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Originally released on February 17, 2015, Aaron Watson’s The Underdog made music history by being the the first independently distributed and promoted album from a solo male artist to debut at #1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. Though it was Aaron’s twelfth album, The Underdog’s success sent shockwaves though Nashville, and the music world as a whole, launching hits and fan favorites “Freight Train,” “That Look,” “Getaway Truck,” “Bluebonnets” and the Texas independent music anthem “Fencepost”. Produced by Keith Stegall and Aaron, The Underdog took Aaron’s career to new heights and helped re-shape the country music landscape. It was a pivotal shot in the arm for DIY / independent country artists around the globe.
NOW... available commercially for the first time on vinyl, this stunning two record 10th Anniversary set
features the original 14 songs/recordings as they were meant to be be heard - with that warm analogue vinyl sound. As an added bonus, Side D features a custom etching of the album cover and the trailblazing and career defining lyric “I’d rather be an old fence post in Texas” (than the king of Tennessee) from the album’s closing sing along song “Fencepost”. From the humble honky-tonks of Texas to multiple sold-out tours around the world. Rolling Stone calls Aaron "Texas country's reigning indie underdog”. Aaron Watson is here to stay and is currently writing and recording a forty song album, aptly titled Horse Named Texas, which is slated for release in early 2026.

SHOLTO's 'Letting Go of Forever' is an expansive double LP that digs deep into his other-worldly blend of cinematic soul, and psychedelic library music. Drawing on influences spanning Mozart, Arthur Verocai, Piero Umiliani and David Axelrod, the record sits alongside contemporaries including Robohands, The Ironsides and Surprise Chef.

A captivating listen, well worth the investment of time across its 26-track run time, SHOLTO explores the concept of letting go as a painfully natural ritual, characterising the art of being able to do so as riddled with complexities and anguish. Morbid to some, but beautifully freeing to others, the art of letting go of the idea that anything should be forever can be relieving, allowing us to cherish what is in front of us in the moment.

Be it in the face of the deaths of friends and loved ones or weddings and celebratory moments, everything is just passing, and SHOLTO spins a delicate balance between this dark and light on the record, pursuing the narrative that you can always turn a negative into a positive.

Loyle Carner will release his highly anticipated sophomore record, 'Not Waving, But Drowning' on 19 April via AMF Records.

'Not Waving, But Drowning' follows Loyle's BRIT (Best Male, Best Newcomer) and Mercury Prize nominated, top 20 debut 'Yesterday's Gone'. The bedrock of honest and raw sentimentality that you heard on 'Yesterday's Gone' left an inextinguishable mark on music in general and UK Hip Hop in particular, standing out as an ageless, bulletproof debut.

'Not Waving, But Drowning', Loyle's new album, gives yet more evidence - as if it were needed - of his razor-sharp flow and his unique storytelling ability. Yes, he can rap, but he allies that with the sensitivity of a poet, the observational skills of a novelist, and warmth of your best friend. The album opens with 'Dear Jean', a letter to his mother in which he's telling her that he has found the love of his life, 'a woman from the skies', and he's moving out.

It goes without saying that Loyle's music is hard to categorise, but what is even more impressive is that for someone who grew up listening to Mos Def, Biggie Smalls, Roots Manuva, and Wu Tang Clan, he doesn't sound like any of them. Although he might from time to time give lyrical nods to them, he's no imitator.

Loyle loves cooking. There are two tracks on this album named after chefs. The British-Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, and the now deceased Italian chef Antonio Carluccio. 'Ottolenghi' the first single from the album was featured on the BBC Radio 1 B-list, BBC 6 Music A-list and has already been streamed over 5 million times.

Loyle refers to real life for everything, the title of 'Yesterday's Gone' came from a song of his step father, the title of his new album 'Not Waving, But Drowning' comes from a poem by his grandfather, which in turn came from a Stevie Smith poem. What you hear on the track 'Krispy' is real. He is pouring his heart out to his best friend Rebel Kleff after their relationship went downhill, he invites him on the track to say his piece but he doesn't turn up, so we get a flugel solo instead.

Loyle also has his own personal black consciousness movement. When he refers to his 'fathers' in the track 'Looking Back' he really is referring to two fathers. His biological father, a black man who he knows, but knows very little of, and his step father, a poet and musician who happens to be a white man but died a sudden unexpected death from epilepsy (SUDEP). With no real emotional ties to his biological father, but a deep connection with a deceased step-father, where does a young child turn He succinctly captures many of the great, unspoken, cultural and historical paradoxes of multicultural Britain on 'Looking Back'.

