The Origins of Power Pop.
Remastered and pressed on Gold Vinyl. Includes printed inner sleeve.
In these songs you’ll find the DNA of The Direct Hits. Although very Elvis Costello like in both style and vocal delivery, these early recordings, dating from 1979 show a remarkable pop sensibility that had come on leaps and bounds since the release of the band’s first single, the now highly sought after ‘Fashion Plague’ b/w ‘Cheam’ released a year prior to these being recorded. Songs like ‘We broke up today’ have all the hallmarks of classic merseybeat, while out and out power pop like ‘Holiday Shots’ and ‘Fool to fall in love’ encapsulate perfectly the sheer exuberance of the genre.
More than a few steps ahead of several of their contemporaries, the band’s built in tunesmiths Buckmaster and Swan were writing catchy songs that carried a powerful punch performed with the energy and excitement of the period. The Exits left behind a wonderful set of recordings that are worthy of a comprehensive vinyl retrospective release,
These recordings first saw the light of day on a CD only release back in 2007 when Cherry Red released the CD ‘The Legendary Lost Exits album’ through its Rev-Ola offshoot. Reportedly the band members were disappointed with the overall mix on the finished release for being a little Lo-Fi . There are no such issues with this specially remastered version for vinyl. The tracks sound fresh, punchy and full of annoyingly great hooks! We are delighted to bring you yet another great addition to our catalogue of long since undisturbed sleeping giants, the Exits, and their Legendary Lost album!
HAVEN are back and charging in to the beginning of the year with a new catalogue number and compilation series. 'Vague Weight Vol. 1' launches the black label series that will be focused on the intersection of grime, dubstep, break-beat and other UK bass flavours with the hard and gritty techno sounds the label has become renowned for.
The A1 thrusts us straight in to this sonic world with an icy 4-4 slammer from Otautahi local legend and 1985 signee Ebb. Grimy cold square waves, gun reloads and some of the chunkiest drum programming in the South Pacific come together in this perfect representation of what the black label series is about. The A2 follows on with this theme with a huge bassy dance-floor anthem from London-based Irish artist Witch Trials featuring ghostly melodic hooks, creeping atmospheres and stepping rhythms to close out the A-side.
The B1 begins the flip with UK hardcore stylings from Voitax regular and bass experimentalist Cressida. Broken beats, monstrous bass pulses, faded rave synths and diva vocals combine in this huge slab of break-beat weight from the Berlin-based producer. Finally the compilation closes with an odd-ball chunk of 4-4 dub experimentation from Swedish HAVEN legend Peder Mannerfelt, following on from 2020's 'Ensnared' EP. Four-to-the-floor kicks flow alongside half-time rhythms and grungy synth work to close out this new chapter in the HAVEN discography.
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Released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series celebrating 70 years of Contemporary Records, Saxophonist Art Pepper’s first album “Meets The Rhythm Section” features Pepper’s legendary sessions with the East Coast rhythm section for Miles Davis’s quintet. Originally released in 1957 and recorded by legendary engineer Roy DuNann this new edition features ALL-ANALOG mastering from the original analog tapes by Bernie Grundman. It is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP and presented in a tip-on jacket.
Inspired by the likes of old-school legends including Venom, Kreator, Sabbat JPN & Metallica, James McBain formed Hellripper in 2014, showcasing an electrifying brand of blackened thrash. Building on the already impressive foundations laid by their early EP & split releases, the first full-length album, Coagulating Darkness',
was released in 2017 to media acclaim, with the UK's Metal Hammer hailing Hellripper as Scotland's King of the arcane mosh & the band receiving notable attention throughout Europe & the US. This was followed by the Black Arts & Alchemy' EP, before an eventual deal was inked with Peaceville Records, resulting in the masterful The Affair Of The Poisons', further propelling the band to the forefront of the UK metal scene. Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags' - Hellripper's third studio album - establishes a new threshold of excellence & raises the bar further over The Affair Of The Poisons', with an opus standing at the crossroads between the sound that Hellripper has become known for & a whirlwind of different influences up until now yet to be explored, resulting in James McBain's most personal & diverse
work to date. With a greatly expanded scope to the tracks, incorporating more epic & melodic blackened anthems alongside the high- speed metal attack & blistering solos, Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags' marks a new highpoint for the band. Inspired by the landscapes & legends of the Scottish highlands, McBain explores the darker side of Scottish history & folklore - the title itself taken from a
line in the Robert Burns poem,Address to the Deil' - as well as including references to clan culture (including his own) throughout the album. For example, one of the tracks ( The Cursed Carrion Crown') is based on the legend of Sawney
Bean' & the Bean Clan (a spelling variation of McBain'') & tells the story of a family of cannibals that lived in a cave & committed various gruesome acts. As always, the writing & recording process was carried out by James McBain himself, with a few guests offering contributions in the form of additional vocals & instrumental
parts. With recording taking place between March 2021 & June 2022, the album was also mixed by McBain & mastered by Damian Herring at Subterranean Watchtower Studios. The suitably sinister & ominous artwork appears courtesy of Adam Burke. Hellripper will be embarking upon a series of shows in support of the album throughout 2023.
Canto Ostinato is the new volume of classical minimalism from musician and producer Erik Hall. Written for four pianos in 1979 by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt, the piece is freshly framed as an intimate, hour-long solo performance consisting of multitracked grand pianos, electric piano, and organ. Modern yet warm, ethereal yet tangible, Hall's Canto Ostinato expertly bridges a revered piece of meditative concert repertoire with a tactile and highly personal studio setting. Chicago-born and Michigan-based, Erik Hall is known as a multi-instrumental pillar for the groups NOMO, Wild Belle, and his own songwriting moniker In Tall Buildings. He has composed music for feature films, and as a producer/engineer he has shaped records for Natalie Bergman and Western Vinyl labelmates Lean Year. In a 2020 creative pivot, he chose to reinvent composer Steve Reich's monumental contemporary classical masterpiece Music for 18 Musicians as a solo undertaking, applying the piece's score to the familiar keyboards, guitars, and synthesizers in his studio. "At the time I think I was working through my identity as a musician and an artist," Hall explains, "and on a level there was some sort of exorcism of a long held pop spirit." The album was celebrated for being "freshly thrilling" and "legible in history but assertive of the moment" (Pitchfork) and "beguiling, meditational, and magical" (Electronic Sound). It won the 2021 Libera Award for Best Classical Record, and it quickly joined the canon of the piece's quintessential recordings. "There is a pseudo-meditational benefit to working on a longform piece that's built on repetition," Hall says. "Every stage- from internalizing the music, to executing the performance, to editing and mixing the record- requires deep and sustained presence of mind. I've always been drawn to a hallucinatory combination of harmony and repetition, and I found the entire process addictive." An apt second chapter, Canto Ostinato is inherently vast, and its score gives great creative license to the performer. Comprising 106 sections, complete freedom is given to repeat each one as many or as few times as desired. Additional leeway is given with regard to dynamics, articulation, and even instrumentation. On the heels of his previous, rather maximal arrangement, Hall chose to limit this album's palette to three foundational keyboards of his studio: a 1962 Hammond M-101 organ, a 1978 Rhodes Mark I electric piano, and his family-heirloom 1910 Steinway grand piano. "This particular piece brought the added challenge of rekindling my dexterity as a pianist, something I haven't maintained in earnest since I was a teenager," he admits. The ensuing five-note rhythmic motif- the piece's primary building block- is steady and workmanlike, forgoing virtuosic flare for depth, texture, and resonance, and eventually giving way to the stunning gratification of a gorgeously lyrical left turn. As with Music for 18 Musicians, Hall employed no loops nor quantization nor any programmed or sequenced instruments of any kind. Every part was performed live in a room and captured with microphones, one at a time, each informed by, and reacting to the last. In this way the record breathes with interplay and an organic humanity, complete with flaws, noise, and the faint sound of turning pages. The recording quality is nonetheless toneful and saturated, characteristic of Hall's production style and straying from the usual transparency of classical albums by using gear with tubes, transformers, and various stages of compression in the signal path. Always there is unmistakable realism and the feeling of being present in the room, sitting among the keys, hammers, and tines. Ten Holt said: "Time, patience and discipline are the prerequisites for making a genetic code productive." His landmark composition provides Hall once again with a wondrous space in which to reverently embody this sentiment and deftly convey the elegant beauty of this music.
