Jazz | Fusion 151 Items

Musician/sound artist Mariske Broeckmeyer (maris) and author/poet Astrid Haerens found each other in their shared love of experimental music, improvisation and jazz. They discovered common ground in their artistic work, in their thinking, in their love for art and literature, and started a conversation that has not ceased.

They both make work that focuses on physicality, femininity and (the failure of) the voice, among other things. Their work revolves around the knowledge that a body carries, and how you can start from there instead of just the cerebral and analytical, aspects that are seen as predominantly masculine and often central to literature.

In 2022, the two worked together for the first time on their literary jazz project around the effects of power structures on a woman's body, bringing a breath of fresh air to the predominantly male jazz scene. Maris and Astrid invited Jasmijn Lootens, a hybrid cellist who combines classical training with electronic music, to dive even deeper into the research and crossover between poetry, spoken word, performance, sound art and music together.

Akira Ishiguro is a guitarist at the forefront of New York City. His latest work is a tribute to the spirits of his ancestors and hope for those who survive in the present. The 10 songs were written by 14 highly skilled musicians, including Takuya Kuroda (tp), Maasa Kato (p, keys), Keita Ogawa (perc), and Chris Potter (ts), a master pianist, and the multi-talented Henry Hay, a pianist. The 10 songs were written in the solitude of the pandemic, finding solace in music and working earnestly on the songs alone in their home in New York City. The result is a confident work full of possibilities, incorporating traditional jazz sounds with contemporary grooves and harmonies.

Albina Music Trust has served as a vital resource amplifying Portland’s musical past - most consistently through work with underrepresented soul musicians active in the 1950s-1990s. Another important element of the nonprofit’s work has been strengthening connections between these foundational artists and our current generation of regional musicians, especially those mentored by elders in the Albina musician community.

One such artist is drummer, composer, and educator Domo Branch. At twenty-three years old, Branch has come up through the ranks of the American Music Program - a crucial proving ground for Portland’s jazz musicians that includes Esperanza Spaulding and Charlie Brown III. Founded by Gangsters alum, Thara Memory, Branch received vital instruction through community-centered operations such as AMP and the Mel Brown Jazz Workshop. He now lives in Manhattan and performs with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra under the direction of Wynton Marsalis. He has since formed a bi-coastal group, Branchin’ Out.

The Melodies of a Branch is a solo drum recording made in Riga, Latvia. This rare session followed Branch’s 2022 performance at the city’s annual jazz festival. Performing in an intimate setting at Latvian Radio Recording Studios, Branch’s range of motion is now on full display in this exploration of the many nuances of a drum set.

The record also keys into the emotional value of the Black experience through music. Whether it be the evolution of drumming ranging from tribal to contemporary forms or the sheer capacity of melodic phrasing on the drums, the album is expressive, free, and spiritually sound. Through its spare, minimalist genesis into the polyrhythmic power and beauty of its conclusion, the work evidenced here is consistent with the many iterations of Branch’s work with other ensembles. Except now we get him to ourselves.

