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All work, all play - Fall of Porcupine tells an emotional story about a young doctor, who struggles to find his place in the small town of Porcupine. The game combines a vibrant, hand-painted world with the harsh reality of working in a flawed healthcare system, as the player accompanies Finley on his journey. While we do not guarantee that the game will make you cry, there's a high chance it might. Step into the town of Porcupine and take to the well-loved scrubs of Finley, the newest fledgling doctor to join the ranks of St. Ursula's hospital. As the seasons in the small-town change and life starts to stir, you'll soon realize that things aren't always what they seem: Not everyone is honest with themselves and others, the healthcare industry is not as illustrious as it seemed in medical school, and the work/life balance Finley strives toward might be impossible to achieve. Pinsel is perfectly capturing the slightly melancholic and laid-back atmosphere of the game in the songs of the soundtrack. Acoustic guitars and other analogue instruments paired with minimal electronic elements that are light but never random. It's almost as loveable as its characters. A game soundtrack highlight that might also be your perfect companion for walks on a sunny day in autumn.

"Listen to This." As the original working title for Bitches Brew, the instruction and invitation resonates to this day as the best way to approach a record that shattered conventions, altered music history, and, more than five decades after its original release, still sounds far ahead of its time. The aural Mount Rushmore of jazz fusion, Bitches Brew is rightly ranked by virtually every significant outlet among the 100 greatest albums ever made in any genre. Sewn together with vibrant colours, voodoo textures, and ethereal moods, the 1970 landmark emerges with supreme detail on Mobile Fidelity's definitive 180g 33RPM 2LP set.

Sourced from the original master tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, this numbered-edition version of Bitches Brew joins the audiophile ranks of other essential Miles Davis sets reissued by Mobile Fidelity. Having established new possibilities for studio-recording techniques, the record can now be experienced to maximum degree by way of a pressing that widens and deepens the soundstage, opens up separation between instruments, and broadens the dynamic range. If ever a jazz album can be said to have gone to outer space and back, this is it.

Davis conceived Bitches Brew by having the musicians stand in a semi-circle, where he pointed at them with vague directions for tempo, solos, and cues. The collective improvisation and interplay spawned a galaxy of melodies and grooves later spliced together by producer Ted Macero. On this reissue, these creations take shape with utmost realism. Compositions stretch across black backgrounds and paint abstract canvasses on par with those of Axis: Bold As Love and Abraxas. Juxtaposed percussion, loose jams, and melodic segues explode with impressionistic verve.

And "verve" defines Bitches Brew. Gathering a Hall of Fame-worthy lineup of musicians and tweaking it according to his desires, Davis follows through on his idea to "put together the greatest rock and roll band you ever heard." Central to his proposition is the presence of two (and sometimes three) drummers and two bassists, a tactical move that thrusts rhythms into central focus. Akin to the futuristic album cover art, the drum-driven suites head toward distant universes and uncharted territories. At once hypnotizing and grooving, they chart maverick adventures with quixotic rock, funk, and R&B elements.

Conceptually, Davis described Bitches Brew as "a novel without words" and "an incredible journey of pain, joy, sorrow, hate, passion, and love." The vast psychedelic expanses of warped echoes, liquid reverb, and tape loops confirm such ambitious contrasts of light and dark, fear and hope. Yet the most absolute characteristic of this watershed effort lies in how it resists definitive interpretation and encourages free thought — the very principles with which Davis conceived the everlasting beauty and fascination that remain Bitches Brew.

For fans of Duster, LSD and The Search for God, The Microphones. Double LP (NO BOOKS!) First official physical copy of fan-made compilation of alternate tracks and demos from cult phenomenon album Deathconsciousness. Freshly remastered. With the broader adoption of the internet around the turn of the century, how people would engage with and discover underground music would change forever. As a result of the new digital era, DIY was now worldwide, and no band embraced this new frontier better than Have A Nice Life. Formed in 2000 by duo Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga, the Middletown, CT-based pair would, throughout the 00s, self-release and share a number of demos and home recordings via early social media channels as well as establish its in-house label ENEMIES LIST HOME RECORDINGS. These first steps set in motion Have A Nice Life’s rise to renown as an icon of underground music in the internet age, culminating with the release of its pivotal 2008 debut album, Deathconsciousness. Through word of mouth and online discussion, Deathconsciousness became subject to viral praise thanks to its synthesis of bleak post-punk, lo-fi shoegaze, and carpets of hypnotic drone music. Eventually, this humble self-released project would attain the status of a post-internet cult classic, amassing Have A Nice Life a fervent online following that the band would interact with in kind. In an effort to thank and continue to engage with Have A Nice Life’s internet cult following, Barrett and Macuga would regularly share links to old demos, works in progress, and outtakes from the recording of Deathconsciousness. Over time, a group of fans would compile these demos into an unofficial release. Dubbed Voids, this fan-made compilation several alternate takes of tracks from Deathconsciousness, as well as a handful of early versions of songs that would appear on Have A Nice Life’s two following albums, The Unnatural World and Sea of Worry. While undeniably reminiscent of their final album version counterparts, the earlier versions of these tracks each feel distinct in a way that makes the moody, decidedly lo-fi aura of Voids an essential slice of the Have A Nice Life discography. Hungry for more from the enigmatic duo, fans swarmed around this compilation, accompanied by loud calls for it to receive a physical release. Seeing that demand and with the band’s blessing, a pair of fan-made tape pressings of Voids would be released via Music Ruins Lives, a DIY label run by Have A Nice Life superfan Thom Wasluck, also known for his band Planning for Burial. Between both instances of the tape swiftly selling out and the compilation’s long absence from streaming services, Voids has historically been an elusive release to track down, only available in the obscurest corners of the internet or physically on the secondary market at eye-wateringly high prices.
Over a decade since its initial, unofficial release in 2011, The Flenser is proud to reissue Have A Nice Life’s Voids for the first time ever in an official capacity in physical form. Originally released digitally in early 2023 and freshly remastered for the occasion, this reissue of the beloved compilation will receive its first-ever wide release on physical formats (CD/LP/Cassette). This release also marks the first time fan-favorite tracks from Voids “Sisyphus”, “I’m Doctor House”, and “Human Error” will be available on vinyl and CD. Like a symbolic passing of the torch, the physical versions of the 2023 Voids reissue come with a foreword essay written by Wasluck, the previous custodian of Voids during the Music Ruins Lives days.

