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Repress!

The latest mash up from Amerigo Gazaway is a scorcher! You loved 'Fela Soul' and 'Bizarre Tribe', now 'Yasiin Gaye': 13 tracks that perfectly blend Mos Def and Marvin Gaye. feat. Teddy Pendergrass, Talib Kweli, Kanye West, Tami Tarrell and Black Astronauts. Full picture sleeve, double vinyl. Coming next week!

Finally back on vinyl, this time a limited pressing of 500 copies on 180g white vinyl, 'More Wealth Than Money' by Normil Hawaiians quickly sold-out upon its initial release in 2017.
'More Wealth Than Money' proved a vastly ambitious debut album, sprawling across four sides of vinyl in a way that still feels truly expansive, brave, cinematic even. From the plaintive pastoralism of 'British Warm' to the transcendental vistas of 'Other Ways Of Knowing', the album constantly surprises with its ringing trails of guitar, motorik pulse and synth rambles. From the striving incursion of 'Sally IV' to the softly spoken disbelief of 'Yellow Rain' the album is nothing short of a waking dream. Guy Smith's vocal floats through the album in a haunting manner, at times heartfelt at others overcome. He's on a quest to his own celestial city and we can stay for the whole journey if we only listen.
Described by the press upon its release in 1982 as an "absolutely mesmerising double album travelling through progressive rock, via industrial folk to freaky art-punk whilst sounding delightfully coherent" and "a huge slab of mindblowing dark psychedelia" the album was critically acknowledged for its peculiarly British kosmische. However, for an album so indebted to the fertile soil from which it sprang, it's curious that 'More Wealth Than Money' never came out officially in the UK. The band's label Illuminated were temporarily blacklisted by their distributor because of unpaid debts and so the album was only available from the band at concerts within the UK. The bulk of the record's sales went to mainland Europe on export.
Upset The Rhythm are now very proud to finally give 'More Wealth Than Money' the release it's always deserved. On December 1st, 35 years since the album first appeared, Upset The Rhythm will be reissuing the newly re-mastered 'More Wealth Than Money' album, alongside a further full-length collection of demos and unreleased tracks from the album's overlooked corners. Both the 2xCD and DLP versions also come with a booklet contextualizing the release, full of anecdotes and photos from all band members.
Track listing:

Tappa Zukie (David Sinclair) born 1955 Kingston,Jamaica actually cut his first record in England,after being sent there aged 17.
He was breaking from his troublesome past that found him running with the rough crowd on the streets of Kingston. On his arrival in sunny Ladbroke Grove London, producer Bunny Lee called him up on stage at a local dance to sing a tune. Impressed with the results fellow producer Larry Lawrence got the young Tappa in the studio the very next day and cyt 'Jump and Twist'.
This led to cutting his 'Man I Warrior' album,but somewhat disillusioned and homesick he returned to Jmaica shortly afterwards.
But this venture in the Uk was to pay dividends,seeing his 'I Man Warrior' album receive great reviews on its release.
We have collected together some great lost treasures and some alternative cuts to some of Tappa'sbetter known releases.
Mr Zukie, DJ/Toaster/Producer Roll the tape one more time if you please.......

Canadian quartet BADBADNOTGOOD take on creating the ultimate late night' selection of tracks from their record collections, set for release on 28th July 2017. The original trio of Matthew Tavares, Alex Sowinski and Chester Hansen formed while studying music at Toronto's Humber College (they've recently added Leland Whitty to the line-up). A shared appreciation of hip hop and instrumental covers of Gucci Mane and Earl Sweatshirt suggested a worldly outlook and reciprocated love from Tyler The Creator and Ghostface Killah, which whom they made 2015's Sour Soul.

This is an international effort: Velly Joonas' Estonian version of 'Feel Like Makin' Love', Kiki Gyan, Admas and Francis Bebey representing Africa (Ghana, Ethiopia and Cameroon respectively), Les Prospection from France, Scots' Boards Of Canada and fellow Canucks River Tiber and Charlotte Day Wilson.

Finally, there's the no-small-matter of the Late Night Tales cover version, in which BADBADNOTGOOD take on Andy Shauf's 'To You' is turned into a mournful delight. while the Queen Of Siam herself, Lydia Lunch, delivers a sexual sermon involving only you, her and Jim Beam.

We were really excited to have the chance to put together a Late Night Tales compilation, it's a great organisation. We decided to use it as a vehicle to show everyone all the amazing music we have gotten to experience by touring and meeting new people. Every track on this comp was either shown to us by an incredible person or made by one of our friends. We also included a little cover of a song by one of our favourite current musicians, Andy Shauf.

