quête:split records

Purple Vinyl 7" Single! limited edition! Chastity Belt's version of "Loaded Painted Red" doesn't just cover 764-Hero's original. It dissolves into it, rebuilding it with a gauzy, wide-open clarity. It's a song that's always carried a certain weight: bruised and echoing with late '90s Pacific Northwest melancholy. In their first-ever recorded cover, Chastity Belt traces that ache into new territory, drawing it out like bated breath. Lydia Lund threads a new guitar line through the song, tugging it towards their distinct style like a slow orbit around the song's core feeling. "I've been a fan of 764-Hero for a while now, and 'Loaded Painted Red' is one of my faves!" says Julia Shapiro. "It was hard to do the song justice because the original is so perfect, but we also had fun reimagining it and making it our own." Initially released in 1998 on 764-Hero's Get Here and Stay (Up Records), "Loaded Painted Red" has long been a fan-favorite, a softly jagged and charged meditation. The new split 7" pairs the cover with the original, a full-circle release that marks 764-Hero's catalog joining the Suicide Squeeze family. Together, the two versions collapse decades into a single foggy breath riding out the dusky golden-hour light of the Pacific Northwest.

Linda Smith and The Smashing Times are the best of friends. They are both currently based in Baltimore, USA. This split 7” EP celebrates that friendship with two new tracks by each act; united by DIY spirit, a bedroom-pop sensibility and now a puddle of black vinyl.

Songwriter Linda Smith has a gentle but unconventional experimental style that continues to evolve as she adds new entries to her storied catalogue. Smith’s pioneering work with four-track production in the '80s found her at the beginning of a home-recording movement that would set the pace for the decades of indie rock that followed. During this most active period, Smith's music was limited mostly to obscure cassette and 7" releases. This trailblazing time was recently revisited on Captured Tracks’ compilation ‘Till Another Time: 1988-1996’. Shortly after Smith’s retrospective, she teamed up with like-mind and collaborator Nancy Andrews to release an album of beguiling pop entitled ‘A Passing Cloud’ (2023). The duo performed songs from that record at Upset The Rhythm’s 20th anniversary party at Café OTO that same year. 2024 saw further reissues of Smith’s music including Nothing Else Matters (1995) and I So Liked Spring (1996).

The Smashing Times are a premier East Coast Pop Experimental Group. They have also gleefully performed in London for Upset The Rhythm twice in quick succession. Known for their dogtooth style, waggish mod attitude and tumbledown sound, The Smashing Times have holes in their socks and sit idly between The Kinks and Tori Kudo. Their previous albums on K Records, Perennial and Meritorio are a cherished commodity steeped in Paisley psyche and slapdash panache.

London’s melodic punk outfit Burnt Tapes have released their most powerful and emotionally chargedrecord to date: New Lungs. Out now via Lockjaw Records, the album is a cathartic journey throughmental health struggles, lost connections, and the desperate hope for renewal.

Produced by Daly George (Creeper, Milk Teeth), New Lungs was recorded in two parts — split between the rustic isolation of an old stable-turned-studio in Aldershot and the famed Ranch Studios in Southampton. The band took a more collaborative, experimental approach to writing this time, building tracks piece by piece and capturing the visceral energy of their live shows.

Sonically, New Lungs builds on the grit and heart of 2019’s Never Better, but cranks up the intensity. Think big, anthemic sing-alongs, driving guitars, and a heavier edge, without losing the melodic honesty fans have come to love. Thematically, the record deals with the toll of depression, anxiety, broken relationships, and the disorienting struggle of trying to move forward while feeling stuck in the past.“

This album nearly killed us to make,” the band admits, “but it feels like the closure we needed. It’s us working through everything—the burnout, the self-doubt, the weight of the last few years.”

With standout tracks like MOTHERSGUILT, New Lungs, You Only YOLO Once, and Graveyards, the album delivers both punch and poignancy—perfect for fans of Hot Mulligan,The Menzingers, and Heart Attack Man.

Burnt Tapesare set to support the release with appearances at Manchester Punk Festival and a run of live dates through the summer.

