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Blue Bendy are kicking off 2024 with news of their highly anticipated debut album ‘So Medieval’ which is being released via state51 on 12 April. Alongside this big announcement the band are sharing the latest new track from the record, ‘Come On Baby, Dig!’, and dates for their UK tour including their largest headline show to date at The Garage in London on 9 May and a special Album Launch Show in the band’s hometown of Scunthorpe to celebrate the release.

‘So Medieval’ captures all the musical foibles, idiosyncrasies and departures from the norm which Blue Bendy have displayed across their previous releases. Expressing their sound over the course of a full record for the first time, ‘So Medieval’ is an explosive mix of genre, atmosphere and emotions. The end result is something rare for a new band: a debut album which is as experimental as it is confident and assured, as tender as it is visceral, as quiet as it is loud, as bloody as it is teary.

Released 25th January, new single ‘Come On Baby, Dig!’ follows on from previously released album tracks ‘Cloudy’ and ‘Mr. Bubblegum’. Simmering down the tempo and darkening the mood, the track stacks forlorn lyrics against an assortment of riffs, tones and textures. The music video, directed by Michael Julings, depicts an unnamed character locked in an existential battle with an immovable black fridge. Starring Laura Schuller, a performance artist recently cast in the Marina Abramović retrospective at the RA, the video also features the band coming together to conjure supernatural powers at the video's climax.

Singer and lyricist Arthur Nolan explains that “Dig is dedicated to an old flame and a city break. I was eat pray loving, digging around for some culture in the wake of breaking up. The wheels came off the trip quickly, and now I won’t go back to Bologna, I’m banned.”

Building on the momentum of their 2022 EP ‘Motorbike’ Blue Bendy are stretching out into vast new sonic terrain. Their following two singles ‘Mr Bubblegum’ - a joyously intricate piece of experimental guitar pop - and the frenetic, propulsive yet incredibly deft sprawl of ‘Cloudy’, saw the band reach new heights creatively. Of the former, The Guardian enthused: “indie is riddled with addled, verbose frontmen right now, but none so rapturous as Blue Bendy’s Arthur Nolan: here he dances all over splayed post-rock and micro-cataclysms.”

Having toured as main support for Squid and Cola as well as playing packed out tents at festivals like End Of The Road and Green Man, Blue Bendy have struck a balance between being obviously skilled musicians, writing complex, layered, overlapping and ambitious compositions, while also utilising space, breadth, and restraint. Their music is bursting with dynamism, exploring push-pull dynamics that results in something ceaselessly unpredictable.

Yuval Havkin, also known as Rejoicer, is one of the foremost exponents of downtempo music, inspired by the fusion of jazz and hip-hop. His new album thus draws on his early influences while exploring the world of calm, melodic electronic music that borders on ambient.

This Is Reasonable has a chill-out feel to it, a record filled with melodies and atmospheres that, throughout its eleven tracks, conveys a sense of calm and floating, akin to ambient music. Stripped of the clichés of the genre, the album is built around subtle melodies and rich harmonies from keyboards and synths, which borrow as much from the spirit of jazz as from the inventions of electronica, whilst being supported by a gentle groove. This equilibrium is perfectly captured by Rejoicer's moniker, a term that evokes both the idleness of artificial paradises and a soft, caring form of spirituality.

Musical path
Yuval Havkin was born in Israel in 1985, and grew up in England before returning to his homeland. He began studying classical piano as a child, but was put off by such conservative teaching and turned to hip-hop and beatmaking in his teens. Throughout the 2000s, he learned his skills "on the job", working with musicians he met in Tel Aviv, a local scene that nurtured a sense of community and emulation. Back then, he was particularly impressed by the grooves and electronic inventions of Detroit producer Dabrye, who had a revelatory effect on him, before he discovered legendary musicians Madlib and Jay Dee aka J Dilla, who led him down the path of beatmaking.

Yuval Havkin's music career got off to a more serious start in the late 2000s with the creation of his own label, Raw Tapes, both based in Tel Aviv. Blending jazz, funk and hip hop, whilst still embracing pop influences, the label's productions showcased the richness of the new Israeli scene combining cool, elegance, playfulness, and a degree of research and inventiveness, thanks to the talent of artists and bands such as Duo Brothers, Maya Dunietz, iogi, Nitai Hershkovits, the Buttering Trio and Rejoicer, the artist's most personal project.

In 2018, Rejoicer's warm and engaging sounds caught the attention of the prestigious Los Angeles label Stones Throw, renowned for having signed his idols Madlib and J Dilla, not to mention Aloe Blacc and Peanut Butter Wolf (its founder). Two albums followed, Energy Dreams (2018) and Spiritual Sleaze (2020), both of which demonstrate his instrumental mastery, jazz culture and lush orchestrations. Both albums are on a par with more renown sampling prodigies of the beat scene, and gave him his first international recognition.

Now based between Los Angeles and Savyon, near Tel Aviv, this hyperactive and instinctive artist simultaneously pursues a career as a composer, musician and label owner, member of numerous bands and collective projects (Apifera, PlayDead, collaborations with Jimi Prasad and Avishai Cohen) while also offering his studios and production skills to other artists.

“Fela Kuti meets Aphex Twin”
This new Rejoicer album, which follows three earlier jazz-tinged records, marks a new and more personal musical direction for an artist who previously favored group work and collaborations. Following his meeting with Mathias Duchemin, founder of the Circus Company record label and a keen enthusiast of the new Israeli jazz scene, Yuval chose to delve into a more electronic and sequenced style of music, playing Prophet 6 and 8 synths, a Juno 60, a Minimoog and his Fender Rhodes keyboard, in contrast with the more organic sounds of his previous albums.

While a few tracks on this new album may sound like a laid-back version of some of the Warp label's early electronic classics by Aphex Twin or Boards of Canada, Yuval Havkin claims to have also been inspired by the great Fela Kuti, particularly in his search for harmonies between bass, keyboards and percussion, and by his elder trumpet-playing friend Avishai Cohen, a musician he particularly admires.

Beyond these various influences, This Is Reasonable is an album of compelling and bewitching melodies. The moods, peacefulness and sheer beauty of This Is Reasonable are, indeed, quite paradoxical, in stark contrast to the country's tragedies (the title explicitly refers to recent political disputes in Israel) and the war currently raging less than a hundred miles from his studio. A paradox fully embraced by the artist, who views his music as a response to the violence of our times.

Die aufstrebenden Modern Metalcore Durchstarter SETYØURSAILS legen mit ihrem zweiten Studioalbum Bad Blood nach. Darauf entfesselt die Kölner Band, bestehend aus Jules Mitch (Gesang), Andre Alves (Gitarre), Henrik Kellershohn (Bass) und Nicolai Hoch (Schlagzeug), einen mitreißenden Sound, der kompromisslose Breakdowns mit elektronischen Einflüssen verbindet. Besonderes Highlight ist dabei ein Feature mit Adrian Estrella, Sänger der
Grammy nominierten amerikanischen Rockband Zebrahead.

Mit dem Release ihres gefeierten Debütalbums Nightfall im Jahr 2022 bewiesen SETYØURSAILS, dass sie zu den vielversprechendsten Newcomer der Szene gehören, wie es der deutsche Metal Hammer formulierte. Es folgten ausgiebigen Tourneen mit Annisokay, Emil Bulls und Cypecore sowie unvergessliche Auftritte auf namhaften Festivals wie dem Full Force und dem Summer Breeze im Sommer 2023, bei denen sich die Band mit ihrer geballten Power in die Herzen von Fans und Kritikern spielten. Nun steht die Band mit 10 brandneuen Tracks in den Startlöchern ihrer ersten Co-Headliner Tour durch Deutschland gemeinsam mit Rising Insane, die den absoluten Abriss garantiert.

