For more than twenty years, Duquette Johnston has been amongst the vanguard of Alabama music. From the founding of the seminal indie-rock band Verbena, his work in Cutgrass and the Gum Creek Killers, to his acclaimed solo releases "Etowah" and "Rabbit Runs a Destiny", Johnston has consistently pushed the boundaries of what Southern American music can sound and feel like. On his latest, "The Social Animals", Johnston partnered with producer John Agnello and an all-star cast of players including Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley to create his boldest and most powerful music to date. In a career that's taken him from stages with Pavement, Foo Fighters and The Strokes, to the Etowah County Correctional Facility, and then into the world of fashion with his Birmingham based company Club Duquette, Johnston has gone to the edge and survived. On "The Social Animals", he opens the door into that experience with eleven songs that present a lush, loud, and eloquent meditation on the human experience. Producd by John Agnello (Dinosaur, Jr, Waxahatchee). Features Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) on drums. Former member of influential 90’s indie rock group Verbena. Press from Shorefire Media, AAA radio campaign planned. Partnerships planned with Levi’s and Topo Designs. Full tour planned for 2022. Last records have received accolades from Rolling Stone, Paste, The Bitter Southerner, MOJO, Uncut and NPR.
New limited pressing on 180g Electric Blue Vinyl. L.A. Witch’s self-titled debut album unfurled like hazy memories of late-night revelries in the city center creeping back in on a hungover Sunday morning. Guitarist/vocalist Sade Sanchez purred and crooned over jangling guitar chords, painting pictures of urban exploits, old American haunts, and private escapades with a master’s austerity. Bassist Irita Pai and drummer Ellie English polished the patina of the band’s vintage sound, adding a full-bodied thump and intoxicating swing to the album’s dusty ballads, ominous invitations, and sultry rock songs. The album had an air of effortlessness like these songs were written into the fabric of the Western landscape by some past generation and conjured into our modern world by three powerful conduits. The band readily admits that L.A. Witch was a casual affair and that the songs came together over the course of several years. That natural flow hit a snag when the band’s popularity grew and they began touring regularly, so a new strategy became necessary for their sophomore album, the swaggering and beguiling Play With Fire
If Cannibale's members brought their breakfast back up when talking about 'Not Easy To Cook', their listeners would be surprised. There's a world of difference between the beginning of Cannibale's success story and this second album. The most surprising thing about 'Not Easy To Cook' is the sultriness that emerges. It's hard to sum it up other than by comparing these 10 songs with some pressure cooker in which bits of dancehall, London ska and Hawaiian dub would have cooked together. Here's the small miracle achieved by this LP recorded by the band in its remote French village: sounding French, but Polynesian French. A very psychedelic mixture of cumbia, African rhythms and garage music. Or, if you will, a kind of missing link between Fela Kuti, The Doors and The Seeds!
In 2006, Jimmy Hunt (then a proverbial punk-troubadour usually found in bars) and Ysael Pepin (bassist for Demon's Claws) started to jam here and there in one of the rooms of an apartment located above the late Zoobizarre in Montreal. Brian, Martin, and Dale eventually joined and the quintet recorded their first garage EP in two winter afternoons. Going against the ebb and flow of indie-pop, receiving praise in both languages all over Canada (La Presse, Exclaim!, Voir), Chocolat participated in the Francofolies de Montréal in 2007 and, in 2008, they were one of the first bands signed on a new label named Grosse Boîte, the French section of Dare To Care Records. They went on to release their first album, Piano élégant, which was met with great acclaim. It featured Beatle- esque melodies, a clearer sound and an addictive chanson side. During the two years that followed, between disheveled yet jolly efficient performances, Chocolat strung together shows and insolence, and even performed at the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. Then, wanting to try something new, the band decided to take a break in the middle of 2010 and Jimmy Hunt eventually released his first solo album. Jimmy and Ysael kept contact and kept playing together, laying the foundations of an abstract project named Fantôme. Then, at the end of 2013, during the Holidays, while on a break from the tour promoting his second solo album, Maladie d'amour, Jimmy Hunt pitched some ideas on his tablet. The few demos he recorded consisted of linear sequences with drawling riffs interspersed with rhythmic breaks and rudimentary electronic effects. Realizing that Chocolat represented the ideal band to play these, Jimmy got the members together and invited his close friend Emmanuel Ethier (Jimmy Hunt, Cour de pirate) to replace Dale who had left for Europe. After only 3 practices, Jimmy booked the Victor studio in January 2014. For a few days, the guys recorded live and full band. In general, they stuck to the second or third take for each of the tracks. This allowed them to take advantage of the spontaneity of Ysael and Brian's garage games played on the mechanical tracks composed by Jimmy. As spring blossomed and schedules filled up, the guys managed to remotely mix what would become Tss tss, an album recorded between friends, a pop dump of white heat, a discharge of hypnotic rock, and, still under the Grosse Boîte label, an essential tool to hit the roads and travel across Quebec again.
Esencia are proud to present the third album by Culross Close - Pressure. The album opens with the sound of PRESSURE! a world where synths blend with keys and the visceral expressions of city life. Things then move from minimalist expressions to beat-driven fusion. With searing string and trumpet arrangement courtesy of Yelfris Valdes, To Belong straddles beat-driven fusion and jazz with mastery. Misguided takes things up a notch, with breakneck rhythms and an enchanting melody. The mood changes on Tipping Point, with the quintet heading into psychedelic territory.
Convictions is a sombre piece, laced with keys and heartfelt intentions. Shifts is both delicate and challenging, stirring and settling. The Will To Change is a solo piano piece and the album’s closer, The Will To Change (I,II) showcases Culross Close at their best: playful, considered and able to hold a groove. Enjoy!
Additional Thoughts:
Pressure. The invisible hand that has the potential to propel or paralyse, to create beauty or despair. Pressure mounts. Builds. Until it reaches a tipping point, after which, things shift and change finds us.
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Deer Leader is the moniker used by Stuart McQuarrie, Ross Prentice and
Robin Pringle - three multi instrumentalists who produce introspective
soundscapes that marry up loud guitars, spliced up beats, vocal samples
and warm layers of reverb.
Initially an purely instrumental outfit, the group have previously released a
double A-side single “Know Everything, Know Everyone/Last Acts of a Desperate Man”, which received attention from a few US blog sites and favourable
reviews from the local music press.