These artists, as well as many, many others, have infuenced us to create and kept our deep love of music alive. This mix will keep you company on a quiet night by yourself or with friends. You can check it out on the plane, the bus, a long walk, or any situation where you want a soundtrack for reflection and meditation.' - BADBADNOTGOOD May 2017

Eno Williams, frontwoman of Ibibio Sound Machine, uses both English and the Nigerian language from which her band's name is derived for the dazzling new album Doko Mien. Long lauded for jubilant, explosive live shows, Ibibio Sound Machine fully capture that energy on Doko Mien, the followup to their Merge debut Uyai.
In a glowing piece in the New York Times, those songs were praised for following 'in the tradition of much African music, [making] themselves the conscience of a community.' By pulsing the mystic shapes of Williams' lines through further inventive, glittering collages of genre, Ibibio Sound Machine crack apart the horizon separating cultures, between nature and technology, between joy and pain, between tradition and future. That propensity for duality and paradox seems common in people whose lives span continents.

Williams was born in the UK, but grew up in Nigeria, always steeped in her family heritage. She obsessed over West African electronic music, highlife, and the like, but was equally empowered by Western genres such as post-punk, disco, and funk. The London octet have enveloped themselves in that maximalist quilt proudly since their 2013 formation. Though it can often bring with it news of stress and uncertainty, the modern world further brings all these disparate traditions into connection.
'Everyone has everything now,' says multi-instrumentalist Max Grunhard. 'Everyone has immediate access to every genre, picking things up from everywhere—like magpies.' And while they haven't suddenly left their African roots behind, Doko Mien does find increased representation of English lyrics in the ratio. By sharing more directly with more universal lyrics, the record feels more anthemic, reaching for grander heights.
'We wanted to give people a reason to sing along, to find their soundtrack every day,' Williams says. 'We wanted everyone to feel as if they're part of the music as well.'

Late album highlight 'Guess We Found a Way' addresses the change with a coy smile. 'Guess we found a way to speak to you/ Guess we found a way to say what's true/ To say what's real,' Williams coos over glistening chains of reverberant synth and diamond dust percussion, before returning to Ibibio in the chorus. Perhaps the best example of the group's ability to convey meaning across language and tradition, to blend past and future into a singular present comes on 'She Work Very Hard'. The traditional Ibibio folk tale bobs over the waves of tuned percussion, chunky synth, and pinprick highlife-esque guitar, while Jose Joyette's drums and Derrick McIntyre's bass funk groove bring everyone to the dance floor. 'These stories won't be forgotten. Feel the music: it speaks to everybody,' Williams says. 'We can travel back in time together, while convening on a futuristic, present tense. We hope that we can give people that reason to wake up, that one song to sing and dance and be happy.'

Doko Mien: Tell me everything. On their new album, Ibibio Sound Machine provide the perfect companion, ready to digest as much as possible and then further unfurl beauty and hope. They remember and honor the past and charge forward toward the future, all while intensely expanding the present.

Consisting Neither Of One Lone Woman, Nor Hailing From Either The Eurasian Country Or The North American State, This Georgia Is In Fact Comprised Of Two Human Males Working Out Of China Town, N.y.c., Namely Brian Close And Justin Tripp. Together They Form A Creative Partnership Responsible For Not Just A Slew Of Output Upon Such Highly Regarded Imprints As Meakusma, Palto Flats And Emotional Response, But Also For A Kaleidoscopic Variety Of Multimedia Work With A Whole Host Of Clients, From The Corporate To The Counter Cultural. With An All Embracing, Freeform And In Some Ways Contradictory Approach To Production, Their Sound Is At Turns Stimulating, Terrifying, Comforting And Confounding. Separated From Any Visual Representation, The Audio On Its Own Becomes A Soundtrack For The Listeners' Own Intense Internal Projection Screen.

With 'time', Georgia's Vision Is Especially Well Realised As Here, In Collaboration With Fellow Intuitionists Firecracker Recordings, They Release Into This World An Album Which, With Any Luck, Shall Help You Unlock Your Inner Portals - Should They Need Assistance In That Regard Anyway. Unquantisable Polyrhythms Knock Against One Another In An Uncannily Externalised, Conflicting Collage Of Half Remembered Dance Ritual Memories. Fragmented Melodies, Disembodied Vocal Snippets, A Hint Of Ethnomusicality In Places All Give Deep Nods Simultaneously To Ancient Experience And To Post Human Intelligence, Condensing Past Present And Future Into One Eternal Instant.

