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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.

The album "Vital - Van der Graaf Live 2CD Edition" by Van der Graaf Generator is a captivating live recording that showcases the band's exceptional talent and energy on stage. Released by Cherry Red Records, this 2CD edition offers fans an immersive experience of the band's electrifying performances.

Recorded during their European tour in 1978, "Vital" captures the essence of Van der Graaf Generator's unique sound and intense live presence. The album features a selection of tracks from their critically acclaimed albums, including "Pawn Hearts," "Godbluff," and "Still Life."

From the opening track to the closing notes, each song on "Vital" is performed with precision and passion. The band's signature blend of progressive rock, jazz influences, and poetic lyrics shines through in every moment. Peter Hammill's powerful vocals soar above the intricate instrumentation provided by Hugh Banton on keyboards, Guy Evans on drums, and David Jackson on saxophone and flute.

The remastered audio quality of this 2CD edition enhances the listening experience, allowing fans to fully appreciate the dynamic range and nuances of each performance. The package also includes a booklet with rare photos and extensive liner notes written by renowned music journalist Sid Smith.

Whether you are a longtime fan or new to Van der Graaf Generator's music, "Vital - Van der Graaf Live 2CD Edition" is a must-have addition to your collection. Immerse yourself in the energy and artistry of one of progressive rock's most influential bands with this exceptional live recording.

In the previous year 1965, "A Fistful of Dollars" by Sergio Leone was a huge success, and had greatly increased the popularity of the 'spaghetti western' genre With the two lead actors Clint Eastwood and Gian Maria Volonte "For a Few Dollars More" is the natural progression of that movie, and the addition of the third major star - Lee Van Cleef - a trio that made history in another Sergio Leone masterpiece. Ennio Morricone's music is equally important. The Maestro here chooses a 'poor' registry, consisting of folk instruments such as ocarina, Jew's harp and chimes, respectively used to accompany the entrance of the three main actors. There is as usual, the contributions of Alessandro Alessandroni and his Cantori Moderni choir, for an incredibly exciting vocal climax. This edition sees the eight tracks of the original score in a brand new layout. 45rpm - Ltd. Ed. Crystal clear vinyl edition, new 12-inch sized gatefold cover.

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.

Svart Records release NYC crust punk band Nausea’s two legendary EP’s on one remastered 12” in March 2024! Crust punk originates from the misty moors and factory cities of the UK. Since the '80s, countless bands have been established to play their dirty apocalyptic ruckus in the vein of Amebix, Antisect, and Axegrinder. At the same time, across the ocean, in the squats of New York’s Lower East Side, bassist John John Jesse founded Nausea. Svart Records is releasing Nausea’s two legendary EPs in 12” format for the first time ever, including the Cybergod 7” from 1991 - with a bonus track, "Here Today," from the same recording sessions - and the Lie Cycle 7” from 1992. All tracks are remastered from the original, untouched studio tapes by Jack Control (Darkthrone, Kohti Tuhoa, Fear). Tribal and rocking apocalyptic crust for apocalyptic times. The Cybergod lineup might be the most legendary era of Nausea, where the tracks reach almost epic proportions. The EP is pretty much the blueprint of crust, where Vic Venom’s hypnotic and rocking guitar riffs meet the tribal drumming of Roy Mayorga. Al Hoon’s and Amy Miret’s dueling vocals spit out timeless issues dealing with consumerism and the hypocrisies of organized religions. Musically, the Lie Cycle EP rocks out more in the faster and straightforward style, where Discharge meets Motörhead, and lyrics reflect the times when war and nuclear destruction are still the plague of mankind. Nausea’s timeline lasted only seven years, but they managed to create a cult following with their true dedication to the punk scene and played shows in the squats of Europe and the eastern part of Europe. Their music is timeless, unpleasant music for unpleasant times, but hey! At least it’s more fun to rock out to the apocalypse!

Svart Records release NYC crust punk band Nausea’s two legendary EP’s on one remastered 12” in March 2024! Crust punk originates from the misty moors and factory cities of the UK. Since the '80s, countless bands have been established to play their dirty apocalyptic ruckus in the vein of Amebix, Antisect, and Axegrinder. At the same time, across the ocean, in the squats of New York’s Lower East Side, bassist John John Jesse founded Nausea. Svart Records is releasing Nausea’s two legendary EPs in 12” format for the first time ever, including the Cybergod 7” from 1991 - with a bonus track, "Here Today," from the same recording sessions - and the Lie Cycle 7” from 1992. All tracks are remastered from the original, untouched studio tapes by Jack Control (Darkthrone, Kohti Tuhoa, Fear). Tribal and rocking apocalyptic crust for apocalyptic times. The Cybergod lineup might be the most legendary era of Nausea, where the tracks reach almost epic proportions. The EP is pretty much the blueprint of crust, where Vic Venom’s hypnotic and rocking guitar riffs meet the tribal drumming of Roy Mayorga. Al Hoon’s and Amy Miret’s dueling vocals spit out timeless issues dealing with consumerism and the hypocrisies of organized religions. Musically, the Lie Cycle EP rocks out more in the faster and straightforward style, where Discharge meets Motörhead, and lyrics reflect the times when war and nuclear destruction are still the plague of mankind. Nausea’s timeline lasted only seven years, but they managed to create a cult following with their true dedication to the punk scene and played shows in the squats of Europe and the eastern part of Europe. Their music is timeless, unpleasant music for unpleasant times, but hey! At least it’s more fun to rock out to the apocalypse!