However, the group has spent the last few years reworking their sound with
revered producer Andy Miller (Mogwai, Arab Strap, Life Without Buildings);
recording their debut, which was finished early 2019.
The record moves away from their instrumental beginnings and presents songs
that offer a sense of duality in both their musical and lyrical content; part
dreamscape, part nightmare.
Nineties-inspired alternative indie noise rock / post
punk.
For fans of IDLES, The Jesus Lizard, (‘Worst Case
Scenario’-era) dEUS, Black Midi.
If The Waltz were a drink, it’d be a slamming
cocktail of Panoramix’s magic potion, mixed with
Red Bull, some coffee and a strong Belgian Tripel
beer. A firm headbutt with a kiss on the cheek
afterwards. You won’t know what to remember first:
the bang or the catharsis.
CD in digipack. LP pressed on 180gm yellow
coloured vinyl.
First singles received airplay on Belgian national
radio (Studio Brussels / Radio Willy).
Everything is Noise (US) premiered the single
‘Red-Orange Moon’ and will do an extended
feature on the album.
Mother Tongue keeping the pressure high and unleashing straight away the follow up to the deadly YJ Vol.1.
This second Yellow Jackets double A sider feautures Chicago’s royalty Ron Trent and the extra talented multi instrumentalist Other Lands.
Again one track per side and full powerful cutting to maximize the sound impact in pure YJ philosophy. Ron Trent ‘The Medi’ was actully constructed while riding trains and in hotel rooms through Italy, used as a secret weapon in special occasions…and we can hear why: a mind expanding suite that keeps evolving and going in places and spaces while constantly beating you hard! On the Flipside Other Lands brings things down to more abstract realms with the floating almost Kraut inspired jam ‘Matter’.
A very special release and a hint of what Yellow Jackets has in store for us in the near future…
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Flashback to 2008. Barack Obama is in charge of the US, China is hosting the Summer Olympics and Amy Winehouse's 'Back To Black' is ruling the charts. In Belgium - more specifically in Aalst - four friends of friends decide to make music together. A year or so later, Intergalactic Lovers achieves its first successes and in 2011, with 'Greetings and Salutations', the band records its first album. The press is wildly enthusiastic, the gigs are piling up, the train is rolling...
13 years and two more successful albums ('Little Heavy Burdens' (2014) and 'Exhale' (2017)) later, singer Lara Chedraoui, guitarist Maarten Huygens, bassist Raf De Mey and drummer Brendan Corbey know each other like the back of their hands as they have navigated many waters together, both professionally and privately. The unbreakable foursome is ready to start the next chapter in the career of Intergalactic Lovers. "We kept a low profile the last two years" Brendan admits, "but we always have to disappear for a while after a tour. From the stage and from each other. Otherwise, you couldn't keep doing this for 13 years alongside a job, a family..."
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Laced Records and Capcom’s scenarios intertwine once more as we present the music of 2019’s Resident Evil 2 on vinyl.
Following a series refresh with Resident Evil 7, the impressive RE Engine was used to power this third-person reworking of a survival horror classic. The thick atmosphere, tight redesign of locations (including the iconic Racoon Police Department), and expanded role of a certain fedora-wearing hunter combined to make Resident Evil 2 an award-winning hit with a 91 Metacritic average.
The soundtrack played a huge part in establishing the taut atmosphere of Resident Evil 2, as the composers shifted gears between dark ambient electronic music, thumping cinematic percussion, and audacious orchestral and choral passages. Capcom veteran Shusaku Uchiyama — who worked on the 1998 original — was given lead composition duties, and also arranged several of Masami
Ueda’s original pieces. They were joined among the soundtrack credits by Zhenlan Kang, Tadayoshi Makino, Sound Director & Sound Team Leader Kentaro Nakashima, Yuichi Tsuchiya, Masahiro Ohki and Mana Ogura. Syotaro Nakayama and Taisuke Fujisawa supplied the power metal with “Tofu On Fire”; while the vinyl opens with the stomping ‘true ending’ credits theme "Saudade" by Cody Matthew Johnson and Shim.
46 tracks have been specially mastered for vinyl by Joe Caithness, and tracks will be pressed onto audiophile-quality, heavyweight 180g discs.
Life moves in cycles. As things change and morph over time, it circles back to key points and offers second chances. Volumes find themselves at such a point in 2020. After four years apart, the group—Myke Terry vocals, Raad Soudani [bass], and Nick Usich [drums]—reconvenes with original vocalist Michael Barr. In doing so, they perfect a boundary-breaking balance of guttural grooves, magnetic melodies, proficient metal, and unbridled hardcore. In essence, the guys pick right up with they left off in 2015…In 2010, Volumes burst out of the gate with The Concept of Dreaming EP. The hypnotic and hard-hitting Via [2011] and No Sleep [2014] inspired the enthusiasm of a diehard fan base. After parting ways with Barr during 2015, the band maintained its prolific output on Different Animals [2017] and the Coming Clean EP [2019]. Their total stream tally exceeded 40 million as they incited applause from Alternative Press, New Noise Magazine, Rock Sound, Metal Injection, and more.
Bristol-based singer, songwriter and bandleader, who has powered her
way to the-forefront of the British blues and roots scene in recent years,
unveils her eagerly-awaited third album 'Shining in the Half Light'
Crammed with vibrant originals brought to life with her A-list touring band, it's yet
another significant step forward in a career already feted with awards and
acclaim.'Shining in the Half Light' is Bailey's first full length album recorded in the
UK & feature's Joe Wilkins on Guitar, Jonny Henderson on Ivories, Matthew Waer
on Bass duties and Matthew Jones on drums. It was recorded in deepest Devon
in December 2020 at Middle Farm Studios and produced by Dan Weller, best
known for his long working relationship with Enter Shikari. Elles wanted this
record to feature 'gospel style vocals' so in steps Izo Fitzroy, an incredible artist in
her own right, who arranged the stunning background vocals on 'Shining In The
Half Light', and performed them alongside Jade Elliot and Andrusilla Mosley.