HEAVY TEMPLE sind zurück - von einer ausgiebigen Tournee durch die USA und zum ersten Mal auch durch Europa. Sie sind aber auch zurück aus dem Proberaum, wo das Schmieden neuer Songs viel mehr aus der ganzen Gruppe kam, als es auf dem Debütalbum der Fall war. Und schließlich sind sie zurück aus dem Animal Farm Studio, wo John Forrestal dem neuen Album "Garden of Heathens" einen reichen und warmen, organischen Sound verpasst hat, der gleichzeitig aber auch knackig frisch und kristallklar rüberkommt. Während das Debütalbum "Lupi Amoris" noch wie ein wildes Mastodon heran stürmte, wirkt "Garden of Heathens" abwechslungsreicher und deutlich ausgefeilter - jedoch ohne an Wucht oder Härte zu verlieren. Obwohl die kraftvolle Stimme von Frontfrau High Priestess Nighthawk weiterhin für eine starke Anziehungskraft sorgt, stehen bei HEAVY TEMPLE immer die Gitarrenriffs im Vordergrund. Dabei hat das Trio aus Philadelphia, Pennsylvania seinen Fahrplan nochmals erweitert und fährt eine große Zahl von Rock- und Metal-Stationen an, die von BARONESS über THE BEATLES und von BLACK SABBATH bis FU MANCHU reichen - mit allerlei Weichen dazwischen. Inhaltlich ist "Garden of Heathens" sehr persönlich ausgefallen. Sängerin Nighthawk schrieb ihre bisher persönlichsten Zeilen, die sich thematisch um Dinge drehen, die nicht real sind - vom amerikanischen Traum bis hin zu Beziehungen. Egal wie glänzend eine Sache auch aussehen mag, lauern unter der Oberfläche oft genug Ängste, Verrat und Zweifel. HEAVY TEMPLE entstand zur Wintersonnenwende 2012 in einer Nacht der puren Freude am Erschaffen und Spielen harter Musik. Kaum war die Band gegründet, ging es auch schon auf die Bühne: erst lokal und bald auch auf Tour mit so bekannten Szenegrößen wie RUBY THE HATCHET, ROYAL THUNDER und CORROSION OF CONFORMITY. Auch auf namhaften Festivals wie dem Maryland Doom Fest und dem Psycho Las Vegas und vielen anderen war das Trio bald zu finden. Nach den beiden EPs "Heavy Temple" (2014) und "Chassit" (2016) und einer Reihe von Singles nahmen sich HEAVY TEMPLE eine Auszeit vom ausgiebigen Touren, um endlich ihren ersten Langspieler aufzunehmen. "Lupi Amoris" ("Wölfe der Liebe"), wurde im Jahr 2021 unter großem Beifall sowohl von Anhängern als auch Kritikern veröffentlicht. Das Album öffnete den Amerikanern neue Türen: weitere Festivalauftritte, eine US-Tour mit THE OBSESSED und die erste Europatournee mit ihren Freunden und Label-Kameraden HOWLING GIANT. HEAVY TEMPLE sind nicht nur zurück, sondern gekommen, um zu bleiben. "Garden of Heathens" legt ein starkes Zeugnis für den hart arbeitenden Dreier ab, der sein Spektrum stetig erweitert und alle Hindernisse aus dem Weg räumt. "Garden of Heathens" wirft ein neues Licht auf Heavy und Desert Rock, Psychedelia und Doom Metal. Hört es euch an!

HEAVY TEMPLE sind zurück - von einer ausgiebigen Tournee durch die USA und zum ersten Mal auch durch Europa. Sie sind aber auch zurück aus dem Proberaum, wo das Schmieden neuer Songs viel mehr aus der ganzen Gruppe kam, als es auf dem Debütalbum der Fall war. Und schließlich sind sie zurück aus dem Animal Farm Studio, wo John Forrestal dem neuen Album "Garden of Heathens" einen reichen und warmen, organischen Sound verpasst hat, der gleichzeitig aber auch knackig frisch und kristallklar rüberkommt. Während das Debütalbum "Lupi Amoris" noch wie ein wildes Mastodon heran stürmte, wirkt "Garden of Heathens" abwechslungsreicher und deutlich ausgefeilter - jedoch ohne an Wucht oder Härte zu verlieren. Obwohl die kraftvolle Stimme von Frontfrau High Priestess Nighthawk weiterhin für eine starke Anziehungskraft sorgt, stehen bei HEAVY TEMPLE immer die Gitarrenriffs im Vordergrund. Dabei hat das Trio aus Philadelphia, Pennsylvania seinen Fahrplan nochmals erweitert und fährt eine große Zahl von Rock- und Metal-Stationen an, die von BARONESS über THE BEATLES und von BLACK SABBATH bis FU MANCHU reichen - mit allerlei Weichen dazwischen. Inhaltlich ist "Garden of Heathens" sehr persönlich ausgefallen. Sängerin Nighthawk schrieb ihre bisher persönlichsten Zeilen, die sich thematisch um Dinge drehen, die nicht real sind - vom amerikanischen Traum bis hin zu Beziehungen. Egal wie glänzend eine Sache auch aussehen mag, lauern unter der Oberfläche oft genug Ängste, Verrat und Zweifel. HEAVY TEMPLE entstand zur Wintersonnenwende 2012 in einer Nacht der puren Freude am Erschaffen und Spielen harter Musik. Kaum war die Band gegründet, ging es auch schon auf die Bühne: erst lokal und bald auch auf Tour mit so bekannten Szenegrößen wie RUBY THE HATCHET, ROYAL THUNDER und CORROSION OF CONFORMITY. Auch auf namhaften Festivals wie dem Maryland Doom Fest und dem Psycho Las Vegas und vielen anderen war das Trio bald zu finden. Nach den beiden EPs "Heavy Temple" (2014) und "Chassit" (2016) und einer Reihe von Singles nahmen sich HEAVY TEMPLE eine Auszeit vom ausgiebigen Touren, um endlich ihren ersten Langspieler aufzunehmen. "Lupi Amoris" ("Wölfe der Liebe"), wurde im Jahr 2021 unter großem Beifall sowohl von Anhängern als auch Kritikern veröffentlicht. Das Album öffnete den Amerikanern neue Türen: weitere Festivalauftritte, eine US-Tour mit THE OBSESSED und die erste Europatournee mit ihren Freunden und Label-Kameraden HOWLING GIANT. HEAVY TEMPLE sind nicht nur zurück, sondern gekommen, um zu bleiben. "Garden of Heathens" legt ein starkes Zeugnis für den hart arbeitenden Dreier ab, der sein Spektrum stetig erweitert und alle Hindernisse aus dem Weg räumt. "Garden of Heathens" wirft ein neues Licht auf Heavy und Desert Rock, Psychedelia und Doom Metal. Hört es euch an!

