Limitierte Kassette mit alternativen Cover-Artwork!
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Limitierte Kassette mit alternativen Cover-Artwork!
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
The principles of pleasure radiate a knowing, carnal heat throughout the genre-fluid sound of LSDXOXO. His decade of dedication to the sensibility of underground club culture has brought forth club classics interwoven with pop music hooks and subversive, tongue-in-cheek lyrics.
After four years of what LSDXOXO, real name RJ Glasgow, calls a period of “healing and self-discovery,” he is consolidating his multiplicitous sound with one compelling masterstroke: the debut album DOGMA, to be released on his own imprint F.A.G. DOGMA marks a complete paradigmatic shift: it is a poetic and fantastical performance, a route for deep escapism through an expanded musical palette including piano and guitar, and a deeply personal confessional through a fresh approach to songcrafting.
Within DOGMA, RJ meditates on the interlinked qualities of fame, infamy, lust and submission, as he rediscovers a pure, unadulterated approach to music-making, all the while adopting a futurist approach to pop music appreciation. RJ’s unmistakable signatures—the smutty dancefloor caller, the maker of irresistible bangers, the latter-day electroclash and DnB nostalgist—take on even more shades and intricacies. Despite his widespread acclaim as a collaborator with and songwriter for other artists, RJ strips DOGMA down almost exclusively to himself, carving out intentional space as a chameleonic vocalist and performer. He breathes life into the album with private thoughts, external fears and a red thread through personal themes that crystallise the album’s narrative from front to back.
The album’s promo single “Bloodlust” offers angsty, intimate indie-tronica, and musings on the intoxicating nature of love and infatuation. The lead single “Ghost” reaches beyond RJ’s Philadelphia origins to find itself in the deep south, in a sultry fever dream of coquettish R&B featuring backing vocals from close collaborator Kelela. Elsewhere on the album futuristic love, pensive pop earworms, evocative vintage dance styles and sleazy club tracks intermingle. While the DOGMA era will eventually explore remixes and reworks, the album is RJ’s purest embrace of himself and his artistry.
RJ first garnered attention as LSDXOXO in New York City with his on-the-pulse Soundcloud edits and then as part of the cult GHE20GOTH1K collective. His DJ sets and productions quickly earned him acclaim across globally-linked underground scenes. His decision to shift from sampled vocals to picking up the pen and microphone pushed his reach out to the stratosphere; his association with XL Recordings via the Dedicated 2 Disrespect EP in 2021 was a turning point for the burgeoning superstar.
This multiplicity of the LSDXOXO sound has led to enviable co-signs. These include being selected as the opening DJ for Beyoncé’s German Renaissance tour dates, remixing Lady Gaga, Pink Pantheress and Shygirl and producing five tracks for Kelela's highly acclaimed 2023 album for Warp Records, Raven. His fully-realised live show has also taken to the stage, serving fierce charisma to huge audiences at festivals including Primavera, Nuits Sonores and Rewire.
Last delivered 2 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
Big Crown Records is proud to present Dave Guy’s debut album Ruby. Having lent his talents both on stage and in the studio to artists like Amy Winehouse, Lizzo, Pharrell, and Sharon Jones to currently playing every night on The Tonight Show as a member of The Roots, Dave steps out on his own with a jazz record that is both unique and modern. Ruby mixes his musical influences with the energies of the city that raised him, capturing different moods and inviting the listener into the world as Dave Guy sees and feels it. Recorded in Queens at The Legendary Diamond Mine, the album is produced by Homer Steinweiss and Nick Movshon and features musical contributions from Leon Michels, Marco Benevento, Claire Cottrill, and more.
Ruby instantly sits with the classics as an album that is fully realized and not simply a collection of songs. Lead single “7th Heaven” opens the album with an anthemic energy as Dave’s horn lines soar over thundering drums, ethereal vocals, and dancing piano. Keeping the energy high, “Footwork” is a Latin inspired number that is sure to soundtrack many a dance floor from SoHo to Harlem. The synth intro of “Pinky Ring” cleanses your palate for the mood shift when the track drops. Deep bass tones underline the impeccable drumming and
Dave effortlessly finds the pocket wasting no notes as the verses and choruses trade off. The record leans into spiritual jazz vibes on “Diamond Encore” with a dark and deep almost “Axelrodish” rhythm track then picks the energy back up with the stomper “Still Standing”. “Dave Wants You” has a bop all its own with an unorthodox drum pattern that Dave anchors with his trumpet hits. The otherworldly arrangement of “Drony Boy” puts the production on a pedestal. The first intro almost serves as an intermission on the album while the second
intro sets up the neck snapping track that is about to drop. A menacing guitar signals the builds and the whole thing is juxtaposed by Dave’s beautiful trumpet riffs. “Quesodillas” & “Green Door” begin the autumn of the album with their mellow & intimate energy and “Ruby’s Rubies”, the album’s closer is the perfect ending to the journey.
Last delivered 2 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
Lutalo's highly visceral folk goes electric on The Academy, the Vermont multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer's debut LP. Recorded in January 2024 at the storied Sonic Ranch and self-produced along with Jake Aron (Snail Mail, Protomartyr, L'Rain), The Academy feels like watching the best underground film you've seen in years; establishing Lutalo as a singular voice of this generation of indie rock. Lutalo describes The Academy as their "first chapter" - a time capsule of the lessons they've learned in their 20-something years of life. "This record is exactly that: a `record' of my early life," they say of their debut album, out via Winspear. "The experiences, thoughts and feelings I was holding at those times and am currently processing. To me, this is the first big stamp of my existence I'm sharing." While Lutalo's 2022 EP Once Now, Then Again introduced them as a lo-fi acoustic guitar wunderkind, The Academy is bigger and bolder without compromising Lutalo's inviting sense of emotional intimacy, inspired by alt-rock veterans like Thom Yorke and Rob Crow as well as electronic greats like Aphex Twin and Bowery Electric. The Academy's grander arrangements are heard in the biting adrenaline rush of "Ocean Swallows Him Whole," or the anti-war jangle of album closer "The Bed." Their lyrics are often deeply intuitive, flowing as a stream of consciousness, albeit with weighty meanings. With their unique baritone and finesse for lyrical world building, Lutalo cuts to the bone-while only just beginning to reveal the depth of their artistry and vision.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Lutalo's highly visceral folk goes electric on The Academy, the Vermont multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer's debut LP. Recorded in January 2024 at the storied Sonic Ranch and self-produced along with Jake Aron (Snail Mail, Protomartyr, L'Rain), The Academy feels like watching the best underground film you've seen in years; establishing Lutalo as a singular voice of this generation of indie rock. Lutalo describes The Academy as their "first chapter" - a time capsule of the lessons they've learned in their 20-something years of life. "This record is exactly that: a `record' of my early life," they say of their debut album, out via Winspear. "The experiences, thoughts and feelings I was holding at those times and am currently processing. To me, this is the first big stamp of my existence I'm sharing." While Lutalo's 2022 EP Once Now, Then Again introduced them as a lo-fi acoustic guitar wunderkind, The Academy is bigger and bolder without compromising Lutalo's inviting sense of emotional intimacy, inspired by alt-rock veterans like Thom Yorke and Rob Crow as well as electronic greats like Aphex Twin and Bowery Electric. The Academy's grander arrangements are heard in the biting adrenaline rush of "Ocean Swallows Him Whole," or the anti-war jangle of album closer "The Bed." Their lyrics are often deeply intuitive, flowing as a stream of consciousness, albeit with weighty meanings. With their unique baritone and finesse for lyrical world building, Lutalo cuts to the bone-while only just beginning to reveal the depth of their artistry and vision.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Lutalo's highly visceral folk goes electric on The Academy, the Vermont multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer's debut LP. Recorded in January 2024 at the storied Sonic Ranch and self-produced along with Jake Aron (Snail Mail, Protomartyr, L'Rain), The Academy feels like watching the best underground film you've seen in years; establishing Lutalo as a singular voice of this generation of indie rock. Lutalo describes The Academy as their "first chapter" - a time capsule of the lessons they've learned in their 20-something years of life. "This record is exactly that: a `record' of my early life," they say of their debut album, out via Winspear. "The experiences, thoughts and feelings I was holding at those times and am currently processing. To me, this is the first big stamp of my existence I'm sharing." While Lutalo's 2022 EP Once Now, Then Again introduced them as a lo-fi acoustic guitar wunderkind, The Academy is bigger and bolder without compromising Lutalo's inviting sense of emotional intimacy, inspired by alt-rock veterans like Thom Yorke and Rob Crow as well as electronic greats like Aphex Twin and Bowery Electric. The Academy's grander arrangements are heard in the biting adrenaline rush of "Ocean Swallows Him Whole," or the anti-war jangle of album closer "The Bed." Their lyrics are often deeply intuitive, flowing as a stream of consciousness, albeit with weighty meanings. With their unique baritone and finesse for lyrical world building, Lutalo cuts to the bone-while only just beginning to reveal the depth of their artistry and vision.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
The 20th Anniversary Edition of Beyond Good & Evil and its official soundtrack offer a refreshed yet faithful rendition of the game's original music. Utilizing a full orchestra, we preserved the unique, intimate feel of the compositions, often created through improvised sessions. The soundtrack includes new tracks, some recorded with unconventional instruments, celebrating the creativity that made the 2003 original and the franchise special.
“Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition and its official soundtrack are a true labor of love that give a beautiful new sheen to the notes and melodies of the game, yet always staying true to the emotions that resonated with the fans back then. While we had the means to work with a full-fledged orchestra this time around, we made sure to keep the quirky, intimate feel of the compositions that were, more often than not, the results of improvised jams and family reunions around an iron anvil or a toy ukulele. This soundtrack is an ode to a sort of colorful, artisanal and unbridled creativity, completed here with new tracks (including parts recorded on a broken guitar with an unconventional tuning), and the perfect celebration of all the little things that made the 2003 original and this franchise so special.”
-Christophe Héral
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
In 2007, Céu debuted her self-titled album, becoming one of the select Brazilian artistsnominated for an American Grammy in the World Music category and is widely regarded as one of the most in_¼éuential Brazilian artists of her generation. With now six albums to her credit, Céu has transcended borders, captivating audiences on five continents at prestigious festivals such as the Montreal Jazz Festival, Coachella, Roskilde, Rock in Rio and Lollapalooza. She is renownedfor her collaborations with both Brazilian and international artists like Duran Duran, Herbie Hancock, Jorge Ben Jor, Gilberto Gil and Emicida. Recorded in the USA, the album features musical production by Céu as well as Brazilian musician and producer Pupillo (drummer of Naçao Zumbi) and American multi- instrumentalist and arranger Adrian Younge (co-founder of Jazz Is Dead). Recorded at Linear Labs Studio in Los Angeles, Novela is Céu"s sixth studio album. It was captured live on tape, in a dynamic moment that demands total presence. A number of artists feature on the record: American MC and songwriter LadyBug Mecca, Franco-Senegalese singer and songwriter anaiis, American singers Loren Oden and Jensine Benitez, American DJ and producer Frankie Reyes, French artist Hervé Salters (General Elektriks) and Brazilian national treasure Marcos Valle. In Novela, ancient technologies, healing, creaminess, bolero, polished stars, echoes of soul music, things of the earth, rap, and whispers to guides emerge. Throughout the record, there is a reaffirmation of the author"sfearlessness, committed to her time, in the complexity and beauty of creative work. Always keeping the diversity of Brazilian music on the horizon.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Orange Vinyl[74,75 €]
KANONENFIEBER über das Konzept von "Die Urkatastrophe": "Der Erste Weltkrieg beschleunigte den Weg in die Moderne und gilt als die "Urkatastrophe" des 20. Jahrhunderts, das von Kriegen, Gewalt und Vertreibungen geprägt war. Etwa 17 Millionen Menschen, Soldaten und Zivilisten, verloren ihr Leben, große Teile Europas wurden zerstört und ungelöste Probleme hinterlassen, die zu weiteren gewaltsamen Konflikten führten. Dieses Album soll die Opfer des Ersten Weltkrieges dem Vergessen entreißen. Mögen ihre Schicksale auch nach über 100 Jahren Mahnung sein für die nachfolgenden Generationen," erklärt Noise, der im Studio alle Instrumente einspielt und für das Konzept von KANONENFIEBER verantwortlich ist. Wie sein Vorgänger basiert KANONENFIEBERs zweites Album auf Tatsachenberichten, persönlichen Briefen und Originaldokumenten der überlebenden und verstorbenen Soldaten des Ersten Weltkriegs. Es geht nicht darum, zu glorifizieren, denn im Krieg gibt es keinen Ruhm. Alle verlieren - ihr Leben, ihre Seelen, ihre Menschlichkeit. Der Krieg wird oft abstrakt und anhand von trockenen Zahlen und Statistiken dargestellt. KANONENFIEBER wollen die Geschichten der Namenlosen und Gesichtslosen erzählen, um einen kleinen Einblick in ihre persönlichen Schrecken und damit in das größte Grauen für die Menschheit als Ganzes zu gewähren. Krieg. Der Black und Death Metal von KANONENFIEBER soll nicht nur unterhalten, sondern anregen, sich weiterzubilden und das Bewusstsein gegen die Verherrlichung des Krieges schärfen. "Die Urkatastrophe" wurde mit Kristian Kohle (Powerwolf, Aborted, Benighted u.v.a.) im Kohlekeller Studio aufgenommen. Zum Song "Waffenbrüder" steuerte Maik Weichert von HEAVEN SHALL BURN ein Gitarrengastsolo hinzu. Das Album erscheint in den folgenden Formaten: Ltd. Deluxe transp. sand-dark red colored splattered 2LP Artbook, Ltd. CD Mediabook & Patch, Standard CD Jewelcase, Ltd. Gatefold standard LP & LP-Booklet, LP and Digital Album.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Orange Vinyl[26,26 €]
KANONENFIEBER über das Konzept von "Die Urkatastrophe": "Der Erste Weltkrieg beschleunigte den Weg in die Moderne und gilt als die "Urkatastrophe" des 20. Jahrhunderts, das von Kriegen, Gewalt und Vertreibungen geprägt war. Etwa 17 Millionen Menschen, Soldaten und Zivilisten, verloren ihr Leben, große Teile Europas wurden zerstört und ungelöste Probleme hinterlassen, die zu weiteren gewaltsamen Konflikten führten. Dieses Album soll die Opfer des Ersten Weltkrieges dem Vergessen entreißen. Mögen ihre Schicksale auch nach über 100 Jahren Mahnung sein für die nachfolgenden Generationen," erklärt Noise, der im Studio alle Instrumente einspielt und für das Konzept von KANONENFIEBER verantwortlich ist. Wie sein Vorgänger basiert KANONENFIEBERs zweites Album auf Tatsachenberichten, persönlichen Briefen und Originaldokumenten der überlebenden und verstorbenen Soldaten des Ersten Weltkriegs. Es geht nicht darum, zu glorifizieren, denn im Krieg gibt es keinen Ruhm. Alle verlieren - ihr Leben, ihre Seelen, ihre Menschlichkeit. Der Krieg wird oft abstrakt und anhand von trockenen Zahlen und Statistiken dargestellt. KANONENFIEBER wollen die Geschichten der Namenlosen und Gesichtslosen erzählen, um einen kleinen Einblick in ihre persönlichen Schrecken und damit in das größte Grauen für die Menschheit als Ganzes zu gewähren. Krieg. Der Black und Death Metal von KANONENFIEBER soll nicht nur unterhalten, sondern anregen, sich weiterzubilden und das Bewusstsein gegen die Verherrlichung des Krieges schärfen. "Die Urkatastrophe" wurde mit Kristian Kohle (Powerwolf, Aborted, Benighted u.v.a.) im Kohlekeller Studio aufgenommen. Zum Song "Waffenbrüder" steuerte Maik Weichert von HEAVEN SHALL BURN ein Gitarrengastsolo hinzu. Das Album erscheint in den folgenden Formaten: Ltd. Deluxe transp. sand-dark red colored splattered 2LP Artbook, Ltd. CD Mediabook & Patch, Standard CD Jewelcase, Ltd. Gatefold standard LP & LP-Booklet, LP and Digital Album.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
We welcome Torn back to Samurai Music for a full length return trip.