An exciting team of co-writers feature with three credits for Ashton Tucker & Will
Edmunds, who both wrote with Elles for 'Road I Call Home', plus she teamed up
with longtime guitarist Joe Wilkins to write the slow-flowing, philosophical 'Riding
Out The Storm'. Other kindred spirits include guitar maestro Martin Harley, for the
gentle and romantic 'Different Kind Of Love' and Matt Owens, co-founder of the
hugely successful indie- folk outfit Noah and the Whale, on the aforementioned
'Sunshine City'. The album comes to a striking conclusion with its title track, cowritten with Nashville's Craig Lackey, written over Zoom in May 2020.
Front cover features in Blues in Britain (Jan) and MNPR (May) Features in Record
Collector, Rock and Reel, Blues Matters, HRH Magazine, Fireworks Mag,
Powerplay, and Maverick
Reviews in Record Collector, Maverick, Powerplay,Fireworks,Blues Matters,HRH
Mag
Online press in Music News, Maximum Volume, Rush On Rock, All About The
Rock, Vents, Bluesdoodles, Rock and Blues Muse,Blues Rock Review, Blazing
Minds, Decibal Report, Maverick Country
Radio- BBC Radio 2 Cerys Matthews and Johnnie Walker, Planet Rock A playlist.
A few years back I had this dream: I was walking through vast grasslands
towards a solitary hill
On top of the hill was a movie house. On the marquee: History of Jazz.I kept
thinking about it. What was in the movie house? What happened before? What
followed? Why was I going there? Why "History of Jazz"? To reach some kind of
insight, I began a film script, extending the dream tenfold. The script morphed
into a novella-sized book, a series of songs, and finally, a "mind-movie" podcast,
forming this labyrinthine, multi- medium story – equal parts dream, film and
waking life. Figuring out how to transcend the traditional parameters of the album
to create a more panoramic story- vision is something I've been unconsciously
trying to do for some time. I've been pushing against the edges – toying with
narrative, characters and visuals with Easterween and Niagara, a weird children's
book Daydreams for Night – but the scope of life behind Rialto felt too
irrepressible and expansive to be boxed in an album. The book and podcast have
kicked open the doors – allowing the album to lead or serve where it should.In
Rialto's extended narrative, Klaus (loner, insomniac) is working a stint as a driver
for a small town writer's festival. Following a series of unsettling paranormal
events, he finds himself agreeing to a strange request - to deliver a film reel in
time for its premiere at a secluded movie house - the Rialto. The journey leads
him through a circuit of strangely located, oracular movie houses, screening a mix
of dreams, fantasies, memories and prophecies - numinous films of personal
revelation. Inhabiting the movie houses are underworld characters and spirits
with ambiguous motivations, some helping and some hindering Klaus's quest. It's
a Dantesque, deep cleanse pilgrimage to untangle bitterness and trauma,
rediscover a lost clairvoyance, ancestry, and ultimately, the medicinal source of
eternal youth. A metaphysical noir. A hyperstition.Rialto's album stars seven
singer-artists playing characters alongside mine: Tamara Lindeman (The Weather
Station), Daniel Knox, Thom Gill (Owen Pallet, Beverly Glenn- Copeland), Ryan
Driver (Jennifer Castle), Felicity Williams (Bahamas), Robin Dann (Bernice) and
Martin Tielli (Rheostatics). All Toronto- based like me except Daniel (Chicago).
Performed by the Venuti String Quartet with arrangements by Andrew Downing.
Produced by Jean Martin (Tanya Tagaq). It's my 13th album and fourth on Tin
Angel - previous releases on Tin Angel: Miracle In The Night (2019), Small Town
Water Tower (2016), and Niagara (2014). Each of Rialto's eight podcast episodes
features a chapter from the book performed by a cast of twenty five - made up
almost entirely of musicians – including the speaking voices of the
aforementioned singers, as well as Meg Remy (U.S. Girls), Claudia Dey, Veda Hille,
Devon Sproule, Luka Kuplowsky and others. Rialto is available as a 101-page eBook (illustrations by David Ouimet) on Sud de Valeur Press. Premiere
performances begin fourth quarter 2021. Happy Rialto listening, reading,
watching, dreaming...
Brand new album by the legendary Swamp Dogg.In 1954, 12 year old
Jerry Williams, then performing under the name Little Jerry Williams,
made his first recording for Mechanic Records, a blues stomp with a
shockingly mature vocal performance - Through the 60"s Williams' career
developed with a number of successful singles, including 'I'm the Lover
Man' and 'Baby You're My Everything', as well as writing and producing
hits for Dee Dee Warwick, Doris Duke, and Patti LaBelle and the Blue
Belles. It was in 1970, however, that the full extent of Williams' eccentric
creative genius was unleashed on the world for the first time, with the
birth of his musical alter-ego, Swamp Dogg
Created to 'occupy the body while the search party was out looking for Jerry
Williams, who was mentally missing in action due to certain pressures, maltreatments and failure to get paid royalties on over fifty single records,' the
Swamp Dogg alias, still in use today, allowed Williams to create music that was
bolder, raunchier, and more honest to his creative instincts. The Dogg's cult
classic debut 'Total Destruction to Your Mind' struck a powerful blend of Williams
classic soulful sensibilities and the blooming psychedelia of the time. Infused in
the swirling brew is Swamp's blink- and- you'll- miss- it humor, a number of acid
odes, and a heavy dose of sharp political insight. Though the psychedelic
strangeness alienated R&B fans of the time, and the authentic R&B infrastructure
prevented it from clicking with hippie audiences, it has retroactively received
legendary status in cult music circles.Now, 50 years after Total Destruction
introduced Swamp Dogg to an unprepared world, and nearly 70 since Little Jerry
Williams went into the studio for Mechanic, Williams brings us I Need A Job' So I
Can Buy More Autotune. A spiritual successor to 2018"s hit Love, Loss and
Autotune, this album continues to push Swamp's sonic exploration of the effect
as one of his many creative weapons. In the extended tradition of Total
Destruction, Swamp Dogg's 2021 LP neatly balances sleek modern production
techniques with that classic Dogg sound that has anchored William's music since
the 70s. Subtle yet soulful drumming, skin- tight horn grooves and meandering
funk guitar leads create a sonic landscape fitting Swamp Dogg's iconic croon,
occasionally drenched in the titular autotune. At 78, Swamp Dogg is as sharp of a
singer and songwriter as ever. His raunchy yet charismatic sense of humor takes
a more forward role on I Need a Job' So I Can Buy More Autotune, with earnestly
delivered lyrics about all day sex and an entire song dedicated to the perils of
'Cheating in the Daylight.' Many of the record's most charming moments emerge
from the juxtaposition of Swamp's left field humor with genuine messages of
love, such as 'She Got That Fire', which weaves descriptions of imagined sex acts,
including but not limited to an encounter involving edible underwear, in between
relatively wholesome proclamations like 'she must be an angel on earth,' and
'when she looks at you, it's like sunshine from her eyes'. I Need a Job does more
than prove that Swamp's still got it, it proves he's still getting better.
