quête:re lay
Death Is Not The End's 333 sub-label follows the reissue of Devon Russell's Darker Than Blue LP late last year with a first-time reissue of a veritable reggae-dancehall holy grail - Robert Ffrench's 1985 LP 'Wondering'.
Pioneering artist and producer (and cousin of the late, great Pat Kelly) Robert Ffrench was born in central Kingston in 1962, recording his first records in 1979 at the age of 17. Coming out off the back of a slew of roots & early dancehall-style 45s cut with a wide range of producers thoughout the early '80s, the Wondering LP followed closely after two acclaimed LP sets ('Showcase' produced with Lord Koos & 'The Favourite' for Ossie Thomas' Black Solidarity label - plus a split showcase LP with Anthony "Gunshot" Johnson for Jah Thomas' Midnight Rock label).
Ffrench would write and produce the Wondering LP himself in it's entirity, laying down the tracks at Herman Chin-Loy's Aquarius & Michael Carroll's Creative Sounds studios with the help of engineer Christopher Daley. Representing the sound of an artist first confidently sriking out on his own, the album elegantly mixes a classic rub-a-dub & lovers rock-inspired sound with nascent digi-esque flourishes. It boasts an enviable list of contributors too, incl. Sly & Robbie, Dwight Pinkney, Robbie Lyn, Nelson Miller (Burning Spear) and Ronald "Nambo" Robinson among others, with Beres Hammond also providing backing vocals in places.
Following the release of Wondering, Ffrench would continue to write and produce, soon after releasing two further self-produced LPs for Edgar White's Parish label - and founded his own 'France' label in the late 80s, through which his productions would start to hit big, most notably alongside Courtney Melody on 'Modern Girl', and with US rapper Heavy D on the track 'More Love'. Robert's productions released through later label 'Ffrench' would go on to boast the cream of the crop of dancehall artists throughout the 90s and early 2000s, and he is often credited with discovering Buju Banton (producing his first single "Ruler" on the Stamina riddim). Ffrench is still actively producing music of his own to this day, having released singles 'Everyday of My Life' and 'Black Is a Colour' in late 2022 and Feb 2023 respectively, available through all digital platforms now.
333, under exclusive license from Robert Ffrench.
- A1: Study #1
- A2: Carlisle, 15Th May, 2020
- A3: Music Box Music 1
- A4: Music Box Music 2
- A5: Music Box Music 3
- A6: Music Box Music 4
- A7: Vint
- A8: Two Canons: 1
- A9: Two Canons: 2
- A10: Galileo 1
- A11: Galileo 2
- A12: 27 Crosses
- A13: Mandala
- A14: Plotzlich Im Nebel
- A15: Odd, Even
- A16: Molten Fair View
- A17: Betterment Key
- A18: Fenced On
- A19: The Eclipse Before
- A20: 30 Strips
- A21: Ruhezeiten
Blickwinkel welcomes Joseph Kudirka to its label with the release of his new album »Music Box Music«. As the title suggests, the album is entirely made with music boxes and is based on compositions which were sent to him by friends. Over the course of the several lockdowns, Kudirka carefully translated these compositions (read: punched holes) into suitable sheets for the instrument. Given the sole use of these music boxes, it’s not a surprise that the overall sound of the album has a fragile and tactile touch. However, the nature of the compositions add a modern substantial layer resulting in a surprising and refreshing take on this instrument.
