The legendary Brownsville duo of Lil Fame and Billy Danze followed up their first group single "How About Some Hardcore" with their first full-length studio album, To The Death, in the Spring of 1994, and they haven’t let up the pressure since. While some solo offerings came earlier - most notably Fame’s appearance on The Hill That’s Real compilation- the classic aggressive energy the two emcees exhibit while trading rhymes back and forth is what street-rap fans have come to know and love from the group. If you are not into the that smash-ya-face-in style, then simply put, the Mash Out Posse is not for you. The album was produced entirely by DR Period, except for track "Guns N' Roses" (produced by Silver D), and it solidified what has become a successful 30 year career for M.O.P. Fame and Danze haven’t waivered from their grimy, crimey, high-energy boom bap style to this day, and the songs on this album established that fact early on. Tracks like "Rugged Neva Smoove", “Blue Steel”, “Guns N’ Roses”, and the robbery-story driven "Heistmasters" are early indicators of the ruckus they would later bring on anthems like “Stick To Ya Gunz” and “Ante Up”.
Hinter dem Psych-Soul-Duo ABRAXAS stecken die beiden Indie-Musiker Carolina Faruolo (früher LOS BITCHOS) und Danny Lee Blackwell (NIGHT BEATS). Gemeinsam veröffentlichen sie im Oktober ihr Debüt "Monte Carlo" beim US-Label Suicide Squeeze. Beide Musiker waren bereits seit Jahren miteinander befreundet und bewunderten gegenseitig ihre musikalischen Projekte, doch da Faruolo im Vereinigten Königreich und Blackwell in Texas lebt, waren ihre Interaktionen begrenzt. Bis zum Jahr 2020, ab da spielte geografische Nähe keine Rolle mehr. In dieser Zeit der Isolation und Ungewissheit erfanden Faruolo und Blackwell unter dem Projektnamen ABRAXAS ihre eigene private Flucht in die Welt der lateinamerikanischen Rhythmen. Die in Uruguay geborene Faruolo wuchs mit den tropischen Beats des Cumbia und dem psychedelischen Geschmack klassischer Chicha-Künstler auf. Blackwells Arbeit beinhaltet die Verschmelzung von Outlaw-Soul und R&B mit einem einfallsreichen DIY-Geist.
The mysterious afro-soul of The Shaolin Afronauts first echoed across the dance floors of Australia in early 2008, captivating audiences with a highly evolved and unique approach to avant-garde soul music matched with an improvisational pedigree that immediately set them apart from their peers. In the almost fifteen years since the ensemble's debut they have released three albums on Freestyle Records and toured across Australia and around the world.
After an extended hiatus punctuated by rare live performances, The Shaolin Afronauts return with The Fundamental Nature of Being, an epic five album release that expands the sonic vision of the ensemble to towering new heights of burning afro-funk alongside esoteric and ethereal new sonic excursions. This expanded musical journey further explores the wide spectrum of the band's musical identity – with each of the five parts designed as both standalone records, while also offering a singular listening journey across the band's expansive musical world. This third part in the collection starts to explore influences from spiritual & free jazz sounds while still retaining the band's rich pan-african groove pallette.
Limitierte Auflage - nur 500 Exemplare - alle auf violettem Vinyl. Buzzsaw Joint ist eine monatlich stattfindende Londoner Clubnacht, die die Fans mit einer hochoktanigen Mischung aus Rhythm & Blues und Rock & Roll Trash betankt. Buzzsaw Chef Fritz hat zudem eine Mixcloud Seite ins Leben gerufen, mit Mixen zum Thema von Sammlern und Jägern rund um den Globus. Da war es nur folgerichtig, dass das ganze auch auf Vinyl und CD stattfindet. Mit Stag-O-Lee fand sich schnell jemand, der das für eine gute Idee hielt. Mehr Volumen/Cuts to follow. Get your ears around the wild"n"weird sounds of the extraordinary and inimitable Buzzsaw Joint! Für den 8. Cut der Buzzsaw Joint Serie wühlen Johnny Alpha und Carl Combover in ihren reich bestückten 7"-Kisten. Beide sind Meister in Sachen sleazy, greasy und fuzzy. Carl ist Chef der Go Go Cage Nacht in Liverpool und Johnny legt in und um Wigan (legendärer Ort - Wigan Casino!) auf. Beide sind auch weltweit gefragt und unterwegs. Für Cut 8 wählten sie Tracks, die sich nicht auf anderen, ähnlich gelagerten, Compilations finden. Ein weiteres Highlight in dieser starken Serie.
Digga D returns with his highly-anticipated third mixtape, Noughty By Nature. Lead Single 'G Lock’ featuring US rap star, Moneybagg Yo follows on from Digga’s previous releases which include ‘2K17’, ‘Pump 101’ and ‘Wasted’, the latter two of which were his second and third top 10 records. Since the release of his critically acclaimed 2021 mixtape, Made In The Pyrex – a project which showcased the lyrical dexterity of the West-London rapper – Digga D has firmly cemented his position within drill, a genre which he has dominantly spearheaded over the last few years.
After an extended hiatus punctuated by rare live performances, The Shaolin Afronauts returned on September 16th this year with The Fundamental Nature of Being, an epic five LP box-set release that expands the sonic vision of the ensemble to towering new heights of burning afro-funk alongside esoteric and ethereal new sonic excursions.
The Fundamental Nature of Being's expanded musical journey further explores the wide spectrum of the band's musical identity – with each of the five parts designed as both standalone records, while also offering a singular listening journey across the band's expansive musical world. This fourth part in the collection continues to explore the ensemble's influences in the world of free jazz & spirtual jazz, and also more esoteric incidental music territory.
After an extended hiatus punctuated by rare live performances, The Shaolin Afronauts returned on September 16th this year with The Fundamental Nature of Being, an epic five LP box-set release that expands the sonic vision of the ensemble to towering new heights of burning afro-funk alongside esoteric and ethereal new sonic excursions.
