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Rose City Band is celebrated guitarist Ripley Johnson. A prolific songwriter, Johnson started Rose City Band to have an outlet to explore songwriting styles apart from Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo, where he is often not the lead songwriter. Rose City Band allowed him to follow his musical muses as they greet him and not be bound by the schedule of bandmates and demands of a touring group. Stepping out from behind the psychedelic haze that envelops his other output, Rose City Band"s lean yet richly textured arrangements lay bare the beauty of his songcraft. On Earth Trip, Johnson reveals more of himself than ever before, coloring the project"s country-rock twang with a melancholic, wistful undertone. It charts a journey of personal growth and introspection with surprising honesty, from pining for summers spent with friends to meditations on space, stillness and the splendor of the natural world. It continues Rose City Band"s celebration of summer warmth and the great outdoors, seen from a new vantage point, and with newfound appreciation for the freedom and joy that nature provides. Earth Trip was written during a period of sudden shocks and drastic lifestyle changes for Johnson. Forced to cancel extensive touring plans for 2020, the guitarist found himself home for an extended period for the first time in years. No longer in constant motion, he was able to experience and enjoy the simple pleasures of home life, of being in one place: hikes in nature, bathing outside, and waking with the dawn. Forming new connections to his surroundings, from tending to a garden to sleeping out under the stars, Johnson found hope and healing in a more mindful relationship with the natural world. Themes of recalibration and finding personal space are equally mirrored in Earth Trip"s lean production. Recorded at his home studio in Portland and mixed by Cooper Crain (Bitchin" Bajas, Cave), Johnson makes deft use of space while experimenting with new sonics. Shimmering pedal steel, woozy harmonica melodies, and stately piano enhance the album"s introspective tone without ever clouding arrangements. Psychedelic elements that nod to Johnson"s other projects and influences still appear throughout, but hover at the edge of perception, a subtle halo adding colour and texture to Johnson"s songwriting rather than taking centrer-stage. He elaborates: "I told Cooper I was trying to capture that feeling when you take psychedelics and they just start coming on - maybe objects start buzzing in the edges of your vision, you start seeing slight trails, maybe the characteristics of sound change subtly. But you"re not fully tripping yet. He got the idea right away and his mix really captures that feeling." Johnson"s lithe guitar playing throughout treads a fine line between country and cosmic, taut melodies spiralling out into long reverb trails or free-form solos buoyed by a breeze, radiating summer warmth. Through its daring honesty and masteful arrangements, Earth Trip cements Johnson"s place as a singular songwriter of inimitable skill. It"s message of mindfulness and our interconnectedness to the environment expands on a long country and blues music tradition that draws a symbiotic relationship between storyteller and the land, capturing the beauty of the natural world while also emphasising our responsibility in preserving it for future generations

• Alive ‘N’ Kickin (Origin Unknown Remix)
In 1994, Andy C & Ant Miles as Origin Unknown revisited the fourth release by Red One on the newly founded Liftin Spirit Records, the sister label to Ram Records. Haunting intro pad stab lines fade away to the monumental massive impact Amen break drop that tore up dance floors worldwide. Once again featuring Val Kilmer’s vocal sample from the movie ‘The Doors’, this remix took the original to a whole new level.

• Rugged and Raw (Splash Remix)
Another cherished remix from the early years of Liftin Spirit, this time by ‘Splash’, creator of the anthemic ‘Babylon’. Time-stretched vocals lead up to another renowned Amen drop in similar ‘Babylon’ style unique to Splash. Another dance floor destroyer further cementing Liftin Spirit into recognition and respect now in parity with its sister label, Ram Records.

• Losing U (Mix 3)
A previously unreleased version found amongst the Ram & Liftin Spirit DAT tape masters. The original had only been available on a white label promo on RAM and highly sought after ever since. A special version for collectors that encapsulates the sound of 1992 Hardcore.

• Live Together
In 1992, Ant Miles had started his first label ‘Etheric Records’ which later morphed into Liftin Spirit a year later. ‘Live Together’ was originally the flip-side to ‘Its U’ that was the only release on the Etheric Records prototype. Hardcore beats and stabs pound away under the vocal “why can’t we live together”.

Bogotá’s UNIDAD IDEOLÓGICA sound is pure high intensity hardcore. The eight songs on their debut 12” clock in below 15 minutes and not a single second is wasted. Their sound is very bass and drum driven, full of breakneck, pummelling relentless beats which do not rest for a second, setting a claustrophobic atmosphere for the noise to grow. Feedback ladden guitars at times verge on BM, which brings RAW POWER, EXECUTE, GISM and DISARM to mind, creating the perfect background for a raging vocalist full of venom to sing about fear, control, technology, and the rampant neoliberalism destroying their land and literally killing as we speak. UNIDAD IDEOLÓGICA was conceived at Bogotá’s Rat Trap, then recorded at Epia Estudios by Santiago Gonzalez during Colombia’s strict lockdown and curfews earlier this year. Finally it was mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios.The design was undertaken by Darcy Cabrera with the photographic help of Isabel O’Toole.

Brian Destiny is a seeker. Brian Destiny is truth. Brian Destiny has nothing left to sacrifice. Having spent a decade anchoring the Fat White Family on keys - co-writing the bands most popular tunes/stopping Saul Adamczewski and Lias Saoudi from stabbing each other – Nathan Saoudi AKA Brain Destiny, is finally ready to step out from the shadows and launch his own personally curated assault on the culture.

Having recently recovered from a lengthy, serious gambling addiction Brian Destiny finally wearied of betraying his talent, himself and the rest of the world and began laying down the first of what would eventually grow into a collection of EPs and a forthcoming album, the first of which Brain’s Got Talent is out this January. An outsider artist spiritually incapable of groupthink, Brian Destiny is what happens when you take an obsession with Marvin Gaye, The Ramones, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and an unhealthy fixation on the life and trials of Napoleon Bonaparte and smash them together at the back of a Ladbrokes in Sheffield on a never-ending Tuesday afternoon.

Brian Destiny has no time for your doom mongering. He knows too well our only salvation at this point is dedication and asks one simple, timeless question…is it gonna be love?