It could be argued that Brained and Cooloorta are the definitive NWW E.Ps. Both classic and timeless fan favourites appear for the first time together on one single album. Both E.Ps marked a distinctive change in the NWW sound. Brained from 1984 showcases NWW at their mid 80's finest. The relentless churning and uncompromising music of Brained by Falling Masonry is complimented by the eccentric mania of JG Thirlwell's vocals. A Short Dip in Glory Hole takes us into the murky depths of a David Lynch influenced nightmare, a lysergic unhinged movie for the ears, which greatly influenced the Peter Strickland film Berberian Sound Studio. Cooloorta Moon from 1989 takes us in a whimsical direction and further highlights the boundless originality of NWW. The evolution of NWW utilising more traditional instrumentation and bordering on the verge of song structures started coming to the fore on this E.P. In addition to all the original songs from the Cooloorta and Brained EPs, the 2010 track, Sarah's Beloved Aunt perfectly closes this collection. Lovingly remastered by Andrew Liles. Agian, this arrives in a beautiful die-cut sleeve with Babs Santini artwork.

It is 1983 and you've just stepped into your Ford Capri with your girlfriend Julie. You live in Harlow, but in your head you're really somewhere near Salou in Spain, next to your yacht. But the thing you really love is soul and they play nothing but at Sups in Loughton. OK, so It's not 1983 at all. It's 2014, but listening to this electrofied soul, will put you back in the zone. Tom Findlay, one half of Grammy-nominated Groove Armada, has put this collection together: a stamp of authenticity in itself. Tom has also put a few of these through the edit wringer, reworking many of the tunes for maximum towelling sockability.

You'll probably recognise a few tunes. There's Mtume's incredible 'Juicy Fruit', still sounding advanced and modern, while 'I Specialize In Love, mixed by disco legend Tee Scott, is even older yet sounds equally perky.

The 1980s was a period that was pretty much owned by Minneapolis thanks to Prince and former cohorts Jam & Lewis and the latter weigh in with a pair of killer productions, Thelma Houston's 'You Used To Hold Me So Tight' and Alexander O'Neal's 'What's Missing'. And since this is Late Night Tales, there is always our exclusive cover version, this time done by Findlay and Tim Hutton's Sugardaddy, who've delivered an ace version of 'Don't Look Any Further'.

Grab yourself a bar stool, order a cocktail, take a sip and make believe you're lying on a shagpile carpet with the soul star of your dreams.

Bill Brewster

Automatic Soul, like my previously compiled Late Night Tales Music For Pleasure, is based very much on a sound. It's a sound that I feel has been overlooked: 80s R&B-infused music, with drum machines, synths and invariably brilliant vocals. It's formed the bedrock of my rare groove sets for all the years I've played. It's not the most fashionable, but to me it's the perfect marriage of technology and soul, hence the title for this album, Automatic Soul. There are plenty of songs I could have included, and no doubt some that I shouldn't, but I've tried to represent what's best to me from this era. It's not a classic Late Night Tales. It's a pretty personal journey, which I hope some of you might be willing to share... Tom Findlay Groove Armada September 2014.

Danza Nativa has done a great job of establishing its own unique sound in the techno sphere over the last half a decade. Now it marks the occasion of its fifth birthday with a two-part compilation that showcases its avant-garde take on the genre. They tell us that part one has been assembled as a sort of "mental (as in pensive, not deranged) techno album that takes the form of some direct tools for working DJs. Anthony Linell, Claudio PRC, Luigi Tozzi and DanielI are those who step up and explore abstract, drone, deep and plenty in between.

Wormwood is undoubtedly one of the leading bands on the Swedish metal scene right now. The band now returns straight into the hot air to follow up the highly praised predecessors "Nattarvet" and "Arkivet". Albums that made the band soar on the national charts and led to numerous nominations for prestigious awards.

The release of "The Star", concludes the magnificent trilogy about death (NATTRAVET, ARKIVET, THE STAR). "NATTARVET" was about the grim famine that plagued the people in the 19th-century Nordic region. "THE ARCHIVE" focused on the inevitable downfall of mankind and "THE STAR" tells the story of the end of the universe.

There is no doubt that Wormwood musically has taken another big step forward, both in terms of songwriting and performance. Nothing is left to chance, and everything is refined down to the smallest detail, and this without sacrificing the bands unmistakable raw sound.

The album was mixed and mastered the renowned metal producer Sverker Widgren from Wing Studios in Stockholm, Sweden

Wormwood is undoubtedly one of the leading bands on the Swedish metal scene right now. The band now returns straight into the hot air to follow up the highly praised predecessors "Nattarvet" and "Arkivet". Albums that made the band soar on the national charts and led to numerous nominations for prestigious awards.

The release of "The Star", concludes the magnificent trilogy about death (NATTRAVET, ARKIVET, THE STAR). "NATTARVET" was about the grim famine that plagued the people in the 19th-century Nordic region. "THE ARCHIVE" focused on the inevitable downfall of mankind and "THE STAR" tells the story of the end of the universe.

There is no doubt that Wormwood musically has taken another big step forward, both in terms of songwriting and performance. Nothing is left to chance, and everything is refined down to the smallest detail, and this without sacrificing the bands unmistakable raw sound.

The album was mixed and mastered the renowned metal producer Sverker Widgren from Wing Studios in Stockholm, Sweden

Wormwood is undoubtedly one of the leading bands on the Swedish metal scene right now. The band now returns straight into the hot air to follow up the highly praised predecessors "Nattarvet" and "Arkivet". Albums that made the band soar on the national charts and led to numerous nominations for prestigious awards.

The release of "The Star", concludes the magnificent trilogy about death (NATTRAVET, ARKIVET, THE STAR). "NATTARVET" was about the grim famine that plagued the people in the 19th-century Nordic region. "THE ARCHIVE" focused on the inevitable downfall of mankind and "THE STAR" tells the story of the end of the universe.

There is no doubt that Wormwood musically has taken another big step forward, both in terms of songwriting and performance. Nothing is left to chance, and everything is refined down to the smallest detail, and this without sacrificing the bands unmistakable raw sound.

The album was mixed and mastered the renowned metal producer Sverker Widgren from Wing Studios in Stockholm, Sweden

Wormwood is undoubtedly one of the leading bands on the Swedish metal scene right now. The band now returns straight into the hot air to follow up the highly praised predecessors "Nattarvet" and "Arkivet". Albums that made the band soar on the national charts and led to numerous nominations for prestigious awards.

The release of "The Star", concludes the magnificent trilogy about death (NATTRAVET, ARKIVET, THE STAR). "NATTARVET" was about the grim famine that plagued the people in the 19th-century Nordic region. "THE ARCHIVE" focused on the inevitable downfall of mankind and "THE STAR" tells the story of the end of the universe.

