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No. is the tenth Soft Riot album by Glasgow-based Canadian synth auteur Jack Duckworth (also known as JJD). With origins from the mid-nineties in the vibrant art-punk/hardcore dominating the West Coast American/ Canadian underground at the time, he has clocked in over twenty five years of musical output in various bands and projects.

No. is the logical follow-up to When Push Comes To Shove, released in November 2019 on the Glasgow UK-based label Possession Records, which saw some critical acclaim in the increasingly diverse synthwave scene — a crystallization of the artist’s signature “SynthLord” sound.

With No. things have been shaken up and pushed into new directions. Many different factors came into play, including the conditions of the pandemic lockdowns and an urge for listening to music favourites from beyond his own scene informed developments on this new record. One key feature of these tracks is that under these conditions they were developed as individual pieces — a contrasting approach from previous albums where tracks were written with an album in mind. An evaluation of all of these individual tracks in the summer of 2022 unveiled a common pattern going through these new compositions.

One can still hear any number of echoes of the spirits of original synth artists in his sound, such as Images in Vogue, The Box, Section 25, Thomas Dolby, Skinny Puppy, Chrome, Cabaret Voltaire, Fad Gadget, Japan and Bill Nelson. However, some of Jack’s halcyon punk influences surface as well, taking inspiration from legendary punk/hardcore labels such as Dischord and Gravity, as listening habits over pandemic steered back towards more guitar-based styles. The introduction of expanded production techniques, experiments with vocal styles and tones, and stylistic shifts mark a progression of Soft Riot’s sound. The result is a snarkier, urgent and more playful, with a focus on pure synthpop, new wave, art-punk, proto-EBM as well as grittier synth-punk and post-punk tones.

The variation, energy and tone of this collection of tracks illustrates Soft Riot’s ability to transcend the hallmarks of today’s music environment, which increasingly is fragmenting into smaller and smaller micro-genres. Dry wit and dark humour take the lyrics and the tone of this album on a fun ride through music scenes, dark alleys and inside jokes.

Renowned Danish trumpeter Kasper Tranberg reforms his delicate chord-less trio with Nils Davidsen (bass & cello) and Frands Rifbjerg (drums) for the release of "Nobody"s Heart". Active on the jazz and improv scenes since the early 90s, Tranberg has been described as a player of great heart and purpose. Inspired by the iconic improvisers of our time, the album explores the connection between their instrument, their body and their soul. A collection of eight songs that Tranberg has deemed his favorites of the past few decades, the repertoire ranges from tin pan alley legends Rodgers and Hart, to visionaries like Ornette Coleman, to contemporary Danish singer/songwriter C.V. Jorgensen. On selecting the repertoire, Tranberg says "it was not about surface flash, technique or speed, but I followed my heart, my own footsteps and encounters in the previous 2 or 3 decades". Tranberg, Davidsen & Rifbjerg have been performin together since the early 1990"s, united by their passion for an exploratory and unpredictable playing style. With emphasis on stillness, melody, and texture, the record"s tone is melancholy, peaceful, and restorative. Tranberg"s intimate, warm trumpet sound soars above a bed of fluid bass and drum texture, slowly evolving from miniscule and sparse to dense and chaotic. Egoless, mature, and without flash, it is apparent the ensemble holds listening in high regard The trio seems to breathe as one, with each member aiming to make every note and sound mean something. Capturing the essence of each of the songs and making them undeniably their own, "Nobody"s Heart" is deeply personal, meditative and intricate. "Sometimes something else sings through the room and music - not often, but it"s a great feeling when it happens." - Kasper Tranberg

Duke Pearson’s 1967 album The Right Touch is perhaps the finest of his career and a showcase for the breadth of his talents as a pianist, composer, and arranger. Six memorable Pearson original are performed by a dynamic 8-piece band including Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, and James Spaulding.

