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Behind the finest and most moving pieces of contemporary-classical music lie deeply personal and poignant stories, and Simon Goff's new album Vale is no exception. The British violinist and composer's dazzling exploration of the interface between violin and technology and between the poles of intimacy and grandeur, as rich and deep and wide as the landscape that lies its heart, named after the Vale of York where Goff grew up. The album encapsulates not just a landscape but a place in time and an identity forged through youth and adulthood, all viewed from his current base in Berlin. Goff's artistic project is one which has been informed by his previous collaborations as both a performer and recording engineer, performing with artists such as Thor Harris (Swans, Amanda Palmer) and Federico Albanese, playing in concert halls across Europe. On his very first day working at the legendary Vox-Ton studios, Goff was introduced to Adam Wiltzie (half of the venerated post-classical/ ambient duo Stars Of The Lid/A Winged Victory for the Sullen), and over the next two years, he worked with post-classical and post-rock visionaries such as the late Jóhann Jóhannsson, Hildur Gudnadóttir (notably on the film soundtracks for Chernobyl and Joker), Dustin O'Halloran and Yair Elazar Glotman.

Following recent super-deluxe editions and multi-format releases of classic Who albums – ‘My Generation’, ‘Tommy’ and ‘Quadrophenia’, and the success of ‘Live at Fillmore’, we follow with The Who Sell Out – this set shaping up to be the most superlative of all…!!
Released in December 1967 – the album reflected a remarkable year in popular culture. As well as being forever immortalised as the moment when the counterculture and the ‘Love Generation’ went global, 1967 produced tremendous musical upheavals as “pop” metamorphosed to “rock”.

Originally planned by Pete Townshend and the band’s managers, as a loose concept album including jingles and commercials linking the songs styled as a Radio London broadcast – born out of necessity as the band’s managers wanted a new album and there weren’t enough songs.

The original plan was to sell advertising space on the album – Jaguar cars, Coca-Cola etc. The jingles pay tribute to the pirate radio stations and expose the myths of ‘pop-culture’ and mock consumer society – way ahead of their time…

The homage to pop-art is evident in both the advertising jingles and the iconic sleeve design – created by David King (art director at the Sunday Times) and Roger Law (who invented Spitting Image) producing four giant images for each band member – Odorono deodorant, Medac spot cream, Charles Atlas and Heinz baked beans (Roger apparently caught pneumonia from sitting in the cold beans for too long).

Photography by renowned portrait photographer David Montgomery (rare out-takes included)

The album is a bold depiction of the period in which it was made – the tail-end of the ‘swinging-60s’ meets pop-art mixed with psychedelia and straight-ahead pop craft. It’s glorious blend of classic powerful Who instrumentation, melodic harmonies, satirical lyrical imagery crystallised for what was only the group’s third album – the ambition and scope is unrivalled by the Who, or any others from that period.

Within the bold concept, were a batch of fabulous and diverse songs – I Can See for Miles (a Top Ten hit) is a Who classic, Rael, a Townshend ‘mini-opera’ with musical motifs that reappeared in Tommy and the psychedelic blast of Armenia City in the Sky and Relax are among the very best material of the 1960s.

One of the most extraordinary albums of any era – it’s The Who’s last ‘pop’ album. Two years later came Tommy – a double concept album about a deaf, dumb and blind kid…

“We were hoping to get free Jaguars. We got fifty tins of free Baked Beans”

Pete Townshend

Scottish producer Gavin Sutherland revives his Other Lands alias with a collection of tracks that were crafted between 1997 and 2012, and were transferred straight from the original cassette.

"What Year Is It? Who Is The President?", is Sutherlands' first full offering with PULP. After multiple remixes for the label (under his Fudge Fingas alias), the release schedule for the Other Lands guise has picked up in the last few months. This resurgence of previously unreleased material will add to Sutherland's elaborate catalog, and confirm that even bits that never saw a release at the time, are sounding relevant and superbly produced.

"What Year Is It? Who Is The President?" (PULP13) starts with "The Caged Bird", which is a synth laden, lush sounding cut that is built around a playful bass sound and beautifully orchestrated chords. The drums are swinging as ever, and the hypnotic character of the lead is present throughout.

"Kaleidoscope" is a venture into the otherworldly. Deep splashes of synth and fx come together effortlessly to create an almost meditative state. The musicality of it all is remarkable, and hard to capture in a few words. The rhythm section is always the backbone, but the fx are equally as important. Fans of Sutherland's work will surely recognize and appreciate the ambiance that is set in Kaleidoscope.

The flipside starts with "It's Something Else". The main lead is indeed something refreshing. In a sense, it's reminiscent of a guitar, but it's clearly not that. The dance floor nature of everything else is supporting the wildness of the lead. Altogether this is something to space out to. On a dance floor, at home or perhaps even during a run.

The final track on the B-side is called "Mind Like A Steel Trap". This sample heavy, hazy sounding piece of beauty is blending soulful flutes, drums and the catchphrase of the song - no more mind games - together with an astonishing ease

Rich in musical associations yet utterly singular in its voice, joyous with an inner tranquility, the music of Natural Information Society is unlike any other being made today. Their sixth album in eleven years for eremite records, descension (Out of Our Constrictions) is the first to be recorded live, featuring a set from London’s Cafe OTO with veteran English free-improv great Evan Parker, & the first to feature just one extended composition. The 75-minute performance, inspired by the galvanizing presence of Parker, is a sustained bacchanalia of collective ecstasy. You could call it their party album.

This was the second time Parker played with NIS. Joshua Abrams: “Both times we played compositions with Evan in mind. I don’t tell Evan anything. He’s a free agent.”

The music is focused & malleable, energized & even-keeled, drawing on concepts of ensemble playing common to musics from many locations & eras without any one specific aesthetic realization completely defining it.

“The rhythms that Mikel plays are not an exact reference to Chicago house, but that’s in there,” Abrams says. “I like to take a cyclic view of music history, can we take that four-on-the-floor, & consider how it connects to swing-era music? Can we articulate a through line? I dee-jayed for years in Chicago & lessons I learned from playing records for dancing inform how I think about the group’s music. The listener can make connections to aspects of soul music, electronic music, minimalism, traditional folk musics, & other musics of the diaspora as well. It’s about these aspects coming together. I don’t need to mimic something, I need to embody it to get to the spirit, to get to the living thing.”