Futurismo present their new anthology series: Altered Vision, beginning with SUBURBAN ANNIHILATION The California Hardcore Explosion / From The City To The Beach: 1978-1983.
This aggressive collection draws from California’s rich history of punk, more specifically hardcore: a new sound that eschewed melody for intensity, a sound that took punk harder and faster, a sound intrinsically American. Whilst hardcore was also burning over on the East Coast, it was in California that it had ignited and sprawled, a sonic punch in the face that raged socio-political disdain and total abandonment for commercialism, fuelled by a crumbling American Dream and the collapse of family values.
Suburban Annihilation takes you from the major cities, to the coastal towns, to the SoCal suburbs, showcasing some the most important bands of the West Coast. Blasting off with the Adolescents ‘I Hate Children’, it heads from the year zero of Middle Class’s ‘Out Of Vogue’ to the surf punk of Agent Orange’s ‘Bloodstains’, from the blues tinged outlaw of The Gun Club’s ‘She’s Like Heroin to Me’ to the classic anti-anthems: ‘Live Fast Die Young’ by the Circle Jerks, lifted from their seminal Group Sex album, and the hardcore staple ‘California ÜberAlles’ by the Dead Kennedys. Also present are so many other bands integral to the era: T.S.O.L, Wasted Youth, Germs, Social Distortion, Suicidal Tendencies, Negative Trend, Flipper and many more.
Though the music was designed to repel, this historical document has been lovingly designed to remind us that this genre created some of the most immediate and acutely-realised music ever produced. Making this collection of choice cuts essential for long-time fans of hardcore and punk, just as those new and inquisitive about one of the most angry and pissed off genres to have given birth in America.
This 2xLP comes in a choice of limited edition coloured vinyl, it has a tracklist co-curated by Henry Rollins, it contains liner notes by Lisa Fancher of Frontier, a bio by award winning author Benjamin Myers, and contains a booklet featuring an array of images by the legendary punk photographer Edward Colver.
Orlando Voorn is back on Heist after his 2022 ‘Heist mastercuts’ EP and comes in with a heavy dose of soulful machine funk. ‘Heist mastercuts part 2’ has the techno & house veteran showing his eclectic style with the vocal cut ‘Soundsystem’, Midwest inspired sample jam ‘High’ and his Boo Williams collaborative drum workout ‘909’.
On the first Heist mastercuts, Orlando dove deep into his archives and presented a collection of old and new tracks, showing us that his music has aged well and reminding us that he’s a producer still on the top of his game. He kept busy in 2022 with releases on our own label Transient Nature, Kompakt, a handful of Bandcamp only tracks, and a self-released album. Somehow, he found the time to work on his follow up ep on Heist and managed to completely blow us away with the music.
The EP kicks off with Soundsystem: a masterclass in simplicity. A steady and minimalistic groove guides you through the track, where silky vocals and woozy chords take you on a trip through Orlando’s sonic universe. Orlando moves into freak mode with a trippy lead and dubbed-out keys to add some playfulness to an already outstanding track.
‘High’ is Orlando’s take on what could easily be an old Andrés track. Here, he samples a female vocal (I get high, I get high, I get high), and cleverly adds his own vocals to add depth and originality to the track. The percussion on high grooves in an effortless way and underlines the feel of this track: It’s fun, cool and incredibly funky. There’s a bit of Dam Swindle sauce on the mix to make sure this track hits the right spot on any dancefloor.
On the flip, there’s ‘Day by day’: A classic Orlando Voorn cut with a live bassline, plenty of chopped samples and a Rhodes loop that could have come straight from a B-roll of a ‘First Choice’ recording session. The b-side ends with a collab with Orlando’s close friend Emil and legendary Chicago producer Boo Williams. The producers take a monologue from Boo Williams about working the 909 and deliver a drum workout -yes with the 909- that keeps on building energy, showing exactly what Boo is talking about.
The digital package also includes an instrumental mix of Soundsytem and an alternative mix to 909, just for good measure. This is the first artist release in our 10 years of Heist anniversary year and this EP perfectly encapsulates the Heist Sound: varied, deep, soulful, and banging.
Yours sincerely,
Maarten & Lars
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Forty Below Records releases 'Weight of the World', the new album by
award-winning Blues and Roots musician Joe Louis Walker
A Blues Hall of Fame inductee and six- time Blues Music Award winner, NPR
described Walker as "a legendary boundary- pushing icon of modern blues." His
2015 release, 'Everyone Wants a Piece', was nominated for the Contemporary
Blues Grammy. In addition, Walker dueted with B.B. King on his Grammy Awardwinning Blues Summit album and played guitar on James Cotton's Grammywinning album 'Deep in the Blues'. Recorded with Producer Eric Corne (John
Mayall, Walter Trout, Sugaray Rayford), 'Weight of the World' showcases the depth
of Walker's influences and the prowess with which he commands different
genres; be it Soul, "The Weight of the World," "Is it a Matter of Time," "Don't Walk
Out That Door," Gospel, "Hello, it's the Blues," Funk, "Count Your Chickens," New
Orleans 2nd line, "Waking Up the Dead," Indie Blues "Root Down," Rock N Roll,
"Blue Mirror," Contemporary Blues, "Bed of Roses," or Jazz, "You Got Me Whipped."
It's a compelling album that displays a master at the height of his game. They say
Roots musicians age like fine wine, which certainly rings true with Walker. 'Weight
of the World' is a resounding statement and quite possibly the beginning of the
greatest chapter of a storied career
Forty Below Records releases 'Weight of the World', the new album by
award-winning Blues and Roots musician Joe Louis Walker
A Blues Hall of Fame inductee and six- time Blues Music Award winner, NPR
described Walker as "a legendary boundary- pushing icon of modern blues." His
2015 release, 'Everyone Wants a Piece', was nominated for the Contemporary
Blues Grammy. In addition, Walker dueted with B.B. King on his Grammy Awardwinning Blues Summit album and played guitar on James Cotton's Grammywinning album 'Deep in the Blues'. Recorded with Producer Eric Corne (John
Mayall, Walter Trout, Sugaray Rayford), 'Weight of the World' showcases the depth
of Walker's influences and the prowess with which he commands different
genres; be it Soul, "The Weight of the World," "Is it a Matter of Time," "Don't Walk
Out That Door," Gospel, "Hello, it's the Blues," Funk, "Count Your Chickens," New
Orleans 2nd line, "Waking Up the Dead," Indie Blues "Root Down," Rock N Roll,
"Blue Mirror," Contemporary Blues, "Bed of Roses," or Jazz, "You Got Me Whipped."