An album like this is hard to find. It is for those who like their Hip Hop to have soul, and their soul to have spirit. This is because it works on so many levels, but it is reflecting the personality of its creator. There are a host of collaborators here, Jorja Smith, Rebel Kleff, Kiko Bun, Kwes, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Tom Misch and more, but none are overpowering. They blend righteously into place.
Loyle is not bitter with people who have let him down, or a society that lets so many down, but the combination of anger and love he has gives his voice the perfect blend of strength and vulnerability. This might be a coming of age album, but it's also a coming of ageless album. Loyle's 2019 Spring tour - which includes London's Roundhouse - sold out within 20 minutes of being on sale.

Not Waving, But Drowning



A rapper that raps about family is hard to find. The boys in the 'hood' tend not to be that interested in how much a 'brother' loves his mother, or how much he misses his dad, or even how much he misses his best friend. The boys in the 'hood' tend to be obsessed with the size of their cars, girls, bank accounts, and other personal 'possessions'. Loyle Carner's Mercury and BRIT Prize nominated debut 'Yesterday's Gone' (Released 2017), made it clear that he wasn't that kind of rapper. In fact, every time I talk to him about his work we talk about the world, and we tended to confuse ourselves by calling his work rap, poems, or songs, sometimes in the same sentence. They are in truth all of these things.



Here's some poetry.



Honestly I need them.

I hate them but I grieve them

I think I've finally found the reason

Trust

Like the fire needs the air.

I won't burn unless you're there.





'Not Waving, But Drowning', Loyle's forthcoming new album, gives us yet more evidence, (if it were needed), that he still has what rappers call, flow, but he hasn't lost any of his story telling qualities. Yes, the boy can rap, but a rapper with the sensitivity of a true poet, the observational skills of a novelist, and warmth of your best friend. The album opens with 'Dear Jean', a letter to his mother in which he's telling her that he has found the love of his life, (a woman from the skies), and he's moving out. He really loves the woman from the skies, but he still loves his mum, and so he reassures her that there is no competition, and tells her that 'She's not behind me or behind you, but beside we and beside two', his words. Or to put it another way, moving out without moving out. My words.



It goes without saying that Loyle's music is hard to categorise, but what is even more impressive is that for someone who grew up listening to Mos Def, Biggie Smalls, Roots Manuva, and Wu Tang Clan, he doesn't sound like any of them. Although he might from time to time give lyrical nods to them, he's no imitator. He says finding his own voice was something he always found easy. Although young, (in terms of a musical career), he has confidence in his own words and his own voice, and has never been tempted to sound like he's been hanging out in the USA, or rolling in 'Grime' on the mean streets of East London. And so when it comes to the creative process he doesn't simply find a beat to jump on and ride. Beats are important, but they are tenderly layered with samples, keyboards, or live drums, all imaginatively assembled for the laying on of words. Some tracks start with the idea, some with poetry, and some with a verse from a singer or some other melodic inspiration, but there is no formula.



Here's some poetry.



Don't hold any memories of us

Rather hold you everyday until the memories are dust

Yo we only caught the train

Cos you know I hate the bus





A prolific reader, who has dyslexia is hard to find. Add ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) to that and life should become even more difficult. To deal with your difficulties you devise coping strategies, which can differ from person to person. Loyle loves cooking. There are two tracks on this album named after chefs. The British-Israeli chef Ottolenghi, and the now deceased Italian chef Antonio Carluccio. Loyle describes himself as 'weird' because he is happy to read a cookbook as if he was reading a novel or a book of poetry. He has opened a cookery school for young adults not just because he loves food and wants to make more of it, but because it is one of the few things that can focus the ADHD mind. And when it comes to his other love, football, his approach is the same. Focus. He wanted to be a striker he says, up front scoring goals, but found his best position was in midfield because he was able to focus, check options, and see passes ahead of time, providing passes for other players just when they needed them. He says, 'You don't grow out of ADHD, you grow into it.' Loyle is also working with Levi's® on their music project where he is mentoring young musicians over a six month period, culminating at Liverpool Sound City festival.



More poetry.