Taken from from Skinshape’s 8th studio album ‘Craterellus Tubaeformis’. For fans of Khruangbin, El Michels Affair, Madlib, Bonobo. Will Dorey aka Skinshape has proven himself time and again a connoisseur for the cosmopolitan, across a prolific career expertly exploring understated sounds and theatrical textures. Taking his place alongside the likes of Khruangbin, Tame Impala, Bonobo and Madlib, Skinshape’s global kaleidoscopes are loaded with warmth and wisdom created on vintage analogue equipment applying a perfectionist’s touch. As a former member of indie band Palace, he has played everywhere from Glastonbury and BBC Maida Vale to headlining Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Skinshape’s words on the tracks. The Ocean: “This one is dedicated to all the surfers out there. Following the theme of 1960s rock and combining it with subtle elements of 90s beats (that you may not be able to hear).” The Longest Shadow (feat. Andy Platts): “This song takes a more experimental route than some of the more 'psych' tracks on the album. The hot vocals of Mamas Gun frontman Andy Platts lends the track a deep soul vibe, whilst Jon Moody (of the band Franc Moody) lends his piano skills for an electric solo in the latter part of the track.” Support from BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 2, Jazz FM, Soho Radio, MOJO, Uncut, Shindig etc.

Anna Gréta goes gentle...into her second album on ACT, “Star of Spring”. The Reykjavik-born pianist, singer and a songwriter, who has lived in Stockholm since 2014, has her own way of approaching the art of quiet, artful, deeply personal songs, often drawing inspiration from the beauty and power of Iceland’s natural landscape. Her 2021 ACT debut "Nightjar in the Northern Sky" was named after a bird, and this follow-up album lands gracefully on a flower, the “glory of the snow”, also known as the "star of spring", which symbolises the ending of winter and the arrival of spring.

But look closer, and there are always other levels of meaning. Her "Nightjar”, the rare bird she once saw in front of the northern sky, was a metaphor for the search for the things which are special and essential. In fact, almost all of Anna Gréta's lyrics have more than one significance, and her storytelling has now taken a leap forward on "Star of Spring". She says of the little flower on the title track: "I wasn't just inspired by the way it takes over the meadows in spring and turns them from green to blue, but also by the fact that it blooms because it is compelled to do so. It cannot do anything else."

Anna Gréta's starting point to creating music was and is the piano. She first studied classical music, then switched to jazz. She only started singing later, when she was writing the songs for Nightjar and wanted to express herself in words. Anna Gréta's debut as a singer, pianist and songwriter earned her international acclaim: Downbeat Magazine called it „an album with the metamophoric diversity of a year’s seasons and a voice like the everchanging colours of the Northern lights“, France Musique “a remarkably immersive experience” and Jazzwise “starkly beautiful”.

On "Star Of Spring" Anna Gréta has further developed her individual style. Her vocal lines can resemble piano motifs, often doubling them and resonating with an impressively quiet vibrato, sometimes quirkily reminiscent of Björk, at other times with the brooding ease of Norah Jones. The album also bears a very distinctive production style. For each of the songs, Anna Gréta has created her own little world of choirs, rhythmic textures and various smartly used keyboard instruments. The album ranges from the hymnal and elegiac - in "She Moves" or in the title track - to the playful and cheerful "Space Time" or the extremely pared-down melancholic ballad "Denouement". And even if the general mood of the music exudes above all warmth and comfort, Anna Gréta also deals with serious topics, such as the forced birth control of women in Greenland during the 60s and 70s in the song "The Body Remembers".

There is a directness of expression and emotionality, even sensuousness about the new album, and that is not least because Anna Gréta’s band has developed and become a properly played-in unit with the experience to take this album’s more complex arrangements in its stride. The sheen and brightness of her piano playing is contrasted with a deeper voice, that of her father Sigurður Flosason's bass clarinet, on three tracks. "This album is more playful and experimental," she says. "A lot of things were easier for me than on the first album. And while I was still completely focussed on my own world then, now I was even more conscious and aware of what was going on around me."

The result is music that is rooted in jazz, but at the same time goes far beyond it in a very subtle and deeply touching way.

For Fans Of... Thee Sacred Souls, Joey Quinones, Durand Jones & The Indications, Thee Midniters, The Altons, Trish Toledo, Sunny & The Sunliners.To say that The Sinseers play oldies would be a misnomer. Fronted by bandleader and son of East Los Angeles Joey Quiniones, the group has quietly chipped away at the sounds of R&B and soul for the last half-decade. Quinones and his crew have continuously created a distinctive vibe that explores all aspects of a timeless genre, bringing together their interpretation of music through an unmistakable modern lens. With their most recent effort, the aptly titled Sinseerly Yours (Colemine 2023), the band recorded most of the album live in the studio. With Quinones on vocals and keys, vocalist Adriana Flores, Christopher Manjarrez on bass, Francisco Floreson on guitar, Bryan Ponce on guitar and vocals, Luis Carpio on drums and vocals, saxophonists Eric Johnson and Steve Surman, and Jose Luis Jimenez on trombone, The Sinseers achieves their most fully realized sound to date. All of the album's stunning tracks were recorded in a converted studio space in Rialto, California, known as Second Hand Sounds. The converted studio space, which used to be a dentist's office, allowed the group to experiment with their sound like never before - this time, the group managed to take a series of big swings, only to emerge with a fuller, more pronounced version of themselves. Despite those new strides, the band remains wholly committed to its sonic aesthetic while injecting its brand of vibrant 21st-century cool. Of course, the group has never been the type to shy away from their influences as they expertly toggle between 60s pop vis-à-vie early Beatles records to obscure dancehall Jamaican tunes - all fully extrapolated and reinterpreted through modern Chicano soul sound that the group has built their everlasting repertoire on. Quinones and bandmates have continued to apply what they've learned from their previous releases and their relentless touring schedule throughout the country. It's clear here that the work is paying off, putting to practice their musical chops thoroughly with all members expertly honing their sound. The melting pot of ideas is showcased with incredibly lush orchestrations and arrangements, married with pitch-perfect harmonies, allowing the group to further solidify themselves in the pantheon of the Southern Californian songbook. Also Available From Thee Sinseers: What's His Name 7”, It Was Only A Dream

