Orange Vinyl. Benefits return with the their highly anticipated second album, "Constant Noise" Due out 21st March via Invada Records,"Constant Noise" follows the band's debut album `NAILS' which earned widespread press and radio support and appeared in album of the year lists inc. Louder Than War (#1), BBC 6Music, NME, The Quietus,The Line Of Best Fit and more. After a succession of different line-ups, Benefits have now settled as a two-piece made up of Hall and electronic virtuoso Robbie Major. "We're still angry" says Hall, "just angry in a different way to before. If the previous record was black and white, we wanted this to be technicolour." The first taste of this new musical direction came in the form of "Land Of The Tyrants", which saw the band delving into bass-heavy, dance inflected rhythms and subtle industrial undercurrents. Follow-up single `Relentless' featured The Libertines' Peter Doherty and saw the band move further into ambient electronic atmospherics. Doherty is just one of the collaborators on the new record, Zera Tonin, the singer of queerpop-electro duo Arch Femmesis, Neil Cooper of Therapy?, and Middlesborough rapper Shakk all make cameos. In addition to the guest musicians, the album also features production from James Welsh (Phantasy Sound), and James Adrian Brown (ex-Pulled Apart By Horses)who helped to guide the new direction. The result is an album that gleans as much from the likes of Underworld and Leftfield as it does the likes of The Streets or Beastie Boys in their pomp, or even the 90s / early 00s Indie Sleaze-era. Orange vinyl comes with full album download (inc. two tracks not on vinyl)
2025 marks 40 years since Ricky Ross met Dougie Vipond and they started to form Deacon Blue, the songs on "The Great Western Road" reflect the journey the band has taken and remain honest to the age and experience they all share. Ricky Ross: "It"s just the next part of the adventure and it"s as exciting now as it was back in 1988". The joyous lead single "Late "88" fondly remembers the care-free excitement of those early days. The "Great Western Road" was recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios, Ricky Ross and (Deacon Blue guitarist and long term collaborator) Gregor Philp return to production duties, having last produced the bands" Top 5 charting and their last full length album, 2020"s "City Of Love". This album was recorded by Matt Butler, who first worked with the band on their debut, "Raintown".
It's hard to imagine El León Pardo, a loyal advocate of some of the most advanced projects in which folklore is the road map and the destination itself, without his kuisi. It's hard to see him with his hands free. Always holding on to that ancestral instrument, that pre-Colombian flute that survived the conquest and has become a symbol of resistance, overcoming the ravages of time, the imposition of ideologies, dogmas and religions. Despite all that, the kuisi continues with its liberating sound, the power of its cry, its invitation to dance, its sound a cure and a blessing. That's why it leads the way in this Viaje Sideral ("Space Voyage"), an astral journey in which the kuisi is the vehicle and the life force of the rhythm. Viaje Sideral feels like floating eternally in the infinite cosmos. This second long player from El León Pardo is inspired by humanity's relationship with the stars, escaping to mythical planes and led into a trance by Caribbean percussions, analog synths, deep bass, electric guitars and the hypnotic vibrations of the kuisis and trumpets that complete the soundtrack of this voyage. Through these nine songs, El León Pardo continues to create a sound of his own, evolving in his intention to pay tribute to the psychedelia of the tropical world of the Caribbean in the 1970s and 80s, but this time also taking as reference artists like Terry Riley, Kraftwerk and Mad Professor, including the roots of ambient and electronic music with the characteristic sound of the kuisi, an encounter of dreamlike and astral sounds, with the music of the bandas pelayeras of the tropics and figures like Pedro Laza and Juan Lara. In this new universe the Cartagena trumpeter dialogs with the past, processing the ideas that have emerged over the years and morphed into his personal search that gives an identity to his ideas, nurtured by figures like producer Diego Gómez (Llorona Records, Discos Pacífico, Cerrero) who awoke his interest in electronic instruments, Edson Velandia and kuisi maestros like Juan Carlos Medrano and Fredy Arrieta. In his sound there is a particular feature, one that contains histories of personal experiences, accompanied by the kuisi, including ancient Zenú flutes dating from between 600 and 800 AD and which helped create the atmosphere of "Invocación." "Viaje Sideral," the song that gives the album its name, was born from a dream in which two stars speed towards the earth and an imminent collision. As the record continues, the stellar connection becomes clear with songs like "Urmah" with Edson Velandia, inspired by an article about extra-terrestrial races and how the Urmah were a race of hominid felines, the greatest geneticists of the universe; and "Cumbia espacial," featuring rapping from N. Hardem, seeking to create that aura of immensity and consciousness of the infinity of the universe.
Benefits kehren mit ihrem mit Spannung erwarteten zweiten Album "Constant Noise" zurück. "Constant Noise" erscheint am 21. März über Invada Records und folgt auf das Debütalbum "NAILS". Nach einer Reihe verschiedener Besetzungen haben sich Benefits nun als Zwei-Mann-Band etabliert, bestehend aus Frontmann Kingsley Hall und dem Elektronik-Virtuosen Robbie Major. "Wir sind immer noch wütend", sagt Hall, "nur auf eine andere Art als früher. Wenn die vorherige Platte schwarz-weiß war, wollten wir, dass diese Platte in Technicolor erstrahl". Der erste Vorgeschmack auf diese neue musikalische Richtung kam in Form von "Land Of The Tyrants", bei dem die Band in basslastige, tanzbare Rhythmen und subtile Industrial-Unterströmungen eintauchte. Bei der Nachfolgesingle "Relentless" wirkte Peter Doherty von den Libertines mit, und die Band bewegte sich weiter in Richtung elektronischer Ambient-Atmosphären. Doherty ist nur einer der Mitstreiter auf dem neuen Album. Zera Tonin, der Sänger des Queerpop-Elektro-Duos Arch Femmesis, Neil Cooper von Therapy? und der Rapper Shakk aus Middlesborough haben alle einen Gastauftritt. Zusätzlich zu den Gastmusikern wurde das Album von James Welsh (Phantasy Sound) und James Adrian Brown (ex-Pulled Apart By Horses) produziert, die die neue Richtung mitbestimmten. Das Ergebnis ist ein Album, das von Underworld und Leftfield ebenso viel hat wie von The Streets oder den Beastie Boys in ihrer Blütezeit oder sogar von der Indie-Sleaze-Ära der 90er und frühen 00er Jahre.
Kneading dough is tricky – you should know how it’s supposed to feel. If you try too hard you could make it worse. It’s a beautiful practice – creation with a gentle touch, to work at something so it can be left alone. “If it’s too drawn out it’s awful. It’s easy to give too much.” Dance in the mirror. Contemplate your veiny hands. Who do they remind you of?
You begin by mixing flour and water. “What happens when your people die? Why’d they move the rock to the other side of Ulster Park?” Eliza Niemi asks two seemingly unrelated questions in a rising melody with guitar accompaniment, like fingers playing spider up to the nape of your neck. Gentle pressure. Strands of gluten form to bind the mix. A new question lingers in the binding. When she admits “but I don’t know how to tell if I’m feeling it or not,” that question surfaces through the text. It is reiterated throughout the album. When I’m working with dough I think the same thing to myself.
On Progress Bakery, her second album as a solo artist, Eliza knows to leave some questions alone – to let juxtaposition and tension be the proof. It doesn’t have to be hard. The feelings and revelations they provoke rise in the heat. The smell is sweet. Crispy on the outside and soft all the way through. She playfully slip-slides through words and sounds and images, delighting in surprise, skimming ideas like stones cast across clear water, touching down briefly with uncommon grace.
