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With their fourth album, Seas of Static, the French band Dead Horse One establishes itself as one of the heaviest bands of modern shoegaze, propelling the genre to new heights of power and emotion. In this album, Dead Horse One skillfully merges the incisive alternative metal of Deftones with the enveloping and ethereal sound of My Bloody Valentine. The result is a captivating whirlwind, where walls of guitars collide in a surge of creativity, raw emotion, and energy. Far from recycling, Seas of Static is a deep exploration of the grungegaze fusion, thus creating a unique and powerful sound, far from being conventional. Assisted by a massive production by Brendan Williams (Soul Blind, Francis Lung, GoGo Penguin), Dead Horse One creates a unique sonic texture with raw energy that evokes both grunge riffs and shoegaze atmospheres while injecting a new and contemporary energy. With this album, Dead Horse One pushes the boundaries of the genre, offering listeners an immersive and uncompromising musical experience.

"2024 Remastered Edition of the band's 1981 debut. FIRST-EVER U.S. PRESSING on limited edition Black and White split-colored vinyl.

Pitchfork cited ""Stands for deciBels"" among its list of Top 100 Albums of the 1980s. “The missing link between the proto-power pop of Big Star and the college rock of R.E.M...an unheralded gem”. The dB’s carved out a nice little niche in the genre of power pop while straddling the line between punk and new wave.” -Pop Matters.

“The dB’s combined a reverence for British pop and arty post-punk leanings that alternate between minimalism and a love of quirky embellishment, odd sounds, and unexpected twists; Stands for deciBels is clearly a collegiate pop experiment, but rarely is experimentation so enjoyable and irresistibly catchy” - AllMusic.

To support this remastered and first-ever US vinyl release, the band will be on tour in the Fall of 2024 in the U.S."

Bob Dylan released “Triplicate”, his third collection of pop standards. Like Dylan’s earlier albums, “Shadows in the Night” (2015) and “Fallen Angels”(2016), most of the songs have an association with the great Frank Sinatra. This double LP presents Frank Sinatra’s versions of many of the songs Dylan sang in these three forays into The Great American Songbook. Orchestras accompanying the iconic singer are led by Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins, Billy May, Alex Stordahl, and Tommy Dorsey, among others. Dylan once related this about an encounter he had with Ol’ Blue Eyes: “He was funny, we were standing out on his patio at night and he said to me, ‘You and me, pal, we got blue eyes, we’re from up there,’ and he pointed to the stars. ‘These other bums are from down here.’ I remember thinking that he might be right.”

Nachpressung/Neuauflage des ausverkauften SMILE-Debuts vom letzten Jahr! Neue Vinylfarbe ist Solid Yellow, als Extra oben drauf gibt es ein 20seitiges, von Sängerin Rubee Feagan gestlatetes SMILE-Zine! SMILE zeigen mit ihrem hervorragenden Debut PRICE OF PROGRESS leichtfüßig auf, dass Post Punk im Jahre 2023 noch immer erfrischend klingen kann. Sie nehmen ihre Referenzen nicht als Dogma, bleiben experimentell, eigensinnig. Erzählerisch, eingängig, rough und anschmiegsam verschmelzen dabei die feinsinnigen, poetischen Beobachtungen von Sängerin Rubee True Fegan (USA) mit dem versierten Sound einer Band, die von Produzent Olaf Opal genau dahin gebracht wurde, wo sie hingehört: an den Startblock innovativer, kluger und sinnlicher Gitarrenmusik. In PRICE OF PROGRESS manifestiert sich das Zusammenspiel aus musikalischem Sturm und Drang und der Reife einer reflektierten Erzählperspektive. Was hier entstanden ist, klingt nun, 2023, in seiner jugendlichen Frische durchaus nach einem Debut - gleichzeitig aber nach dem Werk einer erfahrenen, über lange Zeit gewachsenen Band. Nur deutsch klingt es nicht, was sicher im Wesen von Sängerin Rubees True Fegans Heimat Albuquerque (New Mexico) begründet liegt, gleichsam aber in der Vielseitigkeit, die sich SMILE erlauben - und ihrer einhergehenden Virtuosität an den Instrumenten. SMILE versuchen sich dabei - einem Post-Punk britischer Machart folgend - durchaus in homogener Geradlinigkeit (Herrengedeck), lassen Kühle zu (Machine Dreaming) und folgen einem düsteren Ernst (Säge). Diese Facetten aber vermengen sich mit einer heiteren Experimentierfreude (Stalemate, Produce, Hungry Ghosts), mit Humor (Doohickey), mit verträumter Beschwingtheit (Commuter) und Genresprengender Pop-Af finität (Protection). So zeigt sich dieses stilsichere Album in einer Vielseitigkeit, die heute selten zu finden ist - und klingt trotzdem wie aus einem Guss. Die aus der Hüfte geschüttelte Dramaturgie ist dabei Paradebeispiel für die Innovation einer der spannendsten neuen Gitarrenbands, die nun auf dem Indielabel Siluh (Wien) eine Heimat zwischen Köln, Bonn und Albuquerque gefunden hat. Wahnsinn! (Hendrik Otremba/Messer).

Remastered vinyl of the original album which came out on CD only in 2005. Limited to 200 copies on classic black vinyl. This is an album that’s as alive as any could be. Indeed, far from sounding like the last desperate set of half-baked ideas from a once vital band (hello Oasis?) Artists Cannibals Poets Thieves is more like a debut album from a bunch of teenage upstarts: free from cynicism, fired with worldly wonder and chock full of ideas. This is certainly a different outfit from that of 1998, when they first wowed us (via John Peel, naturally) with the utterly essential sprawling noise that was The Things We Make. Long since stripped down by a series of resignations from a five strong collective to a taut three piece featuring founding members Chris Olley, James Flower and Chris Davis, the music has simplified considerably. Gone are the soundscapes of old, and in their place we have a series of sharp basslines, swirling keyboards, cutting guitar lines and the passionate hollering of frontman Olley. Opener All I Really Want From You Is Love is a perfect introduction to proceedings – a truly wonderfully distorted slab of indie rock, recalling early Jesus And Mary Chain in both its fuzz and, crucially, its wonderfully crafted tune. Next, Nowhere To Go But Home sounds like New Order if they’d emerged from Detroit in 1966. Tonight (I Wanna Make It Out) follows likewise with the best bassline Peter Hook never plucked. Throughout, Six By Seven manage to sound so natural, so refreshing free of the flab and introspection that a band on its last legs would usually succumb to. And whilst the momentum is momentarily lost as the drum machine makes an appearance to fashion the Suicide-esque trawl of Stara Paris Rescued Me, it’s not long before Just Get It Down muscles things back on course with a whispered Olley diatribe perched on top of more raw cacophony, before we reach the bitter end via the Depeche Mode-on-smack You Know I Feel Alright Now. Tracklisting:

Jim Jones All Stars ist ein brodelnder Sumpffluch mit unheiligem Rhythmus und das neueste Projekt des britischen Garage-Paten Jim Jones (Thee Hypnotics, The Jim Jones Revue). Die Band besteht aus Mitgliedern von Jim Jones Revue, The Heavy, The Swamps und einer kompletten Bläsergruppe. Ihre LP "Ain't No Peril" ist ein dickes, fettes Stück Rama-Lama-Rhythm'n'Blues mit einigen von Jones' inspiriertesten Songs samt Gastauftritten des stimmlichen Powerhouse Nikki Hill und Eugene S. Robinson (Oxbow), das mit Scott McEwen in dessen Memphis Magnetic-Studio aufgenommen, von John Gletze produziert und von Grammy-Gewinner Randy Merrill gemastert wurde.

