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Austin, TX legends, The Sword, welcome in the Twelfth vinyl release in the Live at LEVITATION series. On June 27, 2024, the band announced they would reunite for a one-off concert on November 3 at the 2024 edition of LEVITATION in Austin. In celebration of this reunion, we pulled from the archive and this limited live release showcases the bands appearance at the festival with their 2015 and 2021 performances. These recordings are now immortalized on beautiful limited colored vinyl. "With the band originating in the great city of Austin, a city that's proven to be a nucleus for a wide range of distinct and eclectic musical acts, it only felt natural to be included on the Levitation roster in 2015 and again in 2021, adding our own flavor to its diverse landscape. What an honor it has been to be included at such a cool festival. We've had two memorable sets so far, playing alongside some truly amazing bands. When we began entertaining the thought of returning to the stage after a two year hiatus, playing a reunion set at Levitation became the only appropriate solution, to play in front of the fans in Austin Texas, where it all began. We're very excited! Being asked to be part of the "Live at Levitation" LP series is also a great honor. The tracks we selected from each performance, at Carson Creek Ranch and Empire Garage, captured a special energy and enthusiasm that only Levitation could provide. It truly means a lot to share these memories with everyone and be included in this series!" - The Sword LEVITATION and the LIVE AT LEVITATION Vinyl Series The first Austin Psych Fest was held in March 2008, and expanded to a 3 day event the following year. The event quickly developed into an international destination for psychedelic rock fans, with lineups spanning the fringes of indie rock, from up-and-comers to vintage legends, and capped off with headline performances from co-founders The Black Angels, along with Tame Impala, The Flaming Lips, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Thee Oh Sees (in various forms) and many more. LEVITATION helped spark a movement, inspiring the creation of similar events across the globe and a burgeoning psych scene that would soon ignite. The series captures key moments in psychedelic rock history, and live music in Austin, Texas, pressed on beautiful limited edition colorful vinyl pressings - each an eye popping visual representation of the music contained within. The artists and sets showcased on Live at LEVITATION have been chosen from over a decade of recordings at the world-renowned event, and document key artists in the scene performing for a crowd of their peers and fans who gather at LEVITATION annually from all over the world.

Stevie Nicks' seventh studio album featuring the classic singles "Secret Love," "For What It's Worth" & "Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream)." Originally released in 2011, the album peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200. Limited-edition 2LP pressed on vinyl.

Vehement reagiert der Trompeter aus Tel Aviv auf den turbulenten Geist einer unruhigen Zeit und führt seine
Band durch eine fünfteilige Suite, die eine ganze Bandbreite an Emotionen durchwandert – abwechselnd
hoffnungsvoll, verzweifelt, erzürnt und zutiefst melancholisch. Die melodische Direktheit des abschließenden
Stücks „The Seventh“, komponiert von Avishai Cohens Teenager-Tochter, bietet einen tröstlichen Kontrast
zur Intensität der Suite. Dazwischen wendet sich Cohen dem eindringlichen Adagio assai aus Ravels GDur-Klavierkonzert zu, das seit langem zu den Höhepunkten des Live-Sets der Gruppe gehört. Ashes to
Gold wurde im November 2023 in den Studios La Buissonne in Südfrankreich aufgenommen.

Come Play With Me present the fourth edition of their compilation album, Side By Side, Vol. 4, supporting women, marginalised genders, LGBTQ+ artists and people of colour with ties to the North of England. The compilation features seven tracks spanning a range of genres including Alternative Rock, R&B, Jazz and more. shaene sensitively captures the feeling of falling back into sync with a distant best friend on the compilation’s lead single “tom”. Set to a backdrop of synthetic soundscapes, fingerpicked and distorted guitars, Maddie Lara’s “Let Go” marks an impressive debut for the Merseyside-based artist. The compilation will be available both digitally and on vinyl via the CPWM website and select stores, alongside all major streaming platforms. With special thanks to our selection partner Future Yard, Arts Council England for their continued support, as well as our judges on this callout Amber Strawbridge, Beth Heaton and August Charles. Due to the random nature of eco-mix vinyl, produced out of leftover wax, the vinyl may not match the featured promotional image.

"Waxwork Records is honored to present the release of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to George A. Romero’s horror classic, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Written, filmed, and released in 1968 by a rag tag group of Pittsburgh based misfits, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is an American independent horror film that follows the story of seven people trapped in a rural farmhouse that is besieged by a large and growing group of living dead ghouls. The film is regarded as a cult classic by critics, film scholars, and fans and has garnered critical acclaim. The film has been selected by the Library Of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry and is deemed “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant”.

