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At the beginning of the 1960s, at the Berklee College of Music, Byard Lancaster met some feisty friends: Sonny Sharrock, Dave Burrell and Ted Daniel. It is easy to see why he rapidly became involved in free jazz. Once he was settled in New York, he appeared on Sunny Murray Quintet, recorded under the leadership of the drum crazy colleague of Albert Ayler.



In 1968, the saxophonist and flutist recorded his first album under his own name: It’s Not Up To Us. The following year he came to Paris in the wake of… Sunny Murray. He would come back to France in 1971 (again with Murray) and in 1973 (without Murray for a change). This is when he met Jef Gilson, the pianist and producer who encouraged him to record under his own name again.

On Palm Records (Gilson’s label), he would release four albums: Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib.



A few months after recording “Us”, Lancaster recorded “Mother Africa” along with Clint Jackson III, a trumpeter, partner of Khan Jamal or Noah Howard on other recordings.

On march 8th, 1974, Lancaster and Jackson headed up a group composed of Jean-François Catoire (electric and double bass), Keno Speller (percussion) and Jonathan Dickinson (drums).


Together, they create an immediate impression. From the first seconds of “We The Blessed”, they develop a free jazz which rapidly abandons any virulence under the effect of blues and soul based interventions.

When Gilson’s composition “Mother Africa” begins, listeners are transported into the studio, listening to the musicians setting up: chatting and joking… Then comes the melody: a dozen or so notes of a repeated theme which is accelerated and deformed according to their whims… The jazz played by the association Byard Lancaster / Clint Jackson III is rare: creative AND recreational. “We the blessed”, is apt listening to this again today!

This CD edition contains a bonus track, the magnificent “Love Always” that was originally released on the fourth (and last) volume of the Jef Gilson Anthology series released in 1975.


Recorded on 8th March 1974, it is a beautiful 15-minute-long modal jazz piece. Four notes from the bass (the relentless Jean-François Catoire, who makes up the rhythm section alongside drummer Jonathan Dickinson and percussionist Keno Speller), and the group is up and running!

On piano, Gilson shows the subtle tact of a sideman, leaving the lions’ share of the place to the horns. This allows us to hear the trumpet of Clint Jackson III and the alto (which sometimes sounds almost flute-like) of Byard Lancaster each staking their claim in a long hallucinatory march which moves from moments of direct exaltation to profoundly sensitive collective playing.

Introducing: Temporary Blessings, the new project by stalwart Naarm / Melbourne trumpet player and composer Liam McGorry.

Assembled to realise McGorry's compositions drawing on 1960s Italian & French soundtrack music, Temporary Blessings brings together trusted instrumentalists and fellow travelers from Melbourne's rich enclave of cinematic soul. With Liam at the helm, the group is composed of members of Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Saskwatch and Let Your Hair Down.

The resulting recordings realise McGorry's sonic visions of film noir, giallo, library music and cinematic soul, captured live in one room with what the maestro describes as "a shared spirit". The recordings, produced by paragon Henry Jenkins, bring together emotive string arrangements, tough horns and a steadfast rhythm section with an acute attention to detail McGorry has developed over years in the saddle.

Liam says: "I find great comfort in collaborating with good friends and playing together in the same room and taking these blessings as they come."

A veteran of Melbourne soul, McGorry's steady hands have touched some of the city's most revered projects over the last 15 years; McGorry-led projects Saskwatch, Dorsal Fins and Ex-Olympian sit aside Sampa The Great, Ella Thompson and Adrian Eagle on Liam's heavy list of credits and collaborators. He has contributed more than his fair share of bricks to the great structure of Melbourne soul, always playing the background, true to his humble nature.

LP available in black or orange and brown splatter vinyl.

Introducing: Temporary Blessings, the new project by stalwart Naarm / Melbourne trumpet player and composer Liam McGorry.

Assembled to realise McGorry's compositions drawing on 1960s Italian & French soundtrack music, Temporary Blessings brings together trusted instrumentalists and fellow travelers from Melbourne's rich enclave of cinematic soul. With Liam at the helm, the group is composed of members of Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Saskwatch and Let Your Hair Down.

