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Initially formed in southeast London in the mid-1960s as the Coloured Raisins, obscure black rock quartet Black Velvet infused their sound with soul and reggae undercurrents, a testament to the Caribbean origins of the group members, and the pervasive styles inspiring the black communities that inhabited London’s marginal outskirts. Produced by Don Lawson for the Beacon label, which was launched by the Antiguan businessman and future politician Milton Samuel, Black Velvet’s powerful debut is a snapshot in time of London’s black underground that will appeal to anyone interested in the black British music scene of the early 1970s.

Getting their start in the mid-1960s as a covers band, the Surrey-based group that began as The Late and who would be forced to take the name Unicorn mid-way through the recording of this excellent debut LP soon understood that originals made better sense, pointed in that direction by the success of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Given greater depth by Gerry Rafferty’s producer, Hugh Murphy, Uphill All The Way makes for superb listening, the musical craftsmanship yielding intricate textures beneath Ken Baker’s dreamy lyrics, the intelligent folk rock complete with country and western underpinnings. A must for UK folk rock fans!

In the 1971 counterculture comedy You Gotta Walk It Like You Talk It, Zalman King tries to find the meaning of life, with Richard Pryor and Robert Downey Jr among the cameos; who better to cut the soundtrack than Steely Dan? Except that the Dan had not officially formed yet! With typical tongue-in-cheek touches, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker rise to the challenge, with fellow Dan guitarist Denny Diaz and drummer John Discepolo of previous vehicle, Jay & the Americans; if you’re a Steely Dan fan, you really need to check out this one-off soundtrack, cut just before they upset the rock applecart with Can’t Buy A Thrill.

After briefly replacing Eric Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, guitarist/bassist Geoff Krivit formed Doctor K’s Blue Band with pianist Richard Kay and singer/harmonica player Mick Hasse, the lineup completed by bassist Harold Vickers, slide guitarist Roger Rolt and future Steve Hillage drummer Eric Peachey. Their self-titled debut had top-notch renditions of blues classics such as ‘I Can’t Lose,’ ‘Key To The Highway’ and ‘Pet Cream Man,’ as well as spirited originals such as ‘Strobe Lemming’s Lament’ and the piano stomp ‘Crippled Clarence,’ but the album failed to break through. Grab a copy of this rarity to be blown away!

Known as ‘the Architect of Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ the flamboyant rhythm and blues extrovert, Little Richard, made an incredible impact with unorthodox piano playing and rasping, shouted vocals, yielding a series of pivotal hits in the mid-1950s, but he abandoned secular music for gospel following a tour of Australia in 1957. Lured back into rock by promoter Don Arden, his UK tour featuring The Beatles as support, Little Richard Is Back was his comeback set for Vee Jay, his voice now deeper and seasoned; the range of covers are tackled with plenty of pep, and original ‘Groovy Little Suzy’ was co-written by Harry Nillson. All hail the King!

The core membership of free jazz act The Trio ensured its output was captivating, comprised as it was of double-bassist Barre Phillips, who had played with Archie Shepp, Chris McGregor, and Gong; saxophonist John Surman, who had played with John McLaughlin, Lester Bowie, and Alexis Korner; and drummer Stu Martin, who had played with Count Basie, Donald Byrd and Herbie Hancock. On the gripping sophomore set Conflagration, guest players include Chick Corea and trumpeter Harry Beckett, ensuring their take on abstract jazz contains melody as well as jarring exchanges. Another great Trio free jazz set!

Temir Alcy (producer Enir Da - Dali Muru & The Polyphonic Swarm and multi-instrumentalist Charles Lmx) is at the junction of spherical textures of acoustic clouds and shapeshifting forms of immersive electronic percussive patterns.

By intertwining etherionic atmospheres and organic moods to magnetic and hypnotic rhythms, Temir Alcy explores the mysteries of the future and the unknown through a journey of sensory trance, where whispers and melodies of voices strike a vivid contrast between emotions’ fragility and sound’s solidity enhanced by a downtempo, leftfield and erratic kraut’s feel.

English blues outfit Tramp was a fleeting affair, active in the late 1960s and early 1970s on an on again, off again basis. Centred on former John Dummer Blues Band guitarist/vocalist Dave Kelly and his singing sister Jo Ann, the group benefitted from Fleetwood Mac mainstays Mick Fleetwood, Danny Kirwan, Bob Brunning and former Savoy Blues Band keyboardist, Bob Hall. Produced for Spark in 1969 by Donovan’s manager, Peter Eden, their sole LP featured tough blues originals, written by members of the group. This is a must-have for all Fleetwood Mac devotees, andfor lovers of British blues albums.

When the world's chatter is hushed to a whisper and emptiness replaces clutter, time falls away completely, exposing a vast, open canvas for the imagination fill with reflection, contemplation and abstraction. On their first collaborative album, released via Caterina Barbieri's light-year's label, Grand River and Abul Mogard gaze longingly into the abyss, capturing atemporality, splendour and tranquility with confident, impressionistic sonic strokes. Dynamic and poignant, 'In uno spazio immenso' balances on a knife-edge between booming, operatic grandeur and soft-focus simplicity, casting as much light on the subtle outlines and illusory rhythms as it does its dense, almost overpowering textures.

Berlin-based Dutch-Italian composer and sound designer Aimée Portioli, aka Grand River, has been evolving her unique musical language since she released 'Crescente' on Donato Dozzy and Neel's Spazio Disponibile imprint in 2017. A trained linguist, she uses her instrumentation and advanced processes to challenge cultural perceptions, portraying emotions and moods rather than fixed, visual images. Abul Mogard meanwhile is just one of veteran Italian producer Guido Zen's many aliases, and over a series of acclaimed albums for labels like Ecstatic, Houndstooth and VCO, he's muddled fiction with stark reality, shaking kosmische synth fantasies into post-industrial ambience and blissful shoegaze memories.

Duff McKagan (Guns N Roses) feiert das fünfjährige Jubiläum seines Solo-Albums 'Tenderness' mit einem Live-Album, das am 13. Juni 2019 in Los Angeles aufgenommen und vom ursprünglichen Produzenten des Albums, Shooter Jennings, gemischt wurde. Das Album ist eine intime und persönliche Reise durch Duffs eigene Songs sowie einige Covers. Das Album ist auf streng limitierten 2CD- und 2LP-Vinyl-Gatefold-Sets erhältlich.

For fans of Pan Amsterdam, Edan, Homeboy Sandman, Sleaford Mods etc. Features the singles ‘Baby Don’t’ ft. Sonnyjim & Quelle Chris and ‘Space-Bar’ ft Pan Amsterdam. Blessing/curse. Division/unity. Love/hate. It’s in the context of a polarising 24-hour, digitised, globally connected world that NightjaR finds its wings. NightjaR being the nom-de-plume and smudged rainbow constellation of collaborative copy-and-paste sound-wrangling and hip-hop from Doves’ Jimi Goodwin. But it’s here and it’s Mala Leche. Mala Leche (Spanish: Bad Milk) is 16 tracks of beats and bars, vocals provided by some of the hip-hop artists at the very top of Jimi’s own, personal home listening lists and interludes that throw back and forth through eras and genres in sometimes playful, occasionally awakeningly abrasive styles.

For the fourth time now Jaqee introduces herself to the World with her impressive voice and her unique attitude. Born in Kampala, the Capital of Uganda, she began her vagabond like life the moment she was born. During her childhood, she travelled the rural areas of her home country with her parents. This is where she collected her first impressions of the life as a nomad. From birth on, wandering the earth became a part of her destiny. In the early nineties she undertook a huge step and immigrated to Sweden. The City of Gothenburg would become her adopted home from where she was able to access all the different destinies and directions, which were on offer to her. Through all the borders Jaqee crossed, music has always been her steady companion whereas it never was a stereotype thing that let her get down with any special genre, than more like a special feeling. “To do what I want in a particular moment is my motivation. I like to express myself in all kind of sounds.” So above all, she became a true nomad in the world of music. After several successful co-operations with numerous artists, in 2005 Jaqee made an impact with her debut album “Blaqalixious”, which was mainly a Soul and R&B album. “That was my direct contact to the music that a rural community in the Diaspora plays” she explains. But it did not end up there because a nomad like Jaqee does not settle anywhere. After further creative and fruitful collaborations, Jaqee released her second long player “Nouvelle d´ amour” in 2007. This time, the sound was more of a rocking, bluesy vibe. It seemed to be the total opposite to her debut album but for Jaqee it was only the next step on her path in the circle of life. “Everything is possible as long as it is real. I never wonder about things like genre as long as the vibe fits.” One step further on, she encountered the songs of Billie Holiday, which lead to the album “A letter to Billie” recorded together with Bohuslänbigband, a lovely homage to the great American Jazz Singer. Both of her first two albums each received a Swedish Grammy nomination and several appearances in the Swedish national television increased her standing as a passionate and soulful Singer. So Teka, producer and creator of many successful riddims for his co-found German label, Rootdown Records considered her to be part of his new project “Koala Desperados“, which link Caribbean vibes like Cumbia to Reggae, and while working on it a totally new idea was born. Jaqee and Teka decided to combine both their talents into one album. The results of which you can now hear on “Kokoo Girl” a refreshing mix of Old School Reggae sounds from the seventies combined with up-to-date Beats, electronic twists and turns and of course the amazing voice of Jaqee. For her, this means that she has achieved some of her ambitions. “I grew up with African Gospel, in sad and turbulent environment, so for me, this means I grasp and totally understand the reggae and its non ending struggle for the common man.” No sooner said than done and “Kokoo Girl” will become Jaqee’s fourth and newest release. All the paths she followed, countries she crossed and influences she absorbed are a part of this album. She sings with the freedom of spirit of the travelling people. The word “Kokoo” is the only memory that remains everlasting. It is just a word but its impact is so huge that Jaqee does not really like to explain it. “It implies irony and seriousness as well as sarcasm and fun.” It is more than a gimmick. “Kokoo” is a very special feeling and a clear view of the world from an artist who has seen more of it than all the people that have settled down.

"I wish I could turn or turn back" "Sometimes it’s hard to resist the feeling that there was a crucial turn in life out of which everything else flowed. Maybe in our more reasonable frames of mind we can dismiss that thought and take our plans and intentions very seriously. But, there’s often a lurking conviction that, like the oak from the acorn or the movie from its opening scene, it is already all there. In the first moment of Relics of Our Life, anything could happen, anything could come next. But as the suspense is broken with the first notes, the world of the record springs up as both an internal experience and a landscape of which we will learn something, but definitely not everything. The songs induce a swimming sense of cycling repetition and variation where shifting details tilt the ground under us. The round and round doesn’t make us dizzy; like breathing the right way, it makes us both heavier and higher. "Pawliczek’s songs can be located in the company of the greats of Flying Nun Records – maybe the delicacy of The Great Unwashed with the heavy heart of The Verlaines and smartness of The Chills. But, ultimately, his interests are elsewhere – a heart-break song over an earthly lover feels like only the tipping point for longing and devotion that outstrips the personal. In this sense, Popul Vuh for their hymnal geometry and switched-on Palestrina, and Terry Riley for cosmic elation come to mind. The songs have sweeping and cinematic proportions and depths of field constrained by a pop economy love of leanness. "But who’s supplicating whom here? The songs’ devotional quality is not upward to the sacred or even outward to the profane. It’s more like a magnetism between its elements – sounds, voices and rhythms. The track No Talk intones “why don’t you talk to me?” over a driving guitar and one feels visited by some kind of archaic god on whom the tables have been turned, finding himself jealous of our thousand little thoughts. The record finishes with his distorted lilting dance, trying to seduce us with some red red wine that is no one’s blood, but everyone’s favorite drug." -- Karina Gill (Cindy, Flowertown) 2024

Jaqee – is rhythm and life ”Places becoming journeys in themselves… Different places where I have lived and learned, places that have made my heart beat, the emotional realms that I have experienced. This is where it all starts, every time. Where I am is where it happens, because I am, there. Here.” She sings. She laughs! And she cries, too. Jaqee cannot tell when music and singing became her life, it has ”just always been there, in my head” she says. Now with the fourth album she has taken a closer look at herself, from every possible angle. No hiding. Different phases, different sides of her personality and musical creativity are all there. All as one. ”I am a diaspora kid, I fell in love with all kinds of music, I let myself embrace it all, because good music, is good music. All the way from Uganda at age 13 to the new home and culture in Sweden, then leaving Sweden as an adult for Berlin – has made me the Jaqee that I am”, says the Ugandan /Swedish artist who also received a Swedish Grammy nomination for her past work. Being on the move is without a doubt an important part of her life. “For me travelling is about being exposed to different perceptions, situations, cultures and extreme emotions, it has always made me grow. How many times have I not thought that: I wouldn’t have experienced this or that, if hadn’t been here. I love that feeling!” Jaqee’s music reflects this constant movement and progress. The album is inspired by places like Berlin, South Africa and Jamaica. The trip to Jamaica resulted in the only collaboration track on “Yes I am” recorded in Kingston with reggae artist Anthony B. Teka, the “Kokoo Girl” and “Yes I am” Producer says: ”This time around, like on the last album, we have worked with our colleagues in different countries. Musicians we love and musicians that are inspiring like Martin Hederos (The Soundtrack of our lives) who arranged the strings on the album. We also had New York drummer Daru Jones of Rusic Records play on some tracks. All these talents enhance the idea and expression that we wanted for “Yes I am”. With the album done, it is again time to hit the road and tour for Jaqee. “Getting out there and meeting the crowd is a high. We laugh, we dance and we get loud together. This is the best part of working with music – having a good time together. Music is a universal language.” On composing music, she admits that this time, more than ever, the words matter. Newly found motherhood has made this album in particular a significant legacy. Every song has a life punctuation of its own she has not limited herself by thinking in genres. Making the tone very straightforward. “The melodies and lyrics are closely intertwined, how I sing a word makes all the difference. Even though I love word play, it has to be very clear. Since I am not educated in reading music, I instead visualize and hear it, it seems to be the way my system works. It is all about rhythm and life, it is “YES I AM“.

