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First and foremost, deathcrash approached the task of putting together their debut album as music lovers. To all four members, a good album seemed to stamp out periods of their life, capturing a time, a feeling, a mood. This was their approach when trying to make whole two-years-worth of fragmented songwriting. Their songs may differ from each other in certain ways, but they manage to conjure similar feelings. ‘Return’ captures many of the difficult moments of the last couple years in the band members’ personal lives and yet, as a whole its complexity emerges as a beautiful and hopeful message. Amongst other things, writing the album was a cathartic process for the band, and so it can be for the listener too. The first parts of ‘Return’ came from quite a dark and jaded place. To get better can be a path marred by self-sabotage and a desire to hide. It can be easier to have no faith in something new, and rely on the comfort of an old feeling, even if it hurts. There is a reassurance in pain, a familiarity in its narrative. Return asks when things heal, where does the wound go? deathcrash recorded Return with their close friend and producer Ric James, who they’ve worked with since their early recordings. The album was recorded live, with an emphasis on dynamics, bringing together tense intimacy with atmospheric vastness. The members brought things to light they previously hadn’t, and shared words, riffs, ideas and thoughts for the first time. Each band member is able to see something that the others can’t, and write something unique. For deathcrash that is where the magic of making the album happens, when it clicks for everyone. As the album took form, a lot went on, and in many ways deathcrash got back in touch with a newer, more open feeling, sometimes happy, sometimes fearful. Something good returned that had previously been lost, and this is captured on the album. The album aims not to romanticise a dark place however, being equally about hope and renewal.

Omowale is the powerful new album from Wildchild, one third of the legendary Lootpack crew and a formidable solo artist who released many projects on the iconic Stones Throw Records. Across the 15 tracks, the Cali rapper deftly explores what it means to be a Black man in the U.S. today with timely, poignant lyrics. It’s a hard-hitting look at this country and its decades of wrongdoing, all with an air of optimism for the future. This album is Wildchild’s first solo release since 2016’s T.G.I.F., though he’s clearly kept busy in the interim by working on Omowale and making a number of standout guest appearances. Many of his past collaborators are returning the favor, as we’re treated to dope features from Posdnuos (of De La Soul), Big Daddy Kane, Guilty Simpson, Ras Kass, Murs, and more. Plus, there’s head-nodding production from Madlib, Nottz, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and Mr. Brady, among others. They’re all bringing their A-game on Omowale, an impeccably produced album beyond its instrumentation and rhymes. Wildchild builds on the project’s narrative by incorporating audio from newscasts, protests, and other live events. He also brings that real-world feel to his lyrics, from joyful raps with his son (Black-ish actor/emcee Miles Brown) on the funky “G.O.A.T.” to raw rhymes about police brutality on “Breathe.”
When the album culminates with “Say Their Name”—a moving tribute to the rap legends we’ve lost over the years—Wildchild proves on Omowale that you can balance hope with the harsh, unjust realities of the world.

Straight from the fertile imagination of Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs guitarist Sam Grant comes Rubber Oh - a place where an irreverent magpie spirit has its way with the eternal psych-pop continuum. ‘Little Demon’ is the first sample of this fresh foray - a bass-driven, blissed out mantra that sets out its stall where the travails of the everyday fade into the transcendental realm of the astral plane. A whole new box of sonic delights from a curious and artful talent, this track maps out a refreshing new landscape on which shameless melodic suss and wayward aural eccentricity lock horns. Some may be reminded of the likes of Air’s ‘10000Hz Legend’ and Super Furry Animals ‘Radiator’ by the montage of 60s-tinged mind-melt and sleek futurism here, but the truth is that Rubber Oh is a manifestation of a very personal vision. Alchemically assembled in his own Blank studios in Newcastle, ‘Little Demon’ - in all its thundering, earcandy glory, and accompanied by a Faustian, abstraction-embracing remix by friends and cohorts Richard Dawson and Circle’s Jussi Lehtisalo - is merely a first step into the unknown. “It’s a reference to when you’re lying in bed and your thoughts sabotage you” reasons Grant of ‘Little Demon’ - “It’s all meant to be this fixed loop - the lyrics, the riff, the drums - a constant repetition that keeps going round, maybe like a fever dream. The little demons that when you’re in bed suddenly start in your psyche, opening a door that just leads to another door” Wherever this door leads, ‘Little Demon’ is a psychic journey to be returned to on repeat.A. Little Demon B. Little Demon (Richard Dawson’s Haunted Wine-Cellar Version – Feat: Jussi Lehtisalo

BRAND NEW 7” FROM LEED'S FINEST! A taster from their next full-length LP due out later in the year Ever been interrogated by the punk rock police? Are you manufactured by a company? Is your band real or plastic? Have you ever paid a thousand quid for a poster? Can the kids be trusted with rock n roll? Answers on side A

Regal shares the final remix EP of his debut album, "RWYS Remixes Pt.03". With reworks from Alignment, Thomas P.Heckmann, _asstnt & Roll Dann, Sita Abellan & the Involve Records head himself.

Regal's "Remember Why You Started" LP faces its final rework. The last package welcomes Regal and Sita Abellan, Thomas P.Heckmann, _asstnt & Roll Dann and Alignment to shine their production skills to the Spanish techno luminaries first album.

Regal & multi-faceted Spanish artist Sita Abellan collaborated for the rework of "Cult Of Personality". Their rendering leans heavily into the realm of electro, with heavily distorted synth lines marching through like a freight train. Darting keys rush and reverberate back upon themselves before a powerful female vocal sample takes over from the male voice that commanded the original. Germany's Thomas P Heckmann takes on "Before I Die". Heavier and beefier than the original, the kick drum and baseline of Heckmann's remix take control and dominate the landscape. He retains Pau's distinct vocals, leaving a familiar dash of the original in this bolder rework. Percussion takes a front seat in this version, with snare drums and cymbals combating the bitter main synth melody.

