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Pieces of debris washed up on a coastline shrouded in mist. Gratification comes from an eternal search for solace. Locked away at the top of a lighthouse somewhere on an unnamed isle, Grady Steele broadcasts to those within the beacon’s reach. A soundsystem built of driftwood and salvaged car stereos is pieced together with precision and laboriously dragged to the top of the obelisk. A timeless fugue state spent playing arpeggios on a Spanish guitar, the PA system ebbing out phasing loops across benevolent waters. Layering, occasionally faulting, stopping, recording, starting again. The phosphorescent glow atop the obelisk is ever-present.

Perhaps the first release on Archaic Vaults to feature (at least prominent) use of the guitar, these six compositions feel sketch-like and yet burned into the retina, like that of a passing car’s headlights leaving an impressionistic imprint of the source material. To mention this is Grady Steele’s debut release is not to imply he is new to working with sound, having been the proprietor of one of London’s most important soundsystems for the last decade. An obsession with fidelity can be heard and and at times deliberately perverted amongst the body of work. The warm and melancholic tones of the Spanish guitar evident in almost all songs are juxtaposed with various collaged material, including what sounds like hastily captured iPhone recordings and drum machines neglected at the back of the studio, dragged out for one or two stubborn, lurching takes and then once more committed to storage. The 90s voice-imitator pads glowing with undulance are reminiscent of John T. Gast’s early studio takes, and the synergy and precision in guitar layering could lend a clue as to what Fuck Buttons would have sounded like had they sold off their studio equipment for a couple of wooden 12-stringers. Stare long enough at those Windows 95 screensaver-esque rolling hills, and one might witness some miniscule movement in the growth.

Music composed and arranged by Grady Steele Painting by Antoine Larrera Mastered by Owen Pratt Design by Severin Black

"Look to the East, Look to the West", das neue Album von Camera Obscura, ist eine Offenbarung. Die von Tracyanne Campbell geleitete Band hat sich wieder mit dem Produzenten Jari Haapalainen zusammengetan und ein Album geschaffen, das daran erinnert, warum die langjährigen Fans sie seit Jahrzehnten heiß und innig lieben, und das gleichzeitig ihr bisher anspruchsvollstes Werk ist. Es ist auch das am härtesten umkämpfte Album in der Karriere von Camera Obscura. Nach dem Tod von Gründungsmitglied, Keyboarder und Freund Carey Lander im Jahr 2015 (an den der vorletzte Track "Sugar Almond" gerichtet ist), ging die Band in eine längere Pause. Sie blieben in Kontakt, aber ihr Status war ungewiss. Nachdem sie eingeladen worden waren, im Rahmen von Belle & Sebastians Kreuzfahrtfestival Boaty Weekender 2019 aufzutreten, kündigten sie ihre Rückkehr an. Donna Maciocia (Keyboards und Gesang) stieß bei diesen Shows zu den Gründungsmitgliedern Kenny McKeeve (Gitarre und Gesang), Gavin Dunbar (Bass) und Lee Thomson (Schlagzeug und Perkussion) und ist seitdem Songwriting-Partnerin von Campbell. Aufgenommen im selben Raum, in dem Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody" schrieb, fühlt sich "Look to the East, Look to the West" groß an, eine Breitwand-Neuinterpretation des Camera Obscura-Sounds, bei der die Band paradoxerweise zu den Grundlagen zurückkehrte - es gibt keine Streicher- oder Bläserarrangements, der Schwerpunkt liegt auf Klavier, Synthesizern, Hammond-Orgel und Drumcomputern, und, was vielleicht am auffälligsten ist, die Gruppe hat den Hallschleier fallen lassen, der ihre früheren Alben charakterisierte. Der Hauch von Country und Soul, der Camera Obscuras barocke Interpretation von Popmusik so bittersüß macht, war noch nie so offensichtlich - die Gitarren schimmern in die Ferne, die Tasten spuken, und Campbells Stimme sucht nach dem Herzen, reflektiert über Liebe, Verlust und den Lauf der Zeit. "Look to the East, Look to the West" ist Camera Obscura in seiner besten und eindrucksvollsten Form, ein Album, das den emotionalen Kern des Hörers völlig neu ordnet und ihn gleichzeitig traurig und beschwingt zurücklässt. Der Katalog von Camera Obscura ist voll von Liedern, die Menschen als lebensverändernd bezeichnen, Lieder, die sie ihr ganzes Leben lang begleiten werden. "Look to the East, Look to the West" hat 11 davon zu bieten.

Galaxy Vinyl-
blue + white vinyl pressed galaxy effect in a gatefold jacket with lyrics.

"Look to the East, Look to the West", das neue Album von Camera Obscura, ist eine Offenbarung. Die von Tracyanne Campbell geleitete Band hat sich wieder mit dem Produzenten Jari Haapalainen zusammengetan und ein Album geschaffen, das daran erinnert, warum die langjährigen Fans sie seit Jahrzehnten heiß und innig lieben, und das gleichzeitig ihr bisher anspruchsvollstes Werk ist. Es ist auch das am härtesten umkämpfte Album in der Karriere von Camera Obscura. Nach dem Tod von Gründungsmitglied, Keyboarder und Freund Carey Lander im Jahr 2015 (an den der vorletzte Track "Sugar Almond" gerichtet ist), ging die Band in eine längere Pause. Sie blieben in Kontakt, aber ihr Status war ungewiss. Nachdem sie eingeladen worden waren, im Rahmen von Belle & Sebastians Kreuzfahrtfestival Boaty Weekender 2019 aufzutreten, kündigten sie ihre Rückkehr an. Donna Maciocia (Keyboards und Gesang) stieß bei diesen Shows zu den Gründungsmitgliedern Kenny McKeeve (Gitarre und Gesang), Gavin Dunbar (Bass) und Lee Thomson (Schlagzeug und Perkussion) und ist seitdem Songwriting-Partnerin von Campbell. Aufgenommen im selben Raum, in dem Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody" schrieb, fühlt sich "Look to the East, Look to the West" groß an, eine Breitwand-Neuinterpretation des Camera Obscura-Sounds, bei der die Band paradoxerweise zu den Grundlagen zurückkehrte - es gibt keine Streicher- oder Bläserarrangements, der Schwerpunkt liegt auf Klavier, Synthesizern, Hammond-Orgel und Drumcomputern, und, was vielleicht am auffälligsten ist, die Gruppe hat den Hallschleier fallen lassen, der ihre früheren Alben charakterisierte. Der Hauch von Country und Soul, der Camera Obscuras barocke Interpretation von Popmusik so bittersüß macht, war noch nie so offensichtlich - die Gitarren schimmern in die Ferne, die Tasten spuken, und Campbells Stimme sucht nach dem Herzen, reflektiert über Liebe, Verlust und den Lauf der Zeit. "Look to the East, Look to the West" ist Camera Obscura in seiner besten und eindrucksvollsten Form, ein Album, das den emotionalen Kern des Hörers völlig neu ordnet und ihn gleichzeitig traurig und beschwingt zurücklässt. Der Katalog von Camera Obscura ist voll von Liedern, die Menschen als lebensverändernd bezeichnen, Lieder, die sie ihr ganzes Leben lang begleiten werden. "Look to the East, Look to the West" hat 11 davon zu bieten.

