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"Ambiguity " ist l imitiert auf 1000 wunderschöne
orange-schwarz marmorierte Doppel-LPs im Gatefold.
Erstmals auf Vinyl erhältlich: das dritte Album der Heavy
Metaller BRAINSTORM - als Teil von Atomic Fire
Records neuer "Backfire" Serie. Für Vinylfans von
Vinylfans.
Die deutsche Heavy Metal-Macht BRAINSTORM ist seit
mehr als drei Jahrzehnten in der Szene, und es ist
tatsächlich immer noch schwer, das Genre zu definieren,
das sie spielen. Power-Metal? Heavy Metal? Prog Metal?
All diese Kategorien wären richtig, obwohl BRAINSTORM
noch mehr bieten und man mittlerweile von ihnen sagen
kann, dass sie eine einzigartige Metalmischung
geschaffen haben. Ihr drittes Studioalbum "Ambiguity",
das ursprünglich 2000 veröffentlicht wurde, wird jetzt von
Atomic Fire auf limitiertem (1.000 Exemplare) farbigen
Vinyls neu aufgelegt, damit die neue Generation von
Metal-Fans es in seiner vollen Pracht genießen kan

Carlos Cipas neues Album in radikaler "Leisigkeit"
Erstaunlicherweise gibt es in unserer lärmenden Welt -
nicht nur in der deutschen Sprache - keinen Begriff für
das Gegenteil von "Lautheit". In Carlos Cipas fünftem
Album Ourselves, as we are geht es aber genau darum:
Der Pianist zelebriert auf seinem Instrument eine
"bewusste Innenschau", wie er es selbst nennt, "ein
Heranzoomen an das Objekt der Betrachtung, in diesem
Fall an sich selbst". Und dafür stellte er sich die Aufgabe:
so leise zu spielen wie möglich - eine radikale
"Leisigkeit"!
Das Ergebnis ist nichts weniger als die Entdeckung einer
neuen Klavierklangwelt. Carlos Cipa macht Leises hörbar,
Saitenklänge, Nebengeräusche seines Instruments, die
ohne technische Verstärkung kaum wahrzunehmen wären.

Irresistibly groovy manoeuvres from Brazil's Gabriel Oliveria, who was introduced to the world via John Beltran's Sol Set LP. It's only right then, that both sides of this 7" single should effortlessly straddle the sensibilities of Latin and house, driven along by a subtly insistent four to the floor kick drum and a more off kilter double beat on the flip song Quem Sabe Quando. Brazil's bossa tradition is built on its musicians' ability to simultaneously balance the celebratory and the melancholy in their songs, and these two, perfect for sunset or end of season Balearic sets, do just that.

"Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the bassbins, Mysticisms brings the latest in its Dubplate series. After the success of his first digital dubb excursions on the version, Persian returns with a second 10” of reggae inspired electronics, covering Bass, Breaks, Digidub and now also, Jungle.

Taking no prisoners with the massive opener Survival Dub, Persian marries classic breakbeats and toasting to bouncing, dance floor effect. THE party starter. This is followed by Smoke Mari, a looping steppas of FX and breaks to lay down the Dubplate clash.

As ever the link between rave, breaks and sound system culture is explored, this time with the Roots’n’Lovers opening of There Is No Love giving way to a Junglist drop, before risin’ to a beautiful soul sermon.

Finally, taking it all down, tings wrap with the deep, sampledelic dub of Zatoichi’s Troubles. With a bass to destroy many a speaker, it’s lanquidity morphs from the EP’s hedonism of sound clash styles to a gliding “tokers delight”.

Smoke the Mystery. "

Hot release alert!!! For the next release on Best Record, the storied Italo institution delivers its first original artist album in over 40 years, as Raffaele "Whodamanny" Arcella joins forces with Cosimo "Cosmo" Mandorino for a suite of dancefloor dreamspells called 'Fantasy'. Working under the name CHOP - short for Channel Operators - the duo craft colorized confections of magical motion and ecstatic energy, with atmospheres of infectious disco, future-gazing funk, wavey pop balearica, and booty boppin' boogie beat intermingling, and further enhanced by layers of dub sorcery and saxophonic sunshine. It's a celebratory and soaring adventure of warmth, whimsy, and wonderment, one that pays brilliant homage to the deep history of Neapolitan dance music, while ever forging new paths into the uncharted beyond. Limited edition vinyl release!! Future classic.

With our Chillhop Raccoon mascot leaving the cozy countryside for the first time and moving to the big city of Chillville, Essentials Spring 2022 is a new chapter. An origin story with endless adventures around every corner. With Spring 2022, we see our favorite mascot settling in, unpacking, making friends, and learning the ways of a new metropolis, one paw at a time.

At 24 songs with nearly 40 musicians, Essentials Spring 2022 marks the 25th seasonal compilation since beginning back in 2016. Lofi and lively, jazzy and laid-back, press play and feel the ground start to blossom and bloom.

"Island Time" is the latest album from Joel Sarakula and his first since relocating to The Canary Islands at the height of the pandemic. From his home in the UK he accepted an invitation to perform a special concert Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria in November 2020 not realising it would change his life.

"Island Time" is a collection of songs covering themes such as island life, city life, loneliness and romantic love and our relationship with nature.

Stylistically covering soft-rock, soul, disco and reggae, "Island Time" and its first single "Tragic" is broad in scope but ultimately a cohesive record, with the production focusing on a small group of musicians featuring Phil Martin (Dawn Patrol, Martin & Garp) on drums and Xav Clarke on guitar and bass. Building on his previous records "Love Club" and "Companionship", Sarakula expands his palette with a broader use of synthesizers and drum machines and makes stylistically adventurous choices such as the AOR samba of "Dinosaur" and the 70s-cod reggae inspired title track "Island Time", a tribute to escape and re-invention. Sarakula sings "Don't bother me I'm on island time, don't bother my mind once again." For any overworked and over-connected city-dweller, this plea for isolation in a tropical island is a beautiful fantasy.

"Island Time" will be released on Jan 20th, 2023 with Sarakula bringing some tropical sunshine to the freezing European winter in January and February with performances already confirmed in The Netherlands and Germany.

Back in stock!

Following in the footsteps of the landmark 1966 double-quartet recording by Joe Harriott and John Mayer, Indian born musician Amancio D'Silva produced some of the most adventurous and sophisticated recordings within the canon of 'indo-jazz', a term used to define a pioneering east meets west synthesis that reflected the shifting musical and cultural landscape of post-war Britain. An experiment which reached a pinnacle in 1972 with D'Silva's seminal recording Dream Sequence by Cosmic Eye (The Roundtable TRZY001), an adventurous fusion of modal jazz and Indian classical music viewed through the psychedelic lens of swinging London. Exotic third-stream jazz conceived by a visionary composer whose virtuosic technique and deeply emotive guitar playing defined his two earlier and now legendary 1969 UK jazz albums Integration and Hum Dono with Joe Harriott, both recorded for the much celebrated Lansdowne label.

