Buscar:z ev

One Voice melden sich mit zweiter Platte zurück und dürften damit definitv ein heißer Mitanwärter auf das Oi!-Album des Jahres werden! Nach ihrem ausverkauftem Debut-Scheibe "Tradition not Trend", zahlreichen Singles und Samplerbeiträgen hat die Band den Nachfolger diesmal bei "Heartbreak Engines"-Okie porduziert und aufgenommen. Und die 12 neuen Songs zeigen eindrucksvoll, dass diese Entscheidung goldrichtig war! ONE VOICE haben ihren Song weiter perfektioniert und konnten dabei ihr Potential voll entfalten, es gibt viel zu entdecken auf "Not everybody's cup of tea": Natürlich kann nicht Jeder so umtriebig sein, wie die drei Freunde Joost, Andre und Phil und alle Bands, in denen die Jungs von ONE VOICE mitspiel(t)en, können wir auch gar nicht aufzählen (Diggerz, On the Rampage, Dörpms, Bunga Bunga Club, Evil Conduct sollen reichen). Der Opener "Back in the Days" ist aber ein leidenschaftlicher Weckruf an alle Szeneveteranen verdammt nochmal ihre Ärsche wieder hochzukriegen, statt in Erinnerungen zu schwelgen...die Szene lebt nicht von alleine "Don't you think it's time again to go to gigs....sing a long, dance and drink with your friends?" Die knackige 3 Akkorde-Hymne "Cheers To You" zollt allen Supportern und Szene-Aktivisten, die das möglich machen ihren tiefsten Respekt. "Not everybody's cup of tea" ist eine Offenbarung für Freunde des klassischen Skinhead-Sounds! Auf den Punkt gebrachte Härte gepaart mit der genau richtigen Dosierung Melodie und Emotionen. Ein Oi!light des Jahres! 180gr vinyl, inside-out cover + printed innersleeve

Having been ‘discovered’ working in Liverpool’s Probe
Records during the punk rock explosion of the late 1970s,
Pete Burns found himself fronting his own band,
Nightmares In Wax who mutated into the more familiar
Dead Or Alive, eventually bringing Pete into the UK pop
mainstream, and a star was born.
Bringing together two-self-released 1982 singles and a collection
of early versions of Hi-NRG tracks which would eventually find
their way onto the band’s debut album, ‘Let Them Drag My Soul
Away’ showcases the blossoming of one of the 80s pop scene’s
most colourful characters. Unapologetic, unfiltered, loud and
proud – Pete Burns singularly brought a punk rock mindset to the
pop paradigm, providing a much needed antidote to the sexless
Thatcherite stars beginning to dominate the UK pop charts
during the middle of the decade – this collection of recordings
captures something of that spirit and the energy of the driving
force behind it.
Pressed on deep red vinyl and housed in a cover photograph by
Dead Or Alive’s then manager Francesco Mellina, ‘Let Them
Drag My Soul Away’ presents a last glimpse at a pre-stardom
Pete, and a long overdue back story accompaniment for fans and
collectors alike.

Autorisierte Deluxe 2LP Ausgabe des von Henry 'Junjo' Lawes produzierten 'Evil Curse of the Vampires'.
Original Greensleeves zusammengestellter Dub-Klassiker, entscheidende Auswahl von Junjos klassischen, von Roots Radics angetriebenen Rhythmen, aufgenommen bei Channel One und gemischt von Scientist bei King Tubby's.
Das remasterte, ikonische Dub-Album ist jetzt mit einer zweiten Disc mit den Original-Vokalversionen versehen.
Streng limitierte einmalige Halloween-Pressung auf orangefarbenem Vinyl.