"The wash of flangers & shimmery reverb have been the foundation in Cali psych ever since the Byrds went electric. And while that sound might've dropped off occasionally, it never dropped out. The Velvets minimalist stylings were infused into the mix by The Dream Syndicate in the early 80's & thus a game changer was born. Clay Allison, Opal, Green On Red all took their charge from that current. Then the Shoegaze scene of the 90's looked at those bands as vectors, things got a little more drenched, so yet more seeds were sown into the fertile terroir. Cut to current climes & the bay area is teeming with the latest iterations: Children Maybe Later, Now, & Cindy easily come to mind. But curiously the band most steeped in the mohair constitution is April Magazine, who (thus far) have been content in the shadows. Up till now they've seemed like characters plucked out of a Kazuo Ishiguo novel-mysterious & ethereal-but perhaps this pressing of last year's cassette only release will flush them out. 'Wesley's Convertible Tape For The South' shows the band defly balancing all those that have come before them while also incorporating flourishes of Les Rallizes DeNudes, Hallelujahs & Nagisa Ni Te into the pageantry . So in a way, April Magazine is transforming the landscape yet again; denser, fuzzier, lush & wistfully challenging. 'Wesley's Convertible Tape For The South' is the band's 1st vinyl release stateside (an LP of older tracks was released last year via a UK only label) so no import tariffs! What were once whispers are now proclamations. Just because you don't know them doesn't mean you can't love them. So grab a copy & hug it out amongst yourselves." -- Tom Lax (Siltbreeze Records)

"Reissued for the first time on vinyl here’s the second album of Jamaican reggae singer George Faith, originally released on Hollywood records back in 1979.
"Wonderful soul reggae melodies backed by the likes of Sly & Robbie, Aston 'Family Man' Barrett, Tommy McCook, Earl 'Chinna' Smith and more. Produced by the one and only Bunny Lee at Harry J Studios and mixed by Scientist at King Tubby’s Studios!"

Repress!

2 Classic 6Ts Northern Soul/Mod Sides From The Legendary Philly Label Cameo-Parkway Reissued For The First Time

January 2023, Dorset. Snow is piled at the door, icy roads are closed, and Emily Cross is in a coffin. Not a setting typical for a rebirth. But for Loma, this is where they bring their band back from the brink. "It's like a demon enters the room, whenever we get together", writer, singer and instrumentalist Cross says of the struggle to bring new Loma music into the world. Following the release of their 2020 second album Don't Shy Away, Loma's three members were cast around the globe and the band-not for the first time-entered a deep sleep. Multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer Dan Duszynski remained in his studio in Don't Shy Away's central Texas heart, but Cross, a UK citizen, moved to Dorset, and writer and instrumentalist Jonathan Meiburg left the US for Germany to research a book. In the pandemic years, even being in the same room was impossible, and attempts to start a new record faltered. The following winter, in an attempt to salvage the record and the band, Cross suggested they regroup in the UK, in the tiny stone house-once a coffin-maker's workshop-where she works as an end-of-life doula. With minimal recording gear and few instruments, Loma turned two whitewashed rooms into a makeshift studio, using a padded coffin as a vocal booth. It was a turning point. They scrapped much of what they'd made, letting a new place set a new course. The one-lane roads, hedgerows and dark skies of Dorset gave the new songs an ineffable but unmistakable Englishness. The band used the ruin of a 12th-century chapel as a reverb chamber-surprising hillwalkers who peeked in to find them singing to no one-and the sounds of Cross's chilly workshop wormed their way into the recording: a leaky pipe, a drummer's brushes on a metal lampshade, the voices left on an ancient answering machine. What emerged was How Will I Live Without A Body?: a gorgeous, unique, and oddly comforting album about partnership, loss, regeneration, and fighting the feeling that we're all in this alone. Many of its songs have a feeling of restless motion; faceless characters drift through meetings and partings, tangling together and slipping away. "I Swallowed A Stone" is like a nightmare with a happy ending; "How It Starts" and "Broken Doorbell" reflect on the challenge (and necessity) of wrestling with agoraphobia. Though the record nods to the trio's separate lives- a German percussion ensemble, a pair of Texan owls, and the surf at Chesil Beach make guest appearances-the core of Loma's sound remains intact: earthy, organic and deeply human, anchored by Cross's cool, clear voice. Loma's previous album, Don't Shy Away, was galvanized by the unexpected encouragement and contributions of Brian Eno. This time, they found inspiration in another hero, Laurie Anderson, who offered a chance to work with an AI trained on her entire body of work. Meiburg sent her a photo from his book-in-progress about the once and future life of Antarctica; Anderson's AI responded with two haunting poems. "We used parts of them in a few songs," he says. "And then Dan noticed that one of its lines, 'How will I live without a body?' would be a perfect name for the album, since we nearly lost sight of each other in the recording process." In the end, Loma's efforts to reconnect with one another are the album's central focus: what do you owe a shared past, when everyone and everything has changed? "Making this record tested us all," says Duszynski. "I think that feeling was alchemized through the music." Alchemized, because How Will I Live Without A Body? is by no means a stressed-out record: an undercurrent of deep calm runs through it. But maybe 'relaxed' isn't the right word. It's more like a feeling of relief, of making it through a tough journey together.

Repress!
Note - Sleeve says contains a bonus CD, these represses do not have a bonus CD, they have a download card.

Hate Your Friends is the 1987 debut album by the Lemonheads, one of only three full-length releases to feature the original band line- up of Evan Dando, Ben Deily, and Jesse Peretz. The album showcases a hardcore-punk-to-pop-rock sound and sensibility as playfully fierce as it is surprising…especially to listeners who know the band only from their better-known major label recordings of the 1990s. The roots of Hate Your Friends begin with the genesis of the band itself: when high school friends Ben Deily and Evan Dando—inspired by a shared love of the 70’s absurdist comedy troupe the Firesign Theatre, literature, and punk rock—began playing their own songs together in 1985. Dando and Deily first started out as a two-piece ensemble: swapping back and forth between a shared Guild guitar (and a crappy amp) and vocal mic, and pounding a drum kit “borrowed” from the high school jazz band. With the addition of classmate and friend Jesse Peretz on bass, the two-man outfit quickly became a power trio. With a handful of original songs, a passionate love for their favourite bands—from Husker-Du, the Replacements, Black Flag and the Germs, to the Saints, Wire and ‘77 UK punk—and a tiny recording budget, the Lemonheads set about their first studio session within days of their high school graduation in June of 1986. During that summer, a significant amount of what would become the band’s debut album was recorded in Brookline, Massachusetts, with Deily and Dando sharing vocal, guitar and drumming duties. Above and beyond bass, Jesse proved pivotal as the band’s manager, booker and tireless promoter—helping arrange for the Lemonheads self-released debut EP, Laughing all the way to the cleaners, later that summer, and shortly thereafter helping establish the relationship with Curtis Casella of TAANG! records that paved the way to full-length LP Hate Your Friends. Finally, with the addition of full-time (and fairly short-lived) drummer Doug Trachten, the last songs of Hate Your Friends were recorded in the winter of 1986-7. BONUS TRACKS: This Fire Records re-issue features bonus tracks including 12 never-before-released live tracks from a 1987 radio session, rare tracks from the early compilation Crawling From Within, and additional tracks not included on the original release of Hate Your Friends (“Buried Alive” and “Gotta Stop”).

The new album from Lebanese-American musician Solpara, Melancholy Sabotage, marks his full length debut and return to Nicolas Jaar's Other People label. While it was recorded over Covid lockdowns, Jaar had been talking about wanting to back a Solpara full-length since he put out Swing. The album came to life while Solpara was living alone in a Brooklyn loft, collecting unemployment checks and viewing ample free time as the artist residency he'd dreamed of; he'd previously been forced to make music in odd windows between numerous jobs and the unmerciful pace of city life. Free from obligations, he would wake up early to take Arabic lessons online, read Tracey Thorn's autobiography, and skateboard the deserted streets, then come home and design sounds until he had a track that felt like it needed to be released. While this easy going lifestyle was peaceful in many ways, Solpara found more complex inspiration in the emotion that stemmed from participation in Black Lives Matter protests and the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, which rocked all of his extended family members in Lebanon.

Melancholy Sabotage explores the theme of sabotaging melancholy. Echoing sounds from the post-punk, trip-hop, and ambient genres, it is about sabotaging the cycle of melancholy and looking at this process without ignoring the sources that put it into motion. It may be compared to a rattling breaking free from retention, reaching states of dreamy euphoria while simultaneously acknowledging the sources of retention, viewed from above. The sources can be personal, political, or socio-economic. They are to be apprehended post-melancholy, after the sabotaging of the initial cycle of melancholy. In other words, it is about transcending melancholy and understanding where it came from with some distance. It may be beautiful and healthy to feel for a while, but how may one sabotage this cycle when it becomes paralyzing? Ultimately, this album is about feeling melancholy but also resisting it and naming the sources that initiated it.

"Time To Hold Better" points to neglect on both personal and group levels. "This Time Last Year" is a personal time capsule. "We Keep Us Safe" is about solidarity, autonomy, and care witnessed within protest groups. "Melancholy Sabotage" is a sonic exploration of the album concept illustrating anger and sadness, but finally, resistance and liberation from these feelings. "Measures" is a more fluid exploration of the latter after the initial storm has passed. "We Don't Owe" points to bigger bodies inflicting harm on populations that we owe nothing to. "Breaking Points" harkens the times that we may lose focus while pushing to transcend melancholy. "Eviction" is about being pushed out of a space unwillingly while simultaneously being forced to move forward.

Melancholy Sabotage pulls from a range of genres, uniting electronic sounds under the same post-punky glow. It pulls from complex, heavy themes including damage and injustice, presenting Solpara's most moving body of work to date. It highlights the poignance that has always been at the heart of his fluid sound, which caters to dancefloors and avant-garde spaces in equal measure. Working with a mix of dissonant guitars, distorted drum machines, and distant, reverb-washed vocals, Melancholy Sabotage is Solpara's uneasiest outing to date. The record pinpoints the duality at the heart of Solpara's sound, which is as plaintive as it is searing.

Debut LP by Pinegrove from Montclair, New Jersey. On Cardinal, the band's captivating blend of indie rock, pop and country elements is more vivid, fine-tuned and addictive than on their previous released EP's. Painting his emotions onto these songs with colorful and kinetic strokes, vocalist and guitarist Evan Stephens Hall moves through Cardinal's eight songs with an unforgettable energy and passion, with a vocal performance that is pleasantly reminiscent of Will Oldham and Built to Spill's Doug Martsch. Highlighted by the downtrodden nostalgia of twangy opener "Old Friends" and the climactic refrain of "Size of the Moon," where the confession "I Don't Know What I'm Afraid Of" is just as much of a sing-a-long as it is an emotional breakdown, moods don't stay in one place for very long on Cardinal - they are carefully crafted and revisited throughout to continually evoke the album's central themes of memory, longing and deep introspection.