For jazz fans, the sound of Parker’s soprano & Jason Stein’s bass clarinet might evoke Coltrane & Dolphy, even though they didn’t necessarily set out to do that & they play with complete individuality. Abrams sees a bridge to the historical precedent, too. “Since we first met in the 1990s, one of the things that Evan and I connected on was Coltrane’s music,” he says. “I hoped that we would tap into that sound world intuitively. In this case, I think that level of evocation adds another layer of depth, versus a layer of reference.”

Indeed, this is a performance in which the connections among the ensemble & the creative tension between improvisation and composition build into a complex mesh of associations & interactions. While the band confines itself to the territory mapped out by Abrams’ composition, they are remarkably attentive & responsive, making adjustments to Parker’s improvisations. When Parker’s intricate patterns of notes interweave with the band, the parts reinforce one another & the music rockets upward. Sometimes, Parker’s lines are cradled by the group’s gentle pulse & an unearthly lyrical balance is struck.

Drummer Mikel Patrick Avery is locked-in, playing with hellacious long-form discipline, feel & responsiveness. Jason Stein’s animated, vocalized bass clarinet weaves in & out with Lisa Alvarado’s harmonium to state the piece’s thematic material; the pulsing tremolo on the harmonium brings a Spacemen 3 vibe to the party. Abrams ties together melody & rhythm on guimbri, a presence that leads without seeming to. Like his bandmates, he shifts modes of playing frequently, improvising & then returning to the composed structure.

“As specific as the composition is, the goal is to internalize it & mix it up,” Abrams says. “The idea is to get so comfortable that we can make spontaneous changes, find new routes of activity, stasis & byways every gig. It’s like a web we’re spinning. If someone makes a move, we all aim to be aware of it, make room for it. Experiencing & listening is what it’s about, & Evan supercharges that.”

& “supercharged” is the word for this album. With Parker further opening up their music, descension (Out of Our Constrictions) is the sound of Natural Information Society growing both more disciplined and freer, one of the great bands of its time on a deep run.

Aguirre edition: Mastered by Helge Sten, Audio Virus, Oslo. Lacquers by Dubplates & Mastering. Liner Notes by Theaster Gates. LPs pressed on premium audiophile-quality vinyl at Pallas Records. US 2xLP edition available thru Eremite records.

What's the equation that reveals your love? On the latest single from Alba & The Mighty Lions, the question is posed and answered in the form of a beautiful soul slow-roller. Alba Ponce de León's charming word play, both mathematically-minded and straight from the heart, is calculated as a sum of English and Español, and multiplied by the suave accompaniment of a Mighty Lions' backing track that cruises the border of lowrider soul and enchanted exotica. Adding it all up, you may find an answer to this magical schoolyard test, depending on how the numbers align for you. A witty and passionate take on a classic formula, "Matemática" is a deep and sweet flow, a slow dance mood for the heads and lovers alike.

"Where Do We Go From Here" is Dumpstaphunk's first album in seven years. It will be released on April 23, 2021 on The Funk Garage, an imprint of Mascot Label Group.
Over its past 17 years, Dumpstaphunk has earned its reputation as the most well-regarded next-generation New Orleans live powerhouse, the type of band whose live shows attract sit-ins from legends like Carlos Santana, Bob Weir and Trombone Shorty. Alongside Hall, Daniels, Alex Wasily, Ryan Nyther and drummer Devin Trusclair, cousins Ivan and Ian Neville have built upon their family’s iconic NOLA legacy as they’ve transformed Dumpstaphunk into the city’s pre-eminent 21st-century funk-fusion export.
The band’s mix of classic and modern influences can be heard throughout the party-friendly mix of R&B, funk, rock, swamp-pop and blues of "Where Do We Go From Here," from the slap-bass rave "Make It After All" to the band's contemporary renderings of NOLA R&B rarities (the 1975 Blackmail gem "Let’s Get At It") and early Seventies classics (Sly and the Family Stone's "In Time”).
‘Where Do We Go From Here’ is perhaps the best evidence yet of Dumpstaphunk’s ability to strengthen and transform their singular NOLA roots in combination with the deeper outside musical and philosophical influences on which the band is founded.

From a funky basement in Nashville, TN comes the third 45 from The Gripsweats. Nasty, vocal shout style NOLA funk. Heavy, dirty, raw, and in the cut. This one is meant for playing loud in the clubs. A classic part 1 / part 2 approach to this sweaty dancefloor burner.

Freddy Cole's 'The Cole Nobody Knows' is available as digipack-CD & limited vinyl-LP / Holy Grail soul jazz album by Freddy Cole, singer, pianist, Nat 'King' Cole's youngest brother and uncle of Natalie. Privately pressed LP recorded 1976 in Atlanta, including famous version of 'Brother Where Are You' and nine more excellent rare groove tracks, most of them suitable for the jazz dance scene. Outstanding quartet takes throughout with stunning jazz ballad performances of 'Live For Life' and 'Miss Otis Regrets', jazz dance pearls 'Wild Is Love', 'Moving On - Place In The Sun' plus rough blues tracks like 'A Man Shouldn't Be Lonely' and 'Waiter Ask The Man To Play The Blues'. First 1:1 reissue of an extremely rare and highly sought after vinyl LP on the small imprint 'First Shot' from Georgia, remastered and with original first press cover art. Sonorama is proud to release a legendary and sought after soul jazz LP that will send shivers down your spine. 77-year-old singer & pianist Freddy Cole, youngest brother of Nat 'King' Cole and uncle of Natalie Cole, is a truly unique interpreter with an impressive career from 1952 until 2010. This very rare and privately pressed LP was recorded back in 1976 and finally gets its first remastered 1:1 reissue with original cover artwork (First Shot label), including such greats as 'Wild Is Love', 'Brother Where Are You' and 'Live For Life'. The original press album is highly sought after all over the world and fetches ridiculous prices at auctions. Even another LP release of the same set of recordings with different cover art, pressed 1977 on the Audiophile label, is nearly impossible to find today. 'Freddy Cole has had a great career, wether or not you've ever heard of him' (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2006) and he is still going strong: His quartet is currently touring the U.S., Switzerland, Germany or Lebanon and will come back to Europe for more shows in May 2010. Check 'freddycole' to find out about the man who 'just might be the most attractively understated jazz singer currently at work' (The Chicago Sunday Times 2000).