Sieben pragmatisch durchnummerierte Tracks hat Wallner komponiert und produziert, obwohl man Pragmatismus hier vergeblich sucht, denn die niemals überladene Opulenz ist ein fester Bestandteil seiner Musik. "Voices" ist natürlich in erster Linie ein Gitarrenalbum, hält aber nicht stumpf aneinander gereihte Griffbrett-Kabinettstücke parat, sondern folgt einem Narrativ, einer Art undertow unter, zwischen und hinter den Tracks: sie sind ineinander verwoben und miteinander verwandt und erzählen fortlaufend eine zusammenhängende Geschichte. Arpeggierte Synthie-Kaskaden und verdichtetes Riffing liefern hier die Staffelei für episch singende Soli, an denen Wallner hörbar Spaß hat. Allerdings hier wird nicht kopflos gegniedelt, man hört die Arbeit eines erfahrenen Komponisten und mehrere Themen und Motive ziehen sich wie Ariadnefäden durch die Tracks.
"Voices" wird höchsten audiophilen Ansprüchen gerecht und ist wie jede Produktion Wallners demanding listening, reife Kompositionen, in denen sich Herz und Hirn vertragen und ergänzen. Das Album illustriert den Jetzt-Zustand eines Musikers, der sich eine luxuriöse Position erarbeiten konnte, kompromisslos sein zu dürfen. Vielleicht sogar zu müssen. Sieht man sich die rund 26 Jahre seiner Diskographie an, war er das eigentlich schon immer und es sieht nicht so aus, als würde sich das jemals ändern.
Als Gäste sind mit an Bord: Arno Menses (Subsignal), TANYC, Yogi Lang (RPWL) sowie der renommierte Drummer Marco Minnemann.
Neben dem formschönen CD-Digipak wird es eine 180 Gr. Vinyl (Clear Vinyl) mit bedruckten Inner Sleeves geben.
Classic Rock: "…exzellentes musikalisches Gespür für Spannungsbögen, faszinierende Sounds und gekonntes Songwriting. … Dies ist eine Scheibe für Freunde des guten Geschmacks."
Rock It 8.5/10: "Musikalisch bewegt sich auch der Rest der Truppe auf höchstem Niveau, die Produktion ist druckvoll und klar und passt sehr gut ins stimmige Gesamtbild. Eine gelungene Reise durch progressive Musikwelten."
eclipsed 7.5/10: "Mucke für Fans zwischen David Gilmour, Maxxess und Joe Satriani und gerade unterm Kopfhörer ein spannendes audiophiles Erlebnis."
Guitar 5/5: "…spielt der Liebhaber hochwertiger Gitarrensounds, unterstützt durch Marco Minnemann am Schlagzeug, feinsten Prog mit atmosphärischer Dichte, tighten Riffs und sagenhaften Gitarrensoli."
Slam 8/10: "Vielfältig, stimmungsvoll und mit jeder Menge Melodie gerät "Voices" zum überaus gelungenen Werk, das vor allem durch sein farbenprächtiges und intelligentes Songwriting überzeugt."
Rock Hard 7.5/10: "Abwechslungsreichen, angenehm rockigen und zeitlosen Instrumental-Progrock zockt RPWL-Gitarrist KALLE WALLNER auf seinem vierten Soloalbum "Voices" (Gentle Art Of Music/Soulfood)."
Rocks 7/10: "Kalle Wallner, Gitarrist bei RPWL und Blind Ego, hat mit diesem Album ein kraftvolles Statement fast ohne Gesang aufgenommen. Die titellosen, durchnummerierten Tracks basieren vor allem auf massiven Riffs, die die Basis schaffen für stimmungsvolle solistische Ausflüge des Gitarristen. …Voices ist keines dieser aufregenden Gitarrenhexer-Alben, sondern eher lautstarke Kontemplation."
Break Out: "Die Stücke sind sehr spannend aufgebaut und in sich schlüssig. Oder wie es im Presseinfo steht: "reife Kompositionen, in denen sich Herz und Hirn vertragen und ergänzen." Dem ist nichts hinzuzufügen, nur dieses: beide Daumen hoch für dieses starke Soloalbum!"
Myrevelations.de 13/15: "Verdammt starke Platte, Prog, Instrumental- und Gitarrenfans, sowie Post Rock Anhänger werden begeistert sein!"
Darkstars.de 9/10: "…ähnlich wie bei David Gilmour schafft es Kalle Wallner seine Gitarre sprechen zu lassen und den Hörer mit auf eine Reise zu nehmen. Ganz großes Gitarrenkino und mit Marco Minnemann sitzt zudem ein echtes Ass auf dem Schlagzeug Hocker. Ein Album zum Entdecken…"
Serendipities surround the collaboration between Berlin's Stroboscopic Artefacts label founder Lucy and their most recent record with Malaysian Bangkok based emerging artist Wanton Witch. The release culminates in the reimagining of WW debut LP as seen and felt through the lens of Lucy. This is a follow up full-length album by Lucy not approached as a usual remixes record, but instead a fully fleshed out new body of work with the WW material being an integral part of Lucy's sonic palette.
Despite the label hiatus during the first year of lockdowns, the isolation of the pandemic helped create a fertile ground for a back and forth between Wanton Witch and Lucy's own distinct sound palettes to collide. With the normal every day pressures of touring lifted and enlightened by WW's sonic world, Lucy has seen this as a positive opportunity to manifest new pathways of connectivity and process a phase of personal growth. Not simply about the breaking of gender lines, but also about the blurring of creative boundaries, especially when making music.
Lucy's original patronage of Wanton Witch and her relatively fresh and new voice in the electronic music scene can be seen as a contribution to this idea of dismantling industry norms. In more than a decade of SA operations this is a reset moment for the label's mission focusing on empowering new talent, refreshing and growing with them, presenting a dynamic two-way process bewtween the label as a whole and the individual artists output.
