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Africamore: The Afro-Funk Side of Italy (1973-1978)

Continuing Four Flies' dedication to delving into lesser-explored periods of Italian music, Africamore takes us on a captivating journey into the intersection of Afro-funk and the Italian soundscape during the six years between 1973 and 1978 - a time when disco was looming on the horizon and the nightclub market was rapidly expanding.

Before reaching Italian shores, the infectious sound originating from African and Afro-Caribbean roots traversed both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, landing on New York dancefloors, where DJ Dave Mancuso discovered "Soul Makossa" by Manu Dibango. In 1973, from Mancuso's Loft parties, the song's hypnotic groove spread to the rest of the globe, including in Italy, where it sparked a wave of imitations and variations.


Tribal influences thus found their way into Italian soul-funk and early-disco productions released between 1973 and 1978 – from psychedelic-tinged tunes like Jean Paul & Angelique's "Africa Sound" to the Afrobeat-inspired club banger "Kumbayero" by composer/producer Albert Verrecchia (aka Weyman Corporation); and from groundbreaking Afro-cosmic songs like Chrisma's "Amore", co-written by Vangelis and featuring the rhythms of Ghanaian-British Afro-rock band Osibisa, to mind-blowing floor-fillers like Beryl Cunningham's "Why O", a re-write of Nat King Cole's "Calypso Blues" arranged by Paolo Ormi, with percussion breaks that sound pretty much like what would later become known as techno.


Combining feel-good vibes with driving rhythms, world-style percussion, and even synths, all these productions pushed the boundaries of dance music at a time when disco had not yet taken over. In doing so, they sowed many of the seeds of the later Italian cosmic scene and its unique mixture of African elements, disco-funk and electronic music.

This was a brief but nuanced period in Italian music history, one that deserves to be rediscovered, with love.

Africamore is due out on March 22nd and will be available as a gatefold 2LP and digipak CD. Both formats come with stunning artwork by Kathrin Remest and liner notes by Pierpaolo De Sanctis and Elena Miraglia.

Mon Goose is multi-instrumentalists Yegang Yoo and Robert Lombardo (both ex-Alex Delivery Jagjaguwar). Flowing seamlessly between dance grooves to experimental soundscapes, their songs twist and turn melodically through dense layers, animated by inventive live percussion and a creative melding of electronic and acoustic sounds. A Seoul-native trained in classical piano and composition at an early age, Yegang transplanted to New York City in 2000, where she and Robert began playing music together. Robert's history spans from playing guitar and drums in garages and basements, to the rabbit-holes of experimental and dance musics, to the present where he pulls from all of those influences in the music of Mon Goose and as a sound designer and composer for films.

Very Still Right Now lives in the intersection of music to listen to and music to dance to. Showing influences from space disco (stand-out track “I Feel Goose” is gloriously remixed by Lindstrøm) to Krautrock to techno ... to soundtrack records ... to classical ... it shifts and turns, sweeping you unaware from the disco dance floor to the melancholic high seas with a unique ability to contain, expand, and gradually distort moods without sacrificing a sense of lightheartedness. The album is the culmination of several years’ work from the duo, tangled in the wires of an arsenal of analog gear in their basement studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and is the first offering of much to come.

IZIPHO SOUL are incredibly proud to announce our 100th 7” single!

LAWRENCE BEAMEN - THINKING OF YOU

The unsurpassable bass-baritone voice of LAWRENCE BEAMEN originally recorded THINKING OF YOU in 2008. After years of pleas for a vinyl release; it’s finally here and sounding fresher than ever.

THE 7 REMIX has added a magic touch and beefed up this classic even further!

Arranged and produced by Narada Michael Walden and Lawrence Beamen. Music Produced by Narada Michael Walden. Lyrics by Lawrence Beamen.

On the flip is a new recording entitled BEEN A LONG TIME - a banger of a tune, straight outta Oakland, California.

Packaged in a hole backed picture sleeve.

IZIPHO SOUL are incredibly proud to announce our 100th 7” single!

LAWRENCE BEAMEN - THINKING OF YOU

The unsurpassable bass-baritone voice of LAWRENCE BEAMEN originally recorded THINKING OF YOU in 2008. After years of pleas for a vinyl release; it’s finally here and sounding fresher than ever.

THE 7 REMIX courtesy of Don Turney at DKS Productions has added a magic touch and beefed up this classic even further!

Arranged and produced by Narada Michael Walden and Lawrence Beamen. Music Produced by Narada Michael Walden. Lyrics by Lawrence Beamen.

On the flip is a new recording entitled BEEN A LONG TIME - a banger of a tune, straight outta Oakland, California.

Packaged in a hole backed picture sleeve.

Like the best of them, Daniel Chavez got his start immersing himself in the nightclubs, dingy basements, and record stores of Chicago. Cycling around the South Side with records and a small PA system strapped to his back, he found himself at Smartbar and eventually began slinging records at Gramaphone alongside some of the deepest heads of his generation. Before long, Daniel made the jump to Brooklyn and landed at A-1 Records, while diving further into the global deep house community and soaking up knowledge like a sponge. After sowing seeds in obscurity for many years, Daniel saw the fruits of his labor in 2023 with a debut 12” on Halo’s Muted Noise imprint.