New York Blues Hall of Fame inductee Bette Smith returns with her 3rd studio album – ‘Goodthing’ – a triumphant injection of soul music and gospel into rock & roll. Produced by Grammy-winning producer Jimmy Hogarth (Amy Winehouse, James Bay, Paulo Nutini, Sia), the album showcases Bette Smith’s penchant for anthemic, feel-good Soul Rock carried by her signature raspy, soulful vocals inspired by legends Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Etta James.

Tracing elements of her sound to her childhood in rough Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Bette connects the soul music she heard on the corners with the gospel music she heard in church and around the house every weekend - “My mother listened to nothing but gospel,” she recalls, citing Mahalia Jackson and Reverend James Cleveland as other influences.

The album sees her sound scale new heights, and build on the accolades she received on 2017’s debut ‘Jetlagger’ and 2020’s ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Bette’, and her tremendous range and power combined with ‘Goodthing’’s infectious energy, solidify her position as an authentic and dynamic rising soul artist, an iconic force in music.

New York Blues Hall of Fame inductee Bette Smith returns with her 3rd studio album – ‘Goodthing’ – a triumphant injection of soul music and gospel into rock & roll. Produced by Grammy-winning producer Jimmy Hogarth (Amy Winehouse, James Bay, Paulo Nutini, Sia), the album showcases Bette Smith’s penchant for anthemic, feel-good Soul Rock carried by her signature raspy, soulful vocals inspired by legends Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Etta James.

Tracing elements of her sound to her childhood in rough Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Bette connects the soul music she heard on the corners with the gospel music she heard in church and around the house every weekend - “My mother listened to nothing but gospel,” she recalls, citing Mahalia Jackson and Reverend James Cleveland as other influences.

The album sees her sound scale new heights, and build on the accolades she received on 2017’s debut ‘Jetlagger’ and 2020’s ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Bette’, and her tremendous range and power combined with ‘Goodthing’’s infectious energy, solidify her position as an authentic and dynamic rising soul artist, an iconic force in music.

Ice Cream Vinyl

Since the release of their debut studio album Do Hollywood (on 4AD) in 2016, The Lemon Twigs_the New York City rock band fronted by brothers Brian (27) and Michael D'Addario (25)_have waved the same revivalist torch as Alex Chilton and his Big Star crew, working to prove that archaic music from the `60s and `70s can still be relevant in digital world. Alongside peers like Foxygen and Drugdealer, The Lemon Twigs have explicitly documented a synchronistic blend of contemporary narrative motifs, old-school recording techniques, and flawless, consistent attitudes collaged from various crucial stages of rock 'n' roll. After a whirlwind 2023, the D'Addarios are continuing the momentum of their own evolving vision and voice, distilling a history lesson of baroque and power pop into A Dream Is All We Know (out May 3 on Captured Tracks). Garnering the top-to-bottom critical acclaim the brothers have long deserved, their 2023 LP Everything Harmony was spearheaded by an impressive string of singles, including "Corner Of My Eye" and "Any Time of Day." It was the kind of record that put all of Brian and Michael's talents on display, be it the former's multi-instrumentalist gifts or the latter's boyish, explosive pop-rock charisma and eye for engineering and vocal layering. But A Dream Is All We Know is not the acoustic, nylon string-based project that Everything Harmony was. Instead, it's a return to the form the Lemon Twigs first introduced on Do Hollywood_an electric guitar-centric, anthemic assemblage of, really, everything the band does great. These two companion records are an immediate example of a band capitalizing on their fire-in-the-belly appetite to make tunes that boast ubiquitous chemistry. A Dream Is All We Know is grandiose yet grounded; meticulous, yet wild and glowing. Made with analog precision, the album was finished in the immediate months after the band completed Everything Harmony during a vibrant, prolific period split between three studios on separate coasts. A Dream Is All We Know is a profoundly dense and charged album, rife with string arrangements and a sonic thesis statement that has quaked through phases of glam, conceptualism, baroque, and Mustang-loud, stone-cold rock `n' roll for more than half-a-century. A Dream Is All We Know sounds like it's lived a thousand lives already.

A tribute to one of the greatest songwriters & artists of our time! Features newly recorded covers from Keith Richards, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Rufus Wainwright, Lucinda Williams, Maxim Ludwig & Angel Olsen, Rickie Lee Jones, Mary Gauthier, Bobby Rush, Automatic, The Afghan Whigs, and Rosanne Cash. Special Record Store Day Edition pressed on Silver Nugget vinyl and housed in a silver laminated jacket Booklet features liner notes by compilation producer & former Lou Reed publicist Bill Bentley, featuring photos by Mick Rock and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. "To me, Lou stood out. The real deal! Something important to American music and to ALL MUSIC! I miss him and his dog." - Keith Richards "Lou seemed fearless to me, like he'd rather die than be a people-pleaser. I took inspiration from that." - Rosanne Cash "Lou Reed is my earliest influence, my introduction to punk rock, and the soundtrack to the beginning of my romance with Maxim." - Angel Olsen "Lou Reed has been gone now for many years. He's one of the few people whom I miss as much now as when he left. There are so many instances where I wonder what he would say or what he would think. His general aura would always lend something really unique to the room. Thank God he left his great music and recordings. His personality is sorely missed. Love you, Lou." - Rufus Wainwright // It goes without saying that the legendary Lou Reed was a true rock 'n' roll pioneer. From The Velvet Underground's debut in 1967 all the way through the end of his days, Reed sang truth from his heart. He lived life to the limit-and then some. The Power of the Heart is a tribute to Reed's freedom of expression with covers spanning his ground-breaking years with the Velvets into his majestic solo career. Each track is a glorious extension of the Rock 'n' Roll Animal's soul, ever adventurous and avant-garde. The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed kicks off with a legend in his own right, Keith Richards, reimagining the Velvets' classic, "I'm Waiting for the Man." Richards' rendition instantly invites you on board this unforgettable ride. In stark contrast, "Perfect Day" is somehow even more melancholy than the original given the Rufus Wainwright treatment, featuring sparse fingerpicking and gentle harmonies. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts deliver a version of "I'm So Free" that would have even Lou rockin' in his grave. It's thrilling to hear these songs reinterpreted and sung by such heavyweights; you can even hear as Lucinda Williams channels the spirit of Lou with her take on "Legendary Hearts." Other notable tracks include a punk-drunk, loved-up duet by real-life lovers Angel Olsen & Maxim Ludwig with "I Can't Stand It," and Rickie Lee Jones' reimagining of "Walk on the Wild Side," both whimsical and enticing with her whispery vocals, stripped-down percussion, and a piano fit for a late-night lounge. This tribute album truly defies genre, but its throughline, in the end, is its heart: a deeply thoughtful collection of songs that shaped a generation, each paying homage to a man whose body of work still sings.