Lucy's personal revolution has coincided with Wanton Witch's own discovery of her musical voice and their paths have created a synchronicity. This osmosis of thought and feeling, even through massive distances, can be so real and tangible. Lucy's new album is a testament to the power of connective tissue in collaboration. It is this catalyst of realisation that has allowed the creative work to flourish under the toughest of pandemic conditions.
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In 1994, hip-hop was going through an at-times painful growth spurt. Since N.W.A.'s and Ice-T's ascent in the late '80s, the rap game was no longer owned by the East Coast. After the worldwide popularity of Dr. Dre's The Chronic in 1992, things were looking even worse for hip-hop's hometown. The East Coast / West Coast feud that would later indirectly claim the lives of Biggie and Pac was still in its infancy, but New York needed a shot in the arm. The hype behind young Queensbridge native Nasir 'Nas' Jones had been in full swing months before his smash debut album Illmatic, thanks to Columbia Records' promo machine. From his earliest appearance on Main Source's 'Live at the BBQ,' to his own accomplished debut 'Half Time' (as Nasty Nas, on the Zebrahead soundtrack in late 1992), it was clear that this kid was something special. In fact, the pressure on him must have been overwhelming at times. April 19, 1994 couldn't have come soon enough. And as soon as the first lines of 'N.Y. State of Mind' kick in, bolstered by perhaps DJ Premier's darkest beat of all time, the entire East Coast breathed a collective sigh of relief. God's Son had arrived. Backed by an absolute all-star cast of New York's top-shelf producers - Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Q-Tip and a youngster named L.E.S. - the album never lets up. Serious to a fault, and lyrically dense to an extent that has possibly never been matched, the 20-year old Nas stood on the shoulders of his predecessors and proudly proclaimed, 'Don't f*** with the East... we are BACK.' Illmatic was actually a slow-burn, which might surprise fans that have come to its genius more recently. Despite an unheard-of '5 Mics' in The Source - despite an unwritten rule of never awarding classic status to debuts - it didn't go gold until early 1996, and didn't hit platinum status until late 2001. But when you dive deeper that shouldn't be a shock: like Black Moon and Wu-Tang's debuts, it was a dark, hard record, made for heads in New York, not teeny-boppers in Des Moines. There were no dance beats, no crossover love songs. Just boom-bap and rhymes, skills and heart.
A Series Of Rare And Sought After 'Golden Era' 1960s/70s Brazilian Dancefloor Essentials For DJs And Collectors Previously Unreleased As Singles Or Only Available On Quieter LP Pressings Mastered Cut At High Quality & Packaged In Lovingly Produced Brazil45 Sleeves, Key Track From Their All-Time Classic Self-Titled 1975 LP On Som Livre, Lush Percussion Laden, Rhodes Driven Jazz-Fusion Groover b/w "America Latina" Taken From The Soundtrack To The Rede Globo Soap Opera "Selva De Pedra', Released On Som Livre In 1972, A Cheerful, Upbeat MPB Song With A Killer Chorus Drop
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Mourn The Light were formed in early 2018 by
Dwayne Eldredge, also co-founder of The New
England Stoner And Doom Festival.
Driven by his passion for thunderous, traditional
doom metal mixed with lofty progressive and
power metal leanings, Dwayne was hell-bent on
creating a band that could sonically push a
message of hope in spite of despair.
Following their highly acclaimed 2019-debut EP,
‘Weight Of The World’, and touring the US and
Canada on the back of this, Mourn The Light
returned to the studio to record their first album.
Entitled ‘Suffer, Then We’re Gone’, the band’s
debut album showcases a plethora of influences.
At one moment, Mourn The Light deliver crushingly
massive riffs, only to jump at the next turn,
galloping along with shades of classic heavy,
progressive and power metal taking hold and
leading the way, all the while focusing on incredibly
memorable songs with catchy hooks and anthemic
choruses.
For fans of Solitude Aeturnus, Savatage, Psychotic
Waltz, Trouble, Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus,
Candlemass.
Array expresses the experience of a remote Antarctic research station through the convergence of sound, site and performance. The result is an immersive and affective experience of the spaces, protocols and conditions comprising the bracing polar environment. Array is a companion piece to Polar Force, a performance-installation work by Philip Samartzis and Eugene Ughetti, presented by Speak Percussion.
Array features recordings of radar and scientific instrumentation used for upper atmospheric research and terrestrial communication. These sounds reveal the sophisticated technology and architecture used and heard within the Australian Antarctic Territory. Many of the recordings focus on the way the built environment is transformed through stress and fatigue caused by extreme climate and weather events including freezing temperatures and high velocity winds.
Together with the field recordings are layers of live performance using custom built instrumentation to produce a unique series of textures, rhythmic cycles, resonances and timbral phenomena. The application of tension and pressure upon the assorted instruments recalls the distressed state of highly specialised infrastructure found within the perimeters of a research station.
A polar research station comprises many types and volumes of prefabricated space. In dialogue with this are the unique spaces used to record the instrumental performance. By merging different spaces Array brings into focus various industrial resonances, spatial characteristics, timbres of metal and concrete, and sonic artefacts produced by hard and permeable materials and surfaces.
In three parts, Array presents Antarctica as a liminal space oscillating between representation and abstraction to challenge often repeated tropes. The intent is to blur the relationship between the recorded and performed to produce a hyper-realistic encounter of the powerful forces that operate at the margins of our planet. One hears the precariousness of a remote research station contorted by unrelenting stress, compressed air forced through waterborne fipples and the volatility of weather events.
Life on remote research stations is progressively resembling the broader contemporary experience, in which strict protocols are used to govern and preserve life. The resilient communities who live and work in these places have learnt how to co-exist with an increasingly hostile environment, along with its unknowns and necessity for hyper-vigilance. Rather than consider it as a place on the edge of elsewhere, Antarctica and its assemblage of durable, super modern colonies provides an archetype for an uncertain future in anticipation of the volatility that awaits.
"Black Truffle proudly presents The Refrain from Melbourne-based artist Francis Plagne, whose growing catalog of collaborative and solo releases range from song-based work to abstract audio collages.