The Fundamental Nature of Being's expanded musical journey further explores the wide spectrum of the band's musical identity – with each of the five parts designed as both standalone records, while also offering a singular listening journey across the band's expansive musical world. This fourth part in the collection continues to explore the ensemble's influences in the world of free jazz & spirtual jazz, and also more esoteric incidental music territory.
Asylums have been quietly building an impressive back catalogue of albums since the release of their debut ‘Killer Brain Waves’ in 2016. With three full studio albums and a stand-alone single behind them, Asylums are back on October 14th with their fourth album ‘Signs Of Life’ - their first since the release of 2020’s Steve Albini recorded 3rd album ‘Genetic Cabaret’.
Recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios with genre-bending ‘Manic Street Preachers’ producer Dave Eringa in the driving seat, ‘Signs Of Life’ is a record that evolves the Asylums' sound once again while still staying true to their musical and lyrical DNA.
Asylums ‘Signs Of Life’ draws inspiration from a spectrum of human emotions and examines how they intersected with technology during the accelerated change of the last few years. As well as dialling their manic rock sound up to 10 this record also draws from the likes of R.E.M., The Magnetic Fields and The Beatles who all arguably made some of their best work during a live hiatus.
“Home” is a tough thing to pinpoint for someone who’s constantly in motion. Scout Gillett knows this well, but since relocating from Kansas City in 2017, she’s found one in Brooklyn’s DIY scene, playing in multiple live bands and even starting her own booking company to organize local shows. Her intrepid nature results from a childhood spent running barefoot through rural Missouri and coming of age in Kansas City’s punk scene. Her debut solo album no roof no floor is a bold and spirited yet warm, intimate meditation on trust, surrender, and what makes a home.
Following the sudden overdose of a lover in 2018 and the onset of the 2020 quarantine, Scout returned to Missouri in search of reprieve. Instead, she was dismayed to find that her hometown was suffering; friends and family members were caught in the grips of drug and alcohol addiction. Overcome by grief and helplessness, she retreated inward, channeling her fears and frustrations, as she always had, into songwriting. The resulting songs were more vulnerable than any of her prior work
“The Icelandic artist with the crystalline falsetto” - NPR
“From the luminous and atmospheric soundscapes
that he cultivates, to his meticulously chosen phrasing,
there is a distinctive sense of circumstance and
identity ingrained within his very nature” - The Line Of
Best Fit
As one of Iceland’s most successful exports, singersongwriter Ásgeir has spent the time between his
record-breaking debut and today pushing the
boundaries of his textured, thoughtful brand of folkpop.
New album, ‘Time On My Hands’, sees Ásgeir in a
state of self-reflection and experimentation, having
spent much of the last few years in his home and in
the studio deeply engrossed in writing, recording,
translating and producing.
On this album he’s entered new realms of composition,
sensitively layering acoustics with electronics and
brass.
As with some of his previous work, most notably
2017’s ‘Afterglow’ and 2020’s ‘Bury The Moon’, Ásgeir
plays with euphoric and choral elements of electronic
pop music while keeping a tight grasp on the
introspective, vocal-led style of the acoustica that
made him famous.
Mastered from the original analogue tape transfers by
Kevin Gray.
Expanded double LP edition featuring four rare bonus
tracks.
Printed and pressed at Pallas on 180 gram vinyl and
housed in a deluxe gatefold reverse-board jacket.
Features rare photographs and words from original pianist
Bob Hammer.
Officially licensed from Bethlehem / BMG and blessed by
the Charles Mingus estate.
1957 was a mammoth year for Mingus. He was on fire,
recording several seminal titles including ‘The Clown’,
‘Mingus Three’, ‘Tijuana Moods’, ‘East Coasting’ and ‘A
Modern Jazz Symposium Of Music And Poetry’.
Now, with the support of the Charles Mingus Estate, New
Land are proud to present, for the first time, the most
expansive LP edition of ‘A Modern Jazz Symposium Of
Music And Poetry’ to date. A wonderful set featuring an allstar band alternating throughout of Jimmy Knepper
(trombone), Shafi Hadi (tenor and alto sax), Bill Hardman
and Clarence Shaw (trumpet), Dannie Richmond (drums),
Horace Parlan and Bob Hammer (piano), with narration by
the fabulous Mel Stewart.
This is the ultimate edition, including all available outtakes
and material related to the session, the recordings have
been remastered from the original tape transfers and
lacquers cut by Kevin Gray, housed in a gatefold sleeve on
reverse-board finish and printed by Pallas.
A stunning album which is sometimes overlooked from the
vast Mingus catalogue, however it emanates from one of
his most creative periods and today stands out as a
sublime conceptual recording.
Originally released on XL in 2009, Discovery is the
collaborative synth pop project from Rostam
Batmanglij (founding member and producer of
Vampire Weekend) and Wes Miles (lead singer /
songwriter of Ra Ra Riot).
‘LP’ features guest appearances from Ezra Koenig
and Angel Deradoorian, and is reissued for the first
time in five years on vinyl, with an unlisted bonus
track that was not on the XL pressing.
Rostam produced Haim’s 2020 Grammynominated album, ‘Women In Music Pt. III’.
Produced by Fussell and co-founder Alana Pagnutti and
mixed by Joel Ford (Ford & Lopatin, Yes/And), ‘Honey
Harper & The Infinite Sky’ features the premiere of The
Infinite Sky, a stacked backing band consisting of longtime
bassist and contributing writer Mick Mayer, pianist John
Carroll Kirby (Solange, Steve Lacy), Spoon keyboardist
Alex Fischel, guitarist Jackson MacIntosh (Drugdealer,
Jessica Pratt), pedal-steel player Connor Gallaher (Black
Lips, Calexico), and TOPS drummer Riley Fleck.
