A surreal mosaic of eerie chant processionals, tape-rot trickery, and panicked oud madness. These are sonic forgeries of atavistic heritages, recorded by analog means using esoteric techniques."" They have been known by many names: The Givers of Illness; The Bandylegged Riders of the Ill-Promised Sun, etc_ Honed and expanded through their travels, Ak'chamel's singular sound comprising desert-scorched psychedelia, post-apocalyptic shamanism, and bizarre ritual folk is as unique as the physical theater of their otherworldly live performances.
Jonny Tobin is a Grammy and JUNO-nominated artist based in Vancouver. His sound resides in an alternate dimension between 90's video games and 60's Blue Note records, where fat synth funk grooves playfully collide with abstract jazzy undertones. To date, Tobin has released 5 original albums, making numerous official Spotify editorial playlists to the tune of over 10 million streams. As a live performer, recently Tobin headlined the 2023 Vancouver Jazz Festival and opened for notable acts like Adi Oasis, CARRTOONS and Braxton Cook. After the success of his 2019 vinyl debut "Sunrise" on Austin Boogie Crew Records, Tobin began work on Steppin' Out, his new and exceptional LP full of catchy modern funk songs. On this magnetic album executive produced by Austin Boogie Crew (ABC), the label connected Tobin with vocalists from all over. Featured collaborators include XL Middleton, Shiro Schwarz, Maya Killtron, The Vapor Caves, Rojai and Daniel David (FKA Trailer Limon), many of whom made previous appearances on ABC. Driven by Tobin's stellar production and synth wizardry, this project is a testament to the familial strength of the modern funk community in both good times and bad.
Lukas Somers, also known as SOLAK, delves into deep emotions with his new album Atlas, set for release on November 15 via Capitane Records. After his first album Green came out four years ago, Somers embarked on an introspective journey, playing each instrument himself. In 2021, accompanied by Steven Van Gelder and a few musicians, he recorded the album at Ocean Sound Studios in Norway, inspired by the surrounding seascape and perpetual daylight. Somers overcame the challenges of the pandemic by also playing the bass and guitar. After six days of recording and months of post-production, eight tracks were finalized. Atlas stands out with increased vulnerability, while remaining true to the authenticity that defines SOLAK.
Sgt Papers are a punk rock duo of brothers Ivan and Felipe Garcia from Hermosillo, Sonora, in the heart of the desert in Mexico. They started in 2017 releasing their first album “Sgt. Papers Lonely Psych Punk Band” independently, creating a buzz in the local independent rock scene and the independent scene in the US. They began touring the US playing both clubs and festivals. They followed this with two more albums in 2019 and 2021 while the same time helping grow the rock scene in Hermosillo. Their following grew along with the band. Their approach to recording and touring has been very DIY. The band’s sound is a combination of psych, garage, punk all played with plenty of distortion.
Stalwarts of the London music scene The Boom Yeh are at the forefront of redefining British Jazz-Funk with the release of their new album Near-Earth Objects. Featuring a host of musicians that have worked with Jamiroquai, The Brand New Heavies, Incognito, Alice Russell and Leroy Hutson.
Keep Right On
A blistering syncopated jazz-funk assault reminiscent of The Brecker Brother and Tower Of Power. Featuring solos from trombone player Tom White and sax player/horn arranger Ian Bailey, followed by a virtuosic drum solo courtesy of Alessio Barelli.
Chronic Tonic
A smooth jazz-funker with hip-hop undertones, echoing early Prince with a boogie funk outro in the vein of George Duke, propelled by bass player Matteo Grassi.
Hot Tamale
If Jimi Hendrix was stuck in a Mexican traffic jam, it would probably sound like this. An abrasive funk-rock stomper featuring a heavy duty guitar solo from band leader Jon Speedy.
Pocket Rocket
Deep pocket funk in tribute to George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic with be-bop infused horn riffs. Featuring solos by Paul Silver on baritone sax and guest keyboard player Carl Hudson on Oberheim synth.
Near-Earth Objects
High energy jazz-fusion exploring the universe of Herbie Hancock and The headhunters with an afrobeat inspired horn outro. Featuring guest keyboard Carl Hudson on Fender Rhodes and synth.
Othership
Bombastic big band jazz-funk with a rare groove flavoured mid section. Composed by band leader/guitarist Jon Speedy as a nod to his father Dave Speedy - a jazz trumpet player and big band leader.
Mind's Eye
Laid back Ibiza chill out mixtape vibes meets Donald Byrd and the Mizell Brothers. Featuring blissful Fender Rhodes and synth by guest keyboard player Carl Hudson.
Possibilities
A slow burner in the spirit of Roy Hargrove's RH Factor and early neo-soul with a gospel flavoured outro.
