Folk Vinyl 212 Items

This is the only album left by the legendary singer/songwriter Yukimasa Takebe. One of the best recordings of all time, reminiscent of Neil Young's "Harvest". The beautiful music and lyrical world. A great masterpiece of quality Folk-Rock that sings about the anxieties and hopes of youth. Originally released in 1972. Junji Ariyama: Acoustic / Classic guitar, flute Takashi Nishioka: Acoustic guitar, Conga, Mouth-harp Isato Nakagawa: Acoustic/Electric/Dobro guitar Hiro Yanagida: Cello, Piano, Organ, Strings Hideaki Takebe: Bass Chito Kawachi: Drums Masahiro Takekawa: Violin Yukimasa Takebe: Acoustic-guitar, Vocal

2020 Re-mastered, reissue, 180g black vinyl, in gatefold cover. Originally released in 1982 by the Turkish band Yeni Turku. Their musical style is characterized by a combination of traditional Turkish bağlama, kemenche, oud, guitar and bass. This album guaranties the relaxing, mediterranean mood and will definitely satisfy if you like ethnic music.

Absolutely essential. Deluxe 2LP edition of this impeccable album from 1988. The spot glossed Gatefold jacket features artwork including archival photos & drawings from Woo’s archives as well as liner notes by Clive Ives.

Issued for the first time in its entirety on vinyl, spread over two LPs, and remastered from newly discovered hi-quality DAT sources, we’re thrilled to present the definitive version of Woo’s most fully-formed album. A cosmic testament to the healing power of love, utilizing vocoded clarinets, pastoral guitars, homespun folk lullabies, and lilting electronics, coalescing into a an hour plus long journey through their otherworldly soundscapes. A prime entry point to Woo’s sound, containing some of their most beloved songs, such as ‘Make Me Tea,’ ‘It’s Love,’ ‘Hopi’ and many others, and also including a never-before heard bonus track – the vocal version of ‘It’s Love.’

Into The Heart Of Love was originally self-released on cassette in 1988, with a wider cassette release in 1990. Compiled from home recordings from the preceding years, and released during a transitional point for the band, the Ives brothers see this album as their most complete work, offering space to the listener to stretch out and immerse themselves into the warmth of their sound.

Woo is the uncategorizable project of Clive and Mark Ives from Brighton, UK. Since the 1970s, the duo have been recording a plethora of eclectic sounds, most falling under the blanket genre of new age, but spiraling out toward notions of ambient sounds, jazz, and other spiritual takes on modern music. They received some acclaim for their early releases, including 1982's Whichever Way You Are Going, You Are Going Wrong and 1989's It's Cosy Inside, but their work began to receive renewed appreciation during the 2010s, when labels such as Drag City and Palto Flats reissued the band's albums. The brothers remained active all the while, digitally self-issuing material.

180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
FEATURING NELSON’S FIRST SOLO RECORDING OF “GOOD HEARTED WOMAN”
LIMITED EDITION OF 1500 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED COPIES ON TRANSLUCENT
BLUE COLOURED VINYL

Quantity: 5500
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release

2nd LP contains all of the session outtakes, included in the 2006 4CD box set The Complete Atlantic Sessions.

Obscure Dutch private pressing from 1977. Laid-back instrumental psychedelic / progressive sounds with jazz-funk-groove and abstract / experimental / Latin-indigenous touches. Stoned homemade atmosphere with treated / distorted electric & acoustic guitars, flute, electric piano, primitive drum machines / homemade electronics...Much in the vein of the experimental-underground scene of France & Germany during the early 70s but actually recorded and released in Holland.
Wild Havana was the project of guitar player Johan Smith, helped by his brother Cor on flute. Influenced by artists like Zappa and Herbie Hancock, Johan recorded the “Wild Havana” album at his home studio on a 4-track, using effect devices developed by himself, like a modified proto-drum machine taken from a Hammond organ. He also used effects like phase shifter, chorus, etc and experimented with putting wool on the guitar strings and electric effects on the mandolin. The result sounded like nothing else at the time.
Buried for many years, we’re excited to bring to life this unique album.

Cult Classic BY Often-sampled Arabic Diva Warda Recorded IN 1973 With Full Egyptian Orchestra ON THE Label Soutelphan. Reissued ON Vinyl FOR THE First Time, With Remastered Audio, Original Artwork AND TWO Page Insert With NEW Introduction

Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue 'Khalik Hena' recorded 1973 by legendary Arabic Diva Warda who has been sampled by Jay Z and J Dilla. The album recorded in public mixes traditional Arabic music with a tinge of 70s grooves. Here Warda delivers a hypnotic performance backed by her full-size orchestra featuring those unparalleled Arabic strings that made recordings by Oum Khalthoum, Farid El Atrache and Abdel Halim Hafez so famous. 'Khalik Hena' is one of her all-time classics, written by legendary composer Baligh Hamdi and the audio has been newly remastered. This release features the LP original artwork with a 2 page insert featuring a new introduction by Mario Choueiry from Institut du Monde Arabe who curates Wewantsounds' Arabic series of reissues.

