Available for the first time on vinyl, celebrated blues, R&B and Americana vocal powerhouse blazes an exhilarating roots music trail, with many of the songs reflecting the spirit of our turbulent times
Produced by Will Kimbrough, it features guest performances and/or songwriting by Kimbrough, Jason Isbell, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Orphan Brigade, Steve Cropper, Duane Eddy and Shawn Mullins.
Nominated for 2022 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album.Winner of Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year.
quête:the blaze
New pressing on Orange Vinyl
Morcheeba have released 8 albums that have sold in excess of 10 million records in their career. 'Blaze Away', their positivity- packed ninth album, marks both a fresh start in its organic approach and a return to the joyous genre-mashing of their early days, with featured guests Roots Manuva and Benjamin Biolay. There was no template for its ten, extraordinary, future-facing songs, no self-imposed limits on style, no themes to be adhered to or rules in place to break.
UK trip-hop pioneers who have sold in excess of 10 million albums worldwide. First new album in over fve years with fantastic features and collaborations including Roots Manuva, Benjamin Biolay & Kurt Wagner.Global touring in 2022.
- 1: Interference
- 2: Eolian
- 3: Supra
- 4: Penumbra I
- 5: Isochrone
- 6: Halo
- 7: Fermion
- 8: Penumbra Ii
- 9: Axion
- 10: Aurora
Smoked clear LP[25,63 €]
Robert Hampson, the indefatigable visionary behind inspirational sonic architects Loop, whose eagerly anticipated fourth LP Sonancy (Latin for “to create noise”) is the perfect document for these strange times. Dynamic, dystopian, righteously angry and unashamedly Loop-ian, it’s an album that marks a vital re-emergence for Hampson and co. Formed in South London in the mid-1980s, Loop blazed a trail with their potent mix of motorik beats and heavy guitar riffs, recording a trio of brilliant albums that set the indie charts alight before imploding in 1990 after the release of album number three, A Gilded Eternity. As critics enthused at the time, Loop were the sound of Suicide jamming with the Stooges aboard a spaceship built by Hawkwind and piloted by CAN. They were post-psychedelic, pre-shoegaze figureheads in a world of anodyne pop jangle and baggy rhythms, and even their closest contemporaries like Spacemen 3 and My Bloody Valentine didn’t plough such a distinctive furrow as theirs. Today, Loop stand as innovators in a musical world that has embraced and followed their defiantly individual sound – there are hundreds of contemporary neo-psych artists out there who arguably would not exist without Loop’s pioneering music, music that continues to evolve and grow in the most startling of ways on Sonancy.
Robert Hampson, the indefatigable visionary behind inspirational sonic architects Loop, whose eagerly anticipated fourth LP Sonancy (Latin for “to create noise”) is the perfect document for these strange times. Dynamic, dystopian, righteously angry and unashamedly Loop-ian, it’s an album that marks a vital re-emergence for Hampson and co. Formed in South London in the mid-1980s, Loop blazed a trail with their potent mix of motorik beats and heavy guitar riffs, recording a trio of brilliant albums that set the indie charts alight before imploding in 1990 after the release of album number three, A Gilded Eternity. As critics enthused at the time, Loop were the sound of Suicide jamming with the Stooges aboard a spaceship built by Hawkwind and piloted by CAN. They were post-psychedelic, pre-shoegaze figureheads in a world of anodyne pop jangle and baggy rhythms, and even their closest contemporaries like Spacemen 3 and My Bloody Valentine didn’t plough such a distinctive furrow as theirs. Today, Loop stand as innovators in a musical world that has embraced and followed their defiantly individual sound – there are hundreds of contemporary neo-psych artists out there who arguably would not exist without Loop’s pioneering music, music that continues to evolve and grow in the most startling of ways on Sonancy.
Vordergrundmusik's head honcho re:deep kicks off the Vertigo remix series with his interpretation of Aural Drift. He gives the track a whole new vibe by adding a lively beat and garnishing it with restrained sounds and beautiful harmonies. An oh so cozy affair!
The second installation is of no other than one of Shitkatapult's labelfounders, T.Raumschmiere.
Keeping the vibe of the original whilst spicing it up with effectful and driving elements. An energetic 135 bpm madness to go wild to!
In between the striking synth jabs and arcane vocals of Back to Life, Rittik Wystup spins a net of sharp, crackly drums and fondle, almost trickling piano tones. His elation to combining electronic and acoustic spaces is mirrored throughout the rework, echoing his own unique sound note by note.
Last but not least, we are very delighted to have the german powerduo Extrawelt on the remix duties. The Cluster Buster version takes the original on a dark and imposing journey of huge 808s, raw synths and celestial widescreen pads. Turning it into a sturdy yet cinematic beast of an electro tune. While the Laser Blazer Remix takes things to a whole new level. Ever since Extrawelt started playing this version in their live sets, people have been going absolutely nuts! As the title already suggests, an absolute highlight and surely one for the books!
Since its inception in 2007, Minimood has continued to explore the deeper, dubbier realms of techno, house and minimal, playing host to the likes of CV313, David Hausdorf, Steve O’Sullivan, Luke Hess, Sascha Dive, Delano Smith and many more. Now, label head Voltmar returns to the subseries Minimood Extra together with his good friend Polish DJ/producer Blazej Malinowski to serve up two individual atmospheric, dub-techno reworks of Russian underground duo Advanced Dreams’ ‘Blurred Trip’ pressed on transparent wax.
Inner Tension chief Blazej Malinowski’s interpretation of the aptly titled ‘Blurred Trip’ creates a complex sonic soundscape as evocative keys, subtle percussion, reverberating basslines and ethereal samples work in harmony. On the flip, Voltmar offers up a chuggy, stripped back reshape as ghostly echoes, tight snares, and a punchy bassline carry this profoundly emotive cut.
- A1: Suburbia
- A2: Save Me
- A3: Blaze Of Glory
- A4: Don't Look At Me
- A5: Accumulator (Interlude 1)
- A6: Did You Have To Go?
- A7: Find My Way Back Home
- A8: Time To Take Sides
- B1: Helpline (Interlude 2)
- B2: Spoiler Alert
- B3: Keep Me Waiting
- B4: In It To Win It! (Interlude 3)
- B5: Reap What You Show
- B6: Costa Del Mundane
- B7: Promised Land
- B8: Credits
Vinyl Only
Marshall Applewhite has returned from the red planet with a new discovery in tow, his Lowercase EP! As a musical pioneer he needs little introduction but a few lauds include: the creation of an entire genre of electronic music, starting legendary label YoSucka! featuring his hit release "Go Home", now running a fantastic and creative label project called Junted sharing experimental and strange sounds. For all those in the Detroit techno community, his music has been an inspiration and his devil may care attitude is a welcome refreshment from the often overly serious and judgemental air of the industry. These tracks once again change up his style, leaning a bit more toward a house groove, but with plenty of his signature freakish basslines and trippy vocal samples to ride along. Released via PITS, a Detroit-based electronic music label run by cohort John Joe XO. The project is entering its fifth year of life this summer of 2021, so in celebration this special edition release will also be shared on 12" vinyl. The label has seen support from many artists over the years including Exos, Blazej Malinkowski, Justin Carter, Laurent Garnier, John FM, and more.
