Lovely Is Today (Edit) by Eddie Harris b/w September 13 (Edit) by Deodato | Galaxy Sound Co. — GSC4540, test pressing | Hot off the presses via the always-on-point @galaxy_sound_company crew. This will mark number 40 in the GSC45 series. Every release has been stellar, elevating it to the rarified “buy-it-on-site” status. If you love hip-hop, broken beats & top-class edits, anything w/ their stamp on it — you know it’s going to be top notch. They’ve got a bottomless discography full of that good ish, & here comes another addition to the cannon in the form of a pair of glorious jazz-funk nuggets.
Side A is an edit of “Lovely Is Today” by Eddie Harris, which is taken from his brilliant 68 soul-jazz LP “Plug Me In”. Chicagoan Harris pioneered the usage of amplified electric Varitone saxophones. It features a stellar line-up: Ron Carter (bass), Haywood Henry (baritone sax), Jodie Christian (piano), Garnet Brown (trombone), James Bossy (trumpet), Grady Tate & Richard Smith on drums, &, of course, Harris on tenor sax. Here the edit trims off the intro noise & extends the breaks recalling hip-hop songs it sampled: “2 Deep” by Gang Starr, “Intro” by Mobb Deep, “It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Stink Mix)” by Nas, “What’s My Name Yo?” by MC Lyte, among others.
Side B is an edit of “September 13” by Deodato, taken from his self-titled jazz-funk 73 LP. Deodato, aka Eumir Deodato De Almeida, is a Brazilian artist known for his range of production work for Kool & The Gang to Björk, as well as TV & film scores & collabs w/ Milton Nascimento, Ithamara Koorax & Marcos Valle. Heads will know this one as the source for heaters like “In The House” by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, “Park Joint” by Camp Lo, “Epoca” by Gotan Project, “Don’t U Know” by DJ Rels aka Madlib & “Track 13” on Beat CD #2 by J Dilla.
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Very limited vinyl pressing, 500 copies, housed in a full colour sleeve & printed inner sleeve & download. CD in a 4 panel digipack with a 4 page lyric booklet. New Heavy Sounds are always on the lookout for new bands that are looking to push the boundaries of what is considered as inhabiting the ‘heavy’ or ‘metal’ spectrum’. Stuff that pricks up the ears, a bold new voice within a maelstrom of genres and sub-genres. We believe we have found such a band. New York-based GUHTS (pronounced ‘guts’) declare themselves to be an ‘avant-garde post-metal project, delivering larger than life sounds through, deeply emotional music’. We are thrilled to be able to deliver that statement in the form of their debut album ‘Regeneration’. By their own admission, GUHTS' musical style is influenced not only by iconic metal bands like Gojira, Cult of Luna, YOB and Deftones, but more unconventional acts like Bjork, Subrosa, Isis, Julie Christmas, and even PJ Harvey. It’s undoubtedly heavy, with a strong feminist streak, it’s cathartic and weighty, a formidable debut for such a new band. Founded in 2020 as a passion project by Scott Prater (Witchkiss), and Amber Burns (Witchkiss) and then Dan Shaneyfelt (Black Mountain Hunger), GUHTS became its members’ main focus following the release of their first EP 'Blood Feather' which itself received rave reviews from the likes of Decibel Magazine, Invisible Oranges, The Obelisk, Cvlt Nation, and more. Brian Clemens Sleaping Dreaming) & Daniel Martinez (Nefariant) joined GUHTS in 2022 and the band swiftly started booking tours and making plans to record 'Regeneration'. Since then GUHTS have been steadily making a name for themselves with their powerful live performances., sharing stages with the likes of Yob, Cave in, Marissa Nadler, plus appearances at the Maryland Doom Fest, Crucial Fest and Ohio Doomed and Stoned Fest. ‘Regeneration’ is set to cement their status as one of the coolest and most interesting bands on the scene. Of the album, vocalist Amber says. "Regeneration" symbolizes the power of self-renewal, often overlooked. Embracing it means shedding old layers and welcoming new beginnings. Without this, life stagnates and is “sustaining”. Through regeneration, change becomes empowering, allowing new facets to emerge. It's a courageous, transformative process, inspiring others to overcome fear and embrace change. The album embodies the human spirit's resilience and capacity for growth. Musically ‘Regeneration’ is a powerful and intense series of songs, topped off by some seriously powerhouse and expressive vocal performances. It’s slow-moving chords, moving like sheets through sludge. High guitar lines above, ranging from piercing and shimmering to nasty. Drums pound but not without groove. There are strings, pianos and synths widening the palette. Atmospheric sludge, Metalgaze, maybe, but there’s also that link to the New York Noise lineage from The Velvets and Sonic Youth, becoming a type of post-hardcore in the process, while gaining a connection to metal partly due to the sheer heaviness. A raft of creative experimentation that pushes beyond the realm of post-metal. And then of course, the very first thing that hits you is Amber Gardner's unbelievable, hypnotising vocals - as scary as a banshee while also intimate and persuasive. Amber means it for sure and almost dominates the proceedings. Her lyrics are eclectic, thoughtful. Immersed in women's narratives frombooks like "Women Who Run With the Wolves" or works like "On Our Best Behavior" by Elise Loehnen. Amber advocates stepping beyond comfort zones, believing it's transformative for individuals and vital for Earth's future. Hokey occult rock it is not. In short ‘Regeneration’ is a bold and startling debut, that will reward and enthral listeners the deeper they delve into its many layers.
FOLLOWING THEIR RECENT REUNION, THE DELGADOS REISSUE THEIR FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM HATE ON COLOURED VINYL AND CD TO MARK ITS 21st ANNIVERSARY
Ushering in a new era of emotionally vulnerable and cinematic songwriting for celebrated Glasgow group The Delgados, 2002’s Hate is the group’s most ambitious recorded statement to date. Recorded amidst a backdrop of personal change and international crisis, Hate’s internal alchemy transmogrifies darkness into light. It’s an enclosed universe full of tragedy and magic, a swirling galaxy of lush orchestration, misanthropy dealt with kindness and black humour. Above all it showed a band coming to terms with their fragility with a new power and grace.
In Hate, the band’s ambition saw them striving to reflect the breadth of human experience, both the joy and tragedy of living in tumultuous times. Initially commissioned by The Barbican in London to compose music for a film about artist Joe Coleman, the instrumental music that instigated Hate was laden with darkness from the outset. The Delgados’ worldview has always been informed by nuance, an oblique but incisive lyrical perspective but on Hate a new rawness is woven throughout the songs. Coleman’s original subject matter - portraits of troubled historical figures like Ed Gein, Mary Bell and Jayne Mansfield - influenced the tonality of the music but the songs were written against a backdrop of international tumult and personal life changes for the band members. Beginning writing sessions following a family bereavement in drummer Paul Savage’s family, Hate was then recorded while both Alun Woodward and co-singer/guitarist Emma Pollock were expecting new additions to their young families, the latter with drummer Paul Savage. In the background to the recording process were the attacks on the World Trade Center of September 2001 and their aftermath. In this context, it’s remarkable that an album was made at all, let alone one so grand and compassionate. It’s a masterclass in restraint and imagination.
Hate sounds like the world in all its ugly glory. Recorded in Glasgow and New York with Tony Doogan, Dave Fridmann and the band as producers and using over 20 additional musicians, Hate grabs the baton from the group’s breakthrough critical and commercial success The Great Eastern. Bolder, broader and more all-encompassing than anything the band had previously attempted, the album’s palette is furnished by a string section, brass and reed instrumentation, a choir and electronic elements augmenting the core group of Emma Pollock, Alun Woodward, Paul Savage and Stewart Henderson. Far from being over the top, the group’s skill is in attention to detail, in honing and refining each arrangement, allowing each element its space.