Hailing from Nancy, France, Cyann is a young artist aged 19. She is preparing a debut album that will surprise you with its maturity, so abundant is her work and her imagination fertile.Cyann or Wysteria, her stage name, has been immersed in the world of musical environment.A multi-instrumentalist, she began her musical career learning to play the harp at the age of four, then violin at Nancy Conservatoire. Dedicated and passionate Cyann went on to teach herself piano and acoustic guitar, two instruments that are now at the heart of her creative process. A singer-songwriter, Wysteria is the heir of a light, airy and genuine folk sound and modern Pop, from Vashti Bunyan to Billie Eilish. Yet her music remains coherent in the themes it tackles. If Cyann is naturally gifted as a composer, she is also an excellent lyricist.She writes stories as well as poems.At ease in both English and French, her texts are a true declaration of love to nature and life. Water, air, fire and all the natural elements are inexhaustible sources of inspiration for Cyann, who succeeds in associating an imagery and an atmosphere with simple, meaningful sensations.Cyann is a spontaneous artist, and her voice doesn't betray her. Her singing comes straight from the heart, natural, unadorned singing, comparable to that of Beth Gibbons (Portishead). Bold and inspired, Cyann has many strings to her bow. The breathtaking freshness and the wide range of her repertoire will surprise many a listener
The experimental project Pissoff was founded in the late 60s by multimedia-artist Eberhard Kranemann and some friends who studied together at the Düsseldorf Academy Of Fine Arts. The chaotic, loud and soundwise undisciplined band took part in various events at this location and other places. Due to the intense fluctuation of band-members the performances by Pissoff were characterized by continously changing participants and variations of the involved equipment: cello, violin, clarinet, tenor saxophone, flute, vocals, electric guitar, electric bass guitar, organ and drums. In 1968 Pissoff performed together with Joseph Beuys who was professor of sculpture at the Art Academy at that time. During this incomparable audiovisual interaction Joseph Beuys staged his Hndaktion: in concentrated manner he moved his hands in front of his head while listening and visually reacting to the very loud and abstract staccato-rhythms by Pissoff. The event was recorded by Eberhard Kranemann on a Telefunken mono-tape-recorder and remains the only existing audio-material by Pissoff until today. On that night Eberhard played cello, clarinet and tenor saxophone while the other members added sounds by electric guitar, electric bass and drums. Earliest musical experimentations that can be defined as the origins of the band Kraftwerk already started in 1967 by Eberhard Kranemann and Florian Schneider-Esleben. Sometimes Kranemann invited Florian Schneider-Esleben to join Pissoff.
First Word Records is proud to present 'Nothing Leaves The House - The Anthology'. A vinyl-only album of 16 hip hop instrumentals from Mr Thing, kidkanevil, Tall Black Guy & Eric Lau. This is a collection of a long-out-of print series of beats from four of the most revered beat-makers in the underground scene.
This double-vinyl collection features four brand new tracks specially created for this 10 year anniversary release. The concept behind this project was originally birthed on Record Store Day 2012. First Word label founder Gilla explains "as we dipped in and out of London's Soho record shops, kidkanevil mentioned to me that he wanted to mine Mr Thing's vast record collection for samples. An idea formed to invite a couple of other beatmakers to join him and to press the resulting beats onto vinyl.
Mr Thing enthusiastically agreed to the idea with one stipulation: they could sample what they wanted, but the records had to stay within the walls of his flat. We quickly enlisted Eric Lauand Tall Black Guy to complete the quartet and 'Nothing Leaves The House' was born." The release came to fruition and was released a decade ago, for Record Store Day in April 2014. The quartet met up once again shortly after in another London record shop, to work on a follow up project.
For this one, Mr Thing brought one record for each producer from his collection for them to sample. They reciprocated by picking a record from the racks in the shop for him to use. 'Thing Leaves The House' was then released in 2015. Completing the trilogy of releases, the crew were invited to the legendary John Peel Archive to dig for samples there. After trawling the legendary Peel Acres collection, the producers individually selected sound snippets to create new beats from; this time under the stipulation that 'Nothing Leaves The Archive'. This double 7" release again landed on Record Store Day, 2016. Gilla says "10 years on from the release of the first record, and almost 9 years to the day since we were at Peel Acres, we are now releasing the 4th and final volume.
Whilst Mr Thing is still in England, the other three have travelled far and wide. Eric Lau is now in China, Tall Black Guy has returned to the US and kidkanevil has moved to Berlin. Our indie label budget didn't extend to uniting everyone from the different continents, so instead Mr Thing uploaded a folder of tracks for the trio to work from. With the previous volumes now long sold out, we've added the original beats to this anthology and have moved up from a double 7" to a double 12" LP. One side for each producer; four tracks made across 10 years." 'Nothing Leaves The House - The Anthology' is released on double vinyl, on Black Friday, November 29th 2024.
Die Regierung war die Band, auf die sich 1994 alle einigen konnten. Und womit? Mit Recht! Die Regierung stach aus den anderen Bands der damaligen Indie-Szene heraus, weil Pop. Gitarren-Indie in Deutschland neigte Anfang der 90er zu einem, vorsichtig formuliert, eher sperrigen, um nicht zu sagen, etwas anstrengenden Sound. Das Leben war hart und schwer - Irrungen hier, Wirrungen da und das sollte sich auch in der Musik widerspiegeln. Blaupause Sonic Youth et al. Für musikalische Leichtigkeit und solchen Tand hatte man eher nicht so viel übrig in Indiehausen. "Unten" enthält 14, zumeist quecksilbrige, Folk-Pop-Songs für moderne Liebende. Cool, realistisch und doch überromantisch vorgetragen mit so einer Art gainsbourgischer Distanziertheit. Die Texte sind natürlich spitze. Den Alltag adelnde Skizzen. Mit so wenigen Worten so viel sagen, das kann nicht jeder! Kann eigentlich keiner oder macht(e) keiner. Vielleicht noch die Ramones. Das Besondere an den Texten ist vermutlich auch diese Beiläufigkeit. Oft hat man ja bei deutschen Texten, auch von guten Textern und Texterinnen, das Gefühl, dass die einem da was einhämmern oder einen überzeugen wollen, das hatte man bei Der Regierung nicht, das war (und ist) anders.