- A1: Isaac Hayes - The End Theme "Shaft
- A2: The Blackbyrds - The One-Eyed Two-Step
- A3: The Meters - Tippi-Toes
- A4: Melvin Van Peebles - Hoppin John
- A5: Joe Simon - Theme From "Cleopatra Jones" (Feat The Mainstreeters)
- B1: Lalo Schifrin - Bullitt (Main Title)
- B2: Don Julian - Lay It On Your Head
- B3: Isaac Hayes - Main Title "Truck Turner
- B4: Dyke & The Blazers - Let A Woman Be A Woman (& A Man Be A Man) (& A Man Be A Man)
- B5: Jerry Butler & Jerry Peters - Speak The Truth To The People (Frankie's Theme)
- C1: Dyke & The Blazers - We Got More Soul
- C2: Gil Scott Heron - Home Is Where The Hatred Is
- C3: Don Julian & The Larks - Shorty The Pimp
- C4: The Quantic Soul Orchestra - Pushin On (Feat Alice Russell)
- C5: George Benson - On Broadway
- D1: New Paradise - I Love Video
- D2: First Choice - Let No Man Put Asunder
- D3: Frankie Smith - Double Dutch Bus
- D4: The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
- D5: Grandmaster Caz - South Bronx Subway Rap
As the world continues to plunge into a fiery blaze of calamity, the Southern Hemisphere's air warms, its leaves glow green, and the damp earth jolts awake. Springtime is coming to Australia, and it will be ushered in by three sonic shamans who are no strangers to our ears. Gareth Liddiard (Tropical Fuck Storm / The Drones), Jim White (Dirty Three / Xylouris White) and Chris Abrahams (The Necks) are Springtime _ a new endeavor that is as much a tonal experiment as it is a meditation on modern-day absurdity. Springtime's self-titled debut combines free jazz, poignant lyricism crafted alongside renowned Irish poet Ian Duhig -- aka Gareth Liddiard's uncle - and improvisation to craft austere portraits of a world paralyzed by shellshock. It's as monstrously ravishing as it is clumsy in its elegance. Words run into each other with little regard for one another's injuries. There are sounds which come out of nothingness to wallop and brutalize their fellow sounds. The live recording of Will Oldham's "West Palm Beach" is treated with love and respect and would certainly be met with open arms by its author. Across the span of seven tracks, Liddiard incants with wild-eyed fury as White and Abrahams lay down stuttering strings, fizzling electronics, and feathery piano melodies. It is within these raving abstractions that one may find an answer to the enduring question, "What fresh hell will this new season bring?"
Reykjavik-born producer Volruptus, kown for several crazy bombs on трип, bbbbb or Sweaty Records (with Jensen Interceptor), is back with a 4-tracks EP that is made with hypnotic elektro, brutal braindance, and many explosives substances. Ignite your senses ! Feed the fire burning within! Blaze through explosive soundscapes where the heat is blistering ! Detonate into a feverous rage! Get engulfed in it's flames!
Hot on the heels of his preliminary EP on Stroboscopic Artefacts, Embryo, which paved the way to the present album, and two years after the landing of his 2016-released inaugural LP, Montagne Trasparenti, Mannequin helmsman Alessandro Adriani returns with his highly anticipated full-length debut for SA, Morphic Dreams. Throughout eleven cuts painstakingly executed but lacking not an iota of the fresh, spontaneous oomph that made his sound stand out of the crowd of techno producers to have emerged over the past decade, Adriani lays the foundations to a suspended sound imaginarium, governed by its own rules and principles of gravity. Revolving around the notions of sublimation and quest for inner balance, Morphic Dreams is comprised of four distinct sequences, conceived and designed as reflections of four mental states, each of them linked to the four alchemical elements i.e. Water, Earth, Air and Fire here represented by the A, B, C and D-sides. Fluid and enveloping, the A-side bathes the listener in some zero-G uterine vortex, pitching and rolling from the slo-burning exotic sensuality and tribal spell of The Tropical Year to the trunk-bending, arpeggiated fast-track pulse of Storm Trees, through Raindances feverish electro swing. Entering a further abrasive, minerally rich phase, the B-side unleashes Adrianis dark side with optimum conviction. Deeply anchored in earthly materiality, this new evolution stage starts off to the frantic Italo bass of Dissolving Images, rushing headlong into a kaleidoscopic maelstrom of fractured reflections and nasty Giallo-like ambience. The delirious body stretch sequence then rather abruptly swerves onto a calmer flux with Dust/Mist, a much enticingly hip-swaying collaboration with Simon Crab, ex-member of the seminal 80s UK industrial-experimental band Bourbonese Qualk, before Casting The Runes engulfs us into a tormented world of swollen eeriness and disquieting esoterism. Back to a widescreen showcase of droney distortions, nasty acid swashes and other quirky drum programming, Hors De Combat opens a new chapter, shortly followed by the playful bass intricacies and modular jeu-de-piste of Invisible Seekers, featuring Avian affiliate and longtime friend Shawn OSullivan. A further mind-expanding piece, C-side closer Crow deploys its blackened wings wide and high as a chaos of martial percussions and liquefying synths slivers crash past the red-hot skyline. A fluttering melodic interlude, Things About To Disappear blazes a clean trail for Make Words Split And Crack to flourish, slowly but surely blooming into a nonstop grandiose twelve minute-shy finale geared up with the stirring cacophonic force of a Ligetian symphony and something of an epic-scale Kubrickian soundtrack.
As the world circles the abyss at gathering speed, WIEGEDOOD have returned to provide a perfectly vicious soundtrack. Formed in 2014, the Belgian trio have built an unassailable reputation as purveyors of visceral and bleak black metal in its purest and most destructive form. Since unveiling their debut album “De Doden Hebben Het Goed” in 2015, WIEGEDOOD have blazed an unending trail for musical darkness, bolstering their burgeoning notoriety with some of the most apocalyptic live performances in recent memory, and producing two subsequent albums – “De Doden Hebben Het Goed II” and “III”, released in 2017 and 2018 respectively – which hammered home the band’s unique creative powers. Emerging once more, this time from the involuntary solitude of a plague-bound world, WIEGEDOOD are back with their fourth studio album, “There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road”. A ferocious tour-de-force, born of frustration and the ever-burning flame of hatred for the modern world, the new record marks a significant departure for this most ruthlessly singular of modern metal bands. “Musically I think we’ve made our most uncomfortable record so far. It’s once again faster than anything we’ve done before, and more unforgiving than the whole trilogy combined”, says vocalist/guitarist Levy Seynaeve. “To me, it feels like a soundtrack, for a movie yet to be made. A movie about the filthiest and most disgusting parts of human nature and society, and about the struggle we lead within, trying to overcome the fact we are all made from that same filth.” “There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road” is available as: Ltd. CD Edition, 2x 180g LP (with etching on side D) that come in a Wide Spined Sleeve and 2 printed Discobags, Digital Album.
