Search:the coup

If you check the credits of The Rolling Stones' Goats Head Soup LP from 1973 you'll find a certain "Pascal" listed on the percussion section. That is none other than Los Angeles based artist Nicolas Pascal Raicevik (1933-1994), aka 107-34-8933, aka Head, aka Nik Pascal, aka Nik Raicevic. Besides his hitting the bongoes on the Stones album, Nik was a great artist on his own, both as a painter and as a musician. As a musician, he was a pioneer in the use of synthesizers, preceeding the Berlin school by some years when his Head LP was released on on Buddah in 1970. Buddah probably saw in Head the opportunity to cash in some money from the remains of the psychedelic scene - the three tracks on the LP are named after drugs used in the late sixties. The sounds, however, are accomplished works that show Raicevic as one of the most interesting pioneers in the use of synths. The album probably didn't do too well, since Buddah didn't renew the contract with Raicevic, who instead took his own way releasing his works on his very own Narco Records and Tapes label. Between 1968 and 1975 Narco would issue 4 LPs credited either to Nik Raicevic (Beyond The End... Eternity) or Nik Pascal (The Sixth Ear, Magnetic Web and Zero Gravity) plus one credited to 107-34-8933 (Numbers, which is in fact the same LP as Buddah's Head, albeit with different cover art). Copies of these LPs came with an ironic sticker over the shrinkwrap that read "Do not listen to this LP if you are stoned".

1972 saw the release of The Sixth Ear (Narco NR666), this time credited to Nik Pascal. A more complex work than Beyond The End..., it adds consistent rhythmic patterns to the mix with the addition of bongoes and also explores some interesting chord progressions.

Besides his musical explorations, Nik was also an interesting painter. His paintings are auctioned from time to time, and are consciousness expanding works influenced by abstract cubism and surrealism, some kind of Salvador Dalí on drugs exploring the outter and inner space. All the artwork on the sleeves of his LPs is done by himself. Spacey landscapes and psychedelic colours that fit perfectly to the music they contain.

"Nik Raicevic's music is at the intersection of radical psycho-electronic weirdness and kraut kosmische music (in particular the scifi-hypno-minimal modules of Conrad Schnitzler in Grun, Rot and Blau). It presents mega epic & tripped out electronic improvisations.

"This is an absolute must for collectors and fans of visceral, neurotic soundscapes." (progarchives)

"As far as late-60s / early-70s American Bedroom' Electronic Music goes, these LPS have to be among the first transmissions from this sector, made all the more attractive when coupled with Raicevic's alien topographIes - the covers are high-color portrayals of Venusian lanes, knotted growths, & future-past architecture in a style you might equate with Vintage' sci-fi pulp-novel covers - & copious Downer' sentiment. This music is imbued with a sort of lonely, anti-social sensibility that's about as far as you can get from the Academic' Early Electronic vector. I will say that if the Steve Birchall, Cellutron & the Invisible, and/or Pythagoron™ seed your garden, this will likely do the same." (twoheadeddog)

Never reissued before on vinyl format, the Wah Wah reissue features original sleeve artwork made of paintings and drawings by Nik himself and reproduction of the famous ironic "Do not listen if you are stoned" sticker. Limited edition, 500 copies only.

If you check the credits of The Rolling Stones' Goats Head Soup LP from 1973 you'll find a certain "Pascal" listed on the percussion section. That is none other than Los Angeles based artist Nicolas Pascal Raicevik (1933-1994), aka 107-34-8933, aka Head, aka Nik Pascal, aka Nik Raicevic. Besides his hitting the bongoes on the Stones album, Nik was a great artist on his own, both as a painter and as a musician. As a musician, he was a pioneer in the use of synthesizers, preceeding the Berlin school by some years when his Head LP was released on on Buddah in 1970. Buddah probably saw in Head the opportunity to cash in some money from the remains of the psychedelic scene - the three tracks on the LP are named after drugs used in the late sixties. The sounds, however, are accomplished works that show Raicevic as one of the most interesting pioneers in the use of synths. The album probably didn't do too well, since Buddah didn't renew the contract with Raicevic, who instead took his own way releasing his works on his very own Narco Records and Tapes label. Between 1968 and 1975 Narco would issue 4 LPs credited either to Nik Raicevic (Beyond The End... Eternity) or Nik Pascal (The Sixth Ear, Magnetic Web and Zero Gravity) plus one credited to 107-34-8933 (Numbers, which is in fact the same LP as Buddah's Head, albeit with different cover art). Copies of these LPs came with an ironic sticker over the shrinkwrap that read "Do not listen to this LP if you are stoned".

Magnetic Web was released in 1973. It appeared under the Nik Pascal monicker and showed a clear evolution in sound, favoured by the addition of an Arp 2600 and some rhythm boxes. It also included percussions and cymbals. The Two Headed Dog site thinks "this is his masterpiece in all of its acid-laced glory."

Besides his musical explorations, Nik was also an interesting painter. His paintings are auctioned from time to time, and are consciousness expanding works influenced by abstract cubism and surrealism, some kind of Salvador Dalí on drugs exploring the outter and inner space. All the artwork on the sleeves of his LPs is done by himself. Spacey landscapes and psychedelic colours that fit perfectly to the music they contain.

"Nik Raicevic's music is at the intersection of radical psycho-electronic weirdness and kraut kosmische music (in particular the scifi-hypno-minimal modules of Conrad Schnitzler in Grun, Rot and Blau). It presents mega epic & tripped out electronic improvisations.

"This is an absolute must for collectors and fans of visceral, neurotic soundscapes."

"As far as late-60s / early-70s American Bedroom' Electronic Music goes, these LPS have to be among the first transmissions from this sector, made all the more attractive when coupled with Raicevic's alien topographIes - the covers are high-color portrayals of Venusian lanes, knotted growths, & future-past architecture in a style you might equate with Vintage' sci-fi pulp-novel covers - & copious Downer' sentiment. This music is imbued with a sort of lonely, anti-social sensibility that's about as far as you can get from the Academic' Early Electronic vector. I will say that if the Steve Birchall, Cellutron & the Invisible, and/or Pythagoron™ seed your garden, this will likely do the same."

Never reissued before on vinyl format, the Wah Wah reissue features original sleeve artwork made of paintings and drawings by Nik himself, and reproduction of the famous ironic "Do not listen if you are stoned" sticker. Limited edition, 500 copies only.

