Suche:real

Over the course of nearly a decade making music, Alicia Jeanine and Jed Smith have charted a distinctive course through the history of pop, evoking influences as varied as the 60s folk of early Fairport Convention and Vashti Bunyan, the sunshine pop of Margo Guryan and Laura Nyro, and indiepop touchstones like Dear Nora, Marine Girls and Dolly Mixture. The new album finds Jeanines grappling with themes of personal upheaval and self-excavation, adding weight to their finest set of songs yet. With Alicia's lyrics incisively interrogating connections, ruptures, and time and its reverberations, songs like "Coaxed a Storm," "What's Done Is Done," and "On and On" combine rich melody with co-composer Jed's crisp arrangements (along with contributions from longtime live show bassist Maggie Gaster) to stellar effect. Where How Long Can It Last really shines is, as always, in the songs. While the themes are sometimes heavy, the melodies and harmonies are simply heavenly, elevating these economical songs to give each the feeling of a lost classic. From the first notes of opener "To Fail" to jaunty closer "Wrong Direction," this album announces itself as the work of a band in full command of their art (and craft).

When the hypnotic groove of Berlin band Onom Agemo & The Disco Jumpers meets the pulsating riffs of Malian guitarist and singer Ahmed Ag Kaedy, new horizons open up.


At the centre of 'Common Stars' is Ahmed Ag Kaedy's distinctive vocals - always with poetic urgency. His lyrics, deeply rooted in the political and cultural realities of his homeland, deal with freedom, home and the search for identity. They deal with the ongoing conflict of the Tuareg in Mali, who are caught between the desire for cultural self-determination and political tensions with the central government. They also address the threat posed by Islamist groups, which have controlled parts of northern Mali and banned music since 2012. Ahmed Ag Kaedy had to flee his home country due to this repression. With his band Amanar, he shaped modern Tuareg rock and toured internationally. The collaboration with Onom Agemo began after he came to Berlin for the premiere of the film 'Mali Blues', in which he is one of the protagonists, and led to joint concerts throughout Europe.

'Common Stars' is a musical meeting of cultures that unites sounds from the Sahara to Berlin. Music that creates connections and makes different perspectives audible. The tracks are characterised by trance-like rhythms, hypnotic bass lines and shimmering saxophone and flute sounds. Pulsating synthesizers, dry-as-dust guitar riffs and improvisational outbursts interweave to create a soundscape that is sometimes driving, sometimes floating and creates a very unique, captivating atmosphere. Ahmed Ag Kaedy describes it aptly: 'Space jazz meets the rhythm of the camel.'

Portland Town is as effervescent a pop song as any of Heavenly’s past recordings, with duelling vocals from Amelia and Cathy; looping, twanging, ‘how-did-he-do-that’ guitar escapades from Peter, and a super-catchy melody. As so often with Heavenly, though, the lyrics have real bite.
The song embraces those who find themselves on the margins of a hostile world where maleness, straightness and conformity are in the ascendant. So why Portland? It has always been a sanctuary – one of those places where difference is celebrated, a place where, as the song puts it, anyone can fit in.
The B side is a cover version of a much-loved Only Ones song, ‘Someone Who Cares’.
Heavenly celebrate the release of Portland Town with a show at Islington Assembly Hall, London on 19th July, as part of the Skep Wax Weekender.
Heavenly are: Amelia Fletcher (guitar, vocals), Cathy Rogers (guitar, vocals), Rob Pursey (bass), Peter Momtchiloff (guitar), Ian Button (drums)

