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Shapes of Rhythm is proud to present the self-titled debut LP of Turkish psychedelic pop from MLDVA & Çınar Timur. This record is a celebration of the classic music and culture typically of the 70s and 80s, but which also leans into western jazz funk and soul jazz moments. If you're into the Turkish music legends of the 70s and 80s such as Barış Manço and more recently Altın Gün or Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, you've come to the right place.

MLDVA were formed in Krakow, Poland in 2013 as a DJ and production outfit. Under the influence of Greek and Turkish folk and psych-rock music they began to transform into a band, taking up instruments including the Saz which is one of the most recognisable trademarks of the Turkish sound. Two years later in 2015 they invited Turkish instrumentalist Çınar Timur to join them and this completes the line up on their debut. This electric album is packed with excellently-recorded expansive tracks which are full of energy, psychedelic deep grooves, hard-hitting breakbeats and everything else you'd expect with classic Turkish sounds.

The instrumental double-header of Neşat Erkaş' Zülüf Dökülmüş Yüze, moving into the time-honoured traditional Kozan Dağıis the perfect opening track. The introduction is an overture of sorts with two minutes of Çınar Timur's pondering guitar. This tees up the record perfectly before heading into a break-beat driven workout with the band matching Çınar's evocative and energetic riffing. The result is a tight sound and a heavy groove that sets the tone for what's to come.

With the band unveiled, Sarı Çizmeli Mehmet Ağa, written by Barış Manço (a legend in Turkish popular music), hits a relaxed, deeper and more psychedelic groove, dominated by Wojciech Długosz's dreamy Rhodes piano, set against choppy wah-wah guitar licks that characterize that classic electric Turkish pop sound. We're introduced to Ulaş Çıbuk's vocals for the first time, telling the historic tale of a charitable village lord Mehmet Ağa from 19c Anatolia known for his generosity. He shared his fortune with people inneed and as a result, died penniless. This track also features the unique sound of Çınar's Mictrotonal electric guitar.

Bir Adım Öte is MLDVA & Çınar Timur's magnificent mellow moment, marking the halfway point in their debut. The group shows that it's not all about the frenetic in a nod to western Soul-Jazz constructs. They showcase restraint, emotion and that joy in repetition of a wonderful guitar refrain. Not content with holding this down, Wojciech Długosz's Rhodes solo steps into a world that's US-influenced Soul jazzand is a lesson in reduction and feeling. Çınar Timur then takes a solo turn, keeping it western-influenced with an on the spot improvisation. When the three minutes of solos are over, we're brought back out of thedream and towards the East again.

Adımız Miskindir Bizim kicks off like a hip hop/funk crossover tune, until the chord changes muscle in, to remind you where you are in the world. As with other tracks on the debut, the tune is marked by recurring motifs, this time from Çınar's microtonal electric guitar. We've more solo Rhodes action, thist ime busier and more urgent. The lyrics–originally written by Yunus Emre – criticizevalues such as holding grudges that destroy ideas of love, friendship and peace among people which causes hostility. Adımız Miskindir Bizim concludes with an uplifting vocal vamp which switches it up unlike any of thetracks on the LP.

In Fesupanallah– made most popular by Erkin Koray – Ulaş Çıbuk sings about the simple subject ofbeing patient with never ending problems in life, and trying to find a solution for them. This cut takes a rhythmical side-step to the rest of the album. The kick drum maps out a solid four-four, but the vocals and guitar lines move around it to impose Fesupanallah as being the record's most traditionally Turkish-sounding cut.

The album's closing track Ölüm Allah'ın Emri (another Manço classic) was recorded live in the band's more familiar surroundings of Krakow's Cheder Cafe during 2020's Jewish Culture Festival. The lyrics tell the tale of someone who has accepted death but cannot accept the separation that comes with it. We open with a dreamy, psychedelic mood before progressing into a heavy-riffing rock feeling with probing synths. Ulaş delivers his vocals over the top of a stripped back, shuffling groove. As the track progresses towards a frenetic conclusion, drummer Szymon Piotrowski cuts loose, combining with Grzegorz Dąbek's synth lines.

MLDVA & Çınar Timur's debut LP is not the sound of a band starting out. Taking time to hone their craft and let influences across the global spectrum of music mature, this is the result of years of jamming, gigging and collaborating. Now, after prestigious festival appearances and their place on Saz Power – an essential modern Turkish music compilation – they're making a lasting contribution to a rich, time-honored culture. MLDVA & Çınar Timur releases Friday 30 June 2023 on limited edition vinyl LP and digital download/streaming services on Shapes of Rhythm. Global distribution by Kudos Records.

From his secret dub laboratory, Alborosie, the dub mechanic, reaches deep inside the echo chamber to unleash two crucial heavyweight dub testaments. Both vinyl sets collect on one value-packed 4pp CD dub master.

On the new album, Days Like Now, Bennett takes direct inspiration from the music of Wales.

The songs draw heavily on acoustic folk sounds and melodies. During the pandemic Huw sat and wrote a lot of material just with his bass and acoustic guitars and that low key atmosphere is very present throughout the new record.

Drums are lo-fi and fuzzy, and the palette of sounds draws from many folk cultures around the world, but this time round has a distinctly Welsh influence.

It's the summer of salute. The Manchester-based producer makes his debut on Steel City Dance Discs. In salute's words: "Ultra Pool is a selection of club tracks I started making as lockdown restrictions were being lifted and shows started rolling in again. Over the last few years, I've been revisiting a lot of the French House records I used to listen to as a teenager – I wanted to let that influence shine through as I'm a huge fan of that sound. I wanted a body of work that was both very high energy and harmony-heavy, and I think Ultra Pool is the perfect way to summarise where my head is at right now"

Repress!

Repressed, note price increase. Remastered from the original masters and pressed extra loud for DJs. There are very few albums across any genre that stand the test of time better than 93 ‘Til Infinity, the classic debut record from the Hieroglyphics crew’s very own Souls of Mischief. In an era where Gangsta Rap and G-Funk dominated the West Coast Rap scene, Souls broke ground on a completely unique and thoroughly west coast sound. While the Dr. Dre’s and the Snoop Doggs were garnering much of the mainstream attention, Souls were quietly forging a charismatic, critically acclaimed, and cohesively shaped record that when categorized, sounded much closer to A Tribe Called Quest than N.W.A. The sound of their debut is characteristic of the distinct style explored by the collective, including a rhyme scheme based on internal rhyme and beats centered around a live bass and obscure jazz and funk samples. 93 ‘Til Infinity was propelled into success by its title track and lead single, which reached #32 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also featured singles “That’s When Ya Lost” and “Never No More” which also reached the Hot Rap Singles. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time. Considered by many to be a textbook “slept-on” classic Rap record, 93 ‘Til Infinity has only grown better with age. The album simply defines the Hiero golden age with a sound that would later be fine tuned with strong releases from MCs Del The Funkee Homosapien, Casual and Pep Love. It takes some serious bravado to name your album 93 ‘Til Infinity, but certainly the goal of creating a Hip Hop “classic” must have been on the collective minds of group members A-Plus, Tajai, Opio, and Phesto when recording this landmark moment in Hip Hop history. It’s true, even seventeen years after the album’s initial release many people are still discovering it, and with this re-mastered reissue on double vinyl, fans all over the world will once again discover the brilliance that 93 ‘Til Infinity delivers and will continue to deliver beyond infinity. A1. Let ‘Em Know (Produced by Domino) A2. Live and Let Live (Produced by Domino) A3. That’s When Ya Lost (Produced by Del tha Funkee Homosapien) B1. A Name I Call Myself (Produced by Del tha Funkee Homosapien) B2. Disseshowedo (Produced by Domino and Jay Biz) B3. What a Way to Go Out (Produced by Domino) B4. Never No More (Produced by A-Plus) C1. 93 ‘til Infinity (Produced by A-Plus) C2. Limitations feat. Casual (Produced by Jay Biz) C3. Anything Can Happen (Produced by A-Plus) D1. Make Your Mind Up (Produced by Del tha Funkee Homosapien) D2. Batting Practice (Produced by Casual) D3. Tell Me Who Profits (Produced by Domino) D4. Outro (Produced by Domino)