'time' The Album Asks Us: What Happens When One Removes Ones Expectations Of Where In Time A Piece Of Music Or Art Must Sit And What Of Time Itself As A Construct, Now That We Have Myriad Ways Of Measuring It, Even At The Atomic Level; But Still Its Passing Is Completely Relative According To The Observer, And Indeed May All Be In Our Minds Anyway Equally, You Can Always Just Put It On - Again, And Again - Empty Your Mind Of Such Thoughts Completely, And Allow All Of Your Particles To Move Around Freely To This Joyful Noise... After All, That's The Point, Isn't It We're Gonna Have To Stop Asking Questions Eventually.

Last year saw The Last Poets celebrate their 50-year anniversary with the righteous, politically-charged poetic record, "Understand What Black Is". Now to continue the party, Brighton production-maestro Prince Fatty has reworked the album with a fresh twist and blend of smooth, dub-delights. Set to land on the 29th March, the revolution marches on - this is "Understand What Dub Is".

After Prince Fatty's involvement in the production of the original project, he was the perfect person to help update the record with five decades of experience for a new audience to enjoy. The ten tracks of "Understand What Black Is" depict a relevant, historical philosophy of identity and race that has followed The Poets over the last 50 years. Since the origins of the civil rights movements back in the late 60's, Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan (two of the longest-standing group members) have provided social commentaries and a voice to African-American consciousness that has now been heard on a global scale.

Their raps, exploitations and insights quickly evolved into the origins of hip-hop in Harlem, New York back in 1968, and now in 2019 they continue to voice their dedication to the cause with the backing of slick rock-steady infused beats to keep things moving. Having had their work sampled by the likes of NWA, Dr Dre, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg and countless others is just a testament to the timeless sounds and prophecy they have created, and now Prince Fatty has stepped up to put his stamp on it.

Prince Fatty's ever-reliable work gives "Understand What Black Is" another lease of life as he maintains an undeniably slick groove throughout. Both therapeutic and warm, the soulful rhythms of "Understand What Dub Is" provide the perfect platform for The Last Poets to delve into everything from Trump's inauguration, nods to Biggie Smalls and respect to Prince. The calm, collective and downright thought-provoking words go hand-in-hand with the roots-driven reggae medleys with ease - this is dub in its rawest form.

Not only do these songs explore personal struggles and individual endeavours, they also represent a collective of deprived aspects of humanity and socialism, that perhaps now need to be pointed out more than ever. Although there is a variation of sound, the overlying topics remain a constant - it is time to "Understand What Black Is" once more.

Double Vinyl Lp 16 Tracks

The Bang Riddim, Di Land Riddim, So Deep Riddim, Modern Times Riddim, West Town Riddim...















d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
| d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
| d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
| d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
| d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
| d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
[|] d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















[] d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
[|] d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















[] d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
[|] d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















[] d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
[|] d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















[] d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
[|] d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















[] d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
[|] d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)















[{] d3 Brother Wildman - Jah Jah Warrior (Modern Times Riddim)
[|] d4 Alerta Kamarada - Save The Children (Bonus Track)

Front Left represents a very special corner in a very special spot on this planet. Every week the front left people gather together to celebrate music.

Music is what brings us together.

This label brings the productions of the front left people to the world.

Africa cumbia psychedelic

2nd Reissue
Fredfades & Ivan Ave's debut release
This time on black vinyl
300 copies
For fans of J Dilla, MNDSGN, Madlib, Yogisoul

Contains 17 tracks produced by Fredfades using the SP-1200 and MPC 2000XL. The A-side is all vocal tracks by the Norwegian lyrical genius Ivan Ave who is widely known for his projects with MNDSGN (Stones Throw). The B-side is a mesh of Fredfades instrumentals.

A.g. Returns With All-start Cast, Featuring The Likes Of Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Alchemist And More. For This Album, He's On His A-game, From Beginning To End. Touching On Topics From The Hip Hop Biz, Street Tales And Political Hypocrisy. The Taste Of Ambrosia Is A Full Meal Serving For Mature Rap Devotees Who've Grown Tired Of Contemporary Rhymesayer Laziness. Joined By Guests Including Diamond D, A-bless And Thirstin Howl Iii, A.g. Backs Up His Claim That He Is Ill Enough To Paint His Own Portrait, And Illustrates And Vision Of Rap Immortality That Hardcore Heads And Fellow Legacy Mcs Alike Can Worship Eternally.