Straight from Madrid's underground scene are producers _asstnt & Roll Dann, who team up for the remix of "Respect". A cut up, distorted rework that grows darker and more robust throughout. Bottomless kick drums ring out, while a heavily distorted electric guitar sample brings grime and a sonic haze to the track. The American male vocal sample is kept on from the original and remains even more powerful in it's reworked state than before. Italian producer Alignment wraps up with the accurately placed track "The Last Dance". In this final remix of the series the kick drum received a complete overhaul, instantly pivoting the track into a darker place. Only the curious melodic key sequence pours light into the track and brings with it an overwhelming sense of positivity to the closer. The baseline backs up the melody before percussion breakdowns take centre stage and the two fight for dominance until the final beat.

Colin Blunstone and Sundazed Music celebrate the 50th anniversary of
Colin's post Oracle opus One Year with an expanded edition! The half,
itself titled, That Same Year, gives you a deeper introspective look into
that time in his life
The album largely features Colin singing accompanied solely by his acoustic
guitar.That Same Year includes beautifully sparse demo versions of three songs
from One Year including 'Caroline Goodbye' and 'Let Me Come Closer To You'
where Colin is joined by fellow Zombie Rod Agent on piano. Three songs have
Colin joined by Zombie bassist Chris White on classical guitar. Beyond the three
familiar songs you will find Colin's familiar voice and wit come through on eleven
completely unheard compositions all penned for the One Year album; including
'Sing Your Own Song' where sings of reading about his own death in Rolling
Stone.One Year is an album that somehow manages to be both lush and sparse
at the same time and always deeply intimate. That Same Year finds a way to
bring your listening experience to a deeper level of intimacy.In addition to penning
most of the album, Colin also penned the liner notes that fill the gatefold jacket
along with unseen photos from that year. The notes go track by track through One
Year along with some background on That Same Year.

Written and produced by Thomas Caesar, Guillaume Lespinasse, Axel Ropert-Lemercier and Jean Redondo. Distributed by Chez Emile records. Snowballs provided by Tony Mastroianni on a Kawasaki Z750. Type by Dinamo, Illustration by Almost Free Services

Matthew Halsall unveils new band and announces 'Salute to the Sun'

his new album on Gondwana Records

Limited edition Double Clear vinyl, printed on reverse board with Gold foil artwork plus double printed reverse board inner sleeves including download code. Cover Artwork by Daniel Halsall with design and layout by Ian Anderson of The Designers Republic.

Comes packaged in a resealable, re-usable Polypropylene anti-static, acid-free, crystal clear sleeve for maximum protection.

Composer, trumpeter, producer, DJ and founder of Gondwana Records, Matthew Halsall has always worn many hats. But at the heart of everything that he does Halsall is first and foremost an artist and a musician. A trumpeter whose unflashy, soulful playing radiates a thoughtful beauty and a composer and band-leader who has created his own rich sound world. A sound that draws on the heritage of British jazz, the spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, as well as world music and electronica influences, and even modern art and architecture, to create something uniquely his own. A music that is rooted in Northern England but draws on global inspirations.

Salute to the Sun is his first album as a leader since Into Forever (2015) and marks the debut of his new band. A hand-picked ensemble featuring some of Manchester's finest young musicians: Matt Cliffe flute & saxophone, Maddie Herbert harp, Liviu Gheorghe piano, Alan Taylor drums and Jack McCarthy percussion as well as long-time Halsall collaborator, bassist, Gavin Barras who has been at the heart of Halsall's bands for over a decade. For Matthew it was important to have a band based locally and able, pre-Covid, to meet and play each week, and who also performed a sold-out monthly basement session at Yes in Manchester. The album draws energy from these sessions and inspiration from themes and ideas that have inspired Halsall through the years (on albums such as Oneness, Fletcher Moss Park and When the World Was One) ideas of ecology, the environment and harmony with nature.

"I feel Salute to the Sun is a positive earthy album. I wanted to create something playful but also quite primitive, earthy and organic that connected to the sounds in nature. I was listening to lush ambient field recordings of tropical environments such as jungles and rainforests and found myself drawn to percussive atmospheric sounds which replicated what I was hearing (bells / shakers / chimes / rain sticks) and I started to experiment with more wooden percussive instruments such as kalimba and marimba".

Salute to the Sun features lush wholly improvised tunes inspired by ambient rainforest and jungle field recordings, deeply soulful tunes built around hypnotic harp and kalimba patterns, deep Strata-East inspired spiritual jazz grooves and some of Halsall's most beautiful playing and inspiring healing melodies yet recorded.

The album was recorded at the band's weekly sessions, using Halsall's own recording set-up, giving the recordings a relaxed vibe and unforced energy that really lets the music breath. The album is also very much a family affair as Halsall's brother Daniel Halsall, artistic director of Gondwana Records, was an important presence at the sessions and co-produced the album. It is also his memorable artwork that adorns the cover of Salute to the Sun, an album beautifully designed by legendary designer Ian Anderson of The Designers Republic, who also created the covers for the recent archival releases Oneness, Sending My Love and Colour Yes and is one of Halsall's favourite designers. Together Daniel Halsall and Ian Anderson have designed all of Matthew's seven albums to date, so it felt extra-special to bring them together for, Salute to the Sun, an album that Halsall was determined to present in the very best way possible. The album was mixed with another long-time collaborator, George Atkins at 80 Hertz in Manchester, who works tirelessly with Halsall to perfect the sound and was mastered by noted engineer Peter Beckmann who brings an added depth to the sound specially around the bass notes as well as Halsall's trumpet. The magnificent double vinyl was cut as a Half Speed master by Barry Grint at Alchemy Mastering for the best possible analogue experience.