Don Glori, a.k.a multi-instrumentalist Gordon Li, returns with a remix EP that tears open five tunes from his groundbreaking debut, Welcome.

Taking an opportunity to sink into some of the ideas explored on the original album, the five remixes featured here sees some of Europe and Australia’s finest throw open the shutters and shine a light on Li’s inventive compositions and remarkable instrumentation.

Rosie from the Block, a.k.a Belgian multi-instrumentalist, producer and DJ Roselien, leans right into the percussion and drum kit playing that made Welcome so infectious, layering this with cheeky bubblegum-beat bass lines that lend the whole affair an incredibly smooth, street-soul styling.

Other key players include Swedish duo Mount Liberation Unlimited, lending their take on things an introspectively dark, brooding atmosphere that evolves into one of their trademark acid-house extended journeys; Australian radio DJ and producer Ennio Styles working alongside Liam de Bruin, hip-hop/soul duo Man Made Mountain, led by MC Cazeaux O.S.L.O, and an insanely infectious organic house take on hit single Dlareme by one of Melbourne’s finest, Teymori.

A perfect companion to an album that broke open the Melbourne scene and laid out new parameters for the quality of jazz, samba and funk-inspired music emerging from that city, Welcome Remixes breathes fresh life into this incredible album and reminds us just how goddamn fun making, playing and performing music can be.

World-renowned Indian musician Ravi Shankar’s Shankar Family & Friends was originally released in 1974. Produced by George Harrison, this was one of the first album releases on Dark Horse Records. Its East-meets-West musical styles puts Western musicians such as Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voorman, and Nicky Hopkins side-by-side with Indianmusic pioneers Alla Rakha, Ashish Khan, Shivkumar Sharma and Hariprasad Chaurasia. The album contains the first single issued on Dark Horse, “I Am Missing You,” featuring Lakshmi Shankar on vocals backed by a full Western rock band. Out of print for many years, the album was last reissued on CD in 2010 as part of the Collaborations boxset. Dark Horse is proud to present the original album remastered and reissued as a standalone release for the first time on CD and orchid purple color vinyl.

Wisdom Teeth co-founder K-LONE returns with his second full length project, ‘Swells’: a kaleidoscopic and expansive record that looks to deep house, synthpop, leftfield R&B and beyond for a spellbinding masterwork of melodic electronica.

His debut LP ‘Cape Cira’ became the accidental soundtrack of the long strange summer of 2020 - its lush marimbas, hazy atmos and synthesised bird calls providing the ideal soundtrack for some much needed collective escapism. The record was widely deemed one of 2020’s standout electronic LPs, gaining glowing reviews in Pitchfork, DJ Mag, Mixmag and Resident Advisor, and ranking highly in end of year lists by Crack Magazine.

Approaching its follow up, the Brighton-based producer felt a fresh perspective was needed. Originally landing on the name ‘Swells’ as a secret pen-name to write the record under, the intention was to keep the project as separate as possible from ‘Cape Cira’ to avoid settling into familiar territories - but as the record took shape it became clear that it made perfect sense amongst his already diverse discography.

Like ‘Cape Cira’, there is a distinct and intentionally limited sound palette at play on ‘Swells’. Looping vocal cuts, rich cluster chords and undulating arpeggios sit front and centre here - as does the lo-fi plonk of of the CR78 drum machine. But while the record clearly takes influence from a range of vintage sound sources, its overall aesthetic is unmistakably contemporary. Sounds are not artificially degraded nor obscured under washes of sampled tape hiss. Rather, everything is processed with a gloss, hi-fidelity sheen. The record’s rhythms are bright, dry and snappy, and its melodies are processed with a neon poppy glow.

The producer’s unabashed love of contemporary pop music is most obviously exemplified by the appearance of British singer-songwriter Eliza Rose. The pair met for a session at a North London studio back in 2021, and the now Brit Award-nominated singer’s warm, emotive vocal takes became an immediate source of inspiration early in the record’s conception. As such, Rose’s voice is heard in various states of manipulation throughout its duration - initially as reduced and looped phrases, and then finally in full form on ‘With U’: a low-lit, dubbed-out slice of leftfield R&B that beckons comparisons with Tirzah, Little Dragon and even Erykah Badu.

Elsewhere, there are references to G-Funk (‘Oddball’), Autonomic drum and bass (‘Shimmer’), hip-house (‘Love Is’) and even Metronomy-era electro pop (‘Love Me A Little’).

As always, the true magic of K-LONE’s artistry is to present complex, subtle and original ideas in ways that feel familiar and immediate. Melodies are introduced as effortless earworms, only to be twisted out of shape into strange and unusual formulations. Looping rhythms unspool into washes of hazy, dubbed-out ambience before rebuilding themselves. Refined and endlessly creative, ‘Swells’ marks a captivating next step for a producer and record label that have both reliably positioned themselves at the very forefront of contemporary electronic music.

‘Lindstrøm returns with his sixth studio album Everyone Else is a Stranger, and the first since 2019’s On a Clear Day I Can See You Forever. The title of the album was inspired by John Cassavetes’ original title for his 1984 film Love Streams, and contains four tracks of his signature chord-stacking disco epics and freeform cosmic voyages, stretching across nearly 40 minutes. An album that in many ways sums up his career, and gathers his different musical paths into one sound and one album.

Where his previous album had a slower and more mellow feel, 2023’s Everyone Else is a Stranger sees Lindstrøm take on a much more rhythm-oriented and uptempo approach, containing tracks that fit perfect with the artist’s revered live sets. That said, this album also contains the unexpected twists and turns that has become the Norwegian producer’s trademark, including recordings of him playing a cheap Chinese cello and violin for the first time alongside the old Solina String-Ensemble he has used on essentially every track since his debut.

Named «the king of space disco» by The New Yorker, Lindstrøm has always made a virtue of his obsessive work ethic, turning his city center studio into a factory floor for churning out monster tracks. He has collaborated with the likes of Todd Terje, Prins Thomas and Todd Rundgren, has remixed a slew of acts including LCD Soundsystem, Lana del Rey, Haim, Grizzly Bear, Flume, RAC, London Grammar and more.’

After the success of the first volume, the second SOUL FINGERS’S tribute compila&on is released on double vinyl too.