Das dritte Album von Marina Allen mit starkem und lebendigem Songwriting, wunderschön instrumentiert, hochmelodisch und mit einer unvergleichlichen lyrischen Perspektive vorgetragen. Mit zwei gefeierten Alben hat die in Los Angeles lebende Singer-Songwriterin eine frühe Ernte eingefahren, aber ihr drittes Studioalbum birgt den bislang größten Ertrag. Verglichen mit den anschwellenden Kompositionen von Allens zweitem Album Centrifics oder der unschuldigen Ruhe von Candlepower, ist die Welt von Eight Pointed Star tiefgreifender und offener. Schimmernende Gitarren verziehren die Canyons und Staub wird von der rot vernarbten Erde aufgewirbelt. Allens Gesang ist rein und kristallin, während die Instrumentierung reichhaltig ist und vor Helligkeit nur so strotzt. Man kann hören, wie die Musik Zufriedenheit ausstrahlt und der Produktion von Chris Cohen Raum für eine volle Band bietet. Allens künstlerische Zuneigung gilt vor allem Sängern, die ihrer Meinung nach wirklich singen können, von The Roches bis Karen Dalton, Joanna Newsom und Meredith Monk. Aber diese Einflüsse verschwinden wie Gespenster auf dem Dachboden, wenn sie selbst zu singen beginnt. Allen hat eine Stimme, die es mit dem Kanon aufnehmen kann - unnachahmlich - und sie hat noch nie so entschlossen geklungen wie hier. Ein strahlender, klarsichtiger moderner Klassiker des alternativen Folk und Americana. Für Fans von Aldous Harding, Fiona Apple und Waxahatchee. Klassich schwarzes Vinyl mit DLC oder Digisleeve CD.

Principal member Keith Finch linked up with reggae manager and publisher Othman Mukhlis at Stanley House Studio in 2001 and began a series of projects featuring there love of retro reggae. JA13 worked with major reggae stars of the sixties on the ‘Heroes of Kingston’ project, Alton Ellis, Derrick Morgan, Dave Barker Dave and Ansell Collins Winston ‘Mr Fixit’ Francis, Denis Alcapone, Owen Grey, BB Seaton Gaylads and legendary trombonist Rico Rodriguez. [Which lead to two solo albums with Rico Rodriguez]. Project championed by David Rodigan and Ranking Miss P. Music in films and TV including Hawaii 5-0, various US films, BA, Tesco, various BBC, latest and currently they have many tracks on BBC most successful export ‘Death in Paradise’. They also feature two tracks in the forthcoming Shaggy documentary Other reggae artists projects include Bob Andy, Joseph Cotton, General Saint and Clint Eastwood, Don Campbell, J C Lodge, Susan Cadogan, Glen Adams [Upsetters] Pat Rhoden [first artist on Trojan] Tippe Irie, Tenor Fly, Spanna Banner, FYA [Platinum in Japan], Bounty Killer, Elephant man, and many more on ‘Bar Mitzvah riddim’ which was co written and produced with Skatta Burrell. Written for UK pop reggae band Madness on last two albums, and on the project ‘Charge of the Dance Brigade’ with Lee Thompson [Madness] and Jennie Matthias Belle stars singer] with Brazilian jazz accordionist/pianist Chico Chagas. And a host of other top musicians. [Which he co wrote, produced, engineered and nurtured] JA13 have featured on many reggae projects and remixes, the latest offering is ‘World Radio Dub – Chapter One’

When I arrived in Geneva, Claude picked me up in his Aston Martin. He had a tape deck playing Lowell Fulsom – a guy who used to come to Memphis a lot and I knew some of his musicians. I grew up around the Blues, so this was a natural sound for me. Claude didn’t tell me until much, much later that he played Blues harmonica. He took us to the hotel where we had a warm and cordial welcome. Montreux was a quaint and sleepy town in 1967. However, there was a palpable excitement in the air and we could feel it. Everyone seemed to know that they were about to launch something great – the Montreux Jazz Festival - and there was no turning back. I was their first international artist to perform there with my quartet with Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette and Ron McClure.

We played two concerts at the Casino one in the afternoon and one at night. That was the start of three great and lasting friendships; Claude Nobs, Montreux Jazz Festival co-founder, Rene Langel, and the engineer of the recording, Pierre Grandjean, from Radio Suisse. And - a fourth person, who was 6 at the time, Yvan Ischer. We did not meet until many years later and have become good friends. It is thanks to Yvan’s persistent belief in this music and Pierre Grandjean’s safe keeping of the tapes, that we hear them now, more than fifty years later. live at Montreux Jazz Festival, June 18, 1967. Featuring Charles Lloyd, Keith Jarrett, Ron McClure, and Jack DeJohnette.

Multi-talented US punk, Jeff Rosenstock releases fourth album on Specialist Subject Records (UK /EU) & Polyvinyl (Worldwide)! NO DREAM comes at a time of unparalleled chaos and confusion, division and despair, the depths of which would have been impossible to predict when much of it was being written over the course of the last few years. And yet the record feels prescient, unexpectedly and uniquely suited for this moment. Newly settled in Los Angeles after a lifetime on the East Coast (namely Brooklyn by way of Long Island), Rosenstock recorded NO DREAM with Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Hard Girls, Joyce Manor) at Oakland's Atomic Garden, and even took on mixing duties alongside Shirley for the first time. Opting to stay off the computer "even more than usual" and record to tape with outboard gear, the result is a lived-in sound that gives each song its own individual voice and organic energy. After building a cult following with the acerbic ska-punk of the Arrogant Sons of Bitches and DIY heroics of Bomb the Music Industry!, Rosenstock's first proper solo record, 2015's We Cool?, was a step into uncharted territory, fully untethered from genre and expectation. Followed by 2016's WORRY. and the surprise New Year's Day launch of POST- in the early hours of 2018, Rosenstock was facing down that least punk of opportunities: a career playing music. Having taken some time away from his work as a solo artist to recalibrate and reset over the last year, Rosenstock stayed busy playing alongside Mikey Erg, recording and touring with the Bruce Lee Band, releasing a Neil Young covers record with frequent collaborator Laura Stevenson, reissuing two of his own out-of-print early albums, compiling a live album which was recorded during a run of four sold-out shows at Bowery Ballroom, making a 76 page photo book, and scoring over 80 episodes of the Cartoon Network series Craig of the Creek. In fully returning to his own voice, it's no surprise that Rosenstock's output has never been more eclectic, reflected across NO DREAM's 13 songs.