Brian Destiny is a seeker. Brian Destiny is truth. Brian Destiny has nothing left to sacrifice. Having spent a decade anchoring the Fat White Family on keys - co-writing the bands most popular tunes/stopping Saul Adamczewski and Lias Saoudi from stabbing each other – Nathan Saoudi AKA Brain Destiny, is finally ready to step out from the shadows and launch his own personally curated assault on the culture.

Having recently recovered from a lengthy, serious gambling addiction Brian Destiny finally wearied of betraying his talent, himself and the rest of the world and began laying down the first of what would eventually grow into a collection of EPs and a forthcoming album, the first of which Brain’s Got Talent is out this January. An outsider artist spiritually incapable of groupthink, Brian Destiny is what happens when you take an obsession with Marvin Gaye, The Ramones, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and an unhealthy fixation on the life and trials of Napoleon Bonaparte and smash them together at the back of a Ladbrokes in Sheffield on a never-ending Tuesday afternoon.

Brian Destiny has no time for your doom mongering. He knows too well our only salvation at this point is dedication and asks one simple, timeless question…is it gonna be love?

Frances Castle is the illustrator/owner behind the Clay Pipe record label and The Hardy Tree is her on- going musical project. Common Grounds was started during the first 2020 lock down - when time moved very slowly and travel away from home became impossible.

The album was recorded at home by Frances, then mixed to tape with Ed Deegan at Gizzard Analogue Studios in East London. Ed plays drums on three of the tracks.

“Like many others with nowhere else to go, I walked the streets of my neighbourhood for exercise and well-being. I rambled like I might in the country side; stopping every now and then to take in the view, or notice something I’d missed before. I took to looking up local streets in historical newspapers, and read reports of mysteries and crimes that had happened here in the past. I researched the names of the people who had lived in my flat before me, viewed old census returns from the surrounding area, and noted the birth places and livelihoods of past residents. I began to see the ghosts of these people on my walks, and notice the things that they had left behind; shapes of ancient tram tracks creeping under the tarmac, an old gas street lamp in an alleyway, a tiny metal sign indicating a culverted river. I spent my evenings writing and recording the music on this LP, and then the following day would listen to the rough mixes as I walked, the music began to soundtrack the walks, and the walks began influencing the type of music I was creating.” - Frances Castle, 2022
1. A Garden Square in the Snow 2. The Spire of St Mary's 3. St Saviour's Through the Railings 4. Shop Fronts and Parked Cars 5. The New River Path, August 6. Railway Tracks 7. Mist on the Playing Fields 8. Face at the Window, Seaforth Crescent 9. Up on the Hill

Ibiza Global Radio is a global reference point for electronic music in the world. Born in Ibiza, for Ibiza and for the rest of the world. A unique sound in an unusual style and excellent “music selection criteria” make Ibiza Global Radio a staple in the genre, so much so that it has a loyal audience of more than 18 million unique monthly listeners worldwide.

Ibiza Global World, a virtual, physical and multimedia platform where radio, TV, events and social media allow the World to experience the White Island, its love and freedom, 12 months a year.

Thanks to this first LP, the label "IBIZA GLOBAL RECORS" is
born. This LP is designed in a unique and exclusive package with 6
tracks with a new electronic sound, created by 6 Great Artists for Clubbing, available for now only in physical format LP and the exclusive worldwide is controlled by "Self Distribuzione S.r.l."

From July 30-31, the project will be presented at the mega event IBIZA GLOBAL FESTIVAL which will be attended by Top DJs like “Luciano” or “Nic Fanciulli” or “Jose Maria Ramon” (Artistic Director of Ibiza Global Radio) and many other Top Djs from all over the World with an expected attendance of over 40 thousand people on one of the most beautiful beaches of Ibiza !!!! Stay tuned

Ibiza Global Radio is a global reference point for electronic music in the world. Born in Ibiza, for Ibiza and for the rest of the world. A unique sound in an unusual style and excellent “music selection criteria” make Ibiza Global Radio a staple in the genre, so much so that it has a loyal audience of more than 18 million unique monthly listeners worldwide.

Ibiza Global World, a virtual, physical and multimedia platform where radio, TV, events and social media allow the World to experience the White Island, its love and freedom, 12 months a year.

Thanks to this first LP, the label "IBIZA GLOBAL RECORS" is
born. This LP is designed in a unique and exclusive package with 6
tracks with a new electronic sound, created by 6 Great Artists for Clubbing, available for now only in physical format LP and the exclusive worldwide is controlled by "Self Distribuzione S.r.l."

From July 30-31, the project will be presented at the mega event IBIZA GLOBAL FESTIVAL which will be attended by Top DJs like “Luciano” or “Nic Fanciulli” or “Jose Maria Ramon” (Artistic Director of Ibiza Global Radio) and many other Top Djs from all over the World with an expected attendance of over 40 thousand people on one of the most beautiful beaches of Ibiza !!!! Stay tuned

In late 1961 Spector formed Philles Records with Lester Sill, buying his mentor out the
following year. The slogan was ‘Tomorrow’s sound today’, and Phil Spector proceeded to live
up to that boast. Three-track tape machines were then state of the art, and he perfected the
method of ‘bouncing’ the tracks to get the biggest possible sound. As time went by, his ‘twominute symphonies for the kids’ would be increasingly gilded by his ‘everything but the kitchen
sink’ production including Strings, Percussion and banks of Vocals. Spector gained his
second U.S. chart-topper and his first as a Producer in 1962 with the Gene Pitney penned,
He’s A Rebel. Spector became increasingly obsessed by the production process. ‘My records
are built like a Wagnerian opera. They start simply and end with dynamic force, meaning and
purpose. I dreamed it up.’ He retired from the music business, returning only sporadically to
work with first The Beatles (their Let It Be album, plus solo LPs by George Harrison and John
Lennon), plus a handful of other artists including Dion, Cher and the Ramones.

Black & white split colour vinyl 2LP + 7". ‘Hole In The Heart’ by Ramleh was originally released on cassette in 1987, three years after the power electronics/industrial band had split. Now expanded to a full album, but one
that sounds unlike anything Ramleh have done, mixing guitar noise, mournful keyboards and anguished vocals.