Sudi Wachspress returns to Tartelet Records with Dance Planet, a third LP of emotionally-charged house music to welcome us back to the dancefloor. The spirit of true house runs deep in the sound of Space Ghost. Oakland native Sudi Wachspress is intuitively plugged into the romantic, mystical energy of 4/4 club music as a unifying force of empowerment and liberation, carrying the torch from vital forebears like Larry Heard, Alton Miller, and Blaze.
His new album, Dance Planet, carries a greater responsibility to spread spiritual affirmations. As the global dancefloor community emerges from a mentally-taxing recess and confronts their social self like it’s the first day of school, Space Ghost’s message couldn’t be more supportive.
“Don’t be afraid to be yourself, don’t be afraid to let go,” he intones on “Be Yourself.” More than just a beat and a hook, his music is pointedly created to heal and energize. “I’m a big fan of old-school house vocals that have a positive message,” says Space Ghost, “tracks that can perhaps enhance your mood or strengthen your confidence in yourself.”
Wachspress has always represented a beacon of musical uplift, both on his previous Endless Light and Aquarium Nightclub LPs for Tartelet and on his swathes of self-released music and last year’s Free 2 B on Apron. Compared to most house-oriented artists, he places emphasis on the long-player format to create an encircling experience for the listener, smoothing out psychic wrinkles and massaging areas of tension for a fully holistic hit.
Part of the joy of collecting soul music is searching for and discovering lesser known gems. Phoenix, AZ, might not be known as one of the main American cities for black music despite spawning artists such as Dyke & the Blazers and Eddie & Ernie, but the city holds a cult status among rare soul collectors thanks to the small output of labels like Artco, OK&T, Poorman’s and Raina.
One of the state’s well kept secrets is Bobby Barnes, who had a small number of 45 releases on local labels. All strong tracks which really deserved wider recognition than they got.
The 14th S4R release contains two previously unissued songs, from 1977 and 1984 respectively, recorded for the Raina label with Lawrence Carroll producing and arranging.
”Super High On Your Love” is in my opinion his best song - a super soulful floater type of modern soul dancer. The flip is an alternative, extended version of “I’ve Had My Share”, to my ears superior to the original with a sparser backing and keyboards replacing the guitar. Two truly sublime sides!
Here at Z Records, we believe, quite simply that the world is a better place thanks to our good friend Madam Disco. Where would we be in 2021 without Chic, Sylvester, or Donna Summer? Let alone all the wonderful underground disco releases both new and old. A world not worth thinking about in short, this is why we have collected together the finest, most exquisite collection of disco music and presented them to you here.
We have exclusive brand new remixes, re-masters, and unearthed some of the rarer cuts from the vaults of the label and disco world in this bumper package that celebrates Disco in all its forms. Highlights include a brand new Dave Lee remix of Italo disco classic Firefly 'Love is gonna be on your side' and previously vinyl only remixes from Larry Levan and Blaze. A new song 'Sensationalized' from Crackazat. Digital exclusives from Ruffneck, Masters of the Universe, and a Walter Gibbons mix of the classic 'Set It Off'. Disco is a beautiful thing.
When you’re trying to make it through tough times, you need a little light to find your way. That light blazes brightly on the alchemical second album from Penelope Isles, an album forged amid emotional upheaval and band changes. Setting the uncertainties of twentysomething life to alt-rock and psychedelic songs brimming with life, colour and feeling, ‘Which Way to Happy’ emerges as a luminous victory for Jack and Lily Wolter, the siblings whose bond holds the
band tight at its core.
Produced by Jack and mixed by US alt-rock legend Dave Fridmann, the result is an intoxicating leap forward for the Brighton-based band, following the calling-card DIY smarts of their 2019 debut, ‘Until the Tide Creeps In’. Sometimes it swoons, sometimes it soars. Sometimes it says it’s OK to not be OK. And sometimes it says it’s OK to look for the way to happy, too. Pitched between fertile coastal metaphors and winged melodies, intimate confessionals and expansive cosmic pop, deep sorrows and serene soul-pop pick-you-ups, it transforms ‘difficult second album’ clichés into a thing of glorious contrasts: a second-album surge of up-close, heartfelt intimacies and expansive, experimental vision.
Field recordings were made during a stay at a small cottage in Cornwall, where Penelope Isles began work on the album. With romantic heartache already in the air, things swiftly got worse:
lockdown began, claustrophobia kicked in and emotions ran high. As Jack puts it, “We were there for about two or three months. It was a tiny cottage with four of us in and we all went a bit bonkers, and we drank far too much, and it spiralled a bit out of control. There were a lot of emotional evenings and realisations, which I think reflects in the songs.”
At different points along the way, Jack Sowton and Becky Redford left the Isles. An old friend, multi-instrumentalist Henry Nicholson, stepped in swiftly - “A godsend after a low time,” says Lily. Another friend, Hannah Feenstra, contributed drum parts; now, Joe Taylor is the band’s drummer. After Cornwall, the band redid many of the rhythm tracks, recorded a little in Brighton, then recorded more in Cornwall at their parents’ house. “It was,” says Jack, “a proper
rollercoaster ride.”
The ride continued with Fridmann, whose recent credits include Isles’ favourites Mogwai’s No 1 album, ‘As the Love Continues’. As Lily puts it, the process of sending Fridmann a mix, receiving it back in the morning and then having five hours to make decisions on it resulted first in stress, then in something sublime. “I love everything he’s touched - MGMT, Mogwai, Mercury Rev. He would turn our mix into this electric, fiery thing. There were some moments that were
initially hard, like on ‘Miss Moon’, where he took out the bass when it gets to the chorus. But now it’s my favourite bit on the record. He made everything so colourful. It’s an intensesounding record - a hot record. It was so refreshing to have that blast of energy from Dave - it’s like he framed our pictures.”
Away from the confines of the cottage, the Wolters also opened the door to a collaboration with storied composer Fiona Brice, whose credits include John Grant, Lost Horizons and Placebo. A
“big bucket-list tick” for Jack and Lily, the team-up results in glorious arrangements across the album: for Lily, ‘11 11’ stood out. “I was in absolute tears when she sent back the strings for ‘11 11’. It was like, oh my goodness, she’s nailed it.”
