Suche:the gruff

The longstanding DJ comes through with a brand new album for the modern times, keeping the tradition alive through a stacked tracklist of heavy hitters. With an extension of the popular posse cut, “Rolling 25 Deep,” DJ Kay Slay ups the ante with an 18 minute anthem, “Rolling 50 Deep,” featuring the likes of Benny The Butcher, Bun B, Styles P, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and more. He further adds to his track record of pairing together artists for hit records with cuts from Ghostface Killah & Busta Rhymes, Conway the Machine & Sheek Louch, and Juicy J & Jim Jones.

Slaughter in the Vatican is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Exhorder. It was released on October 23, 1990 through Roadrunner Records. The album received favourable reviews, and saw the band being compared to heavy metal legends Pantera. AllMusic noted Exhorder’s “death metal-style double kick drums, chugging guitar riffs played at both slow and blistering tempos, and, to top it all off, the gruff but very expressive lead vocals of frontman Kyle Thomas”. The album was inducted into the Decibel Magazine Hall of Fame in 2018.

Gruff Rhys releases his new album ‘Seeking New
Gods’ through Rough Trade. This is Gruff’s
seventh solo album.
‘Seeking New Gods’ was recorded following a US
tour with his band and mixed in LA with superstar
producer Mario C (Beastie Boys).
The album concept was originally driven to be the
biography of a mountain, Mount Paektu (an East
Asian active volcano). However, as Gruff’s writing
began to reflect on the inhuman timescale of a
peak’s existence and the intimate features that
bring it to mythological life, both the songs and the
mountain became more and more personal.
“The album is about people and the civilisations,
and the spaces people inhabit over periods of
time. How people come and go but the geology
sticks around and changes more slowly. I think it’s
about memory and time,” he suggests of ‘Seeking
New Gods’ meaning. “It’s still a biography of a
mountain, but now it’s a Mount Paektu of the mind.
You won’t learn much about the real mountain
from listening to this record but you will feel
something, hopefully.” - Gruff Rhys

Slaughter in the Vatican is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Exhorder. It was released on October 23, 1990 through Roadrunner Records. The album received favourable reviews, and saw the band being compared to heavy metal legends Pantera. AllMusic noted Exhorder’s “death metal-style double kick drums, chugging guitar riffs played at both slow and blistering tempos, and, to top it all off, the gruff but very expressive lead vocals of frontman Kyle Thomas”. The album was inducted into the Decibel Magazine Hall of Fame in 2018.

Slaughter in the Vatican is available as a limited edition of
2000 numbered copies on silver coloured vinyl.

Peter Hook and The Light are an English rock band, formed in May 2010 by bass guitarist/vocalist Peter Hook, formerly of the influential post-punk bands Joy Division and New Order.
The band is noted for performing the Joy Division and New Order albums live.Their setlists primarily feature the two Joy Division albums, Unknown Pleasures and Closer or the first two New Order albums, Movement and Power, Corruption & Lies, depending on the respective tour.
The very concept is bound to stir up conflicted feelings -- bafflement, interest, cynicism, anger -- in any Joy Division fan. Here’s that band’s Peter Hook, singing lead and playing bass, supported by a guitarist, drummer, keyboard player, and additional bassist. In front of a Melbourne crowd, the band roars through the entirety of Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures, book-ending the album with six additional reinterpretations. The musicians play their hearts out, and Hook is absolutely locked into the material. One can’t deny the man’s conviction. The moments of aggression are far more suited for his gruff, seething vocals than the likes of “Candidate” and “I Remember Nothing,” where he has some trouble dialing it down. As an in-the-flesh experience, this was probably quite thrilling. As a home listening experience, it seems unnecessary -- at best, a curiosity -- especially when the source material is a couple clicks away.

This exclusive EP features an extended version of ‘Partypooper’ and an exclusive track, ‘Marshmallow’, only available on vinyl. 

Hailing from Cardiff HMS Morris make a colourful, eclectic and eccentric sound. They’ve previously cited the work of the late Syd Barrett as an influence but their penchant for creating sparkling avantgarde music as deliriously catchy as it is experimental also makes them comparable to their Welsh contemporaries. There’s elements of Gwenno’s bilingual synth-laden pop, touches of Cat le Bon’s otherworldly psychedelic songcraft and lashes of the quirky multi-instrumental indie alt-pop of Gruff Rhys.

Sludge machine music slapped through the infinite mixing desk by SRS - the combined mind of Sunun and Robin Stewart. At any pointData Fossil'sgiddy industrial riddims could collapse under their own weight. There are Sunun inputs and there are Robin Stewart inputs - but everything is offered up to their machines gladly for an output of nu-human-beat. Voices drift through the mix in hushed Italian and Robin's gruff roboticized drawl, floating dub chords left hanging for cavernous subs and rattled bones, distant harps and arps, a sudden blast of trills. 'Spit Fossil' itself is a clipped noise-pop wonder - the aural equivalent of a lights-on Avon dancefloor with only the weirdest left standing.