Today, the Toronto-born-and-raised singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Day Wilson announces her highly-anticipated sophomore album Cyan Blue out May 3rd via Stone Woman Music / XL Recordings Along with the announcement of her new album comes the release of first single, "I Don"t Love You", a stark and devastatingly beautiful confessional, highlighting Wilson"s immaculate production skills and chill inducing vocals laid atop smooth groove piano chords and soft drums. The track also arrives with a visual directed by Dani Aphrodite featuring layered low fi footage of the artist and producer performing at home, living every day life and having moments of solitude in her car, a theme that comes up throughout the album. Cyan Blue finds Wilson crafting a smoothly woven cyan tapestry of her eternal influences; thumping gospel piano, warm soul basslines, atmospheric electronics, and penetrating R&B melodies. Yet, it possesses a sense of vastness that rings in a new era for Wilson, one in which she"s embracing collaboration and newfound creative openness tinged with wistfulness and yearning and a reflection on youthful innocence. "I want to look through the unjaded eyes of my younger self again," Wilson explains of making Cyan Blue. "Before there wasn"t as much baggage, before so much life was lived. But I also wish that my younger self could see where I am now. It would be nice to be able to impart some of the wisdom and clarity that I have now onto her." Working with producers like Leon Thomas (SZA, Ariana Grande, Post Malone), and Jack Rochon (HE.R, Daniel Caesar), Cyan Blue demonstrates Wilson"s sonic expertise while also showcasing the next evolution of her time-bending songwriting. Through 13 hypnotizing tracks, she continues to use music as a vessel for unpacking relationships, which in turn allows her to meet and understand herself in life-spanning, panoramic focus. But, on Cyan Blue, she challenged herself to kick her perfectionist tendencies. "Before, I was extremely intentional about creating music with a strong foundation, a bed of artistic integrity," Wilson reflects. "But that was a bit stifling, like, "Let me just make a great piece of art that will stand the test of time, no pressure." Now, I think I"m getting out of this frozen state of needing everything to be perfect. I"m more interested in capturing feelings in the moment as they happen and leaving them in that moment." While this is only her second album, Wilson"s influence in music has made a major mainstream impact. Wilson broke out in 2016 with her critically acclaimed EP, CDW, followed by 2018"s Stone Woman and made her debut studio album an official coming out moment in 2021 with the critically acclaimed, self-released Alpha. Over the past decade, she"s been sampled by Drake, John Mayer, and James Blake, while Patti Smith has recently praised and covered Wilson"s 2016 breakout single "Work." Additionally, she"s collaborated with artists like Kaytranada, BADBADNOTGOOD, and SG Lewis, demonstrating that there"s no sound Wilson can"t adapt to and sprinkle her cyan-colored magic over.

This is the most ambitious project of Tim Garland's stellar career, with a celebration of Lighthouse Trio's 20th Anniversary (Gwilym Simcock and Asaf Sirkis), along with a stunning display of Tim's prowess as a composer and arranger with the Britten Sinfonia, featuring violinist Thomas Gould, along with trumpet ace Yazz Ahmed performing as a special guest on one track. Tim describes the project: “That Moment of Departure, from the known, the notated, towards something new is a shout of fearless freedom. The compositions on this album all have crucial and varied relationship*s with improvised music, from string orchestra to intimate trio, and completely free-form music. Classical influences and visual art have informed me, as much as my jazz heart. The series of paintings called ‘Sail To Hope’, by Esra Kizir Gokcen, provide a backbone of inspiration for the first disc’s music. The subject of journeying into the unknown, as well as the influence of Turkish rhythms, create the background atmosphere whilst maintaining the spaciousness and freedom for the jazz soloists.”

Karate Boogaloo aus Melbourne, Australien präsentieren mit Stolz "Hold Your Horses", ihre fesselnde neue Langspielplatte mit originalen Instrumentalstücken. Henry Jenkins, Hudson Whitlock, Callum Riley und Darvid Thor sind das Herzstück von Melbournes aufkeimender Instrumental-Soul-Bewegung und machen seit ihrer Schulzeit gemeinsam Musik. Die vier Freunde lernten sich in der Highschool kennen und haben die großen Instrumental-Bands wie Booker T & The MG's und The Meters genau studiert. "Hold Your Horses" ist Karate Boogaloos eigene Interpretation von instrumentalem Funk. Eine echte Reise vom Anfang bis zum Ende, bei der jedes Stück nahtlos in das nächste übergeht und eine Welt mit kinematischen Momenten, skurrilen Melodien und unheimlichen Dissonanzen erschafft, und von unbestreitbarem Super Heavyfunk untermauert wird. Alle Songs für "Hold Your Horses" wurden gemeinsam im Studio geschrieben, ohne dass eines der Mitglieder vorgefertigtes Material einbrachte. Es ist ein Prozess, der speziell darauf ausgelegt ist, die Stärken der Band und ihre Beziehung zueinander zu maximieren. Um das Erlebnis noch zu verstärken, erzeugt das LP-Cover (entworfen von dem in Melbourne lebenden visuellen Künstler Drez) ein interaktives optisches Kunsterlebnis, wenn die Innenhülle aus dem Umschlag entfernt wird. Karate Boogaloo ist ein Quartett, das mehr ist als die Summe seiner Teile; und die Teile allein sind sehr, sehr gut.

20TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION

“One Day,” the critically acclaimed Bambu Station album now celebrating its 20th Anniversary with this Deluxe Edition Double Vinyl and digital release. Bambu Station believes “Vibes is everything” and their impact on fans and their community activism have been just that. Founded in 1997 by lead singer, songwriter, producer Jalani Horton, of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Bambu Station is the culmination of a lifetime of love for music and the quest for sharing and uplifting through sound, poetry, words, and action, which has since grown to a musical force supported by roots fans around the world. The sound of Bambu Station is best described as heavy, natural and
relentlessly captivating. From its conscious roots music to its powerful, insightful and timeless lyrics, Bambu Station's sound is very percussive, profound and inviting.

As the explosion of roots reggae music from Jamaica in the sixties and seventies turned to dancehall, unexpectedly there came a resurgence of roots reggae from the Virgin Islands. Bambu Station was a main progenitor of that resurgence. It would be a band that would create music and write songs that reach into the difficult spaces in the lives of people. It would be a band that would have a positive impact on the lives of people. It would strive to keep a mighty torch lit -- lit by ancestors and musician-prophets alike. On the first release of their breathtaking third album “One Day”, many songs quickly became instant favorites. Fans, writers and industry experts all continue to praise the album as “classic”, “very powerful”, and “one for the ages”. From The Beat Magazine, Reggae Reviews, Urban Ambience Journal and countless others, critics dubbed Bambu Station’s “One Day” as one of the most significant albums of the modern reggae scene. Creation Steppin’ Radio selected “One Day” as its “Album of the Year” for 2003. The D.C. Annual Reggae Awards selected “One Day” as “Album of the Year 2003,” the song “One Day” as “Song of the Year 2003” and Bambu Station as “Producer of the Year 2003.” Terry Wilson ‘Midnight Ravers’ on WBAI FM, NY says, "Bambu Station is the best and most important band in Reggae music." “This is a fabulous album that demands a place of pride in every cultural fan's collection.”