Sometimes a work of art comes unintentionally from a place from deep within the soul. It meanders and flops onto a table and sits and waits for its birth.
The album begins with "Wait Till The Stars Burn", a planetary ode to the Sun. The second track "Tribute to the Pharoahs Den", is a requiem for Danny Ray Thompson (R.I.P.) of the Sun Ra Arkestra, his music and legacy now floating above us in the infinity of space. Both tracks and featuring Marshall Allen and Knoel Scott (of the Sun Ra Arkestra).
The album ends with a requiem for Hal Willner (R.I.P.) whose devotion to celebrating the weird and insane was like an insatiable thirst leading to deep introspection and joy in harmony and sonic dissidence.
These compositions have all come from this place inside my bipolar, seroquil ridden mind. It is as much a tribute to the great composers who have inspired me; Alice Coltrane, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Philip Kelan Cohran, Bernard Herrmann, Ennio Morricone, Miles Davis, Sun Ra, John Carpenter, Quincy Jones, Old Bollywood, Film Noir, to name just a few. In my 23 years of being a composer of music I have had the great opportunity to score several films all of which never got any commercial fame. These films were made from the blood and sweat of film directors and their crews who tirelessly made incredible documents that were ultimately ignored by humanity. But that never stopped them nor will it stop me. These tracks are from the infinite celluloid that runs deep in my mind, body and soul. In my lifetime i never thought i would see the deaths of "Celluloid" or "analog recording". I refuse to accept the coroner reports on said fatalities, so here is my offering to the canon of cinematic overtures and analog self-preservation, for the films in our heads yet to be made.

FUSE reveal the first single from Paolo Rocco’s forthcoming album ‘Ever So’ alongside house icon Robert Owens, backed by two slick remixes from S.A.M.

Ahead of the release of his ten-track album on the label in late-April, FUSE unveil the first single from Montreal based talent Paolo Rocco’s ‘Life In Pieces’ LP as he combines with legendary singer-songwriter, DJ, producer, and one of the most iconic voices in house music, Robert Owens, to deliver the soulful and slick ‘Ever So’ – accompanied by two warping remixes from Mandar member and Delaphine boss S.A.M.

A warming and rich production from the off, ‘Ever So’ welcomes a melting pot of classic and modern influences as Rocco’s bright keys and resonant chords meet Owens’ infectious and inimitable vocals to reveal a smooth, classy slice of house music. On the flip, S.A.M’s first interpretation of the production sees the introduction of trademark swirling, spacey synths and vibrant stabs, whilst his ‘Hypnotic’ take on the production flows and journeys into deeper moments guided by arpeggiated melodies, acid-tinged basslines and sweeping atmospherics.

Die Footwork Legende aus Chicago, DJ RASHAD, beschließt ein erfolgreiches Jahr auf Hyperdub mit seinem ersten Album für das Label und baut damit auf zwei EPs auf, die deutlich demonstriert haben, wie sich der Sound von ihm und seinen mannigfaltigen Teklife Kollaborateuren im Jahr 2013 entwickelt hatte. Benannt nach dem Freizeitcocktail aus Sprite und Kodein treffen auf ,Double Cup" traditionelle 808 Footwork Ausbrüche auf die neuesten Mutationen des Sounds und zeigen so die Vielseitigkeit und Kraft der Chicago Szene im Jahr 2013. Das Album wirft Hip Hop, R&B, Acid, House, Techno und Jungle in seinen Footwork Shredder und spuckt diese auf der anderen Seite als zusammengeklebte Fragmente wieder aus, zusammengehalten durch schnurrende 808 Subtriplets und kantige Polyrhythmen. Das Album wärmt sich langsam mit einem G-Funk Swing auf, der typisch ist für RASHAD und SPINNs Kollaborationen mit TASO aus San Francisco. Diven mit Schluckauf räkeln sich auf den Rhythmen von ,Show U How", ,Only One" und ,Everyday Of My Life" mit Raps von der Crew auf ,Pass That Shit", ,She A Go" und ,Kush, Drank, Barz". Das bereits veröffentlichte "I Don't Give A Fuck" markiert den düsteren Dreh- und Angelpunkt des Albums; das Tempo zieht in der zweiten Hälfte an mit dem treibenden Viervierteltakt des Titeltracks ,Double Cup", dem donnernd gepressten ,Acid Bit" und dem Chicago House von ,Reggie" und ,Leavin. Den Höhepunkt markiert die Breakbeat Wissenschaft von ,Let U No" und ,I'm Too Hi". ,Double Cup" ist vorausschauende Musik für die Tanzfläche und unterstreicht, dass Footwork an der Macht ist.

A chirp, a wine and a gurgle are the sounds that make the song of swallow. You won't find any of them on here though. The third installment of this sampler series features well-rounded dance and prance material instead. Four artists, four hits. Berlin duo Cyrk pay tribute to their favorite Sunday parties with Italo Blade. Barely hidden by its name, it cuts right through any heart of stone with aural infatuation and elation. Portraying the best moment in someone's life after a gig at the infamous Papaya Playa Project, Smallville records associate Snad, delivers a skippy and irresistible MPC jam that makes one want to whistle along. The baroque effect and element of Voon's music is a given. The Italian duo made that clear with Rose in Japan and is able to repeat the trick with Brando. Like Rondo Veneziano at a rave, it's larger than life and happily jumping over the inhibition gate of restraint. Finally, Lukas Lehmann takes the boiling pot off the stove. Juno Cuts A Caper is an ode to synthesizer number six of the renowned Roland series and a masterclass in simmering down. All in all: fun, fun, fun.-

Nearly two decades into her storied career, 9-time GRAMMY-winning singer, songwriter, pianist, and 2020’s most livestreamed artist Norah Jones will release her first full live album ‘Til We Meet Again on April 16. The collection presents globe-spanning performances from the U.S., France, Italy, Brazil, and Argentina that were recorded between 2017-2019. The first single “It Was You,” which is available to stream or download today, was recorded at the 2018 Ohana Festival in Dana Point, California with Pete Remm on organ, Christopher Thomas on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. Additional musicians featured on the album include bassist Jesse Murphy, guitarist Jesse Harris, flutist Jorge Continentino, and percussionist Marcelo Costa. ‘Til We Meet Again can be pre-ordered now on vinyl, CD, or digital download.