1993 Chick Corea - the venerated 27-time Grammy winner and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master - unveiled the second incarnation of the Elektric Band. With the brand new lineup of guitarist Mike Miller, bassist Jimmy Earl and drummer Gary Novak, and saxophonist Eric Marienthtal (the lone holder over from the first iteration of the Elektric Band,) Corea, approached this ambitious outing in the same way he had done everything throughout his career, by pushing the boundaries of what modern jazz is.

With material written with these specific players in mind, Corea gathered this group of remarkably flexible musicians into Mad Hatter Studios in Los Angeles. Recorded almost entirely live in first takes, the album is notable for its “less is more” approach to Corea’s particular style of genre bending composition. Though the focus may have been more on acoustic piano than synths, the same proficiency, spontaneity, impeccable execution and jaw-dropping display of chops that characterize the five first Elektric Band albums applies.

Of special note here is the inclusion of the track “Final Frontier”, originally released exclusively on the Japanese and European editions. This all out burner is the lone tune on the record featuring Corea on a synthesizer.

Written as an answer to “Got A Match” from 1986’s The Chick Corea Elektric Band album, it’s an uptempo showcase for the players to stretch out and the kind of track that exemplifies the jazz fusion that Corea and his groups came to define."

“On August 5th 1962, after 300 years of British rule, which had soaked the earth of the island in blood, Jamaica was finally independent. The country that the British left behind was certainly a place of widespread poverty and deep inequality, but there seems to have been a real burst of confidence that came with independence. Newsreels of the day show well-dressed crowds reacting with enthusiasm and excitement, and the era found its perfect soundtrack in the boldness and exuberance of ska music, which was erupting all over the island.

This optimistic mood found probably its greatest artistic expression in the music of the Skatalites, who formed in June 1964 as a kind of Jamaican supergroup. Philip “Justin” Yap was a young, upcoming producer who had used members of the Skatalites for his first tunes, recorded either at RJR (Radio Jamaica and Redifussion) or at Federal studios. As Steve Barrow documented in the sleevenotes for Pressure Sounds’ reissue of the classic “Ska-Boo-Da-Ba” album, Justin had also befriended Clement “Coxsone” Dodd, and when Coxsone opened his own Studio One facility in December 1963, Justin immediately switched most of his production work to this new recording room. Studio One opened just in time to catch the formation of the Skatalites, and is where Justin recorded most of his classic Skatalites sides. He also recorded lots of excellent instrumentals with a smaller brass section, still mainly using members of the Skatalites, but crediting instead the composer or arranger of the tune. Combined with Coxsone’s own recordings, these productions for Justin’s Top Deck and Tuneico labels really captured the members of the Skatalites at their magnificent best in the unique atmosphere of Studio One.”

We're excited to unveil our inaugural vinyl release, introducing the first Neptune ‘Disc’ to the world. Trance-inducing progressive genres, which dive into the magnetic allure of '90s progressive sounds with a distinct tilt towards the club scene. Four tracks resonating through the depths of a festival ambiance, enveloped in an enigmatic mist and bathed under shimmering purple strobes.

A1 introduces Cybernet, an emerging force hailing from the vibrant scene of Aus. Delving beyond the sounds of the '90s Cybernet brings forth a distinctive sonic narrative, intertwining intricate vocal hooks before unleashing the pulsating acid-line. An instant classic unfolds, resonating with the essence of the dance-floor.

Glen S swiftly becomes a Neptune Disc regular with "Uh!" on A2. Tailored for the club, he infuses his signature alien scattered pulses and a rolling bassline. With a deft touch, he creates a surge of energy by cutting off all elements on the drop, leaving only the bass and kicks. Expertly crafted.
Aiden's "Fanks" on the B-side boasts a mesmerising appeal, again reminiscent of the 90s-2000s era, with its pulsating bassline and entrancing soundscape. It delves into the realm of trance, offering a hypnotic journey that echoes the allure of that bygone era. With its captivating blend of trippy elements, the track creates a nostalgic yet timeless vortex of sound, drawing listeners into an otherworldly experience that resonates with the spirit of classic electronic music.

B2 showcases Tourman's prowess as a versatile producer, seamlessly delving into different genres. Overflowing with progressive energy and adorned with scattered UFO sounds, this track stands as a testament to Tourman's evolving artistry—a dynamic force ready to command diverse sonic landscapes. An ideal opener for peak-time set.

Lenticular Sleeve / White Vinyl. When Jack Tatum began work on Life of Pause, his third full-length to date, he had lofty ambitions: Don't just write another album; create another world. One with enough detail and texture and dimension that a listener could step inside, explore, and inhabit it as they see fit. "I desperately wanted for this to be the kind of record that would displace me," he says. "I'm terrified by the idea of being any one thing, or being of any one genre. And whether or not I accomplish that, I know that my only hope of getting there is to constantly reinvent. That reinvention doesn't need to be drastic, but every new record has to have its own identity, and it has to have a separate set of goals from what came before." What came before: a rightfully acclaimed, much beloved display of singular pop craftsmanship. Tatum's dreamy, unexpected 2010 debut, Gemini, was written while he was still a student at Virginia Tech University. Its equally disarming follow-up, 2012's Nocturne, marked the first time he'd been able to bring his bedroom recordings into a studio, to be performed and fully realized with the help of other musicians. There has been a set of wonderfully expansive EPs in between_each hinting at new directions and punctuating previous ideas_but with Life of Pause, Tatum delivers what he describes as his most "honest" and "mature" work yet, an exquisitely arranged and beautifully recorded collection of songs that marry the immediate with the indefinable. "I allowed myself to go down every route I could imagine even if it ended up not working for me," he says. "I owe it to myself to take as many risks as possible. Songs are songs and you have to allow yourself to be open to everything." After a prolonged period of writing and experimentation, recording took place over several weeks in both Los Angeles and Stockholm, with producer Thom Monahan (Devendra Banhart, Beachwood Sparks) helping Tatum in his search for a more natural and organically textured sound. In Sweden, in a studio once owned by ABBA, they enlisted Peter, Bjorn and John drummer John Ericsson and fellow Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra veteran Pelle Jacobsson, to contribute drums and marimba. In California, at Monahan's home, Tatum collaborated with Medicine guitarist Brad Laner and a crew of saxophonists. From the hypnotic polyrhythms of "Reichpop" to the sugary howl of "Japanese Alice" to the hallucinogenic R&B of "A Woman's Wisdom," the result is a complete, fully immersive listening environment. "I just kept things really simple, writing as ideas came to me," he says. "There's definitely a different kind of `self' in the picture this time around. There's no real love lost, it's much more a record of coming to terms and defining what it is that you have_your place, your relationships. I view every record as an opportunity to write better songs. At the end of the day it still sounds like me, just new."

Fourteen new and previously unreleased tracks from some of the most exciting current bands from Seattle, Washington's vibrant alternative-rock underworld.
Continuing in the spirit of regional compilation albums like 1988's Sub Pop 200, "From Far It All Seems Small" serves as a snapshot of the contemporary Seattle scene.

"From Far It All Seems Small" jumps off the speakers with an onslaught of fuzz and an abundance of hooks. You might find yourself flipping the sleeve over, expecting to see a release date from the 1990's, but no, these are Seattle's finest here and now! - Jackson Long (KEXP, HMS Studio)

A wonderful document of the current moment of Seattle indie. - Ole Johnson (Painter Man Records)

A collection of songs that will get stuck in your head by Seattle's best alt-rockers. - Ellen Rumel (PNW music photographer)"

Bassist, bandleader and composer Orlando le Fleming continues to make music that crosses genres as readily as he crosses the Atlantic - after 20 years in New York City, he"s back in his native UK, forging new pathways and renewing old partnerships. His love for the acoustic tradition continues unabated alongside his deep affection for the robust, muscular electric fusion that emerged in the 1980s. Old London friends Tom Cawley (piano/keys) and James Maddren (drums) completed the rhythm section: new acquaintance Nathaniel Facey was picked from the ranks of the UK"s brightest young saxophone players: NYC stalwart Philip Dizack flew in from the US to play trumpet. Orlando"s old schoolfriend Chris Martin contributes a starkly sincere vocal performance, singing words from a poem by Persian poet Rumi, in unison with Orlando"s daughter Nadia.

• Freda Payne’s Band Of Gold is the debut album for Invictus Record's’ first lady of soul
• Features a slew of hits including; ‘Band Of Gold’ (UK no.1 for 6 weeks), ‘Unhooked
Generation’ and ‘The Easiest Way to Fall’
• Soul masterpiece reissued on 180gm heavyweight classic black vinyl with printed inner sleeve
• Recorded for Holland-Dozier-Holland’s Invictus Record label, under former Motown
powerhouse writers and producers

A feverish essay of transcendent drumming: Chris" solo approach, rooted in the exploration of elements of extended technique, sought another level, via possibilities facilitated by a self-made string drum! The Key (Became The Important Thing & Then Just Faded Away) brings his encompassing focus on free improvisation and noise into a granular fusion with acoustic experiments and hot-wired ideations of hard rock riffing and the post-punk sound.

Mazz Swift (they/them), the composer, conductor, bandleader, educator, singer, and Juilliard-trained violinist who weaves classic African-American musics, electronica, and mindfulness into their music, releases "No More" from their upcoming debut solo album The 10000 Things: PRAISE SONGS for the iRiligious via New Amsterdam Records.

Hey music lovers! The highly ancipated vinyl of Kentha by Ricky Fobis Feat. Lady Brian is finally here! This legendary track from the 2000s Techno scene has been making people dance for generaons and sll packs dance floors worldwide. It's an anthem for anyone who loves music that makes you move and groove!

The reissue is true to the original in every detail, a gem that can't be missed in your vinyl collecon. With a limited number of copies available, don’t miss your chance to own a piece of music history. Add Kentha to your collecon now and get ready to rock your house with its powerful beats.

“More than ever, people need to hear songwriters talk about their lives. We don’t always have to search for monster hits. We can just write about our lives and maybe that might actually work. That’s what this record is a lot of. A lot of massive songs, but also a lot of me just writing authentically and honestly about my life. Flyin symbolizes the next phase of my career. I feel like I'm flying into this chapter where I’m the best version of myself that I've ever been. Y’all better catch-up or you’re getting left behind. I’m on fire!”

Die in Los Angeles ansässige Dark-Melodic-Metal-Band Witherfall präsentiert ihr viertes Album über DeathWave Records. Der Vorgänger 'Curse Of Autumn' konnte großes Lob in der relevanten Fachpresse sowie die # 20 in den deutschen Album-Charts als auch US-BILLBOARD-Charts verbuchen.
Das neue Album wird von einem ehrgeizigen Zeitplan mit sieben Singles begleitet, von denen jede ein offizielles Video enthält, das die Geschichte des Albums voller Herzschmerz, Wut und Hartnäckigkeit erzählt. Das sind Witherfall, immer bereit, die Extrameile zu gehen, um endlich zur Speerspitze der internationalen Metal-Szene vorzudringen. Witherfall wurde 2013 in Los Angeles gegründet. Seitdem hat die Gruppe drei vielbeachtete Alben veröffentlicht. Die band macht keine Abstriche und engagierte für 'Curse Of Autumn' u.a. den international anerkannten Top-Drummer Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats, Steven Wilson, Jordan Rudess). Die Band engagierte erneut den Produzenten/Studio-Zauberer Chris "Zeuss" Harris (Rob Zombie, Queensrÿche, Shadows Fall) als Ingenieur/Co-Produzent sowie für Mix und Master
Das Cover von Blake Armstrong (In Flames, Megadeth, Kataklysm, Harry Potter) bietet einen visuellen Gegenpol zur Musik auf dem Album sowie zu Michaels kompromissloser Text-Offenheit.
Neben der CD gibt es schwarzes Vinyl sowie zwei limitierte farbige Versionen!

Die in Los Angeles ansässige Dark-Melodic-Metal-Band Witherfall präsentiert ihr viertes Album über DeathWave Records. Der Vorgänger 'Curse Of Autumn' konnte großes Lob in der relevanten Fachpresse sowie die # 20 in den deutschen Album-Charts als auch US-BILLBOARD-Charts verbuchen.
Das neue Album wird von einem ehrgeizigen Zeitplan mit sieben Singles begleitet, von denen jede ein offizielles Video enthält, das die Geschichte des Albums voller Herzschmerz, Wut und Hartnäckigkeit erzählt. Das sind Witherfall, immer bereit, die Extrameile zu gehen, um endlich zur Speerspitze der internationalen Metal-Szene vorzudringen. Witherfall wurde 2013 in Los Angeles gegründet. Seitdem hat die Gruppe drei vielbeachtete Alben veröffentlicht. Die band macht keine Abstriche und engagierte für 'Curse Of Autumn' u.a. den international anerkannten Top-Drummer Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats, Steven Wilson, Jordan Rudess). Die Band engagierte erneut den Produzenten/Studio-Zauberer Chris "Zeuss" Harris (Rob Zombie, Queensrÿche, Shadows Fall) als Ingenieur/Co-Produzent sowie für Mix und Master
Das Cover von Blake Armstrong (In Flames, Megadeth, Kataklysm, Harry Potter) bietet einen visuellen Gegenpol zur Musik auf dem Album sowie zu Michaels kompromissloser Text-Offenheit.
Neben der CD gibt es schwarzes Vinyl sowie zwei limitierte farbige Versionen!

