Search:u bend

'Marasma Vussa is the Brainchild of Antonio Feola a long standing figure on the London music scene, Antonio has been running the Fish Factory Studio in Willesden, North London for over two decades now. Throughout the years, he has had a major role in helping many of the current lead players of the London scene have a place to record and define their sound.

Antonio's project Masmara has existed for over 30 years and here has found its place on record. Recorded on tape over time with some of the most sought after players in London and edited during the lockdown period, Vussa is an album of mind-bending deep, cosmic mediative jazz experiments. Boasting catchy melodies and heavy, heavy jazz breaks!'

Ever since jazz took its bop and free turn, each generation solved this eternal equation: how do you reconcile serious music and simple pleasure? On each of these occasions opinion was divided between orthodoxy and hedonism.

Trained in the theoretical rigours of classical music and jazz, experts on their instruments, and brought up on hip-hop culture, techno and house club scenes, Matthieu Llodra and Arthur Donnot - composers of KUMA – go against the conventional rules because they like to challenge their musical boundaries.

"Honey & Groat" is just like a bear (KUMA in Japanese, emblem of the band): behind the sweetness and apparent placidity, plenty of power. The resulting urban groove is reminiscent of 70's soul jazz with a contemporary sound: where instrumental talent meets pop simplicity.

Rare Americans 3: Jamesy Boy & The Screw Loose Zoo is the third installment of the "Rare Americans" album series by the genre-bending Vancouver punks, Rare Americans. Helmed by bandleader, James Priestner, the band consists of fellow songwriter and brother Jared Priestner, Slovak guitarists Lubo Ivan and Jan Cajka, and drummer Duran Ritz. The four piece band experiments not only with a new character-driven universe but its widest variety of instruments to date. The album features the singles "Rhythm Kitchen (feat. D Smoke)," "Baby Boy," & "Walkin' n Talkin'," each accompanied by their own self-produced animated video. This is an invitation to walk into Rare Americans' world of colorful characters and stories – So what are you waiting for?

Unlearn is the long awaited fourth album of DJ and producer 2econd Class Citizen. It marks the artist's return back to the newly relaunched label Equinox Records. Their previous collaborations achieved high acclaim for their genre bending fusion of hip hop, electronica and folk music.

The new album is an exploration of an artist journeying beyond their conventional confines. It is a musical adventure peppered with vintage samples concerning the perception of reality and our struggles with conforming to a broken society.

Unlearn is the most musically accomplished work of 2econd Class Citizen to date. As one would expect the drum programming, scratching and production is on point. Several tracks feature soothingly melodic and energetic passages of jazz saxophone from Leroy Horns and electric guitar riffs provided by long term collaborator Paul Drury.

2econd Class Citizen, real name Aaron Thomason, resides in Brighton, UK. He is also a painter and visual artist fascinated with abstraction and the chaos of mixing colours. His musical approach on the new LP draws many parallels to this creative process. An original painting from the artist forms the albums striking cover.

Equinox Records is run by DJ Scientist in Germany. The Unlearn project marks the 51st release and provides the perfect launch vehicle for the dormant label to rise again. The vinyl release of Unlearn as well as the single Be Together signify the first stops in a release plan which will please fans of the label.

FEEDBACK:

"Woah! It's sounds rad! Really heavy and cinematic!"
Kid Koala

"A dark and deep dive into a world of dense and diced samples and moody muted melodies. Would sit well next to Shadow's freakier forays into fractured funk. Or Format's last psychy LP, for sure."
DJ Moneyshot of The Allergies

"I love it. The new treatments with the additional instruments sound great, especially the horns. Glad to see that Equinox is back in action. Dope cover art."
Dday One

"It sounds like 2econd Class Citizen has been at a mountaintop retreat studying and meditating and came back with some superpowers."
Buddy Peace

Australian art-punk combo Tropical Fuck Storm continues its hot streak of brain-bending releases with Moonburn, a maxi-single cassette on Joyful Noise Recordings. Side A offers the new song, "Moonburn," a ballad in the classic TFS style written and sung by Gareth Liddiard. Fiona Kitschin steps up to the microphone on "Ann," a cover of The Stooges that swaps Ron Asheton's scorching guitar part for a deranged sound collage of guitar freakouts, siren noises, and electronics. Side B includes an acoustic take on the fan-favorite song "Aspirin (Slight Return)" and a haunting cover of Talking Heads' "Heaven."