Kendra is excited to release a new 45, featuring a special a bonus track written and recorded during the 'I Am What I'm Waiting For' sessions, as well as a new 45-edit of her instant classic 'Birthday Song.' The A-side 'Fine Right Here,' the bonus cut from Kendra Morris's brand new LP 'I Am What I'm Waiting For' (which has received incredible support from the likes of Rolling Stone France, KCRW, WNYC, Flood Magazine, and countless others), takes a look into the deeply introverted side of Kendra. "This song is about being ok just sitting inside and missing the party," Kendra explains. "It's the antithesis to FOMO." Written to accompany a rainy day, the song feels like you're being enveloped in a hug. Sonically, the track tips its hat to Ethiopian Jazz and soul of the 70s, like Rose Royce and the Delfonics. The warm vibraphone, sturdy bass line, and vocal reverb create a layered tapestry of sound that wraps around your shoulders and drifts into your ears. The new 45-edit of 'Birthday Song' is for the DJs. It's an upbeat and funky jubilant jam that's ready and waiting to take the place of outdated standards. Both tracks were co-written and produced by Torbitt Schwartz (AKA Little Shalimar) of Run the Jewels, 'Fine Right Here' is a welcome departure to the upbeat nature of 'I Am What I'm Waiting For' whereas 'Birthday Song' is set to be a celebratory go-to

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

DJ Beeno takes his first solo outing on 2DR and as he always does, he knocks it out the park. DJ Beeno is the master of taking obscure or different vocals, that most people look past, and turning them into banging tracks. That is exactly what he done with In The Name Of Love and Bright Lights on the A side.
Then for the flip, he took a slightly different approach. For Wishing On A Star, he took a well known vocal and added something different and give it the Beeno spin. Rounding out the record is an amazing remix of a Nefti track, Raw Power. DJ Beeno takes the original version and turns it on its head with a more underground sound, that he is synonymous with.
The original version appears on the Strictly NuSKool Volume 1 album, a free download available from Strictly NuSKool Blog and are so grateful to the SNSB team for working with us on making this remix official.

The return of Gaussian Curve - Gigi Masin, Jonny Nash and Marco Sterk’s much-loved trio are back for the first time since their 2016 sophomore album 'The Distance', presenting two new tracks entitled 'Winter Sun' and 'Fever Dream'.

Both tracks originate from recording sessions that took place in Amsterdam in 2016 for 'The Distance'. Despite not finding a place on the final album and being left as unfinished sketches for six years, the tracks represent an important part of the Gaussian Curve story which the band felt compelled to complete. Coinciding with the decision to perform a handful of live shows in 2022, they finally revisited the sketches, mixing and arranging them with the goal of giving them the full release that they deserve.

The trio’s trademark sound hits from first moments of 'Winter Sun'; a lush slow builder with all the classic GC ingredients; Nash’s airy and spacious guitar lines interplay with Masin’s warm rhodes, underpinned by Sterk’s subtle use of electronics and the minimal rhythm of a CR-78 drum machine.

On 'Fever Dream', the trio subtly expand their palette; a gently building 303 bass line and 808 rhythm form the foundations of the piece, with Masin’s vocals adding to a slow-burning intensity. Arguably a fuller sound hinting at new areas of exploration for the trio, but unmistakably Gaussian Curve.

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

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)

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.

Perc Trax hits 100 releases with Perc returning with his first album in seven years. 'The Cut Off' is Perc's fourth album following 'Wicker & Steel' (2011), 'The Power & The Glory' (2014) and Perc Trax's best ever selling release 'Bitter Music' (2017).

'The Cut Off' see's Perc deliver his most dance floor focused album to date, serving up enough energy to keep contemporary dance floors moving, whilst avoiding both the cliched 90's throwback hard techno formula that is dominant right now and the stuckist 'real techno' blueprints that are still endlessly regurgitated having been established over 30 years ago.

Across the album Perc's well established industrial credentials collide with giant sized synth riffs, driving acid lines (a first for a Perc album) and all manner of drones, choral performances, urban textures and even a dentist's drill (on 'Static'). Gliding arpeggios and slow moving melodic lines feature more on this album than ever before without dulling the sharp edges of Perc's music.

'The Cut Off' more than any previous Perc long player is an album that focuses on the club, the dancer and the dance floor. Yes, there are moments of respite between the classic Perc percussive workouts, but they are far outnumbered by the varied collection of club tracks that come at the listener from every angle.

Collaborations include Sissel Wincent, a regular collaborator with Peder Mannerfelt. Perc remixed Peder & Sissel's 'Sissel &Bass' track to great effect in 2019 and now Sissel returns the favour appearing on 'Static', the album's only full vocal track. Also collaborating with Perc is EAS, one of America's fastest rising techno artists who delivers the raw acid lines that power album highlight 'Cold Snap'. Finally London based metal vocalist Leandro Bastos adds his abrasive vocal tones to 'Imperial Leather', the first single to be taken from 'The Cut Off'.

The 'Cut Off' was recorded in Perc's own studio and mixed by Perc at Map Studios in London. The album was mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios. Album design was handled by Lucas Grassmay, who previously worked on I Hate Models' debut album on Perc Trax in 2019. The album will be supported a run of dates around the world where Perc will be performing a special live set based around the album as well as his infamous DJ sets.