THE VISION BLEAK kehren in der Luxusklasse zurück: Mit ihrem siebten Album "Weird Tales" zollt das deutsche Metal-Duo dem gleichnamigen amerikanischen Pulp-Magazin sowie anderen Geschichten voller Mystik und dunkler Phantasie einen monumentalen Tribut. Das Album besteht aus einem einzigen Track, der in interne Kapitel unterteilt ist. Diese erzählen schaurig-schöne Geschichten, vertonen Gedichte und sind von der klassischen Literatur des Horror sowie des Makabren inspiriert. Unter anderen beziehen sich THE VISION BLEAK auf bedeutende Autoren des legendären Weird Tales Magazins wie H. P. Lovecraft und Clark Ashton Smith. Sie spielen aber auch auf andere Großmeister der Phantastischen Literatur an wie zum Beispiel Edgar Allen Poe und Lafcadio Hearn, dessen "Fantastics and Other Fancies" einen starken Einfluss auf dieses Album ausgeübt hat. Für diese Hommage ziehen THE VISION BLEAK alle Register ihres enormen musikalischen Könnens. Die Kapitel decken die gesamte stilistische Bandbreite von extravagantem Gothic Rock über düsteren Doom bis hin zu harschen Black und Death Metal Parts - sowie so ziemlich alles dazwischen - ab. All die spannenden Elemente, welche die Anhängerschar des Duos lieben und schätzen gelernt hat, sind auf diesem Album vertreten: das Dramatische und Theatralische, das Raue und Schwere, das Melancholische und Unheimliche, aber auch eingängige und symphonische Momente. All diese Stränge sind zu einem dichten Klangteppich verwoben, der von einem wiederkehrendem Auf- und Abschwellen zusammengehalten wird, das an klassische Kompositionen erinnert. THE VISION BLEAK sind aus der Freundschaft zwischen Gitarrist, Bassist und Sänger Markus Stock alias Ulf Theodor Schwadorf und Schlagzeuger und Sänger Tobias Schönemann alias Allen B. Konstanz entstanden. Nach anfänglichen Experimenten in Richtung Gothic Rock fanden THE VISION BLEAK ihre eigentliche Berufung, als das Duo begann, ihre gemeinsame Liebe zum Horror-Genre mit einzubeziehen. Bereits das Debütalbum "The Deathship Has a New Captain" (2004) erzielte sowohl in Gothic- als auch Metal-Kreisen auf Anhieb einen Volltreffer und gilt mittlerweile als Klassiker. Da das Debütalbum thematisch an bedeutende Horrorfilme angelehnt war, nannten die Deutschen ihren Stil treffend: Horror Metal. Mit den folgenden Alben kultivierten THE VISION BLEAK einen Ruf als Garanten für stilvolle und hochwertige Musik. Thematisch drehen sich alle Werke um das Horror-Genre: Auf "Carpathia" (2005) folgten "The Wolves Go Hunt Their Prey" (2007) und "Set Sail to Mystery" (2010), "Witching Hour" (2013) und "The Unknown" (2016). THE VISION BLEAK, die Meister des Horror Metal, schenken der Welt ihr bisher ambitioniertestes Werk: "Weird Tales". Diese ausnehmend schöne und von Herzen kommende Hommage an das goldene Zeitalter der Phantastischen Literatur ist musikalische Poesie. Der Hörer möge mit Bedacht lauschen, sollte dabei aber immer auf der Hut sein. In diesem Song lauern unheimliche und verbotene Klänge aus anderen dunklen Welten!

When we started playing music together in 1997, we could spend a lot of time on each individual track. It would mutate, go through many phases, until we’d get to the point when we’d decide to capture it and mix it on the fly.

Twenty-five years later, we changed gears. This album was produced across a two year period, during several sessions in our studio (the third member of the band), following this process: we plug the machines, we start a musical conversation, we press record when it gets interesting.

In the studio, that moment always comes, when a fragile and magical balance happens. That’s when we record, usually in one take, sometimes all in the same stereo channel, the computer sitting in a corner, its presence not interfering with our ears.

La Folie Studio is the fruit of this process.

Let’s get numerologistic with this new age reactionary-philosophic strategy manifesto:

Playing electronic music, whether alone or not, must be joyous, funky, and make you feelgood.

The studio is not a sanctuary but a place of life. Technology must not be intimidating.

Welcoming friends and new objects in the studio should be an infinite source of inspiration.

If nothing happens in the studio, turn off the light and play a percussion record.

Techno heads of all ages need something more spontaneous and freer than little thumbnails shared on a pocket computer. Château Flight offers a musical experience carved on grooves.

With 25 years of experience, Château Flight can cure all your musical ills, instantly and painlessly.

The key to success: midi sync + din syc + external trigs.

With time, we come to understand the way the joy of connection is mirrored by the void of loss, how the constancy of love is matched only by the impermanence of life, the simple idea that we could not create light if we did not risk the dark - we'd never need to. So it is with METZ, a band once known for blowing out eardrums with songs of joyous rage who have, over their past few records, begun exploring ways to turn abrasiveness into atmospherics, the evolution of their sound not only a reflection of the maturing of the band themselves but also of a changed world that demands nuance and compassion to comprehend and to survive. It was a journey already underway on 2020's Atlas Vending, but one that reaches new heights on Up On Gravity Hill, where the Canadian trio creates a kaleidoscopic sonic world as tender as it is dark, aided once again by engineer Seth Manchester (Mdou Moctar, Lingua Ignota, Battles, The Body). Deep, detailed, and unyieldingly personal, it is not only METZ's most powerful record to date but also their most beautiful. Still three punks from Ontario at heart, guitarist and vocalist Alex Edkins, drummer Hayden Menzies, and bassist Chris Slorach waste no time as opener "No Reservation/Love Comes Crashing" sweeps in like a wave, sonically and thematically setting the scene for the record to come. A dynamic song about feeling suspended in stasis, layers of dissonance melt into a restlessly heady outro marked by escalating crescendos of shimmering noise that reach for the stars - and is that a violin quivering brightly beneath those elegant swells of guitar, those charging drum fills, those intricate bass lines? It is indeed, courtesy of composer Owen Pallett; his presence an immediate indicator that METZ are thinking more cinematically than ever before. The change is partially inspired by Edkins' work as a scorer for film and television and his pop-leaning solo project, Weird Nightmare, where, he says, he learned to write more intuitively, letting his emotions lead the way. But make no mistake: Up On Gravity Hill is a total band effort, the work of three musicians who have been playing together for over a decade, with all the trust that entails. For those who believe in the power of the rock band to exemplify the highest resonance of human connection, there is much on Up On Gravity Hill to lift the spirit, a puzzle worth repeated listening to unlock or just to get lost in again and again. Rather than the music being flattened into a single plane, the band explores "the space above the cymbals," resulting in some of the most spacious, sympathetic, and accessible songs - could we call them pop? - of their career. If this seems contradictory, well, METZ has always been something of a contradiction. "We've never been heavy enough for metal or hardcore purists, but we're way too heavy for indie rock. We just don't have a lane - and that's okay. We exist outside the lines of delineation. I think this record is even more like that," says Edkins.

Mit der Veröffentlichung ihres fünften Albums betreten Imminence verschiedenste musikalische Bereiche und zeigen auf ihrer Reise als Band eine große Vielfalt.

Das bahnbrechende Alternative-Metalcore-Ensemble Imminence stammt von der Südküste Schwedens und hat sich in den letzten Jahren mutig eine Nische im Musikbereich geschaffen. Allen Erwartungen zum Trotz hat das Quintett akribisch einen Klangteppich geschaffen, der die Grenzen des Genres überschreitet. Ihre mutige Verschmelzung klassischer Streicharrangements, verwoben mit der rohen Kraft wilden skandinavischen Metals, erschafft ein fesselndes Hörerlebnis. Sowohl klanglich als auch visuell erweisen sich Imminence als ein Leuchtfeuer der Innovation und Spannung und etablieren sich nicht nur als Band, sondern auch als Pioniere, die neue Gebiete in der sich ständig weiterentwickelnden Musiklandschaft erschließen.

Angeführt vom Sänger und Geiger Eddie Berg, den Gitarristen Harald Barrett und Alex Arnoldsson, dem Schlagzeuger Peter Hanström und dem Bassisten Christian Höijer; Imminence entfesseln ihr musikalisches Können auf dem kommenden Album „The Black“. Machen Sie sich bereit und atmen Sie tief durch, während Imminence uns auf den großen Sprung in die Tiefen von „The Black“ vorbereiten, einem kühnen Versprechen einer beispiellosen musikalischen Odyssee, die sich allen Konventionen widersetzt und Sie einlädt, sich auf den Aufstieg eines neuen Genre-Klassikers einzulassen.
Die Band wagt sich in eine düsterere und stärker auf Orchester ausgerichtete Welt vor und definiert die Grenzen der modernen Alternative-Szene immer wieder neu. Imminence Erforschung ist mehr als nur Musik; Es ist ein mutiger Abstieg in unbekannte Gebiete, der ihre Position als Pioniere in der Landschaft einzigartiger und hochinnovativer musikalischer Ausdrucksformen festigt.