On its release, ‘Until the Tide Creeps In’ received rave reviews from Q, DIY, The Line of Best Fit and many others, while finding champions in Steve Lamacq and Shaun Keaveny. It also become part of a lifeline for music fans during the 2020 lockdown when the band participated in Tim Burgess’s Twitter Listening Party. Meanwhile, extensive touring saw the Isles develop into a formidable live force, with ‘Gnarbone’ emerging as a sure-fire showstopper.
Now, the Isles have 11 more showstoppers to add to the mix. At the album’s heart, the band’s core traits have never been stronger: the bond between the Wolters, a sensitivity towards complex feelings, a desire to celebrate life in all its facets and an ambitious reach combine to create an album that feels utterly, emphatically present on every front, rich in depth and uplift.
LP pressed on 180g clear vinyl with A4 print.
It’s been said that writing about music is like dancing about
architecture but what about singing about movies? Sufjan
Stevens and Angelo De Augustine have paired up for a
collaborative project that does just that. ‘A Beginner’s Mind’ is
their debut album and contains 14 songs (loosely) based on
(mostly) popular films. The source material is highbrow, lowbrow and everything in
between. The music is folksy, sweet, sincere and harmonically
effervescent - Simon & Garfunkel with New Age flourishes. This
album runs the gamut and has fun with it, even while its
songwriters remain fully rooted in the melancholy folk idioms
they are known for. Daniel Anum Jasper, a pioneer of Ghanian movie poster
painting, was commissioned to paint a series of new works for
‘A Beginner’s Mind’. His paintings are a graphic simulacrum for
the same sense of wonder, wordplay and intrigue that shape ‘A
Beginner’s Mind’. By transforming old films into vital new songs,
Stevens and De Augustine ask us to consider ourselves from a
previously unconsidered vantage point - a new way of seeing
and hearing - an exercise that’s as necessary and relevant now
as it’s ever been. “In the dizzying chime of his careful fingerpicking and highpitched howls, De Augustine captures love’s bright blaze.” - Pitchfork
“What we find here, on what is arguably the pinnacle of his
output to date, is De Augustine achieving the beautiful balance
between introspection and grandeur; straddling the place where
pain and hope intersect.” - Line of Best Fit
It’s been said that writing about music is like dancing about
architecture but what about singing about movies? Sufjan
Stevens and Angelo De Augustine have paired up for a
collaborative project that does just that. ‘A Beginner’s Mind’ is
their debut album and contains 14 songs (loosely) based on
(mostly) popular films. The source material is highbrow, lowbrow and everything in
between. The music is folksy, sweet, sincere and harmonically
effervescent - Simon & Garfunkel with New Age flourishes. This
album runs the gamut and has fun with it, even while its
songwriters remain fully rooted in the melancholy folk idioms
they are known for. Daniel Anum Jasper, a pioneer of Ghanian movie poster
painting, was commissioned to paint a series of new works for
‘A Beginner’s Mind’. His paintings are a graphic simulacrum for
the same sense of wonder, wordplay and intrigue that shape ‘A
Beginner’s Mind’. By transforming old films into vital new songs,
Stevens and De Augustine ask us to consider ourselves from a
previously unconsidered vantage point - a new way of seeing
and hearing - an exercise that’s as necessary and relevant now
as it’s ever been. “In the dizzying chime of his careful fingerpicking and highpitched howls, De Augustine captures love’s bright blaze.” - Pitchfork
“What we find here, on what is arguably the pinnacle of his
output to date, is De Augustine achieving the beautiful balance
between introspection and grandeur; straddling the place where
pain and hope intersect.” - Line of Best Fit
- A1: Homage
- A2: Rolling 50 Deep (Feat. Sheek Louch, Styles P, Benny The Butcher, Bun B, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Az, Papoose, Ransom, Memphis Bleek, Billy Danze, Lil Fame, Dave East, 3D Natee, Joell Ortiz, Saigon, Mistah F.a.b., Chris Rivers, Jon Connor, Twista, E-40, Nino Man, Shoota, Mysonne, Sauce Money, Ice-T, Trick Trick, Rj Payne, E-A-Ski, Fred The Godson, Loaded Lux, Termanology, Young Noble, Edi, Locksmith, Cassidy, Maino, Vado, Rockness, Dj Paul, Mc Gruff, Stan Spit, Uncle Murda, Cory Gunz, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz, Trae Tha Truth, Bynoe, Hocus 45Th & Royce Da 5'9)
- A3: It's About To Go Down (Feat. Ghostface Killah, Busta Rhymes & Junior Reid)
- B1: Where Is The Love (Feat. Conway The Machine, Sheek Louch & Jhonni Blaze)
- B2: Man Down (Feat. Juicy J, Jim Jones, Phresher, Bun B & Pesh Mayweather)
- B3: Rhyme Or Die (Feat. Joell Ortiz, Papoose, Ransom & Tre Williams)
- B4: We Get Busy (Feat. Az, Papoose, Bun B, Benny The Butcher, Trae Tha Truth, Zone & Ghostface Killah)
- B5: Lose Control (Feat. Emc Scotty, Billboard Baby, 6 Keys & Sammi J)
- B6: Street Life (Feat. Dave East, Vado & Julian Morgan)
The longstanding DJ comes through with a brand new album for the modern times, keeping the tradition alive through a stacked tracklist of heavy hitters. With an extension of the popular posse cut, “Rolling 25 Deep,” DJ Kay Slay ups the ante with an 18 minute anthem, “Rolling 50 Deep,” featuring the likes of Benny The Butcher, Bun B, Styles P, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and more. He further adds to his track record of pairing together artists for hit records with cuts from Ghostface Killah & Busta Rhymes, Conway the Machine & Sheek Louch, and Juicy J & Jim Jones.
Boy Golden has a purpose: enjoy each day and make good music. Founder and minister of The Church of Better Daze, he wants to help people seeking to improve on yesterday’s themes. His songs, like hymns, are hopeful, fresh and upbeat. KD & Lunch Meat is fluorescent and fun, like its namesake, and easily ingested. Something to Work Towards searches for the meaning in life, while Smoke on the Breeze and Any Way It Works are warm, tender and linger like perfume. Church of Better Daze is the inspirational, musical manifesto. The harmonies are the collective idea of working together, the mellow melodies keep our hopes alive and the lyrics are golden rules to live by: Follow your heart / Make good art / Call your momma / Work real hard. Redefining jam band and stoner cultures by turning dead heads into lively brains, Boy Golden wants to unite us all in a hazy dream under one roof. “We’re all the same at the Church of Better Daze,” he sings. Find unity in the congregation of these 11 tracks, which redefine the precedent for collaboration, common goals and cannabis. If you’re open to learn, and can speak your truth, you can blaze and still get paid in Boy Golden’s Church of Better Daze.