Warda is one of the undisputed divas of the Arab world. Born in the Paris suburb from an Algerian Father and a Lebanese mother, she was discovered at 11 by Ahmed Hachlaf, Pathe Marconi's heads of A&R specialising in Arabic music. having honed her singing skills at her father's cabaret in the Latin Quarter, the Tam-Tam (for Tunisia - Algeria - Morocco) she quickly found recognition in the Arabic music circles.

The family relocated to Beirut in the late 50s after the police found arms in her father's cabaret destined to the political group fighting for Algeria's independence and was swiftly discovered there by an Egyptian film producer who brought her to Cairo to record and play in his films. From there, her career took a meteoric rise and she became a star working with Egyptian such stars as Abdel Halim Hafez and composer Mohammed Abdel Wahab.

However, in the early 60s a traditional marriage in Algeria stopped her career for a decade to be a housewife until Algerian President Boumediene asked her to perform for the 10th anniversary of the Nation's independence in 1972. This was an epiphany and after a divorce she was back to Egypt for a triumphant comeback.

'Khalik Hena' recorded in public in 1973 dates back to these glory days. Teaming up with her new husband, legendary composer Baligh Hamdi, she recorded a string of classic albums - hypnotic tour-de-forces stretching over two sides in an almost trance-like mode, enhancing Warda's powerful vocal and ability to mesmerise audiences. Blending traditional and modern instrumentations (electric guitar, organ), the music is both complex and groovy, 'Khalik Hena' is one of her best LPs, sought after by Arabic diggers and collectors alike. An undisputed classic of Arabic Music, which Wewantsounds is glad to reissue on vinyl for the first time since the 70s.

In an active internet age that has collectively dug up a wealth of lost and hidden classics in recent times, it's easy to become cynical about the possibility of valuable discoveries still to be made. Illusions Of The Maintenance Man by Virgin Insanity, however, is a stunning record of 70s acid folk and assures us that there will always be a wealth of lost great records as long as there artists who veer off the beaten path. Bob Long formed the band in the 70s in the backdrop of Texas, and there is an eerie, timeless quality to the acoustics of these tracks that spread out and breath life as much today as they did when this album was originally released in 1972. On an earlier version of the album, the late great writer of psychedelic culture Patrick Lundborg wrote glowing liner notes for the album which were sadly never used, but exist in various forms online for those wishing to read more about the album's background. This is the first release for the band since P-vine released a CD containing Long's previously unreleased 2nd and 3rd album in 2006. Modern-day fans of Mount Eerie and Cat Power will surely find something to love in the dream-like rooms and space of Virgin Insanity's world. All tracks are remastered by frontman Bob Long himself and the jacket will be reproduced from specifications of the original version which is now trading at more than $1,800!

The first Be With foray into the archives of revered German library institution Selected Sound is one of our favourites on the label - the super in-demand Japan from Victor Cavini, originally released in 1983. Rare and sought-after for many years now, this is one of those cult library LPs that never turn up. With Daibutsu the giant Buddha of Kamakura’s presence gracing the hefty front cover, this is a record bursting with dope samples for adventurous producers: it’s koto-funk madness! Victor Cavini was the library music pseudonym of prolific German composer and musician Gerhard Trede. He was known for exploring instruments and styles from around the world (he played over 50 different instruments himself) and Japan is his collection of 14 musical sketches painted with traditional Japanese wind and string instruments. These are the sounds of traditional Japanese folk music re-interpreted through Western ears, with the occassional contemporary twist.

Fully licensed, ltd to 500 copies, 180 gr. Comprised of a precious inlay card featuring an exclusive essai by Emma Tricca. “This is an album that takes you on a supernatural journey to the discovery of ancient sounds that move our souls in the deepest of manners”.

Veronique Chalot was born in Normandy in the north of France, but it was in Paris that she first became interested in traditional French folk music. In 1974 she landed in Rome where she soon earned a small, but dedicated following. In 1979 she recorded her first studio effort, J'ai vu le loup, for the Italian Materiali Sonori label. Over the past 30+ years she has given hundreds of concerts, presenting her repertoire of traditional French/Italian folk songs and building awareness of that fascinating patrimony of antique melodies and dance rhythms. She passed away unfortunately on the 3rd of July 2021

“First glance into Veronique's voice and you're under a spell she's unaware of casting. Like hearing the magical sound of Ulysses' sirens, you want to throw yourself into the deep blue waters of this record, its saucerful of secrets. Like finding the hidden doors into an ancient world of court jesters, magic flutes, troubadours, and love potions, her delivery, both on the instrument and the singing, is of a beauty impossible to comprehend. Pointless for me to dissect every song or try to draw the history of each and every poem or musical piece. This is an album that takes you on a supernatural journey to the discovery of ancient sounds that move our souls in the deepest of manners. All of this and more was how I felt back in the mid-90s, as a kid, when I first saw Veronique playing in a small club in Rome called Folkstudio. This record captures all the wondrous sensations I had seeing her perform; a life-changing experience. Bon voyage; she'll take you places. (Emma Tricca)”