Within the first few moments of the self-titled new album,
Honey Harper and The Infinite Sky deliver a dashed-off
statement on the trappings of country music. Despite the
high level of conceptualization that went into its creation,
the record embodies an irresistibly loose and grooveheavy sound that hits with an immediate impact. While
previous album, ‘Starmaker’, was touted as “country music
for people who don’t like country music,” ‘Honey Harper &
The Infinite Sky’ is “country music for everyone.”
In the summer of 2000, school friends Mark Lawton, Jon Pearce and Jamie Lenman won a battle-of-the-bands competition and used the prize money to record the five tracks that would become their first professional release, entitled Pilot. Then called Angel, before the EP was released on local label Badmusic they changed their name to Reuben and were over the moon when the record received notices in Kerrang and even a spin from Steve Lamacq on Radio One. “We were just a school band, but we definitely had grand plans,” says Lenman, now a successful solo artist in his own right. “We changed our name because we knew we’d have to do it at some point, and we didn’t want the EP to get forgotten.” Despite selling out several modest runs on CD, Pilot was never issued on vinyl, and so to celebrate the 21st anniversary of its release, the five original tracks have been re-mastered and pressed onto wax. But more than this – after a chance discovery of five extra tracks on a DAT tape in a loft, Pilot has been bumped up to album status with the inclusion of a second side. “I always thought we’d only recorded those five tracks before Mark left – I’d completely forgotten about the recordings from the end of the same year,” says Lenman. “They were just demos of new material, they were never meant to be packaged together with the tracks from Pilot – in fact, you can already hear how the sound was starting to change in just six months. But they do make a nice set, and I guess if that original line up of the band had made a full album before Racecar, this is maybe what it might have sounded like.” The album inlay itself boasts a hoard of unseen photos from both recording sessions, unearthed after two decades, as well as the original EP inlay and the unused cover art credited to Angel instead of Reuben – hence Pilot Angel.
After an exceptionally long year full of personal change and near manic levels of creative activity, Canadian musician Devin Townsend releases his follow up to 2019’s acclaimed ‘Empath’ album. Assembled from a barrage of material written during the pandemic ‘Lightwork’ represents a new level,and has ended up being one of the most accessible, yet ambitious releases of his storied career. A project that has been on Devin’s mind since he was a teen, (and flirted with throughout his career) is a more melodic and direct album with a great producer to help guide the work. Enter Garth Richardson: A Vancouver based producer with a long resume and a friend of Devin’s for many years. And the goal? To provide something beautiful, cathartic, powerful and clear. A sense of optimism and power through what can be commonly known as a ‘depressing period’. Its about strength, love, acceptance, fear, and overcoming together. Guests on the record include friends and stalwarts from his past (Anneke Van Giersbergen, Ché Aimee Dorval, Morgan Agren, Mike Keneally, Steve Vai, Elektra Women’s Choir) as well as some newer friends and faces (Darby Todd, Diego Tejeida, Nathan Navarro, Federico Paulovich, Jonas Hellborg). Available as Ltd Deluxe Orange 3LP+2CD+Blu-ray, Ltd Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook & Ltd 2CD Digipak – all including the companion album ‘Nightwork’. Also available as standalone Gatefold 2LP+CD, Standard CD Jewelcase & Digital Album.
After an exceptionally long year full of personal change and near manic levels of creative activity, Canadian musician Devin Townsend releases his follow up to 2019’s acclaimed ‘Empath’ album. Assembled from a barrage of material written during the pandemic ‘Lightwork’ represents a new level,and has ended up being one of the most accessible, yet ambitious releases of his storied career. A project that has been on Devin’s mind since he was a teen, (and flirted with throughout his career) is a more melodic and direct album with a great producer to help guide the work. Enter Garth Richardson: A Vancouver based producer with a long resume and a friend of Devin’s for many years. And the goal? To provide something beautiful, cathartic, powerful and clear. A sense of optimism and power through what can be commonly known as a ‘depressing period’. Its about strength, love, acceptance, fear, and overcoming together. Guests on the record include friends and stalwarts from his past (Anneke Van Giersbergen, Ché Aimee Dorval, Morgan Agren, Mike Keneally, Steve Vai, Elektra Women’s Choir) as well as some newer friends and faces (Darby Todd, Diego Tejeida, Nathan Navarro, Federico Paulovich, Jonas Hellborg). Available as Ltd Deluxe Orange 3LP+2CD+Blu-ray, Ltd Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook & Ltd 2CD Digipak – all including the companion album ‘Nightwork’. Also available as standalone Gatefold 2LP+CD, Standard CD Jewelcase & Digital Album.
Formed in 2005 in Sundsvall, Sweden, Technical Metal Masters SOREPTION are known for their razor-sharp technical riffs, schizophrenic time signatures topped with catchy chugging grooves and intense vocals. From this they have created their signature sound, not yet replicated by any other modern band, with a strong following to back. The band’s debut full-length Deterioration Of Minds brought major attention to the band as a formidable force in the genre. Deterioration Of Minds was released by Ninetone Records in 2010 and was rereleased by Unique Leader Records in 2014, and their follow-up punishing album “Engineering the Void” was released February 2014 also on Unique Leader Records to critical acclaim. 2015 saw SOREPTION take their technical prowess to the masses, with tours supporting extreme metal machine Cryptopsy, tech-death masters Origin, and the legendary death metal giant Cannibal Corpse. Following the on-road success, the industry and fans sat up and took notice, resulting in the band signing with Sumerian Records in 2018 releasing their next full-length “Monument of the End in the late summer of that same year. The album highlighted the growth of the outfit and continued razor-sharp precision that SOREPTION has become known for. Prior to the release of “Monument of the End” the band earned a spot on the 2018 edition of The Summer Slaughter Tour and followed it up with a support slot for Revocation on “The Outer Ones Global Invasion Part II” European Tour, solidifying them again as a live force to be reckoned with. When the world was shuttered from a worldwide pandemic, SOREPTION saw this as an opportunity to shift gears, refocus their tech machine and set out to create an album that is the natural continuation of ‘Monument of the End’, both musically and concept-wise. 2022 sees the return of SOREPTION to Unique Leader Records with the highly anticipated new album “Jord”, mixed and mastered by Buster Odeholm and featuring artwork by Caelan Stokkerman who handled artistic duties on their previous releases.