Rockpile was a short-lived yet highly influential quartet, composed of Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner and Terry Williams. Though Rockpile played together throughout the 1970s, the original 1980 release of Seconds of Pleasure was the only time the band was able to capture their magic on tape. Meshing the sounds of pub rock, power pop and rockabilly all through a blossoming new wave lens, Rockpile were renowned for their blistering live performances, which were brought to national attention on tours supporting Blondie, Bad Company, Van Morrison and Elvis Costello. Seconds of Pleasure has stood the test of time and cemented Rockpile as a one-album-wonder, but what a wonder it is! Featuring classics like Lowe’s pop-perfect “When I Write the Book” and “Play That Fast Thing (One More Time)” and Rockpile’s sole Billboard hit “Teacher Teacher,” Seconds of Pleasure remains a classic that should be found on the turntable of every music collector. Yep Roc is proud to announce a long overdue vinyl reissue of Seconds of Pleasure, pressed on yellow color vinyl and limited to 1,000 copies worldwide. The reissue was pressed at the state-of-the-art facilities of Citizen Vinyl in Asheville, North Carolina and the lacquer was cut by renowned mastering engineer Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. Over four decades later, Seconds of Pleasure has brought years of enjoyment and now has never sounded better!

It’s a tough call which is the bigger cult classic, the Tank Girl movie or its accompanying soundtrack, but on balance, we’d have to go for the soundtrack. Yeah, the film had a cast composed of some of the most colorful characters (Iggy Pop, Ann Magnuson) and character actors (Malcolm McDowell, Ice-T, and of course the almighty Lori Petty!) in show biz. And, its dystopic, resource-starved desert setting, intense action sequences, and lead female character mark it as a feminist (albeit funnier) precursor to Mad Max: Fury Road. But check out the soundtrack’s bona-fides: assembled by Courtney Love herself, it features a Who’s Who of ‘90s female rock including Hole, Björk, L7, Veruca Salt, and Belly among others. Plus, it even has tracks that were exclusive to its release, like a unique version of Devo’s “Girl U Want,” “Mockingbird Girl” by The Magnificent Bastards (a side project of the late Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots), and a duet of “Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love” between Joan Jett and The Replacements’ Paul Westerberg. In short, if there ever was a score that needs to be on wax, this would be it. We’ve done it right, too, with a gatefold jacket featuring the trademark comic book art and stills from the film, and a neon yellow vinyl pressing limited to 750 copies!

When Man Man released its last album, "Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In Between," frontman Honus Honus (née Ryan Kattner) was in a state of unrest, oscillating between hope and cynicism. Perhaps fittingly, the album dropped during the pandemic, a time at which we could all relate. But, much like that bizarre turn of events, the ennui now seems so distant to Man Man. A revived sense of purpose washes through Man Man's new album, Carrot on Strings, radiating a mix of calm and confidence. Kattner always embodied a wild-man pied-piper vibe: his melodic, unhinged art-rock was at once intriguing and angsty. He was so alluringly creative that you went along with it, even if you were never sure where Man Man would take you. Carrot on Strings is no less inventive, but its ethos is radical in context of the band's two-decade career. "When I was younger, I would feed off of chaos. I would, you know, be upset and get drunk and smash chairs," Kattner explains. "Now those chairs are in my head: It's less of an outward projection, more of an interior monologue." The name "Carrot on Strings" came to Kattner while experimenting with the sound of someone munching on the vegetable, which you can hear in the cacophonous, similarly named song. It alludes to how success always seemed to dangle uncertainly before him, often just out of reach. But listen intently and you'll hear a more content Kattner finding an uneasy peace: "Life, as far as I've known it, has always been side hustles. Would it be great if I could go into a studio and record for a year without figuring out how to finance it? Yeah, it would be," he says. "But ultimately, I need to keep making music because art is an extension of my psyche. It's how I have learned to translate the palpitations of my heart. Simply put, I'd go insane without it." Growing up as a multiracial Hapa kid (half Filipino, half white) with a father in the U.S. Air Force, Kattner lived an itinerant childhood that included a few pivotal years in Germany, where he honed in on an appreciation for out there German cinema and art. His film obsessions and screenwriting background were crucial to Carrot on Strings. The album nods to the films of Werner Herzog and Rainer Werner Fassbinder as much as Italo-disco, Randy Newman, goth rock, and avant pop. (Kattner continues to work in the film industry with an acting role in the upcoming horror-comedy movie Destroy All Neighbors, for which he also served as composer; music supervising season 1 & 2 of the Interview With The Vampire AMC TV series; and shopping around, with director Matthew Goodhue, a script he wrote that he describes as a Wim Wenders road movie on acid.) In a bid to not overthink anything - his last album took seven years to make - he recorded the bulk of Carrot On Strings in five days in Mant Sounds studio in Glassell Park, Los Angeles with "very chill" producer Matt Schuessler, who had worked on Man Man's cover of Neu!'s "Super" for the seminal Krautrock band's box set. The resulting album represents a newfound sense of self for Kattner, who finds himself inspired and at peace both personally and artistically in ways that eluded him for most of his first 15 years playing music. When, on Carrot On Strings, you hear Kattner croon humbly, or sing of the tension between his outsize stage persona and the thoughtful, soulful guy he actually is, you're hearing Kattner liberate himself. "I first got into music to escape from myself," he says. "And now, it sounds so corny, but I have zero doubt that music ended up saving my life."

