Cerca:the ant

Four essential cuts from Ghana & Cape Verde, compiled by Arp Frique...

Music is a great connector, bringing people together in many ways. On his journey in music so far, Arp Frique has been fortunate to meet many beautiful artists. The songs on this first edition of "Radio Familia" are deeply connected to the musicians he performs with. Join the music family on a trip through exciting sounds from Ghana and Cape Verde and listen to their story in both words and music.

Arp Frique never played a show without including Americo Brito’s epic song “C’est Dudu”. The song originally appeared on his album “Fidjo Di Mizeria” from 1989 but he had been performing his anthem for years and it came in many shapes and forms. After spending a lot of time in Paris, he (like many others in those days) got inspired by new records from Guadeloupe and Martinique, especially “kadans”. Incorporating latin piano motifs borrowed from salsa and merengue and a bold choice to sing in French, the song and album became an instant success for Americo in and outside the clubscene (note: DJs were not the primary source of dance music in those days, bands played all night to keep the dancers moving). The addition of C’est Dudu to this compilation became especially relevant since Americo recently passed away. Fortunately, his anthem just like all his other music will remain with us for decades to come.

While going through the archives with Americo Brito for the Radio Verde compilation, he introduced Arp Frique to a band called Imilux Star, of course again well connected with Americo. This Cape Verdean band residing in Luxemburg (where there is a substantial Cape Verdean community) definitely added a different flavor to the musical pallet the islands are famous for: heavy syncopated rhythms coming from the drum computer. They released two albums which both became very popular in their scene and the track “Yolanda” from their 1988 album “Jota Dê” got to Arp Frique’s attention too late to add to the Radio Verde comp. The band is still performing to this day in the Luxemburg-Cape Verdean live circuit.

While Arp Frique was on the road with his lead singer Mariseya, they talked much and deep about Ghanaian music (especially highlife) and he learned a lot about the community from Ghana in the Netherlands, mostly in Amsterdam and The Hague. Mariseya’s dad, Nana Adomako Nyamekye, came to see their liveshow while in the UK which was very special to them considering he is one of the highlife artists Arp Frique has grown to be very fond of. His deeply funky and bubbly bass driven song “Obra Twa Owuo” is about life and death, telling us we should all love each other as we still have life to live. Originally released on “Ano Plan” from 1982, the album is filled with philosophical advice. In his own words: “A message to all humans that something awaits us all at the end of life. Let’s live together with love.

Bnnyhunna, from the Ghanaian community in the Netherlands, joined Arp Frique’s live experience several times playing keyboards and synthesizers. His dad Elvis Kwasi Ankomah, just like him, developed a high level of musicianship while performing regularly in church. The song “Fa Wokoma Mame” (give me your heart) from his only studioalbum “Mfa Menko” released in 1995 is about showing his love to a lady but only if she puts her trust in him completely. The album talks about love, pain, relationships and life. Having worked with artists like Daddy Lumba, Nana Ampadu, Amakye Dede and many other hiplife and highlife legends, he still plays in church every week and has been doing so ever since he was 15 years young.

Der 1997 erschienene Hip-Hop-Klassiker von Busta Rhymes, der Ende letzten Jahres sein 25-jähriges Jubiläum feierte, wird noch in diesem Jahr im Rahmen der Warner HIP-HOP AT FIFTY Feier veröffentlicht.

Das mit Platin ausgezeichnete Album enthält die kolossalen Hits "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" und "Dangerous", sowie Fan-Favoriten wie "Rhymes Galore" und "Turn It Up". Das Album erscheint in einer limitierten Silber-Vinyl-Doppel-LP und ist mit Sicherheit eine tolle Ergänzung für die Sammlung eines jeden Hip-Hop-Heads.

Repress.


