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A few words for the album
Moment’s Aeternity:
a 12/8 composition celebrating the raw power of the “moment”, marked by whirling improvised moments between drums, bass clarinet and Harris P’s Armenian duduk.

Pajko, fire in the forest on the mountain:
in Sokratis own words: “I have a really vivid memory as a child. I was staring at the Djena mountain from my window in Archangellos which sits on the Pajko mountain. A little beam of light shone far in the horizon; it was a fire that in my little eyes looked as if the giants of Almopia were trying to communicate with each other using phryktoria (a way of contacting through fire in Ancient Greece).”

Footprints of some Giant Steps:
While the classic compositions of two true Jazz Giants- Wayne Shorter and John Coltrane- are certainly different, they do both connect in a mystical way. Rearranged in 5/8 combining half of each melody and half of each one’s chord progression, keeping the form of the piece for improvisation, still in 5.

Oson Zeis Fainou (Seikilo’s Epitaph):
found in a tomb stone in the Northeast of Greece, this is the only melody saved from the ancient times. It is accompanied by lyrics contemplating the meaning of life:
Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν τὸ τέλος ὁ xρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.
‘’While you live, shine
don’t feel blue for anything because our life is short and time demands an end.’’

Here is to Oghene K:
’’Hey man, where is the groove?’’, he would say, just to trigger another wave of inspiration for Sokratis. Oghene was a true force of nature, a well of kindness, a masterful artist that left this world too early. This one is for him.

Balkan Riff (for Milcho Leviev):
Milcho Leviev (1936-2019), was a long-time friend and collaborator and a true inspiration for expression, creativity and colorfulness. Expressing the deep sentiments evoked by the Balkan sound and history, this is a sorrowful dialogue between bass clarinet and contrabass.

Spirits of Djena:
one of the most esoteric and personal moments of the album. Composed and recorded during the challenging times of the COVID-era, you can hear the baritone and tenor saxophone firmly grounded on a crispy, hypnotizing contrabass groove.

Sokratis Votskos Quartet
Kostas Anastasiadis / Giorgos Klountzos - Chrysidis: Drums
Leandros Pasias: Piano
Vaggelis Vrachnos: Contrabass
Sokratis Votskos: Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet and Compositions


Sokratis Votskos is a jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, educator, and bandleader from Greece. Deeply invested in unearthing the folk sounds and heritage music of Greece and Eastern Europe, he weaves these into modern jazz compositions though the use of melodies, polyrhythms, and his reedy, timeless tone. He leads the Sokratis Votskos Quartet, he is one half of Kolida Babo and member of the Reggetiko Project. A highly regarded sideman and ensemble player, he has worked extensively with renowned jazz musicians with several highly acclaimed releases (MiC, Jazzman, Walt Disney and now Fair Weather Friends Records).

He has performed his music in numerous venues and festivals worldwide from Vinterjazz in Copenhagen, to the EFG London Jazz Festival where he performed at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s alongside Greg Foat.

He is also an archaeoacoustics researcher and enthusiast, having completed his Master studies on the field of ancient ritualistic caves of Greece research.

Leandros Pasias was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. At age 10 was introduced to piano, continuing his studies at the Modern Conservatory of Thessaloniki and later at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in the department of jazz piano.Ηe holds a classical harmony diploma and a BA at the Department of Music Studies at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. In 2020 he received jazz improvisation lessons from Aaron Parks.

With a series of appearances in multiple international jazz festivals, Leandros has collaborated with a wide range of musicians from Nicolas Masson and James Wylie to Marina Osk, Ivo Papasov and Haris Lambrakis, among others.

A member of the Yako Trio, he released “OdesSea” on Fair Weather Friends Records (2021).