Many of the instant favorites on “One Day” include the provocative opener “Humanity Bawlin’,” “Gunsmoke”, the first single from “One Day”, a very deep, roving and powerful reflection of the rampant gun violence that hit the Virgin Islands hard and haunts us in America and around the world today. "The anthemic “Fya!”, and the mesmerizing “Move On”. "Pass It" captures the passion and spirit of the roots rockers era, while the haunting title track "One Day" is reminiscent of The Specials at their best. The heart wrenching tribute to “Amadou Diallo” is in memory of the brutally slain innocent West African immigrant in New York. “Eyes of Men” is a call for female dignity and homage to Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X’s widow.

Repress of Child's EP "I". "If you're familiar with CHILD and are particularly a sucker for the keyboard, I'm afraid I've got some bad news - It's mostly gone. Fear not, though, as their fuzz-infused blues is alive and kicking and is sure to continue to appeal to a lot of fans of different genres. The three songs follow as their lengths increase, starting with "Age Has Left Me Behind", clocking in at 03:47 and ending with "Going Down Swinging", a 10:20 jam which definitely raises the temperature and which I'm confident will be talked about for a long time. In-between, one can find "The Other Song", which is not just another song, but a sublime cover of Spirit's "The Other Song", originally released as part of the album "Son of Spirit" in 1975. A great tune started only by Michael (drums) and Danny (bass), to whom Mathias and his guitar join after around 20 seconds, and later with a lovely vocal melody which stands throughout the whole song - the less fuzzy song of the EP but definitely a pure beauty (so is the original)." - More Fuzz

Orange vinyl, limited to 350 copies. Repress of Child's EP "I". "If you're familiar with CHILD and are particularly a sucker for the keyboard, I'm afraid I've got some bad news - It's mostly gone. Fear not, though, as their fuzz-infused blues is alive and kicking and is sure to continue to appeal to a lot of fans of different genres. The three songs follow as their lengths increase, starting with "Age Has Left Me Behind", clocking in at 03:47 and ending with "Going Down Swinging", a 10:20 jam which definitely raises the temperature and which I'm confident will be talked about for a long time. In-between, one can find "The Other Song", which is not just another song, but a sublime cover of Spirit's "The Other Song", originally released as part of the album "Son of Spirit" in 1975. A great tune started only by Michael (drums) and Danny (bass), to whom Mathias and his guitar join after around 20 seconds, and later with a lovely vocal melody which stands throughout the whole song - the less fuzzy song of the EP but definitely a pure beauty (so is the original)." - More Fuzz

Third Child album Soul Murder released for the first time on vinyl and digipak. Combine the heavy emotion of the blues, the tone and raw power of hard rock, the finesse of soul and a twist of 60's psychedelia. It will give you a visceral musical experience that plays directly to your being. That is CHILD. Living for their art, the pubs, the booze, the endless highways and the blues is what makes this band who they are. Child are a must see for those who are worshippers at "the electric church". The freedom and power of a live performance is important to CHILD in their approach to music, endeavouring to never perform the same way twice. They look forward to once again bringing this to the world on their continued search for sonic paradise. Since the release of their runaway self-titled debut in 2014, Child have continued to develop their unique brand of heavy blues through constant writing and extensive national/international touring. The band released the follow-up 'Blueside' in December 2016, which builds on this foundation to deliver a disc of pure sonic expression whilst following in the long tradition of the blues. 2018 saw the release of Child's first EP, simply titled 'I'. Recorded live to tape, 'I' is a glimpse into the boundless directions that could be taken on upcoming releases.

Blood red vinyl, limited to 350 copies. Third Child album Soul Murder released for the first time on vinyl and digipak. Combine the heavy emotion of the blues, the tone and raw power of hard rock, the finesse of soul and a twist of 60's psychedelia. It will give you a visceral musical experience that plays directly to your being. That is CHILD. Living for their art, the pubs, the booze, the endless highways and the blues is what makes this band who they are. Child are a must see for those who are worshippers at "the electric church". The freedom and power of a live performance is important to CHILD in their approach to music, endeavouring to never perform the same way twice. They look forward to once again bringing this to the world on their continued search for sonic paradise. Since the release of their runaway self-titled debut in 2014, Child have continued to develop their unique brand of heavy blues through constant writing and extensive national/international touring. The band released the follow-up 'Blueside' in December 2016, which builds on this foundation to deliver a disc of pure sonic expression whilst following in the long tradition of the blues. 2018 saw the release of Child's first EP, simply titled 'I'. Recorded live to tape, 'I' is a glimpse into the boundless directions that could be taken on upcoming releases.

LIE HEAVY brings together notable rockers, Karl Agell, JD Dennis, TR Gwynne and Graham Fry. You may know them from some of their musical forays with Corrosion of Conformity, Leadfoot,The Skull/Legions of Doom, Confessor, Patriarchs in Black, The Point, Deltoid and The Backsliders. LIE HEAVY draws on the original hard 'n groovy jams of Sabbath, Mountain, Lizzy and Purple, fused with their own massive experience. So, it is not difficult to fathom why LIE HEAVY sounds like a well-oiled, hard working band of 30 years rather than a new entity. Their pedigree does not belie their power. Collectively, they have spent tens of thousands of hours in practice spaces, studios and on stages around the world, honing their vast skills, to find one another in this moment being among the top guardian practitioners at the gates of transcendently HEAVY music.

Blood red vinyl, limited to 350 copies. LIE HEAVY brings together notable rockers, Karl Agell, JD Dennis, TR Gwynne and Graham Fry. You may know them from some of their musical forays with Corrosion of Conformity, Leadfoot,The Skull/Legions of Doom, Confessor, Patriarchs in Black, The Point, Deltoid and The Backsliders !!! LIE HEAVY draws on the original hard 'n groovy jams of Sabbath, Mountain, Lizzy and Purple, fused with their own massive experience. So, it is not difficult to fathom why LIE HEAVY sounds like a well-oiled, hard working band of 30 years rather than a new entity. Their pedigree does not belie their power. Collectively, they have spent tens of thousands of hours in practice spaces, studios and on stages around the world, honing their vast skills, to find one another in this moment being among the top guardian practitioners at the gates of transcendently HEAVY music.

Double 180g coloured marbled vinyl (Disc 1: translucent sun yellow with red; Disc 2: purple with violet & white) housed in a gatefold cover. Double EP 7" on randomly coloured eco vinyl with four new tracks written for "Risk Of Rain Returns". Carefully designed, beautifully remastered and loaded with new ways to play - "Risk of Rain" is back and better than ever! Dive into the iconic roguelike full of unique loot combinations, enhanced with new Survivors, overhauled multiplayer, fan favourite content from Risk of Rain 2 and more! Ten years to the day, after "Risk of Rain" was released into the world to become a true classic, the game is revived on November 8, 2023 as "Risk of Rain Returns" to reconnect with its fans and be discovered by those who didn't realise what they were missing. Time to give the iconic game soundtrack an update as well, isn't it? Creator Chris Christodoulou gives an insight on his work as well as the extensive and luxurious new vinyl release that come with some remarkable extras: "Can you believe it's been ten years already? It seems like yesterday that I was sitting in my small bedroom/studio in front of an aching computer writing the music for 'Risk of Rain'. And here we are, ten years later, returning to it to, adding to its musical compendium. What an unexcepted, magnificent journey! With this very special release we're celebrating both, the 10-year anniversary of 'Risk of Rain' and the release of 'Risk of Rain Returns'! This modular album contains the entire Risk of Rain soundtrack remastered and the four new tracks written for 'Risk of Rain Returns' (with contributions from special guest musicians Damjan Mravunac & Maria Papageorgiou).

