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Since the early 90s Rotterdam is known throughout the world of dance music for its many influential creative endeavours and one of these was the short-lived label See Saw. Active between 1991 and 1995, the label was the home to mostly Dutch producers who were just dipping their toes in the waters of house and techno. Or, who already had a whole leg in like Speedy J.

Sandwiched between two of his early releases as The Melody (Discogs detectives know what’s up!) sits The Jewel EP, the only EP Gijs Vroom did under his Diamonds & Pearls alias. A kind stranger online once described the record as effective and joyful and we couldn’t agree more. It’s a mixed bag of zippy breaks, swirling pads, tight Lately basses, and foxy vocal snips and like many records of the era it maximises charm with minimal equipment. It’s these kinds of twelve-inches that stood at the cradle of the Dutch house sound and so it is very deserving of a little nook in your record bag.

The Sun-kissed songwriting, deft guitar work, and lush vocal harmonies that have been at the core of The HawtThorns' sound are exponentially magnified through the lens of their new record, 'Zero Gravity'

KP and Johnny Hawthorn, have had celebrated careers that started in LA's singer- songwriter and Alt- Country scenes. Between the two, they have hundreds of recordings heard on network and cable TV, and film. KP co-founded LA's CALICO the band while Johnny fronted his own band and played in legacy acts, Toad the Wet Sprocket and Everclear. Their common ground has been the starting point for a sum greater than it's parts, an inspired combination of top- notchsongwriting, vocals and guitar work.

"Dynamite duo who aim to pull up their roots, stick by their guns and bring back the sounds of the Laurel Canyon in the 1960's, the British invaders of the '70's and the cosmic cowboys still twirling through time and space" - Pop Matters

"A perfect blend of melody and magic, one that incorporates the sunny sounds of classic California Rock blended with the rich resonant sounds of today's Americana musical environs" -The Alternate Root

"Already a leading light in L.A.'s independent country scene, the HawtThorns swing for the heartland country-rock fences with "Shaking," whose brightly- strummed guitars and sunny harmonies channel the warmth of the band's west coast home." -Rolling Stone

Zero Gravity by Hawtthorns, released 5 April 2024, includes the following tracks: "Hands On A Clock", "Faking It", "Don't Plan To Lose", "Don't Wait By The Phone" and more.

Bartees Strange has been one of the most significant indie artists to break out in the post-Pandemic era. He debuted with ‘Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy’, an album length collection of The National songs released in March 2020, on the cusp of the Pandemic. Later that year came his first LP, ‘Mustang’, which was named in endless year-end Best Of lists, including those from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Rolling Stone and NPR Music. He quickly signed to 4AD, and his debut for the label, ‘Farm To Table’, turned him into a club headliner and an arena-sized opening act with genre-defining artists such as The National, boygenius, Phoebe Bridgers and Courtney Barnett. The vinyl-exclusive release, ‘Magic Boy’, represents the Bartees story before this story began -33 1/2 minutes of recordings created before he entered the public eye, with eight out of ten never previously released. It finds his ever-malleable sound touching on genres like coffee house folk (‘IDK’, ‘Best Of You’, ‘You’re Here’), emo troubadour (‘Count It Back’, ‘Little Brother’), and wigged-out experimentation (‘Eat Your Heart Out’). Appended with two tracks previously available only as digital Bsides from ‘Say Goodbye’ (‘HAGS’, ‘Going Going’), ‘Magic Boy’ reads as a kind of ‘lost’ album for someone shaping up to be a major voice in indie music.

MAGNOLIA PARK, the Florida based genre-bending alternative rock band who play more than 200 shows a year, are releasing their third album, entitled HALLOWEEN MIXTAPE II. The band"s following has grown substantially in the past year (with over 710k TikTok followers/63M views, 187k Instagram followers), as they move from opening slots on tours with everyone from Sum 41 to Simple Plan, to sold out headline tours and top slots at festivals including When We Were Young (LV /Oct 23), Reading / Leeds Festival 2023 (UK). It"s no secret that Epitaph Records has been the breeding ground for some of the most legendary bands in existence and MAGNOLIA PARK carry on in that tradition. Since forming in Orlando, Florida, in 2019, the five-piece act-vocalist Joshua Roberts, guitarists Tristan Torres and Freddie Criales, drummer Joe Horsham and keyboardist Vincent Ernst-have released two albums, three EPs, and a handful of singles, bringing their upbeat brand of alt-rock to the masses. While MAGNOLIA PARK"s music is at times lighthearted, the ethnically diverse band are also serious about spreading a message of inclusivity and inspiring other kids like them to start bands as a form of creative expression. "Our goal when we"re together is to make sure the next generation doesn"t have to face as much racial backlash for being a rock band," Torres explains. "In the industry, people look at us a certain way and try to impose things on us-and we want to make sure the next generation of rock bands don"t have to go through what we"ve been through."

First collaboration between NC Hip Hop group Kooley High & ATL-bred producer Tuamie. Kooley High has recently worked with 9th Wonder, Rapsody, Statik Selektah, Skyzoo & more. Tuamie has produced for Fly Anakin, Koncept Jackson & has been showcased by Street Corner Music. Pressed on purple colored vinyl. Dive into the timeless realm of ‘All Infinite’, the new album from NC Hip Hop collective Kooley High & ATL-bred Producer Tuamie. Head-knocking drums and superb flows come together to create a lush soundscape filled with tight scratches, vocal soundbites & more. Sit back and take it all in. This album is a sonic journey that explores the boundless nature of energy and the concept of infinity. Kooley High & Tuamie bring forth a fusion of soulful beats and insightful lyrics that are all their own. While beginning as a one-track collaboration, the instant sonic chemistry of Kooley High & Tuamie has blossomed into a full-length album. Each track resonates with the essence of classic Hip-Hop, echoing the roots of the genre while pushing the boundaries of contemporary sound. ‘All Infinite’ is poised to be a testament to the enduring power of music. The dynamic blend of retrospective and prospective lyrics seeks to impact each listener on a personal level. Two passionate creative forces have been united. Kooley High & Tuamie’s mission is clear – to spread good vibrations through the universal language of sound waves. Join them on this musical odyssey where the energy is boundless, and the rhythms are eternal.

New Juice WRLD album Fighting Demons cover and tracklist has been revealed. The album, features collaborations with Justin Bieber, Trippie Redd, SUGA of BTS, and Polo G.
“There was nothing Jarad “Juice WRLD” Higgins enjoyed more than delivering new music to his millions of fans around the world. He left behind an astonishingly deep catalog of music that will ensure his fans will have new songs to listen to for years to come. Jarad was always searingly honest about his struggles and through his musical genius he articulated what was on his heart and mind vividly through his art. He never gave up and his friends and family never gave up on offering their support to him. Today we announce a new album “Fighting Demons” out Dec 10th. We encourage all of you who struggle with addiction and mental health to never give up the fight. We continue to extend free support to you via LiveFree999.org created in his honor.”
- Ms. Carmela Wallace and Grade A

Released on July 10th, 2020, Legends Never Die had a record-shattering debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spent two weeks at the top spot and has since landed five singles in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

In April of 2020, Juice’s mother Carmela Wallace announced the establishment of the Live Free 999 Fund, which receives additional support via Grade A and Interscope Records in addition to individual donations. The Live Free 999 Fund honors the legacy of her son by supporting young people in their battles and to do so with love, joy, and emotional honesty.

HoneyLuv impresses on her Crosstown Rebels debut with ‘Right Spot’, accompanied by remixes from house heavyweights Dennis Ferrer and Byron The Aquarius Unveiling her first solo production of 2024, the DJ Mag North America ‘Best Breakthrough Producer’ 2023 winner showcases a deeper side to her growing sound, backed by a pair of unorthodox remixes from two of house music’s favourite names.

One of the most hotly-tipped artists within the current house landscape, it’s safe to say Cleveland-born, London-based DJ/producer HoneyLuv arrived in 2023 and hasn’t looked back since. Riding high following a whirlwind twelve months, featuring as one of Radio 1’s Future Stars, Tomorrowland’s ‘20 of 2023’, and as a DJ Mag North America cover star, plus being selected as one of Beatport’s ‘Beatport Next: Class of 2023’ and most recently as one of Spotify’s ‘Mint Artists To Watch’, her 2024 account opens with a big label debut as she heads to Damian Lazarus’ iconic Crosstown Rebel for the first time. Paying homage to the rich house history of Chicago, she unveils her latest single, ‘Right Spot’ - joined by a double-dose all-star remix cast in the form of house icons Dennis Ferrer and Byron The Aquarius, two individuals who need little introduction.

Groove-laden and rich, harnessed by the alluring vocal at the heart of the production, ‘Right Spot’ is an excellently crafted trip through varying shades of house music as slick percussion and vibrant leads accent hazy textures to offer up a future-focused cut with nods to the past.

