Search:the ready

Brian Destiny is a seeker. Brian Destiny is truth. Brian Destiny has nothing left to sacrifice. Having spent a decade anchoring the Fat White Family on keys - co-writing the bands most popular tunes/stopping Saul Adamczewski and Lias Saoudi from stabbing each other – Nathan Saoudi AKA Brain Destiny, is finally ready to step out from the shadows and launch his own personally curated assault on the culture.

Having recently recovered from a lengthy, serious gambling addiction Brian Destiny finally wearied of betraying his talent, himself and the rest of the world and began laying down the first of what would eventually grow into a collection of EPs and a forthcoming album, the first of which Brain’s Got Talent is out this January. An outsider artist spiritually incapable of groupthink, Brian Destiny is what happens when you take an obsession with Marvin Gaye, The Ramones, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and an unhealthy fixation on the life and trials of Napoleon Bonaparte and smash them together at the back of a Ladbrokes in Sheffield on a never-ending Tuesday afternoon.

Brian Destiny has no time for your doom mongering. He knows too well our only salvation at this point is dedication and asks one simple, timeless question…is it gonna be love?

Brian Destiny is a seeker. Brian Destiny is truth. Brian Destiny has nothing left to sacrifice. Having spent a decade anchoring the Fat White Family on keys - co-writing the bands most popular tunes/stopping Saul Adamczewski and Lias Saoudi from stabbing each other – Nathan Saoudi AKA Brain Destiny, is finally ready to step out from the shadows and launch his own personally curated assault on the culture.

Having recently recovered from a lengthy, serious gambling addiction Brian Destiny finally wearied of betraying his talent, himself and the rest of the world and began laying down the first of what would eventually grow into a collection of EPs and a forthcoming album, the first of which Brain’s Got Talent is out this January. An outsider artist spiritually incapable of groupthink, Brian Destiny is what happens when you take an obsession with Marvin Gaye, The Ramones, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and an unhealthy fixation on the life and trials of Napoleon Bonaparte and smash them together at the back of a Ladbrokes in Sheffield on a never-ending Tuesday afternoon.

Brian Destiny has no time for your doom mongering. He knows too well our only salvation at this point is dedication and asks one simple, timeless question…is it gonna be love?

The members of Szun Waves may not have been collectively in the same country, let alone room, for over two years, but that hasn't prevented them from realising their third album, Earth Patterns. The trio - comprised of producer Luke Abbott, saxophonist Jack Wyllie (Portico Quartet) and drummer Laurence Pike (Triosk/PVT/Liars) - recorded the album sessions together at the tail end of their 2019 European tour, locking themselves away in the studio for three days of improvisation. They emerged with hours of music, some inspired by their live shows, most born fresh in the studio itself, ready to be moulded into the group's third album in five years.

Drei Vinylpremieren und zwei Neuauflagen füllen als hochwertige 180g-Pallas-Pressungen Lücken in der LP-Sammlung.

VINYL-PREMIEREN / BISLANG NUR ALS CD ERHÄLTLICH / REMASTERT / DOPPEL-LPs:
Till Brönner “That Summer” (2004): sommerliche Jazz-Vocals und Instrumentals, smoother Funk- und

Brazil-Grooves, noch immer eines seiner beliebtesten Verve-Alben
Barbara Dennerlein “Take Off” (1995): groovende Hammond-B3-Tracks in klassischer Verve- und BlueNote-Tradition, aufgenommen in New York mit All-Star-Band aus Roy Hargrove, Mitch Watkins, Dennis
Chambers u.a., internationaler Durchbruch von Deutschlands “First Lady of Jazz” Rolf Joachim Kühn Quartett ”Lifeline” (2012): mit den Gästen John Patitucci und Brian Blade, Gipfeltreffen zweier deutscher und zweier amerikanischer Jazzlegenden, ausgezeichnet mit dem Deutschen Schallplattenpreis VERGRIFFENE KLASSIKER ENDLICH WIEDER AUF LP / REMASTERT / 1-LP:

Elis Regina und Toots Thielemans ”Elis & Toots” (1969): aufgenommen in Stockholm, klingt aber so fröhlich und heiß wie direkt unter dem Zuckerhut in Rio entstanden, ein mitreißender Klassiker des BrasilJazz “Joyce Live At The Mojo Club” (1995): brasilianische Kultmusikerin gab rares Deutschland-Konzert im
legendären Hamburger Club und begeisterte das Publikum mit heißer Samba, Bossa Nova und MPB, ein Klassiker des Rare-Groove

Sub Pop debut by accomplished Greek artist Σtella, produced by Redinho (Swet Shop Boys).
‘Up And Away’ is an eclectic, compelling modern pop album showcasing Σtella’s skilled songwriting and the influence of classic love songs, Greek folk, and contemporary electronic-music production.

Σtella makes her Sub Pop debut with the mesmerizing ‘Up And Away’, an oldschool pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love. From the Greek folkinflected get-go, we’re swept up in Σtella’s world - and it’s quite the captivating place to be.

The singer songwriter joined forces with artist and producer Tom Calvert (aka Redinho), and it was a match made in Athens; the results are heavenly. Tom caught one of Σtella’s gigs on a visit to the city. He reached out, they started hanging out, and the pair soon clicked creatively. Both mention chemistry when asked about their collaboration and it’s clear, from what we hear, they had it in spades. The meld is seamless.

Σtella’s songs have always riffed on American and Greek mid-century pop but ‘Up And Away’ doubles down on the vintage aesthetic. Tom says he styled the record “as if it was a rare gem from the ’60s found in a box of records in Athens,” and Σtella notes she was ready for a more “deeply Greek touch - it felt comfortable and right, smoothly fusing with the pop.” The bouzouki appears on a full five tracks played by Christos Skondras who, she says, “was brilliant at improvising,” while Sofia Labropoulou on the kanun “brought an insane amount of dreaminess to the last two songs. Having these amazing musicians play for ‘Up And Away’ - I couldn’t be more grateful.”

While not exclusively a confessional artist, Σtella is always intimate - when she sings, it’s personal. She writes “about things I feel passion for. Stories about me, about others, about all that’s there in love and war.” Σtella was “in a very emotional state at the time, which came through in the lyrics and vocals.” And it’s true, her honeyed voice - layered in those unmistakable harmonies of hers - thrillingly runs the gamut from tender to terse, by turns bracing and smitten, aching and forlorn. But it’s the lyrics that feel key. Across her output, Σtella has proven herself a strong storyteller, and ‘Up And Away’ is no exception (the guise of the medieval bard she assumes on the cover is telling). Past releases have been studded with gem-like vignettes - a diverse array of stories set tightly together to form non-linear narratives unified by emotion. Her latest feels singular in that it seems to trace a longer-form tale across songs, with each track escalating the record’s erotic arc.