Not content with a double 12” of acid drenched delinquency, Schrödinger’s Box have drafted in four 303 addicts to bring their own acrid fire to Hard Ton’s Bigger is Better.

To get the bitter ball rolling, Larionov opens. Known for his dark electro and EBM leanings, this reinterpretation of “Transcend Your Body” is a bruiser of throbbing pulses, lancing lines and stabbing synths to pierce the fog and strobe. Rude 66 follows with his beloved vocoder doing battle with Massimo Bastasi’s original vocals. The result is a duel of distant rhythms and shimmering wordplay. The flip sees Nightwave on the attack. Brawny beats elbow lyrics in this driving audio onslaught. Bulging rusted basslines crush speaker cones as a blistering remake takes hold, blasts of body bending brutalism turning Hard Ton’s original into an even sweatier brute. An artist born and raised on analogue squawk and squelch finishes. Posthuman, one of the infamous figures behind the I Love Acid nights, takes the tongue-in-cheek Brit Pop flashback of “Girls and Boys” and contorts it into a grimy Chicago jam.

Pronounced 'CLIT DRIP' for those confused or too shy to ask, CLT DRP have been turning heads since 2017. The genre-bending trio's non-apologetic and yet playful approach has seen them garner praise from TheLineOfBestFit, Gigwise, and plenty more. Their music gets you moving, invites you in with power, and makes you question your environment and yourself. In their time, CLT DRP have already supported Nova Twins, Warmduscher, among others, and performed at 2000trees and ArcTanGent festivals.

Fantastic Oakland, California-based ensemble ORCHESTRA GOLD offers up a kaleidoscope of sound deeply rooted in the Malian tradition while introducing a genre-bending nod to the future through their rare and artful fusion of African Psychedelic Rock. Spearheaded by the dynamic MARIAM DIAKITE, whose raw and hypnotic vocal stylings deliver heartfelt and thought-provoking lyrics in the highly symbolic Bambara language. While paying homage to Malian musical traditions, this fierce new sound is supported by heavy swinging rhythms, a funky fresh brass section and cosmic guitar licks.

A1 Somber ambience and dark drones pair well with small, silent melodies and form this perfect teaser track by Ninze & Niju.

A2 With their well-known ear for details, Ninze & Niju deliver the soundtrack for riding your skateboard through deserted downtown past midnight.

A3 Another signature tune by genre-defining NInze & Niju, bringing together hushed drum patterns and filtered organs to this mind-boggling brain bender.

B1 Not much time is wasted when rhythmic layers, driving arpeggios and moving percussion slowly unite to this hypnotic peak time beast to be unleashed by Ninze & Niju.

B2 This pretty straightforward, yet hard-to-grasp track unfolds in too many layers to leave you calm - another twisted tune for bare feet in morning dew.

(Vinyl Re-Issue)


TROUBLE’s comeback album “Simple Mind Condition” re-issued as deluxe 2CD edition, features a fantastic “Greatest Hits” set played live, known as “Live in Stockholm 2003” on CD 2, all fully remastered! Here we have Trouble returning with “Simple Mind Condition”, after a long hiatus (twelve years had passed since the release of “Plastic Green Head”), taking once more to the skies of metal. Some complaints and criticism followed upon its release which are not really fair. Although fat and doomy stomps as on “Psalm 9” and “The Skull” are not present in abundance, nor are the stoner metal speed assaults of the self-titled “Trouble”, but neither those have been present really since the self-titled came out. “Manic Frustration” was a killer album, no doubt, but different being focussed on hard rock and not the doom and stoner influences. “Plastic Green Head” remedied this problem, to impressive standards and resulted in another great Trouble album. This album features songs that are well-written and have a lot of sludgy stoner hooks, and are drenched in Eric Wagner’s (R.I.P.) woe-is-me penmanship. Overall, a very good album, a convincing album worth your listening time. Those expecting the past could be a little bit disappointed, but those who will give the time to this album will find a hidden treasure in it. We decided to add a true gem to the re-issue, being the full set from their reunion show in November 2003, recorded live in Stockholm, Sweden. This is nothing short but an absolute fantastic Trouble live-set and the tracklist will speak for itself, all killer no filler!