The resulting recordings realise McGorry's sonic visions of film noir, giallo, library music and cinematic soul, captured live in one room with what the maestro describes as "a shared spirit". The recordings, produced by paragon Henry Jenkins, bring together emotive string arrangements, tough horns and a steadfast rhythm section with an acute attention to detail McGorry has developed over years in the saddle.

Liam says: "I find great comfort in collaborating with good friends and playing together in the same room and taking these blessings as they come."

A veteran of Melbourne soul, McGorry's steady hands have touched some of the city's most revered projects over the last 15 years; McGorry-led projects Saskwatch, Dorsal Fins and Ex-Olympian sit aside Sampa The Great, Ella Thompson and Adrian Eagle on Liam's heavy list of credits and collaborators. He has contributed more than his fair share of bricks to the great structure of Melbourne soul, always playing the background, true to his humble nature.

LP available in black or orange and brown splatter vinyl.

It was in Studio 4 of WDR in January 2022 when Simon Oslender first met Steve Gadd during the recording session for the album 'Centerstage'. Guitarist Bruno Muller was also there. The chemistry between the musicians was right from the very first time they played together. At the end of the session, Steve Gadd said to Simon and Bruno: "We'll do more together." And that's exactly what happened! Simon Oslender's highly successful studio album 'All That Matters' was recorded at the end of 2023.

Will Lee was also there on bass, who together with Steve Gadd has been one of the most famous rhythm sections in pop and jazz history for almost 40 years. At the end of the recording session, it was clear to everyone involved: this band had to go on tour to present this music to fans live. In December 2024, the time had come. The band, joined here and there by guests Jakob Manz on alto saxophone and Nils Landgren on trombone, went on tour. All concerts were sold out; the atmosphere in the respective venues was magnificent; thunderous applause and encores in every club or concert hall. Every concert was recorded. Now the result is here. An album full of joy, musicality, spontaneity, creativity, and incredible grooves! 'On A Roll - Live', a concert to take home with you. It doesn't get any better than this!

The 3rd and final chapter in Cochemea's epic quest to explore and express the spiritual connection between his art and ancestry. For Vol 3: Ancestros Futuros, Cochemea entrusted his vision to a core group of longme collaborators-a powerful octet composed of New York-based percussionists and members of Daptone's famed rhythm section. Gabriel Roth (aka Bosco Mann) reprised his role as producer, recording and mixing the album live to 8-track analog tape. Cochemea continues to push the boundaries of his sound, blending past, present, and future into a ritual offering-an evolving sonic narrative where memory, survival and creativity converge.

With ten original compositions (and one well-chosen cover) to record and a schedule window of just one day in New York City to record them, there was no margin for error. For the frontline Kerry picked a pair of legends - Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar and Jaleel Shaw on alto and soprano sax. In the rhythm section she selected NYC's busiest bassist Alex Claffy and, keeping it close to home, her partner George Colligan on drums. And in the face of delayed flights and traffic hold- ups, the album Alternate Route was created, hitting the highest standards of performance with the depth and warmth of Kerry's challenging but engaging compositions. It's a set of tough and tender tunes that combine sophisticated harmony with intricate but accessible melodies to inspire some fierce blowing from everyone, all delivered with a concise, timely precision.

The empathy and good feeling flowing between the players are audible from the first notes: "Kurt, Jaleel and Alex all have Philly roots so there's a really strong relationship there. Alex is incredibly gifted, and Jaleel is such a beautiful player with such a huge, recognizable sound. And it was such a thrill to have Kurt on the album - he's one of my favorite composers and I've been a fan for such a long time." Each player has a powerful personality and Kerry allows them free rein, yet such is the strength of her compositions, and her calmly stated but immensely powerful presence on piano, that no one player dominates the music: everyone finds their own alternate route to excellence.

First Word Records are proud to bring you 'Penny Ballads', a 5-track EP from Royce Wood Junior.