The question provoked between those opening lines resurfaces in the strands between songs – “Do U FM” is fully formed and beautifully layered, while “Novelist Sad Face” is a short, acapella rendering of gentle curiosity. What is holding these ideas together? Some songs demand more, seem to carry a whole load – eventually the skipping stone will halt to sink and resume its idle duty – while others drift in and out of focus, the way thoughts and dreams become interwoven before the mind is sunk into true sleep.
Music and words don’t always have to interact. Where she decides to keep them apart gives a new contour to where and how she puts them together. The kind of thing you’re supposed to take for granted with songs and their singers comes alive in Eliza’s hands – the little miracle of mixing, kneading, stretching, and stopping.
So often on Progress Bakery, Eliza teases out truth and meaning by asking questions. “Do I wanna be crying?” “Do you want me good or do you want me bad?” “Do I need an eye test?” “I’m writing songs in my head while you’re going over stuff with me — is that cruel??” In “Pocky” Eliza ends with a question that feels to me like the actual biography, succinct and revealing:
I don’t wanna be made to see
I just wanna ask “what’s that?”
Grace that ought to be rare, but in its care and precision is offered humbly, with great generosity, and without announcing itself. Eliza’s simple, miraculous music is given further form and shape by a group of collaborators – invaluable guest musicians Jeremy Ray, Evan Cartwright, Steven McPhail, Kenny Boothby, Ed Squires, Carolina Chauffe, Dorothea Paas, Louie Short, and Avalon Tassonyi. Together with Louie Short, who recorded, mixed, and produced the album along with Jeremy Ray and Lukas Cheung, Eliza has cultivated a richness in sound and texture that prods and provokes the ticklish ear. Barely audible guitar tinkering, a brief lo-fi field recording of trumpets, the harmonic clicking of a looped synthesizer, a flourish of reeds, a child’s conversation, each uncanny sound perfectly placed, rippling out under a soft breeze.
Lay in bed alone at night and ask aloud to the stillness,
“What were you doing at the Albuquerque Airport?
What were you doing there??”
And hear your question answered by a dream of swelling, undulating cellos. Try to grasp at the melody and structure. It’s not an answer (if there could be one), but it moves deeper, closer to the weird layer of fleeting moments and disconnected images, barely perceptible at its core. Wait for the dream reel to click into place.
Eliza took me for a ride in Nicole (her beloved Dodge Grand Caravan) and told me she’d been thinking of the album as an embodiment of transition – and I think every transition, known or unknown, carries the weight of new meaning, skittering off the surface tension of life as you know it, creating ripples, sometimes bouncing off and sometimes breaking through. There is a trick you can use to tell if a dough is glutinous enough. You’re supposed to stretch it out as thin as you can without breaking it and hold it up to the light. If you can see through, even if it renders the world murky and uncertain, you should leave it alone. I love this trick. It’s one that Eliza seems to know intuitively: work gently and ask questions and don’t always expect answers, and when you can, take a glimpse at something new, and then leave.
"Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" said the famous boxer Mohammed Ali, in reference to his legendary strike. This punchline also works wonderfully in music, listening to Roseaux's third album. A French success story, created with all modesty and honesty by the Parisian trio: Emile Omar, Alex Finkin and Clément Petit.
The three musketeers of sound cultivate their know-how, now acclaimed by critics and an ever-growing audience since their first project in 2012. It took them time to take a step back and gain perspective in order to offer us a return that is both joyful and resounding.
Roseaux takes root on the banks of soul, folk, jazz, and songs from all eras, a cascade of inexhaustible sounds, where the three composers draw their inspiration and merge their experiences.
The leaves of Roseaux soar to the breath of wonderful voices, chosen with precision by the three friends, like that of the American singer Aloe Blacc, present since the beginning of the adventure, essential enchanter of the three episodes.
Conceived as a dreamlike escapade full of emotions, on the fringes of the massive, instantaneous and often disembodied production, Roseaux is a totally artisanal group, a sort of UFO in the French musical landscape, which operates on instinct and above all on desire.
Thus, Roseaux has become an expert in bringing together, for the duration of a record, the artists who specifically form the DNA of their host: captivating voices, a plot on the piano and cello, but also encounters and reunions, in a poetic and deliberately nebulous universe.
A welcoming nebula, where the listener is invited to listen and immerse themselves without hindrance, in a luxuriant, wild, exciting sound forest. This third album is the work of 3 music lovers, capable of switching roles: writing, arrangements, production, from which emerge this time, eleven tracks with chiseled melodies including three colorful and unusual instrumentals.
A journey between melancholy and euphoria, which led Roseaux to the ends of the planet, from the Caribbean to Europe via Africa to unearth other vibrations and unique performers: the captivating Grenadian-British singer Ala.ni, the little English afropop prince from Ghana, Ghetto Boy, and the disturbing Swedish Isabel Sörling, sign here a first flamboyant collaboration with the group.
While the talented Haitian-Canadian Mélissa Laveaux, the hypnotic Scandinavian singer Olle Nyman, the sparkling French-Canadian Anna Majidson and our remarkable national Ben, already present on the second part, still manage to create a surprise by revealing new aspects of their range.
Roseaux's voices are decidedly impenetrable and its magic is renewed today by making the strength of all these scintillating elements dialogue, to be discovered in a setting of softness and voluptuousness.
After humble lo-fi beginnings in the Australian Art-Pop Underground, Donny Benet has expanded his cult-like following across the Globe with a resonant Array of danceable Repertoire dealing with Love- and Affection. New album "Mr Experience" marks a new chapter, informed by a wealth of musical- and personal development.
For Mr Experience, Donny envisioned a Soundtrack to a Dinner-Party- Set in the late 1980's. While his earlier Recordings drew Inspiration from DIY Pop Conspirators such as Ariel Pink & John Maus, Donny channelled the Stylings of Bryan Ferry & Hiroshi Yoshimura as the Impetus for new Material, evident on the Intimacy found on ‘Girl Of My Dreams’ and it's lush production- with a soothing whistle-along Chorus for good Measure!
Sincerity has been a key component of Donny Benet’s output since the beginning. His songs deal with genuine Emotion served on a kitsch Platter. An alter-ego manifested in the beginning of the 2010's, Donny has blurred the Lines of Artifice to create a back- Catalogue that can embrace- and challenge, often simultaneously, - the notion of Irony in Art.
"Mr Experience" moves further away from ironic Notions as Donny explores lyrical- and musical themes which embody Observations of Maturation in his audience, his tightknit musical Community- and himself. While ‘mature’ is a term that often rings hollow as an album descriptor, the term couldn’t be more apt for Mr Experience.
Previous album The Don was created with the luxury of time. The phenomenal Response to that Album across Europe- and the United States - fuelled by accompanying Music Videos clocking in Views in the Millions- meant that there were scant Windows of Opportunity to write- and record a follow-up.
With a legacy in Sydney’s music community, working with Sarah Blasko, and tightknik collaborators Jack Ladder & Kirin J Callinan, Donny Benet is accustomed to collaboration on the Stage- and in the Studio, mostnotably on the 2014 full-length release Weekend At Donny’s.
“There is such immense talent evident in every aspect of the Donny Bene experience - the vision of the character, the steadfast adherence his narrative and the musicality of Benet himself all combine to makesomething truly genius.” - Double J, Australin.