The result is arguably Halsall's most beautiful and complete recording to date, playful, charming and imbued with the warmth of the sun and the energy of life.

Marc Rapson is a man of many dimensions. From rocking BBC's Maida Vale and Later with Jools Holland as part of Ben Westbeech's touring band, to releasing stellar re-edits of Marvin Gaye and Sarah Vaughan to the acclaim of Gilles Peterson, Marc has spent the last decade quietly building a following amongst those in the know. Dark vs Light seamlessly blends crunchy, low swung Hip Hop beats with Marc's jazz inflected Fender Rhodes and synth sounds. Not one to be confined to a singular style, Marc also fires up the sampler for tracks such as 'Click Loud', combining surgical chop skills with live instrumentation. Dark vs Light is the product of a mind that grew up on Ahmad Jamal as much as A Tribe Called Quest: the jazz pianist with a passion for raw beats. This first time on double vinyl complete edition includes all tracks from the now out of print EP along side additional bonus cuts from the original sessions featuring MC Replife as well as a dope cover of a classic Roy Ayers track. A great way to help celebrate Futuristica’s 15th year!

Vinyl Only

Marshall Applewhite has returned from the red planet with a new discovery in tow, his Lowercase EP! As a musical pioneer he needs little introduction but a few lauds include: the creation of an entire genre of electronic music, starting legendary label YoSucka! featuring his hit release "Go Home", now running a fantastic and creative label project called Junted sharing experimental and strange sounds. For all those in the Detroit techno community, his music has been an inspiration and his devil may care attitude is a welcome refreshment from the often overly serious and judgemental air of the industry. These tracks once again change up his style, leaning a bit more toward a house groove, but with plenty of his signature freakish basslines and trippy vocal samples to ride along. Released via PITS, a Detroit-based electronic music label run by cohort John Joe XO. The project is entering its fifth year of life this summer of 2021, so in celebration this special edition release will also be shared on 12" vinyl. The label has seen support from many artists over the years including Exos, Blazej Malinkowski, Justin Carter, Laurent Garnier, John FM, and more.

This release is coming exactly 3 years after Geinst ARTS, Accents Records and Inerit discussed about a new place where they could converge musically and artistically.

A place to propose spontaneous and borderless music by avoiding any kind of standardization.

This place is now called ITAE and we are really proud to present the first release.

ITAE001 is a first great demonstration of the esthetic that ITAE wants to share and develop over time.

All the artwork had been thought and produced by Clemence Rivalier.

Demon Records is proud to reissue this album as part of the Gary Crowley’s Lost 80s project. This Classic LP
reissue is presented on double 140g translucent blue vinyl.
Blue Rondo A La Turk were a lively 6 piece British latin/jazz/pop group, formed in 1981 by singer/lyricist Chris
Sullivan, and disbanded in 1984 when several members moved on to form the hit-making band Matt Bianco.
‘Chewing The Fat ‘ is the debut album, originally released in 1982 and includes the charting singles ‘Me And
Mr. Sanchez’ and ‘Klacto Vee Sedstein’
Included in the release is a bonus LP of official remixes on vinyl for the first time.
“If there was one band I wanted to be in back in 1982 it was Blue Rondo A La Turk. Named after the classic
Dave Brubeck song, they were a bunch of sharp suited hedonists with a philosophy straight out of Spinal Tap,
have a good time, all the time! Thinking about it though they probably would have left a lightweight like me
for dead in some Soho gutter after the first couple of drinks on a night out. Known and loved for their
infectious blend of salsa, funk, pop and cool bop and swing as well as their renowned live performances, why
they didn't break through to the nations charts remains one of pop's great conundrums. But those who
knew, knew and for energy and sonic pleasure this, their debut album "Chewing The Fat" takes some beating
and I'm thrilled it's available once again on vinyl under our GC Lost 80s moniker. It really is a wonderful
reminder of their collective talent that was sadly never given time to flourish.

• Best known for their self-penned 1982 recording ‘Moneys Too Tight To Mention’, which was ranked at No. 6
among in the Top Ten "Tracks of the Year" by NME and which was later famously covered by Simply Red,
• “The Valentine Brothers” eponymous debut album was recorded for US label Source Records, owned and run by
Logan H. Westbrooks and includes the two singles ‘The Sound Of Music’ and ‘We Belong Together’.
• Billy Valentine performed as a singer with Young-Holt Unlimited in the mid-1970s, whilst both brothers
performed a three-year stint as part of the touring company of The Wiz musical.
• Another one of those hidden Soul gems, Demon Records is proud to announce this first reissue of “The
Valentine Brothers”, since the album’s original 1979 release.

4 Hands, an intimate and surreal musical conversation on the piano from German sound pioneer Hans-Joachim Roedelius and American composer Tim Story, is an example of all the warm yet otherworldly beauty that can come from approaching a shared love for a singular instrument from overlapping directions.

Recorded sequentially but on one and the same grand piano, Roedelius laid down a few impromptu piano études in May 2019 whilst visiting his transatlantic friend Story. Tim then learned all their intricate phrasings to add his own parts in the following months.

"Together we shaped the basic compositions, sometimes carefully preparing the piano with various materials (including my own hands), and Achim’s performances were committed to tape. I continued to compose and refine my parts in the following months. Because it was all recorded on the same piano, the result has a very appealing consistency of sound, and hopefully blurs our individual contributions into a single integrated voice,” Story explains.

4 Hands encapsulates rippling minimalistic patterns and delicate, ghostly interactions with surprising harmonic twists. Roedelius’ intuitive and instinctive approach based in improvisation, paired hand in hand with Story’s deliberate distilling of ideas over time, creates two sides of an engaging and thought provoking conversation that seems to evolve and deepen with each successive listen.