These tracks were designed and refined over the course of a year to meet the strict specifications of the Jewel soundsystem and dancefloor. “Writing on Water” is a submersive, simmering tune that heaves and moans for eight minutes, but could probably go on for an hour. “Terras” strips away the layers to reveal a spacious, floating world supported by a fat, rolling bassline. On the flip, “Spiraling” echoes a feeling of early My Love Is Underground and the New York deep house golden era before it: a time of revolution. Finally, “67th Session” combines space and depth with a simple vibraphone riff that can go off day or night.

After years out of press, Motorpsycho's 2001 masterpiece is back in stock on vinyl! Originally released in 2001, Phanerothyme was a brave sidestep in the band's career. By embracing 60's psychedelic pop sensibilities and turning down their heavier, grungier tendencies, Motorpsycho displays another of their seemingly endless facets. After many years out of press, Stickman Records is proud to finally offer an updated version of this LP! Features include: • 180gr. black vinyl pressed from brand new lacquer cut • reconstructed from the original master files by Helge Sten • revamped cover art • heavy duty inside-out printed cover • printed inner sleeves and color insert

Beside Trawbreaga Bay, in Co Donegal, on the north coast of Ireland, in an old schoolhouse, with a suitcase full of hired recording gear, Oisin Leech strums gently on an acoustic guitar and watches the tide pull the water away from the ancient inlet - The thickness of Oisin's voice soothes the room as the sound waves bounce around in the land where his ancestors still live and still wander - With a musical history that led Leech from the street punk bands of yesteryear through an ongoing stint with folk duo The Lost Brothers, he found himself for the first time working on songs to sing alone. In his mind, the songs became imagined vignette films playing behind closed, guitar eyes. After writing nearly 40 new songs in this fashion, Leech wrote "October Sun" which would become the foundation for his debut solo record, Cold Sea.

Cold Sea was produced by guitarist/songwriter Steve Gunn. Leech dreamt of making the record in Donegal Ireland, a county significant to him because it is the home of his ancestors. Pitching this idea to Gunn sparked the first of several serendipities circling the Cold Sea sessions - Gunn had always wanted to visit Donegal to connect with his own familial roots in the region.

Cold Sea is perhaps most notable for its tremendous warmth. Each song was recorded in a few takes and adorned gently with synthesizers and guitar from Gunn. Several songs feature contributions on the upright bass by Bob Dylan band stalwart Tony Garnier. M. Ward plays guitar on October Sun and there are strings by Roisin McGrory and bouzouki by the legendary Donal Lunny throughout. It is a friendship record but even at its most collaborative, Cold Sea remains centered around the humble acoustic guitar and wool blanket vocals of Leech.

My debut studio album. Recorded at Yawn Studios, West Kirby with Bill Ryder-Jones. A collection of songs I have written over the past few years of travelling far and wide with some fresh versions of familiar favourites and newer tracks too.

The album is also available on yellow and spatter Vinyl via slinky.to/btmatm

I would love for you to buy a copy. This really has been a labour of love and I have poured my heart, soul and bank account into it

My debut studio album. Recorded at Yawn Studios, West Kirby with Bill Ryder-Jones. A collection of songs I have written over the past few years of travelling far and wide with some fresh versions of familiar favourites and newer tracks too.

The album is also available on yellow and spatter Vinyl via slinky.to/btmatm

I would love for you to buy a copy. This really has been a labour of love and I have poured my heart, soul and bank account into it

The new album from American doomed dark metal veterans GREY SKIES FALLEN “Molded By Broken Hands” will see its release on March 8th. This release date will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the band’s debut album “The Fate of Angels”.

“Molded By Broken Hands” will see the long-running contingent deliver their most triumphant work yet and is an album that carries that feeling of the underappreciated and underrated dark metal scene that was culminating in the US during the late ‘90s), an era where GREY SKIES FALLEN grew from, while helping to signal a new resurgence of doomy-dark metal artistry currently building.

Through soaring, emotionally searing melodies, glorious epic harmonics, and with an overall conquering aura, “Molded By Broken Hands” will finally deliver the recognition GREY SKIES FALLEN are worthy of.

“Modled By Broken Hands” was recorded and engineered with all keyboards provided by Colin Marston (Krallice, Gorguts) in the Thousand Caves and was mixed and mastered by legendary Swedish producer Dan Swano (Edge Of Sanity). It also features artwork and design by Travis Smith (Opeth, Katatonia).

Track Listing: 1. A Twisted Place in Time, 2. Molded by Broken Hands, 3. No Place For Sorrow, 4. I Can Hear Your Voice, 5. Cracks in Time, 6. Save Us, 7. Knowing That You’re There

The new album from American doomed dark metal veterans GREY SKIES FALLEN “Molded By Broken Hands” will see its release on March 8th. This release date will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the band’s debut album “The Fate of Angels”.

“Molded By Broken Hands” will see the long-running contingent deliver their most triumphant work yet and is an album that carries that feeling of the underappreciated and underrated dark metal scene that was culminating in the US during the late ‘90s), an era where GREY SKIES FALLEN grew from, while helping to signal a new resurgence of doomy-dark metal artistry currently building.

Through soaring, emotionally searing melodies, glorious epic harmonics, and with an overall conquering aura, “Molded By Broken Hands” will finally deliver the recognition GREY SKIES FALLEN are worthy of.