Immortal ventures back into the abyssal realms that Ivans music inhabits with 13 meticulously crafted solo works. Meditative, brooding and hypnotic, it's a hauntingly immersive journey that shines a light on his singular vision and artistry.
From the outset, Torn descends into the subterranean with unmatched precision. Each track on Immortal is an intricate colage of raw, sinewy textures and eerie melodies,meticulously woven to create an intensely intoxicating experience.
Standout pieces like the title track 'Immortal', 'Into The Abyss', Unending Rails' and'Glacier' display the inimitable Torn style in its full glory. Immaculate rhythms and layered atmospherics, forever evoking a sense of inexorable momentum
What sets Immortal apart is its ability to maintain a cohesive narrative while exploring diverse sonic and rhythmic territories. Torn seamlessly transitions from the minimalist, almost meditative ambience of tracks like Reckless and I Dare to the more aggressive, beat-driven attacks of Inner Battle and Invisible Turmoil. Each piece contributes to the overarching foreboding atmospheric journey.
For aficionados of deep, shadowy atmospheric drum and bass, Torn's Immortal is indispensable, a tenebrous soundscape that is equal parts innovative, disquieting and enthralling.
Last delivered 11 months ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
Let Me Comfort You: The Hush Rarities collects the bonus tracks from High Moon Records’ critically lauded CD Gemini Girl: The Complete Hush Recordings. Appearing on vinyl for the first time, these 11 alternate takes, demos and previously unissued songs hail from the sessions for Laurie Styvers’ two unjustifiably obscure LPs Spilt Milk and The Colorado Kid, recorded in early 1970s London, and recently tagged by Pitchfork as “a sharp and idiosyncratic snapshot of how it feels to try growing up.” Akin to a “lost” third album, this remarkably well-rounded package is a further showcase for the honey-voiced intimacy of this youthful Texas singer-songwriter, with a program of lovelorn gems doused in splendid orchestration. RIYL Carole King, Judee Sill, Weyes Blood. Packaged with a four page lyric insert.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Eclipse kehren zurück mit ihrem neunten Album "Megalomanium". Nach ihrem bisher erfolgreichsten Album "Paradigm" (das die massive Single "Viva La Victoria" enthält, die allein bisher über 26 Millionen Streams auf Spotify hat)) veröffentlichten die schwedischen Hard Rocker ihr letztes Album "Wired" Ende 2020 (Platz 23 der deutschen Charts). Trotz der fehlenden Tourneen gelang es ihnen, weiter zu wachsen. Das neue Album bietet den fröhlichen, hooklastigen und gitarrenorientierten Sound von Eclipse in seiner reinsten Form, 80er beeinflusster Melodic Hard Rock. Die Band ruht sich jedoch nicht auf Lorbeeren aus und bietet einige neue Elemente für einen Sound, der vor allem in Europa bereits Massen von Fans gewonnen hat. Während die erste Single "The Hardest Part is Losing You" einfach zeigt, dass die Inspiration intakt ist - eine der besten Hymnen von Eclipse überhaupt! - Songs wie "Got It!" oder das von Victor Crusner gesungene "High Road" zeigen, dass die Band sich nicht scheut, neue Wege zu gehen. Trotzdem können sie im hymnischen "Children of the Night" mit einem Riff, das die Erinnerungen an den besten Dio/Sabbath-Sound weckt, sehr hart rocken. Weitere Highlights sind das sofort erkennbare "Hearts Collide" und das treffend betitelte "Anthem", das die Fans, die die Shows der Band genießen, in Brand setzen wird. Megalomanium hat absolut alles, was man von den Jungs aus Stockholm erwarten würde, und noch mehr. Erik Martensson (auch W.E.T.) zeigt einmal mehr, warum er einer der gefragtesten Autoren und Produzenten der Szene ist. Sein Geschmack für Melodien, Songwriting und Harmonien ist absolut herausragend und wenn er sich mit Magnus Henrikssons Gitarren duelliert, ist absolute Magie da. Große Europa Tournee von Juni bis November.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Ever-evolving the mythologies and magic of Dialect's sonic sphere, Andrew PM Hunt returns with Atlas of Green, elegantly molding unexacting details of memory and mistranslation into the framework of the British musician and composer's creative pursuit. The album imagines a young musician named Green working in a future dawning era where lost signals and enduring impulses are unearthed from the sediments of technology and time. Across twelve compositions, Green becomes the compass in an epoch of transition; one shaded with pastoral patinas and studded with the fragments of allegorical ruin. As tattered as it is tender, Atlas of Green is a patchwork of scavenged relics and bygone hues, cast through the iridescent shimmers of a mid-future in flux. Growing up on the Wirral Peninsula in North West England, Hunt was surrounded by stone age landmarks and rock carvings that infused the landscape with legend. It was beside those carvings on a residency at Bidston Artistic Research Center where he began the journey of Atlas of Green, experimenting with tape loops and exploring the center's library of sci-fi. Here Hunt also encountered the work of Italian philosopher Federico Campagna, a writer who believes we're at the end of our current world. This encouraged Hunt's exploration of how the fabric and fantasies of our current era might endure into the future of Green, as they try to make sense of the riddles of the past, utilizing broken electronics and simple acoustic instruments to create new mythic forms. This question of endurance led Hunt to inscribe Atlas of Green with its own lucid markings - sometimes almost anthemic adornments - which unfurl through the album's melancholic air as possible new metaphors for how the human spirit might persist through dark days and regain lost wisdom. As Hunt reflects, "We're not just on an endless procession through constantly better worlds. Our lack of action (on climate and inequality) feels hopeless at times. I find some comfort in the idea that maybe the world needs a new song in order to tell a new story about itself". The image of Green as a journeying adolescent in-between eras developed out of a burgeoning interest in the fantasy writing of Ursula K. Le Guin and Gene Wolfe and occurred at a point in Hunt's life where the question of starting a family was looming. Green became a device for thinking about the future, or futures, putting someone in another world and granting access to a slightly longer timeframe than one's own life. What would this person, in this as-yet-unsung world do with something as powerful as music? As Hunt notes, "I imagined them doing what we've always done with music - using it to build a map of feeling, providing boundaries and tracing the edges of our emotions, defining a space of possibility and giving voice to our intuition. This is an alternative future to the one of endless growth but one which still holds space for hopes and dreams." Mapping new folds in the passage of time, Atlas of Green is traced with an aura of sonic urgency which arises through its process-led construction. Following a series of live shows in early 2023, the record was created with an assemblage of analogue electronics and acoustic instruments, including scratched records and a broken four track, collaging studio work with recorded live recordings featuring work in progress. Where the indeterminate energies of Under~Between (2021) appeared through digital processing, Atlas of Green embraces chance encounters within the malfunctions of physical media and glitching gear. Within these interwoven clusters of organic and blemished sound, Dialect reclaims the joyfulness of the inner amateur and creates a soft landing for new seeds of magical possibility - rooted in the bounds and abundance of realism. "As a planet of people we have to deal one way or another with our finite existence. We have to deal with that loss with hope still in our hearts - our capacity to love cannot be contingent on things lasting forever, and so this image of Green is not a vision of dystopia, nor utopia but an expression of trust and an acceptance of limits."
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Das Album "Walk With Me" von Dog Eat Dog, veröffentlicht 2006 von Nuclear Blast und nur kurze Zeit erhältlich, zählt zu den versteckten Juwelen der Rockmusik. Lange vergriffen, hoch gehandelt und nun endlich wieder erhältlich als Digipak und Ltd. Edition Orange Vinyl.