- A1: Last Supper
- A2: Road To Perdition
- A3: Kites
- A4: Can't Complain (Feat. Simone Pash)
- A5: Shampain (Feat. Jadakiss, Raekwon & Mike Classic)
- B1: Russian (Feat. Mvp)
- B2: Sincerely Yours
- B3: Can't Have (Feat. Jade)
- B4: Lies (Feat. Simone Pash)
- C1: Bad Karma
- C2: Demise (Feat. Freddie Gibbs)
- C3: How You Want It (Feat. Chris Echols)
- C4: Make A Deal (Feat. Joe Budden)
- C5: Childhood
- D1: Born Free
- D2: Major Star
- D3: Fallin D4 Man Alone
After almost a decade, Ransom's Pain & Glory album is finally being released on vinyl. This 2014 project is considered by many to be Duffle's best LP of the 2010s. The LP includes features from Jadakiss, Raekwon, Freddie Gibbs, Joe Budden, Simone Pash, Mike Classic, MVP, Jade, and Chris Echols, and production from 8 Bars, Dark Night, MVP, and TheRealRaw. Album art & layout by Jordan Commandeur
For Erika's second album "Anevite Void", she explores her live process as it permeates everything she does, including documenting the process of life in the elaborate sci fi mythology she created. Erika began performing live in Ectomorph in 1997 when she was gifted a TR-606 by BMG and asked to join the group. This grew to her building her own studio, performing solo as Erika, collaborating with people like Jay Ahern and Noncompliant, and performing as a member of Circle of Live. Her depth of thought and clarity of vision has led to her mentoring people on live performance through the In Bloom platform, where she has made a large impact on many up and coming musicians. "Anevite Void", Erika's new album, finds her organically writing songs for her live shows, allowing them to take shape through performance, and later recording them in the studio, making this the first album she has entirely written and produced on her own. Mixed by long time collaborator BMG, she finds this record as the launching point for a new process for her. Conceptually, this album was inspired by "the irregular life cycles created by three suns circling over a planetary organism that presents two major biomes: rocky crystalline desert, and deep layered forest, each of which exists above and/or below ground, depending on what phase the suns are in." From this realm the album took shape. She also chronicled this concept in drawings but found this painting by Detroit puckish punk legend Nai Sammon perfectly visually explained the concept, and chose it for the cover. She describes "each track is about an organic process that occurs: acts of survival of the biomes, or what happens between them and the multitude of other beings that they host." Erika is currently splitting her time between being based in Berlin and Detroit, is part of the triumvirate that runs Interdimensional Transmissions (BMG, Erika and Amber) that are releasing this record and produce legendary events such as No Way Back, Samhain and Return to the Source. She performs live and DJs and collaborates and oozes sonic truth in its many forms. Visit the "Anevite Void" in early 2023.
Manchester based DJ/producer Antagonist cues up a collection of dense and uncompromising electronic tracks on his R&S Records debut. The ‘Rites’ EP pulls together 5 new tracks that lean on the artist’s drum ‘n’ bass roots and influences, a sound that has informed his DJ sets and studio productions since he launched the project in 2004.
Channelling his productions towards the more cinematic and darker side of drum ‘n’ bass and broken beats, Antagonist has released a strong run of EPs for labels such as Samurai Music, Ronin Ordinance, One.Seventy and his own Discipline imprint, stamping his hybrid sound across these well received releases.
Layers upon layers of shadowy ambience and wistful tones are punctured by hard edged beat-science, as Antagonist goes in deep on the complex breakbeats, chopping back and forth knifelike loops and dynamic kicks. A highly accomplished debut for the R&S label from this sonically exciting young producer.
‘Rites’ EP by Antagonist is available on R&S Records from 17th March 2023
Dynamite Cut’s little sister, SKYLINE recordings, the UK’s home of funky beats has only gone and done it again with the one and only Mike Bandoni.
Most notably known as the main man behind UK Funk heavyweights, Funkshone, this sees Mike Bandoni making a welcome return to his solo work for this new 45 on Skyline Recordings. ‘I Thought Of You’ is a delightful slice of Funky Soul/Jazz that sees Mike playing everything! A superb drum sound with layers of Rhodes, live Bass, Clav, Percussion and Organ, the cut is so soulful it hurts. A prefect balance of rhythm and melody and all that we’ve come to expect of Mr Bandoni. The flip features a sparser but funkier tune ‘Matrices’. Elements reminiscent of Money Mark, the Meters and Bob James combine to form a cracking three and half minutes of bliss. Again, a killer drum sound and instrumentation to match. One thing is clear. The new Mike Bandoni sound is here to stay and we here at Skyline Recordings dig it!
- A1: L'assoluto Naturale
- A2: Sempre Più Verità
- A3: E Facile
- A4: Calde Occhiate
- A5: Studio Di Colori
- A6: Il Profumo Della Tua Pelle
- A7: Laboriosamente
- A8: Sembravi Desiderare
- B1: Amare Assolutamente
- B2: È La Solita Storia
- B3: Imparare A Conoscere
- B4: L'estate È Vicina
- B5: Assalito Dalle Rondini
- B6: Il Profumo Della Tua Pelle (Ballata Per Organo)
Gui La Testa[41,13 €]
For a few dollars more[41,13 €]
Il Mio Nome à Nessuno[41,13 €]
Gamma[41,13 €]
Cosi' come sei[41,13 €]
Green Vinyl[33,57 €]
"L'assoluto naturale" is a 1969 film based on the eponymous novel by
Goffredo Parise and directed by Mauro Bolognini
Many of his films have been scored by Ennio Morricone. The two leading actors are Sylva Koscina and Laurence Harvey.