Royce Wood Junior is a Grammy & Mercury Award-nominated musician, songwriter and record producer from London, currently based in Brighton. As a multi-instrumentalist, he's collaborated with a litany of brilliant artists over the years, such as Jamie Woon, Nao, Disclosure, Jessie Ware, Olivia Dean, Joy Crookes, Jamie Lidell and Jordan Rakei, additionally to touring with the likes of the legendary Thomas Dolby. He's released two acclaimed solo albums to date ('The Ashen Tang' in 2015, and 'No Two Blue Ticks' in 2021).

'Penny Ballads' demonstrates RWJ's varied talents, with a collection of alternative soul compositions, each one as unique as the next. It includes the first two singles, the Poplife-Prince era flavoured 'Go Get Your Money', and the double-time future funk adrenaline shot, 'Clean Up', along with three previously-unreleased tracks. 'Beretta' is low-slung soul funk, beginning with quirky squelchy synths, before the soulful lead vocal of feature artist Lucey Way breezes in to melt everyone's hearts. 'Things' sweeps in next, an infectiously soulful midtempo heavy soul bop, with an instant earwork of a hook, like a modern-day Steely Dan / Doobie Brothers, complete with a head-nodding string section to end the track. The collection concludes on a more melancholy downtempo tip with 'Rolling'; an almost-folktronic anthem, with a key refrain that wouldn't be out of place on a 70's Stevie piece.

RWJ (aka Jim Wood) says of this project… "Back in the 17 and 1800's Troubadours and minstrels would go from Tavern to Tavern selling Penny Ballads, single sheets of music and lyrics written quickly and frivolously to make a quick buck.. It strikes me that we're in a similar phase in the way we value music in 2025. An old Penny Ballad was cheap and dog-eared, ink-smudged, sung aloud by firelight, Now songs live in the digital ether, dissolved in the air, a ghostly breath paid in micro cents. The new era of Penny Balladry is here, and weird.

This EP is a snapshot of my writing over a two year period. Focussed on minimal recording styles, one mic on the drums, generally first or second takes on parts and vocals, I wanted the music to feel like small moments with lyrics that talk about the weird nuances of being alive as a latter stage human on the cusp of the Ai revolution. Culturally so evolved, but physiologically still just a bunch of mammals walking about with primitive fears and needs. Just trying to reconcile it all moment to moment…"

Previous support for Royce's music has included Radio 1's Future Sounds, BBC 6 Music's New Music Fix, Annie Mac, Clara Amfo, Jo Whiley (BBC Radio 2), Mary Anne Hobbs, Jamz Supernova, Tom Robinson, Huw Stephens (BBC 6 Music), Zane Lowe and MistaJam. There have been sessions previously for the likes of Red Bull and press from Huck, Line of Best Fit, Clash, Aesthetica & DIY magazine.

Entirely self-written and self-produced, this EP gives a solid taste of RWJ's talents. A deeply funky diverse set of music from an immensely talented individual.

'Penny Ballads' is due to be released on vinyl & digital, 24th October 2025.

The vinyl version also includes an exclusive additional mix of the first single 'Go Get Your Money'.