If you check the credits of The Rolling Stones' Goats Head Soup LP from 1973 you'll find a certain "Pascal" listed on the percussion section. That is none other than Los Angeles based artist Nicolas Pascal Raicevik (1933-1994), aka 107-34-8933, aka Head, aka Nik Pascal, aka Nik Raicevic. Besides his hitting the bongoes on the Stones album, Nik was a great artist on his own, both as a painter and as a musician. As a musician, he was a pioneer in the use of synthesizers, preceeding the Berlin school by some years when his Head LP was released on on Buddah in 1970. Buddah probably saw in Head the opportunity to cash in some money from the remains of the psychedelic scene - the three tracks on the LP are named after drugs used in the late sixties. The sounds, however, are accomplished works that show Raicevic as one of the most interesting pioneers in the use of synths. The album probably didn't do too well, since Buddah didn't renew the contract with Raicevic, who instead took his own way releasing his works on his very own Narco Records and Tapes label. Between 1968 and 1975 Narco would issue 4 LPs credited either to Nik Raicevic (Beyond The End... Eternity) or Nik Pascal (The Sixth Ear, Magnetic Web and Zero Gravity) plus one credited to 107-34-8933 (Numbers, which is in fact the same LP as Buddah's Head, albeit with different cover art). Copies of these LPs came with an ironic sticker over the shrinkwrap that read "Do not listen to this LP if you are stoned".

Nik's last album, Zero Gravity (Narco NR123) came under the Nik Pascal name and had a fantastic side long piece on the title track which reminisces of the works of Cluster. B side features four tracks that also bear some Conrad Schnitzler reminiscences. This was to be Nik's last LP before he would sell all his synths to ex car racer and future electronic/ambient music star Steve Roach.

Besides his musical explorations, Nik was also an interesting painter. His paintings are auctioned from time to time, and are consciousness expanding works influenced by abstract cubism and surrealism, some kind of Salvador Dalí on drugs exploring the outter and inner space. All the artwork on the sleeves of his LPs is done by himself. Spacey landscapes and psychedelic colours that fit perfectly to the music they contain.

"Nik Raicevic's music is at the intersection of radical psycho-electronic weirdness and kraut kosmische music (in particular the scifi-hypno-minimal modules of Conrad Schnitzler in Grun, Rot and Blau). It presents mega epic & tripped out electronic improvisations.

"This is an absolute must for collectors and fans of visceral, neurotic soundscapes."

"As far as late-60s / early-70s American Bedroom' Electronic Music goes, these LPS have to be among the first transmissions from this sector, made all the more attractive when coupled with Raicevic's alien topographIes - the covers are high-color portrayals of Venusian lanes, knotted growths, & future-past architecture in a style you might equate with Vintage' sci-fi pulp-novel covers - & copious Downer' sentiment. This music is imbued with a sort of lonely, anti-social sensibility that's about as far as you can get from the Academic' Early Electronic vector. I will say that if the Steve Birchall, Cellutron & the Invisible, and/or Pythagoron™ seed your garden, this will likely do the same."

Never reissued before on vinyl format, the Wah Wah reissue features original sleeve artwork made of paintings and drawings by Nik himself, and reproduction of the famous ironic "Do not listen if you are stoned" sticker. Limited edition, 500 copies only.

Since the late 80s, Mudhoney - the Seattle-based foursome
whose muck-crusted version of rock, shot through with caustic
wit and battened down by a ferocious low end - has been a
high-pH tonic against the ludicrous and the insipid. Thirty years
later, the world is experiencing a particularly high-water
moment for both those ideals. Just in time, vocalist Mark Arm,
guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan
Peters are back with 'Digital Garbage', a barbed-wire-trimmed
collection of sonic brickbats.
Arm's raw yawp and his bandmates' long-honed chemistry
make 'Digital Garbage' an ideal release valve for the 2018
pressure cooker. 'My sense of humor is dark, and these are
dark times,' says Arm. 'I suppose it's only getting darker.'
'I would've really just loved to write songs about just hanging
out on the beach, and going on a nice vacation,' says Arm.
'But, you know, that probably doesn't make for great rock.'
Mudhoney, however, know what does make great rock - and
the riffs and fury of 'Digital Garbage' will stand the test of time,
even if the particulars fade away. 'I've tried to keep things
somewhat universal, so that this album doesn't just seem like
of this time - hopefully some of this stuff will go away,' Arm
laughs. 'You don't want to say in the future, 'Hey, those lyrics
are still relevant. Great!''
Mudhoney will be touring Europe in 2018.
CD in die-cut gatefold digipak with custom dust sleeve. LP in
die-cut gatefold jacket with custom dust sleeve and digital
download coupon. Cassette in four-panel J-card in clear case.
Digital download album.

Honey Soundsystem met October (aka Jules) while on a one-night affair in Bristol in which he immediately dragged us from an artist dinner to the saddest Bear bar in the UK. After a few pints, vetting his taste for drag, boys, and girls that make love to boys who make love to boys, Jules confessed he has always wanted to release on HNYTRX. And so the hazing began, a year of torturing yet another sexy-stranger into refreshing, reminding, and refining a flurry of demos into the army of skeleton soldiers you now have in possession. Money drops, midnight withdrawals, 4 crisp singles: this is the Pay Day EP — gonna make that dance-floor 'cha-ching' bitch!

A lot of people hate October so... that is why we are releasing this record in September. But seriously though, upon cracking open this 4 track EP you might wish you had saved the vacuum seal just a couple days longer, keeping these ghosts contained until the month where screaming winds strip trees nude

Limited Edition of 500 handnumbered Box Set including 4LPs (180g), 1 CD, Download Coupon and a high quality 120 page booklet. NOTE: BOX IS SHRINK-WRAPPED BUT WILL BE OPENED FOR SHIPPING TO AVOID SEAM-SPLIT.

Black Truffle Together With Bernhard Rietbrock And Zhdk Are Honoured To Reissue This Stunning Boxset Celebrating Alvin Lucier's 85th Birthday Celebrations Which Took Place In Zurich, 2013.

Alvin Lucier Is One Of Most Important Figures In More Than A Half Century Of Avant-garde And Experimental Sound Practice. He Has No Equivalent. He Is Among America's Most Important Composers - A Towering Pillar Of Intellect, Creativity, And Beauty Realized Through Sound. His Singular And Unparalleled Body Of Work, Focused Around Acoustic Phenomena And Auditory Perception, Which Included, Among Many Others, The Groundbreaking Works Bird And Person Dyning, Music On A Long Thin Wire, And I Am Sitting In A Room, Each Quietly Shifting The Understanding Of What Music Could Be - Deceptively Discrete Gestures, Laying Their Mark On History And The Expectations Of Nearly Everything To Come, While Radically Expanding The Field. It Is Such A Life, Defined By Such Striking Accomplishment, Which This Release Celebrates Across The Four Lps, Cd, And Book Which Make Up The Lavish Illuminated By The Moon Release.

Recorded In October Of 2016 At The Alvin Lucier 85th Birthday Festival At The Zurich University Of The Arts, The Box Gathers A Remarkable Range Of Performances Of Works From Lucier's Life In Music, From The Iconic To The Lesser Known. It Begins With Wonderful Stagings Of I Am In A Sitting Room And Music For Solo Performer Performed By The Composer, Before Presenting The Work Charles Curtis Performed By The Cellist For Whom It Was Composed, And Double Rainbow, A Recent Work, Performed By The Incredible Joan La Barbara. Over The Course Of The Set's Many Discs, We Encounter Works Ranging From Nothing Is Real (strawberry Fields Forever), Braid, Two Circles, Hanover, Step, Slide And Sustain, And One Arm Bandits, Performed By Oren Ambarchi, Stephen O'malley, And Gary Schmalzl, With Further Contributions By Charles Curtis And Many Others Involved In The Celebrations Of Lucier's Life And Work. The Collection, By Offering An Expanse Of Material Otherwise Unavailable In The Composer's Discography, Opens A Rare Window Into The Breadth And Range Of Territory Which He Has Approached, As Well As Into The Unique Humor Which Has Quietly Bubbled Through His Entire Career. It Is A Singular Recording Event, The Likes Of Which Are Unlikely To Be Repeated.

