Search:the joy

"Eva Cassidy's Walkin' After Midnight collection is literally a ticket back to Eva's accidental Western Swing Night. A small gig at the King of France Tavern, downtown Annapolis. The 2nd of November, 1995, two months prior to her now famous Live At Blues Alley recordings. When two of Eva' s usual four band mates were unavailable, she improvised via an impromptu invite to musician friend Bruno Nasta.

Proving the old adage, less can be more, the resulting violin/ lead guitar/bass combo, together with Eva's acoustic guitar, created a serendipitous alternate context for some of Eva's most popular repertoire. Dancing in the space opened up by the absence of additional instruments, Eva's vocals are as joyous and free as any previously heard. Although 11 of the 12 songs (all but Down Home Blues) appear on existing Eva albums, all 12 tracks are previously unreleased Eva Cassidy recordings."

Originally released in 2017, Beast Epic, Iron & Wine’s fourth album for Sub Pop, recasts soft power as a series of vignettes, observations and regular old songs that redeem through joy and a certain expectation of grace. Even the instant classic, “Bitter Truth, with a lyric as pained and direct as any I've heard from Iron & Wine, is leavened with background vocals recalling The Jordanaires. The album brims with surprise flourishes, classic touches and an appealing confidence that is evident on songs like “Call It Dreaming,” “Thomas County Law,” “About A Bruise” to the almost croony “Last Night.” Iron & Wine’s Beast Epic was written and produced by Sam Beam, and recorded and engineered by Tom Schick at the Loft in Chicago in July 2016 and January 2017. The musicians who played on Beast Epic include longtime Iron & Wine collaborators Robert Burger (keys), Joe Adamik (percussion), and Jim Becker (guitar, banjo, violin, mandolin), along with bassist Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing and Fiona Apple), and Chicagoan Teddy Rankin Parker (cello). Beast Epic was mastered by Richard Dodd in Nashville, Tennessee. *The term "soft power" was cribbed from author and Harvard professor Joseph Nye, but used in a different context.

"Eva Cassidy's Walkin' After Midnight collection is literally a ticket back to Eva's accidental Western Swing Night. A small gig at the King of France Tavern, downtown Annapolis. The 2nd of November, 1995, two months prior to her now famous Live At Blues Alley recordings. When two of Eva' s usual four band mates were unavailable, she improvised via an impromptu invite to musician friend Bruno Nasta.

Proving the old adage, less can be more, the resulting violin/ lead guitar/bass combo, together with Eva's acoustic guitar, created a serendipitous alternate context for some of Eva's most popular repertoire. Dancing in the space opened up by the absence of additional instruments, Eva's vocals are as joyous and free as any previously heard. Although 11 of the 12 songs (all but Down Home Blues) appear on existing Eva albums, all 12 tracks are previously unreleased Eva Cassidy recordings."

Nach Releases mit namhaften Künstlern wie Blockhead und Stro Elliot kehrt die Def Pressé Editions x KPM Reihe zu dem Artist zurück, der sie 2021 ins Leben rief: Damu The Fudgemunk aus Washington D.C. Angekündigt bereits in den Linernotes des Vorgängers "Conversation Peace" hielt Damu Wort. "Peace Of Action" enthält 9 brandneue Instrumentals und ist damit sein erstes offizielles Instrumentalprojekt seit über 7 Jahren. In der Zwischenzeit produzierte er für MC's wie Raw Poetic oder Blu und arbeitete an aufregenden Jazz-Projekten wie dem gemeinsamen Album mit Archie Shepp, "Ocean Bridges" (2021), das Gilles Peterson bis heute abfeiert.

"Es ist mir eine Freude, Peace of Action vorzustellen. Es war so aufregend, mit KPM zusammenzuarbeiten und Teil ihrer Geschichte zu werden. Wenn ich mir das fertige Album anhöre, höre ich all die Aufregung und Leidenschaft, die ich für die Musik hatte. Das Entdecken von Dingen in ihrem Archiv hat mir geholfen, Dinge über mich selbst zu entdecken und wiederzuentdecken, die ich in früheren Arbeiten normalerweise einschränke. Es hat Spaß gemacht, einige Regeln zu brechen und dennoch einige Einschränkungen aufrechtzuerhalten, insbesondere nach über 20 Jahren des Musikmachens. Da ich mit dem künstlerischen und kommerziellen Erfolg meines ersten Def Pressé x KPM-Albums im Jahr 2021 sehr zufrieden bin, bin ich stolz darauf, die Handlung 2024 mit dieser besonderen Energie und diesen Themen zu erweitern." Earl Davis (Damu The Fudgemunk)

Berlin-based dance night and sound system SHUSH present their first musical offering: six soulful tracks that encapsulate the unique spirit of their functions and underlying community. Atlanta house ambassador Stefan Ringer lends his touch on deep vocal cut ‘Focus’, electronic jazz maestro Ziggy Zeitgeist serves up the late-night coaster ‘Yours To Make’ (feat. Jitwam), whilst SHUSH’s own D’Monk deals the dubbed-out damage of ‘Love Or Lust’, a raw house cut heavy on the 909s. Alongside them, producer Whodat offers a slapper in her own distinctive Detroit-style, AMA//MIZU comes with an introspective downbeat roller whilst Dweller presents one of his stunning orchestral works.
Spread across two sides of a 12”, these bold selections translate their feeling both on and off the dancefloor.

Originally released on Robs Records offshoot Pleasure, followed by a repress on Air Trance in 1995 featuring Francesco Farfa & Kiticonti on remix duty, the debut offering from French/UK outfit Prism - aka Pascal Eloy & Grant Wilkinson - ‘Vapour Trails’ EP eventually gets a much needed reissue on Cosmocities this summer, enhanced with a remix from Bliss Inc.

From its initial sortie on the label run by Rob Gretton, former manager of legendary New Wave bands New Order and Joy Division, onto making it to a then en-vogue Italian trance imprint, this record made waves and opened new portals for many lovers of the burgeoning electronic sound, including - years later - Cosmocities head exec himself, holding the special status of being his first ever vinyl record buy. Harder was the path towards that longed-for repress, but with a twist from destiny - after tracking down one half of Prism - Pascal Eloy - to no avail, the label managed to find him through his father, contemporary composer Christian Eloy, plans were set out to release a first EP, ‘Rain’ (2022), and now ‘Vapour Trails’, which comes as the icing on the cake.