Tom Dicicco returns under his newly launched Veyg moniker with four mesmerising house cuts entitled 'My Sweet Soul' arriving on his eponymous vinyl only label Veyg Times.
Run Out Run founder Tom Dicicco's output includes ppearances on labels like Juju & Jordash's Off Minor, John Osborn's Dred Records, Anthony Parasole's The Corner and renowned Dutch techno staple Delsin. The British producer started producing under his Veyg alias earlier this year as a means of exploring more adventurous productions spanning house, techno, disco, and beyond. His second outing once again demonstrates how
versatile he is as a producer.

On The 50th Anniversary Of The Band's Inception At An Event In Harlem, Ny To Commemorate Malcolm X's Birthday On 19 May 1968, Influential Spoken Word Artists, Poets And Commentators The Last Poets Are Set To Make A Glorious And Relevant Return With Their First Album In Over 20 Years, 'understand What Black Is'.

Produced By Ben Lamdin (nostaglia 77) And Brighton Legend Prince Fatty, Whose Speciality Is Traditional Reggae And Dub Production's, 'understand What Black Is' Is A Ten-track Album Which Speaks Of A Revolutionary Struggle Defined By Both Race And Identity, That Has Never Sounded More Relevant. Released On Studio Rockers, There Will Also Be An Accompanying Single Featuring Remixes Of The Title Track "understand What Black Is" By Mala (south London Collective Digital Mystikz) And Uk Dance Music Innovators Dego And Kaidi.

Since The Initial Line-up Of Dahveed Nelson, Gylan Kain And Felipe Luciano Formed In East Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park, The Last Poets Have Produced Under Various Guises Over The Subsequent Years. However, It Was Their Seminal Output, Namely 1970's 'the Last Poets' Under Both Umar Bin Hassan And Abiodun Oyewole That Secured Their Legacy, Becoming One Of The Most Important Influences In Early Hip Hop.

Throughout The Last 20 Years, The Band Have Remained Largely On Hiatus. But Their Influence Could Still Be Felt With Their Tracks Being Sampled By The Notorious B.i.g, Nwa, A Tribe Called Quest, Dr.dre And Snoop Dogg. Umar Has Recorded Various Solo Albums And Featured On Common And Kanye West's Grammy Nominated 'the Corner'. Abiodun Appeared On The Red Hot Organization's Album, Stolen Moments Which Was Named "album Of The Year" By Time. He Also Conducts Weekly Open House Poetry Readings, Where He Constructively Critiques Upcoming Poets, Helping To Nurture Them. He Has Also Conducted Classes At Columbia University, Where He Teaches Creative Writing.

The Inauguration Of Donald Trump As Us President In 2016 Inspired Hassan And Oyewole To Resurrect The Group To Create A Brand New Record, Modern And Edgy, And Deeply Relevant And Reflective Of Our Times.

Tracks On 'understand What Black Is' Include 'how Many Bullets', Which Bridles With Defiance As Oyewole Works Through A Litany Of Injustices Suffered By Black People In The Us: " You've Tried

To Blow My Brains Out With Bigotry, Chopped Off My Wings, So I Couldn't Fly Free, And Dared Me To Be Me, Took My Drum, Broke My Hands, Yanked My Roots Right Up Out Of The Land, And Riddled My Soul With Jesus" 'what I Want To See' Describes A Utopia - A Refuge From Hurt And Those Who'd Make "our Vision Blurred, And Our Faith Obscure", Whilst The Title Track 'understand What Black Is' Aims To Transcend Ethnicity: "understand What Black Is....it's The Source From Which All Things Come...black Is A Hero, Not A Villain."

The Album Even Takes Reference From Prince's 2003 Album Of Instrumentals, 'news', Which Hassan Drew Comparisons From With His Own Childhood Experiences: "that Poem Took Me About A Year To Write....i Just Kept Writing And Writing But Not Getting Too Far And Then I Heard That Album And The Musicianship Was Amazing. I Was Left Wondering If It Was Jazz, Classical, Rock Or Maybe Something New But All Those Images That I Write About Came To Me From Listening To That Album. I Loved Prince In That Movie Purple Rain Because My Father Was A Talented Musician But He Was Into Brutalising Mama At Times And In The Movie There's A Jerome And My Name Is Jerome, So It Was Like He Was Telling My Life Story As Well."

The Album Acts As A Body Of Work Between Individual Members Each Speaking Of Their Own Personal Journeys, But Feeding Into The Much Larger Narrative Of Struggle And Oppression, Alongside A Fervent Hunger For Social Change. These Are Struggles And Tests Of Personal Resolve That Have Directly Shaped And Moulded The Bands' Unique Sound Over The Course Of An Impressive 50 Years, And Their Powerful And Influential Commentary Remains As Relevant As Ever.

