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"South Wales' Top 10 rockers Scarlet Rebels return with the follow-up to their #7 UK Top 40 Album 'See Through Blue'. Boasting an eye-popping album cover by Boomtown Festival poster designer Holy Moly, it certainly lives up to its name and perfectly illustrates the band's message of unity – i.e. 'Where The Colours Meet’.
Armed with the crack production team of Colin Richardson and Chris Clancy, 'Where The Colours Meet' sees the band radically expand their sonic palette, bringing in lush instrumentation, piano, keyboards and large drum sounds to channel the best of 80s rock. It’s an album full of fluid guitar lines, tasteful leads and irresistible choruses but with a contemporary full-on sound - imagine a modern-day U2 meets Bruce Springsteen!"

Kannon is an album which was composed in the aftershadow of SUNN O)))’s most recent successes in immersive collaboration (the group worked with Scott Walker on Soused, Ulver on Terrestrials in 2013 and 2014) and also from the broad and influential wake of their epitimous Monolith’s & Dimensions . Kannon emerged both independently as a conceptual entity and with roots in the legacies of those projects, yet was fully realised years later, in 2015. The album is 36 minutes in length and consists of three pieces of a triadic whole : Kannon 1, 2 and 3.

The album celebrates many SUNN O))) traditions ; Kannon was recorded and mixed with SUNN O)))’s close colleague and coproducer Randall Dunn in Seattle, in Studio Litho, Aleph and Avast! ; and the LP includes performances by long term allies and collaborators Attila Csihar, Oren Ambarchi, Rex Ritter, Steve Moore and others. And at the core the composition centers around the dynamic and intense guitar and bass interplay of SUNN O)))’s founders : Stephen O’Malley & Greg Anderson.

It’s possibly the most figurative album SUNN O))) has created, which is unusual as they usually dwell in layers of abstraction and subjectivity. On the other hand the album is the most outright “metal” in years, drawing personal associations and memories of cherished albums like Panzerfaust and Twilight of the Gods again to the forefront of consciousness. At the third time it is very close to the cyclical character of mantra which the band has evolved into as a living creature, the enormity of intense sensate detail and manifestation of the live in concert face of SUNN O))), the organism that has flourished, metamorphosed and transcended tremendously over the past ten years.

The literal representation of Kannon is as an aspect of Buddha : specifically “goddess of mercy” or “Perceiving the Sounds (or Cries) of the World”. She is also sometimes commonly known as the Guanyin Bodhisattva (Chinese: 觀音菩薩) amongst a plurality of other forms. There is a rich lineage behind this idea tracing back through many asian belief systems, with as many names and cultural personifications of the idea .

SUNN O))) commissioned critical theorist Aliza Shvartz to write a text / liner notes around these ideas and topics. She also explores the relations and perceptions to their approach to these ideas via the metonym of music and SUNN O)))’s place/approach within the framework of music and metal overall.

SUNN O))) also commissioned Swiss designer/artist Angela LaFont Bollinger to create the cover artwork, an abstracted sculpture of vision of Kannon, and the French photographer Estelle Hanania to capture portraits of the core trio (Csihar, Anderson, O’Malley) in the impressive and obscurant Emanuel Vingeland mausoleum in Oslo.

The LP is packaged in immaculate tip on gatefold sleeve by our long time comrades Stoughton Printing, and pressed at Cascade in Portland, Oregon. CD, download and coloured vinyl versions are also available

Dies ist das fünfte Release des Labels Play With Records, die voller Stolz die zweite Folge ihrer erfolgreichen Serie ,Finest Champions Breaks" präsentieren. Wir haben ein Projekt voller Funk Basics und Old Style Sounds gefunden und der tiefe Vinylschnitt macht diese Platte ideal zum scratchen und mixen. Inklusive einer Tribute an JAMES BROWN und einer Zusammenstellung der besten Breakbeats des Meisters.

Recorded by renowned producer Andy Bell at the remote Red Kite Studios in Wales, Silver Horizon features 11 hook-driven indie folk songs set in a captivating, dream-like sound world, infused with Sam’s love for the ethereal textures of slowcore and dream pop bands such as Low and Cocteau Twins. Guitarist Stuart McCallum (The Breath) weaves epic reverb-drenched soundscapes around many songs, which are simultaneously otherworldly and deeply personal. “I’m still dealing with themes of love, loss, and change that have been a part of my earlier work, but at the moment, sketching events in an impressionistic way instead of documenting them in detail gives the songs more room to breathe.” This seamless blend of the intimate and ethereal makes Silver Horizon the most remarkable album of Carter’s career.

Tokyo female group Gallhammer was formed in February 2003 by Vivian Slaughter (bass/vocals), following her passion for the primitive work of Swiss legends Hellhammer & other metal, punk & crust acts. The band's debut studio album, 'Gloomy Lights' swiftly followed the year after, leading to a deal with Peaceville Records for the release of the 'Ill Innocence' (2007) & 'The End' albums, before the band folded.

Having become somewhat of an underground sensation in the years prior, the aptly-titled 2011 release, 'The End', was to become the farewell opus for Gallhammer. The album was recorded at Void)))Lab in Tokyo in mid-October 2010 & evolved further from the foundations of 'Ill Innocence', with an album of disturbing & dark drone music with a hypnotic bass & drum combination mixed with the band's raw black metal & punk origins. To further enhance the Gallhammer sound circa 2011, there was also the introduction of saxophone performed by Vivian, who at the time described the overall album direction as "strange & psychedelic experimental sounds of doom".

This edition of 'The End' is presented on black vinyl & appears on the format for the very first time.

keiyaA ist eine in New York lebende Singer-Songwriterin, Produzentin und Multiinstrumentalistin. Aufgewachsen in Chicagos South Side, verbindet keiyaA ihre Jazz-Ausbildung, ihre R&B-Sensibilität und ihre Hip-Hop-Erziehung, um neue Soul-Sounds zu kreieren, die von ihrer kraftvollen, schwülen Stimme und ihrer dichten Lyrik überflutet werden. Ihr Ziel ist es, die Erzählung und den Intellekt der schwarzen Frau in der spätkapitalistischen Welt in den Mittelpunkt zu stellen. Forever, Ya Girl" fand großen Anklang und landete auf mehreren Best of the Year"-Listen, was sie an die kulturelle Spitze katapultierte und ihr das Lob von Künstlern wie Solange, Jay-Z, Earl Sweatshirt, Blood Orange und Moses Sumney einbrachte und die Aufmerksamkeit von Marken wie Apple, Nike und Chanel erregte, die alle in Kampagnen auf keiyaA und ihre Arbeit aufmerksam machten. Seit ihrer Veröffentlichung ist keiyaA zu einer gefragten Kollaborateurin geworden und hat mit MIKE, Armand Hammer, Loraine James, Nilüfer Yanya, Bartees Strange, Nick Hakim, Mount Kimbie, Nubya Garcia und vielen anderen zusammengearbeitet.

Biomes are little worlds of organic relationships, full of struggles, symbiosis, and sheer obsolete noise. In "De Silenti Natura," Henrique Vaz is meticulously crafting synthetic auditory biomes, sprouting from their own fuzzy logic. Unfolding across two distinct acts, the Brazilian artist interprets and replicates the complex, often ambiguous sounds of (un)natural environments, creating imaginary systems to inhabit over two sides of tape. The soundscape of the first side and title track is entirely algorithmically synthesized, with no samples used, leveraging Supercollider for real-time sound generation. The environment thus built is a flourishing one, seemingly unable to escape its own grandeur as insect-like buzzing and crackles expands into mountain ranges and forests of erupting sonorous drama. The second side introduces 'hydrophone' water synthesizers, submerged in a goldfish bowl to interface with the unfurling waves of electronic chords, creating a unique blend of damp and unwieldy sloshing movements, prismatically scattered into a luscious soundscape, and resembling everything from the bridge of a starship to the echoed drip-drip of stalactites.

Both sides of the album slowly unwrap and uncrinkle, revealing layers of hisses, distant digital choirs, warm enveloping chords, and juddering bleeps. Despite their unwieldy and strange nature, myriad elements convey a familiar sense of environment, flitting between the blossoming of new (manmade) life and the doom and destruction of the (real) world.

As the ringing of bells (fully synthetic; no samples were used) hove into view during the closing movement of side one, a simulacrum cacophony of voices is ushered in. It’s a reminder of the holy nature of sound itself, beamed into our heads intangibly. The flipside’s water ritual, frantically dunking ‘water synthesizers’ to birth swooping melodies and yawning tones, is jabbing at sleeping giants. It’s pushing and pulling the stars in the night sky into place. It’s both a simple act of beautiful creation, and a storm in a teacup.

Lullaby for the Debris is the second album from Moses Brown of Institute’s solo project Peace de Résistance. Those of us who loved Peace de Résistance’s 2022 debut, Bits and Pieces, will be pleased to hear that much of what made that album so memorable—the glam-infused art rock sound, the gritty yet richly textured production, and Moses’s bluntly class-conscious lyrics—carries over into Lullaby for the Debris. Yet Lullaby for the Debris also sounds more refined, more timeless than its predecessor, with “40 Times the Rent,” “Coddle the Rich,” and “Ain’t What It Used to Be,” all built around chooglin’ Lou Reed-style riffs beamed in from the great rock and roll beyond. Elsewhere on the record, Moses’s arty side shines through, with “The Funny Man” and “Pay Us More” full of uncanny sounds that invite the listener to bathe in their rich sonic textures. “I Am” and “You Are Absurd” move into a new territory Brown calls “despondent funk,” their rubbery bass sounds and eerily progressive soundscapes evoking Station to Station-era Bowie, while the title track closes the album on a pensive note, landing somewhere between 70s minimalist composition and the mellower moments from Eno’s solo albums. The real strength of this record, though, is Brown’s ever-developing songwriting skills, which meld wry social observation and Crass-style confrontational politics to melodies you’ll sing along with for the rest of your life

2024 Repress

Harri Pierson bangs the box with his new EP for Duca Bianco, a full thrill mix of disco and house sounds that want to get the party going. 'Instant Message' has a dense mix of raw drum sounds and squelchy synths with interesting melodic designs and steamy female coos. 'Techno Native' is laced up with piano stabs and a hint of old school energy then 'Trippy Too' cuts loose with a head-twisting mix of drums and whistles and bass and pads. 'Young Australians' then brings some big guitar licks to a Balearic beat that is for dancing under the stars. All four of these cuts are unique and compelling.

On White Rabbit CTI boss and producer Creed Taylor placed George Benson in lavish Spanish arrangements by Don Sebes- ky. The title track “White Rabbit” remains strong even without the lyrics, while “California Dreaming” sounds relaxed and warm with its Andalusian harmonies. On the closer, “El Mar,” Benson comes through with some truly inspiring playing. This was Benson’s first release on CTI (Beyond The Blue Horizon was released on its subsidiary Kudu Records) and the debut of guitarist Earl Klugh. Herbie Hancock adds his magic touch to the Rhodes, as does Ron Carter on bass.

Collaboration between Kilbey (The Church) and Kearns (Cactus World News), compiling before unfinished recordigs from late 1990s up to 2016. Initially issued as a 500 run CD available by mail order only in 2016, this is the very first time being released through global distribution, packaged in deluxe gatefold sleeve and containing two unreleased bonus tracks. Kilbey's The Church have returned to a high-profile status with both current albums 'The Hypnogogue' & "Ezra..." being critically acclaimed globally. The two new bonus songs are tracks 11 and 12, which were recorded in 2022. Kilbey and Kearns dive deep into atmospheric soundscapes and vocals and mysterious, yet revealing lyrics as Speed of the Stars. Easy Action will be issuing Steve Kilbey's solo and collaboration albums over the coming years.

Since forming in 2008, Falling In Reverse have racked up a fanatical fan base, so much so that the band"s legendary videos have been viewed over 30 million times. The attitude of the 1980"s Sunset Strip, the bravado of battle-ready rap, the take-no-prisoners bottom end of metalcore and the boundless revelry of underground EDM parties have all beautifully converged in this one band and this new album. It"s for everyone on Instagram, on Twitter, or anyone with a brain and two ears. "My dad raised me on metal, but my first serious love was hip-hop," Ronnie explains. "When I heard Dr. Dre"s The Chronic, that"s when I fell in love. I didn"t know what the hell they were talking about, the beats were intertwined, and it came inside of me and took me over. When we added hip-hop elements I was thinking, "Should I do this? This sounds crazy! Are people going to like this?" Now I"ve never been so proud of something. The final product, Fashionably Late, is the best work I"ve ever done." First time pressing on limited edition Clear w/Hot Pink Splatter vinyl to celebrate the album"s 15th anniversary!

Together Again!!!! vereint den Trompeter Howard McGhee und den Saxophonisten Teddy Edwards und wurde ursprünglich 1961 auf Contemporary Records veröffentlicht. Neben Edwards und McGhee sind auf dem Album auch Phineas Newborn Jr. (Klavier), Ray Brown (Bass) und Ed Thigpen (Schlagzeug) zu hören. Diese Neuauflage, die als Teil der Acoustic Sounds Series erscheint, enthält (AAA)-Lackierungen, die von den Original-Masterbändern von Bernie Grundman geschnitten wurden, und wird bei QRP auf 180-Gramm-Vinyl gepresst und in einer Tip-On-Hülle präsentiert.

Return To Disorder welcomes Evighet Records label head Marco Bruno for some brilliantly controlled sonic chaos on this new electro exploration. His Sharp Focus EP brings together ambient, breaks and techno to snappy electro rhythms of the sort that he has already showcased in style on labels such as Blueprint Records and Machine. This one opens with the sleek, future-facing and speedy sounds of 'Storyteller' before 'Values Over Ego' gets more textured and raw with knick-snapping hits and prying synth lines making for real turbulence. 'Twist Of Fate' is a jungle workout that ducks and dives on warped bass and 'Karmic Pattern' is a slow but textural and intense closer with rueful chords.