Iptamenos Discos kündigt Houdini an, die neue EP der Labelgründer Local Suicide. Die Platte enthält drei ihrer dunkelsten und kraftvollsten Originaltracks bis heute, ergänzt durch markante Neubearbeitungen des französischen Electroclash-Pioniers David Carretta und der aufstrebenden griechischen EBM-Kraft Alpha Sect. Die Houdini EP entstand im Berliner Studio von Local Suicide während zahlloser nächtlicher Sessions mit Skelesys in derselben kreativen Phase, die auch ihren gemeinsamen Hit Moustache, die Surface Of The Sun EP und Faster Faster auf Curses’ Next Wave Acid Punx-Compilation hervorbrachte. Das Ergebnis ist ihr bisher düsterstes Material, das ihren Technodisco-Sound in noch härteres Terrain führt - mit hypnotischen Basslines, industriellen Texturen und analogen Vintage-Synths. Damit zählt es zu den mutigsten Releases im Katalog von Iptamenos Discos. Die EP eröffnet mit Obsessions, einem Track zwischen Darkwave und Techno, aufgebaut auf einer brutalen Bassline, analogen Synths und eindringlichen, mantraartigen Vocals. Die wiederholte Zeile „Obsessions, they come and go“ spiegelt den unerbittlichen Sog des Stücks wider und unterstreicht seine klaustrophobische, sich ständig wiederholende Energie. Submission, eine Zusammenarbeit mit Langzeitkollaborateur Skelesys, steht dem in nichts nach: ein düsterer Low-End-Sound, verzerrte, stark bearbeitete Vocals und der Sprechgesang „Resistance, no submission“ durchziehen den Track wie eine Trotz-Erklärung, die Spannung in Kraft verwandelt. Der Titeltrack Houdini ist etwas zugänglicher, behält aber die gleiche schattige Atmosphäre. Unheimliche Orgelmelodien und der Text „The great Houdini, the big escape“ beschwören Transformation und Befreiung herauf, zollen dem legendären Illusionisten Tribut und verleihen der Nummer eine theatralische Note. Der französische Kult-DJ und Produzent David Carretta interpretiert Obsessions neu mit seiner unverkennbaren retro-futuristischen Handschrift. Seit den 1990ern bekannt für die Fusion von industrieller Präzision mit Italo-inspirierten Synths, hellt er den Track mit glitzernden Disco-Melodien und einer erhebenden Stimmung auf – eine Version, die sich bewusst vom dunklen Original absetzt und sofort für die Tanzfläche taugt. Der in Straßburg ansässige Alpha Sect, das Projekt des griechischen Künstlers George McCall, führt Submission in kompromisslose Dimensionen. Verwurzelt in Electro und Body Music mit Punk-Einflüssen, beginnt sein Remix als wuchtiger EBM-Stomper und entwickelt sich zu einem clubtauglichen Track, der Intensität mit Katharsis in Balance bringt.

Werewolf Etiquette sind Geoff Habba und Davo Gould, Gründer und Rhythm Section, der 90er AlternativeRock-Helden Mother Tongue Ihre letzten gemeinsamen Aufnahmen waren das legendäre Debüt-Album »Mother Tongue«.

2025 folgt ein erstes Lebenszeichen neuer Energie mit großer Europatour von Mother Tongue und der Werewolf Etiquette-EP im Post-HC-Heavy Psych Noise-Stil.