Debut release from David J (Bauhaus, Love And Rockets), Victor DeLorenzo (Violent Femmes) and multi-instrumentalist Darwin Meiners Recorded worldwide during the pandemic Available January 21, 2022 on CD and Digital with LP coming later in 2022 Iconic and foundational bands in the history of alternative music certainly include Bauhaus, Love And Rockets, and Violent Femmes. San Francisco born artist Darwin Meiners was a fan of all three. A chance meeting 13 years ago with David J (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets) grew into a friendship, and Darwin not only became a bandmate, but David J’s manager. After reaching out to Victor DeLorenzo through e-mail, Darwin met the Violent Femmes drummer after the Femmes’ Coachella set in 2013. Soon after the three collaborated on Darwin’s 2014 release Souvenir. As the pandemic took hold, Darwin was looking for a new project to occupy the lock-down time and approached Victor, who was keen to proceed and suggested that David join as well. The musical trust established between these three was immediate and Night Crickets were born. Within weeks a global process was initiated between them, the recordings eventually forming the album, A Free Society. To say this is something of a dream come true for music fans would be entirely accurate. (The band’s name came from one of many Zoom meetings between the three members. After addressing various pressing musical issues the conversation rambled somewhat and turned to the subject of David Lynch, with David J telling an anecdote which was told to him by Lynch’s sound designer, John Neff. Lynch had asked Neff to obtain a field recording of crickets chirping at night for inclusion in Mulholland Drive. When Neff played him the tape, the director immediately recognized the sound that the insects make when it is light which is apparently a little different to their nocturnal chirp. “No! No! No! These are day crickets, John! I want my night crickets!” Victor, Darwin, and David then shared a look of mutual realization and instantly agreed that the project now had a name!) In Night Crickets’ own words: Night Crickets, a long distance groove affair conducted during the drawn out days of lockdown and beyond.

The Grateful Dead’s first tour outside of North America was immortalized on Europe ’72, a triple live album that distilled peak moments from the 22 shows the band played in six countries for thousands of Europeans. A triumph critically and commercially when it was released in November 1972, today the double-platinum album is an integral part of the Dead’s live legacy and beloved by generations of fans. Appreciation for the extraordinary tour grew in 2011 when every show was released in the unprecedented, 73-CD boxed set, Europe ’72: The Complete Recordings.
Today is the 50th anniversary of the first show from the Dead’s European adventure. It took place on April 7, 1972, at Wembley Empire Pool in London. To mark the milestone, Rhino and Dead are announcing a series of upcoming releases and events connected to the celebrated tour.
A newly remastered version of the original Europe ’72 album will be available on July 29. EUROPE ’72 (50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION) arrives in 3-LP. All of the new 50th anniversary editions were mastered by Grammy® Award winning engineer David Glasser with newly restored audio by Plangent Processes.

Es war die erste Tour von The Grateful Dead ausßerhalb der USA, welche die Band bei 22 Shows durch 6 europäische Länder führte. Die dazugehörigen Aufnahmen nehmen bis heute einen zentralen Platz innerhalb der umfangreichen Live-Diskografie der Band ein und wird
von den Fans - Dead Heads - auf der ganzen Welt
gefeiert.

Die Aufnahmen wurden zum goldenen Jubiläum noch
einmal remastered und erscheinen am 29. Juli als 2CD &
3LP.

*Originally a Rough Trade Exclusive release to go with their end of year top ten charts.., we have made a further 300 pressing of this limited EP, that celebrates and indeed, accompanies one of 2021’s standout releases, Cassandra is in the UK in late August for GreenMan and the End of the Road.*

Cassandra Jenkins takes the opportunity to expand on a track from her An Overview On Phenomenal Nature LP and presents two side-long ambient pieces as an exclusive for Rough Trade. "The Ramble (Morning, May 2021)" and “The Ramble (Night, May 2021)” both prominently feature field recordings made in her native New York’s Central Park, and in the woods of upstate New York. Improvised piano, saxophone, and guitar interconnect and break apart over the sounds of birdsong, crickets, and a distant metropolis. There will be no further pressings of this.

Vinyl Version des aktuellen Albums der britischen Heavy-Metal-Band Toledo Steel! 'Heading for the Fire' ist der Nachfolger von 'No Quarter' aus dem Jahr 2018, einer Veröffentlichung, die begeisterte Kritiken einbrachte.

Live-Termine sind für Oktober gebucht, um das neue Album mit den Labelkollegen Seven Sisters zu unterstützen
Die Band tourte zuvor ausgiebig mit RAM und High Spirits und spielte auf mehreren Festivals, darunter HRH NWOBHM (UK), Brofest (UK), Trveheim (Norwegen), Metal Magic (Dänemark) und Power of the Night (Zypern).

Toledo Steel aus Southampton erobern seit 2011 die Bühnen in ganz GB und Europa mit ihrem eigenen Stil des von den 80ern beeinflussten High-Energy-Heavy Metals, und haben sich als eine der führenden Kräfte Großbritanniens in der New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal erwiesen.
Limited Red Vinyl!

THE HITMAN aka MARVELLOUS CAIN delivers his most sought after tracks on vinyl!

RETURN OF THE HITMAN collects together 16 of the most exclusive cuts from Marvellous Cain’s extensive back catalogue, all remastered and presented as a collectable vinyl box set package.

This album has been a long time coming, much of that time spent by Marvellous Cain digging through his studio to find original DAT recordings of his most in demand hits, in the process unearthing some exclusive, never before released gems!

This album kicks off with 2 versions of arguably his most notorious track Hitman, a certified jungle classic from 1994! For this compilation, Marvellous Cain has selected the version of Hitman previously only available on his debut Gun Talk LP back in 1995 (released on Suburban Base). He’s also treated us to the very long overdue, unreleased, DJ Stretch Dubplate VIP, originally produced in ’94, but never pressed to vinyl!

On the flip are two cuts from the infamous Lucky Spin imprint... Life Is Rollin & Miss Out. Both tracks were originally available as a very limited white label press, but never got a full release. This has been selling for £90 on reseller sites due to its scarcity.