Seminal compilation of instrumental tracks, originally released in Ethiopia in 1972. Features tracks from Tèsfa-Maryam Kidané, Bahta Gèbrè-Heywèt and Mulatu Astatké including the hit “Yégélé Tezeta”

First released in 1989, these songs represent but a small sampling of the fruits of a flowering in Brazilian creativity. The innovations in structure, lyrics and arrangements, combined with a very restrained but heartfelt intensity, are unique to Brazilian pop music... and in their own way, are as radical, seductive and beautiful as the best english language pop

Following the reissue of the self-titled debut by Tülay German & François Rabbath in 2021, we‘re presenting the 2nd and final part of our Tülay German reissues: "Homage to Nazım Hikmet" (1982). Once again in a duo setting with François Rabbath, Tülay German pays tribute to one of Turkey's greatest poets of the 20th century: Nazım Hikmet (1902-1963). Recorded in the early 80s this two-album workcycle refers heavily on turkish poets and the tradition of aşıks (singer-poets and wandering bards) and consists of unique and modern interpretations of turkish folk songs unmatched to this day.

Back in the 60s Tülay German (*1935 in Istanbul, Turkey) shook the turkish music landscape with several 7" records. Most notably her first 7" record Burçak Tarlası (1964) is now considered the cornerstone of what was to become the Anadolu Rock/ Pop movement and underlines her rebellious nature and sense of justice. But due to increasing repression Tülay German and her lifelong partner and intellectual impetus Erdem Buri decided to leave Turkey a few years later. In France Tülay German signs a major contract with Philips resulting in many 7" releases sung in french under her french moniker Toulaϊ. In the long run Tülay German doesn’t feel quite comfortable with this major deal. And thus, despite the success and recognition she had gained, she decides to quit the contract with Philips!

Later on she signs to independent world-music label Arion to pursue her actual artistic goals more in line with her origin and temperament. Back to her mother tongue, Tülay German records above mentioned albums for Arion under full artistic freedom, the only full-lenghths in her 20+ years career. Alongside with double-bass virtuoso and turkophil François Rabbath (*1931 in Aleppo, Syria) the albums consist of aşık traditionals and intonated poems mainly by Nazım Hikmet. Her passionate voice and the restrained arrangements of François Rabbath turn these centuries old melodies and poems into glowing manifestos for love and justice. The fruitful collaboration of these artists-in-exile adds significantly to the rich heritage of turkish folk music.

Nazım Hikmet (1902-1963) is considered as one of Turkey’s greatest poets of the 20th century, though during his lifetime his works were banned in Turkey for decades and he spent most of his life in prison or in exile. He is up to this day a huge reference for turkish writers, musicians and intellectuals.

Tülay German ended her musical career in 1987. In 2021 Tülay German was awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, Turkey.

Following the release of the first volume of the Koto: Tapestry series, Cinedelic completes the series of 3 with the release of the remaining two valuable albums. 'Tapestry: Koto' is a 3-album series produced by Nippon Columbia in the mid-1970s dedicated to one of the main instruments of Japanese traditional music: Koto. The beauty of the trilogy curated by composer Kiyoshi Yamaya, whose chapters are respectively dedicated to Sea, Hillside and Country, lies in the fact that they are a modern translation of tradition using newer and more avant-garde sound idioms, integrating the koto with jazz musicians. An original mix, a 'crossover’ that allows for the awakening and the consequential spread of traditional music in larger contexts. The extreme accuracy of the marvellous recordings is also remarkable. The performers on this fabulous album are: Toshiko Yonekawa - learned to play the koto at an early age, performing in a public concert as early as 8 years old. For three years, from 1941 to 1944, she won prizes as the best performer in the Japanese Cultural Federation's competition for traditional trios. She also received an award from the Prime Minister. Many other important recognitions followed until she became president of the Reichokai and executive director of the Sankyoku Association. In 1996, she was appointed Living National Treasure. As a koto player, her best-known characteristics are her extreme precision of intonation and rhythm and the unparalleled beauty of her sound. Kiyoshi Yamaya - born March 1932. He attended the Kunitachi College of Music. Between 1956 and 1960, he performed with 'Nobuo Hara and His Sharps & Flats' (clarinet, saxophone, etc.) and was responsible for composition and arrangement. In 1959, he formed the 'Modern Jazz Three Association' with Norio Maeda and Keitaro Miho, which contributed to the improvement of the level of composition and arrangement in Japanese jazz. In 1965, he became conductor of the 'Tokyo Union Orchestra' and received the Japan Record Award's Arrangement Award. His name appears on more than 100 albums. An unmissable session for those seeking new sounds. Original masters licensed by Nippon Columbia for the first ever reissue. Includes OBI and insert.