This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

Emil Amos (Grails, OM and podcaster plus) decommissions pieces originally bound for the KPM library. A personal interpolation of "music for films (& television)" expounds upon diverse sounds: synthy 80s soundtracks, contemporary hip-hop beatmaking, ambient music, and The Hulk"s "Lonely Man Theme". Emil"s dark visions are full of noirish shadows and eerie neon glow - mood music for drug trips spent dreaming up new soundtracks to take drugs to! Emil Amos" forthcoming Zone Black album is a fully inhabitable world, its episodic narrative divided into an improbable balance between morbid ambient anthems and insouciant hip-hop instrumentals. Emil hadn"t heard it done quite this way before, so he took it upon himself. And it sounds real! Straight out of Madlib"s kitchen sink, and with a sense of brooding dread, "Jealous Gods" features throbbing beats, low synth paired with high vocal melody, layered together into something even more impossibly bizarre than the sum of their parts - like say, monks singing from on high, over a battleground littered with remnants of the old guard. Emil warps evocative tones, taking familiar sounds into new dimensions, reaching for the kind of depth and resonance that defines moments with an almost invisible touch.

Blaue Vinylversion! Exklusiv für den Indie-Handel! Vona Vella (Izzy Davis und Dan Cunningham), die Antwort von Leicestershire auf Jane Birkin und Serge Gainsbourg, veröffentlichen diesen Sommer ihr gleichnamiges Debütalbum über Strap Originals. Zwölf sensationelle Indie-Perlen, die die Kunst des Duos sonnige Gitarrenklänge mit poetischern Texten zu kombinieren, die nicht immer so niedlich sind, wie sie auf den ersten Blick klingen. Vona Vella" wurde im Albion Rooms Studio von The Libertines in Margate aufgenommen und von Jason Stafford (Jamie T, Sports Team, The Libertines) und Vona Vella produziert. Alle zwölf Tracks des Albums wurden von dem Duo gemeinsam geschrieben: Dan an der Gitarre und am Klavier, Izzy an der Gitarre und der Flöte... und Jake Bott am Schlagzeug. Nachdem sie letztes Jahr als Support für die Libertines, Tim Burgess und Morcheeba und letzten Monat für Peter Doherty auf Tournee waren, traten Vona Vella auch bei The Great Escape in Brighton auf. Weitere Headline-Shows und Festivalauftritte werden in Kürze bekannt gegeben. Vona Vella besteht aus den einundzwanzigjährigen Singer-Songwritern und Multiinstrumentalisten Izzy Davis und Dan Cunningham. Die Band wurde offiziell im Herbst 2020 gegründet, nachdem Ross Godfrey von der Band Morcheeba ihre (damals noch unveröffentlichte) Single "Sun" gehört und beschlossen hatte, sie zu remixen. Nach der Veröffentlichung erwies sich der Song als sofortiger viraler Hit und wurde über 1 Million Mal gestreamt. Anfang 2022 veröffentlichten Vona Vella ihre Debüt-EP "Go Outside Forever", die von keinem Geringeren als Paul Heaton (Housemartins, Beautiful South etc.) in den höchsten Tönen gelobt wurde. Im Januar dieses Jahres wurde ein Remix des Titeltracks der EP, "Go Outside Forever", im äußerst erfolgreichen Videospiel NBA2K23 verwendet.

The Blue Beyond is produced by Touch and Audemars Piguet following Audemars Piguet Contemporary's commission of two new compositions by Jana Winderen in 2019.

The record offers edits of two sound compositions "Du Petit Risoud aux profondeurs du Lac de Joux" (2019) and "The Art of Listening: Under Water" (2019).

"Du Petit Risoud aux profondeurs du Lac de Joux" was first presented at Art Basel in Basel from 13 to 16 June 2019. A live performance of the piece was given at HEK (House of Electronic Arts Basel) on 11 June 2019.

"The Art of Listening: Under Water" (2019) was first presented in the Rotunda, Collins Park, Miami Beach, in the context of Art Basel in Miami Beach, from 4 to 8 December 2019. "The Art of Listening: Under Water" travelled to the Lenfest Center for the Arts, Columbia University School of the Arts, New York, from 3 to 13 February 2022.