Record 2 is again packed with rare music, with 3 of the 4 cuts being unreleased to date. The first track Will I See You? has traded hands for an incredible £500 on Discogs, we can see many buying Return Of The Hitman for this track alone!

Our 3rd slice of vinyl see’s Marvellous Cain teaming up for studio collaborations with original jungle don Bizzy B on Everyday Junglist, also with Libra for an unreleased alternative version of Nu Music discovered on the original session DAT from 1996.

The 4th and final slice of wax in this package introduces new remixes of a couple of classic tracks. CB4 has been reworked for 2022 by Marvellous Cain himself. Dubplate Style has a fresh ‘22 lick by D&B’s hardest working DJ Nicky Blackmarket alongside production partner FreezeUK who’s recently released on Ram Records sister label Prog:Ram!

We close out with two dubplate exclusives from 95 & 96 respectively, taken from Marvellous Cain’s personal arsenal of DJ ammunition, and now available for the first time to the record buying public.

In a natural departure from their intoxicating signature new-wave-jazz-funk sound, STR4TA present the double side 12” vinyl - “When You Call Me/Night Flight” available 8th July 2022.

‘When You Call Me’ is already available digitally and has received early support from Rampage (BBC 1Xtra) and Deb Grant (Jazz FM) plus NTS, MiSoul, Solar Radio, KCRW (US), KEXP (US), Concrete Islands, CRACK Magazine, Nu-Funk (Spotify) also achieved Jazz FM playlist since release in early April. In this latest offering, STR4TA unveil a refreshing neoteric layer reverberating with the essence of electro-street-soul in the UK.

STR4TA is the new wave jazz-funk project pioneered by Gilles Peterson and Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick. Long-time friends and collaborators, STR4TA sees them mine new musical possibilities inspired by a shared formative era. Their debut album ‘Aspects’ was released in March 2021 to a rapturous reception, in the first material that Maunick and Peterson have released together in over a decade. With standout tracks ‘We Like It’ achieving over 1 million streams on Spotify, ‘Rhythm In Your Mind’ exceeding 12 weeks on Jazz FM’s playlist, and a remix EP featuring Melé, Dave Lee, Greg Wilson, Dave Aju& more released at the end of 2021. Heavily supported by BBC 6Music, The Guardian, Wax Poetics, The Vinyl Factory, CLASH, Télérama (FR), Radio Nova (FR), Rolling Stones Italy & Japan.



STR4TA are in the studio working on their latest body of work tipped for release later in 2022, with selected live dates scheduled over the summer.

Legenden hat die Heavy-Metal-Welt so einige hervorgebracht. Aber keine ist wie Mat Sinner. So viel Überzeugung, Herzblut und Aufopferungsgabe, so viel puren Heavy-Metal-Geist, so viel Hingabe findet man normalerweise nicht gebündelt in einer einzelnen Person.
Seit 1982 frontet er die nach ihm benannte Band, mit der er sich jetzt triumphal in Form von »Brotherhood« zurückmeldet: ein massives Album, dessen Titel ebenso selbsterklärend ist wie die Mission seines Schöpfers. In Eigenregie produziert und von Jacob Hansen (u.a.
VOLBEAT) gemixt/gemastert, ist sie eine Platte, die die bandinterne Bruderschaft ebenso unter dem Herzen trägt wie die Bruderschaft der weltweiten Heavy-Metal-Gefolgschaft. "Wir gehören zusammen - und
dieses Album soll das zum Ausdruck bringen," so Sinner.

Ins Rampenlicht gerückt wird jene Gefolgschaft insbesondere auch durch die zahlreich auf dem Album vertretenen Gäste (s.u.). Mit Hooks, Riffs und präziser Härte revitalisiert Mat Sinner Tugenden, die er vor vier Jahrzehnten miterfand. Die auf »Brotherhood« vertretene
Wucht und Härte sowie die messerscharfen Riffs werden
selbstAngehörige des innersten SINNER-Fanzirkels aus
den Latschen kippen lassen.

Legenden hat die Heavy-Metal-Welt so einige hervorgebracht. Aber keine ist wie Mat Sinner. So viel Überzeugung, Herzblut und Aufopferungsgabe, so viel puren Heavy-Metal-Geist, so viel Hingabe findet man normalerweise nicht gebündelt in einer einzelnen Person.
Seit 1982 frontet er die nach ihm benannte Band, mit der er sich jetzt triumphal in Form von »Brotherhood« zurückmeldet: ein massives Album, dessen Titel ebenso selbsterklärend ist wie die Mission seines Schöpfers. In Eigenregie produziert und von Jacob Hansen (u.a.
VOLBEAT) gemixt/gemastert, ist sie eine Platte, die die bandinterne Bruderschaft ebenso unter dem Herzen trägt wie die Bruderschaft der weltweiten Heavy-Metal-Gefolgschaft. "Wir gehören zusammen - und
dieses Album soll das zum Ausdruck bringen," so Sinner.

Ins Rampenlicht gerückt wird jene Gefolgschaft insbesondere auch durch die zahlreich auf dem Album vertretenen Gäste (s.u.). Mit Hooks, Riffs und präziser Härte revitalisiert Mat Sinner Tugenden, die er vor vier Jahrzehnten miterfand. Die auf »Brotherhood« vertretene
Wucht und Härte sowie die messerscharfen Riffs werden
selbstAngehörige des innersten SINNER-Fanzirkels aus
den Latschen kippen lassen.

Legenden hat die Heavy-Metal-Welt so einige hervorgebracht. Aber keine ist wie Mat Sinner. So viel Überzeugung, Herzblut und Aufopferungsgabe, so viel puren Heavy-Metal-Geist, so viel Hingabe findet man normalerweise nicht gebündelt in einer einzelnen Person.
Seit 1982 frontet er die nach ihm benannte Band, mit der er sich jetzt triumphal in Form von »Brotherhood« zurückmeldet: ein massives Album, dessen Titel ebenso selbsterklärend ist wie die Mission seines Schöpfers. In Eigenregie produziert und von Jacob Hansen (u.a.
VOLBEAT) gemixt/gemastert, ist sie eine Platte, die die bandinterne Bruderschaft ebenso unter dem Herzen trägt wie die Bruderschaft der weltweiten Heavy-Metal-Gefolgschaft. "Wir gehören zusammen - und
dieses Album soll das zum Ausdruck bringen," so Sinner.