Das Album "Walk With Me" von Dog Eat Dog, veröffentlicht 2006 von Nuclear Blast, ist ein beeindruckendes Zeugnis der kreativen Kraft und musikalischen Vielseitigkeit der Band. Obwohl es nur für kurze Zeit verfügbar war, hat es dennoch einen bleibenden Eindruck hinterlassen und zählt zu den versteckten Juwelen der Rockmusik.
Dog Eat Dog, bekannt für ihre innovative Mischung aus Rock, Punk und Funk, erlebte in den frühen 2000er Jahren eine Phase intensiver Kreativität. Nach mehreren erfolgreichen Alben und Touren entschied sich die Band, ein Album zu schaffen, das ihre musikalische Entwicklung und ihre Erfahrungen der letzten Jahre widerspiegeln sollte. Die Arbeit an "Walk With Me" begann, und die Bandmitglieder verbrachten unzählige Stunden im Studio, um ihre musikalischen Ideen zu perfektionieren.
2003 fanden sie mit Vibra ein neues Management und kamen so in Kontakt mit Claus Grabke. Mit ihm arbeiteten sie an Songs wie "M.I.L.F.", "Hell Yeah", "Cannonball" und "Undivided" für ihr neues Album. Bei letzterem singt Marta Jandová von Die Happy als Gastsängerin.
Das Album wurde mit viel Leidenschaft und Hingabe aufgenommen. Jeder Song auf "Walk With Me" erzählt seine eigene Geschichte und spiegelt die persönlichen und kollektiven Erlebnisse der Band wider. Die kraftvollen Rhythmen, eingängigen Melodien und tiefgründigen Texte zeigen Dog Eat Dog auf dem Höhepunkt ihrer Kreativität.
"Walk With Me" ist vollgepackt mit energiegeladenen Tracks, die die einzigartige Mischung aus Rock, Punk und Funk der Band perfekt zur Geltung bringen. Songs wie "Undivided" und "Walk With Me" strotzen vor Dynamik und zeigen die musikalische Vielfalt der Band. Besonders hervorzuheben sind die kraftvollen Gitarrenriffs und die markante Stimme des Leadsängers, die jedem Song eine besondere Note verleihen.
Die Produktion des Albums ist erstklassig, mit einem klaren und dynamischen Sound, der die Energie und Leidenschaft der Band perfekt einfängt. Die sorgfältige Abmischung und die durchdachte Songstruktur machen "Walk With Me" zu einem Hörgenuss, der sowohl bei hoher Lautstärke als auch in ruhigen Momenten überzeugt.
Trotz der hohen Qualität des Albums war "Walk With Me" nur für eine kurze Zeit verfügbar. Dies lag an internen Problemen bei Nuclear Blast und unerwarteten rechtlichen Komplikationen, die dazu führten, dass das Album nach kurzer Zeit vom Markt genommen werden musste. Diese unglücklichen Umstände bedeuteten, dass viele Fans das Album nicht erwerben konnten, was es zu einem begehrten Sammlerstück machte.
"Walk With Me" ist ein herausragendes Album, das die kreative Essenz von Dog Eat Dog in ihrer besten Form einfängt. Die Kombination aus eingängigen Melodien, kraftvollen Rhythmen und einer faszinierenden Entstehungsgeschichte macht es zu einem unverzichtbaren Bestandteil jeder Musiksammlung. Nun haben Fans endlich die Möglichkeit, dieses Meisterwerk wieder als CD Digipack und Ltd. Edition Orange Vinyl zu kaufen - und auch digital ist es zum ersten Mal seit langer Zeit wieder verfügbar.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Acid, 1980 im belgischen Brügge gegründet, gelten als einer der ersten Vorläufer des Speed Metal auf dem europäischen Kontinent. Sängerin Kate de Lombaerd, die Gitarristen Dirk Simoens (Dizzy Lizzy) und Donald Devers (Demon), Bassist Peter (T-Bone) sowie Drummer Geert (Anvill) nahmen in Form von "Acid" (1983), "Maniac" (1983) und "Engine Beast" (1985) drei hoch geschätzte Alben für Giant Records auf, ehe sich Mitte der achtziger Jahre ihre Wege trennten. Um 2019 herum reifte in Kate de Lombaerd der Plan, es noch einmal zu versuchen. Unter der Mitwirkung von Mathieu Trobec (Bass), Gilles Reuse (Gitarre), Andreas Stieglitz (Gitarre) und Bastiaan Andriessen (Schlagzeug) fand man sich wenig später unter dem Namen Kate's Acid zusammen. Es folgten umjubelte Live-Auftritte u.a. beim Keep It True Rising (2021) und noch einmal beim Keep It True im Jahre 2023, wo auch das jetzt vorliegende Album "Blowing Your Ears Off" mitgeschnitten wurde.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Acid, 1980 im belgischen Brügge gegründet, gelten als einer der ersten Vorläufer des Speed Metal auf dem europäischen Kontinent. Sängerin Kate de Lombaerd, die Gitarristen Dirk Simoens (Dizzy Lizzy) und Donald Devers (Demon), Bassist Peter (T-Bone) sowie Drummer Geert (Anvill) nahmen in Form von "Acid" (1983), "Maniac" (1983) und "Engine Beast" (1985) drei hoch geschätzte Alben für Giant Records auf, ehe sich Mitte der achtziger Jahre ihre Wege trennten. Um 2019 herum reifte in Kate de Lombaerd der Plan, es noch einmal zu versuchen. Unter der Mitwirkung von Mathieu Trobec (Bass), Gilles Reuse (Gitarre), Andreas Stieglitz (Gitarre) und Bastiaan Andriessen (Schlagzeug) fand man sich wenig später unter dem Namen Kate's Acid zusammen. Es folgten umjubelte Live-Auftritte u.a. beim Keep It True Rising (2021) und noch einmal beim Keep It True im Jahre 2023, wo auch das jetzt vorliegende Album "Blowing Your Ears Off" mitgeschnitten wurde.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Brighton based three-piece Jopy, led by songwriter Jo Parnell, release their debut EP on Goo Records. Featuring six tracks including recent singles Head Hunters Pub & Grub and Graveyard Romance, the Planet Zombie EP showcases the band's B52s/Cramps influenced glam punk sound chocker with incendiary punk riffs and frantically infectious choruses.
Full of macabre joy, the EP sees Parnell celebrate her queerness through fantastical camp-horror fictions via Marc Bolan-esque vocals rolled into one blood-curdlingly gleeful package. Tracing these songs' deeply personal origins, Parnell says: “I want to write songs that people can relate to and feel seen by without having to relive the more difficult aspects of their journeys. This is why I chose to convey my experiences in the form of fun, campy horror stories.”
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
The concept for and palette of Crystal Dorval aka White Poppy’s ‘Paradise Gardens’ trilogy first germinated in 2016 as a notion of “paradise music” combining new age, bedroom shoegaze, and bossa nova into “transcendental Tropicalia.” As she filled tapes of recordings exploring the idea, many of the songs gradually gravitated towards the hermetic dream pop her project is best known for, becoming the albums Paradise Gardens (2020) and Sound Of Blue (2023). Dorval describes these collections as a sort of “emotional purging or shadow work,” before arriving at “the state of inner paradise:” Ataraxia.
As the third, final, and most purist realisation of the original ‘Paradise Gardens’ vision, Ataraxia delivers. Nine instrumentals of nimble guitar, elevated bass, clean rhythm, and clear light, gliding like swans on a shimmering pond. There’s a sense throughout of playful tranquillity, of serenades at sunset, of kisses of blissful Muzak wafting along a boardwalk.
But behind the music is a patience, grace, and levity born of Dorval’s personal journey with spiritual healing that paralleled the trilogy. A process of transmuting pain into beauty, day by day, melody by melody, cleaving the darkness from the soul and re-entering one’s rightful home in the Garden.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Perhaps best described as a pioneer of the underground experimental scene, the signature of Jørgen Teller on the musical landscape of Denmark traces back to the late 1970’s. Sprung out of a whirlpool of post-punk and art school ideas, Teller has relentlessly been chiseling away on the constrictions of music in various bands, collaborations and solo projects ever since. Searching out its farthest outposts - be it free jazz, noise or acousmatic music - Teller has strived towards an approach to music without rules, often by way of improvisation and usually with the aid of electric guitar.