Commissioned by Audemars Piguet Contemporary

Formed in Rochester, NY in 1976, New Math opened for the likes of the
Ramones, Pretenders, The Cramps, The Psychedelic Furs, The Damned,
and The Gun Club at now-extinct local clubs - Offering up an endless
supply of ascending guitar lines and catchy hooks of amphetaminefueled power pop
With ease, the band produced charming, should've- been hits like the adrenaline
rush of "The Restless Kind," the two- tone English Beat- inspired "Older Women,"
and of course the hyper-melodic anthem "Die Trying." The latter was produced by
Howard Thompson, who was known for working with John Cale and the
Psychedelic Furs. It was first released on Reliable Records in 1979 and then rereleased on CBS in England with the same B- side "Angela," a take on '60s girl
groups that juxtaposed its innocent pop leaning with a tragic story. "Die Trying"
did receive some airplay on John Peel's radio show and landed somewhere near
the bottom of the British Charts.
With a 7" on CBS in the UK (which now goes for a strong price on Discogs) and a
debut EP on US indie label 415 Records, the band rode the new wave. This
collection of out- of- print early singles and unreleased demos showcases why
they made fans both in the US and UK.

Formed in Rochester, NY in 1976, New Math opened for the likes of the
Ramones, Pretenders, The Cramps, The Psychedelic Furs, The Damned,
and The Gun Club at now-extinct local clubs - Offering up an endless
supply of ascending guitar lines and catchy hooks of amphetaminefueled power pop
With ease, the band produced charming, should've- been hits like the adrenaline
rush of "The Restless Kind," the two- tone English Beat- inspired "Older Women,"
and of course the hyper-melodic anthem "Die Trying." The latter was produced by
Howard Thompson, who was known for working with John Cale and the
Psychedelic Furs. It was first released on Reliable Records in 1979 and then rereleased on CBS in England with the same B- side "Angela," a take on '60s girl
groups that juxtaposed its innocent pop leaning with a tragic story. "Die Trying"
did receive some airplay on John Peel's radio show and landed somewhere near
the bottom of the British Charts.
With a 7" on CBS in the UK (which now goes for a strong price on Discogs) and a
debut EP on US indie label 415 Records, the band rode the new wave. This
collection of out- of- print early singles and unreleased demos showcases why
they made fans both in the US and UK.

Sandrider are a band who have clearly poured hours of time and endless
energy into making their latest offering, Armada, one of the strongest
stoner rock records of the year so far
With excellent guitar tone and a perpetual sense of forward motion, it is with
great honor that we bring you the exclusive stream of this record. This is a scene
that has a relatively low barrier of entry and consequently it unfortunately
propagates a lot of subpar music. Sandrider seem to see that and use that as
inspiration to push beyond. A cut above their peers, this is what stoner rock
should have been about in the first place. Jam it now!

Sandrider are a band who have clearly poured hours of time and endless
energy into making their latest offering, Armada, one of the strongest
stoner rock records of the year so far
With excellent guitar tone and a perpetual sense of forward motion, it is with
great honor that we bring you the exclusive stream of this record. This is a scene
that has a relatively low barrier of entry and consequently it unfortunately
propagates a lot of subpar music. Sandrider seem to see that and use that as
inspiration to push beyond. A cut above their peers, this is what stoner rock
should have been about in the first place. Jam it now!