It’s a fine balancing act that pays massive dividends. Woodward’s new lyrical vulnerability is spotlighted on tracks like The Drowning Years, which throws elegiac string arrangements against the narrative of characters living in darkness, punctuated by couplets that bring a real-life documentary feel to the narrative. All Rise brings a black comedy to the idea of a confessional before a transcendent, choir-led refrain brings ecstatic resolution to Woodward’s vocal in its highest register. On the single All You Need Is Hate, Woodward’s trick of subverting the Beatles standard showcases the dark humour at the centre of Hate. Here The Delgados’ perversity is in full flow, nurturing a glowing light from darkness, the resolving melody and Fridmann production recalling contemporaries The Flaming Lips (whose Michael Ivins assisted in mixing) or Mercury Rev. The perversity is the surging serotonin induced by the group while singing the lines “Hate is everywhere, inside your mother’s heart and you will find it there. You ask me what you need? Hate is all you need.”
It’s a dark magic that pervades Hate, indeed it’s almost the driving force throughout the album. Flipping minor to major and back again, Favours is fuelled by fear and violence before blasting into the heavens with the gauche line “and you’re feeling fine,” operating in stark contrast to the verses’ tone. Album opener The Light Before We Land finds Emma Pollock in the aftermath of recent family trauma. Her vocal is effortless; a study in steady restraint against the massive, Fridmann-patented drum sound powering Savage’s playing and Henderson’s instantly recognisable melodic basslines. Coming In from the Cold is Pollock in full flight, lifted to the heavens by wide-screen, instrumental texture. Her presence on Hate highlights her knack for lyrical impressionism, the timbre of her voice lending itself to drama while always retaining a mystique. Never Look At The Sun, inspired by the Coleman painting The Big Bang Theory (itself an explosives-themed study), revels in paranoia, her performance ringing out in the eye of the storm conjured by the swirling arrangements. It reaches the peak of a redemptive arc while seemingly parodying the very idea of redemption.
Hate was the sound of The Delgados completely fulfilling their potential, a fully realised vision buoyed by the weight of coming through a darkness into light. For its 21st anniversary, the album is being reissued on the band’s own Chemikal Underground on coloured vinyl and CD. Hate is all you need
Jason Grimez is a Cincinnati-based DJ and producer. He has a long history of record collecting, sampling, and creating new sounds with analog gear. Grimez works with some of Cincinnati's finest studio musicians to create raw, soulful, instrumental hip-hop under the moniker Doctor Bionic. The next LP, In The Infinite, is due out 12/01/2023 via Chiefdom Records. Grimez fell in love with music during the golden era of early 90's east coast hip hop - when digging for jazz and funky samples were the backbone of beats. He became comfortable scratching on a pair of 1200s and sampling records with an MPC 3000 in high school. After years of collecting music and working on his sound behind the scenes, he has compiled a huge discography of original songs. In 2015, Grimez started his independent label Chiefdom Records. His studio persona Doctor Bionic was one of the first to see a release on the new imprint. The project features a studio band of session musicians. Grimez is responsible for writing, recording, producing, mixing, and releasing the records. He gathers a group of musicians in his studio, presents a few ideas, and hits record. Due to a rotating cast of musicians and ever-changing inspirations, no two sessions are alike. "There's no set pattern," Grimez explained. "I'll invite some session players and have them jam on a few ideas. Sometimes we'll start with a drum break and add melodies over top. It's mostly improv, and I can always go back and chop it up." One common thread is the fresh, original sounds. "I like to call it Organic Groove," he shared. "I'm inspired by all kinds of music - instrumental hip-hop, soul, classic rock, jazz, you name it. When we get in the studio, all of the pieces add up to a new sound." In The Infinite features some of the best players in the Cincinnati music scene. Cameron Brown played guitar on several tracks. Brian Batchelor-Glader, an award-winning pianist, was also involved. All 12 tracks provide the perfect backdrop for hanging with a group of good friends or cruising in the car. The drums are solid, consistent, and lay an effortless foundation for all kinds of instrumentation. Jazzy trumpet lines, ethereal keyboards, choppy soul guitar licks, and much more. "Do You Remember?" (track 2) heroes a busy, poppy guitar and a head-bobbing bassline. The record scratching and tape-recorded drum tones on "Plastic Art" (track 7) feels like a hip-hop instrumental from the early aughts. From top to bottom, this record has a lot to offer. Pick up a copy of In The Infinite on vinyl or stream the album on 12/01/2023
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Bô'vels Streetsoul-Hymne 'Check 4 U' (1996) ist einer der unbestreitbarsten Underground-Klassiker der Mitt-1990er Piratenradio-Ära, der britische Soundsystem-Kultur, den Clubsound der Manchester-Streetsoul-Szene, Dub-Hip-Hop der Bristol-Bewegung und Reggae-Soundsystem-Bässe miteinander vereint. Nun erscheint mit CHANGES ein Sampler von 'Manchesters beliebtester Soul-Diva' mit diesem Kulttrack und neun weiteren unveröffentlichten Raritäten aus der ungefähren Schaffensperiode 1997-2008, die von Streetsoul über Reggae und Breakbeat bis Downtempo reichen.
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Julian Cannonball Adderley's only Blue Note album, Somethin' Else, would likely forever be famous in music lore if just for the presence of Miles Davis. The iconic composer/trumpeter steps into the role of sideman on the 1958 set, one of just a handful of times he'd make such a move after the calendar passed the mid-1950s. Yet evaluating Somethin' Else strictly on Davis' involvement misses the big picture. Plain and simple, Adderley's jubilant work remains a jazz landmark due to the chemistry of its Hall of Fame personnel, enthusiasm of its participants, and sophistication of its arrangements – not to mention the reference-grade production and inclusion of the definitive renditions of two all-time jazz standards.
Limited to 6,000 numbered copies, pressed on dead-quiet MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, and mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's ultra-hi-fi UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP collector's edition pays tribute to the record's merit and includes the bonus track "Allison's Uncle." Offering reference-calibre sonics, this spectacular collector's version provides a clear, transparent, ultra-dynamic, and up-close view of a cornerstone effort that witnesses Adderley and Davis sharing horn duty alone for the only time in their fabled careers – an arrangement that occurred as a result of Adderley having joined Davis' majestic sextet a year prior. The premium packaging and beautiful presentation of the UD1S Somethin' Else pressing befit its extremely select status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendour of the recording. No expense has been spared. Aurally and visually, this UD1S reissue exists as a curatorial artefact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in the art – and everything involved with the album, from the iconic photos to the gorgeous finishes.
Batov Records' Middle Eastern Grooves 45s series welcomes the latest addition to its eclectic roster - a two-track EP from Eje Eje, the psych and funk inspired project from Şatellites band leader and producer, Itamar Kluger. Featuring the tracks "That Rainy Down" and "Coral Sex," the EP showcases Eje Eje's unique blend of Middle Eastern melodies, soulful grooves, and psychedelic sounds.
On the A-side "That Rainy Down," The electro baglama player takes the lead, building and building as if, “he is pushing himself to his limit”, says Itamar, “seeking catharsis as he walks to the edge of the cliff with confidence”, whilst the a baladi rhythm plays like an immense march of drummers. On the B-side we find the funkier "Coral Sex", which according to Itamar tells a story of a drunk tramp bothering the refined and self-important occupants of an exclusive hotel lobby. Reflecting this friction, the track juxtaposes a silky and sophisticated R&B sound, with loosely, pr even drunkenly, played take on rebetiko, a traditional Greek music associated with the poorest of city dwellers, played on a long-necked Greek lute known as a bouzouki.
As each track develops, new layers are revealed, inviting the listener to delve deeper. The effect is intentional. As Itamar says, "there is this kind of music that hooks you in a different way every time you hear it, different places in the songs lighting up in different colors, like slowly revealed layers. In our (Eje Eje) case, it is just such a hazed blend. It could make a very specific atmosphere, color a very specific movie scene that is lost in time or yet to be directed, or a very specific moment with your headphones on a long bus to the desert."