Braulio Lam's Close-Up is a captivating soundscape that blurs the lines between music and photography.
Hailing from the border region between San Diego and Tijuana, Lam's inspiration stems from the vibrant cultural exchange and diverse musical traditions of the area. His creativity as a music producer and photographer converges seamlessly into this album, where he manipulates images and sounds, using light as a catalyst for his sonic experiments.
The album's eight tracks showcase Lam's eclectic sonic palette, ranging from electronica and dub techno to ambient and trip hop. The opening track, "Prologue," sets the stage with a haunting guitar echo and a spacious, downtempo beat. Angelic vocals float ethereal over the sonic backdrop, creating a sense of scenic grandeur. "Cinestill" immerses listeners in a sub-aquatic realm with its slow-pulsing beat and cavernous ambiance. "Buena Vista Social Dub" captivates with its sensual vocals, echoing drums, and hypnotic melody.
"Monika" evokes a sense of beachy tranquility with its electric guitar and ambient soundscapes, while "Mirror" transports listeners into an atmospheric swirl of broken beats and ambient textures. "Eastman" delves into the depths of dub techno, its hypnotic chords and airy soundscapes creating an otherworldly atmosphere. "Winter Light," showcases Lam's mastery of minimalism. Field recordings of natural sounds, sparse guitar plucks, and evocative imagery paint a stark but beautiful soundscape that lingers long after the music has faded. "Tiffen" closes the album on a serene note, its gentle island rhythms and floaty textures inviting listeners to relax and unwind.
Overall, Close-Up is a testament to Braulio Lam's boundless creativity and artistry. Its unique fusion of musical styles, experimental sonic textures, and evocative imagery makes it an immersive and captivating listening experience that transports listeners to a realm where the senses intertwine.

Here at Mr Bongo we have been inundated with people asking us to reissue this release. Ana Frango Elétrico's petit cult classic masterpiece 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' from 2019, which was only ever released on vinyl and CD in Brazil and Japan, has fast become a collector's item.

Well received by fans, DJs, and reviewers on release, The Needle Drop expressed "Ana Frango Elétrico's authentically vintage fusion of chamber pop, rock, samba and jazz is a real blast!" listing it as one of its Top 50 Albums of 2019. The album's reputation has been slowly building ever since, gaining a Latin Grammy nomination in 2020, and now solidly cementing itself as a gem of contemporary Brazilian music.

Across the albums nine tracks, Ana blends elements and influences from MPB, Tropicália, indie rock, punk and pop, forging them together with a sumptuous dose of her signature style. The finesse of 'Saudade' kicks off the LP, one of Ana's most known tracks to a non-Brazilian audience. A sublime opener, beginning with a spellbinding piano solo before transcending into a beautiful dream-laden slice of warmth, complete with luscious jazzy horns and deft vocal delivery. ‘Promessa e previsões’ follows, the only track on the album not to be written by Ana, instead being penned by Chico França. It’s a swelling and sweeping twilight groover, building and breaking across absorbing peaks.

Other highlights on the album include the anthemic 'Chocolate', which was a firm favourite with a packed sing-along crowd when we heard Ana perform it live. Elsewhere, 'Se No Cinema' hits with its quirky allure, charm and catchy melodies before transforming into a carnival spirit.

Tapping into the richness of Brazil’s new wave of musical energy, the album also includes a heavyweight lineup of collaborations with artists such as Dora Morelenbaum (Bala Desejo), Tim Bernardes, Antonio Neves and Guilherme Lirio to name but a few.

A short, sweet and refreshing record, that leaves nothing to waste, marrying playful ideas with poignant themes. 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' is a future classic and will beguile fans of ‘70s Brazilian recordings, Gal Costa, Mac DeMarco, Stereolab, Superorganism, Caetano Veloso and more.

Habibi Funk is thrilled to share a second collection of deep grooves and unreleased songs from Algeria's Ahmed Malek, often compared to Italian heavyweight Ennio Morricone. Malek’s music effortlessly switches between thematic jazz, funk, reggae and Algerian folk – creating indelible soundscapes that intersect the musical innovations made in African jazz by Mulatu Astatke, Bembeya Jazz National along with some of Europe’s finest experimental composers like Piero Piccioni and Janko Nilovic. “Musique Originale de Films, Volume Deux” is out June 28th, 2024 via Habibi Funk.