“Donny Benet makes feminine music for everybody” - Vice, Netherlands.
“The Don does not sound like amusical copying machine”. - 3voor12 National, Netherlands.
“The set was punctuated with virtuosic solos and exquisite harmonies, and added another layer of genius to the show.
We almost couldn’t handle it... Donny for president!" - Indie Berlin.
“Everyone loves Donny Benet” - Feature in Gonzai, France.
“Phenomenal Australian Showman... Offers Top-Class Dance Music with Virtuose-Bass Guitar- and Keyboard Parts & incredible Sound-Colour feel.” - Podujatie.sk, Slovakia.
Donny has toured Europe five times since the start of 2018 and has played in the UK, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, France, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Greece and Sweden. The Don will revisit Europe twice in 2020, once for his own headline shows in May then back again in August for festivals!
Born from a childhood friendship, the five members of Ciao Kennedy have crafted their own sound and feeling after exploring a variety of different musical horizons. Following the release of EPs 'Keldercave' (2021) and 'the problem is' (2022), as well as being featured on the compilation Lefto presents Jazz Cats Vol. 3 in the spring of 2024, it was only a matter of time for the Brussels-based band to reappear on the music circuit.
As part of the Magma collective, alongside groups like TUKAN and ECHT!, they started to stand out with their instrumental music merging the playfulness of jazz,the repetitive facets of post-rock, and the overtly grand electronic sound evident in what is nowadays described through the grapevine as the 'Brussels sound'.
With Solarium, their debut album set to be released under the Sdban Ultra label, they have found a course and common denominator in guitars drenched with post-rock effects, steered by hypnotic electronic beats, creating an atmosphere of rare, dense melancholy, peppered with a sound that belongs in a blockbuster sci-fi movie.
Ciao Kennedy and its debut album are a tangy candy bursting in your mouth, the thrill of an afternoon at the fair, modernity meeting up with the nostalgia of childhood. Or standing beneath the shimmering neon lights of a rainy night, like colourful poetry, blending tenderness with electric intensity. Many of these musical descriptions would be completely off the mark, but after a few listens, they don't seem to miss the mark either. There's something for everyone to discover on this album, oscillating between the familiar and the unexpected, melancholy and cheer, and while everyone keeps on talking about something being a 'vibe', we can only conclude that Ciao Kennedy is the only one putting this into action.
To celebrate the release of Solarium, the band will host a release party at the Brussels venue Botanique on April 17, 2025. A must-attend event for everyone who wants to see if the live reputation which precedes Ciao Kennedy is actually true. Whatever happens, make sure to keep that date free.
Introducing the debut album from The Sorcerers. Recently championed by Ethio-Jazz legend Mulatu Astatke on his Addis Abbaba radio show, The Sorcerers take influences from Ethiopiques Ethio-jazz as well as the soundtracks to the european horror films of the 60's and 70's and the british library music of the same era & blend them into one cohesive package. Made up of various stalwarts of the vibrant Leeds Jazz/World scene they were originally formed to contribute some tracks to the compilation "Funk, Soul & Afro Rarities: An Introduction To ATA Records" released in 2014 on Here & Now Records. After receiving a favourable response to their contributed tracks and garnering support from the likes of Strut records founder Quinton Scott and Radio 3's Nick Luscombe (Late Junction) they decided to develop their sound further before recording their debut album.
Recorded at ATA Records' own analog recording studio using vintage analog equipment from the 60s and 70s, the album contains 8 original compositions that reference influences as diverse as Mulatu Astatke, Moondog, Kpm and Giallo soundtracks. Huey Morgan made the opening track "Pinch Of The Death Nerve" his "Beat Of The Week" on his BBC6 Music radio show with more airplay expected at the time of release. Mulatu Astake played the album on his Addis Abbaba radio show with further uk radio support has so far coming from Wah Wah 45's Dom Servini on his "Unherd" show, Shawn Lee on his Soho Radio show and Gilles Peterson.
out of Stock
Last delivered 4 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Also includes a large double sided poster , colour inner sleeves and liner notes by Gerald V Casale.
Spuds rejoice. After years of requests, Futurismo are thrilled to announce a brand new limited pressing of the DEVO’s incredible Recombo DNA 4xLP with Mini CD Set, plus also available is a brand new 3xCD version.
For decades Devo have been working non-stop at Recombo DNA Laboratories on a new kind of research to keep up with the mutating world around us. That extensive research is now ready for public consumption once again. Futurismo were the first to bring you this on vinyl and now they present unhindered access into Devo’s labs, documenting the scientific analysis and demonstrations as conducted by the band between the years 1977-2008.
This tireless research has manifested itself in Recombo DNA…an unmissable collection of studio demos and unreleased rare tracks that span Devo’s entire recording career, from their original basement days to their famed ’Freedom Of Choice’ era, right the way through to unused demos from their last studio album. You may know the track ‘Baby Doll’ but do you know it’s original incarnation as ‘Satan’? If you submit to the findings of Recombo DNA Labs you will, Futurismo’s version of this compilation includes six bonus tracks taken from the archives that had never been released, or even heard before.
This limited edition 4xLP set is a sonic fusion of demos, alternate versions and outtakes, demonstrating the true breadth and talent of one of America’s most important bands. But this set doesn’t stop at four beautiful slabs of mutated vinyl, also included is ’The Somewhere Suite’ served up on the format it was originally intended to be back in the May of ‘89, advertised although never released, it’s contained here in all it’s full length glory on a 3” Mini CD. Recombo DNA is also coming on a 3xCD digipak version for the very first time from Futurismo, including all the wonderful artwork and bonus material. Devo’s Recombo DNA is an essential addition to the collection of any science fearing spud, and the perfect sister release to last years Art Devo. The original 2017 pressing of Recombo DNA sold out in less than 48 hours, so grab this while you can. Each set includes 4xLP on limited edition coloured vinyl and includes a Mini CD. This fantastic collection of devolved recordings and bonus tracks are contained within the gloss laminated wide spined sleeve, with newly tweaked artwork, a huge A1 poster, full colour inner sleeves and liner notes by Gerald V Casale. A 3xCD digipak version is also available. Submit to these findings and witness audio mutation in action.
Veyl is proud to welcome back to the label one of the most essential and multidimensional producers today, Filmmaker. To date, the Colombian artist has delivered a plethora of revered releases from his breakout, The Love Market (2019), to his previous album on Veyl, Fictional Portrayals (2022). He consistently traverses genres from postpunk, EBM, synth wave and beyond to create a unique identity still firmly rooted in film culture. Now he returns with perhaps his most robust and powerful offering, Hollywood
Cult.
Comprised of 13 tracks, the album sees the producer elevate his sound to new levels, conjuring a world of haunting atmospheres and devious directions that take the listener through a journey of unparalleled proportions. Kicking off the album is the ritual-like
'Secrecy', which builds tension before exploding into a synth-driven race against time and introduces us to the world that lies ahead. 'Holy Wood' injects a heavy dose of body music for an infectious piece that bleeds perfectly in to the slow burning nostalgia of 'Generational Trauma'. Next, 'Western Malice' picks the pace back up with its evil energy that feels fit for the best horror scenes before 'Shocking Therapy' enters the picture with an exhilarating electro feel.