Also recorded in 1972 although not released at the time was Konkan Dance, an unofficial sequel to Dream Sequence that further explored the unchartered possibilities of an Indian music-jazz fusion. Featuring many of the same personnel, this session also included support from Don Rendell and Alan Branscombe, two giants of the UK jazz scene who add serious credentials to D'Silva's singular and intimate compositions. For reasons unknown the album was cancelled by Lansdowne at the time and never saw the light of day until being resurrected again in the 2000s. The Roundtable are pleased to once again showcase this important artist and present a new addition of this incredible and almost forgotten piece of the Amancio D'Silva story. Pressed on 180g vinyl and packaged in a custom 1960s-style flip-back sleeve.

Unreleased British Jazz from 1972.
Sequel to Cosmic Eye - Dream Sequence
Includes liner notes and rare photos.
Custom Flipback sleeve.
180g Vinyl

James Curd presents the fourth instalment from his already essential PRONTO label, delivering a hyper-infectious original alongside a bumper pack of top-drawer remixes on ‘I Am One, I Am Many’.

First up, Curd’s original version of ‘I Am One, I Am Many’ bursts from the blocks with its lively tempo and feel-good groove. Built around an empowering spoken word vocal and pitched somewhere in the fertile soil between disco and house, the funk-laden jam rolls over thick bass, dramatic strings and jaunty guitar licks, with irresistible horn motifs lifting spirits as the dance-ready arrangement unfolds.

Next, renegade UK collective Adelphi Music Factory maintain the uncompromising approach that has seen them garner universal tastemaker heat thanks to impactful releases on Shall Not Fade, Nervous, and their own Beat Factory label. Adding weight to the drums, they stay true to the intention of the original, retaining the track’s key parts while tastefully reforming them as an unfettered main room banger.

The UK remix flavour extends into the third iteration, with notorious party-starters Make A Dance continuing their club-focused manifesto with their brilliantly atmospheric revision. Here, M.A.D. carry on the fine work they’ve been manifesting on their eponymous label, constructing an almost entirely new track around the iconic vocal. A contagious organ hook drives the energy as saucer-eyed sweeps and off-kilter synths meander across the panorama, the sturdy house rhythm expertly powering the kinetically charged groove.

Tel Aviv’s Nenor rounds off the remixes, the esteemed producer and DJ showing the kind of sparkling form that has seen his work appear on benchmark labels including Mahogani, Strictly Rhythm, Heist, and Razor N Tape among many others. Transposing the track into deeper territory, Nenor strips back the instrumentation to serve a mesmerising heads-down roller. The vocal soars over brooding bass and syncopated chords, with loose rhythms and subtle textures combining to hypnotic effect.

Today, UK duo Audiojack release their edgy two-track ‘Stay Strong’ EP, out now via Dirtybird, marking their debut release on the label.

Embracing their unique deep house sound, ‘Stay Strong’ lives comfortably on festival main stages and underground dancefloors. Its titular track is an intricate soundscape complimented by layered synths and textured percussive elements. The companion track, ‘In Your Eyes,’ strikes a different tone with its rhythmic breakbeat nature. Ready to leave their mark on the Dirtybird flock, ‘Stay Strong’ arrives ahead of Audiojack’s upcoming debut at Dirtybird Campout this October.

Regarding the EP, Audiojack said, “We made these tracks as the pandemic restrictions were lifting and there was light at the end of the tunnel. We imagined how good it would feel to play loud music again to people who were full of joy and relief at being free again, and we tried to encapsulate that feeling in the music.”

Following the release of their second album, 'Surface Tension', Audiojack are entering what might be called the major phase of their career. This, of course, is not to diminish the solid reputation they have built over the last fifteen years as DJs, producers, remixers and label curators with original releases on labels like Crosstown Rebels, 2020Vision and Hot Creations, remixes on labels including Moon Harbour, B-Pitch Control and Diynamic, and artists like Underworld, Groove Armada and Hot Since 82 who have enlisted their talents for remixes.

This September sees the fourth release from the label Either. Label founder Jamie Clarke is behind the title track ‘Angor Animi feat. Emdee’ and a second track featuring Emdee, the third track is a remix of the title track from Romania’s Barac.

Either is built on Clarke’s sure feel for early hours dance floor tunes. The releases to date are enriched by remixes from Pablo Mateo, Ryan Crosson, Silverliining…

On Clarke’s title track Emdee’s vocals carry us along over squelchy acid bass, gritty stab lines, saturated drums and tribal-tinged percussion. On track 2 ‘Extraction’ Clarke picks up the journey theme. Here the mood brightens and trips-out, Emdee’s chanting vocal carry us over sonorous organs, swinging rhythms. Track 3 returns to the dynamically processed elements of the title track, Romanian minimal maestro and Moment Records Boss Barac sweeps us into a twelve-minute rushing tide of organic drums and swaying subs.

For our 5th release we are delighted to welcome the Italian artist WarinD. Influenced by hard groove, acid and distorted sounds, WarinD started his own record label in 2015 releasing, in addition to his own productions, artists such as Thomas P.Heckmann, D.Carbone, Codex Empire, Dyen, VSK, Nico Moreno and Trym just to name a few. Giuseppe debuts on MU with a techno banger EP composed of 3 original tracks and a remix by our fellow IN/JXRX. Pure MU rave style with raw and acid influences. credits Modular Underground – MU005 All tracks written and produced by Giuseppe De Chiara, Brain OFF remix by Salvatore Fioretti. Masted by Davide Carbone at CMS, Italy. Artwork by Pasquale Ascione Executive producer: Paulina&Francesco + Giovanni Rispoli

CHRISTIAN DEATH was formed by Rozz Williams in Los Angeles, California in 1979. Williams was eventually joined by guitarist/songwriter Rikk Agnew of ADOLESCENTS, James McGearty on bass and George Belanger on drums. This CHRISTIAN DEATH line-up was responsible for recording the band's iconic 1982 debut, ONLY THEATRE OF PAIN, widely regarded as the #1 American goth album of all-time. This exclusive double-LP version of OTOP commemorates its 40th anniversary- the first disc is the digitally remastered, original version of the album while the second disc is comprised of "Dogs" from HELL COMES TO YOUR HOUSE, four pre-Frontier demos, two studio demos made for a second Frontier Records' LP that never happened and two alternate studio mixes from OTOP. The gatefold LP jacket is printed in its original its black and metallic gold, includes a Colver collage poster and a hardcover copy of the photo book, ONLY THEATRE OF PAIN and all come in a hard slipcase. The oversized 12" x 12" book features rare and never-before-seen photos of CHRISTIAN DEATH as well as new interviews with photographer Edward C. Colver, the surviving band members, Frontier's Lisa Fancher and others. Colver befriended the band and followed them around in late 1981 and early 1982 at more than a dozen concerts as well as photo shoots in Rozz Williams' family home (used on the back cover and insert of ONLY THEATRE OF PAIN) and a session of now famous images at a Pomona CA cemetery. Info: Just as the theatrically-minded LA punk scene was beginning to give rise to such morbidly themed outfits as 45 Grave and the Flesh Eaters, an androgynous teenaged street performer named Rozz Williams (né Roger Painter) founded CHRISTIAN DEATH, one of the most prolific, enduring, and beloved gothic acts of all time. Williams' otherworldly groan can make "Only Theatre of Pain" difficult going for those that aren't the gothic faithful, but the loud/not-too-fast music (courtesy of ex-ADOLESCENTS guitarist Rikk Agnew and the walking-dead rhythm section of bassist James McGearty and drummer George Belanger) is appropriately doom 'n' gloomy, with inventive arrangements and clear sound - thanks to Frontier Records' go-to punk production legend, Thom Wilson- capturing the mood in full B-movie fidelity. The lyrics sacriligiously address horror topics and religion: they're overwrought (the backwards masking of 'Mysterium Iniquitatis' being one clever exception) but easy to overlook in the wash of inspired rock noise. The original lineup's recorded debut is a gem. Artists inspired by CHRISTIAN DEATH include Danzig, Craddle of Filth, Paradise Lost, Korn, Type O Negative, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson and Jane's Addiction. Press: "A depraved masterpiece, this was punk rock made poetic, subversive, and gracefully savage."- AV Club "The Gothic album to out-gothic all others" - Melody Maker "Only Theatre of Pain's influence should not be underestimated" - Record Collector Limited availability!