Issue #02 of ENTHUSIASMS, Efficient Space’s annual publication, further maps the label’s extended universe of contributors and influences across 88 full-colour pages of offline content, featuring extensive conversations with like-minded duos CS + Kreme and Blazer Sound System, Melbourne minimal composer Ros Bandt, the master of paranoia-inducing electronics Richard H Kirk and Tel Aviv-based Isophonic musician Roland P. Young. Rarely seen pictorial spreads find Yolngu cultural warrior and Waak Waak Djungi songman Bobby Bununggurr sharing stories behind his traditional paintings and On-U Sound’s dream team of misfits viewed through the lens of label co-founder and in-house photographer Kishi Yamamoto, alongside the collaborative art of Joshua Petherick and Midnite/3AM Spares compiler Lewis Fidock. The publication’s fantasy mixtapes also continue with playlists from YL Hooi, Julien Dechery and David Pinhas, Time Is Away, Grace Ferguson and Ivan Liechti. Perfect bound and designed, as always, by Steele Bonus.
After signing to the Toolroom in 2018, Friend Within is finally ready to unveil his debut album titled ‘Hope’ with four of the standout tracks being compiled for this 12 inch sampler. An established producer in his own right, having worked with countless DJs and producers over the years Friend Within has come full circle with his debut album ‘Hope’. Written during lockdown in 2020, it is a collection of his finest tunes to date, packed full of club bangers and dancefloor fillers leaving little room to disappoint.
Released back in 2020, the first single to the album ‘For You’ is a self-assured classic house track with no need for an introduction, maintaining the albums theme of absolute bangers. Despite it being one of the more chilled out moments on the album, ‘Love Goes On And On’ cements its place as a straight up house banger. Next up, A-Trak makes an appearance as the pair collaborate on 'Know Each Other', upping the ante from their previous 2019 hit ‘Blaze’. Going from strength to strength, the late night, feel good nature of the song speaks for itself and is a definite high point of the album. Finishing things off is instant dancefloor classic, 'Rola', an uplifting Disclosure esque record sprinkled with subtle hints of Friend Within magic for good measure.
Although the album leaves a sense of longing for live music again, it gives hope that better times are yet to come. Hope is destined to soundtrack and define nightlife post pandemic, known the world over as a classic debut by one of the most exciting artists of this decade.
Schmer brought these two together to battle it out for Schmer019: Snazelle vs Loveland : Get this special 6 track maxi EP of pure techno and YOU will be the winner.
Brooklyn based techno producer and Snazzy Fx boss. Much of the hardware Dan uses in his productions and live sets was designed and built by him. His focus as an artist is on electronic music as a vehicle for achieving transcendent states. This comes out in his sets as a respect for both the funky and hypnotic aspects of dance music. As a DJ and live act, Dan has performed throughout Europe and is a regular fixture in NYC.
2018 saw Dan release the "Exposure to a Steady Stream Ep" on Jacktone records. Fact Magazine included the track " Broken Saucers" in their best of September round-up.
In early 2019 Nina Kraviz and Dan released their collaboration "u ludei est pravo"on the trip compilation "Happy New Year! We Wish You Happiness".
In August, Schmer released his newest EP, "Swarm Draze".
Jasen Loveland is a mercurial force about whom little is known with any certainty. Much of Loveland’s life and exploits are shrouded in an opaque and often contradictory mythology that includes many other characters who may or may not be Loveland himself. Born sometime around 1950, Loveland seems to have been operational within the dance music community for decades, allegedly interning for Giorgio Moroder in Munich after finishing a medical degree in the 1970s. It is rumored he was the individual who did the actual synth programming on “I Feel Love”, however this was never confirmed. Documentation of Loveland’s past was further obscured by a “studio fire” while operating out of Chicago in the mid-1990s that destroyed all of Loveland’s memorabilia from the past, except for a handful of lo-resolution, poorly-scanned photographs Loveland (an early user of Hyperreal.org and the #mw.raves listserv) had emailed to a friend. Fortunately, Loveland was able to save his two favorite synthesizers, a battered Roland TB-303 and it’s demented sibbling, the MC-202, but the rest of Loveland’s equipment, and the documentation of his past, was lost in the blaze, leaving Loveland homeless for several months. Regardless of the veracity of his tales, Loveland’s music speaks for itself; the intense, maniacial vibes that pervade the ouvre are undeniably suited for the most far-out, dancefloor head trips, thus making it only a matter of time before he joined the Interdimensional Transmissions family.
Most recently, Loveland has been presenting DJ-style musical performances under the name “Loveland & Friends”, which has become an umbrella term for all projects related to his work, including JL-303, DJ Curtis Chipp, Chip Curtis, MIDI Master, Remote Perception, The Limit, Acid Musik Department, The Gaze, Ace of Fades, East German Chemistry, The Universal Vision, Clonus, Gamma Polaris, R.O.M. and DJ Kline, and Da House Band. Many of these, such as the DJ Kline project (with Prof. Dr. Alice B. Kline, a self-described “unremarkable scientist” and researcher at CERN), seem to be collaborations or ghost productions, although even this is not clear. In fact, the only confirmed Loveland collaborations are LW Productions (with Clay Wilson) and Pervocet (with Patrick Russell), the latter presented as a 12” by Interdimensional Transmissions, Detroit.
Blue Vinyl
Lynch protégé and Twin Peaks sound designer Dean Hurley coaxes an incredible puzzlebox of atmospheres and mood pieces on this killer contribution to our Documenting Sound series, now remastered and pressed on vinyl for what is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the most cinematic and neon-lit instalment in the series. Like a
smudged and overdubbed copy of the BoC Maxima tape, with added iridescence.
Across almost 40 minutes we transition from aerosolised synths to romantic chromatics, thru to Nurse WIth Wound-style severed rhythms and fading glimmers of hope, ‘Concrete Feather’ epitomises Dean Hurley’s prized knack for nuanced instrumental story-telling in the finest and most engrossing style we could imagine. Against the backdrop of the Hollywood film industry that has primed us for as long as we can all remember, the music spans a panorama of lush, mirage-like choral pads and starry flickers thru to gloaming
nightmare sequences and screwed drums, while touching on some of the dankest synth tones this side of his ‘Anthology Resource’ volumes or indeed his soundtrack work for Twin Peaks: The Return. It’s full of dread and a slowly unfolding sense of tragedy.
“Having a regular practice of recording is probably the single most important element to my craft. It’s a way of dropping indiscriminate mile markers while constantly moving forward in time without ability to pause.