The highly anticipated 3rd full-length by this Finnish band. Morbific is a rotten-to-the-core Death Metal trio deformed in the filthy and profaned boneyard of Kitee in early 2020, featuring Olli (guitar), Jusa (vocals / bass) and Onni (drums). The band’s Pestilent Hordes demo was unleashed in the summer of 2020, and it rapidly gained them some following amongst the finest gourmets of the variety of festering, moldering and disgusting Death Metal that’s malignantly influenced by Autopsy, Rottrevore, Deteriorot, Mortician, Grave, Maimed, Undergang, Impetigo and ancient Finnish masters of death and decay, such as Funebre and Disgrace. Shortly after, in the spring of 2021, the debut full-length Ominous Seep of Putridity saw the odious light of day to unanimous praise by both the fans and the media. Just a year later, and now aligned with Memento Mori, Morbific released their second full-length, Squirm Beyond the Mortal Realm. Aptly titled, the album quickly became a cult favorite of utterly uncomfortable, slimy Death Metal. Now, Morbific are prepared to eclipse such a sewer-dwelling “highwater” mark with Bloom of the Abnormal Flesh. Whereas its not-inconsiderable predecessor confronted the listener with a blown-out, almost demo-level feel, the Finns’ third full-length proves that they can move and mesmerize and maim no matter what the soundfield is. And on Bloom of the Abnormal Flesh, it’s a raw-yet-robust show of strength, “classic” Death Metal production in a most late 80’s fashion; just witness that gurgling, fuzz-tinged bass and feel its radioactive waves envelope you. But production is one thing and songwriting is another, and with the latter, Morbific are truly hitting their stride here. Lumbering and stomping, with well-timed bouts of disgusting gallop or even ragged blasts, their songwriting twists and indeed squirms with off-kilter insanity; some would call it chaos, if not for the exceptionally tight musicianship on display here, with the sum result being an uncomfortableness that bubbles up from a deeper gutter. Thankfully, Bloom of the Abnormal Flesh conveys its dark, disgusting and unconventional aura across every element -said chops simply heighten these sensations- and is, thus far, Morbific’s best melding of form and content. Cro-Magnon as ever but somehow enlightened in the creepiest sense possible, Morbific continue their reputation as Finland’s filthiest and Death Metal’s untrendiest weirdoes. Vividly captured by Chase Slaker’s cover artwork, Bloom of the Abnormal Flesh is the foulest stench only for the brave!

It was in such a dense and impenetrable darkness that Lake of Tears must have been
born.
And their debut album is immersed in this darkness. It was baptized "Greater Art" and
indeed the title sets the tone for what was to follow. Yes, it is a higher art, it was and is
something different. Although there are infuences from other Swedish bands of the
time, such as Tiamat, or even death metal elements, what is certain is that their doom
metal brought to the fore something new, fresh and completely innovative.
We won't go into the process of choosing any songs, as we've said it before, Lake of
Tears never included indifferent compositions on any album. However, we can't help
but make a small exception when talking about the magnifcent epic " Upon The
Highest Mountain ", which in itself would be an excellent reason to purchase the
album.
We are proud to release Lake of Tears ' debut on vinyl after 31 years. For the older
generation to remember and the younger generation to discover. Because what these
Swedes made here, three decades ago, stands as an immortal monument. Is it doom
metal? Does it have death metal infuences? Is it gothic metal? Yes, but it sounds a bit
different...Who really cares?
It was then that the magnifcent prologue was written, becoming the beginning of
everything that was to follow. And hold on... the epilogue hasn't been written yet...

Though Scratch may have at times seemed crazy, it is worth noting that creative
genius appears so because geniuses see things others do not see and inhabit
realities unseen. As the music on this album reveals, Lee Perry's Black Ark creations
re-arrange the familiar into something new and magical.
Lee spent his early days working with legendary producers Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid,
Joe Gibbs, Clancy Eccles and Prince Buster, and by 1968 he was an independent
producer, naming his studio musicians The Upsetters and scoring instrumental hits
with innovative rhythms that helped forge the new reggae style. In 1970-1971 he
produced what many consider the greatest works by the Wailers; in 1968 one of his
Upsetters productions hit #5 on the UK pop chart and more hits followed. That gave
him the funds to build his own studio and in 1973 the legendary Black Ark was born.
Among the many landmark classics cut at Black Ark are such incisive political
commentaries as Max Romeo's "War Ina Babylon," and Junior Murvin's "Police and
Thieves" (covered by the Clash). The Congos' "Heart of the Congos" album is a roots
classic and there are many wonderful obscure singles such as Carlton and the Shoes'
"Better Days." Many dub creations made innovative use of Scratch's sonic wizardry via
echo, phasing, reverb, fanging, wah-wah and various sound effects.
It all came to an end in 1978 as Lee, besieged by extortionists, freeloaders, religious
fanatics and assorted pilgrims, let the studio lapse. And then he set it on fre, some
say due to frustration, others say from mental collapse. He left Jamaica, collaborated
with musicians around the world, toured as a sort of mystic trickster/ shaman and
prospered. But his work at Black Ark will always stand as his ultimate creative
achievement.