Things just get heavier and heavier in Scott ‘Wino’ Weinrich’s career and his short-lived classic band The Hidden Hand is no exception. Formed in 2002 and already disbanded in 2007 the trio featured Wino, Bruce Falkinburg on bass/songwriting/vocals and drummer Dave Hennessy.
If The Obsessed, St. Vitus, Shrinebuilder, Probot and Spirit Caravan aren’t enough to bring Wino's CV to legendary status, stop reading now.
LINER NOTES from WINO:

"When I returned from California after The Obsessed Columbia record deal fell apart, I didn't have any gear at all and after we put together (SHINE) which became Spirit Caravan, I was hustling to put a guitar rig together. I discovered ATOMIC MUSIC a super cool store in MARYLAND that encouraged trades, and had a lot of cool shit there,we had met another cat Sonny, who being the gregarious friendly cat he was befriended us (the band) and introduced me to his friend who's recording studio shared space with Atomic Music, Bruce Falkinburg and Phase recording studio. Bruce was a very interesting and hyper intelligent guy, bassist, knowledgeable in all things but specializing in recording rock music. We had decided to diversify our recording process and parted ways with one of my old friends Chris Kozlowski and PolarBearLair studios who had recorded everything Spirit Caravan had done so far.

I hired Bruce to record the version of Darkness and Longing that was our song on the Sixty Watt Shaman -Spirit Caravan split single. We liked what he did on that recording and decided to record more with Bruce at Phase and so we did ;the last SC single -" So Mortal Be/ Undone Mind" and recorded three tracks that were eventually released on "The Last Embrace." Bruce and I had firmly cemented our friendship and when shit fell apart with Spirit Caravan , we decided to form a band. Out of a very interesting list of possible band names Bruce's idea" The Hidden Hand " seemed to resonate the most and once Bruce had recruited Dave Hennessy (guitarist for OSTINATO) to play drums it was ON. Over the next couple years and a couple different drummers, The Hidden Hand would record one single, one split ep ,one compilation song and Three full length albums. Knowing Bruce, and working with everyone in The Hidden Hand realm enriched my life greatly . Bruces enthusiasm, knowledge, creativity, intellect and musical abilities remains an inspiration. Thanks Bruce, Sonny, Louis and Eric and all at ATOMIC MUSIC, Dave Hennessy,Matt and Jeremy Osinato ,Evan Tanner, J Robbins, Mcarthyism records, Andreas at Exile from Mainstream records, Greg Tubevision, 930 club ,Black Cat, Gussound, Diana W, Woody, Stinking Lizaveta, Jadd Schickler and Meteor City, Southern Lord records and extra special thanks to Gianluca and Improved Sequence for keeping this music alive!"
Wino - summer 2024

Things just get heavier and heavier in Scott ‘Wino’ Weinrich’s career and his short-lived classic band The Hidden Hand is no exception. Formed in 2002 and already disbanded in 2007 the trio featured Wino, Bruce Falkinburg on bass/songwriting/vocals and drummer Dave Hennessy.
If The Obsessed, St. Vitus, Shrinebuilder, Probot and Spirit Caravan aren’t enough to bring Wino's CV to legendary status, stop reading now.
LINER NOTES from WINO:

"When I returned from California after The Obsessed Columbia record deal fell apart, I didn't have any gear at all and after we put together (SHINE) which became Spirit Caravan, I was hustling to put a guitar rig together. I discovered ATOMIC MUSIC a super cool store in MARYLAND that encouraged trades, and had a lot of cool shit there,we had met another cat Sonny, who being the gregarious friendly cat he was befriended us (the band) and introduced me to his friend who's recording studio shared space with Atomic Music, Bruce Falkinburg and Phase recording studio. Bruce was a very interesting and hyper intelligent guy, bassist, knowledgeable in all things but specializing in recording rock music. We had decided to diversify our recording process and parted ways with one of my old friends Chris Kozlowski and PolarBearLair studios who had recorded everything Spirit Caravan had done so far.