Live recording of the final show of SANAM's debut European 2023 tour at London's home for experiemntal music, Cafe Oto.

Beirut's SANAM burst on the scene in 2023 with their debut album Aykathani Malakon, chosen by The Guardian as one of their 5-star albums from 2023: "Aykathani Malakon thoroughly embodies their originating influences, whipping up kosmische, post-punk, psych rock, free jazz and Levantine folklore into an alchemical tour de force delivered with a defiant, DIY disposition".

Under difficult conditions, the band took to the road for a European tour in November 2023 with the final show at Café Oto. From their incendiary European debut earlier that month at LeGuessWho then rapturous, sold out shows in Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and the UK, spirits for the Cafe Oto gig were high and it was destined to be a tour highlight. 'Live at Café Oto' captures the intensity of the shows, a ritual where improvised rock, free jazz and noise underscored an exorcism of traditional Egyptian song and Arabic poetry.

Drummer Pascal Semerdjian adds: "On this tour, I felt the album evolve from being a set of improvised tracks captured spontaneously, into ripe solid songs. Playing these shows back-to-back, our chemistry kept growing, we got closer, and our live sets, at least to me, were an embodiment of this evolution. In a way, this was the real birth of the band"

Vocalist Sandy Chamoun: "We started the tour with a great push at LeGuessWho, and we kept this energy throughout the whole tour. Every gig felt like I was playing the songs for the first time, providing a new and fresh experience for me. We finished the tour with an emotionally intense gig at Cafe Oto, a dream venue. The audience was incredible, as if we had known each other for a long time and the energy was intense and intimate at the same time; it felt like we were in a small circle of fire together, both us and the audience."

"There was definitely magic in the air for our show at cafe oto - an iconic, humble and warm venue and the last show of the tour – it felt like everything was in the right place. It was my favourite show by far, specially that we were also comfortably able to talk about Palestine, the atrocity we have to live with and can't ignore." Pascal Semerdjian

In the dynamic landscape of contemporary jazz, Scottish pianist and composer Fergus McCreadie has carved a remarkable niche. Since 2021, his career has skyrocketed, marked by two acclaimed album releases that propelled him into the limelight – shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and clinching the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) for "Forest Floor." His debut with Edition Records, "Cairn" (2021), set the stage for a journey deeply rooted in natural themes. McCreadie's latest venture, "Stream," continues this intriguing exploration, this time delving into the essence of water. Accompanied by his long-standing comrades, David Bowden and Stephen Henderson, the album flows with the fluidity of its namesake. It's a musical stream that flows through the rich landscapes of Scottish folklore and the sophisticated avenues of contemporary jazz, blending them seamlessly. The album's narrative is a testament to the trio's evolving musical identity, meticulously crafted to mirror a journey from darkness to light. McCreadie shares, "What I like most about this album is that it evolves from dark to light as the album goes on. It's a sort of cloudy skies to sunnier skies journey, quite different from previous albums where the track sequence was more arbitrary." Their sound, a nuanced tapestry woven with delicate touches and bold strokes, speaks of their confidence and exuberance in forging a distinct path. "Stream" is an exploration of shared passions and expressions, pushing the boundaries of their musical language and vocabulary to new depths. With "Stream," Fergus McCreadie, Bowden, and Henderson offer a refreshing antidote to the predictable. Their music is a celebration of individuality, a journey that resonates with the trio's unique voice. It's an invitation to listeners to immerse themselves in a soundscape that's both familiar in its Scottish roots and revolutionary in its jazz execution – a goal every artist aspires to achieve. "Stream" is a musical narrative that flows like water – sometimes calm, sometimes tempestuous, but always moving forward. For those seeking a fresh, engaging, and authentic musical journey, Fergus McCreadie's "Stream" is a listening adventure not to be missed.

Stream by Fergus Mccreadie, released 3 May 2024, includes the following tracks: "Driftwood", "Sun Pillars", "Stony Gate", "Coastline" and more.

Chris Whitley was an artist with his feet planted in two very different worlds. On one side was a guitarist/ songwriter who grew up with the Delta and Chicago blues of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, with some Bob Dylan thrown in. But at the same time, he was hanging out with NYC Lower East Side avant-gardeists like Arto Lindsey and Michael Beinhorn during his early ‘80s formative years. And it is precisely that tension between tradition and experimentation that makes his music so interesting and unique among “roots rock” artists. That tension is palpable on 1995’s Din of Ecstasy, his second record; Whitley abandons the acoustic blues-rock of his Living with the Law debut in favor of an album, that at first listen, owes a lot to the early-‘90s grunge movement. But Din of Ecstasy is hardly a johnny-come-lately to that sound; those are some truly weird tunings and chords being played by Whitley. It’s almost like he’s reinventing grunge in his own fashion, soaking it in blues and seasoning it with dissonance and feedback. Add some dark, druggy lyrics to the mix and Din of Ecstasy takes its place as one of the decade’s most adventurous albums, a cult classic way overdue for a vinyl release. Limited edition “clear smoke” vinyl, nestled inside a printed inner sleeve. Don’t sleep on this one

Zee Skirts is the slightly mysterious band around Zeezee L'amoroso. After a self-released LP, Zee Skirts comes today with a second full album i.c.w. W.E.R.F. Records.

'Only the Bad Sleep Well' is a collection of songs written specifically for insomniacs, lost daydreamers and those who cherish their pajamas as a precious gem. What began as a musical odyssey inadvertently emerged as a concept record.

We hear melodic earworms combinedwith dashes of Japanese film noir, a bassoon chasing a trombone and a drum kit rolling down the stairs. Musically, they get the hot sauce from Harry Nilsson, Robert Wyatt, Yasuaki Shimizu, Kate Bush, Thelonious Monk, ...

Da ist der TCM Heaviness-Hattrick! Nach Phantom Winter und Park+Riot walzen nun G i f t aus Leipzig alles platt und liefern mit RUPTURES einen echten Kieferbrecher im Hause TCM ab. Chaotisch und groovig, vertrackt und schmissig, düster und rollend, Old Man Gloom treffen auf Ken Mode, oder schwerere Botch auf Deadguy. So oder so, glaubt mir, das geht vortrefflich gut in den Nacken. Für die geneigten Beobachter*innen finden sich im Line-Up alte Bekannte aus der deutschen DIY-Szene: The Tidal Sleep, Throwers, Trainwreck, Glasses, Dezefra Ridge und Quallus sind die Bands aus denen sich die Personen in G i f t speisen und dieses Spektrum ist auch ein Fingerzeig hinsichtlich der musikalischen Breite der Band. G i f t arbeiten diese auf RUPTURES in einen ultraschweren, alles umschlingenden Sound - ihr dürft gespannt sein, hier werden richtig dicke Bretter gebohrt.