Filmed and released on a shoestring budget, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD became a smashing success earning over 250 times its budget. The film is a first of its kind and ushered in a new way of writing, directing, and filming horror films. The overused script of romantic, fantastical tales of otherworldly monsters and creatures was completely flipped and tossed aside by visionary George A. Romero. As the film’s writer and director, Romero created a new, obvious threat, and one that is universally recognizable - Our very own neighbors. Due to an unseen force beyond man’s control, the recently deceased arise from the dead in seek of living human victims. These ghouls kill and feast upon the flesh of their victims, and the only way of stopping them is by destroying their brains.

From 2015 to 2018, Waxwork Records worked closely with the remaining members of the independent production company that made NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, Image Ten, to produce a definitive soundtrack album featuring all music from the film. Much of the film’s music was thought to be lost or destroyed but was located in its entirety and faithfully restored and re-mastered for vinyl. This special release of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD features the complete soundtrack, double LP “Black & White Hand Poured” colored vinyl, all new artwork by Robert Sammelin, a booklet featuring never before seen production photos, liner notes by Daniel Kraus (co-author of THE SHAPE OF WATER with Guillermo Del Toro), liner notes by Night Of The Living Dead’s dialogue recorder and sound engineer, Gary Streiner, and deluxe packaging."

Obijuan & YUNGMORPHEUS join forces on SLANG CASINO. Smoked out raw hip hop that sees Obijuan's unique flow tread across a range of soul & funk laced beats produced by YUNGMORPHEUS. But since both artists are of Bahamian and Jamaican descent respectively, they wanted to bring it back to their Island roots and blend some reggae with the grittier hip hop sound they're known for. Slang talk, bravado and esoteric maundering run throughout the record, with guest features from Rahiem Supreme, Bisk, and looms.

Eaux proudly announces a new collaborative mini-album from label boss Rrose and Polygonia. Containing six tracks and over 40 minutes of music housed in a fully printed sleeve with artwork by Jon-Paul Villegas, the record focuses squarely on the dancefloor while infusing it with the kinds of psychoactive drones, intricate polyrhythms, and relentless modulations that have come to identify both of their approaches to sound. Featured heavily are their shared interests in sonic shapes that resemble natural forms and conjure tactile feelings, in this case related to themes of skin-like surfaces and circulatory systems experienced simultaneously on a micro and macro level. While several of the tracks hover in a flexible tempo range between 125 and 130 bpm, "Stretcher" reaches up to 142, and the closing track "Vena Cava" trades the kick drums for spectrally processed percussion and endlessly diverging high-frequency pulses.

The story behind the release starts in 2022, when Rrose reached out to Polygonia after noticing that her tracks were appearing in their sets more frequently than any other artist. Never before had Rrose proposed a collaboration with someone they hadn't met before, but there was such an obvious connection in their approach to sound that it felt necessary. As it turns out, Polygonia had only become interested in techno after hearing Rrose perform at a festival in 2018. It all made sense, and they began sharing sketches and unfinished ideas with each other, trading them back and forth until they reached completion. Without any announcement of their collaboration, the two artists have since been asked to share the stage together several times. It seems there are other people out there sensing a connection...


Bios:

RROSE

Rrose is an alias of the multi-disciplinary artist Seth Horvitz, born and raised in California, and currently based in London. Active since 2011, the Rrose project explores the intersection of hypnotic techno, experimental composition and psychoacoustic phenomena with a meticulous touch. The first major breakthrough was 2012's "Waterfall" for Sandwell District which followed "Motormouth Variations," a collaborative project with composer, improviser, and activist Bob Ostertag. After the shuttering of Sandwell District, Rrose established Eaux, a home for further solo productions and collaborations. Building on his studies in electronic composition and history at Mills College, Rrose's electronic pieces blur the lines between thrillingly claustrophobic club tracks and destabilizing sound art explorations. In 2015, she released an extended version of James Tenney's postcard composition "Having Never Written a Note For Percussion" for solo gong, and in 2018 collaborated with Charlemagne Palestine on "The Goldennn Meeenn + Sheeenn" for two grand pianos. These works overlapped with the development of Rrose's singular techno: EPs like "Vanishing Pools," "The Ends of Weather" and "Arc Unknown" as well as 2019's debut LP "Hymn to Moisture" and last year's follow up "Please Touch." Rrose is also active as a touring DJ and live performer, equally comfortable commanding sweaty warehouse dancefloors and seated audiences in historic concert halls. Appearances include Unsound, Atonal, Semibreve, Dekmantel, Mutek, Sonic Acts, Nuit Sonore, Mostra, Parallel, Theatre Graslin, Nextones, and Berghain.
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POLYGONIA

Polygonia represents a multidisciplinary music and art project conceived by Lindsey Wang from Munich, Germany.

She draws inspiration from her many years of practicing various acoustic instruments and her keen interest for other cultural forms of expression, which she translates into the digital language of electronic music and art.