HOLLY JOLLY A good shot of swing, a splash of Las Vegas, served on a silver platter by world stars Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. create a very special Christmas mood. With all the important Christmas songs and some extraordinary treats, the Rat Pack transforms Christmas into an ent- ertaining party with ‚Holly Jolly Christmas‘. The genius of Sinatra, the charm of Dean Martin and the non- chalance of Sammy Davis set standards as the Rat Pack to this day for an extraordinary entertainment cul- ture and the realization of the „American Dream“. Oh, By Gosh, By Golly It‘s Time For Mistletoe And Holly...

Protector Edition: Amethyst Swirl Vinyl. Mit "Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory" präsentiert Sharon Van Etten eine aufregende neue Dimension ihres Sounds und Songwritings. Zum ersten Mal wurde das Album in völliger Zusammenarbeit mit ihrer Band - Jorge Balbi (Schlagzeug, Maschinen), Devra Hoff (Bass, Gesang) und Teeny Lieberson (Synthesizer, Klavier, Gitarre, Gesang) - geschrieben und aufgenommen, was Van Etten genau die Freiheit gab, die sich aus dem Loslassen ergeben hat. Die Themen sind zeitlos, klassisch Sharon, aber die Klänge sind neu, vollständig realisiert und scharf wie Glas. Diese neue Herangehensweise begann während der Proben in der Wüste für eine bevorstehende Tournee, als Van Etten ihre Band in den kreativen Prozess einbezog: "Zum ersten Mal in meinem Leben habe ich die Band gefragt, ob wir einfach jammen können. Worte, die nie aus meinem Mund kamen - niemals! Aber ich liebte alle Sounds, die wir bekamen. Ich war neugierig - was würde passieren?" Offenbar Magie. "In einer Stunde schrieben wir zwei Songs, aus denen schließlich "I Can't Imagine" und "Southern Life" wurden." Das Album wurde im ehemaligen Studio der Eurythmics, The Church, aufgenommen, das perfekt zu der mystischen Mischung aus Elektronik und analogen Texturen der Band passt. Die Produzentin Marta Salogni (Björk, Bon Iver, Animal Collective, Mica Levi) war sowohl als Bindeglied als auch als Produzentin unverzichtbar, da sie "die Synthesizer liebte und einen Sinn für Abenteuer hatte" und es verstand, "die Dunkelheit und die einzigartigen Klänge zu umarmen, die wir während des Schreibprozesses entwickelt hatten", so Van Etten. Über diese neue künstlerische Geisteshaltung und die Kunst des gemeinsamen Schreibens sinniert Van Etten: "Manchmal ist es aufregend, manchmal ist es beängstigend, manchmal fühlt man sich festgefahren. Jeder Tag fühlt sich ein wenig anders an - einfach in Frieden zu sein mit dem, was man fühlt und wer man ist und wie man in diesem Moment zu den Menschen steht. Wenn ich einfach offenbleiben kann und gleichzeitig weiß, dass sich meine Gefühle jeden Tag ändern, ist das alles, was ich im Moment tun kann. Das und versuchen, die beste Person zu sein, die ich sein kann, während ich andere Menschen so sein lasse, wie sie sind, und es nicht persönlich nehme und einfach nur bin. Ich bin noch nicht so weit, aber ich versuche, jeden Tag so weit zu sein." Mit "Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory" vertieft Van Etten den Diskurs, der einen Großteil ihres Katalogs belebt, und erforscht, was es bedeutet, einfach nur ein Mensch zu sein. Das ist ihr Genie - schräg, aber auch relevant und persönlich.

Milton Wright's perfect deep Soul classic "Keep It Up" has always been a top shelf record, everything about it is almost flawless! Whether it's Milton's silky vocal delivery, the incessant guitar driven back beat or the total space Funk vibe of his omnipresent ARP-2600 synthesizer this record has it all. Originally released on TK Disco's more Soul and Funk orientated Alston label which was home to many legendary artists and records, this 1975 sunshine classic never fails to make people move. A classic rare groove indeed. "The Silence That You Keep" takes up side-B, a jazzy, flute driven love song that again features Milton's perfect voice and some fantastic arrangement. A real gem of a record, with the original 45 changing hands for over £100 a time in used condition.

