Search:second self

Styles
Styles
Apply
Juan Ramos - Changing Hands
ESP082
ESP INSTITUTE
12inch23.07.201923.JUL.19

HouseSlowAmbientBeatsExperimental

Juan Ramos opens his debut album with The Problem With Ambiguity and Finding Space—speaking to a societal confusion, a fragmented sense of self, and a pull toward many (often unwelcoming) directions—this turmoil in which he’s spent considerable time, sees him invest grave efforts to express the inexpressible. Changing Hands is a time capsule of that dark period in his life, an overtly honest musical diary which puts his emotional coming-of-age on full display, hoping to reach kindred listeners. While his previous output for the ESP Institute used a certain level of complication to push limits on the dancefloor, this immersive work cuts deep in to a frayed psyche, dismantling our preconceptions of Juan and plunging listeners deep into a stew of jarring textures, incomplete phrases, and circus-like abstractions of pop culture. There is a nonchalant and unhurried experimentation that accumulates over the album’s first half—disconnected and anxiety-riddled personality traits constitute various musical roles, sporadically converging in fleeting moments of optimism although never fully climbing out from the abyss—and yet amidst this chaos there is a watershed moment in which the artist successfully gleans a golden morsel of hope from his emotional junkyard, guiding us across the threshold into the album’s second half while diligently protecting the glow of this rock bottom treasure. Juan begins to reveal his inner b-boy—a distorted view on golden-age Hip Hop roots, an affinity for muddy break-beats, sultry loops and metaphoric interludes—the crown prince of a newly-found safe space. It’s as if he had us searching on all fours for a misplaced joint, but now that it’s finally lit, he assures us that everything’s going to be alright.

out of Stock

Last delivered 7 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

13,82 €
Tarika Blue - 45s Collection 2x7"
DYNAM7045/46
Dynamite Cuts
7"-Vinyl17.07.201917.JUL.19

Hip-HopFunkSoulBeatsLimited

A limited edition 7” DOUBLE PACK release by TARIKA BLUE, this outstanding band release two LPs back in 1976 & 1977 on the Chiriucuro, label. Here are four of the best tracks from the second LP self titled “Tarika Blue”.

DYNAMITE CUTS give you a super fresh cuts of these wonderful jazz fusion classics. Loved and collected by all good music collector around the world. This LP has become sort after and sells for the original around £350. Dynamite cuts has reissued the best four songs from the LP to give you a wonderful limited edition vinyl pack, don’t miss out x600 only

out of Stock

Last delivered 4 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

19,75 €
Sadaf - History Of Heat
BBRLP002
Blueberry Records
12inch15.07.201915.JUL.19

Hip-HopR & BBeatsLounge

History of Heat is an eroto-intellectual retelling of a love story. It is the scholarship of heat, and the sources of its production in the body: desire, exaltation, anticipation, fear, rage and mourning . It is a fable circulating through the nerves, pumped and distributed by its own mythologies. Through different chapters, we follow the heroine of our story from the initial desire to love, the sensual pull which oscillates between the grotesque and sacred longing of the flesh (‘L’Enfer en pleine lumière’ translates to ‘Hell in plain sight’)...to the sudden ghostlike appearance of the Other (Apparition) as a projection of the dream. We enter into the spiritual, the seeing visions and the blindness of love. ‘Animal’ speaks of instinct, the smell of the beloved, already the deconstruction of the divine back into the realm of the physical. The title track ‘History of heat’ sings the hesitation of love, the precipice of openness and the invitation of the contract: Dance with me... (This is where the metaphoric marriage is forged). In ‘Perfection’, the pressure which keeps the relationship on the pedestal of the absolute stunts and paralyses love. Unrealistic expectations of the self and the other person creates the push and pull of the not wanting what one wants and the fear to get what one has been asking for. ‘Tiny engine’ speaks of mechanical attachment, attachment to the lover as habit, as a second nature, and the call to the other person as a magnet. In ‘Ditectrice’, the madness and the folly of separation spawns war and confusion. It is the violent refusal to live without the other... the pleading with god. ‘Feed him’ follows with resignation and exhaustion. Love has become the beast of burden who eats away at itself insatiably. ‘War text’ brings forth the devastation, the peace treaty and finally the metaphysical Divorce. In ‘Guttermoon’, the vita contemplativa begins, the blood starts to cool, the scene is a ghost town. ‘Wrong god’ similarly winds down as an ode to remorse and mourning. Finally, ‘Cinema Verité’ closes out the album with a mistrust of ‘reality’: the heroine becomes a philosopher, she becomes an artist... did the relationship ever exist or was it a projection “In front of a movie screen” ?

History of Heat is an experimental narrative and cinematic pastiche of all original and self recorded material. A chaotic mix of sounds both analog and digitally produced recalls a warlike interpersonal breakdown. The mood established by the lyrical content of the piece is meant to be demanding, enclosing the listener within a unique and compelling cocoon of otherworldly sound. the Album is framed within a discursive love story which reflects larger relational problematics and interpersonal traumas. looped vocals act as incantations woven in and out of lyrical singing and spoken word. The instrumentals embrace chaos and intensity. Improvised violin and broken down beats compliment and balance the melancholic overtones which flutter above off the grid rhythms in this charged ficto-personal account.

out of Stock

Last delivered 7 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

15,34 €
Traxman - Tekvision Vol.2
TEKLIFE009
Teklife
12inch09.07.201909.JUL.19

TechnoElectroChicago

Tekvision Volume 1 was a stone cold classic, with Rolling Stone charting it at #3 in their top 20 EDM records of 2017. Two years on, Cornelius ‘Traxman’ Ferguson returns with the second instalment, featuring 7 exceptional new Footwork productions. Traxman is a bonafide OG, with a discography dating back to the halcyon era of Ghetto House in the late 80’s and early 90’s. 30 years on, Traxman is a revered figure in Chicago’s urban music scene, having presided over the evolution from Ghetto House to Juke and from Juke to Footwork culture. Originally released in 1989, Work Dat Mutha Fucker by Steven Poindexter is considered to be one of the most influential tracks from the early days of Ghetto House. Traxman remixes it brilliantly on this release, reworking the stripped back, minimalist drum beat of the original into an upfront Footwork pattern. This sense of continuity is equally evident on Let Me See You Naked feat. DJ Juicy, and Traxman’s remix of To Da Hoooz by DJ Deeon. These productions successfully capture the sexual energy and exuberance of Ghetto House, turbo charged at 160 BPM. Elsewhere on the record, Traxman explores different moods whilst always keeping the dance floor firmly in mind. The opening track It’s Lasting Bass lays an infectious vocal harmony over complex drum patterns and a fearsome bassline. Osaka opens with mellow, sultry keys before introducing a wobbling synth and diced up Orchestal samples. 4 Da Lyfe is a soulful and slightly more meditative track, with a vocal loop expressing solidarity and self-affirmation. Wildcard feat. Jana Rush, stands alone as the only track without a vocal element, instead utilising a piercing and insistent synth to create a powerful sonic intensity. Overall this is triumphant record, and a worthy successor to the original Tekvision release, proving once again that Traxman is an unrivalled exponent of MPC-driven footwork energy.

out of Stock

Last delivered 5 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

13,40 €
The Church Of I.r.l. - Live From Hermit Cave
KLINIKA002
Klinika Musik
12inch24.06.201924.JUN.19

TechnoMinimalExperimental

The second one dithers between Kraut Rock and Techno. Spiked with quotes from Psychogeographer Will Self to War photographer Robert Capa the tracks draw a wide array of cultural themes to the listener and onto the dancefloor. Floating highhats meets eerie Sounds . Electric boogie, organic twist. Vital Sales Points: - Symbiosis between Krautrock and techno “Live from Hermit Cave” is the second release of Frankfurt/Main based label KLINIKA provided by THE CHURCH OF I.R.L. It dithers between Kraut Rock and Techno. Spiked with quotes from Psychogeographer Will Self to War photographer Robert Capa the tracks draw a wide array of cultural themes to the listener and onto the dancefloor. Floating highhats meets eerie Sounds . Electric boogie, organic twist.

out of Stock

Last delivered 7 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

9,20 €
ZIOR - ZIOR
  • A1: I REALLY DO
  • A2: ZA ZA ZA ZILDA
  • A3: LOVE’S DESIRE
  • A4: NEW LAND
  • A5: NOW I’M SAD
  • A6: GIVE ME LOVE
  • B1: QUABALA
  • B2: OH MARIYA
  • B3: YOUR LIFE WILL BURN
  • B4: I WAS FOOLING
  • B5: BEFORE MY EYES GO BLIND
  • B6: ROLLING THUNDER
TDP54001
Trading Places
12inch05.06.201905.JUN.19

Hip-HopR & BPopRockBluesGarage Rock

British blues-rock quartet Zior had their roots in the bourgeoning R&B scene that arose during the

late 1960s in the southeast coastal city of Southend; they built a strong reputation in live

performance, opting for ‘happenings’ in the style of Hawkwind and Pink Floyd that went beyond

mere musical events. By the time they recorded their self-titled debut album, issued on Larry Page’s

short-lived Nepentha label in 1971, they were clearly influenced by the emergent hard rock/

heavy metal scene of the West Midlands, drawing from Black Sabbath’s discordant riffs and occult

influences, along with shrill vocal attacks in Led Zeppelin mode; there were shades of Steppenwolf

and the odd Doors-sounding keyboard riff as well (and the Black Sabbath link was heightened

by an album design from Keith McMillan, who was responsible for Black Sabbath’s debut cover

too). The resultant Zior is a varied ride through different kinds of rock terrain, from blues rock to

hard rock and on to whimsical psychedelia and prog-rock, making it hard to classify. Though this

debut LP should have heralded a bright beginning, misfortune seemed to dog the band from the

start; other recordings were released under the name Monument, the band members listed under

aliases, and a second album, Every Inch A Man, was issued in Germany after Zior’s breakup in

1973, without the band’s knowledge or permission.

pre-order now05 Jun 2019

expected to be published on 05 Jun 2019

21,81 €
Dominic Murcott - The Harmonic Canon (feat. Arx Duo)
NONCLSS029
Nonclassical Records
12inch28.05.201928.MAY.19

BeatsAmbientElectro

Winner of the 2018 BASCA British Composer Award for Solo or Duo

"Bloody hell that was good" Tim McKinney, BBC Radio 3

Dominic Murcott – The Harmonic Canon

A music project featuring a specifically design half-tonne double bell, an array of rare percussion and two highly virtuosic percussionists.