Ins Rampenlicht gerückt wird jene Gefolgschaft insbesondere auch durch die zahlreich auf dem Album vertretenen Gäste (s.u.). Mit Hooks, Riffs und präziser Härte revitalisiert Mat Sinner Tugenden, die er vor vier Jahrzehnten miterfand. Die auf »Brotherhood« vertretene
Wucht und Härte sowie die messerscharfen Riffs werden
selbstAngehörige des innersten SINNER-Fanzirkels aus
den Latschen kippen lassen.

Das ist auch kein Wunder. Das Debütalbum "...And The Earth Shall Crumble" der dänischen Band sorgte 1985 sowohl in der dänischen als auch in der internationalen Metalszene für Aufsehen. Und das in einem Jahr, in dem Accept's "Metal Heart", Megadeth's "Killing Is My Business...", Dio's "Sacred Heart", W.A.S.P.'s "The Last Command" und Iron Maiden's Live-Album "Live After Death" veröffentlicht wurden, ist eine ziemlich gewagte Aussage.

Andererseits war Mirage keine gewöhnliche Band. Ihre melodische Mischung aus Heavy Metal und Hard Rock machte ihre Songs zu absoluten Hard'n'Heavy-Hymnen, die wirklich gut gealtert sind, während "...And The Earth Shall Crumble" zu einem Juwel wurde, das in den folgenden Jahrzehnten sehr begehrt war.

Doch nun schreiben wir das Jahr 2022. Nach einer Pause von mehr als drei Jahrzehnten melden sich Mirage mit ihrem zweiten Album zurück. Moment mal... "Zweites Album"?

Sie haben richtig gehört. Das Album, das Mirage vor über dreißig Jahren hätten veröffentlichen sollen, ist endlich da! In den späten 80er Jahren musste die Band aufhören, weil die englische Plattenfirma ihre Tantiemen an ihre dänische Plattenfirma schickte, die das Geld einsteckte und Konkurs anmeldete! Trotz des Interesses des dänischen Labels Medley Records wurde das zweite Album nie veröffentlicht, obwohl alle Songs geschrieben waren.

Alles, was auf dem kommenden Mirage-Album zu hören ist, wurde also in den späten Achtzigern geschrieben. Auf der Rückseite des ersten Albums ("...And The Earth Shall Crumble", veröffentlicht im Jahr 85) stand geschrieben: "Achtet auf die Fortsetzung".
Nun gut, hier ist die Band wieder, zurück in dem sehr erkennbaren Mirage-Stil: Metal mit Melodie und guten Texten!

First Word Records is pleased to welcome back Souleance with a brand new single for Summer 2022!

'GUILI GUILI' is a double AA side 7" single, with an additional remix by Art Of Tones on the digital version.

French slang for "tickle", 'GUILI' is an epic disco-funk piece inspired by the likes of Azymuth, Herbie Hancock and Marcos Valle, but incorporated with Souleance's trademark sounds of fuzzy bass-heavy electronica, synths and samples, giving the track a fresh contemporary twist. Meanwhile, the (digital only) Art Of Tones mix ramps up the disco elements heavily, incorporating some vocals, strings and horn stabs to create some sure fire heat for the summertime. The flipside 'TORO' is a much more tweaked-out, synth-heavy bomb, influenced by artists such as Prince, Parliament and French electronic club music. All tracks mark the evolution of the duo into a full live band, whilst remaining true to their sonic mission of producing music crafted especially for the dancefloor.

The band have been performing live at various festivals and venues across Europe, with upcoming appearances scheduled at the Pura Vida Festival, Greece in August and Jazz à Vienne in July.

This two-track vinyl 7" / three-track digi-single is released on First Word Records, worldwide on May 27th 2022. Another essential one for your record bags.

Credits:

Bass guitar, synths and programming by Fulgeance.

Scratches and programming by Soulist.

Wurlitzer, Moog grandmother, ASM Hydra synth & Roland Juno 60 by Vincent Choquet.

Mastered by DJ VAS.

During the summer of 2020, SACRILEGA burst from the void with their debut EP, Rites of Macabre. Although a brand-new entity, the Californian power-trio features members currently aligned with Rites of Thy Degringolade, Impure Consecration, and Invocation War among others. As such, it was not surprising that that their Impious Death Metal worship was so powerful and punishing this early on. However, SACRILEGA are set to eclipse those not-inconsiderable expectations with their full-length debut, The Arcana Spear. Recorded at Ramona Studio with Charlie Koryn, SACRILEGA's debut album is a veritable firestorm of finessed fury - malice, malevolence, and mesmerizing visions writ large across throttling death metal songwriting both classic and contemporary. Driving that propulsion is underground drum-god Paulus Kressman, whose veritable eight octopus arms create a dizzying, dread-inducing landscape for his bandmates to slay with their razor-wire strings. Their songwriting always pushes forward with a near-bestial pulse that cannot be denied; still, attention is duly paid to detail within riffing and atmosphere alike, elevating The Arcane Spear beyond a mere exercise in ultraviolence. SACRILEGA thus locate that elusive balance between the cunningly precise and rabidly maximal, placing due emphasis on the songwriting itself and allowing the execution to tell the grandiose-yet-doomed tales it so requires. Featuring suitably stark-yet-grandiose artwork courtesy of Artem Grigoryev, SACRILEGA deliver one of death metal's most stunning debuts with The Arcana Spear. Embrace the grand tyranny!