It's a compelling album that displays a master at the height of his game. They say
Roots musicians age like fine wine, which certainly rings true with Walker. 'Weight
of the World' is a resounding statement and quite possibly the beginning of the
greatest chapter of a storied career
Shpongle came to light 20 years ago, emerging from the burgeoning Trance music scene. Simon Posford aka Hallucinogen and Raja Ram aka The Infinity Project were already leading lights on the pioneering new sonic realms of Trance music.
The Shpongle sound was formed out of the desire to share another side of the psychedelic spectrum of music and in doing so established themselves as important innovators and arguably, inventors of genres we now know as PsyChill, Psybient, Psydub or Psybreaks.
Are you Shpongled? contains 7 tracks of epic audio adventure. Each one taking the listener on a journey, with sensurround sounds emerging from the caves of tribal reality. Across the globe, both seasoned aficionados and new sonic surfers alike take delight in the original worlds of sound explored by these visionary pioneers on their debut album which still takes pride of place in many collections.
The Shpongle sound planted sonic seeds in fertile imaginations across the world and over the past 2 decades their fanbase has grown exponentially, creating an unforgettable impression on the minds ear of all who listen. With a full live band to compliment their studio origins, Shpongle have been headlining large scale concerts and festivals across the globe, most notably two sell out shows at The Roundhouse London in 2009 and more recently their legendary performance at Red Rocks in Colorado where Shpongle performed to a sell out crowd of 1000. They have also completed numerous tours of the USA with stateside crowds showing huge love for the band and establishing a loyal following.
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A Detroit resident, William Odell Hughes is a much-loved street educated singer-songwriter and music composer. As a regular passenger riding to work on the Detroit East Side bus route in the early eighties, he met jazz pianist Pamela Wise who also rode the bus to work every day and who he noticed was always reading music. Pamela told him about saxophonist, clarinetist, and producer Wendell Harrison (founder of the legendary Tribe collective and a regular collaborator of Pamela Wise). She introduced Odell to Wendell, who was impressed with William’s compositions and felt that it would be a great project for release on his WenHa record label.
Hughes and Harrison began producing and recording the album to be called “Cruisin”featuring musical arrangements by both Wendell Harrison and Pamela Wise. This album (released in 1981) was the first recording for Hughes and the beginning of a long musical journey that continues to this day. Cruisin’ features an all-star line-up that includes Andrew Gibson (The Counts), Pamela Wise (Tribe) and award-winning Detroit Jazz icon Wendell Harrison…all doing their bit and making this a monster of an album!
William Odell Hughes’ debut album has all the best characteristics of an 80s album: it’s filled with funky playful beats and has excellent soulful honey-dipped vocals. On Cruisin’ the listener is treated to both mellow soul sounds and electrifying disco boogie (that’ll make even the shyest of club goers want to get up and dance) and Wendell Harrison’s instantly recognizable flute-playing and synth pads give the record a warm, relaxed groove. Prepare yourself for funky vibes, cool soothing feet-tapping rhythms, fantastic interplays on vocal tempos…all backed by a beautiful array of soulful synthesized and cosmic music.
References to universal awareness are plentiful throughout and the spirituality of The Tribe remains a constant undertone; a gentle reminder of WenHa’s roots. With a sound like this, it’s no wonder that this album has long been considered a grail for crate diggers around the world. All of the above makes this incredible record both timeless and as relevant today as it was back when it was initially released.
Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the first ever vinyl reissue of this rare funk & soul album (original copies go for large amounts on the second-hand market) originally released in 1981 on WenHa records. This unique record comes as a deluxe 180g vinyl edition (strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide) with obi strip. This vinyl edition also features the original photography by acclaimed British photographer Brian Smith known for his work with artists such as Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry and John Lee Hooker.
"During the recording of TOTALLY, we were having a blast and the music just kept rollin' out so we decided to also put together a tasty EP. Guests Mario Lalli on STÖNER Theme and Greg Hetson of Circle Jerks and Bad Religion on our version of the Motorhead/Pink Fairies classic City Kids makes this EP extra sweet. Jump in and let's BOOGIE TO BAJA! If the name Stöner seems a little on the nose, well_ it is. Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri, founding members of the stoner rock legend Kyuss, are joined again by drummer Ryan Güt (of Bjork's solo band) and they've got dibs on the thick and dusty swinging grooves, returning as Stöner with their sophomore release "totally_" Stöner's love for their early inspirations (bands like Blue Oyster Cult, Kiss, Ramones, Blue Cheer, Misfits, Black Flag, The Stooges, MC5) result in big, groovy, sunbaked riffs that can cruise low and slow but then floor it and run all the red lights. Live, this is a band about the magnetism between the players, the groove, the loose vibe and straight up badass rock and roll_ Stöner are masters of their trade. With "totally..." Stöner is in its true form, getting together and having fun. Stöner's world is a colorful joyride, heavy of rock but not of head. The record cranks with vibes of classic hard rock, heavy blues, desert rock and psych rock jams - things that come organically to this trio Stöner can't help but express an abundance of punk rock rawness and passion for real rock and roll swagger. With two records, "Live at Mojave" and "Stoners Rule" (available on Heavy Psych Sounds), the latest release "totally..." sees the band realizing the chemistry of these old friends developing a statement of pure rock and roll fun.
"During the recording of TOTALLY, we were having a blast and the music just kept rollin' out so we decided to also put together a tasty EP. Guests Mario Lalli on STÖNER Theme and Greg Hetson of Circle Jerks and Bad Religion on our version of the Motorhead/Pink Fairies classic City Kids makes this EP extra sweet. Jump in and let's BOOGIE TO BAJA! If the name Stöner seems a little on the nose, well_ it is. Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri, founding members of the stoner rock legend Kyuss, are joined again by drummer Ryan Güt (of Bjork's solo band) and they've got dibs on the thick and dusty swinging grooves, returning as Stöner with their sophomore release "totally_" Stöner's love for their early inspirations (bands like Blue Oyster Cult, Kiss, Ramones, Blue Cheer, Misfits, Black Flag, The Stooges, MC5) result in big, groovy, sunbaked riffs that can cruise low and slow but then floor it and run all the red lights. Live, this is a band about the magnetism between the players, the groove, the loose vibe and straight up badass rock and roll_ Stöner are masters of their trade. With "totally..." Stöner is in its true form, getting together and having fun. Stöner's world is a colorful joyride, heavy of rock but not of head. The record cranks with vibes of classic hard rock, heavy blues, desert rock and psych rock jams - things that come organically to this trio Stöner can't help but express an abundance of punk rock rawness and passion for real rock and roll swagger. With two records, "Live at Mojave" and "Stoners Rule" (available on Heavy Psych Sounds), the latest release "totally..." sees the band realizing the chemistry of these old friends developing a statement of pure rock and roll fun.