Working on their project Talking Book, Bill Gould and Jared Blum have always preoccupied themselves with textures of sounds rather than just melodies. Uniting exploratory sound-work, dramatism and their innate curiosity, the members of Talking Book have approached every release of theirs with this intention. Sonically different from Bill’s most-widely known project, Faith No More, Gould’s work composing the soundtrack for ‘The Eclipse’ brought him to the whole different mental space. “I had known Nataša Urban for over a decade already, and was already familiar with her previous work.” – explains Bill Gould: “During this time, I had also sent her our two Talking Book releases, which paired well with her visual aesthetic. On top of that, Faith No More was a big soundtrack to her teen years, and as the film is quite personal about her coming to terms growing up in Serbia, it seemed to make sense for us to collaborate together on this film”. The duo's artistic journey requires a profound exploration of sound textures, a departure from the familiar tunes of Bill's renowned venture. 'The Eclipse' is a poignant cinematic ode to the scars of Yugoslavia's tumultuous history. The process of synchronizing their music with the film's essence became an exercise in shedding conventional creative approaches, embracing instead the art of building new sonic pathways. “The film itself was made on several film stocks including handmade ones so for us employing timbres that are both grand and decaying at the same time accompanied the visuals very well.” – explains Jared Blum. While fragmentary nature of the shooting helped represent the presence of different people in the picture, it was also learning experience for the duo in terms of of contiguity. “So much of it is about letting go of familiar methods of working; rather than finding a way to express an idea I already have.” – says Bill Gould describing the process: “It is about having the patience to go into something without a specific idea and just employ a process of discovery.” Gould continues: “Our music always has a certain amount of drama of some sort, so we didn't literally have to write according to the story line. But it meant that we had to look at was happening in the flim intuitively, and make creative decisions based on that. We could have totally missed the mark, but as it turns out, it really resonated with Nataša.” Bill and Jared's creative synergy is manifested in their ability to conjure a cascade of imagery passing through a rich spectrum of emotions, in tune with nuances of Yugoslavia's fractured history. From the delicate subtlety of background whispers to the vast expanses of sonic palettes, the duo has orchestrated a symphony that transcends the boundaries of conventional melodies as natural and emotive as a total eclipse.

When Cicadas appear in the area they cause a huge uproar. It’s hard to escape the distinctive noise these critters make, reaching up to 120 decibels. The hypnotic, trance-inducing sound disappears with the insects. A few months after Cykada's explosive debut, the world was hit by turbulence and from Cykada there was silence - fortunately only seemingly, because the next cycle began underground, in the privacy of the studio. It was there that the cicadas matured, waiting for a metamorphosis.

The year 2019 was very successful for Cykada, with a brilliantly received debut album, concerts at numerous festivals in the UK and Europe such as Glastonbury, Wilderness, London Jazz Festival, BAM Festival, La Defense Jazz Festival or Love Supreme Festival, along with constantly composing and preparing material for the second album. As the musicians entered the studio, the coronavirus pandemic was already in full swing across the globe. It was clear then that the world would never be the same. With increasing restrictions Cykada went underground, waiting for changes to surface again. Unfortunately the expected change that was happening seemed only for the worse - Brexit and its socio-economic consequences, worldwide disinformation, accelerating climate catastrophe and Russian invasion of Ukraine. The collapse of the old world order is the perfect moment for metamorphosis and with this message Cykada steps out again into broad daylight, matured and carrying a message with their long-awaited second album “Metamorphosis”.

The meaning behind the title is multifaceted. It refers both to changes taking place in our society and changes to our world as nature defends itself from human stupidity and greed. It is also a reference to the personal and musical development of the band members in that difficult period. It all became a foundation to bravely attempt to make new beginnings.

The metamorphosis is also clear in the musical aspect of Cykada. Their debut album was already difficult to shoehorn into specific genres with their sound that balanced jazz, electronics and elements of global music styles. With the second album their eclectic style has evolved into something distinct and innovative, combining folk/jazz song form and improvisation with heavier sounds inspired by sound system culture and rock. The band grew into a septet thanks to multi-instrumentalist Rob Milne, expanding the horn section to 3 instruments and galvanising its sound. But the biggest change that happened compared to the first album is the singing of Cykada leader Jamie Benzies in singles “So Divided” and “The Crack in the Bricks”. Both songs carry an important message, showing us that the changes in the world are already happening and that only we can make it head in the right direction. This unique sonic mix along with the message unleashes a powerful energy that the musicians want to send to and infect every listener.

“Sainen Hildo” is an album based on Miguel’s original compositions, recomposed and rearranged for accordion and voice by the two composers. Using the natural resonance and harmonics of these two instruments to influence their introspective interactions, resulting in evolving drones and tones and puzzling percussive outbursts. Unusual and at times unsettling, they manage to create a calibrated, deep and complex exploratory universe of ambience and drone where listening becomes a ritual. Highest recommendation for fans of Pauline Oliveros, Eliane Radigue or Phill Niblock.