A leading light in the thriving Chicago hip-hop scene, Mick Jenkins has solidified his reputation over the past decade, blending atmospheric vibes, thematic depth, and captivating lyricism. The talented emcee’s remarkable career has included four celebrated studio albums, widespread critical acclaim, and collaborations with artists like Chance The Rapper, Robert Glasper, Freddie Gibbs, JID, Ghostface Killah, Disclosure, Joey Bada$$, Noname, Benny The Butcher, Vic Mensa, and more. Originally released in 2015, the classic project Waves was among the releases that propelled Jenkins’ ascent in the early stages of this journey. With textured instrumentation and chaotic percussion underpinning Mick’s elaborate flows, the collection was championed by outlets like Pitchfork, XXL, Complex, NPR, Spin, and more. Now, years after the initial pressing sold out, Wave

GATECREEPER return with their highly anticipated new album Deserted. The new album, a furious mix of snarling guitars and driving, rhythmic pummeling takes death metal from its 80's Floridian roots and 90's Swedish expansion straight into the here and now. In fact, the vanguard of death metal in 2019 can be found under Arizona’s searing sun. That’s where GATECREEPER members—Chase Mason, guitarist Eric Wagner, bassist Sean Mears, drummer Matt Arrebollo and guitarist Nate Garrett—make their homes. Of course, the band nodded to their scorching home state with the title of their 2016 full-length debut, Sonoran Depravation. The theme continues on Deserted, which boasts songs like “Sweltering Madness,” “Boiled Over” and the double-meaning title track. You can hear the results on “From The Ashes,” a crushing cut primed for the European festival circuit. Over on side two, “Boiled Over” fuses classic BOLT THROWER with the pulverizing power grooves of sludge titans CROWBAR. Album closer “Absence Of Light” upholds GATECREEPER's tradition of finishing their records with a deathly doom dirge. Deserted was recorded at Homewrecker Studios in Tucson, where GATECREEPER co-produced the album with engineer Ryan Bram. CONVERGE guitarist Kurt Ballou handled the mix at Godcity in Salem, MA, and Brad Boatright mastered the album at Audiosiege in Portland, OR. Deserted’s hallucinatory cover art was created by Brad Moore (TOMB MOLD, MORPHEUS DESCENDS, and more.)

‘Empires into Sand’ is the first album of new material from Normil Hawaiians in 40 years. The group first refined their sound during the early 80s, hitting on a pastoral experimentalism that drew on ambient drone, motorik impulse and post-punk pep.
‘Empires into Sand’ came together in the familiar manner of their original three albums, with improvisation and nuance informing the blueprint of the tracks. It was with the official release of this last record ‘Return of the Ranters’ (originally recorded in 1984/85, but then unconsciously shelved) in 2015 by Upset The Rhythm that led to the group reconnecting with the intention of playing music together again. Normil Hawaiians played a launch show for that ‘lost album’ and followed that up with more concerts, including an appearance at Supernormal, a residency at the Edinburgh Festival, gigs at Cafe OTO. They were even chosen by Richard Dawson to perform with him in London.
Throughout this time, Normil Hawaiians revisited their original songs for live performance. However for a group always so interested in evolving their sound, it came as no surprise that they shirked at the idea of a faithful retread. The band pushed their songs into new inventive dimensions, still progressive at core, but now imbued with a cosmic uncanny. A cinematic approach that was always quietly present has come to the fore. The quaint weirdness of folk song, the humanity of communal practice and the group’s ecological mindedness have all found a place in Normil Hawaiians’ current sound world.
When Normil Hawaiians write and record music they prefer to gather in a remote location and live together for a while, such is their communal ethos. Being far-flung across the UK, the Family Hawaii (numbering seven key members) decided to encamp to Tayinloan, a small village on the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland. They set up their own studio in an isolated, windswept house overlooking the sea and started the tape rolling. Noel Blanden from the band explains the process neatly: “we set up and began playing, slowly and patiently, allowing the music to take its own shape based on where we were staying and our ongoing friendship. We recorded for days, capturing everything. A lot of new and rich ideas began to emerge”.
Normil Hawaiians took their time to develop these threads at their own pace, allowing songs to mutate and settle over months. Simon Marchant deftly produced and recorded the album whilst also performing in the band, this marked the first time the band had total control of their own sound. The last few years has seen the band reconvene in Herne Bay, Faversham, London and Leith to record new parts, constantly responding to the changing form of these quietly spectral songs of defiance.
‘Empires into Sand’ incorporates samples from old rehearsals and live music into the new finished pieces, this is in continuum with their previous records. Snippets of sound from the static of short wave radio and satellite transmissions also embellish the work. In fact the whole album is stitched together with interludes, creating an acutely immersive 45 minutes. ‘Exiles’ opens the album amid swirling atmospheres, synth flights and recordings of Vilnis Egle (father of Zinta Egle from the band) retelling his experience of fleeing his home in Latvia during Soviet occupation in 1942. George Bikandy also features on this track talking about his flight from Syria in 2014. ‘Ghosts of Ballochroy’ is a winding river of a song featuring a lively discourse in Scots courtesy of Rodney Relax. There’s a commitment to truth telling present across this hopeful album populated with angels, incoming tides, long shadows and the rose-washed sun. “From our broken windscreen, we feel the breeze” soars Guy Smith triumphantly over the driving beat of ‘Waterfalls : Bedford 330’. ‘Big City Sky’ flutters and sparkles with rapid synth runs, tape-looped drums and Jimmy Miller’s commanding vocal. With ‘In The Stone’ Zinta’s melody is deliberately jagged and blunt, exaggerated by octave-layered vocals and interjections from Guy.
This is thought-provoking, boundary-bothering music. Honest in intent, a solidarity of vision. The album’s title is derived from a poem by band member Mark Tyler, who sadly passed away during the recording process and the transience of life is felt heavily throughout. Noel best coins the group’s wish for the album: “we wanted to create an album that acknowledges our history and also reflects who we are today. We remained true to ourselves and we wanted to make something beautiful without removing the edges.” ‘Empires into Sand’ certainly does that, it’s an echo from the past, an echo from the future.

For singer/songwriter Jesse Daniel, country music is nothing short of a life force. Hailing from a rural mountain town on California’s Central Coast, the Austin-based artist first explored his innate passion for music by playing drums in punk bands, then drifted down a troubled path that included years of battling addiction and spending time in and out of jail and rehab. As he took his first steps toward getting clean, Daniel immersed himself in the pure joy of writing country songs, fully embracing the unbridled vitality of California country and bringing a lived-in honesty to his lyrical storytelling. Since releasing his 2018 self-titled debut on his own record label, he’s earned great esteem as a country traditionalist and built a wildly devoted international following—thanks in no small part to his freewheeling live show and tendency to tour nearly 200 days a year. Recently signed to Lightning Rod Records, Daniel now offers up his fourth studio album Countin’ The Miles: a high-powered body of work born from his ardent belief in preserving country’s legacy.