The killer debut by Belgium’s best kept secret: Slaughter the Giant. Intense melodic Death Metal for those who slaughter the soul! Slaughter The Giant ready to release their debut album “Depravity” in October 2022. A melodic intense Death Metal attack not hear before from Belgian soil. Slaughter The Giant was formed in 2018 and released their 5-track debut EP “Asylum of the Damned” in 2019 and it received good reviews worldwide. The year 2022 marks a new post-Covid start with the release of their first full-length album entitled “Depravity”, on Hammerheart Records. Slaughter the Giant performs intense melodic Death Metal that will appeal to fans of The Black Dahlia Murder and At The Gates. Hammerheart Records heard the album and was convinced of its quality and a deal was made. “Depravity” is a giant leap when compared to their EP, and acts on a whole different level. The brutality and melodic side have been pushed to new boundaries, while not losing the “good song” idea as a first must. The influences are still heard, but are now just that; influences. In the track “Co-ed Butcher” we find a kind of Obscura-esque approch that clashes into Flesh God Apocalypse alike symphony sounds, and album highlight “The Undead” is not a single and video without a reason, featuring excellent solo work on the guitar. The over all level is high and consistent throughout the album, and makes one replay after finishing.
Trauma and tragedy transfer from one generation to the next. As difficult as it may be, we still possess the power to break the cycle and start anew. Fit For A King ponder the pain of these cycles and the possibility to end them on their seventh full-length offering, The Hell We Create Solid State. The Texas quintet—Ryan Kirby [vocals], Bobby Lynge [guitar], Daniel Gailey [guitar], Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary [bass], and Trey Celaya [drums]—explore this ebb and flow with a deft, yet delicate balance of sharp metallic intensity and soaring melodic energy. Drawing on real-life experiences, the band members collectively rallied around Ryan and his family as they endured seemingly unending turbulence… “The album is a reflection of the events that happened throughout the pandemic,” recalls Ryan. “In short, my wife and I adopted children and had to homeschool them. She almost died from a stroke. The Hell We Create is by far the deepest and most personal record we’ve ever written.” “Falling Through the Sky" represents the mental struggles I had dealt with during the pandemic, and how little my upbringing prepared me to deal with it. Between adopting two children, my wife having constant health issues, and me losing almost 70% of my income, I was an absolute wreck. I thought my religious upbringing and faith would be enough to help me when adversity struck, but when the tidal wave came, I struggled immensely. So many think just having faith is enough to pull you through anything life throws at you, but the reality is, it makes a lot of us complacent in our personal growth.
Pure Noise Records and Pabst Blue Ribbon have teamed up to present ‘Dead Formats Volume 1’, a 15-track compilation featuring the Pure Noise Records roster sharing their takes on the celebrated punk/emo/ska songs that helped shape the scene in the 90’s and 2000’s.
It’s a beautiful phenomenon,” says Trampled by Turtles’ Dave Simonett, before adding with characteristic sincerity: “Everybody should see it." Simonett is talking about alpenglow, the natural event that washes mountains on the horizon in smoldering red and pink light, just before the sun sets or rises. It’s a harbinger of change––the space between new and old. It’s also the name of Trampled by Turtles’ new album, the band’s tenth. “My favorite part about making music is making records,” says Simonett. “I’m really excited about this one.” Produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Alpenglow offers resounding proof that the beloved six-piece from Minnesota remain uncontested champs of understated virtuosity, literary songwriting, and a joyful hodgepodge of folk heart, rock-and-roll muscle, and string-band zen. Almost 20 years after first getting together, Trampled – that’s lead singer and songwriter Dave Simonett, bassist Tim Saxhaug, banjo player Dave Carroll, mandolinist Erik Berry, fiddle player Ryan Young, and cellist Eamonn McLain – also keep finding new ways to surprise us and one another. While many of the songs on Alpenglow grapple with change, none try to offer answers. Nothing’s neat and tidy. Instead, Trampled find endearing ways to sit in the tension, hope, and sense of loss that transitions and hard questions create. Then, just by expressing what’s there, the music offers comfort.
At any given time, you’re likely to find Jim Lauderdale making music, whether he’s laying down a new track in the studio or working through a spontaneous melody at his home in Nashville. And if he’s not actively crafting new music, he’s certainly thinking about it. “It's a constant challenge to try to keep making better and better records, write better and better songs. I still always feel like I'm a developing artist,” he says. This may be a surprising sentiment from a man who’s won two Grammys, released 34 full-length albums, and taken home the Americana Music Association’s coveted Wagonmaster Award. But forthcoming album Game Changer is convincing evidence that the North Carolina native is only continuing to hone his craft. Operating under his own label, Sky Crunch Records, for the first time since 2016, Lauderdale recorded Game Changer at the renowned Blackbird Studios in Nashville, co-producing the release with Jay Weaver and pulling from songs he’d written over the last several years. “There's a mixture on this record of uplifting songs and, at the same time, songs of heartbreak and despair—because that's part of life as well,” he says. “In the country song world especially, that's always been part of it. That’s real life.” Lauderdale would know: He’s been a vital part of the country music ecosystem since 1991, when he released his debut album and began penning songs for an impressively long roster of country music greats. “When I was a teenager wanting to be a bluegrass banjo player, I never would have imagined that I would get to work with people like Ralph Stanley and Robert Hunter and George Jones and Elvis Costello and John Oates,” he muses. “Getting to work with them inspires me greatly to this day, and I know it always will.” From rollicking guitar riffs on “That Kind of Life (That Kind of Day)” to the slow, sweet harmonies of “I’ll Keep My Heart Open For You,” Game Changer shows off Lauderdale’s ingenuity as a singer, songwriter, and producer—while reestablishing him as one of Americana’s most steadfast champions..”