The film is a bourgeois sentimental drama which was very popular in that era - lead by the well known theme "Metti, una sera a cena"; it's a soundtrack that blends classical, jazz, pop and lounge music in various reworkings of the main theme, a typical Morriconne trademark..
Among the orchestrations directed by
Bruno Nicolai, the track "Assalito dalle rondini" stands out, an abstract composition for strings characterized by tension-laden dissonances and dramatic orchestrations.
Originally released in 1969 and reissued in a few subsequent editions, the soundtrack of "L'assoluto naturale" has not been on vinyl for 40 years. This new release with remastered audio and a new sleeve layout delivers this excellent soundtrack in a classy layout.
180gr. solid pink vinyl edition.
First time reissue of a legendary and undeservedly obscure salsa collector’s album from 1969. Led by rebel accordionist Alfredo Gutiérrez and featuring singer Lucho Pérez of Sonora Dinamita fame, “Así es… Con salsa!” is just that: raw, heavy duty NYC salsa performed through a Colombian “Costeño” tropical filter, with trombone, accordion and deep bass. Contains three hot bonus tracks in the same style and insert with liner notes. “¡Así es… Con salsa!”, by Colombia’s Alfredo Gutiérrez y Los Caporales del Magdalena, is a legendary collector’s album, yet still undeservedly obscure (and perhaps sonically surprising) for the uninitiated. It’s an experimental mash-up of seemingly disparate genres from different origins that on paper would seem to be at cross purposes. Yet at the same time the release is a masterpiece of raw pan-Latin fusion from the dawn of Colombian salsa that holds its own as a bonafide heavy duty pioneering record of the genre, despite its outsider status. Probably the most shocking musical element is Alfredo Gutiérrez’s fiery accordion, an unexpected instrument in the idiom of salsa, as it’s usually associated with the tropical music of Gutiérrez’s Caribbean home region of Sucre. Gutiérrez has always been a provocateur, never shying away from the controversial or outlandish, which has earned him the richly deserved sobriquet, “El Rebelde Del Acordeón” (The Rebel of The Accordion). Gutiérrez started Los Caporales in 1968 as a rival to Discos Fuentes supergroup Los Corraleros de Majagual, and the band had made three popular albums prior to “¡Así es… Con salsa!”, yet most of the repertoire on those records consisted of typical Colombian tropical and coastal rhythms and genres, none were purposely devoted to the newly minted genre of salsa. From the start, Gutiérrez lays down a salsa manifesto when the album kicks off with ‘Guadelupe no va’, a four-minute workout with pile-driving force that demonstrates the uncompromising power of this 14 piece orchestra. The listener is instantly hooked by the rawness of the sound, the bouncy energy, heavy brass and piano arrangements and the looseness of the improvisational sections. Gutiérrez was given the green light by Codiscos A&R head Humberto Moreno to dedicate an album to New York style salsa, giving more prominence to the voice and compositions of Lucho Pérez, an already proven expert in Cuban genres who previously had been only one among many vocalists in the band. Several tunes on the record are remakes of older compositions by Lucho Pérez from his early tenure with Discos Fuentes group La Sonora Dinamita, the new versions are much more raw and menacing, as if put through a Bronx filter. The band was made up of Codiscos’ regular stable of ace studio musicians from Medellín for the recording date. The album was both a success and also not abnormal in its mixing of salsa and costeño Colombian sounds, as there were several other similar hybrid records by other artists at the time. Both the desperation of the lyrics (about not being able to afford anything) and Lucho Pérez’ forceful delivery leave an indelible impression of street wise authenticity, which is backed up by the fact that both band members grew up poor
"Ela", Dom La Nena's first album, was released in 2013. Co-produced with the complicity of Piers Faccini, the album received the highest praise from the international press (New York Times, NPR, Les Inrocks, Wall Street Journal, etc). On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of its release, here is a reissue of the record, now available on vinyl.
Dom La Nena is a Brazilian singer, cellist, songwriter and producer based in Paris. Having accompanied artists such as Jane Birkin, Jeanne Moreau, Etienne Daho and collaborated with the likes of Marcelo Camelo, Julieta Venegas and Piers Faccini, Dom's solo work has drawn comparisons as disparate as “a young Brian Wilson” (Wall Street Journal), “a bossa Joanna Newsom” (Time Out New York) and “Cat Power’s lost sister” (Pop Dose).
Dom sings in Portuguese, Spanish, French and English. Her lyrics touch upon feelings of longing, melancholy, and nostalgia of a childhood spent living in Brazil, Argentina and France. Performing in a solo capacity alone on stage with her cello, ukulele, electric guitar, keyboard and percussions, Dom employs sophisticated looping techniques, layering vocals and instrumental tracks, building audio soundscapes that create a full band atmosphere in each venue.