Collettivo Immaginario invites listeners on a glittering journey of cosmic escapism with the release of Trasforma, their debut album out September 23 on LA-based label, Domanda Music. The instrumental collective was founded in Northern Italy by drummer Tommaso Cappellato, bass player Nicolò Masetto and pianist Alberto Lincetto as a creative laboratory in which to explore the worldly musical influences that inspired them. Through experimentation that draw on the traditions of eclectic jazz, funk and electronica, Trasforma distills the ebullient energy of the trio’s acclaimed live performances into a lush and cinematic studio album, subtly paying homage to genre-bending giants such as Azymuth, Lonnie Liston Smith, Herbie Hancock and Italian film composers Piero Piccioni and Piero Umiliani.

Garden Gaia is a part of Pantha du Prince’s ongoing exploration into the theme of ‘humans as nature’, a theme previously explored on his records Elements of Light (recorded with The Bell Laboratory) and 2020’s Conference of Trees.

Pantha du Prince on Garden Gaia: “There are scientists who say that we humans are ocean that’s been folded together. My music is about raising consciousness, about describing the reality of life and the lost paradise through the means of music. It’s about entering a free space and developing a maximum degree of openness and sensitivity to our bodies – to our mental states and the atmosphere that surrounds us. It’s about mindfulness and a high level of awareness towards what’s happening around and within us. I’ve poured all of these experiences into Garden Gaia as music. And that’s to be taken in the literal sense of ‘pouring,’ since we belong to a flowing process on this planet. A tree also flows into the air, just as it’s connected to other trees beneath the ground through currents of communication. Our lungs flow into our bodies. And as embryos, we were flowing beings. The question is: to what extent can we adult humans continue to flow?”

Vinyl Only

Following his maiden collaboration project with the immensely talented Furz, Ali Demir is not looking to slow things down any time soon with his record label. The Iceland-based label is not only carrying the aesthetic set in this debut but delving further into it. Distrakt Audio proudly presents the secret ingredient, the multi-talented Patagonian soul and Pryma Records co-owner, Dani Labb!

Up first is Dani Labb's mind-bending, bass-driven groove, "Atemporal" that builds through signature drums and dystopic pads. It's an absolute club cut. Followed by a darker one, "Adori Vita Vis" is a perfect sound for that meditative, hazy, late morning mood.

Much like the previous release, Ali provides the pleasure of his calm and refreshing, yet unique take of dancefloor heaters. "Rewind the Mind" is a hypnotic bass jam, tightened with deeply atmospheric pads and sparkled with floating synth lines. It's a must-have opener. "Trip to Andes" is a subtle club cut offering a juicy sub bassline that propels the track forward and balances it with dreamy melodic elements. This post-pandemic masterpiece is a surefire filled with instant all-timer dancefloor hitters.

Basslines like a clumsy, exuberant puppy. A braid of guitar notes tickling your neck. The jittery buoyance of a marimba, so cartoonish you can picture its unblinking technicolor eyes. A snare that cracks like every friend knocking on your door at once. These are the fragmentary beats and visions that Josh Diamond and Eric Copeland spent the last two years exchanging, the magnetic, romantic, completely unashamed chunks stacked into the bubbling delight of "Riders on the Storm." These two are, yes, known for vastness, transcendence, and suffocation. Eric is a founding member of Black Dice, weaponizers of volume, misdirection, and alien language. Josh is a founding member of Gang Gang Dance, whose haunted, murky explorations drag listeners to infinite, irreversible revelations. Given these pedigrees, it's natural to anticipate their collaboration as an itchy, opaque monolith. Within the shit and terror of 2022 it's even understandable to yearn for something like that. But "Riders" with its light heart and wiggle and squirm is actually the record we need. "It's intentional," confirmed Josh of the record's lightness: "just wanting to make the opposite of what's going on outside." Eric reinforced this feeling of liberation and inversion, recalling the freedom of sharing unfinished ideas, of trusting Josh's creativity. "Nobody was vying for anything," he explained, "we were just trying to do it for each other." The completed exchange of sound unrolls like a laughter-filled conversation, Josh and Eric each banking on the other's improvements and re-configurations. The most remarkable thing about this trust, this generosity, is how their pair have managed to invite listeners into it, making everyone a part of this free-spirited dance. "Riders on the Storm" is the first full length collaboration between Josh Diamond and Eric Copeland, following their contribution to Mary Staubitz and Russ Waterhouse's 2020 `Distant Duos' project. It was recorded and mixed with the guidance of Ivan Berko (Hidden Fees, Ghost Exits). In addition to their work with Black Dice and Gang Gang Dance, Eric and Josh are both solo artists. Diamond released his debut solo album, "Seek Rips," in 2021. Copeland released his 16th solo album, "Spiral Stairs," in 2022.