- „Dies ist die größte Annäherung an eine selbstbetitelte Veröffentlichung, denn diese Platte spricht Bände darüber, was Imminence als Band ausmacht.“ Durch die Einflüsse aus unserer gesamten Diskographie, gemischt mit unseren skandinavischen Wurzeln, kann man Elemente aus unserer gesamten Geschichte hören, die jedoch von einem unstillbaren Hunger angetrieben werden. Das Album ist wahrscheinlich das konzeptionellste, das wir je geschaffen haben, und ich war noch nie so stolz auf ein Werk. Die lyrischen Konzepte setzen den Weg früherer Veröffentlichungen fort und drehen sich um psychische Gesundheit und Depression. Aber dieses Mal gibt es kein Zurückhalten. Es ist wütend, verzweifelter und aus den Fugen geraten, durchdrungen von Angst und Dunkelheit. Wir haben es uns auch erlaubt, das Album in unerwartete Räume schweben zu lassen und so eine musikalische Reise mit starken Kontrasten zwischen Licht und Dunkelheit zu schaffen. Es ist ein „Eat Your Heart Out“, ein kompromissloser Beweis dafür, was „Imminence“ geworden ist. Das ist das Schwarze.“ – Eddie Berg

Mit der Veröffentlichung ihres fünften Albums betreten Imminence verschiedenste musikalische Bereiche und zeigen auf ihrer Reise als Band eine große Vielfalt.

Das bahnbrechende Alternative-Metalcore-Ensemble Imminence stammt von der Südküste Schwedens und hat sich in den letzten Jahren mutig eine Nische im Musikbereich geschaffen. Allen Erwartungen zum Trotz hat das Quintett akribisch einen Klangteppich geschaffen, der die Grenzen des Genres überschreitet. Ihre mutige Verschmelzung klassischer Streicharrangements, verwoben mit der rohen Kraft wilden skandinavischen Metals, erschafft ein fesselndes Hörerlebnis. Sowohl klanglich als auch visuell erweisen sich Imminence als ein Leuchtfeuer der Innovation und Spannung und etablieren sich nicht nur als Band, sondern auch als Pioniere, die neue Gebiete in der sich ständig weiterentwickelnden Musiklandschaft erschließen.

Angeführt vom Sänger und Geiger Eddie Berg, den Gitarristen Harald Barrett und Alex Arnoldsson, dem Schlagzeuger Peter Hanström und dem Bassisten Christian Höijer; Imminence entfesseln ihr musikalisches Können auf dem kommenden Album „The Black“. Machen Sie sich bereit und atmen Sie tief durch, während Imminence uns auf den großen Sprung in die Tiefen von „The Black“ vorbereiten, einem kühnen Versprechen einer beispiellosen musikalischen Odyssee, die sich allen Konventionen widersetzt und Sie einlädt, sich auf den Aufstieg eines neuen Genre-Klassikers einzulassen.
Die Band wagt sich in eine düsterere und stärker auf Orchester ausgerichtete Welt vor und definiert die Grenzen der modernen Alternative-Szene immer wieder neu. Imminence Erforschung ist mehr als nur Musik; Es ist ein mutiger Abstieg in unbekannte Gebiete, der ihre Position als Pioniere in der Landschaft einzigartiger und hochinnovativer musikalischer Ausdrucksformen festigt.

- „Dies ist die größte Annäherung an eine selbstbetitelte Veröffentlichung, denn diese Platte spricht Bände darüber, was Imminence als Band ausmacht.“ Durch die Einflüsse aus unserer gesamten Diskographie, gemischt mit unseren skandinavischen Wurzeln, kann man Elemente aus unserer gesamten Geschichte hören, die jedoch von einem unstillbaren Hunger angetrieben werden. Das Album ist wahrscheinlich das konzeptionellste, das wir je geschaffen haben, und ich war noch nie so stolz auf ein Werk. Die lyrischen Konzepte setzen den Weg früherer Veröffentlichungen fort und drehen sich um psychische Gesundheit und Depression. Aber dieses Mal gibt es kein Zurückhalten. Es ist wütend, verzweifelter und aus den Fugen geraten, durchdrungen von Angst und Dunkelheit. Wir haben es uns auch erlaubt, das Album in unerwartete Räume schweben zu lassen und so eine musikalische Reise mit starken Kontrasten zwischen Licht und Dunkelheit zu schaffen. Es ist ein „Eat Your Heart Out“, ein kompromissloser Beweis dafür, was „Imminence“ geworden ist. Das ist das Schwarze.“ – Eddie Berg

The Good the Bad and the Zugly have been delivering premium class, antiquated rock for almost 15 years straight. They’ve always been the real deal. True heroes of the Armageddon. Whenever responsibility came knocking at the door they stuck to their guns and kept living the rock life to the fullest. Their contemptuous look at everything and
everyone who doesn’t fit into their world view has always been prominent in their sound, and their musical and lyrical expression has stayed uncompromised.

No one has yet dared to confront their satirical know-it-all attitude, but recently water has started to seep through their seemingly waterproof façade. Band members have on several occasions been observed at the Oslo’s local shopping malls wearing reading glasses, down jackets, and sensible footwear, pushing strollers filled with blaring,
chocolate devouring children. With wistful eyes they’re seen pushing strollers through to the suburbs, far away from dirty dens credible dark nooks and shitty toilets.

To mend this rapidly declining rock image they´ve decided to release what they consider to be their worst album so far: A collection of B-songs that have never made the list when assembling the list of Norwegian Grammy nominated classics. This upcoming album is
nothing less of a wonderful bouquet of contemptuous elegies who haven't yet found a place on the big, dark web. Truth be told the opinionated armor GBZ has been hiding behind was mostly for show, they’ve always beat around the bush – or as we say in Norwegian: had a walk around the porrid

The Good the Bad and the Zugly have been delivering premium class, antiquated rock for almost 15 years straight. They’ve always been the real deal. True heroes of the Armageddon. Whenever responsibility came knocking at the door they stuck to their guns and kept living the rock life to the fullest. Their contemptuous look at everything and
everyone who doesn’t fit into their world view has always been prominent in their sound, and their musical and lyrical expression has stayed uncompromised.

No one has yet dared to confront their satirical know-it-all attitude, but recently water has started to seep through their seemingly waterproof façade. Band members have on several occasions been observed at the Oslo’s local shopping malls wearing reading glasses, down jackets, and sensible footwear, pushing strollers filled with blaring,
chocolate devouring children. With wistful eyes they’re seen pushing strollers through to the suburbs, far away from dirty dens credible dark nooks and shitty toilets.

To mend this rapidly declining rock image they´ve decided to release what they consider to be their worst album so far: A collection of B-songs that have never made the list when assembling the list of Norwegian Grammy nominated classics. This upcoming album is
nothing less of a wonderful bouquet of contemptuous elegies who haven't yet found a place on the big, dark web. Truth be told the opinionated armor GBZ has been hiding behind was mostly for show, they’ve always beat around the bush – or as we say in Norwegian: had a walk around the porrid

Remastered Reissue des 1973er Debütalbums von Ray Fernandez und seiner Familienband, die sich in den 70ern als äußerst einflussreiche Combo in der Latin-Musikszene Miamis profilierte. Ihre psychedelisch angehauchten Kreationen waren stark von Deep-Funk und lateinamerikanischer Musik beeinflusst und enthielten weitere kaleidoskopische Soundinfusionen wie Soul, Calypso, Afro-Cuban, Reggae und Salsa. Von DJs weltweit gesamplet (inklusive DJ Shadow), ist diese remasterte und auf audiophiles Virgin-Vinyl gepresste Reissue ein Muss für jeden ernsthaften Latin-, Funk- oder Rare-Groove-Sammler.