Nach Releases auf Kompakt, Turbo, Rumors und Founders Of Filth und nach Kollaborationen mit Guy Gerber, Tiga, Felix Da Housecat und Jamie Principal, veröffentlicht der kanadische DJ/Produzent Clarian sein Debütalbum nun auf dem australischen Vorzeigelabel Balance. Die 10 Tracks auf "Television Days" weisen einen starken 1980er Synth-Pop-Einfluss auf, den Clarian zuvor schon als Mitglied des Duos Footprintz auf dem von Ewan Pearson co-produzierten Album "Escape Yourself" (Visionquest) vollends auslebte.

Four slow-burning bombs that perfectly encapsulate how far that Slow Motion, slo-mo sound can be stretched. Featuring artists old as Alien Alien (Rodion & Hugo Sanchez) and Lerosa and new as Stoned Immaculate (Leo Mas & Fabrice and Max Essa) and Kassiel, Slow Motion drop the energy down a notch or two but not the emotion. Just as suitable for an early morning run as they are for a Balearic sunset, this four tracker has got essential written all over it.

After a decade's absence, spent working in commercial sound design, New York based electronic musician and producer Joseph Fraioli returns to his Datach'i alias for a brand new album entitled 'System'. Featuring 16 tracks of beautiful yet unsettling electronic music recorded exclusively on a Eurorack Modular synth, 'System' will be released on August 19th via Venetian Snares' Timesig imprint. Speaking about the album Fraioli said, 'I've spent much of the past decade building up my own sound design company, Jafbox Sound, and in recent years have become fascinated by modular synths. I'd been making a series of performance videos, showing how they work and that inspired me to start making music as Datach'i again. I suddenly realized I had a growing collection of tracks that worked together and had something new to say. Aaron heard some of them and encouraged me to start thinking of them in terms of an album and here we are.' Venetian Snares says of the album 'Joseph's special take on live modular production has had me really excited this past year. There are so many great tracks, it was nearly impossible to compile this album. I'm tickled he agreed to release them with Timesig!' The first non-VSnares-related release on Timesig, 'System' will be available on double vinyl, CD and digital download. Those who pre-order the physical release via the Planet Mu website will also receive a bonus CD featuring 19 more tracks recorded around the same time as 'System'. In addition Timesig and Datach'i have partnered with TipTop Audio and everyone who pre-orders the album will also be entered into a draw to win a Z3000 Smart VCO oscillator and 'Happy Ending' kit, the perfect introduction to building your own modular system. Having released 6 albums between 1999 and 2006 on labels including Planet Mu and Sublight, Fraioli has spent the past ten years running award-winning sound design company, Jafbox Sound, where his productions for film, TV and adverts have been recognized by the likes of the Cannes Film Festival and the CLIO Awards. In 2014, Fraioli also joined forces with Interpol's Daniel Kessler, forming 'Big Noble.' Their freshman release entitled, 'First Light," combined Fraioli's approach to sound design with Kessler's guitar work to create cinematic, ambient soundscapes.

Another amazing exercise by Thee J Johanz! In R U There In R U There he's exploring the capabilities of the Russian/DDR Vermona synth for a massive brutal lead on a rocking 808 beat, with driving italoesque arpeggio's from the Jupiter 6. Having it's special moment in an unanswered synthesized ring tone, enhancing the haunting suspense. In K Clap West he lets the Moog modular sing like Kanye West, supported by the ancient Roland CR 8000 drummachine. Sleazy analogue goodness, slapping asses with the nasty clap. Sex with machines. More Cowbell! is just what the title promises. An orgy of live tuned cowbells, recorded in one take with his beloved modded CR 8000, it's a perfect atonal mixtool to add some uplifting madness and excitement. Sleeve art by David Homan and Thee J Johanz himself.

Early support from DJ Hell, Prins Thomas, Simeon Mobile Disco, Audio Soul Project, Severino Panzetta, Tensnake and more...

William Caycedo delivering some wicked stuff! He is one of our latest members with a track on the Raw Joints # 5 compilation and now his very own solo release 'The FreshestKid EP'. This young talent from Amsterdam knows how to handle his music! Since day one we noticed his unique sound and followed him till this point. Now he's ready to smash the dance floor with this cracker of a release!