By the end of the album, ‘Up And Away’s core concerns are clear: the conflicting and conflicted emotions inherent in love, that live on in ways we can’t always understand or control. Love is like this record: when it’s over, you still feel it for time to come.
Loser Edition LP pressed on blue vinyl.

What I Breathe is the debut album from Mall Grab AKA Jordon Alexander. The Australia-born London-based powerhouse reaches within to create the most comprehensive demonstration of his style to date – loudly defining the raw energy that has become synonymous with the moniker.

“This album is deeply personal and an exploration of all influences, sounds and sides of the Mall Grab project. It follows my journey of the last 6 years from a university dropout in Newcastle (Australia), making music as a source of happiness and expression.”
While glances of what Jordon gravitates towards in dance music can be heard in the record label imprints he steers—Looking For Trouble and Steel City Dance Discs—it's with What I Breathe that he elaborates on and articulates his diverse ear for music. Through collaborations with Brendan Yates of Turnstile, Novelist, D Double E and Nia Archives, the Mall Grab repertoire of emotive electronics is used to traverse his love of hard-to-define energies that exist between genres like Hardcore, Hip-Hop and Soul.
“I have been lucky enough to work with some of my favourite artists which have really been the glue that keeps the project coherent. There are a lot of familiar sounds on this album that my listeners and followers have become accustomed to and joined me in the deep dive. Elements of emotional but hard and pumping club music are intertwined with House, Jungle, Rave and Grime. My adopted home city of London has been a huge inspiration to how my music has evolved and progressed, and on What I Breathe I wanted to create a body of work which not only had something for everyone who has been with me the past 6 years, but also those who aren’t yet aware of what I’m about or the music I make.”
Jordon’s long-standing penchant for all things DIY blossoms in tracks like Lost In Harajuku and Without The Sun which feature his own original lyrics and vocals. As the album twists and weaves from one song to the next, gleaming melodies flare up into club-ready anthems such as Metaphysical and Breathing. The kinetic flow of the music as a whole can be attributed to the many years of cutting his teeth as a DJ, a skill that can be testified by anyone who has witnessed a Mall Grab set.

“As I was a DJ for many years before I delved into producing electronic music, I had a wide appreciation and love for all types of music, predominantly gravitating towards ‘band' music when creating my own projects, before evolving into a fully-fledged electronic producer – however always retaining the influence and love for all things live and genre-fluid.”

Even with a stack of very well-received projects already under his belt, What I Breathe can be seen as the first deep breath in and a fierce declaration of what’s to come for Mall Grab.

“I’m grateful for everything and everyone in my life, those I love and those who support my music, through all the ups and downs. I live and breathe this shit. I cannot do anything else. I will continue until there is nothing left for me to say.”

180 gram Vinyl reissue originally released in 1983
Produced & Arranged by: Earl Morgan
Vocals: Earl Cunningham
Backing Band: The Roots Radics
Drums: Lincoln Valentine 'Style' Scott
Bass: Errol 'Flabba' Holt
Lead Guitar: Eric 'Bingy Bunny' Lamont
Rhythm Guitar: Eric 'Bingy Bunny' Lamont
Organ: Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson
Piano: Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson
Recorded at: Channel One Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica
Engineer: Anthony 'Crucial Bunny'/'Bunny Tom Tom' Graham
Voiced & Mixed at: Tubby Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica
Engineer: Winston 'Professor' Brown
Advertising in Black Echoes and Record Collector Magazine

Neil Young + Promise Of The Real release a new live album, ‘Noise & Flowers’, that captures the group in all their glory on their 2019 European tour. The release will be accompanied by a concert film that shares the same title and is included in the album’s 2xLP+CD+Blu-ray Deluxe Edition.
‘Noise & Flowers’ documents a 9-date tour that began just two weeks after Young’s lifetime friend and manager of more than 50 years, Elliot Roberts, passed away at the age of 76. Performing alongside a photograph of Roberts taped to his road case, Young approached each show as a celebratory memorial service to honour his late friend. It’s a trek the legendary singer/songwriter describes as “wondrous.”
In the album’s liner notes, Young says, “Playing in his memory made it one of the most special tours ever. We hit the road and took his great spirit with us into every song. This music belongs to no one. It’s in the air. Every note was played for music’s great friend, Elliot.”
In paying tribute to the manager who guided Young’s career for over a half-century, ‘Noise & Flowers’ explores all corners of his vast discography. It balances all-timer anthems (‘Mr. Soul’, ‘Helpless’, ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’) with rarely aired ‘70s deep cuts (‘Field of Opportunity’, ‘On the Beach’) and ’90s gems (‘From Hank to Hendrix’, ‘Throw Your Hatred Down’). His frequent backing band since 2015, Promise of the Real effectively bridges the extremes in Young’s sound, infusing his raging rockers and country serenades with their casual brilliance and telepathic intuition.
The companion film (directed by Bernard Shakey and dhlovelife) emphasizes both the intimacy and ecstasy of these performances.
‘Noise & Flowers’ is entry No. PS 21 in the Neil Young Archives Performance Series of live releases – a special addition to a robust, and still-growing catalogue.

Sometimes the best things take time to come into fruition, and here we are, ready to finally unleash Brazil45 number 88 - the missing 7"! Featuring two Mr Bongo favourites that we have been longing to share with the world.

First up is a lesser-known Brazilian Boys track titled 'Super Herois’. This slightly trippy and quirky funk-rock groove is taken off an obscure 7" on CID records and was originally released in 1975. 'Super Herois' is super catchy, addictive and a guaranteed complete earworm. It’s a muti genre, crossover nugget that will branch scenes and tick all sorts of boxes.

On the flip is the driving, jazz-rock-samba dancefloor joint 'Tudo Ai’, a cut taken from Rubinho E Mauro Assumpção's highly sought after 1972 album 'Perfeitamente, Justamente Quando Cheguei’. Originally released on Tapecar Records, this short in stature track packs a real punch!

Die Hard Rock Band BLOOD GOD präsentiert deren neues Album "Demons of Rock'n'Roll", das 10 Hard Rock Songs im Stile von AC/DC und den alten Accept für euch bereithält.
Wie gewohnt kommt das neue BLOOD GOD-Album auch als 2-CD-Paket daher, dessen zweite CD alle Songs mit der Monsterstimme von DEBAUCHERY gesungen enthält.
Die jeweiligen BLOOD GOD und DEBAUCHERY Versionen des "Demons of Rock'n'Roll" Albums werden separat als Vinyl LP erhältlich sein.

Die Hard Rock Band BLOOD GOD präsentiert deren neues Album "Demons of Rock'n'Roll", das 10 Hard Rock Songs im Stile von AC/DC und den alten Accept für euch bereithält.
Wie gewohnt kommt das neue BLOOD GOD-Album auch als 2-CD-Paket daher, dessen zweite CD alle Songs mit der Monsterstimme von DEBAUCHERY gesungen enthält.
Die jeweiligen BLOOD GOD und DEBAUCHERY Versionen des "Demons of Rock'n'Roll" Albums werden separat als Vinyl LP erhältlich sein.