I hired Bruce to record the version of Darkness and Longing that was our song on the Sixty Watt Shaman -Spirit Caravan split single. We liked what he did on that recording and decided to record more with Bruce at Phase and so we did ;the last SC single -" So Mortal Be/ Undone Mind" and recorded three tracks that were eventually released on "The Last Embrace." Bruce and I had firmly cemented our friendship and when shit fell apart with Spirit Caravan , we decided to form a band. Out of a very interesting list of possible band names Bruce's idea" The Hidden Hand " seemed to resonate the most and once Bruce had recruited Dave Hennessy (guitarist for OSTINATO) to play drums it was ON. Over the next couple years and a couple different drummers, The Hidden Hand would record one single, one split ep ,one compilation song and Three full length albums. Knowing Bruce, and working with everyone in The Hidden Hand realm enriched my life greatly . Bruces enthusiasm, knowledge, creativity, intellect and musical abilities remains an inspiration. Thanks Bruce, Sonny, Louis and Eric and all at ATOMIC MUSIC, Dave Hennessy,Matt and Jeremy Osinato ,Evan Tanner, J Robbins, Mcarthyism records, Andreas at Exile from Mainstream records, Greg Tubevision, 930 club ,Black Cat, Gussound, Diana W, Woody, Stinking Lizaveta, Jadd Schickler and Meteor City, Southern Lord records and extra special thanks to Gianluca and Improved Sequence for keeping this music alive!"
Wino - summer 2024

Known for his ability to create captivating, emotionally charged techno, Jonathan Kaspar eventually returns to Cocoon Recordings with his third contribution Twofold Split. One, yet simultaneously two releases that once again showcase his extraordinary talent through condensed techno with a pinch of trance, weaving together driving rhythms and atmospheric textures in a way that feels innovatively progressive.

Drifting hypnotically, this might be the most fitting way to describe what Jonathan Kaspar unfolds before us here. The rolling percussion grooves seamlessly intertwine with the siren's spectral tone, gradually blending into the alchemy of ‘Yah’ as it erupts into the mix. By the time the peak arrives, there’s a raw intensity in the air - the track seems to bend and stretch then drills and twists until it cracks, but never loses its sense of purpose and remainsanchored in its deep, pulsating groove. On the flip side, ‘Silver Lines’ stands as a counterpart, offering a contrast in both sound and atmosphere. With its minimalist arrangement, the track first nestles in gently, lulling the listener into its world—only to tighten its grip as a synth sequence gradually opens its cut-off filter, slicing through the calm, drilling into the mind, and shifting the mood from tranquil to tense.

Known for his ability to create captivating, emotionally charged techno, Jonathan Kaspar eventually returns to Cocoon Recordings with his third contribution Twofold Split. One, yet simultaneously two releases that once again showcase his extraordinary talent through condensed techno with a pinch of trance, weaving together driving rhythms and atmospheric textures in a way that feels innovatively progressive.

Rooted in a minimalist rhythmic structure, ‘Power’ takes us in a new direction, steadily building momentum as its energy billows upwards, with the intensity never wavering throughout. A large, dented, tinny tuba sounds imposingly as Jonathan blows louder and louder into the old thing, its raw, metallic tone instantly commanding attention. What an explosion in the break, leading us into a wild, almost chaotic energy, before Kaspar’s meticulous attention to detail ensures that the shimmering synths feel perfectly placed, guiding us to the absolute freak-out moment. After all the insanity, Jonathan Kaspar takes us by the hand and leads us into a melodic, trancy after-hours mood with “1993,” bringing a sense of release after the wild ride of the previous tracks. What a successful closing track to this outstanding release. With its melodic trance influences, it offers a soothing, almost nostalgic atmosphere, bringing a sense of calm and closure, a perfect moment of introspection and euphoria as
the EP winds down

Known for his ability to create captivating, emotionally charged techno, Jonathan Kaspar eventually returns to Cocoon Recordings with his third contribution Twofold Split. One, yet simultaneously two releases that once again showcase his extraordinary talent through condensed techno with a pinch of trance, weaving together driving rhythms and atmospheric textures in a way that feels innovatively progressive.