Dennis Ferrer’s interpretation sees the NYC icon switch things up as he veers towards the after-hours with a bubbly, stripped-back take that leans on colourful stabs, sweeping melodies and off-kilter drum shots. To close, Alabama’s finest, Byron The Aquarius’ remix ups the tempo and launches right into the action as tunnelling grooves and skippy hats take hold for an energy-charged ride.

Produced by El Michels Affair. Liam Bailey returns with a ­flawless two-sider from his new album's recording sessions. The tried and true chemistry between Bailey and producer Leon Michels strikes again, taking the sound they established on Bailey's 2020 Ekundayo album and pushing it further. The A side "Dance With Me" is an infectious Popcorn two-stepper that nods to those incredible soul records that were coming out of Jamaica during the early Reggae days. Bailey steps into the dance with hopes of finding a new love while the El Michels Affair produced track will pull us all out on the dance fl­oor with them. The B side "Mercy Tree" is a powerhouse of Reggae Rebel Music. Bailey addresses the racial tensions that plague humanity and encourages everyone to step up and do their part to help foster equality. What starts out as a declaration of injustice turns into a call for action and an inspiration for hope, making this anthemic tune an instant classic. Tracks: 1 Dance With Me 2 Mercy Tree

A quietly influential figure among electronic and experimental circles since the late 90s, Berlin based sound artist Hanno Leichtmann has been developing a sprawling and idiosyncratic vision both as a creator and curator.

With a keen sense for charting new territories, Leichtmann's work spawns a multitude of languages that go from deli-cate ambient excursions to techno explorations or abstract sceneries on numerous sound installations, releases on such esteemed labels like Entr'acte or The Tapeworm and collaborations with artists like Valerio Tricoli or Jan Jelinek. A reflection of his keen sense of discovery.

Centered around the Villa Aurora Organ, an intriguing and mostly unknown instrument built in 1928/29 by the Artcraft Organ Company in Santa Monica, California, 'Outerlands' presents a deeply personal approach to the instrument's particular properties, very much in line with Discrepant's ethos. Consisting of a pipe organ, a wall mounted marimba and a two octave tubular bells/chimes ensemble, remotely controllable by MIDI, the Villa Aurora Organ's rich palette of sounds is translated into 12 short tracks capable of conveying the mesmerising spirits of minimalism, exotica and de-votional music.

Starting with the ecstatic sound of the pipe organ, 'Lucero' sets up the hypnotic mood for 'Outerland's excursions through moments of spiralling repetition - 'Tramonto' -, blissful contemplation - 'Sunset' or 'Notteargenta' - or underly-ing tension - ‘Coperto’. 'Espera' amps up the unease, with queasy organ tones lurking beneath marimba harmonic motifs that wouldn't sound out of of place on some survival horror movie, while 'Miramar' or 'Revello' bring an uncanny sense of familiarity through its repetitive melodies.

Drifting seamlessly through a variety of moods that somehow feel connected - the outerlands are within you, if you allow yourself to let go.

repress !

The birth of rock steady portrayed in a consummate collection from the vaults of Federal Records

Most of them drawn directly from Ken Khouri's master tapes this miscellany of cool rock steady includes marvellous music from the originator of the genre, the one and only Lynn Taitt, alongside an array of Jamaica's greatest singers and vocal harmony group

American rhythm & blues fervour, boosted by a multitude of sound systems playing 78rpm records on increasingly larger sets, gripped Jamaica from the late forties onwards but, towards the end of the decade, the American audience began to move towards a somewhat softer sound. The driving rhythm & blues discs became increasingly hard to find and the more progressive Jamaican sound system operators, realising that they now needed to make their own music, turned to Kingston's jazz and big band musicians to record one off custom cut discs. These were not initially intended for commercial release but designed solely for sound system play on acetate or 'dub plates' as they would later be termed. These 'specials' soon began to eclipse the popularity of American rhythm & blues and the demand for their locally produced music proved so great that the sound system operators began to release their music commercially on vinyl and became record producers. Clement Coxsone' Dodd, Duke Reid 'The Trojan' and Prince Buster, who operated his Voice Of The People Sound System, were among the first to establish themselves in this new role and the nascent Jamaican recording industry now went into overdrive.

In 1954 Ken Khouri had numbered among the first far sighted entrepreneurs to produce mento records with local musicians (mento is Jamaica's original indigenous music) before progressing to opening Jamaica's first record manufacturing plant. Three years later he moved his operation to Foreshore Road (later renamed Marcus Garvey Drive) where, with the assistance of the inestimable Graeme Goodall, he updated and upgraded his recording studio. The importance of this enterprising move was critical to the development of Jamaican music and its influence both profound and far reaching.

"It was Ken Khouri's Federal Recording Studio, the womb that gave birth to the talented writers, artists and musicians that gave Jamaica its musical identity." Prince Buster

Federal Records was not only the place for the sound system men to record their music but it was also where they had their records manufactured and, consequently, the company enjoyed a near total monopoly on recording and record pressing in Kingston. In 1963 Ken Khouri sold his one track board to Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd, who established Studio One, and Ken imported the first stereo equipment to Jamaica and Federal began making stereo records. The following year WIRL (West Indies Records Limited) opened but the competition served to drive the company on to higher heights. Ken Khouri continued to work on his own productions and, in 1966, the seven inch release of Hopeton Lewis' 'Take It Easy', recorded under the guidance of Trinidadian guitarist Lynn Taitt, ushered in the rock steady era.

These two essential albums showcase a stunning selection of well known hits, and not so well known rarities, from the vast Federal catalogue. All tracks have been transferred direct from the master tapes and assembled with the invaluable assistance of Ken Khouri's son, Paul Khouri, who generously gave Dub Store unlimited access to the Federal tape vaults. The extensive liner notes feature extracts from extensive interviews with Paul Khouri whose knowledgeable recollections of working on Marcus Garvey Drive, not only as a producer but as an engineer and musician, are illuminating and educational. Both sets present an insight into the birth and growth of Federal Records and the Jamaican recording industry and are essential to an understanding of the real roots of reggae music.

A Jazz Dance Favourite that Jazz Room Records Head Honcho Paul Murphy was hepped to by Brownswood and 6Music Jazz Supremo Gilles Peterson at the 20th Birthday Bash of London's most Underground of Clubs: Shiftless Shuffle.

Murphy: "I'd quite forgotten all about it, but when I saw the reaction on the dancefloor it was "Mental Note Time, get on the case for a full investigation and let's see some Vinyl re-issue action!"

The head of the original Danish Label, Pick Up Records, later reminded Paul that he was selling the originals in his original Jazz Record Shop "Fusion Records" when the original was released and that he, Peter Littauer, had actually delivered them personally on a trip to London. Synergy in action!

The music is a mixture of 100mph Latin Jazz (Girl With Three Faces/747 To Rio/From Dusk Towards Dawn) and Funky Rhodes driven workouts (Travelling/Circles In The Air), plus the vocal pyrotechnics of Hawaiian singer Lei Aloha Moe who guested on two of the tracks.

Fanu returns to Straight Up Breakbeat for another EP packed with a variety of beats.

"Timetravels" kicks things off with a beautiful blend of classic amen trickery and majestic organ sounds. Timeless piece of music!

"Mystic Woods" is his tribute to a proper drum & bass classic from '96 - for those who know!

"Borderline Offensive" is Fanu at his nastiest with rounds of fierce breakbeat fire all over, while the hard jazz of "Permanent Vacation" (digital release only) bridges the gap between the styles.

DJ Support
Concord Dawn, John Rolodex, NTS Radio, Missrepresent (Kool LDN), DnB Dojo, Two Hungry Ghosts, Jungletrain, Only Oldskool Doc Scott, Muffler, Askel and many more

'Clannad in Concert' was the first live album by, now globally recognized, Irish folk band Clannad, released in 1978 by Ogham Records It was recorded at an unknown location during their 1978 tour of Switzerland, during which the group decided to continue with the band full time. This 2023 remastered CD re- issue replicates the original artwork as it was first released. The cover features an elaborate mythological Celtic design by artist Roy McCullough. The interior artwork also features lyrics in the original Irish language. The line-up consists of Ciaran O Braonain, Maire Ni Bhraonain, Pol O Braonain, Noel O Dugain and Padraig O Dugain. The band line up features O Braonain and O Dugain siblings without sister and niece Eithne Ni Bhraonain (better known as Enya) who joined the group for two years between 1980 and 1982. Nicky Ryan, who would later become Enya's long-time production partner, was on producer duties for this live recording

This is the assumption; what are the facts?