The nineties are often described as a hedonistic decade, a party decade when all arrows pointed upwards. In music culture, first things that comes to mind is the peak of club music, big-mouthed and drunken British rock bands, extreme Black Metal, and the high-energy "Scandi-rock" - a scene that the Euroboys members themselves were part of, in bands like Gluecifer, Team Spirit, Fair Fuck and Turbonegro. "Soft Focus" broke out from the noise after the nineties, and started introducing new vibes in the rock genre. With inspiration from the music scene that grew out of Laurel Canyon and California in the early seventies, Euroboys came up with a rock album that was soft on the edges, warm sounding with bittersweet melodies. Today, names like Fleetwood Mac, Eagles and David Crosby are of course gods on the retro sky, but it wasn't like that in 2004. This first time on vinyl reissue of "Soft Focus" has been remastered from the original tapes, and also features two bonus tracks that resurfaced in the process, mixed and released for the first time.

To record "Ease the Work", Hour traveled via ferry with an entire studio’s worth of equipment to an old off-Broadway theater on Peaks Island in Maine, months before the first tourists would show up. The week-long session started with an island-wide power outage that halted recording on the first day, and ended with twelve songs that walk steadily between longing and contentment, sentimentality and subtlety, the lift of harmony and the compulsion of a melody you wish would play forever. Hour’s music cuts a broad pathway, and remains hard to classify or compare. Perhaps most at home beside work from Bill Frisell, Eiko Ishibashi, ECM Records, or the Louisville experimental chamber group Rachel’s, Ease the Work shows us life on the boundary of composition and improvisation. It reaches for the sweeping gestures and inspired pacing of classic film scores, Frank Sinatra ballads, and Scott Walker’s pop orchestra. It also retains the arresting intimacy of the band’s early work. Strings swell and harmonize in counterpoint with electric guitar, clarinet, and piano, while drums, synth pads, and field recordings complete the aural world.

"Ease the Work" by Hour includes the following tracks: "Stoner", "Brain Scrub", "Dying of Laughter", "The Most Gorgeous Day in History" and more.

This release comes with a Download Code.

Joséphine Baker, chanteuse, dancer and star of cabaret, movies, musical hall and jazz was an electrifying personality. She was also one of the bravest and most inspiring women of the 20th century who took an unwavering stance against racism and intolerance. American born, she was fêted in France where she lived for most of her extraordinary life. This compilation features examples of her finest works in Dis-Moi Joséphine, La Petite Tonkinoise, J’ai Deux Amours and thirteen more tracks which celebrate her unique body of work.

"Very Best Of Josephine Baker" includes the following tracks: "Dis-Moi Joséphine?", "Ni Toi Ni Moi", "De Temps En Temps", "La Conga Blicoti" and more.

Nach einer erfolgreichen Reihe von fünf Studioalben und zwei Live-Alben, Psychedelic Backfire I und II (beide 2019), hatten Elephant9 ihre groovige Mischung aus energiegeladenem Rock und Power-Jazz so weit gebracht, wie sie konnten. In dieser Hinsicht war ihr letztes Album Arrival of The New Elders (2021) eine willkommene und sehr zeitgemäße Ergänzung ihres Schaffens. Abwechslungsreicher, reifer und nachdenklicher, groovig wie eh und je, aber strukturierter und weniger jamorientiert, was ihnen eine 9/10-Rezension in Uncut und einen Platz in der Liste der Alben des Jahres einbrachte, in der ihre telepathische Gemeinschaft hervorgehoben und mit "this is an Elephant9 you'll never forget" geschlossen wurde. Jazzwise, Shindig, Prog, Electronic Sound, The Quietus und einige andere stimmten dem zu. Mythical River ist auf die gleiche Art und Weise geformt und ein natürlicher Nachfolger, mit sechs herausragenden neuen Kompositionen von Keyboard-Maestro Ståle Storlokken, gerahmt durch zwei kurze kosmische Einwürfe. Von hypnotischen und magischen bis hin zu messerscharfen und polyrhythmischen Stücken ist dies ein weiteres starkes Werk eines Trios, das sich auf der Höhe seiner Zeit befindet. Es wurden Vergleiche mit Bands gezogen, die bis in die sechziger Jahre zurückreichen, aber mit den letzten Alben erscheinen Elephant9 als eine durch und durch zeitgenössische, zeitlose und sogar futuristisch klingende Band. Ståle begann seine musikalische Reise mit Vespestad und Henriksen, die sich bald zu Supersilent mit Helge Sten an Bord entwickelten. Stale is zudem Mitglied von Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns, Moster! und Humcrush und hat mit einer Reihe von weiteren Acts, vor allem mit Motorpsycho, zusammengearbeitet.

Das 25. Album von Giant Sand, das sie im 25.Jahr in ihrer Karriere aufgenommen haben, ist eine großartige und viel gefeierte Sammlung von perfekt ausgearbeiteten, persönlichen Songs von Howe Gelb. Mit Ausnahme von ein oder zwei wunderbar abrupten und perfekt platzierten Ausbrüchen ist es eine sanfte Achterbahnfahrt durch das innere Nachdenken über das Warum und Wozu von was auch immer, eine Meditation über Zeit und den Alterungsprozess.Howe Gelb erklärt zu dieser Platte: "Auf dieser LP zeige ich eine erworbene Wertschätzung für einfache Lyrik. Manchmal ist es eine Art Haiku, wie Flamenco-Verse oder der Blues. Ich kann mich mehr konzentrieren, da es offensichtlich ist, dass nur noch so viel Zeit übrig ist - das hat einen ganz eigenen Produktionswert."Diese Wiederveröffentlichung unterstreicht die eklektische und esoterische Karriere der Band und feiert ihre großartige, lange und kurvenreiche Laufbahn. Diese Deluxe-Wiederveröffentlichung enthält ein restauriertes Artwork und neu verfasste Liner Notes von Dave Henderson von MOJO.Giant Sand sind das wichtigste Ventil für die stilistischen Biegungen und die sonnengeschädigte Songkunst des Sängers und Songwriters Howe Gelb gewesen. In mehr als vier Jahrzehnten ist es ihm gelungen, Rock, Country, Blues, Punk, Garage, Lo-Fi, Jazz, Gospel, Avantgarde-Noise und Flamenco-Gypsy-Musik mit seinen impressionistischen Bildern und weitreichenden Beobachtungen der Welt neu zu erfinden. "An album full of heart, soul, and wit, this music confirms that no one does quite what Howe Gelb can do with such remarkably innate grace and feel" AllMusic Klassisch schwarzes Vinyl, original Coverart, Linernotes & DLC!

DUBFIRE INVITES CHRIS LIEBING, TRUNCATE, CARL CRAIG, DRUMCELL, NADIA STRUIWIGH & MORE TO HIS REMIX ALBUM
EVOLV is a visionary window into the mind of Dubfire, the journey of the ‘hybrid’ being and its evolution. Last year in October, an 11-track debut album was released on his long-standing SCI+TEC imprint. And now, just over a year later, Grammy award winning producer Dubfire returns to that sonic discourse, drafting in an impressive array of names to re-interpret the material, and accompanied by Dubfire's new audio-visual EVOLV show which picked up where the critically acclaimed electronic performance experience HYBRID had left off.
The eclectic package will include such notables as Glaskin, Arjun Vagale, Nadia Struiwigh, Mathimidori (dub alias of Mathias Kaden), Maral, Decka, DEAS, Carl Craig, Truncate, Drumcell, Chris Liebing, and Luke Slater as L.B. Dub Corp who have all given the original music in their own unique style.
With a career spanning over 3 decades, Dubfire has achieved global success as an artist with relentless drive, talent, and intuition. Pioneering commercial notoriety came initially as one half of the Grammy Award-winning (2001) duo Deep Dish, before embarking on a truly groundbreaking solo career in 2007. A career filled with timeless tracks include his early works, ‘RibCage’ (2007), ‘Emissions' (2007), ‘Roadkill’ (2007) and the highly acclaimed ‘Grindhouse’ (2009) remix from Radio Slave which led to a host of other notable projects over the years.
Collaborative work highlights include projects with Miss Kitten, Luke Slater, Flug, and Oliver Huntemann, as well as co-producing two songs on Underworld’s Barking album. A true artist, he has always been heavily invested in exploring performance technology, unveiled to wide praise with his HYBRID live show. A two-year world tour commenced in 2015 and was followed by his retrospective album, A Decade Of Dubfire (2017), a celebration of his immense output during the first 10 years of solo artist stardom. EVOLV is Dubfire’s debut solo artist album.