Plizzken are back in a big way with their eagerly anticipated second LP, Do You Really Wanna Know? These German punks' debut LP was the first full length where lead singer Sebi sang entirely in English. Since that album's release to great acclaim from the international street punk commu- nity, Sebi suffered the setback of a debilitating workplace accident, but triumphantly rose above all expecta- tions for recovery, making a hard-hit- ting new record with his long-running band Stomper 98 to boot! Returning their focus to Plizzken, Sebi and the crew are locked in and razor tight, crafting 13 brand new tracks of anthemic working class street punk that will thrill their fans while taking them by surprise. What will strike listeners immediately is a renewed focus on melody and hooks. In short, these songs are CATCHY! By the time the handclaps come in on the fourth song, "Memory Lane," you may just find yourself dancing around the room to these tunes. Likewise for the post-punk/new wave influenced groove that drives tracks like "I Don't Wanna. "Without sacrificing the realism and grit with which they face the world and sound the alarms for the working class to rise up, Plizzken sound renewed, positive, and keen to encourage everyone ready "TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT," as the gang vocals on "Mad World" put it. Although they are all punk rock veterans with decades playing music, Do You Really Wanna Know? has the energy of a hungry young band who are not about to waste a new lease on life. Combining street level punk rock 'n roll with a genuine pop sensibility and a rabble-rousing spirit, executed with the chops of seasoned players, Do You Really Wanna Know? is truly a record that will have old fans dancing and singing along with fists in the air, hand in hand with what is certain to be an army of new ones.

Kat is unashamedly bold & confident in her abilities as a vocalist and songwriter, effortlessly merging Soul, and classic R&B which transpired throughout the mature and well rounded 10 tracks from her debut opus released in 2021.

Her long awaited second album Honestly is the perfect evolution, moving through into Blues and Gospel. “After Frank White Sheffield Blues legend and mentor died, Nick and I went back to our roots and decided to scratch that Blues/Gospel itch that Frank had given us a taste for.

Stolen Goods Records announce Pergola's cinematic techno 'Zed' EP, featuring a remix from indie-dance legend CURSES.
Exploring hypnotic, emotionally charged melodies and vast techno breakdowns, the title track opens up the EP with a strong sense of mystery. Suspenseful strings build in anticipation as the bassline filters in intensity, this deep space offenng is the perfect example of a tune fit for the club as well as headphone-listening.

'Freak' is a beautifully intense piece featuring soft synths marked by subtle scratches, a feel-good vocal and the catchy strum of a quitar. '"Zed' is then given the CURSES treatment, the Optimo Music, Bordello a Parigi and Correspondant artist amplifies its retro feel resulting in nine minutes of pure dark disco hedonism. Closing out the release is an ambient collaboration between Pergola and Luigi Sambuy, 'Tunnel' is an ode to the early days of IDM through to the '70s.
*"Zed' marks the third release on Lele Sacchi & Asian Fake's Stolen Goods Records and follows up their widely acclaimed 'Volume 0' compilation as well as the recent collaborative EP between Black Loops & Innocent Soul. Since its launch last summer, the label has seen the support of artists like Dixon, Sasha, DJ Seinfeld and DJ Sneak and has garnered plays on prestigious stations like NTS and BBC Radio 1. The imprint continues its strong start to the year with three new tracks from the hyper-talented Pergola: a newcomer to the scene whos aready listed on labels such as Multinotes, Sementa ano Adriatiques Siamese, the latter which saw/ him reach number one on Beatport's Electronica chart.

LA/Joshua Tree based Sugar Candy Mountain deliver carefully built psychedelic odes in the style of Jacco Gardner and Tame Impala. Their breakout album 666 feels like something unearthed from a box of records found in your dad's garage, glowing wistfully with vintage inspired tones, rambling organs, fuzzed out guitars, shimmering keys and sprawling drums. Ash Reiter's woolly voice croons with the icy warmth of Francoise Hardy, while Will Halsey's tender Lennon-esque vocals uncoil with easy languor. Recorded with Jason Quever of Papercuts, the bands sophomore album sits comfortably between 60's Laurel Canyon bliss and more modern production of Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips/Tame Impala). 666 is the band's first record after deciding to retire Ash Reiter's eponymous solo project to focus solely on Sugar Candy Mountain. With this shift Ash became more heavily invested in writing for the project. On 666 the band moves away from the grandiose production of their previous album, Mystic Hits, on which some songs featured over two hundred instrument tracks. The majority of basic tracking was done on Jason Quever's 16 track Ampex tape machine through a Neve console, and completed at the bands home studio. Under Quever's guiding hand, production on 666 is significantly simplified, favoring featuring strong melodies over the wildly playful orchestrations of Mystic Hits. Quever is also significantly featured on the record as a player, with his influence distinctly coloring the album.

"Branigan is the debut studio album by American singer Laura Branigan, released in March 1982. The album features guitars by Steve Lukather from Toto. The album's lead single ""All Night with Me"", reached number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while the second single, an English version of Italian singer Umberto Tozzi's song ""Gloria"", was a commercial success, propelling Branigan to international prominence. ""Gloria"" topped the charts in many countries, stayed on the US Billboard Hot 100, and earned Branigan a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance Female Branigan is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on red coloured vinyl. "

Branigan by Laura Branigan, released 22 March 2024, includes the following tracks: "Lovin' You Baby", "If You Loved Me", "I Wish We Could Be Alone ", "Maybe I Love You" and more.

This version of Branigan comes as a 1xLP.

The vinyl is pressed as a red disc.

