“Beautiful Ambient soundscapes!”
IDA — Ectotherm, Boiler Room Glasgow

“Excellent release from U-Trax. Perception and Until I break apart are my fav's.”
Drox — Nightimedrama, Crobot Muzik, Analog Cabin, Southern Outpost

“Interview & Premiere”
— Parkett Channel

“The best part is “VV Cephei A”, where a floral intro leads to colliding drone pulses.”
— Terminal 313

Raving hard techno killaz !!