Rooted in a minimalist rhythmic structure, ‘Power’ takes us in a new direction, steadily building momentum as its energy billows upwards, with the intensity never wavering throughout. A large, dented, tinny tuba sounds imposingly as Jonathan blows louder and louder into the old thing, its raw, metallic tone instantly commanding attention. What an explosion in the break, leading us into a wild, almost chaotic energy, before Kaspar’s meticulous attention to detail ensures that the shimmering synths feel perfectly placed, guiding us to the absolute freak-out moment. After all the insanity, Jonathan Kaspar takes us by the hand and leads us into a melodic, trancy after-hours mood with “1993,” bringing a sense of release after the wild ride of the previous tracks. What a successful closing track to this outstanding release. With its melodic trance influences, it offers a soothing, almost nostalgic atmosphere, bringing a sense of calm and closure, a perfect moment of introspection and euphoria as
the EP winds down

In 1979, Record Player privately pressed and issued a solitary 45 on their Gem City Records imprint in Dayton, Ohio. Though they had recorded a host of other songs, and were on the verge of signing to a major label, their trajectory stalled and the band splintered by the early 1980s. In the early 2000s, Record Player principle Charles Jackson surfaced with their unreleased songs. Todate, only two Record Player songs have been reissued, as part of Now-Again's long-running Soul Cal series. Now, the entirety of their oeuvre is presented here as Free Your Mind, and their story detailed in words by Bret Sjerven. This is a special release for us at Now-Again, and will be perfect for any fan of the deep disco scene that birthed the likes of Luther Davis, Edge of Daybreak, Tomorrow's People, Split Decision Band, and so many others issued by us, Numero Group, and other like minded labels.

Journeys are never just about distance. They stretch time, reshape perception, and demand transformation. With its latest vinyl split EP, Standard Deviation presents four tracks by Nastya Vogan and Phase Fatale that serves as a vessel for tracing displacement, memory, and the liminality of return. These melancholic yet powerful techno cuts serve both the concrete dance floor and moments of intimate self-reflection. Two artists--Nastya Vogan and Phase Fatale--approach Kyiv from different trajectories, but they both keep returning to the city. Vogan, a Ukrainian musician and resident DJ of Kyiv, and Phase Fatale (Hayden Payne), Berlin-based producer, Berghain and Khidi resident and founder of BITE Records, share a longstanding musical friendship. They've played B2B sets at K41 and Vogan, appeared on BITE's ''Shedding Skin'' compilation in 2023, and they share a vision for music selection, from aesthetics to philosophy. Vogan's 'Transitioning Territory' and 'This Is Not a Love Song' unravel the psycho-geography of transition. The first track captures the 24-hour journey to Kyiv as a rite of passage where 'time seems to fold; you are profoundly present yet paradoxically far from the world you left.' In this suspended state, memories surface and ordinary life recedes as the train's rhythm becomes its own meditation. Her second track explores Lacanian limerence--consciously falling for something not fully known, filling absences with personal projections as a way to discover what lies within oneself. Phase Fatale's contributions capture movement and distance with mechanical precision. 'Kekkai,' takes its name from the Japanese word for boundary, echoing 'respect my borders' ethos while reflecting on crossing into wartime Ukraine. The term also suggests a protective force field in Buddhist thought--much like Kyiv's current aura of resistance. 'Neosyazhna Rosa' (Unreachable Rose) honors Payne's Ukrainian grandmother Rose, weaving family history into his present connection with Ukraine. Both pieces balance melancholy with light, their sound palette of lush pads and rhythmic breaks crafted with K41's dance floor in mind.

"Against all odds!" ETERNAL DARKNESS bass player since 2019 Jeff Hausel knows what he's talking about. It took this cult death/doom Swedish mob thirty-five years to finally come up with their first proper album, only to see them splitting on the eve of its official release on Pulverised Records. But make no mistake: formed way back in Eskilstuna, Sweden in 1990 and revered ever since as one of Scandinavia most uncompromised death/doom entity ever, their self-titled full-length - produced, recorded and mixed by longtime friend and CRYPT OF KERBEROS/TYRANT guitar player Peter Bjärgö in their former rehearsal room - is probably the heaviest, as in HEAVIEST, thing you'll hear this year. Joining for the occasion the original members Make Pesonen (drums) and Janne Heikkinen (vocals) are John Carlsson on lead guitar (ETERNAL AUTUMN), Kristian Henriksson on rhythm guitar (UNPURE, SVARTSYN) and Jeff Hausel on bass. Eight brand new songs, written in between 2019 and 2024, marked by personal tragedy and about "the process of death, loss and grief", completed by the aptly chosen famous Italian 14th century tapestry, Triumph Of Death. Maybe their last move but talk about leaving with a bang. In Death!