This album is based on a live performance held at the Inter Arts Center in Malmö in early 2022, where Teller performed a semi-improvised piece in homage to the poet Poul Borum, whom he had worked with in the mid-90’s closely before Borum’s death in 1996.
As a composer, Teller relies on a set of “basic choices” that becomes a “precise point of departure” - where he can then go against his “good knowing” of the science, trends and different schools of music and go straight into his own instincts as a performer. For this performance, he used pre- recorded material of three rhythm boxes (all out of sync), timbales and sessions on Erica synths.
In dialogue with the label, Teller has focused on extracting the recording of the rhythm boxes and timbales alone, emphasizing the tension between the rhythms. With minimalist drum sequences that could easily be placed in a proto-techno context, and the whooshing of what might be an ancient rhombus instrument, there is a feeling of a primitive presence to Teller’s rhythmic excursions. A throwback to the spiritual realms of a wordless society fighting the demons of chance.
Occasionally pierced by stark industrial drum crashes and rattling post-punk percussion, it also conjures echoes from the darker side of the 1980s. In citing Borum as its inspiration, Teller shares that he channels the poet’s energy and their shared love of “noisy stuff and darkness”.
But the pace can also go somewhere close to breakbeat on track B2, where a whirlwind of rhythmic elements clash into a deranged deconstructed club tune.
The album also features a remix by a fellow colleague of the acousmatic community; the composer Jacob Riis. On the closing track B3, Riis quietly manipulates and balances the elements of Teller’s recordings and gently releases them into a contemplative pool of static.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
First re-press since the initial 2019 release of critically acclaimed album featuring Yeah Yeah Yeahs' lead vocalist Karen O, and Danger Mouse, one of the most influential artist/producers of the 21st Century.
Debuting in March 2019, Lux Prima was hailed by Pitchfork as a “dreamy and poignant collaboration.” It featured the single “Woman,” which was accompanied by a memorable Spike Jonze-directed live performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The single was also nominated for the Best Rock Performance Grammy.
The new package includes the original artwork plus a 16 page booklet highlighting their interactive exhibition “An Encounter with Lux Prima”, held at Los Angeles’ Marciano Arts Foundation featuring a 360 degree soundscape of the album mixed at famed Skywalker Ranch.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Nigerian electronic musician and violist Ibukun Sunday debuts on Phantom Limb with Harmony / Balance, a brooding, introspective take on Afro-ambient music that follows two acclaimed digital-only albums for Phantom Limb imprint Spirituals.
Based in Lagos, Ibukun Sunday has expertly positioned himself between the rarely-married cultures of ambient and West African musics. He entwines his compositions with field recordings from his native Nigeria and deeply considered philosophies of existence, humanity, and society. The themes of Harmony / Balance derive from Swami and Hare Krishna founder A. C. Bhaktivedanta and his work Bhagavad-Gita Eng: “As It Is”, a script on the duality of human nature. In Bhaktivedanta’s text, two cousins - warriors from the sacred Hindu text the Mahābhārata - and their armies are pitted against each other. The humility, self control, and devotion of one cousin against the arrogance, envy, and pursuit of power of the other. Bhaktivedanta writes that from this battle we see the necessity to cultivate and nurture our love and faith, but to simultaneously understand our selfishness and hubris. Appropriately, in Ibukun Sunday’s music, a heavy, apocalyptic dread contrasts fascinatingly with passages of light. The static-spiked, corrosive sound design of Harmony / Balance conjures darkness, but its skipping rhythmic patterns and melodic contours are made of beautifully vibrant colours.
Though Sunday excels in the kind of drawn-out elegance also found in the work of Kali Malone, William Basinski or Fennesz, and also in a magisterial repetition akin to Terry Riley or Manuel Göttsching, his unique practice, classical training, and core culture shine through in a pure and singular way. Scattered throughout Harmony / Balance are unexpected melodic antiphonies closely aligned with African music, interspersed between huge, spacious drones and field recordings.
Lead track “Arrayed On The Battlefield” evokes mythical and deific wars with hissing, buzzing synthesis that could be dystopian if not for a levitational, sunlit harmonic structure. It rolls and shimmers, transcendent frequencies alive with rhythm. Later, “Enemy Of My Enemy” employs shimmering, meditative chord pads and blissful negative space, while towards the end of the record, “To Fight With” could have been taken from a Denis Villeneuve sci-fi - the fizzing, fiery distortion at its peak gradually, carefully yields a rumbling, distant thunder as it closes. Throughout the record, Sunday’s education as a classical viola player is also evident. A honed musicality and developed ear for harmonic resonances lend the work a measured eloquence, even amidst deep, spiritual intuitiveness. This intensely personal and powerfully expressive creativity is key to the grace with which he crosses divides.
Ibukun Sunday is a solo electronic musician and violist based in Lagos, Nigeria. He has released two albums with Phantom Limb’s digital-only imprint Spirituals, which enjoyed rightful acclaim as unique and powerful works of experimental ambient music. He also performed at Phantom Limb’s 5th anniversary celebrations in 2023, playing alongside Richard Skelton at St. John’s on Bethnal Green in London, UK.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
No one has lived a life quite like Marcos Valle. He became an overnight international sensation, fled a military dictatorship, dodged the Vietnam war draft, had his music sung by Homer Simpson, made enemies with Marlon Brando, and became an unsuspecting fitness guru for multiple generations. But to truly understand the great Brazilian composer, arranger, singer and multi instrumentalist, one must listen to his music.
Lead Single (Life Is What It Is) : Between the release of his first album in 1962 and today, Marcos Valle has released twenty-two studio albums traversing definitive bossa nova, classic samba, iconic disco pop, psychedelic rock, nineties dance and orchestral music. He has also had his songs recorded by some of the all time greats, including Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Sergio Mendes, Elis Regina, and (last but not least), Emma Button of the Spice Girls. He has also had his music sampled by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pusha T and many more.
With his twenty-third studio album Túnel Acustico, Valle set out to bring it all together.
“I believe my music is many things. It goes in different directions. I have many different ways of writing music, sometimes it’s melodies and harmony, sometimes the groove is the focus. But all the music I have made over my sixty year career is unified. It is all natural and it is all sincere. And this is what I wanted to bring to my new album.”
A prominent feature of Valle’s career has been his dual residence between Brazil and the USA. Originally moving over in the mid-sixties on the back of bossa nova’s international proliferation, Valle toured with Sergio Mendes and became hugely in demand as a composer and arranger. But the Vietnam War loomed and the threat of being drafted saw him return to Brazil. He spent the following years in Rio writing music for TV and film, as well as four cult favourite albums in collaboration with some of Brazil’s most groundbreaking musicians including Milton Nascimento, Azymuth, Som Imaginario and O Terco.
By 1975, Brazil's military dictatorship was at its most oppressive, making living and working increasingly difficult. Valle moved back to the US where he would reside in LA, writing songs for, and collaborating with the likes of Eumir Deodato, Airto Moreira, Chicago, Sarah Vaughn and Leon Ware, amongst others.
Túnel Acústico features two songs originally conceived during Valle’s time on the West Coast: “Feels So Good”, a stirring two-step soul triumph written in 1979 with soul icon Leon Ware, and the sublime AOR disco track “Life Is What It Is”, composed around the same time, with percussionist Laudir De Oliveira from the group Chicago.
Built around an unfinished demo Marcos found on a shelf in his house 44 years after it was made, the “Feels So Good” demo was restored with the help of producer Daniel Maunick, who also utilised AI stem-separation to remove the placeholder vocal ad-libs. Valle added Portuguese lyrics to sit alongside Ware’s vocal hook, as well as extra keyboards and percussion.
Also written in late seventies LA, “Life Is What Is It” was co-penned by Laudir De Oliveira from the band Chicago and first released on the bands’ Chicago 13 album with lyrics by Robert Lamb. Another nod to his good times in LA, Valle recorded his own version for Túnel Acústico, upping the tempo and deepening the groove for a blast of irresistible summer soul.