2LP - schwarzes, schweres Standard-Doppelvinyl; enthält einen exklusiven Hidden Track, bei dem der handgeschriebene Liedtext auf der D-Seite eingraviert ist.

Otherness" ist das zweite Studioalbum von Ferris & Sylvester. Die Musik erstreckt sich über ein Spektrum von psychedelischem Folk, Blues, Rock und Soul - und doch sind die Songs durch das starke und lebendige Storytelling des Duos verbunden. Anklänge an Alabama Shakes, Madison Cunningham und die Teskey Brothers schwingen mit. Aufgenommen im Studio der beiden auf einer Bandmaschine aus den 1960er Jahren und veröffentlicht über ihr Label Archtop Records, widmet das Ehepaar das Album "jedem, der sich als Außenseiter fühlt".

Macht euch auf die unerbittliche Kraft der Metal-Legenden Anvil mit ihrem 20 Studio-Album "One and Only" gefasst.
Als Pioniere des Genres haben Anvil seit über vier Jahrzehnten Metal-Exzellenz geschmiedet, und "One and Only" ist ein Beweis für ihre anhaltende Kraft und ihren Einfluss. Ihr bereits 20. Studio-Album (!) zeigt Anvil von ihrer besten Seite und liefert eine unerbittliche Angriffswelle aus brennenden Riffs, donnernden Drums und hymnenhaften Refrains, die elektrisieren. Mit Tracks voller roher Energie und Leidenschaft, festigt "One and Only" den Platz von Anvil als wahre Meister des Heavy Metal.

Macht euch auf die unerbittliche Kraft der Metal-Legenden Anvil mit ihrem 20 (!) Studio-Album "One and Only" gefasst.
Als Pioniere des Genres haben Anvil seit über vier Jahrzehnten Metal-Exzellenz geschmiedet, und "One and Only" ist ein Beweis für ihre anhaltende Kraft und ihren Einfluss. Ihr bereits 20. Studio-Album (!) zeigt Anvil von ihrer besten Seite und liefert eine unerbittliche Angriffswelle aus brennenden Riffs, donnernden Drums und hymnenhaften Refrains, die elektrisieren. Mit Tracks voller roher Energie und Leidenschaft, festigt "One and Only" den Platz von Anvil als wahre Meister des Heavy Metal.

Hailing from France with Moluccan roots and now based in Amsterdam, Pala.G effortlessly blends global musical influences into his own unique sound, moving free like the waves that guided his ancestors halfway across the globe. Now with his debut on Jiwa Jiwa Records.

In SOMETIMES Pala.G infuses contemporary R&B with psych elements, delivering hazy vocals, and introspective lyrics wrapped in feel-good melodies, leaving you grasping for the repeat button on this soul not soul anthem that's an earworm for every season.

DON'T ASK !!! offers an off-kilter slow jam experience like no other, with sparse drums, smooth guitar licks, and distorted vocals creating a hypnotic atmosphere for your mind to wander.

The record comes in a hand stamped sleeve in different colors,representing the Moluccan sea, its beaches, and jungles, and the blood and spirit of their ancestors.

Placid aka Paul Wise is chief in command at ‘We’re Going Deep’ – an expanding online community and record label, born from lifelong affair with the many shades of electronic rhythm and obsession for collecting records since 1988. He’s spent the last 3 decades moving heads and feet at venues, parties and fields across the UK and beyond.
On a mission to share and release new music via his label, you’ll find only the best in Acid, Electro, IDM, Techno and Deep House for the dance floor, front room or your headphones making the cut. For the 10th and final edition of his much prized various artist series, he unearths more machine fuelled magic: offering another set of equally excellent music from stellar talent.
Starting the dance, Dutch maestro Boris Bunnik dons his Versalife mantle to opens with ‘Skirmish 101’. Setting the machines to cycle, Bunnik fires a hefty slab of bass to bring down the walls whilst pristine robot like rhythms set your body in motion, all enveloped with sparse synthesis and shimmering effects. Crashing the joint with ‘Acid Baby’ - The Acid Pimp drops a no holds barred, riotous 303 workout that’s nothing short of a tour de force in exorcising the power of Roland’s most celebrated silver box. Putting pedal to the metal with drums and reverb, a smiley face or grimace is guaranteed!
Longtime collaborators Jamie Anderson & Owain K reset the dial on the flip with ‘Basement Dub’, a house paced workout that glides at a steady pace. Evoking the spirit of Mood II Swing whilst immersed in the depths of an underwater realm. Ending on the upbeat note of Konerytmi’s ‘Aamunkoitto’, the Finnish producer reflects a breezy disposition with a joyful melody, step-to electro beat and rolling acid bassline – all perfectly balanced to keep your calm and head out in the right direction, a great way to sign off on this highly collectable series.

Ltd. Purple & Black Splatter Vinyl. It's been four years since Zach Saginaw, aka Shigeto, returned home to Michigan from a stint in Brooklyn, NY, and since then, the multi-faceted musician has become a part of the fabric of Detroit's music scene. While always having a personal approach to his projects, Saginaw's influences for his third album, The New Monday are more about the community of Detroit than anything else. Named after a weekly DJ event called Monday is the New Monday that Saginaw does at the unassuming Motor City Wine with a group of friends, The New Monday is the result of Saginaw diving into the city's deep record culture, where there legacy of artist's of the past help Saginaw embrace his own contributions. "It's focused on a couple things and they all kind of come together to represent dierent things," explains Saginaw. "My time back in Detroit, back living in Michigan and spending time with a lot of kind of original people who have always been here, learning from them, hearing stories from them, being influenced by them, and inspired by them." While, in the past, projects like Lineage or No Better Time Than Now were rooted in strong personal messages, family and relationships respectively, The New Monday represents a communal eort where solidarity is the key. Going for a simplified approach of just trying to make good tracks, The New Monday is diverse in its styles leaning more into a dance music direction - new ground for a Shigeto project. A new air of confidence in Saginaw has expanded his horizons since his return to Detroit, but traces of his past work will continue to be present. "I don't want people to think I'm leaving anything," says Saginaw. "I'm still me. It's a result of me being immersed in the culture, and inevitably making music that is influenced by that culture whether it be house, techno, jazz, rap. It doesn't matter. It's all coming from what I love about Michigan." While The New Monday still features the jazz textures long associated with Shigeto projects, the varied elements that make up the album cohesively come together to show the distinct inspiration that Saginaw has drew from since his return home to Detroit. Like on "Barry White", which features Detroit hip-hop artist ZelooperZ (a member of Danny Brown's Bruiser Brigade crew who Saginaw also has a side project with called ZGTO), Saginaw captures everything he's been doing all on one track. As much as it's hip-hop influenced, it's a mutant that encompasses elements of dance music, jazz, and ambient sounds. Throughout The New Monday, Saginaw poignantly references the musical influences that have either always been with him or newly discovered. It is Saginaw's interpretation of Detroit's rich culture of innovative artistry, but done so with respect for the history and to contribute, not disrupt. "I think over the past four years, I can confidently say that I found my place here," describes Saginaw. "I'm happy here and I feel that I have the respect from the people I need respect from, that I want respect from. It's all of the result of embracing it and embracing, not Detroit, but embracing community, embracing family,








f A2D (FT. ZEELOOPERZ & SILAS GREEN) AAPV






f A2D (FT. ZEELOOPERZ & SILAS GREEN) [AAPV]

Baby Blue & Halloween Orange Vinyl. In their decade-plus together, the four-piece_Julia Shapiro (guitar, vocals), Lydia Lund (guitar, vocals), Gretchen Grimm (drums, vocals), and Annie Truscott (bass, vocals)_have created a resonant body of work. Live Laugh Love is a natural continuation. Against the bizarre backdrop of the past few years, Chastity Belt remained a supportive space for the members to grow and experiment, drawing on the ingredients most essential to their process since the beginning: authenticity and levity. Recorded over three sessions in as many years (January 2020, November 2021 and 2022), the focus became more about enjoying their time together in the studio than making it feel like work. Their ease and familiarity with engineer Samur Khouja in LA, who also recorded their last album, made for a particularly enjoyable process. Once completed, they returned to renowned engineer Heba Kadry who mastered the album.Album opener "Hollow" sets the tone with a gently driving rhythm while guitar layers stream like sun rays through an open car window. A warmth radiates through Shapiro's voice, even while grappling with feeling lost and stuck. "The older I get," Shapiro says of the lyrics, "the more I realize that I might just always feel this way, and it's more about sitting with the feeling and accepting it, rather than trying to fight it." That wisdom seems to anchor Live Laugh Love. Chastity Belt has never shied from navigating the spectrum of difficult emotions, and an existential thread weaves throughout the subject matter. And yet the songs feel more grounded than ever; there's a sense of quiet confidence and self-assurance that comes with being less numb and more present. Facing discomfort takes more fortitude, after all.Live Laugh Love finds the members in their prime as musicians. Their parts trace intricate patterns over one another, but there's room to breathe between the layers. Everyone contributes to the writing, sometimes switching instruments, and for the first time, all four members sing a song. It's never been more apparent that they are creative siblings, cut from the same belt. "We've been playing music with each other for over a decade," says Shapiro, "so it really does feel like we're all fluent in the same language, and a lot of it just happens naturally.""Laugh" seeks in the balm of friendship, aware of the anticipatory nostalgia that hits during a good time that you're already missing before it's gone; the heavier guitar tones on "Chemtrails" streak ominous chord progressions over Grimm's precision timekeeping, lamenting memories that won't fade easily. During a transitional time, Truscott came across a note in their phone that read, "it's not hard all day, just sometimes," which inspired a poignant line in the chorus of "Kool-Aid," their first song as lead vocalist on a Chastity Belt recording. Another standout, "I-90 Bridge" shines with a silvery melody that soars as Lund belts one of the most resounding moments on the album: "Tell your girlfriend she's got nothing to fear/I'm set in my head/My body's a different story." The track "Blue" saunters nonchalantly with a wink; you can almost hear Shapiro's smile as she sings "Faking it big time/So I can hit my stride/Man, it feels good to be alive," channeling early Chastity Belt channeling early '90s before channeling the late Elliott Smith in a spiral of distortion and insight: "Don't get upset about it/It's gonna pass/Tell all your friends about it/They're gonna laugh.""We have such a strong sense of each other's musical inclinations" says Lund. "I think this allows for a lot of playfulness_we can kinda surprise each other, like a good punchline would."

This single comprises two stand out tracks from “Power-Fuerza” (1972), one of the best Latin funk albums ever recorded, with all the right ingredients to shake dance floors worldwide. Produced by boogaloo-don Bobby Marin, these tracks are a vibrant tapestry, weaving together the raw energy of the South Bronx streets and the soulful melodies born from the band's Puerto Rican heritage. The Bronx in the 1970s, marked by the presence of notorious gangs, presented a complex and challenging urban landscape reflected in abandoned buildings and neglected public spaces. The prevalence of street gangs, such as the Ghetto Brothers, contributed to an atmosphere of heightened tension and occasional violence. The Ghetto Brothers, originating from the Melendez family who moved from Puerto Rico to the South Bronx in the 1950s, faced challenges involving violence and crime. Despite this, Benjy Melendez, a key figure, directed the group towards community improvement. The Ghetto Brothers embraced music, crafting a potent, NYC-flavored musical fusion that caught the attention of record mogul Ismael Maisonave (Salsa Records). Their collaboration resulted in the recording of eight tracks in a single electrifying day at Manhattan's Fine Tone Studios, skillfully produced by Latin studio maestro Bobby Marin (Harvey Averne, La Lupe, Brooklyn Sounds…) This musical odyssey showcases the band's ability to seamlessly blend genres, creating a NYC-flavored stew that captivates listeners with its authenticity.