Eddie Harris was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. During his career he recorded over 50 albums, mixing jazz with funk which resulted in Grammy Award nominations for two of his albums. The 1983 People Get Funny... recording contains the title track "People Get Funny When They Get a Little Money" and "La Carnival", which are sublime examples of his jazz-funk style accompanied by vocals and scatting. "Silver Plated" and the other tracks are more in the jazz-hard-bop style. Featured on the album are drummer Carl Burnett, electric pianist William S. Henderson III and bass-player Larry Gales.

Following the success of the "Out Of Luck" single, we're wrapping up the Ghia reworks chapter with "The Other Side" - a dynamic 12" vinyl loaded with three contemporary funk tracks and three instrumental cuts.

The release starts off with the title track on which we can hear another collaboration with vocalist Adriano Prestel. The song is built on the foundation of "Message From The Other Side," a synth-funk instrumental from last year's "Don't Stop" LP. Jim Dunloop has skillfully rebuilt the infectious grooves from scratch, and guitarist Lucy Liebe has contributed to the guitar elements. Interestingly, the 1985 original version contained vocals that were preserved on a demo tape. These original lyrics conveyed the idea that everyone should learn to listen to the other side. Adriano picked up this idea and wrote new verses and a new chorus, beautifully transforming the song into a soulful bliss. In today's world, the message remains relevant: without listening, understanding, and compromise, solutions are elusive.
Next up, DJ Friction takes "Out Of Luck" to new heights with a remix infused with electro-funk. The synth bass replaces the original, a punchier kick and a clap snare give it a classic boogie feel. Additional strings on the chorus and an extended build-up complete the transformation, making it a fantastic tune for any DJ set.

Marian Tone returns to remix "The Other Side" in the '85 rework, blending parts of the original song with replayed instruments from the studio sessions. He adds clav sounds and retains the original marimba keys by Ghia's Lutz Boberg. If you are into the 80s vibes, this rework will be your choice.
The flip side features instrumental versions that, even without vocals, are a special treat for all boogie and funk enthusiasts. Last but not least, the release includes the original mixdown of "Out Of Luck" from when the recording was finalized at Ed Longo's Soundrays studio - offering a different take from the instrumental version on the previously issued 45 single.

The 12" is presented in a full-picture sleeve designed by The Raincoatman, also known as label owner DJ Scientist.

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

Several years of mutual appreciation and encounters on- and off-stage have been the root of this chance meeting, resulting in an unplanned mysterious collaboration album where the aura of each individual is augmented by the magic osmosis of united forces. The 12- tracks display a collage of dreamy musique concrète with desolate instrumental and vocal interventions, masterfully balanced out by Vincent Epplay.

Get ready to hit the dance floor with the Tech-House Remix by DFRST of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, presented by Deacon Frost Music. This song infuses the classic with fresh and electrifying rhythms, perfect for any party. Celebrate the 40th anniversary of ‘Thriller’ with a remix as fresh as it is nostalgic. Keep the legend alive and your feet moving with more remixes from Deacon Frost Music.

This is the Tech-House Remix by DFRST… First and foremost, this album is a tribute to the pop legend, the incomparable Michael Jackson, on the 40th anniversary of his best-selling album of all time, Thriller. Additionally, I want to express my gratitude to my loved ones for their unwavering support since my return to music production.

Undoubtedly, this is one of my most anticipated projects since I started producing music, although back in 1983, I used to cower in fear to cover up when those Jupiter 8 tracks came on the radio… I would like to express my gratitude to Lenny Jay for believing in my project and delivering an impeccable performance that showcases his talent and devotion to the artist.

Furthermore, I appreciate my engineer and vocal arranger, Austin, from Austin Music Spain, for his exceptional contribution to this track, always inspiring me with his friendship and motivation. It’s impossible not to mention my musical father, mentor, cricket player, and great friend, Mike Platinas.

He not only provided valuable guidance but also recorded the vocals, portraying Vincent Price in earnest. His work is unsurpassed

Chaka Khan had lit the world on fire as the frontwoman for Rufus, tearing up the charts with hits like “Tell Me Something Good” and “You Got The Love,” picking up several Grammy awards on the way. She set out on her solo career with this collection in 1978, leading the way with the hit “I’m Every Woman,” which propelled the release to be certified platinum in the US and earn her another Grammy® nomination for best R&B vocal performance.

In November of 2023, she will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the end of a year that marked her 50th in the business. In 2024, we will launch a campaign to reissue her solo records, some physically, some digitally only, starting with the self-titled Chaka, which will feature a new remix of “I’m Every Woman” by DJ Rashida featuring Sheila E., liner notes from Emmy-winning journalist Kelley Carter, and bonus tracks from the original sessions.

Rock & Roll, indeed. Ruth Brown’s sizzling full-length debut — also known by its eponymous title — symbolizes what was exciting, fresh, invigorating, and raw about the burgeoning style in its halcyon days. Originally released in 1957, and reissued here in audiophile quality for the first time in partnership with Atlantic Records’ 75th anniversary, the set remains a testament to one of the most pioneering and talented vocalists to ever command a stage.

Mastered on Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's renowned mastering system in California, pressed at RTI, housed in a Stoughton jacket, and strictly limited to 2,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g mono LP of Rock & Roll plays with an immediacy, vibrancy, and fullness that showcase the reach, power, and emotionalism of Brown’s voice. The sound of her support musicians — brassy horns, swinging rhythm combos, echoing backing vocalists, rollicking pianists, jaunty guitarists — is made clear and vivid, helping the upbeat fare to jump, juke, and jive with newfound energy and exuberance. In a related manner, Brown’s slower, more understated material crackles with an intimacy and passion that let you know you're in the presence of a woman who has lived what she sings. The longtime Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member deserves nothing less.