A future-facing slice of fast-track trance bound to have ravers melting in XTC thru and thru, the lead single treats us to a deluge of prismatic arps and multi-faceted synthwaves, ushering us into a vivid, mind-expanding kaleidoscope of throbbing colours and propulsive groove; an absolute killer of a tune that’s lost nothing of its frenzied punch. In the hands of Italian duo Farmakit, the track morphs into a further corrosive churner tailored for peak-time rumble in the warehouse with its calibrated mix of acid-drenched bass whorls, hard house bounce and Tangerine Dream vibrations.

Flip sides and here’s ‘O.N.V.I.’ shifting gears towards a more tribal / spiritual kind of uptempo hoodoo, running the gamut wildly from ethereal choirs to warlike drum programming, via sci-fi-indebted cosmicness and proper 303-infused salvos from outer space. New addition to the bunch, the remix from Bliss Inc. treats us to a more focussed parade of jacking house percussions, hi-NRG acid tropes and Afro funk-minded psychedelia, revving up the engines as the room temp rises from hot to sweltering. No surrender

Dennis Bovells produktive und vielseitige Karriere umfasst ein riesiges Spektrum an Musik: von Dub Poetry über Lovers Rock und Post-Punk bis hin zu Disco, Pop und mehr. Seine Produktionsarbeit umfasst so unterschiedliche Persönlichkeiten wie The Slits, I Roy, Maximum Joy, Fela Kuti, The Pop Group, Janet Kay, Saada Bonaire, Orange Juice, Golden Teacher, Steel Pulse und mehr.

Diese Zusammenstellung konzentriert sich auf die Zeit während und unmittelbar nach Bovells Engagement beim Jah Sufferer Sound System und gräbt tief, um deepe Cuts und weniger bekannte Versions zu finden, hauptsächlich aus den Jahren 1976-1980, samt eines umwerfenden und weniger bekannten Dub des ikonischen Tracks "Silly Games". Sorgfältig restauriert und remastered bei Dubplates & Mastering in Berlin, sodass diese Jahrzehnte alten Tracks makellos und dynamisch klingen und so angeordnet sind, dass sie den Hörer auf eine Reise durch Bovells Produktions- und Arrangement-Genie mitnehmen.

Die beiliegenden Sleevenotes sind das Ergebnis eines langen Gesprächs mit Dennis über diese Zeit seines Lebens, mit Erinnerungen an jeden einzelnen Track und faszinierenden biografischen Anmerkungen. Die Vinyl- und CD-Versionen weisen unterschiedliche Cover auf, wobei jedes Format ein einzigartiges Foto von Syd Shelton verwendet.

Brother and sister, Citron Citron is the new revelation of the Geneva underground scene! "Chagrin Bleu" explores the melancholy of the night and the joy of a flight under the sun. Songs with transcendent refrains, and synthetic laments with romantic melodies, carried by groove box-like rhythms.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, THE ROUTES are back with their unique blend of beat-you-to-death surf music (IGGY POP). Their latest target: the music of JOY DIVISION!

Having previously surfy-fied the songs of KRAFTWERK and BUZZCOCKS, Surfin' Pleasures sees THE ROUTES take on the music of JOY DIVISION. As with their previous tributes, this is not an album of note for note cover versions. THE ROUTES have only taken subtle melodic and rhythmic hints from the original songs; rearranging them into songs of their own, respectfully and lovingly translating the music of JOY DIVSION into a different musical language.

Surfin' Pleasures sees twelve classic JOY DIVISION songs reimagined and rearranged as banging 60s surf guitar instrumentals (a la THE VENTURES, DICK DALE, SHADOWS, TRASHMEN, TERAUCHI TAKESHI, LINK WRAY, THE SURFARIS and THE ASTRONAUTS and more).

Prepare to be taken on a wild musical trip where A Means To An End and Ice Age are transformed into the background music of a 60s drag race movie, Transmission hints at the classic ASTRONAUTS sound, and Digital gets the beach party treatment... You don't have to be a fan of JOY DIVISION to enjoy these tunes, and likewise if you're a JOY DIVISION fan you don't need to be a fan of surf music to enjoy them.

The record cover comes courtesy of British design icons Peter Saville and Malcolm Garrett. It is a reworking of Peter Saville's design for JOY DIVISION's Unknown Pleasures. Reminiscent of the op art of Bridget Riley, the lines are no longer that of a pulsar, but that of the sound wave of a reverb tank. Its cover design is provided with calender embossing as well as a printed inner sleeve, just like the hit-album Unknown Pleasures.

Blasphemy or alchemy? You decide!

One thing is for sure is that THE ROUTES have provided the world with yet another future cult classic, destined to irk or jerk for eons to come.