In an exhilarating convergence of sonic exploration, experimental noise guitarist Nina Garcia and danish trombone virtuoso Maria Bertel have teamed up to create a heavy-hitting, collaborative record that pushes the boundaries between extreme improvisation and harsh noise. Both renowned in their respective fields, Garcia and Bertel bring their unique styles and influences to create a masterpiece of collaborative improvisation.

Known for her fearless approach to the guitar and her ability to conjure otherworldly sounds, Nina Garcia has carved a niche for herself in the experimental music scene. With a minimal setup consisting of only guitar, pedal & amp; constantly touring, collaborating and evolving, Garcia has established herself as a trailblazer, challenging conventional norms and redefining the possibilities of the guitar beyond tonality. There‘s as much free improvisation in her playing as it is informed by no wave and the energy of free jazz, but most of all, this is kinetic music.

And this might be the intersection where Garcia and Maria Bertel meet.

Bertel, an accomplished trombonist active in the free noise rock monolith Selvhenter and in the duo Gud Er Kvinde (God Is A Woman), is no stranger to pushing the limits of her instrument. Known for her dynamic performances and innovative approach, Bertel has earned international acclaim for her ability to seamlessly blend genres and traverse musical landscapes - from delivering the low end in Selvhenter to the drone explorations of G.E.K., together with Nina, she focuses on rhythmic possibilities of her instrument. The distorted, feedbacking trombone is as controlled and precise as it is sonically explorative.

KNÆKKET SMIL (meaning „broken smile“) is a living, breathing, moving entity. It‘s a testament to the raw and emotive power of these two players. Bertel and Garcia‘s practice of mutual listening, reacting and merging is as radically tender as lovers exploring each other‘s scars.

This approach to collaboration is also reflected in every other part of that record. It‘s a joint effort of three labels, french label No Lagos, which is a home to many of Garcia‘s ventures (and the graphic work of Helene Marian), germany‘s Otomatik Muziek, where Maria previously released with G.E.K., and belgian experimental stalwarts Kraak as focal point.

Recorded by award-winning mastering engineer Kevin Gray's record label, Anthony Wilson's Hackensack West is Cohearent Records' follow-up to Kirsten Edkins' Shapes & Sound album. Produced by Joe Harley and recorded all-analogue/all-tube at Gray's studio, Cohearent Recording, the AAA vinyl release is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI and housed in a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket.

From the liner notes:

The week before these sessions in the summer of 2023, I sat down each morning with the goal of composing one new song by day's end. I knew I'd soon be in the room with my dear friends Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, and Jeff Hamilton, three musicians whom I trust the most, and with whom I've played the most over the last couple of decades. I tried to imagine themes that would feel natural to us, the kinds of songs we could simply dive into without much thinking. When we headed to Kevin Gray's studio to record, I brought seven new songs along with me. Five are included on this album.

"Daido" is dedicated to Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama, who became known in the late 1960s for his grainy, sometimes blurry, high-contrast black and white images made throughout Japan. I love his pictures taken on the streets of various Tokyo neighbourhoods such as Shinjuku. His portrait of a menacing stray dong, from his series "A Hunter," is the kind of picture that, seen just once, is unforgettable. These days Daido is still out on the street making pictures, at the ripe young age of 85.

"Verdesse" has a sinuous, chorinho-like melody and rhythmic feel. The tune seems to weave and bob playfully in a space of brightness the way a grapevine seems to curl towards the sunlight. So I named it after a wine grape native to the pre-Alpine region of Isère, near Grenoble in eastern France, that makes a particularly delicious and drinkable white wine.

I wrote "Sunday," well...on Sunday. It unfolds slowly, like a good Sunday does when there's nothing to do, you can sleep in, you've got your person beside you, and you just relax into the day.

"The Lands" is dedicated to a family very dear to my heart: that of tenor saxophonist Harold Land. My mother met Harold when they were both teenagers growing up in San Diego, California. The two of them became lifelong friends, and a little later, Harold enjoyed a fruitful musical association and close friendship with my father, Gerald Wilson. Harold, his lovely wife Lydia, and their son Harold Jr. were extended family for us; they looked after me with love and care. Some of my first gigs ever as a young guitarist were with Harold's incredible band that included Oscar Brashear, Billy Higgins, Richard Reid, and Harold Land Jr.

I've loved Todd Rundgren's "Marlene" since I first heard it on his epic double-album Something/Anything. With its tender, well-contoured melody buoyed by a few special harmonic surprises, it almost seems like something from the pen of Burt Bacharach. It tells such a complete musical story. Rundgren's recorded version has a beautiful endlessly repeating tag. So we played the melody simply, and used the tag as a small staging area for a bit of improvising.

Hackensack West is our alias for engineer Kevin Gray's studio Cohearent Recording, a place inspired by Rudy Van Gelder's first studio in Hackensack, New Jersey. Located inside Van Gelder's parents' home, the musicians played in the living room! It was there, in 1954, that Thelonious Monk recorded his classic tune "Hackensack," a "contrafact" melody over the chord changes to the Gershwins' "Oh, Lady Be Good!" In contrafact-like fashion, my own bebop-spirited melody "Hackensack West" seems to nod toward the changes of a few recognizable standards, without corresponding to any particular one.

Out of print as a stand-alone release for decades since its original 1974 issue. Produced by George Harrison, Shankar Family & Friends is an almost-forgotten masterwork – an emotional and sonic pact between two like-minded souls to both advance their spiritually minded bond and unite musical styles, cultures, and sounds in wondrous fashion Contributions from Ringo Starr, David Bromberg, Billy Preston, Nicky Hopkins, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voorman, and a host of virtuosic Indian musicians add to a diverse album that melds Eastern and Western traditions; encompasses jazz, funk, bhajan, Indian, and pop; and represents the spirit and breadth of Harrison's Dark Horse Records imprint.

Memorable contributions from an A-list of American and English musicians — Ringo Starr (drums), David Bromberg (electric guitar), Billy Preston (organ), Nicky Hopkins (piano), Jim Keltner (drums), Klaus Voorman (bass), Robert Margouleff (Moog), Malcolm Cecil (Moog), Tom Scott (saxophone) included — add to the richness of a set that melds Eastern and Western traditions. These “names” mesh with a host of Indian virtuosos — Alla Rakha, Ashish Khan, Kamala Chakravarty, Hariprasad Chaurasia included — who turn Shankar Family & Friends into a journey laced with percussive, string, and vocal components that aren’t soon forgotten.

Throughout, Shankar Family & Friends remains true to its title — a mesmerizing record named to reflect the group participation approach of its creators. The idea started when Shankar told Harrison about a ballet he wrote. The Beatle, who first met Shankar in June 1966 — roughly a year after Harrison became interested in Indian music after overhearing it in a restaurant while filming Help! — immediately was convinced they needed to record it. Harrison’s staunch admiration of Shankar and serious approach to Eastern styles are reflected throughout the album.

Indeed, for Harrison, Shankar Family & Friends marks the culmination of a years-long effort to master the sitar, study Hinduism, and incorporate elements such as drones, unusual chords, and expressive picking into his own songs. The seeds of this unique collaboration can be heard in Beatles works such as “Norwegian Wood,” “Love to You,” and “Within You Without You.” Both musicians were also fresh from performing at the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh shows. Yet Shankar Family & Friends remains entirely unique in each visionary artist’s history — and ultimately, led to a collaborative tour Harrison and Shankar staged across North America.

Encompassing jazz, funk, bhajan, Indian, and pop, Shankar Family & Friends is thematically split into halves. Side One reveals Shankar’s uncanny ear for melody — even when applied to Western forms. The lead-off “I Am Missing You,” the first single ever released by Dark Horse Records and reportedly the first pop composition Shankar completed, underscores his skills as a composer and global ambassador. Beautifully sung across three octaves by his sister-in-law, Lakshmi Shankar, the devotional song features multiple drummers and production that mirrors Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound approach. Harrison plays autoharp and guitar; Starr sits in on drums; Scott handles flute and soprano saxophone. It’s the inviting start of a musical adventure teeming with color, majesty, and mysticism.

A second version of the track — designated with a “(Reprise)” tag — appears minutes later. Unfolding in different ways, it follows a folk ballad structure stitched together with Indian instrumentation. Here, according to Shankar, the musicians “attempted to convey the sounds and atmosphere of Vrindavan, the ancient holy place where Krishna grew up.” Both renditions speak to the cross-continental fusion that came so naturally to Harrison and Shankar, whose oversight on the side’s other vocal tracks ensures listeners familiar with Western methods gain easy access to the hypnotic allure of his native country’s music.

Nowhere is this more evident than on Dream, Nightmare & Dawn (Music for a Ballet), the side-long piece that served as the genesis for Shankar Family & Friends. Launched with an airy overture and unfolding across three movements, the mostly wordless suite features everything from call-and-response interplay and classical lyricism to uptempo dance figures, stacked rhythms, and intoxicating grooves. Blurring the lines between contemporary and traditional, and Western and Eastern, the inspirational work is the exclamation point on a record that defined “world music” well before the term became co-opted as a catch-all genre.