A Worthy Tribute To One Of The Last Century's Most Important Composers, Offering Insight, Recognition, And Critical Investigation, Long Overdue And Lovingly Produced. Including An Extensive, Lavish 120 Page Book, With Numerous Unseen Images. Pressed On 180 Gram Vinyl, This Limited Edition Of 500 Individually Numbered Copies Is Unquestionably One Of The Most Beautiful And Important Releases Of 2018.

Key Selling Points: - Limited Edition Of 500 Handnumbered Units From Legendary Electronic Music Pioneer Alvin Lucier

- Lavish Box Set Including 4lps, 1 Cd, And A High Quality 120 Page Booklet.

- 180g Vinyl

- Incl. Download Coupon To Redeem All Tracks

- Over 190 Minutes Playtime

- Remarkable Collection Of Performances Of Works From Lucier's Life In Music, From The Iconic To The Lesser Known.

- Mastered & Cut By Helmut Erler At Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin.

A mechanism of auditory and cognitive silk.

Our second vinyl edition is a very special summer release,
As this series is firmly installed in a crossroads of sounds, showcasing original material by Monopolar and Signal Deluxe, that is taken way up high in the sky with a couple of stellar remixes from 2 of our favorite artists in the world: Jay tripwire and Jacek Sienkiewicz.

Warehouse Find!

Scottish producer Austin Ato has been making waves the last couple of years having had well received releases on Futureboogie and Phonica White and this year looks to be his best yet! Remixes for Folamour on Classic, Balako on Greco Roman and an EP for Man Power's label Me Me Me will be dropping in the coming weeks, paving the way for his Delusions Of Grandeur debut double A side; Ella / Putting It In My Way.

On Ella we see Austin deliver some pure, unadulterated, house pleasure over eight minutes (although for us it feels like it could go on for days!). A filtering disco loop, synth melody, string stabs, all reinforced by punchy drums and that all important vocal chop. A simple recipe for a track when cooked up in the right way with love, passion and experience.

Flipping over to the AA, Putting It In My Way drops in somewhat bipolar fashion, a barrage of percussive beats and rolling snares building to a drop where Austin Ato skilfully switches the vibe completely, bringing in deep pads, rolling bassline and his own inimitable vocals. A totally unique track which harks back to the good old days when house music had a soulful and musical touch which connected instantly with the dance floor. This feels to us like a producer marking his arrival as an artist to watch closely for, and whose talent extends way beyond the confines of your standard four on the floor fodder.
Closing the release we have an Instrumental Version of Putting It In My Way which may well be your choice for the deeper moments, letting the groove push to the fore and the lush chords shine through the haze of dubby stabs and twisting synth line.

A year after his debut outing on the label, Max Essa makes a welcome return to Hell Yeah with the Han zon Roc EP, which is another of his impossibly laidback offerings.Essa is of course the long time UK talent who has become a part of the Balearic mafia thanks to releases on labels like Aficionado, Music for Dreams, and his own Jansen Jardin. This is the second coming together of artist and label and is another timeless excursion far out to sea.
Opener 'Han zon Roc (Midori Coup)' is an epic 12 minute adventure that slowly awakens your spirit with new age guitar plucks and heavenly ambience before organic drums slowly being to drift into earshot. They grow ever larger as synths start to spray about the mix, hand drums pitter patter and big chords bring the soul-shine. It's like the soundtrack to an afternoon boat party all condensed into one brilliant cut. 'How You Showed Me Everything' then gets super chill with lazy drum tumbles, bendy guitar lines and scattered hits. Withering cosmic chords colour the airwaves and its a track that will slow your heartbeat to nothing. Last of all, 'Rain Bird's Alfalfa Jam' is a analogue drum work out with early 90s hip hop influences and diving basslines. It's light and airy, nimble and playful and of course filled with the sort of tropical rays that make all of Essa works so brilliantly escapist.

In Sudan, the political and cultural are inseparable. In 1989, a coup brought a hardline religious government to power. Music was violently condemned. Many musicians and artists were persecuted, tortured, forced to flee into exile — and even murdered, ending one of the most beloved music eras in all of Africa and largely denying Sudan's gifted instrumentalists, singers, and poets, from strutting their creative heritage on the global stage.

What came before in a special era that protected and promoted the arts was one of the richest music scenes anywhere in the world. Although Sudanese styles are endlessly diverse, this compilation celebrates the golden sound of the capital, Khartoum. Each chapter of the cosmopolitan city's tumultuous musical story is covered through 16 tracks: from the hypnotic violin and accordion-driven orchestral music of the 1970s that captured the ears and hearts of Africa and the Arabic-speaking world, to the synthesizer and drum machine music of the 1980s, and the music produced in exile in the 1990s. The deep kicks of tum tum and Nubian rhythms keep the sound infectious.

Sudan of old had music everywhere: roving sound systems and ubiquitous bands and orchestras kept Khartoum's sharply dressed youth on their feet. Live music was integral to cultural life, producing a catalog of concert recordings. In small arenas and large outdoor venues, musical royalty of the day built Khartoum's reputation as ground zero for innovation and technique that inspired a continent.

Musicians in Ethiopia and Somalia frequently point to Sudan's biggest golden era stars as idols. Mention Mohammed Wardi — a legendary Sudanese singer and activist akin to Fela Kuti in stature and impact in his music and politics — and they often look to the heavens. A popular story is of one man from Mali who walked for three months across the Sahel to Sudan because the father of the woman he wanted to marry would only allow it if he got him a signed cassette from Wardi himself. Saied Khalifa is said to be the one of the few singers to make Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie smile.

Such is the stature of Sudanese singers and the reputation of Sudanese music, particularly in the "Sudanic Belt," a cultural zone that stretches from Djibouti all the way west to Mauritania, covering much of the Sahara and the Sahel, lands where Sudanese artists are household names and Sudanese poems are regularly used as lyrics until today to produce the latest hits. Sudanese cassettes often sold more in Cameroon and Nigeria than at home.

But years of anti-music sentiment have made recordings in Sudan difficult to source. Ostinato's team traveled to Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Egypt in search of the timeless cultural artifacts that hold the story of one of Africa's most mesmerizing cultures. That these cassette tape and vinyl recordings were mainly found in Sudan's neighbors is a testament to Sudanese music's widespread appeal.