Whether you’re on a journey towards self acceptance, or locking yourself away for days, it’s safe to say the human experience can be an emotional rollercoaster; GAMI GANG explores the highs and lows, and all the twists and turns in between. In similar fashion, joyous and anthemic tunes find themselves winding their way into their somber and soft spoken counterparts, swerving through explosive bridges along the journey. Throughout manic momentum shifts, the ride slows down to make way for moments of clarity. Happiness and innocence are sprinkled in with displays of darkness or arrogance, and most of the time we exist in the middle. However, those unexpected jumps of adrenaline are what make this ride enticing. It’s human nature to get back on, and feel that rush one more time.













[m] 13. [spoons rattling]

Read any article or comment thread about the Seattle noise-rock outfit GREAT FALLS and you're likely to see descriptors like cathartic, heavy, crushing, and unhinged. Maybe even psychotic. And sure, those are all apt: For over a decade, vocalist/guitarist Demian Johnston and bassist Shane Mehling (who also played together in the early-2000s noisecore band PLAYING ENEMY and the experimental duo HEMINGWAY) have honed their sludgy, overwhelmingly intense brand of heaviness, punctuated by delectably discordant riffs, terrifyingly low, thwacking bass lines, and mesmerizingly tight percussion. In the live setting, too, they’re notorious for a stage presence that is so aggressively confrontational and menacing that Mehling once broke his own arm mid-set.

But the most striking aspect of GREAT FALLS, setting them apart from the murky sea of sludge metal and AmRep-inspired noise-rock bands, is their ability to paint a deeply, utterly human story through an all-out assault on the senses: an art the band has perfected on their fourth full-length album OBJECTS WITHOUT PAIN, out September 15 via NEUROT RECORDINGS.

The album is not only their NEUROT debut, but also the first LP featuring drummer Nickolis Parks (GAYTHEIST, BASTARD FEAST), who joined the band prior to the release of their exhilarating, cacophonous 2023 EP,FUNNY WHAT SURVIVES.

OBJECTS WITHOUT PAIN takes us on a bleak, purgative journey through a separation–a snapshot of the turmoil and indecision that occurs after the initial realization of someone's misery, and before the ultimate decision to end a decades-long partnership. From the foreboding intro riffs of “DRAGGED HOME ALIVE” to the end of the 13-minute closer “THROWN AGAINST THE WAVES,” its eight tracks explore the thoughts that come up when a person is staring down the barrel of blowing up their life: How did this happen? Is it too late for a new life? Will the kid be OK? What will make me happier: familiar torment or unknown freedom?

Steph Richards has already made quite a name for herself in the worlds of avant garde music and creative jazz - She has recorded for Relative Pitch and Northern Spy, worked with Laurie Anderson, Anthony Braxton and Ravi Coltrane and studied with Wadada Leo Smith - As co-producer of the FONT Music Festival, Richards worked for years alongside fellow trumpeter Dave Douglas. Her records have been praised for displaying her evident virtuosity and inventiveness, the New York Times calling Richards "boldly inventive." NPR's Nate Chinen says Richards is "ingenious" and Downbeat insisted that she is "the latest figure of note" in jazz while All About Jazz cuts to the chase, saying simply, that Richards "kicks ass." It's an impressive history and litany of praise for a young trumpeter, but with her latest full-length for Northern Spy, Power Vibe, Richards pushes even further, marrying avant garde and cinematic moods with a kind of infectious and patently pleasing tunefulness that is certain to expand her dedicated audience even further. The addition of "sensory electronics" -- subtle but compelling textures and tactile rhythms which are physically triggered by drum-mounted sensors -- compels fascination here, interweaving a kind of aural hyper-lucidity throughout the record. Though boldly original, this music strides surefootedly alongside the work of contemporaries like Nicole Mitchell and Rob Mazurek and the late jaimie branch

"In a small room, tilt’s sound rings out like one big voice. Composed of vocalist Isabel Crespo Pardo, vocalist/bassist Carmen Quill, and trombonist/vocalist Kalia Vandever, the Brooklyn-based group writes intricate, viscerally affecting art-pop compositions that blend carefully interwoven motifs with improvisation. Their melodies are chiseled at extremes, vacillating between the angular and the achingly lyrical. All three members are accomplished artists and composers in their own right, coming from strong backgrounds in the jazz world, and featured alongside artists such as Harry Styles, Mary Halvorson, Dave Douglas, Matthew Barney and more. Their stunning debut LP "Something We Once Knew" is in its own class—a record that teaches us how to listen to it as it progresses. Recorded live in the studio without overdubs, its songs chart troubled and surreal journeys toward understanding or acceptance, passing through mystical corners of its members’ singular musical vocabularies. In these pieces, Quill and Vandever move fluidly between handling melodies with their voices and their instruments, harmonizing closely with Pardo’s melismatic lines. Though the band often works in carefully coordinated group gestures, some of the sharpest moments of catharsis on the record come during virtuosic passages highlighting individual members. Often, Crespo steps into the foreground of pieces, their unfettered vocal phrasing and unorthodox technical approaches investing the lyrics with additional layers of meaning. The music on "Something We Once Knew" might be most readily categorized as jazz, but it is hard to focus on anything but its sui generis aspects and its emotional charge."

Leading Danish trombonist Lis Wessberg is grounded by the concept that a strong melody, and a rich sound are the two most important elements in composition and performance.A continuation of the refined contemporary answer to the"Cool Jazz" sound she"s been cultivating for the past 30 years, her sophomore album"Twain Walking" is set to release on April 12th onApril Records. With more than50 album credits to her name, and having performed and toured with renowned artists including Marilyn Mazur, Fredrik Lundin, Joyce Moreno, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Ernie Wilkins Almost Big Band feat. Randy Brecker, and more, 2021 saw the release of her debut album "Yellow Maps"to critical acclaim from all around Europe. Diving deep into the personal exploration of her creative roots, "Twain Walking"hails from the warm vitality of New Orleans jazz, to the reflective hum of the ECM sound, and the boundary pushing songwriting of Radiohead. With a respectful nod to her influences such as Miles Davis, Curtis Fuller, Danish Erling Kroner, and Palle Mikkelborg, Wessberg operates within thetraditions they established. However, resisting producing a mere echo of the past, she cultivates her owndistinctaesthetic inspired in equal parts by her heroes as well as contemporary zeitgeist. Led by Wessberg"s dynamic trombone playing, her breathlike approach to the instrument mimics a lamenting human voice singing intricately lyrical melodies. Rock inspired drum grooves, thick synth timbres, and cavernous reverbs craft an expansive and dream-like contemporary soundworld in which Wessberg"s thoughtfully crafted compositions can unfold. From spacious,Nordic ballads todance floor psychedelia, the ensemble tackle all ten varied compositions with confidence, maturity, and a dedicated sense of self-expression. Featuring Estonian rising star Karmen Roivassepp on vocals, her effortless soloisticcontributions explore lyrical themes of recognising the beauty in love in life, elevating the record"s melancholic and reflective tone.