12” paddling pool blue vinyl, is an edition of 500. CD Digifile. Following the runaway success of their critically acclaimed 2021 second album Contender, the question for fast-rising London four-piece Fightmilk was always going to be “what next?” With a tight indie-pop sound that defined their early recordings, the answer was obvious to a band who seem hellbent on the notion of evolve or die… The band originally formed in 2015 in a Brixton pub garden by Lily and Alex, who had both, separately, just been dumped and thought being in an angry punk band would cheer them up. Then they found Nick and Healey to hold the rhythm down and make them sound good. With three albums under their belt, they’ve perfected their chaotic, melodic brand of joy and rage-filled pop with full-throated yelling and sparkling guitar riffs as their trademark. They’ve graduated from angsty whippersnappers in their mid-twenties to overgrown teenage 30-somethings with mild ongoing back and shoulder pain. Their previous 2 albums Not With That Attitude (2018) & Contender (2021) marked them out as an ambitious and rising prospect, and now on their forthcoming new album No Souvenirs the band eschew their former Britpop ties and edge further into DIY punk and heavier rock influences to reveal a leaner, meaner, more abrasive side to their cathartic lo-fi anthems. Whilst collectively diving into their passion for Jimmy Eat World, frontwoman Lily Rae made a conscious decision to strengthen her “big loud yell” with influence from Alicia Bognanno (Bully), Nat Foster (Press Club), and Missy Dabice (Mannequin Pussy). “My voice is the biggest it’s ever been and I’m constantly thrilled when people are surprised at how loud I am, considering I’m so small in stature,” she grins. “Lyrically I always look to Bruce Springsteen for inspiration but I also really enjoyed the angsty candour of Sour by Olivia Rodrigo, and Kacey Musgraves’ impeccable one-liners.” There are a few genre experiments on the record—Yo La Tengo in ‘Paddling Pool’, ‘Canines’ is part The Strokes and part Neu!, and ‘Back From Tour’ was heavily influenced by long term friends Johnny Foreigner. “You could probably make a case for ‘Inferno’ having a bit of Counting Crows to it, but we were never writing to emulate,” explains guitarist Alex. “The references and touchstones just happened along the way. As far as we’re concerned, they just sound like Fightmilk - and that’s a really nice place to be nearly a decade in.” “That said, we’ve also been REALLY picky with the songs that made it onto the album - there’s probably an-other album’s worth of songs that didn’t feel right, even if we loved them. We got really good at finding the “magic thing” in each song that made it work.” Spilling over with candid lyrics about death, doomed love, and dog bites, framed by endless punk energy and the kind of full-throated riff-rock that sounds just at home in a giant stadium as it does in a sticky-floored toilet bar, No Souvenirs is a triumphant return from the band, who are equally enthused by the album. “I only realised after we put the songs together how personal to me this album was,” explains Lily. “Not just because I’m writing about extremely specific sitcom episodes in my life (getting fired from bridesmaid duty, being bitten on the arse by a dog, being relentlessly asked when I’m going to have kids), but because whilst we were making it, I turned 30. It’s a significant age for women, especially in music, because aside from being something called a ‘geriatric millennial’, there’s an unspoken rule that there’s a cut-off point for you to have ‘made it’ and after that you have to settle down and be normal.” For Lily, writing for the album also aligned with the 10th anniversary of the death of a close friend, with the resulting track ‘No Souvenirs’ lending its title to the album as a whole. “It had taken me that long to write about it in a way I felt ok with. But I realised that I couldn’t have written it before,” she explains. “I needed that distance, and that maturity, to be able to articulate those feelings. It feels to me now like the album is about scorched earth, moving on, taking nothing with you for the next ‘thing’ - and realising that getting older is a privilege.” Bringing a huge amount of energy and joy with them whenever and wherever they hit a stage, interacting with the audience is a vital part of the Fightmilk live experience. “Without people singing and dancing at us we wouldn’t have gigs at all, so we want everyone to get involved!” says Lily of the band’s future tour plans

Music lovers will be familiar with his love of Caribbean pearls from the compilations "Ritmo Caliente" and "Message from the Islands" as well as other releases such as "Los Yoyi", "Mighty Shadow" and "Wild Fire". Now Tom Sky, the former creative head of Black Pearl Records, is pulling another tropical discovery out of his travel treasure box on his new record label Sound Essence.
Lloyd and the Joys is truly a real holy grail and one of the most sought-after funky hotel records from the Caribbean islands. Deep, groovy synth Soul with the song "That Look Of You" meets jazzy funk breaks with the strong tune "The New York Business". There are also two stylish 70s postcards from Lloyd himself in a vintage design in each sleeve. The release is a must for all tropical music connoisseurs.

Available for the first time on vinyl! Death Valley Girls - Live From the Astral Plane. Originally recorded back in 2020 in the heart of a global pandemic, the band reunited to record a live film in their practice space in Los Angeles, CA. "Wow! Getting to do this project was such an honor, and a treat! We finished recording our record Under the Spell of Joy one day before lock down. Rolling out an album under normal circumstances is a huge, and all consuming job. Then figuring out how to compassionately, respectfully, and successfully roll out an album during a world wide catastrophe, and especially an album about spells, and incantations for joy, was a real head scratcher! Getting to work on this live recording during that period allowed us to focus on a way we could be most helpful in a world of sorrow, and forced us to be creative. We were desperate to be of service. We realized astral projection - and concepts around leaving the 3D experience was an exciting idea. If we could connect people on the astral plane, we wouldn’t have to feel so alone! So we decided to start the session with an introduction on how to astral project! Learning how to meditate on this concept turned out to be the greatest gift, and a lasting escape during this terrible time. This recording finally getting to be on vinyl is so exciting! The idea that we can all meet up in sky, and leave our problems behind for a bit is such a fun exercise! Now all you gotta do is drop that needle and fly! Thank you for letting us !" - Death Valley Girls

Lily Seabird is a perceptive songwriter who can channel moments when everything feels raw and overwhelming into something healing and galvanizing. With Alas, the Burlington, VT-based artist's sophomore album, she confronts grief with palpable clarity on tracks that careen from delicate folk to blistering indie rock. While it's her second LP, it serves as a proper introduction to an undeniable and idiosyncratic voice. "Alas, sounds way more like me," she says. "This is the album I wanted to make in the first place." Though Seabird is now known as a solo artist and collaborator in Burlington's vibrant music community as the bassist for Greg Freeman and other acts, her journey started in Pennsylvania when she picked up the saxophone as a kid. At 14, she learned guitar and started performing as Lily Seabird. After a brief stint in New York City playing in bands, she moved to Vermont, which has been her home since 2018. "When I came to Vermont, I was playing solo a lot but then I started a band with Greg Freeman," she says. "Since 2018, it's been me and Greg and a bunch of different casts of characters have been in the band since then it's an ever-evolving thing. It's just us playing my songs."The songs on Alas, came from a particularly unmoored period for Seabird. "I wrote this album in 2021 and 2022 on the road, trying to figure out who I am," she says. "A lot of them also deal with the time when my close friend passed away. The title Alas, meant a lot to her." Even if the songs don't always directly tackle this specific loss, there's a sense of mourning in how relationships change and dissolve. Take "Grace," a reflection on female friendship, which features the lines, "I hope she's happy now she should be 25 / She taught me something that I thought I'd always hide." Elsewhere, the knotty and unpredictable "Dirge" finds her singing, "I don't know if I believe in god / I don't know if I know how to go on." Seabird and Benny Yurco produced Alas, which was recorded at Burlington's Little Jamaica Studios with Freeman and drummer Zack James (Benny Yurco). It's a quietly expansive album full of subdued, organic textures and moods. Songs like "Cavity" are lush and inviting with silky guitar and Seabird's expressive saxophone playing. The 10 songs on Alas, stretch out and leave space for introspection and deep listening with some tracks taking nearly seven minutes to mesmerizingly unfold. It's a remarkably assured and vital statement from one of the most promising new songwriters alongside peers Merce Lemon, Squirrel Flower, and Allegra Krieger."The album is about loss, coming of age, and sadness but there are also all these moments where happiness takes over," says Seabird. "It can be two things at once: life isn't just pain and sadness, there's also joy. They can all exist at the same time. Alas, is an expression of grief but it's also for letting go."