With our Sudanese partner and co-compiler Tamador Sheikh Eldin Gibreel, a once famous poet and actress in '70s Khartoum, Ostinato's fifth album, following our Grammy-nominated "Sweet As Broken Dates," revives the enchanting harmonies, haunting melodies, and relentless rhythms of Sudan's brightest years, fully restored, remastered and packaged luxuriously in a triple LP gatefold and double CD bookcase to match the regal repute of Sudanese music.
A 20,000-word liner note booklet gives voice to the singers silenced by an oppressive regime.

Take a sail down the Blue and White Nile as they pass through Khartoum, carrying with them an ancient history and a never-ending stream of poems and songs. It takes two Niles to sing a melody.

Original in-demand back to back roots anthems at last receive official Greensleeves 12' single repress. Classic golden age coupling showcasing two of Johnny Clarke's finest performances both delivered with rock-stone back up from The Revolutionaries. Two heavyweight sound-system favorites cut loud and proud and housed in the classic Greensleeves 12' bag.

Articulat is the (new) artist name of Ovidiu Stanciu, a Romanian dj/producer living in Rotterdam. Under the moniker Manikin, he worked on several concept albums with titles like Popular Mechanics, Taxim and Grandma's Attic Revival over the last couple of years. While selecting tracks for this debut EP it felt like curating a 'best of', and we chose to put three thriving and pounding slow-beat bangers on the A side, and to show more of Articulat's versatile style on the B-side. Expect experimental electronic songs inspired by themes like Steampunk and Romanian folklore, very precisely engineered to experience storytelling in the most physical way.

Two long-time friends Juho Kusti (Deep Space Helsinki, Parabel) and Ville Vähäsaari (Rezonans) bring you their brand new label, No Future But What We Make.

The label's first release features two broken beat burners on the A-side from Detroit-based Uun (Mord, Ego Death) coupled with a more straightforward remix from acid mammoths Boston 168 (BPitch Control, Odd Even, Enemy Records) on the B-side.

Make a difference. Get involved. There's no future but what we make.

Nat Birchall returns with a couple of sides of blissful cosmic & spiritual jazz.

JAZZ45 - Exciting new sounds from the world of independent & creative jazz artistes!

Original artwork & original music on each and every release, and limited to just 600 copies worldwide!

Meet Me On The Corner is taken from the band's sophomore album, Orange Whip, which itself was BBC 6Music's Album of The Day on its release. It follows previous singles Whatever You Do and Sinner, which garnered support from Craig Charles, Tom Ravenscroft and Huey Morgan. The song showcases Honeyfeet at their funkiest and chunkiest. A pounding beat beefed up by bass, guitar and brass propels forward while Rioghnach Connolly sings lyrics that could be straight out of the playground, but suggest something deeper, possibly mystical even, in its demands for a dalliance on the street.

Remixes on this more foot friendly single come courtesy of homegrown legends of funky house music, Crazy P who come through with both a vocal and dub version. Honeyfeet's latest opus is turned into a straight up soulful disco monster by the boys from Nottingham, with Rioghnach's rasping vocals playfully meandering over Hot Toddy and Ron Basejam's crisp beats and trademark live bass. Elsewhere, much hyped Russian production don, I Gemin, delivers his take - still aimed at the dance floor of course, but a slightly deeper house affair based around jazzy keys and chopped up vocals that take the song into more sonorous territories.

As a bonus, the 12" package also features the acclaimed remix of previous single, Sinner, courtesy of erstwhile Polish Innocent Sorceror, Envee - his shuffling, moody take only previously being available on vinyl via a super limited (and now impossible to find) 7-inch release late last year. For the last couple of years Honeyfeet (whose name comes from a line in the Blues Brothers film) have been a conduit for the ideas and expressions of an exotic mixture of Manchester based musicians. This genre-defying band incorporate styles including jazz, folk and hip hop into their music.

The band are fronted by Rioghnach Connolly - also known for her work with Real World artists Afro Celt Sound System and The Breath - "A remarkable singer and flutist who...can ease from Irish traditional influences to soul" (The Guardian). The line-up is completed by Rik Warren (vocals/harmonica), Gus Fairbairn (tenor sax), Biff Roxby (trombone/vocals), Ellis Davies (guitar), Lorien Edwards (bass guitar), John Ellis (keyboards) and David Schlechtriemen (drums).

Since their self-released debut album, 2013's It's a Good Job I Love You, keyboardist John Ellis jumped on board as full-time member, bringing his unique musical presence. This enabled the development of a more texturally adventurous style, as witnessed with the dual atonal solo between himself and guitarist Ellis Davies on Sinner. Similarly, for their current LP, Orange Whip, engineer, bassist and spiritual guide Lorien Edwards makes his Honeyfeet recording debut, so completing the 'kitchen' of this very special band.

- The album, Orange Whip, is out now.

A long time ago, in a Norway far far away in time, keyboardist Bugge Wesseltoft introduced his New Conception of Jazz to the world. We're talking about the late 90s, when Bugge's cosmopolitan blend of jazz, hiphop and techno beats was pretty much the coolest music coming out of Norway at that moment. That was a golden time for Norwegian music, in fact, when the rest of the world began to sit up and take notice that something was stirring up north, and realised the music was more than just glacial tones hurtled from icy mountaintops and frozen lakes. This was the sound of urban Scandinavia.

A few years later came the electronic dance genre 'space disco'. Along with Todd Terje, Bjørn Torske and Lindstrøm, Prins Thomas was at the epicentre of this next big wave to surge out of Norway. Now, the two generations have come together in this exclusive collaboration between Bugge and Prins Thomas on the Smalltown Supersound label. Jazz and electronics combine for that energising vitamin D shot of Nordic sunshine.

The Rainbow Studio in Oslo is a familiar name to anyone who follows the ECM label - many of its classic 1970s jazz albums were recorded there under the eye of resident producer Jan Erik Kongshaug. Bugge and Thomas booked a couple of sessions at the legendary space with Kongshaug at the controls, and improvised some tunes in the style and spirit of some of their favourite ECM moments, like the fresh, open sounds of Codona, Egberto Gismonti, Oregon and Kenny Wheeler. Bugge had previously done a remix of Thomas's 'Bobletekno' in 2015 but this is the first time they have worked together as active musicians. The results - also partly taped at Thomas's home studio - fuse programmed rhythms, live synths and percussion, all captured in a sumptuously spacious acoustic.

For an even more authentic touch they called up one of their all time local heroes and one of Norway's most famous jazz drummers, Jon Christensen, who's been the go-to guy for Jan Garbarek, Terje Rypdal, Keith Jarrett and many more. At 75 years he's still pretty spry behind the kit, as you'll hear on several tracks here.

Make no mistake, though, this is not retro pastiche but contemporary music, coasting on gently insistent programmed grooves and bubbling basslines. The whole thing feels not so much like a consciously hip fusion of DJ and jazz musician, more like two great musicians totally enjoying themselves. Which is exactly what it is.

Key facts:
Bugge Wesseltoft is one of Norway's leading jazz figures. He set up Jazzland Recordings in 1996. His solo Christmas LP It's Snowing On My Piano remains Norway's best selling jazz album!