Garazi Navas (accordion + voice). Original compositions by Miguel A. García. Recomposed and rearranged by Garazi Navas & Miguel A. García. Recorded by Ibon Rg at Azkuna Zentroa (Contemporary Art Centre in Bilbao) in June 2022, as part of the associated artists program. Mixing and mastering by Juan Carlos Blancas. Compiled by Mikel Acosta.

Acrylic painting on heavyweight paper by Maite Mugerza Ronse. Limited edition of 300 black vinyl LP’s housed in a coloured matt laminated cover. Released by Hegoa Diskak.

Dopelganger is the project in collaboration between classically trained accordion player and singer Garazi Navas (Usansolo, Bizkaia-Biscay, 1995) and Miguel A. Garcia (Vitoria-Gasteiz), an artist living in Bilbao with an extensive career in the fields of experimental music and sound art.

Garazi Navas / Classically trained at Musikene School of Music in San Sebastian with a masters in traditional music, Garazi, is a restless accordionist who, despite her young age, has taken part in a multitude of projects in theater, poetry, ballet, art installations and even playing with the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. Her works are a personal interpretation of the close relationship which she feels exists between cutting-edge and traditional music.

Miguel A. García / Has performed extensively in Europe, America and Asia, both as a solo artist, improvising and in multiple ensembles. He has collaborated with dozens of artists (Al Karpenter, Jean Luc Guionnet, Sébastien Branche...) in studio and live, and appeared in more than a hundred albums. At the same time, he is organizer and curator of events, being founder of Club Le Larraskito, director of Zarata Fest, and part of the coordination of the cycle Hotsetan at Azkuna Zentroa itself.

Quantity: 2000
Release type: 'RSD First' Release

Catch The Groove: Live At The Penthouse 1963-1967 is a collection of previously unreleased live recordings of the iconic vibraphonist Cal Tjader from the Penthouse jazz club in Seattle, with the legendary percussionist Armando Peraza and bassist Monk Montgomery. This release is culled from six different performances, recorded by Seattle radio DJ Jim Wilke and broadcast live. Deluxe 3 LP set on 180g vinyl includes an extensive booklet with rare photos, essays and interviews for RSD Black Friday.

Gary Davis is the polymath behind Chocolate Star Records, the label he started in Camden, New Jersey. He is one of the first people to record rap music, with NYC maverick Peter Brown and on his own. Before that, he made disco. But he's also steeped in the jazz tradition. Gary made 200 copies of this record for Chocolate Star. It is a funky jazz set he recorded live on October 31, 1976 at New Jersey's Glassboro State College (today's Rowan University). Gary's an inspiration, for still believing in music that comes from and finds its way back to the fringes. “I want people who are out there struggling to know: Do not depend on other people having control over your destiny. If you wanna do it, do it!" he says, Gary told the Palm Beach New Times many years ago. "The best part is doing it, so why worry about all this other nonsense? I've always felt that way, but now I have the evidence to back up what I've been telling people all along. It gives me the credibility I deserve.”

“Grains” is the third studio album by Move 78. The album is scheduled for release on vinyl & digital via Village Live Records on Friday 3rd November 2023.

The eight tracks of the album were originally recorded as jam sessions at Trixx studios in October 2021. These initial ideas have then been chopped up, rearranged and remixed multiple times over the past 18 months and combined with a plethora of home recordings.

The 32 minutes of music represent an evolution in the band’s signature blend of free-flowing, improvised jazz and programmed, automated hip-hop.In addition to the core line-up of Doron Segal (synths), Nir Sabag (drums), Hal Strewe (bass), Meravi Goldman (French horn) and Aver (sampler/production), the album features collaborations with Aquiles Navarro on trumpet (Irreversible Entanglements), A.J. Nilles on viola (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra), Eric Owusu on percussion (Àbáse / Jembaa Groove) and rising star of the German soul/jazz scene singer Douniah (Melting Pot Music).