This Is Street Funk” is part of a new series aimed at vinyl buyers who want a genre specific compilation to excite their ears. They will appeal to long-standing, discerning music acolytes and recent converts alike. Two sides of fantastic music, at an affordable price, hand-picked with TLC from Ace and its associated catalogues.

Compiled by Dean Rudland, who also writes the liner notes, “This Is Street Funk” brings you 14 tracks of hard hitting, heavy funk, and sums up the sound of 70s Black America. A combination of fatback drums, syncopated bass, rhythmic guitars and explosive vocals.

The line-up of tracks includes classics from the Fatback Band and Millie Jackson, dancefloor favourites from Billy Garner and Billy Sha-Rae and screaming organ instrumentals from the Fame Gang and Larry & Tommy.

This is fourteen tracks that defy you to start dancing.

Black Truffle is thrilled to announce a major archival release from legendary American composer and live electronics innovator Richard Teitelbaum, centred around his soundtrack for Suzan Pitt’s cult 1978 animation Asparagus. Best known to some listeners for introducing Europe to the Moog synthesizer as a founding member of Musica Elettronica Viva in Rome, Teitelbaum’s extensive and radically experimental body of work includes collaborative recordings with master improvisers like Anthony Braxton, Andrew Cyrille and George Lewis, intercultural experiments combining electronics with non-Western instruments such as the shakuhachi, works for computer controlled piano, and large-scale multi-media operas. Recorded at York University, Toronto in 1975–1976, ‘Asparagus (European Version)’ sprawls across both sides of the first LP. Discovered by composer Matt Sargent in Teitelbaum’s tape archive, this is a previously unheard major work for Moog modular and Polymoog synthesizers, unique in Teitelbaum’s oeuvre for its lushness and gently melodic quality. The music unfolds slowly, submerging lyrical melodies and burbling arpeggios into uneasy, glacially shifting harmonic swells, the luscious texture thickened with subtle changes of modulation and phase, calling up the shifting layers of Costin Miereanu’s classic Derives or the kosmische Musik tradition more than any academic synthesizer exercise. Teitelbaum incorporated much of this material into his soundtrack for Suzan Pitt’s Asparagus, which receives its first official release here. Asparagus, famously paired with David Lynch’s Eraserhead for a two-year run of midnight screenings at New York’s Waverly Theatre, uses hand-drawn and stop animation to unfurl an oneiric succession of images, beginning with a sequence in which the female protagonist defecates two stalks of asparagus, which multiply and float out of the toilet bowl to form the letters of the title. Teitelbaum’s soundtrack interweaves delicate drifting tones from the ‘European Version’ with contributions from Steve Lacy and Steve Potts on saxophones, George Lewis on trombone and Takehisa Kosugi on violin. Edited closely to the film, even without images the soundtrack proposes a surreal journey through floating synth tones, squealing horns, propulsive arpeggios, distant chatter, and an old-timey waltz. The final side of the set presents a new realisation of Teitelbaum’s text score ‘Threshold Music’, performed at a memorial concert at Roulette, New York in 2022 by Leila Bourreuil (cello), Alvin Curran (sampler and objects), Daniel Fishkin (daxophone), Miguel Frasconi (glass objects) and Matt Sargent (lap steel). The piece asks musicians to match their instrumental volume to that of the sounds of the environment in which they play, sometimes with the addition of recorded environmental sounds, reinforcing frequencies they encounter in listening deeply to their surroundings. Here the players use a field recording taken at Teitelbaum’s home in Bearsville, New York, their long tones and shimmering, glassy textures delicately emerging from the white noise of the location recording. Released with the full approval of both Richard Teitelbaum and Suzan Pitt’s estates, Asparagus is illustrated with striking images from Pitt’s film and accompanied by detailed liner notes by Francis Plagne. These previously unheard pieces shed new light on the work of a key composer in the American experimental tradition, offering up some of Teitelbaum’s most beautiful and engaging music.

In the mid-1960s, Clementine Hall teamed up with Roky Erickson, she providing lyrics and he the music, for two of the most beautiful songs in the 13th Floor Elevators catalogue. Freddie Steady Krc, Roky
Erickson & The Explosives founding member, and Eve Monsees team up to record duets of these two songs. Accompanied by some of Austin, TX finest musicians, this is an Elevators fan's must have.

High Llamas present Hey Panda - a modern pop music/deep listening experience that could only issue forth from their personal quadrant of the galaxy. Hey Panda projects soulfully through an enervating abstract of today"s popular music; the sound of the Llamas" stately melodies and expressive ditties laid open - blissfully shattered - with drums and vocals hitting different, burning sounds and contemporary production twists pulling the ear at every turn. For the past few decades, High Llamas have trafficked in contemporary pop sounds directed toward the avant end of the spectrum as much as not. But here the message was clear. Llamas" composer-in-residence Sean O"Hagan was determined to let go. Hey Panda does just that, with a set of tunes reflecting on multiple levels how definitions change over the course of a lifetime, radiating an optimism derived from the diverse conundrums of today. Eight years since their last release, the pop musical Here Come The Rattling Trees, High Llamas have reinvented themselves again, mixing their peerless harmonic voice with what Sean regards as the "extraordinarily good" production sounds of today on Hey Panda. Choosing not to look backward to former golden ages celebrated in earlier Llamas eras, Sean"s instead found himself opened up by the sounds of music brought into the house by his adult children and the sounds encountered at sessions for which he"s recently written arrangements. In addition to the more traditional contributions he made to The Coral"s Sea of Mirrors album, plus his score for the Safdie brothers" 2022 film production, Funny Pages, Sean"s drawn great inspiration through working with Fryars, Rae Morris, King Krule, Pearl and The Oyster, while also soaking up the work of Tierra Whack and Chicago"s Pivot Gang, and being cheered on from a distance by longtime admirer Tyler The Creator. Thus, Sean"s producer procedural has evolved again, with upgrades first detected in his 2019 solo effort, Radum Calls, Radum Calls. With a cover of Billie Eilish"s "Wish You Were Gay" arranged for Bill Callahan and Bonnie Prince Billy"s Blind Date Party, along with his COVID-era solo single, "The Wild Are Welcome", Sean has leveled up again and again, leading to the delirious revelations of Hey Panda. Hey Panda"s wide reach is aided by two co-writes from Bonnie "Prince" Billy, (who bonded with Sean over a shared love of gospel soul during writing sessions), guest vocals from Rae Morris and Sean"s daughter Livvy, production twists from Fryars and the stalwart, flexible presence of High Llamas. For all of its sense of departure, Hey Panda is a movement in the High Llamas oeuvre that"s been a long time in development. Aspects of soul music were addressed at the time of Can Cladders; similarly, aspects of electronic dance music were in the mix in the late 90s, around the time of Cold and Bouncy. But nothing up to now has refocused the music of High Llamas so completely. Sharing the impulse of late-period Miles Davis and Quincy Jones, with further inspiration from Steve Lacy, SZA, Sault, No Name and Ezra Collective, among many others, Sean O"Hagan and High Llamas are living joyfully in the new and the now, with Hey Panda.

Mesmerizing and exuberant Argentinian La Yegros, probably the most magnetic artist on the South American continent, is back with a new album!

The undisputed Queen of "Nu Cumbia" has not rested on her laurels. Surrounded by the same accomplices who have supported her for the last ten years, but eager to renew herself, she has set about recording her fourth album, which stands out from her discography. Although her personal folklore is still rooted in South American folklore, La Yegros is now absorbing contemporary, global music, while tackling intimate, often melancholy and even painful subjects, which she overcomes with the same resilience that drives her in concert. Nothing stands in the way of this Argentinian whirlwind, all the more fascinating for the fact that personal considerations are now surfacing beneath the veneer of the party atmosphere she sets alight.

La Yegros returned to the stage in 2022 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Viene de Mí, her single hit from the self-titled album, released in 2012 in Argentina and then worldwide in 2013, which catapulted her to international fame. We then discovered a singer who had grown up in the traditions of her country. Her parents come from Misiones, a province bordering Brazil and Paraguay, where balls are filled with the sounds of chamamé (a mix of polka and Guaraní music), Carnavalito (Andean folklore) and Colombian Cumbia. But she herself is a native of Buenos Aires, whose nights are enlivened by the bass of Dancehall and electronic music.

These influences have merged in two further successful albums, Magnetismo (2016) and Suelta (2019), followed by high voltage tours during which La Yegros has been able to display her generous nature, inexhaustible energy, exuberant personality and infectious enthusiasm.