“Modled By Broken Hands” was recorded and engineered with all keyboards provided by Colin Marston (Krallice, Gorguts) in the Thousand Caves and was mixed and mastered by legendary Swedish producer Dan Swano (Edge Of Sanity). It also features artwork and design by Travis Smith (Opeth, Katatonia).

Track Listing: 1. A Twisted Place in Time, 2. Molded by Broken Hands, 3. No Place For Sorrow, 4. I Can Hear Your Voice, 5. Cracks in Time, 6. Save Us, 7. Knowing That You’re There

"Memories Of Love" is the fourth full length album by soul singer & songwriter Myles Sanko following the acclaimed "Born In Black & White" (2013), "Forever Dreaming" (2014) and "Just Being Me" (2016). In ten stylishly recorded and arranged new songs "Memories Of Love" Myles Sanko captures the uplifting spirit from his numerous outstanding stage performances on the European jazz festival & club circuit of the last few years and transforms them into a stunning collection of modern soul music.

"This album is my most personal album yet", says Myles Sanko. "Each song is a memory of love, a story of love, good or bad, happy or sad. Love is not always as we picture it in fairy tales but a work in progress for as long as we choose to love. Over the years I have written love songs and most of them have some reality in them but also a lot of fiction. Maybe this was because I wasn't truly ready to share that part of me in a way that I am defiantly more comfortable doing now. I'd say becoming a father has changed my outlook and made me a little more brave and accepting of myself". One of the main reasons for the positive balance in sound and spirit of "Memories Of Love" are the musicians. Myles Sanko recorded the album together with the same band he was touring with over the last eight years. He produced it himself and co-wrote most music with long time bandmate Tom O'Grady (Resolution 88).

15 years after their last album of original music, the Robinson Brothers present ‘Happiness Bastards’- their 10th studio album. Some may say the project has been several tumultuous years in the making, but we argue it's arriving at just the right time. Call it brotherly love or music destiny that brought them back together, the highly anticipated record consecrating the reunion of this legendary band just may be the thing that saves rock & roll. In a time where the art form is buried beneath the corporate sheen of its successors, The Black Crowes are biting back with the angst of words left unsaid penned on paper and electrified by guitar strings, revealing stripped, bare-boned rock & roll. No gloss, no glitter, just rhythm and blues at it's very best - gritty, loud, and in your face.

Since The Black Crowes reunited in 2019, they've made a triumphant return to form with over 150 shows spanning 20 countries worldwide, celebrating the 30th anniversary of ‘Shake Your Money Maker’, the album that put them on the map. Upon their return from the road, they knew they needed something new to show for their lost time. The Robinson Brothers and longtime bassist Sven Pipien headed to the studio with producer Jay Joyce in early 2023 and the experiences of years past transcribed themself through the music as the band found their way back to their roots. And it's finally here!

50 years after the genre turned the music world upside-down, GRADE 2 bring the raw power of old school punk to a new generation. Their second release on Tim Armstrong"s legendary Hellcat Records is a thumping 15 track tour de force melding the uncompromising ethos of punk with the howl of contemporary injustice, personal identity and frustrations of Gen-Z youth, authentically told by three lads with punk coursing through their veins. Formed on their native Isle of Wight when they were just 14 years old, Jack Chatfield (guitar & vocals), Jacob Hull (drums) and Sid Ryan (bass & vocals) honed their craft covering punk pioneers before creating a sound uniquely theirs: ten years on, the eponymous Grade 2 is their magnum opus. The new album was produced by the band along with Tim Timebomb (Armstrong) and T.J. Rivers at Armstrong"s Ship Rec Studio in Los Angeles. "Returning to Ship Rec Studio resparked that magic dynamic" says guitarist Jack Chatfield. "When we"re in there I feel like we reach our full potential. Tim would offer tweaks and tips for some songs, while others he"d compliment as finished first time we played them." "We worked flat-out recording this record," says drummer Jacob Hull, "but we never felt pressured, Tim keeping us in the zone to make the best tunes of our li ves.

Suffolk-based singer songwriter James Varda’s fourth and final album before his death from a long battle with cancer in 2015, Chance And Time, set for a vinyl only reissue on Unspun Heroes is an astonishing aural document of a creative, forward -thinking musician coming to terms with a life slowly evaporating away. There is hubris, melancholy and an undeniable weight of sadness in these ten songs but, miraculously, there is also a stoic realisation and acceptance from Varda that is both heart-wrenching and deeply affecting. On Chance And Time Varda reconnects the human spirit to the land, a heavy, fearful heart to an optimistic soul, and in a beautiful poetic flourish gives a real tangible sense of loving and hope to his family and friends offering genuine reassurance and even, at times, a green light for celebration.

Carrying a certain air of mystique, that same sense of a ‘other worldliness’ if you will of say a Karen Dalton or a Jeff Buckley, Varda’s delivery and tone carries huge emotional weight here and an unique ability to add an honest perspective and warmth to the starkest of realities. The hard hitting impact of the opening tracks is blunt and sharply defined. There is pain, hardship, and fear wrapped in these tales - ‘The Doctor Spoke, Two Hearts Broke” - made all the more hitting as this is a real life journey in the here and now being catalogued. As we move towards the second half of the record there is something even deeper and truly incredible at play. Varda’s whole demeanor is one of understanding and acceptance - hear the celebratory shamanic vibe of the extraordinary ‘Pass It On’ and the poignantly reflective, chokingly sad finale ‘We Won’t Dream’ - bringing to an end a record that will leave a mark on everyone who hears it. Real art is both timeless and omnipresent, these songs from James Varda will hang in the air forever and be there for those who look to find understanding, joy and a sense of hope. Chance And Time is both an extraordinary record and poignant study of life and living, of death and what comes after.