"During the recording of TOTALLY, we were having a blast and the music just kept rollin' out so we decided to also put together a tasty EP. Guests Mario Lalli on STÖNER Theme and Greg Hetson of Circle Jerks and Bad Religion on our version of the Motorhead/Pink Fairies classic City Kids makes this EP extra sweet. Jump in and let's BOOGIE TO BAJA! If the name Stöner seems a little on the nose, well_ it is. Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri, founding members of the stoner rock legend Kyuss, are joined again by drummer Ryan Güt (of Bjork's solo band) and they've got dibs on the thick and dusty swinging grooves, returning as Stöner with their sophomore release "totally_" Stöner's love for their early inspirations (bands like Blue Oyster Cult, Kiss, Ramones, Blue Cheer, Misfits, Black Flag, The Stooges, MC5) result in big, groovy, sunbaked riffs that can cruise low and slow but then floor it and run all the red lights. Live, this is a band about the magnetism between the players, the groove, the loose vibe and straight up badass rock and roll_ Stöner are masters of their trade. With "totally..." Stöner is in its true form, getting together and having fun. Stöner's world is a colorful joyride, heavy of rock but not of head. The record cranks with vibes of classic hard rock, heavy blues, desert rock and psych rock jams - things that come organically to this trio Stöner can't help but express an abundance of punk rock rawness and passion for real rock and roll swagger. With two records, "Live at Mojave" and "Stoners Rule" (available on Heavy Psych Sounds), the latest release "totally..." sees the band realizing the chemistry of these old friends developing a statement of pure rock and roll fun.
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The mighty International Chrome returns in 2023 with a stacked 12" that sets a blueprint for what to expect from the label over the coming months as it continues to discover the possibilities of where Electro and other club styles can go.
German producer/rapper/DJ, Sombi, steps up with her first vinyl release backed with remixes by legendary producers from three generations of club music: Yazzus, Jensen Interceptor, and dBridge, all of which view the original through different lenses.
In a rap with lyrics in her native tongue, the original mix sees Sombi extolling the virtues of discovering and accepting yourself, and the inner peace that comes from it.
The first remix comes from International Chrome's own Jensen Interceptor who hits us with an aquatic electro funk rewind echoing the Detroit bass pioneers whilst still sounding from a future oasis
UK legend, dBridge, follows this up with his "Surging Mix", discovering the hidden link between Drum & Bass and Detroit Electro and showing that even after 30 years he is still determined to take music to uncharted territory, never resting on his laurels.
Closing off the EP, the hottest young producer in dance music, Yazzus, ramps up the energy across the course of five minutes that return techno to its roots in afrofuturism.
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Originally given a digital-only, Bandcamp-only release back in the summer of 2016 RVDE's '90s Hammer' has become a sleeper hit, slowly but surely growing through word of mouth, YouTube plays and DJ support. Now Perc Trax has licensed it from its original home T/W/B, added two brand new remixes and given it the vinyl release it always deserved as the label's final release of 2019.
It all starts with the original mix, a whirlwind of heavy kicks, triplet synths and gangster shout-outs. Heavy music isn't often as hook laden as this and you can see why Perc has been a huge fan of the track since its original release.
Next up Perc Trax welcome's Slovakian legend DJ Boss to the label for the first time. Boss is already a hero to many Perc Trax artists including Sawf and Perc and as usual he doesn't disappoint with a sub-heavy rolling 4/4 mix.
Flip it over and up steps Perc for the second of the new remixes.
The Perc Trax boss pulls no punches as he adds gun shots and his trademark slicing snares to an explosive arrangement that has been a highlight of his sets around the world since summer.
Finally Anthro's excellent remix from the original T/W/B release completes this four track 12". The noisiest and grimiest of all the mixes on show here, it rounds off one of Perc Trax's most solid pieces of vinyl in a long time.
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After relocating from Nigeria to Hamburg in 2003, hip hop/soul singer and songwriter Nneka signed with Yo Mama’s Recording Company. Two years later, her debut album Victim Of Truth followed. Garnering rave reviews from the international media, the British Sunday Times declared it “the year’s most criminally overlooked album”, describing her as the legitimate successor to the legendary Lauryn Hill. The album features the popular tracks “The Uncomfortable Truth” and “Africans” amongst others.
Victim Of Truth is available on vinyl for the first time as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on gold swirled vinyl and includes a 4-page booklet with lyrics.
Almost immediately, Daniel instigated a near legendary run of new albums, releasing 10 full-length albums in the span of nearly the same number of weeks. Genre- spanning, astoundingly distinct artist achievements of an unprecedented order, these albums were originally released exclusively in digital only formats on
Bandcamp. They were direct and immediate missives from one of the most talented, prolific, ambitious, and exciting artists of his generation. We are thrilled to be releasing these albums now in very special limited-edition vinyl pressings. At the heights of ambition, Daniel Romano's Outfit deliver a wandering spell of
melodic backbone, accompanied by percussionist extraordinaire Danny Carey (of TOOL fame). Rising in union with the first pounding hearts of dawn, up and down the arcades of devotion and on through the sunset, where the earth-life fades, Forever Love's Fool is a single hard- edged, complex, multi- part epic (an approach the band
would later develop even further on 2022's stunning La Luna release). It is intricate, precise, energetic music tied to a progressive rock inspired universal vision. Onward into the furthest reaches of love eternal.
• Jah Cure is one of the best known and most loved singers in the reggae genre with multiple hits to his credit.
• His 2015 effort The Cure topped Billboard's Reggae Album Charts its debut week and earned Cure a Grammy nomination, thanks in part to a hit cover version of John Legend 's "All of Me." 2019's guest-heavy Royal Soldier also topped the same Billboard chart and featured contributions from Damien Marley, Junior Reid, Popcaan, Phyllisia Ross, and many more.
• David Jeffries, Rovi Now comes Undeniable, the eleven song collection that returns Jah Cure to his roots as a singer of love songs.
• The album features performances from Stonebwoy and newcomer Kaylan Arnold on the title track. ¨ Targeted digital advertising campaign will support album launch.
Die englische Rockband ASIA, die 1981 in London
gegründet wurde, verkaufte mehrfach Platin und gilt
weltweit als Superstars. "Heat Of The Moment", eine
riesige Soft-Rock-Hymne mit anhaltendem, weltweitem
Radioerfolg, ist ihr bestes und bekanntestes Stück, das in
über einem Dutzend Ländern die Top 40 erreichte. Diese
mitreißende Live-Show mit 18 Titeln von der Welttournee
zum 25-jährigen Jubiläum von Asia im Jahr 2007 zeigt die
neu formierte Originalbesetzung mit Sänger/Bassist John
Wetton von King Crimson, Gitarrist Steve Howe und
Keyboarder Geoff Downes von Yes und Schlagzeuger
Carl Palmer von Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Das Album
wurde am 8. März 2007 in der "Shinjuku Kosei Nenkin
Hall" in Tokio, Japan, aufgenommen und erscheint
erstmals auf Vinyl.