The illustrious memotone debuts on Accidental Meetings, with a sublime & wonderful thirteen-track LP... Huge tip

The next installment for the AM imprint is headed up by the critically acclaimed artist, memotone. Following previous work for entities such as Black Acre, Disktopia & Termina. Not to mention supplying instrumentation for Batu's debut album, and scoring works for Palace Skateboards.

The multi-instrumentalist showcases his entire repertoire within Clever Dog, thirteen emotive and ambitious tracks traversing between back-alley jazz, low-slung experimental & blissful ambient oddities.

memotone's discography is vast, however, this release truly stands out as a masterpiece. Enough words - dive in.

Sunny Sweeney, a genre-bending songwriting spitfire who has spent equal time in the rich musical traditions of Texas and Tennessee, returns with 'Married Alone', the celebrated singer-songwriter’s fifth studio album and the follow-up to 2017’s critically acclaimed 'Trophy'. Co-produced by beloved Texas musician and larger-than-life personality Paul Cauthen and the Texas Gentlemen’s multi-hyphenate Beau Bedford, Married Alone is Sweeney’s finest work yet, bringing together confessional songwriting, image-rich narratives and no shortage of sonic surprises for a loosely conceptual album about loss and healing. "Before I made this album, I did two things I’d never done before. I saw Stevie Nicks in concert with Fleetwood Mac, and I toured with Bob Seger. While Waylon and Loretta are tattooed on my heart and I’m deep-rooted in fiddle, steel, and twangy telecaster, this time, I channelled my deep love for rock icons Stevie, Tom Petty, Neil Young and Bob Seger in a way I never have before. I married ethereal rock vibes with the grit of a country lyric. Paul Cauthen took the helm as producer and brought in the stellar Beau Bedford and Jeff Saenz to complete the trifecta to get the sound we were going for. The majority of the album was recorded at Modern Electric Sound Recorders in Dallas, TX and features some of the band members I play with every night on tour. I want my fans to be able to take home that live experience, the guitar tones, fiddle solos - I leave everything on the stage each night and I want people to feel that in this recording."