Now in the depths of the journey, 'Vessels Wine' continues the saga with a high intensity work that gives way to the stirring emotions of 'Peacekeeper Ripper' and the raw, blood lust of 'Criminal Rite'. Now entering the final phases, 'Spiritual Harvest' cleanses the palate before 'Elite Dungeons' comes crashing in with a lo-fi feel that puts you deep underground. 'Two Sets of Rules' charges back with twisted lines before 'No Fetish Without Evil' unveils post-punk strings that puts you in a trance before 'Hanging Finale' closes the release u ltimately fading out into the abyss. Repeat listens will be necessary and the whole album feels like a soundtrack to a dark new world that is perfectly fitting for any Hollywood Cult.
out of Stock
Last delivered 2 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Besançon, sometime before lockdown… Still in high school, Laszlo, Baptiste, Matthieu, Maël and Marius, driven by a common desire to make people dance till they sweat, formed Wet Enough!?, and began to make music together, driven by a burning passion for funk, electro, rap and disco.
Early 2023, they were contacted by Antoine Rajon from label KOMOS who was to go on to produce their debut EP “DASH”, released in January 2024. A series of gigs followed in Paris, London, Brussels and the Jazz à Vienne festival under the aegis of Astérios Spectacles. That same year, they were also selected to take part in the Inouïs talent showcase at the Printemps de Bourges, as representatives of the Bourgogne Franche-Comté region.
The “Burgundy Five” then studied at music schools in Brussels, Amsterdam and Lausanne, in institutions more open than their French counterparts when it comes to exploring the full gamut of musical styles; they also frequently met up for composition sessions and concerts.
In September 2024, they left for London to record their debut album, in the studio of producer and musician Malcolm Catto, as he was charmed by a live at ‘91 Living Room’ in Brick Lane. The Heliocentrics drummer and sonic wizard behind Yussef Kamal’s famous ‘Black Focus’, used his trademark analogue approach to help craft 10 powerful tracks, collectively composed and arranged by the group.
On this release, we detect the influence of American groups like Ghost-Note and Butcher Brown, but also an energy almost akin to punk rock. And especially, we can sense an enthusiastic appetite for defying genres, without a care for codes or the constraints of aesthetic purism.
Their starting point is new jazz, conjuring up current scenes in the UK and America (‘Green Tangerine’, ‘Emile Lédonien’, ‘Lullaby for a riot’), but they soon wander into the club with the unashamed housey inflections of ‘Dump’ (carried aloft by Galawesh Heril on vocals). When Marius, the trombonist grabs the mic, he displays mastery of chiselled flow and old school French hip-hop vibes (‘Lascars, San Pé’) as well as ultra-modern, alternative aesthetics (Les 2).
During the studio sessions in London, the band invited two British musicians to guest on the record - a junglist rapper from Manchester, OneDa, who illuinates up single ‘One Leg’ with the brightness of her rhymes; and a Londoner, saxophonist Camilla George who offers a vibrant solo, riding high over the amped-up groove of Funk4.
There’s no doubt they shall join the group for upcoming shows whose philosophy is also expressed in the album’s title :
Love Of The Brave are a psyche folk group, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, at the time this album was recorded, back in 2010. The founder of the group Neil Innes still runs the recording studio, ATA Records, an extremely well maintained all analogue set up, used primarily to record jazz, funk and library music. The short-lived Love Of The Brave outfit was the first project recorded at the famed studio. It brought together some of the most versatile artists in the north, many of who still work on projects with ATA today, both these factors give this release a landmark aspect for the label. The "Love Of The Brave" consists of eight tracks and draws on inspiration from artists such as Pentangle, Rotary Connection, Richie Havens, the Kinks, David Bowie and Joni Mitchell. Vocalist Fuzzy Jones features on all tracks, as does Neil, in his case playing a variety of instruments. They are joined throughout the album by a variety of musicians, including jazz drummer Joost Hendrickx, Work Money...
“One of the most compelling and complex releases of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s post-Black Ark canon, Mercy is the fruit of a long and complex working process that has yielded exceptional results. Spearheaded by the maverick artist and musical outlier Peter Harris with Fritz Catlin, the drumming co-founder of industrial funk dub act, 23 Skidoo, Mercy’s experimental sonic occupies its own space.” David Katz (People Funny Boy: The Genius of Lee “Scratch” Perry).
Dash the Henge are excited to announce the vinyl release of Mercy an innovative record featuring the legendary Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and the work of Peter Harris and Fritz Catlin. It will be preceded by vibrant visual representations of key tracks ‘Reggae Poison’, ’Row Fisherman/Whale Song’ and ‘This is Hell’ created by Peter Harris and Llyr Williams. “I always saw Lee as a performance artist rather than a musician in the traditional sense, so this conceptual backing feels like a more accurate setting for his stream of conscious performance art,” Peter Harris explained. “There is an attention to Lee’s history here too, something that elevates the musical collage with the echoes informed by albums like Super Ape where earlier tracks were recorded over again. In ‘Big Fish,’ the lyrics pay homage to Bob Marley’s ‘Small Axe’ and the tune references Perry’s version of ‘Sugar Sugar,’ which he recorded with the Silvertones. Although the structure might seem chaotic, the songs were crafted over a long period of time and the approach was the same as making a painting, where foundations are worked on then painted over and over until it is full wrested.” Nathan Saoudi (founder Dash The Henge/Fat White Family) boils it down. “It’s kind of quintessential outsider music - I can’t explain what they are doing, but they have a why, and that’s enough. That’s why I needed to get involved.”
Based in Ottawa, Ontario, the capital city of Canada, The Riptides have been cranking out high-energy blasts of melodic, poppy punk rock for over 25 years. With their new LP Burn After Listening, the band makes the move to Pirates Press Records, and are ready to bring their sound to an all new worldwide audience! Originally formed in 1998, the band wasted no time assembling their own studio and label, putting out their own records as well as their fellow Ottawa bands. Word spread quickly, and the band's notoriety grew, particularly in the US, and soon the band found that they enjoyed rising to the challenge of leaving home and recording at noted US studios, with Burn After Listening being no exception. This album was recorded at the legendary Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO, with Andrew Berlin at the helm for tracking and Jason Livermore in charge of the final master. These studio sessions included a cavalcade of friends & guest musicians, including members of Teenage Bottlerocket, All American Rejects, Screeching Weasel, and The Queers. A number of songs on the record also bear co-writing credits from fellow Pirates Press Records artist Matt DeeCRACK. Blending attitude-driven downstroke riffs with irresistible hooks and harmonies, combined with an aesthetic informed by everything from nerdy pop culture and surfing, they've already amassed quite the following across the decades, but this record stands poised to introduce them to many new fans.
Who is Beatrice? Who is Melissa? Could they be one and the same?
This is the question at the heart of Secret, the duo’s debut album—or at least, that’s what the music seems to suggest. If sound is an extension of ourselves, it can also become a character we shape. The main character of Secret isn’t visible to the human eye, and yet they give off an androgynous and timeless energy, rooted in multiple languages and spaces. As the album unfolds, we sense the fusion of two distinct energies combined into a single, composite being. This constantly shifting, blurred identity comes to life in the album’s profusion of genres: club music, ambient, chanson, trip-hop, UK garage, and tech house. The tracks stretch and contract, following the trajectory of a dual voice.