This May, Italian alchemists and power trio Ufomammut return with their ninth studio album, Fenice via Neurot Recordings. But not as we’ve heard them before, now “more intimate, more free.”
For over 20 years, the band has combined the heaviness and majesty of dynamic riff worship with a nuanced understanding of psychedelic tradition and history in music, creating a cosmic, futuristic, and technicolor sound destined for absolute immersion.
Fenice (meaning Phoenix in Italian) symbolically represents endless rebirth and the ability to start again after everything seems doomed. The album is the first recording with new drummer Levre, and truly marks a new chapter in Ufomammut history.
“I think we lost our spontaneity, album after album,” says Urlo. “We tried to make more complicated songs and albums, but I think at some point we just ended up repeating ourselves. With Fenice, we were ready to start from zero, we had no past anymore - so we just wanted to be reborn and rise from the ashes..”
While the band are well-known for their psychedelic travels into the far reaches of the cosmos, Fenice is a much more introspective listening experience. Fenice was conceived as a single concept track, divided in six facets of this inward-facing focus. Sonic experimentations abound in the exploration of this central theme; synths and experimental vocal effects are featured more prominently than ever before as the band push themselves ever further into the uncharted territory of their very identity.
The towering synths on the opening track ‘Duat’ evoke an almighty machine rising from the depths of primordial ooze. There’s a shift to a frenetic garage-psych pace before mellowing out into a more familiar doomy stomp. ‘Kepherer’ is a respite, albeit a slight one, returning to the pulsing rhythms of the album’s intro before plunging the listener into the menacing build and release of ‘Psychostasia’ next. Each oscillation of this extraordinary album feels inevitable - Ufomammut are after all, masters of their craft, and when it comes to creating enveloping sonic journeys into the unknown, it’s their uninhibited sense of exploration that breaches new sonic ground.

Fenice is the sound of a band whose very essence has been rejuvenated, and are welcoming the chance to create music in the way they know best; by unfolding carefully and attentively, by melding those extreme dynamics which render Fenice as a living and breathing creature - and by writing gargantuan riffs that herald their very rebirth.

Newest addition to Pomelo is Spanish talent Vedelius, who delivers the late night burner "The Crypt". The EP comes with three inventive and floor ready remixes by the likes of Phosphene, Lodig/Dibek and Lok44 – a rolling breakbeat version by Phosphene, jacking techno by Lodig/Dibek and a dubbed out Electro-Techno stepper by Lok44.

Strictly Limited Edition of 250.

Long-established house talent Bontan makes a much-anticipated return to Hot Creations in June. Gifting us with the two-track Gold Teeth, it showcases the UK-native at his best and continues a standout 2022 that has already seen him release on Hot Since 82’s Knee Deep In Sound last month.

Shamanic-like drums create a hypnotic sensibility right from the word go, as we’re graced with echoing vocals on Gold Teeth. There’s an air of tribalism throughout via shimmering maracas and rhythmic hi-hats, before Heart Shaped Leaf takes on a techy edge. Cow bell-esque percussion undulates beneath a low-slung bassline whilst spacey lyrics repeat nearby, forming a peak-time, club-ready cut.

Since first bursting onto the circuit in 2015, Bontan has become one of the best-selling acts on Beatport, a winner at the prestigious DJ Awards and has firmly cemented himself in the underground house scene. He has released on labels such as Crosstown Rebels, Defected and Origins and remixed for artists including Groove Armada, Booka Shade, Melé and Yousef. He kicked off 2022 with a remix of Agenda for Lazarusman, which reached Number 3 in Beatport’s Afro House chart, as well as releasing Stutterman on Club Bad. His releases this year have received support from Jamie Jones, Skream, Eats Everything, Agoria and Chris Lake to name a few, a testament to Bontan’s keen ear for production.

Following the release and subsequent year of our first album, "The Hearth," we began nurturing some new compositions for a second release. This process began similar to the first album, each of working us separately on songs, then bringing the bones, veins, and skin of a track to the rest of The Creux to fully animate. We were all taking off in a lot of directions, which tends to lend greatly to our dynamic sound once harnessed, and it was a good departure after playing "The Hearth" tracks live for two years straight during tours and festivals. We ended up with around 25 or so song frames and delighted that list down to about 12 to lay into. Then, the pandemic hit. We were all separated into our own bubbles, trying to make responsible choices on how to continue writing and recording this record promptly as we had just penned a deal with our new label Freakwave; with a target of releasing sometime in 2020. It was a pretty challenging endeavor for a band that typically relies on each member to bring greatness to the sound. We began experimenting with using virtual jam sessions and shipping files to each other. Luckily, we are all decent home sonic production creators so creating and flying around edits and changes over the months leading up to our time in the studio wasn't tricky. Around the end of Summer 2020, we finally had the demo tracks prepped enough to start working with our engineer and producer, Patrick Hills of Earthtone Studios. He worked with us on our last album and is sort of a special weapon of creativity for what we can pull off. We would send in one member at a time to lay down studio versions of the finals in a separate room from Mr. Hills; mask on, the whole nine. We would fly out the takes each day and make edits, rinse, and repeat. It was tedious and was pretty trippy to make a record in that manner. "Goodbye Divine" took almost a year to finish recording and mixing. So, here we are, in the Summer of 2021, and it is complete and ready for release this October. Expect both departures and arrivals of what you might have predicted following "The Hearth." Yet, this album does, in true Creux Lies fashion, offer a complete range of emotions throughout the album; prepare to find yourself ass shaken, and watery-eyed before you raise the needle on "Goodbye Divine."

Russia's cosmic jazz ambassadors Mekbuda strike back with a new album, The Wonder of Wandering, dedicated to the concept of space travel and heavily inspired by vintage sci-fi movies. In fact, the album sounds like an OST for an imaginary sci-fi flick. It represents a collection of instrumental soundscapes: psych-tinged trumpet solos poured over atmospheric synth pads and backed by a steady rhythm section easily shifting from dusty jazz shuffle to uptempo broken beat.

The Wonder of Wandering is definitely based upon the ideas rooted in their previous release, Convincing Delusional, but it takes them to the next level in terms of arrangements and individual performance. So lay back, relax and put a needle to the groove. The universe is immense, full of wonders and ready for wanderers!