After the success of Bollywood infused edit of Koi Jaye and the Three Eyes remix, Tjade is back on Bordello A Parigi with a four tracker of varied delights. A clear enthusiasm for bright melodies and bending bars of trance runs through his Voyager EP. The title track judders to life on rumbling arpeggio lines, while the leads are crisp and beats racing fast as an anthem for dancing till sunrise dawns. “In Contact” offers corkscrew acid key shifts and sentimental chiptune melodies, while broken beats and the devil-may-care chords characterise “Shut Out”. Tjade provides music to help cares float away and bring people together. To top it all off, the master of all things modern rave Marlon Hoffstadt dons his DJ Daddy Trance moniker to rework the title piece. The BPMs rise, the breaks extend and drops fall from great height.

Repress!

Having made a firm footing for themselves, we're excited to bring you Bodhi's rave inspired track '88'. 88 incorporates a staple rave synth line that immediately grabs all ears in the club.
Already proving to be a go to track from Kry Wolf's DNA compilation, we're bringing this underground anthem to you on 12 with a fresh new remix from Jauge.

C-thru - The Otherworld is a collection of introspective cosmic-leaning dance music that gives a healthy nod to the golden era of trance, ambient, and down- tempo from Austin, Texas based producer Jesse Edwards. Inactive for several years, these 10 tracks mark a new chapter for Jesse Edwards.

Previous works include his well received psychedelic project, Red Morning Chorus, that included Boards of Canada amongst its fans. Edwards began his musical journey in the late 90s playing shoegaze and experimental music with Jessica Bailiff (Kranky). The pair collaborated on several albums together including works with Flying Saucer Attack, His Name is Alive, & Odd Nosdam (Anticon).

An evolved, ecosystemic love expression of Carlos Niño"s self-described "Spiritual, Improvisational, Space, Collage" expression - (I"m just) Chillin", on Fire is the prolific percussionist/producer"s most singular, intentional work ever, featuring a vibrant and abundant gathering of his "friends" (i.e. the highly skilled and accomplished musicians and improvisers that make up Niño"s extensive network of collaborators)

Formed in 2017, Flycatcher’s ability to construct sing-a-long melodies and gut-punching instrumentation, while also tackling the dissonance of depression and difficult relationships, proves their power in casting an empathetic, universal eye.

The New Jersey-based quartet, made up of Greg Pease, Justin VanNiekerk (guitar), Jack Delle Cava (bass) and Connor Carmelengo (drums), are known for their undeniably anthemic arrangements. Albums Other Things (2018) and Songs for Strangers (2019) garnered acclaim for their ear-worm choruses, tight textural dynamics and propulsive, driving percussion.

King Geedorahs alias MF DOOM zweites Solo-Album, jetzt in der limitierten 20th Anniversary Edition! Ein zeitloser HipHop Meilenstein!

Format: Ltd Reissue erscheint im originalen Artwork als 2LP im schwarzem Vinyl gebundelt mit der 7inch Anti-Matter (schwarzes Vinyl) inklusive Downloadkarte

'London-based DJ/producer Soreab returns to Baroque Sunburst with a highly anticipated follow-up to 2020's 'Kraepelin Avenue' EP. The new four-tracker also marks his label's 10th release.

The concept of 'Maschera' revolves around Luigi Pirandello, an Italian dramatist and novelist. His ideas of the 'mask' and 'trap' take centre stage. Pirandello believed that the concepts of 'self' and 'identity' are lost and unachievable in human beings, who are all trapped behind a metaphorical mask concealing their identities.

Each track on 'Maschera' has two masks: they can be played at both 33 or 45 rpm, a dream for DJs mixing in wide tempo mode.The title-track draws inspiration from Pirandello's masking ideas. Soreab's half-time stomper moves with the slithering grace of a snake, evolving into intricate IDM melodies riddled with complex drum patterns. ‘Trappola’ is a melodic hide and seek, with a captivating slow tribal rhythm that gradually intensifies. In ‘Specchio’ the snake returns, biting his own tail in a continuous loop, a birth and death cycle. The closing track sees the opener remixed by KRSLD, a collaborator with Soreab on the BSUN and XCPT co-release 'Marmo'. His rework builds on all the concepts Soreab explores, infusing dub with a half-time modern dancehall mood. The snake, no longer masked, is now looking for you.'