Vangelis Vrachnos was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1989. While he started playing the bass at the age of 12, alongside his brother, his studies would commence a few years later. Introduced to double bass at the age of 23, he undertook jazz double bass studies at the Codarts Αcademy of Rotterdam. He has participated in several festivals such as the Technopolis and Odessa international jazz festivals. Since returning to his hometown, in 2015, he has been a founding member of Mordana and Yako Trio and has collaborated with a series of musicians like James Wyllie, Sokrates Votskos and Dimitis Agelakis, among others.

Kostas Anastasiadis is a tireless researcher, that has been diligently studying Tradition and its evolution, creating a fresh amalgam of sound moods. His mature improvisational virtuosity highlights a uniquely individual artistic expression and was recognized with the ̈Unique Individual Stylist" award by the PIT (Percussion Institute of Technology) in Los Angeles, California. He has been associated with various ensembles that have garnered significant interest in the global music scene. As an educator, he is the founder of "The Harmony of Rhythm" musical method, which aims to explore and establish the elements that constitute the concept of rhythm.

Giorgos Klountzos-Chrysidis was born in Thessaloniki in 1991. Following studies at the Modern Conservatory of Thessaloniki, he moved to France and the Conservatoire de Nice. With performances at well-known festivals like Nice Jazz Festival, Nuits du Sud and Jazz à Vienne, he had the opportunity to meet the American drummer Leon Parker, who encouraged him to move to Paris, where he spent the next two years under his tutoring and guidance.

In 2016, came a defining moment in his career as he traveled to New York for the first time. He participated in the quartet of saxophonist Diego Rivera for a series of performances and attended lessons by Rodney Whitaker and Randy "Uncle G" Gelispie at Michigan's State University.

Collaborations include Xavier Davis, Ricky Ford, Nicolas Masson, Diego Rivera, Craig Bailey, Baptiste Herbin, Marc Abrams, Pantelis Stoikos, Antonis Anissegos, David Lynch, Ziad Rajab and Ivo Papasov, among others.

Death Is Not The End follow up their early 2020 tape The Sun Is Setting on the World with a further collection of hardcore rebetika recordings from the 1930s through to late '50s. More songs of sorrow, poverty, loss and the end of the world.

DOUBLE VINYL ALBUM RELEASE

Kraak & Smaak Announce New Album Velvet Seas.

Dutch electronic pioneers Kraak & Smaak return with their highly anticipated seventh studio

album, Velvet Seas. Penned and produced between their hometown of Leiden and the sun-

drenched sprawl of Los Angeles, the album channels a rich seam of West Coast psychedelia,

deep funk roots, and that unmistakable K&S groove, all wrapped in shimmering synths and

electronic soul.

The record captures the essence of the band's genre-defying journey, blending radiant nostalgia

with forward-thinking production. True to form, the Dutch trio have enlisted an eclectic roll-call of

collaborators: from the dreamy stylings of Kosta G (formerly known as PWNT and memebr of Rio Kosta) and Butter Bath to the powerhouse

vocals of Izo FitzRoy, plus contributions from The Undercover Dream Lovers, Kainalu, Iogi, and

longtime live partners IVAR and Berenice van Leer.

With hundreds of millions of streams under their belt and a legacy as industry tastemakers, Kraak

& Smaak are set to take Velvet Seas to the global stage, with a world tour slated for next year.

Childhood Drop Out’z - compiled by Childhood Intelligence (Tokyo/Berlin) & Tone Drop Out (London, UK). Timeless 2x12 featuring traxx by E-Control, Konerytmi, Soft Pioneer, Basement Space, Alphonse & Sween, Skywave Transmission vs. XOTR, Kostas G, DAWL, ZOTS and Electrodefender. A solid time travel into the early ages of Uk Bleep, Acid, Breakbeat, Techno and House - born in 2022.