Prins Thomas's real name is Thomas Hermansen. His label, Full Pupp, means 'full breast'. He's released several albums under his own name, as well as collaborations with Bjørn Torske and Lindström. Check out his amazing Paradise Goulash mixtapes.

Mr 'Please Don't Send Me Away' Garfield Fleming returns to vinyl for the first time since the early 1980s with this 7" release on Cordial Recordings with the boogie bounce back of Ain't Nothing Too Good For My Woman coupled with the acoustic version of Hustlin'. Both songs are new productions with Devon based Ourra (Star Creatures) providing the magic of "Ain't Nothing Too Good For My Woman." which has received radio support from Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6) and Richard Searling (Solar Radio) amongst many others. New York based Ben Pirani producing the acoustic version of "Hustin'", which does not feature on our forthcoming mini album by Garfield Fleming.

At last, the vinyl reissue of this masterwork, adding two hitherto unreleased gems recorded solo for Charles Fox's Radio 3 programme Jazz in Britain, in the same few months of 1980 as the stunning Aida performances.The phrase 'in the moment' is often bandied about with reference to free improvisation, and indeed there's no better way to describe Derek Bailey's playing. The acoustic guitar is notoriously lacking in natural reverberation — notes barely hang in the air for a couple of seconds before they disappear — which explains the almost non-stop flow of new material in these stellar performances. Bailey knew from one split-second to the next exactly where to find the same pitch on different strings, either as a stopped tone or a ringing harmonic, and there's never a note out of place. 'He who kisses the joy as it flies,' in the words of William Blake, 'Lives in eternity's sunrise' — and this music is forever in the moment, constantly active but never gabby, kissing the joy.One of the special pleasures of the BBC set is the guitarist's own laconic commentary, a deliciously deadpan description of what he's doing while he's doing it — 'I like to think of it... as a kind of music' — and the interaction between words and music is a particular delight. 'You may have noticed a certain lack of variety,' he quips, while unleashing a furiously complex volley. Is it a coincidence that the final seconds recall the famous cycling fifths of the coda to Thelonious Monk's Round Midnight Surely not — for Bailey, like Monk, was a note man par excellence. And they're both still alive and well in eternity's sunrise.

You know when the dj drops something so special you're mentally forced to ask for the track and the reply you get is 'its my own unreleased track'. That's how I (Art Alfie) stumbled upon all three of these. About ten years ago I witnessed Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid (Peder Mannerfelt) turn Berghain upside-down with the dark techno epos 'Mars Attacks'. Around the same time I had the luck to see Nils Westerlund boogle minds with the broken beat psychedelics of 'Suspiria' at a Stockholm Open Air. Last but not least, a couple of years ago I heard 'Thicker Than Blood' for the first time, like the Sirens in greek mythology, it lured people on to the dance floor at Stockholms classic summer hot spot F12. I've been playing these tracks ever since and Im beyond happy I get to share them with the world at this point. //Art Alfie

In 2015, something magical happened. We met a couple of talented young Swedes named Artur Bra¨ndstro¨m and Egil Kahlbom who excelled at composing and producing these lighthearted, breezy disco-hued house tracks (or house- hued disco tracks, perhaps) that both fit the aesthetic and character of LPH and brought something new into the fold. The result of that first encounter was Marathons, a full-length album, their debut to the world, and now, two years later, we're back for the much-anticipated follow-up.

Rehearsal is a little briefer than its predecessor—it's five tracks—and has a markedly different tone, one that's less about dusty, sun-bleached samples and more about tightly-engineered and delicately-crafted songs. If the first effort was marked by its carefree naivete´, the sophomore effort is, well, something a bit more advanced or, perhaps, rehearsed.

What hasn't changed, though, is these guys' ability to home in on grooves and coax something trasncednetally hooky, memorable out of them. The five tracks contained here are low-key in attitude but powerful and punchy in approach. They're uniquely juicy, nourishing numbers for mellow hours and fearlessly fun ditties for party hours.Lots of love went into the lot of them, and we hope all's you feel when you let them wash over you is that. Love.

Maurice Moore's 'Maurice' is remastered from the original 1/4" studio tapes and available as an official limited vinyl reissue for the first time exclusively on Backatcha Records. 7-track LP with artwork and insert. Limited to 300 copies with original cover portrait by artist Clarence "Pencilman" Pointer.

Recorded in March, 1976 at Pegasus Studios in Maurice Moore's hometown of Warren, Ohio, 'Maurice' personifies what Moore calls the 'Town Sound'. A family soul funk affair with no label constraints, absorbed in the local scene and written, produced and arranged by himself. Moore originally pressed a handful of LP's to pass around sparingly as a demo with only a couple of copies ever re-surfacing. Now made available again from Moore's master reel via London-based Backatcha Records. Includes the sought-after uptempo percussion-led backstreet funk of 'Freeway' and the original cosmic synth-ladened slow burner 'Everything
That Shines Ain't Gold' (the blueprint to the alternative version appearing as a reissue in 2017 on Floating Points' Melodies).

The new Release on Shaddock Records is more than just dance tracks, 2 songs that come with full-blown vocals, a Re-edition of classic Latin Freestyle by Jorge Ojeda ft. Hilda Mariee with an up-to-date cover version by Mr. & Mrs. Jonson

The original version is a freestyle slammer coming straight from Miami the capital of Freestyle Music.

Driven by hard electro beats and Ojeda's signature Miami Bass with Latin Hip Hop/ Freestyle Dance grooves, "Betrayal" when initially released on Ojeda's Destune records became a club and street phenomenon in Miami. It would be one of the first of many productions between Jorge Ojeda and Hilda Mariee' and their project Teaz II Pleaz.

Now "Betrayal" catches new life on Shaddock Records and continues to tell it's story.

On the 2nd A side Mr. & Mrs.Jonson aka Mathew Jonson and Isis Kuaygarond created an incredible cover version keeping the electro and freestyle spirit but taking arrangement and production to the next level and thus into 2018.

Mathew and Isis, after their recent marriage have spent endless hours in the studio and with Betrayal - the couple's very 1st release - they are giving us a first insight into their joint musical vision.

Oktave Records returns for the third installment from the label, once again featuring owner and proprietor Jeff Derringer at the helm. The 'Factions' EP shows Jeff at his most direct and robust, with three tracks of meticulously constructed techno.

'Factions' starts the EP and goes straight for the heart of the dance floor, with a tunneling groove that lures the listener into hypnosis before a devastating break takes the track to a whole new level of intensity. This one is for the ravers, no doubt.

The flip side starts with 'Penalty Phase', another floor-focused stunner that features Jeff's signature kick drum and drive, coupled with evolving synth arpeggios and melancholy vibes for those early club mornings as the sun comes up. Finally, 'The Second Plane' slows the tempo down a bit and ends the record with a thoughtful broken beat arrangement reminiscent of early Warp.

'Factions' was written during the winter of 2018 and mastered by Tim Xavier at Manmade Mastering.

Pressed on solid orange vinyl.