Summer has not officially kicked in yet but Antinote's new addition to its roster will sure soundtrack perfectly its upcoming warm nights: encapsulating the teenage dream of an endless summer, 18 RAYS is the moniker behind which some of the label's most steady fixtures gave a try at recording music together, somewhere straight in the heart of Paris' 18th arrondissement.
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Nico Motte, Zaltan & Raphaël Top-Secret have been friends way before each of them occasionally played his part in the Parisian label and it is mainly out of this friendship that they conceived 18 RAYS, a vessel to finally give life to the band they dreamed of in their teenage years. It is safe to say that 18 RAYS has been in their mind for quite a while, but it was only last winter, after a couple of bottles of natural wine on a hazy evening, that they decided that it was time to give it a real go and to pick up the instrument each learned years ago: the guitar, the bass and
the drums.

Produced by Nico Motte - the man behind all the artworks of the label - the trio spent 5 weeks between Synth City (Motte's studio) and Red Bull Studio in Paris working on these 4 songs, each sitting somewhere between some sort of timeless and somehow aquatic dream pop and blurred visions of an eerie grunge sound, that probably
never was.

That being said, the genesis of 18 RAYS might explain why their debut EP turns out to be such an intimate affair: while it took its members down memory lane, the listener will embark on an ethereal trip, taking him to a parallel universe in which the sounds of Cocteau Twins,

Following the 2 previous sell out singles on Reed Records Mohawkestra return with a third salvo of the British Invasion flavour Funk! 'Heart Full of Soul b/w West Coast Boogaloo' available on 7' vinyl and download.

Heart Full of Soul was originally recorded by legendary British group The Yardbirds at a point when Jeff Beck joined and introduced Fuzz peddles and Guitar effects to their recordings. Mohawkestra's arrangement is an instrumental burst of heavy Organ and Guitar driven Funk that we've come to expect for their version and again they don't disappoint!

The flip side is a Mohawkestra original titled West Coast Boogaloo which would be right at home in a Jazzy lounge in California in the 60's, perfectly capturing the West Coast Jazz sound filtered through musicians playing in a British basement studio with a 50 year delay.

Jazz classic alert! Reissue from this soul/jazz-funk fusion album originally released in 1982 on Poet Records. 500 copy LTD edition!

Repress
From Chicago Noleian Reusse (Africans With Mainframes) serves 3 tracks of alien jacking weirdness. The package is completed with a remix by labelboss Paul du Lac aka Paul West. Handstamped limited edition.

Al Massrieen: Disco, Funk and modernized Arabic Pop from Egypt

In the beginning of Habibi Funk, our search was focussed on vinyl records. Around a year ago though, we got to the point where we realized that it became substantially harder to discover music, that we enjoyed and hadn't heard before. It became apparent that it was time to start looking for other formats. Cassette tapes were the obvious alternative. These were introduced in the arabic world around the late 1970s. In some countries they took over a bit earlier, in others a bit later, but eventually they pushed the vinyl format out of the market in the 1980s. In Egypt this trend already even started in the late 1970s.

Al Massrieen was one of the first bands I learned about once I discovered the tape format for myself. They were really popular in Egypt in the 1970s and the more of their music I found on either tapes or Arabic pirate mp3 sites, the more I was becoming a fan. Only very few bands from the region can match the band's versatility as well as their strive for innovation. Hany Shenoda is the man behind the Al Massrieen band. He is a reknown figure of the Egyptian music scene and has worked with everyone from Abdel Halim Hafez to Mohamed Mounir. Al Massrieen was his attempt to introduce his ideas of modernizing Egyptian music, heavily encouraged by Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt's only winner of the Nobel Price for literature) after discussing his ideas with him.
Al Massrieen's sound goes from lush disco like 'Sah' to psych rock like 'Horreya' or incredible jazz fused pop on songs such as 'Edba Mn Gded'. I was shocked to realize the band seemed to be hardly known outside Egypt, even though I feel they're at least on the same level as Ahmed Fakroun. An relative obscurity which I largely attribute to the fact that their releases never have been pressed on vinyl (apart from a Greece best of LP which wasn't a strong compilation of the group's songs). One way or another it felt like this band and especially their composer, band leader and overall brain Hany Shenoda was in need to get some recognition outside of Egypt. The release is fully licensed from the band and comes with an extensive booklet with liner notes, interviews and unseen photos.