Swiss-born pianist Camille-Alban Spreng, who has resided in Brussels for over a decade, has been active since 2010 in a diverse range of bands and projects within jazz, improvised (electronic) music, art performance and theater. He can be seen on stages all over Europe and trained at various conservatories with renowned players such as Emil Spanyi (hemu, Lausanne), Eric Legnini and Kris Defoort (crb, KCB, Brussels). Together with his regular band Odil, he has already released two records: 'Something' (qftf Records - 2016) and 'reson' (qftq Records - 2019), with the collaboration of Leïla Martial, and Valentin Ceccaldi on the latter album. Odil operates from Brussels but, with in its ranks a pivotal figure with Swiss roots, a French drummer and an Irish saxophonist, is a band with international allure. Nina Kortekaas' unique voice is also an absolute asset.

His third album, titled "Unheimlich," will be released on W.E.R.F. records, one of Belgium's finest jazz not jazz labels. The new album sprung from Camille-Alban's fondness for Allen Ginsberg and the beatnik movement. Poems by Ginsberg are provided with music, notably "Pull My Daisy" (co-written by Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady at the time) and "White Shroud," with the approval of the rights holders/heirs.

The lyrics that Camille-Alban himself wrote for the album exude the same beatnik vibe. In that sense, the new work is also an homage to Allen Ginsberg. "I love his way of writing: it's funny, twisted, quirky ánd spiritual," Camille-Alban said. "I couldn't think of a better title for the new album. 'Unheimlich' doesn't translate. The black cat in the lobby of a creepy hotel in 'The Matrix,' I think of that image, that atmosphere." Odil's music has a narrative character and in terms of form, the compositions are not ordinary. Impro plays a role and the music is unmistakably characterized by a contemporary jazz aesthetic but at their core the compositions are also songs, a unique feature. 'Unheimlich' is a jazz album that can be listened to just as well as a pop rock album.

"Redefining Element 78" presents a new work by British pianist-composer Rebecca Nash - a distinct musical voice with a deep musical identity. The music emerged following Nash"s encounter with the writings of legendary New York alto saxophonist John O"Gallagher, who joins her on the album, alongside guitarist Jamie Leeming, trumpeter Nick Malcolm, bassist Paul Michael and drummer Matt Fisher. Electronics are provided by Nick Walters and Chris Mapp.

Second run of Stclp-002 on black wax with high-quality wrap-around reproduction prints of two of the earliest amateur paintings created for this project. This version Includes the original liner notes by Sandalio De Díaz on the back. Hand-pasted covers. Hand-stamped labels. "Rivera has quite possibly delivered his defining piece of work as his boundless talents have been turned towards creating a contemporary jazz masterpiece that is an absolute joy to listen to." - Imran Mirza for Twisted Soul

After a self-imposed retirement, Martin Dosh returns with an expansive, dense and meticulous meditation on the now, rooted in the past, the first release on the new Max/min imprint. Six songs, equally influenced by Ornette Coleman, Brian Eno and the RZA, and featuring Jeff Parker and DAN Bitney (tortoise), Andrew Bird, Tobacco, Mike Lewis (bon Iver, Happy Apple) and THE Nunnery. Tommorow 1972 is a community response to the isolation of the pandemic rendered through the unique and strange prism of Dosh's production style.

Wilfred Trevor Woodley aka Woods (1934 - 2010) is certainly one of the best kept secrets in Caribbean jazz. A pianist composer from Point Fortin, Trinidad & Tobago, Woods was a fascinating man who lived an incredible life traveling to more than 70 countries. Even though he composed hundreds of songs he had never released an official album. Woods was a man who lived a fearless life. Even when faced with life's adversities he dealt with them with such courage and calmness that all who knew him could only remember him with admiration and respect. In july 1990 he was involved in an accident where a truck crushed one os his legs. facing the doctors, he replied with aplomb: "As long as I can play the pinao, everything is fine". This EP is the first project of a series to pay a tribute to his legend and to keep his music alive.

With the release of Piero Umiliani’s ‘Discomania (Jolly Mare Lifting)’ Four Flies launched Reloved, a vinyl series where contemporary DJs and producers rework tunes from Italian golden age soundtracks and library music.