What might appear to be the most unlikely collaboration of 2024 proves also to be one of the most invigorating listens of the year! Shackleton & Six Organs of Admittance are in full aural/metaphysical alignment in their mutual effort to become Jinxed By Being. On first listen, it becomes immediately clear that this fusion of Shackleton"s bass heavy cosmic dread and Six Organs" ritual folksong makes total sense. Longtime listeners know that both Shackleton and Six Organs of Admittance have been unafraid to pursue their muse into any and all encroaching depth of darkness or outer boundary of potential dissonance - in fact, that has always been their default mode, finding more of resonance way out there in the process. They also share that ol" maverick psychedelic ritual transcendental music vibe, don"t they? And a fascination with repetition and cycles. And a mutual inspiration drawn from alternative tunings and literature...all this considered, it"s been basically inevitable that Ben Chasny and Sam Shackleton would work together. It took a while for them to find each other-and once they did, it was almost eerie, how preordained it felt. When the music started coming, though-that"s when it got really eerie. The mood rises from the music like smoke, a sure signal of total integration. Jinxed by Being finds Shackleton & Six Organs of Admittance delighting in their synthesis. Reveling in the unique sonic textures found in the collage, they launch small details that unfold into a massive space and often multiply into lines of dimensional space, crossing the stereo spectrum with enervating motility. Here lies all the proof you need against the danger of categorizing by perceived genre rather than intention-encounters like Shackleton & Six Organs of Admittance might never have found the linear space in which they sit next to each other, beyond alphabets and other institutional organizing principles. Rearrange your libraries-or you might miss getting Jinxed By Being.

Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the reissue of Norio Maeda's cult classic "Rock Communication Yagibushi" released in Japan in 1970. The album has since become a Japanese Jazz Funk cornerstone and is now highly sought-after on the international DJ scene. The album reinterprets 14 traditional Japanese folk songs into jaw-dropping Jazz Funk instrumentals featuring killer arrangements by Maeda that would fit perfectly between David Axelrod and Lalo Schifrin. One of the most prolific Nippon arrangers, Norio Maeda on a par with Yuji Ohno and Kentaro Haneda and this album has long been on many collectors' wantlist. "Rock Communication Yagibushi" is reissued internationally for the first time, with newly remastered audio, original gatefold artwork and new liner notes by Paul Bowler

Richard Ashcroft"s fourth solo album "These People" became a fan-favourite in 2016, receiving great reviews and becoming a #3 album in the Official UK Albums Chart. His reunion with Wil Malone, who had previously worked on the string arrangements for The Verve"s seminal albums "A Northern Soul" and "Urban Hymns" added depth and emotional resonance to the album"s sound. Ashcroft demonstrated his continued relevance and creative prowess as a solo artist, reaffirming his status as one of Britain"s most enduring and influential musicians. Released on his Righteous Phonographic Association label via Cooking Vinyl, and now available on vinyl again in a 2LP special edition Clear and Blue Marble Vinyl effect, housed in a Gatefold sleeve.

Keeping the classics on 45.

Donald Byrd, Wind Parade. Hot stepping into the 80’s this jazz-funk classic has been tough to track down on 45.

Sampled by Black Moon for their underground hip hop classic “Buck Em Down”. Billy Brooks, Fourty Days. Never before on 45, infectious brass driven jazz-funk grooves with a well known intro sampled by Tribe called Quest for ‘Luck of Lucien’.

DJ Support: Don Letts (6 Music), Piet Blank Blank & Jones / Dj Ease Nightmares On Wax / Macca Nts Radio / Coyote / Mike Salta Music For Dreams / Pete Gooding / Layne Fox 40 Thieves / Chris Coco / Richard Dorfmeister Kruder & Dorfmeister / Bill Brewster / Simon Mills [Bent. Plus Loads More.

DJ Feedback:

Lovely laid-back vibes. Excellent! - Francois K [NYC, USA]

Ay what a beauty! Takes you away from the madness for a moment. - Macca (NTS)

Following on from Los Rayos Del Sol (2021) & the follow up Los Rayos In Dub (2022) NuNorthern Soul presents ‘Moonbeams’ by Ibiza based producer, per-cussionist and sunset selector, George Solar.

Inspired by nocturnal moods and illuminated by the moon in all its phases, this collection follows the vibrations of 'Los Rayos Del Sol.' It's a journey into night-time peace and harmony, embracing the moonlit atmosphere.

MEDIA LUNA (feat. Ken Fan)
Opening with angelic dubby downtempo, this track translated is 'Half Moon,' sets the tone for the night.

MOONBEAMS (feat. Ken Fan)
Featuring love poet JEN, 'Moonbeams' captures the rise of the moon and the message of love.

COUNTERMOON (feat. Ken Fan)
Originally a slower cumbia demo, this track evolved into a retro dance piece with a minimalistic touch. Reflecting the off-center vibe of lunar forces.

LUNATICOTINA (feat. Ken Fan)
A tribute to the global beats scene, this ritual tune incorporates grooves from all continents, dedicated to Ibiza's 'global beats' oasis LAYLAH venue.

O LUAR
Influenced by Samba vibes and the Brazilian approach to moonlight, this track combines Solar dub and cosmic stardust.

MOONBEAMS reprise (for KS)
A tribute to Klaus Schulze, a secret Solar Moon band member, this reprise is a spontaneous improvisation recorded in memory of the spiritual godfather.

First time out for this wildly raw dubplate, sister-recording to the Pablo master-rhythm, shot through with other-worldly, illusively allusive incantation.
Surely that's Family Man stalking a sunken cavern, and his bro battering all seven shades out of his drum-kit, like Meters on fire, and Chinna on guitar, glazed and violent. The mixing rears up right in your face.
Producer Gussie Clarke says Theophilus 'Easy Snappin' Beckford is playing piano, with the front removed so he can strum the strings (like he finally snapped) — but he credits the work overall to Augustus Pablo.
Transferred from acetate — fuss-pots don't grumble, just be humble — though the flip brings a clutch of criss, unmissable alternates, direct from Gussie's tape-room (where the files are entitled 'Classical Illusion / The Sun').
Heavy, heavy funk. Simplicity People dug in. Stunning.

DJ Support:
Denis Sulta, Austin Ato, Laurent Garnier, Tom / Groove Armada, Idris Elba, Jamie Jones, Oliver Heldens, ACRAZE, Mark Knight, Sam Divine, Riva Star, David Penn, Severino, John Summit & many more.

Massive Sampler from KooKoo featuring some heavyweight names inc Mark Knight & Armand Van Helden, Full Intention alongside up and coming names Ewan McVicar & Fabrikate who combine to deliver club smashing versions of Sharon Redd's "You Got My Love", Cloud One - “Disco Juice”, legend D Train’s Keep On, and Gayle Adams “Plain Outta Luck”. Buy or cry.

In a heartfelt tribute to Mike Wells, who tragically passed away in 2022, Viasonde, with the blessing of the Wells family, embarks on a mission to reintroduce Gridlock to the world. The four main Gridlock albums will be reissued on vinyl for the first time, starting with "The Synthetic Form" double LP.
Available on June 7th, this limited edition release will be featured on clear vinyl with black and bone splatter alongside black vinyl. Additionally, 50% of the proceeds from LP sales will be donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, honoring Wells' memory. Both formats are extremely limited and Non-Returnable.
In the mid-90s, a resurgence in Electro-Industrial was firmly focused on dance-floors. At this pivotal time, two San Francisco metal scene defectors, Mike Wells and Mike Cadoo, connected through a mutual friend. Bonding over their shared appreciation for non-metal influences, Wells, armed with a sampler and a couple of synths, had crafted a few tracks. Cadoo swiftly added vocals to these compositions, and thus, Gridlock was born.
With relentless dedication, the duo embarked on sculpting a grittier, more ominous variant of electro-industrial. Steering clear of the upbeat rhythms typical of the genre, they opted for a dystopian, dirge-like pace. Drawing inspiration from iconic acts like Skinny Puppy, Einsturzende Neubauten, and Fields of the Nephilim, they pieced together the Sickness demo. Eager to share their creation, they distributed the demo to anyone who would lend an ear, including many users on the rec.music.industrial newsgroup. Despite numerous rejections from industrial music labels citing its lack of danceability, Pendragon Records saw potential and took a chance.

Thus commenced the earnest endeavor of crafting their debut album, "The Synthetic Form." Upon its release, it marked a pivotal moment in industrial music, ushering in a fusion of classic, experimental, and dystopian ambient elements. Pendragon Records tantalizingly teased the album as "Unleashing a World of Your Demons," offering a glimpse into its bleak exploration of themes like regret and personal turmoil.
Over the years, Gridlock evolved through three subsequent albums, progressively exploring diverse sonic territories beyond the confines of industrial music. However, their journey met an acrimonious end with the duo parting ways, leaving behind their albums as poignant relics, elusive on digital platforms and sought after by collectors at premium prices... until now.

After releasing “Columbo No.5” last September, the band went into the infamous Tunbridge Wells Forum to record their debut album. Having never recorded a debut album before, perhaps the idea of nailing it in 5 days may have been optimistic but with the budget blown and the studio engineer committed to other work for the rest of the year the band were left scratching their heads.

They knew a local bee keeper was the mother of a producer who was raised on metal but recently had engineering credits with artists such as Stefflon Don, Stormzy and Skepta...
..... A call was made, and Jake Jones delivered!

Wytch Pycknyck are LOUD yet maintain a trashy garage feel. Off the blocks with Rawkuss, almost distort with the guitar cacophony hitting the redlight in parts, and ending with Frostbite a spoken word / rap intro metamorphosis into a space rock psychedelic wig out with bassist Ewan Fitzgerald’s passion for analogue synths coming to the fore.

Sometimes the guitars shred and sometimes the bass takes pole position. Two and half minute thrash-outs sit shoulder to shoulder with nine-minute psych monsters AND it all makes sense.

From P60 is an alias of Zoltan Nagy who this year marks the significant milestone of a quarter of a century in the music game. He celebrates that by launching his new label Midnight Fashion Chill with his own first EP for it. Over the years, Nagy has done it all from deep house to Balearic to lounge and downtempo and here brings that touch of class to six superbly soothing sounds that fuse all that and more. The opener is pure horizontal bliss, 'The Times We Spent Together' is a slow-motion daydream, 'Fallin' (with Jaidene Veda) is pure soul-soothing magic and 'When' is a gently lilting ambient soundscape crafted to perfection.

Fred again.. has announced the release of ‘USB001’ - the first volume of his ‘infinite’ album project, now available as a limited vinyl drop.

‘USB001’ is an infinite, ever-evolving album that includes recent releases ‘Baby Again’, ‘Rumble’ w/ Skrillex & Flowdan, ‘Jungle’, ‘leavemealone’ w/ Baby Keem and ‘stayinit’ w/ Lil Yachty, plus remixes featuring HAAi, Rico Nasty and Nia Archives.

‘USB001’ also features two new records; ‘BerwynGesaffNeighbours’, which samples BERWYN & Gesaffelstein, and ‘ItsNotREEAALLLLLLLL’. The latter samples DuoTeque, Orion Sun and uses a drum beat first sent to Fred by Four Tet, lifted from an hour-long Richie Hawtin mix 'DE9 - Closer To The Limit' recorded in 2001. Richie trawled back through the mix stems of over 100 records spliced together to track down where the drums originated from, tracing them back to a producer called Steve Sullivan.

Top secret transmissions from the Upgrade crew !

Hip-House back again for summer '24 with four raucous revivals done up 21st century style...

We're not getting many on this one, so presale essential

Die norwegische Progressive Metal-Größe Rendezvous Point legt mit "Dream Chaser" das mit Spannung erwartete dritte Studioalbum vor. Nach dem von Kritikern gelobten Vorgänger "Universal Chaos" setzt die fünfköpfige Band um Leprous-Schlagzeuger Baard Kolstad, Keyboarder Nicolay Tangen Svennæs, Sänger Geirmund Hansen, Gitarrist Petter Hallaråker und Bassistin Gunn-Hilde Erstad ihre Erfolgsgeschichte fort, indem sie ihr Songwriting noch klarer definiert und sich intensiver auf Groove, Riffs, Melodien und Hooks konzentriert.

"Dream Chaser" taucht tief in das Feld künstlerischer Entwicklung ein und konzentriert sich auf das unerbittliche Streben nach Perfektion. Mit Themen, die von gesellschaftlicher Desillusionierung bis zu persönlichem Wachstum reichen, bietet "Dream Chaser" einen fesselnden Einblick in die menschliche Wahrnehmung. Rendezvous Point laden den Hörer ein zusammen die Komplexität der modernen Existenz und die Tiefen des emotionalen Aufruhrs zu erkunden.