Founded in the stillness of 2020 when a group of tight tight-knit up and coming musicians were robbed of their livelihood and greatest joy - live performance - the group came together in a graffiti smudged artist s space in an old industrial facility in Copenhagen s outskirts and created a space for themselves to improvise in a funky, groove based setting. A followup to their 2023 debut Moko Jumbie which explored the rich culture of West African music popularised by Mulatu Asastke and Fela Kuti, as the name suggests, Soul Piece leans further into the tropes, grooves and idioms of Western 60" s Soul and Funk. Recorded live over two days at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, the albums raw, warm production captures the energy, intimacy and excitement of a live performance, transporting the listener right in the centre of a pulsating dancefloor. Each song is rooted in groove and exemplary band musicianship, and made up of every stylistic feature one might crave from the genre: crunchy rhodes tones, percussive clavinets, thick organ textures, grooving tambourines, searing guitar solos, deep pocket drum grooves, infectious basslines, punchy horn backings and James Brown Brown-esque stabs. Self described as the young lions " of the Danish jazz scene, each member of the six piece is an active contributor to the country s diverse musical output; Norregaard, Langebæk & Besiakov can be heard performing regularly in the Fela Kuti saluting Black Money Orchestra and Bæst, Eskildsen with the Addis Ababa Band, and Thofte & Toftemark each leading their own projects in contemporary hard hard-hop to name but a few of their many ventures.

I want nothing more than to be a loner,” Emily Kempf sings early on Flower of Devotion, the new album by Chicago trio Dehd. It’s a startling admission coming from a songwriter who, just a year ago on Dehd’s critically acclaimed Water, wrote eloquently about the joys and pains — more than anything, the necessity — of love, compassion, and companionship. But then, “admission” isn’t really the right word here, given the stridency of Kempf’s tone. “Loner” is a declaration.

The record ups the ante on Dehd’s sound & filters in just enough polish to bring out the shining and melancholy undertones in Jason Balla and Emily Kempf’s songwriting, even as it captures them at their most strident. Balla’s guitar lines at times flirt with ticklish cosmic country, while at others they reflect the dark marble sounds of Broadcast. Kempf, meanwhile, establishes herself as a singer of incredible expressive range, pinching into a high lonesome wail, letting loose a chirping “ooh!,” pushing her voice below its breaking point and letting it swing down there. When she and Balla bounce descending counter-melodies off one another over McGrady’s one-two thumps, or skitter off over a programmed drum pad, they sound like The B-52s shaking off heartache.

180 Gram Vinyl Make the holiday season unforgettable with All Time Christmas Favourites! This festive collection is the perfect soundtrack, featuring the beloved voices of Johnny Cash, Paul Anka, Bobby Darin, Harry Belafonte, and many more. Whether for hosting a holiday gathering or enjoying a quiet evening by the fire, these timeless classics will fill your home with warmth and joy.

180 Gram, Red Vinyl Make the holiday season unforgettable with All Time Christmas Favourites! This festive collection is the perfect soundtrack, featuring the beloved voices of Johnny Cash, Paul Anka, Bobby Darin, Harry Belafonte, and many more. Whether for hosting a holiday gathering or enjoying a quiet evening by the fire, these timeless classics will fill your home with warmth and joy.

180 Gram Vinyl Get ready to spin some holiday magic with the Christmas Hits record! This festive collection is packed with timeless music from legendary artists like Brenda Lee, Connie Francis, Elvis Presley, The Beverly Sisters, and many more. Perfect for setting the holiday mood, this LP will keep every Christmas lover's spirits bright. Whether you're trimming the tree or sipping cocoa by the fire, let these iconic voices bring the joy of the season to your home.

180 Gram, Gold Vinyl Get ready to spin some holiday magic with the Christmas Hits record! This festive collection is packed with timeless music from legendary artists like Brenda Lee, Connie Francis, Elvis Presley, The Beverly Sisters, and many more. Perfect for setting the holiday mood, this LP will keep every Christmas lover's spirits bright. Whether you're trimming the tree or sipping cocoa by the fire, let these iconic voices bring the joy of the season to your home.

For Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms, country music is soul music. Just as soul music resonates the mind, body, and spirit with powerful rhythms and expressive vocals, so too does the reflective storytelling and crooning country music on their latest record, Gold In Your Pocket. Blending classic country, bluegrass, old-time, and Cajun influences, Caleb & Reeb offer a refreshing departure from the often sorrowful themes found in traditional music. In fact, love–particularly remembering, giving, and receiving it–is the thematic glue connecting all 13 tracks. Celebrated for their charismatic performances and deeply-rooted musical style, the duo’s pared-down approach is supplemented by pedal steel and electric guitar, channeling classic country duos of old. Legendary Cajun musician and engineer Joel Savoy, along with Nashville session savant Chris Scruggs, added tasteful performances to Gold In Your Pocket at sessions in Louisiana and Nashville. As a vocally-led band, Caleb & Reeb focus on the art of harmony, capturing listeners with the joy of telling a universal story through song. Their creations also honor the communal side of country and honky-tonk music. These longtime leaders of the vibrant Pacific Northwest underground country scene prove that getting us to dance and sing together is more important than ever.