Recorded on the rooftop of a housing project called Camelot in 2018, the two Bristol locals debuted the live / unplanned collaboration in an inflatable arena called 'Toldo' in the Brunswick Club ballroom (RIP). Then again at Young Echo at the Cube Microplex - a night where it's said anything is possible (Sunun even dubbed Guest's live human heartbeat there recently….). IfData Fossilis hard to describe - it's just the sound of the musical freedom of a city that will never run dry.



It's a high Bokeh honour to welcome Sunun back after we helped release her 2018 debut,Ooid EP. Her live show continues to be the most inspiring re-use of dub principles we've witnessed (again and again). Time only grows her music outwards causing the Young Echo collective to demand she join them. SinceOoid,she's released a 12" of MPC wonders with close Bristol pals Cold Light.


Recently bearing his dub-side to all that didn't know on Trilogy Tapes'Time Travel EP, Robin Stewart is half of world conquering techno-cult Giant Swan. Also a veteran of Rwdfwd stable of imprints (Fuckpunk and NoCorner) - his music DNA is equal parts shoegaze and steppas. In 2020 he was officially recognised for having the largest collection of Bokeh t shirts.

With their 2013 debut single "Vintage Voudou," Conjunto Papa Upa cemented themselves as the torchbearers of a rare breed of Afro-Caribbean psychedelic soul, a clear delineation from the wonderful world of Venezuelan poly rhythms. That original song, named after the short lived but heavily influential Amsterdam brick and mortar record shop that band leader Alex Figueira founded, was a perfect clue into the deep exploration that Papa Upa would begin to take on their musical journey. Like the store itself, known for its solid connection to the musical footprints put down in relatively undiscovered places like Suriname, Curacao, Cabo Verde, Portugal and of course Figueira's native Venezuela, Papa Upa has captured a sound that is entirely unique, a new concoction of influences that at once sound strange, yet totally familiar. Perhaps because Venezuela shared such a rich & diverse mix of sounds from the Atlantic, Caribbean & US, a kindred spirit to their neighboring country, Colombia, an equal in terms of their industry output from the 60's & 70's, yet not nearly as publicized and compiled in recent years. Like many places in the greater Afro-Caribbean nexus, they were musically ahead of their time.


This futuristic mélange of sounds is reflective of Papa Upa itself, made up of musicians from Venezuela, Uruguay, Cuba & The Netherlands, all living, practicing & recording at Figueira's Amsterdam studio, Barracão Sound. With such a wide range of tropical influences, in a cosmopolitan and diverse city like Amsterdam, it's no wonder that Papa Upa's first extended project would find kinship in a collaboration with New York's Names You Can Trust.


Their lead single for the label, a preview of an upcoming full-length project in 2020, features "El Secreto Del Metalero" & the 45-only bonus B-side, "Chicharrón Pelúo." Metalero, or "The Metalhead's Secret" is a fitting anecdote for Papa Upa, with Figueira's synthesized vocals leading the way. It's an allegorical exorcism of a debauched headbanger on a discreet dance floor of a tropical rave. The shedding of a gruff & gothic exterior for the buckle-to-buckle bliss of the changa. Similarly in the music itself, under the cloak of vintage synths and a woofer exploding bassline, lies a frenetic fusion of afro-latin percussion that is highlighted by the intense rhythms of Angola's giantguacharaca (or scraper), thedikanza. At its heart is a sugary sweetness that is capable of converting the roughest of rockers into a tropicalista on the dance floor.

Music collective Africa Express announce the release of a brand new studio album titled EGOLI, coming on the newly created Africa Express Records imprint.

Hailed as the most revolutionary force in popular music for two decades, Africa Express was founded in 2006 and brings together musicians from different cultures, genres and generations to break boundaries and offer a new perspective on Africa and its music.

Each record and event is unique, based upon on-the-spot collaboration and filled with unique moments of magic; the collective have hosted trips and concerts in Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mali and UK to date.

Africa Express travelled to South Africa in January of last year to complete an electronic album in just 7 days, a week of discovery, collaboration and music-making. The result is EGOLI - 18 tracks capturing the fresh, joyous sounds of Afro Futurism, straight out of Johannesburg.

Featured artists include Damon Albarn, Blue May, Gruff Rhys, Georgia, Ghetts, Mr Jukes, Nick Zinner, Remi Kabaka, Otim Alpha and Poté as well as emerging and established stars of the buzzing South African music scene including BCUC, Blk Jks, Dominowe, Faka, Infamous Boiz, DJ Spoko, Mahotella Queens, Moonchild Sanelly, Muzi, Morena Leraba, Nonku Phiri, Radio 123, Sibot, Sho Madjozi, Zola 7, Zolani Mahola (Freshly Ground) and Maskandi guitar legend Phuzekhemisi.