Featuring Donny Hathaway's timeless rendition of "A Song for You" which went on to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004.

Donny’s legacy continues to pioneer figures in soul music and music lovers.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga is a 2020 American musical comedy film directed by David Dobkin and written by Will Ferrell and Andrew Steele. The film follows Icelandic singers Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdóttir (Ferrell and Rachel McAdams) as they are given the chance to represent their country at the Eurovision Song Contest. Pierce Brosnan, Dan Stevens, and Demi Lovato also star in the film. ""Volcano Man"" was the first song released from the album and features vocals from Will Ferrell and Swedish singer Molly Sandén (credited as My Marianne). Towards the middle of the film, as the characters of Lars and Sigrit get fully immersed in the Eurovision magic, the audience is treated to a ""Song-A-Long"", producers mash-up iconic pop classics into a celebratory party anthem. Cher transitions into Madonna, which transitions into homages to the aforementioned ABBA and Celine Dion, capped off with a little from The Black Eyed Peas. The cherries on top are vocal cameos from Eurovision champions: Conchita, Netta, Jamala, Loreen, and Alexander Rybalk. The album also features the cult hit “Jaja Ding Dong”. The soundtrack has been nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media at the upcoming 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. The soundtrack from Eurovision: The Story Of Fire Saga is available on black vinyl and contains a 4-page booklet and printed innersleeve with movie stills.

Nachpressung! Black Blue Splatter Vinyl Doppel-LP im Klappcover. "Beautiful Rivers And Mountains: The Psychedelic Rock Sound Of South Korea's SHIN JOONG HYAN 1958-1974": erzählt die persönliche, spirituelle und tiefgründige Geschichte von SHIN JOONG HYUN und zeigt das gesamte Spektrum der menschlichen Emotionen, die in wunderschönen und rastlosen Sounds münden. Zum ersten Mal ist diese Musik auch außerhalb von Korea erhältlich. "Beautiful Rivers." versammelt einen Überblick über die gesamte Karriere des Gitarristen, Songwriters, Produzenten, Komponisten und Talentscouts. Als er mit seiner Karriere Mitte der Fünffziger Jahre begann, spielte er vor den amerikanischen Truppen in Korea. Obwohl er nur wenig Englisch sprach, kommunizierte er durch seine Gitarren, konnte jedoch viel mehr ausdrücken als nur das, was ein Sessionmusiker konnte. Ein musikalischer Trip zwischen Motown, HENDRIX und THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, so süchtig machend wie eine Flasche des besten koreanischen Soju. Der erste asiatische Musiker und erst der sechste, der so wie zum Beispiel ERIC CLAPTON und EDDIE VAN HALEN, eine Fender Custom Shop Tribute Series Gitarre erhielt.

X - Atlantic Records 75th Anniversary Edition will now be available on crystal clear vinyl.

Ed Sheeran recorded X at various locations around the globe (all the while drawing on experiences and influences encountered on his over three years of unrelenting touring) with such luminary producers as Rick Rubin (Eminem, Jay-Z, Red Hot Chilli Peppers), Pharrell Williams (Daft Punk, Robin Thicke, N.E.R.D), Benny Blanco (Rhianna, Wiz Khalifa) and Jeff Bhasker (Alicia Keys, Jay-Z) adding new flavours to the classy work of key collaborators Johnny McDaid (Snow Patrol) and Jake Gosling (who produced +).

Originally released in 2014, X features singles ‘’Don’t’’, ‘’Sing’’, ‘’Thinking Out Loud’’, ‘’Bloodstream’’ and ‘’Photograph’’.

Donny Hathaways "Now Playing" 1LP auf Translucent
Red Vinyl enthält seine zeitlose Interpretation von "A
Song for You", die 2004 in die Grammy Hall of Fame
aufgenommen wurde. Das Vermächtnis des Künstlers
inspiriert weiterhin bekannte Soulmusiker und
Musikliebhaber weltweit.

Black Truffle is thrilled to present the first vinyl reissue of David Rosenboom’s unique Future Travel, originally released on the short-lived Detroit label Street Records in 1981 and here presented in an expanded edition with an additional LP of wild, previously unheard live and studio material from the same period.

Future Travel emerged from the confluence of two important streams in Rosenboom’s work at this time. First, his exploration of ‘propositional music’, defined as ‘complete cognitive models of music’ that start from the radical question, ‘What is music?’ In this case, the music belongs to the universe of Rosenboom’s In the Beginning (1978-1981), in which proportional relationships determine the material available to the composer in all musical parameters (harmonic relationships, melodic shapes, rhythmic subdivisions, dynamics, and so on). Second, the work documents a key moment in Rosenboom’s long collaboration with synthesizer pioneer Don Buchla. Having played a role in developing concepts for some of the modules of the Buchla 300 Series Electric Music Box (an innovative analogue modular system controlled by micro-processors), Rosenboom went on to write the software for Buchla’s hybrid analogue-digital keyboard synthesiser, the Touché, the instrument heard most prominently here.

In a way that no purely analogue synthesizer could, the 300 Series and Touché allowed Rosenboom to work with the In the Beginning algorithms in real time, the synthesizers becoming ‘intelligent instruments’ that actively collaborate with the performer. Developing the open structures of the electronic pieces from In the Beginning, Future Travel explored the possibilities of simply ‘playing the system’, recording live at Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope studio in San Francisco. Working from loose sketches, Rosenboom added acoustic instruments to the electronic sounds and, on some pieces, the processed voice of Jacqueline Humbert. Like Rosenboom’s collaboration with Humbert on the abstracted synth-chanson of Daytime Viewing, this music set out deliberately to challenge the ‘stratified and illusorily coagulated identities in the musical culture of the time,’ refusing distinctions between ‘serious’ and popular music. But where Daytime Viewing achieves this in part through genre references, Future Travel is bracingly sui generis, existing in a unique universe where radical formalisation à la Xenakis spontaneously gives rise to expressive jazz harmonies and old-timey folk melodies.

The crystalline quality of many of the Touché sounds gives Future Travel a sparkling, immediately enticing surface, its layers of shifting ostinato patterns pulsating outside conventional meter, rippling like waves on the surface of water. On opener ‘Station Oaxaca’, ping-ponging synth arpeggios and hand percussion accompany a sentimental violin melody, abruptly overtaken by layered keyboard runs, before the entry of tinkling marimba-like sounds reframe the scene as sci-fi Martin Denny exotica. ‘Time Arroyo’ begins as an austere study in staccato synth sounds in multiple overlapping tempi, reminiscent of Ligeti’s famous ‘clock’ rhythmic effects. Before long, it opens up into a melodic passage with the gentle heroism of classic Roedelius, which proves to be only a brief interlude before the layers of rhythmically distinct synthesiser patterns begin to build and accelerate into an increasingly dense cacophony. The wildest twists and turns are saved for the epic closer ‘Nova Wind’, where the arrangement focuses on Rosenboom’s virtuoso piano playing, perfectly embodying the project’s radical disregard of stylistic orthodoxies as he moves from hyperactive pointillistic flurries to a kind of space-age gospel.

At several points throughout the record, the distinctive voice of Jacqueline Humbert is heard reading passages from the text component of In the Beginning, a dialogue between The Double (an embodiment of humanity’s timeless desire to replicate itself in spiritual and technological copies) and two Spirit Characters. Fittingly, as all are conceived as embodiments of a future form of techno-human collective consciousness, distinctions between the three characters are not immediately evident in Humbert’s delivery, just as the music blurs the boundaries between intelligent computing and human spontaneity. Adorned with a striking retro-futurist cover (and here accompanied by extensive new liner notes and archival images), Future Travel is a time capsule of radical imaginings at the birth of our digital age, reminding us of utopian possibilities of which our own present seems so often to fall short.

A Gilles Peterson-approved deep jazz-rap classic.

2024 first time vinyl release, 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork.

Limited and Non-Returnable.

Holy grail hip-hop alert! Superstar Quamallah's Invisible Man was never released on wax so, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this astounding record, we present the first ever vinyl edition. A stunning record which gained accolades upon its initial release, such as a prominent feature on Gilles Peterson's renowned Best Of 2009 show, it's one of the most essential jazz rap albums of all time.

Deep jazz rap on that mellow-melodic tip, Invisible Man is an unforgettable album with nothing but dope beats and dope bars. There's a strong chance this album has passed you by but we truly believe it to be a lost hip-hop masterpiece. It supremely captures the essence of a golden age classic without being slavish to the past. No, this ain't some facile throwback rap. It's a fresh and deeply soulful, original album shot through straight from the heart. Perfect to chill to, Invisible Man is profoundly jazz-oriented and captures with simplicity and sincerity the essence of hip-hop circa 1983-1994. It sounds like vibing with your nearest, dearest and oldest friends on a long hot summer night as the tantalising thought that anything is possible fills the air. You know what, we can just call this "magic hour rap" and we think you'll know what we mean. It's just beautiful. Just Listen.

Brooklyn-born, California-based emcee, DJ, and producer Superstar Quamallah was active in the West Coast underground scene throughout the 90s and recorded extensively with such revered names as Defari and Tajai. His parents were some serious artistic heavyweights, too; his father was soul organist Big John Patton, a giant in the jazz world known for his releases on Blue Note whilst his mother was an active designer. However, he remains relatively unknown. Invisible Man, named ostensibly after the classic Ralph Ellison novel, could also refer to how he is viewed by the public at large. With close affiliations to the Hieroglyphics, Dilated Peoples and Likwit crew, his debut EP "Don't Call Me John" arrived in 1999 on ABB Records, after which he took a sabbatical from recording which included graduate school, travelling, teaching at Inglewood High and eventually a professorship of African Studies at Berkeley.

With a laidback flow and deep, relaxing presence on the mic, Superstar Quamallah is equal parts Big Daddy Kane, Rakim and Guru. Invisible Man is refined, soulful, feel-good hip-hop of the old school. Its wise, spiritual and literate sound, combined with the summertime vibes projected by the smooth beats and the nostalgia-inducing samples and vocal scratches, created jazzy boom-bap rap reminiscent of prime De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr.

Irresistibly bouncing opener "You Need Knowledge" loops sparkling pianos, horns and a nagging whistle refrain with scratched vocal refrains from Slick Rick, Mobb Deep and Guru. The super-smooth head-nod classic "88 Soul" also utilises a beautifully swelling piano line and dusty breaks whilst Quamé reminisces about his childhood in NYC. Deeply moving, the silky, sultry "Black Shakespeare" is built around an elegant piano loop and goes hard on the superman lover tip whilst "For My People...It's Spiritual" is transcendental rap in conversation with Rakim and older gods. The "Moment Of Truth"-sampling "Lonely At The Top" is striking for its undiluted boom-bap stylings and the staccato flute-hop of "Just Listen" is riddled with soulful refinement. The deeply-affecting, wistful-yet-triumphant bells and horn-drenched single "California Dreamin'" is top-tier rap of unimpeachable quality. What a flow!

Another highlight is the rich melodic piano-rap of "Purity", a beautiful ode to the foundations of rap and those keeping the culture authentically alive. Beautifully played instruments and spiritual jazz samples elevate the deep thinking present on "Kunta Kente" whilst the darker jazz-tinged battle-rap of "93 Shit" goes super hard both in a lyrical sense and with its no-holds drum punches. The breezy Rhodes and string loops that serve as the sonic backdrop to the slinky jazz rap of "We Got Plots" are just gorgeous as our hero evokes Common's "I Used To Love H.E.R." with a head-spinning tale of crime, deception and double crossing. And some twist! "Do Win-Dis" has a tense crime-funk backing and rolling beats which complement Quamé's flow perfectly before the record is rounded out by the tough yet jazzy brilliance of rap confessional "Hope She Remembers Me". Just sensational.

Upon its original release, Quamallah himself declared: "My favorite time period for Hip Hop music was definitely between 1983 and 1994 with 1988 and 1993 being two years that standout as extremely impressive years musically and culturally. The fashion, slang, movies, TV shows and vibe during those years was incredible. While totally submerged in the feelings and music of that entire time period, I went to work on Invisible Man and I am excited for people to hear the result! It is an album that I would want to hear from some of my favorite artists of the past and present today. This is not a RETRO trip for me; this is me at my best lyrically and spiritually using the accessories of the 80s and 90s to fuel me. I am a 88 soul as the song states!"

This album goes deep. It goes all in. When Invisible Man first came out it had a real hold on us here at Be With HQ. We couldn't stop listening to it. We'd venture to say it's one of the top 25 rap records of the 2000s. In the years since its release, it has remained a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We sincerely hope this first time double LP release will go some way to correct this.

