2010s 185 Items

The modernist Dreampop of Magic Island’s Wasted Dawn was catalyzed and nurtured by Berlin. The predominant Casio keyboard was found in the street, the project itself developed under the influence of a close circle of Berlin-based artists and friends, including Touchy Mob and Montreal’s Sean Nicholas Savage, while the compositions strongly reflect both the complex and most simplistic day-to-day emotions, events and surrounding environment. That particular magic has proven charming to many, as this year Magic Island has played at Fusion Festival, Torstraßen festival, C/O Pop Festival, at The Lab Magazine’s Regenerate event series, as well as opening for Fenster (Morr Music), Ballet School (Bella Union), Hundred Waters (OWSLA), Soft Metals (Captured Tracks) and Teen Daze.

Amazing unexpected Collaboration!

Part of a series of single-sided etched translucent 12” records, each with their own unique etching and die-cut ‘Vulnicura’ wound sleeves, designed by M/M, Paris.“Lotic is the one of the first musicians Alejandro introduced me to in Autumn 2013 with piles of enthusiasm: I got immediately obsessed enjoying how always total nature he was!! The most clublike flamboyant anthems of his always seem like shrieks of beasts, dark insects and pagan birds displaying their feathers in a territorial way: a colourful celebration!! The reason why I asked him to do ‘Notget’ was there are certain suspension-like elastic gravitydefying beat structures that him and Alejandro share (each in their total idiosyncratic way though) that Notget has and I had a gut feeling he would take further. Which he did.” - Björk. “When Björk sent over the original track to review late last year, I couldn't believe how well she had intuited that ‘Notget’ was the perfect selection for me. Perhaps it was a bit of coincidence, but I was very much still tending to the scars left from my previous relationship while at the same time nurturing my current one. ‘Notget’ is both the mourning and the eulogy; I knew this meant remixing the song would be difficult, both technically and emotionally. In the end, I felt I had to attempt to amplify both the desperation the song expresses as well as the inspired, reminiscent joy.” – Lotic

Part of a series of single-sided etched translucent 12” records, each with their own unique etching and die-cut ‘Vulnicura’ wound sleeves, designed by M/M, Paris. “Mica is someone I have been following growing since 2008, like a proud aunt, I might even have been at her first concert? Sooo exciting to witness her grow into a full on composer and carry the weight of such things as ‘Under The Skin’... And I still adore her upbeat stuff withTirzah too !!!” - Björk. “I did a karaoke version more than a remix, because I love her string arrangements
and thought it would be an opportunity to draw attention to them. I hope Björk isn’t
offended that I took her voice out, [but] you can hear it in your head - or sing
along.” - Mica Levi

Part of a series of single-sided etched translucent 12” records, each with their own unique etching and die-cut ‘Vulnicura’ wound sleeves, designed by M/M, Paris. “Krampfhaft is someone I have been listening to for few years adoring his hyperbeauty, orchid techno I nickname it in the
vein of plaid and others: brave enough to take joy on in the often rather apocalyptic
environment of electronic music” - Björk. “I was very honoured to be part of this, although it was a pretty daunting task to
rework a song with such an intimate topic! As the original is very stripped down, all
I could think of doing was adding in [even more] tension and drama. So I layered the
whole track on to a bed of heavily compressed cloth movement and gradually built up
the tension from there.” - Kramphaft

Second release single of the new album “Love Letters” including the well-received Jacques Lu Cont Remix!

Björk presents a strings version of her highly-acclaimed eighth studio studio album Vulnicura, officially titled Vulnicura Strings. The original version of Vulnicura layered the boom and crack of electronic beats with an intense vocal melody and incredible string arrangements by Björk which have been performed live with a fifteen chair orchestra. The new version is musically wholly comprised of strings, with new violin solos by Una Sveinbjarnardóttir and strings recorded by a Viola Organista. Björk used the only Viola Organista in the world to perform some of the arrangements; an instrument which was designed originally by Leonardo Da Vinci but not built until after his lifetime. The instrument uses a friction belt to vibrate individual strings (similar to a violin), with the strings selected by pressing keys on the keyboard (similar to an organ). The instrument was recorded in Krakow, Poland by it's constructor Slawomir Zubrzycki and here is where the album reached completion.