Whenever an interview asks about a “memorable moment” in Habibi Funk label history, one we always reference is how we got in touch Ahmed Malek’s (22K Spotify Followers, 285K Spotify Monthly Listeners) music and subsequently his family. It all started with us coming across Ahmed Malek’s music on YouTube in 2012. We were mesmerized by how effortlessly the music would switch between jazz, funk and Algerian folk while counterweighting it with an undertone of melancholia. Musical perception is different for every person, but there is a chance that his music will touch you in one way or another. At the time, we had just started the Habibi Funk label and we felt Ahmed’s music might be a good fit for the sound we were trying to highlight. Fast forward three years: we had become captivated with the idea of reissuing some of Ahmed Malek’s music. We knew some people had tried to locate his family but, but with no success. In the end it was an incredible amount of luck that made it possible for you to read these words and listen to Ahmed’s music. We were on a DJ gig in Beirut playing old Arabic records and we mentioned our passion for Ahmed Malek’s music to a friend. She said she knew one person in Algier, and as much as it would be a shot in the dark, she could ask her if she had an idea of how to find Malek’s family. Two weeks went by before we heard back, and what we got was incredibly good news - her Algerian friend was the neighbor of Ahmed Malek’s daughter! We’re not spiritual people, but it felt like the universe wanted to see the release happen. We started to speak with Henya, Ahmed Malek’s daughter and she was more than happy with our idea. She assured us that her father would have loved the plan as well. She provided us with tons of awesome material, from great photos, to unseen video footage and unreleased tracks. Eventually we visited Henya in Algeria and we licensed some of her father’s music, first for one (Habibi 003), then for another (Habibi 005), then we eventually organized an exhibition in June/July 2019 – Planète Malek – Une Rétrospective – at the Musée Public National D’Art Moderne & Contemporain in Algiers, focusing on Ahmed Malek’s artistic life. We also produced a small movie about him that our friend Paloma Colombe shot and directed. “Musique Originale de Films, Volume Deux” is a deep collection of unreleased songs and stemmed grooves from the Algerian master, from jazz, funk, psych to reggae rhythms and Latin flavors, all under the sonic umbrella of “Planète Malek;” and to quote the maestro, “I didn’t choose music, music chose me.” Lead single is the subtlety funky “Thème Rythme Léger,” out May 3rd along with LP Pre-Order (coincided with Bandcamp Friday for a larger impact) a delicate sonic dance between flute, piano and Spanish guitar with a Bossainfluenced groove. The steady, swingin’ drum groove is cloudlike - definitely toe-tapping friendly so just grab a partner to feel the Rhythme Léger. Second single out May 17th is the reggae-infused “L’Empire Des Rêves” – a sultry sax melody weaves through a prismatic rocksteady thematic groove. 3rd and final single “Thème Djalti feat. Aïda Guéchoud” – is a true Western-inspired ode to his Italian counterpart Ennio Morricone. “Thème Djalti” features the haunting vocals of Aïda Guéchoud, and combines elements of baroque and Bossa-jazz in a timelessly thematic way that seems grandiose yet remains uniquely personal to your ears. Swelling strings, trumpet, fem vox, flute, and plucked guitar expertly arranged, feels like you’re riding a horse into the sunset. Focus track “La La La” is fiery afro-arab-funk of the highest order! Put on your dancing shoes as Ahmed cuts the rug and gets us grooving along. Sonically the cut sounds like if Ahmed ran into The JB’s and Fela Kuti at a Cymande concert. Driving guitar and organ solos vie over pulsating bass riffs and afro-funk drumming that’ll have you out on the dance floor in no time. As always, both vinyl and CD come with an extensive booklet featuring background and interviews with Ahmed compiled through found newspaper clippings and newsreels, also including unseen photos, scans and more. “Ahmed Malek: Musique Originale de Films, Volume Deux” will be out everywhere June 28th.