Raised on Colombia's Caribbean coast and united by its capital, Bogota, Ghetto Kumbé combines the rich musical heritage of their home, to invoke the spirit of digital rumba in audiences all over the world. The secret behind their irresistible electronic ritual lies in their powerful percussion base; Caribbean house beats and traditional afro-Colombian rhythms inherited from West Africa. The album's co-producer, The Busy Twist, adds all the legacy of UK's Bass scene to the Afrofuturistic sounds of the 3 Colombians. Inspired by the different revolutionary movements emerging all over the world, Ghetto Kumbé will release their first full-length album in July 2020 on pioneering Latin Ameri-can electronic label ZZK. Their self-titled debut is visceral, committed, and rebellious, denouncing through frantic rhythms the inequalities and abuses imposed by corrupt governments, while simultaneously enticing listeners to join in the fight. Dance mingles with awareness to create a global community, where family, friends, and strangers come together through our shared love of music and activate change amongst themselves. Using musical motifs from Africa and Colombia's Caribbean coast such as the gaita, call-and-response vocals, and an array of hand drums and rhythms, coupled with the elegant electronic production of Tech/House, Ghetto Kumbé creates an Afro-futurist soundscape with lyrics to motivate, elevate, and inspire. Their first single to come out, `Vamo a Dale Duro', is a fluorescent criticism of the unjust divide between the poor and the rich, the rising prominence of dirty politicians, and the ethics of the capitalist sys-tem while encouraging people to stand up and fight for a dignified existence. The al-bum's tone fluctuates fluidly between tracks that include ancestral chants, voices both deep and resounding, and anthems to uplift and inspire, as well as features by up-and-coming Réunion island artist Melanie and the Palenque-based folk/hip-hop band Kombilesa Mi. In the Americas, Ghetto Kumbé has become one of the most important alternative groups to come out of Colombia. They've played Barranquilla's world famous Carnival, Bogotá's recent Boiler Room, and have even opened for Radiohead. The ancient yet modern sound of the three powerful musicians has made them a legitimate representative of the new Afrohouse scene burgeoning all over the world.

After the success of “Navegar” (2021) Joao Selva continues to spread wings, taking us on a journey into his musical universe, always as sunny as it is abundant. His new album “Passarinho” span a generous palette of musical influences: from Angolan semba to Cape Verdean funaná, via Caribbean zouk or Congolese rumba – João Selva's music channels the musical pulse of the Black Atlantic. In the most (im)pure Brazilian tradition, he also digests the contribution of North American music and freely incorporates elements from elsewhere into the irresistible rhythms of Brazil.

This new album transposes the elegant melodies and magnetic vocals of Joao Selva into unexpected musical universes, each producer having had complete freedom to add their own soundscapes. Patchworks present a sublime acoustic version of "Passarinho" mixing Caribbean percussion and captivating vocal harmonies. Art of Tones brings its sense of fiesta, transforming the infectious optimism of “Cantar cantar" into exuberant Afro-Latin euphoria. Voilaaa serve us his raw afro-disco grooves on “Vai te curar” adding smooth horns, sparkling funky keys and acid basslines. Canadian dancefloor killer Poirier takes "Chuva" to another dimension, adding his science of beats and a powerful bass to keep us dancing all night long (and even in the rain!). Uptown Funk Empire delivers an additive version of the irresistible "Menina me encanta", while Ireke elegantly revisits “Sete Ventos”.

Joao Selva and his crew distill lively and joyful music, full of good vibes and perfect for fully enjoying the summer. Take your caipirinha and go dance!

“Where are you, my sunny feeling I knew as a kid?” This is the question that Origami Angel asks with their latest output, a sharp and shining 8-song mixtape called The Brightest Days. Its opening title track begins with one of many new tricks for the DC two-piece––a ukulele––but quickly turns left-field as childhood innocence makes way for blistering intensity and hopelessness. Told through the lens of a shitty east coast summer, The Brightest Days was written throughout the spring and summer of 2020, and later recorded in August 2022 with producer Drew Portalatin, with assistance from Jake Chekoway and vocalist/guitarist Ryland Heagy (he/him). Across the mixtape are some of the most creative and adventurous moves Gami has ever made. Not quite an EP or an LP, the differences between each track on The Brightest Days is what makes it such a special release, and thus garnering the ‘mixtape’ moniker; diving into specific tones and different vocal techniques on each track allowed Heagy and drummer Pat Doherty (he/him) to shine in ways they never have before. The Brightest Days may be few and far between—with that gap stretching further each day—but as a mixtape, it’s a cloudless collection of the most realized and strongest music that Origami Angel has written yet.

Carl Finlow keeps on keepin' on. Not only is Finlow one of the most respected names in electro, a producer who boasts a sprawling catalogue that takes in a wide variety of aliases, but he's also spent recent years establishing himself as a mainstay for Sheffield's Central Processing Unit label. Soft Robotics, the new EP from Finlow's Silicon Scally project, is the fifth Silicon Scally release in five years to boast one of CPU's instantly-recognisable black-and-white covers.