There is no doubt that Wormwood musically has taken another big step forward, both in terms of songwriting and performance. Nothing is left to chance, and everything is refined down to the smallest detail, and this without sacrificing the bands unmistakable raw sound.

The album was mixed and mastered the renowned metal producer Sverker Widgren from Wing Studios in Stockholm, Sweden

Galaxy Orange/Black Vinyl. Limited to 500 copies. Data Diamond is the sound of FOUR STROKE BARON at their most confidently unhinged. Originally conceived as two separate EPs (one purely electronic - Data, one heavy - Diamond) that would then meld together on one full length release, the idea morphed into what is now the succinct sucker punch of an album that is heading our way at speed. Heavily inspired by their own work on Data Diamond's predecessor, Classics, Witt and Vallarino got to work in their laboratory creating the most potent, concentrated form of FOUR STROKE BARON possible. Data Diamond - a dizzying sub-40 minute dive into the deranged psyches of its creators. The tracks on Data Diamond are lithe yet still allow enough room for idiosyncratic flourishes that mark this out as a true FOUR STROKE BARON opus. If Classics was a Man vs. Food belly busting plate of indulgence, Data Diamond is an upmarket Gordon Ramsay dish, served with a side of insanity. Finding a co-conspirator in Cynic's Paul Masvidal, the trio get somewhat psychedelic on the album's eponymous closing - and most expansive - track, which also features Vola's Adam Janzi on drums. Thematically, this is their most murderous anthology to date. Those who find themselves embroiled in these bloodthirsty tales include a Radio Shack CEO, an internationally acclaimed cyborg, an accidental trafficker of human body parts, and the leader of a death cult located in a convenience store. FOUR STROKE BARON's anomalous view of the world takes a particularly dark turn across the songs on Data Diamond, yet, as ever the macabre tragedies are dressed up with catchy melodies, pop hooks for days and a big shimmering bow of positivity.

New Jersey-born Ali Berger is a drum machine specialist and low-key US dance music standby, now based in Pittsburgh after spending the 2010s in Boston and Detroit. His catalog of original music runs deep, with over 60 releases on his Trackland label and EPs on imprints like Spectral Sound and Sequencias, all resulting from a lovingly-cultivated studio approach which respects improvisation as a spiritual practice.

Here with this sublime release on Scissors and Thread, Ali shares a multitude of sounds and atmospheres across the five tracks. As Ali himself puts it “This record collects tracks from the last three years, plus 0221 (Serious Mix) which is from 2018. There's a full cross-section of production techniques represented here, from one-take jams to multi-tracked compositions, but through it all there's a deep melancholy which (I hope) is tempered by enough groove to be uplifting. Maintaining emotional balance takes constant, caring attention; music is a part of that process for me and these tracks reflect that.”

This balancing of melancholic atmospheres and groove is evident throughout - Rhythm & Simplicity is a low key thoughtful banger for the more discerning dancefloors, while A New World To Forget also exhibits a deep love of cultured house music and analog drum machines. Tape Jam pt 2 is the perfect mix of improvisation and pure groove, put down in a rough and gritty fashion. 0221 (Serious Mix) merges a breakbeat with pads and synths that give off a balearic sunrise vibe, while Motion Anthem wraps up the EP with a tougher groove coupled with wistful melodies and oceans of feeling.

Eastside Edits strikes again with two DJ friendly versions of 1976 chart toppers! Their 7th release features
two tracks from the talented Greek DJ/Producer/Remixer, DJ S! DJ S returns to the classics with two
70’s dancefloor weapons guaranteed to get the party started!

SIDE A) “Moves At Midnight” takes an all-time Disco favorite and updates it for 2024 with chunkier
drums and a steady, mixable groove. All the feel of the 70’s original without the clumsiness of mixing a
70’s 45. Disco perfection from DJ S!
SIDE B) “Lay Down That Boogie” breathes new life into a 70’s Funk/Rock staple. This funky edit adds a
DJ friendly intro, subtle arrangement changes, and chunkier drums, all without losing that original 70’s
feel. Another very tasteful edit from DJ S!

Introducing "The Architecture of Oppression Part 2" - the highly anticipated follow-up to Jake Ferguson's critically acclaimed debut album - Part 1. Ferguson is recognised as the ‘other half’ of The Heliocentrics, producing his solo work under the moniker, The Brkn Record. Effortlessly merging the realms of music and activism, he has created a groundbreaking album, which is set to be one of the most important bodies of work that illustrate ongoing systemic racism this side of the millennium. Ferguson takes the listener to a world where artistry and social consciousness intersect. Crafting an array of captivating soundscapes and themes. This album showcases the vocal talents of both established artists and hidden gems discovered through Ferguson's day-job as a former charity CEO and community activist. While Part 1 served as a rallying cry to dismantle oppressive systems, Part 2 offers a compelling soundtrack of a Pro-Black world reclaiming its destiny. This thought-provoking art piece invites listeners to envision alternative paths while avoiding the pitfalls of past paradigms. Unlike a broken record, this The Brkn Record album keeps pushing boundaries— By enlisting the voices of The Global Majority, The Brkn Record creates a platform for genuine expression through sound. Renowned for his production skills, Ferguson has captured the admiration of industry heavyweights including Nas, Madlib and Kanye West. However, rather than seeking popular features, he chooses to amplify the authentic perspectives of the talented youth he collaborates with in Hackney. One such initiative supported by Ferguson, Account Hackney, introduced him to two gifted artists showcased on this album – Great Okosun and Yolanda Lear. ‘This album serves as a visceral demonstration of my anger at the racially founded status quo in this country and globally. The continued oppression of people on the basis of their race is beyond evil, its common place and needs to end. Simple as.’ The album also sees Ferguson joining forces with award winning laureate Anthony Joseph and legendary hip-hop MC Percee P - their dynamic and thought-provoking lyrics seamlessly intertwine with expertly produced musical landscapes. "The Architecture of Oppression Part 2" is not just an album; it is a transformative journey that challenges the listener and wants you to ‘feel’. It’s Art. A musical experience that inspires, compels, and empowers. Over to you!