For Fans Of: Green Day, The Lillingtons, The Queers, The Copyrights, Ramones, Lookout Records. Playing rare reunion shows in the USA and Europe! This is a limited pressing and will be gone in days! We'll be doing PR, taking out ads, and giving it the full Red Scare push! This record was originally released 15 years ago and we finally got off our ass to do the vinyl in time for some fun reunion shows. Here’s the album description from 2007… Chicago’s Methadones got our attention with their last proper album, Not Economically Viable, which came out on Thick Records in 2004. It was their breakthrough, and anyone who overlooked that LP missed out on the BEST pop punk record of 2004. We then hooked up to release a hilarious party album (21st Century Power Pop Riot) that featured The Methadones with a number of guest vocalists covering Cheap Trick, Costello, and more. Now it’s back to business, and the ‘Dones have a new batch of originals that pick up where they left off with the great Not Economically Viable. It’s called This Won’t Hurt… and they recorded it at the famed Atlas Studios in Chi-Town. The same guys that brought you stuff from The Lawrence Arms and Alkaline Trio have captured The Methadones in all their glory and have them sounding better than ever. Fronted by the venerable Dan Vapid, they have yet another album full of undeniable hits, and on top of all this, they have two tours booked in the near future…hide your beer and chicken wings!

Two years after his Debut EP Bloodline OTN 01, Umo returns to OpenTheNext with another 5 #neodancefloor killer tracks.

The sound of Umo is the result of almost two decades of studying frequencies, vibrations, sequences of movements, plants and ascetic substances, seeking to recover the Music & Dance´s sacred and transcendental vision to ascend and sustain higher states of consciousness.

His new EP is a slow motion rework of the Raves in the 90s´ original sounds & vibrations. Traveling to a time when the dancefloors were true places of healing , authentic liturgies where people danced in community for days with eyes closed – before the internet, smartphones and globalization would corrupt everything.

#slowravers is a sonic journey that encourages conscious breathing and movement, and allows you to empty, dilute and connect in perfect resonance with the void that binds everything together.

Group Theory: Black Music is a stunning new statement from South African drummer and composer Tumi Mogorosi who is one of the foremost drummers working anywhere in the world, with a flexible, powerful style that brings a distinctive South African inflection to the polyrhythmic tradition of Elvin Jones, Max Roach and Art Blakey.

First Ever LIVE Release! “Even 33 plus years later, it hasn’t lost any of its charm, intensity, or unvarnished power.” – American Songwriter “Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Dan Baird and lead man Rick Richards let the slippery riffs fly.” – Vintage Guitar Magazine “You can really hear the bar-band roots of this band listening to this show . . . There’s a real magic to the chemistry they all had as a group.” – Ultimate Classic Rock “. . . the live album sounds wonderful and captures their exciting show nicely.” – Goldmine “. . . offers fans a chance to travel back through time and experience a singular night of all-out rock and roll as only the Georgia Satellites could provide. The title of the album is absolutely accurate.” – Exclusive Magazine “. . . captures the the sweaty excitement and spontaneity . . . of that special night 33 years ago.” – The Music Universe In 1988, the Georgia Satellites rolled into Cleveland, Ohio for a blistering Monday night at local watering hole Peabody’s, formerly the punk haven Pirates Cove. With Open All Night giving the band a second album to draw on, their salty, wide-open Chuck Berry riff’n’roll was full swagger – whether drawing on their reprise of the Swinging Blue Jeans’ “Hippy Hippy Shake” from the Tom Cruise film “Cocktail,”Joe South’s swerving “Games People Play,” George Jones’ “White Lightnin’”or Jerry Lee Lewis’ all-out “Whole Lotta Shakin’.” Just as importantly, gap-toothed guitarist/lead singer Dan Baird and combustive lead guitarist Rick Richards set the pummeling groove of drummer Mauro Magellan and bassist Rick Price ablaze. Delivering an 18-song masterclass in roots, rock and raunch, the Satellites not only incinerated “Battleship Chains,” “Railroad Steel” and “Can’t Stand The Pain,” they led the beyond SRO crowd through a shout-along of “Keep Your Hands To Yourself” threaded with a brazen stripper grind on the Rolling Stones’ “It’s Only Rock & Roll.” Fans of reverb, thrashing drums, the rush of rock & roll momentum and all manners of electric guitars giving it over to basic 3 chord rock & roll, Lightin’ in a Bottle retires the jersey. As the southern equivalent of the Replacements, the Ramones hillbilly (redneck) little brothers, no band delivered as much balls as the Satellites, who’ve never had an official live record. For a band who leaves it all onstage, that seems wrong. Leave it to Cleveland International to unearth this blistering recording, wipe off the sweat and somehow figure out how to get it all in one double disc package captured in the Rock & Roll Capital of the World. -Holly Gleason

First Ever LIVE Release! “Even 33 plus years later, it hasn’t lost any of its charm, intensity, or unvarnished power.” – American Songwriter “Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Dan Baird and lead man Rick Richards let the slippery riffs fly.” – Vintage Guitar Magazine “You can really hear the bar-band roots of this band listening to this show . . . There’s a real magic to the chemistry they all had as a group.” – Ultimate Classic Rock “. . . the live album sounds wonderful and captures their exciting show nicely.” – Goldmine “. . . offers fans a chance to travel back through time and experience a singular night of all-out rock and roll as only the Georgia Satellites could provide. The title of the album is absolutely accurate.” – Exclusive Magazine “. . . captures the the sweaty excitement and spontaneity . . . of that special night 33 years ago.” – The Music Universe In 1988, the Georgia Satellites rolled into Cleveland, Ohio for a blistering Monday night at local watering hole Peabody’s, formerly the punk haven Pirates Cove. With Open All Night giving the band a second album to draw on, their salty, wide-open Chuck Berry riff’n’roll was full swagger – whether drawing on their reprise of the Swinging Blue Jeans’ “Hippy Hippy Shake” from the Tom Cruise film “Cocktail,”Joe South’s swerving “Games People Play,” George Jones’ “White Lightnin’”or Jerry Lee Lewis’ all-out “Whole Lotta Shakin’.” Just as importantly, gap-toothed guitarist/lead singer Dan Baird and combustive lead guitarist Rick Richards set the pummeling groove of drummer Mauro Magellan and bassist Rick Price ablaze. Delivering an 18-song masterclass in roots, rock and raunch, the Satellites not only incinerated “Battleship Chains,” “Railroad Steel” and “Can’t Stand The Pain,” they led the beyond SRO crowd through a shout-along of “Keep Your Hands To Yourself” threaded with a brazen stripper grind on the Rolling Stones’ “It’s Only Rock & Roll.” Fans of reverb, thrashing drums, the rush of rock & roll momentum and all manners of electric guitars giving it over to basic 3 chord rock & roll, Lightin’ in a Bottle retires the jersey. As the southern equivalent of the Replacements, the Ramones hillbilly (redneck) little brothers, no band delivered as much balls as the Satellites, who’ve never had an official live record. For a band who leaves it all onstage, that seems wrong. Leave it to Cleveland International to unearth this blistering recording, wipe off the sweat and somehow figure out how to get it all in one double disc package captured in the Rock & Roll Capital of the World. -Holly Gleason