Dominic Murcott is a composer, percussionist, curator and educator based in London. Much of his work combines acoustic instruments with computers, film and other media. He has a continuing interest in work that is personalised for specific performers and has created acoustic/electronic pieces for trumpeter Noel Langley, percussionist Joby Burgess, clarinetist Joan Enric Lluna, harpist Sioned Williams and the Elysian String Quartet among many others. He has taken an unusual path to his current position, starting out as a self taught musician, his early career included playing drums with no-wave pioneers 'Blurt' and composing for the highly successful V-Tol Dance Company throughout their ten-year history. Changing from drums to vibraphone he became a member of art-pop band The High Llamas and has played on records by many influential artists including Stereolab and Pavement.

Created in collaboration with sculptor Marcus Vergette, The Harmonic Canon is both the name of the piece and the double bell that was custom-made for it. Comprising of two bells tuned a semitone apart, the bell was created using Finite Element Analysis, a type of structural analysis that determines the vibration patterns of the bell, manipulating its harmonic series to create a complex series of frequencies that make up a note. Part One is made up of rapid, high energy, virtuosic passages, articulated with the ominous striking of the bell while the second part contrasts with a single resonant tone that evolves and shifts over time. This is part of nonclassical's 21 Minutes series, a new project commissioning 21-minute pieces.

The piece won the BASCA British Composer Award for Solo or Duo. Premiered in 2018, the piece has had radio play on BBC Radio 3, broadcast from Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.

out of Stock

Last delivered 7 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

15,08 €
Solar X - X-Rated
GXD002
GALAXIID
2x12inch17.05.201917.MAY.19

HouseElectronicaBeatsBreak-BeatElectroExperimentalSynth

For the second release on the Galaxiid imprint, a label of electronic music archeology and quality, we are transported to the strange sonic world of an elusive 90s pioneer. Solar X's 1997 album X-Rated will be released for the first time on vinyl, as well as reissued digitally, with new artwork by the Japanese artist Keiichi Tanaami. Two worlds connecting sonically, visually and culturally.

Solar X enjoyed a burgeoning career in post-Perestroika Moscow making playful, low-tech electronica from Soviet analogue instruments, which he masterfully configured to forge animated compositions and dancefloor rarities. Fascinated by chaos and complexity, his music explores the ways in which our minds can be manipulated by structure - an endeavour quite plausibly linked to his other career as a lecturer and researcher of AI, information theory and cognitive science, his interest in which was in turn triggered by his young experiments in computer music.

Solar X gained international attention at a time when Russia was (quite unfairly) seen as a vacuum for electronic music, but was exploding in the period of piracy, poverty and freedom following the collapse of the USSR. Young Russians had benefited from the soviet education system and there was a strong DIY computer programming and music scene, fuelled by hackers, gear freaks and party animals. Viewed from today, the album is reborn at a time of further political and social strife, which many see as fuelling the huge creativity and radical thinking of modern Russia's young creatives.

X-Rated treats tempo and form as fluid concepts, administering sudden changes to its sonic landscape with disorienting effect, underlain with a subtle dose of humour and experimentation. Downtempo trip-hop sits alongside frenetic IDM and blistering electro, all bound together by peculiar melodic inflections and lively distortions. Warm, trippy harmonies and robotic synths are offset with angular drums, shifting erratically through moods and genres with cunning intent. Much like his contemporaries from the era, it's his ability to breathe life into a humble production setup that makes his music so compelling some twenty one years later.

The track titles are from a book of call girl cards in London phone booths, that reached the artist in Moscow in 1995. "I liked the titles from these cards, which were self-promoting and offering pleasure (e.g. "Mistress awaits you"). So, I thought since my tracks also offered some kind of pleasure, they might as well advertise this through their titles.'

Label head Nina Kraviz was introduced to the work of the 83 year old sensei Keiichi Tanaami by Ukawa Naoshiro, founder of Dommune in Tokyo, one of the brightest figureheads for the arts in Japan, responsible for the graphic design of the cover. In September 2017 Nina played for the opening of Tanaami-san's first exhibition in Moscow at Gary Tatintsian Gallery. Nina performed a live sound palette, to accompany the looping 7 minute animation, of experimental music from the Soviet Union, Russian pioneers of electronic music like Species Of Fishes and SolarX, Soviet-time pioneer Lev Termen, Kuryochin, avant-guard rock mixed with some Stockhausen and just pure abstract sounds, as well as treasured artists like Biogen.

Tanaami's illustrative work has strong sexual elements, so out of the five art pieces Nina selected and commissioned for Galaxiid, the first fits perfectly for 'X-rated'. The vertical line of text on the left is the traditional form for Japanese covers of foreign releases. The cover, together with the accompanying poster and sticker, are printed in Japan to ensure the highest print quality and purity of the colours.

out of Stock

Last delivered 4 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

19,54 €
NYCC - I'll Keep My Light In My Window / Express Yourself
GLR120012
Groove Line Records
12inch16.05.201916.MAY.19

Hip-HopR & BFunkSoulPopDisco

Groove Line Records series of officially licensed disco / funk 12' reissues continues in 2019 with two fabulous cuts of gospel disco from The New York Community Choir (NYCC), 'I'll Keep My Light In My Window' & 'Express Yourself'.

The New York Community Choir (NYCC) began in the early 1970s, a gospel ensemble which developed a style that also gave secular R&B, soul, and pop songs a spiritual dimension; bridging Saturday night and Sunday morning, as it were.

'I'll Keep My Light In My Window' is a slice of joyful uplifting gospel disco, which is as needed in these times as it was when it was released in 1978. This was a great favourite of David Mancuso and Larry Levan at the time, and has remained a much loved dancefloor track for the disco cognoscenti ever since.

This came from NYCC's second LP for RCA, Make Every Day Count, produced by Warren Schatz (who also produced The Brothers, which was Groove Line's first reissue 12' in 2014).

NYCC released a self-titled debut album, also produced by Schatz in 1977 included the dance hit "Express Yourself," the B-side of this release in its 11m45s David Todd & Warren Schatz Disco Mix version.

All Groove Line Records releases are fully licensed and taken from the original master tapes, this 12' has been remastered and cut at half-speed by Matt Colton at Alchemy Mastering (Mastering Engineer of the Year 2013 & 2018). All vinyl is heavy weight 180g manufactured Optimal Media in Germany, one of the world's finest pressing plants.

Groove Line Records cut no corners when making sure that each and every one of our releases has the highest quality performance possible.

Groove Line Records' deluxe reissue of 'I'll Keep My Light In My Window' & 'Express Yourself' is an essential purchase for any serious Disco, Gospel, Funk, or Soul vinyl collector who demands the very best in quality vinyl pressings. Find out more at

out of Stock

Last delivered 6 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

12,56 €
ARIWO - QUASI
MANANAL6 / MANANA006LP
Manana
2x12inch15.05.201915.MAY.19

PopWorld Music

'Quasi' is Ariwo's second album, after the release of
their first self-titled album in 2017:
Despite Ariwo's diverse mix of musicians
(Cuba/Iran/Canada/UK) their music doesn't belong to any specific genre. In
''Quasi', Ariwo use the building blocks of deep bass, afro-Cuban polyrhythms,
carnival melody and immersive live electronics as a starting point to engage
with key players on London's jazz scene.

The result is a hypnotic journey for the listener from techno
to avant-garde jazz via West Africa and the Caribbean. 'Quasi' aims to mirror
the evolved direction of Ariwo's live set, which after extensive touring over
the past three years has gradually become more stripped back and club-oriented.
Many of the building blocks for this album started life as improvisations in
live sets and have been developed into full tracks on 'Quasi'.
The album features guest appearances from MOBO winning saxophonist
Binker Golding (Binker & Moses) and acclaimed UK keys player Joe Armon-Jones
(keys). Cuban trumpet players Thommy Lowry Garcia and Yelfris Valdes also
feature on the album, bringing carnival melodies that interweave through the
percussion and electronics.