In an era dominated by big-throated vocalists, few — if any — came grander than Brown. The singer, whose repeat million-selling ‘50s success with Atlantic Records led many to call the then-indie label “The House That Ruth Built,” charted two dozen R&B hits in the span of a decade for the fledgling imprint. Rightly coined “Miss Rhythm,” the extroverted Brown put Atlantic on the national map, became the best-selling female musician of the ‘50s, and established a precedent that would ultimately lead to Grammy and Tony Awards. Her early works have lost none of their fire or flair.

Akin to many full-length LPs of its era, Rock & Roll doubles as a collection. Its 14 tracks comprise some of the more famous sides Brown recorded for Atlantic, beginning in 1949 with the all-time-great rendition of the ballad “So Long,” and continuing through 1956. After the song caught the public’s ear, the Virginia native briefly became known for her smoldering style with lovelorn material and torch songs, approaching them (see “Oh What a Dream,” “Old Man River”) with a combination of pained sadness and hardened resilience that had no contemporary equal. Encouraged to pursue the style by Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmt Ertegun, her R&B-driven material soon made her a constant chart presence.

Demonstrating what fellow legend Bonnie Raitt deemed “sex with class and dignity,” Brown merges blues and jazz, swing and gospel in electrifying fashion. She dares you not to move, dance, and get on your feet. A majority of Rock & Roll explodes with uptempo runs and jaunty readings of hot-blooded R&B numbers. Sweaty and sultry, bawdy and bold, Brown eclipses the anthemic blare of the saxophones and joyful clatter of the 88s, singing with a slight catch in her voice and hurricane-gale force that threatens to blow the roof off whatever room her voice occupies.

Evidence abounds. Listen to her prod the band and encourage the band members to blow a fuse on a sizzling “Hello Little Boy,” complete with cries and wails; stretch her phrasing to the heavens on the swaying “Wild Wild Young Men,” laden with romp-and-stomp beats; plead and persuade on the snaking “5-10-15 Hours,” which flips the script on the age’s notions of dominance; use her raspy tones, high notes, and breath control to mesmerizing effect on the smash “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean,” recorded with a group led by Ray Charles; survey the scene and take charge on the steaming “As Long as I’m Moving”; and tap a classy albeit flirtatious vein on “Lucky Lips,” which dented the pop charts as her first crossover hit.

Throughout Rock & Roll, Brown knows the lyrical connotations and spirited architecture of the songs inside-out. Her assertive voice — never harsh, strident, or false — is the epitome of the passionate desires and sonic strains that turned into nascent rock ’n’ roll. Brown played a pivotal role in helping the style develop, the record a timeless reminder of a lasting legacy that will never be forgotten.

Embark on a sonic odyssey with "Between Poetry and Catastrophe," a 15-year labor of love by Norwegian electronic artist Ars Dada. The title draws inspiration from the poignant words "Music lives in the span between poetry and catastrophe", of the late Norwegian composer Arne Nordheim.

In this album, Ars Dada delves into the extremes—where chaos intertwines with serenity, and violence meets the poetic. Every track is a meticulously crafted journey, featuring real instrumentation such as vocals, piano, and strings, including a grand collaboration with the chamber orchestra of the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra. From intense breakbeat chaos to delicate neoclassical string pieces, Ars Dada invites you to experience the visceral beauty of this musical tapestry.

This isn't just an album; it's an exploration of the human condition at its most extreme.

Thank you to the performers and Arctic Philharmonic

Written and recorded with support from Fund for Performing Artists

All music written, arranged and produced by Erlend Bilsbak/Ars Dada
All strings recorded in Kysten studio by Sivert Henriksen

Violin on all tracks except Fjordyp, End of September, Skyggespill, and Du Må Ikke Sove performed by Brynjar Lien Schulerud

Violin on Fjordyp, End of September, Skyggespill, and Du Må Ikke Sove performed by Sander Tingstad

Viola on all tracks except Tjernet performed by Heidi Schulerud Bilsbak

Cello on all tracks except Tjernet performed by Håvard Bilsbak

Grand Piano on Fjordyp and Skyggespill performed by Yegor Shevtsov

Alto soprano on Fjordyp, End of September, Sub Luna Saltamus, Du Må Ikke Sove, and Grief performed by Marika Schultze

All strings on Tjernet by performed by Arktisk Filharmoni (Arctic Philharmonic)

Mastered by Julien Guillot at Electric Voyage Studio

Album photo and design by Erlend Bilsbak

Smallville Record sub-label Fuck Reality returns in March 2024 with Fossar’s ‘Make Me Feel’ EP.

The Fuck Reality imprint founds it origins in 2015 as a sub label of the widely lauded Smallville label with a heavy focus on classic House music. The label kicked off with the reissue of Westbam and Nena’s iconic ‘Oldschool Baby’ with remixes from Smallpeople and Gerd Janson before going on to release music from Smallville staple Moomin, Frantzvaag – who also release the first album on the label last year - and more. Here the label welcomes Fossar, co-founder of the Feuilleton imprint, onto the imprint with his new EP.
‘Good 2 Me’ opens with airy chords, robust toms, flickers of resonant synth stabs and soulful vocals running atop snappy drums before ‘Free’ embraces a classic 90’s New York aesthetic with heavily swung percussion a jazzy bass groove, emotive piano lines and warm vocal chants.
The B-side is then kicked off with ‘Make Me Feel’, diving deep with shimmering, expansive leads, looped vocal, swirling string melodies and a classic bumpy bass and snare combination. The ‘Aeriel (Windy City Version)’ then rounds things out, as the name would suggest nodding to the Chicagoan roots of House and employing all the classic tropes from slick flutes, intertwined keys, glistening piano melodies and shuffled 909 drums.