DESTROY BOYS" catalog vinyl is back in stock!
2024 has been a big year for the band with the release of their new album, Funeral Soundtrack #4 (available on Hopeless Records) and Epitaph Records are harking back to these two seminal vinyl releases from the band"s early days, just in time for Black Friday!
"Sorry Mom" (2017) ( on vinyl for the first time!) and "Make Room" (2018)- both albums will be available on black vinyl. DESTROY BOYS formed in 2015, when founding members Violet Mayugba and Alexia Roditis were just 15 years old, and each release has marked a period of growth and change. "Looking back, our first three albums marked the deaths of things," says guitarist Violet Mayugba. "They were soundtracks to our funerals, whether they were for our ages, our mental states. We"ve gone through a lot of changes as a band and as people." "The first one (Sorry, Mom) was our high school album," Mayugba explains. "On the second record (Make Room), we went to college and were saying goodbye to our childhood. On the third one, we"d just gone through COVID and, speaking for myself, I lost my entire sense of self and gained a new one." Now, at 24, Mayugba and Roditis are standing firmly on solid ground with more resolute and confident than ever in their place as musicians.
Clear Vinyl. Like the soundtrack to a heartbreaking film that never existed, the songs on Casually Smashed To Pieces are simultaneously beautiful and completely unpredictable. "Knock At My Door" features gorgeous, interwoven melodic playing, layered arrangements and a twangy undercurrent; "Confusing Possibilities" is full of the band's characteristic dueling guitar lines, shifting dynamics, and sub-bass tones that help transport the band's music into uncharted territory; while "Stolen Moments" showcases singing horns and crescendos so gradual you'll wonder how you got from point A to point B. Let's be honest though, instead of mapping out each track for you, you're probably best off listening to it yourself... Like all great music, there's an undeniable amount of mystery in what the Six Parts Seven accomplish that can't be conveyed via adjective or analogy.
Highly regarded as a former resident at Salon Des Amateurs at his native Düsseldorf, Tolouse Low Trax/Detlef Weinrich has carved one of the most distinctive sounds in contemporary leftfield club music thanks to his deeply unusual grooves and hypnotic arrangements over the past 15 years as a solo artist. Fung Day is his first album with entirely new material since Leave me alone which was released through Bureau B in 2022. Fung Day was written and recorded over the course of two years, slowly mutating and progressing from one state to another. Mixed, produced and finally mastered in Paris, his new domicile by choice.
Sardinia-based heavy psych and power stoner
rockers Bentrees’ sound is a vibrant mix of fuzzy
power blues and hard rock influences, drawing
from the 70’s and wrapped in the glory of 90’s and
early 2000’s stoner rock.
Bentrees create a wild ride of addictive and heavy
riffage into psychedelic wonderlands. They have
been continuously looking for an authentic and
genuine formula, often represented by
introspective lyrics - a reference to their homeland
and connection with nature.
Following the band’s 2017-debut, ‘Psychollage’,
and countless live shows with acts such as
Yawning Man, Black Rainbows, The Cosmic Dead
and The Spacelords, Bentrees are now ready with
their new opus, ‘Two Of Swords’.
For fans of Lowrider, Celestial Season, Atomic
Vulture, Kyuss, Nebula, Spirit Caravan, Monster
Magnet, Acrimony, King Buffalo.
LP pressed on blue vinyl.
NYC duo Straw Man Army return with their third LP, “Earthworks”, to complete a trilogy of records begun with 2020’s “Age of Exile,” and 2022’s “SOS”. Whereas “Age of Exile” dealt with the haunted landscapes of colonial history in the Americas, and “SOS” gave voice to a crisis of the present moment, like a prayer in bewildering times, 2024’s “Earthworks” signals the band’s attempt to close this trilogy by turning their gaze towards the future, where paradox, complexity and contradiction spiral in ascendance to an agonizing pitch. While continuing to develop their own style of anarcho-punk, “Earthworks” finds the band pulling once again from jazz and ambient influences, expanded Krautrock rhythms, and post-rock experiments, with a stronger emphasis on melodic vocals and varied song structures than on previous offerings. Taking cues from the wistful anti-war harmonies of The Byrds and the angry melodies of Zounds, tracks like “Turn the Wheel” and “Second Nature” mark new territory for a group whose messages and methods of experimentation have merged to form a singular sound equally at home on All the Madmen Records or in the spiritual legacy of ESP Disk. “Earthworks” is an album that holds and subverts many contradictions—juggling the weight of melancholy, grief, guilt, impunity, and the yearning for clarity against the backdrop of boiling wrath; the wrath of nature, the occupied, the dispossessed, and of the mind against itself. To quote the track “Spiral” — “Is this all that’s left for us these days? / Apathy and rage?”— Straw Man Army offers this record as a companion to our frustration, our sickness, our despair, and a lifeline for our fugitive attention in the struggle for peace.
