2020s 262 Items

Fetch the Bolt Cutters is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Fiona Apple and her first release since The Idler Wheel... in 2012. It was produced and performed by Apple alongside Amy Aileen Wood, Sebastian Steinberg and Davíd Garza; recording consisted of long, often-improvised takes with unconventional percussive sounds.

Rooted in experimentation, the highly percussive album resists genre categorization. While conventional instruments, such as pianos and drum sets, do appear, the album also features prominent use of non-musicial found objects as percussion. Apple described the result as "percussion orchestras". These industrial-like rhythms are contrasted against traditional melodies, and the upbeat songs often subvert traditional pop structures.

The album explores freedom from oppression; Apple identified its core message as: "Fetch the fucking bolt cutters and get yourself out of the situation you’re in". The title, a quote from TV series The Fall, reflects this idea. The album also discusses Apple's complex relationships with other women and other personal experiences, including bullying and sexual assault.

Citirax is excited to introduce the debut LP from the Los Angeles-based duo Op-art, a project born out of the creative isolation of the lockdown era. The band, the brainchild of Andrew Clinco—known for his work with Drab Majesty—was originally named using the acronym "Oblique Pleasures Amidst Rough Times," a nod to the challenging times that inspired its formation.

In Andrew’s own words, the album “represents a sonic analog to the visual art movement of the 1960s,” meaning it is both densely layered and psychedelic, yet aims to capture a sense of minimalism in its tradition, theory, and conceptual approach. Op-art’s sound is heavily influenced by the New Wave genre, drawing inspiration from artists such as John Foxx, Martin Dupont (with whom Andrew has collaborated on a track), Experimental Products, and early OMD.

True to their commitment to authentic analog sound, Op-art eschews digital plug-ins in favor of a wide array of analog synthesizers and outboard rack effects units. The album features a diverse collection of synthesizers including the EML 500, Arp Odyssey, Arp Omni2, Jupiter 6, Sh-02, Sh-101, Moog Rogue, and Roland Promars. Each piece of equipment contributes to the album’s lush, rich soundscapes, creating a tactile and immersive listening experience.

The Final Act, the title of the LP, is a testament to the duo's ability to blend catchy melodies with profound emotional depth. The album offers an introspective journey through themes of time passing, romantic entanglements, and existential reflections on an apocalyptic scale. With its evocative sound and thoughtful lyrics, The Final Act promises to resonate deeply with listeners, making it a compelling and significant debut from Op-art.

For over thirty years, singer Mary Black has been a dominant presence in Irish music, both at home and abroad. During that time, she has released 12 studio albums, all of which achieved platinum sales status and spawned countless hits. On October 2019, she has released an album unlike anything she has done before; "Mary Black Orchestrated". This album is a reimagining of 11 of Mary’s favourite songs, orchestrated and produced by world renowned musician and composer Brian Byrne. The album features the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Byrne and is a stunning reinterpretation of songs like "No Frontiers", "The Urge For Going", "Summer Sent You" and "Carolina Rua". Music is at the heart of things for Mary and embarking on this Orchestrated album is something she’s greatly enjoyed. »What a great honour to have some of my favourite recordings orchestrated by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Brian Byrne at the National Concert Hall. I've picked songs that mean a lot to me, some well-known and other less known gems. I couldn't imagine how great they would turn out with Brian Byrne composing some stunning orchestral arrangements that have breathed new life into these songs. Hearing the RTE Orchestra perform them during recording in the NCH was truly moving for me. I'm really excited for the fans to hear this album« - Mary

180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
INCLUDES 4-PAGE BOOKLET
CONTAINS THE SINGLES “ENJOY THE RIDE” AND
“GAINED THE WORLD”

FEATURING GUEST PERFORMANCES BY COOL CALM PETE,
THOMAS DYBDAHL, MANDA ZAMOLO AND JUDIE TZUKE

LIMITED EDITION OF 1500 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED COPIES
ON CRYSTAL CLEAR VINYL

If 2022’s The Children Of Scorpio was the debut album that turned people onto the world of Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne, Colours & Light is the body of work that will be buried deep into their hearts. It is a majestic album, bringing together the worlds of folk rock, psych soundtracks and hazy cinematic funk. A growing confidence and ease emanate from the writing and production of this sophomore LP, bolstered by the reception to his standout debut. “It’s a more layered and diverse record” Paul mentions, “with a more outward-looking, global sound, born out of the records I was listening to and the musicians I was lucky enough to collaborate with”. It feels relaxed yet self-assured, with a kaleidoscope of sounds that twist together in a mesmerising fashion. The theme of the album developed naturally through the lyrics Paul began writing. A creative process both plagued and fed by insomnia, nourished by relationships, entwined in emotions, nights out, nights in and the after-effects on the human condition. Relatable themes yet seen through the prism of a soundscape that takes in many a different culture and scene. From acid folk to psych-funk, Francophile elements to Anatolian and Eastern inspirations, all interlocking and rotating as one. Drawing inspiration from those he admires, Colours & Light radiates with collaborations. The title track, which tips its hat to a live 1973 TV version of Pentangle’s ‘Wedding Dress’, features the folk rock, guitar brilliance of Jack Sharp from Wolf People/Large Plants. Elsewhere, two tracks are blessed by the sultry, smokey French vocals of Gloria’s Wendy Martinez, ‘Extra Nuit’ and ‘Entre chien et loup’. The former echoes Paul's love of classic French psych-pop from the late ’60s and early ’70s and artists such as Laurance Vanay, Calcium, Leonie, and Serge Gainsbourg. Martinez's sublime vocal work nestles perfectly within Paul's psych-folk-funk productions, as her Gloria partner, Alexis Morel (aka Kid Victrola) sprinkles a dose of entrancing guitar line magic on proceedings. The list of collaborations extends further with Raz and Markey Funk, drummer Tony Coote and percussionist Paul Elliott all featuring. Regular collaborator and underground icon Barrie Cadogan (Little Barrie) returns along with Bert Page from The Cromagnon Band, who between them provide a hit of whacked-out, fuzzed-up country guitar and Moog madness respectively on ‘Lost In The Woods (Bacchanal)’. Rounding off the record Paul’s daughter, Olivia Osborne, supplies the keyboard intro on the penultimate track ‘Twilight’. Dorian Conway from The Soundcarriers (whose bandmate Paul Isherwood returns on mixing duties) then layers echoing heavy flute parts to magically capture the psychedelic sunrise images brought to mind. Balancing light and shade on this record, there is beauty and tension all wrapped up in Paul’s vivid and visceral, storytelling gift.