Unstoppable Ukrainian metalcore unit SPACE OF VARIATIONS ascend to the next level of mind-bending modern metal on their upcoming, in-your-face full-length, IMAGO, out March 18, 2022. Following their 2019 Napalm Records debut, the XXXXX EP, the unbridled outfit breaks new ground and transcends all expectations with their exciting and undeniably fresh second studio album. IMAGO’s multifaceted, cathartic delivery seamlessly mixes gut-punching hardcore riffs and catastrophic breakdowns with colorful electronics, brutalizing vocals and, at times, trance-like synth – exploring elements of djent, hip-hop and even hyperpop influence along the way. The album’s addictively erratic, emotive atmosphere echoes their spontaneous live performance; having previously toured with modern metal giants JINJER, the four-piece relentlessly smashed European stages while captivating each listener with futuristic stylings reverberating the likes of Bring Me The Horizon, Architects, Norma Jean and LANDMVRKS. Furiously crashing opener “SOMEONE ELSE” sets free the uncompromising spirit of SPACE OF VARIATIONS – instantly breaking down genres and placing a forceful exclamation mark at the start with smashing instrumentation and a feverish vocal and lyrical assault by Dmytro Kozhukhar and Olexii Zatserkovnyi. Devastatingly heavy “1M followers” takes no prisoners from the first second and features a hefty appearance from former Asking Alexandria vocalist Denis Stoff, resulting in a fearless, addictive metalcore banger. Tracks like eponymous “IMAGO” and intense mid-tempo “Serial Killer” emphasize the multifaceted nature of SPACE OF VARIATIONS with sporadically scaled-back instrumentation and emotion turned to 10. On the contrary, previously released penultimate post-hardcore dystopia “Ultrabeat” delivers bone-crushing beats and is by far no stranger to the band’s devotees. Closing with an insane verse from Ukrainian rap sensation ALYONA ALYONA, the track undeniably marks a milestone in the unit’s soon-to-be revered history while representing the seething desire to expand all limits of songwriting and creativity. This mindset embodies SPACE OF VARIATIONS and their sonically boggling ode to the future, IMAGO. 1. SINGLE - EN Unstoppable Ukrainian metalcore unit SPACE OF VARIATIONS steps up its game with hard-hitting opener “SOMEONE ELSE” from the upcoming full-length album IMAGO. Previously touring with modern metal giants JINJER, the five-piece already smashed numerous stages across Europe. “SOMEONE ELSE” promises aggressive screams, charging transitions and deadly synth parts straight to your face. Stay tuned for this futuristic metal monster called SPACE OF VARIATIONS! 2. SINGLE - EN Unstoppable Ukrainian metalcore unit SPACE OF VARIATIONS drifts off into distant universes with their second single “vein.mp3” from the upcoming full-length IMAGO. Previously touring with modern metal giants JINJER, the five-piece already smashed numerous stages across Europe. Like a bestial alien, "vein.mp3" goes wild with its shattering drums, thudding bass, heavily distorted guitars and evil screams. Beware of this musical demon called SPACE OF VARIATIONS! 3. SINGLE - EN Unstoppable Ukrainian metalcore unit SPACE OF VARIATIONS reveals its album title track “IMAGO” from the upcoming full-length IMAGO. Previously touring with modern metal giants JINJER, the five-piece already smashed numerous stages across Europe. With melodic, yet distorted and heavy riffing, booming drums and deep growls, "IMAGO" proves itself as SPACE OF VARIATIONS’ anthem! 

Status/Non-Status have spent untold hours gazing out the passenger
side windows of a succession of band vans, watching the country go by
That feeling of observing from a moving object, being somehow both in a place
and outside of it, looking in, is what the band captures on Surely Travel. The
album is a travelogue; a series of snapshots, rooted in history and landscape but
relentlessly looking forward, through the windshield, straining to see what might
be waiting just around the next bend in the road.
Surely Travel trades the band's long-established sludgy, heavy sound (as heard on
2019's Polaris Prize nominated album Warrior Down, released under the band's
previous name Whoop- Szo) for a bold musical clarity and powerfully narrative
lyrics, intense truth seeking, and a heart on the sleeve expression.
Status/Non-Status follow up the 1,2,3,4,500 Years EP and Ombiigizi, band-leader
Adam Sturgeon's collaboration with Zoon, with the anthemic and powerful Surely
Travel.

The ground- breaking, unique jazz/R&B/pop group Brian Auger & The Trinity were formed from the ashes of Long John Baldry’s and Brian Auger’s previous group bandThe Steampacket, an R&B Revue collective, which also featured a then barely known Rod Stewart and Julie Driscoll.

Adding the UKs then greatest soul/pop singer Julie Driscoll to this new collective meant that not only did the band have a unique, beautiful voice and face to front the group – Driscoll also embodied everything about the 1960s fashionable It Girl; her sound, her clothes, hair styles and make up assured that nearly as many column inches were dedicated to her stylish demeanour as much as the band’s genre bending music.

The group were the one of the first too to intentionally set out to break down musical barriers – Brian himself specifically stated in the sleeve notes for 1968s ‘Definitely What!’ album that his concept “lies along a straight line drawn between pop and jazz and aims at the ‘fusion’ of both elements”. ‘Fusion’ at that time was not even a recognised musical term, reinforcing Auger’s credentials as an originator and innovator.