Ein allumfassender akustischer Angriff, eine Kraft, die so unaufhaltsam und lebendig ist wie die Flut. Das Post-Rock-Kraftpaket AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR kehrt mit seinem 7. Studioalbum ,Megafauna" zurück. Studioalbum "Megafauna" zurück. Das neue Album ist eine eigenwillige Erkundung und eine von Herzen kommende Würdigung mit der ganzen Intuition, Intimität und dem Humor von vier festen Freunden, die sich ihrem 20-jährigen Bandbestehen nähern. Die Absicht hinter "Megafauna" ist von Anfang an klar. Zwei Gitarren, ein Bass und ein Schlagzeug, allesamt in einer Woche aufgenommen, erwachen in einem Endorphinrausch der Zusammenarbeit und des Miteinanders nach der physischen und psychischen Wildnis der Isolation zu überschäumendem Leben. Die Leadsingle "Do Mór" ist eine absurd verspielte Kollision aus unbeschwerten Gitarrenhooks, mühelosen Jazz-Synkopen und der triumphalen Rückkehr von ASIWYFAs unnachahmlicher Wall-of-Sound-Verzerrung, während der Eröffnungstrack "North Coast Megafauna" als Hymne für das gesamte Album und vielleicht auch für eine wiedererstarkte Band dient, die die freudig-schockierende Konfrontation ihres Sounds stolz auf ihren Ärmeln trägt. An anderer Stelle stehen Introspektion und düstere Sentimentalität im Mittelpunkt, wobei das Downtempo-Stück "Years Ago" eine bemerkenswerte dynamische Tiefe bietet. "Megafauna" ist das erste neue Werk der Band seitdem von der Kritik hochgelobten, aber nur sehr limitiert veröffentlichten "Jettison" aus dem Jahr 2022, ein ambitioniertes Multimedia-Ensemblewerk voller Experimente mit Gästen. Gitarrist Niall Keenedy bezeichnete "Jettison" scherzhaft als "das reife Album" der Band und umrahmte das Schreiben von "Megafauna" mit dem langjährigen Mantra der Band "DO THE SCARY THING", das sie ständig auf das Neue, den Fortschritt, die Evolution und das Unbekannte zusteuern lässt. Während die neue Platte ASIWYFA in einer vertrauteren, traditionellen Form zeigt, ist "Megafauna" in dieser Post-"Jettison"- und Post-Pandemie-Welt eine ohrenbetäubende und trotzige Absichtserklärung des treibenden Kerns der Band, die Zusammengehörigkeit statt Trennung zelebriert. Übrigens, das klasse "Jettison" jetzt auch wiederveröffentlicht!

Ein allumfassender akustischer Angriff, eine Kraft, die so unaufhaltsam und lebendig ist wie die Flut. Das Post-Rock-Kraftpaket AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR kehrt mit seinem 7. Studioalbum ,Megafauna" zurück. Studioalbum "Megafauna" zurück. Das neue Album ist eine eigenwillige Erkundung und eine von Herzen kommende Würdigung mit der ganzen Intuition, Intimität und dem Humor von vier festen Freunden, die sich ihrem 20-jährigen Bandbestehen nähern. Die Absicht hinter "Megafauna" ist von Anfang an klar. Zwei Gitarren, ein Bass und ein Schlagzeug, allesamt in einer Woche aufgenommen, erwachen in einem Endorphinrausch der Zusammenarbeit und des Miteinanders nach der physischen und psychischen Wildnis der Isolation zu überschäumendem Leben. Die Leadsingle "Do Mór" ist eine absurd verspielte Kollision aus unbeschwerten Gitarrenhooks, mühelosen Jazz-Synkopen und der triumphalen Rückkehr von ASIWYFAs unnachahmlicher Wall-of-Sound-Verzerrung, während der Eröffnungstrack "North Coast Megafauna" als Hymne für das gesamte Album und vielleicht auch für eine wiedererstarkte Band dient, die die freudig-schockierende Konfrontation ihres Sounds stolz auf ihren Ärmeln trägt. An anderer Stelle stehen Introspektion und düstere Sentimentalität im Mittelpunkt, wobei das Downtempo-Stück "Years Ago" eine bemerkenswerte dynamische Tiefe bietet. "Megafauna" ist das erste neue Werk der Band seitdem von der Kritik hochgelobten, aber nur sehr limitiert veröffentlichten "Jettison" aus dem Jahr 2022, ein ambitioniertes Multimedia-Ensemblewerk voller Experimente mit Gästen. Gitarrist Niall Keenedy bezeichnete "Jettison" scherzhaft als "das reife Album" der Band und umrahmte das Schreiben von "Megafauna" mit dem langjährigen Mantra der Band "DO THE SCARY THING", das sie ständig auf das Neue, den Fortschritt, die Evolution und das Unbekannte zusteuern lässt. Während die neue Platte ASIWYFA in einer vertrauteren, traditionellen Form zeigt, ist "Megafauna" in dieser Post-"Jettison"- und Post-Pandemie-Welt eine ohrenbetäubende und trotzige Absichtserklärung des treibenden Kerns der Band, die Zusammengehörigkeit statt Trennung zelebriert. Übrigens, das klasse "Jettison" jetzt auch wiederveröffentlicht!

zake's latest album, Dolere, unfolds meticulously over 70 minutes and invites you deep into his signature blend of detailed, harmonic drone. Inspired by the suspended weight of unchangeable emotions, the first movement drifts on melancholy waves all enveloped in analogue hiss and tape samples that echo a wandering mind's ceaseless pondering. The title track shifts mood with darkly-tinged drones and subtle field recordings that progress deliberately like shadows in a forest. Both pieces offer refuge from life's relentless pace and resonate like sonic Rorschach Tests or meditative soundscapes. Positioned alongside ambient greats like Thomas Koner, this is another essential album in a long line of them from this ambient titan.

From listening to pirate radio recordings, putting on illegal parties and working for one of the UK’s original rave promoters, Greg Hepworth, aka Settle Down, has always had roots in the foundations of UK dance music.

Settle Down’s 30 year journey began when the sounds of Fantazia drifted into his childhood bedroom at the age of 10. After wearing out cassettes of pirate radio recordings and immersing himself in a growing culture, what followed was putting on illegal raves across the South Coast and packing tapes for Dreamscape, before crossing over to Creator and releasing for Metalheadz and Reinforced as 'Ulterior Motive' and reinventing himself as 'Settle Down'.

From fan to facilitator to maker. Voyage is a documentation of Settle Down's 30 year journey through UK breakbeat culture. Presented as a recording of a 90’s rave cassette mix, it chronicles the journey through house, breakbeat, hardcore and jungle and the influences that make up these genres, a love letter to the past and an ode to the vibe.

Voyage will be released on a limited edition mixtape cassette, 12” vinyl and digitally mixed and unmixed single tracks alongside some limited edition merchandise.

Bolbec, brand new project of childhood friends and multi-instrumentalists Axel Concato and Barth Corbelet, present their debut record, "Victime De L"aube", on Batov Records. Drawing on their wide blend of musical tastes, from spiritual jazz and folk to classical and electronic sounds, to create an imaginary soundtrack that could easily sit beside the best of Piero Piccioni or Michel Legrand.

Some 14 years since last releasing, play:musik, the label founded by DJ Flight in 2005 is back with fresh tunes and a new look for ’24! First up - Geordie new-gen junglist, Nectax, who’s refined his style by drawing inspiration from mid-‘90s deep atmospheric jungle and US footwork flavours. The Body Talk EP features 4 tracks that distinctly tie together - pristinely produced, bass heavy, future-facing music that respects the roots and foundation.

* Tracklist:
A1. Body Talk: classic amen break fused with interesting drum edits, smooth synths, a huge vocal and driving bassline (wait for the 2nd drop). An underground anthem thanks to Nia Archives’ strong support.

A2. Twin Turbo: bouncy footwork-jungle mixed with fun techno vibes, tight percussion and squelchy sounds. Rolls very nicely in the mix. Supported heavily by Sully and Mantra.

B1. No Such Luck: a murky rumbling intro with grime sound and haunting vocal leads into a speaker-troubling drop packed with funk-fuelled breaks. Certified modern jungle stepper and firm Flight favourite.

B2. Sentinel Runner: smokey sci-fi feel, electro b-boy stylings, and big bottom end make this the perfect EP closing track. Recently featured in Om Unit’s great MISSIONQUEST mix series.

Black Truffle is thrilled to announce a reissue of Chico Mello and Helinho Brandão’s self-titled release from 1984, the first return to vinyl of this classic of Brazilian experimental music with its original cover art and complete track listing. An under-recognised figure whose work inhabits a singular terrain where radical new music techniques and music theatre meet musica popular brasileira, Mello has lived and worked in Berlin since the late 1980s. A student of Dieter Schnebel, Mello played in the 90s iteration of Arnold Dreyblatt’s Orchestra of Excited Strings alongside compatriot Silvia Ocougne, with whom he produced a radical and hilarious deconstruction of MPB classics on Musica Brasileira De(s)composta (an early and rather atypical release on Edition Wandelweiser).

On this release, his only recording predating his move to Europe, Mello works with the alto saxophonist Helinho Brandão, who appears to be otherwise unknown outside Brazil. The record’s six tracks range from solo saxophone improvisation to densely layered ensemble works bridging minimalism, acoustic sound art and a plaintive melodic sensibility that calls up Edu Lobo or Milton Nascimento. Beginning with a dramatic, dissonant wind and string surge from which emerge ominously pounding piano chords, opener ‘Água’ slowly builds in intensity, a halo of clustered vocal harmonies gradually closing in on Brandão’s squealing sax until the piece opens up to reveal a gorgeous passage of melodic singing. The piano accompaniment reduces to tolling bass notes as the voice begins a repeated incantation, suggesting a ritualistic atmosphere reminiscent of parts of Xenakis’ setting of Oresteia. Dissonant, sawing tremolos on the strings climb to a crescendo before disappearing into the sounds of water being poured and splashed into metal vessels, presented not as a field recording but as a percussive element performed by the ensemble. A child’s voice then appears, singing to piano accompaniment the same melody heard earlier in the piece. After a brief solo alto improvisation from Brandão, working with the guttural pops and fleeting melodic gestures of Braxton or Roscoe Mitchell, the remainder of the first side is dedicated to the leisurely unfolding of ‘Baiando’ over the course of twelve minutes. A trio for Brandão on soprano saxophone, Mello on a very period-appropriate phased nylon string guitar and Edu Dequech on bongos, the performance eases its way hypnotically through subtle variations on a set of rhythmic and melodic patterns, almost derailed at points by Brandão’s wild forays into extended technique but held together by Mello’s droning guitar notes.

The second side opens with another multi-part epic for a larger ensemble, ‘Matraca’, which makes use of strings, electric guitars and a wide range of South American percussion instruments. Rasping violin harmonics hover as drum hits, repeated guitar notes and triangle accompany a slowly descending bass glissando. A sudden change in direction introduces a thrumming, incessantly repeated bowed bass tone, beginning a series of episodes of minimalist phasing and pattern variation, the combinations of electric guitars and orchestral instruments giving the ensemble an ad hoc charm like the early Penguin Café Orchestra but with more percussive drive. Eventually the piece is overrun by a cacophony of the titular matracas (a kind of ratchet/cog rattle). Following a lyrical trio improvisation by Mello, Brandão and Gerson Kornin on bass, the final ‘Danca’ focuses entirely on Mello’s layered acoustic guitars and vocals, using this restricted palette to build up a haunting piece of almost orchestral density, reminiscent of the 70s work of Egberto Gismonti in how it thickens a folkish ambience with harmonic sophistication.

Arriving in a starkly beautiful gatefold sleeve and sounding better than ever in its new remaster, one might call the stunning music contained on Chico Mello/Helinho Brandão ahead of its time. But what (other than some of Mello’s own work) produced in the years since its initial release has really touched the organic fusion of minimalism, free improvisation, radical instrumental technique and popular song achieved here? Forty years after its first release, Chico Mello/Helinho Brandão remains music of the future.

The 15th black label release on Limited White Label marks a
powerful union between Yerevan-based producer Scruscru
(Anton Bogomolov) and the mesmerizing vocalist Henna
Onna. Joined by the talents of Dwaal and Jehan, this
collaborative effort promises a genre-bending exploration
that seamlessly blends house, disco, jazz, and hip-hop
in§uences. Get ready to experience a harmonious collision of
styles, where each track offers a unique and captivating
soundscape.

Fera’s trajectory sticks out like a sore thumb, you need to invest time, carefully divided between body & mind, to truly take a deep dive into his audacious output. After the acclaimed ‘Stupidamutaforma’ and ‘Corpo Senza Carne’, Fera is back with ‘Psiche Liberata’, an oblique, imperfect and broken record, in other words, exactly the type of magical voyage you want to be on. The mind, finally liberated.

Fera is Andrea De Franco, electronic composer from Southern Italy now residing in Bologna, also known for his work as visual artist/designer and member of the Undicesimacasa collective. His musical cosmos is profound and imaginative, intergalactic atmospheres that condense fragmented IDM, scintillating textures, distorted synthscapes, crunchy technoid rhythms and swirling abstractions that weave gently, sometimes moody and stark, more often celestial and awe-inspiring.

Mixed in Berlin by Steve Scanu ‘Psiche Liberata’ encapsulates Fera’s dense and intricate thought process in contrast with his simple and direct approach to writing and recording that finds its more natural output in his rapturous live sets where a mono signal runs through a few analog pedals transforming instantly into menacing alien grooves and fluid ecstasis.

Like ‘Psiche Liberata’s artwork, hand-drawn by Fera, every detailed miniature leads to a single cell of sound, tracks collide against each other in a psychotic kaleidoscope where every safe space is confronted with subsequent noise, alterations or interruptions. The black terror of ‘Celestial Anacusma’ is followed by the space-jazz banquet of ‘Milk Tears In The Hug Chamber’ doped up cyber Sun Ra extravaganza featuring Laura Agnusdei and Luigi Monteanni (Artetetra) on saxophones and flutes; ‘Silenzio Solare’ sprinkles Mille Plateaux era minimalism all over hallucinations, while ‘Diluvia’ crosses industrial acid with perpetual motion; title track ‘Psiche Liberata’ murmurs mechanically, a downtempo drifter for the wide-eyed 7AM comedown: ‘Simulacrima’ melts Boards Of Canada’s mellow pastoralism with dystopian meta-level dreamland and ‘Riposa’ showcases an overwhelming melancholy executed with elegance in a slo-mo world where the ineffable transcends notions of ambient and becomes a warm embrace.

Created on a Monotribe, MS20 & Volca Sample/fm, ‘Psiche Liberata’s velvet heaviness was achieved by re-amping many of the instruments through a Leslie Rotary Speaker and a reel-to-reel Telefunken. Fera’s sonic tapestry is in constant flux, underlying themes of love longing and affection run through the record but in a turbulent, volcanic, unleashed fashion, almost on the brink of utter noise or complete silence, reminding us that this is an artist like no other amidst the ever changing electronic scene. These are transmissions from the gutter, where the inevitable meets the unattainable and collapses.

"Fera’s tarnished materials are destined for ruin; “Stupida,” full of longing and regret, sounds like an elegy for a fallen world." Pitchfork

"A cut of dark magic that fits like a glove to overcast days, wild winds and lashing rains. Insistent, the treacle-thick bassline oozes out, soaking the space between the melancholic synth lines." Inverted Audio

"The songs on Stupidamutaforma feel hypnotizing...it establishes De Franco as a composer who uses space and time to create a set of rich, immersive works." Bandcamp 'Album Of The Day'

Reggae Charmers is the 1970 album by Lloyd Charmers, born Lloyd Tyrell. His career spans some of the most fertile periods of Jamaica's musical history. From the late-'50s era of Jamaican shuffle R&B and the subsequent ska boom, to the rocksteady and roots reggae of the late '60s and early '70s, Charmers made valuable contributions not only as a vocalist, but as a session musician and producer, as well. Charmers took up the piano in 1966. A few years later, he was an accomplished enough player to form a band of his own with a few friends. The band eventually backed Ken Parker, Max Romeo, Pat Kelly, John Holt, and Slim Smith & the Uniques (Charmers would also spend some time singing for the Uniques). Buoyed by their reputation for laying down some of the rawest and driving rhythms of the time. Charmers is joined by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires on this record, that is a must for all true fans of vintage Jamaican sounds. Reggae Charmers is available as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on orange colored vinyl.