It would be fair to say that Leng co-founder Paul “Mudd” Murphy is a born collaborator. Since first donning the Mudd alias at the dawn of the century, Murphy has released numerous collaborative albums and singles with regular collaborators Ben Smith (as Smith & Mudd) and Kevin Pollard (Mudd & Pollard), as well as playing a key role in “super-groups” Paqua and Bison. “Susta”, which marks his first single on Leng since 2009, sees Murphy add some new names to his growing list of collaborators. It was made in cahoots with singer/songwriter David Harks, a regular Satin Jackets collaborator who also appeared on Jack Cutter’s superb “Serpent Strut” cut on Murphy’s Claremont 56 label.

“Susta” is a bubbly, evocative and ear-pleasing chunk of mid-tempo nu-disco pop featuring lead vocals from Jaanika Leino AKA JaneLy – a former X-Factor Finland contestant whose sultry and evocative voice simply soars above Murphy and Harks’ sparkling, life-affirming instrumentation. Rich in twinkling synth solos, rich Clavinet lines, chugging arpeggio lines and eyes-closed piano, “Susta” is a strong song that will squat inside your head and stay there for days. Our advice is to welcome it in – it’s as joyous and life-affirming a track as Leng has ever released. It’s accompanied by a predictably strong remix by British electronic music veteran Andrew Meecham (Bizarre Inc, Chicken Lips etc.), who dons the now familiar Emperor Machine alias to deliver a dub for the ages. Combining his own analogue and modular electronics with snippets of Leino’s vocal and some of the warmest instrumentation from Murphy and Harks’ original mix (think Clavinet and Rhodes for starters), Meecham offers up an epic slice of electronic dub disco that bubbles away for ten mesmerizing minutes. It’s a superb interpretation of a high quality cut.

Yes, double stars do exist. They are a reality. They appear in the firmament – sometimes as an optical and sometimes as a physical phenomenon. Two celestial bodies, working in relation to each other, circling around each other, responding to each other.

Created with assistance from Beyoncé ­collaborator Boots, the music is spacious, paranoid and sultry; the lyrics are ­suggestive and knotted. The songs lack centers, or even hooks, and aren't easily assimilated, but unmistakable themes emerge: Through a feverish haze of sounds and sights, M3LL155X asks big questions about femininity, sex and power.

Barcelona's Ciudad Lineal finally deliver the follow up to their fantastic demo from 2013. A full length album of dark minimal wave heavily influenced by El Aviador Dro y Sus Obreros Especializados, The Normal or Cabaret Voltaire. Armed with a bass guitar, drum pad, a keyboard and two synths Ciudad Lineal manage to create a conceptual piece around the idea of progress and industry as opossing forces. 'El Nuevo Hombre' is divided in two parts each one comprising one side of the album. The A side being 'The Splendor' and the B side 'The Fall' joined by a speech symbolizing mankind's awakening. While the Ciudad Lineal sound is certainly rooted in the early 80's synth explosion the band remains fresh due to their lyric approach as well as their DIY ethos.

The Düsseldorf duo BAR, consisting of Stabil Elite musician Lucas Croon and Christina Irrgang, debuts with a musical hybrid between New Wave, Balearic, Shoegaze, Dream Pop and Noir Songwriting. Lucas Croon sings as if he had studied with Nick Cave, Brian Ferry and Chris Isaac. The lady at his side, Christina Irrgang, is no less elegant: Her timbre seems completely absorbed in the music, and yet it somehow floats above it, bold and cool. The effect is reminiscent of Claudia Brücken from the Düsseldorf synthpop band Propaganda, whose magical coldness was simply an extremely fascinating form of white soul.

Since the release of Solo Piano II, Chilly Gonzales composed the best-selling
book of easy piano pieces Re-Introduction Etudes, produced and released Octave
Minds, the piano-meets-electronica album with Boys Noize and, most
importantly, devoted himself to finding a modern take on chamber music.
The result is "Chambers", an album for piano and string quartet (and a few
surprises along the way). Inspired by the deepening relationship with Hamburg's
Kaiser Quartett, the album re-imagines Romantic-era chamber music as today's
addictive pop. Gestures from rap, ambient, easy listening and the avant-garde co- exist as always in Chilly Gonzales’ musical universe - this time with strings
attached.
Known equally for his intimate piano touch as for his showmanship, "Gonzo"
aims to be a man of his time, approaching the piano with classical and jazz
training but with the attitude of a rapper.
Chilly Gonzales holds the Guinness world record for the longest solo concert at
over 27 hours. He performs and writes songs with Jarvis Cocker, Feist and Drake,
among others. In 2014 he won a Grammy for his collaboration on Daft Punk’s
Best Album of the Year. With "Never Stop", Chilly Gonzales composed a global
hit for the inaugural Apple iPad campaign.

Limited Edition for Record Store Day 2014!