Over the years, working for David Lynch taught me a great deal about this and the concept and importance of experimentation. I’ve found myself clinging to those lessons during this time and using them as tools for both productivity and balance. His notion of experimentation is a simple one, yet incredibly profound. It was one of the very first words I heard him say during our initial meeting, and I never stopped hearing the term daily over the subsequent 13 years working together. An ‘experiment’ can provide a legitimate mental back-entrance into the act of creation. It can position an approach toward discovery as opposed to effort, and eliminate the thought that one needs to ‘will’ something into existence. It also aids in calming the judgmental
side of a brain from stepping on/interfering with expression…after all, experiments are not about success or failure, they’re simply about learning. In the Lynch school of thought, multiple experiments then become firewood…and with firewood, one can not only build but actually sustain a fire…even turn it into a multipleacre blaze or more.
Dean Hurley
Since the release of the first volume in 2019, we knew we couldn't stop there. In 2021 we are even more excited to present the 'Drum'n Voice Remixed 2' album by the legend Billy Cobham in collaboration with Italian producers and composers Nicolosi / Novecento. As a taster to the album we are very happy to be releasing an EP containing remixes of ‘Interactive’ from the legend Louie Vega.
Acclaimed as jazz-rock fusion's greatest drummer, Billy Cobham has dedicated his whole life to musical exploration and creative expression. Born in Panama, he has been surrounded by music. His father was a pianist, his mother was a singer and Billy started playing drums at four years old. Throughout his career he has collaborated with artists like Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Airto Moreira, George Benson and appeared on over 300 recordings, including icons like Peter Gabriel, Quincy Jones, Jack Bruce, Bob Weir, and James Brown, and to date, has produced and released more than forty albums as a leader. The first album ‘Spectrum’ is a masterpiece and still considered a reference album today.
Billy and Nicolosi composed so many songs of the highest quality and class that we immediately wanted to get to work preparing a second volume of remixes. We are really happy to present the Louie Vega remixes of ‘Interactive’ in the run up to ‘Drum’N Voice Remixed 2’ collection that's set for a release later in the year.
‘Little’ Louie Vega does not need any introduction. One half of the Masters At Work (that are back now after a long time with their new single), he is one of the most important House Music duo of the last 30 years, even receiving a nomination in the last Grammy Awards. With the collaboration of Josh Milan (aka Honeycomb and former one half of Blaze) at the keyboards, these incredible remixes of 'Interactive' make track shine thanks to a powerful blend of funky cosmic disco and a perfect killer groove that makes us dance on Brian Auger's magnificent Hammond improvisation.
Premieres from Data Transmission and Bolting Bits. Early support from Hospital, Huey Morgan, Rupture, Fanu, Rob Luis, Anthony Kasper (Fokuz), Red Rack'em, Bandcamp Weekly, etc.
150 copies pressed on 180 gram vinyl. Picture shows the HF021VFELT edition which comes with 'Nuthin' But a Jungle Thang' die-cut felt sleeve insert (in assorted colours), with Heard and Felt embroidered fabric tag. HF021V edition is the same 180g vinyl without the felt sleeve insert.
With music from Jonny Faith's recent Night Lights EP appearing in Grand Theft Auto and best of 2020 lists including Gilles Peterson's, you might think Jonny would continue to mine his take on hip hop and broken beat. Well, all in good time. He's been ready to enter the jungle for 20 years, and he's not waiting any longer.
Now based in Melbourne, Jonny first got involved in music in Edinburgh as a DJ and turntablist in the 90s, getting hooked on jungle, drum & bass, hip hop and the hybrids of these championed by the Mo'Wax label. Formative experiences included hearing DJ Hype spinning in Newcastle, seeing the Roni Size/Reprazent live show with two drummers and hanging out at cult Edinburgh club night Manga, where residents G-Mac and DJ Kid hosted the likes of Marky, Grooverider and J Majik.
Jonny was keen to start making his own sounds, signing up for an electronic music production course. But it wasn't quite what he was after.
'The course turned out to be more house-oriented,' Jonny recalls. 'Sampling wasn't on the curriculum, and the students weren't allowed to touch the Akai S900, the sampler used in lots of the early jungle classics.'
When Jonny did start releasing his own productions a few years later, he was starting to explore the experimental beat scene around the time Flying Lotus and Hudson Mohawke (another Scottish turntablist) were starting to make their mark.
Jonny continued to widen his sonic palette, adding elements of dub, jazz, funk, electronica and broken beat, and picking up fans like Radio Nova Paris, KCRW, Vice and Clash Magazine along the way. But he's never been more than one degree of separation from his jungle/D&B roots. He continued to buy and play the music, did the odd D&B remix and snuck sonic elements and techniques into his tracks at various tempos. Over the years his releases have shared labels with the likes of Peshay, Om Unit, Drumagick, Reso, Kid Drama and Danny Scrilla.
Now, more than 20 years after those early experiences in Edinburgh, Jonny unveils his first jungle/D&B EP, On Lock. And it sounds like he's been making this music the whole time. In a way, he has.
The single 'Open My Eyes' bursts out the gate, chopping not only the breaks and the soul for a tune that sounds like Amerie's '1 Thing', or some Just Blaze chipmunk soul, reimagined for the 174 BPM crew. Jonny started this one as a hip hop beat for a live routine on his MPC, but it only really came together when he reframed the groove around a D&B rhythm. Next up, Jonny tries a similar trick on his own boom bap tune 'Stay in Your Lane' from the 'Night Lights' EP. His new Step Off Mix totally recontextualises US MC Lady K's slinky soulful rap and hooks with a tough and funky junglist groove. One for fans of the old Roni Size/Bahamadia collab. 'Create' then spaces things out just a touch, with atmospheric but propulsive drumfunk. Vinyl bonus track 'Nuthin' But a Jungle Thang' layers cascading amen breaks, timestretched vocals and a massive double bass-line over the wah guitars and synth whistling of a G-funk era classic.
With early support for Jonny Faith's take on jungle/D&B coming from Hospital Records, Rupture (Rinse FM) and Fanu (Metalheadz), Jonny is ready to be welcomed (back) into the scene.
b A2: Stay in Your Lane (Jonny Faith Step Off Mix) feat. Lady K
Red Vinyl[31,30 €]
ALL THEIR LEGENDARY RECORDINGS, PLUS LOADS OF UNRELEASED STUFF!
“The Lipstick Killers were easily one of the greatest live bands I've witnessed in my 65 yrs. on this planet” – Keith Morris (Black Flag/Circle Jerks/Off!!)
HINDU GODS ARE CALLING YOU!!! Grown Up Wrong! Records is thrilled beyond belief to present the LONG-AWAITED anthology of material by the legendary Lipstick Killers, who blazed a trail in late ‘70s post-Radio Birdman Sydney before gigging with the likes of the Gun Club and the Flesh Eaters in Los Angeles where they crashed and burned in 1981.