Originally released in 2007 as an "add-on" to Baby 81, this was supposed to be limited to 3500 copies in the US only, but has actually sold over 9000 copies to date. First time ever on vinyl, and with the added bonus track "Not What You Wanted (Remix)". Comes with exclusive poster insert with many previously unseen photos and complete lyrics.

ft. Leia Contois

Crosstown Rebels has remained at the forefront of contemporary dance music for nearly two decades. Championing both breakthrough artists as well as those well-established, the 15th of April will see this perfectly encapsulated as label-head Damian Lazarus, global-house duo Gorgon City and rising vocalist Leia Contois team up on Start Over, Crosstown’s biggest release of the year so far.

Tribal-like drum patterns get things underway on Start Over, as we’re soon graced with the enchanting vocals of Leia Contois. Mesmeric and moving, her delicate lyrical offerings complement the electronic sounds of Damian and Gorgon City, with the introduction of a driving lead bassline in the track’s second half helping to create a hard, club-ready edge. It feels emotive and geared for the dancefloor simultaneously, showcasing an innate chemistry between each artist.

Damian Lazarus: DJ, producer, Crosstown Rebels label-head and internationally recognised talent. His contributions to electronic music speak for themselves, from championing the likes of Jamie Jones and Seth Troxler in their early days, to running and operating multiple festivals in the form of Day Zero and Get Lost. From global headline tours to achieving several UK Top Ten singles, Gorgon City have become one the UK’s most successful electronic producers in recent years. Crossing over into mainstream popularity whilst remaining true to their underground roots, the boys have sold out venues the world over, with London club highlights including Printworks, Tobacco Dock and O2 Academy Brixton to name a few. US-native Leia Contois is an actress, model and vocalist. Her contributions on Start Over marks her maiden appearance on Crosstown Rebels, setting the tone for a highlight year ahead.

Mr. K transports us to the golden era of the Loft with two disparate, but equally heavyweight classics from the Mancuso oeuvre mastered and cut loud, deep, and clear for club play.

First up is an edit of a track that embodies the spirit of early ’80s downtown New York City. Released in 1982, “Konk Party” was the band’s calling card and first hit, and represented their multicultural, no wave, hip-hop/disco hybrid perfectly, the opening sax riff itself a sly nod to Wild Sugar’s breakbeat classic “Bring It Here” that the Beastie Boys would later sample. A Loft staple — the video was even filmed there — “Konk Party” was also played widely across the influential clubs of the day, becoming an instant staple at Danceteria, Mudd Club, and other hot spots. The easy-going groove, heavy on the percussion and low-slung bass, complimented by bilingual lyrics from Angel Quiñones, has dated well, and sounds especially ready for action in this new edit from Mr. K, largely inspired by the original 12-inch’s choice Uptown Breakdown Mix. This is the first time “Konk Party” has been available on 7-inch.

The heavy percussion backing is perhaps the only similar element that links our A-side to its flip, but that only goes to show the breadth of styles that coexisted in the audio landscape of the Loft. “Hold On To Your Mind,” first released in 1970 by Northern Irish rock group Andwella, is a heavy, psychedelic tour de force that more than lives up to its cautionary, heady title. Mr. K has outdone himself with his new mix, a supercharged blend of extended percussion breaks — absent on previous 7-inch mixes — driving vocals, and fuzz guitar. For those who have never been able to track down the original single, an expensive proposition, and even for those who have, this new edit is certainly the definitive version.

Todh Teri is back to make us groove with the tenth and final volume of the Deep In India series. A total double whammy of a record – this one happens to be a limited edition double vinyl that includes the best of the Todh Teri’s tracks from the previous volumes. As this alluring series comes to an end, get ready to shake a leg to some dark & dubby tunes one last time.
It all begins with Sampadan 34, a tune that makes you want to close your eyes and get lost in a musical trance with its intricate elements of this melody. This is followed by Sampadan 35, an iconic tune that takes you down memory lane, bringing back sweet memories of the yesteryears.
Using a historic sample from the 90s Indian cinescape, Todh Teri has added his touch to create Sampadan 36 - a track that you’re sure to get hooked onto. For the grand finale, wehave Sampadan 37, which brings in some old-school percussive beats into play that will
make your soul come alive.
For listeners who missed out, this final EP of the series also includes a second vinyl which has the best-selected tracks from Vol.1 - Vol.4. Deep In India has been Todh Teri’s heartfelt tribute to the golden age of Indian cinema that has given listeners a fresh perspective on its conventional music. Overall, this record has something for each listener with a magnificently illustrated album cover by Costanza Chandra in association with Masala Movement.

TODH TERI
I would like to thank everyone involved in this project from the bottom of my heart for their
constant support and encouragement. With this release we come to an end to this series

A Delicate degustation for the finer palette, Taste the Bass is the latest seasonal sound delicacy via your favourite dysfunktional deep throb duo Ambien Baby. Stepping up their songwriting skillz and staying true to their heady primal sophistication, Nap & D.Tiff indulge in vocal explorations laced throughout 4 tracks, cries of couplet writing and hints of daring duets lingering on the lips. The hypnotic electroclashed EBM is served with superior rhythmic complexity and sonic depth, as per usual, niche on the streets ~ screech in the sheets.

A heartfelt ode to the synthesizer that first bound them together, passion, rage & a reminder to never-ever forget to groove; all four songs come prepped rave ready, mise en plus! Clean, mean inspired techno leaning freakouts that nail that midrange tempo, filled to the brim with that special ingredient no pretenders can purchase. A raw audio feast fit for the gods… although it took God 7 days to create the earth and Ambien Baby created this in 4.

A warm welcome to Italian-American producer Matasism, who debuts on BPitch with his four-track EP Can You Feel My Soul. Matasism launched his own label Ma¨ta¨sism in 2017, releasing exclusively via the platform until very recently. He lands on BPitch with an EP that channels the essence of freedom and liberty found in the rave. It’s a compelling EP that blends trance, techno and acid influences into a memory evoking collection of music.

The remake of ‘Can You Feel My Soul’ kicks things off, firing on all cylinders with a hypnotic riff and hea- vyweight kicks. More layers are added to increase the depth and energy, leading into a mesmerising break- down. Meanwhile, the following original mix has a grizzly bassline spliced with hard-hitting beats. On the flip ‘Age Of Fantasy’ opens up with a dramatic intro leading into a powerful, enchanting main riff. Vintage sounds with a contemporary flavour. Next up is ‘Space Invaders’, a high-octane cut that utilises a trance-esque oscillating low end to captivate the listener. Get ready for an explosion of energy after the bre- akdown, transcendent.

Now onto its fourth volume, NuNorthern Soul’s annual Summer Selections EP is fast becoming a must-check for fans of slow-motion sunshine sounds, contemporary Balearic beats and sumptuous downtempo grooves.

Summer Selections Four showcases six hand-picked tracks from EPs and albums to be released by NuNorthern Soul in 2022. A genuine ‘cream of the crop’ or ‘best in class’ feel, with NNS label boss and curator Phil Cooper putting together a varied EP piled high with evocative melodies, atmospheric chords, tactile grooves and ear-catching instrumentation.