James Varda released four albums between 1988 and his death in 2015. A fledgling career beginning on the singer-songwriting folk scene where his arrival was met with both curiosity and critical acclaim as was his debut, the John Leckie produced Hunger. Any momentum was lost however as it would be ten years before the next, In The Valley was met with a ruffle of applause. Cancer took hold of the troubadour and for a number of years Varda lived life and wrote songs until The River And The Stars appeared like a phoenix from the flames as he began to wrestle with the realities of his situation. It’s a record that beautifully lays the ground for this his masterpiece that was to follow.

Unspun Heroes, a new label set up by Simon White, has the sole purpose of finding and reissuing albums that he considers both undervalued and seemingly ignored.  All releases will be on vinyl only complete with Obi strip and extensive liner notes. Each will be individually numbered and limited.

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

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

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

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

Violist, violinist and singer-songwriter Marla Hansen returns to Karaoke Kalk with "Salt", her second full-length album to date. Building upon the sonic palette the Berlin-based musician established with her debut "Dust" in 2020, "Salt" takes the delicate mixture of acoustic instruments such as viola, violin, piano and guitar combined with subtle electronics to the next level. The new album is both a remarkable departure and at the same time sheds a new yet reassuring light on Hansen's work and creativity. "Salt" features numerous collaborations with like-minded musicians and friends, e. g. producer and composer Simon Goff, The Notwist's drummer Andi Haberl and the renowned artist DM Stith.

The "Dust" has settled. After having recorded her solo debut of that name, in 2020 the world came to a grinding halt, leaving Marla Hansen left to her own devices in her adopted home of Berlin. For Hansen, who previously had lent her talent to many creative minds such as The National, Sufjan Stevens, The Hidden Cameras, Jay-Z and Ravi Coltrane, the collaborative aspect of writing and producing music had always played a crucial part in finding her own path as a solo artist.

"I started to explore synthesizers and electronic production myself," she remembers of the time when meeting other musicians in person was out of the question. "I am proud that I accomplished many of the electronic elements of the new album by myself, and otherwise laid the groundwork for the final electronic structures through my own experiments. I always wanted to record a 'big' record, one that has a lot of power and sound, and this one is 'bigger' than anything I have done so far."

"Salt" is big, indeed. The opener "Chains" is driven by a gliding bass line, bobbing 808 snares, deep chords and a mesmerizing chorus doubled by luscious strings, marking the beginning of a new chapter in her creative journey. A stark statement, both musically and lyrically. Meanwhile, the title track of the album is an almost abstract sounding ambient miniature, sketch-like, dark and haunting, showcasing Hansen's voice in a shy, brittle and fragile state. If This Mortal Coil/The Hope Blister were ever to record another album, these songs should be high up on the shortlist of tunes to pick. "The One Time" - a duet with Hansen's long-time friend DM Stith - gently meanders between a Philip Glass-inspired piece for chamber orchestra and a vocal ensemble performing on Top Of The Pops. In this range of styles and approaches, Hansen's vision is more present than ever.

For refining and finishing the songs, Hansen turned to Simon Goff, who produced the album and engineered much of the recording, merging Hansen's newly-found songwriting approach with the artistic delicacy which made her debut album an exceptional piece of work. Features include among others: Alice Dixon (Oriel Quartett) on cello, Kyle Resnick (The National, Beirut) on trumpet, Benjamin Lanz (The National, Beirut) on trombone and tuba, and Miles Perkin on bass. And then there is The Notwist's Andi Haberl, who "crafted perfect drum and percussion parts to move the songs wherever they needed to go, either into their driving grooves, slow-build explosions or gentle swells of feeling."

But what are songs actually about? "The themes revolve around a feeling of being trapped. Having to stay inside during the pandemic, with all the silence and stillness coming with it. Simultaneously, I was caught up in a professional situation that was not working for me, yet it required a lot of energy and time. I was thinking a lot about how to break old habits and patterns. Patterns in my life, patterns I saw my friends and loved-ones stuck in. There are a lot of ways that people can be trapped, and breaking out of that requires a lot of courage and energy - on all levels. The title 'Salt' seemed to fit, ocean themes showed up naturally in some of the songs, and I thought often about the quote: 'The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.' Maybe I was just dreaming of the ocean, since it was inaccessible for the first time! But I wanted a cure for this feeling of being trapped, in a time of uncertainty and anxiety, salt as a remedy seemed to have some truth in it: sweat, tears or the sea."

Perseverance and the urge for freedom prevailed in the end. "Salt" is a bold artistic achievement, with songs as big as the biggest waves imaginable. With melodies as alluring as the most comfortable breezes. Perfect from start to finish.

"Open Sesame is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Whodini, originally released in 198Audio production was handled almost entirely by Larry Smith, except for two tracks that were both produced by Sinister and Whodini. Open Sesame peaked at #30 on the Billboard 200, at #8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album spawned the single ""Be Yourself"" featuring Millie Jackson, which peaked at #20 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Open Sesame is available as a limited edition of 500 copies on translucent yellow coloured vinyl."