Her productions' soundscape exudes a mystical, organic quality, featuring intricate and compelling rhythms. Polygonia's sound palette ranges from energetic, groovy Deep Techno, Downtempo, Grey Area to textural and/or harmonic Ambient. Besides, she is not afraid to include influences from the genres House, Drum and Bass, Electro etc.. In addition inspiration from nature play a major role in many of her productions. Exemplary for her style are for instance her 'Otro Mundo' EP (2023) on Bambounou's Bambel Imprint, her 'Bloom' EP (2022) on the American record label Sure Thing, the release 'Deformed Human Nature' (2021) on her own label IO, as well as the album 'Abbilder einer vergessenen Welt' (2021) on the Korean label Huinali.

Her DJ and live sets too reflect her passion for different genres. Depending on the time of day and setting, Polygonia shows a different musical side. What unites all her dance music sets is the hypnotizing effect that invites to completely lose oneself in the world of sounds for a longer period of time. Several voices from the audience also confirm that the musician always tells a complex story within her mixes, allowing for very clear highs and lows. In the same set there can be very harmonic passages, which provide emotional moments and on the other hand extremely texture-heavy dark tracks, which establish a connection with the subconscious and put the listener in a kind of trance.

Polygonia has already visited numerous of prestigious venues. She is now a regular at Tresor or Berghain in Berlin and additionally started her residency in 2023 at Munich-based BLITZ club.

Finnish electro duo Morphology, comprised of Matti Turunen and Michael Diekmann, is set to release ‘Made Up Reality’ on Deeptrax Records, the label with a mission to deliver high-quality, groundbreaking electronic music focusing on the deeper side of electronica and eclectic leftfield dance jams, exploring those spaces between deeper house and techno, with hints from the past and a strong vision of the future.

Continuing Morphology's tradition of dark, melodic, and skilfully produced electro funk that has captivated international audiences, they’ve have been holding down the retro-activism of Detroit and its call for an illuminated future of programmable, motorized, electro-fantasies for over 15 years. With releases on Semantica, Solar One Music and a slew of albums for Germany’s Zyntax Motorcity, it’s been Cultivated Electronics and Central Processing Unit that have given new rise to the music of Morphology. Their Traveller LP released through FireScope, helmed by the UK’s B12 in 2018, the floodlights remain unshakably fixed on the Finnish pair’s brilliance, appearing on landmark compilations like CPU’s 50th release jubilee to DJ Stingray’s Kern mix for Tresor, or holding it down in the underground at Scand nights in London, to bookings at Concrete Paris and Closer in the Ukraine, to Berlin’s unmissable Berghain. With a forever exploratory live set, Morphology’s place as a mainstay of futurist electro is rock solid and burning bright.

Renowned for their soul charged, emotion rich melodies and signature blend of techno and traditional electro, Morphology's new EP takes listeners on an unforgettable auditory journey. ‘Made Up Reality’ showcases the duo's ability to integrate acid lines and vibrant drum patterns creating a sonic landscape that is both innovative and deeply resonant. ‘Seven Fingers’ is a deep dive into the darker side of electro, with haunting melodies and pulsating rhythms. ‘Particle Swarm’ is an acid-infused cut that melds techno elements with classic electro beats. ‘Gradient Descent’ is a more electrifying electro acid heater, blending head nodding bassline with sharp acid riffs and pulsating rhythms that will ignite the floor. ‘Active Inclusion’ is a vibrant, drum-heavy composition that brings the EP to a powerful close.

Not so long ago in 2017, the first release on Michiel Claus' and Ailsa Cavers' Basic Moves saw the light of day and especially the shine of night. Produced by founding father Walrus, BM01 set the tone for a record label that focuses on releasing hidden archives from the 90s, whilst combining them with modern club music from the here and now. By highlighting the musical heritage of the Belgian electronic music scene, the label illustrates the continuity between past and present, history and shaping identities of 21st-century artists, undeniably building on the strong foundations of their forerunners. Seven years and nineteen releases later, Basic Moves is rounding off the series with BM20, a final double 12'' by one of the major figures from the Belgian underground: Circadian Rhythms also known as Dj Deg. After many years of collecting, deejaying and producing music, his musical spectrum ranges from synth, library and wave, to jazz, funk and disco, from house to techno. His journey started in clubs like Bocaccio (1988 - 1993), and La Gait? (1979 -1989), where young Deg came across deejay's like Olivier Pieters or Eric Beysens who made him choose the path of becoming a devoted disc jockey himself. BM20 is a sonic witness of Deg's first musical encounters with his machines, revealing a withdrawn selection of six bedroom patchwork tracks produced between the years of '93 & '99, a time without the internet or user manuals to help you solve the riddles of technology. Though only at the very beginning of his creative process, Deg's unique personality is nevertheless already clearly identifiable: blending techno with jazz, where the sharp edges of 16-step drum-sequences are smudged and bent in different directions. In the lower countries, the second half of the 90s was a period of fast & funky, happy Detroit, 140 BPM techno. Whenever Deg was not oscillating between record shops or gigs and had a moment on his own, mostly during morning hours after the club, he would spend his leftover energy in the studio. Either by himself or with his loyal ally Mike DMA, he would benefit from these moments to slow down and give space to a different, introverted sound - processing moods, feelings and thoughts. This record therefore gathers only a few of many (unrecorded) one-shot live sessions which were never intended to be shared - and only existed for the love of music and its power to take you beyond all things known. Thank you Deg for sharing your music and giving us a glimpse of your universe. Without your productions, your memorable warm-ups and closing sets - many of us would not be where we are now, and Basic Moves might never have been founded. As a last note to a closing song, BM20 is about being fully committed to the music and the club, a medium and place of fruitful settings for encounters, creativity and growth. Where dreams and ideas have a chance to exist, being almost ready and thought out to shape future times to come - and many party nights. Gurl, December 2023