All tracks written, produced and mixed by Pchris Gruber
Mastering by Lopazz / Mixmastering, vinyl Cut by Helmut Erler / Lathesville
Artwork and Typography by Stefan Marx
Distributed by Wordandsound

One of the most successful and enjoyable debuts in history, The Cars' self-titled album doubles as a greatest-hits collection. That's because not one song here is unrecognized or unknown. A huge reason why the Boston quintet became America's most popular new-wave band, The Cars launched eight tracks still regularly heard on radio stations everywhere. Consider the hit list: "You're All I've Got Tonight." "Good Times Roll." "Just What I Needed." "Moving in Stereo." "My Best Friend's Girl." "Don't Cha Stop." If you're a fan of pop music, this album is mandatory. Just call it the best new-wave rock album ever made.

And now, The Cars sounds better than it has in any previous incarnation. Mastered from the original analogue tapes, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition LP allows the music's oscillating rhythms, futuristic keyboard passages, panned stereo images, and rippling textures to be experienced like never before. The songs take on a surreal quality, the Cars manipulating the vibrant music at will to mesmerize the listeners' senses and hold them at bay. Mobile Fidelity's pressing epitomizes the sensation of "moving in stereo."

Led by Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr, the Cars managed to unite then-disparate styles: bubblegum pop melodies, angular art rock, progressive arrangements, and terse minimalism. Orr's low, understated singing and Ocasek's cool, detached vocals lend shades of doubt and double meaning to the lyrics, which are further counterbalanced by orchestral keyboard flourishes and electronic beats. The brilliant arrangements also benefit from a laidback cool and understated irony that remain uncommon in the over-the-top world of mainstream music. Obsessed with incorporating the latest technologies and sounds into its palette, the band spiced its tunes with delightfully quirky accents — country-tinged guitar fills, echoing Syndrums, reggae splashes, hard-rock tones, robotic pulses.

The results are the sounds of a creative landmark. At once accessible and eccentric, edgy and catchy, The Cars explodes with emotion, energy, and hooks. It's impossible not to get caught up humming and singing along to every song, an appeal that comes courtesy of Roy Thomas Baker's stellar production. The legendary producer, best known for his work with Queen, ensured that the record seamlessly packed a smooth midrange, spacious imaging, and call-and-answer choruses in one tight package. Baker's trademark touches with harmony vocals abound.

"The MoFi disc is much better than the original in every way. It's more dynamic, much more natural on top, and all three dimensions have a lot bigger space. This disc is great from start to finish, but "Moving in Stereo" will blow you away on a great system in a big room."
—Jeff Dorgay, TONEAudio

For a few years Leo Robinson was the sort of hidden secret you sometimes come across in local music scenes. First in Manchester and now in Glasgow, he’d pop up regularly on DIY bills or as local support to a touring act, quietly blowing them off stage with his rich baritone vocal and homespun lo-fi tales of folklore and animism. With The Temple – his debut on PRAH Recordings – he looks set to cross over from being a cult concern.

“There's a spectrum within the album between fully mythologising or symbolising my lived experience, and just stating it in very matter of fact terms - that push and pull between the need to abstract and the need to break through the abstraction and have an honest moment with oneself” he explains. “This is one of the themes of the album as well as part of the process. The aim was to take all these anecdotal or symbolic elements and merge them into one narrative and one world, in a way that you can find your way through the record as if it were a landscape or language with its own logic.”

The record takes on a pastoral, slightly baroque nature that Robinson partly attributes to a friend screening a lot of ‘70s BBC material in his book shop that they used to hang out at. There are also elements of jazz, flickering to life in “The Spring”’s piano-led finale and coda.

Thematically, Robinson likens it to a Jungian ‘Hero's Journey’, his voice possessing a character who goes through several defined stages of consciousness. From conception and the beginning of an earthly life, the first half of the album recognises the development of the protagonist’s narrative and identity, before “The Pink Light”’s freeform departure from the hitherto more song-based suite devastatingly shatters this. The second half of the album then sees the protagonist witness “the uncontainable” water; learning that true divinity lies not in the individual self or lofty notions of gods and temples, but in the unremarkable nettles, insects and dogs on the roadside riverbank - referenced on tracks “The Cormorant” and “The Spring”.

Although now residing north of the border, The Temple was written while Robinson was finding his feet in Manchester, having moved there to go to art school as a teenager (as a visual artist, he has exhibited at the Tiwani Contemporary in London and Cardiff’s Chapter Arts Centre). As a result, many of the tracks bear out the shadows of his experiences in the northern city – at their most visible and explicit on the beautifully fragile storytelling of “The Pavement”. Written the day after the Manchester Arena Bombings, it recalls Robinson waking up to go to work on a hot summer’s day to discover that his street had been blocked off for terrorism investigations; it then progresses through the rest of his day, amidst the grimly surreal aftermath of the previous night.

Having written the chords, melodies and lyrics to the album, Robinson fleshed out the tunes by scoring out parts for the additional instrumentation, but it was only when a friend sent a demo to PRAH that he was able to fund its full recording. Guitars, vocals, piano and French Horn (the latter recorded by Lauren Reeve-Rawlings) were put down at Green Door Studios in Glasgow. Microphones were placed around the room and the sound of the musicians stepping on creaky floorboards and opening creaky doors were left audible to further the record’s live feel. The harpsichord heard on “The Serpent”, meanwhile, came from University of Glasgow lecturer David McGuinness. Strings were then recorded at PRAH Studios by Francesca Ter-Berg and Raven Bush, the Social Singing Choir adding their choral vocals to “Temple II”.