This is the first time "Keep It Up" has been re-issued in it's original 45 rpm format with the original Alston label artwork. It's been re-mastered, re-pressed and made available again with the permission of TK Disco / Alston Records, Miami Florida, USA.

Highly respected Brooklyn-based record store Archivio Records launches its flagship label, with the help of legendary UK Tech House pioneer Affie Yusuf.

This remarkable four track EP made up of previously unheard and unreleased gems, captured from DATs long thought lost during the mid-90s golden era of Swag Records, Wiggle, Surreal and co. delivers four distinct tracks, perfectly curated to suit the mood of the most discerning dance floors, at any time of the night!

Uba Cuba sees Affie transport you to pre-Revolution Havana, where the rum flowed and the good times rolled. A playful Latin-infused tech house roller, this track is guaranteed to put a smile on the face of everyone on the dance floor!

For the first track under his Parkwalker alias, Pashtwo is a decidedly deeper and darker excursion with a driving bassline, trippy vocals and a constant forward motion, perfect for those moments when you have the crowd really locked in.

Urgez Untold, the second Parkwalker contribution to the EP is an airy, groovy journey designed for those after hours moments when the sunlight is creeping in and the crowd is ready to let it all go in the pursuit of euphoria. Hypnotic bass, ethereal synths and bouncy, tropical drums give this one a universal appeal and a timeless feel.

Finally, Ode Reticular is Affie Yusuf at his brilliant, inventive best, crafting an epic track with three distinct phases. Starting as a dubby minimal chugger before morphing in to a quirky, playful tech house roller, then final chapter sprinkles mystical progressive elements to take you to another dimension, without ever needing to lose your spot on the dance floor.

An essential release for lovers of the early UK Tech house sound, seeking out undiscovered gems from the glory days of mid-90s London.

With future releases featuring Mark Ambrose, Pure Science, Carl Finlow and more, this is a label to watch closely and collect religiously.

After more than a decade of music-making, Durand Jones & The Indications have blossomed as a unit and are basking in their successes. On their aptly titled new album, Flowers, The Indications unfurl their true colors _ embracing all their roots and influences, maturation and confidence, and share them with the world. Since forming in 2012, the road has taken The Indications from those origins at Indiana University, Bloomington to the global stage, selling out shows across Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand to the West Coast_ where DJI has a strong following among the lowrider and vintage soul enthusiasts. For as far as Durand Jones & The Indications have come, Flowers grew from the desire to return to their roots in a Bloomington basement, a space where they first found camaraderie in gritty funk and Southern soul that would inspire their self-titled debut. Pulling sonically and spiritually from each of the group's previous releases and solo work, Flowers is the next stage of DJI's inspired soulful discography. DJI are not only accepting their flowers, but indulging in their sweet and sexy fragrance.

After the release of their world debut Catch A Fire, Bob Marley & The Wailers would embark on a U.S. tour supporting the legendary Sly And The Family Stone.
Yet after five dates, they were fired from the tour, supposedly for upstaging the main acts! Left with no money and nowhere to go, they performed one legendary
show at San Francisco's The Matrix!

These recordings, taken from a studio session before their legendary performance, find Bob Marley and The Wailers at their best.
Featuring the classic lineup of Bob Marley (vo/gt.), Peter Tosh (vo/gt), Joe Higgs (per.), Earl Lindo (pf.), Family Man Barrett (b.), and Carlton Barrett (ds.),
the Wailers are imbued with the kind of Rock and Roll energy that could only come from outshining Sly Stone! Even sweet rocksteady ballads such as
“Stir It Up” take on the form of a rock and roll anthem in this session.

Discovered and released on CD by P-VINE in 2005, these mythical studio recordings are finally getting a long deserved analog release!

The double LP on black vinyl comes complete with an obi-strip! Don’t miss this reggae gem from Bob Marley and The Wailers!