Following the release of the first volume of the Koto: Tapestry series, Cinedelic completes the series of 3 with the release of the remaining two valuable albums. 'Tapestry: Koto' is a 3-album series produced by Nippon Columbia in the mid-1970s dedicated to one of the main instruments of Japanese traditional music: Koto. The beauty of the trilogy curated by composer Kiyoshi Yamaya, whose chapters are respectively dedicated to Sea, Hillside and Country, lies in the fact that they are a modern translation of tradition using newer and more avant-garde sound idioms, integrating the koto with jazz musicians. An original mix, a 'crossover’ that allows for the awakening and the consequential spread of traditional music in larger contexts. The extreme accuracy of the marvellous recordings is also remarkable. The performers on this fabulous album are: Toshiko Yonekawa - learned to play the koto at an early age, performing in a public concert as early as 8 years old. For three years, from 1941 to 1944, she won prizes as the best performer in the Japanese Cultural Federation's competition for traditional trios. She also received an award from the Prime Minister. Many other important recognitions followed until she became president of the Reichokai and executive director of the Sankyoku Association. In 1996, she was appointed Living National Treasure. As a koto player, her best-known characteristics are her extreme precision of intonation and rhythm and the unparalleled beauty of her sound. Kiyoshi Yamaya - born March 1932. He attended the Kunitachi College of Music. Between 1956 and 1960, he performed with 'Nobuo Hara and His Sharps & Flats' (clarinet, saxophone, etc.) and was responsible for composition and arrangement. In 1959, he formed the 'Modern Jazz Three Association' with Norio Maeda and Keitaro Miho, which contributed to the improvement of the level of composition and arrangement in Japanese jazz. In 1965, he became conductor of the 'Tokyo Union Orchestra' and received the Japan Record Award's Arrangement Award. His name appears on more than 100 albums. An unmissable session for those seeking new sounds. Original masters licensed by Nippon Columbia for the first ever reissue. Includes OBI and insert.

Closing Time foreshadows the distinctly lyrical storytelling and original blending of jazz, blues, and folk styles that would come to be associated with Waits. It is on this debut album that Waits performs enduring classics of his career “Ol’ 55” (famously covered by the Eagles), the heartbreaking “Martha” and the gentle acoustic folk of “I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You”. Reissued for the first time as a double LP to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the landmark debut with newly half speed mastering at Abbey Road Studios.

The Silos, the still-kicking band Walter Salas-Humara co-founded in New York’s post-punk ‘80s scene played Alt-Rock, Alt-Country, and Americana before any critics coined those terms. They were named Best New Artist in the Rolling Stone magazine critics' poll in 1987 after the release of Cuba. The album has since been considered a stone-cold classic, being hugely influential in the so-called Americana or alternative country scene that followed in its wake. “Cuba is one of those albums that has become a kind of talisman among true music fans. Because you know that Cuba exists inside everyone, and this extraordinary album can take you there. It's a journey filled with longing and loss, warmth and wonder”. (Anthony DeCurtis) This gatefold double LP 35th anniversary special edition, includes the additional album The Bird Album Live On Kcrw. Recorded on April 18, 1990, shortly after the release of their self-titled third album for RCA Records, The Silos performed about 75 minutes of music for the Snap alternative music radio program. Broadcast on Kcrw in Santa Monica, California, near Los Angeles, it features versions of all but one song from that third album. Both of the singer-songwriter-guitarists from the band's early days, Walter Salas-Humara and Bob Rupe, were in the line-up for this broadcast which also included Graham Maby on bass, Brian Doherty on Drums, and Kenny Margolis on Keyboard. Salas-Humara’s legacy would seem secure; his name is on 24 albums, his Horse Paintings hang in homes and galleries around the world, and his WaltersDogs portraits even appeared in the film “Get Him to the Greek” (Nicholas Stoller, 20210). but he’s hardly ready to call it a day: The Silos have a new album out now called Family and are currently touring the world.

Connecting Wasulu hunter music, griot praises, Senufo pastoral dances, Fula and Mandingo repertoire alongside Western psychedelia, blues and afro-beat, Zani Diabaté's Super Djata Band was among Mali's top orchestras of the 1980s. On their 1982 album, Diabaté enshrines himself within the pantheon of mythical West African guitarists, hypnotically picking through eight vivid compositions on his path to godhead status.

Connecting Wasulu hunter music, griot praises, Senufo pastoral dances, Fula and Mandingo repertoire alongside Western psychedelia, blues and afro-beat, Zani Diabaté's Super Djata Band was among Mali's top orchestras of the 1980s. On their 1982 album, Diabaté enshrines himself within the pantheon of mythical West African guitarists, hypnotically picking through eight vivid compositions on his path to godhead status.

Reissued for the very first time on vinyl "Wadada Magic", Suns Of Arqa's majestic second album. The wicked world of Michael Wadada is well represented here: an ever-changing kaleidoscope of tribal dub, early electronics , proto-wave and global beat. Special guests on vocals Prince Far I and Prince Hammer, while on bass the true genius of Lizard from Creation Rebel / Singer & Players.