Rebirth return for the second in their LTD series. Argy opens up the e.p. with an atmospheric arp laden stomper enriched by the magical vocals of Blue Jay. Acid Pauli then take on remixing Modular Project's 'Leaving', coupling glitchy vocal loops and pulsating synths together with a hypnotic groove to create a trippy minimal roller. Closing out the e.p. Tiger & Woods add their trademark touch to Lele Sacchi's 'Dreaming Won't Do', focusing the track around the exuberant piano melodies whilst manipulating the vocal sample into a percussive snare element to give a distinctive feel to the remix. Killer work as always from the Rebirth crew.

Rubisco opens up a new chapter with its first VA release. 'Molecules I' couples bass-heavy club tools with atmospheric late-night vibes and features some of the freshest talents around.

'Madrid Fue Una Ciudad Mundial' compiles four of the most important Spanish electronic projects from the 80's. A compilation released in cooperation with a show organised in Madrid last May, 18th where Aviador Dro, Flash Cero, Azul y Negro and Esplendor Geométrico played together for the very first time.Aviador Dro offers two unpublished early recordings from 1981. Flash Cero includes an unreleased song recorded back in 1987. Azul y Negro collaborates with a demo version of their cult classic 'La Torre de Madrid' from 1981. And Esplendor Geométrico give us a couple of live tracks recorded in 1989 for the first time available on vinyl

Twenty-eight Years Ago, Pissed-off Twelve-year-olds Around The Universe Discovered A New Planet, A Black Planet. Public Enemy's Aggressive, Benihana Beats And Incendiary Lyrics Instilled Fear Among Parents And Teachers Everywhere, Even In The Border Town Of Laredo, Texas, Home Of The Future Founders Of The Latin-funk-soul-breaks Super Group, Brownout. The Band's Sixth Full-length Album (out May 25th) Fear Of A Brown Planet Is A Musical Manifesto Inspired By Public Enemy's Music And Revolutionary Spirit.

Chuck D., The Bomb Squad, Flava Flav And The Rest Of The P.e. Posse Couldn't Possibly Have Expected That Their Golden-era Hip Hop Albums Would Sow The Seeds For Countless Public Enemy Sleeper Cells, One That Would Emerge Nearly Three Decades Later In Austin, Texas. Greg Gonzalez (bass) Remembers A Kid Back In Junior High Hipped Him To The Fact That Public Enemy's bring The Noise' Is Built On James Brown Samples, While A Teenaged Beto Martinez (guitar) Alternated Between Metal And Hip-hop In His Walk-man, And Adrian Quesada (guitar/keys) Remembers Falling In Love With Public Enemy's Sound At An Early Age. when I Got Into Hip Hop, I Was Looking For This Aggressive Outlet . . . And I Didn't Even Understand What They Were Pissed Off About, Because I Was Twelve And Lived In Laredo . . . But I Loved It And I Felt Angry Along With Them.'

Joseph Abajian (fat Beats' Owner) Must Have Sensed The Deep Hip-hop Well Lying Beneath The Versatile Band's Latin-funk Veneer. i Thought Their Sound Would Work Covering Public Enemy Songs,' Abajian Says, And, it Was Good To Know They Were P.e. Fans . . . We Came Up With A Track Listing And They Went To Work.' Despite The Band's Eagerness To Work On New Original Material (an Album Of Original Songs Is Slated For Next Year), They Couldn't Pass Up The Opportunity To Pay Homage To This Iconic And Influential Posse.

Translating Sample-based Music To A Live Band Turned Out To Be More Of A Challenge Than They Anticipated. Adrian Tried To Get Inside The Bomb Squad's (public Enemy's Producers/beat-making Team) Head In Order To Find The Inspiration To Reinterpret P.e.'s Songs: imagine The Bomb Squad Going Back In Time And Getting The J.b.s (james Brown's Funky Backing Band) In The Studio And Setting Up A Couple Analog Synths And Then Playing Those Songs.' While Some Songs Closely Follow The Original Musical Blueprint, Others Use The Source Breakbeats As Jumping-off Points Later Sweetened By Trombonist Mark speedy' Gonzales' Horn Arrangements, Synth Wizardry Courtesy Of Friend-of-the-band Peter Stopschinski, And Dj Trackstar's Turntable Scratches. But Don't Listen Expecting To Hear Paint-by-numbers Recreations Of Classic Public Enemy Jams. our Approach Is Never In The Tribute Sense,' Adrian Explains. we've Always Taken It And Made It Our Own, Whether It's The Brown Sabbath Thing Or This Public Enemy Thing.' Coming Off Numerous Tours As Brown Sabbath And Even A Stint Backing The Late Legend Prince, Brownout Is Arguably The Tightest And Funkiest Band On The Road Today And They're Psyched To Bring This Revolutionary Music To The People. For A Band Without An Overt Political Agenda, They Collectively Couldn't Resist The Opportunity To Play This Music Live, Especially Now. if There's Any Way That We Can Use The Already Political And Protest Nature (of P.e.'s Music), We Would Like To Try,' Beto Says. the Album's Title, Fear Of Brown Planet Is Definitely A Relevant Idea Today And We're Not Afraid To Put It Out There, Because We Want To Speak Out.' By Reinterpreting These Hip Hop Classics In Their Unique Style And Channeling The Spirit Of Public Enemy That First Echoed Around The World And Captured Their Imaginations All Those Years Ago, Brownout Is Doing Exactly That.

Prestige Music continues steadfast in 2018 with a fresh 12" from the likes of Bram Schrooyen, aka PHASE. Contributing remarkably to the catalog with 'Anything For You', featuring Astrid Destuyver; a beautifully warm piece rolling over classic key strokes, and coupled with sultry vocal overtones. In stark contrast, 'Diffusor' boasts relentless beats and breaks, pounding bass rhythms, and delivers shock to sound systems. A very special release for all the vinyl heads, and will find itself available worldwide by summer '18.

with »redsuperstructure«, robert lippok created a new foundation for his musical endeavors. now - 7 years later - this system properly comes to life on »applied autonomy«. the title of the new album is a clear indicator as to what the berlin-based producer has been up to during the last couple of years, both on a conceptual level as well as how he molds his ideas into tracks.
»applied autonomy« orchestrates a certain state of frantic standstill, which occurs once a structure is set. has this state been reached, the artist is free to focus on other equally important aspects, balancing the various shades, pushing ideas even further to really make them shine and blossom in their self-declared autonomy. the more light one lets in, the more layers become visible.
layers are key when it comes to understanding »applied autonomy«. big chunks of the material with which the album has been produced derive from sketches specifically made for a club performance. rather than meticulously devising each and every detail, lippok focussed instead on recording as many fragments as possible in a short period of time, elements which he could later combine and layer on stage. based on this material and his experience experimenting with it in a live environment, the album slowly began to shape. an album culminating in a collaboration with klara lewis, with whom lippok spent 2 days at the EMS studios in stockholm, approaching the idea of autonomy from yet another angle. during the session, both musicians played and performed simultaneously, yet not explicitly together, lost in their own thoughts and ideas, only subconsciously taking in what the other one was coming up with. the result is »samtal«, 14 minutes of a constantly evolving state of poise, magically connecting all the dots Lippok had already defined as »applied autonomy«.