First to step up to the plate is experienced producer James Bright, whose cut ‘Amber’ offers a bubbly, colourful and analogue-rich stroll through mid-tempo Balearic house territory. The track is one of the highlights of Bright’s forthcoming Totem EP. It’s quickly followed by ‘Nana a Leon’ from Be.Ianuit’s Entre Dos Islas EP, a gorgeous mixture of deep bass, twinkling pianos, sultry synth-strings, sparkling synthesiser arpeggios, echoing machine drums and spoken word vocals from guest performer Marcos de la Fuente.

San Francisco’s Cole Odin offers a snapshot of his forthcoming Songs For Suns EP via ‘Growing’, a slow-motion sunset soundscape built around ethereal chords, chiming melodies and head-nodding drums, while Gold Suite’s ‘The Cowboy’ – taken from the On My Horizon EP – brilliantly joins the dots between jangling Americana, mid-‘80s Balearic reggae and sun-soaked instrumental synth-pop. While brand-new, it could easily be mistaken for the kind of obscure, hard-to-find gem that gets Balearic record collectors so hot under the collar.

Next up is another new signing to NuNorthern Soul, North of the Island, whose debut EP Feeling Free is undoubtedly a highlight of the label’s 2022 release schedule. ‘I Feel’, the track showcased here, adds attractive, sunset-ready musical flourishes to a chugging, delay-laden rhythm track and the kind if squelchy bass-line most often found in proto-house and early ‘80s electro-funk cuts. It’s a spaced-out, mind-altering delight.

Rounding off another sizzling Summer Selections excursion is ‘Smoke & Fly’ from fast-rising twosome Residentes Balearicos, an Ibiza-based Italian duo who impressed many with their 2021 EPs on Balearic Ensemble. Dusty, bass-heavy, drowsy and picturesque, the track is a simply gorgeous chunk of Balearic dub piled high with organic percussion, undulating acid lines and mazy solos. It provides a fittingly triumphant conclusion to another essential sampler EP from NuNorthern Soul.

"This album is about influence, inspiration, perception & reality. Every song was written in an outside environment, so that I could observe the subjects that would become my subject matter. All too often in Hip Hop, reality is limited to that of the artists own, actual experiences. People Hear What They See is my attempt to liberate the MC from those constraints & allow reality to be penned other than my own. Listening to congressmen & lawyers converse on the steps of the supreme court inspired 'American Greed', Watching a couple argue over the phone in a bar inspired 'Maybes'. By having a visual representation of my subject matter, my hopes are that the listener will see them through the worlds & melodies of my songs."

Joining the dots between Brazilian musical culture and the sonic melting pot that is New York City, Saidera are a trio on the rise. They’ve already released a pair of critically acclaimed, carnival-ready singles on Brooklyn’s Let’s Play House label and are now ready to make their debut on Leng Records.

The band’s roots can be traced back to a trip that Lemonade band member Alex Pasternak made to Brazil in 2014. While DJing at a house party in the bohemian Rio de Janeiro neighbourhood of Sta Teresa, Pasternak was left gobsmacked when a mysterious local singer/sambista Vadinho Freire, grabbed the mic and started freestyling lyrics and melodies over his set. Realising their instinctive musical connection, Pasternak and Freire decided to work together on some music, with New Yorker Le Chev joining them to complete the Saidera trio.

Now based in Rio and California, the group’s sun-soaked sound – which they describe as “samba disco-Afro melody” – is a cross-cultural stew in which infectious Brazilian percussion, colourful synth sounds, glistening guitars and celebratory vocals combine to create magical, life-affirming musical moments.

‘Luzes Da Cidade’, their first outing on Leng, encapsulates all that’s good about the Saidera sound and the trio’s approach to music. The song is about identity and connection and in its original form is languid, loved-up and joyous, with acoustic and electric guitars, Portuguese vocals and Korey Riker’s gently breezy flute solos rising above a squelchy synth bassline and energetic, sweat-soaked samba drums.

The song’s main mix comes accompanied by a wonderful instrumental pass featuring more extensive solos by Riker, and Saidera’s own remix of ‘Luzes Da Cidade’ – an extra-percussive, breakbeat-tinged fusion of hazy deep house, energetic samba and sunset-ready synth-disco that will delight DJs and dancers alike.

To round off the EP, Saidera has delivered a brand new “Uprockin Dub” of debut single ‘Deixa Tudo Fluir’, this time with female vocals from Irina Bertolucci taking the lead. Brilliantly kaleidoscopic sonically, with dub delay-laden vocals, guitars and flutes, it’s a superb, life-affirming Balearic reggae interpretation of a now familiar favourite. If you’re not singing along with the chorus after your first listen, we’d be very surprised.

Decomposed recalls classic American hardcore like Bad Brains, Poison Idea and Jerry’s Kids or Japanese ragers like Paintbox, The Comes, Eiefits and Skizophrenia. But there’s also a healthy slug of classic UK and US punk and even a bit of Krautrock, psychedelia and Black Sabbath in there too. Nottingham has always been a melting pot for heavy music. For a small city, it has boasted more than its fair share of genre defining bands and artists, not to mention record labels. Bands cross-pollinate, form projects and offshoots and play one-off gigs that would result in lengthy careers and world tours if they had happened across the Atlantic. It has always been like that there. No big deal (but yet, a really big deal if you know). One such band/project/offshoot were Endless Grinning Skulls. Formed by guitarist Andy Morgan (also from Bloody Head, Army Of Flying Robots, Nadir and countless more), drummer Steve Charlesworth (Heresy, Wolves Of Greece, Meatfly, Geriatric Unit) and bassist Gords (Hard To Swallow, John Holmes, Geriatric Unit) in the early twenty-teens, they re-set the bar for the 3-piece hardcore band before (perhaps inevitably) burning out in 2018. Morgan and Charlesworth weren’t done though. They’d forged a bond in EGS and wanted to carry on playing together so - in a familiar Nottingham storyline - they recruited former Pitchshifter guitarist Stu Toolin on bass and Anmarie Spaziano (who you might know from running a famous burger joint) on vocals and formed Blind Eye. They knew Toolin was about to relocate to Portland, Oregon so they wrote and recorded an EP (released on Morgan’s own Viral Age Records). Quick-sharp. No messing about. And that – by rights – should have been that: over and out. New band please. However, the demo captured a rare intensity and vitality that more considered projects often fail to achieve. This was a band let loose, free from previous shackles and loving the noise they made. It seemed a shame to stop there. Recruiting Matt Grundy (a former bandmate of Morgan’s in both Nadir and Dead In The Woods) to the bass vacancy they went back to Stuck On A Name Studios in 2021 with Ian “Boulty” Boult at the helm again and delivered the album Decomposed.
Decomposed genuinely rocks out without losing one iota of the effervescent anger that made the demo such an essential listen. From the insistent, minimal opener Ready To Go Now via the unhinged thrash of Straw Man and the menace of the stomping Pero No Quieres, to the measured chugging and epic crescendo of closer Broken Star, this record is a fucking blast. Needle off, flip it back over, play it again. Your neighbours are loving it so much they’re banging on the walls to tell you. “I suppose the intention was to write high energy, catchy hardcore, with a nod to what has come before, but also to do our own thing,” explains Andy. “Lyrically, the album was written during the pandemic, and although it’s not ‘a pandemic album’, I think it deals with a lot of the feelings of loss, separation and isolation