Behind Secret lies a mélange of perspectives. Beatrice M., a Franco-British artist at the head of the label Bait, curates an innovative blend of syncopated UK club styles (mostly dubstep) and trancy techno grooves. Melissa Weikart, a French-American songwriter trained in classical piano with a deep passion for jazz, makes intimate avant-pop songs that embody her unique, hybrid approach to music-making. The diverse musical collaborations in Secret reinforce a dynamic that is central to both of their artistic journeys from the start, and these collaborations melt seamlessly into the album’s overall aesthetic. Despite a confluence of influences, the implied development of this obscure, extraterrestrial main character grounds us in a refreshing coherence. Secret is rich in variety and style, but above all, it diffuses a calm and serene atmosphere. Even when the BPM speeds up, we are carried along, suspended in Beatrice Melissa’s uncanny world.
Warm welcome to the label this time comes to the duo of producers from Netherlands called pH Project. The musical union formed by Pelle and Herra that are both have been doing what they do for many years and played alongside as well many admirable artists which you can find on the archives of the internet if the curiosity will get the best of you. The maestros of the project have provided us with 3 ready to tremor up the speakers cuts with their signature groove and knowledge that they have acquired in the trenches of rave during their activity on the scene. Finalising this 12” vinyl cut is Levat, the producer who doesn’t need introduction as his persona and non-stop dedication for music speaks for itself. Taking non-standard approach of taking stems from all the originals hence the name of the work is “Thritrakk”, combining the elements of all three tracks we have this dark electro monster audio gracing the B2 side. The work of a collaboration of styles and sonically dedicated minds have resulted into this EP “Obvitrip” coming to life for us to enjoy.
out of Stock
Last delivered 5 days ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Two Times Juno awards listed and 2 times Polaris price listed, Canadian Soul Star Tanika Charles unleash the new album "Reason To Stay that drops on May 16 via independent soul label Record Kicks. Reasons To Stay is Tanika Charles' fourth full-length album, and her most introspective to date. Where her songs have typically touched on romantic love and heartache, the core love and loss of this record is family focused. It has taken years for Tanika to be able to publicly reflect on the childhood trauma and family breakup that occurred during her teens. The majority of the album was composed by Tanika with the tight knit team of Scott McCannell (Lydia Persaud, Henry Nozuka), Kyla Charter (Aysanabee) and Chino de Villa (Jessie Reyez). Kelly Finnigan of the Monophonics joined in to mix the bulk of the project and apply some trademark analogue grit to Tanika's sheen. Guests include Quebec-based Soulful singer/songwriter Clerel on the last track "Win", as well as Toronto soul artists Aphrose and Claire Davis providing additional vocals. "I love this album. I love singing these songs. I love that it's made me step outside of my comfort zone. It's forced me to face the root causes of my own insecurities that I carry to this day. Why am I striving so hard to seek validation, and why take it so personally when it doesn't come? That distortion has prevented me from celebrating my own successes at times. This album is me trying to change that." "I love the conversations that have begun with these songs. It's about childhood trauma, but it's not a victim story. I'm doing well, despite the baggage I carry. I want others to be able to carry theirs too." In the last few years, Canadian Soul/R&B powerhouse Tanika Charles has transformed from an emerging solo artist to a commanding performer and bandleader, cementing her status as a staple in the Canadian soul scene. Her previous studio albums - "Soul Run" (2017), "The Gumption" (2019), and "Papillon De Nuit" (2022) - have propelled her to international acclaim, earning her two JUNO nominations, two Polaris Prize listings, and a growing global fanbase. Extensive touring across North America and Europe has further solidified her reputation, with standout performances at festivals such as Trans Musicales in France, Fusion Festival in Germany, Mostly Funk & Soul Festival and Jazz Festival in the UK, Holy Groove Festival in Switzerland, and Canarias Jazz Festival in Spain. She has also shared the stage Estelle, Mayer Hawthorne, Haitus Kayote, Lauryn Hill, Bedouin Soundclash and Macy Gray. Tanika's meteoric rise and undeniable artistry have been widely championed by outlets such as KCRW, KEXP, BBC6 Music, Exclaim!, CBC Music, Uncut Mag, PopMatters, Albumism .. further solidifying her position as a global soul sensation.
Neon pink vinyl, limited to 500 copies. Who were the first punks? Do The Damned have more of a shout than The Sex Pistols? The Stooges or Ramones? Gregg Deal, the acclaimed visual and performance artist behind his new project Dead Pioneers, is making a claim that Indigenous Americans were the first real punks. Deal suggests that the overarching theme of the album is "an introduction to the band itself". Created with a DIY disposition and the "love of a scene that saves lives", they reel off a roll call of marginalised groups and protected characteristics: "Indigenous rights, Black rights, Brown rights, Asian rights, Gay rights, Trans rights, Workers rights and beyond_". This is central to their identity and focus, saying that "with a North American Indigenous person as the vocalist, being unapologetically upfront on the social, political and cultural side of things doesn't seem necessary, but paramount to the overall tone of the band." This self-titled debut, coming in at a lithe 22 minutes with only one of the twelve tracks exceeding three minutes, is almost over before it begins, but covers a huge amount of ground in that time. Blistering opener 'Tired' sets out their stall; as with the whole album, it is passionate, but never preaching. Capitalised 'Political Music' can be hard to land without coming across as hectoring or earnest, but Deal's literary, humorous lyrics effortlessly cut through complex issues of marginalisation and colonialism.
Yellowstone is an American neo-Western drama television series. The series stars Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly and follows the conflicts along the shared borders of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, a large cattle ranch, the Broken Rock Indian reservation, Yellowstone National Park, and land developers. The first part of the fifth and final season premiered on November 13, 2022, with the second part scheduled to premiere on November 10, 2024. Composer Brian Tyler, who once worked and performed in a Native American musical group, said he worked hard to blend his knowledge of traditional Native American music with the melting pot of western cultures in his score. “What I ended up doing was finding ways to incorporate some of the percussion, some of the woodwinds, some of the instrumentation and weave it into things like cellos, basses, cimbaloms and all these exotic instruments,” Tyler said. The package includes an insert.
The sounds, songs, and passages within Power Sucker are the very reason that Young Widows are still a band after an 11-year creative pause; they remain masters at making music with equal parts sonic and emotional weight. Young Widows have inspired scores of underground artists across the globe with their unique collage of noise-rock, hardcore, and post-punk and pioneering presentation. The Young Widows sound - or more accurately, the Young Widows feel - is in full battering ram motion on their fifth studio album. The heaviness of Power Sucker isn't mysterious. The Louisville, Kentucky power trio play their individual parts with such recognizable precision and style that once entwined together each completed piece becomes an integral part of the puzzle. The sizzling guitars, growling bass, and lock-tight drums rip through the pavement that Young Widows had previously laid to allow the most forward-moving vocal arrangements of their now two-decade career. Historical accomplishments aside, Power Sucker has the shock and wonder of a new band's debut album. After all, this is the regrouping of three passionate lifers once again sharing their undying love for the art of sound. No one and no thing can take those powers away.