80s alt country punk outfit, Lone Justice, with Maria McKee, Ryan Hedgecock, Marvin Etzioni and Don Heffington are in full flight with the release of a brand new 7". Taken from their forthcoming album, Viva Lone Justice, 'Teenage Kicks' is a rambunctious slice of punk angst that sounds like it was recorded in one take. It's a timeless anthem with a joyous riff that explodes into a hail of feedback. A favour returned as Maria McKee, the songwriter of Feargal Sharkey's only solo hit 'A Good Heart', Lone Justice cover The Undertones' Peel-approved favourite with the artwork of the single being a nod to the original. "As much as we loved Merle Haggard, George Jones, and many other authentic hard core Country artists, we were also deeply impacted by Punk; from the Velvet Underground (we were playing "Sweet Jane" live as early as 1983) to the MC5 ("Sister Ann" is on the album "Viva Lone Justice")." Backed with 'Nothing Can Stop My Loving You' that's cut with a wild, squeezebox-powered interpretation of the George Jones and Roger Miller country stomp. "Speaking of George Jones, here's one written by George Jones and Roger Miller. Two of our favorites! We played this song at nearly every show starting in 1983. This ragged and right live recording captures the fire from a sold out show at The Palace in Los Angeles and features Jo-El Sonnier on lead accordion documenting the only time Sonnier played with LJ. "Nothing Can Stop My Loving You" is the only live track on Viva Lone Justice." // "A roots rock band that took Los Angeles by storm in the 80s and developed a smaller but deeply enthusiastic following outside the Golden State

sentiment is a meditation of the poignant emotional terrains of loneliness, nostalgia, sentimentality, guilt, and sex. The album"s narrative arc is guided by delicate musical gestures and artistic vulnerability, audaciously synthesizing disparate and unexpected influences. claire rousay is a singular artist, known for challenging conventions in experimental and ambient music forms. rousay masterfully incorporates textural found sounds, sumptuous drones and candid field recordings into music that celebrates the beauty in life"s banalities. Her music is curatorial and granular in detail, deftly shaped into emotionally affecting pieces. rousay"s vocals and guitar take center stage on sentiment. Her intimate, diaristic lyrics contrast with her mechanical-inflected vocal effects, emphasizing a powerful desire for connection, a deep yearning and a lingering sense of separation. The spare guitar playing and laconic tempo both drive the songs and exude a sense of resignation. Her delicate mastery of nuance draws on her explorative musical past that she, with sincerity and admiration, seamlessly interweaves into her adventurous textures and distinctive compositions. "I want to belong to the worlds and communities I look up to. Same as someone using a Fender guitar or dressing like Kurt Cobain. Emulate your heroes," says rousay. The album balances the poetic soul of her influences with a documentarian heart, rousay capturing moments of her life while living alone in houses across the country, learning to play guitar, and reconnecting with pop music. Her innate ability to conjure pure feeling from sound derives from her delightful embrace of pop forms, the vulnerability found in field recordings, minimalistic arrangements and innovative sound choices. sentiment is blissfully, achingly melancholic, and an undeniably sensual listening experience.

Tokyo Riddim Band continue their journey striding across times and cultures, this time with their colourful keyboardist and frontwoman Mimi Kobayashi breathing new life into a song she originally penned in 1981. ‘Lazy Love’ first featured on Mimi’s highly sought after Coconuts High LP, which she recorded in LA recruiting top session players to play alongside her. It was also included in Time Capsule’s 2024 compilation of Japanese reggae - Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985.

This soulful pop tune turned deep dub cut retains the romantic charm of the original, whilst the tasteful performances of the Tokyo Riddim Band and Ras Tavaris combined with Prince Fatty’s studio magic give the song a newly found depth.

London based Tokyo Riddim Band is a unique fusion of cultures, bringing together the vibrant energy of three generations of Japanese female musicians with the eclectic sounds of London. Their dynamic performances blend reggae drums, funky bass lines, and the smooth City Pop guitar, all magically dubbed-out live on stage. This is not just music; it's a cultural phenomenon, offering a fresh and exciting take on the reggae scene.

Ambitious, smart, and magnetically retro, The Rise and Fall of American
Kitsch will charm you with dazzlingly quirky storytelling, stellar
performances, and an adventurous Americana soundscape
It's nuanced enough that you'll want to soak it in with front-to-back listens, and
fun enough for a road trip soundtrack. With American Kitsch, Karen Jonas is
clearly on the rise.
Full PR plan in place
UK Tour in October 2024

Lebanon oud master Rabih Abou-Khalil's stunning 1996 album 'Arabian
Waltz' is appearing here on vinyl for the first time."Arabian Waltz is the
pinnacle of Rabih Abou-Khalil's achievement as a composer and arranger
It is a sublime fusion of jazz, Middle Eastern traditional music, and Western
classical. In addition to Abou-Khalil on oud (the Arabic lute), Michel Godard on the
tuba and the serpent (the tuba's antique kinsman), and Nabil Khaiat on frame
drums, the album also features the Balanescu String Quartet instead of the usual
trumpet or sax. The presence of the Balanescu might seem to pose a dilemma
for the composer: traditional Middle Eastern music uses no harmony but a string
quartet is all about harmony. Abou- Khalil achieves a compromise by generally
writing the string parts in unison (or in octaves), in effect using the quartet as a
single voice, but also letting the quartet split up to play parts in unison with the
other instruments or to provide ornamentation. Without surrendering jazziness at
all, the presence of the strings makes possible a wondrous atmosphere, almost
as if one is listening to the soundtrack of a classy movie set in Beirut or
Damascus during the '40s. This feeling is greatest on "Dreams of a Dying City"
with its brooding tuba and cello motifs and grave, repeated rhythms. "The Pain
After" starts with an impressive tuba solo that turns into a long interlude for tuba
and string quartet; sad, slow music that sounds like one of Beethoven 's late
quartets. Then Abou- Khalil finally enters on oud, bringing a sustained note of
wistfulness. Fortunately, beside the darker numbers lie the propulsive drama of
"Arabian Waltz" and the bobbing and weaving quirkiness of "Ornette Never
Sleeps." Abou- Khalil is known for experimenting with the possibilities his guest
musicians bring to his style. In this case, the guests have inspired the host to
reach a new height and maybe even a new style. This recording suits every fan of
world music, jazz, classical, or just good music." - Kurt Keefner

B2 Recordings is back with a second release that is every bit as good as the first. This one comes from Reece Johnson and is a joyous mix of uplifting disco sounds with a timeless edge. 'Comin' In Hot' is a lose-limbed opener with percussive edgy and low-slung drums topped off with dazzling chords. 'Glass Heart' then brings the funk with more expert looseness and this time some hooky and soulful vocals. 'Sup America' keeps the party rolling with instrumental disco brilliance and a Spanish vocal to add real heat while 'Feelin' The Beat' and 'Got To Be Free' close out with higher tempos but no less class.

Marking sixty years of Bossa Nova, and twenty years since Marcos Valle’s first release for Far Out Recordings, what better time to bring back this era-defining classic from the Brazilian master composer?

Throughout his astounding six-decade career, infiltrating pop, bossa nova, samba, delicate psychedelia, jazz and funk, Marcos Valle has consistently shown a dogged determination to transcend the traditions and structures of bossa nova, whilst never veering away from the movement’s inherent, fundamental spirit. To some extent, his epithet ‘the original Rio beach boy’ is a handy one: it reflects the origin and character of his often sun-soaked sound, but expounding his importance in the lineage of Brazilian music, he is more discerningly known as ‘the renaissance man of Brazilian pop’. He is indeed one the very greatest and most important composers, arrangers, writers and performers in Brazil.

Up until Nova Bossa Nova, Marcos Valle hadn’t released an album for well over a decade. After 1983, he resented the way the music industry had changed with commercialisation and new demands curtailing his creative freedom. This was until 1994 when Marcos met Far Out boss Joe Davis and they recorded a track for Far Out’s first Friends From Rio album. This new collaborative partnership resulted in a new solo album, which commenced recording in 1996.

Nova Bossa Nova brought Marcos bouncing back into the 90s, slotting nicely in place alongside the acid jazz movement as well as a voracious new demand for Brazilian music on dancefloors from London to Tokyo. It was witnessing the London club scene’s growing appetite for Brazilian music, as well as a lack of new sounds coming out of Brazil at the time, that a young Joe Davis put in a proposal to record a new album with one of his musical idols. Joe wanted to facilitate an album which would combine the latest technologies and production techniques, with live to analogue tape recording: a Marcos Valle album tailor-made for London’s clubs. Always open to modern influences and possibilities, Marcos agreed to the project, and Joe and his production partner Roc Hunter flew to Rio in ‘96. The record wasn’t released until ’98, as the original ½ inch tapes were stolen from Far Out’s London studio, meaning parts of the album had to be re-recorded.

Nova Bossa Nova was unveiled at the peak of the of the Brazilian movement, the record would also prove to be something of a revolution, inspiring a new generation of artists like Bebel Gilberto, Sabrina Malheiros, Da Lata and Bossacucanova, who continued to fuse Brazilian influences with modern electronic sounds.

"Everybody Funk is the first album from Japigia Records, which launches into 2024 with great ardor. This is the first splendid house music album by Pasquale Fanelli, an industrialist from Bari with boundless passion for music and for the show in general, whose greatest merit is of having created a working group full of ideas and talent: the IAPIGI team. The DJ-arranger Paky Fanelli - so called by his friends - with the help of the multifaceted artist-DJ Fabio Ricciuti has dug extensively into the hinterland of the Puglia region in search of his own roots to find the right synergies and give meaning and value to the context, to the habits, to the organization of a city generous in history and culture like Bari, which crossed the ocean via the Adriatic Sea and the Mediterranean. Thanks to IAPIGI we have therefore arrived in New York where Danilo Braca captures Paky's work and shapes it with excellent Italian taste, which is exactly that of a DJ resident for several decades in the Big Apple where he generates surprising and always current sounds. Although radically different, "Daytona" and "Everybody Funk" represent some of the most exciting Italian house songs of this season. In addition to the skilful remix of these two songs, it is worth mentioning "The Edge", whose main melody develops slowly. Once again Danilo Braca has raised the bar and changed the rules of the game. Good boy! The experts Qubiko & Fabio Ricciuti bring a worthy close to this first work by Paky Fanelli with a short piece, originally entitled "Disaccord" and then merged into "Accord", with the aim of putting everyone on the same wavelength. on the same level or musical chord. Comes with an amazing embossed cover too."

Co-Accused return for their second release of 2024 with a hand picked V/A sharing sounds from some of the label’s favourite electro and techno producers. Underground legends and fearsome up-and-comers come on board to the Glasgow based label with Luke’s Anger, SOD-90, Steve Allman, Mal_Hombre andParand delivering tracks. CR006 VA is selected for the dancefloor, tried and tested in Co- accused's own DJ sets.

Luke’s Anger launches the EP with some up for it wonky business in ‘Choplifter’. From one of the masters of the wonky techno sound Luke’s Anger continues in full form with his tight yet askew playful
beats. SOD-90 comes in next with ‘Saving Up For Botox’ with his fearless punk take on the electro sound - his own brand of high intensity atmospherics mixed with distorted synth lines, vocals and kicking breaks. Cultivated Electronics’ Steve Allman leads the B Side with ‘This Is Not A Dream’ calling on driving hoover bass and haunting synths in classic UK electro style. For the B2 Mal_Hombre takes the EP down a deeper and more spatial path with ‘Triangulation’ with delicately detailed and propulsive techno, a long time friend of the label whose debut album Andromeda Outpost released on Jeff Mill’s iconic Axis Records. Topping the whole thing off Berlin based producer and Avoidant alumni Parand delivers the final hit with Bloc - a powerful, pitch black, driving heads down moment.

Maritime Blue Colored Vinyl. Numero's Hottest Sounds Around trio gathers castaway late-'70s grooves from across the Greater Antilles. Stan Chaman's Trinidadian Semp concern delivered Wilfred Luckie's wobbly "My Thing" and the Hamilton Brothers' calypso-disco smash "Music Makes The World Go `Round" in 1978. Across the sea, Frank Penn's G.B.I studio tracked Stephen Colebrook's Doobies-inspired "Stay Away From Music" for the cruise ship curious. All three are housed in a custom Numero sleeve inspired by Edward Seaga's Caribbean music manufacturing and distribution powerhouse WIRL (West Indies Records Ltd.)

Marking its first decade of activity, Blume returns with the first ever vinyl reissue of the seminal “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media”, from 1977, the third and final instalment in a suite of releases that includes James Tenney’s “Postal Pieces” and Ben Vida’s “Vocal Trio”. Unquestionably among the most important collections of experimental music to emerge during the 20th Century, “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” is the original feminist presentation in its context, releasing the work of Johanna M. Beyer, Annea Lockwood, Pauline Oliveros, Laurie Spiegel, Megan Roberts, Ruth Anderson, and Laurie Anderson under its collective banner. Includes newly commissioned liner notes by Jennifer Lucy Allen and Bradford Bailey.

Since its founding back in 2014, Blume has carved a unique place in cultural landscape, issuing free standing works, spanning the historical and contemporary, that represent singular gestures of creativity within the field of experimental sound. Joining their broad efforts in building networks of context and understanding that already includes the efforts of efforts of Werner Durand, Sarah Hennies, Bruce Nauman, John Butcher, Jocy de Oliveira, Mary Jane Leach, Valentina Magaletti, Alvin Curran, Julius Eastman, Alvin Lucier, and others, Blume delivers their third release in their first suite of releases for 2024, the fist ever vinyl reissue of the seminal “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” compilation, originally issued by Thomas Buckner's 1750 Arch Records in 1977. Out of print for decades on vinyl and arguably the most important feminist statement in the history of experimental music, illuminating the work of Johanna M. Beyer, Annea Lockwood, Pauline Oliveros, Laurie Spiegel, Megan Robert, Ruth Anderson, and Laurie Anderson - in a number of cases representing their recording debuts - during a crucial moment in the history of experimental music. Blume’s brand new edition - complete with newly commissioned liner notes by Jennifer Lucy Allen and Bradford Bailey, as well as reproducing Charles Amirkhanian’s original accompanying text - radically shifts perceptions of the past and present day with its truly revolutionary sounds.

Issued by Thomas Buckner's 1750 Arch Records in 1977, and out of print nearly the entire time since, “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” can be understood within two simple frameworks. On one hand, it is an astounding document of the landscape of experimental music toward the end of the 1970s. On the other, it is a historically significant feminist statement, being the first collection of experimental music entirely dedicated to female composers, a number of whom were grossly under-celebrated at the time, but have since gone on to be regarded as among the most important composers of their generation.