When the going is tough

I wait till it falls on deaf ears

Hearsay

Without the boundaries of love



He also said, 'Ask most people and they will say that they love their mothers, but most are not going to rap about her'. On his first album Loyle's mum Jean wrote about the 'scribble of a boy' that growing up would take things apart to see how they worked. On this album she speaks with pride about a man who has found his place in the world.



Yes, poetry.



I'm still looking for the answers

Trying to find the right questions

Still waiting for my fathers

But can't break them in to sections



This poetry is serious. Loyle has his own personal black consciousness movement. He told me that he always felt safe at home, and being the darkest one in the family never meant a thing, but then when he had to face the outside world he felt hostility. It shook him up. Now he had to start asking questions, but what were the questions. This is serious. When he refers to his 'fathers' in the verse above taken from the track 'Looking Back' he really is referring to two fathers. His biological father, a black man who he knows, but knows very little of, and his step father, a poet and musician who happens to be a white man but died a sudden unexpected death from epilepsy (SUDEP). So to whom would a young black (or mixed race) kid turn He succinctly captures many of the great, unspoken, cultural and historical paradoxes of multicultural Britain when he says, 'My great grandfather could of owned my other one.' We are a people descended from enslaved people on one hand, and enslavers on the other, something we are still struggling to come to terms with, and this can be apparent in one family. A big book could have told you that, but here we get it in one line on the track, Looking Back.





Loyle refers to real life for everything. The album is peppered with captured moments that he records on his phone. These moments can range from conversations with taxi drivers, to capturing the moment when England scores a goal in the world cup. The title of 'Yesterday's Gone' came from a song of his step father, the title of his new album 'Not Waving but Drowning' comes from a poem by his grandfather, which in turn came from a Stevie Smith poem. What you hear on the track 'Krispy' is real. He is pouring his heart out to his best friend after their relationship went downhill, he invites him on the track to say his piece but he doesn't turn up, so we get a flugel solo instead. Yes people, this is real.



An album like this is hard to find. It is for those who like their Hip Hop to have soul, and their soul to have spirit, this is an album for those who have, (I'm sorry, I'm going to say it), emotional intelligence. This is because it works on so many levels, but it is reflecting the personality of its creator. There are a host of collaborators here, Jorja Smith, Rebel Kleff, Kiko Bun, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Tom Misch and more, but none are overpowering. They blend righteously into place. Loyle is not bitter with people who have let him down, or the society that has let him down, but the combination of anger and love he has gives his voice the perfect blend of strength and vulnerability. This might be a coming of age album, but it's also a coming of ageless album. His first album worked, and this second album is a continuation of that work. Not creating a form, but being formless, as someone like Bruce Lee once said.

And here's some poetry from mum.



We talked long in to the darkest hours

Until we saw the burnished sky

And our eyes stung

As our words blurred and became thoughts

As we were silenced by the dawn

We clung to each other like sailors in a storm

DMC World Champion and IDA World Champion

Needle Mythology, the label founded by music writer, author and broadcaster Pete Paphides, is thrilled to announce the release of SENSITIVE the first ever vinyl anthology to cover the indiepop scene of the 1980s. SENSITIVE features 30 songs in total by artists who defined the indiepop aesthetic, among them The Jesus & Mary Chain, The Sea Urchins, Primal Scream, The Pastels, Talulah Gosh, Orange Juice, The Field Mice, The Primitives, The Wedding Present, Miaow, Razorcuts, Dolly Mixture, The Bodines, Shop Assistants, The Soup Dragons, The Loft, The Chills, That Petrol Emotion and The Railway Children. SENSITIVE takes its name from the single released by The Field Mice, and marks the first time that The Field Mice have allowed one of their songs to be used on a compilation released by any label other than Sarah Records, who released all their records at the time. Also features on SENSITIVE is Dying Day from Orange Juice’s hugely influential debut album You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever – marking the only time that Edwyn Collins and his wife and manager Grace Maxwell have given permission for an Orange Juice song to be featured on an anthology. Many of the records featured on SENSITIVE have become highly sought-after collectors’ items since their original release. The Sea Urchins’ Pristine Christine changes hands for up to £400. Original mint copies of April Showers’ only single Abandon Ship command up to £380. If you were to try and individually buy all the records featuring the songs on SENSITIVE, you can expect to pay something around £1150. SENSITIVE features 10,000 words of extensive track-by-track notes and an essay by Pete Paphides, who was and remains an avid proponent of the indiepop scene that this collection chronicles. All the songs on SENSITIVE have been newly mastered at Abbey Road by Miles Showell. SENSITIVE will be released on double LP and double CD Needle Mythology Records.