Many happy returns to Detroit's Rocksteady Disco, an undeniably consistent label that has reached the ripe old age of ten years old. To celebrate, they're releasing a series of anniversary EPs containing fresh jams from the label's roster of artists. Mainstays Sol Power All Stars get things going with off-kilter Afro-house scorcher 'Solsibisa' - all heavy horns, hot-stepping drum machine beats, squelchy synth-bass and heady vocal snippets - before Eddie Logix combines lightly pitched-down First Choice vocal samples with Balearic guitar bursts and plenty of deep house nous on '2nd Choice (It's Still Not Over)'. Over on the reverse, Blair French gets summery on the Latin-tinged deep house joy of 'Whispers of You', while Topher Horn reaches for dense drums (acoustic and electronic), sparse melodic motifs and heavy bass on 'Gratiot Dub'.

Lennon & McCartney. Simon & Garfunkel. Ralf & Florian. Enema & GeJonte. The inventors of modern pop music as we know it. Joining forces in 1988, Orebro duo Kai Parviainen and Jonas Ohlsson put out four cassettes and a split album with Frak under the Enema & GeJonte guise, all teeming with clever and funny electronic pop songs. The sound? Imagine Duet Emmo jamming out with the Residents on a wheat field on Narkeslatten. Or picture early Severed Heads covering lost Philemon Arthur & The Dung tapes. Kai pushes his Sequential Circuits Pro-One synthesizer to its limits while Jonas makes discerning observations on everyday life in a Swedish small town. Mostly sung in Swedish, sometimes in English, but always with a touch of sweet naivety and innocence on par with lo-fi punk/pop geniuses Dan Treacy and Daniel Johnston. Typical song subjects: A friendly game of five-a-side football. The joy of rising at the crack of dawn to get on with the tasks of the day. A bus journey to Odensbacken to savour a semla at a local cafe and some small talk with the gas station manager. All delivered with a playfulness and ecstasy more commonly found on the records with Swedish Christian music Kai so devotedly collects than in contemporary industrial or electronic music. When Jonas moved to Amsterdam in 1996 the boys ceased making music together, leaving behind a treasure trove of unreleased material, some of which appeared on a couple of cassettes in the 00's. But the best stuff has remained buried until now. How dada pop gems like ''Joxa med trasan'' and ''Underground'' could dwell in obscurity for thirty-ish years beggars belief. Other standout tracks on this compilation: ''Plan 714 till NYC'', a wonderful waltz time instrumental performed in the vein of a drunken Bob Hund, and the En Halvkokt I Folie style cut up experiments of ''Gasten Harry''. So get ready for a glorious blast from the past, as the Swedish pioneers of the hypnotic groove cordially invite you to a sonic journey as adventurous and memorable as a trip on the lansbuss to Odensbacken. Get on board, grab a seat and enjoy the ride. Liverpool. New York City. Dusseldorf. Orebro. // Ulf Osterstrom

The Boysnoize Records catalogue contains more than a decade of milestones in the life of Angeleno DJ and producer PILO. His signatures—a focus on sound design, and a digital crunch evocative of hardware rather than software—are present from the very beginning, but the evolution of Pilo’s skill and sophistication is clear as he stretches from electro to experimental to techno and back again in a slowly oscillating gradient. Yet despite his dozen or so releases in just as many years, G.L.A.M. (dropping November 8th, 2024 from BNR) is Pilo’s first proper album. That the record embraces the cyclical nature of time is apropos; the artist’s journey towards self-actualized mastery always ends with a new beginning.



Over the eight tracks of G.L.A.M., Pilo reaches deep into the dream that first ignited the passion that has driven him since. For a chosen few internet-connected American teens in the aughts, the sounds of European electro (and electroclash) trickled down their ethernet cables and instilled a fantasy of exotic, sartorial, sexually-fluid hedonism that felt a world away from the hard-edged masculinity of the hip-hop and skate cultures dominant at home. Pilo opens G.L.A.M. expressing this idealized fantasy with the track “Superstar DJ,” channeling the tongue-in-cheek self-celebritizing of Miss Kitten and The Hacker’s seminal work. “I’m a superstar, come meet me at the bar,” hiss Pilo’s heavily effected vocals, over a bassline of chopped mentasm synths driven by a swift, club-ready rhythm. The fingerprint of 2000’s electro a la International Deejay Gigolo Records is recognizably present, yet Pilo is too adept, too confident in his studio abilities to let his tracks rely on the retro. A great joy of this album is the future-facing richness of its production, always nodding to its spiritual guide of the past, while constantly breaking new sonic ground.



G.L.A.M. continues with “Girls Rule The World,” its vicious, droning bassline and sticky, titular hook making it the perfect electroclash soundtrack for a revenge plot on an ex-boyfriend. “What you Want” offers an instrumental exercise in “synthesizers are the new guitars,” and Pilo’s FX chops really shine as he warps and distorts his sounds into an undiscovered dimension existing somewhere between both. “Loverboy” enters the more melodic, Legowelt-inspired realm of electro, pushing above and beyond the foundation of analogue minimalism with flourishes of impressive sound design to construct something both climactic and cathartic. Scopa lends her perfect coldwave sprechgesang to titular track “G.L.A.M.,” with Pilo’s vocal processing offering surprises throughout and his FX chains wielded as instruments unto themselves.



On the track “A Slow Thinning Halo,” Pilo might be conjuring the haunting vocal chops and chiptune simplicity of early Crystal Castles, but the whiplash snap of his drums and sizzling production are all his own. “Spend the Night” is G.L.A.M.’s least nostalgic—and most unashamedly pop—offering, with the mic being passed between Sana and DEEVIOUS (previously featured on Pilo and Boys Noize’s 2023 track “Pvssy.”) DEEVIOUS’ sultry singing rides atop the bassline as it hypnotically struts across the floor, while Pilo’s skillful arrangement, deft rhythm programming, and atmospheric control elevate the songcraft into full-spectrum worldbuilding.



As the penultimate track, the contemporaneity of “Spend the Night” serves as transition away from the album’s previous, past-leaning exercises, allowing Pilo to step fully into the future with “One Last Embrace.” The closing track still references aughts sounds, but it borrows so widely and prolifically that Pilo’s reassemblage can only be described as singular. Here, Pilo pushes his engineering into psychoacoustic territory, as the eerie, beautiful melancholy of “One Last Embrace” explodes into a thrashing bassline that warbles like a drowning memory, struggling against the sinking weight of time. Pilo allows it to survive for 16 electrifying, gut-wrenching bars before letting go. In G.L.A.M., as in Pilo’s career, as in life, every ending can only be a new beginning.