The 14 songs featured on ‘Til We Meet Again also span Jones’ entire career from her 2002 debut Come Away With Me (“Don’t Know Why,” “I’ve Got To See You Again,” “Cold, Cold Heart”), 2004’s Feels Like Home (“Sunrise,” “Those Sweet Words”), 2012’s Little Broken Hearts (“After The Fall”), 2016’s Day Breaks (“Flipside,” “Tragedy”), as well as her more recent singles series (“It Was You,” “Begin Again,” “Just A Little Bit,” “Falling,” and the GRAMMY-nominated “I’ll Be Gone”). The album closes with Jones’ stunning solo piano performance of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” a tribute to Chris Cornell that was recorded at the Fox Theatre in Detroit just days after Cornell’s death following a performance at the same venue.

Romana Records 004 FilOu (Fantastic Friends Recording,Resopal Schallware,Mood Music Records) & Magnus Asberg teams up and swaps remixes and original trax.

Half & Half Colour Vinyl Disc 1: Yellow/Magenta Disc 2: Turquoise/ Magenta


Double album that includes;
45rpm bonus disc with the singles and B sides
Gloss laminated gatefold sleeve
printed inner sleeves, containing lyrics, photos and interview by The Mouth Magazine
“Pleasure Bag” containing 4 postcards, 2 stickers, A stencil, Repro Tour Poster, Repro promo posters for “Go For Gold” and “Politics/ Its Fashion” singles. Press photo and Press Flyer

In 1980 post punk pop indie band GIRLS AT OUR BEST came out of nowhere (Well, Leeds actually) with GETTING NOWHERE FAST and was the NME’s Single Of The Week reaching the Top 10 of the indie chart. The band, fronted by Judy Evans, released four further singles plus the album PLEASURE which reached the UK album charts in 1981, before splitting up two years after that first record.

Girls At Our Best were one of the finest, most life-affirming of a new breed of independent bands who cropped up at the turn of the 80s – long-standing fan John Peel once referred to them as one of the few groups that made the period bearable. Formed in Leeds from the ashes of punk band SOS, the group were fronted by distinctive female vocalist Jude ‘Jo’ Evans, forming a songwriting team with guitarist James Alan and bass player Gerard Swift after they met at art college. All four of their singles for their own Record Records, Rough Trade and Happy Birthday Records are included here as bonus tracks on a 45rpm 12”– including the wonderful ‘Getting Nowhere Fast’ (later covered by The Wedding Present), its coruscating b-side ‘Warm Girls’, ‘Politics!’, ‘Go For Gold’ and ‘Fast Boyfriends’

Their influence can be seen on innumerable C86/indie bands who came afterwards

Kink Gong is back with his unique take and re-interpretation of the music he’s been recording and documenting for years in the South East Asian highlands.

Zomia Vol.1 takes the conceptual idea of ZOMIA, proposed by James C Scott in The Art of Not Being Governed, an Anarchist History of Upland South East Asia, to construct its very own mythological soundscape inspired by a semi-utopic region where state rules don’t apply. Zomia might be (almost) gone but Kink Gong is keen keep its spirit alive by releasing a series of albums celebrating the region’s quasi mythological features.

‘’Zomia is an idea, a concept that, not so long ago, there were two very distinct worlds in southeast Asia, the valley VS highland/hinterland, the civilisation VS the primitive, paddy rice VS slash and burn agriculture, Buddhism VS Animism, fixed territory VS movement/migration, written system VS oral culture, the state VS anarchy, property VS squat, controlled population VS autonomy, bricks VS bamboo and wood and, at my level museumified traditional mainstream music VS real emotions/songs of devastated lives and/or gongs ceremonies with buffalo sacrifices, extreme heat in the valleys VS shade in the jungle. I could go on and on but let’s not forget that ZOMIA is disappearing fast, if not altogether already. How many of the people I’ve recorded are still alive?

As you might know, before composing new music from my own ZOMIAN experience (from 2001 to 2014 in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and China) I had to find those musicians, be able to communicate with them, record them as good as I could with very limited finances and gradually release a collection of 160 CDrs. It is very important for me to make sure you to listen to the fantastic original recordings before or after you’ve listened to this experimental reconstruction I called ZOMIA!

Expect more volumes to come, this is my biggest source of inspiration, and the reason why I’ve been involved for years in constructing a mythological experimental musical ZOMIAN soundscape.’’
Laurent Jeanneau, Berlin 2020

The Besnard Lakes have passed through death and they’r e here to tell the tale. Nearly five years after their last lightning-tinted volley, the magisterial Montreal psych-rock band have sworn off compromise, split with their long-standing label, and completed a searing, 72-minute suite about the darkness of dying and the light on the other side. The Besnard Lakes Are The Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings is the group's sixth album and the first in more than 15 years to be released away from a certain midwestern American indie record company. After 2016's A Coliseum Complex Museum - which saw Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas attempting shorter, less sprawling songs - the Besnards and their label decided it was time to go their separate ways; with that decision came a question of whether to even continue the project at all. What use is a band with an instinct for long, tectonic tunes - rock songs with chthonic heft and ethereal grace, five or 10 or 18 minutes long? How do you sell that in an age of bite-sized streaming? How do you make it relevant? "Who gives a shit!" the Besnard Lakes realized. Ignited by their love for each other, for playing music together, the sextet found themselves unspooling the most uncompromising recording of their career. Despite all its grandeur, ...The Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings honours the very essence of punk rock: the notion that a band need only be relevant to itself. At last the Besnard Lakes have crafted a continuous long-form suite: nine tracks that could be listened together as one, like Spiritualized's Lazer Guided Melodies or even Dark Side of the Moon, overflowing with melody and harmony, drone and dazzle, the group's own unique weather. Here now, the Besnard Lakes finally dispensed with the two/three-year album cycle, taking all the time they needed to conceive, compose, record and mix their opus. Some of its songs were old, resurrected from demos cast aside years ago. Others were literally woodshedded in the cabanon behind Lasek and Goreas's "Rigaud Ranch" - invented and reinvented, relishing this rougher sound.