Speckled Dragon Egg Color Vinyl. Being Dead knows how to make an entrance - within the first several seconds of EELS, the duo's new record, the bright, hard-strummed guitar line on "Godzilla Rises" conjures cinematic immediacy, a creature emerging from the depths of the ocean in campy, freaky stop motion, fittingly so. Being Dead's records are mosaics, technicolor incantations, each song its own self-contained little universe. And while the dreamlike EELS probes further into the depths of the duo Being Dead's psyche, it is, most importantly, in the year of our lord 2024, a 16-track record that is genuinely unpredictable from one track to the next: a joyous and unexpected trip helmed by two true-blue freak bitch besties holed up in a lil' house in the heart of Austin, Texas. They decamped to Los Angeles for two weeks to record with GRAMMY-winning producer John Congleton, writing songs for the record until days before they left. The radical shift in process was welcome - a good balance and a challenge, Congleton helping them find new ways to work and helping peel back the layers on the core of their songwriting. Being Dead has grown from a duo to a trio live, including bassist Ricky Motto (who is immortalized finally on record here, particularly in the giggles on "Rock n' Roll Hurts") The resulting EELS is a darker record, tapped more into the devilishness within, but it's also a more raucous, rougher ride sonically. There's heartbreak, excitement, enchantment, dancing - we move through it all at a high-octane pace. Falcon Bitch and Smoofy never want to do the same thing twice on any song, and they don't. From the pummeling garage rock distortion of "Firefighters" to "Dragons II," which appears in its demo form taped on a hand recorder, it's unexpected but intuitive, and, most importantly, singularly Being Dead. Like its animal namesake suggests, the songs on EELS are malleable, the record like slithering through murky waters or strange half dreams, mysterious and beautiful in how it moves, reflective in a wavering sheen. Dipping into each song feels like uncovering a new cavern, plunging into depths unknown but fully open to what will be revealed. On the album artwork, an illustration by the artist Julia Soboleva, there are some weird disparate spectral creatures, a stark glimmer against a cloudy darkness. It's a fitting encapsulation of Being Dead, exuding a welcoming, playful energy even if something foreboding lurks just beyond the pale - more out of frame that's left to uncover, no path unexplored, strange and beautiful in the light.

First Word Records are very proud to present a brand new album from Kaidi Tatham!

'An Insight To All Minds' is Kaidi's 3rd solo album under his own name, following several EPs and two albums for First Word; 2018's acclaimed 'It's A World Before You' and the re-press of his seminal 2008 sophomore album 'In Search Of Hope' last year.

For those that don't know, Kaidi Tatham is a legendary multi-instrumentalist. Once dubbed "the UK's Herbie Hancock" by Benji B, he's a virtuoso on the keys and a true innovator in sound production as one of the original creators of the Broken Beat sound. Over the years his musical prowess has blessed numerous projects, initially with the likes of Bugz In The Attic and The Herbaliser, and more recently with DJ Jazzy Jeff (through the PLAYlist projects), Andrew Ashong (on the acclaimed 'Sankofa Season' EP last year) and with longtime accomplice, Dego. This in addition to session work for artists such as Mulatu Astatke, Slum Village, Amy Winehouse, Soul II Soul and Leroy Burgess, along with First Word label mates such as Eric Lau, Children of Zeus and Darkhouse Family. Kaidi is also a revered DJ known for rocking parties globally, whilst his solo catalogue spans tons of EPs and releases for labels such as 2000 Black, Eglo and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature.

On 'An Insight To All Minds', Kaidi says it's "not about a destination, but a process. It's about how you drive, not where you're going. Nothing in this world can torment you as much as your own thoughts… We are all going through it. We can all feel what the next person is feeling, believe it or not. It's learning how to tap into it".