Wet Leg sind endlich zurück – und veröffentlichen am 11. Juli ihr neues Album moisturizer. Parallel dazu erscheint eine 7-Inch-Vinyl mit zwei Songs daraus: „davina mccall“ und „CPR“. Beide Tracks stammen aus dem mit Spannung erwarteten zweiten Album und zeigen erneut die stilistische Vielseitigkeit der Band. „davina mccall“ glänzt als bittersüße Ballade, in der Popkultur-Referenzen auf echten Herzschmerz treffen – irgendwo zwischen Shakira und britischem Reality-TV. „CPR“ hingegen ist ein ironisch gebrochenes Liebeslied mit düsterem Unterton: „Is it love, or suicide?“, fragt Rhian Teasdale im Refrain. Der Song beginnt zurückhaltend und entlädt sich in einer kraftvollen Hook – ganz im typischen Wet-Leg-Stil: scharf, verspielt, unvorhersehbar.

Transitioning from the successful 2 Years EP (O Sótão Records, 2023), Tiago Fonseca became an up and coming Producer and DJ based between Lisbon and Porto. On the back of gigs at some of the best clubs in the country, he also transitions from Tiago A.F. to TGZ (sounding Tigz) as his moniker for what’s to come ahead. Long Shape, his latest project, is O Sótão’s first vinyl release, and the first to be delivered with higher standards of professionalism. Learning the trade, the processes, the timeframes, the costs, and having just completed 10 years of existence. A good time to go a bit deeper.

In the summer, Tiago sent me a golden playlist of unfinished projects for a second opinion. The idea for a new record started there, and from the bunch we handpicked a selection that ended up making really a lot of sense for us. We were looking for wet deepness and eternal warm ups, pulling up the fader slowly. An invitation to leave our mental capsules and divert attention towards a seductive bassline cliff-hanging a dream. Progressiveness and jazz. Long shapes and melodies in the last frontier between nostalgia and hope.

To help, we invited Miguel Tenreiro (a.k.a. Gazpa) to master the tracks, with him adding a smooth-extra-delicious pump on the beautiful original elements. Miguel also picked up the title-track for a remix treatment, breaking up the tempo with a hip-hop-electronica finale, sprinkled by a guitar solo from Zé Nuno - another great musician stemming from Mr. Bean’s bar, where we held a residency for the past year.

Long Shape will drop on March 21st. Vinyls might be only available a bit later. It will be a landmark moment for us, being Tiago’s most complete work to date, and a better representation of his rich musical influences, expanding it, as we speak, to another level. It’s also been 10 years for O Sótão, so there’s that too. To sum up, I’m just very glad that Long Shape sounds exactly where we would like to be after all this time, with a quick image of a nite-lit skyscraper cutting into a couple of rocks being dropped in the coolest whiskey glass, and the people warming up to a dream.

Edition of 100 Vinyl 12’’, Cover 3mm spine

The hardcore house heads at Dungeon Meat have assembled another funky slab of waxy deliciousness to tuck into and this time it's a various artists affair. Mance serves up the starter, 'In A World Of,' which is rock solid cut with a physical low end but infused with real soul warmth. Timmy P's 'Utter Filth' is another muscular house workout with an elastic bassline and trippy lead. Pimp C's 'Where My Bitches' is a sleazy and ghetto-tinged pumper and Jesse Merlin brings some warped low ends and twitchy synth menace to the prowling rhythms of closer 'Do The Umm'. Essential tackle.

LN000 presents three electro tools rooted in the essence of the D. “Black Elements”, the title track, is a hypnotic journey crafted for DJ and cruising use. The looping pads and percussive bassline entrance the listener as the bed of 808 beats keep the dancefloor busy. On the B-side, “KAH” offers an exploration in the realm of electro funk. Neck snapping snares, thunderous kicks, a tweaked out bassline, and heavy breakdowns can be found in this track; this one is for the dancers. “2 Motor” closes out the EP with an energetic electro excursion. Tight beats, an anthemic lead, crashing cymbals, a dope bassline, and some funky sound design drive this track.