”No Rules Sandy” ist eine vollständige Verschmelzung -
Pop und elektronische Musik verschmelzen zu etwas Neuem, das ständig auf sich selbst aufbaut. Mit
diesem Album, sagt Meath, ”sind wir zur klassischen Formel zurückgekehrt, bei der wir versuchen, den
anderen zu beeindrucken”. Nehmen Sie ”Echo Party”, das mit elektronischem Geträller um Meaths Stimme
herum beginnt, während ein einfacher Beat hinter ihr schließlich in einen tiefen Synthie-Wobble übergeht.
Sanborns Synthesizer nicken immer wieder in Richtung elektronischer Musik der 90er Jahre, aber wie beim
gesamten Album sagt er: ”Ich möchte, dass sich alles wie etwas anfühlt, das man schon einmal gehört hat,
aber auf eine Weise präsentiert wird, die man noch nie gehört hat.”
Beide bezeichnen No Rules Sandy als ihr persönlichstes Projekt - schließlich ist der Titel Sanborns eigener
Spitzname.
”No Rules Sandy” ist erhältlich auf Vinyl.

Espen Friberg’s solo album debut. Sun Soon is Espen Friberg´s solo album debut, consisting of eleven compositions made up of synthesizer and field recordings. The album is formed as a collage, with compositions patched on a Serge modular synth and field recordings. The patches portray the mood and wandering in mountains and forests – while at the same time meditating on the area of the Norwegian valley Hallingdal´s local history. The collage technique is something Friberg uses in both his musical and visual art. The album is meditative and exploratory, and at the same time playful and immediate. Trucks, trash cans, flowing streams, lemon soda, horses and wandering mountains, find its place between slow melodies, scratching, sinus tones and bass lines. Dissonances and harmonies come together in gliding transitions and abrupt stops, while an electronic willow flute sings and the sun is rising. The recording is done at Leveld Kunstnartun in Ål in Hallingdal, later mixed and produced in collaboration with Jenny Berger Myhre. The project captures the ambiance in the valley around Leveld, through Espen´s experiences in nature, but also from the paintings of Marianne Røthe Arnesen and Gøsta Munsterhjelm. Espen Friberg is known as an artist, designer, illustrator, cartoon creator and musician, and has received numerous awards and stipends for his work. In the beginning of 2000 he was a part of establishing the design studio Yokoland, but later started his own studio. In addition to his visual practice he has built a sound studio consisting of complex synthesizer systems and a variety of obscure electronical instruments and effect processors. He has been a central person in experimental and electronic music in Norway. He started and runs the record company Take It Easy Policy in collaboration with Emil Høgset, and has been a curator for the concert series Rett Ned. Since 2005 he has participated in a long line of sample albums under different artist names, before releasing his first EP under his own name in 2015. After this he has released six different albums with Øivind Olsen, André Borgen and Marianne Røthe Arnesen. Friberg has been active on the concert stage, both as a solo artist and in different collaborations. 1.Lazy cobweb 2.Wandering mountain 3.Gøsta Munsterhjelm 4.Foggy glow 5.Pasture patch 6.Motor sunup 7.Thirteen paintings 8.Marianne Røthe Arnesen 9.Sinuous river (part one) 10.Sinuous river (part two) 11.Orange moss bridge

ATROCITY sind mit aller Macht zurück: "OKKULT III" markiert das furiose Finale der "OKKULT" Album-Trilogie und ist gespickt mit brutalen Death Metal-Granaten! Sich ins Hirn schneidende Metal-Riffs, brutale Drumattacken und bitterböse Death Metal Vocals ergeben eine Vollbedienung in Sachen deutscher Metal Todeskunst! Freut euch auf ein Album mit gnadenlosen Nackenbrechern und grandiosen Death Metal Krachern!

Schon der Chart-Breaker "OKKULT II" begeisterte die ATROCITY Fangemeinde und die Metal-Presse gleichermaßen mit packenden Death Metal Songs, die unter die Haut gehen.
Mit "OKKULT III" werden ATROCITY ihre Fanschar endgültig zur Ekstase bringen: Sich ins Hirn schneidende Metal-Riffs, brutale Drumattacken und bitterböse Death Metal Vocals ergeben eine Vollbedienung in Sachen deutscher Metal Todeskunst!
Als Gastsänger sind Elina Siirala (Leaves' Eyes), Zoë Marie Federoff (Catalyst Crime, Cradle Of Filth) und Robse Dahn (Equilibrium) auf dem Album vertreten.
"OKKULT III" ist der krönende Abschluss der "OKKULT"-Trilogie und ein Meisterwerk deutschen Todesmetalls!

- Produziert, gemischt und gemastert von Alexander Krull im Mastersound Studio (Leaves' Eyes, Doro, End Of Green, Belphegor etc.)
- Coverartwork von Stefan Heilemann / HEILEMANIA.
- Soundeffekte von der mit dem Emmy Award ausgezeichneten Sounddesignerin Katie Halliday ("SAW", "Stranger Things", "The Strain", "Star Trek: Discovery" etc.)

ATROCITY sind mit aller Macht zurück: "OKKULT III" markiert das furiose Finale der "OKKULT" Album-Trilogie und ist gespickt mit brutalen Death Metal-Granaten! Sich ins Hirn schneidende Metal-Riffs, brutale Drumattacken und bitterböse Death Metal Vocals ergeben eine Vollbedienung in Sachen deutscher Metal Todeskunst! Freut euch auf ein Album mit gnadenlosen Nackenbrechern und grandiosen Death Metal Krachern!