"4 Hands is not just a new album — the logical continuation of the long-standing friendship between two composers. It’s our tribute to awareness and listening, coaxing a new sound language from the endless possibilities of a single piano played by our four hands. For me, these pieces express a different kind of beauty, they evoke more than the sum of their parts, they are a wordless dialogue, a bridge across the great water that separates our cultures from one another. Allons enfants des deux patrie, haha!” adds Roedelius.

'Still Life' Carson McHones drittes Album und zweite Veröffentlichung bei Loose Music erscheint Ende Februar. Nach ihrem 2019er Album "Carousel" zählt die aus Austin, Texas kommernde Musikerin zu einer der innovativsten Künstlerinnen aus den Staaten. Inspiriert von u.a. John Cale, The Kinks, Richard und Linda Thompson – gleichgesinnte Künstler der späten 60er und frühen 70er, einer anderen Ära des Übergangs und der Innovation. McHone schrieb die Songs von 'Still Life' in ruhigen Momenten zwischen den Tourneen in ihrer Heimatstadt Austin und nahm sie dann in Ontario mit dem kanadischen Musiker und Produzenten Daniel Romano auf. Diese erstmalige Zusammenarbeit zwischen McHone und Romano offenbart eine unwiderstehliche Dynamik von den präzisen Arrangements bis hin zu den ausgefeilten Lyrics der Songs. 'Still Life' ist mehr als zeitlos, es ist zeitgemäß, von Natur aus modern und ist für Alternative Country Fans ein Highlight!

Each LP sleeve is delivered as a bespoke limited edition, hand-printed and customised by the man himself. Features Jehst, Taja, Jaz Kahina, Vandal Savage, Junior Disprol and Cappo. The return of the “Zack de la Rocha of Ashby de la Zouch”, back in tandem with Chicago producer Spectacular Diagnostics World status 2020-21; a write-off, one to be struck from the record, ‘NULL AND VOID’ if you will. This hasn’t stopped Kid Acne kicking on and bringing what he calls “the difficult fifth album” to the Lewis Recordings megaplex. Full of Yorkshire say-so, his inimitable strain of hip-hop delivers the mind-bending with everyman knowhow, fearlessly “taking out pop chart sucker rappers with a blow dart”. Spectacular Diagnostics (Westside Gunn, Vic Spencer, Conway the Machine, Nolan the Ninja) is back on the boards for Kid Acne’s latest magical mystery tour, strengthening regional alliances with UK heavyweights Cappo, Jehst and Vandal Savage as well as introducing one-to-watch Taja. Driven by the wise man’s testament that thou shalt never use the internet again, Acne shakes off screen burn and heads back to the great (socially distanced) outdoors with a fresh batch of wavy, chaos theorising boom-bap.

Esencia are proud to present the third album by Culross Close - Pressure. The album opens with the sound of PRESSURE! a world where synths blend with keys and the visceral expressions of city life. Things then move from minimalist expressions to beat-driven fusion. With searing string and trumpet arrangement courtesy of Yelfris Valdes, To Belong straddles beat-driven fusion and jazz with mastery. Misguided takes things up a notch, with breakneck rhythms and an enchanting melody. The mood changes on Tipping Point, with the quintet heading into psychedelic territory.
Convictions is a sombre piece, laced with keys and heartfelt intentions. Shifts is both delicate and challenging, stirring and settling. The Will To Change is a solo piano piece and the album’s closer, The Will To Change (I,II) showcases Culross Close at their best: playful, considered and able to hold a groove. Enjoy!

Additional Thoughts:
Pressure. The invisible hand that has the potential to propel or paralyse, to create beauty or despair. Pressure mounts. Builds. Until it reaches a tipping point, after which, things shift and change finds us.

Modern Woman have announced details of their track ‘Juniper’ along with details of their debut EP ‘Dogs Fighting In My Dream’
out September 17th (digital, physical out Feb 25th) via End of the Road Records, the recently launched label arm of the British festival. The EP wasrecorded and mixed by Shuta Shinoda (Anna Meredith, Jehnny Beth, Hot Chip) and mastered by Jason Mitchell (PJ Harvey,Aldous Harding, Dry Cleaning).

London based Modern Woman began life as the songwriting project of Sophie Harris, a literature graduate who started playing
the songs solo at spoken word nights she ran. “I had a firm idea of the direction I wanted the project to go in, and I knew that
couldn’t be achieved without a full band.” Harris says speaking ofthe band’s beginnings. “It was important to me to keep the
tenderness and lyricism of folk music but blend this with heavier and weirder experimental elements.”

An introduction through a mutual friend led her to meeting David Denyer, an Anglo-German-Armenian composer by trade
whose interests include Merzbow records and building his own instruments and pedals. The two started playing together with
Denyer playing an array of homemade violins, synths, effects and percussion - including a battered wooden table with a metal
colander nailed into it and jagged remnants of cymbals that take a pummeling throughout the band’s live show. Explaining the
set up Denyer says; “We always talked about being influenced a lot by Tom Waits and there are lots of stories of him smashing
up doors and using it as percussion so we gave it a shot. Thecolander was Sophie’s idea. I love pasta though so it sits really
well with me.”

London based duo Blue Lab Beats announce their new and most ambitious album to date : “Motherland Journey”. The two producers and musicians assemble an all-star lineup ranging from Afrobeat star Ghetto Boy to rising stars such as Tiana Major9, Pip Millet, Ego Ella May, Kofi Stone and much more. They broaden their inspirations from their trademark Jazztronica and masterfully blend afrobeat, New R’n’B and Soul.