SOUL FINGERS is a wandering black music dancefloor that in 2023 reaches to celebrate 10 years lifelong. Soul Fingers mixes soul, disco and funk, with rap and La&n rhythms. In this brand new compila&on there are some pieces that have really marked great par&es since 2013.

This time featuring some carefully selected dancefloor music bombs directly from the hands of Claudio Cavallaro, the leader of the Soul Fingers console!

The best R&B songwriter and soul singer that most people have never heard of, Sam Dees has written songs for countless artists, including Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, George Benson, the Temptations, Teddy Pendergrass, Millie Jackson, Jackie Wilson, the Manhattans, Regina Belle, KC & the Sunshine Band, Willie Clayton, and many others. He's also a pretty fine singer, having recorded for the Chess, Atlantic, Polydor, and SSS labels, and he had a nice string of his own hits in the 1970s. His 1975 Atlantic album The Show Must Go On has long been regarded by Southern soul aficionados as one of the best of the genre. Sounding a bit like a deeper-voiced Curtis Mayfield (in both style and theme), Dees sings with assurance, wisdom, passion, and a whole lot of soul here. Songs like "Child of the Streets", "Troubled Child," & "What's It Gonna Be," share Mayfield's commitment to social commentary, and Dees knows his way around a love song, too. It's absolutely essential.

S Transporter is Izaak S and Ryan Spencer, a pan-American duo of exact origins unknown. With roots spanning from Detroit to San Francisco, the project is somewhere around four years old, though no one remembers exactly when it started. The songs were initially demoed in Ryan's bedroom and promptly forgotten about in the chaotic whirl of both members’ efforts in other music projects, DJing, and party-throwing ventures until Ryan played them at his weekly, Monday Is The New Monday (co-founded with PGS' Ben & Zach). Immediately, the songs burst with new life into our ears, and we excitedly requested to hear more. In a tale every creative can relate to, Ryan simply didn't know if they were any good. We found them extraordinary.

What followed were several months of additional recording sessions in a collective effort to finalize the tracks, done at Ryan's apartment in Southwest Detroit, Izaak's in SF, and the Portage Garage in Hamtramck. Bay area DIY underground luminary Anya Ghiorzi joined the group and contributed her vocal talents to the songs, which began to exhibit a sound representative of the genre-collisions featured at MITNM– from krautrock and boogie to trance, acid, and house– in a way other PGS releases have hinted at, but have not fully expressed until now.

S Transporter is the name of the EP, the project, and all four songs. A maximalist sound with a minimalist presentation, naming the songs - so many years after their inception - would, perhaps, take away from the feeling that struck all three of us the first time we heard them on a club-grade sound system.

Izaak S and Anya Ghiorzi are San Francisco residents, musicians, and DJs in the Loveshadow dance collective.

Ryan Spencer is a Detroit resident, DJ, co-founder of Monday Is The New Monday, and is a member of Freakish Pleasures.

"S Transporter 1"
Uptempo, backspin-laden electro/acid with a winding 303 bassline that reveals itself slowly over the pulsing breakbeat backbone. Immersive, haunting and enchanting.

"S Transporter 2"
Downtempo electro. Slap bass. Heavy boogie. Sensual vocals reminiscent of early Chris N Cosey carry you through this industrial funk heater. Heavy synth lines and rhythmic grooving guitar that is club-ready for dance floors of all kinds.

"S Transporter 3"
A fast paced, percussion forward adventure with balaphone melodies and bending synth pads. Spoken words guide the journey, arriving at a movement inducing Juno ascension that dances into a calm end.

"S Transporter 4"
Encompassing the seemingly disjointed, individualistic styles of S Transporter 1-3, ‘4’ combines elements of the entire release into one final gesture. ‘4’ could be Byrne/Eno ("Regiment"), but it's something else - the product of decades of dance music history, distilled by two musicians & DJs into one song.

credits
releases July 19, 2019

PGS 010
S Transporter
"S Transporter"
EP

2015-2019
Written, Mixed and Produced by Izaak S & Ryan Spencer
Vocals by Anya
Bass on “2” by Lucas De Leon Turner
Percussion & additional production on "3" by Shigeto
Percussion on “3” by Julian Spradlin

Mastered by Josh Bonati at Bonati Mastering
Recorded at Izaak's apartment in San Francisco, Ryan's apartment in Southwest Detroit and the Portage Garage
Records Pressed at Archer Record Pressing, Detroit, MI
Design by Will
MMXVIX

GRAMMY NOMINATED AFRO-FUSION SINGER, SONGWRITER, AND PERFORMING ARTISTE The Nigerian singer-songwriter, Burna Boy, was born Damini Ogulu on the 2nd of July, 1991 in Port Harcourt city, Nigeria to Bosede and Samuel Ogulu and he is the only son and eldest of three children.

He started producing music when he was ten years old. After graduating from college, Burna relocated to London to attend university. After two years, he dropped out and moved back to Nigeria to pursue his passion. Coming from a family where music was loved but where a greater premium was placed on education, he spent most of his summer holidays in the UK and in language immersion summer camps in France, Togo and Cote d'Ivoire, before finally moving to the UK where he picked up the Brixton Patois accents which have become a signature in his music.

Young Damini attended Montessori International primary school in Port Harcourt (1993-2002) and Corona Secondary School, Lagos (2002-2008). It has always been music for Burna Boy as observed by his mum when he was still a teenager. She recounts that he was always hanging around his Grandfather, listening to classical music; little wonder his role model later became the man his grandfather managed, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

His quest for knowledge took him outside the shores of Nigeria to the United Kingdom to study Media Technology at the University of Sussex (2008–2009) and Oxford Brookes University (2009–2010) to study Media Communications and Culture.

Thereafter, he did a one-year internship with Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt before officially launching his professional music career when he was signed on to Aristocrat records - prompting a permanent relocation to Lagos.

Burna Boy has released a series of EPs, singles, mixtapes, and albums including 2018’s extraordinary “Outside”. The award-winning collection led to Burna’s U.S breakthrough, debuting at #3 on Billboard’s “Reggae Albums” chart, which was partly fueled by the blockbuster single/video, “Ye”. His most recent album, “African Giant”, released in July 2019 has garnered praise from both Nigerian and international media.

Furthermore, the “African Giant” album got nominated for the 62nd Annual Grammy Award in the Best World Album category. Burna is among the contemporary African music’s brightest stars and also the pioneer of an enigmatic genre he simply dubs “Afro-fusion”. The gifted singer-songwriter got featured on American songstress Beyonce's curated Lion King soundtrack, “The Gift”. He also recently took home the 2019 BET Best International Act Award and 2019 MTV Europe Music Award for “Best African Act”.

Five years after the release of ‘Luyando’, Zimbabwe’s most celebrated music export returns with their long-awaited follow-up album ‘Tusona: Tracings in the Sand’. The six musicians from Victoria Falls are refining their unique sound: infectious Afro grooves deeply connected to Zimbabwe’s cultural DNA. ‘Tusana’ is their most danceable album to date, a DIY production recorded in Zimbabwe. It features horns by Ghanaian highlife outfit Santrofi.