The Church’s Starfish is a dreamy, atmospheric masterpiece, guitar-driven alt-rock before alt-rock was a term. It includes the timeless smash hit “Under the Milky Way,” and “Reptile,” both First Wave staples.

Intervention's 2X 180-Gram LP, Artist-Approved Expanded Edition is 18-tracks total, including 8 amazing bonus tracks that were not on the original LP. These bonus tracks kick off with wonderful acoustic versions of “Under the Milky Way” and “Antenna.” The other tracks are so strong that it’s very apparent that Starfish could have been a potent double LP.

Starfish is 100% Analogue Mastered with the original repertoire cut directly from THE Original Master Tapes by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound. Intervention's cut expands the original 10-song repertoire to three vinyl sides opening up the already massive soundstage and presenting this amazing recording with FULL bass extension and dynamic power. All of the 8 bonus tracks are 100% Analog Mastered from separate tape reels assembled by Ryan K. Smith.

The 180-gram LPs are ultra-quiet, pressed at boutique press, RTI in Camarillo, CA. Intervention replaces its stampers every 500 copies so every pressing is is a hot stamper.

Starfish’s album art was lovingly restored by Intervention's Art Director Tom Vadakan, and the original inner sleeve here is printed as the interior of a gorgeous gatefold jacket. The jacket is an “Old Style” gatefold made by wizards at Stoughton printing in LA. It's printed on heavy stock and film-laminated for superior colour depth, beauty and durability. The centre labels are printed by Dorado.



Mastering Notes
Starfish is 100% Analog Mastered from THE Original Master Tapes by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound. Intervention's cut expands the original 10-song repertoire to three vinyl sides for maximum bass and dynamics. Even the bonus tracks were mastered 100% Analogue from tapes assembled by Ryan K. Smith.

As with all albums on Shabaka Hutchings' Native Rebel Recordings the plan was the same: the musicians gather at the RAK Studios for three days, without rehearsal and consider the rehearsals part of the recording, with Shabaka producing

The performers featured here are Jas Kayser who has performed with Alfa Mist, Nubya Garcia and Jorja Smith among others, Alexander Hawkins of the Convergence Quartet and Decoy, Daisy George, and Ross Harris of Speakers Corner Quartet.

The features on the album are incredible too, and highlight the eclectic nature of Native Rebel. We have billy Woods on album opener “Apothecary", TS Elliot prize winning poet Anthony Joseph on "By Now", Confucius MC of Speaker's Corner Quartet and Con & Kwake on "Flowers In The Dark", Elucid on "Show Me", ganavya on "Increase Awareness", and Siyabonga Mthembu of The Brother Moves On and Shabaka and The Ancestors on “Aim".

As always with Native Rebel releases, the physical product is on double heavyweight vinyl, in high quality sleeves with printed inner sleeves and with side D on this release featuring etched artwork.

#40 ON ROLLING STONE'S 500 GREATEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIME: ANTICIPATES LATE 1960S TURBULENCE VIA PROPHETIC SONGS AND DARK THEMES
1/4" / 15 IPS analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe



Any discussion about the finest psychedelic rock record ever recorded is incomplete if it doesn't grant consideration to Love's Forever Changes. Ranked by Rolling Stone as the 40th greatest album ever made, and named by Mojo the second-greatest psychedelic set in history, the effort is an internationally recognized seminal work of art. Transcending language and convention, its magnitude and magnificence need to be heard again and again. For here is an effort whose mind-boggling acoustic complexities and kaleidoscopic nuances are tailored for high-fidelity playback.

Nearly unlimited headroom, vast instrumental separation, transparent clarity, artifact-free atmospherics, and faithful balances appear out of jet-black backgrounds. Turn it up as loud as you want; the sole limitation will be your system's potential.