Das Booklet dieser neuen 3LP-Veröffentlichung enthält
seltene Fotos und Anmerkungen des bekannten
Asia-Autors Dave Gallant mit Originalzitaten der
Bandmitglieder. Das Cover-Artwork stammt von dem
legendären Designer Roger Dean, der alle Original-Cover
der Asia-Alben entworfen hat. "Fantasia" ist eine
beeindruckende Erinnerung an das majestätische
Vermächtnis dieser unglaublichen Band und an den
künstlerischen Werdegang der vier Originalmitglieder von
Asia. Dieses wegweisende Konzert ist ein unverzichtbares
Set
Repressed on vinyl. Ayalew Mesfin stands aside the likes of Mulatu Astake, Mahmoud Ahmed, Hailu Mergia and Alemayehu Eshete as a legend of 1970s Ethiopia. Mesfin’s music is some of the funkiest to arise from this unconquerable East African nation. Mesfin’s recording career, captured in nearly two dozen 7” singles and numerous reel-to-reel tapes, shows the strata of the most fertile decade in Ethiopia’s 20th century recording industry, when records were pressed constantly by both independent upstarts and corporate behemoths, even if they were only distributed within the confines of this East African nation. Though Mesfin was forced underground by the Derg regime that took control of Ethiopia in 1974, he has returned almost 50 years later with this triumphant set albums the first time that his music has been presented in this form. These albums give us a chance to discover a rare and beautiful moment in music history, in anthologies built from Mesfin’s uber-rare 7” single releases and from previously unreleased recordings taken from master tapes. Good Aderegechegn gives us a chance to discover a rare & beautiful moment in music history, in an anthology built from his uber-rare 7” single releases.
Limitierte Ausgabe des legendären Debütalbums von The Clash, dem einzigen "echten" Punkrock-Album in ihrer Diskografie, auf transparent-pinkfarbigem Vinyl zum "National Album Day" in Großbritannien. Enthält "Janie Jones", "I'm so bored with the USA", "Career Opportunities".Edition limitée en vinyle transparent pink du mythique premier album du Clash, le seul « vrai » album punk-rock de leur discographie, à l'occasion du « National Album Day » au Royaume Uni. Inclus "Janie Jones", "I'm so bored with the USA", "Career Opportunities".
Johnny Cash (* 26. Februar 1932) ist eine Legende der Musikgeschichte. Sein Tod am 12. September 2003 war ein Schock für viele Fans, obwohl er wenig überraschend kam. Seine hemmungslose Drogensucht und sein exzessiver Lebensstil in den Fünfzigern und Sechzigern, die erst durch die Liaison mit June Carter ein Ende fanden, waren allgemein bekannt. Dabei war Cash in erster Linie der größte und einflussreichste US-amerikanische Country-Sänger, und ein begnadeter Songschreiber dazu. Cashs Markenzeichen war neben seiner markanten Bassbariton-Stimme und seinen kritischen und unkonventionellen Texten der "Boom-Chicka-Boom"-Sound seiner Begleitband Tennessee Three, der an einen rollenden Zug erinnerte. Cashs musikalisches Spektrum reichte von Country, Gospel, Rockabilly, Blues, Folk und Pop bis hin zu dem von Rick Rubin ab Mitte der Neunziger kongenial in Szene gesetzten Alternative Country. Legendär sind seine Konzerte in den Gefängnissen Folsom und San Quentin Ende der Sechziger. Cash schrieb etwa 500 Songs, nahm rund 2500 Titel auf, verkaufte mehr als 50 Millionen Tonträger und wurde mit 13 Grammy Awards ausgezeichnet. Zudem trat Cash in einigen Filmen und Fernsehserien als Schauspieler auf.
Kampana debut for Brazilian edit maestro Bernardo Pinheiro.
The A-side sees him modernise a classic with dancefloor delicious effect, bringing a hypnotic mid-tempo disco groove.
The B-side is a deep dig of a totally unknown record. Bernardo turns it into a peak-time Brazilian disco house monster, with driving carnival percussion and infectious bassline and vocals. This was an unexpected surprise for the Kampana crew and will turn heads and twist legs on the dancefloor!
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As part of the legendary Canadian label Unidisc's ongoing 40th anniversary celebrations, Lime's 1983 HI-NRG masterpiece is back with a super-fresh 2021 re-rub from the one and only Tiga.
Husband and wife duo Lime (aka Denis & Denyse LePage) notched up tons of hits with their own unique brand of fast paced electronic disco and Italo leaning dance-floor bombs. 'Angel Eyes' was one such hit, a driving vocoder heavy synth fest with whiplash electronic drums and serious attitude to boot that can turn any discotheque into throbbing sweaty hysteria! Who else could lend their own style and flavour to such a momentous track but the man Tiga, whose darker edged and chopped up poppy remix takes 'Angel Eyes' into altogether different territory! Absolutely essential repress, beautifully presented by your friends over at Unidisc.
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Sound Of Smoke sind eine vierköpfige Psychedelic Soul- & Bluesrock Band aus Freiburg mit einem ordentlichen Vintagevibe. Die Bandmitgliedern um Frontfrau Isabelle Bapté schaffen es mit einem Mix aus Blues, Soul und Stonerrock auf eine Reise durch die Zeit mit zu nehmen, als Klänge a la Jefferson Airplane, Black Sabbath und Led Zeppelin in Ihren Bann zogen. Mit "Phases" veröffentlicht das Freiburger Psychedelic-, Soul- & Bluesrock Quartett kaum ein Jahr nach der Platte "Tales" ihre zweites Album über Tonzonen Records. In zahlreichen psychedelischen Jamsessions entstanden elf neue Songs, welche man im legendären Big Snuff Studio in Berlin aufnahm. Das Album wurde in einer 10-tägigen Session komplett analog mit der Technik aus den 60er & 70er Jahren auf Tonband von Szenen-Ikone Richard Behrens (Kadaver, Elder, Odd Couple, All Them Witches uvm.) aufgenommen. "Phases" überzeugt mit eingängigen Bluesrockriffs, orientalische Klängen, bis hin zu schwebenden, sphärischen Klangwelten aber auch Krautrock. Das Leitmotiv bleibt jedoch Isabelle Baptés versiertes Flötenspiel und ihre warme, individuelle Stimme, welche Grace Slick wieder aufleben lässt. Florian Kiefer, welcher den Titel "Reincarnation of Lemmy Kilmister" mit seinem markanten, grollendem Basssound (und Backenbart) für sich beansprucht, bildet mit Johannes Braunstein ein groovendes Fundament im Stile von John Bonham. Getreu dem Motto "Im just tryin to write the best guitar riff in history" wie schon einst Jimmy Page oder Richie Blackmore und einem Faible für Wildwestromantik, trägt Jens Stöver letztlich das gewisse Etwas zum "Sound Of Smoke" bei. Veredelt wurde "PHASES" danach noch mit Orgel- und Synthoverdubs von Isabelle und Florian. Sound Of Smoke freuen sich mit " Phases" ihr anspruchsvollstes Album einem großen Publikum präsentieren zu können.
“Dandelion” blooms a previously undiscovered and unknown sweet spot between 60’s psychedelia and 70’s power-pop, equally pastoral and street-wise, every note tuned to moving and astounding melody. “Dandelion” offers lush arrangements of unforgettable, legend-making songs, performed entirely by Daniel himself.
Hey! Listen to us, "Dark Heavy Metal" is what we scream!
Seid ihr bereit für DARK EMBRACEs neues Album "Dark Heavy Metal"? Es ist aggressiv und melodisch und besticht durch einzigartigen Gesang, beeindruckenden Gitarren, heftigen Drums und symphonische Klänge!