From the depths of personal reckoning to the forefront of the UK"s alternative scene, SPLIT CHAIN have spent the past two years transmuting raw emotion into sound. Their debut album, motionblur, out soon on Epitaph Records, is a thunderous statement of intent-an electrifying fusion of shoegaze, grunge, and nu-metal that surges with both nostalgia and forward momentum. Sonically, motionblur captures a distinctive aesthetic, steeped in the melancholic haze of early 2000s alt-rock yet sharpened by the intensity of modern hardcore. Guitars drenched in chorus and distortion crash into ethereal, hook-laden vocals, forging a sound that"s at once crushingly heavy and deeply immersive. Following a string of self-released singles that organically amassed millions of streams, SPLIT CHAIN"s signing with Epitaph catapulted them further into the spotlight. Their first label-backed single pushed their streaming numbers past the 15-million mark, earning them accolades as AltPress" Breakout Artist of the Month and Revolver"s "Badass Rising Band to Know." With nods from Stereogum, The Needle Drop, BrooklynVegan, and Metal Injection, the buzz around Split Chain is undeniable. With motionblur, SPLIT CHAIN aren"t just making an album-they"re making a moment. And if their trajectory so far is any indication, this is only the beginning.

From the depths of personal reckoning to the forefront of the UK"s alternative scene, SPLIT CHAIN have spent the past two years transmuting raw emotion into sound. Their debut album, motionblur, out soon on Epitaph Records, is a thunderous statement of intent-an electrifying fusion of shoegaze, grunge, and nu-metal that surges with both nostalgia and forward momentum. Sonically, motionblur captures a distinctive aesthetic, steeped in the melancholic haze of early 2000s alt-rock yet sharpened by the intensity of modern hardcore. Guitars drenched in chorus and distortion crash into ethereal, hook-laden vocals, forging a sound that"s at once crushingly heavy and deeply immersive. Following a string of self-released singles that organically amassed millions of streams, SPLIT CHAIN"s signing with Epitaph catapulted them further into the spotlight. Their first label-backed single pushed their streaming numbers past the 15-million mark, earning them accolades as AltPress" Breakout Artist of the Month and Revolver"s "Badass Rising Band to Know." With nods from Stereogum, The Needle Drop, BrooklynVegan, and Metal Injection, the buzz around Split Chain is undeniable. With motionblur, SPLIT CHAIN aren"t just making an album-they"re making a moment. And if their trajectory so far is any indication, this is only the beginning.

Sublime private-press piano improvisations channeled from another world by Willem Nyland. Remastered from the original tapes and reissued for the first time, with in-depth liner notes by Matt Marble of the American Museum of Paramusicology. A Columbia-educated chemist by profession and a self-taught pianist by affinity, Willem Nyland (1890-1975) is known as a spiritual teacher in the tradition of Greek-Armenian mystic George Gurdjieff. In the mid/late 1960s, a split with Gurdjieff led Nyland to start his own group in upstate New York. There, after a Friday night lecture on 'The Work' and a shot of brandy, Nyland would launch into remarkable piano improvisations on a specially tuned baby grand, sometimes playing for over an hour. Each improvisation was meticulously recorded and cataloged, a major part of Nyland's teachings. 16 of these recordings were released as standalone LPs on Nyland's own Gauge Hill Press, with artwork by Hungarian American decorative artist Ilonka Karasz, Nyland's wife of over 50 years. These records, with their cascading, deeply emotional playing and beautiful cover art, have become highly coveted by collectors and "paramusicologists." Each contains depths of spiritual information and lyrical, almost visual instrumental storytelling. Nyland deftly and subtly shifts moods and tones throughout these truly inspired extended improvisations.