Since the late sixties Lee Fields has amassed a prolific catalog and has played and toured with such legends as Kool and the Gang, Sammy Gordon and the Hip-Huggers, O.V Wright, and many more. With a career spanning 43 years, it s mind-blowing that the music he s making today with Brooklyn s Truth & Soul Records is the best of his career. While drawing comparisons to The Moments, The Delfonics, The Stylistics, and of course James Brown, Faithful Man is able to create a space of it s own due to the group s desire to interpret and further the formulas of good soul music rather then imitate them. Chalk that up to Truth & Soul producers and co-owners Jeff Silverman and Leon Michels. These are the same individuals that co-wrote, produced, and played on Aloe Blacc s global smash I Need A Dollar, and have provided the back drop for records by Adele, Ghostface Killah, and Jay-Z to name a few. The older Fields becomes, the closer he gets to perfecting the sound of soul said DJ Oliver Wang about Fields in an NPR feature. Faithful Man is the next step towards perfection. A step that will find Lee Fields & The Expressions finally being bestowed the contemporary soul music crown.
Daniel Barenboim will turn 80 on November 15th. Warner Classics are celebrating the great musician, who has had tremendous success since the ‘60s both at the piano or conducting, with an album made in the mid-90s that is close to his heart and Argentinian origins, though aside of the classical repertoire. Tangos Among Friends - Mi Buenos Aires Querido (named after a tango by Carlos Gardel) proves again all the talent and swing Daniel Barenboim has, and has been a huge success since released by Teldec on CD in 1996.
“I spent the first nine years of my life in Argentina and only in Argentina. The rest of the world was far away. Everything Argentinian was close to my heart. The concepts of cosmopolitan existence or international thinking were not yet awakened. The air that I breathed was Buenos Aires, the language that I spoke was Spanish porteño and the rhythm to which I danced (figuratively speaking…) was the tango! My idol was Carlos Gardel. Nearly half a century later I came back not only to Argentina, not only to my childhood but especially to my Buenos Aires querido and many other wonderful melodies that make up this sentimental record.”
Daniel Barenboim – from album booklet
In an interview made in the 90s, Daniel Barenboim added: “In Argentina during the late 1940s there was no chasm between classical music and the tango, in the way there was a chasm between classical music and jazz. The tango is a basic part of Argentine popular culture; when you went to a restaurant or a party, that was the music you would hear. (…) Already as a child I was crazy about the tango. I still am.”
“The young Daniel found himself drawn to the bittersweet tales of passion, tragedy and nostalgia sung by Gardel, the tango singer and songwriter who exerted a major influence in popularizing the tango throughout the Western hemisphere and Europe. (…) Over the following decades Barenboim would regale friends at home or at parties with piano arrangements of tangos he heard in his youth. (…) Barenboim never thought of sharing his passion for tangos with the public until last year when he had returned to Buenos Aires for concerts with his Berlin Staatskapelle orchestra. At a reception he found himself talking tangos with a young Argentine. Learning of Barenboim’s interest in performing them, he offered to drum up a few local musicians with whom Barenboim could play tangos at home. That’s how he met Mederos and Console. “The first day we just played for fun,” Barenboim says. “Then we decided to make a recording. So we rehearsed for two days and made the record in one afternoon.” (…) Once he, Mederos and Console set out to record their tango program, Barenboim was surprised at how much of the characteristic tango rubato – a subtle alteration of rhythmic weight and accent – he still had at his fingertips, more than four decades after leaving Buenos Aires. That said, he insists on sharing credit for the success of the disc with his Argentine colleagues. “What they gave me was a pure sense of the tango, especially in the melodic freedom over a very strict rhythmic foundation. Performing tangos, you are constantly anticipating the downbeat or coming after it; this is part of the tradition. What I gave them was the necessity to rethink certain aspects – say, the volume and transparency of sound – so that playing tangos didn’t sound routine.”
– The Chicago Tribune, Oct. 1996
Two LP best of collection including all the hits and classic album tracks from the bands 1993 breakthrough album Garbage to their recent 2021 release No Gods No Masters.
The collection is being released on transparent yellow coloured vinyl and features brand new liner notes and a rare recording called ‘Witness to Your Love’.
On the 28th October, Come Home The Kids Miss You, the hit sophomore album from Jack Harlow will be available on Vinyl. The record features the massive singles, ‘Nail Tech’, ‘Dua Lipa’ & the infectious global hit ‘First Class’ alongside album features Drake, Lil Wayne, Justin Timberlake & Pharrell.
Hailed as the “hitmaker of tomorrow” by Variety, Jack Harlow is one of music’s greatest new stars. The Louisville, KY native boasts three GRAMMY Award nominations, two #1 singles, 12 RIAA platinum certifications, and over 5 billion career streams to date. Harlow released his critically acclaimed, RIAA platinum certified debut album, THATS WHAT THEY ALL SAY in December 2020, which featured the 7x Platinum worldwide hit, “WHATS POPPIN,” which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned the 24-year-old his first GRAMMY nomination for “Best Rap Performance,” along with a wide array of other award nominations.
The Generation Now/Atlantic Records star has graced the covers of Rolling Stone, Forbes, Variety, Complex, SPIN, Footwear News and XXL’s coveted Freshman Class Issue, and brought his captivating live show to TV with performances on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, and the 2022 Kids Choice Awards, to name a few.