The established favourite Nicolas Laugier AKA. The Reflex has been a crucial name in the fabric of electronic music, and is widely praised for his masterful production style which has gained the seal of approval of heritage artists such as Nile Rodgers, Giorgio Moroder, Nina Simon, Kid Creole, Kathy Sledge, Noel Gallagher, Bono and Paul Weller - morphing some of the world classics into contemporary; certified rave anthems. Loved by tastemakers alike including Rob Da Bank, Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles and Mistajam, The Reflex is responsible for unleashing some of the best remixes to date.

Returning off the back of his latest revision of Norman Doray and Darren Crook's 'Sweet Freedom', which has so far gained nearly 150 worldwide radio spins since it's release on 6th November, The Reflex now puts forward an incredible 2021 revision of two time Grammy award winner Nile Rogers' 'Do What You Wanna Do'. A modern disco anthem, the track has since been remixed by producers like MK, Eats Everything and Rob Da Bank. With an already established repertoire of essential remixes and re-edits, the London based producer combines his unique Disco and Soul blend with his acclaimed musical initiative to create what will be an intricate and exceptional upgrade, and a key selection of an already impressive arsenal of releases.

A percentage of the royalties from this release will be donated to Nile Rodgers' 'We Are Family Foundation' - who collaborate with forward thinking organisation who believe in youth and together, build creative programming and content, empowering young people to take humanity forward.

Courting release their debut EP via Nice Swan
Records, featuring the rambunctious title track
alongside their late-2020 release, ‘Popshop!’ and
previously unheard songs ‘Crass’ and ‘Slow Burner’.
‘Popshop!’ was greeted brilliantly - it landed on the
BBC 6Music playlist and top publications included
the band in their Tips For 2021 lists soon after its
release - NME 100, DIY Hype List 2021, Daily Star
Ones To Watch 2021 and DIY Hello 2021.
The four-piece only formed in 2018 so they’re
hitting these milestones really early on. The band’s
first ever singles (‘Not Yr Man’ and ‘Football’) were
self-released and caused a stir on the vibrant
Liverpool indie scene. Nice Swan Records
responded to the buzz by signing them for their
third single (‘David Byrne’s Badside’) and for this
EP

Honeyed harmonies form a girl group turntable turnover! Sugar-dusted girl group confections concocted on impulse of three Staten Island girls who just wanted the attention of some high school boys!
This poly-vinyl pastry collects all the Candy And The Kisses soulful Scepter sides and some originally unissued bonbons! The Scepter Sessions collects them all on LP for the first time, pressed on sweet colored vinyl!

Following the hard-hitting return single ‘Anxious’ and a slew of mysterious ‘West Gazette’ posters appearing around the UK hinting at the announcement (including Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol and London), West London’s AJ Tracey assumes the character of a rising young basketball player appearing in a livestreamed press conference to reveal his next move: a lucrative deal with major
franchise Revenge Athletic ahead of a crucial playoff game. The broadcast ends with the true reveal: AJ’s highly anticipated sophomore album ‘FLU GAME’ will finally arrive.
Always pushing boundaries with his creative output, AJ’s campaign draws influence from the story of Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls team in the late 90s, with ‘FLU GAME’ referencing one of MJ’s most memorable championship games where he overcame a nasty bout of food poisoning (brought on by a dodgy takeaway pizza) and took the Bulls to the championship. Revenge Athletic are a franchise on the brink of a massive championship win and AJ is their new star. All we know for now is that AJ is about to take us into this new world, as he dons the number 10 jersey and states he’s “ready to get going and do what I’ve always done.”
‘FLU GAME’ sees AJ showcasing twelve brand new tracks, with tantalising features including Kehlani, T-Pain, SahBabii, NAV and Millie Go Lightly. On the production
front, AJ calls on regular collaborators Nyge, The Elements, Kazza, AoD and Remedee.
The project also features the UK Top Five singles ‘Bringing It Back’ with Digga D, ‘West Ten’' with Mabel and the Platinum smash ‘Dinner Guest’ featuring MoStack. AJ Tracey is a man on an unstoppable, independently built trajectory. 2020 was his
biggest year to date, with (certified Gold) single ‘West Ten’ alongside Mabel landing in the wake of chart-scaling ‘Dinner Guest’ featuring MoStack (Platinum), Number 1 charity single ‘Times Like These’ (alongside Dua Lipa, Rag & Bone Man and The Foo Fighters) and the Platinum-certified TikTok sensation ‘Rain’ with Aitch, which went on
to become the most watched UK YouTube video of 2020. AJ finished the year with a stand-out feature on Headie One’s enormous anthem ‘Ain’t It Different’ alongside Stormzy, a Platinum certified track that peaked at Number 2 in the UK Singles Chart.
In 2019, AJ released his debut self-titled album which, after landing at Number 3 in the UK Official Charts, has gone on to clock over 350 million streams globally and is certified Gold. His Conducta-produced breakout hit ‘Ladbroke Grove’ was officially the
top selling independent single of 2019, spending an astounding 14 weeks in the UK Top 10, and is now certified Double Platinum (over 1.2 million sales). It was nominated for a BRIT, was named Best British Song at the NME Awards and is now the biggest-selling UK Garage record of all time - an incredible feat. AJ rounded off a
huge 2019 with two sold-out headline shows at London’s 10,000 capacity Alexandra Palace.
A music and cultural icon, and boasting over 1 billion global streams independently, AJ’s formidable talent and unmatched creative vision is set to see him scale even higher heights in the coming months.

a Anxious [prod Remedee]
[b] Kukoč (ft. NAV) [prod Pxcoyo + Yung Swisher]
[c] Bringing It Back (with Digga D) [prod. The Elements + AoD)
[d] Cheerleaders [prod Kazza & Swidom]
[e] Draft Pick [prod 5ive Beatz] Eurostep [prod AJ Tracey]
[f] Cherry Blossom [prod Nyge & AoD]
[g] Glockie [prod The Elements & AoD]
[h] Little More Love [prod YOZ BEATZ, RyFy & Mark Raggio]
[i] Top Dog [prod Nyge & AoD]
[j] Summertime Shootout (ft. T-Pain) [prod Nyge & AoD]
[k] Perfect Storm [prod YOZ BEATZ & JBJ]
[l] Coupé (ft. Kehlani) [prod The Elements]
[m] Numba 9 (ft. SahBabii & Millie Go Lightly) [prod The Elements]
[n] Dinner Guest (ft. MoStack) [prod The Elements & AJ Tracey]
[o] West Ten (with Mabel) [prod FRED & Take a Daytrip]