Finland's UNEARTHLY RITES are preparing to release their debut album. On Ecdysis UNEARTHLY RITES' potent old school death metal songwriting offers a rallying cry against corporate greed and environmental negligence, with a scathing rebuke of those culpable of ecocide and climate destruction. At the beating heart of Ecdysis lies UNEARTHLY RITES' insistence for a better world, with the perilous effects of capitalist interests taking precedence over nature and human life at the core of the group's concerns. Through their collective work in environmental activism, including anti-mining campaigns in the arctic north that focuses on the challenges faced by the indigenous Sámi peoples, Ecdysis is less a despairing cry as it is a plea for change. The band's caustic approach to extreme metal and punk adds a feverish urgency to proceedings, with the rhythm section of bassist Vikman and guitarists Simo Perkiömäki and Santtu Markko evoking the genre's most brutish traits against Sisli Piisilä's visceral vocal delivery. Despite their rage and despondency at institutional apathy on the title track and the harrowingly doomy highlight cut Sacrifice Zones, album closer Doomed shuns inaction and resigned complicitly by directly challenging the listener to choose their side for humanity's sake and future.

GoGo Penguin veröffentlichen auf der limitierten 180g Vinyl-EP "From The North - GoGo Penguin live in Manchester" subtile Neu-Arrangements von sieben bestehenden Titeln, die das aus Manchester stammende Jazz-Electronica Piano-Trio während der Konzerte ihrer 2023-Tour weiterentwickelt hat. Auf insgesamt 31 Minuten Spielzeit erkundet GoGo Penguin die Titel "Wave Decay, Ascent", "Friday Film Special", "Everything is going to be OK", "An Unbroken Thread of Awareness", "You're Stronger Than You Think" und "Parasite" vom Album "Everything is going to be OK" von 2023 und der EP "Between Two Waves" von 2022 in neuen, energetischen Live Versionen. "As the music was still fresh for us, it was nice to play it all live together in the same room. Every track that we recorded that day has made it onto the record and we're very happy to share our return to this studio with you".Aufgenommen wurde "From The North" in den legendären Old Granada TV-Studios in Manchester, wo schon die Beatles ihren ersten TV-Auftritt hatten und legendäre Bands wie Joy Division oder New Order ihre Fernseh-Debüts feierten. "Ever since we first stepped into it, we fell in love with the live room. We thought it had brilliant acoustics and the space had a lot of character and a fascinating history."

Lauded experimental death metal band Dååth has emerged from its 13-year hiatus with a new album, The Deceivers, at once a devastating reminder and giant leap forward that showcases the technical wizardry and brutal intensity that the Atlanta, Georgia-bred band is capable of. After 12 years on hiatus, Dååth found their ideal new home at Metal Blade, signing to the label and wasting no time creating new music, cover songs (Death’s “The Philosopher” and Morbid Angel’s “Where the Slime Live”) and reissuing previous albums. The first new song from the revitalized Dååth, “No Rest No End” (released ahead of the album in February, 2023), features guest solos by Spiro Dussias and now-Daath member Trujillo, who impressed Levi so much while guesting on the track that he was invited to join the band. Metal Injection called the song “massive,” with Sean Z. saying, “The first time I heard 'No Rest No End' in demo form, I was blown away! I immediately knew exactly what I wanted to do vocally. The words practically flew off the page. During every step of the creation process, the song was an obvious masterpiece.” The band began their journey in 1999 and stayed busy for just over a decade before its 2011 hiatus. In that time, Dååth released four studio albums—2004’s Futility, The Hinderers in 2007, The Concealers in 2009, and their self-titled LP in 2010. Tours with Cattle Decapitation, Dark Funeral, Cynic, Nile, Slayer, Dragonforce, Goatwhore, Chimaira, Dying Fetus, and Devildriver followed. Dååth also landed a coveted spot on Ozzfest playing before tens of thousands of fans in outdoor amphitheaters across the US, in addition to the infamous and long-running metal tour Summer Slaughter. Levi believes this is the most focused and deadly version of Dååth to date, and is excited about what’s in store. “The chemistry is great, because we can talk about stuff that would normally be uncomfortable for a lot of musicians to do without causing problems,” he says. He’s lived a lot of life since the band went away over a decade ago and admits that his mindset is very different now than it was during the original run. “We're taking this to its full potential, letting nothing and nobody stand in our way,” Levi concludes. “If you're not going all out, what's the point?"

The music of Large Plants could be characterised as psych rock, with this outing having a folkier, proggier and more fantastic feel than the heavier biker-rock of the 2022 debut, The Carrier. The tracks on The Thorn also weave synths into the traditional four-piece sound palette.

The Thorn was partly recorded at the same time as the The Carrier, with more songs added subsequently. However, all tracks for both albums were recorded and performed entirely by Jack Sharp in a barn, since demolished. “It was a dirty, rusty, metal shack with no insulation or sound treatment, and it was full of junk, but it sounded weirdly great, and I loved it.” Sharp told Shindig magazine.

In the dimly lit corners of a nondescript basement party, amidst the cacophony of laughter and clinking glasses, a pulsating beat cuts through the haze of alcohol-induced euphoria. It's a track that none have heard before, yet it feels instantly familiar, echoing the electrifying energy of Underworld's iconic 'Born Slippy'. The song, discovered by accident during a drunken deep-dive into the depths of an online music platform, becomes the unexpected anthem of the night. Titled "Macht over het Stuur", this track is an odyssey of sound, blending relentless techno rhythms with haunting, ethereal vocals that seem to drift in from another world. The opening notes are a siren call, drawing listeners into a whirlpool of synths and beats that mimic the heartbeat of the city at night. It's music that doesn't just want to be heard; it demands to be felt, pulsating through the veins and igniting a fire in the soul. As "Macht over het Stuur" unfolds, it weaves a narrative without words, telling tales of fleeting connections, electric glances, and the raw, unfiltered essence of human emotion. It captures the spirit of those who chase the dawn, those who find beauty in the blur of lights as they speed past on their way to nowhere. The track is a paradox, both a celebration of the present moment and a longing for something just out of reach, a sound that encapsulates the feeling of being utterly lost yet exactly where you're supposed to be. The discovery of "Macht over het Stuur" on that drunken night feels like unearthing a treasure, a secret shared among friends that would soon ripple out to captivate a wider audience. As word of the track spreads, it becomes more than just a song; it's a movement, a collective memory etched into the minds of those who experienced it firsthand. It stands as a testament to the power of music to unite, to transform an ordinary night into something magical, a reminder that sometimes, the most unforgettable moments are those we never see coming.

B2 Recordings keeps it classy with another new deep house offering from label head Bengoa. It comes hot on the heels of his last outing here in December but this time all three tracks are straight-up solo cuts with no featured guests. 'Hustler's Convention' is an emotionally intense humid, steamy cut even though the grooves are warm and hypnotic.

'Apollo' has more raw percussion and scratchy drum textures overlaid with trippy vocals and last of all is 'Fanatic,' which pairs leggy bass and drums with more swirling vocal samples and interesting broken beat patterns. Another fine outing from Bengoa then.