Ariwo have used songs from 'Quasi' to create the music
for 'Portals' - a tour of Carlos Acosta's new contemporary dance company
'Acosta Danza' in Havana.

out of Stock

Last delivered 7 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

23,49 €
Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, Eivind Aarset, Samuel Rohrer - Dark Star Safari
AMEL-LP718
Arjunamusic Records
12inch10.05.201910.MAY.19

BeatsLoungePopJazz

Dark Star Safari, a newly formed group featuring Samuel Rohrer, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré and Eivind Aarset, present its eponymous recording debut, an evocative song-driven album. These songs conjure shadows of memory, clouds of dreaming and silhouettes of foreboding through the album’s layered, many-textured fabrics and Jan Bang's silken delivery of Erik Honoré's acute lyrics. Dark Star Safari is the work of four kindred spirits, their open modus operandi, and a remarkably interconnected creative nerve system. Key to their collaboration is an organic freedom that enables the music “to fill itself in", to be self-actualizing via the musicians as medium. The music of the 10 songs resulted from a two-stage process: an initial phase of free flowing open improvi- sation, and a subsequent exploratory phase where hidden potenti- als were discovered and nurtured. The groundwork of the album’s music originates from a session initiated by Samuel Rohrer, who invited Jan Bang and Eivind Aarset to the renowned Candy Bomber studio in Berlin. The ses- sion was run under the imaginative craftsmanship of sound engi- neer Ingo Krauss, who worked in the famous Conny Plank stu- dio, and its recording and mixing employed sophisticated use of vintage analogue equipment alongside cutting edge digital pro- cesses. This meeting opened the door for something larger to emerge. The group did not settle for just the outcome of the initi- al open improvisation. They were driven to dig deeper, to atten- tively examine and manipulate the material, in order to discover what it had to offer. This caused a creational chain reaction, forcefully spreading across the group. During this second phase, Jan Bang, while meditating upon the possibilities and reach of the improvised material, felt a strong urge to give additional shape and colour to it by singing. Thus, he organically stepped into the role of vocalist, a role he had not pursued since the early days of his musical career. He sent the results to Erik Honoré, who immediately was inspired by its po- tential, quickly penning lyrics and providing the project with its name. Honoré composed two additional songs, Mordechai and Fault Line, and thus rounded the project out towards a fully reali- zed opus. The group continued this back and forth process, with Samuel Rohrer and Eivind Aarset bringing in fine-tuning and e nrichment to the song structures and textures.

out of Stock

Last delivered 7 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

15,92 €
Sequoyah Murray - Penalties Of Love
THRILL491
Thrill
12inch09.05.201909.MAY.19

HouseTechno

Penalties Of Love Is The Debut 12' From 21 Year Old Vocalist, Multi-instrumentalist And Producer Sequoyah Murray. It Is A Remarkable Debut, Striking In Its Maturity And Originality. Writing Deeply Confessional Lyrics And Creating Abstract Textured Song Structures, Sequoyah Is A Product Of His Time, Place And Borderless Generation, Making Music That Is Both Wildly Experimental And Unforgettably Accessible, His Lyrics Proudly Recasting His Vulnerabilities As Strengths. He Was Born Into A Musical Family Atlanta, Georgia, One Of The Music Capitals Of The World: His Mother Is A Singer, And His Father A Percussionist, Both Having Spent Their Lives As Creative Musicians. If His Frst Loves Were The East African Music Introduced To Him By His Father And His Mother's Sumptuous Falsetto, The Booming Baritone Of Arthur Russell Became One Of His Oldest Friends And Most Important Touchstones. Just Like Russell, His Music Is At Once A Self-created World And The Result Of Deeply Organic Collaboration. While Sequoyah Serves As His Own Producer, He Enlisted The Help Of Acclaimed Producer And Remixer James Ginzburg (empstyset, Ginz, Bleed Turquoise) & David Corney To Mix. His Family Also Contributed, With His Father's Drumming Throughout, And His Mother And Little Brother Singing On penalties Of Love', And second Born', Respectively. 12' Ep Pressed On Virgin Vinyl And Packaged With With Free Download Card

out of Stock

Last delivered 7 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

14,50 €
GREG BELSON'S DEVINE DISCO - VOLUME TWO: OBSCURE GOSPEL DISCO 1979-1987
COS026LP
Cultures of Soul
2x12inch03.05.201903.MAY.19

HouseDiscoFunkyNu DiscoHip-HopFunkSoul

Available april 30th

Heavy heavy heavy gospel compilation.. Including a few tracks that are under the radar or recently discovered such as Harrison Jones - On that Other Shore, Converters, I've Been Converted and the super limited self-released 45 by Mr Jesse R. McGuire – Jesus Is On the Mainline. Only 50 copies were ever pressed... Also holds Paradise's brilliant "Keep the Fire.".. TIP!!

Although gospel and disco music seem like polar opposites—one is secular while the other has embraced a hedonistic culture—the marriage of the two genres has birthed the uplifting spirituality and dance floor thump found in gospel disco. By the mid-'70s many established and independent gospel artists started creating records with a tight four-on-the-floor beat that touched both churchgoers as well as patrons of the drug-fueled establishments of the '70s.

Cultures of Soul Records is proud to present the second installment of Greg Belson's Divine Disco. Belson is one of the world's leading authorities on the funky gospel sound; for this collection he dug deep into his crates to
undercover the rarest independent and private press gospel disco records ever recorded. Greg Belson's Divine Disco sound is one that's been heard around the world from his DJ appearances at Glastonbury's NYC Donwlow stage to LA's Funky Sole to soul nights across
Europe.

Many tracks are under the radar or recently discovered such as Harrison Jones - On that Other Shore, Converters, I've Been Converted and the super limited self-released 45 by Mr Jesse R. McGuire – Jesus Is On the Mainline. Only 50 copies were ever pressed. This volume even includes gospel disco from the UK with Paradise's brilliant "Keep the Fire." This compilation also includes remixes and edits by Steve Cobby (who was a member of Fila Brazillia) and the Divine Situation production duo of Greg Belson and Paulo Fulci.

out of Stock

Last delivered 7 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

31,05 €
Chupame El Dedo - No te Metas Con Satan
SOUK04
Souk Records
12inch03.05.201903.MAY.19

Hip-HopHip-HopPopRockWorld Music

Back in 2014 when we first released the self-titled Chupame El Dedo we weren't sure if people could hold their mojitos while banging to their music. In 2019 we seriously advise to keep your hands free while listening to their second album. Formed by psych cumbia master Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers) and Pedro Ojeda (Romperayo), the man that found the perfect cocktail mix for acid + folk + tropical beats, Chupame El Dedo are ready to mess around with Satan. 'No Te Metas Con Satan' it's a humorous title for music that expels cartoonish metal-vibes mixed with tropical rhythms. It's a pitch perfect title for a record that's never at the right pitch. The humour makes way for the funny stories that Eblis and Pedro explore in their lyrics. Souk's fourth release is a daring adventure in global beats. Frequently it comes to mind the universe of Quasimoto, Madlib's abstract hip hop that sounded delicious in the early 2000s. Chupame El Dedo lives in the same kind of power trip, fuelled by intense salsa rhythms dressed with heavy metal images.
That's where Satan comes into place. The Devil wears many clothes, but none are as multi-coloured and trendy as the ones we see in 'No Te Metas Con Satan'. We are advised of that during the first side of the LP. Each song dares the listener, with a multitude of ideas, sometimes dissonant ones, that find their way to make sense. An example The first song 'No Te Metas Con Satan' sounds like a perverted version of 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy' and when you think it's over, it starts again, repeating ideas and leaving you extremely confused. What the fuck just happened Chupame El Dedo happened.
And it goes on. Flip to the other side and 'Alexandra Candelaria' says hi. A 7:43 minute long sinful & hilarious soup opera. No-one is ready for this. Laughter mixes with intense head banging, while we listen to what would happen if Jodorowsky made a Cartoon Network show. A damn good one. Maybe it's a good idea to not mess around with Satan, but you'll be in serious trouble if you don't listen to this. Seriously.

out of Stock

Last delivered 7 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

14,08 €
Thomas Leer - Saving Drum
ERC075
Emotional Rescue
12inch24.04.201924.APR.19

BeatsElectroExperimental

Emotional Rescue announces the second EP of music from one of the label's favourites as part of a non-defined series where two of their (un)classic songs are remastered, reappraised and reinterpreted with new versions by a contemporary artist for reinterpretation today.

Thomas Leer is a respected and revered musician in both experimental and electronic circles. Having moved from Scotland to London in the late 70s, he moved away from playing in punk based bands, to debut his self-financed 'Private Planes' 7" in 1978, before releasing the cult-album 'The Bridge', with Robert Rental, the following year.

Signing to Cherry Red, he released the heralded '4 Movements' in 1981 and followed with 'All About You' in 1982, and it is from these 2 EPs that this release is sourced. The release starts with Saving Grace from the latter, a long famous "Cosmic classic"; it's mid-tempo, spacey, lifting repetition is the perfect soundtrack for those Baldelli trips straight to the stars.

This is backed with Tight As A Drum, a quintessential Leer production, where Teutonic drums is overlaid with sequencers and synth tones to elevate the song to some kind of disorientating outer-dimensional dub, while his lucid, spoken word vocals instill degradation and reinvention.