Cemento Atlantico is the first recording project by the Italian DJ/producer Alessandro “ToffoloMuzik” Zoffoli, conceived between 2020 and 2021, in an orphaned silence from wandering and social sharing due to the lockdown in this Pandemic era. To be released on vinyl, CD and all digital platforms starting from July 29th, 2021 via Bronson Recordings, the album Rotte Interrotte was born from the need to translate the travel experiences of recent years into music: Morocco, Vietnam, Peru, Cambodia, Colombia, India, Guatemala, Myanmar. At the edge of the world. The sound that fills everyday life is often seen as a foregone background, in reality all its connotations can be explored and ordered to create a melody. Without a shadow of a doubt, the threshold of auditory attention rises by being sent, immersed in cultures and countries other than your own. Among those coordinates, Cemento Atlantico has kidnapped fragments, samples and field recordings from nature, history, road and sacred places. Emotions engraved in the mind with occasional recording means, subsequently manipulated through electronics and rhythmic construction creating a truly unique and contemporary sound and of cultural melting-pot. Zoffoli has written and produced the record (then mastered by Giovanni Versari), also taking care of its artwork. Cemento Atlantico’s logo is made up of the initials “C” and “A”: “The letter ‘A’ indicates the first Ocean I crossed, the Atlantic one, while the letter” C “- represented by a crescent Moon, with no political or religious reference – symbolizes rebirth, the growth of a project or the advent of a new life in many ancient and modern cultures“. Trip hop, dubstep and chillout are intertwined with world music and ethnic elements, as if the starting point was Bristol, rather than Cesenatico, and the arrival point was all to be soundtracked, all to be explored. Following the first extract Umm Bulgares, the new singles taken from the album are Beat ’em Bang, Amazonienne, Blade Runner Zero and El congreso de los Fantasmas. More than an album, Rotte Interrotte is a casket of stories set in time with your eyes closed, in the deep belief that through sound you can imagine the world without seeing it.

THE ELECTRONIC VISIONARIES RETURN WITH THEIR NEW STUDIO
ALBUM
.On their new album 'Raum', Tangerine Dream develop the concept of its
precursor EP (Probe 6—8) further
Composed & produced with full access to Edgar Froese's Cubase arrangements
(& Otari Tape Archive with recordings from 1977-2013), Thorsten Quaeschning,
Hoshiko Yamane & Paul Frick deliver late-night real time compositions combined
with classic studio productions, sequencer driven haunting soundscapes
alternate with anthemic warm synthesizers.
Composed in a time of social distancing & cancelled shows, the tracks cannot
exactly be recreated (or will at least need significant re-instrumentation for a live
performance). With the 17-minute 'In 256 Zeichen', they lay the fundament of this
record. 'Continuum', with its repetitive sequence & broken beat shows glimpses of
acid sounds & increasing choral atmospheres. 'You Are Always On Time' is built
on PPG wavetable sounds & eerie field recordings. The title track 'Raum' makes a
nod towards the early live studio performances like 'Zeit' & 'Phaedra' - the melody
accompanied by a chorus- like Roland Jupiter 8 part. An ambient rave Moog
Minitaur sequence highlights the final peak, till the violin slowly transports the
listener out. A heavy Moog bass marks the beginning & the end of this 15-minute
piece.
'Raum' is the band's second studio album after the passing of the founder Edgar
Froese in 2015. With deep respect for the sound of the previous five decades, this
record continues in the ever-evolving pathway of Tangerine Dream.
The band will be supporting the release of 'Raum' with live shows in 2022, starting
with an extensive headline tour of the UK in March. 'Raum' will be released as a 7
track CD presented in a digipak with a 12-page booklet

A few years back I had this dream: I was walking through vast grasslands
towards a solitary hill
On top of the hill was a movie house. On the marquee: History of Jazz.I kept
thinking about it. What was in the movie house? What happened before? What
followed? Why was I going there? Why "History of Jazz"? To reach some kind of
insight, I began a film script, extending the dream tenfold. The script morphed
into a novella-sized book, a series of songs, and finally, a "mind-movie" podcast,
forming this labyrinthine, multi- medium story – equal parts dream, film and
waking life. Figuring out how to transcend the traditional parameters of the album
to create a more panoramic story- vision is something I've been unconsciously
trying to do for some time. I've been pushing against the edges – toying with
narrative, characters and visuals with Easterween and Niagara, a weird children's
book Daydreams for Night – but the scope of life behind Rialto felt too
irrepressible and expansive to be boxed in an album. The book and podcast have
kicked open the doors – allowing the album to lead or serve where it should.In
Rialto's extended narrative, Klaus (loner, insomniac) is working a stint as a driver
for a small town writer's festival. Following a series of unsettling paranormal
events, he finds himself agreeing to a strange request - to deliver a film reel in
time for its premiere at a secluded movie house - the Rialto. The journey leads
him through a circuit of strangely located, oracular movie houses, screening a mix
of dreams, fantasies, memories and prophecies - numinous films of personal
revelation. Inhabiting the movie houses are underworld characters and spirits
with ambiguous motivations, some helping and some hindering Klaus's quest. It's
a Dantesque, deep cleanse pilgrimage to untangle bitterness and trauma,
rediscover a lost clairvoyance, ancestry, and ultimately, the medicinal source of
eternal youth. A metaphysical noir. A hyperstition.Rialto's album stars seven
singer-artists playing characters alongside mine: Tamara Lindeman (The Weather
Station), Daniel Knox, Thom Gill (Owen Pallet, Beverly Glenn- Copeland), Ryan
Driver (Jennifer Castle), Felicity Williams (Bahamas), Robin Dann (Bernice) and
Martin Tielli (Rheostatics). All Toronto- based like me except Daniel (Chicago).
Performed by the Venuti String Quartet with arrangements by Andrew Downing.
Produced by Jean Martin (Tanya Tagaq). It's my 13th album and fourth on Tin
Angel - previous releases on Tin Angel: Miracle In The Night (2019), Small Town
Water Tower (2016), and Niagara (2014). Each of Rialto's eight podcast episodes
features a chapter from the book performed by a cast of twenty five - made up
almost entirely of musicians – including the speaking voices of the
aforementioned singers, as well as Meg Remy (U.S. Girls), Claudia Dey, Veda Hille,
Devon Sproule, Luka Kuplowsky and others. Rialto is available as a 101-page eBook (illustrations by David Ouimet) on Sud de Valeur Press. Premiere
performances begin fourth quarter 2021. Happy Rialto listening, reading,
watching, dreaming...