A Svart Mondo release. Black vinyl, gatefold jacket.

First released by Britain’s then foremost folk label, Transatlantic Records in 1970, Storyteller’s first album is a forgotten gem of Psychedelic Folk Prog Rock. Warm and silky production courtesy of Andrew Bown and Peter Frampton, fabulous dual vocals and a wistful arrangement of top-drawer UK Folk Prog, make Storyteller a diamond worth digging into.

Around 1969, after being a part of the band The Other Two on Decca Records, working with people like Chuck Berry, Duane Eddy and Jerry Lee Lewis, and touring with Chuck Berry and The Animals, Caroline Attard joined a new band that was being formed; Storyteller. A quintet who followed their own inclination, ignoring current fashions and just doing what seemed to come naturally, Storyteller is a crate-digger’s delight. Up there with Fairport Convention, Jefferson Airplane and Steeleye Span, Storyteller were steeped in folklore tales such as on ‘Ballad Of The Three Laps’, bringing the true spirit of folk alive in their own unique way. With songs written primarily by Roger Moon, and Terry Durham as muse of inspiration with his paintings and wonderful Yorkshire stories, Storyteller’s debut has the authentic and honest vibe of the real McCoy.

No longer confined to being coveted by collectors and those in the know, this lush remastered reissue via Svart Records comes on gatefold vinyl with updated liner notes and interview. If you treasure Folk, Prog and Psychedelic Rock, make sure this is a tale you don’t miss out on!

UK psych-folk private press mega-rarity, originally released in 1975.

“Jack With A Feather” was the first vinyl album (after the private cassette only release of “Rowdy Dowdy Day”) by Spriguns OF Tolgus, just before they shortened their name to Spriguns and signed to Decca, recording two classic progressive folk-rock albums.

Recorded in a cottage in the middle of nowhere, the album offers mostly traditional songs with charming homemade atmosphere, psychedelic touches, male / female vocals (by Mandy Morton), acoustic/electric guitars, mandolin, dulcimer, fiddle… One of the tracks, “Seamus The Showman”, originally written by Tim Hart of Steeleye Span (future Spriguns producer), landed the band a deal with Decca Records.

Originally released in 1972, the legendary Soft Rock "Happy End" album is now back on an analog LP!! Written by Hiro Yanagida, Produced by Takashi Matsumoto, Sons OF SUN's first album will be making its return from the label Fuji!! Keyboard Hiro Yanagida Drums Kiyoshi Tanaka E.Guitar Kazuyuki Nagaoka E.Bass Hideaki Takebe Vocal MAO

In 1972, left-wing intellectual film critic Uwe Nettelbeck suggested to Anthony Moore that he might write some straight songs (relatively speaking), which in turn prompted Moore to invite his old schoolfriend Peter Blegvad over to Hamburg to form the band Slapp Happy. Dagmar Krause, a young singer from Hamburg and Moore‘s girlfriend, joined them both on their trip to Wümme to record what was to become this album, Sort of, using Faust as their rhythm section. In honour of this album ́s 50th anniversary the album will get a nicely remastered reissue with the newly founded Week–End Records –the fetsival‘s inhouse label who managed to get the band together for a final reunion shows in November of 2016 and Spring of 2017.

This is the 9th studio album of pop music diva Sezen Aksu, who has continued her music career in the Turkish Pop Music Scene for almost 50 years, was originally released in 1989 on CD and cassette. In addition to ballads, the artist showed how talented she is in interpreting disco songs.Beside the Sezen Aksu and Onno Tunç concept, this album features Aysel Gürel, Zülfü Livaneli, Bülent Ortaçgil, Orhan Atasoy, Hümeyra, Selim İleri, Melih Cevdet Anday, and is a milestone album in both Sezen Aksu discography and Popular Turkish music. Almost all of the tracks on this album were hit songs, like: "Şinanay", "Belalım", "Beni Kategorize Etme", "Gidiyorum", "Kış Masalı" and "Son Bakış"

This is one of the best albums of the diva's musical career. Originally released in 1986 on CD and cassette, her 7th studio album is finally available on vinyl. With lyrics by Aysel Gurel, album concept and music by Onno Tunç, this album contains many hits such as "Değer mi", "Git", "Kolay Değil", "Unzile" and "Beni Unutma".

“Authentic and personal, at times it reminds this writer of luminaries such as Jackson C. Frank, PF Sloan, Skip Spence, and Phil Orchs while never feeling derivative. The songs are melodic and haunting, fueled by existential woes, political angst, and good ol’ fashioned love. Scott’s rich voice has an unpretentious gravitas, his simple-yet-effective guitar playing ranging from delicate fingerpicking to angry bashing. Created at home on a Tascam 4-Track Portastudio, the recording features few frills and is all the better for it. Unlike most mid-80s records it sounds like it could have come from any time since the late ’60s onwards. As a testament to its greatness, and despite the late recording date, it even gets a nod on Patrick Lundborg’s “Acid Archives” compilation website, Lysergiawhere it’s described thus: “Late phase downer-loner folk and singer-songwriter trip, mostly acoustic, some tracks with a small band.” – Andrew Ure for Ugly Things.