Closely aligned with Plagne's Moss Trumpet LP (released by Penultimate Press in 2018), The Refrain’s two side-long tracks mix sounds of the mundane with the otherworldly; rising, receding and overlapping. The result feels like being led through a series of scenes devoid of context or direction. Furthermore, it’s hard to define the scenes as either inviting or disconcerting, as they’re often both at the same time. As the record progresses sounds reappear and are juxtaposed so as to only hint at the familiar. A hall of mirrors, perhaps?
Completed in 2020 using material recorded from 2012-2020, the record uses tapes of shelved, unfinished, and forgotten projects that featured field recordings from various locations, domestic sounds of plastic bottles, bubble wrap, creaking chairs, voice, and instrumental recordings, including an appearance from crys cole on Casio. These pieces were re-amped, processed and edited, then additional instrumental pieces featuring synths, guitars, plastic saxophone, melodica, and percussion were added, the results shaped into drifting, episodic assemblages.
Although essentially a tape piece, The Refrain presents as a crude, non-idiomatic composition that feels both timeless and transitory. It’s a million miles from the polish and rigour of GRM, perhaps more in line with Jacques Bekaert’s eponymous Igloo LP, or Costin Miereanu’s Luna Cinese. The Refrain could be read as a psychedelic Krapp’s Last Tape; one man’s response to listening through forgotten and discarded tapes, reflecting, reconciling, and forging a new path. A potent tonic for these absurd times."
-- Nick Hamilton, August 2021
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Introducing jazz harpist Amanda Whiting. From Wales, the home of the harp, Amanda has taken her classical roots and forged them in the path of jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby.
She has toured extensively with Matthew Halsall and the Gondwana Orchestra performing at Jazz festivals around the world. More recent collaborations have included recording with DJ Yoda and Chip Wickham and touring Wickham's latest album including appearances at Ronnie Scotts and Le Petit Halle, Paris.
Whiting's first album was recorded as a trio for CD in 2013, and pays tribute to Coltrane and Ashby with her own take on standards. She's joined by Deej Williams (bass) and Tony Robinson (drums). Here we've taken a selection of tracks for inclusion on vinyl, the best medium for serious music lovers.
Just 500 copies pressed and housed in a beautiful bespoke flip-back sleeve.
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In May 1968 when he recorded his album Caramba, trumpeter Lee Morgan was still a couple months away from his 30th birthday, which makes the fact that this was his 23rd Blue Note recording all the more astounding. Morgan was a full-fledged master, his technical prowess on the horn matched by the emotional depth of his playing, and a composer who could conjure different moods and styles with his writing. From the irrepressible groove of the title track to the intricate post-bop lines of “Suicide City” and “Cunning Lee” to the joyful “Soulita” and the easy swing of “Helen’s Ritual” this set of Morgan originals features Bennie Maupin on tenor saxophone, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Joe Henderson had fully hit his stride by the time he made Inner Urge, his 4th album for Blue Note, recorded in November 1964. After a series of quintet dates, this was the tenor saxophonist’s first quartet album, and it featured an extraordinary line-up with McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The foursome deliver a diverse set consisting of three Henderson originals including the remarkable title track and the Monkish “Isotope,” as well as a gorgeous ballad performance of Duke Pearson’s “You Know I Care” and a nimble swing through Cole Porter’s “Night and Day.” This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
In May 1968 when he recorded his album Caramba, trumpeter Lee Morgan was still a couple months away from his 30th birthday, which makes the fact that this was his 23rd Blue Note recording all the more astounding. Morgan was a full-fledged master, his technical prowess on the horn matched by the emotional depth of his playing, and a composer who could conjure different moods and styles with his writing. From the irrepressible groove of the title track to the intricate post-bop lines of “Suicide City” and “Cunning Lee” to the joyful “Soulita” and the easy swing of “Helen’s Ritual” this set of Morgan originals features Bennie Maupin on tenor saxophone, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Additional Artists: McCoy Tyner Wynton Kelly Paul Chambers Jimmy Cobb Elvin Jones Steve Davis
John Coltrane's Coltrane Jazz on 180g 45RPM 2LP from ORG Music!
180g 45rpm Double LP Mastered From Original Analog Tapes!
Pressed at Pallas and Mastered by Bernie Grundman!
Mastered from the Original Master Tapes : You Will Not Hear a Better Analog Version
Meticulous LP Pressing Boasts Incredible Tones and Presence
1960 Atlantic Set Followed Groundbreaking Giant Steps
Originally released in 1960, and on the heels of Giant Steps, Coltrane Jazz came in the midst of the saxophonist's peak Atlantic period. The album is among several recordings that Coltrane issued from 1959-1961, and which, ultimately, forever changed the face of music.
Featuring pianists Wynton Kelly and McCoy Tyner, bassists Paul Chambers and Steve Davis, and drummers Elvin Jones and Jimmy Cobb, the set was recorded at three separate sessions. The expert personnel are a harbinger of the great quartet Coltrane soon would assemble for 1960's My Favorite Things. And while not as famous as that iconic title, Coltrane Jazz belongs in the pantheon of phenomenal jazz albums and is an absolute must for any music fan.
In addition to boasting superior performances and playing, the set marks Trane's first use of multiphonics, the practice of extracting more than one tone at a time from the horn, which here, and unlike on any other Coltrane record, is querulously pitched, allowing him to explore new tonalities on tracks such as "Harmonique." Innovations abound. Every cut is an original composition save for Johnny Mercer's "My Shining Hour." Not surprisingly, Miles Davis' influence is felt throughout; his rhythm section is used on all but one selection.
ORG Music continues its praiseworthy archival vinyl series, presenting this landmark jazz effort cut at 45RPM and on first-rate 180g vinyl. Mastered from the original master tapes with meticulous care, Coltrane Jazz teems with new life, with the headliner's horn playing and tonalities assuming lifelike richness, boldness, and presence. The supporting cast's movements and fills are heard in pristine clarity, and the airiness that all jazz lovers prize is here in spades.
Musicians:
John Coltrane, tenor sax
McCoy Tyner, piano (on "Village Blues")
Steve Davis, bass (on "Village Blues")
Elvin Jones, drums (on "Village Blues")
Wynton Kelly, piano
Paul Chambers, bass
Jimmy Cobb, drums
Adriano Caglioni and Power Records is the combination from the past that always delivered quality productions. Strong beat, heavy synth brass, gloomy atmosphere together with plaintive melodies and masculine male voice. This is the recipe also this time. The new Time Machine release “I’m A Warrior” will lead you back to the Power Records ambience, guided by the vocals of an Italian New Generation artist, Luke White.