Data Diamond is the sound of FOUR STROKE BARON at their most confidently unhinged. Originally conceived as two separate EPs (one purely electronic - Data, one heavy - Diamond) that would then meld together on one full length release, the idea morphed into what is now the succinct sucker punch of an album that is heading our way at speed. Heavily inspired by their own work on Data Diamond’s predecessor, Classics, Witt and Vallarino got to work in their laboratory creating the most potent, concentrated form of FOUR STROKE BARON possible. Data Diamond - a dizzying sub-40 minute dive into the deranged psyches of its creators. The tracks on Data Diamond are lithe yet still allow enough room for idiosyncratic flourishes that mark this out as a true FOUR STROKE BARON opus. If Classics was a Man vs. Food belly busting plate of indulgence, Data Diamond is an upmarket Gordon Ramsay dish, served with a side of insanity. Finding a co-conspirator in Cynic’s Paul Masvidal, the trio get somewhat psychedelic on the album’s eponymous closing - and most expansive - track, which also features Vola’s Adam Janzi on drums. Thematically, this is their most murderous anthology to date. Those who find themselves embroiled in these bloodthirsty tales include a Radio Shack CEO, an internationally acclaimed cyborg, an accidental trafficker of human body parts, and the leader of a death cult located in a convenience store. FOUR STROKE BARON’s anomalous view of the world takes a particularly dark turn across the songs on Data Diamond, yet, as ever the macabre tragedies are dressed up with catchy melodies, pop hooks for days and a big shimmering bow of positivity.

An American soul vocal group that would go on to shape the sound of pop music much farther beyond their imaginations, The Ponderosa Twins Plus One featured two sets of identical teenage twins, Alfred and Alvin Pelham, and Keith and Kirk Gardner, along with Ricky Spicer. The group released a couple of singles and a lone album for Cleveland's Saru label in 1971, breaking up and disbanding as adolescence waned. A recent sample darling of both Kanye West and Tyler The Creator, "Bound" has revealed the Ponderosa Twins Plus One as the real Midwest kid soul deal. Numero is proud to present the first official American repressing of the original 1971 release, with fresh remasters from the original analog tapes, two previously unissued bonus tracks, and a replica tip on sleeve, making this an album you're bound to fall in love with.

Chrome is back again with his 5th full studio album. A new project under the guise of ChromePlus alongside Super JB, A Civilian and Tom Hanna. Chrome has amassed an incredible catalogue since 1990 as member of the mighty Def Tex and collaborating with IllInspired, Whirlwind D, DJar One, Specifik, Crease and DJ Nappa to name but a few.
This album has taken just over 3 years to complete and release but the wait is worth it. Featuring live instruments over sampled drums and turntables it has a vastly different DNA to most Hip Hop based albums, and with this the soundscape is able to stretch out in a way that would be almost impossible when staying in the realm of samples. But with the sampled drums keeping the dynamic energy of more usual Hip Hop production
Chrome’s previous single ‘Anything You Want’ achieved the prestige of ‘BBC Introducing’ single of the week which gives only a hint of the quality that can be expected here. Chrome is always trying something new and pushing his music into territory that many other artists do not attempt and with great results and with the stunning artwork it is the complete package for the decerning Hip Hop listener. There is something for each part of the Hip Hop spectrum here from Fast Rap, thoughtful and experimental guitar driven tracks, instrumentals and the almost forgotten DJ track with the tempo varying accordingly.

"Neutrals are a punk band from the San Francisco Bay Area, channeling a wide range of '70s and '80s punk, post-punk, and DIY indiepop influences. Their spare, angular songs don't skimp on melody or intimate storytelling and represent an appropriate intervention in these tense, atomized times. Their debut album ""Kebab Disco"" came out in 2019 on Emotional Response Records and garnered universal acclaim as ""an excellent collection of terse melodies, unique storytelling, and scraping pop. (AllMusic)"".

Following up their ace 2019 debut LP and a string of future-classic singles, Neutrals are now back with ""New Town Dream,"" a 13 song dispatch that takes on modern life and politics (both micro and macro) and situates their scrappy Jam-meets-Television Personalties sound firmly in 2024. Now featuring the sprightly bass and deadpan harmonies/backing vocals of bassist Lauren, Neutrals have turned in their catchiest, sharpest set of tunes yet."

Late Night Tales and Bonobo were pretty much made for each other, it just took them a while to both realise it. Stepping forward into the compilers spotlight for the 33rd edition is Simon Green - aka Bonobo - a musician, producer and DJ perfectly suited to soundtrack an evening spent reclining to some parallel beats. Six albums to the good (most recently 'The North Borders' released earlier in 2013), Green has been on a winning streak since 2010's breakthrough 'Black Sands', which has now sold in excess of 160,000 copies. His music has aided the sales of Citroen cars and Olay creams, as well as soothing the puzzlement of Lost. Wrapped in delicately programmed drums, Green's music is at once both sombre and reassuring. If what comes out the other end is the music of Bonobo, then this is the fuel that keeps the engine running: soul, jazz, classical, pop, funk, leftfield, rock. Pianos and brass are abundantly present. Our ivories are warmed and tickled by the classic, Bill Evans, and new school, with Matthew Bourne's mournfully beautiful 'Juliet' and Dustin O'Halloran's 'An Ending A Beginning'. The brass section comes courtesy of Menehan Street Band's jazzy 'The Traitor', 'Flipside' by the Hypnotic Brass Band. Exclusives include YouTube sensation 'One Thing' by Peter & Kerry . Not only that, but there's Bonobo's special LNT cover version, a brilliant reading of Donovan's 'Get Thy Bearings', As the light dims, the unsettling sounds of Lapalux or maybe even Shlomo pierce the misty evening air, before giving way to the ethereal splendour of Eddi Front's 'Gigantic' or even Nina's paean to an imagined rural idyll 'Baltimore'. Amble down to the riverside. It could be the Great Ouse, as willows weep into the water; it could even be in Brooklyn overlooking the Lower East Side, as the sun slides down the sides of the skyscrapers. Take a notepad for inspiration. Maybe even a hipflask for a slug of something warm. Sit down and reflect and let those beautiful pianos skim the water's surface. Sometimes, you think, life is good. You can't play a symphony alone, it takes an orchestra to play it: Simon Green is your conductor.

Thou has always been a force of raw energy and unapologetic dissent, defying easy categorization and challenging listeners to confront the complexities of existence. Though often lumped in with New Orleans sludge bands like Eyehategod and Crowbar, Thou transcends genre boundaries, drawing inspiration from a diverse array of influences spanning from `90s proto-grunge icons like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden (all of whom they've covered extensively) to the raw intensity of obscure `90s DIY hardcore punk found on labels like Ebullition, Vermiform, and Crimethinc. Their latest record Umbilical, Thou's first full-length release of original music since their 2018 Sacred Bones debut Magus, is their firmest nod to the latter - a record filled with mosh-ready riffs, heavy breakdowns and scathing vocals. The band's aesthetic and political impulses have always been punk and like anyone embroiled in the subculture Thou have been exploring what it means to exist within and without a rigid morality. That exploration takes thematic center on Umbilical and their self-assessment is as harsh as that of the world around them.