Asking Bullion to offer his own take on these two songs was the perfect pairing. A revered artist in his own time, the warmth and depth of his versions takes the originals to his own inner world; sampling, rewiring, reprogramming, resigning and replaying. An EP for the floor, the head and the heart.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

11,30 €
Fazer - Nadi
SQM001
Squama
12inch24.04.201924.APR.19

PopJazz

Munich quintet Fazer are set to release their second album 'Nadi' on 12th April 2019. 'Nadi' follows the underground success of their self-released debut 'Mara', which quickly sold out on vinyl and became one of the most streamed jazz records of the year. Moving freely between composition and improvisation, the band's spacious, organic sound pitches lyrical melodies from guitar and trumpet over double-drummer polyrhythmic grooves and dub-like basslines. The album title 'Nadi' references a term rooted in traditional Indian medicine. Nadis are channels that connect points of intensity within the body. This reflects the band's feeling while playing of moving as one body. Contrary to the creation of the group's debut album 'Mara', both the writing and recording sessions for 'Nadi' were completed in relatively short periods of time.

out of Stock

Last delivered 5 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

15,59 €
Clouds of Kouros - Houghton Time EP
KOUROS002
Clouds of Kouros
12inch16.04.201916.APR.19

HouseDeepDubBeatsBreak-BeatBass

Mysterious talent Clouds Of Kouros returns to their self-titled imprint to deliver the second EP on the
label this March, with three fresh cuts making up their 'Houghton Time' EP.

The enigmatic Clouds Of Kouros guise first surfaced in November of 2018, with the debut 'Reason's Why' EP picking up a slew of support from Secretsundaze through to Laurent Garnier and more.

Heavily influenced by the early UK rave scene, the project looks set to highlight key early inspirations from within the electronic sphere whilst keeping the focus solely on the music and not the artist behind the project across with each release on the imprint. The latest installment, the 'Houghton Time' EP, was written out of frustration after missing last year's edition of the festival through a last-minute transportation cancellation and in-turn returning to the studio to channel this frustration into a handful new productions. The result is an impressive fresh three tracker that takes cues from breaks through to deep house and beyond set for release on vinyl only this March.

Title cut 'Houghton Time' opens the package with authority as slick breakbeat arrangements combine with menacing basslines and infectious vocal hooks, before 'Diego's Groove' takes things deeper as dubby chords and bright melodies work in tandem. Last up, 'Hide2' completes the EP in style as the focus shifted towards punchy drum licks, resonant stabs and eerie melodies throughout.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

8,70 €
Vital Idles - EP
UTR118
Upset the Rhythm
7"-Vinyl06.03.201906.MAR.19

PopAlternative

Brand new 7' EP from Glasgow's Vital Idles, following on from the band's well-received debut LP and a rigorous Marc Riley BBC 6 Music session from last year. Vital Idles are touring Europe in support of the EP, finishing up in the UK playing a series of UTR showcase parties in celebration of the label's 15 year history.


If there isn't yet a tradition of following a magnificent debut album with a, shoelaces-tightened, excellent mission statement of an EP (one would be forgiven to think that the debut long player was the mission statement already, breaking in on the scene/ry with such unmissable and rarely seen sensory delight, but then upon hearing the subsequently released EP one is tempted to think: "Wow! That debut was truly astonishing but now they are REALLY on a mission!"), well, if this tradition doesn't already exist - and thinking about Young Marble Giants' scene-defining "Final Day" 7", Pylon's absolutely essential "!!" 10" and Carla Dal Forno's recent-yet-already-classic "The Garden" 12" one might argue that this tradition is undoubtedly fully existent (more so: alive and well) — then this self-titled extended play from much beloved Glasgow quartet Vital Idles would surely be a striking argument for the genesis of such a tradition.

On the other hand, when taking sides with the many seasoned critics arguing that this tradition has indeed long been established, one might confidently list this effort as a bona fide example of such practice, sharing with the aforementioned not only an astute and accomplished artistic ability but also a sense of minimalist psychedelia that transcends restrictions set by redundant referencialism and grateless genre parameters such as "Post Punk" or "Minimal Pop" (on which the same critics, of course, often disagree).
That being said, ping-ponging from gritty post punk smashes to minimal pop moments and vice versa, Vital Idles' sphere of stripped-down efficiency and sharp personal observation also brings to mind crucially overseen half-chord-wonders Glorious Din as well as antipodean contemporaries like Constant Mongrel (who also had their latest release mastered by the fantastic M. Young), Primo! (who also had their latest release mastered by the fantastic M. Young) and Terry (who also had their latest release mastered by the fantastic M. Young).

The EP reveals itself as a steady, hypotenusal rise of intensity and momentum, starting with the hallucinogenic restrain of opener "Break A", building tension throughout the gothic-noise flourishes of "Seconds" and "Rustle Rustle" and culminating in "Careful Extracts", a 2 minute burst of carefree introspection that might as well be the unintentional answer to early career highlight "My Sentiments": "just me and my/ tired ire/ a a a a a a a a a a"

In conclusion: Vital Idles' debut was truly astonishing but - wow! - now they are truly on a mission.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

6,85 €
Spaceark - Spaceark Is
  • 1: Sweet Hitch Hiker
  • 2: Take Her Out Dancing
  • 3: Sexy Lady
  • 4: Ja More Mon Amore (I Love My Love)
  • 5: Phantom Lover
  • 6: Each Song
MRBLP182
Mr Bongo
12inch22.02.201922.FEB.19

Hip-HopSoulPopJazz

The second album from SpaceArk. More brilliant self-released, private-press jazz/soul from 1976 Los Angeles.

'SpaceArk Is' came out on Color World records in 1976, on a limited run of about 5,000 copies. It followed their self-titled debut (also available now on Mr Bongo) on the same original label, the year before.

For a handful of years in the Seventies, SpaceArk was one of the most promising and electrifying bands in Southern California. Although their music was far greater than the sum of its parts, those parts made for a very original style. R&b, soul, rock, pop, jazz, classical ... it all came together in blissful stream of intricate compositions that swept up crowds from US military bases to Northern Soul clubs around the UK.

SpaceArk wrote and performed more than 100 songs during their time together. Most of them were not recorded and are now either lost or forgotten.

Official Mr Bongo reissue with liner notes by Amar Patel. Licensed direct from Peter Silberg.

pre-order now22 Feb 2019

expected to be published on 22 Feb 2019

25,42 €
Seeds of Fulfillment - Seeds of Fulfillment
MJLP9078
Mo-Jazz Records
12inch19.02.201919.FEB.19

Hip-HopFunkPopJazz

The Seeds of Fulfillment by David Drazin (November 2018)

Andrew Venson founded Seeds of Fulfillment (SOF) in early 1978. In the 1960s he had played electric bass with Arthur Conley, and later the original Peaches and Herb. On the same bill with Big Brother and the Holding Company, he hung out backstage with Janis Joplin. Yes! Vince was hoping SOF would get all of us to the top. He composed three tunes for the band, and we always had a ball playing them.

Roger Myers is a marvelous drummer. We co-composed Namaste. Roger would settle on a drum pattern of four measures at a time that he wanted to keep, and I'd put chords and melody right on top of his pattern. When he layered a second drum pattern on top of the first one, we'd get two melodies at the same time. We thought we were going to collaborate on more songs this way, but it didn't happen.

Lee Savory is a very inventive jazz man. He's musically literate, and wrote excellent transpositions. I remember Lee's asking for my input while he was composing Tight Squeeze, but it was clear he had it down. Once when I was visiting a DJ who played the album in a local radio station, the total of checks next to Tight Squeeze for number of plays was by far the highest!

Randy Mather's sax playing always knocked me out. I could hardly wait to hear him solo. When he left SOF to go with Woody Herman's orchestra it was amazing, but true.

Jeanette Williams had recorded 45s for the Duke and Peacock label when she was 17 years old. Her powerful singing was incredible to me. When we needed an original for Jeanette, Vince composed it, and Roger's wife Linda wrote the lyrics.

In 1978 I was in my senior year at Ohio State University when I met Vince. He came into a bar called My Brother's Place where I was playing with a trumpet player named Bobby Alston. When I was a freshman at OSU I'd played in an off campus band called Akadama. Before that I played in my home town of Cleveland, Ohio in the Brush High School Stage Band and a jobbing band called The Midnight Combo.

Everyone in the band contributed something to Egg Cartons in a composition jam session. We rehearsed in Vince's basement, and he had covered the walls with egg cartons to make the room sound more like a recording studio. The Provider was inspired by Country Preacher by Joe Zawinul. In those days I especially admired the way Zawinul would get his soulful feelings across, but also loved Herbie Hancock and to a lesser degree Chick Corea too. It took two years (with a break of several months) for the band to conquer Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. It shows you what consideration and dedication is, that ultimately they felt it was worth learning.

We recorded at Fifth Floor Studios in Cincinnati, Ohio. While we were there I got to shake hands with Bootsy Collins, who was recording in the rooms downstairs at the same time. Years later, Fifth Floor burned down and all the master tapes were destroyed.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

22,31 €
Aquarian, E-Saggila, Basic Soul Unit, City Dance Corporation, TYVYT - IYTYI - Various Artists Vol. 2
FORTH002
Forth
12inch19.02.201919.FEB.19

TechnoAcidTechnoLimitedIndustrialBeatsAmbient

Having started out throwing DIY raves in Toronto Canada, the Forth collective became influenced by the city's hunger for self-expression. Various Artists Vol. 2 is the second instalment in a series of compilations that gives Toronto artists a chance to realise their ideas on the local and international stage.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

9,87 €
Romperayo - Que Jue
SOUK02
Souk Records
12inch15.02.201915.FEB.19

PopWorld Music

Second elease on newly minted Souk Records (Discrepant), coming swiftly after the mind blowing Palestinian beat LP Muqata'a Inkanakuntu (SOUK01).

For the second release we chose someone who is already part of our Discrepant family - the Colombian tropical masters Romperayo aka Pedro Ojeda.

Back in 2015 we released their self titled debut and now it's time for the follow up, 'Que Jue', ten up-tempo bangers filled with the unique sounds of psychedelic 1970s Cumbia.