The Topics waren eine Soul-Vocal-Band aus New York, die vor allem in den 1960/1970ern aktiv war und zunächst als The Uniteds startete. Im Laufe der Jahre kamen und gingen verschiedene Mitglieder. Ihre Singles, angefangen bei der Debüt-7" "The Girl In My Dreams" (1962) erschienen bei kleinen Labels, mit Ausnahme der beiden Songs auf vorliegender Expansion-Reissue, die 1973 direkt hintereinander bei Mercury Records erschienen. "Booking Up Baby" wurde von Dennis Williams (The O'Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, Jean Carn) co-produziert, der auch den Van McCoy-Song "Giving Up" arrangierte. Beide Soultracks sind anspruchsvoll und begehrt, eine Originalpressung kostet auf Discogs bis zu 850 Pfund.

Eevo Lute originator Wladimir M. shares another chapter of his precious techno poetry. "When I was nine years old, I heard 'Funkytown' on the radio of the pool attendant over and over again. I still go to that pool. In the mid-eighties, everyone at my high school knew 'Don't Go'. And I turned sixteen, or seventeen. And was blown away by the bass line of Los 'Ninos Del Parque'. I heard it for the first time in the dark, one of the first times in that discotheque. The bass line was so atypical that I kept losing it, there in that stuffy classroom where a teacher was telling us about 'economics'. And where Peter, who was sitting next to me, was talking about 'Computer World'. And further away there was Chicago House, little did we know. I was born for it." Wladimir M. (1968), 2024

Neunzehn pointierte Betrachtungen zu allen möglichen und unmöglichen Aspekten des Lebens, und das in unter 44 Minuten: Tempo, verzerrte Powerchords und eingängige Melodien sind die Hauptzutaten für den GRUSS AUS DER KÜCHE, das neue Album von Ernte 77. Die Songs sind wieder kürzer geworden, die Ideendichte dafür höher. Ohne Verschnaufpause geht es von einem lyrischen Mikrokosmos zum nächsten, während sich notorisch durch die (nicht nur) Punk-Historie zitiert wird. Das Album ist eine bandtypische Gratwanderung zwischen harmonischen Refrains und anstrengendem Gekreische. Ernte 77 ziehen in DIY-Manier unbeirrt weiter ihr Ding durch und bleiben deshalb eine der eigensten Punkbands, im besten Sinne des Wortes.

Verdammt, es ist schon wieder passiert! Nicht nur haben ADAM ANGST ein neues Album aufgenommen, ihr drittes, nein, sie haben auch schon wieder Songs geschrieben, die so gnadenlos perfekt ins gesellschaftliche, deutsche Jetzt passen, dass es wirklich wehtut. Denn sagen wir mal so: Es sieht nicht gut aus. Für uns alle. Das dritte Album von Felix Schönfuss, David Frings, Roman Hartmann, Christian Kruse und Johannes Koster hört auf den Namen "TWIST" und erscheint am 17.11.2023 über Grand Hotel van Cleef. Die erste Single aus dem Album heißt "Die Lösung für deine Probleme", und ist leider, leider, leider heute aktueller als 2021, als der Song ursprünglich geschrieben wurde.

Verdammt, es ist schon wieder passiert! Nicht nur haben ADAM ANGST ein neues Album aufgenommen, ihr drittes, nein, sie haben auch schon wieder Songs geschrieben, die so gnadenlos perfekt ins gesellschaftliche, deutsche Jetzt passen, dass es wirklich wehtut. Denn sagen wir mal so: Es sieht nicht gut aus. Für uns alle. Das dritte Album von Felix Schönfuss, David Frings, Roman Hartmann, Christian Kruse und Johannes Koster hört auf den Namen "TWIST" und erscheint am 17.11.2023 über Grand Hotel van Cleef. Die erste Single aus dem Album heißt "Die Lösung für deine Probleme", und ist leider, leider, leider heute aktueller als 2021, als der Song ursprünglich geschrieben wurde.