[a] Anxious [prod Remedee]
[b] Kukoč (ft. NAV) [prod Pxcoyo + Yung Swisher]
[c] Bringing It Back (with Digga D) [prod. The Elements + AoD)
[d] Cheerleaders [prod Kazza & Swidom]
[e] Draft Pick [prod 5ive Beatz] Eurostep [prod AJ Tracey]
[f] Cherry Blossom [prod Nyge & AoD]
[g] Glockie [prod The Elements & AoD]
[h] Little More Love [prod YOZ BEATZ, RyFy & Mark Raggio]
[i] Top Dog [prod Nyge & AoD]
[j] Summertime Shootout (ft. T-Pain) [prod Nyge & AoD]
[k] Perfect Storm [prod YOZ BEATZ & JBJ]
[l] Coupé (ft. Kehlani) [prod The Elements]
[m] Numba 9 (ft. SahBabii & Millie Go Lightly) [prod The Elements]
[n] Dinner Guest (ft. MoStack) [prod The Elements & AJ Tracey]
[o] West Ten (with Mabel) [prod FRED & Take a Daytrip]

In 2019, Parisian cinema composer Jean-Gabriel Becker and Japanese composer and multi- instrumentalist Susumu Mukai embarked on the making of an album that was ultimately going to become ‘Time Very Near’.
The album was finally released to great acclaim in April 2020 through the strangest time in history for its singularity and originality. Prompted by a few unsolicited offers for remixes, Becker & Mukai saw an occasion to invite their community of musician and producer friends to re-invent, deconstruct and rebuild the songs on ‘Time Very Near’.
Joe Goddard (Hot Chip), who, from his studio next door, had witnessed the birth of the project from day one, was kind enough to unleash his killer beats on Spice War. Old friend Jas Shaw (Simian Mobile Disco) transformed the tropical sounds of Dark Fields Of The Republic into a dance-floor ready techno workout.
Long-time collaborator and friend Sasa Crnobrnja (In Flagranti, Mytron & Ofofo, Auf Togo) took Time Very Near on a trip to Jamaica. Label mate AMA//MIZU stripped Tout Azimuth down to its core to rebuild it with his unique production skills. Dreems delivered a sweltering 19 minute version of Dark Fields Of The Republic and a shorter version more suited for a vinyl listen. And finally Becker & Mukai chose to don their alternative monikers (Zongamin and Lux Prima) to re-interpret the duo’s own compositions.
Like the original album, this remix project gathers sounds and inspiration from an ever-expanding palette of influences, assembled into something amorphously intangible that’s simultaneously refreshing and sharp, meandering and cosmic, futuristic but timelessly vintage and manages to expand where the original album left off.

Melvin Ukachi needs little introduction, the Lagos (Nigeria) based vocalist and bandleader is a living legend. Melvin is known for his fantastic solo albums, his vocals for the afrobeat star-groups M.F.B. and Ozzobia_but his biggest legacy is without a doubt him being the singer and bandleader of Ofege. Melvin formed Ofege in the early 1970s (when he and the other band members were all still a bunch of teenagers). Due to their vibrant combo of sweet harmonies, hooks & fuzz, Ofege would become one of the most legendary Nigerian groups of all time, with expressive sales and national stardom to follow. At the turn of the century (and because of tracks appearing on various compilations) Ofege would receive international acknowledgment for being the first of their kind and THE ultimate West-African psychedelic funk band! Melvin Ukachi recorded four milestone albums with Ofege: 'Try and Love' (1973) 'The Last of The Origins' (1976), 'Higher Plane Breeze' (1977) and 'How Do You Feel' (1978). When the Ofege story came to an end, Melvin recorded two astonishing solo albums: 'Evolution-Bring Back The Ofege Beat' (1981) and 'I am Ok' (1985). Both of his solo recordings have now become much sought-after holy grails for collectors and fans alike. On the album, we are presenting you today (Evolution-Bring Back The Ofege Beat) the listener is treated to the trademark Ofege sound (as the title of the record obviously suggests). Next to the rootsy and raw Ofege sound, we're shown a perfect glimpse of the late '70s afrobeat works combining soul, jazzy rhythms, William Onyeabor style synths & fluid boogie-danceability Expect some serious 'all-star' guest musicians as well_featured on the album are Chyke Madu (The Funkees) on drums, Berkley Jones (Ofege) on guitar_and many other local legends. To top things off the tracks were recorded and mixed at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London_all slickly engineered by Rafiu Ayoade (The Apostles) and produced by the president of sound himself Odion Iruoje (known for his work with Manu Dibango, Fela Kuti_and many others). 'Evolution-Bring Back The Ofege Beat' was released on EMI Nigeria in 1981 and is a total Afro-psych-funk classic that begs for a special place in your record collection. It's tight, funky and Melvin's soulful vocals are to die for. This record is a monster! Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the first-ever reissue (supervised by Melvin Ukachi himself) of this amazing Nigerian Afrobeat album. This RARE classic (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a limited 180g vinyl edition (500 copies) complete with the original artwork made at Grafikad (who were responsible for designing landmark sleeves for renowned artists such as Fela Kuti).