Commercially ignored upon release in November 1967, Forever Changes confronts the alienation, paranoia, violence, and strife that would soon plague the countercultural movement and send the Summer of Love into a tailspin. Apart from its lyrical themes and prescient malaise, the record's enduring nature equally owes to intertwined arrangements sewn together with Latin guitar-picked lines, finessed folk harmonies, mariachi-inspired horn charts, and subdued strings.

The seemingly opposing combination – ominous, dark reflections situated amidst lush, light melodic beds – affords Forever Changes a distinguished tension of claustrophobia and openness, dourness and ecstasy, ugliness and elegance enjoyed by no other record in the rock canon. Much of the contrast owes to leader Arthur Lee's mental state and pertinent observations. Lee, whose suppressed romanticism often surfaces even amidst the blackest shadows and most cynical moments, believed he would soon die, and hence channeled everything from lasting hopes to acid-addled decay to the chilling testimony of a Vietnam veteran in his narratives.

Alternatively sad and beautiful, the album-opening and flamenco-inspired "Alone Again Or" establishes the mood for what follows. Vocals overlap and soar; tempos rise and fall; surrealism trades places with reality.Forever Changes thrives both because of and in spite of a surfeit of labyrinthine chords and difficult notes that never repeat. Its ambitious construction almost forced the already fractured band to cede responsibilities to session musicians, which appear on two tracks. The quintet's resolve to not only complete the album, but to do so with such poignancy and curiosity, further enhances Forever Changes' standing.

No wonder that, in the twilight of his troubled career, Lee performed the record in its entirely during concerts met with overwhelming critical acclaim. It was, and will always be, a personal manifesto of timeless relevance and appeal.

Dynamic dancehall singer Anthony Johnson began his career in the mid-1970s, cutting a few sides for Channel One before he joined the group Mystic I who cut some great work for Lee Perry and Linval Thompson before disbanding, leading to the hit material Johnson cut for Jah Thomas as a solo singer. Togetherness dates from 1993, when Johnson was long based in London, but his singing kills remained on par as in his heyday, the album a mix of ballads, pop adaptations and songs of dancehall appeal, the soave production values and one-off vocal style making it popular in Brazil and other territories. A lost gem, ripe for rediscovery!

EASYGOING PORTRAIT OF DOWN-HOME SOUL SINGER COMING INTO HIS OWN AND ESTABLISHING AN INDELIBLE BOND BETWEEN PERFORMER AND AUDIENCE
1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analogue master to DSD 64 to analogue console to lathe


On par with the most treasured concert albums of the 60s and 70s, Bill Withers' transformative Live at Carnegie Hall is a forgotten classic – an easygoing portrait of a down-home soul artist coming into his own in front of an audience eager to share every moment of his brilliance. Soothing with subtlety, charming with calmness, and healing with a vocal timbre as relaxing as his grooves, Withers uses the stage to expand the range of favorites and engage in dialog with the crowd. Distinguished with sonics that restore the performances' balance and improve the sound-staging, this reissue takes you inside the venue.

Moreover, aspects that really make this concert document unique – the energetic crowd, Withers and his band's willingness to extend arrangements, and the undeniable communicative bond between the performer and his fans – are brought into fuller relief. While most live albums give you the sense of what transpired, our reissue allows it to seem that what you're hearing and sensing is happening right now, in the moment. You are as much a participant as listener. For this reason and more, Live at Carnegie Hall ranks with James Brown's Live at the Apollo and B.B. King's Live at the Regal. No small claims, but the proof is in the grooves.

The antithesis of the sweaty R&B shouter that prowls the edge of stages, Withers deals in mellowness and vulnerability, qualities that come to fore. The songs here span soul, blues, and folk and often times, contain elements of all three styles. Live at Carnegie Hall also deals with serious subject matter with unflinching honesty and simple directness. Companionship, poverty, war, maturity, family, and love all crop up within Withers' tunes, yet the messages are never overly cumbersome or preachy. Credit goes to his easygoing style and relatable lyrics, not to mention a tight-as-a-vice band that on this night is simply "on."