In the enigmatic realm of electronic music, The Black Dog stands as a visionary act, responsible for crafting, among other things, the mesmerising album "Silenced". Notably, this release marks a significant milestone in the band's evolution, being the first album from the new line-up and their collaboration with the fledgling label Dust Science.

Defying industry norms, The Black Dog embodies a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) ethos. Their artistic journey remains steadfast, with a commitment to originality and creative freedom, unfettered by the limitations imposed by the commercial music industry.

The record label Dust Science takes pride in championing The Black Dog's musical prowess, with its first release being the band's 4-track EP "Bite Thee Back". However, this EP was only a prototype for the revitalised collective, eventually leading to the composition of Silenced, which followed soon after.

This creative period denotes a fresh start for The Black Dog, a testament to their resilience and a commitment to evolving their sound. The resulting album represents a new beginning, celebrating and transcending the echoes of the past. It redefines the band's sonic landscape and establishes a distinct musical narrative that resonates with dedicated followers and newcomers alike.

a A1 The Black Dog Trojan Horus Part 1 (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:05:42
b A2 The Black Dog Trojan Horus Part 2 (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:02:29














q D2 The Black Dog 4 3s 555 Part 1 (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:02:57
[r] D3 The Black Dog 4 3s 555 [Part 2] (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:08:16

[a] A1 Trojan Horus [Part 1] (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:05:42
[b] A2 Trojan Horus [Part 2] (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:02:29














[q] D2 4 3s 555 [Part 1] (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:02:57
[Part 2] (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:08:16

[a] A1 Trojan Horus [Part 1] (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:05:42
[b] A2 Trojan Horus [Part 2] (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:02:29














[q] D2 4 3s 555 [Part 1] (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:02:57
[Part 2] (Album Mix / Remastered) 00:08:16

one of Norways leading guitarists, and is known as an important driving force in the spread of blues music in his home country. Busk traveled to the United States early on to play in the band of the American blues artist Rock Bottom, and later returned home to start building his own solo career. "Venus Texas", his fourth album showed a shift in style. While the previous albums were characterized by driving and swing-based blues rock, "Venus Texas" is more soulful in expression. The album got rewarded with great reviews and also a Norwegian Grammy award. Now on vinyl for the first time.

Poly Dance Theatre presents its new show: Warning: killer track! Let's start with side A: an international adventure. Backstage, we meet up with rico OBF, who has recorded MC Waraba, the Malian singer and pioneer of the "Balani show" for his forthcoming album on Blanc Manioc Records, at the dubquake studio. Still backstage, we come across androo, the little pictureditor hanging around, who offers to do a re-interpretation by re-creating a riddim from the vocal.

So here's poet rapper MC Waraba, singing in Bambara and French, telling us a story about a girl's difficult choices over a riddim made in androo.
The result is a strange, solid, bewitching and melancholy blend of dub, wave and drill trap music. The references are many and scattered, as always with androo (just take a look at his bedroom). After the pop-epic poem, dub mix versions unfold, from dub vocal, with reminiscence of the delay-cut poem, to deep, robust instrumental straight.

B side: Warning: killer track again! Warning: another kind of Wave-dub-trap. Warning: Identity is theft. Warning: Sound system style: 4 parts! Here, starting with a badly cut sample (against American transparency! long live Brecht!), we wander through a heavy chorus-stepper-weird-club-dub, ranging from the most pop to the most ruff, via the most experimental to the deepest. 4 episodes. One season. To see again and again. To play again and again (if need be).
4 episodes (Warning again: Sound system style: 4 parts!)
A series of versions in which the dub mix experiments and pushes the track to its limits.

Translated with deepl

Here at Four Flies, we kind of feel we need a bigger word than 'proud', this time, to present, in collaboration with Beat Records, the first-ever release of the original soundtrack written in 1976 by Guido & Maurizio De Angelis for the legendary Squadra Antifurto, the second chapter of the comedy-infused crime saga directed by Bruno Corbucci and starring Tomas Milian as the iconic Italian Police Marshal Nico Giraldi.

The excitement in this case is nothing short of gigantic, difficult to rein in for those who, like ourselves, grew up adoring the character played by Milian as one of our cult heroes, and dreaming that the soundtracks of the first three films in the saga – the only ones composed by the De Angelis brothers – would one day be released.

Since the launch of our label, Squadra Antifurto has been at the top of the list of film scores we most wanted to release. Until a few months ago, this dream of ours seemed destined to remain just that, so strong was the conviction in all of us that the master tapes were definitively lost, that they had forever vanished into thin air. That's why their recovery, made possible by Maurizio De Angelis himself and the persistence of our friends at Beat Records, is an extraordinary feat.

Nearly 50 years after it was first heard in cinemas, the soundtrack penned by the De Angelis brothers is resurrected in its entirety and can finally shine its incredible power all over us.

Beautifully seeping through this score – like many others composed by the golden duo in the 1970s – are elements from the Italian, and especially Roman, folk tradition, for instance in the warm, heartfelt ballad sung by Alberto Griso, "E nun ce voio sta," which first plays in the opening credit sequence and is then reprised in various forms throughout the film, culminating with the soul-stirring orchestral version that closes the album's tracklist.

But as in any Italian crime film worthy of that name, a different soundscapetakes centre stage: it's the music that accompanies the countless scenes of tension, action, and pursuit that punctuate the film, and which has made us fall madly in love with this score.

The main theme is a prog-funk joyride, drawing inspiration from the traditional tarantella but elevated to irresistible energy thanks to a rock orchestration featuring psychedelic flutes, wild percussion, distorted electric guitars, piano chords, and various feedback and delay effects.

The resulting groove is just mind-blowing, and we almost can't believe it's finally available on a record, completely remastered for vinyl.

We really couldn't be prouder, and dedicate this release to all passionate fans of Italian crime films, the De Angelis brothers, and Tomas Milian aka Nico Giraldi.

Available starting April 12th on standard black vinyl and limited coloured vinyl (transparent amber, limited to 300 copies).

NOTURNALL. This is the name of this young group that, in less than 10 years on the road, is considered one of the biggest and most important bands in Brazilian Heavy Metal history. Starting in 2014, its brief, but intense history brings some legends of the so-called “Brazilian metal scene” that left their marks on worldwide renowned bands: Shaman, Angra and Project46. They also have in their line-up legendary North American guitarist Mike Orlando, who sold hundreds of thousands of album copies with ADRENALINE MOB and was listed a top 100 guitar player of all time and also a top 10 superstar of the year 2008 by Guitar Player Magazine.Iconic concerts, bold tours, thrilling music videos and guest appearances by Heavy Metal legends from all over the world, such as Michael Kiske (Helloween, Unisonic), Mike Portnoy, James Labrie (Dream Theater), Russell Allen (Symphony X, Adrenaline Mob), Michael Romeo (Symphony X), Edu Falaschi, among others, consolidate the band as a true jewel of Brazilian Heavy Metal. In 2022, after almost 2 years away from stage, Noturnall started the year with a nostalgic concert in SESC 24 de Maio, presenting classic songs. Noturnall released their fourth studio album, entitled Cosmic Redemption, showcasing the band’s best shape and also featuring as special guests: guitarist MARTY FRIEDMAN and bassist DAVID ELLEFSON (both former MEGADETH), founding SYMPHONY X guitarist, MICHAEL ROMEO, the internationally renowned prog metal drummer, MIKE PORTNOY (ex-DREAM THEATER, THE WINERY DOGS, SONS OF APOLLO), who previously toured with the band and appeared in the video for the single “SCREAM! FOR!! ME!!!”, and lastly Brazilian MPB legend, NE Brazilian MPB legend, NEY MATOGROSSO.