Void Vision is a Philadelphia-based electronic project helmed by Shari Wallin. It began around 2009 at a time when a wave of synth-revivalists were materializing, but the quality of the songwriting and intense vocals set the band apart from the pack. In a rare instance, Void Vision has managed to combine vintage dance elements with melodic structures, haunting melancholy, and lyrics that have a palpable soul. The songs themselves are dynamic, referencing a cross-section of the last 30 years of electronic music, while simultaneously retaining a uniqueness all their own.

Wierd Records weekly club night in New York, which showcased a variety of talented electronic and coldwave artists, served as an incubator for Void Vision in it’s early stages. After a standout debut performance at the club, they immediately caught the attention of Blind Prophet Records, who consequently released their first 7″ single, ‘In 20 Years’, which received excellent reviews.

Vari has continued performing and recording steadily over the last few years, releasing songs on compilations for various labels, including Rough Trade, and in 2012 the song ‘Everything is Fine’ was selected for Artforum magazine’s ‘Best of 2012′ issue. In 2013, Void Vision toured the West Coast and later that year released a split 12″ with Portland-based band, Vice Device. The first official full-length album, entitled ‘Sub Rosa’ is set to debut on Berlin-based Mannequin Records, followed by a European tour in 2015.

Who says experimental musicians can’t play pop? Norway’s Stian Westerhus is best known as one of Northern Europe’s most fascinating abstract guitar stylists.

2022 repress

LP gatefold, blue coloured vinyl Sebastien Tellier had a revelation, a vision of a blue world and of humanity’s future.My God Is Blue’ notes came from the air invading space like answered prayers within the Blue Alliance, his spiritual community where dreams are superior values.

4th album, inspired by the more experimental pockets of Prince's back catalogue, club culture & the vintage Janet jackson slow jams Yukimi used to listen to wandering around Gothenburg during the unrelenting winter.

Limited Edition of 300 copies.

Black vinyl in gatefold sleeve with printed inner-sleeves!

In 2014 Dan Snaith aka Caribou released Our Love to overwhelming critical acclaim and massive fan support. Now Caribou returns with his seventh studio album Suddenly, an album about family and the changes we go though as those relationships evolve.
Suddenly is the most surprising and unpredictable Caribou album to date. Though it retains the trademark Caribou warmth and technicolour, this album is littered with swerves and left turns, and amazes with it’s yet unheard nuances, samples and hooks.
As Snaith puts it, “these albums are like photo albums for me – when I look back at the old ones, they’re a snapshot of my life at that time, full of people who are close to you”. This is the drive to continue to make Caribou albums. Full bodies of work where Snaith is able to evaluate things, look at those around him and celebrate them. As his passion and joy in music making remains as fresh as ever, Suddenly is the purest example of this yet.

Always best selling Adele is back with a new set of heartfelt anthems.

Cold Cave's "Confetti" 7" featuring the alternate radio edit of the song available on heavy baby pink virgin vinyl backed with the original version. Originally released in 2012 by Heartworm Press, the record was only available to those in attendance at the band's Guggenheim Museum performance that year. Edition of 500.

Electronic-folk toy-instrument live-looping craziness a la The Microphones, Tunng, Psapp, or Múm.

The new Hot Chip album on a new label: Domino. Whynot!

2019 release from renowned mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato. Songplay is sure to delight not only listeners of opera, but listeners of jazz and tango as well. The album brings together musicians from numerous genres, hand-picked by DiDonato in a band led by pianist and arranger Craig Terry. Among them are bassist Chuck Isreals, drummer Jimmy Madison, Lautaro Greco on the bandoneon, and trumpeter Charlie Porter. Joyce DiDonato greets you with a song in her heart and twinkle in her eye. The American mezzo-soprano's album Songplay unites world-class musicians from the varied worlds of opera, jazz and tango in the pure pleasure of improvisation, experimentation and exchange. Together they create their own musical language, surprising listeners with timeless melodies transformed and universal stories retold over centuries; songs in English, in Italian and - naturally - in the universal language of music. On Songplay, along with her hand-picked band led by pianist and arranger Craig Terry, Joyce draws inspiration from Cavalli and Chet Baker in equal measure. The languishing heart in Giordani's Caro mio ben is as emotionally charged as Jerry Bock's hopeful Will he like me?. Perhaps the most compelling reminder of how the music of Songplay breaks down divides is from DiDonato's experience leading vocal and composition workshops in the New York prison Sing Sing, where one of the men who is incarcerated was particularly moved upon hearing her rendition of Caro mio ben: 'I feel like I've known this song my whole life.'