Dom’s debut solo album, “Ela”, was released during 2013 and immediately praised by the international music press including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Le Figaro, Les Inrockuptibles, Voir, O Globo and many other media outlets. Dom's second album “Soyo”, an internationally flavored collection of indie-folk songs with wandering melodies and lightly layered vocals, was released in 2015 and co-produced with Brazilian musician Marcelo Camelo (Los Hermanos).
Dom's third full length album, titled "Tempo", was self produced and mixed by Noah Georgeson (Devendra Banhart, The Strokes, Rodrigo Amarante) and is scheduled for a spring 2019 worldwide release.
Marroon coloured vinyl.
1st pressing on Maroon coloured vinyl. Manzanita is the common name for a kind of small evergreen tree endemic to California which has strong medicinal properties. It's also the name of the brand new full length by visual artist, writer, songwriter, and musician Shana Cleveland. Subtle, powerful, and unafraid. We can't actually tell you how much we love this record because you'd never believe us, so we'll just say that it is her strongest and most personal album to date. These songs are as strong as the bricks in the Brill building, and seem destined to be covered by others in years to come. Where her previous record, 2019's Night of the Worm Moon (Hardly Art) functions as a collection of speculative fictions equally inspired by Afro-futurist pioneers Herman "Sun Ra" Blount and Octavia Butler, Manzanita concerns the love that loves to love. "This is a supernatural love album set in the California wilderness," Cleveland explains. The combinations of words and song structure are so strong throughout that one hardly notices Cleveland's nimble fingerpicking on first listen, or how much is packed into the arrangements. The lyrics are satisfyingly direct, with the buoyantly whimsical descriptions typical of the 1960s New York School of poetry. It's peppered with the kind of unexpected turns that make the words more modern, and in their spookiness they are more West Coast, as in "Mystic Mine," with its "Mystic Mine Lane, cars rotting away/ I feel so relieved to be/ Back in the country." So much of the pop music we love is propelled by those first blushes of infatuation and lust, but Manzanita concerns the kind of love that one can only experience with time, work, and devotion. Cleveland says: "The songs were all written while I was pregnant (side A) or shortly after my son's birth in that weird everything-has-quietly-but-monumentally-shifted state (side B)," she says. Moving to the country, starting a family, laughing for real at the same joke the thirteenth time you've heard it, surviving heavy shit (this is the first release since Cleveland's successful treatment for a diagnosis of breast cancer at the start of 2022). This is a love album that's somehow populated with the insect world, ghosts, and evil spirits. Sonically, Manzanita sits in a meadow similar to her previous solo records, set back and away from the genre-recombinant garage pop of her band La Luz. This is part due to the fact that there's a different sonic palette in use here. While Cleveland continues to play guitar and vocals; Johnny Goss, who has recorded all of Shana's solo material and early La Luz recordings, and Abbey Blackwell (Alvvays, La Luz) play the bass; Olie Eshleman is on pedal steel; and Will Sprott plays the keyboards, dulcimer, glockenspiel, and harpsichord-little of which would have been out of place on her previous two solo records-Sprott also adds layers of synthesizer infused with the sounds of the natural world.
Tape
1st pressing on Maroon coloured vinyl. Manzanita is the common name for a kind of small evergreen tree endemic to California which has strong medicinal properties. It's also the name of the brand new full length by visual artist, writer, songwriter, and musician Shana Cleveland. Subtle, powerful, and unafraid. We can't actually tell you how much we love this record because you'd never believe us, so we'll just say that it is her strongest and most personal album to date. These songs are as strong as the bricks in the Brill building, and seem destined to be covered by others in years to come. Where her previous record, 2019's Night of the Worm Moon (Hardly Art) functions as a collection of speculative fictions equally inspired by Afro-futurist pioneers Herman "Sun Ra" Blount and Octavia Butler, Manzanita concerns the love that loves to love. "This is a supernatural love album set in the California wilderness," Cleveland explains. The combinations of words and song structure are so strong throughout that one hardly notices Cleveland's nimble fingerpicking on first listen, or how much is packed into the arrangements. The lyrics are satisfyingly direct, with the buoyantly whimsical descriptions typical of the 1960s New York School of poetry. It's peppered with the kind of unexpected turns that make the words more modern, and in their spookiness they are more West Coast, as in "Mystic Mine," with its "Mystic Mine Lane, cars rotting away/ I feel so relieved to be/ Back in the country." So much of the pop music we love is propelled by those first blushes of infatuation and lust, but Manzanita concerns the kind of love that one can only experience with time, work, and devotion. Cleveland says: "The songs were all written while I was pregnant (side A) or shortly after my son's birth in that weird everything-has-quietly-but-monumentally-shifted state (side B)," she says. Moving to the country, starting a family, laughing for real at the same joke the thirteenth time you've heard it, surviving heavy shit (this is the first release since Cleveland's successful treatment for a diagnosis of breast cancer at the start of 2022). This is a love album that's somehow populated with the insect world, ghosts, and evil spirits. Sonically, Manzanita sits in a meadow similar to her previous solo records, set back and away from the genre-recombinant garage pop of her band La Luz. This is part due to the fact that there's a different sonic palette in use here. While Cleveland continues to play guitar and vocals; Johnny Goss, who has recorded all of Shana's solo material and early La Luz recordings, and Abbey Blackwell (Alvvays, La Luz) play the bass; Olie Eshleman is on pedal steel; and Will Sprott plays the keyboards, dulcimer, glockenspiel, and harpsichord-little of which would have been out of place on her previous two solo records-Sprott also adds layers of synthesizer infused with the sounds of the natural world.