If you feel like motoring down the highway at 100 miles per hour breathing in pure rock n roll exhaust then look no further– Rowdy is here to kick out the jams and rev up with their self-titled debut LP Rowdy! These seasoned rockers are dealing out a heavy dose of song-forward classic garage punk that sounds like a mixed bag of Joan Jett singing for Teengenerate and Roky Erikson and The Aliens covering Oblivions. This is no surprise as Rowdy is formed by members of legendary Austin band Hex Dispensers and Scotland's Goldie Dawn, (Hex Dispensers, major contributors to the Texas garage punk scene). Rowdy’s sound runs the gamut with catchy 77 punk tunes like “All in My Head”- with its huge chorus, anthemic doo-wop tinged songs like “Fine Mystery, and bluesy garage rippers like “Cost Of It”. The recording is raw and punchy, dripping with overdriven twangy guitars, a steadfast, tight rhythm section, and blown out vocals. This record is pure rock n roll madness! Pop this Rowdy on in your headphones, shotgun a Steel Reserve, and you’ll be on your motorcycle doing donuts on your highschool principal’s lawn in no time.
Atemberaubende Energie und traditionsreicher Folk, gehüllt in ein modernes Punkgewand, ergeben eine einzigartige Bandsymbiose, die sich von der ersten Sekunde an auf"s Publikum überträgt: Irish Folk Punk eben. Die siebenköpfige Band aus Gevelsberg exportiert seit 2011 die leidenschaftliche Liebe zur irischen Musik in die Welt. Mit ihrem Irish Folk Punk liefern The O"Reillys and the Paddyhats einen außergewöhnlichen Bandsound, der überall für perfekte Stimmung sorgt. Ob Clubshow oder Festival - eine Riesenparty ist garantiert. Ihre Reichweite spricht dabei für sich: In ganz Europa bringt die Band ihre Show vor einem begeisterten Publikum auf die Bühne! Und das spiegelt sich auch in dem neuen Album "Wake The Rebels" wieder. "Wake the Rebels" entfacht das Feuer der Unabhängigkeit und ist eine kraftvolle Mischung aus berauschendem Sound und unerschrockenem Geist. "Wake the Rebels" stellt für die Band einen musikalischen Ausbruch aus der Routine und einen Aufruf dar, die Stimmen zu erheben. Mit der kraftvollen Botschaft ist das Album ein echter "Wach-Macher". "Wake the Rebels" ist nicht nur eine musikalische Veröffentlichung, sondern auch ein Statement, das die Dringlichkeit des Wandels und die Bedeutung, für seine Überzeugungen einzustehen, unterstreicht.
Atemberaubende Energie und traditionsreicher Folk, gehüllt in ein modernes Punkgewand, ergeben eine einzigartige Bandsymbiose, die sich von der ersten Sekunde an auf"s Publikum überträgt: Irish Folk Punk eben. Die siebenköpfige Band aus Gevelsberg exportiert seit 2011 die leidenschaftliche Liebe zur irischen Musik in die Welt. Mit ihrem Irish Folk Punk liefern The O"Reillys and the Paddyhats einen außergewöhnlichen Bandsound, der überall für perfekte Stimmung sorgt. Ob Clubshow oder Festival - eine Riesenparty ist garantiert. Ihre Reichweite spricht dabei für sich: In ganz Europa bringt die Band ihre Show vor einem begeisterten Publikum auf die Bühne! Und das spiegelt sich auch in dem neuen Album "Wake The Rebels" wieder. "Wake the Rebels" entfacht das Feuer der Unabhängigkeit und ist eine kraftvolle Mischung aus berauschendem Sound und unerschrockenem Geist. "Wake the Rebels" stellt für die Band einen musikalischen Ausbruch aus der Routine und einen Aufruf dar, die Stimmen zu erheben. Mit der kraftvollen Botschaft ist das Album ein echter "Wach-Macher". "Wake the Rebels" ist nicht nur eine musikalische Veröffentlichung, sondern auch ein Statement, das die Dringlichkeit des Wandels und die Bedeutung, für seine Überzeugungen einzustehen, unterstreicht.
Atemberaubende Energie und traditionsreicher Folk, gehüllt in ein modernes Punkgewand, ergeben eine einzigartige Bandsymbiose, die sich von der ersten Sekunde an auf"s Publikum überträgt: Irish Folk Punk eben. Die siebenköpfige Band aus Gevelsberg exportiert seit 2011 die leidenschaftliche Liebe zur irischen Musik in die Welt. Mit ihrem Irish Folk Punk liefern The O"Reillys and the Paddyhats einen außergewöhnlichen Bandsound, der überall für perfekte Stimmung sorgt. Ob Clubshow oder Festival - eine Riesenparty ist garantiert. Ihre Reichweite spricht dabei für sich: In ganz Europa bringt die Band ihre Show vor einem begeisterten Publikum auf die Bühne! Und das spiegelt sich auch in dem neuen Album "Wake The Rebels" wieder. "Wake the Rebels" entfacht das Feuer der Unabhängigkeit und ist eine kraftvolle Mischung aus berauschendem Sound und unerschrockenem Geist. "Wake the Rebels" stellt für die Band einen musikalischen Ausbruch aus der Routine und einen Aufruf dar, die Stimmen zu erheben. Mit der kraftvollen Botschaft ist das Album ein echter "Wach-Macher". "Wake the Rebels" ist nicht nur eine musikalische Veröffentlichung, sondern auch ein Statement, das die Dringlichkeit des Wandels und die Bedeutung, für seine Überzeugungen einzustehen, unterstreicht.