The eight pieces gathered by “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” - Johanna M. Beyer’s “Music of the Spheres”, Annea Lockwood’s “World Rhythms”, Pauline Oliveros’ “Bye Bye Butterfly”, Laurie Spiegel’s “Appalachian Grove I”, Megan Roberts’ “I Could Sit Here All Day”, Ruth Anderson’s “Points”, and Laurie Anderson’s “New York Social Life” and “Time To Go (For Diego)” - might be regarded as the first cohesive vision of alternate proximity or expression of experimental music to what has always been a frustratingly male dominated environment, and to the tropes, temperaments, and sensibilities that have been historically perceived to define it. It is an expanded vision of truth. While the presence of feminine sensibilities and temperaments in experimental music, however they may present themselves, were anything but new in 1977, “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” was the first opportunity, beyond the temporal limitations of live performance, to view them collectively, rather than as individualised expressions within a larger body of similar gestures (as was the case of Oliveros’ inclusion in Odyssey’s 1967 “New Sounds In Electronic Music” and “Extended Voices” compilations) where they might be confused for something else; to regard and celebrate a radical notion of feminine sonority for its unique characteristics and through its interrelations.

While its historical significance and groundbreaking nature can not be debated in its totality, nearly half a century on “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” remains compelling in both its musicality and the palpable sense of its lasting influence. Every composition across the album’s two sides is not only engrossing and deeply compelling - feeling as fresh and relevant as the day it was laid to tape - but clearly tangible in their lasting influence. Viewed in context, the album’s eight works feel like breath of fresh air when compared to much of what came before, and laid the groundwork for much of what was to come, introducing a new, often more holistic temperament and more sensitive and inclusive sensibility into the landscape of experimental music.

Particularly in the case of Annea Lockwood, Pauline Oliveros, Laurie Spiegel, Ruth Anderson, and Laurie Anderson, it's hard to throw ourselves back in time and imagine a moment when these composers rested in a fairly marginalised corner of the creative landscape. Blume’s brand new edition of “New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media” - complete with newly commissioned liner notes by Jennifer Lucy Allen and Bradford Bailey, as well as reproducing Charles Amirkhanian’s original accompanying text - brings us back to this confounding moment and points us toward a crucial moment of change set forth by these incredible composers and their sounds. Absolutely seminal and not to be missed.

Nur wenige Künstler sind so umstritten und einflussreich. New York-Legende R.A. The Rugged Man wird dieser Einordnung durch seine Kombination aus Authentizität, seines unbestreitbar wilden Lebens mit seinen unverkennbar außergewöhnlichen Fähigkeiten am Mikrophon gerecht. Schon in den Neunzigern, als er mit Notorious BIG, Sadat X und Company Flow aufnahm und zwischenzeitlich bei Jive gesigned war, wo sein Album jedoch nie veröffentlicht wurde, glaubte niemand mehr an eine erfolgreiche Karriere. Aufgrund seiner vielen Eskapaden war er aus sämtlichen Studios, Konzerthallen und Plattenfirmenbüros verbannt worden. Doch R.A. The Rugged Man blieb sich treu, veröffentlichte mehrere Underground-Singles und ein Album auf Rawkus, Eastern Conference und Nature Sounds und erhielt sich einen harten Kern an treuen Fans. Nun legt er mit "Legends Never Die" den Nachfolger zu "Die Rugged Man Die" vor. Mit dabei sind MCs wie Tech N9ne, Talib Kweli, Brother Ali, Masta Ace, Vinnie Paz (Jedi Mind Tricks), Sadat X, Bumpy Knuckles u.v.a. Für die Beats haben unter anderem Marco Polo, Buckwild, Apathy, Ayatollah und Mr. Green gesorgt.

2024 Repress

Dauw welcomes Berlin based musician Midori Hirano to the label with her new album Soniscope. Award winning composer Robot Koch provided a rework of the track Patterns under his recently announced new ambient project Foam and Sand.

With releases on acclaimed labels such as Longform Editions, Sonic Pieces and Alien Transistor, Midori Hirano is no stranger within the field of electro-acoustic piano music. While she is more known for her studio-work, it is often forgotten that she also has a long tradition of writing for films and theatre productions. This forms an important part in her work and a constant inspiration for her autonomous work. Soniscope is no exception in that regard. While working on the film Mizuko (Kira Dane, Katelyn Rebelo, 2019), a still of many little Jizo statutes got her attention and came to be the first steps of her new album.

“I was fascinated by the combination of the image and sound which well emphasized the stillness with a slight of emotion.” (Midori Hirano)

With the Jizo statutes on her mind, Midori Hirano wanted to make an album and started envisioning several personal narratives. Soniscope can be considered as the soundtrack of her own personal stories related to these statues of which Mizuko Jizo was the starting point. With Soniscope, Hirano continues in the same vein as her previous albums in which piano and electronic arrangements hold a central place. However, on this record she specifically explored new possibilities in terms of techniques and instruments.

Midori Hirano is a Japanese musician, composer and producer, born in Kyoto and living in Berlin since 2008. She started learning the piano as a child, and this triggered what was to later see her study classical piano at university. Therefore her productions are based on the use of acoustic instruments such as the piano, strings or guitars, but yet experimental and an eclectic mixture of modern digital sounds with subtle electronic processing and field recordings.

Her first two albums were released on noble records, and her second, “klo:yuri”(2008), saw her further develop of her sound, garnering critical acclaim from various media including TIME magazine , BBC radio and FACT Magazine. Over the following years Midori has performed in venues and festivals as diverse as Club Transmediale, Heroines of Sound Festival, Erased Tapes Sound Gallery, L.E.V. Festival, Boiler Room Berlin, and Wonderfruit Festival.

The nine solo albums and numerous single track releases to date include the works of her other moniker MimiCof, in which she explores the realm of experimental music and detailed rhythmic patterns, combined with an idea of drawing melodic shapes and harmonies. Her recent works have been released by labels such as Sonic Pieces, Daisart, Alien Transistor, raster-media, 7k! Music and Longform Editions.

Besides producing her own works, she composes music for films, video installations and dance performances. The films that have commissioned works by Midori have been screened at Berlin International Film Festival, SXSW Film Festival, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and among others.

"Million Dollar Baby" ist Pixeys bislang ehrgeizigstes Popprojekt, das sie zusammen mit Tom McFarland (Jungle, Olivia Dean, Alfie Templeman) und Rich Turvey (Rachel Chinouriri, Blossoms, The Coral) produzierte. Das Album folgt ihrer Reise der Selbstfindung als Künstlerin und dem Abwerfen damit verbundener Illusionen. "Million Dollar Baby" kombiniert Pixeys Liebe zu 90er Breakbeats mit ihren Skills als Popkünstlerin und -Produzentin, probiert und interpoliert einige ihrer Lieblingssongs, um nicht nur die Lücke zwischen alten und neuen Sounds zu schliessen, sondern einen völlig neuen Sound zu schaffen. Pixey erhält enorme Unterstützung von den britischen Popmedien und zierte hierzulande das Cover von Spotifys "Indie Brandneu" Playlist.

To experience Justin R. Cruz Gallego's pulverizing Sub Pop debut is to get burned down to ashes and burst forth, born anew. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), the Tacoma-based artist's second album, is driven by opposing forces: noisy abstractions and tightly structured beats, anguish and dissolution at the outside world and empowerment within, apathy and catharsis. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) weds scouring electronics to hooky songs and Gallego's powerful drumming in a way that feels visceral and new. It's his most personal statement to date, at once playful and intent, driven and combustible, total fucking chaos mixed into glints of broken-glass beauty. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Gallego experienced culture shock as a child after relocating to the frigid climes of the Pacific Northwest. He found solace in the Seattle punk scene centered around Iron Lung Records and has since remained a fixture in the underground community. "I see this record as first and foremost a musical statement," Gallego says. "I grew up in punk and DIY subcultures, but before that I had Latin music playing in the background through my childhood and every phase of adolescence. It was surprisingly natural to incorporate. I realized I wanted to go deeper into these rhythms. I wanted to make a record that felt as experimental as much as it felt from the perspective of a Latino. When I got a glimmer of that possibility, it felt exciting." Lead single "Dogear" is a face-melting party starter that sounds like someone forced Talking Heads and Rudimentary Peni to share a practice space. "I wanted a song that felt playful in the way it attempted to be dissonant without taking itself too seriously," Gallego says. "Cholla Beat" is even more ambitious, an anthemic mix of WAR and Wire led by unruly synthesizers spiraling down a labyrinth of production. Gallego's influences for the album are vast, ranging from British documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis to electric Miles Davis to audio miscreants like Demdike Stare and Oneohtrix Point Never. But it's Gallego's assured sonic vision that resounds the loudest. And, while J.R.C.G. is a solo project, conceived and executed primarily in Gallego's home studio, he found strength in opening the project to others, starting with Seth Manchester as co-producer. Manchester's penchant for bone-rattling frequencies, as seen in his production work with The Body, Battles, and Mdou Moctar, made him a natural fit for Gallego. Together, they retained the intimacy of Gallego's home recordings while taking advantage of the hi-fi stylings of his Machines With Magnets Studio in Rhode Island. The closing song, "World i," offers a glimpse into the live experience of Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), with upwards of seven band members blasting off. The album features a fascinating mix of supporting players, many of whom cycle through J.R.C.G.'s live lineup: Morgan Henderson (The Blood Brothers, Fleet Foxes), Jason Clackley (Dreamdecay, The Exquisites), Jon Scheid (Dreamdecay, U Sco), Erica Miller (Casual Hex, Big Bite), Veronica Dye (Terminator) Phil Cleary (U Sco), and Alex Gaziano (Dreamdecay, Kidcrash, Science Amplification). Taken as a whole, G.I.S.M. is a whirlwind of sound, pummeling, and cleansing. It's a sweaty, thrilling aural adventure and, like a great basement show, it'll leave you breathless, exhausted, and wanting to repeat it all over again. As any good mantra should.

Following up releases on Tokyo-based record label Mule Musiq, Constellation Tatsu and Good Morning Tapes, Saphileaum delivers six tracks on Intervision - unconstrained reverie encompassing a patchwork of tribal-tinged downtempo, mellow house and neo-Amazonian ambient soundscapes.

Pressed on blue marbled vinyl. Printed sleeve.

Releasing as a vinyl 45, Bad Night is the lead offering from The Cromagnon Band's new album Mode. This is the band's second LP and the first of theirs to be released on BBE Music. Mode itself is an album of cinematic and psychedelic dark Funk tinged and tinted with Nordic psych/jazz, classical, boom-bap Hip-Hop breaks and riff heavy rock. Bad Night is backed with Quadrant, a stand alone track that won't be on the album, thus making the vinyl single release a unique addition to the music lover's record collection. That said, these are are two tracks which give both a genuine flavour of the forthcoming album as well as the band's own musical influences and heritage as instrumentalists and producers. The Cromagnon Band's recording technique of taking breaks, riffs and melodies from favourite tracks and then improvising from there with completely live jam sessions in the studio allows them to record in their distinct and trademark 'reverse engineering' style. The trio of Drummer Tom Watt, Bassist Lenny Walker and multi-instrumentalist Bert Page work by making music as a team, playing for hours and united by a love of Hip-Hop breaks and psychedelic Jazz/Rock/Funk and classical music. They choose to record only instrumentals which allows space for Bert to weave intricate soundscape with Fender Rhodes, Moog, Sax and Clarinet over the beats and breaks they have written from their improvised jams. Bad Night b/w Quadrant are the lead releases from The Cromagnon Band's new album Mode. They will be released as a 7" vinyl and digitally.

Dust & Disquiet is the band’s fourth full-length album and the follow up to 2012’s stellar Waking Season. Recorded at Q Division Studios in Somerville, Massachusetts, Caspian once again tapped Matt Bayles (Isis, Cursive, Screaming Females, The Sword) to produce and mix. On Dust & Disquiet, Caspian again refuses to be confined by genre. Listeners will find those familiar intricately textured soundscapes that the band has become known for. Caspian released, Waking Season, in 2012 to critical acclaim, with Spin proclaiming it as the “Best Post Rock Album of 2012.” The band followed with the release of Hymn For the Greatest Generation in the fall of 2013, an EP that was to serve as Caspian’s epilogue to Waking Season. Hymn for the Greatest Generation was also well received, finding praise everywhere from Pitchfork to Nylon to Alternative Press.

Released via Sony CMG - This is a reissue of HiM's album, "Deep Shadow & Brilliant Highlights". HIM's third album, remains a standout in their discography. Opening with 'Salt In Our Wounds,' the album showcases a perfect blend of slow build-ups and heavier choruses, featuring a cool solo. 'Heartache Every Moment,' a single, grows on you with its poignant lyrics. 'Lose You Tonight' offers a unique intro with a bass line and intriguing background sounds, while 'In Joy And Sorrow' captivates with soothing guitar riffs and beautiful vocals. 'Pretending' stands out with memorable lyrics and an impressive solo. Although 'Close To The Flame' and 'Beautiful' are slower tracks, they add depth to the album. 'Don't Close Your Heart' and 'Love You Like I Do' close the album on a high note that create a lasting impact on the listeners. Single Black LP Vinyl.

Hailing from Denmark, CTRLS takes the steering wheel for KEY042, delivering an EP that embodies techno and raw industrial energy, marking his third appearance on the label.
The A-side begins 'ectomagnetic', a highly rhythmical track building through layers into a dreamy chord progression thats traddles the line between eyes-closed fantasia and full-body pump. In the midst of it all, the bassline drags our attention as its earthy, round essence stands out from the metallic universe created around it. A2 'injection shuffle' is a heavy hitter, characterized by distorted, ringing textures and old-school methodology, boasting menacing drum programming thatsolidifies its status as a peak-time big room monster. Continuingon the B, 'subsumed' offers another mystical journey blending body music with spaced-out melodies, all stamped with CTRLS's unmistakable touch. A sort of sci-fi tension, eerily drawing listeners into its other worldly atmosphere. Closing with 'nanocaust', the EP dives into intense atmospheres led by a broken beat bone and cavernous soundscapes - once again - presenting a general sound which will make you feel a different kind of energy.
Strong package of densely populated sonic environments, all inline with the sound of KEY.

I’ve lost my sense, I’ve lost control, I’ve lost my mind! Yeah, we all know how the song goes, but those words will no doubt end up driving their point home throughout the duration of Bloodstains’ self-titled debut LP. This thoroughly-welcome Euro pressing follows the album’s DIY release earlier in 2024, which is excellent news for UK/mainland fans of early 80s SoCal hardcore who’ve yet to hear it - the whole thing absolutely fkn rips. Feel free to rifle through your Adolescents, Weirdos and (natch) Agent Orange records to see what these guys have been mining, but all you’ll find is a launchpad - Bloodstains inevitably hail from California and they’re clearly au fait with all the above (not to mention a certain compilation), but they manage to inhabit that sound with a personality all of their own. Vocalist Cesar Marin splits his delivery between a sneering bark (like the most withering put-downs you’ve ever heard being delivered via nailgun) and a purposeful, melodic croon… which itself sounds it’s made from sandpaper and vitriol, but there you go. Most importantly, this is a band with SONGS. Eight of ‘em here, to be precise, and you’ll rarely have been so glad to have something turned up so loud it blows holes in your speakers. ‘Stray Bullets’ hangs its mighty chorus on a call-and-response refrain that dares you not to pick a side and bellow along, while instrumental opener ‘The Last Rites’ sets you up perfectly for the seething, volatile bundle of hooks to follow. I’d say the interplay between the band’s string-wielding Espinoza contingent is something to behold as well, but what am I, some kinda nerd? The guitars sound fkn awesome - that’ll do ya. And I don’t wanna spoil the party ahead of time, but just wait til you hear future anthem ‘Public Hanging’. I could go on about this record all day, but ultimately all you need to do is listen to it. Hell, even buy it. And dare I return to a theme, lose your mind.