Keep on Dancing EP by Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg on 10-inch 45 rpm vinyl with four versions fresh out of the oven. Faithful to the essences, the band of the only Ramone still standing trims all the fat off the originals and makes every second count. High voltage. DESCRIPTION Marky Ramone needs little introduction. The only Ramone still standing was born in 1952 in Brooklyn and joined the band in 1978, replacing Tommy, and remained with the Ramones until they disbanded in 1996 (with a 1983-1987 hiatus due to personal problems). He is a restless person and has never stopped recording and performing live, either solo (MR & the Intruders, MR & the Speedkings) or in projects and collaborations (Joey Ramone, Teenage Head, Tequila Baby, Wardogs...). MARKY RAMONE'S BLITZKRIEG is the name of the band with which he has been touring the world for 15 years celebrating the Ramones' legacy, as well as adding some own-penned songs and some covers of other iconic punk rock bands to his repertoire. Over the years the line-up has varied, but in recent times the band has consolidated its position on stage with the resounding presence of Vitoria-Gasteiz's own Iñaki Urbizu "Pela" (La Excavadora, Victima's Club) as frontman and vocalist, and the Argentinians Marcelo Gallo and Martín Sauan (Expulsados) on guitar and bass. So, the time seemed right to transfer all the energy generated live to a 10" plastic EP. Four versions fresh out of the oven. Three tracks under two and a half minutes and one just over three minutes. True to the Ramones essence, they remove all the fat that was left over from the originals and make every second count. The Gentrys' "Keep On Dancing" opens the selection. The original track reached number four in the US charts in 1965 and, after passing through the hands of MARKY RAMONE'S BLITZKRIEG, classic Ramones covers like "Do You Wanna Dance" inevitably come to mind. The idea is easy, speed up the original a bit, in 4/4, and then play it faster. The hard part is that the result is so exciting and energetic. "It's Not Unusual", the Tom Jones hit, becomes maximum fun. The familiar, catchy tune is elevated to a whole new level of energy and intensity so that the chorus can be belted out loud. The Beatles' "Octopus's Garden", originally composed and sung by Ringo Star, is transformed into a playful punk-pop song to escape, if only momentarily, from the worries of the earthly world in the backdrop of a bar with a good sound system. Closing "New York, New York", the classic song from the Frank Sinatra songbook, celebrates New York City. It fits perfectly with Marky's identity as a native of the city, rooted in its culture and spirit, capturing the vibrant energy and rebellious attitude of the city that never sleeps. Some can cover hundreds of different songs and make them their own, and others can't. MARKY RAMONE'S BLITZKRIEG, like their originators, are certainly one of those who can. The band is just as comfortable with a colossal song as they are with a ditty, it's all about electric atmosphere and chemistry and, on each of these new recordings, the voltage is very high. One euro from the sale of each record will go to the victims of war. Stop the war!

Black Vinyl. Very Limited
Behold! Every single raw, filthy, ripping old school punk/(death)metal note from Seattles' legendary lords of destruction ever recorded is within this box!

contains:
†Black Breaths' 1st demo on cassette! (available for the first time ever!)
†Razor To Oblivion EP (with 2 previously unreleased tracks!)
†Heavy Breathing vinyl LP
†Sentenced to Life vinyl LP
†Slaves Beyond Death 2xLP

This essential box also contains a killer 8 page booklet with tons of photos, liner notes from Todd Jones (NAILS) and a tribute to bass player: Elijah Nelson.

These days it seems as if at every turn, week in week out, the Reggae fraternity grieves the loss of another journey man singer, unassuming session musician or foundational sound man.

The power of remembrance, of tribute, of deeply honouring the historical legacy of so many singers & players has been, from its very inception, central to the mission of Ital Counselor Records. The arrival of IC008 carries forth this tradition in the form of an epic tribute to two of our most cherished influences who have recently passed on – The ever-spirited drummer Angus “Drummie Zeb” Gaye of Aswad fame and the indomitable UK sound man, the Mighty Zulu Warrior Jah Shaka.

This release brings together some of the usual Ital Counselor collaborators Chris Lane (AKA the Dub Organiser, Fashion Records), Soothsayer Horns, Inyaki BDF, along with new IC collaborator Gil Cang (Riz Records, Tuff Scout Records).