Conceived at the heel of Italy's boot-shaped peninsula in Apulia, Patrick Belaga's Blutt makes music for the unruly imagination. The title is an old German word for 'naked', 'bare', but it can also mean 'blood' when spelt blut. Take away another letter and it makes 'butt'. None of these definitions and adaptations were what prompted the classically-trained composer and cellist to name his second album with a word simulating the sound of a punctured artery. That came later. Blutt's nine woozy compositions are inspired by a contemplative road trip with a friend, and the mysterious muffled music heard from an unidentified source. It was a combination of jazz and classical music that haunted Belaga's wanderings through the Byzantine town Gallipoli, and soon infected his dreams of long-gone civilizations. This record is its outcome, where organic instrumentals and electronic production merge into a sound that's both contemporary and ancient. Samples of mewing incantations and tape hiss sway atop the waltzing thud of piano chords on "Sigh". Composite layers of Belaga's cello play in downcast harmony on "Rust". There's a wistful sense for the romantic, in the eerie rhythm of a piece like "Momentum". The quarter tones of an Eastern European and Middle Eastern folk scale probe a profound melancholy via Kai Knight's violin. Its notes are haunted by a field recording of running water on "Unsoft", echoes of panpipes and a Jew's harp on opener "Lilt". As a consummate composer and performer known for his work with artists Wu Tsang, boychild, Josh Johnson and Asma Maroof, Belaga's Blutt is itself marked by flawless collaborations. Vocalist and instrumentalist Jazmin Romero sings and composes the surreal melodies of "Grey Eye". Multidisciplinary dance artist and producer Riley Watts contributes to the muted, motorik movement of "The Tunnel is a Tower". Together, the record plays as a stunning soundtrack to the strangeness of sleeping, and the heartbreaking transience of time. Like an intense dream half-remembered, the emotions persist after waking but for the sharp machinations just outside of the mind's reach. The album is mastered by Rashad Becker, featuring artwork by Giovanni Furlino & design by N MRE 08.

Mitch Davis is a Canadian songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Dedicated to a DIY ethos throughout his music career, Davis has used the pandemic year of 2020 to get started with new projects, reinventing his sound in the vein of classic multi-instrumentalists such as Stevie Wonder, Todd Rundgren, Sly Stone, and Paul McCartney. Bear The Cold, his debut 7", features two cuts locked down by bass, uplifted by sax, driven by drums, and sweetened with rhodes, clavinet, piano, synth - all while feeling glued, natural and whole.

Elusive UK producer Kilig brings a six-track EP spanning the British sound palette - forward, complex, with inflections of jungle and garage - to the new Shall Not Fade Classic Cuts imprint. Off the back of releases for Scuffed and Origins in 2020, kilig pairs their intimate knowledge of London's rave scene with more minimalist tinges for What My Mind Needs EP, a simmering club record soaked deep in ambience.

Taking sombre organic vocal samples and delicately placing them over a sharp two-step rhythm, opening track "Closer" is intangible, fantasy-like - the memory of music in your ears after you've left the club. There are echoes of Burial's seminal Untrue across the EP. Kilig aptly reflects the certain melancholy of British club music in the gritty "Overthinking" and mournful "Without You", an ensemble of distorted vocals and dramatic droning synth.

The rest of the record pushes into a more euphoric atmosphere - the title track is a soaring rave number while "Clocking In", a wild beast of a track, glitches and confuses. "I Wanted To Call & Tell You" swells in waves of breakbeat, bringing together the emotional core of the record, fading to gentle keys, the dream of raves to come in 2021.

ionnalee performed in KONSERT on Sep 2, 2020, live from Fjuk island in Sweden. the online concert was streamed for free with guest performances from Imogen Heap, Zola Jesus, TR/ST, Vander Von Odd, Tungorna, and others. KONSERT celebrated 10-years of ionnalee | iamamiwhoami and was watched by over one hundred thousand fans worldwide.

Having become one of the premier German death metal bands - and rapidly rising the ranks of the genre as a whole - Endseeker storm back into the fray with Mount Carcass. Building on the groundwork laid down on 2017’s Flesh Hammer Prophecy and having the difficult task of besting 2019’s stunning The Harvest they have returned with a streamlined, powerful collection that further raises the bar. To keep the genre sounding fresh in 2021 Endseeker focused on the production, having just a touch of the old school vibe to remain rooted, and they did not limit themselves too hard to the Swedish death metal style of songwriting they previously embraced, but also let other influences into their songs. “You can hear all kinds of stuff that is inspired by bands like Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower, Slayer, Dissection, Gorefest, etc. We listen to so many different bands and somehow a bit from all of this keeps adding to our music.”

Hexvessel and Svart Records celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Hexvessel’s debut album Dawnbearer with a set of reissues, including CD, double vinyl. “Dawnbearer is a very important album for us, being our first album but also the first original album release for Svart Records. It’s also a very special record for our fans, and one that’s particularly close to my heart, in a world of its own when compared to the other records we have made. Considering that it’s been out of print now for some time, I’m delighted to be able to oversee a reissue of this album, together with original demos and out-takes, and liner notes showing the making of this album which carries the initial DNA of Hexvessel’s musical and spiritual journey”, says band leader Mat McNerney, “We haven’t touched a thing on the original layout, but added some bonus material for the limited edition, should you wish to own a luxury edition of this, our now classic debut.” Hexvessel band was founded by English singer/songwriter Mat McNerney (Beastmilk, Grave Pleasures, Carpenter Brut etc) after he moved to Finland in 2009. Their style of music has been referred to as “forest folk” or as Noisey/Vice puts it: “Weaving English folk, lilting Americana, and mushroom-induced psychedelia”. Their debut album 'Dawnbearer' was released worldwide in 2011 on Svart Records and is considered to be an influential classic record of the modern Occult Rock revival. Highly popular with Hexvessel fans and unique in their catalogue, featuring guitars by Andrew McIvor (Code), violin work of Daniel Pioro (who works on Paul Thomas Anderson’s soundtracks with Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead), the early production work of Jaime Gomez Arellano (Ghost, Paradise Lost), and guest vocals from Carl Michael Eide (Virus, Ved Buens Ende, Aura Noir). “Think Woven Hand, haunted ’60s/’70s pastoral folk, or a darker riff on Midlake. McNerney covers Clive Palmer’s post-Incredible String Band crew C.O.B. and successfully transforms and darkens Paul Simon’s “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes.” He quotes Crowley, Truman Capote, Isaac Babel, etc. Unlike black metal-ready folk, this is folk by a talented, ambitious black metal musician. But the energy’s there. As is the atmosphere.” - Stereogum “(Part of) a new wave of bands who share many of the original occult bands' musical and philosophical characteristics, spearheaded by Ghost, from Sweden, and the Devil's Blood, from Holland – have begun to lure in a new generation of fans, predominantly from the metal scene, their names alone – Ancient VVisdom, Hexvessel, Blood Ceremony– point to a focused step back to the age of Wheatley and Hammer. ” - The Guardian (2011)