As soon as Martin Circus was born in 1969, the band laid foundations for the French "Pop Musique" genre, deliberately turning its back on both French yéyés and rock'n'roll to better embrace psychedelia and the French language. In 1971, they were a pioneering, innovative group moving as fast as a speeding train, building upon everything they found on the way. However, faced with band members changing often, management issues and music evolution, Martin Circus ended up trying to fit in every style: soul, R&B, glam rock, disco, new wave, 80s mainstream music. To follow their journey is to listen to the world shifting along music charts. Behind the scenes, since the very first days of the band, one man had been pulling all the strings. Manager and artistic director Gérard Hugé used to work for both the band and the label - this has never been good news. What he cared about the most was getting records out, no matter who played on them. In the mid-70s, he registered the Martin Circus name, granting himself full power over the band. Deciding that it no longer had either a lyricist or a composer, he made the remaining musicians embark on a series of American 60s hits adaptations. As a result, they made tons of money : "Marylène" was a huge hit and gave them a new impulse. The Martins adopted a new look by wearing shiny Courrèges-style suits and platform boots, and on stage they performed dance moves choreographed by the eccentric Amadeo. They completely fit into the disco craze which was about to take over. Still, their music blended doo-wop and rockabilly with glam rock and funk music. They eventually hit disco with a soundtrack in the mannerof French disco groups such as Space and Voyage. Effortlessly, they released the epic 14- minute "Disco Circus", a track which was to become a real underground gem. DJ and remixer François Kevorkian then released it on the American Prelude label in a self-edited version, shortened to 7 minutes while retaining all the dazzling passages of the original track. It came to be a hit in the clubs of New York and Chicago, making a lasting impression on everyone who heard it. It got sampled on at least 40 tracks over the following decades and featured in dozens of bootlegs and prestigious compilations - by Laurent Garnier, Carl Craig, Juan Atkins, Joey Negro, The Beatnuts, The Rapture, and by Danny Krivit in the DJ culture film Maestro. As the 80s arrived, Martin Circus once again changed the way they looked and their style. Inspired by Devo and their cold dance music, by Buggles' synthpop and Plastic Bertand's postpunk. Throughout their career full of ups and downs, Martin Circus nonetheless managed to keep up with one stable element: contrary to what they seemed, the musicians never took the easy way out. Their playing and arrangements were consistently flawless and polished, they relentlessly dedicated themselves to playing quality music and this can only compel admiration. As Coco Chanel once said, "Fashion goes out of fashion, style never does."

South-London, British-Bengali musician Tara Lily shares her debut album 'Speak In The Dark'. The LP is about "speaking your truth" and combines alternative R&B, jazz, electronica and traditional Indian sounds into a unique fusion. The record, produced by Dom Valentino, features American jazz trumpeter Theo Croker, UK rapper Surya Sen, and Archy Marshall (aka King Krule) on guitar.

Growing up in Peckham as part of a British Bengali family has given Tara Lily a unique perspective on music and global culture. She has spent her life absorbing a multitude of sounds and genres from her surroundings, ranging from electronica to jazz and RnB to traditional Bengali folk music. From training at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music (where she studied jazz piano and voice) to learning Indian classical music and being the first act signed to Motown Records UK. Tara is a musical anomaly.