2024 Repress

"DJ Sim and Dr. Phil Omanski are the focal point in the fourth part of the extremely successful series; Hardcore Legends. DJ Sim is, without a doubt, a Hardcore Legend. Tracks like “Go Get Busy”, “Cartoons in Progress”, “Simbiosis” and “Pump That Stupid Bass” have made many hardcore hearts beat faster. These tracks inspired many hardcore artists. Dr. Phil Omanski aka Jorn Hanneman is essential in this series. Everyone remembers the hit “Young Birds” with the mega catchy synth stab and Celtic vocals, but also gems such as “BZRK Feelings (Toni Salmonelli Mix)” and “One Tribes Jam” are featured. Hardcore Legends by DJ SIM x Dr. Phil Omanski is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on translucent red coloured vinyl. "

Hardcore Legends by DJ SIM x Dr. Phil Omanski, released 4 April 2024, includes the following tracks: "BZRK Feelings (Toni Salmonelli Mix)", "One Tribes Jam (Org. Ragga Edit)", "Pump That Stupid Bass (Hardcore Mix)" and more.

This version of Hardcore Legends comes as a 1xLP.

What Is Not Strange? is the first full-length album by Los Angeles-based composer Tashi Wada in over five years, comprising his most far-reaching and impassioned music to date. Written and recorded over a period that encompassed the death of his father and the birth of his daughter, the album sees Wada reflecting inward to explore broad narratives - being alive, mortality, finding one's place in the world - through new modes of ecstatic, song-based expression. While the denser forms, stark contrasts, and overt surreality may carry a different weight than Wada's earlier work, which elicited perceptual effects with minimal means, the heart of What Is Not Strange? is still in experimentation and unforeseen outcomes.

Cher and Christina Aguilera, together? On the same soundtrack? Who cares that the Burlesque film garnered mixed reviews at best (though a lot of folks now regard the 2010 feature as a camp classic)? The soundtrack had no such difficulties; the album release went Top 20 on the charts, won a Grammy nomination, and Cher’s performance of “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Aguilera’s star turn was something of a coming-out party, too; not only did she enjoy critical acclaim for her first leading role in a film, but her musical contributions—featuring a couple of Etta James songs and a cover of Marlene Dietrich’s “A Guy What Takes His Time’’—were sassy, jazzy, and brassy, not unlike her work on her #1 album from 2006, Back to Basics. In short, this one’s a must for fans of either artist, and for this pressing, we at Real Gone Music have created a bling-y metallic gold vinyl edition housed inside a gatefold cover boasting some sensational production stills!

The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series Entry #12: DJ Muggs takes the Soul Assassins approach to source music - deep, dark, dank.

The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series was created by Madlib and Egon to give their creative friends a chance to stretch out and indulge in whatever type of music they wanted. This music was created for easy, one-stop clearance in film and television synchronization usage and for sampling. You can also enjoy these albums in the way that many do with the best of the best vintage library catalogs – listen, ponder, repeat.

Recorded in Los Angeles in 1982, 13.13 exists as document to the pandemonium of specters and potential serial killers who twisted the California Dream into a waking nightmare as they snaked through the boulevards, back yards and basements of a sun stroked paradise turning into a blood soaked inferno of fear, paranoia, panic and lust killings. Lush musical textures provided by members of seminal art punks The Weirdos - Dix Denney, Cliff Martinez and Greg Williams create a hypnotic backdrop to Lunch’s evocative vocals and terrifying lyrics.

"Grand Slam’s new album Wheel Of Fortune is set for release on June 7th via Silver Lining Music. The four-piece band formed in 1984 by Phil Lynott and guitarist Laurence Archer before being forced to break up in 1986, have finally formed the appropriate return with a top-drawer of hard rocking songs which resonate with clear and present verve and energy.

Wheel of Fortune is the fully-realised modern Grand Slam sound, striding confidently back into the conscience of classic-rock fuelled devotees who didn’t know what they were missing. There are no more shoes to fill only boots`being worn on the ground, with Dyer’s style and swagger at the forefront of spirited leaders such as “There Goes My Heart”, while Archer’s fiery fretboard forays on the likes of the riffy “Spitfire” are a vital part of the Grand Slam architecture. With the lock-solid rhythm section of Newton and Reid underpinning affairs, Grand Slam not only stand on their own eight feet, they’re also able to directly engage with their talismanic, legendary founding energy with “Come Together (In Harlem)”, a moody, strutter of a song from the Phil Lynott days with (mostly) Phil Lynott’s lyrics.

But make absolutely no mistake: Grand Slam are not a band returning from their past, but a band firing intentions regarding their future, as the epic, multi-layered, steamy swing of “Pirate Song” suggests… Let the music do the talking."

Fast 20 Jahre ist es her, dass Seasick Steves gefeierter Auftritt in Jools Hollands Hootenanny den unbekannten amerikanischen Singer-Songwriter zu weltweitem Ruhm verhalf, und seine verbeulte dreisaitige japanische Gitarre und die alte hölzerne Stompbox Musikgeschichte schrieben. Die überwältigende Resonanz überraschte niemanden mehr als Steve selbst und traf ihn wie ein Blitzschlag, dessen Auswirkungen auch fast zwei Jahrzehnte später noch zu spüren sind – inzwischen ist er auf fast allen großen Festivals der Welt aufgetreten und hat über zwei Millionen Alben verkauft. Sein neues Album "A Trip A Stumble A Fall Down On Your Knees" erscheint über So Recordings. Es ist ein Album, von dem er stolz sagt, dass es sein bisheriges Lieblingsalbum ist: "This album was made by mistake, as the title suggests we just tripped and stumbled into it, and it became my favourite album ever and the piece of work I’m most proud of to date. There’s not a week goes by that I don’t thank my lucky stars for that night on the Hootenanny which has brought us here to this record."

Fast 20 Jahre ist es her, dass Seasick Steves gefeierter Auftritt in Jools Hollands Hootenanny den unbekannten amerikanischen Singer-Songwriter zu weltweitem Ruhm verhalf, und seine verbeulte dreisaitige japanische Gitarre und die alte hölzerne Stompbox Musikgeschichte schrieben. Die überwältigende Resonanz überraschte niemanden mehr als Steve selbst und traf ihn wie ein Blitzschlag, dessen Auswirkungen auch fast zwei Jahrzehnte später noch zu spüren sind – inzwischen ist er auf fast allen großen Festivals der Welt aufgetreten und hat über zwei Millionen Alben verkauft. Sein neues Album "A Trip A Stumble A Fall Down On Your Knees" erscheint über So Recordings. Es ist ein Album, von dem er stolz sagt, dass es sein bisheriges Lieblingsalbum ist: "This album was made by mistake, as the title suggests we just tripped and stumbled into it, and it became my favourite album ever and the piece of work I’m most proud of to date. There’s not a week goes by that I don’t thank my lucky stars for that night on the Hootenanny which has brought us here to this record."