Every Sunday, there is a gathering in the sweltering heat on grounds of an old local beer hall in the Chinotimba township in Mosi-o-Tunya (Victoria Falls). Entertainment is provided by various traditional groups including the Luvale Makisi masquerade. It is a day full of singing, drumming, dancing and storytelling. Mokoomba’s lead vocalist Mathias Muzaza can often be found here singing with a voice both soaring and vulnerable. In the course of the afternoon the other band members - guitarist Trustworth Samende, bass player Abundance Mutori, keyboard player Phathisani Moyo, percussionist Miti Mugande and drummer Ndaba Coster Moyo - often join in with singing. The drum driven song “Bakalubale” featured on their new album invites you to this gathering.

Mokoomba recorded ‘Tusona: Tracings in the Sand’, the follow-up album to ‘Luyando’ (2017, Outhere), in Zimbabwe during the pandemic. Instead of working with outside producers like Manou Gallo or Steve Dyer as they have in the past, this album was entirely recorded in a DIY fashion by Mokoomba. The collective from Zimbabwe put in all the experiences made over the previous years and have forged their music into a unique Zimbabwean sound. On popular demand from their fans in Zimbabwe they have even re-recorded three songs from their last more acoustic album ‘Luyando’ turning them into dancehall bangers (featured on the CD and digital versions of the album). In short, this album is more Mokoomba than any of the ones before.

On the album Mokoomba are singing about love, loss, courage in a changing society. The first single “Nzara Hapana” means “no money” in Shona. The song talks about a man who wants to ensure the future of his wife and family and is trying to protect them against the greed of his relatives. The danceable up-tempo song “Nyansola” praises the goddess of harvest and asks her for rain. “Makisi” is sung in Luvale. It celebrates the beauty of the initiation ceremony for which the whole community comes together. “Manina” is a song about losing a loved one. It was written during the pandemic and features the young singer Ulethu from Harare. Mokoomba sing in many different local languages. Their songs are in Tonga, Luvale, Shona, Nyanja and even Lingala used in “Makolo” when they team up with Congolese singer Desolo B. (The album also features horns by Nobert Wonkyi Arthur (trumpet), Bernard Gyamfi (trombone) and Emmanuel Arthur (sax) from Ghanaian highlife outfit Santrofi.)

The title of the album is a nod towards their immense respect for tradition. ‘Tusona’ refers to an ancient system of signs and symbols, drawn in the sand and used for instruction during initiation ceremonies by the Luvale in Southern Africa. Another important part of the Mukanda initiation ceremony is the incredible Makisi masquerade. Since 2008 the Makisi dances are on the UNESCO list of intangible heritage. The Makisi are masked characters, representing the spirit of deceased ancestors. During the yearly initiation ceremony the Makisi return to the living world to teach the young children to become responsible adults among the Lubale people of Southern Africa. In the last decade the interest - especially among the young people – has faded and the Makisi dances have nearly died out.

“Our inspiration comes from these gatherings”, Trustworth Samende explains, “from listening to and playing pure traditional music with everyone in the township. We then add influences from music that we listened to in our homes growing up and the sounds we experience travelling around the world.” It is the connection with the cultures around them that gives Mokoomba’s music its spiritual power. When you hear Mathias Muzaza singing and you watch closely, you will see the music carrying him away to a different sphere, a place where he is singing with the ancestors. Only a split second later though Trust Samende’s sparkling guitar riffs kick in, blending Congolese influences from neighbouring Kasai with Zamrock and Mbira inspired Chimurenga music, making you want to hit the dancefloor. It is this unique blend of local musical styles with contemporary dance music that is at the heart of Mokoomba’s music. The strong reference to tradition is also reflected in the cover illustration by young Zimbabwean visual artist Lomedy Mhako.

It has been nearly 10 years since this young energetic band from Zimbabwe has exploded onto the international music scene. Since then they have shared their music with fans all over the world: Mokoomba have performed in over 40 countries, rocking audiences in places like Roskilde festival (Denmark), WOMAD festival (UK), Sziget festival (Hungary), SXSW (USA), Apollo Theatre (New York) to name but a few.

Like anywhere in the world Africa’s musical output has become more and more producer based. Mokoomba are the living proof that Africa’s great guitar band heritage is well alive and ready to set any dancefloor on fire. Most important though is that deep below the surface of Mokoomba’s sound - flowing like the Zambezi River - you can still hear the heartbeat and the rhythm of a community connected by its music. Like ‘Tusona’, it is a source of rejuvenation, resilience and strength in these changing times. May the tracings in the sand not fade.

Dieses Best Of Album wurde ursprünglich 1981 veröffentlicht und vereint die klassischen Singles, die The Damned für Chiswick aufgenommen hatten. Darunter 'Love Song', 'Smash It Up', 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today', 'History Of The World Part 1', 'Hit Or Miss', ihre Weihnachtssingle 'There Ain't No Sanity Clause' und natürlich 'Wait For The Blackout'. Diese gelten heute nicht nur als klassische Damned-Tracks der zweiten Phase, sondern stellen auch eine musikalische Entwicklung dar, in der die Band von ihren Punk-Wurzeln zu melodischen Popsongs überging, die sie auch in die Charts brachten. Als das Album 1981 erstmals veröffentlicht wurde, enthielt es on top auch die früheren Punk-Klassiker 'New Rose' und 'Neat Neat Neat'. Es gibt sogar die Captain Sensible and the Softies-Version von 'Jet Boy, Jet Girl', die 1982 als B-Seite von 'Wait For The Blackout' erschien. Mit einem Klassiker macht man nichts falsch, deshalb wurde das Album genau so neu aufgelegt, wie es 1981 aussah, komplett mit Innenhülle und Blackmail-Label-Schriftzug.

Cathalepsy ist ein Metal-Projekt aus Valparaiso, Chile, gegründet von Luigi Ansaldi, das 2006 sein Debütalbum "Fight in the sky" veröffentlichte, das in Ländern wie Brasilien und Japan großen Erfolg hatte. Leider war das Abenteuer nur von kurzer Dauer und die Band löste sich 2010 auf. Im Jahr 2019 beschloss Luigi, die Band wiederzubeleben, diesmal jedoch als Projekt, und begann, kraftvolle und energiegeladene Songs mit Texten mit starken Botschaften zu komponieren. Heavy Metal mit Herz und Wut, dies ist ein kraftvolles und wütendes Album, es ist für alle Metalheads, ohne Scheuklappen. Im Jahr 2019 schließt sich Fabián Valdés diesem Abenteuer an, ein prominenter chilenischer Gitarrist. Cathalepsy sind dabei, den Heavy Metal Fans die ganze Kraft ihrer Musik näher zu bringen! "Blood and Steel" ist der Inbegriff erstklassiger Metal-Musiker in nur einem Album mit Gästen, die von Sängern wie Tim "Ripper" Owens (KK Priest, ex-Judas Priest), Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), Harry Conklin (Jag Panzer, ex-Riot), Herbie Langhans (Avantasia, Firewind), Frank Beck (Gamma Ray), Giacomo Voli (Rhapsody of Fire), Ivan Giannini (Vision Divine), Thiago Bianchi (Shaman, Noturnall), David Readman (PinkCream 69, Voodoo Circle), Sologitarristen: Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween), Ross The Boss (ex-Manowar), Glen Drover (ex-Megadeath, King Diamond, Testament), Pontus Norgren (Hammerfall), Thobbe Englund (ex-Sabaton), Jens Ludwig (Edguy), Danilo Bar (WhiteSkull), Sigurd Fylling (Legend Of Valley Doom), Keyboarder: Scott Warren (Dio, Heaven and Hell, Black Sabbath), Oliver Palotai (Kamelot). Das ist Heavy Fuckin Metal.