*People Like Us, the project of artist Vicki Bennet returns to Discrepant with a special vinyl release of "COPIA". This album marks the first new musical material since "The Mirror" in 2018, delving into the profound realms of existential collage and sampling, celebrating these forms as expressions of timeless connectivity.
* The title "COPIA," meaning 'abundance' and 'copy,' reflects the essence of collage and sampling - art created not in isolation, but as a connective thread through time and space, linking ideas across generations in a seamless tapestry.
* By reconfiguring preexisting sounds and images, Bennet highlights the non-dual nature of creation — where distinctions between past, present, and future possibilities blur, revealing a shared foundation beneath. The album marks a return to not just solo works but collaborations with notable artists.
* Drawing from the new People Like Us live AV performance, "The Library of Babel," sampling and edited sound collage, electronic music, combined with Ergo Phizmiz's lyrics and melodies, "COPIA" weaves and recombines a timeless blend of diverse elements that transcends traditional musical boundaries. This creative process unfolded through the exchange of multitracks across both water and ether. Collaborating with the voices, instruments and editing timelines of Matmos, Hearty White, Gwilly Edmondez, Lotte Bowater, Buttress O’Kneel, Douglas Benford, Irene Moon, Jon Leidecker, and Matt Warwick, the work evolved exquisite corpse-style.

“Bennett has proven herself an alchemist of popular music, able to push her source material into fresh and engaging places. Where some artists hack existing instruments and technologies to create their new sounds, Bennet has circuit-bent the songs themselves.” - Spenser Tomson, The Wire Magazine

FOLLOW UP TO THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED 2023 ALBUM ‘RPB’ (UTR151):

- #4 MOJO FOLK ALBUMS OF THE YEAR+ FOLK ALBUM OF THE MONTH:
“ IT MELTS TRAD TECHNIQUES AND MINECRAFT BURBLE INTO ‘A MASSIVE, MULTI-PLAYER ONLINE DREAM’ . INCOMPREHENSIBLE/IRRESISTIBLE’

‘ME LOST ME’S RPG (UPSET THE RHYTHM) IS AN EXCITING, IMAGINATIVE ALBUM EXPLORING THE LINKS BETWEEN TRADITIONAL INFLUENCES AND ELECTRONICS IN FERTILE WAYS.’ THE GUARDIAN - FOLK ALBUMS OF THE MONTH.

'FROM NEWCASTLE, VIA UPSET THE RHYTHM, JAYNE DENT EXPLORES FOLK ART AND FUTURISM TO SPELLBINDING EFFECT' THE QUIETUS

FULL PAGE REVIEW IN WIRE MAGAZINE:"ME LOST ME'S NEW ALBUM RPG IS FILLED WITH STORIES OF ADVENTURE AND SELF-DISCOVERY IN VERDANT NATURAL LANDSCAPES, SUNG WITH FEELING AND CLARITY"

Me Lost Me - the project of Newcastle-based artist Jayne Dent - delights in experimenting with songwriting, creating a beguiling mix of soaring vocals and atmospheric electronics that playfully push the boundaries of genre.

On Me Lost Me’s fourth full-length, This Material Moment - arriving on Upset the Rhythm on 27th June - she has created an “emotionally raw” album, her most honest and vulnerable yet.

Concerned with physicality, interpretations, and, yes, materiality, This Material Moment is an album akin to rummaging through a box of long-forgotten trinkets. With each song, Me Lost Me extracts something from the box and asks us to consider it from every angle. "This is an album which uses words as a material, a playful tool for experimentation, full of metaphor, abstraction and analogies.” Jayne says, “it has softness and anger, humour, hope and despair, intensity of feeling in all directions expressed as textures, objects, places."

With the release of This Material Moment Me Lost Me puts into practice the automatic writing techniques she developed during a workshop with Julia Holter, and in the process has spun her music in different directions that draws on poetry, psalms and using mesostic poems and phonetic translations to generate words. “Despite the chance-based writing strategies throughout, it feels like the most emotionally raw album I've ever made,” she says, likening the process to a Rorschah test which revealed things to her she wasn’t expecting to express. “I wanted to hide in stories, but I saw things plainly when I tried to write.” Having finished the writing process, Jayne realised that she had an unexpectedly personal album on her hands, into which her feelings of burnout and overwhelm had crept unconsciously. “Several of the songs for me express a kind of inner conflict, where you’re trying to keep hope and desire and beauty and art near to your heart, to live a meaningful life, but finding that increasingly hard to hold onto in a world that’s so fucked up.”