"Can’t Stop Coming Around is The Shivas’ 10th full-length album. Recorded by the band themselves in their home studio ‘FFF’ in Portland, Oregon, and mixed by dear friend Collin Hegna (Brian Jonestown Massacre, Federale), Can’t Stop Coming Around showcases the many soundscapes that the Shivas traverse.

Psychedelia, garage, surf, girl group harmonies, and a punk ethos are all on display in this true to form full-length. Between reverb drenched vocals and catchy guitar hooks, Can’t Stop Coming Around encapsulates the emotions, hardwork and musicianship cultivated from almost two decades of rockin’ all over the world together.

Ranging from brooding and vulnerable to lively and maniacal - and every facet in between - Can’t Stop Coming Around comes from a place of honesty and certainty. It is certain that The Shivas will always be making music and it’s certain that they will always be pouring their honest selves into it. "

First official vinyl reissue under Sonor music production license - numbered to 500 copies.

Outstanding Italian Library session from the desirable Nike private label owned by Bruno Battisti D'Amario and featuring the great Silvano Chimenti on guitars and Edda Dell'Orso scats. Amazing, refined Score music released for TV and documentaries music production with superb loungy and soft sounds inspired by Western landscapes and natural panorama. Moody and bluesy jam with a mixture of various guitar tones, trippy atmospheres and themed descriptive music with addiction of soft Psychedelic moods, Easy Listening and allegro vibes alternated by sweet melodies. The cult maestro and Morricone's collaborator D'Amario here provides one of his highest masterwork in composition with its classical guitar added by Chimenti's Psychedelic notes and some mindmelting Edda Dell'Orso's scat numbers. Several exquisite Spaghetti Western inspired themes, maybe used as original score for obscure movie in the '70s / ethereal LSD Psychedelic vibes with isolated distorted Wah Wah / Lounge moods throughout with nature inspired themes / Folk & Blues influences / trippy Scat vocals / 70s Easy Listening and panoramic descriptive music for a very complete Library session. Great album!

Comes with insert and download coupon.

Imagine a Latin remake of Back to the Future. The mad scientist is Arsenio Rodriguez (the godfather of salsa) and the young student who travels through time with him is Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers). This album can only be described as the perfect soundtrack for that movie that never was.

After the massive buzz generated by his first solo album, Mentallogenic, Alex Figueira got back in the studio to work in a more collective fashion this time, carefully assembling the second album of his largest project to date, Conjunto Papa Upa; a team of 6 musicians, spanning 3 generations of some of the best talent in the Latin and avant-garde scenes.

In an era where tropical music is dominated by purely electronic and rhythmically uniform sounds, the ten songs encompassed in “Fruta Madura” (“Ripe Fruit”) wander through the most diverse tempos, rhythms, and motifs effortlessly. A real breath of fresh air that gracefully incorporates soul, funk, jazz, psychedelia, and electronics into a solid tropical, irresistibly polyrhythmic foundation, without ever succumbing to the many genre clichés.

The distinctive production and catchy songwriting of Figueira shine in a very distinctive light on this second full-length. Living up to his reputation (Miles Cleret, founder of Soundway Records, called him “one of the scene's truly authentic and eccentric producers”), he takes the opportunity to show he’s not afraid to keep walking his own path.

Taking the band for a wild ride through the traditions of Africa, America, and the Caribbean; contrasting them with a ridiculously wide plethora of vintage, contemporary, and futuristic sounds, and pivoting on the exuberant musicality displayed by his musicians; the result leaves no doubt: this album is destined to be considered a future classic of the exciting tropical psychedelic music of the 21st century.

Addressing the most diverse themes in this new collection of songs, things take on a much more mature tone, as the title clearly suggests.

The opening track “El segundo es más sabroso” (“The second one is tastier”) sets the tone in the most assertive way imaginable, with the band boldly declaring, through multiple metaphorical references (laid upon a crazy mix of Dominican merengue, Detroit techno, classic and free jazz, dub, and electro), that the bar will be set higher with this second album.

The remaining compositions touch upon the most diverse subjects, with a fair dose of humor, sarcasm, and postmodern “magic realism”. “El Algoritmo” (The Algorithm) is a parranda-cumbia hybrid (for lack of a specific term) about the omnipresence of technology in our lives. The sophisticated Latin soul of the titling track “Fruta Madura” makes a case for the beauty of the maturity process. Some key philosophical teachings of Marcus Aurelius (the role of causality, the impositions of “the logos” and the importance of self-control) get a twisted cumbia treatment on “Reos del Deseo” (Prisoners of Desire). “No le pongas Coca-Cola” (“Don’t put Coca Cola in it”) shows us the most satirical side of the band, accusing those who mix Coca Cola with Rum of committing "sacrilege", on a powerful base of Dem Bow (the grandfather of Reggaeton), intertwined with touches of soul, salsa, and Cuban comparsa.

"Háblame Claro" (“Talk to me clearly”) is a story of heartbreak that evokes in its first part the spirit of the erotic salsa of the 80s (a subgenre deeply despised by purists), and after an unexpected samba interlude, leads to the hardest salsa of the 70s (a subgenre adored by purists), to end up in the surprising form of pure Afro-Cuban ceremonial music.

“Tu mamá tenía razón” ("Your Mom Was Right") is an attempt to exalt the spirit of the Latin American soap opera in the key of “acid bachata”, to recount a real-life case, witnessed by the band on countless occasions: the partying woman who arrives at the show accompanied by her bitter husband, who obviously does not like to dance. A very cheeky song to talk about the very serious and pertinent topic of female empowerment.

“La misma vaina” (“The same thing”) with its indescribable blend of bantú, candomblé, and Mozambique rhythms with abstract synthesizers, is an ode to adventure in favor of the aversion to taking risks and seeking predictability.

“Amigas picadas” (“Salty friends”) is another humorous song recounting another real-life case witnessed by the band on countless occasions: a love encounter sabotaged by the girlfriend's friends, who all happen to fancy the same guy. A jazzy take on the ancient Dominican rhythm of pambiche (grandfather of merengue), with generous psychedelic touches, resembling the classy late 60s releases of Guadeloupe's legendary producer / label owner Henri Debs.

“Vinimos a hablar” (“We came to talk”) takes sarcasm to the highest level, to ridicule the absurdity (also experienced by the band firsthand) seen in live music venues where people pay a ticket to go and have conversations that could be carried out much better on any bar, where no band is playing. The music alternates between a delicate melody with loose, sparse percussion and a full-on, pumping Angolan semba, with a techno kick drum included; bringing things to an apotheotic grooving finale, where the peculiar swing of Venezuelan calypso from the Callao region is thrown on top of all the precedent elements; closing the album in the most uplifting, “end of the carnival parade” feel.

The artwork is a delicate and impactful oil painting by Colombian artist Kevin Simón Mancera, who has collaborated many times with the label before (“Maracas, tambourines and other hellish things” tape and the Lola’s Dice LP).

What the experts are saying:

“Alex (Figueira) dove into this work with a brutal cohesion between lyrics and synths. Timbre poetry, sound poetry (you name it). And that, superimposed on his always impeccable percussive base, confirms the title of “avant-garde visionary of our beautiful Latin music”".
EBLIS ALVAREZ (MERIDIAN BROTHERS)
“Papa Upa's infectious quirkiness is a balm against boredom. A mature album, but without an expiration date”.
GLADYS PALMERA

“Here there is a lot of strength, drum, cadence and psychedelia, lost dance rhythms, united in an intercontinental Latin/African/and Caribbean journey, a unique winning combination that we could consider the new “Ritmo Figueira”.
DISCODELIC

Conjunto Papa Upa are: 



Alex Figueira - Timbales, percussion, vocals. 

Gerardo Rosales - Congas, percussion, vocals. 

Ramón Mendeville - Bongos, percussion, vocals. 

Randy Winterdal - Bass.

Andrew Moreno - Guitar.

Nico Chientarolli - Organ, piano, synths.



All songs written by Alex Figueira. 

Arranged and performed by Conjunto Papa Upa. 

Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Alex Figueira at Heat Too Hot, Amsterdam.


Repress.

The re-release series of original Ethiopian classic vinyl continues -- the finest Ethio jazz by Mahmoud Ahmed and his band from 1975 plus two tracks from 1978.The liner notes: 'Melancholy blues, piercingly minimalist country airs, brassy, danceable urban jazz, heart-wrenching, off-key crooners: a rich and stirring patchwork of sounds, crossing Afro-beat, Latino-swing moves and Eastern arabesques (Ana�s Prosa�c).' Such were the first -- informed and enthusiastic -- opinions of the music press when the first strains of modern Ethiopian music sounded on our shores. This was in 1984-1985. Such a positive note, struck about such a country at such a time, created plenty of reverb. The country had been so thoroughly trashed by the media's feeding-frenzy, which spewed out a mix of horror and pious pity, bitter denunciation and humanitarian appeals, wallet-tickling clich�s and refusal of identity. In one brutal swoop, TV-reality transformed Ethiopia into a cursed nation, forsaken by God and by man. In contrast to these tragedies, but in the same hackneyed tones, Mahmoud Ahmed's life resembles an edifying fairy-tale where destiny, talent and achievement combine to triumph over poverty, fate and the evil eye. Biography, history and legend, with the help of God, infallibly weave the lesson of merit rewarded. But who can argue, in spite of the mockery that celebrities invariably draw, when faced with one of the greatest voices in all of Africa? Once upon a time, there was a street urchin in Addis Ababa, who started off as a shoe-shine boy and went on to become one of his country's biggest stars, opening the door to Ethiopian music to Western audiences. --Francis Falceto

2024 Repress

One Day the dreary, new normality became an endless loop of unsteady moods and contradicting sounds. Marlene Kollender, Gregor Darman and Sebastian Welicki from Düsseldorf became Folie 2.
Now it all makes sense!

Marking TFGC’s 20th Release, Folie 2 present a fascinating cosmos of sound and feeling. No shortcuts, this is a journey!

180g vinyl + Deluxe hard-cardboard sleeve + OBI + resealable outer sleeve

This isn’t just a seminal album. It is an estuary. All the black rivers that would form Brazilian funk/hip-hop flow through it. Led by Paulista pianist Salvador Silva Filho – Dom Salvador – “Som, Sangue, e Raça” from 1971, one year after the explosion of Tim Maia on the scene, catalyzed the bossa nova and jazz background of its leader with the rhythm and blues of its members like saxophonist Oberdã Magalhães, nephew of samba-enredo master Silas de Oliveira and future leader of Banda Black Rio, who since the group Impacto 8 (which had, among others, Robertinho Silva on drums and Raul de Souza on trombone) had already been trying to reconcile MPB with Stevie Wonder and James Brown. Add to all this a mixture of samba, Nordestino accent, and even the black side of the Jovem Guarda represented by the authorial presence of Getúlio Cortes (older brother of Gerson King Combo, our James Brown “cover”) in ‘Hei! Você’. Alongside these elements and the presence of Rubão Sabino (bass), who still called himself ‘Rubens’, drummer Luis Carlos (another member of Black Rio), the record enlists the trumpet and flugelhorn of symphonic musician Darcy in place of the original Barrosinho (yet one more founder of Black Rio), who was traveling during the recording but would end up being a leading force of the band.



The album ‘Som, Sangue e raça’ paves the way for future generations of musicians and producers of the Carioca scene at the beginning of the 1970s. The lyrics that dealt with the question of race and the explosive fusion of samba, soul, jazz, and funk, elaborated by Dom Salvador and his troupe, Abolição, established the bases for the development of new sounds and tendencies in Brazilian music.

2024 repress.

The 2019 Stroom〰 split EP with Hessel Veldman marked the long-awaited vinyl debut of Enno Velthuys and served as a teaser for a reissue campaign of his work, shared between different labels. Finally!

In 1984 Velthuys released his classic tape ‘A Glimpse of Light’ on EXART, the label of Veldman, who stayed in close contact with Enno after hearing one of his private tapes being played on the radio by Willem de Ridder in 1980. During a live-broadcast event random tapes were played. “From Enno Velthuys, The Hague”, was written on the package. Willem introduced the tape, played it and a serene silence filled the studio. Present was a friend of De Ridder, Rob Smit, who visited Enno and his mother a few weeks later. This eventually resulted in Enno’s first release ‘Ontmoeting’ on KUBUS Kassettes in 1982. In those years, Enno was living a solitary life and rarely left his mother’s apartment. He managed to release 6 tapes of introvert, melancholic music from another dimension. Atmospheric melodies backed with sparse percussion, showing an excellent handling of the synthesizer.

The gifted musician with two souls silently passed away in 2009. Now we present, with involvement of the few once close to him, the first reissue of probably his most beloved work. Using the original master tape from the EXART vaults, carefully transferred, edited and remastered. Just Enno with his stripped-down compositions and fragile ambient sounds. An intimate experience celebrating bedroom-music and the glory days of do-it-yourself counterculture.

OTOROKU is proud to reissue Evan Parker's first solo LP "Saxophone Solos". Recorded by Martin Davidson in 1975 at the Unity Theatre in London, at that time the preferred concert venue of the Musicians' Co-operative, Parker's densely woven and often cyclical style has yet to form; instead throaty murmurs appear under rough hewn whistles and calls - the wildly energetic beginnings of an extraordinary career. Reissued with liner notes from Seymour Wright in an edition of 500. "The four pieces across the two sides of Saxophone Solos - Aerobatics 1 to 4 - are testing, pressured, bronchial spectaculars of innovation and invention and determination. Evan tells four stories of exploration and imagination without much obvious precedent. Abstract Beckettian cliff-hanging detection/logic/magic/mystery. The conic vessel of the soprano saxophone here recorded contains the ur-protagonists: seeds, characters, settings, forces, conflicts, motions, for new ideas, to delve, to tap and to draw from it story after story as he has on solo record after record for 45 years. 'Aerobatics 1-3' were recorded on 17 June 1975, by Martin Davidson at Parker's first solo performance. This took place at London's Unity Theatre in Camden. 'Aerobatics 4' was recorded on 9 September the same year, by Jost Gebers in the then FMP studio in Charlottenburg, Berlin. Music of balance and gravity, fulcra, effort, poise and enquiry. Sounds thrown and shaken into and out of air, metal and wood. It is - as the titles suggest - spectacular." - Seymour Wright, 2020.

Strut introduces a pioneering new compilation 'A Dancefloor In Ndola,' curated by revered East African DJ, Kampire. This release marks an evolution in Strut's approach to compilations, showcasing emerging DJ talent from across the world and embracing an innovative approach to musical discovery from the next wave of selectors. Forging her reputation through memorable sets for the Nyege Nyege Festival in Uganda over the last decade, Kampire now tours worldwide and is celebrated for her brilliantly curated sets spanning the full range of African music styles from the ‘70s and ‘80s to the present day.