Wenn Sie das ungute Gefühl hatten, dass 2025 irgendwie das Jahr von Thee Headcoatees werden würde, dann klatschen Sie sich selbst herzlich ab - denn überraschenderweise ist es tatsächlich so! Wir können indirekt den Tod unseres lieben verstorbenen Great Ribbon, Mr. Don Craine, dafür verantwortlich machen, dass Thee Headcoats 2022 ein Comeback feierten. Ursprünglich hatten sie geplant nur eine Tribute-EP als Thee Headcoats Sect aufzunehmen - zusammen mit Dons Downliner Sect-Kollegen Keith Grant Evans - aber dann stellten sie fest, dass sie noch ein paar Stunden Zeit im Studio hatten, und dachten sich, dass sie genauso gut auch ein neues Headcoats-Album aufnehmen könnten. Und warum auch nicht? Das Ergebnis war, ohne viel Aufhebens, das Album "Irregularis (The Great Hiatus)", das 2023 bei Damaged Goods erschien. Ende 2024, noch bevor man ein Deerstalker-Band entwirren konnte, waren die Jungs schon wieder am Werk, und eine weitere neue Headcoats-LP war ,im Kasten", deren Veröffentlichung ursprünglich für Anfang dieses Jahres geplant war. ABER dann kam irgendwo jemand auf die Idee: ,Warum sollten nur die Jungs den ganzen Spaß haben? Wie wäre es, wenn wir auch den Sisters of Suave, Thee Headcoatees, eine Chance geben?" Mit allen ihnen zur Verfügung stehender männlichen List und Tücke schalteten Thee Headcoats und Damaged Goods ihre Charmeoffensive ein. Mit purer Entschlossenheit und Hartnäckigkeit wurden Ludella Black, Kyra LaRubia, Bongo Debbie und Holly Golightly nacheinander aus ihren Verstecken gezerrt, wo sie sich lautstark wehrten (was sie am besten können), um die 14 Killer-Songs aufzunehmen, die auf ihrem neuesten Album mit dem raffinierten Titel ,Man-Trap" zu finden sind. Das war keine Kleinigkeit! Anfang 2025 wurde also eine Aufnahmesession in den renommierten Ranscombe Studios in Rochester gebucht, Gin und Snacks wurden vorbereitet, und im Handumdrehen waren die Backing Tracks im Kasten - Thee Headcoats wieder zurück als die beste Backing-Band und Thee Headcoatees zurück am Gesang. Billy Childish übernahm die Produktion. Unbeeindruckt von einigen geografischen Hindernissen auf dem Weg dorthin war Ende Mai das Ergebnis ein glänzendes neues Headcoatees-Album! UND WAS FÜR EIN ALBUM! Es ist mindestens genauso gut wie alle ihre Alben aus den Neunzigern und vielleicht sogar noch besser... (,Ja-a-a-a!", flüstert der Geist von Don Craine.) Diese Mischung aus großartigen Coverversionen und einigen fantastischen neuen Songs ergeben eine verdammt gute LP. Betreten Sie "Man-Trap" auf eigene Gefahr - Sie wissen, dass Sie es wollen! Und falls Sie sich fragen, wie die Mädchen ihre Zeit seit der Veröffentlichung von ,Here Comes Cessation" im Jahr 1999, also vor nur 26 Jahren (!), verbracht haben, lesen Sie weiter... LUDELLA BLACK hat drei Soloalben sowie Veröffentlichungen mit The Masonics vorzuweisen und gerade erst mit The 5,6,7,8's aufgenommen. Nebenbei sang sie auch mit The Shall-I-Say Quois, zusammen mit ihrer Freundin Kyra. KYRA LaRUBIA war Anfang der 2000er Jahre kurzzeitig bei The A-Lines neben Bongo Debbie & Nurse Julie (von Stuck-Ups / Buffets / CTMF) und arbeitete an einer Neuauflage ihres Albums ,Here I Am, I Always Am". Die Musik trat dann in den Hintergrund, während Kyra sich auf ihre Promotion in Sport- und Bewegungswissenschaften konzentrierte. Seit 2005 ist sie Dozentin an der University of Kent. BONGO DEBBIE hat weiterhin in einigen Bands getrommelt. Sie ist Mitglied von Ye Nuns (The Monks Tribute Band), The A-Lines, Dutronc und hat kürzlich unter anderem für die Sting-Rays ausgeholfen. HOLLY GOLIGHTLY hat seit 1999 neun Soloalben veröffentlicht, sechs davon mit Lawyer Dave in The Brokeoffs, sang ein Duett mit Jack White auf dem Album ,Elephant" von The White Stripes und tourte um die Welt.

A musical odyssey between West Africa, Jazz, and Hip-Hop Feat Magic Malik, Blacc El (Dafuniks), Fanta / Fatoma /
Dramane Dembélé, Mr J.Medeiros, Wamian Kaid. After three critically acclaimed albums, Tribeqa returns with SUMU,
a fourth masterful opus that confirms the collective's unique identity: a vibrant dialogue between African roots, the
momentum of jazz, and the power of hip-hop