Debut album from South-London, British-Bengali musician and rising star Tara Lily, featuring American trumpeter Theo Croker & UK rapper Surya Sen
LP produced by Dom Valentino with additional contributions from Bad Sounds, Jaz Lee, Archy Marshall, Chiranjeeb Chakraborty, Akash Parekar, Mei Kerby, Ian Stratford
European Tour supporting JP Cooper (1st week of October, 2024)
UK Tour w/ Juabi - Manchester, Barbican (London) - Sept 2024
Artwork by Jay Vaz (Dreaming Vinyl)
"No Way Out" video shot in association with The North Face in the Himalayas, Nepal. Directed by Siddanth Ghosh
Press support - The Guardian, Evening Standard - "One to watch", Wonderland, ID, Notion, Clash
Radio support - 'Double Time' was track of the week on BBC Radio 1, other spots plays - BBC 6Music, Jazz FM (playlisting), BBC Asian Network, NTS
Recipient of the FAC x Amazon Music - Step Up Fund
Tours - UK, India (Echos Of Earth / Vh1 Supersonic festival / Jazz
Weekender), Nepal, Bangkok, Hong Kong, EU
Festivals - Glastonbury (3 sets - BBC introducing - Televised / Leftfield B2B Billy Bragg / PRS), We Out Here, Shambala, Daytimer Dialled In, Wilderness, Cross The Tracks
Career highlights - SHAKTI JAZZ NTS show, joined King Krule on stage at Apollo Theatre and supported RAYE at the Royal Albert Hall, Jazz Cafe w/ Mahalia, playing live on TV on BBC2 (The Kia Oval)

Of all the nicknames given to Elvis, only one of them really seems to reflect his importance in the history of rock: they called him The King.

Together with Chuck Berry, Elvis represented the young generation that vibrated to the music with new rhythms that appeared in the Fifties: Rock’n’Roll. Presley’s personality, not to mention his voice, charm, and a whole series of chart hits, guaranteed Elvis a special place in the hearts of his fans; and not only in his own lifetime, because the same is true some fifty years later.

The thirty titles included in this album are a brilliant demonstration of Elvis’ talents, and the music alone is enough to explain the cult following of his fans, who will worship him forever.

Als ELECTRIC CALLBOY in diesem Jahr ihr neues Album TEKKNO veröffentlichten, war nicht klar, welche Auswirkungen das Album haben würde.Ausverkaufte Konzerte, Abriss der größten europäischen Festivals und endlich Platz 1 in den offiziellen deutschen Charts. Die Band aus Castrop-Rauxel is begeistert eine unglaubliche Bandbreite an Menschen.Die TEKKNO Tour 2023 findet nun in Arenen statt und Electric Callboy sind bereit für den nächsten großen Schritt.Um dies gebührend zu feiern, wird es eine limitierte 'TEKKNO (Tour Edition)' geben, die neben dem regulären Album, 5 Live-Bonus Tracks enthält, die während der ausverkauften Europatour 2022 aufgenommen wurden. Erhältlich als Ltd. 180g. transp. light blue-lilac marbled Vinyl

Stuck on common ground is the debut album of the Italian Power Trio hijss. With a mixture of heavy blues influenced riffs and synthesized Krautrock parts hijss tries to create a high dynamic range that will keep your attention at all time. On top of gritty basslines and ferocious drums lie cosmic guitars, tantalizing vocals and arpeggiated electronic drones. All three band members come from a vast musical background. Their common denominator is with out a doubt a punkish attitude. The album was produced by Toni Quiroga and hijss, drums were recorded at Nologo Recording Studio, Laives by "holy barbarian" Fabio Sforza. Engineered, mixed and mastered at accept productions by Toni Quiroga, album cover by Luca Guarino.

Erste remasterte Reissue des Black Uhuru-Klassikers BRUTAL von 1986, gleichzeitig die erste Vinylreissue überhaupt. Das Album entstand in einer Traumbesetzung mit u.a. Sly & Robbie, Junior Reid und Tyrone Downie (Roots Radics), wurde von Arthur Baker co-produziert und von RAS Records-Engineer Jim Fox co-gemischt. Es enthält die Kultsingle 'Great Train Robbery' und war als Best Reggae Recording für den Grammy 1987 nominiert.

Cello player and electronic artist Martina Bertoni returns with her 2nd album for Karl: Hypnagogia delivers six new, masterfully crafted tracks between experimental ambient, drone and modern composition.

Cellist and composer Martina Bertoni started playing the cello at a very young age. Classically trained, her career further developed around experimental and film music, for which her cello has been featured in numerous records, works and soundtracks for films and series. After two EPs and her debut full length All The Ghosts Are Gone (2020), Bertoni joined the Karl roster where she released Music For Empty Flats in January 2021 to critical acclaim (a.o. one of the Top Ten drone albums of 2021).

On her new album Hypnagogia she continues to explore the sonic possibilities of her cello which she uses as primary source for composition and sound processing through reverbs, feedbacks and sub-bass frequencies, thus crafting sonic sculptures, rich of atmospheres and frictions, fed by ambient as much as drone and modern composition.