"I Became Birds feels like emo once again flipping the switch on its eternal energy source." - PITCHFORK // "One of the most arresting and interesting rock albums in recent memory." - SPIN // "Composed of self-deprecating wails, crashing guitar riffs, and a flicker of lyrical hope that almost feels naive _ in other words, the perfect foundation for classic emo catharsis." - STEREOGUM //// With I Became Birds, Florida's Home Is Where push their unique blend of whirlwind hardcore aggression and warm, open-hearted folksy melancholy to even further heights. Frontperson Brandon MacDonald's Dylan-esque eccentricities are on full display here, from the occasional blast of harmonica (like on early standout "Long Distance Conjoined Twins" or the disaffected, despondency-soaked closer "The Old Country") to their knack for abstractly evocative neurosis-as-poetry. But far from being a copycat act, Home Is Where's wearily raw-throated aesthetic and dynamically vivid compositions feel idiosyncratic and vital. The bittersweet folk melodies seep deeply into the band's DNA, adding an element of accessibility and immediate nostalgia to otherwise churning and angular song structures and sonic assaults. Vocals range from an intimate, gentle, and disarming croon to a full-bodied expectoration of the soul, oftentimes in the same song (like "Sewn Together from the Membrane of the Great Sea Cucumber," which splits the difference between mournful, gothic post-punk and staccato-heeled screamo with aplomb). A devastating rhythm section and nimble, versatile, yet powerful guitar work assist with the record's genre-bending, which ranges from maniacal chemical mixtures to gymnastic flips, twists, and turns. And yet, even amid the din, Home Is Where find ample time for hooks-- the oddball effervescence of lead single "Scientific Classification of Stingrays" and the shimmering, propulsive, delightfully off-kilter late-album stunner "Assisted Harakiri" are more than proof of that. Ultimately, I Became Birds shows Home Is Where hitting an early high-water mark. A brisk record-- six songs in roughly 17 minutes-- it never takes a dip in enthusiasm and inventiveness. Home Is Where's inexhaustible creativity and restless energy is bound to serve them well, and I Became Birds is all the proof anyone needs.

Cluster can be counted among the most important international protagonists of the electronic avant-garde. Some credit them with having invented ambient music, others as pioneers of synthesizer pop, whilst to some they are firmly embedded in the krautrock universe. There is some truth in all of these notions. Cluster (or Kluster as they were in the beginning) were founded in 1970 in Berlin by Conrad Schnitzler, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius. A change in direction and musical differences moved Moebius and Roedelius to split from Schnitzler after which the duo recorded 10 regular studio albums between 1971 and 2009. Their debut album ("Cluster 71") was in Wire Magazine"s "One Hundred Records That Set The World On Fire" list. "Cluster II" is influenced by Berlin and Hamburg; situated somewhere in the middle of artistic happenings, musical outrageousness and drug abuse: an urban mixture.

Official reissue of this sought-after Canadian psychedelic hard-rock album from 1970.
Formed in Toronto in the late 60s, It’s All Meat (the name was taken from a dog food commercial!) soon caught the attention of influential character Jack London (frontman of pre-Steppenwolf band Jack London and the Sparrows) who managed the band and secured a deal with major label Columbia Records.
After recording their first 45, the proto-punk MC5/Stones sounding “Feel It”, the band started working on their first album with the tandem of Jed MacKay and Rick McKim as main songwriters.
“It’s All Meat” was released in 1970 and offered a powerful mix of garage-rock, psychedelia and early hard- rock, drawing influences from bands like the Stones, Country Joe & The Fish, Doors, Velvet Underground... tracks like “Roll My Own” or the lysergic “Crying Into The Deep Lake” are now considered classics of the genre.
Sadly, the band would split soon after the LP was released.
*Original artwork in gatefold sleeve *Remastered sound in 24-bit domain *Insert with liner notes by Plastic Crimewave and rare photos / memorabilia
*Download card with non-LP singles and rare tracks
RIYL: STONES, MC5, DOORS, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, NEW YORK DOLLS,
“One of the classic Canadian rarities. It’s All Meat deliver ballsy Stones influenced hardrock with some psychedelic west-coast moves” - Patrick Lundborg (Acid Archives)

Steve Harley's iconic album The Best Years Of Our Lives celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025 and to mark the event, Chrysalis Records is proud to present an expanded 3-Disc edition featuring a 2025 Stereo Mix by Alan Parsons.

Following the split of the original Cockney Rebel line up, Harley endeavored to form a new line up while renaming the group as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. The result of this newfound group was electric, with the band producing their biggest hit; the number one, million-selling anthem 'Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)'.

The lead track has gone on to have a life of its own, produced by Alan Parsons, just two years after he engineered Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon, this album stands tall as an assured collection of top tier prog-glam-pop.