Whilst the first Romperayo LP united several musicians around Pedro Ojeda's frantic drum style, Que Jue sees him take the reigns solo armed with instruments, samplers and his trusted drum skills!

'Que Jue' is a fever rhythm joy, an intense voyage to the diverse landscape of Colombian folklore and psychedelic scene. It's also a combination of old and new, an exploration of sample techniques that throwback to classic cumbia but with an electronic minimal vibe that seeks the intense repetition of some dance music produced recently.
All for the sake of pleasure, Romperayo's music is magnetic, impulsive and addictive. The repetitive patterns are mixed astutely and sweaty percussion changes the rhythm whenever it's needed: you don't know that, but they do, and they deliver it frequently with awe. Tropical fusion, new cumbia or salsa on acids You decide.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

14,41 €
Pedro Vian - Pedro Vian
MOM018
Modern Obscure Music
12inch13.02.201913.FEB.19

HouseDeepElectroElectronicaAmbientBeatsExperimental

On Pedro Vian's second album, the now Amsterdam-based artist opens up a new sonic chapter of his life, running through depths of emotions and feelings, traversing moments of euphoria, fury, serenity, hope and love. Recorded between 2014 and 2018, the self titled LP opens with a melodic flourish, drops down through mournful vocal driven pieces and lands on fast moving synths across a set of 12 deeply personal tracks.

A follow up to Vian's 2016 acclaimed debut album 'Beautiful Things You Left Us For Memories' - supported by Pitchfork, RA, XLR8R, Ransom Note, The Quietus, NTS - this sophomore LP shows the breadth and maturity of Vian's sound, falling in between the cracks of downtempo electronica, ambient and post rock. Pedro discloses: 'I have tried to be sincere, transparent and pure. During the recording process I have avoided artificiality. I do not like the overproduction of music. I like to feel the naturalness and the essence of the beat of the instruments. I like to look inside until I find something real with which to communicate'.

'Pedro Vian' arrives on Vian's own Modern Obscure Music imprint, home to like-minded artists such as Jamal Moss, Gavin Russom, Tevo Howard, Ivy Barkakati, Eterna and Sau Poler. Vian initially cut his teeth in the Barcelona scene, first as part of the duo Aster with JMII on Hivern Discs and Jamal Moss' Mathematics then as a solo producer on his own Modern Obscure Music, MM Discos and Spring Theory.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

15,92 €
Al Jerry - Zerma Thurstra EP
AFTRAX002
Against Fascism Trax
12inch08.02.201908.FEB.19

TechnoMinimalBeatsBreak-BeatLounge

The second release on AF Trax, again with all profits being donated to Hope Not Hate, is the debut from Al Jerry who has the following to say -

I was initially picturing Al as an ambivalent character trying to evoke in his music deep issues and emotions related to Middle Eastern cultures, but not without a certain self-depreciating sense of humour and a questionable taste for stereotypical arabesque harmonies.

On a personal level, I'm from a family who is half-French, half-Armenian (from Turkey). I grew up with this sort of historical ambivalence in mind, born and bred in the relatively untroubled French culture but not completely oblivious (how could I) of the troubled past of my modern Armenian ancestry who had experienced the first genocide of the 20th century - which as you may know some people and countries still deny its very existence as we speak now in 2018. So, instead of doing something purely on my personal history and origins, I just wanted to celebrate/acknowledge the modern history of the both fascinating and chaotic Middle Eastern cultures.

When I introduced that vague idea of a project/alias to B with an early version of Sana'a Riots, he got instantly into it. The hybrid feel of the project really allowed us to experiment and mess around with odd tonalities and enthused solos. It was the first time for both of us that we manage to collaborate on an EP with someone else. We had never tried something together before and it actually turned out to be a lot of fun. More to come from Al then :)

AF Trax = Against Fascism Trax and is a new label project instituted by JD Twitch/Optimo Music. Its aim is to make a musical and cultural protest in opposition of rising far right politics and ideology in the world. Encouraging artists to make music intended to interrogate these toxic ideas, and with all label profits donated to Hope Not which campaigns to counter racism and fascism. Against Fascism Trax's intent is to provoke conversation, inform and financially support the opposition to fascist thinking. Its simple idea is that we must do something more than just talking. The moral thing to do is to act

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

9,54 €
Mike Cooper - White Shadows In The South Seas LP 2x12"
SS005
Sacred Summits
2x12inch04.02.201904.FEB.19

PopWorld Music

White Shadows In The South Seas is the title of a book written in 1919 by Frederick O'Brien as part of a trilogy he wrote based on his experiences living in the Pacific islands in the early part of the 20th century. His book was taken as the starting point for a film to be directed, initially, by Robert Flaherty (famous at the time for his groundbreaking documentary / fiction film Nanook Of The North) with W.S.Van Dyke as his support. The film, ultimately, apart from the title, had little to do with O'Brien's book and Flaherty left the film after a few months leaving Van Dyke to finish it.

I purchased O'Brien's book, along with many others, from Basement Books, a secondhand bookstore in Melbourne/Australia. Part of my 'Islomania' and on going fascination with all things Pacific. When I discovered there was a 1929 silent film based on the book I sought it out and started to present it as part of my 'Live Music/Silent films' repertoire. Tabu by Frederick Murnau, which coincidently also had Flaherty as co-director originally, was the first film I ever wrote / improvised a score for and presented as a live film/music performance. My repertoire extends to over 23 films now.

My eclectic and diverse musical and artistic interests extend into 'Hawaiian', 'Exotica', 'Ambient' and 'Electronic' Music. I have produced several volumes of so called 'Electronic, Ambient, Exotica' on CD and Vinyl, including Kiribati, Globe Notes, Rayon Hula ( on Vinyl, CD and digital format ) and most recently, New Globe Note on Vinyl and White Shadows In The South Seas on CD.
White Shadows In The South Seas features some of the music presented in my live screenings of the 1929 silent film.

The film is the story of Dr. Matthew Lloyd, an alcoholic doctor who is disgusted by the exploitation by white people of the natives on a Polynesian island. The natives dive for pearls, however, numerous accidents occur and one diver dies. In anger, Dr. Lloyd punches Sebastian, the employer. As revenge and to prevent further interruption of his activities, he tricks Dr. Lloyd onto a ship with a diseased crew (thinking they are ill) and his men rough him up and send the ship off into a storm. Dr. Lloyd survives and is washed ashore on an island where none of the natives have ever seen a white man before. Lloyd is rescued and ultimately falls in love with the chief's daughter, who is Taboo, hence Lloyd is prevented from pursuing his love for her. An incident occurs and a young boy is thought to have drowned but Lloyd is able to revive him, earning him points and permission with the chief's daughter. Lloyd begins to realise that the local islanders have no sense of the value of the black pearls which grow in abundance around their island and he starts to dive for them and collect them. One morning the white man Sebastian unexpectedly turns up on a scooner and starts to offer the islanders trade for their pearls. Llloyd tries to interrupt the encounter and is shot and dies. His wife and the islanders morn for his dead body and, symbolically, the passing of a way of life.

Mike Cooper plays - Electric and acoustic lap steel guitars / electronics / Zoom Sampletrack / Kaos Pad / Casio SK1 / Korg Drum Machine / Self Made Instruments.

It also features field recordings made on Pulau Ubin by Mike Cooper during a month as Artist In Residence for The Artist Village / Singapore.

I would like to acknowledge and thank Lawrence English (Room40 Records) for his assistance and encouragement with the original recordings and the CD version of White Shadows In The South Seas.

All music written and played by Mike Cooper PRS/MCPS - except Po Mahina (trad. Arr. Cooper) and Hilo Hanakahi (trad. Arr. Cooper)

Recorded and Mixed at the Steelworks in Rome 2012/2013.

A White Shadow In The South Seas
In February 2014 'A White Shadow In The South Seas' was the title of an audio-visual installation I made at the Teatro In Scatola in Rome, Italy, presented as part of a series of sound installations titled 'Visitazioni' produced by Proposte Sonore.

The essay below, as well as our collection of Hawaiian shirts, Exotica and Hawaiian vinyl records, was an inspiration for this installation.

'..the transformation and reconstitution of the souvenir commodity as an indigenous ethnic art form and a scarce relic of Hawai'i's romanticized past...' from - Clothing and Textile Reasearch Journal - From Kitsch to Chic by Marcia A. Morgado.

And....
Michael Thompson's Rubbish Theory (1979)
' ...a critical aspect of Western culture is the pre-disposition to see objects in terms of two overt categories: the transient and the durable. Objects identified as transient have finite life spans and lose value over time, whereas those identified as durable have infinite lives and over time increae in value....category assignments are arbitrary, but once assigned a category membership determines relative value. Fashion apparel-by defenition-is assigned to the transient category; paintings commonly are designated durables....how is it that transient objects.. ( e.g. Hawaiian shirts and vinyl records ) ..sometimes become durables.

Objects assigned to the rubbish category are largely invisible, have no value and, ideally, no life span. Fashion for example, no longer worn and relegated to the back of the wardrobe has fallen into the covert rubbish category. But rubbish can be rescued and transformed. Thompson says ' What I believe happens is a transient object gradually declining in value and in expected life span may slide across into rubbish. Here it exists in a timeless and valueless limbo where it has a chance to be re-discovered and be successfully transformed to a durable. Such transferes are radical: objects gradually slide from transcience to rubbish, but the transformation from rubbish to durable involves an all-or-nothing leap across two boundaries, that separating the worthless from the valuable and that between the covert and the overt. Things drift into obscurity but they leap into prominence.