On Túnel Acústico, Valle's core band features two members of the renowned Brazilian jazz-funk group Azymuth: Alex Malheiros on bass and Renato Massa on drums. The rhythm section is completed by percussionist Ian Moreira, with additional contributions from guitarist Paulinho Guitarra and trumpeter Jesse Sadoc.
The contemporarily composed music on Túnel Acústico features an impressive lineup of guest lyricists, including renowned Brazilian artists: Joyce Moreno (Bora Meu Vem), Céu (Nao Sei), and Moreno Veloso (Palavras Tão Gentis) as well as Valle's brother Paulo Sergio Valle (Tem Que Ser Feliz).
The album closes with "Thank You Burt (For Bacharach)", a tribute to the legendary composer who passed away in 2023.
Túnel Acústico will be released on 20th September 2024 via Far Out Recordings. Valle is set to tour Europe and America in support of the album.
Last delivered 19 months ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
WRWTFWW Records is happy to further its collaboration with Japanese electronic/ambient group Interior by releasing their never-heard-before soundtrack for environmental artist NILS-UDO’s 1987 Laserdisc Sculpture of Time (Apocalypse). The intriguing sound design/kankyo ongaku/new age album is available as a limited edition LP housed in a heavyweight 350gsm sleeve and comes with a obi strip. It is also available in digital format.
In 1987, Intermission published a Japan-only Laserdisc showcasing one hour of works created by renowned German environmental artist NILS-UDO. To accompany the visuals, they commissioned electronic music group Interior, fresh off their Haroumi Hosono-produced self-titled debut (also available on WRWTFWW Records) and their Windham Hill Records-released sophomore album Design. For the first time ever, the soundtrack is now available in full HD glory, demonstrating Daisuke Hinata, Eiki Nonaka, Mitsuru Sawamura, and Tsukasa Betto’s precise, subtle, and spellbinding approach to ambient sound design.
Calming nature sounds, ritualistic synths, meditative atmospheres, and eruptive forays into darker territories mesh superbly in a 4-part soundscape that flirts with oeuvres such Midori Takada’s Through The Looking Glass and Hiroshi Yoshimura’s Green, making Sculpture of Time one of one of the best kept secrets of kankyo ongaku – a must have for mystery hunters and levitating music lovers.
Sculpture of Time (Apocalypse) follows WRWTWW’s reissue of Interior’s debut album and precedes the upcoming release of Tarzanland, band member Daisuke Hinata’s pitch perfect solo from 1989.
Last delivered 2 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
Recorded in 1956 for the EmArcy label, Vaughan joins with Hal Mooney and his orchestra to dive head-first into a collection of iconic ballads and standards. Opening with Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life”, Vaughan weaves her way through the set, which showcases her at her best. Rodgers & Hart’s “My Romance” is a notable performance, and the raw emotion in “I’m Afraid the Masquerade Is Over” is palpable. Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
BeatsAmbientTechnoExperimentalTechno
DEFTR (pron - ‘Defuture’): The Revolutionary Collaboration Redefining Ambient and Techno Music
DEFTR, the newly formed alias of Answer Code Request and Jan Wagner, presents their debut album “Run Away” on npm, introducing a captivating fusion of ambient and techno. This collaborative project marks a departure from Answer Code Request's renowned 4/4 techno framework, venturing into expansive auditory realms enriched by Jan Wagner's classical expertise.
Spanning eight meticulously crafted tracks, DEFTR's debut album explores a spectrum of blissful and resonant soundscapes. The compositions unfold with a delicate balance of ambient textures and rhythmic innovation, punctuated by evocative vocal samples that enhance the album's atmospheric depth.
Having previously released three EPs that hinted at this innovative direction, DEFTR solidifies their unique sonic identity with this full-
length release. The interplay between Answer Code Request's intricate rhythms and Wagner's ambient sensibilities creates a dynamic tension, resulting in a listening experience that is both immersive and transformative.
DEFTR's vision extends beyond the studio, aiming to bring their sound to life on stage with a focus on live performance elements, including drum machines and synths. While details of the debut album release show are forthcoming, Berlin is anticipated to host this significant event.
With their debut album, DEFTR not only establishes a new creative path for Answer Code Request and Jan Wagner but also sets a high standard for npm's inaugural release, promising an engaging and profound auditory journey.
Last delivered 2 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
Last delivered 19 months ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
A/B Side Effect, Black & Gold, limited to 200 copies. More than 4 years after "Sculpture Of Violence," GIVER from Cologne, Germany, announce their third album "The Future Holds Nothing But Confrontation" for September 20, 2024, on End Hits Records. In recent years, GIVER have not only refined their hardcore sound to be more brutal and atmospheric with elements of metal and post-punk, but thematically, it's clear that their new album serves as an even more drastic political manifesto. Capitalism, culture wars, the climate crisis, and their societal implications and consequences are central themes on "The Future Holds Nothing But Confrontation." GIVER critique the prevailing neoliberalism and its ongoing agitation for the uncompromising pursuit of happiness and satisfaction. The band explains: "What neoliberalism has established is a lonely place. Its driving force is the individualized pursuit of constant fulfillment, altering the way we interact with each other. Whatever we do to achieve satisfaction, there's always a lingering sense of something missing. Happiness and contentment are never the goal; they've been replaced by profit margins and excess. These are endless and extremely unevenly distributed. Anger arises in this vacuum. With this album, we want to remind that it's the economic conditions and inequalities that should be the target of our collective frustration. They create depression, despair, and a downward spiral. Being anti-fascists is not enough; we must also be anti-capitalists." This anger is also reflected musically in the furious 11 new tracks. Filled with powerful guitar riffs and sometimes bilingual lyrics, some of the songs also introduce a new, deep style of spoken word for GIVER, making the eventual eruptions that much more impactful. With the release of their third album, GIVER venture into fresh and melodic territory, integrating elements of post-punk, black metal, and hardcore into a sound that sits somewhere between bands like Oathbreaker, Converge, or Chelsea Wolfe. Although "The Future Holds Nothing But Confrontation" builds on a foundation of biting, powerful metal, it also incorporates dark vocal lines that could be found on a Fontaines D.C. or IDLES record. "The Future Holds Nothing But Confrontation" was produced by Lewis Johns (Rolo Tomassi, Employed To Serve, Funeral For A Friend).
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Tanukichan, the musical project of Oakland, CA’s Hannah van Loon, has been a prominent figure in modern shoegaze music since 2016, when she first collaborated with Chaz Bear of Toro y Moi. Together, they released an EP and two full-length albums under Bear's Company Records, culminating in 2023's GIZMO. With her new EP Circles, out September 20th, 2024, via Carpark Records, van Loon ventures into new territory by teaming up with a new producer for the first time – Franco Reid.
The genesis of their partnership dates back to the GIZMO campaign, when Reid noticed van Loon wearing an Incubus shirt in a press photo on Instagram. Intrigued by whether or not van Loon was a genuine fan, he sent her a DM. Their shared musical interest sparked a dialogue that eventually led to the creation of the single "NPC" in 2023.
Lead single “City Bus,” offers a reflection on van Loon's childhood bus rides in San Francisco, evoking the stop-and-go rhythm of commuter life through hard-hitting drums and heavy guitar feedback phasing in and out of the mix. Themes of self-reflection and societal belonging permeate the track, echoing van Loon's ongoing personal journey.
While much of Circles delves into internal struggles, “It Gets Easier” takes on a more celebratory tone as van Loon realizes she’s developed a heightened sense of maturity when dealing with hardship. “It feels easier to let go of situations or people that don’t serve me,” reflects van Loon, “Or if they can’t be avoided, at least I don’t have to dwell on the sadness or discomfort I feel when letting someone down.” Introduced by Reid, nu-gaze sensation Wisp, contributes a verse in her similarly ethereal vocal style.