Collectively known as the IC All Stars, their mission was to rebuild a mythic dubplate made legendary by Shaka in the early 1980s. Known on the scene as Rasta Serenade, this horns driven instrumental dubplate was a never released version of Aswad’s vocal cut “Just a Little Herb” only ever played on Shaka’s sound.
To achieve maximum effect, the Dub Organiser dug back into the Fashion records vaults to unearth an unused loop of ‘Drummie’ marching out a militant beat. Inyaki BDF was recruited to lay down the bassline. Soothsayers horns hit harder still. Chris and Gil put the final guitar, keys, and mix touches to make this 4-cut maxi 12” a sound system killer; a set of big people dubs for the young and old. Meditative and marching; Weighted and spritely IC008 must mash up sound system dance north, south, east and west. Take a listen and you will hear.

Drummie Zeb of the Tribe of Zebulon.
Jah Shaka of the Tribe of Simeon.
This is a tribute. This is a remembrance.
This is also a pushing forward of a tradition
In a new Direction
A movement Forward
Ital Counselor Style.

After five long years, Balance and Composure return with Too Quick To Forgive––newly signed to Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip’s label, Memory Music, the alt-rock dar- lings sound more assured and adventurous than ever across two vulnerable tracks. Too Quick To Forgive is a reflection on personal perseverance in the wake of confrontation, told through two distinctly different scenarios. “Savior Mode” finds frontman Jon Simmons baring his soul in a way that is unparalleled in their discography, while “Last To Know” is an emotionally-resonant highlight that leaves a lasting impact well after its final notes play out.

Simmons’ vulnerability and emotional delivery across both tracks cut through with unflinching precision courtesy of Andy Slaymaker (guitar), Matt Warner (bass), Erik Petersen (guitar), Dennis Wilson (drums), and who the band considers their 6th member––producer Will Yip. In the fall of 2022, the group got together at his Conshohocken, PA studio, Studio 4, with a few ideas that Yip helped turn into these otherworldly tracks. “It was all magic,” Jon says.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Balance and Composure will return to the stage for a series of Too Quick To Forgive release shows in some of the biggest rooms they’ve ever played.

“MARK” is the new solo record from acclaimed drummer and composer Mark Guiliana: an auditory manifestation of one of theworld’s most creative and innovative musical minds. Ever since the first day he picked up a pair of drum sticks, Mark Guiliana has been instinctively exploring and absorbing themusic and rhythms that have been ever-present in his life. Fast forward to the present day and he has earned a formidable reputation as a world-class drummer, composer and thinker at the forefront of contemporary jazz and beyond. Guiliana’sartistry defies convention, weaving together a musical output beyond jazz with the ultimate goal of creating compelling musical narratives.

His songs serve as a conduit for his relentless quest for creativity, striving to share his sonic visions withthe world in their most unadulterated form. Guiliana’s new album “MARK”, represents an introspective voyage into his creative depths. On the record, Mark performs soloon a wide array of devices; you can hear his quintessential grooves intermixed with intriguing percussive soundscapes,sublime tapestries of synthesisers and fragments of spoken word. “MARK” is an album that peels back the layers of Guiliana’sexperiences, reflections, and the wisdom gleaned from a life immersed in music. It transcends genres and defiescategorisation, floating in the boundless space of pure expression.

Through music and through life, Mark looks into the mirrorand asks eternal questions of identity and growth: who am I, where am I going and what do I stand for? This album invites listeners to share in Mark’s personal dialogue, offering a sanctuary where they can begin to untangle and examine themselves track by track. “MARK” is an exploration of new and uplifting musical territory, unrestricted by norms andfree from preconceived ideas or satisfying (but ultimately unfulfilling) genre expectations. It embodies the impact of Guiliana’sjourney, marking his evolution as an artist. This record echoes the spirit of freedom, the courage of inquiry, and the beauty of unfettered expression.

Pearlescent White Vinyl with A5 card inserts.

Over the last 20 years, Portland, Oregon's Federale has carved out a unique niche within the indie music landscape, blending their signature spaghetti-Western instrumental sound with increasing doses of moody vocal arrangements in the spirit of Lee Hazlewood or later-period Leonard Cohen. Still, through it all songwriter (and lead singer, when there is one) Collin Hegna has maintained a strictly retro vibe, and Federale's records have always sounded period-correct for an alternate-universe 1971 where rock and roll never caught on.