Bell Gardens combines the musical visions of Kenneth James Gibson (formerly of Furry Things, now recording as
*Bell Gardens' origins began arguably as more of an experiment than the duo's current 'experimental' projects - McBride's drone- and string-laden ambient symphonies, and Gibson's ventures in dub and minimalist techno - as they sought to manifest their mutual reverence for folk, psychedelia and chamber pop in a traditional band structure without cannibalising any particular past genre. Bell Gardens' sound is less reliant on effects and studio trickery than the pairs' independent guises, laying bare as it does vocals and live instruments with emotional sincerity, and presenting songs imbued with an almost pastoral or gospel simplicity and timelessness.
Slow Dawns for Lost Conclusions was again recorded mostly at home studios, but additionally the band made use of a friend's desert cabin in Wonder Valley, California, and it seems this willingness to retreat from the city has lent an expansiveness to the tracks, in particular the spacious, ceremonial 'Silent Prayer' (written in a snowbound mountain cabin in Idyllwild, C.A.) and the crepuscular 'She's Stuck in an Endless Loop of Her Decline' (mapped out under the stars in the desert).
While the addition of strings (contributed by Lauren Chipman of The Rentals and The Section Quartet) and trumpet (Stewart Cole of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros) provides a double rainbow of tonal textures throughout, the nine tracks of Slow Dawns for Lost Conclusions are united by an understated elegance belying the newly expanded, communal effort in the studio: each instrument earns its place, nothing is overwrought or conspicuous. Moreover, it is McBride and Gibson's artistry in building stirring soundscapes from the barest of materials in their other guises that lends such assurance and sophistication to these arrangements.
The band is a result of the complimentary cross-pollination of Gibson and McBride's musical tastes - borne from a late-night conversation between the two that grew wings - and it is the universality of the sentiments and their restrained, reflective approach to writing and recording that allows the music to simultaneously straddle the past and the present. The music avoids pastiche, its pedal steel, sleigh bells and harmonies giving a nod to the ghosts of musical genres past, but never overriding or distracting from the emotional content of the sum of its parts.
The album ends with the glorious 'Take Us Away' - one of the first demos Gibson gave McBride when he was on tour with Stars of the Lid - neatly bringing their work to date full circle and exemplifying the band's mindfulness of their own serendipitous beginnings: the dawning of an auspicious, unique musical force.

Bell Gardens - Take Us Away -
Harmonies alert!! Actually, this is rather lovely. Slow-tempo, just the right side of 'twee' and packed full of strings, as if Air and Midlake had been taking balloon trips over the mid-West and sprinkling good-vibes dust across the land. From L.A. and subconsciously plugged into the '60s dream-pop scene, taking in a little bit of Mercury Rev and Brendan Perry en route, stopping off at Pearls Before Swine and Big Star's house for inspiration, before getting stoned with '70s era Brian Eno and Harold Budd.

Slight Delay aka Tiago makes a welcome addition to the Vibrations camp with this supreme e.p of leftfield house. 'West Sonic Vibe' is a deep eastern infused tropical gem with 'Party Over' taking on a harder edge on the same mystical journey. Oz producer of the moment Inkswel takes on the remix duties and rocks 'Party Over' into a slower funked up, bass line heavy trip via Sugarhill.

ARTS is an independent label based on Sonic dimensions.
ARTS is proud to present you one of the best combo works so far in one single vinyl 12inch, Terrence Dixon rapresented by I:Cube, Marcel Fengler and Mark Broom.

LIMITED EDITION : first 1000 will be numbered & limited transparent blue vinyl !
Home to E.L.O.'s world hit 'Mr. Blue Sky', Out Of The Blue is a multi-Platinum selling double album by the iconic pop rock band from Birmingham. Renowned for Jeff Lynn's elaborate productions and arrangements, Electric Light Orchestra proved they were able to expand on their success formula of Beatlesque classic rock songs. The album yielded classic E.L.O. songs such as 'Turn To Stone', 'Sweet Talkin' Woman' and 'Wild West Hero', all becoming hits in the UK. A nine-month tour followed its release in 1977 that set new visual standards for stadium rock acts, incorporating a giant space ship, fog machines and laser displays. Music On Vinyl celebrates the European rerelease of Out Of The Blue with a limited run of 1.000 on transparent blue vinyl.

This is the debut EP from Manchester-based producer Nineteen99 and the first release on new label Warszawa Records.

Eminem, the biggest selling music artist of the decade returns with his eagerly awaited new album - his first original studio album in over four years. Already A-listed at Radio One, Kiss, 1Xtra, Capital, Choice. He will be in the UK for promo including an appearance on Jonathon Ross. There will also be a follow up album "Relapse 2" released later in the year.