Thou has always been a force of raw energy and unapologetic dissent, defying easy categorization and challenging listeners to confront the complexities of existence. Though often lumped in with New Orleans sludge bands like Eyehategod and Crowbar, Thou transcends genre boundaries, drawing inspiration from a diverse array of influences spanning from `90s proto-grunge icons like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden (all of whom they've covered extensively) to the raw intensity of obscure `90s DIY hardcore punk found on labels like Ebullition, Vermiform, and Crimethinc. Their latest record Umbilical, Thou's first full-length release of original music since their 2018 Sacred Bones debut Magus, is their firmest nod to the latter - a record filled with mosh-ready riffs, heavy breakdowns and scathing vocals. The band's aesthetic and political impulses have always been punk and like anyone embroiled in the subculture Thou have been exploring what it means to exist within and without a rigid morality. That exploration takes thematic center on Umbilical and their self-assessment is as harsh as that of the world around them.

10 Year Anniversary Gatefold 2LP 10 year anniversary gatefold 2LP edition of Cult of Luna's take on Fritz Lang's Metropolis film, Vertikal. "Somewhere Along The Highway" and "Eternal Kingdom" were inspired by the landscape of Västerbotten, the county we are from. We realised that there was only one way to go for us: to the city, into the future. Making a droney John Carpenter-esque album would be too easy and we've never been about taking the simple route. I was studying film at the time and had been floored by the aesthetic of German expressionism. This resonated perfectly with Erik Olofsson, who had just got into Italian futurism. This was a real challenge. We put in a lot of effort to realize our vision of the stale, artificial city in all aspects of what an album is. The way we played guitar (only down strokes), the production, artwork and band photos, everything was done with the vision as a guide. "Vertikal" is the album where we had the most precise vision of what we wanted to do and worked hardest to transform it from an idea into reality. A lot of things happened during the years between "Eternal Kingdom" and "Vertikal" and I could continue writing for ages but this will do for now. Ten years have passed since its release and what felt like a rebirth of the band, the band that is still ongoing with new goals and missions. It's a full circle kind of thing. At the time we had no label and now we are releasing it on our very own. Life is strange. Johannes Persson - Umeå December 2022

COBRA THE IMPALER is now a well-oiled killing machine, ready to take on anything that comes on its path. Taking strong cues from the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, COBRA THE IMPALER forges together larger-than-life grooves and spirited guitar leads with enchanting clean vocal harmonies and razor-sharp screams. Effortlessly flowing from breakneck riffs to tasteful melodic breaks, the band makes strong use of stylistic elements from groove, thrash, and classic heavy metal. Like many legendary metal acts from the 90s, COBRA THE IMPALER marries brute force with meticulous attention to detail, amounting to an unstoppable advance and an enticing experience diverse in punishment. 'Karma Collision' is an exercise in empowerment as well as a show of subtle restraint. Defiant to the end, COBRA THE IMPALER deliver a blatantly guitar-powered album full of huge riffs and equally huge choruses that instantly nestle themselves in your mind. Proving themselves as masters of melody as well as destruction, COBRA THE IMPALER hits hard while forcing an inescapable headlock, delivering salvation to those who worship, but certain punishment for those who dare to stray. For fans of Mastodon, Gojira, Baroness, Megadeth

When first released Astro-Sounds From Beyond The Year 2000 promised an uncharted trip beyond the now generation! And it certainly delivered, as soon as the needle drops onto the opening track ‘Flameout’
we are in astral freak-out territory with cosmic strings phased beats & displaced fuzz guitars... Despite being released as a budget label’s take on the burgeoning psychedelic scene Astro Sounds, delivers the real deal.
This is thanks in no small part to the central role played by Wrecking Crew guitarist Jerry Cole. Cole had previously been the involved some L.A. session colleagues and cut his own psychedelic
album: The Inner Sounds of the Id by 'The Id' and was the perfect choice to front Astro Sounds which can be considered a development from the seminal sounds of the Id.
Astro Sounds has suffered from some unofficial releases that offer poor audio quality. This Vinyl Exotica re-issue is remastered from the original tapes and is presented on coloured vinyl

In November 2021, Portland-born rapper Aminé released his latest project, TWOPOINTFIVE. The twelve-track release finds Aminé using the project to explore new sonic territory. This exploration is best evidenced by the project’s lead single "Charmander,” the video for which was lauded by GQ as the "Most Menswear-y Music Video of 2021" for its incredible styling and featured by Pitchfork as one of the best music videos of October 2021. After six months of anticipation, Aminé has prepared a vinyl offering for fans of the project to add to their collection for the very first time. Since its release, the album has amassed over 100 million streams and garnered praise from Billboard, Complex and Highsnobiety, in addition to the aforementioned support from Pitchfork and GQ. The vinyl will be sold online this summer and in-store with select retail partners. Speaking on the project, Aminé shares: "The POINTFIVE projects are the breaks in between albums where I give myself the freedom to make music without expectations, focusing instead of spontaneity and the best of what comes from stream of conscious creation, which is why they arrive unexpectedly without a long rollout. It’s an opportunity to create for my day one fans the way I used to in my bedroom. Thanks for listening." TWOPOINTFIVE takes inspiration from various strains of club and dance music, synthesized in a way that feels distinct to Aminé and his brand of clever lyricism. TWOPOINTFIVE acts as the second act to his 2018 project ONEPOINTFIVE, which is also lead with an introduction from Rickey Thompson and arrived in between Aminé's debut album Good For You and sophomore album Limbo. ONEPOINTFIVE solidified Aminé's status as a hitmaker in the modern hip-hop landscape with tracks like "REEL IT IN" and "BLACKJACK." Listen to TWOPOINTFIVE above and stay tuned for more from Aminé coming soon. Full Press Report PDF - Artist Bio - PR Report

In November 2021, Portland-born rapper Aminé released his latest project, TWOPOINTFIVE. The twelve-track release finds Aminé using the project to explore new sonic territory. This exploration is best evidenced by the project’s lead single "Charmander,” the video for which was lauded by GQ as the "Most Menswear-y Music Video of 2021" for its incredible styling and featured by Pitchfork as one of the best music videos of October 2021. After six months of anticipation, Aminé has prepared a vinyl offering for fans of the project to add to their collection for the very first time. Since its release, the album has amassed over 100 million streams and garnered praise from Billboard, Complex and Highsnobiety, in addition to the aforementioned support from Pitchfork and GQ. The vinyl will be sold online this summer and in-store with select retail partners. Speaking on the project, Aminé shares: "The POINTFIVE projects are the breaks in between albums where I give myself the freedom to make music without expectations, focusing instead of spontaneity and the best of what comes from stream of conscious creation, which is why they arrive unexpectedly without a long rollout. It’s an opportunity to create for my day one fans the way I used to in my bedroom. Thanks for listening." TWOPOINTFIVE takes inspiration from various strains of club and dance music, synthesized in a way that feels distinct to Aminé and his brand of clever lyricism. TWOPOINTFIVE acts as the second act to his 2018 project ONEPOINTFIVE, which is also lead with an introduction from Rickey Thompson and arrived in between Aminé's debut album Good For You and sophomore album Limbo. ONEPOINTFIVE solidified Aminé's status as a hitmaker in the modern hip-hop landscape with tracks like "REEL IT IN" and "BLACKJACK." Listen to TWOPOINTFIVE above and stay tuned for more from Aminé coming soon. Full Press Report PDF - Artist Bio - PR Report