Reverb & Seduction, Federale’s sixth studio album, marks the band’s 20th anniversary, and finds them beginning to color outside those Ennio Morricone lines. Perhaps Hegna—who also spent the last 20 years as a dues-paying member of The Brian Jonestown Massacre—has finally decided to give his psych-rock alter ego a seat at the Federale table.

“Before, I'd have an idea and think, ‘Well, that can't be a Federale song’, because it had distorted guitars or whatever,” says Hegna. “But then I thought, 'Well, why not?’” This openness to a broader palette of influences allows Reverb and Seduction to veer into psychedelic and even gothic territory—think Love and Rockets or Sisters of Mercy—that the 2010s Federale might have considered off limits.

The album's first single “Heaven Forgive Me,” for example, draws on Goblin (the Italian prog-rockers who scored Suspiria) and perhaps even a little Depeche Mode, while “Advice from a Stranger” borrows the fuzz and feedback of DIG!-era BJM and The Electric Prunes.

HIGHLIGHTS Originally released in 1980, this was Stiv Bators' first solo album. Now reissued with 2 bonus tracks, not available on the original version, a slightly different picture on the cover (the actual unfiltered photo as used on the 1980 issue) and a booklet with extensive liner notes and photos. Bators was the man who destroyed Rocket from the Tombs, from which he hijacked half the members to found one of the most influential American punk bands to have existed, The Dead Boys. Stiv had turned in his broken teeth for a more power pop oriented solo career. This is not an album recorded by a has-been former punk idealist; instead it's a true step forward into another unknown arena packing all the glare and attitude that remained from the last. The music is more similar to 60's power pop than the vicious punk rock that Bators became known for originally, while a member of The Dead Boys. New generations continue to discover it. It still holds up very well and sounds as fresh and vibrant as ever. DESCRIPTION On August 11th of 1980, Stiv Bators, David Quinton Steinberg, George Cabaniss and Frank Secich flew to Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada. They were there to do the West Coast leg of the "URGH! A Music War" tour. On the bill of the tour were Pere Ubu, Magazine, the Members, and they were billed as Stiv Bators and the Dead Boys or just the Dead Boys. After the tour they were supposed to embark on a 6-week tour of Australia, New Zealand, and the Far East. During the beginning of the Urgh Tour the Australian Tour was abruptly canceled. Greg Shaw who owned Bomp Records decided that since the band were already going to be in California that they should do Stiv's solo album which they had planned to do after returning from Down Under. So, Bators and the rest of the group set up camp at the infamous Tropicana Motel in West Hollywood and Greg booked them into Perspective Studios in Sun Valley, CA. Before going into Perspective, they went into Andy Chappel's Stone Fox rehearsal studio in North Hollywood, CA for a few days to rehearse the songs and arrange them for the album. "We had 'Evil Boy' (Zero-Secich), David Quinton's 'Make Up Your Mind' and my song 'A Million Miles Away'. We also rearranged mine and Stiv's 'The Last Year' changing the key from D to F# and making it much easier to sing in a power pop vein. In addition, we had 'Swinging A Go-Go' another great contribution by George Cabaniss. Stiv and I had written two more for the album 'Ready Anytime' and the album closer 'I Wanna Forget You (Just the Way You Are)'. We also had a moody dark instrumental (written by Cabaniss-Quinton-Secich) that we were playing around with for some time. Stiv was supposed to write lyrics for it, but he never got around to it, so we left it as an instrumental. It had a great vibe and reminded me of the John Cassavetes 1956 film "Crime in The Streets" and was thus christened that. The last song we picked for the LP was 'I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)' which was the one cover we did that suited Stiv's voice perfectly. After a few days of rehearsing at Stone Fox, we went into Perspective Studio in Sun Valley, California. Greg hired Thom Wilson (who would later become a famous punk rock producer of Offspring, Iggy Pop, Dead Kennedys, T.S.O.L., Bad Religion and many others). Stiv co-produced with Thom and Andy Chappel and Thom did the engineering." Frank Secich recalls. In September, after the "Disconnected" mixing sessions, Stiv went to Baltimore to film "Polyester" with Movie Director John Waters and actors Tab Hunter and Divine. Stiv then went to the UK to record with the Wanderers doing their LP "Only Lovers Left Alive". He wanted to have both bands going simultaneously but logistically and practically they all knew that could never work. The "Disconnected" Band would do one last tour to support the album release of "Disconnected". The LP was released by Bomp Records on Monday December 08th, 1980. Later that night, John Lennon was murdered in New York City. So many of the principal characters involved in the creation of "Disconnected" have passed on. Stiv Bators (June 3rd, 1990), Greg Shaw (October 2nd, 2004), Thom Wilson (February 8th, 2015), and George Cabaniss (July 17th, 2020). But "Disconnected" lives on and on and has left quite a legacy for itself. There have been over 100 cover versions internationally of the songs from "Disconnected" and it has been in print and reissued in various forms in many countries around the world. New generations continue to discover it. It still holds up very well and sounds as fresh and vibrant as ever.