The reason that Silicon Scally and CPU keep linking up is simple; they're a perfect fit for one another. Central Processing Unit has established itself as a haven for post-Drexciya producers since launching in 2012, and there are few artists better than Finlow at building on the Detroit group's sound. The union bears fruit once more on Soft Robotics, an EP of lithe machine-funk jams that will both do damage in the dance and also reward more concentrated home listening.

Things begin at a steadier speed than one might expect. Rather than barrelling off with the kind of sinewy roller one associates with the CPU name, Soft Robotics' title-track takes things at mid-pace. The groove reveals itself without hurry, Silicon Scally adding or subtracting elements - twitchy modular loops, pensive pads, the occasional blurt of low-end - atop the chugging bass/drums groove. It's a track which wins you over with guile rather than force.

As the name of subsequent cut 'Jitters' intimates, this one picks things up a little after 'Soft Robotics'. The tempo is higher here, the central beat more nervy. At their cores, though, 'Jitters' and 'Soft Robotics' are kindred spirits. Here, another slyly insistent bit of drum programming comes swirled up with all sorts of extraterrestrial tones, from little nuggets of melody supplied by the keys to electrifying synth stabs and percussive squelches.

Things limber up further still on first B-side 'Spin Ratio'. The track's 808 kicks are punchier than those of the A-side jams, and there's a dizziness to the bass tone which gives 'Spin Ratio' an intriguingly off-kilter feel. Atop the booming beat we find ourselves hypnotised by cells of melody and harmony interlocking or moving apart - particularly the staccato module at the track's heart. Sure enough, 'Spin Ratio' is the Soft Robotics joint which cleaves closest to Drexciya, invoking other Detroit disciples like Jensen Interceptor in the process.

After Soft Robotics picks up speed in the middle, closer 'Super Fluid Tones' brings us back to where we started. This track returns to the more measured delivery of the record's opener - there's a steady pulse to the drums, and once again Silicon Scally packs the mix with so many intriguing whizzes, bangs, blips and blurts that it's impossible not be won over by this tune's construction. 'Soft Robotics' and 'Super Fluid Tones' bookend Soft Robotics very nicely, and Silicon Scally's smart pacing gives the EP a lovely ebb and flow.

The ever-excellent Carl Finlow drops a Silicon Scally release via Central Processing Unit for the fifth year running. Like its predecessors, Soft Robotics is an excellent and deftly-crafted collection of modern machine-funk.

RIYL: Drexciya, Jensen Interceptor, Fleck E.S.C., The Advent

The electric eels were the first punk band, full stop. They may not have “started” the genre, but they were the first to tick all the boxes. The eels rejected every 1970s rock convention—professionalism, virtuosity, subject matter, image. Dave E.’s caustic vocals, complete with an aggressive lisp and a head full of snot, would become de rigeur a few years after the group disbanded. Meanwhile, the songs’ focus on car crashes, suicide, neuroses, and generally hating people were as far out of the mainstream as possible. The two eels tracks that do approach the subject of romance couch it in terms of not really caring that much about it (“Jaguar Ride”) or placing it in the context of a grisly murder (“Silver Daggers”). Also consider John Morton’s signature guitar sound, a nails-on-chalkboard tone with brutally free soloing inspired more by Albert Ayler than the blues or aspirations to technical facility. Ditto Dave E.’s clarinet playing and affection for lawnmowers and vacuums during live performance. They were notoriously violent not only among themselves, but towards audiences, police, and anyone unfortunate enough to be around them when things went south. Then of course there are the leather jackets, the clothing festooned with rat traps or safety pins. And no bass player, why bother. There is simply no other “proto” band to have had all these pieces in place circa 1973- 1975. Yet it is a mistake to consider the eels exclusively in such a context. Yes, the eels could and did shock anyone who encountered them, but they also had great songs. While both Dave and John were visionary writers, they also had rhythm guitarist Brian McMahon, a melody and riff machine who wrote many of the band’s signature songs. And they were no one-trick pony. Although much of the band’s material is appropriately high-energy, there is also the downer eels—morbid, harmonically risky, and in full existential crisis. Although it’s not a focus of this compilation, the eels also had a penchant for completely free improvisation. Over the last forty plus years, there have been several electric eels compilations. Spin Age Blasters is quite simply the best one ever assembled, every single key track is here in its best version, properly mastered by John Golden, and sequenced with an eye towards both flow between tracks as well as individation between sides. A true monster of an album.