Disc One features a new 2025 Alan Parsons Stereo Mix, Disc two has never-before-heard outtakes and rarities, offering fans a unique insight into the creative process. The DVD features the Between The Lines documentary and Star Rider live video, unaired since the time, giving a wonderful glimpse into Steve performing at his victory lap show at Hammersmith Odeon alongside some fantastic fan interviews, Make Me Smile promo video and TOTP performance and the full audio recording of the Hammersmith Odeon concert. At the centre of this DVD style hardback book, are liner notes by renowned author Peter Doggett with interviews from band members Jim Cregan, Stewart Elliott, Duncan Mackay and producer Alan Parsons plus previously unseen photographs from Mick Rock and Michael Putland

Santana Bridges the Divide Between Live and Studio Material on Moonflower: 1977 Double Album Features Extraordinary Performances, Soulful Vibes, and Dynamic Mix of Latin, Rock, Funk, and Blues
Sourced from the Original Master Tapes and Strictly Limited to 3,000 Numbered Copies: Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM 2LP Set Plays with Audiophile-Quality Detail, Balance, and Imaging
1/4” / 15 IPS original analogue non-Dolby master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe



Though it may seem strange now, Moonflower stood for nearly 15 years as Santana’s first and only live record released in the United States. This despite the fact that roughly half of the double album consists of new studio songs, including a zesty cover of the Zombies classic “She’s Not There” that reached the Top 30 of the singles charts.

However unconventional, the “split” strategy went over like gangbusters. Moonflower reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 and achieved double-platinum status — feats the group would not again replicate for 22 years. These, and the beautiful quality of the program itself, are among the reasons why the 1977 effort remains viewed by critics and fans alike as must-have Santana.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, housed in a Stoughton jacket, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM 2LP set of Moonflower presents the record in audiophile sound for the first time on a domestic reissue. Part of the MoFi’s Santana catalog restoration series, this collectible version features quiet surfaces and black backgrounds that expose the critical details, liquid tones, and dynamic interplay central to Santana’s music.

The enhanced sonics extend not only to Carlos Santana’s six-string wizardry, but to the rhythmic, melodic, and vocal elements that course throughout both the studio and live cuts on Moonflower. The grip and depth of the bass lines; the wash of the organ; the scope and carry of the vocals; the extension and weight of the low-end frequencies; the rich textures of the guitars, percussive devices, and keyboards: all appear amid wide, balanced soundstages and image with right-sized dimensionality.

Significantly rooted in the styles and approaches that inform the group’s first three records, Moonflower captures the final appearances of iconic percussionist Jose “Chepito” Areas and go-to keyboardist Tom Coster on a Santana album. As he did during the preceding five-year stretch, Coster inhabits a large role here, sharing songwriting credits on a majority of the new cuts and helping steer the arrangements toward spiritually minded albeit concise directions that encompass vibrant Latin, rock, and blues themes that began to escape the ensemble shortly after his departure.

Close your eyes and feel the warmth of the sun on the R&B-kissed “I’ll Be Waiting,” anchored by Carlos Santana’s gliding fretwork and Greg Walker’s creamy vocals. Enter the cosmic universe of “Zulu,” on which Coster’s nimble phrasing opens the gate to polyrhythmic beats, knotty grooves, and interlocking funk. Grab the album cover and drift off to paradise amid the equally evocative “Flor d’Luna (Moonflower),” a romantic slow dance that Carlos Santana ensures tiptoes en route to its blissful destination. Channeling a different spirit animal, the guitarist later lets loose on the hard-hitting “El Morocco,” on which he seemingly engages in a shootout with himself and wades into the rippling psychedelia that elevated the band’s early material.

Speaking of the past, Moonflower triumphs on that level as well. In more ways than one, the live selections — and the caliber of the performances — chosen for inclusion represent an abbreviated greatest-hits survey of the band up to that point. And, at the very least, a convincing argument about why Santana had progressed into one of the most formidable bands you could hope to see on a stage in the mid ‘70s.

Simultaneously representative and illustrative of the group’s breadth, tracks stem from the collective’s eponymous debut, Abraxas, and Santana III as well as the then-more recent Amigos and Festival. Whether you fall for the sidewinding spell of a spicy rendition of “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen,” lose your head to the positively epic momentum of “Soul Sacrifice/Head, Hands & Feet,” or keep dropping the needle on the savory grace of the brilliant reading of “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile),” this pressing of Moonflower puts you — and Santana’s first-chapter legacy — in good hands.