Es gibt keinen Zweifel daran, dass "Dark Heavy Metal" der perfekte Titel für das neue DARK EMBRACE Album ist.
Nachdem sie sowohl von Journalisten als auch von Fans in diverse Schubladen gesteckt wurden, handelt es sich hier nun mehr, als einen Albumnamen - es beschreibt perfekt den Stil der Band.
"Dark Heavy Metal" ist ein Metal-Manifest: Es ist aggressiv und melodisch, triumphal und überzeugend und kommt mit einzigartigem Gesang, beeindruckenden Gitarren, heftigen Drums und großen Symphonien daher.
Hey! Listen to us, "Dark Heavy Metal" is what we scream!
Seid ihr bereit für DARK EMBRACEs neues Album "Dark Heavy Metal"? Es ist aggressiv und melodisch und besticht durch einzigartigen Gesang, beeindruckenden Gitarren, heftigen Drums und symphonische Klänge!
Es gibt keinen Zweifel daran, dass "Dark Heavy Metal" der perfekte Titel für das neue DARK EMBRACE Album ist.
Nachdem sie sowohl von Journalisten als auch von Fans in diverse Schubladen gesteckt wurden, handelt es sich hier nun mehr, als einen Albumnamen - es beschreibt perfekt den Stil der Band.
"Dark Heavy Metal" ist ein Metal-Manifest: Es ist aggressiv und melodisch, triumphal und überzeugend und kommt mit einzigartigem Gesang, beeindruckenden Gitarren, heftigen Drums und großen Symphonien daher.
Neues Album auf Vinyl der legendären niederländischen Power Metal Band Martyr..1982-1987 erschienen zwei Alben und Songs auf einigen Compilations, die heute in der Metal-Szene als Kult gelten. Der Stil von Martyr war schon immer einzigartig, eine Freude für diejenigen, die starke Melodien, schnelle Riffs und ein hohes Maß an Technik lieben. Auf vielfachen Wunsch gab es seit 2006 erst Reunion Shows auf großen True Metal Festivals und zahlreiche Tourneen. Bei "Planet Metalhead" hat sich die Band entschlossen, zum reinen Heavy Metal zurückzukehren, für den die Band so bekannt ist. Mit dem 80er-Jahre-Vibe, Zwillingsgitarren, hämmernden Drums und Bass und dem fantastischen Gesang glänzt die Band auf diesem 10-Song-Album. Auch aufgrund einer starken Produktion von Schlagzeuger Rick Valcon ist dies eine höllische Metal-Platte und alles rund um dieses Album strahlt Heavy Metal aus, von Musik bis zu Songtiteln und vom Albumtitel bis zum Artwork. Es sollte kein Zweifel daran bestehen, wenn Fans oder Käufer das Album in die Hand nehmen, dass sie wissen, was sie erwartet: Ein musikalischer Planet des Pure Fucking Heavy Metal, auf dem wir alle eins sind und wo wir alle gerne sind. Willkommen bei Planet Metalhead.
Local Action is proud to present Cyclorama, the long-awaited debut album by Ariel Zetina.
A resident DJ at Chicago’s iconic Smartbar, a long-standing Discwoman family member and a key part of the city’s dance music and LGBTQ+ communities, Ariel has established herself as one of the most exciting electronic artists operating today - through releases such as 2020’s acclaimed MUAs at the End of the World and 2017’s Organism, and her meticulous approach to DJ mixes - as recently evidenced on Sestina, her 2020 contribution to Mixtape Club.
Written across 2021 and honed this Spring, Cyclorama is Ariel’s most impressive and all-encompassing work yet, showcasing her as a producer, vocalist and also curator, pulling together an ensemble cast of her peers in Chicago (Cae Monāe, Mia Arevalo, DANNN) and some of the most exciting names in contemporary club music (Violet, Bored Lord).
Conceptually, Cyclorama draws heavily from Ariel’s background as a theater writer and producer. Popularized in 19th century German theater, a cyclorama (or cyc) is a large curtain, placed on the back wall of the stage. This creates an illusion of extra depth in the background, and often is used to represent the sky. In Ariel’s words, “I imagine all the tracks on this as the lights and action projected onto the cyclorama. The whole album is like the cyc, a representation of the sky. Or an imagined sky. An imagined dancefloor. An imagined theatrical production.”
As well as drawing conceptually from Ariel’s background in theater, the album draws on a personal level from Ariel’s journey as a trans woman of color - most directly on Cyclorama’s three vocal tracks, ‘Gemstone’, ‘Slab of Meat’ and lead single ‘Have You Ever’.
On ‘Have You Ever’, Ariel collaborates with Cae Monāe, a dear friend and fellow trans woman of color. “‘Have you ever been with a girl like me before?’ and all the lyrics refers to the fear and anxiety that cis men who are attracted to trans women feel, and also any woman that doesn’t fit the mold of a stereotypical woman”, Ariel explains. “Cae and I - and many trans women - have been in so many situations where society tells cis men they cannot be with trans women and this explores that and gives power to all trans women in this situation. The techno reflects that, as well as the “Spell my name” section at the end, showing the true power of trans women.”
On ‘Slab of Meat’, Ariel delivers a hypnotic solo vocal performance that builds in intensity with each line (“I am treated like a slab of meat both emotionally and sexually sometimes, especially one left in the freezer on the back burner. Why did you bring this meat home from the market? For what? You’re wasting meat!”), while ‘Gemstone’, a collaboration with Mia Arevalo, continues the empowering themes of ‘Have You Ever’ in a different context:
“‘Gemstone’ is a call for trans women to take time with your transition because it will all happen eventually. As two girls who have started our transition almost a decade ago, I think we have both seen that we have always needed to take our time to take our time. Reminders not to rush or compare yourself to other girls. I love the metaphor of gemstone months representing different periods of transition. I’ve been so many different women in recent years, and I'm excited to continue my journey.”
It’s immediately followed by album closer ‘Tropical Depression’, the title of which is a reference to Ariel growing up with tropical depressions, storms and hurricanes affecting her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida as well as her family in Belize City:
“This track for me is about living day to day and continuing while dealing with my really intense clinical depression. The sample comes from “Why can’t you let me go?” but is supposed to be transformative and not necessarily legible. How we hold on to our trauma and depression like a protective shell. This is an attempt to deal with it in a different way.”
The Cyclorama album cover, directed by Dylan Bragassa, stars Ariel alongside Monāe and Arevalo in an imagined theater production. In Ariel’s words, “a theoretical performance starring only trans women of color - I wanted an ensemble shot to represent the ensemble nature of this album! Love how Dylan combines so many ideas to create a very unique image that asks so many questions.”
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V.I.V.E.K announces his second release on the self-named VIVEK label. Known for his cult label, SYSTEM MUSIC, this label focuses more on eclectic 140 bpm outside the realm of the dance floor.
The 4 track EP explores broken beat, ambience, melody and rhythm at 140, something that has been missing over the last few years within the genre. Colours is not only the EP title, but a reflection of the diversity of the tracks. Musicality sits at the heart of this with a nod to easy listening.