Members of Island of Love, Imposter, Lawful Killing, Antag-onizm, Powerplant. For Fans of Sheer Terror, Crumbsuckers, Cro-Mags, Slayer. Quality Control HQ proudly releases The Masters' Orders, the new LP from South London UK hardcore band Mastermind, the jewel in the crown of UKHC. This is the band's third release after 2019's Bad Reaction EP and comes on the heels of recently released single "Price You Pay". The new release, which was recorded at East London's most vibrant independent music hub, Fuzzbrain Studios, finds Mastermind continue to walk a well crafted line between almost jazz like song writing wrapped in the meat and potatoes sound of 80s NYHC, but this time amping up the rabid dog energy to another level. Having played with a range of punk and hardcore bands from Judge to Chubby and the Gang on their home turf, this summer sees Mastermind, with members of Island of Love, touring with NYHC upstarts Combust across Europe and playing Fluff Fest, equally comfortable playing to punks, metalheads and everyone in between. If one proposes that the classic late eighties NYHC sound owed a chunk of its identity to blue collar meat heads from Queens, then the same can be said for London hardcore’s meatiest riffs coming from Croydon cousins who work construction, built their own instruments and met their lead guitarist on the tram. This band reminds me of Rest in Pieces, Breakdown, Sick of it All, Sheer Terror, Inside Out NYC, and a touch of Cleveland’s Die Hard with a healthy dose of crossover picking and a heap of sick guitar solos. Something all of the above bands had in common was the ability to blur the fine line between great genius and great stupidity. It's a delicate natural balance reached only by bands that don’t take themselves too seriously but would kick your ass if you called them a joke. There is a clearly defined love of hardcore, in its many forms, behind the songwriting in Mastermind – a band of young heads and scene mainstays who intend to have fun playing hardcore the way they like it. After a four year run with a solid demo and a crushing EP, Mastermind are ready to present you with their masterpiece – The Masters’ Orders

About Last Night… is Mabel’s second debut studio album by English singer and songwriter Mabel, released on 15th July 2022 by Polydor Records. Mabel worked with artists such as 24kGoldn, Lil Tecca, Jax Jones, Galantis, Joel Corry on this album. A candid, positive and important voice in contemporary pop, the Brit Award winner’s new music emerged not just in the wake of a startling few years in the public eye, but through the life-changing lens of the pandemic. Right at the beginning of lockdown, Mabel and her dogs moved back in with her parents, she threw herself into dance classes, and channelled everything she missed (close friends, the big night out, young love, feeling unafraid) into this brand-new musical chapter. As she continued work on the record in the UK, US and between various lockdowns, Mabel first teased what she had been working on with first single ‘Let Them Know’ – an unapologetic anthem about dressing up with nowhere to go, and projecting confidence for anyone who needs it. Recent single ‘Good Luck’ distilled influences of house, heartbreak and female solidarity into perfectly realised pop – and the empowering song you need, when getting ready to go to the party of ‘Overthinking’. Pulling all these strings and tying them together is Mabel herself, with much more on the project to be revealed soon.

The genre re-defining chameleons of Hard Ton are back on Schrödinger’s Box with their own brand of style splitting acid house disco. Bigger is Better, a double EP album, has all the depravity and drama you would expect from these disruptors. “Be Somebody” is a proud call to a dirty beat; chin up, chest out and let the claps and hi-hats fly. Flanger effect units are pushed to the max in “Trip To Your Mind”, an acid dripping, falsetto bending banger. Rhythms collide and sweat hits the floor in the body jacking “You Want Me” before new age rave mantra of “Transcend Your Body” with its steepling synth stabs and 303 barbs. The close, “Girls and Boys,” is inspired by a Brit Pop hit. Beefed-up, muscled-up, this club ready weapon will bring the house down.

Provogue / Mascot Label Group announce this special vinyl reissue of
blues-titan Joe Bonamassa's back catalogue
'Blues Deluxe' is one of the most popular releases of Joe Bonamassa and this
new re-issue has been expanded to 2 discs to ensure optimal audio quality.
Blues Deluxe is the third studio album by Joe Bonamassa and originally released
on August 26, 2003. Recorded at Unique Recording Studios in New York City, it
was produced by Bob Held and features nine cover versions of songs by classic
blues artists, such as BB King, Jeff Beck, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson,
Elmore James and more. The album is completed with three original tracks,
including the fan favorite Woke Up Dreaming.
With 25 #1 albums, yearly sold-out tours worldwide and custom annual cruises,
he's a hard act to beat. These albums are a testament to his credentials and a
toast to his longtime fans who remember them originally and new fans who can
experience them for the first time. It's Joe Bonamassa at his finest, ready to rock.

ft Alton Miller Mix

Razor-N-Tape co-founder JKriv delivers a trio of all-original cuts on his Something Else EP, bringing together a cast of featured hometown Brooklyn talent to center dynamic songwriting with club-ready vibes.

On the A1 title track, a playful funk-laden bassline lays the foundation for an explosive hook and soaring vocal performance from Brandon Markell Holmes. Dynamic live instrumentation take center stage in the soulful Try Again, which builds to an anthemic peak as guests Nic Hanson and Phenomenal Handclap Band intone the song’s hopeful message.

On the flip, the laid-back boogie groover Shoulda Been Me slow-burns with heavy bass, percussive rhythms, and serene synth-work to support the layered vocal textures by Toribio (of Conclave). Detroit legend Alton Miller takes the tune in a classic soulful deep house direction, with a bouncing rhodes pattern revolving over solid drums, and showcasing Toribio’s vocal prowess in a new light.

Please Don't Take Me Back b/w My Heart is a Drummer 7" - New 7” from Durham indie, pop, punks Martha! ‘Please Don't Take Me Back’ is a song about refusing to let rose-tinted glasses distort your visions of the past. The b-side features a rough and ready cover of 'My Heart is a Drummer' by beloved Australian/English indie-pop legends Allo Darlin, who Martha supported at their first ever London gig back in 2012. Recorded at JT Soar, Nottingham. Produced by 'Bad' Phil Booth and mixed by Phil along with Rich Collins and Rob Newman Mastered by Dave Williams. One time pressing mixed grey vinyl limited to 1000 copies.