To record her new album entitled 'HAZ', La Yegros has put her faith in the same team that has worked with her since Viene de Mí. On one hand, producer Gaby Kerpel (also known as King Coya), a pioneer of synthetic experimentation applied to traditional music, who has remained her faithful accomplice for over twenty years. On the other hand, composer Daniel Martín, who knows how to come up with melodies to dream about and hymns to sing along to. Inseparable and complementary, the trio continues to concoct this mesmerizing mixture where acoustic instruments meet samples and the rolling of machines. But the new productions don't rely on a tried and tested formula. Generally co-produced between France and Argentina, they break away from over-defined genres. La Yegros knits together new rhythms and incorporates sounds that are unheard of in her country, derived from the latest urban trends, as well as echoes of reggae and funk. As for the lyrics, signed alternately by the trio, they are embodied by La Yegros whose charismatic voice questions a period of her life tossed by waves of love and lovelessness, joy and sorrow, euphoria and anguish, indulgence and resentment.

The album is open to a wealth of musical styles. You'll hear funk guitar and Andean flutes, melancholy accordion and rolling drums, Tuareg blues enhanced by brass, house and electro Cumbia loops, and the bassoons of a chamber orchestra. The folklore 2.0 of La Yegros, nourished by its colorful inspiration, at times tender or exalted, has been imagined as a hymn to love and the contradictory feelings that come with it. As always, it has also been conceived with the stage in mind. Hatching in a storm of overturned emotions, the album is all the more explosive for the strength of the live show that accompanies it. In addition to the usual line-up of guitar, accordion and percussion, a musician handles synthesizers and machines to boost the electronic turboshaft. In any case, you can count on the singer to assert her increasingly clear-cut character with each new project. And, above all, she won't give up. L.a Yegros is back and her batteries are fully charged.

Every morning when Dent May wakes up, the first thing he says is, “What’s for breakfast?” For the Los Angeles-based songwriter and pop auteur, this question is part inside joke with his girlfriend, part sitcom-style catchphrase, and part mantra about getting up every day and persevering in the face of good or bad is happening around you in your life. It’s also the title of his sixth album, which is out on March 29, 2024 via Carpark Records. What’s For Breakfast? is May’s most immediate, nostalgic, and rollicking LP yet, one that’s concerned with breaking daily routines and rediscovering the joys of songwriting.

Over the past 17 years, May has been a consistently adventurous and prolific bedroom pop pioneer and connoisseur of impeccably crafted melodies. Though his songs are always well-written and comfortable, with What’s For Breakfast?, May has freed himself up to more playfully experiment with new and vintage musical inspirations. “I’ve occupied a lot of different lanes over the years,” says May. “I’ve always been drawn to making kaleidoscopic pop inspired by old soul, disco, country, whatever. This time around, I was tapping into music from my childhood, like The Strokes, Weezer and Elephant 6 Collective bands.” By revisiting the music of his youth—energetic and infectious guitar rock—he found a vibrant palate to explore for this new LP.

Lead single “One Call, That’s All” kickstarts with frenetic guitar-driven intensity. While the track slyly takes its name from the slogan of an ambulance-chasing Mississippi lawyer, May sings of unrequited love and phone-based ennui. “It’s a fast tempo pop-rock song that isn’t like anything I’ve done before,” says May. Elsewhere, opener “You Already Know” showcases May’s goofball lyrical charm with lines about playing chess online and looking like a Dawson’s Creek character. Beyond the jokes in the song, there is a bittersweet recognition of time passing and a call to action when May sings, “Now you already know what time it is / It’s time to live your life / Cuz it’s flying by / No matter the day, week, month or year / It’s time to do a lot / Ready or not.”

What’s For Breakfast? marks another first for Dent in being his most collaborative LP yet. Alongside guest appearances from Jimmy Whispers and co-writes with Paul Cherry, are two standout singles with Jordana and Pearl & The Oysters respectively. Jordana assists on the wistful “Coasting on Fumes,” which captures the feeling of being stuck in a rut while the yearning “Time Flies When You’re Having Fun” guests Pearl and the Oysters. “My first album came out almost 15 years ago, so bringing in others to help out is crucial to keep things interesting,” says May. “I’m constantly falling back in love with music through the eyes of others. This album is about remembering why I like music.”

Whitney Houston’s self-titled debut album has few parallels. Viewed solely through the lens of sales numbers, Whitney Houston is a watershed statement on par with the most commercially successful and culturally dominant LPs ever released. Having sold more than 14 million copies in the U.S. and upwards of 25 million units worldwide, the 1985 LP became the equivalent of the television show or blockbuster film that everyone collectively experiences and discusses. Nearly four decades later, it’s lost none of its appeal or magnetism — and its artistic significance and historical import have only grown.


Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at RTI on MoFi SuperVinyl, and strictly limited to 4,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's 180g SuperVinyl LP of Whitney Houston presents the breakthrough in audiophile sound for the first time. The signature traits Houston exhibits on every song — her three-octave range, radiant warmth, personal conviction, impossibly controlled register — come across with exceptional clarity, focus, and presence. Free of artificial ceilings and constricted dynamics, this reissue plays with an openness, airiness, and balance that put the singer’s once-in-a-lifetime instrument and immortal artistry into proper perspective.

It does the same for the songs’ cascading melodies and captivating arrangements. Individually produced by one of four renowned industry veterans — Kashif, Micheal Masser, Jermaine Jackson, and Narada Michael Walden — each composition feels grander, closer, more genuine. A vocal spectacular, Whitney Houston benefits from the high-end characteristics of SuperVinyl, which include a nearly inaudible noise floor, superb groove definition, and dead-quiet surfaces. This is how an album that changed the direction of popular music — opening previously inaccessible doors for Black artists; bringing smooth-singing vocalists back into the mainstream; kickstarting a movement that soon included several “divas” who would command the charts through the early 21st century — should look and sound.

Though Houston’s seemingly effortless performances suggest otherwise, creating the record Rolling Stone ranks as the 257th Greatest Album of All Time wasn’t easy. Nearly 18 months were required to identify songs suitable for a still-unknown singer who did not fit into the conventional frameworks of the mid ‘80s. Confident, powerful, and prodigiously talented, Houston would forge her own parameters with Whitney Houston. In the process, she obliterated the stubborn lines between R&B and pop, Black and white radio. She dared to reimagine who could be a superstar and then went out and defined the role. Recorded for nearly $400,000 and released on Valentine’s Day, the LP exceeded the wildest expectations of those most closely associated with it — save for Houston and her family.

Having made her first public appearance at the age of 11 singing at a Baptist church, Houston understood pressure and knew her way around, inside, and through a song. The invaluable guidance and support she received from her mother, Cissy, an accomplished gospel vocalist who backed Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley, are on display throughout Whitney Houston. They arrive in the types of authoritativeness, discipline, and diction rare for even most seasoned veterans — and unheard-of for a 21-year-old newcomer. Houston brings a soulful elegance, understated glamour, and in-the-moment rapture to every note. Moving up, down, or staying in the middle of the vocal ladder; channelling softness or sweetness; showing restraint or increasing the volume, she is a marvel of emotionalism, a dynamo who can seamlessly transition from one mood to another within a verse.

Though the 10-track LP largely concerns itself with the ballad tradition, Houston covers the bases, getting into an R&B groove on the fleet “Thinking About You,” turning up the heat on the duet “Take Good Care of My Heart,” and investing the contagious dance-pop confection “How Will I Know” with all the anxiety, hope, energy, and enthusiasm its lyrics demand. Featuring her mom on background vocals and Houston’s pitch-perfect tone, uncanny precision, and skyscraper highs (no AutoTune here, friends), the synth-based anthem propelled Whitney Houston into the stratosphere, the vocalist into regular MTV rotation, and the term “crossover” into popular parlance. The double-platinum single reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, Hot R&B, and Adult Contemporary charts — a trifecta that foreshadowed accomplishments that would ultimately crown Houston as the most-awarded female artist of all time.

Whitney Houston became the first album by a Black female performer to top the Billboard charts. It remained there for 14 non-consecutive weeks en route to claiming the title of the best-selling LP of 1986. It stands as the first debut and first album by a solo female artist to spawn three No. Hits, as well as the first album by a Black female artist to top the year-end charts in Australia and Canada. These are just a handful of the accolades — along with four Grammy nominations — that surround a set that also contains the unforgettable ballad “Saving All My Love,” string-accompanied “Greatest Love of All,” and sensual “You Give Good Love.”

As TIME observed in an article written two years after the album took the world by storm: “This is infectious, can't-sit-down music, and her performance dares the listener not to smile right back.” We’re still smiling.