As three souls plunge down from the heavens, death and destruction can be felt hanging in the air like a foul stench. Red clouds swirl around a black sun that never sets and an erratic clock ticks off-tempo, moving faster and slower before rewinding and starting anew.
“Let me paint you a picture…” vocalist Mikey Arthur sings, welcoming listeners with a dramatic opening scene. It takes a skillful guide to navigate the darkest depths of hell. And, as The Gloom In The Corner depict in their second full-length album Trinity, death is merely the beginning of the series of chilling adventures
Purposefully aligning their song count with unlucky number thirteen – a reoccurring symbol in the ever-unfolding Gloom Cinematic Universe or GCU – it comes as little surprise to longtime fans that each of the Australian quartet’s enticing tracks intertwine to form an interlocking tale; this time centered around the appropriately labeled unholy trinity.
Comprised of previously deceased characters Rachel Barker, Ethan Hardy, and Clara Carne, the group’s bloody battle is woven throughout the album as the anti-heroes determinedly claw their way back to Earth from the Rabbit Hole dimension, slashing, shooting, and extinguishing anyone who dares to oppose their quest. Yet, for the Girl of Glass, Ronin, and Queen of Misanthropy, there is clearly more to the story than what can be contained within a single package.
Projecting a wide and complex web of lore, plot twists, and tongue and cheek humor, frontman Mikey Arthur, guitarist Matt Stevens, bassist Paul Musolino, and drummer Nic Haberle, have been producing highly detailed concept releases since their formation. And, consistently filling in more missing pieces of the puzzle with every body of work, the band equate each new record to a fresh season of The Umbrella Academy dropping on the streaming service of your choice. Because, just as a great TV series captivates viewers with its music and storytelling, the quartet’s work provides a complete experience designed to allow fans to check in with their favorite characters, all the while enjoying a cinematic new soundtrack.
For those just joining the GCU, as well as those looking for a quick refresh, 2016 debut album Fear Me introduced listeners to main protagonists Julian “Jay” Hardy, a Section 13 agent consumed by anger over his girlfriend Rachel’s death, and Jay’s gloom (later known as Sherlock Adaliah Bones), a demonic entity who at times takes over Jay’s body as a host vessel. 2017 EP Homecoming tells the tale of Jay’s brother Ethan, a war veteran suffering from PTSD, who upon discovering his brother’s struggle, kills himself as part of a Dante-style rescue mission to bring Rachel back to life. In 2019 EP Flesh and Bones, we’re introduced to Clara Carne, a past witness to one of Jay and Sherlock’s crimes, who instead of taking revenge, began a twisted love story with Sherlock, only to be murdered by his forced hand. And 2020’s Ultima Pluvia EP where we finally learn of Sherlock’s past as an ancient warlord under the tyrannical King Baphicho, and see Sherlock and Jay’s deaths ushered in by Section 13 opponent and New Order leader Elias DeGraver and his gloom Atticus Encey.
After 2016’s Fear Me, the band admit that their original intention was to jump straight into the events of Trinity before pivoting to create Homecoming, Flesh and Bones, and Ultima Pluvia. However, upon reflection, primary storywriter Mikey Arthur believes that pushing the timeline back actually provided greater opportunity for the group to properly flesh out the songs and plotlines for their sophomore studio record.
Indeed, while Trinity re-introduces the three central “heroes” of this new arc, it’s important to understand that while familiar, the characters are not carbon copies of who they were earlier in the story. And neither is the band who brought them to life.
Fully embracing the weird and whacky has never been a struggle for The Gloom In The Corner. Rather, it’s together with this attitude that the group come away with special moments such as the fascinating old and new dynamic between neighboring tracks “Red Clouds” – a song whose initial version predates the formation of The Gloom In The Corner as an official band – and “Gravity” in which a demo intended for future material was adjusted to fit the sonic drop.
Mirroring this evolution in the band’s musical approach, a sense of growth can also be seen projected in the characters and story that the quartet chronicle across the thirteen tracks.
Classifying their individual sound as an intricate form of “cinema or theater-core” due to the depth and breadth of their musical approach, features, samples, symphonic elements, and conceptual nature, The Gloom In The Corner continue to prove that they’re more than just a simple concept band.
In fact, similar to character theme music in movies and video games, the group seamlessly play off their diverse sonic story in a variety of ways. Continuing to breathe new life into older staples from their catalog, the quartet reworked their infamous “Oxymøron” breakdown from Fear Me into an impactful moment in Trinity’s “Nor Hell A Fury” and sprinkled audio easter eggs of this sort all throughout their new music for fans to discover.
Listeners are also brought further into the world of the GCU with the help of what The Gloom In The Corner call their “casting process.” Like picking actors for a musical, the band meticulously selected eleven different vocal features and several additional voice actors to bring the album and characters to life. Described as a 50/50 split between notable talents such as Ryo Kinoshita (Crystal Lake), Joe Badolato (Fit For An Autopsy), and Lauren Babic (Red Handed Denial), as well as talented friends and family like Elijah Witt (Cane Hill) and Mikey’s sister Amelia Duffield, each featured artist brought their own touch and realistic spark to the characters they portrayed.
For in the end, as much as Trinity and it’s cast live within the confines of their own supernatural worlds, themes such as falling out of love (Gatekeeper), battling depression (Obliteration Imminent), and standing behind women’s empowerment (Nor Hell A Fury), are ones that many can relate to or understand. And, while most individuals may avoid drowning their woes by way of transforming into full-on egotistical murderers like the Queen and King of Misanthropy and the gang, The Gloom In The Corner have illustrated that time and time again, life’s a little more fun when you can crack a smile. Taking a page from the trinity’s playbook: try to avoid the end of the world. But if you can’t…at least spend it with a killer soundtrack.