Arriving as the hippy movement was discovering its peaceful easy `70s feelings, Sandy Harless' Songs LP is Chillicothe, Ohio's lone contribution to the Cosmic American Music movement. Financed from a 27-aquarium fish breeding business, the album shows its Appalachian roots with a tight weave of mountain folk, rural rock, and pastoral country. Real people music.

Arriving as the hippy movement was discovering its peaceful easy `70s feelings, Sandy Harless' Songs LP is Chillicothe, Ohio's lone contribution to the Cosmic American Music movement. Financed from a 27-aquarium fish breeding business, the album shows its Appalachian roots with a tight weave of mountain folk, rural rock, and pastoral country. Real people music.

Another great release in the prestigious ReR Recommended vinyl reissue series.
Water Messages on Desert Sand was the very first sound creation from the Italian avantgarde duo of Roberto Musci and Giovanni Venosta. A classic work in the genre, released by Chris Cutler's Recommended Records in 1987.
Back in the mid Eighties, Musci & Venosta, both on sampler, synthesizer, guitar, piano, effects and tapes were masters in overlaying and constructing rhythmic and harmonic pictures of transparent sound from electronic, acoustic and documentary source, taking ethnic field recordings (from Africa, Indonesia, Asia, India) as their thematic centre. "Water Messages" finds place In the realm of Eno-Byrne "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" but far more accomplished and developed. A rich moving and still very stimulating work and an essential purchase for anyone interested in adventurous modern art informed by ethnic music and sound explorations. In two words: Highly Recommended!

Back in print once again! Robbie Basho's 15th record, and his magnum opus of solo guitar. It is the culmination of his life's effort to usher guitar music into a new artistic paradigm, and to "establish the steel string as a concert instrument indigenous to America."

Originally released in 1979, "Art of the Acoustic Steel String Guitar 6 & 12" was Robbie Basho's 15th record, and his magnum opus of solo guitar. It is the culmination of his life's effort to usher guitar music into a new artistic paradigm, and to "establish the steel string as a concert instrument indigenous to America."

This album represents Basho’s most technically fine guitar work. In both composition and performance, the album is enormously complex and yet conveys an effortlessness unique to Basho. As he famously espoused, “My philosophy is quite simple: soul first, technique later.” The richness of Basho's soul emanates from this record as distinctly as each note ringing from his steel strings.

Only one song on the record (“Pasha Ii”) features Basho’s enigmatic voice, but it may be his most extraordinary vocal performance – his voice calling out through a shimmer of strings, singing ancient syllables with timeless emotion. The remaining ten instrumental songs roam through Eastern and Western modalities, dark and light meditations, wild and restrained expression.

With "Art of the Acoustic Steel String Guitar 6 & 12", Basho summons rich allusions, hallucinations and delicately numinous passages. As he said, "It's not about going far out, it's about going far in. It's about a deeper feeling." These are deep waters indeed, as substantial and enriching today as they were 35 years ago.

One reviewer said this about Lavender Daydreams: “Blissed out folk psycher in the vein of Tim Buckley or Dan Fogleberg but waaay more psyched out. Richard has certainly dropped a tab or three in his time. A really, really good album to mind-surf to, and also poppy enough that it would sound good coming out of a boombox in a field while you are throwing the frisbee and smoking some bohoofus.” And they were right—Richard did drop many a tab when writing and recording the album: "The songs ‘Lord and Master,’ ‘Here We Are,’ ‘Sunny Days,’ and several others were inspired by experiences I had on psychedelics. Lavender Daydreams comes from my meditation experiences. ‘Electra’ is about a girl I fell in love with while tripping... I realized my purpose in life I was always looking for was in experiencing the extraordinary perfection in front of me every moment and engaging it in play and fun… This is a common theme in my songs. Celebrating those everyday moments. ‘Falling Angels’ was written about crashing on acid. About when we have to squeeze back into our everyday self and the feeling of “Now that the doors of perception have been blown off their hinges what am I going to do about it.” And that slides right into ‘A Stranger’ where you begin reflecting on it. There you are, crashing, beer in hand, a stranger to yourself. ‘Soaring’ is inspired by lying on our back in the field by the Long Island Sound on spring afternoon tripping on ‘Windowpane’. Mike and I were staring up at the sky and the clouds turned into angels singing and it felt like we were soaring up there free. ‘Soaring’ was trying to capture the rapture.” Edition of 370 copies on black vinyl.

Be ready for a spaced out trip through French medieval times. Ancient instruments, musique concrete, spoken word, old Occitan dialect minstrel songs, drone, from dark ambient and minimal percussive tracks to Middle Ages fuzz delirium. File under : medieval folk / ambient / experimental.