Dire Straits' arresting self-titled debut arrived in the midst of punk's reign but couldn't have been further removed from the era's slash-and-burn style. Recorded in West London in February 1978, the band's tasteful, jazz-inflected set embraces folk, blues, and pub rock while also tracing a direct line back to the beat-oriented sound of early rock n' roll. Country and roots accents further distinguish the British quartet's stripped-down music from any 1970s peers, as does the transparent production, which has remained revered among audiophiles the world over – and which has never been better than on this meticulous pressing.

Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI, Mobile Fidelity's 180g 45RPM 2LP version of Dire Straits features natural tonalities, superb balances, you-are-there imaging, deep-black backgrounds, and pristine clarity. Even if you've heard this album hundreds of times before, you've never experienced it with such lifelike sonics and premium richness. This numbered-edition collector's set immerses you within the smoky, laidback atmospherics of every song. This is how all vinyl should sound.

Crucial to every arrangement, Mark Knopfler's winding guitar lines emerge with supreme transparency and multi-hued textural detail. His intricate playing comes across as if it's being transmitted via his 60s-era Fender Vibrolux amplifier placed right before you. The cleanliness, dimensions, and live feel are that good. His bandmates, too, benefit from the extra groove space afforded by this 45RPM edition. Rhythms skate and swirl; percussive effects resonate with crispness and attack; the leading edges of notes naturally decay.

Dire Straits' strong, well-edited batch of original material further enhances the overall enjoyment and makes the record one whose pleasures go far beyond the organic sonics. Just as Knopfler's narratives pour forth with poetic and surrealist texts, the musical settings – an intoxicating combination of easygoing shuffles, back-hall boogies, and pop-honed ballads – mirror the old-fashioned soulfulness inherent in the classic recordings of the late 50s and early 60s. The lyrics are equally captivating.

Drawing from his time as a youth in Newcastle, Leeds, and London, Knopfler invests tunes with an autobiographical slant and emotional connectivity that become obvious the moment he opens his mouth to sing. "Down to the Waterline," "Wild West End," and "Lions" all feature colloquial touches that add to their reach. By extension, "In the Gallery" functions as a tribute to Leeds sculptor Harry Phillips (father of future Knoplfer collaborator, Steve Phillips) while the record's breakout smash, "Sultans of Swing," pays homage to struggling bar bands.


Through it all, Dire Straits performs with a subtle cool and clever poise that no band ever matched. Just how good is the chemistry? Bob Dylan heard the quartet and invited Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers to play on Slow Train Coming. But even Dylan himself didn't hear Dire Straits sound this magnetic back in its original heyday. Now, everyone can.

RAWAX WELCOMES WESTCOAST GODDESS TO THE FAMILY!
WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO PRESENT YOU THIS FANTASTIC ARTIST ON CHIWAX!
THIS BIG RELEASE WILL BE OUT END OF MAY. ENJOY THE TEASER AND WAIT
FOR THE VINYL TO ARRIVE SOON! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Muyei Power or Orchestre Muyei (muyei means 'our country') was one of the top dance bands of the1970s in Sierra Leone. Soundway Records' first collection of music from this West African country ('Muyei Power: Sierra Leone in 1970s USA') is an album of rock-infused, 'afro' music from a group that traveled the world throughout the mid 1970s. Fusing elements of electric Congolese and Nigerian music with fast, syncopated, uptempo modernised arrangements of traditional music, Muyei Power produced a series of unique single-only releases that have been unavailable for 35 years. The rare recordings featured here are a glimpse of a dynamic and powerful band at the very height of its powers.

Even though lyrically Orchestre Muyei focused on traditional themes and songs, the arrangements and formulation of the instrumental side of things still very much reflected the mixed nature of urban Sierra Leone music, exemplified by a small collection of bands that also included Afro National, Sabanoh 75 and Super Combo.



For the early part of 1970s the band toured extensively throughout Sierra Leone, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire before making a handful of 45s in local TV and radio studios. The recordings featured here however come from a period of touring the college circuit in California during late 1975 and early 1976. Later that year, as they played the colleges of the east coast, they gave the tracks to the owner of the African Record Centre in Brooklyn, New York. He initially released two of them on his in-house Makossa Records label as 7-inch 45rpm singles in 1976. The tracks from 1975/6 were then not heard of again until 1979/80 when the African Record Centre released many of them on a series of Makossa Records 12's that sounded far superior than the records that had been released a few years earlier.


Orchestre Muyei Power finally split up in 1979 leaving no proper album releases and only a handful of recordings for us to enjoy all these years later.