JJ Tartaglia and Jonny Nesta (also band members of world-renowned
Skull Fist) have joined forces once again to form Thunderor, the latest
80s-infused heavy metal /hard rock sensation
The debut album 'Fire It Up' delivers hook-driven stadium caliber songs with an
untamed spirit. Thunderous drums, lightning hot guitar licks, dreamy synths, and
piercing vocals form the musical storm that is Thunderor. Complete with singalong choruses, drum solo breaks, ripping guitar leads, keytars, motorcycles, and
gongs, the Canadian trio will have you fueling up for adventure as you sail through
the 9- track album. For those who've ever felt a longing for escape, a thirst for
adventure, wrapped in romance and danger, Thunderor is your soundtrack!

Reissue of Rolf Kühn's funky 1980 LP 'Cucu Ear', beside his brother
Joachim Kühn, who as always took the place at the keys, Rolf brought
together an illustrious group of musicians from a variety of backgrounds
for this record, including Alphonse Mouzon, Philip Catherine, Charlie
Mariano, Herb Geller and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
For a German jazz musician to find international recognition as a major player
has been and remains a rarity. Clarinettist Rolf Kühn belongs to this elite class.
No one sounds like him on the clarinet; warm, round and masterful, his tone
remains unmistakable no matter what style he may be playing at any given
moment. His play resonates with a maturity and wisdom gathered from a long
and rich life of musical experiences.
"I have always had the desire to find unusual set-ups for my productions – like
working with musicians who come from very different genres such as classical
music, jazz fusion, pop, etc. But these trains of thought, which of course can be
very tempting, can never be implemented without a risk. In the case of "Cucu Ear"
for example Alphonse Mouzon and Niels- Henning Ørsted Pedersen played
together for the first time ever. With Niels and Alphonse, coming from such
different stylistic directions, the plan worked out so perfectly that they are among
my favorite rhythm groups today. Not least because of my brother Joachim, who
plays fantastic additional synthesizer solos in addition to his great piano playing.
These were two wonderful days in the studio and an unusual and extraordinary
session that is still today very special for me." - Rolf Kühn, 2019

Reissue of Ella Fitzgerald's 1969 album of funky big-band cover versions,
conducted by and featuring Tommy Flanagan on piano
Ella Fitzgerald singing Eric Clapton's "Sunshine of Your Love", or the Beatles' "Hey
Jude"? Something of a revelation for those who know Fitzgerald as purely a jazz
singer. Ella's pristine clarity of earlier years, now tinged with a throaty worldliness,
is a perfect foil to her choices from the world of rock and pop. It also adds new
depth to such standards as "Give Me the Simple Life", "Old Devil Moon", and Burt
Bachrach's "A House is Not a Home".
Recorded "live", the album is divided into a big band set and Ella with her longtime accompaniment, the Tommy Flanagan trio. Pianist Flanagan is simply one of
the all-time greats. After listening to this, how can you not be a fan of Ella's?
Includes the original liner notes from Norman Granz, who produced this record.

Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard began as a bedroom studio project for Tom
Rees in late 2016, though since then he has employed the help of brother
Eddie Rees, Ethan Hurst and Zac White
With an insatiably wild live show citing the ghosts of rock and rolls past, Buzzard
Buzzard Buzzard offer a fresh look on the classic rock model, and it comes
dressed in denim.

The New Day- the debut album from Flying Norwegians is first truly
remarkable country rock album from Norway
It's the first album to be convincingly good in a genre that we believed, until 1974,
to solely be the domain of American artists with mud on their boots and whiskey
on their person..

Brand new album by the legendary Swamp Dogg.In 1954, 12 year old
Jerry Williams, then performing under the name Little Jerry Williams,
made his first recording for Mechanic Records, a blues stomp with a
shockingly mature vocal performance - Through the 60"s Williams' career
developed with a number of successful singles, including 'I'm the Lover
Man' and 'Baby You're My Everything', as well as writing and producing
hits for Dee Dee Warwick, Doris Duke, and Patti LaBelle and the Blue
Belles. It was in 1970, however, that the full extent of Williams' eccentric
creative genius was unleashed on the world for the first time, with the
birth of his musical alter-ego, Swamp Dogg
Created to 'occupy the body while the search party was out looking for Jerry
Williams, who was mentally missing in action due to certain pressures, maltreatments and failure to get paid royalties on over fifty single records,' the
Swamp Dogg alias, still in use today, allowed Williams to create music that was
bolder, raunchier, and more honest to his creative instincts. The Dogg's cult
classic debut 'Total Destruction to Your Mind' struck a powerful blend of Williams
classic soulful sensibilities and the blooming psychedelia of the time. Infused in
the swirling brew is Swamp's blink- and- you'll- miss- it humor, a number of acid
odes, and a heavy dose of sharp political insight. Though the psychedelic
strangeness alienated R&B fans of the time, and the authentic R&B infrastructure
prevented it from clicking with hippie audiences, it has retroactively received
legendary status in cult music circles.Now, 50 years after Total Destruction
introduced Swamp Dogg to an unprepared world, and nearly 70 since Little Jerry
Williams went into the studio for Mechanic, Williams brings us I Need A Job' So I
Can Buy More Autotune. A spiritual successor to 2018"s hit Love, Loss and
Autotune, this album continues to push Swamp's sonic exploration of the effect
as one of his many creative weapons. In the extended tradition of Total
Destruction, Swamp Dogg's 2021 LP neatly balances sleek modern production
techniques with that classic Dogg sound that has anchored William's music since
the 70s. Subtle yet soulful drumming, skin- tight horn grooves and meandering
funk guitar leads create a sonic landscape fitting Swamp Dogg's iconic croon,
occasionally drenched in the titular autotune. At 78, Swamp Dogg is as sharp of a
singer and songwriter as ever. His raunchy yet charismatic sense of humor takes
a more forward role on I Need a Job' So I Can Buy More Autotune, with earnestly
delivered lyrics about all day sex and an entire song dedicated to the perils of
'Cheating in the Daylight.' Many of the record's most charming moments emerge
from the juxtaposition of Swamp's left field humor with genuine messages of
love, such as 'She Got That Fire', which weaves descriptions of imagined sex acts,
including but not limited to an encounter involving edible underwear, in between
relatively wholesome proclamations like 'she must be an angel on earth,' and
'when she looks at you, it's like sunshine from her eyes'. I Need a Job does more
than prove that Swamp's still got it, it proves he's still getting better.