Within the first few seconds of the opening song on Australian troubadour Peter Bibby's latest album, we get an unvarnished look at the man behind the music as he observes the late-night scene of a local watering hole with increasingly bleary eyes:"No one seems to want to talk to me / 'cuz I'm the arsehole, probably." Indeed, that lovable ambivalence is at the heart of Drama King, Bibby's fourth studio album for Spinning Top Records. The project was produced by first-time collaborator Dan Luscombe (The Drones, Amyl and the Sniffers) and mixed by White Denim's Josh Block a frequent collaborator with Leon Bridges. An artist who has been celebrated as inherently working-class and wholeheartedly independent, Bibby comes by this caution honestly, having cut his teeth in the rough-and-tumble underground rock scene centered around Perth's Hyde Park Hotel in Western Australia. Bibby's affable personality has gotten him plenty of mileage as a live act. He's toured the U.S. with Pond and performed at the infamous open mic night at Pappy and Harriet's in the California desert. He's also taken the stage at international festivals such as Laneway, Falls, All Points East, South by Southwest and South Africa's Rocking the Daisies while notching his fair share of rowdy headlining shows.

The landmark 2006 album that showcased Brooklyn's legendary Hip Hop collective with their original lineup for the first time since their 1997 debut LP "For the People." Buckshot, Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah, and O.G.C. sound as raw as ever over a hall-of-fame production lineup including beats by Pete Rock, Large Professor, Da Beatminerz, 9th Wonder, Marco Polo, and more.

The phenomenal three-piece band includes members of Oranssi Pazuzu, K-X-P, Grave Pleasures and Aavikko


Svart Records is proud to release the debut album, I, from Haunted Plasma, a powerhouse of futuristic synth in symbiosis with the super violent atmospherics of kosmische Black Metal. Haunted Plasma is “man meets machine” in a cybernetic wasteland, set to a conceptual backdrop of William Gibson and Phillip K. Dick style mind-melt. The highly evolved creatives at the heart of Haunted Plasma’s sound, cite Terry Riley, Massive Attack, a contemporary take on Krautrock hypnosis, psychedelic Black Metal and 90s Techno, resulting in an orgy of mutant sound.



The phantoms at the beating nucleus of this unearthly machine are Juho Vanhanen (Oranssi Pazuzu, Grave Pleasures), Timo Kaukolampi (K-X-P, Op:l Bastards) and Tomi Leppänen (Circle, Aavikko, K-X-P), transmitting a music form evolved from a life of redefining sonic boundaries in their respective projects. Also featuring guest vocals from Mat McNerney (Hexvessel, Carpenter Brut, Grave Pleasures/Beastmilk), Pauliina Lindell (Vuono, Dust Mountain) and Ringa Manner (Ruusut, The Hearing). Haunted Plasma promises an extraterrestrial experience from some of the foremost contemporary musicians at the heart of the Finnish heavy and avant-garde musical underworld.



Haunted Plasma reveals:

“We are liberated futurists, embracing free-form and natural composition, mirroring the merciless forces of cosmic creation. We have a motto to stay true to our feelings, to spawn a sound that’s never been heard before. Servants of music. Energizing, radical and pure”


The first single from Haunted Plasma’s cascading debut, Reverse Engineer, is a creepy, slowly erupting, synthetic nightmare, of a downloaded being waking up in the wrong future. Ghostly vocals demand the listener to “give us what we want” in an Orwellian glimpse into the current dystopia we live in, where information is controlled, and thoughts are bought and sold. As McNerney intones the words “technology of power” he describes the threat of a malevolent and omnipresent artificial intelligence, as much as describing the oppressive and electromagnetic sonar pulse of Haunted Plasma’s sound itself. Psychedelic guitar hypnosis from Vanhanen snakes around Kaukolampi’s molten and morphing synths, while Leppänen’s uncanny man/machine rhythms pull our strings and animate their other-worldly mechanisms. Have a look at the official visualiser of "Reverse Engineer" on the Svart YouTube channel here


Culminating in the full-blown fast Krautrock of the final self-titled track, oozing with blistering noise elements and enigmatic vocals from Ringa Manner, the album's journey reaches its zenith, taking you to unknown territories on a Kubrikian space trip. I is a rare record of talented musicians coming together to create a completely new sound, which is entirely their own, boldly glowing, where no light has shone before. From the dreamy psychedelia of Echoes to the discombobulated Spectral Embrace, Haunted Plasma is a willful force of deliberate sound contortion.


Whether you want to give in to Haunted Plasma’s sound or not, you are being watched, you are being recorded and your every move is monitored. Haunted Plasma will enter your system on the 31st of May 2024. Turn on your phantom circuits and be prepared for an interdimensional excursion into Haunted Plasma’s alien dreams.

The debut album from Haunted Plasma will be packaged in a beautiful tip-on sleeve, swirling fog artwork, complete with 12” booklet and pressed on 3 exclusive vinyl colours: 300 copies on Standard Black Wax, 500 copies in Amber + Black Smoke and 200 copies of Svart exclusive Turquoise/Black Marble. The album will also be available on CD and digital platforms.

Tyler Hubbard beweist auf seinem zweiten Album ”Strong” erneut, warum er zurecht zu den angesagtesten und besten neuen Künstlern der Countryszene zählt. Mit mehr als 1 Milliarde Streams als Solokünstler enthält Tyler Hubbards zweites Soloalbum 13 brandneue Songs, darunter “Back Then Right Now“, “Turn“ und “Wish You Would“. Das Album ist jetzt auch erhältlich als limitierte Vinyl nur solange der Vorrat reicht!

BARONESS' Yellow & Green finds a band that has developed into more than just giants of the metal underground, they are now fully formed hard rock titans.