Fortuna Records return with an exceptional reissue of a mid-80s early electronica LP by keyboardist Raviv Gazit. The album was composed entirely on the Synclavier synthesizer in the basement of the Tel-Aviv University in 1985. Gazit was ahead of his time composing cold yet blissful electronic music for film and theatre which he later released as an album. An unexpected yet extremely welcome addition to Fortuna's killer catalog.

Cult South Asian New Wave! Naya Beat is proud to announce its second release, Tere Liye, the highly sought after and impossible to find New Wave album by the unsung pioneers of the British Asian music scene, Pinky Ann Rihal. Remastered for vinyl by multi Grammy-nominated Frank Merritt at The Carvery and available for the first time since its limited 1985 release, the album is as fresh and relevant today as it was 37 years ago. South Asian New Wave. Four words that you will rarely see together. Pinky Ann Rihal were the brainchild of two London-based Punjabi immigrants and progressive rock musicians – Harry Rihal and Jati Sodhi – at a time in the U.K. when progressive rock musicians were almost exclusively white and Punjabi musicians were almost exclusively making Bhangra. Encouraged by their friend and disco pioneer Biddu (yes, that Biddu!), they cut ‘Tere Liye’ – a one-off Hindi-language New Wave album with producer John Hamilton and vocalists Pinky Rihal (married to Harry) and Anne Barrett (married to John). It is an album that exemplifies the cultural collaboration and musical synthesis of the time. Complementing the rich, cosmic and layered synths and drum programming of Hamilton and the distorted guitars of Rihal and Sodhi are the Hindi lyrics of vocalists Pinky and Anne. The result is an amazing one-of-a-kind South Asian New Wave album. Nothing like it has come out before or since. Stymied on its original release by bungled distribution, poor marketing and plenty of bad luck, this incredible album seemed destined to be lost to history. With Asian electronic music in the U.K. seeing a rebirth and capturing imaginations around the world,‘Tere Liye’ can finally take its rightful place as one of the pioneering albums of the Asian underground. This is Naya Beat’s second release in a series of reissues, reworks and remixes, and compilations dedicated to uncovering electronic and dance music from the overlooked ‘80s and ‘90s South Asian music scene. Their first release Naya Beat Volume 1: South Asian Dance and Electronic Music 1983-1992 was named by the Vinyl Factory as the Number 1 reissue of 2021

Released in 1975, “Continente Nero” is the perfect flip side of “Africa” (1972), an album that significantly expanded Piero Umiliani’s music perspectives, incorporating partially explored rhythmic variations already used in “Percussioni ed Effetti Speciali” and “To-Day’s Sound”. It does so by taking inspiration from a tradition that starts from the divine Fela Kuti and reaches the amateur and field recordings by musicologists such as David Toop, but also from the Afro-American jazz history of Art Ensemble of Chicago, John Coltrane, Max Roach and hundreds of others.

Continente Nero (1975) Released via the Omicron label in 1975, three years after Africa, Continente Nero is the perfect flip side of an album that significantly expanded Piero Umiliani’s music perspectives, incorporating partially explored rhythmic variations already used in records such as Percussioni ed Effetti Speciali and To-Day’s Sound or experimenting new solutions that drew from a musical heritage little known at the time such as the African one. Without bothering with the usual alias M. Zalla, Umiliani reveal his birth name and surname for a second foray into a territory that pays homage to an entire continent. And it does so by taking inspiration not only from a tradition that starts from the divine Fela Kuti and reaches the amateur and field recordings by musicologists such as David Toop, invaluable documents of an artistic heritage still today almost impossible to map in its complexity, but also from the Afro-American jazz history by Art Ensemble of Chicago, John Coltrane, Max Roach and hundreds of others. It sounds clear in tracks such as Nuovi Fermenti, Rivoluzionari, Riscossa or Ultimo Stregone that show Umiliani’s extraordinary ability to grab a distant tradition essential traits and put them effortlessly into a personal imaginary world, as much exciting as the original one.

Beastly sounds for a zombie nation as classic 80s gaming soundtrack Shadow of the Beast gets debut vinyl edition with a recording taken from the original platform game, and new artwork from acclaimed illustrator Keith Rankin.
Composed by David Whittaker for the 1989 Amiga platformer of the same name, Shadow of the Beast sees its first ever vinyl release courtesy of the UK's Lag Records, presented in also its first mastered edition as directly taken from the original game system.
A prolific VGM composer, Whittaker holds more gaming soundtracks to his name than any other, with titles such as Lazy Jones to his name, as (in)famously sampled for the 1999 club hit Zombie Nation.
Shadow of the Beast remains a prime example of his pioneering hands-on approach, programming music directly with instrumental samples of his own on a Korg M1 synthesizer. The tunes make for a singular combination of Spaghetti Western-style tension mixed with world beats. Tracks like The Plains play with harder rhythms like warped speed techno, while a hard-to-miss melancholy pervades the Underground suite.
The fiendishly difficult Shadow of the Beast itself was an interesting example of game design for its time, recorded at a frame rate to match arcade machines as opposed to monitors, and loaded with a 128 colour palette. Two sequels later followed in the 1990s, along with a 2016 remake for the Playstation console.
The soundtrack comes ready for a 2019 audience with mastering courtesy of Jerome Schmitt at the AirLab, and brand new artwork from acclaimed illustrator and musician Keith Rankin in collaboration with artist Ellen Thomas. Shadow of the Beast will also come on transparent purple vinyl, in standard LP format.