As a young conservatory student back in 2016, Danish trumpeter Anders Malta was invited to participate in a reunion concert with the legendary Ernie Wilkins Almost Big Band. He was so taken with the band and the music, that on the spot he decided that he wanted to form his own. In 2020, Anders Malta Almost Big Band played its first concert, going on to play a monthly residency at Christiania Jazz Club in Copenhagen for the past two years. Their debut album Introducing is set to release on August 23rd on April Records. Since the early days of jazz, the broad sound pallet and dynamic range of the big band has proven irresistible to composers and arrangers. However, the traditional big band, with its 16 16-19 individual moving parts, can also at times, and for different reasons, be an unwieldy machine to maneuver. Malta s 13 13-piece made up of Denmark s finest young soloists is agile like a small group, retaining the powerful force of the larger orchestra. Belonging to a new generation of musicians with a deep love and knowledge of the jazz tradition, Introducing " sees the band pay tribute to the timeless Hardbop sound of the 50" s and 60" s through the three movement suite Hardbop Conversations "", whilst offering a contemporary European perspective on the classic large ensemble format through Ouverture, Interludium and Epilog ". Intricate arrangements, rich harmony, soaring trumpet & flugelhorn improvisations and a diverse array of feel and grooves showcase the impressive stylistic and artistic breadth Malta has to offer as a bandleader, arranger, composer and instrumentalist. From the high high-energy swing and powerful tutti chords one craves from a Big Band to the more intimate textures of solo instrumental passages, the ensemble s sophisticated, complex, and joyous debut proves once again that Denmark s jazz scene is among the world s most prolific and exciting.

Inspired by Dua’s own self-discovery, Radical Optimism is an album that taps into the pure joy and happiness of having clarity in situations that once seemed impossible to face. The hard goodbyes and vulnerable beginnings that previously threatened to crush your soul, become milestones as you choose optimism and start to move with grace through the chaos.

Infused with the energy of Dua’s hometown, London, the attitude of the album embodies the rawness, honesty, confidence and freedom of ‘90s Britpop. Radical Optimism transports its listener to a dreamy pop world rich in musicality, lyrically unapologetic and sonically liberating.

The 3x GRAMMY and 7x Brit Award-winning global pop powerhouse worked with a team of core collaborators throughout the project including Caroline Ailin, Danny L. Harle, Tobias Jesso Jr. and Kevin Parker.

Opaque yellow vinyl in reverse board jacket.
A full four years after Chicago organ maestro Jimmy Lacy’s legendary maiden voyage as SiP, Leos Naturals, he returns with its lush, layered, long-awaited sequel: Leos Ultras.

Conceived and recorded in a corner of a large floorplan warehouse-turned-sound lab called Homan Gardens, the album radiates a rare joy and colour, projected through a technicolor slideshow of cosmic keys, clarinet, kalimba, sax, melodica, flute, tambourine, and drumbox. The songs feel warm and weathered, like familiar garments treasured through passing seasons.

Many seasons did pass while these songs took shape, spiked with seismic changes – Lacy’s first daughter was born, followed 17 months by a second. Daily routines grew denser, but he never lost faith in the melodies simmering in the periphery of his thoughts: “I knew the music would be there whenever I had the time. It felt good to stay calm about it.” Patience paid off; Leos Ultras is indeed the ultimate SiP statement to date, rich with detail, discovery, beauty, lofted improvisation, and shades of spiritual jazz. It’s music both casual and cosmic, playful and poignant, channelled from long shadows and wordless hours in celebration of life, love, and Leo.

Fashion icon, catwalker, curator, historian, commentator, activist, Grammy winner and - damn right - DJ, there ain"t much these days that Ms. Honey Dijon doesn"t do with aplomb. Most of her achievements thus far came via her passion for clubbing and the art of DJing, from those early Chicago parties to her role as a de facto ambassador for world dancefloors. This compilation is a pan-global, multi-era waltz through house music"s storied past. Repping Chicago, there"s Dance Mania"s Dance Kings, Blackjoy and Art Of Tones carrying the flag for Paris and even Shaboom"s Blackpool gets a nod. Some of these are forgotten classics, some are dollar bin finds, and there"s also a brand new Dijon track, sprinkled with her usual mustard-hot flourishes and lightly seasoned with some more recent efforts by Waajeed and Kiko Navarro. This can be consumed on a dancefloor, in the back of a cab or relaxing at home with a glass of something cold (or, if you must, hot).

The seventh excursion on our beloved Vessel and the joyful return of Jacob Ohrberg. Two lengthy deep tracks.

Die mehrfach mit Platin und Grammys ausgezeichnete Künstlerin Lainey Wilson liefert mit Whirlwind einen
gewagt ehrlichen Einblick in das Leben und die Reise der Sängerin durch Nashville.

Das von Jay Joyce produzierte Album mit 14 Titeln folgt auf Wilsons sieben Auszeichnungen der Country Music Association
(CMA), darunter „Entertainer des Jahres“, sechs Auszeichnungen der Academy of Country Music (ACM)
und einen Grammy für das „Beste Country-Album“.

Skylax Records Proudly Introduces the "Cold Summer Ep" by Peter Lc, an Electrifying Collection of Five Tracks That Showcase the Artist's Mastery in the European House Music Scene. Emerging From the Enchanting Landscapes of Apulia, Italy, Peter Lc's Sonic Expedition Begins With "Hasta La Playa." This Track, Reminiscent of Rhythmic Tides Against the Shore, Captures the Essence of Carefree Summer Days With Its Sun-Soaked Vibes and Lively Percussion, Setting the Stage for an Energetic Dance Floor Filled With Joy. as the Journey Continues, "Piano Ipnotico" Unfolds, Revealing a Hypnotic Dance Between Rhythmic Piano Chords and Pulsating Beats.

Peter Lc's Enchanting Melodies Create an Immersive Atmosphere, Guiding Listeners Through a Spellbinding Journey That Seamlessly Blends Classic Elements With a Modern, Entrancing Flair. "Time in Cologne" Marks a Temporal Shift, Resonating With Echoes of the City's Historic Charm. the Track Weaves Intricate Sonic Tapestries, Capturing the Unfolding Essence of Time in Each Beat.