Open Sesame by Whodini, released 15 March 2024, includes the following tracks: "Cash Money ", "Early Mother's Day Card ", "You Brought It on Yourself ", "Remember Where You Came From " and more.

This version of Open Sesame comes as a 1xLP.

The vinyl is pressed as a yellow disc.

Before coming to Europe, in 1970, pianist Manuel Villarroel was a vet in his native Chilli. A few years later, as leader of the Machi Oul Big Band, he returned to the animal kingdom. A very specific kind of animal, for sure, the Quetzalcoatl, also known as the Feathered Serpent. What is behind this title (also the name of one of the three original compositions on this album released on the Palm label in 1976), is first and foremost a sort of homecoming...

After discovering the jazz of Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Villarroel was taken by the free jazz which was all the rage at the time in America and Europe, and this would inspire the first version of his Machi-Oul, project. This was a septet, with which the pianist would record, in 1971, the tremendous Terremoto (re-released by Souffle Continu FFL085). After this masterstroke Villarroel was invited to record with Perception (Perception & Friends) and with Baikida Carroll (Orange Fish Tears). While these were notable contributions, Villarroel was already looking into other combinations.

“I had to deal personally with my situation as an expatriate, without disavowing it. I tried not to betray my roots, I tried to translate into my music what was essential to me, to reflect my origins – Latin America, its musical and above all human feelings – while remaining faithful to jazz, which is the mode of expression of the musicians in the group”. This then is the ‘homecoming’ we mentioned, which would incite Manuel Villarroel to compose what he would call “structured free music”. In January 1972 the pianist enlarged his formation to reach the size of a real big band: the Septet became the Machi-Oul Big Band. Three years later in January 1975, with producer Jef Gilson at the helm, fifteen musicians including those from the old Septet (Jef Sicard, François and Jean-Louis Méchali, Gérard Coppéré) worked on a rare form of jazz. From togetherness to dissonance, we danse to it “Bolerito” then shake it up on “Leyendas De Nahuelbuta”. As for the concluding serpent, it is a piece which is impossible to pin down: “Quetzalcoat” is as impressive as it is difficult to grasp. To remind ourselves of this, lets listen to it again.

Der Dark-Ambient-Pionier, die stygische Drone-Legende und das fast schon mythische Wesen LUSTMORD durchstößt mit "Much Unseen Is Also Here" einmal mehr den Schleier - die neueste Solo-Veröffentlichung des Künstlers in einer beeindruckenden, 40-jährigen kreativen Karriere an der Spitze der Industrial-Musik. Auf Drängen von Cosey Fanni Tutti und Chris Carter von Throbbing Gristle, Musik zu machen, die seine unverwechselbare Aura einfängt, übernahm Brian Williams 1980 Lustmord und begann mit Sounds zu arbeiten, weil die Musik, die er hören wollte, einfach nicht existierte. Lustmord veröffentlichte 1989 sein drittes Album "Heresy", das zu einem Meilenstein in der Industrial-Szene wurde und heute allgemein als Ursprung des Dark-Ambient-Genres gilt. 35 Jahre später führt Much Unseen Is Also Here" das Vermächtnis von Heresy" fort und knüpft an dessen fesselnden Erzählbogen an. "Much Unseen Is Also Here" besteht aus drei verschiedenen Teilen und ist dazu gedacht, in einer einzigen, ununterbrochenen Durchgang angehört zu werden; es entführt den Hörer in eine kompromisslose Parallelwelt, die nur in der Musik existiert, bevor es ihn am Ende für immer verändert wieder hinauswirft. Lustmord, der seit 1994 in L.A. lebt, hat auch als Komponist und Sounddesigner an der Musik für ikonische Film- und Fernsehproduktionen mitgewirkt, darunter "The Crow", "Strange Days", "From Dusk Till Dawn", "Underworld" und in jüngerer Zeit die FX-Serien "Fear The Walking Dead" und "First Reformed"von "Taxi Driver"-Autor Paul Schrader aus dem Jahr 2017. Immer noch entschlossen, die Grenzen von Sound, Genre und Medien zu erweitern, hat Lustmord auch zu den Soundlandschaften von Videospielen wie Assassin's Creed, League of Legends und, passenderweise, dem von H.R. Geiger inspirierten Survival-Horror-Spiel Scorn von 2022 beigetragen. Other Woes Are Yet To Come Edition (single colored (pink) vinyl, ltd to 220 copies ww)

The legendary Belgian label Antler is coming back to life! Pioneering in the 80' and 90's and an absolute spearhead in the world of post-punk, cold and new wave, EBM, electro...

a series of albums and compilations from the extensive Antler archives are now being released again. The first compilation 'Early Years Vol. 1” was received with great enthusiasm and flew out the door. Now there is already Vol. 2 with again carefully chosen gems from the rich Antler archives with early recordings of influential bands such as The Scabs, Arbeid Adelt!, Nacht und Nebel, A Split Second, Neon Judgment... a fascinating sample of the Belgian alternative scene in the 1980s.