The result is an album that feels both luscious and yet intimately raw; as grand as Richard Dawson at his most panoramic but containing the rough edges and skeletal looseness of a Calvin Johnson work. At times Robinson lyrically moves towards the surreal, but ultimately this is a record grounded in reality; a true showcase of Robinson’s skill as a lyricist and songwriter.

Debut album by Korean psychedelic fuzz masters and the perfect introduction to Sanullim’s unique world.

Formed in the early 70s by the three Kim brothers while they were still in University, Sanullim managed to release their first album in 1977 despite censorship, misunderstanding from their record company and rudimentary recording techniques problems. Fuelled by piercing psychedelic fuzz guitars, Farfisa styled garage organ, keyboards and sweet melodies, the created a very unique sound, unheard in Korea at the time. Including some of their most iconic songs like “Already Now” and “"Likely Late Summer" (famous for its inclusion on the “Love, Peace & Poetry” series.

*Original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve
*Sourced from the original masters
*Insert with liner notes by Hugh Dellar (Shindig!) and rare photos / memorabilia

“Their debut album featured a blistering fuzz guitar sound that bleeds in and out of the mix as well as what sounds like a tinny Farfisa set behind the sweetest of pop vocal melodies, and the nine tracks stretch out into strangely hypnotic diversions. It’s easy to grasp how psych and garage heads coming to these tracks cold would find much to dig here, and also simple to see how the recordings could be mistaken for something cut many years earlier” – Hugh Dellar (Shindig!)

Debut album by Korean psychedelic fuzz masters and the perfect introduction to Sanullim’s unique world.

Formed in the early 70s by the three Kim brothers while they were still in University, Sanullim managed to release their first album in 1977 despite censorship, misunderstanding from their record company and rudimentary recording techniques problems. Fuelled by piercing psychedelic fuzz guitars, Farfisa styled garage organ, keyboards and sweet melodies, the created a very unique sound, unheard in Korea at the time. Including some of their most iconic songs like “Already Now” and “"Likely Late Summer" (famous for its inclusion on the “Love, Peace & Poetry” series.

*Original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve
*Sourced from the original masters
*Insert with liner notes by Hugh Dellar (Shindig!) and rare photos / memorabilia

“Their debut album featured a blistering fuzz guitar sound that bleeds in and out of the mix as well as what sounds like a tinny Farfisa set behind the sweetest of pop vocal melodies, and the nine tracks stretch out into strangely hypnotic diversions. It’s easy to grasp how psych and garage heads coming to these tracks cold would find much to dig here, and also simple to see how the recordings could be mistaken for something cut many years earlier” – Hugh Dellar (Shindig!)

Ivan The Tolerable is the alter ego solo project of Middlesbrough based musical wizard Oli Heffernan. Aside from his solo work as ITT, Oli has played in numerous bands over the years including Year Of Birds, King Champion Sounds with members of the Ex, Detective Instinct, and Shrug, and has collaborated with icons like Mike Watts of the Minutemen, and J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.

Ivan The Tolerable started by accident in 2013 when Heffernan recorded a bunch of songs for his band at the time (Year Of Birds). These were a bit too left-field for a speedy garage band, so Oli decided to put them out on tape himself, and hasn’t looked back since with releases on Up In Her Room, Stolen Body Records and Library of the Occult to name just a few.

We are delighted to bring you our next entry from the Ivan The Tolerable archive reissue series, 2019’s ‘Wild Nature!’ Originally released on CD by Ack Ack Ack Records back in 2019, the album has now been remastered and repackaged, and will be released on super ltd edition orange wax. Here’s a bit about the album in Oli’s own words.

‘Wild Nature was originally recorded sporadically during the first half of 2019. It started life in one house, then I moved and it was finished in another. I remember screenprinting the original CD artwork on the sly at my old job during my lunch breaks and hand-assembled a small run of about 50 that are all long gone. I also remember walking around Albert Park early one morning in thick fog with a field recorder to capture the sounds that were then processed to form 23 Minutes Over Albert Park (condensed to 4 mins for the reissue due to time constraints). I think this was also the last album I recorded vocals on and also the last one I recorded completely by myself - all instruments, recording, mixing, mastering and artwork done by me at home. I know the first and last tracks were recorded as a birthday present for someone but I cant remember much about the other songs i'm afraid - 4 years is a long time in my speedy world. I've been asked a bunch over the years about a vinyl edition of this one - so here it is. Enjoy - especially everything that went through the delay pedal, which is sadly no longer with us.’

WHOM GODS DESTROY ist die brandneue Band mit SONS OF APOLLO-Bezug, bestehend aus den Bandmitgliedern Dino Jelusick (Vocals), Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (Guitars), Derek Sherinian (Keyboards), Yas Nomura (Bass) und Bruno Valverde (Drums). Ihr atemberaubendes Debütalbum "Insanium" bietet 9 Tracks voller progressiver Metal- und Hardrock-Virtuosität in ihrer schönsten Form.

"The American hard rock band Mountain was formed in 1969 by Leslie West, Felix Pappalardi, Steve Knight, and Norman Smart. The year after, they released the debut studio album Climbing!, which peaked at #17 on the US Billboard Top Albums chart. It includes the group's best-known song, ""Mississippi Queen"", which became a hit, and ""Never in My Life"", which was regularly aired on contemporary FM radio. Both were sung by West, while Pappalardi supplied the vocal on another radio favorite, ""Theme for an Imaginary Western"" (co-written by Jack Bruce). Climbing! is available on black vinyl and includes an insert."

Climbing! by Mountain, released 15 March 2024, includes the following tracks: "Never in My Life", "For Yasgur’s Farm", "The Laird", "Boys in the Band" and more.

This version of Climbing! comes as a 1xLP. This release comes with (a) Insert(s).


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