Blackened Blues with Doom and Punk influences, Black Totem’s Deathrock is overflowing with superstition, vice and horror. Up to no good since 2008, Black Totem are notorious road-dogs of the Finnish underground, cutting their teeth and scraping their raw knuckles in a slew of live shows through the years. The band has shown promise since the early days releasing two EP’s and a self-titled debut album, which won an award for Best Rock Album at the Turku Music Awards in 2016. With their new album “Shapeshifting,” Black Totem are downright lycanthropic, breaking out of their enigmatic origins and taking on a much more unadulterated form. Their catchy, raucous Blues songs, with wild, untamed backing vocals and horror-soundtrack keys, give a distinctly Finnish lizard-disco hysteria to their fortified sound, coming across like a blood-bath in a moonshine distillery. Howling at the moon, with lungs of bile, Danzig/Misfits/Samhain influences are fleshed out with the Doom-laden riff-war of Celtic Frost, Venom and Darkthrone. Together with the catchier urban song-craft of the Black Keys, this cauldron of Black Totem’s magic formula makes “Shapeshifting” a familiar, yet heavily enjoyable natural genre-clash of their own.

Meet Bass / House... Sweet sounds

Meet Bass / House... Sweet sounds

Guitarist Paulo Morello and his three equally talented co-musicians merge jazzy bop and the variety of rhythms, forms and moods of Brazilian music into something new and beautiful.
Paulo Morello has put together an exquisite band for ‘Sambop’, Lula Galvo (born 1962), is the star guest from Brazil on the acoustic guitar and one of the masters of his profession, who has played with Caetano Veloso, Rosa Passos, Ivan Lins and Guinga.
The rhythmic drive is provided by Eduardo ‘’Dudu’’ Penz on electric bass and Mauro Martins on drums - two Brazilians living in Switzerland, for Paulo Morello ‘’the best Brazilian rhythm section in all of Europe’’

Dean Martin was a real showbiz animal. Adept as a singer,
comedian and actor, he was probably most at home in the night
spots of Las Vegas, along with his fellow 'Rat Pack' members. This
collection of his greatest recordings demonstrates just why Dean
Martin was (and is) so popular. Enjoy

Winter Family is a duo made up of Ruth Rosenthal and Xavier Klaine, who met in Jaffa in 2004. Their dark, saturated and dense music is described as "Death Swing", "Weird Wave" or "Funeral Pop".

They recorded new parts of this new album in St Martin church of Maxéville, France. Xavier: "I recorded the pipe organ there, inspired by the Alsatian philanthropist organist Albert Schweitzer whose slow, bombastic performances, limited by faulty technique have always touched me deeply. In 2006, my aunt Loulou agrees to lend me the keys to the church. Ten years later, Loulou passes away, I play on this same pipe organ during her funeral. During the fall of 2018, in her room with old floral wallpapers, so cold, that I empty, surrounded by her missals and huge crucifixes I remix this pipe organs and the voice of Ruth. Through this late remixing, we wanted to deliver this woman from her agony, her eyes turned to the milkish Lotharingia sky and beyond, trying to illustrate this Catholic France of yesterday, as vain and terrifying as a month of November in this cold and humid garden, within reach of the incessant song of the A31 highway."

Old school Minimal Hardtek Tribe...Material base for the dance and for the Mix. Dj tool... euh... DJ Weapon:)

Chris Liebing and Mathew Jonson remix Marco Faraone on ‘No Filter Remixes (Part I)’, landing March on Rekids.

Marking the first remix package from Marco Faraone’s 2020 ‘No Filter’ LP, Radio Slave recruits fellow dance music titans Chris Liebing and Mathew Jonson for a pair of remixes on one of dance music’s most essential imprints. Liebing steps up for the A-side, delivering a knockout take on the original. Creeping ambience and deep bass weight bubble throughout the track as additional percussion and synthesis unravel towards a climactic finish.

On the flip, Jonson turns in a distinctively delicate version, clocking in just shy of twelve minutes. Fluttering percussion swirl around off-kilter chords and vocals to craft a hypnotic, dream-like atmosphere.

Australian label Ernest’s Way is back with their follow up to last year's debut.

Featherstone makes a return with his Tunnel Vision EP, a 4 track release that explores some of the early musical influences that shaped his sound.
Expect chopped up drum breaks, melodic acid lines, swelling JX pads and a few sneaky vocal cuts.

Daybreak is a journey through an everlasting sunset, a pause on it's lights and colors. Produced between Paris and London from 2018 to 2020, this 6 tracks EP opens a new chapter for Kartell, with warm and nostalgic accents.

Timeless and soulful, the project tells our relations with memories and how we travel through them. The DX7 synth and warm tape processing was a key feature during the creative process to catch the essence of how souvenirs swings in our minds.

With 3 singles and 4 contributors between UK and US, Daybreak brings and intimate and hazy groove, ranging from funk to RNB with hints of jazz and soft rock.

Probably his more personal work to date, after a 4 years break to travel and rethink his music, this EP is a tribute to why he fell in love with music in the first place.

The EP includes already 2 singles: "All in" feat. Che Lingo which cumulates 2M plays and "Time" feat. Qendresa & Coops which has 300k plays.

Swirling layers of OST-style sound design, dreamy choir vocals andtraditional Chinese folk combine across eight dynamic and transportivetracks on Birdy Island, the latest album by Beijing-based producer/artist,Howie Lee, due out in April 2021 on Mais Um. Fresh off the back of several high impact, club-centring album releases on Maloca, SVBKVLT and his influential, Do Hits label, on top of remixes for artists includingLawfawndah, Charlie XCX & Sophie, Lee presents his most organic andexpansive project to date. Written, produced and recorded entirely by Leeat the back end of 2018 (with the exception of the album's resident four-piece choir made up of rising Beijing artist, Fishdoll, Shanghaisinger/producer, Yehaiyahan and West by West, with Lee himself alsoincluded), Birdy Island's almost exclusively acoustic yet broad soundpalette threads continuities between ceremonial Taoist music, early Buchla synth experiments, and FWD nights at London's Plastic People.