An expanded 3-LP edition of Sonny Rollins’ essential and legendary live trio album A Night At The Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters is added to Blue Note’s acclaimed audiophile vinyl series in Q1, mastered for the very first time from the original tapes. (The first release and subsequent reissues were made from a tape transfer.) This deluxe tri-fold edition includes a plethora of great editorial, including a new interview with Rollins in conversation with Blue Note President Don Was.

“As we began to prepare for this album, I made my customary call to Capitol tape vault archivist Jack Arenas to inquire about the analog master tapes. Naturally, I assumed there would be a set of Rudy Van Gelder assembled 15ips analog masters of all the material. Indeed, there was, but then Jack said something that caught my ear. ‘Now there are these other tapes, but they haven’t been assembled, and they are all recorded at 7.5ips.’ I sat straight up and probably looked a bit like the mind-blown emoji. With this issue of Sonny Rollins ‘A Night At The Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters’ we are finally able to hear the actual masters that were recorded that afternoon and evening.” — Joe Harley

It's exactly one year since Aeon Four made their debut on vinyl with the still in-demand "Pure White EP". Their follow-up on Straight Up Breakbeat SUBB1996 series is another four track EP of explorations into the original jungle sound but with a modern twist.

High energy vocals of "Silence", the heavy rolling "Babylon", deep excursions of "Essence" and the original junglism of "Lion Awakes" make this another essential Aeon Four release. All tracks hand crafted in Turku, the original rave capital of Finland. Early support from Coco Bryce, FFF, Digital, Dj Flight and more.

DJ Support
Coco Bryce, Om Unit, Aries, FFF, Moresounds, Flight, Sweetpea, Two Hungry Ghosts, Digital +more

This project unites artists from two labels, Chinese based bie Records
and Latin America based Shika Shika, separated by very contrasting
cultures and thousands of kilometers but united by shared values and a
shared musical vision
Driven by values of creativity, borderless music and fairness for artists, both
labels showcase artists that unite electronica with ambient and folk music,
purposefully existing outside of the globalized, copy- paste of the mainstream
music industry.
A mix of intrigue and mutual respect led to the birth of this compilation, with the
two labels teaming up to match together a group of their artists to remix each
other. The result is a widely imaginative, fresh and diverse selection of tracks
featuring some of the prominent producers such as DaYe, Lim Giong; Hualun, Sun
Dawei and Rainsoft from bie records and DJ Raff, Terror:Cactus, Numa Gama,
Barrio Lindo and El Buho from Shika Shika.
The compilation is a testament to music's power to transcend language and
cultural background as artists from hugely different contexts unite to explore and
build on each other's creative visions.

Causa Sui's three volumes of Summer Sessions are back in print! This time on the band's own label, on individual LPs for the first time since they were first released in 2008 and 2009. Re-packaged in El Paraiso's signature style. Originally the Summer Sessions were intended as a side project for the band - a chance to explore their love for other genres such as American free jazz, krautrock, 1970s soundtracks, as well as the psychedelia and detuned stoner-rock that characterized Causa Sui's first two albums. But these three albums came to define the band, and have become modern classics of psychedelia and progressive rock since their initial release ten years ago. In a scene often characterized by loyalty to a specific period, there's something refreshing about Causa Sui's eclectic approach. With several guest appearances by Coltrane-devotee Johan Riedenlow on sax and electronics wiz Rasmus Rasmussen, Causa Sui venture far beyond stoner-rock platitudes. Take the grandiose opening statement for example - the 24 minute "Visions of Summer" taking up the entire A-side: here new and old sounds dissolve in a mindbending excursion that recalls Future Days-era Can, breezy tropicalia or Herbie Hancocks Mwandishi group, as much as it sparks associations to Kyuss or Hendrix. Other tracks, such as the frenetic Rip Tide (vol. 2), heads into straight up free jazz territory with Riedenlow going absolutely bonkers on the sax. But this set also allows plenty of room for atmospheric pieces such as the sun-drenched "Venice by the Sea" (vol. 3) or the Morricone-esque "Cinecitta" (vol. 2).

The title track "Who You Are" has become a dance floor favourite making appearances during Templé's DJ sets opening for the likes of Rick Wilhite, Osunlande, Trus’me, Rahaan, Alkalino, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Hidden Spheres and Harvey Sutherland.

It's the kind of track that can get the party started, keep it going or close it out with its tough verses, 303 acid line, drum machine build up and poppy chorus. It’s so versatile that it’ll never leave your record bag. Staying with side A, the EP's charm is further amplified by Prins Thomas's magical remix of the title track.

This luminary of the electronic music scene adds his Nordic touch in only the way that he knows how. Delicately weaving his disco sensibilities into the fabric of the original track, making the chorus the break down, turning the original track on its head. This one will get you in the feels.

Flipping the record over to the B-side, we encounter "Wait For Love." It's a powerhouse of a track, driven by a rolling acid bass line and a saxophone solo that lands right in the sweet spot, ensuring the party never stops.

The vocals soaked in effects and skilfully sliced and diced, guides the listener's focus making it the perfect tune for those late night dance floor occasions. Then there's "The Tetrah" - a departure from the rest of the EP. It's a deeper and more intricate piece featuring the soulful interplay of saxophone and trumpet throughout. These two instruments seem to tease and tantalise each other, never quite aligning until the final drop. It's a near 9-minute journey and each moment holds your attention.

DJ Support: Louie Vega, Kenny Dope, David Morales, Dimitri From Paris, Dave Lee, Simon Dunmore, Michael Gray, Brian Tappert, Melvo Baptist, Seamus Haji, Terry Hunter, DJ Spen, Hector Romero, Dr. Packer, Kenny Carpenter; Jellybean Benitez, Husky, Birdee, Derrick McKenzie.

Legendary Italian producer Gianni Bini Debuts on Groove Culture with 'The House Of Glass' LP. With an inimitable CV and discography that includes over a thousand production credits to his name, hundreds of singles under renowned pseudonyms including Bini & Martini, Fathers Of Sound, The Goodfellas, Subsystem and two Worldwide hits as Eclipse and House Of Glass, Gianni is one of the most revered producers of disco-house, defining each genre with a signature sound. Always looking to push the boundaries of what it means to make music, his latest project sees Gianni return to deliver an epic disco record that takes the sound back to its roots in every way possible. Backing up live drums, live bass, live guitars, live strings with catchy vocals and enough groove to level a discotheque, it’s this Disco-Pop energy that Gianni has captured and expertly delivered with 'The House Of Glass'LP.

Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels imprint announces, ‘Portrait of the Obscure’, the stunning new album from Oceanvs Orientalis.

Following three superb singles on the label across the past four months, the nine-track LP offers a comprehensive exploration of the Instanbul-based talent’s rich, globally-infused and captivating sound, with the project set for release on 26th April 2024.

Safak Oz Kutle, known as Oceanvs Orientalis, is a producer and live performer based in Istanbul. His musical style intricately weaves together diverse sonic tapestries of wide-spanning genres and cultures, and through his creative fusion of these influences, he crafts an immersive world that takes you far away from the usual club music references. His music serves as a celebration of his musical heritage, and this has never been truer than on his superb new album ‘Portrait of the Obscure’, which again pushes traditional boundaries within the electronic sphere. Set for release on 26th April via Damian Lazarus’ renowned and celebrated Crosstown Rebels imprint, the nine-track LP project features a showcase of solo and collaborative material alongside close friends such as Tooker, Idil Mese and Tilahun Gessesse, delivering a journey into the creative mind of one of
the scene’s most intriguing talents.

The bold and riveting project kicks off with the captivating synthscapes, fluttering strings and plucked bass of the gorgeous ‘Pulse Antique’, before ‘Ministry Of Midnight’ cuts loose on more jumbled rhythms and intricate organic lines warmed with wordless vocals. Next up are two of the lead
singles - the tense and intricate house sonics of ‘Neutrality’ and the haunting atmospheres and ethereal synth lines of ‘IL Lupo’ featuring Tooker, while ‘Conritmo’ continues to bring exotic new string sounds, leftfield melodies and warped bass to this most vibrant exploration of candle-lit house sounds. ‘Soul of Calypso’ blisses out on far-sighted cosmic chords with sonorous bells and late-night spoken word musings that add all-new character to the innovative grooves. Then comes the laid-back, jazz-infused house of ‘Heart Pieces’ feat. Idil Mese, a deep and jazzy jungle shuffler
in ‘Mercury’ and the playful horns and lumpy, dub-wise swagger of ‘Lanchi Biye’.

An album project encompassing its title perfectly, ‘Portrait of the Obscure’ is just that - a magnificent snapshot of the unique musical mind of Oceanvs Orientalis.