Cosmic Redemption by Noturnall, released 12 April 2024, includes the following tracks: "Shallow Grave", "Shadows (Walking Through) (Feat. Michael Romeo)", "Tempo Não Para (Feat. Matogrosso)" and more.

This version of Cosmic Redemption comes as a 1xLP.

The vinyl is pressed as a opaque disc.

Five years on from their acclaimed second album “Public Mono”, Burning Ferns return with a new LP “World Of The Wars”. And my oh my, how things have changed. “World Of The Wars” is the sound of a band grappling with the world going to hell, and making sense of it through the medium of pristine guitar pop. Initially recorded remotely in the face of Covid lockdown and completed at their Le Mons studio, Newport in 2021/22, it is an album of relentless musicality and guile. Songwriter Tony Gray displays unerring quality control to deliver 12 startling new songs that push on from the power pop of previous releases to more widescreen musical aspirations.
Mitwirkende
veröffentlicht am 7. April 2023

Songs wriiten by Anthony Gray. The album was mixed by Charlie Francis (REM/High Llamas/Robyn Hitchcock) with artwork provided by Newport’s greatest cult hero, the musician and artist, Jon Langford.

A playful, funky album, born from the desire to be live again; a playful and funky band that will tour extensively in Belgium and the Netherlands from April. First single 'Walk On Red, Stop On Green' sets the tone of this new album. A simple structure, over which a web of
rhythm is woven using instruments from old drum machines: the Roland CR-78, in dialogue with live drums and percussion. Lots of sax, tenor and baritone! A pumping bass. A frisky pizzicato violin. Vocals based on the 'Boy Scout Trail' principle; the leader sings and the others repeat. And then of course the classic keyboards: the Fender Rhodes, the Hohner Clavinette D6, the L-100 Hammond organ. And many analogue synthesizers: a rippling Juno-106 draws the path to be followed, which is crossed with phrases from other museum
pieces: Crumar's Stratus, Farfisa's Synthorchestra, Sequential's Prophet-10. Or the Casio Club M-100, which is actually a toy, but has been subtly coloring SKC's songs for years! In addition to his own work, also covers of Prince (The Future), Dez Mona and Alain Bashung.

LGBTQ+ music artist Tia Kofi releases their debut album 'Read My Lips'.

The album is a collection of 11 stellar pop songs and sees Tia collaborate with a variety of A- List writers and producers including Parx, Poppy Baskcomb, Little Boots, Kisch, Tom Aspaul, Gil Lewis, Kennen and Bright Light Bright Light.

The album includes the Top 10 Commercial Dance Chart hits 'Outside In', 'Look What You've Done' and 'Heart Beating', alongside brilliant new tracks such as 'Read My Lips', 'Movie' and 'Found Someone'.

As a debut album, 'Read My Lips' firmly positions Tia as a credible rising star of British pop.

From the bouncy, catchy acts at Motown (like The Temptations, The Marvelettes, and Stevie Wonder), to the horn-driven, gritty soul of Stax/Volt (such as Otis Redding and Booker T. & The MG’s), there was much diversity within classic soul. This essential LP edition contains 25 of the most legendary original songs of the idiom. If you’re looking for a way to start a soul music collection on vinyl, this would be a fantastic set to begin with. Here you can find the most influential artists, from the genre’s inception in the 1950s until 1962. The track listing covers the period when R&B was giving way to soul music. It includes smashes and classic soul anthems by such celebrated figures as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ike & Tina Turner, Ben E. King, and Marvin Gaye, to name a few. The underlying virtues of the R&B/soul music exposed here are represented by a direct emotional delivery, a pride and artistic integrity, and a feeling within the music which transmits itself to the listener. You can call it soul or R&B, it can be more or less intense, lively or educational, but it has to have those ingredients to truly succeed. From the explosion and growth of American soul, and its lasting impact upon the U.S. charts since then, this defining era is still regarded as one of history’s greatest musical movements. All of this remastered material represents a formidable slice of American popular culture, allowing listeners to experience some of the finest and most emblematic tunes of the soul genre.

REISSUED ON GLACIAL BLUE VINYL! Papercuts' You Can Have What You Want is the third phase in Jason Quever's ongoing pop investigations. The relatively earthbound happy/sad pop of Mockingbird and Can't Go Back has been launched into the vault of the skies. Here, Quever delves further into epic dream-pop using mostly vintage organs, pulsing bass, and Kraut-via-Ringo-inspired drum rhythms. Intact from those earlier efforts is Quever's sense of arrangement and drama, as well as his soaring vocals, draped in reverb gauze. The words reveal a fascination with mortality and things cosmic, while sonically the voice acts as another instrument. This obsessively all-analog effort (no computer processing here whatsoever!) cuts across several eras of dreamy sound: '80s/'90s Creation and 4AD Records, The Zombies, '60s French pop, even Can's Future Days--and then there's the inevitable connection to former tourmates Beach House and Grizzly Bear. Indeed, Beach House's Alex Scally helped with some of the arrangements, though You Can Have What You Want is its own strain of addictive pop. For many, it will be the blissful/melancholy jam of the spring and summer. Quever was raised on a commune in Humboldt County, orphaned, and moved up and down the West Coast before calling San Francisco home and starting Papercuts, initially as a four-track recording project. When not performing with his own band, he can often be found recording others in his studio and filling in when needed as a multi-instrumentalist in friends' groups. "It takes a few seconds of Papercuts' second album, Can't Go Back, to think that maybe you've stumbled upon something special, a delicate mood piece made to slice through the din and chaos of modern life." --Pitckfork (8.3 rating

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme Desire, an everlasting grip of that youthful energy, that fire and fury you felt playing a style of music that gives you a lifelong addiction and appreciation. If you’ve once been part of that certain something, that became part of your identity, it never lets you go. Drummer Sascha, bassist Jan, guitarists Philipp and Tobias know how it is getting older but still feeling the fire. The four friends shook up the scenes out of Frankfurt in the 90s and 00s. They played in different bands, they toured Europe and the US of A, they were mods, punks, hardcore kids. And they never lost their connection and love for their music. That’s why they got together some years back, rehearsing and writing songs just for the heck of it. Out of pure desperation the four of them were thinking about staying a goddamn instrumental band, maybe working with projections and shit to fog the fact that there was something initial missing: a singer. The road was calling their names, and they wanted to play shows and let you and you and you know what they got... So, they gave it one last try to find somebody to fill the void behind the mic. What helped was a platform – basically Tinder for musicians – to find that certain somebody. They kept it simple and only dropped one thing: #blackflag. On the other side of the screen there is Sam, a mystical, ghostly punkrock fairy. Sam shares that same hashtag, and she wants to sing. So, why not give it a try? Sam takes the offer, shows up in the rehearsal space, and the rest is history. Sam owns it. Sam is prepared. Sam can sing, scream, kick ass and has the lyrics to back it all up! On different occasions they now set stages on fire. They played a sweaty show in a packed Molotow cellar at Reeperbahn Festival, they joined the “Female Fronted Is Not A Genre” festival at legendary SO36 in Berlin and took the place by storm. They are ready. They were born ready. And they have that record to prove it. As any classic hardcore/punk LP it’s almost over before it started. Ten songs in twenty minutes. That’s the way. I Am A God sets the tone: “You think that I’m a girl?”, Sam asks, “Let me tell you I am a god/ And you know that I’m heaven sent.” What else would Sam be? The legendary hashtagged Californian hardcore icons drip out of every note here. This is old-school knowledge, played today. Fast, furious, and packed with energy. But it’s way more than just a bland tribute. It’s a middle-finger that finds its own direction. Salary Man allows itself a certain amount of melody – also carried by Sam who obviously can do more than bellow. Or Somewhere that shows that The Pill is a more dimensional band that can even Hüsker Dü things up if they are willing to. The Bitter Pill presents itself surprisingly angular and kind of melancholic. And What’s New almost makes its way into post-hardcore territory. Inbetween Switch and Off give you all the Greg Ginn vs. Dez Cadena your damaged souls were desperately striving for. The debut album Hollywood Smile will be released on April 5th, 2024 by Hamburg’s Sounds Of Subterrania.