In the words of Martina Bertoni:
"The six tracks that constitute Hypnagogia have been written during 2021 and partially inspired by the reading of Stanislaw Lem's book Solaris. The title refers to a transitional state of consciousness from wakefulness to sleep, during which one might experience sensorial hallucinations and lucid dreaming, and can tap into the pristine structures of the subconscious. Hypnagogia portraits an imaginary cosmic journey of the Self that crash ends into a blinding sun."

‘Dua Lipa Live From The Royal Albert Hall’ offers a thrilling new way to experience Dua Lipa’s greatest hits reimagined with The Heritage Orchestra, a fourteen person choir and a seven piece band. The album features a medley of fan favourites, from the infectious pop hits “Levitating” and “Cold Heart” with the incredible Elton John, alongside the bold new sounds of Radical Optimism, from ‘Training Season’ to ‘These Walls’. vinyl on December 13th, this highly anticipated live album captures the magic of Dua's unforgettable performance at one of the world's most iconic venues.

Getting to perform at The Royal Albert Hall was unlike anything I’ve ever done,” Dua shares. “For the longest time, I’ve had this idea to reimagine my music with an orchestra, and when I was making Radical Optimism, I was constantly thinking about the live element and how these songs would transform on stage, so when The Royal Albert Hall show came up, it presented itself as the perfect opportunity to not only reconstruct these songs, but also celebrate them in such a beautiful and intimate way. The experience was entirely thrilling and equally rewarding. It was a dream come true, and something I’ll always take with me.”

"Visionary director, photographer and producer, Robert Ascroft unveils a captivating musical odyssey akin to the cinematic allure of Wim Wenders' ""Until The End Of The World"" and the ethereal resonance found in 4AD's This Mortal Coil. Emerging as a prominent photographer in the 2000s, Ascroft forged his path through collaborations with luminaries of the Oscars, Grammys, Tonys, and Emmys. With an innate ability to capture the essence of his subjects through his camera lens, he redefines photography, infusing it with depth, emotion, and narrative. A classically trained guitarist turned music producer, Ascroft weaves intricate melodies and evocative songwriting with cinematic narratives.

Drawing from a diverse array of talented friends, Ascroft curates a mesmerizing ensemble of vocal performances featuring luminaries such as Zumi Rosow (Black Lips), Kid Congo Powers (The Cramps, Gun Club), Tess Parks, Ruth Radelet (Chromatics), Britta Phillips (Luna), and more. With Ascroft's multi instrumental performances on guitar, bass, and keys, complemented by the rhythmic contributions of friends Derek James and Roger Brogan, the album takes on a rich and dynamic sonic journey.

""Echo Still Remains'' transcends traditional musical boundaries, beckoning listeners into a world crafted from Ascroft's vivid imagination. Each track unfolds like a technicolor scene in a cinematic narrative, with each melody and lyric evoking a sense of profound introspection and wonder. Accompanied by stylized music videos in Ascroft's distinct visual world, ""Echo Still Remains"" emerges as a multifaceted work of art, inviting listeners to stir the soul and lose themselves in a world of sound and sensation."

180-gram 45 RPM double LP. Pressed at Quality Record Pressings. Tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket with textured stock by Stoughton Printing

Boz Scaggs' self-titled album, released in 1969, is an iconic and pivotal record in his career, marking a shift in his musical direction to incorporate elements of soul, R&B, and showcasing his musical versatility.
Departing from the Steve Miller Band after a two-album stint, Boz Scaggs found himself on his own but not without support. Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner, his friend, helped him sign with Atlantic Records and the label had him set up shop in Muscle Shoals, recording his debut album with that legendary set of studio musicians, known for their down-and-dirty backing work for Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett, among many other Southern soul legends.

AllMusic writes: "The Muscle Shoals rhythm section, occasionally augmented by guitarist Duane Allman, gives this music genuine grit, but this isn't necessarily a straight-up blue-eyed soul record, even if the opening 'I'm Easy' and 'I'll Be Long Gone' are certainly as deeply soulful as anything cut at Muscle Shoals." Scaggs dabbled in country and blues along with the soul and R&B that grounds this record.