In 2018 Diagonal Records released an intriguing, three track, hand stamped, white label
12” of dancfloor sampledelia by Shit & Shine onto an unsuspecting world. The lead track
on this 12” ‘You Were Very High’ turned a lot of heads and became a club oddity, being
played out by DJ’s around the world – and some movers and shakers have hailed the 12”
as “Shit & Shine’s best ever release.”
Now in 2024, as the original 12” has become a bit of a collector’s item, trading hands for
£60+ on Discogs – Shit and Shine and Rocket Recordings have decided ‘You Were Really
High’ deserves a one off repress. This expanded version of the EP, which is housed in new
art and ltd to only 300 copies, also features a mighty extra track called ‘Dave, Have You
Ever Been To London.

Featuring the rare 1975 album Truth & Rights – rated “the best deejay LP in a long time” by Carl Gayle in the magazine Black Music, April 1976 – Straight To The Heart includes many of I-Roy’s hits from that year plus 4 bonus dub tracks. This set includes some heavy I-Roy songs, filled with improvised humour, infectious rhythms and thoughtprovoking themes. This 15-tracker features the hit ‘Dread In The West’, a stunning combination of Lee Perry’s terrific rhythm track on ‘Three Blind Mice’ and Roy’s razor sharp social commentary. A companion release to Sunshine For I (CPC 1027)

In the penultimate episode of his widely popular and critically acclaimed HBO series, Painting with John, its creator, John Lurie, sat in a Manhattan recording studio, working out musical parts for the show’s soundtrack. “After the illness started, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do this again,” said Lurie.

Even as he occupies an enigmatic, multi-faceted, five-decade career characterized by the unexpected, perhaps even Lurie is surprised by this new release of a double-album collection of music, Painting with John, extracted from the series.

Go back a quarter-century or so: As an exotic saxophonist and composer whose pieces alternately recalled cracked-mirror reflections of Thelonious Monk, or Fela Kuti, or Raymond Chandler, Lurie led the vastly influential, downtown NYC jazz ensemble, The Lounge Lizards, through dazzling albums and tours across the globe. He scored indie films and Hollywood hits, collecting a Grammy nomination for Get Shorty along the way and releasing his own surreality-TV series, Fishing with John.

Paolo Rocco delivers his ten-track debut album ‘Life In Pieces’ this April on FUSE.

Born Canadian of Italian descent, Montreal-based DJ and producer Paolo Rocco has emerged as one of the most consistent names within house music over the past decade, with a wealth of material via the likes of Hot Creations, PIV, Berg Audio, Constant Sound, Taverna Tracks, and Rutilance Records showcasing his own take on house, deep house, and minimal territories. Having closed 2020 with fresh music on his own RAWMoments imprint, late-April welcomes the arrival of his biggest project to date as he makes his label debut on London’s FUSE to deliver his eight-rack debut album, ‘Life In Pieces’.

A body of work rich in classy collaborations with artists such as Robert Owens, Alix Alvarez, Kiki & Mavi and slick solo production, ‘Life In Pieces’ delivers a blissful journey through Rocco’s rich sound palette, revealing the most in-depth project of his career while marking his long-awaited debut on FUSE in style.