The delightful consequence of this hypothesis is that in order to study the social control of value we must study rubbish.

The rubbish-to-durable transformation is accompanied by the development of highly specialized knowledge derived from the discovery of subtle variations and complex details that went unnoticed in the objects transient stage. The discoveries initiate renewed interest in the object and its market value begins to climb. As prices soar beyond the reach of ordinary people, the object becomes available only in high priced collectors' markets. Furthermore, as market values rise, the aesthetic value of the object undergoes a reassessment as well, and it becomes increasingly apparent that the objects intrinsic beauty has been overlooked. Ultimately the object is re -assigned as a durable and becomes recognized as a timeless classic.

Exotica, Ambience and Pacificism - A dialogue with Mike Cooper & Professor Philip Hayward Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor of Research Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

20,71 €
Unloved - Heartbreak
  • 1: Heartbreak
  • 2: Remember
  • 3: Love
  • 4: (Sigh)
  • 5: Bill
  • 6: Devils Angels
  • 7: Lee
  • 8: Danger
  • 9: Fail We May Sail We Must
  • 10: Love Lost
  • 11: Crash Boom Bang
  • 12: Boy and Girl
  • 13: If
HVNLP162C
Heavenly
12inch01.02.201901.FEB.19

PopAlternative

'Sometimes it's hard to say how you feel,' says songwriter-vocalist
Jade Vincent. 'These songs are vulnerable stories for me to tell -
they're things I couldn't say out loud. But I found that I could sing
them. And then I closed my eyes when they would listen.'
Listening to Vincent's songs were her partner - producer/composer
Keefus Ciancia - and DJ and producer/composer David Holmes.
Together, Vincent, Ciancia and Holmes make up Unloved, the musical
project that evolved out of a late-night Hollywood bar in 2015,
releasing a stunning debut album the following spring and this year
crafting the soundtrack to Phoebe Waller-Bridge's acclaimed new
series 'Killing Eve'.
Introduced to Ciancia through soundtrack work, Holmes found
himself invited to DJ one night and to curate other nights at the
Rotary Room. To invite Holmes to DJ is to unleash a kind of whirling
dervish of musical enthusiasm but through those nights the trio
discovered a shared love for 60s girl groups and French pop and film
noir soundtracks, Brigitte Fontaine, Shuggie Otis, George 'Shadow'
Morton, Bruno Nicolai, Lee Hazlewood and Jack Nitzsche, along with
a tremendous desire to work together.
Their debut EP - 'Guilty Of Love' - and the full-length, self-titled
album that followed in the spring of 2016, offered a quite remarkable
thing: a sound at once hauled out of the silty depths of the past and
simultaneously wholly modern. There was the soft hiss of a lo-fidelity
recording - the murky crackle of sample, beats and half-remembered,
long-lost favourite tunes. However, much of the songs' success
belonged to Vincent's sublime voice and lyrics, both possessed of an
aching, rich-smoked tone of loss and love.
Unloved's second album, 'Heartbreak', is about love. The album plays
out each song like a vignette of nothing but love. The songs that rose
up were in some ways surprising, but also felt insistent. 'They're real
feelings and real experiences that I had the guts to finally say, but
always ambiguous, this is very important to me,' she explains, 'and
always about love, one way or another.'
LP pressed on red coloured vinyl with digital download code.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

20,55 €
Bremen - Enter Silence
BLACKEST070
BLACKEST EVER BLACK
12inch18.01.201918.JAN.19

PopRockElectro

Bremen finds two luminaries of the Swedish punk underground, Jonas Tiljander (Brainbombs) and Lanchy Orre (Totalitär, Brainbombs, Teenage Graves, etc), coming together to explore the dark side of kraut and progressive rock, early electronic and drone music, whilst also invoking the fathomlessly bleak interior landscapes conjured by Nico/Cale on The Marble Index and Desertshore.

'Following a trio of sprawling, planet-gargling double-LPs, 2013's self-titled LP on Skrammel, and Second Launch (2015) and Eclipsed (2017) on Blackest Ever Black, Bremen - J. Tiljander and Lanchy, previously best known for their contributions to Brainbombs' long rapsheet of genius-and- brutality, but latterly exponents of a rarefied cosmic melancholy - return with Enter Silence, their most concise, and powerful, album to date. Once again the Uppsala multi-instrumentalists combine elements of trogged-out psychedelic rock with a deadly serious Arctic minimalism and weeping modal improvisations that owe more to the outer limits of jazz and burnt-out free music from Japan. It's connoisseur's space music, grown-up and grievously honed; outwardly inclined towards the epic but studded with details that reward attention and introspection. There's always been a strong undercurrent of sadness animating Bremen's work, and that existential burden is present and correct on Enter Silence, culminating in the all-out cosmic anguish of 'Palladium'. Even 'The Middle Section', whose ragged chords are nothing if not the sound of optimism and defiance, sounds like it's navigating some kind of unsayable trauma. But this band has always allowed plenty of room for bonehead slash-and-burn as well: see here especially the Stoogeian/39 Clocks-ish rock'n'roll of 'Aimless Cruising' and the pulpy quasi-cinematic tension of 'Sinister', or the brilliant 'Too Cold For Your Eyes', a blast of voidal motorik that sounds like a cranked-up Clean. It's a cold, cold world out there'

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

19,29 €
Günter Schickert - Labyrinth
MARMOLP001
Marmo Music
12inch11.01.201911.JAN.19

BeatsExperimentalPopRockFolk

Günter Schickert, four decades of multi-instrumental cosmic explorations, under Berlin's sky, above genres, and compromises.

It was memorable the time when I firstly listened to his debut LP of 1974, the monumental Samtvogel. It overwhelmed me with layers of echoing guitars roaring into space, causing a powerful release of dopamine spreading through my skin, in the way an Interstellar Overdrive', or a Richard D James Album would do. It was a proof of the divine to discover Günter Schickert, it is a profound honour today to present on Marmo his seventh album to date, Labyrinth, the first to be released on vinyl format since 1983`s Kinder In Der Wildnis.

Schickert's Samtvogel, self-published first, then licensed to Brain, equaled the imaginative leap and sonic power of the early Pink Floyd, Manuel Gottsching's Inventions For Electric Guitar or A.R. & Machines's Die Grüne Reise. What followed, from his second LP Überfällig on Sky Records to his collaborations with Klaus Schulze, Jochen Arbeit and Schneider TM, even if little acclaimed, spans a large spectrum of music styles, always through a distinctive and personal aesthetic, that is deeply linked to the one he firstly crafted back in '74, when Schickert pioneered the use of echo effects applied to guitar playing.

And now Labyrinth, a record that stands for versatility, where genres do not matter, soundscapes or life situations take over, song-writing emotions pop out, handing out a spectrum of surprises to the listener. You may find yourself flying low along steep cliffs and with a blink of eye you are thrown into a Middle Eastern scenery.

The album is divided into two parts, two different production bulks and periods of Günther Schickert's life. Side A features a selection of tracks recorded in 1996, appearing on the 2012 album HaHeHiHo, released via Pittsburgh based VCO Recordings, on a limited press of 100 units, tape format only. I felt that the visionary and emotional richness of these pieces deserved the vinyl format and a chance to reach to a wider audience.

The Raga-inspired Morning' opens Labyrinth with exotic charm and bitter-sweet nostalgia. Sieben' kicks off with the same guitar scales of the previous theme, before the motorised progressions of a Korg MS-20 synth surprisingly storm in, carrying along an intersecting multitude of filters and sharp guitar effects, flowing into an epic, paradisiac ending. Ninja Schwert' remains on astral dimensions, it is a struggle of cosmic forces, where the steady ride of a pounding beat gets embraced by different guitar layers and analogue electronic filtering. The side closes up with HaHeHiHo', a slow ballad featuring Mr. Schickert on vocals, guitar, bass guitar and drum machine - an example of simple, stripped down yet gifted songwriting that is capable to reach the heart of the listener.

Side B contains material produced between 2007 and today. The intricate, bewildering Tsunami' shows the multi-instrumental and recording abilities of Günter Schickert: a field-recorded storm with mesmerising powers, a peculiar progressive approach to guitar playing. Mysterious sinister spirits and sounds are emerging and the feeling of being lost in a pleasant trance arises. In contrast, Oase' muffles the intensity and jumps into a completely different soundscape, where in liaison with the sounds of a rolling drum tom and a desert-like trumpet, the microphone carefully captures the found sound tones of everyday-life objects and actions. Like HaHeHiHo on side A, Checking' represents the vocal gem of the B side, in a raw and direct way of songwriting like if Syd Barrett was his invisible helper. Palaver' (which means unnecessarily talk' in German) assembles different vocal recordings of Schickert into a bizarre free-style conversation through a mysterious language, where he attempts to emulate illiterate children conversating. The final track, Morning (Slide)', reprises the opening theme, this time solely performed through the caressing dilated sounds of Günter's slide guitar.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

17,19 €
DJ Bone - Beyond
SUB046
Subject Detroit US
3x12inch06.12.201806.DEC.18

TechnoTechno

Returning for his second full-length LP of 2018, DJ Bone steps up once more to his own Subject Detroit imprint to present 'Beyond', a full-length and physical rumination on his own emotive and psychedelic contribution to contemporary techno. Loaded with the dynamics, charisma and widescreen appeal of his finest work, 'Beyond' sees Bone enter a musical state that reflects it's ambitious title, celebrating underground ideals in a style that could only be his own.