In 1962, Gordon relocated to Paris, where he became part of a vibrant jazz community
He was already a well-established figure in the jazz world due to his groundbreaking work in the 1940s and 1950s. His decision to live in Europe revitalized his career, allowing him to continue evolving as a musician away from the struggles in the USA: he enjoyed enormous respect in Europe, which allowed him to perform freely, often in clubs and on tours, without the burdens of American racism. Paris had long been a haven for jazz musicians: artists like Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and John Coltrane were celebrated in Europe, and the French jazz scene, in particular, became a hotspot for both American expatriates and European musicians. Dexter Gordon quickly became one of the leading figures in that scene. Our Man in Paris is a celebrated jazz album and it is widely regarded as one of Gordon's best works. It is considered one of Gordon's finest albums due to its blend of bebop virtuosity, lyrical improvisation, and the tight interplay between world-class musicians: a classic jazz record, beloved for its authenticity and the inspired performances of Dexter Gordon and his ensemble. This album is now considered a classic in the jazz canon that's not only a remarkable album because of its flawless execution and historical significance, but it also captures a pivotal moment in jazz history where American jazz musicians were embracing new experiences and sounds in Europe and captures the essence of Gordon's bebop roots while showcasing the influence of his time in Europe.
Although never released until recently, Jazz Sabbath's music has been finding its way to millions for over 50 years. Through a vicious cycle of personal tragedy and plagiarism the songs intended to change the jazz world ended up giving birth to a much darker sound. Now a third recording from the Sixties has resurfaced, perhaps their most important one.
In 1968 Jazz Sabbath were an instant hit on the UK jazz scene. It wasn’t long until they were offered a record deal. They spent weeks in the studio recording the tracks that got the heaviest reactions at their shows until they captured their live energy on tape. Unfortunately, the label manager told them the album was far too experimental and there was no hit potential. Ordered to play some of their ‘easier’ tracks instead, they reluctantly gave in.
The 2 albums that followed still are classics in their own right, but they were not mistaken in thinking they had recorded their best work in 1968. Like the tracks from their 2 albums, these tracks were also blatantly presented as 'original songs' by that band from Birmingham a few years later. Whether they copied them from live bootlegs or if they got their hands on the mix, it doesn’t really matter. Their lasting popularity, even in the crude way they were covered, only proves just how monumental these songs were and how record labels are often wrong.
With the truth now finally out there and that Birmingham band exposed as the musical charlatans they are, Jazz Sabbath have finally mastered the 1968 tapes to present their best work to the public.
Upon its release, Big Band Bossa Nova by the renowned American music producer, conductor, arranger, and composer Quincy Jones, released in 1962 received favorable reviews from critics, who praised its innovative arrangements and the seamless integration of bossa nova into big band jazz
It was noted for its lively and fresh sound, appealing to both jazz enthusiasts and fans of Latin music. Over the years, the album has been recognized as a classic in the realms of both jazz and Latin music. It continues to influence musicians who seek to explore the fusion of different genres. The album played a crucial role in popularizing bossa nova in the United States, introducing many listeners to Brazilian music. It paved the way for future collaborations and crossover projects between jazz and Latin music. It is often cited by contemporary artists and arrangers who are inspired by its innovative blend of styles. Its influence can be seen in various genres, including jazz, pop, and world music and is a testament to Jones's ability to adapt and innovate throughout his career. It solidified his status as a pioneer in the music industry, influencing countless artists across genres and generations. Big Band Bossa Nova not only captures the essence of its time but also continues to resonate with audiences today, highlighting the enduring appeal of both big band features contributions from several talented musicians.
The Tokyo Blues is an album that reflects Horace Silver's deep musicality, cultural curiosity, and love for the blues
Its combination of relaxed grooves, melodic beauty, and hints of Eastern influence make it a unique and memorable work within Silver's extensive catalog. It's a perfect example of how jazz can both explore new territories and remain grounded in its own traditions, showcasing Silver's versatility as both a pianist and a composer. Released in 1962 it is considered a gem within Horace Silver's prolific career and offers an intriguing combination of Horace Silver's unique jazz language with the subtle influence of his experiences in Japan, producing a warm, thoughtful, and musically rich album. Horace Silver's The Tokyo Blues is the result of his quintet's tour of Japan in 1961, which left a strong impression on him. While on tour, Silver was struck by the culture, atmosphere, and aesthetics of Japan, which he sought to translate into the musical language he was deeply rooted in hard bop. The album, however, doesn't feature overt Japanese musical scales or instrumentation, but rather evokes a mood and a sense of place. Silver's approach was more about integrating his impressions of Japan, its serenity, beauty, and mood of reflection, into the compositions. He did this within the framework of the jazz tradition, creating music that remains unmistakably his own. His quintet was already known for its catchy themes, complex rhythms, and inventive solos, and The Tokyo Blues adds a layer of atmospheric and emotional depth to that established style. In the early 1960s, Horace Silver was at the height of his creative powers. His work was instrumental in shaping the hard bop movement, a style that emphasized blues, gospel, and soul influences over the more intricate, intellectual sounds of bebop. The Tokyo Blues stands as an example of Silver's ability to evolve his sound while staying true to the groove-based essence of hard bop.
"From the ashes of Linköping’s pioneering punk band, Tings of London, IQ 55 emerged onto the scene in 1978. Their compelling performances quickly made them the most sought-after band in their hometown. In 1979, IQ 55 recorded their first and only single, ”Livet Är En Bluff (Balladen)/ Bara Svårigheter,” in Gothenburg. Following their contribution to the compilation album Arnes Korvbar and numerous attempts to attract record labels, the band disbanded in October 1983. Now, for the first time, the full-length album ”Livet Är En Bluff” containing IQ 55’s timeless, original, and raw sound is here."