Gerry Cinnamon, an already legendary live performer, made history last summer after selling out Scotland's national football stadium twice over to become the first independent act - and the first Scot - to sell out multiple nights at Hampden Park. A year on, the definitive live album from the multi-platinum singer/songwriter will be released on 14 July 2023. "Well that was a trip and a half. Played all sorts of gigs all over the world but that was something else. Over 100,000 of us. Music is a magical thing that connects people in a special way. History made. Memories made more importantly. Felt the Hampden roar right in my chest and it was mighty." - Gerry Cinnamon. The homecoming shows concluded his 350,000-capacity UK and Ireland tour, originally due to happen in 2020, instead taking place across 2021-22, also included sold out shows at Birmingham and Manchester Arena, London’s iconic Alexandra Palace, the 25,000 capacity Malahide Castle, Dublin, and Musgrave Park Stadium, Cork.

Single Blurb No 1: Single "THE UNKNOWN": With "The Unknown", British thrash masters EVILE not only present their album title track, but their most personal and haunting single-release to date! With milions of streams on Spotify, reams of video views and countless tours with acts such as Kreator, Machine Head, Vader, Overkill or festivals like Wacken and Bloodstock among many others, EVILE prove they are still leaders of the modern thrash metal movement!

Single Blurb No 1: Single "THE UNKNOWN": With "The Unknown", British thrash masters EVILE not only present their album title track, but their most personal and haunting single-release to date! With milions of streams on Spotify, reams of video views and countless tours with acts such as Kreator, Machine Head, Vader, Overkill or festivals like Wacken and Bloodstock among many others, EVILE prove they are still leaders of the modern thrash metal movement!

Death metal overlords DYING FETUS once again raise the bar of sonic extremity with their 8th studio album and first new material in over 5 years, Wrong One To Fuck With. The seasoned veterans manage to further stretch their creative and technical boundaries across 10 complex tracks of pulverizing death metal, filled with more dynamic intricacies, brutal breakdowns and varied vocal patterns than ever before. Now over 25 years into their distinguished career, DYING FETUS cement their legacy with Wrong One To Fuck With and uphold their position as the most dominant force in death metal today.

It took Rouen, France over five-hundred-years to find an act as fiery as the execution of Joan of Arc, but they finally found one in the Year Of Our Lord 1977: Dogs. The absolute picks-of-the-litter and best-in-French-new-wave-rock-show, Dogs (no ‘the’), over the course of nine albums, two dozen singles and EP’s left behind an undeniable legacy, none fiercer than on their first recordings for the Melodies Massacre label. This collection compiles Dogs’ earliest releases: the ‘Charlie Was A Good Boy’ 45 and ‘Go Where You Want To Go’ 12 inch maxi-single. Fully and officially licensed from Melodies Massacre for the first time, including notes from Melodies Massacre founder Lionel Herrmani and featuring many never-before-seen photos from the band’s halcyon days, this compilation serves as the definitive portrait of the artists as young Dogs. A must for fans of all music, but especially Eddie & The Hot Rods, the early Scientists, the Flamin’ Groovies, and the Heartbreakers. Rouen, France got that Dog in ‘em – now you can as well!

In 1983 there came a sound from the depths of the Brazilian rainforest that was primal, ground-breaking, and completely ahead of its time. The roaring of amplifiers and the beating of drums was the sound of Max and Iggor Cavalera creating their debut cult-classics 'MORBID VISIONS' and 'BESTIAL DEVASTATION', and now it seems that after many years, the Cavalera brothers will be returning to their raw upstarts with a full re-recording of these beloved yet obscure albums.
When 'MORBID VISIONS' and 'BESTIAL DEVASTATION" were first spawned it was done in ramshackle conditions in Belo Horizonte, where the duo grew up. Max and Iggor were 14 and 13 years old during the original recording, and they had all the tenacity and energy of a pack of wild dogs. Only, their sound was not quite refined at that time, their adolescence bled through on those early records. It is well known that Max's guitars were completely out of tune on those sessions, and Iggor's drums often swung around tempos crazily. There's an air of youth and passion that could only be achieved by two teenagers that wanted to shock the world. Four decades later and it is plain to see that they certainly did gather the world's attention.
Despite the production being rough around the edges and the band still carving out their direction, there was a noticeable level of craftsmanship to the song structures and a clear indication that given their desire to thrash like maniacs, these kids from Brazil were going to tear the place up night after night. These albums still hold a dark, mystic and at times eerie quality to them that many have come to love over the years. For some, the music does not have to be delivered with perfect technical precision, the spastic live delivery is something to be cherished, and even with their guitars out of tune, they played like the gates of hell were opening. The crossroads of a shamanistic spiritual summoning at a back-alley metal show in downtown Belo Horizonte.
It is a task of heavy magnitude to try and cross the gap between the accomplished artists that they are today to the scrappy boys that they were when they first wrote these songs, but the duo have executed the performances flawlessly. The perfect bridge between the unbridled energy of the original sessions and the high-quality sound of a 21st century production. It is truly astounding to hear Max once again growl like a monster during "Troops Of Doom" and riff at insane speeds through "War" and "Crucifixion". Iggor's barbaric drumming on "Anti-Christ" is like the galloping hooves of a death-rider. Accompanied by bassist Igor Amadeus Cavalera (HEALING MAGIC, GO AHEAD AND DIE) and lead guitarist Daniel Gonzales (POSSESSED, GRUESOME) the quartet is a force to be reckoned with.
How this re-recording attained such a familiar tenacity is almost a mystery, like some spell that brought these albums back from the grave. Within the first few beats you can hear that the Cavalera’s have lost no momentum, attacking the songs at maximum speed and ferocity. In fact, it seems that the brothers have only empowered their connection through music over the decades. You can feel the spark that those two create, a dynamic sound rich with subtleties and ear-grabbing hooks. As Iggor counts in each song with his drumsticks, and Max's guitar feedbacks loudly as he approaches the microphone, there is palpable apprehension. It is apparent that when these two icons get together to play, they are going to electrify the room with their presence.
Few have had the incredible careers that Max and Iggor have achieved through their music. Even fewer had faith in the young boys that wrote 'MORBID VISIONS' and "BESTIAL DEVASTATION' all those years ago. Yet here they still stand ripping through their earliest works with decades of experience under their belts. For them, it is a breath of fresh air to finally give these songs the desired production that they deserve. They both feel that the fans also deserve a fresh look at these albums, a chance to appreciate them in a completely new light.
From start to finish 'MORBID VISIONS" and "BESTIAL DEVASTATION" are a torrential whirlwind of riffs, beats, and screams. A blast from the past that is sure to take every last listener back to the raucous live shows of the eighties.
Mysterious clouds form above an old cathedral, the summoning of dark magic is upon us, and the troops of doom march forth to announce the arrival of 'CAVALERA'!