THERION have always been a band that have challenged themselves to explore new paths, while remaining true to their musical core values. For their 17th studio album, mastermind Christofer Johnsson and his collaborator Thomas Vikström have created something that has been previously unthinkable to the guitarist and the singer. "We have done the only thing that was left of all the different angles to explore", explains Christofer. "We have decided to give the people what they kept asking for. 'Leviathan' is the first album that we have deliberately packed with THERION hit songs."
True to the Swede's words, the album opens with the catchy and swift tune 'The Leaf Of The Oak Of Far' featuring female and male antiphonal singing as well as a choir that seems to have evolved straight out of THERION's breakthrough full-length "Theli" (1996). This is immediately followed by the obvious highlight 'Tuonela', in which Christofer cleverly underscores this hit-track's Finnish vibe by employing NIGHTWISH’s "metal voice" Marko Hietala. Next up in this parade of future fan-favourites is the title track 'Leviathan' that offers classic THERION material with operatic female vocals and a massive choir.
Christofer Johnsson's passion for classic voices, choirs, and orchestral elements as well as his penchant for epic melodies in combination with rock and metal shines clearly through the following sing-along ballad 'Die Wellen Der Zeit', which indicates another nod to German romantic composer Richard Wagner. "Ever since 'Theli', Wagner has been and will always be at the core of THERION", emphasises Christofer. "When we started to combine metal and opera, it was something new and original. Today, symphonic metal has long been a firmly established genre." When THERION came into being in 1988 by changing name from the already existing band BLITZKRIEG, which was founded a year earlier, Christofer had rather taken inspiration from SLAYER's "Reign In Blood" among other classic metal albums.
At the beginning, the Swedes were firmly rooted in death metal, a genre which they helped to define, as witnessed by their debut album "Of Darkness...." (1991). Yet even back then, there were hints of "something else" lurking beneath the rough surface. The use of female vocals is another core ingredient of THERION today, which developed gradually. CELTIC FROST had basically introduced the female element to extreme metal on "To Mega Therion" in 1985. THERION began with both a female and male vocalist emulating a church like choir already in their sophomore full-length 'Beyond Sanctorum' (1992). With Symphony "Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas" (1993) and "Lepaca Kliffoth" (1995), Christofer continued to developed his trademark sound by gradually drifting towards cleaner vocals and more keyboards.
With "Theli", the Swedes had firmly established a reputation of pushing the boundaries of metal in the 90s –among such acts as their compatriots TIAMAT, THE GATHERING, and MOONSPELL that were often referred to as "gothic metal" at the time. THERION continued to break new ground leaving inspiration for others to follow in their wake: On "A'arab Zaraq -Lucid Dreaming" (1997), Christofer further explored the use of Near Eastern music in metal which he had already begun in 1992, while "Secret Of The Runes" (2001) dared to have Swedish lyrics in some songs.
While critics were left confused and fans challenged, THERION were often ahead of their times and vindicated in hindsight. Even the band's 25th anniversary excursion "Les Fleurs Du Mal" has by now overcome the initial shock the album caused and is only beaten in terms of streaming by the classic "Vovin" (1998). When Christofer faced the question of where to go next after the dramatic "Beloved Antichrist" (2018) had finally fulfilled his musical mission, his answer is "Leviathan" named after a giant sea monster from Judeo-Christian myth that has roots in Babylonic lore: THERION have created a giant hit album –and for the first time in the history of the Swedes, their fans are not asked to explore something new, but simply to lean back and enjoy the best from their band!
Night of Rain is the second art book by musician and artist Loren Connors, following last year’s Wildweeds (Recital, 2021).
The book is composed of two parts: ‘Night of Rain,’ which Loren describes as “seascapes, or expressions of the sea and shore. They are about the power of rain and the sea, lagoons, bays, tides." Taken from small pencil and black ink drawings enlarged again and again at a copy store. The pieces would often be drawn over and modified throughout this process – ultimately reaching sizes of 8 x 6 feet or larger. In this series, Loren considers the digital images as the "originals” – so this section of the book acts as a sort of swatch, a gallery exhibiting the final stage of this process.
The second section of the book is “A Coming to Shore.” Nineteen acrylic paintings on stretched canvas, which are often cast in hazy and dreamlike blues, greys, and yellows. They span across the page in stark simplicity. “They all have the feeling of horizon, but not all of them depict horizons,” Loren remarks. Supplemented with a foreword written by artist and friend Aki Onda, Night of Rain is part of a continuing series of limited books published by Recital that explore Loren’s visual art.
One of the most revered and respected artists to ascend in the immediate wake of the Autonomic wave - Sam KDC's innate understanding of depth and emotive layering has marked his path as one that leaves an indelible impression.
While his innovative adventures with Grey Area and the outer edges of Techno continue unabated, a collaboration with like-minded artist Flaminia has drawn Sam back to his original home in 170bpm.
Flaminia is a versatile and extremely skilled musician who has lent her talents to luscious dark ambient, and experimental Techno and continues to work on rediscovery and innovation. In our view, Flaminia is one of the more interesting artists currently rising in prominence in the electronic music scene.
Sam and Flaminia are an apt pairing and Grounding brings out a new side to both of them. Textures are applied with considered discernment, never overdone, and always embellishing the delectable grooves. Grounding has a truly ethereal, almost mystical overlay, while also brandishing dance-floor potency - a now inherent skill both artists have spent years assimilating into their construction processes.
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In 2019, Le Chant du Monde celebrated the 130th
Anniversary of the birth of Charlie Chaplin. In
2020, the label celebrated the 80th Anniversary of
the film ‘The Great Dictator’. In 2021, they
celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the movie ‘The
Kid’. This year (2022), Le Chant du Monde
celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the movie
‘Limelight’.
To celebrate these 70 years, here is a special
edition deluxe 180g vinyl LP (full mono remastered
version) in luxurious packaging outside the norm
(casebound book).
The release brings together the entire music of the
film, as well as many bonuses completely
unreleased to date, accompanied by a large format
booklet of 24 pages, including unpublished texts
and photos.