Although born in Kenya to Ugandan parents, Kampire spent her formative years in Ndola, Zambia. ‘A Dancefloor In Ndola’ is inspired by artists and songs that formed part of her soundtrack during that time. “It is important for me to continually reference Africa’s own musical history,” she explains. “At 17, I didn’t pick up on my Dad’s music but now I love and collect those records. I’m constantly referencing them in my music sets today. I love that feeling of shared nostalgia where people recognise a song they haven’t heard in a long time. It is a touchstone for me when I’m playing.”

The compilation flows through different East African and South African genres from Congolese rumba and soukous to 1980s township bubblegum and the rich guitar-led sounds of Zambian kalindula. “There are styles of music on the compilation which are often considered unsophisticated from rural areas. I and other contemporary African artists and DJs draw inspiration from them; it is part of what makes us ourselves.” Kampire also shines the spotlight on many incredible women in African music from the ‘80s, including Congolese legends like Pembey Sheiro, Feza Shamamba and Princesse Mansia M’bila to V-Mash and Di Groovy Girls from South Africa.

‘A Dancefloor In Ndola’ is released on 2LP and CD and features exclusive new edits by Kampire alongside personal liner notes tracing her links to the music. Cover artwork montage is by Canon Rumanzi and vinyl restoration / mastering by The Carvery
Debut compilation by one of East Africa’s leading new generation DJs, Kampire.
Mix of African classics and rarities spanning 1970s – 1990s from Congolese soukous, South African bubblegum and Zambian kalindula.
Shining the spotlight on women in African music Pembey Sheiro, Feza Shamamba and Princesse Mandisa M’bila.
Exclusive cover artwork collage by Canon Rumanzi.
Worldwide DJ dates supporting release during Summer and Autumn 2024.

Big Yawn - NGB

Research Records welcomes back Melbourne quartet Big Yawn for their fourth full-length offering, "NGBE."

Big Yawn's ability to blend complex rhythm sections with infectious basslines, deep synth work, and tongue-in-cheek sampling remains ever-present, and perhaps is the most advanced we've heard yet.

Sitting in a world of its own, the album—named after the group's beloved and lost warehouse space, National Gallery of Brunswick East (where most of the material was recorded)—features a wide array of soundscapes spanning mutated drum 'n' bass, low-key grime, rap, and dub-wise antics, all laced with a heavy dose of FX.

Equal parts deep and menacing, the nine tracks encapsulate Big Yawn's evolution in the studio and on stage, most notably through their collaboration '2Stroke' with Melbourne-based future rap prodigy Teether and brought to life visually with album artwork by Julian Hocking.

Filipovich is one of a kind. The Belarus-born, Paris-based artist works in a multitude of media - found footage films, painting, silkscreening and performance to name a few. It's her musical output that has caught the attention of late, though, with Filipovich dropping a run of releases in recent years which began with 2021's Magnificat on Time Released Sound. Filipovich takes as much of a novel approach to her music-making as she does with her other artistic endeavours - Magnificat was centred around treated samples of Sergei Rachmaninov's All-Night Vigil, and she's also combined classical composition with contemporary electronic techniques on her subsequent drops.

For Idealized, Filipovich's debut on Sheffield's Central Processing Unit, she maintains the gothic air which characterised her previous releases and applies it to a record of widescreen contemporary techno joints. These tracks represent something of a gear shift for CPU, a label which has long made its name by delivering top-quality electro and machine-funk jams, but such is the quality of Idealized that these superbly-executed techno productions are sure to win over label fans both old and new.

Idealized is very much schooled in the German tradition of minimal/dub techno. Tracks like 'Physical', 'Wave' and 'Dance Minor' all anchor themselves on single, steady drum pulses and delay-drenched single-chord loops. Filipovich generally lets the central idea of these tracks play out across several minutes while introducing increasingly disorientating elements into the rest of the mix - wiccan atmospherics, clashing chords, spiralling delays and so forth. It's an approach at once respectful of Filipovich's predecessors - Basic Channel, Deepchord, Ellen Allien and so on - but also full of idiosyncrasies and individuality.

Many of the club cuts here hardwire us into the moody, murky environs of the darkest Berlin Basements. 'Ultra Red' rides forward on a crisp drum machine snap, a menacing burble of bassline and an eerie single-note synth whistle in the upper end of the mix; 'Dance Minor' shows off a bit of KiNK in the brain-bending modular loop that waxes and wanes at its centre; the second-half run from 'Wave' to closer 'Small Cave' travels ever-further out into deep space - the kick drums remain insistent, yet the textural elements are delivered with an edge and flair that evidences Filipovich's ability to think outside the box.

Filipovich's unusual methods, and the influence of sound art and electroacoustic composition on her music, are drawn out further when Idealized steps away from the dancefloor. 'Hydra' comes off like a more gothic version of Pole - its central pulse draws from dub techno but never quite settles into a danceable groove, and this beat is combined with the kind of unnerving keyboard work that would make John Carpenter proud. Although closer 'Small Cave' eventually locks into another dark-room techno roller, the opening section of the track delivers a weightless soundscape of bright, tinny chords and a scene-setting field recording.

Idealized, the first drop on Central Processing Unit from Paris-based Belarusian Lina Filpovich, broadens the label's horizons with a selection of finely crafted minimal/dub techno joints.

RIYL: Andy Stott, Deepchord, Ellen Allien, Moritz von Oswald

The inspiration for ‘Skin Breaker’ comes from my early years of watching sci-fi films. Howard has always been fascinated by them . As a huge fan of 80s beat tracks and 80s sci-fi, Howard aimed to blend those influences into this project. This project is a tribute to the sounds and styles that have inspired him.

Highly wanted amongst collectors for its unique sound, this Italian psychedelic percussion heavy disco single was originally only released on 7" format sometime in the late 70s on the Idea label. Quite experimental for its time, it stands out not only for the reckless use of percussion but also the use of early synthesiser sounds in very rhythmic conscientious manners, some moments almost sounding as if a pioneering example of Acid House years before its time. While it seems like all possible percussion instrument sounds are chaotically employed into the drum salad that unfolds, the clavinet and vibraphone offer a contrasting dreamy nuance via a simple and slowly moving melody. Besides the original “Parte 02a” version this release comes with a new remix “Drum Implosion (Parte 10a)” further propelling the chaos commenced in the original release with the aid of flangers and delays, already striking the fancy of DJs like Marcell Dettmann. Severely remastered at Manmade mastering, now featured in 12” format with full cover artwork.

The magic and majesty of Holger Czukay’s late career works for Claremont 56 is being celebrated on a new compilation. The former Can bassist – a musical maverick renowned for his freewheeling approach to composition, recording and promotion – released a string of inspired tracks on Paul Murphy’s label between 2009 and 2012, typically delivering hard-to-pigeonhole workouts, bona-fide epics and radical reinventions of some of his most beloved tracks.

The collection has been a labour of love – fitting given the sonic details and inventive musicality that marked out the late artist’s solo career – for Claremont 56 founder Paul Murphy AKA Mudd, who first reached out to Czukay after witnessing his now legendary live performance at the Roundhouse in 2009. As Murphy details in his introductory liner notes, it led to a productive working relationship between the pair that included collaborative recording sessions with Ben Smith in Czukay’s legendary Innerspace Studio – a former cinema in Cologne in which much of Can’s music was recorded.The impact of that Roundhouse gig on Murphy is reflected in the fact that two of the tracks on the collection are based on that celebrated performance. There’s ‘Ode To Perfume’, a languid and solo-laden version of one of Czukay’s most celebrated solo records that ratchets up the original’s inherent dreaminess, and a jaunty take on quirky kraut-pop number ‘Photosong’ featuring a spoken introduction recorded at the concert in question.

Murphy’s ability to coax Czukay into delving into his archives is evident across the compilation. Opener ‘A Perfect World (Remix)’ is an eccentric, ever-building masterpiece originally recorded in 1984 – but later re-imagined for Claremont 56 – featuring vocalist Sheldon Ancel and former Can band-mates Jaki Leibezeit and Michael Karoli, while ‘Fragrance’ is a subtly re-wired slab of picturesque Balearic kraut-dub which was initially recorded as a coda for ‘Ode To Perfume’ but lay unreleased for decades.

Then there’s ‘Let’s Get Cool’, a bright and breezy, French horn-sporting 2009 take on 1979 avant-disco classic ‘Cool In The Pool’; ‘My Persian Love (Remix)’, a 2010 re-take of one of his earliest solos recordings; and the near 18-minute brilliance of ‘Music Is A Miracle’. Originally recorded for his fans in the 1980s – but only released three decades later – this widescreen epic not only features drums by Jaki Leibezeit and a fine spoken word vocal by Czukay, but also numerous nods to some of his most revered tracks.

It's fitting, too, that two of the most potent cuts feature Czukay’s much-missed wife and musical muse Ursa Major: the dense, trippy and fittingly out-there ambient soundscape ‘In Space’, and the mesmerising ‘Music To be Murdered By’. Partially inspired by hearing painfully out of tune violin practice through his studio windows, the track was originally recorded for an unreleased album but finally found a home on Claremont 56’s 10th anniversary box set ion 2017. A genuinely spaced-out and mind-mangling slab of organic dub in Czukay’s distinctive style, it delivers a fine curtain call to the iconic artist’s endlessly inventive career.

YESYESPEAKERSYES is the first vinyl release of the remarkable collaboration between Chicago foot-work founder Kavain Wayne Space (aka RPBoo) and London duo experiment XT (drummer Paul Abbott and saxophonist Seymour Wright). The trio’s synthesis of rhythms, sounds, strategies, technologies and traditions collapse genre, distance, boundaries and preconceptions into a total, and totally unique, brain-body music.

Its two 15-minute vinyl sides are cut from a 60-minute live set at Cafe OTO, London on Friday 8th October, 2021 also available as digital download. This was the fourth meeting of the trio followed, instead of being followed by*, an RPBoo DJ set.

Each time the trio play it pushes further into new technical, emotional and creative space. The collaboration needs ears, instruments, imaginations and bodies to be used in new ways. This need is transformative. Together they – and we – learn. This unique trio combination is rooted in deep conceptual foundations, that push into real and imaginary spaces of innovation and learning in a creative practice of 'interruption' far beyond genres or what is supposed to be. And what emerges each time is a trio technology - a total dance technology for any and all bodies.

Kavain, Paul and Seymour share a fascination with the musical history of Chicago – a source of which is of continual nourishment to their ongoing practice. While Kavain’s pioneering footwork work develops the rhythmic structures of Chicago house and the samples, grooves and melodies of 60’s/70’s Chicago soul, disco and R&B, Seymour and Paul share a fascination with these musics, and bring to this lineage a long-term engagement with Chicago’s jazz traditions, from Baby Dodds to the AACM through their unique prism of club, dance, free-jazz and improvised club structures, technologies and musics.

The LP was expertly mixed by Billy Steiger and mastered by Amir Shoat. Every purchase comes with a bonus download of the full, unedited live set from Cafe OTO.

The album includes artwork by Benedict Drew and text by Edward George.

Beyond the Bridge is excited to welcome a novel sonic experience to the roster with the debut of Australian artist gi. Capturing the essence of live experimentation, this release was recorded at the Worm Turns festival in 2023. It charts an immersive course through the uncharted territories of drone, IDM, and techno. Each track is thoughtfully selected, guiding the listener on a profound journey marked by peaks of intense emotional release and valleys of serene recuperation. Dive into a meticulously crafted soundscape that promises to enrich and challenge the auditory senses.?

Fractal Void is an avant-garde duo based in Düsseldorf, Germany. Their experimental music blends electronic and contemporary genres located somewhere in the field of musical tension between ambient, drone, halfstep and floor-affine IDM. During their live sets, Fractal Void create vertical reflections by processing sounds through software and interaction with real instruments in every unique musical performance like the Chinese contemporary calligraphic practice Dishu.

Their debut album Elemental Collection unveils a dense and lavishly layered transformation of artificial organic signals, sculpting an auditory world filled with emotive landscapes, overgrown polyrhythms and futuristic elements. Embedded within each track are field recordings serving as the heartbeat of the album. Through innovative and expansive deconstruction, Fractal Void create an energetic and sometimes contemplative experience.

The persons behind Fractal Void:
Back in 2008, their musical journey began with winning a Spectrasonics competition using field recordings of a locker door, that was implemented as a bass synth. Their collaboration was continued as producers of the eight-piece electronic jazz project „Mothers of Guru“.

Marcus Scheltinga is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Besides studying jazz trombone at the Conservatorium Hilversum and the Folkwanghochschule, he works as a musical director, lecturer and coach in 39 countries around the world. From ZDF sound design to live and studio performances with international greats, his own productions have included such as Grammy winner Larry Carlton and Peter Erskine. Mid-east and Indian inspired, Marcus is a true story teller as a musician and composer.

BORGBORG is a producer and DJ. She moves freely in different styles of electronic music with a focus on avant-garde driving techno, dark hypnotic vibes seamlessly blended with deconstructed beats, noise and timeless elements of IDM. She is a member of About Repetition, a group of artists dedicated to the research of repetition through artistic means, collaborating with a wide range of other collectives across Europe and co-founder of the techno event series „SCHLEIFEN“. 

UFO Space presents “Clod Soul,” an EP masterfully blending House, Techno, and Break Beats.

This record is a pure injection of energy. Each track envelops you with powerful rhythms, dynamic textures, and hypnotic vocals, showcasing the artist’s true identity: versatility. “Clod Soul” offers a variety of soundscapes in different styles, but always with the same focus: rock the dance floor. A must-have for any DJ looking to make their mark.

Originally a digital-only project back in 2022, Whispers Of An Ancient World now makes the magical leap to vinyl as Mystic & Quantum press it up in hugely limited quantities for those lucky enough to cop it quickly. This is a green version with artwork by Kilian Eng. Musically it is a delightful escape. Ambient soundworlds and suggestive ancient rituals sit next to ambles through humid jungles, soothing acoustic string lullabies and more turbulent dub sounds that speak of a dystopian future looming on the horizon with artists like Diagonal, Mason Bee, State Azure and more all adding to its charms.

Hole In One is a classic progressive techno-trance track from the early nineties, created by Marcel “Hole In One” Hol. It was a massive worldwide dance hit and was supported by famous artists such as Paul Oakenfold, Ferry Corsten, Speedy J, and Tiësto. The song even reached #1 on the UK Dance Chart in 1997. The Live At Paleis Soestdijk Mix (also featured on the 12”) was the global dance version that utilized a simple and unmistakable modulated five-tone sequence Nord lead line, and the sounds of cheering crowds. Canadian DJ and producer Jerome Robbins brings the dance-floor heat with his more recent energetic, upbeat rolling bassline melodic house version.