Redrum Recordz and Fremdtunes present:
Maj Rachel - 'My Shadow Was a Nun'
With her debut "My Shadow Was a Nun", Maj Rachel creates anamalgam of soul, musique concrete, sound design experimentsand classical. She employs objects as percussion, fieldrecordings, piano, guitar, synths, violin and effects incompositions that are rich in color and contrast. Her music isabstract, paradoxical, full of emotion. At times, her voicesubmerges into a tumultuous sea of reverb and distortion, onlyto emerge in soft, bittersweet melodies. She sounds dark andeerie. She sounds romantic and whimsical. In short, it's apowerful debut album that engages the mind, heart, and gut.
This is what Maj herself says about "My Shadow Was a Nun":
"So sensitive yet so immune. Light beams shine through millionsof holes. The sun makes the black thick wall seem light grey.The light pulls apart to colors. Love feels painful yet beautiful.You are around even though you're not. A brain doesn't like tothink it's alone. Arranged sound into personal stories, all self-recorded. Because sound creates deep emotion."

Phantom Of The Paradise is a legendary 1974 American musical horror film written and directed by Brian De Palma, and starring Paul Williams, William Finley and Jessica Harper.

In the film, a disfigured composer writes his music for a woman he loves so that she will perform his music. However, a record producer betrays him and steals his music to open his rock palace, The Paradise. Betrayed, the composer dons a new appearance and exacts revenge on the producer.

Initially, the film was a box office failure and received negative reviews, however it earned praise for its music, receiving Academy Award and a Golden Globe nominations. Over the years, the film has become a true cult classic.

* 180 gramaudiophile vinyl

In 1967 Four Young Musicians From Nottinghamshire, England Formed Ten Years After. Alvin Lee, Chick Churchill, Ric Lee & Leo Lyons Became One Of The Most Explosive Quartets On The World Stage And Cemented Themselves As One Of The Biggest Bands In Rock N Roll History.

The Band Scored Eight Top 40 Albums On The Uk Albums Chart And Twelve Multimillion Selling Albums On The Us Billboard 200 Between 1967 And 1974.

In 2014 Founder Members Ric Lee And Chick Churchill Put Ten Years After Back Together With A New Lineup. This New And Exciting Lineup Features British Bass Icon Colin Hodgkinson (backdoor, Peter Green, Alexis Corner, Spencer Davis, Chris Rea, John Lord) And Multi British Blues Award Winning Guitarist And Singer Marcus Bonfanti (van Morrison, Ginger Baker, Ronnie Wood).

This New Lineup Has Been Touring Extensively Since 2013 With Over 150 Shows Under Their Belt And Has Received Rave Reviews From All Corners Of The World As They Continue To Produce The High Energy Of A Vintage Ten Years After Show 50 Years Down The Line.

To Tie In With The Bands 50th Anniversary In 2017, Ten Years After Have Recorded A New Studio Album,a Sting In The Taleand Are Touring Throughout The Year To Promote This New Release And To Celebrate Their Anniversary.

Reissue! Poets of Rhythm founding members first crucial piece of the funk spectrum recorded as The Whitefield Brothers. A wear-your heart-on-your-sleeve, hypnotic, defiantly psychedelic funk album that is as modern as it is grounded in the great musical traditions from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Featuring members of the Dap Kings, El Michels Affair and Poets of Rhythm. “The Whitefield Brothers In The Raw remains as potent in 2022 as the day it dropped twenty years ago. Originally released in 2002, and later reissued via Now-Again, the LP’s panglobal brew of ragged psychedelic funk dripped different, defying easy markers of genre, era, and locality...live breakbeat drums and tribal chants...anchor the set’s twelve tracks. Hypnotic and humid, come for the polyrhythms, stay for the swirling dub adjacent blasts of trumpet.” - Aquarium Drunkard

- Bananarama celebrate over 40 years at the top with the release of 'Glorious - The Ultimate Collection'. With 40 tracks selected by Sara and Keren themselves, the double CD album revisits every decade of the band's career, with hits including Cruel Summer, Venus, Love in the First Degree, Only Your Love, Preacher Man, Move in My Direction and more, along with two new singles, Feel The Love (released October 18) and Supernova.
- The 1LP edition features 16 tracks : singles + new remixes of classic hits and "Feel the Love" & "Supernova "for the first time on vinyl.
- Bananarama are THE original girl group. They're featured in Guinness World of Records for the most internationally charted hits by an all female band, with in excess of 30+ million sales worldwide.

VINYL (* versions on vinyl for the first time )

Repressed! Presented here, the definitive reissue of a lauded and misunderstood Krautrock album, German Oak’s Down in the Bunker.

The release has been fetishized and demonized, lauded and misunderstood for nearly four decades. In this definitive reissue of the album, the German Oak trio – together again after 30 years apart – have approved the remastering of their 70s music; finally tell the story behind the creation of their dark, brooding album – and the occult-obsessed record collector behind the original album’s release and its myth – and they share previously unreleased music and photos.