Itamar Kluger is best known for his work with the Şatellites, a six-piece band whose blend of Turkish folk and psych with funk and disco won them champions and listeners across the globe, from KEXP in Seattle to BBC Radio 6 Music, and FIP in France.
Eje Eje’s first 45 promises to be at least as quirky and original, if not more so, since the project is even more unshackled from traditional concepts of a band.
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Legendary Hip Hop Producer and Emcee Large Pro aka The Large Professor returns with his highly anticipated 3rd instrumental album, BEATZ VOLUME 3. Back with his traditional signature Boomp Bap sound, LP brings you more well-crafted soulful BEATZ that you can rhyme to, DJ with, skateboard, or even dance to! This album features 10 bangers that are sure to make DJs want doubles to back spin!
Large Professor states:
"Beatz Vol. 3 was made to lift the spirits. From the youthful "Let It Fly" to the ghetto love story sounds of "Rooftop Love", all of the Beatz on this project were made to make the listener feel good. After learning more about my family history, I had to dedicate the song "Ancestors" to my predecessors who are in the "Friendly Skies". Overall, I want to keep that original Boomp Bap style of hip hop alive for my generation, and the real ones to follow."
Large Professor is a founding member of the Hip Hop group Main Source. In 1991 their classic debut album "Breaking Atoms" introduced the world to NAS, who was featured on the track "Live at the Barbeque". LP's debut solo album "The LP" (PSP006) was finally released in 2009 featuring hits like "IJuswannachill", "Mad Scientist" & More.
Some of Large Pro's production and remix credits include tracks for NAS, Eric B. & Rakim, A Tribe Called Quest, Slick Rick, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Tragedy Khadafi, Mobb Deep, Busta Rhymes, Big Daddy Kane, Lord Finesse, Akinyele, Masta Ace, Czarface, Cormega and many more. Recent production credits: RawWattage "Eyez" (2020), "Pressure" Soundtrack (2020), The Lox/Westside Gunn & Benny "Think of the Lox" (2021), Al Skratch "Be Original" (2021), Neek The Exotic ft. Large Pro "XtraExotic" (album) (2021), K.McGyver Hemisphere (2021), Papoose "Represent" (2021), Papoose "Cold Winter" (2021) and the "All The Streets are Silent" Motion Picture Soundtrack (2021).
Legendary Hip Hop Producer and Emcee Large Pro aka The Large Professor returns with his highly anticipated 3rd instrumental album, BEATZ VOLUME 3. Back with his traditional signature Boomp Bap sound, LP brings you more well-crafted soulful BEATZ that you can rhyme to, DJ with, skateboard, or even dance to! This album features 10 bangers that are sure to make DJs want doubles to back spin!
Large Professor states:
"Beatz Vol. 3 was made to lift the spirits. From the youthful "Let It Fly" to the ghetto love story sounds of "Rooftop Love", all of the Beatz on this project were made to make the listener feel good. After learning more about my family history, I had to dedicate the song "Ancestors" to my predecessors who are in the "Friendly Skies". Overall, I want to keep that original Boomp Bap style of hip hop alive for my generation, and the real ones to follow."
Large Professor is a founding member of the Hip Hop group Main Source. In 1991 their classic debut album "Breaking Atoms" introduced the world to NAS, who was featured on the track "Live at the Barbeque". LP's debut solo album "The LP" (PSP006) was finally released in 2009 featuring hits like "IJuswannachill", "Mad Scientist" & More.
Some of Large Pro's production and remix credits include tracks for NAS, Eric B. & Rakim, A Tribe Called Quest, Slick Rick, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Tragedy Khadafi, Mobb Deep, Busta Rhymes, Big Daddy Kane, Lord Finesse, Akinyele, Masta Ace, Czarface, Cormega and many more. Recent production credits: RawWattage "Eyez" (2020), "Pressure" Soundtrack (2020), The Lox/Westside Gunn & Benny "Think of the Lox" (2021), Al Skratch "Be Original" (2021), Neek The Exotic ft. Large Pro "XtraExotic" (album) (2021), K.McGyver Hemisphere (2021), Papoose "Represent" (2021), Papoose "Cold Winter" (2021) and the "All The Streets are Silent" Motion Picture Soundtrack (2021).
- iam8bit Edition - 2xLP on Ice Crown Blue Vinyl - Featuring Music from World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King - Music Composed by Russell Brower, Derek Duke, Glenn Stafford, Jason Hayes, and Neal Acree - Album Design by Ryan Brinkerhoff // Wrath of the Lich King was more than just World of Warcraft's second expansion. For the game's millions of players, its release was a watershed moment in the MMORPG's then-young history, a defining time that rocketed the game into a new stratosphere of popularity and prestige. Northrend may be cold, but we here at iam8bit are feeling the warm and fuzzy embrace of nostalgia, thinking back on fond memories of countless icy raid nights. To commemorate this feeling, we collaborated with the folks at Blizzard Entertainment to create a 2xLP worthy of the Frozen Throne! Inside, you'll find select tracks from Russell Brower, Derek Duke, Glenn Stafford, Jason Hayes, and Neal Acree unforgettable soundtrack, presented across two records and packaged in album design from seasoned talent Ryan Brinkerhoff. This iam8bit version comes on lovely Crown Blue vinyl. Whether you're rolling need or greed, we know you're gonna want this one. Don't miss out on this celebration of one of the greatest expansions of all time!
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Cryovac is a family of artists that work as one machine. Individual style bands together and moves, as cogs, this machine forward. A.Garcia maintains and manages production on every level, even the pressing at the world famous Archer Record Press. Cryovac is a collaboration between artists and craftsmen to make a quality product. Each project Cryovac champions is meant as a gift for the true believer.
Cryovac #28 starts out with Jason Garcia's frantic head banger “Trapped in purgatory”. This classic 4/4 rocker builds intensity by layering screaming tones to crescendo in a steady drive. “Ichabod”, Garcia’s second track on the A side, is a spartan groove with a stoic delivery of minimalism; a stripped down rhythm with a serious attitude.
A.Garcia and M.Kretsch begin the B side with a reggae-punk techno experiment that delivers a rowdy funk.“Rock the dance bah” is Clash inspired minimal with a walking bassline, texas style percussion, and a guitar twack on the up beat. Garcia and Kretsch collab again on the B2 with “Stillgar”; a blend of synths working around each other as one storm guiding a rambunctious beating to a mystic reverie. These tracks illustrate the duo's production method and approach to the techno sound.
Our artwork for this release was provided by Nick Retzlaff. He is an artist and stand-up comic living with autism, and expressing his unique view of the world.
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Boomstraat 1818's newest release 'Durgan's Odyssey' is a warm and melodic Detroit techno ep, inspirited by summer visits to the Cornish coast at Glendurgan.
Kuba Sojka delivers the A1: 'Root Loop', a dj friendly peaktimer, tested on multiple crowds with an ascertained result. We are blessed to release this track on our label.
'Remain' is the A2 of the ep, in The Parallel's typical deep Detroit style: combining warm pads with classic Roland percussion.
Aztronouth is a longtime friend of the label and founder of the legendary Amsterdam based Mechanism parties. He takes care of the A3 with his track 'Tears From Detroit', a clever analog 'one take' electro recording paying his respects to the Motor City.
Acclaimed French techno veteran Taho is on B1. Well known for his classics such as Mutant Fight the Creature and Forest of Wonders. His track 'Dub Jazz' says it all: it sounds like Brendon Moeller and Saint Germain had a love baby.
On the B2 Boomstraat 1818 label owner Stroef combines his analog 808 drums with strings and pads to deliver a warm and captivating melodic Detroit track called 'Main Gate'.
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Edo.G's latest Album FreEDOm couldn't come at a better time in history as we are in an age where it seems like our freedoms are slowly getting taken away with a corrupt dictator in office.