Serving up eleven tracks of rhythmic garage-psych goodness, ‘Boots N Cats’ is the third full-length from Melbourne outfit Beans and the first of two albums set for release in 2024. The long-awaited follow-up to 2018’s ‘Babble’ and 2020’s ‘All Together Now’, it’s a record that finds Beans frontman (and The Murlocs drummer) Matt Blach putting percussion at centre-stage. “I’ve always wanted to make a drum-based album, dedicated around the beat first and then everything else follows”, Blach says, explaining his desire to explore “different production approaches, like hip-hop and crunched drums, and show an admiration and appreciation for the likes of The Meters, Wu-Tang and James Brown” as much as the acid-soaked 60s/70s rock you’d expect. What emerges from the beat-first approach on ‘Boots N Cats’ charts mutant garage-rock boogies ('Groove', 'Silhouette') and festival tent psychedelia ('Haunted', 'Dreaming Daisy'), by way of blissed-out funk instrumentals ('One To Four', 'Siamese Blundstone'). The line is constantly skirted between a loose, carefree vibe and interesting, meticulous musicianship – never falling into the trap of taking itself too seriously. It’s a sunny kaleidoscope of chugging guitars, driving basslines, soaring organs and warm, echo-soaked vocals – driven always by the tightly-wound rhythms and grooves that Blach has been in pursuit of since he was a kid: “The title of the album comes from me learning drums from my dad. He had a background of German heritage and during lessons would jokingly say ‘nein, boot’n’cats’n’ like a simple 1,2,3,4

Crusade is the fourth album and third studio album by the British blues rock band John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, released on 1 September 1967 on Decca Records. It was the follow-up to A Hard Road, also released in 1967. As with their two previous albums, Crusade was produced by Mike Vernon. The album was the first recordings of the then-18-year-old guitarist Mick Taylor.

John’s debut album was recorded at Tony Pyke’s home studio in Dryburgh Road, Putney in glorious mono and then mastered at Pye Studios, Marble Arch, London for the princely sum of £158. Recording and mastering was completed by 9 August and London Conversation was released when John was just nineteen in October 1967. Theo Johnson took the role of producer under the supervision of Chris Blackwell and the cover photograph of John perched amongst chimney pots was taken on the roof of Blackwell’s apartment. Talking to Music Week magazine in 2007 John recalled that he recorded the whole album in one afternoon in a two-track studio on Putney High Street.

The album is in the folk tradition and contains some excellent lyrics and jazzy instrumentation including the sitar and flute in Rolling Home. As a result it won praise and the instrumentation distinguished John from his contemporaries in the folk scene. Back To Stay is a beautiful love song with a sad and dreamy melody, a sign of things to come.

John took up guitar whilst at school and although he was only nineteen he was already acknowledged locally as an accomplished guitarist. He was influenced by two people in particular, amongst others, that he knew. “Les Brown, who is completely unknown and has never recorded…he plays a kind of American Doc Watson guitar very very well. Lovely voice. Also a friend of mine called Paul Wheeler who is featured on the second album.”

Buffalo & Detroit are America’s broken dream. They are once thriving cities, now known for frigid temperatures and violent crime. The cities were birthed in a different era, forged in fire, built of cold steel. It follows that the rawest Hiphop in recent memory has bled from these two regions. No two artists exemplify this hard truth more than legendary Detroit producer Apollo Brown and Buffalo’s maverick emcee Che’ Noir. The two artists came together to create a sound as natural as calm after the storm. The soulful, head-nodding production of Apollo Brown has been a staple called on by some of the greatest to ever do it. From Ghostface Killah to Danny Brown, and from Freddie Gibbs to Chance the Rapper, Apollo Brown’s signature style has become an iconic staple of the culture. Meanwhile, Che’ Noir has stepped onto the scene as smoothly as any double dutch veteran. Having already worked alongside Benny The Butcher, Kool G Rap, and Fred The Godson, she has emerged as one of the most extraordinary New York talents heard in years. The pair’s new album, “As God Intended”, drifts up and down city streets and offers a glimpse behind closed doors, telling the stories of gunshots, missing fathers, & playing the system. The album from Apollo Brown & Che’ Noir features Skyzoo, Blakk Soul, Planet Asia, Ty Farris, and Black Thought. Part of the Mello Music Group 24 for '24 Artist Series featuring limited edition vinyl art by oil painter KipDaFog.

As God Intended by Apollo Brown & Che' Noir, released 22 March 2024, includes the following tracks: "Hustle Don't Give (feat. Black Thought)", "Hours", "Daddy's Girl", "The Apple (feat. Planet Asia)" and more.

This version of As God Intended comes as a 1xLP.

The vinyl is pressed as a brown disc.

Enid Valu normally relies on lenses and light to express herself. Known to create stunning visuals, to capture sonic worlds with her preferred instrument (the camera), the US-born, Munich-based photographer and video artist has been working with various bands, shooting concerts, creating music videos, visualizing what she hears. However, now that she’s become an indispensable part of the local scene, she for once ditches the cam and steps up to the mic instead – appearing as featured vocalist on two of the four brand-new covers Hochzeitskapelle recorded for the forthcoming EP entitled “We Dance.”

“It’s later than you think,” she reminds us, just like Stephen Malkmus once did in Pavement’s “We Dance” – beautifully rearranged and reworked some three decades later. Also musing about “Stockholm Syndrome,” just like Yo La Tengo’s bass player James McNews did back then, this new Hochzeitskapelle interpretation is obviously less reminiscent of Neil Young, if compared to the original take. Instead, their Yo La Tengo cover feels almost like a song recorded by The Notwist – which, interestingly enough, is not because two of The Notwist’s core members also play in Hochzeitskapelle. Nope, it’s the vibe of Enid Valu’s guest vocals that somehow points in that direction.

As for the two remaining cover choices, it’s all-instrumental business as usual. For Low’s classic “Silver Rider,” it’s the banjo that does Alan Sparhawk’s vocal part, whereas the trombone soon joins in, contributing Mimi Parker’s second vocal layer as the tune unfolds. Eventually adding a German song to the mix – Wir Sind Helden’s “Elefant” –, it’s an EP that comprises four beautiful half-forgotten indie classics that Hochzeitskapelle reworks, adding the group’s unique, charmingly handmade/oddball “Rumpeljazz” trademark. One can immediately tell how much they love the original tracks: these are recordings, done by fans and admirers who aren’t even trying to sound much like the musicians who wrote them. However, the new versions are so compelling in their own right, they make you want to revisit the original tracks as well… (Dirk Wagner)

96kHz - 48-bit HD Audio with digital booklet including original photography by Christopher Kayfield and liner notes by Shaun Brady.

Pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Ben Street, and drummer Billy Hart reunite for a second, scintillating trio date, BRIDGES, featuring original compositions by Hays and Hart with classics by Wayne Shorter, Bill Frisell, The Beatles, and Milton Nascimento.

Hays Street Hart, the trio of pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Ben Street, and legendary drummer Billy Hart, recorded their acclaimed 2021 debut, ALL THINGS ARE, under less than optimal conditions. The album began life as a performance in honor of Hart’s 80th birthday in December 2020, live-streamed from an empty Smoke Jazz Club in the final weeks of that grueling pandemic year. Despite those adversities, the music they created that night was spectacular enough to convince all involved that it should be released.

Two years later, the trio has reconvened, this time fully cognizant that they were going to record an album at Sear Sound Studios in NYC. The captivating BRIDGES brilliantly spotlights the unique chemistry and shared spirit of exploration that emerged fully formed on that initial impromptu session. The title succinctly hints at some of the reasons why Hays, Street and Hart work so well together: this is a trio that bridges generations, certainly, as well as a wealth of diverse experience and inspiration. But it also sums up a mutual desire to bring people together through music.

“In this world that seems to be crumbling beneath our feet,” Hays explains, “we sense the need to make allies where there might be adversaries. On the most intimate level, interpersonally and inter-psychically we set out to overcome any number of misunderstandings and adversarial situations.”

Not that there was any antagonism to overcome within the trio itself. More than anything, Hays Street Hart is a mutual admiration society of the highest order. The esteem in which the pianist and bassist hold Billy Hart likely goes without saying. The drummer was ordained in 2022 as an NEA Jazz Master, just one of the many honors he has chalked up over a breathtaking career. He began his career with an apprenticeship under the revered vocalist Shirley Horn and went on to make notable music with such luminaries as Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, Stan Getz, and as part of the quartet Quest featuring David Liebman and Richie Beirach.

But Hart is if anything, even more laudatory toward his younger bandmates. Street has been a member of the drummer’s stellar quartet for two decades, alongside pianist Ethan Iverson and saxophonist Mark Turner, a tenure that speaks for itself. As for Hays, Hart is quick to place the pianist in the exalted company of some of his iconic former collaborators.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have the chance to perform with Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner,” says Hart modestly. “Each generation presents their own equivalent, and Kevin is an example of the latest innovations. There was Herbie and McCoy, then it was Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, and then you have what's coming next. I think Kevin is definitely part of that continuum.”