Layers of Sound Interlace, Creating a Rich and Immersive Experience That Stands as a Sonic Exploration, Evoking Both Nostalgia and Forward Momentum Simultaneously. "Dive Into the Ethereal Realm of "Your Dreams," Where Dreamlike Melodies Intertwine With Pulsating Rhythms. This Nocturnal Odyssey Invites Listeners Into a World of Introspection and Reverie, Transcending Boundaries With a Seamless Blend of Atmospheric Elements and Rhythmic Patterns.

"Your Dreams" Becomes a Musical Voyage That Resonates Deeply With the subconscious.The Ep Concludes With "With Nobody," a Venture Into Darker Territories That Maintains an Undeniable Energy. Pronounced Beats Create a Driving Force That Propels the Listener Forward, With Mysterious Undertones and Intricate Arrangements Unfolding Like a Narrative. "With Nobody" Encapsulates a Perfect Balance Between Intensity and Allure, Leaving an Indelible Mark as the Grand Finale of the Ep.

Peter Lc's "Cold Summer Ep" Is a Testament to His Boundless Creativity and Mastery, Poised to Carve an Indelible Mark on the Global House Music Landscape. Each Track Is a Testament to His Unique Style—a Captivating Blend Reminiscent of Dj Sneak, Coupled With a Nod to the Golden Era of Italian Dream House From the Early '90s, but Elevated in Production Quality. Whether Basking in Sunny Vibes or Venturing Into Darker Territories, Every Composition Stands as a Bona Fide Banger....

Repress!

For number 93 in the Brazil45 series, we present two favourites from the Harmony Cats. A female vocal quintet (who later became a trio) from São Paulo. They formed in 1976 and were most prolific in the disco period.

'Harmony Cats' Theme' from 1976 is probably the group best known track outside of Brazil. Owing a lot to Rhythm Heritage's version of 'Barretta's Theme (Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow)’ it's wonderfully spacey breakbeat and percussive production with lush, floaty vocals makes it a real crossover classic record.

'Seja Como Nos (De Pe No Chao)' is instantly recognisable. Tucked away on the b-side of their 1979 single 'Tem Dinheiro Nisso' on Young Records, it is a beast of a cover version of The Jacksons' classic ' Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)'. Nothing subtle or sophisticated here. Just a song of pure disco joy, enhanced with awesome Brazilian production and the Cats' trademark vocal arrangements. A get-of-jail-free card for any DJ that finds themselves stuck with an empty dance-floor, but also one that will put smiles on the faces of the more discerning leftfield club crowds.

- Next installment in BRAZIL45 Series.
- Features cover of The Jacksons ‘Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)’.
- 2 tracks of pure disco joy.

Recorded using various traditional musical instruments, the album includes Japanese-style music, samba, mambo, and more, featuring songs like "Itsudemo Dareka ga".

No one has lived a life quite like Marcos Valle. He became an overnight international sensation, fled a military dictatorship, dodged the Vietnam war draft, had his music sung by Homer Simpson, made enemies with Marlon Brando, and became an unsuspecting fitness guru for multiple generations. But to truly understand the great Brazilian composer, arranger, singer and multi instrumentalist, one must listen to his music.

Lead Single (Life Is What It Is) : Between the release of his first album in 1962 and today, Marcos Valle has released twenty-two studio albums traversing definitive bossa nova, classic samba, iconic disco pop, psychedelic rock, nineties dance and orchestral music. He has also had his songs recorded by some of the all time greats, including Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Sergio Mendes, Elis Regina, and (last but not least), Emma Button of the Spice Girls. He has also had his music sampled by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pusha T and many more.


With his twenty-third studio album Túnel Acustico, Valle set out to bring it all together.

“I believe my music is many things. It goes in different directions. I have many different ways of writing music, sometimes it’s melodies and harmony, sometimes the groove is the focus. But all the music I have made over my sixty year career is unified. It is all natural and it is all sincere. And this is what I wanted to bring to my new album.”

A prominent feature of Valle’s career has been his dual residence between Brazil and the USA. Originally moving over in the mid-sixties on the back of bossa nova’s international proliferation, Valle toured with Sergio Mendes and became hugely in demand as a composer and arranger. But the Vietnam War loomed and the threat of being drafted saw him return to Brazil. He spent the following years in Rio writing music for TV and film, as well as four cult favourite albums in collaboration with some of Brazil’s most groundbreaking musicians including Milton Nascimento, Azymuth, Som Imaginario and O Terco.

By 1975, Brazil's military dictatorship was at its most oppressive, making living and working increasingly difficult. Valle moved back to the US where he would reside in LA, writing songs for, and collaborating with the likes of Eumir Deodato, Airto Moreira, Chicago, Sarah Vaughn and Leon Ware, amongst others.

Túnel Acústico features two songs originally conceived during Valle’s time on the West Coast: “Feels So Good”, a stirring two-step soul triumph written in 1979 with soul icon Leon Ware, and the sublime AOR disco track “Life Is What It Is”, composed around the same time, with percussionist Laudir De Oliveira from the group Chicago.

Built around an unfinished demo Marcos found on a shelf in his house 44 years after it was made, the “Feels So Good” demo was restored with the help of producer Daniel Maunick, who also utilised AI stem-separation to remove the placeholder vocal ad-libs. Valle added Portuguese lyrics to sit alongside Ware’s vocal hook, as well as extra keyboards and percussion.

Also written in late seventies LA, “Life Is What Is It” was co-penned by Laudir De Oliveira from the band Chicago and first released on the bands’ Chicago 13 album with lyrics by Robert Lamb. Another nod to his good times in LA, Valle recorded his own version for Túnel Acústico, upping the tempo and deepening the groove for a blast of irresistible summer soul.

On Túnel Acústico, Valle's core band features two members of the renowned Brazilian jazz-funk group Azymuth: Alex Malheiros on bass and Renato Massa on drums. The rhythm section is completed by percussionist Ian Moreira, with additional contributions from guitarist Paulinho Guitarra and trumpeter Jesse Sadoc.