This album was a self imposed ambitious project for us. Something to kick in the creative flow. The last few years, having been a challenging time in general, felt like a good time for a pivot. The last two albums were so guitar and keyboard centric, I wanted a weird and fun set of parameters for us to work with. I demo’d everything at home on cassette 4 track (harkening back to simpler times) using drum loops, and just had at it 'til I had a pile of “songs”. Tom and I chose one sound each using synths and created a range of 3 octaves of that sample, then loaded them into Roland SPD-SX samplers and learned the transcribed songs using drum sticks. The idea was to change the way we wrote and to have 4 people along the front of the stage essentially playing percussion. So no guitar, no keys. As we were recording I kept thinking how the sounds, when paired up, sounded a bit like brass. So, we added a saxophone horn section to round out the horniness of the sound with a bit of reedy bell tones. Thanks to Cansfis Foote & Brad Caulkins on tenor and Baritone saxophones :) Sort of a Dexy’s Midnight Runners meets Von LMO meets The Flesh Eaters meets the Screamers kinda punk junk. Poppy and hooky, heavy at times.. Sort of vacuous and maybe a bit sci-fi in sound. Boneheaded in riff and heady in lyrics. Recorded at Stu-Stu-Studio by me on 8 track 1/4” tape . So pretty hot and raw. Lots to write about today. A lot of these lyrics were taken from things people said in passing about taking on life right now that stuck with me. Things that made me reflect. Things that made me laugh. Things that made me WTF. Some folks are kind, genuine & give you love and energy. Some are greedy manipulative ghouls who hang off your veins. You must be strong, composed and take care of yourself. Be self aware and check your mind for cracks. Learn to relax and be well. There are moments of beauty and redemption. Its not all bad news and there’s always hope. People continue to surprise me one way or another. Anyhow, Hope you enjoy and good luck out there. — John Dwyer

Formed in Liverpool in 1985, the Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus is a unique experimental ensemble whose work goes beyond music. For over thirty-five years the band’s cult following has grown. Their mesmerising recorded material is influenced by diverse cultural perspectives and stimulates a deeply personal and subjective awakening. Ethereal vocals, ambient compositions, chants, acoustic instrumentation and field recordings generate beautiful and emotionally intense soundscapes. ‘The Dream We Carry’ is the band’s fifth album and perhaps their most coherent body of work to date. It captures echoes and fragile remnants of the lived experience. The emotional traces that affect us. The joys and sorrows we hold. The dreams that we carry. Founder member Leslie Hampson said: “The RAIJ is a project in pursuit of beauty; we have tried to jettison anything that doesn’t address that. We’ve been active for a long time and this album represents another phase in our work. We’re not trying to reinvent ourselves or be something we’re not. We’ve never done that. We only ever try to be more of ourselves.”

Formed in Liverpool in 1985, the Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus is a unique experimental ensemble whose work goes beyond music. For over thirty-five years the band’s cult following has grown. Their mesmerising recorded material is influenced by diverse cultural perspectives and stimulates a deeply personal and subjective awakening. Ethereal vocals, ambient compositions, chants, acoustic instrumentation and field recordings generate beautiful and emotionally intense soundscapes. ‘The Dream We Carry’ is the band’s fifth album and perhaps their most coherent body of work to date. It captures echoes and fragile remnants of the lived experience. The emotional traces that affect us. The joys and sorrows we hold. The dreams that we carry. Founder member Leslie Hampson said: “The RAIJ is a project in pursuit of beauty; we have tried to jettison anything that doesn’t address that. We’ve been active for a long time and this album represents another phase in our work. We’re not trying to reinvent ourselves or be something we’re not. We’ve never done that. We only ever try to be more of ourselves.”

‘Road Less Travelled vol.2’ once again brings together the imprints far-reaching community of artists spanning London, Los Angeles, Montreal, Budapest, Copenhagen, Barcelona & beyond. The compilation floats between shoegaze, moody electronics, and shimmering synths; featuring new and original music from the likes of Nourished By Time, Mark William Lewis, and Untitled (Halo). Road Less Travelled Vol.2 sees the label continue to amplify the voices of these singular artists who continue to sculpt their respective sounds. It’s a follow-up to 2022’s ‘Road Less Travelled vol.1’ which was celebrated by Resident Advisor, CRACK, The Wire, Dazed, Clash, NTS, Tom Ravenscroft, and Jamz Supernova.

Scenic Route continues to reaffirm its position as some of London’s premier tastemakers; building a grassroots following via their sell-out live shows featuring the likes of Chanel Beads, James Messiah, Mark William Lewis, Delilah Holiday, and more. Paired with ground-breaking releases including Nourished by Time’s debut album ‘Erotic Probiotic 2’ garnering the coveted Pitchfork’s 'Best New Music' and was widely regarded as one of the ‘Best Albums of 2023’ with features on Gorilla vs Bear (#1), Pitchfork (#5), The Guardian, The Fader, Paste and more. Most recently releasing Vanessa Bedoret’s (Astrid Sonne band mate) debut album ‘Eyes’ in the words of Boomkat ‘a timeless bouquet of raptures and ballads iced with shearing strings and shatterproof electronics’ having additional support from Vinyl Factory, Resident Advisor, Bleep, Nina, The Fader and more.

White/Blue Marble Reissue!

BAFTA winning Icelandic composer, musician and producer Ólafur Arnalds’ fourth solo studio album, re:member, was originally released by Mercury KX on the 24th August 2018. Released on special marble vinyl for the first time. The album uses the Stratus Pianos as well as string quatet, synths, electronics, live drums and a string orchestra recorded at London’s Air Studios. Plummeting the listener into a subversive world full of unexpected moods and emotions, Ólafur explored foreign musical soundscapes in every facet of re:member.

Limited edition 300 only cyan coloured vinyl LP, housed in a reverse board sleeve with hype sticker, polylined inner bag and download code. Non-Returnable.
Stars align and Oli Heffernan brings his ever-(d)evolving Ivan The Tolerable to Riot Season for two LPs of sublime entropic drift.
Having this time recruited Christian Alderson (The Unit Ama) on drums, John Pope (Ponyland) on double bass, Kevin Nickles (Ecstatic Vision) on flute and saxophone and Ben Hopkinson on electric piano - both works were recorded as a quintet almost instantaneously, the players barely brushing or breathing a note before the whole thing was done.
‘Vertigo’, is all claustrophobic, dense and disorientating - like Sun Ra sitting in with Exploding Star Orchestra
John Hubner (Complex Distractions) on ‘Vertigo’
“An expansive collection of free-flowing sound and mood bringing to mind Coltrane (John and Alice) as well as the great Albert Ayler, while touching on the forward thinking compositions of Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra.
From the titanic soundscape of "New Worlds On Earth" to the Marc Moulin touches of "Liquid Voices" and the mysterious eccentricities of "Swimming", 'Vertigo' hangs in the air long after the final note plays.”

Established in 2008, the French band The Lumberjack Feedback comprises talented members from diverse musical backgrounds. Their music is all instrumental, characterized by heavy, powerful riffs, two drummers (!) and hypnotic atmospheres, creating a unique dark though melodic sonic universe. The genesis of the band traces back to a shared passion for innovative metal and a desire to create immersive, captivating music. Over the years, The Lumberjack Feedback has honed its musical identity, blending diverse influences ranging from sludge to doom and post-rock. The result is a complex, entrancing fusion capable of transporting the listener to emotional soundscapes. Through their epic music, The Lumberjack Feedback transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries, resonating with audiences worldwide. The band continues to make its mark in the worldwide thriving post-rock music landscape, delivering energetic and mind-blowing live performances that leave no one indifferent. Brown onyx vinyl.

First reissue since its original release in 2014. Features by Sean Price, Guilty Simpson, Blu with production from DJ Premier, Illmind, Black Milk, Oh No & more.

The collaboration album from Brooklyn MCs Skyzoo and Torae is available once again after its original debut in 2014.

For years, fans of both Skyzoo and Torae asked the two to collaborate on a full-length LP, following the multiple singles they released together over the years. Classics such as the DJ Premier-produced "Get It Done" and "Click," and the !llmind-produced "Barrel Brothers" off Skyzoo's 2010 "Live from the Tape Deck" have been highly anticipated by their followers since 2006. The idea behind "Barrel Brothers" is what the people have asked for and come to know: the two wordsmiths for pure lyricism.

Skyzoo, known for his picturesque storytelling and jazz/orchestral background, and Torae, known for his gritty Coney Island depictions of life with a vintage yet modern lyrical approach, have briefly put their normal fortes to the side and crafted this album with one game plan in mind: lyrical exercise over hard New York City soundscapes. The current resurgence of NYC hip hop is the perfect grounds for two of its premier flag holders to continue doing what they never stopped doing in the first place: representing the city.

For the thirteenth instalment of the Swinging Flavors catalog, Beat Machine Records presents a gem of pure energy by the talented Kyoto-based producer Naco. Set to ignite dance floors worldwide, this release delivers an electrifying fusion of acid, techno, and breaks, with a rave-inspired twist.

Naco, known for his innovative approach to electronic music, defies convention with his genre-defying sound. Drawing inspiration from Bass, Breaks, and Electro, Naco creates a distinctive sonic landscape that captivates audiences worldwide. Since 2017, he has been at the forefront of the music scene, spearheading 85acid, a label dedicated to showcasing emerging talent from Japan and beyond.

"Wavefunk," the lead track on Swinging Flavors #13, is a testament to Naco's unparalleled creativity and sonic mastery. With its infectious rhythm and hypnotic melodies, the fast-paced percussion and minimal character of the release "Wavefunk" transport listeners to a dimension where the boundaries between genres blur and the energy is palpable.

But the journey doesn't end there. Swinging Flavors #13 also features a remix of "Wavefunk" by We Rob Rave. The Polish duo injects his fresh signature style into the track, taking it to new heights and delivering an unforgettable dance floor experience. Transforming it into a full club experience, increasing the beats, and immersing the listener in a rave-like atmosphere fueled by danceable rhythms and an acid edge that cuts through the dance floor.

Another surprise that comes with the latest Swinging Flavors is 'Pure Water,' exclusively on Bandcamp. Let yourself be carried away by the bouncing sounds that make up this Break-style track, closing an energetic and vibrant release.

Naco's music is really pushing the boundaries of electronic music, inspiring both listeners and fellow artists. With a solid track record and a strong commitment to musical innovation, Naco is definitely going to leave a mark on the global music scene.

The album opens with a 13 minute improvisation titled “The Time Is Now For Change”. As Ranelin , Belgrave, and Harrison exchange flurries of notes and squeaks over improvised chaos from the rhythm section, the group builds to a spiritual high that calls to mind the best Albert Ayler recordings. Bebop lines and unison phrases occasionally rise to the surface, offering a glimmer of familiarity in what is largely a harsh soundscape. Yet what sets Ranelin (and indeed, all of his Tribe contemporaries) apart from the larger free and spiritual jazz scene at the time is their sense of rhythm. Even as Harrison evokes sounds that would make a Meditations era Coltrane blush, the drums stay in time, and the looping bass and piano riffs take on an almost hypnotic quality, repeating quietly under a whirlwind of sound.

Later tracks see the ensemble veer into soul jazz, and jazz-funk, with “Black Destiny” perfectly highlighting the group’s ability to meld the avant-garde with grooves that you won’t be able to stop yourself from tapping your foot to. Members of the Tribe were well known for their appreciation of African American popular music, and the influence of groups such as Sly And The Family Stone is clear in the song’s edgy rhythms and dense sound.

This double LP reissue also contains alternate versions and outtakes that are so good you’ll be wondering why they were originally left out! With modern remastering, three bonus tracks, and an obi-strip, you don’t want to miss the definitive version of Phil Ranelin’s The Time Is Now! "

Mit ihrem neuen Album Megafauna in Sichtweite und seit fast 20 Jahren dabei, haben die irischen Experimentierfreaks And So I Watch You From immer wieder neue Ideen aufgenommen und die Grenzen ihrer komplizierten und ekstatischen gitarrenbasierten Posteverything-Kompositionen erweitert. Aber nichts in ihrem Repertoire kommt an den Ehrgeiz und das Ausmaß ihres 2022 entstandenen multimedialen Langform-Ensembleprojekts Jettison heran. Jettison wurde von Rory Friers, dem Gitarristen von And So I Watch You From Afar, konzipiert und von der Band, dem Orchestrator Connor O'Boyle, dem Arco String Quartet und dem bildenden Künstler Sam Wiehl zum Leben erweckt. Jettison ist eine Verschmelzung von ASIWYFAs lebensbejahender musikalischer Akrobatik, der mitreißenden Größe von Filmmusik und den surrealen und erhabenen Möglichkeiten von bewegten Bildern. Die Bühne für Jettison wird mit den friedlichen Klavierakkorden und den orchestralen Klängen von ,Dive Pt1" eröffnet, bevor es mit ,Dive Pt2" richtig losgeht, wo Friers und Kennedy von ihren Landsleuten Chris Wee am Schlagzeug und Johnny Adger am Bass unterstützt werden. Von da an durchläuft die 40-minütige, neunteilige Reise von Jettison die verschiedenen Schattierungen der euphorischen Instrumentalstücke von ASIWYFA, die von der ätherischen Eleganz des Arco String Quartet durchdrungen sind. Kurze Schnipsel kryptischer Dialoge von Emma Ruth Rundle und Neil Fallon sind über das ganze Album verstreut und weisen dem Hörer den Weg wie Wegweiser, die eine größere Geschichte andeuten und das Erlebnis weiter färben, während sie der Komposition insgesamt ein Gefühl des Geheimnisses verleihen. Ob es die Stakkato-Gitarren und Pedalboard-Manipulationen von ,Lung", der dubbige Bass und die spärlichen Folk-Melodien von ,In Air", der hymnische Geist von ,Emerge" oder die perfekte Symbiose aus klassischem ASIWYFA-Elektrojubel und der zarten Anmut des Arco String Quartetts sind, die verschiedenen Kapitel von Jettison bewahren den Geist und die Klangfarbe von ASIWYFA, während sie die Möglichkeiten ihres Sounds erweitern und die Sinne durch zusätzliche Instrumentierung übersättigen.Jettison ist auf keinen Fall ein gewöhnliches ASIWYFA-Album. Vielmehr handelt es sich um eine sehr bewusste Abkehr und nicht um einen evolutionären Schritt hin zu einem immer komplexeren und konzeptionelleren Werk. Die ehemals nur begrenzt verfügbare Veröffentlichung wird nun neu aufgelegt!