Though Hays sticks strictly to the piano on BRIDGES, he is also an accomplished singer whose vocal instincts fuel his inventive and lyrical melodicism. Street points to those facets as key to the connection between the pianist and Hart, who has enjoyed several meaningful collaborations with vocalists.

“It always seems to me that Kevin has the capacity to sing in his mind and then accompany himself on the piano,” Street describes. “That makes for such a nice connection with Billy, who has played with and learned from so many singers. I don't even feel like we're playing as a piano trio most of the time; it feels more like a quartet.”

Those qualities are especially clear on Hays’ “Butterfly,” which opens the album. Though it’s performed here as an instrumental, the pianist has composed lyrics for the piece, and its gorgeous, song-like quality shines through. Hays also contributed the breathtaking ballad “Song for Peace,” highlighted by Hart’s gentle, embracing brushwork and Street’s sturdy, stentorian tone. The pianist’s third original, “Row Row Row,” is constructed on a twelve-tone row, but as the playful title suggests, it has none of the more stringent qualities of the serialist composers.

Hart’s stunning “Irah,” originally recorded on his quartet’s self-titled 2006 debut, is dedicated to the composer’s mother and was recorded at Street’s suggestion. The bassist also brought guitarist Bill Frisell’s reflective “Throughout” to the date, imagining Frisell’s Americana influences would resonate with the similarly inclined Hays, who approaches the tune with a harp-like beauty. Hays’ love of pop and rock music is also reflected by the inclusion of The Beatles classic “With a Little Help from My Friends.”

The trio pays tribute to the late, great Wayne Shorter with “Capricorn,” originally released on the composer’s 1969 Blue Note album SUPER NOVA and later included on the Miles Davis Quintet set WATER BABIES. Hart called Shorter one of a kind. I think of the many times I heard him excel – with the Maynard Ferguson Big Band, with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, with Weather Report. And in each case, he was innovative.”

BRIDGES closes with the title track, a dazzling piece by the great Brazilian singer and songwriter Milton Nascimento, which Hays calls “one of my favorite compositions ever, by anybody.”

BRIDGES was recorded under ideal studio conditions by a now-established trio with a weeks-long European tour under their belts. Perhaps what’s most remarkable about the album is not that Hays, Street, and Hart play so masterfully together – with three artists of their caliber, who could expect any less? – but that this second outing maintains the bold spirit of inquisitiveness and spontaneity that its predecessor naturally possessed. Credit that to a trio perpetually determined to discover new bridges worth building.

After his first two one-off singles "Black Pegasus" and "Day Without You" introduced DJ Swagger's massive songwriting abilities and love for recording instruments, his first album on Kommerz Records, "Chemistry Forever", showcases his background in UK-leaning elec- tronic music as well as new tendencies towards neo soul, indie pop and jazz. Welcome DJ Swagger to the Kommerz Records stage and prepare for the album to drop on March 22nd.
The 25-year-old from West Germany's Bielefeld is pretty much the archetype of a so-called Wunderkind. At his young age the producer, DJ, multi instrumentalist and songwriter released more than 40 vinyl records including two solo albums and endless rave tracks since turn- ing 16. As of most recently and even though coming from an electronic music background DJ Swagger's creative agenda ventured more and more into classic songwriting and taking over the role of lead vocalist of his one-man-band. His third solo album "Chemistry Forever" show- cases this transformation from UK-influenced electronica towards neo soul and indie without losing its listeners at any point. His subtle melancholic vocal performance and the just as subtle, yet constant pop appeal make this equation solve itself magically. From electro, 2 step and breakbeat over hip-hop, indie and R&B to a final bebop (!) madness - "Chemistry Forever" is a trip for music lovers while each and every song has heavy potential to be listened to on repeat.
Besides his own vocal performances DJ Swagger also invited rappers TripSixVivo (London), Vitus04 (Bielefeld), Kaba (Paris) and poet Dainell Aiken (NYC) for mesmerizing guest perfomances. Additional production work came from Hamburg dance producer Speckman and jazz outfit Jonas Gersema Trio.
Aaaand since we called him a Wunderkind: Be aware that he's not only a next level musician, but studied graphic designer, illustrator and most likely many more things. Just an example: Most recently he sold self-made perfumed candles through his D.I.Y. label and fashion brand Goddess Music. He obviously designed everything around the album, directed the music videos and merch drops are to be expected.
For us, brothers Lukas and Jonathan, the love story goes way back though. In the midst of the long gone lo-fi house hysteria (2017-2018) we discovered the Bielefeld native's dance floor productions, which fused hip-hop braggadocio with pumping electronic music. We kept following up on his ever evolving musical journey into new genres and felt super honored when he reached out to release his upcoming projects via Kommerz.

400 copies purple wax! Fold Out Poster, remastered & remixed by Eroc Welcome to the definitive Vortex. The LP you're holding has been on a journey, and no, not just shipping. Mouth's second after 2009's Rhizome, Vortex was mostly recorded in 2011 and 2012 over five sessions in a small space where the band rehearsed. Material was pieced together intermittently over a period of 11 months with Chris Koller handling guitar, keys and bass and Nick Mavridis on drums. That's where it started. Two construction projects: the studio and a recording that would help define the course of the band in classic and melodic progressive rock, happening almost simultaneously in a creative meta-narrative that could easily stand as analog for the depth of pieces like "Into the Light" or the sprawling "Vortex" itself, which opens the record (new and old editions) in an encompassing display of impulse and fluidity Through experiments in atmosphere like "March of the Cyclopes" and toward the finish of "Epilogue," Mouth married sounds that in other contexts would come up disparate, like finding a hidden magnetism between two north poles. Most of the Vortex songs were created on the spot in the studio.There would be no way to know it at the time, but this process would result in a collection of songs with a broad range, within as well as between the component tracks. "Parade" taps Sly Stone on the shoulder and asks if he wants to party (he does), while the penultimate "Soon After_" resonates with its smoky, mellow-jazz vibe. "Vortex" itself happens over six movements and was put together across different sessions, while "Epilogue" happened in a day. Dissatisfaction with the original mix - and when an album has as much put into its arrangements as Vortex, that balance matters - would lead Mouth to offer Out of the Vortex in 2020 as a collection of alternate versions of pieces like "Mountain" and "Parade," as well as the unreleased "Ready" and "Homagotago's Paddle Boat Trip," the latter an apparent successor to a cut from Floating. But sometimes a thing nestles itself into the back of your head and just won't leave, and Mouth's pursuit of a finished Vortex would lead them into the studio again. Koller handled the remix himself in Oct. 2023, and in addition to helming the new master, krautrock legend Eroc (who drummed in Grobschnitt) brought a gong to mark the beginning of "March of the Cyclopes." Like a lot of the finer touches on this Vortex, be it a hashed-out stretch in the title-track built on a drum/bass jam or just pulling the vocals and Hammond down a bit in "Epilogue," the result is a stylistic flourishing that was there all along throughout the journey and now can finally shine as the band intended. - JJ Koczan / Dec. 2023

In our 20th celebration year we welcome back Loz Goddard! It’s been quite a while since we last saw him on our label. With his standout debut collab release with Harry Wolfman in 2016 he has developed a unique mix of electronica, deep soundscapes and lush organic Deep House on labels such as “Oath”, “Razor N Tape”, “Church”, “Outplay” and “Apparel Music”. Now he finally returns with a mini album that features beautiful crafted ambient and electronica cuts paired with three upbeat tracks that will for sure shake the dance floors in and outdoors this summer! Enjoy!

In his own words, here are some insights on the influences and production process of these six pieces:

The release is named after a night in the White Hotel in Salford watching Skee Mask. At the time I had a bunch of unfinished ambient ideas as a result of making “Balloon Tree Road” (out on Oath). There were a lot of ideas I still loved that didn’t get finished for that release, so I set about finishing them late 2022 & early 2023 with the view to releasing an EP or ‘mini album’ that was again angled a bit more towards home-listening.

The more upbeat tracks are newer jams that I created in 2023. I wanted to include a few club-ready tracks on the record as well, so the release appeals to DJ’s as well as home listeners. I approached the production much like my past two records on Oath, with lots of live drum elements, some sampling and a mixing approach which keeps everything sound warm and organic. It’s rough round the edges - as has been the case with my productions of late - and offers a nice contrast to my DJ sets and radio shows at the moment, in which I am playing mostly Deep/Progressive House, Breaks & Techno. There’s some influence on the title track from the Deep & Lo-Fi House sound of artists like Baltra & Mall Grab, and I have taken influence from all the breaks I’ve been playing in DJ sets for ‘How’s This for a Vague Song Title’.

All tracks mastered by Salz Mastering in Cologne. Photography & Art by Break 3000.