It's been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. Finally available on the format it should always have been on, it must never be rendered invisible again.

Mick Harris is one of the world's greatest compositional treasures. Starting his career as the energy dynamo behind the drum kit of the UK's Napalm Death, he made the term Blastbeat a household reference, wrote the band's music on his mother's one string guitar, and joined the Guinness Book of World Records for composing the world's shortest song. In the decades succeeding, he has re-inventedmusic several more times, from the wild abstract jazz of Painkiller with John Zorn and Bill Laswell, to the drowning ambience of his Lull project, all while continuing to build a world that he can truly call his own - the dark post-dub of SCORN. "Reaching 54 this year - this won't stop the challenge, driving me more so now than ever" - says Mick Harris, commenting on the recent phase in his creativity. The pandemic isolation and lockdown pushed the work of the maestro more than anything else could have. In 2021, his output is ever-increasing, releasing the newest collabs with Justin K. Broadrick and the single "Distortion", featuring one of the most outstanding voices of hip-hop - Kool Keith - his closest collaborator, Ohm Resistance founder - Submerged. Commenting on the release of "Distortion", Mick Harris said to mxdwn: "I enjoy collabs - they bring something different to the swim." Working on his own and collaborating with everyone from Sleaford Mods' James Williamson, on the previous SCORN release or with Kool Keith and Submerged on "Distortion", Mick Harris never had problems with putting energy into beats and sound landscapes, combining various surreal elements with three basic elements that always push Harris further, that are extremely crucial for both Mick Harris and SCORN as a project - frustration, anger and anxiety. Combining the signature soundscapes of Scorn with tartareous textures, the newest album "The Only Place" reaches a psychedelic groove, based on what Harris calls "Pushing an original idea further" with his own shades of light and dark and celestial electricity of what SCORN is. These 10 new tracks add elements unheard in Scorn since Evanescense and Gyral - ethereal ambiences and floating, near-melodic-but-not-quite moments, a signature of Harris' abilities to generate feelings in a lost world of his own creation. 2024 vinyl version on orange coloured vinyl!

Continuing from the release of Northern Soul Classics, this excellent value 2LP compilation brings together 40 essential tracks from a generation of artists inspired by gospel and rhythm and blues. Immerse yourself in the sweet soulful voices of Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, The Supremes, Ike and Tina Turner and many more!

We all hear the music of the World but we don't often stop to listen'. So says David Lyn by way of explaining the raison d'etre of his debut album The World I Hear (Essence of Life). This album is the first in a series that explores the elements of fire, earth, water and wind and focuses on the twin entities of love and water; both of which flow and ebb, trickle and crash. It is an album of songs and musical collaborations which interprets David's own visions of love as the foundation of everything. As he says, 'we all need more love'.
Releasing on the 1st of June on vinyl and digital The World I Hear (Essence of Life) will be available for pre-order from Friday 24th May with the two tracks, Drum Connection and Maria Juana, leading the release. Drum Connection has been remixed by Chicago legend and Frankie Knuckles protege Elbert Phillips whilst Maria Juana features the Ibero-Cuban artist and songwriter Arema Arega (Gilles Peterson's Havana Cultura) and the composer and producer Andrew Nicholas AKA Born74 (Earthsouls, Colin Curtis' Jazz Dance Fusion Vol. 4).
Engineered by Shamrock Guitar and mastered by Andy Compton at Peng Studios, with arrangements from Dr Bob Jones and Gee W and vocal contributions from Vuyelwa Mgatyelwa and Elena Rogozhina, The World I Hear (Essence of Life) truly is an international collaboration of music for the heart, the soul, the dance floor and the head. David Lyn, whose creative vision for this album is adulterated with his love of Jazz, Reggae and Country music, is playing the flute, clarinet, saxophone and piano and his vast experience of creating diverse DJ sets of Music Without Labels

Verrazzano continues with the second issue in our summer EP series! This time Type-303 is really ”Lost In Paradise” with this four-track EP to suit all sophisticated tastes.

The first track hitting your nerves is ”Acid Disco Time”. Have you ever wondered how it feels to go to a disco with a slight ”acidy” taste in your mouth and realize that something is familiar, but at the same time, somehow… out of place? You hear a Seinfeld bass slapping a classic groove, then a bubbling energy starts rising under the surface and now your armpits sweat in your blazer! Add some glitter dust shimmering in smoke, and the whole thing goes off to a spacey gallop! Is this now so-called ”Cosmic-Business” dance music?

The story continues with ”Lost In Paradise”, and takes us to the deep end of turquoise-colored waters. If you found a seashell from the beach and listened to its stories carefully, could you handle the tempting whispers of mermaids, and resist the melodies from those happy days of ancient Minoan Paradise? To get a taste of such delights, this track delivers a glimpse!

How do our ancestors teach us lessons long after their earthly existence? By roaming the Earth in cosmic fashion, of course!

”Spirit Dance”, with its ethereal flute and otherworldly harmonies puts the listener in a place where one is the question mark and the answer too… Deep? It should be.

When the spirits have done their hypnotic dance and the dizziness has vanished, it is time to wander on a field and look at some beautiful ”Wild Horses”. Basking in the evening dawn, you appreciate that some energies are not fully tamed, but are glorious as wild beings and should be kept as such. It’s the same with music, nurture the wild sides of sounds and energies!

"In partnership with WaterTower Music, Waxwork Records is thrilled to release GODZILLA x KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Tom Holkenborg! The epic monster-battle continues with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) features 23 new tracks created for the film by Grammy-nominated composer Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL (Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Zack Snyder’s Justice League) as well as composer Antonio Di lorio. Composer, Tom Holkenborg says, “I’m a huge Godzilla and Kong fan, and loved working with director Adam Wingard on 2021's GODZILLA VS. KONG, so returning to these monsters to score their biggest adventure yet was a dream come true. These are two of the most enduring names in Hollywood and Adam has done an amazing job implementing his vision for these icons. I was also delighted to be able to name Antonio Di Iorio, an incredibly talented composer, who has worked with me for many years, as my co-composer on this movie. I couldn’t be more enthusiastic to continue my adventures with Adam and expand our creative relationship in the Monsterverse.” Waxwork Records is excited to present GODZILLA x KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE as a deluxe double LP featuring the original soundtrack by Tom Holkenborg pressed to 180 Gram colored vinyl, housed in heavyweight gatefold jackets with matte satin coating, a 12x12 heavyweight art print insert, and design and layout by Matt Needle."

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire by Tom Holkenborg & Antonio Di Iorio, released 21 June 2024, includes the following tracks: "Monarch Base - Red Dream", "Leaving Colosseum - New Dossier", "Friendship", "Approaching the Lake" and more.
This version of Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire comes as a 2xLP in a(n) Gatefold Sleeve packaging. This release comes with (a) Insert(s).

The vinyl is pressed as a swirl splatter, neon & pink & blue etc. disc. Another vinyl is pressed as a swirl splatter, neon & pink & blue etc. disc.

Compassion combines ethereal pop with ‘80s synth textures, and slacker-rock charm. It's got a bit of Matthew E. White, chilled out BC Camplight and Conor Oberst.

The inviting and perceptive songs on Rui Gabriel’s debut LP Compassion all tackle growing up. It’s about how the older you get, your priorities shift, friendships evolve, and responsibilities become inescapable. For Gabriel, the Indiana-based, Venezuela-born artist and co-founder of the acclaimed band Lawn, the changes in his own life inspired him to write a solo full-length that sounds like nothing the indie rock journeyman has done before. Across 10 vibrant tracks that combine ethereal pop with slacker-rock and piano-driven dance music, it’s a galvanizing showcase of personal growth and the grace you give yourself to push forward.

Work on Compassion started in 2018 when Gabriel was living in New Orleans. “I was living a pretty teenage life in many ways,” says Gabriel. “I worked at a pizza restaurant and would just go to shows or parties. I wasn’t doing anything other than music. I didn't have many responsibilities.” The songs he was working on at the time—tracks that didn’t fit Lawn but Gabriel still liked—initially went unfinished. But as Gabriel’s life changed, so did his songwriting and his desire to see his ideas through. “When I was writing lyrics, I was settling down with my partner and about to become a dad,” says Gabriel. “I was making choices about my life that contradicted the existence I had before. I had a different set of priorities.”

The songs on Compassion deal with youthful carelessness ("Dreamy Boys") and coming face-to-face with newfound responsibilities ("Change Your Mind"). It's consistently a biting, observant look at getting older thanks to Gabriel's unique perspective as a South American immigrant who's lived across the United States for the past 13 years. “When you are Hispanic, English isn't your first language, and you're in a music scene with a bunch of white people, you're going to stand out a little bit,” he says. On “Church of Nashville,” “Hey, Leonard Cohen is singing poems by the gentrified alley” he humorously aims at scene pretension and industry gatekeepers.

Compared to Gabriel’s work with Lawn, where he writes frenetic post-punk songs and yells, for Compassion he explores more straightforward pop sensibilities and showcases his singing voice. “I wanted to do a solo record to prove to myself that I could sing,” says Gabriel. Take the meditative, piano-based lead single “Target,” which is inspired by Dido and finds Gabriel gorgeously harmonizing with singer Kate Teague. He reaches similar infectiousness on the sunny rocker “Summertime Tiger,” which guests Stef Chura. Co-produced by Gabriel and Nicholas Corson (The Convenience, Video Age), Compassion is consistently warm, generous, colorful, and adventurous.

“Compassion is a record about change,” says Gabriel. “It's a coming-of-age record but for somebody who's coming of age into their thirties.”

Ahead of her upcoming headline tour, eight-time GRAMMY®-nominated diamond-certified icon Avril Lavigne announces her first-ever Greatest Hits album set for a June 21 release via Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment. Avril Lavigne - Greatest Hits will be available on 12" vinyl, CD and digital formats and is now available for pre-order. The album will be available in 12" black vinyl and a Target-exclusive 12" vinyl neon green pressing. The album packaging includes new photos and a personal note to fans from Avril.

An essential compilation from all phases of Avril's pioneering career as one of the 21st century's breakout pop icons, Avril Lavigne - Greatest Hits features 20 career-spanning fan-favorites from her record-smashing catalog including the RIAA 3x platinum-certified "Complicated" and 2x platinum-certified “Sk8er Boi” from her chart-topping 2002 debut album Let Go (Artista) through her seventh studio album Love Sux (Elektra/DTA) with songs such as “Bite Me,” “Bois Lie” feat. Machine Gun Kelly and “I’m A Mess” with Yungblud.

Avril Lavigne will bring her Greatest Hits on the road for a series of unforgettable concerts in 2024. The Avril Lavigne: The Greatest Hits tour kicks off on Wednesday, May 22 in Vancouver, BC at Rogers Arena, with stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, 2x Toronto, Charlotte, Nashville, Chicago and more before wrapping up on Wednesday, Sept 18 in Calgary. All Time Low and Simple Plan will join Avril on select dates throughout the tour as special guests and direct support, with Royal & the Serpent and Girlfriends joining select dates as opening acts.

Four of Avril's studio albums – Under My Skin (Arista/RCA - 2004), Best Damn Thing (RCA - 2007), Goodbye Lullaby (RCA - 2011), and Avril Lavigne (Epic - 2013) – will be released for the first time in 12" vinyl editions expanded to include bonus recordings formerly available as digital-only tracks. Amazon will offer an exclusive metallic silver pressing of Under My Skin, an exclusive 2LP surge green pressing of Goodbye Lullaby (with nine bonus tracks) and an exclusive opaque baby blue pressing of Avril Lavigne (with three bonus tracks). Avril's D2C store will offer their own exclusives including a 2LP 12" neon pink vinyl pressing of The Best Damn Thing (with five bonus tracks).

Released in January 2023 in expanded digital and 2LP 12" vinyl formats as Let Go (20th Anniversary Edition), Avril's 2002 studio debut is being re-struck in a new 12" vinyl pressing for the Avril Lavigne catalog reissue celebration.

Ahead of her upcoming headline tour, eight-time GRAMMY®-nominated diamond-certified icon Avril Lavigne announces her first-ever Greatest Hits album set for a June 21 release via Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment. Avril Lavigne - Greatest Hits will be available on 12" vinyl, CD and digital formats and is now available for pre-order. The album will be available in 12" black vinyl and a Target-exclusive 12" vinyl neon green pressing. The album packaging includes new photos and a personal note to fans from Avril.