The sounds, songs, and passages within Power Sucker are the very reason that Young Widows are still a band after an 11-year creative pause; they remain masters at making music with equal parts sonic and emotional weight. Young Widows have inspired scores of underground artists across the globe with their unique collage of noise-rock, hardcore, and post-punk and pioneering presentation. The Young Widows sound - or more accurately, the Young Widows feel - is in full battering ram motion on their fifth studio album. The heaviness of Power Sucker isn't mysterious. The Louisville, Kentucky power trio play their individual parts with such recognizable precision and style that once entwined together each completed piece becomes an integral part of the puzzle. The sizzling guitars, growling bass, and lock-tight drums rip through the pavement that Young Widows had previously laid to allow the most forward-moving vocal arrangements of their now two-decade career. Historical accomplishments aside, Power Sucker has the shock and wonder of a new band's debut album. After all, this is the regrouping of three passionate lifers once again sharing their undying love for the art of sound. No one and no thing can take those powers away.
With a Swedish Grammy (GRAMMIS) nomination for her 2023 sophomore album ‘Be Free’ and a packed touring schedule, the in-demand trombonist, songwriter and producer sough to quiet the noise around her and challenge the jazz genre’s rigid rules for her next project.
The end result is ‘When You Know’; a smoky and melancholic 10-track cocktail of jazz, alternative R&B, indie, Hip-Hop and ambient sonics that experiments at every turn. On hand to co-produce the record and provide the electronic elements that move ‘When You Know’ away from the jazz world and into more avant-garde territory, Ebba collaborated with Berlin-based producer Lucy Liebe.
Packing a potent emotional punch, the 10 tracks are a reflection of Ebba herself: direct, driven, precise. Retreating to a cabin outside of her small hometown of Hammarö, 200 miles west of Stockholm, she recorded the album in the dead of winter. With the temperatures outside nearing minus-thirty degrees, Åsman logged off for a month – disconnecting from TV, social media and emails. Embracing with vigour both the deep sense of calm and the challenges that come with the cold but also the stillness and solitude that is yielded by being in the wilderness.
"The classic album now returns with new analogue mastering and stunning smoky blue vinyl pressing
Released in Jamaica in 1971, Soul Revolution Part II is the follow-up to Bob Marley and the Wailers’ 1970 debut album Soul Rebels. Going from strength to strength on the material they recorded for Lee Perry, this 12-tracker constitutes another crop of exceptional early-roots reggae anthems. Some of the songs are among the more widely lauded efforts in the repertoire of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. ‘Don’t Rock My Boat’, ‘Duppy Conqueror’, ‘Sun Is Shining’ are about the most acclaimed of them and sound better than ever on this newly remastered edition using vintage analogue gear.
Recorded at the famed Randy’s Studio (also known as Studio 17) located at 17 North Parade in Kingston, Jamaica, this is the second full-length collaboration (and last!) between Bob Marley and the Wailers and producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry!
* 1971 classic album with new analogue mastering
* Pressed on smoky blue vinyl
* Released on the Upsetter label, celebrating the groundbreaking collaboration between Bob Marley and The Wailers and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry "
"Héctor Roberto Chavera (1908-1992) under his stage name Atahualpa Yupanqui is the most important Argentinian folk singer-songwriter. His father was a mestizo of Quechua and Basque ascendant who worked for the railroad company. The family moved to Tucumán, in the Argentinian northwest when he was nine years old. There Héctor adopted the stage name of Atahualpa Yupanqui in tribute to two legendary Incan kings. His quechua nickname can also be read as “he who came from afar to tell stories”.
In his youth, he travelede through the northwest of the country studying the indigenous cultures. He would get into politics joining the Argentinian Comunist Party and in 1931 took part in the failed Kennedy Brothers uprising against José Félix Uriburu coup d’êtat. when the uprising was defeated he had to seek refuge in Uruguay until 1934.
In his poems set to music, Yupanqui depicts scenes of his country¡s live and landscapes and has a very present commitment to the working class in a similar way to that of other famed singer-songrwriters, with the name of Woody Guthrie coming first to mind.
This compilation collects some of the best songs of his extensive discography in their original recordings. Many of them have been covered internationally by artists such as Daniel Viglietti, Mercedes Sosa, Facundo Cabral, Victor Jara, Los Albas, Marie Lafôret or Joan Manuel Serrat, among others."
From the deepest trenches of deadstock 45s and the unsung annals of soft rock infamy, we present SR4HT02: (Till You're) Back In My Arms.
Universal Cave and the Street Road Band cover Dan Strimer with Insured Sound's cult anthem (Till You're) Back In My Arms which was originally released as a 45 in 1977 on Lost Nation Records out of Guysville, Ohio. When Universal Cave featured Back in My Arms on Soft Rock for Hard Times Vol 8 in 2023, we reached out to Dan Strimer to tell him how much we loved his record, and quickly made a friend who helped us release a cover of his song 47 years after it first came out. Dan is still making music to this day and there are even rumors of some unreleased recordings making their way out in the near future.
On vacation in Hawaii when we released Soft Rock for Hard Times Vol 8, Alex Tebbs Mitchell of Universal Cave kept coming back to Dan's catchy, rural classic rock tune. When Alex returned to Philadelphia, he assembled the Street Road Band to record a laid back, 'southwestern Balearic' cover version with André Ethier on vocals, Charles Simon on guitar, Jesse Spearhawk on Pedal Steel, Alex Tebbs Mitchell on Rhodes and bass, Ryan M. Todd on synthesizers, and Shawn Ryan and Brian Cassidy on additional programming and arrangement. The result is a blissful soft rock ballad inspired by the likes of Chris Rea and Mark Knopfler.
After recording the cover, we called in the UK's finest Balearic maestro's Coyote to take the multitracks to the White Isle and back for a remix worthy of Cafe Del Mar. Coyote send the song into a dreamy, dubby, deep house groove, confirming that the record is, in fact, Balearic.
Mixed by Alex Tebbs Mitchell
Mastered by Mat Leffler-Schulman
out of Stock
Last delivered 18 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
With their debut album Channels on !K7 Records, Kassian (Joe Danvers-McCabe and Warren Cummings) have come full circle, focusing on the warmer, sample-based, and house-inspired sonics that brought them together. Kassian periodically revisited these initial pieces throughout the last five years until they felt able to journey deeper, using their rapidly developing craft and refined production techniques to build a debut album that momentarily steps away from some of their more club-focused excursions. “As we were writing, we realized that all the tracks had the unique potential to tell a story,” reflects Cummings, with Channels leading the listener through a series of different atmospheres and emotional terrains.
Essential to Channels is Kassian’s focus on time’s ability to reorient human perspective. Kassian worked on the album over an extended period, with instrumentation, field recordings, and percussion first constructed and then subsequently stripped away and refined.
Channels contains their early love of tube warm, sample based sounds and live instrumentation as the foundation for this album. The working process for these rippling pieces used both sequenced workflow and improvisational arrangement, live instrumentation inspired by an array of deeper emotional content. Both members of Kassian experienced great personal loss during the period of making this album, and a tenderness is felt throughout the record.
This record is an earthy thing, its naturalistic track names evoking recognisable and cyclically familiar moments, Kassian have provided a map for the listener at the forefronts of their minds. Channels features Ezra Collective’s Joe Armon-Jones on keys, and Timothy Kraemer on cello distilling this body of work into a deep stream between the organic and improvised, and the sequenced and planned.
out of Stock
Last delivered 16 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Here is an expanded edition of one of Nurse With Wound's most intense and unique albums, so much so that for long-time fans, it was a strange, chaotic lounge oddity upon its release. For the first time, all four audio sides are complete (originally, there were only three sides).
To top it off, there is a stunning new cover by the great and talented Babs Santini, who is none other than Steven Stapleton using his artist pseudonym, continuing in the luxurious tradition of the "silver collection" at Rotorelief Records.