"Die unangefochtenen Könige des Garage Rock" sind wieder da! Zwei Jahre nach ihrem Album "Irregularis (The Great Hiatus)" aus dem Jahr 2023 melden sich Thee Headcoats mit einer neuen Platte zurück, die sich nahtlos in die Reihe ihrer besten Alben aus den 1990er Jahren einreiht. Wir präsentieren Ihnen stolz "The Sherlock Holmes Rhythm ,n` Beat Vernacular". Mit 12 fantastischen Stücken (oder Liedchen, wenn Sie so wollen), die letztes Jahr in den Ranscombe Studios in Rochester aufgenommen wurden. "The Sherlock Holmes Rhythm 'n' Beat Vernacular" erscheint am selben Tag wie "Man-Trap", das brandneue Album von Thee Headcoatees, auf dem die Jungs als Backing-Band fungieren. Thee Headcoats ist eine der vielen Musikgruppen unter der Leitung von Billy Childish und (soweit wir wissen) seine bislang produktivste. Kein Wunder, wenn man Billys unermüdliche Kreativität und seinen vollen Veröffentlichungsplan bedenkt. Thee Headcoats spielen harten R&B, Rock 'n' Roll und Punk Rock, beeinflusst von den frühen Kinks, Pretty Things und vor allem The Downliners Sect, mit einem zusätzlichen Sinn für Humor, der durch Bruce, die Vorliebe des Schlagzeugers für Deerstalker-Hüte, geprägt ist. Thee Headcoats etablierten ihren Stil auf ihrer ersten LP "Headcoats Down" Hangman, 1988 und setzten ihn mit "The Earls of Suavedom" [Crypt, 1989] und "Heavens to Murgatroyd, Even! It's Thee Headcoats! (Already)" [SubPop, 1990] fort. Auf späteren Alben wie "The Messerschmitt Pilot's Severed Hand" aus dem Jahr 1998 kam ein schlankerer, punkigerer Sound zum Vorschein, doch die Jungs blieben ihrem rauen, von den 60ern inspirierten R'n'B treu und klangen auf ihrem Comeback-Meisterwerk "Irregularis (The Great Hiatus)" aus dem Jahr 2023 im Wesentlichen unverändert. "The Sherlock Holmes Rhythm 'n' Beat Vernacular" setzt da noch einen drauf und ist beeindruckenderweise eines der absolut besten Billy Childish Alben der letzten 25 Jahre. Das glauben Sie nicht? Dann kaufen und hören Sie es und lassen sich eines Besseren belehren_

Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman, released in September 1961.
The album features what Coleman called a "double quartet," i.e., two self-contained jazz quartets: each with a reed instrument, trumpet, bass, and drums.

The two quartets are heard in separate channels, with Coleman's working quartet at the time in the left channel, and the second quartet, including
the former Coleman rhythm section of Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell, on the right.

The two quartets play simultaneously. Free Jazz was the first album-length improvisation at thirty-seven minutes, unheard of at the time.

The original LP package incorporated Jackson Pollock's 1954 painting The White Light. The cover is a gatefold with a cutout window in the lower right corner allowing a glimpse of the painting;

opening the cover revealed the full artwork, along with liner notes by critic Martin Williams.
Free Jazz served as the blueprint for later large-ensemble free jazz recordings such as Ascension by John Coltrane and Machine Gun by Peter Brötzmann.

Free Jazz is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on white vinyl.

The new album “Rust and Bones” of the german Death Metal institution MY DARKEST HATE will be released on November 7, 2025. It sounds like a perfect cross-section of the band‘s previous work and contains 10 new songs. The album was produced by the band and Andy Classen (Legion of the Damned, Krisiun, ...), who was also responsible for mixing and mastering! The ingenious cover artwork was created by Remy Cooper from Headsplit Design (Napalm Death, Kreator, ...). There are also guest vocals by Dave Ingram (Benediction, ex-Bolt Thrower) and TZ (Pessimist and Muggeseggel)! With “Flammenland”, a German-language song is also represented for the first time. A video was shot for the song “When the Abyss opens” and there are also lyric videos for the songs “King of Slaves” and “Vengeance my Brother”! The first festival shows have already been played in 2025, including the Skullcrusher Fest in Freiburg. The signs are pointing to a storm!