The second in a trilogy of albums to be completed in early 2019, 'Beyond' is culled from a sequence of no less than fifty tracks completed by the esteemed Detroit DJ and producer upon returning to his home city in 2017. With it being "unfathomable" to release an LP of that length, Bone has nonetheless captured this wave of creativity and a reconnection with his home city, along with the cathartic sense of soul and energy at the heart of his attitude to dance music.

Across 'Beyond' listeners can sink into an unrelenting sequence of tracks that speak from his experimental, musical and always unexpected mind. LP opener 'Dreamers 7' reaffirms his taste for offbeat electronics shot through with rigid dance floor dynamism; a theme reaffirmed quite literally on the forceful centrepiece, 'With A Vengeance'. Elsewhere, Bone delights in blurring the lines between exotic, futurist ambience on tracks such as 'Techno Aint Techno' and 'Ahhh Life', while further cementing his reputation as master of sheer, unrelenting rhythm on 'True Definition' and 'Rosedale Park'.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

25,92 €
Brian Jonestown Massacre - Forgotten Graves
  • A1: Forgotten Graves
  • B1: Tombes
AUK044-10
A Recordings
10inch30.11.201830.NOV.18

PopRockFolk

The first track is "Forgotten Graves" (which is exclusive to this release) & the second track is 'Tombes Oubliées' with Rike (Friedrike) Bienert providing the vocals which is off the forthcoming self titled BJM album. With Sara Neidorf on drums , Hakon Adalsteinsson on guitar & Heike Marie Rädeker on bass supporting Anton Newcombe in these sessions that were recorded between December 2017 & January 2018 at Cobra Studios in Berlin . The band have just completed successful tours of the USA ,Canada , Australia , New Zealand & Europe . "Forgotten Graves" is released in the same month as the world commemorates the hundredth anniversary of the World War 1 ('the war to end all wars') , this war never ended any other war & more forgotten graves are being added every day.

pre-order now30 Nov 2018

expected to be published on 30 Nov 2018

11,72 €
Ruins - New Record LP
RUINS001
Mothball Record
12inch23.11.201823.NOV.18

BeatsIndustrialPopRockElectroNew Wave

After a long time in the works, Mothball Record is proud to present a lost album from legendary Italian wave band: Ruins.

Hailing from Venice, Ruins are one of the pioneering artists of the Italian new wave scene beginning in the late seventies: an explosion of new and exciting art, music and film.

The tracks on 'New Record' were taken from the self-distributed, tape only release from 1983 'Side Roads'.
This album was timed directly before their most well-known releases in contemporary times, the 'Fire / Crime' 12' and the eponymous 4 track EP on Black Square.

Taken from the original master tapes and selected by Ruins themselves, the album should be listened as a whole to gain the full experience, but immediate 'must-hear' tracks are 'I Don't Know', 'I Love You' and 'Last Night DJ Killed My Wife' featuring early use of Roland TB303.

At times unsettling, beautiful, violent, harmonious, these songs will finally get the audience and exposure they deserve 35 years later.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

12,06 €
Jess Glynne - Always In Between - Ltd 140g Blue Vinyl
0190295595920
Atlantic
12inch13.11.201813.NOV.18

PopDisco

As she continues to make UK chart history with her 7th #1 single 'I'll Be There', Jess Glynne announces her glittering new album 'Always In Between'.
It's been 3 years since the release of Jess Glynne's momentous debut album 'I Cry When I Laugh'. Selling over 2 million copies worldwide and including a mass of smash hit singles including 'Hold My Hand', 'Take My Home' and 'Don't Be So Hard On Yourself', it consolidated Jess as one of the most important British popstars and a formidable songwriter.
Celebrated for her intimate yet universally appealing themes, Jess has connected with millions of people across the globe - demonstrating her peerless ability to tell the truths young women want to hear; about the loves that build them up and let them down; the aspirations and dreams that might turn sour but you'll smile through them anyway. These themes are passionately continued in 'Always In Between'.
'Always In Between' finds Jess on a breath-taking journey of self-acceptance as she comes to terms with her new-found fame, heartbreak and the well-known pressure of writing a second album. The result is a triumph that captures the heart of what being a 28-year old woman in 2018 can feel like - trying to balance real life with everything that you want it to be. With a tone of joyful harmony and acceptance set by 'I'll Be There' already, Thursday (co-written with Ed Sheeran), explores our many insecurities and the idea that sometimes stripping everything back can make you feel most yourself, while 'All I Am' attempts to answer the niggling voice inside so many people's head asking if they are enough. There's no doubt that 'Always In Between' will capture many under its spell as Jess Glynne once again reaches out her hand, and offers love and friendship and unity to all that can hear her.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

21,64 €
Raw - Fragments EP
DE221
Dark Entries
12inch09.11.201809.NOV.18

BeatsElectroExperimentalPopSynth-Pop

Raw formed during the summer of 1990 in Athens, Greece when keyboardist Giannis Papaioannou and percussionist Makis Faros started composing music for imaginary waiting rooms. They combined the traditional cut-up technique of tape-loops, the industrial timbres of musique concrète with the harmonics of world music, all filtered through digital sampling and computer programming. Their first recordings generated an 8 track demo, which was freely distributed among friends and the local underground press. After 6 months of work and several sessions with guest musicians on acoustic and electric instruments, Raw self-released their first album 'Land' in December 1991 on Elfish Records. In 1992 they recruited the band's sound engineer, Coti K., as a third member, both on stage and studio sessions. 'City' was their second album fully inspired by the mechanisms of their home town. Presenting a different electronic face of Raw, manipulating rhythms with analogue synthesizers and harsh sampling to evoke the atmosphere of Athens. 'City' was released on CD only by Elfish Records in 1994. 'Fragments' is a collection of 4 songs from 'City' presented on vinyl for the first time plus bonus track recorded during the 'City' sessions previously released on a compilation in 1992. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each copy includes a double sided postcard with photos and notes.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

11,13 €
Jungle - For Ever
XLLP927
XL Recordings
12inch26.10.201826.OCT.18

TechnoExperimentalBeatsBreak-BeatDrum&BassDubstepBass

In July 2014, Jungle released their self-titled debut album. Featuring the singles 'Platoon', 'Busy Earnin'', 'Time', 'The Heat' and 'Julia', neo-soul classics all, it was the aspirational sound of young London, a soundtrack of escapism, an unmistakable Jungle sound and a unique, vivid, visual Jungle world. The whole thing was dreamed up by Josh 'J' Lloyd-Watson and Tom 'T' McFarland, a production and multi-instrumentalist duo who never expected to leave their bedroom studios, far less become the core of a talent-filled seven-strong collective that morphed into a killer live outfit. Cue online word-of-mouth and IRL buzz, rave reviews, a Mercury Music Prize nomination, songs of the summer (two summers, even), viral videos, Noel Gallagher declaring the album 'fucking amazing', half a million sales, burgeoning DJ careers, a global tour that lasted two solid years. It all just happened.

Today, Jungle announce news of the follow-up to that defining debut record. The album is titled For Ever and will be released on 14th September via XL Recordings. If Jungle's first album was their imaginary soundtrack to the places they had never been, For Ever is inspired by real life experiences of the places they'd dreamed of for so long. Swapping Shepherds Bush for the Hollywood Hills, J and T set up camp in Los Angeles to write and record the album. Over time however, their romanticization of The Californian Dream clashed with the reality of actually living it, the feeling of being adrift on the West Coast compounded by the collapse of long-term relationships. Returning home to London, they teamed up with highly regarded young producer Inflo where they sought to create a "post-apocalyptic radio station playing break up songs', whittling down loads of ideas this concept spawned into the core 13 tracks you have before you. That station and those songs and that journey are the sound of Jungle's second album For Ever. They had to go away to come home. And what J and T lost in love, they gained in music. For Ever is for real, deeper and higher, more intimate and more expansive, feelgood and, just occasionally, feelbad. It is, then, a proper second album.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

21,81 €
Blackfilm - Zero One Seven
DEN307LP
Denovali Records
2x12inch17.10.201817.OCT.18

BeatsDrum&Bass

Blackfilm is an anonymous Hungarian artist who introduced himself with his self-titled debut in 2008, sold out in a few months and later reissued on both CD and vinyl format via Denovali in 2010. His debut has garnered widespread attention - "Evolving from downtempo electronic music to orchestral paroxysms and, insanely, passing from down-pitched nothingness to frozen urban landscapes, it becomes inevitable to resist." / "Dark and brooding, Blackfilm envelopes you like a thick fog creeping off a cooling swampland." (Headphone Commute) - and is still a classic.

Since then, he has relocated to London and released the collaboration master-piece - Along the Corridors' with Italy's heavy dub producer Eraldo Bernocchi in 2010. After eight years of silence Denovali now proudly presents his second solo album - Zero One Seven', in line with a re-issue of - Along the Corridors' on vinyl for the first time.

On - Zero One Seven', Blackfilm merges tracks spanning across drum and bass, dub and electronic. The sounds on the album are built from the ideas on the original Blackfilm - S/T' and - Along the Corridors' and progress to a sound built on new ground mixing modern production techniques and influences while at times referencing the Blackfilm sound we know from his previous releases.