Fast 20 Jahre ist es her, dass Seasick Steves gefeierter Auftritt in Jools Hollands Hootenanny den unbekannten amerikanischen Singer-Songwriter zu weltweitem Ruhm verhalf, und seine verbeulte dreisaitige japanische Gitarre und die alte hölzerne Stompbox Musikgeschichte schrieben. Die überwältigende Resonanz überraschte niemanden mehr als Steve selbst und traf ihn wie ein Blitzschlag, dessen Auswirkungen auch fast zwei Jahrzehnte später noch zu spüren sind – inzwischen ist er auf fast allen großen Festivals der Welt aufgetreten und hat über zwei Millionen Alben verkauft. Sein neues Album "A Trip A Stumble A Fall Down On Your Knees" erscheint über So Recordings. Es ist ein Album, von dem er stolz sagt, dass es sein bisheriges Lieblingsalbum ist: "This album was made by mistake, as the title suggests we just tripped and stumbled into it, and it became my favourite album ever and the piece of work I’m most proud of to date. There’s not a week goes by that I don’t thank my lucky stars for that night on the Hootenanny which has brought us here to this record."

Instant appeal for fans of quirky downtempo soul. Instrumental version on the B-side. Fresh collaboration between singular vocalist/musician and the Cold Diamond & Mink band. The musical Oroza bloodline just seems to keep pumping soul music from Finland for the world to hear. Now it's time for Franka to step to the stage and she comes out from the gate swinging with a sublime beat ballad "Indecision". Backed by the faithful Timmion Records house band Cold Diamond & Mink, Franka's folk jazzy vocal stylings seep into fertile ground. Building from the intro drum roll to the rootsy organ-led groove Franka jumps on the beat with a Joni Mitchell twist and it's immediately apparent that we're in for a treat. The vocal glides effortlessly between firm and delicate tones, perfectly underlining the lyrical content. Franka takes her time in setting the scene, holding a veil before the fact that we're actually listening to a love song. If all you're looking for is good songwriting with a soulful backbeat, with Franka Oroza you'll get a unique voice to boot. This is another sure shot for all fans of independent downtempo soul from the Timmion stable.

Retina.it and Crisci come together again, after releasing a 12 inches on Semantica last year, they both have a long story in the techno scene. Retina.it are known for QMen project with Rino Cerrone they started the techno Napoli scene, and releases music on Marco Carola Design Music and on Gaetano Parisio Conform to name a few labels..
Domenico is continuing the authentic Napoli techno sound, he is know for the releases on L.I.E.S Records, Jealous God of Silent Servant, Semantica and many others..

“Home” is not always a literal place. Sometimes, “home” represents inner peace and simply learning to hold space for yourself. This is where Vacations lead singer and guitarist Campbell Burns has arrived as he and bandmates Jake Johnson, Nate Delizzotti, and Joseph Van Lier release their third LP, No Place Like Home. “I had this loose concept of No Place Like Home being an Americana-influenced album,” Campbell says of the album’s sonic inspirations. “I wanted to incorporate more pianos, acoustic guitars, Nashville tuning, and country-inspired lap steel, but then also bringing in drum machines and synths and finding a mix between the two.” Produced by Campbell and John Velasquez (Zella Day, Broods), No Place Like Home comprises 10 shimmering tracks brimming with indie-pop hooks and just a touch of bittersweet sensitivity. The new project follows an intense period of transformation for Campbell, who was forced to cancel all touring commitments due to COVID restrictions and subsequently came down with a severe bout of writer’s block. After seeking therapy, he was eventually diagnosed with Pure OCD, a subtype of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. “Pure OCD is more mental compulsions rather than physical compulsions,” Campbell explains. “If I have an intrusive thought, I'm giving that thought belief and power over myself.” As the world began to open up, so did Campbell’s vibrant creative spirit. Vacations hit the road for the first time in two years, selling out The Fonda in LA and playing Austin City Limits Festival in Austin, experiences that partially inform No Place Like Home. First single and album opener “Next Exit” sparkles with danceable synth riffs and Campbell’s aching falsetto, all while setting the overall tone for what’s to come. “‘Next Exit’ is about living in this monotonous cycle,” Campbell reveals. “You realize that you need an out. You need to — metaphorically and literally — take the next exit out in order to break out of that cycle.” The singer mines his Pure OCD diagnosis on the pondering “Over You,” which thematically picks up where “Next Exit” drops off. Campbell remarks on how “it almost has this ownership over my thoughts and actions to the point where I'm stuck in these loops and rituals that are a direct result of having OCD.” On the Americana-inspired “Midwest,” which seamlessly blends pop electronics, drum machine, and ‘80s synth with poignant lap steel tones, the song remarks on the comedic nature of repeatedly entering into romantic relationships prior to going on tour — only to have them fizzle out upon returning. As the band releases No Place Like Home, Campbell is ironically just fine with not putting down physical roots just yet having recently made the move to LA for exploration, expanding “I needed to get overseas if I wanted to keep progressing — from a career standpoint, but also on a personal level.” The greater priority lies within building that sense of comfort within himself. In the meantime, millions of fans around the world are making a permanent home with Vacations.

Albums don’t get much more intimate than the ones made by Stina Nordenstam. The Swedish singer layers her delicate voice over minimal, ambient soundscapes, and her lyrics are impressionistic, personal, and poetic. It’s like you’re swimming in her stream of consciousness, which is a pretty nice place to be, especially on this 2001 album, which presents Stina at her dreamiest and poppiest. Long desired by vinyl fans, This Is Stina Nordenstam is here in a clear pressing with a color inner sleeve featuring lyrics. Mitchell Froom co-produces; includes a couple of duets with Suede’s Brett Anderson (on “Trainsurfing” and Keen Yellow Planet”)!

Viele von uns werden sich täglich daran erinnern müssen, dass es nicht mehr 1967 ist. "We All Belong" von DR. DOG ist eines dieser Meisterwerke, dass eine Standleitung zu der Quelle hat, an der sich seinerzeit auch Brian Wilson, Neil Young, Robbie Robertson, John Lennon und Paul McCartney gütlich taten, um so erfrischt einige der besten Songs der Geschichte zu schreiben. DR. DOG haben damit einen Klassiker geschaffen, der nicht nur absolut zeitlos, sondern reich an Seele, voll von purem Rock'n'Roll und manchmal auf so unheimliche Weise vertraut ist, dass man sich sofort zu Hause fühlt - trotzdem jedoch bleibt der Sound auf ,We All Belong" einzigartig. Die Produktion steht ebenso in der Schuld von George "The 5th BEATLE" Martin wie auch Jeff Mangum (NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL). Die Songs, die da regelrecht aus der Feder und den Instrumenten von DR. DOG fließen, sind auf der einen Seite eine große Hommage an die Brillanz vergangener Zeiten und auf der anderen Seite der Weckruf einer Generation, der vom müden Indie ihrer Zeit ganz schläfrig zumute ist. An den Trompeten des Weckrufs: DR. DOG, deren Appeal durchaus noch weitere 40 Jahre bestehen könnte.