“The main focus of this release was to take me out of my musical comfort zone. I wanted to work with other musicians as well as push myself to inhabit new creative ideas.” - V.I.V.E.K
Whether it’s as an artist, label owner, a deep-drawing world-touring selector or system-building soundman behind some of London’s most important dances, V.I.V.E.K has an inherent drive to push things forward and contribute to the craft of music with serious attention to detail. A life-long frequency student dedicated to soundsystem culture, he has total respect for the heritage, value and rich variety of true music, an ability to totally arrest your full attention and imagination with his music... And has done so since he emerged in the early 2000s.
Musically pressed and blessed on key imprints such as his own System Music, Deep Medi, Tectonic and iconic reggae imprint Greensleeves, V.I.V.E.K’s creations are a crucial brew of bass styles encompassing everything from heavyweight bass hypnosis to flighty, steppy garage hybrids via sweet dub soul and all-out low-end pressure. His self-built custom soundsystem, SYSTEM, meanwhile, is a unique force of nature in UK bass music culture; the most prominent modern system to be established this decade, it’s a whole new chapter in the UK’s longstanding and illustrious history of barrier-breaking soundsystem communities. As such, it attracts committed fans from around the globe and selectors from across the system spectrum.
His label System Music has the same treasured, trusted status; not only as a source of legit never-to-be-repressed artefacts that prize the real value of music, but also as a key platform for encouraging forward-thinking, powerful system music from across the OG – freshmen continuum. Karma to Kromestar, Sleeper to SP:MC, LAS to Egoless: System Music’s celebration of bass music’s sonic scope and nurturing of talent and craft ensures its consistent buy-on-sight ranking.
Most importantly it’s as a selector that V.I.V.E.K’s position is the most vital. The selective tailor of rich, immersive and eclectic sessions, few DJs dig as deep, join the dots or draw for dubs quite like this West London operator. Accentuating his influence as a producer, engineer, dubsmith, label curator and system builder; his creative excursions as a DJ, both on the dancefloor and the airwaves as a broadcaster on the likes of Rinse FM, galvanise his status as one of the most respected, influential and singular artists who is driven by nothing but craftsmanship, unity and the sense of culture that UK bass music needs to thrive and inspire.
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Sublime Frequencies is honored to release the third LP from Baba Commandant and the Mandingo Band. Sonbonbela was recorded in the beginning of 2022 in the Republic of Burkina Faso. The group continue to hone their trademark fusion of Mandingue and afro-beat styles. The Mandingo Band are a hit machine, sculpting seven new tracks of near Beefheart/Magic Band dynamics, Fela inspired groovers dusted out in the Sahel zone, rather than the humidity and sweat of Lagos, creating one of the most original and propulsive musical statements to come from the contemporary West African cultural juggernaut. As with previous releases, the band features the legendary guitar pyrotechnics of Issouf Diabate, truly one of the greatest West African (or Earth for that matter) guitarists of the last forty years. The band is completed by a near bottomless barrel of artistry from the Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso musical talent pool. On bass guitar, Wendeyida Ouedraogo, on drums Abbas Kabore, and on percussion and balafon, Nickie Dembele. Leading the charge again is the captain himself, Mamadou Sanou on the Doso Ngoni featuring one of the most distinctive voices of the modern era. The opposite of the banal trends of auto-tune that have pervaded most of West African popular music, Baba’s voice still impresses with its gravel and grit, showcasing a range that is ancient and defiant in equal measure. This LP is a non-stop hit parade of afro-beat bangers destined to light dance floors and living rooms ablaze!!! This album is dedicated to the memory of Massimbo Taragna, the bass player extraordinaire who was an integral part of the Mandingo Band’s trance stun musical power. He passed away in early 2022. RIP TRACKLIST: Side A: CHASSER LES SACHETS, KAMELEBA, AFRO MANDINGO, SEMAYALA Sida B: SEREJUGU, SONBANBELA, WARIKO
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Die epische Rückkehr der Folk- und Pagan Metal Giganten HEIDEVOLK!
Fünf Jahre nach ihrem gefeiertem Longplayer „VUUR VAN VERZET“, kehrt das niederländische Folk Metal-Kollektiv HEIDEVOLK Anfang 2023 mit ihrem siebten Studioalbum über Napalm Records zurück,
und hält damit die heidnische Flamme mächtig am lodern!
Seit ihrem beeindruckenden 2005er-Debüt „De strijdlust is geboren“ eroberten HEIDEVOLK die Bühnen der Metal Szene im Sturm mit ihrer ganz eigenen, unwiderstehlichen Art von Folk und Pagan Metal. Doppelter, klarer männlicher Gesang in eingängigen Songs, traditionelle Instrumente und furiose Metal Riffs, angeheizt von folkloristischen Feuer und heidnischen Stolz, laden HEIDEVOLK mit ihrem kompromisslosen Sound auf ein musikalisches Abenteuer der
ganz besonderen Art.
Ihr neues Meisterwerk „WEDERKEER“ macht da keine Ausnahme und beweist, warum der Arnheimer Fünfer zu einer der besten, unangefochtesten und aufregendsten Bands ihres Genres und darüber hinaus gehört!
In einer Welt voller Mythen, Natur und Legenden der Veluwe in den Niederlanden, ist das neueste Konzeptalbum eine Odyssee an das Selbst, stets tief verwurzelt im Metal und der Folklore. „WEDERKEER“ (Rückkehr) erinnert daran, sich auch mal eine Pause von allen Medien zu gönnen und nach innen zu schauen, um herauszufinden, wer wir sind, was uns antreibt, was unsere Werte sind, was wir bisher vom
Leben gelernt haben?
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Malmo Traxx is back with a Limited edition solo EP from Malmo legend Somoah. A five-tracker with heavy techno-electro club tools from up North. Wet haunting electro bass lines, atmospheric deep pads and trippy trance textures. 300 copies, no repress. Do not miss!
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Blackploid has become one of Central Processing Unit's stalwarts in the past couple of years. Martin Matiske's project contributed a trio of EPs to the Sheffield label across 2021 and 2022, with each of them showing off the kind of electro chops and production sensibilities that made Blackploid an ideal fit for an imprint which also boasts the likes of Cygnus, Silicon Scally and Bochum Welt among its catalogue.
Now, for CPU's first release of 2023, Matiske levels things up with the debut Blackploid LPEnter Universe. Across these twelve tracks, Matiske leaves us in no doubt that he's a prime mover in the world of modern electronic music.Enter Universedoes not let up from start to finish, delivering a dozen pieces of leftfield electro that draws from the sound's greats while also showcasing an unpredictability and flair that is all of Blackploid's own.
The tone is set from the first frosty chords of opening cut 'Pulsation'. The track traverses the starscape on pitter-patter drums and chirruping synths, a lively and slightly dystopian roller with an adventurous undercurrent reminiscent of classic Rephlex drops. It's a style which Blackploid often draws for throughout the rest ofEnter Universe, albeit with elements added or subtracted at each stage.
Indeed, this album features some of the most unusual production you will hear on any record this year. While the grooves pulse away in a manner reminiscent of Drexciya or Legowelt, Blackploid layers the mixes with a whole cornucopia of synth tones. 'The Mission' boasts a bleep-bloop breakdown that sounds like malfunctioning rotary telephones; 'Silent Room' is a ghoulish jam which harks back to Warp's legendary Artificial Intelligence compilations; 'Automatik' and 'Wormhole' are defined by some brilliantly strange low-ends - you'll be thinking of Mr. Oizo's 'Flat Beat' with the wiggly former, while the gurgling, writhing anti-lead that dictates 'Wormhole' is oddly thrilling and more than befits the track's title.