This two LP set presents the album as it was initially released, and a second disc of other songs by the band, both rare and previously unreleased

On A Golden Shore arrives as The Hanging Stars reflect on a year of triumphs. With an Americana Music Association Bob Harris - sanctioned award and a Nashville sell-out in Third Man’s Blue Room with Jack White approvingly looking on, they’re a leading light in the UK Cosmic Americana cohort. Their standing has allowed them to pay less attention to any preconceptions of what they are ‘supposed to be’. On A Golden Shore - their fifth album and their second for the pioneering Loose Music, following 2022’s Hollow Heart - finds them definitively themselves and presents a set of disparate songs whose fundamental linkage is the band that made them. On A Golden Shore was recorded at Edwyn Collins’ Clashnarrow Studios with Sean Read producing. Singer/guitarist Richard Olson, drummer Paulie Cobra, multi-instrumentalist Patrick Ralla, plus freshman bassist Paul Milne – laid down the album’s backbone over eight days. Mostly recorded live, even the solos done as a piece. Much is first take because trying better, it never worked as well. Pedal-steel player Joe Harvey-Whyte created and added his parts at his London studio bringing ‘shimmery psychedelic goodness’. Smartly sequenced On A Golden Shore proceeds in clusters of songs; commencing with the free and easy choogle of ‘Let Me Dream Of You’, encompassing the sunny glam of ‘Sweet Light’, the baggy Balearic waft of ‘Happiness Is A Bird’, the pan pipes and bongos of the exotic ‘Golden Shore’, through to the rolling banjo of ‘No Way Spell’ and the celestial cascades of ‘Heart In A Box’. Fashioned instinctively On A Golden Shore is ultimately an album of sensation as much as thought, filled with fleeting moments of blissful excess, and stumbling, rushing flutters of sound; its evanescent psychedelia, divine choruses, and shards of strings combine into an infectious, compelling Cosmic Heartbreak Boogie.

12 tracks originally released on the indie dance label GOMMA RECORDS between 2001 and 2010. (Gomma was the label Toy Tonics did before starting Toy Tonics.)

Along with DFA and Output records Gomma released a wild mix of electronic dance music, indie rock, undergound disco, post punk and new wave funk that was big in the 2000s. The Y2K sound!

Gomma released music by artists like Peaches, Whomadewho, The Rammellzee, James Murphy, LCD soundsystem and artists like Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand.

Now it’s 2023 and its feels fresh to put a spotlight on some of these tracks again.

And so here comes a 2nd compilation part of Gomma tracks:
Nancy Whang the singer of LCD Soundsystem, WhoMadeWho (the band started their career on Gomma), Italian disco producer Bottin, UK Indie Disco hero The Deadstock 33s aka Justin Robertson, NY Disco hipsters In Flagranti, German producers Munk and many more on this compilation.

Gomma not only was a record label, but was also a home for cutting edge design, wild T-shirt styles, underground exhibitions with new artists from the Berlin scene and crazy poster and fanzine design.
Many graphic design trends of the last years were preceded by what the artists on Gomma were doing. And many record and street wear labels of today look a bit like Gomma was looking before ... copying the images that Gomma preceeded: ironic cartoons, trash aesthetics, greek symbols, ugly design ideas and lot of ironic things.
The Gomma visuals world was exposed in a couple of exhibitions around the world and at a big exhibition at #hausderkunst München before the label was closed in 2015. (when Toy Tonics took off...)

Stix Records, a sub-label of Favorite Recordings, presents the 3rd release from its new Mellow Reggae Series project. Following two stunning covers of Bobby Caldwell and Player alongside label mates Ethel Lindsey, Mato is now taking over the famous hit by Sylvia Striplin, this time inviting his longtime friend and singing partner, Lady Gatica.

Produced by Roy Ayers in the early 80s , “You Can’t Turn Me Away” belong to this kind of title recognized by everyone, while Sylvia Striplin remains a name known by just a few. Like always, Mato production skills perfectly fits with the original and his Reggae rendition sounds like coming out straight from Kingston.

While with her long experience singing Soul, Funk and Disco, Lady Gatica is also a perfect match for the vocals. Starting his reggae production career in 2006, Thomas Blanchot (aka Mato) has released music through various projects on EDR Records, Big Singles or Makasound... In the meantime, he developed a real trademark: taking over classic French, Hip-Hop, OST, Classical or Pop songs, into roots reggae-dub new versions. His 15 years collaboration with Stix Records and label honcho Pascal Rioux gave life to many masterpieces and the story seems far from the end…

Bass player Ron Carter’s debut album Where? features Eric Dolphy (clarinet, sax, flute) and Mal Waldron (piano). The album was originally released in 1961 having been recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studios in New Jersey. This new edition of the album is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI with all-analogue mastering from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and presented in a Tip-On Jacket. US import.

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

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


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

Exactly two years after their debut album, the project formerly known as Weltschmerzen returns as Pain Palace. The project's new moniker resolves potential confusion with the eponymous record label, but it is a change in name only // the music remains ambiguous in genre but emotionally resolute, an amalgam of approaches bound by an awareness of the remorseful nature of the world.

This is a continuity in creed rather than sound. Apart from the occasional drums // peculiarly captivating in tempo and rhythm // Pain Palace do little to invoke their first album. Despite the similar setting of an intensive week-long recording session in rural Slovakia, the trio arrives at a place that is distinct even from all their earlier projects. From a viewpoint where the world's indifference is recognised as a landscape, the tracks are presented as seven distinct perspectives that range from brutalist chaos to tenderness but always remain compassionate.

This is best revealed in On the Height of Despair // the album's nearly ten-minute-long climax that seemingly borders on collage only to become an engulfing suite of severe movements. The music of Pain Palace stands apart from what Tomáš Pristiak, Matus Mordavsky and Dominik Suchy create either solo or in their respective bands (Tante Elze, Tittingur), and it is the 13th release by the wistful label Weltschmerzen.