The aim of the series is to spark a conversation between past, present and future, joining the dots between Italy’s great film and library-music tradition and a global scene of forward-thinking producers - the names confirmed so far include Dengue Dengue Dengue, Free The Robots, Jolly Mare, Koralle (feat. Illa J), Fratelli Malibu, Mounika, Oké aka Deda, Luke Beats, Ollie Teeba of The Herbaliser and Deca. First in line is the 7” ‘Autumn 2001 / Autumn 2021’, with an original track from Italian jazz pianist and electronic music pioneer Gianni Safred and a rework from musician, DJ and beat maker Free The Robots.

‘Autumn 2001’ comes from the 1978 Italian library LP Futuribile (The Life To Come), a retro-futuristic masterpiece by Gianni Safred, one of the great pioneers of Italian electronic music.

Chris Alfaro, aka Free the Robots, is a musician, beat maker and DJ known for his ability to jump in and out of different sonic worlds, creating a unique signature sound blending electronic, hip hop, jazz and psychedelia.

ODD Jazz is a collaborative creation of Finnish musicians recorded at the all analog studio in Southern Finland, Hämeenlinna. On this album you find compositions performed by various music collectives in different formations with the unified goal to enrich their compound and give us listeners the delight of sharing their experience of the vast unknown. A feeling of unity is transmitted through the spiritual and mostly improvised idiom. The core members of Odd Jazz are Tuure Tammi (trumpet) and Juha Sarkkola (drums, percussion). Check out the video for visual and aural impressions of the album.

Tryghed is the debut album from Franciska, the alias of the now Copenhagen-based artist Jonas Torstensson. As one of the key figures in the young, vivid scene around the Forlaget Kornmod imprint, Jonas has released a good deal of music under different names during the last few years, often in very limited cassette editions with barely no distribution. In many ways, Franciska pretty much captures the very essence of the sound world their label now is associated with: melancholic and rather loose tape compositions made with a hands-on approach, usually performed on organ, piano, synthesizers and acoustic instruments and often room recorded with environmental sounds leaking in. Truly DIY ambient music, closely connected in spirit with some of the more melodic Förlag För Fri Musik moments, Astrid Øster Mortensen etc. With crude stop/rec editing, sizzling magnetism and tape scuffs left intact, the A-side consists mainly of piano recordings made while on break from classical music rehearsals in school, while the B-side incorporates more electronics and field recordings though still having the piano as the focal point. Wintery minimalism at its very best. Mastered by Joakim Karlsson. Edition of 750 copies. Discreet Music 12.

Hailing from Paraguay in South America, Chino Corvalán is a talented young musician, composer and producer. For this gem of an album titled "Endless Era" he invited a lot of his musician friends from all around the world to perform and record the songs that he wrote. The album represents an age of spiritual elevation in the form of contemporary, modern, free jazz. As a live performer and stage musician Chino learned a lot of different instruments and express himself with music in a natural way. Endless Era is his most ambitious project to date including 18 songs that will impress and please all the fans of the genre. The album sounds like it will be a cult piece of the Jazz culture in the years to come.

Chino's words: Endless Era is the collection of music I wrote in the last part of the pandemic, it was a true and honest moment of creating music, specially with my friends Telemakus and Ted Taforo, we been collaborating and sharing music for the last 3 years, and the process was so natural and fluid. Mainly because we think the same way when it comes to the process of music creation.

“Endless Era is a tribute to a certain way of creating instrumental music that should never end”

All the songs represent a honest moment of life and music for me. Each songs were recorded and mixed in my studio, where I’ve been using the same setup trough the past few years. With the exception of the remote recordings from my dear friends.

Following their 1994 debut album, 3rd Force pulls out all the stops to release Force Of Nature. The album takes traditional instrumentation to create unique and original sounds to the group. Featured artists include Craig Chaquico, Peter White, and Boney James who add a soulful and nostalgic sound to the album. With Aura’s 15 previous solo albums, Dobbin’s training as a classical pianist, and Eskinasi’s tenure in the Soto Koto Band, each member of 3rd Force brings something different to the table in the second chapter of 3rd Force’s story. The album is dedicated to the memory of Terrence Kidman, and the birth of Dakota Dobbin. Life fully lived...and life yet to live. The circle continues... While available on CD worldwide, Force of Nature is now available for the first time ever on vinyl and has a super-limited pressing of 100 copies. With an included download card, the pressing offers a beautiful red/orange sunburst color.