There is a notable shift on Circles when you consider the first three Tanukichan releases were produced by a pioneer of the chillwave genre. With van Loon’s consistently dreamy songwriting and Reid at the helm, Tanukichan enters new sonic territory that feels larger, arena-ready, and more like a highspeed night drive than the hazy summer dream of its predecessors.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
When the body starts screaming...SOFT VIOLET harnesses the pain with beats and rhythms, bass, synth and vocals, to manifest a rejuvenated writhing musical being that thumps and bumps. Downtrodden...upbeat! Upbeat!
Following multiple band projects, including the parallel powerhouse acts Spinnen and the ecstatic Turkish-Armenian-Friendship TAF, multi-instrumentalist SOFT VIOLET, now releases her solo debut album: Sterner Stuff. And that it is: Guttural with a pounding heart laid out on sexy stainless-steel surface, defiantly glinting.
Playful experimentation reigns free, fusing drum-machine and analogue synths with bass and vocals, to create a hybrid glittering creature that shines sublime.
SOFT VIOLET has a special power to tap in, making clearly conscious decisions to break and irritate, strutting through techno beats, poetically proclaiming personal and political urgency with a confidence, sincerity and sense of humour echoing the likes of Zheani and Sneaks or (thrillingly also) the 1990's heroes Cibo Matto.
SOFT VIOLET urges the listener to unite, to love and be loved and find ways, through music, of transforming pain into something joyous and uplifting, porous and free, as well as incessantly danceable.
SOFT VIOLET dares to go places that others do not, tapping into an honesty that others shy away from, welcoming everyone in to come play.
SOFT VIOLET is a fighter rising in solidarity. The beginning of the matriarchy is already in full effect. See You In The International Court Of Justice Bitch. Let's bounce!
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Monument is one of Portico Quartet’s most accessible, direct records to date. If Terrain addressed the darker side of how Duncan Bellamy and Jack Wyllie made sense of the pandemic, then Monument resonates as an ode to better times. If not quite a dance record, it nonetheless pulses with an energy, radiance and a scalpel sharp focus. Jack Wyllie explains: “It’s possibly our most direct album to date. It’s melodic, structured and there’s an economy to it that is very efficient. There’s not much searching or wastage within the music itself, it is all finalised ideas, precisely sculpted and presented as a polished artefact.” Bellamy expands “Monument sits somewhere between our albums Portico Quartet and Art in the Age of Automation. It has perhaps a more overtly electronic edge to its sound – there are more synthesisers and electronic elements than we have used before and the music is often streamlined and rhythmic”.
Last delivered 2 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
Limited Edition of 1000 Opaque Light Blue 180 Gram Vinyl LP. Ghost on Ghost is Iron & Wine's fifth full length record and was originally released in 2013. The album found Sam Beam the bands principle member working once again with longtime associate Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Califone). The record marks the last time the two would work together on a journey that began with the bands second record, Endless Numbered Days. It also marked a shift for the two from working in Chicago to setting up in New York City. The idea behind the move was to tap into the creative musical community New York had to offer. The line-up that helped bring Beam's vision for Ghost on Ghost to life included a who's who from the jazz community as well as the deep wells of outside art including Steve Bernstein (Sex Mob/Levon Helm Band), Rob Burger (Tin Hat Trio), Brian Blade, Curtis Fowlkes (The Jazz Passengers), Tony Garnier (Bob Dylan Band), Marika Hughes, Briggan Kraus, Maxim Moston, Tony Scherr (The Lounge Lizards), Doug Wieselman, Kenny Wolleson (Tom Watis/John Zorn) and Anja Wood. The level of talent on Ghost on Ghost far surpassed anything Beam ever imagined when he first began writing songs as Iron and Wine on his four-track. Upon completing the Ghost on Ghost Beam jokingly referred to the recording process as "a reward to myself" after years of chasing sounds by himself. Being able have the finest in musicians in New York City perform on the record, elevating these songs into places he never imagined Beam stated, "it was an honor -- really inspiring." Beam stated at the time that Ghost on Ghost takes it's inspiration from records like Nilsson Schmilsson, Ram, Mingus Moves and What's Going On. The record they all crafted is warm and inviting and was like anything up to that point in the Iron & Wine catalog.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Permanent Parts is the second album released by visual artist Katharina Grosse (synthesizer) and musician Stefan Schneider (synthesizer; So Sner, To Rococo Rot). Grosse and Schneider were joined at Galerie Max Hetzler on 29 April 2023, performing as part of the Spectrum without Traces exhibition, by three artists who all generally work within improvised music – Carina Khorkhordina (trumpet), Tintin Patrone (trombone and electronics), and Billy Roisz (noise generator, piezo and mini cymbal). Permanent Parts is an extraordinary set of recordings that inhabits multiple zones at once: within its thirty-five minutes, we can hear the interactions of non-idiomatic collective music making, and the electronic glimmers of electro-acoustics, while, at the same time, the music remains untethered to genre.
This capacity to work within liminal zones makes perfect sense when thinking about both Grosse’s and Schneider’s prior work, whether the energetic diffusions and spatial explorations of Grosse’s artistic practice, or the slippery texturology of Schneider’s recent work with electronics. Khorkhordina, Patrone and Roisz all find their own ways into this dynamic, too, and Permanent Parts feels like an equal exchange of presence and contribution; there are no hierarchies here. This might explain the music’s curious sense of development, where several elements are allowed to exist alongside each other, not in direct contact but in a mode that’s somewhere between carefree layering and unconscious juxtaposition. The musicians are listening, but not just with their ears – their skin, their bodies are hearing, too.
When talking about Permanent Parts, Schneider is careful to place it within contexts that are specific, to some degree, but which allow for difference to blossom. “Although it was recorded live, it somehow was not meant to be a documentation of a live event in the first place. The five piece line up that appears on the record had met for the first time only a few hours before the concert took place.” While it might take a leap of faith for all parties to walk together, and so willingly, into a place of such freedom, of such risk, there is clear sympathy here between the musicians, and a shared appreciation of the immediacies of the situation.
It also throws some of our preconceptions about this music out of the window. “The record does not feel like a document of a performance as the music was not pre-composed and there was no reference,” Schneider continues. “Perhaps it was not even an improvisation?” For Grosse, her musical relationship with Schneider similarly shakes free from expectation: “My sound does not exist without Stefan’s. It is neither written down nor is it improvised. It is instantaneous.” When thinking about the five-piece exploration on Permanent Parts and asked to expand on what each musician brings to the table, she continues, “We all love the thrill of an unknown encounter and we seem to have a need for building connections through the thicket of our voices.”
There’s a curious phrase on the back cover of the album, before the artists are listed: “Wir sind eine Batterie / We are a battery.” This sums up the spirit of Permanent Parts. Schneider recalls that Grosse said this phrase to the musicians at the start of the performance. Grosse explains further, “The figure of the battery referred to our placement in the space building out a small circle facing one another from where the sound could spill into the impressive volume of the gallery.” The battery as an arrangement of similar devices; but I also think of charge, and the conversion of chemical energy, and of fortification. It’s a poetic metaphor that sums up much of the febrile pleasure of the music contained on these Permanent Parts.
– Jon Dale, Melbourne
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Night Prayer is the 2018 studio album by Belgian Flemish artist Jasper Steverlinck, who is also known as the guitarist of rock band Arid. After releasing his debut solo album Songs Of Innocence in 2004, Steverlinck got where he needed to be with Night Prayer. At the essence. No sumptuously packed arrangements. No technological gadgets or needless fuss. Not a single fashionable beat left or right. On Night Prayer, it’s all about songwriting in its purest form. No poetic metaphors, but straightforward lyrics and unapologetic emotions.
Together with producer Jean Blaute he recorded 14 stripped down songs, which he all sang in one take.