Clear Vinyl

Dutch singer and songwriter Caroline Van der Leeuw is back - with a new name, a new sound, a new mission. Emphasising the depth and breadth of her artistic transformation, Nowhere Near The Sky (produced By David Kosten - Bat For Lashes, Everything Everything) is The Jordan"s extraordinary, game-changing debut album, a new chapter that comprehensively rewrites Caroline"s story as former singer of Dutch pop group Caro Emerald. Gone is the jazz, the swing, the Latin rhythms, the rockabilly, the heavily stylised wardrobe. In their place: total candour and unvarnished truth, vocals purer and more powerful than anything she has recorded before, trip-hop and folktronica textures that wrap her voice in magic and mystery, and songwriting that, after years of doubt and repressed feelings, finally pulls back the veil.

Dutch singer and songwriter Caroline Van der Leeuw is back - with a new name, a new sound, a new mission. Emphasising the depth and breadth of her artistic transformation, Nowhere Near The Sky (produced By David Kosten - Bat For Lashes, Everything Everything) is The Jordan"s extraordinary, game-changing debut album, a new chapter that comprehensively rewrites Caroline"s story as former singer of Dutch pop group Caro Emerald. Gone is the jazz, the swing, the Latin rhythms, the rockabilly, the heavily stylised wardrobe. In their place: total candour and unvarnished truth, vocals purer and more powerful than anything she has recorded before, trip-hop and folktronica textures that wrap her voice in magic and mystery, and songwriting that, after years of doubt and repressed feelings, finally pulls back the veil.

Having already explored the archives of a number of overlooked Greek composers, Into The Light is now turning its attention to the uncharted territory of Greek film soundtracks of the 70s and 80s - a boom period for mystical, transcendental arthouse cinema in Greece.

GOST: A Spiritual Exploration into Greek Soundtracks (1975-1989) is a passion project from the Greek filmmaker and composer Yannis Veslemes, that took years of engagement, exhaustive research and persistence. The collection features a mixture of rare, hard-to-find and previously unreleased material from musicians and composers including Yannis Kostidakis, Thesia, Dimitris Papadimitriou, Michalis Christodoulides, Stamatis Spanoudakis, Haris Xanthoudakis, Vangelis Katsoulis and Charlotte Van Gelder . All material is accompanied by detailed linear notes from the curator Veslemes, explaining the stories behind the tracks and the movies they first featured on.

The compilation celebrates the inventiveness and experimentation of Greek soundtrack composers in the ‘70s and ‘80s, by presenting a surprising mixture of musical hybrids that bridge the worlds of electronic and acoustic music, and compositions that bring together Western and Eastern musical traditions, in uniquely idiosyncratic ways.

Avont is a music project by Amsterdam based artist Arjan Timmermans The music on Avont's #1 EP was mainly created with the use of a four-track tape machine, guitar, hardware synths and a eurorack modular synthesizer. Avont juxtaposes the element of chance and the glitches that are inherent in the use of tape loops, with meticulous sound design and synthesizer programming.

Genres that influenced this collection of recordings range from krautrock and noise to jazz and ambient. This resulted in combining atmospheric tape loops with the lush Rhodes piano improvisations of Onno Beukenhorst on "Camtas", while the ambient of "Even" is based on a classic jazz chord progression. Arjan Timmermans studied music at London's Middlesex University, has been a successful sound designer for creative brands such as Van Gogh Museum and Bas Kosters and gained notoriety with new wave and electro infused solo performances in European clubs in the early 00's. For the music on this EP, he was equally influenced by electronic acts like Bitchin Bajas, the krautrock of Harmonia and jazz artists such as Jakob Bro and The Necks.

Unobvious Creative Studio created the concept & design for the cover. They asked Amsterdam based collage artist Dewy Karouw to create artwork. Dewy combined fragments of black and white photo's from vintage adult magazines. By omitting the genitals of the original photos, she prevents an explicit sexual image, in favour of sensual, organic shapes. By adding geometric shapes and colour to these images, Unobvious found a way to underpin the contrast of organic and artificial sounds found in the music.

Warning: don't pull off the fluorescent sticker! Enjoy!