Third pressing on transparent pink vinyl. At the 2018 edition of Roadburn Festival - a congregation of all things obscure, heavy and experimental in Tilburg, the Netherlands - two generations of Japanese Krautrock genius took to the stage for a live collaboration that was just as hypnotic as it was inevitable. The artists in question were Tokyo's Minami Deutsch and the legendary ex-Can frontman Damo Suzuki. With Minami Deutsch's heady metronomic jams providing the backdrop on which Suzuki was left free to deliver his distinct improvised vocals, the Live At Roadburn LP is challenging, raw and, at times, totally alien. Divided into three parts, from start to finish the LP is consumed by an unrelenting motorik rhythm section that never lets loose for a second. At the flick of a switch, intricate guitars veer from hypnotic and meditative to skewed psychedelic freak-outs drenched in fuzz. Where Minami Deutsch's playing is sharp and meticulous, Suzuki's stream-of-consciousness ramblings steer the music into whatever direction he sees fit. The result is equal parts disorientating, sporadic and totally all-consuming - the only thing keeping you grounded being that distorted and seemingly-endless 4/4 drive. Repetition. Minimalism. Improvisation. Transcendence. That was the ideology of seminal Krautrock pioneers Can, whose 1970-1973 work with Damo Suzuki at the helm unleashed something in music that would change it forever. Some 45 years since Can's final record with Suzuki - the inimitable Future Days - and the spirit of that era still lives on. Not least because ever since then Suzuki has embarked on an endless one-man tour, traveling around the world and taking to the stage backed by countless different bands. Crossing paths at Roadburn, Suzuki's ensuing performance with Tokyo via Berlin-based group Minami Deutsch is now available to relive on wax.

Repress back in soon, now on black vinyl. Genre: Rock-Alternative; Dreampop, Indiepop, Lo-fi. RIYL: Jesus and Mary Chain, Galaxie 500, Belle and Sebastian, Sarah Records.

The purest a band can aim for is to present their milieu as a time capsule from the morning of. April Magazine deals deep in the hypnagogic charm of their surroundings. Since the 2018 release of “Shirley Don’t” a sneaky classic that first turned ears outside their SF Bay Area home the band has stirred out a handful of cryptic indie pop recordings nestled in warm aerosol hiss and scrappy hand-drawn cover art. Music that glints in the far back of an urban daydream where guitars could be bells, bells could be voices, and voices hardly find use in words. If The Ceiling Were A Kite is a document of things losing definition and time gone slack. The songs on If The Ceiling Were A Kite were recorded over a span of about two years, after Peter, Mike and Kati started playing together around a four track cassette player in Peter’s bedroom. Other kindred spirits like Julia Waves, Ian Collins, Anthony Comstock OBC, Zach Vito, and eventually David Diaz joined in on some of the recordings and live shows adding to the collective ‘whatever works’ ethos of April Magazine. April Magazine is Peter Hurley, Katiana Mashikian, Mike Ramos, David Diaz.

White Vinyl

Remastered reissue of Het Zweet's 1987 self-titled LP + a bonus LP, consisting of previously unreleased material.

Marien Van Oers work under the name Het Zweet (“The Sweat” in English) originally came out in the 1980s (specifically 1983-1988), but listening to the new reissue of this self-titled album from 1987 can feel like one is listening to something that’s both much more current and also much, much older than that. Van Oers, who passed away in 2013, made music that tended to get classed as “industrial”, and tracks here like the steady, clanging churn of “From the Lowland” or “On Earth” show why, but he was as or more inspired by tribal music intended to produce trance-like effects via rhythm and (percussive and vocal) repetition. Using instruments made by himself out of anything from shopping carts to cardboard tubes, the music of Het Zweet locks into grooves that somehow feel more elemental and physical than many of his contemporaries. It never quite feels like Van Oers is emulating or echoing the music of any particular region or tradition so much as trying to synthesize all the ones he’s heard into some sort of ur-pulse, an overtone so powerful as to compel the “Massive Trance” the title of the last song on the record evokes.

While the 1987 Het Zweet has four track titles per side, and on listening you can discern some segues and places where it feels like new movements do shift into place, it’s fitting to have this record on vinyl where the listener is encouraged to experience each side as one uninterrupted piece. The bonus material included on this reissue expands Het Zweet from one LP to two, the second LP consisting entirely of previously unreleased material. This bonus LP is sequenced similarly, with three untitled tracks and two live excerpts presented as side-long experiences that belie their disparate origins with a unity of sound and purpose. Van Oers’ percussive nous and distantly yelled chants certainly sound capable of working up a sweat in both the performer and any movement- minded listeners, but maybe the most striking thing about Het Zweet is how vital it still sounds, despite its age and relative obscurity.

While Sass Jordan is celebrated as a multi-platinum selling premiere rock
singer, her 2020 album, Rebel Moon Blues, demonstrated that she sings
the blues with as much power and authenticity as she personified in the
rock world
Following up on the rave reviews garnered by Rebel Moon Blues, Sass continues
to mine her talent as a blues singer with 8 new tracks on Bitches Blues, on Stony
Plain Records.Reflecting on the impact the past two years has had on us all, Sass
has recorded songs that examine the visceral emotional territory of a pandemic,
and the multiple conflicts that the world is reeling from in the aftermath. "Still
Alive and Well' is Sass's triumphant take on a Rick Derringer song that leads off
the album. Her original song, "Still The World Goes Round" marks the mid-point
with a look at power structures, both within and without, while another new
creation" Change Is Coming" ends the collection with a trance- like chant that
offers an uplifting perspective.
As we have come to expect from Sass, the album features fierce guitar licks,
driving tempo's, the raw and soulful Sass Jordan rasp, and a glorious assortment
of rambling road dogs, known as the Champagne Hookers. This particular
collection of Hookers includes longtime associates and rebel rouser guitarists
Chris Caddell and Jimmy Reid, drummer Cass Pereira, keyboardist Jesse O'Brien
and the magnificent Mr. Steve Marriner on bass and harmonica.
Netherlands tour in June 2022.