From the maniacal opening notes and carnival barker howl that launch the album, The Ugly Organ wasted no time searing itself into a listener's ears and quickly established Cursive as a musical force with which to be reckoned. A selfaware examination of artistic constraints (or lack thereof), relationships, sex, and the intersection of all three, The Ugly Organ wowed critics and audiences alike with its cerebral, cathartic blend of songs. Fiercely intelligent and cohesive - the liner notes laid the songs out like a play, complete with stage directions - across its diverse sonic landscape, the album landed Cursive on the Sunday Arts & Leisure section cover of The New York Times (which also called it "a marvelous collection of riddles and left turns, conceived as a single piece of musical theater") and earned accolades from Rolling Stone ("a brilliant leap forward"), Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, Alternative Press, MAGNET ("The best punk record you'll hear all year"), Esquire, and SPIN, among many others, as well as a place on numerous year-end best lists. The Ugly Organ feels as vibrant and vital today as it did upon release more than 20 years ago. A landmark album, it not only catapulted Cursive from the simmering indie underground to the forefront of a genre, but also served to inspire a host of young bands in its wake.

The perfect accompaniment to that deep fall feeling, Frank Maston's beloved 2025 single finally gets its long overdue vinyl release! As our friends New Commute articulated beautifully, "Foreign Affairs" drifts through London fog and Paris shimmer, its avant-lounge glow wrapping each melody in a wistful ache. On B-side "Liaison," ghostly strings and a solitary piano paint a deserted twilight shoreline, Pacôme Henry's distinct 16mm cinematography hovering nearby." We've pressed just 500 of these gorgeous records so, be quick, Maston always flies.

Originally written for a film Maston was scoring in 2024, he decided to keep it aside for himself. And, well, us all. The song has a vibe Maston has previously flirted with; he wanted to dive in...all the way: "The arrangement is huge, definitely the biggest I've written, and it merited live musicians playing together. Also another experiment, to do it with all live musicians playing my arrangements. I wanted to make something that you'd want to put on when you bring a date back to your place. It's on the edge of sappy but that's sort of the point. I decided to give myself an unlimited budget - just spend whatever was necessary to get the right musicians and record it the best way possible."

It's this dedication to sonic perfection which Maston is rightly lauded for. We couldn't not put this on a cute wee 7" when we heard it.

The A side, "Foreign Affairs", is a brilliant, Bacharach-esque romp with a bit of that unapologetically romantic Morricone angle. Says Frank: "I was trying to synthesize that sort of jazzy/sexy/classy/romantic mature sound, where the edginess is in these surprising chord changes and subtle arrangement cues."

A wonderful complement, the flipside "Liaison", evokes Martin Denny, but Eden's Island was in Frank's head, too. He wanted to take a deep dive into that exotica sound - a genre he'd referenced a bit but never fully committed to - so the piece is lavished with those big sighing strings and a pretty lush arrangement. Happily, it all sounds super rich. Also, "Umiliani is always a reference for this sort of thing (Il Corpo etc.), That almost mechanical arrangement of things moving together and a simple melody over it (something I nicked from Ennio)".

The two songs were recorded in Paris and London in the summer of 2024. Aside from the rhythm section and piano, there's vibraphone, a full string section, trombones and alto and concert flutes. "Liaison" boasts strings, vibraphone, a female choir and tenor sax. Maston played piano and acoustic guitar but that's it (as opposed to playing basically everything on Tulips). His friend Oscar Sholto Robertson played drums and percussion whilst Maston mainstay Elie Ghersinu (formerly of L'Eclair) played bass.

The theme for a lot of Maston's titles is that they have two meanings. So "Foreign Affairs" is both a reference to him living abroad and the idea of constant cultural diplomacy and then there's this sexy/cheeky interpretation of foreign affairs in a literal way - "an affair abroad, ooh la la!". The artwork for this 7" single has Roman campaign flags, referencing the foreign affairs in sort of a sassy way. There's a violence implied. But then if you look from a bit of a distance it looks like a bouquet of flowers. So Frank thought it went with the spirit of the title. Also, he's used a lot of roman motifs now so he kept that theme going, even with the terracotta cover.

This is a vitally important project for our Frank. He explains why, here: "For whatever reason, these songs really resonated with me. I feel like they are either the end of a stylistic era for me or the beginning of a new one. They're sonically the culmination of what I'd been working towards and trying to get better at since I started. If I heard this when I was making Tulips I would have said "YES! *This* is what I want to be doing!". So that's the essence of it. It's a statement and the intended reaction is "This is really good, but why now?". Like the edge to it is the context of someone making this sort of thing in 2025, which I think is a huge strength. The real heads will get it. My music always has like a 2-3 year latency until people really catch onto it, and these ones will have a nice payoff I think."