The Uproar in Bursts of Sound and Silence is a sort of emergent collage that came together over four years of composition, improvisation and production. The foundations for this album were initially recorded in 2018 by producer/engineer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Skinyard) at Soundhouse in Seattle, WA with myself (Evan Strauss, electric bass and upright bass), 5-Track (Guitar) and Sheridan Riley (Drums). The initial foundations of this music consisted of my long-form graphically notated conceptual compositions based on the calls of the Veery songbird (Catharus fuscescens), the astrological transits at the precise time of the recording session and some thematic elements from Ursula K. Le Guin’s novel The Dispossessed. In 2019 the album was given the working title Bird Songs for the Stars and I commissioned the cover art, Night Fisher, from Jeane Cohen. Also around this time, Daniel Carter had emphatically told me, “I’m going to become a rapper by the time I turn 90.” So, a few weeks later Daniel and I were hanging out, recording music and eating stir fry in my Ditmas Park apartment and I convinced him to make some progress on his goals by recording his voice into a microphone. Daniel began by recording an excerpt from Virginia Woolf’s The Waves and continued by recording some of his own poetry. The recordings of Daniel from that afternoon would eventually make their way onto this album alongside my own experimentations in production inspired by Lee Scratch Perry, J Dilla and Ingram Marshall. I have since come to believe that this music was waiting for Daniel’s voice and music. Over the next couple of years I experimented with production techniques, renamed the album The Uproar in Bursts of Sound and Silence after an excerpt from The Waves (“wind blows the uproar in bursts of sound and silence across the court / now again they are smashing the china / that is the convention”), moved to the pacific northwest, corresponded with the estate of Virginia Woolf, mastered the entire project onto a cassette tape and convinced 577 records to release it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! -Evan Strauss, February 2022

Somewhere in the middle of the first track, “Torres e Baldios”, there’s a sudden change of pace with percussion rhythms interfering with the trance-like sound of the first six minutes. It sounds like steps, people running away on a corridor bashing their feet. It dazzles you because of how unexpected it is, how unpredictable those sounds sound like and, most of all, how it makes perfect sense. It is a monstrous piece. And the beginning of a new age for Ondness, in the same year he defied his Serpente moniker to create an absolute classic, “Dias da Aranha”.

What makes “Oeste A.D.” so remarkable is the intangible idea of nostalgia. “Aqua Matrix Alternative Nation” recreates with a slowed down mentality the theme of one of the main events of the Expo 98 in Lisbon. It’s nowhere similar to the original, what it does is to mess around with the global ideas that were such a big part of that event. The Portuguese musicians that were invited to collaborate with Expo 98 were mesmerized by the ideas of union and globalization, creating overpriced music that sounds like shit today. “Aqua Matrix Alternative Nation” messes around with that vibe in a positive way. Think Mark Leckey playing around with his rave memories. Same thing, but in Portugal we had Expo 98.

Jokes aside, B Side is more futuristic with “Torres e Baldios II” and “Endless Domingo”, a nod to “Endless Summer”, by Fennesz, and “Endless Happiness” (from “Beaches And Canyons”), by Black Dice, mashing up – freely - both covers and reminding of how great 2001/2002 was for experimental music. Both tracks are full of sci-fi drama and this sickness of the future that has been travelling with Ondness since its early days. But the approach here is somehow different. Before “Oeste A.D.” the Ondness sound was fragmented, sparse and intensively reflexive. There was this uncertainty to it that made the previously releases so good. But “Oeste A.D.” is full of clarity, the phrases are straightforward, and the music moves in one direction, continuously. Before, there were loads of unanswered questions. The only doubt is when will the world start to care and listen to Bruno’s brilliant music. Now sounds like a good time.

Record Store Day 2021. Limited edition.

Tiny wear. Original inner sleeve.