Author, charity boss, furniture repairer, tv star, there's not much that Jay Blades hasn't covered. Now to add to his CV, this fine hand-picked compilation of unreleased Peckings recordings.

Jackson C. Frank's eponymous album is the embodiment of folk legend. Issued in late 1965 on the UK Columbia label, it was for many years more famous for its producer (Paul Simon) and the musicians who would go on to cover its songs (Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, Sandy Denny) than for the hauntingly beautiful music contained inside.

Frank's backstory certainly adds to the legacy: born in Buffalo, New York, he used the settlement from a childhood accident to sail to London where he quickly became a fixture of the bustling folk scene. Performing a mix of blues standards and originals, he met fellow ex-pat Paul Simon who would put up the money to record Frank's only LP.

For such a sparsely recorded work, Jackson C. Frank covers a lot of ground. From the rugged, world-weary opener "Blues Run The Game" to the stunning melancholy of "Milk And Honey," Frank's nimble acoustic guitar and passionate howls are all that is needed to power such authentic songwriting. Captured in a single-day session, these ten tracks are stark, gritty and seemingly out-of-place with time. There may be no '60s folk record that is simultaneously as rare and influential as Jackson C. Frank's self-titled debut.

New year, new stars, same route. The final part of our VA series embodies a futuristic and meticulously crafted production of atmospheric and incessant techno.

Outstanding artists named Hadone, HWRD, Justine Perry and Quelza bringing their unique flair to the table to tell a profound story full of eclipsing soundscapes and eternal width. The four dark and intangible contributions are made to tear down floors whilst maintaining their sophistication and depth.

Out on April 5th - Make sure to grab your limited copy and be ready for the next one!

NT is Nail aka Neil Holliday, one half of Bent and a master of UK tech house. But here he shows a different side across six majestically Balearic groovers. That draw on everything he has done before to send you out to sea on gentle waves of shining synth goodness, downtempo bliss and dreamy, chubby, soft focus drums. 'Beside Boa Linn' is a soothing summer sound to kick off then 'Going Out To Feel It' is a spiritual house cut for sundown, and 'Don't Hide Away' is slow motion disco brilliance. The trip continues with the star-gazing 'Evening Fixture', Eddie C style guitar licks of 'Walk In Romance' and romantic lullaby 'Dreams On Hold.'

Over the course of five albums, Manchester based trumpeter, composer, arranger and band-leader Matthew Halsall has carved out a niche for himself on the UK music scene as one of it's brightest talents. His languid, soulful music has won friends from Jamie Cullum and Gilles Peterson to Jazz FM and Mojo as well as an ever-growing international following. His new album Into Forever, puts the spotlight on Halsall the composer, arranger and producer. Halsall draws on a diverse range of influences from Alice Coltrane, Dorothy Ashby, Phil Cohran and Leon Thomas to the more contemporary sounds of The Cinematic Orchestra, Max Richter and Nils Frahm to deliver his most complete recording to date. Into Forever features renowned Manchester based soul poet Josephine Oniyama and rising star vocalist Bryony Jarman-Pinto (Werkha) as well as regular collaborators, flautist Lisa Mallett, harpist Rachael Gladwin, koto player Keiko Kitamura, pianist Taz Modi, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Luke Flowers (The Cinematic Orchestra) and two percussionists Sam Bell and Chris Cruiks. The result is arguably Halsall's finest record, asublime melding of stripped back soulful funk and deep, minimalist, spiritual jazz, that will take you on a journey deep into forever!

Belarusian producer Four Walls is back after a seven-year hiatus. The first time around he made some standout cuts for the likes of Traxx Underground and Kolour LTD but this time around he finds himself on the new Ultraworld Records imprint from DJ Craft. This one kicks off with the lush prog house and silky synth arps of 'Mind Charger' which soon takes you to the stars. 'Metamorphosis' is a more raw-edged and acid-laced techno stomper for peak time action and 'Summer Nights' is a bubbling, elastic tapestry of new age overtones, thudding kicks, and trance-tinged pads. A remix by Toronto-based Pletnev adds another dimension to this club-ready EP.

Find all the greeatest songs of the King of Rock & Roll in a nice 5LP boxset

tapetopia 006 In 1983, some more subdued sounds began to waft from the GDR punk underground into the second half of the ’80s. At five to the end of time, it was perpetually striking midnight and the occasional punk band would mix a little laudanum into their potential for aggression. Portents in this vein preceded a dark wave whose foamy crest would break on fog walls of dry ice. Especially in Leipzig and East Berlin, a chain-rattling zeitgeist produced bands that drew from a dark well. Many of these bands arose from the still hot or already cold ashes of punk. The two founding fathers of Neuntage Alt, René Glofke and Taymur Streng (nicknamed “Strangler”), knew each other from the East Berlin punk scene. The third man aboard, Mike Sauer, played drums in the early 1980s for Sendeschluß, a punk band that, lost in thought somewhere in the no-man’s land between punk and post-punk, faded away in 1984. Punk was no longer the order of the day, but it was a form of expression among many and easy to combine. Glofke and Streng found common ground in experimental set-ups with such otherworldly names as Medusa Brahma or Die zeitweilige Erscheinung.
From this far-flung point of departure, a short tunnel led straight into the black light of Neuntage Alt, the coldest star in the low-hanging sky above East Berlin. Neuntage Alt appeared at the end of 1986, during the last blackout phase of the GDR, on the threshold between the underground and the so-called “other bands” – a scene that used the non-socio-critical approach of German Wutwave (“anger wave”) in order to be allowed to perform publicly. In the context of this scene, Neuntage Alt did not belong to the inner circle. Moreover, the band’s subcultural base was initially in Mahlsdorf, on the south-eastern edge of East Berlin. This was where the DIY sound studio of amplitude apostle and great modulator Taymur Streng was situated. Strangler held the position of house electrician and keyboard god in various projects. One of them had the bland alias Mahlsdorfer Wohnstuben Orchester, behind which the avant-garde court chapel of the bungalow studio was concealed. There Taymur also conspired with the East Berlin underground band Ornament & Verbrechen (tapetopia #001). Ronald Lippok of Ornament & Verbrechen remembers how once, at the opening of a joint session, he and his brother Robert attended Taymur’s engaging slide show of his collection of test patterns. Afterwards, they created a piece with the psychedelic title “Das sentimentale UfO”, which sheds an iridescent light on the bizarre atmosphere in the studio. Taymur’s obsession with technology was legendary. The home studio was also his living space; a circuit, a machine park of screwed and soldered equipment, a single keyboard orgy. His own creations were also based on circuit diagrams found in the radio amateur magazine “Funkamateur”. Its somewhat clueless subtitle “Praktische Elektronik Für Alle” (Practical Electronics for All)