Celebrated new wave compilation from Japan reissued for the first time on Glossy Mistakes.

A much-cherished gem from the 1980s underground Japanese music scene returns as Soft Selection 84 is reissued by Glossy Mistakes for its 40th anniversary. Originally released on DIY label Soft, the compilation sees 13 tracks from nine acts spanning minimal, ambient, zolo and more for a beguiling listen.

The result is a charming time capsule of eclectic creativity in which nothing sounds dated. Take La Sellrose Can Can, whose two party jams predate Kero Kero Bonito's hyperpop by decades. In addition, an impeccable remastering from the original master tapes adds to the "could have been recorded yesterday" feel of the collection.

Soft Selection 84 also includes the eccentric Picky Picnic. One of the few featured artists with recordings beyond the anthology, the trio is an essential act for those curious about Japanese art pop of the era. There is also new wave introspection from Name, whose "Do We All Need Love" plays out as a sensual nod to John Lennon. In a similar vein is Clä-Sick, the recording name of Goro Some, the compilation's original producer and founder of Soft.

The record's rerelease comes with Some's blessing, along with his original artwork and photography. Ultimately, the listener is left tantalised by his selection and its bold excursions into no wave, synth pop, radioplay and bizzaro house. Most of the artists on this release would fade into obscurity, but the transient nature of the potential showcased has helped cement the compilation's reputation over the years.

Soft Selection will be released on vinyl LP by Glossy Mistakes on March 2024, with a remastering from the original master tapes.

Say no more Comorian blues or Indian Ocean rock: Eliasse is ZANGOMA!

This musical concept, created by Baco, the famous Comorian musician, brings together Western music and Comorian and Indo-Oceanic music. Eliasse creates his zangoma rock by mixing rock, blues and folk with typical Comorian and African rhythms. From twarab to mgodro, maloya to afrobeat, zangoma rock reveals its plural face. Its foundation is the drum (ngoma), and Eliasse's percussive rock lays claim to this common, hybrid banner!

With his third album, eponymously entitled Zangoma, due out in early 2024 (Soulbeats Music), Eliasse and his power trio once again promise to deliver groove: Fred Girard's powerful drums, Eliasse's roaring guitar, Jérémy Ortal's swaying bass and a thousand nuances of voice... In short: the Indian Ocean is dancing ZANGOMA ROCK!

On a faim!" was originally an anarchist music fanzine created in 1984.
An entire network, with no geographical ties, grew up around the fanzine, helping to write articles and distribute them (often by hand). The fanzine's name even began to appear in connection with the organisation of concerts (Ludwig Von 88, Raymonde et les Blancs Becs, les Thugs, Les Ejectés, Kortatu, Yo Pizza Jump, etc.) and the creation of radio programmes.
The On A Faim ! label came into being at the end of the 80s, following the release of a host of live tapes and themed compilations: "A Bas Toutes Les Armées", "Cette Machine Sert A Tuer Tous Les Fascistes", "Ni Jah Ni Maitre", "Pogo Avec Les Loups". Then came the first artistic albums with Désert Culturel, Un Dolor, Have Nots, Kargols, Pleum, Mister Moonlight, Rude Boy System... Here again, the artistic choices were made primarily on the basis of human encounters, the attention paid to the bands' approach and discourse, and their attitude to the public... even before listening to the slightest demo!

Archives de la Zone Mondiale wanted to pay tribute to this inspiring label, which marked the history of independent and committed music for nearly 15 years. With one of its founders, Jean Pierre Levaray, we have cleverly concocted a sort of musical anthology retracing the essential bands that have marked the history of the label and the fanzine.

On A Faim ! - Anarchy & Musik is a double 20-track vinyl compilation in a highly graphic gatefold sleeve, retracing the label's extraordinary trajectory regardless of musical style: punk, of course, but also ska, hardcore and popular chanson...

Last but not least, all the royalties from this double vinyl compilation are donated to the Uzine (Le Havre) and Fanzinarium (Paris) fanzine libraries.

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

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

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


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Jards Macalé’s biography is a testament to the electrifying energy of music and the unwavering spirit of artistic rebellion. Macalé has remained true to his vision, unapologetically embracing the unconventional and challenging the status quo. His music, a conduit of emotion and a mirror to society, continues to weave a sonic tapestry that resonates with the souls of listeners.

In 2022, Macalé celebrated the momentous 50th anniversary of his debut solo album, a groundbreaking masterpiece released by Philips in 1972. This iconic record gifted us timeless tracks such as “Vapor Barato”, “Mal Secreto”, “Farinha do Desprezo”, “Revendo Amigos”, and “Hotel das Estrelas”. Its sheer brilliance united the realms of Brazilian music, infusing samba and bossa nova with the fiery essence of rock, classical harmonies, and the improvisational spirit of jazz. As the years passed, a new generation of musicians and fans discovered this gem, fueling its resurgent popularity and inspiring fresh collaborations.

Last year, Jards Macalé assembled a formidable new band, igniting stages across Brazil with a tour that now sets its sights on Europe. Together with Gui Held on guitar, the Paulo Emmery on bass, and Thomas Harres on drums, Macalé conjures an exhilarating homage to his illustrious body of work. This live performance embodies the untamed spirit and boundless musical freedom that define this visionary artist, transporting audiences to a realm where the past intertwines with the present in a breathtaking display of artistic prowess.