The Lipstick Killers released just one single in their life time – the perfect ’79 Deniz Tek-produced pairing of “Hindu Gods of Love” and ”Shakedown USA” on their own Lost in Space Records and Greg Shaw’s Voxx Records - but a posthumous live album and a couple of archival releases followed. It was all incredible. All that material is included here, as is a plethora of additional stuff, all from the best-available sources (mostly original tapes).
The Lipstick Killers’ enigmatic and high-energy sound – heavily inspired by the Stooges and the ‘60s psychedelic punk sounds of bands like the Thirteenth Floor Elevators and the Chocolate Watchband – bridged the gap between Radio Birdman and subsequent Sydney groups like the Sunnyboys (whose first-ever show was opening for the Lipstick Killers), Lime Spiders, Hoodoo Gurus, the Screaming Tribesmen and the Psychotic Turnbuckles. And of course they anticipated generation after generation of other bands with similar things in mind, right up to today’s ‘60s-inspired freaks like The Straight Arrows, The Living Eyes and Thee Oh Sees.
ALL THEIR LEGENDARY RECORDINGS, PLUS LOADS OF UNRELEASED STUFF!
“The Lipstick Killers were easily one of the greatest live bands I've witnessed in my 65 yrs. on this planet” – Keith Morris (Black Flag/Circle Jerks/Off!!)
HINDU GODS ARE CALLING YOU!!! Grown Up Wrong! Records is thrilled beyond belief to present the LONG-AWAITED anthology of material by the legendary Lipstick Killers, who blazed a trail in late ‘70s post-Radio Birdman Sydney before gigging with the likes of the Gun Club and the Flesh Eaters in Los Angeles where they crashed and burned in 1981.
The Lipstick Killers released just one single in their life time – the perfect ’79 Deniz Tek-produced pairing of “Hindu Gods of Love” and ”Shakedown USA” on their own Lost in Space Records and Greg Shaw’s Voxx Records - but a posthumous live album and a couple of archival releases followed. It was all incredible. All that material is included here, as is a plethora of additional stuff, all from the best-available sources (mostly original tapes).
The Lipstick Killers’ enigmatic and high-energy sound – heavily inspired by the Stooges and the ‘60s psychedelic punk sounds of bands like the Thirteenth Floor Elevators and the Chocolate Watchband – bridged the gap between Radio Birdman and subsequent Sydney groups like the Sunnyboys (whose first-ever show was opening for the Lipstick Killers), Lime Spiders, Hoodoo Gurus, the Screaming Tribesmen and the Psychotic Turnbuckles. And of course they anticipated generation after generation of other bands with similar things in mind, right up to today’s ‘60s-inspired freaks like The Straight Arrows, The Living Eyes and Thee Oh Sees.
Following 2018’s debut, Giles Armstrong ‘finally’ returns to First Cut with three killer cuts.
From the woozy break beat techno of ‘The Bunny’ throughout the left field ‘Corridor of Uncertainty’ and the gritty electro of ‘Blazed In Slur’, the ninth release on First Cut showcases Giles’ considerable talent.
Out on Friday 4 October, independent label Low Key Source is proud to be releasing Raiza Biza’s forthcoming album Bygones.
A hypnotic culmination of hundreds of hard drive demos, eclectic musical inspiration and collaboration, enter Bygones - a record striking the balance between the intricacies of electronic production and at times, melodic half-sung poetry, delivered with raw intensity.
The nine track record features cameo appearances from Sudanese-American rapper/producer extraordinaire Oddisee, Australia’s REMI and B Wise along with AmmoNation collaborators Blaze the Emperor, Embher, VULC, and more.
Speaking with a sense of urgency in his flowing baritone voice, Biza’s work has always carried a socially conscious heart, backed up by honest storytelling and captivating jazz/soul infused
production as the aura to his words. His new material follows a new sound arch, and with those changes comes a newly found freedom.
On Bygones, Biza found inspiration in the deeply written metaphors of the Marvin Gaye-era soul and the heart-hitting rhythms of 1970’s funk groups like Gapp Band. Binding his grounding in socially conscious thought and observational storytelling, he studies the human condition and the world around us - from his own experience.
Though this time, he admits, the record finds the balance between fun and seriousness. Rather than be ruled by the lyrics, the music plays an emotive part.
“I wanted to create space for emotional interpretation of the audience,” he reflects. “I’ve tried to find a balance between the things I’ve released in the past and the further left-sitting things on my hard drive.”
The newest generation of hip-hop has forced him to just do; and overthink less. “Being able to take that fun within the music and combine it with raw melody, you hopefully connect with people.”
He tells the angles of the human condition through high octane moments, the party life, through to the low, self-reflective moments found in tracks like ‘Stolen Youth’ and ‘Trouble’ where he teams up with Oddisee and Zenyth. Both tracks have gone onto become student radio network hits, sitting in the top 10 of the Radioscope Alternative Airplay chart in New Zealand for consecutive weeks.
A humble titan within the antipodean isles and Aotearoa’s underground scene, Biza has firmly planted roots, supporting the up-and-coming generation of local MCs and hip-hop producers. As the hearty driving force behind AmmoNation, Biza believes in the power of community and the sharing of knowledge. A voice from within the African-New Zealand diaspora, Biza has strived to bridge the gaps of understanding and preservation of his experience in New Zealand, while also supporting his fellow artists on the same mission.
“We, the African diaspora, we are no longer toddlers in the places we immigrated to. We have an identity and a growing presence.”
- A Just Message (Intro) W/ Just Blaze
- Welcome To Planet X (We're Coming 4 You) W/Jonny Rice Eminem & The Observer - Produced By Lavi$H
- Dem People W/ Xzibit - Produced By Beat Busta Beats
- Robocop Went Pop - Produced By Young Jordan
- Rebel Party W/ Commentary By The Observer - Produced By Lavi$H
- I Want 2 Kill You W/ Astray & The Observer - Produced By Lavi$H
- Crazypsycholoco - Produced By Aktive
- Intergalactic Hustling W/ Boroc - Produced By Claudio Audio
- Revolutionary Funk W/ P-Funk Pavarotti - Produced By Ynot Of Soundsmith Beats
- Shoot Back (Dear Officer) W/ Tech N9Ne - Produced By Deborahs Son
- Obey/Kxngs Speech - Produced By Klasiq
- The Oath - Produced By Klasiq
- Kxng Tut - Produced By Lew Jay
- Puppet Master W/ King! Rza & The Observer - Produced By Lavi$H
Good vs. Evil is the third studio album by American rapper KXNG CROOKED (formerly known as Crooked I). The album was released on November 11, 2016 and features cameo appearances from notable rappers such as Eminem, RZA, Xzibit, Tech N9ne among other guests The album was well received by critics, who praised its direction, dark beats and narrative skills.
After the most controversial Presidential election in this country’s history, one that has not only created further divisiveness amongst the people residing in it, but one that now includes handful of cities across our nation protesting in the streets it has become evident we are living in a complicated and dangerous time. The societal divide widens so deeply with every passing day that it seems as if at any moment the pendulum could shift. KXNG CROOKED's Good Vs Evil could not appear at a more needed time.