The album Huffin' Rag Blues by Nurse With Wound is unique in the NWW discography. Stapleton teams up with composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Liles, his co-creator of musical terrorism, to tackle the genres of exotica and lounge, crushed into a joyful cacophonic mess. Longtime NWW friends Colin Potter and Matt Waldron also join in.
Blues, jazz, cop movies, bachelor pads, and TV show music are treated, discarded, then chopped up and recycled into a mix that contains tons of space but also overflows with dynamic tension, hilarious asides, sexually suggestive poetry, and a certain rock & roll abandon. It's a very surprising album for long-time fans, like a soundtrack that could accompany a David Lynch film.
It's brilliant, exasperating, hilarious, and dark enough to earn a spot in any collection that appreciates a bit of weirdness and eccentricity.
Huffin' Rag Blues incorporates more familiar musical elements—including live-played instruments, rhythm, and vocals—than nearly any other Nurse With Wound album to date. As always, the album's main focus is to create environments for lucid dreaming rather than music per se.
TC.KYLIE x The Hourglass brings dynamic jazz fusion music from her debut album, integrating Hong Kong, Japanese and British cultures. Kylie leads her band dynamically on stage playing keyboard and synth keytar, iconic in Japanese jazz rock & highly memorable to watch.TC.KYLIE, a jazz fusion pianist, performs regularly in both Hong Kong and London. Inspired by the likes of Shaun Martin and Robert Glasper, she also continues to write songs in the areas of Japanese acid jazz, following Fox Capture Plan, Jabberloop, Toconoma, Jizue and Bohemianvoodoo. Prior to becoming a performing artist, Kylie previously worked as a news documentary journalist for radio and TV networks in Hong Kong, She spent much of her time connecting human stories and investigating the connections between people and society which was inspiring and enlightening but also often heavy and difficult within increasingly tricky political landscapes unfolding around her.
Under the changing social environment in her hometown and with the hit of the pandemic, she decided to take an indefinite well-earned break in 2020 to take care of her own well-being & passions. During a stay at a jazz cafe and hostel in Lake Towada in Aomori, Japan, encouraged by the hostel owner as a jazz enthusiast; Kylie sat in front of the piano, contemplated and played scattered notes to express what she had been enduring during her time as a political/social reporter.
Finding herself joyfully picking up music in her life again after years of leaving it behind, she wrote the song "The Last Grief" a tribute to one of her deepest sorrows and in remembrance of her best friend in childhood who battled heavily with depression. This song went on to be an official selection for the International Toronto Music Video Festival as well as the Toronto Asian Independent Film Festival in 2023.
Formed in Oakland just before the pandemic's onset in late 2019, SPY has built on the foundation of bands like Bad Brains and Poison Idea rather than following the current wave of metallic hardcore. They’re set to unleash their latest EP, Seen Enough, on Closed Casket Activities, out February 21. No song on Seen Enough ever overstays its welcome, instead embodying what makes hardcore frenetic. Burning through six songs in under ten minutes, every track is a testament to the energy the band has built up through relentless touring. SPY worked with Jack Shirley at Oakland's Atomic Garden to record the EP. Shirley captured their essence by recording live to tape, eschewing the modern practice of individual tracking in favor of a more immediate, visceral approach that better represents their explosive live show. That in-room chemistry is immediately apparent – songs like "Stay In Your Lane" maintain the texture and grit you'd get at a show in between every huge riff. Seen Enough doesn't hide what it's about: society's continued descent with diminishing hope for course correction. From the jump, SPY has followed in the lineage of Bay Area punks like Dead Kennedys and Ceremony in both attitude and awareness. Their latest offering maintains the critical edge of their earlier material while expanding their lyrical scope, delivering a streamlined punch that hits hard through its runtime. By staying true to themselves, SPY has carved out their own niche in the modern hardcore landscape. After touring with legends and contemporaries alike including Gel, Full of Hell, Ceremony, Municipal Waste, Sunami and playing basically every fest worth caring about including Sound and Fury, Outbreak, Sick New World and LDB, 2025 is set to be a monstrous year for SPY.
It has been over a decade since Anthony Mills created Wildcookie, his most celebrated project. With tracks like Heroine and Serious Drug, the album Cookie Dough gained worldwide recognition, landing on numerous radio playlists, including Gilles Peterson’s show. Even after all these years, it remains a favorite on streaming platforms. Now, fourteen years later, Mills returns, teaming up with Marek “Latarnik” Pędziwiatr to create Crack Rock—a bold evolution of Wildcookie’s legacy.
While Wildcookie’s signature warm, jazzy Fender Rhodes sound defined its identity, Crack Rock shifts toward 1980s-inspired compositions crafted by Pędziwiatr, known for his work with EABS, Błoto, and Zima Stulecia. The duo explored yacht rock, drawing inspiration from Fleetwood Mac and Michael McDonald, maintaining the genre’s clean vocals and catchy melodies. However, their experimental spirit pushed the sound further, distorting the polished yacht rock aesthetic—leading to Crack Rock, a clever wordplay reflecting both the music and its themes.
Anthony Mills is known for layered wordplay, and the album’s name nods to deeper personal struggles. “I listened to the song Crack on repeat—it brought me to tears. Growing up in the crack era was painful. The PTSD I endured is now a powerful source of inspiration.” This raw emotional backdrop adds an edge to Crack Rock’s themes of love and human relationships—what Mills calls “cold love”: alluring, grand, yet ultimately destructive. Like an addiction, you keep coming back for more.
This idea of addiction shapes the duo’s sonic exploration—beneath the catchy melodies lie deeper, pain-laden themes wrapped in metaphor. “I see this album as therapy, a testament to the magic we create in the studio,” says Pędziwiatr. “Our process is a mix of musical mastery and deep conversations about life. For me, it feels like soul cleansing.
Iconic British band McFly are celebrating their 21st anniversary with the
release of a special live album, marking over two decades of musical success
This landmark release, recorded at the McFly 21 Show at the London O2 Arena, parts
of which was recently broadcast on ITV, offers fans a unique opportunity to
experience the band's journey through their most beloved songs.
The album serves as a time capsule of McFly's evolution, blending their infectious
pop-rock sound with deeper, more mature moments. The tracklisting is packed with
crowd favourites, from early hits like "I Wanna Hold You" and "Bubblewrap" to later
tracks such as "Shine A Light" and "The Heart Never Lies." The band's musical range is
on full display, with upbeat tracks like "Broccoli" and "Party Girl," as well as
introspective songs like "Memory Lane" and "Forever's Not Enough." The anniversary
collection also includes the powerful "Transylvania" and fan-favourites like "Red" and
"I've Got You," showcasing McFly's versatility and timeless appeal.
The ITV broadcast and physical release offer an opportunity for fans to relive McFly's
greatest moments, both on stage and in the studio. This anniversary album is a
celebration of McFly's lasting legacy and their continued relevance in the pop music
world. With an impressive tracklist and the stunning ITV broadcast, this milestone
release is not to be missed.