New and soulful songs by the Swedish composer and drummer Martina Almgren. With lyrics from Rabindranath Tagore's poems that touch on love, longing and belonging, they move in a chamber jazz oriental landscape characterized by the thoughtfulness and fragrance of a starry night. In collaboration with oud player Ahmad al Khatib, singer Karin Burman, bass guitarist Owe Almgren, trombonist Niclas Rydh and sound designer Åke
Status Quo has endured for over 50 years and is known for worldwide hits and tours to millions of fans across the globe. This compilation collects together, for the first time, many of the band’s rare tracks from the late 1990s and early 2000s, some of which have been unavailable for over 20 years. Until now, many of these tracks have only been available on CD singles or editions of albums only available in one country. This remastered compilation is supported by the band and has been overseen by the recordings’ original producer, Mike Paxman, who has also written liner notes for the release. Mike Paxman said of the release: “Status Quo recorded many of these songs for soundtracks or non-album singles, so it’s fitting that this album is called Driving To Glory, because it’s the band striving for success. All of these songs were recorded as lead tracks and released in various different places. This collection brings them together and deserves to be thought of as an album.”
Originally released in 1977, this was the first album Iggy Pop made after the dissolution of the Stooges, several jailings and a self-imposed stay in a mental institution. Produced by David Bowie, and including music written almost entirely by him, this is Iggy's most introspective and heavy work. Much more mechanical than the sleazy proto-punk of the Stooges, The Idiot was a huge influence on the post-punk sound of folks like Joy Division and Magazine. An absolute classic on red and yellow vinyl. Limited edition of 1,000.
Ta Kish Kan is an explosion of color, a defiant rush of life. Over three tracks, aka-Sol has turned their psychedelic approach to sound toward the punk roots of electronic music, employing modular synthesizers and analog sonics to recapture the energy from before dance became homogenized and hard genre lines were drawn, challenging the conventions of modern club music and embracing a wider and more dynamic spectrum of human emotion.
A fearless debut, Ta Kish Kan is an offering exploding with heart and dripping with lust, a love letter and a provocation, a rare invitation to hair whip and headbang in the club. The release is rounded out with a remix from Osare! Editions head Elena Colombi who further explores the space between experimental, post-punk and club music, dispensing with comfort and bidding us to embrace what lies beyond.
out of Stock
Last delivered 4 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
elbow return with their seventh studio album on 3rd February 2017. 'Little Fictions' was recorded in Scotland and Manchester and sees the band collaborate with the string players of The Hallé Orchestra, the Hallé Ancoats Community Choir, members of London Contemporary Voices and session drummer Alex Reeves. As with the previous three elbow albums it was produced by Craig Potter.
'Little Fictions' is emphatically a band album. Having written individually for its chart-topping predecessor, 'The Take Off and Landing of Everything', sessions this time were collective affairs, with all four members gathered initially in a house in Scotland before moving to Guy's attic in Prestwich and finalising recordings in the familiar setting of Blueprint studios, Salford.
'Little Fictions' is an upbeat album. All the band talk of the sessions being 'joyful', Mark summarises it as 'the sound of four people who love what they do and each other', of an album that came into being naturally and, at times even unconsciously. Lead single 'Magnificent (She Says)' was embraced for the joyous, thrilling piece of music it is, positive and outward looking. Mark never even considered his audible switch towards electric guitars, most notable on the psychedelic lushness of 'All Disco', until the very end of the process.
The departure of drummer Richard Jupp prior to commencing the writing and recording process in earnest saw early sessions characterised by new approaches to rhythm, with the band utilising percussive noises, sampling and loops to build tracks. The grooves that run through much of the album, from the go-go beats of 'Gentle Storm' through the jagged trip hop of 'Kindling' to the soulful 'Firebrand & Angel' represent both the band's widest musical palette and a newfound sense of experimentation borne from both necessity and desire. That desire fuelled the title track, an eight minute piece that is epic without at any point feeling excessive. As a shorthand for the album it is perfect, crossing musical genres and experimenting with sound in ways that demonstrate the confidence and enthusiasm of the band throughout the recording process.
'Little Fictions' is, therefore, more than just yet another brilliant elbow album. In many ways it marks the start of a new chapter for the band, characterised by a rediscovery of shared purpose in doing the thing that has always brought them together, the place that Mark describes as 'the creative space where we all meet'.
First release from @ascending.signs.records, @domenico.niki's own label.
Acid influences, percussive jams and emotional broken beats characterize the 3 tracks with unpredictable soundscapes, landing into new warm and dancing territories.
Goin "Through Lines" is a way to shine with the signs and open ascending points of view,
is a journey into new bright spaces and sonic feelings to let the deep come to light and move.
The inspiration comes from The rhythms that unite us, the sounds
that guide us on a meditative journey. The whole set maintain a
development and exquisiteness in each note and section that
flood you with a hypnotic and essential groove, offering an
immersive and captivating experience as result.
--
This is an odd to unity!
A long time ago in the Mongolian steppe, people from the Khori,
the Kiyat and the Sunud decided to unite their forces with other
tribes to fight against the oppression of Western forces. The tribal
leaders celebrated their union under the stars of Altan Ovo sacred
mountain. The Mongol Empire was born, the attackers were
defeated and the steppe found peace for centuries.
Don’t stay alone, go with your tribe and you’ll be able to move
mountains!