The album is comprised of an assortment of Kaidi's unique flavours - uptempo jazz-funk bruk, laced with rhodes, flutes, live bass and delicious percussion. Using that blueprint he moves effortlessly through latin and samba, half-step, deep afro house and a sprinkle of curveballs, all presented in Kaidi's inimitable way.

'Intergalactic Relations' brings with it some 110bpm synthed-out spacey electro-breaks, 'Could It Be' sets off sounding like a Morricone film score, whilst 'Rodney' is some serious heads-down business; stark and punchy off-kilter broken beat and vocal stabs. There are a few guests too - 'Chungo' sees the return of Uhmeer (who previously appeared on 'Cupid' on the album 'It's A World Before You'); here the young Philly MC deftly rides a 9/4 time signature beat. Meanwhile 'Stro Kyat' invites in another supreme talent, Stro Elliot (The Roots), who provides a suitably crisp & crunchy riddim to accompany Kaidi's key play over a mind-bending 5/4 time signature.

With this new album, Kaidi Tatham adds further to his already impressive catalogue, a body of work that falls within the cracks of jazz and dance music, exemplifying modern British black brilliance once again; uncompromising, innovative, groundbreaking, intricately sophisticated and deeply funky. His fanbase expands on every release and it's no surprise that that fanbase includes peers such as Madlib ("ahead of his time"), Gilles Peterson ("a key part of an entire movement"), K15 ("a limitless source of inspiration"), Alexander Nut ("a true virtuoso") and Kyle Hall.

Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn share a common collaborative ethos, a genuine sense of musical curiosity, and a cosmopolitan eagerness to escape the conventions of genre. That shared vision first brought them together on 2022's Pigments_icy and warm, stripped-down and grand, familiar and otherworldly_and now it has reunited them for Quiet in a World Full of Noise. By turns intimate, soul-baring, spectral, and startling, Quiet in a World Full of Noise blends atmospheric and orchestral soundscapes with mellifluous soul, jazz, and journalistic vocalizing_driving it all home with stark, confessional lyricism. The new album finds Richard at her most raw and exposed. This year, Richard's musician father experienced mini strokes while being diagnosed with cancer; and last year, her cousin Cisco was fatally shot seven times in New Orleans. Richard channels the emotional impact of these traumatic experiences of loss into her lyrics and vocal performances, which are left bare and human here, raw and unprocessed across the album. Quiet expands the definitions of what constitutes progressive, avant-garde R&B by rewriting them altogether. On paper, Richard and Zahn's audacious, impressionistic musical collaborations feel like a surprising match. Richard, a New Orleans-reared visionary, has had an improbable journey from late 2000s reality television and mainstream pop with girl group Danity Kane to become one of the most prolific, experimental, and visible indie R&B singer-songwriters of the last decade and a half, with seven solo albums under her belt. Zahn is an East Coast-raised multi-instrumentalist and composer working at the intersections of jazz, Americana, classical, and ambient pop. His growing solo discography includes People of the Dawn, Sunday Painter, Pale Horizon, and Statues I & II, as well as the duo's first release, Pigments. "Pigments was one of the best projects I've ever made," Richard says, "and the furthest I've ever been pushed as an artist." The album was a critical hit, hailed as Best New Music by Pitchfork and receiving praise from Stereogum as Album of the Week, NPR Music, Bandcamp Daily, The Fader, Bitter Southerner, and Edition, among many other publications. The making of its follow-up, Quiet in a World Full of Noise, began in 2023 in upstate New York. Fresh from a break-up, Zahn sat at his piano and poured himself into writing and recording instrumental compositions. "I wrote all these stream-of-consciousness pieces on piano, and they were eerie, spacious piano tracks," he said. He used a piano that had been unconventionally tuned to the room rather than to standard pitch. These oddly-tuned, eerie instrumental recordings were never intended to be an album. Six months later, he listened to the recordings again and sent them to Richard who immediately recognized their potential and said, "Oh, this is the next album." Richard went into the studio the next day and wrote and recorded melodies and lyrics to Zahn's piano recordings. Zahn brought in gifted musicians like Bryan Senti on strings (violin, viola, and violoncello da spalla) and CJ Camerieri on brass (French horn, flugelhorn, and trumpet). In some cases, like on the track "Life in Numbers," Zahn used only the original first-take piano recording and scratch vocal, resulting in an intimate close-up of both Richard and Zahn.

Ken Boothe released his album Blood Brothers in 1976 but was picked up by Trojan Records two years later to be distributed internationally. The album features some of his more laid-back and mellow style, as can be heard on “Walk Away From Love”, “Mamy Blue” and “Love Don’t Love Nobody”. Blood Brothers also features several cover versions of Bob Marley Classics, including “No Woman No Cry” and “I Shot The Sheriff”.