Whilst Jayne Dent’s music as Me Lost Me has previously presented time stretching back and forwards in opposition (noticeably on 2023’s album RPG), on This Material Moment she does away with linearity altogether, evoking rather than narrating, and presenting feelings, happenings and moods with no clear beginning or end point - “like experiencing a vista, trying to capture a moment that is unfolding all at once”. Instead, each track on This Material Moment exists entirely in media res, adjacent to past and future, and instead sprawling across the endless now.

This Material Moment was written and arranged solo, but played with a core band of John Pope on electric/double bass, Faye MacCalman on clarinet, and now with the addition of Ewan Mackenzie (Dextro/Pigs x7) on drums - bringing in live drums and electric bass for the first time. The album was recorded by Sam Grant at Blank Studios in Newcastle, who also worked on RPG.

Motel d'amour - A Lost Electro-Funk Gem from the NDW Era Resurfaces

When we first collaborated with Collage member Markus Kammann on the EP project "Mit den Puppen tanzen" at the end of last year, we never imagined what would follow: Kammann approached us with a completely unreleased full-length album by his former band. Upon receiving the first three preview tracks, we were floored. One of them was "Nachtcafé" - a track that kicks off with a funky bassline layered over the punchy rhythm of a Roland TR-808. Add shimmering synths and Katrin A. Kunze's sharp, distinctive vocals, and we instantly knew we were hearing something special.

For a label dedicated to rediscovering lost treasures, this was exactly what we'd been searching for. The next two tracks - "Rendezvous" and "Casanova" - were just as compelling. When Kammann sent us the full album, we realized we were holding an electro-funk grail from the late golden days of the German Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW). We were listening to "Motel d'amour".

"Motel d'amour" is a concept album, offering a sharp, vibrant perspective from a confident, intelligent, and radiant young woman eager to experience nightlife, love, and music. Kunze's lyrics paint vivid scenes of flirtation ("Nachtcafé", "Rendezvous"), encounters with men ("Casanova"), the pulse of nightlife ("Die Nacht ist noch jung"), love ("Rotes Licht für rote Liebe"), one-night stands ("Motel d'amour"), and more. Rarely has a German album from that era captured emotional nuance and social dynamics so insightfully. Without veering into the overly personal, Kunze's direct, daring lyrical style was groundbreaking at the time - and remains refreshingly bold today.

While German listeners will fully appreciate the lyrical depth, the music speaks volumes on its own. Kunze's words are masterfully complemented by the production of Markus Kammann and Jürgen Grah. As heard on the in-demand "Mit den Puppen tanzen", their creativity seemed boundless. Each track is tightly composed, catchy, and full of character. While many German bands at the time leaned into rock, Kammann drew from the deep grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson, The Commodores, and the electro-futurism of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" and "Looking for the Perfect Beat". The result: tracks with unmistakable electro-funk flair, powered by the classic 808 drum sound.

Though primarily rooted in funk and electro, the album retains flashes of NDW aesthetics - "Wir haben getanzt heut' Nacht" being a prime example. The instrumentation is a dream list for vintage gear lovers: Yamaha keyboards, Roland Juno-60, vocoder, Micromoog, Hohner D6 Clavinet, Fender bass, and a Telecaster guitar all feature prominently.
Recorded in 1985 at the high-profile Delta Studio by Richard Rossbach, the album attracted interest from Polydor. However, the label proposed using the compositions for a solo project with singer Inga Humpe (of Neonbabies), who was already signed to their roster. This would have required replacing Kunze as the vocalist, an idea the group firmly rejected. As a result, "Motel d'amour" was shelved, and Kammann, Grah, and Kunze moved on to form Cold End.
The album cover features a rare archival photo of Katrin A. Kunze - rediscovered by Kammann and now finally seeing the light of day, 40 years later.

We believe Motel d'amour deserves recognition alongside cult German classics like P!OFF?, 1. Futurologischer Congress' "Wer spricht?", Ami Marie's "Verrückt nach Glück", the funkier cuts of Cosa Rosa, or Piet Klocke's groove classic "Heute ist nicht sonst". It's a record that fits into adventurous DJ sets but also rewards a full, start-to-finish listen.

A note on audio quality: Sadly, the original master tapes were lost. The tracks were restored from a vintage TDK cassette. Thanks to modern digital tools, we were able to remaster them to a high standard - but in some songs light distortions remain. We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy this lost and undiscovered gem.