Night Prayer is available as a limited edition of 500 numbered copies on gold coloured vinyl and includes an insert with lyrics
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
Sophie Zelmani's 2007 album, "Memory Loves You," is a captivating blend of folk and acoustic melodies that showcases her signature intimate sound. The album features ten beautifully crafted tracks, each reflecting Zelmani's emotive songwriting and soulful vocals. Highlights include the fan favourites "Memory Loves You", "Travelling" and "Wait For Cry". Known for her minimalist style, Zelmani's "Memory Loves You" album continues to resonate with fans for its raw emotional depth and simplicity. This album is a testament to her ability to create music that feels both personal and universally relatable. For those who appreciate authentic and poignant music, "Memory Loves You" remains a must-listen. Discover Sophie Zelmani's "Memory Loves You" and immerse yourself in its timeless, soothing melodies. Memory Loves You is a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on crystal clear vinyl.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
DREAMLESS VEIL make their debut with the new album, Every Limb of the Flood. The band, featuring members of INTER ARMA, ARTIFICIAL BRAIN, and PSYCROPTIC manifest terrifying Blackened Extreme Metal and offer one of the year's most haunting releases. Every Limb of the Flood is a concept album. Through tracks such as "A Generation of Eyes", "Saturnism", and "Cyanide Mine" Vocalist Mike Paparo and co. task the listener to consider what it would be like for an individual to fully disappear. DREAMLESS VEIL delves into this murk through 8 tracks - dramatic swells, melodic crescendos, and abrasive blast-beat poundings make way to more introspective moments ultimately resulting in pure horror. Paparo explores the concept of corporeal disintegration with pained shrieks and disembodied bellows, resulting in one of the most unchained performances of his storied career. Lyrics for the record show, but don't tell. DREAMLESS VEIL's concept alludes to misery leading to grotesquery - The opener "Dim Golden Rave" throws the listener into an ambiguous time and place: "Grief, spiritless, collapses against the filth-ridden street". The second track, "A Generation of Eyes" follows this narrative by invoking Neil Young, quoting him to the extent of "rust never sleeps." What ensues is a grief so powerful it decomposes from within. The end result manifests in the album closer "Dreamless" - the body is now fully discarded, hinting at a possible enlightenment through a horrible, gruesome process. Sonically, Every Limb of the Flood is a caustic, corrosive journey. Critically acclaimed drummer David Haley flexes some of his most creative drum work to date, dragging the listener through wild tempo changes, breakneck speeds that come to sudden halts, while guitarist Dan Gargiulo (ARTIFICIAL BRAIN) interweaves disorienting guitar madness. Recorded by Brett Bamberger (REVOCATION) Every Limb of the Flood was mixed by Gargiulo and mastered by Colin Marston (Gorguts, Krallice, and more.)
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
BROKE/ returns to JITNEY MUSIC with the brand new "TEXTURES" LP, a mix of crucial boom bap ranging from smooth and soulful to gritty and hard-hitting. TEXTURES is a tapestry of sound composed of fully realized tracks, unfinished ideas, and rough sketches. Full pic sleeve.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024
BeatsExperimentalSynthTechnoIdm Drone
The unconscious and unknown must be really nice places. In any case, if you take the second album of Menelaos Tomasides under his given name as travelogue. A trip into dreamlike territory, yet concrete enough, a journey without target yet looking forward and looking back into familiar places, „dreamhike“ both continues and departs from the style Menelaos has found earlier, in “When the Moon Comes Through”, or his more conceptual-intentional “31 Minuten” works. As the album title - which roughly translates to “dream hiking” but also hints on “walkabout” and “songlines” – suggests, we are rambling between the real and the imaginary. From the bucolic border triangle of Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands to the buzzing streets of the capital of Cyprus, where Menelaos has lived for many years, the tracks are about real places, about real experiences and emotions yet interwoven with a dreamlike fabric. Something that is just not tangible, yet substantial and palpable. Something concrete that manifests in the genuine and special sound design of this records - basically all of Menelaos’ works - his really special treatment of dynamics and loudness. It is one of the very few records where the established language of music making, specifically Techno, House, Dub, and early 2000’ Electronica, the clicks, thumps and plops from an earlier age of electronic music, transmogrify into slow movements of something new. Something that is gentle and truly personal, looking inwards. There are four-to-the-floor beats, there is wobbly bass, and dubby chords, even sublimated clarion calls. There is an immense energy in these tracks, the sheer materiality of low frequencies of a massive sound system manifested in a tiny room. Yet it is without any aggression, stripped bare of sonic pressure. It is quiet music no matter how high you turn up the volume. A rare treat, that requires exceptional skills and exceptional restraint and control on the technical side of music making. Probably it is a result of Menelaos specific combination of instinctual, intuitive approach to making music, which meets a genuine love for sound in seemingly endless loops of refinement that can lead to such a result as „dreamhike“. The elegant floating balance of control and playful experimentation manifests for example in a track that continues the ongoing collaboration with seasoned Cologne improviser Achim Fink on bass trumpet. Not only in this respect, the album can be described as a product of openness. It comes from a lot of taking in the world, of travel, of places and people met, of friendship and conversation (not necessarily with words). The deep trip of “dreamhike” further manifests Menelaos as one of the truly independent voices of electronic Cologne and beyond. Somewhat alike in character and attitude probably to what late Pete Namlook has established for Frankfurt with his label Fax +49-69/450464 (though ultimately warmer and much less uncanny) Menelaos has found his very own sound and vision. Music that answers to no one but speaks to everyone. Uncompromising yet gentle to the core: kind sounds from a kind spirit, arguably the most extraordinary and valuable quality music can have these days.
Last delivered 2 years ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
Optimo Music excitedly unleashes Japan’s GǼG and their Anarcho Disco volumes 1 & 2 into the world. We thought we were done with 12” single release, at least for now, but then these tracks showed up and it was instantly obviously ESSENTIAL that they get pressed up on big fat twelve inch singles. Every single track here has been tried and tested and caused delirious delight on the dancefloor over the last year. Now it is time to share them with YOU! Truly Anarchic, Psychedelic dance music for the open-minded and genre-free crews.
GǼG say –
DISKO KLUBB boss MONKEY TIMERS, who leads Tokyo’s underground disco scene, and KEITA SANO, who has been gaining attention for his releases on labels around the world, have started the project “GǼG”.
Using a variety of sampling and unique FX, our music has created a unique GǼG sound that is psychedelic and anarchic.
This subversive sound is sure to be the key to shaking the dancefloor.
Last delivered 8 months ago
available to reorder, subject to availability
Originally from Ireland, but now settled in the peaceful countryside of rural France, Kaz Hawkins is the epitome of musical mastery and versatility. With a soul as rich as the music that inspired her growing up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and a voice that crosses genres with ease, Kaz stands out as a singer, songwriter and performer extraordinaire. Her musical odyssey began decades ago, shaped by a deep love of blues, soul, jazz and folk, which have become her artistic pillars.
Renowned for her spellbinding performances and heartfelt compositions, Kaz has charmed audiences the world over, weaving stories of resilience, love and the human experience through her melodies. A seasoned musician, Kaz's magnetic stage presence has graced countless venues, captivating audiences and leaving them eager for more. Her melodies transcend borders, resonating with diverse audiences and earning her a loyal fan base across continents. Beyond his musical talent, Kaz embodies authenticity, courageously sharing his past marked by domestic violence, depression, drugs and self-harm, inspiring others to find hope through his music and their own uniqueness.
In 2024 and 2025, Kaz is ready to captivate her audience once again with the release of two live albums, "Live in Brezoi (I)" and "Live in Brezoi (II)". These albums capture the raw energy and emotion of her performances, showcasing her unrivalled talent and the undeniable bond she shares with her audience. Another album, different from the blues, is also in the pipeline and is being
produced in Berlin for release in 2025. In addition, Kaz is embarking on exciting collaborations with other artists, infusing her soul essence into collaborative projects. The first is with French soul artist Thomas Kahn in a duet entitled "A Place Like Home", released on January 10, 2024. Other collaborations will be announced shortly.
As she moves forward, Kaz aims to amplify her presence on social networks, creating deeper bonds with her fans and forging a community united by the magic of her music. In a world where melodies paint emotions and lyrics engrave memories, Kaz Hawkins stands as a testament to the power of music, inviting you to embark on an unforgettable sonic journey.
expected to be published on 20 Sep 2024