The Woggles are proud to announce the release of “The Wicked Coolest Songs” which compiles “Coolest Songs of the Week” the Woggles have had on Little Steven’s Underground Garage, while on Wicked Cool Records. These tracks also coincide with the years that Flesh Hammer aka Jeff Walls was the guitar player in band. It has 12 tracks, with an insert featuring the Woggles pictured as 8" Mego styled dolls. Layout and design by Scott Sugiuchi and doll concept by by Austin Hough. All proceeds benefit the “Flesh Hammer Family Fund.” Jeff Walls passed away on May 29, 2019 from pancreatic cancer. As a member of the Woggles, he spread joy to people all over the planet. Let's join together to honor him by raising funds to help his family with the overwhelming medical expenses.

A landmark recording and masterful symphony of performance, composition, and execution, Miles Davis' E.S.P. established the template jazz would follow for the following decade. The 1965 record splits the gap between accessible hard-bop and the cutting-edge approach Davis increasingly pursued into the 1970s. Adventurous, sophisticated, and yet altogether cohesive, E.S.P. stands out not only due to its elastic compositions but via its chemistry, interplay, and feeling attained by the instrumentalists. The first album Davis' classic second quintet made together, it's also very arguably the group's best. Never before has the effort been experienced in such transformational sound.

Pressed at RTI, this 180g 45RPM 2LP set of E.S.P. renders the music's dynamics, pitch, colors, and textures with lifelike realism and proper scale. Reference-caliber separation, wall-to-wall soundstages, and distinct images magnify the intensity and beauty of Davis and Co.'s creations. Whether it's the distinctive snap of Tony Williams' drum sticks against the snare head, air moving through Davis' trumpet, acoustic thrum of Ron Carter's bass, or upper register of Herbie Hancock's piano, the sound is better than you'd even hear in the most intimate jazz clubs. Prepare to be swayed on every level.

For many, E.S.P. looms among the decade's best albums if only because of the significance of Davis' line-up. While Hancock, Williams, and Carter are holdovers that began playing with one another on 1963's Seven Steps to Heaven, Wayne Shorter functions as the secret weapon and key addition responsible for this ensemble hitting a new peak. Indeed, the saxophonist helped pen two of the seven compositions here – notably, E.S.P. is entirely comprised originals and clocked in as one of the longest-running jazz LPs issued at the time – and, more importantly, grants Davis the confidence and leeway necessary for the eruption of enigma, steadiness, and tension.

As he did with John Coltrane year earlier, Davis hangs back and picks his moments to solo, with Shorter stepping up to supply the churn. Their bandmates respond in kind, itching to take off into new stratospheres all the while keeping their improvisations grounded and connected to the piece at hand. Guided by Davis' visions and inspired by current boundary-pushing works by the likes of Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, and Coltrane, the magnificent results spark with variation, harmony, emotion, energy, and brilliant movement.

Interlocking lines drive "Little One," alternating rhythms pulse through the funky "Eighty-One," melodies soar on the balladic "Iris," the aptly titled "Mood" broods over minor-key structures, and "Agitation" – goosed by a two-minute percussive introduction by Williams – delivers on its promise. No record – and no group of musicians – have ever balanced coherent themes and exploratory playing in better fashion than Davis' quintet on E.S.P. It's the avant-garde record even jazz traditionalists love, and essential on every level.

Almost a year on since his Blueprint Records debut, the London-based Brazilian, Vinicius Honorio delivers the follow-up to "Sem Rumo".

With a storied history in DJing and producing, starting in Rio de Janeiro as a D&B selector before settling into London's techno sphere, the Brazilian producer pens dark and dubby textures. Delivering releases on his own label, Liberta Records as well as the likes of Modularz, Mord, Token and of course, Blueprint he has displayed his penchant for trippy and foreboding techno whilst encapsulating the energy and passion that have come to be synonymous with his style. A style that also permeates his DJ sets which he's taken around the globe.

"Ominous Music" features four hard-hitting Techno tracks characteristic of his style.

(180gr vinyl) Dizzy Mandjeku & Odemba OK Allstars, the esteemed Congolese musical ensemble, joyfully announces the forthcoming release of their latest masterpiece, "Odemba Nostalgie - Rumba Congolaise," on vinyl format.



Dizzy Mandjeku is considered a living guitar legend. The guitar riff from Stromae’s Papaoutai, ten years on tour with Zap Mama and besties with Baloji. Over the years he has built up an entire repertoire with the greats of Congolese rumba. Cuban rumba was vibrant in Congo and it didn’t take long before traditional elements started to blend with modern instruments. With Franco Luambo and his band T.P.O.K. Jazz at the forefront, the music evolved into a brand new style called Rumba Odemba. Dizzy, having been a member of the T.P.O.K. Jazz later founded the Odemba OK Allstars in Brussels in order to keep th unique ‘Rumba Odemba’ alive.



As an hommage to Franco Luambo, Dizzy took six of songs he used to play with him and interweaved them into two medleys: ‘Odemba #1’ and ‘Odemba #2’.



"Odemba Nostalgie - Rumba Congolaise" pays homage to the timeless tradition of Congolese rumba. Guided by the expertise of producer Toms Ntale and mixer Vincent Kenis (Crammed Discs) the album delivers an authentic listening experience that transports listeners to the heart of Congo's vibrant music scene.



"Dizzy Mandjeku & Odemba OK Allstars bring pure Franco OK Jazz rumba to the stage - brassy, funky, soukous heaven, with the enduring sound of the 60’s and 70’s getting everyone dancing and whooping." - Songlines (Anita Scott)

Repress!

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present the full debut album from Afrobeat supergroupEparapo. Having come togetherduring the unprecedented events of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, and despite being a project born from the privations of lockdown, their music is ultimately an expression of hope, resilience & resurgence.

The word "eparapo" means "join forces" in Yoruba, the language of Afrobeat. It's also the title of a track by the late, greatTony Allen- drummer for Afrobeat legendFela Kutiand lifelong friend and mentor of our very own "Afrobeat Ambassador",Dele Sosimi. Not only did Tony help to invent Afrobeat, he always looked for ways to push the boundaries, never content with recreating what had gone before but constantly expanding and developing the genre. This project hopes to pay homage to his legacy, and that of Fela Kuti himself. Its aim is to innovate, fuse and diversify while still retaining the essence of the music.

The force behind Eparapo is bassist, composer & producerSuman Joshi.He has been a member of Dele Sosimi's Afrobeat Orchestra for nearly a decade and has performed on stage with the likes of Tony Allen, Seun Kuti, Ginger Baker & Laura Mvula. He is also bassist with UK jazz ensemble Collocutor and fusion project Cubafrobeat.