'Dark Hands, Thunderbolts' is Devon punk-roots trail-blazers, Crazy Arm's fourth album for Xtra Mile Recordings, and comes cold on the calves of 2013's 'The Southern Wild'. A return to the rowdy guitars, epic choruses and Americana twang of their first two albums, this collection of songs finds the band in a reflective but no less indignant mood. Despite spending only three weeks in the studio, it took the band four years to complete. 1ST SINGLE: Brave Starts Here - 20th November 2020 The lead track from the album, 'Brave Starts Here', will be available to stream/download from 20th November (with an accompanying video from film-maker, Russell Cleave). Rigorously road-tested, 'Brave Starts Here' is a breathless ode to heartbreak, loneliness, ageing and self-determination, occupying that sweet spot between bluegrass and punk rock. It's also a tribute to their good friends and label-mates, Larry & His Flask. 2ND SINGLE: The Golden Hind - 11th December 2020 Second single to be lifted from the album and is an acerbic take on the band’s Brexit majority hometown. Punk rock riffola, Appalachian harmonies, syncopated rhythms and anthemic singalongs. 3RD SINGLE: Fear Up - 15th January 2021 The third single out before the album’s release ‘Fear Up’ betrays the band's oft-mentioned fondness for Ennio Morricone, Murder By Death and Constantines with a strong cinematic influence fused with their trademark riffs and choruses. FOCUS TRACK FOR ALBUM RELEASE: Blessed & Cursed - 29th January 2021
'Dark Hands, Thunderbolts' is Devon punk-roots trail-blazers, Crazy Arm's fourth album for Xtra Mile Recordings, and comes cold on the calves of 2013's 'The Southern Wild'. A return to the rowdy guitars, epic choruses and Americana twang of their first two albums, this collection of songs finds the band in a reflective but no less indignant mood. Despite spending only three weeks in the studio, it took the band four years to complete. 1ST SINGLE: Brave Starts Here - 20th November 2020 The lead track from the album, 'Brave Starts Here', will be available to stream/download from 20th November (with an accompanying video from film-maker, Russell Cleave). Rigorously road-tested, 'Brave Starts Here' is a breathless ode to heartbreak, loneliness, ageing and self-determination, occupying that sweet spot between bluegrass and punk rock. It's also a tribute to their good friends and label-mates, Larry & His Flask. 2ND SINGLE: The Golden Hind - 11th December 2020 Second single to be lifted from the album and is an acerbic take on the band’s Brexit majority hometown. Punk rock riffola, Appalachian harmonies, syncopated rhythms and anthemic singalongs. 3RD SINGLE: Fear Up - 15th January 2021 The third single out before the album’s release ‘Fear Up’ betrays the band's oft-mentioned fondness for Ennio Morricone, Murder By Death and Constantines with a strong cinematic influence fused with their trademark riffs and choruses. FOCUS TRACK FOR ALBUM RELEASE: Blessed & Cursed - 29th January 2021
Smith/Kotzen is the exciting partnership between guitarists & vocalists Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) & Richie Kotzen (Solo artist, Winery Dogs, Mr Big, Poison). Part-time LA neighbours, full time friends with a healthy mutual respect - their music is evocative of the classic rock bands of the 70s brought bang up to date with punchy hooks, harmonies and sheer guitar virtuosity. Debut track ‘Taking My Chances’ sets the tone for this electrifying collaboration between two hugely admired rock music trail-blazers.
Smith/Kotzen is the exciting partnership between guitarists & vocalists Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) & Richie Kotzen (Solo artist, Winery Dogs, Mr Big, Poison). Part-time LA neighbours, full time friends with a healthy mutual respect - their music is evocative of the classic rock bands of the 70s brought bang up to date with punchy hooks, harmonies and sheer guitar virtuosity. Debut track ‘Taking My Chances’ sets the tone for this electrifying collaboration between two hugely admired rock music trail-blazers.
Following on from the likes of Goat, Josefin Öhrn, Hills, Flowers Must Die, Centrum and GÅS - VED continue to be among the wonderful plethora of Swedish bands to release their exploratory music on Rocket Recordings. With 3 albums, 3 EPs (including one on Rocket), a compilation on labels like Höga Nord and Adrian Recordings already behind them this Malmö 5 piece are famed for creating trance inducing, repetitive, psych. Their ever evolving sound has always taken in many global influences, from Middle Eastern to African to the monotonous explorations of composers like Steve Reich and Terry Riley. Rhythmically driven like the jittered ecstasy of a Post Punk band covering a Oriental Surf a track, “Ett visst fängelse” (translated as ‘A Certain Prison’) establishes a pulsating
clink clack shimmer that is as hyper actively addictive as CAN in full animated instrumental groove. “The Embrace Of The Oarfish” the lead track, advances the propulsive pummeling to a more aggressive sound centred around a repetitive single bass note that masquerades like an menacingly deep percussive outlaw. The looming ribbon like nature of the track slithers like the giant sea serpent the title alludes too - some say the Oarfish can forecast earthquakes themselves, maybe its the resonance of the bomb shelter in
Malmö that is the bands rehearsal space that imposes itself tremor like through their oscillating work. The firewood that is VED’s work has reminiscent echoes of the primal work of UK act Snapped Ankles, but VED’s journey is a wholly unique controlled burn where rapid oxidation devours any listener into a blaze of restorative enchantment.
Formed from the ashes of The Beta Band, The Aliens blazed a trail with two critically acclaimed LP's in the mid to late Noughties - hitting the UK official charts as well as Hollywood film & TV - before mysteriously vanishing from the Humanoid star system.
Hot on the heels of marking their return with the surprising electronica-delia of Electronville The Aliens pre-sent their latest album-length EP and a return to something more familiar for their long time fans. The A-side on Back To Beyond entails the 10 minute drone rock disasterpiece Follow The Son, the melancholy instru-mental sdlmnm strings and the bastard love child of two of their most popular songs in Roxbot. Side B features atmospheric instrumental tingler For Emma, a Robot Man disco mix appropriately titled Reboot Man and finishes with the longer, dirtier, rawer, inbred cousin of fan favourite Magic Man - Majic Man Pre-quel. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue… Back To Beyond is like a wedding of The Aliens.
After a dormant decade the mercurial Gordon Anderson AKA Lone Pigeon is on a crusade to release as many of his estimated 10,000 songs as Alienly possible and come to the rescue of the downward spiralling Humanoids of Planet Earth. While The Aliens continue work on their much anticipated new LP the good news is that there’s plenty to keep fans occupied in the meantime.








