We couldn't put it better ourselves. So we haven't.

Recorded during that unique period in the late ‘60s when jazz, blues and rock musicians found common ground in London’s vibrant subterranean clubs, 1968s Definitely What! was the second of the run of the four ground-breaking Trinity albums. Showcasing Auger's open-minded approach and his masterful organ & piano skills, the album whips up a rich blend of jazz, R&B, psychedelic touches and soulful grooves, complemented by the tight, dynamic rhythm section of Dave Ambrose (bass) and Clive Thacker (drums).

After the previous year’s Open (1967) with its 'Summer of Love' feel and its melting pot of Mod R&B, cover versions of US soul hits led by Julie Driscoll’s inimitable vocals, Auger considered Definitely What! as his first solo album, and so he travelled deeper into jazz territory, balancing original pieces with audacious covers. Tracks include versions of Mose Allison's 'If You Live' and of Wes Montgomery’s ‘Bumpin’ On Sunset’. “I got a letter from Wes's wife,” recalls Auger, “saying that it was Wes' favourite version. Can you believe that, Wes's wife wrote to me!”

Elsewhere, we find a dramatic re-arrangement of The Beatles’ ‘A Day In The Life’ complete with orchestral strings and a punchy horn section, alongside a supercharged version of Booker T & The MGs’ ‘Red Beans & Rice’ . 'George Bruno Money' was dedicated to Auger's drinking pal of the era, Zoot Money, and 'John Browns Body' both combine prime Hammond jazz with the very British surrealist humour that was in vogue at the time. The title track goes further “out” in a sprawling instrumental piece rooted in experimentation. Brian himself specifically states in his sleeve notes that his concept “lies along a straight line drawn between pop and jazz and aims at the 'fusion' of both elements” - ‘fusion’ at that time was not even a recognised musical term, further reinforcing Auger’s credentials as an innovator.

That forward-thinking approach was developed in Open and Definitely What! would come to fruition a year later with the release of Streetnoise (1969) featuring the Trinity and Julie Driscoll. At the time, the move to bring together jazz, rhythm & blues, folk, gospel and pop into a progressive new sound may have annoyed the purists and confused the less open- minded, but these albums stand today as a testament to Auger’s unique position within British music, foreshadowing his future 1970s explorations with the Oblivion Express and beyond. Definitely What! remains a fascinating snapshot of 1960s musical experimentation - raw, eclectic, and unapologetically Auger!

This new Strut reissue is curated by Impressive Collective’s Greg Boraman in partnership with Brian and Karma Auger. The album is remastered by Cosmic Audio from the original tapes, and is packaged in Brian's favourite version of the 3 different sleeves the album was originally issued in.

Die Nine Mile Section in der Gemeinde Saint Ann ist die Geburts- und Ruhestätte der Reggae-Legende Bob Marley. Das Mausoleum, das seine sterblichen Überreste beherbergt, ist eine wichtige Pilgerstätte für Fans aus der ganzen Welt. Nine Mile wird oft mit der Rastafari-Kultur in Verbindung gebracht, die die Reggae-Musik stark beeinflusst. Die Gemeinde spiegelt das langsamere Lebenstempo, die tiefe Verbundenheit mit der Natur und das afrozentrische spirituelle Ethos wider, das dem Roots-Reggae zugrunde liegt. Dies inspirierte Alborosie zu seinem neuesten Album, das seine persönliche Hommage „Trench Town Legend“ enthält.
„Come My Way“, die erste Single aus dem Album, ist eine Neubearbeitung von „King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown“, einem weiteren Markenzeichen von Roots Reggae und Dub.

Die kommende Single „Calling Selassie“ liefert einen einheitlichen Roots-Sound und eine inspirierende Botschaft.
Alborosie ist im Frühjahr und Sommer 2025 auf Tournee und wird diese Songs bei seinen Live-Auftritten präsentieren.