"The Eparapo project was conceived during a time of lockdowns & government scandals. The music that makes up this album was written and recorded against a backdrop of societal upheaval, culture wars and rising wealth inequality. With little scrutiny or resistance from the mainstream media, our human and democratic rights were being eroded and our institutions debased. Even our right to protest is now under threat. This is a call to action, an expression of frustration & anger at what our nation has become. It's saying that enough is enough, it's time to join forces and make our voices heard. It's time to take to the streets."Suman Joshi

The title track is an epic eleven minute musical representation of this frustration and anger, where the musicians really let loose and allow their voices to be heard. As the only instrumental track on the album it acts as a call to action that is central to this body of work. Featured vocalists on the album are Fela Kuti disciple and Wah Wah 45s artistDele Sosimi, who appears on the singlesBlack Lives Matter,From London To LagosandWho Invented Back & White?as well as a more recent recording,Follow The Money; and London based, Ghanaian born master percussionist and vocalistAfla Sackey, who takes lead vocals on the mournful yet somehow hopefulBeautiful City.

The rest of the group comprises of highly rated UK jazz vocalistSahra Gure; saxophonist, composer, producer and bandleader of the renowned forward thinking jazz outfit Collocutor,Tamar Osborn; keyboard player, producer and front man for Lokkhi Terra and Cubafrobeat,Kishon Khan; one of the UK's finest and most in demand trumpeters,Graeme Flowers, who has played with Quincy Jones, Gregory Porter and many more; trombonist for Bellowhead and mainstay of Dele's Afrobeat Orchestra,Justin Thurgur; and finally drummer for Steamdown and Sons of Kemet, as well as the man behind the Nache project,Eddie Wakili Hick.

The album will be available digitally and limited edition vinyl LP, with striking artwork by our award winning designer Animisiewasz.

DJ Support: Gilles Peterson, Sean Johnston, Jaye Ward, Max Essa and Francois K

Limited to 300 copies

Having been long-time admirers of one another from afar, Hell Yeah and Michele Mininni finally come together for Pop Archetypes. It is a multifaceted debut album that collides broken beats, worldly rhythms, jazz, eastern melodies, live drums and much more into one thrilling 15-track opus that arrives on May 31st.

Italian artist Mininni has always had a leftfield take on electronic music and imbued it with rhythms, melodies and instruments from around the globe. He has released it on cult labels like R&S, Optimo Trax, Internasjonal and Curle Recordings but has saved his magnificent debut album for Hell Yeah. It is much more than a collection of sounds he has already explored and instead finds him heading off into all new territory without losing his signature sense of inventive and beguiling rhythm and melody. It is a multicultural journey that takes in heterogeneous styles and diverse influences but distills them all into one cohesive album with its own unique storyline.

Says Mininni of the record, 'I wanted each track to be like pieces of a unique, multifaceted picture, like walking through train cars or progressing through the levels of a video game, all filtered through my own vision and concentrated into 36 minutes. I wanted a pop album rooted in the extraordinary richness of popular music and projected into the future, a continuum where pieces communicate with each other and are received by the ears in symbiotic balance.'

Despite that concept, the album is a spontaneous listen full of surprises, left turns and original ideas that all hold together in thrilling fashion. It kicks off with the tumbling jazz drums and swirling synths of 'Spinning Around Cotton Candy', takes in mellifluous melodic layers and broken beats on 'Golden Room' and 'Slipped Air' casts you adrift amongst gorgeous piano keys and refracted vocals on the suspensory 'Vertigo'. There are jungle interludes with Eastern string melodies like 'Bangkok Tempo', lavish fusions of organic and synthetic sounds on 'Kundalini' and more charming Far Eastern rhythms on 'Muting Cat'. 'Congoflash' brings electrifying cosmic rays to busy hand drum patterns, 'The Magic Of Synesthesia' combines dark amen breaks and bright and uplifting flutes while 'Carousel Of Tears' douses you in watery melodies and celestial pads that awaken the soul.

Pop Archetypes is an adventurous work packed with meticulous and infinite details but all with an overarching narrative that makes it far more than the sum of its parts.

ora’s most innovative modern exponent bathes in communion with a re-imagined classical guitar, unveiling a new and previously unsuspected musical universe. In a meeting between instruments, not traditions, these maestros emerge from quite different and distant musical worlds. Ballaké Sissoko’s kora tradition and lineage traverse the once powerful West African empire known as Kaabu. South African Derek Gripper’s roots are in European classical guitar but infused with a unique jeli music mastery that takes guitar’s modern history in a captivating new direction.

But we are not hearing these traditions in dialogue: these masters meet on the sonic groundings of the kora, instrument of the griots, resonant vessel of the sacred and profane, sound carrier of history and wisdom. Through two decades of commitment and study, it is to this terrain that Gripper brings his guitar to meet its multi-stringed cousin.

The two men do not share a spoken language, but if it is true that music speaks universally, then they were already involved in profound dialogue long before they met for the series of London concerts which yielded this recording session – a session which matches deep communion with sparkling improvisation, which pushes a living tradition into brand new sonic spaces, and opens a live and direct channel of communication between kora and guitar. In the complex web of theme and variations spun by Sissoko’s twenty-two strings and Gripper’s six, a new African string theory is elaborated.

“Musically we tested each other,” says Sissoko, explaining that the most magical aspect of their encounters are spontaneity. “We have the mastery of our instruments, the technique and a good ear. Derek is very curious, that’s very important.”

“He’s just such a good listener,” says Gripper about Sissoko. “It’s not what he plays, it’s how he plays it. He’s an amazing interpreter, the prime master of timbre.”

Recording by Taylor Pollock at Platoon Studios, London.
Mixed, edited and produced by Derek Gripper.
Mastered by Murray Anderson at Milestone Studios, Cape Town.
Produced for vinyl by Chris Albertyn and Matt Temple at Matsuli Music.
Mastered for vinyl and lacquers cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery, London.
Vinyl pressed at Pallas GmbH, Germany.
Sleeve notes by Francis Gooding, French translation by Paulo Goncalves.
Cover design by Toby Attwell at Twoshoes, Cape Town.

2024 Repress

Funky Chicken brings together some of the best Belgian dance tracks from the early seventies. Emerged in a country where virtually every musical wave passes through, most of these tunes were created and recorded by hired guns, in this case a few clusters of gifted session musicians and composers. The music on Funky Chicken is their take on (afro-)funk, soul and Latin. Some of their releases were hit parade cannon fodder, but occasionaly, some spare studio time or the urgent need for a B-side allowed for memorable musical experiments.

Funky Chicken is a post-fact documentation, the result of a quest into a period on which information is few and far between, the 'black hole' in Belgium's history of popular music. The barren wasteland between the variety orchestras of the sixties and the electronic revolution of the late seventies and early eighties. This series explores the ground the dance pioneers built upon.