'Systems Of Substance' is the newest EP from the boss of Renegade Methodz, showcasing his updated style and vision for the future of his music. Establishing what already started with the 'Futur Akustik' release, Endlec's sound is changing and evolving to something more minimal and loopy with a very strong fundamental groove but still keeping intact his distinct raw sound with significant style and class.
This is a four track EP of Proper Techno by one of Greece's most respected contributors to the genre.

Die Loons aus Südkalifornien spielen seit mehr als 25 Jahren ihre ganz eigene Art von psychedelischem Garage- und Freakbeat. Mit ,Memories Have Faces" haben sie ihr bisher eindrucksvollstes Werk geschaffen, zusammen mit einer klasse Version von ,Cries from the Midnight Circus" von den Pretty Things. Gegründet in San Diego, haben The Loons fünf Alben und eine Reihe von Singles aufgenommen und veröffentlicht und sind in mehr Städten auf der ganzen Welt aufgetreten, als sie zählen können. Sie haben mit Ikonen der 60er Jahre wie Glenn Ross Campbell von The Misunderstood, Dick Taylor von The Pretty Things, Randy Holden von The Sons of Adam und Blue Cheer und Michael Stuart-Ware von Love zusammengearbeitet. Mike Stax, der auch die Zeitschrift Ugly Things herausgibt, ist der Leadsänger. Anja Stax spielt Bass und singt Backing Vocals. Marc Schroeder und Chris Marsteller spielen Gitarren, und Chris Cancelliere sitzt am Schlagzeug. Mike Stax war bereits ein Veteran in mehreren anderen Bands aus San Diego, darunter The Crawdaddys und The Tell-Tale Hearts, als er 1997 die Loons gründete. Ebbot Lundberg von The Soundtrack of Our Lives produzierte das Debütalbum der Gruppe, ,Love's Dead Leaves", das 1998 bei Get Hip Records erschien. "A perfect pairing of Love-influenced garage-psych and British underground in the mould of the Pretty Things played with preternatural style and ability." - Shindig Magazine "Fantastically talented - as a group and individually, they've worked so hard at their passion _ It has been one of the highlights of my life to have been involved with them." - Glenn Ross Campbell, the Misunderstood

The late great Canadian pianist Glenn Gould made two significant and highly acclaimed recordings of Bach's Goldberg Variations, the first in 1955 when he was just twenty- two, presented here on 180g white vinyl, and the second a quarter of a century later in 1981 when he was nearing the end of his life.

Both recordings stand as benchmarks of the repertoire, offering fascinating insights into the music and Gould's approach to it. These recordings have never been out of print - a mark of their status and the respect they command in the canon of Bach recordings.

Limitierte farbige Splatter Vinyl-LP! Die Loons aus Südkalifornien spielen seit mehr als 25 Jahren ihre ganz eigene Art von psychedelischem Garage- und Freakbeat. Mit ,Memories Have Faces" haben sie ihr bisher eindrucksvollstes Werk geschaffen, zusammen mit einer klasse Version von ,Cries from the Midnight Circus" von den Pretty Things. Gegründet in San Diego, haben The Loons fünf Alben und eine Reihe von Singles aufgenommen und veröffentlicht und sind in mehr Städten auf der ganzen Welt aufgetreten, als sie zählen können. Sie haben mit Ikonen der 60er Jahre wie Glenn Ross Campbell von The Misunderstood, Dick Taylor von The Pretty Things, Randy Holden von The Sons of Adam und Blue Cheer und Michael Stuart-Ware von Love zusammengearbeitet. Mike Stax, der auch die Zeitschrift Ugly Things herausgibt, ist der Leadsänger. Anja Stax spielt Bass und singt Backing Vocals. Marc Schroeder und Chris Marsteller spielen Gitarren, und Chris Cancelliere sitzt am Schlagzeug. Mike Stax war bereits ein Veteran in mehreren anderen Bands aus San Diego, darunter The Crawdaddys und The Tell-Tale Hearts, als er 1997 die Loons gründete. Ebbot Lundberg von The Soundtrack of Our Lives produzierte das Debütalbum der Gruppe, ,Love's Dead Leaves", das 1998 bei Get Hip Records erschien. "A perfect pairing of Love-influenced garage-psych and British underground in the mould of the Pretty Things played with preternatural style and ability." - Shindig Magazine "Fantastically talented - as a group and individually, they've worked so hard at their passion _ It has been one of the highlights of my life to have been involved with them." - Glenn Ross Campbell, the Misunderstood

Instant appeal for fans of quirky downtempo soul. Instrumental version on the B-side. Fresh collaboration between singular vocalist/musician and the Cold Diamond & Mink band. The musical Oroza bloodline just seems to keep pumping soul music from Finland for the world to hear. Now it's time for Franka to step to the stage and she comes out from the gate swinging with a sublime beat ballad "Indecision". Backed by the faithful Timmion Records house band Cold Diamond & Mink, Franka's folk jazzy vocal stylings seep into fertile ground. Building from the intro drum roll to the rootsy organ-led groove Franka jumps on the beat with a Joni Mitchell twist and it's immediately apparent that we're in for a treat. The vocal glides effortlessly between firm and delicate tones, perfectly underlining the lyrical content. Franka takes her time in setting the scene, holding a veil before the fact that we're actually listening to a love song. If all you're looking for is good songwriting with a soulful backbeat, with Franka Oroza you'll get a unique voice to boot. This is another sure shot for all fans of independent downtempo soul from the Timmion stable.

Needle Mythology, the label founded by music writer, author and broadcaster Pete Paphides, is thrilled to announce the signing of the eagerly anticipated debut album by London singer-songwriter and renowned DJ Iraina Mancini. Iraina’s singular pop vision will be known to regular listeners of 6 Music, where her singles ‘Undo The Blue’, ‘Deep End’, ‘Shotgun’ and ‘Do It (You Stole The Rhythm)’ have all been enthusiastically embraced. Iraina's obsession with music stretches back into her early childhood, much of which was spent absorbing her parents’ collection of old 45s, in particular her dad’s Northern Soul records – an alternative education which meant that, by her early 20s, she was a familiar presence in the DJ booth at many discerning London club nights. Her love of French ye-ye, British freakbeat, Brazilian bossa nova, soul, and Turkish psych will be well-known to regular listeners of her Soho Radio show. Having always sung from a young age, Iraina embarked on a string of collaborators such as Jagz Kooner (Sabres Of Paradise), Sunglasses For Jaws (Miles Kane) and Simon Dine (Paul Weller, Noonday Underground) which truly saw her find her metier as a songwriter, conjuring melodies that stand shoulder to shoulder alongside her impeccable influences. Iraina describes her first single for Needle Mythology ‘Cannonball’ as “a celebration of that moment when you meet someone you really fall for and it knocks you for six. It can be a bit scary, but you’ve just got to go with what your intuition is telling you.” Written with Simon Dine, the vertiginous heart-in-mouth abandon of the song perfectly mirrors the circumstances that brought it into being. Iraina cites Jacqueline Taïeb’s 1967 single 7h du Matin as an early inspiration for the song: “There’s such a great energy about that song. Her vocal is amazing and all those stops and starts that grab your attention.” “This is an artist I absolutely love, one of our rising stars at 6Music.“ Lauren Laverne BBC 6Music “Iraina seizes on the best aspects of the past, blurring those impeccable 60s and 70s influences with a touch of modernity.” Clash “Full of femme fatale poise and swooning chanteuse flourishes.” The Times

Keith Hudson was a one-of-a-kind musical innovator with an impeccable track record from the start: his first studio recording involved former Skatalites, and his earliest releases provided solid-gold hits for Ken Boothe (“Old Fashioned Way”, 1967), John Holt, Delroy Wilson, U-Roy and the others.