This inventive approach is also apparent in some of the structural choices onEnter Universe. While the tracks here all keep a steady, dancefloor friendly pulse, several of them surprise you by switching up the approach after a minute or two. 'Pulsation', 'Automatik' and 'The Mission' all feature moments where a new element - extra hi-hats, a synth line entering from leftfield - inject fresh impetus into the tune to keep the listener on their toes.
Blackploid may push the sonic envelope onEnter Universe, but this does not mean there is no room for melody. In particular, the cuts here which most strongly channel 'Computer World'-era Kraftwerk do so by fronting some slyly tuneful work, particularly in the low end of the mix. 'Unidentified' serves up delightfully springy chords, 'Cell Mutation' leads from the bassline, and 'Space Curve' features little cells of melody and counter-melody working together to closeEnter Universeout on a high.
Blackploid's debut LP Enter Universe marries Drexciyan electro and Warp-school electronica with some brilliantly inventive production choices.
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Wax Tailor announces the release of his new album "Fishing For Accidents" on February 10th, 2023, accompanied by a new international tour.
"The starting point of this record is a quote from the film director Orson Welles, which evokes the notion of accident in the creative process. I always thought that accidents were an integral part of creation and the job of a film or music director is also to know how to capture them in order to make the accident an artistic intention. I decided not to follow a well established concept but this more instinctive guideline and to go fishing for accidents".
In this new opus, Wax Tailor explores with his sampler a world of vinyls and cinematographic references, brandishing as a flag a stamped musical culture and multiplying references to the 7th art in a music written in 33 rpm and 24 images seconds. After the dark "The Shadow Of Their Suns" released in 2021, Wax Tailor takes us with "Fishing For Accidents", on a brighter and more colorful side without ever betraying his universe and his convictions.
A multi-recidivist talent scout, he gathers around him a prestigious cast ranging from hip hop (Mick Jenkins, Mr. Lif, Kuf Knotz, Lojii, Napoleon Da Legend, Ill Conscious, Voice Monet, David Bars, Mattic) to the indie rock scene (Jennifer Charles, singer of the legendary band Elysian Fields and Victoria Bigelow).
With one eye on the past and the other on the horizon, Wax Tailor instills the incandescence of an organic sound and distills his art of sound anachronism in a wide gap between nostalgia and modernity that has made him one of the leaders of the international electro hip hop scene for over 20 years.
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Joe Lewandowski is back on skylax records after the 2020 release of his supercharged "Egosexual" EP. This time, the young French prodigy is tackling another of his influences : the New Wave ! And for this new release, he is accompanied on the vocal by the wonderful voice of STOLT on the brilliant “Here I Am” which invokes on the dancefloor the ghosts of Human League, Visage as well as the grandiloquence of the Associates or even David Bowie (yes sir !). In A2 “Casual” invites us for an extremely powerful and trippy black techno road trip that will turn more than one dancefloor. On the B-side, we find at the controls a long-time friend of the skylax team, the brilliant Lauer with 2 Dantesque remixes of “Here I Am”, vocal and instrumental, which are one of the best thing in music we heard for the last 10 years at least, remembering the legendary french club “le pulp”, Blackstrobe (from the first era) and early electrolash with little touches of EBM and Italo-disco. A twilight MASTERPIECE.
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Welcome to the third part of the TELE MUSIC saga, the label founded by Roger Tokarz. He deeply marked the era with his audacity and his vision of music on film. This irresistible new selection tells the story from 1968 to 1985 of a prolific label that sometimes produced ten albums a year, and which delighted many French and foreign film directors who, to 'flavour' their films, drew on this sumptuous catalogue.
In this volume 3 TELE MUSIC, we have highlighted legendary artists who have left an indelible mark on the history of the music bookshop and on the history of music in general:
• Janko Nilovic (also known as Yanko Nilovic, Anady Loore, E. Orti or Alan Blackwell),
• Jean-Jacques Debout with his irresistible “Mitsuko” released in 1967 and re-released in 1969 on “Music Bazaar”, • Bernard Lubat, the impressive percussionist, vibraphonist, multi-instrumentalist and very good “scator” (Bernard played in the Doubles Six with Quincy Jones and Eddy Louiss),
• Gabriel Yared, the man with a hundred film scores. Arranger and composer for Johnny Hallyday and Charles Aznavour, among others!
• Hervé Roy conductor and writer for Nancy Holloway,
• George Chatelain, pianist, guitarist, clarinettist, founder of the famous studio “CBE” created in 1966 with his sister Janine Bisson and his high school friend Bernard Estardy.
All these composers were renowned for their acute sense of composition, arrangement, conducting and inter- pretation, and in their own way left their mark on many sound recordings of musical illustration "made in France!
CBE, the Chatelain, Bisson and Estardy studio is located in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. Still in operation and run by Julie Estardy, it has been receiving major artists for over half a century. It is a place of reference. At the time: Johnny Hallyday, Claude François, Sheila, Carlos, Françoise Hardy, Nino Ferrer recorded their hits there.
Now it's the turn of Sebastien Tellier, Bertrand Burgalat, Keziah Jones, Tony Allen, Jeff Miles to name but a few. CBE and its giant Bernard Estardy put TELE MUSIC in the best conditions to produce an atypical and powerful sound.
Bernard Estardy had a custom- built mixing console built by his German friend Gunther Loof, offering the perfect tool for recording 4 and then 32-track Arp 2000, Moog, Korg, Prophet synthesizers and all acoustic instruments. The field of experi- mentation was limitless.
Until now, the titles of this collection were only available in vinyl format, via rare and expensive prints that collectors sell for a high price on dedicated websites. This volume 3 gives you access to the "crème de la crème" of the legendary repertoire made in France!
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A true Balearic / Cosmic classic LP - Columbian brothers Elkin & Nelson's 1974 debut double album 'Angeles Y Demonios' is the perfect blend of traditional latin music, psychedelia, fuzz, glam, ethnic rhythms, progressive rock leanings and everything else in-between! The album had been received quite well on it's release, enabling the brothers to move to Spain and explore their ideas and melodies full-time, but it wasn't until the late 1980's Balearic explosion that the brothers unique musical vision struck a chord with those outside of Spain whose interests were rooted in the more esoteric corners of the record shop racks. Possibly the most well-known track from this LP was 'Jibaro (Enrolle)' that featured on the closing side of the set. This track was picked up and subsequently covered by Paul Oakenfold and the burgeoning wave of UK DJ's who had become enamoured with the white isle and her many sounds, thus birthing the term 'Balearic Beat'. 'Jibaro (Enrolle)' is perhaps one of the benchmarks of that particular microcosmic scene and sound but that doesn't mean the rest of this amazing LP should be ignored. A truly wondrous trip through the rock underground, not traditional by any means, if you dig the Balearic sound, psych-rock, funk and all of it's orbiting planets then this will certainly flip all the right switches for you. A very original set. This classic has been legally reissued by Above Board distribution in conjunction with the legal rights holders - Sony Music Entertainment. This high quality 2 x LP repress features original 1974 gatefold sleeve and label artwork and has been remastered from Sony's original sources by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.
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