FreEDOm has a sound that is reminiscent to one of your favorite Hip-Hop albums with songs that touch every part of your life. Edo.G's conscious lyrics over banging beats are bound to resonate and inspire. The song "Smoke" features Masta Ace, marking their first collaboration since the critically acclaimed 2009 "Arts & Entertainment" album. “Boom”, Produced by Sir Williams is the first music video from the album that sheds light on gun violence and the affect it has on victims, families and communities. FreEDOm is Edo.G’s 15th studio album produced by up and coming producers Torchbars, Kelz With Tha Heat, Sir Williams, Geronimo X, DJ Scienz & more.
If the album wasn't enough, the Digipak CD includes a full-length documentary based on the ED O.G & Da Bulldogs hit song "I Got To Have it". This ground-breaking documentary is a true artistic masterpiece on how one song can change your life. This is an in-depth look into Edo.G's journey through the music industry being dropped from a major label to finding his way independently. It highlights his life and career from his early teenage years to the present day. Through touring the world and making a positive impact with his music, Edo.G’s continued relevance in Hip Hop is not to be questioned.
Lead single from Skinshape’s 8th Studio Album ‘Craterellus Tubaeformis’. For fans of Khruangbin, El Michels Affair, Madlib, Bonobo. A perfect taster of Skinshape’s latest album ‘Craterellus Tubaeformis’ is this double header featuring the laid-back vocals from the man himself. The joyous feel of ‘It’s Real’ sounds as if it’s been lifted from a classic blues album but with a contemporary feel. ‘Amnesia’ keeps a similar vibe with thoughtful lyrics leading to a deeper track than the production may initially suggest. Will Dorey’s ambiguous words on the tracks It's Real: “I shall leave you to decide what the song is about. Musically, it's straight-up 1960s British blues era style. Phased guitar solos, 12-string acoustic chugging along. All that.” Amnesia: “Following the course of slightly psych-edged bedroom pop. Is it pop? I shall leave you to discern the lyrical meaning.” Support from BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 2, Jazz FM, Soho Radio, Mojo, Uncut, Shindig etc
Robert and Lyric Hood aka Floorplan return to Classic with two-track release ‘The Curse Breaker / What You Need’, further demonstrating their unique gospel house sound. With their growing catalogue of previous Classic releases gaining extensive club support from tastemakers such as Dan Shake, TSHA, Jamie Jones and Seth Troxler to name a small few, as well as widespread specialist radio support, the appetite for Floorplan’s Classic output is evident. Now the father and daughter duo return with another adventurous vocal sample for their latest release; ‘The Curse Breaker’ combines a religious sermon with expertly produced house, building from a small flame to its euphoric, blazing climax. Next up, ‘What You Need’ displays the duo’s disco influences with a heavy dose of classic 20th century soul.
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Mirage is a cosmic collaboration between the Silver Apples and Makoto Kawabata of Japan's Acid Mothers Temple. Packaged in a deluxe jacket printed with metallic silver ink. This album is dedicated to the memory of Simeone Coxe who died September 8, 2020 while this project was being assembled. Dragonfly's First Flight, taking up the full side A, features Simeon Coxe and Kawabata Makoto jamming over familiar Silver Apples hypnotic rhythms. Fans of both groups will delight in the interplay between Simeon's keyboard and Makoto's drone guitar feedback soloing. Side B ranges from free-form freakouts to ambient poetry readings by Simeon with Japanese translation spoken by Makoto. Future Reminiscence, which closes side B, sounds like a long-lost Silver Apples
Die New Yorker GUHTS (ausgesprochen 'guts') bezeichnen sich selbst als 'Avantgarde-Post-Metal-Projekt, das überlebensgroße Klänge und tief emotionale Musik liefert'. Nach eigener Aussage ist der Musikstil von GUHTS nicht nur von kultigen Metal-Bands wie Gojira, Cult of Luna, YOB und Deftones beeinflusst, sondern auch von unkonventionelleren Acts wie Bjork, Subrosa, Isis, Julie Christmas und sogar PJ Harvey. Es ist zweifelsohne schwer, mit einer starken feministischen Ader, es ist kathartisch und gewichtig, ein formidables Debüt für eine so neue Band. GUHTS wurde 2020 von Scott Prater (Witchkiss), Amber Burns (Witchkiss) und Dan Shaneyfelt (Black Mountain Hunger) als Passionsprojekt gegründet. Nach der Veröffentlichung ihrer ersten EP "Blood Feather", die begeisterte Kritiken vom Decibel Magazine, Invisible Oranges, The Obelisk, Cvlt Nation und anderen erhielt, konzentrierten sich die Mitglieder auf neue Ideen. Brian Clemens (Sleaping Dreaming) & Daniel Martinez (Nefariant) stießen 2022 zu GUHTS und die Band begann schnell, Pläne für die Aufnahme von "Regeneration" zu schmieden. Seitdem haben sich GUHTS mit ihren kraftvollen Live-Auftritten einen Namen gemacht: Sie teilten sich die Bühne mit Bands wie Yob, Cave in und Marissa Nadler und traten auf dem Maryland Doom Fest, Crucial Fest und Ohio Doomed and Stoned Fest auf. Musikalisch ist "Regeneration" eine kraftvolle und intensive Reihe von Songs, die durch einige sehr kraftvolle und ausdrucksstarke Gesangsdarbietungen gekrönt werden. Langsame Akkorde, darüber liegende hohe Gitarrenlinien, die durchdringen und schimmern. Das Schlagzeug hämmert, Streicher, Pianos und Synthies erweitern die Palette. Atmosphärischer Sludge, Metalgaze, mit Verbindungen zur New Yorker Noise-Linie von The Velvets und Sonic Youth. Streng limitierte Vinyl-Pressung in einer farbigen Hülle, bedruckter Innenhülle und Download. CD in einem 4-seitigen Digipack mit 4-seitigem Textheft.
Morphing Territories’ self-titled imprint serves as a vessel for the artist’s timeless approach to techno, characterized by hypnotic, unpredictable atmospheres born out of modular synthesis and field recording. Rooted in the inspiration drawn from the natural beauty of his native Switzerland, Morphing Territories embarks on a boundless quest to perfect the beat. The label reflects this journey through tireless improvisation and introspective self-discovery, resulting in finely sculpted sound constructs that defy the conventional boundaries of both complexity and simplicity. Morphing Territories Label stands as a testament to the artist’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration, inviting listeners to join him on an extraordinary sonic expedition.
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The Tables Will Turn EP marks the comeback of Senegalese singer Faada Freddy after a long recording silence since the release in 2016 of a first album The Gospel Journey, punctuated by some 300 concerts worldwide.
Tables Will Turn confirms an uncompromising musical approach where the only resources are human "My music is 100% organic and 0% technological" summarizes Faada to evoke a device, already proven on Gospel Journey that solicits the mouth and body to imitate the sound of instruments.
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ITALIAN LIBRARY GEM RE-IMAGINED BY BEATMAKER KORALLE AND RAPPER ILLA J
Four Flies is proud to present a new installment in the RELOVED series, 'New Levels / Chartreuse', with an original track from late-70s Italian ensemble Modern Sound Quartet and a rework from producer and beatmaker Koralle featuring iconic rapper Illa J.
In keeping with the aim of the series, which is to put a modern and urban spin on tunes from Italian golden age soundtracks and library music, Koralle has used the unique jazz-funk sound of the original sample to create a smooth and stylish hip-hop beat to which Illa J adds irresistible swag and coolness. More than a remix, 'New Levels' is a new composition that takes 'Chartreuse' into the world of contemporary hip-hop and rap.
Lorenzo Nada, aka Koralle, is a musician, beatmaker and producer from Bologna, Italy. Nada is best known for his project Godblesscomputers, which kicked off a couple of years ago while he was living in Berlin. After releasing four albums/EPs and touring Europe with a four-piece band, Nada is heading into a new direction as Koralle. Firmly rooted in hip-hop, Koralle is taking his jazz crates and field recordings to the studio. Equipped with an array of synths, Rhodes and bass, he creates deeply textured tracks that touch mind, body and soul. "Each beat is like an object found at the bottom of the sea," says Koralle to describe his music. And adds: "The samples emerge from the depths of my record collection and find a new meaning, transformed, like corals from the bottom of the ocean."