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Last delivered 10 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
„Into The Gap“ von den Thompson Twins ist ein epochenprägendes Album der 80er. Diese Neuauflage
zum 40. Jubiläum ist die umfassendste Neuauflage dieses Albums aller Zeiten, remastered in den Abbey
Road Studios und zusammengestellt mit dem vollen Segen aller drei Bandmitglieder aus der klassischen
Besetzung.
„Into the Gap“ gilt als eines der erfolgreichsten Alben der Band und symbolisiert den Höhepunkt der
Synthie-Pop-Ära. Das Album enthält Hit-Singles wie „Hold Me Now“, „Doctor! Doctor!“ und „You Take
Me Up“, die das Talent der Band für eingängige, Synthie-getriebene Popsongs hervorhoben. Zu dieser Zeit
waren die Thompson Twins eine treibende Kraft in der New-Wave-Bewegung; „Into the Gap“ erreichte
Platz eins der britischen Albumcharts und verkaufte sich in den USA über 1 Million Mal. Der Erfolg des
Albums wurde durch den Aufstieg von MTV begünstigt, wo die visuell beeindruckenden Musikvideos der
Band eine entscheidende Rolle für ihre weltweite Anziehungskraft spielten. „Into the Gap“ verkörperte
den Geist der Popkultur der 1980er Jahre und kombinierte innovativen Sound mit einer starken visuellen
Identität, was es zu einer prägenden Platte des Jahrzehnts machte.
Beide physischen Formate verfügen über digital restauriertes Artwork und neue Linernotes, geschrieben von
John Earls und mit Beiträgen aller drei Bandmitglieder. Das LP-Format auf begehrtem rotem Vinyl bildet
die Originalveröffentlichung liebevoll nach, komplett mit ausklappbarem Einleger; das Dreifach-CD-Format
umfa
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Last delivered 22 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Rejoice fiends, as this halloween Utter ventures into the darkness for its long-lost 13th release, a limited double LP by infamous electro sorcerer Labyrinthine.
'II-V' wrangles 11 daemonic invocations from the infernal vortex, cut loud at 45rpm on deep red vinyl and incarcerated within artwork by Alison Flora, painted in her own blood.
'II-V' is not for the faint of heart, as its cursed soundscapes have been known to intoxicate and overwhelm even the strongest and purest of minds. Listener beware!
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Last delivered 22 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
The Invisible Road: Original Recordings, 1985–1990 compiles an unheard, previously unreleased body of recordings by Sussan Deyhim and Richard Horowitz, dissidents from diametric backgrounds who met during the heady days of Downtown New York in the 1980s. This collection reveals the creative and life partners’ radical shared vision of avant-garde pop in all of its boundary pushing freedom, combining Deyhim’s singular approach to vocalization, Horowitz’s invention of new musical languages, and touchstones of traditional music from around the world, creating a new music that ultimately retains a voice entirely its own. Despite their difference in backgrounds and respective journeys, at the time of their meeting in the early 1980s in New York City, Sussan Deyhim and Richard Horowitz were both products of the search for freedom and understanding (and resultant awakenings) that swept the globe and helped culturally define the late 1960s and 70s. Deyhim, born and raised in Tehran, spent her teens dancing with Iran’s Pars National Ballet company, performing weekly on Iranian national television, and travelling her home country studying with master folk musicians and dancers, before relocating to Belgium and joining Maurice Béjart’s prestigious Béjart Ballet of the 20th Century. Horowitz, born and raised in Buffalo, New York, had spent much of the decade before abroad, first departing for Paris under the shadows of the Vietnam War, where he studied piano, Eastern philosophy, and became entrenched the city’s free jazz scene, playing with the likes of Steve Lacy, Anthony Braxton, and Alan Silva, before embarking south to Morocco where his friendship with Paul Bowles helped cultivate a deep passion for the country’s musical traditions and a shift in his musical practice.
The pair met by chance sometime in 1981 at Noise New York, a small studio on West 34th Street founded by the musician and recording engineer, Frank Eaton, as a utopian creative laboratory that beckoned artists and bands like Arthur Russell, Christian Marclay, Liquid Liquid and Butthole Surfers into its orbit. Both artists had recently relocated to the city, Horowitz having recently released his debut album, Oblique Sequences (Solo Nai Improvisations), on the legendary Paris based imprint Shandar, and fallen in with members of New York avant-garde like La Monte Young, Jon Hassell, David Byrne, and Brian Eno, and Deyhim having begun to more actively incorporate singing into her practice, notably recording a vocal score for choreography she was doing at La MaMa Experimental Theatre.
Initially bonding over a cassette tape of field recordings made by Paul Bowles that had been given to mutual friend and writer Brian Cullman (seeking answers for Ornette Coleman’s question “what is the sound of sound”), their earliest collaboration was documented on Horowitz’s 1981 album, Eros In Arabia, with Deyhim contributing vocals to the track “Queen Of Saba.” Over the coming years, their deep connection would routinely gravitate them into the studio, culminating in the body of recordings that would appear on their 1986 album for Crammed Discs, Desert Equations: Azax Attra. Unknown to nearly all but the artists, laying in wait over the decades on numerous multi-track and stereo reels, DAT tapes, and reference cassettes, were a vast array of recordings made by Deyhim and Horowitz bookending Desert Equations. The 13 pieces represented on The Invisible Road: Original Recordings, 1985–1990 were recorded largely between Noise New York and Daylight Studio in Brussels, during a period that Deyhim describes the partnership between herself and Horowitz’s as seeking a music “free of any specific cultural reference, with a personal musical signature,” blossoming into a body of sonority that embraced the energy of contemporary boundary pushing pop and the avant garde, filtered through their mutual love and study of various musical traditions from across the globe and deep engagement with the ideas and tactics of experimental music.