Tape
“Stonewalling” offers a collection of electroacoustic pieces taking as input the Mexican vernacular music from the golden age of Mexican cinema of the first part of the 20th century. In those films, music was used as communication due their poor verbal communication-skills. This is an album about communication, about the impossibility to do so to resolve conflicts. In the technical side, some of the sources used as layering in the tracks come from radio frequencies taken from explorations into the software-defined radio universe, mixed with microphone feedbacks, oscillators, and random textures with field-recordings. In the melodic/harmonic structures of the tracks, the main instrument used is a classical guitar with hyper-processed chords using DSP tools. "Stonewalling”, in some way, follows to 444 (Umor Rex, 2019), serving as a Morse's follow-up into the Mexican vernacular music expeditions.

Produced by Alejandro Morse aka Edgar Medina in León, México. Mastered by Edgar Medina. Photos & design by Daniel Castrejón.

Die Grailknights melden sich mit ihrem sechsten Studioalbum 'MUSCLE BOUND FOR GLORY' zurück!
12 Tracks versprechen Superherometal der Extraklasse. Auf ihrem Album bringen die Knights kraftvollen Power Metal, kombiniert mit energetischen Retrosynthis, epischen Chören und cineastischen Klanggewalten, zu Gehör. Musik, welche für massiven Muskelaufbau sorgt, ganz ohne Steroide. Stimmliche Unterstützung gibt es von niemand geringerem als Thomas Laszlo Winkler, ehemaliger Frontmann der Power-Metal-Band Gloryhammer, und von Ben Metzner, Frontmann der Mittelalter-Rock-Band Feuerschwanz. Wer sich dieses muskulöse Metal-Workout nicht entgehen lassen möchte, kommt nicht drum herum 'Muscle Bound for Glory' auf den Plattenteller zu legen und sich live mit den Grailknights auf die Suche nach dem heiligen Gral zu begeben.

First Word Records is very proud to present you with 'Peace + Harmony'. The first EP from our most recent signing, K S R .

Hailing from Moss Side, Manchester, this young talent has been steadily building a rep for himself over the past few years as one of the UK's most exciting soul vocalists, with his releases encompassing an eclectic assortment of alternative R&B, future soul, hip hop and D&B. Influenced by an array of neo-soul artists, such as D'Angelo and Anderson .Paak, his own soulful style has already seen him tour and collaborate with a number of UK peers; working on projects with label-mates Children of Zeus & Australia's REMi, and supporting the likes of Etta Bond & The Mouse Outfit, as well as performing sell-out headline solo shows in Manchester and London, and playing various festivals across Europe, including the We Out Here festival very recently.

Since he began developing his music in 2017, K S R has had support from the likes of 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing, Mixmag, NTS, Reprezent, Unity & Soho Radio, in addition to featuring on a slew of D&B tracks with artists like Lenzman, BCee, Emba & Redeyes. The collab with Emba was recently named a 'Kiss FM Future Selection' courtesy of Hybrid Minds and features have been supported on Spotify's 'New Music Friday' and 'Mandem - Kings' amongst others. His debut release 'Unfiltered' appeared on Polarface Records in 2019, which was followed by single 'Flex With Me' (also produced by Tyler Daley from Children of Zeus) then an independent second EP, 'Take Control', followed in late 2020 (during the pandemic) which amassed over 500k streams. Additionally to the releases, he was recently recruited by Manchester United as part of their 21/22 season kit announcements, as well as working with Nike and Size? on a special MCR-themed Air Force 1 release.

It's now time for a new extended project from Roosevelt Kazaula Sigsbert - better known as K S R . 'Peace + Harmony' is a solid set of alternative R&B, produced by Dom Porter and mixed by Eric Lau. Six tracks in all, including the single, 'Harmless' (which received support from the likes of Mr. Scruff (Worldwide FM), BBC Manchester and Victoria Jane (BBC Radio 1), was 'Track Of The Week' on 1Xtra/BBC Introducing, and saw the video racking up several thousand plays in its first weekend) and follow-up 'CGWY' featuring Children of Zeus on a brand new interpretation of their classic track 'Get What's Yours'. From the intro track 'I Wonder', to the downlow future soul of 'Lily Apart', to the autobiographical vibes of 'Born In '98', to the closing track 'Given Summer', also featuring the vocals of Ayeisha Raquel, each track on the EP is of course laced with Roosevelt's unmistakable silky smooth vocals, and is set to join his already impressive catalogue of underground soul classics such as 'Alien Boo', 'Stylin' and 'New Love'.