Rapping on Koralle's beat is Detroit artist Illa J. Raised in a musical family (his father played piano, his mother sang, and his older brother is the late hip-hop producer J Dilla), he grew up surrounded by jazz, gospel and soul, before building a name for himself as a rapper with a distinctive flow and timbre, but also as a singer and songwriter. Illa J has said of his approach to lyric writing that "the melody comes first, then I bring the words in, even when I'm rapping, you know rhythmically. I'm a singer, so melody comes first, but in terms of the subject matter, the music tells you."
The Modern Sound Quartet was an ensemble led by Milanese pianist and composer Oscar Rocchi. It included Rocchi on keys, Andrea Surdi on drums, Ernesto Verardi on guitars, and Luigi Cappellotto on bass. 'Chartreuse' (written by Cappellotto) comes from their 1976 library LP Cocktail Bar – a collection of jazz-funk/jazz-rock/fusion tunes, each named after a famous spirit. While little known to the general public, Cocktail Bar is highly sought after by diggers, DJs and beatmakers.
'New Levels / Chartreuse' is the fifth release in the RELOVED series, following Jolly Mare's retouch of Piero Umiliani's 'Discomania' (12"), Free The Robots' rework Gianni Safred's 'Autumn 2001' (7"), Dengue Dengue Dengue's remix of Giuliano Sorgini's 'Oasi Nella Giungla' (7"), and Fratelli Malibu's reversioning of Alessandro Alessandroni's 'Tema di Susie' (12"). The 7" releases are co-curated by fellow independent label Little Beat More.
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ESP Institute artist Bartellow, one third of the project Tambien and otherwise known in the Contemporary Classical sphere as Beni Brachtel, returns to the label with his second full-length release, Noosphere. While currently heading the SVS label and residency series out of Munich, Beni’s resume expands well beyond electronic music to include immersive sound installations such as The Adven- ture Of The Empty House (solo live performance across seven floors of Walter Henn’s Deckelbau building), a slew of compositions for the Bavarian State Opera (for which he doubled as conductor), and a prolific career of over twenty-five theater scores for institutions such as the Münchner Kammerspiele, Schauspiel Basel, Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin, Berliner Ensemble, Schauspiel Köln, Schaus- piel Graz and with directors Ersan Mondtag, Alexander Eisenach, Jessica Glause and Tobias Staab among others.
Noosphere is a compendium excerpting from theatrical scores WUT (Elfriede Jelinek, at Schauspielhaus Köln, directed by Ersan Mondtag, 2020), Ödipus and Antigone (Maxim Gorki Theatre Berlin, directed by Ersan Mondtag, 2017), Der Zauberberg (Thomas Mann, Schauspiel Graz, directed by Alexander Eisenach, 2017), Hass Tryptichon (Sybille Berg, Wiener Festwochen / Maxim Gorki Theatre, directed by Ersan Mondtag, 2019), Wonderland Ave. (Sibylle Berg, Schauspielhaus Köln, directed by Ersan Mondtag, 2018), Die Verdammten (after Visconti ́s film, Schauspielhaus Köln, directed by Ersan Mondtag, 2019) and Roi Ubu (Alfred Jarry, Theater Neumarkt, Zurich, directed by Alexander Eisenach, 2018).
The work traverses homages, infusing everything from Baroque to Impressionism, and while these types of references are certainly built into the canon of Theatre as a discipline, here we gather histor- ic layers in an even wider net. Under the self-referential thumb of Contemporary Classical music, this sort of "hindsight" approach has been largely avoided, however, in today’s all-access arena, the constant stream of historic causal-chained events has opened a delta where anything is possible. This defines Bartellow’s stance among his colleagues as well as his cultural position as a composer.
Beni considers beauty a fleeting objective in the arts, that expression is often expected to follow notions of Destructivism or the unfulfilled. Art will pore over wounds, collective angst, mourn- ing a loss of natural habitat or a fear of technological invasion, yet there is a bitter irreverence for the friction or salvation in beauty itself. Acknowledging this subjectivity — what one audience considers superficial pleasure may be deeply profound to another — he leans into musical instinct as if composing via divine conduit.
Noosphere conjures a array of suspense, ecstasy, melancholy, and dread, but in isolating the work from its theatrical component, Brachtel directs our focus toward formal qualities, clearing unim- peded space to conceive fresh narratives and examine dynamism and interconnectivity. In sympathy with often difficult theatre pieces, the passages can be dark and transgressive, but more importantly they remain relative to Brachtel’s circumstances at their time of creation. The title Noosphere speaks to the evolution of human thought and knowledge, opening a door to subjective points-of-view. For example, Nexus II On The Beach refers to both Roberto Musci’s Water Messages On Desert Sand as well as the film Bladerunner, invoking the image of an android enjoying the sunset, but whether or not this abstraction may be considered beautiful depends the listener’s cumulative life experience and perspective.
This is hybrid chamber music, augmented by electro-acoustic layers, juxtaposing various periods and successively processing their residual themes into a trans-generational rendering of “now.”
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ONO Records is proud to present a long awaited project from EDN, the recording project of Elena Nees. Hailing from Adelaide / Kaurna, Elena has crafted her sound in the form of sweet bedroom folk and pop, self releasing a number of tender EPs since 2020 along with releasing a fantastic six track cassette with the esteemed Naarm based cassette label Healthy Tapes under her Allume alias. Here, the EDN moniker takes these folk pop sensibilities and filters them through a love for electronic hardware production and music.
The record begins with the end-of-the-night dancefloor ballad ‘A Mirror’. Jittering and agitated drum programing makes way for EDN’s feather-weight vocals, cleverly manipulated over bubbling synths as the track melts into a bonafide braindance-pop anthem. ‘(Blue!) Flor’ keeps the tempo rising, breaking out into a funked drum machine jam allowing pearlescent pads to intermittently wash over. The thumping ‘Ummmm’ continues the jam ending the first side with an urgent techno-not-techno freak out.
Side B opens with the crystalline fourth world ambience of ‘Mess 1’ before EDN’s angelic antipodean twang takes the spotlight again on the gorgeous and introspective ‘2 Bored Angels’. Interluding briefly with the trip-hop induced breakbeat experiments of ‘Slo’, ‘Mirror Fuck’ bookends the record perfectly with glistening keys and EDN’s soulful vocals singing of longing and desire. An excellent closer. EDN gives us a triumphant and utterly unique record that unveils itself more and more with each listen and highlights her immense and diverse talent. One we are proud to include in the ONO catalogue!
Written & Produced by Elena Nees
Artwork by Mathieu Larone & Grace Otto
Mastering by Marco Pellegrino
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La Matta Records proudly presents the official reissue of the first 7-inch by Rita and the Danger, an Italian Disco-Funk masterpiece originally released in 1980 on the Flop Record label. This rare and sought-after track ( “Io e lui al lago Nassua” ) recorded in Bari, finally comes out after more than 40 years, carefully restored directly from its original tape on a 16-track Ampex MM 1100 machine, was a pioneer of the 1980s Italo-disco genre. It features melodic overtones that flow into synthesized sequences of early electronic pop. In 1980, the B-side track “Io e Lui al Lago Nassua”, arranged by Cavaros (Rosa Cavalieri), reached the top of the national charts, invading dancefloors and radio stations all over Italy. It also helped Rita and The Danger connect with an audience that extended well beyond their native Puglia region. The group’s youthful charm resonates loud and clear 40 years after its first release, and this sound, which was born in the analog age and is still relevant in the digital age, is now being brought back to life with a new and extended version of the original 7-inch 45 rpm single.