The A-side of the vinyl includes an Extended Mix and from the B-side you can find an alternative vocal mix. The vinyl has been pressed on marbled gray vinyl.
The Flower-Corsano Duo, the world’s best and only drums / Japan banjo duo return to VHF for their first album since 2009’s monumental The Four Aims. Mick Flower (Vibracathedral Orchestra) and Chris Corsano (frequently seen with Bill Orcutt, Joe McPhee, and other luminaries) work an area that’s not really jazz, not really anything—a stream of endlessly mutating free sound, a unique mind-merge between Corsano’s nimble drums and percussion and Flower’s amplified Japan banjo (also known as a Shahi Baaja, a type of electric Indian zither with both fretted / keyed and drone strings).
Flower cuts a highly original line, playing neither “leads” nor making drone-music. Less amplified here than on the more “heavy” The Four Aims, the strings ring out with distinct clarity in short snippets of melody and a canvas of pleasing electric sound. Corsano’s bag is to charm out a flow of thoughtful percussion engagement, rolling around on his kit, continually varying his attack and approach in conversational free-jazz style. The Halcyon is a precious addition to a tiny discography, a fortunate event even in today’s world of small press overabundance. Thanks guys!
Latest Levellers album to be pressed as a picture disc for your collection -
Peace: a word that’s both direct and loaded with meaning. On the surface, it suggests tranquility, evenness, a state of bliss already achieved. But the word that gives the Levellers’ 11th studio album its title is open to a multitude of interpretations, too. It could be a reference to a disappearing value. It could be a sneering statement of irony. It could be a cry for calm in a crazed world. It could mean whatever you want it to mean.
Peace is the most relevant album of 2020. Its 11 electrifying songs are a charged reaction to a world that seems to be teetering on the edge of madness and self-destruction. The environment is buckling under the weight of humanity’s disregard, right-wing demagogues are spreading hatred and fear across supposedly civilised nations, society and culture is trapped in a death spiral that’s playing out in real time across social media
• Two-time Grammy Award winner and Songwriters Hall of Fame honoree Jason Mraz today announced Lalalalovesongs, a collection of Mraz's iconic love songs, including RIAA Diamond certified "Im Yours," 6x RIAA Platinum "I Won't Give Up," RIAA Platinum "Have It All," and Grammy-winning duet, "Lucky" in addition to several more hits and an as-yet-unannounced, never-before-released fan favorite as a digital bonus track. Lalalalovesongs will be available on CD, vinyl, and digitally on February 11
• "I feel so LaLaLaLucky to share these songs again on this new album,” said Mraz in a press statement. "Love has been an almost constant theme in my writing, and this record really shines on that, further amplifying the message. Big love to my listeners, and to Atlantic and Rhino for the lovely release!"
• Lalalalovesongs kicks off with Mraz’s worldwide smash "I'm Yours," which ranks as the most-streamed track of the 2000s decade (2000-2009) by a solo artist on Spotify, with nearly 1.3 billion streams, and the second most-streamed track of the decade by any artist on Spotify. Additionally, the song recently surpassed 2.5 billion global streams across all audio and video platforms. "I'm Yours" was also the first song ever to top the Triple-A, Adult Top 40, Mainstream Top 40, and Adult Contemporary Charts, charting for 76 weeks and setting a record at the time for the longest chart run in Billboard history. To celebrate these milestones, the original video of the track has been upgraded to 4K along with the debut of a new video remembrance from Mraz where he discusses the story of the song, from its inception to its gradual development from fan-favorite into a Billboard Top 10 single, and its effects on his musical career.
Kapingbdi came together in Liberia, West Africa, during the late 1970’s and had their own unique style. This six to seven-piece band played original compositions in a vibrant mix of African Rhythms, Soul, Spiritual Jazz, Funk and Rock. Led by Kojo Samuels on sax, flute and vocals “Born in The Night” presents the essential tracks from their rare studio LPs produced between 1978-1981. The work has been carefully edited and remastered in 2019 for vinyl LP and a 6-Page Digipack CD, which includes two additional recordings. Kapingbdi toured through Europe and the U.S. and were the only Afro funk band to ever come out of Liberia.
Kapingbdi hail from Liberia, West Africa and have their own imitable style. They effortlessly combine traditional African music in a modern mix of Jazz, Funk, Soul and Rock. The band is a fusion of the old and the new.
The word "Kapingbdi" is taken from the Sierra Leone language Mende and means "born in the night". Kojo Samuels was given the name by his Latin teacher whilst attending high school in Freetown, They often meet and debate at night in the city and soon after Kojo is called Kapingbdi. The name serves as a description of his origin. Born In Lagos, Nigeria in 1943. The son of slave children. His mother from Nigeria and father from Sierra Leone who moved the family to Liberia, during the 1950’s.
Kojo has played music for as long as he can remember. He starts with the harmonica and later becomes a drummer and percussionist in his first band at school. During his art studies 1965-1972, he tours Germany and works as an art teacher in the USA. His band Kapingbdi is reorganized five times and consists of up to seven musicians. In a VW-Bulli he drives the group from concert to concert and if the drummer fails, he jumps in himself. Between 1978 and 1981 three Kapingbdi LPs are produced for the independent label Trikont, recorded in Hamburg and Munich. During this creative period, the band plays at festivals in Africa and Europe. In 1984, the band tours the United States and shortly after, they came to an end.
At their best, Kapingbdi would rouse the audience with original compositions like "Human Rights", justice for all, especially for South Africans, and "You Go Go You Go Come". The officials and employees in the government departments have no time for the common man, for any questions such as job search, scholarship or similar, he receives the answer "go, come back tomorrow" and the same thing the following day. Or "Now Is The Time For Cry For Love." Now it is time to scream for love and finally, time for humanity and justice. Despite immense difficulties, the musicians consciously live and work in Africa and are at home in Liberia.
On April 12, 1980, ordinary soldiers and non-commissioned officers organize a coup against the government. This is an attempt to put an end to a policy of exploitation of the Liberian people. Whilst efforts to eradicate poverty, lawlessness and illiteracy are obvious throughout the country, Liberia is still Americanized to a high degree. This is evident, as the radio programs of that time almost exclusively played American disco music. Under these conditions, the people seek a reconnection to their folk music, and Kapingbdi were aware of this. Kojo tried many times to come together with traditional Liberian musicians. This passion takes him north of the country. Meeting and playing with the old hornblowers and playing music on traditional instruments, such as the elephant tusk.