Schon der Chart-Breaker "OKKULT II" begeisterte die ATROCITY Fangemeinde und die Metal-Presse gleichermaßen mit packenden Death Metal Songs, die unter die Haut gehen.
Mit "OKKULT III" werden ATROCITY ihre Fanschar endgültig zur Ekstase bringen: Sich ins Hirn schneidende Metal-Riffs, brutale Drumattacken und bitterböse Death Metal Vocals ergeben eine Vollbedienung in Sachen deutscher Metal Todeskunst!
Als Gastsänger sind Elina Siirala (Leaves' Eyes), Zoë Marie Federoff (Catalyst Crime, Cradle Of Filth) und Robse Dahn (Equilibrium) auf dem Album vertreten.
"OKKULT III" ist der krönende Abschluss der "OKKULT"-Trilogie und ein Meisterwerk deutschen Todesmetalls!

- Produziert, gemischt und gemastert von Alexander Krull im Mastersound Studio (Leaves' Eyes, Doro, End Of Green, Belphegor etc.)
- Coverartwork von Stefan Heilemann / HEILEMANIA.
- Soundeffekte von der mit dem Emmy Award ausgezeichneten Sounddesignerin Katie Halliday ("SAW", "Stranger Things", "The Strain", "Star Trek: Discovery" etc.)

In anice gatefold sleeve this vinyl will make you discover the most emblematic artists of Cumbia and other more confidential ones selected and explained by the journalist and expert OSMAN JR. Original versions entirely remastered.

ATROCITY sind mit aller Macht zurück: "OKKULT III" markiert das furiose Finale der "OKKULT" Album-Trilogie und ist gespickt mit brutalen Death Metal-Granaten! Sich ins Hirn schneidende Metal-Riffs, brutale Drumattacken und bitterböse Death Metal Vocals ergeben eine Vollbedienung in Sachen deutscher Metal Todeskunst! Freut euch auf ein Album mit gnadenlosen Nackenbrechern und grandiosen Death Metal Krachern!

Schon der Chart-Breaker "OKKULT II" begeisterte die ATROCITY Fangemeinde und die Metal-Presse gleichermaßen mit packenden Death Metal Songs, die unter die Haut gehen.
Mit "OKKULT III" werden ATROCITY ihre Fanschar endgültig zur Ekstase bringen: Sich ins Hirn schneidende Metal-Riffs, brutale Drumattacken und bitterböse Death Metal Vocals ergeben eine Vollbedienung in Sachen deutscher Metal Todeskunst!
Als Gastsänger sind Elina Siirala (Leaves' Eyes), Zoë Marie Federoff (Catalyst Crime, Cradle Of Filth) und Robse Dahn (Equilibrium) auf dem Album vertreten.
"OKKULT III" ist der krönende Abschluss der "OKKULT"-Trilogie und ein Meisterwerk deutschen Todesmetalls!

- Produziert, gemischt und gemastert von Alexander Krull im Mastersound Studio (Leaves' Eyes, Doro, End Of Green, Belphegor etc.)
- Coverartwork von Stefan Heilemann / HEILEMANIA.
- Soundeffekte von der mit dem Emmy Award ausgezeichneten Sounddesignerin Katie Halliday ("SAW", "Stranger Things", "The Strain", "Star Trek: Discovery" etc.)

EP, black vinyl Death doom metal group Kuolemanlaakso's most recent album Kuusumu, released to much critical acclaim in March 2022, will be followed up by a limited three song EP Kuolleiden laulu in December. Both the album and the EP were recorded in the same studio session in 2021, both share lyrical themes and cover art based on art by Evelyn De Morgan (1855-1919). "We knew already when entering the studio that we're going to record more than an album, as we had plenty of material to work on. When all ten songs were done, it felt natural to compile the album of the heavier epic songs and put the more unusual and catchy tracks on the EP. These three songs have contagious hooks and clean vocals", comments guitarist-songwriter Laakso. The title track on the EP is the band's most radio friendly track to date with a smoother production and an infectious chorus plus guest female vocals by Lotta Ruutiainen, who also performed on the album. The slow and menacing second track "Juuret jalkojeni alla" is a more complex composition, whereas the EP closing number "Rautasiivet" pays a visit to the same melancholic but catchy territory that Kent and Katatonia also inhabit. "The three songs on Kuolleiden laulu differ from one another considerably, and they present new sides to the band. Lyrically all three songs are fictional stories based on the 10-year volcanic winter that begun in 535 and has been described by historical scholars as 'the worst time to be alive'", comments Laakso. Aleksi Munter (ex-Swallow The Sun and Insomnium) plays keyboards on the EP, and it was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by V.Santura (Triptykon), the man responsible for producing everything Kuolemanlaakso has released thus far.

"SHAOT REGISHOT" ("Sensitive Hours"), das Gold-Album, das Avishai Cohen zwischen "GENTLY DISTURBED" und "AURORA" auf Hebräisch aufgenommen hat und bisher außerhalb Israels unveröffentlicht war, ist jetzt überall auf CD und Vinyl erhältlich. Zum ersten Mal in seiner Karriere ist dieser Release kein Instrumentalalbum, sondern ein Album mit wunderschönen Liedern, die Cohen selbst geschrieben hat und selbst performt - stark vom Jazz und von traditioneller Musik beeinflusst, getragen von einer Stimme mit vielen Akzenten und unglaublichem Charme.
...Ein unverzichtbarer Meilenstein in seiner ohnehin schon reichen Diskographie.

Avishai Cohen (Kontrabass, E-Bass, Keyboards, Klavier, Gesang)
Und mit:
Shai Maestro (Klavier), Mark Guiliana (Schlagzeug), Amos Hoffman (Oud), Karen Malka (Gesang), Lenny Ben Bassat (Fender Rhodes, Schlagzeug, Keyboards, Programmierung), Alberto Pinto (Flöte), Bjorn Samuelson (Posaune), Lars Nilsson (Flügelhorn), Adam Sheflan (Gitarren), Avshalom Sarid (Bratsche), Tal Isenberg (Bratsche), Pavel Levine (Bratsche), The late Yitzhak Simcha (Gebetsgesang), Hila Zaharur (Gesang), Dana Adini (Gesang), Rea Bar Ness (Schlagzeug), Eyal Heller (akustische Gitarre), Gil Luis (elektrische Gitarre), Itamar Doari (Perkussion), Ran Salem (Altflöte), Oded Meir (Posaune), Itamar Doari (Cajon), Ilan Salem (Flöte), Steve Davis (Posaune), Jonathan Volchuk (Posaune), Din Din Aviv (Gesang), Ilan Kachka (Schlagzeug), Zohar Fresko (Schlagzeug), Ora Cohen (Gesang), Maya Belzitzman (Cello), Omer Valber (Leitung)

In a Hip Hop match-up as heavy as Freddy vs Jason was to horror cinema, Los Angeles emcee's Mykill Miers and Pawz One have announced a collaborative album titled "Double Homicide". The project is packed with multi-syllabic lyrical barrages and DJ cuts as gritty as the boom-bap backdrops for a journey through the dark underbelly of the city of angels.