Rocksteady took Over Orange Street, Jamaica around 1966, the same time that an extreme heatwave hit the Jamaican island. Some say the previous jerky Ska Rhythms proved too strenuous of an activity to partake in, during the all night Sound System sessions .So it proved a winning formula to slow the beat down to a more leisurely pace.

Whatever the reasons were this two year period that ran until 1968, would see some of the power escape from the big three producers, Clement ‘Coxone’ Dodd, Prince Buster and Duke Reid, who up until this period had ruled the airwaves .It was time to make room for a new wave of up and coming producers that also had something to offer the people. Such names as Joel Gibson ( Joe Gibbs ), Sonia Pottinger, Derrick Harriott and most prolific of them all Mr Bunny Lee.

These new names would unleash some fine music in what would be a short lived chapter in the ever changing and moving beat that is reggae’s history. We have compiled some of the biggest hits from the Rocksteady period, alongside some lesser known cuts we believe deserve to be re-evaluated. Rocksteady was an inspirational and somewhat over looked sound that provided us with some outstanding music. So sit back and enjoy some Rocksteady straight from the dances of Jamaica.

Vor über 20 Jahren gegründet, veröffentlichten The Wave Pictures über 20 eigene Alben (zuletzt gleich zwei in 2018), neben spannenden Nebenprojekten wie der Garage-Rock-Supergroup The Surfing Magazines, mehrere Werke mit Stanley Brinks oder Dave Tattersalls Gitarrenbeiträge für Billy Childish. All diese Arbeiten beherbergen Daves frei fliessende Quelle des Songwritings und die tiefe Zuneigung der Band für Rock'n'Roll, Blues, Jazz, Classic Rock und natürlich Daves legendäre Liebe zu guten Gitarrensoli. Inspiriert vom klassischen Neil Young, ist das neue Doppelalbum 'When The Purple Emperor Spreads His Wings' voll und ganz dem Country verschrieben, mit Cowboy-Mundharmonika, Mandoline und Daves sanften akustischen Gitarrenklängen.

Supermodels ist eine Platte, in der man sich selbst wiedererkennen kann, egal wie alt man ist oder wo man steht. Clauds fesselndes und ergreifendes zweites Album ist ein selbstbewusstes Tagebuch über das Quecksilber des Lebens und der Liebe in den frühen 20ern, ob es nun die Selbstzweifel sind, die sich durch die Songs schleichen, oder der Ort des Kompromisses, den sie zu finden versuchen. Es ist eine exakte Karte der emotionalen und logistischen Wechselfälle, denen sie in ihren frühen 20ern begegnet sind. Risse in Romanzen und Freundschaften, der Druck der Plattenkarriere, die Verluste des Erwachsenwerdens: Jeder dieser 13 Songs ist ein weiterer artikulierter Tagebucheintrag, der ohne Rücksicht auf das Genre und mit der Achterbahn der Gefühle zusammengefügt wurde, die jedem Stück eine so spezifische Schwere verleiht. Für Claud sind dies vertraute Themen, die zum Teil das gleiche Terrain abdecken wie Super Monster von 2021. Aber die Ideen haben ein neues Selbstvertrauen, das sich in Strukturen und Hooks ausdrückt, die nicht zweideutig sind, wenn sie sich von stirnrunzelndem Folk über ungestümen Pop bis hin zu verdrehten Klavierkuriositäten bewegen. Während Supermodels größtenteils im Schlafzimmer ihrer Kindheit entstanden ist, wurde dieses Album an einem eigenen Ort aufgenommen und von einem Team von Vertrauten und Mitarbeitern zu prächtigen Produktionen ausgebaut. Supermodels hat seinen Namen aus dem Albumsong „Screwdriver“. „You caught me looking at photographs of supermodels“, singen sie, wobei sich ihre Stimme langsam über die elegische Zeile erhebt, die auf dem kaputten Klavier geschrieben wurde. "Trying not to cry when I look back at myself". Es ist ein erschütternder Moment, eine Erinnerung daran, wie wir alle daran arbeiten, uns nicht mehr als minderwertig und nicht gleichwertig zu sehen, um ein Dutzend verschiedener Unsicherheiten zu überwinden, die wir in den tiefsten Nischen unserer Fassade zu speichern versuchen. Aber Claud verbirgt bei Supermodels nichts. Es sind Kerne der Verzweiflung, der Erlösung und letztlich der Einsicht, die uns daran erinnern, dass wir weder die Ersten noch die Letzten sind, die sich diesem Blues stellen und weitermachen.

Supermodels ist eine Platte, in der man sich selbst wiedererkennen kann, egal wie alt man ist oder wo man steht. Clauds fesselndes und ergreifendes zweites Album ist ein selbstbewusstes Tagebuch über das Quecksilber des Lebens und der Liebe in den frühen 20ern, ob es nun die Selbstzweifel sind, die sich durch die Songs schleichen, oder der Ort des Kompromisses, den sie zu finden versuchen. Es ist eine exakte Karte der emotionalen und logistischen Wechselfälle, denen sie in ihren frühen 20ern begegnet sind. Risse in Romanzen und Freundschaften, der Druck der Plattenkarriere, die Verluste des Erwachsenwerdens: Jeder dieser 13 Songs ist ein weiterer artikulierter Tagebucheintrag, der ohne Rücksicht auf das Genre und mit der Achterbahn der Gefühle zusammengefügt wurde, die jedem Stück eine so spezifische Schwere verleiht. Für Claud sind dies vertraute Themen, die zum Teil das gleiche Terrain abdecken wie Super Monster von 2021. Aber die Ideen haben ein neues Selbstvertrauen, das sich in Strukturen und Hooks ausdrückt, die nicht zweideutig sind, wenn sie sich von stirnrunzelndem Folk über ungestümen Pop bis hin zu verdrehten Klavierkuriositäten bewegen. Während Supermodels größtenteils im Schlafzimmer ihrer Kindheit entstanden ist, wurde dieses Album an einem eigenen Ort aufgenommen und von einem Team von Vertrauten und Mitarbeitern zu prächtigen Produktionen ausgebaut. Supermodels hat seinen Namen aus dem Albumsong „Screwdriver“. „You caught me looking at photographs of supermodels“, singen sie, wobei sich ihre Stimme langsam über die elegische Zeile erhebt, die auf dem kaputten Klavier geschrieben wurde. "Trying not to cry when I look back at myself". Es ist ein erschütternder Moment, eine Erinnerung daran, wie wir alle daran arbeiten, uns nicht mehr als minderwertig und nicht gleichwertig zu sehen, um ein Dutzend verschiedener Unsicherheiten zu überwinden, die wir in den tiefsten Nischen unserer Fassade zu speichern versuchen. Aber Claud verbirgt bei Supermodels nichts. Es sind Kerne der Verzweiflung, der Erlösung und letztlich der Einsicht, die uns daran erinnern, dass wir weder die Ersten noch die Letzten sind, die sich diesem Blues stellen und weitermachen.