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Brilliant rough and funky two sider from Charles Barnwell's band The Funnybone express. A very obscure deepfunk spin with that splash of modern sound that was so appreciated at the time (I can't actually remember whether it was Ian or Keb that first played this).
It has remained an extremely rare and sought after slab of wax and this limited run of 500 will serve to sort out the heads that know the score. Big up DJ Mr Big Happy (check out his NTS show) and Daniel Mathis (Check his show Reachin' Out on WYXR) for helping unearth this rare banger.
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Adam Pit’s Grounded EP sees the space•lab favourite exploring deeper, techno-inspired terrains. Opening track, ‘Schtoopbloop’ traces mystical synth lines and expansive vocals, underpinned by a satisfyingly substantial, driving baseline. Track two, ‘Tiptoe’, enters Pits’ iconic breaksy palette - equal parts dreamy and slick, this is the wipeout soundtrack for the next century. On the flipside, Konduku dips his toe into remix duties, offering up a shimmering, spiralling rework of the original. Finally, closing up the release, title track ‘Grounded’ growls into view, rising from sub-heavy foundations into dubby, treacle-speed sounds.
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Mitte der 1970er erlebten Diskotheken in Tokio und ganz Japan einen Boom, als die Disco-Welle aus den USA zu ihnen rüberschwappte. Bis in die frühen 1980er hinein wurde die Musik von erfahrenen Studiomusikern - und nicht per Computereinspielung - aufgenommen, was für einen soliden Sound auf dem Dancefloor sorgte. Disco-Musik lief auch in TV-Serien, Werbespots und Animes. Von Godiegos Monsterhit 'The Birth Of The Odyssey – Monkey Magic' bis zu Pink Parachutes obskurem (und ausgezeichnetem!) 'Disco Great Tokyo' erkundet diese Auswahl einige der besten Disco- & Boogie-Tracks, die Ende der 1970er/Anfang der 1980er auf dem legendären Nippon Columbia-Label veröffentlicht wurden.
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Platz 2 Powermetal SOUNDCHECK 01/24
Die aus Brisbane stammende Band Caligula's Horse hat sich seit ihrer Gründung im Jahr 2011 zu einer der führenden Progressive-Metal-Bands der Welt entwickelt. Mit Charcoal Grace, ihrem 6. Studioalbum, kehrt die Gruppe mit einer Kombination aus roher Rock-Power und immenser emotionaler Tiefe zurück. Charcoal Grace ist aus der statischen Hoffnungslosigkeit geboren, die die Pandemie der Band und einem Großteil der Welt in den letzten Jahren aufgezwungen hat. Es ist ein Album, das mit den Erfahrungen und Ergebnissen dieser Zeit abrechnet und letztlich auf eine Katharsis abzielt - auf eine hoffnungsvollere Zukunft. Der Titel Charcoal Grace wird von der Band als "die düstere Anziehungskraft und seltsame Schönheit von Stille, Schweigen und Verlust" beschrieben. Das kann man im 10-minütigen Eröffnungstrack "The World Breathes With Me" hören, einem Mission Statement für die Hauptthemen des Albums. Musikalisch ist es ein Werk der Kontraste, das sich von der leichtesten Ebbe bis zum schwersten Fluss bewegt. Der zweite Track und die erste Singleauskopplung des Albums, "Golem", befasst sich mit dem Kampf mit der Last der Erwartung durch die Pandemie. Es ist ein schwerer Song mit Schwerpunkt auf Riffs und treibenden Rhythmen. Im Mittelpunkt des Albums steht die vierteilige Suite des Titeltracks, ein 24-minütiges Werk, das die grundlegenden Themen des Albums vertieft: Verbindung, Entfremdung und die Art und Weise, wie die Menschheit unter Zwang handelt. Musikalisch deckt es alle Facetten des Vokabulars der Band ab, von schwerer und dichter, orchestral begleiteter Intensität, die die dunkelsten lyrischen Ideen der Songs verkörpert, bis hin zu sanften, akustisch geprägten Momenten und Introspektion. Nachdem Caligula's Horse in den letzten Jahren nicht in der Lage waren, ihr letztes Album Rise Radiant der Welt zu präsentieren, sind sie nun bereit, Charcoal Grace auf schonungslose Art und Weise unter die Leute zu bringen. Mit diesem Album hat Caligula's Horse ein Statement abgegeben, und sie sind bereit, dass die Welt zuhört. Charcoal Grace ist erhältlich als Gatefold 180g 2LP
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PRESSING OF 500 COPIES WORLDWIDE. INCLUDES POSTER.
The sound of today. A very strong statement. Yet, fifty years later, it remains undisputed. Today’s sound is Piero Umiliani's manifesto, his will to demonstrate to the world that he always has his finger on the pulsating vein of the world, ready to embrace the heartbeat of the future.
In the summer of 1973, Piero Umiliani, in his futuristic recording studio in Rome, much like Miles Davis for his 'Bitches Brew,' gathered an extraordinary collective of musicians, both old and new guard to measure themselves against some of his compositions.
Besides strongly emphasizing the backbeat, what stands out the most is the timbre provided by his 'electronic instruments,' as he liked to call them. Minimoog, Arp 2600, Fender Rhodes, EMS VCS3, Clavinet, Lowrey organ, Space Echo, self-built envelope filters—machines impossible to see all together in an Italian recording studio at the time and made available to the musicians.
The line-up is stellar; under the name 'Sound Workshoppers,' the 'Wrecking Crew all'Amatriciana' is hidden an impossible mix where Marc 4, Gres and Perigeo are blended, along with a brass section of veterans and pioneers of Italian jazz, all members of the RAI Symphonic Rhythm Orchestra.
Comparing the recordings from the original scores, one can also understand the space left by Piero Umiliani for his musicians. They are free to move, to contribute solutions, to enrich the maestro's music.
The perfectly preserved original masters, once transferred at the maximum possible sampling frequency, allowed for the recovery of many lost frequencies, restoring brilliance and the remarkable low end expertly captured in recording by engineer Claudio Budassi.
Today’s sound was extremely difficult to control and fully render with the mastering technology of that time.
Paradoxically, Today's sound could not sound as I have managed to make it sound today: urgent, majestic, more alive than ever.
Studio One was founded by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd1 in 1954, and the first recordings were cut in 1963 on Brentford Road in Kingston.1[2] Amongst its earliest records were "Easy Snappin" by Theophilus Beckford, backed by Clue J & His Blues Blasters, and "This Man is Back" by trombonist Don Drummond. Dodd had previously issued music on a series of other labels, including World Disc, and had run Sir Coxsone the Downbeat, one of the largest and most reputable sound systems in the Kingston ghettos.
In the early 1960s, the house band providing backing for the vocalists were the Skatalites[3] (1964–65), whose members (including Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Jackie Mittoo, Lester Sterling and Lloyd Brevett) were recruited from the Kingston jazz scene by Dodd. The Skatalites split up in 1965 after Drummond was jailed for murder, and Dodd formed new house band the Soul Brothers (1965–66), later named the Soul Vendors (1967) and Sound Dimension (1967-). From 1965 to 1968 they played 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 5 days a week, 12 rhythms a day (about 60 rhythms a week) with Jackie Mittoo as music director, Brian Atkinson (1965–1968) on bass, Hux Brown on guitar, Harry Haughton (guitar), Joe Isaacs on drums (1966–1968), Denzel Laing on percussion, and on horns (some initially and some throughout): Roland Alphonso, Dennis 'Ska' Campbell, Bobby Ellis, Lester Sterling, among others on horns during the era of Rock Steady. Headley Bennett, Ernest Ranglin, Vin Gordon and Leroy Sibbles were included among a fluid line-up, to record tracks directed by Jackie Mittoo at Studio One from 1966-1968.