"Insane and heavy beats by the og don Pixelord featuring great remixes by an all-star line-up comprising Dj Ride, Dj Pound, Starkey and Dranq!

Like a lightning bolt in the middle of a dark sea, PIXELORD has returned once again from the frozen lands to shock and disquiet the tides of Futuristic Bass Music. Perhaps the best thing about Russian electronic music godfather Alexey Devyanin's PIXELORD project returning to SATURATE! for this "Demonslayer" release is not simply the exciting and hard-hitting beats contained within, but the simple fact that it shall be offered on delicious, glorious VINYL. An artifact for all time, perhaps to be found in future wastelands by those who would consider this "Demonslayer" to be the VanHelsing (or perhaps Trevor Belmont) of the 21st century bass music scene.

The last decade has seen PIXELORD riding the wave of forward-thinking bass music, and always staying at the crest, and 2020 is no different. "Doomguy" comes tearing straight in with menacing, distorted synth weaponry, assaulting with ballistic beats (even some nods to Junglism) until finally bestowing some glittering melody atop the fray, showing that not only is Alexey an elder-statesman of the genre, he's still the eager bass monster that explores his own depths. The depths are again evident in "Pain Elemental" where the vibe is established immediately, and only delves deeper into the slightly-detuned bass signals and ominous creeping atmosphere. The melodic elements are no longer here to sooth, they are newly charged laser beams that sear the flesh, scorching the eardrums.

This foreboding, demon-dispatching vibe is indeed present throughout this entire release, as you enter the "Bonus Stage" of this deadly game, where the aggression does not abate, and the bass plays backseat to the synth bell sonic geometry on display. The drums especially feel the wrath of PIXELORD on this track, where some impossibly tortured tambourines take a beating, and the chopping and relentless reorganization of the rhythm keeps you churning with intensity. The title track brings the "wild style", even though the drums are less frantic, the bass frequencies and laser blasts from our protagonist, the ever-ready "Demonslayer", are sure to dismantle any submissive subwoofer in range.

"BFG" rounds out this collection in a disheveled fashion, dishing out low frequency divebombs and squelches, whilst otherworldly transmissions from synth realms afar come leaping in trying to assert their dominance, only to be eaten alive by daemonic bass and telluric currents of seismic drum activity. An utterly destructive end to this tale… BUT WAIT, IT GETS WORSE! We have here on hand SATURATE! stalwarts DJ Ride, DJ Pound, DRANQ and big daddy STARKEY on remix duty, who all take the tracks down their own rabbit holes to parts unknown, with equal aplomb. The result is equal in intensity and aggression, but the textures by which this is conveyed are wholly transformed and re-imagined skillfully.

All this on one slab of gorgeous VINYL. No demon shall stand a chance against PIXELORD's battalion of beats and bass."

Tiptoe between the toadstools of Liverpool’s city parks, and amongst the foliage you might find a Strawberry Guy, contemplating his next chord-progression. Composing hi-fi symphonies from within his humble abode, the Welsh-born songwriter is ready to share the fruits of his labour with debut album Sun Outside My Window. A timeless vista of ethereal balladry looking towards 19th Century musical maestros and works of art, it brings new meaning to the term ‘Modern Classic’ and is the most optimistic of lockdown records yet.
“It’s about seeing the simple things in life and them making you happy,” tells Alex Stephens, the Guy behind the Strawberry. “I remember this day when I was really down… looking out the window, the sun beaming in was beautiful, it made me want to go outside – it was simple but made me so happy in that instance.”
A one-man impressionist, painting majestic soundscapes, Strawberry Guy blends truthful lyrics with lush arrangements to conjure new emotive worlds. Inspired by composers of the Romantic period, or Debussy, Ravel, and other classical artists of the 1800s, his wonderland moves like a Monet painting where arpeggios dance between meadows of dazzling dynamics and dramatic key changes. As former keyboard player of The Orielles and Trudy and The Romance, the light through his floor to ceiling windows has caused a dramatic Greenhouse Effect and now ripening on solo terms, his innocent uploads of ‘Without You’ and ‘F-Song’ comfort 2 million Spotify listeners a month. ‘Mrs Magic’ has received 40 million streams, landing at #13 in its chart and countless fan-created videos have appeared on YouTube. “Throughout history composers have tried to capture emotion, painting their own impressionist pictures with musical brush strokes… I guess I’m just trying to do the same and people enjoy that,” he suggests modestly.
Named by musical friends Her’s after his impeccable taste in milkshakes, Strawberry Guy upturns ‘bedroom artist’ perception, as each idea is crafted into a widescreen wonder where vocals tag-team instrumentals and countermelodies flourish within the Georgian walls of his Liverpool flat’s small space. “I want it to sound like I’ve squeezed an 80-piece orchestra into my room, and for listeners to wonder how all those strings got there,” he says. “Working on the 4-part harmonies, the orchestra became real; I began believing in myself.”
Imitating nature’s effect on emotion, like 70s songwriters, or the fantastical soundtracks accompanying vibrant scenes in the Japanese animated Studio Ghibli films and video games, landscape is brought to the fore. Monet’s picturesque Meadow at Giverny features as the album’s accompanying artwork – perhaps a reminder of the rural Welsh countryside views through his childhood home’s window; “I was inspired by how calm and peaceful the image felt. Its painted lines show real-life scenes in a magical way, which to me reflects my music.”
Just as the first Strawberry Guy EP Taking My Time To Be offered a slowing down for the soul, Sun Outside My Window is musically unhurried, written and recorded over 2 years. “Recording as a lone berry meant I could run with my emotions in the moment and deliver something true; it would have been an entirely different album had it been recorded in a studio,” he says.
Modern Classic? Only time will tell. For now this Guy’s happy-sad world is here to get the juices flowing and with, pandemic permitting, a US tour in 2022, life looks a whole lot sweeter. Until then, take it slow, be at one with the wilderness and remember, when life gives you lemons, swap them for Strawberries.

The wiggy wanderings of Oog Bogo wind up on the same island of lost joys all at once, manufacturing a virtual jukebox of singles and side flips that won’t unplug, and just keeps reeling and raging on instead. A bright metallurgy of guitar pop, psych, post-punk and apocalypse disco embosses the sleek, multicoloured flash of ‘Plastic’.

 Oog Bogo are a four-piece rock band from Los Angeles and their new album is ‘Plastic’, an electrifying set of songs and sounds that just don’t stop, working like a machine that makes joy and endless flips and repetitions, whether in front of the turntable or out in the real world.
 In the past several years, Oog Bogo dropped two records that previewed this explosion in wildly divergent ways: 2019’s ‘Oogbogo’ EP, with wigged-out production, its contorted fun house mirror images pulling punk, psych and new wave in and out of focus in a chaotic procession of mutant tunes. 2021’s ‘EP2’ radiates a starkly different vibe, as chilled-out guitar-pop tunes conjure a flowing medley of plaintive echoes and atmospheres in a mellow mist of hiss.