On their latest album, XIXA leave the sunbaked desert behind, taking listeners on a journey through the underworld. Diving into the richness of folklore, Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan, who share XIXA’s songwriting, lead vocals and lead guitars, expand on their mystic, psychedelic rock, reaching more into their Latin influences to create a musical and lyrical narrative for XOLO, an album exploring both a mythic journey and what messages it might have for today. XOLO (in both band name and album title, the x is pronounced like ch) refers to the breed of Mexican hairless dog, Xoloitzcuintli. In Mayan and Aztec cultures, these dogs were held sacred and believed to have been guides through the underworld, Mictlán. The record loosely tells the story of a young girl, Arcoiris, who is guided through all nine levels of Mictlán by her sacred protector, El Xolo. The songs represent the various encounters El Xolo and Arcoiris experience while finding their way through a land of mystery and shadow. In a way, the idea of a Xolo-themed record pre-dates the band itself.
Seit mehr als einem Vierteljahrhundert lärmt sich Sänger und Gitarrist Harry Armstrong in verschiedenen Bands durch die britische Musikszene: ORANGE GOBLIN, DECOMPOSED, HANGNAIL, END OF LEVEL BOSS, THE WINCHESTER CLUB, EARLS OF MARS, BLIND RIVER_um nur einige zu nennen. Am 21. März 2025 folgt nun endlich das langersehnte zweite Album von NOISEPICKER auf Exile On Mainstream. Nach dem 2018 veröffentlichten Erstling war es zwar nicht wirklich ruhig geworden um die Zweimann-Band mit Kieran Murphy (u.a. COLD COMFORTS, PAIGE KENNEDY), verschiedene Verpflichtungen wie z.B. der extensive Tour-Schedule von Orange Goblin, ließen wenig Zeit für Studioaufnahmen. Doch nun ist es soweit. Nachdem NOISEPICKER auf dem EOM25-Festival im Mai 2024 bereits erste neue Songs vorstellten, ging es kurz danach ins Studio. The Earth Will Swallow The Sun ist das Ergebnis und überrascht mit einem Sound, den Peace Off 2018 bereits vorwegnahm, der aber nun zu voller Blüte gereift ist. Auf der Basis von Blues und Noise erschaffen Noisepicker etwas völlig eigenständiges, mit deutlichen akustischen Verweisen an Tom Waits ebenso wie an The Jesus Lizard. Inhaltlich ist das Album eine Abrechnung mit politischen und gesellschaftlichen Themen, die uns aktuell beschäftigen und die Ohnmacht, unterdrückte Wut ebenso illustrieren wie die Möglichkeit eines Ausbrechens, ohne in blinden Aktionismus zu verfallen. Hier ist nichts poliert, perfekt oder konstruiert. Stattdessen sind NOISEPICKER laut, authentisch und ständig im Wandel, beeinflusst von allem, was Doom, Punk und Blues ist. Und diese Herangehensweise kanalisieren sie in Songs, die emotional, catchy und einzigartig sind.
Cornflake Zoo was one of many untamed garage rock bands that burst out of Sweden in the wake of The Nomads. Their debut single, Hey Conductor, dropped in 1985 on the legendary Tracks On Wax label – the same stomping ground as the early days of The Creeps. With fuzzed-out guitars, a swirling Farfisa organ, and raw energy, they tore through the scene, releasing an EP, another single, and making stellar appearances on international garage rock compilations. But by the time they pulled the plug in 1990, their sound had transformed from ragged, riff-heavy garage rock to shimmering, melodic wimp-pop. And every note they played was pure magic. Now, we’re thrilled to announce the release of the ultimate Cornflake Zoo compilation, Knights Of Fuzz! This collection captures all their released tracks and throws in a few bonus tracks for good measure. It’s time to unearth Haninge’s best-kept secret and experience the sounds of a band that truly deserved to conquer the world. Set for release April 2205.
Reinventing himself as a vocalist on his new album 'Silver Blue', Pomrad fuses 80s fusion funk, raw electro-dance, and 90s rave grooves to craft his unique style of cosmic crooners. For Fans of Prince, Hudson Mohawke and Herbie Hancock.
Drawing inspiration from a wide range of genres, the record pays homage to the iconic African American productions of the '80s-such as Prince, One Way, the Gap Band, and Whitney Houston-while also nodding to UK-styled genres like Street Soul (The Antipode), '90s R&B (Is It True) or even grotesque 2-step (Sad Dancer).
Throughout the album, layered synth textures from instruments like the Yamaha DX7, RolandD-50, Simmons SD-5, and Korg Opsix create otherworldly atmospheres (Silver Blue), as tracks swing from the playful funk naivety of an '80s TV show intro (How It Feels) to corny synth ballads (Sweet Dear Lucky) or happy clapping turned hardstyle (Suzy Got Lost).
Pomrad wrote the songs over the past few years in his home studio in the Antwerp area. After a seven-year hiatus, following his collaboration with Onra, he returns as a fearless singer and storyteller with a distinctly Belgian surrealist flair.
As the leader of new outfit Sarter Kit, saxophonist Tara Sarter is creating a unique form of minimal, experimental jazz drawing on humanist principles and shared experiences. Her uncluttered and emotionally heavy debut album 'What I am and What I'm Not' creates an open, instrumental soundworld, where breaks and silences command equal gravitas as the notes and beats.
The masterful drumming of Lukas Akintaya dances between oblique patterns in odd meters, into rolling grooves and afrobeat inspired rhythms. On keys and synth, Elias Stemeseder creates tension and releases, with lingering chords and fragile melodies. Stemeseder's synthesizer work throughout the album is subtle yet masterful. Stalking the silence between the sax, drums and piano, creating a haze of digital textures within the margins of the music. Much of the album was recorded live, preserving the raw, unedited energy of their performances.
Beyond its musical qualities, 'What I am and What I'm Not' is a reflection of Sarter's belief in the power of music as a form of human connection. For Sarter, music is not about proving technical prowess but about creating something meaningful, something that transcends barriers and speaks to the shared experience of being human.
With Helldorado, the third installment of SPIRITWORLD’s death-western trifecta, chief hombre Stu Folsom and his rhinestone- encrusted, Stetson-wearin' wrecking crew take you deeper into a world where the hot desert sun beats down on a singular vision of the American West as a gateway to hell. “It’s a different album than the past two,” says Folsom of the thematic and sonic journey that began with the Las Vegas band’s 2020 Pagan Rhythms LP and continued with 2022’s Deathwestern. From the honky-tonk swing of opener "Abilene Grime" to the Slayer-worthy riffing of "No Vacancy in Heaven" and the unforgettable "Oblivion" (which features members of Black Braid and Rise Against), SPIRITWORLD's story rides on with this latest offering, blasting Mojave-born bloodlust and stomping tomahawk riffs while charging straight into a sonic vision of macabre Americana.
Divergence and Declaration is the second album by San Francisco Bay Area Darkwave duo Vague Lanes. The album features their signature two-bass configuration, with Mike Cadoo (Gridlock) handling the melodic six-string duties. At the same time, Badger McInnes (Here We Burn) propels the music forward with his low-end four-string.
The album opener, "Heptahedron", also features drums by Martin Atkins (P.I.L., Ministry, Killing Joke). The album's title eludes to the refinement and solidification of Vague Lane's manifesto, and by utilizing a more expanded pallet than their debut album Foundation and Divergence, the duo displays confidence in their creative trajectory and the overall substance of their musical voice.
Don McLean's The Western Album is a 1973 release blends folk, rock, and country influences. The album features McLean's storytelling style, exploring themes like love, loss, and Americana, with a focus on Western imagery. It includes tracks like "The Good Old American Dream" and "The Legend of Andrew McCrew. The Western album remains notable for its introspective lyrics and rich sound.