During the night hours at Studio One from 1965-1968, singers like Bob Marley, Burning Spear, The Heptones, The Ethiopians, Ken Boothe, Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt, Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, Bunny Wailer[4] and Johnny Nash, among others, would put on headphones to sing lyrics to original tracks recorded by the Soul Brothers earlier each day. These seminal recordings included "Real Rock" (by Sound Dimension), "Heavy Rock", "Jamaica Underground", "Wakie Wakie", "Lemon Tree", "Hot Shot", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Dancing Mood", and "Creation Rebel".
Jackie Mittoo, Joe Isaacs, and Brian Atkinson left Studio One in 1968, recorded drums and bass for Desmond Dekker's and Toots' biggest hits at other Kingston studios, then moved to Canada. Hux Brown stayed in Jamaica to record on the soundtrack The Harder They Come, The Harder They Fall, and toured in Nigeria with Toots and the Maytals and Fela Kuti. The Soul Brothers (a.k.a. Sound Dimension) formed the basis of reggae music in the late 1960s, being versioned and re-versioned time after time over decades by musicians like Shaggy, Sean Paul, Snoop Lion, The Clash, String Cheese Incident, UB40, Sublime, and countless other Billboard originals and remakes trying to emulate their original Rock Steady sound at Coxsone's Studio One.
The label and studio were closed when Dodd relocated to New York City in the 1980s.
Studio One was founded by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd1 in 1954, and the first recordings were cut in 1963 on Brentford Road in Kingston.1[2] Amongst its earliest records were "Easy Snappin" by Theophilus Beckford, backed by Clue J & His Blues Blasters, and "This Man is Back" by trombonist Don Drummond. Dodd had previously issued music on a series of other labels, including World Disc, and had run Sir Coxsone the Downbeat, one of the largest and most reputable sound systems in the Kingston ghettos.
In the early 1960s, the house band providing backing for the vocalists were the Skatalites[3] (1964–65), whose members (including Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Jackie Mittoo, Lester Sterling and Lloyd Brevett) were recruited from the Kingston jazz scene by Dodd. The Skatalites split up in 1965 after Drummond was jailed for murder, and Dodd formed new house band the Soul Brothers (1965–66), later named the Soul Vendors (1967) and Sound Dimension (1967-). From 1965 to 1968 they played 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 5 days a week, 12 rhythms a day (about 60 rhythms a week) with Jackie Mittoo as music director, Brian Atkinson (1965–1968) on bass, Hux Brown on guitar, Harry Haughton (guitar), Joe Isaacs on drums (1966–1968), Denzel Laing on percussion, and on horns (some initially and some throughout): Roland Alphonso, Dennis 'Ska' Campbell, Bobby Ellis, Lester Sterling, among others on horns during the era of Rock Steady. Headley Bennett, Ernest Ranglin, Vin Gordon and Leroy Sibbles were included among a fluid line-up, to record tracks directed by Jackie Mittoo at Studio One from 1966-1968.
During the night hours at Studio One from 1965-1968, singers like Bob Marley, Burning Spear, The Heptones, The Ethiopians, Ken Boothe, Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt, Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, Bunny Wailer[4] and Johnny Nash, among others, would put on headphones to sing lyrics to original tracks recorded by the Soul Brothers earlier each day. These seminal recordings included "Real Rock" (by Sound Dimension), "Heavy Rock", "Jamaica Underground", "Wakie Wakie", "Lemon Tree", "Hot Shot", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Dancing Mood", and "Creation Rebel".
Jackie Mittoo, Joe Isaacs, and Brian Atkinson left Studio One in 1968, recorded drums and bass for Desmond Dekker's and Toots' biggest hits at other Kingston studios, then moved to Canada. Hux Brown stayed in Jamaica to record on the soundtrack The Harder They Come, The Harder They Fall, and toured in Nigeria with Toots and the Maytals and Fela Kuti. The Soul Brothers (a.k.a. Sound Dimension) formed the basis of reggae music in the late 1960s, being versioned and re-versioned time after time over decades by musicians like Shaggy, Sean Paul, Snoop Lion, The Clash, String Cheese Incident, UB40, Sublime, and countless other Billboard originals and remakes trying to emulate their original Rock Steady sound at Coxsone's Studio One.
The label and studio were closed when Dodd relocated to New York City in the 1980s.
Celebrated techno producer, sound artist and one half of ORKA, Jens L. Thomsen announces groundbreaking EP ÆÐR, landing 15th December via Kervið. ÆÐR (meaning ‘vein’ in English) is a uniquely atmospheric two-track EP, exploring modernity and post-war freedom through a Faroese lens. Commissioned for Eysturoyartunnil, a 12km subsea tunnel - the largest of its kind - in Jens’ native Faroe Islands, a structural marvel with striking art that has both a voice and aesthetic identity of its own. The EP currently lives as a live audio installation, broadcast around the clock on FM radio for anyone travelling through the tunnel. This is the first time a soundscape has been permanently installed and broadcast via this kind of technical solution allowing the sound to become part of the experience of the space itself. As one half of revered techno duo, ORKA, twice nominated for the Nordic Council Music Prize, who recently released their sixth album, All At Once, and an integral part of Yann Tiersen’s live band, Thomsen has already made a significant impact in electronic music. ÆÐR is an expansion of his work as a composer, which includes several site-specific soundscapes, including NORD which was commissioned by the Southbank Centre and installed across the entire fifth floor of the Royal Festival Hall in London. On ÆÐR, Thomsen brings his talent for one-of-a-kind environmental sonic experiences to a wider audience. A paean to human endeavour and the developmental history of humanity, the tunnel is at once progressive and ancient: a liminal setting where late-modern and pre-modern longings somehow seem to rub off on each other. These intersecting ideas are translated into a striking soundscape of dark drones, creeping frequencies, bleeping ambience, groaning masses of sound, and pulsating echoes from the hidden world beneath us. The underworld that we somehow are able to move through temporarily in our car under the sea, giving the tunnel and the islands a voice of their own, while exploring the parallels between the tunnel and Faroese society today. This uniquely immersive and compelling work, previously existing only as a transitory experience for users of the Eysturoyartunnil, is now available on vinyl for the first time to be considered and enjoyed in all its fascinating detail. A thought-provoking and groundbreaking piece from one of Europe’s most exceptional composers and sound artists today
The MENZINGERS are an absolute institution. The Philadelphia punk legends’ multi-decade reputation as road warriors with an unbeatable catalog is cemented as hard truth—and their seventh album, Some Of It Was True , stands as their most immediate-sounding and energetic record to date. The follow-up to 2019’s sensational Hello Exile accomplishes the daunting task of capturing The MENZINGERS’ distinctive live energy in the confines of the studio, resulting in a sound that’s both rich, raw, and complementary to the group’s increasingly prismatic songwriting approach. More than 15 years in, the MENZINGERS are still holding their listeners square in the immediate present, and Some Of It Was True documents that power in thrilling fashion. “We wanted to make a fun record and write songs that we wanted to play live, and that’s exactly what we did,” co-vocalist/guitarist Greg Barnett says “We’ve always said that we want every album to sound live, but we never recorded an album live before. This was the first time we committed to that idea. We wanted to sound like how our band sounds onstage.” Making the process easier: Grammy-nominated producer Brad Cook (Bon Iver, the War on Drugs, Waxahatchee), who joined The MENZINGERS in El Paso’s legendary Sonic Ranch studios and lent his incredible ear for raw, immediate sound to help the band achieve Some Of It Was True‘s in-the-room live feel. “ T H E M E N Z I N G E R S are as real as it gets,” Cook says on his time in the studio with the band. “I had an absolute blast working with these guys and was moved to tears many times. They are truly dedicated to artistic growth, and to each other, in ways I found both refreshing and beautiful. I am now a lifer.”