Imperial f.f.r.r. was Unrest’s breakthrough album in 1992. It has withstood the test of time and is now considered an indie-rock classic and one of the best albums of the 1990s. Formed in 1984, at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, the band started releasing homemade cassettes on their own Teenbeat label. Imperial f.f.r.r. is their sixth album and marked the arrival of original Velocity Girl vocalist Bridget Cross joining drummer Phil Krauth and singer/guitarist Mark Robinson. It was recorded by Wharton Tiers (Sonic Youth) at his home studio in Manhattan. After the release of Imperial f.f.r.r., the band released singles on Sub Pop and K and soon thereafter signed to legendary U.K. indie 4AD, releasing their final studio album Perfect Teeth in 1993. This limited edition features the original design and layout of the very first pressing from 1992. All the details have been recreated including the lyric sheet, the blue box around the amplifier on the front, the label art, and even the Ajax and No.6 Records logos. The original didn't have a barcode, so we've created a spiffy new removeable OBI card for that featuring a photograph by Mike Galinsky (The Decline of Mall Civilization) of the band playing at New York's Spiral club in 1991.

Wildfire was a household name in Tropical Island music circles due to their excellent albums and performances throughout Trinidad, Tobago, the Caribbean & US Virgin Islands and French Guadeloupe. In 1962 they started off as ‘The Sparks’ (a well-respected Calypso outfit who released a bunch of successful singles) but with the release of their hit single ‘Come On Down’ from 1975, they exploded into Wildfire.

Wildfire had a very fruitful career and released four top full-length albums and a vast amount of singles before calling it quits. Led by bandleader Oliver Chapman (bass & guitar player, vocalist, arranger, producer and co-writer for the majority of the bands’ songs) and comprised out of high talented musicians, Wildfire was out there with the big boys in the niche they carved out for themselves.

On the album we are presenting you today (Time Is The Answer from 1980) you’ll find the perfect mix of funk, soul and disco, basically the popular sounds of the day, and all tracks are originals. The album is FUNKY and the production quality can rival with any of their peers and records produced/recorded in the US. The performance of Wildfire on this album is beyond excellent. This release was also the first time the group took control over production and getting their album out in the world. Also included is the hit single ‘Say A Little Prayer For The Children’ which is just one of those songs that will be stuck in your head forever.

Besides virtuoso Oliver Chapman: the talent that was featured on ‘Time Is The Answer’ is exceptional. Anstey Hamilton carries around a rich noticeable tenor voice. Arthur Byron who also did vocals on the album, has a beautiful rasping tone that can knock you out anytime he gets into his act. Fitzroy Isaac on keyboards and Donald Leid on drums are the guys that were responsible for keeping the groove tight. Clifford Wilson like Oliver had been with band since the start. He is calm in his approach, he played the bass guitar and sung background vocals, he also chipped in with Oliver whenever they wrote songs together. Finally we have Cyllan Charles, who was known as the Wildfire voice. Cyllan had been doing most of the lead vocals since he joined the group in 1972, he was the most experienced of all the members, and can really take you to higher heights anytime he gets into doing his thing both on stage and on wax.

“Time is the Answer" by Wildfire is a scarce and increasingly sought-after LP. Filled with hit-bound songs it comes as no surprise that the album has now become a much-wanted item due to its addictive and original-sounding nature. This is a must-have for any self-respecting record digger!

Borrowed Tongue is the debut solo album by Korean singer-songwriter Minhwi Lee. It’s a mysterious, strangely compelling thing, an album of rare poetry, and remarkably self-assured. Originally released in November 2016, the album made waves, winning best folk album of 2016 at the 14th Korean Music Awards. Its eight songs, written and predominantly arranged by Lee, don’t reveal their secrets easily, or at first blush; rather, they take their time slowly to unfurl in her listeners’ worlds. There are hints of other music here, from time to time: the intimacy of Stina Nordenstam, perhaps; the gauzy haze of Hope Sandoval, on the blissed-out pop of “Broken Mirror”; there are touches of acid-folk, and ECM jazz, and a slyly filmic approach to songwriting and arrangement that makes every song fit perfectly into the album’s arc.