"One more time?" Withers asks in response to a request for another stanza during "Use Me," and like the snap of fingers, his musicians are right back on cue, the crowd clapping along on every beat. This classic, as well as the instantly familiar "Ain't No Sunshine," poignant "Grandma's Hands," and all-time favorite "Lean On Me" are delivered with utmost soulfulness, passion, and electricity. Few, if any, live albums demonstrate such a bond between the crowd and artist as Live at Carnegie Hall. You'll definitely want to be there.

In 2006, THE DRAFT was formed by Hot Water Music members Jason Black, George Rebelo, and Chris Wollard shortly after singer/guitarist Chuck Ragan's departure. The three remaining members of the band wanted to continue making music together but chose not to continue under the Hot Water Music name, opting for a fresh start instead. The initial writing and demo sessions included the legendary punk rock guitarist Brian Baker (known for Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Bad Religion). However, due to conflicting schedules, Baker couldn't commit as a full-time member, leading fellow Florida resident and former Discount member Todd Rockhill to join the band. After releasing their debut album "In a Million Pieces" (produced by the esteemed Brian McTernan) on Epitaph Records in 2006, the band embarked on extensive tours with acts like Samiam, The Gaslight Anthem, and Paint It Black. They also released several singles on the renowned No Idea Label before disbanding in 2008. With both "In a Million Pieces" and all 7" records being out of print for years, THE DRAFT has now teamed up with End Hits Records and Equal Vision Records to release a deluxe vinyl version on double vinyl. For the first time, you can find every track ever recorded by THE DRAFT: Included are the twelve album tracks, six songs featured on three 7" records, two unreleased demo versions, as well as four songs recorded during a radio session in the UK that have never been released before. Not only were all songs remastered specifically for vinyl by Brian McTernan, and detailed liner notes have been added to tell the band's history from beginning to end, but the packaging has also been completely overhauled. A special feature for collectors: the European and American versions come in different gatefold covers, which together form a complete work of art.

For fans of Dead and Company, Digital Tape Machine, and Jazz Improvisation! Chicago native and Guitar prodigy, Marcus Rezak has connected with GRAMMY-award-winner Paul Nelson (Johnny Winter) to produce his next body of work entitled Guitar Head, a blues-oriented album that melds his prestige in the jam, improvisation, and songwriting world with his roots that hail from the “Home of the Blues.” Rezak is joined by fellow stalwarts on today's scene Ray Paczkowski (Trey Anastasio Band), Adrian Tramontano (Twiddle & Kung Fu), and Chris DeAngelis (Kung Fu & The Machine) throughout the album, and Little Feat's saxophonist, Erik Lawrence joins the ensemble for four tracks. Guitar Head comes highly anticipated as Marcus’ best work to date. With a outstanding team in place and properly coordinated merchandise, performances, and promotion. This album will bring Marcus to the top, once again, as one of the nations most prominent guitarists and composers.

Repress.

"Urban Ethiopian music stands out within the African continent thanks to its creativity and originality. Whatever the shade -- pop, blues, jazz or soul -- it comes from a fusion of local musical traditions mixed with an echo of Western music. It bewitched Ethiopia during the Swinging Addis decade before recently winning the favors of a well-informed audience all over the world. This first vinyl volume of Ethiopian Urban Modern Music presents some of the Ethiopian grooves & jewels drawn from the essential CD Ethiopiques series directed by Francis Falceto and published by Buda music;

The iconic baritone country singer Johnny Cash sold over 90 million records, an incredible achievement for one who endured terrible hardship in the Great Depression, picking cotton with his sharecropper family from the age of five. After a spell in the Air Force, Cash settled in Memphis and with guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant, known as the ‘Tennessee Two,’ Cash pitched up at Sun Records just as Carl Perkins and Elvis were trying their luck, Cash’s brilliant debut With His Hot And Blue Guitar containing all-time anthems like ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and his perky cut of ‘Rock Island Line’. A must for all Cash fans.