The MENZINGERS are an absolute institution. The Philadelphia punk legends’ multi-decade reputation as road warriors with an unbeatable catalog is cemented as hard truth—and their seventh album, Some Of It Was True , stands as their most immediate-sounding and energetic record to date. The follow-up to 2019’s sensational Hello Exile accomplishes the daunting task of capturing The MENZINGERS’ distinctive live energy in the confines of the studio, resulting in a sound that’s both rich, raw, and complementary to the group’s increasingly prismatic songwriting approach. More than 15 years in, the MENZINGERS are still holding their listeners square in the immediate present, and Some Of It Was True documents that power in thrilling fashion. “We wanted to make a fun record and write songs that we wanted to play live, and that’s exactly what we did,” co-vocalist/guitarist Greg Barnett says “We’ve always said that we want every album to sound live, but we never recorded an album live before. This was the first time we committed to that idea. We wanted to sound like how our band sounds onstage.” Making the process easier: Grammy-nominated producer Brad Cook (Bon Iver, the War on Drugs, Waxahatchee), who joined The MENZINGERS in El Paso’s legendary Sonic Ranch studios and lent his incredible ear for raw, immediate sound to help the band achieve Some Of It Was True‘s in-the-room live feel. “ T H E M E N Z I N G E R S are as real as it gets,” Cook says on his time in the studio with the band. “I had an absolute blast working with these guys and was moved to tears many times. They are truly dedicated to artistic growth, and to each other, in ways I found both refreshing and beautiful. I am now a lifer.”
Cardinal Fuzz (UK) and Feeding Tube Records (USA) once again join forces to release this behemoth of an album! “Attack Of Sound” is an unapologetic swooning love letter to pop music. It’s the perfect album, where dissonant and harsh guitars are juxtaposed with almost bubblegum pop. Sheets of feedback over inept tribalism and sugared by amazingly sweet vocals. This album works brilliantly as Ajay & Holly show their innate love of classic 60s pop and psychedelia as much as the Stooges. The ghosts of Love and Phil Spector haunt the wasted grooves of "What The Girl Does" and "Damned And Drowned", while the lurching punk noise mayhem of "How We Made It Seem" resurrects the in-yer-face Detroit icons like the MC5. "Attack Of Sound" remains a touchstone for all the people who ever believed that rock was for waking you up....equal parts Beach Boys’ melody and Velvets’ minimalism. It still provides that visceral thrill…an attack of sound!
Contradictory accounts of Miles Davis’ creation of the soundtrack to Louis Malle’s film noir Ascenseur pour l'Échafaud have all become part of its legend. Rarely has a soundtrack been so decisive. Nearly seventy years on, beyond the myth, this taut, feverish recording, imbued with extreme dramatic tension, remains one of the Miles’ finest records. The basic outline remains: Jean-Paul Rappeneau suggested to Malle asking Miles Davis to create the film's soundtrack who agreed to record the music after attending a private screening. Davis was performing at the Club Saint-Germain in Paris in November 1957 and on December 4, he brought his four sidemen to the recording studio without having had them prepare anything. Davis only gave the musicians a few rudimentary harmonic sequences he had assembled in his hotel room, and, once the plot was explained, the band improvised without any precomposed theme, while edited loops of the musically relevant film sequences were projected in the background. Bassist Pierre Michelot recalled in 1988 that “Miles just asked us to play two chords, D minor and C7, 4 bars of each, ad lib.” Typically, Miles planned very little but know exactly what he wanted. François Leterrier, the film’s Second Assistant Director picks up the story: “The session started at around ten o’clock and went on until dawn. The screen in the auditorium was showing the scenes for which Miles had devised some harmonies, and they were edited into a loop. And that’s what makes this music unique: it was entirely improvised in conditions that went back to the days of silent films, while watching frames shot in black and white by cinematographer Henri Decaë: tracking shots of Jeanne Moreau wandering down the Champs-Elysées at night, passing in front of lit window displays or going into bars, while looking for her lover/murderer alias Maurice Ronet … All of us there in the dark auditorium were aware that something extraordinary was taking place, something that had definitely never happened before. … In the small hours we all met up again at the Pied de Cochon in Les Halles, and Louis was looking at Miles with the disbelieving eyes of a child … as if he couldn’t believe the gift he’d just received. Even in his wildest dreams he had probably never imagined what his film would be like once it had been as if illuminated by the trumpet of Miles, incisive or wrapped softly in cotton.” The music was released on 10” by Fontana and received the Grand Prix from France’s Académie Charles Cros. It was released in the USA on Columbia as the A-side of the 12” LP Jazz Track, which received a 1960 Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Performance, Solo or Small Group. This beautiful re-issue of the original recording is pressed on 180g vinyl at GZ, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket with Boris Vian’s original liner notes and Jean-Pierre Leloir’s iconic studio photo of Miles and Jeanne Moreau, and an essay on the circumstances that led to this out-of-the ordinary music by Franck Bergerot.
Ba Da Bing is releasing the soundtrack to 2022’s paeon to cuisine prep, Flux Gourmet. A vibrant, four-coursed, 23-track double album, Flux Gourmet includes contributions by Heather Trost, Jeremy Barnes, Marta Salogni, Cavern of Anti-Matter, and Roj (Broadcast), as well as Strickland’s own compositions as part of The Sonic Catering Band. British Director and sonic pioneer, Peter Strickland, known for The Duke of Burgundy (2014), Berberian Sound Studio (2012) and Björk: Biophilia Live (2014), has always pushed visuals and narrative to absurd heights. In Flux Gourmet, performance artists taking part in a residency dedicated to sonic catering combining cooking, sound and theater. Food is amplified, microphones are jammed against blenders, and the sizzling sound of the frier turns becomes an ominous rattle. The film’s soundtrack is equally as process oriented, experimental, and kaleidoscopic as its protagonists’ practice. Contributors are Cavern of Anti-Matter, Jeremy Barnes, Heather Trost, Roj (formerly of Broadcast), Tim Harrison, Dan Hayhurst and Nurse With Wound.
KingUnderground Records present the instrumentals version of Lewis Parker’s sought after hip-hop record ‘Frequency Of Perception’ - a record that continued to cement Parker as a stalwart of the 90s hip-hop sound, think Tribe, Slum Village, The Pharcyde et al.
The prolific UK born hip hop legend, proves to be as tapped into the feel of a pocket as he was when he came on the scene in the 90s. “All I Got”, the album's first track, has a groove to the bassline that you won’t forget. The spacey keys show themselves early in the record and are a constant that give the record a dreamy feel, adding a mystical and psychedelic energy. Whereas “All My Life” is a well executed balance between that energy found in the flute held up by a taught backbeat, allowing it to maintain a free spirit.
The attention to detail and the intent in the sequencing and production on “Frequency of Perception” is best noticed when listening front to back.
The whole album touches on dynamics in line with the iconic sound that Parker built his reputation on for decades. All while finding new ways to tell stories by further exploring instrumentation. Lewis remains consistent in his craft, continuing to cook up beats and productions with classic techniques and fresh ingredients. There is no sense of reaching, the productions exude an attitude that reaps a true passion for his craft.
"Let’s take a trip to the zoo, in mono! Labeled as a part of the Bosstown Sound, these Boston psych rockers take listeners along for the ride - their freak-out arrangement of “Gloria” and a slew of outtasite originals showcase their intricate psych pop sound. Got your lava lamp bubbling yet?
Originally from Swansea, MA, the Tangerine Zoo formed just six months before writing and recording their first album. Once they turned down RCA and Atlantic for Mainstream, the group agreed to do one single and an album, one that’d take just 13 hours to complete. Inspired by Vanilla Fudge and the hippie scene in Greenwich Village, the band’s acid rock captured the same psychedelic sound bands like Orpheus, Ultimate Spinach, and Beacon Street Union were creating in Boston.
After a promotional tour, the band went on to make just one other album before dissolving at the end of the ‘60s, leaving a true Bosstown artyfact behind.
“Tangerine Zoo may be an orange happening, and have to be seen to be believed. They make the claim that ‘your eyes and ears will throw a party for your mind.’” – Fall River, Mass. Herald News Feb. 13, 1968"