 Kevin Boog recorded these records in a largely hermetic state: at home on 4-track, playing all the parts, slowly drawing out the sounds. The songs for ‘Plastic’ were demoed this way too, as a starting point for a group interpretation - but when, for obvious reasons, logistics prevented everyone from getting in the same room to even rehearse, the planned recording session at Ty Segall’s Harmonizer Studios took on a different shape.

 Starting off with only drummer Thomas Alvarez (Audacity) to accompany him, Kevin
realized that any obstacles to getting the record made were also opportunities, for
something else that was also right to happen. Rather than reach for the design of the
demos, he kept himself in the present moment, approaching every passage as fluidly
as possible, playing what he needed to play, staying open to what he needed to
know. It didn’t hurt that the laptop with all his songs crashed right after he walked into
the studio! There was no way possible but forward.
 The direction was right on with the guys at Harmonizer - Ty Segall’s sense of
imagination made him the ideal production counterpart to walk together with Kevin
into this world, psyched to experiment and ready to get weird at any time. Ty and
engineer Matt Littlejohn met all requests and requirements in the form of sounds, with
gear and approaches that amazed and delighted, and an eternally ebullient spirit.
 As this was Oog Bogo’s first time recording away from home, Kevin was a kid in a
candy store - where the store owner turns out to be a Wonka-esque philanthropist.
As band members Mike Kreibel (Dirty & His Fists) and Shelby Jacobson (Shannon
Lay) joined the session, there was a synchronicity and community with everyone
involved, finding an unexpected road to realizing the songs, with all the colours and
hues they added making everything pop that much harder.
 Fluidity was key: ‘Plastic’’s tunes depict a polymorphic cast of characters. As in life,
they leap avidly from style to style; from pretty psych rock to new wave apocalypse
disco and harsh post punk bleakness, sometimes in a verse and a half. Corkscrewing
over and over like a riff-driven space-coaster, morphing in and out of each
successive moment with increasing momentum and gravity, ‘Plastic’ defines and
redefines Oog Bogo, with sweet tunes, barely-controlled intensity and sharp
production moves - a killer first album and an equally killer evolving state of mind.

The wiggy wanderings of Oog Bogo wind up on the same island of lost joys all at once, manufacturing a virtual jukebox of singles and side flips that won’t unplug, and just keeps reeling and raging on instead. A bright metallurgy of guitar pop, psych, post-punk and apocalypse disco embosses the sleek, multicoloured flash of ‘Plastic’.

 Oog Bogo are a four-piece rock band from Los Angeles and their new album is ‘Plastic’, an electrifying set of songs and sounds that just don’t stop, working like a machine that makes joy and endless flips and repetitions, whether in front of the turntable or out in the real world.
 In the past several years, Oog Bogo dropped two records that previewed this explosion in wildly divergent ways: 2019’s ‘Oogbogo’ EP, with wigged-out production, its contorted fun house mirror images pulling punk, psych and new wave in and out of focus in a chaotic procession of mutant tunes. 2021’s ‘EP2’ radiates a starkly different vibe, as chilled-out guitar-pop tunes conjure a flowing medley of plaintive echoes and atmospheres in a mellow mist of hiss.

 Kevin Boog recorded these records in a largely hermetic state: at home on 4-track, playing all the parts, slowly drawing out the sounds. The songs for ‘Plastic’ were demoed this way too, as a starting point for a group interpretation - but when, for obvious reasons, logistics prevented everyone from getting in the same room to even rehearse, the planned recording session at Ty Segall’s Harmonizer Studios took on a different shape.

 Starting off with only drummer Thomas Alvarez (Audacity) to accompany him, Kevin
realized that any obstacles to getting the record made were also opportunities, for
something else that was also right to happen. Rather than reach for the design of the
demos, he kept himself in the present moment, approaching every passage as fluidly
as possible, playing what he needed to play, staying open to what he needed to
know. It didn’t hurt that the laptop with all his songs crashed right after he walked into
the studio! There was no way possible but forward.
 The direction was right on with the guys at Harmonizer - Ty Segall’s sense of
imagination made him the ideal production counterpart to walk together with Kevin
into this world, psyched to experiment and ready to get weird at any time. Ty and
engineer Matt Littlejohn met all requests and requirements in the form of sounds, with
gear and approaches that amazed and delighted, and an eternally ebullient spirit.
 As this was Oog Bogo’s first time recording away from home, Kevin was a kid in a
candy store - where the store owner turns out to be a Wonka-esque philanthropist.
As band members Mike Kreibel (Dirty & His Fists) and Shelby Jacobson (Shannon
Lay) joined the session, there was a synchronicity and community with everyone
involved, finding an unexpected road to realizing the songs, with all the colours and
hues they added making everything pop that much harder.
 Fluidity was key: ‘Plastic’’s tunes depict a polymorphic cast of characters. As in life,
they leap avidly from style to style; from pretty psych rock to new wave apocalypse
disco and harsh post punk bleakness, sometimes in a verse and a half. Corkscrewing
over and over like a riff-driven space-coaster, morphing in and out of each
successive moment with increasing momentum and gravity, ‘Plastic’ defines and
redefines Oog Bogo, with sweet tunes, barely-controlled intensity and sharp
production moves - a killer first album and an equally killer evolving state of mind.

Kaiju is the floor-shaking, speaker-knocking new album from Canibus, one of hip-hop’s greatest lyricists who continues to push himself as an artist. It also serves as his first solo release since 2015’s excellent Time Flys, Life Dies... Phoenix Rise, which was produced entirely by Bronze Nazareth. It’s only fitting, then, that ‘Bus would once again work with only one producer for this project, which finds him spitting mind-melting bars over beats from Oxnard, CA beatsmith/rapper Body Bag Ben.

The 11 tracks on Kaiju strike a balance between personal experiences and striking grandiosity that ‘Bus expertly crafts with his pen. They also all boast the rewind-worthy lyrics you’d want from one of the genre’s most creative and truly timeless talents. You can hear this immediately on the opening track, “Curmudgeon,” where he spits raw bars with his signature growl over BBB’s monstrous production. That vibe carries on throughout the record, from the snarling, DMX-assisted “Entameta (Remix)” through to the hip-hop epic of “Verzuz.”

This is truly Canibus at his best, blending surrealist wordplay and turns-of-phrase with sharp, witty commentary about the state of the world today. Even better, he’s backed by some of BBB’s best production to date, which rumbles and stomps as much as it sounds like it’s covered in a thick layer of grime. It’s much like the inspiration for the album’s title—a giant monster (kaiju, in Japanese) like Godzilla rising from a slumber, ready to wreak havoc on his opponents.