Ken Boothe released his album Blood Brothers in 1976 but was picked up by Trojan Records two years later to be distributed internationally. The album features some of his more laid-back and mellow style, as can be heard on “Walk Away From Love”, “Mamy Blue” and “Love Don’t Love Nobody”. Blood Brothers also features several cover versions of Bob Marley Classics, including “No Woman No Cry” and “I Shot The Sheriff”.

Blood Brothers is being reissued for the first time since 1978 and is available as a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on orange coloured vinyl

Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn share a common collaborative ethos, a genuine sense of musical curiosity, and a cosmopolitan eagerness to escape the conventions of genre. That shared vision first brought them together on 2022’s Pigments icy and warm, stripped-down and grand, familiar and otherworldly and now it has reunited them for Quiet in a World Full of Noise. By turns intimate, soul-baring, spectral, and startling, Quiet in a World Full of Noise blends atmospheric and orchestral soundscapes with mellifluous soul, jazz, and journalistic vocalizing driving it all home with stark, confessional lyricism. The new album finds Richard at her most raw and exposed. This year, Richard’s musician father experienced mini strokes while being diagnosed with cancer; and last year, her cousin Cisco was fatally shot seven times in New Orleans. Richard channels the emotional impact of these traumatic experiences of loss into her lyrics and vocal performances, which are left bare and human here, raw and unprocessed across the album. Quiet expands the definitions of what constitutes progressive, avant-garde R&B by rewriting them altogether. On paper, Richard and Zahn’s audacious, impressionistic musical collaborations feel like a surprising match. Richard, a New Orleans–reared visionary, has had an improbable journey from late 2000s reality television and mainstream pop with girl group Danity Kane to become one of the most prolific, experimental, and visible indie R&B singer-songwriters of the last decade and a half, with seven solo albums under her belt. Zahn is an East Coast–raised multi-instrumentalist and composer working at the intersections of jazz, Americana, classical, and ambient pop. His growing solo discography includes People of the Dawn, Sunday Painter, Pale Horizon, and Statues I & II, as well as the duo’s first release, Pigments. “Pigments was one of the best projects I’ve ever made,” Richard says, “and the furthest I’ve ever been pushed as an artist.” The album was a critical hit, hailed as Best New Music by Pitchfork and receiving praise from Stereogum as Album of the Week, NPR Music, Bandcamp Daily, The Fader, Bitter Southerner, and Edition, among many other publications. The making of its follow-up, Quiet in a World Full of Noise, began in 2023 in upstate New York. Fresh from a break-up, Zahn sat at his piano and poured himself into writing and recording instrumental compositions. “I wrote all these stream-of-consciousness pieces on piano, and they were eerie, spacious piano tracks,” he said. He used a piano that had been unconventionally tuned to the room rather than to standard pitch. These oddly-tuned, eerie instrumental recordings were never intended to be an album. Six months later, he listened to the recordings again and sent them to Richard who immediately recognized their potential and said, “Oh, this is the next album.” Richard went into the studio the next day and wrote and recorded melodies and lyrics to Zahn’s piano recordings. Zahn brought in gifted musicians like Bryan Senti on strings (violin, viola, and violoncello da spalla) and CJ Camerieri on brass (French horn, flugelhorn, and trumpet). In some cases, like on the track “Life in Numbers,” Zahn used only the original first-take piano recording and scratch vocal, resulting in an intimate close-up of both Richard and Zahn.

The Congos were formed by Cedric Myton (born 1947 St Catherine, Jamaica) and Roydel ‘Roy’ Johnson (born 1943 Hanover, Jamaica), around the mid-seventies, a time when the Rasta message coming out of Kingston and other pockets of the Jamaican Island was at its most prominent. Cedric Myton’s singing career began back in the rocksteady era in Reggae’s musical story.

He formed the ‘Tartans’ group taking lead vocal duties alongside Devon Russell, Prince Lincoln Thompson and Lindbergh Lewis. They cut ‘Dance All Night’ (1967) and ‘Coming On Strong’ (1968). The line-up reduced to a two piece, Cedric and Devon Russell, when tracks like ‘What a Sin Thing’ and ‘Short Up Dress’ were cut. This line-up became the Royal Rasses, Cedric formed The Congos, on meeting Roydel Johnson. Roydel previously sang as a member of Ras Michael and the Sons of Negas, cutting such tracks as ’Go To Zion’ (1973). As we can see Cedric’s and Roydel’s Rasta roots were firmly in place by the time they had formed The Congos sometimes called ‘The Congoes’.

The Congos possess what all bands look for,that unique sound that draws the listener to them.Lead singer Cedric Myton’s style and phasing, with his distinctive Falsetto voice makes this just the case.Built on a foundation of classic rhythms and with the aid of then Producer, Lee Perry, the groups statement of intent was laid down with one succinct message. The Congos mighty 1977 ‘Heart of the Congos’ album, is quite simply one of the best reggae albums ever recorded.