Mit ihrem neuen Album Megafauna in Sichtweite und seit fast 20 Jahren dabei, haben die irischen Experimentierfreaks And So I Watch You From immer wieder neue Ideen aufgenommen und die Grenzen ihrer komplizierten und ekstatischen gitarrenbasierten Posteverything-Kompositionen erweitert. Aber nichts in ihrem Repertoire kommt an den Ehrgeiz und das Ausmaß ihres 2022 entstandenen multimedialen Langform-Ensembleprojekts Jettison heran. Jettison wurde von Rory Friers, dem Gitarristen von And So I Watch You From Afar, konzipiert und von der Band, dem Orchestrator Connor O'Boyle, dem Arco String Quartet und dem bildenden Künstler Sam Wiehl zum Leben erweckt. Jettison ist eine Verschmelzung von ASIWYFAs lebensbejahender musikalischer Akrobatik, der mitreißenden Größe von Filmmusik und den surrealen und erhabenen Möglichkeiten von bewegten Bildern. Die Bühne für Jettison wird mit den friedlichen Klavierakkorden und den orchestralen Klängen von ,Dive Pt1" eröffnet, bevor es mit ,Dive Pt2" richtig losgeht, wo Friers und Kennedy von ihren Landsleuten Chris Wee am Schlagzeug und Johnny Adger am Bass unterstützt werden. Von da an durchläuft die 40-minütige, neunteilige Reise von Jettison die verschiedenen Schattierungen der euphorischen Instrumentalstücke von ASIWYFA, die von der ätherischen Eleganz des Arco String Quartet durchdrungen sind. Kurze Schnipsel kryptischer Dialoge von Emma Ruth Rundle und Neil Fallon sind über das ganze Album verstreut und weisen dem Hörer den Weg wie Wegweiser, die eine größere Geschichte andeuten und das Erlebnis weiter färben, während sie der Komposition insgesamt ein Gefühl des Geheimnisses verleihen. Ob es die Stakkato-Gitarren und Pedalboard-Manipulationen von ,Lung", der dubbige Bass und die spärlichen Folk-Melodien von ,In Air", der hymnische Geist von ,Emerge" oder die perfekte Symbiose aus klassischem ASIWYFA-Elektrojubel und der zarten Anmut des Arco String Quartetts sind, die verschiedenen Kapitel von Jettison bewahren den Geist und die Klangfarbe von ASIWYFA, während sie die Möglichkeiten ihres Sounds erweitern und die Sinne durch zusätzliche Instrumentierung übersättigen.Jettison ist auf keinen Fall ein gewöhnliches ASIWYFA-Album. Vielmehr handelt es sich um eine sehr bewusste Abkehr und nicht um einen evolutionären Schritt hin zu einem immer komplexeren und konzeptionelleren Werk. Die ehemals nur begrenzt verfügbare Veröffentlichung wird nun neu aufgelegt!

"Erosion" capture the essence of transformation and decay, weaving together layers of distorted beats, haunting melodies, and unexpected sonic explosions.

Evitceles layers each track, employing the interplay of harsh industrial elements and delicate atmospheric textures.
This dynamic fusion serves to explore profound themes of resilience, and the inexorable passage of time.

A visceral exploration of emotion viewed through the lens of post-industrial and ambient soundscapes.

Credits:
Written and produced by Etien Slavchev
Mastered by Red Dungeon Studio
Artwork by Atra Bilis

Bristol-based DJ/producer Jay Singh a.k.a. Indian Man has been a regular on the festival and club circuit for several years, bringing to the dancefloors his distinct blend of musical influences, from electronica to the Punjabi sounds of his Indian roots. Championed by the WOMAD festival, his first official release is a mixtape of tracks he has created with a truly international cast of collaborators he met on his travels with the global music festival from the UK to Europe and South America, including stars such as Emmanuel Jal, La Dame Blanche, and Dobet Gnahoré.

Upon returning from his extensive travels, Indian Man honed his craft in the spare room of his grandmother’s house where he lived as a carer. He spent his evenings playing DJ sets and producing dance music on a midi keyboard left there from his father’s band, inspired by melodies his gran sang around the house. Packed with dance beats, playful melodies, and spin-chilling vocals, the result is Gran’s House — both a tribute to the loving family and diverse cultures that made him who he is, and the bold coming-of-age of a rapidly-rising talent.

forgive too slow, Avant Garde artist julia-sophie’s deeply personal debut album is testament to her ability to transform adversity into raw beauty, combining her traditional songwriting roots with her own take on experimental electronica. It features her intimate voice backed by warm and precise electronic sounds whose free spirited explorations give body to the carefully written personal songs julia-sophie comes off the drama of her 2010s rock band, Little Fish, which was signed to a major label. The surreal experiences (like being flown to Las Vegas in helicopters with a bag of slot machine money or given limousines for the day to go shopping), along with having to work in environments where she felt unsafe, drove her decision to leave the fame game. She turned down the offer to emigrate to America and engage with the machinations of the system as it did not feel “true or congruent with who I was”. Instead, she focused her attention on her hometown (Oxford, UK). She started recording lo-fi pop in her garage, using an old laptop, wonky microphones and hitting whatever was around for beats. Candy Says grew to be more of a collective than a band, and eventually co-wrote a film score for indie film Burn Burn Burn and recorded a cover of Running Up That Hill for the Netflix film Close (starring Noomi Rapace). Julia-Sophie soon started recording songs with her friend B, who had a studio stacked from wall-to-wall with analogue recording gear, vintage synths and drum machines. She decided to self-release and the music reached audiences beyond her expectations, including support from BBC Radio 6 and a feature in The Quietus. forgive too slow is Julia-Sophie’s debut solo album, and concerns relationships and the struggles we go through when we “forgive too slow” and can’t break out of patterns from the past. The songs narrate her story of self-destruction (“numb”), love (“falling”), and loss (“telephone”). By the end, embers are still burning and there is no telling if Julia-Sophie has found peace, but we do get a sense that she has gotten closer to the core of her being and is finally living authentically.

180g, red marble vinyl. This album features Babe Ruth's iconic LIVE performance in Montreal on April 9th, 1975, featuring 4 out of the 5 original band members in their prime. With every track, the band's unparalleled musical craftsmanship takes center stage, showcasing their ability to blend rock, jazz, and Latin influences into a unique auditory experience. The collectible status of this record makes it a must-have for any aficionado of classic rock. So, immerse yourself in the cool, creative vibes of "Babe Ruth - Live in Montreal April 9th, 1975," and let the transcendent sounds of a bygone era enchant your modern soul.

180g, red vinyl. This album features Babe Ruth's iconic LIVE performance in Montreal on April 9th, 1975, featuring 4 out of the 5 original band members in their prime. With every track, the band's unparalleled musical craftsmanship takes center stage, showcasing their ability to blend rock, jazz, and Latin influences into a unique auditory experience. The collectible status of this record makes it a must-have for any aficionado of classic rock. So, immerse yourself in the cool, creative vibes of "Babe Ruth - Live in Montreal April 9th, 1975," and let the transcendent sounds of a bygone era enchant your modern soul.

Warehouse Find!

As I-Robots launches a new compilation series that celebrates the roots and influences of Italo disco in Turin and the Piedmont region, the Opilec Music boss also offers up various singles from it with some special remixes and edits. After an EP from Johnson Righeira last summer comes the latest one featuring the legendary Captain Torkive and two of his tracks as well as some special versions by I-Robots. Captain Torkive is Daniele Torchio, an Italian artist active in the late seventies & early eighties who got his nickname from a love of UFOs and space, in fact the titles here are inspired by the Superman DC Comics classic.
He has worked with the likes of Valero Liboni and all the material here is officially licensed from Ponzo Records master tapes. His tracks here are some of the most rare 7" Italo space disco tunes from Turin's rich history and feature synthesizers and electronic effects that he made himself, as well as guitars and keys he also played. Up first comes the I-Robots 1979 Reconstruction of Flying Saucers To Krypton which marries both tunes into a lush retro space odyssey that shimmers and rockets through the cosmos with live drums and jangling bass. Rounding off the A side is 1979 original version of Krypton' which is just as dazzling and spaced out with layers of synths and arps all sounding squelchy beneath some robot vocals. Kicking off the B side is the I-Robots 1979 Space Reconstruction of Flying Saucers To Krypton that strips some of the layers and keeps one lead synth line and some ascending spaceship sounds, as well as a lovably loose groove that really stomps along with real character. Last but not least is the original 1979 version of Flying Saucers, a cosmic tune with sci-fi sounds and melodies shooting about above big disco grooves with the keys and synths that carries you away to another galaxy. This is another essential package from Opliec Music that shines a light on an artist and era that deserves all the attention it can get.

Outsider ambient soundscape by two musicians from the Paris alternative : Désiré Bonaventure & Zach.

An enchanted yet psychedelic dream-like ballad recorded in one take in an ephemeral delirium; borrowing from dub, drone, IDM & techno, reflecting singular inter-worlds and inviting us to join them.

--

Rue des Garderies is a distillate produced by the spontaneous collaboration of Désiré Bonaventure and Zach, two musicians evolving in the Parisian alternative scenes and so named in homage to a former local hotspot of other-music Rue des Gardes - now bygone - where this improvisation took place. Accustomed to exorcising time and space with the multidisciplinary collective †een▲ge g:-)d, Zach has also been evolving in various frequencies - beatmaking, mastering - for over 15 years. Désiré Bonaventure, on the other hand, is a member of the duo Euphonic Alliances Ltd. and R.A.F. Soundsystem.

Rue des Garderies was recorded in one take, using samplers and effects, amidst a tangle of cables, with eyes closed, as dawn approached, in anticipation for another moment of the present. Here, Désiré and Zach delve into the in-between worlds (musical, but not limited to), immersing themselves in their cracks, folds and emanations, attempting to narrate them to us.

From this material they shape a new alchemy lasting over 1h30, akin to a prolonged journey into psychedelia, drawing from various currents (such as ambient, drone, IDM, dub techno, and the English electronic scene of the 1990s), rich in organic and analogue textures that overlap, stretch, fold and expand.

The result is a grand and ethereal fresco, with shifting colours and textures, evoking astral projections and sporadic rhythms; a whole other world, populated by shapes, hues and new lives, forming a complex but enchanting sound essay.

Born of a fragile chaos, Rue des Garderies is an ephemeral harmony that accompanies moments of existence; a dance without tangible movement.

Lithuanian producer Subliminal makes a compelling debut on Distrito 91 with a six-track EP designed for the dancefloor.

Balancing between electro and techno, this release captures raw analog soundscapes.

Recorded in Kaunas studio, each track features saturated four-on-the-floor drums, resonant basslines, acid flavors and dreamy pads, all crafted using hardware instruments. Pure club-oriented material recorded in analog jam sessions.

Prepare to be engulfed in the sonic maelstrom that is The Jonny Halifax Invocation as they unleash their blistering new single "Thank You”. Renowned for their mesmerising forays into extended sun-scorched psychedelic soundscapes on the critically acclaimed albums Açid Blüüs Räägs Vols.1 & 2, The Jonny Halifax Invocation now emerge with a thunderous new proposition in the form of their latest 7" single. A dynamic shift of gears in The Invocation’s sonic landscape, “Thank You” is a two minutes and thirty-seven second explosion of raw, primal energy, a revolutionary last call, an arrow shot of burning malcontent for this time. “Thank You” goes for the kill from the first beat of filthy amphetamine buzzsaw swagger cutting some heavy sonic rug with spiritual forefathers The Stooges and MC5. Cosmic free jazz saxophonic squawks soar, while the preacherman of the apocalypse invites the congregation to question the root of their original gratitude with life or death urgency. Meanwhile over on the flip side, "Gratitude Dub” slows the rumbling groove to a lurching, swaggering rollercoaster ride of hallucinogenic dub exotica just before the wheels fall off.

Air is the central element in Antonina Nowacka's third solo album Sylphine Soporifera. The title names an imaginary species and the land they inhabit, inspired by the unreal desert landscape of Paracas and the undulating tree-less hills of the Outer Hebrides, and comes from the writings of Rudolf Steiner, who describes creatures called Sylphs as the spirits of the air, and the Latin word sopor which means deep sleep.

As with all her releases, Nowacka's other-worldly vocals coming as if from beyond the veil, at once haunting, alien and utterly entrancing. "The voice is the most beautiful and resonating instrument,” she says. “When I sing I feel I create a field in between myself and the air in front of me," she explains. "It is not just that I'm singing – something in the space in front of me is happening, and I merge with this sphere.”

She conjures and is inspired by open environments and infinite landscapes: places full of light and air, manifested here in the sound of ocarinas from Budrio in Italy, whistles from Mexico, simple bamboo flutes from Nepal, alongside tremulous zithers, synthetic Hawaiian sounds from a vintage organ and the uncanny wind instrument presets from a 90s synth.

Nowacka’s first album was informed by vocal sketches made in caves in Indonesia, later recorded at a fortress in Poland; she studied Hindustani music in India with vocalist Shashwati Mandal, fell in love with early Cumbia in Mexico and Peru, and has more recently found inspiration in the landscapes of Italy. Hers is a new New Age soundworld that finds its origins everywhere and nowhere. Sylphine Soporifera gathers these sounds, visions and experiences into an album permeated with a sense of hope and fulfilment, that feels like sitting in an enlivening white beam of afternoon sunlight, as dustmotes swirl in the stillness.

Hospital Records’ jazz-infused drum & bass supplier and Goldfat Records co-founder Mitekiss drives into 2021 with his ‘Night Bus Stories’ EP, with four brand new tracks that are some of his best work to date.
Following on from the triumph of his ‘Objects To Push’ EP which received support from legendary figures including LTJ Bukem and DJ Fresh, Mitekiss’ latest release is profound and from the heart.
’City Angels (feat. Milo Merah & RSWT)’ beckons with sombre guitar licks and piano chord progressions drenched in melancholy. Milo Merah lays down captivatingly sincere vocals as he proves himself to be one of London’s rising musical talents. Nottingham born and bred, MC and vocalist RSWT showcases his deep-rooted musical ability as his vivid bars are flawlessly intertwined amongst Mitekiss’ orchestral strings.
Trickling ride cymbals and soulful keys set the scene on ‘Rain (Falling Down)’ as Mitekiss’ love for jazz eminently shines through. Mr Porter graces the track with a sublime vocal hook which drifts above delicate drums and off-beat bass notes.
In honour of the night bus on which he was a frequent traveller, Mitekiss exposes his deeper and darker side on ‘N68’. Tearout breaks, moody synth drones and a ruthless bassline make a mind-bending sonic imprint demonstrating Mitekiss’ diverse range of production mastery.
Teaming up with esteemed talent Javeon who’s no stranger to vocalling an array of drum & bass anthems, ‘Ring Alarms’ is a raw and irresistible stepper that encompasses enchanting melodies and warm flourishes.
Beyond his latest ‘Night Bus Stories’ EP, Mitekiss continues to demonstrate his taste-making abilities through the running of his very own label, Goldfat Records, which has proven to be ahead of the curve by putting out some of the most forward-thinking and sonically diverse drum & bass this year. With previous releases also on Shogun Audio, Skankandbass and his own Goldfat imprint, Mitekiss is building up a solid discography which is guaranteed to set the precedent for the sounds of tomorrow.

Italian producer Toto Chiavetta returns to Mind Against's HABITAT with a spellbinding new single titled "My Eyes Are Failing". Off his new EP of the same name, the song is a haunting journey where crunchy textures and hypnotic melodies come together with the refrain, "I think my eyes are failing, but I feel my lungs inhaling," to envelop listeners in a dark, atmospheric soundscape. Featuring the mesmerizing Thom Yorke-esque vocals of Trenton, the new track showcases Chiavetta's mastery over immersive, emotionally-charged electronic music.

Bolstered by b-side single “The Sacred Space” and a club-ready alternative version from Toto himself, plus remix from Echonomist, the new EP rounds out to create a defining statement from Chiavetta. With a growing list of supporters that include industry heavyweights like Âme, Sasha, John Digweed, and Camelphat, to name a few, and previous releases on Innervisions and Diynamic, Toto Chiavetta is poised to make a big impact with this landmark release on HABITAT.