An essential compilation from all phases of Avril's pioneering career as one of the 21st century's breakout pop icons, Avril Lavigne - Greatest Hits features 20 career-spanning fan-favorites from her record-smashing catalog including the RIAA 3x platinum-certified "Complicated" and 2x platinum-certified “Sk8er Boi” from her chart-topping 2002 debut album Let Go (Artista) through her seventh studio album Love Sux (Elektra/DTA) with songs such as “Bite Me,” “Bois Lie” feat. Machine Gun Kelly and “I’m A Mess” with Yungblud.

Avril Lavigne will bring her Greatest Hits on the road for a series of unforgettable concerts in 2024. The Avril Lavigne: The Greatest Hits tour kicks off on Wednesday, May 22 in Vancouver, BC at Rogers Arena, with stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, 2x Toronto, Charlotte, Nashville, Chicago and more before wrapping up on Wednesday, Sept 18 in Calgary. All Time Low and Simple Plan will join Avril on select dates throughout the tour as special guests and direct support, with Royal & the Serpent and Girlfriends joining select dates as opening acts.

Four of Avril's studio albums – Under My Skin (Arista/RCA - 2004), Best Damn Thing (RCA - 2007), Goodbye Lullaby (RCA - 2011), and Avril Lavigne (Epic - 2013) – will be released for the first time in 12" vinyl editions expanded to include bonus recordings formerly available as digital-only tracks. Amazon will offer an exclusive metallic silver pressing of Under My Skin, an exclusive 2LP surge green pressing of Goodbye Lullaby (with nine bonus tracks) and an exclusive opaque baby blue pressing of Avril Lavigne (with three bonus tracks). Avril's D2C store will offer their own exclusives including a 2LP 12" neon pink vinyl pressing of The Best Damn Thing (with five bonus tracks).

Released in January 2023 in expanded digital and 2LP 12" vinyl formats as Let Go (20th Anniversary Edition), Avril's 2002 studio debut is being re-struck in a new 12" vinyl pressing for the Avril Lavigne catalog reissue celebration.

LP is Now-Again Reserve Edition gatefold jacket. Hand-numbered edition of 1000. 145 gram vinyl - OBI strip and resealable 'Japanese-style' plastic sleeve. Includes Download card for WAV files of the album and bonus tracks from solo releases from Nyoni and his Born Free band. Contains booklet that presents an overview of the Zamrock scene, Nyoni's story, and the confluence of the Zimbabwean and Zambian rock scenes in the 70s. // CD is the first ever anthology of Zamrock musician Mike Nyoni's funky, psych-rock and folkloric 1970s recordings spread over 2 CDs. The latest release in Now-Again's deluxe Reserve Edition series: the first ever anthology of Zamrock musician Mike Nyoni's funky, psych-rock and folkloric 1970s recordings. Zambian guitarist and singer/songwriter Mike Nyoni's music is Zamrock only because he came of age during the country's rock revolution. His preferred wah-wah to fuzz guitar, James Brown to Jimi Hendrix. His 70s recordings - often politically charged, and ranging from despondent to exuberant - are amongst the funkiest on the African continent. He was also one of the only Zamrock musicians to see his music contemporaneously issued in Europe. This anthology collates works from his three 70s LPs - his first, with the Born Free band, and his two solo albums Kawalala and I Can't Understand You - and presents a singular Zambian musician on par with celebrated artists Rikki Ililonga, Keith Mlevhu and Paul Ngozi. The package also features an extensive, photo-filled booklet contains an overview of the Zamrock scene and Nyoni's story. LP Tracklisting - A-Side: Born Free - 'My Own Thing

(Clear with black, white & yellow splatter limited to 500 copies) SKA DREAM is a complete re-recording of Jeff Rosenstock's critically-acclaimed 2020 record NO DREAM however this time around all the songs are ska songs you're welcome. The very good idea to make this record came together when, like many other bands throughout this pandemic that refused to participate in super spreading events, we were trying to find a fun way to make some music together to share with people. Otherwise we were just spending our evenings texting the group chat in dread about the collapsing world around us. Not the most fun band activity. As with most things ska in my life, what started out as a fun goof with friends eventually morphed into "Hey, what if we tried to make it good though?" All of us have a pretty deep history playing and touring the country in punk/ska bands. We all understand the stigma that comes along with ska, we've all dealt with the pitfalls of it, and we've all kept on truckin' regardless. If you are one of those people who loves music as long as it isn't ska, that's cool, we see you. This record isn't for you and you don't have to listen to it. Byeeee. Okay, everyone else, we see you too, we love you and check it out, SKA DREAM is real. This record includes contributions from Jer Hunter (JER, Skatune Network, We Are The Union), Rick Johnson (Mustard Plug), Laura Stevenson, Ara Babajian (The Slackers, Leftover Crack), Boboso, Sean Bonnette (AJJ), George Clarke (Deafheaven), David Combs (Bad Moves), Chris Farren, Augusta Koch (Gladie, Cayetana), Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Franz Nicolay, nonregla, Elise Okusami (Oceanator), Mike Park (Bruce Lee Band, Skankin Pickle, Asian Man Records), PUP, Anika Pyle (Katie Ellen, Chumped) & Shannon Toombes.

Bed Maker's origins date back to summer 2019, when bassist Arthur Noll (Light Beams, Kid Congo Powers) and drummer Vin Novara (The Crownhate Ruin, 1.6 Band), each having played in Alarms & Controls, invited guitarist Jeff Barsky (Insect Factory, Time Is Fire) to collaborate and see what might happen. By autumn, they invited Amanda MacKaye (Desiderata, Routineers) to join them, and the chemistry was immediate. In February 2020 at DC's Rhizome, Bed Maker played their first show and then paused their activities the follow- ing month, as did most people.
Due to the state of the world in 2020 and 2021, they continued writing music through sharing recordings. Mike Schleibaum assisted by assembling home recordings of their individual parts into working demos. This allowed them to keep momentum, and by the time in-person rehearsals resumed, a handful of songs and new ideas were close to fruition. Bed Maker resumed playing shows in November 2022.
Following a self-released digital single ("Miss Dickens") and an EP (Three on the Tree) -- each recorded with Schleibaum and Matt Michel at Viva Studios -- Bed Maker began work on their self-titled LP in May 2023 with Ian MacKaye and Don Zientara at the original Inner Ear Studio in his basement in Arlington, VA, and with Mike Schleibaum at his home studio in Maryland.
That their debut LP even exists is only possible thanks to the support of family and many friends, and also serves as an act of defiance to the horrors of the last four-plus years.

Die schwedischen Heavy Rocker GREENLEAF haben mit ihrem neunten Album "The Head & The Habit" den vorläufigen Gipfel ihrer langen Evolution erklommen. Die musikalische Handschrift und Virtuosität von Gitarrist Tommi Holappa, seit mehr als 25 Jahren einer der Vorreiter und tragenden Säulen der europäischen Stoner Rock Szene, zeichnen sich deutlich ab. Die Gitarren werden perfekt ergänzt durch den gefühlvollen, intuitiven Sinn für Melodien und die charakterliche Tiefe, die der klassisch ausgebildete Sänger Arvid Hällagård dem Sound von GREENLEAF verleiht. Neben den erstklassigen Gesangslinien sowie den massiven Fuzz-Power-Riffs hat sich der Frontmann intensive Gedanken zu seinen Texten für "The Head & The Habit" gemacht, die weit über den Standard des oft klischeebeladenen Genres hinausreichen. Wie bereits der Albumtitel ("Der Kopf & Die Gewohnheit") andeutet, sind die neuen Songs als symbolische Kurzgeschichten angelegt, die sich um das Ringen mit Gefühlen bis zu psychischen Erkrankungen drehen. In Hällagårds Lyrik spiegeln sich seine Erfahrungen aus der Arbeit mit Menschen wider, die mit Sucht und anderen psychischen Problemen zu kämpfen haben. Die Heavy Rock Liebhaber GREENLEAF wurden ursprünglich als informelles Privatprojekt unter Freunden gegründet. Alle spielten bereits in anderen Bands, worunter sich so klangvolle Namen wie DOZER, LOWRIDER und DEMON CLEANER finden. Die Schweden suchten einfach nur nach einem Ventil für ihre gemeinsame Liebe zum Hard Rock und Proto-Metal der 70er Jahre, das frei von den Erwartungen und dem Druck ihrer Hauptbands sein sollte. Trotz der Absicht, GREENLEAF nur zum Vergnügen zu betreiben, führte die ungetrübte Freude beim Erschaffen eingängiger Songs dazu, dass ihr gesamtes Umfeld nach Aufnahmen von diesem Material verlangte. Dies führte schließlich zur Veröffentlichung einer selbstbetitelten Debüt-EP im Jahr 2000, der nur ein Jahr später das erste vollständige Album "Revolution Rock" folgte. Die Jahre mit wechselnden Besetzungen waren vorbei. GREENLEAFs stabiler Fokus wurde durch ihr fünftes Album "Trails & Passes" (2014) gekrönt, auf dem erstmals Arvid Hällagård als Sänger zu hören war. Dieser Meilenstein markierte den endgültigen Beginn einer neuen Phase der Band. Mit "The Head & The Habit" verbinden GREENLEAF nun das Bewusstsein für vergangene Triumphe mit reifem Handwerk. Die Schweden wissen, wie sie mehr als je zuvor stärker, härter und auf den Punkt rocken. GREENLEAF verschmelzen donnernde Riff-Magie, mitreißenden und mit Soul getränkten Gesang, frenetische Rhythmen und treibende Takt-Attacken zu einer ohrwurmverdächtigen, funkelnden Legierung von Hardrock-Hymnen!

Die schwedischen Heavy Rocker GREENLEAF haben mit ihrem neunten Album "The Head & The Habit" den vorläufigen Gipfel ihrer langen Evolution erklommen. Die musikalische Handschrift und Virtuosität von Gitarrist Tommi Holappa, seit mehr als 25 Jahren einer der Vorreiter und tragenden Säulen der europäischen Stoner Rock Szene, zeichnen sich deutlich ab. Die Gitarren werden perfekt ergänzt durch den gefühlvollen, intuitiven Sinn für Melodien und die charakterliche Tiefe, die der klassisch ausgebildete Sänger Arvid Hällagård dem Sound von GREENLEAF verleiht. Neben den erstklassigen Gesangslinien sowie den massiven Fuzz-Power-Riffs hat sich der Frontmann intensive Gedanken zu seinen Texten für "The Head & The Habit" gemacht, die weit über den Standard des oft klischeebeladenen Genres hinausreichen. Wie bereits der Albumtitel ("Der Kopf & Die Gewohnheit") andeutet, sind die neuen Songs als symbolische Kurzgeschichten angelegt, die sich um das Ringen mit Gefühlen bis zu psychischen Erkrankungen drehen. In Hällagårds Lyrik spiegeln sich seine Erfahrungen aus der Arbeit mit Menschen wider, die mit Sucht und anderen psychischen Problemen zu kämpfen haben. Die Heavy Rock Liebhaber GREENLEAF wurden ursprünglich als informelles Privatprojekt unter Freunden gegründet. Alle spielten bereits in anderen Bands, worunter sich so klangvolle Namen wie DOZER, LOWRIDER und DEMON CLEANER finden. Die Schweden suchten einfach nur nach einem Ventil für ihre gemeinsame Liebe zum Hard Rock und Proto-Metal der 70er Jahre, das frei von den Erwartungen und dem Druck ihrer Hauptbands sein sollte. Trotz der Absicht, GREENLEAF nur zum Vergnügen zu betreiben, führte die ungetrübte Freude beim Erschaffen eingängiger Songs dazu, dass ihr gesamtes Umfeld nach Aufnahmen von diesem Material verlangte. Dies führte schließlich zur Veröffentlichung einer selbstbetitelten Debüt-EP im Jahr 2000, der nur ein Jahr später das erste vollständige Album "Revolution Rock" folgte. Die Jahre mit wechselnden Besetzungen waren vorbei. GREENLEAFs stabiler Fokus wurde durch ihr fünftes Album "Trails & Passes" (2014) gekrönt, auf dem erstmals Arvid Hällagård als Sänger zu hören war. Dieser Meilenstein markierte den endgültigen Beginn einer neuen Phase der Band. Mit "The Head & The Habit" verbinden GREENLEAF nun das Bewusstsein für vergangene Triumphe mit reifem Handwerk. Die Schweden wissen, wie sie mehr als je zuvor stärker, härter und auf den Punkt rocken. GREENLEAF verschmelzen donnernde Riff-Magie, mitreißenden und mit Soul getränkten Gesang, frenetische Rhythmen und treibende Takt-Attacken zu einer ohrwurmverdächtigen, funkelnden Legierung von Hardrock-Hymnen!