The album maintains a consistent focus on atmospherics, beats and heavy bass ranging from darker dub and drum and bass influences to vocal tracks and complex ambient soundscapes. Production wise, the familiar Blackfilm style incorporating the use of synthetic sounds mixed with samples enables the album to create an intriguing, shifting atmosphere as the album progresses. A dystopian journey through haunting vocals, hypnotic drum patterns and complex sound design.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

28,53 €
Moritz Simon Geist - The Material Turn EP
SRR001
Sonic Robots Records
12inch12.10.201812.OCT.18

TechnoElectroExperimental

Moritz Simon Geist, media artist and robotic musician, publishes his first record. It is the world's first techno record played entirely by self-made futuristic robots. This is the 4-track EP to the following full-length album out 16. Nov. 2018. All of the sounds on his records are played by robots: small motors that beat on metal, futuristic 3D-printed robo-kalimbas, salvaged parts from old hard drives that click and cut. It took Geist several years to build, tweak, test and play all his DIY robotic instruments. His 'Sonic Robots' try to push the boundaries of the imaginable. He did so already in 2012 with his well-known oversized 808 robot - an iconic drum machine gotten real, 4 by 2 meter, filled with robotic parts which play the instruments live and in front of the audience. Now, Moritz Simon Geist goes even further to discover the unknown and futuristic world of techno robotics. For this quest he teamed up with the berlinian sound wizards from Mouse On Mars and dug deep in the history of mechanical music and experiments of early electronic music.

On the 4-track EP 'The Material Turn' Moritz Simon Geist turns materials into sounds. The opener 'Entropy' is a bassy club-track, played by futuristic bass-kalimbas, a psychedelic pattern of tonal glasses and pneumatic hi-hat patterns. It is core piece to this EP and is also featured in the main video. Even without a visual part, listening to his music, a sound world opens up which is unheard before: in definition, reference and organic nature. Geist: 'When you listen to robots playing, you realize, that they sound precise, but in contrast to digital sounds they transport an immense organic feeling. No beat is like the other, everything is played with actual acoustic physicality and thus actual error. On the same time, the repetitive nature of the robots make it perfect for playing electronic music. Its industrial and organic at the same time.' The second track 'Under Deconstruction' is a metal-on-metal slammer with a heavy beat played on a big sheets of metal. 'I often try to compose a track around one instrument', explains Geist, 'letting the sounds take a lot of room so they can stand out.' The B-side starts with 'Supercharged' - a heavy drone, reminding of the darked sides of music concrete. Here, tuned air fans, and a metallic percussion robot create the texture. 'Detok' closed the EP with an up-tempo club track, featuring complex rhythmic textures and well defined robotic percussion elements. What Moritz Simon Geist came up with is a stunning record of what is possible today - to explore the sound of mechanics that keep on filling our world. Geist creates a smashing soundtrack for both the precise automation and physical fragility that shapes today's society.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

8,03 €
Ivaylo - America
BOG016
Bogota
12inch08.10.201808.OCT.18

HouseDeep

Oslo based Bulgarian, Ivaylo makes a welcomed return on his Bogota imprint with two dance floor cuts on America EP. Warm Rhodes chords and funky bass lines inform the sound of 'Trendy Jose", taking the listener on a groovy ride with Ivaylo's vocal directing the sound: 'Jose is Mexican and he likes it, trendy! Spicing up the House groove ton the flip is a remix from Dallas native, JT Donaldson. Donaldson brings the heat, with his funky deep remix, whose percussive interpretation opens up the track for any dance floor. Ivaylo's second track 'Jacks Confusion' places you directly into Berlin's vibrant sound. Ivaylo hypnotises with the perfect combination of percussion and bass line on the steady 4/4 chi house beat. America EP is Ivaylo's 4th release for Bogota Records since label's existence and its' the beginning the producer's self-styled 'new sound' with more focus on percussive elements within the warm, deep sound that he's known for.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

8,61 €
Heavee - WFM
TEKLIFE008
Teklife
12inch11.09.201811.SEP.18

TechnoChicago

The 8 track album features new collaborations with DJ Phil, Gantman, DJ Paypal, and Sirr Tmo, and a previously unreleased classic from 2013, co-written with DJ Rashad. WFM will be available in Vinyl and digital formats on September 7th 2018. Listening to WFM, the first thing that jumps out at you is Heavee's masterful use of synthesizers and sound design. You get the sense that these elements have been lovingly crafted during countless hours of sonic experimentation and invention in the studio. As Heavee explains, the primary focus on synths represents a departure from his usual creative process: 'Usually in my method of production, synths or sounds come somewhat close to last, likely after I find structure or rhythm. Basically, it's not something I particularly go for first, but this time around they became the building blocks'. Heavee has made a conscious decision to challenge himself, adopting a different approach to his past productions. In doing so, he moves away from the familiar sampling techniques which characterised his earlier work: 'I am a child of the last days of ghetto house culture as it shifted into juke/footwork. My parents, aunties, and uncles played house and ghetto house music at family functions, BBQs and house parties. That's my roots and where I came from. However, on this record, I chose to stray away from vocal samples, to give myself room to grow in different areas.' Heavee finds his voice in emphatic fashion on Cloud Ride feat. DJ Phil. His lyrical content and flow are on point as the track flips seamlessly from hip hop to footwork and back again. DJ Phil features on 3 tracks in total, a reflection of Heavee and Phil's close friendship and musical connection. As Heavee explains: 'Phil's studio is a safe space for me. Whether he is in the room or not, I don't feel weird about trying something that might be silly, taking it to the next level, or coming from a place of pure inspiration. Phil has historical, musical and cultural knowledge relevant to Chicago. He shares a lot of invaluable knowledge with me' WFM features It's Wack a classic collaboration with DJ Rashad that still sounds fresh today. Heavee remembers how Rashad would always stay connected, even during his relentless touring schedule: 'We'd get calls no matter where he was. We would talk about everything! He ALWAYS had new info; what new music was popping, scenes that were really accepting or supportive of what we were doing, blends that made the party go off, sites, adventures and just fuel us with support from him and give us living proof of the global support that was to come and the journey that was ahead of us.' Although Heavee makes music with the dancefloor firmly in mind, the sheer quality of his music transcends that space. So sit back and enjoy the next chapter in the Teklife story. All that remains is for Heavee to sign out with a message for the worldwide Teklife family: 'First, Thank you to everyone who supports what I do as an Individual, and Teklife Music as an entirety. You don't understand how much your support means to us, it literally keeps us moving. The takeover is far from over! Second, thank you to everyone involved in this project, I couldn't have made it without you. This process taught me so much about what it takes to become the person you want to be. It starts inside of you, and you have to really work for it, you can't wait and wonder. I feel beyond blessed to present this gift to the world, walking this journey of self -discovery through music with you!!!

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

13,66 €
Our Girl - Stranger Today
HYMNS16LP
Cannibal Hymns
12inch15.08.201815.AUG.18

PopRockAlternative

At first, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes Our Girl so special, or why the Brighton-formed, London-based trio's music stands out within a busy crowd of fellow guitar-wielding-types. But if an explanation didn't jump out when they first emerged with a debut EP of mighty fuzz-soaked songs in November 2016, it surfaces with 'Stranger Today', a debut album of personal, emotional juggernauts that could have only been made by these three people: Guitarist / vocalist Soph Nathan, bassist Josh Tyler and drummer Lauren Wilson.

Since forming in Nathan and Tyler's Brighton home four years ago - Wilson joining as a late recruit when she was wowed by a demo of their self-titled debut track, and 'Stranger Today''s opener - Our Girl's members have only had pockets of time to work together. A day booked in a local studio here, a soundcheck there, full-time jobs and other projects meant the three rarely had a concentrated, collective patch. This changed in September 2017, when they stayed in Eve Studios in Stockport for a week, recording with Bill Ryder-Jones. Their week in Stockport became a crucial catalyst for what would follow. Ryder-Jones is a guitar virtuoso himself ('He did stuff neither me or Soph had ever seen anyone do before,' Tyler remarks), and he became an unofficial fourth member of the group.

'Stranger Today' is a special debut for several reasons: First, because it's the sound of a band beginning to grasp their own value and place in the world. Secondly, because you can hear the trio's hunger to finally get in the same room and put to tape years' worth of scrapbooks, half-finished ideas, and a slowly-forming feel for how their first album would actually sound. 'What band isn't itching to make their debut But it's quite frightening, knowing you're about to do it,' Wilson remembers.

The real clincher, however, is Our Girl's dynamic, and how it plays out across 'Stranger Today'. Best friends in person, the trio share the same close kinship and chemistry on record. On one side is Nathan's visceral lyricism, which has a habit of detailing and chipping away at precise moments; the first heart-flutter of a new crush; the moment a long-term friendship begins to ebb away. Around her, Tyler and Wilson's rhythm section carefully mirrors each feeling Nathan conveys. When she sings pointedly about love ('I Really Like It'), she's backed by a major-key afterglow. When the subject turns on its head ('Josephine'), out steps a wall of taut, earth-shaking noise. They each 'serve the song,' in Wilson's words, moving in sync but with their own personal slant. Not least on the closer 'Boring', where all restraint is thrown aside and the trio let out one final, violent thrash. They inhabit a space bigger than the first loves, sleepless nights and growing pains that define this record.

Nathan remembers being in Brighton four years ago, shortly after Our Girl formed, and realising, 'I was finally in the band I wanted to be in.' Almost half a decade later, and this eureka moment is sewn up on 'Stranger Today'. It's the sound of three friends totally at ease in their own space, discontent with being anywhere else; a vibrant document of what it's like to be young, invigorated and amongst people who feel the same.

out of Stock

Available to reorder, subject to availability

22,65 €

Language