“Back then the jazz audiences were purists. They really looked down on rock and pop,” he explains. “I had people cross the road when they saw me coming, I was persona non grata at Ronnie Scotts because of themusic we were doing and the clothes we were wearing”.

Happily – audiences of the time didn’t take the same dismissive approach, Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity toured the US and had exploded onto American TV screens as guests of The Monkees, and also scored hits across Europe's pop charts via the singles ‘This Wheels On Fire’ & ‘Save Me’ – but simultaneously appeared on the UK’s ‘Top Of The Pops’ in the same month as headlining major European Jazz Festivals – a feat no other act has equalled since.

Between 1967 and ’70, Brian Auger experienced a four year run of unprecedented creativity – 1967’s Open with Julie Driscoll, 1968’s Definitely What!, 1969’s Streetnoise again with Driscoll and 1970’s Befour – taking the Hammond Organ in new directions with their thrilling fusion of club R&B, jazz and psychedelic cool, engaging both the underground and the mainstream, and bringing the group chart success in the UK and Europe. “I look back on my years with The Trinity as aperiod of discovery,” Auger concludes. “I didn’t know what would happen or where it would take me but we were breaking down barriers and going someplace new.”


King Britt “The Multi-Genre Maestro, Brian Auger is every producer and DJ’s secret weapon. A hero who deserves his flower now”

DJ Format “I have more Brian Auger records in my collection than any other British artist, which says more about my love of his music than words ever could"


FOR FANS OF:
Jimmy Smith, Aretha Franklin, The Spencer Davis
Group, Nina Simone, Georgie Fame, Traffic. Sly &
The Family Stone, Jimmy McGriff.

Middle Eastern psych-rock collective Al-Qasar"s debut album is an explosive mix of heavy Arabian grooves, global psychedelia and North African trance music. The band calls it "Arabian fuzz." Brazenly electric yet deeply connected to their roots, guests include Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) and Alsarah (Alsarah & The Nubatones). Mixed by Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey). Al-Qasar was born in the Barbès neighbourhood of Paris," explains band leader Thomas Attar Bellier. "I"ve lived in Los Angeles, Paris, New York, Lisbon... I wanted to start a project that was in tune with the daily life of people living in these international cities, something diverse, radically colourful, with a fresh, contemporary outlook on what societies really look like today". The musicians came together from France, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and the United States. Shows followed, first in France, then in Europe and the Middle East. They put out an EP, the widely-lauded Miraj, recorded in Cairo. In the same time frame, Attar Bellier collaborated with the likes of Emel Mathlouthi and Dina El Wedidi, two of the most exciting names in contemporary Arab music. Drawing on years of experience working in Los Angeles studios, Attar Bellier produced the album. Who Are We? translates the sound that inhabited his head into something physical that stirs spirit, heart and feet. It is relentless and insistent, like a psychedelic celebration on the dancefloor, bristling with the kind of deep energy that makes Al-Qasar sound like the world"s most dangerous wedding band. During those years spent behind the control board, Attar Bellier made some good friends in the US, and they"ve been eager to help out on the project. Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey) mixed the record, and Grammy-winner Dave Collins mastered it. The Dead Kennedys" Jello Biafra was a natural addition to "Ya Malak," his inimitable voice reciting a translation of Egyptian revolutionary poet Ahmed Fouad Negm, elevating the record"s social critique while showcasing the first-ever English recording of Negm"s work. Jello Biafra is not the only punk hero to appear on Who Are We? Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth layers textured, brooding guitar over the first two cuts, "Awtar Al Sharq" and "Awal." The sweeping drones embrace the Moroccan bendir groove to magical results. "Lee sent me upwards of eighteen guitar tracks," says Attar Bellier in amazement. "It was enough for an entire EP, and all so good. The hard part was deciding what not to use. Lee"s vibe just fit perfectly with what I was trying to do with the track." Who Are We? is an exhilarating album. Its intensity never wavers, music that pulls from the hypnotic roots of North African trance and threads it into a fabric with the elaborate beauty of Arabic scales and the shock and thrill of rock"n"roll. It is modern folklore, a reflection of the cross-cultural societies we"ve become.