Lee arrived at her solo music through a complex, circuitous route. After studying musicology in Seoul, she learned her trade, film scoring, in New York and Paris. She also studied classical music, blowing off steam in a wild punk duo, Mukimukimanmansu, who released one album, 2012, on Korean indie label Beatball. Subsequently, Lee has been refining her music, focusing both on her solo songs, and on writing for television series and films; she’s written scores for films by such directors as Sangmoon Lee, Jeongwon Kam, and Wanmin Lee. She also plays in the jazz outfit Cubed, and recently joined doom metal group Gawthrop on bass.

Since its release in 2016, Borrowed Tongue has slowly bewitched listeners with its idiosyncratic arrangements and evocative songwriting. It’s an album that hints at plenty, but refuses to make grand statements, something Lee seems intent to pursue: in correspondence, she’s very clear that she wants these songs to enact a kind of transmutation, to be adopted into the listeners’ lives and exist within their own imaginings. She does, however, offer a few hints to what propels these mercurial songs, explaining, “this album is about a person who again opens their mouth, which was once shut. The album deals with what it means to speak: things that are known but not said, things that should be said but are not, things that cannot be said but nonetheless are.”

This may well explain the curious mood of Borrowed Tongue, the multiple ‘voices’ that inhabit the album; Lee’s singing voice is pliable and mutable, approaching each song as its own diorama and ensuring the song is sung with just the right tone. The arrangements Lee conjures for her songs are all in service to narrative and melody; they appear to her alongside the composition, which is surely why everything here fits together so beautifully. From there, Lee approaches her songs carefully, in deference to their ‘need to be sung’ a certain way. There isn’t a moment wasted: everything on Borrowed Tongue is as it needs to be, whether a melancholy folk song taking to the air, or a psychedelic reverie dreamed into being. It’s a beautiful, poised and confident debut.

Alva Noto’s award winning score for the 2022 German documentary film ‘This Stolen Country of Mine’ directed by German filmmaker Marc Wiese features nineteen compositions to be released on NOTON in April 2023.

The documentary film explores the question of a state's sovereignty in the face of foreign powers. The film portrays Ecuadorian resistance fighters and journalists who oppose the sell-off of an extensive part of the country's resources to Chinese investors.

Alva Noto's music subtly accompanies the struggle of a mountain village, immersing us into the film’s narrative and pathos. Across nineteen compositions, the music exposes and holds back when the images and statements of the protagonists speak for themselves, reflecting the dark shadows and the glares of hope of communal resistance.

The documentary was the recipient of the German Documentary Film Music Award 2022.

Focus track #19

'Ritual Reprise' is the closing composition of Alva Noto's award-winning score for the 2022 German documentary film 'This Stolen Country of Mine.' The piece merges minimal digital textures with emotional resonances, taking the listener to a sonic path filled with a serene tenor. The tone is set on the slow-burn haze of gloaming ambient-electronica scapes, compounding under a unified cinematic soundscape of warm digital ambiances and liquified electronics.

As its now tradition we start the year with yet another fluid album from Portuguese pianist and composer Tiago Sousa.

Presenting now the second volume of his ongoing series »Organic Music Tapes«, Tiago now adds the electric organ to his trademark piano compositions, broadening his palette of sounds into an even more fluid and organic world with references to American minimalism of the 60’s, in particular Terry Riley and Steve Reich’s influence both looms heavily over these pieces

The piano still takes centre stage here but the organ opens both sides of the album like a statement of intention… the compositions take a nebulae type state, floating eternally over stars and planets, with their indefinite and indeterminate contours, never settling and never leaving.

Music as organic matter, like water, sand, stars or nebulae. Tiago translates complex patterns into transcendental experiences to our ears whilst cementing further his place as one of the most distinct voices to emerge out of the modern wellspring of piano driven minimalism.