K S R says "my third EP, P E A C E + H A R M O N Y is a collection of my thoughts and experiences from my journey throughout the last two years of my life. Lots of aspects of my life changed over 24 months, along with everyone around the globe. When we were thrown into the unknown at the start of 2020, I stepped away from music for a while as I couldn't find any peace in my creativity and needed to evolve. I finally started to feel cohesive with my songwriting and music, and I could feel harmony between myself and my art once again."

'Peace + Harmony' by K S R is released on vinyl & digital on First Word Records, late 2021.

Red hot Modern Soul 45 recorded in Memphis, Tennessee in 1985. Big thanks to Robert Garcia @mrbighappy & Daniel Mathis @quartzwatches for the research and words on this one!!

Brotherhood Band was started by Ernest Coleman(EC) and Clint Hyson, who met thorough a US Navy band called "Mid-South", which was the US Navy's premier musical organization operating out of Millington, Tennessee (20 min outside of Memphis). The group initially played as an instrumental jazz band. In keeping up with the times, they shifted gears towards a more contemporary sound. Shortly after, they decided to cut a single. Enter "Nicci's Theme", which is the B-side here and it's a beautiful jazz tune EC wrote for a girl he fell in love with. This song was supposed to be his door way in, but he actually never opened the door with her.

A few weeks later Clint called EC and played this syncopated bass line for him over the phone. And then EC being the ladies man that he was wrote the lyrics to "Leather Pants" to it. Part of the lyrics read "The pants they stretch, but they don't bust. Enough to make a blind man cuss", but it originally read as, "The pants they stretch, but they don't bust. Enough to make a PREACHER cuss". The song was ready, but they needed to find a singer. That's when member Richard Owens mentioned that he had a young cat back in Atlanta named Taji. In a gamble Taji drove up to Memphis for the Sunrise recording studio session to record the track. According to EC when Taji laid the vocals down he took the song to the next level. In fact it was so impactful that EC, who is now a Grammy producer, still references Taji's sessions when working with new artist.

After the single dropped the group played at Memphis hot spots, Bills Twilight Lounge and Club No Name. EC even had an idea to host a local leather pants contest as a way to promote the song. This lead to a frenzy of women seeking to be "Miss Leather Pants".

Exploring hybrid music styles and outernational, borderless musical influences, DJ soFa’s Elsewhere compilation series continues with a sixth instalment, and the second to appear on Kalahari Oyster Cult.

Always ahead of the tide, the Kalahari Oyster is a fine specimen when it comes to the discipline of next-level sound-snooping. Meticulously curated by Belgian sonic globetrotter soFa, Elsewhere XX showcases a dozen outstanding tunes, each dwelling in their own personal space between the imaginary worlds of post-kraut, DIY synth-punk and odd-pop ballads.

Melting these genres with contemporary club music is the mission here. Doused in a thick fog of arcane machine talk, tribal rhythms and cosmic synths, Elsewhere XX is an invitation to escape the hall of LED-backlit mirrors that we’ve so mistakenly come to call our “reality”.

Gathering artists from all corners of the globe – including Radio Hito, Anatolian Weapons, Eylul Deniz, Dame Area and Electronic Body Girl – soFa’s curation lays the groundwork for a unique and thoroughly immersive listening and dancing experience. Through a carefully selected suite of like-minded, yet diverse joints, we run the gamut from distorted funk (“Anita”, “Confiture") and cross-pollinated electroid blueprints (“Walk Away”, “An Abhainn Mhor") to oddball synthpop (“Credo” & Twin Peaks cover "She Can't Die"), reverb-soaked audio safaris (“Fifty Fifty (Anatolian Weapons Dub)") and static-filled postpunk (“Umani”).

soFa's Elsewhere series started in 2017 and this is the sixth compilation to date. Shifting focus with every new instalment, the compilations have previously appeared on labels likes Music For Dreams, Emotional Response and Crevette Records.

Highly recommended. About the album Blind Emperor Through wetland, winters, rubble and fallout come horizons new; civilisation shattered under a vengeful cataclysm, eventually led to dawn from the light of a blighted leader. Every action has a reaction, and those who wish to prosper must first be willing to offer something of intrinsic value. As one empire crumbles, another takes its place. The struggle for a fleeting utopia comes at a cost, and those who strive towards golden gates must trek along a solemn valley. The Allegorist Berlin-based artist, The Allegorist, has been meandering through stories with her purposeful and introspective take on electronic music. Each release explores themes that require joint participation from the listener as they look to flood your mind with images of fabled characters and places through her artistic soundscapes. Her carefully build worlds that straddle sci-fi and fantasy, feeding off of the light and dark dualism are the perfect blend of reflective contemplation and storytelling. As a holistic artist, Anna Jordan (The Allegorist) encapsulates a myriad of her talents within her work. Her previous albums, Hybrid Dimensions I. and Hybrid Dimensions II., established her aesthetic and detailed fictitious stories, along with the language ‘Mondoneoh’, a language to unite all nations. Her latest endeavour, and 4th album, The Blind Emperor, portrays the essence of a mythical land that tells of struggle that will lead to prosperity. The protagonist, Blind Emperor, leads the charge into a brighter tomorrow. Like chapters from a novel, each track allows the listener to be carried by the story. It is an epic, cinematic, choral, ambient techno album. The album combines her depictive, written and musical storytelling with a concept portrayed visually, orally and audibly to deliver another saga in her ever-evolving figments of fantasy. It comes as an entire artistic project, as The Allegorist created the album art, wrote the included story and composed a poem that all combine to tell the tale of Blind Emperor.