With Pick A Dub Hudson produced one of the best dub albums ever, and with The Black Breast Has Produced Her Best, Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood he released the first concept album in reggae history, bringing his all-around talents to full fruition as early as 1974. Thematically dedicated entirely to Black history, the latter of these two albums is a masterpiece that captivates with an atmosphere that is as dark as it is deeply spiritual, charged by Hudson's eccentric vocals. Like Lloyd Bullwackie Barnes, his splitting from tradition was dynamic and all his own.

As his career moved on, Hudson found himself working outside of Jamaica, more frequently in London and New York studios and for transatlantic audiences, his dark experimentalism becoming increasingly better suited to the LP than the cardinal 7” reggae format.

Playing It Cool & Playing It Right was released in 1981 on the Joint International label, in NYC, with Lloyd Bullwackie Barnes as the executive producer. The Love Joys and Wayne Jarrett, stalwarts of Barnes' record label, Wackies, would also inimitably feature Hudson at the microphone. Like Bullwackie, Hudson was a devotee of Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One and Playing It Cool & Playing It Right follows Dodd’s then strategy of overdubbing his signature rhythms. The Studio One sides were aimed at the dancefloor and Hudson’s reworkings of tracks like “Melody Maker” are more psychological. Here, deep Barrett Brothers rhythms are made deeper with reverb, filters and distortion; everything pitched down and overlaid with new recordings of guitar, percussion, keyboard, and voice, often heavily treated.

Playing It Cool & Playing It Right continues Hudson’s psycho-acoustic journey into the abysses of existence, and overwhelms with the beauty of artistic self-empowerment. "Too much formula," sings Hudson, whose voice is occasionally reminiscent of Sly Stone or even Tom Waits. "Darkest night," answers an echoing background choir elsewhere. Even more fascinating is Hudson's production, which reflects Black history in even the smallest sound detail, the flashing whip of the slave driver still echoes in the sound of the snare drum. Rarely has a roots sound been made so electrifying, so expansive in all directions, so crystal clear, so bass-warm and echophonic as on these 30 minutes of music.

Playing It Cool & Playing It Right is legendary, strange, utterly compelling music that has possibly never been more topical than it is today.

A home, a house, has countless frequencies. Each room, each corner feels different. Swings differently. And as you grow older, you realize which corner is yours. But yeah, it takes time…

It certainly marks the end of an era when the house one called home as a kid no longer exists. This home, it was the starting point of so many journeys. Of one big, ongoing journey. And so it feels good, soothing, reassuring to at least return to a spot nearby – to that (proverbial) hill from where you can see it. Feel the vibe that made you.

Andi Haberl’s debut solo album as Sun is sort of dedicated to that house. It’s a journey leading to that hill overlooking everything that made him. It’s not about nostalgia, not about actually returning to a specific place. Instead, it’s about finding a personal frequency, an overlapping of sounds and samples, an open space that mirrors and extends whatever frequencies felt right at different points in time.

“To me, the results feel like Gold Panda/Four Tet meets Steve Reich meets Krautrock meets film scores. I just really wanted to create moods that touch me – and ideally others, too.”

Talking about his first solo album, Haberl recalls many stages: early compositions that ended up on Alien Ensemble’s albums, early DIY/home studio/multi-instrumentalist inspirations (Le Millipede), new technologies that came and went, even a set of wildly convincing arrangements (done with Cico Beck’s crucial input) that ultimately became stepping stones for yet another round of DIY takes. “It was a long, recurring process, and the songs went through so many different versions,” he says, talking about phases of growth (“I added more and more equipment over time”) and pruning, “cleaning up my music a bit.” Tending towards instruments that open up space, and slowly falling in love with sampling, he certainly didn’t rush things once it was time for interior design decisions ;)

“During this whole process I got to learn so much about my own taste, how I prefer to listen to the pieces, which musical elements really matter to me… and what my own voice is. For example, that acoustic elements are most important to me: the banjo, piano, drums, my voice, glockenspiel, trumpet, melodica. Anything that opens up some space.”

Every journey begins with a search: “Missing” with its plucked chords opens like a sunrise over pastoral plains, gently leading the way towards the intricate, playful explosion that occurs once a certain amount of energy (“Sun”) hits dirt and other surfaces: things grow, clot and curdle into new shapes, like new buds; layers of sound move forward, drenched in Spring’s new light. Relying on samples to ask for precipitation (“Rain On Me”), robotic “Low” goes from barren to bass-heavy after its midway shift in pace, full of loops plucked from the shade.

Towards the album’s midpoint, things are suddenly reversed: “Cluster” has that backwards pull, you can’t tell what’s what, yet everything is perfectly locked in, as the pace increases once again. And before the title song shimmers with densified cheering (to eventually stand tall like early Lymbyc Systym), “Beside Me” swipes you off your feet with its booming bass drum. The beat returns once again (“Daydream”), full of searching voices underneath, and at “Dawnday,” we can finally catch a melancholy view of the house. Voices hum. It’s the score moment of the album. Everything makes sense now. A happy end of sorts?

“I want to take people on a journey. A personal journey, too, because when my parents split up and sold the house I grew up in, I felt a bit like the ground had fallen out from under my feet. But I have dedicated the album title and the accompanying piece to this house… so I can keep it in good memory.”

“I Can See Our House From Here” has been a long time coming. It’s been a long journey. Homeward-bound. Leading to a place that’s really Haberl’s – his sound. His frequencies.

Known as a long-time member of The Notwist and various other bands/projects (Alien Ensemble, AMEO, jersey, Ditty etc.), Berlin-based drummer/composer Andi Haberl has also worked with My Brightest Diamond, Till Brönner, Owen Pallet, and Kurt Rosenwinkel, to name a few. “I Can See Our House From Here” is his first solo offering.