Producer Lee Perry had wanted to record a classic Jamaican vocal group in his newly built Black Ark Studio. The voice of Watty Burnett was added at the time to cover baritone vocal duties. The studio after various changes in equipment etc. was finally finding its way. A sound built in Lee Perry’s back yard in Cardiff Crescent, Washington Gardens, Kingston, but existing until then in Mr Lee Perry’s mind. The album they cut would be the defining group release to come out of The Black Ark studios, when the vital elements, vibes, musicians, songs and singing would gel to form ‘Heart Of The Congos’. Come the time of it’s release 1977, Lee Perry was in dispute with Island Records and opted to release the record on his own ‘Black Art’ label. Without the high-profile push of a major label, the record undersold and caused a split between producer and band. Under different circumstances maybe this album would be sitting in thousands of homes alongside the Bob Marley, Culture, Burning Spear releases. Cedric Myton went on to release albums with the French arm of the CBS label and Roy Johnson records and tours as Congo Ashanti Roy.

Cedric Myton the central force carries on the mantle of the Congos and we at Kingston Sounds are proud to pick up the story with another set of vocal statements, which sees Cedric cut some of his finest tunes. Helped along by another reggae legend Brent Dowe, lead singer of the Melodians (Rivers of Babylon), over some classic 1970’s rhythms. Yet again we find that magic formula of strong statements working alongside classic rhythms making the balance work. The Rasta message is still strong on modern classics like ‘King Rastafari Is His Name’, ‘Rasta Congo Man’ and the injustices of the world dissected in tunes ‘Some A Thief’, ‘Watch & Pray’ and the prophetical, ‘Citizen Of The World’.

Once touched by magic it does not fade away, but resurfaces as it has with what we believe to be some of the Congos most heartfelt and meaningful set of songs ...... Let the feast begin.

Following the recent vinyl reissue of Manuel Tur's cinematic downtempo album "Intertextural", originally self-released during the Covid 19 pandemic, comes this package of fresh remixes featuring interpretations of four standout tracks from the record by DJ Counselling, All Is Well and Yuu Udagawa.

London-based DJ Counselling opens the EP with his energetic version of "Omina", raising tempo and hands with an expertly executed arrangement, while the newly added filtered synth chords echo some of Tur's best-known releases of the late noughties. Next up is Montreal's Frédéric Blais aka All Is Well, who after his recent LP success on Drumpoet and another brand-new album under his main moniker Fred Everything just released, turns "Flakon" into a head-nodding groove masterpiece that recalls the subtle 90s trip-hop flavor of the original version. On the B-side, Tokyo native Yuu Udagawa, who has collaborated with Tur on several occasions, unleashes two beautiful and ethereal remixes of "Slow White" and "Shadowgraph" that let us float through her signature sparkling sound.

Kreaturen der Nacht sehnen sich in die 80er Jahre des letzten Jahrhunderts zurück. Post-Punk und New Wave stiegen zu glorreichen Höhen auf und diese epische Erforschung dunkler Klangwelten auf der Basis von harten Gitarren und treibender Elektronik fand auf allen alternativen Tanzflächen statt. Klangvolle Namen wie SISTERS OF MERCY, FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM, DEPECHE MODE, JOY DIVISION, THE HUMAN LEAGUE, ULTRAVOX und viele andere funkeln noch immer in einem magischen Glanz. Zum Glück sind all die subtile Erotik, elektrisierende Spannung und die düstere musikalische Leidenschaft nicht für alle Zeiten verloren gegangen: Die Rettung naht mit SOROR DOLOROSA auf schwarzen Schwingen. Das vierte Album der Franzosen mit dem vielsagenden Titel "Mond" hat musikalische Reißzähne, die schon beim ersten Durchgang köstliches Klangblut sprudeln lassen. Der klassisch-dunkle Post-Punk findet sich ebenso wieder wie Wave-Elemente und ein überwältigender Drang, die Füße in ekstatischen Tänzen unter dem namensgebenden Mond bewegen zu müssen. Doch SOROR DOLOROSA gehen dabei keineswegs mit abgestandenem Nostalgie-Schlangenöl hausieren. Die nach Paris umgezogenen Veteranen haben das klassische Feeling mit dem massiven Sound des neuen Jahrtausends für einen neuen Höhenflug aufgerüstet. Die Idee, den Mix und das Mastering von "Mond" James Kent anzuvertrauen, erweist sich als hervorragender Schachzug. Der PERTURBATOR-Vordenker hat die üppige Produktion dieses epischen Albums mit einer vibrierenden Power und wohltuenden ätherischen Kühle aufpoliert. Textlich bleiben SOROR DOLOROSA dem seit ihrer Gründung im Jahr 2001 in der südfranzösischen Stadt Toulouse eingeschlagenen Weg treu. Die erstmals mit der "Severance" (2009) Debüt-EP manifestierten dunkel-romantischen und kathartischen Gefühlslandschaften lassen noch immer das Herz der Band schlagen. Die Inspiration für "Mond" stammt unter anderen aus den Federn von Dichtern und Schriftstellern wie William Blake und Edgar Alan Poe.