Mykill Miers, the self-proclaimed "Hitchcock Of Hip Hop" has been a threat on the mic since the late 90's, coming up in the same circle as notables including Planet Asia, Dilated Peoples and Phil The Agony. Pawz One has been releasing music for the past decade has been repping hard for the real ish. Speaking on their initial link-up Pawz recalls "I had obviously known of Myk for a while from killing it on the "Wake Up Show" to all the work he dropped. I was circulating around shows in LA a few years back and we ended up on the same bill a few times. We exchanged contact and did a few songs and I felt like it was a combo people would like to hear more from."

Production on the album includes work from Default Beats, Big Bob, Phaisrok, DJ Ray Swift, Science and Mykill Miers himself. Turntablists including DJ Rhettmatic, DJ Merk1200, DJ Breeze, DJ Romes and DJ Fastcut lend their skills and emcees including Ruste Juxx, Mic Handz, Edo.G, El Da Sensei, King Magnetic and Buddah.

Does Spring Hide Its Joy is an immersive piece by composer Kali Malone featuring Stephen O’Malley on electric guitar, Lucy Railton on cello, and Malone herself on tuned sine wave oscillators. The music is a study in harmonics and non-linear composition with a heightened focus on just intonation and beating interference patterns. Malone’s experience with pipe organ tuning, harmonic theory, and long durational composition provide prominent points of departure for this work. Her nuanced minimalism unfolds an astonishing depth of focus and opens up contemplative spaces in the listener’s attention. Does Spring Hide Its Joy follows Malone’s critically acclaimed records The Sacrificial Code Ideal Recordings, 2019 & Living Torch [Portraits GRM, 2022]. Her collaborative approach expands from her previous work to closely include the musicians Stephen O’Malley & Lucy Railton in the creation and development of the piece. While the music is distinctly Malone’s sonic palette, she composed specifically for the unique styles and techniques of O’Malley & Railton, presenting a framework for subjective interpretation and non-hierarchical movement throughout the music. Does Spring Hide Its Joy is a durational experience of variable length that follows slowly evolving harmony and timbre between cello, sine waves, and electric guitar. As a listener, the transition between these junctures can be difficult to pinpoint. There’s obscurity and unity in the instrumentation and identities of the players; the electric guitar’s saturation timbre blends with the cello’s rich periodicity, while shifting overtone feedback develops interference patterns against the precise sine waves. The gradual yet ever-occurring changes in harmony challenge the listener’s perception of stasis and movement. The moment you grasp the music, a slight shift in perspective guides your attention forward into a new and unfolding harmonic experience. Does Spring Hide Its Joy was created between March and May of 2020. During this unsettling period of the pandemic, Malone found herself in Berlin with a great deal of time and conceptual space to consider new compositional methods. With a few interns left on-site, Malone was invited to the Berlin Funkhaus & MONOM to develop and record new music within the empty concert halls. She took this opportunity to form a small ensemble with her close friends and collaborators Lucy Railton & Stephen O’Malley to explore these new structural ideas within those various acoustic spaces. Hence, the foundation was laid for Does Spring Hide Its Joy. In Kali’s own words: “Like most of the world, my perception of time went through a significant transformation during the pandemic confinements of spring 2020. Unmarked by the familiar milestones of life, the days and months dripped by, instinctively blending with no end in sight. Time stood still until subtle shifts in the environment suggested there had been a passing. Memories blurred non-sequentially, the fabric of reality deteriorated, unforeseen kinships formed and disappeared, and all the while, the seasons changed and moved on without the ones we lost. Playing this music for hours on end was a profound way to digest the countless life transitions and hold time together.” Ideologic Organ is pleased to present Kali Malone’s Does Spring Hide Its Joy as a triple LP set of around two-hours duration. Mastered by Stephen Mathieu and cut at Schnittstelle Mastering, the record is pressed in perfect sound quality by Optimal in Germany. The album is packaged in a heavyweight laminated jacket with full-color printed inner sleeves, and also available as a three-hour triple CD. Kali Malone’s album “The Sacrificial Code” (2019) has sold over 6000 copies in vinyl and CD format. Kali Malone’s album “Living Torch” (June 2022) has sold over 4000 copies in vinyl and CD format.

Following the success of his 2022 mod-club, soul-jazz adventure with Mick Talbot, on 27 January Acid Jazz Records will release Chris Bangs' compendium of dance-floor fillers and Latin dynamite. Chris, who coined the term 'acid jazz', has created a new solo album of 10 tracks that takes his unique spin on jazz DJ-ing and turned it to producing an album that is totally reminiscent of the classic '80s era on the UK dance scene.

Recent single 'Firebird' (Jazz FM's Breakfast show 'track of the week') encompasses a lifetime of Chris's musical influences to present a jazz-tastic smorgasbord of bossa, fusion, bop jazz funk, salsa and a myriad selection of other jazz stylings all delivered with his trademark ear for the grooves and melodies to go with it. Paying tribute to his roots, 'East Coast' is the distinctive sound of jazz-funk fusion which spread through UK clubs in the early '80s, whereas 'Dinamita's heavy duty percussion-led Montuno Salsa groove tips its hat to the sound of '70s NYC via Puerto Rico.



Elsewhere the album features a tough Batucada rework of Dom Um Romao's 'Kitchen (Cosina)', the bossa of Cal Tjader's 'Samba Do Sueno', Brazilian disco funk-jazz 'Sambara' via the epic samba fusion 'Lifetimes'. Firebird features an array of in-demand and exceptional musicians, including jazz guitarist Nigel Price (Van Morrison, David Axelrod, JTQ), supreme jazz piano stylist Janette Mason (Seal, KD Lang, Robert Wyatt), trumpeter Dave Priseman (Jeff Beck, Imelda May), bassist Ernie Mckone (Boogie Back), saxophonist Simon Bates (Elvis Costello, Chaka Khan, Carleen Anderson), and fresh from his remix work with Paul Weller, vibesman Roger Beaujolais. This brilliant team of collaborators have helped a remarkable musical maverick create a truly unique and incredibly exciting album. Independently self-produced and composed, Firebird is a set of tunes better than any Chris Bangs had ever done.

Das neue Album "Risiko" von Steiner & Madlaina ist einmal mehr eine sehr persönliche Angelegenheit, die sie aber hin und wieder mit einem rotzigen Statement gehörig aufmischen. Nora und Madlaina haben sich für die Aufnahmen der zwölf Songs des neuen Albums neun Tage lang mit ihrer Band in das französische "Black Box Studio" in der Normandie zurückgezogen. Dort wurden alle Takes live eingespielt und zusammen mit Giuliano Sulzberger produziert.

"Die Aufnahmen zählen zu den besten Zeiten, die wir als Band erlebt haben", sagen Nora Steiner und Madlaina Pollina über ihr bereits drittes Album. Genau DAS hört man aus jedem der zwölf Songs heraus. Ob es damit das beste Album ist, das sie je gemacht haben? Die Entscheidung überlassen sie anderen.