Gui La Testa[41,13 €]
Il Mio Nome à Nessuno[41,13 €]
L'assoluto naturale[41,13 €]
Gamma[41,13 €]
Cosi' come sei[41,13 €]
Green Vinyl[33,57 €]
In the previous year 1965, "A Fistful of Dollars" by Sergio Leone was a
huge success, and had greatly increased the popularity of the 'spaghetti
western' genre
With the two lead actors Clint Eastwood and Gian Maria Volonte "For a Few
Dollars More" is the natural progression of that movie, and the addition of the
third major star - Lee Van Cleef - a trio that made history in another Sergio Leone
masterpiece.
Ennio Morricone's music is equally important. The Maestro here chooses a 'poor'
registry, consisting of folk instruments such as ocarina, Jew's harp and chimes,
respectively used to accompany the entrance of the three main actors. There is
as usual, the contributions of Alessandro Alessandroni and his Cantori Moderni
choir, for an incredibly exciting vocal climax.
This edition sees the eight tracks of the original score in a brand new layout.
45rpm - Ltd. Ed. Crystal clear vinyl edition, new 12-inch sized gatefold cover.
Gui La Testa[41,13 €]
For a few dollars more[41,13 €]
Il Mio Nome à Nessuno[41,13 €]
L'assoluto naturale[41,13 €]
Gamma[41,13 €]
Green Vinyl[33,57 €]
Così come sei" is a 1978 film directed by Alberto Lattuada, a sentimental drama starring Marcello Mastroianni and Nastassja Kinski, still very young but already an acclaimed actor
The soundtrack was composed, orchestrated and directed by Ennio Morricone and was infused with romance and ethereal melodies played with wind instruments but set like a symphony. With the contribution of I Cantori Moderni di Alessandro Alessandroni's choir and Oscar Valdambrini's trumpet. Unusually within Morricone's repertoire is the presence of funk-rock and disco songs "Dance
On" and "Space 1999", reflecting the late '70s pop sound.
Originally released in 1978 and subsequently reissued a few times, the
soundtrack of "Così come sei" was not released on vinyl for almost 40 years and is now finally re- released with remastered audio and a new sleeve layout, on 180gr. solid pink vinyl
Ma Spaventi makes a slick return to Slow Motion Records with the captivating ‘Tornerò’.
Descending arps trickle into ‘Tornerò’ from the get-go. Vocoded vocals flutter through the masterful mix, weaving into inviting synth swells. Defined drums are firmly felt across this record.
‘Non Ce L’Hai Solo Tu’ is a Detroit-infused, fierce floor filler. Layering vocoder motifs with crisp synth stabs make for many a euphoric payoff. The intelligent entwining of electro, early Detroit house and Ma Spaventi’s effortless earworms are plentiful. His gift for haunting, strong melodic intonation is prevalent in ‘Costa Brava.’ A grounded, growling bassline rasps throughout the track, reeling you further and further into this whirlpool of brilliance.
‘Tornerò Reprise’ closes this magnificent EP beautifully. Whispering vocal lines are hauntingly blended with synthesiser noise, keeping in line with the swells across the record and resolving the first edition of ‘Tornerò’ with a more acidic conclusion.
The revered Italian producer, mixing and mastering engineer makes his abundant sonic expertise clear in this enticing LP. Encapsulating his talents, ‘Tornerò’ transports you to Ma Spaventi’s unmatched state of flow.




