An edition that will delight Chaplin lovers as much
as collectors of beautiful vinyl editions
New album from the acclaimed singer and songwriter Nerina Pallot. Written and produced by Pallot, the album was recorded over a three-year period, due in part to the pandemic but mainly as a result of her painstaking production process. If her previous album was more live in sound and feeling, I Don't Know What I'm Doing involves a large cast of supporting musicians, intricate orchestrations and
dedicated attention to detail.
The result is expansive and lush, with her trademark classic song- writing front and centre.
Back by popular demand, Speed Metal Symphony returns to vinyl, this time in limited Lemonade Yellow. Speed Metal Symphony is the first of two releases by shred legends, Cacophony. The band was a showcase for the highly technical, neo-classical metal talents of guitar virtuosi Marty Friedman and Jason Becker.
"Force of Nature" represented the link between life and nature and techno, a work that goes across 10 years of his career, label boss Emmanuel is back with a new release on the core label. "Tiger Grass" is the natural evolution of his sound, defining a concept of timelessness and modern sound design, now more than ever he is committed to raise the awareness of what techno as a cultural and art-form language should communicate to the dance-floor now and tomorrow.
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‘For the Roses’ is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell and was released in November 1972. The album was released 50 years ago this November and is BPI certified silver. It was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2007. The album was met with critical acclaim and notably features ‘You Turn me on I’m A Radio’ as well as ‘Banquet’ and the title track ‘For the Roses’.
l Judgement Of The Moon And Stars (Ludwig's Tune) 2022 Remaster
The Decades Collected compilations are part of the new Collected compilation series, which is a collaboration between Universal Music and Music On Vinyl. The compilations bring together the biggest names of each decade, combined with forgotten hits and less discovered gems, giving the listener an experience of listening to their favorite tunes while uncovering new musical grounds at the same time.
Various Artists - Tens Collected features Sam Smith “Stay With Me”, Lorde “Royals”, The Weeknd “Starboy”, Dua Lipa “Be The One”, Niall Horan “Slow Hands” and Ellie Goulding “Love Me Like You Do” amongst others.
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Originally released in 2011 with a limited pressing and repressed once a few years later in 2016. “Right now in cities across the globe, there are plenty of great Afrobeat revivalist bands aping the sound and groove of Fela Kuti’s legendary sound. Yet, surprisingly few of the new groups have strayed from an orthodox interpretation of the genre or done much real innovation. ..Ikebe Shakedown is here to change that. The band takes signature Afrobeat elements—big unison horns, slinky bass lines, tight little guitar licks—and blends them with tasty grooves culled from '70s-style horn-driven funk”. -Marlon Bishop, WNYC
Ikebe Shakedown, the self-titled album and Ubiquity Records debut from the Brooklyn-based band, plays with elements of Cinematic Soul, Afro-funk, Deep Disco, and Boogaloo in all the right ways. Pushing their globally-informed sound and eclectic approach to tune-writing into new territory, “Self-titling the album is a way to introduce the audience to the many facets of the band -- to provide a more complete understanding of what we do,” bassist Vince Chiarito says. “Our sound has grown to incorporate our influences without overtly representing any one in particular. It just sounds like us," he adds.
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A unique longplayer by Germany's Funk champions The Mighty Mocambos: 'Scénarios' is a wild journey through iconic performances captured on 8-track tape, including celebrated versions of breakdance favourites like 'Axel F.' And 'Let The Music Play' as well as brand new original material composed especially for recordings in unusual settings.
Hamburg's deep funk chefs are known for their intuitive recordings that capture the energy of a live performance, and with this record they go all the way.
Just before the pandemic, the group recorded an in-store live session at legendary Hamburg record shop Groove City and taped an impromptu performance at JAM PDM! breakdance battle in Potsdam. Both were released on vinyl 45s, quickly sold out and became secret weapons for DJs. While most bands shifted their stage to the studio in 2020, producing an abundance of isolated lockdown-inspired material, the Mighty Mocambos – never shy of an antidote - took the mobile version of their recording studio on the road.
With no audience allowed at the Pitt Hopkins Music Session charity concert, the group used the occasion to compose meditative folk-soul instrumentals to be performed exclusively on stringed instruments. Sweaty funk does not work via video stream, but the format provided a welcome opportunity to create something entirely different. Even without electricity and drums, the cinematic "Four Two Three" and "Silent Heroes" are unmistakably recognizable as Mocambo themes.
When you follow Nina Simone's credo that an "artist's duty is to reflect the times", it became evident that once the world slowly started opening up again, further concerts would be captured on the group's portable Fostex R-8 tape machine. Luckily, restrictions fell on the very evening that the band hit the open air stage at the Import Export in Munich on September 11th 2021. The extended afrobeat-inspired jam on J.J. Cale's "Carry On" witnesses people celebrating and dancing together again for the first time after a year and the manic "Munich Psycholympics" unleashes all bottled-up energies that had being lying dormant.
The slightly kafka-esque "Ghost Walk" was taped during a soundcheck for a concert that was eventually called off for safety reasons, reflecting once more the uncertainty of the time. The last scénario sees the Mighty Mocambos returning to a packed indoor venue, playing "Let The Music Play" to a audience of b-boys and -girls – a testament to the sheer power of music. Featured as an encore here, an acoustic version of "Where Do We Go From Here?" (originally recorded with Lee Fields) closes the record and its restless voyage through unusual recording situations.
"Scénarios" differs drastically from other live albums as it does not seek to replicate existing material from studio albums. All songs were written or arranged especially for the live recordings in order to combine the group's DJ-friendly trademark sound with added vibes and momentum from the audience. Most of them were recorded while they were performed in public for the first time ever.
Comes in gatefold sleeve & includes download voucher.
d 04: Theme from Beverly Hills Cop (Axel F) Live
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