Der Vorgänger "Wünsch mir Glück" landete in ihrer Heimat auf Platz 2 der Album-Charts - in Deutschland wurde es Platz 32. Gehen wir also am Ende ruhigen Gewissens mal ins "Risiko" und sagen: Dieses Album würde sich wirklich gut auf der 1 machen. Ob in Deutschland oder der Schweiz? Ach, warum nicht in beiden Ländern?

A very rare jewel in the Michael Head canon of work. A two-song project recorded in 2014, pressed in France and packaged in a hand-made sleeve.
This is a unique and original artefact, not a re-press. With no band name on the sleeve , this was a personal project exquisitely packaged.

The songs are pure and quintessential Michael Head. Velvets In The Dark was written in the wake of the death of Lou Reed and centres around being on the outside of those things most important in your life. Koala Bears is a remarkable song with a structure like no other featuring two young fugitives, fixated and so in love who when caught have their code word for “we say nothing”

Red Vinyl

It has been exactly ten years since Finders Keepers first intrepidly entered Andrzej Korzyński’s cavernous musical vault, but it is only today that we are able to proudly announce the safe retrieval on what we consider the true heavy psych holy grail of the Polish composer’s mind-bending oeuvre. By cruel coincidence this welcome event has sadly come during the same year as the composer’s tragic passing. However, in true Korzyński style, alongside his previous Finders Keepers releases, the legacy he has left behind in this one final lost soundtrack project alone has come with musical riches beyond anyone’s wildest expectations.

The comprehensive elusive archive of the deeply psychedelic soundtrack to Andrzej Żuławski’s forbidden film Diabeł (The Devil) is perhaps the most detailed dossier one could wish to find – including audio sketches, rejected proposals and pre-butchered variations that play out like an intense and veritable creative conversation between the director and the maestro, both of whom are widely recognised as true mavericks of socialist-era Poland’s fertile artistic landscape. Never intended for anything as conventional as a straightforward movie tie-in promotional disc (state owned Eastern European record labels rarely did this), the music in this archive has required special forensic inspection. Let’s say the devil is in the detail. The 7” record you are now holding is more than just a companion piece, and it is far from a selection of the (non-existent) poppy title themes to promote a full feature-length album. This standalone release is wholly unique in its own right, giving Finders Keepers listeners a final access all areas snoop into the mind of one of the pillars of our alternative musical community.

As those familiar with Żuławski and Korzyński’s long-running relationship will understand (a methodology best exemplified in the schizoid soundtrack to the film Possession), their exchanges were deeply nuanced and often complicated, with lots of artistic “tennis” thrown into the mix. The key plot in this behind-the-scene fable is that after delivering his original off-kilter psychedelic score to the director, maestro Korzyński was asked to make the music “totally unique, like something from another planet”, to which Korzyński took his tapes, pulled down the vari-speed to a guttural grind and continued to recompose over the top using avant-garde electro-acoustic techniques while deploying psychedelic skills of guitarist Winicjusz Chróst. This limited record release proudly boasts Korzyński’s original uptempo awkward psychedelic pop music prior to the doom laden growls that make the official films soundtrack a true Goliath of Eastern European soundtrack composition. Which, when recontextualised, will stand as a veritable face-melter for stoner rock fans. As one of Finders Keepers deepest conquests, we are delighted to share The Devil Tapes… What is a grail without the wine.

Excerpt from “The Prison Diaries” by Lev Parker Day 7 – Sunday
“C of E service!” bellowed the guard with Gary Glitter sideburns and what looks like a disturbing blush of mascara. If he is wearing makeup, that is a truly unwelcome transgression of the austere prison aesthetic. I instinctively avoid his eyes, keeping them fixed on the poster behind him promoting the system’s “positive influence.”

My first introduction to the “work” of Lev Parker - one of the most ubiquitous non-musician characters of the Fat White Family inner-circle - was his online serialisation of his three week stint in Wandsworth prison for a public order offence around the time of the London Riots (having been unfortunate enough to be relying on Saul Adamczewski as his only witness at his trial

Jazz Saxo Session is one of the first connected discs of Jazz Collection.

Grouped by instrumental theme, this jazz compilation features the greatest names in jazz: Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Stan Getz...

The podcasts on the history of jazz offered in the Viny application (on IOS or Android) are fascinating.

And if jazz is in you, you'll love to continue the experience with the Jazz Collection by Vinyl & Media suite.

Die Meister des hymnischen Rock'n'Roll Black Star Riders sind stolz, ihr neues Album mit dem Titel »Wrong Side Of Paradise« ankündigen zu können. Das Album mit 11 Tracks wurde im Herbst 2021 im Studio 606 in Northridge, Kalifornien und Toochtoon Sound in Redmond, Oregon mit dem Produzenten und langjährigen BSR-Mitarbeiter Jay Ruston aufgenommen.

Mit Ricky Warwick (Leadgesang/Gitarre), Robert Crane (Bass), Christian Martucci (Gitarre) und Schlagzeuger Zak St. John veröffentlicht die Band 2022 ihre erste Single und ein Video mit dem Titel »Better Than Saturday Night« (mit Backing Vocals von Joe Elliott von Def Leppard). Das Video zeigt eine blitzschnelle Performance der viermaligen UK Top 25 Band und lässt den Betrachter ein Standard-Rockvideo-Klischee vermuten, bevor es mit dem Auftritt der rauen Roller Derby Dolls auf den Kopf gestellt wird.

Über das Album sagt Ricky: »Ich bin sehr stolz auf dieses Album, Black Star Riders fünfte Veröffentlichung und die erste mit unserer neuen und aufregenden Beziehung zu Earache Records. Wie alle BSR-Alben ist auch ›Wrong Side Of Paradise‹ eine hymnische Absichtserklärung, angetrieben von wilden Gitarren und donnernden Drums. Ich kann nur über meine eigenen persönlichen Erfahrungen schreiben, über meine Familien, meine Freunde und darüber, wie ich eine Welt sehe, die sich schneller verändert, als wir sie begreifen können. Davon abgesehen glaube ich fest an die Kraft der Positivität, etwas, das in diesem Album widerhallt

Die Meister des hymnischen Rock'n'Roll Black Star Riders sind stolz, ihr neues Album mit dem Titel »Wrong Side Of Paradise« ankündigen zu können. Das Album mit 11 Tracks wurde im Herbst 2021 im Studio 606 in Northridge, Kalifornien und Toochtoon Sound in Redmond, Oregon mit dem Produzenten und langjährigen BSR-Mitarbeiter Jay Ruston aufgenommen.

Mit Ricky Warwick (Leadgesang/Gitarre), Robert Crane (Bass), Christian Martucci (Gitarre) und Schlagzeuger Zak St. John veröffentlicht die Band 2022 ihre erste Single und ein Video mit dem Titel »Better Than Saturday Night« (mit Backing Vocals von Joe Elliott von Def Leppard). Das Video zeigt eine blitzschnelle Performance der viermaligen UK Top 25 Band und lässt den Betrachter ein Standard-Rockvideo-Klischee vermuten, bevor es mit dem Auftritt der rauen Roller Derby Dolls auf den Kopf gestellt wird.