Initially quietly published then deleted via the 2020 pandemic-obscured Fresh Bread website - this 52-track all genre Sam Gendel anthology showcases unreleased tracks collected from Gendel’s personal archive of home recordings and public performances spanning the years 2012-2020. Comprising predominantly solo works, contributing players on select tracks include Carlos Niño, Jamire Williams, Daniel Aged, Gabe Noel, and Philippe Melanson.

LP on blue marbled vinyl in printed innersleeve.This talented jazz trio stands out, not only for excellence in musicianship but also for its unique blend of effected vibraphone leading the beast from jazz funk to hiphop punk.

To celebrate his 10 years of activity, French beatsmith Zerolex allies forces with double bassist Claudio Ibarra and saxophonist/composer Chromé to deliver a heavenly and contemplative 2-tracker. Le Temple / Le Nectar perfectly blends warm synths and downtempo beats with choir vocals and organic jazz harmonies.

Composed during summer 2019, set free during spring 2021 by BMM Records Production: Zerolex & Chromé Saxophone: Côme Rothé Double bass: Claudio Ibarra

Le Temple written by Simon Saint Hillier

Le Nectar written by Vinolex Drums by Hugo Dordor, recorded by Fravien Van Landuyt at Le Zèbre studio

The choir: Coline, Noémie, Alice, Florian, Ismaël, Jérémy

Mixed by Xavier Dromard at Caius Audio Mastered by Thomas Jacquot at Le Zèbre studio

Illustrations by Renaud Vigourt

For months now, Time Is The Enemy has been on the trail of enigmatic artist Barton Think. Apparently he has been around the music business for decades, but oddly enough, he has left only a few traces of his presence. Like a skilled alchemist, Barton Think combines soulful beats and jazzy downtempo into a unique sound that takes those genres into bold new territories.

Blue vinyl version!

No CD.
White vinyl.

Red vinyl. Cover is close to NM. Original inner sleeve.

100% original compositions and performance by 600v. NO Loops, NO Samples From Other Tracks. This is the most important info here. This album is the introduction to the series.

Greg Fox's Contact is an extension and evolution of the multidisciplinary artist's rigorous, virtuosic sound-making practices. On Contact, the devoted performer, intrepid composer and avid collaborator channels an alchemy of influences and ideas through the kinetic exchange of human and percussive forms. Produced and mixed by Randall Dunn, Contact sees Fox accessing ever more raw and ruminative states, processing the tumult of sentience into stick-hit-drum. 2017's The Gradual Progression introduced Fox's synergistic relationship with Sensory Percussion music technology, a conspiratorial force in developing his gestural jazz and metal mathematics into four-limbed polyphony. With Dunn tasked to further Fox's gradual progress, the two focused their combined energy on the intricacies of sound design during an intense, immersive recording process. On the other end of the deep dive, the duo had yielded something ritualistic and minimalistic, both building on and stripping back Fox's previous work while welcoming an honest and cathartic weight and collaboration.

Activity are an avant four-piece featuring Travis Johnson, and drummer Steve Levine, both from the band Grooms, bassist Zoë Browne from Field Mouse, and guitarist Jess Rees from Russian Baths. Produced by engineer Jeff Berner of Psychic TV, their debut forms a casually menacing framework for lyrical themes of paranoia, exposed character flaws, and the broader human capacity for growth when an ugly truth is laid bare. Lead single "Calls Your Name," establishes the record's spectral aura with nauseated electronic bells, and a relentless Geoff Barrow-esque drum beat beneath a half-sung, half-spoken lyrics inspired by C.S. Lewis's 1945 novel The Great Divorce. In the novel, characters stuck in a grey, joyless conception of hell repeatedly deny opportunities to be taken into heaven, instead making excuses as to why they should remain in their embittered purgatory states. Allegorically, this speaks to the kind of opportunity for metamorphosis and positive change that's possible when the depths of disillusionment are reached, an idea which permeates much of the album. Despite recurrent aches of discontentment, each track glows with radiant waves of catharsis while elegantly evoking jubilation and anguish within the same breadth, showing that the two are always around the corner from one another.

Promo copy.

No CD.

Cover has a bent corner. Close to NM.

CD closer to VG+.