Kapingbdi make high quality tape copies of their own vinyl LPs and patiently try to displace all unauthorized tapes from the domestic "market". Nevertheless, it is hard to make a living through music in Liberia. Kapingbdi, is now celebrated. The radio plays are in abundance, but royalties are not forthcoming. Their musical link is the feeling of Afrobeat and Highlife, which is found in each of the many Kapingbdi pieces. They embody Jazz, which is understood to be the most refined example of black music outside of Africa. In Liberia, Jazz is virtually impossible to hear. Bright shining names such as John Coltrane, Charlie Parker or Miles Davis were widely unknown. Thus, the Black Jazz, including its Back-To-Africa movement of the 60’s and 70‘s, passes by without leaving a trace in Africa itself.
Kojo's claim at the time, was to make African music with the depth, sensitivity and the freedom of the technical level of Jazz. This makes Kapingbdi the torchbeares. The underpaid prophets in small Liberia. It is the passion with which the founder of the band continues to work on their music for years. Tirelessly, stimulating and encouraging his fellow musicians. This is ultimately responsible for the success of Kapingbdi in Liberia itself. The local audience seems to listen to the band in fascinated astonishment. One wonders about the ability to develop as demonstrated by Kapingbdi on the basis of their music. It is African and unusually jazzy, danceable and better than the American disco music heard on the radio.
Rather than chase the money and the job opportunities in Europe, Kapingbdi are firmly rooted in Africa. The musicians live in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, at the Kabingbdi workshop, located in the Congotown area on the eastern edge of the sprawling city. Kojo works here as a sculptor, painter, batik artist and musician. The sales revenue that his activities generate, gives him the opportunity to support the development of African Jazz music. The highest percentage of funds are from Germany and Kojo’s work ethic is “to work on your own thing“. The stance taken aims to support the welfare of Liberians and Africans. The other musicians of the group live in a second house that is nearby.
For the sake of consistency, Kapingbdi is a full-time band. However, the revenue, from all of the sources, could not keep them afloat. Equally, as important to the group are Kojos's knowledge of traditional African music and his sculpting skills. His knowledge is shared with others at the afternoon workshops. It is here that they discuss new lyrics, engage in political debate and the self-imposed task of improving conditions in Africa. At times the debate became heated, especially during rehearsals. This was regarded as good and integrative, sowing the seeds of innitiative to keep the band together.
From 1980 to 1985 Kojo also opened and ran the club "Panjebota", located on the grounds of the U.S. Consulate in Monrovia. Almost every evening Kapingbdi perform the song "Wrong Curfew Walk", whose lyrics lament the killing of citizens during the curfew imposed by the Liberian government. When the head of state Samuel Doe hears the song, he behaves agressively and forces Kojo to close the "Panjebota". Kojo had already moved on. Soonafter he meets Fela Kuti at the Africa-Festival and plays concerts in Germany with Cecil Taylor's workshop band.
Kapingbdi is for thinking, dreaming, dancing. What they sing about is what they have experienced. Kojo Samuels is 76 years old today and still follows his vocation as a critical musician, artist and activist.
Ekkehart Fleischhammer / Sonorama 2019 (with the help of original press sheets and the memories of Kojo Samuels)
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The Travels represents a signpost in the continuing journey that is the songs of Berlin-based artist
Molly Nilsson.
Starting out by hand-dubbing CDrs and forging a singular path in the global pop underground, Nilsson’s art has grown to the extent where hers is a precise songwriting devoid of unnecessary flourish. Her songs are perfect silhouettes of feelings everyone shares but that few can articulate with such heart-rending, icy pathos. Out of print for 4 years and in collectors market hell, NIght School has pressed 500 of this Molly classic on Transparent GREEN vinyl for RSD21
Is there a better pairing of kindred spirits than a split seven-inch single featuring Le Butcherettes and Death Valley Girls? We're hard pressed to think of one. Sure, the interaction is fleeting, but damn is it satisfying. We've got Le Butcherettes on side A taking on one of Death Valley Girls' most cosmic numbers, the kaleidoscopic centerpiece off Under the Spell of Joy album, "The Universe." Le Butcherettes' fearless and charismatic mastermind Teri Gender Bender takes the tune into even trippier territories, replicating the original song's sonic tapestry of synth, sax, and guitars with layer upon layer of vocals. Only the sparse accompaniment of acoustic guitar and modest percussion keeps the song from being fully a capella. It's a perfect interpretation of Death Valley Girls' communal and choral aims. On side B, Death Valley Girls offer up a new tune - the deliciously ecstatic "When I'm Free." Like every great Death Valley Girls song, it's a celebration of life bolstered by fiery rock n' roll riffage, spiritual organ, dizzying sax, and Bonnie Bloomgarden's defiant and triumphant vocals. Suicide Squeeze Records is proud to offer up this meeting of mystical minds on vinyl and digital platforms on February 11, 2022.
Pressed on DJ-friendly 7” vinyl in multiple colors - "Wakanda Funk Lounge” is a svelte four-song slab of hologram funk. Inspired to create a new, unofficial soundtrack to Marvel's Black Panther, SassyBlack says the EP “is about black freedom... Star Trek and Star Wars have always had bars and concerts. There’s no culture without music. And so when M’Baku invites me to come and perform in one of Wakanda’s funk lounges, this EP is the music I'd perform there." SassyBlack has been described as a “blaxploitation, sci-fi warrior queen.” She's also a multi-talented, space-aged songwriter, beatmaker, composer, and singer. Her music has been described as “electronic psychedelic soul,” with roots in experimental hip-hop, R&B, and jazz. Before going solo, she recorded and performed as half of the Afrofuturist hip-hop duo THEESatisfaction. Her music has received attention from Okayplayer, Afropunk, The Fader, Pitchfork, Bitch magazine, and others. The “Wakanda Funk Lounge” EP is a limited-edition, individually-numbered 7” single. Every copy is a different color. The cover was designed by visual artist Wutang McDougal. Drop the needle on any track and discover funky new tunes that remind us Wakanda’s main export is “VIBE-ranium.” This record is perfect for DJs who love 45s.