Über das Album sagt Ricky: »Ich bin sehr stolz auf dieses Album, Black Star Riders fünfte Veröffentlichung und die erste mit unserer neuen und aufregenden Beziehung zu Earache Records. Wie alle BSR-Alben ist auch ›Wrong Side Of Paradise‹ eine hymnische Absichtserklärung, angetrieben von wilden Gitarren und donnernden Drums. Ich kann nur über meine eigenen persönlichen Erfahrungen schreiben, über meine Familien, meine Freunde und darüber, wie ich eine Welt sehe, die sich schneller verändert, als wir sie begreifen können. Davon abgesehen glaube ich fest an die Kraft der Positivität, etwas, das in diesem Album widerhallt

Die Meister des hymnischen Rock'n'Roll Black Star Riders sind stolz, ihr neues Album mit dem Titel »Wrong Side Of Paradise« ankündigen zu können. Das Album mit 11 Tracks wurde im Herbst 2021 im Studio 606 in Northridge, Kalifornien und Toochtoon Sound in Redmond, Oregon mit dem Produzenten und langjährigen BSR-Mitarbeiter Jay Ruston aufgenommen.

Mit Ricky Warwick (Leadgesang/Gitarre), Robert Crane (Bass), Christian Martucci (Gitarre) und Schlagzeuger Zak St. John veröffentlicht die Band 2022 ihre erste Single und ein Video mit dem Titel »Better Than Saturday Night« (mit Backing Vocals von Joe Elliott von Def Leppard). Das Video zeigt eine blitzschnelle Performance der viermaligen UK Top 25 Band und lässt den Betrachter ein Standard-Rockvideo-Klischee vermuten, bevor es mit dem Auftritt der rauen Roller Derby Dolls auf den Kopf gestellt wird.

Über das Album sagt Ricky: »Ich bin sehr stolz auf dieses Album, Black Star Riders fünfte Veröffentlichung und die erste mit unserer neuen und aufregenden Beziehung zu Earache Records. Wie alle BSR-Alben ist auch ›Wrong Side Of Paradise‹ eine hymnische Absichtserklärung, angetrieben von wilden Gitarren und donnernden Drums. Ich kann nur über meine eigenen persönlichen Erfahrungen schreiben, über meine Familien, meine Freunde und darüber, wie ich eine Welt sehe, die sich schneller verändert, als wir sie begreifen können. Davon abgesehen glaube ich fest an die Kraft der Positivität, etwas, das in diesem Album widerhallt

Masters of anthemic rock ‘n’ roll Black Star Riders (The former Thin Lizzy
members) return with their hugely anticipated 5th studio album by
Earache records
Featuring 11 tracks, it was recorded in the Autumn of 2021 at Studio 606 in
Northridge California and Toochtoon Sound in Redmond Oregon with producer
and long time BSR associate, Jay Ruston. With Ricky Warwick on Lead Vocals /
Guitar, Robert Crane on Bass, Christian Martucci on Guitar and drummer Zak St.
About the album Ricky says “I am very proud of this record, Black Star Riders
fifth release and the first with our new and exciting relationship with Earache
Records. As with all BSR albums, ‘Wrong Side Of Paradise’ is an anthemic
statement of intent, driven by ferocious guitars and thundering drums. I can only
write about my own personal experiences, my families, my friends and how I see
a world that is unravelling and changing faster than we can comprehend. I’m a
firm believer however, in the power of positivity, something that echoes
throughout this album”.

Australian 9-piece Spiritual Jazz group Menagerie announce their highly anticipated third album 'Many Worlds', released 15th January 2021 on esteemed U.K label Freestyle Records.

Menagerie is the Melbourne-based Jazz ensemble founded by producer, songwriter, guitarist, DJ and recording artist Lance Ferguson, also the driving force behind The Bamboos, Lanu, Rare Groove Spectrum and Machines Always Win.

Recorded at Union Street Studio by award-winning engineer John Castle, 'Many Worlds' features some of Australia's finest musicians, including pianist Mark Fitzgibbon (a regular performer at Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge's original Dingwalls sessions), drummer Daniel Farrugia and renowned saxophonist Phil Noy (The Bamboos).

Inspired by both the post-Coltrane generation of the 70's, labels like Strata-East, Impulse! and Tribe, along with the current 'New Wave Of Jazz', Menagerie aligns with the world of Kamasi Washington, Shabaka Hutchings and Nubya Garcia, whilst also bringing their own unique twist.

Lead single 'Free Thing' leans heavily into the spiritual side of the band's sound. The hypnotic spoken word-poem is evocative of The Last Poets, an earthy yet futuristic meditation on the universal theme of freedom itself, set to a backdrop of insistent percussion, double bass and brooding piano voicings.

'Hope' carries forward the sound of spiritual jazz into the 21st century, with its epic vocal harmonies and melodic fanfare, it is an uplifting anthem for this period of global worldwide upheaval and uncertainty.

The title track 'Many Worlds' is a perfect example of how Menagerie incorporates their myriad influences, but manage to create a sound that feels uncannily fresh and contemporary. Book-ended by ambient, ethereal sections, the slow-burning groove builds over its 11-minute duration to create a standout crossover track.

Menagerie have received airplay and radio support from Gilles Peterson (BBC6/Worldwide FM), Don Letts (BBC6), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), Simon Harrison, Paul Miller and Ennio Styles (3RRR).

'Many Worlds' will be released on legendary U.K imprint Freestyle Records - home to jazz contemporaries Courtney Pine, Jessica Lauren, and keyboard legend Brian Auger.

Clear Splatter Vinyl

We are proud to present this long player in our catalog. Zolex is one of the most influential and groundbreaking artists of the European Techno scene. He produced many classic anthems like 'Time Modulator' -one of the first underground techno tracks played on MTV (back in the days MTV still played music)-, Beautiful Inside, Yes & No,... But also under various aliases and groups like Carat Trax,
Asphyx, Dirty Jackers.

Zolex is still an active DJ and he has played on major techno events all over the world. For this release we selected 8 brand new tracks. All of these tracks are in his typical style. This package is like "the finest wine". We are not going to explaining all tracks separately, that would downgrade this promo-text. All tracks are unique, groundbreaking, massive, vicious, top notch and true gems. What we dare to say: buy it and you will play them all! And off course : Play it LOUD!

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Cloud Nothings' seminal album, Attack On Memory, the band has announced a very special limited edition vinyl pressing. 3000 copies worldwide.

It’s housed in a foil jacket with all new colorized artwork, is pressed on Sky Blue vinyl, and includes two bonus flexi 7"s with two never-before-released tracks, "You Will Turn" and "Jambalaya" from the original sessions at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio.