Cosmic jazz from the Canary Islands. After a few years in London, where he worked with Archie Shepp and recorded a sought-after album for the famed library music label De Wolfe, Argentinian pianist Luis Vecchio settled in the island of Gran Canaria following advice from a superior entity from outer space. Vecchio subsequently opened the first jazz school in the Canary Islands, effectively planting the seeds of jazz in the archipelago.


In Contactos, recorded in 1978 in the Mayra studio owned by Ramiro González, Vecchio gives a free jazz account (with a dash of funky jazz rock) of his contacts with Adionesis, who delivers his ominous message upon the human race on side B of the album. Fellow Argentinean Fernando Bermúdez on percussion and Japanese bass player Yoichi Yahiro complete the line-up of Contactos.

Animal Records – founded by Chris Stein of Blondie fame – only ever released one album in its brief early-80s history, but what an album that was. Wild Style remains the most seminal soundtrack in hip-hop history, a snapshot of the scene as it evolved from the streets to the recording studio. But it’s not just a vital document, it’s also a damn good listen.

The line-up is a who’s who of those who stood out from hip-hop’s nascent block party days. The Double Trouble pairing of Rodney Cee and KK Rockwell, The Chief Rocker himself, Busy Bee, the mighty line-ups of both The Cold Crush Brothers and The Fantastic Freaks. The music captures the free-form, roaming nature of the film – it’s rough at the edges, it’s occasionally amateurish, but it’s completely, utterly glorious.

The original Animal tracklisting, of which this is a reissue, is full of recurring sounds and motifs, all of them co-produced by Chris Stein and Fab Five Freddy, stepping away from breakbeats to produce a sound that reminds you of them, while being totally unique. The epic drums are courtesy of Lenny ‘Ferrari’ Ferraro, a Vietnam vet and punk drummer whose career spanned stints backing Aretha Franklin and Lou Reed.

Over time, those sounds – the Charlie Chase and Grand Wizard Theodore scratches, the indelible lyrics - have become hip-hop touchstones, endlessly sampled and referenced, the bedrock of so much music to follow. That’s because the soundtrack perfectly encapsulated the essence of the film, the scene and hip-hop’s emergence from The Bronx to the attention of the wider world. Presented in this reissue with the original artwork, it remains the blueprint.

Ramrock Records are hugely excited to announce the forthcoming release of Ghetto Priest’s ‘Big People Music’ LP, the long awaited follow up to his 2017 album, ‘Every Man For Every Man’. The idea for this LP was originally floated in 2018 and was intended to be a 6 track EP called ‘Songs for my father’. However, once Ghetto Priest got in the studio, the idea expanded as he went the extra mile adding his personal favourites, conjured up from childhood memories of his father’s tunes being played on the family radiogram with additions from his youthful excursions. A magical mixture of tracks associated with the greats – Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Slim Smith, Ken Boothe, Aaron Neville – ‘Big People Music’ can lay claim to being the 21st century’s equivalent of John Holt’s ‘1,000 Volts of Holt’ – an absolute essential on every Blaupunkt radiogram on a Sunday and a blues party staple.

The combination of standards and righteous releases were mixed down by the Bishop of Dub, Adrian Sherwood who blessed the project with the title ‘Big People Music’, a powerful acknowledgement to those tunes which filled many a Caribbean household with immeasurable sentiments that echoed down through subsequent generations.

Please be upstanding for Ghetto Priest and ‘Big People Music’.
'In memory of the Right Honourable Arthur Beresford Townsend - My Father'

Helmed by Dave Watts aka D.WattsRiot (Fun-da-mental), the debut KingL Man album, ‘Headonix’ is beat-laden shout out in response to the perpetual state of war we seem to find ourselves at. Outrage and disgust, love and hate, history and presence.

Contributions come from four continents.

Fresh on the scene is Senegalese vocalist Sidi I.B., who arrived on Canarian shores with two hundred other compatriots, cold, wet and hungry after seven days at sea with nothing but his future in his hands.

Temporarily housed at the infamous migrant holding centre in Las Raíces, Tenerife, the studio environment provided an avenue of relief from the inadequate conditions at the overcrowded camp.

Also from Senegal, living in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is rapper Ibrahima El Latigazo who delivers his lyrics in French, Wolof, Spanish, English & Sérère. Rounding up the Senegalese contingent is Mame Samba, a group that hold the spirits close when performing. Their contribution is from recording sessions they had with François R. Cambuzat & Gianna Greco (Putan Club / Ifriqiyya Electrique).

Kiki Hitomi (Waq Waq Kingdom/King Midas Sound) returns to the fold, exhaling positivity with Canarian multi-instrumentalist Javier Afonso (Grenouille). The Canarian faction also includes violinist Mónica Viñoly, Dani Garcia (Lagoss/Tupperwear) and Vakawuare. Further guests include percussionist Miroca Paris (Cesária Évora/Madonna); Hamid Mantu (TransGlobal Underground);
Ramjac (Dub Colossus), drums and percussion respectively.

Otis Spann is widely recognised as one of the greatest blues pianists of all time. Although Spann made a name for himself in Chicago by the mid 1940s, it wasn't until 1960 that he got the opportunity to record an album of his own. Otis Spann Is The Blues is not only the first solo album ever recorded by Otis Spann, it is also the first album ever recorded for the fledgling New York City based Candid Records label. Stripped down to just the two musicians this magnificent set showcases Spann's voice and piano.

LIMITED EDITION CLEAR VINYL