Welsh trio HMS Morris return with their second album, the futuristic, bilingual alt-pop psych odyssey that is Inspirational Talks.
Hailing from Cardiff HMS Morris make a colourful, eclectic and eccentric sound. They've previously cited the work of Syd Barrett as an influence but their penchant for creating sparkling avant-garde music as deliriously catchy as it is experimental also makes them comparable to Welsh contemporaries. There's elements of Gwenno's synth-laden pop, touches of Cat Le Bon's otherworldly psychedelic songcraft and lashes of the quirky multi-instrumental indie alt-pop of Gruff Rhys.

Fresh off the heels of the success of their 'Waiting Ground' EP, the boys in black, Frank & Tony, are skating back onto the scene with another four track summer stomper, 'Under the Jaguar Sun'. The A-side starts things off with the titular track, a rollicking deep house number primed for sunset raves. A bouncing and lush bass line is the back bone of the track, as crisp hi-hats, distant, yearning pads, and shimmering bells propel dancers forward into eyes closed euphoria. Things ramp up quickly into peak-time ecstasy on the Breakaway edit of Solo Andata's A Ballet of Hands.' A whirling dervish of delicate music boxes, bowed guitars, delicate music boxes, and distant horns swirl around and weave in and out between a skipping drum pattern, pushing and pulling alongside a gruff and stuttering bass, perfect for those late night rooftop ventures. The B-side takes listeners into early morning after hours territory, starting with the groovy Difficult Loves.' An airy and luscious double bass keeps things bouyed as introspective pads shimmer alongside pillars of aquatic synths. Backed by a classic, shuffling NY House drum groove, this one is best served late into the evening. The boys wrap things up on a high note with the latin vibes of Sargasso.' Crisp tambourines keep things light as dense kicks and a bass line deeper than the deepest canyon pull dancers deep into the floor with a warm embrace. The star of the show is the bouncing and earnest synth line, which is partnered up with a pair of playful toms in a game of cat and mouse, making this track a weapon anywhere you place it in a set.

Ark & Pit Spector continue their inspired journey with an extended EP full of groovy jams and absorbing rhythms for Hold Youth. The Frenchmen have formed a potent alliance with a series of expertly-crafted, high-quality releases dropping over the last couple of years. On this new EP they go deeper into their sound explorations with five original works and a remix from their Parisian buddy and Hold Youth member, Le Loup. First up, we go into bumping jazzy territory with 'Chauffage Central', a mesmerising cut with swirling pads, soulful vocal clips and a jaunty b-line. Straight up after that, Hold Youth rudeboy Le Loup gives 'Chauffage Central' a funky little rework, throwing live sounding percussion, Nubian vocal clips, trumpet parps and a pumping bassline into the mix which gives a totally different identity. The final track on side A, is a cheeky teaser called 'Petite Ondée'. Rolling out for just under two minutes the track has a muffled, jazz-esque feel to it with a warm rolling bassline and bright, sparkling piano keys.

On the flip we kick off with 'Air Conditionelle', a lush, retro feeling with those oh-so-familiar heavy-hitting eighties snare licks. The bassline takes you to a New York City street and the whole atmosphere is that of an old school NYC neighbourhood, while a spoken-word sample adds a human touch just before the track comes to an end. 'Sub Tropical' goes a little leftfield with an unusual combination of sounds in tandem with a pulsating low end, occasional sax licks and punchy percussion to give it plenty of energy. 'Averse Et Contre Tous' closes out the EP with a slothish ride into the sunset - Ark and Pit Spector show their experimental side presenting an odd union between blues samples, gruff electronic sounds and piano keys.

Another triumphant effort from Ark and Pit Spector, in fact, some of the finest work to date. Make sure you check it out!

Neon Neon (Gruff Rhys & Boom Bip) present their new album, Praxis Makes Perfect, the follow up to 2008's Mercury Music Prize nominated Stainless Style.

Praxis Makes Perfect is a musical biopic of Italian Publisher, Giangiacomo Feltrinelli's colourful life viewed through the lens of Gruff Rhys' highly original sound writing and Boom Bip's shimmering synth-heavy production.

Guests on this album include two previous Neon Neon co-conspirators in Josh Klinghoffer of Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Cardiff's Cate Le Bon, plus Italian pop sensation Sabrina Salerno and actress Asia Argento.
1. Praxis Makes Perfect 2. The Jaguar 3.Dr. Zhivago 4. Hoops with Fidel 5. Hammer & Sickle 6. Shopping (I Like To) 7. Mid Century Modern Nightmare 8. The Leopard 9.Listen to the Rainbow 10. Ciao Feltrinelli.

BONUS CD (With CDX version) 1. Years of Lead 2. Fuga in Avanti 3. Socalism at Sea (Take in the sails, head into the wind) 4. Non Aligned States.