In 2009, Cleveland’s Dylan Baldi began writing and recording lo-fi power-pop songs in his parents’ basement, dubbing the project Cloud Nothings. His music quickly started making the Internet rounds, and fans and critics alike took note of his pithy songcraft, infectiously catchy melodies, and youthful enthusiasm. Baldi soon released a string of 7”s, a split cassette, and an EP before putting out Turning On—a compilation spanning about a year’s worth of work—on Carpark in 2010. January 2011 saw the release of Cloud Nothings’ self- titled debut LP, which, put next to Turning On, found Baldi cleaning up his lo-fi aesthetic, pairing his tales of affinitive confusion with a more pristine aural clarity. In the interval since the release of Cloud Nothings, Baldi has toured widely and put a great deal of focus on his live show, a detail that heavily shapes the music of his follow-up album, Attack on Memory.

After playing the same sets nightly for months on end, Baldi saw the rigidity of his early work, and he wanted to create arrangements that would allow for more improvisation and variability when played on the road. To accomplish this desired malleability, the entire band decamped to Chicago—where the album was recorded with Steve Albini—and all lent a hand in the songwriting process. The product of these sessions is a record boasting features that, even at a glance, mark a sea change in the band’s sound: higher fidelity, a track clocking in at almost nine minutes, an instrumental, and an overall more plaintive air. The songs move along fluidly, and Baldi sounds assured as he brings his vocals up in the mix, allowing himself to hold out long notes and put some grain into his voice. Minor key melodies abound, drums emphatically contribute much more than mere timekeeping, and the guitar work is much more adventurous than that of previous releases.

For all of early Cloud Nothings’ fun and fervor, Baldi admits that it never sounded like most of the music he listens to. With Attack on Memory, he wanted to remedy this anomaly, and in setting out to do so, Baldi and co. created an album that showed vast growth for a very young band.

Der Grundstein für "Quiet The Room" wurde vor zwei Jahren gelegt, als Helen Ballentine einen Song gleichen Namens komponierte und aufnahm. Im Gegensatz zu den meisten anderen Songs von SKULLCRUSHER wurde dieser auf dem Klavier geschrieben, dem erklärten Instrument ihrer Kindheit. Während Ballentine im Sommer 2021 den Rest des Albums schrieb, flogen ihr Visionen aus ihrer Jugend zu, wie die Fledermäuse vom Dachboden, während sie in der schwülen, stickigen Hitze durch ihre Wohnung in Los Angeles lief. Das Bild eines Hauses entstand in Ballentines Kopf, als sie die innere Welt ihrer Songs mit den äußeren Räumen, die sie jetzt umgab, zusammenfügte. Sie dachte dabei viel an ihre Kindheit in Mount Vernon, NY, die sie als größte Inspiration für die Platte bezeichnet. "It's like layers of tracing paper, like someone is trying to make a drawing and you're seeing the entire process", sagt Ballentine über die Entstehung des Albums. Bei der Durchsicht älterer Heimvideos fielen ihr die scheinbar harmlosen Aufnahmen auf, die durch das Fenster gemacht wurden und sie am Klavier oder beim Spaziergang im Garten zeigten. Versteckte Bedeutungen, die über die Ränder der Bilder hinausgingen, eine sich abzeichnende Dunkelheit, die außerhalb des Blickfelds schwebte (ihre Eltern stritten sich, waren auf dem Weg zur Scheidung usw.). Das Haus schaffte es nicht länger, sie alle unter einem Dach zu beherbergen. Ballentine versucht nicht auf "Quiet The Room" die oft zitierte Unschuld der Kindheit einzufangen, sondern will diese in ihrer intensiven Komplexität darstellen. Das Ergebnis ist ein atemberaubendes wie leise bewegendes Werk geworden, das die Reisen widerspiegelt, die wir durch unsere körperlichen und geistigen Sphären unternehmen, um uns der Welt zu präsentieren.

After spending his debut album exploring techno and mechanical sounds in the depths of the Pas-de-Calais mines, Toh Imago looks up to the sky, with an open breeze on his face, as tree branches and canopy filter out the sun’s rays on Refuge. All the machines used during the album recording are tuned at 432hz, carrying the mystical benefits of Earth’s resonance. Spending just seconds with the opening track, the listener is drawn into the safety that Refuge was intended to provide, and each subsequent piece pulls you deeper and deeper into the album’s forest.

Textextext - (add your write up)

‘Refuge’ was recorded on the edge of the Mormal forest, in the North of France. With nature as a setting and studio accomplice, the album features synthesizers, field-recordings, as well as the acoustic qualities of reverbs from the nearby forest. As the artist’s inner world and nature converge in moments of self-reflection, so the album’s 11 recordings harmoniously unfold in a cavalcade of machines and organic sonorities.

While the first LP 'Nord Noir’ explored his family’s mining past, ‘Refuge' is about being present and the desire to re-contextualize the relationship between nature and humans. It is a record of uplifting tones that is filled with optimism, imbued with the lightness of those who finally reconnect with nature, their roots, and the feeling of groundedness.

Like the steps taken on a walk in the woods, the 11 tracks sonically tell the story of an inner journey divided in three chapters. "Asile sauvage", "Sylve barbare" and “Avril Mormal" take the listener into a fast-paced progression of rhythms. When the heart of the forest is reached, the journey becomes intimate, revealing a sacred space where breathing becomes the leading tempo ("Locus Neminis") and the traveller becomes a spirit lost in space ("Cosmos Intra”). The journey's climax is reached with "Monde intérieur". The album closes with "Chiff Chaff" which accompanies the listener back to a reality, hopefully a more reassuring one.

Across the album, Toh Imago finds inventive ways of opening a dialogue between nature and machine, both literally and metaphorically, creating a soundscape that both feels like and was created by the natural world that surrounds him.

The album offers a shelter from a predetermined world. It’s a story told through ambience, racy and subtle electronics, and the memories of lichens clinging to shoes.

Factory Benelux presents a new 3 disc black vinyl edition of Harmony, the debut album by influential Scottish group The Wake. Originally released by Factory Records in December 1982, this new expanded edition marks the 40th anniversary of this landmark post-punk album.

The Wake formed in Glasgow in 1981 after singer/guitarist Caesar left Altered Images, and joined Factory the following year. Harmony was recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport with producer Chris Nagle (formerly Martin Hannett’s preferred engineer), by which time the group comprised Caesar (vocals, guitar), Carolyn Allen (keyboards), Steven Allen (drums) and Bobby Gillespie (bass). On release as Fact 60 the original 7 track mini album earned a 5 star review in Sounds magazine, hailed as the missing indiepop link between Factory and Postcard Records.

Bonus tracks on Disc 2 include The Wake’s dub-informed second single, Something Outside b/w Host, and also their John Peel session from July 1983 – the last recordings to feature Gillespie before his departure for The Jesus and Mary Chain and Primal Scream.
Disc 3 offers a desk recorded live set from Ayr Pavilion on 15 April 1983 during a tour with New Order. The concert includes several songs never recorded in the studio, including Recovery and Country of the Blind.

The enhanced trifold artwork for this new edition includes images of the band by noted photographer Paul Slattery, taken at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, as well as new liner notes by Caesar. A 2xCD edition is also available (FBN 29 CD).

After releasing several further albums on Factory and Sarah Records during the 1980s and 1990s, The Wake returned to recording with A Light Far Out in 2012. A new studio album is expected in 2023.