The extended 11-minute blues workout "Loan Me a Dime," functions as much as a showcase for a blazing Duane Allman as it does for Boz. But even with that show-stealing turn, and even with the Muscle Shoals musicians giving this album its muscle and part of its soul, this album is still thoroughly a showcase for Boz Scaggs' musical vision. "Loan Me a Dime" is blues-rock classic. It showcased Scaggs' soulful vocals and Allman's remarkable guitar skills.

Boz Scaggs' songs garnered significant radio airplay and helped introduce Boz Scaggs to a wider audience. The impact of Boz Scaggs extended beyond its initial release. It has continued to influence and inspire subsequent generations of musicians, particularly those interested in blending blues, rock, and soul.

This definitive deluxe 180-gram 45 RPM 2LP Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series) reissue of Boz Scaggs, housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket with textured stock by Stoughton Printing, will be a highlight in your most-listened-to album rotation.

40th ANNIVERSARY PRESSING ~ REST IN POWER DANAN POTTS

DETROIT 1983: You might know Danan from his first release in 1982 under the alias Superlife. At that time Danan was hanging around the Recording Institute of Detroit where Juan Atkins was training in production. Danan was interested in Atkin's style of dance music and quickly recorded "Go Bananas" (soon the be re-released on PPU records). Bananas was released locally on Southern Sun Records in hyper limited quantity, it is today one of the most sought after underground detroit techno recordings of all time. Only a year later Danan would find himself back at the Recording Institute working with Orlando Cash on his second release "Psycho For Your Love". Productions in this style were given the artist name "Westwood" or "Clint Westwood". Danan was working close to 100 hours a week next to George Clinton, and certainly some p-funk had rubbed off on Danan. Peoples Potential Unlimited PPU-025 features both original versions of the infamous second release from Danan Potts aka Westwood/Cash "Psycho For Your Love" and "Work Those Joints", there are also two brand new PPU edited versions of both tracks! This record is dedicated to the late Danan Potts and his family.

Regarded as his masterpiece, Closer ToIt features some of Augers" most inventive and beautiful Hammond Organ and Fender Rhodes playing, on tunes that become the defining tracks of his career, especially the anthemic opener Whenever You"e Ready, co-written with bass player Barry Dean. Happiness Is Just Around The Bend was later covered by Cuba Gooding Snrs" band The Main Ingredient who had a major hit with their version. Auger also saluted his soul and jazz hero" with his versions of Marvin Gays Inner City Blues and Eddie Harris, Les McCann" classic Compared To What. With an iconic cover featuring the Oblivion Express train logo designed by Auger" wife Ella. Closer ToIt remains a high pointin Auger" recording career.

Soolmaan is a sextet led by Belgian oud player and composer Tristan Driessens, accompanied by Nathan Daems, Christos Barbas, Annemie Osborne, Andrea Piccioni, and Levent Yildirim. Together, they create sound tableaus that float freely between the Bosphorus and India, with flute, sax, ney, cello, piano and tamburello igniting an imaginary folklore infected by jazz. Releasing their second album ‘Kashgul’ on the 24th of January with Zephyrus Records. (Vinyl / CD)

Driessens began his career immersed in the classical music of the Ottoman court, founding the Lâmekân Ensemble in 2011. After training under oud virtuoso Necati Çelik in Istanbul, he returned to Belgium in 2016 to form Soolmaan, an ensemble that reflects his multi-faceted identity. Rooted in Eastern modal traditions, Soolmaan’s music bridges jazz, folk, and classical influences, creating a unique and contemporary sound.

Their 2017 debut album, ‘Letters to Handenberg’, was described as "oriental chamber jazz," with Istanbul serving as a common thread. With Kashgul, their latest release, Soolmaan explores Ottoman makam, Indian raga and Anatolian halk muzigi, blending these traditions with a contemporary modal language. Created during Driessens' artist residency at the Concertgebouw of Bruges, the album features original compositions alongside reimagined works by Ravi Shankar, Amjad Ali Khan, and Art Pepper.
With improvisation as a connecting factor, Soolmaan’s music invites listeners into rich, boundary-crossing soundscapes where tradition and innovation meet. Kashgul exemplifies the ensemble’s ability to craft an immersive musical experience that resonates deeply with diverse audiences.

Upcoming concerts

December 8, 2024
Begijnhofkerk, Sint Truiden, BE

December 12, 2024
De Bijloke, Ghent, BE

December 14, 2024
De Bijloke, Ghent, BE