Getting into an album by Cyril Cyril is being invited to a party where you thought you didn't know anyone, only to realize that this chap's gal is your bro's cuz, and leave with everyone's cell. Their music seems familiar because it's not deaf to its neighbors, in the broadest sense : Geneva, their lair, Europe, their playground as a duo, and the world, their grocery store. There's plenty in those two heads, but just the two of them on stage. For their third Born Bad album, they have invited two lads from Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp, Ines Mouzoune, multi-instrumentalist from Amami, and Violeta Garcia's cello on Le Futur ca marche pas. On the ruins of Switzerland, people dance hard but consciously, and won't complain about them having a go at the homeland - notably in " Sweetzerland Bunker Love ", where they claim it's time to "free the money from the banks". There's something rotten in the state, wherever it may be, and they prefer to put its fall to music. And they're not shy about it, either: this album features heavy guitar/drums text-driven ballads (beautiful "Mensonge" opens the album with a certain gravitas), polyrhythmic noisy drum splatter with crafty vocal knitting ("Plus rien a? faire"), deconstructed and harmonically ambitious compositions ("Les Phoenix de l'amour"), and latino frogs croaks, because yes, why not. Since their previous efforts "Certaine Ruines" and "Yallah Mickey Mouse", it turns out that the future isn't working out so badly for the two Cyrils. (Not so) Quietly sitting on crates of records, they patiently build their sound. Never tired of sick networks and never-ending struggles, Cyril Cyril is a rousing mess, shouting out the common spleen while still managing to have a good laugh.

This is the debut vinyl release of Dave Wallace from 1992 (Aquasky/Mad Dog/Fugitive), though he had been producing a number of years prior to this, creating early rave demo tapes. A highly sought after record online, this originally came out on a handstamped white label, on Olly Underdogs Rave Doctor Recordings, run out of Brockenhurst in the heart of the New Forest.

You wouldn’t be able to find a better EP that showcases the anthemic piano/rave stab sound of early 90’s UK dance music. This is a peak time release that was played by a lot of DJ’s back in the day. Its also a part of rave history as it shows the starting block of Dave’s musical journey which is still active to this day, 30+ years later with Fugitive releases on Amen Brother/Sub System and a future release on Amentec with a MOY remix.

»Therapie ist ist kein Zeichen von Schwäche, es ist ein Zeichen von Stärke«, so Marie, die Frontfrau und Songwriterin von Cosby, die die letzten Jahre durch extreme Höhen und Tiefen gegangen ist. Alles spitzt sich irgendwann zu, bis es schließlich nicht mehr geht.

»Loved For Who I Am« ist ein Album, das eine persönliche Geschichte in einzelnen Kapiteln erzählt. Kapitel, die aufeinander aufbauen und vieles nach und nach sinnig erscheinen lassen. Kapitel, die – ganz wie ein Prequel – nicht etwa Handlungen fortführen, sondern einen Teil der Vorgeschichte erzählen. Um somit ein großes Ganzes entstehen zu lassen. Ein Ganzes, das sich Leben nennt. Und zeigt, dass jede(r) von uns nur gestärkter und im Reinen mit sich selbst aus Herausforderungen hervortreten kann. Für all das steht der Longplayer. Für all das stehen Cosby. Robin, Kilian, Dave und Marie. »Loved For Who I Am«.

Toaster Jah Thomas began his career on the west Kingston sound systems of the mid-1970s, making a massive splash with ‘Midnight Rock’ in 1976. After a debut LP for Channel One, his self-produced Dance On The Corner raised the bar several levels. Voiced at King Tubby’s studio, mixed by Tubby, Jammy and Scientist and edited by the King himself, the album has Thomas chatting over hard Roots Radics rhythms earlier used by Barrington Levy – the perfect platform for Thomas’ relaxed chants, vexed rants, and commentaries on Jamaican life. This is Jah Thomas at his best – a must for all fans of reggae, dub, deejay, and dancehall!

Before Circus Lupus landed on DC’s venerable Dischord Records, the group’s original Midwest lineup recorded a full album’s worth of songs less than a year after forming. With the demise of DC’s Ignition in the late ’80s, bass player Chris Thomson headed to Madison, WI for college. Before leaving DC, he dove headfirst into being a vocalist fronting the short-lived throwback punk / hardcore project Fury. Thomson served up pointed and profound Tony Cadena-inspired screeds about betrayal, disappointment and poseurs all set to a soundtrack of furiously primitive and chaotic music supplied by members of the DC punk band Swiz. Brief yet influential, this band marked Thomson’s switch to vocals, putting him on course to front Circus Lupus and claim a notable spot in the DC punk timeline of the late 20th century. Soon after arriving in Madison, Thomson was invited to join a new project started by friends Chris Hamley, Arika Casebolt, and Reg Shrader. Circus Lupus marked a change in direction from the familiar sounds of DC punk that Thomson had been associated with for years. The newly formed group looked to noisier Touch & Go and Homestead bands for inspiration, aligning themselves with bands from Chicago, Louisville and Milwaukee. One early supporter of the band described the new group as “profoundly familiar yet uncategorizable. Like if the Germs had gone to college and never got pulled into hard drugs and suicidal behaviors.” The original Circus Lupus lineup played a dozen shows and recorded these songs with Eli Janney at Inner Ear studios in August of 1990 while on a brief tour. Within a year, the band would decide to permanently relocate to Washington DC, where they felt they had more opportunities. Shrader opted to move to Chicago and would ultimately join the Touch and Go band Seam. Old friend Seth Lorinczi (Vile Cherubs) would become their new bass player, forming the version of the band that most listeners are familiar with. While a few of these ended up on their first single, the rest were shelved, some later to be rerecorded with Lorinczi and released on Dischord. L.G. Records is proud to have helped this notable recording see the light of day. The original tapes were recovered by Ian MacKaye and transferred by Darren Edwards. Tim Green remixed and remastered the original recordings at Louder Studios in California.

Warehouse Find! Test Pressing!

It's Toby Tobias time folks! Ahead of his brilliant LP which will be dropping here on DOG in September we give you a little reminder of why he's one of the heroes of the underground UK house scene. Toby has been honing his skills as a producer, DJ, promoter and all round nice guy for years now and we're very happy to be offering up fresh new club business from the man himself in the form of The Rising EP. Never one to go for the obvious, he always puts his neck on the line and pushes his productions in an interesting and often unexpected direction, making full use of his fully analogue studio to get those 'happy accidents' into his tracks which gives him the edge over so many others on the scene today.

Even with a straight up club banger like The Rising, Toby makes sure things stay edgy, raw and just a little bit mental. At the end of the day this is a Chi-town influenced filter disco banger but with fresh spin that'll make sure it creates the perfect vibe when you drop it in the clubs.

Taking things in a deeper direction we have Jitterbug on the remix, keeping the pace and drive but dipping the original in a vat of thick, syrupy treacle which gives us an altogether more heady, spaced out vibe for those moments when only the trippiest shit will suffice.

Flip over for Toby's own dub version of The Rising which strips it all back and warps it out for a loopey, Soundstream influenced take on the original. Full of attitude but keeping the bags of fun times feel with more punch than Frank Bruno (in his heyday!)