Supermodels ist eine Platte, in der man sich selbst wiedererkennen kann, egal wie alt man ist oder wo man steht. Clauds fesselndes und ergreifendes zweites Album ist ein selbstbewusstes Tagebuch über das Quecksilber des Lebens und der Liebe in den frühen 20ern, ob es nun die Selbstzweifel sind, die sich durch die Songs schleichen, oder der Ort des Kompromisses, den sie zu finden versuchen. Es ist eine exakte Karte der emotionalen und logistischen Wechselfälle, denen sie in ihren frühen 20ern begegnet sind. Risse in Romanzen und Freundschaften, der Druck der Plattenkarriere, die Verluste des Erwachsenwerdens: Jeder dieser 13 Songs ist ein weiterer artikulierter Tagebucheintrag, der ohne Rücksicht auf das Genre und mit der Achterbahn der Gefühle zusammengefügt wurde, die jedem Stück eine so spezifische Schwere verleiht. Für Claud sind dies vertraute Themen, die zum Teil das gleiche Terrain abdecken wie Super Monster von 2021. Aber die Ideen haben ein neues Selbstvertrauen, das sich in Strukturen und Hooks ausdrückt, die nicht zweideutig sind, wenn sie sich von stirnrunzelndem Folk über ungestümen Pop bis hin zu verdrehten Klavierkuriositäten bewegen. Während Supermodels größtenteils im Schlafzimmer ihrer Kindheit entstanden ist, wurde dieses Album an einem eigenen Ort aufgenommen und von einem Team von Vertrauten und Mitarbeitern zu prächtigen Produktionen ausgebaut. Supermodels hat seinen Namen aus dem Albumsong „Screwdriver“. „You caught me looking at photographs of supermodels“, singen sie, wobei sich ihre Stimme langsam über die elegische Zeile erhebt, die auf dem kaputten Klavier geschrieben wurde. "Trying not to cry when I look back at myself". Es ist ein erschütternder Moment, eine Erinnerung daran, wie wir alle daran arbeiten, uns nicht mehr als minderwertig und nicht gleichwertig zu sehen, um ein Dutzend verschiedener Unsicherheiten zu überwinden, die wir in den tiefsten Nischen unserer Fassade zu speichern versuchen. Aber Claud verbirgt bei Supermodels nichts. Es sind Kerne der Verzweiflung, der Erlösung und letztlich der Einsicht, die uns daran erinnern, dass wir weder die Ersten noch die Letzten sind, die sich diesem Blues stellen und weitermachen.

Die mega-erfolgreiche Compost-Compilation Serie erfährt eine Fortsetzung. Nach 20 Jahren eine neue Glücklich! Rainer Trüby hat tief in brasilianisch, lateinamerikanisch angehauchter Musik gefischt und macht uns damit mehr als glücklich.

Zurück im ganz großen Stil – denn eine Pause von zwei Jahrzehnten bedeutet ja auch, dass man besser stark zurückkommt, wenn man denn zurückkommt. Aber wir reden hier ja auch von Rainer Trüby, und er hat einen ganzen Sack voller brasilianischer und brasilianisch angehauchter Leckerbissen mitgebracht! Einige dieser Leckerbissen waren auf obskuren, von Vinylsammlern ignorierten CDs vergraben, andere sind bisher noch auf keiner Compilation zu finden aber alle werden uns den Sommer über auf‘s angenehmste begleiten und „Glücklich“ machen. Nebenbei bemerkt: Das Auto ist ein VW SP2, der zwischen 1972 und 1976 von Volkswagen do Brasil hergestellt wurde.

Clear Vinyl

Die mega-erfolgreiche Compost-Compilation Serie erfährt eine Fortsetzung. Nach 20 Jahren eine neue Glücklich! Rainer Trüby hat tief in brasilianisch, lateinamerikanisch angehauchter Musik gefischt und macht uns damit mehr als glücklich.

Zurück im ganz großen Stil – denn eine Pause von zwei Jahrzehnten bedeutet ja auch, dass man besser stark zurückkommt, wenn man denn zurückkommt. Aber wir reden hier ja auch von Rainer Trüby, und er hat einen ganzen Sack voller brasilianischer und brasilianisch angehauchter Leckerbissen mitgebracht! Einige dieser Leckerbissen waren auf obskuren, von Vinylsammlern ignorierten CDs vergraben, andere sind bisher noch auf keiner Compilation zu finden aber alle werden uns den Sommer über auf‘s angenehmste begleiten und „Glücklich“ machen. Nebenbei bemerkt: Das Auto ist ein VW SP2, der zwischen 1972 und 1976 von Volkswagen do Brasil hergestellt wurde.

The very definition of ‘70s soulful jazz, Where I’m Coming From has all the hallmarks of Prestige Records at its finest, with an all-star cast of sidemen (The legendary Idris Muhammad! Hello to Madlib’s uncle, Jon Faddis! Greetings to the funky flute of Hubert Laws!) recorded at Van Gelder’s studio and packed with down and dirty grooves top to bottom. From the opening cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” through to the low-slung original headnodder “Where I’m Coming From,” with stops along the way for dips into the catalogs of Curtis Mayfield (“Give Me Your Love”), Marvin Gaye (“Trouble Man”) and the Four Tops (“Keeper Of The Castle”), Leon Spencer’s rippling organ lines sear this prime example of groove jazz. This 180-gram reissue of Where I’m Coming From! was cut from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed at RTI, and comes packaged in a tip-on jacket.

Soundtrack-LP mit Originalsongs aus den Staffeln 4, 5, 6 der erfolgreichen Netflix-Zeichentrick-Serie BIG MOUTH, geschrieben und komponiert von Mark Rivers. Das Album enthält Gesangsdarbietungen der angesehenen Besetzung, darunter Nick Kroll, Maya Rudolph, Andrew Rannells, John Mulaney, Crissy Guerrero, Jason Mantzoukas, Paul Pell, Jon Daly, Joe Wengert u.v.m. Rotes Vinyl.

Keni Burke's seminal Changes yielded the eternal club classic "Risin' To The Top". You need this record for this iconic steppers anthem alone. However, it's crucial to acknowledge that the whole of Changes, first released in 1982 on RCA but now a tricky one to find, is something truly special. It's a masterpiece of sophisticated 80s groove, containing first class funky soul that sounds as fresh as ever. This is multi-tempo soul music conceived in heaven.

Ace bass player, songwriter, arranger and producer, Keni Burke was discovered by Curtis Mayfield and a childhood member of the Five Stairsteps. Emanating from that magical 81-83 era and pristinely recorded at Philadelphia's legendary Sigma Sound Studios, his third solo album Changes really perfected Keni's groove. It incorporated tight, snappy rhythm arrangements which, despite the era, featured *real drums* courtesy of Steve Ferrone (from Average White Band) to compliment Keni's meaty bass lines. With Dean "Sir" Gant on synths and keyboards and Ed Walsh handling the Vocoder-OBX and Prophet 5, wonderful lines from Earth, Wind & Fire's legendary horn section and hooky rhythm and lead guitar riffs courtesy of Ed "Tree" Walsh, Keni was truly spoiled for excellence. With Doc Gibbs on percussion and Vince Montana on vibes elevating the sensational writing and arrangements, Keni couldn't really go wrong.

“Risin’ To The Top” is undoubtedly the defining crown and lasting legacy of this album. Wth its instantly captivating bassline, slowly creepin' groove and uplifting lyrics, it was a favourite among both the 80s soul steppers and hip-hop crowd and remains canonical to this day. Written by Burke, Allan Felder, and former Chic member Norma Jean Wright, it incredibly failed to garner much American radio play or really trouble the soul charts. Whilst it was an instant classic in the U.K., in the States it took the hip-hop generation and later R&B and hip-hop samples of the tune to finally make it popular, many years later. Of note, Big Daddy Kane sampled it for "Smooth Operator", LL Cool J for "Around The Way Girl", Pete Rock & CL Smooth for "Take You There" and O.C. with "Born 2 Live".