Features Unreleased Studio Sessions, Alternate Versions, Live Recordings, Rarities, And 36-Page Book With New Photos & An Extensive Conversation Between Joni & Cameron Crowe

Sourced From Original Stereo Reels, Nagra Film Recordings, Multi-track Tapes, Radio Airchecks & Cassette Tapes

Throughout the latter half of the seventies, Joni continued to creatively break ground with her fearless and fluid exploration of jazz. Rather than tread the same path, she challenged and reinvented her style with a folk fusion like no other. Ascending to an unrivaled sonic peak, this innovative sound took shape across the gold-certified HEJIRA 1976, the gold-certified double-LP DON JUAN’S RECKLESS DAUGHTER [1977], her collaboration with Charles Mingus entitled MINGUS [1979], and live album SHADOWS AND LIGHT [1980]. Channeling the thrill and excitement of these records, she delves even further into this season on JONI MITCHELL ARCHIVES, VOL. 4: THE ASYLUM YEARS (1976-1980), due October 4th.

Available as a 6CD, 4LP (featuring Joni's personal favorites from the 6CD set), and digitally, this comprehensive and essential set spans one of the most prolific periods of her storied career. It boasts powerful live tracks from her time in Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue during 1975 and 1976 Tour of the United States. It pulls back the curtain on the music by showcasing early recordings and alternate takes from the respective sessions for HEJIRA, DON JUAN’S RECKLESS DAUGHTER, and MINGUS. It covers the Bread & Roses Festival as well as the Anti-Nuclear Rally. Finally, VOL. 4 chronicles her 1979 tour, even showcasing two tracks from that year’s Tour Rehearsals. Not to mention, it showcases her versatility and adaptability, housing collaborations with everyone from Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorious to Wayne Shorter and Pat Metheny.

Vol. 4 culls the previously-unissued material from original stereo reels, cassette tapes, CD-Rs, and even a radio broadcast. Newly mixed tracks came from multi-track tapes, while a handful of hi-res digital tracks have been sourced from the Bob Dylan Archives.

Each version includes a book with never-before-seen photos and liner notes comprising a deep dive discussion between Mitchell and longtime friend Cameron Crowe. As part of their candid conversation, she shares intimate anecdotes, memories, and stories from that five-year creative run.

Her tracks have been played and recommended by Iggy Pop, Mary Anne Hobbs and Nine Inch Nails. ZAMILSKA, one of the most original artists on the European electronic scene, announces a new album, "United Kingdom Of Anxiety" – out October 4.
Combining the rawness of techno and the trance-like nature of world music, industrial sound and a fine blend of trip-hop, the Polish producer created a dystopian, post-apocalyptic,
fascinating vision of a collapsing world. "United Kingdom Of Anxiety" begins with a sonic assault. The breaks and powerful bass in "Phantom" awaken from hypnotic slumber, numbness caused by the daily hustle, serve as a reminder that to survive in an unfriendly world, concentration, willpower and perseverance are essential. This is the beginning of a journey through "United Kingdom Of Anxiety" - the new album by Zamilska, a sensitive outsider.

"I’m here to ruin you again," announces a voice in "Mummy," while the crescendo of beats and noise in "Better Off" further amplifies the tension. It's hard to find peace when hell lurks just around the corner. Is it the horror of civilization or perhaps cosmic dread? The answer depends on the listener's sensitivity.
The much-needed balance and coolness are brought by huskie vocals - that is Ola Myszor - an incredibly talented young artist who appears in several tracks on the album. Besides huskie, there are other guests on "UKOA": Natalia Przybysz, who, with a robotic voice, delivers a manifesto of indomitable, proud solitude in "Persist" and Lukasz Pach, the charismatic frontman of the grindcore band Hostia. His growling is heard in the intense, uncompromising "No Gods," which was presented by Iggy Pop on his BBC6 Music radioshow.

The sonic spectrum is also filled with anonymous voices: echoes of quarrels, media messages, sounds of war clamor, monologues - looped, accelerated, manic, psychotic, but also a wistful singing coming from the depths, from afar. The metaphysical horror of Lovecraft on one hand, and the sober, no less gloomy diagnosis of George Orwell on the other, constantly correspond here.
This entire album is a story about society as a whole and the contemporary, dystopian world, which is inevitably heading towards war. The track "1984" clearly defines the inspiration for the artist's post-apocalyptic vision. A distorted radio signal, alarm siren and gabba/techno beats driving into the head like nails serve as an expression of the fear and anger born in a world of impending totalitarianism.