Undeniably rooted in Horowitz’s study of the North Africa ney and the music of the Berber and Gnawa cultures during his time in Morocco, Deyhim’s deep engagement with the folk traditions of Iran, and the couple’s immersion in the interconnected Downtown underground music scenes, each piece on The Invisible Road offers its own vision creative and cultural hybridity. Deyhim sings in both English and Farsi, as well as a composite tongue that she developed by drawing upon numerous indigenous vocal techniques from around the world, intuitively responding to Horowitz’s simultaneous sound syntax forming and combining a wide range synthetic and acoustic instrumentation, and experimental tape techniques, within a visionary series of free-standing expressions.
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Last delivered 19 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Sweet Music Volume II is the long awaited follow up compilation from one of Nigeria’s most adored 80's artists, Dizzy K. Falola. Featuring the most sought after tracks from his last three albums this double LP has both the dance floor feet movers he was known for and some more experimental African pieces but it's all glazed with that 80's Nigerian boogie sound we've come to love. With restoration by Colin Young, and Vinyl Mastering by Frank Merritt at The Carvery the pressing is a beauty. Only pressed in a small quantities. This is one you don't want to miss!
out of Stock
Last delivered 22 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Brazilian rapper Marcelo D2 announces the release of a new direct-to-disc album via Night Dreamer. Recorded alongside electrifying live band SambaDrive, the album revisits some of Marcelo D2"s most important tracks, mining 25 years of ground-breaking music from the Brazilian legend and capturing his now timeless "samba hip-hop" sound in full flow.
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Last delivered 7 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Futureslowdubdisco moves in a deep groove of sonic slowness: a two-way collaboration between producers Francesco Colagrande and Simone Ticconi, the creators of ‘Superpaesaggio’, their debut for Hermit Records.
These four original tracks blend dub and deep techno abysses, ephemeral ambient atmosphere, and hypnotic library obsessions. Lose yourself blissfully in the low beats, the lazy flow of the four movements, the hypnotic repetition, the almost shamanic rite that takes over all your senses.
The conclusion, though, is entrusted to two cleverly manipulated remixes of L'oggetto and D Lewis & Paul Hyde, which cranks up the BPM dial. Enclosed within kaleidoscopic artwork put together by Flavia Mastrella (Leone d'oro 2018), ‘Superpaesaggio’ is a journey into sound that has no worries sinking into the reverberations and delays of ordinance, as well as involving sparse and distant voices that bring more human entities into the entire Futureslowdubdisco project.
e B2 SUPERPAESAGGIO 1 L'oggetto RMX
D Lewis & Paul Hyde RMX
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Last delivered 17 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Strut proudly present the brand-new studio album from Nubiyan Twist, 'Jungle Run'.
Now one of the leading lights in the UK's new generation of soulful, genre-fluid artists, the Leeds-born and now London-based 12-piece collective have created their finest recordings to date, effortlessly weaving together elements of jazz, soul, hip hop, African styles, Latin, dub, hip hop and electronics in a flow of thought-provoking and life-affirming music.
Recorded at the band's own self-built Henwood Studio in rural Oxfordshire, the album effortlessly moves through different voices from the band's circle. The inimitable, timeless vocals of Nubiya Brandon lead the way on the album's title track about breaking preconceptions and promoting equality, 'Where you from I'm from wherever I be.' Saxophonist Nick Richards vocals the killer first single from the album about inner turmoil and a search for the truth, 'Tell It To Me Slowly' while rising Ghanaian star K.O.G. appears on the Afro jams 'Basa Basa' and 'They Talk'. Percussionist Pilo Adami (Nina Miranda / Afrosamba) voices the infectious bossa-jazz jam 'Borders'. The band also draft in two African legends for guest duties with the original Afrobeat maestro Tony Allen on 'Ghosts' and Ethio jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke contributing vibes on the sinuous 'Addis To London'. 'The depth of talent and ideas that every member of this group has brought to the table for this album is incredible,'
says producer and orchestrator Tom Excell. 'Conceptually, 'Jungle Run' is all about connecting different people and cultures whilst exploring the journey of individuals. This album is the pinnacle of everything we have done to date and to collaborate with the godfathers of Afrobeat and Ethio Jazz and celebrate their music in a modern context was very humbling.'
The album is another landmark for a band that has been consistently developing their sound since their formation in 2015 at Leeds College Of Music. 'One of the biggest factors in our sound was the exciting music scene in Leeds,' explains saxman Joe Henwood. 'From a reggae night called 'Sub Dub' to venues playing whacked out experimental jazz.' Since then, the band's self-titled debut album (2015), EP 'Siren Song' (2016) and single 'Dance Inna London' (2017) have become classics in their own right and their live show has become an essential ticket; previous live highlights have included high profile slots at David Byrne's Meltdown at the South Bank and Glastonbury West Holts
'Jungle Run' is released on 15th February on CD, 2LP and digital. Cover artwork comes from acclaimed designer Marcus Davies and the album is mastered by The Carvery. Nubiyan Twist tour across Europe from November.