2024 Repress

Innercity Griots, the second album from Freestyle Fellowship, is perhaps *the* essential West Coast left-field rap album of the early ’90s. Released in 1993 on 4th & Broadway, it’s a towering, progressive hip-hop masterpiece that expanded rap’s boundaries through lyrical elevation and production innovation. Their talent was ahead of everybody else by light years. This is pure b-boy jazz.

The original single vinyl LP is now hideously scarce, and of course the sound suffers from not being officially released as a double. This Be With re-issue fixes both problems, and for completeness also includes “Pure Thought” from the CD version of the album. This incredible display of imaginative hip-hop sounds better than ever.

Freestyle Fellowship were some of the earliest technically dazzling rappers to come out of California. Mikah 9, P.E.A.C.E., Aceyalone and Self Jupiter - along with DJ Kiilu - forged their famed lyrical dexterity in the ultra-competitive crucible of the Good Life Cafe. Founded in Leimert Park, South Central LA in December 1989, this earthy health-food store and cafe was where the city’s finest microphone fiends would gather to showcase their freestyle skills at the Thursday night open-mic.

Innercity Griots has been described as the Rosetta Stone for rap styles. The group’s dense, vibrant wordplay and enviable interplay quickly earned the attention and respect of the city’s hip-hop underground. Frenetically trading acrobatic rhymes with agility and grace, the Fellowship used their voices as instruments like true virtuosos, spraying improvised raps like a Coltrane sax solo.

With the bulk of the album’s production handled by The Earthquake Brothers, and Bambawar, Daddy-O, and Edman taking over for some of the tracks, Innercity Griots dances between organic and programmed music, largely forgoing sampling and instead built around live jazz jams. The likes of Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay” and Miles Davis’s “Black Comedy” were used more as templates for house band The Underground Railroad Band to spiral out from. As Pitchfork noted in their recent 9.0 review of this classic album, “Freestyle Fellowship embodied the style and spirit of jazz on a molecular level. They shared the effortless cool and tough countenance of the great bebop players from the ’50s without verging into jazz-rap parody. Their innate jazziness felt tangible and hard-earned”.

The unusual approach to the music was matched by the Fellowship’s lyrics. Eschewing the tired rap tropes of the time, this multifaceted album instead explores their ruminations on greed and homelessness, weed, sex, survival, insecurity and tribalism.

Remastered by Simon Francis for double vinyl and cut by Pete Norman, we hope this long-overdue re-issue of Innercity Griots satisfies the legions of fans that have since been bewitched by the majesty of this record. It should also introduce some new listeners to yet another overlooked classic.

2024 Repress


Straight out of the depths of East London, Hoxton Square to be precise. A location before gentrification, the area around Old Street in 1995 was full of young artists, musicians and record labels. Law & Auder were one of those bands, with a studio in the next road to the legendary Blue Note club. This is where these two tracks were created, two cuts that encapsulate the raw sound of the London jungle scene at this time.

This particular 12” is a bit of a cult release, with prices on Discogs for an original copy at a VG+ rating going for a £150 a copy, that’s if you can ever find one.
This is the second release from the group that we have repressed ON Vinyl Fanatiks, with Martin from the group also being a part of Utomica, another group that we repressed a few years ago.

Straight from the East London vaults.

For fans of - Darko, Bad Omens, Deftones, Alice In Chains On tour in the US April- May 2024 w/ Attila + Born Of Osiris Band names go a long way in helping paint a figurative picture in the listeners mind of what to expect before one ever hits “play.” When it comes to Extortionist, you think crime—you think gritty, raw, merciless and unsavory and maybe, just maybe, a little sprinkling of suaveness. When it comes to the Pacific Northwest’s resident moshslingers, those premonitions from their name are exactly what you get. As a band who have proven themselves exemplary at styles of heavy music ranging from downtempo deathcore to grunge- tinted metal, Extortionist are more than just a jack-of-all-trades; they’re masters. Utilizing bold, roaring guitars overtop crushing, steamrolling percussion and vocals that run the gamut from guttural to grating, pitched singing and topped off with—you guessed it—a now-infamous dodgeball-smack snare, Extortionist have proven that not only are they incredible at what they do, they’re a band that the heavy scene just can’t go without.