Recorded in Philadelphia in 1969, The Deirdre Wilson Tabac's sole album is a beautiful blend of funk, jazz and soulful pop. Possessing the complex grooves, thrilling breaks and ethereal weirdness that The Rotary Connection pedalled so brilliantly, the LP failed to connect with audiences upon its original release.

In the decades since, it has deservedly attracted a considerable cult following. However, almost inevitably, it has become increasingly tricky to pick up a copy in good condition for anything less than eye-watering sums. As such, we're delighted to present the first officially licensed vinyl reissue of this undoubted masterpiece of freaky funk-rock, limited to just 500 copies.

The Tabac were, in fact, a trio. Discovered, managed and produced by Svengali Sonny Casella (who'd earlier managed garage band The Magic Mushrooms), they comprised Deirdre Wilson, Stu Freeman (formerly of said Mushrooms) and Barbara Payne (formerly with the James Brown Revue). They were backed by session players including jazz guitarist Chuck Anderson, bassist Hugh McDonald and keyboardist Roy Bittan (who went on to be a long-term Bruce Springsteen sideman).

Their first single coupled two fine Casella compositions, each featuring powerhouse vocal workouts, the supremely funk-fuelled blues beat of "The Other Side Of Life" and the psychedelic-flavoured "Look In My Face" - both of which are featured here. This 7" picked enough up airplay to merit an album, which duly appeared early the following year, but, as is often the way with these lost classics, it received barely any press. Correspondingly, sales where low and the trio didn't last long.

And herein lies the real tragedy. The rest of the LP deserves to be heard from start-to-finish - it's that good. A beguiling mix of funky folk and rocky jazz tracks, with some deep, string-drenched harmony soul ballads and a handful of remarkable covers elegantly presented througout. Indeed, they put some sauntered head-nod funk into The Beatles' "Get Back" whilst tearing through a version of "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay" which gives Otis' original a real run for its money.

But the real standout cut for most - with its soulful, haunting vocals, swinging hammond organ and stabbing horns, is the incredible 6/8 time jazz dancer "I Can't Keep From Cryin' Sometimes." Staggering.

The long awaited debut release from Melbourne based producer / personality Mousse is here! Until now, Mousse aka Simon Barry has kept his craft close to his chest and we finally hear the result of years of hard studio labour in the bungalow. Barry has been a crucial part of Melbourne's dance community for the past five or so years, co-hosting the legendary disco party 'Misty Nights' with Danny Hotep as well being a fixture at The House De Frost and Animals Dancing parties.

On the A side we have the anthemic 'Sex and Acid' and 'Big Fat Party Popper' two raw house tracks with links to early Chicago classics. Quirky sound effects and catchy vocals simmer on top of hot acid bassline to give you a couple of the summers most memorable bangers! But don't be fooled, Mousse is no one-trick-pony. On the flip we step out of the bungalow and into 'Afternoon Bloom' where jazzy pianos dance around a playful machine rhythm. Rounding out the four tracker 'Bare With Me' delivers an evolving house jam with a conversive synth line and dubbed out chords.

A killer debut release from one of Melbournes rising stars.

Repress

We are extremely happy to welcome yet another talented crew from Italy in the Moonshine family. D-Operation Drop is a project born in 2010 thanks to the encounter of 5 university students wich found themselves sharing the same house and more importantly, love for music (In 2013 Zeemo joins the Crew, modifying the formation from 5 to 6 elements). After a couple of early collaborations, almost casual, Uniradio Cesena gives to D-Operation Drop the chance to lay the foundations of an underground music program on air twice a week. Thanks to this experience the group officially finds its frame and looks forward to its new goals such as producing, dj'ing and vj'ing. To date D-Operation Drop, after almost seven years of experience, has received support from Artists like J:Kenzo, Distance, N-Type, Icicle, Radikal Guru & many others. Releasing music with notable labels such as Lion Charge, Artikal Music UK, Subaltern and now Moonshine Recordings.

3x12"

Listening back to Roman Poncet's first releases on Figure just a couple years ago, they already hinted at the producer's keen technical abilities and a knack for rich texturing, resulting in tracks that were
both carried by force and form. What he delivers now is an impressively mature debut album, ripe with personal creative realization.

On Gypsophila the French producer uses the extended format to slowly shape up a scenery of epic proportions where surprise and constant change lurk around every corner. A certain sense of
progression and evolution runs throughout Poncet's music; it invariably keeps one locked in, no matter for the opening drones of Do Not or the patiently growing Thick Vegetation, which fuses tribal
percussion and choral chants to showcase another of this LP's key features: its dense soundscape, which at once feels inherently electronic yet deeply organic, translating the abstract futuristic themes
of techno into something jam-packed and heady albeit steadily grounded - a listening experience that is as dreamy as it remains tangible.

This holds true for the highly atmospheric synth-lead pieces, such as the cinematic intro Hello You, the elevating arp-ride Epreuve or the suspended celestial groove of Atlas. But equally goes for the floorfocused
rhythms, like relentless steam engine-workout Piege or mid-album mind-trip In Aeternam. Adding even more variety and depth to the mix, the tidal title track is given its own side to explore the
sheer endless expanses of dub...
Bundling the complete range of his influences, Gypsophila marks the pinnacle of Roman Poncet's work to date. Covering a spectrum this broad in his very own way, the album proves as relevant for the
current club scene as it will be for repeated return visits.

'Second Stomp' is the appropriately titled second seven inch single from Daytoner, the unique soul remix seven piece from the far southwest. Their debut single 'Needed You' received airplay on BBC6 Music & BBC Radio 1 from Craig Charles and BBC Introducing. This new single should please fans of the first release, with their rewrite of a stomping 60s northern soul instrumental coupled with Lucy Richards' tale of standing by her man. On the flip is the band's own rework of a classic funk and hip-hop loop, and this version, again with Lucy's new lyrics, was recently included on Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club Vol.5 compilation, but is now available on vinyl for the first time.

Rhyw is Alex Tsiridis aka one half of Cassegrain. On this, his solo debut for Arcing Seas, his smoul-dering alien techno sound manifesto continues to thrive over three unique tracks.

The morphing, deconstructed acid of 'Unpunishable' - a molten statement of lusty intent - strikes first in a heady, hazy pummelling of doom-funk. 'Vertisol' pushes crisp and dry snaking percussion through an anechoic chamber; the bass end neatly warming at first then burning hard through your mid section.
An icy cold shot of 'Aqua Velva' is the final offering - a pushing sub-level trip through Rhyw's private domain - where tingling rushes of bass and static charges wash over us leaving a sinful residue.