Blue Vinyl Limited TO 318 Hand-numbered Copies

Travel back in time to the modern pre-Revolution Teheran and dig this wonderful, ear-catching album from 1976 by Iranian female singer Pari Zangeneh. Traditional Persian folk songs with a lovely, sweet psychedelic flavor with the use of beautiful strings, flutes, charming and tasty drumming, some organ and orchestration, percussions… imagine a Persian version of Mellow Candle or Vashti Bunyan and you’re there! Born in 1939 in Kermanshah (Iran), Pari Zangeneh is a Soprano singer that lost her sight after a car accident in 1972. Her work over the years on restoring traditional Persian music and regional folk songs is invaluable. In 1976 she recorded this very unique album commissioned by Kānoon (Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults), a social organization that produced many kinds of materials (books, films, records) for children in Iran. The arrangements were done by Varoujan (famous for his work with Googoosh, Dariush, etc…) *Sourced from the original masters *Hard cardboard sleeve + OBI

* Includes download card

Travel back in time to the modern pre-Revolution Teheran and dig this wonderful, ear-catching album from 1976 by Iranian female singer Pari Zangeneh. Traditional Persian folk songs with a lovely, sweet psychedelic flavor with the use of beautiful strings, flutes, charming and tasty drumming, some organ and orchestration, percussions… imagine a Persian version of Mellow Candle or Vashti Bunyan and you’re there! Born in 1939 in Kermanshah (Iran), Pari Zangeneh is a Soprano singer that lost her sight after a car accident in 1972. Her work over the years on restoring traditional Persian music and regional folk songs is invaluable. In 1976 she recorded this very unique album commissioned by Kānoon (Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults), a social organization that produced many kinds of materials (books, films, records) for children in Iran. The arrangements were done by Varoujan (famous for his work with Googoosh, Dariush, etc…) *Sourced from the original masters *Hard cardboard sleeve + OBI

* Includes download card

This reissue comes on 180g. Omar Khorshid was the guitarist of Oum Koulsoum. He pays homage to him in this album that mixes modern and traditional influences. Right Track is a specialized music label based in Beirut - Lebanon. As an IFPI certified member they are the exclusive Licensee and distributor of multiple international and regional labels in addition to a range of Lebanese Artists. From Omar Khorshid’s arabian-funk to Fairuz’s eerie songs, from Ziad Rabani’s proto-disco to lebanese traditional Wadih Al Safi compositions, Right Track is committed to re-releasing the Immortal Arabic music repertoire on 180 g vinyls, delivering the highest possible quality from remastered audio to satisfy the demanding audiophile connoisseurs.

* Originally released in 1977 * Featuring covers of 'The Girl from Ipanema' and 'The Look of Love' * Pressed on Black Vinyl A masterpiece of samba released in 1977, featuring Norio Maeda, a major pianist and arranger in the jazz world, and Tin Pan Alley by Haruomi Hosono, Shigeru Suzuki, and Tatsuo Hayashi. This album features several of the greatest Bossa Nova numbers such as 'Wave', 'One Note Samba', 'The Girl from Ipanema', 'Summer Samba', and famous songs such as 'The Look of Love' by Burt Bacharach. This is an album full of highlights.

Manufactured Recordings reissues two Indian Classical LPs, S​ongs Of India from prominent vocalist ​Nitai Dasgupta a​nd T​hree Sitar Pieces​ by trained instrumentalist​ Pandit Kanwar Sain Trikha,​ both originally released on Vic Keary’s underground label, ​Mushroom Records,​ in the early 70s.

While Vic Keary’s background was in reggae, ​Mushroom Records ​dabbled in recording a bit of everything. Mostly known for hyper-rare Psych, Prog and Acid Folk, ​Nitai Dasgupta and P​andit Kanwar Sain Trikha​’s diverse LPs fit in perfectly with their British Psych and Prog label mates like ​Simon Finn,​ M​agic Carpet,​ and​ Chillum​.

Nitai Dasgupta was one of the most talented Indian classical singers in Great Britain. His sweetness and flexibility created a unique style complemented by his melodious voice and composing abilities. ​Songs Of India p​leases the lovers of Indian classical and semi-classical music while enticing pop and folk lovers. This LP even caught the ears of acclaimed electronic artist, ​Four Tet,​ who featured track “Cham Cham Cham Cham” on his​ N​TS Radio show​.

I inherited the Nital Dasgupta LP from my grandfather. I’ve no idea how he came to have it and after he died it sat on a shelf for many years before I found it and gave it a listen.​ – ​Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet

Both LPs are fascinatingly diverse pieces of work that dive into the intersection of folk, classical, and psychedelic music.