But the highlights are not restricted to this one behemoth. For example, the track which precedes "Risin'" on Side B is another steppers favourite. "One Minute More" is a perfect mid-tempo ballad and the epitome of deep modern soul. A truly timeless work of genius. We, for one, struggle to think of a better song segue than the moment you're still reeling from the intense beauty of "One Minute More" and "Risin'" elegantly stirs into action. Frisson in excelsis. The propulsive, bass-heavy opener "Shakin" is an indisputable cracker and its followed by the timeless mid-tempo class of "Hang Tight". Just gorgeous. Next up, "Can't Get Enough" is another emotional, horn heavy chugger. The side closes with the sparse, tender, floating sl-o-o-w jam "Who Do You Love"; a truly divine ballad. The B-side beings with the title-track, "Changes", a squelchy, melodic boogie banger with fantastic keys, incredible vocals, ace shuffling percussion and spacey synths. It's followed by the ultimate one-two in "One Minute More" and "Risin'" before this sensational set closes with the glorious easy glide "All Night".

An absolutely essential record for fans of deeply soulful modern-funk, Changes was mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Cicely Balston for Alchemy at AIR Studios. The artwork was restored at Be With HQ over many painstaking months so, hopefully, this fresh new edition ensures this long-lusted after album is no longer so awkward to find.

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE: One of the most innovative groups popular music has ever known, the band that instigated a musical revolution! Black and white, male, and female, SLY & THE FAMILY STONE were the first- and still the most significant - integrated combo in the history of popular music.

Founded in November 1966 by Sly Stone by merging The Stoners with his brother Freddie’s Stone Souls, this new sound was a unique and unprecedented fusion of Soul, Funk, Rock, R&B and Psychedelia. Sly himself was a master musician who wrote, arranged, and produced all the group’s material, fashioning ingenious musical arrangements with a blend of syncopated rhythm, pop melody, lowdown funk and unorthodox harmony.

And he chose the best players in the San Francisco Bay Area to implement this outrageous musical vision. With the compilation STONE SOUL we are focusing upon their rarely heard roots and the earliest examples of the style that would take the music world by storm. This fascinating set includes the complete recordings of FREDDIE AND THE STONE SOULS, early solo experiments by SLY and ROSE STONE, the very first SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE studio session that predates their signing with Epic Records, and the tremendous 1968 demo ‘Man Does Not Live’. Also featured are the gospel sounds of THE HEAVENLY TONES, whose members would provide vocal backgrounds on multiple Family Stone albums and later become known as Little Sister.

So Ride the Rhythm and let the music take your mind

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE: One of the most innovative groups popular music has ever known, the band that instigated a musical revolution! Black and white, male, and female, SLY & THE FAMILY STONE were the first- and still the most significant - integrated combo in the history of popular music.

Founded in November 1966 by Sly Stone by merging The Stoners with his brother Freddie’s Stone Souls, this new sound was a unique and unprecedented fusion of Soul, Funk, Rock, R&B and Psychedelia. Sly himself was a master musician who wrote, arranged, and produced all the group’s material, fashioning ingenious musical arrangements with a blend of syncopated rhythm, pop melody, lowdown funk and unorthodox harmony.

And he chose the best players in the San Francisco Bay Area to implement this outrageous musical vision. With the compilation STONE SOUL we are focusing upon their rarely heard roots and the earliest examples of the style that would take the music world by storm. This fascinating set includes the complete recordings of FREDDIE AND THE STONE SOULS, early solo experiments by SLY and ROSE STONE, the very first SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE studio session that predates their signing with Epic Records, and the tremendous 1968 demo ‘Man Does Not Live’. Also featured are the gospel sounds of THE HEAVENLY TONES, whose members would provide vocal backgrounds on multiple Family Stone albums and later become known as Little Sister.

So Ride the Rhythm and let the music take your mind

Mit 28 Jahren legt Colter Wall bereits sein viertes Album vor. Der in Saskatchewan geborene Kanadier bietet einen Roots-Country, den man zu anderen Zeiten als "Outlaw" bezeichnet hätte. Seine Helden sind Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard und Willie Nelson, und das hört man. Mit einer tiefen Stimme, die darauf schließen lässt, dass dieser Mann mehr erlebt hat, als sein junges Alter vermuten lässt, repräsentiert dieser Storyteller/Songwriter authentischen Americana-Sound.

Featuring 38 tracks (as opposed to the digital release, which is only 15 tracks), This is the definitive Doom Patrol Season 1 soundtrack featuring music by Clint Mansell and Kevin Kiner. The score is fantastic, mixing electronics and more traditional string-based score elements. The central theme is one of the best in recent years, and the score is moody and magnificent yet also fun and playful. It is the perfect accompaniment to the action on screen.

Preservation Act 2 is the 1974 follow-up to The Kinks’ 1973 Preservation Act 1 RCA album, and their thirteenth studio LP.

The album is a finely produced concept of story, theatre, instrumentals, announcements, guest singers and songs.
A further installement of Ray Davies’ musical drama, with the character sketches, wry observations and ballads seen on Preservation Act 1.

Full of The Kinks’ distinctive and unique charm, featuring gems such as ‘Money Talks’, ‘He’s Evil’, ‘Mirror Of Love’ and ‘Artificial Man’.

This is a 2LP black heavyweight 180g vinyl in gatefold sleeve, with original artwork faithfully reproduced. The first repress, apart from a limited edition 2008 US pressing, since the original release in 1974.

Arad, real name Dara Smith, is the latest to join the VOITAX catalogue. The multidisciplinary artist previously made seminal moves with his work as one half of Lakker, alongside Eomac, dropping groundbreaking music on heavyweight labels such as R&S, Blueprint and Stroboscopic Artefacts. This time for VOITAX, the Irish artist serves us up "Radiance Haze" - a 6 track EP, spanning from heavy-hitting breaks to the ethereal ambience, with heavy features of Smith's vocals.

Early support by Blawan, Dave Clarke, Eomac, Francios X, Inigo Kennedy, Lucy, Marcel Dettmann, Vivian Koch, Neumann and many more.

Classic 1987 album is one of the band’s most beloved releases. Includes a cover of Crime’s “Hot Wire My Heart”. “Let’s get something straight. There is no album in the entire corpus of indie rock not Loveless, not Surfer Rosa, not Psychocandy that reaches the heights of invention, joy, and magic of Sonic Youth’s sublime fifth album.... The haunted reveries of Sister remain with you for years, even if you only hear them once” Stereogum // 1987’s Sister was another notch in the band's move away from No Wave, yet still maintained their experimental approach. Gordon, Moore, Ranaldo and Shelley were coming into their own at this point, combining elements of noise, punk and pop. They had also become better songwriters since their previous album, providing better context for their noisier elements and incorporating the dissonance of their earlier releases into more traditional song structures. To quote Stereogum once again, “Sister is the sonic manifestation of refracted light. It’s a record that changes you.”