Label info:
Arcing Seas is an anagram of Cassegrain. It started out as a secret alias, releasing a couple EPs on Our Circula Sound. The secret was less well kept after the duo appeared at Berghain under this name. A year later, after deciding to start a label, it finally made sense to bring the two together.
CASSEGRAIN = Co S o S o G o R o N o A o E o A o I = ARCING SEAS

proper mixed bag this one.. soothing, grinding, banging, and disturbing!
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New York City by way of Miami, Alex Suarez delivers his debut lp the eight track "Autogolpe" for L.I.E.S. Autogolpe, is a term for military coup initiated by a dictator to take control of an existing government and Suarez uses this loose idea to create the sonic equivialent of the pain, strife, oppression, isolation, and joyous freedom associated with said act. Musically he expands on his prior releases for Bank and Primitive Languages as heavy industrialized sonic beatings sit next to somber passages, oil drum slow beat tribal clangers provide a back drop for screams shooting out of the dark. Musically it paints a distorted picture of world in decline, an exile from another land and arrivial to anothers in chaos or the clinging hope of something better on the other side.

"Hi again!

It's been a couple years, but I've put together a new record, this time with my neighbor Stu and a few other friends. Stu's been tuning the piano Linda and I were using for our Lejsovka & Freund and Trouble Books recordings, and I've always enjoyed the test scales and vignettes he would run through checking his work.

I floated the idea to collaborate on a sort of 70s/80s ECM kinda vibe, and soon started bringing my laptop and a couple microphones over to his house to collect his improvisations and have him add to pieces I had started. Other friends from the neighborhood dropped by to add parts here and there as well.

The recordings were made primarily in the summers of 2016 & 2017 (with a break in-between to mourn the triumph of neo-fascism as well as the passing of beloved pets). Ultimately I tried to follow the feel of those summer nights and the tranquility they offered. Open air or at least open windows, drifting along, you know"

-KF, Spring 2018.

Aqueduct Ensemble is a collaboration between Ohio based artist Keith Freund - who has previously released music as part of both Lejsovka & Freund and Trouble Books - and his neighbour Stu, who is a piano tuner and professional pianist. Their debut album together, "Improvisations On An Apricot" is the second release from label Last Resort, and follows G.S Schray's "Gabriel" (2017) - the sleeves for which were both designed by Keith, who does does all the art direction for the label. Beginning life in 2013 as an NTS radio show of the same name, Last Resort is run by Tom Cathcart from his home in London.

Our boss Claude VonStroke is the busiest guy we know. When he's not traveling the world or curating an event, he's in the studio every day putting in hours upon hours, relentless in perfecting his craft. He's had a slew of hits the past couple years in the form of remixes and collaborations, and now with the 'Walay (My Bae)' EP, Claude gets back to some inventive and somewhat 'out of the box' solo works.

The title song leads with a melodic riff and an funky vocal that sounds like a defective cyborg is proclaiming love for his partner, 'Walay.' This quasi-human uses the slang 'My Bae' to try and pass for human and we almost believe in his passion. The sound harkens back to old classic rave tracks but also pushes very modern production techniques.

On the flip, 'Raw Nerve' is an emotional exploration in both sounds and lyrics. A melancholy VonStroke dives deep into his insecurities and fears with sonically mutated lyrics like 'I'm feeling so sad, I'm feeling real bad today. When I see you on the street I dont want to compete.' You can feel the social instability oozing out of the vocal only to come back at the close with a violently hard bassline embodying the personal angst and frustration that goes along with not 'fitting in.'

Initially paying tribute to the analogue absurdity, sonic diversity and sheer imagination of the early 90s dance music landscape, Future Four returns after a hiatus of several years, pushing into new eras, machines and ideals with 'Connection'. Initially a solo project of Andy Meecham, the brains behind Emperor Machine, Chicken Lips, and Bizarre Inc., 'Connection' is the first Future Four release to feature the contribution of Erol Alkan as a permanent member, and is a coupled with a remix from I:Cube.

A veritable powerhouse of synths, vintage drum machines and all man-ner of effects, 'Connection' unfolds with minimal tempo and maximum impact, as sequences of unexpected electronics gradually build from every direction, each landing with the razor sharp precision associated with their composers. Cascading synths overflow like fizzy drinks, pro-pelling the track along an electronic patchwork of FM synthesis and psy-chedelia.

On the remix, I:Cube takes the unpredictable rhythm of 'Connection' and coaxes it's versatile, multiple elements into a timeless slice of boogie house. Nurturing the outsider Casio feel of the track under a musical heat-lamp, the always forward-thinking Frenchman emerges with a cut that could easily soundtrack both sun deck and space station.

Here Appear is an invocation, a salutation, and a celebration — of past and perfect lives, forgotten and remembered, exchanged and borrowed. Eve Essex's solo debut is a multi-instrumental fea(s)t combining synthesizer, drum machine, alto saxophone, piccolo, electric organ/harpsichord, harmonica, slide whistle, bells, guitar pedals, and voice— composed, arranged, and performed by Essex herself. What began as an improv set at Berlin's Harlekin bar, developed over the past two years into a complete body of work evoking multiple time periods, genres, characters, and sonic landscapes. The seven tracks that make up Here Appear harness elements of classical, drone, avant-jazz, and distorted pop, coupled with an ambitious vocal delivery that draws on the phrasing and articulations of Essex's own woodwind playing, to create a quasi-narrative me´lange retaining the vulnerability of live performance. On the opening track Grind Away,' otherworldly harmonica strains set the stage for lyrics citing Chinese sci-fi novel The Third Body Problem as source material. Saxophone and piccolo interludes Immediate Communicator' and Colorless Stone' move between medieval-tinged melodic inventions and textural noise, recalling a Pharoah Sanders-influenced fever dream, while the linguistic abstractions of Russian conceptual poet Lev Rubinstein guide the looped, layered, and textured vocals of title track Here Appear.' The album closes with a languid take on Jacqueline Humbert & David Rosenboom's 1978 composition Clear Light' from My New Music, recently reissued by Unseen Worlds. Here Appear owes its minimal production to the conditions of its genesis, evidencing the restrained process of the solo artist, instrumentation is confined to what can be played simultaneously. True to the album's avant-garde roots, each song involves an element of improvisation, often taking the form of prompts or variations on a melody rather than explicit compositions. Even its most structured pieces make use of live-sampled loops, which inject a spirited unpredictability into the songwriting process and subsequent performance. Classically trained in bassoon at New England Conservatory before receiving a BFA in sculpture from RISD, Eve Essex has performed as a solo artist at Artists Space, Commend, Safe Gallery, Signal, Trans Pecos, and U.S. Blues, in New York, Harlekin/Mathew Gallery and StudioAcht in Berlin, and the PUFFERSS Festival in Providence, RI. In addition to her solo practice, Essex regularly performs as one half of Das Audit (with Craig Kalpakjian), as well as in trios Hesper (with James K and Via App) and HEVM (with MV Carbon and Hunter Hunt-Hendrix), and has collaborated extensively with Juan Antonio Olivares as installation/performance-art duo Essex Olivares. Prior to the LP release on Sky Walking (April, 20), Here Appear arrives via New York City-based label Soap Library on March 9, 2018 in both cassette and digital format, mastered by Helmut Erler at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin and recorded by Al Carlson at Gary's Electric, Brooklyn.