The contemporarily composed music on Túnel Acústico features an impressive lineup of guest lyricists, including renowned Brazilian artists: Joyce Moreno (Bora Meu Vem), Céu (Nao Sei), and Moreno Veloso (Palavras Tão Gentis) as well as Valle's brother Paulo Sergio Valle (Tem Que Ser Feliz).

The album closes with "Thank You Burt (For Bacharach)", a tribute to the legendary composer who passed away in 2023.

Túnel Acústico will be released on 20th September 2024 via Far Out Recordings. Valle is set to tour Europe and America in support of the album.

Having spent their formative years in São Paulo Brazil, as a teenager, Lau Ro found themself uprooted from their home. Moving with their family to Europe in search of a better quality of life, their story was like that of many immigrants in the same position. Lau Ro's parents found work in factories and cleaning jobs, for the first few years in the North of Italy and then in Brighton on England's Southern coast. "We never managed to visit back home, so my connection to Brazil became largely made up of childhood memories and my fascination with all the 60s and 70s music I could find from there."

In Brighton, the young non-binary singer and composer would immerse themself amongst the city's vanguard of free-thinking artists and musicians. Lau Ro formed Wax Machine whose prefigurative, psychedelic community provided a glimmer of countercultural hope amid a backdrop of national political decline. From 2020-23, Wax Machine birthed three cult-favourite albums in as many years; indebted in part to their British psychedelic forebears from progressive folk, rock and jazz yore. But the kernel of Lau's Brazilian sound was already beginning to blossom across Wax Machine's releases. Now, taking root deeper still, Lau Ro steps forward with their debut album: Cabana.

Named after the small wood cabin at the bottom of their garden where the album was recorded, Cabana is a deeply personal record of memory, self-discovery and imagination. Melancholy and hope combine across ten tracks of dreamy bossa, ambient folk, fuzzy tropicalia and majestic MPB. The music is swathed in masterful string arrangements and trippy electronics in equal part, while Lau Ro's delicate, yet quietly confident voice takes acerbic aim (in both English and Portuguese) at polluted city life, while dreaming of a utopia, rich with nature and wildlife.

Like the musical equivalent of semantic drift, Lau Ro's displacement led to the creation of another Brazil. A mythic place in Lau's soul, as they put it, "where the sunshine and joy of my childhood remained untapped." Lau continues: "It's music that might sound as if it came out of a parallel universe Brazil, rather than its modern day landscape. I am nowadays rediscovering Brazil, going back as often as I can and trying to stay connected to these different parts of the world and myself."

Songs of Joy and Peace is a Christmas music album by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, originally released in 2008. The album features collaborations with many other artists, including vocalists Diana Krall & Alison Krauss, James Taylor, Dave Brubeck, Chris Botti a.o. This holiday disc doesn't exclusively stick to traditional Christmas songs, but covers a wide scope of material in a very ambitious manner. Ma opens with a lovely take of the traditional favorite “Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)”, playing both the melody and counterpoint via overdubbing. Jazz pianist/vocalist Diana Krall is superb in a swinging rendition of Jerome Kern's unjustly obscure ""You Couldn't Be Cuter"", adding bassist John Clayton. An arrangement of “Joy To The World” features pianist Dave Brubeck and cellist Matt Brubeck (his son). Chris Botti has never sounded better in the warm arrangement of “My Favorite Things”, playing both open and muted trumpet. James Taylor is featured on vocals on the Beatles cover “Here Comes The Sun”. Songs of Joy & Peace is a limited edition of 500 copies on translucent green coloured vinyl.

Robert Glasper’s holiday album In December was released last year as an Apple Music exclusive. We’re now able offer it widely available to physical retail and all DSPs!



Is there anything to be done with carols like “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Joy to the World” that hasn’t been done in the past 300 years? If there is, Grammy-winning pianist, composer, and producer Robert Glasper is the kind of artist to do it. “I like covering songs that people know well,” Glasper tells Apple Music. “That’s what I’ve done throughout my whole career.” It’s true: As a jazz pianist, he’s obviously learned his way around making classics his own, whether they were written by Mongo Santamaría or Kurt Cobain. But, he says, “The biggest challenge in making a holiday album was trying to do it in a way that feels festive but at the same time feels real and not corny.”



He succeeds on both fronts on In December, his holiday album that mixes classic carols with a set of originals, and which was recorded in Spatial Audio. Part of what keeps it credible is the fact that Glasper’s hiphop/R&B/jazz fusion is done on a compositional level instead of just a cosmetic one (no collages of sampled sax solos and drum loops here). The covers reveal a lot about his musical worldview: Sung by Tony winner Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple), “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is turned into dark, airy neo-soul, while “Joy to the World”—sung by Alex Isley—feels like a Stevie Wonder ballad. But the originals reveal even more. “The intention for this album was less about Christmas songs and more about songs that feel good during the holidays,” Glasper says. “I stayed away from thinking too much about Christmas and its traditional lingo, and concentrated on real things people go through during the holiday season.”

Solid Yellow Vinyl, limited to 150 copies. Comes with a sticker sheet. The 'Lightless' EP sees AS FRIENDS RUST confronting existential and cosmic loneliness with intensity, imagination and, of course, hooks. Picking up where 2023's Any Joy LP left off, and now joined permanently by bassist Andrew Seward (Against Me!), the band presents five urgent rockers that rage through both inner and outer space, leaving only earworms in their wake. Writing for Lightless began immediately upon the band's return from their tour of Europe in support of 2023's Any Joy LP. Picking up where the album left off, the Lightless EP is a massive, catchy work focusing largely on cosmic loneliness -- a theme echoed in its airbrushed, 70s/80s sci-fi artwork. The EP was mixed by long-time collaborator James Paul Wisner (Further Seems Forever, Paramore, Dashboard Confessional), and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air, and will be released on November 1st, just days ahead of the band's tour supporting QUICKSAND and HOT WATER MUSIC. 'Lightless' will be strictly limited to 500 copies across five vinyl variants, each including a sci-fi/spaced travel sticker sheet. The exclusive END HITS RECORDS/EVIL GREED variant will feature a limited patch, perfect for your 80s satin bomber jacket or heavy metal jeans vest.